Benefits of the Incarnation

If you have your Bibles, please turn with me to Hebrews chapter 2. We're going to start in verse 9 today. And I'm so grateful that you're here to worship Jesus Christ with us. Hebrews is all about Jesus. In fact, scholarly attention to the book of Hebrews has grown in recent decades because of how it applies to the New Testament believers. The Old Testament content is applied to New Testament believers through the grace and love of Jesus Christ. And that's actually His incarnation. The fact that God came to earth, wrapped Himself in flesh, and now has been ministering in manifold ways to the church. We're going to see today some benefits of that. And so the title is "Benefits of the Incarnation."

You know, when Jesus started His first sermon, He was baiting the people in by saying, "Blessed are you if," or "Blessed are you when." And so we repeated the word "blessed," blessed, blessed over and over and over again, and "You are truly blessed if you are in Christ." And so today we're going to talk about some of those benefits that we have because of the incarnation of Christ. Because He humiliated Himself or condescended down to the point to where He wrapped Himself in human flesh, became fully God and fully man. And so as scholarly attention has grown in this area, it is amazing that the book of Hebrews is both like the Gospel of John—high doctrine, yet low enough for us common folks to understand. And so as scholars continue to expound upon the truths in Hebrews and are amazed by it, we too are truly able to understand it on a common, everyday man's level. And so I'm so thankful that the Word of God is written to common men by common men. And so we can understand this, but at the same time, it is God and His thoughts and His self-disclosure on paper. And so it's magnificent.

It's fascinating, it's in-depth. It's even mind-daunting—the Old Testament application in the New Testament disclosed through Jesus Christ in the sermon of Hebrews. It's amazing. And so I want to first of all just take you down a quick road and share with you how Christ-centered the book of Hebrews really is. Listen, before we read our text today, Hebrews 1-2 is aimed right at Jesus. And so it gives our attention to everything that was spoken in the Old Testament long ago and then points us into these days and how everything is spoken to us in the Son, that is of Jesus Christ. So it is Christocentric theology. And not only in Hebrews 1-2, but also we know because we quote all the time Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore." And so this is all about Jesus Christ. And back to chapter 2 verse 12, "I will proclaim Your name." And then in 2:13, "I will put my trust in Him." This is all towards Christ. Hebrews 2:7, "You have crowned Him with glory and honor." So crowned Jesus with glory and honor. And in 2:8, "All things are under His feet." It's Christ, His feet. And you could go on and on and on through every single chapter and see the Christocentric theology that we have in Hebrews.

But you see, it's not just in Hebrews. And Jesus' own life and from His own lips, He is saying to all of us, it's all about Him, Jesus. So I say to you, it's all about Jesus. Even how Hebrews is bringing Old Testament typology, symbolism, quotes, allusions, examples from the Old Testament application to the New Testament believers. Jesus even said that in summary, the law of Moses, all of what was given to the Jewish believers there, the law of Moses, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, the prophets and such, the history—Moses wrote of Him. It's very succinct in John chapter 5 verse 46. He, being Moses, wrote of Him being Jesus. And so this is Christ-centered information for you, your life, being in Christ, the doctrine of the union in Christ. Probably one of the most magnificent doctrines that you could spend your spare time on and really, truly getting to know that.

But not only in John chapter 5 verse 46 is it to say that he wrote of Him, but in Malachi chapter 4 verse 4, it says to remember the law of Moses, My servant. And if you have a New American Standard translation, the word "My" is capitalized. And then in John chapter 1 verse 17, "The law was given through Moses." And so this idea of Moses's law being synonymous with the entire Old Testament law, which is now pointing to Jesus, is very intriguing. It's very cross-centered, very Christ-centered, very mediatorial centered. We see Christ as our Mediator. It required God wrapping Himself in flesh to have the perfect sacrifice between man and between God. And so all of the benefits are manifold. We're just going to talk about just a few of them today out of Hebrews chapter 2 and verses 9 and following.

