The sermon by Eric Bechler focuses on the qualifications of Jesus Christ as the only mediator between God and man, as outlined in the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689, Chapter 8, Paragraph 3. It emphasizes the hypostatic union, where Jesus is fully God and fully man, and discusses His sanctification and anointing with the Holy Spirit above measure. The sermon examines the scriptural basis for Jesus possessing all wisdom and knowledge, and being holy, harmless, and full of grace and truth. It highlights the necessity of a mediator due to human inability to meet God's standard of perfect obedience. Jesus, called by the Father, executes His role as mediator and surety with all power and judgment conferred upon Him. The sermon concludes by urging believers to respond to God's plan of redemption with gratitude, prayer, and a life dedicated to Christ.

Our reading from the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 this morning comes again from chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator. This week we're looking at paragraph 3. The Lord Jesus, in His human nature thus united to the divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be truly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety, which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by his Father, who also put all power and judgment in his hand, and gave him commandment to execute the same. This morning we continue with chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator. As a reminder, a mediator is one who interposes between two parties at variance to procure a reconciliation.

The two parties here are God and man, and the conditions are obedience, perfect obedience. It's a condition that we, man, are unable to meet, and thus the need for a mediator, one who would procure a reconciliation, one who would redeem his people. Our paragraph this morning focuses more specifically on the qualifications of Jesus to be our mediator, the only mediator between God and man. And it begins, The Lord Jesus in His human nature, thus united to the Divine in the person of the Son, was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure. If you remember, our paragraph last week ended with a brief discussion of the hypostatic union.

As a reminder, the hypostatic union is the term used to describe how Jesus Christ took on a human nature yet remained fully God at the same time. One person, fully God, fully man. Two distinct natures in one person. As we confess that Jesus Christ was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit above measure, we are referring to the one person Christ as fully man and fully God. Two whole, perfect, and distinct natures inseparably joined together in one person.

We speak here of sanctified. What is sanctified? Sanctified means to be made holy or to set aside for a sacred purpose. What is anointed? Anointed is to consecrate by unction or the use of oil.

When one was anointed, oil was poured upon the head. Remember, kings, prophets, and priests were set apart or consecrated to their offices by the use of oil, by pouring of oil on the head. We have the example when Samuel came to Jesse to anoint David in 1 Samuel 16 13. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brethren. And the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward, so Samuel rose up and went to Ramah." In this case, we have the Messiah, the Son of God, the person of Jesus being consecrated to the great office of Redeemer.

And we read from the Gospel of Matthew 3, 16, and 17. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him, and to a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." We see also in Acts 10 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him." And finally in the Gospel of John we read that the Spirit of God is giveth not by measure unto him. We read in John 3, 34, for he whom God has sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. If we look at other versions or translations for that particular verse, we see where it says, giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. We see In the NIV, it's referring to without limit, in the ESV, without measure, in the NASB, not sparingly.

So the picture here is a full measure without limit being poured out upon Christ. In Robert Shaw's commentary here, he summarized this as follows. In his miraculous conception, his human nature was formed by the Holy Spirit with initial grace in its highest degree of perfection, And when about to enter upon his public ministry in our nature to seal his commission and to qualify him in that nature for his work, the Spirit descended upon him in a bodily shape." That's from Luke 3, 21 and 22. Moving on, the Lord Jesus having in him all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth, he might be truly furnished to execute the office of mediator in surety. We'll take a look at each phrase here in this part of the paragraph.

The first phrase, having in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. This comes straight from scripture from Paul's letter to the Colossians in 2 3 in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. But what does this mean? All treasure of wisdom and knowledge. I'll read what Matthew Henry says here on this particular passage.

The soul prospers when we have clear knowledge of the truth as it is in Jesus. When we not only believe with the heart, but are ready when called to make confession with the mouth. Knowledge and faith make a soul rich. The stronger our faith and the warmer our love, the more will our comfort be. The treasures of wisdom are hid not from us, but for us in Christ.

These were hid from proud unbelievers that displayed in the person in redemption of Christ. See the danger of enticing words, how many are ruined by the false disguises and fair appearances of evil principles and wicked practices. Be aware and afraid of those who would entice to any evil, for they aim to spoil you. All Christians have in profession, at least receive Jesus Christ the Lord, consented to Him and taken Him for theirs. We cannot be but built up in Christ or grow in Him unless we are first rooted in Him and founded upon him.

Being established in the faith, we must abound therein and improve in it more and more. God justly withdraws this benefit from those who do not receive it with thanksgiving. And gratitude for His mercies is justly required by God. If we're looking at the next phrase, in whom it pleased the Father that all fullness should dwell, again this comes straight from Scripture, again from Paul's letter to the Colossians in 1 19, for it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell." Again, what does this mean, all fullness dwell? Again, I'll turn to Matthew Henry's commentary on Colossians here.

Christ in His human nature is the visible discovery of the invisible God, and he that has seen him, Jesus, has seen the Father. Let us adore these mysteries in humble faith, and behold the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was begotten before all the creation, before any creature was made, which is the scripture way of representing eternity, and by which the eternity of God is represented to us. All things being created by him were created for him and being made by his power. They were made according to his pleasure and for his praise and glory.

He not only created them all at first, but it is by the word of his power that they are upheld. Christ as mediator is the head of the body, the Church. All grace and strength are from him, and the Church is his body. All fullness dwells in him, a fullness of merit and righteousness, of strength and grace for us. God showed his justice in requiring full satisfaction.

This mode of redeeming mankind by the death of Christ was most suitable. Here is presented to our view the method of being reconciled. And that notwithstanding the hatred of sin on God's part, it pleased God to reconcile fallen man to himself. If convinced that we were enemies in our minds by wicked works and that we are now reconciled to God by the sacrifice and death of Christ in our nature. We shall not attempt to explain away nor yet think fully to comprehend these mysteries, but we shall see the glory of this plan of redemption and rejoice in the hope that is set before us.

If this be so, that God's love is so great to us, what shall we do now for God? Be frequent in prayer and abound in holy duties, and live no more to yourselves but to Christ. Christ died for us, but wherefore? That we should still live in sin? No, but that we should die to sin and live henceforth, not to ourselves but to him.

In the next phrase we read, to the end that being holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth. Again, these qualities of Christ, We draw them straight from scripture in Hebrews 7 26 for such a high priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled Separate from sinners and made higher than the heavens in John 1 14 And the word was made 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." So far we've seen the following qualifications of our Lord Jesus. That Christ was sanctified and anointed with the Holy Spirit without measure. We see that Christ was in him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, that Christ in whom all fullness dwells, and that Christ is holy, harmless, undefiled, and full of grace and truth. Which takes us to the main point of this paragraph, to the end that he might be truly furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety.

Just As a point of clarification, it's a word that we see in the King James version, but don't use in our normal life. Thruly, you can insert perfectly, thoroughly, or completely. So instead we might read, he might be perfectly or completely furnished to execute the office of mediator and surety. Again the question, what does this mean? Let's again start with scripture in Hebrews chapter 7 verses 22 through 28.

By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament, and they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death. But this man, because he continueth forever, hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such a high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. Who needeth not daily as those high priests to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for the people's? For this he did once when he offered up himself.

For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity, but the word of the oath which was since the law maketh the Son who is consecrated forevermore." Remember a Mediator is one who interposes between two parties at variances to procure reconciliation. In this case, Christ is the mediator, the only mediator between God and man. This was the point highlighted at the end of last week's paragraph. We need a mediator because we are corrupt, sinful, unrighteous, and cannot even approach God. In the Old Testament, Israel had many priests to stand between the people and God, many because they died.

And they were not sinless. But in Christ, who was sinless, he died, but he rose again and is now eternal, never ending, never needing to be replaced. He is exalted to God's right hand. And we read this in our passage in Hebrews that we just read now. What about our Lord Jesus being a surety?

In turning to Noah Webster's 1828 dictionary, it's interesting he actually quotes Hebrews 722 in his definition. Here's what Noah Webster said. In scripture, Christ is called the surety of a better testament. He undertook to make atonement for the sins of men, and thus prepare the way to deliver them from the punishment which they had rendered themselves liable. And what was that punishment?

It was death. Again, Christ undertook to make atonement for the sins of men and thus prepare the way to deliver them from the punishment to which they had rendered themselves liable. This work that Christ undertook leads us to the final section of our paragraph today, which office he took not upon himself, but was thereunto called by his father, who also put all power and judgment in his hand and gave him commandment to execute the same. This office he took was the office of mediator insurity. A.

A. Hodges addresses this point that Christ was appointed to his office by the Father and acts in it upon an authority derived from the Father is very prominently as well as clearly set forth in Scripture, quote, And no man takes this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made a high priest, but he was called of God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek in Hebrews 5. Christ constantly affirms that he was sent by the Father, that the Father had given him a commandment, and the works which he performed and the words which he spoke were not his, but the Father's that sent him. Quote, I can of mine own self do nothing as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of the Father which has sent me.

John 5 30. And from John 7 16, Jesus answered them and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. And in John 14, 28, If you love me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the father, for my father is greater than I. Furthermore, scripture tells us all power is given to Christ in Matthew 28, 18. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

And scripture tells us all judgment is in Christ's hands in John 5, 22, for the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. And finally we confess that God the Father commanded Christ to execute all power and judgment, John 5 27, and hath given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the Son of Man. In John 14, 31, but that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. In John 10, 18, no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my father." And finally in John 12, 49, For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me. He gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. Well, praise the Lord that we do have a mediator. In this week of thanksgiving celebrations, we should be thankful to our Lord Jesus Christ.

We should be thankful for all that He has done for each one of us. And we should remember that we don't deserve it, We haven't earned it. It's all from His grace and His mercy. I hope this week you've taken time to thank God for all He's done. And I hope that that's something that you would continue to do on a daily basis.

In the end, I'll end here with a question and actually the answer raised by Matthew Henry earlier. If this, God's plan of redemption, be so that God's love is so great to us, what shall we do now for God? What will you do for God? Matthew Henry answers, be frequent in prayer, abound in holy duties, and live no more to yourselves but to Christ. Live no more to yourself.

Amen.