1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,060 You are listening to a sermon from Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 2 00:00:07,060 –> 00:00:13,360 To contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 or visit our website openthebible.org. 3 00:00:13,360 –> 00:00:17,719 Let’s get to the message. 4 00:00:17,719 –> 00:00:18,920 Here is Pastor Colin… 5 00:00:18,920 –> 00:00:21,139 Well please open your Bible. 6 00:00:21,139 –> 00:00:29,959 Let Isaiah 53, this marvelous chapter that describes in detail the life, death and resurrection 7 00:00:30,160 –> 00:00:31,680 of the Lord Jesus Christ. 8 00:00:31,680 –> 00:00:38,560 And Isaiah was writing hundreds of years before our Lord Jesus came into the world. 9 00:00:38,560 –> 00:00:41,759 He begins with the life of Jesus. 10 00:00:41,759 –> 00:00:43,880 The Son of God came into the world. 11 00:00:43,880 –> 00:00:50,360 He taught the Word of God, He did the works of God, and the overwhelming response to the 12 00:00:50,360 –> 00:00:55,080 Lord Jesus when He came into the world was the response of unbelief. 13 00:00:55,080 –> 00:00:56,599 That’s verse 1, 14 00:00:56,599 –> 00:01:00,560 therefore He has believed what He has heard from us. 15 00:01:00,560 –> 00:01:07,480 Verse 3, He was despised and we esteemed Him not. 16 00:01:07,480 –> 00:01:11,199 Then Isaiah tells us about the death of Jesus. 17 00:01:11,199 –> 00:01:17,199 We looked last week at the description in verse 8 of the arrest, of the trial and of 18 00:01:17,199 –> 00:01:20,400 the sentencing of the Lord Jesus Christ. 19 00:01:20,400 –> 00:01:26,160 Isaiah says verse 8 by oppression and judgment He was taken away. 20 00:01:26,199 –> 00:01:34,980 As for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living. 21 00:01:34,980 –> 00:01:42,199 And we saw in verse 7 that Jesus submitted to all that He suffered freely. 22 00:01:42,199 –> 00:01:50,019 At any time He could have called on legions of angels but He did not do that, He endured 23 00:01:50,019 –> 00:01:55,919 the cross because there He became our substitute, there He was taking our place. 24 00:01:55,940 –> 00:02:03,059 He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities and the punishment 25 00:02:03,059 –> 00:02:07,919 that brought us peace was upon Him. 26 00:02:07,919 –> 00:02:15,699 So looking back at what we’ve covered in verses 1-8 the focus has been on the life and the 27 00:02:15,699 –> 00:02:18,539 death of the Lord Jesus Christ. 28 00:02:18,539 –> 00:02:27,860 Here we see Jesus despised, Jesus rejected, Jesus oppressed and afflicted, here we see 29 00:02:27,860 –> 00:02:36,000 Him pierced, and crushed, and punished, and wounded, and cut off. 30 00:02:36,000 –> 00:02:43,360 But now if we look forward to what’s ahead at the end of the chapter, I want you to notice 31 00:02:43,440 –> 00:02:50,320 the verses 10 through 12 focus on the resurrection, the ascension and even the Second Coming of 32 00:02:50,320 –> 00:02:52,119 our Lord Jesus Christ. 33 00:02:52,119 –> 00:03:00,860 In these last verses we’re going to see Jesus satisfied Isaiah says, making many to be accounted 34 00:03:00,860 –> 00:03:07,919 righteous, dividing the spoils of His wonderful triumph and victory with His own people. 35 00:03:08,179 –> 00:03:16,179 So this chapter begins with the suffering and the humiliations of Jesus and it ends 36 00:03:16,179 –> 00:03:20,559 with the triumph and the exultation of Jesus. 37 00:03:20,559 –> 00:03:26,800 It begins with an entire community rejecting Jesus and it ends with an entire community 38 00:03:26,800 –> 00:03:29,600 rejoicing with Jesus. 39 00:03:29,600 –> 00:03:37,240 Verses 1 to 8 that we’ve been looking at are really a descent to the lowest place as Jesus’ 40 00:03:37,279 –> 00:03:41,619 name is despised and it’s rejected. 41 00:03:41,619 –> 00:03:48,580 But then verses 10 to 12 are a kind of ascent to the highest place as Jesus is honoured 42 00:03:48,580 –> 00:03:51,059 and he is exalted. 