You can turn with me in your Bibles to John's Gospel, John chapter 15, as we continue in our study in the upper room discourse. John 15, we're going to do something a bit different this morning. We're going to just take up the first half of verse 1. But I want to read from chapter 15, verse 1 to verse 8. So Jesus says in the upper room, I am the true vine and the father is the vine dresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away. And every branch that bears fruit, he prunes that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him bears much fruit, for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered. And they gather them and throw them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our gracious God and Holy Father, we thank you for the Lord's day. We thank you for the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and the ground of the truth. And we pray that your spirit would be at work now, that you would edify and encourage the people of God, that you would save those who are dead in their trespasses and sins. May they hear of Jesus, the true vine, that one in whom is everlasting life. And may they, by grace, believe on him that they may pass from death into life. Forgive us all for all of our sins. Cleanse us in the precious blood of the Lamb. And again, we ask that you'd be glorified, even Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And we pray in Jesus' name, amen. Well, as we come to this particular statement, the first half of verse 1, I am the true vine. As I said, I want to take some time to investigate that because I think it's very important for us to understand how the Bible as a whole works together. When I was a child, and probably many others here, you had encyclopedias in your home. You have the World Book or Britannica. I understand those are still available, but it's worth the push of a button instead of having to get up all the way and walk across the couch or walk across the hallway and find that particular encyclopedia. When we talk about theology, there's four heads in the theological encyclopedia. First, we call exegetical theology. That's simply where we ask the Bible, what do you mean? The second head is historical theology. We ask the church, can you help us understand what the Bible means? Not in an authoritative, magisterial sense, but Christ gave gifts to the church and we should certainly listen to them whatever age they find themselves in. And then thirdly is what's called systematic theology, where we take the fruit of that research and we put it into what you might consider a systematic or logical fashion. We ask the Bible, what do you say about God? And then the texts come and the doctrines come. And then the fourth head, with reference to that encyclopedia, is called practical theology. We take the fruit of all that research and then we hopefully live in a manner that is consistent with that. In other words, our lives adorn the doctrine that we confess and that we believe. So we have looked a lot at systematic theology thus far in our studies in the Upper Room Discourse. Certainly exegesis, I've tried to open the text and show you what the Holy Spirit intended by way of meaning, but systematically we've tried to put all that data together in our formulation of the doctrine of the Trinity, the Christian doctrine of the Trinity. Well, our focus with reference to verse 1a in chapter 15 is going to be on what's called biblical theology. Now, biblical theology is a part of exegetical theology, and biblical theology basically starts in Genesis 1 and goes all the way to Revelation 22 to see the outflow of God's self-revelation in a more organic way. It's not systematic. What does the Bible say? So, look in various parts and then bring all those parts together. Rather, it takes up the Bible from the left, continues all the way to the right, and takes God's revelation as it comes to us in history. Sort of a father of biblical theology in our own generation, a man by the name of Gerhardus Voss explains it this way. Biblical theology is that branch of exegetical theology which deals with the process of the self-revelation of God deposited in the Bible. So the process of the self-revelation of God deposited in the Bible. He then highlights that there is a historic progressiveness of revelation in process. Again, what we find in the beginning helps feed us along the way till we come to the end and we have a robust understanding. He speaks of the actual embodiment of revelation in history. In other words, as we move through scripture, we see the embodiment of revelation in history. As well, organic nature of the historic process observed in Revelation, organic again in contrast, but not in competition, was systematic. So you start in Genesis, you move to the book of Revelation. Now, why is all of this important? Because when Jesus uses this metaphor in 15.1a, it brings together a lot of strands of biblical teaching to present for the reader something concerning who he is. not only in terms of his person and work, but in terms of his connection to the Old Testament, in terms of his connection to the true people of God. And so if you pay attention, and that's not in some sort of third grade teacher way, but if you pay attention, I don't think we're going to make it all the way to the sermon this morning, so I would really encourage you to come back next week. I may just make you mad enough this morning to hopefully invite you to come back Next, well, you're gonna get more mad next Sunday morning, depending on where you're at in terms of some biblical theological concepts. And then as well, when we use biblical theology, we often see something concerning typology. And I've nodded toward and spoken about typology in our study in the Gospel of John up to this point. Remember that a type can be a person, office, place, institution, event, or thing in salvation history. The temple, the tabernacle, was typical. The anti-type, the fulfillment of, the in the place of, is our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember in John 2, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up? And then they mock and they scoff. Well, it took us all these years to build the temple, and in three days you're going to build it up? Well, John the theologian tells us he was commenting or talking about the temple of his body. The Aaronic priesthood, the Levitical priesthood, was typological of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Levitical sacrifices were typological of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, in John 1, 29, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. You don't really understand that without typology and anti-type. You don't really get it unless you appreciate what happens in the book of Leviticus and what is being fulfilled by our Lord Jesus Christ. So typological sort of prefigurement in the Old Testament gives us understanding concerning our Lord. And our Lord gives us understanding in what to do with those types. So the argument here is going to be simple as we treat 15.1a. Adam was a type of Christ, according to Romans 5.14. The Apostle Paul tells us clearly, Adam was a type of him who was to come. Adam doesn't become a type in Romans 5.14. Adam was a type when God planted him in the garden. It didn't become true because Paul recognized it. Paul rather shows us what had always been true. There is a first Adam and there is a last Adam. But as we proceed here specifically in 15.1a, Adam was a type of Christ and so was Israel. What Adam failed to do in the garden and Israel failed to do in the old covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ came as the last Adam and the true Israel to fulfill all that they were obligated to do. So when Jesus says, I am the true vine, he's using a metaphor to be sure, something that we can connect with that we'll review in just a moment, but he's also dipping back into old covenant reality and showing that he is in fact the one in whom all the promises of God are yea and amen. In short, we're going to do another thing that is a subset of exegetical theology. You've got biblical theology and you've got covenant theology. As a Reformed church, we hold the covenant theology. So nothing that I say this morning or next Sunday morning should really surprise any of you, but I think it is the right application of an interpretative method to these texts in the Old Testament that announce and prophesy the coming of the Messiah, and the New Testament texts that show us the realization and the fulfillment of those texts in the person and in the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. So essentially what we want to do with reference to verse 1a is to first look at the I am statements in John's gospel. Just going to be a bit of a review for those who have been with us. Notice Jesus says, I am, I am the true vine. So we'll review the I am statements in John's gospel, and then secondly, the identification of Jesus as the true vine. And I suspect we're only gonna get a little bit of the way into that, but let's begin by first remembering the I am statements in John's gospel. There's two kinds. Sometimes Jesus says, I am the true vine. I am the good shepherd. I am the sheep of the door. He provides a predicate or he provides something about the I am that further indicates something concerning who he is. But there are those other instances where he does not use a predicate. He simply says, I am. And remember or recall the Old Testament background relative to that. It's God at the burning bush in Exodus 3.14. When he commissions Moses, he tells him, I am sent you. So Moses asks the name of the living and true God, and the living and true God gives him his name, consistent with his infinity, consistent with his eternality, consistent with his glory, consistent with the fact that he is the creator. He says, I am who I am. And then you see this phrase picked up by God, Yahweh of Israel, in the book of Isaiah. where on several instances he reveals himself as I Am. So when we get to John's Gospel and we see Jesus use this I Am without a predicate, we know why he does that. Because Jesus is consubstantial with the Father. Because in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word became 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. He's consubstantial with the Father. He maintains that mutual indwelling with the Father. We refer to that as perichoresis. He speaks to that here in John 14. Notice specifically in verse 10. He says, do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I speak to you, I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does the works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me, or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Look at 14.5, Jesus, I'm sorry, 15.5. Jesus says, I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me. Remember, we abide in Christ, but we abide by grace, the grace of adoption, based on God's election, based on God's predestination, based on His eternal decree. We are in Christ by grace. Jesus is in the Father, and the Father is in Jesus, not by grace, not by adoption, not by nature, but rather by the common essence, the consubstantiality, the fact that there is a unity in the divine nature. So he is there as one who is one with the Father, as he says in John 10.30. So let's just review these places where we see these IMs without a predicate. Notice in John 14. I'm sorry, John 4. We'll end up at John 14, I think. Actually we won't, not in this head. Notice in John 4 specifically. Jesus and the woman at the well. Bringing it to its pinnacle in verse 25, the woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming, who is called Christ. When he comes, he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am. Now the he is supplied, but the emphasis is upon, his self-identity as the Messiah sent by God. The Messiah, incidentally, prophesied in the Old Covenant that would be divine. He would be everlasting Father. He would be the Eternal One. His goings forth would be from of old, even from everlasting. The Jews deny that the prophets spoke of a divine Messiah, and yet we see