Aiming to Please Jesus

[00:00:01] Our Heavenly Father, we thank you that in the light of your presence through Jesus Christ and the work of your Spirit in us, not only are our sins revealed, but also our salvation. [00:00:14] You reveal to us our need, but also the answer to our need. You give to us life in Christ, and you give it to us abundantly now and in the life to come. [00:00:29] Lord, we ask that as we reflect on these things and as we hear them from your word, that you would make it our aim to please Jesus, to serve him, to be his disciples, and to make disciples to ourselves. Obey all that you have commanded and to teach others to do the same. Help us to be your followers, your servants, your children who love to please you. We ask that you would bless us in these things. Now as we come to the reading and preaching of your Word, we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. [00:01:07] Please remain standing and let's turn to two Corinthians chapter five. [00:01:21] As we continue hearing from Paul's letter here to the Church in Corinth. We're reading now two Corinthians five, six through ten. [00:01:39] Let's hear God's word. [00:01:42] So we are always of good courage. [00:01:46] We know that while we are at home in the body, we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. [00:02:00] So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each 1 may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. May God bless his word to us. Please be seated. [00:02:36] Paul continues his Paul continues his discussion and thinking about the life and suffering that he's experiencing and that we all experience, particularly as those who are at times persecuted and suffer for our Savior, who face trials and difficulties when we proclaim the name of Jesus. [00:03:04] And what we see here in this paragraph, as with previous sections and we'll see in sections to come, is that Paul is a man who is encouraged and bold and ready to serve. He says in verse six, we are of good courage. In verse eight, again, yes, we are of good courage. This is a man who, despite having all kinds of trials and very difficult ones, too, that we've thought about before, he's not giving up. [00:03:33] His comments here come in the context of a certain thinking about his own body. [00:03:42] He suffers in his body by being beaten, being on the run, being in chains. [00:03:49] He recognizes, as we all recognize from time to time, that we would rather be with the Lord and away from the body. At home with the Lord and away from the body. [00:04:01] There's this context in which Paul is speaking, and he says his proof of this is that we walk by faith and not by sight. In other words, we don't see the Lord right now. One John three two tells us that one day we will see him as he is. We are away from the Lord Jesus. In a sense, he left us, but did not leave us entirely, for he gives us his spirit. But there's a sense in which there's still something more to come, isn't there? We long to see our Savior, to see him. But right now Paul says, we walk by faith and not by sight. We follow him, we trust him even though we don't see him. And we do that in the body. [00:04:43] Now, he'd rather be away from the body and with the Lord. But in either case, he says, whether we are with the Lord or we are in our current bodies in this time, our aim is to please him as we look forward to the judgment Day. [00:04:59] This is his main point in this paragraph. This is in verse nine. Whether we are at home or away in the body, we make it our aim to please him, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. [00:05:15] There's lots to think about here in a passage like this. [00:05:20] I think today will be primarily application for the mind good instruction in Christian doctrine, and I hope that that is useful to you. The first thing I want to say is that from this we can see that it is possible to please God for those who are righteous, for those who are his children. [00:05:42] It is possible to please God. That is our aim, and it is possible. [00:05:48] In Ephesians 210, the Scriptures say that we are his. THat is God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Now, there's a lot there in that verse. I'll read it one more time and then take it apart a little bit. Ephesians 210, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [00:06:17] So one thing we see in that last clause of that verse is that we are called to walk in them. We are called to obey and to do good works. To walk in them describes a kind of way of life, not just a one off here and there, but a way of living that we could call good. [00:06:37] The basis for this is that we are his workmanship, God's workmanship. [00:06:43] When an inventor let's say, creates a certain device. [00:06:48] He or she creates it to do a certain thing, right? A car, a lamp, whatever. Well, we, as God's workmanship, are created for something, for good works. That's how he made us to be, especially as those who are redeemed in Christ. Because here he talks not just about us being made in the image of God, as those who are called to obedience, as all mankind is, but here he's addressing Christians in particular. [00:07:19] We are created in Christ Jesus. [00:07:26] Not only are we God's workmanship, and God doesn't fail, does he? Not only are we God's workmanship, but it says that these good works God created, or, sorry, prepared beforehand. So even before we were created in Christ, God prepared these for us to walk in. So it's not an accident. It's not something we stumble into. It's not something we create out of ourselves. It's