Kneeling at Jesus' Feet

Thank you, Mrs. Walker. We really enjoyed that special music and beautiful message for all of us. It's always good to know God is with us, especially this time of year. Passover will be here before long, and I'm sure we all get a little bit sentimental to some degree or emotional around Passover time. As we spend a bit more time to reflect on our lives, we consider how we've been living. At least we should consider how we've been living. When we're young, perhaps we get caught up a little bit in the hustle and bustle of life, and maybe we don't spend as much time considering our past, our present, and looking to the future.

It seems as we grow older, we tend to reflect more carefully on our lives. Hopefully we also consider the big picture spiritually in a more concerted effort. We take a closer look. We know we don't have as much time as we used to, so it seems to make a difference.

So what really is the most important thing in our lives, whether we're young or whether we're old, isn't it really our personal relationship with our Heavenly Father and with our Savior Jesus Christ? It's something that we should take very personally. We know that God looks on our heart, so isn't it our heart connection with God that is the most important? So have you been thinking about your heart connection, the type of connection that you have with God and with Jesus Christ?

I believe it is important to consider that this time of year. No doubt it is important that we intellectually and logically accept Christ as our Savior. We accept Him as our Lord, our Master, but isn't it more important that we have a heart that is turned to Him with repentance and is in the process of becoming a soft, spiritually malleable heart? Isn't it more important that we're circumcised, cut to the heart? Isn't that what was happening on the day of Pentecost back in Acts chapter 2?

They were cut or pricked in their hearts, and in a sense they became spiritually circumcised as they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, as they yielded to baptism and the laying on of hands, and they received God's Holy Spirit. So have you personally had your Acts 2 cut to the heart moment? You might ask yourself that. Have you had that particular moment in your life? Initially it happened to me when I was just 18. I thought I had given my heart to the Lord before that at one of those Youth for Christ revivals that some of us went to back in the 70s, but I realized later that that really wasn't the case.

I hadn't given my heart to God, but I did come to repentance when I was 18 years old. I was baptized at age 19, but I've had quite a few cut to the heart moments since then, because conversion is a process. It doesn't happen just once. It's a process, so hopefully we're continuing to go through these moments, and really every time we sin, in a sense, should be a cut to the heart moment.

As we realize that we've sinned, we've fallen short of God's glory, we've again made it necessary for Jesus Christ to die for us, to lay down His life for us. So in a sense, every time we sin, we should consider that it should be a cut to the heart moment. You know, that's what it should mean to us. It should bring us to our knees.

In repentance, we should take each sin personally, and we should be careful about how we live our lives as we strive to draw nearer to God and to Jesus Christ. We know that, as I mentioned, conversion is a process, and we know that there will be a complete change from flesh to spirit at Christ's return if we're among the firstfruits.

If we have God's Spirit dwelling in us, or if we've died in the faith with God's Spirit, we'll be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the return of Jesus Christ, and then we'll no longer be shackled by the flesh, by the carnality of the way we think, the flesh that pulls us down. Brethren, let's go over to Luke chapter 7 for a moment, and let's consider Jesus Christ the Pharisee and the other sinner.

Jesus Christ the Pharisee and the other sinner. Let's go to Luke chapter 7. As we think about the Passover that's coming soon, let's ask how this would relate to us. Luke chapter 7, we'll begin in verse 36. Luke chapter 7 verse 36. Then one of the Pharisees asked him, asked Christ, to eat with him. And he went to the Pharisee's house and he sat down to eat. And behold, a woman in the city who was the sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil and stood at his feet behind him weeping.

And she began to wash his feet with her tears. And she wiped them with the hair of her head. So no doubt she knelt before Jesus Christ. She knelt behind him. She started to wipe his feet with her hair. She kissed his feet and she anointed them with the fragrant oil. So she made quite a scene, you might say. The Pharisee, of course, noticed this when the Pharisee who had invited him, doesn't say he invited her, but she kind of crashed the party, evidently. When he saw this, he spoke to himself.

You say he didn't say it out loud. He spoke to himself. He might have mumbled it, but he said within himself, this man, if he were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner. Now he didn't realize that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, not a prophet, not simply a prophet, but the Son of God.

And Jesus answered and said to him, Simon, I have something to say to you. No doubt he read his mind. He understood what was going on within himself. He says, I have something to say to you. So he said, teacher, say it. Verse 41, there was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed 50, I'm sorry, one owed 500 denarii. The other just 50, only 10 percent. And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both.

Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him more? Which one of these people who owed money will love him more? Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he forgave more. And he said to him, you have rightly judged. Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, do you see this woman? I entered your house and you gave me no water for my feet. But she has washed my feet with her tears and she's wiped them with the hair of her head. You gave me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss my feet since the time I came in.

You did not anoint my head with oil, but this woman has anointed my feet with fragrant oil. Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven. For she loved much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little. Then he said to her, your sins are forgiven. And those who sat at the table with him began to say to themselves, who is this who even forgives sin?

Then he said to the woman, your faith has saved you. Go in peace. It was because of her faith that she knelt before Jesus Christ. It was because of her faith that she understood that he was indeed the Savior of the world and that he could forgive her sins. So I would like to ask you today, are you more like this woman or more like the Pharisee? As we consider the Passover, let's consider these two people. Are we more like the Pharisee when it comes to our relationship with Jesus Christ?

Are we more interested in looking down at others, at judging others, and thinking that we're much better off spiritually than they are? Do we have a tendency to compare ourselves among ourselves and conclude that we're just a little more balanced, perhaps a little more spiritually mature, than most others we come in contact with? Or are we indeed more like the woman? Do we simply approach our Savior as a sinner in need of forgiveness? So the question is, are we kneeling at Jesus' feet? Are you kneeling at Jesus' feet? Isn't the bottom line the one thing that we all have in common with this woman and also with the blind Pharisee is that we, too, are sinners?

Every one of us is a sinner, correct? None of us are perfect. We won't remain perfect if we happen to be perfect right now because we repented on the way in here and we won't be perfect for long because the human condition is a sinful condition for the most part.

It's easy to sin because sin easily besets us. That's what the Scripture says. Sin easily besets us. So we're all sinners. We may be blinded like the Pharisee and not see our sins very well, or we may be more like the woman who understood that she was indeed a sinner who greatly needed the forgiveness of her Savior. Let's go to another parable or another instance here that Christ talks about in Luke chapter 18 because what we just read probably reminds you of this one as well.

This time we've got Jesus Christ, the Pharisee, and the other sinner. At this time it's a publican. Remember the publican? The publican was a tax collector because he collected taxes from the public. That's why they called him a publican. So he was a tax collector. Let's go to Luke chapter 18 and begin reading in verse 9. Also he spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous. See, wasn't that the Pharisee's problem that we read about earlier?

He thought he was certainly way more righteous than this sinning woman. He trusted in himself. She had faith in Christ, but he trusted in himself. So he trusted, they trusted who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and despised others. So two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector, a publican.

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank you that I'm I'm not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week, I give tithes of all that I possess, and the tax collector standing afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breath saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. I tell you, this man, this publican, went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

So we should consider the state of our heart. Do we have a humble heart? Or perhaps is there quite a bit of pride still there in our hearts and in our minds? We all know that we've all sinned, we've all fallen short of God's glory.

The Scriptures tell us that. The Scriptures say, if you say you have no sin, you are a liar, and the truth is not in you. So we should be humbled by our human condition, by who we are, by the way we think, by the things that we do. We should be naturally humbled. That is, if we're seeing ourselves clearly. We should be seeing ourselves, and if we are seeing ourselves, we know that we are more or should be more like the publican who knows he needs forgiveness.

He knows he needs the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ applied on his behalf. So admitting your sins and repenting, that is turning from those sins and striving to overcome, striving to change, striving to do better in the future. That is the starting point in your relationship with God and with Jesus Christ, is being able to see that you are a sinner in need of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Let's go to Revelation chapter 4 and consider Christ who's now at the right hand of the Father, who's up in the third heaven, who is our high priest, who makes intercession for sinners like you and like me. In the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, we know it talks a lot about the seven churches. And then we go into the fourth chapter, and it describes the throne room of heaven.

It talks about God's throne up in the third heaven. It's quite interesting. I'm not going to take the time to read it. You can do that later on, but there are four living creatures. There are 24 elders. There's a lot of lightning and thundering and different things going on as we read the description.

And they're praising God and they're saying, Holy, holy, holy, in verse 8, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come. Verse 9, whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things and by Your will they exist and were created.

So we have a being who's always existed who's on the throne. But notice in chapter 5, and I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back sealed with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the scroll and elusive seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look at it.