So read with me in verses 9 and 10. "He might taste death for everyone. Verse 10." Your first point is this: By way of application of Jesus incarnate, you're going to see that escaping deserved punishment is a benefit. Escaping deserved punishment. That's the first point that I want you to know because Christ incarnate suffered crucifixion for you. He did that for you, believe in that. And so Christ completed His earthly ministry, which also makes Him not only the Savior, but also able to identify with our necessary sufferings in the flesh. And so He, through His ministry, His incarnate ministry, being in the flesh, has provided a benefit to you and that you do not have to pay for your sins. You don't have to suffer forever in an eternal, psychologically tormenting, physically tormenting hell forever apart from God. He took on all of the punishment of our sin.

Now in that, the saved here in the text are called many sons, brothers, and children. And this is made possible because of the incarnate ministry of Jesus Christ. So Christ was made a little lower than angels, that is incarnate in the flesh. Christ wrapped in human flesh. In the state of humiliation, He humbled Himself even to the point of death. You see there in your text in verse 9 that "He might taste death for everyone." This is important for you to realize that He tasted death. That is, in every way, shape, and form. The dying process He tasted. He truly endured and went through that, not only the decline of life, but everything in regards to the dying of it, the crucifixion.

Have you been the recipient of a slap on the wrist before for something that you did wrong? Well, Christ took the slap on the wrist for you, but not just the slap on the wrist. Have you ever been beaten? Did your parents beat you? You're probably better off for it. Have you been beaten for something that you did wrong? Many memories are popping up in your minds, I can tell. You've been beaten for something? Well, Christ took your beating for you. But you see, the punishment for sin is death.

And so Jesus not only took a slap on the wrist and a beating for you and your sin. You see, your sin is against a holy God, an eternal holy, holy, holy God. And so the merited punishment then is death. The extent of the worth of the lawgiver determines the extent of the judgment from the lawgiver. You've broken His holy law. And so now the wages of sin is death. And so Christ tasted all of that from the slap on the wrist, from the beatings, and the batterings, and the bruises prophesied through Isaiah chapter 53. He tasted all of that for you.

And if you would repent of your sin and confess that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose again for your sin, you can be saved from eternal wrath and hell. Your punishment, you don't have to pay because Christ paid it for you. He tasted that for you. Turn, if you would, to Philippians chapter 2. This is an amazing passage. This is your 7-11 verse. If you want to take non-believers to understand the incarnation of Christ and His substitutionary death from the cross, Philippians chapter 2 verses 7 through 11 say it all. And so Philippians chapter 2 verse 7, "But He emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bondservant and being made in the likeness of men." Just write "incarnation" right there beside of you and "He emptying Himself."

And verse 8, "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." This is Him condescending down to the humiliation and voluntarily emptying Himself to the point of being crucified.

And then in verse 9 it says, "For this reason also God highly exalted Him." And so now not only do you see His humiliation and death and burial, but now you see His exaltation. He's been risen from the grave. "For this reason also God highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the name that is above every name so that," there's my two favorite words in the Bible again. There's a purpose behind the death and burial and resurrection. It's so that people would be saved. So that the name of Jesus, every knee would bow in those who are in heaven and on earth and under earth. Not just so that people would be saved, but that they would glorify Jesus. In verse 11, "And that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father." This is an amazing passage. So Christ centered in that He tasted the bitter curse of sin for you. This is God's holy wrath. His just punishment poured upon His only Son, which is nearly incomprehensible to us who think about perhaps even making our own children or allowing our children or asking our own children to pay for the sins of some rebellious neighborhood kid who was doing things over and over and over again. That kid doesn't deserve my child to die for him or take his punishment. It's incomprehensible in our first person perspective to send your own son, but God, while we were yet sinners. It's an amazing idea and only God would have derived it.

In verse 9 back in Hebrews, He's talking about everyone and this can also be rendered as "whole." And so the whole part of who Christ died for, everyone, in verse 9, chapter 2 verse 9, the last phrase, "That He might taste death for everyone." This is also rendered as the whole body. Okay, so we need to see this within its context and within its meaning here. According to the Greek word "pantos," in context it does not refer to every single person without exception in history. It refers to many sons. Verse 10, in context, many sons. It refers to, in context, the ones that have been saved, will be saved. And so Ephesians 1:4 testifies to the fact that He, being God, chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. So He is the first cause for not only creation, but also salvation.