a divine Messiah prophesied by the prophets. The Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool. The infinite God of absolute sovereignty and glory is not going to station a creature at that place of preeminent dignity and majesty. The Old Testament prophesied a divine Messiah, and in connection with this woman's confession concerning, or at least her understanding at this point, I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will tell us all things. She says this on the heels of having been told all things. She's getting it. She's understanding. So Jesus discloses, I who speak to you, am he. Notice in chapter six, specifically in verses 15 to 21. Remember that scene, Jesus walks on the sea, and the disciples see it. And when Jesus sees them, not that he didn't see them, I'm kind of using the manner of men. Notice in verse 20, but he said to them, it is I, do not be afraid. Well, it's the same convention. The it is I could be translated, I am. Now, take it alone, you might say, well, that's just a way that one would identify himself. But taken in connection with the Old Testament, taken in connection with the book of Job, taken in connection with the Psalter, the fact that God Most High, the Lord of Israel, Yahweh, the living and true God, is the ruler over the seas of the earth, is the one who treads the seas, This statement is pregnant with meaning in the lips of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am, I am the one that treads the waves. Notice in John 8, John 8, specifically at verse 18. I am one who bears witness of myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness of me. That's the general overarching particular theme. Now notice specifically in verse 24, therefore I said to you, this is his debate, this is his confrontation, this is him going head to head with the religious leaders of his time. Those apostates, those reprobates, those who had rejected the Lord of glory and ultimately crucify him. He says, therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins, for if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. Now this is where it becomes very practical. Remember Elijah on Mount Carmel when he says, how long will you falter between two positions or opinions? If Baal is God, serve him. If Yahweh is God, serve him. For Elijah, this was no academic pursuit. For Elijah, this wasn't just, well, you pick your God today. For Elijah, it was, you better get your act together and you better go after Yahweh. Well, with reference to the identity of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Word became flesh, as the Word of God, who was with God and was God, you can't just see him as another religious teacher. You can't just appreciate his ethical impressions made in the Sermon on the Mount. You can't just say, I'm going to really dig deep and follow Jesus' example. You need to believe that he is. You need to believe that he is God Most High, that he is the second person of the Trinity, that he was sent for us men and for our salvation. This is not simply an academic biblical theology lesson. Where are you at relative to the one who declares that unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins? This isn't simply academic. This isn't intramural. This is everything concerning the Christian faith. If you are wrong at the point of who Jesus is, you will go to hell. That's what scripture tells us. He who has the Son has everlasting life. He who does not have the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. John 3, 36. Or Jesus in John 14, 6. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. See, the Bible doesn't just give us information to tickle our minds. The Bible gives us information to drive us to the cross. If you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. If you do not believe the self-revelation of Jesus as it comes to us in the scriptures, then you will die in your sins. Notice John 8, 28, then Jesus said to them, when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I speak these things. As Cam rightly pointed out, the centurion at the foot of the cross saw enough to convince him that this was indeed the Son of God. Did he understand the mediatorial office, prophet, priest, and king? Probably not. But when these Jews who crucified him and had listened to him in debates like these, he says, when you lift me up, then you will know that I am. When he's raised from the dead, declared to be the Son of God with power by the Spirit of holiness. then it would be all too clear who Christ was. And then notice the Jews understand this specific emphasis. We see that toward the end of John 8. Notice specifically in verse 54, Jesus answered, if I honor myself, my honor is nothing. It is my father who honors me, of whom you say that he is your God. Yet you have not known him, but I know him. And if I say I do not know him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word." How do you think Jesus would fare in Ottawa or DC or in some sort of academic environment? He just called us lawyers or in churches or in synagogues or in mosques. How do you think Jesus would fare? when just as matter-of-factly as we might say in Chilliwack, pretty regularly, it's raining outside. He as matter-of-factly says, you're liars. You're deceivers. Remember he upbraids them in the previous section, specifically in 844. You are of your father, the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Again, not the sort of fellow in today's climate that you would invite to speak in any of those environments, and again, the church more often than not, because of the fact that that's not nice. Notice that one of the attributes of God or perfections of God that we celebrate in scripture is not niceness. That's the big crime today. He's not nice. She's not nice. Now, I'm not suggesting we run around with scowls on our face, screaming at everybody because we're not nice. I'm not saying that. But if our theology doesn't have a place for the Son of God going into the temple of God, taking a scourge, and driving out animals and the ones who tended to them because they had bastardized the public worship of God Most High, then our theology needs to be recalibrated. Zeal for your house has consumed me. That's what drove our blessed Savior when he cleanses the temple there. Back to our text, verse 56. Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it and was glad. Then the Jews said to him, you are not yet 50 years old and have you seen Abraham? Jesus said to them, most assuredly I say to you before Abraham was, The language, the New King James translators interpret this correctly. In light of Exodus 3.14, I am. Well, that's just what he claimed. That's just what he thought. That's just what he declared. Well, that's certainly how they understood it, because notice in verse 59, then they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. Now, whatever we say about these religious leaders, and I think there's a lot to say about them that is pretty bad, because the apostles don't hold back, I doubt it was their custom routinely to pick up rocks and throw it at various people they disagreed with. Why would they pick up rocks to throw them at Jesus? Because Leviticus 24 14 demands the death penalty for a blasphemer. And as far as they're concerned, this is the son of a carpenter. This is that rube from Nazareth. And here he is claiming to be on equal footing with Yahweh. take up stones, cast them into his head, and rid him from the earth. That's their mindset, brethren. They understood better than what many understand in our own day in terms of Jesus' self-revelation. And then notice in the upper room, John 13, we nodded to this last week, specifically at verse 19. Now I tell you, before it comes, for the purpose of predictive prophecy, we see it in the prophet Isaiah. God says, I'm telling you what I'm going to do so that when it comes to pass, you don't ascribe that activity to your idol. Because I foreannounced or foretold, I think I messed up last week, foretelling and foretelling. I'll just blame it on the flu plague that I had and the fugue state that I was in. Foretelling is when the prophet foretells the word of God. Foretelling is when he announces predictively what God's gonna do. So Yahweh does that in the book of Isaiah. I'm gonna tell you what I'm gonna do so that when it comes to the past, you can only ascribe it to me. Well, that's the same function in the prophetic mouth of Christ. Notice in verse 19, I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe what? Boy, that was a lucky guess! Boy, he's, you know, batting a thousand! 90, you know, 99.9% of everything. Well, 100%. Why did he want them to hear these predictions? So that you'll know that I am. So that you'll understand and confirm, authenticate, in the beginning was the Word. The Word was with God and the Word was God. And then notice in chapter 18, chapter 18, again, we see this I am without a predicate in a couple of instances. John 18, they get to the Garden of Gethsemane, verse five, then they answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. So Jesus said to them, I'm sorry, let's back up to verse four. Jesus, therefore, knowing all things that would come upon him, went forward and said to them, whom are you seeking? They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said to them, I am. And Judas, who betrayed him, also stood with them. But note the interesting and curious thing here. Brethren, you've got to understand, this is a glorious reveal in terms of the person of our Savior. It's kind of like the Mount of Transfiguration in Matthew's gospel. Remember, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John, they go up to the Mount of Transfiguration, and it was, as it were, the Lord peels back his humanity to reveal something of his divinity. And it blows their minds. He's shining, white, whiter than any garment any launderer could clean. There was a revelation of His glory. That's why John can say in 114, we beheld His glory. The glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. So notice what happens. Jesus says, I am, Judas who betrayed Him stood with that. Now when He said to them, I am, they drew back and fell to the ground. The they there includes the Roman armies. The they there includes the civil authority. The they there confronted, was rather confronted by the glory of the I am, and the only inevitable result was to fall down. So when Jesus in John's gospel says, I am, and he doesn't supply a predicate, he is asserting his equality of nature with the father. Now in terms of the Old Testament, I've mentioned Exodus 3, Isaiah 41, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 48. Now the function in John's gospel specifically is the self-revelation of Jesus as the Son sent by the Father, who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven. That one who is consubstantial as the only begotten Son. Not the son by adoption or by grace or by creation, the son by nature. Now, when it comes to the I Am statements with a predicate, I'll just run through these because we've met them along the way. But notice, in our text, or rather in the Gospel of John, we have first, I am the bread of life. John 6, 35, 41, 48, and 51. We have then, secondly, Jesus says, I am the light of the world, John 8, 12, John 9, 5. We have thirdly, Jesus says, I am the door of the sheep, John 10, 7, and John 10, 9. Fourthly, Jesus says, I am the good shepherd, John 10, 11, and 14. at the gravesite of Lazarus when Jesus is comforting the sibling. He says, I am the resurrection and the life, John 11, 25. I've already alluded or already repeated the sixth one. Jesus says, I am the way, the truth and the life, according to John 14, 6. And then here we have the seventh and final I am with a predicate in John's gospel. I am the true vine. We have that in 15.1 and then again in 15.5. And Klink, Edward Klink, makes the observation, the seven formal I am statements are emphatic descriptions of the person and ministry of Jesus and cumulatively form a detailed picture of Jesus Christ. Again, they're metaphors, metaphors that we can No pun intended. Sink our