Are you surprised? I am. Very much so. But when the pastor called me last night and we discussed what the Lord had put on his heart, I swallowed. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. And I immediately conferred not with flesh and blood because I do not take this opportunity nor the challenge lightly. A couple of things I want to clear up for sure. Yes, I am a deacon at Mission Boulevard Baptist Church. But I don't consider myself the chair of the deacons. Brother Ron Rome is the chair of the deacons at Mission Boulevard Baptist Church, in my mind, because he was chair when I became a deacon. And then Brother Ron suffered his illness. And since he could not speak and communicate, I consider myself the communicator of the deacons. So whether anybody else thinks that or not, that's how I look at myself. And it's not the titles make a difference. But I know that Brother Ron's heart is to be faithful and has been. And he's such a great example to me. Oh, excuse me. I'm not used to having that there. To me as a deacon. So I'm thankful for that, and if Brother Ron and Miss Jane are listening, I'm thankful for the example that you and other deacons have set. Brother Reggie, another example in the faith. I could name others. Brother Gene, examples in the faith. People that I look to. And I look around at the church and I see them doing things and I think, that's what I need to be about. I need to be about that. Quietly, behind the scenes, making things happen. So, with that introduction, I wanna pray and then I'll share with you what the Lord's put on my heart. Our gracious Lord, You know. You know me. You know my weaknesses, Lord. You know my inability. But Lord, I know that I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. So Lord, I'm thankful for this opportunity. I'm thankful for the joy of this day. Lord, I am thrilled that you have identified my brother to be added to the rank of deacons. And Lord, I know that you do all things well. So Father, I pray that our time this morning would set a foundation for where we go from this point forward. Lord, we can't go back in the past. We can't change anything that's happened in the past. We are here present right now because you ordained it. And Lord, we can only look to that vision that Brother Robert talked about for the future. What would you have me to do? So Lord, I cast this care and all cares upon you because I know you care for me. Amen. All right. Genesis 1 and verse 31 says, And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. That's the first part of that verse. Now, if you read the account in Genesis, the account of creation, and you look at the Lord's descriptions, you note that there were six days of creation, And on the seventh day, he rested. On days one through five, he described what he had done as good. But on the sixth day, he said it was very good. When there are changes like that, and I just praise the Lord when I note things like that, when he points those types of things out to me, that that little bitty different word there, the Lord described it as very good, very good. So the Lord looked at all his work and he said, it was very good. So from our perspective, did it stay good? Things seem to change pretty quickly. We don't know the time frames, but if you know the account of creation, very shortly after that in the Garden of Eden, there was a temptation brought to Eve, his Adam's wife, and Adam knowingly sinned. knowingly disobeyed God. And when Adam did that, and by the way, Adam is the father of the human race, so everybody I'm looking at is a child of Adam. And everybody that you can look at in this world is a child of Adam. And every human being inherited two things from our father, Adam. They inherited guilt and they inherited death. Think about that. From our father, Adam, we inherited guilt for our transgression against God and death. Everyone dies. Every human being dies. Romans 5.12 says, wherefore is by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin. So death passed upon all men, for all have sinned. All have sinned. That's a truth that we need to understand as we, in ourselves first, But then as we seek to minister to others, we need to understand that. And we need to make sure it's clear to those that we encounter that we care about. You are a sinner, therefore you will die. Because Romans 6.23, the first part says, the wages of sin is death. If you're a sinner, you'll die. But you know what? Praise the Lord. All who believe the gospel of Jesus Christ also inherit two things. Those who believe the gospel inherit two things from our father, Jesus. We inherit righteousness and eternal life. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Romans 5.19 says, for as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. We are so, so, so, so blessed. Because the people in this congregation, if you've come to these seats for as many years as I have or some fewer, you've heard the gospel. You have heard the gospel, young and old, you've heard it. So that last part of Romans 6.23, Although it says for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. That is so encouraging, brother. That is so, so, so encouraging. So, you know, I was blessed by The song choices today, Brother Otis, I really was, because I've got written at the top of my notes here, Jesus, the Redeemer of man. We sang redeemed, redeemed, how I love to proclaim it. And then, all hail the power of Jesus' name. That's something that sort of struck me as I was thinking about this. You know, when Jesus walked the earth in the flesh, how do you think people addressed him? Hey, son of God? No. Hey, Christ? No. His name is Jesus. And I think it's very important for us these days to name the name of Jesus to those we want to minister to. And even though we understand completely that Jesus is God in the flesh, and I'm going to get into that a little bit here too, the generic God word is tossed about by lots of organizations and entities. Every religion calls their highest being what? God. We need to be specific about who our God is. Our God is Jesus. Our God is Jesus. John 1 tells us that. John 1, starting in verse 1, in the beginning was the word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. And then typically what we do is we jump down to verse 14 and we point out, and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. And I'm going to jump down just a little more in case it's unclear who I'm talking about. Verse 17 says, For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Very clear who this is we're talking about. We're talking about Jesus. And you know, there's something very special about it, and again, you know, the Lord does things to encourage you when you're gonna stand up here and be nervous. He gives the songs service, and then he brought Brother Robert's message, which was so many notes that I wrote down just quickly on this. Robert used the term, he is one of us, speaking of Jesus. Have you thought about that? He is our brother. So if he were sitting right there, I could say, brother Jesus. And he would say, hi, brother Gary. Isn't that encouraging? That he sees us as his brethren. not in my notes, but Matthew chapter 12, sorry guys, Matthew chapter 12, verse 47. And Brother Robert pointed this out too, but I want to reemphasize it. Verse 47 says, then said one unto him, behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without desiring to speak with thee. But he, Jesus, answered and said unto him that told him, who is my mother and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples and said, behold, my mother, and my brethren. Jesus said that of his disciples, of those that followed him. Verse 50 says, for whosoever shall do the will of my Father, which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother. Brother Jesus, he is our brother. Another role that Jesus serves for us is as our high priest. Hebrews chapter four, verse 14 says, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed on into the heavens, Jesus, the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Jesus, our brother, is our high priest, and he knows every feeling I feel. He knows every emotion that I feel. He knows every problem that I face. He knows every success that I've ever had. He knows everything. And he can relate. That is such a precious thought. And if nothing else for my time this morning, I want our focus to be on Jesus. on Jesus, who is our brother. There's no doubt that although Jesus was God in the flesh, that he also lived in this world as a man. He suffered all the things that men suffer. He hungered. He fell asleep. He thirsted. And he died. All the things that men face, Jesus, as a man, faced those things. There's a particular thing that he faced that I want to point out in Luke chapter 22. In Luke chapter 22, verse 42, says, Jesus speaking, and this is as he's in the garden and he's anticipating the cross. He says, saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. You know, I don't think he said that in fear. I don't think he was afraid. But God, who knows everything, knows what he, as a man, was about to suffer. If I lay my hand here, and you come with a large axe, and you tell me you're about to cut off my hand, I will have a significant emotional reaction to that, as would you. Jesus was a man, and he dealt with the same things that men deal with. Verse 43 there says, and there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. Verse 44, and being in agony, Jesus was in agony. The all-powerful God, the creator of the universe, God in the flesh, was in agony. He prayed more earnestly. There's an example for us. When you face the things of this world, what is the best solution? Pray more earnestly. Pray more earnestly. And his sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling down to the ground. So Jesus was a man. And he suffered as a man. And he died as a man. But that little verse there that says, yet without sin, makes him a different kind of man. different than our father, Adam. Our father, Adam, was just a man. Our father, Jesus, was God in the flesh. And you know, I don't know, I'm going to, I'm going to, share something, a thought that came to mind for me. You know, a lot of times when people think about what happened with Adam in the garden, and it's like, well, what if Adam had never sinned? What would it be like if Adam had never sinned? First of all, I think that's impossible, that Adam could have never sinned. You know why? because he was just a man. He was just a man. I think God was needed to address the needs of man. What did Brother Robert say? He's one of us. God in the flesh was one of us. So only God can establish the never seen level of activity. Only God. That's why we need his righteousness, right? Adam couldn't go into heaven with his own righteousness any more than any of us can. Needed God's righteousness. Second Corinthians chapter five, verse 21, very familiar verse to most here. For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. The pastor's promised us that he's going to talk to us more about being in Christ, Christ in us and us in Christ. I'm looking forward to more of that because it's such an encouragement to think about that. We're hidden in Christ. The righteousness that I have is Christ's righteousness. I don't want my righteousness to show up because as you know in Isaiah 64 6 it tells us that our righteousnesses are as filthy rags before God. Think of the best sinner that you know. Think of the person that seems so innocent. Their righteousness is not enough. Only God's righteousness is worthy of heaven. Only God's righteousness is worthy of heaven. Hebrews chapter 7 verse 25 says, 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 a high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. That's why Adam couldn't be our savior. because only Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, who needeth not daily as other or those high priests to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, then for the people's, for this he did once when he offered up himself. My wife and I were talking. as we were driving yesterday about what the sacrifice, what the time of sacrifice must have been like in the nation of Israel. There was a lot of killing, a lot of blood, a lot of sacrifice. And unfortunately, like we do quite often, they lost sight of the real meaning of what that sacrifice was pointing them to. They lost sight of that, and it became just a ritual, just something to do every day. And it got so bad that some of the priests would start stealing the best meat, you know? And it just became every day. I do this every day, you know? Why do you do it? Well, it's tradition. Why do we do what we do every day? Why do we come to church? Is it just tradition? Or is there a deeper meaning that God would have us to pay attention to in our gathering together? Is there a deeper function that God has in our times together that's growing us and making us better and making us more fit for the kingdom of heaven? fit to serve him as ambassadors here on earth. I think it's the latter. I think it's the latter. Okay, Titus chapter two. Verse 11 says, for the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. So what does God, Jesus, expect of us? What does it say he was teaching us? Teaching us us as believers that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. That's the expectation. So, wait a minute. That's a tall order. How do we do that? How do we do that? And I'm gonna submit to you, we do it the same way Jesus did, as a man. When Jesus was a man on this earth, he, as the pastors pointed out to us sometimes, he put his hand behind himself. And he hid his power and his ability as God. And he just walked the earth as a man. And he accomplished what he accomplished on this earth only as a man. So where did his power come from? Because we saw him heal people, right? We saw the blind seeing, and the deaf hearing, and even raising people from the dead. But he was doing that how? As a man. He was walking the earth. John chapter five, verse 19. says, then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the father do. For what thing soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise. Where did Jesus look to for his strength? and His power when He was