Episode Transcript
Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Welcome to Go Teach All Nations, bringing you Christ's teachings through Australian and international speakers. And here is today's presenter, Pr Geoff Youlden. I've got a question for you. Did Jesus exist before His incarnation? Yes or no? Yes. Right, He did. Okay. What was Jesus like before He became a man? Or we refer to this as the incarnation. Sometimes we use words that we understand, but perhaps New folk who are finding their way into loving the Bible, they're rather big words. So every now and again, if I use a big word, I'll try to explain it. But you've got to try and remember some of these words because no matter where you read, you will read of these words. It doesn't matter what profession you have, whether you're the medical profession or whether you're the theological profession, there are always certain words that are associated with that profession. And there are words that are not necessarily in the Bible but nevertheless state biblical truths. And the Incarnation simply means that Jesus became a man. And so how did Jesus exist before he became a man and the Incarnation? In the Father. Was He God? Yes. Yes. Now when we say that, we don't mean that He was like God, but rather He was God and He became a man. Let me read you a couple of verses just to establish the truthfulness of what I've just said. Just come over to John, the Gospel of John. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, chapter 1 and verse 1. And I certainly hope you've brought your Bible. Because it'll— your memory will be helped if we use the Bible. Let's have a look at John 1, verse 1. It says here, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Now, who is this Word, spelt with a capital W? Jesus. Yes, it is Jesus. You're correct, and we'll give you the text to support it, is verse 14. Which says, the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. So there's no doubt that the Word is Jesus. He became flesh. In other words, he became a human being. And we beheld his glory, the glory of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Let's go back to Matthew 1 and verse 23. Here's another verse which supports the divinity of Jesus. Matthew chapter 1 and verse 23, which says, Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which is translated, what? God with us. God with us. How a person could ever believe that Jesus wasn't God with a verse like that staring them in the face, I don't know. Seems to me it's as clear as a bell. And, and then you remember the text. We won't turn up John 10:30, but you know the text. It says, my— Jesus speaking— my Father and I are— One. One, yes. So that's pretty convincing of the fact that Jesus is divine. Now in John 1, it talks about the ladder. Remember Jacob's ladder, the story of Jacob's ladder? Where the ladder stretched up to heaven, touching the earth, and went all the way up to heaven. Now, what was the meaning of that? Um, it simply means that Jesus was able to link earth and heaven. He was the, the ladder, so to speak, using a human illustration. He was the ladder that connected heaven and earth. And we'll explain why that's so important in just a moment. Now, at the same time, we've read verses which say very clearly that Jesus was God. Now I want to read you verses that say clearly that Jesus was man. All right, let's have a look at a couple of those verses. Galatians chapter 4 and verse 4. Galatians 4:4. Galatians 4:4. Chapter 4 and verse 4. And you'll see why I'm spending a little time on this in a moment, why this is important to understand. Galatians 4 and verse 4, it says, but when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. What does that mean, born under the law? Under the law. The law. Yes, it's not— this is not just referring to the Ten Commandments. It includes the Ten Commandments, but this is really referring and saying Jesus was born like you and I are born. We're born under the law too, meaning that the law here, the law of the principle of life, and Jesus was born like you and I are born, and he grew up like you and I grow up. through the teenage years and so forth. And the Bible says He took a job. Remember, He worked in His Father's carpenter shop. So Jesus, in every way, the Bible presents Him as a human being too. So He was both God and man. Now, if you then press me and say, well, can you explain that to me more? I can't, because I don't know how God can become a man. I believe it because the Bible says it, but explain it? There are many things I can't explain and no one else can explain, but we accept by faith because the Bible says it. Amen. And God, you know, there's a lot of questions that I think we're going to want to ask God when we get home to heaven. A lot of questions. I got a few questions I want to ask Paul too. One of the questions is, why did he write like he wrote in some places? For just about every heresy that we have in the Christian church today, people go to Paul's writings. You know, depart and be with the Lord, Colossians 2. about the Sabbath, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances and tongues. Even Peter had trouble with Paul, didn't he? If you read in the book of Peter, Peter said, I got trouble with many of our brother Paul and his writings, which some people who are unstable wrest, or meaning take out of their context. Amen. And that's why we've gotta be very careful. However, when it comes to Jesus, and this is what I love about the gospel story and the way Jesus spoke, when Jesus spoke, it was always simple and clearly, clear, isn't that right? You don't have any