Please turn to John chapter 2. Our sermon text is John 2:13-22.

Last week Jesus turned water into wine - well, not really last week, but 2000 years ago. You know what I mean. That miracle, or "sign," as the apostle John calls it, (1) revealed Jesus' glory; (2) signified Jesus' cleansing ministry; and (3)  was a foretaste of the blessing that will come at the end of the age.

In our reading today, Jesus and his disciples went up to Jerusalem. By the way, travelling to Jerusalem was always travelling up. It didn’t matter whether you were coming from the north, south, east, or west, Jerusalem was in the mountains and you would be ascending.

Reading of John 2:13-22

Prayer

Earlier this week, I scanned through the Old Testament and counted how many chapters focused on the temple. You know, I was curious. I counted 39 chapters spread across 10 Old Testament books. That includes chapters focused on the tabernacle - which was the precursor to the temple. So 39 chapters on the temple and tabernacle. Then I thought I would count the chapters which focused on priests and priestly activity. I counted at least 30 more. I lost my place, actually… and didn’t want to start over. So at least 30 more. That's about 70 chapters which focus on the temple or temple activity.

And these are not just chapters that only mention the temple or tabernacle or priests, no, these are chapters that describe the construction and the contents of the temple… like the lampstands, the altar, the incense, and the Ark of the Covenant and all the details about the ark. These chapters also describe the different courts and the holy place and the holy of holies… all with specific measurements. We're given details about the priestly vestments and all the different sacrifices and their purposes. The High Priest was to wear special garb with different kinds of gems. The day of atonement is described. We're given details about the priestly activities and roles. The temple was to host annual festivals, such as the Feast of Weeks and the Passover. There's a lot.

Furthermore, every temple object and practice was a divinely designed shadow of a greater substance to come. They were all types. They each in some way signified aspects of salvation or worship or God's character including and especially his holiness.

When the Israelites travelled to Jerusalem, they were travelling for some activity related to the temple. In some way, they would participate in temple activities that drew them closer to God - those activities would reveal his holiness and the forgiveness they needed from their sin…. and the salvation which God would bring.

The temple was the center of their spiritual life. It was a sacred place where God was to be revered and worshiped and where his presence dwelt.

That is why the destruction of the temple by the Babylonians was so traumatic. That had happened about 600 year earlier. It's why the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra's day was a great joy. Even despite the second temple's shortcomings, it restored sacrifices and worship.

I've had the opportunity to visit Jerusalem twice. And both times, I was able to visit the western wall of the temple mount. Maybe you've heard of it. The temple mount was the massive foundation upon which the temple was built. The temple was destroyed again almost 2000 years ago, but the temple mount is largely intact. The western wall is the closest that a Jew, today, can get to where the original temple used to be. The area next to the western wall is usually packed with people - people praying and rocking back and forth and putting little notes in between the massive stones.

You see, even though the temple is no longer there, the location is still sacred and a source of grief for many in the Jewish community.

I bring all that up because as the narrative now moves to Jerusalem, we're brought right to the temple. We're brought right to the center of life and activity in Jerusalem.

And notice that not only does the temple come into view here, but we're told in verse 13 that the annual Passover celebration was at hand. The Passover was one of the two main festivals that would bring pilgrims to Jerusalem.

It celebrated God's deliverance of his people out of Egypt. The whole event took a week and involved meals and rituals. The most important thing was the sacrifice of animals on the temple altar. The normal sacrifice was a lamb, you know a young sheep. However, wealthy families could offer an ox and poor families could offer pigeons.

For the Passover, the population of Jerusalem would swell by at least a few hundred thousand people. If you believe Josephus, the Jewish historian, he estimated even higher - he estimated 2.7 million additional people. That's likely an over estimate, but the point is that the city was packed, and especially the area surrounding the temple and temple mount.

And since a significant portion of the Passover involved sacrificing animals, families needed to have animals to sacrifice. Some, of course, brought their own, but if you were travelling a long way, that would be difficult. Other families didn’t raise animals. And so, the Passover week involved the buying and selling of animals. Thousands and thousands of oxen and lambs and pigeons. Archeologists have found nearby caves with hundreds of bird pens. The birds would be raised and then sold at the Passover. All the buying and selling was, of course, a business.

The problem here was not that animals were being bought and sold. No, to some extent, that had to happen. Rather, the problem was that the buying and selling of animals and the currency exchanges were happening in the temple area. Specifically, it was happening in the Court of the Gentiles which was right next to the main temple building.

Now, it didn’t need to happen there. There was plenty of space in other parts of the city. But, as you can imagine, being right there was very convenient. Right there you could exchange your foreign currency, and then buy your animal, and then you could walk couple hundred steps to the temple altar where the priests would then make your sacrifice.

And so, the merchants set up shop right there in the temple courts.

The problem was that God had graciously given Israel the temple and its practices as signs of his grace. By abusing them, the people were forsaking God and breaking his covenant promises

Let me highlight 4 ways in which all this offended God:

1. First, the worship of God had become transactional. The ceremonies and sacrifices had been established by God as a means to worship him. They were the avenue through which God was revealing his salvation and character. Yet the people had turned true worship into empty worship… into going-through-the-motions worship. Their sacrifices were not pleasing to God.

2. Second, the temple area was to be a sacred place. It was to be where God's glory dwelt. People were to come there to pray and to be instructed by the priests and to commune with the living God. But all of that was disrupted by the merchants and money changers. Think of the disruption that the animals made - thousands of them! And they were doing animal things - you know what I mean - making noise and making a mess. It distracted true worshippers from worshipping the Lord.

3. Third, it was all a racket. It was striking against the very holiness of God. In the other Gospel accounts, Jesus called the traders and money changers a den of robbers. Their fraud and price gouging demonstrated hearts far from God and his ways.

If you were to pick one word that described the temple… it would be the word holy. Holy refers to God's set-apart-ness - his pure and utter righteousness. Inside the temple building was the holy place and at the heart of the temple was the holy of holies. All of the temple elements and practices in some way or another demonstrated the holiness of God. That is why this activity was defiling the temple. It was unholy. It was all disgraceful to God. The merchants' unholiness was a stark contrast to the holiness of God.

4. And the fourth problem was that no one was doing anything about all this. The Jewish leaders failed by letting this all happen in the first place…  and they didn't put an end to it as it spiraled out of control. Maybe they were even profiting off of it - that's likely but we don't know.

And so, when Jesus arrived, he witnessed the utter desecration of the temple. And notice he called the temple "my father's house." That acknowledged both his identity as the Son of God, and it acknowledged the significance of the temple as where God dwelt.

And in response, Jesus "cleansed the temple" as this event is often called.

Jesus fashioned whips, as verse 15 says. And he drove the merchants and animals out. He poured out the coins of the money changers. He flipped over their tables. People and animals scattered out of the temple courts in utter chaos.

In verse 16, he told those who sold pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade." It was a display of righteous anger. It demonstrated Jesus' authority and his holiness and his justice - attributes, you know, that he possessed as God the Son.

And the disciples witnessed it all. They recalled the words of Psalm 69 - those are quoted there in verse 17, "Zeal for your house will consume me." In Psalm 69, King David laments that his zeal for God's house brought reproach on him from his enemies… his enemies dishonored God. That's what was happening here. Jesus had a holy zeal for God's house, but the merchants and money changers were bringing reproach on God.

The reference to Psalm 69 revealed that a greater King greater than King David had come. In other words, Jesus' cleansing of the temple was a prophetic fulfillment of Psalm 69. A righteous King had arrived in Jerusalem.

I want to make a brief comment here. Sometimes people will use this event as a justification for righteous anger. You know, like when we get mad at sin and evil. But I don't believe that this event is our permission slip for righteous anger.

I am not saying that we shouldn't be angry at sin. We should hate sin - first, and foremost, we should hate our own sin and unrighteousness. And we should be angry at oppression and injustice. We should. According, of course, to God's definition of oppression and injustice and not the world's. Ephesians 4 says "be angry and do not sin." So, yes, it is possible to be angry at the right things, but let me say, it is very hard to be angry and not sin.

What I am saying is that yes, we should emulate Jesus, however, we should also  recognize that we are not him. His righteous anger here is pure and holy and perfectly justified.

Rather, what this event underscores for us is our need to honor the Lord in our worship. We are to come before him in humility with hearts drawn to him. You see, we're the ones in the temple area either buying the animals or worse, selling and exchanging, or even worse than that, allowing it all to happen like the failure of the Jewish leaders.

But what does that look like today?

Well, perhaps we are treating worship as merely a transactional activity. It's easy to slip into that mindset thinking that all we are called to do is go through the motions in worship. But no, God wants our hearts. We are to come before him in humility and praise his name.

Or perhaps, as did the merchants, we are desecrating worship by treating it as a consumeristic man-centered activity and not a God-glorifying one. That's also a trap that we can fall in today. Much of our society revolves around our so-called needs and the things we want to do or buy. Worship can turn into that.

Or perhaps, as did the Jewish leaders, we are allowing our worship to be hijacked by these temptations… again, by self-serving practices that focus on ourselves and not on God Almighty in the splendor of his holiness according to his Word.

God wants our hearts and minds to be drawn into reverent God-honoring worship through his Spirit, according to his Word.

I could say more, but in the interest of time, let's continue on. Because this narrative takes a surprising turn.

Of course, when Jesus disrupted the Passover activity at the temple, the Jews took notice. By the way, when John uses the word "Jews" he is most often referring to the Pharisees or the Sadducees, you know, the Jewish leaders. Well, they came at him, and asked, verse 18 "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" There's our word from last week, "sign." In other words, they were asking, "show us by what authority you do such a thing."

And Jesus shocked them when he said, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."

They interpreted those words at face value. They had no sense that Jesus could have been indicating something deeper. To them, it was a ridiculous statement. And you see that in their response. "It has taken forty-six years," they said, "to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"

You see, 46 years prior, Herod the Great began a massive renovation project of the Temple Mount, and the Temple courts, and the Temple itself. Even though Herod had died two decades earlier, those renovations had continued. And they weren't even done. So, to them, it was absurd for Jesus to suggest that he could raise up a destroyed temple in three days.

But he did.

He wasn't referring to the temple structure, where they were standing. No, as John remarks there in verse 21, he was referring to the temple of his body. He was referring to his resurrection, when he would be raised up from the grave.

When the disciples reflected back on Jesus' statement, as verse 22 highlights, they realized what he had been referring to. It was amazingly prophetic.

Let's consider the original readers for a moment. It is very likely that John wrote this shortly after the Romans destroyed the temple in AD 70. There are good arguments for that which I agree with. That event was horrible. In Jesus' prophecy in Matthew 24, Jesus' called it the abomination of desolation. It was gruesome. Historical records confirm that. Many were killed including women and children. The temple was plundered; its massive stones were toppled; and it was all burned.

This was all freshly painful for the original Jewish readers. They were likely without a temple. The very heart of Jewish life had been taken away from them. There was nothing left. No sacrifices. No annual festivals. No Holy of Holies for the High Priest to enter on Yom Kippur - the Day of Atonement.

Yet, a greater Temple had been raised up. Christ himself had been raised.

What Jesus was saying to the Jews was that the Temple would no longer be needed. That is, the physical Temple's purpose would soon be coming to an end. It needed to be destroyed.

After Jesus' sacrificial death was accomplished on the cross, and after he was raised from the grave, there was no more need for sacrifices or priests or holy things. Do you remember what immediately happened after Jesus died? The temple curtain was torn in two. The temple curtain was the massive ornate curtain that separated the priests from God's presence in the Holy of Holies. It was torn in two by God! There was no longer a need for sacrifices because the once-and-for-all sacrifice had definitively secured redemption for God's people.

Jesus had fulfilled the temple's purpose. He was now the only Temple necessary. And the event that sealed the deal and that fulfilled the Temple's ministry of God's presence, was Jesus' resurrection. And not only his resurrection, but also his ascension. He now lives and reigns in heaven. And because of that, we can commune with him through prayer and through the Holy Spirit.

To the original Jewish reader, this would have been a tremendous revelation. The center of Jewish life had shifted from the Temple in Jerusalem to the temple of Jesus Christ. Jesus has fulfilled the Temple's ministry.

·      His sacrifice is the one true and final sacrifice as an atonement for sin.

·      The temple represented the holiness of God, which Jesus perfectly fulfilled as the embodiment of holiness.

·      Jesus is the great High Priest who did and continues to intercede for us.

·      He is the one in whom God's presence fully dwells as God in the flesh. Jesus is the one who came and dwelt among us - as we discussed in chapter 1.

·      Related to that, the temple held the very glory of God. That glory has been fulfilled in Christ Jesus. His glory will shine for eternity. We read earlier in the service from Revelation 21, there will be no temple in new heavens and earth, for the temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.

The old Temple has passed. It has been destroyed, but God has raised up the new temple.

Friends, you don’t need to take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. You don’t need to visit the western temple mount wall. You don't need earthly priests. Sacrifices will not bring you to God. As the author of Hebrews put it, "it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin." Those things have passed away. The temple is no more. In fact, we should not hope for a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. To hope for a rebuilt temple would be to believe that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient. We should not desire that old shadow return… why? because the true substance has come. Jesus has come. The curtain was torn and the temple destroyed.

Hoping for a rebuilt temple would be kind of like if you were planning a trip. And you bought a travel book. It had pictures and maps and information on where you are going - like maybe one of our great national parks. But you get there, and the whole time, you sit in your hotel room reading your travel guide. You miss out on the beauty and the wonder of the destination to which that guide was revealing.

The temple's purpose was to reveal Christ. The fulfillment of the temple has come. Jesus has come. Through him is full access to God. Our hope should be in Christ and the New Jerusalem in eternity.

Multiple times in the New Testament, God's people are called a temple of the living God. That is because when you are united to Christ by faith, God dwells in you. You have all the blessings of communing with God through the Holy Spirit when you are joined to him by faith. When that happens, your sin is atoned for. You can confess your sin in repentance, knowing you are forgiven. You can pray to the God of the universe for your burdens and pain and sickness. And, you can worship him with joy and hope.

Are you a temple of the Living God? Do you believe this word?

Did you notice that the word "believe" is used again? It's there in verse 22. Jesus' disciples "believed the Scripture", it says. It's a pattern. Last week, the disciples believed in Jesus. At the end of chapter 1, Nathaniel believed. And earlier in chapter 1, we're told that all who believe in his name, God gave the right to become children of God.

If you don't yet believe, will you? Because, when you do, you will receive all the blessings and benefits formerly displayed in the temple of old, but now fully realized in Jesus Christ.

You will have God's presence through his Spirit, forgiveness through his blood, and his holiness given to you. Come to the true temple.

John 2:1-12

Our sermon text this morning is John 2:1-12.

In the lead up to these verses, Jesus has been introduced as the Son of God, the promised Messiah, the light of the world, the creator of all things, and various other titles and descriptions. John the Baptist and several of Jesus newly gathered disciples testified to those things.

The apostle John now turns his attention to not just tell us who Jesus is, but to show us.

In our passage this morning, we'll hear about the first miracle of Jesus. It happened at a wedding in Cana which is in the region of Galilee.

Reading of John 2:1-12

Every single culture throughout human history has had weddings … you know, ceremonies and banquets. And there are some interesting customs.

I've never been, but I understand that if you go to a Jewish wedding, you’ll see the groom and sometimes the bride smash a piece of glass under their feet. At Greek weddings, the attendees will dance in big circles around the happy couple - apparently it's a sign of blessing. I’ve never witness that but I've seen the movie.

A few years ago when I was in India with Pastor Chuck, we drove by a big wedding reception. There was an elephant and there were lots of colors. It was beautiful and very celebratory.

And it’s no wonder why weddings are so significant. God established marriage from the very beginning. Right there in Genesis 2, God instituted the union between man and woman. A man shall leave his father and mother and shall be united to his wife and they shall become one flesh.

When I am meeting with engaged couples, one thing I emphasize is that Genesis 2 happened before Genesis 3. I know that sounds obvious and it is, but it is very significant.  Genesis 3 is the fall – it’s when sin entered the world. Genesis 2 is when God established marriage. In other words, marriage between a man and a woman is part of God’s created order before the fall. Marriage is not part of God’s redemptive plan - No, it precedes it and transcends the fall. In other words, marriage is not just for Christians, rather, it is an institution that applies to all humanity.

To be sure, not everyone is called to be married – the apostle Paul makes that clear. But marriage and family are at the very center of God’s established order for humanity.

So, it’s no wonder that weddings have always been a big deal everywhere – because they are!

I bring all that up because the fact that Jesus' very first miracle happened at a wedding is very significant. Jesus didn’t turned water into wine at some arbitrary banquet. No, he did so at a wedding feast. He did so at a celebration of the most important union here on earth… and more importantly, a union modelled after his relationship with us - the marriage between Christ and his church.

My hope is that as we work through what happened at this wedding in Cana, that you will see not only the glory of Jesus on display, but you will also see how it reveals the greater wedding banquet that is to come.

Ok. Before we get into the specifics, I want to point out one other significant thing. Look at verse 11. It says, “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee.” Notice that John does not use the word “miracle.” No, instead he uses the word “sign.”

Sign is the word that John uses throughout the book. In fact, chapters 2 through chapter 12 are sometimes called the “book of signs.”  The content of these chapters revolve around 7 signs that Jesus performed. The word sign comes from the Greek word “sēmeia.” The word indicates that these events are more than just miracles. They point to something significant. Think about all the English words derived from the Greek word for sign. Significant, signify, signal, assign… all of those capture the idea that there’s a deeper meaning here. And that is what these signs are. They direct our attention not to the miracles themselves, but rather to what the miracles reveal.

I think the clearest example of this I think is in chapter 6. Jesus multiplied the fish and the loaves and then he said to the crowd, “I am the bread of heaven.” Through that miracle, Jesus gave us a sign that he is the one who spiritually feed us and gives us life.

So here at the wedding in Cana, it’s not only that Jesus displayed his glory and power by turning water into wine. But Jesus also revealed greater things.

The question is, then, to what is this sign signifying? … you know, beyond just Jesus' glory? Well, as we work through the narrative, there are two additional things that the sign of wine is signifying. It foreshadows the cleansing blood of Christ, and it demonstrates the abundant spiritual blessings that we have and will received in him.

We'll consider those in three points: #1 the sign of Jesus' glory. #2, the foreshadowing of Jesus' blood. and #3 the foretaste of eternal blessing.

1. The Sign of Wine - Glory

So, first, glory. I think you would agree, this miracle displays God’s glory in and through Jesus. Verse 11 tells us that. It says, "…it manifested his glory."

The very act of the miracle itself manifested (or displayed) Jesus' glory.

And by the way, just to be sure, this really was wine. As some of our Baptist friends think, Jesus did not turn water into grape juice, but, in fact, wine, good wine.

Ok, let's spend a little bit of time just walking through the narrative.

Notice first that it mentions this happened on the third day. The way we count days today, it's actually two days later. Back then, the current day was considered day one as you count days. Tomorrow would be day two. And the day after is the third day. As you know, we usually count tomorrow as day 1.

So, basically two days later, Jesus and his new disciples were at a wedding. They'd been invited. And we find that in some way, Jesus' mother, Mary, was helping. Perhaps this was a relative. Furthermore, Jewish weddings at the time were multiple day affairs - some of them would go on for 7 days. I know that's hard for us to even imagine. It involved multiple meals and celebratory things. Furthermore, the wine used throughout was more than just for enjoyment, it indicated a mutual blessing upon the families being united together as they celebrated the marriage. Also, the groom's family would have hosted it, and they would have spent a lot of time and money. So, it was a big deal.

But we find out pretty quickly, that there's a crisis. They've run out of wine! They couldn’t just send someone to Kroger or Publix. It was a major problem… and running out of wine would have come with a social stigma. The groom's family would have been very embarrassed.

Why did they run out? We're not told.  it could have been poor planning. Maybe they had more people than they expected. Maybe people drank more than they thought they would. We just don’t know.

When Mary said to Jesus that there was no more wine, we get the sense that she knew Jesus could resolve the problem. But Jesus responds to her, "woman, what has this to do with me? My hour has not yet come." Now, to our ears, it sounds a little roughly worded. It sounds like Jesus was scolding his mother. But actually, the word 'woman' was used in a different way at that time. I think the NIV translation does a better job here. It says "dear woman." You see, the word "women" was sometimes used as a term of affection. Jesus was lovingly saying to his mother that it was not his problem. His "hour," as he said, had not yet come. We'll come back to the word "hour" in a few minutes. The bottom line is that Jesus indicated that this was not his matter to resolve.

Notice, though, that he did not say he wouldn't help. Mary understood that and she knew that Jesus in some way could fix the problem. And so, what does she do? She tells servants, "Do whatever he says." Truly, it was a display of deep faith on her part. She believed in what he could do.

Now, the venue had a set of stone purification jars - there were six of them. We'll come back to their ceremonial purpose in a minute.

Jesus asked the servants to fill them. So, the servants followed through with Jesus request as Mary had told them to. They filled them "to the brim," it says. That would have taken some time. And then immediately when they finished, Jesus had them draw some of it out and they were to bring it to the master of the feast.

At this point, the miracle had already been done - the servants knew it, which is pointed out for us. The servants also knew, as did Mary and the disciples, that the wine had run out… but now there was plenty.

But the master of ceremonies didn’t know any of that. And when he tasted the wine, it was not diluted nor was it lower quality wine that was sometimes served after the good wine. No, hardly at all. The master went straight to the groom and said, "you have kept the good wine until now." It was an encouraging word. Not only had disaster been averted, but quite the opposite happened. The celebration ramped up! The festivities continued with good wine served to the guests. What a tremendous blessing for the whole wedding party!

Part of the miracle was that Jesus never touched the stone jars. He wasn't the one who filled them with water. He was also not the one to bring the new wine to the master of the ceremonies. In fact, we're not told that the master, nor the groom, nor the guests ever knew about the miracle. But the servants knew, and Mary knew, and Jesus' disciples knew - they had observed from a distance. And look at the brief note at the end of 11… right after it says that Jesus manifested his glory… it says, "And his disciples believed in him."

You may remember, at the end of chapter 1, we're told that Nathaniel believed. But now we're given a full testimony that they all believed. You see, even though this sign was concealed to a select few, yet it testified to Jesus' identity as chapter 1 revealed - it displayed the glory of God in Christ.

So that's one display - one sign. Glory through the miracle itself.

2. The Sign of Wine - Blood

#2. The sign of blood.

If time travel actually existed… and if you transported yourself back to a first century Jewish community, one thing you would see over and over were the various ceremonial washings.

You see, in order to participate in various events and meals and ceremonies, you had to be clean. You had to be purified.  it was both a cleanliness thing and spiritual purification thing. The Jews were constantly purifying themselves. That involved taking fresh water from a purification container and washing.

And there were very specific regulations for the process. Some of the purification regulations came from the law… specifically Exodus and Leviticus and Deuteronomy. We learn from Mark chapter 7, that there were other additional cleansing traditions that had been added

And one important thing is that the water needed to come from living water - you know, fresh sources like springs or wells or mountain streams. This water for purification also needed to be stored in stone jars (or basins) - not clay or wood or leather. While those vessels were allowed to temporarily hold consumable liquid, they were not appropriate for the cleansing rite. Stone, on the other hands, was. It was impermeable - the water would remain clean over time. In fact, you were not supposed to transport the water to the stone basins in something made of clay or wood - no, the process had to be pure.

And when the time came for the purification, like the washing of your hands or feet (or your whole body if something happened to make you unclean), you would draw the water out with a stone cup and you would wash off to the side. In other words, you wouldn't stick your hands or feet in the stone jars - that would only make the water unclean. In verse 8, that phrase "draw out" is the same word used for ceremonial cleansing. The servants drew out the wine for the master of the feast.

So, when Jesus told the servants to fill the stone water jars, they would have known exactly where to get the water and how to fill them. Furthermore, Jesus' disciples and his mother and the original readers would have been very familiar with all of it.

What I am saying is that all of them would have understood the symbolism of the purification jars. A greater cleansing had come - the new wine has arrived. Even though the master of ceremonies, nor the guests, nor the bride and groom didn't know what happened, yet Mary and the servants and disciples did. They witnessed Jesus foreshadowing that he would cleanse them from their sin.

Now, I doubt that Mary or Jesus' disciples would have associated the wine with Jesus' blood. I'm talking about at that moment. But let's go back to what Jesus' said to Mary. He said, "my hour has not yet come." We will come across that phrase multiple times throughout the Gospel of John. Jesus was indicating that an "hour" would come when his purpose in coming would be fulfilled. Jesus was referring to the "hour" of his crucifixion. In Jesus' prayer in chapter 17, right before he was arrested, Jesus prayed, "Father, the hour has come..." As he's performing this miracle, Jesus had just referenced his coming crucifixion.

One commentator pointed out that immediately after Jesus died, a Roman soldier pierced Jesus' side… do you remember what came forth? blood and water. The apostle John makes a point to note that. That's in John 19 verse 34. You see, the cleansing water of purification is fulfilled in the cleansing blood of Christ.

Again, at the time, Mary and the disciples didn’t fully understand, but when they reflected back on this miracle, they would realize its significance. It displayed the cleansing that they would receive by faith in Christ through what he accomplished on the cross.

In 1 John chapter 1 (the first of the apostle John's letters)… In 1 John 1:7, the apostle said that if we walk in the light of Christ… that is, if we believe in him and demonstrate that belief, he said, "the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin."

You see, the ceremonial purification was anticipating the cleansing ministry of Jesus… a cleansing that we all need, and which we received by faith.

The wine signified Jesus blood. It's just like at the Last Supper when Jesus said that the cup was the new covenant in his blood, for the forgiveness of sin.

3. The Sign of Wine: Foretaste of Eternal Blessing

So, #1 glory, #2 blood, and now, #3 abundant and eternal blessing.

Let's look again at verse 6. We've talked about the significance of the purification jars. But did you notice how large they each were? There were six of them and they each contained about 20-30 gallons. Each one of them was about as big as a normal size bathtub, today. That's big! And multiply that by 6 and you get about 150 gallons! That's a lot of wine.

Is it possible that the wedding was that large and they needed that much wine? Yeah, it's possible. But the point of letting us know the volume of water turned to wine is not to tell us the size of the wedding. We're not given any details about the wedding. We don't know who the bride and groom were. No, the point of notating the size was to indicate the sheer volume of the wine. It signified the abundant blessing that Jesus's ministry has and will bring. His ministry to us is and will be far more abundant than what we can ask for or imagine.

And let me say, even at those times in our lives when we feel like the wine has run out. You know, when we are worn down, or our faith feels weak or our hope is seemingly gone. Even during those times, we can know that there is an abundance of grace still to be poured out… far more than we can see or imagine.

By the way, this concept of blessing through wine is rooted in a couple of Old Testament passages. God's people are told that when the Messiah comes, when the time is fulfilled, there will be an abundance of wine. It's really a metaphorical illustration of God's blessing. For example, the prophet Amos in chapter 11 prophesied of how days would come when the mountains would drip with sweet wine and the hills would flow with wine.

Well, the fulfillment of those prophecies was coming true in Christ. This sign at Cana, this miracle, in part was revealing that the blessing of the Messiah had come… AND will come.

As I mentioned earlier, the fact that this miracle happened at a wedding banquet is not happenstance. Rather, God was giving a foretaste of what would come. Yes, Jesus' ministry was ushering in a time of blessing to every tongue and nation, now… but the ultimate blessing that this sign is signifying is the greater wedding feast that has yet to come.

In other words, the abundance on display here, in this miracle, is directing us to the eternal marriage supper of the Lamb. At the very beginning of God's Word was a marriage, you know, Genesis 2. Well, the Scriptures end with another marriage celebration. The Bible is book-ended by weddings. That second one will be the wedding between the Lamb of God and his church. You see, God has betrothed his people to himself. He has kept the covenant vows for us. This marriage will not be broken or marred by sin. No, Jesus was crucified for our spiritual adultery. He has made us, his bride, ready. Jesus, the bridegroom, has clothed his bride, the church, with fine linen bright and pure, as Revelation 19 says.

And on that day, we will celebrate. The wine will never run out. We will rejoice and worship. Our purification in the blood of the Lamb will be forever. We will be pure and holy for he is pure and holy. God has saved for us, on that day, the choicest of wines - eternal blessing.

So, as we think about and consider Jesus' miracle at Cana, yes, let's celebrate the glory that turning water into wine displays. Let's honor Jesus as the creator God who can do such a thing.

But let's not miss the eternal redemptive picture we are given here. There is one who alone can purify. Jesus has offered his blood, his life, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and sin.

And, may we by faith look forward to that day when we will rejoice and worship the Lamb forever. For on that day, we will feast and drink and celebrate, not at someone else's wedding, but our wedding celebration as the bride of Christ. Amen

This morning, we’ll see the Lamb of God title referenced again. I mentioned last week that every single title for Jesus used throughout the book is introduced in chapter 1. So, as I read, listen for those various titles.

Also, listen for all the action verbs and commands… like come and see, follow, and find. There are quite a few.

Reading of John 1:35-51

Prayer

A few months ago, Amy and I went to hear Atlanta Symphony. They were performing Rapsody in Blue by George Gershwin. You may or may not be familiar with it, but United Airlines has used it for several decades as their theme song, so you would probably recognize it. It starts with a free-flowing jazzy clarinet solo, which is really its main melody. Then after various instrumental and piano versions of it, the full orchestra adds another melody, a more rhythmic melody – it’s been called the train theme because it keeps a consistent tempo. Then there’s also the romantic theme, which is different from the other two. It has a more of a moving lyrical feel that draws you in.

The beauty of Rapsody in Blue is how the musical themes overlap and come up in different ways with different instruments including piano and strings and brass.

In many ways, the Gospel of John is similar. Different themes come up and overlap as Jesus’ life and ministry is revealed. One of those is the basic narrative of what is happening. It centers around Jesus’ interactions with his disciples and his teaching and miracles and what was happening in Jerusalem. Throughout the book, Jesus instructs his disciples, confronts the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders, and ministers to sinners and suffers.

Another layer includes the deep theological truths about God and salvation. For example, we learn about Jesus’ identity, and about the ministry of the Holy Spirit, whom Jesus and God the Father will send, and we learn about being grafted into Christ – how he abides in us and us in him.

And then finally there’s a third layer – a third musical theme. It focuses on how to follow Jesus. We are given positive and negative examples – examples of believing and following Jesus and examples of rejecting him and not following him. Last week, John the Baptist modelled humility and what it means to direct others to Christ.

Well, our text this morning has the full display of how these themes interact and overlap, you know, kind of like an orchestra…. So, what I want to do this morning is make three passes through the verses.

First, we’ll begin with the narrative – what was actually happening as Jesus called his disciples. By the way, it is through the story that God teaches us about who Jesus is and what it means to follow him. So, we ‘ll consider that first.

Second, we’ll consider how this text furthers our understanding of Jesus’ identity and purpose – that theme is all throughout.

And then the third pass will be the practical. We are each called to bring others to follow him.

So, three points.

#1 - The observational: Come and See

#2 - The theological: Find and Believe

#3 – The practical: Bring and Follow

1. Come and See (the observational)

So, #1 – the observational. The first thing to observe is how quickly these events have been happening. Remember from verses 19-28 that a delegation had been sent from Jerusalem. They asked John the Baptist about his identity and why he was baptizing. Now look at verse 29. It begins, “the next day.” The very next day, John saw Jesus and testified to who he is as the Lamb of God… on whom the Spirit of God had descended.

Now look at verse 35. Same thing. “The next day.” And jump down to verse 43. Again, “the next day.” All this activity was happening pretty quickly and in different locations near and around the Sea of Galilee. Furthermore, as we sensed from the reading, there are exciting things happening.

In verse 36, John the Baptist reiterates that Jesus is the Lamb of God. And then the handoff. Two of John’s disciples begin to follow Jesus. They immediately recognized him. And they call him Rabbi, you know, Teacher.

We’re told that one of John the Baptist’s disciples was Andrew, who is Peter’s brother. It’s very interesting that we’re not told the other disciple’s name. All the others in this chapter are named.

I believe the unnamed disciples is very likely the apostle John. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the apostle never names himself. That was a common practice for narrative writing at the time. In fact, in the book of Acts, written by Luke, he similarly never names himself. Except, we are given glimpses of his involvement. A couple of passages in Acts use the first-person plural pronouns “us” and “we.” Luke was there.

In these verses in John 1, it makes sense that this unnamed new disciples is John, himself. I already mentioned him not being named as a clue. But let me give you two more reasons.

·      First, the events from verse 19 to the end of the chapter are unique to this Gospel account – they are not referenced in the other three. John was likely an eyewitness.

·      Second, we’re given a lot of detail about John the Baptist – and it’s not just here in chapter 1, but also in chapter 3 and 4 and 5. Remember, this unnamed disciple had originally been a disciple of John the Baptist. If this is the apostle John, it would make sense why he knew so much about John the Baptist’s ministry.

Now, we don’t know for sure, but it certainly fits the situation.

Well, after Jesus' brief dialog with them, he invites Andrew and this other disciple to come with him and stay. Verse 29 mentions it’s about the 10th hour – that means it was about 4pm.

And the very first thing that Andrew did was to find his brother Simon Peter. And he tells Peter, “We have found the Messiah.” I mean, can you imagine the excitement. These guys were likely in their mid to late 20s. They had studied about the Messiah since they were boys. John the Baptist had directed them to Jesus, and now they met him in person.

At the very outset they recognized Jesus as the Christ. It’s then that Jesus gives Simon his new name – Peter which means rock in Greek. Or Cephas in Aramaic. By the way, many of John’s readers would have likely known of Peter – he was prominent at the time. He was one of Jesus inner three disciples and therefore has an important role throughout the Gospel of John – so this is like an introduction.

Well, we come to the next day, and Jesus has travelled north to Bethsaida. He then found Philip and called him to follow. Did you notice that Philip didn’t even question it. No, instead, he went and he found Nathaniel. And with an excitement similar to Andrew, Philip told Nathaniel, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth…”

And Nathaniel said, “can anything good come out of Mississippi?” Just kidding about Mississippi. Amy’s family is from Mississippi, and it’s a great place. But you know, for some reason, Mississippi tends to be the butt of jokes.

Nazareth was a small, poor town. Joseph, Mary, and Jesus had moved there after fleeing to Egypt for a time. Nazareth was therefore where Jesus grew up. It wasn’t in Judea. It didn’t have the sophistication of a larger metropolitan area. So, Nathaniel was skeptical. Philip responded, “come and see.”

Nathaniel had never met Jesus, but when Nathaniel approached him, Jesus noted that Nathaniel was an upstanding Israelite. Which, of course, took Nathaniel off guard. And so he asked, “how do you know me?” And Jesus said, “Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree.”

We don’t know why Jesus seeing him under the fig tree was so significant, but whatever it was, Nathaniel’s initial skepticism turned into belief. And he’s exclaimed, “Rabbi… Son of God… King of Israel.” Jesus then said to him, you believe because I said I saw you? … well, you will see greater things than these.

We’ll come back to the angels descending and ascending in a few minutes.

But let me note two important things. #1 Yes, God used his disciples to bring other disciples to him, but it was all under his sovereign purview and plan. Did you notice that before Philip even got to Nathaniel, Jesus had already seen Nathaniel? All of this was orchestrated by Jesus before any of it had come to pass.

#2 - The other thing is that the disciples’ immediate response was to recognize Jesus and follow him. They didn’t yet fully understand Jesus’ identity nor what it meant for him to be the Messiah. That would come over time… and wouldn’t really come to a full realization until after his resurrection. But at the outset, Andrew, Peter, Philip, Nathniel, and likely the apostle John were drawn to Jesus through the testimony, excitement, and invitation to come and see him… and when they did, they recognized him as the Messiah.

2. Find and Believe (the theological)

Which brings us to the second layer. #2. The theological melody which has been playing this whole chapter. I’m calling this point “Find and Believe” because we’re given an unfolding revelation of who Jesus is as the Word of God and the promised Messiah.

Really, this melody will run throughout the whole book. But in this first chapter, John, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, has given us different categories of Jesus’ nature and purpose. He’s given us the wholistic picture of Christ, which he will then work out in the rest of the book.

Have you ever watched an old Bob Ross video? You know, the painter. He begins by telling his audience what he’s going to paint. Then he takes his brush and his palette. He starts painting different colors on the canvas. At first, you can’t really see where it’s all going. But then the scene starts to emerge. Pine trees and lakes and mountains.

It’s like that here.

John has been telling us who Jesus is… and he’ll be filling in those details throughout the book. We’ve learned already that he is God. He is the one, through whom God create all things. He is the light which shines in the darkness of evil and sin. He furthermore is the Lamb of God. As we considered last week, his very purpose in coming, in dwelling among us, is to take away sin. That sin is the rebellion in our hearts which works its way out in our words and actions… and inactions which has separated us from God. Jesus is the one through whom God is redeeming and restoring people to himself.

As we get to our verses this morning, Jesus’ identity is further elaborated.

And did you notice that there’s a progression here? As Jesus new disciples acknowledge him, each acknowledgement is a deeper revelation of Jesus’ identity.

John the Baptist first reiterates that he is the Lamb of God. A little bit later, Andrew and the unnamed disciple call Jesus Rabbi. John mentions it’s meaning as teacher, but in the word Rabbi, there is also an implied submission to his authority. They were submitting to him.

A couple verses later, Andrew identified Jesus as the Messiah, which means, the Christ. This is actually the first time in the chapter that Jesus is explicitly called the Messiah, the Christ. He’s the anointed one whom God had promised through the prophets of old.

Philip then elaborates on that. Verse 45. Jesus not only is the one of whom the prophets spoke, but he’s also the one to whom Moses and the Law testify. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law’s call to holiness and its revelation of God’s character.

Do you see the expanding recognition of who Jesus is?

A few verses later in 49 – Nathaniel gives us more. Like before, he calls Jesus “Rabbi,” but then explicitly names him as the “Son of God” and “King of Israel.” He’s the promised eternal King – God the Son who has come in the flesh.

And then look at the end of verse 51. This is the climax of Jesus identification. Jesus calls himself the “Son of Man.” To you that may or may not carry much significance. But John’s original Jewish audience would have known its direct reference to Daniel 7. In that chapter, the Son of Man is revealed with all dominion and authority, and power – that chapter prophesies that all the peoples and nations and languages will serve him and his kingdom will have no end. Jesus was saying to them, I am that one.

Also, Jesus said to Nathaniel that he will see see greater things than have already been revealed. He will even see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man, as Jesus says in Verse 51. That’s an allusion to Jacob’s ladder. Jacob, the grandson of Abraham, was given a vision of a ladder reaching to heaven with angels ascending and descending.

Jacob’s vision is being fulfilled in Jesus. He is the mediator between heaven and earth. He is the ladder through whom God communicates with mankind, and through whom the gates of heaven are open for his people.

There are great things that we cannot yet see, you and I. But one day we will see them and rejoice.

Do you see the great revelation we’re given of Jesus. It is no wonder they believed and followed him.

AND, it’s no wonder that they brought the others to come and see him.

3. Bring and Follow (the practical)

Speaking of bringing, this brings us to point #3 about bringing others to Jesus. This is the practical layer.

If this is who Jesus is in all his glory and divinity and dominion and ministry, we should bring others to him with the same passion and excitement that Andrew and Philip had.

It’s kind of overwhelming all the verbs here. Come and see three times. Follow four times. Found four times. “you will see” twice. There’s also hear and brought and believe. We didn’t talk about this word, but the word stayed is used twice. It’s the same Greek word as the word abide. Later Jesus will call us to abide in him for he abides in us.

What I am saying is that while yes, this passage tells us about Jesus sovereignly gathering his people and yes, it tells us about who Jesus is, we cannot overlook the abundant emphasis on seeking others and bringing them to him.

In fact, this is the ordinary way through which God calls his people. I bet that if we surveyed every single one of you here, we would find that at some point in your life, someone introduced you to Jesus. Probably for at least half of you, your parents discipled you and shared their hope in Christ… and then their faith became your faith. For others, maybe you were invited to church… or maybe a friend or a family member shared the Gospel with you and then invited you. I suspect that only a small number of you either (1) stumbled across something that you read or heard through which God revealed himself, or (2) you were in a crisis and sought out life’s meaning and truth and you found Jesus. Certainly, God uses those means but the usual way through which God works is for his people to bring others to come and see him. Maybe you are here today because someone invited you to “come and see” him.

You know, sometimes we are shy about sharing the hope of Christ with others. I’m talking now about conveying the Gospel. There are many reasons why we can be afraid to do that. One reason is what we would say if friend or co-worker or neighbor or family member responds with skepticism.

Well, consider again Philip and Nathaniel’s interaction. After Nathaniel dismissed Philip by saying, “can anything good come out of Nazareth?” What did Philip say? Did he say, “you know, in the past, there have been important people who came from small towns.” Or “let me give you 5 reasons that Jesus is the one of whom the prophets spoke” No, Philip didn’t say that. He said, “Come and see.” See for yourself! Philip then brought him to Jesus.

Maybe you say, I know you are skeptical, but why don’t you come to one of our home groups? Or here’s a Bible. Can I suggest you read the Gospel of John? Or invite them to church. Tell them you’ll find our church family friendly and welcoming.

Over the last 20-30 years there have been several studies about the reasons people will visit a church for the first time. There’s one reason that far surpasses all the other reasons. This one reason is always at the top. It’s not even close. The most common reason that people will visit church for the first time is because… someone they know invites them. Some of you are here because of that very reason.

In fact, Lifeway Research did a survey a few years ago of people who are not Christians. They found that 96% of them would be somewhat likely or very likely to visit a church… if they were personally invited. That’s a tremendously encouraging number.

If each one of us invited a friend or neighbor… and if only a quarter or half of them came, it would be tremendous. They’d hear and see Jesus. Now, we’d have to find more chairs and we’d have to accelerate our property search… but we would be fulfilling this call. Who can you bring to come and see?

That is the practical message being conveyed… we’re to bring people to come and see Jesus… so that they may also find and follow him.

Beloved, There’s none greater. There is no one more worthy to call Rabbi. No one else is the Lamb of God. No one else can atone for sin and restore man back to God. Why? Because Jesus is God. He’s the very Word of God, the Author of life, who became flesh. Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the King of Israel – king over all his people and over all of his creation. He’s the great Teacher, the one to whom all the prophets and Moses have testified would come.. and he has come. He’s the infinite ladder that has bridged the chasm between heaven and earth, between God and man. As he saw Nathaniel, so he sees you and me.

He bids each of us to follow him, and he bids each of us to find others to come and see.

May we each see Jesus for who he is. If we haven’t already, may we follow him by faith. And may we each bring others to see the glory of God in Jesus Christ. Amen

Please turn to the Gospel of John, chapter 1.

We’ll be considering verses 19-34 this morning.

As you are turning there, let me say that the Gospel of John is a beautiful literary work. Greek scholars marvel at its elegance. Its words are simple, yet it has a depth of poetic beauty in how its themes are interwoven.

And because of that, the Gospel of John speaks to both those with little or no background in the Christian faith as well as to those who have studied the Scriptures their whole lives.

·      On one level, the apostle John makes clear who Jesus is, what he has done, and why it matters.

·      And on another level, we are given profound theological insights in a rich literary form.

We’ll continue to see that as we work our way through the book.

As I read, you will hear about John in these verses. This is referring to John the Baptist, not the apostle.

Reading of John 1:19-34.

Back in first grade, I was asked to give the opening comments for our first-grade play. That involved standing in front of the big curtain. I had a script which welcomed everyone, thanked the teachers, and gave a brief highlight of what they were about to see.

The drama teacher told me multiple times to talk slowly and to keep my hands out of my pockets. Which of course, I forgot to do. But nonetheless, I did my part, and then the curtain opened and the play began.

Well, the opening 18 verses of John’s Gospel are like the prologue to a play. They set the stage for what is to come. We’re given the book’s background and themes and we’re introduced to the main character.

As we’ve studied, verses 1-18 speak of Christ’s divine nature as creator and as the light of the world. We were also introduced to John the Baptist who bore witness to the light. We were told of what it means to believe. And then last week, we learned that the Word of God has come to us in the flesh, in the person of Jesus. And when he came, God displayed his glory and grace.

All of that was introductory. And as we now get to verse 19, the curtain opens. We don’t just hear about Jesus, but we are given story after story of his life and ministry.

To say it in another way, verses 1-18 are the theological treatise for the book… and verses 19 to the very end are the historical witness of the book. John makes the upfront argument that Jesus is God in the flesh and that salvation is found in him, and then from verse 19 on, he shows us that this is true by showing us Jesus’ life and ministry.

Speaking of a prologue, that was my prologue for this sermon.

Two points this morning. You can see them in your bulletin.

Point number 1: I am not

…and point number 2: But he is

I am not, but he is.

John the Baptist very clearly states that he is not the Christ, but he, that is Jesus, is.

1. I Am Not

So, #1. I am not.

Let me begin with a little context. It mentions here that John the Baptist was in the town of Bethany… specifically it’s just beyond the Jordan River. This is a different town than the other Bethany which was near Jerusalem just over the Mount of Olives. This one was much farther away. It would have taken a day or two to travel there by foot.

And in Bethany, John had attracted a crowd and a following. And one of the things he was doing was baptizing.

Well, despite the distance, that caused a stir in Jerusalem. News reached the ears of the Jewish leaders, and so, as we read, they sent a delegate. They had two main questions: who are you? (verse 19) and why are you baptizing (verse 25)?

John does answer both questions, but he does it in a way that redirects them away from himself and to Christ.

I learned something interesting this week. There are people today who believe that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet. They not only venerate John the Baptist, you know, worship him in a way… but they also reject Jesus as the Messiah. Now, it’s a relatively small group, several thousand. They live on the border of modern day Iraq and Iran. Their recorded history goes back to the 300s, so they’ve been around a while. And it’s very possible that their roots go all the way back to the 1st century when this book was written.

You see, one reason why the apostle John writes these things, is to make absolutely clear (1) who John the Baptist was and wasn’t and (2) who Jesus is. And he quotes John the Baptist’s words.

·      He was not the prophet Elijah. Yes, he came in the spirit of Elijah – but he was not Elijah in the flesh. The Jews expected Elijah to return.

·      He also makes clear that he was not “the prophet.” That is likely a reference to Moses or even the greater Prophet who was to come after Moses, namely Christ. John denies that as well.

But most importantly, in verse 20 – he states unequivocally that he is not the Christ.  He is not the promised Savior who was to come. In the Greek, it’s the phrase “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ. By the way, “ἐγὼ εἰμὶ” in the Greek is the phrase “I am.” It’s the same Greek words that Jesus used in his “I am” statements throughout the book. I am the light of the world. I am the vine. I am the great shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep, etc.

And so when John the Baptist says he is not the Christ, it is in part setting up the rest of the narrative in the book. Who is Jesus? He is the Christ - the promised Savior.

A few years ago, a friend of mine passed away. He had a sudden heart attack. He was a single guy in his 40s, so he wasn’t that old. Vocationally he was a nurse, but interestingly he had also been to seminary. He was a great guy. He loved to participate in ministry and mission work including medical missions. He also had a great Scottish accent. He was originally from the Isle of Skye.

As one of his pastors I went to the funeral home shortly after they received his body. I was there with a close friend of his. And I learned something about him that I didn’t know before. On his chest, he had a tatoo. It was a Greek phrase. “ἐγὼ οὐκ εἰμὶ ὁ χριστός.” I am not the Christ.

You see, he had been so moved by this verse in John 1, that he wanted to remind himself each day in the mirror who he was not and to whom he should direct people. He was not the Christ… he was not his own savior nor a savior for others, but he had a savior who has come.

That is what John the Baptist was doing in these verses. He was redirecting people away from himself and to Jesus.

I count 6 times in these verses where John redirects people away from himself and to Christ. No, I am not him but let me tell you and show you who he is.

A couple of examples are found in his further answers to the delegation. By the way, they were very persistent, as we read. They asked him, ok, then if you are not Elijah nor the prophet nor Christ, then who are you and why are you baptizing?

·      First, John answers who he was. He quotes the prophet Isaiah. He says, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” You see, Isaiah had prophesied that one would come. This prophet’s very purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah. John was saying that he is that one. His whole ministry was to direct people to Christ. It was to prepare the people for the arrival of the Lord.

·      And second, John answered why he was baptizing. His answer also revealed Christ. Verse 31 makes that clear. John said, “I came baptizing with water that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Here’s what that means. John’s baptism was about calling people to repentance and warning them about judgment. The water symbolized the cleansing that they needed. It showed them that they needed God to truly cleanse them… and it reminded them that a Savior was promised who would bear their judgment.

By the way, this is why we don’t connect John’s baptism with the baptism that Jesus established.

·      #1, John’s baptism was a ceremonial cleansings from the old covenant. That’s why the delegate was asking him why he was baptizing since he was not Elijah nor the prophet.

·      #2. John’s baptism was not done in the name of Jesus nor the Trinity as Jesus directed. It was very different.

·      #3 …perhaps the clearest reason. In the book of Acts, chapter 19, some of John the Baptists disciples were living in Ephesus. They had only been baptized into John’s baptism. The apostle Paul explained to them that John’s baptism was only a baptism of repentance. So, John’s disciples were then baptized into Jesus’ baptism – that is, into the new covenant baptism in Jesus’ name.

To say it again, John’s baptism was to prepare the people’s hearts for the coming of Christ. They needed to see their need for a Savior and repent.

Ok, to summarize main point #1: John’s identity in these verses is directly related to Christ, both in the negative and the positive. The negative - I am not him. And the positive - the very purpose of my life is to point people to him.

And point to him, he does.

2. But He Is

Which bring us to #2. But He Is

John is not the Christ, as he says, and implicit in that statement is that the one to whom John directs people is the Christ.

Look at verse 29. This is a new subsection. We read that it’s now the very next day. The previous day, John had been answering the delegation about who he was not and that his purpose was to direct people to the Lord. But now, Jesus has come to John. And with absolute clarity, John gives witness to who Jesus is.

Look how John describes Jesus in 29. He says, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

Remember, the apostle John’s primary audience was Jewish. When they read or heard this, they would have no questions about its meaning. Jesus is identified as the sacrificial lamb, whom God sent to atone for the sin of the world.

Sacrificing lambs had been part of their annual Passover celebration. Back when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, the very last command that God gave them was to sacrifice a lamb. They were to put its blood over their doorpost. And if they did that, the angel of death would pass over them and spare their firstborn. And the angel did spare them. But the Egyptians were not spared. And so Pharaoh released the Israelites from their bondage.

Every year they were to celebrate their deliverance from Egypt by sacrificing a lamb. It was both a remembrance of God’s deliverance out of Egypt, and a foreshadowing of the deliverance from sin that God would accomplish for them through the Messiah.

So here, John the Baptist testifies that Jesus is that sacrificial Lamb – He’s the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…

Now, you may be asking, Why is a Lamb of God needed? Why a sacrifice? That is a critical question.

As we work our way through the book, the answer will become clear. But in the meantime, let me try to briefly answer.

You see, in the heart of each and every human is a rebellion against God and against our fellow man. We see and experience this every day. We see and experience deceit, and anger, and betrayal. Evil exists in many forms – oppression, rape, and murder. And truthfully, if we just search our own hearts, we know our own selfishness and bitterness and desires for that which is not ours. All of those things fall under Scripture’s category of sin.

Over the years, I’ve had conversations with friends and family about the truth of Christianity. They’ve brought up good questions. For example, they’ve asked, if God really exists or if Christianity is really true, then why is there so much evil in the world. It’s a very important question. I’ve usually respond that Christianity’s view of the world includes a very clear understanding of evil and sin.

I believe Christianity is true, in part, because it answers the questions of evil… it answers other life questions as well like meaning and morality and existence… including the difficult things in life and our rebellious hearts.

Sometimes that will be followed up with the question. But if God is as you say he is, then why doesn’t he do anything about it? About the evil and sin…

He has. He’s sent a Lamb. And that Lamb is Christ, and as John the Baptist says in verse 34, he is the Son of God. He sacrificed himself to deliver us not from the bondage of Egypt, but from the bondage of sin and the corruption of the world.

The reason that a sacrifice was necessary goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible. The very first command that God gave was to not eat of that which was forbidden. And the consequence of doing so was death.

We cannot escape the consequences of sin. Those consequences include death and separation from God and his judgment. But God sent his Lamb to be sacrificed on our behalf. As the author of Hebrews puts it, without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin.

And so, when John sees Jesus, he calls him the Lamb of God and as the Son of God. John furthermore testifies that even though he came before Jesus, yet Jesus ranked before him because Jesus was before him. John had said earlier that he was not even worthy to untie Jesus’ sandals. That was one of the most lowly of jobs reserved for a servant. John was saying that he wasn’t even worthy to do that. Jesus’ worthiness so far exceeds our unworthiness. Yet he has come to us.

Let me note one more thing about John’s testimony. These verses say that Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, but Jesus’ baptism is a baptism of the heart. By the way, this is talking about true baptism – not the outward sign like you saw earlier this morning, but baptism of the heart when we receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ. And the reason that we can receive the Spirit of God from Christ, is because God’s Spirit remains on Christ.

Did you notice that phrase used twice? The Holy Spirit descended and remained on him. It indicates God the Father anointing Jesus as King. In the Old Testament, God’s Spirit would rest upon God’s anointed kings. But God’s Spirt would leave when that King departed from God’s way, like he did for King Saul. That is why King David prayed in Psalm 51, Lord, take not your Holy Spirit from me. In other words, do not remove your hand of Spiritual blessing on my kingship. May your Spirit remain on me as king of your people despite my sin. By the way, this Holy Spirit anointing of kings is different from the Spirit’s work in the hearts of believers… old and new. I just want to be clear about that.

What John the Baptist was witnessing in verses 32-34 was God the Father anointing his Son through his Spirit. When it says that God’s Spirit remained on Jesus, it was indicating Jesus’ eternal kingship. Next week we’ll see that title King given to him.

And let me mention one more thing about chapter 1. Every single title for Jesus in the entire book of John is introduced in chapter 1. Jesus is the Word of God. He is Christ, the Lamb of God, the Son of God, the Messiah, He is Rabbi (which means Teacher), King of Israel, and the Son of Man. Some of those we’ll come across next week.

In other words, this whole chapter bears witness to who Jesus is. Besides John the Baptist and the apostle John, God the Father and the Holy Spirit also bear witness to him.

He is the Christ - Lamb of God and Son of God who takes away the sin of the world.

I am not, but he Is.

Application and Conclusion

In Southern California, there’s a very interesting solar power facility. It’s in the Mojave Desert. It’s different because it does not use a single solar panel. No, instead, this facility uses mirrors that direct the rays of the sun to central boilers. The boilers are super-heated by the sunlight reflected off of the mirrors. That causes the water boil, which creates steam, which then turns turbines, and which then generates power.

There are 347,000 mirrors there. And as the sun moves across the sky, they all reposition themselves to keep the light shining on one place.

Friends, you and I are not the Christ. No, but we are to reflect him and direct others to him. Like John the Baptist, we are to believe the Lamb of God for others to see. We are to testify that he has come to take away the sin of the world. We are to exalt Christ, witnessing to him in all the ways highlighted here.

We are in a sense to be like mirrors that direct others to Jesus. And when we all work in concert, God is glorified and Christ is exalted. When people see us individually, they see him. And when people see a church whose members reflect Christ, they will see him.

I would argue that our number one responsibility is to show forth Christ. It’s tempting to have our number one focus be on other things. I am not saying that we should not have careers or serve our communities in different ways or have opinions about important matters. But if any of that puts the spotlight on us rather than Christ or if it overshadows our witness to him, then we are not fulfilling our responsibility to reveal him.

So, May we each recognize that we are not our own savior, nor the savior of others. We are not the Christ… but Jesus is.  May we, like John, direct others to him, the Lamb of God, who is the Son of God and Savior of the world. Amen

Please turn in your Bibles to John 1:4-13.

We started this new series in the Gospel of John two weeks ago. Remember the 5 “J”s of John. John, the apostle who is the author; Jews who were John’s primary audience; Jerusalem where much of the setting took place; Jesus, of course, the focus of the book; and Jehovah – the emphasis that Jesus is God in the flesh.

Then last week, we jumped in to verses 1-3.

John’s Gospel account doesn’t begin with Jesus' genealogy nor the angels announcing of his coming, nor his birth in a manger. No, rather, John begins much earlier. He goes back to creation itself - the beginning of time. He reveals that Jesus is the very Word of God. He has always been and continues to be God. He is One with the Father and the Spirit. He has always existed. He is Christ, through whom God created all things.

He begins there because he wants his readers to know that Jesus is truly God and creator.

That brings us to verses 4-13. Instead of focusing on Christ's identity, we now learn about his purpose. The Word, who is Christ, is the light of the world. You’ll hear that in our text. As I read, you will also hear a reference to a John. This John is not the Apostle John, but rather John the Baptist. He was sent by God to testify to Christ.

Let’s now come to God’s Word

Reading of John 1:4-13

Prayer

Light is essential for life. I think you would agree with me.Without light, we cannot see. It exposes reality and reveals our surroundings. It purifies and penetrates. Light carries information across galaxies. The light of the sun warms the earth and perks us up. It gives energy to plants and trees. Really countless organisms use light to sustain life.

It’s no wonder that light is used in Scripture to illustrate God and his goodness and purity. And it’s no wonder that darkness, the absence of light, illustrates sin and evil. That’s because we intuitively know what light is. We understand it’s illuminating nature. When it is dark outside and we need to walk or drive somewhere, we know we need light to see where we are going. We understand that evil and unrighteousness often happens in the dark.

Take the Psalms for example. God’s Word is described as being a light to our path. Elsewhere, God is described as being light. In our call to worship, we read that “The Lord is our light and our salvation, whom shall we fear?”

We’re also told in the Psalms that blessed are those that walk in the light of the Lord.

And in them, we’re given the contrast between light and darkness. God’s light dawns in the darkness for the upright.

And that is just the Psalms.

So, when we get to John 1 and we read in these verses about the Word being the light of men and the darkness not overcoming it… and John the Baptist witnessing to Christ’s light, we can understand it. The light of truth and righteousness in contrast to the darkness of sin and evil. We are to see the light of Christ and walk in his light.

By the way, we are still in the opening verses of John’s Gospel. We call this John’s prologue. He's setting the stage by revealing the various themes in his book. And one of those themes is light. It’s actually one of the apostle John’s favorite themes. He speaks of light not just in this book but also his three letter and in the book of Revelation.

In your bulletin on page 4, you’ll see an outlin. We’ll consider 3 things about this light.

#1. The Revealing and Overpowering Light of Christ (verses 4-5)

#2. Witnessing to the Light of Christ (verses 6-8)

And #3. Receiving and Rejecting the Light of Christ (verses 9-13)

1. The Revealing and Overpowering Light of Christ (verses 4-5)

Again, number 1 - the revealing and overpowering light of Christ.

As John continues to reveal who this Word of God is, he says this in verse 4: “in him was life.” Prepositions are important. The preposition used here is “in” and not “through.”

“In him was life.” It’s speaking of Christ’s life. It's not talking about the flesh and blood life of Jesus’ human nature nor is it talking about our life in him. Rather, it’s talking about Jesus’ divine nature. We know that from the next few words. His life was shining forth and was penetrating the darkness. So the life spoken of here is Christ's being and existence as God. Notice it’s the same verb that we considered last week - “was”. It’s imperfect active. Christ’s life always was and continues to be. I like how one commentator described Christ’s life:  "[it] refers to the fulness of God's essence, his glorious attributes: holiness, truth, …love, omnipotence, sovereignty. This full, blessed life is said to have been present in the Word and this from all eternity…"

It is that life – the fulness of God in Christ – which is the light of men. And it makes sense. Christ’s righteousness and holiness and truth and love is our light. It is the source of light for all humanity.

I mentioned that this theme is all through this book. Let me highlight three instances.

·      In chapter 3, Jesus said, "the light has come into the world, but people loved darkness rather than the light because their works are evil." In those verses he goes on to describe what it means to walk in the light.

·      In chapter 8, the most famous one, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life"

·      And in chapter 12, Jesus said, "while you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light"

In these different passages, Jesus is calling us to #1 see his light; #2 believe his light and #3 walk in his light.

As we work our way through John, we'll have plenty of time to consider all the aspects of light applied to Jesus, but as an introduction, verses 4-5, give us two of them.

1. First, the light of Christ's life is there for all to see – verse 4. And it emanates from his life. SO, his eternal being and nature are being displayed to us through his light. His goodness and truth and righteousness are there for us to see. And when we see it, God is revealing to us, Christ’s nature. We see him when we see his light. Through his light, God reveals Christ and shows us that we need his light. He is our light… which includes of course, the path we are to walk in his goodness and righteousness and truth. So, his light reveals his life and our need for his light.

2. Second, verse 5, his light reveals darkness. Did you notice in verse 5 that the verb is now present tense. The light, it says, "shines in the darkness." The light of Christ IS revealing unrighteous and evil. That’s what light does - it reveals what is in the dark. By the way, this is another parallel to Genesis. This time John 1 recognizes that creation has been corrupted by evil and sin – that is the darkness mentioned. Elsewhere in John, we read about the "works of darkness." Darkness is that which is opposed to the light of Christ. It’s anything contrary to his light – That would include wickedness and foolishness and unrighteousness. And notice that the darkness has not overcome the light. Other translations use other words there like the darkness has not apprehended the light… or comprehend it or extinguished it. Indeed, darkness cannot put out the light.

I shared this once before, but back when I was in college, I spent several days on a mission trip to Sweden. We were ministering to kids from eastern Europe who had come to a camp. For one of our outings, we went to a very large cave in the area. It was safe. You know, it had railings and the such, and you could go way back into the cave. And so we did, we went as far as we could. And then we all decided to turn off our flashlights. It was dark. I mean like dark dark. You couldn’t see your hand in front of your face. One of the other leaders had brought a lighter – you know a small butane lighter. And he lit it. That little flame lit up the cave. It was quite amazing how such a small light could illuminate the darkness. We could see one another and we could see the cave around us. And then we read some of the Scriptures about light. I think we read from John 1 – I don’t know for sure, but it makes sense. “In him was life and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it”

Darkness cannot overcome light. Darkness is, in fact, the absence of light. So, when light is revealed, darkness will be exposed.

And that is what Christ has done. His love and justice and holiness and truth has revealed the darkness – evil and sin. It not only reveals it, but it cannot be overcome by it. It’s really the other way around. The light overcomes the darkness. Christ has triumphed over the darkness. And that triumph has come through the cross and in his resurrection. Evil and sin have been fully exposed. The light of Christ in his life is in the act of overcoming darkness and revealing the path of life and purifying our hearts and minds. And one day soon, evil and sin will be defeated forever when the light of Christ comes to full fruition… when Jesus’ return in Glory for all to see.

Well, there is a lot more to say about light, which we'll get to as we work through John. The summary of point 1 is that Christ’s light reveals his nature, shows us our need, and exposes sin and evil.

2. Witnessing to the Light of Christ (verses 6-8)

Number 2. Witnessing to the light of Christ.

In verses 6 and following, the Apostle John begins to transition from the lofty truths about the Word of God to that Word who has come in human flesh.

We're told of another John, as I mentioned, who was sent to bear witness to the light. Notice that the word "witness" is used three times. His role is to testify to the light.

We call John the Baptist the last Old Testament prophet because he was sent as the final prophet before Christ. John's purpose in being sent was to point to Jesus as the Messiah – the Savior – who was promised to come.

And I want you to notice the contrast in verses 6-8. The contrast is between Christ, the Word of God, and John the Baptist.

·      John was not God, but rather, as verse 6 says, he was a man.

·      Furthermore, John was not eternal nor do things find their existence in him. Rather, he was sent by God, as it says.

·      And as verse 8 puts it, He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light."

·      Later in this chapter, John the Baptist himself will say, "I am not the Christ."

It appears from these verses that some were confused about the difference between John the Baptist and Jesus. We’re not told the specifics, but perhaps some saw John and Jesus as equals. Or perhaps there was competition between their respective followers. Maybe some said, "I am a disciple of John" or maybe even, "I was baptized by John." Or, I was baptized by one of Jesus’ disciples. Isn't that human nature? John Calvin is my boy. Oh yeah, well, Charles Spurgeon is mine. Well, neither of them can come close to Augustine or the early church fathers.  It’s what we do, isn’t it.

We don’t know what dynamic was at play. But we do know what these verses make absolutely clear. John the Baptist was not the light. Rather, he was a witness to the light. In other words, he was verifying that Jesus was the true light.

By the way, the theme of being a witness runs throughout the book. I did a search on the word "witness" and it is used 27 times in the Gospel of John. The first several are about John the Baptist bearing witness to Christ. But that is not the only witness. God the Father and God the Spirit bear witness to Jesus as the Son. Jesus' works and miracles bear witness that he is Christ. Jesus himself bears witness that he is God the Son. Jesus's disciples bear witness to him as God in the flesh. That will definitely be a theme we come across over and over

In a couple of weeks, we'll come back to John the Baptist. If you scan down to verses 19 and following, you'll see that we're given specifics of how John witnessed to Christ.

But the bigger point is that John the Baptist was not pointing to himself. Rather, he was witnessing to Christ as the light. John was like a mirror, you know. He reflected the light of God and directed people to the source of God’s light. And that source was and in Christ – the light of world.

3. Receiving and Rejecting the Light of Christ (verses 9-13)

Which brings us to #3.

Receiving and rejecting the light of Christ.

A couple of weeks ago, we considered the purpose statement of John's Gospel. That was in chapter 20 verse 31. We read that John wrote these things… do you remember why? so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, we may have life in his name.

In chapter 1, when we get to verses 9-13, it's here that we get the first glimpse of John’s purpose in writing. He wants people to see Jesus for who he is as the light. He wants people to believe. And in these verses, John sets up the major conflict that almost every single chapter confronts. Who will believe?

In verse 10, John writes that the light is in the world, and then he reiterates that the world was made through him.

But then he makes two important statements. #1. End of verse 10 - The world did not know him and #2. Verse 11 - his own people did not receive him. The Jewish people didn’t receive Jesus, even though they had been given the covenants, the law, the prophecies, and the promises. All of those things were witnessing to the light, yet, when the light came, many of the Jewish people did not recognize him.

Yet, he was the very one who created the world and whom they had been waiting for… for centuries. He had come, but they, as it says, received him not.

This is why John is writing. He wants people to see the light and believe. He wants #1 the world to see the light.  AND #2 he wants to confront the Jewish people about rejecting the light.

We see that theme throughout the book. John writes that many did receive Jesus, include many of the Jews. In fact, the word “many” is used many times. Let me highlight a few.

·      Chapter 2 – "many believed in his name who saw the signs he was doing"

·      Chapter 4 – "Many Samaritans believed"

·      Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 and Chapter 10 each include the phrase “many believed.”

·      Chapter 11 – listen to this one: "many of the Jews who… had seen what he did, believed"

·      Chapter 12 – a similar thing – "many on account of [Lazarus – who Jesus had raised]  were believing in Jesus." And also in 12, "many of the authorities believed in him"

It's quite pervasive. Yes, many rejected him, and we are going to see that, but many would come to believe. He wanted his readers to know that… because he wanted his readers to likewise believe.

I want to take a brief tangent and talk about application. You know, in the last 2-3 years we have studied Proverbs, 2 Corinthians, and Malachi. Think about the different kinds of life application in each – they are very different.

·      In Proverbs, it was about applying the wisdom of God in the rubber-meets-the road decisions of life. How do we follow God’s path?

·      2 Corinthians included many things, but a big one was living with Gospel hope in affliction and pain and conflict.

·      Malachi, if you remember, was very different. It dug deep into our heart idols and our worship and our marriages… and it called us to repent.

Isn’t that quite a diversity of life application?

But let me ask, what is the primary application of John? What does John's Gospel emphasize over and over for his readers… including us? The answer is, we’re called to believe.

Yes, we are going to see ways in which our lives do not reflect the light of Christ. But the main application of John is to believe. Believe in Christ. Believe in the Word of God. Believe in his promises. Believe in the Salvation that he offers. Believe in the Father and Spirit and Son as One God. It’s to turn from our unbelief in whatever ways we haven’t believed, and to believe. And that applies to all of us.

As the father who had a child with an unclean spirit said – said to Jesus, "I believe, but help my unbelief." That captures our hearts.