walking the earth as a man. He looked to His Father. He looked to the Father. Again, thank you, Brother Robert, because he pointed out that the first thing that a missionary has to do is look upward, is look to Jesus. the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus set the example. He looked to the Father. He looked to the Father. Verse 20 there in John 5 says, For the Father loveth the Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth. and he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. So just like Jesus set the example for us to look to the Father, who do we look to? Who is Jesus telling us to look to? Looking unto Jesus. He just set the tone for us. He set the example of what it means to walk the earth as a man but have the power of God in you. Verse 21, for as the father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the son quickeneth whom he will. For the father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the son. that all men should honor the son even as they honor the father. He that honoreth not the son honoreth not the father which hath sent him. The father sent the son. The son honored the father. That relationship gave power to Jesus on earth. And I have several verses here, but part of the goal of having a deacon stand up here and preach is you're going to get out early. Because I'm not going to go very deep into a lot of the thoughts that, frankly, they were deep thoughts for me, and I enjoyed every moment of it. That's one of the blessings of being challenged to share something with the congregation is I get the most benefit. I get the most benefit because the Lord is challenging me about, okay, what are you? I know you can say all these things to these nice people, But Gary, what about you? So the father sent the son. Son honored the father. And that's where the power came from. John 17. Some of you may be familiar with John 17. It's Jesus, I think the title I've read somewhere is his high priestly prayer. his priestly prayer. So the entirety of John 17 is Jesus talking to the father about what he wants for his people. And there are several places that I'll point some things out. So verse one says, these words spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, The hour has come. Glorify thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they may know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." Didn't we just read that? Didn't we just see that it was the Father that sent the Son? Now Jesus is confirming that. We know that that's what happened. I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou givest me to do, and now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me. That's us. That's you. And me that have believed. And they have kept thy word. Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee, for I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me. Again, the father sent the son, and the son honored the father. Now we're going somewhere with this, and I've determined now that I'm just going to read John 17. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou gavest me. For they are thine, and all mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee, Holy Father. Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name, that thou may gavest me, I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled. And now I come to thee, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. Now hear closely verse 14. I have given them thy word, and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou shouldst keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth. Catch verse 18. As thou hast sent me into the world, Even so have I also, what's the next phrase say? Sent them into the world. Okay. The father sent the son, the son honored the father. Who did the son send? Us. How do we get power? honoring him. Jesus set the pattern for us to follow. He set the pattern. Verse 19, and for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be sanctified through the truth. Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also, which shall believe on me through their word. that they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. Does it seem important to Jesus that the world understand that he was sent from God, the father? Does it seem important? Oh yeah. Oh yeah, that's why it's not just God in general. Jesus was sent from the Father. He was sent. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them that they may be one. I'm in verse 22. That they may be one even as we are one. I in them and thou in me. that they may be perfect in one and that the world may know that thou has sent me, there it is again, and has loved them as thou has loved me. It's just such a clear pattern that Jesus is giving us here. Father, I will that they also whom thou has given me be with me where I am. and that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me, for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them. Thank you for bearing with me. for reading through John chapter 17. I encourage you to read it on your own. Stop and take some time to meditate on Jesus's prayer to his father who sent him for us. Take some time to meditate on that. Don't worry, I'm getting close. First John chapter 3 and verse 1 says, Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. Therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not. Beloved, now we are the sons of God. And it doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him. For we shall see him as he is. When I read that, a thought came to mind for me. Jesus lived in the flesh like us. He lived as a man in the flesh like us. But he did that so that in eternity we could be like him. He lived like us, yet without sin, so that in eternity we could be like him. That was an encouraging thought to me. Three more verses. Genesis 127 says, so God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him, male and female created he them. And it was after that Jesus pointed out that his creation was very good. It was very good. All things, Brother Pat pointed out this morning in Revelation, that all things are for His pleasure. All things that were created are for His pleasure. We are for His pleasure. And so it pleased the Lord to redeem us. It pleased the Lord that even though there was failure on the part of mankind's federal head and every man since, it pleased the Lord. to redeem us so that we could be like him. Romans 8, 28 says, and we know that all things work together, for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Listen to verse 29 in relation to what I just read about the image. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of, His Son. His Son. That He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Genesis said God created man in His own image. In the image of God created He them. And we're told in Romans that it was predestinated that we would be in the image of His Son. See how it's passing along from the Father to the Son to us. So finally, brethren, I want to remind you that God saw everything he had made, and behold, it was very good. Follow the Son. Follow the Son, and he'll lead you to the Father.