trouble understanding the Good Samaritan. You don't have any trouble understanding the parables and the Sermon on the Mount. It's all just simple language. Because Jesus was the master teacher, and so it's just interesting. There are lots of questions we're going to be we've got in our minds, and there's nothing wrong with having questions. And there are some things we've just got to recognize this side of eternity we will never be able to resolve because our minds are just too small. Our experience is just so little. And of course, the more man is studying today, the more science that we're finding out, the more wonderful the universe is. So if we've got questions and you've got questions and we don't answer everything today, don't be discouraged. Just join the gang. We're all like that. Many, many things. You know, the children even have questions. What's the first question that children ask you as a parent as they begin to, begin to understand what's going on? What's the question they always ask you? Why? Yes, but particularly about God, what do they say? Where did God come from? Who made God? Isn't that the question? And what do you say to them? Well, you stammer and stop because everything in life that we know has a beginning and has an end, but God doesn't have that, and that's very, very difficult to explain. That doesn't mean to say it's wrong, it just means that we haven't got the language nor the knowledge to be able to explain it simply. Amen. So even from little children we have questions. So Jesus was also both man and God. He was fully man. He was 100% man and he was 100% God. In fact, he— the Bible says that he comes from the seed of Abraham. What does that mean? Abraham. He was born in the line of Abraham. And so Abraham was a human being and therefore Christ also. The Bible says he was the root and offspring of David. What does that mean? It means he, he made David the root, but he was of the offspring of David, which simply means what? Human being. He was born in David's line as a human being, of the offspring. So the Creator of David actually became line, born of the line of King David. Interesting when you read these statements in, in the Bible. All right, come over to 1 Timothy, toward the back of the Bible, the first book of Timothy, chapter 3 and verse 16. 1 Timothy chapter 3 and verse 16, where it says, And without controversy, great is the mystery of— Godliness. Godliness. And then it explains what that mystery is, that God was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up in glory. Now the Bible calls that a mystery. In fact, the Bible talks about 2 mysteries, the mystery of godliness is what we're reading about now, and also the mystery of iniquity. But the mystery of godliness is how God became a man. The Bible calls it a mystery. So that's why we'll never be able to resolve it completely in our minds. We won't understand it all. Accept it? Absolutely. Explain it? We'll be very, very hard-pressed to really explain it well. Now, when Jesus, after his resurrection, if you come back to the book of Luke, The 24th chapter, Luke chapter 24. Matthew, Mark, Luke chapter 24 and verse 29. Luke chapter 24 and verse 29. It says, "But they constrained him." This is talking about after the resurrection, and remember the disciples were so discouraged because. He whom they thought was going to be the deliverer from the Romans was now dead. So you can understand the disappointment and the discouragement of the disciples. And they were walking on the road to Emmaus, discouraged, their shoulders down, their heads down, and suddenly Jesus drew up alongside them and they didn't recognize him. And as they were going along, it says in verse 29, but they constrained him, saying, abide with us, for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. And he went in to stay with them. And now it came to pass, as he sat at the table with them, that he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew him, and he vanished from their So was Jesus a real human being then for the disciples to recognize him? Yes. Yes, he had flesh and bones, the Bible says. So all through the New Testament we find that Jesus is presented as someone who was a real human being. Now, was Jesus still a human being after the resurrection? Yes. Because there are some Christians who believe that after the resurrection Jesus went back to where He was before, you know, the same situation of His divinity only before the resurrection, before He became a man. Now what does the Bible say on that question? Come over to Hebrews toward the back of the Bible, Hebrews chapter 2, Hebrews 2 and verse 14. And it says this, chapter 2, verse 14: Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. So the Bible is saying here that Jesus took clearly flesh and blood. And in a moment, we're going to give a reason why Jesus had to become a man, and one of them is based on this verse that He had to become a man to be our Savior, and we'll discuss that in just a few moments. So it's important that we understand why Jesus had to become a man. That's important to understand that. Yes. You see, if we have a look at the sanctuary, you will remember that around the sanctuary, the people camped. And there were 3 tribes on every side, north, south, east, and west, which made up the 12 tribes. And the sanctuary itself was in the center of the camp. Yes. And as we study this now, we're going to notice that Jesus became a human being and he encamped on this earth for 33 years. And we're going to notice as we study the sanctuary together today that the whole of the sanctuary is a type of what was to happen As far