43 00:03:51,059 –> 00:03:57,339 And so between the two we have the verse 9 which we’re looking at today which clearly 44 00:03:57,339 –> 00:04:02,619 then is the turning point of the whole chapter. 45 00:04:02,699 –> 00:04:08,500 I want us to see today that the burial of Jesus, standing between his death and his 46 00:04:08,500 –> 00:04:16,559 resurrection as it does is indeed the turning point between the agony that he endured on 47 00:04:16,559 –> 00:04:23,880 the cross and the glory that is his in his resurrection life. 48 00:04:24,880 –> 00:04:31,320 Now, will you look then at verse 9 of Isaiah and chapter 53. 49 00:04:31,320 –> 00:04:33,200 Here we read these words. 50 00:04:34,500 –> 00:04:45,279 They made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done 51 00:04:45,279 –> 00:04:51,779 no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth. 52 00:04:52,619 –> 00:04:58,100 They made his grave with the wicked. 53 00:04:58,100 –> 00:05:04,160 Now, the they, of course, refers to those who despised Jesus. 54 00:05:04,160 –> 00:05:08,459 Those who rejected him, those who esteemed him not. 55 00:05:08,459 –> 00:05:14,519 And Isaiah says they made his grave with the wicked. 56 00:05:14,519 –> 00:05:20,200 Now, that is, they condemned Jesus to a criminal’s death. 57 00:05:21,100 –> 00:05:25,899 Do you remember that when Jesus died on the cross, he was between two thieves? 58 00:05:25,899 –> 00:05:31,559 He died in the company of the wicked. 59 00:05:31,559 –> 00:05:37,179 And the two thieves were not mischievous people, you know, who’d been stealing apples from 60 00:05:37,179 –> 00:05:39,119 an orchard or something like that. 61 00:05:39,119 –> 00:05:43,339 No, these men were receiving the death penalty. 62 00:05:43,339 –> 00:05:47,299 And so their crimes were certainly not misdemeanors. 63 00:05:47,299 –> 00:05:49,440 They were robbers. 64 00:05:49,440 –> 00:05:51,559 The Bible says. 65 00:05:51,559 –> 00:05:55,760 And from the fact that they were enduring the death penalty, it seems pretty clear that 66 00:05:55,760 –> 00:06:01,540 the robberies had involved aggravated violence. 67 00:06:01,540 –> 00:06:09,519 And you notice that Isaiah says here of Jesus he had done no violence, in contrast to the 68 00:06:09,519 –> 00:06:16,640 horrendous acts of those who were being crucified on his right and of his left. 69 00:06:16,640 –> 00:06:18,320 So make no mistake about it. 70 00:06:18,320 –> 00:06:25,600 These thieves who were crucified beside Jesus were wicked men. 71 00:06:25,600 –> 00:06:31,119 And by condemning them to the death penalty, the authorities were making it very clear 72 00:06:31,119 –> 00:06:43,100 there is no place in society for people who have acted as these men have done. 73 00:06:43,100 –> 00:06:54,980 Now, what would have happened to the bodies of these wicked men after they were crucified? 74 00:06:54,980 –> 00:07:03,399 And the answer to that question is most likely they would have been dumped in the Valley 75 00:07:03,399 –> 00:07:08,540 of Heman, which was outside Jerusalem. 76 00:07:08,540 –> 00:07:18,660 The Valley of Heman, an awful place, was a massive garbage dump with fires that continually 77 00:07:18,660 –> 00:07:19,660 smoldered. 78 00:07:19,660 –> 00:07:25,820 It was an awful place of death and of decay and of destruction. 79 00:07:25,820 –> 00:07:29,179 The stench there must have been absolutely awful. 80 00:07:29,179 –> 00:07:34,459 No one would ever, ever want to go there. 81 00:07:34,500 –> 00:07:43,880 The name of the Valley of Heman in Greek is Gehena, and that translates into English 82 00:07:43,899 –> 00:07:48,260 with our English word hell. 83 00:07:48,260 –> 00:07:53,019 Writing in the New Bible Dictionary, David Payne says, 84 00:07:53,019 –> 00:07:59,980 The Valley seems to have been used for burning the corpses of criminals and, indeed, refuse 85 00:08:00,059 –> 00:08:07,339 of any sort. Hence the name came to be used as a synonym for hell. 86 00:08:08,859 –> 00:08:18,359 So, the Valley of Heman, Gehenna, was the grave of the wicked and that is where the 87 00:08:18,359 –> 00:08:28,279 authorities thought Jesus belonged. Literally, they thought that he should go to Gehenna. 