Jesus Fulfills All Righteousness

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me

while on the cross? But there you see those two fulfillments capture so much. Jesus came to save his people from their sins. And Matthew 27 shows us he died on the cross fulfilling that that salvation is complete because he died for sinners. What other fulfillment is important? Matthew 5, 17.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have not come to abolish them, but to fulfill them. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth have passed away, not an iota, not a dot will pass from the law until it is all accomplished.

Jesus did not come to relax righteousness. He came to fulfill it. He did not come to say the law, don't worry about it anymore, take it easy, don't worry. He didn't come trying to repeat that lie of Satan, surely you won't die. No righteousness is who God is and what he expects and what he designed us for. The problem is we are all sinners. Jesus came to die to perfectly and completely satisfy the wrath of God. He came to teach the righteous of God in a new and more clear way. Jesus has come to fulfill. He came to obey all of God's expectations and righteousness that we have refused. And this is why God's voice says, with whom I am well pleased. Christ's mission is to save sinners. The problem with the mission is sin. The problem with the mission is how will God save sinners from their sin and still be righteous? How will he fulfill the promise to reverse the curse? How will he undo the evil of this world? How will he truly be the righteous and just God over sin? We're getting into the problem of evil. And most of us, when we think about the problem of evil, we always want to ask the origin of that problem. We ask a source question. If God is good and everything he creates good, wise, or evil, that's a good question. I believe scripture gives us some clues and cues and boundaries to think about what that looks like because God is good and everything he has created is good. He is not evil and cannot be tempted by evil. But I think there's another problem of evil question. There's the source problem. There's also the solution problem. The solution problem is a much more significant problem because we're all fully aware there's evil. That's why we ask the source question. But what's the solution? Well, I believe we see it right here. God himself has come to be with us to solve our sin problem. The father has sent the son to be the solution that we have not been and could not be for our sin problem and the evil problem. See, Jesus, the righteous one, he's being baptized in a baptism of repentance for all those who would repent. Jesus comes already here at the beginning of his ministry to identify with sinners by being baptized in the same baptism they're receiving as they're confessing sins because he's going to die on the cross as their substitute on the cross. His mission, his public ministry begins with being identified with sinners and his earthly ministry on the cross ends with him identifying with sinners. The baptism pointing to how he will perfectly be the substitute to take our sin upon himself. You see, this is how the problem of evil is solved. God is still just. He punishes every sin. He does not ever overlook any sin that is never punished. Here, God is just because he punishes every sin, but he's also the justifier because the son who was righteous suffered for all who believe in him, were declared righteous only in Christ. It's one of the Psalm 103 declares our sins are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. That's how far God takes our sin away from us so we don't have to be punished for it. But it has to go somewhere. This is where John the Baptist's words in the Gospel of John are helpful.

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world

because he took it upon himself. We rejoice in Jesus fulfilling all righteousness because he, the righteous one, has come to identify with us in our sin to die for us. We must believe in him. That is the grand invitation of all the scripture, of all the gospel. Jesus says, I will take your sin and I will give you my righteousness. I will take your guilt and your punishment and I will give you eternal life and joy with the Father. If you're not a believer this morning, a simple, clear invitation, recognize you're a sinner and believe in Jesus. Look to him who alone can save you from your sin. Look to him who alone you can confess to and hear the words, I forgive you. If you go before a judge and declare you're breaking the law, you're going to be declared guilty and punished. But Jesus is the Savior who, if you confess your sin to him, he says, I will pay the penalty and free you. Look to Jesus, who died for your sin and rose again, and alone can forgive you. Believer, rejoice. What an opportunity with this passage here, with baptism happening, that we can rejoice that Christ has come to pay the penalty for our sins. We can rejoice that we, now being united with him, have perfect forgiveness, not just of past sins, but the sins you'll commit today and every day moving forward. We know with great assurance our sin has been paid in full. Baptism is a wonderful reminder of that, that we've been washed. Baptism is a wonderful reminder to know that we have died with Christ and we've risen again with him. And now we can consider ourselves dead to sin and alive in Christ and commit ourselves to the new way of living. The next replication is I want to clarify a theology of baptism. Christ is coming to fulfill all righteousness. He's coming to be baptized. I want to meditate here as Credo Baptist, that is we are a believer's baptism church. Baptism is the ordinance of the new covenant. It's the way you enter into the public life of the church. Circumcision has been fulfilled, and that was fulfilled by Christ's coming. Circumcision was telling us a baby would be born who would be the savior of the world. Jesus being that baby who fulfills circumcision now gives us baptism. It's a new sign of an entrance, and baptism is tied with the union with Christ. Baptism is a significant sign for those who are united with Christ, and we're only united with Christ by faith. So this morning, I want to make a loving, kind appeal to some of our Pedo-Baptist friends who might be among us, fellow believers. I want to do so in a way that I want to appeal to you on your turf somewhat. I want us to consider some words from John Calvin on baptism. John Calvin says in the Institutes, chapter 15 of book four,

baptism is the initiatory sign by which we are admitted to the fellowship of the church, that being engrafted into Christ, we may be accounted children of God. Moreover, the end for which God has given it is, first, that it may encourage our faith in him. And secondly, that it may serve the purpose of a confession among men.

