Ron Houben - Class 4: Author and Finisher of Our Faith

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1. 0:00

   Well, brothers and sisters, Brother Ron has led us on a series of studies based on the sayings of our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. And this morning, his theme is the author and finisher of our faith. I'll ask Brother Ron to come forward. Thanks.

2. 0:17

   Thanks, Darren. And good morning, brothers and sisters and young people and the many visitors that have joined us this morning. Obviously, I'm going to fail in time to try to recap over our studies over the last few days. So I guess those that have just turned up are going to have to bear with us because we have followed through a theme in terms of Jesus' sayings from the cross. We've covered the first four sayings that Jesus spoke from the cross, and we managed to cram that into three studies. So we're now dealing with the last three sayings, which we have around about half an hour to... But we're told that we've got the camp until about five o'clock, so we should be okay. Well, actually, what we're going to do is look at really two of the sayings of Christ at the same time in conjunction with each other. And that is the saying, I thirst, and it is finished. And that, of course, is picked up in John's record in John chapter 19. Now, in John chapter 19, it says in verse 28, after this, and we know, of course, this is actually now at the end of the three hours of darkness. This is the climax of the six hours that Jesus has spent on the cross, from the morning to the evening sacrifice, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. And he's coming to the climax of his time on the cross. And as we said, every word of Jesus from the cross was chosen very specially in terms of his work in redeeming others. And after these things, Jesus, knowing now that all things were accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith I thirst.

3. 2:28

   And they set a vessel full of vinegar and filled a sponge with the vinegar and put it on some hyssop and put it to his mouth. Now, it's rather an unusual event when we consider the power and magnitude of everything that's gone before, when we've seen the power of words such as, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Truly, I say unto thee today, with me, you will be in paradise. Woman, behold thy son. Son, behold thy mother. Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani.

4. 3:02

   And we saw the power in these words. Now, this saying from the cross is, well, rather interesting. And it comes at a real climax. It's at the end of these things. When he saw that all these things were to be accomplished, says, I thirst. So there's been lots of various thoughts upon what Jesus was saying. And most of it comes around to the fact that most scholars identify that the word for fulfilled in verse 28 is a very different word that is normally used in the New Testament about scripture being fulfilled, i.e. that the scripture being fulfilled, that he was numbered amongst the transgressors. That's a common word used for the New Testament for the fulfillment of Old Testament scripture. But here, the word is actually related to the word that Jesus used when he said it is finished, teleos. It means to be complete. And it's often said in the form of a recital.

5. 4:12

   And so people have suggested that because he started Psalm 22, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And there is a phrase near the end of Psalm 22 where it is finished, the Lord hath done it. And in the Septuagint, they're almost exactly the same, that Jesus was reciting the whole Psalm.

6. 4:35

   And in order to complete or finish the Psalm, he was very thirsty and said, I thirst. Now, I think that's highly likely and I can accept that as a reasonable exposition of what Jesus did. But of course, our Lord was always thinking on a far greater plane than what you and I would think on.

7. 5:02

   And the key is, Jesus is saying when he saw that everything concerning him was now accomplished, it was now exactly the right time, he said, now I thirst. Now, remember, initially they had offered him vinegar or wine mixed with gall and Jesus would never have a bar of it. And there's very good reason for that, of course, because gall was an opiate and Jesus wanted to have his senses and wouldn't take a drug to dull the pain because he wanted to endure the true sufferings that God had set before him and to drink the cup that God had set before him.

8. 5:44

   And so he refused the vinegar mixed with gall. Not only that, if you look at Jeremiah chapter 23, it actually, well, you can look at it in your own time because we're not, we're going to run out of time. But God says the false prophets I will give to drink wine with gall because their words are false.

9. 6:02

   And it's been well suggested that this might have actually been a plot by the Jews to give him wine with gall so that when they, when he drank it, they could turn around and say, see, he's a false prophet of the Lord. He's not a true prophet because the Lord gave false prophets wine and gall to drink.

10. 6:18

    So he refused that initial one. But now, right near the end, when all things are accomplished, he requests to have something to drink and not just anything to drink. Well, let's see if we can open this up and look a little closer and to see what might be in our Lord's mind at this time.

11. 6:42

    Let's have a look at Luke chapter 22. Let's remind ourselves because we looked at this the other day. Jesus came to the end of his ministry and he knew that one thing was yet to be accomplished. And he says in Luke chapter 22, verse 37, For I say unto you that this that is written about me must yet be accomplished in me.

12. 7:13

    And he was reckoned among the transgressors for the things concerning me to have an end. So what he says, there's one prophecy, which of course is Isaiah 53. He was numbered amongst the transgressors. The one prophecy that needs to be fulfilled, the one critical prophecy needing to be fulfilled is that Jesus is numbered amongst the transgressors.

13. 7:40

    That's the one for these things to have an end. Now that's the very same word that Jesus uses when he said on the cross, it is finished. It is at an end. So there is a link between the words of John and what Jesus is saying here to the disciples. For it to be in an end, I must be numbered with the transgressors.

14. 8:07

    Well, where does that all come from? Well, it comes from the prophecy in Daniel chapter 9, which we should all be familiar with. Daniel chapter 9, and in verse 24, 70 weeks are determined upon thy people and upon the holy city to finish the transgression and to make an end of sins. And then as we go on at verse 26, it talks about Messiah the Prince being cut off.

15. 8:53

    Not for himself, but the prince, in verse 24, shall come and confirm the covenant with many for one week. And in the midst of the week, he shall cause sacrifice and oblation to come to an end, to come to a finish.

16. 9:17

    This is what the word is talking about in the 70 weeks prophecy. To make an end, to bring in a new covenant, to make an end of an old covenant. And if you look again, just follow this reasoning with me, because I'm sure we can put it together. If you come to Colossians chapter 2.

17. 9:42

    This is what's running through the Lord's mind. To make an end of transgression. To finish it. To make oblation to cease. And in Colossians chapter 2, verse 14. Or verse 13 for connection. He says, And you were dead in your sins. And the uncircumcision of your flesh. He, Jesus, has quickened together with him.

18. 10:08

    Or he, God, has quickened together with Jesus. Sorry. Having forgiven your trespasses. Blotting out the hand writing of ordinances. Which is against us. Which was contrary to us. And he took it out of the way. And he nailed it to the cross. He took out the handwriting. Literally, the word is the idea of calligraphy.

19. 10:35

    The handwriting of ordinances. Which is like the... What's the word? I've lost it in the Greek. It's a very common word we use. Sorry, I've gone a blank. Does anybody know?

20. 10:53

    No, I don't think it is actually. Pardon? Dogma. Dogma. That's the one I was trying to think of. It's the word dogma. Dogma. He took away, like we get the word dogma. To be emphatic, dogma. That's what the law was like. And the word we use for dogma comes from this word ordinances.

21. 11:12

    He took away the written dogma. And he nailed it to a cross. And he put an end to it. Freeing us. Freeing us. From the curses that were under the law. Now, Jesus said at that point. In order that the scripture might be finished. To be made an end of. Said, I thirst.

22. 11:36

    In order to do this. I thirst. Now, this phrase in Colossians chapter 2. Is really interesting. Because it uses the phrase. Blotting out. The handwritten ordinances. The dogma. Blotting out. The curses. Does anybody know where that comes from? Does anybody know under the law. Where the concept of blotting out a curse came from?

23. 12:06

    It's only really found in one place. Under the law of Moses. It's in Numbers chapter 5. And I think this is. Incredibly powerful. Come back to Numbers chapter 5. And it's the story. Of the jealous husband. The trial of jealousy. And in Numbers chapter 5. When a husband was suspicious. That his wife.

24. 12:35

    Was unfaithful. He was able. To bring her. To a trial. Before the high priest. And what the high priest would do. Was he would take. That woman. To the tabernacle. To the door of the tabernacle. And he would uncover her head. And it was as though. She was made naked. And bare before God.

25. 12:56

    He would uncover. Her head. And then he would take. Holy water. And water from. And dust from the dirt. And he would mix them together. And he would make bitter water. And then he would write down. A list of cursings. That if this woman. Was unfaithful. Would come upon her. They included the fact.

26. 13:18

    That her belly should swell. And her thigh would be infected. And all these bad things. Would happen to her. If she was unfaithful. So he mixed this. Water. And he wrote down. These curses. And then he grabbed. A sponge. And he dipped. This. Bit of water. Onto the curses. And he made her.

27. 13:42

    Drink them. And he blotted out. The curses. Off the paper. And he made her. Drink the curses. With the water. So he blotted out. The physical curse. And made her. Drink it. And she absorbed. The written curse. With the bitter water. If. She was guilty. Well. All of those curses. Would come upon her.

28. 14:07

    All the effects. Of those curses. Would come upon her. But if. She was innocent. None of those curses. Would come upon her. In fact. It says to her. It says. Verse 27. And when he hath made her. To drink the water. When it shall come to pass. That if she have defiled. And done a trespass.

29. 14:28

    Against her husband. That water. That causeth the curse. Shall enter into her. And become bitter. And her belly. Shall swell. And her thighs. Shall rot. And the woman. Shall be. A curse. Among the people. It was horrible. But. And if the woman. Be not defiled. But. Be clean. She shall be free. And.

30. 14:52

    She shall. Conceive. And have children. She shall be free. And shall conceive. Now. Our reading today. Was Psalm 51. And I didn't know that. This morning. But when David. Picks up in Psalm 51. He is picking up. This very. Same. Law. About. The jealous husband. The trial of jealousy. And in Psalm 51.

31. 15:22

    David says this. He says. Lord. Have mercy upon me. According to your loving kindness. And according to the multitude. Of your tender mercies. Blot. Out. My transgressions. And it's the same word. To blot it out. To wipe it out. Now. The only time. You could ever. Blot out. A curse. Was under that.

32. 15:44

    Law of trial. But you know what. If David. Was. To be put under that test. And under that trial. What would have happened? He would have been guilty. Wouldn't he? There was no innocence. He was guilty. Of adultery. He was guilty. Of murder. And he was guilty. Of the condemnation. That was under the law.

33. 16:11

    He was guilty. Of death. So how can he ask God. To block out. How can he ask God. To take away. The curse. When he's guilty of it.

34. 16:25

    You see David trusted. In the fact. That God would provide a way. Provide a means. That would one day. Take away the curse. But the only way. That would happen. Was if the man. Could be put under a trial. And an intense trial. To see if there was. Any iniquity in him. To see if any of these curses.

35. 16:47

    Were deserved upon him. And to find that this man. Was wholly righteous. And wholly true. And then that man. Will be set free. And he will see his seed. And he will preserve. The generation. Following. And David lay in the grave. Awaiting that man. Condemned in his sins. Unless. Jesus Christ. Could fulfill.

36. 17:10

    The principle of this covenant. And as Jesus. Hung there on a cross. Numbered with the transgression. He was saying. Hang on David. I'll free you. Hang on Abraham. I'll free you. They were all under the curse of the law. They were all guilty. And there was no way. God could ever blot out that transgression.

37. 17:30

    Until a righteous man came along. And as Jesus hung there on the cross. And when he saw. Now that he had been numbered with the transgressors. And all things were accomplished. And he had done it. He turned around and said. I thirst. And you know what they did? They ran and grabbed vinegar.

38. 17:47

    Which is bitter wine. They got vinegar with bitter wine. And then they grabbed hyssop. Which is a cleaning agent. And David says. Purge me with hyssop. And I shall be clean. Blot out my transgressions before me. And they grabbed hyssop. They dipped it in the vinegar. And they gave it to Jesus. And he drank.

39. 18:05

    And then he says. It's done. It's finished. It's hung on the cross. It's over. Now the curse. Is finished forever. And he finished his father's will. It wasn't about completing a psalm. It was about putting to death. It was finished. It was done.

40. 18:27

    For you and me. He took that into himself. He was examined by God. Under the most intense trial. And he was found to be perfect. And every man and woman. That had tried to serve God. Hung. In hope. Upon the righteousness of that man. No wonder. Brothers and sisters. At that point. The earth.

41. 18:51

    Began to rumble. And the ground began to shake. And Jesus had said. It is finished. And Matthew says. When he had cried this. With a loud voice. And that's how we know the order of this. It is done. As the culmination of triumph. It's the end of the curse of the Lord. And Matthew says.

42. 19:10

    When he cried with a loud voice. He breathed his last. And said. Father. Into my hands. I commit my spirit. And then he died. And at that moment. At that moment of course. The earth shook. And at that very moment. That they were there. To kill the Passover lamb.