Briefly in closing, verses 12 and 13 reveal the blessing that those who do believe will receive. It says, "…to all who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born not of blood nor of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God." New life in him.

There’s a lot in there in that last sentence. I almost shortened our sermon text, again. We don’t have sufficient time today to cover it. However, it’s yet another theme that will come up in the book - being born again and becoming children of God. It’s a big emphasis in chapter 3. So, we’ll get there soon. But the summary is that those who believe in Jesus as the light of the world, will be given new life. Will become God’s children, born anew in him.

So, may we believe in Jesus Christ, who is the light of the world. The darkness will not overcome his light. He has come and has offered his life so that we may live. May we believe in his name.

Our sermon text this morning is John 1:1-3.

If you read our weekly email, you may have seen that originally, I was planning to cover verses 1-5. I backed off a little because there is so much packed into the first 3 verses.

That probably scares some of you because you’re thinking, “is this going to happen every week? And if so, are we going to be in the Gospel of John for years?” Well, I can’t say that this will be the last time that I narrow our focus to just a couple of verses. However, I will note that Jim Boice, the late pastor of Tenth Presbyterian church, preached 270 sermons in the book of John. Doing the math, that’s over 5 years. I’ve planned about 70.

Ok, turning our attention to these verses, you’ll hear the word “word” three times. That is referring to Jesus Christ. We know that from verse 14 where John writes that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” So, as I read, be sure to make the mental connection between the Word and Christ.

Reading of John 1:1-3

Prayer

“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal…” Those legendary words bring us back to the very founding of our nation.

Or how about this on: “I have a dream” Those words take us back to Martin Luther King and the struggle of segregation in the 1950s and 60s.

Or perhaps you recognize this: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Those are the opening words of Charles Dickens’s book The Tale of Two Cities. It takes us back to the French Revolution and the stark contrast between London and Paris.

Each of those opening phrases is packed with meaning and significance. They each capture our minds and our hearts. In some ways, they transport us through time and space and turn our attention to lofty ideas or significant events.

Well, the opening words of John’s Gospel do something very similar. For one, they are renowned. But also, their poetic language and expressive words raise the significance and consequence for the reader… and really for the whole world.

Perhaps these words don’t bring us back to a specific place, but they transport us to the very creation of the world. “In the beginning.” In the very beginning of all time and space “was the Word.” Does that not raise our senses and our curiosity and even our wonder at what is being communicated?

As far as familiar opening words in the Bible, John 1 is only second to Genesis 1. And those are iconic words. Genesis 1 certainly ranks up there among the most famous in the world. Genesis 1:1 says “In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth.” Those 10 words reveal several things about God.

·      First, that he is one God. It doesn’t say, “in the beginning, the gods (plural)...” No, rather it’s a definitive statement. “In the beginning, God…” There is one God.

·      Second, Genesis 1:1 posits God as existing before the beginning of time itself – he is eternal.

·      And third those 10 opening words of Genesis speak about God’s nature and work. He is the creator God of all things - things in heaven and things on earth.

And I think you have probably already made the connection in your minds. The opening words of the Gospel of John are very similar to Genesis 1. They start with the same three words. Of course, one was penned in Hebrew – that would be Genesis – and the other was penned in Greek.

But the connection is unmistakable. Really, the connection between the opening of Genesis and the opening of John’s Gospel even further expand our understanding of God’s nature and the ministry and work of Christ - God the Son.

In Genesis 1, we’re told of God’s creative work and in John 1, God reveals who accomplished that work and how.

So, let’s jump into these opening three verses of John.

As far as an outline, I want to highlight 3 things about Christ:

1. Christ’s Identity as the Eternal Logos

2. Christ’s Deity as One with the True God

3. Christ’s Work as the Agent of Creation

Let me say those again if you are taking notes. We didn’t have room in the bulletin this week for an outline.

1. Christ’s Identity as the Eternal Logos – I’ll explain the word Logos in a minute.

2. Christ’s Deity as One with the True God – Deity meaning his nature as God.

And 3. His Work as the Agent of Creation. It is through the agency of Christ that God created all things.

So, let’s work through those.

1. Christ’s Identity as the Eternal Logos

And the first thing to understand is the word “word.” In the original Greek, it’s the word Logos. Maybe you’ve heard that word before. Logos is one of two words that are often translated “word.” The other is the more common word, rhema in Greek, merely referring to words on a page or spoken words.

But the word logos, on the other hand, is packed with meaning. Yes, it’s basic meaning is a statement or speech – you know, a “word” spoken. But the word logos also includes the idea of a charge like I’m charging you with something… and the idea of cause like speech that causes something to happen. It’s a word spoken that is effective. It accomplished something.

Now, the Greek culture of the time used the word Logos as well. But their use was more of an abstract idea. Their logos was the rational order of the cosmos. It was used in an impersonal way. There was no being behind a Greek use of the word logos. Nonetheless it was still a powerful word. By the way, the Greek word logos is directly related to our English word “logic”… you know, a reasoned explanation.

And sometimes you’ll hear pastors try to apply that philosophical and rational meaning to the Logos of John 1.

But remember from last week that John is writing to a Jewish context. He was Jewish himself. And the word logos in the Jewish community had been used for centuries. The Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the word logos hundreds of times. Our call to worship this morning was from Psalm 33. It says in verse 6 “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.” Logos to the Jewish community was understood to be personal and declarative and often associated with God himself.

That is very different from the Greco-Roman understanding.

What I am arguing is that John is not borrowing the word Logos from the Greek culture. Rather, he is contrasting that impersonal understanding with the divine and personal understanding of Logos. He’s revealing that the Logos of God is far superior to the Greek’s rational concept of logos.

We see that right there in verse 1. It says, “In the beginning was the Word.” From eternity past, the Logos existed – Christ existed. The verb is very important here. It’s the English word “was” …you know, a form of “to be..” In the beginning “was” the word. And it’s verb tense is the imperfect active. It means not only did Christ already exist in the beginning, but also that his existence continues. English does not have a good equivalent. The word “was” in English is past tense. But the Greek has a much broader meaning. “already was and continues to be”

What we learn in these verses is that the Logos of God is eternal. He existed before the beginning of time and space and he continues to exist. Furthermore, he is not some impersonal rational concept about the ordering of the universe, but rather his eternal existence is personal. He has being, as the verb reveals. He is none other the person of Christ, again as verse 14 tells us. The eternal Logos of God.

Now, in a few minutes we are going to further see how the word logos relates to Christ’s work. That will be point 3, But let’s move on to point 2 - the rest of verse 1 and verse 2.

2. Christ’s Deity as One with the True God

So, #2. Christ’s Deity as One with the True God. – I’m saying it that way for a reason. He is God and he is One with God.

The Logos mentioned here is not some force that God is harnessing. No, this Logos, Christ, is God himself.

Look at the end of verse 1. It says, “the word was God.” It’s the same imperfect active tense. The Logos already was and continues to be God. Now, that seems super clear, doesn’t it? “The Logos was God.”

Some of you know this, but about twice a week, you will see two of Jehovah Witnesses just outside of our church office. They are just standing there on the corner of Main Street. And if you ask them about John 1:1, they will say that it should be translated differently. They translate it as “the word was a god.” They say that Christ was like a god but not God himself. They argue that because there is no definite article before the word “God” (Theos), therefore Jesus is not being described here as God himself.

However, they are wrong for two reasons.

·      Number 1, Greek scholarship is fairly unified on the translation. For those of you who are grammarians (you like grammar), the phrase is a predicate nominative. Greek predicate nominatives establish a shared essence between the subject and the predicate – especially when the predicate is placed before the verb as is here. In fact, predicate nominatives in the Greek usually do not use a definite article for the predicate. So, Christ is not being described here as a god, he is being identified as the God - fully and completely God.

·      And number 2. This identification of Jesus Christ being God himself is all throughout the Gospel of John. We considered that last week. Several times Jesus identified himself as one with God the Father. He said as much: “I and the Father are One.” We also considered all the I AM statements where Jesus identified himself as Yahweh.

Furthermore, look at the phrase in the middle of verse 1 and in verse 2. They are very similar. It says, “And the Logos was with God… He was in the beginning with God.”

This is one of the beautiful truths about the God of the Bible. God is personal and relational. Within the Godhead, as we say, there is a relationship between the three persons of God. The Father, the Son (who is the Logos), and the Spirit.

This is something that the Gospel of John makes clear throughout. I also mentioned that last week. By the way, one of the things I plan to do as we work through this book, is to connect each section and paragraph to the broader themes. And this is one of them. Jesus teaches not only about his equality with God the Father but also his role as God the Son and the role of God the Spirit whom he and the Father will send. As I put it last week, this book is full of theology – the doctrine of God – Theos. And it begins with these profound words.

You see, these opening words, especially verse 2 are not teaching that there are multiple gods. No. These verses are quite clear about that. Rather when they say that the Logos was with God from the beginning, they are revealing that God himself has relationships within himself. It’s an amazing thing to consider. As humans created in God’s image, we have been given the capacity and desire for relationships. That relational characteristic that every human being shares… comes from the Trinity. The Father, Son, and Spirit. One with each other. All eternal and all God.

So, the Logos, who is Christ, is one with and in relationship with the eternal God. He is God.

3. Christ’s Work as the Agent of Creation

That being us to point 3: Christ’s work as the agent of creation.

This third point is very much related to the word Logos. Christ is creator. He is the one through whom the universe has come into existence. God’s act of speaking his Word (his Logos) comes through the work of Christ.

Going back to Genesis 1, the phrase that is used over and over is “God said.” “God said ‘let there be light’ and there was light.” Every act of creation happens through God’s word. God spoke, and it was so.

Back to John 1. In verse 3 it says, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made”

All things in the entire universe were made through Christ. Every galaxy, every star, every planet; every cell and molecule and atom and proton and neutron and quark. All things came into being through him.

That may be something new to you. We don’t often think of or speak of Christ’s role as God’s agent of creation. That’s because we most often think and speak of his role as redeemer. And there is plenty of that in the Gospel of John.

But just like in verse 3, several Scriptures passages speak of Christ’s role as creator. Besides John 1, we read from both Colossians 1 and Hebrews 1 this morning. In Colossians, “…by [Christ] all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

In Hebrews 1. “In these last days [God] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

Or consider 1 Corinthians 8:6, which says, “there is… one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

God spoke through his Word, through his Logos, who is Christ, to bring everything into existence.

I remember when I learned this for the first time. I was amazed at the glory of God in his work of creation through Christ. Our Savior is not only our Lord, but he is our creator.

One thing is very very clear in these verses. Christ was not created. No, he existed before creation and he is the one through whom God created all things.

Conclusion

He is (1) the eternal Word of God, (2) As God, he is one with the true God, and (3) the creator of all things… visible and invisible. That is what we learn in these verses.

Now, I want you to imagine something. Imagine that you grew up in a Jewish community in the western part of Asia Minor (maybe Ephesus or Smyrna).  Imagine it’s the later half of the first century. You studied the Torah in school and your knew the history of Israel. Your family was a devout Jewish family.

Besides your Jewish education, you had always been intrigued by influences from the neighboring culture to the west - Greece. People from Athens often travelled through your city. They not only brought their wares, but they also brought their philosophy and gods. They loved to talk about the latest philosophical theories and ideas. They used the word logos often. When they did, they spoke of the ordering principle of the universe, you know, the force that structures all of nature, as they described it.

So, you have that in the back of your mind, but you also know what you have been taught from the Hebrew Scriptures. God speaks into existence all of creation, like it says in Genesis and Isaiah and the Psalms.

Now, imagine that you are reading John’s Gospel account for the first time. One of your neighbors had a parchment and he let you borrow it to read.

And so you read these opening words for the first time. “In the beginning was the Logos and the Logos was with God… and the Logos was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.”

And you are enraptured. These ideas are coming alive. You had been intrigued by the travelling philosophers of Athens, but this concept of a personal Logos who has eternally existed from all time and who is God is gripping your mind. And then you get down to verse 14… and you read “and the Logos became flesh and dwelt among us.”

As you had been reading the first couple of paragraphs, you had been asking, “who is this Logos?” And then you find out from these words that the Logos has dwelt among us. He has lived among us.

You had heard of a man named Jesus. But up until this point you had never understood why he was so significant or controversial. But now you knew. And your heart was leaping because not only are you reading here that he is and has always been the eternal Logos… but all of a sudden your mind is being flooded with all the things you had learned in your Jewish education. You begin recalling all of the promises and prophecies of Christ - the Messiah of God. Light bulbs are going off all over the place in your mind and heart. This personal, eternal Logos being written about is the Christ, the eternal promised one, and he has come to us in the person of Jesus. It’s a life-transforming realization. You can’t put the parchment down because every word and sentence and paragraph is speaking to your mind and heart. The Word of God, Christ, is becoming real to you in a way that you had never experienced before. He is changing your heart.

I know that is just a thought experiment, but as we work our way through John, I want us to enter in to the lives of the first readers and hearers and those whom Jesus encountered. I want us to enter in to their situation. Through that lens, I believe these words will become living words for us.

Maybe this is all new for you. And as you hear it, maybe your mind and heart are being drawn in with intrigue and wonder as you come to the understanding of who Christ is…. in his eternal nature as God and as the one through whom all things have been created.

If that is you, as we go through this book, may you hear and grasp not only who Christ is, but what he has done for you.

But maybe you’ve been a Christian for years… and these words are very familiar to you as they are to me. If that’s you, may your heart and mind be re-ignited by the depth and clarity and wonder of God in the person and work of Christ, who became flesh and dwelt among us.

As we go through this Gospel, may we all see him, our creator and Savior and Lord, the eternal Logos of God.

We’re starting a new sermon series this morning in the Gospel of John. Or more precisely the Gospel According to John. John is one of the four books in the Bible which considers the life and ministry of Jesus. The others are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

We’re 5 and 1/2 years into our existence as a church and we have yet to work through one of the Gospel narratives chapter by chapter. That is not to say that we have not had sermons in the different Gospel accounts. For example such as during Advent and Easter. And as some of you know, David Fraser has preached a few sermons in Mark.

By the way, I haven’t been avoiding going through one of the Gospels. It’s just a big task. John has 20 chapters and some of them are long. Some pastors have taken two years to work through John. We won’t take that long, but it will take over a year to complete.

Now, if you look at your sermon text, you may be slightly confused. We’ll be starting with chapter 20 verses 30 and 31. That is because those two verses explicitly tell us the purpose of the book. Today’s sermon will be an overview. We’ll cover the author and audience and the book’s purpose and various themes. Then next week, we’ll get into its iconic opening.

So, if you would please turn to John 20, verses 30 and 31. That is on page ??

Reading of John 20:30-31

Prayer

Isn’t it nice to have such a clear purpose statement? We’re given 3 aspects to the book’s purpose John 20:31.

·      First, it says, “These things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ” In other words, the author wants the reader to believe that Jesus is the promised Messiah.

·      Second, that he is the Son of God. Jesus is more than a mere man. He is also God in the flesh.

·      And third, it says, “and that by believing, you may have life in his name.” Believing these things is not merely intellectual. No, they have life-changing results. As mentioned throughout the book– eternal life.

So, God has given us the Gospel of John, that we may believe in Jesus and have life everlasting.

I’ve read John several times in the last few months in preparation for this series. Quite honestly, it’s overwhelming how many times the word “believe” is used. There are just over 80 uses of the word “believe” (In the Greek, it’s the word pisteo – believing something which is trusted). 18 of those uses are about not believing.

Throughout the book, we’re called to believe, and given examples of believing, but we’re also told the consequences of not believing and are given some examples of what it means to not believe – a majority of those are the religious establishment.

Well, that brings us to some important questions.

Who was the human author? Who was he writing to? What was their situation? And how does he make case to believe in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God?

My goal is to answer those questions this morning.

We’ll go through those in 5 points. And all 5 start with the letter “J.” You know, J for “John.” Maybe that will help you remember.

1. the first “j” is actually for “John” himself. Addressing the question of the author.

2. Second, Jews. They are the primary audience, although not exclusively.

3. Third, Jerusalem. That is the setting for the majority of the book.

4. The fourth “J” is, you guessed it, Jesus. Really, he is the big emphasis. You could, of course, say that about all four Gospels. However, this book focuses in on Jesus’ nature and identity.

5. And the last “J” is Jehovah. Jehovah is a derivative of the Hebrew word Yahweh for God himself. I would rather use the word Yahweh or the LORD, but it didn’t start with a J. John focuses not only on Jesus but on God himself.

So that is where we are headed. John, Jews, Jerusalem, Jesus, and Jehovah.

1. John

Now, as far as the author, you may be thinking, “well, of course it’s John, that’s the title of the book.” Well, yes, but titles were given by the early church in the second century. So, John is the traditional author. But interestingly, the author never directly identifies himself in the book.

However, there is an overwhelming consensus that the human author of this book is the Apostle John. Not John the Baptist. We’ll get to him in the first chapter, but rather John who was one of Jesus’ twelve disciples.

And the case is pretty strong. The author speaks of being a disciple of Jesus and being a witness about the things he wrote. That narrows it. He’s present at the Last Supper where he indicates that he reclined next to Jesus. He was also one of the three closest to Jesus – he mentions that. Jesus calls out to this author on the cross to care for Mary, Jesus’ mother. And the author mentions that he outruns Peter to the tomb. John and Peter were very close.

What seals the deal for me is that the author mentions almost all of the other disciples but never himself. That was a common stylistic approach of the time. He wanted to keep the focus on Jesus rather than himself.

By the way, I’m of course referring to the human author. The apostle John, like the other authors, were carried along by the Holy Spirit as 2 Peter 1 puts it. That doesn’t take away from the human situation at all. The Scriptures are communicated at specific times by specific authors to specific people. And all of that is a blessing as we seek to apply it to our situation.

2. Jews

Ok, number 2 – John’s primary audience was the Jewish community. The themes in the book overwhelmingly connect to various Old Testament matters including the temple, the sabbath, different feasts, Moses (including a mention of the manna from heaven), and Abraham.

Furthermore, many of the interactions that Jesus has are with the Jewish leaders or people in the Jewish community - not exclusively, but overwhelmingly. Think about Jesus and the woman at the well – she was a Samaritan, so she was sort of Jewish but not really. However, Jesus met her at Jacob’s well. Jacob was one of Israel’s patriarchs and she mentions him as their forefather and she also says that the Messiah is coming. So, even with her, the conversation references Old Testament ideas.

Also, consider our sermon text again - chapter 20 verse 31. John’s stated purpose is that his audience may believe that Jesus is the Christ.

Throughout the book, John mentions the fulfillment of the Scriptures multiple times. He quotes various Old Testament books. A few of the signs that Jesus performed, which John testifies to, are connected to Jesus fulfilling the prophecies of the Messiah.

To say it again, the primary audience in John’s mind were the Jews, however, he desired the Gentile community to believe as well. It is important for both Jews and Gentiles to understand the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophets.

In fact, in my interactions with people unfamiliar with the Bible, I usually recommend they read the Gospel of John. My reason is that this book is clear about who Jesus is and about saving faith in him alone and the call to believe. It also introduces all Scripture and testifies to God’s promises and how they are fulfilled.

I am not saying that the other Gospel accounts are not as clear. They are but in different ways.

So, John’s audience was primarily Jewish. As we get to the next points - Jerusalem and Jesus and Jehovah - we’ll see that even further emphasized.

3. Jerusalem.

Which brings us to the third “J” – Jerusalem. A vast majority of this book took place in Jerusalem. This is different from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The majority of those accounts took place up north in Galilee.

And almost half of the Gospel of John happened in the week leading up to and just after Jesus’ death and resurrection. Almost all of that took place in Jerusalem. Even in the first 12 chapters of the book, many of the interactions took place in Jerusalem.

But you ask, why does that matter?

Well, there are two important historical reasons.

First, John was writing after the temple had been destroyed in 70 AD – perhaps 10 years or so after. The other Gospel accounts were written before the temple was destroyed. And, as you can imagine, after the temple was destroyed the Jewish community was devastated. And so, one thing that John emphasizes is how Jesus fulfills and is greater than the temple. Consider chapter 1 verse 17. It says, “and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” The idea of God dwelling with his people was directly related to the temple and tabernacle before it. And now, John tells us that Jesus has dwelt among us. In chapter 2, Jesus even refers to himself as the temple. And as he puts it in chapter 15 - he abides in us and we in him.

Jerusalem was an important setting for John to reveal Jesus as the fulfillment of the temple and also of the various feasts connected to the temple.

So that is one important thing related to Jerusalem.

Second, John wrote his Gospel shortly after Christianity was no longer considered a sect of Judaism. For the three to four decades following Jesus’ resurrection, Christianity was seen as a subset of Judaism. However, over time, that changed. That was partly because the Gospel had been travelling far and wide among the Gentiles. But also, over time, the Jewish establishment distanced themselves from the Christians and even kicked them out of the synagogues.

It was very important for John to reinforce the connection between Christianity and the redemptive history of Israel. And Jerusalem was central to God revealing himself to Israel and the world.

What I am saying is that our history, as Christians, is connected to Jerusalem and the temple and the festivals of old. Their ultimate fulfillment in the cross of Christ. Maybe you’ve heard me say this before, but there is no such thing as only being a New Testament Christian. No, all of Scripture testifies to God and Christ and is profitable for believers.

John wanted to make that abundantly clear. Just because Christianity was no longer socially associated with Judaism, it in no way negated the redemptive history found in the Old Testament. Rather Christianity believes that Jesus has fulfilled their promises and prophecies. And he wanted the Jewish people to know and believe that.

Ok, let me pause here. I know that is a lot of information. This sermon probably feels more like a lecture than a sermon. That is in part because of the nature of an intro sermon. However, I don’t want this to be void of compelling application in our hearts and minds.

4. Jesus

Which that brings us to the fourth “J” - Jesus. Again, of course the book is about Jesus. But what is overwhelmingly compelling is how theologically rich is the case it makes for Jesus’ humanity and especially his divinity.

Over and over Jesus is referred to as the Son of God or the Son of Man – both of those testify to his human and divine natures. Think also about the opening chapter. We’re going to spend 3 Sundays on it. In the beginning was the Word. He was with God. He was God. All things were made through him. This Word is Jesus Christ.

We don’t often think about the Gospel of John being a theological treatise about Jesus, but it expounds the amazing depth of his natures and person.

Furthermore, John includes various “signs,” as he calls them, which testify to Jesus’ divine power. For example, Jesus raised Lazarus form the dead. He broke bread and fish and multiplied it for the crowds. He also walked on water. Who can do such things? Well, the very one through whom God created all things. While all the Gospels tell of Jesus’ miracles, John uses the term “signs” 3X more than the other Gospel writers

Another thing that is very clear in John is how the religious elite wanted to kill Jesus. Why did they want to kill him? Well, because he was committing, in their minds, blasphemy. Blasphemy was when someone claimed to be God. Jesus had said, “I and the father are one.” And he said that those who know him know God the Father.

5. Jehovah

But perhaps the most compelling testimony to Jesus’ divine nature are the “I AM” statement that Jesus makes throughout the book.

By the way, side note: we’re now transitioning to the last “J” Jehovah. Jehovah comes from the Hebrew word Yahweh, which means “I am.” When Moses was in the wilderness and saw the burning bush and approached it, God spoke to Moses. And Moses asked God who he was. God answered “I am who I am.”  “I Am” is the word Yahweh. As I mentioned earlier, the word Jehovah is a derivative of that. It’s a Latin based word that some older translations use. More modern translations us all capitals, LORD.

Well, Jesus refers to himself multiple times as the “I AM.”

In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes 8 “I am” statements. As he does this, he is asserting his own divinity.

In chapter 8, when speaking to the Pharisees about Abraham, he said to them, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” He was directly referring to Moses interaction with God. Jesus was saying that he, himself, was the Covenant God. He is the great I AM. The pharisees knew exactly what he was saying because right after that, they picked up stone to kill him for blasphemy.

The other “I Am” statement similarly allude to his divinity. Some of them are metaphors.

·      Jesus sais, “I am the bread of life”

·      And “I am the light of the world”

·       “I am the door”

·      “I am the good Shepherd”

·      “I am the true vine.”

·      Before raising Lazarus, he says, “I am the resurrection and the life”

·      He finally he says, “I am the way the truth and the life… no one comes to the Father except through me”

Each of these assert Jesus’ identity as the one through whom Salvation has come.

Now, besides emphasizing Jesus’ divinity, the John’s Gospel also reveals rich truths about God the Father and the Holy Spirit.

I love chapters 14-16. Those chapters give us a rich description of the Holy Spirit. Jesus teaches about the Helper whom he and the Father will send. He calls this helper the Spirit of Truth. Jesus says the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, and righteousness and truth. He will bring to remembrance Jesus’ teaching and bear witness to Jesus, himself.

You see, the Gospel of John presents a rich theology of the Trinity. It speaks not only of who Jesus is, but also of God the Father and the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of John profoundly testifies to God’s nature and character and persons, all whom are equal in glory and power.

Conclusion and Belief

So, John, Jews, Jerusalem, Jesus, and Jehovah.

Through John and his Gospel, God has revealed the fullness of his Son. He’s fulfilled the temple ceremonies and presence as the one who dwelt among us. Jesus is one with God

as the great I AM. He is the Christ – the anointed Messiah. He is the door and the way and the resurrection. In him is life, and as chapter 1 says, his life is the light of man.

Before I bring this to a close, there’s one more thing I want to highlight.

There’s a phrase which we are going to come across in almost every chapter. When Jesus teaches, he often says “truly, truly, I say to you…” He says it 25 times in the book.

In more than half of them, Jesus appeals to his hearers that there is only one path to eternal life. Let me highlight some:

·      Chapter 3 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God

·      Chapter 5 - Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. 

·      Chapter 6 - Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you

·      Chapter 8 - Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.

·      And Chapter 13 - Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” He’s speaking about both the Holy Spirit whom he will send as well as God the Father who sent him.

You see, the entire book of John was written so that we may believe in him. He has been sent by the Father and he is the eternal God, creator of all things.

And his purpose in coming was to give his life that we may live.

In fact, all throughout John, he foretells of his death and resurrection. He uses indirect language, but he is clear about his mission.

·      For example, in chapter 2, he says that if the temple is destroyed, he will raise it in three days. In that same chapter, John explicitly tells us that Jesus was referring to his body.

·      In chapter 10, he says that he is the good shepherd who lays down his life for his sheep.

·      In three places he mentions that he will be lifted up. The lifting up language refers to how Jesus would die, which John explicitly mentions in chapter 12. He would be lifted up on the cross.

·      Other references mention departing from this world and going to the Father.

The point is that Jesus’ mission was to die an atoning death for sin. And Jesus accomplished that mission. Going back to one of Jesus’ I AM statements. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet he will live.”

The resurrection life that Jesus offers after death comes through his own death and resurrection.

You see, the Gospel of John does not leave us with only the call to believe but also the reasons to believe. It reveals to us, as each of the Gospel accounts do, how Jesus gives life. He gives life because he gave his life. As the most famous verse in all of the Bible says (John 3:16), “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” The condemnation that all deserve has been absorbed by Jesus for those who believe.

My prayer is that as we journey through John with Jesus to Jerusalem, that we each would believe. That we would either come to believe in the Son of God or shore up our belief in the very Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us.

Wise Men, a Con Man, and a King

Please turn to Matthew chapter 2. This is a very well-known advent passage about the wise men from the east bringing gifts to Jesus. There’s a lot of mystery and wonder in this text. Part of that is because we’re not given many details about the wise men. However, we are clearly given their goal. And so, as I read, listen for why they were seeking Jesus and what they did when they found him.

Reading of Matthew 2:1-12.

Prayer

In our house, you’ll find several nativity scenes at this time of year. They’re festive and add to the aura of the season. But you know, they don’t really accurately depict the manger scene. And one of the inaccuracies is with the three wise men. Most nativity scenes have them. They’re usually tall, wearing middle-eastern attire, and bearing gifts as they stand next to the animals.

Well, first of all, we’re never told how many there were. Yes, they had three gifts, but that does not mean there were only three of them.

And second, they did not arrive when Jesus was born. No, actually, they arrived likely when he was 1 year old. They weren’t there to see Jesus in the manger.

I’m not trying to be the grinch and steal your Christmas joy. Rather, I just want to be sure we distinguish what we actually know versus what tradition has come up with over the centuries. There’s a big difference.

So, then, what do we know? Who were these wise men led by a star to Jerusalem and then to Jesus? Well, we are told they were from the east and we are given a clue of there origin base on their name. The name “wise men” comes from the Greek word magoi. Some translations give them the title of Magi. It’s a word derived from the Persian word for wise men.

And because of that, some believe that the Magi came from where the Medo-Persian empire was centered (which is where modern day Iran is). Others believe that the Magi came from the region where the Babylonian empire used to be centered. That’s where modern day Iraq is.

There are good reasons for both possibilities.

If we go back to the book of Daniel, it uses a very similar word for the wise men of the land. Daniel, as you may know, lived in Babylon in exile. Similarly, the book of Esther, which takes place in the Persian capital, also uses a similar word for wise men. In both cases, the Greek translation of the Old Testament uses the word magoi.

And honestly, I don’t think it makes much of a difference whether the Magi came from Medo-Persian roots or Babylonian roots. Even though these empires were centered in adjacent regions in the middle east, they overlapped as each kingdom took control. A few decades after Babylon conquered the whole region, they were then overthrown by the Medes and then the Persians. After that it was the Greeks under Alexander the Great who conquered the land, and then Roman Empire, which was in control when Jesus was born.

And when these empires overthrew one another, it’s not like they killed all the people. No, the people just were under the control of another kingdom. Yes, some of them moved out or were exiled. Others moved in to govern, but overall, the culture and history were preserved or intermixed with the new empire in power.

Furthermore, when we consider the Babylonians and the Medes and the Persians, they each had their wise men. We know this from the Old Testament text as well as from historical writings from the time. The Magi were the highest educated men of the land. They were given utmost respect and they had major influence in the culture. In fact, extra Biblical writings about the Medes particularly emphasize this. Someone could not become a king in that empire without first the same rigorous study as the wise men. Even more, in the Median Empire, it was the wise men who anointed the king. Think about the significance of tht if the Matthew 2 wise men came from that region.

The bottom line is that the Magi who were led to Jerusalem were held in the highest esteem and had significant cultural prominence.

Now, let me mention something else important. These Magi knew some of the Hebrew Scriptures. Let me make that case.

First, let’s go back to Babylon. When Babylon overthrew Judah in the early 5th century BC, thousands and thousands of Jews were relocated to Babylon. They brought their culture with them. They brought their history and they brought their writings. Even when they were later permitted to return to Jerusalem, most of them remained in Babylon and some even intermarried with the Babylonians.

Not only that, think of the testimony of Daniel and of Shadrach, Meshach and Abendego. Their wisdom and faithfulness earned them great status in the Babylonian Kingdom. King Nebuchadnezzar found them 10 time wiser than the wise men and enchanters of the region. That’s mentioned in Daniel chapter 1. And when they were put to the test, God delivered each of them - you know, the three thrown in the fiery furnace, and Daniel from the Lion’s den.

After each incident, it was the Babylonian king who decreed that the one true God should be worshipped and served. These men were furthermore elevated to a high standing in the land. Daniel himself ended up being promoted to the third highest position in the entire Babylonian kingdom. You see, their wisdom, wisdom from God, became part of the wisdom of the land.

A very similar thing happened in the Medo-Persian empire. Esther in the Old Testament was Jewish, but she was chosen to be queen by the Persian King. Some of you know the history. A plot was made against all the Jewish people in the land. They were to be slaughtered, but through the wisdom of Esther and her uncle, that plot was turned against the perpetrators. In the end, it was the Jewish people who prospered in all 127 provinces of the kingdom. It mentions from India to Ethiopia.

Here is my point. Whether the wise men from the east came from a Babylonian heritage or from a Medo-Persian heritage, the wisdom of the land included wisdom from God almighty. Their education would have included testimonies of God’s people and their teaching, which God had spread all throughout the east.

So, these Magi, who were the highest learned men in the near Eastern culture, would have studied and known the God of Israel, and his prophecies, and the wisdom given his people. Perhaps they knew Balaam’s prophecy from Numbers 24 that “a star shall come out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel.”

So, yes, they came from the east, but they were not unfamiliar with what God had revealed and the prophecies of the Messiah.

Now, we are not told what prompted them to leave their country and follow a star to Jerusalem. They may have been given a vision given by God in a dream (you know, similar to the dream they were given in verse 12); or it may have been an angel appearing to them similar to how angels appeared to Mary and Joseph and the shepherds. Or, as some have suggested, it may have been their studies of the Jewish Scriptures and the timing of the Messiah. We don’t know, but whatever means God used, they knew that they were to seek the promised king who had come… and that he was worthy to be worshiped.

Notice what they said when they arrived in Jerusalem. Verse 2. They asked: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

Now, given the prominence and status of these Magi, their arrival in Jerusalem came with great acknowledgment. We know that because word of their arrival and their question.. filtered all the way up to King Herod.

By the way, this Herod was Herod the Great. That is how he was known. Multiple Herods are mentioned in the New Testament. All of them are descendants of this Herod, Herod the Great. And none of them reached the prominence and power of their father or grandfather.

This Herod was even given the title “king of the Jews” by the Roman senate. He wasn’t even Jewish. This Herod is the one who built the great city Caesarea by the sea. He similarly constructed the mountaintop fortress of Masada in the south.

This is the same Herod who ordered the massive renovation of the temple. He did this to try to please the Jews and solidify his title. If you remember, the temple had been rebuilt some 500 years earlier by some of the exiles who had returned. However, Herod transformed and refined it. He doubled the size of the temple mount. And he had the temple adorned with gold plates, and had it covered in white marble. The Jews appreciated this, of course, but it didn’t change their opinion of him.

In fact, in 2007 (you know, less than 20 years ago) archaeologists actually found Herod’s tomb. It was inside the massive fortress that he built near Bethlehem called the Herodium. When they found it, they also found that Herod’s sarcophagus had been smashed to pieces. You see, the Jews hated Herod the Great. It’s likely, back in the first century, a group made their way into the chamber and destroyed his coffin and did something with his bones.

That is because Herod was not a just ruler. He had his first wife executed, including his mother-in-law. He also executed three of his sons. And he had dozen of opponents killed, including high priests and pharisees.

Now, look at verse 3. When Herod heard about the wise men and that they were seeking the newborn king of the Jews, it says Herod was troubled. This larger-than-life ruler of the land, who had political and military power, was troubled.

Of course he was. These renowned Magi from the east had arrived and they were seeking a new king of the Jews. But that was Herod’s title.

Do you see why he asked the Magi in verse 8 to find the child born a King? It was not, as Herod had said, so that he could also worship him. No, not at all. Herod was a con man and a tyrant. He wanted to put to death yet another potential threat to his power.

Herod did not know where to find this newborn king, so he did two things. First, he asked the priests and scribes. They mentioned Isaiah’s prophecy about Bethlehem. Well, that wasn’t narrow enough, so second, Herod met with the Magi. He asked them to return to him after finding the newborn king. Well, as the text mentions later, the Magi were warned about Herod in a dream. And so, Herod would never get his wish.

So, the Magi were in Jerusalem. Herod had met with them. They knew they needed to travel further, but exactly where, they did not know. But just like before, a star rose to guide them.

This star is mentioned four times in Matthew 2. It had brought them west from their country to Jerusalem. The star then turned them south towards Bethlehem. And it led them to the very house where Mary and Josph and baby Jesus were staying.

But you ask, how can a star, high in the heavens above lead to a specific home? This is why I believe that it was more of a supernatural star-like object in the sky. Afterall, it moved. It turned them from heading west to south, and then it was able to bring them to a specific place. As verse 9 says, it came to rest over the place where the child was.

So, the Magi arrived.

Now, in a minute, I want to come back to what they did at that moment. But first, let’s consider their gifts.

They had brought gifts with them from the east. We sing about them and hear them often at this time of year. The Magi brought gold, and frankincense (not Frankenstein), and they brought myrrh.

Now, different scholars have postulated different meanings for the gifts. Some have simply said the gifts were merely a royal tribute. In other words, the Magi brought expensive gifts as they would for any king.

Others have suggested that each gift signified something. I think that’s likely the case. Let me work that out.

First, the gift of gold. Just like today, it was the most precious of metals. It was hard to find and hard to mine. Gold had many uses, but one prominent use of gold was for a king. You know, crowns were made mainly of gold. Kings drank from vessels of gold and they wore golden rings. They carried golden scepters. All those uses are highlighted in various passages in the Scriptures. Of course, gold was not exclusively used for kings, but it’s reasonable to conclude that in the giving of gold by the wise men, they were acknowledging Jesus as a king.

Second, they also brought him frankincense. It’s a strange word. At its core is the word incense. And that is what it was. It came from a rare tree that grew in East Africa. Frankincense is referenced many times in the Old Testament as a fragrant perfume. Most often it was used in the temple by the priests including the high priest.

Now, here’s the important part. In it’s temple use, Frankincense was reserved for incense and sacrificial anointing for Yahweh – for God. It’s even referred to as Yahweh’s incense. So, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Frankincense signified Jesus’ divine nature and his priestly role.

Which brings us to the last gift. Myrrh. It was a perfume. It was used as a beautiful fragrance for women. You can find it referenced multiple times in the Song of Solomon. Elsewhere in the Scriptures, it’s mentioned as a fragrance for clothing. But also, it was used as one of the burial spices. The bottom line is that Myrrh was a fragrance for man – you know, mankind. So, it was different from Frankincense which was reserved in the temple use for Yahweh. Myrrh was instead used for the people. As one commentator put it, “it was a perfume used by and in the interest of… man to make his life more pleasant… and his burial less repulsive.” So, as a gift from the Magi, Myrrh likely signified Jesus’ humanity and perhaps his atoning death.

In sum, the gifts brought by the Magi testified to who this child was. In the very least, the gifts testified to his kingship. But likely they furthermore testified to the fulness of Jesus divine nature and the fulness of his humanity.

In his humanity he was, at that time, a young child born a king, but in his deity, he had existed from eternity past as God the Son. And he had come. The Magi knew and they testified to the wonder and awe of who this child was.

He was worthy for them to worship.

And I want you to notice something significant. Before the Magi even entered the house, look what verse 10 says. They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy! They gave praise to God for leading them to Jesus. They recognized the significance of that moment in history and that God had brought them to this place, to this child king. And after that, the Magi entered and it says they fell-down before him and worshiped.

These revered men, who were not Israelites, who were known for their decades of study and known for their cultural prominence fell down before a one-year old child and worshiped him.

Is that not tremendous? I think it is in a couple of different ways.

Number 1 - God used non-Israelites to acknowledge his Son, the true king. These Gentile Magi affirmed what many Jews would reject. As the Gospel of John points out, Jesus came to his own, but his own did not receive him. The worship by the Magi is a tremendous thing. It affirmed what the Scriptures in the Old Testament had been saying all along. That through the offspring of Abraham, through the seed of David, all nations would be blessed. It is truly an amazing affirmation of the Gospel call to all tribes, tongues, and nations.

Number 2 – the second thing that is tremendous is that they were led by God. God had turned the hearts of these men to him and they followed him. They followed his star. Even with all the temptations for pride that comes with knowledge and wisdom, these men humbled themselves to worship the true king. Go back to verse 10, again. They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. Again, this was before they fell down and worshiped. In other words, they gave glory to God for leading them to Jesus. And then they worshiped him.

Believer in Christ, you and I were not led by a star to Jesus. But it is no less supernatural how God turned your heart and mine and led us to him. Yes, let’s worship the newborn king in this advent season. Yes, let’s give praise to God in Christ who is Lord and Savior. Yes, let’s declare the reason that Jesus came. He was born to die in our place and then resurrected so to overcome sin and death and the devil for us. So, yes, let’s worship Jesus for all these reasons. But let’s also rejoice like the Magi for God bring us to him. Were it not for God leading in our lives, we would still be in darkness. But God has led us to his Son, the King.

Perhaps you’ve come today or you’ve been coming, but you have yet to fall down and worship. God has been leading you. After all, you are here. He’s led you to Jesus. He’s led you to hear his Word. But there’s something preventing you from falling down in worship. Maybe skepticism. Maybe you say that you cannot intellectually get to a place of belief. But if there was any group back then who could argue against belief, it would have been the Magi. Wouldn’t it not? The Magi were the intellectuals of the time. Yet, they submitted themselves to God and they humbled themselves before him. They both praised him for leading them to Jesus and then fell down and worshiped the true king.

God has led you to this point. Let him now lead you into the house before the humble king.

It takes faith, doesn’t it? Was it not by faith that the Magi followed the star. It was. It also requires setting aside your unbelief and forsaking your own way. It takes humility to recognize all that you don’t know compared to the wisdom and glory and power of God. And it takes falling down before him and submitting your whole life to him, just as the Magi.

Will you let God lead you into his house and will you fall down as the Magi did to worship Christ? He is, as 1 Corinthians says, the power of God and the wisdom and of God. He is worthy to be worshiped.

What an amazing testimony in these verses… of God at work leading and affirming that he himself has come to us.

May we each praise God for leading us as he did the Magi. And as they also did, may we each humbly fall down before the king of kings, for who he is… and for what he has done for us so that we may worship him. Amen

Please turn to Malachi 4. This is the last chapter in Malachi and our last sermon.

Last week we considered the distinction that God would make between the righteous and the wicked. On the one hand are the righteous who reverently fear the Lord and who demonstrate their fear by serving and honoring him. On the other hand are the wicked, who do not fear nor honor the Lord. That distinction comes down to whether you know and follow Christ.

And also last week, we touched upon the day of the Lord. That phrase is introduced in chapter 3. It’s described as the day of the Lord’s coming. It’s the day, as chapter 3 says, when God will make up his treasured possession.

Well, this morning’s text continues and expands on that day. It answers the question of what that day is like and how we should prepare for it.

As I read, be thinking about Malachi’s audience. They were in a dicey and unsettling situation in Jerusalem. Despite their situation, some of them feared the Lord… but others rejected him. So, as you hear these words, think about how each group would receive this prophecy.

Reading of Malachi 4:1-6

Prayer

In the summer after graduating high school, I worked at a summer camp. One of my responsibilities involved leading a group of teenagers on a long multi-day canoe trip. We were in northern Wisconsin. One day, after a long journey through the various lakes we decided to set up camp on a small island. We thought it would be fun. And it was until the middle of the night when a massive storm rolled in. We woke up to thunder and lightning and then heavy winds followed by a downpour. On top of that, when the front rolled in, the temperatures dropped about 20 degrees. We were cold and wet and since we were on an island, there was no place to go.

Well, the rain stopped just before dawn. As soon as it started to get light out, we scrambled to get a fire going. But that was difficult given all the rain. Some of the kids were literally shaking because they were so cold. The fire helped some, but it was still breezy and we had limited wood.

But then it happened. The clouds parted, the sun came up, the wind died down. We all just stopped and soaked in the rays. It was like instant warmth. Physically and emotionally… and spiritually. We had been praying for help and within minutes the sun warmed us.

In Malachi 4, the people had been enduring a period of life storms in different ways. They had been enduring a period of darkness. They couldn’t see how the future promises of God would be fulfilled. Yet, they are told that when the day of the Lord comes, the sun of righteousness will rise. That’s spelled s-u-n.

He will come. The promised Messiah will come. And his coming will be like the rising of the sun after a long cold night.

As I mentioned, these verses are centered around the day of the Lord. That day is spoken of multiple times here.

·      Look at the first sentence there in verse 1. “For behold, the day is coming.”

·      Then the very next sentence in the same verse says the same thing: “the day that is coming…” and it goes on.

·      Now jump down to the end of verse 3. It says, “on the day when I act, says the Lord of Hosts.”

·      And the last one is there in verse 5. “I will send Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes.” …or as some translations say, the great and awful day of the Lord.

I mentioned last week that the day described is a day of judgement. Well, that same idea is mentioned in chapter 4 verses 1 and 3. That final judgment will happen when Christ returns. So, there’s definitely a sense in which this day will be fulfilled in our future.

However, the returned exiles are told that Elijah the prophet will come before that great day. That prophecy has been fulfilled in John the Baptist. We considered a similar prophecy earlier in chapter 3. In other words, there’s also a sense that Jesus first coming (you know, his first advent) fulfilled this prophecy about the day of the Lord. John Calvin held that view, and it makes sense considering the reference to Elijah.

I think the best understanding is to consider that the “day of the Lord” began at Jesus first advent and will come to completion at his second advent. In other words, for us, there’s both a “now” and “not yet” to this “day of the Lord.”

In the apostle Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, he quotes the prophet Joel’s prophecy about the day of the Lord. And he indicates that it is being fulfilled. Other New Testament texts speak of the last days that we are in, which will come to a final completion when Christ returns. So, the day has come, and it will come.

However, from the perspective of the people in the Old Testament, it appeared to them be one event.

Think about it this way. It’s kind of like driving through a mountain range. This last May we were driving through the Rocky Mountains. If you’ve ever been there, you’ll know that the mountains are massive. Sometimes, though, you’ll see an especially large mountain, but as you drive past it, you realize that, oh no, that was not one mountain, it was actually two mountains. It just looked like one mountain from a distance.

The “Day of the Lord” prophecy is like that. To God’s people in the Old Testament, it looked like one event. Yet for us, who live after Jesus first coming (and who have the New Testament) we realize that the prophecy both has been fulfilled and it will be fulfilled.

We are living in that day now with all the benefits and blessings of Jesus first coming, but with anticipation of his second coming. And when he comes again, the full judgment and mercy of God will be fulfilled.

But the people in Jerusalem just needed to know that the Messiah was coming. And when he came, it would be the day of the Lord.

And the Lord tells them through Malachi, what that day will be like and how to prepare for it. It’s the same application for us. The difference is that for them it was entirely a future reality that they needed to prepare for. For us it’s both a present and future reality, but with the same call to prepare.

So, let’s dive in answer those two questions. What is the day of the Lord like? And, how should we live in it and prepare for it?

By the way, you’ll see an outline there in the bulletin. 2 points going along with those two questions.

1. The Day of the Lord: Beholding its Light

2. The Day of the Lord: Living in its Light

So, beholding and living in the day of the Lord.

1. The Day of the Lord: Beholding its Light

By the way, I’m using the word “beholding” because twice in this text, they are told to “behold!” Verses 1 and 5. We saw the same word back in chapter 3 verse 1. Behold! The day is coming. Wake up. Be ready! God will fulfill his promise.

It’s like what the angels said to the shepherds in Luke 2. “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” Behold.

And what will that day be like? Well, we’re given a picture.

By the way, did you notice all the imagery in these verses? Oven, fire, stubble, branch, root, sun, wings, a calf, ashes, and feet. It is a picture of what the day will be like. They needed to know.

And the first thing they needed to know, which is a continuation from chapter 3, is that it will be a day of judgment. It will be like an oven. The wicked will be like stubble burned in a fire. Have you ever taken pine straw or wood shavings and thrown them into a fire? It sparks up and bursts into a flame. The wicked are described as being set ablaze. Their branches AND roots will be burned. And in verse 3, they will be trampled underfoot.

And remember, the Lord had been speaking to Israel. Malachi was prophesying to the people who had returned from Babylon to Judah and Jerusalem. Many of them fell into the category of wickedness. They didn’t fear the Lord. Their words and actions displayed a lack of faith. Even though they were counted among God’s people, they didn’t return to him.

What I am saying is that as much as these verses are an encouragement to the people who feared the Lord, they are also a graphic warning to those who do not know nor fear him.

Return to me or on that day, you shall be ashes trod underfoot by the righteous.

It will be a day when the Lord “acts.” Verse 3. From their perspective, there had been a lot of in-action by the Lord. But that will all change when the day of the Lord comes. But beware, because that action will in part be action against the wicked.

So that’s the warning… but there are also some very encouraging aspects to the coming day. As I already mentioned, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings.

For us, that feels like a strange mixing of metaphors. The sun and wings. But the best understanding of this is how the sun would be painted.  Picture the sun like a yellow platter with squiggly lines radiating from the platter. Well, those squiggly lines that someone would draw were called the sun’s wings. It’s the rays of the sun beaming down on the people. And those rays heal.

The people back then knew this by experience.  And we know this by the sun’s healing properties. We don’t just receive warmth, but our bodies produce vitamin D from the sun light. That boosts our immune system. Being in the sun also lifts our mood.  And when we are in the sun for a little bit every day, we even sleep better at night.

What this is saying is that God’s righteousness will be like the sun! God will shine his holiness and his goodness and his truth upon us on the day of the Lord.

And all of that has been and will be fulfilled in Jesus. We have seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. His righteousness has been and is being displayed for all the world to see. And Jesus’ ministry is a ministry of healing, is it not? Let me highlight three ways.

·      Number 1, Jesus’ heals our relationship with God. Through the cross and in the resurrection, we’ve been given peace and reconciliation with him.

·      Number 2. He ministers his healing in all the sorrows and grief in life. God in Christ ministers to us in our weakness and our burdens and our trials. Jesus said, “come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your soul… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light”

·      And number 3. Christ will ultimately heal all of creation. He will restore all things. This is definitely part of the future promises of the day. When Christ returns in glory, all things will be made new. The groaning of all creation will be no more. The old will be burned up and the new will come. Creation will no longer be fractured and marred by sin, but rather it will be perfect and unblemished... and the light of Christ’s righteousness will shine forever. There will be no need for the sun because Christ’s glory will be the light.

The sun of Righteousness has and will come with healing in his wings! Some of those things have come true and some will come true at the end of the age. And… what a joy it is to know the healing ministry of Christ.

And speaking of joy, that is the other description we’re given.

On that day, the righteous in Christ will leap like a calf full of energy as it leaps for joy!

I’ve never actually seen a calf in such a state, but I’ve read that it is quite the scene. After a calf has been in a stall all night, and it is then let out… apparently it bursts forth in uncontained exuberance. It leaps and twists and bucks and it runs in circles. It’s like a ball of uninhibited joy as it bounds around.

Our dog, Toby, was like this when he was a puppy. Sometimes we would have to leave him in his crate for a while, otherwise he would eat our socks. When we got home, we would let him outside in the backyard… and he would race around in circles as fast as he could. And then he would want to play.

That is the kind of joy that we will experience to the fullest extent… when the Lord returns. Nothing will be able to contain our excitement on that day.

So, the day will be a day of judgment, but it will also be a day of righteousness and healing, and a day of great joy.

2. The Day of the Lord: Living in its Light

Which brings us to the concluding verses of Malachi and point #2. Living in its Light. The next question is, how should we live in the day of the Lord now? And related to that, how should we prepare for his future coming?

First, look at verse 4. the Lord commands them… “remember the law of my servant Moses, the statutes and rules, that I commanded him at Mount Horeb…” It’s referring to the 10 commandments. Mount Horeb and Mount Saini are the same place.

All throughout Malachi, God has been revealing to the people how they had forgotten his law and commands. They had wandered from him by breaking his law. They were doing things that God commanded them not to do, and not doing things that God commanded to do. And so he commands them to remember his law.

But in order to return to God’s law and to him, they needed to repent. They needed to turn from their faithlessness and sin and back to God. That is what verses 5 and 6 are alluding to – turning back to God and to one another.

What I mean is that in verse 5, Elijah is mentioned. Elijah is THE representative prophet. His message, which was the message of all prophets, was a message of repentance. Malachi’s prophecy is likewise a message of repentance. Return to me, the Lord has said through Malachi.

And in verse 6, this new Elijah that is coming will also turn the hearts of fathers to their children and children to their fathers. It’s the same message of repentance but focused on our relationships with one another. In fact, in Luke chapter 1. The angel of the Lord tells John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, three things about his son related to this. #1, “he will turn many of the children of Israel back to the Lord their God.” #2. John “will go before the [Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” And #3. The angel quotes Malachi 4:6. John will turn “the hearts of fathers to their children.”

You see, this turning people to the Lord and to one another is the message of repentance. That is exactly what John the Baptist preached. He said, “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”

So, Moses and Elijah. The Law and the prophets. God’s commands for us and his call for us to repent. Really, it summarizes both Malachi and the entire Old Testament.

Think about our study of Malachi. Here’s how it’s gone: The Lord said: 1. I have loved you. 2. But your words and actions have betrayed that love. 3. You have therefore been faithless. 4. Return to me for the day of the Lord is coming. 5. If you do return, you will be counted among the righteous on that day. If you do not return, you will be counted among the wicked. And 6. The concluding words here: So, remember my law and repent.

And notice the very last words, “lest I strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” The Lord opened up his prophecy through Malachi with the words, “I have loved you” and he concludes with this warning. It is one last appeal that they examine their hearts, or they will reap the consequences of their unbelief. Are you following how these last verses summarize Malachi?

And, as I mentioned, this conclusion also summarizes the entire Old Testament. Again, Moses and Elijah - the law and the prophets.

At one point in Jesus’s ministry, he went up on a mountain with three of his disciples, Peter, James, and John. And when Jesus was on the mountain, he shone with the glory of his divine nature as sovereign King. The Gospel writers say that he was transfigured. Now, listen to what Matthew said. He said that Jesus’ face “shone like the sun.” s-u-n. And guess who appeared from heaven with Jesus? Moses and Elijah. God the Son, the sun of righteousness, revealed his glory as the one who fulfilled all the words of the law and the message of prophets. In him, the day of the Lord has come. For Malachi’s original audience, the day was coming soon. For us, it has and it will come.

Well, I would be remiss if I didn’t end with the call for you and me. It’s really the same call now as it was then. We are to remember the law of Moses. The 10 commandments are not something from a bygone era that has no relevance today. No, rather, we are called to pursue the Lord and his commands. We’re to love him with all our heart and soul and mind and strength. And we’re to love our neighbors as ourself. And when we fail, we are to repent and return to him in faithfulness. None of that is works salvation. Rather, it is responding to the love of God in Christ Jesus, who gave himself up for us.

Just like Malachi’s audience, God loves us. We are his people, whom he elected from before the foundation of the world. In love, he gave us his commands that we would know him and walk in his ways. And just like them, we often fail, but God does not treat us as our sin deserves. No, he calls us to repent and return to him. And he will lovingly receive us again. All because the sun of righteousness has come with healing in his wings.

So may we do just that. May we heed the warning of judgment. And may we rejoice this advent, with exuberant joy, basking in all the rays of the righteousness of Jesus – our Savior and our Lord. For his day has come and he will come again.

Please turn to Malachi 3:13-18. That is on page 955 in the Pew Bibles.

We are in the home stretch of Malachi. Next week will be our last sermon. By the way, Malachi has often been used for an Advent series. It is the last book of the Old Testament, and, as we saw 2 weeks ago, it promises that the Messiah will come soon. Next week will be another advent prophecy.

Our sermon this morning concludes the pattern of (1) God’s accusation, (2) the people questioning God, and (3) the Lord explaining.

After that, we will we hear a surprising turn. There were some who did fear the Lord and responded to him.

Listen for the contrasts between those who questioned the Lord, and those who feared him.

Reading of Malachi 3:13-18

Prayer

How do you justify sin in your life?

I know that question presupposes an understanding of sin. I’m simply referring to breaking God’s commands as he has revealed in his Word.

·      Do you find yourself saying, “well, this is a small thing. It doesn’t really matter.”

·      Or, “everyone else does it, so what’s the big deal.”

·      Or “At least I’m not as bad as he or she is.”

·      Are you tempted to make the ends justify the means? You think, “well, the results will be good, so it doesn’t matter how I get there.”

·      Or maybe you are angry with God or wonder if he is even there? You think, “why does it even matter?”

·      Maybe you have been sinned against and therefore are tempted to respond likewise.

·      Or do you think that nobody will know.

·      Or do you tell yourself, “It feels right, how can it be wrong?”

How do you justify sin? Really, the more important question is, will you respond to God’s Word?

These verses give us a contrast between two responses. 1. Those who justify and continue in their sin and 2, those who repent and respond.

All throughout Malachi, we’ve seen different ways that the priests and the people have justified their sin. Often it was about their situation. They were poor and didn’t want to bring their unblemished male animal to offer at the temple or bring their required tithe. Or they didn’t love their spouse anymore, so why not get a divorce. Why not marry someone who didn’t know Yahweh if they could get ahead economically. Based on their experience, they didn’t even believe that God was just, so why did it matter what they did or didn’t do.

Verses 13-15 are the climax to their dismissal of God and how they justified their sin. The Lord said, “your words have been hard against me.” And they asked once again, “how” “How have we spoken against you?”

And the Lord responds… you have said, , “it is vain to serve God. What is the profit of keeping his charge?” They didn’t see any value in continuing to honor God. Why bother? It was so bad they didn’t even want to mourn before the Lord because of their situation. They had gotten to the place where they weren’t even sure God existed.

In verse 15, we learn they’d been saying that “the arrogant were blessed.” “Evildoers not only prosper, …but they put God to the test and they escaped.” In other words, good things were happening to bad people. Why would God allow that and leave them to flail in their situation?

You see, the people were feeling despondent. They didn’t think God cared about them. In fact, to them, God seemed to care more about their enemies. And so, they responded by not caring themselves. They didn’t care about God, and they didn’t care about his commands. They felt defeated and wondered if God was even paying attention.

Do you ever feel that way? You see other people seemingly doing well or prospering. Many of whom you don’t believe should be prospering. And you are struggling with health or with finances or in relationships or in a career. And it brings you to a place of despondency - hopelessness and asking why.

I’ve found that in those moments, I have been very susceptible to temptation. You know, you get down about something and feel discouraged and disconnected from the Lord. And then, you wonder if trying to honor God is even worth it. Just like the people were saying, it is vain… you know, it seems worthless to pursue the Lord. You then ask yourself, why not just do what I want? Why not just take matters into my own hands? And then, you do.

That’s exactly what the exiles who were back in Jerusalem were doing. They justified their sin. More and more, they rejected God. It was like a downward spiral of complacency and disillusionment that was leading them away from God. Instead of drawing closer to God, they were pulling away from him. Instead of seeking to honor him, they were dishonoring him.

And then along came Malachi, the prophet. And he spoke God’s very words to them. You have done this, and this, and this. You have questioned my justice. In your hearts and in your actions, you have walked away in defiance from my commands. You have been faithless. I think of all the accusations that the Lord has leveled against them, calling them faithless was perhaps the worst. They no longer trusted in the God who loved them, as he had just reminded them.

What would they do? Really, they were at an inflection point. They were at a fork in the road. God had just called them to return to him. The question is, would they return? Would they renounce their ways and their thoughts against the Lord and return? The Lord’s arms were open for them to come back to him. The question was, would they before it was too late?

You know, I love our church family. I love you. We love each other and we love our neighbors. And I believe that each of us honestly want to honor the Lord in our lives. I know my glasses are a little rosy. But I know that there are secret sins in this room. There are dark closets. There’s heart adultery, for sure, but statistically speaking, there’s likely actual adultery happening, too. Other sexual sin as well. There’s also a range of anger and prejudice and heart idols that turn our attention away from the Lord. Some sin we are blind to, but other sin we simply justify. It may be hidden from one another, but it is not hidden from God.

Let me ask, How have you been responding to God’s word in Malachi? It’s been pretty intense. Have you felt convicted and have you been responding to the Lord in repentance and faith? …Have you renewed yourself to pursue the Lord and his commands? Will you forsake them and turn your heart back to the Lord?

What would they do and what will you do?

And that brings us to verse 16. This is the first time, in the entire book of Malachi, that we are given a glimmer of hope.. in regard to their hearts. Verse 16 – “then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another.” It’s talking about people who with reverent awe and faith submitted themselves to the Lord. They were there.

One question that people disagree about is whether this is a totally separate group from the Israelites who had been questioning God. Or whether some of those who had been questioning God repented and returned to him. Most think that it is one or the other. But I think what is more likely is that it’s both. God has always had his remnant from among the people. But God also draws people away from their sin and back to him.

Malachi was prophesying God’s very Word. Of the thousands who had returned to Jerusalem, certainly there were some who upon hearing God’s word, repented and returned as he had called them.

We don’t know for sure, but whatever the makeup of this group, the point is that there were some who by faith reverently trusted God… and as it says, sought to serve him.

We don’t even know what their conversation was about, but we are told that whatever it was God was pleased. They had in some way affirmed God’s word and encouraged each other in that affirmation. And, they esteemed God’s name. Rather than questioning God, they exalted the Lord God.

This is God’s very Word. Will you hear and respond to it by faith? Or will you react in defiance against it? What will you do?

I want to take a brief tangent. Some of you will know this. The Protestant Reformers were very concerned NOT to bind someone’s conscience. You know, someone’s internal sense of right and wrong and truth and error. Martin Luther in his famous speech at the diet of Worms said that to go against one conscience is neither right nor safe.

When we hear that, it’s easy, I think, to mistakenly apply our culture’s understanding of conscience. We might think Luther meant that we should never tell someone that what they believe or do is right or wrong. But that is not what Luther nor John Calvin nor the other Reformers meant. They meant that only the Word of God should bind someone conscience. Luther even said in that same speech, “my conscience is bound by the Word of God.” The Roman Catholic church was trying to bind the conscience of people to believe things that were contrary to Scripture. That is what they were opposed to.

The Reformers believed that our consciences are marred by sin. Even as redeemed people, we need to submit our minds and hearts to God’s word so that our inner sense of moral right and wrong will be transformed to God’s standard.

We absolutely can and should challenge one another. When we see a brother or sister do something or believing something contrary to God’s Word, we should call it out in love. That is not wrongly binding someone’s conscience; rather, it is directing someone’s conscience to God’s Word.

Some churches and Christians today will justify lifestyles and beliefs so as not to constrain someone elses conscience. Some will say, “my conscience is clear,” as if their conscience is the final moral authority rather than Scripture. No, rather, as we each mature in our faith and in our knowledge of God’s Word, our conscience will become more and more aligned with God’s standard and THUS sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Our conscience should never replace what God has revealed in his Word.

I bring this up because it is a common way to justify sin today – to appeal to a “clear conscience” even when it contradicts Scripture.

Ok, back to Malachi 3 – the conscience of these people who feared the Lord were captivated by God through his Word. God had either convicted them of their sin and they repented and returned… or they has been in the minority, as a remnant, faithful to God and his Word all along. Likely, as I mentioned, both.

And because they feared the Lord, God wrote their names and their faithful works in his book. It’s called here the book of remembrance.

A common practice at that time was for kings to write down significant events and significant people. It was their history. In fact, Persian kings were meticulous at this task. They preserved their records in the royal archive. Remember, it was the Medo Persians who, at this time, ruled over the region. So, this reference to the Lord keeping a book would have been understood even beyond the Israelites.

The point is that God would not forget them. He would not forget his remnant who fixed their hearts and minds on him. Who esteemed his name. They shall be mine, he says.

By the way, there is a little tiny phrase there in verse 17 that has huge significance. It’s the phrase “in the day.” Do you see it? “In the day,” it says, “when I make up my treasured possession, I will spare them.”

It is looking forward to the judgment day. It’s looking forward to that day when God, in Christ, will fulfill his just judgment. That day will happen when Christ comes to judge. For us, we know that the final judgment will come when Jesus returns. In his first coming, Jesus came to save – he came to bring salvation. In his second coming, he will come for the final judgment.

And on the day when Christ comes to judge, God will make his people his treasured possessions. I love that description. They had feared the Lord and honored him… and God wrote their names down in his book of life.

We all have treasured possessions. If your house or apartment is on fire, what are the things that you would want to risk your life and run back in to save? Certainly, family members. Maybe a pet. Maybe your great great grandmother’s pendant. Or maybe that jersey signed by your favorite athlete or coach. I’m not telling you to run back into your house for things. Let the firemen do that.

But on that day, those who fear God and keep his commandments will be God’s treasured possession. He will save them. That phrase “treasured possession” is a reference back to Mount Saini. God had rescued his people from slavery in Egypt. He had brought them across the Red Sea. He was about to give them his commandments, and he says, and listen to this… “if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, I will make you my treasured possession among all people of the earth.”

In Malachi, at the end of verse 17, Lord says that he will “spare them as a man spares a son who serves him.”

Back when I was about 14, my sister and I wanted to surprise our parents and clean the garage. Isn’t that very nice.  However, there was still a car in the garage. So, I told my sister, ok, you get in the car. I’ll push it back, and as soon as it gets out of the garage, put it into gear. It was a manual transmission. Every time my parents parked the car, they would put it in gear, so I thought it was like a parking brake.

 So, I pushed the car out of the garage, but when my sister tried to put it in gear, it wouldn’t go. Neither of us thought about the brake pedal. Well, our driveway was sloped, so the car started to pick up speed, and I was running alongside of it, but my sister couldn’t stop it. Then the steering wheel locked up. We were both panicking. Then the car smashed into the stone wall next to our driveway.

We both thought, oh no, we’re going to get in big trouble with our dad.

But when he got home, he wasn’t angry at all. No, he was just glad we weren’t hurt. We were spared. But I can tell you, if we had been one of his employees, the story would have ended differently.

You see, a father spares a son. A father loves his children. They are his treasured possession.

God the Father has done the most amazing thing for those who fear and honor him. He has spared them from his judgment. And he’s done that by not sparing his only Son. God has rescued us from the fire of his wrath by sending his only son who endured his wrath on our behalf. And because of it, on that day, on that judgment day, God will spare his children.

To put it in terms of Jesus first and second coming. God sent his son, Jesus Christ, into the world, to be judged so that when he comes again as judge, those who fear and serve him will not be judged.

All of this has all been leading up to verse 18. On that day, there will be a distinction, it say, between the righteous and the wicked.

By the way, let me mention, this is like a two-part sermon. Malachi 4 continues explaining what will happen on that day. I’ve titled today’s sermon A Day of Distinction. Next week will be A Day of Deliverance. So, we won’t spend any more time on that coming day. But come back next week to hear about the “sun of righteousness.”

Rather, we’ll spend the rest of our time today on the distinction spoken of in verse 18. At the heart of the distinction is whether someone fears and serves God. The first words at the beginning of 18 are pretty telling. It says, “Then once more… you will see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked”

Malachi’s entire prophecy has focused on (1) how God’s people had walked away from him in disobedience. And (2) how he calls them to return to him in faithfulness in their words and actions.

Those who did not return are included in verse 18 with the wicked. Those who did return are included with the righteous. The two words used to describe the righteous are those who fear and serve the Lord. Fear in verse 16, which we already discussed, and the word serve, here in verse 18.

Let me put it this way: At the heart of serving the Lord is a heart that fears the Lord with reverence and awe.

Those two distinguishing marks cannot be separated. There is no fearing the Lord without serving him. …AND, no one truly serves the Lord without fearing him. When someone comes to fear the Lord, they will desire to honor him in their lives.

Let me put this in some New Testament terms.

·      True faith in Christ will result in the fruits of righteousness.

·      Or as James put it, faith without works is dead. Our works, meaning our obedience to God’s Word, testifies to our faith in him. Works do not lead to faith, faith leads to works.

·      Or as the Apostle Paul put it in Romans 6 “Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

To use theological terms. We are justified in Christ. We receive Jesus’ righteousness by faith in him which leads to sanctification in our lives. More and more through God’s Spirit, we die to sin and live to righteousness.

So, fearing and serving the Lord IS faith and works which IS trusting and obeying God. It describes the righteous.

The wicked do not fear the Lord nor honor him. They do not hear his Word. They do not return to him. Rather, they have rejected the Lord by dishonoring him in all his ways… including, of course, they ways that Malachi had prophesied. They questioned God… and to bring this back around, they justified their sin. As they said up in verse 14, “it is vain to serve God.”

In closing, we all struggle with sin, but let me ask: As you search your heart, do you fear the Lord by faith in Christ? Are you seeking, by God’s Spirit, to hear God’s Word, see your sin, and respond by serving and honoring him? If you are, then on that day, God in Christ will spare you as a father spares a son.

If that does not describe your life, then God is saying to you, “return to me.” No longer justify your sin but fear me and honor me. Come to me by faith in Christ. And when you do, the Lord says, you will be my treasured possession.

On that day, may we all be described as the righteous. Not because of our righteousness, but because of the righteousness of Christ. A righteousness that we receive by faith AND which we demonstrate by serving and honoring him.

Please turn in your Bibles to Malachi chapter 3, verses 6-12. In the Pew Bibles, you can find that on page 954

As we have gone through Malachi, we’ve seen a recurring pattern.

First, the Lord makes an accusation. Second, he quotes the people of Israel questioning him – they ask “how?” and third, the Lord explains.

