Eastside Baptist Church, Winfield, Alabama

“The High Priest Prays for You” (Ch. 38); "Epilogue"

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward Welch
 
“The High Priest Prays for You” (Chapter 38)
“Jesus Christ continues in his priestly ways. Your high priest prays to the Father for you, and he is joined by the Spirit, who also intercedes for you right now (Rom. 8:26–27).” - Edward Welch
Hebrews 7:24–25 NIVbut because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
“Jesus prayed for his disciples; then he prays for you. He prays that you would be united with both God and each other in love.” - Edward Welch
John 17:20–21 NIV“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
“God’s love gathers you into himself. God is one, you are called to live in him and participate in his love, and then you are sent out to express this in daily life through your unity with others.” - Edward Welch
“You believe in Jesus, which means you have life. Now remain in him by imitating and obeying his love, which takes a lower place and serves. In this way, love is reproduced and expands even more.” - Edward Welch
John 17:22–23 NIVI have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
“Glory is holiness on full display. It is big, stunning. You cannot look away from it… One with the Father, Son, and Spirit, and, as a result, one with each other—this is glory.” - Edward Welch
“Your purpose is to be near to God, to live with him in his house and to experience his divine hospitality.” - Edward Welch
John 17:24 NIV“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
 
If we actually ask people to pray for us, and we stay alert to what God does:
A meeting with a contentious person went better than we had hoped.
We listened rather than reacted.
We were able to get what we needed [though not always what we wanted].
“Yet there are times when no friend knows or prays, and hardships are kept private. We can know, then, that the Spirit and the Son know our spirit and speak on our behalf to the Father.” - Edward Welch
“Epilogue”
“The Christian church has not always known what to do with the priesthood of all believers.” - Edward Welch
Slow growth and development of:
Church structure
Authority in a centralized group
Division between clergy and laity
And eventually the concept of a priesthood of the clergy separate from the laity.
The priesthood of all believers was a scriptural doctrine recovered by Martin Luther and other Reformers.
“He wrote that those in church office should come from the church community and serve by community consent and election. Furthermore, those who serve are not unique mediators between God and believers. Rather, they equip the congregation for every-member ministry (Eph. 4:1–12).” - Edward Welch
“The resulting landscape generated everything from Catholics to Quakers, with every denomination and local church reckoning with how to describe the work of church officers and individual members.” - Edward Welch
“But we can be confident of this: the Spirit has been given to all followers of Jesus, and God is pleased to use ordinary, unassuming men and women to advance his kingdom into our hearts and the world. Scripture is unfamiliar with a passive laity that leaves the work of ministry to ordained professionals. As saints, together we enjoy God’s fellowship, we want to know him even better and love him more, and we want those who are further away to come near.” - Edward Welch
“The distance between heaven and earth has always been shorter than we expected. There were always ladders from which the Lord descended, mountains that we ascended, and temples where the throne room was separated by only a curtain. There was always the personal God who spoke to his people and listened to them. He came close and, with certain stipulations, invited us to come close to him.” - Edward Welch
“Then Jesus came to earth, and God was here to stay. Jesus was both of heaven and earth, which meant that the plan had always been to unite heaven and earth in him. In Jesus Christ, God executed his plan “to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph. 1:10).” - Edward Welch
“Now we wait for the fullness of the Most Holy Place to appear—heaven itself, a perfect square, immense (Rev. 21:15–17). God’s earthly house was a miniature version of heaven. The heavenly house will come down and infuse earth in a way that the earth itself will shine, full of God’s light and overflowing with his life.” - Edward Welch
“What we now know in part, we shall know fully, even as we have been fully known (1 Cor. 13:12). We will see him face-to-face. The Spirit will bring us fully into the Father and the Son, and we will hear, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev. 21:3).” - Edward Welch
1 Peter 2:9 NIVBut you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

"What Are You So Worried About?" (Luke 12:22–34)

"What Are You So Worried About?" (Luke 12:22–34)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, January 17, 2021
 
Luke 12:22–34 (NIV)
22 Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23 For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? 26 Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
27 “Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! 29 And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30 For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31 But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
I. Do not focus your attention on the physical treasures of this life (vv. 22–30).
 
A. Do not covet wealth (v. 22a).
 
Luke 12:22 NIVThen Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear.
 
B. Do not worry about the basic necessities of life (v. 22b–30).
 
1. Because there is a higher goal. (v. 23).
 
Luke 12:23 NIVFor life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
 
2. Because God will take care of your basic necessities.
 
a) God takes care of the rest of his creation (vv. 24, 27, 28).
 
Luke 12:24 NIVConsider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
 
Luke 12:27–28 NIV“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith!
 
b) His disciples are the special object of his love (vv. 24, 27, 28).
 
c) God knows what you need, and he is good. (v. 30).
 
Luke 12:30 NIVFor the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
 
3. Because worrying doesn’t do any good anyway (vv. 25–26).
 
Luke 12:25–26 NIVWho of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
 
II. Focus all your attention on the kingdom of Christ and the spiritual treasures of the next life (vv. 31–34).
 
A. Because the kingdom of Jesus Christ is the higher goal (v. 31 cf. v. 23).
 
Luke 12:31 NIVBut seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
 
Luke 12:23 NIVFor life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
 
B. Because God will supply the needs of his children that are seeking the kingdom (v. 31).
 
Luke 12:31 NIVBut seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
 
C. Because the kingdom of Jesus Christ is better than all other physical treasures (v. 32).
 
Luke 12:32 NIV“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.
 
