The Showdown
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This morning we are going to get to look at one of my favorite passages in all of Scriptures. The Scripture we are going to study this morning is from 1 Kings chapter 18. This chapter reveals to us one of the greatest showdowns in all of the Bible and probably all of the world.
English Standard Version Chapter 3
18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, 20 because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. 21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
When you think of showdowns what or who do you think of?
I think of Wyatt Earp and the old gang the Cowboys. Wyatt and his brothers were appointed as sheriff and deputies so that they might gain control of a town from these bad dudes that called themselves the cowboys.
You may think of Batman and the Joker or someone else. But any of these earthly stories pale in comparison to this showdown we are going to read about today. We are going to read about the One true God of heaven and earth and his prophet Elijah challenging the false god Baal and all of his false prophets. This is a showdown that will reveal to Elijah, the people of Israel, and the enemies of God just how powerful God is. You want to hear about it?
First let’s look at the setting,
A. The Word Proclaimed to the Imprisoned.
A. The Word Proclaimed to the Imprisoned.
I. The Setting
I. The Setting
After many days the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, “Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.”
Now, before we get into these next few verses I want us to understand the importance of not getting so bogged down in the difficult portion of the passage that we steer off of the main point of the paragraph. Remember, Peter did not write this letter to confuse us but to encourage us to stand strong in Christ in midst of suffering and seek to grow in sanctification in light of the glorious gospel.Scot Mcknight explains,
1 Kings 18:
A. A time of great faith in Elijah
A. A time of great faith in Elijah
The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter Bridging Contexts
IN INTERPRETING THIS passage, one needs to recognize how easy it is to drift into the problem verses (3:19, 21) and lose sight of the way in which these particularly disputable passages fit into the general theme of persecution and suffering. That is, focusing on these verses tips the balance against the weight of the passage—how the example of Jesus becomes a source of encouragement for those who are facing suffering. While I would not want to minimize the significance of this passage for formulating special ideas (though I doubt debate about the location of Jesus after his death and before his exaltation advances theology much), it is fundamentally important to interpret these problem verses in light of their overall context.
And as usual Spurgeon humbles us regarding this passage,
First we need to consider when this was, was shortly after Elijah by the power of God had raised the widow’s son from the dead. God had just a few days before this event done something miraculous through the prophet. So you imagine Elijah’s faith was strong at this point. He was probably ready for whatever God had called him to accomplish.
B. A time of great famine in the land of Samaria.
B. A time of great famine in the land of Samaria.
Spurgeon Commentary: 1 Peter Exposition Charles Spurgeon writes, This passage nobody understands, though some think they do. It is for our good to be made to feel that we do not know everything. The point that is clear is that as Jesus suffered though innocent, we also must be willing to suffer at the hands of the ungodly.
So Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. Now the famine was severe in Samaria.
Let’s dive in,Verse 19 reads,19 in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,because they formerly did not obey,Verse 19 connects to verse 18 where Peter closes writing,being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed. As Pastor David laid out in his study guide there are two primary positions to this passage. Both of which are held by men we all respect. Both of these positions have merit, but one of the positions seems to fit the overall context and theme of first Peter which we believe is the most viable and accurate position. Pastor David explains the two positions well.
Position One: Noah Preaching by the Spirit of God Made alive by the Spirit: By this same Spirit, the Holy Spirit, Noah preached to his generation during the time of the arks construction.Because of their unbelief, they perished in their sins and though physically downed, their spirits are in prison awaiting final judgment.
Position Two: The Resurrected Christ Declares VictoryThe resurrected Christ proclaimed victory over those demons who were under bondage because of their unique offenses preceding and contributing to the worldwide judgment experienced at the flood. This position does not lend support to Christ descending into hell and making a general declaration of victory between Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. This is an event that followed the Resurrection. Position two is the position which I believe is the correct position. This is the position Pastor David holds, along with many other men who are faithful expositors, like Tom Schriener, Scot Mcknight, Dan Doriani, and John MacArthur. Upon studying the passage and looking at many commentaries these men though they may vary in some spots hold to the position that the Resurrected Christ proclaimed victory over those demons who were in bondage due to their disobedience in the days of Noah.