something God is working in us, something God is doing in us. And that is the way in which we walk in them. [00:08:03] So, of course, it's possible and good to aim, to please God. [00:08:09] Hebrews 1321 says something similar. [00:08:13] May God equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us, that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus, to whom be the glory forever and ever. [00:08:27] You hear this prayer, this blessing. [00:08:30] Notice again, it is God who is working in us. He is what? EqUipping us, giving us the necessary things we need to do what he has called us to do. What does he equip us with? According to Hebrews 1321, everything good that you may do his will. [00:08:50] He works into us. He works in us that which is pleasing in his sight. How? Through Jesus, to whom be the glory forever and ever. So are Christians capable of good works? Yes. Where does it come from? From God, through Jesus, as those who are created in him prepared for these good works, and ultimately, as those are produced, it is what for his glory forever and ever. And of course it's for his glory, because we were created in him. He equipped us for them, he's producing them in us. And so it is to his honor and power and glory. [00:09:35] Hebrews eleven six says that without faith, it is impossible to please him. [00:09:43] For whoever would draw near God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. [00:09:51] So here we learn that doing good works, or what we might recognize as good in some sense or another, there is no good work, no matter how wonderful it is, if it's done apart from faith. [00:10:06] So as we think about what it means to please God that it is possible and that he calls us to do it and that he's working that in us, it's good for us to ask, well, what does it take to please God? [00:10:20] I have a rhyme for you. A rhyme that is based on the Scripture and on our secondary standards that define a good work. Okay, are you ready for it? Here's your rhyme. A work that is good, flows from faith in the Gospel, agrees with what is lawful and is done for the glory of God. [00:10:41] So there's three things there. A work that is good, flows from faith in the Gospel, agrees with what's lawful and is done for the glory of God. [00:10:51] That's how the Scripture defines a good work. A good work has to be done for the glory of God. If it's done for ourselves, it's idolatry. If it's done simply for us to build ourselves, our fame, our riches, our power, then it's not to the glory of God. And it's done in competition with him, which is you'll always lose rather than in service to him. [00:11:16] In order to do it to the glory of God, it means that a good work needs to be done in obedience to God. That's the agrees with what's lawful part right. We can't make up what is good. We don't just decide, well, I think this is good, or I think that is good. It has to agree with actually with what is good. [00:11:35] But finally, as Hebrews eleven reminds us, it must flow from faith in the Gospel, from faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. [00:11:44] What does that mean? It means that if we are trusting in our works and in the power of our works, if we are trusting in those things rather than him, it's not good to put it in a negative way. If we are rejecting the Lord Jesus, his power, his strength, his forgiveness, his mercy, the works that he prepared for us to walk beforehand, if we reject all of that and then go try and do something, quote unquote good, that's not good. It's not good to give the middle finger to God and then say, well, now I'm going to go do this good thing. That's not good. [00:12:24] Good is seeing our works for what they are, often evil, often bad, and even at their best, lacking faith in the Gospel means looking to Jesus Christ first for forgiveness for our sins and to equip us and do the things that he promises to do in our sanctification. [00:12:46] That's what it means to please God. And it is possible, as the Scriptures say, when we put our faith in Jesus Christ. And we do what God calls us to do, and we do it for his glory. It'll never be perfect, but it does please God as the works of his children please him and bring him pleasure. [00:13:11] Well, that brings us then back to two Corinthians, where Paul says, we make it our aim to please him. Even though we're away from the Lord, we're here in the body, or whether home or away, we aim to please him. And then he gives this reason, many reasons, to please God. Many, many given in Scripture. Here's another one. [00:13:31] One of the reasons we please God is because we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each 1 may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. [00:13:46] The Scriptures tell us in a number of places that when Jesus returns, there will be a day of judgment. [00:13:53] This will coincide with the day of resurrection, when those who are still alive as well as those who have died will come before the judgment seat of God. This includes everyone. [00:14:06] Let me read a verse from Daniel, chapter Twelve, which speaks to this in the Old Testament. [00:14:13] So this is Daniel Twelve, the second half of verse one. And then also verse two. [00:14:23] Um. So, Daniel Twelve, verse one. And there shall be a time of trouble such has never been seen since there was a nation till that time. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book, and many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake. Some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. [00:14:52] A resurrection of the just and the unjust. A resurrection of some to shame and everlasting shame and contempt and wrath, and some to everlasting glory and life. [00:15:07] What will be the basis for that resurrection? How is it decided who is resurrected to which end? Well, those whose names are written in the Book of Life, the Scriptures tell us, will be resurrected unto glory and unto life if we turn. I would encourage you to do this with me. We turn to Matthew, chapter 25. Jesus speaks about the final judgment, and here we learn several very important things. [00:15:39] Matthew, chapter 25, beginning at verse 31. [00:15:57] As we read this passage, we will see a judgment based which takes account of works. [00:16:06] But I also want you to see the sheep, those who are righteous, exactly how it is that they come to inherit the kingdom of God. We'll think about this together. [00:16:19] Matthew 25, verse 31. When the Son of man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people, one from another, as a shepherd, separate, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [00:16:42] Then the king will say to those on his right, come, you who are blessed by my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. So that's key. Remember that. [00:16:55] Now he goes on and says, for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me. Then the righteous will answer him and saying, lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the king will answer them, truly, I say to you, as you did it to the least of these my brothers, you did it for me. Then he will say to those on the left, depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink. I was a stranger and you did not welcome me naked, and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also will answer the Lord, saying, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you? Then he will answer them, saying, truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to the least of one of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. [00:18:13] So what do we see in this passage? [00:18:16] One of the things we see is that for the righteous, the kingdom of God in verse 34 was prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [00:18:25] It's not based on their works. [00:18:29] It's not based on their works. [00:18:32] The punishment of those who go in to the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels is definitely based on their works. [00:18:43] They did not fulfill and obey the law. They did not do what was required. [00:18:49] Now we do see that the righteous do good things, don't we? They clothe, they feed, they Minister to their brothers who are in need. The persecution of the saints is likely. What is in mind here, as our brothers and sisters are in trouble and facing difficulty for the name of Christ, do we minister to them? Do we protect them? Do we help them as we do so. Jesus says we are serving him. [00:19:18] We see an interesting way of thinking between these two groups. Notice the first group. The first group have done good things, but they seem to be unaware of it. [00:19:35] They say, when did we do this? And he tells them, here and here and here and here. [00:19:42] These are not the basis for their receiving eternal life. What is the basis? They will inherit the kingdom that was prepared from the foundation of the world. Nevertheless, because of what Christ has done in them, because of the saving work that he has done in them, they are producing good fruit. And maybe sometimes the saints are discouraged. [00:20:04] Are you the saints of the Lord, sometimes discouraged and wonder, am I even doing anything to serve the Lord? Am I helping anywhere? Am I serving anywhere? Sometimes we're discouraged by the persecution as well. In Revelation 610, we read about those who have been martyred, crying out to the Lord, saying, how long, O Lord? How long will people come and persecute your saints, persecute your church without? And how long will this go on? What the Lord is promising in the coming day of judgment is that all will be made right. [00:20:41] Those who are righteous, those who have been cleansed by the blood of the Christ, the Lord, our Lord Jesus, they will be resurrected to life, and he will see the work that they have done. He will see the work that you have done, and he will not justify us on the basis of those works, but he will reward those works, and he'll say, well done, good and faithful servant here receive a crown of life. Works that he himself has produced in us, works that he has caused to raise up the Lord. We might say blesses in our glorification, not only our justification, but also our sanctification. [00:21:23] He crowns and rewards and blesses and shows his pleasure. [00:21:29] God aims. [00:21:31] God. Excuse me. God by his grace tells us to be pleasing to him, and by his kindness we are pleasing to him. And then he shows us that he's pleased. [00:21:43] That's what the coming judgment is for for believers, and that's why we can look forward to it. We will see the pleasure of our Father, because our hope is not in our works. Our hope is not in all the things, the good things that we have done for our justification, but the works that we have produced flowing from our justification, the works that God has worked in us, the works that God has prepared before him, all to the glory of his name. For we are his workmanship. [00:22:16] Those will be rewarded. [00:22:20] And so we aim to please God. As Paul says. [00:22:24] Notice the contrast of this, the mind of the saints, the psychology of the saints who did do these good things, though imperfect, of course, do