teeth in. I am the bread of life. We've got to sink our teeth into the bread of life. I am the light of the world. We can't function without light. I'm the door of the sheep. Not as applicable to us, because none of us that I know of are sheepherders, but something I think we at least have a general understanding of. I am the good shepherd. Absolutely, positively. I'm the resurrection and the life. Again, things that we can understand, metaphors provided in the simple teaching of our blessed Savior to inform His people. It's not shooting over their heads, dealing with abstract theological concept. He's revealing Himself under figures that these men would understand, that men like us would understand. but as well, as I've said earlier, the theological weight of such statements. Again, take the one, I am the good shepherd in John 10. How does that hit you? It should hit you like this. Wow, that's great. I'm a wretch. I'm like a sheep. I've wandered, I've gone astray. I'm very thankful that I have a good shepherd who collects me, who gets me, who not gets me, but gets me with crook. But brethren, if you don't hear Psalm 23 in that declaration, you need to reorient your brain. The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. And then Jesus comes to his people and says, I am the good shepherd. And then one better than that says that the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And then even better than that, he says, I've come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. So brethren, in that John 10, good shepherd, I am with the predicate, you got to hear Psalm 23. You've got to hear the glory of God as shepherd in Ezekiel 37. You've got to hear those images. So yeah, metaphor to inform and instruct us in a way that's tangible and concrete. But the biblical richness of the old covenant narrative tied up in a bow and placed right on our Lord Jesus. This is why Paul can say all the promises of God are yea and amen in him. Now let's move then to the identification of Jesus as the true vine. And I know it says it, I know that's a declarative statement, but I wanna put that declarative statement in a larger biblical context. Why? Because that declarative statement summarizes that larger biblical context and should help us to profoundly understand the very person of our Lord and the nature of our Lord in terms of his temporal mission. As well, I think it helps us answer the question, who's God's people? So first, I wanna look at the opening of Matthew's gospel. And for those keeping an eye on the clock, I think this is as far as we're gonna get this morning. And then we'll pick up to this specific declaration in John's gospel, God willing, next Sunday morning. But with reference to the opening of Matthew's gospel, Matthew does two things. Matthew highlights that Jesus is connected to Old Covenant Israel by the term firstborn. As well, Matthew shows us there is a connection between Jesus and Old Covenant Israel by what Jesus does in the opening pages of Matthew's gospel. That's pretty simple. Shouldn't be too tough. Let's get our minds to it. First, we need to understand that Old Covenant Israel is referred to as the firstborn of God. You can turn to the book of Exodus, Exodus chapter four. Exodus chapter 4, identification of Israel as the firstborn son of God. Exodus chapter four, specifically at verse 21. And the Lord said to Moses, when you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my first born. Now, brethren, that shows the relation that Yahweh bore to Old Covenant Israel, my firstborn son. It's a beautiful statement, it's a beautiful expression. Incidentally, it's the foundation for what we call the lax talionis or the law of retribution. Remember when we get further in the book of Exodus and God Almighty starts to send plagues upon the people of Egypt? How do you think non-Christians like that? Let me ask you better. How do you think the Egyptians, who buried their firstborn after Yahweh killed them, liked that? Well, that's horrible. That's vicious. It's genocide. The behest of Yahweh, the children of Egypt die. Look at what God says. Verse 22, then you shall say to Pharaoh, thus says the Lord, Israel is my son, my firstborn. So I say to you, let my son go that he may serve me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed, I will kill your son, your firstborn. You want to talk about fear? Let's talk about justice, something absent and vacant in our day. Guy goes out and commits horrific crimes. He murders, he kills, he rapes, he pillages, he destroys. He goes to prison for six years and then he's out on good behavior. Really? That's justice? No, justice is the law of retribution. God lays down specifically the terms that they must obey. Do not harm my firstborn. If you do, I will harm your firstborn. This is justice, brethren. This isn't genocide. This isn't the behest of Yahweh to go and ruin a bunch of people's days. This was justice. In other words, God sent not altogether just Israel in upon the Canaanites in the conquest to dispossess the land of those wretched sinners. But you'll notice in subsequent history when Israel apes the Canaanites, that means imitates them and acts like them, what happens? God sends the Assyrians to deal with the Northern Kingdom, God sends the Babylonians to deal with the Southern Kingdom. There's no capriciousness, there's no arbitrariness, there's no good day, bad day for our gracious God. There is justice, there is righteousness, there is holiness, and the dignity of God, He maintains that. So Israel, as the firstborn son of God Almighty. We're gonna get back to Matthew, but stop on the way to Psalm 89. With reference to the firstborn of God, I want to show the connection between Old Covenant Israel and our Lord Jesus Christ. So the identification of Jesus as the firstborn Son of God. In Psalm 89, which we would call the Covenant Psalm or a Covenant Psalm, it expands for us or rather celebrates for us or rehearses for us what we call the Davidic Covenant in 2 Samuel 7. A time when David is musing about himself, I've got this palace, I've