·      In chapter 1. “I have loved you” “How have you loved us?” “Because I chose you”

·      Next “You have despised my name” “How have we despised you?” “You have brought polluted offerings.

·      Chapter 2 – “you have been faithless.” “how have we been faithless?” “You have been unfaithful in your marriages”

·      And last week… “you have wearied me with your words” “How have we wearied you? “you have said ‘where is the God of justice?”

This pattern has revealed two things. First, they had not been acting in faith before the Lord. And second, they were not aware of their faithless actions. They were blind to their own sin.

Our text this morning continues this pattern. But it is also unique. It opens up with a call to respond.

So, listen for that call and listen for the next example of their faithless actions.

Reading of Malachi 3:6-12

Prayer

One day over in Scotland, a poor man had been attending church… accidentally dropped a silver coin into the offering plate. It was very valuable to him. He had meant to offer a penny. When he asked for it back, the deacon refused, “sorry, in once, in forever.” Frustrated, the man responded, “at least I’ll get credit in heaven.” To which, the deacon replied, “oh no, you’ll get credit for what you meant to give.”

Just trying to break the ice here. This is our fourth sermon this year on giving. We had three of them in our 2 Corinthians study and now this one. If you have been visiting, I don’t want you to think that every couple of months you’re going to hear a sermon on giving. No, in fact, before this year I don’t think we had a single sermon on financial stewardship.

Our philosophy of preaching involves working through books of the Bible. By doing so, we are allowing God’s Word to direct our focus. That means as we go chapter by chapter, we’ll come across matters that are sensitive. Matters that we need to hear. And that includes, of course, finances and money. It just so happens that both 2 Corinthians and here in Malachi touch upon giving (and that is not why I chose them)

As you know, these are matters close to our hearts. Really, money in general is a personal topic. I can tell you that in the marriage counselling I’ve done over the years, financial conflicts have often been the thing that puts the most stress on marriages. Money can be a control mechanism. Money is often an idol. To be sure, money is not the problem. Jesus never said that money is the root of all kinds of evil. No, he said that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

What we’re going to learn this morning is that your financial stewardship in regards to God’s kingdom is an important matter. It is a window into your relationship with the Lord.

We’ll consider these verses in 3 points. Repent; renew; receive.

1. Repent – verses 6 and 7, return to me.

2. Renew – verse 8 to the middle of 10. God calls them to renew their obedience to the Lord… by bringing in the full tithe.

3. Receive – the end of verse 10 through 12. When they do, God will pour down the blessings of heaven.

1. Repent

#1 – Repent. Notice that Malachi’s prophecy in this section does not begin with a focus on their tithes. Rather, it begins with a focus on their relationship with the Lord.

You see, it wasn’t that the Lord walked away from them. No. Rather, they walked away from their relationship with him. They thought that God had abandoned them. They thought he didn’t care.

That’s why the Lord begins in verse 6 with a reminder that he hasn’t changed. And notice what he emphasizes. I do not change, that is why “you… are not consumed.” God is emphasizing his lovingkindness to them. He’s reminding them of his patience and mercy toward them.

The issue was their rejection of God and his ways. And it’s not new. That is why in verse 7 God reminds them that their forefathers also turned aside from him. The returned exiles in Judah had been doing the same thing. In the previous chapters, God pointed out the various ways they had turned aside from his statues.

And so, the Lord says to them: “Return to me, and I will return to you.”

“But… but… Lord, we are back in Jerusalem. We have returned, haven’t we? After all, we are back in the city where King David reigned… we are back where the temple is, where your very presence dwells. Why are you telling us to return to you? Is it not you who have departed us?”

They didn’t understand that it had never been about being in Jerusalem. Just like their forefathers before them, it was about their relationship with God. They had walked away from God’s commands and his promises which was tantamount to walking away from him.

But the Lord is gracious and bids them return to him.

At the heart of this appeal to “return” is repentance. That is what repentance is. It’s turning away from something that is not honoring to God and returning back to him and to what honors him.

Honestly, these verses can apply to any pattern of sin in your life or my life. Yes, in a minute we’re going to get into their failure to honor the Lord with their tithes and contributions. But the pattern we are given here is THE pattern for life - repentance and renewal.

And so we should ask, what are the ways in which we have wandered from you, Lord? We ask him to reveal our sin… our pride our  lust or anger or coveting or dishonoring his name or steeling or lying or worse. And we then come to the Lord with contrite hearts. We grieve the ways in which we have broken God’s commands, all of which have damaged our relationship with him… and with those we’ve sinned against. We repent, and we then we renew ourselves to walk again in God’s ways.

And when we repent, God is merciful and loving. He will receive us when we return to him. Did you notice that second part? “Return to me, and I will return to you.”

Which brings us to the people’s first question, “But you say, ‘how shall we return?’” They didn’t know how.

2. Renew

This is the renewal part, by the way. point #2. You see, renewal is the way we return to God. Renewal of our faith. Renewal of our obedience.

But just like before, God’s people didn’t know what God was talking about. And so, in verse 8, the Lord asks, “will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.”

I’ve been robbed twice. One time, my car window was smashed in and some things were taken. Another time, I was out of the country. I was in a crowded market, and someone bumped into me. That sort of turned me around. Someone else then bumped into me. At first, I thought it was just because of the large crowds. But a few minutes later, I looked down and the pullover windbreaker I was wearing had been cut. Someone had sliced open the front of my jacket, where there was a zippered pouch. My wallet was gone. It happened without me even knowing it.

I’m sure some of you have experienced worse. When it happens, you feel violated and unsettled. You think, what could I have done to prevent it?

Here’s the thing. Can man rob God? I mean, he knows and sees all things. He is furthermore all powerful. In his sovereignty, nothing is unknown and nothing is out of his control.

In other words, robbing God is not really possible in the sense of God being taken by surprise. So, this is a shocking accusation. The people had been robbing him, so to speak. But just like the other patterns of sin, they didn’t realize it. And so they ask. “How have we robbed you?”

The Lord responds, “in your tithes and contributions.” They had not been fulfilling their obligations. They had been holding back.

By the way, this is very similar to their polluted sacrificial offerings back at the end of chapter 1. But this accusation is broader. Notice in verse 9. “…you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.”

Let’s talk about this tithe thing. The word “tithe” comes from the Hebrew word for tenth. They were to give 10% of the fruit of their labors. That tithe was often paid in grain or other crops. And just like the sacrificial animals, they were to tithe their very best. Tithing was part of the Levitical law – those were laws related to the sacrificial system and the priest. Their tithe supported the priestly work. It was not an option, it was an obligation for them.

In a minute, we’ll come back to the question of whether tithing applies to us today. So, stay tuned.

But first, why weren’t they doing this? Why didn’t they tithe? Well, besides the drought that they were in, which we’ve discussed, their crops had been infested by some sort of “devourer.” Verse 11 mentions that. …perhaps locusts had damaged their crops.  They didn’t have much to begin with and now they were experiencing both a drought and an infestation. They didn’t tithe because they didn’t think they could afford the tithe. It’s convicting to think about that… Is that not often our excuse?

They justified not tithing but by doing so, they were in fact robbing God.

It's like when you buy a house. You know, you go to the bank, you get a mortgage. You call it “your house,” but the bank really owns it. You pay the bank every month interest and principal. But if you don’t make the payments, you are in a sense robbing the bank. They can take your house back. Not tithing was robbing God because it was all God’s in the first place. They had been entrusted with it. But they thought it was theirs to give or not. And because of all the stress of the situation, they withheld from God what was truly his.

So, here’s the big question for us: Is giving 10% something that applies to God’s people today? To ask it in another way, since tithe was part of the Levitical law, does it still apply to us?

And I believe the answer to that question is “no” and “yes.”

·      “No” in the sense that we no longer have that explicit obligation. The tithe mentioned in the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy was to maintain the ceremonial law and to support the Levites who didn’t have a land inheritance, unlike the other tribes. The sacrificial system is no longer in effect. That is because Christ has come and has fulfilled it. Tithe was a part of that.

·      But the answer is also “yes.” The principle of tithing is still very much a part of the New Testament teaching. Jesus affirmed giving proportional to someone’s income. Also, in 1 Corinthians 16, each person is directed to set aside a portion for the collection of the saints. As we studied in 2 Corinthians earlier this year, there’s a call to give generously.  Furthermore, even though there are no more priests, we do learn that some elders in the church are to labor in teaching. In other words, supporting the work of the church and God’s kingdom is a New Testament principle. It’s just that it’s not the formal “tithe” obligation from the ceremonial law.

But, you ask, does that mean that 10% is not prescribed? Let me answer that by saying this. In the Old Testament, the tithe for the priests was not the only requirement to give. There was the Festival tithe. There was a poor tithe every third year. They were to give a first fruits offering at the earliest part of the harvest. There were others as well. Some estimate that their contributions added up to over 25% of their income.

Here’s how pastor Kevin DeYoung puts it. He said, “Whether the Old Testament requirement is a binding prescription or not, I find it hard to imagine that Western Christians who have seen the glory of God in the face of Christ and enjoy great prosperity, would want to give less than was required of the poorest Israelite.” He furthermore says this: “Statistics consistently show that Protestants give less than 3% of their income to their churches. A tithe, for most churchgoers, would be a huge step in the right direction.”

I think that is well said. Tithe is no longer mandated, but 10% is a good starting place to pray about and consider. More importantly, though… and please hear me on this… we should give joyfully and sacrificially out of hearts that love the Lord and love his kingdom.

Alright, going back to the peoples’ question. “How shall we return?” God answers in verse 10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.” He is referring to the storage rooms in the temple where the offering of crops was stored.

They were to faithfully resume their tithing despite their poverty.

You know, repentance and renewal go together. We can’t separate them. As the Scriptures say, we are to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” Your repentance from sin is validated by a renewed commitment to the Lord and his commands. This is not about earning salvation at all. It’s about responding to the salvation that God has given you in Christ by renewing your faith in him and your obedience to him.

3. Receive

Which brings us to number 3. Receive. We will experience God’s blessings when our lives are aligned with his commands. I’m being very intentional how I say that.

The second half of verse 10 talks about the windows of heaven being opened. It’s talking about rain. And then in verse 11, we learn that the devourer will be destroyed. You know, the plague of locusts will end. And then the soil will once again be fruitful. The harvest will be plentiful. And then in verse 12, all the nations will call them blessed.

Remember, God’s people in Malachi’s day were still under the Levitical framework. For them, there was a direct correlation between their tithing and the abundant blessing that God would give them. God was promising them that if they repented and renewed their commitment to him in their tithes, that yes, they would receive an abundance of God’s blessings.

But there’s something else here. Did you notice that the language in verses 10-12 is the language of God’s promise to Abraham? In God’s covenant with Abraham, God promised to give Abraham’s descendants an abundant land. And God promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through them.

In other words, the promise here was a renewal of God’s covenant promises with his people. The blessings they were promised were tied to their repentance and the renewal of their relationship with the Lord.

For us, what’s really important to understand is that the Levitical system and the covenant with Abraham have both been fulfilled in Christ. We cannot interpret these verses without understanding them through a Gospel lens. We can’t say that if we are faithful in our gifts and offerings that God will materially bless us.

No, rather, the blessings alluded to here are ultimately the blessings that we receive in Jesus Christ. He is the mediator of a new covenant. The priestly role and sacrifice itself have been fulfilled in him. Furthermore, the promise to Abraham about his seed and about all the nations of the earth being blessed are likewise fulfilled in Christ. Abraham’s true seed, Jesus, bore the curse that our unfaithfulness deserves so that the blessings promised to Abraham might come to people from all nations.

And speaking of curse, go back to verse 9. At the beginning of 9, the people were reminded of the curse of sin. Their failure to tithe and our failure to give, indeed condemn, as does any sin. But Jesus has satisfied our failure to meet these obligations and has likewise fulfilled the promise of blessing.

What I am saying is that we dare not interpret Malachi 3’s blessings to be material blessings. If we do so, we have failed to see the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ. The blessings spoken of here, like the “land of delight” ultimately point us beyond the material things of this world. They point to a new creation – one where the curse, mentioned here, is no more… and people from all nations will worship the Lord in his very presence forever.

There are so-called preachers today who abuse this passage and who falsely promise material reward. For example, Joel Osteen said this about Malachi 3:10. He said, “Tithing is the key to financial blessings.” God wants us to have the overflowing part, he said, “but…we have to be faithful and obedient with the first part, giving.” There are so many things wrong about that. It misapplies the Levitical obligations and blessings. It completely misses the reference in these verses to God’s covenant with Abraham. Rather than focus on repentance and renewal and our relationship with the Lord, which is what this passage is about, it instead focuses on us. It is worldly and man-centered and turns money into an idol, rather than turning us from our idolatry and back to the Lord. It misses the true Gospel, the grace of God in Christ Jesus.

The message of Malachi 3 is not “give so that God will give more back to you.” No, rather it is, “give because God has already given you abundantly in Christ.”

To bring this all together, yes, we are promised blessings in verses 10 through 12. But those blessings are spiritual blessings in Christ. When we repent and renew ourselves to the Lord in obedience to him, God blesses us in abundant ways. For one, he renews our relationship with him. To use the words here… When we return to him, he will return to us. When we seek by God’s Spirit, to live in obedience to his Word, we will spiritually flourish with assurance and peace in our hearts, and perseverance in trials, and hope for the future.

And all of it comes from and through the ministry of Christ, through which we have already received abundant blessings. We do not give in order to receive Christ; we give because in Christ we have already received far more than we could ever repay.

Conclusion

So, may we not rob God. Because in doing so, we are robbing ourselves. Rather, may we renew our hearts toward him in faith and obedience. May we generously and joyfully contribute to the work of the saints. And through that repentance and renewal, may we experience the abundant blessings that God has given us in Christ Jesus.

We are returning this morning to our study of the prophet Malachi. We’re basically half-way through. Our sermon text this morning is from 2:17 to 3:5. You can find that on page 954.

As you are turning there, I wanted to briefly remind you of what we’ve considered so far.

Chapter 1 opened up with God reminding his people of his love for them. Even though they didn’t recognize his love, yet God confirmed it. He said, “I have loved you.” They were his chosen people, not because of anything they did, but because he called them to be his.

The reason God opened up with his unconditional love is because they needed to hear some tough love.

So, Malachi’s prophecy turns to their failures.

First, he called out the people for bringing polluted offerings to the temple.

Next, he turned his attention to the priests. They were supposed to guard and teach knowledge and be a model of uprightness, but they failed.

Then, in the middle of chapter 2, God revealed their unfaithfulness in their marriages. Despite God’s faithfulness to them, they had displayed faithlessness to him.

In all of these things, God was calling them back to himself. He was calling them to repent and return to him by faith.

Which brings us to our passage this morning. We’ll see that there was an underlying problem. In their hearts, they had been questioning God’s goodness and justice. Listen for that as we now read

Stand

Reading of Malachi 2:17-3:5

Prayer

In 1968, a man filed a lawsuit against his former employer. He alleged that his former employer ruined his life. He had been unjustly fired. This began a protracted 30-year legal battle against the company. But in the end, despite all his efforts, he lost. As you can imagine, that was greatly disappointing.

So, in the late 1990s, this same man filed a new lawsuit against a new defendant.

This time his lawsuit was against God, whom he identified as “the Sovereign ruler of the universe.” The lawsuit claimed that God had taken no corrective action against… (now listen to this) his nation, his company, or his church for the extremely serious wrongs which ruined his life.

A judge declared the lawsuit frivolous, of course.

None of us here have sued God in a state or federal court, but let me ask: have you put God on trial in your heart? Have you witnessed or experienced injustice (against yourself or someone else) and subsequently questioned God’s character because of it?

I mean, if God is indeed sovereign and just, why does it appear that those who hate justice are the ones who seem to prosper? Why do those who hate the truth or who oppress and kill seem to get away with it over and over?

In our verses this morning, God addresses and responds to those very questions. And it’s deeply personal. It was deeply personal to the returned exiles in Jerusalem and it is deeply personal to us.

Look at chapter 2 verse 17. The Lord tells the people, through Malachi, that their words had “wearied him.” They had been believing and saying something over and over which God was displeased with.

Look at what they had been saying. “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.” They had been witnessing that evil people were thriving. And they assumed that because these wicked people prospered, that God was therefore pleased with them… even delighted in them.

And then at the end of verse 17, they put God on trial. Notice the rhetorical question they asked. “Where is the God of justice?”

They were implying that even though God declared that he was just, yet his inaction against injustice meant to them that God therefore loved sin and evil.

Now, we’ve talked about the returned exiles’ plight before, but I want us to consider their situation from a different angle.

It had been at least 80 years since the people began to return to Jerusalem from exile. To be sure, there were multiple waves of people who returned, so not everyone had returned at once. But a lot of time had passed since they started returning.

And a couple positives things had happened. First, the temple had been rebuilt. And second, the walls of Jerusalem had been repaired.

And because of that, they expected at any moment, the Messiah would come. After all, this was the time in their history when it was to happen, right? God had promised in Isaiah that out of the stump of Jesse, out of king David’s line, a righteous branch would emerge.

So, when the royal lineage of David appeared dead, that was when God would raise up a humble king, the Messiah, who would restore the kingdom and bring peace.

At that time. The lineage of David was indeed a stump. The exile had happened. And so, when some of the exiles started returning and when the temple was restored and when the city walls were rebuit. There was eager anticipation that the Messiah was about to come. He would come and usher in a new kingdom of prosperity and power.

That’s what they thought. But he hadn’t come. In fact, in the 20 or so years since the walls of the city had been rebuilt, things got worse. We’ve talked about some of this before. Remember, a famine caused widespread hunger and poverty. Even though they were back in Jerusalem, the whole region was still under control of a godless nation. God’s people had few rights. They were oppressed and weak and struggled to survive.

And do you know who was thriving? The people who rejected God… who denied his laws… who lived in sin… and who oppressed God’s people. They were making out pretty well.

Do you see now why they put God on trial? Their expectations had been up here, but reality was way down here.

In a word, they were disillusioned. God had made promises. He declared that justice was part of his very nature. Yet, none of that seemed to be reality.

And we struggle with the same thing. We ask the same question: does God delight in evil and injustice? Because Lord, it sure seems that way.

Maybe you’ve lost someone you love – a spouse, a child, a parent. Or maybe you’ve been betrayed. Or maybe you’ve struggled to make ends meet. “Lord, my prayers have not been answered. My family seems to be breaking apart. Yet those who reject you seem to be the ones whom you are prospering. Are you just?”

Or let me take it to a different level. Why, Lord, have thousands of Christians been killed in Nigeria this year? Why did you allow dozens of pastors to be imprisoned in China last week? Why have you allowed evil regimes or evil organizations or evil leaders to oppress and torture and kill? Lord, where are you?

When we start to become disillusioned with God, we sometimes get angry with him. Or we sometimes become complacent in our faith or sometimes anxiety begins to burden us, or sometimes we even rebel against God.

The returned exiles were experiencing this. Their disillusionment with God even explains their actions. It doesn’t justify it. But it explains why they had been going through the motions in their worship and why they had been faithless to God and to their spouses. It explains why the priests, even, had failed to faithfully lead and teach. After all, they must have thought, if God didn’t care about them, why should they care about him?

Maybe they didn’t verbalize that, but it’s what they felt, and we sometimes do the same thing.

Well, God answers.

And he answers with a promise which includes a warning.

By the way, chapter 3 verse 1 is the very center of the Malachi. The themes before lead up to 3:1 and the rest of Malachi echoes and expands on what God declares there. So, it’s a critical verse in the entire book.

Let me read it again. “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.”

It was a bold re-affirmation of God’s promises. The Messiah, in fact, is coming soon! That word “behold” is used throughout Scripture to emphasize the surety of something happening. Pay attention! It’s happening. Twice in this verse. “Behold”

And did you notice that there are 2 different messengers in this verse. There’s the messenger who will prepare the way, and then there is THE messenger of the covenant. The one who will suddenly come to the temple. Malachi was prophesying about the Messiah. He will come. Christ will come. But he will be preceded by one last prophet who will prepare the way.

In October 2024, we were driving back from the airport. It was evening, so it was dark. We were on 285 northbound near interstate 20. And something very strange was happening. In the southbound lanes (you know, across the barrier), there were absolutely 0 cars driving south. It was weird. There were no headlights. We wondered if there had been an accident? Then we saw one police car after another after another. Then all of a sudden, there was a whole bunch of police cars… and following those cars were 2 or 3 large black SUVs. Turned out that the former vice president had been campaigning in Clarkston.

All those police cars were in a sense preparing the way. It’s like that similar verse in Isaiah 40 that we read earlier “A voice cries in the wilderness ‘prepare the way of the LORD;

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.’”

God would be sending a messenger who would prepare the way of the Lord.

This was a common thing back in those days. Before a king would arrive for a special event, an envoy would often precede them. There would be an announcement about the coming arrival of the king. The people would then prepare for his arrival.

This prophecy about the first messenger has been fulfilled in John the Baptist. In fact, the first half of Malachi 3:1 about the messenger preparing the way is quoted three times in the New Testament declaring that John the Baptist is that messenger who has come. John came to preach that the Messiah was coming. John was preparing the way. He announced that the Christ was coming and indeed had come.

And that first messenger pointed the way to the second messenger – the Messiah, the Lord himself. He will come to the temple.

By the way, I want to make side comment here.

Most prophecies of the Messiah in the Old Testament have a more near-term fulfillment and a long-term fulfillment. The near-term is usually about a king or a crisis resolved by a redeemer of some kind, and the long-term fulfillment is in Christ.

But this prophecy is different. Malachi gives no near-term historical events. In fact, the near-term historical event is the coming of the messenger and the Messiah. The prophecy in 3:1 directly points to Jesus’ coming. There is no interim fulfillment. His is coming soon, this was saying.

Now, you may be thinking, ok, but for them it was still 400 years before Jesus would come. And that is true. And that is something that we and all God’s people have struggled with throughout history. God’s timing is not our timing. A day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day to the Lord. That is part of our angst and anxiety when it comes to not experiencing his promises or the delay of his judgment. We want to see immediate judgment and we want an immediate fulfillment of God’s promises. But God’s timing is not our timing.

They needed to hold on to this promise and believe.

By the way, this prophecy about the Messiah is part of the answer to the people’s complaint. God, have you forgotten us? Will you not fulfill your promise? Because it sure feels like evil is winning out and your people will fade into oblivion. But God’s answer: Behold, he is coming! Turn your disillusionment into delight! Fix your eyes on the one who is to come.

And for us, Christ has come. God has come into the world. That does not mean that this life will be free of trials and heartaches and pain and persecution. No. But God gives us things that are far greater than health and stability. He gives us himself. He gives us peace in our hearts. He gives us hope beyond all the suffering and trials. His promise has come true, and his promise will come true. They could count on the promise of Jesus’ first coming… and we can count on it for his second coming. He has and will come again.

To be sure, these verses are not all positive. No, there’s also a warning. Besides the promise, Malachi’s prophecy warns them about their standing before God. Look at verse 2. “But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?”

They had been questioning his justice, but he turns the question back on them. Can you endure my justice? Will you be able to stand in my presence?

Because, as it says next, “For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap.” And it goes on to describe that they will be purified like silver and gold.

Unrefined precious metal is placed in a crucible of some kind where it can be refined. A crucible is something that can endure high temperatures. Silver, for example, is heated to about 1800 deg. Fahrenheit. The silver then melts and all the impurities burn off.

That’s pretty hot. But did you know that the temperature at the very center of the sun is 27 Million degrees Fahrenheit. But if you think that is hot, in France, they are building a nuclear fusion power plant. That plant is not dividing atoms, no, it’s combing atoms or rather atomic nuclei. That reaction will generate temperatures up to 270 Million degrees. 10 times the temperature of the sun’s core… here on earth. 10 times. Maybe France will melt.

But nothing compares to the refining fire of Christ. The light of his righteousness and holiness is so hot that nothing will be able to endure the intensity of his refining.

That is why the question is there in verse 2. Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand? The answer is, no one will be able to endure the refining fire of his just judgment. Or I should say, no one in his or her own righteousness.

God is THE great refiner. No evil. No unrighteousness. No idolatry... No sin at all will be able to endure the day of his coming. All sin will be exposed and dealt with.

Look at verse 5. When the refiner comes… it says here that the Lord will come near to you for judgment. And then verse 5 lists several things that he will judge. Those who practice sorcery; adulterers; those who swear falsely; those who oppress… who oppress workers and widows and the fatherless. And he will judge those who thrust aside the sojourner.

That list is a representative list of those who had been breaking God’s law. God will judge sin and unrighteousness.

Remember how they had been questioning God’s justice. Well, verse 5 answers their skepticism. Not only will God fulfill his promise of the Messiah, but God will execute his judgment. Justice will prevail.

But remember, we still have a problem. Who can endure this judgement?

Well, there’s only one group of people who are not subject to God’s judgment. Look again at verse 5. After listing the types of people who will be judged, he describes their heart. Do you see it there? They are the ones who do NOT fear the Lord. They will be judged.

Who then are NOT judged? Well, it is those who fear him.

We come across that phrase often. Fearing God. It is not cowering before him. No, fearing the Lord is a faith-filled awe of his glory and power which leads to salvation.

Those who fear the Lord will not suffer on the day of his judgment. In Malachi’s day, it was those who looked forward by faith to Christ who was to come. For us, it’s believing by faith in Christ who has come. And not only that he will or has come, but also that Christ is the great refiner.

The other analogy here is the fuller’s soap. That soap was the most intense, most penetrating soap of the time. It was the bleach of the day. They used it used to whiten garments, especially wool.

So, the Messiah was promised not only to come but to also refine and cleanse.

This is what Christ has done. He has cleaned us. And he has and is refining us.

He can do this because he himself endured the crucible of God’s judgment for us. In other words, the reason those who fear God by faith are not consumed by the fire of his justice IS BECAUSE Jesus endured the refiners fire for us. The flames of God’s wrath fell on Jesus in our place. And when we fear him, he will refine us. He will burn off our sin and cleanse us from our unrighteousness.

So, where is the God of justice? The answer is: he has come and he has displayed the ultimate justice by enduring the judgment we deserve.

As we come to a close, let me note a couple of other encouraging promises in these verses. Right after Malachi prophesies in verse 3 that the Messiah will sit as the refiner of silver, he says two things.

·      First, that he will purify the sons of Levi. Remember, those are the priests, whom he had excoriated at the beginning of chapter 2. They had failed in their duty. Even they will be purified.

·      And then in verse 4 he says that all the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord. Instead of polluted offerings, their offerings would be pleasing.

Do you see what he is saying? Christ, who is to come, will reverse their trajectory. The refiner will take their disillusioned complacency which has caused them to lose faith in God, and he will restore their faith and make them pleasing in his sight.

And God has done that for us in Christ. Through the cleansing blood of the Son of God, we have been made righteous and are pleasing in his sight.

So, as we see or experience injustice and as we see evil prosper, may we not put God on trial… may we not lose heart nor blame him… but rather, may we know that God will judge all evil and unrighteousness. And may we know that the judgment we deserve has been endured by the great Refiner, Christ, through whom we can stand in his presence.

We are continuing in the book of Malachi. This morning we’ll be covering chapter 2 verses10-16. Please turn there. You can find it on page 954 in the pew Bible.

This is our fourth of eight sermons in Malachi. It’s a short book. It only has 4 chapters, but as you have seen already, it packs a punch.

Malachi’s prophecy began with a reminder of God’s electing love for Israel. But then God turns to the ways in which they have been unfaithful in response.

The overall theme of the book is God’s faithfulness and Israel’s unfaithfulness.

And we will see that clearly in our text this morning. The people were demonstrating a lack of faith in God because of unfaithfulness in their marriages.

Reading of Malachi 2:10-16

Prayer

There is one relationship in life that is more important than any other. This relationship requires dedication. It’s a relationship built on forgiveness. It’s one where if you are not seeking to honor the one with whom you are in this relationship with, then you will struggle. Your path will be filled with difficulty. This relationship is that important.

I’m talking about your relationship with the Lord.

Some of you probably thought that I was going to say, “your relationship with your spouse.” Right? After all, a marriage relationship is critically important. But your relationship with the Lord is more important.

It’s tempting to see our text this morning as only applying to marriage. After all, it has plenty to say about marriage, and we’re going to get there. However, this passage is ultimately about your faith in the creator God. So, whether you are married or not, you are directed to draw near to the Lord by faith.

I don’t know if you noticed it, but the word “faithless” is used here 5 times. Look at verse 10. After asking a couple of rhetorical questions, which we’ll get to, it says, “why then are we faithless to one another.” Then immediately in verse 11. “Judah has been faithless.” Judah was the southern kingdom which was exiled, some of whom had returned. So in other words, God was calling them faithless. Now go down to verse 14. In the middle there it says, “…the Lord was witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless.” That is repeated at the end of 15. “Let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth.” In those instances, it is faithless to their spouse. And finally, this passage ends with this, “so guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.”

So, faithless. Their faithless actions and faithlessness in their marriages, displayed a faithlessness before God.

To give a little structure this morning, we’ll consider this in 4 points.

1. Faithless before a Faithful God (2:10–11a)

2. Faithless with a Faithless Bride (2:11b–12)

3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride (2:13–16)

4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride

Those may be hard to remember, but they are printed there on page 4.

1. Faithless before a Faithful God (2:10–11a)

So again, #1, Faithless before a faithful God. Verse 10 and the first half of verse 11 begin by emphasizing their covenant relationship with God and therefore with one another.

The two questions there in 10 direct them to God. Malachi asks “Have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us?”

They already know the answer. Yes, he is God their Father. Yes, they are his children. And yes, he is their creator. Those questions are to remind them of who God is;  who they are; and the centrality of his relationship with them. You see, before God speaks into the tangled mess of their marriage relationships, he first directs them to himself.

He also directs them to one another.

That is because their faithless actions not only reflected their faithlessness before God. But it also reflected on their faithlessness with one another. In other words, because they were in a covenant relationship with God together, anyone who broke that covenant with God, was being faithlessness toward one another. And anyone breaking the covenant with one another, was being faithless before God.

By the way, we are going to get very practical in just a couple of minutes. But before we get there, it’s critical to first understand why breaking the covenant was an act of faithlessness.

It says that by their actions, they were “profaning the covenant.” That’s  a strong statement

Let me say a couple things about it:

·      The reference to covenant here includes the promises that God made to Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. God established a relationship with them as his people. He called them to be his. He gave them his law. He promised them a kingdom and that they would be a people as numerous as the sands of the sea. They were set apart by the God of all creation. It was a beautiful thing.

·      But they “profaned” the covenant relationship. They profaned it because they were dishonoring God by violating the relationship that he had established with them. They had been breaking his commands. Rather than acting in faith, some had been rejecting the covenant promises that God had given them. So, it was serious. That’s why it says in 11 that they had been faithless. They had been faithless to God and faithless to one another.

Now, I want to say one more thing before we get to the heart of this passage about marriage. In the middle of verse 11 it says that they profaned the “sanctuary of the Lord.” At the heart of the word translated “sanctuary” is the word set apart. Some believe this is a reference to God’s covenant people. They were profaning one another. And I think that’s right. It goes along with two things. First, verse 10 had just said that they were faithless to one another. And second, immediately after saying they had profaned the sanctuary, it says, “which he loves.” Remember from the opening verses of chapter 1. God loves his people.

In summary, their sin broke faith with God and with one another.

Sometimes we don’t think about that. Our sin is not only a sin against God it is sin against the covenant community. No matter our sin, it affects the community, sometimes in a more direct way, which we will see here, or sometimes indirectly. Either way, it was breaking fellowship with God and with one another.

Ok, then, but what was it? What sin had they committed which was an abomination to God and which was faithless to one another?

Well, they had been violating God’s sacred establishment of covenant marriage. They were violating it in two ways: First, many had been marrying people outside of the covenant. And second, many had been unlawfully divorcing their spouses.

2. Faithless with a Faithless Bride (2:11b–12)

Which brings us to points 2 and 3 about those two things. About unholy marriage and unlawful divorce.

Point 2 is this: Faithless with a Faithless Bride. They were being covenantally unfaithful because they were marrying outside of the faith. Right there at the end of 11. They had “married the daughter of a foreign God.” Verse 12 points the finger at some men who were doing this

When the exiles were in Babylon, all around them were not just Babylonians but also other nations that Babylon had conquered and brought to Babylon. The temptation was to intermarry with those outside of God’s covenant people. But even when they were back in Jerusalem, there were now people from other kingdoms. Part of the temptation was marrying into the people group who was in control in order to improve their plight. Now, whether it was just an attraction to someone outside of the covenant community or whether it was for economic gain, either way, it was an abomination, as God says.

And let me be very clear. This is not about race. There is nothing in the Bible that prohibits marriage between people from different ethnic backgrounds or people groups. Rather, this is about marrying outside of God’s covenant community. That is very clear at the end of verse 11, “the daughter of a foreign God.” Plus, we have several examples of women who were originally outside of God’s covenant community, but who became part of the covenant, and then married an Israelite. Think of Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite woman who was joined the covenant community and then married Boaz. Rahab is another example. She was a Cannanite, whom God spared from the destruction of Jericho because of her faith. She married Salmon.

The admonition for us is to only marry someone who shares our faith in Christ.

Let me take a moment to speak to those of you who are not married – young and old. Not everyone is called to be married. The apostle Paul wasn’t married, and he makes it clear that there are blessings to being single. But many of you have the desire to be married. Younger kids, I want to make sure you are listening as well. Marriage may be far from your mind right now. You may be thinking “eww, marriage.”  But that will likely change. So, listen as well.

If you decide to get married, the most important thing is to marry someone who shares your faith in Christ. It’s God’s command to marry in the Lord.

The world says that love is not a choice. It says that when love finds you, no matter with whom, you cannot say “no.”

But don’t buy the lie. Don’t mix up attraction with love. Love is a choice. Yes, you should be attracted to someone you want to marry, but that person needs to share your faith and commitment to your Lord and Savior. There is no such thing as missionary dating. Do you hear me? You are playing with fire if you are dating someone who you think you can win over to Christ. It’s the Holy Spirit job to change someone’s heart. Don’t go there.

The most important relationship you have is with the Lord and if you can’t share that with your spouse, it is difficult and comes with consequences.

I know several godly people who are married to unbelievers, and they would confirm that struggle. Sometimes that happens because one spouse comes to faith in Christ after getting married. Praise the Lord. If that happens, the struggle is still there. If you are in that situation, stay married. As the Scriptures say, so that you may win over your spouse.

But sometimes someone young in his or her faith marries an unbeliever. It’s only later that the person realizes the sin of it and how difficult it is. God forgives and he helps. If that is you, stay married and continue to pray for your unbelieving spouse to believe. And we will pray along with you.

But for those of you who are not married, I plead with you, if you marry, marry a Godly man or woman who loves the Lord and his Word. Not just someone who says they are a Christian, but someone who demonstrates their faith and Love for the Lord.

These verses are saying that marrying outside of God’s covenant community demonstrates faithlessness. The consequences are difficult.

3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride (2:13–16)

Which brings us to the other thing that they were doing. Many were unlawfully divorcing their spouses.

This is point 3. Faithless to a Faithful Bride. As we already saw, twice it mentions unfaithfulness to the wife of their youth. These men had made a covenant commitment to these women, yet they were walking away from their marriages. We’re not told, but perhaps some of them were the ones who then married outside of the covenant community.

Before I go on, I want to be sensitive to the burdens and pain in this room from past marriages. Some of you have endured difficult marriages that have failed. Perhaps your marriage failed because of your own sin or perhaps your spouse’s or perhaps both of you. Whatever the situation, it’s hard and there’s often relational fallout beyond the breaking of that marriage covenant. But I want you to know that God is merciful and forgiving. As you look back and either recognize your own complicity or you feel the hurt of being sinned against, know that God forgives and ministers his grace.

To be sure, God’s mercy and forgiveness is never to be a justification for an unbiblical divorce. The Scriptures are clear about divorce. Jesus spoke of divorce being permissible when sexual infidelity has occurred. Elsewhere abandonment is included. I would include abuse as a form of abandonment. These grievous sins are the only grounds for divorce.

What was happening in Jerusalem is that marriages were being annulled because a spouse no longer cared to be married. And because of it, God no longer heard them or received their offerings, verse 13. They were weeping because of God not receiving them. It was not a godly grief that led to repentance, but rather just a groaning because of the consequences.

In verse 14, they ask, “why has he not?” Why does God no longer accept us?

By the way, this is the Malachi pattern, remember. They were reaping the consequences of their sin but didn’t acknowledge their sin. And so the hammer drops again. Two weeks ago the hammer dropped on their polluted offerings. Last week it dropped on the corrupt priests. And here, it’s back to the people, some of whom were faithless by divorcing their spouses without warrant.

But they had made a covenant with their spouse. The Lord was a witness to that covenant commitment. And look at verse 15. “Did he [that is, God] not make them one, with a portion of the Spirit in their union?” They were united to one another in marriage. It’s a reference back to Genesis 1. God was actively present in bringing about that oneness. So by abandoning their marriage, they were abandoning God. And not only that, they were abandoning God’s call for them to raise their children to know the Lord. As the middle of 15 says, God desires “Godly offspring.” It would be a downward spiral of faithless future generations.

Now, not every husband or wife was walking away from their marriage. But even some who were still married were considering divorce.

We know that because it says, “guard yourself in your spirit and let none of you BE faithless.” The verse before said some of them “have been faithless.” In other words, for the ones who were still in their covenant marriage, they were to guard their hearts and minds against going down the path of divorce. And, actually, did you notice that the phrase, “guard yourself in your spirit” is used twice. Once in verse 15 and second in verse 16.

Ok, let me now speak to those who are married. Some of your marriages are struggling. And I probably only know the half of it. Every marriage has its ups and downs, but some marriages have acute struggles for a variety of reasons. And it is hard. What is supposed to be the most intimate relationship on earth, is sometimes fraught with tension and mistrust and heartache because of current sin or past sin... which can lead to more sin and cause more tension and more mistrust and more heartache.

If that is you, I want to say two things:

1. As it says here, “guard yourself in your spirit.” Do not let yourself wander to thoughts of divorce. Don’t let go of the covenant that you made to your spouse. Pursue your spouse again. Recommit yourself to your marriage. There’s a warning here of faithlessness if you pursue unbiblical divorce. So, guard your thoughts and your heart.

2. Number 2. There is help and there is hope. There is not a single elder here unwilling to help if your marriage is struggling. Please reach out. I will meet with you and pray with you, multiple times if necessary. We can also find help outside of our church if you would be more comfortable with that. But please reach out. If you do not think your marriage needs help, but your spouse does, let me encourage you to honor and listen to your spouse. Set aside whatever is preventing you from getting help.

And do not lose hope. We serve a God who is in the business of forgiving and reconciling. The forgiveness and reconciliation that he gives you, individually, is the basis for forgiveness and reconciliation in you marriage.

4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride

Which is a nice transition to point 4. Faithful despite a Faithless Bride

I’m not talking about a marriage between a man and a woman here. I am talking about the marriage between Christ and his church. Despite the unfaithfulness of God’s people, his bride, God has remained faithful.

The marriage paradigm is the pattern that God uses all throughout Scripture to convey his faithfulness despite our unfaithfulness.

And this goes all the way back to the garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, when they ate of the forbidden fruit, their sin was spiritual adultery. They had been in a covenant relationship with God. He promised them life, but they turned against his promise of blessing and instead ate that which was forbidden.

That spiritual adultery theme continues throughout the Scriptures. God’s people were betrothed to God, but they forsook his name and committed spiritual adultery against him by going after other so-called gods from the surrounding nations.

But as we read in Hosea 2 earlier in the service, despite the people’s unfaithfulness, God promised that he would be faithful. He promised to be their husband who would protect and lead them in righteousness and justice. They would once again be called his people and they would call him their God. This is the pattern over and over in the Old Testament. The people forgot the Lord. They acted in adulterous ways like the people here in Jerusalem. Yet God was merciful… and just like here, he called them back to himself.

And the climax of this marriage paradigm in Scripture… is found in Christ. He not only sought his bride, the church, but as we read earlier in Ephesians 5, he died for her. There is no greater love. He sanctifies and cleanses her. By giving his church his righteousness, Christ presents her pure and spotless. SO not only is he faithful despite her unfaithfulness, he makes her faithful.

And he nourishes and cherishes her and leads her. And all of that will come to full fruition when he returns for the consummation of the great spiritual wedding. He will usher his people, his bride, into the wedding supper of the Lamb forever.

Beloved, this is the reason that marriage is sacred. Marriage on earth is patterned after the union between God and his people. It is why a Christian should only marry a Christian. It is why God hates divorce. It is why those who are married should fight for their marriage and not against it. It is why in a marriage relationship you should love and forgive just as Christ loved you and forgave you. It is why a husband has been called to be the spiritual leader in his marriage and home. It is a sacrificial leading. Again, as Ephesians 5 said, husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church and died for her.

The people in Jerusalem didn’t have this full picture, yet. They didn’t yet know of what was to come. But as we will find out in these next 2 chapters, God is going to lift the curtain and give them a glimpse of what was soon to come for them. In the meantime, they were to return in faith to God by returning in faithfulness to their covenant marriages.

For those who desire one day to be married, seek Godly spouses by faith in Christ. And for those who are married, pursue and love our spouses because God has pursued and loved you. For all of us, may we see the beauty and wonder of our bridegroom, Christ. And because of his love and faithfulness to us, may we seek to be faithful in return to him.

Last week, we learned that the people had been bringing polluted offerings to the temple. They were supposed to bring unblemished offerings for the sacrifices. Instead, they brought lame and sick and blind animals. By doing so, they were dishonoring the Lord.

I usually don’t spend a lot of time on sermon titles. But last week’s title and this week’s title are connected. Last week’s title was The Polluted Offerings and the Pure Offering. This week, it’s The Polluted Priests and the Perfect Priest. That is because last week’s passage and this week’s passage are connected. The problem was not only that the people were bringing impure offerings. The problem was also that the priests were allowing it. And not just allowing it, supporting it and failing to lead the people in God’s way and will.

Let’s now come to God’s Word

Reading of Malachi 2:1-9

Prayer

In 1794, a young man was ordained to pastoral ministry in Berlin. He was brilliant and eloquent. This man had studied theology and philosophy at a Protestant university named after the great Martin Luther.

As a young pastor, he witnessed the younger generation in Germany walking away from the church. That greatly grieved him, as it should. But, to win them back, he developed a new kind of theology which he hoped would make Christianity more attractive to modern minds.

He began to teach that the essence of faith was not trusting in God’s revealed truth, but feeling God’s presence within. The Bible, he said, was not divine revelation itself, but a record of human experiences with the divine. Repentance gave way to sentiment, and the cross of Christ became a symbol rather than a saving act.

His name was Frederich Schliermacher. Sadly, his sermons and teaching spread across Germany. Even worse, after he became a professor at the University of Berlin, his influence spread to all of Europe and into America.

In the last two centuries, Schleiermacher’s beliefs have led thousands of churches and millions of Christians astray. Few men in modern history have done more to undermine the Gospel while claiming to defend it.

I bring this up as an example of what Malachi 2:1-9 warns against. The priests were supposed to lead the people. They were the ones who were to direct the people to the Lord and were to faithfully teach his truth. But they failed.

Look down at verse 7. I know we are jumping ahead. But this is an important verse about the role of priests. It says, “For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.” The priests were not only to oversee the temple and sacrificial system, but they were to faithfully teach God’s truth. By the way, that is different from a prophet. A prophet was given new revelation from God. A priest was to teach what God had already reveled. Does that make sense?

Well, as you know, we do not have priests today. No, the priestly function in the Old Testament has been fulfilled in Christ. That is why there are no priests in the New Testament. There are no more animal offerings, because, as a reminder from last week, Jesus offered himself for us as the ultimate offering for sin.

However, there are some parallels between priests and pastors… or priests and teachers of God’s Word. Both are to direct people to God, and both are to faithfully teach his Word and live out his ways. So, a big part of the application of these verses today is about preachers and teachers. And as you will see, the stakes are high.

Now, you may be tempted at this point to check out. Maybe you are thinking, “I’m not called to teach the Bible, so this doesn’t really apply to me.” Well, I want to say a couple things.

·      First, one of the passages we read earlier in the service was from 1 Peter 2. In 1 Peter 2:9, God’s people are called a royal priesthood. Maybe you’ve heard the phrase, “priesthood of all believers.” In some ways, we are all to teach and model God’s Word. You may not have a formal teaching role in the church, but you may be called to disciple others at some point in your life. Or if you are married, you have a responsibility to lead or participate in leading your family.

·      Second, this passage teaches us to know what to look for in a Godly leader in the church. In the Old Testament times, the priests were descendants of Levi, one of Jacob’s 12 sons. However, in the New Testament, elders and pastors in the church are appointed by the church. So, we have a responsibility to seek Godly men to lead.

I’m just saying that these verses apply to everyone in the church.

Which brings us to Malachi 2.

We’re going to look at three things: #1. The Curse. #2. The Corruption. And #3. The Covenant.

1. The Curse

So, number 1. The Curse.

Briefly look at verse 1. It says, “And now, O priests, this command is for you.” It’s referring to the command in chapter 1 to bring pure offerings. Last week, our focus was on the people bringing their offerings. But the bigger problem was that the priests were letting them. The priests were not rejecting the offerings that the people were bringing. They were not reminding the people of God’s command to bring unblemished offerings. Furthermore, the priests were taking the people’s polluted offering, and they were the ones sacrificing them on God’s altar – polluting God’s altar.

Also from last week, we saw that the end of chapter 1 was all about honoring the Lord. The people were dishonoring him by bringing inappropriate offerings. But it was the priests who were leading the people to dishonor God.

That is why, in chapter 2, verse 2, God warns them. He says, “If you will not listen, if you will not… give honor to my name… then I will send the curse upon you.”

That word “curse” is used three times here. God is warning of their damnation if they do not repent. “IF you will not listen or… honor me, THEN I will send the curse upon you.”

Well, what was the curse? Three things would happen.

·      Number 1 – God would curse their blessing. In fact, verse 2 says that he has already cursed their blessing. The priests blessing was their blessing on God’s people. Quite often at the end of our worship, Coleman or I will use the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6. You probably know it well, “may the Lord bless you and keep you, may the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” Aaron was the first High Priest – he was from the tribe of Levi. And he and the priests were to bless the people. Well, God had taken away their blessing. In fact, he had turned their blessing into a curse. Instead of blessing the people… through their words and actions, they were cursing the people. That's very sad.

·      Number 2 – The Lord also says that he would “rebuke their offspring” – their seed. This is about the Levitical line. You see, these priests were priests because their fathers were priests. Their fathers were priests because their father’s fathers were priests. The priests in Malachi 2 were part of the priestly succession going all the way back to Levi. God was saying that their particular branch of the Levitical line would end with each of them. It was a devastating warning for them.

·      And Number 3 – this one was the worst… and most graphic. Middle of verse 3.  “I will spread dung on your faces.” It’s referring to the contents of the entrails of the offerings. When the people brought the offerings, the priests prepared the offering. They would remove the inner digestive system. You know, intestines and such. Those things were to be carried off and burned outside the temple area. It was all unclean. God was saying that the priest’s acts were so shameful that God metaphorically would spread the unclean intestinal dung on their faces. They were to be carried off like the innards to be burned. It’s a stinging warning they would be cursed like the dung.

Add those three things together and it is a pretty condemning curse upon them.

#2. The Corruption

Which brings us to point #2, The Corruption.

We’re going to move down to the second half of our passage next. We’ll come back to the middle section in a minute. We’ve already looked at verse 7 which is about their responsibility to teach. But now look at verse 8.

It begins, “you have turned aside from the way.” The priests own lives did not display the godliness and wisdom of God. They were not living out God’s commands. And that makes sense, doesn’t it. It stands to reason that if they were not directing the people to fulfill God’s commands then they themselves were not doing it.

Not in every case, but often a pastor who begins to teach false doctrine or who does not direct his people in righteousness, has himself fallen from the way.

And the result of turning aside is found in the second half of verse 8. “You have caused many to stumble by your instruction.”

I want you to think of the gravity of what they were doing. The priests were leading people to destruction. That is why the curse, as we just considered, was so condemning! Their sin not only impacted them, it impacted many.

A friend once said to me, “you know, all sin is the same before God.” He was trying to argue that his sexual sin was the same as telling a white lie. But that is not true. Yes, each and every sin deserves God’s judgment. Our sin, no matter what it is, condemns us before our holy God. No matter our sin, we need Christ. That is all true. However, there are degrees of severity with sin. It is not the same to think of murdering someone in your heart as it is to actually murder someone. Some sin, like actual murder, is more heinous. Some sin is more grievous in God’s eyes. All sin deserves God’s judgment, but some sin is more severe.

And one of the worst sins in all of Scripture is when the leaders of God’s people abuse the sheep or lead them astray. Malachi 2 here is just one of several Old Testament judgements against godless and morally corrupt leaders. Ezekiel 34, Isaiah 56, Jeremiah 23, and Zechariah 10 all speak of God’s condemnation of the “corrupt” and “worthless” so-called “shepherds” and “watchmen” of Israel. Think of Jesus anger against the Pharisees. Or in James chapter 3, verse 1, it says “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” Now, if you’re a math or science or English teacher, the Lord is not necessarily talking about you. Rather, his greater judgment will be upon teachers in the church.

That is why the hammer is so heavy here in Malachi 2. They, themselves, had fallen from the way and they were leading people astray.

You need to fire me… the moment I begin to teach false doctrine. If I ever start teaching things contrary to the Gospel of Jesus Christ or in direct contradiction to the Word of God, I should no longer be allowed to be a minster. I think you know this, I’m talking about tier one things that are very clear in Scripture. Things that we share with the Bible-believing Protestant world.

For example, that salvation is found in Christ alone. There is no other way. Jesus death on the cross satisfied the wrath of God, for those who believe in him. We receive Jesus’ righteous when we come to him by faith and in repentance. And furthermore, that the Bible is the very Word of God. It testifies to its own authority. You should boot me out if I ever undermine essential doctrines like those.

You also need to fire me… the moment I commit a sin that undermines my responsibilities… like abuse or infidelity or a pattern of ongoing sin that is not being delt with or of which I will not repent. Obviously, like any elder, I sin and need the grace of God. However, just like the priests of old, a leader in the church should model faith and repentance.

3. The Covenant

Which brings us to that very point. #3 The Covenant

In the middle verses here, verses 4-6, we are given the picture of what a priest should be like!

By the way, you’ll see the word “Covenant” used several times in these verse. When I first saw that, I thought it was referring to the Covenant of Grace. You know the covenant that God had established with his people. The Covenant of Grace includes the covenant with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. They all, in different ways, are part of the Covenant promises fulfilled in Christ. After all, verse 7 speaks of life and peace and reverent fear. Those are all benefits of God’s Covenant with his people.

However, I realized that the word Covenant here is actually referring to the specific responsibility that God had given to Levi and his descendants. Verses 4, 5, and 8, specifically refer to God’s “covenant with Levi.” To be sure, the priestly order and responsibilities given to Levi directed God’s people to the Messiah, so it’s not unrelated. But it’s different.

By the way, there’s not a single passage in the Old Testament which describes the covenant with Levi. However, we are given their priestly responsibilities in the book of Leviticus. That is why it is named Leviticus, of course. Also, we read from Deuteronomy 33 this morning which speaks of God’s blessing upon Levi and his descendants. They were to keep the covenant; they were to observe and teach the word. The Levites were also to administer the offerings on the altar, and they were to protect the people from false teachers.

And now look at the end of verse 5 into verse 6. “…he feared me.” As we talked about before, that’s a reverent worship-filled fear of the Lord. “He stood in awe of my name. [verse 6] True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.” That description is the opposite of the priests of Malachi 2. It’s the model.

The priests were to give honor to God’s name. They were to teach the truth of God’s Word. Furthermore, walk with God in uprightness. And instead of leading people astray, they were to turn many people from sin.

This is God’s call for teachers and pastors in the church.

I read a really good book last year. It’s titled, Pastor as Leader. The author, John Currie, is a professor at Westminster Theological Seminary. He teaches and trains future pastors. The whole book is about the character and responsibilities of a pastor. The book is very rich and it’s full of Scripture.

Currie summarizes a pastor’s role this way: “for the glory of God, a man of God, appointed by the Son of God and empowered by the Spirit of God, proclaims the word of God so that the people of God are equipped to move forward into the purposes of God together.” That’s helpful, isn’t it? Let me read that again… [repeat]

That really captures the heart of Malachi 2:5-6.

This is the kind of pastor that each and every church needs. A man who seeks God’s glory and not his own. A man who leads his sheep in God’s Word through his Spirit, and who cares for and loves them in Christ.

I’ll say, it’s both sobering and inspiring to me. It’s sobering because I know my own weaknesses and propensity for sin. I know I’ve failed at these responsibilities many times and perhaps even at times have hurt you without even knowing. I feel inadequate.

But it’s also inspiring because God doesn’t call without equipping. He doesn’t leave pastors to their own strength. No, God gives clear guidance to the role and responsibilities of a shepherd. His Word clearly reveals his salvation and clearly reveals his truth and his way. God furthermore gives his Holy Spirit to lead in righteousness and truth. And God provides earthly accountability in the process.

And there’s one more related thing. Look again at verse 6. “True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity.”

Who is this referring to? Is it referring to Levi? Well, Levi failed in many ways – he was vengeful and a murderer.

What about Aaron, one of Levi’s descendants? He was Moses’s brother and the first High Priest. Is verse 6 referring to him? Well, don’t forget that it was Aaron who led the people to melt their gold and create the idolatrous golden calf. He, at first, led many people astray.

Verse 6 certainly doesn’t describe Aaron’s sons, who brought unauthorized fire and experienced God’s immediate judgment.

In Numbers 25 we are given the example of Aaron’s grandson, Phinehas. He was identified as a faithful Levite who fought against unrighteousness. Perhaps verse 6 alludes to him.

But in the end, there is only one who meets this description. He is the one in whom all the Levitical requirements are fulfilled. He is the perfect High Priest. Every single word he spoke was true instruction. Absolutely no wrong was found on his lips. He followed the way of God, keeping all the commandments of God. He not only walked in peace, as verse 6 describes, he bought and brought peace with God - peace beyond measure. And last, he turned many from iniquity. And the word “many” is a vast understatements. He had led billions in the way of truth and righteousness.

Beloved, this is your Savior Jesus. In him is truth and righteousness, and through him is the only way to God.

May each and every one of us as a priesthood of believers look to him for he is the way, the truth, and the life.

 And may every single pastor and teacher point to him as the great shepherd who laid down his life for his sheep… and may they point to his Word.

And may we each follow his lead and model for he is the perfect priest.

The Polluted Offerings and the Pure Offering

We are in the second week of a new sermon series. We’re studying Malachi. It’s the last book in the Old Testament.

Malachi was prophesying to the returned exiles in Jerusalem…. at some point in the mid-400’s BC. However, even though many had returned, the situation was pretty dire. That is why the Lord reminded the people in verses 1-5 that he loved them. He had chosen them to be his people. They had been questioning God’s love and thy needed that reaffirmation.

Which brings us to verses 6-14 of chapter 1. You can find that on page 953.

As you are turning there, let me note that at this point in history, the temple had already been rebuilt – likely a few decades earlier. That meant that the sacrificial system had resumed. People would bring their offerings to the temple, you know, different kinds of animal offerings, and the priests would take them and sacrifice them, presenting them to the Lord.

As we come to our text this morning, you will hear that all was not right with the offerings.

Stand

Reading of Malachi 1:6-14

Prayer – revealed your righteousness. Truth. Like the people of old, failed. HS. Conviction. Ways in which we do not glorify you in our lives and worship.

A few years ago, a woman found a Butterball turkey at the bottom of her freezer. She had forgotten about it and after checking the date on it, realized it had been there for 26 years.

She wondered if it was still good to use, so she called the Butterball support line. They said that as long as her freezer had stayed below freezing for the entire time, the turkey would be fine to eat. However, the support agent said, it likely has lost all its flavor.

To which the woman responded, “if that’s the case, I’ll just give it to my church.”

I know that’s just an anecdotal story, but it does illustrate how we often today de-prioritize the things of the Lord including his church and worship and our personal and family Scripture reading and prayer. But as God has called us to in his Word, we’re to honor him with our first fruits, or like Mary Magdelene, to anoint Jesus’ feet with the finest of perfumes, or like in the sacrificial system, to present to him our unblemished offering, not our leftovers.

But what does it mean to offer to the Lord our finest and why does it matter? I hope to answer those questions this morning.

Introduction

Before we get into our text, I do want to note that the book of Malachi is pretty intense. We are going to see in every section how God confronts the people and the priests with their sin - their corruption, their idolatry, their immorality, their faithlessness, their selfishness, and their lawlessness. God hates it. He hates our sin. His judgment is real, which we will also see over and over. Which brings up a question you may be asking, “ok, well, how does that fit with last week’s message that God loves them? That his love for them and us is unconditional? Yet he is angry at their sin?”

Let me answer that this way: God’s unconditional love does not give us license to live unconditionally. 2x. In other words, we are not free to do whatever we want just because God love us. God’s standard and law do not go away when you receive God’s love in Christ.

To be sure, pursuing God and his commandments are not a prerequisite to receive his love. No, God’s love is unmerited meaning we do not earn it by our works or keeping his law in any way. No, we receive it on the basis of Christ’s work. But that does not mean that after receiving his love in Christ, we are free to pursue our own desires and will. No, God calls us to submit to him, to pursue his righteousness, to honor him in our lives. That is very important as we study Malachi. God continually calls out their sin because he loves his people. He wants them (and us) to reflect that love by honoring him.

Honoring and Fearing the Lord

Which brings us to our text. In fact, this whole passage is about honoring the Lord. It is about our hearts reverently fearing him.

Honestly, I didn’t see that initially. The first couple of times I read it, I only saw the failure of the people to do the thing. You know, they were failing to follow the law. They did not offer the best sacrifices, as they were required. Therefore, I thought that the primary reason the Lord was angry was because their offerings were polluted. Now, it’s true that their offerings were unacceptable. But the Lord was angry because they were not honoring him. Their polluted offerings were just a symptom of hearts that did not fear or honor God.

That’s the thrust of this passage. It’s right there in the beginning, the middle, and the end.

·      First, look at verse 6. God questioned why they had not been honoring him and fearing him? He said to them, “where is my honor? … where is my fear?” He was asking, “why have you not been giving me the reverent awe and worship that I deserve as the God of the universe?” Instead, they were despising his name. That’s what it says. They were dishonoring him.

·      Next, jump now to verse 11, in the middle. It says, “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations.” Even if you do not honor me, my name will be honored throughout all the earth.

·      Now look at verse 14. Our passage ends with that same reaffirmation. It begins, “Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished.” Why? Listen to the reason. “For I am a great King, says the Lord of hosts, and my name will be feared among the nations.”

You see, their polluted offerings revealed hearts that did not honor and fear the Lord. God is the great king over all the earth, over all of creation. Yet they were despising and dishonoring his name.

And do you know what? They did not even realize it. Or, they denied it. Look at the end of verse 6. “But you say, How have we despised your name?”

Side comment here - I’ve read Malachi several times now, and there’s something I’ve been convicted about. The people did not realize their sin nor the depth of their sin. In every section, like this one, God tells them their sin and every single time, he quotes them question him. Like here “How have we despised your name?” And verse 7 “How have we polluted you?” They didn’t see it.

I’ve been asking myself, what sin am I blind to in my life? Is there pride or selfishness or some heart idolatry or some area where I am dishonoring God? Every single one of us in this room is blind to some sin. Now, there are many sins in our lives which we know about and struggle with. But there’s also sin that we do not recognize, or we suppress. Will you pray that the Lord reveals that sin, that unconfessed sin? And will you listen to him when he does? May the Lord reveal our sin and refine us.

Ok, back to our passage, the returned exiles did not know they were dishonoring God. But it was bad. They were polluting God’s altar. Their relationship with the Lord revolved around the temple sacrifices. God had commanded them to bring animal offerings of different kinds for different sin on different occasions. The priests were to take the people’s offerings and then sacrifice them to the Lord on the large altar just outside of the temple. Those offerings symbolized the need for atonement for their sin. That is why, as we read earlier in Leviticus 22, they were to bring an unblemished male… the very best and purest of their flock.

But, as we read in Malachi 1, they failed to do that and they therefore despised the Lord’s name. By the way, the priests were especially guilty here. More on that next week.

Now, let’s enter back into their situation for a moment. Remember from last week, even though they were in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas, they were subjected to a foreign kingdom. That came with heavy taxation. It came with some opposition at the local leve. Much of their forefather’s land had been taken over by this godless people. On top of it all, they were enduring a famine. Every day, they struggled to survive.

Now, imagine that you lived there and that you had 5 goats. You had to care for and feed them. There wasn’t, you know, kudzu everywhere for them to eat. The younger females would produce milk, and you could use and sell the milk. The healthy males were especially valuable – and they could be sold if needed. Your goats were important for your daily sustenance.

Well, the time has come for one of the annual sacrifices. You are to bring one of your 5 goats to offer to the Lord. And out of the five, three of them are female. You couldn’t offer them. Of the two left, one is a healthy male and the other male has a bad rash and is sterile – it’s unable to reproduce.

So, which goat would you bring? I know it’s hypothetical, but put yourself in their shoes. Their unblemished male goat was their prized possession. Offering it would put themselves at risk. So, what did they do? Well, they brought their weakest or sickliest animal to the temple to be offered.

As very 8 tells us, they brought their blind, or lame, or sick animal to present to God Almighty. But it gets even worse. Look at verse 13. It’s the parallel verse in the second half. We learn that they didn’t even want to bring any sacrifice! The people were saying, “what a weariness this is” and as it says, they snorted at it, you know, like a horse unwilling to move.

It furthermore says some even took animals by force for the offering. In other words, they stole and offered what was not even theirs to the Lord. IN all these ways they profaned God’s altar.

I think we can certainly understand their temptation. But they were dishonoring the creator God of the universe who had commanded them to offer their best…. He’s the one who breathed life into them, who called them to be his people, who rules and reigns over all things, who promised them eternity with him. He is the great God who saved Noah and his family, who covenanted with Abraham their forefather, who revealed himself to Moses, and promised through David a kingdom that would never end.

And look at the second half of verse 8. God points out that they would never bring such a gift to an earthly governor. The Lord asks, “will he accept you or show you favor?” Of course they would not bring a sickly goat to an earthly ruler as a gift – it would greatly dishonor him.

Yet that was the very thing that they were doing to the “Lord of Hosts.” Did you notice that description of the Lord multiple times here – seven times. The Lord of hosts. The Lord of the heavenly armies, king of kings, who has and will subject all earthly rulers under his sovereign reign. Yet they had defamed his great and awesome name.

Their worship… because that’s what this is – their offering to the Lord… their worship was complacent. They were simply going through the motions. They didn’t care about God. After all, as we learned in verses 2-5, they weren’t even sure he loved them.

Friends, in difficult times, it is easy to slip into a similar pattern. God can become just an afterthought. Instead of giving him our whole heart and mind and body and strength, he’s often at the bottom of our list.

Instead of giving back to him the first fruits of the talents he’s given us, or the first fruits of the resources which we steward; or our most precious resource – our time; instead of honoring him with those things, we direct them to ourselves. We keep our unblemished offering and we offer him our polluted offering.

What about Sunday morning worship? Are you bodily present here but your mind is wandering to things of work, or yesterday’s football game, or your upcoming vacation? Do you let your mind wander to those things including your difficult situations and struggles? Are you going through the motions, but your heart is far from the Lord?

If you were in the presence of the governor of Georgia, would not your attention be fully on him? I think it would. Yet, when you come into the presence of the Lord of the universe, is your attention on other things and not worship directed to the one who created you and who loves you and who invited you into his very presence?

And what about those Sundays that you are not here? Are you travelling because flights are the cheapest on Sunday mornings? Are you at the beach and make excuses that because you are in God’s beautiful creation that you don’t need to worship with God’s people? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t enjoy travel, but God desires us to be worshipping together with his people. If you are out of town, find a Bible preaching church where you can worship the Lord with other believers in the splendor of his holiness. Find a church where you can exalt his name and where his Word is declared, where you can give him glory in your hearts and praise him with others lifting your voices together to the one who is worthy.

You see, in all of these ways, and many more, we are complacent in our worship of God. I’m talking about both our gathered worship and also how we are to worship God in all of life.

And then there is verse 10. It’s like the nail in the coffin. “Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain!” In other words, it would be better if someone barred you from bringing your sacrifice to the temple. It would be better not to bring any sacrifice than the vain polluted offering that reveals your wayward heart and which despises my name. Or as the Lord put it in Revelation 3, writing to the church in Laodicea, “Because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”

The Lord is not mincing his words here. They had profaned God’s mercy and holiness. God would have been just to consume them with the fire of his eternal judgment.

Yet, he didn’t.

These verses called them to forsake their vain, polluted, and heartless worship. God desired his name to be honored. He was calling them to return to him… to repent… to once again come to him in reverent holy fear. Instead of bringing their polluted offering, they were to once again bring a pure, unblemished offering.

There was an even deeper reason why their polluted offerings were profaning the name of Lord. Yes, they were breaking God’s commandments. And yes, their offerings revealed hearts that were complacent. But even more so, they were disregarding the Messiah. They were defaming Christ, who had yet come.

You see, all of the sacrificial offerings were set in place in anticipation of a Messiah, of a deliverer, who would come and who would be the perfect sacrifice. He would be the unblemished perfect offering. The sacrificial offerings in the old covenant demonstrated the need for a pure offering to once and for all atone for their sins.

And so, by offering their sick and blind and stolen offerings, they were rejecting God’s promise that he would send a pure, righteous Savior who would be offered in their place for their sin. It was a matter of faith. Their difficult situation did not relieve them from trusting in the future promise that a Messiah would come and would be the pure offering.

This is what verse 11 is alluding to. God’s name will be great in all nations. As it says, “in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering.” To translate that, incense was the sweet aroma which signified the prayers of God’s people. Psalm 141 speaks of our prayer being an incense before God. And in both Revelation 5 and 8, the incense in the golden bowls were the prayers of the saints which would rise to the very throne room of God.

The Lord was saying to them, a time will come when throughout all nations, prayers would be offered to the Lord, and a pure offering would be made.

And that time has come. Jesus has come and he has offered up himself as the pure offering. His sacrifice has fulfilled all the sacrificial offerings of old. But more importantly, he has satisfied the debt of our sin before our holy God.

And so why do we seek to honor God in our hearts when we worship? Why do we seek to be obedient to his commands to worship him well? Why do we set aside this particular day to gather together and praise the Lord? Two answers:

·      First, because when we do, with hearts tuned to him and his mercy, we honor our Lord. We bring great fame to Jesus our Savior. Our prayers are received in his name as a holy aroma to our God. God is both honored in our lives and his glory and name is displayed for all to see.

·      Second, we seek to worship him well because he is the pure offering. As John the Baptist said, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. We worship him with grateful hearts because of his mercy and forgiveness. Our worship is a testimony of true faith in him. He enables our worship. He is the center of our worship. And we will be worshiping in his presence forever.

Even in those days of trials and pain and temptations and grief (especially those days), come before your great God and your Savior, honoring and fearing his great name.

So, leave your 26 year-old Butterball turkeys at home. Give him the first fruits of your time, your talents, your resources. They are all from him, anyway. Furthermore, plan your trips around the Lord’s day and worship with God’s people, in person together.

And when you come to worship, focus your hearts and minds on him. And do all of this because of God’s great name and because Christ, our Savior, has offered himself, for you. Amen.

We’re beginning a new sermon series this morning. We’ll be in the Book of Malachi for the next couple of months. You can find Malachi chapter 1 on page 953 in the Pew Bibles.

Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament, so if you can find the book of Matthew, turn left a couple of pages.

We’ll begin with verses 1-5.

One note before I read. In these verses, you will hear of a reference to Edom. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau. That will be some helpful context.

Reading of Malachi 1:1-5

Prayer

When I was in high school and college, I spent a few summers working at a Christian camp.

Well, one particular summer, one of my fellow counsellors had a very difficult camper.

This kid was, I think, only in 1st grade. And he was rambunctious. He was mean to the other campers. He struggled to follow rules. He didn’t want to participate in activities.

