The Parties Of The Covenant Of Grace

”The Parties of the Covenant of Grace” t Isaiah 53:10-121 Introduction: Last week we again saw the bleak background of the broken Covenant of Works into which God interjects His gracious second covenant, the Covenant of Grace. The Covenant of Grace is that which is the basis for every ounce of mercy, every iota of grace, which God bestows. God is just, and in order to be just He must have a just basis for everything that He does. The Fall and the subsequent sin of His creatures is the just basis upon which He can pass the sentence of condemnation upon man. But upon what basis may God bestow mercy and grace if everyone by their works only merits wrath and condemnation? That undeserved, gracious basis is not found in us, rather it is found in the good pleasure of God in sending His Son to redeem His people. This arrangement between the Father and Christ Jesus, is what we call the Covenant of Grace. In Isaiah 53, Isaiah is recording what God has revealed concerning the future of the nation of Israel. His people are going to be taken into exile for their breaking of His covenant. And yet, God is not going to leave them to the consequences of their sins, but is going to be gracious to them, by sending to them His servant. or the Earlier, he had introduced this character, the h$-p”L, Servant of the Lord, and here we see something of that work which His Servant was to accomplish to bring about the restoration of His people. He was not One that would be outwardly lovely, but His appearance will be marred, more than any man. He would not be received with joy by His people, but He would be despised and forsaken of men. He would not be lifted up by them upon a throne, but He would be lifted up and pierced through and crushed on behalf of His people. He would not suffer for His own sins, for He would be sinless, but He would have the sins of God’s people laid upon Him in order to atone for them. But in the end, the Servant as well would prosper, for He shall see His seed and be satisfied. Why can God grant grace to any? Here we have one of the clearest passages in Scripture which tells us the just basis for God’s mercy. It tells us what this covenant is between the Father and His Christ, and it also speaks of some of the benefits to Christ and to His seed. And what I want you to see this evening is, Christ covenanted with the Father to give Himself as an offering for sin, in order to receive from the Father a people for His own possession. First I want you to see what Christ did to secure the salvation of God’s elect, and second, what the rewards are for Christ and for His people.

I.

Christ, in the Covenant of Grace, Was Sent by God to Accomplish What the First Adam Failed to Do. A. Adam, Representing the Whole Human Race in the First Covenant, the Covenant of Works, Failed to Confirm His Posterity in Life. 1. We saw last week our representative head, Adam, fail in his probation to obtain for his people what he was capable of bringing in, namely the confirming of them

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2.

forever in a state of original righteousness. When he failed to do so, if there was to be any future for the human race, there had to be gracious intervention. a. Prior to the Fall of man, there was no need for grace, for there was no sin, or demerit. b. But in light of the Fall, and its consequences on humanity, if there was to be any continuance of the human race at all, there must be intervention by God.

B. But, Although the First Adam Failed, God Accomplished His Purpose by Sending His Son as the Second Adam. 1 . God ordained this from all eternity as He did all of His works. a. God ordained the covenant of works and its subsequent failure. b. But He ordained another covenant to perfect that which the first covenant was unable to do. 2.

In this covenant, Christ takes upon Himself a human nature in order to stand in the place of His people. a. God prepares for Him a human nature. The author to the Hebrews says, ”SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU HAST NOT DESIRED, BUT A Bony THOU HAST PREPARED FOR ME; IN WHOLE BURNT OFFERINGS AND SACRIFICES FOR SIN THOU HAST TAKEN NO PLEASURE. THEN I SAID, ’BEHOLD, I HAVE COME (IN THE ROLL OF THE BOOK IT IS WRITTEN OF ME) TO no THY WILL, o GOD’” (io:5). b. It was necessary for Christ to become like His brethren in all things in order to stand as their head and to offer a sacrifice for their sins. t i ) ”THEREFORE, HE HAD TO BE MADE LIKE HIS BRETHREN IN ALL THINGS, THAT HE MIGHT BECOME A MERCIFUL AND FAITHFUL HIGH PRIEST IN THINGS PERTAINING TO GOD, TO MAKE PROPITIATION FOR THE SINS OF THE PEOPLE” (Heb. 2: 17). t i i ) ”SINCE THEN THE CHILDREN SHARE IN FLESH AND BLOOD, HE HIMSELF LIKEWISE ALSO PARTOOK OF THE SAME, THAT THROUGH DEATH HE MIGHT RENDER POWERLESS HIM WHO HAD THE POWER OF DEATH, THAT IS, THE DEVIL; AND MIGHT DELIVER THOSE WHO THROUGH FEAR OF DEATH WERE SUBJECT TO SLAVERY ALL THEIR LIVES” (Heb. 2: 14-15).

