Do You Know the Lord?

The title today of the sermon is, Do You Know the Lord? And we could title it subtitle, Getting to Know the Lord. Growing up, we've very often heard about, I did, the Baptist Church, all a lot of talk about the Lord. And of course, a lot of people would ask others, Do you know the Lord? And in the church, we tended to avoid the name Lord, because it had, to some degree, some Protestant overtones, I guess we thought. But today, I want us to talk about that name, that name being the Lord. We're mainly going to focus on the New Testament, but we'll give a few statistics from the Old Testament as well. The Hebrew word you see in your Bible, that's all caps, L-O-R-D, L-O-R-D, is translated from the Hebrew word, Yahweh, and how many times do you think that that appears in the Bible? It appears 6,510 times.

Then you have the Hebrew word, Lord, lowercase, L-O-R-D.

And one of the Hebrew words that that's translated from is, Adon Adon, Adon Adon, and that appears in the Bible several times as well, over 100, and you have Adonai, which is also translated as lowercase, uppercase, L-O, and then lowercase, L-R-D. So you have all caps, L-R-D, 66510 times, and you have Adon Adon, which translated as Lord, that appears 335 times. I said it was over 100. And you have Adonai, which appears 434 times. So in the Old Testament, you'll see Lord 7288 times. Must be a fairly important name.

Now we go to the New Testament, and we're going to focus on mainly the word from Acts 2.36, that same Jesus you transferred, you crucified, he has made him both Lord and Christ. Both Lord, meaning master, ruler, and Christ, meaning the anointed one, the Messiah. He is both. He is Lord, and he is Messiah. That word, Lord, in Acts 2.36, the Greek word for it is kurios, K-U-R-I-O-S, and the U there makes it kurios, the word kurios. Once again, it is one who is the master, Lord, possessor, disposer of a thing. This is the Greek word that most often refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, but sometimes it refers to the Father.

This word that refers to the Lord, kurios, and sometimes to the Father, you know how many times it's used in the New Testament? 748 times. So you know by that it is a very important name.

Now here are some verses that kurios refers to the Father. So let's look at Matthew 12.30. We'll look at these hurriedly. We'll be turning to a lot of scriptures today. I'll be turning with you. I don't have them cut and pasted in. So in Matthew 12 and verse 30, He that is not with me is against me. I must be reading from the wrong chapter. In Matthew 12 and verse 30, it looks like a wrong reference. Let's look at Mark 12.29. In Mark 12.29, we're reading scriptures now that where kurios is translated as the one who is the Father. In Mark 12 and verse 29, Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear O Israel, the LORD, kurios, our God, is one LORD. So that is referring to the Father. Let's look at Luke 1.16. In Luke 1.16, what are we doing now? We're looking at a few of the scriptures in which the word kurios, which is used 748 times, in the New Testament is translated as referring to the Father. And many of the children of Israel shall return to the LORD their God. And I would encourage you to do a study. How do you study the Bible?

I got on to this two or three years ago with regard to taking a phrase, like a meaningful phrase, for example, Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ is in the New Testament many, many times. And you would be surprised what it will say about Lord Jesus Christ. And then you may look up Lord God. That also is in the New Testament. And in that case, it would be kurios theos, Lord God, and that, of course, refers to the Father. In Luke 1.32, we're in Luke, so, He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest, the Lord God. See, there's that phrase, the Lord God. Look at every verse in the New Testament. It says, Lord God. The Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. See, what we do in sermons is maybe we'll have four or five scriptures that refer to a certain point or theme or name or a triad or something that is double. And we don't get the full import of everything that's said about that name or about that concept. In Acts 2, verse 39, forward a few pages, Acts 2, verse 39, you'll be surprised what you will be able to learn about the Father and about the Son by looking at every verse that you can. You can easily do this if you have online Bible or any online program. You can do it on your computer. Or if you don't have that, you have a concordance. Strongs or youngs that you can just look at every scripture that has whatever word that you're wanting to study in it. In Acts 2, verse 39, For the promise is unto you and to your children, and to all that are afar off. And those that are afar off, this is not speaking of distance, and I'm not going to turn to Ephesians and prove it to you. It's those that are not of the house of Israel by birth. It is referring to the Gentiles.

