We're gonna begin in Hebrews chapter seven. If you wanna get your Bibles out, Hebrews chapter seven. I have two messages for today, two very clear messages, and the battle was, the wrestling match with God this morning and throughout the week was what do I preach first? Even up until this very moment, I didn't know, but the Lord's kind of settled it. What happened in the beginning part of the service kind of helped settle it, and we just need to look at Jesus this morning. We need to lift him up. We need to magnify him. He is worthy. He is holy. And so we're gonna look at Jesus Christ today. We're gonna look at the offering of his soul for sin. We're gonna see that and how that he died for many, for many. Brother Mike, what does many mean? A large group of individuals. He tasted death for every man. Oh, he died for all of mankind, but he tasted it for you. You sitting here in the pew this morning, he tasted death for you. Not only was he a partaker of your death, you partook of that death with him. We're gonna get into this, but I want to lay this foundation. We've gone through this in depth before, but I want you to understand, when Christ died, I died. When Christ was buried, I was buried. When Christ descended into the very flames of hell, I descended with him. When Christ was resurrected up out, I was resurrected with him. When he was resurrected up out of the grave, I was resurrected with him. And with that understanding, we're going to get into the scriptures this morning. We're just going to talk about Jesus for a while. I hope that's okay. Cause he's work. Oh, Hebrews chapter seven started verse 25. I don't ever do this, but I feel like we need to let's stand out of the respect and honor of the reading of the word of God today. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins and then for the people's, for this he did once when he offered up himself. Thank you, you may be seated. For such an high priest became us. Why? Because he was made to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. When Christ died, you died. Why? Because he became you on that cross. He who knew no sin became sin, was made into sin. Taste of death for every man was turned into you on that cross. Every single individual that has ever drawn a breath or will ever draw a breath, and that's where it comes in, this eternal redemption. He was made into that individual on that cross. You realize there was a part of hell that was specifically reserved for me. That was my place because of my transgression, my wickedness. And Jesus Christ himself, became me, died as me, as a sinner, and burned in my hell for me. Of course, we know he did not stay there. All right, we know that before 6 p.m. that day, because he told that thief, today thou shalt be with me in paradise. We're just going to delve into this a little bit in the next few fleeting moments. I want to connect a couple of things for us. In Romans 12, 1, it says, I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Elsewhere, Paul tells us again that we're to glorify God in our bodies and in our spirit, which are God's. They belong to him. Why? Because he purchased us with his own blood. God did that. God purchased us with God's blood, which was flowing through Emmanuel's veins. And sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. Amen. Ain't it good, Corey? Ain't it good? As sinners plunge beneath that flood, lose all their guilty stains. That's the power of that blood. Eternal redemption, purchased with that blood. Blessed be the name of the Lord. I want you to turn to Leviticus chapter 14. As you know, I love the book of Leviticus. Leviticus is precious to me. And to be honest, I see Jesus Christ more in the book of Leviticus than I do in the book of Matthew. It's like, it's condensed, like it's just oozing with him. Leviticus chapter 14, look at verse two. This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing. he shall be brought unto the priest. And the priest shall go forth out of the camp, and the priest shall look, and behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper, then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds, alive and clean, and cedarwood and scarlet and hyssop. And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water. As for the living bird, that living sacrifice brought to the altar, brought to the priest, as for the living bird, he shall take it. and the cedar wood and the scarlet and the hyssop and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water. And he shall sprinkle it upon him that is to be cleansed for the leprosy seven times and shall pronounce him clean and shall let the living bird loose into the open field. This is what Paul's preaching about in Romans 12 one. There's only two living sacrifices that you see in the King James Bible. There's only two animals that will ever go to an altar and leave alive, the scapegoat and this bird. This bird is brought to the priest, two birds, one alive and another one alive, and the one bird is chosen to be killed. It's killed over running water, and sometime, as the Lord allows, we're gonna delve into that, but that's not for this morning. But that bird is slain. Its head is wrung off. And the blood is extracted and poured out of that bird, and the living bird. It's taken. It's dipped in the blood of that bird that was slain. and released into the open field. So that any Israelite that would ever see a bird with blood on it in the open field, and he would see that bird and look at that blood, and he would say, oh, a leper's been declared clean. And so in like manner, our Lord Jesus Christ was slain. And his side was pierced and out flowed blood