88 00:08:28,279 –> 00:08:44,599 But the body of Jesus was not dumped in Gehenna. Isaiah says, they made his grave with wicked, 89 00:08:44,840 –> 00:08:48,919 crucifying him between these two thieves, you see. But notice what happened. 90 00:08:50,200 –> 00:08:59,320 And with a rich man in his death. Now, Isaiah must have wondered when he wrote this 91 00:08:59,320 –> 00:09:06,200 under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who is this rich man? And how in the world does he get 92 00:09:06,200 –> 00:09:12,679 into the story? And the Gospels in the New Testament give us the answer. Each of the four 93 00:09:12,679 –> 00:09:21,080 Gospel writers record the story of the honored burial that was given to our Lord Jesus Christ. 94 00:09:21,960 –> 00:09:29,239 And the burial of Jesus is the turning point between the agony of Jesus’ death, where he’s 95 00:09:29,239 –> 00:09:35,400 rejected on the cross, and the glory of Jesus’ resurrection, where he is honored and adored 96 00:09:35,400 –> 00:09:43,559 by those who believe in him and worship him and I want us to see today two things from the burial 97 00:09:43,559 –> 00:09:51,640 of Jesus and then to make three applications directly for all of us today. Now the first 98 00:09:51,640 –> 00:09:58,200 thing I want us to learn from the burial of Jesus is that Jesus is honored on earth 99 00:09:58,200 –> 00:10:09,479 by those who love him. Notice what Isaiah says, they made his grave with a rich man in his death. 100 00:10:09,479 –> 00:10:19,719 And the Gospels tell us this story that after all the mocking and spitting and despising and 101 00:10:19,719 –> 00:10:27,320 rejecting of Jesus that went into the crucifixion, there was a rich man who came forward 102 00:10:28,919 –> 00:10:39,719 and gave Jesus an honored burial. Matthew tells us that it was evening, and when it was evening, 103 00:10:41,400 –> 00:10:50,039 there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph who also was a disciple of Jesus. 104 00:10:51,000 –> 00:10:59,239 Now, what do we know about this man Joseph of Arimathea? Well first we know that Joseph was 105 00:10:59,799 –> 00:11:06,760 a good man. Luke tells us that he was a good and a righteous man and Mark tells us that he 106 00:11:06,760 –> 00:11:14,200 was looking for the kingdom of God. So this is a good man. Second, we know that this good man 107 00:11:14,280 –> 00:11:21,880 was a member of the Jewish ruling council, the Sanhedrin, the company of 70 members that 108 00:11:21,880 –> 00:11:28,919 ruled over the Jewish community. Mark tells us that Joseph of Arimathea was a respected 109 00:11:29,400 –> 00:11:36,520 member of the council. Respected. And Luke tells us very significantly that Joseph had 110 00:11:36,520 –> 00:11:42,200 not consented to their decision and their action, that is, their decision and action, 111 00:11:42,200 –> 00:11:47,320 to condemn Jesus to death. Joseph of Arimathea was there, he was a member of the council. 112 00:11:47,960 –> 00:11:56,359 But when all of them said yea, he was one who said nay. He did not consent 113 00:11:58,520 –> 00:12:05,239 to their decision to condemn Jesus. And then we’re told in the scripture 114 00:12:05,239 –> 00:12:11,799 that this man, Joseph, was in fact a secret disciple. John tells us that Joseph was 115 00:12:11,799 –> 00:12:18,359 a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews. 116 00:12:20,679 –> 00:12:26,679 Now the Gospels also tell us that this man, Joseph, a good man who secretly was a disciple 117 00:12:26,679 –> 00:12:35,000 of Jesus, that he took the initiative to ask for the body of Jesus. Each of the four gospel 118 00:12:35,080 –> 00:12:43,400 writers tells us that Joseph went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And remember that 119 00:12:43,400 –> 00:12:49,080 this man, Joseph, was a member of the Jewish ruling council. That would of course have given 120 00:12:49,080 –> 00:12:55,880 