So I wept much because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, Do not weep, behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.

And I looked and behold in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures and in the midst of the elders, the 24 elders stood a lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

And he came and he took the scroll out of the right hand of him who sat on the throne. So we have the lamb and we have the father sitting on the throne and the lamb takes the scroll. And when he had taken the scroll in verse 8, the 24 elders or the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

So they're kneeling before the lamb. They're praising God and kneeling before the lamb and they have a harp, each having a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. So your prayers and my saints do reach the third heaven. God does hear our prayers. They are very important.

We should be certainly praying for one another. As was mentioned, there are quite a few sick people. In fact, Mr. Cubic's been sick and has been sick most of this week and hasn't been in, so please remember him and your prayers. But many others have been sick as well and we should pray for one another and pray that God will intervene to heal those who are suffering, hurting in various ways, and know that those prayers are making it up to the third heaven.

They're making it up to Jesus Christ and to the Father. These elders sang a new song saying, you are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals for you are slain and have redeemed us to God by your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And you've made us kings and priests to our God and we shall reign on the earth.

Of course, it's talking about the millennial reign of Jesus Christ when the saints will rule and reign with Christ. Those who are among the first fruits who are changed at the return of Christ shall rule and reign with the Lamb. Then I looked and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, the elders, the number of them was 10,000 times 10,000, many, many angels and so forth.

Thousands of thousands saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb who is slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them. I heard saying blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne to the Father and to the Lamb forever and ever. It's very clear that both the Father and the one who became Jesus Christ back in the old days, you might say, the one who became Christ is worthy of our worship.

Now He's worthy of our praise and looking to Him for salvation. So we should understand that very clearly that Jesus Christ who died for us, who is now at the right hand of the Father, who makes intercession for us, is also worthy of our praise. He's worthy of our worship. It's not that we pray to Jesus because the example is that we pray to the Father in Jesus' name. Clearly, but Jesus is worthy also of our worship. He's worthy of our praise. We should look to Him. We should realize that He also has ever existed. The one who became the Christ has existed for all eternity along with the one we know as the Father.

Two beings in the God family, two that are of the God kind. We should fully understand that and know who we worship and who we praise, who we look to for direction, for guidance, for our salvation. We ought to worship both the Father and His Son in spirit and in truth. Let's go to Mark chapter 12 for a moment. Mark chapter 12 verse 36. Mark chapter 12 and verse 36.

Mark 12 verse 36. Jesus Christ says, For David himself said by the Holy Spirit, The Lord the Eternal said to my Lord, Sit up my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. Now we just read about the one who sat on the throne and the one who was at the right hand. This same picture we read about here. The Eternal said to my Lord, this is David, saying, The Eternal said to my Lord, Sit up my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.

Therefore David himself calls him, Lord, how is he then his Son? Jesus Christ is clearly showing who he is. He is truly the Son of God. He was the one who became the Christ who has ever existed. The Lord that David prayed to, frankly, was the one who became the Christ. The Father said to my Lord, Sit up my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. That goes back to Psalm 110. We don't have to go there, but it's a quote from Psalm 110 where David, it's a Psalm of David where he says, The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand.

So we should, again, realize that as we approach the Passover, we are justified by the shed blood of Jesus Christ who is our Passover sacrifice. He is our Lamb. He is the one who became sin for us, who laid his life down and made it possible for our sins to be forgiven, as Mr.

Porter was talking about. In Romans chapter 5 verse 9, Paul says, Much more than having now been justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. We are saved through the blood of Jesus Christ. We are rendered just or innocent. In a sense, we become righteous because Christ's righteousness is imputed on our behalf.

Jesus Christ was perfect. He is the perfect sacrifice. He is the reason we can come boldly before the throne of grace and ask for help in time of need. And whenever we sin, we are in need. So we go boldly before the throne of grace, asking for forgiveness and knowing that we are forgiven in the blood of Christ, the blood of the Lamb.

We are not justified by the law of Moses or by the deeds of the law or by works alone. I'm going to talk about justification to some degree today.

Justified is the Greek word dikaiyoo. Not sure if that's pronounced correctly. Probably sure it isn't pronounced correctly. But anyway, it's d-i-k-a-i-o-o. It's the Greek strong 1344. It means to render just or innocent. Basically, to be righteous.

Notice Acts chapter 13 verses 38 and 39. Acts chapter 13, 38 and 39.

In fact, let me go there. Acts chapter 13. We'll read in verse 38 to begin with. Acts chapter 13 verse 38.

Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through this man, through Jesus Christ, is preached to you the forgiveness of sins. And by him, everyone who believes is justified, is made right, is made innocent, from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. Okay, the law of Moses does not justify us. The law of Moses, of course, was given on Mount Sinai. We know the law of Moses was a wonderful holy and righteous law, though, don't we? Paul said the law is holy and just and good. The problem is not with the law.

The problem has always been with the people, the people who are sinners. And we have that in common with one another. No, we're all sinners. Every one of the human race is a sinner. We all have that in common. So we all need to go before Christ's throne, asking for forgiveness and knowing that our high priest does make intercession for us. He pleads our case. He knows our weaknesses. He was tempted in every point as we've been tempted, and yet he was without sin. So we should hold the utmost respect for one who came in the flesh, yet never sinned. That is pretty hard to comprehend, isn't it? Now, we know that he was conceived of the Spirit of God. He was God. Jesus is God.

And, of course, he had the power of the Holy Spirit throughout his life to guide him, to direct him, but he had to also do his part. He had to yield to the Spirit. He had to yield to the Father. He had to stir up the Spirit. He had to walk in the Spirit. So we should take great encouragement through the example of our Savior, Jesus Christ. He overcame. We, too, can overcome through the power of God's Holy Spirit. We know that the Scripture says, only he who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne. We know God's holy law is not done away. We know it is in effect, and in a sense, it does have a hold upon us. And we have to be forgiven when we sin against God, because the wages of sin is death. That's what we all deserve. We deserve death.

The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus, our Lord. So we need to make sure we understand these things as we approach the Passover. Romans chapter 3 verse 20 says, Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. You are not made righteous by law-keeping. You are made righteous because you have been forgiven, the breaking of God's law. Therefore, by the deeds of the law, there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law is the knowledge of sin. There would be no sin if there was no law, but sin still exists. We know that. We see it daily in ourselves and in others. The wages of sin is death. We know that sin is the transgression of God's holy and righteous and perfect law.

No, the law is not done away. Christ in Matthew 5 clearly said, Think not that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. The prophecies will be fulfilled. We can count on those prophecies. We can know that they shall come to pass, as many of them have already come to pass and many more will come to pass in the future. No, sin still exists, and the law is in effect, and there are grave consequences. Our sins should not be taken lightly. We pay a price for our sins. All of us pay a price. Be sure your sins will find you out. There is a price. We've all paid it. It hurts. It's painful. So, we should never take sin lightly. We should never take the sacrifice of our Savior for granted. But we should go into the Passover humbly, but at the same time, going boldly before the throne of grace in faith, knowing that God is forgiving us through the sacrifice of His Son as we go before God in repentance, as we kneel before Christ and we kneel before the Father on a daily basis to have our sins forgiven. In Romans 4, verse 2, it says, "...For if Abraham were justified by works, he has whereof to glory, but not before God." You know, if he were justified by works, if he were perfect in his works, which we know Abraham wasn't, we know he sinned, we know he lied, we know he was human, he was a sinner, he was not justified by his works, not his works alone, but we'll see that works are important.

We will see that we were created for good works, in fact, and we'll get to that in a little bit.

In Galatians 3, verse 11, here it says, "...but that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident, for the just shall live by faith." We live by faith in the sacrifice of the Lamb.

We live by faith knowing that Jesus Christ was perfect. He lived a perfect, sinless life, never sinning, living perfectly on our behalf, for us, for you, and for me. "...and the just shall live by faith." That comes from Habakkuk 2, verse 4.

"...by their faith the just shall live." We are to live by faith, and we are to be justified, made right, made clean, cleanse, forgiven, made innocent through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ as we go before God and we pray that God will forgive us our sin. We sincerely go before God, continually asking for the forgiveness that we all need. So that means we have to see the sin.

The publican, or the publican, could see his sin, the tax collector. He could see his sin, the woman who knelt before Jesus and kissed his feet. She could see her sin, but the Pharisee was not able to see his sin. He was blinded because he put too much stock in the letter of the law, not so much in the spirit of God's law, and we have to live not only in the letter, but also in the spirit of the law. So the spirit of the law goes way beyond the letter. Christ said, if you look at a woman to lust for her, you've committed adultery with her in your heart.