In those moments, his counsellor would get down on one knee to his level, and try gently instruct him. During dangerous activities, like archery, his counsellor would often have to hold his hand, to keep him safe. Of course, the other boys in his cabin would get angry at him. Their counsellor would always intervene and remind them all to speak kind words to one another.

Well, one afternoon, things escalated. The counsellor tried to calm his camper down, but the boy lost it and started screaming. Literally, the whole camp could hear it. They were in the middle of a big group activity, so his counsellor had to gently carry him away.

As this young boy was being carried away, he kept screaming over and over, “I hate you.” “I hate you.” To which his counsellor calmly responded over and over, “I love you.” “I love you.” Their back and forth slowly faded as they passed out of sight.

The camper, of course, didn’t understand that his counsellor did love him. He didn’t know what love really looked like in that situation. To this boy, it didn’t appear to be love at all.

Maybe some of you who are parents have experienced something similar.

Well, as we get to Malachi chapter 1, God’s people, likewise, were questioning God’s love. It didn’t feel like God loved them. But he did. And in response, God mercifully reminds them of his love.

Most of us here today have at one point or another cried out to God. We’ve questioned whether he was even there or if he was loving. Maybe that is what you are feeling today.

My hope and prayer that you will leave here with a renewed or new sense of God’s love for you.

Introduction

As we get into the book of Malachi, let me first mention some background things.

Malachi is one of 12 books called minor prophets. They are called “minor” not because they are less important but because they are shorter. We don’t actually know much about the prophet Malachi other than that his name means “messenger.” He was a messenger from God.

As we will find out next week, he lived in Jerusalem. And based on the themes in the book and its position in the Old Testament cannon, Malachi prophesied sometime during the middle of the 400s BC. He very likely overlapped with Ezra and Nehemiah. At that time, some of the exiles had returned from Babylon to Jerusalem, and the temple had been rebuilt.

The last thing to point out is the word “oracle” right there in verse 1. It’s used throughout the Old Testament when a prophets were given a particularly burdensome word from God. Oracle, in fact, means burden – you know, like a heavy load that an animal would carry on its back and the weariness or distress that it would bring.

When the word “oracle” is used to describe a prophetic utterance, it is conveying the weight of that prophecy. As we work our way through Malachi, we are going to see the weight of this prophecy. Over and over, God very clearly calls for repentance from grievous sin, and God warns them if they do not return to him.

However, before all of that, God begins with a reminder of his love. And that is what verses 2-5 are about.

If you turn to page 4 of your bulletin, you can see where we are headed.

·      First, God’s Love Doubted. Verse 2.

·      Second, God’s Love Defended, the end of verse 2 through verse 4

·      And third, God’s Love Declared, 5

So, God’s love doubted, defended, and declared.

1. God’s Love Doubted

We see right there in verse 2 that the people doubted God’s love for them.

 “I have loved you,” says the Lord, but you say, “how have you loved us?”

By the way, this is the pattern throughout Malachi. God quotes the people questioning him, and then he answers. It’s the organizing framework for the book.

How have you loved us, Lord? It sure doesn’t feel like you do.

This was a difficult time in Jerusalem. We don’t often think of it that way because, after all, the people were back in Jerusalem. The temple had been rebuilt. However, socially and economically, it was a very unstable time.

Yes, the Persian kings had supported the return and rebuild, but that did not mean prosperity. No, the people experienced a lot of trouble and opposition. Taxes were high. Jobs were scarce. They were in the middle of a famine. The people had to mortgage their fields and vineyards and houses just to survive. Some even forced their sons and daughter into slavery. We know those things from Nehemiah 5. All of it weighed heavily on them.

And think about their expectations. God had promised through Isaiah and Jeremiah a return from exile back to Jerusalem. The people had in their minds the glory of the former unified kingdom – you know, prosperity and peace. They pictured Solomon’s temple restored to its original beauty and splendor. I’m sure some even pictured a return of the national power that Judah and Israel had once had.

But their expectations came crashing down with the reality of their situation. They couldn’t lift their eyes to see beyond each day… because of the difficulty that each day brought. It was not peace and prosperity, it was survival mode.

And in their minds, who was at fault? God. And so, they were asking, how have you loved us, Lord? Where have you been?

Have you or are you asking that?

Lord, do you love me? It sure doesn’t feel like it. I can’t find a job or it’s hard to financially survive each day. Or I’ve lost a parent or a spouse or a sibling or a child. Or even harder at times, my relationship with my son or daughter is estranged, or I’ve endured the pain of divorce. Or my health is deteriorating more each day, Or I struggle with chronic pain or a debilitating disease. Or my loved one is.  I feel all alone. Or I’ve been a victim of abuse or false accusations.

Lord, where are you? Do you really love me?

Maybe someone told you this well-known phrases once: “God has a wonderful plan for your life.” Have you heard that before? It is one of the most unhelpful statements in evangelicalism. I’m not saying that it is not partially true. Stay tuned for that.

But becoming a Christian does not mean that you will experience peace and prosperity in this life. To be sure, being a Christian does come with many blessings on earth. Blessings in relationship and community with one another in the church. Blessings of worship and prayer, and many others things. But if we expect that our days on earth will be filled with temporal success or health or relational flourishing, we will become deeply disappointed. And it may cause us to question God’s love.

I want you to note something in verse 2. Before the Lord quotes their questioning of his love, he begins by affirming that he does love them.

“I have loved you.” By the way, that word “love” is not the word “hesed.” You know, God covenant lovingkindness. Rather, that word for “love” is the word “ahab.” It is a word for love that focuses on a loving relationship. It’s God’s love for them as his people whom he chose to be his people.

In fact, the verb form indicates that God’s love for them has been accomplished and it is definitive. It’s like saying, I *did, I do, and I will * love you. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it. God has, does, and will love his people.

What I want to say to wrap up this first point is that in those times of doubting God’s love... in those times when you are burdened by your suffering… or when you are wondering where the Lord is, God calls you to first remember that the Lord does love you.

But rather than just leave it there, the Lord goes on to defend his love. He explains the source of his love.

2. God’s Love Defended

That brings us to #2. God’s Love Defended.

In the second half of verse 2, the Lord returns their question with a question himself. He asks, “Is not Esau Jacob’s brother?” And then reminds them of his love for Jacob and his hatred for Esau. The Israelites are Jacob’s descendants.

Now, the reason that God reminds them about Jacob and Esau is because Jacob and Esau demonstrated both God’s unmerited love as well as his just anger.

Back in Genesis 25 and following, we learn about Jacob and Esau. They were both sons of Isaac. Twins, in fact. Esau was born first, so Esau was to have the privileges of being the firstborn, authority in the family, the blessing of Isaac, and a large share of the inheritance.

But if you remember, Jacob took advantage of Esau. When Esau was famished, Esau sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew. And then Jacob lied to and tricked their father into blessing him instead of Esau.

Even though Jacob did not deserve it, God chose him and chose his descendants to be his people. Esau and his descendants, on the other hand, were rejected. You see, neither deserved God’s love, yet God chose Jacob. Jacob and his descendants were the ones who received God’s promise.

But, back to Malachi, there was the problem. To the people in Jerusalem (you know, the returned exiles), it sure felt like God loved Esau’s descendants and not Jacob’s. As I mentioned earlier, the Edomites were the descendants of Esau.

In fact, in some way, they partnered with or supported Babylon in the destruction of Jerusalem a hundred years earlier. We’re not told how, but we’re told elsewhere that Edom rejoiced in Jerusalem’s destruction. The prophet Ezekiel even mentions that Edom took vengeance against Judah. So, it’s possible Esau’s descendants even participated in Babylon’s destruction of Jerusalem.

Let me make a side note here. There is some evidence that after the Babylonian exile, another nation overthrew Edom and the Edomites were forced to move. There is also evidence that at this time Edom began rebuilding just south of Judah. If that is true, it certainly explains verses 3 and 4. They were displaced by jackals, as it says, but they began to rebuild.

I’m telling you all this because in these verses, God is both affirming his love for his people… and he is letting them know that even though Edom appears to be prospering again, it will be short-lived and their destruction would be eternal.

In contrast, the suffering that God people were experiencing would be short-lived but their prosperity would be eternal. Why? Because God chose them to be his people. He loved them with an undeserved and unconditional love.

Beloved in Christ. There are or will be times in your life when it seems like the enemies of faith are overcoming you. I’m talking about sin, death, and the devil. You will have moments when you are questioning God’s love because you don’t see a path forward. Your pain, suffering, grief, loneliness, or disappointments may overwhelm you at times.

But if God has given you the gift of faith in Christ, you are one of God’s chosen descendants of Jacob – his spiritual descendant. And God loves you. Does God have a wonderful plan for your life? Yes, because all his and your enemies will be defeated and one day, you will be rejoicing for eternity in his presence.

Do you see what I am saying. This passage, for them and for us, is ultimately fulfilled in the unmerited love of God in Jesus Christ. God chose all his people to be his people, not because of any self-worthiness. No. Just like with Jacob, despite our sin, God chose us to be his people. He called us in him before the foundation of the world. And God’s judgment against Edom is the judgment that Jesus bore on the cross for his people.

What I am saying, is that in those moments of despair and doubt. Remember not only that God loves you, but remember that he has called you to be his through Christ. And one day, God will defeat once and for all the very burdens that are weighing you down.

Just a week and a half ago, I was at an event where a missionary shared about a very difficult time. He and his wife were serving in Rwanda back during the difficult civil war there. It was tragic. Neighbors turned on neighbors. In a single day, a million people were killed. In one incident, a group or Christians fled to their church building. Their pursuers broke in and slaughtered every single one of them. As you can imagine, seeing all of it overwhelmed this missionary and his wife.

But then it became more difficult. Because, soon after that, his wife went into premature labor while there. Their son was delivered but the hospital didn’t have the expertise or medical equipment to save him. He died after only 5 days of life. This missionary described the deep struggle that he and his wife went through. They questioned God’s love and goodness in all of it.

They searched for answers.

He then recounted how Job demanded God for answers. And how God answered Job back and asked, “where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?”

And then this missionary said this: “Job never got answers, but he got presence. And in that presence, he worshipped.” That really struck me. God does not promise that we will not suffer in this life. But he does promise that he loves us and will be with us… and one day he will defeat his and our enemies forever.

This missionary closed by sharing how they were drawn back to Jesus and God’s love for them in him.

3. God’s Love Declared

Which brings us to point number 3. God’s love declared.

For the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem, both their worldview and their perception of God was small.

Remember, God had promised them many things. He had promised a Messianic king. He had promised a restoration of a kingdom beyond what could be imagined. He promised to defeat their enemies. And that was part of their struggle. None of it seemed to be coming to pass. In fact, for them, it seemed to be getting worse rather than better.

They forgot God’s love and his promises, and they lost hope.

What they needed was not only a reminder that they were God’s chosen people whom he loved. They needed a reminder of his future promises. Verse 5 says “Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, ‘Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!’”

Most prophecies in the Bible have a more immediate fulfillment but also a future redemptive fulfillment. For the immediate, there is some historical record that the Edomites were soon overcome by both Greek and then Roman conquests.

But I think verse 5 is really meant to draw their attention to the future. To point them to a coming king who will be victorious, not only in Israel, but as verse 5 says, beyond its borders.

It’s like God was saying to them through Malachi, “Yes, I love you, but I also want you to lift your eyes up from your suffering to see what I will do! It will be far greater than you can imagine. Not only will the enemies of faith be destroyed, but you will see the greatness of my salvation to the world”

As you may have figured out, it was still about 450 years before Jesus’ birth. God was not saying that those particular people in Jerusalem would see the ultimate fulfillment of this verse. Perhaps they would see Edom overcome. But remember, the Lord was speaking to Israel. It is through them that that Savior would come. This is the last period in their history before Jesus came. And when he came, he would bring salvation not only to Israel, but his electing love would greatly expand beyond the border of Israel to the world.

Beloved in Christ, you and I are part of this promise. We are here today worshiping our God who has saved us because God has and is fulfilling this promise to Israel. Christ has come and His Gospel is going forth in mighty ways throughout the earth.

This is part of God’s reminder to us when we are doubting his love. Yes, we can rest in the fact that we are God’s people. We have his love in Christ. But in times of suffering and disappointment and grief and despair, we can lift our eyes up to see what God is doing all around us and around the word. It is truly amazing. And by seeing what God is doing, believing what he will do, we can and should then declare his love to the world.

As verse 5 puts it, “you shall say, ‘Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!’”

From doubting God’s love to declaring God’s love.

Conclusion

As we close, let me briefly say that these opening verses are the foundation to the rest of Malachi. We’re going to see over and over the sin of the people, the sin of the priests, and the Lord’s call for them to repent and return to him.

Malachi begins where they needed to begin… it begins where we need to begin. Knowing and believing in God’s saving and electing love in Christ.

So, in our doubt and discouragement and pain, may we know and believe in God’s undeserved love for us in Christ – he has chosen us in him. May we lift our eyes to see what he is doing, and may we declare the greatness of our God in all of it. Amen.

·   First, being a faithful church, which begins with God’s faithfulness to us in the Gospel.

·   Second, the means through which God applies his grace in us – which are his Word, prayer, and the sacraments.

·   Third, the overarching theme of the entire Bible, God’s covenant promises and their fulfillment in Christ.

·   And forth, God’s appointed leaders for his church – elders.

And now we are applying those pillars to our worship, our discipleship, and our missions. Last week we focused on worship – that is, corporate worship. This week’s focus is on discipleship, and then next week, we will conclude with missions and outreach.

Please turn to Matthew 28 in your Bibles. Our first of two sermon texts is what we call the great commission. Matthew 28:18-20. That is on page 993 in the Pew Bible.

You may be wondering why our sermon text is the great commission, yet our focus is on discipleship. Well, that is because this passage is about discipleship. You can’t really separate missions and discipleship. In fact, worship is in the mix as well. Discipleship begins in worship and includes missions. They all overlap.

Reading of Matthew 28:18-20

Our second sermon text is from 2 Peter chapter 3. That is on page 1209 in the Pew Bible. 2 Peter 3 verses 14-18.

This is one of the more traditional passages related to discipleship. The apostle Peter has just written about the second coming of Christ. And then Peter writes these very important words as far as our godliness and our knowledge of Jesus Christ, as we wait for the new heavens and hearth.

Reading of 2 Peter 3:14-18

Prayer

If you were to survey 1000 pastors and you were to ask each one for a definition of discipleship, you would get 1000 different answers.

Some would focus on relationships. Others would focus on Bible study. Some would center their answer on serving. Others would say it’s about being real. Others would make the case that discipleship is all about missions. Some would say that it is about God’s kingdom – kingdom discipleship. For others, it’s life-on-life ministry. Others talk about sonship – being sons of God. Yet others describe it as head, heart, and hands. For some, families are the most important thing. For others, the church is key. Some say discipleship is about self-denial and taking up your cross.

And we ask why? Why are there a gazillion definitions of discipleship?

Well, I think the main part of the answer is quite simple.

The word “discipleship” is not in the Bible. It is therefore difficult to come up with a Biblical definition for that reason. To be sure, the word “disciple” singular and “disciples” plural are in the Bible. It’s just that the word discipleship is not. It’s is a word that we’ve come up with to capture the task of making disciples. The word discipleship seeks to answer the “how” questions. How do we make disciples of Jesus? Discipleship is about implementation. That is why there are so many definitions.

And so, I think it’s better not to come up with a single approach to discipleship. Rather, I think it’s best to first understand what a disciple is, then second, consider the foundations to making disciples. And only after we do that, can we evaluate discipleship approaches and start identifying our own principles.

Here’s what I am saying… rather than trying to come up with a definition of discipleship, it’s better to consider the broader Biblical framework for the task of making disciples. That framework can then be used to evaluate discipleship approaches.

By the way, this is an impossible task. I’m not talking about identifying the Biblical principles for making disciples, I’m talking about trying to preach on it in one sermon. I realized this on Friday afternoon. I thought, what have I got myself into? There is no way to fit this into a 30+ minute sermon. I also thought, I’m looking forward to getting back to our regular expository sermons in a couple of weeks.

But we are here now. And many of you have mentioned that this series has been helpful. So, I’m going to press on and try.

1. What is a disciple and what is the call?

As I mentioned, let’s begin with the question, what is a disciple?

Let’s start by looking at Matthew 28. These verses give us a good foundation on what a disciple is and what a disciple should pursue. And we know these verses well. Matthew 28 verse 19 – “Go therefore and make disciples.” By the way, much debate has been had about the underlying Greek words, especially the word “go.” We’re not going to “go” there today. Let me simply say that the imperative here is to “make disciples.”

The call is to bring people from not following Jesus to following Jesus. That is what the word disciple means - a follower. Being a follower includes, of course, believing in Jesus, but it implies a lot more. It includes a commitment to Jesus’ teaching, and his ways, and pursuing his commands… just like Jesus’ 12 disciples did.

So the call in Matthew 28 is to “make disciples” and that involves two things here. First, it’s bringing them into the covenant community. That’s what Baptism is. It includes either being part of a household, like circumcision in the Old Testament – that’s one reason why we disciple our children. Or it includes those coming into the covenant community for the first time as believers in Christ. So that’s the first task.

Second, making disciples also includes teaching the commandments of God. That is captured in verse 20. After the call to baptize, Jesus adds, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” Being a disciple requires learning God’s commands and pursuing them.

I think that all makes sense because that is what a disciple is and what he does. He believes and follows Jesus.

And the message to make disciples is simple. Faith, repentance, and obedience.

Matthew 28 does not speak to the message. But Jesus has been clear. The Bible is clear. The core message is repentance from sin and faith in Christ. That is what we call our children to, and it is the call for all humanity. Obedience is part of that call. It comes after faith and repentance, as a response to God’s grace. Again, Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

However, let me say this. The call to faith and repentance does not end when we come to Christ. No, actually, faith, repentance, and obedience is the ongoing call for a disciple. Ongoing repentance from sin; an ongoing renewal of our faith; and an ongoing commitment to observe the commandments of God.

Now, just to be sure, when you come to faith in Christ, you are secure in him. You are forgiven of your sin. That does not go away. Rather, renewing your faith in Christ, repentance from ongoing sin, and new obedience are in response to God’s saving grace. I just want to be clear about that.

Now, you may be thinking, “well, yeah, isn’t that obvious? Of course, a disciple should believe that Jesus died for his or her sin and should believe that we need to pursue holiness despite our ongoing sin.”

Well, the reason you may think those two points are obvious is because we teach them. We teach the heinousness of our sin before our holy God. We teach that the only path to God is by faith, repenting to God of our sin and trusting in Christ as our Savior. We teach that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is necessary to atone for our sin. And we teach that in our redeemed state, we are still sinners. We are redeemed sinners who struggle with sin but are empowered by God’s Spirit to pursue holiness – and God calls us to pursue him. That is the Gospel.

But let me say, that message is not emphasized in many parts of Christianity. Often sin is minimized. The word “sin” is not seen as culturally sensitive today. And so, some circles replace it with words like “brokenness” or “struggle” or “woundedness.” I am not saying that we are not broken nor struggle nor have wounds. But when those ideas are used in place of sin and not in connection to it, then the underlying problem of our separation from God because of sin is suppressed.

What I am saying is that the task of making disciples of Jesus begins and ends with faith, repentance and the call to observe Jesus’ commands.

2. How do we mature as disciples?

Ok, let’s move on to a second helpful question. Let me ask you, how do you mature as a disciple of Jesus?

It’s important to ask that question because the Bible calls us to mature in our faith. We call that maturity sanctification. It is the ongoing work of God’s Spirit where more and more we die to our sin and live to righteousness. The task of making disciples needs to include that lifelong pursuit. All throughout the Bible we are called to grow in our faith. We’re called to be conformed to the image of Christ. We are called to be filled with the knowledge of his will. Hebrews 5 calls us to mature from milk to solid food like children. Ephesians 4 calls us to mature into manhood, growing up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ. In 2 Timothy 3, we’re to know the Word that the man of God may be equipped for every good work. Romans 12, we’re to renew our minds.

We would be here all day if we were to go through every single passage that speaks of being conformed more and more to Christ. Rather than doing that, I picked one example that I find to be very helpful as a representative passage. 2 Peter 3:14-18 – it was our second sermon text. If you’ll turn there.

This is one of my favorite passages about our sanctification.

We’re going to focus on verse 18, but I don’t want to overlook the context.

The apostle Peter had just written about Christ’s second coming when he will make all things new. While we are waiting, we’re called in verse 14 to “be diligent” that we may be “found by him without spot or blemish…” And then a couple of verses later in verse 17, there is a warning against sin. It says, “…take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people...”

Then we get to verse 18 which is my favorite. If you only remember one thing about this sermon on discipleship, I want you to remember this verse. 2 Peter 3:18. It says, “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” I love it. Let me read it again. “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Look first at the titles given to Jesus. Lord and Savior. He is to be both. He is to be Lord over us as we live. We look to him, as Lord. He is to lead us in what is true and right and good. But Jesus is not only our Lord. Jesus is not just a model for living. His teaching includes more than just commands about how to live. He is also our Savior. He has redeemed us. He calls us, as I mentioned earlier, to faith and repentance.

And the command in verse 18 is to grow in two things: grace and knowledge of him.

·   First, we are to grow in grace. That is, more and more we need to see our sin and the depths of his mercy and love. We are to grow in our understanding of the cross and the hope of the resurrection in our suffering, and grief, and pain. That is all growing in grace.

·   And second, we are to grow in our knowledge of him. We need to know his Word, not for the sake of head knowledge but for the sake of knowing him, knowing God, in his fullness, and living out his commands.

You see, when it comes to discipleship, verse 18 is so very helpful. It directs us to the core things that discipleship needs to be about. It direct us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And that is very consistent with the rest of Scripture.

A few weeks ago do you remember that I sang you a song during my sermon? Remember it? “Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.”

That was probably the first and last time that I’ll do that. Remember that we talked about the ordinary means through which God changes us. And what are those ordinary means? God’s Word, Prayer, and the sacraments. We considered Acts 2:42, about the early church, and we looked at Hebrews 4 as well as 1 Corinthians 10.

Our sanctification, that is, our growth in grace, comes through the Holy Spirit’s work in us as we engage in these appointed means – (1) reading and studying God’s word, (2) praying to the one true God of heaven and earth, and (3) participating in the visible signs through which he shows us the Gospel and strengthens our faith, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

And to tie that back to what I mentioned earlier, through those means, we are called again and again to repentance, to a renewal of our faith, and to further observance of and obedience to God’s word and will.

Here’s what I am saying. Any discipleship approach needs to include some aspect of those foundations. I’m not saying every discipleship approach needs to include all of it. But every discipleship approach needs to direct us toward maturing in Christ by… revealing our sin and his grace and commands… or directing us to God Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those avenues, that God conforms us more and more to his image.

·   So, if a discipleship approach is only about loving as Jesus loved but mentions nothing about sin nor Jesus’ call to repentance and faith, then it falls short.

·   If a discipleship approach is all about being a better husband or wife, or a better doctor or electrician, or a better neighbor, but there’s nothing about the grace of God in Christ and being conformed to him and his commands, then it falls short.

·   If a discipleship approach is about the disciplines of the Christian life, but does not focus on knowing God’s Word and being in prayer, then it falls short.

I could go on with more examples. My point is that the Scriptures do give us a framework for making disciples. And that framework needs to be at the heart of our discipleship approach.

Discipleship at Tucker Presbyterian

Which brings us to our church – Tucker Presbyterian. Given what I’ve said already, how are we seeking to make disciples?

By the way, it’s entirely impossible for me to answer that question over the next 10 minutes.

But I do want to let you know that on the welcome table is a draft of our new philosophy of discipleship. We, as your elders, have been working on this for the last 2-3 months. It includes the foundations to discipleship, which I’ve just mentioned, but also includes our priorities in discipleship and how we desire to work those out… in worship, in our children and youth ministry, and our adult ministries, which includes our men’s and women’s ministries.

I can’t cover it all, but I do want to highlight 8 priorities or principles of our discipleship.

1. We believe discipleship begins in worship. This is really important. Corporate worship is where the means of grace converge, as I mentioned last week. God works through our worship, including our family or private worship. Through worship, he conform us to him as we declare salvation in Jesus Christ and praise God for his grace and mercy.

2. In our discipleship, we desire to foster a heart for missions – a heart for our neighbor and a heart for the nations. In other words, disciple making involves disciple making, which is calling people to faith in Christ. More on this one next week.

3. Discipleship needs to direct people to the local church. Local congregations, where God’s covenant people gather, are God’s ordained avenues for worship, discipleship, and missions. The sign of baptism is the sign of our ingrafting into Christ and therefore ingrafting into one another as a body of believers.

4. We seek to disciple one another across generations. God’s call for the church is to be a people of God together. We want our members, old and young alike, to know and care for and support one other in the task of discipleship. To be sure, we do not believe this should be the exclusive pattern. As Proverbs teaches, a brother is born for adversity, and as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. There is value in peer discipleship, but often times, churches overprioritize that and not intergenerational discipleship.

5. Every single one of us is called in one way or another to the task of making disciples. You may be a parent, you may be an ordained leader in the church, you may have been given one of several Holy Spirit given gifts mentioned in the Bible such as teaching or knowledge or wisdom. Even if none of that applies to you, you are still called to be a witness to your neighbor or co-worker or family member. We are all to be disciple makers.

6. This next one is about children and parents. Parents are ordinarily to be the primary disciplers of their children. However, not all children have believing parents or parent, nor are all parents available for different reasons. The church needs to support parents and children in the discipleship endeavor.o

7. Church discipline is a matter of discipleship. Two months ago, when we were in 2 Corinthians chapter 13, we considered the responsibility that the church has to disciple those whose sin is destroying the family of God or whose sin is unrepentant and grievous. We can’t unpack all of that here, but that sermon is out on our website and podcast. And let me remind you that the goal of church disciple is always repentance, renewed faith, and restoration.

8. Finally, number 8. Discipleship needs to happen in the context of fellowship. In Acts 2:42 intentional fellowship, or koinonia fellowship, is included with the means of grace. Fellowship is important. We believe discipleship happens in relationships with one another because we are brothers and sisters united together in Christ.

So, those are our priorities in discipleship: the priority of worship, a heart for missions, the centrality of the local church, discipleship across generations and in support of peers, assisting parents, church discipline, and all in the context of deep fellowship.

Conclusion

In summary, we do not believe there’s a one-size-fits-all pattern for implementing discipleship. However, that does not mean that all discipleship approaches are good. We need to evaluate each according to God’s pattern for making disciples which he has given in his Word.

And at its core, that pattern for making disciples involves (1) calling each other to faith and repentance and obedience in Christ, and (2) directing one another to the Word, prayer, and the sacraments. It is through those means that God will grow us in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Really, these are the implications of the last 4 weeks… and how our foundational beliefs apply in those three areas.

So, today, we’ll focus on worship. And I do want to remind you that we have a philosophy of worship document. It’s next to the welcome table. That document gives the reasons behind the elements of our corporate worship. We’ll be talking through many of those today.

We have two sermon texts listed, Leviticus 10:1-3 and John 4:1-26. We will also be considering the second commandment from Exodus 20. We read earlier in the service.

Please turn to Leviticus chapter 10. You can find that on page 104 in the Pew Bible. This is a difficult passage. Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu make an unacceptable offering to the Lord. And they were met with God’s immediate judgment.

Reading of Leviticus 10:1-3

Reading of John 4:1-26 – Our second reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 4. Please turn there. You can find that on page 1056. This is the account of Jesus’ interaction with the woman at the well.

Reading of John 4:1-26

Prayer

We live in the age of personalization. You can configure your home screen, your playlist, your news feeds, your chicken sandwich. Certain apparel can be tailor-made to your liking. If you buy a new car, you can pick exactly the features and colors you want before it’s even manufactured. A new home can be customized to your desire, including picking a floorplan, your kitchen cabinets, your flooring, the color of your walls, your bathroom tile and vanity, and the exterior look.

And those things are kinda nice, because, you know, we have different likes and preferences.

Well, Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way that the worship of God is not on the customizable list. That is, how we worship God is not something that we get to decide, but rather has been decided by God himself.

Now, I want to acknowledge that Leviticus 10:1-3 is a sensitive text. It’s hard to read and think about because here are two men who were coming before the Lord. Their father, Aaron was the very first High Priest among God’s people. He was Moses’s brother. But in that very moment when Nadab and Abihu came to the Lord, they were consumed by the fire of God’s wrath. They did not die in an accident nor were they killed by another man. No, it was God himself who inflicted his judgment directly on them.

And I’m sure you, like me, have many many questions. God, where is your mercy? What did they do to deserve this? Or how about this question, which you may also have: Do I deserve the same judgment?

Well, the answer to that last question is “yes.” Yes, I do. Yes, you do.

You see, one thing that this passage reveals is why Christ Jesus came and was crucified.

Jesus suffered the wrath of God in place of his people for the very reason that Nadab and Abihu were killed. God is a holy and just God. His judgment against sin must be satisfied. Nadab and Abihu experienced what Christ endured for those who turn to him by faith.

I wanted to say that up-front to relieve any undue burden for those of you who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. The holy justice and judgment of God, which Nadab and Abihu suffered, Jesus bore on the cross for you.

But that does not mean that Leviticus 10 only speaks about God’s justice and our need for mercy.

No, it also shows that God cares about how he is to be worshiped.

1. Worship According to God’s Word

Our worship, meaning, what we are doing here and now, our corporate worship, needs to be submitted to God’s Word.

That is the foundational thing that I want us to consider this morning. We need to worship according to what God has prescribed for us. I’ll begin by arguing that principle from a couple of passages, and then we’ll apply that to our worship this morning.

But first, back to Nadab and Abihu. They had been given the ceremonial requirements that the priests were to follow. In fact, right before they offered their unauthorized fire, Moses had presented all of God’s requirements for the priestly offerings and then their father, Aaron, made the first offerings to God based on those commands.

But Nadab and Abihu failed to meet them. They were supposed to consecrate themselves and their incense before coming to the Lord. That consecration involved a ceremonial cleansing which indicated their need to be holy in God’s presence. But they didn’t do that and they therefore suffered the immediate consequences of God’s holiness.

As I mentioned earlier, that event reveals the need for cleansing work of Christ, who makes us holy. So, Nadab and Abihu’s lack of obedience to God’s commands for worship… revealed that their hearts didn’t believe in the justice of God nor the Messiah who was to come.

Let me put it this way, God prescribes his worship to reveal his character, our need, and his mercy in Christ. The sacrifices and offerings of old directed the people’s attention upward to God and forward to Christ who was to come. The bottom line in Leviticus 10 is the need to trust God and worship him according to his commands.

Now, more could be said about Leviticus 10, but I want to move on to a second passage in the Bible that also reveals this principle. In fact, this second text is the most important passage about worship in the entire Bible. It’s that important. I am referring to the second commandment. We didn’t read it as part of our sermon text this morning. We read it earlier in the service. But let me re-read part of it. Exodus 20 verses 4-5

“You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.”

Now, you may be thinking. “Ok, yes, we should not have idols, but isn’t that commandment really about other gods?” And the answer is “yes” and “no.” Yes, because it in-part refers to creating something that we worship that is not God. But the answer is also “no” because it’s refers to not creating a carved image or any likeness, as it says “that is in heaven above.” God is in heaven. In other words, we are not to make images or likenesses of God himself.

In fact, I would argue that is the primary point of the second command. The first command is that you should have no other Gods before him. The second command is saying that if we make images, even if we make them to represent God, we are not worshipping God, we are instead bowing down to something that is not God at all.

Let’s go back to when God gave Moses the 10 commandments. God had just miraculously saved his people from slavery in Egypt. He had just made a path through the Red Sea and destroyed the Egyptian army. God brought them safely to the base of Mount Sinai. And Moses is then called to go up on the mountain, where he is given these very commands carved on stone.

But back down the mountain, Aaron led the people to melt down their gold and make a golden calf and worship it. But do you know whose image they thought they were worshipping? They thought they were worshiping Yahweh. God himself. But they were gravely mistaken. They had come up with their own worship. Instead of worshiping the one true God, their idolatry was a false worship, and they received judgment. Why? Because God alone is to be worshiped and worshiped according to his commands.

That has huge implications for our worship, doesn’t it? We want to worship the Lord well. Our responsibility is to worship the Lord according to his Word and not according to our whims or our creative devices or the world’s ways.

Now I think this is obvious, but I want to say it anyway, just to be sure. The Old Testament sacrifices and offerings are no more. All those priestly observances and the annual festivals have been fulfilled in Christ. The second half of the book of Hebrews makes that really clear. Our worship no longer includes those shadows which pointed forward to Christ, but rather, our worship now focuses on Jesus and his sacrifice for us – the salvation we have in him. I just want to be absolutely clear about that.

Let me summarize so far. God desires to be worshipped. He is the only one worthy of worship. But our worship of him needs to be conformed to the pattern of worship that he has given us in his Word, as the second commandment teaches and as Nadab and Abihu learned the hard way.

We believe that principle is really important for the church. And so we seek to conform our worship to the pattern given in God’s Word.

2. What has God prescribed for our worship?

Which brings us to THE important question. What exactly has God prescribed for our worship?

We’ll spend the rest of our time on that question.

But first, a quick story. My first time in London I was at a series of conferences. And one of them was at a Pentecostal church – I think it was a Toronto Blessing church. Some of you may have heard of that before. Anyway, in the middle of a worship service, people were barking in the Spirit… like literally making animal noises. It was very disconcerting to me. I know that’s an extreme example of worship not according to God’s word. Another one like that would be snake handling. Of course, we set those aside. But let me ask you this: is it ok in worship to have skits? You know, dramatizations…or what about some kind of dance? Or what about movie clips? I just want to get you thinking.

Let me begin to answer the question about worship by going back to the foundations that we’ve talked about over the last few weeks. Because, our foundational beliefs especially come to bear in our worship. So let’s reconsider them with that I mind

Number 1 from four weeks ago: We looked at the church in Antioch which was faithful in three things - their devotion to Christ, their commitment to doctrine, and their desire to fulfill the great commission. Remember: the master, the message, and the mission. At the heart of those three things is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And the heart of our worship needs to be those three things. (1) a heart devotion to Christ as we praise God for our salvation in him, (2) the amazing doctrines of truth as we acknowledge God for his glory and grace, and (3) the declaration of his work throughout the world.

When Jesus was talking to the woman at the well about worship, he said “a time is now here when the true worshippers will worship Father in Spirit and truth.” Our worship needs to be grounded in God’s revealed Word, his truth, and empowered by his Holy Spirit. That means that our worship cannot be a empty going-through-the-motions kind of worship. Rather our worship needs to be Gospel saturated and Spirit led, as the Holy Spirit works in us as we praise the Father for the ministry of his Son.

You can call that the heart of our corporate worship.

Number 2 from three weeks ago: The ordinary means of grace. Remember what those are? God’s Word, prayer, and the sacraments. Those means of grace are the content of our worship.

God uses those appointed means to give us his grace, which changes us. And those means of grace converge in corporate worship. Infused throughout our worship are God’s Word, prayer, and the sacraments.

A couple of years ago, some out-of-town friends of mine were visiting. And after the service, one of them said, “there is so much Scripture in your worship service.” It was said, I think, to imply almost too much. But it warmed my heart. Besides our sermon passage, we have other readings. We often include responsive readings from the Psalms. Our call to worship and our benediction are from the Scripture. Our confession of faith is most of the time right from the Bible as well as our assurance of pardon. We intentionally fill our worship with God’s Word.

And as you know, also throughout our service, we pray. We open with our adoration to God. We confess our sin. We intercede for our needs and those of our community and world. We pray for God’s kingdom work in the world. We pray for the Holy Spirit to illuminate us before the sermon. We pray after the sermon and before and after the Lord’s supper. And. ss you probably hear, many of our prayers are filled with Scripture.

And speaking of the Lord’s Supper, in our worship, we celebrate the visible signs that God has given us – his sacraments. Both the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. They are part of worship as they display forth God’s covenant promises, including our union with him and one another and the cleansing work of Jesus Christ.

God’s Word and prayer and the sacraments are the primary content of our worship.

Number 3: In our third sermon in this series, we considered how God’s Covenant with his people is the unifying theme of the Bible, from Genesis (the first book) to Revelation (the last book). It connects God’s people in the Old Testament to us, the church today. Our worship emphasizes God’s creation, the fall, redemption in Christ, and the final consummation when he returns. We read from the Old Testament and the New including the Law and the Gospels. Our practice of Baptism likewise aligns with our belief in God’s covenant promises given to the next generation. Our sermon series rotate between the various genres of the Bible including the history portions, the wisdom literature, the law, the prophets, the Gospels, and the New Testament letters. And … each and every sermon always includes how our passage fits within God’s plan of redemption.

Ok. Number 4: Last week, we talked through our belief that God has ordained elders to lead his church. Their role is to shepherd the flock of God, comforting us in times of pain and grief, leading us to Jesus, calling us to repentance and righteousness and faith, protecting us from those who would seek to hurt us or lead us astray, teaching us the Word, and giving us godly wisdom in life. And I would include in the list of their responsibilities, leading our worship. Preaching, praying, and administering the sacraments. That is part of shepherding the flock.

By and large, that captures our public worship. Out of hearts that love the Lord and his church, we praise him for his Gospel, we pray to him, we focus on his promises and commands and their fulfillment as his Word reveals, and we practice the ordinances that he has given us in the two sacraments of the church.

But of course, there is one more thing that we cannot forget! Singing!

The scriptures are full of songs. When the Hebrew people were freed from their slavery in Egypt, they sang a new song. After the last supper, Jesus and his disciples sang a hymn and went to the mount of Olives. The Psalms are a book of songs! Furthermore, we are commanded to sing. In Ephesians and Colossians we’re called to sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. And we seek to fulfill that.

As you may know, we sing 2-3 Psalms from the psalter portion of our hymnal every month. But actually, we sing more Psalms than that because many of our hymns are based on Psalms.

And while it is wonderful to sing the Psalms, we do not exclusively sing the Psalms. That is because the Messiah has come. Jesus has come. Many of the Psalms allude to the coming of Christ, but they are veiled. Well, Christ has come, and we can sing of the cross, as we did today, and of Jesus’ resurrection. So, we sing God’s word from the Psalms, and we sing of their fulfillment in Christ. We sing rich hymns, as you know, old and new, from all eras of church history.

I’ll never forget an experience I had back in the early 1990s. I was travelling with a college choir to Eastern Europe. We visited several churches in different cities like Prague and Bratislava. On the only Sunday that we were there, we worshipped at a church in Oradea, Romania. It was a pretty big church. I think maybe 500 people. I remember not being able to understand what they were saying – the service was in Romanian. But then, they started singing Great Is Thy Faithfulness… in Romanian. It was very powerful. Mind you, this was only 5 years after the Romanian people overthrew their communist government. Their pastor had been in prison until that time. Through all of that, God was faithful. As they sang, we joined in English. It was wonderful to sing across cultures as well.

And, as you also know, we sing with instruments. Nine of the Psalms mention being written for stringed instruments and 13 other Psalms mention instruments in their songs.

Other places in the Old Testament mention trumpets, harps, flutes, and cymbals. In the book of Revelation, harps are mentioned in heaven, as the angels and saints sing a new song to the Lamb. And so we lift our voices, supported by instruments, as we worship in song.

But of course, singing a cappella is also beautiful, and so we sing without instruments once or twice in a service. Now, I’ll have to be honest, the cafeteria here is pretty unhelpful acoustically. I can’t wait to someday be in a space that supports our worship in song. Maybe soon. Let’s pray for that.

And finally, we occasionally have our children’s choir or our adult choir sing. Choirs and singers are mentioned many times in the Psalms. In Nehemiah 12, two great choirs participated in the dedication of the wall and then immediately in the temple worship service. To be sure, we all sing, but at times choirs lead in song, presenting a musical offering to the Lord.

In summary, at the heart of our worship is God’s faithfulness to us through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is out of our love for the Lord and his Word that we seek to worship him in Spirit and truth. And so, in our worship we read and declare the truths of God found in his Word; we confess our sin and rejoice in God’s forgiveness in Christ. We preach God’s Word testifying to its unity and God’s plan of redemption in Christ, as we seek to apply it to our lives. We pray throughout and we sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, seeking to give glory to God in all of it.

As we close, I want to say one more thing about our worship. We often fail. At times our hearts and minds are distracted. At times, our prayers or preaching are weak. Other times, we struggle to believe, or the elements of our service are lacking. But I want you to leave you with this: We have a savior in Jesus who is not only interceding for us, but who is perfecting our worship. As God the Son, he is perfectly worshiping the Father and the Spirit. And they likewise are worshiping him. We serve a God who perfectly exalts himself, and as believers by grace, through Christ, our worship is offered in Spirit and truth.

May we as a church know this…  and in the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and through his Spirit, may we pursue worship not conformed to the pattern the world but conformed to the pattern given in his Word. Amen

We started 3 weeks ago with our calling to be faithful in three things: faithful in our devotion to God, faithful to Biblical doctrine, and faithful to the great commission. We considered the church in Antioch as an example of a church that was faithful in those ways.

Then 2 weeks ago, we talked through the primary means through which God changes us. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word, Prayer, and the Sacraments. We call those the means of grace. Our worship, our discipleship, and our mission revolve around those means of grace.

Then last week, Coleman preached on the central unifying theme of the Bible - God’s Covenant promise to his people which he fulfilled in Jesus. God’s Covenant with us is what ties together the Old and New Testaments including God’s covenant people of old and the church today. That covenant theme affects our teaching and prayer and ministry and really, our lives.

That brings us to our focus for today. The question is, why do we call ourselves a Presbyterian church? What does that mean and why is it important for us?

We have two sermon texts this morning. The first is from Acts chapter 15. Please turn there. You can find Acts 15 on page 1098 in the pew Bibles. We’ll look at verses 4-21.

This passage is about the Jerusalem council. Remember from three weeks ago, the church in Antioch had sent the apostle Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem. They were to work with other elders and apostles concerning an important matter in the church. Our verses this morning are about the council itself.

Reading of Acts 15:4-21

Our second reading is from 1 Peter 5:1-5. Please turn there. That is on page 1206. The apostle Peter is writing to the church scattered across Asia minor. In the prior chapters, he has been encouraging them in their persecution, and then Peter turns to address the elders and their role.

Reading of 1 Peter 5:1-5

Prayer

Every single organization in the entire world shares one thing in common. I’m talking about corporations, non-profits, governmental agencies, countries, states, counties… social clubs, and sports team … Each and every one of those organizations shares one thing in common. They all have leaders.

Some leaders are effective, some struggle. Some are inspiring, some lead by example, some you want to follow, others you don’t have a choice.

From the world’s perspective, good leaders are often identified as strong and decisive. They are the take-charge kind of people who are willing to take risks and make hard decisions and sometimes whatever it takes to be successful.

Well, that leadership model is a far cry from God’s call for leaders in his church. No, rather, the church is called to raise up shepherds of God’s flock. Elders. These men are not to be like army drill sergeants or naval commanders. They are not to be heavy-handed CEOs or brash politicians, or whip-you-into-shape coaches.

No, elders in the church are called to care for your soul and to pray for you. They have been entrusted to lead in matters of eternal consequence. They are therefore to be humble like our chief shepherd, Jesus, who humbled himself and laid down his life for us, his sheep.

Elders are to serve. They are to pour themselves out for us, as God’s sheep.

Now, you may be asking, what does all of that have to do with being a Presbyterian church?

Well, actually, it has everything to do with being Presbyterian. The word presbuteros is the Greek word for elder. The plural is the word Presbuteroi, elders. We are a Presbyterian church because we believe that God’s design for leaders in his church centers around elders.

Given that, what I want to do this morning is argue for two things related to elders:

Number 1, that God has prescribed elders to lead his church.

And number 2, the model for elder leadership goes beyond the local congregationals.

That is where we are headed. And by the way, this is not the first sermon we have had on elders. We have had a couple of them. It’s usually when we have opened nominations for elders and deacons. In those sermons, we’ve mainly focused on the Godly character qualities of the officers, as both Titus chapter 1 and 1 Timothy chapter 3 reveal.

Today, we will not be focusing on the qualifications of elders. But I don’t want you to get the impression that those are not important. No, those qualifications are absolutely critical.

Rather, my goal today is to make a Biblical case for the role of elders in God’s church.

1. Elders as God’s Prescribed Leadership

Number 1: elders (presbuteroi) are God’s prescribed leaders for his church.

And the first thing I want to say is that if we take the New Testament as a whole, we are given two offices for the church – elders and deacons. I’ve already mentioned Titus 1 and 1 Timothy 3. Titus 1 speaks of the qualifications of elders and 1 Timothy 3 speaks about the qualifications of both elders and deacons. Broadly speaking, the word deacon is the word for servant. Deacons are entrusted with the mercy needs of the church family and stewardship of tangible needs. Elders, on the other hand, are to minister to the church’s spiritual needs and are to oversee the church.

The word elder, itself, presbuteros, refers to someone mature, typically older. In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, it referred to those with wisdom and dignity who were counsellors or advisors. Often the word elder was used in a formal way as a title, like the elders of the city.

In the New Testament, elders were to be able to teach. In other words, one application of their wisdom and knowledge was the ability to convey it to others.

Let’s now look at 1 Peter chapter 5. Verse 1 uses the plural of the word elder. And then we are given a beautiful description of the role. Elders are to shepherd the flock of God. And what does a shepherd do? A shepherd cares for the sheep under his care. He protects them from danger. When they wander, the shepherd seeks them out. The shepherd’s staff is used to keep the sheep close to the fold but also to fend off predators, like wolves.

The primary role of an elder is, in fact, to “shepherd the flock of God.” That command is right there in verse 2. By the way, the word shepherd is the word for pastor. They are one in the same.

Shepherding includes comforting us in grief and pain by pointing us to the hope of Christ. Shepherding includes directing us away from our sin and toward righteousness. It is reminding us of God’s promises and the forgiveness we have in Jesus. Shepherding is guiding us in the wisdom revealed in God’s Word - wisdom for life. In all those ways, elders are spiritually caring our souls.

Also in verse 2, shepherding involves “exercising oversight.” Do you see that phrase? It is having a responsibility over us – a spiritual authority. But the apostle Peter is clear, elders are not to take advantage of the flock, nor be domineering over the flock, but are instead to be examples to the flock. They are to spiritually oversee us - caring for and loving and guiding us.

By the way, there is something very important here. The root word for oversight is the Greek word episcopos – an overseer. Does that sound familiar? Episcopos. It’s where the episcopal church gets its name. In the English, besides being translated overseer, it’s sometimes translated as bishop.

Let me say this. We believe the New Testament uses the word elder and bishop or overseer interchangeably. They are merely two roles of one spiritual leadership position.

Let me give you four examples of this synonymous use:

·      First, our 1 Peter 5 text right here, verses 1 and 2. An elder is described as having the responsibility of oversight. Both words are right there.

·      Second, in the apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he addresses the saints in Philippi which include overseers and deacons. The word overseer in Philippians 1:1 is the plural of the word episcopos. Paul is identifying the two offices of the church. But in 1 Timothy 3, he uses the word elder – persbuteros in place of overseer. In that chapter, he refers to elders and deacons. In other words, Paul is not creating a new office for an elder. Rather, he’s simply referring to one and the same office.

·      Third, and related, in Titus chapter 1, verse 5, Paul directs Titus to appoint elders in every town - presbuteroi. Then in verse 7, he describes their qualifications. He begins with the phrase “For an overseer” – episcopos. He’s just commanded Titus to appoint elders and then describes what these overseers should be like. Again, both words are used interchangeably – elder and overseer.

·      Fourth, earlier in the service we read from Acts 20. The apostle Paul had called the elders of the church in Ephesus to meet him. He refers to them as presbuteroi. But then when he is speaking to them, he says this “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.” He refers to the same group as both presubteroi and episcopoi.

Personally, I think that is pretty clear. God’s plan for his church is to have elders, who oversee the flock of God. Put simply, an elder equals an overseer equals a shepherd. They are one and the same

Just so you know, I did not grow up in a presbyterian church, but in my early 20s, I came to the conviction that a presbyterian form of church government is God’s design for his church. That’s partly why I am here today.

To be sure, there are many many faithful churches that are not Presbyterian. We are all first and foremost, Christians. We believe in the atoning death of Jesus Christ for us. He died in our place to break the bonds of our sin and pay our penalty. When we come to him in repentance and faith, we are made righteous in him. Furthermore, we believe in the resurrection. We believe in eternal life. I want to be very clear about that. That Gospel is the very center of what we believe, and we share that belief with many churches.

But we also believe that the Bible speaks to other less important things, and one of those is God’s leadership plan for his church. We are presbyterian for that reason.

Now, before we move on to point number two, let me make one side note here. All the examples in the Bible of elders are men. Furthermore, the description of the roles and qualifications are focused on men. Because of that, we also believe that the office of elder, which includes pastors, is reserved for men. We believe that is God’s design. That belief in no way diminishes the worth or dignity or respect of women. There is no inferiority in that pattern that God has given. There are also many many other ways that women serve and lead in the church. We just believe that God has given spiritual authority and oversight in the church to qualified Godly men.

I know that is not culturally popular. However, we believe it is what the Bible presents as God’s design. If you would like to talk through that more, I would be glad to. Please reach out to me.

Let me summarize this first point. God, through his Word, has given us his pattern for leadership in his church. That leadership comes through elders who faithfully serve and shepherd the church of God with humility. They are entrusted to care for, guide, oversee, and protect God’s sheep, you and me.

2. Elder leadership in the visible church

That brings us to point number 2. God’s appointed elders are to work together to oversee the broader church. In other words, the elders of our church have a responsibility to support other churches. And the elders of other churches, have a responsibility to support us.

Think about this. Probably 99% of organizations in the world have a leadership hierarchy. Think of a business. You have the owner or president at the top. Then you have several people who report to him or her, like CEOs or CFOs. Then below that you have middle management, and it works its way down to the various workers.

Well, a presbyterian form of government is very different. There is no top. We don’t have a pope. There is no archbishop of Canterbury. We don’t have a hierarchy of bishops and cardinals we certainly don’t have priests. We believe in the priesthood of all believers. The temple curtain was torn in two when Jesus was crucified. Jesus is our high priest and we can go to him directly.

What I am saying is this: one implication of elders leading the church is elders leading the church. Instead of a top-down hierarchy, the presbyterian form of church oversight is shared and it’s representative. It’s like an upside-down pyramid. The higher you go, the more elders you have in oversight.

Let’s look at the example in Acts 15, which we read. As I mentioned, this is called the Jerusalem council. It happened because a theological division had come to several local churches. We are not going to consider the specifics of the disagreement. We actually did cover that a few years ago when we went through the book of Acts. Today, we’ll just consider how the council worked.

The particular issue was causing division and confusion. So, what did the apostles and elders do? Well, they gathered together in Jerusalem. Paul and Barnabas were sent by the church in Antioch. They were welcomed by other apostles and elders, verse 4. We learn here the council included the apostle Peter and the apostle James. And look at verse 6. It says, “The apostles and the elders were gathered together to consider this matter.” In fact, that phrase, “the apostles and the elders” is used 5 times in this chapter.

And what did they do in this council? Well, they deliberated. They listened to arguments from both sides. They took turns speaking. They considered the Scriptures. And in the end, they decided the matter. Later in chapter 15, we learn that they wrote down their decision and they distributed it to the churches in Antioch, Cilicia, and Syria. Now look at verse 28. This is an important verse. “For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay on you no greater burden than these requirements:” And then they went on to describe the particulars. You see, the Holy Spirit worked through the apostles and elders in this council.

We believe this is the model of oversight that the church is to have. There are no other layers. No bishops, no cardinals, no popes.

In this council, it was just apostles and elders together. And to be sure, the apostles filled a unique role at this point in redemptive history. In our 2 Corinthians study we saw that the apostles were given unique gifts. Nowhere in the New Testament are new apostles to be appointed. Rather, it is elders which are to be appointed in every town.

Do you see what I am saying? Elders from different churches are to work together to oversee the broader church. That is the presbyterian model of church oversight.

On a quarterly basis, a subset of our elders at Tucker Pres gather with elders from other churches in the Metro Atlanta area. We pray, we oversee men who desire to be pastors, we support church plant efforts and support the Reformed University Fellowship campus ministries in our area. Occasionally we work through difficult things like when elders break their vows and hurt their people. We care for those churches and families. Spiritual discipline is often involved in those difficult situations.

Occasionally there are theological matters to discuss. Often those theological matters are considered at our annual assembly, which includes elders across North America and some from across the world. Just three months ago, a question about Christian Nationalism arose. As you know, that’s a sticky subject. And so at our denomination’s assembly, we approved a study committee to review the range of beliefs about the relationship between Christianity and the state. That committee will consider the Scriptures and it will report back next summer or the summer after on how we should be thinking about these matters from a Biblical worldview. When that report comes back, it will be a matter of deliberation just like in Acts 15. That is just one example of many.

Now, I do not want you to think that your elders here are spending hours and hours on matters outside of our church. We don’t. But we do spend some time and energy to support the broader church family.

Why do we do that? Well, because we believe that it is the pattern God has given the church. Godly elders primarily shepherd the flock of God where they serve but also joining with other elders in the Acts 15 pattern of broader church oversight.

Conclusion

You may be asking, why does it matter to me? Well, for one, it matters because if this is God’s ordained structure for his church, then we want to be faithful to that end. It matters because if culture dictates leadership in the church, then there will be leaders who do not align with the principals of loving and humble eldership, but who instead are domineering or who mistreat the flock of God. We read from Ezekiel 34 this morning. It’s one of several Old Testament passages where God drops the hammer on the worthless shepherds of Israel who abandon the flock or who have led the flock astray or who are lazy or are in it for their own personal gain or because of their pride.

Godly elders are instead are to be committed to the truth of God and are to be loving examples to the flock.

This matters because God’s care for his people and his oversight for his church is to come through faithful elders. And those elders are to love Jesus and his Gospel, and are to love us and shepherd our souls, and are to love Jesus’ church and care for her.

This matters because when it comes time to nominate men to this role, we should have an understanding of their responsibility and character.

I know you know this, but I am going to say it anyway. Your elders here at Tucker Pres are sinners. It’s true. We, at times, have failed and will fail you and the church.

But we have a Savior in Jesus who has died for us. He is our Great Shepherd. And in his salvation and through his Spirit, your elders are striving to love you well and point you to him. In our monthly session meetings, that’s when our elders meet, the most important thing we do, which we prioritize, is to pray for you and for our church. Would you pray for us as we seek to be faithful to this important call – the call to be your presbuteroi, your elders, who serve under the great Sheperd of the sheep. Amen.

Last week we talked about our desire as a church to be faithful to God’s call for local congregations. Remember that faithfulness is a three legged stool. 1. Faithful in our devotion to the Lord, the Master, 2. Faithful to the message – the rich doctrines that God has given us in his Word including and especially the Gospel message. And 3. Faithful to the mission. God’s call for us individually and as a church is to be a light of the Gospel. That mission is carried out locally and to the ends of the earth.

Underlying those three responsibilities is God’s faithfulness to us … what God has done for us through Jesus’ death and resurrection.

That is our ministry heart – a desire to be faithful to the Master, the message, and the mission.

Today we’ll be considering the centrality of God’s Word, prayer, and the sacraments in these endeavors as a church.

Before we begin, let me give you a brief the lay of the land where we are headed over the next few weeks. We’re starting with four foundational beliefs.

·      Last week was our belief in God’s call for the local church

·      This week is the primary means through which God works in our lives.

·      Next week will be what we believe is the overall theme of the Bible - God’s covenant promises to his people which are fulfilled in Christ.

·      And in 2 weeks, we’ll consider what we believe the Bible teaches about the organization of the church. In other words, why do we call ourselves a Presbyterian church.

Those are the four foundational things we’ll be covering. Then after that, we’ll talk about how those work out in our worship, our discipleship, and our missions.

Again, this series is a little out of the ordinary, but hopefully it will be an encouragement to you as well as unifying for us.

This morning, we have three passages. First, Acts chapter 2, then Hebrews chapter 4, then 1 Corinthians chapter 10.

If you will turn to Acts chapter 2. That can be found on page 1082 in the pew Bibles. we’ll begin with verses 42-47.

·      Reading of Acts 2:42-47 (church just beginning);

·      Hebrews 4:12-16 (page 1189 - right after the author of Hebrews had expounded on God’s Word given in Psalm 95);

·      1 Corinthians 10:16-17 (page 1138 – the context is the contrast between idols and food sacrificed compared with the Lord’s supper).

Prayer

How do people change? Have you ever asked that question? How does change happen deep within us? I’m not talking about changing our minds about what we like or what we agree with in secondary or tertiary matters. Rather, I’m talking about a heart change to believe a truth about God or a change in someone’s life for the better – you know, like setting aside a pattern of sin…or forsaking some kind of heart idol or changing a bad habit and replacing it with something that honors the Lord.

What causes that kind of change in someone… or in you? It’s a critical question because the answer impacts everything about our ministry as a church.

One of the responsibilities of a local congregation is to be a change agent in people’s lives. I’m using the word “agent” intentionally because we are not the ones who actually change people. No. It is the Holy Spirit who changes hearts and minds. The church merely leads people in the means or to the means through which the Spirit works to change hearts. In that way, we are agents.

So, then, to what do we direct or lead people for spiritual and life change? And the answer is, #1, God’s Word, #2, prayer to the one true God, and #3 the sacraments that he has ordained, which are Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

To say it again, the Holy Spirit works through these means to transform us. God works his salvation in us through these ordinary things – his Word, prayer, and the sacraments.

When I say that God is working his salvation in us through them, I’m using the word salvation in a broad sense, like the Scriptures often do. Salvation includes faith in Jesus’ work on the cross, reconciling us to him, which we sometimes call justification. But salvation also includes God’s continuing work of sanctification in us as he conforms us more and more to his image. That salvation will one day bring us to glory.

So, God’s Spirit works through his Word, and through prayer and in the sacraments to change us or transform us, as he brings to bear his salvation in our lives. Those three things are the ordinary means through which God gives us his extraordinary grace. They are God’s appointed instruments.

We’re going to get into more details in a moment, but let me say this up front. Given the overwhelming significance of these means of grace, the church must focus its ministry on them. The church needs to steward these gifts given to us. God’s Word, prayer, and the sacraments need to be the primary emphasis in our ministry.

That is one of the foundational things that we believe as a church.

If we go all the way back to the early church in Acts 2… it is these means of grace to which the church devoted itself.

By the way, Acts 2 is when the Holy Spirit was given to the church. After that event, Pentecost, is when the people of God started gathering together in communities. That was when local churches started forming. And we learn in Acts 2:42 that they devoted themselves to these means of grace.

They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching. That’s the first thing mentioned. Now, at that time, they did not have the New Testament. Rather, the Holy Spirit was at work through the Apostles to reveal God’s truth. We know from other places in the book of Acts that this included teaching how the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ. Their teaching also included how Jesus accomplished Salvation for his people, and it included the call to faith. So, the church was dedicating themselves to these truths, which we have in God’s Word.

It next says they dedicated themselves to fellowship. That’s the word Koinonia, which is a mission-driven relationship with one another. In other words, God’s word and prayer and the sacraments were not being pursued in a vacuum. Rather this devotion happened in this new gathering of believers, the church.

It also says they dedicated themselves to prayer. What is prayer? Well, it is coming before God in humility for who he is and what he has done for us. It’s asking for the Lord’s help for our situations and others. It’s interceding for his work throughout the world. The apostles would have taught the people the Lord’s Prayer as they learned it from Jesus. Their prayers would have included many examples from the Old Testament, like Hannah’s prayer or Daniel’s, or David’s, or Ezra’s or Nehemiah’s. We’re given many examples.

Prayer and the Word have always been central to God’s people, Old Testament and New. We call them means of grace because they are the channels through which God gives amazing gifts to us. You’ve heard me say before that the word grace is the word gift. God has given us his very Word and he invites us into his presence in prayer.

We read from Hebrews 4 because it, in part, captures the power of God’s Word to change us. Listen again to the language and consider the ministry of God’s Word in your heart and mind. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” It penetrates to our very core. God’s Word always goes with his Spirit and as we read from Isaiah 55 earlier, it will always accomplish the purpose for which it goes forth. It will never return void. And as God’s Word goes forth, through the power of his Spirit, it brings conviction. The Holy Spirit shines the light of the truth of God’s Word on our hearts.

What an amazing blessing and grace that God has given us.

·      Through God’s Word, we learn of his nature and power and justice. Through it, we understand the demand of his law and the sin in our own hearts.

·      Furthermore, God has revealed, through his Word, both the divine and human nature of Jesus, who is, by the way, the Word of God incarnate.

·      We’re called to repentance and faith through God’s Word. Romans 10 says that “faith comes from hearing and hearing through the Word of Christ.”

·      Moreover, God molds and shapes us through his Word. As 2 Timothy 3 puts it, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

All of that is why we study it. It is why we uphold it as authoritative and inspired. Each of us could spend our entire lives mining its truths and we would still not exhaust its depths. It is that rich and deep.

And let me say… prayer is no less an extraordinary grace. It’s an amazing thing to consider that the God of the universe has invited us in to his very presence.

We’re unworthy, yet we have been made worthy through Christ. And he goes before us. He intercedes for us. That is what Hebrews 4 verses 14-16 speaks of. Jesus is our High Priest. Through his sacrifice and his intercession, we can draw near to the throne of grace. Here’s Hebrews 4:16. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” We can come with confidence and when we do, as it says, we will receive his mercy and find his grace. Do you see how prayer is a means of grace? Through prayer, we are communing with the living God. We are abiding in him. We are acknowledging his worthiness and power to accomplish his purposes in our lives. We are submitting ourselves to him, confessing our sin, asking for peace. Philippians 4 says “in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God uses his Word and prayer to lift us up and sustain us and remind us of his precious promises in Christ. They are there for our blessing. And so, we each need to avail ourselves of God’s Word and prayer.

I remember learning a song in, I think, first or second grade Sunday school. At the time, I didn’t think anything of it. But it’s come to mind decades later. We would start on the ground and then we would sing, “read your Bible, pray every day, pray every day, pray every day, read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow grow.” [repeat] and we would slowly stand up. It was symbolizing our maturing in Christ. And then, it would reverse! “Forget your Bible, forget to pray, and you’ll shrink, shrink, shrink.” We would not be maturing in Christ.

I had no idea, at the time, how profound that is. I am still learning its lesson, today.

If you are not regularly in the Word and in prayer, you are missing out on two of the three most amazing gifts that God has given his people.

Let’s look at the third.

Briefly go back to Acts 2:42. Another phrase is used: they dedicated themselves to  “The breaking of bread.” Now, at first glance that seems to indicate they enjoyed fellowshipping over meals together. However, it already says that they fellowshipped, which would have included meals. Rather the historical consensus, including John Calvin and Martin Luther, considered this phrase to reference the Holy Supper as they often called it. In other words, when the early church gathered, they participated in the sacraments.

Now, the word sacrament is not in the Bible. However, we use that word to identify the two holy ordinances that Jesus established for his church - Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

I am using the phrase “Jesus established” because he is the one who called the church to practice these sacraments. Jesus calls us to make disciples and baptize them. As you heard me say a couple of times earlier this month, Baptism is the New Covenant sign of God’s promise and it is connected to the Old Covenant sign of circumcision. Similarly, the Lord’s Supper is the New Covenant sign of faith and our union with Christ. It connects to the old sign of the Passover. Jesus called his disciples and calls us to partake of the holy supper often, and as we do in remembrance of him.

It is a remembrance, but it is way more than just a remembrance. First of all, the sign itself, just like Baptism, is more than words on a page and words spoken. They are visible and tangible signs of the Gospel. The symbols themselves, the bread and the cup in the Supper and water in Baptism display the ministry of Christ – his death and his cleansing of sin. And those symbols are applied to us. All our senses are engaged as we see and participate in these ordinances that God has given.

In the case of the supper, we are participating in the body and blood of Christ. That’s what we read from 1 Corinthians 10. That similar idea is in the Gospel of John chapter 6, which emphasizes our eating of Jesus body and drinking of his blood.

Now, we don’t believe that the elements become the body and blood of Jesus. No, Jesus has ascended and he is reigning in heaven. But in a mysterious way in the supper we are participating in Christ. The Holy Spirit has united us to him by faith and in the supper, the spiritual reality of that union is brought to bear.

Sometimes I say that we are receiving his sanctifying grace in the meal because in the meal, we are given assurance and hope and we’re given strength to endure temptation. But as I mentioned earlier, our sanctification is part of our salvation. I say sanctifying grace to make clear that the elements do not justify you. No, Jesus justifies you when you come to him by faith in repentance of your sin. But do not minimize the grace that you receive in the supper through our mysterious participation in Jesus’ body and blood.

What I am saying is that just as God’s Word and prayer are ordinary means through which God gives his extraordinary grace, so too are the sacraments. They show forth and commune the benefits of salvation.

All three are means through which God changes us. And to be absolutely clear about it, it is the Holy Spirit who uses these means to transform our hearts and minds.

Let me now ask, what does this mean for us as a church? Well, it means we need to be devoting ourselves to these means… just like the early church did. We as a church need to both direct one another to participate in them, and we need to lead with them in our ministry.

·      So, why do we have several Bible studies and focus on God’s Word in our small and large groups and throughout our worship? It’s because of these means of grace.

·      Why do we have prayer throughout our service, and on Sunday evenings, and in our home groups, and other times? It is because of these means of grace.

·      Why in our outreach do we teach Bible stories and emphasize Jesus’ ministry on the cross and in the resurrection? It is because of the means of grace.

·      Why do we have a prayer sheet and occasionally have Bible memory verses and a Bible reading plan? It is because of these means of grace.

·      Why do we take time in our service to explain and practice the Lord’s Supper and Baptism. It is because they are means of grace.

Now, you may have a question. How do these means of grace connect to our study last week about being faithful? Remember, faithfulness to the Master, the message, and the mission. It is an important question.

Think about it this way. The church’s call to be faithful in those three things are like railroad tracks that we need to be travelling down. The church is the train and the tracks are what we are to focus on – the Master, the message, and the mission. But what makes the train move? Well, the means of grace power the train. The Word, prayer, and the sacraments are like the fuel for the train. It’s like the coal in an old steam train. It powers us to go forward down the tracks.

In other words, at the center of our devotion to the Lord (the Master) needs to be God’s Word and prayer and participation in the sacraments he’s given us. It fuels our piety and devotion to the Lord.

Likewise, at the center of the message is God’s Word. Furthermore, we pray that God would open our hearts to understand it.  And we practice the Lord’s Supper and Baptism which display what we believe. The means of grace fuel our heart desire to know the Gospel and the depth of the doctrines that God has revealed.

And last, at the center of our mission, the great commission, needs to be declaring God’s Word and praying for God to be at work in those to whom we minister. And, as we make disciples, they will worship the Lord with us where they can then participate in the sacraments.

Last week, I mentioned the first line of our motto. “Living and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.” That captures our desire to be faithful to the Master, message, and mission. Well, the second line of our motto captures the means of grace. It says, “through worship, prayer, in word, and deed.”  In other words, we desire to fulfill the call to live and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, through those things. The first three are the means of grace. The sacraments happen in worship, and we are committed to prayer and the Word. By the way, we included “deed” there because we desire not just to minister to one another and our community in word, but also we want to display the Gospel in our deeds.

So, living and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ, through worship and prayer, in word and deed.

Brothers and sister, this is at the core of who we are.

May we not only be a church that practices these means of grace, but may we each avail ourselves of these extraordinary graces… that God may change us and mold us to conform to his righteousness more and more each day. Read your Bible, pray every day, and you’ll grow, grow, grow.

A couple of you have asked what are studying next.

Well, I have answers.

The next few weeks will be a little out of the ordinary. Since we just celebrated the 5th anniversary of our launch, we’re going to take some time to focus on who we are. We’ll cover the foundations of what we believe as well as how we work that out in ministry.  This morning is kind of like our ministry heart.

So that will take us through September.

Then after that, we’re going to go back to the Old Testament. We do a short series through Malachi. Malachi is the last book of the Old Testament. And we’re going to do that as a lead in to the Gospel of John. We haven’t gone chapter by chapter through a Gospel yet, so we are going to tackle John.

So, that is the plan. Tucker Pres, Malachi, and John’s Gospel. As you know, sometimes plans change. I don’t anticipate that they will, but will let you know.