these good things in the name of the Lord, and yet don't rely on them for their salvation. [00:22:41] Notice the contrast with those who don't do the things that they are called to do. [00:22:47] And then look at turn to Matthew seven, please. [00:22:51] Matthew seven, verse 21 through 23. [00:22:59] The goats, the unrighteous, they do depend on their works. [00:23:06] On the one hand, they don't do them, and then on the other hand, they boast in them. So verse 21 in Matthew seven we read, not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven on that day, many will say to me, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. [00:23:38] So let's be clear about this passage. [00:23:42] What this passage does not describe are the beloved children of God seeking to obey him, although imperfectly, it's not describing them. Those who put their faith in Jesus Christ and are cleansed of all their sins, those who have been forgiven and are called righteous and receive the righteousness of God, and out of that position of justification and adoption, then go forward and doing the good works that God has prepared before him. That's not who's described here. [00:24:16] So if that's you, if you belong to the Lord Jesus, if your faith is in him, if the works that are being produced in you and that you are walking in him are because of the strength that you receive from him in whom you live, then you have no fear of one day going before the Lord and saying, I thought I was serving you. [00:24:40] What this is describing are those who depend not on Christ, but on their works. [00:24:48] It's describing those who are, in fact, workers of lawlessness, those whom Christ never knew. [00:24:57] We who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ are those who have been known, called predestined, brought into eternal life. We who belong to Jesus Christ have already been transferred out of the dominion of darkness and into the kingdom of God's beloved son. As colossians says. [00:25:15] This is describing hypocrites, people who put on a show, who say they belong to Jesus, who do these things, but are in fact those who won't even clothe the hungry, those who won't give water to those who are thirsty, those who do put on a show of works and trust their works, but are really just workers of lawlessness. [00:25:42] These people that are described here in Matthew 21 are those who depend on their works. Notice what they say. [00:25:50] They say, on that day many will say to me, didn't I do this? And this and this. Notice the contrast with the saints who said, when did we serve right? The saints in Matthew 25. They almost seemed to be unaware of the good works that they were doing right here. These people are depending on their good works. Let me give you the list, Lord. And he says, I'm not fooled. [00:26:14] I know who you are, and I never knew you. You don't belong to me because you never put your faith in me. You never trusted me. You are one who depended on the law as a great act of foolishness, because you are a worker of lawlessness. All this reminds us of what is clearly said throughout Scripture over and over and over again. TherE's two ways to be saved, hypothetically. One is by, through the works of the law, obedience to the law, and the other is through faith in Christ. [00:26:48] I say Hypothetically because that first option is not really an option, because all who depend on the Law find themselves to be breakers of the law. [00:26:57] All who depend on the law, the Scriptures say, are cursed. [00:27:04] And so when we come before the judgment throne of Christ, we come not as those who are depending on the Law and our obedience, but who are depending on Christ's righteousness and his obedience. [00:27:17] And Christ's righteousness and obedience does not only justify us. So that Paul says in Romans eight, there is therefore now. [00:27:27] There is therefore now no Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. You're justified. You're declared innocent. You're righteous before God. Not only is that true, but it's also true that not only are we positionally righteous, those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, those who are known by him and adopted by him, but we are also being granted those good works. God is sanctifying us and working in us, producing that which is, quote Scripture, producing that in us which is pleasing in his sight. [00:28:08] Isn't that wonderful? [00:28:10] The good works that we produce are truly good. They're produced by him. They're pleasing to him. They are imperfect. And what shall we say of their imperfection? What shall we say of the sin that is attached to them? We'll say this. It's forgiven. [00:28:27] It's forgiven. [00:28:29] Christ doesn't just forgive those things that are wholly bad, but also the things that are partially bad. He forgives all the bad for all the evil. All that we do that is not good, no matter how close or how mixed it is or not with good. [00:28:47] The Scriptures say over and over that if we depend on our works, we will be cursed. [00:28:53] But if we, like Abraham, depend on faith, the righteousness of God is credited to us, and the rewards that we receive are not only justification, or the blessings that we receive are not only justification, but also sanctification, which result one day in Glorification. A golden chain, according to Romans 830, that cannot be broken. One thing leads to another another. [00:29:23] And so we say with Paul in Philippians 413, I can do all things through him who strengthens me. [00:29:31] I can please him. I can serve him. Why? Because of