3.

Christ fulfills the first Covenant of Works, which was broken, by keeping God’s Law perfect 1y. a. A perfect righteousness was needed in order to bring God’s people to glory. b. Jesus said, ”FOR I SAY TO YOU, THAT UNLESS YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS SURPASSES THAT OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, YOU SHALL NOT ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN” (Matt. 5:20). c. He drew the qualifications so tight that His disciples despaired of entering it. ”AND JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES, ’TRULY I SAY TO YOU, IT IS HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. AND AGAIN I SAY TO YOU, IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A

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NEEDLE, THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF a n . ’ AND WHEN THE DISCIPLES HEARD THIS, THEY WERE VERY ASTONISHED AND SAID, ’THEN WHO CAN BE SAVED?’ AND LOOKING UPON THEM JESUS SAID TO THEM, ’WITH MEN THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE, BUT WITH a n ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE’” (Matt . 19:23). d. If it is impossible for a rich man who has the time and means to pursue the kingdom and do great acts of charity, then who can be saved? e. Jesus said that with men this is impossible, they could never acquire enough merit. That is why the work of Jesus is necessary, to merit for His people what they were unable to do on their own. 4. But providing a perfect righteousness of obedience was not enough. There were also the sins which were committed which had to be removed. Therefore, Jesus, in order to guarantee what was promised to God’s people, had also to die to atone for their sins. a. This was all determined as we said in the eternal counsels of God, according to His sovereign plan. b. And this is what we see in this passage this evening. c. Isaiah says, ”BUT THE LORD WAS PLEASED TO CRUSH HIM, HE HAS PUT HIM TO GRIEF” (v. 1 0 ) . ti) It was THE LORD who crushed His Servant, and put Him through the agony of the cross. tii) And yet, as we see in the NT, it was done by the hands of wicked men, who were held fully responsible for their actions. tiii) Remember, God’s decree does not force a man to sin, it only makes his free choices certain. tiv) But why is it that the Lord WAS PLEASED to put His Servant to death? It is because it was necessary if He was to show them mercy. d.

”WHEN HE WILL MAKE HIMSELF AN OFFERING FOR SIN” (v. 1 0 ) . ti) Christ becomes a sacrifice, fulfilling all of the typical sacrifices of the OT. He becomes our Passover Lamb. tii) It was necessary, if Christ was to bring His people to God, for Him to remove their sins. tiii) And so the text says, ”THE RIGHTEOUS ONE, MY SERVANT, SHALL JUSTIFY THE MANY, FOR HE SHALL BEAR THEIR INIQUITIES” tv. 11 1. tiv) He bears their iniquities in order to take them away, so that they might receive His perfect righteousness. In the sight of God they are fully acquitted of all guilt. That is, they are proclaimed to be not guilty. tv) Not only are they not guilty, but by the imputed righteousness of Christ, they are considered by God as having done everything well, according to God’s perfect standard.

e. But how do His people enter into this relationship

4 so as to obtain this forgiveness? The text tells us that it is ”BY HIS KNOWLEDGE” (v. 1 1 ) . ti) Now there are two ways of translating this expression in the Hebrew. tii) The way it reads in the NASB indicates that it is through the wisdom and knowledge of the Servant, which as Isaiah 11 tells us, is by the Holy Spirit. This would emphasize the Spirit’s role in the crucifixion of Christ. tiii) But the alternate translation would read, ”BY THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, THE RIGHTEOUS ONE, MY SERVANT, SHALL JUSTIFY THE MANY” tv. 1 1 1 . t iv) In this second rendering, it is through His people’s knowledge of Him, that they are saved, which is tantamount to faith. tV) You cannot be saved by mere knowledge, but often in the Hebrew Scriptures, the word ”know” has a much more intimate meaning. tvi 1 Mere knowledge cannot save you. The devils know much more than you and they are not saved. tvii) Rather, you need the intimacy of a love relationship with Christ if you are to be saved. You must embrace Him with all your heart .

f.

And the text further tells us that His people are kept in this gracious relationship through Christ’s continuing intercession at the Father’s right hand, ”YET HE HIMSELF BORE THE SIN OF MANY, AND INTERCEDED FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS” (v. 12). ti) Jesus laid down His life for the many, not for all. That is, He laid down His life for His Father’s elect, for His sheep tcf. John 10:15). tii) But He does more than simply lay down His life for them, He continues to uphold them as their Advocate at the right hand of the Father in order to keep them in the mercy of God. tiii) John writes, ”MY LITTLE CHILDREN, I AM WRITING THESE THINGS TO YOU THAT YOU MAY NOT SIN. AND IF ANYONE SINS, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUS CHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS” (1 John 2:1).

5. So we have seen that the covenant of grace was made in eternity between God and Christ, and the elect in Christ in order to bring God’s elect to glory. 11.

Secondly, I Want You to See that Christ’s Reward for His Obedience Was a People, and the Gracious Blessing for the People of God Was Eternal Life. A . Christ, for His Obedience in the Covenant of Grace, Receives a Spiritual Seed. 1 . What we have already seen was Christ’s humiliation in order to bring redemption to the people of God. 2. But the text now goes on to show us Christ’s exaltation. a. First, there is the promise of a spiritual seed.

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ti) tii)

tiii)

b.

”HE WILL SEE HIS OFFSPRING”, or seed tv. 10). The reward for the Servant, for His humiliation and death, is that people whom God elected in eternity. A multitude which no man can number. The author to the Hebrews writes, ”BUT WE DO SEE HIM WHO HAS BEEN MADE A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS, NAMELY, JESUS, BECAUSE OF THE SUFFERING OF DEATH CROWNED WITH GLORY AND HONOR, THAT BY THE GRACE OF GOD HE MIGHT TASTE DEATH FOR EVERYONE. FOR IT WAS FITTING FOR HIM, FOR WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, AND THROUGH WHOM ARE ALL THINGS, IN BRINGING MANY SONS TO GLORY, TO PERFECT THE AUTHOR OF THEIR SALVATION THROUGH SUFFERINGS. FOR BOTH HE WHO SANCTIFIES AND THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED ARE ALL FROM ONE FATHER; FOR WHICH REASON HE IS NOT ASHAMED TO CALL THEM BRETHREN, SAYING, ’ I WILL PROCLAIM THY NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING THY PRAISE.’ AND AGAIN, ’ I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.’ AND AGAIN, ’BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME’” ( 2 : 9- 13).

But if the Servant is to remain in the grave after pouring out His soul unto death, then how will He receive this reward? There is also promised to Him extension of days, that is, that He would be resurrected . ti) ”HE WILL PROLONG HIS DAYS” tv. 10). tii) There would be no reward, there could be no joy

in His children, if Christ were to remain in the grave. tiii) No, what we have here is another promise to Christ, that if He should pour out His soul unto death, He will receive back His life. He will be resurrected, thus being vindicated by the Father, that His sacrifice was received. tiv) He shall live forever in communion with His seed, and it shall be a great joy for Him, ”BECAUSE OF THE TRAVAIL OF HIS SOUL, HE SHALL SEE, AND BE SATISFIED” tv. 111. c.

And lastly, Christ also receives an inheritance for his labors. ti) The Lord says, ”THEREFORE I WILL ALLOT HIM A tii)

tiii)

PORTION WITH THE GREAT” tv. 12). Paul tells us in Philippians 2:9-12, ”THEREFORE ALSO GOD HIGHLY EXALTED HIM, AND BESTOWED ON HIM THE NAME WHICH IS ABOVE EVERY NAME, THAT AT THE NAME OF JESUS EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW, OF THOSE WHO ARE IN HEAVEN, AND ON EARTH, AND UNDER THE EARTH, AND THAT EVERY TONGUE SHOULD CONFESS THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER. Jesus received the title of Lord, the greatest name in heaven and earth.

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tiv) And He also received the kingdom of God. tv) The work of Christ is greatly rewarded as an act of love to His Father. B.

And of course, His People Receive All that Christ Has Done for Them. 1 . You, who are His people, who are in Christ Jesus, receive many gracious gifts in Him. a. You receive the forgiveness of sins. ti) We have seen that Christ bore the sins of His people and suffered their penalty. tii) Paul says in Ephesians 1:7,”IN HIM WE HAVE REDEMPTION THROUGH HIS BLOOD, THE FORGIVENESS OF OUR TRESPASSES, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GRACE.” b. You receive gracious mediation at the throne of God. ti) We have seen that Christ ”INTERCEDED FOR THE TRANSGRESSORS” tv. 121, and that He is even now before the right hand of the Father pleading on our behalf. tii) This means that whenever you may fail in your obedience to Christ, that Christ is interceding, He is pleading before the Father that He would be merciful to you.

c. And you receive a portion of the inheritance which Christ merited. ti) ”AND HE WILL DIVIDE THE SPOIL WITH THE STRONG” tv. 12). tii) Those who are Christ’s are His brethren, and the children of the Lord. tiii) Paul says, ”FOR YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED A SPIRIT OF SLAVERY LEADING TO FEAR AGAIN, BUT YOU HAVE RECEIVED A SPIRIT OF ADOPTION AS SONS BY WHICH WE CRY OUT, ’ABBA! FATHER! ’ THE SPIRIT HIMSELF BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR SPIRIT THAT WE ARE CHILDREN OF GOD, AND IF CHILDREN, HEIRS ALSO, HEIRS OF GOD AND FELLOW HEIRS WITH CHRIST, IF INDEED WE SUFFER WITH HIM IN ORDER THAT WE MIGHT BE GLORIFIED WITH HIM” Rom. 8:15-17). t iv) Because we are Christ’s brethren and children of God, through Christ’s work, we also receive a portion in the inheritance which He merited for us. 3.

It pleased the Lord to do this, and it is something that He caused to be fulfilled at the hand of His Servant. a. ”AND THE GOOD PLEASURE OF THE LORD WILL PROSPER IN HIS HAND” (v. 1 0 ) . b. It was the Lord’s good pleasure to send Christ for you, that He might redeem you to Himself. c. Such is the love of God, from all eternity, for His elect people. Such is the love that you who are in Christ experience.

4. And all of this is because of the work of the Lord’s

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Servant, the Lamb of God, ”BECAUSE HE POURED OUT HIS SOUL UNTO DEATH, AND WAS NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS” (v. 12). a. Jesus, the King of Heaven, the Lord of glory, died a criminal’s death, crucified between two thieves, in order to deliver His people from the curse of death. b. ”FOR THE LOVE OF CHRIST CONTROLS US, HAVING CONCLUDED THIS, THAT ONE DIED FOR ALL, THEREFORE ALL DIED; AND HE DIED FOR ALL, THAT THEY WHO LIVE SHOULD NO LONGER LIVE FOR THEMSELVES, BUT FOR HIM WHO DIED AND ROSE AGAIN ON THEIR BEHALF” (2 Cor. 5:14-15). C. Brethren, if God so loved us, how ought we to love Him and each other? How much ought we to be controlled by the love of Christ? d. Live for Christ, live for His glory. Love Him, serve Him, worship and adore Him. For He is worthy of your whole life. He gave His life for you, you can do no less than give your life to Him. Let us pray.