As far as who we are as a church, we’ll be basing each of these sermons on a Scripture text or two or three.

This morning, we’re going to be looking at the church in Antioch as a case study.

If you look in your bulletin, you will see that we are covering selections from the book of Acts – several passages from Acts 11-15. We’re going to begin with chapter 11 verses 19-26, then as we go, I will direct you to the next passage. Acts 11 is found on page 1093

Stand.

Reading of Acts 11:19-26; 13:1-3; 14:24-28; 15:1-2, 22, 30-35

Prayer

Let me ask, what would you say if someone asked you about Tucker Pres? What are the things that define who we are at Tucker Pres?

Would you say that we are a church that loves one another? Would you say that we are a church that loves God and the Gospel? Would you say that our primary thing is pursuing the truth of God’s Word? Or are we a church that emphasizes mercy and outreach? Or is the most important thing for us knowing God intimately and praying? Is our number 1 thing Gospel centered worship? I could ask more, but I simply want to stir your minds with those questions.

The reason I ask is because every church has an identity. Every church has things that are important to them. Churches have vibes and churches emphasize different things.

Well, what defines us Tucker Pres?

There is a word that comes to my mind. It’s a word that I believe defines us well. It’s also a word that is aspirational. So what is it?

Well, the word that comes to my mind is the word “faithful.” I believe we are stiving to be faithful.

Now, I know what some of you are thinking. The word faithful is not that helpful because what church doesn’t want to be faithful. And that’s true. What I mean by faithful is faithful to God’s mission for his church. Faithful to what God has called his church to be and to do.

Faithful in our worship. Faithful in our ministry and our mission. Faithful to be a light of the Gospel. Faithful to care for one another. Faithful to grow in our faith. Faithful to the Gospel and to God’s Word.

Faithful.

This morning, I want us to consider what it means for a church to be faithful. A church that has a heart to be faithful.

There’s a reason I picked Antioch as an example. I think of all the churches mentioned in the New Testament, Antioch stands out as a model of a faithful church.

The other day, I was driving home from a day trip out to the Covington area – taking the back roads. And I passed by a church named Corinth. It kind of made me laugh. Given all the internal struggles that the church in Corith had, some of what we just studied, I’m not sure why a church would want that name. But nonetheless there are churches named Corinth.

On the other hand, there are hundreds of churches in the United States named Antioch. There are many many Antioch Baptist churches. There are several named Antioch Methodist. A few named Antioch Christian Church, and even a couple of them are named Antioch Presbyterian. I think it’s a good name because Antioch modelled what it means to be a faithful church.

By the way, the city of Antioch was located on the Mediterranean Sea about 200 miles north of Israel. It was right in the corner of the Mediterranean where the coast of modern-day Turkey turns south and Syria begins.

As we read, the church was started when the Christians were scattered because of the persecution and martyrdom of Stephen. In Acts 7, Stephen, one of the early church leaders was preaching and he was stoned to death by the Jews. Well, several Christians ended up in Antioch and they formed a church, there.

Flip back to Acts 11. Look down at verse 23. Barnabas was sent from Jerusalem to survey the situation. And look what he found. Verse 23 says, “When he [Barnabas] came and saw the grace of God, he was glad, and he exhorted them all to remain faithful to the Lord with steadfast purpose.”

And that is exactly what Antioch did. They remained faithful! …faithful to the Lord with the purpose to which God had called them. They modelled faithfulness.

But what does that mean? How were they faithful?

Well, I want to highlight three ways that the church in Antioch displayed faithfulness.

And these are three ways that we, as a church, are seeking to be faithful.

1. Faithful to the master. 2. Faithful to the message and 3. Faithful to the mission. Master, message, mission.

Maybe that is too many “m”s. There are several similar words that capture the same idea.

If you’ve been in our Discovering Tucker Presbyterian class, you’ve heard me talk about piety, doctrine, and mission. That is…

(1) a heart commitment to the Lord and to honoring him. Faithfulness to the master…That is what piety is …a lived out devotion to the Lord.

(2) doctrine. Faithfulness to the message. Being intentional to pursue what God has revealed in his Word as true and right.

(3) mission. Faithful to the great commission. Faithful to be a herald of the Gospel to those around us and bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

And let me say that the church throughout history has flourished when it has sought to be faithful in these three ways. A heart devotion to the Lord, a commitment to the truth revealed in God’s Word, and an obedience to the great commission.

It’s kind of like a well-balanced 3-legged stool. Each leg supports the stool. You can’t take one away.

Let’s take those in order and consider Antioch.

1.) Faithfulness to the Master

#1 Faithfulness to the Master - A heart devotion to love the Lord and honor him. That is the very first thing that Barnabas noticed about Antioch. The grace of God was in them. The reason he could call them to “remain” faithful to the Lord is because they had been living faithfully to the Lord.

Turn to the beginning of chapter 13. Verse 1 has a beautiful list of those who were leading the church. They were from different places – the island of Cyprus, Cyrene in north Africa, and Galilee in Israel. By the way, it mentions that Manaen was a lifelong friend of Herod Antipas – that’s fascinating, so he was from the ruling class. Despite this diversity, we’re given no sense that there was disunity. Isn’t that quite different from the church in Corinth? Rather, they worshipped and prayed and fasted together. That is right there in verses 2 and 3.

As you have probably heard me say, a church that prays together, stays together.

And, I think particularly their fasting testified to their heart devotion to the Lord. Twice it mentions they fasted. What is fasting? Well, fasting is depriving oneself of food for a period of time to seek the Lord and be reminded of him and his sustaining grace.

When we fast, we are humbling ourselves before God. We are seeking him and his guidance or we are interceding in a particular situation. In other words, we are depriving ourselves so that our hearts and minds can turn our attention to the Lord. The church in Antioch fasted together to seek the Lord and his will. It’s a beautiful display of faithfulness to the Master – to the Lord.

Our endeavor to be a faithful church needs to include pursuing the Lord. We need to be seeking him, worshipping him, desiring to reflect his righteousness in our lives. That is one of the three legs that a faithful church should pursue.

But, it’s not the only leg.

A couple of years ago, I was at a church planting network meeting. It’s a gathering that supports the work of church planting in the metro  Atlanta area. The speaker that day was talking about his church. His church modelled piety. It was very compelling. He spoke of their deep commitment to grow in their relationship with the Lord. He described their love of God and their pursuit of him. They take time individually and together to meditate on who God is in all his wonder and his love and mercy. Their ministries and their worship focused on this – they focused on drawing one another into the presence of the living Lord. It was who they were. It was their identity. I was very moved by it.

But I was thinking later that day. This pastor never mentioned witnessing to their neighbors and he never mentioned studying God’s Word. It was all about piety – you know, their vertical relationship with the Lord as believers and as a church.

So, what I want to say, is yes, our devotion to the Lord is critical. Antioch fasted and prayed. However, a faithful church should not exclusively focus on those things. No, the message and mission are just as important.

2.) Faithfulness to the Message

That brings us to the second aspect of a faithful church. Faithful to the Message. In other words, faithfulness to central doctrines as taught to us in God’s Word.

Back in chapter 11, when Barnabas and Paul arrived in Antioch, it says they spent a full year there teaching the church. One of the responsibilities of the church is teaching. It’s teaching the doctrines of God and the Gospel. As the apostle Peter says in his letter, we are to “grow in the grace and the knowledge of God.” We’re to grow in God’s grace, meaning realizing more and more the depth of God’s love for us in Christ. And we are to grow in the knowledge of God. We’re to get deeper into his Word and understand more and more the truths that he has revealed.

Now, turn to Acts 15. At the beginning of the chapter, we read that a group of teachers had arrived in Antioch. However, they were teaching that circumcision was necessary in order to be saved. Well, that was a problem. It caused a rift. Paul and Barnabas debated with them. So what did the church in Antioch do? They didn’t initially choose sides. They didn’t allow the debate to divide the church. No, rather, they wanted to know what was true and right. So, they sought wisdom from the other apostles and elders.

That’s when Paul and Barnabas were appointed to go to Jerusalem to discuss the matter. There they met with the apostle James and Peter and other apostles and elders from the churches that were scattered around. And by God’s grace, unity was achieved. As the Gospel had gone to the Gentiles, God had made it clear that circumcision was not necessary for salvation. Not at all. Other similar matters were discussed. God worked through that council.

And then Paul and Barnabas and others were appointed to go back to Antioch and report. Now, look down at chapter 15 verses 30 and 31. These brothers arrived back. They gathered the church together. They then read the summary letter from the counsel, and it says in verse 31, “they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”

This is an amazing thing. Instead of allowing the theological disagreement to divide them, the church in Antioch was the catalyst for theological truth. They were the ones that asked for a counsel to determine what was true and right, and they then rejoiced at how God had answered. And down in chapter 15, verse 35, we learn that Paul and Barnabas continued to preach and teach the Word of the Lord… verse 35 ends with this phrase “with many others also.” God’s truth was being established and was spreading. More teachers were being raised up. You see, Antioch model a church faithful to the message. They loved and taught the holy doctrines of God.

But, let me say this. Just like piety should not be our sole focus. So also, doctrine should not be our sole focus. A church that only cares about knowing truth and being right in doctrine is often inward focused and does not seek to be a Gospel light to their community.

And sometimes those overly theological congregations do not display lives devoted to Christ, but rather sometimes their words and actions betray their beliefs. Again, sometimes.

To be absolutely clear, I’m not dismissing theological passion and love for doctrine. I think you know that. No, Antioch displayed a fervor for truth. What I am saying is that faithfulness to the message cannot suppress faithfulness to the Master or faithfulness to the mission.

3.) Faithfulness to the mission

Which brings us to just that - the third leg of the stool - faithfulness to the mission.

God’s mission call for his church is clear. We are called to go forth to all nations making disciples. As Jesus said, we are the light of the world. We’re not to be hiding our lamp under a basket, but rather displaying that light for all to see.

That faithfulness to the mission involves two things. Number 1, faithfulness to be a Gospel witness to the community around us, to our neighbors, friends, and family. And number 2, faithfulness to send and support in the work of Gospel missions to the ends of the earth.

Antioch modelled both. In chapter 11 verse 24, we’re told that a great many people were added to the Lord there in Antioch. That’s because they were intentional to witness the love of God in Christ to those in the city. And the Lord turned many hearts to him through their faithful witness.

But second, Antioch modelled faithfulness to the global work of missions. The church in Antioch were the ones that sent Paul and Barnabas out on their first missionary journey. Turn to chapter 13 again. In verse 3 it says that after fasting and praying they “laid their hands on Paul and Barnabas and sent them off.”

And so, Paul and Barnabas went forth. They planted several church in Asia Minor, you know, modern day Turkey, and then in the middle of chapter 14, they returned to Antioch.

I love chapter 14 verses 26 and 27. It says, “they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work that they had fulfilled. [so, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch.. then it says]  when they arrived and gathered the church together, they declared all that God had done with them.” Antioch held the very first missions conference. They rejoiced at what God was doing, as the Gospel went forth.

You see, they were faithful to both of those aspects of missions. And it’s our desire as well to be a light to our neighbors and a light to the world.

We’re not to be hunkered down in a theological hole and we’re not to be hovering in the clouds in our pietistic pursuit of God and holiness. No, we are to be present where the Lord has placed us, witnessing to his Gospel work in our lives and testifying to the hope that is found in Christ alone. And we are to be sending and supporting those who take the Gospel to every tribe, tongue, and nation.

But similar to the prior two points, that does not mean that we pursue faithfulness in the work of mission to the detriment of studying and growing in the truth or to the detriment of loving the Lord and seeking to honor him in our lives.

In some churches, it’s all about ministry and mercy to the community around them. Yes, we are called to be a light, but an exclusive focus like that often leads to a watered down message. At times it has even led to a social Gospel devoid of the call to repentance and faith.

Conclusion

What I am saying is that a faithful church is a church that seeks to be faithful in all three areas. Faithful to the Lord, faithful to his truth, and faithful to his mission for us.

Have you ever tried to sit on a 1 legged or 2 legged stool? It doesn’t work…

I believe we, as a church, are on this path. I’m calling it a path because we always need to be reminding ourselves of these three aspects of faithfulness. We need to be renewing our hearts to pursue God and build one another up in him. We need to be renewing our minds to the glorious doctrines that God has revealed to us in his Word – who he is and what he has done. And we need to be renewing our pursuit of his mission - here in the Tucker area and to the ends of the earth.

If you go to our website, at the very top… you will see the first line of our motto. It really captures our desire to be faithful in these ways. It reads this: “Living and proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ.”

We desire to be a people who are living the good news of Jesus Christ. That means being faithful to our Master – living out the Gospel in our lives – walking in a manner worthy to the calling to which we have been called.

We furthermore want to also be proclaiming the good news of Jesus. That is faithfulness to the great commission – “proclaiming”.

And underlying both of those is knowing the good news of Jesus Christ. Faithful to the message.

In fact, it is that good news which is the foundation to all of it. Out our sin and misery, God has redeemed us in Christ Jesus. He took on our sin and all the eternal consequences of judgment that we deserved, and he gave us his righteousness and life. That good news, that Gospel, is the foundation to our pursuit in all these areas

Let me say that in another way. Our pursuit of faithfulness as a church begins with God’s faithfulness to us. God is the one, as Jesus said in Matthew 16, who will build his church. He is the one, as the great commission says, who will always be with us to the end of the age. God’s faithfulness, centered on the Gospel, is the foundation to our faithfulness.

Back to the opening question, if someone asked you about Tucker Pres, what would you say? My hope and prayer is that you would be able to say that we as a church are seeking to be a faithful… faithful to the Lord, faithful to the truth found in his Word, and faithful to his mission.

May we, Tucker Presbyterian Church, always be known as a faithful church in these ways.

As you know, we have more distinctives as a church, and we’ll get to them in the coming weeks, but this pursuit of Gospel faithfulness is our heart.

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 13 verses 11-14. That is on page 1153 in the pew Bibles.

It’s always bittersweet to finish a sermon series. On the one hand, I wish it wasn’t coming to an end because 2 Corinthians has been such a blessing. On the other hand, it’s good to move on to other books of the Bible and be blessed and challenged in different ways.

So, this will be our last sermon in this series. Next week, we are going to have a missions focused Sunday. And then after that, stay tuned.

Let’s now come to these concluding words of 2 Corinthians. This is inspired, inerrant God’s Word, given through the apostle Paul.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:11-14

Prayer

Every book of the Bible, in different ways, relates to our culture and the church, today. Sometimes, the connection is more direct. Other times it is more indirect. Well, in 2 Corinthians we’ve seen many direct parallels.

I think the reason is that the city of Corinth is like our culture today. It was a confluence of many backgrounds, beliefs, and idols. If you remember, it was a Roman city in Greece. The city had been resettled about 100 years earlier by Julius Ceasar. It therefore boasted of Roman authority and power but being on the Achaia peninsula in Greece, it was still influence by Greek philosophy and gods. The temple of Aphrodite – the goddess of love – overlooked the city. That unholy influence increased the city’s sexual promiscuity and prostitution.

Furthermore, it was also a major port city. People and goods travelling east and west would travel through Corinth. That made it a desirable place to live for many people from many cultures. You had sea merchants and other traders capitalizing on its primary industry. Other entrepreneurs set up shop to profit off of the all travelers. Since it was a rather new city, Roman and Greek nobles came to fill in the vacuums of political power. Put this all together, Corinth was very cosmopolitan. It was a melting pot of people groups with diverse religious, political, and commercial interests and backgrounds.

Sound familiar? I don’t think there’s any major international city today that doesn’t share some of the same characteristics, at least to one extent or another… the Atlanta area included.

Think about the effect on the church. The world’s philosophies and priorities were pressing in on the church in Corinth. And it wasn’t just a single cultural influence; it was a combination of all those influences. That made it even more difficult for the church to filter out truth from error and righteousness from sinfulness.

And it’s the same thing today. Yes, there are different influences, but they are surprisingly similar. And like every generation in the past, those influences affect the church.

Someone asked me the other day whether there was a particular teaching in the church today that 2 Corinthians directly confronts. And the answer is yes.

2 Corinthians directly confronts the Prosperity Gospel. As you know, the prosperity gospel has come up several times over these last few months. It teaches a false theology of suffering, an idolatrous view of money, and a perverted Gospel – a gospel not based on faith in what Christ has done on the cross and in his resurrection, but a false gospel that is socially conceived; focusing on earthly health and wealth and not faith in Christ alone. And, of course, it lines the pockets of the prosperity preachers.

So, the false apostles in Corinth, which Paul called “super apostles” are in many ways analogous to prosperity Gospel preachers today. They not only perverted the truth, but arrogantly exalted themselves, their social status, and their worldly credentials.

Now, to be sure, it’s not a perfect parallel. The church in Corinth had its unique challenges, but the parallels to Prosperity preaching are there.

And you can see some of those parallels in the various things that Paul has been addressing in the book. We’ve come across several of them. In summary, there have been five streams of teaching that have dealt with the issues in Corinth. They include:

1. Number 1, Authentic ministry. Not only has the apostle Paul over and over defended his apostleship, but in doing so, he has laid the foundation to true and authentic ministry. A faithful church and a faithful minister is humble and seeks to reflect Christ. Faithful churches and pastors pursue integrity and sincerity and point to Christ, not themselves. As Paul put it just a couple verses earlier, they build up and don’t tear down. Those are the signs of faithful ministries.

2. A second stream that has come up multiple times is strength through weakness. That is, the strength of Christ in the weakness of our human flesh. 2 Corinthians has given us rich truths that we can hold on to in our weaknesses and suffering. Rather than try to summarize it here, let me just remind you of those verses.

·      Chapter 1: “[God] comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

·      Chapter 4: “…we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” It’s speaking about the treasure of the Gospel given to us which we have in our frail bodies.

·      How about this one: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen, which are eternal…”

·      And one more, chapter 12… “But he said to me [that is, the Lord said to Paul], 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

There are others. What God has done in 2 Corinthians is reorient our doctrine of suffering. God uses our suffering to remind us of his strength that we may rely on him, because when we are weak, then we are strong.

3. Ok, the third stream – God’s Covenant promises of old have been fulfilled in Christ – in his Gospel. Through Jesus, the old covenant has been fulfilled. Remember, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” This one has particular relevance to Corinth given some of the Jewish influences. The false apostles were trying to drag the people back into the forms and practices of the old covenant. But remember, those old forms and practices (like the sacrifices and festivals) were shadows of what was to come. Remember, the moon and planets reflect the sun, which is the source. It’s a similar idea.

Chapter 3 was all about this correction. The 10 commandments condemn us, but Christ has redeemed us. Chapter 5 gave us amazing truths. Verse 17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” And you’ve heard me say that 5:21 is in my mind, the clearest single verse that articulates the Gospel. “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” God made him, that is Jesus, to be sin for us, that we may receive his righteousness.

4. Number 4 – the fourth category. Giving and wealth. The middle chapters, 7-9, spoke of the grace of giving. Paul testified to Corinth that the Macedonians, though they were poor from a worldly standpoint, gave generously out of their poverty. The church has a responsibility to support the church. However, giving is not a means to salvation or a means to a better life, as today’s false prosperity teachers say. No, rather, giving is a response to the grace of God in Christ. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” It’s not talking about earthly riches but the riches of grace in Christ Jesus. Salvation and hope in him. The ultimate motivation for our giving is the grace of God in Christ.

5. And then the last thing – the last stream, number 5. Repentance and restoration. The whole letter, in a sense, is a call to repentance. Repentance and restoration have been key themes throughout. That’s because the church in Corinth’s beliefs and practices and lifestyle looked more like the Roman and Greek culture around them rather than the beliefs and practices and lifestyle that God had revealed to them in his Word and through his true apostles.

That message is a message for every church and every believer in every generation. We are all tempted to trust in the things of this world and conform our beliefs to the philosophy of this world, rather than putting our trust in God and seeking to be conformed to him by faith. Chapter 10, we should “take every thought captive to obey Christ” and last week, chapter 13, we should therefore “examine ourselves.”

So 5 emphases, 5 streams of correction which broadly speaking, the church in Corinth needed to hear. Not every individual, but the church as a whole, which is why at the beginning of this chapter the apostle warned of judgment if they did not to repent.

Paul prayed for and entreated them to repent. The big question is, did the church in Corinth actually repent? Did they return to God in Christ in faithfulness? And I have an answer for you. But you’ll have to wait a couple more minutes.

First, let’s actually get into our text this morning. I know we’re more than halfway through our usual time, but I think that review was helpful both as a conclusion to our series as well as context for these final verses.

So let’s look at them. First look at verse 11. Paul calls them “brothers.” Last week, remember, he had just dropped the hammer of judgment - the warning of judgment. And now he reminds them that they are brothers and sisters in Christ. And I want you to think back on our study of 2 Corinthians. Really, Paul had been writing to two groups in the church. One, the faithful believers. He is thankful that their godly grief has produced repentance. He wrote that in chapter 7. In chapter 8, he called on them to also excel in the grace of giving, just like in other areas.

But Paul has also been very direct at times with those who were not walking in godliness and truth. Some in the church were following the false apostles. Remember from chapter 11, some were “putting up with them readily enough.” And in chapter 12, Paul fears that they will not repent.

Nonetheless, they are all in the church and they are therefore brothers and sisters. He says, “finally brothers” In other words, listen to me for you are my church family.

And then notice that he gives them 5 imperatives in verses 11. That’s a lot! Five commands in one verse. And each of them connects in different ways to the rest of the letter.

Let’s briefly consider these commands.

He begins with “rejoice!” That specific Greek word for “rejoice” includes a sense that is not captured in our English word rejoice. It’s rejoicing in sadness or suffering. That is how it is used in chapter 6, “though sorrowful, we are rejoicing.” And that particular emphasis of rejoicing in suffering, directly relates to the second command in verse 11. Look at it. “Comfort one another.” That brings us all the way back to chapter 1. Comfort one another in your affliction because you share in both the affliction and comfort of Christ.

The next one is also very connected to the rest of the book. “aim for restoration.” It’s a recognition that restoration is not always possible. But as much as it depends on you, aim for restoration. Do what you can to restore those who have wandered from God’s truth and word. Remember from last week, Paul desired their restoration. Even if one of the so-called super apostles repented, he should be restored to the family of faith. Aim for restoration.

The last two imperatives in verse 11 are related. “agree with one another” and “live in peace.”

That’s one of the things that the church in Corinth struggled with. Unity. Remember, the city had people from all over… people from different cultural backgrounds. Scattered throughout 1st and 2nd Corinthians, we are given glimpses of the makeup of the church. The church had Jewish background believers in Christ. It had gentile believers from both lower classes in society and from wealthy families. It had Greeks, Romans, some from northern Africa (that’s where Apollos was from) and likely some people from Asia. Given the diversity, they struggled to get along. They often sinned against one another by quarrelling or slandering or gossip. That struggle has been well documented. And God calls them, through Paul, to agree with one another and to live in peace.

Do you see how verse 11 is like a summary?

Then after those 5 imperatives, he says, “and the God of love and peace will be with you.”

Living in harmony in Christ with one another will bring to bear the love and peace of God. In other words, with all their troubles, the Corinthians were not experiencing God’s love and peace. It’s not that they didn’t have the love of God or peace from God, but all their troubles suppressed that love and peace.

It’s very difficult to live in a community or family where people are always at odds with one another. I’ve never experienced that, but I’ve known plenty who have. It fosters relational sin that at times can spiral out of control if the forgiveness and grace of Christ does not prevail. That forgiveness and grace needed to prevail in Corinth. It needs to prevail in every church. That’s a good word for us.

And then Paul says, “greet one another with a holy kiss!” This refers to a brotherly or sisterly kind of kiss. Most believe it refers to kissing someone on the cheek – Kind of like in Italy or France today. The point is to show some kind of affection to each other. It’s a sign of commitment. Paul desired them to be with one another in person and display love and devotion because they were united together in Christ.

You can’t do that if you remain in your little tribes and only talk to your people. There’s something about being together and displaying your brotherly or sisterly affection to one another that disarms conflict.

A parallel today could be communicating in the digital world. You know, we send emails and texts. And sometimes, we inadvertently imply something that we didn’t intend. Or someone assumes something based on how we worded something. But when you are in person, many of those opportunities for miscommunication go away.

I am not saying that we should only communicate in person. In fact, that’s what this letter was, a written word. But Paul was on his way there to be with them in person. And he wanted them to be with present with one another.

And he adds, “All the saints greet you.” It was a reminder that all the believers from all the churches are bound together in Christ. We greet one another knowing that we share the amazing promises of God in him. The Corinthians were not alone. No, they shared their faith in Christ with the poor Jewish believers in Jerusalem. And with the churches of north Africa. And with the Macedonians and those in Asia minor. The were all brothers and sisters in Christ.

Ok, before we get to this great benediction in verse 14, let’s return to the question. Did the church in Corinth repent? Were the false apostles kicked out or even better come to know the truth and grace of Christ? Did those causing division and those living unholy lives return to faithful living in Chist? Did they follow through on their commitment to give to the poor saints in Jerusalem?

And the answer is, yes. Or I should probably say all indications are yes, they did.

In the beginning of Acts 20 we’re told that Paul spent 3 months in southern Greece. There is no mention of conflict in the church. Furthermore, at the end of Romans in chapter 15, Paul confirms that yes, the church in Achaia, where Corinth was, contributed to the saints in Jerusalem. And that is all consistent with the report that Titus brought to Paul earlier in chapter 7 – repentant hearts.

The work of the Holy Spirit, through Paul as a true apostle appears to have unified the church in Corinth.

As he’s writing these final words, Paul doesn’t know what will happen… But he nonetheless concludes his letter with a great benediction.

It’s one of the two most used benedictions in Scripture. The other being the Aaronic benediction from Numbers 6. In fact, 2 Corinthians 13:14 is one of the main trinitarian verses in Scripture. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ… that is, the grace that saves and the grace that sustains us. It is that grace which has been the central emphasis of every single chapter in this book - the grace found in the cross of Christ, which restores and reconciles. May that grace be the center of our ministry and lives.

And may the love of God… that is, the love of God the Father who gave his son for us. A love greater than any love anywhere at any time. It is a love that we did not deserve, but a love which God nonetheless poured out on us.

And may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit… that is the unifying work of God through his Spirit who has brought us together in Christ. It is the only thing that can break down the walls of hostility and make us one body, because he has broken down the walls in our hearts and made us one people in Christ.

May God who is three in one, in all these ways, bless and keep us, just as he did for the Corinthians. Amen?

I want to encourage you to re-read 2 Corinthians this week. I think you’ll be blessed to be reminded about all that we’ve studied.

Last week, the apostle Paul reminded the church of his fatherly love for them. Paul was their earthly spiritual father. And as their spiritual father, he warned them about their sin.

Those who had wandered from the truth and godly living needed to return to the Lord. And they needed to do that before Paul’s third visit.

In the last paragraph in chapter 12, Paul expressed his fear that the Corinthians would not repent.

That brings us to chapter 13. In our verses this morning, Paul warns them about what will happen if his fears come true. He will need to discipline them.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 13:1-10.

Prayer

Just last month, Lifeway research published a study on church discipline. They found that many churches have discipline policies but rarely are their policies put into practice. Four out of five churches have discipline policies, but only one in seven have recently put those policies into practice.

It’s not surprising. Discipline is not fun. Parents know that. Children know that. And when something difficult happens in the church as a result of someone’s behavior or belief our natural tendency is to avoid the issue, or we hope that the person who committed the offense will move on. Hard conversation and actions are difficult.

However, those difficult church discipline conversations and actions are the most loving thing that can be done. It’s loving for the sake of their souls, for the sake of any victim of their sin, and for the peace and purity of the church.

In short, church discipline matters.

Now you may have two questions in your mind. #1 – what exactly is church discipline. And #2 – how does it relate to this text in 2 Corinthians 13. Those are excellent questions.

My goal today is to answer them. In fact, the sermon outline lists several questions. Not just the what, but also the why and the how and the who. We’ll spend our time going through them, and I hope by the end you will not only have a picture of church discipline’s importance, but will also see its loving purpose in your life and our church.

1: What is church discipline and what is it not?

Question #1: What is church discipline and what is it not?

That’s a great place to start and I found a good definition from another pastor. He put it this way:  “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.”

Let me say that again. “Church discipline is the process by which the church confronts sin in the life of a believer and seeks to bring about repentance, restoration, and reconciliation.”

We’re going to see that worked out in these verses. In fact, I believe, these verses, 2 Corinthians 13:1-10 are the most helpful passage in the Bible on church discipline.

That’s a bold statement. We read another helpful passage earlier from Matthew 18. It’s considered by most to be the foremost directive for church discipline. In that passages, Jesus talks about when a brother in Christ sins against you, that you should first go to him. If he doesn’t listen, bring someone with you. And if he still doesn’t listen, Jesus says, bring the matter to the church. It’s very helpful. We’re told how to deal with sin when we are sinned against. And the church has some level of responsibility to adjudicate.

But the question is this, what does it look like for the church to handle such situations? And this is where 2 Corinthians 13 helps. It gives us an example which includes the warning of discipline, the lead up to discipline, the basis of discipline, and its purpose.

The reason that this text is about church discipline is found right there in the middle of verse 1. Take a look at it. Paul writes, “Every charge must be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Remember again from last week, Paul had just warned them about the consequences of unrepentance, and here he used the language of judgment.

That requirement of 2-3 witnesses goes back to the Old Testament laws regarding crimes and offenses. So, in other words, the warning in chapter 12 could lead to the legal action described in chapter 13, depending on whether the sin is proven. So, even though the word “discipline” is not used, these are matters involving the judgement of sin.

And that is the heart of church discipline. It’s judging and confronting serious sin in a believer’s life in order to bring peace and purity to the church.

Alright, let’s consider some examples. That’s always helpful.

First, let’s go to Corinth. As you know, we’ve spent the last 7 months working through this letter. And one of the things we’ve seen over and over is how the false apostles taught a false Gospel and were making false accusations against Paul. Those were serious matters. And add to that, at the end of chapter 12, Paul lists two other categories of sin that continued to infect the church. One category dealt with the peace of the church – he includes “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.”  Those things will tear the church apart. He then listed sins that affected the purity of the church – he mentions “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.”

So, false doctrine was being taught, an innocent party was being accused, the unity of the church body was being damaged, and the lifestyle of some in the church was contrary to God’s design. Those are serious things.

Let me expand that with some concrete examples today.

If a pastor constantly berates church staff members or volunteers with a harsh and derogatory tone, and is unrepentant about it or does not change, that pastor needs to be discipline.

If a wife or husband breaks the one-flesh union they have with their spouse by committing adultery, that wife or husband has committed a grave sin and needs discipline.

If there’s case of domestic abuse involving members of a church, the abuser needs discipline and the one being abused needs care.

Just to be sure, there are civil laws and civil punishments related to some of these situations. Those need to be worked out through the legal system. In other words, when it comes to church discipline, there are no physical punishments. Again, the civil courts handle that.

Rather, when we talk about church discipline, we are specifically talking about spiritual discipline. That means formally confronting sin and seeking repentance and restoration. That may involve requiring someone to abstain from the Lord’s Table, or it may involve removal from membership.

For the younger children here. Last week, I asked you if you had ever been warned by your parents about consequences. You said or did something that was hurtful to someone else. Maybe you lied about something, and your mom or dad sat you down and warned you. I saw many of you nodding your head, that yes, that happens.

Well, have you ever ignored their warning? Did you say or do something you parents warned you not to do? I see some nodding. Maybe you disrespected your mom or you continued to lie about something. Well, what happened? You were punished. Right? Maybe you lost a privilege like screen time or playing with friends, or maybe a spanking, or maybe you had to write an apology letter. All of those different consequences are forms of discipline. You were being disciplined by your parents.

And what was the goal of that discipline? Was it to make you mad at your parents? No. It was to help you learn what is good and right and true. It’s so that you would learn how to love others and how to be truthful and honest and hardworking.

Well, it’s a similar thing in this chapter. Turns out, adults need disciple, too.

The truth is, we are all selfish. We desire things that are not ours. We commit acts that dishonor God and break the trust and unity in the church. Even though the power and penalty of sin has been removed by Christ, those in him still have the presence of sin, and we all are still on the path of sanctification and renewal.

2. What is the basis of church discipline?

So that is generally what church discipline is about. Which brings us to a second question.  Actually, this question is not on the outline – it’s a late addition, but it is crucial.

What is the basis of church discipline?

Church discipline needs to be based on the truth. It needs to pursue truth. This is absolutely critical. It’s why these verses begin with the need for 2-3 credible witnesses. It’s why Paul sent multiple brothers to Corinth to assess the situation. And look at verse 8. “For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.” There has to be truthful and credible testimony and evidence. It’s really easy to make assumptions and it’s really easy for someone to twist or pervert the truth in defense of sin or out of retribution or revenge. The truth is not always clear and that makes it difficult, but credible testimony and witnesses need to be pursued. In other words, church discipline needs to stand for what is true and right and good and it needs to be based on what is true and right and good.

Those given charge to care for your souls and care for the church need to pursue the truth with diligence and care.

That is really important, so I wanted to include that question.

3. What are its goals?

Ok, the next question is also very important. Actually, all of these are very important, but I think this one needs to be front and center. What is the goal of discipline?

In a word the goal of spiritual discipline is “restoration.”  Look at verse 9. Second half of the verse. “Your restoration is what we pray for.”

Paul desired that those in Corinth who were committing these grievous acts or who held to these unorthodox beliefs be restored. He wanted those who were gossiping and slandering other believers to put an end to the destruction that they were causing. He desired that the church forgive one another and be unified.

In fact, he talked about repentance and forgiveness back in chapters 2 and 7. One of Paul’s critics had repented from undermining Paul, and the apostle urged the church to restore him. He forgave this man, and so should the church.

Verse 10 expands on the goal of restoration. Paul said that his use of authority is for “building up and not tearing down” That’s at the end of verse 10. Church discipline is to build up the body of Christ. It’s just like how the discipline of a child is for their maturity.

The goal of church discipline is always repentance and restoration, which builds up the body of Christ.

Now, to be sure, the destruction that some sin causes may not be reparable in this life. Some marriages broken by adultery are not reparable. Or worse, think about murder. It’s also devastating. But let me say this, there is no sinful act that God will not forgive for those who come to him with a true repentance…. That is, who come to him with a heart grief for one’s sin not just feeling sorry, and seek to turn from it.

4. What precedes discipline?

Next question. What should precede discipline? In other words, at what point should a formal church discipline process begin?

Part of the answer is found all throughout 1 and 2 Corinthians. Over and over Paul conveyed his love for the church. Over and over he identified sin in their midst that needed to be dealt with. He’s been very specific about it. Over and over he has called them to return to faithful living and belief. And over and over Paul warned the church of the consequences.

All of that is part of spiritual discipline, but in 2 Corinthians 13, the apostle warns of a formal process involving witnesses and authority and judgment.

What I am saying is that that step needs to be the very last step after ample displays of love, ample warnings, and ample opportunities to be restored.

Just to be sure, there are situations like abuse where for the sake of the victim, church discipline needs to be accelerated. But even then, it needs to be done carefully, with firm resolve, with a clear warning about the gravity of that sin, and a call to repentance and change.

Look at verse 2. “ I warned those who sinned before and all the others, and I warn them now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, that if I come again I will not spare them.” Multiple warnings. In fact, this chapter is not the implementation of discipline. Rather it is a final warning. This is the discipline they will experience if they didn’t repent.

To sum up this answer: discipline needs to be preceded by patient, loving, clear, and firm warnings about the consequences of sin and the judgment of God.

5. What is the message of discipline?

Next, what is the message of discipline?

The message of church discipline is a plea for self-examination. Look at verse 5: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!”

Church discipline should implore the offender to search his heart. The severity of the unrepentant sin may indicate that he not a believer in Christ.

In other words, the message of spiritual discipline is the message of the Gospel. It needs to be. The message is that Jesus’ death and resurrection defeated sin and death. As Romans 6 asks, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” If you have been redeemed by Christ, then by the ministry of the Holy Spirit in you, God enables you to repent of that sin and to pursue righteousness.

That does not mean that dealing with the vestiges of sin in our lives is easy. No. But it does mean that God gives believers a heart grief of their sin and a desire to turn from it. And we have the help of the church to come along side of us as we seek to walk in the newness of life in Christ. Church discipline is about unrepentant sin and therefore its message is the Gospel.

That is why Paul called the Corinthians to examine themselves. The test is whether they are in the faith, as verse 5 puts it. Discipline is a call not just for repentance from a specific sin but it is a call for repentance unto life - true Gospel repentance that sees our utter need for the mercy of God and turns to Jesus by faith as our Savior.

This is the message of spiritual discipline. Furthermore, it is why, if the discipline is not heeded, that the one being disciplined should be removed from membership. We call that excommunication. Jesus said, “if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” In other words, treat him as an unbeliever.

And let me ask, how do you treat an unbeliever? By loving them and witnessing to them the love of God in Christ… and calling them to faith and repentance.

6. What is the perception?

Next, what is the perception of church discipline? Well, the perception is often negative.

Sometimes its perceived negatively because it was handled poorly, perhaps by leaders who have no history or understanding of loving servant leadership.

However, oftentimes spiritual discipline is handled lovingly and carefully but still considered harsh or as I heard recently, legalistic.

In particular, the ones receiving the discipline often react against it. That’s what was happening in Corinth. Some turned the tables on Paul. They claimed that he failed the test of faith. That’s found twice in here. First in verse 3, they wanted proof that Christ was speaking through Paul because according to the false-apostles, Paul was not an apostle. They questioned his authority.

Then in verse 7, Paul says that he prays to God “that you may do right, though we may seem to have failed.” Some had been calling him a failure.

In both cases, the call to repentance was met with a counter-attack against Paul. But notice that he received it with grace. He says in verse 9, “For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong.” And that is when he says, “your restoration is what we seek.”

In other words, Paul would rather appear weak if it meant that they would be strong in the faith and return to the Lord and to faithfulness in him.

Even though the perception of discipline is often negative and often responded to with criticism, it should not deter the church from a loving, thoughtful, and diligent call to faith and repentance.

7. Where does the authority come from?

One more question and it’s related. Where does the authority for discipline come from?

And the answer is that the authority has been given by the Lord, himself. Paul makes that clear in verse 10. To be sure, Paul was specifically speaking about his apostleship. In the establishment of the early church, the apostles were given the initial authority. But the ongoing authority has been given to the shepherds of God’s flock. Those are the elders which the Lord establishes in his church. So, the authority comes from the Lord and is given to the church through her elders. And those elders are themselves accountable to the Lord and subject to the same discipline that they oversee.

So, the ultimate authority is Christ. But he uses his church to protect his church and to maintain its purity and peace.

Conclusion

To summarize:

1. What is church discipline? It is the loving and careful process that confronts unrepentant sin, calls for repentance and restoration of the sinners and seeks peace and purity in the church.

2. What should discipline be based on? Discipline cases need to be based on truth and credible witnesses.

3. What are its goals? The restoration of the believer, the building up in maturity unto Christ, and the peace and purity of the church.

4. What should precede discipline? Formal discipline should be undertaken only after many loving and thoughtful attempts to confront sin, except in special cases involving egregious sin.

5. What is the message of discipline? Its message is the message of the Gospel – repent and believe for as verse 4 says, “he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God.” The death and resurrection of Christ are at the center of discipline’s call and its power to overcome sin.

6. What is the perception of discipline? Even though discipline is often perceived negatively or countered with baseless accusations, it should still be undertaken with humility and care.

And 7. Where does the authority come from? The authority for discipline comes from Christ. He is Lord and King of the church and he entrusts that authority to the elders of his church who are called to fulfill that discipline, faithfully.

I want to say that if you would like to talk through any of these points in more detail, please reach out to me. I recognize there’s a lot here and these are difficult things.

Let me leave you with this.

May we be a church that seeks purity and peace. And may our elders lovingly and earnestly pursue us if we go astray… and if necessary, with spiritual discipline that points us to the Gospel.

And may we as members receive the discipline, return to Christ, and be restored to his body, the church, all under the authority of Christ, our Lord.

Love that Longs for Repentance

Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 12:14-21. That is on page 1152 in the provided Bibles.

The apostle Paul is wrapping up his defense of his apostleship. And in these verses, he lets the Corinthians know that he will be visiting them again, soon. This will be his third visit.

Paul’s first visit was when he established the church in Corinth. He was there for 18 months. Paul’s second visit was the painful visit he made a few months prior to writing this letter.

And this third trip would be to check in on them and if necessary, deal firmly with their ongoing sin.

As you will hear, Paul hopes they will repent, but fears they won’t.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 12:14-21

Prayer

In 1962, Dick and Judy Hoyt gave birth to a son, Rick. Rick was born with a severe case of Cerebral Palsey. He was unable to move his legs, had limited use of his arms, and he was unable to speak.

The Hoyts loved their son. They worked with him, and he learned to communicate through gestures and a rudimentary keyboard and screen.

When Rick was 15, he communicated to his dad he wanted to race in a 5 mile road race. It was to raise money for a high schooler who had become paralyzed in an accident.

So, they did it! Rick’s dad pushed Rick in his wheelchair for 5 miles, and Rick loved it. It made him feel like he could walk and run. Dick Hoyt would end up not only pushing his son in road races, but he made a special seat to carry him on a bicycle. He would also row a boat and tow Rick behind him, as if he were swimming. They competed in over 1,100 races including triathlons and marathons. In fact, both Rick and his dad are in the Ironman hall of fame. They have inspired many many others. Rick’s dad would do anything for his son.

In the same way, the apostle Paul would do anything for the church in Corinth. He considered himself their spiritual father. Not their Heavenly Father, but their spiritual father on earth.

And it’s true. Paul brought the Gospel to Corinth. He labored for months and months to teach them about Jesus and God’s promises fulfilled in him. Paul discipled them in their daily walk with Christ. He organized the church in Corinth. He brought the new believers together and taught them how to worship the Lord well. He modelled for them how to witness. He, in a sense, carried them.

He loved them like a father would love a child. And that is why he wrote multiple letters. It’s why he visited them twice up to this point. And it’s why he sent Titus and Timothy, to minister on his behalf when he couldn’t be there.

Paul loved them.

Let me ask, what would a loving father do in such a situation? Some of his spiritual children were not living the life that he taught them. Some of them had been believing in false doctrine – worldly philosophy. Others were even questioning his motives.

What would a loving father do?

Even if you never knew your father, or even if your father was abusive or overbearing or didn’t seem to care or was mostly absent, even if one of those things, I think you can still probably imagine what a loving father would do. Maybe you saw it in someone else.

Here’s what I think.

A loving father would #1 express his unconditional love to them in no uncertain terms.

#2 a loving father would need to correct them. If people had been accusing him of things that were not true (like what was happening in Corinth) a loving father would make it clear what was true and why. If they believed in something that was not true, he would seek to instruct them in what is right.

So, love and correction.

Then 3rd. A loving father would be firm. A loving father disciplines his children. That discipline may include warnings of consequences if their behavior persists.

And lastly, and not least, #4 a loving father would grieve. All these things would weigh heavily on him.

These verses display all of those things. Paul was acting as a loving father for his spiritual children in Corinth.

There are three progressions in his fatherly communication. You’ll see them in the outline.

1. Seeking and sacrificing (12:14-15) – Paul displays a fatherly love that pursues no matter the cost

2. Dispelling deceit (12:16-19) – He speaks the truth in love to build them up

3. Fearing the fallout (12:20-21) – Paul warns them and grieves the devastation of unrepentant sin.

1. Seeking and sacrificing

So, let’s work through those.

Number 1, seeking and sacrificing. That’s what the apostle was doing. He was pursuing them no matter the cost.

We see that right there in verse 14. He was saying to them, I’m ready to come to you a third time and there’s nothing about my visit that will materially burden you. You don’t need to financially support me. No, rather, I’m coming soon to help you.

And then, he makes this beautiful declaration to them. “I seek not what is yours, but you.” I want you. I love you. I care about you.

Isn’t that what we all want to hear? It moving.

I want you to know here that your spiritual fathers and brothers love you. I’m talking about our elders. We love you. I love you. We pray for you. We seek to spiritually care for you. Yes, our love for you is imperfect. We’ll get to the perfect love of our heavenly Father in a moment. But we desire to care for and minister to your souls as your earthly spiritual fathers.

Paul loved the Corinthians and he wanted their hearts. And this is where he uses the parent/child analogy. He says, “For children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.”

All parents should care for and provided for their young children’s needs – you know, a place to sleep, a roof over their head, clothing, education, guidance. Parents should save and sacrifice.

Now, when a child becomes an adult, that child typically should take on many of the responsibilities for themselves. There are, of course, special situations.  If that adult child comes to have a family of his own or her own, they should then sacrifice for their own children.

This is what Paul is alluding to in a general sense.

Essentially, he was saying that as their spiritual father, he was pouring out his life for them.

Another beautiful phrase is right there in verse 15, “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.”

He has given himself. As we’ve gone through 2 Corinthians, you’ve heard over and over about his love for them and his desire for them to mature in Christ. He would spend whatever it took for them - his time, his emotional energy, his own resources. He would endure all the risks and suffering to minister to their souls.

That is the level of sacrifice that Paul was making for them

He wants them to know of his sacrificial love.

And he ends verse 15 with a question. “if I love you more, am I to be loved less?” He did love them, that’s very true. And so, it was a gentle appeal to them that they return his love. I’ve poured out my life for you. Will you love me in return.

He’s sought them and sacrificed for them, and he desired that they respond to the love he’s displayed.

2. Dispelling deceit (12:16-19)

Which brings us to verses 16-19. Dispelling deceit.

There were a lot of issues in the church in Corinth. We know from the letter of 1 Corinthians that the church struggled with sexual sin. The church also struggled with disunity. We’ll see that spelled out in verses 20 and 21. In this letter, 2 Corinthains, we’ve seen how the false apostles perverted the teaching of Christ. Paul had to correct that. They were also arrogant. These so-called super apostles boasted in worldly credentials. They lived lives unbecoming of faithful believers. And they undermined Paul and his ministry.

They even claimed that Paul was deceitful. That’s what verse 16 says. They claimed that Paul was somehow taking advantage of them (verse 17). Now, we’re not given specifics, but since he just talked about not being a financial burden, it’s likely they claimed Paul was in some way profiting from his relationship with them. But it was all false.

Let me ask a difficult question. When someone makes a false accusation against you and is actively spreading it around, should you make a defense?

Do you defend yourself?

It’s a difficult question because Jesus, when he was reviled, did not revile in return. When Pilate questioned him, he didn’t speak. When slander was heaped upon him, he received it. Furthermore, Jesus taught us to turn the other cheek which means to not retaliate.

Does that mean we should not defend ourselves when someone is lying and spreading that lie?

It’s a hard question. Generally, I believe we should stand for what is true.

When rumors or lies are spread about you or the church, depending what they are, they may bring undeserved shame upon the name of Christ. False public claims and distortions of the truth may cast dishonor on the name of Christ.

If they do, then in those situations, I believe we should be clear about what was said or done or happened. We should not do that in a retaliatory or vindictive way, but for the sake of Christ and his bride, the church, we should make the truth known.

Again, I’m speaking about slander that is being spread. In most cases, we should defend the truth because it seeks to restore honor to Christ. But it needs to be done in a way that is honorable and loving.

Look at verse 19. Paul had just defended Titus and himself. He makes it clear that they were not taking advantage of the Corinthians. And then he says this (verse 19), “Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? It is in the sight of God that we have been speaking in Christ…”

Much of this whole letter has been a defense. Paul has not been ultimately defending himself, rather he’s been defending the reputation of God. God is the one who had called Paul to his role as an apostle. Paul self-defense and his defense of the Gospel is a defense of Christ and his ministry.

And verse 19 ends with another affirmation of Paul’s love for them. He says, “all for your upbuilding, beloved.” The truth of the Gospel and the truth of Paul’s ministry is what the church needed to hear. It was all done with the goal that they return to faithfulness. And so, Paul defends what is true.

We need to dispel deceit in loving and clear ways to bring honor to Christ and his bride.

3. Fearing the fallout (12:20-21)

Ok, #3 Fearing the fallout – verses 20-21

So far, the apostle has affirmed his fatherly love for the church in no uncertain terms. I do not want what is yours, but you. And I will gladly spend and be spent for your souls.

He’s furthermore defended himself against deceit. In defending his reputation and his love for them, he was defending Christ. It was all for their building up.

And now, in these last two verses of the chapter, Paul firmly warns them. It’s a fatherly firmness that they needed to hear.

Let me ask the kids, her. Do your parents ever warn you? I’m guessing they do.

Maybe you did something or said something that was disrespectful or selfish, and your mom or dad had to sit you down.

What did they say? Well, from experience (on both sides), your mom or dad probably gave you a warning and some reasons. Right?

For example, “yesterday you said that your homework was done so you could play with your friends. I found out that you were lying. It may seem small but lying breaks trust. It dishonors God because we are called to be people of truth and walk in the light. So, I will be checking your homework, and if you lie again, you will lose the privilege of playing with your friends for a week.”

Does that sound familiar? That is a warning from a loving parent to a child.

That is what the apostle Paul was doing here. He was sternly warning them about their actions and warning them about his upcoming visit, but he does it in a gentle way.

He uses the word “fear.” Did you notice that at the beginning of verse 20 and 21? “I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish…” and verse 21, again, “I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented.”

He uses the word fear because he does not want to see the Corinthians enmeshed in sin. He knows the near term and long term consequences of their sin, and he doesn’t want to see his children experience those consequences. And so he makes clear their need to repent, which means to see their sin, to grieve over it, turn from it, and back to God.

Ok, briefly, let’s look at the two lists of sin here. The first list in verse 20 includes relational sin within the church. “quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.” Those are all things that destroy the body of Christ.

The second list are sins related to the purity of their minds and bodies. “impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality.” These are sins that destroy the body and pollute the mind. Each of those lists is destructive in different ways. Those two lists are essentially what Paul’s first letter focused on. That sin still plagued the church at that time.

Paul loved them and longed to see them repent. But he feared that that they wouldn’t. And so, as a loving father, he mourned.

I don’t know a godly parent who doesn’t mourn and grieve and pray for their wayward child. They plead with the Lord and they pray. They love their child or children children by seeking them, sacrificing for them, being clear about their sin, but reminding them of the mercy of God if they turn from it back to him.

You see, these are the words of a loving father, the apostle Paul, to his wayward children, some in the Corinthian church.

1. He sought them with all his heart and sacrificed for their souls. 2. He defended the truth with grace and love, and 3. He longed to see them repent, firmly warning them of their path.

The Love of the Father through Christ

This is fatherly love. And this love that the apostle Paul displays is patterned after the love of God the Father for you and for me.

God’s love is the love that underlies this whole section of 2 Corinthians 12. Every single aspect of fatherly love here reflects the love of God for his children.

First, he is seeking you. verse 14. God “seeks not what is yours but you.” That’s true. The Father doesn’t want your gifts to him or your sacrifices. No, he wants you. He seeks you. He wants your heart. We read from Micah 6 in our call to worship this morning. “With what shall I come before the Lord…? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”  And then Micah says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

He seeks you and your heart.

Second, he has sacrificed for you. Verse 15. “I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls.” God the Father has made an infinite sacrifice for you and for your soul. The Father sacrificed his eternal Son as payment for your sin. Jesus gave his life that you may live.

Paul’s life as an apostle is patterned after the ministry of God in Christ. Paul suffered and would eventually be killed bringing the Gospel to the ends of the earth. But God gave infinitely more. Jesus endured the wrath of God, which you and I deserve, so that we may know him and be reconciled to him by faith. What more could God spend than himself for your salvation.

Third, God has given us his Word of truth. This Word is for all the world to see and know. This Word condemns deceit. It stands against injustice. It reveals truth and righteousness. God has lovingly given us his Word that we might know him and pursue him. And all of it, to use the words of verse 19, are for our upbuilding.

And fourth, and finally, God longs for us to repent and turn to him. This is the call to all humanity that is found all through the Bible. God calls all to repent and turn to him by faith. All through the Old Testament God displayed his mercy and lovingkindness. But his people rejected him and his commandments. They were unfaithful to him. God justly warned of his judgment, but all the while he mercifully sought their return to him.

This is the same fatherly love that he gives us

The apostle Peter captures it well in 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

As we come to a close, I want to ask you to evaluate your own heart and life. Each of us falls into one of three categories (related to these verses).

1. God is your loving Father and with a repentant heart, you are pursuing him by faith. Is that you? If so, press on by faith, continue to rely on him, continue to know his Word, and be reminded of his love for you in Christ.

2. God is your loving Father, but you, like some of the Corinthians, have wandered away from him. Maybe an unrepentant sin has taken hold of your life. Or maybe you’ve bought into a worldly philosophy like what the false apostles taught. If that is you, know that God loves you and longs for you to return to him.

3. Or maybe you fall into a 3rd category. God is pursuing you as a loving Father would pursue a wayward child. But you have yet to embrace his love. If that is you, know that God himself is seeking you. He has sacrificed his Son for you. He has spoken the truth to you with the firm resolve of a loving Father. And he desires you to submit your life to him by faith.

Whichever category you are in, may God be at work in you because he is the loving Father.

Christ’s Power Made Perfect in Weakness

Please turn to 2 Corinthians chapter 12. That is on page 1152 of your pew Bibles.

We are on the home stretch in our 2 Corinthians study. We’ll be wrapping up our series over the next 4 weeks.

This morning, we’ll cover chapter 12 verses 1-13. It has one of the most well-known verses in the book. And it’s a great one. The Lord said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” What a tremendous promise.

As I read, listen for the context of that promise. Also listen for the unique experiences and gifts given to the apostles.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 12:1-13.

Prayer

“To live is to suffer.” That well-known quote has been attributed to a couple of people in history. Again, “To live is to suffer.” Whoever said it has captured one of the common experiences of all mankind. To be sure, it doesn’t capture all the things we share, but it does capture the fact that we live in a fallen world. And part of that fallenness, which we all experience, is suffering.

We each endure pain and suffering. Some to a greater extent and others to a lesser one. Some of our suffering is physical, other suffering is emotional. Some of it has been inflicted upon us by others. Some of our suffering is due to the imperfections of our minds and bodies. To use the words of Romans 8, the whole creation has been groaning… and we groan inwardly.

You may struggle with chronic illness or live with the results of an accident. Or endure the effects of a disease that you had, or perhaps you were born with a condition of some kind that affects you every day. Maybe you have or have had cancer, or endure debilitating headaches, or struggle with vertigo, or seizures or mental illness. Or maybe the burden you carry is the suffering that a loved one is enduring.

All of it is hard. All of it weighs on us. We lose sleep. We shed tears of heartache. Like Paul, we plead for the Lord to relieve our pain and suffering. We cry out for help. We long to be comforted and we long to be whole.

Out of all the verses in the entire Bible, I think 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 brings the greatest comfort and hope to our souls. It directs us to the source of our comfort and it reveals from where we can draw strength in weakness. And that is, in Christ.

I hope and pray that you will leave here today with a renewed strength in God as you endure suffering and sickness.

But before we get to those precious verses, verses 7-10, let’s first figure out what this third heaven is and who experienced it, and then ponder Paul’s thorn in the flesh. I think understanding those things will in fact increase your comfort from this Word.

By the way, I did get an outline in the bulletin this week. It’s there on page 4.

We’re first going to look at Paul’s calling as an Apostle (you know, capital A, Apostle), including the things unique to his role, as well as the things we share with him.

And then second, we’ll apply God’s grace in Christ in our own weaknesses.

1. Paul’s unique calling and our shared struggle

So, #1, Paul’s unique calling and our shared struggle.

Remember, the whole reason that Paul has entered into the foolishness of boasting is because of the so-called super-apostles. They’re mentioned here, again. They had elevated themselves. They taught a false Gospel. And they undermined Paul and his teaching. All of it threatened the stability and future of the church in Corinth.

Therefore, Paul needed to demonstrate his trustworthiness and the truth of the Gospel he proclaimed.

So, Paul had to boast, but it pained him. It pained him because he knew that any and all of the ministry that has happened through him was not because of himself. No, it was all attributable to God. Paul had a special calling as an Apostle, but he knew he was unworthy of that role, yet God had called him to it.

So, he’s been boasting over these last 2 chapters only to counter the super apostles. And now, in chapter 12 verse 1, he continues to boast and says, “I will go on to visions and revelations.”

And then look at verse 2. He begins, “I know a man” and then describes the revelations that this guy experienced. Who is that guy? Well, it’s Paul himself. He basically says so in verse 7. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations [you know, the thing he just described], a thorn was given me in the flesh”

This is like saying today, “Asking for a friend.” Like “is it ok to wear the same pair of socks two days in a row? asking for a friend.” You say “asking for a friend” because you really don’t want to admit you are the one asking. But everyone knows, it’s really you.

Paul referred to himself in the third person because he just can’t bring himself to boast about the amazing revelations he’s seen. This man, AKA, Paul, has been caught up into “third heaven.” What in the world is the third heaven?  Well, at that time, there was a well-known way to describe the different levels of the heavens. The first heaven was the realm of the clouds and the blue sky; if you will, our atmosphere. The second heaven was the realm of the sun, moon, and stars, what we call outer space. And the third heaven was the spiritual realm, what we just call heaven – in the presence of the Lord. Paul describes it in verse 3 as “paradise.”

So, Paul, as an apostle had been given a revelation of heaven. It was so real to him, he didn’t even know if he was in the body or out of the body. Had God physically taken him to heaven to see its wonders, or had God only brought his spirit to see and hear? Paul didn’t know. But he did know… it was unspeakably amazing.

Now, in the book of Revelation, we are given a glimpse into this kind of revelation. The apostle John was taken up into heaven and Jesus revealed to him many things. John was told to write down what he saw and heard. Paul, on the other hand was told not to. In some way, it was to assure him of the truth and of God’s promises.

I mean, think of all the suffering that Paul had to endure as an apostle. Think of all those things that we considered in chapter 11. The beatings, the shipwrecks, the dangers. Would not the visions revealed to Paul give him confidence in God. Would they not inspire and motivate him to persevere as an Apostle despite the suffering that he would endure? Of course they would. They would do all those things.

But he couldn’t boast about the revelations as himself. He could only boast about them in his God ordained role as a true apostle.

Now, jump down to verse 12. It’s very similar in this regard. He writes, “The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works.” Same thing. In verse 12 Paul can’t even name himself as the one who performed the signs. So, he uses a passive voice. But the Corinthians were there. They knew full well that it was Paul that performed the signs and wonders… which, by the way, were likely healings and miracles. Besides Paul, other apostles performed them. We have record of several in the book of Acts.

Consider this. Out of all the arguments about Paul’s true apostleship, these are the strongest - visions and revelations and signs and wonders. Yet in all of it, Paul minimized himself and exalted God.

Now, we don’t share in those special things. We’re not apostles…  Those things were given to the apostles.

But there is something we do share with them. We share in their weaknesses.

All throughout 2 Corinthians, we’ve studied the emphasis on suffering. To be sure, Paul has demonstrated his unique roll as a suffering servant for Christ. But he’s also expanded God’s teaching to includes all believers.

Chapter 1: remember, we share in the suffering of Christ and in his comfort.

Chapter 4: we have the unbreakable treasure of the Gospel in our breakable jars of clay bodies.

Chapter 5: we groan in the tent that is our earthly body, and we long to put on our heavenly body.

And now in chapter 12. Christ’s power is made perfect in weakness. And furthermore, just like Paul, we each have thorns in our flesh.

We share those things.

OK, you are probably wondering: what was Paul’s thorn? As you can imagine, there have been dozens of proposals through the centuries. Some have suggested Paul’s thorn was a physical ailment such as migraines, or a speech impediment, or an eye condition, or some kind of disfigurement. That’s possible.

Others have suggested it was more opposition to his work. That view sees the messenger of Satan as an individual or group opposed to Paul. They were  “thorns in his flesh” so to speak. That’s also possible.

Personally, I think it was more likely a physical condition given that he calls it a thorn in his “flesh.”

But in the end, it doesn’t matter. The Holy Spirit saw fit in his wisdom to not identify the thorn. We don’t need to know. And in many ways, it is helpful for us not to know.

In fact, look at verse 10. Notice that the types of suffering listed are broad.  “weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.” Those are basically all the kinds of suffering that we experience. All of it is a result of living in a fallen world. Our thorns in the flesh could be many things.

Let me share one of my “thorns in the flesh.”

18 years ago, I was teaching a class. It was an intensive 5-day class in my field of work at the time. In the middle of the class on I think the second or third day, I lost my ability to say certain words. I would be in the middle of a sentence, and I couldn’t say the next word. I had never experienced that before. It was a kind of stuttering. There were certain consonants that just wouldn’t come out. I would get locked up. I had a hard time speaking.

It was overwhelming. I was afraid and I didn’t know what to do at first. At the time, I was only maybe 10 seminary classes away from finishing my degree. A career change was on my mind in the future. And I thought, if I can’t talk clearly, I can’t teach the Bible or preach.

I prayed for healing and for the Lord to give me strength. Amy, of course, was a big encouragement. I was able to get some help. There are ceratin strategies to navigate those moments. It’s mostly gone, but occasionally it comes back. Even today, I have to pause or take a breath before I can say certain words. And you probably don’t notice it.

Honestly, I don’t remember if 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 came to mind in those difficult days. But certainly, its truths have become real to me. It was humbling, like Paul experienced with his thorn in the flesh. And it’s been a constant reminder to rely on the Lord and his strength and his grace in my weakness.

I know many of you have a different thorn, but we share the same strength and grace. Strength in Christ and grace in him.

2. God’s grace in Christ and his power in our weakness

Which brings us to main point number 2. God’s grace in Christ and his power in our weakness.

We’ll spend the rest of our time applying these truths to our suffering and weakness.

The first thing to note is that there are two causes here. Besides the thorn being in God’s sovereign plan, Satan was also present to tempt Paul.

Maybe the apostle Paul has Job in mind. We read from Job chapter 2 earlier. God allowed Satan to afflict Job. Satan thought that Job would curse God, but Job stood firm through that temptation. So did the apostle.

I think every single one of us understands the temptation of weakness. God, where are you? Why have you not brought healing or restoration? Have you forgotten me? Have I done something to deserve this? Those are the questions we struggles through.

And let me say, if there’s nothing else you remember from 2 Corinthians, remember that God ministers to us in our suffering. He understands our suffering, he is with us in it, and he uses it for his purposes.

One big thing that 2 Corinthians has taught us is to reorient our theology of suffering. We’ve learned that God uses suffering in our life for his purposes. And, throughout the book, we’ve been given hope and strength to endure.

But what are those purposes?

Well, to name a few… In chapter 1, we learned that affliction helps us to rely on God more. That’s certainly true. Suffering should drive us to Christ.

God also uses our affliction so that we can minister to others who similarly suffer. Remember, we are able to comfort others with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.

In Chapter 4, God directed our attention in suffering to the eternal weight of glory. Our suffering points us to heaven and the amazing glory that we will experience.

And here in chapter 12, God used Paul’s thorn in two ways. (1) to keep him from being conceited -to humble him. Suffering certainly does that. And (2), to remind Paul of God’s grace as he endured his suffering. Suffering helps us to lay hold of God’s grace.

That really encapsulates the first subpoint in point #2 - Knowing God’s purposes in our weakness (12:7-8)

God is at work in your suffering. Do you believe that? Do you believe that God is conforming you more and more to the image of his Son. It’s true. Through suffering, God may be releasing your reliance on the world or the world’s things. That’s possible. He may be getting hold of your attention. Or maybe it’s all of those things or something all together different.

Whatever it is, know this: God is at work accomplishing his purposes in your suffering.

Number 2, the second subpoint. If you are a believer in Christ, you have God’s grace. You have God’s undeserved mercy in Christ. And that grace, as verse 9 reminds us, IS sufficient for you in your weakness.

It is sufficient because the power of Christ has come through weakness. Jesus suffered in this life. He endured the trials and pain and torture unto death. It was through those things, through that affliction and weakness, that God has brought salvation to the world.

Isn’t it amazing to consider how the weakness and suffering of our savior ultimately demonstrated his power? That is the power that verse 9 is talking about. In the cross of Christ is the power to save, and the power to sanctify, and the power to overcome sin and Satan. It is that power, the power of Christ which rests upon us, as verse 9 puts it.

So, beloved in Christ, in your weaknesses and trials and suffering, remind yourself of that grace which he gives. It is eternally sufficient to sustain you.

That brings us to the third sub-point listed there. Contentment. Paul says in verse 10, “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.”

None of us, by nature, are content with any of those things. We could go through that list and talk about how in each of those things we can become resentful. For example, take that last one – calamities. This last week has been so very hard with the flooding in Texas. Our hearts ache for the families who have lost loved ones, especially those little girls. Yes, we should be crying out to God, but our hearts should at the same time not become resentful. We can grieve and ask God why, but we can do that with a humble contentment in God’s promises and what he is doing through that disaster.

By the way, that word contentment, in the Greek, means to take pleasure in the implications of something. We can be content because we know that God’s purposes are being fulfilled in those things. As Romans 8:28 says, we know that all things work together for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purposes. It doesn’t say all things are good. It says, all things work together for the good of those who love him.

The difficult providence of suffering is not what we would choose for ourselves or others, but God uses it. He uses it to accomplish his purposes as he has in Paul. The question is whether we will allow our suffering to drive us away from Christ and cause us to become resentful or whether we will allow our suffering to drive us to Christ and be content in him through it.

The last subpoint, #4. Embracing his strength in our weakness. Really the second half of verse 10 summarizes it all. “For when I am weak, then I am strong.” This is totally contrary to our sensibilities. Strength, according to the world, is being firm and leading with confidence. It’s being self-reliant and influencing others through our position. Strength in the world is about achievements and successes. In other words, it’s all the things that the super-apostles were about. But none of those things will help you in the trials and tribulations of life.

Rather, strength comes through weakness. That’s the paradox of the Gospel. We are strong through weakness when we humble ourselves and rely on Christ alone by faith. We are strong when we submit to him no matter the suffering we face. It doesn’t mean we can’t lament. Many of the Psalms are Psalms of lament. We are strong when we allow God to mold and shape us in our suffering.

All that strength in weakness comes through Jesus Christ. Though he possessed the full glory of God as God, yet he set aside that glory and became weak. He took on the weakness of human flesh. He endured the sufferings and afflictions of this life. He bore our sin on the cross. But he was raised in power and exalted on high.

You see, his grace IS sufficient because his power IS made perfect in weakness. And because he shares in our weakness, we share in his strength.

That strength will sustain you through all the suffering in this life. The devil may tempt you. Your fear and pain may at times may be overwhelming, but in those moments, renew your faith in Christ. Look to him knowing that his purposes are being fulfilled in you, and know that nothing will separate you from him. Back to Romans 8 one more time. “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

May we grasp on to that great truth through whatever weakness and suffering we endure. Amen.

Please remain standing. Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 11:16-33. Please turn there. It is on page 1152.

In this passage, the apostle Paul comes back to the theme of boasting. He introduced it in chapter 10. Remember, our boasting should be in the Lord and his work, not ourselves and our work. That was in contrast to the super apostles, who boasted in themselves.

That is why, at the beginning of chapter 11, Paul had the most pointed critique of them yet. They taught a different Gospel and were actually messengers of Satan.

That brings us to our text this morning. As you will hear, Paul hates their boasting. But to counter the super apostles, he first sarcastically boasts in his credentials and then surprisingly he boasts in something very different.

Listen for those things as I read.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 11:16-33

Prayer

On the world stage, there is no shortage of bragging and arrogance. I’m talking mainly about world leaders. I think there’s been an increase over the last couple of decades. We certainly saw it back in the late1990s with Hugo Chavez in Venezuela. Vladimir Putin in Russia has certainly displayed a confident arrogance in his 25 years of power. And no matter your political opinions, I think everyone here would agree: our current president is quite the self-promoter, and I’m being kind.

Now, don’t be distracted by that comment. Stay with me.

Let me say that none of this is new. If we go back to the first century in the Roman Empire, boasting was at a similar high. In fact, I read in a commentary this week that Ceasar Augustus, one of the great Roman Emperors, raised the bar of self-promotion. Near the end of his life, Augustus wrote a short treatise about himself. Listen to the title - “The Deeds of the Divine Augustus.” It was released in the year of his death, AD 14. In it, Augustus highlighted all of his successes – his military accomplishments, his public works, his diplomacy, and his reforms in the empire. You can find it online.