and water. And there was the wood of the cross and there was the scarlet of his blood. And there was the hyssop that was raised up to him to give him vinegar to drink when he said, I thirst, fulfilling scripture. And so I have been plunged beneath that flood as he was made me on that cross. And I now bear the blood of Jesus Christ so that everyone of this whole world can look at me and say, there's a wretched leper that was declared clean. Bless his holy name. Because sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains. I don't find it coincidence that the children were learning about lepers this morning. And that 10 came and they were healed, but one came back and was made whole. There's a difference. Let's go to Psalm 55. Oh, Psalm 55. Look at verse one. It starts out in the pre-script, to the chief musician on Neganoth, masculine a Psalm of David, and I'll add in the sweet Psalmist, the prophet of God. Give ear unto my prayer, O God, and hide not thyself from my supplication. Attend unto me and hear me, I mourn in my complaint and make a noise. Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked, for they cast iniquity upon me. And in wrath they hate me. You know why? Because he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. You know, it doesn't take too long reading through the Psalms to realize the Psalmists Most of the time, we're not speaking of themselves. 1 Peter 1 11 tells us that the spirit of Christ, which was in them, they prophesied by that spirit, prophesying, foretelling of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. We're gonna look at some sufferings of Christ. And in this Psalm, we hear his cry. We hear the cry of Jesus here. Having been made sin for us who knew no sin, having died a sinner's death, taking my place in a sinner's hell. His soul being made that burnt offering for sin, that offering that was to be made by fire according to the law. And if Christ didn't fulfill all the law, he was guilty of the whole thing. Verse 3, they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hated me. Why? Because he's despised and rejected. Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. There is no terror greater than horror. There is no fear that will be greater than absolute horror. And there is no horror like the horror of hell. It's darkness. It's agony. It's torments. It's the wrath of God. And I said, Oh, that I had wings like a dove, for then I would fly away and be at rest. Lo, then I would wander far off and remain in the wilderness, or might I say the open field. And when I survey that wondrous cross, When I survey the death of Christ according to the scriptures, I see myself as a leper who was declared clean. And I see myself as a bird that was released into the open field and into the wilderness. And I see my savior, bloody, Beaten, rejected of men, forsaken, cast into hell. Crying unto his father saying, oh that I had wings like that dove. For that I would fly away and be at rest. But no, it was me that could fly away. It was me that went free. As I ran to that city of refuge, I didn't run there as an innocent man, I ran there as a murderer. Judgment was waiting. But Jesus stepped out of that gate and said, take my blood instead. Blood is required for the transgression of this man. He said, take my blood instead. We don't understand that. Because if we did, we would be in full brokenness at his feet right now. Oh, then I would wander off and remain in the wilderness. Selah. Look at verse eight. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and from tempest. Destroy, oh Lord, and divide. their tongues. For I've seen violence and strife in this city. Day and night they go up about it upon the walls thereof. Mischief also and sorrow in the midst of it. Wickedness is in the midst thereof. Deceit and guile depart not from her streets. For it was not an enemy that reproached me. Then I could have borne it. Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me. then I would have hid myself from him. And in our minds, we automatically think of that one who betrayed him, who lifted up his heel against him, who betrayed him unto the soldiers. But what does Jesus say to you right here this morning? But it was thou. See the shift? It wasn't an enemy that reproached me, neither could I have borne it. Neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me. Then I would have hid myself from him, but it was thou. It was thou. It was me. I did it. I betrayed him. Had I been alive at that time, I would have been in that crowd with a torch. Had I been alive at that time, I would have been in the crowd yelling crucify him, spitting in his face. It was that. A man mine equal, my guide and mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together. and walked unto the house of God in company. What death sees upon them. See the shift in these pronouns? It's talking third person, him. And then he addresses it personally, thou. And now we're talking about a group of people. Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell. For wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. As for me, I will call upon God, and there is his cry. And here is the faith of Christ, and the Lord shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon will I pray and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. He hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me. And what battle was that? You find that battle in Psalm 18. Just read through Psalm 18 and look at that battle, those enemies that were too strong for him. For there was many with me. God shall hear and afflict them, even he that abideth of old, Selah, because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God. He hath put forth his hands against such as be at peace with him. He hath broken his covenant. The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart. That's why you can praise God with your lips, but your heart is far from him. Why? Because war is in your heart. His words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords. Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved. Now, who is that righteous? It's Jesus. He is the righteous. But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days, but I will trust in thee. Look at verse 18 real quick one more time. It says, he hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many with me. Now I want to harken back to what I opened with this morning. When Jesus Christ died, you died. When Jesus Christ descended into the very depths of hell, you did as well. When he was resurrected out of hell in that spiritual resurrection and placed in Abraham's bosom before 6 p.m. the day he died, you resurrected with him. And when he was resurrected physically out of the grave, guess who he took with him? You. Why? He says, there were many with me. for there were many with me. He died for those many. He tasted death for every man, that multitude of individuals, every man. Look over at Psalm 56. Be merciful unto me, O God. Can we have this cry? Be merciful unto me, O God, for man would swallow me up. He fighting daily oppresseth me. Mine enemies would daily swallow me up, for they be many that fight against me, O thou most high. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. And again, we find the faith of Christ. In God will I praise his word. In God I have put my trust. I will not fear what flesh can do unto me. Every day they rest my words, and do they not even yet still? They say hell doesn't mean hell. They say hell means Hades. They say hell means the grave. They rest his words every day. All their thoughts are against me for evil. They gather themselves together. They hide themselves. They mark my steps when they shall wait, or when they wait for my soul. Shall they escape by iniquity? In thine anger cast down the people, O God. Thou tellest my wanderings. Put thou my tears into thy bottle. And then speaking of his wanderings, are they not in thy book? Why? Because lo, I come in the volume of the book it is written of me. When I cry unto thee, and there are those tears, when I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back. This I know, for God is with me. In God will I praise his word. In the Lord will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust. I will not be afraid what man can do unto me. Thy vows are upon me, O God. I will render praises unto thee. What vows? What vows were those? What vows were upon this one who is speaking? That vow of Psalm 1610, for thou shalt not leave my soul in hell. Neither shalt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption. And look at this, verse 13. For thou hast delivered my soul from death. Wilt thou not deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living? And all of a sudden, this Psalm can't be David. Go to Psalm 116 just real briefly. Psalm 116. Look at verse 1. Psalm 116, verse 1, I love the Lord because he has heard my voice and my supplications. You know what that is? That's his cry. Because he has inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. How long is Jesus going to live? I don't remember who it was that said it. It was quoted just the other night. I don't remember who it was that said it. I said, don't worry about getting too excited. You're only gonna live as long as Jesus lives. The sorrows of death come past me. The pains of hell get hold upon me. And then once again, this can't be David. I found trouble in sorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul. Gracious is the Lord and righteous, yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple. I was brought low and he helped me. How low? Oh, the lowest hell. Return unto thy rest, O my soul. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me to beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. Sounds like a resurrection to me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. And then look at this. For thou hast delivered my soul from death, Mine eyes from tears and my feet from falling. Where were his feet falling? In that bottomless pit. Where he was cast down. Where Jonah, chapter two, and Jonah prophesies by the spirit of Christ and he says that he was beneath the mountains, the bars of the earth forever. Then he says this, again, we find the faith of Christ. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I believed, therefore have I spoken. I was greatly afflicted. David, or Paul rather, in 2 Corinthians 4.13 goes ahead and he says that that was Jesus speaking. And then he goes and says, we believe and therefore we speak. Where do we speak that word of faith? What faith? The faith of Jesus Christ, knowing that his soul would not be left in hell, knowing that his father would resurrect him, knowing that he would be brought out of the very depths of hell and placed in Abraham's bosom so he could fulfill his vows that he had made that day, knowing that he would walk again. As it says here, I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. That's faith. And faith is knowing these things to be true. That's the faith that he gives you so you can be born of God. That's the faith that purifies your heart. That's the faith that makes it so you can believe with your whole heart that Jesus Christ is the son of God. And that faith just kind of gets me a little excited. Because you know how much my faith was good