The big picture here really falls underneath the doctrine of propitiation. And I'd like to forward in the passage with you and help you to see where the passage is going. So in chapter 2, verse 17, in Hebrews, I want you to listen for the word "propitiation." I want to explain this doctrine a little bit to us today. The doctrine of propitiation. In chapter 2, verse 17, "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people." So He made propitiation. What is propitiation? This is key to understanding the "why" behind the crucifixion. Propitiation. If you want to really try and shrink down the meaning of this theological concept, that is right here on display. You can take note, write down, and remember that propitiation is a wrath-averting sacrifice. A wrath-averting sacrifice.

And so one of the doctrines here that we really truly need to lean in on is the doctrine of propitiation and comprehend this for this passage because grasping propitiation and that God's wrath was placed upon His own Son starts with you knowing that Jesus took on that wrath in your place. So grasp the wrath. Understand that it is truly the punishment of God, the fury of God upon injustice. Does injustice infuriate you on the inside of your heart and mind when you see things that are just wrong, wrong, wrong? One of the things that just gets me really going on the inside is all of these online scams. If we can barely detect an evil one behind the scenes, behind the scenes, scamming, lying, stealing, and trying to destroy our lives, if I can barely detect these schemes, I just so feel so bad for the elderly, for the widows, for the ones who are in need being taken advantage of and infuriates me. And I'm a mere man. And you're a mere person and you feel the same indignation towards sin. Can you imagine a thrice holy God and how He feels about sin? Can you imagine how God feels when He comprehends all at the same time the sin in the world, all of the sin? I can't even take listening or understanding what's going on in the world by way of total depravity, the atrocities that are happening in the world, since I can only take minutes of it. And that'd be just one part of what's going on in the world.

It's been said that it is one of the highest points of our faith is to believe in the goodness of God. He's in total control. So your faith in God really has to step up here and believe in the deity, believe in the attributes, and believe in an all-knowing, all-wonderful, holy God.

Now, when God poured out His wrath towards sin, there was a response in Numbers chapter 25 here. And that is that God, as being thrice holy, poured out His wrath as a response to the people and their sexual immorality with Moabite women. And so God's response to immorality is wrath, and yet they still started worshiping idols. God's response in Numbers chapter 25 to sin was wrath then. He's still the same. God's response is also wrath today. But thank the Lord, you have an allotted time right now, the days that you are living, to repent and believe the Gospel and be saved, gloriously saved from the punishment, the wrath of the Lord God. And so God is holy, holy, holy. And to be pure and right and holy, it means that He will justly punish sin. To maintain who He is, He has to make right what has been wrong. Very simple, think of it through these terms. And so God will punish the impure, He will make the unholy to have to endure their just sentencing. So I would simply think of it like this: God don't mess around. Hey, He don't. He said it, He's going to do it. And you need to know who God is. You need to know what He has said. And you need to make sure that you are safe from this man who don't mess around.

He truly is in control. It's only right that sinners would receive a just penalty for their sin. It's only right for the wages of sin is death. Romans 6:23. And Paul explained to those trying to live up to the law and achieve righteousness that you have a substitute. You have one who has stepped in your place and taking on the wrath of God, the propitiation. The wrath-averting sacrifice is Jesus Christ. In Romans 3:23 it says in the sentence, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." We understand then that now we totally deserve full punishment, the full wrath of God, because we've broken His law, His law fully. And so now we are underneath those who have not been saved, a sentencing. You are already sentenced as guilty, guilty, guilty by a holy, holy, holy God.

You need to be saved. You need a rescuer. You need a mediator. Someone to step into your place and snatch you out from underneath what you cannot and do not want. You've heard someone say, "See you in hell." They don't understand the doctrine of propitiation. They don't understand what they're saying. And so there's an Old English word for those of you who like to keep up with these little sayings. Today's unique word is "scot-free." Have you ever used that before? Our children probably haven't used that before. Maybe they're just learning of it today. But the Old English word "scot" means a required payment. So the word "scot" in its original form means a required payment. And to be off scot-free means the required payment that you owe, you no longer have to owe because you got off scot-free. And so the saved have become scot-free. So if you have become saved, gloriously saved, you got off the hook. You were on the hook. It was set in, but you got off the hook. You become scot-free. Christ's sacrifice on the cross is now in your place.

There's only two ways to handle this, okay? This wrath-bearing sacrifice. God cannot overlook sin. There's only two options, okay? Number one is this: bear the eternal punishment yourself. And this is not the way to go. It's just not what God wants for you in your life to endure a holy punishment internally. This endless torment, endless soul agony, endless physical suffering. There's very few places in the Bible where it repeats the same word or clause three times in a row. And so maybe it be repeated three times here, three times here, three times here. But there's very few of those concepts to where you have woes that are repeated three times. You have a lot of different things like that in the Bible. Well, this concept of Jesus communicating to people how hell is was a repeated concept. And He said that the fire in hell is unquenching. And He said that the worm in hell is undying. "Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched. Where the worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." Repeat a concept. Do you think it's worth listening to Him if He's going to repeat Himself three times? What is He talking about?

Well, I think you understand where the fire dieth not and that hell is going to be physically tormenting for eternity based upon the Creator in His holiness having a just penalty upon sin. But what does this whole deal with the worm dieth not? Well, this idea kind of ties into what they would have understood. The hearers would have understood then Roman armies coming through slaughtering a whole lot of their enemies and their corpses lying in the fields and dying and rotting. And there was this worm that developed and crawled on the inside of the dead carcasses and started eating the carcasses from the inside out. That worm Jesus is referring to dieth not. So what does that mean by way of application? By way of application is the eating of the soul, the eating away of your internal being is the regret that you know for eternity. "I regret," like in Luke chapter 16. "I regret my soul is in agony. I regret rejecting the pure Jesus Christ. I rejected the sacrifice. I rejected Jesus and so for eternity my due punishment is hell." And so this soul agony combined with the physical agony is an eternal suffering that God does not want you to have to endure. That's the reason why He sent His Son.

God has literally gone so far, so far to reach the lost, so far to send His Son to reach you. So you have two choices: to endure the internal penalty yourself or to be saved, gloriously saved from God's wrath.

You probably heard the word "wrath" more today than you have in a long time and it's a real shame that preachers and pastors today do not use this biblical word. It's at the core of why Jesus died on the cross, took on the wrath of the Father, the punishment that we deserve. He took it all on and now God's righteous wrath is appeased. You have got off scot-free those of you who have repented and believed and so by faith repent of your sin, turn from your wickedness, turn to Jesus. We've all been born with this fallen nature. We've all been born children of wrath, the Bible says in Ephesians 2:3. That phrase, "children of wrath," you've got to comprehend that. You've been born into this position of having been sentenced. You have this sin curse from the beginning, from Genesis, but God in Ephesians 2:4-9, "But God being rich in mercy even while we were dead in our transgressions and sins were made alive together in Christ. But God," you've got to realize, "but God made a way, but God sent His Son, but God made it to where you can understand the Gospel and repent and believe the Gospel." You see in Hebrews chapter 10, this whole doctrine of propitiation, the fact that Jesus tasted death for everyone, for all those who would repent and believe, the fact that He was the one who was sent to the cross, this was fitting for Him. It's not fitting for you. It's not fitting for you to die on the cross. It's not fitting for you to go to hell. It's not fitting, but it was fitting for Christ.

Look with me in this and see in chapter 2 verse 10, "For it was fitting for Him." You see the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ in His ability. He was able, you're not able to endure. I promise you, you will have regret. If you have to taste death because of your sins, you will have regret for eternity. But does Jesus have regret for going to the cross? No. In Hebrews chapter 12, He's talking about how the fact that it was joy set before Him, that He endured the cross. He is able and it was fitting for Him, tasting death in verse 9 was fitting for Jesus. Or you could say it like this: It being the cross, the whole crucifixion, the whole thing, it was fitted for Him.

Have you ever been fitted for a suit or a dress? Measured out, everything, all the details. Custom fitted. Every detail of the cross was custom fitted for Jesus. Do not get in Jesus's place. Jesus's cross, but we know that because the Bible said, "For it was fitting for Him." "For whom, by the way, are all things." He created all things. "And through whom are all things." He sustains all things. "And in bringing many sons to glory." So tasting death was fitting for Him so that He could bring sons to glory. It's God who is all-powerful. It's God who is in control. You've got to ask yourself the question: Is God not able then to prevent and step in and save His Son from being crucified? Was He not able? Was He not caring enough? Not so. It's because this has been fitted for Christ because for Christ are all things and through Christ are all things. God's plan is for and through Christ.

In the text you see this. And so Christ's sufferings, they're not plan B is what I'm saying. God's plan A was executed and it was not only delivered and signed, sealed, but accomplished in Christ. So we don't deal with a plan B here. We're dealing with God's plan A to send His Son. The Christ's sufferings were planned by God and providentially seen through by God. God is in control. These sufferings were fitting for Him. Why? Well, to protect the Savior and also to provide salvation. It's interesting in that if you're taking notes, point number two is that Christ's incarnate sufferings provide us with confidence.

It's interesting how these fitted sufferings then were for Christ. God's in control. Everything is happening according to His will. And now a benefit of His incarnate ministry is that we have confidence. Look with me in verse 12 saying, "I will proclaim Your name to my brethren in the midst of the congregation. I will sing Your praise." Why was this particular reference to Psalm 22 too brought up? Well, Psalm 22 is most certainly typology that foretelling the crucifixion of Christ. Read the Psalm. You will love all of the indications of the cross. Okay? But in that turn, if you would, I want you to see this one particular point to Psalm 22. There's an expression of confidence in the midst of this Psalm and it characterizes this Psalm in that we too need to be confident even while we are taking on the cross that has been fitted for us. The cross-like lifestyle that's been fitted for us. You need to know that Psalm 22 isn't just a lament. It is also a cry for help, but it's also an expression of confidence.

In Psalm 22, in verse 1, the Bible says this: Psalm 22, verse 1, "My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?" I'm bringing you there just to prove to you that this Psalm is pointing towards the cross because that's what Jesus said from the cross quoted by Matthew in chapter 27, verse 46. Matthew 27:46. Jesus said that, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" So He's quoting from the Old Testament here. Side note, if Jesus quoted from the Old Testament, He was expecting His hearers to know what He was saying, right? So do you think that you need to know the Old Testament? Yeah. Sorry, Andy Stanley, trying to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament. That's heretical. Jesus quoted from the Old Testament. You need to know how all of this works together because it's displaying His full glory.

And by utilizing the context of Psalm 22 here, the preacher of Hebrews is bringing confidence to the sufferers while they're suffering. Look with me. If you read the whole Psalm, it's going to characterize this sense of confidence, okay? In verse 1, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me? Far from my deliverance are the words of my groaning." Oh my God, I cry by day. "But You do not answer him by night, but I have no rest." Okay? Verses 1 and 2 are very emblematic for how we feel when we are suffering or how you feel when you have taken up your cross and you're suffering for the things of Jesus. The sufferer, which the book of Hebrews is addressing Christians who have somehow shrunk away or started to drift away from their Christ-centered focus and being Christians, okay? They're drifting away. What the author of Hebrews is bringing out of Psalm 22 is this in verse 3, this idea: "Yet, yet You are holy and You are enthroned upon the praises of Israel. And so now, even in suffering, you transition to praise and you keep yourself in Christ. You keep praising Jesus even through it all."

When Hebrews, the author of Hebrews is quoting Psalm 22, He's bringing the contextual element to the surface here to inspire those who are suffering to suffer well. Don't start murmuring and complaining against God. This brings confidence, and you know that Jesus dying on the cross was God's plan A and not plan B. You know that God's in control, even when Christ, His only Son, is suffering on the cross. And the same thing as you know in your own life, God is on the throne. He hasn't stepped off and somebody else stepping on and they dropped the staff. The ball hasn't been dropped. The world is not spinning out of control. God is in control.

Proverbs 3, verse 5 says, "Trust in Him and lean not on your own understanding." If you view this world through your understanding, it's depressing. But if you view this world through the theological, heavenly lens of God, you will say this as well in Psalm 22, "Yet You are holy, yet You are God, and yet, even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death." Even though, even though, yet all of these wonderful expressions. And so in verse 4, "In You our fathers trusted, they trusted, and You delivered them." And so this historical account of the provisions of deliverance from God is what the psalmist is saying to the sufferers in Hebrews. And so we now too have the same attitude of confidence toward God. While you're suffering, speak confidently about God. Do not abandon your post as a Christian. Do not allow yourself to have a disdain towards humanity or a disdain towards a church or disdain towards anything because God is still on the throne. He's still in control. He's still wonderful.