D. Because the kingdom of Jesus Christ is the only treasure that endures (v. 33 cf. v. 20).
 
Luke 12:30 NIVFor the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
 
Luke 12:20 NIV“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
 
E. Because what you are seeking for reveals what is in your heart (v. 33a, 34, 30a, cf. v. 22a).
 
Luke 12:33–34 NIVSell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
Luke 12:30 NIVFor the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.
 
Main Idea: Disciples of Jesus find their complete satisfaction and security in Jesus Christ and his kingdom.

“Be Sent Out” (Ch. 36); "Walking Uphill" (Ch. 37)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward Welch
 
“Be Sent Out” (Chapter 36)
“The plan had always been that priests would meet in the staging area of God’s house in order to be sent out into the world. His house is a place of rest, yet it is also very busy. It is life with a purpose. Following are elements of that mission.” - Edward Welch
Do Battle
Priests were an integral part of Israel’s warfare.
We are in spiritual warfare every day. Our enemy can be found in the world or what is earthly:
1 John 2:16 NIVFor everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.
A primary battlefield is in our own hearts:
Anger
Selfish ambition
Jealousy
Pride
The battle strategy is clear and detailed: We turn from Satan and turn to the Lord.
James 4:7–10 NIVSubmit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Another favorite battlefield of the devil is the community of believers.
“Priests discern the body of Christ, which means that we know that the body of Christ is set apart for unity through humility and love, and we work for peace and reconciliation when we see interpersonal fractures.” - Edward Welch
The spiritual battle is also in the world.
“We hope to fit in by being good neighbors who contribute to the good of the community, and we hope to stand out in the way we love. When we encounter the inevitable relationship hassles, this is our opportunity to shine.” - Edward Welch
Pray and Bless
How do we do spiritual battle in our own hearts, preserve the unity of the body of Christ, and love even our enemies?
The life of God’s saints is one of prayer.
“This is an extension of the normal back and forth that characterizes growing relationships: God speaks to us, especially through his word, and we speak from our hearts to him.” - Edward Welch
Prayer is one of our greatest opportunities to bring Christ to the world.
“During trouble, most people welcome prayer. They might think prayer is silly during easier times, but real humanity emerges especially in difficulties, when they are grateful that we pray for them and have them on our hearts.” - Edward Welch
The partner of prayer is blessing.
God blesses us and uses us to bless others.
To speak blessing to others, we must know God’s blessings:
Grace and peace to you (2 Pet. 1:2).
May the Lord deal kindly (Ruth 1:8).
May the Lord give you peace (2 Thess. 3:16).
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ (2 Thess. 3:5).
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered (Ps. 32:1).
Our words of blessing to others mature and deepen as we understand more deeply the goodness of God to us.
We move from physical blessings to spiritual and heavenly blessings, which are eternal and more significant.
Psalm 65:4 NIVBlessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.
“After going out into the world, sent by the Lord yet also with his presence, we invite others to come near to him and return to his house where together we bless him.” - Edward Welch
Psalm 134:1–2 NIVPraise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.
 
“Walking Uphill” (Chapter 37)
 
On a Journey
Priests are on a journey, and God is near.
Psalm 23:1–3 NKJVThe Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Jesus is our Good Shepherd.
“Jesus the shepherd is with us, always close. With sins forgiven, there is nothing that can separate us from his love... We have everything we need, and the waters are quiet rather than turbulent. We are refreshed by him and in him.” - Edward Welch
The Holy Spirit is the presence of God with us.
“The Spirit assures us of the presence of Jesus, and he gives us power to follow him during trouble—and there will be trouble. Those reminders strengthen us.” - Edward Welch
Psalm 23:4 NKJVYea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Jesus is with us in the wilderness, in the troubles of life.
Jesus walks with us with his rod and staff - one protects us from attacks, and the other keeps us from wandering or picks us up when we fall.
Psalm 23:5–6 NKJVYou prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
“The image of the shepherd and sheep gives way to the image of the Lord as host, and he has prepared a lavish banquet. His hospitality begins with the anointing of the head with oil, which was customary with honored guests, but this anointing doubles as anointing to the royal priesthood.” - Edward Welch
“Our destination is always God’s house, which he has actually prepared for us, so it is our house. It has always been that way. For now, you can pray for endurance and eyes to see these spiritual realities. One day, we will stay put.” - Edward Welch

"Your Money or Your Life" (Luke 12:13-21)

"Your Money or Your Life" (Luke 12:13-21)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, January 10, 2021
13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:13–21, NIV)
Main Idea: An unquenchable desire for more money and possessions is completely inconsistent with the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.
11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. (1 Corinthians 5:11, NIV)
9 Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. (1 Corinthians 6:9–10, NIV)
3 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Ephesians 5:3–5, NIV)
1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. (2 Timothy 3:1–5, NIV)
28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28–32, NIV)
24 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it. 25 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit their very self? (Luke 9:24–25, NIV)
Main Idea: An unquenchable desire for more money and possessions is completely inconsistent with the life of a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

“Living Stones, Flowing Fountains” (Ch. 34); "Enter In" (Ch. 35)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests by Edward Welch
“Living Stones, Flowing Fountains” (Chapter 34)
Living Stones
Stones as memorials (Gen. 28:22)
Stones of the temple
Christ the Living Stone
Believers as living stones in Christ
1 Peter 2:4–5 NIVAs you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
“This spiritual house is the Most Holy Place where God’s holiness was most concentrated and his glory most vivid.” – Edward Welch
Ephesians 2:19–22 NIV
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
 
The New Temple
Christ the Cornerstone
Apostles and teachers the foundation
Believers the stones built on the Cornerstone and foundation
1 Corinthians 6:19–20 NIVDo you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
 