him access to Pontius Pilate and I expect that Pontius Pilate who must have been troubled 121 00:12:56,840 –> 00:13:01,960 by the fact that he had handed over someone who more than once he had pronounced to be innocent, 122 00:13:02,840 –> 00:13:10,919 he must have been happy to be able to release the body of Jesus into the hands of someone 123 00:13:10,919 –> 00:13:21,559 who would give an honored burial. So Joseph then was the one who took down the body 124 00:13:21,559 –> 00:13:31,400 of Jesus from the cross. Mark tells us that Joseph bought a linen shroud and taking him down 125 00:13:32,679 –> 00:13:41,080 wrapped him in the linen shroud. But of course in this Joseph did not act alone 126 00:13:41,080 –> 00:13:50,039 John tells us that Nicodemus also who earlier had come to Jesus by night came bringing a mixture of 127 00:13:50,119 –> 00:13:59,159 myrrh and aloes about 75 pounds in weight and so they that is Nicodemus and Joseph the two 128 00:13:59,159 –> 00:14:07,400 of them took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices as is the burial 129 00:14:07,400 –> 00:14:17,400 custom of the Jews. And then with the help of Nicodemus Joseph laid the body of Jesus 130 00:14:18,359 –> 00:14:28,440 in his own tomb. Matthew tells us specifically that this was his own new to whom which he had 131 00:14:28,440 –> 00:14:39,719 cut out of the rock. So Joseph had commissioned the hewing out of this tomb presumably 132 00:14:39,719 –> 00:14:47,719 he intended that it would be his own resting place and it was lavish i mean it really was 133 00:14:49,000 –> 00:14:55,479 John tells us that this tomb was in a garden so Joseph had picked a beautiful spot 134 00:14:55,479 –> 00:15:01,239 I mean this was a place that was suitable for the burial of a king 135 00:15:01,919 –> 00:15:05,320 and Joseph gave what he had intended for himself to Jesus 136 00:15:13,799 –> 00:15:19,960 in a world that despised and rejected Jesus mocked him and spat on him 137 00:15:21,640 –> 00:15:28,520 there was a rich man who esteemed him and loved him 138 00:15:29,400 –> 00:15:30,599 was not alone 139 00:15:34,520 –> 00:15:42,119 tells us when it was evening there came a rich man from arema thea named joseph who also 140 00:15:42,679 –> 00:15:50,840 was a disciple of jesus and he also refers back to others who took their stand with jesus 141 00:15:51,320 –> 00:15:59,880 on that day matthew specifically tells us about the women there were also many women there he says 142 00:15:59,880 –> 00:16:05,880 looking on from a distance who had followed jesus from galilee ministering to him among whom were 143 00:16:05,880 –> 00:16:13,080 mary magdalene and mary the mother of james and joseph and the mother of the sons of zebedee 144 00:16:13,080 –> 00:16:17,880 now think about it these women had stood at the foot of the cross 145 00:16:19,159 –> 00:16:26,599 as jesus suffered and died over a period of six hours they were there watching 146 00:16:27,880 –> 00:16:33,880 they were there waiting and they were there because they loved him 147 00:16:34,520 –> 00:16:42,440 and these women were not alone in honoring jesus Matthew also tells us about the centurion 148 00:16:43,000 –> 00:16:50,760 and about his soldiers when the centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over 149 00:16:50,760 –> 00:16:59,559 jesus saw the earthquake and what took place they were filled with awe and said truly this was 150 00:16:59,559 –> 00:17:08,040 the son of God now notice that the centurion was not alone in honoring the lord Jesus Christ 151 00:17:08,040 –> 00:17:13,640 Matthew says specifically the centurion and those who were with him 152 00:17:14,680 –> 00:17:21,719 when the soldiers had nailed Jesus to the cross you remember Jesus prayed Father 153 00:17:22,680 –> 00:17:31,400 forgive them they know not what they do and here we see how that prayer was answered 154 00:17:33,319 –> 00:17:40,920 Before the day was done the centurion and those who were with him 155 00:17:41,959 –> 00:17:47,479 were confessing faith in