First, Peter is communicating that Christ went and proclaimed in the spirit in which he was made alive. Even though this death was brutal, bodily death Jesus was still victorious and went and proclaimed this message in the power of the Spirit, while alive in the spirit. The death and resurrection of Jesus is what proved he was who he said he was. He was the Son of God, the Second person of the Trinity who had himself preached prior to His death, that he must by crucified but would be raised from the dead.This would have been what I would call, “Jesus’ I told you so” sermon. He had prophesied of his own death and resurrection to His disciples, He had told the Pharisees that he would rebuild the temple in three days and now even though he had been put to death in the flesh he had been resurrected by the Spirit in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.We obviously now are left with a couple questions where did Jesus go, and who are these spirits in prison. Here is my short answer then I will explain.I hold the view that Jesus when made alive by the Spirit proclaimed victory over those who have formerly experienced judgment because of their disobedience and rebellion against God. Now this was not a second chance gospel proclamation, to those who were already judged for theirs sin, but a proclamation proving that Jesus had defeated sin, Satan, and all of these fallen angels who had rebelled against God pre-cross.
1 Peter The Gospel Proclaimed to the “Spirits in Prison”So, then, Peter states that Jesus “preached” (NIV) or “proclaimed” (ESV, NASB) something. The Greek verb is not euaggelizomai, “to preach the gospel or good news,” but kērussō, “to make a proclamation.” Like other words, kērussō has a range of meanings, and it can be used for evangelistic proclamations (e.g., ; ), but it typically means “to make an official announcement or public declaration,” not “to evangelize” (e.g., ; ; ). So we need not think that Jesus evangelized the spirits in prison.
Although Elijah was ready to more than ready to fill God’s call on his life. This was a time of great hunger and desperation in the land. There was drought and famine in the land. There had been no rain for three years. The land was parched, crops would not grow and there was a severe shortage of food.
F.B. Meyer noted, The music of the brooklets was still. No green pastures carpeted the hills or vales. There was neither blossom on the fig-tree nor fruit in the vines; and the labour of the olive failed. The ground was chapt and barren.… And, probably, the roads in the neighbourhood of the villages and towns were dotted by the stiffened corpses of the abject poor, who had succumbed to the severity of their privations. Ryken, P. G. (2011). 1 Kings. (R. D. Phillips, I. M. Duguid, & P. G. Ryken, Eds.) (p. 467). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.
Ryken, P. G. (2011). 1 Kings. (R. D. Phillips, I. M. Duguid, & P. G. Ryken, Eds.) (p. 467). Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing.
People were in a desperate situation. What happens when folks are hungry, when folks don’t know where there next meal is coming from. When crops are dying because of a lack of rain. One of two things,
1. You trust in the power, provision, and providence of God. Or
2, you turn to human wisdom and seek ways to fill your belly in ungodly ways, giving yourself over to idolatry.
The people during this time had put their trust in Baal, the good of rain, who was a false god, and was no help at all!
This was also,
Here are a couple reasons why I believe this view is most plausible. We see that Jesus went in the spirit by which He was made alive. In other words, he went somewhere to proclaim his victory. He went somewhere to preach the consummation of this spiritual victory.The context of the passage best fits this view. Remember, this is in the middle of Peter’s continued explanation of Christian suffering and how we are to look to Christ as he suffered. Therefore, Christ rising from his death in the flesh and being made alive in the Spirit, vindicated him through all of His suffering and death.
The NIV Application Commentary: 1 Peter Original MeaningI would emphasize at this point the need to see this passage in light of its context: the overall theme of vindication. Jesus was righteous and suffered for the unrighteous; God vindicated him by exalting him to his right hand. The churches of Peter need to know that if they remain faithful, like Jesus they too will be vindicated. That is the hope that ought to sustain them as they endure suffering, the hope of which they are to be ready to speak, and the hope that Peter urges them to embrace.
3. A time of a faithful few who feared the LORD.
3. A time of a faithful few who feared the LORD.
3. The audience of Jesus’ proclamation also gives us a clue. Jesus, proclaimed to the spirits in prison.Who are these spirits and where is this prison?The most accepted view is that these “spirits” are fallen angels, possible the angels for from
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. (Now Obadiah feared the Lord greatly, and when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took a hundred prophets and hid them by fifties in a cave and fed them with bread and water.)