Now, Baptist said yes and amen. Baptism is given to us to encourage our faith. Baptism is given to us as a way of professing faith to the world. He then lists three ways in which baptism contributes to our faith, strengthens it, encourages it, benefits it. There's three benefits. First, it's appointed to the Lord as a sign and evidence of our purification. When we receive baptism, the water doesn't wash you. The water is a testimony of the washing Christ has done by the power of the Holy Spirit, that you have been sealed as an instrument of assurance, having all sins deleted and covered. The second benefit is that we're reminded that we can now put sin to death and live anew by His Holy Spirit. The third advantage is that faith assures us that we have received all the blessings. And again, to all of those, Baptists say amen. My appeal to you, if you're someone who is a paid-a-Baptist, I don't really care to win or lose arguments, I'm too old, I've won enough, lost enough, not an appeal. I'm a pastor who wants to make sure everyone comes to Jesus and everyone who is a believer in Jesus has all the benefits and privileges and knows how to enjoy them. I appeal to you, What Calvin's saying here is for believers who are baptized. My appeal is to wrestle with have I enjoyed all these benefits and privileges by receiving baptism the way he's describing here because he's describing baptism for believers. My desire for you is that you would have your faith strengthened and encouraged in the way Calvin is referring to here as you would receive it by faith in Christ. It is faith that makes these ordinances meaningful and powerful. My second appeal in terms of a theology of baptism is for the children and parents of Jefferson Park Baptist Church. It is our practice that we do not baptize young children. Our desire in practice is to baptize children in the late teen years. We believe this is a helpful practice for two main reasons. If a child professes faith, we want to give that child an opportunity to grow and have assurance and understand fully of what they believe and make sure it's their belief. We should not be baptizing somebody who could also be convinced there's a tooth fairy. We want to make sure that they're coming to hear the word, they're coming to believe it, and it's their faith. It's their conviction with great clarity. They've believed and they've become more assured and they've shown that it is a faith they are persevering in on their own. The second one is I want them to enjoy all those benefits Calvin just referred to. To make it as meaningful as possible. To give them the time to grow and recognize what the beauty is of confessing sin and knowing what forgiveness looks like and understanding the adoption language and the sanctification language and the reconciliation language. I want them to be able to enjoy more fully what all the benefits of baptism are. As a shorthand way of making clear while we wait, we want to make sure faith is certain and we want to make sure they enjoy it. But if you're a child or a teenager, please listen. Please look up and listen. Please give me your eyes and your ears, your heart and your mind. This burdens me. Do not believe that us delaying baptism should in any way make you think you should delay believing in Jesus. It burdens me that that might be confused. We are waiting so that you would enjoy it and we long to celebrate that with you. But do not delay believing in Jesus because we've simply said we want to delay baptism. Believe in him today. If you hear his voice, believe in Jesus today. The second truth we see of Jesus is he is the Son of God. Verse 16.

And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him. And he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him. And behold, a voice from heaven said, this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.

