What a difference the cross can make

2010-1-17 sermon notes

---

2010-1-17

John 18 What a difference the cross can make

John 18:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples over the Brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2 And Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place; for Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 Then Judas, having received a detachment of troops, and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Jesus finished His prayer bearing His heart and will to us! Now he goes to the garden that he and His disciples seem to have as a regular gathering spot. The purpose for His coming to earth was about to be unfolded. All four gospels have the report of the crucifixion and they each portray it in a unique way. Here in John, Judas had a detachment of soldiers come with him at the time of betrayal. Some have compared Peter and Judas actions as much the same; however nothing could be further from the truth. While Judas' heart was filled with wickedness he purposefully handed Jesus over to His enemies. Peter's actions were not from a heart of wickedness but rather motivated out of fear. One of the greatest truths in the word of God is that He judges us by the thoughts and intents of the heart. How is your heart toward God?

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

John 18:4 Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forward and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?" 5 They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am He."And Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. 6 Now when He said to them, "I am He," they drew back and fell to the ground.

Here we find Judas turning Jesus over to the officers of the chief priests and Pharisees. This part of the crucifixion story is unique. Jesus said “I am He” and the enemies of Jesus drew back and fell to the ground. So many times as we have journeyed through the book of John people were ready to kill Jesus and He would walk through the crowd, It was not the time yet. The time had arrived and yet these verses prove that Jesus willing gave His life. In fact, Jesus could have called 12,000 angels.

Matthew 26:53 "Or do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels? 54 "How then could the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must happen thus?"

Jesus came to fulfill the word of God because Jesus was the Lamb of God slain from the foundation of the world.

Revelation 13:8 All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. 9 If anyone has an ear, let him hear.

John 18:7 Then He asked them again, "Whom are you seeking?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. Therefore, if you seek Me, let these go their way," 9 that the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of those whom You gave Me I have lost none."

Those who have been given to Jesus, He will lose none!

John 6:37 "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 "This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 "And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 18:10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath. Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given Me?"

Right to the end the disciples were thinking earthly kingdom and Jesus knew it would take His own death to establish the heavenly kingdom. Remember Peter said though I have to die I will never leave you. Peter pulled out his sword and struck! Peter’s actions were not establishing the kingdom of God . The arm of flesh can never accomplish the will of the Father. Christians today are still pulling out their swords giving their best effort to be faithful to God. Peter, in fact, was fighting to stop Jesus from going to the cross. Your best efforts, no matter how noble, will never accomplish anything if they stand in the way of the cross! Peter’s best efforts failed and so will ours if we don’t trust in the way of the cross!

Mark 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 He spoke this word openly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. 33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, "Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men." 34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 35 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. 36 "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

The way of the cross is the gospel message! If the way of the cross is not preached there will be no true salvation! The way of the cross is putting all your confidence in the great sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3 who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,

John 18:12 Then the detachment of troops and the captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him. 13 And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year. 14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

There was a death of the animal sacrifice since the day that Adam and Eve sinned. Down through the ages thousand of sacrifices. The blood was poured out year after year. Sacrifice after sacrifice never bringing total solution to man’s sin separated them from a holy God. But now it was time for the Man Christ Jesus to die for the people!

Hebrews 10:1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

Hebrews 9:24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another; 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Here in John 18 heaven's purpose was about to be fulfilled. Jesus was about to sacrifice himself for the sins of the world.

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.

The cross is not just some cute story it is the very victory Jesus won for sinners that sin could be put away by His supreme sacrifice.

John 18:15 And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. 16 But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in. 17 Then the servant girl who kept the door said to Peter, "You are not also one of this Man's disciples, are you?" He said, "I am not." 18 Now the servants and officers who had made a fire of coals stood there, for it was cold, and they warmed themselves. And Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

Here Peter finds himself in utter failure denying that he knows the Lord. Peter still was not completely understanding the way of the cross. Peter in the next few days and weeks would be learning the greatest life lessons that would ever be needed. Some times in the middle of our failures we can see no future yet God can take the shambles of our failures and make us vessels of honor.

Acts 4:5 And it came to pass, on the next day, that their rulers, elders, and scribes, 6 as well as Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John, and Alexander, and as many as were of the family of the high priest, were gathered together at Jerusalem . 7 And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, "By what power or by what name have you done this?" 8 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders of Israel: 9 "If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man, by what means he has been made well, 10 "let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. 11 "This is the 'stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.' 12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

While Peter is left in the greatest hours of defeat we jump ahead to a few short months later. The very ones who crucified - and Peter was fearful of - He speaks boldly to. It is the transformation power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus said every believer could have. Jesus said He would baptize with the Holy Spirit!