In it, you will read over and over. “I did this, I did that.” I triumphed over such and such nations. I built the senate house and the capital building. Four times, I helped the senatorial treasury with my own money. I restored peace to the sea from pirates. I gave shows of gladiators under my name. I extended the borders of the empire… etc. etc.

This kind of self-absorbed boasting permeated the culture of the Roman Empire.

And to give a little historical context, it was published about 60 years after Corinth was re-settled as a Roman city; 20 years before Jesus’ crucifixion, and about 40 years before Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.

So, it is no surprise that the false apostles in Corinth praised themselves. That is what you did if you were to be known and honored. We’ve seen it over and over, these “super apostles” did not live by the Spirit with a humble and contrite heart. No, rather they lived by the world’s standards and beliefs and lifestyle. And part of that was to elevate themselves and their own self-defined credentials.

As we just read, the apostle Paul hated it. In verses 16 to 21 he calls it all foolishness. In fact, look at verse 19. He writes to the church, “for you gladly bear with fools.” So, not only was their boasting foolish, but the false apostles themselves were fools.

That word fool or foolish, if you remember from our Proverbs study, can be understood either as passively ignorant, you know, not really knowing any better… or being foolish can be understood in a more active way, someone being unwise with a senseless arrogance. That second understanding best fits the context. Paul even sarcastically calls the Corinthians “wise.” You see that in the second half of 19. “For you gladly bear with fools, being wise yourselves!” It wasn’t wisdom at all, but rather foolishness.

So, that was part of the problem in Corinth. The arrogant boasting of the culture had come to the church through the super-apostles.

So, what does Paul do?

Well, for a brief moment, he enters into their boasting. It is like he is saying, since you are foolishly boasting, let me show you what this foolish boasting is like. He doesn’t want to toot his own horn, but he feels like he has to in order answer the super apostles. That why he says in verse 16, “…let no one think me foolish. But even if you do, accept me as a fool, so that I too may boast a little.”

He goes on in 17, “What I am saying with this boastful confidence, I say not as the Lord would but as a fool. Since many boast according to the flesh, I too will boast.”

Can you sense it? Paul can’t stand boasting. Nonetheless, he is compelled to do it. The false apostles were enslaving the Corinthians with their lies and deceit. To use some of the other words in verse 20. They were “devouring” them and “taking advantage” of them. The false apostles had “air” of superiority. In all of it, they were in essence “striking [the church] in the face.”

But really, they had nothing on Paul. Paul’s fleshly credentials were greater than theirs. He says in verse 22, “Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they offspring of Abraham? So am I.” He could have gone on with his worldly credentials. In other places in Scripture he mentions that he is from the tribe of Benjamin. He was among the few. Furthermore, he had been an esteemed Pharisee. But he says in his letter to the Philippians chapter 3 that he “counts it all loss for the sake of Christ.” There is something far greater, and that is his identity in Christ.

“Corinthian church, you have bought into this ungodly boasting. It is all foolishness. And even if you go by the super apostles foolish criteria, they still do not measure up.”

Any and all boasting in human strength and ability is self-centered and not Christ-centered. It is foolishness because (1) it does not recognize God and his Glory and his gifts, (2) it does not recognize our sin and our unworthiness apart from Christ, and (3) boasting in human strength does not acknowledge that all good gifts come from him alone.

Now, we covered some of that a couple of weeks ago.

But we learn something very interesting here in the middle of chapter 11. We learn, there is something that we can boast about in our lives. We can boast in our weakness. Jump down to verse 30. “If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.”

Verses 23 to really the middle of chapter 12 are specifically about that. Boasting in weakness.

Now, boasting in our weakness does not mean glorifying failure or seeking pity. It is not drawing attention to ourselves as a victim. Nor is it seeking our identity in suffering. The apostle Paul is not doing any of that, here.  

So then, what is boasting in weakness? It is giving glory to God who sustains us in our weakness. And it is recognizing that the Lord has gone before us in our suffering. Just as he endured the weakness of the flesh and affliction from the world, so too, in him, God will sustain and use us in our weakness.

I just want to make that clear. As we look at this, there are two things that the apostle focuses on.

First, here in chapter 11 he focuses on the affliction that he received as a result of his ministry. You know, all the things that he suffered as an apostle. Second, when we get to the beginning of chapter 12, he focuses on the weakness of the flesh. Paul will write about his thorn in the flesh. We’ll get to that next week.

But today, let’s consider this unbelievable list of Paul’s suffering and God’s protection.

Go back up to verse 23. Paul begins, “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one”

Now, put yourself in the shoes of the Corinthians. What do you think they expected Paul to say, next? Perhaps they expected him to give a Caesar Augustus type list:

I, Paul, planted 13 churches; I saw the risen Lord, himself, on the road to Damascus; I raised Eutychus from the dead; I cast out demons in Jesus name; I healed the sick; I confounded the Greek philosophers in Athens. Etc. etc.

But he doesn’t do that. No, instead, he rattles off a most surprising list. All the things that he suffered (so far!) as an apostle.

And it is overwhelming. God sustained him over and over and over to bring the Gospel all throughout the northern Mediterranean. Only a portion of this list is included in the book of Acts. Acts is the history of the early church.

·      Paul was imprisoned multiple times. In Phillipi, which we read about earlier, he was beaten and then imprisoned with his feet in stocks.

·      He mentions, here, multiple beating with rods. In Lystra he was stoned outside the city and left for dead.

·      The most severe thing on this list is the forty lashes minus 1. It was a Jewish punishment for breaking the law. The guilty party would be severely whipped. Each lash would score the skin of the recipient. It would create what was called a stripe. A bloodied line across the back that would eventually scar. 39 lashes was one short of 40. More than 40 would have broken the Jewish law, so 39 was just in case someone didn’t miscount. Paul bore on his body the marks of his sacrifice for the Gospel.

·      He mentions being shipwrecked three times. However, the most famous shipwreck had not even happened yet. That one is recorded in Acts 27. That would be a couple of years later.

·      He furthermore endured multiple dangers. He endured danger from the elements… from cold and heat. Sometimes he went without food. But also, he experienced danger from others. Danger not just from the Jews, but also from the Gentiles and from robbers. Notice at the end of verse 26 he includes danger from false brothers. He uses the word “brothers” because there were men in the church who threatened him. They were wolves in sheep’s clothing, just like the false apostles in Corinth.

This kind of persecution happens all over the world today. We have so many freedoms in our country, that it’s hard to imagine the suffering that our brothers and sister in Christ experience throughout the world.

Some of you know or have met Pastor Zaki. He pastors the Orthodox Presbyterian Church over on Chamblee Tucker. It’s just down the road from here. He is a dear brother and a friend.

Zaki is from Eretria. He’s been in the US for about 15 years.

A couple of years ago, at a conference here in the area, he spoke about persecution. As part of that, Pastor Zaki shared a little about the persecution that he endured. In 2002, the government of Eritrea shut down many of the churches. Some believers were imprisoned, especially pastors, and the church had to go underground.

Well, Zaki was arrested. He was not even allowed to tell his family, when it happened. He was brought to the prison. They put him in a metal shipping container. There was just one small vent in it so he could breathe. Literally, nothing else was in it. Zaki described how he, at first, struggled to rejoice.

He remembered the words of Jesus, blessed are those who are persecuted for my name sake. And he remembered the words of the apostle Peter that we’re to rejoice in suffering. He thought, “had I led my people astray telling them that they should rejoice even if they suffered persecution for their faith.” Those first few hours weighed heavily on him, and he prayed. Then it happened. The Holy Spirit opened his heart, and he began rejoicing in the Lord.

Something even more amazing happened that first night. About midnight, he said, he began hearing other believers all throughout the prison singing. They were suffering, but they were rejoicing. And he joined in their joyful praise.

Brother Zaki was release but arrested 4 more time over the next 9 years. As I understand it, he was beaten. At one point he almost died, but the Lord preserved him. In 2011, he was able to flee to the United States. He moved to Greenville to study. And then the Lord then brought him here to the Tucker area to pastor.

The kind of suffering and affliction that Paul endured is experienced by many today who love and serve Christ.

And I want you to notice, it’s not just external suffering that Paul endured. Look at verse 28. “Apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.”

Paul loved the Corinthians. Really, he loved every single church that he participated in planting. He prayed for them. He communicated with them. He longed to see them be faithful and true. And it all weighed on his soul.

And look what he says in verse 29. He asks, “who is weak, and I am not weak?” In other words, when someone in one of his churches suffered, Paul suffered alongside of them. His heart suffered.

The next question in verse 29 is even stronger, “Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant?” In other words, when a fellow believer in Christ was led into sin by one of these false brothers, Paul was indignant. He had a righteous anger at these false apostles for all the ways in which the church was being led astray.

That internal turmoil was part of the suffering that he endured.

Ok, now, jump down to verses 32 and 33. Paul mentions one final experience. Many, many years earlier, when he was in Damascus, in order to escape persecution, he had to be lowered in a basket out of a window. By the way, if someone tried to lower me in a basket, I think it wold probably go very poorly. I wouldn’t even fit in a basket. But Paul escaped.

Now, when you hear this last trial, doesn’t it feel like an addendum to his list? But let me ask, do you remember the significance of Damascus?

Paul was on the road to Damascus when the Lord blinded him and called him to faith. Damascus was the very city that he first stayed in as a believer in Jesus. Do you see what Paul is saying? His suffering as an apostle began at the very beginning of his ministry.

All the suffering that he has endured is not new. It goes back to the very beginning of labors for Christ. Despite what the false apostles were saying, his suffering did not disqualify him as an apostle. No, rather, it testified to his true apostleship.

Do you see now why Paul could boast in this affliction and weakness? It showed and demonstrated that God had called him to suffer and God sustained him through it all.

This was not the theology of the super apostles. Part of their false prosperity Gospel, which we’ve considered multiple times in weeks past, was to reject sickness and suffering as part of the Christian life.

Like many counterfeit pastors today, they taught that suffering was not part of God’s purpose and will for your life. They rejected Paul because he suffered.

But God is saying through Paul that suffering is part and parcel of the Christian life. He’s been saying that all throughout 2 Corinthians. Remember, in our affliction, we share in the affliction of Christ, so that we may share in his comfort. And also, these light momentary afflictions are preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

And so, we can boast in our weakness. It’s a humble boasting. Yes, that’s a little paradoxical, but I think you know what I mean. It’s a humble boasting that gives glory to God.

Isn’t that the upside-down world of the Gospel? Strength comes through weakness. Exaltation comes through humility. Life comes through death.

Go back up to verse 23. We’ve already considered it. Paul asks, “Are they servants of Christ? I am a better one.” Did you notice that it is the only question where Paul raises the bar. He doesn’t say, “so am I” like how he answers the other questions. Rather he says, “I am better.” Literally translated, it would say I am a degree beyond. His service to Christ is far better because of his suffering, not despite it. That question and Paul’s answer prefaces the entire list of his suffering.

To put it another way, Paul suffered in this life, we suffer in this life, just as our Savior suffered in this life.

Jesus endured many trials in this life. False accusations; rejection from his people; temptations from Satan; Jesus disciples abandoned him at his hour of need; he was spit on and mocked and whipped…  not with regular whips, like 40 lashes minus one, but wips with metal or bone fragments in it, which tore into his skin.

Isaiah wrote in his prophecy that our Savior was oppressed and afflicted, yet did not open his mouth. “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” Other translations say, “with his stripes we are healed.”

Paul boasted in his suffering because his Savior suffered and died for him.

Jesus suffered and died so that in eternity his people would be freed from suffering and affliction. In other words, Jesus did not suffer and die so that we would not suffer in this life. No. Rather, Jesus suffered and died to forgive and redeem us, and in heaven we will be freed from our suffering forever. And that gives us great hope in our suffering in this life. And we can therefore boast in it. If we must, as Paul says.

So, to recap – Paul’s boasting in his earthly credentials, was simply to put the super apostles in their place.

All boasting in human strength and wisdom is foolishness and it dishonors God. If we must boast about ourselves, we should boast in our weakness. For Paul, his suffering was a testimony of his true ministry as an apostle. And when we boast in our suffering we ought testify to Christ’s suffering for our salvation.

Truly, in all of history, there was only one man who could rightfully boast in his accomplishments. It was not Caesar Augustus. It was not any world leader today or in the past. No. The only one who could rightfully boast was and is our Lord. As God the son, Jesus is the king of kings; the agent through which God created the heavens and the earth; He is the very word of God; and redeemer of God’s people.

Yet, on earth, he boasted not of those things. Instead, he humbled himself. He did not respond when mocked, he suffered and died, but was raised.

As we sang earlier, “I will not boast in anything; No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ; His death and resurrection”

So, let us boast in him… and when we suffer, let us boast because we suffer in him. Amen

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. Our sermon text is chapter 10 verses 8-18. That is on page 1150.

As you are turning there, be reminded that the apostle Paul has been defending his apostleship over and against the false apostles.

This morning’s reading continues the contrast between true and false apostles. These verses focus on boasting and comparing. In whom should we boast and with whom should we compare ourselves. Listen for those things as I read.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:8-18

Prayer

As I was studying this passage, I realized that it’s pretty relevant for our church’s 5th anniversary. I promise I didn’t pick this text for that purpose. And then as I studied it, more, I realized, oh this is actually pretty convicting.

I was reflecting back on all the feelings I was going through when we were organizing. This is going back to 2019 and early 2020.

A big one was fear of failure. I had read that something like 80% of church plants don’t make it. That was hard to consider. My temptation, like other pastors, is to connect my identity to the success or failure of the church. When things are seemingly going well, it’s tempting to think that somehow it’s due to my gifts or leadership. And on the other side, when things are seemingly not going well, the temptation is to feel like a failure instead of turning to Christ and relying on him.

So that was one thing. But also, I had feelings of rejection. Like when a person or family was exploring churches, but decided to go to another church, it was (and it still is!) easy to feel a personal rejection. Related to that, it has been tempting to compare myself with other pastors or compare our church with other churches. I have struggled with those but especially when we were beginning.

I’ve had to ask myself some hard questions. 1. Is my identity wrapped up our church instead of Christ? That’s a hard question for any pastor. 2. Do I have a worldly understanding of success and failure? That’s another hard one. Am I focused on numeric growth or, instead, spiritual growth? 3. Am I comparing myself with others or looking for affirmation from others instead of from Jesus?

Those are hard things to ask. The reason I’m bringing these up is because our text this morning asks and answer some of these very questions.

Now, to be sure, none of us are apostles. No, Paul had a special ordained role as one of the apostles called by Jesus himself. Moreover, the office of apostle concluded in the first century when the Scriptures were complete.

However, even though none of us are apostles, the foundation that Paul laid for the church, and the pattern that he modelled as a faithful shepherd certainly apply to us today.

In these verses, as Paul compares the true apostles to the false apostles, we can see the pattern. On the one hand, God glorifying, Christ exalting ministry and on the other, man-centered, self-exalting ministry.

As we work through this, my hope is that we, as a church, can hear and apply these words to us.

In the outline provided, you’ll see 3 questions.

1. Whose standard are we using?

2. Whose glory are we seeking?

3. Whose message are we proclaiming? Actually, I want to extend that third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Pencil that in.

Again, whose standard, whose glory, whose message, and what mission.

1. Whose standard are we using?

So, #1 whose standard?

We’ve already considered that the impostors in Corinth critiqued Paul because he appeared weak in the flesh. Look at verse10: “For they say, ‘His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.’”

There are really three critiques here. 1) Paul was physically weak or at least he came across as wimpy; 2) his speech was unimpressive. In other words, because he didn’t use all the rhetorical devices of the era, he was therefore sub-par... and 3) he was self-contradictory. His letters were strong but that wasn’t matched by a strong in-person impression.

That last one is addressed directly in verse 11. Paul writes, “Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.” He was saying to them, you may have an impression of weakness when we are in person, however, we are living out our boldness in our lives when we are with you. And make no mistake, we are prepared to speak with the same boldness if necessary.

What was the false apostles standard? How were they evaluating Paul?

And the answer is, they were using the world’s standards. They were comparing Paul to what they considered superior.

Verse 12 gets to the heart of their problem. It says, “Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.”

They were measuring themselves with one another. Their standard did not come from God, it came through their worldly comparison.

I think we can all understand the temptation. Our natural sinful disposition is to look to others. We constantly measure ourselves by what we see around us.

I was recently reading a book that identified the 10th commandment – do not covet – as the consummate problem with the entire world.

The author was saying that man’s covetous heart is the source of all evil and war and anger and stealing and adultery. Someone has something that we don’t have and we want it. We want to be better than and stronger than and more prominent than and more popular than our neighbor. Do you see how that is true? A covetous heart leads to ungodly and self-centered thoughts and words and actions that betray God’s standard of righteousness.

Now, I do not believe the 10th commandment is the only path to sin and evil in the world. I think the 1st and 2nd commandments are also an entry point into corruption and evil. The 1st and 2nd commandments are about having no other god and not making or worshiping an idol in the place of God.

But for sure, coveting was a big problem in Corinth. The false apostles coveted what Paul had – they wanted his authority and popularity. And so what did they do? They turned to each other and the world’s standards… and they undermined Paul, whom God had ordained as faithful and true.

Last month, something really sad and unfortunate happened. A prominent pastor in the reformed church world was found to be slandering other pastors. He had created multiple anonymous X accounts, and he was using those fake accounts to criticize and undermine other pastors. This pastor was doing the same thing as the false apostles in Corinth. He was elevating himself and suppressing others.

Now, that’s a negative example and I think it’s a rare example. At least, I hope.

A more common example is when we envy the so-called success of other churches and try to mimic their tactics. In other words, when we see or hear of another church attracting a bunch of people, we think, what are they doing that we could also do or even do better?

On my way here last week, I drove by a big church. Lots of cars were pulling in. And there was a guy with one of those giant bubble makers. You know, with the rope, and it makes big ubbles. And I thought, do we need a giant bubble maker? Just kidding. Actually, I was a little irritated because one of the bubbles popped on my car.

On a serious note, much of today’s church growth movement is focused on external things. It’s just a modern version of what the false apostles were doing. Today it’s about emotionally driven and high production experiences; or innovations to attract people; or it’s a focus on feel-good messages that avoid difficult topics like sin and judgment and repentance and holiness;

Now, I am not saying that we shouldn’t be thoughtful and engaging in the responsibilities God has given his church. We definitely should. Rather, I’m saying that our natural sinful proclivity is to turn to the world’s standards and approach which includes compare ourselves to others. It’s one of my temptations and I think probably to some extent, a temptation for all of us.

Instead, we should be looking to the Lord and his criteria. That begins by seeking to be faithful to him and to his ways and to his purposes rather than the world’s. Instead of being man-centered we should seek to be God glorifying. We should focus on the Gospel – our utter need for God’s grace in Christ because of our sin and God’s judgment. In our practices, we should submit them to God’s Word. Those are just a few.

So, whose standard are we using? Are we following God’s standard which he has reveled to us in his Word, or are we following the world’s standard, comparing ourselves to one another?

2. Whose glory are we seeking?

#2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking God’s glory and are we boasting in him, or are we boasting in and exalting ourselves?

You heard the word boast in these verses. It’s used 7 times. In fact, the theme of boasting will continue into chapters 11 and 12.

And we get the sense that Paul doesn’t even like the word boasting. But because the so-called super apostles were boasting, Paul needed to correct their misguided boasting by presenting what they should really be boasting in – which is the Lord.

By the way, let me give you a definition of the word boasting. The Greek word boast is to brag about, or rejoice in, or have confidence in something. To boast is to lift up something or someone as exceptionally noteworthy.

Paul is saying all throughout these verses that our boasting needs to be in the Lord and his work. Nowhere in these verses does Paul commend himself. Rather, he directs their attention to the Lord and what the Lord commends.

Let’s look at two examples here. First, verse 8. Paul writes, “For even if I boast a little too much of our authority.” Do you hear that uneasiness. But listen to what he says next,  “which the Lord gave….” You see, he focuses on the Lord. It’s not a self commending authority, but an authority that the Lord gave.

Verse 18 is similar. “For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”

The impostors were boasting in their own self-assigned authority. It was not a God-ordained authority. They were putting each other on a pedestal. I don’t know if you’ll remember this from chapter 3, but they even had letters of recommendation to somehow prove their authority in the church. It was all very self-serving and not God glorifying.

It’s kind of like they were applying for a job. You know the drill. The way to get a job is self-promotion. You put together a resume or a CV. You have to include all your expertise and credentials and education and certifications. Then if you get an interview, you basically have to talk about why you are the best… or at least the best fit for the job. It’s a little uncomfortable, isn’t it? …because you are essentially boasting about yourself.

That’s the way the world works, and it’s hard to break out of that mindset in ministry.

It’s not that Paul didn’t have the credentials. Actually, in the next chapter he is going to be clear about his credentials. Rather, what he is emphasizing is that we need to direct our attention to the Lord. It is his work, not ours. It’s his work in us, his work through us, and he is the one to be exalted in it.

Let me put it this way: No heart transforming work happens in anyone’s life by man’s work. No, it is the work of God in Christ through the Holy Spirit that turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Furthermore, there is no sanctification in one’s life that happens by our will, no, rather it is likewise the ministry of God’s Word through his Spirit that matures us in Christ.

Our church is here today, not because of anything that any of us did. I am not saying that seeking to be faithful to fulfill God’s call for the local church is not important. It is important. But there have been many faithful church plants that have closed.

There was a church plant in Lilburn that closed a couple of years ago. It was a daughter church of Perimeter in John’s Creek – Perimeter is a sister church of ours. And I remember a very meaningful comment by Perimeter’s church plant director. As they prepared to close their doors, he encouraged them that their labors were not in vain. No, rather that the Lord had been faithfully at work during the time of their existence as a church. And furthermore, he said, that when that great day comes when Christ returns, the work that the Lord did through their church plant will be celebrated… celebrated as part of the broader kingdom work of God throughout the world. It was a great reminder that it was the Lord’s work.

That’s hard to get our minds around because we often apply the world’s criteria of success and failure. But we can still boast in what God has done in that community and the lives of his people.

The key verse is right there in verse 17. It’s a quote from Jeremiah. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Paul is clearly boasting here. But he is boasting in God’s authority over his apostleship, and he is boasting in the Lord’s work in Corinth.

There is only one place to direct our boasting. It is to the Lord. What he has done and is doing.

So, whose glory are we seeking? Are we seeking our own glory? Are we commending and boasting in ourselves or are we seeking to give glory to God and his work?

3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing?

Which brings us to the third question. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing?

We’ve already seen throughout 2 Corinthians that the false apostles were not only promoting themselves, but they were proclaiming a false gospel. Their gospel was about power and it was about prestige. It was not about the true Gospel of Christ crucified and the weakness and suffering and humility that comes from that.

Furthermore, their mission was to build up themselves and their little kingdom. We’re not given any sense in 2 Corinthians that the false apostles desired to spread the Gospel.

Paul focuses on these things in verses 14 and 15. And they merit a little explaining.

He says in verse 14, “we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not reach you.” What he means is that they had a vested interest in Corinth. Corinth was under their oversight. They were not interjecting themselves into the situation in Corinth without warrant. On the contrary, they had come, as it says, “all the way to them to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Paul and the others had sacrificed much to bring the Gospel to them and had labored many months to establish the church. When Paul planted the church in Corinth, he was there for 18 months. Of course he desired to see the church in Corinth prosper. And there are two things on his mind. First, he wanted them to be firmly established with the Gospel message and, second, he wanted them to participate in the Gospel mission.

The message of the Gospel and the mission of the Gospel go hand and hand. As Paul said in his letter to the Romans in chapter 1, “The Gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile.” Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles. He wanted to see the Gospel message go to the ends of the earth. And he wanted the Corinthians to help.

That is what the second half of verse 15 means. “our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged.” In other words, as you grow in your faith, we hope you will take the Gospel to other communities around you and thus enlarge what God began. And then look what he says in verse 16, “so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you.”

When the church in Corinth matures in Christ and stabilizes, two things will happen. First, the Gospel will spread in southern Greece. And second, Paul, Timothy, Titus, and the others will no longer need to focus their efforts on Corinth. They will be able to take the Gospel to other lands that have never heard of Jesus Christ.

A church that loses the Gospel message loses the Gospel mission.

You may have heard this, but a couple of months ago, the mainline Presbyterian denomination in the US ended its foreign mission’s agency. They let go their remaining 60 missionaries. Over the last 100 years, they had slowly lost their belief in Jesus as the only hope for salvation. And with that loss of message, they slowly lost the purpose of missions. If there’s no message, then why bother with the mission?

When the so-called super apostles infiltrated Corinth, not only did they distract the church away from the truth, they also distracted the church away from its mission. And it furthermore required a lot of effort from Paul and others, which distracted them from their broader mission to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Are we seeking to be true to the message of the Gospel and faithful to our mission to proclaim it to all the world?

Conclusion

To recap:

1. Whose standard are we using? Are we comparing ourselves to others using the world’s standards or are we seeking what the Lord commends and has designed for his church?

2. Whose glory are we seeking? Are we boasting in ourselves , or are we boasting in the Lord and his work, recognizing that in him and through him and to him are all things?

3. Whose message are we proclaiming and what mission are we pursuing? Are we being faithful to the hope that is found in Christ alone and faithful to the great commission… or is the message and mission waning in our lives and church?

Every church needs to be constantly evaluating and re-evaluating these questions.

I don’t know what plans the Lord has for us over the next 5 years. But my prayer is (1) that we would not align ourselves to the standards of the world, (2) that we would boast in the Lord and his work, and (3) that we would be faithful to Christ, seeking to be a light of his Gospel to our neighbors and taking that Gospel to the “lands beyond” as the apostle put it. In all of it, boasting in the Lord. Amen.

The Weapons of Warfare

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 10. You can find that on page 1150 in the pew Bible.

This is the last section of the apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth. It runs through the final 4 chapters.

Before we read, I want to remind you of two things in 2 Corinthians.

First, Paul has been emphasizing his authority as an apostle. That emphasis began all the way back in chapter 1 verse 1. In the very opening words of the letter, he identified himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His defense continued throughout chapters 1-9 in different ways. For example, in chapter 3, he identified himself as a minister of the new covenant through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. In chapter 5, he stressed that the apostles were ambassadors of Christ. And in several places, he has emphasized that the apostle’s ministry is patterned after Christ’s ministry. Just like Jesus suffered and died so to the apostles have and would continue to suffer and would die for the Gospel.

So that’s the first thing – Paul was a chosen ambassador of Christ as an apostle.

Number 2, the whole reason that Paul emphasized his true apostleship is because there were false apostles in Corinth. They taught a false Gospel – Paul said that they were tampering with God’s word. They used cunning practices, he said, and were blinded by the god of this world. That’s pretty strong. These false apostles had been attacking Paul’s credentials. That is why Paul defends his apostleship. And that is also why he corrects several misguided beliefs (like suffering and God’s Covenant promises and grace in giving).

So again, #1 Paul is a true apostle of Jesus Christ and #2 false teachers were trying to blind the church.

Those two things are important because in these last 4 chapters, the apostle Paul doubles down on them. You’ll hear that in our text this morning.

Let’s turn our attention to 2 Corinthians 10:1-7

Reading of 2 Corinthians 10:1-7

Prayer

On the wall of my office is a picture of the USS Maryland. It was a battleship. The picture was taken in 1945 as it was on its way to the battle of Okinawa. The reason that I have it on my wall is one of the Navy sailors in the picture is my grandfather.

The battle of Okinawa was the most intense and decisive battles in the pacific theater of World War 2. 180,000 US troops fought in that battle.

One of those soldiers was a man named Desmond Doss. Just to be sure, Doss was not my grandfather. He was a different soldier who likewise enlisted to serve his country. The interesting thing about Private Doss is that he refused to carry a weapon. He wanted to serve but he held strong convictions and would not carry a gun.

Because of that, his fellow soldiers harassed him. They called him a coward and considered him a liability. One soldier threw his boots at Doss while Doss was praying. Another threatened him, “I’ll make sure you don’t come back alive.” Nonetheless, Doss continued to serve and became his unit’s medic.

Well, Doss was part of the 77th infantry division deployed to Okinawa. His regiment attacked the enemy forces at a 400-foot cliff on the southern part of the island. That cliff is known as Hacksaw Ridge. Maybe you’ve heard of it. It was a very brutal battle. Many many soldiers were killed. The US forces had no other choice but to retreat. However, Doss stayed behind. Under the darkness of night, Doss rescued 75 wounded men. He dragged each soldier to the cliff’s edge, he had a makeshift harness, lowered each down with a rope and a pulley system. And every time, he prayed that God would help him save one more. Doss rescued some of the same men who had earlier mocked him.

In several ways, Private Doss is a picture of the apostle Paul here. On the outside, Paul looked weak. His detractors critiqued him for his small stature and for not being an eloquent speaker and for his humble demeanor. Yet, despite their perception of his weakness, the apostle, in reality was a formidable warrior. And like Doss, Paul risked his life to save others. In Paul’s case, the battle was spiritual, and he was rescuing their souls.

Really, this whole chapter, chapter 10, is about perceptions and reality. Some of the Corinthians had a faulty perception that Paul was weak and he was therefore “walking according to the flesh”  (verse 2). But the reality was quite the opposite.

So, this morning, we’ll be re-orienting our perceptions to reality. That is what the apostle Paul is seeking to do.

2 points this morning related to that.

1. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. Our disposition is our attitude or our posture in relation to others. Reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That is in verses 1-2.

2. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ. That is in verses 3-6. Reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ.

1. Reorienting our disposition

So, first… reorienting our disposition.

Now, let me ask, what was the critique of Paul in these verses? Well, they were saying that Paul was bold when he was writing to them, but he was wimpy in their presence. They believed Paul didn’t have the guts to challenge them face to face. Even though his letters were bold, he was weak. He was therefore walking in the weakness of his flesh.

In the Greco-Roman culture of the time, strength was found in external displays of power like physical presence and bold rhetoric. In other words, if you could grab the attention of a crowd through eloquent speech and puffed up confidence you would be elevated in society. A gentle and humble spirit was not a trait of a strong leader.

So, in the eyes of Paul’s detractors, he was unworthy. He could not be a true apostle because he did not fit their perception of what an apostle should be like.

Now, look at verse 1. Paul goes right to the heart of their problem. He opens with a direct appeal to Christ. He says, “I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.” The false apostles had critiqued him as weak because of his meekness and gentleness. And in response, he directs them to Christ.

He was saying, “If you are going to critique me and my apostleship because of my humble disposition, you are actually critiquing Christ.”

To be sure, yes Jesus was very forceful at times. Like his criticism of the pharisees’ hypocrisy. But overall his disposition was gentle and humble. Jesus ministered with compassion and meekness to those who came to him. Those who were suffering or those who were convicted of their sin. Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Paul was appealing to Jesus’ gentleness and meekness as the pattern which he, as an apostle, was modelling. It’s hard to argue with that.

To be sure, someone can be bold and humble at the same time. Speaking the truth in love is having a godly confidence but also having a humble spirit when conveying God’s truth. Paul was a sinner, just like you and me. He recognized the mercy of God in his life, just as we should. He was bold but humble because of the undeserved grace of God.

That is very different than the self-centered confidence of the false apostles. All they focused on was external. That is why Paul didn’t measure up to them. These so-called apostles cared about someone’s cultural credentials like physical stature and social status and financial means. Paul’s suffering and meekness went against their norms. In their minds, that disqualified Paul as an apostle.

But Paul flips their understanding on its head. They needed to reorient their perception of Paul using Christ’s disposition. Just as Jesus was gentle and meek, so should those be who serve and lead.

Ok, reorienting our disposition to the meekness of Christ. That #1.

2. Reorienting our warfare

And now, number 2 – reorienting our warfare to the power of Christ.

You see, part of the problem was that the false teachers were fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons. They thought that to win the battle of culture they needed to use the culture’s weapons.

Remember, they considered themselves Christians. We’ll see in chapter 11 that they even called themselves “super apostles.” They had those Greco-Roman traits that Paul did not have. They were superior to him in stature, eloquence, and social standing. They were the ones, they believed, who could truly fight the battle.

But not only were they fighting the wrong battle with the wrong weapons, they were not even on the right side of the war.

Look at verse 3. “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” Paul is saying, “yes, we are flesh and blood. We are embodied souls that live on this earth. But that does not mean that the battlefield is in the flesh. In fact, it is not.”

And then he goes on to describe the spiritual battle.

By the way, there’s something here that is not obvious to us. Verses 4 to 6 use the language of military siege against a fortified city.

Here’s how it goes:

·      First, an army would attack the stronghold. The stronghold was the fortified wall around the city. They used special weapons like battering rams and catapults and ladders.

·      Second, at the same time they would take down the elevated defenses - the lofty defenses, you know like towers with archers, or other defenses that were protecting the city.

·      Then, third, after a city was conquered, the invading army would take the inhabitants captive. They would enslave them or parade them as symbols of conquest.

·      And last, they would punish any disobedience – those who would not willingly submit or who would continue to rebel against their conquest.

It the same progression.  First destroying strongholds and every argument. Second, destroying lofty opinions. Those ideas that perpetuate the false beliefs. Third, taking captive every thought and turning them to Christ, and finally, if necessary, punishing disobedience. Those that persist to teach or live in a way contrary to Christ.

Do you see that? And Paul is very clear that it is not a battle of flesh and blood. Look at verse 4. “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.”

We are engaged in a cosmic war. We are fighting over what is true and right and good. The world is full of perspectives on those things, let me call them worldviews… It is full of worldviews that seek to make sense of the reality outside of us and inside of us. That is why verse 5 talks about arguments and opinions and knowledge. That is why Paul is saying that our weapons are not of the flesh. Our weapons are not those external things like flashy performances or political might or social power.

What then are our weapons? Well, we read about them earlier from Ephesians 6. Our weapons are truth and righteousness, our weapons are faith in Christ and salvation in him, and we’re given the sword of the Spirit – which is the Word of God.

These are the spiritual weapons that God has given us to fight the cosmic war.

Here’s what Paul was saying to them. “You have mocked me as weak. But as a true apostle, I am waging the cosmic spiritual war with the divine power of God almighty.” That’s the phrase there: “divine power”

What is that divine power? What is the divine power that will tear down the strongholds and lofty opinions and take every thought captive and punish disobedience?

It is the power of Christ. It is the power of the cross. The divine power that destroys the strongholds and arguments is the salvation that God has accomplished for us in Christ - in his death and resurrection.

I am not saying that to try and shoe-horn the Gospel into this passage. Rather, I am saying that because the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been the unifying theme of every single chapter of 2 Corinthians. To highlight some of it…

·      The Gospel is the victory spoken of in chapter 2 as we spread the fragrance of Christ.

·      It is the transforming power of the new Covenant spoken of in chapter 3.

·      It is the surpassing power mentioned in chapter 4, which we carry in our jars of clay bodies.

·      In chapter 5, it is the means through which we are reconciled to God… remember, we are given the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

·      And one more, in chapters 8 and 9, God’s grace in Christ is the foundation of God’s work to support his churches. Jesus who was rich, became poor so that in our spiritual poverty, we may become rich.

The divine power of God in the cross of Christ. Through it and the resurrection God has defeated sin and death and the devil. Those are the strongholds. The weapons of the flesh cannot defeat those enemies.

Now, it is very common to hear that believing in Christianity takes a “leap of faith.” Have you heard that? Some believe that Christianity is not reasonable or rational. However, the Scriptures never say that having faith means that you have to check your mind at the door. Look one more time at verse 5. “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God.”

We, in part, believe Christianity because it does answer central matters of life. It answers the questions of our existence and our purpose. Christianity presents a clear understanding of a moral order that transcends all humanity. It’s very difficult to dispute that. In fact, the corruption of the human heart and evil in the world are central aspects to a Christian worldview. That is why these verses speak of waging war. In other words, evil and sin and death do not disprove Christianity, rather their undisputed existence testifies to Christianity and the need for salvation.

I could go on and include the historicity of Christianity or the logical consistency of Christianity, but for the sake of time, let me just say that Christianity is not a passive religion devoid of answers. Rather, the Scriptures beautifully convey a transcendent God, who is both loving and just. And at the very heart of that love and justice is the wonder of the person and work of Jesus.

To put it simply, the faith that Christianity calls for is not a blind faith. Rather it is a faith that sees the world around us and knows our own corrupt hearts… and submits to the God who is sovereign and who saves. Faith is a reasonable response to something real.

Christianity takes every thought captive (every misleading thought captive) to the obedience of Christ.

Let me take a brief tangent. We love that phrase. You know, taking every thought captive to Christ. I love it. I desire to take every thought captive in my life.

However, in context, it is speaking of taking the errant thoughts of the false teachers captive. That is what God is doing through Paul in this letter. He’s correcting the false beliefs and voices in Corinth with the truth of the Gospel.

To be sure, that doesn’t mean we can’t apply that phrase to our lives. We all have thoughts and beliefs that need to be taken captive to Christ.

How do we do that? Well, first of all, it says, take every thought captive to obey Christ. So, it is more than just beliefs. It includes taking any thoughts that dishonor Christ and submitting them to him.

We should ask, do my thoughts align with God’s Word? Are they false or do they truly reflect the truth? Are my thoughts covetous or prideful or idolatrous? Are my thoughts God honoring and worshipful?

Are my thoughts idle? Or am I seeking to transform them and grow in my knowledge of God and his Word?

And let me say, it is spiritual warfare.  When you take every thought captive to Christ, you are preparing for and fighting… the spiritual battles against sin and death and the devil.

So, beloved in Christ, yes, take every thought captive to obey Christ.

And finally in verse 6, Paul continues. “being ready to punish any disobedience, when your obedience is complete.”

That last phrase can be somewhat difficult to understand. What does it mean when it says  “when your obedience is complete?” The answer is in the situation. Remember, the Corinthian church had turned a corner. Through the work of God’s Spirit through Paul and others, many in Corinth had returned to a faithful understand of God’s truth. In other words, the church had begun the process of being restored to faithful obedience. What verse 6 is simply referencing is that they were nearing the end of that restoration. And when that obedience was complete, to use the words here, any remaining unfaithfulness would need to be dealt with. In essence it’s talking about spiritual discipline. The spiritual battle includes the church’s responsibility to maintain purity and faithfulness to Christ.

Conclusion.

So, to recap, these verses reorient us to God’s reality. 1, they reorient our disposition to see the meekness and humility of Christ. Paul modelled that humility as a true apostle. 2. They reorient our understanding of the war that is being fought. It is a spiritual war which requires weapons of faith. And the ultimate weapon that destroys the stronghold is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. All of Christianity centers on this great truth, through which we take every thought captive.

I included verse 7 because it ties the first 6 verses together. Paul says to the Corinthians, “look at what is before your eyes.” In other words, can you now see what is true and what comes from Christ and what is false and comes from the flesh? If truly you are in Christ… know this, so also are we. It’s an appeal to reembrace Christ in his fulness and to fight with Paul, not against him in the spiritual battle of truth.

The morning after Desmon Doss rescued his fellow soldiers, everything changed. They had a new respect for Doss. Before his unit resumed their attack on Hacksaw Ridge, they asked Doss to pray, and they waited for him to finish. And that day they overcame the enemy. Doss received the Medal of Honor for his bravery. In fact, he was the first ever to receive the medal without carrying a weapon of the flesh (to use the language here).

May we fight not with the weapons of the flesh, but with the spiritual weapons of Christ, in his meekness and power.

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 8. Our sermon text will begin with verse 16 and will continue through chapter 9 verse 5. You can find that on page 1150.

I think, of all the passages we’ve studied so far in 2 Corinthians, this one has the most context. It has a lot of specifics about the churches and people. Multiple associates of the apostle Paul’s are referenced. Some are named and others are not.

The big picture is that Paul is sending 3 delegates to Corinth. That includes Titus. They are being sent to collect the offering that the Corinthians had promised. By the way, Paul calls this delegation his “brothers.” They are not literal brothers. Rather, they are spiritual brothers in the faith.

Even though this is a narrative, we learn important things about (1) integrity in financial stewardship and (2) obedience in giving. As I read, listen for those examples.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5

Prayer

As you may know, our philosophy of preaching involves working through books of the Bible. One of the benefits of doing that is that we are forced to deal with difficult or uncomfortable subjects as they come up in the Scriptures. That’s a good thing.

Well, starting last Sunday, we’ve come to one of those sensitive topics. Giving. I think this is the first time we’ve had a sermon (or sermons), that focuses on giving or stewardship.

I mention that because if you are visiting or have been visiting, these chapters on giving are part of the message of 2 Corinthians. In other words, we didn’t pick these two chapter so we could focus on giving. Rather they picked us. They are just part of the message of 2 Corinthians. And even though it is sensitive, it is important for us.

Truly, matters of giving are matters of the heart. As we learned last week, God’s grace is the foundation to these 2 chapters. Giving is called an “act of God’s grace.” It is God who gives his grace to the giver… He turns his or her heart to give. Furthermore, it is God who blesses the receiver. He likewise bestows his mercy and grace on them. And at the very heart of God’s grace is the grace of God in Christ.

Remember, chapter 8 verse 9 is key to it all. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Jesus Christ, God the son, became a man for us. He, in humility, bore our sin on the cross. Jesus endured the shame. You see, he became poor in that way… And through that amazing grace, he has given us riches. Not earthly riches, but riches of his mercy and kindness. In Christ, we have been given peace with God. We have been given the righteousness of Christ. We are now honored not because of any goodness of our own, but only because of the goodness of God in Christ.

The grace of God in Christ is what’s it’s all about. That is why these 2 chapters over and over emphasis the heart. It is about God’s transforming grace in us. And an outworking of that grace is a heart desire to give.

If you don’t remember anything else about last week and this week, remember this. The act of grace in giving is God’s act of grace in Christ.

Now, if you are still evaluating Christianity, I want you to know that giving will not put you in the good graces of God. You will not merit his favor by donating. Not at all. God does not want or need your money. Rather, he wants you to give something far more difficult to give. He wants you to give your life to him.

Jesus said, “if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me.” To put it in terms of 2 Corinthians 8. God’s grace is what enables us to recognize our spiritual poverty and recognize our need for the riches of God’s mercy. If you are not a believer in Christ, don’t give your resources, give your heart.

Let me make one final opening comment.

There’s an really underlying theme that spans both of these chapters, but it is not explicit. And that theme is the unity of the visible church. You see, part of the message of chapter 8 and 9 is that those in the church around the world are united to one another. The Macedonians are brothers and sisters in Christ with the Corinthians. And both the Macedonians and the Corinthians are united together with the poor Christians in Jerusalem.

Paul is calling on the church to support the needs of one another no matter the tribe, tongue, or nation. We share something far more important than our culture or language or ethnicity. We share in Christ.

To be sure, I’m not diminishing the importance of culture or ethnicity, rather I’m saying that the thing that unites all believers together (all around the world) is Jesus.

There are many Christians and churches around the world that have many needs – some are enduring the consequence of war like Christians in Gaza or Ukraine. Others like in Africa or Southeast Asia are in environments of extreme poverty.

I don’t know what burdens God has placed upon each of you to give… or how we as a church can best support those brothers and sisters in Christ. But God has called us to do so in some way. Perhaps we can find ways to give and support those in deep need.

Ok, with that background in mind, let’s now shift our attention to these specific verses.

We’ll consider two main things this morning.

#1. The Stewardship of Giving

#2. The Discipline of Giving

Stewardship… meaning that the resources of the church are God’s resources. His kingdom resources – we are stewards and therefore we have the responsibility to administer them with integrity.

And discipline… meaning spiritual discipline. we have the responsibility to follow through on the call to give. Giving is a discipline just like other areas of the Christian life.

#1 - The Stewardship of Giving

And both of these points are exemplified in our passage this morning. In other words, stewardship and discipline are principles modelled for us in these verses.

Remember, the apostle Paul is in Macedonia. He’s in the northern part of ancient Greece. He’s experienced their generosity. In the beginning of chapter 8, he uses the Macedonians as an example for the Corinthians to follow.

And now Paul turns his attention to the Corinthians. And one of the things we learn is that the Corinthians had promised to give to the church in Jerusalem. Their promise happened before the false teachers had stirred up dissent. But, nonetheless, they had promised to contribute.

Now, Paul recognized the sensitivity of everything that had happened. And because of that, he wanted to ensure the utmost integrity in giving. In other words, he doesn’t want anyone to question the legitimacy of the giving. He doesn’t want the Corinthians to think that he is taking any of the contributions. He doesn’t want his presence to coerce the Corinthians or make them think that this is just his own personal agenda.

And so, to address that, here’s what he does: he sends this delegation of three men to collect their gifts.

Titus is one of them. He was well known by the Corinthians. In fact, Titus had just returned to Paul after visiting with them.

And then two other brothers are mentioned.

Look at verse 18 – “With him [with Titus] we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel.” This brother, whoever he is, had a reputation of faithfulness among the churches. And he was a great preacher of the Gospel. We don’t know who he was. Some scholars and pastors have made educated guesses. I have my thoughts. But he is not named because it does not matter to us.

Ok, then there’s a third guy mentioned in verse 22. It says, “And with them [you know, with Titus and the other brother] we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters...” We get the sense from the end of verse 22 that he was also known by the Corinthians.

So, this delegation was sent… But why did they go? Well, look at verses 20. It captures their purpose. It says, “We take this course so that no one should blame us about this generous gift that is being administered by us.”

They wanted to be blameless. Do you see that? They wanted to be above reproach. They were overseeing financial gifts and wanted all to be assured of their integrity in handling the donations.

And why did they want to be so careful? Verse 21 answers that: “…for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of man.” Integrity all around. First, to honor God because they recognized they were stewards of the gifts. And second so that the Corinthians knew of their care in the administration of the gifts.

Do you see it now? How this is an example of Godly stewardship and integrity.

Stewardship and integrity is just as critical today as it was 2000 years ago.

In 2020, a study estimated that 6.5% of donations given by Christians globally is lost to fraud and embezzlement. 6.5%.

The study was referring to Christians around the world giving to churches, to charities, and to other non-profits. 6.5% translates to about 52 billion dollars annually. It’s just an estimate, but it gives us an order of magnitude of the severity of the problem.

That is sad to hear. I suspect some of you know believers who have gotten caught up in fraud of some kind. Or you know of churches that have gone through financial scandals.

When I moved to Atlanta in the mid-1990s, I worked for a Christian ministry. That ministry was duped by a so-called Christian philanthropist. He promised that if they invested in his financial firm, he would double or triple their investment in one year. Churches, ministries, and Christian universities were all fleeced by this guy. It turned out to be a Ponzi scheme. And these organizations, like the one I worked for, lost a combined 135 million dollars in the scam – about 300 million in todays dollars.

Poor handling of money by Christians or worse theft or even worse scandals, like that one, tarnish the name of Christ. It fosters mistrust inside the church. And its hypocrisy turns people away from Christ and the Gospel. It’s tragic.

We are called as the church to faithfully steward the resources entrusted to us. Let me highlight 4 principles from this text:

1. Those who handle money need to love the Lord and love his church. In this chapter, the word “earnest” is used 7 times. It testifies to a heart-motivated love for the people of God, or the church of God or an earnestness to faithfully fulfill the responsibility. The word earnest is only second to the word grace in chapter 8. Those who handle money need to have an earnestness that comes from a heart transformed by God’s grace.

2. Those given this responsibility need to be tested. They need to be trustworthy. They need to have credibility and experience testified by others. In the case of the delegates, each one of them fulfilled this principle in different ways. Titus was known and proven faithful. The second brother was appointed by the churches (plural) – he had that proven credibility. And the third delegate was “tested.” That’s the word used right there in verse 22. He was tested and found earnest.

3. Finances should never be handled by one person. No, there needs to be a team and there needs to be governance. In this example, there were 4 people – the three delegates and Paul from a distance. Just so you know, here at Tucker Pres, we have a finance team, we have a bookkeeper, and we have a third-party accountant. Multiple people involved.

4. And last, #4, transparency. Isn’t that what Paul was modelling? He was being transparent so that there would be no questions about their integrity as they oversaw the gifts.

So, a love of the Lord… a tested and proven faithfulness… multiple financial overseers… and transparency

And every single aspect of this faithful stewardship is to give honor to Christ. As verse 19 puts it, “for the glory of the Lord” and as verse 23 says, “the glory of Christ.”

We seek integrity as stewards to honor God because of his grace given to us.

#2. The Discipline of Giving

Which now brings us to main point number 2. The discipline of giving.

Here’s the thing. We are called not only to desire to give, but we are called to actually give. Earlier in chapter 8, Paul called the Corinthians to “complete the work.” He says in verse 11, “finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it.” And really, the beginning of chapter 9 emphasizes that.

I think you would agree, it’s much easier to have the desire to give sacrificially, than to actually give sacrificially.

I read a story once of farmer who one day came home with great excitement. He reported with great joy to his wife and family… that their best cow had given birth to twins.

He said to his family, “you know when these twin calves were born… I had a sudden urge that we should dedicate one of these calves to the Lord. We will bring them up together, and when the time comes, we will sell one and give the proceeds to the Lord’s work.”

His wife and children thought that was tremendous idea. But she asked him, “which calf will you dedicate to the Lord?”

He replied, “Oh, there is no need to bother about that now…. we will care for both of them well, feed them well, and when the time comes we will offer one to the Lord.”

Well, after a few months, the farmer came home one day and he was dejected. His wife asked, “honey, what is troubling you?” He answered, “I have bad news to give you. One of the calves has died…” and then he said, “It was the Lord’s calf.”

You see, he had the desire to give, but that was not matched with following through.

Giving is one of the disciplines of the Christian life. It is an outworking of the grace of God’s work in us. It’s similar to seeking discipline in our call to purity of thought and word and deeds… or discipline to pursue peace with others. Or discipline in being faithful to serve others or take a sabbath rest and worship. Or pursuing discipline to follow through on the call to pray and read the Word. As we mature in our faith, God matures us in those disciplines.

Let me put it this way: giving testifies that the grace of God is at work in your life.

Look at chapter 8 verse 24. Paul says, “Give proof before the churches of your love.”

“Give proof.” He was exhorting them to follow through and give to the needs of the saints. It would be a demonstration of their love and their faith.

I mentioned last week that I do not have access to see who gives what offerings to the church. I do not want access. But I had a very interesting conversation with another pastor a few years ago. He would purposefully look at membership giving. Now, not all the time, but he would occasionally ask for a summarized list of members and their annual giving. That kind of shocked me.

But he gave a couple of reasons. He mentioned that little to no giving indicated either a need for spiritual growth or it indicated a need for financial help. In other words, he would give attention to these people. It’s like the opposite of showing partiality to someone with more means. This pastor experienced that a lack of giving often indicated a struggle in the Christian life or a struggle in faith or as I mentioned, an unknown need. To be sure, his purpose in coming alongside people was not so that they would give and therefore help the church finances… that was not the reason… rather it was so he could pastor and care for his flock well.

I’m not suggesting that the elders or I will do that here at TPC. No. But it is true that our money often redirects us away from loving God. Giving or not giving can be a good indication of where our heart is. Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

To say it again, when we are faithful to give generously and sacrificially, according to our means, it testifies to God’s work of grace in us.

And when we give it has the effect of encouraging others to also support the needs and work of the church

Look at chapter 9 verse 2. Paul writes, “for I know your readiness, of which I boast about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia [by the way, Corinth is in the region of Achaia] …that Achaia has been ready since last year. And your zeal has stirred up most of them.”

There was a mutual stirring up of generosity. The Macedonians gave joyfully. We learned that last week. And they were encouraged by the desire of the Corinthians to give. That is why Paul wants to see the Corinthians fulfill their desire. That’s the reason the delegation was sent! It was not, as verse 5 mentions, to “exact” a gift. Paul does mention that not giving would cause humiliation. But that is because they had promised to give. It was not coercion. He is clear about that. Rather, he wants them to honor their promise. And by doing that, it would encourage the Macedonians and bless the Christians in Jerusalem.

So really, the Macedonians were an encouragement to the Corinthians to give, and the Corinthians were an encouragement to the Macedonians to give. And all of that would be an encouragement to the believers in Jerusalem, who would themselves give back to the Macedonians and Corinthians… and encourage them. We learned that last week. All of it accomplished the building up of one another in good works and godliness… And all of it was because of the grace of God in Christ, who is glorified in it all.

Conclusion

To summarize, faithful stewardship and disciplined giving are both expressions of God’s grace in Christ.

Stewardship is managing the resources that God has entrusted to his church and doing that with the utmost of integrity. When we fulfill that responsibility, as Paul and the delegates modelled for us, Christ is exalted and his bride, the church, reflects his righteousness.

Likewise, disciplined giving honors Christ in our lives. It testifies to God’s work in us who is transforming us into the image of his son.

And to say it one more time, it’s all motivated by the grace of God in Christ… who gave up the riches of heaven and became poor to take us out of our poverty and make us rich in his mercy.

So, in matters of giving in and to the church, may we seek integrity and faithfulness, all to give honor to God in Christ for his grace. Amen.

The Grace of Giving

Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 8:1-5. You can find that on page 1149 in the pew Bible. As you are turning there, let me note some things.

2 Corinthians 8 shifts to a new matter. There was a need in the broader church. At that time, when the apostle Paul wrote this inspired letter, the church in Jerusalem was very poor and they needed financial help. As you will hear, the churches in Macedonia helped out and Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to respond likewise.

The basis of the Macendonians’ generosity was the grace of God. As I read, listen for the word grace. It is scattered all throughout these verses. Grace is the Greek word Xaris. It means an act of kindness or an unmerited favor or gift.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:1-15

Prayer

As you probably know, money is often a taboo topic when it comes to the church. There are many reasons for that. Sadly, some churches have experienced financial scandals. Other churches and leaders are manipulative when it comes to donations and tithing. Some claim that you will reap financial blessings if you give. And then there’s just the general sensitivity of our personal finances. All of that has made many people inside and outside the church suspicious about tithing and giving.

Several years ago, I was reminded about this perception. Before becoming a pastor, my very last work project involved a team of about 10 people for a couple of years. Our task was to build a software platform for a rather large company in downtown Atlanta. We enjoyed working with each other. At times, we spent long days and nights to meet deadlines. We overcame challenges. We celebrated successes. Through it all, we became close friends. They were all aware of my Christian beliefs. Two of them were also believers, which was encouraging. At times, we were able to share our hope in Christ with our colleagues.

Well, then the day came. I called a team meeting and I shared that I was leaving the industry to become a pastor. It sparked some other good conversations. A few weeks later we had a little celebration. I bought them each a nice Bible as a gift. And we looked at a few Scripture passages together.

Well unbeknownst to me, they got together and bought me a gift. It was more of a gag gift… and I brought it today. The got me an offering plate… and they even had it engraved to me with their names on it as well. We got a big laugh about it. By the way, it also says on it “to God be the Glory in all things.” That was a nice touch.

But it was a not-so-subtle illustration about the underlying skepticism about money and the church.

Well, I hope that today, and really over the next three weeks as this theme continues, that we all will be reoriented to a Biblical view of financial giving in the church. I think you will find it refreshing and challenging.

Let me say a couple more things up front before we dive in.

·     First, I do not have access to see your individual contributions. I asked not to have access because I do not want to know. By the way, neither do our elders. Honestly, I don’t want the temptation to be consciously or unconsciously partial to you based on your giving. My relationship to each of you and our elders’ relationship to each of you is based on the call we have to spiritually care for and love you in Christ. Though we fulfill that imperfectly, it is our desire.

·     Second, Amy and I seek to be faithful in our giving and tithing to the church. We are participants with you in supporting the mission to which we are called. Now, to be sure, these verses are not about tithing. Tithing is a Biblical concept. You know, giving of your first fruits. The word tithe is the Hebrew word for a tenth. Rather, this passage is more broadly about giving. In fact, it’s about giving beyond the needs of the local congregation to support the financial needs of the broader Christian community.

Ok, with all of that said, let’s now draw our attention to this text. There is a sermon outline. It was a little difficult to find a place in the bulletin to fit it in, but you can find it there on the bottom of page 5.

Three points:

1. The Grace of Giving Modelled

2. The Grace of Giving Received

3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving. Really, it’s the same grace. I’ll explain that in a few minutes.

1. The Grace of Giving Modelled (8:1)

So, number 1, the Grace of Giving Modelled.

Lets start with some quick reminders. The apostle Paul had written a difficult letter to the Corinthians and he sent it with Titus. The plan was for Paul to then rendezvous with Titus in Troas. However, when Paul arrived in Troas Titus did not show up. And that deeply concerned Paul. So, he left Troas and travelled west to Macedonia. The region of Macedonia included churches like Philippi and Thessalonica. They were in the northern part of ancient Greece.

And two things happened when Paul got there. Number 1, his dear brother in Christ, Titus, showed up. Titus brought good news about the Corinthians – weve considered that. And number 2, while Paul was in Macedonia, he wrote this letter. We know it as 2 Corinthians. In other words, Macedonia was on his mind. He was experiencing first-hand, their love and generosity for the broader church.

By the way, Paul was on his third missionary journey. And one of his objectives was to gather an offering for the impoverished Christians in Jerusalem. So, as Paul travelled, besides teaching and ministering to the churches, he and Titus and others collected financial gifts for the believers in Jerusalem.

And what an amazing testimony! The Macedonians are described in verse 1 as having extreme poverty. Yet, they gave abundantly beyond their means.

Now, there’s something very very important here. It’s not about the size of the gift. Because the Macedonians were themselves poor, their gift wasn’t a large monetary gift. Rather, the Macedonians’ generosity was about their heart’s desire. They had, as verse 2 says, an abundance of joy. And they gave with a heart for the Lord and his grace. They, in fact, pleaded to give, and they gave “beyond their means,” it says.

Isn’t that counter intuitive to our worldly mindset? When we think of generosity, we often think of the size of a gift. Yet, God reveals here that it is a matter of the heart and it is in proportion to our means.

Earlier in the service we read the account of the poor widow’s offering. Jesus had called his disciples to the temple treasury. As they sat there, they observed people giving their offering. They witnessed different amounts being dropped into the offering box. Clink, clink. Some large gifts were likely given. Perhaps they thought, “Oh, now that’s a generous gift…”  But then a poor widow came and she dropped 2 very low value copper coins into the offering. And then Jesus made one those paradigm shifting statements. He said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

It was truly an abundant gift. It was abundant because she gave sacrificially from her thankful heart.

Is that not like the sacrifice here of the Macedonians? They modelled giving from hearts for the Lord. It says they were earnest to participate in the grace of giving. They begged to participate. Those are the words used. Even though their gift was small in earthly terms, yet it was large in heavenly terms. They gave abundantly, from abundant hearts according to their means. Or as verse 12 puts it, a person gives “according what he has.”

God has given us each different means. You know, we have different incomes. Or to put it differently, we fall in different tax brackets. No matter whether you have been given much to steward or little to steward, God calls you to be generous. And that generosity is a matter first of all according to your heart desire, and second of all, relative to your means.

Now, in a few minutes, we’ll get to the source of the heart motivation, which is the grace of God in Christ. I want to be clear about that. We’ll get to what that means in a few minutes.

The point of these opening verses is that the Macedonians modelled joyful heart-motivated giving. And in verse 7, the Corinthians are called to excel in their own giving, just like the Macedonians. Verse 7 says, “But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you—see that you excel in this act of grace also.” In other words, giving is a fundamental part of the Christian life. Just as we seek to grow in our faith, and be enriched in our knowledge of God and his word, and grow in our love that we give and receive, so also, we should excel in this “act of grace,” as it says, the grace of giving.

2. The Grace of Giving Received

Which brings us to point 2. The grace of giving received. In the outline, you’ll see two sub-points. That grace is received by the giver and received by the receiver.

But let me ask, why do you think giving is called an act of grace? Is it an act of grace because the poor in Jerusalem received grace from the Macedonians? In other words, is it because when we give, we are the ones giving the grace?

The answer is no!

No, giving is God’s act of grace in us. For the giver, God gives his grace which motivates the giving.

Look at verse 1 again. “We want you to know, brothers, about [what?] …about the grace of God…” [clearly it is God’s grace. now listen to what is says next] “…about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia.” God has bestowed his grace which has resulted in their generosity.

So, it is God’s grace, and just like other areas of life where we experience God’s grace, God blesses us through it. In the case of the Macedonians, God gave them a desire and he gave them joy.

I want to make something very clear here. The act of giving itself does not result in blessing. Let me say that again. The act of giving itself does not result in blessing.

Rather it’s God’s grace that blesses us… that happens when he turns our hearts to him and gives us a joyful desire to earnestly give.

Now, some so-called pastors would strongly disagree. They would say that giving itself results in blessing. If you give, God will bless you with financial prosperity. Or they say he will bless you through other means. They turn giving into a transactional merit-based scheme. It’s not about the grace of God, rather it is about manipulating people to donate. What it actually does is cover up God’s grace in Christ.

We sometimes we call this teaching the prosperity gospel. It is not the gospel. They say that if God is not prospering you financially, then you need to give more, or you need to trust in God more. Beloved, do not buy this false gospel. There is no place in the Bible that speaks of financial prosperity as God’s will for you. Nor that when you give materially that you will reap materially.

Rather, it says that generosity comes out of a heart disposition that loves the Lord.

Verse 5 makes that priority very clear. Look at it. Verse 5. The Macedonians, it says, “gave themselves first to the Lord, then by the will of God, to us.” Meaning, they first trusted by faith in the grace of God in Christ, and then out of that grace, they gave an offering to Paul for the poor believers in Jerusalem.

Now, I am not saying that there are no benefits to giving. What I am saying is that the benefits come through the changed heart that God gives us through his grace. In verse 10, Paul, talking about this grace motivated giving says, “this benefits you.”

What are those spiritual benefits and blessings? Well, when God gives us an earnest heart-felt desire to give, God helps us to open the grip we have on our financial resources. God helps us to see that we are merely stewards of what he has given us. As you know, money is alluring and when we love our money, we replace God in our hearts with that false love. But when the transforming work of God’s grace convicts us of that sin, we are blessed with joyful longing to participate in God’s missions in the world through his church.

Those blessings are indeed blessings… but they are not our motivation. Rather, God’s grace motivates. It is what changes us.

Let me put it this way. Giving is an act of worship. It is a response. That is why our offering is part of our worship service. In our giving, God is glorified, and we are blessed. And that is because God’s grace enables us to worship, which includes our giving. And through that grace enabled worship, God builds us up in him.

So, for the one who gives… giving is an act of God’s grace which we receive. And the results of that grace are those motivations and spiritual blessings. Again, that’s the giver part.

But also, the receivers of the grace enabled gifts receive God’s blessings. I think that is probably obvious. God bestows his blessing through giving to meet their needs.

Verse 4 talks about the relief of the saints. It’s talking about the Christians in Jerusalem. God used the generosity of the broader church to bring financial relief to these impoverished saints.

Paul mentions that the Corinthians abundance would help supply their need. You see, it is God’s grace through the gifts of his people that bless his people.

There’s a built-in illustration here. It’s in verse 15. It says, “As it is written, ‘Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.’”

That reference comes from the book of Exodus. After God freed his people from slavery in Egypt, he brought them into the wilderness. But what would they eat? I mean, not much grows in the desert. Well, God provided bread from heaven – he provided Manna. Every day, God provided this daily sustenance. It was a miracle. Everyone gathered and there was no lack some gathered more, some gathered less. That’s the quote.

What God is saying in verse 15 is that the miraculous provision of manna in the Old Testament… is an example of how the gifts of the church provide for God’s people in the New Testament.

I find that amazingly encouraging. God now uses his people to support the needs of his people. In other words, God’s act of grace and blessing to the receiver comes through giving. It parallels God’s miraculous provision of the manna. You see, even though God’s people are to give, it is still God’s work – his grace.

To summarize point 2, God’s grace is given to the giver, which turns his heart to give. That results in God’s provision and blessing to the receiver. It is all his act of grace – God’s grace.

3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving

Ok, that brings us to point number 3. The Grace Behind the Grace of Giving. I’ve already mentioned that it is God’s grace in Christ – all of it. However, I haven’t really clearly defined what that means. So, what I want you to now see is first, that God’s grace in Christ is indeed the center of this text. And second, at that center, God clearly explains the grace of Christ.

About once every year we come to a Scripture text… which has a unique underlying parallel structure. And we have one of those parallel structures this morning. So, you’ve heard me talk about it before. These parallels in the Greek move from the outside in. They move from the beginning and end and they work their way to the central focus of the text. They are very helpful because we are given the explicit driving emphasis that underlies it all.

·     On the very outside of this parallel are verses 2 and 14, which focus on abundance. That’s the word. The Macedonians abundance of joy in verse 2 and then in verse 14, the word “abundance” is used two times. The abundance that the Corinthians are called to and which they will receive in times of need. Abundance.

·     The second layer is in verses 3 and 12. So we are moving in one layer. Giving should be according to someone’s means – that’s verse 3. And in verse 12, the same idea – giving should be according to what someone has.

·     The third layer is one more step in. Again, moving from the outside in - verses 6 and 11. In both is the call to complete the giving. In verse 6, Titus is called to complete the act of God’s grace. And in verse 11, the Corinthians are also called to finish it. Paul says there, “completing it out of what you have.”

·     Do you see those parallels? Abundance – abundance; according to one’s means – according to what someone has; complete it – complete it.

And this whole parallel focuses our attention to the very heart of this passage, which is verse 9. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” Even in that one verse, we see the same outward-in parallel. Rich, poor, poor rich. This is the focus.

It is not talking about financial poverty and riches. No, it is talking about the mercy of God in Christ. Jesus Christ, though he was rich in the sense of displaying the fullness of God’s glory as God the Son, yet he humbled himself. He became poor. He became a man, he endured the miseries of this life, he suffered and died.

And he did all of that so that we in our poverty may become rich. In other words, in our fallenness, deserving of the punishment of damnation and hell, Jesus Christ has redeemed us. He has, through his death and resurrection, restored us to the riches of the presence of God. We, in Christ, are now clothed with the robes of his righteousness - exalted with him in his resurrection. We are indeed rich in that way.

Friends, this is the grace of God in Christ Jesus – it is the Gospel, and it is the foundation to all the callings we are given in this life, including the call to be generous.

We give because of the joy that we have in Christ, just like the Macedonians. We give out of thankfulness for what God has done for us in Christ. We give because others in Christ who have the same riches of God’s grace have needs. We give to further and foster God’s mission, which is to make known the riches and mercy of his grace. We give not out of human compulsion, nor do we give out of a sense of guilt, nor to somehow merit blessings. No. We give because God has graciously given us eternal riches in Jesus Christ.

May God give us each the joy of the Gospel. And may he in turn, give us abundant joyful hearts to give generously, no matter our means. May we long and even beg to participate in this act of God’s grace. All because Christ Jesus became poor for our sake… to take us out of our spiritual poverty and make us rich in his mercy. Amen

Please turn in your Bibles to 2 Corinthains 6. We’ll be looking at verses 14 through chapter 7, verse 1. You can find that on page 1148.

In the first half of chapter 6, the apostle Paul called the church in Corinth to return to him and Christ. He pleaded with them to open their hearts - to turn their affections back to the true Gospel – salvation in Jesus Christ.

The question that remains is “what does that mean?” What needed to happen in the church for them to be restored?

And that question is answered in our verses this morning.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1

Prayer

#1: Be not unequally yoked (6:14)

Do not be unequally yoked. You’ve likely heard that phrase in verse 14 before. But what does it actually mean? And how does it apply? Those are the two critical questions in this text.

Being yoked is not used much in our common vernacular today. And that’s because the term is a farming term used back when animals powered the farm equipment.

If you go to a modern farm today, you will likely find massive tractors. They have air conditioning. They are driven by GPS. The farmer can be working on other business in the cab while his combine is harvesting the crop.

But of course, that is not how it used to be. No, before the tractor, animals like oxen, or horses, or mules would be hitched together. A wood harness was carved with neck shaped holes that would fit over two animals. That wood harness was called a yoke. The yoke would have ropes or cables that would attach to other devices, which would either pull a wagon or a plow or some other farming implement.

The whole purpose of the yoke was to balance the load so both animals would equally pull the load behind them.

However, if a farmer tried to put a horse and an ox together, or a horse and donkey or a mule and ox, those animals would be unequally yoked. That’s where the phrase comes from. And it didn’t work well. The farmer would have a big problem. Even if a horse and an ox had similar strength, they have different gates, different heights, different temperaments, and different speeds. It would be difficult to plow in a straight line.

The yoke itself would dig into the necks of both animals. It often caused them to be restless and could result in chaos, especially if one of the animals started bucking or kicking or biting.

So to be unequally yoked is to be mismatched in a way that is untenable. It’s unworkable. It ought not be done.

In verse 14, the apostle writes, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.”

Now, I’m guessing that many of you have heard this verse before. And likely you’ve heard it applied to marriage. Right?

However, there’s nothing in the entire book of 2 Corinthians about marriage. There’s only one reference to a husband and that is in chapter 11. But that reference is explicitly about Christ as our husband, betrothed to us, his bride, the church.

In other words, when Paul wrote verse 14, he was not explicitly writing about marriage. Now, to be sure, a second or third layer of application could be about marriage. After all, marriage is the most intimate partnership between a man and a woman. So, verse 14 would certainly have relevance. And we do learn elsewhere in the Bible that we should only marry “in the Lord.”

My point is that the context of verse 14 is not about marriage.

You ask, then, what was the apostle Paul referring to in verse 14?

Well, think about this. We’ve been studying 2 Corinthians now for 4 full months. What has been the big issue in the church in Corinth? The big issue has been false teachers. There was a group who claimed to be apostles, but who were teaching “a different gospel” (as Paul put it) and whose lives did not display godliness.

So, with whom should the church in Corinth not be yoked? They should not be yoked with this group. And in verse 14, how does Paul refer to them? He calls them “unbelievers.” They had been received into the church… at least by some… but they should not have been. And Paul calls on the church to separate themselves from partnering with them.

Let me make one more contextual comment.

In our 2 Corinthians study, we’ve also considered the city of Corinth. Corinth, if you remember, was very religious in a pagan sort of way, and also culturally diverse. The temple of Aphrodite overlooked the city – she was the so-called goddess of love. Corinth had a big prostitution problem and had many idols. In Paul’s first letter to the church there, he addresses many of these sins. In fact, the language in our text this morning shares many parallels to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 … especially in regard to idols and partnering with demons.

The Corinthian church was not be unequally yoked with either the false teachers or the broader secular and pagan community.

Furthermore, we’re not just told “to be not unequally yoked,” but we’re also given some explanation. Look again at verses 14-16, again. You’ll notice 5 questions. The next 5 sentences are 5 rhetorical questions. These are very helpful..

They not only answer why, but they also explain what being “unequally yoked” involves.

Look at the 5 questions. Every single one begins with  the word “what?” And immediately following the word “what” is a description of the kind of relationship to which Paul refers. He says, “what partnership.” Then next, “what fellowship” and then third “what accord” and then “what portion” and finally “what agreement.”

That’s very helpful, isn’t it? Each of those words implies an intentional alignment between two parties. It insinuates a purposeful agreement.

The word “partnership” and “fellowship” are particularly helpful words. The Greek word partnership involves a shared purpose. And the word fellowship is even deeper. It’s the word koinonia. It’s a purpose-driven alignment when working together.

In other words, the emphasis is on the ministry of the church in coordination and partnership with others. The emphasis is not relationships that we have with our friends and neighbors and co-workers.

The Holy Spirit is not saying through Paul that Christians should separate themselves from the world. Not at all. Christians are called to love their neighbors. In our communities, we should seek to be friends with those whom God places in our lives. We are to be a light in the world. We are called to serve and show mercy and also to receive help from others in our times of need, no matter who is seeking to help.

Even in our worship, we welcome anyone and everyone to worship with us. As you know, we do have membership vows that confirm what we believe, but the invitation to join us for our public worship is for all.

Do you see the difference? These verses are about a purposeful partnership with others in matters of belief and ministry.

Several years ago, there were a few churches in our denomination who learned this the hard way. They partnered with a weight loss ministry called Weigh Down. Their intention was good – the church wanted to help its members be healthy. It appeared on the outside that this partner ministry was an orthodox ministry. However, over time, it was revealed that the ministry founders did not believe in the Trinity! They didn’t believe in what the Bible teaches about God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These churches didn’t initially realize that, but to their credit, they quickly put an end to the ministry partnership.

What was happening in Corinth was worse. The church had in part received people that were explicitly teaching things contrary to God’s revealed Word. We also learned these people cared more about outward appearances and worldly standards than godliness.

So, they shunned God’s standards and they taught false doctrine, which basically meant they were not true believers in Christ.

That helps to explain the contrasts in these rhetorical questions. Look at them one more time.

·       First, righteousness compared with lawlessness. That’s in the first question. The difference is pursuing what God reveals in his word as good and right and pure and rejecting those things which go against his word. Lawlessness is essentially coming up with and living out your own standard contrary to God’s revealed law. The two cannot be yoked together.

·       The second contrast is light with darkness. This is about truth verses error. A couple of chapters ago, remember “God who said, ‘let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts to give us the light (of what?)… the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” Light is knowledge about what is true. What is true cannot be partnered with what is false.

·       Next, I think the most striking comparison is there in verse 15 – Christ is contrasted with Belial. Beliel, by the way, is another name for Satan. It specifically refers to the personification of the antichrist – of Satan. For God’s people who have been united to Christ, there is no place to have an earthly partnership with those whose doctrine and practice are diametrically opposed to the ministry and mission that God gives for his church.

The last rhetorical question is there in the beginning of verse 16. “What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Idolatry is replacing the worship of God with something else. Or in this case, worshiping something that is not God alongside of the true God.

Idols were everywhere in Corinth. That was the way of the Roman and Greek culture of the time. They believed in little gods. They would make physical idols of wood and stone. They would ask these false gods to bring rain or fertility or to defeat their enemies.

I remember someone telling me about a small village in southeast Asia. This community had a lake and at one point the lake needed to be drained. One of the side berms needed repair. Well, when the engineers drained the lake, they found hundreds of idols. People had thrown their small idols into the lake. When these little “g” gods did not fulfill their desires, they wanted to get rid of them in protest. Sadly, their idolatry either blinded them from seeing and believing in the true God, or it took their heart away from worshiping the true God in Christ.

For us, our idols look very different. They’re not usually made of wood and stone, but rather we fashion them in our hearts. For example, idols of materialism or money or success or pleasure… or sports …or politics …or technology. There are others.

When the people of God unequally yoke themselves with idols or idol worshipers, they pollute the very temple of God. They pollute the church.

Let me summarize: lawlessness undermines the righteousness of God, darkness supplants the truth of God, and idolatry pollutes the worship of God. All of that is introduced into the church through the yoke of unholy partnerships.

I don’t know if you’ve been following along with the sermon outline. If so, that wraps up point #1, Be not unequally yoked.

2. Live as temples of the living God

That now brings us to #2: Live as temples of the living God

You can think about it this way. Verses 14 up to the beginning of 16 are like the negative argument. They answer the question what should we avoid in order to not be unequally yoked. We should avoid partnering with lawlessness and darkness and idolatry. All of those are signs of unbelief and need to be avoided.

And when we get to the second half of verse 16, there’s a switch to the positive argument. Why should the church seek to be pure?

And the answer is because we are temples of the living God!

That statement was a radical and transformational teaching for first century Christians. For the Corinthians, this was not the first time they heard it. Three times in Paul’s first letter to them, he tells them that they are temples of God. God’s Holy Spirit dwells in them. God’s very presence is in them.

You see, until Jesus Christ came, the presence of God was centered in the tabernacle and then the temple. A big portion of the Old Testament ceremonies happened there. It emphasized two things: (1) the holiness of God and (2) the presence of God.

·       First, sacrifices were performed to symbolically cleanse the people – to make them holy. Ultimately that was fulfilled in Christ.

·       Second, the temple contained the holy of holies. It was behind a vary large and very thick curtain. Only the high priest could enter the holy of holies once a year. That’s where God’s presence and glory was found.

But when Jesus died on the cross, the temple curtain was torn in two. The temple of God was no longer relevant. That’s because believers in Christ are now temples of the living God.

So, if you are a believer in Christ, God has made you holy and has given you his presence. You are united to him through the Holy Spirit by faith.

To be sure, that does not mean you do not sin. Rather it means that God sees you as holy because of the holiness of Christ in you. Through the union that you have with Christ, you are holy and have the very presence of God in you. In that way, you are temples of the living God.

And because of the status you have as being holy, you are called to live out that holiness by pursuing the righteousness in God.

I want you to jump down to chapter 7 verse 1. Notice how it concludes this section, “Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God”

Again, “bringing holiness to completion.” It means that Christians should pursue holiness in our lives because God now sees us as holy.

This directly relates to chapter 6:14 – “do not be unequally yoked.” 7:1 is the positive statement. Instead of being unequally yoked, cleanse yourselves from every defilement of body and spirit. In other words, since you are a holy people called by God, pursue holiness.

God’s will and desire for his church is that we be pure. Why? Well, that was point 1 – there’s no place for lawlessness, darkness, or idolatry in those who are temples of the living Lord.

Ok, let’s go back up to the long quote. Do you see that there in verses 16-18?

This is a very interesting Old Testament quote. That’s because it doesn’t just come from one place. It’s a compilation of quotes from Exodus, Leviticus, Ezekiel, Isaiah, 2 Samuel, Jeremiah, and others. It displays an amazing cross section of God’s redemptive plan and promises in the Old Testament.

These 2 and 1/2 verses take us from God’s law to his prophecies to the history of redemption… and to God’s covenant promises.

In fact, that’s the thing that ties it all together. God’s covenant with his people. You can see that in every phrase here.

Let’s look at them.

·       In the middle of 16, it begins with the covenant promise found in Exodus and Leviticus. The promise is that God would dwell with his people. That certainly ties to being temples of the living God… does it not?

·       And then next, another covenant promise that God would be our God and we would be his people. Do you see that there at the end of 16? That quote is actually found in multiple places... Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah, as we read earlier in the service.

·       Then verse 17 is from the prophet Isaiah. The covenant people of God should separate themselves from uncleanness. That’s the outworking of being a people called out by God for his glory and honor.

·       And finally verse 18 comes from 2 Samuel chapter 7. That’s when the prophet Nathan gave King David God’s covenant promise. Part of the promise is that God would be the Father of one of his sons in his line. Also included there is that many will be called sons and daughters through this promised son. And of course, those promises are ultimately fulfilled in Christ.  

I know that is a lot to take in. But the point is that God has called a covenant people to himself. And part of that calling is to be a set apart and holy people.

So, to tie this all together… the command to be not unequally yoked (verse 14) and instead to bring holiness to completion (chapter 7 verse 1) HAS BEEN God’s plan and purpose from the very beginning.

God wants his church to be pure. He wants us to pursue righteousness and to faithfully teach and believe in the truths found in his Word. Any diversions from that corrupts the temple of the living Lord.

About 100 years ago, a crisis was happening in the church here in the United States. This affected multiple denominations. Ministers were no longer required to believe in basic truths about the Christian faith. There were 5 fundamental beliefs that a pastor did not have to believe: (1) they didn’t have to believe in Jesus’s divine nature. (2) or the virgin birth of Christ (3) or Jesus physical resurrection. (4) or the substitutionary atonement of Christ – meaning that Jeus died to pay the penalty for sinners. Or (5) the inspiration and inerrancy of the Bible – that one really leads to all the rest. In several denominations, you could be ordained as a pastor without believing in one or more of those things.

But each of those things is core to the Christian faith. To not believe in them is to violate the truths found in 2 Corinthians 6:14 to 7:1.

You see, sadly, a cancer had infiltrated the church. That cancer began to spread. It slowly multiplied until it metastasized… it reached the very heart of the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now, not all denominations were affected. And to be sure, some true believers remained in those churches and sought to steer them back to faith in Christ. But it was an uphill battle. To use the language of the book of Revelation chapters 2 and 3… If a church abandons its first love, that is Christ, God will snuff out their lampstand.

It has been 100 years, but the broader church in the United States is still suffering from the unbelief. And it all started by being unequally yoked with unbelievers.

There are, of course, many examples recent times that violate these verses in 2 Corinthians. And we should not believe that we are immune from this. We should always be evaluating whether we are being faithful to teach what God has spoken. And we should always be evaluating whether we are living as temples of the living… God seeking to bring holiness to fulfillment.

May we, here at Tucker Pres, seek to honor God in our words and actions…both individually and as a church. May we be not unequally yoked, but rather may we seek to be temples of the living Lord… bringing holiness to completion in the fear and worship of our God.

Please turn to 2 Corinthians 5:11-17 in your Bibles. That can be found on page 1147 of the pew Bible.

In these verses, the apostle Paul transitions from the resurrection hope that Christ gives us in our suffering…. to now focusing in on the heart transformation that we are given in him.

The connection between verses 1-10 and 11-17 is the Gospel. It’s the death and resurrection of Christ. This good news is both the hope for eternity in suffering and it’s the transforming power for godly living.

As I read, listen for two things. Listen for a description of Jesus’ ministry. And listen for a comparison between the old life and the new life in Christ.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 5:11-17

Prayer

There are about 18,000 species of butterflies – 18,000 different species. That translates into billions and billions of butterflies around the world today – it’s hard to even estimate how many. And this is the time of year when they just start coming out.

Kids, maybe you’ve tried to catch one with a butterfly net. Maybe you’ve seen a beautiful Monarch… or one of the different kinds of Swallowtails. As you know, they truly are exquisite –different colors like blues and yellows and cool patterns and shimmery reflections.

But the thing is, they didn’t start that way. No, all butterflies began life as a caterpillar. And some of them are not that appealing. Like the Monarch – it begins life as a worm like caterpillar with pale and dirty looking bands on it. Other caterpillars look like green slugs. One kind of caterpillar apparently looks like bird droppings. Others have spikes or bumpy skin.

But then something amazing happens to each one of them. They go through a metamorphosis… a transformation. Literally inside their cocoons, their bodies melt away into a soupy kind of ooze which is then metamorphosed into a beautiful butterfly.

When they emerge, they are… new creations, in a way. The old has passed away, behold the new has come. You probably saw that one coming.

But the parallel is true. The metamorphosis that a caterpillar goes through in becoming a butterfly is like the metamorphosis that someone goes through in becoming a Christian.

The transformation is an internal transformation. Our insides, our hearts, are changed… they’re melted and we become and are becoming reflections of God in Christ.

Now, the word “transformation” is not used in this passage, but the ideas are all here. In fact, in the Greek, the word transformation is the word “metamorphose”. Like in Romans chapter 12 verse 2. “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Be metamorphosed.

Here in 2 Corinthians 5 11-17, Paul, in part, describes the difference between someone who still has their old nature and someone who has been transformed into a new creation in Christ. And as I mentioned earlier, at the center of this transformation is what Jesus has accomplished for you in his death and resurrection.

On the sermon notes page, you can see those two lists (the old and the new). We’re going to work through those in just a minute.

But first, let’s begin by looking at two things… Let’s begin by (1) considering what it means to be a new creation, and (2) why Paul was writing this section of the letter.

It will be helpful to know those things before looking at the old and new contrast.

Let’s look at the very first verse and the very last verse in our text. Beginning in verse 11. Right in the middle, it says “But what we ARE is known to God.” The word “are” is important. The apostle Paul is referring to their state of being – their identity. God knows if we are still in our old nature or if we are a new creation

Now, keep that in mind and jump down to verse 17. It says, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

An important word here is the word “is.” “If anyone IS in Christ, he IS a new creation.” Do you see the connection between 11 and 17? Each of us has a state of being in relation to Christ. We are either “in Christ” or “not in Christ.” And God obviously knows that.

To be a new creation in Christ is to believe in and live for Jesus because of what he has done. Verse 15 captures that. It says, “and he [that is, Jesus] died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

So, to be a new creation in Christ is to… have your old self die with him (your sin, your shame), and to be given a new nature in him, raised with him. A new life.  You become a new creation by faith in Christ, who, as it says “for [your] sake died and was raised.”

I wanted to start there because it is that very heart change which is at the center of these verses. The apostle Paul works out what that means for himself and for the Corinthians.

So, keep that Gospel emphasis in mind as we consider what being a new creation in Christ looks like.

The second important thing to know is the context.

Remember, the apostle Paul was dealing with nay-sayers in Corinth. There was a group undermining his ministry. We’ve come across several things so far about what they were saying and doing. They were saying that because Paul suffered so much he could therefore not be an apostle. Remember that? They also critiqued Paul’s change of plans. The irony is that he changed his plans for their sakw. And then, these detractors were, as Paul put it, peddling God’s word and also tampering with it. That’s not good.

And now in these verses, we learn something else about this group. They cared about outward appearances and not about the heart.

Look at verse 12. Let me take a moment to unpack this verse.

Paul begins by saying, “We are not commending ourselves to you again” Now, earlier in the letter Paul had established his own authenticity as a true minister of the Gospel. He included Timothy and Titus as well. Paul is not doing that again here. He’s not “commending ourselves to you again.” Rather, Paul wants them to see the true Gospel transformation in his and his fellow worker’s hearts. He uses the word “boast.” He doesn’t want them to boast about what’s on the outside, but the inside. It’s not about outward appearances, like what the false teachers were saying, but rather what is truly in one’s heart.

Let me read the whole of verse 12 again, and I think you’ll hear that context. “We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart.”

The whole reason that Paul wrote these verses was to tell the Corinthians to look for that true Gospel transformation in someone. Look for a changed heart and mind worked out in someone’s life. That is how you discern a true believer in Christ. That is how you differentiate between a faithful teacher and a false teacher. The old has passed away, the new has come.

Ok, I wanted to begin with those two things. (1) that someone who is a new creation in Christ has been transformed by Christ. And (2) Paul was writing to the Corinthians so that they could evaluate whether someone has undergone that transformation.

With that said, let’s spend the rest of our time seeing how that works out in someone’s life – including your life and my life.

That brings us back to the two points in the outline.

1. The old has passed away

2. The new has come

Now, really, the old and new comparison goes back and forth in these verses. But I thought it would be helpful to first consider what the old nature looks like. And then we can compare that with the new nature in Christ.

1. The old has passed away (5:17)

So first, the old.

It is incredibly difficult today to not boast about outward appearances. We are constantly bombarded with the message of appearance. Who you know, how you dress, the things you have, what car you drive. Those are all status symbols today. Social media influencers make billions influencing you to buy certain things and to achieve a certain look. You see, our culture is very consumeristic and individualistic. Marketing algorithms target you based on your age and interest.

And everything out there is so visual and sensual… and your phone makes the problem worse. It’s overwhelming.

Now, I’m not saying that the Roman and Greek culture back in the first century didn’t have that temptation. It just wasn’t as intense.

And one of identifying sins of the old self is boasting in outward appearances. That word boast in the Greek is to brag or rejoice in. So, in this case, it’s making something that is external part of your identity.

In the case of Paul’s detractors, that could have been eloquence or wealth or cultural status or even health. Their outward boasting indicated that they had not been transformed into new creations in Christ.

So that’s one thing, a focus on external things.

A second identifying sin is there in verse 15. Those who are new creations in Christ “no longer live for themselves.” You see, our old nature is especially a selfish nature. At the heart of the old self is self.

In fact, the heart of all sin is the sin of self-idolatry. It’s doing things for your own glory and reputation… and often that happens at the expense of others.

Let’s go back to those who were undermining the apostles. Their agenda was a self-centered agenda. Once we get to chapters 10 and 11, we will get a clear picture of their self-promotion and how they were using the Corinthians for their own gain.

And that certainly happens today. You know this… there are so-called pastors out there today who use their people for their own gain. They are still “living for themselves.”

Every single one of us lives for something. And most often, those who still have an old nature, live for themselves.

Ok, the third thing mentioned here is in verse 16. Paul writes, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh.” That word flesh is used in several different ways throughout the New Testament. Sometimes it’s about our sin nature, sometimes it is about our weakness in the body, and sometimes like here, it is about a worldly perspective rather than a godly one. One translation says, “we should regard no one according to a worldly point of view.” That’s helpful.

Our old nature judges based on the world’s philosophy – you know, the latest cultural value system about what’s good and bad or right or wrong.

Paul even makes that point in verse 16 that he used to regard Christ according to the flesh. Before Paul was transformed into a new creation in Christ, he viewed Jesus as weak. Jesus was just a man to Paul and to the other Pharisees. To them, Jesus’ words were blasphemous. And Jesus’ actions definitely didn’t align with their worldly understanding of power and status.

You see, our old self judges according to the flesh and not according to God’s perspective.

All three of these identifying sin patterns are indicative of the old self. A focus on outward appearance, a self-centered nature, and judging others through the eyes of the world.

You see, many in Corinth needed a transformation. They needed a metamorphosis from their old nature to become a new creation in Christ.

2. The new has come (5:17)

Some of you attended our Pray for Tucker event last month. Our speaker was Lowell Ivey. Lowell is the director of Metanoia Prison ministry. If you didn’t meet Lowell, you definitely met Jeremy Prather – Jeremy has joined us on a couple of occasions. He’s also with Metanoia. Jeremy works for Lowell.

And just like Jeremy, Lowell spent years in prison.

You see, Lowell had been convicted of multiple counts of armed robbery. Before that, he had been a drug dealer while in the military, which led him down that path.

The prison he was sent to was intensely segregated… it was self-segregated on racial lines. Prison gangs were based on race, and these gangs would riot. Prisoners were stabbed because of the color of their skin. So Lowell joined a white supremacist gang and found himself deeply hating his non-white fellow inmates.

At one point, he somehow acquired a knife and soon thereafter attacked a black inmate. He tried to kill him. Thankfully a guard intervened. However, Lowell was sent to solitary confinement. He spent 10 years in solitary confinement. It’s hard to even imagine that.

But it was during that time that God changed him. Lowell was scanning the radio channels one night and came across a Christian station. The Gospel was clearly presented… and the Holy Spirit brought a deep conviction of his racism and his need for repentance.

Lowell fell on his knees and pleaded with the Lord to change his heart. At that moment he became a new creation in Christ. And he describes the sudden change within. God took away the sin of racism in his heart. No longer did he regard others according to the flesh. The old has passed, the new has come.

In fact, he said that the only group in prison who did not segregate by race were the Christians.

To be sure, Lowell explained he still had other sin struggles in his life. Over time, God continued to conform him more and more to the image of Christ. But that particular sin was no more.

Our new nature in Christ should look vastly different from our old nature. Now, we may not go through as radical a change as Lowell experienced but nonetheless when God changes our heart, he turns us into a new creation.

Let me highlight three characteristics of our new nature.

The first is back up in verse 11. Fear. Not fear of man, rather fear of the Lord.

In verse 10, which we considered last week, we were reminded that we must all sit before the judgment seat of Christ. Well, the truth of God’s judgment should drive us to a godly fear of him.

That idea is reinforced in what we already considered in verse 11. “What we are is known by God.” Because God knows our heart, we should have a reverent fear of him. That does not mean cowering in front of him, but it does mean recognizing his justice and seeking to worship him in all areas of our lives.

Let me put it this way: our new nature should include a reverent and deep recognition of God in his sovereignty and holiness. And that recognition should continue to transform our lives.

So that’s the first aspect of being a new creation in Christ – a reverent and awe filled fear of the Lord.

The second and third aspects are a contrast to the old nature. The false teachers in Corinth boasted about their own outward appearances… and “not,” as it says in verse 12, “about the heart.”

We often shy away from talking about ourselves. And that’s generally a good thing.

Someone who is always talking about themselves and what they have done and who they know is off-putting. It may be an indication that they still have the old nature.

However, we should testify to what God is doing in us and in others. I’m not saying all the time. But when we give glory to God for his transforming work in us, we are directing others to the new creation that God has made.

You see, that kind of “boasting” is not in ourselves or in outward appearance but it is boasting in God for his Gospel transforming work.

And at times we should be passionate about it.

I think that is what verse 13 is about. It’s a strange verse. It says, “For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.”

Being “beside ourselves” means passionately expressing something. You know, animated. John Piper, the well known pastor, comes to mind. He gets very animated because he’s so passionate about God’s work and his word. One time Piper was waving his hands… and his Apple Watch started calling 911. It thought he had fallen… he was just being very dramatic.

Now, we don’t know what the apostle Paul was like when he was preaching or teaching. But Festus, one of the Roman governors said to Paul that he “was out of his mind.” Paul had been zealously appealing to Festus that he believe.

But we also know that the apostle Paul was very thoughtful and measured at times. He was very rational and composed in much of his writing. So, when he says, “if we are in our right mind, it is for you,” it’s likely referring to his thoughtful and calm arguments for Christ.

Anyway, what I’m saying is that to be a new creation in Christ, is first of all, to look to God – to fear him. Second, it’s to testify and boast about the things of the heart – at times fervently, at other times, in a measured way.

And then third, it is living for Christ. Similarly, this is a contrast to the old nature. When we become new creations in Christ, we turn our attention away from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness.

This takes us to verse 14. “For the love of Christ controls us.”

God’s love for us in Christ compels us. It motivates us. It directs us. It encourages us. God’s love for us in Christ transforms us. And then immediately we’re given the reason. And the reason is the death and resurrection of Jesus.

By the way, let me make a clarifying comment about verse 15. The word “all” means that the atonement of Christ is for all peoples – all tribes, all tongues, all nations. As the apostle Paul has said elsewhere… Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female. Christ died and was raised for all those categories.

And this takes us back to where we started. The death and resurrection of Jesus is the basis for being a new creation in Christ. When you are transformed, you will no longer live for yourself, but you will be compelled to live for Christ. As verse 15 says, “that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.”

I remember a few years ago talking to a camper who had gone to Camp Westminster for the first time. Some of you have been there. And she said to me, “the counsellors just kept talking about Jesus’ death and resurrection.” Well, that warmed my heart. Yes, there are other important matters of faith and practice, but at the heart of it all is the cross and resurrection. It’s what makes us new creations in Christ.

Now, you may be asking a very important question “How does that actually work? How does Jesus’ death and resurrection actually make me a new creation in Christ.” Well, that is answered in next week’s verses.

Conclusion

In summary, to be a new creation in Christ is to be transformed. It is to be changed, metamorphosed. Like from a prickly, bumpy, slimy caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly.

May God change us from self-centered, outward-focused, and hard-hearted creatures of the world to God-fearing, Christ-centered, heart-focused new creations in Christ.

2 Cor 5:1-10

Our sermon text is 2 Corinthians 5:1-10. You can find that on page 1147.

The theme of suffering continues here in chapter 5.

Last week, we were encouraged to not lose heart in our affliction. That is because of three things. (1) God is working his Gospel in us – he is renewing us day by day. (2) our suffering, though difficult, pales in comparison to the eternal weight of glory. And (3) God enables us to look to the eternal things in heaven, which we cannot see but are promised.

The beginning of chapter 5, here is a continuation of point 3 from last week. God enables us to look to the things in eternity even though we cannot see them. And in these verses, we’re given a picture of heaven and what it will be like to dwell there.

These verses put meat on the bones, so to speak. They tell us what the future reality will be like in comparison to our present reality.

So, as I read, listen for that comparison. Our present reality on earth compared with our future reality in heaven.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

Prayer

There’s one medical statistic that has remained consistent for all of history… going all the way back to Adam and Eve. The percentage of this medical occurrence has not changed in that long. Thousands and thousands of years of human history.

I’m talking about the mortality rate. It has remained at 100%. By the way, the word “mortality” literally means “subject to death.” 100% in the history of humanity.

Now, I know what couple of you are thinking… “yeah but what about Enoch? God took him but he didn’t experience death? Or what about Elijah? He was taken up to heaven on the whirlwind.” Ok, fine. But you get my point. Everyone in history minus 2

There is only one event that will change that. There is only one event that will end mortality. And that is when Christ returns. We don’t know when that will happen. But when he returns, those who are alive will not experience death. Wouldn’t that be great if it happened in our lifetime.

At that time, the Scriptures say that Jesus will return as judge of the living and the dead. Verse 10 references Jesus’ “judgment seat.” We’ll come back to that later.

But look at verse 1, do you see that word “if?” “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed”  

It’s talking about our mortal bodies. That word “if” is the same word in the Greek for the word “when.” And here it is an “if or when.” It’s an “if” for you if Christ returns before you experience death. It’s a “when” if Christ returns after you pass from this life.

In the meantime, all of us will experience the groaning of our bodies, as these verses describe. And possibly all of us will experience the pains of death as we pass from this life.

And it’s difficult. Our “groaning” is difficult to different degrees now and it will likely become more difficult. We don’t want to struggle with sleep issues or weight issues or chronic issues or disease or mental heath issues… or the general wearing down of our bodies. No, we all have an internal longing to be whole.

And what 2 Corinthians 5:1-10 reveals to us is that one day we will be whole. These verses reveal the amazing reality of what is to come. It helps us to live with the groaning now with confidence in the reality of what is to come for us in heaven. And it’s a beautiful promise.

As you heard, these verse constantly go back and forth between earth and heaven. Our current reality and our future promise. The pains of our current bodies, and being clothed in perfected ones. How in this life we are away from the Lord –we’re not in his physical presence, but in the life to come, we will be with him forever.

And the big question here is this: How do we live in adversity and long for eternity? How can we turn our groaning into longing?

The answer centers on one thing. There’s one thing that is critical. Really, it’s the key to the answer. And it’s right there in the middle of these verses. Verse 7. “We walk by faith and not by sight.” You see, the Bible gives us many promises. And we are called to believe in them by faith.

Faith is the key to it all. It’s the key to living on earth while longing for hope for heaven.

Now, these verses do not give us a definition of faith. In fact, faith is only mentioned a few times in the whole book. But remember, Paul is writing to the church in Corinth. This is not the first letter he’s written to them. No, it’s actually the fourth letter. We don’t have two of them. And also, don’t forget, Paul planted the church in Corinth. He’s also visited them. So, he is not defining the word “faith” because he knows that his readers understand its meaning.

Now, for us, the word faith culturally has a shallow meaning. Mostly.

People often use the word “faith” today in a generalized sense like a blind trust – a blind faith. Like, I’m not really sure about something, but I’m just going to go with it. You know, that kind of faith.

But the word faith in the Greek and its use in the Scriptures is much deeper. Much richer. Its not a blind faith without reason… but a belief and trust in something because of the confidence in and reliance on what is believed. In fact, the same word “faith” in the Greek is sometimes translated “assurance” depending on the context.

In other words, faith includes trusting in something because of real, rational, and true reasons.

Let me take a moment and speak those of you here who are still evaluating Christianity.

When you hear that Christianity requires faith, that’s very true. At the heart of what it means to be a Christian is to have faith in Christ. It’s faith in who he is as God and what he has done. But faith does not mean setting aside your mind or reason. No faith includes engaging your mind.

·       It’s believing in God as he has revealed himself in creation all around you and in the Scriptures.

·       It’s seeing how consistent and clear the Bible is and its validity. We have almost 6000 New Testament manuscripts going back to the second century and they are amazingly consistent.

·       Having faith also includes understanding your own heart. It’s recognizing your need for honor instead of your shame, for forgiveness from your sin, and for redemption because of your debt to God.

·       Faith is believing that Jesus has overcome those things for you.

·       You see, faith is both a heart and mind belief.

Now, for all of us, faith in Christ does include things that we cannot see. Absolutely. We cannot see heaven. We cannot see God. But that does not mean it’s a blind faith. No, it’s trusting in the riches which have been revealed to us.

So, when verse 7 says, “we walk by faith and not by sight” it’s saying that as we journey through life, we trust in the future promises that God has given us, because of all the things he has done for us.

Ok, with that foundation of faith, let’s look at two things. You’ll see those on the notes page.

First, Longing for heaven by faith. And second, living on earth by faith.

So, longing for heaven while living on earth, by faith

1. Longing for heaven by faith

Some people think that heaven will be like we are in the clouds, and we’ll be floating around like angels. But that is not how the Bible describes heaven. When Christ returns, we will be given new bodies and there will be a new heavens and a new earth – a new creation that is not groaning.

These verses give us a picture of some of that. Look at the contrast. Our earthly bodies are described as tents. Our heavenly bodies are buildings. One is flimsy and it doesn’t take much to tear down. The other is firm and immoveable.

In fact, the end of verse 1 says our heavenly dwelling will be “eternal in the heavens.” Indestructible. You ask, what will that be like?

I’m not totally sure, but we are given a glimpse of that in Jesus’ resurrected body. Ours will be like his in some way. When he appeared with his disciples, he ate with them. Thomas, his disciple, felt the scar on Jesus’ side. There will be a physical nature to our bodies.  But they will be imperishable. Immortal. Look at the end of verse 4 – “we will be further clothed so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.” No longer will our bodies be subject to death, but rather life forever. Let me put it this way, the mortality rate in heaven will be 0%. Death will be no more.

So that is one promise here – resurrected imperishable bodies.

Ok, there’s a second future promise in these verses. Those in Christ are promised to be present with the Lord. Physically present with him. Verses 6 and 8 describe how in our bodies now, we are away from the Lord.

To be sure, the apostle Paul is not talking about the spiritual presence of Christ. No, Jesus is spiritually present with us, now, through his Spirit by faith. But when our earthly bodies are destroyed, we will be with the resurrected Lord in heaven. In his presence.

Let also me clarify something. These verses do not focus on the timing of when we’ll be given eternal bodies. But these verses do tell us when we will be present with the Lord. We will be present with the Lord as soon as we are away from the tent of our earthly bodies.

Think of the thief on the cross. Jesus said to him that “today” he would be with him in paradise.

By the way, elsewhere in the New Testament, it’s very clear that our heavenly dwelling, our resurrected bodies, will be given to us when Christ returns, in the future.

Here’s what I am saying. If you are a believer in Christ by faith, when you die, your soul will immediately be with the Lord. But in the future, when Jesus returns your soul will be united to a new resurrected body.

When you pass from this life, it will be amazing to be in the Lord’s full presence. But when Christ returns and you are found in him, it will be even more amazing. It’s hard to even imagine being in the presence of the resurrected and ascended Jesus, with a new heavenly body like his.

We can’t see exactly what that will be like, but we walk by faith in that promise.

Let me summarize point one like this. Turn your groanings into longings. Long to be present with the Lord. And long for that imperishable, eternal, immortal body that you are promised in Christ.

2. Living on earth by faith (5:5-10)

Which brings us to #2. Living on earth by faith.

8 years ago, I took a paper lawn trash bag, which I had cut open. And I got out some old spray paint… And wrote in big letters, “Alaska or Bust.”

I wanted to tape the sign to the back of our RV, but the kids thought that was weird.

We then set off on a 7,000 mile journey. I wasn’t sure if we would make it. At one point, we were driving toward the Canadian boarder, and all of a sudden the engine made a bad noise… and smoke started billowing everywhere behind us. My heart sank. I thought the engine just blew up. I thought Alaska or bust was a bust.

Thankfully it was just a coolant line. Got that fixed and continued on. Made it into Canada, but then the next day, boom. Blew a tire. The next day, we almost lost another tire. Then the next day, black diesel smoke started pouring out of the tailpipe every time we tried to accelerate. We were in the middle of nowhere. By this time, I was quite sure we weren’t going to make it.

Isn’t that how you feel while on the journey of life? Do you feel like your travel sign says “heaven or bust.” Do you think that there’s a possibility you’re not going to make it. Or that you’ll lose your faith or that God will forget you? We lose hope, don’t we?

Do you know what your travel sign really says. It just says, “heaven!” there is no “or bust.”

Look at verse 5. “He who has prepared this very thing is God, who has given us his Spirit as a guarantee.”

God’s promise is sure. There are no “maybes” about it. It is not a hollow hope. It is the sure hope founded on what God has accomplished in Christ - his death and resurrection.

You see, God will accomplish his promise. If you have believed by faith in what Christ has done for you, God has given you his Spirit as a guarantee.

Jesus, himself, reinforces this. In the Gospel of John chapter 6, he said, “I should lose nothing of all that he [the Father] has given me, but raise it up on the last day.” And he said, “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” Jesus promised that he will raise you up.

Let’s go back to 2 Corinthians 5… Immediately after Paul reminds us of this guarantee, he writes, “So we are of good courage.” That is verse 6. Then he repeats the same phrase in verse 8. “Yes, we are of good courage.”

Do you know when you need courage the most? In battles, in trials, in affliction and suffering.

So, in this life here on earth, no matter what happens to you -blown tires, engine failures, accidents, you can live with courage and confidence because God will carry you to your destination.

I’ll never forget it. In the distance I could see something big on the side of the road. As we got closer, it turned out to be a big sign. Pretty soon we could read it. It said, “welcome to Alaska.” For this special occasion, I brought a big sharpie. I crossed out the word “bust” on our sign… and underlined the word “Alaska.” We made it. By the way, that sign hangs in our basement.

Beloved in Christ, just cross out the phrase “or bust” right now in your imaginary travel sign. There’s no chance that you will not arrive. No, you are assured of that. And you can live on earth now with confidence and courage.

Ok, so that is one way you are called to live knowing of your future promise. Confidence and courage.

There’s also a second response here.

Look at verse 9. It says, “So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him.” In other words, whether we are on earth or in heaven, we aim to please God.

Let me mention the obvious. If you are in heaven, away from the body, you will be pleasing the Lord. That’s because you will be worshipping him for eternity. You will be so overwhelmed being in his presence that you will be giving him the glory forever. And you will be unable to sin, so everything you do in eternity will be pleasing to the Lord.

But the other part of verse 9 is that we make it our aim to please the Lord now. Think of everything that the Lord has done for you. Just in these verses alone there are abundant reasons to please the Lord. He’s promised to clothe you in a new heavenly dwelling. He’s promised that you will be in his presence when you pass from this life. He’s given you assurance. He’s given you faith.

Each one of those is reason enough to seek his pleasure. By the way, what does pleasing him mean? It means honoring him in your life. It means pursuing his commands. It means, loving your neighbor. It means participating in Jesus’ Great Commission, like Paul was doing.

Have you heard this description of some people. “They are so heavenly minded that they are no earthly good.”  That is why main point #2 is important. Yes, we should be heavenly minded, main point #1. But that should work its way out in our lives. Our courage, our ministry to others, our life… pleasing the Lord in those things.

That phrase definitely does not describe the apostle Paul. No. He was both heavenly minded and earthly good. His faith in Christ gave him hope. Yes, he longed to be present with the Lord and clothed in Christ in his heavenly dwelling, but he also pressed on in ministry and courage and confidence… with an unending desire to please the Lord in this life.

And that brings us to verse 10.

It gives us yet another reason we should seek to please the Lord. It says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Now, it’s tempting to misunderstand this verse. It is not saying that if you do good things, your reward will be heaven. This is not a verse that says we merit heaven through our good works.

However, it is a reminder that Christ is the divine judge. Our lives will testify to our faith. As one commentator put it, “everyone who is mindful of their mortality must therefore be mindful of their morality.” That’s a helpful way to think about it.

And notice that it says “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” Remember that there were some in Corinth leading the church astray. They were teaching a false Gospel and peddling God’s Word, undermining it. They also must appear before Christ. And they will be gravely accountable for their evil works…  because their life and actions and false teaching demonstrate a lack of true faith in Christ.

But let me also say, if you have faith in Christ for salvation, having repented of those things that do not please the Lord…God will reward you for your good works. Because your works are not your works but Christ’s work in you. God will get the glory because we have sought to please him. And we will receive the great rewards of heaven.

The point is that we should aim to please the Lord in this life. Why? Because he’s given us assurance. He is the divine judge. And (back to verse 5), God is the one who will cloth us with an imperishable dwelling forever.

Conclusion

So may we live by faith here and now, with courage and confidence, pleasing him, and anticipating his coming judgment.

May our groanings turn to longings because the mortality rate in heaven is exactly 0%.  

And may the Lord give us faith in Christ or strengthen our faith in him on the journey. 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

This morning, we are going to finish chapter 4 of 2 Corinthians. Verses 16-18. You can find that on page 1147.

In the leadup to our verses this morning, we have been encouraged in our suffering. Even though we are like jars of clay, breakable and fragile, yet we have the surpassing treasure of the Gospel of Jesus within us.

As we are given over to death… as our bodies deteriorate… as we suffer, yet, the life of Jesus is at work in us. And we are promised a resurrection hope through Christ.

That was the promise of last week’s verses. A resurrection hope through Jesus Christ.

And that brings us to verse 16.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Prayer

If you’ve been following the news in Montana, you’ll know that there’s a battle over suffering and death. Legislation has been proposed that would make it legal for someone with a terminal disease to end his or her life with the help of a physician.

And it’s very personal. Those who argue in favor tell stories of difficult suffering of loved ones. Those who argue against it tell stories of difficult suffering of loved ones.

To some extent, I think we can each understand the motivation for such a thing. Physical suffering is difficult and it’s likewise difficult to watch a loved one endure such a trial, especially when the diagnosis is grave.

But life is precious… no matter our age or situation. God is the one who is to numbers our days. Not us. And it may be in those last days or moment that God draws someone to himself – like the thief on the cross next to Jesus.

And not only that, but we have been learning in 2 Corinthians that suffering unto death is part of life. It’s part of the fallen condition that we live in and the fallen nature that we have. And for the Christian, through our suffering we share in Christ’s suffering and because of that, we also share in his comfort.

We learned that back in chapter 1. You see, God often fulfills his purposes through suffering. And when we suffer affliction, he will strengthen and give us hope when we look to him.

As we come now to verses 16-18… whey do is apply verse 14 to us. Verse 14 is about the resurrection. Since God raised the Lord Jesus, he will raise us and bring us into his presence. Look again at the end of verse 14. Paul writes to the Corinthian church that Jesus will bring “us with you into his presence.” You, believers in Corinth, will join us, Paul and those with him, in that resurrection.

That is a great hope. And verses 16-18 then explain how to experience that resurrection hope in our lives… especially in our suffering. Even in despair.

The question is, in our present suffering, how can we not lose heart? How can we live through the trials of this life with the hope of heaven? How do you actually do that? How do you actually have hope in suffering?

Verses 16-18 tell us how.

Look at 16. It begins with those encouraging words. “So, we do not lose heart!”

And then Paul goes on to tell us why and how.

By the way, this is the second time in this chapter that Paul has used the phrase “do not lose heart.” The first time was up in verse 2. Paul was talking about not losing heart in ministry and focus. Even though some will not respond, “do not lose heart.” God is at work. Remember that? Well, this time, the “do not lose heart” is about suffering and affliction.

On the sermon notes page, you’ll see the question, How do I not lose heart in my suffering?

Three answers listed there:

1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you

2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory

3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal

Those correlate with the verses, 16, 17, and 18 respectively.

1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you

So, again, number 1. Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you

Paul writes, “we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.”

He’s talking, first, about the impact of the fall, of sin and the curse on our bodies and minds. They are wasting away. Some of us feel it more than others. And Paul is comparing that to the new hearts that we have been given in Christ. Remember earlier in chapter 4 verse 6. “God… has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” That new heart is the treasure that we have in our jars of clay on the outside.

So, our outer nature is wasting away. And our new nature, the new creation we have in Christ, is being renewed day by day.

It’s like one big decrescendo and another big crescendo happening at the same time. If you’re musical that will make sense. A decrescendo goes from louder to softer. A crescendo goes from softer to louder.

Our minds and bodies are decrescendo-ing. We are always fighting against the effects of the fall. It’s not just aging but sickness and disease and accidents. It may, like Paul, include the scars of persecution – or it may include a “thorn in the flesh.”  In chapter 12, Paul describes a thorn in his flesh - some condition that he has endured his whole life.

All of it is leading us down a decline in various ways.

But there is also a crescendo for Christians. It says here that our “inner self is being renewed day by day.” That is talking about the hope of Christ in us. It’s the new creation in us where God through his Holy Spirit has shone his light on us. We’ve been transformed. We’ve turned from our sin and shame to Christ for forgiveness and redemption.

And as we walk through the trials of this life we are enabled to grow in the hope and grace of Christ. I’m being very intentional using that word “enabled.” We are enabled to be renewed day by day.

God has enabled you through his Spirit to mine the depths of the riches of God in Christ. If you are a believer in him, he’s given you the opportunity through his Spirit to be renewed day by day. If you are not a believer, he’s offered that renewal and crescendo.

However, when you are not immersing yourself in his Word. Or not repenting of sin and renewing your faith. Or when you are not weekly participating in worship. Or not communing with the God of the universe through prayer. When you are not engaged in those things, that renewal will not be happening.

That lack of daily renewal will have lots of implications in your life. When it comes to suffering, your spiritual stagnation will result in discouragement, in despair, and in disappointment. You will wonder where God is. You will be asking why you are suffering.

But, on the other hand, when you are renewing that Gospel hope in you (through all the ways I mentioned), God will strengthen you. Your life in Christ will crescendo. And that will help sustain you through whatever trials and afflictions and grief that you are enduring.

You see, that is part of the answer of how not to lose hope in suffering. Engage in all the ways that God has given to be renewed in him. That hope and renewal sustained Paul, and it will help sustain you.

So, answer 1: Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you.

2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory

And now, answer number 2. How do we not lose heart in our suffering? We compare our affliction to the weight of glory.

Verse 17. “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” By the way, this is my favorite verse in the whole book.

God is saying that your affliction is “light”… meaning it doesn’t weigh much… and it’s “momentary” meaning it does last long. Does that make you mad? Because, God, it doesn’t feel like my affliction is light and momentary. No, it weighs me down. I can’t sleep. The pain doesn’t go away. The fear sometimes overwhelms. It’s heavy. It doesn’t feel light, no, it feels like a ton of bricks.

Actually, I brought a brick. This is just a regular clay brick. But we used to have a lead brick in our old house. It was actually there when we moved in… and I think we left it there. It was about this size. Now, this brick weighs like 3-4 pounds. But the lead brick was like 25 pounds. 5-6 times heavier. If we still had it, I would have brought it in.

Now I want you to imagine a big pile of lead bricks – a pallet of bricks - maybe 500. That would be very very heavy. Thousands of pounds.

In this verse 17 comparison, that pallet of lead bricks represents your suffering. You probably thought I was going to say that the pallet represented the eternal weight of glory. No, that is way beyond what I can describe. The key is in the phrase “beyond all comparison.” The greek phrase is literally “exceedingly exceeded.” Our afflictions are “exceedingly exceeded” by the eternal weight of glory.

This verse is not minimizing the weight of our suffering.

In fact, that same exact word was used back in chapter 1 verse 8. Paul and those with him had endured intense affliction in Asia. It says they were so “utterly burdened beyond their strength, that they despaired of life.” The same exact Greek word is in there. Their suffering was so “exceedingly exceeded” that they despaired of life itself. They even thought they had the sentence of death.

God is not saying, here, that your suffering is not significant or heavy. Not at all! Rather, he’s saying that the eternal weight of glory “exceedingly exceeds” the suffering that you are enduring here and now.

There are 2 comparisons.

First, something that is light and something that is heavy. And second, something that is momentary compared with something that is eternal.

The weight of glory exceedingly exceeds the weight of our suffering. By the way, that word “glory” is shorthand for heaven. When you who are in Christ pass from this life, you will be with Christ in glory – you will be in his radience and his presence.

In glory we will experience a fulness of joy and peace. We will share the honor of Christ as his redeemed and glorified people. Our worship will be beyond anything in this life. As Revelation 21 puts it, there will be no death, no dying, no pain, no sorrow, no mourning, no crying. There will be no night, there, because of the light of Christ.

You see, even though the weight of our suffering on us is great…. it is no comparison to the weight of glory. Not because our suffering is small… but because glory will be so much greater.

And think about the second comparison. It will last forever. It will be eternal. Even if your suffering lasts your entire life, it is momentary compared to the eternal weight of glory.

Beloved in Christ, the weight of your suffering and trials is heavy. It may feel like a ton of lead bricks. And it may feel like it is never going to end – but it will end one day… and it is nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

So, the second answer to the question, how do I not lose heart in my suffering? Is this: Compare your affliction to the weight of glory. Don’t minimize your suffering. But consider the glory of heaven to come. Get a perspective on what it will be like when God raises you with Christ to heaven. Your affliction will be nothing compared to the eternal weight of glory.

Ok, before we get to the third answer, I want to take a tangent. I have been thinking about 2 little words in verse 17 all week. It’s right there in the middle of 17. The words, “for us.”  Do you see them there? “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.”

I think I’ve been missing out on something about this my whole life.

In my mind, I thought it was saying “preparing us.” You know, “preparing us for the eternal weight of glory.” In other words, I thought this verse was saying that through our suffering, God is preparing us for heaven where there will be no more suffering. That when we finally experience glory, we will be even more amazed because of the suffering we endured in this life. That’s what I thought this verse was saying.

And by the way, it is a true statement. Our suffering is preparing us for glory. However, the focus of verse 17 is a little different. The word “preparing” is not focused on “us.” We are not being prepared. Rather our suffering is preparing glory and we are the recipient of that preparation. Let me read it again for you, it says “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory.” Somehow our suffering is participating in the preparation of heaven to come.

That could mean a couple of different things. That could mean that when we give glory to God while we are suffering, God in Christ is even more glorified. We will experience more of his glory in heaven because of our suffering.

It could also mean that because we share in the sufferings of Christ (chapter 1), we are therefore participating in God’s preparation of glory in heaven. In other words, because we share in Jesus’ suffering unto death and his resurrection, our suffering is in part preparing the glory that is to come for us.

As you can tell, I am not fully sure of how Paul’s affliction or our affliction is preparing the weight of glory for us. But nonetheless, what is clear is that God has a purpose and meaning for our suffering beyond what we can even understand.

Again, that’s just a brief side note.

3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal

Back to the question. How do you not lose heart in your suffering?

#1 - Renew the Gospel hope of Christ in you. Meditate on what Christ has done for you OR believe in what Chrit offers you… if you don’t know him. Be in God’s word and in worship and in prayer. Through those things, God will help you to not lose heart. That was answer #1.

#2. Compare your affliction to the weight of glory. Consider the amazing eternal weight of glory. Glory infinitely exceeds the burden of our suffering now. And our suffering is, in fact, preparing heaven for us.

And now, answer #3. Fix your eyes on the eternal not the temporal.

That is verse 18. “look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

Really, this is an extension of #2. We’re not just to compare our suffering to that which is eternal, but we are to look up. We are to gaze at that which is promised. We’re to look beyond the joys and sorrows of this life. We are to look heavenward.

My favorite Psalms are the Psalms of ascent. Psalm 120 to 134. These Psalms were sung by God’s people on their annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

They are called Psalms of ascent because the people were ascending up to Jerusalem. It didn’t mater if you were come from north, south, east, or west, you were ascending to mount Zion, to Jerusalem – you were going up. And as they ascended, they sang. We read Psalm 121 earlier. It begins, “I lift my eyes to the hills!”

It was not an easy journey, but as they travelled, they looked up toward Jerusalem. They couldn’t yet see Jerusalem, but they knew it was there.

The Psalms of ascent are a metaphor for life for us. We are journeying through this life to the new Jerusalem.

We are bound for the promised land. As we just sang. On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye to Cannan’s fair and happy land where my possessions lie. I’m bound for the promised land. And the rest of the hymn, as we sang, is about the glory of heaven to come.

It is so easy to be caught up in our immediate situation. That’s because it’s hard. It’s hard to lift our head up beyond our pain and struggles and grief.

It’s easy to just focus on what we are going through and either feel that God doesn’t care or even think that suffering in and of itself is virtuous. It’s easy to be an Eeyore, isn’t it? You know, Eeyore from Winne the Poo. “Woe is me.”

Just to be sure, I’m not minimizing our suffering. I’m just cautioning against that first part of verse 18. “look not to the things which are seen… for they are transient.”  Besides not dwelling on our suffering, we should not hope in the things of this world. They will pass.

Rather, there is something far greater. We should direct our attention to that which we cannot see, which is eternal. It is that great promise of life beyond this life.

The Puritans used to use the phrase “Die before you die.” What they meant by it was, prepare yourself for death before you get to the point of death. Prepare your heart and mind now for future suffering unto death and the glory that is to come.

Let me slightly change that. “Live in heaven now before you get to heaven.” I know, it doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. But how about “glory in the glory to come.”

Look to heaven. Anticipate your presence with Christ in eternity. Consider all the joys of glory. That is what verse 18 means “look to the things that are unseen… because the things that are unseen are eternal” Our physical eyes cannot see it. But we are given the vision and promise in God’s word.

Conclusion

So how do we not lose heart in our suffering?

Answer 1. We renew the Gospel hope of Christ in us. We press in, every day, to what Jesus has done for us and in his word and prayer.

Answer 2. We compare our affliction to the weight of glory. Eternity in heaven exceedingly exceeds our suffering. And in fact, our affliction is preparing heaven for us.

And answer 3. We fix our eyes, our gaze, on that which is eternal and not temporal. We cannot see heaven, but for those who know and believe in Jesus, you are promised to receive it.

Suffering is not something that we should search out. But neither is suffering something that we can escape in this life.

No, suffering is part of our fallen condition. But God uses our suffering for his glory and for our good AND for his purposes in eternity.

So may God enlarge our vision for his purposes in suffering. May we not lose heart when we do suffer. But instead, may we be renewed in the Gospel of grace, may we consider the eternal weight of glory in heaven, and may we fix our eyes on that which God is preparing for us.

Amen.

Please remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. By the way, a couple of you have recently asked why we stand for the sermon text and not the Old and New Testament readings. I would definitely like us to stand for all of them, just like the people did in Nehemiah 8 when the Word was read. However, we already stand and sit a lot in our service, as you know. So, consider our standing for the sermon text as a representative standing for all our readings. We stand in reverence to God’s Word.

Hear now God’s Word, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.

Reading

Prayer

“Dr. Livingstone, I presume.”

Maybe you’ve heard that phrase before. It dates back to 1871. David Livingstone had left Scotland 30 years earlier to travel to Africa. He went there with the London Mission Society and he travelled all over central and southern Africa. But in the late-1860s Livingstone had gone missing. Many presumed he had died.

So, a man named Henry Morgan Stanly was sent out to find him. Stanley searched for months. And on November 10, 1871, in modern-day Tanzania, he finally found the missionary. Stanly simply said, “Dr. Livingstone, I presume.”

It's hard to overestimate the impact that Livingstone had on Africa. Not only was he a Christian missionary but also a doctor and an explorer. He desired to put an end to slavery. He opened doors of trade in many places and emphasized education. As a doctor, he helped promote helpful practices to treat and prevent diseases.  But most importantly, Livingstone brought the Gospel to central and southern Africa. As he travelled, he would learn the different languages of the people he met. He would translate portions of the Bible for them. He would teach the 10 commandments and the love of God in Christ.

However, despite all his work and ministry, Livingstone did not experience fruit from his labors. No, in fact, by some accounts, he only witnessed one convert to Christ. One. In 1871, when Stanly urged Livingstone to return to England, he responded, "Oh, when will Christ's holy Gospel enter into this dark region?” Livingstone yearned to see the light of Christ in Africa.

Now, if you were in Livingstone’s situation, how would you feel and what would you do? If you had dedicated 30 years of your life testifying to Jesus’ life and the cross and his resurrection but God had not seen fit to turn hearts to him, how would it affect you?

I’m sure, like Livingstone, it would weigh on you. And of course, it is not a theoretical question. Every one of us has family and friends who don’t believe. Who maybe are even cynical or hostile to the message.

Maybe that is you? Maybe you’re here today because of family or friends, but your heart is very skeptical. If that is you, as you listen today, be thinking about two things.

·      First, yes, your family or friends who believe in Jesus do want you to know and believe in him. But think about this. If you believed in something that you thought truly answered life’s deepest questions, would you not want your friends and family to know and believe? Questions of existence, meaning, morality, life, and death. Yes, I think you would. If you truly believed something that important, you would want to share it out of love. It’s something to think about.

·      Second, be thinking about what is preventing you from believing. Is there a deep-down reason that you are skeptical? If so, try to listen anew to the message of Christ. Maybe there something new to hear.

I mention that to be sensitive. These verses are written to believers in Christ. And in part, they speak about people who do not believe. I don’t want you to feel ignored or dismissed.

Going back to Livingstone. I have no idea if he ever compared his situation to 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Maybe he did. Maybe he didn’t.

But if you were to pick a chapter in the Bible that describes Livingstone’s situation best, it would be 2 Corinthians chapter 4. Really, the whole chapter. But in particular verses 1-6.

What I mean is that 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 is about faithfulness to ministry and mission. It’s about remaining true to Christ even when the message is rejected. Livingstone faithfully continued in his ministry even though the hearts of those to whom he was ministering to were closed.

In fact, Livingstone was a Scottish Presbyterian… that means he believed in God’s sovereignty in salvation. And with that confidence, he persevered. Livingstone knew that God is the one who changes hearts and minds. It is God who shines his light of knowledge and glory. Despite the burden of seeing little response, yet he pressed on in faithfulness.

As we work through these verses, I think you will see the parallels to Livingstone’s ministry.

We have three main points this morning. You’ll see those on the sermon notes page.

Point 1. Do not lose heart - that is verses 1-2 and 5.

Point 2. Because of veiled and deceived hearts (verses 3-4)

Point 3. For it is God who shines his Gospel light on hearts (verse 6)

Let me put that together. (1) Do not lose heart (2) because of veiled and deceived hearts (3) for it is God who shines his Gospel light on hearts

1. Do not lose heart (4:1-2, 5)

As we get into this, let me first remind you of a couple of related things that the apostle Paul has already written. Back in chapter 2 he wrote that we are the aroma of Christ. That aroma is one that will lead to life for those being saved. But it is also the aroma of death to those who do not believe. Some will believe and some will reject.

That same theme is continued in chapter 3. Remember from last week, the old covenant has been fulfilled in the new. The glory of the old is gone, because the new covenant in Christ has come. However, many hearts are still veiled. And that veil, as Paul says, is only lifted by Christ through his Spirit.

When Paul begins chapter 4 with the word “therefore” he is referring to the fact that many will hear but not hear. Many hearts will be veiled. The aroma will not be pleasing but the opposite.

He says in verse 1, “Therefore having this ministry by the mercy of God.” That ministry, as a reminder, is the ministry of the new covenant. It’s proclaiming Christ. And in that ministry, Paul continues, “we do not lose heart.”

As I mentioned, when you believe something deeply, you, of course, desire others, especially those you love, to also believe.  You want them to know the love of God in Christ. You want them to see the hope and forgiveness and mercy of God. But often, they do not. Paul is not saying we shouldn’t continue to long and desire others to believe. Rather Paul is saying that we should not lose our motivation and our focus in our ministry. “Do not lose heart.” And essentially the next 5 verses explain why and give a word of warning.

L me ask. What temptations do you experience when your words seem to have no impact? A couple come to my mind. Sometimes I feel like a failure. Sometimes I’m tempted to want to stop. But what about this temptation: are you tempted to change the message? If the message doesn’t appear to have any effect, are you tempted to want to change it so that it will?

That is what was happening in Corinth. We get a clear sense of that in verse 2. Paul says, “we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word.”

Paul’s opponents were changing the message. They were tampering with God’s word. The message was no longer the message. They reverted to whatever methods and messages would work. Do you remember that phrase “peddler” at the end of chapter 2? That is what was happening. They were saying whatever they thought the people wanted to hear so that people would respond. They wanted to get a sale, so to speak, and they were using disgraceful ways.

Now, we’re not told exactly what their distorted message was, but based on what Paul says elsewhere in 2 Corinthians, it undermined truth faith. For example, in chapter 11 verse 4, Paul warned, “For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.” To some extent the church was putting up with a different Jesus, a different Spirit, or a different gospel.

It's a great temptation. There are difficult things in the message of Christ. Because of that, we are tempted to change part of the message, or even more common, leave things out. Like leaving out God’s wrath or the need for repentance. But when you leave out the reality of our sin and God’s hatred of it because of his holiness and justice, you are undermining the Gospel message. You are removing the cross from Christianity.

Let me also add, when you remove the wrath of God against sin and the sinner, you also remove the love of God. The amazing depth of God’s love offered in Jesus comes because of the real gravity of God’s condemnation. If you remove God’s wrath, you remove God’s love.

I was reminded of a well-known quote from Richard Niebuhr, which I think I’ve quoted before. “A God without wrath brings men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through a ministry of a Christ without a cross.” It’s no longer the message of Christ.

Now, we do other things today to pervert the message of the Gospel. We turn Christianity into social reform and not salvation. Or Christianity becomes an agenda-based message of liberation or justice. To be sure, justice is critically important. God loves justice and hates oppression. But, as we learned last year in our Proverbs study those things need to be understood through the lens of what God has defined as good and right and true.

So then, what is the central message of Jesus Christ? It is this: the need for all humanity to be reconciled to God. All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. All are condemned. But God, because of the great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in our sin, God made us alive together with Christ.

And he accomplished that through the perfect and ultimate sacrifice for sin on the cross and through the hope of the resurrection. The only way to receive that reconciliation is by faith when we see our sin, when we grieve because of it, and give our life to him.

The word “gospel” there in verse 3 means good news. That is the Gospel message.

In verse 2, Paul says that instead of tampering with God’s word, they proclaim it, as he puts it, “the open statement of the truth.” Paul and those with him were not not hiding or manipulating anything in the message.

And look at verse 5, Paul affirms that they are proclaiming the central message. He says, “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.” Unlike his opponents who were exalting themselves, Paul and Timothy and the others were humbly exalting Jesus. The word “Lord” implies that Jesus Christ is the sovereign one. He’s the risen king. He is to be the Lord of our lives.

So do not lose heart. And do not practice underhanded ways or distort the message. Rather, be faithful to God’s Word.

2. Because of veiled and deceived hearts (4:3-4)

That brings us to Point #2. Do not lose heart… because of veiled and deceived hearts.

Listen again to verse 3 and the first part of 4. Paul writes, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world [in other words, the devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers.”

We get the sense from verses 3 and 4 that Paul’s detractors questioned his legitimacy because of a lack of effectiveness. In other words, they were saying “Paul’s message was not working and the proof is that people weren’t responding.” To be sure, there were many who did respond. But there were also many who didn’t.

To go back to David Livingstone for a moment. He also was critiqued because of a perceived ineffectiveness. In fact, there was a group in Britan who critiqued him because his message was outdated. He needed, as they said, a “new” message and he needed an expanded message. His problem was his approach. That’s similar to the critiques against Paul.

Paul’s response here is very important. The message is not being responded to… not because there’s a problem with the message. No, rather, the message is not being responded to because of veiled hearts. And that veiling is because the god of this world (lowercase “g” god) has deceived.

It’s very tempting to think that we are responsible to remove the veil… That we are the responsible ones when the veil is not removed. But to say it again, our responsibility is to be faithful to the message. And, just to be sure, we need to listen well. We need to be thoughtful and loving in our response. But we should not compromise the truth of Christ.

Again, I want to be sensitive if you are here and you put yourself in the category of unbelief. Let me ask, why is your heart hard to this message? What is the reason, the veil that lies over it? Would you be willing to ask the Lord to remove that veil? Would you be willing to reexamine your heart and reconsider the message?

Every single one of us was blind at one point – I’m using that word blind from verse 4. We were blind for many reasons. It all goes back to our unbelief and selfishness.

Back when God created man, it was Satan who deceived. The devil questioned God’s authority. He questioned God’s moral command. And Adam and Eve in their sin, they replaced God who had been the center of their lives, with themselves. And from that point on, all of mankind was blinded.

And what are we blinded from in our unbelief? We are blinded from seeing God’s remedy to restoring our relationship with him. We are blinded from seeing Christ.

That is exactly how Paul describes the blindness brought on by Satan. Second half of verse 4. Satan has, it says, “keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan is called the great deceiver. But there is one who is greater than him.

3. For it is God who shines his Gospel light on hearts (4:6)

And that brings us to point #3.

So, do not lose heart because of veiled and deceived hearts. Why? For it is God who shines his Gospel light on hearts.

Verse 6 is the climax in these verses. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Did you notice the shift in the object of the sentence? It shifts from third person plural to first person plural. Paul had been talking about the veiled hearts of others. He now talks about his own heart and Timothy’s heart. God “has shown in our hearts.” He has shown his light.

The reference to shining light in darkness refers all the way back to the creation account. We read it earlier from Genesis 1.

The very God who created all things, who created all things ex nihilo - out of nothing – created light. In fact, his very first act of creation was to create light in darkness… because he is the God of light. He illuminates all things. He sees all and nothing is hidden from his sight. He is the one who has shone his light in our hearts.

Do you see what this is saying? Because God is the all-powerful creator God, there is no heart whom he cannot penetrate with his light. And the testimony of that truth is his work in us.

The one true God who in creation shone the light of his truth in the whole of the universe is the same one doing a work of re-creation in our hearts. He is illuminating the light of the knowledge of his glory in us. And that light which illuminates hearts is the light of Christ.

By the way, the idea of light is found all throughout the Scriptures. Light symbolizes God’s glory (which is referenced here). Light refers to God’s truth like the reference here to the knowledge of God. Light also refers to God’s presence and his holiness and his guidance. All those references are fulfilled in the light of Christ. That’s how verse 6 ends… “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” …the presence and fullness of the revealed son of God.

For Paul, this is not something theoretical. No, for him, it was deeply personal. His heart had been veiled. So much so that not only did he reject Jesus, but Paul hated him and hated those who loved Jesus. But Paul was confronted by the light of Christ. For him, it was a literal light. Paul was physically blinded, but the veil over his heart was removed… and Paul could truly see. He fell to his knees. Jesus asked, why Paul are you persecuting me? And Paul then acknowledged him as Lord.

God is the one who did it. Paul’s spiritual blindness was removed by God. He is the one who shines his light on hearts.

Perhaps the transformation in your heart didn’t seem as radical. Perhaps over time the Lord lifted it. Perhaps you remember the very day and hour that the veil was removed. Or perhaps God is removing it even now.

God is the only one who can shine the light of his knowledge and his glory on our hearts. We don’t lose heart because we know that God is at work in hearts. We just don’t know how and when and on whom he will shine his Gospel light.

Conclusion

David Livingstone died on May 1, 1873 while still in Africa – it was only two years after meeting Stanley. His body was found next to his bed in a position of prayer. And do you know what they did? They buried Livingstone’s heart in Africa. He loved the people there. And they brought his body back to England where he was buried in Westminster Abby.

In his lifetime, Livingstone saw very little response to his efforts. Despite the veil over so many hearts, yet he was faithful to shine the light of Christ. Little did he know at the time, but God was at work in Africa.

After Livingstone died, God saw fit to use Livingstone’s labors in a tremendous ways. Even in the decade after his death, the veil was lifted on thousands and thousands who turned to Christ. Even more, through Livingstone’s work and expeditions, the door was opened to more missions work. Today, hundreds of millions of Christians can trace their spiritual legacy back to Livingstone.

In our lifetime, we may or may not see what God is doing, but we can have hope because he is the God of light.

May we not lose heart. May we not tamper with the message. Instead, may we trust in the God of light, to shine the light of Christ.

2 Corinthians 3:7-18

Our sermon text is from 2 Corinthians 3 verses 7-18.

We learned in the beginning of chapter 3 that the apostle Paul was a minister of a New Covenant. That new covenant is received through the Spirit and resulted in life. That is contrasted with the letter of the law, which, as Paul put it, kills.

The rest of chapter 3 unpacks the old and new covenants. As I read, listen for the similarities and differences between the two.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

Prayer

I don’t know if you have been following it, but later this week, 7 planets will be visible in the night sky at the same time. That is a rare event. In fact, it’s been quite the season of interesting astrological occurrences. Maybe you experienced the partial solar eclipse last year. Or 5 years ago, you saw the great conjunction. That was when Jupiter and Saturn overlapped in the sky. Apparently, that only happens once every 400 years. And coming up in just 3 weeks, there will be a total lunar eclipse.

You are probably wondering, how does this relate to 2 Corinthians 3?

Well, 2 Corinthians 3 is considered by some to be the most difficult chapter to understand in all of Paul’s letters. That’s debatable, of course, but it certainly contains some lofty concepts.

At this chapter’s core is the theological intersection between the Old and New Testaments. That’s significant. And obviously important.

And that brings us to the moon and sun and planets.

You see, the central point is that the glory of the old covenant was a fading reflection of the glory of the new to come. The new covenant has come and it has eclipsed the glory of the old. It’s like the way the moon and planets reflect the light of the sun at night. But when the sun rises, its light is so bright that it completely outshines the moon and planets. The old covenant reflected the new before the new came, but the new has come, and the old has now passed away.