Temple Imagery
“Glorify” (Glory)
“A living sacrifice” (Rom. 12:1)
“Living water” (Jn. 4:14)
“Light of the world” (Matt. 5:14)
“Showbread” kept close to God (Ex. 25-30)
Prayers are “incense and aroma rising up to the Lord” (Rev. 8:3)
Living Stones to Flowing Fountains
Stones that yield water?
Exodus 17:5–6 NIVThe Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Water-giving stone in the Temple
Ezekiel 47:1 NIVThe man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar.
Water at the Feast of Tabernacles
John 7:37–39 NIVOn the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
“Jesus is the stone that gives living water. As we believe in him, we are reborn of 'water and the Spirit' (John 3:5) and are remade into living temple stones that are so filled with the presence of God that we cannot contain his work in us. It seeps out and brings life to family, friends, neighbors, and the world.” - Edward Welch
"Enter In" (Chapter 35)
Ongoing Sacrifices?
Christ’s sacrifice was the end of the OT animal sacrifices, because his was sufficient and final for our atonement.
But we still offer sacrifices to God in the NT, sacrifices that flow out of the grace we have received.
Love has become the sacrifice that we bring to the Lord.
Our good works and generosity are a well-pleasing sacrifice to the Lord (Phil. 4:18; Heb. 13:15).
Obedience to God’s Word has always been preferable to ritual sacrifices (1 Sam. 15:22-23).
We offer our whole selves as sacrifices to the Lord.
Romans 12:1 NIVTherefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
 
God’s Pattern of Grace
God acts first.
He gives new mercies in Christ.
God makes promises and keeps them.
God’s faithfulness is not determined by ours.
He always acts first and loves the most.
Then we respond to his mercy as living sacrifices.
“This devotion to the Lord is worked out in the details of everyday life. It includes how we work together as the body of Christ, each exerting the gifts God has given without jealousy or envy, all of which can be summarized as love that is genuine, generous, humble, and persistent even when mistreated.” - Edward Welch
We Wash at the Basin
The priests washed their hands and feet at the bronze basin before entering the Tabernacle into the Lord’s presence.
We have been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and we continually wash at the basin by confessing our sins.
1 Corinthians 6:11 NIVAnd that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
“Paul wants us to refuse to tolerate personal ungodliness; he also wants us not to tolerate past condemnation and old regrets. So in the most resolute of ways, he heaps on us what has been accomplished in Jesus through the Spirit.” - Edward Welch
“So when you come to the basin, you are not repeatedly coming to Jesus for admittance to his house. “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean” (John 13:10). You come because priests still sin. Though you have been set apart by God for himself, relationships can still be affected by unconfessed sin. So you confess daily, and confession enhances open and close fellowship.” - Edward Welch
We light incense, and the smoke comes before the Lord.
In the tabernacle, the altar of incense continually offered up a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord. It represented the prayers of the priests and the people.
“In God’s house there is lots of talking. That’s what families do. When you are needy, live among needy people, and live with your generous Father, you talk all the more. We pray, he responds with words from Scripture. Silence and home simply do not go together.” - Edward Welch
Psalm 141:2 NIVMay my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.
“Picture bowls. Golden bowls. Our prayers are placed in these bowls, and they are offered to the Lord, along with the prayers of other saints (Rev. 5:8; 8:3).” - Edward Welch
“This glimpse of spiritual realities gives new zeal to priestly prayers. God, indeed, hears the prayers of one, solitary child who has been abandoned. He also is pleased when the bowls are full. This is why we ask other people to pray. With our more desperate prayers, we ask as many people to pray as possible, and not one prayer is inconsequential to the resulting heavenly aroma.” - Edward Welch

"Who Are You Afraid Of?" (Luke 12:1-12)

"Who Are You Afraid Of?" (Luke 12:1-12)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, January 3, 2021
Luke 12:1-12, NIV
12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.
4 “I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
8 “I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. 9 But whoever disowns me before others will be disowned before the angels of God. 10 And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.
11 “When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”
Proverbs 29:25, NIV
25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,    but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
Matthew 12:30, NIV
30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.
Main Idea: A disciple of Jesus Christ fears God, not other people.

"Carpe Diem" (Ephesians 5:15-20)

"Carpe Diem" (Ephesians 5:15-20)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, December 27, 2020
 
Ephesians 5:15–20 NIV
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
1. We can make the most of our time by seeking to live according to God's wisdom.
 
Ephesians 5:15 NIV
15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,
 
2. We can make the most of our time by strenuously opposing evil.
 
Ephesians 5:16 NIV
16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.
 
3. We can make the most of our time by seeking to live our lives according to the will of God.
 
Ephesians 5:17 NIV
17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
 
4. We can make the most of our time by seeking to have our lives controlled by the Holy Spirit rather than by the things of this world.
 
Ephesians 5:18 NIV
18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,
 
5. We can make the most of our time by prioritizing the worship of God with the family of God.
 
Ephesians 5:19–20 NIV
19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Main Idea: The most valuable use of our time in this life is to seek God's wisdom and God's will, which will lead us to righteousness, being filled with the Spirit, and God-centered worship.

"The Grace of Christmas" (John 1:14-18)

"The Grace of Christmas" (John 1:14-18)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, December 20, 2020
John 1:1-18, NIV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
15 (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) 16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
1. God was gracious to us when he humbled himself and came to earth as a man to live among us.
 
John 1:14 NIV14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 
2. God was gracious to us when he revealed his glory to us through the Incarnation of the Son.
 
John 1:14 NIV14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 
John 1:18 NIV18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.
 
3. God was gracious to us when he gave us the truth of the gospel of Christ and the gift of salvation through him.
 
John 1:14 NIV14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
 
John 1:16–17 NIV16 Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
 
Main Idea: The greatest expression of the Grace of God is the Incarnation of the Son of God for our Salvation.

“Saints” (Ch. 32); “Shining Faces” (Ch. 33)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priest
by Edward Welch
 
“Saints” (Chapter 32)
 
Priests in the NT
The NT only calls believers “priests” in a few instances:
“A holy priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:5)
“A royal priesthood” (1 Pet. 2:9)
“Priests to our God” (Rev. 1:6; 5:10; 20:6)
Romans 15:16 NIV16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
The label “priest” had fallen in disrepute in the early NT era. It was associated with pride and power more than with holiness and service.
The NT more often refers to Christians by another priestly name: “Saints.”
Saints
“Saint” means “holy one.”
Our priestly identity resides in the word “holy.”
Exodus 28:36 NIV36“Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord.
Priests were always set apart as holy to the Lord.
Christians are “saints,” “holy ones.” The term is used over 60 times in the NT and is always used for all of God’s people, not just a special class of Christians.
Holy Mission
The mission of the Holy God to bring people close to himself and to enter his holiness.
“You belong to God, and everything that belongs to him carries the imprint of his holiness.” - Edward Welch
The mission of God that we grow into that holiness and become holy.
“Scripture sometimes emphasizes that God is the one who makes us holy. Other times it assumes that because he has set us apart, we become increasingly more like him.” - Edward Welch
Deuteronomy 7:6 NIV6For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
Psalm 15:1–2 NIV1Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain? 2The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
“Saints” and So Much More
Members of God’s household (Eph. 2:19)
Chosen (1 Pet. 2:4)
Precious (1 Pet. 2:4)
His own possession (1 Pet. 2:9)
Rich (Dan. 7:18)
Servant of God (Titus 1:1; Rev. 1:6)
Friend of God (John 15:15)
“Shining Faces” (Chapter 33)
 
Moses and the Glory of God
Exodus 34:29 NIV29When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord.
Moses relayed the Word of the Lord while his face shined.
Moses veiled his face as the brightness of his face faded.
Moses was a priest robed in light, reflecting the glory of the Lord. He was transformed by his nearness to God.
Moses reflecting the glory of God illustrates how we are changed by his nearness:
Moses reflected light because God is light.
Lamps in the Holy Place (in the Tabernacle) symbolized God’s presence and always faced the bread, which symbolized the people.
The Lord has made his light to shine upon us (Ps. 118:27).
Jesus himself is the light that shines in darkness (Matt. 4:16).
Jesus revealed his true glory as he shined in brilliant light on the Mount of Transfiguration.
Jesus will be our sun when we are with him face-to-face (Rev. 22:5).
We pray, “Lift up the light of your face upon us, O Lord” (Ps. 4:6), and he does.
Our Shining Faces
The apostle Paul revealed to us that we too have shining faces due to our faith in Christ through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Paul’s “point is that the reflected glory of Christ in his people is better than Moses. Jesus brought us into a new era in which the Spirit opens our eyes to the glory of Jesus. The Spirit also assures us that the glory reflected in us will never fade.” - Edward Welch
2 Corinthians 3:12–13 NIV12Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away.
2 Corinthians 3:16 NIV16But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV18And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
“The Spirit brings you into the presence of God, and you shine as you reflect the light of Jesus. As with holiness, you have it, and you can grow in it. When you believe, you receive the Spirit, who shines the light of Christ in you. You can also grow 'from one degree of glory to another' as you continue to draw near to him.” - Edward Welch
Opportunities to Shine
Sharing Jesus with others with joy, after spending time in his light
Expressing gratitude instead of grumbling in difficulties
Philippians 2:14–15 NIV14Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky
“It turns out that there are shiny priests around us most every day who follow the course of faith and love in ways that make them appear spectacular and beautiful as they reflect the character of the Lord.” - Edward Welch

"Children of Christmas" (John 1:9-13)

"Children of Christmas" (John 1:9-13)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, December 13, 2020
 
John 1:1–13 NIV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
 
1. We are not by nature children of God, and we are blind to the light.
 
John 1:9–11 NIV
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
 
2. We cannot by our own natural ability see the light to become children of God.
 
John 1:10–11 NIV
10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
 
John 1:13 NIV
13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
 
3. It is only by the supernatural grace of God that we see the light and become children of God.
 
John 1:12–13 NIV
12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
 
1 John 3:1 NIV
1 See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
 
Main Idea: God graciously opens our blind eyes to see the light of Christ and believe, becoming children of God.

“Priests in Plain Clothes” (Ch. 30); “Priests Descend & Ascend” (Ch. 31)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward Welch
 
Part 3: Almost Truly Human
 
“Priests in Plain Clothes” (Chapter 30)
“Today’s priests wear ordinary clothes, work in ordinary jobs, and are hard to single out. They are subject to the same losses and hardships as the rest of the world.” - Edward Welch
Priests Are Needy.
Psalm 40:17 NIV17But as for me, I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; you are my God, do not delay.
NT believers were (and are) needy people.
Sick, sinful, outcasts of society, persecuted, and poor.
Our neediness and weakness draw us near to God.
Priests Believe.
We are consecrated to God by faith in Jesus.
Our eyes are opened to believe in a Messiah that was rejected by most of his people.
He came in weakness, not strength.
He came in humility, not wealth or nobility.
He came to serve, not to be served.
“Jesus might not be what we expected, but he is what we hoped for... His humility and gentleness attract children, misfits, the unwashed, and those with immoral pasts. ...abundant life follows in his path—sins are forgiven, sicknesses are healed. Death is pushed back.” - Edward Welch
Our eyes are opened to believe in a humble, poor, rejected Messiah when we see our own need and unworthiness and trust that only he can rescue us.
The Democratization of the Priesthood
The priesthood was entrusted to Israel, and only a select family within Israel.
Now, in Christ, the priesthood has been “democratized and redistributed to us all.”
Our daily lives as God’s priests might seem rather ordinary, but we are in union with Christ the Risen Lord and are indwelt by the eternal Holy Spirit. God has drawn near to us.
“Priests Descend & Ascend” (Chapter 31)
 
