New Birth Place
The sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing our position in Christ Jesus above as our new birth place and dwelling in the light of God's favor.
Miles J. Stanford preaches about the significance of being raised up and seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, emphasizing the need to settle down and grow in our new identity in Him. He challenges the tendency to focus on external rituals rather than on the Lord Jesus Himself, questioning our doubts about drawing near to God. Stanford highlights the cleansing power of Jesus' blood, which grants us access to the Father and positions us in His light, not based on our own efforts but on Christ's sacrifice. He encourages believers to move beyond past sins and judgment, entering into the present favor and peace with the Father through Jesus' new and living way into the Holiest.
Text
"(God) hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6)
We are to settle down to live and grow precisely where we have been re-born: in Christ Jesus above.
"Do we not often harbor the thought that something yet remains to be done-either by ourselves or by Him-in order to our drawing near? Do we not often thus become occupied with the circumstantials of worship rather than with the Lord Jesus-the substance? Are we not often false to Him in questioning our title to draw near, because we find distance in our own hearts, as if it was the warmth of our affections, instead of the Blood of the Lord Jesus, which brought us nigh?" -W.K.
"Our being perfectly cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus, the Holiest of All is our place before the Father, and it is so simply upon the ground of what His sacrifice has effected. Our dwelling place is in the light, not by reason of our subjective condition, but because the Lord Jesus has made the position ours by the putting away of our sins, and by bringing us to the Father." -H.F.W.
"The heart must enter into something more than the look behind into those waters of judgment, out of which the Lord Jesus rose, having left our sins, and death, and judgment forever! Such a joy would never carry us through the desert where faith and patience are tried and tested every day. It needs that the heart be carried into the glory of Canaan beyond; in the present sense of peace with the Father, and the consciousness of standing in His present favor-the favor that is better than life." -F.G.P.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil" (Hebrews 10:19, 20).
Sermon Outline
- The New Birth Place
- The Substance of Worship
- Our Position Before the Father
- Entering the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus
- Perfectly Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus
- In the Light, Not by Our Condition
Key Quotes
“Do we not often harbor the thought that something yet remains to be done-either by ourselves or by Him-in order to our drawing near?” — Miles J. Stanford
“Our being perfectly cleansed by the Blood of the Lord Jesus, the Holiest of All is our place before the Father, and it is so simply upon the ground of what His sacrifice has effected.” — Miles J. Stanford
“The heart must enter into something more than the look behind into those waters of judgment, out of which the Lord Jesus rose, having left our sins, and death, and judgment forever!” — Miles J. Stanford
Application Points
- We must focus on the Lord Jesus and not on our own subjective condition when approaching God.
- Our position before the Father is based on the Blood of Jesus and not on our own merits.
- We must enter the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus through a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil.