Sermon Notes 11/6/2011

Sermon Title: The Practical Importance of Penal-Substitutionary Atonement part 2

Sermon Text: Jeremiah 2:1-32

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 16:1-22

Review:

ISAAC - Genesis / JESUS - Gospels

• Only begotten Son - Gen. 22:2 / John 3:16
• Offered on a mountain, hill - Gen. 22:2 / Matt. 21:10
• Took donkey to place of sacrifice - Gen. 22:3 / Matt. 21:2-11
• Two men went with him - Gen. 22:3 / Mark 15:27; Luke 23:33
• Three day journey. Jesus: three days in the grave - Gen. 22:4 / Luke 24:13-21
• Son carried wood on his back up hill - Gen. 22:6 / John 19:17
• God will provide for Himself the lamb - Gen. 22:8 / John 1:29
• Son was offered on the wood - Gen. 22:9 / Luke 23:33
• Ram in thicket of thorns, crown of thorns - Gen. 22:13 / John 19:2
• The seed will be multiplied - Gen. 22:17 / John 1:12; Isaiah 53:10
• Abraham went down. Son didn't. Isaac is "not mentioned" - Gen. 22:19 / Luke 23:46
• Servant, gets bride for son - Gen. 24:1-4 / Eph. 5:22-32; Rev. 21:2,9; 22:17
• The bride was a beautiful virgin - Gen. 24:16 / 2 Cor. 11:2
• Servant offered ten gifts to bride - Gen. 22:10 / Rom. 6:23; 12; 1 Cor. 12

http://carm.org/bible-difficulties/genesis-deuteronomy/why-did-god-tell-abraham-kill-his-son-isaac

The Gospel is not only the “way in.” The Gospel is the “way how.”

“Beat it into their heads continually” by Martin Luther

“The law is divine and holy. Let the law have his glory, but yet no law, be it never so divine and holy, ought to teach me that I am justified, and shall live through it. I grant it may teach me that I ought to love God and my neighbor; also to live in chastity, soberness, patience, etc., but it ought not to show me, how I should be delivered from sin, the devil, death, and hell.

Here I must take counsel of the gospel. I must hearken to the gospel, which teacheth me, not what I ought to do, (for that is the proper office of the law,) but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me : to wit, that He suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death. The gospel willeth me to receive this, and to believe it. And this is the truth of the gospel. It is also the principal article of all Christian doctrine, wherein the knowledge of all godliness consisteth.

Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually.”

– Martin Luther, St. Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians (Philadelphia: Smith, English & Co., 1860), 206.

When the Gospel and its implications are understood, it should bring change to the heart of the Christian, continually changing his

1. Motivation: The love of Christ compels us; the grace of God teaches us; the kindness of God leads us
2. Disposition: The Rich and Poor man in James; the Racist in Galatians; the confronter in Colossians; the confronted in Luke 15
3. Response to Consequence: The good boy in Luke 15; the Pharisees; 2 Corinthians 5:9

How Do We “Beat it Into Our Heads”? How does the Gospel move from intellectual understanding to existential change?

Christianity should lead to a deep and unique subjective experience based on an unchangeable, objective truth. When we think hard, pray hard, renew our minds, dwell on the objective truths of the Gospel (Penal-Substitutionary Atonement) we should be lead to subjective experience (ravished, compelled hearts). This is precisely what Jonathan Edwards begged in “Religious Affections.” This is what Christians call Joy.

How Does OPBC get there? Turn to Jeremiah 2.

I think we understand pretty well the LORD as King, Father, Husbandman (John 15), but not as Husband. Think about the references throughout the OT of God as Husband to Israel and the NT as Jesus the Bridegroom to the Church.

Why is this important? When you sin against a King, a Gardner, a Father you are violating the rules and hurting the garden. When you play the whore against a husband and when you understand the depth of His love for you, based on the atonement, your heart should melt and be ravished, moved.

• "When the thing that most assures you is the thing that most convicts you, you’ll be okay because when you’re convicted of sin in a gospel way it drives you toward God.” – Timothy Keller

First, our perspective must be proportionate

“On every high hill and under every green tree” (Jeremiah 2:20b).

• There is an attraction of the soul far stronger than any sexual attraction. There is a power to what we lay down with in our minds (soul).
• Instinctively, we crave oneness with someone different than us because we know if left to ourselves, we will die out. In the same way, we know instinctively we are powerless to produce joy, lasting satisfaction, significance, true security. Rather than joining ourselves to God for this, we go under every green tree and look on every high hill (From Tim Keller’s sermon How Sin Makes us Addicts).
• So, we know God as King, Gardner, and Husband, and marry ourselves together with a myriad of other functional saviors.
• The weaker your theology, the more impersonal God must be. However, the ability to articulate good systematic theology will not necessarily ravish your heart. Why? It is about your thoughts, prayers, and approach. Do you understand the three-but-one? The answer is probably yes and no. It should always be yes and no. In the same way you can commune with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in their individual roles, you are still approaching one God. However, you do not thank God the Father for the atonement of the Spirit. You cannot thank God the Father for the Son’s indwelling. In the same way, I think you can approach God as King, Father, Gardner, and Husband – none lessening the other – simultaneously ( Prophet – Priest – King).

Second, we must realize God’s way of ravishing the heart is through the renewing of the mind. Look at Jeremiah 2:32 and Ezekiel 16:22**

• What happened to my heart the other night when Staci played Louis Armstrong? What happened to my heart at the couples shower? Renewed minds renew a ravished heart.
• How do I beat the Gospel into my head? Outside Scripture, here are some good resources: The Gospel for Life by Jerry Bridges; The Prodigal God by Tim Keller; Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson; TheGospelCoalition.com; Holiness by Grace by Brian Chappel; The Discipline of Grace by Jerry Bridges.

He doesn't “give you something” He is the ornaments. When a bride looks in a mirror all day, she is depending on the dress, ornaments, hair, etc. When we gaze into the Gospel a confident humility ravishes our hearts – we are perfect yet Jesus blood and perfect righteousness ravish our hearts. Ephesians 5 –Jesus makes us a bride without spot or blemish.

• What if you had quality time with your wife between 8-8:30 every Wednesday?

Third, see the connection between lyrics, music, and dance

Lyrics (Theology) – Music (Ravished Hearts that are continually compelled, taught, lead by love, grace, and goodness) – Great Commandment – Dance (Great Commission)

We see the danger of:

1. Lyrics without music = cold dead principles = motivation by fear and guilt to dance
2. Music without lyrics = leads to foundation-less dancing = social justice/reform
3. Dancing with no lyrics and music = You become someone’s savior (Government)

Give examples of couples wedding shower – there is a reason Bethany, Valerie, and Jessica did not look like Mike/June; Phillip/Ginny; Chris/Michelle

You know what else might be true? Bethany might spend more time with Robyn than Scott does; Hannah spends more time with Staci than I do; Chris spends more time with his business partner than Michelle

• Why wouldn't they dance like that with a business partner; father; mother; etc.? There isn’t the husband/wife dynamic.
• Think about the relationships moms have to their children. Think about how when you serve others, your heart becomes tied to them. I know how to get to my wife’s heart and I know how to ignite my heart to hers: sacrificial service. Isn't that true. How much more for Jesus who committed the ultimate act of service?