got this beauty, I've got this glory, and Yahweh dwells in a tent. I want to build him a house. Of course, God says, no, you're a man of war. Not that that's a condemnation. David was supposed to be a man of war. But it would be in the son of David, Solomon, the man of peace, wherein they would have the ability to then construct the temple. When God makes that indictment of David, I think it's a wrong-headed inference to say, well, he was a man of war, and he had bloody hands, and so therefore he wasn't holy enough to engage in the temple building. That's not the emphasis. He was too busy killing heathen. He was too busy breaking their things. He was too busy doing king things in terms of securing the kingdom. Once the kingdom is secured and his son Solomon is born, it is Solomon's then to build the temple, to build the house for God. So Psalm 89 in essence tells us about that. But notice in terms of prophetic announcement concerning the Lord Jesus or the Messiah. Notice in Psalm 89 27, also I will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth. My mercy I will keep for him forever and my covenant shall stand firm with him. His seat also I will make to endure forever and his throne as the days of heaven. And you say, well, it doesn't capitalize the H there in verse 27. It should, because it's about Jesus. He's the firstborn of God Most High. Now turn to Matthew. Turn to Matthew. Specifically at verse 24, 124. Well, before that, notice 1.1, the book of genealogy of Jesus Christ. I skipped this. The son of David, the son of Abraham. There's that physical and covenantal connection to Abraham and David. Matthew, out of the chute, is saying, I've got something to tell to you, people of Israel. Most Bible commentators agree that while all the four Gospels are written for us, initially they weren't addressed to us. Matthew writes to a Jewish audience, Mark writes to a Roman audience, or better, Peter preached and Mark recorded that, Luke is more Gentilic or Gentile, and then John writes to everybody else, the church, the non-church, people of God who need to know more about their triune God, and the non-people of God who need to understand 20, 30, and 31. These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Son, the Son of the living God, and that believing in Him you may have life in His name. So Matthew, out of the chute, connects us to David and Abraham. Then notice in 124, Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn son. And he called his name Jesus. Now I know what's going on in your heads. Well, that's a verse that speaks against Roman Catholicism and the dogma of perpetual virginity on the part of Mary. Her firstborn son, which intimates she had other sons. Oh, I agree with that a hundred percent. But as I hope to show you, the fact that Matthew uses firstborn there has some theological connections too. When we move through the rest of the New Testament, we see this identification as Jesus, the firstborn. Look at Romans 8, Romans chapter 8, specifically at verse 29, a familiar passage. but one that is instructive. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Turn to Colossians 1, probably one of the primary places you think of when you hear this term firstborn applied to our blessed Savior. Colossians chapter 1, specifically in verse 15. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. Now, if you've ever done any witnessing or discussing with Jehovah's Witnesses, this is a big text for them. It's a huge text for them. So much so that they radically alter the text. Specifically in verse 16. How do they define firstborn? Well, he's the first creature of God. And as the first creature of God, then he's handed the reins to create all other things. That's ignorance. Was Israel The firstborn chronologically among all the nations of the earth? No. Ezekiel 16.3, your birth and your nativity are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. Oh, there were previous nations? But I thought Israel was the firstborn. It means preeminence. It means glory. It means magnificence. Covenanted with Yahweh of Israel, Israel was the best thing going versus the Canaanites and the various ites. Jesus is not a creature. Notice in verse 16, here's where the witnesses really show their theological, not bias brethren, that's too soft a word, prejudice, viciousness, an absolute departure from the translation of the text to the imposition of their godless theology upon the sacred text. So they say he is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. So he's the first one made by God. He's a creature. So then in verse 16, for by him all, then they put in brackets, other. all other. What's the implication? He himself is created and now he as the creature of God creates all other things. See, that's not what the text is telling us. Firstborn does not mean chronology. It means preeminence. It means glory. It means majesty. It means excellence. Notice in 118, and he is the head of the body. The church, who is the beginning. The firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. Turn over to Hebrews chapter 1. Hebrews chapter one, specifically in verse six, but when he again brings the firstborn into the world, he says, let all the angels of God worship him. Now there is obviously a chronology with reference to Christ according to his divinity. In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. But fundamentally and foundationally, firstborn as applied to Israel in the old covenant, as applied to the Lord Jesus as the true Israel in the new covenant, the idea is the preeminent one, the champion, the victor, the glorious one, and the one by which I will reveal my glory, the one in whom all the covenant promises of God are. Yay and amen. As well, notice in 12.23, 12.23, this contrast between Sinai and Zion. I won't read the whole thing, but just notice specifically in verse 22, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of living God. Curious language, isn't it? Why do you think old New Covenant authors refer to the church as Zion? because of the true Israel, which is