Jesus in Heaven, The Spirit in Us
How can we draw near to Jesus when he is in heaven, and we are on earth?
The answer is the indwelling Holy Spirit, whom Jesus gave to be with us and in us.
“Because of Jesus we have the Spirit, and because of the Spirit we have Jesus. To have one is to have the other.” - Edward Welch
Romans 5:5 NIV5And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
“The Spirit brings us into God in such a way that we participate in his plans. Everything we have is in Christ and through the Spirit who dwells in us.” - Edward Welch
Not a Stopgap Measure
Having the indwelling Spirit instead of the physical presence of Christ is not a stopgap measure or a downgrade.
Jesus’ whole ministry was accomplished in harmony with his anointing with the Holy Spirit.
“Jesus himself experienced unity with the Father by the Spirit. His miracles were by the Spirit. His resurrection was by the Spirit.” - Edward Welch
The Spirit’s presence will continue with us into heaven and eternity.
The Spirit is the one who brings us into the Father and the Son.
By the Spirit, Jesus binds himself to us, including in his death.
Galatians 2:20 NIV20I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
“In this death you have been freed from all claims that were rightly against you. The demands of justice in the heavenly court have been fully met, and sin, death, and Satan have lost their power.” - Edward Welch
New Life in the Spirit
Freedom from guilt and condemnation
Freedom from the power of sin and death
Victory over death through resurrection
1 Corinthians 15:55 NIV55“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Romans 6:5 NIV5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.
Romans 6:4 NIV4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
A new life of fellowship with Jesus by the Spirit
The Spirit has made us his dwelling while Jesus prepares a dwelling for us (John 14:2).
Descending with Jesus in the Spirit
Following Jesus’ lead, we descend in humility and service to others through the strength of the Spirit.
“This descent is hard, but when we know that it follows Jesus’s lead and is done with him, and that his Spirit is with us to give more life and power, then we can find comfort and even fuller life in it.” - Edward Welch
Weakness is the way to draw near to God.
Our weakness magnifies God’s strength.
Our weakness reveals our dependence.
Our weakness draws us near to God.
Like Christ, our weakness will one day give way to exaltation.
2 Corinthians 13:4 NIV4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.
“Strength in weakness. Dependence on God in weakness. This...was life close to Jesus Christ.” - Edward Welch
Philippians 3:8 NIV8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ
Philippians 3:10–11 NIV10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.
“The life of God’s priests on earth is full of reminders that we are expatriates who live at the bottom of the ladder but are citizens of heaven. So life is full of daily hardships and death’s leftovers, yet it is also marked by life and love—love from God, love for God, and love toward God’s people. And where there is love, expect joy.” - Edward Welch

"The Light of Christmas" (John 1:4-9)

"The Light of Christmas" (John 1:4-9)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, December 6, 2020
 
John 1:1–9 NIV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
Jesus, the Eternal Word, is Life.
The Eternal Word possesses independent life.
John 5:26 NIV
26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
The Eternal Word provides all creation with life.
John 1:3 NIV
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
 
Colossians 1:16 NIV
16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
 
Hebrews 1:2 NIV
2but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
The Eternal Word provides his people eternal life.
John 1:12 NIV
12Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—
 
John 5:24–26 NIV
24“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
 
Jesus, the Eternal Word, is Light.
 
John 1:4–5 NIV
4In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Eternal Word brought light into the darkness at Creation.
Genesis 1:3 NIV
3And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
The Eternal Word brought light into the darkness at his Incarnation.
John 1:5 NIV
5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Eternal Word brought the light that overpowered the darkness of sin and death.
John 1:5 NIV
5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
 
John 1:5 NKJV
5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
 
John 12:35 NIV
35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going.
 
John 12:36 NIV
36Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
 
John 12:46 NIV
46I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.
 
John 1:6–9 NIV
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
 
John 8:12 NIV
12When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
 
Main Idea: Jesus Christ is the eternal, Divine Word who created all things and came into the world to give life and light to all who believe.

"Descending Further" (Ch. 27); "The Lamb Slain" (Ch. 28); "Jesus Ascends, the Spirit Descends" (Ch. 29)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priestsby Edward Welch
“Descending Further” (Ch. 27)
Jesus Descends
Philippians 2:6–7 NIV
6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Immanence
Compassion and Gentleness
“He passed by the smug and arrogant, and he stopped and spoke to the ones no one else saw.” - Edward Welch
Humble and Ordinary
Isaiah 53:2–3 NIV
2He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. 3He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.
“His glory was apparent to those whose daily life was full of shame. It was veiled from those who felt no need for rescue.” - Edward Welch
Luke 7:22 NIV
22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.
“With all these, Jesus not only came near, but he touched them. He touched lepers, the blind, the sick, and even the dead. He touched children who, though not necessarily unclean, were considered to be of little worth.” - Edward Welch
Identifying with the Lowly
A humble, sinful woman full of gratitude (Luke 7:36-50)
An outcast, sick woman full of faith (Luke 8:43-48)
“Jesus used the moment to reveal the deeper meaning of what happened. She had laid hands on God’s Lamb and transferred her uncleanness to him, and the Lamb had given his power and life to her while he went off into the wilderness bearing the weight of sin, shame, sickness, and everything connected to death.” - Edward Welch
Descending Further
Making Himself a Servant
John 13:4–5 NIV
4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
John 13:8 NIV
8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
“In turns out that a requirement for being close to him is that you let him serve you… Jesus was both host and servant. As host, he supplied for us the meal of his very body and blood. As servant, he washed the feet of weary travelers. He also washed the day’s debris of sin from those who believed.” - Edward Welch
Giving Himself to the Cross
Philippians 2:8 NIV
8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!
“The story of God is a story of descent. We might have missed that during the tabernacle and temple periods, but looking back, we see that the tabernacle was, indeed, God descending. He pursued his people for forty years in a harsh wilderness, never leaving their side. The movement from heaven to earth was always natural to him.” - Edward Welch
“The Lamb Slain” (Ch. 28)
 
Relating to a Holy God
God used priestly representatives who experienced cleansing and closeness on behalf of all the people.
God worked through representatives or substitutes who experienced God’s wrath against rebellion and contempt.
Blood was shorthand for life, and the lifeblood of animals was poured out so that God’s people might live.
The blood of animals was not the final word. An animal could not ultimately stand in for a human being.
The Day of Atonement was always in view, pointing to the goal of humanity of being close to God.
The Prophet Isaiah saw that a coming Messiah would be the suffering servant representative of God’s people.
Isaiah 53:10 NIV
10Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
 
A New Adam
“All creation had been waiting for a new Adam—a new priest—to introduce a new creation.” - Edward Welch
Imperfect Forerunners:
Noah
Abraham
Moses
David
“Jesus was the true human being, our suitable representative, and the true God who alone could give us life and bring us with him into heaven. For this to happen, he joined himself to us, took everything of ours that was associated with death, gave everything of his that was associated with life, and brought our death to its rightful end.” - Edward Welch
John 19:5 NIV
5When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!”
“All we can do is agree—believe—that Jesus is, indeed, the man and God, and his death becomes our peace.” - Edward Welch
“Jesus Ascends, the Spirit Descends” (Ch. 29)
Descending in order to Ascend
Descending to Humility
Descending to Humanity
Descending to Servanthood
Descending to Death on a Roman Cross
Descending to the Grave
Ascending from the Grave
Ascending to the Heavens
Ascending as Lord over all Powers and Authorities
Ascending to the Right Hand of Deity
Ascending to Glory
John 3:13 NIV
13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
Mark 9:31 NIV
31because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.”
“The resurrection declared to the world that Jesus—and Jesus alone—is the eternal Son of God, and Jesus alone has all rights to the heavenly realms and can bring people to God.” - Edward Welch
Romans 1:4 NIV
4and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
 
First of Many to Ascend
“When he ascended, he was by no means alone. God always intended to have his people near, and in Christ they would be brought to him.” - Edward Welch
John 14:1–3 NIV
1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
John 20:17 NIV
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Acts 1:3 NIV
3After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
“After forty days he ascended to prepare a home for his people, not to return until his final coming. He ascended to the throne that was over all the demonic usurpers. Satan and his accomplices always had death as evidence of their power… This was the beginning of creation being brought back to its proper head so that nothing could separate us from God, and, instead of heaven and earth having a mere point of contact, heaven would fill the entire earth in Jesus.” - Edward Welch
Ephesians 1:20–22 NIV
20he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
Jesus Ascends so that the Spirit May Descend
“The final act of his ascension and coronation was the Spirit, received from the Father, poured out on us.” - Edward Welch
Acts 2:2–3 NIV
2Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.
“Kings typically receive gifts when they ascend to the throne; Jesus gave himself as the gift, and the Spirit binds us to Jesus.” - Edward Welch
“This Pentecost revealed that the heavenly ladder remained a busy one. After Jesus ascended, the Spirit descended. In his descent he gives power to his people, groans on our behalf before the throne, and brings us into Jesus so that we abide in him. The Spirit has raised us with Jesus.” - Edward Welch
Romans 8:11 NIV
11And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
“As a result, it is now official. We are no longer citizens of earth, nor do we have dual citizenship. Instead, we are strangers and aliens on earth, and we are full citizens of heaven as we wait with Christ for the day when he will bring heaven to earth (Phil. 3:20). - Edward Welch
Philippians 3:20 NIV
20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

"The Man of Christmas" (John 1:1-3)

"The Man of Christmas" (John 1:1-3)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, November 29, 2020
John 1:1-3, NIV
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
Christmas is about a person—the man Jesus Christ.
The Man of Christmas Is Eternal.
The Man of Christmas Is Wisdom.
The Man of Christmas Is Deity.
The Man of Christmas Is Creator.
Main Idea: Christmas is about a person—the man Jesus Christ, who is the Eternal, Wise Creator-God.

"Thankfulness in Adversity"

"Thankfulness in Adversity"Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, November 22, 2020
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. (Daniel 6:10-11, NIV)
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV)
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4, NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. (Romans 8:28-29, NIV)
Main Idea: Christians can give thanks to God in every circumstance, including times of adversity, because God is using every moment of our lives to conform us to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

“Jesus the High Priest” (Ch. 25); "Believe" (Ch. 26)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward Welch
 
“Jesus the High Priest” (Chapter 25)
 
The Priesthood of Jesus Christ
Not from the line of Levi and Aaron
Patterned after the Priesthood of Melchizedek
Psalm 110:4 NIV
4The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: “You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
 
Our High Priest is from the earth.
Like Melchizedek, Jesus shares in our humanity.
Experienced weakness and need
Experienced temptation to sin
But remained sinless
Empathetic and gracious intercessor
Hebrews 4:14–16 NIV
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
 
Our High Priest is from heaven.
No record of Melchizedek’s lineage, birth, death, or place of origin
By analogy, this pictures Jesus the one from heaven with no beginning or end.
Hebrews 7:3 NIV
3Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.
 
Our High Priest is our King from heaven.
Jesus has divine, heavenly authority.
Jesus returned the priesthood to the true meaning and intent of the Law of God.
Matthew 7:28–29 NIV
28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
 
Matthew 28:18–20 NIV
18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
 
Our High Priest is eternal.
The eternal Son of God came from heaven and has now returned to heaven.
He finished the work his Father sent him to do and now is seated at the right hand of God.
His sacrifice is the final sacrifice, and his priesthood is eternal.
No need for any more sacrifices or any more priests
Our Heavenly Lineage
Our heavenly lineage now surpasses the importance of our physical lineage.
We have been born of God.
John 3:5–6 NIV
5Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
 
“Believe” (Chapter 26)
“With the temple and its sacrifices fulfilled in Jesus, the way to be cleansed and close to God is to follow him. In short, it’s to believe.” - Edward Welch
Signs Pointing Us to Faith in Jesus
Signs “are moments when heaven is opened, when the transforming power of God’s love bursts in to the present world.” - Tom Wright
Turning water into wine - Jesus’ disciples believed.
Healing a nobleman’s son - he believed.
Healing a lame man on Sabbath - some believed; other rejected.
Feeding 5,000 with one boy’s lunch - many believed.
Healing a man born blind - he believed and worshiped him.
Final Sign: Raising of Lazarus
The purpose of Lazarus’s death was to reveal Jesus’ glory, leading to faith in him.
John 11:25–26 NIV
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
 
John 11:26–27 NIV
26and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
 
John 11:45 NIV
45Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him.
 
Summary of John’s Gospel
 
John 20:30–31 NIV
30Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
“These are just a few of the signs that Jesus is the one who descended from heaven. They all point to the glory of the Lamb slain for us. Look at the signs. Listen to his words. Then believe.” - Edward Welch
“John puts the question before us: “Do you believe that he is the one sent by the Father?” A simple response of believing becomes a sign both to ourselves and to the world that we belong to the family of God through Jesus. If you believe him, you belong to him.” - Edward Welch
“So true worship is founded on believing what God has said and done. That has always been the foundation of life with God.” - Edward Welch
“As Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, you don’t have to be close to Jerusalem. Rather, you come to Christ, the living water, the living tabernacle. You come to him, the truth, the embodiment of the invisible spirit God who cannot be contained by a temple.” - Edward Welch

"It's the Heart that Counts" (Luke 11:37-54)

"It's the Heart that Counts" (Luke 11:37-54)Pastor Cameron JungelsEastside Baptist ChurchSunday AM, November 15, 2020
Luke 11:37-54, NIV
37 When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.
39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
42 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
43 “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and respectful greetings in the marketplaces.
44 “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which people walk over without knowing it.”
45 One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
46 Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
47 “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your ancestors who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your ancestors did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’ 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
52 “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”
53 When Jesus went outside, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.
Main Idea: A true relationship with God cannot exist without the development of the internal life of the heart.

"Interrupted by a Wedding" (Ch. 23); "Jesus the Temple" (Ch. 24)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests
by Edward T. Welch
 
“Interrupted by a Wedding” (Chapter 23)
 
John 2:1 NIV
1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there,
 
The Third Day
Third Day of What?
Third day since Jesus’ baptism (John 1)?
Third day of the week?
Third day of the wedding ceremony?
Something deeper?
A better wedding after Jesus’ death and resurrection
John’s counting of days anchored in Passover
Day 1: Jesus is crucified on Friday, the day of preparation for Passover.
Day 2: Jesus “rests” in the tomb on Saturday, the Sabbath.
Day 3: Jesus is resurrected on Sunday, the first day of the week.
Water to Wine
Cleansing water for purification at Passovers and weddings
Jesus turned this water into wine, symbolizing his blood of the new covenant (1 Cor. 11:25).
Cleansing water is now replaced by the blood of Jesus, which alone can cleanse from sin.
Foreshadowing Another “Third Day”
This “third day” at the beginning of John prepares us for another parallel “third day” at the end of John.
The “Third Day” of Jesus’ resurrection is now the “First Day” - a new beginning/creation
Day 6: Adam and Eve are created; Jesus is revealed as “the man” (Jn. 19:5), the second Adam, at his crucifixion.
Day 7: God rests; Jesus “rests” on the Sabbath.
Day 1: Re-creation begins. The light dawns. Jesus inaugurates the new creation with his resurrection, and the most intimate of walks await us.
“This, writes John, is a new day. The Passover has finally caught up to its true meaning in the sacrifice of God’s Lamb. The temple, and its promise of God’s presence, has given way to the picture of marriage. We are royal priests, and we are bride priests. Priestly nearness to God cannot quite capture the intimacy that has been God’s goal with us, so Scripture is merging another identity.” - Edward Welch
Isaiah 62:5 NIV
5As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.
 
Communion
Holiness is not the ultimate goal; communion with God is.
Holiness is the means God uses to draw us near to him.
John 17:20–24 NIV
20“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
“Fellowship, bound up with worship, praise, and downright enjoyment, is what we are after. And it all rests on his nearness and invitation to draw closer.” - Edward Welch
“Jesus the Temple” (Chapter 24)
 
John 2:13–15 NIV
13When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.
 
Light to the Nations
The temple itself and its courts were walled and reserved for Israelites.
Gentiles were permitted in a large courtyard beyond these walls.
In this area, open to all worshipers, worship had been replaced by commerce.
The temple was intended to be a light to the nations, but worship of Gentiles was being disrupted.
Jesus was angry when the nations were kept from seeking the Lord.
Build a Temple in 3 Days?
 
John 2:19–21 NIV
19Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.” 20They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21But the temple he had spoken of was his body.
The temple building would indeed be destroyed.
Jesus’ body would not be destroyed but would be raised from the dead to be the living temple.
Matthew 21:42 NIV
42Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?
“Jesus is the temple, John writes. God’s signposts have always pointed to Jesus. The temple is a copy; Jesus is the original. Worship is now centered on him. His body and his blood became our way to pass through the veil that quarantined the Most Holy Place. If you want to see something more magnificent than the glimmering temple that once stood over all Jerusalem, look at Jesus.” - Edward Welch

"Receiving God's Light" (Luke 11:24-36)

"Receiving God's Light" (Luke 11:24-36)
Pastor Cameron Jungels
Eastside Baptist Church
Sunday AM, November 8, 2020
 
Luke 11:24–36 NIV
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.”
28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
 
1. Rejecting the light of Jesus leaves a person worse off than before (24–26).
 
Luke 11:24–26 NIV
24 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ 25 When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order. 26 Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”
 
2. Receiving the light of Jesus means hearing and obeying his Word (27–28).
 
Luke 11:27–28 NIV
27 As Jesus was saying these things, a woman in the crowd called out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you.” 28 He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”
 
3. Rejecting the light of Jesus means rejecting the one greater than all the kings and prophets and bringing greater condemnation (29–32).
 
Luke 11:29–32 NIV
29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, “This is a wicked generation. It asks for a sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah. 30 For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation. 31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now something greater than Solomon is here. 32 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and now something greater than Jonah is here.
 
4. Receiving the light of Jesus means receiving it with our whole selves and then shining that light to the world (33–36).
 
Luke 11:33 NIV
33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.
 
John 1:4–5 NIV
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
 
John 1:9–11 NIV
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.
 
Luke 11:34–36 NIV
34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are healthy, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are unhealthy, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. 36 Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be just as full of light as when a lamp shines its light on you.”
 
Main Idea: Jesus the Messiah is greater than any king or prophet who has ever come. We must receive the light He brings and shine it to the world.
 

“The Holy One Descends” (Ch. 21); “Jesus Our Passover Lamb” (Ch. 22)

Created to Draw Near: Our Life as God’s Royal Priests by Edward T. Welch
Part 2: Jesus Our Tabernacle
“The Holy One Descends” (Chapter 21)
“When Jesus came to us in human flesh, the priestly story converged on him. More accurately, the priestly story and every detail of the tabernacle converged on him. Our entire priestly identity would soon be absorbed into his.” - Edward Welch
John 1:1 NIV1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Jesus, the Creator God
Light and Life
Entered our World
Came to restore creation to its intended state
He descended a ladder (Gen. 28:12-13).
John 1:47 NIV47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”
“No deceit” refers to Nathaniel’s character and reminds us of Jacob, the deceiver (Gen. 27:35-36).
John 1:51 NIV51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”
“The ladder itself was the same. Angels were freely going between two realms. What was different was that God, once seen at the top of the ladder, was now on earth. The Lord—the Son of Man, the Ancient of Days, Jesus the Christ—had descended in all humility and love. This was always his intent. In the weakness of a baby he gave up power. He came to us, and the distance between heaven and earth has been forever recalibrated.” - Edward Welch
John 1:14 NIV14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
“Jesus Our Passover Lamb” (Chapter 22)
The fate of the Israelite priesthood and temple: AD 70.
How would worship continue after the dissolution of the priesthood and destruction of the temple?
How would God be present with his people when his house was no longer standing?
Why prepare themselves for worship by ceremonial cleansing when there was no house of God to approach?
The Ministry of John the Baptist
Prepared the way for Jesus
Announced his coming and the coming of the Kingdom of God
Preached a message of confession of sin and repentance in preparation for the King
Response of repentance was symbolized by baptism
“It was a suitable expression of the deeper cleansing of the soul that was to come, and one didn’t have to go to the temple or its pools. It pointed the way to what had been the hope all along:” - Edward Welch
Ezekiel 36:25 NIV25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
John also baptized Jesus.
Not for forgiveness of sins, but for consecration as God’s priest.
Exodus 29:4 NIV4 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the tent of meeting and wash them with water.
Father, Son, and Spirit at Jesus’ baptism
“This is the most obvious appearance of the triune God in Scripture. From all eternity, God was close within himself. The Father, Son, and Spirit shared the most intense nearness and friendship. For reasons we will never fully understand, God always planned to bring believing humanity into this divine nearness, and he would do it through the Lamb.” - Edward Welch
John 1:29 NIV29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
John 1:36 NIV36 When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”
Jesus Our Passover Lamb
The Creator God, our Light and Life, is also our Passover Lamb.
Passover - rescue and redemption through sacrifice of a lamb.
“In Jesus, the Passover and its feast find their fullest expression. He is the reason for Israel’s rescue. Houses were protected in honor of his blood that would later be shed. Jesus is the Passover lamb, and God himself is the one who supplied the lamb. Jesus is God’s Lamb.” - Edward Welch
Abraham & Isaac: “Where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” “God himself will provide the lamb.” (Gen. 22:7-8)
All the sacrifices ever made in Israel’s history point to Jesus. Jesus is the Lamb of God.
John 19:14 NIV14It was the day of Preparation of the Passover; it was about noon. “Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews.
Exodus 12:46 NIV46 “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.
John 19:33 NIV33 But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
“The world is being renewed, and the temple is where renewal began. Renewal did not begin with revival among the priests or with Jesus installed as high priest. It began with the perfect sacrifice, supplied by God himself, freely offered by the Son. If Jesus were simply an improved priest, he would have restored right worship and right teaching to the temple, and the day-to-day practices would have continued. But because Jesus is the Lamb, there is no more need for temple sacrifices, and when the heavenly court is in session, Satan can no longer raise legitimate accusations against believers.” - Edward Welch