John has consented, Jesus has gone, his baptism is simply recorded, Jesus was baptized, and immediately, as he comes over the water, behold, Matthew was telling us to look at this, something significant is happening. The heavens were opened up. We see here one of the most remarkable events in all of history. There's a major scenes of God throughout scripture. You've got Sinai, you've got baptism of when the heavens are opened up, you've got, you've got the transfiguration here, the beginning of his ministry, the heavens open up. And the spirit descends like a dove. The spirit that we heard read of in Isaiah 42 earlier, and we could go in numerous passages without the Messiah is anointed by Holy Spirit for his ministry. So, so we see that third person in Trinity, but. even more significant. As the spirit descends on him like a dove and rests upon him, behold again a voice from heaven. As the heavens are opening up, the voice from heaven says, this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. The father is testifying from heaven of who Jesus is And the most true identity, the son of God, his son. Folks, this is the first public revelation of the Trinity. This is the first time we see in great fullness and clarity, all three persons together that are the one true God. It's not brand new. The, the son and father relationship is alluded to throughout scripture. We've seen the Holy spirit of scripture, but now we see it all come together as these three are all working together in this baptism. The Spirit is seen throughout the Old Testament as more than an angel, but the power of God descending to empower people. We now see the promise Messiah has the Holy Spirit. We see now there is God, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. Significant here with this revelation how we baptize new believers in the one name, Father, Son, and Spirit. If you're a skeptic, you're calculating and it doesn't add up. One plus one plus one equals one God. Father plus son plus spirit is still one God. We confess this because we received it by revelation. And if God is ever something you fully have understood and wrapped your head around, repent quickly. What he says is true. We can never know him fully, but we can know him truly. What he has given us is that he is one God with these three relationships within the Godhead that are distinct and real and clear. We know him truly. We never know him fully. We see here something also about the one God. The three are always operating inseparably. The three, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are all participating in our salvation. as Jesus has come to do the will of his Father by the Spirit. There's no division in God. There's great assurance of all he's accomplished for us. This is the beginning of Jesus' ministry. He's coming to be the new Adam. He's coming to be a new beginning. He's coming to be the Son of God who will give us all we need in salvation. And now I just want us to meditate here on this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased. Those two statements together. That is a great memory verse. I usually challenge you to remember verses that are God speaking to you or an imperative of something to do, but here, this is so central because we need to know who Jesus is. This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased. Two things, the beloved son pleasing to God. This is my beloved son. This is the eternal identity of God. that's been revealed with great clarity. God has always been eternally father, eternally son. These two, father and son, have always existed within the Godhead as the one God. And if we just think about what these words reveal, they're mutually dependent upon one another. There is no son without a father. There's no father without a son. These names are dependent upon one another within themselves. And what goes so far is the pattern we have in scripture With our families, fathers and children and parents and children, we're designed to reflect this reality so that we would know it more clearly. The father declares Jesus to be his son. Do you remember what happens to Jesus when he says, God is my father? They want to stone him because they understand what it means. It's a declaration of equality and identity. The Father here, though, was declaring, this is my Son. He's just like me, fully God, truly God. God the Father has made this testimony. He has provided the clarity that forever there has been Father and there has been Son, and now we know who God is more clearly. Yahweh is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But here, this beloved Son, he's coming to be hated by the people he came to save. And the beloved son has come to sit so that we might experience that hate so that we might experience the love of God. So the first thing we see is a declaration of who Jesus truly is as a son. That's a lesson on the Trinity. But then we have with whom I am well pleased. Now at some level this is actually referring back to him being the son because a son does what his father tells him. A son reflects the father, but by nature, that's what's supposed to happen. A theology of true sonship is the son is supposed to be like his father. Here, the son incarnate, though, I believe is in view because the word became flesh and Jesus had been living 30 years as a most perfect, obedient human being. That's why he's able to fill a righteousness. Jesus is the true son of God, an eternal position that's unique, and he has come to please God, and the father has declared him his son and declared that he has pleased him. These two declarations are important for us because the doctrine of adoption depends upon these names. The father adopts us in his son by his spirit. The father doesn't give us some generic adoption, some generic familiar relationship. No, we're actually sharing within the loving relationship the son has always had with the father. Romans 8.14 goes so far as to say we are fellow heirs with Christ. We are brought into the family of God like a son who belongs there and knows the love of God. And the Holy Spirit applies this adoption. We're part of the family of God. The son coming to be like us to take away our sins is also the one who's going to give us his sonship so that we can come into the very presence of God and know him as our loving father. This is a unique privilege in the new covenant. You get to call God father. That's a new covenant privilege. That's something Jesus taught because that's a new privilege of being adopted in his sonship. The spirit of God testifies that we're children of God according to Romans 8. The spirit of Christ allows us to call God Father and testifies to our own spirit that we're children of God. Christian, this declaration, this is my beloved son with whom I'm well pleased, all that is the basis for why we can be forgiven. and not just forgiven, but brought back to the very family of God. But if we are adopted, we have this new relationship with God. The benefit and the privilege is we know we have a place at the table. The benefit and the privilege is we know we're beloved, we know we're forgiven, but when you know the Father, you want to start living in a way that would please Him, just like Jesus. When you know the Father, Through the son, you want to start knowing what it means to be his adopted son. You want to start knowing what it means to pick up the customs of his household and his order and his goodness. And you want to start reflecting his new world and his new family. I had to consider where we've gone in chapter three. We once needed washing and repentance because we're filthy in sin. I mean, by God's grace, the son came to die for us as a perfectly righteous one so that we can be forgiven. We once were distant from God, but now his son has come, not just to bring us back to God in the garden like Adam, but to bring us back to be sons at the table in a loving relationship, in a new direction that seeks to please God. It's important to remember that this is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased because in the midst of temptation, you can remember, no, I've been purchased by the blood of God's beloved son. I'm free from that sin and that temptation. I now want to walk in a way that pleases my father. When you're paralyzed with guilt, no, Christ died to fulfill a righteousness. I am forgiven. This is a important and necessary theological truth we must rejoice in. As we reflect back on baptism, we've been baptized in Christ, therefore we have received forgiveness, new life, adoption, a new love. And now, after we sing a song of response, we turn to the Lord's Supper. That ongoing reminder of the great salvation we have in Christ and only in Christ. That his body was broken for us, his blood poured out so that our sin, debt, our penalty would be paid in full and we can come to the table of God with rejoicing knowing he loves us in Christ and only in Christ. Will you pray with me? Father, we thank you that you did not leave us alone in our sin, but you made promises that were costly. You sent your son to pay our penalty. Jesus, we thank you that you laid down your life for us. Father, we pray we would know more fully who you are recreating us to be in Christ. to remove us from the shame and guilt that plagues us in knowing you and rejoicing more fully in all you've done for us. May we know the beauty and the benefit of Christ sharing his inheritance to be sons, to be able to come into your presence boldly drawing near to know you and your love. May we rejoice that Christ is present even mysteriously in baptism and in the Lord's Supper. May the Holy Spirit convict us and encourage us and renew us as we partake of this ordinance together. Maintaining the unity of the Spirit, rejoicing that we are united as those who know Christ and are seeking to walk together in Him. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Let us stand together and sing, Jesus, my Redeemer. There is a Redeemer, Jesus, God's own Son. ♪ Precious Lamb of God, Messiah ♪ ♪ Holy One ♪ ♪ Jesus, my Redeemer ♪ ♪ Name above all names ♪ ♪ Precious Lamb of God, Messiah ♪ ♪ Hosanna ♪ Thank you, O my Father, for giving us your Son, and leading your Spirit to the work on earth this time. May I stand in glory, ♪ I will see His face ♪ ♪ And there I'll serve my King forever ♪ ♪ In that holy place ♪ ♪ Thank you, O my Father ♪ ♪ For giving us Your Son ♪ ♪ And giving Your Spirit ♪ Amen. Please remain standing as we will confess our The triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, together in the Apostles' Creed, as printed on page 13 of your handout. Let's confess together.