as our salvation was concerned. That's so important. It's not just a study of some old building. This has deep, deep significance in helping us to understand the whole plan of salvation. Now, can you understand if that is true, and it is, can you see why the devil is interested in making sure that we don't understand the sanctuary? Yes. Because, as we're going to notice, the story of salvation is vastly more than Jesus dying on the cross. Important as that is, that's foundational. But there's more to the story of salvation than Jesus' death on the cross. And many Christians today, all they understand about the plan of salvation is Jesus' death on the cross. It's the sanctuary that helps us to understand the breadth of this, this teaching so that we understand all that's involved in the salvation of us human beings. And I want to give you a number of reasons now. In fact, I'll give you 6 why Jesus had to become a man. All right, 6 reasons. The first reason I'm going to suggest is to reveal to us what God is like, because no man has ever seen God. And Jesus had to come down here as a human being, because if you and I as a human being looked upon God, what would happen to us? Die. Hmm? Die. We'd be dead. No man can look at God. That's why in the Old Testament, whenever God appeared, it was always veiled. Remember Moses? And only in the Garden of Eden was man able to communicate with God. And the reason that they could communicate with God directly in the Garden of Eden was because they hadn't sinned. Once they sinned, that was impossible from that point onwards. So Jesus had to become a man in order for us to understand God, and he's the clearest revelation of what God is really like. Come over to 1 Timothy, just back a few pages to 1 Timothy again, chapter 6. 1 Timothy chapter 6. verse 15, and this is what it says. 1 Timothy 6, verse 15: Which he will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Verse 16: Who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, Whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. So God had a problem after Adam and Eve sinned. How was He going to communicate? And the Bible tells us that we've got to know God. He's got to become a personal friend of ours. The whole plan of salvation is not just an intellectual understanding, it's also a very personal Relationship. Abide with me and I with you, the Bible talks about. That's very personal. And God's— so God's got a problem once we sinned. How is he going to be able to abide with us? How is he going to be able to reveal himself to us, seeing we are human beings and he dwells in light which is unapproachable? We've got no idea what God is like. That's another question that you'll no doubt want to have answered when you get home to heaven. It's, it's, it's just so much beyond our thinking that God is so great. And this verse gives us a clue when it says the only potentate, the God who has immortality. That's why this matter of understanding what happens when a person dies, and no doubt you have all seen The dear lady, Charlie's wife, and we all, our hearts go out to her. As a human being, we can understand some of the suffering that she would be going through now with her little daughter. But as I listened to her, she has him home in heaven next to Jesus. Amen. Because they don't understand what I would think is a very basic teaching here when it says God is the only one with immortality. No other human being, we don't have immortality. That gift of immortality, according to 1 Corinthians 15, is given to us when? At death. When Jesus returns. When Jesus returns. This mortal will put on immortality. This corruptible will put on incorruption. That doesn't happen now. That happens when Jesus comes back. The Bible's clear on that. And as I said, God has a problem. How is he going to communicate with beings that are sinful? So Jesus had to become a man in order for God to reveal what God is really like. And in Jesus, we have the clearest picture of God. The way he related to people, the way he dealt with people, all of those things are a characteristic. The parables that he told, everything that he did is he was trying to teach us what God is really like. Amen. In fact, all the doctrines that are in the Bible are there to teach us what God is like. Amen. Doctrines, you know, I meet some people who think that doctrine's a dirty word. No, God has given us these teachings to help us understand what God is like. And there's a wonderful verse over here in Hebrews again. Just come over to Hebrews chapter 1. In verse 1 it says, God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets. So what was the method that God communicated in the Old Testament? Prophets. Through the prophets. What other ways did he communicate? It's still through the prophets, but what about the Urim and the Thummim? His Son. Yes, He had various ways through dreams. He endeavored to communicate with us, but it says, Paul is writing here and he says, but in these last days, now what, how does He communicate? Has in these last days spoken to us by His Son. So the purpose of the Son coming to this earth was to reveal to us Amen. And that's a very important point. All right, my second point: so he could die for us. And my verse for that is 1 Timothy chapter 6. So come over to 1 Timothy again, chapter 6 and verse 15 and 16, where we were before. 15 and 16. Which he will manifest in his own time, he who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen. So God is the only one with immortality. No human being, no matter who it is, has ever had immortality, except a few exceptions that are mentioned in the Bible. But the vast, vast, vast majority of human beings, we do not have immortality. That's a gift which will be given to us when Jesus returns. And the question sometimes folk ask is this: did Jesus really die when he died on the cross? Did he really die? Yes. Well, that's a good question. Hebrews chapter 2 again. Let's go back to Hebrews, the 2nd chapter and verse 9. But we see Jesus— this is Hebrews 2:9— but we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the angels. Now you just imagine this. I mean, we're human beings and we think that human beings are pretty good. You know, we— that's the only life we understand is what we are. But Jesus, when he became a human being, he, he was created then A little lower than the angels. Now He had made the angels. Now, and in His incarnation, as He became a man, now He becomes lower than His creation. This is the God of eternity. For you and for me, He condescended lower than the angels. And then it goes on to say, For the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God may taste death for everyone. What's that verse saying? What does that verse say? Why did he have to be created lower than the angels according to that verse? So he could what? Die. Because God cannot die. Divinity cannot die. That's impossible. But he had to become lower than the angels even so he could die. That's the second point that we're making this morning. The third point is He had to become a human being so he could sympathize with us. The Bible is very clear that Jesus is able to sympathize. Let me give you the verse, chapter 5 of Hebrews. Hebrews chapter 5 and verse 1: For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, That He may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sin, He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since He Himself is also subject to weakness. So does Jesus really understand us then, according to that verse? Yes. Yes. He had to become a human being so he can understand you, and he can understand your needs. He can understand your heartaches. He understands when death comes. He understands when everything in life seems to have crashed for us. He understands the the the woman who. has a child and is on her own. He understands all of those things and he's able to sympathize with us. Hebrews 2 and verse 11 is another good verse which says this. Hebrews 2:11, For both he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified Are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren. And then in verse 14, it goes on to say, Inasmuch then as the children have partakers of flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared in the same, that through death he might destroy him who had the power of death, that is the devil. So he understands the grieving parent. As I said, he understands the single mother, the divorcee. He understands all of that. That's why he's able to sympathize with us in our humanity. You know, we've all seen pictures that I guess just ring out every Ounce of sympathy that we have when we look at those pictures on television of Gaza and the people living there and the children and so forth. Whose heart is not moved by that? Now, I can sympathize with those poor people in Gaza and so can you, but do we really identify with them? Can we identify with them? No, you don't live like that. You're not in that situation, and while we have sympathy, we can't— haven't— we really haven't got identity with them. It takes someone who's in that situation to be able to identify exactly what they're going through. Now the Bible says that's why Jesus became a human being, so he could identify with the very needs that all of us have. That's why I feel for our dear Roman Catholic friends who are told that the Virgin Mary is needed to be able to sympathize with us. And of course, they bring in the saints as well to sympathize. And while they pay lip service to the idea that Jesus became both God and man, they don't really believe that Jesus became a man in the full sense of the word, not in the way the Bible presents Him, because Jesus became a human being in its entirety. The human being, that nature that you've got, that's what He has taken upon Himself, lower than the angels. Amen. So that's why Jesus had to become a human being. Now, another point that I want to share with you is this, that Jesus had to become a human being in order for the incarnation to be important. Amen. As we said before, if we can remember the picture on the screen in which the camp was all around the sanctuary, Jesus lived among us just the peop— as the people lived around the sanctuary. So Jesus had to come onto this earth and to live among us. He had to grow up the same way that we grow up. Amen. He had to take a job the way we take a job. He was rejected like often we are rejected by people. Jesus understands all of that because he's been through that. Have a look at 1 John chapter 2 and verse 1. This is a wonderful verse. Many of you can repeat it by heart, I'm sure. 1 John chapter 2, verse 1. It starts off by saying, my little children, these things I say unto you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. What does the word advocate mean? That's a word that we don't so often use today, but what is an advocate? Someone who pleads for us. Someone who pleads for us. Good answer. That's exactly what an advocate is. In our terminology today, if we're using law court terminology, we would say he's our barrister, he's our attorney, our solicitor. He stands in for us. He stands in for us. Yes, that's exactly what it is. That's what a barrister is supposed to do— stand in for you. If you get into trouble, isn't