THE FATHER’S HEART

Matthew 26:39 (ESV) — 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” …42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” …44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again.

“He did not spare him, but he delivered him over.” In the words, “he did not spare him,” we hear the immensity of the difficulty and the obstacle. God did not delight in the pain or the dishonor of his Son. This was an infinitely horrible thing for the Son of God to be treated this way. Sin reached its worst in those hours. It was exposed for what it really is—an attack on God. All sin—our sin—is an attack on God. A rejection of God. An assault on his rights and his truth and his beauty. But God did not spare his Son this treatment.[1]

II. HE GAVE HIM UP (AND THE SON GAVE HIMSELF)

Romans 8:32 (ESV) — 32 He … gave him up for us all…

John 3:16 (ESV) — 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 ESV

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Jesus also gave himself up.

Galatians 1:3–5 (ESV) — 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 1:3–5 ESV

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Galatians 2:20 (ESV) — 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 ESV

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Ephesians 5:2 (ESV) — 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Ephesians 5:2 ESV

2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Romans 4:23–25 (ESV) — 23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Romans 4:23–25 ESV

23 But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Titus 2:11–14 (ESV) — 11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Titus 2:11–14 ESV

11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

The Bible says Judas delivered him over (Mark 3:19), and Pilate delivered him over (Mark 15:15), and Herod and the Jewish people and the Gentiles delivered him over (Acts 4:27–28), and we delivered him over (1 Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 1:4; 1 Peter 2:24). It even says Jesus delivered himself over (John 10:17; 19:30). But Paul is saying the ultimate thing here in verse 32. In and behind and beneath and through all these human delivering’s, God was delivering his Son to death.[2]

III. HE WILL GIVE US ALL THINGS

Romans 8:32 (ESV) — 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32 ESV

32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

John 6:31–33 (ESV) — 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

John 6:31–33 ESV

31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ ” 32 Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

“How will he not” is emphatic. Since God has already given us what matters most, will he not also give us lesser things? “All things” refers to the totality of what his people need in order to be established and to persevere in the faith.[3]

Since he did not spare his own Son—that’s the great thing, the hard thing, the insurmountable obstacle to our salvation—delivering over his Son to torture and scorn and sin-bearing death. If that can be done, then the lesser thing, the easy thing will surely be done: his freely giving to us all that Christ bought for us—all things! The solid logic of heaven.[4]

He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all; how shall he not with him freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). How is it imaginable that God should withhold, after this, spirituals or temporals, from his people? How shall he not call them effectually, justify them freely, sanctify them thoroughly, and glorify them eternally? How shall he not clothe them, feed them, protect and deliver them? Surely if he would not spare this own Son one stroke, one tear, one groan, one sigh, one circumstance of misery, it can never be imagined that ever he should, after this, deny or withhold from his people, for whose sakes all this was suffered, any mercies, any comforts, any privilege, spiritual or temporal, which is good for them. John Flavel[5]

The liberty which Christ hath purchased for believers under the Gospel consists in their freedom from the guilt of sin, the condemning wrath of God, the curse of the moral law; (Tit. 2:14, 1 Thess. 1:10, Gal. 3:13) and, in their being delivered from this present evil world, bondage to Satan, and dominion of sin; (Gal. 1:4, Col. 1:13, Acts 26:18, Rom. 6:14) from the evil of afflictions, the sting of death, the victory of the grave, and everlasting damnation; (Rom. 8:28, Ps. 119:71, 1 Cor. 15:54–57, Rom. 8:1) as also, in their free access to God, (Rom. 5:1–2) and their yielding obedience unto Him, not out of slavish fear, but a child-like love and willing mind. (Rom. 8:14–15, 1 John 4:18)[6]

[1] Piper, J. (2014). Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014). Desiring God. [2] Piper, J. (2014). Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014). Desiring God. [3] Yarbrough, R. W. (2020). Romans. In I. M. Duguid, J. M. Hamilton Jr., & J. Sklar (Eds.), Romans–Galatians: Vol. X (p. 132). Crossway. [4] Piper, J. (2014). Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014). Desiring God. [5] Piper, J. (2014). Sermons from John Piper (2000–2014). Desiring God. [6] The Westminster Confession of Faith. (1996). Logos Research Systems, Inc.

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