At first, on the day of Pentecost, they thought it was just a thing for Israel. And it wasn't until Peter went down to the house of Cornelius, as recorded in Acts 10, that it was made known that the Holy Spirit was made available to all people, Jew and Gentile. And to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God, see, Lord our God shall call. Who calls us? God the Father, John 6, 44. No man can come to me unless the Father draws him. That is John 6, and verse 44. Look at Acts 3, 22. Acts 3, and verse 22.

For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God, referring to the Father, raise up unto you your brethren. Who was that prophet? Well, this is quoting from Matthew 15, 18. It's Jesus Christ. God shall raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me.

Him shall you hear in all things whatsoever. He shall say to you. Look at Acts 4, and verse 24. Acts 4, 24, 4, at a page or two. And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, Lord, you are God, which have made the heavens and the sea, and all that in them is.

And we know from Colossians chapter 1, we know from John chapter 1, God the Father can be referred to as a creator, and He created all things through Christ. So therefore, Christ can also be called the Creator as well. So that would just give you a sampling of, sometimes it refers to the Father. In the book of Revelation, there is several times the term is used, Lord God Almighty. So here I'm going to read Revelation 4 and verse 8, and this is referring, of course, to the Father.

And the four beasts had each of them six wings about them. This is Revelation 4.8. This is what is Revelation 4 about? Somebody tell me. What is Revelation 4 about? It gives you a vision of the throne of God. So you know that speaking of God. And they rest not day or night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, which is, which is to come. You can say the same thing about which was, which is, which is to come about Jesus Christ. Most of the language in the New Testament about coming is referring to Jesus Christ.

Then in Revelation 11.17, Revelation 11.17, what are we looking at now? This expression, O Lord God Almighty, saying, we give thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which are, which was, which are to come. You see it once again. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great, because you have taken to you your great power and have reigned, and marvelous are your works, Lord God Almighty, just and true are your ways, you King of saints.

And so it, you see here this expression, Lord God Almighty, you could study that triad. But today we're going to focus most of our time on the Greek word kureos, which is translated, as I said, 748 times in the New Testament as Lord. And mainly it is referring to Jesus Christ, and as we've already quoted, and also scripture the day, that God has made him the one that you crucified.

He has made him both Lord, your Master, and Christ, the anointed one, the Messiah. What does that mean, to be made Lord? To be made Lord, he is Lord. Jesus Christ is to be the Lord of our lives. So let's look at John 13 and verse 3. John 13 and verse 3. In John 13 and verse 3, John 13 is a long chapter.

Of course, the background of this is the setting in which Jesus Christ institutes the ordinance of foot washing, and then goes on to institute and establish the symbols of the New Covenant of taking of the bread, which represents his body, and the wine representing his blood. But as he was getting ready to give him the instructions about foot washing, note what he says. What does it mean that he has made him Lord? In Revelation, not Revelation, but John 13 and verse 3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands.

Did it exclude anything? No, it did not exclude anything. Knowing that he had given all things into his hands. And we're going to talk a little bit when we get to Philippians in just a second.

Here's one Jesus Christ who is going to wash the apostles' feet, which was reserved to the lowest in the rank of that society. He was going to wash their feet, and he knew that he was about to be betrayed and crucified. Yet he also knew that everything had been given to him. We read it again. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God and going to God.

Theos, going to the Father. Now we go to Philippians 2 and verse 6. Here we see this picture of what was given up in order for him to become our Savior. In Philippians 2 and verse 6, we oftentimes turn here when we're speaking about humility. But Jesus Christ, of course, was the most humble person who ever lived in the flesh. The reason why it's described here, I mean in two or three verses, how many people could describe this in two or three verses?

Not many. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, doesn't. But he shows that Jesus Christ was on the same level. Imagine, go back in a time in which nothing existed. There was no, quote, physical universe. You have the Father and the Son, the one who became the Son, known as also the Word in John 1.1, existing. And they made an agreement of how that one could be reconciled to God the Father, viewed as sinless, and receive the Holy Spirit. In Philippians 2.6, who being in the form of God, being means existing. Existing in the form of God thought it not robbery, and the word robbery better translated to be seized.

It's something you didn't have to go try to get. It's something you already had. Thought it not robbery, thought it not a thing to be seized, to be equal, I-S-O-S, with God. Because he was on that plane, but made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. Made in the likeness of men.

Jesus Christ lived in the flesh. He was human in every sense of the word, but at the same time, he was also God in every sense of the word, in that he had existed in eternity. Eternity has no beginning. Eternity has no end. And he was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross.

Now, more specifically answering this question, what does it mean to be made Lord? Wherefore, God also has highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name. In one of those names, in Greek, it's kurios, and in English, it is Lord. Are we ashamed to use the name Lord to say that he is the Lord of my life? That at the name of Jesus, every nay should bow of things in heaven?

Notice that in heaven, whether they be thrones, principalities, dominions, and things on earth, and things under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. So what is our title? It is, Do You Know the Lord? Or Getting to Know the Lord? We'll just be able to cover some of the main principles, the main things that he does for us today. In Romans 14, verse 10, we have something similar to what we have just read here in the last few verses of Philippians.

So we want Romans 14 now in verse 10. In Romans 14, verse 10, We just read that from Philippians.

Somehow the preachers of this world have tried to separate Jesus from the Father. And Jesus cannot be separated from the Father. Now we want to look at Matthew 3, verse 16. What we're talking about, basically the preaching today that you hear in the world, the Father is seldom mentioned. And they pervert the name of Jesus in a way that makes it into almost lasciviousness or licentiousness, licensed to sin, of just confess Jesus.

In Matthew 3, verse 16, Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straight way out of the water. And lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him. And Jesus Christ had the Spirit without measure. It says that in John chapter 3, verse 30-something.

The Spirit of God descending upon him like a dove and lighting upon him, and lo, a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Now we want to also look at this from Matthew 17 and verse 18, verse 1. Matthew 17 and verse 1, and the transfiguration. The transfiguration where Peter, James, and John were taken with Jesus Christ to a mountain. And there he was transfigured before their eyes. They fell into a trance-like state in which what happened was as real as being there in the event itself. In Matthew 17, verse 1.

And after six days, Jesus took Peter, James, and John, his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart. They were there by themselves. And was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.

And of course, you get a picture of that in Revelation chapter 1. And this is picturing, to some degree, Jesus Christ in his glorified state. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elijah talking with him. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you will, let us make here three tabernacles, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. So immediately Peter connected this, the resurrected Christ, with the millennium and the Feast of Tabernacles.

While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, a holy voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye him. And some of these modern translations, when it makes a declarative statement, they leave out the ye. The ye is very important. I mean, you, I, everybody. Hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were so afraid.

And Jesus came and touched them and said, Arise, be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead. Now, Peter refers to the Transfiguration in 1 Peter, chapter 5, where he says, Jesus Christ says, the Father is greater than I. So Jesus Christ, even though all things are given to him, he still humbles himself, and he recognizes the Father as being greater than he is.

Now, you would turn to John 14, John 14, verse 12. In John 14, verse 12, Jesus Christ is speaking here. Notice this statement. Once again, do you know the Lord? Getting to know the Lord. Just some of the great qualities and facets of his being, what he has done, what he is doing, and what he will do for each one of us. In John 14, verse 12, Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believes on me, the works that I do, shall he do also, and greater works than these shall he do, because I go unto my Father.

He had to go unto the Father for you to do greater works than he had done. Why? Now we go to verse 26. Verse 26, But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit. Now, this word comforter, you want to be familiar with that. In the Greek, it's paracletos, or some pronounce it petarclitos, P-A-R-A-C-L-E-T-O-S, paracletos.

But the paracletos, the comforter, the advocate, we'll read that scripture where it's translated advocate later. But the comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance. It should be it, shall teach you all things, bring all things to your remembrance.

Whatsoever I have said unto you, peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away.

Now, this is what I said up front when I began to read from this chapter. And now I have told you before it come to pass, and when it is come to pass, you might believe.

I want to read 28. You have heard how I said unto you, I go away and come again unto you. If you loved me, you would rejoice because I said I go unto the Father, and my Father is greater than I. We have it again there. And now I have told you before it come to pass, when it comes to pass, you might believe. See, Jesus Christ had to do what He did in order for the Holy Spirit to be sent on the day of Pentecost.

Why? You always ask the question, why? Why did He have to do that? Because in order for us to be a recipient of the Begettled Spirit of God, we must understand and accept the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. And He plays a role, as we shall see, in sending the Holy Spirit. But we would not be eligible to receive the Holy Spirit if He had not paid the price for us to be reconciled, as we read in Romans 5. The Father is greater than I.

Now we go to 1 Corinthians, follow up on the Father is greater than I a little more, and then we'll come back to another concept. But some people don't really, and I hope you do, and hope you will after we look at this, understand fully what 1 Corinthians 15 is saying. So we want to start here in 1 Corinthians 15 and verse 20. 1 Corinthians 15 is called the resurrection chapter. It deals so much with the resurrection. First part of this chapter, Paul makes the point that there were some in Corinth who were even saying that there was no resurrection.

That led to him saying, if there is no resurrection, we're of all men most miserable. Verse 20, But now as Christ risen from the dead, became the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, Why? Because the wages of sin is death, and Adam and Eve sinned, and because we have sinned, the death penalty was on us, till we were reconciled.

For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order, Christ the firstfruits, after they enter Christ, add his coming. When does he come again? Add his coming. What does it say in Revelation 10, verse 7? When the seventh angel begins to sound, the mystery of God should be finished.

What does it say in Revelation 11, 15? That when the seventh angel begins to sound, the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of God and his Christ, and they shall reign forever and ever. Continuing here, add his coming, it says, then comes the end, the result, the outcome, when he shall have delivered at the kingdom to God. Christ delivers at the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule.

Some people read that when he shall put down all rule as being that Christ puts down all rule. It is the Father that puts down all rule. It is the Father who gives him the kingdom. It is the Father who gives us the kingdom. Luke 12, 32, I believe it is, or 36. It is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Now, hold your place there. Let's go to Psalm 110. Psalm 110 is often used to show that the Jews, especially David, understood two beings in the Old Testament.

In this case, Lord, capital, all counts, L-O-R-D, is referring to the Father. We'll start in verse 1. Psalm 110, verse 1. The Yahweh, the eternal, the ever-existing one, said unto my Lord Adonai. Remember that in the Old Testament, Lord appears either in the all-caps form or the capital L-O-R-D, lowercase, 7500 more. What? 7500 or so times. 6, Sit you at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.

The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit you at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion, rule you in the midst of your enemies.

Your people shall be willing in the day of your power, in the beauties of holiness, from the womb of the morning you have the dew of your youth. The Lord has sworn and will not repent, not change his mind. Once again, the Father, saying, You are the priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Verse 5, The Adonai at your right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath, and he will judge, and so on. Now we go back to 1 Corinthians 15. The Christ rules until all enemies have been put under him by the Father, then he delivers up the kingdom to the Father. Verse 24 again, Then comes the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father, when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. What does it say in Psalm 110, verses 1 and 2? It says, I will put all enemies under his feet, and the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he has put all things under his feet, but when he said all things are put under him, when he said all things are under him, we read it. From John 13, from Philippians 2, it is manifested that he is accepted, he is the exception, he being the Father, which did put all things under him. So, the Father is greater than I, but Jesus Christ is the greatest name under heaven, the greatest power, all things have been put under him. Now, speaking of, I remembered when I got home last Sabbath in the middle of something, I lost my train of thought. And I didn't really get back to it, but what I just read here reminds me of it. In Ephesians chapter 1, we're talking about dispensations. See, right now, we are in what's called the dispensation or the administration of grace. The word dispensation, and look at Ephesians 3 and verse 1, we'll start. It's not the main verse.

The word dispensation in the Greek is oikonomia. And oikonomia means administration of a certain order or period of time.

In Ephesians 3.1, for this cause I bow, for this cause, I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for the Gentiles, if you have heard of the oikonomia, the dispensation, the administration of the grace of God, which has given me to youward, how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery. And the mystery that Paul goes on to explain in Ephesians 3 is that the Gentiles were a part of the household of God. Now, we look at Ephesians 1.10 across the page in my Bible, Ephesians 1.10. There are seven major administrations that in the dispensation of the fullness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth, even in him. So even in the dispensation of the ages that does not end, things are gathered together in Christ, and there's only one exception, and that is the Father is over all. We need to remember that the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord God are inseparable in their will, plan, and purpose. Let's say that again. We need to remember that Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord God are inseparable in their will, plan, and purpose. Look at John 17, verse 20. John 17, verse 20. The background of John 17 is that Christ has been betrayed, and the mock trial gets underway. He says this prayer before he is crucified. We're going to be reading the last part of the prayer in John 17, verse 20. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which believe on me through their word, that they may be one as you, Father, are in me, and I in you. The same spirit that is in God is in Christ is in each one of us. Ephesians 4 says there is one spirit. That they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you have sent me, and the glory which you gave me I have given them.

The very presence of God is in us, that they may be one even as we are one. I in them, you in me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and you love me as you, and you love them as you have loved me. Father, I will that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which you have given me, for you loved me before. You loved me before the foundation of the world. Back in that time when nothing existed but the two beings. O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have known you, and you have sent me, and these have known that you have sent me. And I have declared unto them your name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

So once again, remember that the Lord Jesus Christ and the Lord God are inseparable in their will, in their plan, and in their purpose. Christ perfectly obeyed God and His law. Jesus said, I have kept my Father's commandments. Let's look at John 15, verse 10. John 15, verse 10. See, one of the things that is portrayed oftentimes in writings, are people talking about the harsh old God of the Old Testament, and the benevolent, loving God of the New Testament, and how this whole law that brings you into captivity is done away with through Jesus Christ. Know the perfect law of liberty, the spiritual law, is never done away with. If it were done away with, you might as well do away with God and Christ.

In John 15, verse 10, this Bible that I've started using, I've used it now for 3 or 4 Sabbaths, this is the... I came to... my mother gave me this Bible. I don't know how many years before I came to, here at Big Sandy in 1969, and I used it in all the classes and I took an ambassador. And then, it was getting... the binding was getting sort of weak, and several years ago, maybe more than 20 years ago, I had it rebound. And it's almost like good as new. A lot of writing in it.

In John 15, verse 10, If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love, even as I have kept whose commandments? Even as I have kept my father's commandments and abide in his love. And then, I remind you immediately of 1 John 5.3, for this is the love of God that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. Jesus emphasized obedience to the law of God. Jesus in no way came to separate himself from the law. We look at Matthew 15 and Matthew 5 and verse 17. Matthew 5 and verse 17. In Matthew 5 and verse 17, Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets.

I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I send you till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Now, the fact that Jesus Christ came and perfectly kept the law says, Oh well, he fulfilled the law for us. In no way does the Bible teach such a thing. Now, what Jesus did do is show that you could, if you turn to Romans chapter 8 now, I've explained this probably anywhere from 6 to 12 times in the past 40-something years. In Romans chapter 8, what Jesus did do was that he came on the scene and he showed that you could live in the flesh, and yet mortify the flesh and keep the spiritual law. Not just in the letter, but in the spiritual application.

In Romans 8, now remember the background, the prelude, the lead-up to this chapter, of course, is chapter 7. In chapter 7, Paul talks about the war that is going on in his members between knowing what to do and not doing what he knows to do.

But he does conclude there, even in chapter 7, verse 25, we'll read that, I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord, so with the mind, and that is the spiritual mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

So this spiritual mind has to rule over the fleshly mind. Now chapter 8, therefore, there is no condemnation, no judgment to them which be in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. So even though this war is going on, and as long as you're in the flesh, as long as you are alive, you will have this war. The flesh will not die until you die.

When the spirit of life departs from you, then the war is over. But until that happens, the war is there. There is therefore now no condemnation of those who walk, which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. As for Rhea, you could read in verse 7 that the carnal mind is enmity toward the law of God, not subject to it, neither indeed can be, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death. How so? He paid the penalty, the wages of sin and death, for what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh. God sending his own Son, and likeness of sinful flesh, and poor sin, condemned sin in the flesh. How did he condemn sin in the flesh? Because he perfectly kept the law, both in letter and spirit, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, fulfilled in us, who walked not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Not that Christ did it for us, but it's fulfilled in us if we walk, not according to the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mine the things of the flesh. But they that are of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Verse 13, For if you live after the flesh, you shall die, but if you through the Spirit do put to death the deeds of the flesh, you shall live. So Jesus in no way came to separate himself from the law of God. Christ came to do the will of the Father, and is still carrying out the will of the Father. Let's look at John 5 in verse 30. Christ is still carrying out the will of the Father. In John 5, verse 30, I can of my own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father who has sent me. If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another one that bears witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true. We've read twice where at the baptism and also the transfiguration that the Father identified Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus Christ is still carrying out the will of the Father. He carried out the will of the Father when he died on the stake, even though Christ prayed with drops of blood coming out, that the cup be removed from him. Look at Matthew 26, verse 42. Matthew 26, verse 42. Christ came to do the will of the Father, and is still carrying out the will of the Father.

In John 5, verse 30.

And cast you, the unprofitable servant, into darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Why? Because he did not do... I'm reading Matthew. I'm...

Sorry. I'm reading in the wrong. John 5, verse 30. And John 5, verse 30.

I can of my own self do nothing as I hear a judge. I've already read that. In Matthew 26, verse 42.

In Matthew 26, verse 42. He went away again the second time and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, your will be done.

And he came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. And he left them and went away again and prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then came he to the disciples and said unto them, Sleep on now and take your rest. Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed. At the hands of sinners. Of course, another place he said, The flesh is weak, but the Spirit, of course, gives strength. We must do the will of the Father. Jesus Christ perfectly carried out the will of the Father. Now in Matthew 7, 21.

Matthew 7, 21. Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. How many people are going to be in for a great surprise?

Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter in the kingdom of heaven. You need to know what you're saying when you say, Lord. But he that does the will of my Father, which is in heaven.

Now look at Matthew 12, 50. Matthew 12 and verse 50.

In Matthew 12, verse 50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same is my brother, my sister, and mother. Know that. You hear what he said here? You see in Hebrews 2 it says, He's not ashamed to call them brethren. See, Jesus Christ, as we read from Philippians 2, gave up His position as the one there equal to God and humbled Himself and took on the form of man. He gave up His glory at that time, but He did not give up His divinity. He was still the Son of God. When He became the Son of God, the begotten Son of God, that introduced the beginning of a new order in the spiritual realm because Jesus Christ, as we have read, from 1 Corinthians 15, is the first fruits, the firstborn among many brethren, and each man in his own order had his coming. So we are brothers, sisters, and so on with Christ. It is in, we oftentimes pray, our elder brother, for whosoever shall do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same as my brother, sister, and mother. But oftentimes we don't ask the question, how is it that we are His brother, His sister? Because we, too, go through that begettle and birth process. He gave up His glory, humbled Himself, took on the form of a man, lived as a man, but having the Spirit without measure. He has gone through that process. The Word of God reveals the will of the Father. You might say, well, I would do the will of God if I knew it. Well, the Bible reveals His will. It is Jesus Christ who presents us to the Father. He is the one that confesses us before the Father.

Look there in Matthew 10, 32. Matthew 10, 32. Matthew 10, 32. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, Him will I confess also before my Father who is in heaven. In that sense, Jesus Christ introduces us to the Father. Of course, the Father knows us. He calls us of His own will, begets us, He us with the Word of Truth. But Jesus Christ in some way confirms us. That's not the only place in the Scripture that that occurs. Jesus Christ also plays a role in answered prayer. Be sure you know this and you understand this. In John 16, 23, we should approach Jesus Christ gave us the model prayer of how we should pray to the Father. Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name. Hallowed is a form of the word hagia'zo, which has to do with what you heard in the sermonette of being holy. Holy is the name of God. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Bless His holy name.

So Jesus plays a role in answered prayer. You're our Father who art in heaven. Some people say, God, we are in love. Reverently, our Father who art in heaven, our Father.

In John 16, verse 23, And in that day you shall ask me nothing, and verily I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask, the Father in my name. And so we do basically close our prayer with, in the name of Jesus Christ. Whichever you ask, the Father in my name, He will give it to you. And of course, that is predicated by the will of the Father. Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call us brethren.

And He plays a role in answered prayer. He is the mediator of the New Covenant. Now we go to Hebrews 8 and verse 6. I should have asked in the checkup today, yes, we'll ask this next week, What does the book of Hebrews do? I probably said, What is it about? I've probably said this many times over the past few years. The book of Hebrews compares and contrasts elements of the Old Covenant with elements of the New Covenant.

In Hebrews 8 and verse 6, But now hath He obtained, that is Christ, a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator, He is the go-between, He is the one that brings us to the Father through His sacrifice and reconciles us. He is the mediator of a better covenant. So that first covenant was ratified with the blood of bulls and goats. The second covenant is ratified with the blood of Jesus, with a better covenant which was, and guess what the Greek word for established here is?

I've tried to get our elders who read, generally the elders in our Passover ceremony, they do the wine part, and Hebrews 8 and 6 is in it. And to bring out this word here, the Greek word for established is what? No-mo-the-te-oh, no-mo-the-te-oh, no-mo-the-la, the-te-oh. This word means established with law, or formed with law, or confirmed with law. He is the mediator of a better covenant which is established with law, or furnished with law. The best translation is a better covenant which is furnished with law. So do you get the significance of that statement?

It is an awesome statement because it says that the covenant that Jesus Christ is the mediator of is furnished with law upon better promises. The promises basically they had were physical, national blessings. The promise we have is eternal life. He is the mediator of the new covenant. Now you look at verse 24 in chapter 7. He is also the intercessor, I think I said mediator. He is also the intercessor in the new covenant. He ever lives to make intercession for us.

In Hebrews 7 verse 24, But this one, because he lives forever, or continues ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. See, the priesthood of Melchizedek was established even before the days of Abraham. You understand that, don't you? In Genesis 14 you read about Abraham paying tithes to Melchizedek. We read earlier Psalm 110, which says that the Father has made him our high priest after the order of Melchizedek. And so this one ever lives. Verse 25, Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them. If you read that and understand it in his full import, of course there are conditions to it.

You can't just go on a sinning spree and do whatever you want to do, and then say, Oh well, Jesus Christ will intercede for me. He will serve as your advocate, and he will intervene on your part. First John chapter 2, If you are in a repentant state. In first John chapter 2, My little children, these things write I unto you. First John chapter 2 verse 1, My little children, These things write I unto you, that you sin not.

If any man sin, we have an paracletus, That same word that translated, paracle, comforter, in John 1426. We have a comforter, we have an advocate, we have Jesus Christ, we have an advocate with the Father, who, Jesus Christ the righteous, we have an advocate, a paracletus, one alongside whoever lives to make intercession for us. And he is a propituation for our sins, and not ours only, but for the sins of the whole world.

And hereby we know that we know him, and we keep his commandments. He that says I know him, and keeps not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. So, brethren, today we have called attention to some of the roles that the Lord Jesus Christ is performing, he has performed, he is performing, and will perform. And it's all for what? Basically, it's all for us to be in the kingdom of God. So I encourage you with the aid of online Bible programs or concordance to read every scripture in the New Testament that has the word Lord in it.

It's over 700 times. I believe by doing that you will increase your faith. How does faith increase? Remember, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And remember, one of the greatest instructions Now listen to this. One of the greatest instructions in the New Testament is the last verse there in 2 Peter 3 verse 9. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May He bless you and keep you.