1 Kings 18:1L
ESVWhen man began to multiply on the face of the land and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of man were attractive. And they took as their wives any they chose. Then the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.” The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of man and they bore children to them. These were the mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.
So you see we have Elijah a prophet of great faith, and Obadiah a manager of the household who had a great fear of the LORD.
1 Kings The Secular Saint
Though he had a secular calling, there is evidence that he was a secular saint; although he was in the world, he was not entirely of the world (cf. John 17:14–16; 2 Cor. 10:3). True, Obadiah was not as courageous as Elijah. Yet he was a believer in the God of Israel, and there are ways in which he serves as a godly example for Christians who have difficult, secular jobs.
So here is what happens.
Obadiah is the manger of Ahab’s house (Ahab is an ungodly king) who directs Obadiah to split up with him and go look for grass so that they could feed their livestock and keep them alive. Remember they are getting desperate, not only is food for the people shore but food for the livestock is short.
The timing and condemnation fits, plus the usage of the word for “spirits” plural “always refers to non-human spiritual beings unless qualified.” Consider,However, in verse 19 it does not mention Hell. When obviously the biblical authors are not afraid to define Hell for what it is. This means prison could be a metaphor for God’s control over these spirits. They have fallen and are awaiting final judgment, and following Jesus’ death and resurrection they are receiving a direct proclamation of His victory and vindication. There is no doubt who is in control now, following the death and resurrection of Jesus he is announcing his defeat of these “spirits in prison” proving to them that he had conquered sin, death, and Hell. And even though He did suffer and die in the flesh the fact that he had been made alive in the spirit proved His Deity and authority. Again why is this idea of Christ victory and vindication so important to suffering saints?
ESVIf the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
Now notice what happens when they split up.
I understand we are mixing spirit and Spirit here in these two verses, but the principle remains the same.
1 Kings 18:7
And as Obadiah was on the way, behold, Elijah met him. And Obadiah recognized him and fell on his face and said, “Is it you, my lord Elijah?” And he answered him, “It is I. Go, tell your lord, ‘Behold, Elijah is here.’ ” And he said, “How have I sinned, that you would give your servant into the hand of Ahab, to kill me?
ESVand if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Obadiah recognizes Elijah and falls on his face.
Elijah says go and tell your lord, master, boss, that Elijah is here! Elijah is about to show the pagans something.
What was the reason Christ went and proclaimed to these spirits in prison? Because the formerly did not obey, these rebellious angels, these spiritual beings had rebelled against God. They had been cast out of His presence out of His sovereign protective reign and into captivity where they are awaiting final judgment. This is a great warning to us, if God casts his created angelic beings into prison and will ultimately will we as created humanity not also be cast into judgement if we fail to repent of our rebellion. Peter goes on to explain,
Obadiah says are you trying to get me killed?
B. The Word Proclaimed in the days of Noah.
B. The Word Proclaimed in the days of Noah.
And Elijah said, “As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.”
1 Kings 18:
This is how we get to the greatest showdown in the Bible. The most power display of the power of God in all the Scriptures.
So now that we have considered the Setting, let’s look at,
II. The Showdown
II. The Showdown
Look with me at
When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, “Is it you, you troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you have, and your father’s house, because you have abandoned the commandments of the Lord and followed the Baals. Now therefore send and gather all Israel to me at Mount Carmel, and the 450 prophets of Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
1 Kings 18:17-
Notice when these disobedient spirits had disobeyed. when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared,There is something important in this phrase I don’t want us to overlook as we are seeking to understand the difficult teaching of the verse. There is something about God in this verse that we must not pass over in order to get to the days of disobedience. Notice the first four words in the phrase.when God’s patience waitedthe KJV translates it, when once the longsufferinig of God waited.We ought to always look to a passage of Scripture and ask what does this passage teach us about God? What can we learn about the nature of God from this verse?We learn that God is a God of patience! He is a longsuffering God. Think for a moment about the patience God showed the people in the days of Noah. God had all rights and means to destroy the wicked in the days of Noah in a moment. But instead he gave them years while Noah preached and built the ark. He gave them time to repent, time to recognize their wicked ways, but these spirits and the people in Noah’s day were continually wicked.