Even accounting to the historic provisions, even when you're crying for help, and verse 5 goes back to that, "To You they cried out, and they were delivered in You, they trusted, and they were not disappointed." So I say to you that God is willing to help. And His providential plan is still unraveling. Satan does not have the end word. The sufferings that we endure are not the end of the road. The plan is still unraveling. When Jesus was on the cross, it didn't say dead end, last chapter, stop. No, the plan is still continuing. And so God then is dependable. Thus we must say confidently, "I depend on God." So no matter how things feel, no matter how things look, you confidently say, "I depend upon God. I depend upon God." You say it right here like the Hebrews are being admonished to say it. "I will proclaim Your name to my brethren. In the midst of the congregation, I will sing Your praise." "I will continue to worship when I don't want to. I will continue to speak confidently about God even when my life is unraveling. I will still praise God in the midst of the congregation. I'm still going to go to church. I'm still going to fellowship. I'm still going to have a positive look on God even if things get disastrous in my life. My loved ones are passing. My dogs are passing. My pets, my money is fleeting. My securities here in this world are sinking. I will proclaim Your name to my brethren in the midst of the congregation. And I will sing Your praise. And again, I will put my trust in Him."

This is the way to proclaim confidently that you believe in God even if your circumstances don't seem heavenly. So comprehend the context of Psalm 22 with me and see this point through. The suffering that we experience and that is being spoken to by the Hebrews who have by their own sin drifted away from God. You see in chapter 2 verse 1, the correction here. Don't drift away. But they've drifted. He had to tell them not to drift away because they have drifted from Christ. This mixed crowd, this congregation, this normal audience here filled with believers, non-believers, and soon-to-be believers. This mixed crowd, Jews, Gentiles, aimed at the Jews predominantly. But this mixed crowd who have started to drift away from Jesus Christ addressed to the Hebrews. The sufferer then is to speak confidently while suffering to honor God. And when you do so, doesn't it inspire others? But if you do not suffer well, it makes other people fear suffering rather than fear God. So confidence is important and it's a benefit, truly.

How can you do this? Well, point number three is that Christ incarnate destroyed death and the devil. Destroy death and the devil. You can truly sing despite Satan. Just know this: If you are doing God's will, Satan is going to try to disturb you. You really will. Just send distractions. He'll send things to try and destroy your life. If you're on point with Christ and you're walking in His will, you can expect Satan to show up regularly in your life. And so we need to see in chapter two, verse 14 in Hebrews, that this has all been destroyed and how does it work out in our life. "Therefore, since the children share in the flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook in the same, that through the death He might render powerless." "Him who had the power of death," that is the devil. The devil used to have the power of death, but now has been rendered powerless. And verse 15, "might free those who through fear of death were subject to the slavery all their lives." Do you fear Satan? Do you fear death? Let me help say to you, Satan's defeated and so is death.

And if you focus on Satan, you'll be depressed. If you focus on death, you'll be depressed. But if you focus on Christ, who defeated death and the devil, you'll live a victorious life inwardly first and then outwardly. And all of these medicines for depressed people only makes it worse. I've dealt with so many folks who have been made worse. I'm not 100% against medicine. I'm not saying that, but I am saying that I've dealt with a lot of people whose psyche has been completely messed up, whose sleep has been completely messed up because they were over-medicated so quickly. When we first tasted Jesus and truly focused on Christ and not all of the things that could happen, one wise one once said that the majority of things we worry about never happen. Most of what we worry about never happens, but we go from one thing to worry about to the next to worry about. You get one thing solved, you find something else to worry about.

Elder Howell preached a wonderful message heading into Christmas, you know, not to be worry warts. Oh, it's such a comforting message. But we need not worry, especially fear death. We need not to be subject to the sting of death that has been removed. Christ has removed not only the stinger, but the whole element of it. And so the power of death used to be the devil's, but Christ's victory rendered it powerless and therefore the stinger, that sharp heart-piercing stinger, if the devil has tempted you to doubt God and threaten you with losing your life. You know, maybe threaten you with losing your job, threaten you with if you honor Christ, then you're going to be persecuted. If he's threatened you with loss of the things of this world and the sting stings, then I would say further comprehend the victory of Christ because when you stand on the foundation of Jesus, then the sting is removed. You don't fear death. You can't be threatened by death. You can't be manipulated by the threat of death. Satan doesn't have power over you unless you yield that back to him. And so we've been freed from the fear of death. Do you fear dying? Further comprehend this passage because death and the devil have been defeated. Therefore, the context of Psalm 22 still applies here in helping us to see that our sufferings in the situations that we endure and that we are still able to sing God's praises while we're suffering.