That goes way beyond the letter that says you shall not commit adultery. You must not look at a woman to lust for her, or a man for that matter. I guess that happens from what I hear. I don't understand that. But anyway, it's clear again that Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is the one who laid his life down for all of us. We do know we do again need to go before his throne, admitting where we sin. So we have to ask God to show us our sins. If we're blind, we don't know we're blind. Not spiritually. Physically, yes, you would know that, but not spiritually. Paul was blind spiritually until he was struck down on the road to Damascus.

He was then physically blinded so that he could see spiritually. Then his physical eyesight was restored to him. So we should pray that God helps us see our sins, because no doubt you have hidden sins that you don't even recognize, that you don't realize, that you haven't repented of, because you don't clearly see those sins. So pray that God will show you his sin, and be merciful, and forgive you those sins of ignorance, and things that you're not even aware of.

So, brethren, we are justified by grace, and in the name of Jesus Christ, and by the faith, in Jesus Christ, and the faith of Christ, in Romans chapter 3 verses 24 through 26, let's go there, Romans chapter 3, Romans chapter 3 verse 24. Let's go back to... well, let's just read 23. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified... there's that word again, being justified, made innocent or made right, freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation, or as a mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance, God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time his righteousness, God's righteousness, that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So, God justifies us, Jesus Christ as our high priest, God forgives us our sin, God grants us repentance, the Father grants us repentance. So, we go before both the Father and the Son.

You know, we should be praying daily to the Father in Jesus' name, and we should again be forever grateful for that sacrifice that Christ gave for us. And it was a sacrifice for the Father, too, because two beings, eternally existing, at one, loving each other fully, completely, with a gape love, something that we don't comprehend, the depth of that kind of love for each other, for all eternity, which we can't fathom.

We can't comprehend it. But Christ said, I and my Father are one, and they have always been one.

Two beings, yet one in mind, in heart, in the way they approach everything.

All things were created by Jesus Christ, but it was the Father also working through Christ to create all things. So it is important that we see who we worship. We see the one who became the Christ, the one who was with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, back in the wilderness, who talked with Moses and was ready to wipe out the children of Israel, but Moses pleaded for them, and he had mercy, the one that sent the manna in the wilderness that they might be fed, the one that was there with Adam and Eve from the very beginning that interacted with, seen by mankind. No one has seen the Father at any time. That's what Jesus clearly said. No one has seen the Father at any time, but many have seen the one who became the Christ, the one that some would call the God of the Old Testament, which really isn't accurate because the Father is also present in the Old Testament. We just read that David said, the Eternal said to my Lord. No, David understood that there were two beings in the God family. At that time, Daniel also speaks of the ancient of days. There are references in the Bible that clearly the one who became Christ was the rock that was with them in the wilderness. The one that became the Christ was there in the wilderness with the children of Israel. To me, it means a lot to comprehend and to understand who this being is. This one who came in the flesh, who was once powerful, all-powerful, Almighty as the Father. I mean, it doesn't say that there was any difference in the power. Both were Almighty. They were God. They are God. So to me, it's more meaningful when we really see the big picture and who it is that we worship. So in Romans chapter 3, verse 24 through 26, we're justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. So again, we see the Father and Jesus Christ working together to grant us salvation. It's a team effort.

The Father and the Son working together, and they've done it for all eternity. We know that Christ was slain from the foundations of the world, that this plan was devised by two beings.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. The Father so loved us, He loved all of us enough to give the One who had been with Him forever to die for us, to become flesh.

Christ emptied Himself of the divinity. He still was the Christ. He still was, His identity was the same. He became the Christ, but He was the Word for all eternity prior to that time when He became the Christ. We don't comprehend all of that. We don't fully understand how all that works. That's okay. We don't have to understand exactly how that works, but we do have to believe what the Bible tells us, what the Bible says.

In 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11, it's talking about how the unrighteous will not inherit God's kingdom. Clearly, God's law is in effect, and we must not remain unrighteous. We have to be moving in the right direction. We have to be overcoming, growing in grace and in knowledge, putting sin out of our lives. That's why we keep the days of unleavened bread. It pictures putting leaven or sin out of our lives. We need these days every year as a reminder of who we are and how God is working in our lives.

So I'm so grateful that we have the annual Holy Days.

Every year, throughout the year, we keep God's High Days, His Holy Days, to remind us of His plan of salvation for us. And then we have the weekly Sabbath that also keeps us on track.

