Bramhall, John W: What Think Ye Of Christ 05 ~ His Pre-Existance

Beloved, friends, in the precious name of the Lord Jesus, we greet you heartily, giving you a warm welcome to the blessed study of the precious Word of God. Most of all, in its importance, we are indeed grateful and honored by God to seek to present to you, to your heart and to your mind, for your comfort, for your encouragement, for your salvation if you are not saved. the greatest person in the universe revealed in the Word of God for all mankind to know. And that person, the Blessed and the Eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord himself. We thank God for the privilege of pointing you to a person. May I say humbly, and I say it lovingly, tis not the desire to point you to a preacher, tis not the desire to point you to a church. Tis not the desire to point you to an organization, but it is the humble but earnest desire to point you to fix your heart and your mind on the greatest person in the universe, Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. We're touching upon some of the revelations concerning him, and this week's message has been concerning his pre-existence. This is the pre-existence of the one. You have heard, you have read, you may have listened to many a sermon telling you of Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ of Calvary, the man of Galilee, the one who was upon the earth for thirty-some odd years a little more. But that same blessed one whose name was Jesus, we have been impressing our hearts and seeking to impress upon our listeners the greatness of his person in his pre-existence. Well, did John write in John chapter thirteen? And I believe it is in the third verse that he came from God and he went back to God. But we are emphasizing the one who came from God and the one who went back to God is none other than the pre-existent son of the living God himself. We have noticed some of the proofs of his pre-existence. directly stated and claimed in the word of God as he is being claimed very God, as well as he's being claimed not only by the names that are given to him and the direct references that prove him to be such as he is called, but even by indirect implication, he's the creator of the universe. And if he is the creator of the universe, then he has to be pre-existing in order to create it. And we have noticed some of the precious titles that belong to him. And also in our closing moments of yesterday, we find that he is expressly called in the Word of God, very God himself. And noted in closing of yesterday's message, the very name of Jesus and our Lord Jesus Christ is associated in the New Testament, both in the Gospels, also through the Book of the Acts, as well as in the Epistles. And even the book of the Revelation, there is the close association with him, with the Father as well as with the Holy Spirit. The persons of the Godhead, they are one in their blessed unity. But they are also separate in their entities, but very gone, and co-equal, and co-eternal in their persons. And we look at our Lord Jesus Christ and acknowledging himself. May I give you some added thoughts before we close our theme of the week on his pre-existence. There are some other proofs of his pre-existence and they are implied in relation to his attributes, meaning the qualities and the power that he possesses, the attributes belonging to his person. John chapter one and verse four. tells us he's the giver of life. He's the giver of life. My beloved, the life that you and I have, even in the body physically, we know it comes from him. But may I go even further? There is a blessed truth even greater. He's the giver of eternal life. I give unto my sheep eternal life, said the Lord Jesus. I think of his words in John three thirty-six. He that believeth on the Son hath life. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him. I think of his words in John three sixteen. You know them well. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have what? Eternal or everlasting life. Ah, but also we must be remembered. One other attribute that is very precious, that belongs to the divine God, and we often quote it, and you have it in first John chapter four, I think verse eight, we read God is love. But ah, here's the verse in first John three, sixteen. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son, the propitiation for our sins. Ah, beloved. How do I know God is love? I have to look at Christ. The very divine attribute of divine love is embodied in the very blessed person of the Lord Jesus. And you and I, by faith, if we will, can't say what Paul did. In Galatians two twenty, the Son of God loved me, and he gave himself for me. God commend us, His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. My beloved, may I say, all the divine essence of love is indeed embodied in the person and in the great heart of the eternal Son of God. But then may I also be reminded of another attribute belonging to Him. You've heard the statement, God is holy, as not God said, be ye holy, for I am holy. In Hebrews chapter seven and verse twenty-six, we read of holiness being indwell in the person of the Son of God, even in the days of his flesh, holy and harmless and undefiled and separate from sinners. Hebrews seven twenty-six. And may I go even further, and it touches upon some things we've already mentioned, but it confirms the fact Colossians one seventeen, his eternality. is declared his eternality before all things he existed Hebrews one eleven speaks of that same eternality of the Savior and again thank God the omnipresence of his person is also manifested in that one in his Matthew twenty eight verse eighteen when he sent his disciples into the world to preach the gospel did he not say lo I am with you always What joy and what comfort the child of God can receive to know the Lord Jesus is with us the Son of God is omnipresent by the Spirit with us always. Well, can we say in the words of Hebrews chapter thirteen and verse eight, Jesus Christ, now note the words, the same yesterday, today, forever. Please let me bring before you the thought. Jesus Christ, the same, the unchanging one, yesterday in eternity past. He was. Today, in time present. He is. And then in the future, forever. May I suggest the eternity past, all the time of present. life from the beginning of time to the end of time. He's the same. And then you look into the eternity to come. He'll be forever. He came out of eternity. He came into time. He went back into eternity. And he's an eternal person forevermore. May I remind you, when he went back into the glory and what he will be throughout all eternity. He'll have that human body that He took to be our Savior. Oh, beloved Lord, I'd like to come in our closing moments and bring before you two scriptures regarding this blessed one who is the pre-existent Son of God. He should be worshipped because He is God. Let me read the words of John chapter twenty. The occasion went Thomas. the doubting apostle, the doubting disciple, who was not with the apostles on the first resurrection day when Jesus appeared in their midst. But eight days later he was present. And once again the Lord Jesus came and challenged Thomas to reach hither thy finger. Behold my hands, reach hither thy hands and thrust it into my side. Be not faithless but believing. and as Thomas looked upon the one he had walked with for so many months and years, whom he had doubted regarding his resurrection, and as if he held that blessed one with the wounds in his hands, in his feet, and in his side, what could he say but did say in worship, My Lord, my God. My friend, what think he of Christ? Do you acknowledge Him not only as Lord, but God? Then may I go to another scripture before closing, where in the book of the Hebrews, chapter one, the Spirit of God has written some words. I read from verse six and go down through verse eight, and even through verse nine. Again, when He bringeth the Son into the world again, He will say, Let all the angels of God worship Him. and of the angels he saith, who maketh his strangers, spirits, and his ministers, a flame of fire. But I want you to note carefully, verses eight and nine. But unto the Son, God saith, thy throne, O God, will you know something? God the Father addresses his Son, and he calls him, O God! Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. A sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity. Therefore, now please note, quoted from Psalm forty, and here in chapter one of the Hebrews, you'll find it nowhere else in the Bible. Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows or companions. if the person and one person of the Godhead addressing the other person and calling him God. Please, may I re-emphasize, will you acknowledge that the one who came from heaven to save your soul and mine was the pre-existent God? Come in the flesh. Oh, my beloved, All I can say is what you have in the fortieth Psalm. He is thy God. Worship thou him. God help you and me to do it. And God grant that you and I will recognize, acknowledge, if we know him as our Savior, he is very God and a pre-existing Son of God from all eternity. And if he's not your Savior, friend, please take him today. Oh, Father, hallelujah, what a great Savior. May someone embrace him today in their heart. In Jesus' name we ask. Amen.