43. 19:37

    But of course. Daniel said. He's going to cause oblation. To cease. He's going to put an end. To the sacrifice. Everything was unto Jesus. And as they were about to offer. The Passover lamb. 3pm in the afternoon. When the first lambs were being killed. And as Caiaphas the high priest. Had pranced. In.

44. 19:58

    To that temple. To officiate. In the holy place. And stood there. Before the temple. In the holy place. The ground began to shake. And this veil. Which was 20 cubits. By 20 cubits. It took 300 priests. To wash this veil. It was a handbreadth thick. This veil. Just began to tear. From top to bottom.

45. 20:18

    And the noise. Would have been deafening. And it was torn apart. And the way. Straight into the most holy place. Was made clear. Caiaphas had stood there. Only six hours earlier. And had grabbed his coat. His garments. And had torn them. In front of the son of God. And said. This is blasphemy.

46. 20:39

    And now he stood. Before the God of the universe. Before the most holy place itself. And God took his garments. And tore them in front of Caiaphas. That priest. And said. This is blasphemy. And it's finished. It's done. It's over. And a new covenant. Was instituted. In that moment. In that moment of time.

47. 21:04

    A new covenant in Christ. And a new way. Do you know. Of course. The garments of the priest. They were never meant. To rend. It's actually specifically said. In the law. That the ephod. Which was an ephod of blue. In Exodus 20. 28. Was made of one piece. And it was made. With a harbinger and stitching.

48. 21:22

    So that it could carry. The urim and thummim. But also. So that it could never be rent. It was never. Meant to be rent. And of course. Of Jesus garments. And it says. They took his garments. And it was. A seamless garment. And when they saw. That they couldn't rend it. They cast lots.

49. 21:41

    Over who was it going to be. There was the true high priest. Brothers and sisters. There was the seamless garment. The whole man. And the ephod of course. Was completely blue. You know. People wore a ribbon of blue. On their coats. Which distinguished. The righteousness of God. But the true high priest. Wore a seamless garment.

50. 22:05

    Which was. Completely blue. This is what distinguished. Our Lord. As our high priest. This is what differentiated him. From every man. Woman and child. That's ever been. Was his righteousness. And his holiness.

51. 22:23

    And so it was. Brothers and sisters. That. The curse was. Disannulled. And the veil was rent. Do you know. The impact of those. Seven sayings. That Jesus said. From the cross. Were profound. For the disciples. Later. And for the apostles. That should follow. In his footsteps. Remember of course. What Stephen said. In Acts chapter 7.

52. 22:49

    In his dying words. Stephen. Made recollection. Of the first and last. Of Jesus' sayings. Verse 59. And as they stoned Stephen. Calling upon God. And saying. Lord Jesus. Receive my spirit. The last saying. And he kneeled down. And cried with a loud voice. Lord. Lay not this sin. To their charge. That's the first saying.

53. 23:22

    Father forgive them. For they know not what they do. And Stephen's words. Encaptulated. Everything that Jesus said. From the cross. His first and last saying. They made a profound impact. Upon the apostles. None so more. Than the apostle Paul. You know. The apostle Paul of Christ. Of course. Was Jesus Christ. To the Gentiles.

54. 23:46

    And Paul said. That God. Filled up. The sufferings of Jesus. In him. In him personally. And in. Second Timothy. Chapter four. Of course. These are Paul's last words. He's on death row. He's incarcerated in Rome. Under Nero. And he's awaiting execution. What started off. As a reasonably. Good incarceration. Where he had lots of freedom.

55. 24:10

    And people came. And visited him. And could commune with him. Had ended in a time. Where. It was very difficult. For any follower. Of Paul. To be anywhere near Rome. Rome. Any of the Christians. Would. Have found themselves. Suffering. If they might go to Rome. To visit Paul. In fact. It's been well said.

56. 24:33

    That Onesiphorus. In the first part. Of this book. May well have lost his life. Because of his service. To Paul. Because Paul pays tribute. To the household. Of Onesiphorus. Who. Was prepared. To give himself. To the service of Paul. So any association. With Paul. Was very difficult. So. Second Timothy. Chapter four. Of Paul's last words.

57. 24:54

    Do you know. All seven. All seven. Of the last sayings. Of Christ. Are in this chapter. This is the impact. That Christ's words. Had on the apostle Paul. All seven. Of Christ's words. Are found. In this last chapter. And. And the power. And poignancy. Behind them. His first saying. Father. Forgive them. For they know not.