I believe in God the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day, he rose again. He ascended into heaven. He is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.

Please be seated. We've come to rejoice in the second ordinance of Christ given to us to remember him regularly. And again, we believe in the presence of Christ and that he blesses our faith in him. And as we consider this table, it's a continuation of what we receive in baptism. We're invited into the presence of God. We're invited into the family of God. We're invited into the forgiveness of God. As we consider what the table is, it's a declaration to one another that we receive that Christ's body was broken for us. His blood was shed for us. So that we can come to him and know the forgiveness of sins that he's provided for us. We take this as a reminder that we're invited into the very presence of God to be part of the family as adopted children. If you're with us and you're a guest and you're a member of an evangelical church that preaches the same gospel, we encourage you to take this with us. We believe this is for all believers at all times. We encourage you to proclaim the unity of Christ's work, that we are all saved by the same truth and the same savior. I just want to ask us all to consider the ways in which we need to repent. Paul tells us that we need to examine ourselves beforehand so that we're not eating or drinking in an unworthy manner. So as we prepare, consider privately, quietly ways in which you've not come near to Christ because of sin. Sins that you need to confess to someone next to you, sins that you need to confess to God, sins that you need to confess after the service. Consider ways in which we've profaned that name that's been placed upon us before we come and rejoice in that name that has saved us. Let's pray. Father, we come before you because you are the merciful God who has invited us to confess our sins, to know more fully the forgiveness that you've provided for us and your son. Father, we come and we confess, we've boasted, we believe somehow we are worthy more of your salvation because of something we've done or who we are. We failed to see that we are fully and completely dependent upon your grace, even for our faith and for any good work we've been able to promote within us or for others. Lord, we come and confess we know we have not been obedient in ways we should. We have overcomplicated what we claim to be discipleship with our busyness, with our multiple qualifiers for why we are not as faithful as we know we ought to be. But we come before you and confess you are the great God of mercy. We come before you in the name of your son, We thank you that he is our salvation. We thank you that he has provided that once for all sacrifice that takes away all guilt. May we learn how to walk anew, free from guilt, free from shame, free to live the new life purchased for us by the precious blood of your son, Jesus Christ. In his name we pray, amen.