A. The people of the Showdown
A. The people of the Showdown
ESVThe Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
Elijah and Ahab meet, and Ahab says, you are the troubler of Israel, in other words you are the on stirring up all kinds of strife for the people of God.
Elijah says, no, you are the one causing the issues, you are the one who have abandoned God and are chasing after the false God Baal. And here is what I want you to do gather up all 450 false prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of the false God Asherah, who you and your wicked woman feed. And I am going to teach you all a lesson.
Do you see where we can learn from this obscure passage event today? I want you to think about your life now, what are the intention of your thoughts? What are you continually think about? What are the intentions of your heart? Compare and contrast that to your preconversion days. I can say my thought patterns have definitely changed. Not that I never have an evil thought, but now with an impure thought or word comes conviction. Before I was truly regenerate, my mind dwelled on all kinds of evil continually. What about you? Do you see the patience of God not only in these spirits to whom Christ proclaimed the Word to, but in your own life. Each one of us in some way or another were continually thinking and acting on our evil thoughts and intentions. But God, patiently waited on you you and I. Instead of taking us out, while we were under His wrath, He eventually opened our eyes that we might see who He is. A Holy, eternal, all wise God who was calling us to himself for salvation. We saw our sin against a Holy God, we saw that he sent His own Son to die on a cross for us in the flesh but was made alive in the spirit that we might repent and believe in Him. What great news this was. What a powerful display of God’s longsuffering with us. So don’t miss the truths about God in this passage! Now back to Peter’s main point.Here Peter specifically focuses on the on victory and vindication claimed regarding the spirits who were disobedient during the days of Noah. Again we come back to those angels and spirits who we considered from Genesis chapter 6. The ones who brought on the flood. These were the sons of God who sin sexually with the daughters of men. Who took wives as they pleased. Who rebelled against God and disobeyed Him, causing sin and rebellion in the people of God Robert Mounce explains," The spirits are said to have disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. This seems to make the disobedience of the angels contemporaneous with the period during which the ark was under construction. What we are probably to understand is that although the angels fell from their exalted place long before the time of Noah, they were still in a state of disobedience when the similarly disobedient human race was trying the patience of God—that is, when the ark was being built.”These angels have fallen. They have come to a place where they are those angels who will be judged, who will be ultimately cast into Hell in the place of outer darkness. Those who refused to believer in the power and authority of God and sought their own sovereignty. These spirits are seen as either being in a location of bondage, in a spirit prison or in a position of bondage as I mentioned earlier. These were the spirits receiving this proclamation because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared.John MacArthur points out, “The perversion that brought on the Flood is linked to the perversion that brought fire and brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah ().”
1 Kings The Persecuted Prophet
The peaceful work of preaching the gospel is a threat to the fortresses of evil. The values of the kingdom of heaven are such a total reversal of the values of the kingdom of this world that faithful servants of God always seem like troublemakers in the eyes of the world.
Next we see,
ESVAnd the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
B. The place of the showdown
B. The place of the showdown
This proclamation of Christ reaches back to the days of Noah, his victory is announced following His resurrection. However, this passage also presents the;
So Ahab sent to all the people of Israel and gathered the prophets together at Mount Carmel.
1 Kings
C. The Word Proclaimed to Save.
C. The Word Proclaimed to Save.
They all gather at Mt. Carmel.
Notice the contrast at the end of the verse. in which a few,There were a few that were not disobedient, there were a small number that while these spirits and the entirety of humanity were rebelling against God were obedient, Peter says,that is, eight persons, (obedient to get on the boat).In contrast to those who were imprisoned due to their disobedience these 8 were protected from the flood for their obedience. They were protected because they trusted God. In contrast to the disobedient in the days of Noah,
1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary ii. The Carmel Contest (18:17–46)
Mount Carmel (six hundred metres high, south of modern Haifa) may have been chosen as it lay on the border of Israel and Phoenician territory and possibly as a high place venerated by both parties.
ESVThey were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.
This was a place that the showdown could be seen by many people and a place that both Israel and the enemies of God held in high esteem. It was the perfect place to see this showdown between the God of Israel and the false gods who have eyes and cannot see, ears but cannot hear, and mouths but cannot speak. They are about to get a divine lesson in who they should trust and in whom is in control!