58. 25:19

    What they do. Is found in verse 16. At my first dance. And no man stood with me. But all men forsook thee. I pray. God. That it might not be laid. To their charge. There's Paul's. Statement. Father. Forgive them. For they know not. What they do. And of course. He echoed. The very words of Stephen.

59. 25:40

    In his death. Lay not their sin. To their charge. His. Second statement. From the cross. An incredible statement. Of hope. With me. Thou shalt be with me. In paradise. Paul says. In verse 8. Henceforth. There is laid up. For me. A crown. Of righteousness. That was the promise. To the thief. On the cross.

60. 26:03

    A crown. Of righteousness. Away from the guilt. Of sin. Away from his transgression. Henceforth. There is laid up. For me. A crown. Of righteousness. Which the Lord. The righteous. God. Shall give me. At that day. And not only. To me. But to all. Them. That. Love. His appearing. Lord. Remember me. When thou comest.

61. 26:25

    Into thy kingdom. That's the thief. On the cross. Isn't it? That's exactly. The thief. On the cross. Woman. Behold. Thy son. Son. Behold. Thy mother. Paul's last words. To his nearest. And dearest. Disciple. To make. Reconciliation. With his mother. And to care for her. A statement of love. Look at Paul's words here.

62. 26:52

    Verse 11. Only Luke is with me. Timothy. Timothy. He says. Take Mark. Go and take Mark with you. And bring him with me. Because he's profitable for the ministry. Remember what happened between. Paul and Mark. And the fallout. This is Paul's statement of love. Go and take Mark. With you. And bring him to me.

63. 27:14

    Because he's profitable for the ministry. And just like Jesus said to John. Behold thy mother. And she became a disciple. From that moment forward. So Paul in his last words. Is telling Timothy. Go and take Mark. Because he's profitable. For the ministry.

64. 27:31

    His statement. Of trust. As we said. Eli. Eli. Lama. Sabachtini. Was an incredible statement of trust. Look at. Paul's statement of trust. In chapter 4. Verse 18. The Lord. Shall deliver me from every evil work. And preserve me. Unto his heavenly kingdom. That's a statement of trust. He even says of course. That the Lord stood by him.

65. 27:54

    Verse 17. Notwithstanding. Every man forsaken. Notwithstanding. The Lord stood by me. And strengthened me. And as we said. The words of. Psalm 22. Came at the end. Of what we believe. Was the epiphany. Of the Lord. Coming down. And strengthening Jesus. On the cross. Notwithstanding. At my trial. The Lord stood by me.

66. 28:16

    And strengthened me. His desire. I thirst. I desire. Paul tells Timothy. He says. When you come. He says. Bring the cloak. Bring the books. But bring the parchments. Especially the parchments. It was an unquenchable thirst. That Paul had. Even on death row. Bring the parchments Paul. For his hunger and thirst. After the righteousness of God.

67. 28:42

    And then of course. It is finished. It is done. And into thy hands. I commit my spirit. And Paul says. Verse 7. I have fought the good fight. I have finished. My course. It is done. Into thy hands. I commit my spirit. Verse 6. For now. I am ready. To be offered. It was the sacrifice.

68. 29:04

    Which was going up to his father. For now. I am ready to be offered. And Paul picks up. All seven of the words. Of the Lord Jesus Christ. Because it was the epitome. Of his life. Brothers and sisters. As we come. To partake of bread and wine. And we see the power. Of that sermon.

69. 29:20

    From the cross. That is what it was. It was a sermon. From the cross. For you and me. 38 words. That is all there were. 38 words. In Greek. Which changed the lives. Of millions of people. A prayer that changed the world. He converted a murderer. Right next to him. A man guilty of murder.

70. 29:41

    And along with that man guilty of murder. Was other people in the grave. Like David. That looked for the time. When somebody would come. And blot out his transgressions. And would make him clean with hyssop. 38 words from the cross. To fulfill the covenant. To make an end of transgression. And all we have to do.

71. 30:01

    Is follow the formula. Forgiveness. Hope. Love. Desire. Triumph. Dedication. It's our commitment. Towards our father. May it be brothers and sisters. That you and I. Will share in that time. When our Lord returns. When we can be with him. In the kingdom. And share the beauty. And the glory. Of having our guilt.

72. 30:34

    And our transgression. Done away with. Amen. Father.