Is this a one-off situation? Let's just be good Bereans and think it through. I mean, really, does God want us to sing our way through suffering? Does God want us to be optimistic while we're suffering? Do we still want to have a view of God that God's on the throne when we're dying of cancer? Do we still want to have a positive view of God when everything in this world is being destroyed that we've been trying to work towards? Like the book of Job when everything before him just falls apart and people are dying and things are being destroyed. Are we still supposed to have this view? Yes. Paul in prison demonstrated Philippians 4:4 when he says, "Rejoice in the Lord always." And again, I say, "Rejoice."

In the book of Acts 5, the apostles were stoned for preaching Jesus, and yet they considered themselves worthy and kept on rejoicing. Acts 5, verses 39, 40, 41, they kept on rejoicing. They didn't just remain faithful after being stoned for preaching in Jesus' name and ran out of town. They kept on rejoicing. Listen, do you get the heart behind this passage? We have Christ in heaven who has come down incarnate and by His earthly ministries, provided His ministry to—He has provided some benefits for Christians. And one of these benefits is that not only you could be saved, gloriously saved through His mediatorial work, but that also you can have confidence in these areas because He in the flesh conquered the devil and He conquered sin in the grave. And so you can sing while you're suffering and you can be persecuted and still praise God and still preach Jesus.

I've got information on my phone for the wonderful believers over in India who are being beaten, battered, and bruised and they're—buses, expensive buses, absolutely destroyed and vandalized. Pray for Pastor Rajul, his church, the Bible college that we support, and his people and the communities over there because Hindu mobs are truly destroying their houses, their churches and beating them whenever they want without any repercussions. So, in the news, look for yourself. Why is the Hindu government allowing Hindu mobs? Why is the Indian government allowing Hindu mobs to just persecute Christians in India?

So, in speaking with Pastor Rajul, I can show you the text feed. The man is just praising Jesus, all glory to God, considering himself worthy. It's hard on this end to comprehend, but he's living it out. And having been supported by you to be able to go there, I'm so thankful to have interacted with him, preached with him, beside him, for him and met his congregation, his people. I want to testify to you that this persecution is a good thing because it makes them to praise Jesus all the more. It's wonderful.

These people, most of them don't even have their own Bibles. They live up to three dollars a day, can't even afford a twenty-dollar Bible. It's out of sight, out of mind, it's beyond their reach. And yet, they show up in their flip-flops, in their single gown, and they go into these un-air-conditioned concrete buildings and they worship Jesus from the depths of their heart, louder, louder, louder than you can imagine. And when the buildings are overflowing, out of reverence for their wives and the women and children, the men go out back and let the women stay inside with the children and worship Jesus. We've got video of one church that was destroyed by a Hindu mob, and they still, Sunday morning, showed up and started singing. Right beside of the church, that's destroyed, sing, having a worship service.

This is some serious business for you to comprehend the blessings that Christ incarnate provides for you and then to apply them to your life and not live as if this didn't happen. And not live as if you're taking advantage or trying to work it out in your own flesh. I'm telling you, it's very displeasing that Christ did not be optimistic and positive towards a God that's on the throne. It's very displeasing, even sinful to complain and murmur against the things that God allows for you because you know that God is in control and He matures us through sufferings. You could trust God. If you were a born-again believer, He is really working all things for His glory and your good. Romans 8:28, and following. You know that sufferings mature you by studying James chapter 1, verses 1 through 5. These things are evident and before us, and now it's your job to work them out, to make them a part of your being. Because do not get in the flesh and reduce yourself down to acting like an unbeliever who is disparaging the good name of our Lord Jesus Christ and speak negatively about church, about circumstances, in your life, in your world. Don't do that.

Praise His holy name. Same hand that lifts you up is the same hand that allows things to fall in your life. Do you not trust Him? Are we not all from the dust anyway and returning to the dust along the way trust Him? Say to yourselves, "I will put my trust in Him." Hebrews 2:13.