that right? Well, the Bible says Jesus is our barrister. He's our advocate. He's our lawyer. He's the one that's on your side. And that's a wonderful truth, believe me. And it says Jesus Christ the righteous. You see, when I come to Jesus and I'm repentant and I'm sorry and confess my sin and say, Jesus, I'm a miserable human being. I've failed again. Jesus takes his perfect life and credits that to us. In other words, as a human being, as a sinful human being, Christ died so that he could share his life and give his life for me, and he covers me with his life so that when God looks at us, He doesn't see our sinfulness, but rather He sees Jesus' life. And when He sees Jesus' life, does that mean that we are righteous or unrighteous? Unrighteous. Wait a moment, we're not too sure of this. If I'm— if Jesus takes my life and He covers me with His righteousness, as we've just read, when God looks upon me, what does he see? Righteousness or unrighteousness? Righteousness. Righteousness, because I'm covered in the robe of Christ's righteousness. In other words, he is imputing to us or giving me his life in place of mine. That's why as Christians we can have so much confidence Not because we're good people ourselves, but because if we love the Lord, the Lord is covering us in his righteousness. So is it important then that we study the incarnation? Absolutely. Yes. Because the incarnation helps us to identify and understand why Jesus has gone through all he went through. so that you and I can have his righteousness. He had— God had to become a man for that to take place. Otherwise, we would have been struck to nothingness if he hadn't veiled his divinity in humanity. And every now and again when Jesus was on the earth, his divinity flashed through. When do we see that? Give me an illustration of how Jesus' divinity suddenly flashed through his humanity. Where do we see that? In the temple. In the temple. Remember when the money changers were there and they were trading in the church? Jesus was so disgusted that the Bible says his divinity flashed through humanity, and that's why as he upturned those tables— and you can imagine there were plenty of men around If Jesus had just been ordinary, they would have taken hold of him and shoved him out and probably killed him on the spot. But no one dared to come near him because they saw in his face something they had never seen in any other human being, because for that moment divinity flashed through humanity. And there are other illustrations too in the New Testament. And Jesus had to become a man in order for us to understand that. Now the 4th reason I'm going to give as to why Jesus had to become a human being is so that He could be tempted like you and I are tempted. Can God be tempted? No. What does the Bible say? Can God be tempted? Absolutely no. And if Jesus hadn't become a man, he could never have been tempted. The whole story of him coming to this earth, Satan would have laughed and scoffed and said, no, it's impossible. You are not a human being. You're still God. Of course you'll beat me being God. But Jesus lowered himself down so that He could be on the same level that you and me. Let's read a verse about that. Come over to the book of James chapter 1 and verse 13. James chapter 1 and verse 13. James is toward the back of the Bible, just after Hebrews. James chapter 1 and verse 13. And this is what it says. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil. Is that clear then? Yes. That's why He had to become a human being. Otherwise, He— the whole story of salvation and Christ stepping in our place would be a laugh. It would be nonsense. But He lowered Himself down so He could be tempted. Amen. He had to live as a man. In fact, Jesus never used his divine power at any stage to get himself out of a situation in which you and I could not do the same. Even when he was in the temple, he never used that That was just used to show those men that they were dealing with some person that's no ordinary person, but he never used his power when it came to overcoming sin, his divine power. You know, if I had a button that I could press every time I'm tempted, and you had a button that you could press, That got me out of that situation. We'd be pressing it all the time, isn't that right? Yes. Now Jesus had that button, so to speak. At any moment, you know, the song says he could have called 10,000 angels to set him free. All Jesus needed to do was to lift a little finger and every angel in heaven would have come down and slaughtered those individuals who were trying to crucify him. They were aghast. The angels, we're told, were aghast at watching the way Jesus was treated. All he needed to do, just lift up his finger or his hand. But no, that would have broken the whole plan of salvation because I can't lift up my finger. I can't lift up my hand when I get into a difficulty. I don't have that power, neither do you, but Jesus did have it. But the divinity was held under his humanity, and Jesus never sinned. So that's the 4th reason. Let me give you the 5th reason. Jesus became a man in the likeness of Of sinful human flesh. Now we've got to be very careful now how we use these words, and I want you to pay a lot of attention to what I just said. The Bible says He came in the likeness. He was never a human being in the sense that you and I can be tempted from within because Jesus says on one occasion, the devil comes to me and I find nothing in me to respond to him. Can you feel that way? That when the devil comes to you, there's nothing about my nature that wants to respond to what the devil is saying. Can any of us say that? No. No, we find there's an awful lot inside us that responds to, to what he's tempting us. But Jesus said, the devil comes to me and finds nothing in me, because Jesus was born perfect, but he came in the likeness of sinful flesh. Let me give you a verse. Come over to Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. Galatians chapter 2. Let's go back after Romans and then comes Corinthians and then Galatians. Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20. Galatians 2 verse 20, it says, for I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. You see, when we become a Christian, it's not enough that Jesus lived for us. for me in the past. That's wonderful, but Christ has done more than live for me and die for me. This verse says that Christ wants to live where? In me. In us. Now let's read the verse again, carefully noting what Paul is writing here. I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, But Christ lives in me. Now listen, if Christ really lives in us, when the devil comes along, is it possible through his power to overcome the temptations of the devil? Is it possible to be an overcomer, in other words? Yes. Absolutely. Words wouldn't mean anything if it doesn't say that. Look, just read it again. Galatians 2: I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So in actual fact, who is it that is overcoming the devil? Is it me or Christ in me. That's why those who want to teach that it's impossible to be an overcomer are denying the very essentials of salvation. I feel so sorry for them. Their idea of, of grace and understanding salvation is so far away from what the Bible teaches. God wants to give us victory over sin, and that's part of the story of salvation. It is no longer Christ who lives, but I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and and gave Himself for me. In other words, God gives me the power to be able to live like that. That's why Christ wants to abide in us. We were talking before about the fact that salvation is not just an intellectual thing, it is an experience. Salvation, we've got to understand the intellectual side of it, that's, that's fine, but it's more than that. It's not just a matter of, of Thinking that Jesus died for me. Yes, He did. Of course, it's wonderful. But it's more than that. Christ wants to actually live in my life. He wants to control my life, and He wants to do the same for you. Exactly. And if we allow Him, He will. Another verse here: First John chapter two verse six. Here's another verse. 1 John chapter 2 and verse 6, where it says, chapter 2, verse 6, he who says he abides in him ought himself also so to walk, just as he walked. In other words, if I'm claiming that Christ dwells in my life and he is dwelling in my life, I will want to do what Christ That's the reason I'm a Sabbath keeper. I keep the Sabbath because Jesus kept the Sabbath. He was the greatest Sabbath keeper that lived, and your life and mine is modeled on Him. That's why I was baptized and why I encourage every person to be baptized, because Christ was baptized, not because He needed to be baptized like I do, but He was baptized as an example for me. Amen. To follow. And so a Christian is someone who models their life on the life of Jesus. Whatever Jesus taught, whatever Jesus said, whatever Jesus lived, that's my mentor, that's my goal, is to follow him step by step. And Galatians and John there are beautiful. My last 6th point In this morning's session is Jesus had to become a man so he could become an impartial judge and sympathize with us and understand us. Listen, if Jesus is my judge and at the same time he's my attorney, my barrister, So He sits in 2 positions. He's my Judge here, sitting on— using a human illustration, sitting on the bench. He is my Judge, but also He is my Attorney. He's pleading my case. Is it a foregone conclusion then? If He's pleading my case and He's the Judge, can I be certain about the judgment? Yes. Absolutely, it's all over Red Rover because it's a foregone conclusion. That's why in the Bible the teaching of the judgment is such good news. You know, I meet some people who get all het up about the judgment. Listen, the judgment's the best news you could ever hear because the judge is my attorney. And if I'm on good terms with my attorney, it's all over for him. And the devil, who's the accuser of the brethren day and night, the Bible says, Jesus steps forward and silences him. Don't you talk to me about them. I'll show you how they have accepted my blood. They're covered by my robe. And he silences the devil. Amen. Amen. That's why we can be such— so encouraged. And I trust that as we journey now into the first apartment experience, because now in our second session, next we're going to deal with what is Jesus actually doing in heaven right now? What does the Bible say He's doing? And we're going to have a wonderful time. It's going to give you a tremendous encouragement. Remember this: Jesus is both our judge and our barrister. You're— and He's never lost a case yet. That's why we can have encouragement. Let's just bow our heads. Amen. Father in heaven, I just want to thank you again this morning for the study of your word. I thank you, Lord, for the wonderful truth on the sanctuary that helps us to understand all the finer points of salvation so that we can understand what you are for us and how you stand for us, how you're sympathetic with us, and how you will give us power to live as you want us to live. Bless us now as we have a little break and then bring us back as further we study, I pray. For Jesus' sake, amen. 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