for? A profession. Certainly wasn't good enough for peace. Not peace in my soul, not peace with God. Go back to Psalm 57. Just in case you're wondering if this really was Jesus, if the soul of Jesus Christ really did go to hell, there are many heretics that will take this doctrine and then run with it and they go out of the scriptures with it. And that's dangerous. But if you're gonna throw out every doctrine that a heretic believes, you're not gonna have any doctrine to believe. Did you know that the Catholics believe that Jesus Christ died on a cross? Do they have Bible salvation? Psalm 57 and verse four. My soul is among lions and I lie even among them that are set on fire. Now, where And when was this recorded that David did that? Just in case we're wondering it, we're going to go just a little bit further. Psalm 18. It says in verse 19, he brought me forth also into a large place. Psalm 18 verse 19, he brought me forth also into a large place. He delivered me because he delighted in me. Anyone here been delivered because Jesus delighted in you? Because God found delight in you? You know what God found in me? Wretchedness, wickedness, evil, sin. You know what my righteousness is worth? Filthy rags, even still today. Mine. That's why He became sin for us. He was made to be sin for us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. Now follow this. Verse 20, the Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness. What would the reward of your righteousness look like? What would that look like to you? If God rewarded you according to your righteousness, what you were able to produce, it would look like an eternity in hell. That's exactly what that would look like. But this is speaking of a resurrection. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands, hath he recompensed me. Made him to be sin for us who knew no sin, those nail-pierced hands that never once committed one act of iniquity, and my hands are filthy. This is Jesus Christ. This is the son of God. This is the prophecy concerning the death. According to the scriptures, the spirit of Christ did, which was in them testify that testimony of Jesus Christ and Saul 1910 is that spirit of prophecy. You want to know what the spirit of prophecy is? Your Bible tells you it's the testimony of Jesus. how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This is the Christ of the Old Testament. So this is the Christ according to the scriptures. This is the Christ according to the Bible. Somebody preaching another Christ that did not fulfill all these scriptures is preaching just that, another Christ. Paul, you warned you about that. And here it is, before our very eyes. I'm gonna read one verse again out of Psalm 55, and then we're gonna do a little jumping. Are we ready? Psalm 55, verse 18, hath delivered my soul in peace from the battle that was against me. Again, for there were many with me. There were many with me. We're gonna look at this word many for just the next couple of minutes. If you can't keep up, if you're having a hard time keeping up with the turning, it's okay, just listen, all right? I would rather you listen and get it than try to find it and miss it. Rest assured I'm preaching out of a King James Bible. Rest assured you can go to these passages later and see exactly what I'm saying, okay? Matthew 20, verse 28. Remember, there were many with me. Matthew 20, 28, even as the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and to give his life a ransom for what? Many. That right there ought to make you shout. Hallelujah. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Thanks be to God. He came to gave his life a ransom for many. And he said, and many were with me. Matthew 26, verse 28. Verse 27, and he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. And there were many with me, he said. Hebrews 2. Hebrews chapter 2 and verse 10. For it became him. Oh, do you remember? I don't know if you remember this when we started that such an high priest became us because many were with him. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect through suffering. bringing many sons to glory. Why? Because there were many with him. How many? All of them. But that word many points to the individual nature of the thing. Many. Let's keep going. Hebrews 9.28. Hebrews 9.28, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. You know why? Zechariah 6 kind of gives you an indication. Isaiah chapter 6 also gives you a little bit of an indication. Fire purges. Fire purges. I lie with them that are set on fire. Now, let's kind of bring this into a little bit of a focus here. Let's see how this many becomes personal to you here this morning. Thou, it was thou. Romans chapter six. You say, how do you know that when he died, I died? And when he was buried, I was buried. And when he went into the depths of hell, I went into the depths of hell. And when he was resurrected out, I was resurrected out. And when he was resurrected from the grave, I was resurrected from the grave. How do I know that? Because the Bible tells you that. The Bible makes that very, very clear. Romans chapter six, verse three. Know ye not that so many of us, as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Right there it is. When he died, you died. Why? Because you were baptized into his death. Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should walk in newness of life, For if we had been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection, knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. When Jesus died, you died because you're crucified with Christ. When Jesus Christ resurrected, you were resurrected because it was in the likeness of his resurrection. You walk in newness of life. Sin was finished on the cross, that's why he said it is finished. The word finished and the word done are completely different. They're completely different, okay? When something is done, it is fully culminated, the whole thing, there is nothing more, it is done, okay? It's case closed, end of story. When something is finished, a series of events has come to culmination. Okay? We built this building, but this building's not done. When the building was finished, we were able to occupy it, though. You know how I know the building's not done? Well, because it's still here. When the building's done, it's gonna be gone. Okay? But when the building was finished, we were able to walk in and occupy it. We were given a permit by the state. Okay? There's two places in your Bible where the phrase, it is finished, is used. One in James, where he says, and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. And Jesus Christ on the cross, where he cried, it is finished, and then died. Sin was finished and it brought forth death. And so, Paul tells us we were baptized in that same death. And so when Christ died, you died. As you, you died. So it's finished. He's risen from the dead. It's finished. He obtained. He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. That means your eternal redemption is already obtained. What's left for you to believe it? That literally is the simplicity of the gospel. And we try to make it so confusing by putting a plan and a pattern to it and making fancy prayers and making sure that you do this and pray again just in case, because you don't feel saved. But yet he says, believe. And everyone that believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life. You get Jesus Christ in that eternal life, you get a life that never ends in that everlasting life, what more do you want? The problem is you want more than that, and that's why you don't have it yet. It has to be him. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Again, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the Father, ever to make intercession for us. You realize he's even interceding for you right now, sinner? Lord, let your longsuffering be on that one just a little longer while we draw him. Lord, let your long suffering and your mercy be on that one a little longer. Sustain that life. Interceding. Why? Because he so loved the world. But when he died, I died. When he rose, I rose. And he said there were many with me. Doesn't it just kind of fit? Isn't it amazing how the word of God just kind of fits together? And it takes Jesus Christ and he puts him just a little higher. He raises his majesty just a little bit higher, and it extols him higher, and it makes that name of Jesus that much more holy. I wanna look at some other verses at Isaiah, Isaiah 26. Saw this just the other day. I know I've seen it before because I have it underlined from before, but I saw it just the other day and the Lord taught it to me. Isaiah 26, 19, it says this, thy dead men shall live together with my dead body, shall they arise. Now, I understand Isaiah is prophesying, but I also understand the scriptures. that in all of the prophets, Jesus Christ spoke. And when he says, thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise, you cannot deny that that is a resurrection at least. You don't have to choose if that's Jesus speaking. You can deny the word of God, that is okay. That's your choice. My Bible says, thy dead men shall live and together with my dead body shall they arise. Now, go over to Galatians 2. Galatians is very precious to me because this is where God first showed me I didn't believe the Word of God. And those things are precious to me. It's a hard time, you have a hard time forgetting the first time God proved to you you were wrong. And when you're able to receive it, put it that way. Verse 16, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. Now, why didn't he say by the faith of Jesus Christ? Because at this point, he has shifted to speaking of that Old Testament Christ that was prophesied throughout the word of God. Look at this. And not by the works of the law, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. And then verse 20 says this, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and there is that eternal life. And the life which I now live in the flesh, and there is that everlasting life. I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. You not only are born again by the faith of the Son of God, but you live by the faith of the Son of God. Your life is now hid with Christ in God. The life of your flesh is no longer in your blood. The only thing your blood is doing is keeping your flesh animated. Your life is now hid with Christ in God, seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. If you're born again, Don't worry about it, you're just gonna live as long as Jesus lives. If you die in your sins and unbelief, you'll be continually dying just as long as Jesus lives. Colossians 2 verse 12. Says this, buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. Now, in case you're not sure what the faith of the operation of God is, God himself had faith in that blood. And that's how he resurrected Jesus from the dead. You look at Hebrews 13, 20 and you look at Hebrews 9, 14 in correlation with that in all of chapter seven, looking at Melchizedek and the Holy Ghost and that eternal spirit. But then you go into Romans chapter three and it goes through that thing that he set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood. That's how God was able to set forth his son to be a propitiation, that thing that would fully appease the wrath of God. God had faith in the blood of Jesus Christ because it was God's own blood, knowing that it was pure and holy and spotless and undefiled and undefilable, if I could put it that way, and that that blood would always be perfect. It didn't matter how many sinners were plunged beneath it. I don't know about you, mother's in here, you wash your kid's clothes and sometimes you gotta hose them off first or put them in a bucket of water first to get the majority of the mud off before you put it in the washing machine. That water looks pretty dirty pretty quick. The blood of Jesus Christ is the only blood, the only substance in the entirety of the world that stains white and is never defiled by what's put in it. It's holy. It's God's blood. And Paul says it this way, blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, took it out of the way, mailing it to his cross. Hmm. But we were buried with him in baptism wherein also you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God. Go to Ephesians chapter two. I just quoted it, and we're going to look at it. Ephesians chapter 2, look at verse 4. Two of the most beautiful words you'll ever read in a King James Bible, but God. Oh, so we should look at what's before it. And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Why? Because you were buried with him and then you rose with him. wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience, and that is that spirit of antichrist, among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others, but God. who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us. How do we know that love? You look at the death of Jesus. Hereby perceive we the love of God that he laid down his life for us. And so what we need to lay our lives down for the brethren. Who laid down his life? God. You can't even fathom that eternal life being laid down. even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. By grace are you saved. and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. You see, that's why you have eternity. It's not just so you can have everlasting life that'll never die again. It kind of comes along with it. But the purpose of it is because it's gonna take that long to show you the riches of the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And if you're born of God, you're already seated there. You're already on high. You say, well, I don't feel it. Well, you better settle that with God. Get that thing figured out. Listen, I don't always feel on top of the mountain, but I only believe my Bible. There's a faith there that is beyond wavering. It's beyond anything that I can explain. When somebody can explain word for word exactly what has happened without stumbling and struggling with just a little, I just, I don't know how to put it. I wonder about that one. But that one that just can't quite put it in words, but they just, they know that this thing is, and they can't quite put it in words, and then all of a sudden they read it in a King James Bible and they say, yep, that's it, that's what I was trying to say. because you've been seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Why? Because when we were dead in sins, he quickened us together with Christ. Listen, if you were quickened with Christ, that means you were with Christ when he was dead. And so when Christ died, you died. When Christ rose, you rose. And all that's left to be done is for you to believe it. just to take God at His word for what He said. One more place, then we're done. Not two, maybe three. Galatians 3. Galatians 3.27. I'm just trying to prove to you that this is not an isolated incident in your Bible, okay? Galatians 3.27. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." That wasn't your water baptism. That was the baptism of Luke 3. Go to Luke 3. Luke 3, verse 16. Luke 3.16, John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latched of whose shoes I'm not worthy to unloose. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Now, I know enough about baptism to know that it is an absolute full immersion in something. It's being plunged. It's not just tongues of fire on your head. This isn't speaking of the day of Pentecost. This is speaking of when he was plunged in the flames of hell with you. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. And we'll end with this next verse, Psalm 57, again. Psalm 57, and this is the last one. I hope that doesn't throw your soul, I hope it grieves it. Start at verse one, though. You know, Psalm 22 starts out, my God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And he says, why art thou so far from helping me in the words of my roaring? It's the cry of Jesus Christ. He says, be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me, for my soul trusteth in thee. Yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge until these calamities be overpassed. Where are the wings of God? overshadowing that mercy seat. There's wings of the cherub stretching forth over that mercy seat, a place where God rests and resides. He says, I will cry unto God most high, unto God that performeth all things for me. He shall send from heaven and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up, Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. My soul is among lions, and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows and their tongue a sharp sword. Then he says this, be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens. Let thy glory be above all the earth. You know, I do want to read one more psalm, and you don't have to turn here. You can close your Bibles if you like. Just sit and listen to this poor, stammering sinner who's been saved by this blood. I might even tell you where it's at. You can figure it out. I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God and my strength in whom I will trust. My buckler and the horn of my salvation in my high tower. I will call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, so shall I be saved from mine enemies. The sorrows of death come past me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. The sorrows of hell come past me about, the snares of death prevented me. In my distress I called upon the Lord and cried unto my God. He heard my voice out of this temple and his cry came before him even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled. The foundations also of the hills were moved and were shaken because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils and a fire out of his mouth devoured. Coals were kindled by it. Why? Because his dear son had been made sin for us. And his soul had been made an offering for sin in the torments of the fires of hell. He bowed the heavens also and came down, and darkness was under his feet. He rode upon a cherub and did fly. Yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place. His pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him, his thick clouds passed, hailstones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the highest gave his voice. hailstones, and coals of fire. Yea, he sent out his arrows and scattered them, and he shot out lightnings and discomfited them. Then the channels of the waters were seen. What waters? That great gulf that separated hell and Abraham's bosom. The foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils. You see the breath of his nostrils one other place when he breathes life into man. And here the son of man is set on fire of hell and lies among the sons of men who are set on fire of hell, and many are with him, dead. by the breath of his nostrils, life. He sent from above. He took me. He drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy and from them which hated me for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place And he set a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. He delivered me because he delighted in me. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands, as he recompensed me. Why were his hands clean? It had blood all over him. Just let that settle in for a minute. According to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands, he has, he recompensed me for I have kept the ways of the Lord and have not wickedly departed from my God. In him was no sin. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me, I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity. Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With a merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright, with a pure thou wilt show thyself pure, and with the froward thou wilt show thyself froward. For thou wilt save the afflicted people, but wilt bring down high looks. For thou wilt light my candle. The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by thee have I run through a troop, and by my God have I leaped over a wall. As for God, his way is perfect. The word of the Lord is tried. He is a buckler unto all those that trust in him. For who is God, save the Lord? Or who is a rock, save our God? It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. He maketh my feet like hind's feet, and setteth me upon my high places. He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken in my arms. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation. Thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy greatness hath made me great. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith he shall quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Do you know why you can take that shield of faith and go up against any fiery dart that comes at you? Because it's already been proven in the flames of hell. And there's nothing that it will not quench. Thou hast enlarged my steps under me that my feet did not slip. How about that? Those feet that were falling, he caught them. I have pursued mine enemies and overtaken them, neither did I turn again till they were consumed. I have wounded them that they were not able to rise, they are fallen under my feet. For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle. Thou hast subdued me under those that rose up against me. Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies that I might destroy them that hate me. If you remember, we read about a battle just a little while ago. They cried, but there was none to save them, even unto the Lord, but he answered them not. Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind. I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets. Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people, and thou hast made me the head of the heathen. A people whom I have not known shall serve me. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me. The strangers shall submit themselves unto me. The strangers shall fade away and be afraid out of their close places. The Lord liveth, and blessed be my rock, and let the God of my salvation be exalted. It is God that avengeth me and subdueth the people under me. He delivereth me from mine enemies. Yea, thou list'st me up above those that rise up against me. Thou hast delivered me from the violent man. Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name. Great deliverance giveth he to his king, and showeth mercy to his anointed. To David, and here it is, and to his seed forevermore. Bless his holy name. There, and if you've got a song for us, why don't we come sing?