While Noah was trusting God, working according to the word and will of God everyone else was mocking, making fun of, and refusing to believe the message Noah was proclaiming by his words and work. He was warning that the wrath of God was coming and he was working to build the ark that all who would trust God would saved. All who would turn from their wicked ways and believe God would be protected from the flood waters. However, Noah and his family,were brought safely through water.They were saved from the raging water. For 120 years Noah continued building the ark God had called him to build, proclaiming that the wrath of God was coming, calling people to repent and the spirits continued in their sexual immorality, in their deviance, in their violating the daughters of men. Men failed to protect their daughters from these evil spirit, sons of God, angels and women gave themselves over to them.But Noah and his family kept carpentering and call ment to trust God to get on the boat, but they would not believe. They would not trust God. Think about how this is relevant today. Every Sunday there are faithful gospel preachers proclaiming the truth of God. Calling men and women to be saved. Calling men and women to look to Christ, to trust in the work of Christ. Faithful proclaimers of the gospel preach that,God’s wrath is coming. God’s Son has suffered and died once for all sin,God’s Son was the perfect sacrifice the righteous for the unrighteous.God’ Son is the only in which we can be reconciled to God. But what happens, people drive right by the church, they have no concern for the impending judgment of God. The keep eating, drinking, marrying, divorcing, and committing vial deviant sexual immorality. So what are we to do?Keep preaching, keep proclaiming that Christ is the answer, Jesus Christ is the Son of God who is our Savior, he is in a sense our ark. The ark is pointing us to God’s provision for our salvation, His one and only Son. How are we to live in light of this passage as those who are already in Christ? We must be willing to suffer the way he suffered. We must be willing to be faithful in the light of persecution and affliction, like Noah we keep hammering, we keep preaching for men to repent and believe in Christ Jesus the one who accomplished the work of our salvation, The one who proclaimed the victory for our salvation, the one who we will see next is the.....
This brings us to,
C. The power of God displayed in the showdown.
C. The power of God displayed in the showdown.
First, notice Elijah’s challenge to the people,
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
1 Kings 18:
Secondly,
Elijah lays down the rules to the showdown,
Then Elijah said to the people, “I, even I only, am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men. Let two bulls be given to us, and let them choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the Lord, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.”
1 Kings 18:22-
The prophets of Baal begin,
Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many, and call upon the name of your god, but put no fire to it.” And they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. And at noon Elijah mocked them, saying, “Cry aloud, for he is a god. Either he is musing, or he is relieving himself, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.” And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
1 Kings 18:25
The Power of God is displayed,
Then Elijah said to all the people, “Come near to me.” And all the people came near to him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the Lord came, saying, “Israel shall be your name,” and with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord. And he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two seahs of seed. And he put the wood in order and cut the bull in pieces and laid it on the wood. And he said, “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering and on the wood.” And he said, “Do it a second time.” And they did it a second time. And he said, “Do it a third time.” And they did it a third time. And the water ran around the altar and filled the trench also with water. And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O Lord, answer me, that this people may know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The Lord, he is God; the Lord, he is God.” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.
1 Kings
Do you see the faithfulness of God in this Showdown. He proves there is no other God but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do you see how he worked through a faithful prophet? Elijah prayed that God would show all these people His great power, His absolute sovereignty so that they would quit limping after these other gods. And what happened?
The Fire fell and consumed the sacrifice and licked up the water! The false gods did nothing and God did more than expected. But here is a question did this sacrifice that God provided give us all that we need for salvation today?
Was Elijah the final prophet that brought the final revelation of God?
The answers are no and no. There was yet another Prophet to come, Jesus who fills the offices of prophet, priest, and King! He came as the perfect revelation of God, He is the Son of God, the Word of God, and the Second person of the Godhead. So as we see the power displayed in this Showdown, remember there has been a once for all showdown, it didn't happen on Mt. Carmel, but on Mt. Calvary where the perfect Prophet of God was crucified for the sins of all who would repent and believe. But we know it is final because Jesus cried out on the cross it is finished. Then even though they put him in the grave, he did not stay there, three days later he rose from the dead showing His power over our enemies of sin, death, and Satan. So as great as this story is reading of God sending down fire, remember He sent His one and only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins and Savior of His people!