Jesus as the son of God 156 00:17:47,800 –> 00:17:55,560 So we have the soldiers we have the women we have Joseph of Arimathea 157 00:17:56,599 –> 00:18:03,079 we have Nicodemus and they’re all honoring Jesus 158 00:18:04,920 –> 00:18:11,079 so let’s put this together the first eight verses of Isaiah chapter 53 159 00:18:11,079 –> 00:18:14,880 Isaiah and chapter 53 all focus on Jesus being 160 00:18:14,880 –> 00:18:19,439 despised and being rejected. Isaiah has been asking two questions 161 00:18:19,439 –> 00:18:23,599 at the beginning in verse one who believes who has believed what he has 162 00:18:23,599 –> 00:18:26,599 heard from us and then verse eight as we saw last 163 00:18:26,599 –> 00:18:30,959 time who cares who even considered 164 00:18:30,959 –> 00:18:34,719 that he was cut off out of the land of the living who cared 165 00:18:34,719 –> 00:18:38,959 who believes and who cares that’s verses 166 00:18:38,959 –> 00:18:41,959 1 through 8. 167 00:18:43,040 –> 00:18:48,719 But you see from verse 9 where we look at the burial of Jesus 168 00:18:48,719 –> 00:18:54,239 we see that Joseph of Arimathea would answer these questions by saying who 169 00:18:54,239 –> 00:19:00,400 cares who believes while I do. I believe in Jesus 170 00:19:00,479 –> 00:19:05,760 I care about him who believes who cares the women would 171 00:19:05,760 –> 00:19:10,239 have said we do we’re here at the foot of the cross 172 00:19:10,239 –> 00:19:17,119 because we love him and we believe in him 173 00:19:17,119 –> 00:19:20,479 Nicodemus who came to Jesus by night and then came 174 00:19:20,479 –> 00:19:24,319 out into the open when Jesus died he would have said 175 00:19:24,319 –> 00:19:32,400 I care about Jesus I believe in him I want to take my stand with him 176 00:19:32,400 –> 00:19:36,000 and even the centurion and those who were with him 177 00:19:36,000 –> 00:19:39,520 the soldiers who would have nailed him to the cross the soldiers 178 00:19:39,520 –> 00:19:44,800 for whom Jesus had prayed they would have said on that day 179 00:19:44,800 –> 00:19:51,760 we believe in him we believe that he is indeed the son 180 00:19:51,760 –> 00:19:57,359 of God now do you see that God’s 181 00:19:57,359 –> 00:20:06,400 answer to a world that hates his son is a community of people who honor 182 00:20:06,400 –> 00:20:12,319 his son and that community of those who love and honor his son 183 00:20:12,319 –> 00:20:18,400 was already emerging even at the cross 184 00:20:19,199 –> 00:20:22,199 now 185 00:20:22,880 –> 00:20:26,500 this is just one reason 186 00:20:26,500 –> 00:20:32,579 why our public gathering in person for worship 187 00:20:32,579 –> 00:20:37,479 every Sunday is of real importance 188 00:20:37,479 –> 00:20:42,160 Christians are rightly concerned about the degree to which the Lord Jesus 189 00:20:42,160 –> 00:20:47,079 Christ is despised in the world the world continues to despise and to reject 190 00:20:47,079 –> 00:20:53,800 Jesus but do you see that God’s answer to a world that hates his son is a 191 00:20:53,800 –> 00:21:00,579 community of people who love and honor his son and honoring Jesus is what we do 192 00:21:00,579 –> 00:21:07,040 together publicly every time we gather for worship 193 00:21:07,040 –> 00:21:10,699 that’s really important 194 00:21:10,699 –> 00:21:12,739 our world doesn’t believe in Jesus 195 00:21:12,979 –> 00:21:16,640 doesn’t care about him but every time we 196 00:21:16,640 –> 00:21:24,219 gather for worship we make an open and a public confession we do believe in him 197 00:21:24,219 –> 00:21:35,760 we do care about him we are here to honor and exalt our Lord Jesus 198 00:21:36,359 –> 00:21:44,680 so here’s what we learn from the burial of Jesus the Jesus is honored on earth 199 00:21:44,680 –> 00:21:53,359 by believers who love him and then secondly that he is honored in heaven by 200 00:21:53,359 –> 00:22:01,439 the Father who vindicated him look at the second half of this verse they made 201 00:22:01,439 –> 00:22:09,900 his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death