Jesus. And by virtue of our union with Him, we are now in the language of Galatians 6.16, the Israel of God. This is where the sermon's going. Again, this might make you uncomfortable if you're not up on your covenant theology. But God Most High, in His eternal purpose and His plan and mission for this earth, was to redeem from every tribe, every tongue, every people and nation, and in theological shorthand refer to them as the Israel of God. the one that is preeminent with God among all others. So notice in 1222, but you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God, the judge of all. That's the firstborn church because of its vital connection to the firstborn Son of God. Notice as well in Revelation 1, and I think specifically John the seer has in his mind, in this particular instance, Psalm 89. The Book of Revelation is the most Old Testament-ish book in the New Testament. Not just necessarily direct quotation, but allusion, theme, metaphor, imagery. All that stuff is co-opted by the Apostle as he's on the island of Patmos for the testimony of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Word of God. And He conveys to us, using that rich imagery, glory about Jesus. And notice in Revelation chapter 1, specifically at verse 4, because it's a Trinitarian greeting, or a greeting in the name of the Triune God, Grace to you and peace from Him who is, and was, and who is to come. Father, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne. It doesn't mean there's seven Holy Spirits. I think it probably means the number of completion, the number of fullness, the number, again, of glory as predicated of the Holy Spirit. And then notice, and from Jesus Christ. With Jesus, he extrapolates then the threefold office of Christ, and again, I think this all comes from Psalm 89, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. So when we look in Matthew 1 and we see this conspicuous connection between Jesus and David and Abraham, and we see this comment that this is Mary's firstborn son, yes, over and against the doctrine of perpetual virginity, But yes, over and for the doctrine of the fact that Jesus has come as the fulfillment of what Adam forfeit and what Israel in the Old Covenant forfeit. Now in terms of the Israel of God, How do we see that played out in the early chapters of Matthew's gospel? Well, as I've already said, the physical and covenantal connection to Abraham and David, but then notice secondly, the application of Hosea 11 to Jesus in Matthew 2. Look at Matthew 2, we'll pick up reading in verse 12, we're gonna be ending soon. Matthew chapter two, specifically at verse 12, then being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. Now, when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying, arise, take the young child and his mother, flee to Egypt and stay there until I bring you word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night and departed for Egypt. And was there until the death of Herod, notice this is a fulfillment formula often used by the evangelist Matthew to show us how Jesus fulfills what the old covenant pointed to. And in this instance specifically, that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet saying, out of Egypt I called my son. Huh? You read the prophet Hosea and you say, well, that obviously refers to the exodus from Egypt that God brought Israel out of. Yeah. But it obviously refers to the flight to Egypt by the firstborn son of God, who is the yea and amen of all the promises of God, who is the successful Israel of God. Out of Egypt I called my son. As well, when we start to move along in the book of Matthew, we see, thirdly, the passing through water after being called out of Egypt. And you might say, well, you know, that's getting a bit obscure. It's getting a bit, you know, esoteric. It's not, brethren. If a dim bulb like me can see it, I invite you to give it a try. Matthew's a theologian, writing to people who knew the Old Testament. Matthew wants to show them Jesus is the one. It's not condemnatory in the first instance. Ah, you wretched Jews, you need to get it together. He's telling them. He's unveiling, as it were, the temporal mission of the Son of God, functioning as the true Israel of God, the champion to save us from our sins. So notice, out of Egypt and then through water. It's not exactly what happens in the book of Exodus. They go out of Egypt, chapter 12. They pass through the waters of the Red Sea in chapter 14. Look at Jesus. He's come out of Egypt, and now in chapter 3, He passes through water. Verse 13, Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me? But Jesus answered and said to him, Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Yes, the doctrine sets forth the earthly baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, the doctrine highlights the blessedness of the Trinity. You want to learn about the Trinity, as the ancients said, to Arius, go down to the river Jordan. There you will see. But it links Jesus with Israel. It really does. So then, think back for just a moment. Exodus 12, they leave Egypt. Exodus 14, they pass through water. Where do they come out on the other side? Jehoiach, Abbotsford, Cities Flowing? No, they come to the wilderness. Look at what we look at in verse one of chapter four. Then Jesus was led up by the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And intriguingly, in that first temptation, it's with reference to food, right? You gotta be hungry. It's been a long time that you've been out here. Interesting, 40 years in the wilderness, 40 days of temptation. Wow. Matthew got lucky. Matthew's weaving history and theology so that he can instruct us concerning the fulfillment of all the promises of God that are yea and amen in Jesus. So notice, When Jesus goes out to the wilderness, the devil seizes upon the opportunity to test him three times. The first is with reference to food. It's intriguing because after Exodus 15 comes Exodus 16. You know what happens in Exodus 16 when they get in the wilderness? They complain about food. We're going to die out here. We kind of like those leeks and melons and garlic and all those verities we had back in in Egypt, but you were slaves. Brethren, I'm not convinced everybody wants their freedom. I'm not convinced of that at all. I think the nation of Israel displays that in the Old Covenant very, very vividly and perceptively. Moses sends out the spies to recon the land in Numbers 13 and 14. They recon the land. It's a good land. Milk, honey, berries, fruit, goodness. but there's these pesky giants in the land. We don't wanna venture against them. They're big men, they're strong men. We don't wanna do it. Only two of the spies were like, let's go, Caleb and Joshua. In fact, Caleb says, let's go at once. Who do you think the congregation listened to? The two spies that had faith and a backbone that said, let's go conquer the land for God. Because remember, he's already promised that he gave us the land. Of course they don't. They listen to the 10 whiners. They listen to the grumblers. Oh no, those giants are pesky. The land's not that good after all. It's interesting, as the narrative flows in Numbers 13, they continue to revise their report. Great land, but becomes, but not that great a land. Now notice Deuteronomy 8. We're gonna tie this up here. Deuteronomy chapter 8, specifically in verse 1. Again, just to see the connection between Jesus and Old Covenant Israel. In the use or title of firstborn, and then as well in the actual activity of our son, which in many respects imitates what Old Covenant Israel did, but the emphasis or the accent falls upon his victory. God put Adam in a paradise. God put Adam in a paradise and he forfeit eternal life. Adam is what we call protology, not proctology, protology. The doctrine of first things. Israel functions by way of typology, prefigurement, shadows, announcements, promises, prophesying. Jesus is the anti-type. To the prototype, Adam, he's called the last Adam, and to the type of Israel, he's the Israel of God. So notice in 8.1 of the book of Deuteronomy, every commandment which I command you today, you must be careful to observe that you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the wilderness to humble you and test you. Is that the purpose why the Spirit drives Jesus out into the wilderness? After divine approbation, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, we ought to expect something like this. Divine confirmation in terms of the steadfastness and the commitment and the resolve of the servant of Yahweh that does not shrink back from fulfilling all the obligations placed upon Him. It's our covenant head, of course He does it. But then notice specifically verse to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. So he humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone." Isn't that interesting? That's the text that Jesus pulls out of his sheath, as it were. He's the one that has the sheath on the back. You know, those really rugged soldiers and gladiators, they pull it out and they'll dash their enemies. It's this passage when the devil comes to him and says, you gotta be hungry, turn these stones into bread. What is Jesus doing there? He's showing us that he's the true Israel of God. Again, brethren, I'm not forcing this. And by the way, I'm not the first dim bulb to alight on these things. But man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. Your garments did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these 40 years. You should know in your heart that as man chastens his son, so the Lord your God chastens you. I think that's a great place for us to stop. God willing, we'll look at the Declaration in John's Gospel next week, but we'll put it again in its Old Testament background and then show its New Testament revelation, biblical theology, the organic self-revelation of God in the historical process so that we can make heads or tails of who Jesus is relative to that Old Testament. Now, before we close, I do want to reemphasize something that came out prior. that we should, as God's people, reflect upon the I Am statements with a predicate and stand in awe. Jesus is the bread of life. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus is the door of the sheep. Jesus is the good shepherd who gives his life for the sheep so that we might have life abundantly. Jesus is the way, the truth, the life. Jesus is all that he says that he is. And as the people of God, that should inform us so it will promote worship. And dare I say comfort and encouragement and stability and security? Jesus is all that for the likes of us. So brethren, rejoice. Brethren, worship. Brethren, praise and adore. And if you're not a believer, don't forget John 8, 24. Well, I've already forgotten it. Well, I'm gonna remind you, if you do not believe that I am, not Jim Butler, Jesus is saying, self-declaration, if you do not believe that I am, you will die in your sins. What is the way to everlasting life? What is the way to everlasting joy? What is the way to no more sorrows, to no more hunger, to no more pain, to no more death? What is that way? It's Jesus. I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. And I can encourage you, he's in the business of receiving some pretty messed up people. So there is good news and great hope for any here that have still not come to our Lord Jesus Christ in faith. Well, let us pray. Our great God and our Holy Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you for the scope of the whole, which is to give all glory to God. We thank you for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ. We thank you for the glory that we see in passages like these. We thank you for biblical theology, covenant theology that helps us to appreciate and to tie up loose ends or what may seem to be loose ends in our minds and cause us to reflect again upon the fact that Jesus is the yea and amen of all the promises of God. And you have made us blessed benefactors and beneficiaries of these things by your grace. And we praise you and we worship you and we adore you. And we pray now through Jesus Christ, our Lord, amen.