Every week, if at all possible, we should assemble together to worship God and to fellowship with one another. This is God's way. It's God's will for us to understand these things.

The Scripture is clear that God gave us His Sabbath as a sign between God and His people.

His people keep the Sabbath. They're essential. It's one of the Ten Commandments.

If you enter into life, keep the Commandments. That's what Christ said. We are to keep God's Commandments. We are to keep His laws. But we're not saved by lawkeeping because we've all blown it, haven't we? I've blown it. I blew it a long time ago. I continue to blow it.

No, I'm not perfect. You're not perfect. We all continue to sin.

And so we desperately need the sacrifice of our Savior Jesus Christ.

In Galatians 2, verses 15 and 16, it says here, I didn't go to 1 Corinthians 6 yet, did I? I started to go there, but didn't quite make it. So let's go to 1 Corinthians 6. I was talking about how the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. And he outlines that in verses 9 and 10, talking about all kinds of ways to sin and not inherit the kingdom of God. And then he says, and such were some of you, talking to the church at Corinth. Such were some of you. You were sinners just like these sinners that I've just mentioned, fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, sodomites, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, and the like.

Any type of sin and such were some of you, but you were washed, but you were sanctified, you were set apart, you were made holy by the power of God's Spirit, and you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

So again, when God forgives us, as Mr. Porter mentioned, our sins go as far from us as East is from the West. They are forgiven and we are cleansed. But it's a process, and we have to continually go before the throne of grace in time of need. Every time we sin, we need to go before the throne of grace and pray that God will give us strength, that we might put sin out of our lives and become like our Savior, Jesus Christ. We are to be ambassadors for Christ, so we must become like Christ. How can you be an ambassador for someone you're so different from? We need to become like Christ to be good ambassadors. In Titus chapter 3 verse 7, it says that being justified by His grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. We should have a hope that isn't a cross your fingers kind of hope, but a real hope that we will be given eternal life.

The kind of hope the Bible talks about is a hope based in faith. Yes, I hope for the return of Jesus Christ. I have faith that Jesus Christ is coming back. I know Jesus Christ is coming back.

I know that I will be given salvation through my Savior, Jesus Christ. We have to have that confidence in our Savior. We have to have that faith and belief in Christ. It's not in us.

There's nothing good that dwells in the flesh in us. God's Spirit is in us, however, and that makes all the difference in the world. So we are to walk in the Spirit. That's how we can be overcomers.

So we are justified, again, by grace, and we are heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Now, the Scripture also says that, in a sense, we are justified by works. Did you know the Bible says that? That we are justified by works? Paul says it, and James says it, but we are not justified by works alone. Now, we have to have faith in God. We have to have belief in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. But notice Romans 2, verse 13. Romans 2, verse 13, For not the hearers of the law are justified before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. It's the doers of the law. Those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus Christ, we are to be doers of the law. So we can't take the law lightly or take it for granted. In fact, we should go beyond the letter of the law. Christ said, if you harbor hatred for a brother, you have committed murder.

And a brother is anyone that's flesh like you. A brother or sister, if you harbor hatred, then you have murdered them in your heart. So that's something that has to be repented of. And we need to be forgiven of that hatred that lurks within us. Also, notice that Jesus' brother James clarifies this in James chapter 2. Let's go to James chapter 2.

James chapter 2. James chapter 2 verse 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? He had to bind his son and put him on the altar.

That was a work. That was something that he had to do. He had to obey God. God said, take him, sacrifice him. So he took him and he was willing to sacrifice him and he had the knife up here. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works?

And by works, faith was made perfect. We have to have faith and works.

And the scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God. And greater love has no man than this than to lay down his life for his friends. Jesus Christ calls all of us his friends.

He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As he was seen by them and interacted with them, he was their friend and he is our friend. And he was called the friend of God. Abraham was the friend of God. You are a friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only. So works are pretty important. Again, we can't save ourselves by our works because the wages of sin is death. We've all done that, right? No matter if we were perfect from this point forward, which none of us will be, because there's a sin that easily besets each and every one of us. But if somehow we were able, we would still not be saved by our works because we deserve death. We are saved by grace. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrifice. Again, Paul says the law is holy, the law is just, the law is good. So really, God's way is not confusing. It really isn't. Of course, God has to give us understanding. He has to help us get it.