And so we'll save the benefit of the incarnation in that we now have a high priest for next week and continue to work on our confidence in Christ and just simply say to you today, listen, the benefits of Christ incarnate are numerous. But I want you to see just a few today, just a few, starting with the fact that you've escaped deserved punishment. If you have trusted Christ and you've been saved, then hopefully you have then followed the Lord and believers baptism because baptism puts on display that Christ died and has been resurrected. Okay?

Likewise, you have acknowledged that you were born a sinner, but now you have been resurrected. You've been born again. You've been brought up out of your dead state into a state of being alive in Christ. Hopefully you have followed the Lord and believers baptism. If you still need to be baptized, I encourage you to comprehend the crucifixion. And then when you comprehend it and you're committed to it, you're ready. You're ready to follow the Lord and believers baptism. If your character aligns with that and you are striving more and, and more to be like Christ, you're ready.

And so repent of your sin and believe the Gospel and be saved. That's a benefit of Christ becoming incarnate. You can be saved. And then as well, you can have a positive attitude through negative circumstances. Some of us have to work a little bit harder than others. Maybe you have a detail-oriented disposition. Maybe you can fault-find quickly. You probably are able to find a spelling mistake really quickly. And there's benefits to having those types of abilities. But for every strength, there's a downfall for every downfall, there's a strength telling you today, you not allow yourself to be characterized as one who is negative, negative, negative, negative Nelly, always fault-finding, always being critical. And if it can't be made right, that I'm not happy. Don't fall into that disposition. You're drifting from Christ.

If you are control your character, submit yourself to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and follow through because He became flesh wrapped—wrapped in flesh. He did that. He died on the cross. And a benefit of that is that you now can live in Him and place your trust in Him. And even in the midst of a congregation, sing His praises, no matter what's going on. You're not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together and praising His good name and learning His word, fellowshipping together, praying together. You're not to forsake that when perhaps, oh, I've got a diagnosis of something that is terminal. Or, you know, man, I've just lost my job. I've got to focus on getting another job. I can't show up. I can't do these things. No, no, no. Don't forsake the church in Christ and become an individual separated because it's a downhill road. Stay alive in the Lord Jesus Christ. Do all that you can to wrap your life around a good church in every way possible.

And by the way, you know that we have cut away the fat here at the church. We don't do anything that is useless. Everything that we do is purposeful, Biblical, and aimed at being able to please Jesus. So we don't run circuses. We don't manage all kinds of, you know, futile things. We have literally designed the church and what we do according to the Scriptures. So if it's happening, do your best to be a part of it. Whether it be Bible study, Wednesday night, studying theology, personal discipleship, personal evangelism, all these things. The church is custom designed for you to be able to fulfill God's will for your life.

And so I hope today's been a blessing for you. I've really enjoyed studying this passage. I want to continue to illuminate more and more truth to us and we'll get to the doctrine of the priesthood next week of Jesus Christ. And I hope you'll come back and we'll worship together. Let's pray.

Lord, thank you so much for this passage. And if anyone here has never been saved, God would just save them. Second Corinthians chapter seven and verse 10 says that Godly sorrow leads to repentance and salvation. And if there is here anyone who has never felt that Godly sorrow, the sorrowfulness of their soul because they've comprehended that You died in their place. You took on their punishment. You were beaten, battered, and bruised and crucified and died in their place. If they've never comprehended that, God, I pray, that You would grant them the ability to truly, heartfully, wholeheartedly absorb the sorrow that comes from realizing that they participated in Christ crucifying You and oh, that that would lead to repentance. Godly sorrow leads unto repentance. That they would lead them to repenting of their sin. They acknowledge that they truly have sinned and they could never name them all or much less pay for all of their sins. But they would repent towards You and say, God, I'm sorry. I repent of my sin. If they would turn from their wickedness and turn from their simple ways and turn from being in the flesh and turn towards You to give them life more abundant, and free and be saved.

Lord, would You grant them faith to repent and confess You as Lord and Savior. And for the rest of us, all of us who truly are continuing in Your word and loving You and loving others. I pray that You would continue to help us with a Biblical worldview in all circumstances that we may bring You glory in the good times and in the hard times as well. Thank you for being so transparent with Your word and describing all of what the saints that have gone before us have endured for this for Your sake and for their own maturity. God, we love You. We're so inspired by Your words in Jesus name we pray. Amen.