although he had 202 00:22:09,900 –> 00:22:18,280 done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth 203 00:22:18,280 –> 00:22:27,260 now remember who it is that is speaking here these are the words of God himself 204 00:22:27,300 –> 00:22:35,479 speaking through the mouth of the Prophet Isaiah and here God himself is 205 00:22:35,479 –> 00:22:46,160 vindicating his own son God the father is saying my son has done nothing wrong 206 00:22:46,160 –> 00:22:53,140 he substituted suffered as a substitute for the sins of others sins that he did 207 00:22:53,420 –> 00:23:04,540 commit he laid down his life for his friends my son did no violence there was 208 00:23:04,540 –> 00:23:16,160 no deceit in his mouth so my son will have an honored burial and I will raise 209 00:23:16,300 –> 00:23:26,300 my son on the third day to glory now what you have here then our two entirely 210 00:23:26,300 –> 00:23:37,579 different views of Jesus the world despises him consigns him to Gahanna 211 00:23:37,579 –> 00:23:45,920 God the father honors him and exalts him to the highest place in heaven and you 212 00:23:45,920 –> 00:23:51,119 see that very clearly in the message or sermon that Peter preached on the day of 213 00:23:51,119 –> 00:23:58,380 Pentecost in Acts in chapter 2 where he says very directly look this Jesus who 214 00:23:58,380 –> 00:24:06,439 you crucified God raised up loosening him from the pangs of death because it 215 00:24:06,439 –> 00:24:11,719 was impossible for death to keep its hold on him and you see this is why 216 00:24:11,739 –> 00:24:17,479 Peter says you have to repent you have to change your mind with regards to 217 00:24:17,479 –> 00:24:23,939 Jesus you have to turn right around because in your rejection of Jesus you 218 00:24:23,939 –> 00:24:30,400 are on a direct collision course with God himself God is committed to the 219 00:24:30,400 –> 00:24:36,680 exaltation of his own dearly beloved son so you can’t walk away from Jesus 220 00:24:36,680 –> 00:24:40,560 without consequence you just can’t 221 00:24:41,560 –> 00:24:49,219 Jesus is honored in heaven by the father who vindicated him and those who honor 222 00:24:49,219 –> 00:24:58,079 Jesus will be welcomed into heaven but those who resist him well they’re going 223 00:24:58,079 –> 00:25:04,060 to find that the father resists them so here’s what we’re learning from the 224 00:25:04,439 –> 00:25:12,959 burial of Jesus that Jesus is honored on earth by believers who love him and he 225 00:25:12,959 –> 00:25:23,579 is honored in heaven by the father who vindicated him now let’s come to some 226 00:25:23,579 –> 00:25:31,060 direct applications of all of this for ourselves today and I want to point out 227 00:25:31,140 –> 00:25:37,119 three applications from the burial of Jesus and the first is simply this 228 00:25:37,119 –> 00:25:44,540 don’t hide your faith in Jesus notice what we’re told here that Joseph of 229 00:25:44,540 –> 00:25:54,500 Arimathea was a disciple of Jesus but secretly for fear of the Jews here’s 230 00:25:54,500 –> 00:26:00,859 this man that he has faith in Jesus but it’s never been brought out into the 231 00:26:00,900 –> 00:26:06,599 open it’s a secret it’s a private thing for him that’s all it is 232 00:26:06,680 –> 00:26:14,880 Mark tells us that after the death of Jesus Joseph took courage he got 233 00:26:14,880 –> 00:26:21,920 courage and he went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus the death of 234 00:26:21,920 –> 00:26:30,619 Jesus put courage into this man here is a member of the ruling council that has 235 00:26:30,880 –> 00:26:35,439 condemned Jesus to death he’s not consented with the decision he voted 236 00:26:35,439 –> 00:26:42,719 against it but now he feels after the death of Jesus that he must come out 237 00:26:42,719 –> 00:26:48,939 into the open and he must identify himself fully as a disciple of the Lord 238 00:26:48,939 –> 00:26:57,520 Jesus Christ and Nicodemus did exactly the same early in the ministry of Jesus 239 00:26:57,520 –> 00:27:02,199 you might remember he came to Jesus at night and that clearly indicates that he 240 00:27:02,199 –> 00:27:05,780 wanted to keep it all secret he didn’t want other people to know that he had an 241 00:27:05,780 –> 00:27:10,839 interest in Jesus and that he honored and esteemed him 242 00:27:10,839 –> 00:27:15,859 Nicodemus was drawn to Jesus but he wanted to keep it all private until 243 00:27:15,859 –> 00:27:25,000 Jesus died on the cross and then he felt that he too must come out into the open 244 00:27:25,880 –> 00:27:36,400 now I want to speak in this moment to the person who has considered Jesus you 245 00:27:36,400 –> 00:27:43,280 may have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you’re drawn to him but you 246 00:27:43,300 –> 00:27:59,479 kept it all private Jesus stood with you openly on the cross he publicly bore 247 00:27:59,479 –> 00:28:10,439 your sin he identified himself openly with you as one of his people and now in 248 00:28:10,439 –> 00:28:18,560 the light of the cross you must identify yourself openly with him that’s 249 00:28:18,560 –> 00:28:27,079 why Peter said on the Day of Pentecost you repent and be baptized don’t hide 250 00:28:27,079 –> 00:28:32,619 your faith in Jesus it has to be more than simply a change of heart that 251 00:28:32,619 –> 00:28:39,760 remains private within you you have to confess your faith openly on the cross 252 00:28:40,660 –> 00:28:52,979 identified fully with you in baptism you identify yourself fully with him don’t 253 00:28:52,979 –> 00:29:05,760 hide your faith in Jesus and then we learn from this remarkable story that we 254 00:29:05,880 –> 00:29:13,859 must devote what we have to Jesus again look at what Joseph did he took the body 255 00:29:13,859 –> 00:29:22,959 and laid it in his own new tomb which he had cut in the rock now think about this 256 00:29:22,959 –> 00:29:30,260 here’s Joseph and he’s planned his own funeral he’s got it all organized he’s 257 00:29:30,260 –> 00:29:34,500 picked a spot for his own burial it’s in a beautiful garden 258 00:29:34,500 –> 00:29:43,180 garden and he has paid for a tomb to be hewn out of the rock would have been a 259 00:29:43,180 –> 00:29:52,239 very expensive project and Joseph no doubt had intended this lavish tomb for 260 00:29:52,239 –> 00:30:00,619 himself but he gave it to Jesus and of course that was the best thing he could 261 00:30:00,619 –> 00:30:10,119 possibly have done with it look at what you have and ask yourself the question 262 00:30:10,119 –> 00:30:20,479 how could this be used for Jesus do you have a home how could your home be used 263 00:30:20,479 –> 00:30:27,900 for Jesus do you have money how could your money 264 00:30:27,959 –> 00:30:38,160 be used for Jesus do you have gifts and talents how can your gifts and talents 265 00:30:38,160 –> 00:30:48,479 be used for Jesus do you have available time how can your available time be 266 00:30:48,540 –> 00:30:57,680 used for Jesus devote what you have to Jesus it comes directly out of the 267 00:30:57,680 –> 00:31:03,040 story that we’re looking at today. And then a third and last application just 268 00:31:03,040 –> 00:31:12,439 very briefly trust Jesus and follow his example. Now Isaiah says that Jesus had 269 00:31:12,640 –> 00:31:20,160 done no violence and there was no deceit in his mouth. And in the New Testament 270 00:31:20,160 –> 00:31:26,959 Peter picks up these words from the Prophet Isaiah and says he committed no 271 00:31:26,959 –> 00:31:37,079 sin neither was any deceit found in his mouth. Now I looked up the word deceit 272 00:31:37,140 –> 00:31:46,439 and to practice deceit is very simply to mislead another person. It is to pretend 273 00:31:46,439 –> 00:31:52,339 one thing in order to cover up another. We see that in our world all the time 274 00:31:52,339 –> 00:31:58,760 don’t we? Pretending one thing in order to cover up another. That’s what deceit 275 00:31:58,760 –> 00:32:06,459 is. So the Bible speaks about the deceitfulness of sin .In other words sin 276 00:32:07,040 –> 00:32:13,180 misleads. It deceives. It pretends one thing in order to cover up another. You 277 00:32:13,180 –> 00:32:20,839 see it, it promises much but they deliver something entirely different. And the 278 00:32:20,839 –> 00:32:27,079 Bible also speaks about the deceitfulness of riches. In other words 279 00:32:27,079 –> 00:32:35,160 money misleads. It promises security. Oh if I have this amount of money I’m going 280 00:32:35,219 –> 00:32:39,599 to have security and I’m going to have happiness. But you see it cannot deliver 281 00:32:39,599 –> 00:32:48,719 on what it promises. It misleads. That’s why it takes great wisdom to be able to 282 00:32:48,719 –> 00:32:54,500 withstand the deceitfulness of sin. Sin’s almost promising you something but 283 00:32:54,500 –> 00:33:01,020 it won’t actually deliver. And it takes great wisdom to see through the 284 00:33:01,180 –> 00:33:09,579 deceitfulness of riches. But you see what Isaiah is saying here and what Peter 285 00:33:09,579 –> 00:33:17,579 says in the New Testament. There is no deceit whatever in Jesus he will never 286 00:33:17,579 –> 00:33:26,560 mislead. He never pretends one thing in order to cover up another. He will deliver 287 00:33:26,680 –> 00:33:36,560 on every word he has spoken and on every promise he has made. You can trust the 288 00:33:36,560 –> 00:33:46,900 Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no deceit in his mouth, but when we 289 00:33:46,900 –> 00:33:56,520 trust him, we must also follow him. And after quoting the words of Isaiah, Peter 290 00:33:56,520 –> 00:34:01,560 immediately applies the words of this verse that we’re looking at today to us. 291 00:34:01,560 –> 00:34:09,399 That’s why I want to end here today. Quoting Isaiah chapter 53, 292 00:34:09,399 –> 00:34:19,840 Peter goes on to say, “…whoever desires to love life and see good days, let him 293 00:34:19,840 –> 00:34:28,439 keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceit. Let him turn away from evil 294 00:34:28,439 –> 00:34:37,239 and do good, let him seek peace and pursue it.” And friends, there isn’t anyone 295 00:34:37,399 –> 00:34:44,699 in this service today that doesn’t want to love life and to see good days. We all 296 00:34:44,699 –> 00:34:51,120 want that. And here in the Bible the Apostle Peter is telling us how to go 297 00:34:51,120 –> 00:34:56,580 after it. Here’s how you go after loving life and 298 00:34:56,580 –> 00:35:06,000 seeing good days. You keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking 299 00:35:06,000 –> 00:35:18,280 deceit. In other words, you’re done with a double life. You’re done with pretending 300 00:35:18,280 –> 00:35:29,639 one thing in order to cover up another. You turn from evil and do good. You seek 301 00:35:30,399 –> 00:35:40,919 peace and you pursue it. Well, let’s pray together, shall we? 302 00:35:40,919 –> 00:35:49,100 Father. we thank you today that you have exalted your son, Jesus Christ. You have given him 303 00:35:49,100 –> 00:35:56,719 the name that is above every other name and in this world that despises and rejects your 304 00:35:56,959 –> 00:36:03,959 want to honor, love and serve him. Help us to take our stand openly with Jesus, especially 305 00:36:09,360 –> 00:36:16,360 when others are hostile toward him. Help us to see how we can devote what you have given 306 00:36:18,739 –> 00:36:25,739 to Christ and to the work of his kingdom. Help us to be done with pretending wonders 307 00:36:26,800 –> 00:36:33,800 and removing one thing in order to cover up another. Let us be done with deceit. And as 308 00:36:40,040 –> 00:36:47,040 we seek to honor you, grant that we may love life and see good days through Jesus Christ 309 00:36:47,760 –> 00:36:54,520 our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. 310 00:36:54,520 –> 00:36:58,100 You’ve been listening to a sermon with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 311 00:36:58,100 –> 00:37:05,100 To contact us, call us at 1-877-OPEN-365 or visit our website, OpenTheBible.org.