him who works in me and those ways in which I fall short and those ways in which I'm disobedient, those ways in which I displease him. And I learn from discipline and his fatherly displeasure. That happens from time to time. I know this is happening not as a prelude to my eternal judgment, but to train me and help me because he loves me. [00:30:01] Romans 1010 says that, and eleven says that everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame when we look forward to the judgment. If we are trusting in Jesus Christ, if we believe in him, as Romans ten says in him, we do not need to fear the judgment that is to come. [00:30:20] We do not need to fear that we will be put to shame, because, as Romans 830 says, justification leads to glorification. [00:30:30] What we have to look forward to is our acceptance by God as those who have inherited the kingdom of God and the crowning of those good works that he has done. [00:30:46] As I said before, the way I think that probably helps me the most to think about this is that God calls us to please him, and he promises to show us his pleasure. That's what's going to happen on the final judgment Day. That's what we're looking forward to if we're in Christ. [00:31:07] Now, of course, there's a warning there for those who are not in Christ that call in Revelation 610, will there be justice? Will those who have been persecuted and martyred, those who have suffered in the name of Christ, will there be justice for them? The answer is yes. And for the saints of God and those who are looking to him for salvation, that's a breath of fresh air, a sigh of relief, a hope for the kingdom to come. [00:31:36] But for those who persecute God's people, those who run against them, those who run against God's will, those hypocrites in the Church who pretend to do and belong to the Lord Jesus, but in fact hate him and don't follow him and don't love him. [00:31:53] These will be rejected, and there will be judgment, and there will be justice. [00:31:58] And the justice of God is fair. [00:32:01] And the justice of God is good and terrifying and horrible. [00:32:08] It's something that none of you should want to experience. It's something that none of you should hope for, but you should flee from. [00:32:17] And the way to flee from it is not by clinging to your works, but to his, and asking that not only would he save you from your sin, but that he would produce good works in you to the glory of his name. [00:32:34] And that's what he promises to do for all who come to him. [00:32:40] Beloved, as we come to the Lord Jesus, let's remember his great grace, his power, his salvation, and the completeness of it in our justification, in our sanctification and on our glorification. [00:32:56] He gives it to us all, and he gives it to us freely. [00:33:01] Let's look forward to the day when he returns and makes all these things known. [00:33:08] Our Heavenly Father, our world, so often cries out for justice, for fairness, for equity, good things, and yet not knowing what it asks for. [00:33:21] Lord, when all is made plain before your sight, when all deeds are made known, even idle words and secret thoughts, who can stand before your presence? [00:33:34] Who could stand in their holiness and in your light and have confidence that any good work would be pleasing to you? [00:33:46] Nothing, Lord, nothing. [00:33:49] Lord, help us to see our sins. Help us to see the depravity of our hearts and minds, so that we might flee from our pride, flee from our boasting to you, who is the only way, the only truth and the only life. [00:34:07] Through Jesus Christ you offer to us a salvation that is perfect, a salvation that allows us to stand on that judgment day. And in the great inquiry we will be found to be those who, yes, we have sinned, but those whose sins have been cleansed, forgiven. [00:34:27] You tell us in your word that those who stand on that day will be clothed in white, and those robes will be white because they have been washed in the blood of the lamb. [00:34:39] O lamb of God, let us look to you for the salvation of our souls and our bodies. [00:34:47] Lord, help us to put our faith entirely in you, so that on the great day of resurrection we would not be resurrected to eternal judgment and condemnation, but that we would be those who belong to you, resurrected into eternal life, as those who will be vindicated by the work that has already been done, the justification that has already been pronounced will be crowned with glory. [00:35:17] Lord, help us to look forward to that day and to have hope and to know that you see what we do, that our service to you, though sometimes hard and difficult, and even in its imperfections and sin. [00:35:32] That, Lord, we do desire to serve you. That this desire is one that you have put in us. And it is true. [00:35:40] We truly love you. We truly want to be your servants, to suffer for you and even die for you. We ask, O Lord, that you would look at these works of your children, and that you would not turn away, but that you would show us your pleasure both now in this life and especially in the life to come. [00:36:03] Lord, may your justice be done, and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And we ask that you would persevere us in this life, helping us not to trust in ourselves, but only in you. For all that we need now and in the life to come, bear forth good fruit in us, for we are your workmanship. May we feel the smile and pleasure of God as we walk in this life and the good works that have been prepared beforehand. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen.