The sermon focuses on Christ's role as the Mediator, emphasizing His fulfillment of the threefold office of prophet, priest, and king, as outlined in the Second London Baptist Confession. Christ's prophetical office is necessary due to human ignorance, as it brings divine truth and revelation, leading people out of darkness. His priestly office reconciles humanity with God, addressing alienation and imperfections by offering a perfect sacrifice for sins. The kingly office is essential for overcoming spiritual adversaries, as Christ subdues, draws, and preserves believers for His heavenly kingdom. The sermon highlights the necessity and order of these offices, tracing their biblical origins and functions in the Old Testament, and illustrating their fulfillment in Christ. Through His roles, Christ reveals God, reconciles humanity, and conquers sin and death, offering believers assurance and guidance through the scriptures and the Holy Spirit.

Our reading today from the Second London Baptist Confession comes again from chapter 8 of Christ the Mediator today, paragraph 10. This number and order of offices is necessary for in respect of our ignorance we stand in need of his prophetical office. And in respect of our alienation from God, an imperfection of the best of our services, we need his priestly office to reconcile us and present us acceptable unto God. And in respect to our averseness and utter inability to return to God and for our rescue and security from our spiritual adversaries, we need His kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, uphold, deliver, and preserve us to His heavenly kingdom. Today is our last Sunday in this chapter of Christ the Mediator, again, why do we need a mediator or a go-between?

Because Adam was our federal head or mankind's representative. And when he disobeyed, the guilt of his sin has been imputed to each of us. We are all sinners and as such are separated from God. We need a mediator to reconcile us to him, to bring us back to him. But this cannot be just anyone.

We confess that Christ is the only, the only one that can meet all the requirements to be that mediator that one mediator between God and man. Last week we discussed the office of mediator including the functions of prophet priest and king with the main point being that they may not be transferred to any other, either in whole or in part. This week our paragraph focuses on the necessity of the number and order of those offices of the mediator. The first part of the paragraph speaks of this number and order of offices for functions within the office of mediator. Why is this here and why is this important for us to confess?

First, let's look at the number of offices or functions. What we find in the Old Testament is three, prophet, priest, and king, and each are important. God used the prophet to speak to the people. They brought God's word to the people, words of truth, words of revelation, words of indictment, words of hope, words of power, even to the point of healing or other miracles from God. God established priests from the tribe of Levi after the Exodus to serve as mediators between man and God.

They offered sacrifices, they prayed, they led worship, and they taught God's law. Finally, God established kings over Israel to rule his people, to administer justice and equality, excuse me, and equity, to conquer their enemies. All three functions are necessary and important. And what of the order? Why is the order necessary?

Two things came to mind. There may be more, but two things I thought of. First, as we see the introduction of each function progressively through the Old Testament. First, we see prophets bringing God's words to his people starting you could even say as early as Adam giving God's giving Eve God's command to not eat of a specific tree. We find Noah in Hebrews 11 7 by his faith he condemned the world and Abraham, Moses, and many more.

Next we see God's introduction of priests, first with the appearance of Melchizedek in Abraham's time and then after the Exodus in the time of Moses, appointing the priests from the tribe of Levi. And then later we see God instructing Samuel to anoint Saul as Israel's first king, setting the pattern for each of the subsequent kings of the tribes of Israel. The second thought is the progression of what each function actually does. Prophet, we learn about God. The priest sacrifices for our sins and King conquers sin and death.

We see this laid out in John's Revelation in chapter one, verse five. Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the ruler of kings on earth. So not only do we see the importance of the threefold functions, complete and not separated, but also the order in which they appear, progressing from awareness to redemption. Now for the more practical working of each of these functions of Christ fulfilling the office of mediator between God and man. First with respect to our ignorance, we need Christ's prophetic office.

Jesus began his ministry in Capernaum fulfilling the words of Isaiah, the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death. On them a light has dawned." Matthew 4 16. Those in ignorance are in effect in the dark. Jesus though is the light of the world. John 8 12.

He came not just proclaiming the word of God, he was the word of God, John 1, 1. He came to the world to save his people from their sins, Matthew 1, 21. He proclaimed our need to repent and believe the gospel, Mark 1, 15. And he proclaimed redemption through his blood and forgiveness of sin. Colossians 1, 14.

Second, with respect to our alienation from God and imperfections of the best of our services, we need Christ's priestly office to reconcile us and present us to God as acceptable. Well, how does he do this? Paul explains in Ephesians 2, 12 through 13, you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hopes and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. And Paul reminds us in Colossians 1, 21, and 22 that he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and blameless and above reproach in his sight.

Paul tells us that we were aliens. We were enemies, strangers from the covenants of promise, without hope and without God, yet now we have been reconciled by the priestly work of Christ our Savior. And finally, because we are hostile and utterly unable to return to God and so that we can be rescued and made secure from our spiritual enemies, we need his kingly office to convince, subdue, draw, sustain, deliver, and preserve us for His heavenly kingdom. We read from the prophets in Amos and Hosea even when God tries to get our attention and sometimes in very dramatic ways we still do not turn to him. Why?

Because we're unable to do so on our own. Jesus tells us no one can come to me unless the father who sent me draws him and I will raise him up on the last day, John 6 44. It is only when God calls us to him that we can return to him. It is Christ our King only who has the power to conquer, to conquer and deliver us out of the land of our enemies. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4.18, and the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom to whom be glory forever and ever amen.

Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He has the name that is above every name. Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. And yes, Jesus even conquered sin and death. We are helpless and hopeless without Him as Christ our King.

In summary, what does it mean to us that Christ is prophet, priest, and king? Christ as prophet reveals to me who is God. He removes my ignorance. He brings me out of darkness and into the light. He gives me ears to hear and a heart to understand Christ as priest brings me near to God He lived a perfect life and died for my sins My guilt has been removed and I am justified in the sight of God because of His righteousness that has been imputed to me.

Christ as King redeems me. He renews me after the image of God. My pollution, my corruption has been removed and I have been delivered from the bondage of sin. Are you living in ignorance, preferring the darkness, or are you being led astray? Our world today is filled with deceptions and false teachings.

How do we know what is right, what is true? Well, God didn't leave us empty handed. He gave us His word, the Bible, and He gives us His Holy Spirit. We must make the effort to search out our scriptures, and we must pray that the Holy Spirit would guide us and enlighten us to the truth. I would encourage you to actively read the scriptures as it is the voice of Christ teaching us.

Rely on what He reveals over your own personal opinions or the latest worldly wisdom. Do you struggle with assurance? Rest in the finished work of Christ. His grace is sufficient and your efforts cannot save you. It is only what Christ has done.

Rest in Him. And do you wonder if God answers your prayers? Christ as priest is constantly interceding for us there at the right hand of God, at the throne of God. He hears our prayers and He answers them. And He answers them according to God's perfect will.

And why does He do all of this? Why did He suffer so much and sacrifice so much? Because He loves you, because He loves me. Sometimes it's hard for me to wrap my mind around that. And of course we all know that song, Jesus Loves Me.

We learned it as kids, and we know it. We know it because the Bible tells us so. But do we really believe it? Do we live each day like we believe it? I think sometimes we forget.

I'm sure I do. But He really does love you. And you can believe it. And you can trust in it. Be grateful and love others as He first loved you.

And this is a tough standard but it's what He called each of us to do and He's there to help us. Keep your eyes on Christ. He is faithful and He will lead you. We'll sing in our last song in a little bit, these comforting words. He leadeth me, oh blessed thought.

Oh words with heavenly comfort fraught. Whate'er I do, where'er I be, still to God's hand that leadeth me. Yes it is a blessed thought that God loves you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you you