Part 5 - Jesus' Prayer. I encourage you to meditate on Jesus' prayer & God will speak to you great things.

2010-1-10 Sermon Notes Jesus' prayer part 5

Here is the fifth and final sermon in this series on Jesus' Prayer in John 17. Our study has not be exhaustive but rather exploritory.

Sermon Notes 1-10-2010

Jesus Prayer part 5

John 17:20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

Jesus was praying for every believer that would come to Him. It amazes me to think of our intercessor Jesus Christ! Some have said that Christ's work as done, and as far as the cross goes amen; however He still is working on our behalf.

He prays for the transgressors Isaiah 53:12

He prays for the believer and continues to make intercession for the believer! Romans 8:34, and Hebrews 7:25.

Yes Jesus was and is our intercessor! I know earlier in this series we hit these verses about Jesus as our intercessor; However I feel compelled by the Spirit of God to share about Jesus intercessory ministry, specifically to those who have come into genuine faith in Jesus. If you have come into this new covenant based solely upon the exclusiveness of Jesus Christ, His blood has spoken and is still speaking for you.

Hebrews 12:22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, 23 to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, 24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.

This great passage in Hebrews is packed full of revelation truth about the covenant of grace which every true believer has been birthed by. One truth, heaven has a registration. You can’t just show up your name must be written down. You had to have a transfer out of darkness and have come into his marvelous light. Another truth is when you are registered in heaven you have been given a spirit made perfect. May I say both of these truths are made possible by the blood of Jesus. In fact, that is really where I am heading. Jesus the great and only Mediator between God and men has His blood speaking on your behalf!

The blood of Jesus speaks better things than that of Abel blood. You know the story of Abel. He was the first man murdered in all of history. His blood was spilled out on the ground by his brother Cain. God told Cain at his judgment that his brother's blood was speaking from the ground. Abel’s blood spoke of the murder and justice needed to prevail. Abel’s blood spoke of the guilt and shame of the sinner Cain and God heard it. Through the ages of time the unfolding of God’s plan came about. Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. What does the blood of Jesus speak differently than Abel’s blood? So glad you asked!

Eph 1:7 In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.

Jesus' blood speaks redemption for mankind. Jesus' blood speaks to the forgiveness of sins. Jesus' blood shows the great riches that God bestows upon those who will come under this covenant of grace and truth. God gives to us by His divine influence which was made possible by the blood of Jesus speaking.

May I remind you again of a key passage to understanding all of the Word of God?

John 1:16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ came full of grace (divine influence upon the heart) and truth (revelation about God). All that you have received or will ever receive from God has been directly from that divine influence that Jesus is and has brought to those who will believe in Him.

Jesus' blood still speaks in intercession for every believer!

Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

The blood of Jesus has brought us access to God. Yes the blood of Jesus brings us near to God. How close to God does His blood bring us? It has gained us access into the very throne room of God!

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Yes we have been granted access not when we have performed great or when we have read enough Word, or perhaps prayed through enough. Because of the blood of Jesus, we can come into the throne room of God in our very hour of need. At the point you need mercy and grace you have been given a heavenly invitation to approach God boldly; know you will find the mercy and grace you need at that very moment. Thank God we still have an intercessor, Jesus our Redeemer.

John 17:21 "that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 "I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

How awesome is Jesus' prayer! His prayer is almost too good to be true; however it is truth! That we may be one. That is God wants you to be one with Him; however this prayer is not just at reconciliation between you and God. It is a prayer for oneness of the body of Christ, it is pointing to the body of Christ (the church) would be one. There is only one body of Christ. We are one! If the eye should say because I am not the ear, I am therefore not of the body it does not make it true!

1 Corinthians 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you." 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

Through Jesus' prayer we find the will of the Father. God’s desire is that there be no schism in the body. God calls us to love His church. One body accepting and loving one another. I love Jesus and I love His church, of which I am a part! Jesus is not coming back for His church based on all the schisms. Our man made divisiveness is not acceptable before the Lord. One Lord, one faith, and one baptism. One qualification makes you my brother or sister in Christ; have you accepted Jesus as Messiah to the degree of complete surrender. No surrender no salvation; know surrender know salvation. Life is found exclusively in Jesus Christ and there is no other source.

John 17:24 "Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

I love this part of Jesus’ prayer! Jesus has a desire for us to be with Him. In fact we call it our blessed hope!

John 14:1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Hebrews 9:28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

The grace message includes our living for God and looking for the great day when Jesus our Lord returns. He is coming back! Praise the Lord, He is coming back and we can eagerly wait for Him!

John17:25 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. 26 "And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

The end of Jesus' prayer is so awesome! Jesus' desire was for the love which the Father loved him would be in the believer!!

Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.

1 John 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1 John 3:1 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. 2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.

Jesus prayed that the love of the Father would be in us! The Father honored that prayer to such a degree that grace says how love is defined! Not that you love God, but God loves us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins! We must first come to the great revelation of God’s love for us before we can truly love one another. His love and His grace is the empowerment for us to love!

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.

1 John 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Perfected in love is not the quality of my love toward God; perfected love is growing in the knowledge of the love the Father has toward us. His love is in us! We have known and believed the love that God has for us. This is the perfected love that casts out fear. This is the perfected love that causes boldness on the day of judgment; because as Jesus Christ was so are we in this world! Loved by the Father is your condition. Praise the Lord for the prayer of Jesus being answered!

Part 4 - Getting to the message of the cross is truly the message!

2010-1-3 Sermon Notes Jesus Prayer part 4

Sermon Notes

1-3-2010 Jesus Prayer part 4

John 17 is filled with the prayer that Jesus prayed! It is filled with much revelation about Jesus and the will of God the Father! The heartbeat of God is expressed!

John 17:16 "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

When one comes into covenant with God they are no longer their own. No longer of this world!

Colossians 1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 13 He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

There has been a transfer out of the darkness into the kingdom of Jesus Christ! Some claim salvation but have never left the darkness and come into the light. If there has been no supernatural transformation there has been no salvation! To know if one is saved or not is not difficult, just allow oneself to be held up to the light of the Word of God. I would that every believer would examine himself to see if he is in the faith!

1 John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

Hebrews 11:10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. 11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude; innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.

Do you confess that you are a stranger and pilgrim here on earth? Are you still seeking a homeland? I believe in Bible homeland security! Are you looking for the city whose builder and maker is God! If your relationship with God is to get all you can here on earth, and causes you to seek for earthly things perhaps you have never been born again! True Bible salvation has your hope built on the glorious return of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! If your hope is in the here and now the object of your faith has been misplaced! Jesus and His atoning work on Calvary is the only way to be made right with God. The object of your faith must be in Jesus the Messiah exclusively!

1 Corinthians 6:15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For "the two," He says, "shall become one flesh." 17 But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. 19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.

True salvation means you belong to God lock stock and barrel! Those who can continue in sin without the correction of God are not the children of God! The grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness.

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,

Believers do not belong to this world because they have been born of incorruptible seed!! Oh the great work of Christ to make you not belong to this world but make you a part of the kingdom of God . Without the Spirit we could not obey the truth.

John 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

The prayer of Jesus has been answered by the Father!

Hebrews 10:9 then He said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

The scriptures teach us a once for all sanctification! We belong to God and are set apart exclusively by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all! No more need for sacrifice for sanctification. Jesus offered Himself for this very cause! For by one offering… not 2 or 3 offerings! For by one offering once and for all! Did Jesus destroy the works of the devil once for all? YES, Jesus did not fail. Behold the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world! What a great God!

John 17:17 "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

It makes me go back to the beginning of our lessons in John 1:1. Notice it is all about Jesus!

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 "This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.'

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him."

The Father has truly answered Jesus prayer to sanctify us by the truth! Jesus is that truth! One of Jesus' last commands to His disciples was for them to preach repentance and remission of sins can be found exclusively in the name of Jesus! There is no other name where men can be saved!

John 17:18 "As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

Jesus sends us into the world to preach this great sanctification message. It is the truth of who Jesus Christ is and what He has done for us on the cross that needs preached. Jesus sanctified Himself so that we may be sanctified by the truth!

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

We have been reconciled; we are committed by God to the word of RECONCILIATION. Oh that the church would get committed to the word of reconciliation! God through Jesus does not impute trespasses; this is the word of reconciliation! This is the word of sanctification! Jesus who knew no sin knew sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God! Jesus accomplished the great work the Father sent Him for, imputed righteousness! You can’t earn it or work your way there in any fashion. Imputed by faith in Jesus redemptive work of the cross exclusively! Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin! This is the gospel of Christ. How powerful the church would be if we would commit to the word that God the Father committed us to!

John 17:19 "And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

Jesus was and is the Word. Jesus for Himself needed no sanctification! It was for our sake!

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 1:29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and righteousness and sanctification and redemption; 31 that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."

Christ Jesus became for us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification and redemption. The true believers have indeed been sanctified redeemed, made righteous, and have been given the mind of Christ! Let us boast in Jesus Christ the crucified one exclusively!

Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. 16 And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith."

1 Corinthians 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.