Hopefully, you are getting it today. We are saved by the graciousness of God the Father and his son, Jesus Christ. We are certainly to strive to be like Christ, to surrender our lives to God the Father and Jesus Christ. Again, it is the righteousness of our Savior, Jesus Christ, that is imputed on our behalf so that we may be innocent as we have faith in that sacrifice.

When we take that wine, it's symbolic of the shed blood of our Savior. We accept Jesus Christ as our Savior. When we take that wine and when we take the unleavened bread, it symbolizes the body that was broken for us, that was crucified on our behalf. And also, we do it together because we're all in this together. We are God's church. We are God's family. God calls us his friends. God loves every one of us. He wants us to be in his family. He wants us to live forever with him.

The Scripture says that we are deemed worthy to take the Passover. The Bible says we shouldn't take the Passover unworthily. Right?

Sometimes people think they shouldn't take the Passover because they've sinned.

Well, we've all sinned. And none of us are worthy in that sense. We're all unworthy.

But we are counted worthy when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, when we accept him as our Savior, and when we strive to surrender our lives to God the Father, we repent of our sins, and we strive to walk in newness of life.

Now, let's see. Time is about up.

There's a lot more that could be said on this topic. There's much more that could be said. I really wanted to… Let me just take a couple minutes to bring a point across.

The title of this sermon is, We Kneel at Jesus' Feet. All of us worship at Jesus' feet. We come before Jesus Christ. We worship Him. The Scripture says that every knee shall bow before Christ. Right? Isn't that what the Scripture tells us? That every knee shall bow?

You know, some bowed when they were mocking Christ. When He was being crucified, they bowed before Him. They mocked Him. One day, they will bow before Him in humility, realizing who He is and what they have done. As you and I have understood what we have done, we are guilty of the blood of Jesus Christ. We made it necessary. You made it necessary.

I made it necessary that Christ would be crucified, that would be beaten beyond recognition.

He suffered greatly for us. Every knee shall bow. Let's go to a few verses. Romans chapter 14.

Romans chapter 14 verse 9. Romans chapter 14 verse 9. For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother, like the Pharisee that we read about earlier? Why do you show contempt, for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ? For it is written, As I live, says the Eternal, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Every knee shall bow. So then each of us shall give a count of himself to God. Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. How many times have you caused your brother to stumble? Because you wouldn't forgive or because you held something over them?

We come before the judgment seat of Christ, but we go before God the Father as well.

And every knee shall bow. This comes from Isaiah 45. Let's go back to Isaiah, because this is really quite interesting indeed. Isaiah chapter 45, what we just read, comes from Isaiah chapter 45, that every knee shall bow. Isaiah chapter 45. And notice what it says here. Isaiah chapter 45, and I don't have time to read all the context of this, but in Isaiah chapter 45, we'll start in verse 20. Isaiah 45 verse 20. Okay, verse 20, assemble yourselves and come draw near together you who have escaped from the nations. Is that what I want?

Well, let's read verse 21. Tell and bring forth your case. Yes, let them take counsel together. Who has declared this from ancient time? Who has told it from that time? Have not I, the Lord, the Eternal? And there is no other God besides me, a just God and a Savior. There is none besides me.

Now, we know there are two beings, right? Let's not be confused here. Two beings, one God family.

Two beings that have always existed. In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Two beings always existing as one. As one. That's why the Bible is written this way, because God wants us to get this. They are completely unified. That's what unity is all about. It's becoming like the Father and His Son. That's what the United Church of God should strive to be. United as the Father and the Son are united. So, a just God and a Savior, there is none besides me. There's only one God, one God family, two beings in the God family. Look to me and be saved. That's right. Look to the Father and look to His Son. There's no competition going on here.

The Father and the Son are as one. Look to them both. Look to them. Have faith in them. Trust in them. Believe in them. Look to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth, for I am God and there is no other. There's only one God family, two beings now in the God family. I have sworn by myself the Word has gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not return, that to me every knee shall bow.

We just talked about every knee bowing before Christ. And I'll show you some other scriptures. Every knee will bow before Jesus Christ as our Savior, but every knee is to bow before the Father.

Every knee shall bow, every tongue shall take an oath. He shall say, Surely in the Eternal I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him. In the Eternal all the descendants of Israel shall be justified and shall glory. Now, let's go to Philippians chapter 2. And let's tie all this in together here. Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2 verse 9.

Philippians chapter 2 verse 9. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him. The Father has highly exalted His Son. Again, no competition. I love My Son. I love it when people honor My Son.

God the Father even more so because His Son is perfect.

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow of those in heaven and of those on earth. So the one who became Christ is the one that I was talking about back in Isaiah. The one who was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob who interacted intimately with mankind and has always done so, beginning with Adam and Eve. And at that name every knee should bow of those in heaven, those on the earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. When we glorify the Son, we glorify the Father.

Very, very simple, very clear in the Scriptures. And then Acts 4, verse 12, Acts 4, verse 12 also ties in with this. Acts 4, verse 12, "...nor is there salvation in any other," that is talking about Christ who is the chief cornerstone. Christ is the head of the church.

It's God's church, but Christ is the head. It's God the Father's church, but Christ is the head of the church. And he says, this stone which was rejected by you builders has become the chief cornerstone, nor is there salvation in any other. For there is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved. Every knee shall bow before Jesus Christ if they will live forever. All people who have ever lived and died will eventually need to bow before Christ and accept Him as their Savior, or they won't live forever with God and with Christ.

And then one last verse in Psalm 95, and we'll go back to Psalm and tie this in as well. Psalm 95.

Sorry, I'm taking a little extra time here. Please forgive me. Psalm 95, I am repentant, but not that repentant. Psalm 95, Psalm 95, verse 6, Oh, come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Eternal our Maker. Let us kneel before the Eternal our Maker. This is what David is saying. This is a Psalm of David. Let us kneel before the Eternal our Maker, for He is our God. And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. He says, today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion. Okay, there have been lots of, there's been lots of rebellion in the past. There was rebellion in the wilderness. There was rebellion when they went before the golden calf. There's been a lot, lots of moments of rebellion, but it's, it's talking about back when they, when they rebelled against God, they would not go into the Promised Land. They had to wander for 40 years in the wilderness because of their sins. As in the day of trial in the wilderness, when your fathers tested me, they tried me, though they saw my work for 40 years, I was grieved with that generation and said, it is a people who go astray. Where? How? In their hearts. They go astray in their hearts. The most important thing is your heart connection. What's it like? Is it more like the Pharisee who's blinded, who can't see? Or is it more like the woman and the public and the tax collector who clearly saw that they were sinners, who needed the forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ as our Savior?

So, rather than we approach the Passover humbly, knowing that we all fall short of God's glory, Paul said, oh wretched man that I am, who's going to deliver me from this body of death?

Paul, a very righteous man in many respects, but one who said, you know, he described fully what it's like to be human. The things that I don't want to do, I find myself doing the things I should do, I don't do. We all can identify with that. We all fall short. We're like Paul. But Ephesians chapter 2 says that we were created for good works. That's why you were created for good works.

We are God's workmanship. It says we are saved by grace, lest any man should boast. But we are saved to do something with our lives, to serve others, to get involved, to go out and help others and serve and give and surrender yourself in sacrifice. As Jesus Christ did, he set that example for us, that perfect example of sacrifice. We should lay our lives down as Christ laid his life down for us. We are to be living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God. That is our reasonable service. There's no excuse for not being involved, for not wholeheartedly seeing your calling. This is a high and a holy calling that should be the most important thing, so far more important than anything else in your life. This is where it's at. This definitely needs to be your most important calling, your most important endeavor, your magnificent obsession.

Again, who are you more like? Are you like the sinning Pharisee? Or are you more like the sinning woman or the tax collector? Do you see yourselves clearly? You know, David didn't for a long time. David, a man after God's own heart, committed adultery, had someone murdered. He did not see himself very well, did he? God had to send a prophet, Nathan, to show him to see who he was. He says, you are the man. You're the man. You are the man. All of us. We're all the man.

We're all the woman who is a sinner who desperately needs Christ's sacrifice. So, brethren, let us all go before God the Father and Jesus Christ as sinners. Let's all go before Christ.

Kneel before Him. Clearly, we have to come to Christ before He comes. You have to come to Jesus Christ. If you think that sounds Protestant, too bad. You know, I left the Protestant world at about age 17. You know, I have not been a part of the Protestant world for a long, long time. I don't mind talking about Jesus. Jesus is my Savior. And I don't mind saying that I will kneel before Jesus Christ. I will bow before Him. I will worship Him. I will honor Him.

And we all need to do the same. Let us all kneel at Jesus' feet.