By the way, this is one of two main passages of Scripture that compare the old covenant with the new. Hebrews chapter 8-10 is the other. We read part of chapter 10 earlier. The difference between Hebrews 8-10 and 2 Corinthians 3 is that Hebrews works through how God accomplished his promises in the new covenant. He’s done that through Jesus perfect sacrifice for sin. In 2 Corinthians 3, we learn about the permanent nature of the new covenant and that we receive its benefits through the Spirit. So both teach about the old and new covenant but with different emphases.

Earlier this week I spent some time analyzing how 2 Corinthians 3 compares the old and the new. I put a little chart together as I went. You can see that on page 4 of the bulletin. Really, it was for my benefit as I tried to get my mind around the contrast. But I included it in case it may be helpful to you.

You can see that Paul’s primary purpose here is a comparison of the two.

·       He gives us the nature of the covenants. The old carved on stone and the new written by the Spirit on our hearts.

·       He speaks of the fading glory of the one and the eternal glory of the other.

·       The old primarily focused on Israel, but the new expands that to God’s people from all nations.

·       Even more, those who live by the old live with a veil over their hearts. But for those who have been freed by Christ, that veil is lifted and they are being transformed.

·       But the most weighty of all the comparisons is the eternal outcome. Those who put their trust in the old and reject the new are condemned. But those whose hearts have been transformed by the Spirit and who trust in Christ receive righteousness and life through the Spirit.

It's really amazing how much is here in just a couple of paragraphs.

Alright. We are going to focus in, first, on understanding the comparison, verses 7-11. And then we’ll look at implications of that, today, in verses 12-18. You can see a few summary bullets there.

Now, you may be wondering, why does it take such work to unlock the differences between the two? That is a great question. I wondered the same. Because it does seem that Paul jumps around and repeats himself. Why didn’t he just spell it out in a clear linear way?

The answer is, to his readers, he did. Paul spelled it out in a way they would understand. He used a Greco-Roman rhetorical argument called “a fortiori.” Lesser to greater. That will be on the test after the service. Just kidding. I had no idea that such a thing existed before this week.

The argument goes that if something lesser is true, how much more sure and true is the thing that is greater. Its purpose is to elevate the greater reality. To do that there’s a comparison and an elevation. And another comparison and another elevation. And then a further elaboration on a comparison and a further elevation.

We can see that in these verses. One thing that clearly comes out is the amazing, surpassing, never ending glory of the new covenant. Look at verse 10 for example. “For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.”

You see, these verses are not just a technical explanation. Rather, Paul was elevating the hearts of the Corinthians. He wanted them not only to know that the new is greater and eclipses the old, but he wanted their hearts to see and rejoice in what God has done. How he has fulfilled all the promises of the old in the new.

Going back to the moon and sun… you know, when it comes to light and energy, there’s no comparison. The moon can only reflect the light of the sun. Yes, in the middle of the night, when a full moon is out it really lights up the surroundings. You can even see shadows. You can see where you are going. If you wanted to, you could even turn off your car’s headlights. Don’t do that, though… but you would be able to see.

But where does that light from the moon and planets come from? It comes from the sun. The light of the sun reflects off of them. The old covenant reflected the glory of the new which, in the Old Testament times, had yet to come.

But also, let me ask, what is the lunar surface of the old covenant? Meaning what is the light from the new reflecting off of? Well, it reflects off of (1) the moral law, you know, the letters carved on stone – the 10 commandments, and it reflects off of (2) other laws that God gave through Moses like the ceremonial laws including sacrifices… and also (3) festivals and (4) the temple itself. All of it, in different ways, reflected the glory of what was to come in the new covenant.

And they all tie together the Old Testament with the New Testament in profound ways. Ways that help us better understand the new.

In the past, I’ve shared a little of my journey to seeing the Bible as one unified book. I remember when I was, I think, 22 years old. I could not wrap my mind around the purpose of God’s law nor even the purpose of the Old Testament. It was a burning question in my mind. I couldn’t let those questions go. Well, my Bible had cross references in the margins. And so, I set out to read through the New Testament and cross reference every single Old Testament cross reference. I worked on it a little bit every day. It took me about 3-4 months. It blew my mind. By the way, I still have that Bible in my office with a bunch of underlines and notes.

Light bulbs kept going off as I saw more and more connections between God promises and laws in the Old and their fulfillment in Christ in the new. Before then, I used to think that the Old Testament had so many strange practices and peculiar events that had no relevance. But then their beauty came alive to me. I realized how in different ways they revealed God in his glory, they revealed his plan for redemption, and they revealed the need for atonement and the Messiah. All of those old covenant things were driving at what was to come.

You see, for God’s people in the Old Testament, the whole purpose of the different laws and ceremonies was to direct their attention to the promise of what was to come.

Let me say something that is really really important. It was never about offering the sacrifices and obeying the law as a means for salvation. Never. Rather it was so that they could trust in God for what he would do. Their salvation was received by faith in Christ who was to come just as ours is received by faith in Christ who has come.

This is illustrated for us in what happened at Mount Sinai. These verses in 2 Corinthians 3, refer to Moses veiling his face. You see, when the Israelites were freed from their slavery in Egypt, God brought them across the Red Sea and he brought them to the base of Mount Sinai. And God then called Moses to ascend the mountain to receive the law.

And so Moses went. But in the meantime, the people began worshipping a golden calf instead of the one true God. And God’s anger burned against the people. But… Moses pleaded with the Lord for mercy. And God relented. Moses was a mediator between God and his people.

After that, God commanded Moses to go up the mountain again. Actually, he needed a new copy of the law because he had thrown down the first. But also, this time, God revealed his glory to Moses. Moses was only given a glimpse of God in his glory, but it caused Moses face to shine with the glory of God.

When Moses descended, the people were afraid because of the reflected glory. And so Moses would veil his face to protect the people. Look at 2 Corinthians 3 verse 7. It says, “the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory.” Even the reflected glory was unbearable because of their sin. Again, Moses acted as a mediator of God’s mercy by veiling his face.

We learn a couple things from that. We learn there is glory in the law. As I mentioned last week, God’s moral law is good and right and perfect. It reveals God’s nature and his goodness. But it is only a reflected glory. We also learn that God’s law requires a mediator, just as Moses mediated for the people. So, the law both directs us to God and it directs us to our need for Christ because of our failure to meet its standard.

That explains verse 9. Look at it. “For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.” The law is glorious but without a mediator, it brings condemnation.

But the mediator of the new covenant has come. Christ has come. And he’s accomplished and has fulfilled all that the law required. We are no longer condemned by the law. Through Jesus’ righteousness, we are given life. That phrase in verse 9, “ministry of righteousness” is referring to the righteousness we have in Christ.

You see, the sunrise has come. The sun is up. Yes, in the daytime we can faintly see the moon and we can occasionally see a planet. But the moon and plants no longer light anything up. Because the day has come. There’s no more need for the reflected glory of the old because of the surpassing and permanent glory of the new covenant.

Alright, let’s now turn our attention to the implications for us -  verses 12-18.

There are two implications - one negative and one positive. The first is when you only see the old and you reject the new. Look at verse 14. Paul, talking about unbelieving Israel, says, “For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.”

Now, I don’t think that there are any Jewish people here today who reject Christ. But that is who Paul is speaking about. They read the Old Testament. Some may think that by obeying the laws and celebrating the festivals that they are therefore justified in God’s sight. They may even believe in a coming Messiah. But their hearts and minds are hardened and veiled.

It would be like believing that the moon is shining with its own source of energy and light. And maybe even believing that sun does not exist. It would be like covering your eyes during the day so that you don’t see the sun. Or sleeping when the sun is up and only being awake at night.

They do not believe the new. They are trusting in the old for salvation. And because of that unbelief, to use Paul’s earlier words, they will receive “the ministry of condemnation.”

Let me expand this a little. I think there are some parallels here to the Roman Catholic church. In our church history Sunday school class this morning, we talked a little bit about the counter reformation. That was the church in Rome’s response to the Protestant Reformation. And while yes, much of the immorality in the church was addressed, yet, the church doubled-down on many of its beliefs.

Now, I know there are some faithful believers in the Catholic church, but over the centuries, the church has added unbiblical layers that veil Christ. Like the veneration of Mary, or like praying to the saints, or believing in an intermediate state to work off your sins, or going to a priest for intercession. Those are all merit-based or works-based righteousness things. They are in essence veiling the glory of God in Christ.

It’s kind of like a partial solar eclipse. The fulness of the glory of God in Christ cannot be fully seen. And because of it, many in the Catholic church, trust in these things and not the ministry of God in Christ.

There are other parallel as well… like any rejection of the new covenant in Christ. That would include the “I’m a good person” theology. The belief that God will evaluate our good works and because of them consider us good in his sight. That is just a version of the old covenant which cannot save. It denies the sin and idolatry of our hearts and rejects the new covenant.

Let me ask, how should we respond? How should we, who believe in the new covenant, respond to those groups?

Well, we should seek to be ministers of the New Covenant, like Paul. What does that mean? That means praying for the work of the Holy Spirit to remove the veil over their hearts. It means revealing the failure of the old or the law to redeem. It means doing what Paul does here. Showing the glory of God in the ministry of the new covenant! Its exalting the person and work of Christ through his Spirit! It’s showing what unveiled worship is as we behold God. Remember, it’s not peddling God’s Word, but rather it’s exalting God for the exceeding glory of the new.

Ok, there’s another implication here. A positive one. And it relates to my favorite verse in this chapter.

Look at verse 18. “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” I love that verse.

Paul is speaking about those transformed by the ministry of the new covenant. Those whose hearts are not hardened nor veiled but who, through Christ, can behold the glory of God without condemnation! Those who have the ministry of his righteousness because our hearts have been transformed by his Spirit.

And when we behold the wonder and glory of God in what he has accomplished, he does something in us. Or rather he is doing something in us. He is transforming us. He is conforming us to the image of Christ. More and more we will reflect his glory… in our countenance, in our thoughts, in our words, in our actions – in our hearts.

Now, we can certainly inhibit that transformation. Our sin can block the light of the sun.

As you know, this last week has been a little cold. But if you were outside during the day when it was sunny, you really got warmed by the sun.

Inhibiting that transformation is like blocking the sun in some way. We do that when the comforts of this world become idolatrous. Or when our lust or anger or some other sin goes unchecked and unrepented of. Or when we forget to pray or engage in God’s Word. All those things cause us to become cold.  They all inhibit the light of the sun reaching us… by our own doing. They all inhibits the transformation of God within us.

But, as verse 18, says, when we behold God with unveiled face. When we come to him laying our sin before him, letting his Word wash over us. When glorying in the ministry of the new covenant becomes our life and righteousness, then God will be transforming us! He’ll be transforming us from one degree of glory to another.

These verses are not saying that we will become perfectly glorified. That will only happen when we pass from this life to the next. But more and more we will reflect the glory of God in Christ. And we will radiate that glory like the face of Moses.

By the way, did you notice that the Lord is equated with the Spirit… multiple times, here. That word Lord, used here, is in reference to Jesus. What Paul is doing here is he is affirming God’s oneness in the Trinity. It’s not overlapping the roles of the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit applies the work of Christ in us. In fact, multiple times in the New Testament he is called the Spirit of Jesus. Christ works in us through his Spirit, to transform us from one degree of glory to another. It is his work.

And that ties back to the new covenant. The ministry of the new covenant is the ministry of the Holy Spirit in us, not the ministry of the law.

So, God has fulfilled all the promises of the old in the new. The glory of the old has faded away, and the surpassing glory of the new has come in Christ. The moon has set and the sun has risen. So may we all with unveiled hearts, behold the glory of God through the Spirit of the Lord Jesus. Amen.

Please remain standing for the reading of God’s Word. Our sermon text this morning is 2 Corinthians 2:16 to chapter 3:6. You can find that on page 1146 in the pew Bible. We are going to start with the second half of verse 16.

You may notice that we read the last 2 verses of chapter 2 last week. I decided to include them again because of the question asked. The question is “who is sufficient for these things?” The apostle Paul is asking, who is sufficient to be the aroma of Christ? More specifically, he’s asking about his ministry as an apostle. Who is sufficient to be an apostle and to spread the aroma of Christ?

As I read, listen for the answer.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:16b to 3:6

In 1948, a professor from Carnegie Mellon wrote one the most famous reference letter ever. This professor, Richard Duffin, was asked by 19-year-old John Nash Jr, to recommend him to Princeton. You see, Nash was hoping to pursue a PhD in mathematics.  You may or may not recognize or remember the name John Nash Jr, but the movie Beautiful Mind highlighted his life. In fact, over his lifetime, Nash received many accolades for his work, including a Nobel Prize.

Well, on February 11, 1948, Duffin wrote a letter to Princeton in support of the young Nash. The reference simply had 5 words. “He is a mathematical genius.”

That’s quite the reference. Wouldn’t we each want something like that said of us. “She’s a brilliant lawyer. He is a renowned chef. She’s a musical virtuoso. He’s a master mechanic.”

And what about the apostle Paul? Couldn’t it be said of him, “There’s none like him.” or “His ministry skills are unparalleled.” Or “he’s the greatest of greats.” And it would be true. Even among the apostles, Paul stands out because of his tremendous ministry.

Many things could be said of him. But when it comes to the question, who is sufficient? Or who is qualified? Paul actually rejects the need for a reference letter. Rather, there’s something better. There’s something more important. To be sure, Paul is not saying that letters of recommendation are bad. No. The whole book of Philemon is a reference letter. Paul wrote it to commend Onesimus.

But when it comes to ministry qualifications… When it comes to evaluating Paul’s sufficiency as a minister, there is something far greater. The greatest testimony of Paul’s ministry is the testimony of the Holy Spirit’s work in those to whom he ministers.

That is what these verses are about. They testify to God’s work through his Spirit in Paul’s life and in the life of the Corinthians. These verses really center on God. They center on God’s work in us, as his Spirit transforms our hearts. And in doing so, they teach us the means through which God ministers.

To boil it down, Paul is making two parallel arguments. First, he is defending his ministry by testifying to the work of the Spirit. And second, while Paul is defending his ministry, he is also revealing the way that God fulfills his promises in us. He changes us through his Spirit and not his law.

By the way, I don’t know if you saw it, but I was able to get a sermon outline in the bulletin this week. You’ll see it on page 4. Those two points are the two things that Paul is emphasizing.

·      #1 - His ministry credentials. I’m calling that first point Living Letters from Christ

·      And #2, God’s covenant ministry with us and in us. I’m calling that point, Written by the Spirit of the Living Lord.

Those ideas are parallel, because if Paul is a true minister, then the focus of his ministry will be God’s ministry. And the results of Paul’s ministry will prove that God himself is the one at work through the Holy Spirit.

So, that is where we are headed.

And let me make one more introductory point. These truths are very important. If we think that God transforms people through his law and not his Spirit, then our ministry to others may actually lead them to death. I don’t think I’m overstating that. In verse 6, Paul said,  “the letter kills (meaning the letter of the law) but the Spirit gives life.”

1. Living Letters from Christ (Paul and the apostle’s ministry credentials)

Ok, let’s begin with Paul’s credentials. #1 - Living Letters from Christ.

We’ve talked about the situation in Corinth a lot. The reason is, it helps us understand why Paul says what he says. Remember, some people were trying to undermine Paul. That has come out a couple times so far. They questioned the legitimacy of Paul’s ministry because of his suffering and because of his changing plans. These people, which Paul later calls “super apostles,” were trying to elevate themselves by critiquing Paul.

He alludes to them in chapter 2 verse 17.  Look at how he puts it: “For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word.” Do you hear his underlying critique of them? Some people were out there treating God’s word like a business to make profit. And back in the first century this idea of peddling had very negative connotations. Peddling involved aggressively pushing a product with often deceitful tactics.

And Paul’s response is that he and the other ministers of the Gospel are not like these peddlers. No, instead, they speak with “sincerity,” he says. They speak with the truth of Christ. God is the one who “commissioned” them in their ministry. Do you see how Paul is elevating God and not himself in his defense?

If you jump down to chapter 3 verse 5, Paul makes a similar point. Their own ministry does not come from themselves. Rather, it comes from God. It’s God’s work and it’s the truth of his Word.

Really, all of this relates to the opening question. Who is sufficient for these things (for this ministry)? And the answer is, nobody. Nobody is sufficient in and of themselves. Listen for the word sufficient in verses 5 into 6. “Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers.” He’s saying, it’s about God and not about us, unlike the peddlers.

Now, you and I, we are not apostles, capital A. But each one of us here ministers in some way to other people. You may be a witness at work. Maybe you are a light of hope and of God’s grace in your neighborhood or your school or your family. Maybe you are teaching God’s Word or participating in another form of discipleship. In whatever ways you are ministering, your sufficiency should be in God and not yourself.

Why? Well, it is not your work, rather it is God’s work through you. You and I are merely instruments in God’s hands.

Let me ask, if someone said to you, “thank you for ministering God’s word to me. It really really help”  How should you respond? Well, you should say something like, “Praise the Lord. God is at work.” In doing so, you would be affirming that it’s not you, but God who is at work.

Paul is essentially responding in that way. He says up in verses 1 and 2, we are not commending ourselves. We don’t need, as some do, letters of recommendation. Apparently, some of these “super apostles” had letters that somehow qualified them. “Here’s my letter. Corinthians, you must therefore listen to me.”

But Paul’s response is totally different. It’s like he is saying, “Do you know where to find the highest credentials for our ministry? It’s not a piece of paper written with ink. No, instead, look in the mirror. Corinthians, you are our letter of recommendation! God has changed your heart through his Spirit. We were merely agents of God’s work in Corinth. Look at the amazing thing that God has done in transforming you, a people for himself. It is not our work. No. It is God’s work through us and in you by his Spirit.”

Suppose you were applying for a job. And you wanted to work for some kind of discipleship ministry organization. Like maybe our denomination’s discipleship agency. Of course, that organization is going to ask you for letters of recommendation. Well, there’s someone in your church that you have discipled for years. In fact, let’s say, God used you in his life to share the hope and forgiveness of Christ. He responded to that by professing faith in Christ. And since then, you’ve been walking alongside of him in his journey of faith.

And so, you ask him to write a letter of reference for you. Of course, he agrees. He would be honored to do so. But instead of writing a letter, he gets in his car; he drives over to the ministry, and he meets with the director. He explains that his own life is a testimony of God’s work through you. He didn’t want to write a letter. No, instead, he wanted to be a living letter because God through his Spirit had changed his heart. And with tears, he explains how God used you to bring the message of salvation in Christ to him. And how since then, you have walked with him to further disciple him in Christ. Wouldn’t that be a powerful living letter of recommendation?

Paul is saying that the Corinthians themselves are living letters of recommendation. And the credentials are not in Paul’s work. No, the greatest credentials come through the work of God in Christ, through his Spirit, who has transformed them. Look again at what he says in verse 3. “And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God...”

You see, Paul and Titus and Timothy… and the others who were ministering to the Corinthians were the true ministers of God. And it was not because of anything that Paul or Titus or Timothy were doing in and of themselves. They were being faithful to ministry God’s Word. The true testimony of their ministry was that the Spirit of God was working in them and through them. The Corinthian’s hearts had been transformed. The Corinthians were their letters of recommendation from Christ. These living letters were not written with ink but instead, the Spirit wrote God’s truth and grace on their hearts.

So, to summarize point 1. God is the one who commissioned Paul and the others. God is therefore the one through whom they find their sufficiency. It is God’s work. And the proof is found as God ministers through his Spirit. As we minister to one another, it is not our work. Rather it is the Holy Spirit’s work. He transforms us and we then become living letters of recommendation

2. Written by the Spirit of the Living Lord (God’s new covenant promise with us)

Ok, Number 2 – main point number 2. Written by the Spirit of the Living Lord. Let me put 1 and 2 together. We are living letters written by the Spirit of the living Lord.

I’ve essentially already said that. That’s because these two points overlap. You see, the reason that Paul can stake his credentials on God’s work through his Spirit is simple. It’s how God works. In other words, if the way God works is through his Spirit and not the law, then that reality ought to be reflected in Paul’s ministry.

Before we get into the details, briefly look at verse 6. Paul states that God made them sufficient “to be ministers of a new covenant.” If they are ministers of a new covenant, then of course, their ministry will reflect that new covenant.

There are a couple things to unpack here. But the first thing I want you to notice is that Paul takes his analogy of a letter, and he extends it to speak of the law.

He had just used the example of a letter of recommendation, which would be written in ink. But then he applies the analogy to the letter of the law.

You can see that at the end of verse 3. The Holy Spirit is writing and it says this: “not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts.”

What were the tablets of stone? The law. The 10 commandments. God engraved the 10 commandments on two tablets of stone.

So, in other words, at the heart of the distinction between letters written with ink and letters written on hearts, is the difference between the law and the Spirit.

The law (meaning God’s law) does not and cannot change hearts. It can merely reveal someone’s heart. In fact, the law often does the opposite. It often hardens hearts. In his own life, before coming to faith in Christ, the apostle Paul exemplified this. You see, before God changed Paul’s heart, everything was about the law.

Paul was a pharisee. Pharisees even made laws on top of laws to help keep the law. And none of it worked. That is because, the law cannot change hearts.

I’ve used the analogy of a mirror before. But I think it’s very helpful, so I want to share it again. God’s moral law, in one sense, is like a mirror.

Kids, let’s say you were outside playing. It had just rained like last night, and so you got pretty dirty. When you came inside, your mom told you to get cleaned up. So, you went in the bathroom. You looked in the mirror. And you noticed that you were pretty dirty. What would happen if you tried to clean your face by rubbing it on the mirror? Well it’s not going to work. In fact, it’s just going to make a mess. Why? Because the mirror cannot clean you. It can only show you that you are dirty. Rather, what you need is soap and water. In a similar way, God’s law cannot cleanse you. Rather, you need the cleansing work of Christ which God applies to you through the Holy Spirit.

That is what the end of verse 6 means. Paul mentions they are ministers of a new covenant, and then says, “not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills but the Spirit gives life.”

The letter kills. He’s talking about the letter of the law. If you are trying to justify yourself by keeping the letter of the law, you will fall short. It cannot save you.

I want to make something clear. Paul is not saying that the law is evil! He’s not saying that the law is bad and the Spirit is good. No. God’s law is good. It’s perfect. It’ right and true. It reveals the very nature of God in his holiness and goodness. It points us to Christ in the sense that is shows us our need for him just like a mirror.

And furthermore, once we know Christ and trust in him, God’s law directs us how to honor him in our lives. It’s not bad versus good. Rather, death is what happens if we are seeking to be justified by the law. The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit brings life.

I think Ezekiel’s prophecy in chapter 36 is helpful as we consider this. We read it earlier the service. God said through Ezekiel. “I will give you a new heart…. I will take your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statues.”

What a powerful image. Your heart and my heart are like stone. We were all spiritually dead. And the only way we can come alive is if God, through his Spirit, bring us to new life by giving us a new heart.

Do you see how this ties to Paul’s credentials? Paul’s ministry was not to tell people that if they kept the law, they would be saved. No, Paul’s ministry was quite the opposite. His ministry was to show them that they could not fulfill the law. Instead, they needed a new heart. They needed faith in the one who could keep the law for them. Faith in Christ.

In verse 6, Paul calls this ministry the ministry of the “new covenant.” Implied, of course, is that there is also an old covenant. Let me say, the rest of chapter 3 compares these two covenants. Both are connected and they both are about God’s promises to his people… and how he fulfills them. Just to give you a brief summary, central to the old covenant was the ministry of the law. The old covenant revealed sin and it pointed forward to Christ in different ways. The new covenant is the fulfillment of what was promised in the old. Jesus Christ perfectly obeyed the law and fulfilled all the promises in the old. The new covenant is the ministry of the Holy Spirit, because he applies the ministry of Christ to us by faith. There’s a lot there and we’ll work through it next week. But I wanted to at least give you an introduction since Paul mentionmed the new covenant.

Well, let’s end by going back to the opening question. Who is sufficient for these things?  Paul’s sufficiency as a minister comes from God alone. It is God’s work, through his Spirit, in the lives of the Corinthians. That is why they are living letters of recommendation. And why is this important? Because if God’s purposes are fulfilled through the work of God’s Spirit, then Paul’s ministry absolutely needs to reflect God’s purposes.

In a similar way, our ministry to one another should reflect the work of God’s Spirit in Christ. We should not be hammers trying to chisel God’s moral law onto each other. Rather, we should be conduits of God’s grace. We should be ministering the grace of God in Christ to one another.

As we see sin in each other, yes, we should go to our brothers and sisters. That is part of our ministry to one another.  We should direct each other to pursue God and his commands because of what Jesus has done for us. We do that knowing that God transforms our hearts through his Spirit. He is the one who applies the work of God in Christ to each of us. Because the letter kills, but Spirit gives life.

May we each be living letters of recommendation for one another… as we see the Spirit of the Living God at work in each of us. Amen

Triumphal Procession in Christ

Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text. This morning, 2 Corinthians 2:12-14. That can be found on page 1146 in the pew Bibles.

Thank you to Coleman for preaching last week.

In the verses that he worked through, Paul further explained his change of plans. He didn’t want to make another painful visit. That would have been hard on them. Instead, because of his love for them, he thought it best to write a letter and send Titus.

Also from last week, Paul exhorted them to forgive a brother of his sin. What an encouragement to hear. One of the men stirring up controversy had repented. Paul encouraged the church to receive this man back into full fellowship. As Coleman put it, repentance and forgiveness are the Most Precious Remedy Against Satan’s Devices.

OK, that brings us to chapter 2 verse 12 through the end of the chapter. In our verses today, we learn (1) where Paul went next and why, and also (2) from where he draws his strength.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

Prayer

One of my seminary professors said to our class once. “If you can do anything else, do not be a pastor.” At the time, I thought, “that is ridiculous.” In fact, I was doing something else. I was working full time in a career and taking classes in the evenings and weekends. And furthermore, I thought, any one of these guys in seminary should be able to do something else.

I didn’t realize what my professor meant until becoming a pastor. It’s not the work-load. Being a pastor is like any career – it often requires long days and unplanned things that come up. Furthermore, he was not talking about work politics. Any job requires navigating difficult dynamics.

Rather, my professor was telling us that being a pastor comes with burdens unlike most careers. Loving and caring for sheep often requires carrying their burdens. It means weeping with them in grief. It means yearning to see change and pleading with the Lord to see reconciliation in families and marriages and in the church. It means suffering with and alongside others.

Now, to be sure, we all carry those burdens for our friends and family. But being a pastor is like multiplying that by 100. My professor was saying “being a pastor is a special calling because of those things.” To be sure, I am not saying “do not come to me or Coleman with your burdens. No, it is a privilege and honor to minister God’s grace and carry them with you.

The reason I’m bring this up is because the apostle Paul carried many many burdens. For him and the apostles, take the burdens of a pastor and multiple that by 100.

Paul not only carries the weight of the people he’s ministering to where he is. But he carries the weight of all of the churches that he helped establish. And that’s a lot

Look back up at chapter 2 verse 4 and you’ll hear what I mean. “I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you.” Anguish of heart. Many tears. Abundant love. What a pastoral heart. He was in Ephesus when he wrote the painful letter he’s talking about. His heart was in Ephesus, for sure. But his heart was also in Corinth. He sent that letter with all those emotions – tears and anguish and love.

And as I mentioned, he sent that letter with Titus. Titus’s objective was to deliver the painful letter to the Corinthians and help them see their need to repent. Then following that visit, Titus was to travel to Troas where he was to meet Paul and give an update.

That was the plan.

Now look at verse 12 “When I came to Troas to preach the gospel of Christ, even though a door was opened for me in the Lord, my spirit was not at rest (why?) because I did not find my brother Titus there.”

You see, Paul had left Ephesus and travelled north to Troas, which was also in Asia Minor. And when he got to Troas, as he put it, there was a “door opened for me in the Lord.” That’s a phrase Paul has used before. The city was ripe for Gospel ministry. There were believers there and many people were open to hear about Christ Jesus. By the way, in Acts chapter 20, it is in Troas on this same trip that Paul preached late one night. He went on and on. There was a young man Eutychus who was sitting in the window. He fell asleep and then he fell out of the window 3 stories down to his death. But God used Paul to revive Eutychus back to life.

So, Paul is there in Troas, and he is ministering… but his heart is not settled. Titus didn’t show up. You see, Paul was still carrying a great pastoral burden for the Corinthians. The anguish and tears for them were still there.

Maybe Paul thought that Titus was detained in Corinth because they weren’t listening… so maybe Titus needed to stay longer. Paul didn’t know for sure… but the burden was too much. He couldn’t stay in Troas. No, Paul needed to find Titus. So, as it says, he continued on to Macedonia.

Full stop.

Paul pauses the narrative about his travels. In fact, Paul doesn’t pick it back up until chapter 7!

In other words, Paul interrupts himself. He had been sharing about his intense burden and love for them which caused him anguish in his heart. But then he says in verse 14 -  “but thanks be to God!” And he gives us an amazing word of Christ’s ministry in him and through him.

Speaking of interrupting, let me take a brief tangent.

Every single one of us here carries different heart burdens. What burdens are weighing you down? Some of your burdens are very very hard. I know some of them. Sometimes we need an interruption. Sometimes we need to say, like Paul, “but thanks be to God.” You may be suffering a difficult illness, but thanks be to God. A relationship dear to you is struggling, but thanks be to God. A child is suffering or is wayward… or a parent is in his or her last days of life. But thanks be to God. Like Paul, you may feel a similar anguish of heart for someone you love, but THANKS be to God.

But thanks be to God… why? Well, there are many reasons to thank God.

But here, Paul hones in on something that directly relates to his ministry.

He writes, “but thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession.”

On the surface, I think we can understand this. Jesus Christ is the victorious king. He has triumphed over his and our enemies – sin, death, and the devil. And now he is leading us. Look at the verb and modifier there. “always leads us!”

Paul is reminding himself this truth. While he is enduring affliction and anguish, God in Christ is always leading him because God is the triumphal king. That is the surface level understanding.

Now, when the Corinthians read this, they knew exactly what Paul was referring to. Remember, Corinth was a Roman city in Greece. It had been destroyed a couple hundred years prior, but Julius Ceasar re-built Corinth. It then became the Roman capital of the region.  

So, the Corinthians knew the Roman system. They knew the history of the empire. They knew all the conquests of the emperors and princes and generals of the land. And they knew that when a commander conquered a foreign land, there would be a great triumphal procession in Rome.

It was the highest honor any general could receive. He would be dressed in a purple robe. He would ride in a gold chariot – the triumphal chariot, it was called. His soldiers would march behind him, celebrating the victory. Some of the spoils of war would be carted along. Incense would be burned and the fragrance would waft through the streets masking the usual rancid smell with a sweet aroma. And furthermore, prisoners of war would be dragged behind in chains. And when the envoy reached the Temple of Jupiter, the prisoners would be publicly sacrificed to their false god – Jupiter, by the way their chief deity of justice and authority.

It was quite the display of victory and triumph. Celebrations throughout Rome would break out and many in the city would join in the great celebration.

So, when Paul says … “God… in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere,” …that imagery would come to mind.

Now, there has been two main interpretations of this metaphor. The first is that Paul considered himself one of the soldiers or lieutenants following Christ in the triumphal procession. John Calvin held this view. He’s been on my mind since we were studying him today in Sunday school. Calvin wrote, “Paul shared in the triumph that God was celebrating… just as the chief lieutenants shared in the general’s triumph by riding on horseback behind his chariot.”

That’s a very reasonable interpretation, I think. As Paul is continuing on from Ephesus to Troas to Macedonia, he is like a soldier of Christ, being led by him. Thanks be to God for that.

However, even Calvin agrees that the word “triumph” in the Greek includes triumphing over us.

I’ve been wrestling through this all week. You see, the other main interpretation is that God, in Christ, triumphed over Paul.

In other words, the imagery Paul gives may not be as a soldier, but as one of the captives being led to his death. Now, mind you, he’s a joyful captive. But isn’t it true, God conquered Paul’s heart. He had been an enemy of God, persecuting and killing God’s people, but God took him captive. Paul bowed the knee in submission to Christ. He forsook all his sin and evil ways. The cross of Christ became his life. In fact, multiple times in his letters, Paul refers to himself as a “prisoner of the Lord” or a “prisoner of Christ Jesus.”

And that interpretation aligns with the rest of 2 Corinthians. Paul and the apostles had been enduring affliction and trials and persecution as a testimony of their apostleship. Paul is a prisoner in that sense - bound to God’s call in his life. And Paul is on the triumphal procession to his death, suffering as an apostle. And as I mentioned, it’s a joyful imprisonment because in his death, he will be given new life.

I think this second interpretation is likely what Paul is implying.

But either way, it is Christ who is leading the triumphal procession. Jesus is the one who through the cross and in his resurrection accomplished the overwhelming victory. The burden of our sin fell on him. Satan and his demonic forces thought that they had the author of life destroyed forever. They thought they had won, but what they didn’t know is that through their very act, God accomplished salvation and defeated them. And when he rose from the grave, he defeated death and sealed Satan’s fate forever.

You see, it is finished! Salvation has been accomplished. And now, Christ is leading us, always, whether as a prisoner or a soldier, in that triumphal procession with him.

Thanks be to God. Because even with the burdens we carry, we can rejoice in his victory.

Now, I think… Paul could have ended it there. It’s a wonderful image of being led in Christ’s triumphal procession. But that is not the end of Paul’s illustration.

No, he also uses the imagery of fragrance.  As the triumphal procession continued through the streets of Rome, as I mentioned earlier, incense filled the air. Spices were soaked and slowly burned which gave off a pleasing aroma – it was the smell of victory.

When I was growing up, my grandmother had a few little ceramic potpourri bowls. They were filled with flower petals and dried fruit and spices like sticks of cinnamon. All of it was mixed with water.  And underneath the ceramic bowls, were little candles. The little flame would heat up the mixture and the smell would permeate the house.

Of course, I was mesmerized by it. Not the smell, but the candles. Anything with fire is mesmerizing for boys… that doesn’t really change when boys grow up!

But anyway, when you entered my grandmother’s house, it had a sweet aroma. And when I smell a similar smell today, it kind of transports me back in time to her home.

In Rome, the incense bowls were big, and the smell would fill the streets. As the triumphal processional passed by street after street the aroma of burning incense would fill the whole city.

Paul likens the fragrance to the aroma of Christ spreading throughout the world.

And what is that aroma?

The aroma is the aroma of Jesus’ sacrifice. The reason I say that because the language parallels how the burnt offerings were described in the Old Testament. In Leviticus,  the offerings were called “a pleasing aroma to the Lord.” That very phrase “pleasing aroma” is used 16 times in the book of Leviticus and 18 times in the book of Numbers. What I am saying is that use of the word “aroma” intentionally connects to the idea of a sacrifice.

And all those sacrifices and offerings of old come together and are fulfilled in Christ.

Now to be sure, this text in 2 Corinthians does not make the explicit connection to the sacrifice of Christ for our sin. But listen to what Paul says in Ephesians 5 verse 2: “walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

When we follow Christ and walk in his love and testify to his sacrifice… then the pleasing aroma of Christ will emanate from us. His fragrance will permeate to those around us. When the church does this as a whole, many will be drawn to the love and grace and hope and forgiveness and community that God has given us in him.

And by the way, look how the fragrance is described in verse 14. “The fragrance of the knowledge of him.” You see, the aroma of Christ in us and coming from us is more than just the testimony of our lives. Yes, it absolutely includes that. But the aroma is also the testimony of our words …as we declare Christ’s sacrifice and his love… which includes the call to repentance and faith.

So, when we love God and reflect that love, and speak of God’s love and the salvation accomplished and offered in Christ, we we do those things, then we will exude the aroma of Christ.

And look at what will happen. Again, up in verse 14. The fragrance will spread “everywhere!” You see that word? The aroma of Christ will permeate to every corner of the earth. Every nation. It is and it will expand to every people, every language, every tribe.

It’s been almost 2000 years since Jesus’ suffering and sacrifice. Yet, his fragrance is still spreading today – more so than ever. The Gospel of Christ which Paul preached has been expanding ever since and will continue to expand until Jesus returns.

And how does that expansion work? Through us. As the aroma of Christ works in us, it then emanates from us. Others then received it. And they, in turn, pass that fragrance on. We “are the aroma of Christ,” as Paul puts it.

Alright, let’s look now at verses 15 and 16.

We learn an important thing here. The aroma of Christ will have one of two effects.

Number 1: The fragrance of Christ will be a sweet aroma to those who are “being saved.” That is the phrase right there in verse 15. In other words, those whom God has called, whom the Holy Spirit turns to him will smell the aroma of Christ. It will be pleasant, and it will draw them to him. Verse 16 reinforces that. The aroma of Christ will be a fragrance from life to life. The aroma will be the sweet smell of life which will yield new life to them.

Burt there’s a second effect: Not everyone who smells the fragrance of Jesus sacrifice will smell that sweet aroma. No, for those who reject Christ, who, as it says “are perishing” the aroma will not be sweet. Rather, it  will be the stench of death. The aroma will permeate to them, but it will sadly be, as verse 16 says, “from death to death.” The smell of death will lead to death.

I want to say this... if you are smelling the aroma of Christ for the first time. Meaning if you are hearing about Jesus sacrifice on the cross. It is the most beautiful aroma. It is the most beautiful testimony of God’s love.

Here’s what I mean. Every single one of us. Every single person who ever lived has offended God. We’ve rejected him. We’ve rejected his law and promises. And God in his perfectly just nature is justified to treat us as enemies. Because of the unholiness of our sin we cannot be in God’s holy presence. We deserve to suffer the captive’s fate.

But God, because of his great love, sent his son, the eternal son of God, Jesus Christ, to suffer and die and receive God’s wrath in your place. And the only requirement for you is to believe that by faith – to forsake your sin and turn to him. In other words, in his sacrifice is life.

That is the pleasing aroma that Christ offers you – life in him. As you smell this aroma, so to speak, receive it with joy and with faith. Join the triumphal procession as a captive of Christ… and celebrate his triumph!

May the aroma be a pleasing aroma because God is saving you.

As we draw to a close, let’s go back to the apostle Paul. He is saying that he is spreading the aroma of Christ in his life and his ministry. And he makes an important point in verse 17. Being the aroma of Christ is not like selling goods. It’s not something to be “peddled”, as verse 17 puts it. That’s what was happening in Corinth. The false teachers and so-called “super apostles” were treating the Gospel like a business. They were using it for their glory and using the people in the process.  But no, Paul calls us to “sincerity” (that’s the word he uses)… and calls us to “to speak in Christ.” In other words, we’re to let the aroma of Christ overwhelm us. Out of a heart that has the love and grace of Christ, we can then let the aroma of Christ flow to others. And that sweet fragrance will then draw people to him.

Even in our trials, and suffering, and the anxiousness of our souls, may we know that Christ is leading us on that triumphal procession. May we give thanks to God for that. And may God use us to spread the pleasing aroma of Christ everywhere. Amen

Change of Plans and Plans that Never Change

Please remain standing and turn to 2 Corinthians 1:12-22. That is on page 1145 in the Pew Bible.

In these verses, the apostle Paul explains three things. First, his own manner of life as it relates to the Corinthians. Second, Paul explains his change of plans. And third, he explains that the promises of God never change.

Listen for those three things as I read.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:12-22

Prayer

“Who moved my cheese?”

That question is the title of a 1998 book that has sold over 30 million copies. Maybe some of you have read it.

It’s about 4 characters who live in a maze. Day in and day out they are looking for cheese. Well one day, the cheese is not in its usual place. And one of the characters, in frustration, exclaims, “who moved my cheese?”

It’s really a book about change. We are creatures of habit. We like things to stay consistent. We like our plans to work out the way we planned them. When things don’t go as expected, we resist or we blame, or we make bad assumptions. Or we worry about the future.

Well, the apostle Paul moved the Corinthian’s cheese, so to speak. You see, Paul had told the church in Corinth that he planned to visit them, but those plans changed. In fact, Paul’s plans to visit had changed two times.

First, at the end of 1 Corinthians, Paul told them that he planned to visit them after travelling through Macedonia. Well, that didn’t work out.

Second, he mentions here, in 2 Corinthians 1 verse 16 that he had hoped to visit them twice, but he didn’t. Further, if you remember from a couple of weeks ago, Paul had made an emergency visit to them. That was an unplanned trip. And following that visit he wrote a painful letter, as he described it.

So, Paul had set expectations with the church in Corinth, but over the prior few months, he made multiple changes of plans.

What if Sinclair Ferguson, well-known Scottish preacher, promised to visit us? We had him scheduled to preach. But he had to back out. So, we rescheduled. And again he had to cancel. Then one day Sinclair Ferguson did show up, but his visit was unplanned. We had to scramble to accommodate him. How would you feel about that? Now, I know it’s not the same. Sinclair is not an apostle, nor do we know him personally.

But the Corinthians did know Paul. And he did promise to visit. And because of his changed plans, they were frustrated. We get that sense in verses 17. Paul uses the word “vacillating.” They thought he was wishy washy. In that same verse he asks whether he makes his plans according to the “flesh.” That word flesh is often in Scripture used to indicate sinful desires and actions in contrast with living according to the Spirit. Because his plans changed, some believed he was therefore not walking by the Spirit.

So, all these questions were swirling about. And I want to remind you about the group that had been undermining Paul. The reason Paul defends himself in this letter is because of their accusations. This group was using Paul’s change of plans to undermine his authority. They were in essence taking advantage of the Corinthians’ doubt and assumptions and unmet expectations and using those thing against Paul.

Paul moved your cheese, how can you trust this guy? After all, he says one thing, but he does another. His “yes” is not “yes,” his “no” is not “no.” That is not how someone led by the Spirit would act. No, this Paul guy is being led by the flesh. With all his vacillating, can he even be an Apostle?

And some of the Corinthians were persuaded.

So, Paul wants to clear things up. That is the premise and purpose of these verses. And as I mentioned up front, he does that by communicating three things.

·       First, in verses 12-14, Paul reminds them about the testimony of his own life and his love for them. That’s really important for them to remember.

·       Second, verses 15-17, Paul explains that his plans do not undermine his love for them nor his ministry

·       and then, third, verses 18-22, he tells them that there’s something that never changes - God's promises fulfilled in Christ.

So, that is where we are headed this morning.

#1 Paul’s Life and His Love

So, again, #1, in verses 12-14, Paul begins by testifying to his own life and his love for them. By the way, it’s not just his life, it’s also those who were with him, like Timothy.

Now, let me ask you this. When someone questions your decisions, what is your first response? Do you get defensive?  Sometimes I do. Do you dismiss the person? Do you turn the tables on them and start questioning them? Those are the kinds of things that we tend to do. Right?

Well Paul doesn’t do any of that. No, instead, he lovingly responds.

Look at verse 12. Paul begins with a reminder about their time together. He and Timothy modelled “simplicity” and “godly sincerity” in their lives. You can see those words there. What Paul means is that he and Timothy demonstrated their deep faith by (1) living a simple lifestyle and (2) doing that with sincere hearts seeking to honor God in their lives. And look at that phrase there at the end of 12. They were doing that, it says, “not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you.”

He was reminding them that when he and Timothy were in Corinth, they loved them well. They built them up in the Word, through the Spirit. They were gentle and peaceable. Their lives testified to the grace of God, especially in their relationship with the Corinthians.

Verse 13 essentially extends that same idea to what they wrote. Paul and Timothy have been very consistent in their lives and letters.

And then verse 14. It’s so encouraging. Look at it, the second half. “on the day of our Lord Jesus you will boast of us as we will boast of you.” That word boast comes up many times in this book. It’s a joyful confidence in God’s work in someone. So, it’s not negative, it’s positive. It’s not pridefully bragging in one’s own strength and will, instead it’s boasting in what God has done.

Here’s what Paul was saying: when Jesus returns in glory, we will give praise to God for your lives and you will praise God for ours. You have built us up in the Gospel and we have built you up. And glory to God in Christ when he returns! What an amazing testimony.

You know, I brag about you. It’s true. Sometimes people ask me how church is going. And I describe how you love and care for one another. And how you seek to build each other up in the Word through the Spirit. And how your hearts love your neighbors. Now, I am not really boasting about you in and of yourselves. No, rather, I am boasting about God’s work in you and through you. It will be great on that day when Jesus returns to see one another … and to boast of what God’s has done here in Tucker.

That is what Paul is doing here. He’s boasting in Christ.

He’s drawing them back in to the relationship that they have with him. Especially after that emergency visit and painful letter… he wants to re-affirm his commitment and love for them.

#2 that his change of plans do not undermine his ministry

Isn’t that a great way for Paul to begin? In fact, all of these verses from 12-22 are positive. As you know, sometimes Paul strongly exhorts the church, but here he lovingly encourages and explains.

And actually, these next verses, 15-17, continue to display Paul’s heart for them.

Look at verse 15 and 16. Two times he says, “I wanted to come.” In verse 15, “…I was sure of this, I wanted to come to you first…”

and then in 16… “I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia.” He was saying, this was and is my heart for you. Don’t interpret my change of plans as a lack of interest or love. In fact, we will find out next week that his love for them was one of the reasons he changed his plans.

Let me mention a brief side note. That phrase “double blessing of grace” is something that relates to chapters 8 and 9. It’s the grace of giving. We’ll see what that means in a couple of months.

Plans sometimes change because God redirects us. Doors close. Other paths open. New dynamics may require re-evaluating. And when we are resistant to change, it may actually indicate an unwillingness to let the Lord lead. Not always, of course. And to be sure, the number one responsibility we have in letting the Lord’s lead us is pursuing him and his righteousness.

For Paul, his willingness to change demonstrated his being led by God in the Spirit. Paul’s life demonstrated that. On his second missionary journey, Paul was in Asia and he had planned to revisit all the churches he had planted there. But God redirected him to Macedonia. And he obeyed. And through that, God brought the Gospel to Europe for the first time.

We submit our plans to the Lord, we move forward with those plans by faith, but we allow God to direct and at times redirect our steps.

Some of you were around 5 years ago. We had our plans in place. I think it was almost exactly 5 years ago that we set our launch date for the end of March, 2020. We had a location lined up. We were excited. As the date got closer, we got the word out. Then the world shut down because of COVID. All of us here learned many things during that time. We learned to trust in the Lord. We learned the importance of prayer. And one of the things I learned was to have an open hand with our plans. It’s not our church, it’s the Lord’s church. When we hold on to our plans with a tight fist, we can miss the blessing of how the Lord leads and guides.

When Paul asks whether he was  vacillating? Verse 17. The implied answer is “no.” He also affirms that he was not saying “yes, yes” and “no, no” at the same time.

By the way, the double “yes” and double “no” was a cultural thing. If you said “yes” twice, it was a definitive yes. “No” twice, was a definitive “no.” Apparently if you just said “yes” once, it was like saying “yes” while crossing your fingers behind your back. You didn’t really have to mean it.

This is related to what Jesus said in Matthew 5, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.” And it is similar to what James said. “Let your yes be yes or your no be no, or you will be condemned.”

You see, in verse 17, Paul was insinuating a severe critique. Some were saying that Paul says “yes, yes,” and “no, no” at the same time! They were saying he was a liar!

Paul’s answer is bound up in the question itself. No, that is not the case at all. Paul is being led by the Spirit, not by the flesh. Proverbs 16:9 “The heart of man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes his steps.”

Even though Paul is an Apostle, he does not have divine foresight into the future. No, he faithfully plans his ministry, but he allows God to lead and guide according to God’s grace, not earthly wisdom, as he put it.

Ok, To recap. Paul’s heart has not changed for them, even though his plans changed, His life and his letters testified to his faith and love. He still boasts in God’s work in them. Those times that he said he would come, he earnestly desired to do so. It was not vacillating in the flesh but rather being led by the Spirit.

#3 There’s something that never changes – God’s promises in Christ

And that brings us to verses 18-22. Really, these verses are the center of this whole section from chapter 1 verse 12 to chapter 2 verse 4. We’ll get to the rest next week.

Paul has been leading up to these words. He gives us here the immoveable rock in the midst of change. Despite all of his changed plans, here’s what he says to them in verse 18 “As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No.” In other words, yes, plans may have changed, but our message has not changed.

What he preached to them when he planted them… what he wrote to them in his multiple letters… what he said to them in his emergency visit just a few months prior, has not changed.

That’s because, God’s promises in Christ never change.

Verse 19 “For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes.” Jesus whom we proclaimed is always “yes.”

By the way, notice that Paul names himself, Timothy, and Silvanus. The testimony of three witnesses establishes the truth of this matter. They were there with Paul. Their message never changed, and that message is the message of Jesus Christ.

Verses 20 is definitely the most well-known verse in this passage. “All the promises of God find their yes in him.” That is, in Christ Jesus.

God’s plan from before the foundation of the world has always been “yes” (so to speak) in Christ Jesus. That’s because all the promises of God find their yes in him.

If I could go back in time and experience one event in the Bible, it would probably be Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Jesus was with two men after his resurrection. They didn’t recognize him. And as they were walking, Jesus began explaining how the promises and prophecies of old have been fulfilled in him. Luke 24:27 says,  “And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” Wouldn’t that have been amazing to hear?

As you know, Sinclair Ferguson is not here. He was planning to come, but his plans changed. Just kidding.

Here’s what Ferguson said about all the promises of God finding their “Yes” in Jesus.

“He is the seed of the woman who was promised to Adam and Eve. He is the seed of Abraham who was promised to Abraham and Sarah. He is the true Melchizedek Priest. He is the true Prophet that God promised to Moses He would raise up. He is the King that He promised to David would sit upon his throne. He is the Son of Man that Daniel envisaged. He is the suffering Servant about whom Isaiah spoke. He is the Root out of Jesse whom [Isaiah] also prophesied. Every single line of promise that we find in the Old Testament Scriptures… meet in Jesus. Which means this: If I want to know the promises of God fulfilled in my life, the place I need to go to begin to experience these promises coming to pass is to Jesus, in whom all of the promises of God are Yes.” Amen to that?

That word, “Amen” is used there in verse 20. We can “utter Amen to God for his glory.” As it says. We can do that, because all of the promises of God do find their fulfillment in Christ. Amen literally means, “let it be so” or “it is true and so.” Jesus is even called the “Amen” in Revelation 3.

Let me put it this way, Jesus Christ is the great Amen and the great Yes in all of history and all of life and in all the universe. He has been and he will be so forevermore.

This unchanging promise in Christ is an unchanging promise for you.

When you have the promise of Christ, that promise will be yours forever. It’s not just a promise out there that God has fulfilled in Jesus. The promise of “Yes” and “Amen” is for you. It is offered to you… and when you receive it by faith, it is yours forever.

That is what Paul is telling the Corinthians. Verse 21 God has “established us with you in Christ.” They are together united to him. And verse 22, he’s “put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.”

It is guaranteed. Plans won’t change. When you turn your life to God in Christ by faith - that means forsaking your sin and ungodly ways, and turning to him as Lord and Savior… when you do that, God will put his seal on you. Like a king putting his signet seal upon you. You are his. And that will never change.  He, Jesus. will be your “yes” and “amen,” forever. You are guaranteed life and peace and redemption in him.

I’ve mentioned this before, but I want to say it again. One of the beautiful things about 2 Corinthians is how Paul always goes back to the Gospel. It’s what we each need to do as well.

Conclusion

Let me summarize. Yes, Paul’s plans changed. But no, his message never changed. That is because God’s plans never change. The promises of God in Christ have always been and always will be yes and Amen. It’s what the Corinthians could be assured of. Despite Paul’s detractors undermining him, he could point to his life in Christ and to the unchanging promise of the one in whom they had life forever.

And it’s the same for us. Despite all the changes in life…. Despite your cheese getting moved, so to speak… despite all the unexpected hurdles and expectations that fall through. when you have to move to a new home, or when you lose your job, or when your friends move away… when you are disappointed or afraid for whatever reason. Despite all of that, there is one innwhom will always be “yes”… All the promises find their yes and Amen in him. His promises will never change. And that is the eternal and unchangeable promises of Christ Jesus for you.

May we be able to say yes and amen to Christ, our rock and redeemer.

Delivered by God, Sustained by Prayer

Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text – 2 Corinthians 1:8-11. That is on page 1145 in the pew Bibles

These verses continue the theme from last week. The apostle Paul was expressing the comfort of God to the Corinthians. He wanted them to be comforted by the comfort of Christ in their suffering and also share that comfort.

These verses, 8-11, continue that theme. Paul now gives them an example - a life threating affliction that he experienced.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:8-11.

Prayer

There is strong evidence that most of the apostles were killed for their faith… for their gospel ministry. We call that being martyred. For example, James, the brother of the apostle John, was executed by king Agrippa. We know that for sure from the book of Acts chapter 12.

That is the only one recorded in the Bible, but we have other historical testimonies from the early church fathers. They wrote about how Peter was crucified upside down in Rome. How Thomas was killed in India. How Andrew was crucified in Greece on an X shaped cross. And how Paul was beheaded under the persecution of Nero.

Other accounts exist as well. And while we can’t absolutely verify the details, the evidence supports those accounts.

Some of you will know this, but before the apostle Paul’s radical conversion, he was the one persecuting and even killing Christians. Yet God transformed his life. He was confronted by Jesus himself on the road to Damascus. Even though he was temporarily blinded, God opened the eyes of his heart, he could now see the truth clearly. Instead of being a persecutor he became one of the persecuted.

In fact, at the time of his conversion, God revealed to Paul, what he must suffer. God told a man named Annanias to find Paul. Annanias was hesitant because he knew Paul’s history. But listen to these words spoken by the Lord to Annanias.

 “Go, for he [that is, Paul] is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.”

And suffer, Paul would. In the book of Acts we have account after account of Paul’s imprisonments, beatings, and other persecution. And we don’t even know the half of it! Later in 2 Corinthians, chapter 11, Paul lists many more than we have recorded elsewhere. Five times he received what was known as 40 lashes minus 1. That is whips on his back. Three times he was beaten with rods. One time he was stoned. He had been left for dead.

You see, Paul and the other apostles endured intense persecution because of their Gospel ministry. And eventually would be martyred,

I’m telling you all this because when we read 2 Corinthians, it’s important to understand and apply this book correctly. And we can do that on three levels.

·       First and foremost, Paul is defending his apostleship. The apostle’s ministry was patterned after Christ’s ministry of persecution unto death. The affliction and martyrdom that Paul and the others endured testified to God’s special call for them. So, the first layer of application is to affirm their apostleship and this word from God and to therefore reject false teachers and false apostles.

·       Second, the call to take the Gospel to the ends of the earth still applies today. And while there are no more apostles, capital A, yet God still calls many to bring the love of God in Christ to places that have never received the good news of Jesus Christ. And it is a sacrifice. There are those, today, who give their lives for that great cause. Martyrs, who in their frontier mission work, testify in their life and death to the risen Christ and hope in him. That is the second level of application. Those being persecuted for their faith receive a special comfort from these verses.

You with me, so far? The first level application, again, is the apostle’s persecution and affliction which testifies to their apostleship. The second level of application is in the affliction and comfort of those who are afflicted because of their faith.

Now, some people draw the line there. They say that those are the only two levels of application here. In other words, they say we should not extend the application to the other kind of suffering… like sickness, hardships, emotional or relational pain, or grief. But I disagree with that.

·       I want to make the case (like many others have)  for a third layer of application in 2 Corinthians. If you have your Bible open to 2 Corinthians 1, look at verse 3 from last week. God is to be worshiped because he is the God of “all” comfort. That is pretty broad... “all.” And if you look at verse 4, the word “all” is used again. Then Paul says that they want to comfort others who are in “any” affliction. Again, it’s a very broad application of comfort in affliction… “any.” Here’s what I am saying… the giving and receiving of comfort in suffering also applies beyond those in dangerous missions work. I mentioned last week that we are not talking about worldly comfort, but rather the comfort of assurance and peace and being encouraged and strengthened in Christ to endure.

As the theme of suffering and comfort comes back around over and over, we’ll apply it on those three levels.

I wanted to say that up-front because it relates to today’s verses…

Ok, before we get into verses 8-11, I want to share one more thing. Amy told me this after last week’s sermon. The verses from last week are very meaningful to her family. 30 years ago, Amy’s brother died in a small plane accident. He was 23 years old at the time. A dear friend of the family shared these verses of comfort with Amy’s dad. That friend who shared those verses had himself been comforted by those very words. Years earlier his daughter had died in an accident. He was sharing with Amy’s family the comfort of Christ with which he himself had been comforted in his suffering.

It's a beautiful picture of sharing Gospel comfort with one another.

Now look at verse 8. It begins with the word “for.” It’s a connecting word. “For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia.” The apostle Paul directly connects this new paragraph to what he has just written to them. He is saying, let me now give you an example of our affliction through which you can be comforted.

The big question, of course, is what exactly happened in Asia? That would be helpful information.

And the answer is, we don’t know exactly.

However, I do want to give you a couple of possibilities. Look at how Paul describes the event in the second half of verse 8. “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.” It was very difficult. Verse 9 makes the event even more intense. “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death.”

Whatever the situation they found themselves in, they thought they were going to die.

Earlier in the service, we read from Acts 19. One possibility is that Paul was referring to the riots in Ephesus. Ephesus was, after all, the capital of Asia at that time - Asia minor.

You see, in Ephesus, Christianity had been spreading and transforming it in a good way. But it was bad for business. What I mean is that the church had been preaching against idols and idolatry. Well, that meant that all the merchants who were selling little “g” god idols were losing money. And so, Demetrius, the silversmith stirred up a riot. As you know, when a crowd gets stirred up, it can easily turn into an angry mob. When that happens, people lose any sense of peace or moderation… if they even had any to start with.

Well, this mob in Ephesus dragged off two of the believers, Gaius and Aristarchus. They were, in fact, two of Paul’s travelling companions. It’s amazing that these men and others were not killed. God delivered them… he used the Roman authority to calm the crown down.

You can see, it is possible that Paul was referring to this event – After all, they thought they had received the sentence of death, broadly speaking.

The only thing is that Paul was not in the midst of it. He was not at the theater where the riot occurred. The other believers wouldn’t let him go out of fear for his life.

So, we do not know for sure if this was the event.

Another possibility is in 1 Corinthians 15. There Paul mentioned that they fought with “wild beasts” in Ephesus. Those were the words he used. Now, to be sure, he was not talking about literal beasts, but rather men so evil it’s as if they were wild beasts. So, there was a second event where they had been attacked. They could have felt the same sentence of death that he describes.

Maybe it was some other event. We ultimately don’t know. But whatever it was, Paul and the other with him were overwhelmed. They feared for their life, and despaired of what was going to happen. Paul described what they felt as “burdened beyond our strength.”

Let me ask, have you been there? Have you experienced something so intense and so difficult that you could not see any path out of the burden? That is what they experienced.

In the garden of Gethsemane the night before he was crucified, Jesus prayed, “Father, take this cup from me… yet not my will but yours be done.”

I think it is safe to presume that Paul and those with him prayed a similar prayer. And what happened? God delivered them.

So, while we don’t know exactly what happened, we certainly know how it affected them and we know that God delivered them.

And furthermore, we know two more things.

·       We know what God taught them.

·       And we also know how the church was to help them.

So, let’s turn our attention to those two things. Again, what did they learn and how can the church help.

1. What they Learned

Number 1: what did they learn in their suffering?

You know what? We don’t have to guess. No, actually, Paul tells us right there in verse 9 – the second half. “But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.”

In the middle of our affliction, suffering, trials, God desires that we rely on him. And I want you to notice something very important here - the order of what happened. Paul first says that they learned to rely on God and not themselves… THEN in verse 10 he says that God delivered them. That’s important. It was not after God delivered them that he taught them to rely on him. No, it was in the middle of feeling the sentence of death. That is when they learned to rely on him.

That’s hard to do, isn’t it. Because in the moment, we often feel so overwhelmed. Yet it is in that very moment that we need to rely on God the most.

And why we can rely on him and trust in him in those very moments? Well, it is for this reason: God raises the dead. That is what he did. God raised Jesus Christ from the grave. And that is what he will do. He will raise the dead.

At the very height of the intense burden… feeling the sentence of death, what did God teach them? He taught them to not rely on their own strength but to turn their hearts to the one who raises the dead.

It is the greatest promise that we can rely on in our affliction.

Some of you may recognize the name Donald Barnhouse. He pastored 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia back in the mid 20th century. Sadly, when his children were young, his wife passed away. As you can imagine, he struggled to have the words to comfort his children. Well, on the way to the funeral, one of his children asked, “Daddy, why did mommy have to die?” At that moment, God gave him words of comfort for his children. You see, right then, a large truck drove past them and cast its shadow over them. And he asked his children, “would you rather be run over by the truck or by its shadow? His youngest child responded first, “the shadow. It couldn’t hurt anybody.” Barnhouse replied “Remember, children, Jesus let the truck of death strike him, so that it could never destroy us. Mother lives with Jesus now—only the shadow of death passed over her.” She lives.

He was telling his kids… death is not the end. And while we grieve, we grieve knowing that God raises the dead. We each will experience the death of our bodies, yet we have that sure hope in our resurrection because of his. Those in Christ will be raised with him forever

Let’s go back to the apostle Paul and those with him. God did deliver them in that moment. God still had more work for them to accomplish in this life. More suffering to endure. More people to share the hope of Christ. More letters to write, like this one. More churches to plant. God delivered them.

I want you to notice something in verse 10. The word deliver is used three times. The first use is past tense. “[God] delivered us from such a deadly peril.” Then twice, future tense. “God will deliver us.” That future deliverance involved first, hoping and praying that the Lord would deliver them again in their earthly circumstances. But second, the future deliverance meant that whatever happened, God would deliver them forever. Death in this life will only be a shadow because God raises the dead.

Paul and those with him learned to rely on God who will deliver them. They “set their hope” on it (that is the phrase used)…. They “set their hope” that God would deliver them from the next sentence of death in this life. But they knew that their ultimate deliverance would be beyond the grave.

And as I mentioned, at God’s appointed time, Paul suffered a martyrs death. But he lives.

Lets bring this together… what was God teaching them? He was teaching them… to rely on him. His strength, his purposes, his means, and not on themselves. God reminded them that he raises the dead. That is the most profound truth for those in Christ… especially in our suffering and affliction. God will deliver you. We pray for and set our hope on deliverance in this life from whatever affliction we are enduring… but ultimately, we rest on Christ and his eternal promise. We will be delivered because God raises the dead.

2. How they should help

OK, that brings us to the other thing we learn in these verses.

We learn the primary thing the church can and should do for those suffering. And that is, pray!

Now, there are a lot of things that we can do to support one another as we go through affliction. Last week, we learned we can share the comfort of Christ with each other. Obviously, Paul had that in mind – he had just written that. And of course, we can come alongside each other in several other tangible ways. But the most important thing that we can do for anyone in any trial or affliction is pray. Pray with them and for them.

Now, remember, Paul was not there with the church in Corinth. That is why he wrote to them. So, the church in Corinth could not help him and support him in the middle of this affliction. But they could pray.

Look at verse 11. “You also must help us by prayer.” That is pretty strong. Paul petitioned them to pray. They needed prayers from the church in Corinth.

As we think about how that applies to us today. Number one, we need to be praying for those on the front lines of mission work around the world. We do that. We know and support several that are on those front lines of Gospel ministry. And we need to continue that and maybe increase our prayers.

Praying for their ministry… praying for protection… praying for them to rely on God who raises the dead. Praying that through their ministry, that God would change hearts and minds and increase his kingdom. All those things.

We also need to be praying for the persecuted church. Last week, Open Doors published their annual report of persecution. They are a ministry which focuses on information and prayer for the persecuted church. They estimate that last year 380 million Christians across the world faced persecution… and about 4,500 Christians were killed for their faith. We need to pray. God will work through our prayers to bring deliverance or endurance just as he did for Paul.

Let me ask this: What does Paul assume by telling them they must pray? Well, he believes prayer is powerful and effective. God hears our prayers. Look how he describes the importance of prayer in verse 11. He says, “many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.” You see that? The Apostles will be blessed because of the prayers of the church. Our prayers will build up those in Gospel ministry. Though our prayers, God will give them confidence and reliance on him.

So, we need to press on in our prayers for those experiencing persecution.

Let’s take this down to that third layer of application. We need to pray for those in any kind of suffering…. Like what I mentioned earlier: sickness, hardships, emotional pain, or grief. To say it again, there are other ways we can and should support one another. But the most important is prayer.

And we absolutely can pray for deliverance. If it’s sickness, we can and should pray for healing. God heals. If it’s emotional or spiritual, we can pray for the Holy Spirit to intercede. If it’s relational we can pray for reconciliation. We can pray boldly for comfort and peace, and healing.

The same confidence that the apostle Paul had in prayer should be the same confidence that we have in prayer. May we pray for these things.

Conclusion

So, God raises the dead. If your only hope in life and death is in the Lord Jesus Christ, then this great promise is one you can rely on in your affliction. God will ultimately deliver you forever.

But God also can deliver you from affliction in this life. We trust in his providence, but we pray and hope that God will intercede. We boldly pray, knowing that our prayers for one another are powerful and effective.

In our suffering, may God direct us to rely on him and the power of his resurrection. And may we pray for one another and especially those enduring affliction because of their faith in Christ.

The Comfort of Christ in Our Affliction

Please remain standing for the reading of our sermon text. We are continuing in 2 Corinthians chapter 1. This morning, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. That is on page 1145 in the provided pew Bibles.

As a reminder, last week, Paul emphasized his apostleship. He was writing to them, to the church of God in Corinth, as an apostle of God. Paul had been appointed by God in this special role. The reason he emphasized that point is because some in Corinth had been questioning Paul’s legitimacy.

As we read, we are reading the Word of God given to us through the apostle of God.

As you hear this Word, know that it is the very Word of God.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Prayer

Why has God allowed this suffering in my life or my loved one? What are his purposes in it? Does my trial mean that God is displeased with me? Will it ever end?

Every one of us, in some way or to some extent, struggles through these questions.

And we generally struggle through them on two levels. On the one hand, the intellectual questions... Why does God allow suffering and affliction? What do the Scriptures teach about it? And then on the other hand are the questions of the heart. Why am I or why is someone I love enduring this? God, where are you?

Questions of the mind and questions of the heart.

In 1940, well-known British author and Christian philosopher, CS Lewis, wrote the book, the Problem of Pain. It’s a philosophical analysis of why a loving and omnipotent God allows pain and suffering – questions of the mind. Lewis seeks to answer by working through questions of God’s nature, his justice, the fallen state of the world, heaven and hell, and the purposes of pain.

But 20 years later, in 1961, Lewis wrote a very very different book on suffering. A Grief Observed. You see, in 1957 Lewis married Joy Davidman. They had developed a deep friendship with one another over the years through letters and visits. Joy was from the States. Eventually that friendship turned into a deep love for one another. But Joy developed breast cancer and it metastasized into her bones.

Nonetheless, they loved one another, so they had a small wedding ceremony in a hospital room in Oxford, England. Joy lived for three more years. They endured the ups and downs of her cancer. They grieved and cried together. Lewis significantly reduced his writing and speaking engagements to be by her side. Joy passed away in the summer of 1960 at the age of 45.  

In the months after her death, Lewis wrote A Grief Observed. In it he shared his sorrows, his confusion, and doubts. He wrote about the struggles of maintaining his faith in God through it. But he shared how he came to find deep meaning and healing in the grief and sorrow and suffering. Through it, he experienced the love of God in Christ in a way he had never before. In short, Lewis experienced in his heart what his mind knew.

What we find in 2 Corinthians is that very thing. It was one of the apostle Paul’s goals in writing to the church. He wanted them to understand the intellectual side of affliction and suffering, but also for them to apply it to their hearts.

Let me explain. You see, the theme of suffering and comfort runs throughout 2 Corinthians. It’s not the only theme, but the apostle Paul comes back to it many times and in different ways.

And the reason Paul addressed affliction and suffering over and over was to correct them - to first, correct their thinking.

I mentioned last week that there was a group trying to infiltrate the church. Paul called them “super-apostles.” And one of the ways that they were attempting to sway the church, was by undermining Paul.

Do you know what their main critique of Paul was? It was the suffering that he was going through. They were saying something like, “Hey, church in Corinth, look at that guy, Paul. You know, the one who calls himself an apostle. Look at all the suffering that he has and is going through. He’s been persecuted. He has this physical ailment and God hasn’t healed him. His speaking ability is weak. He’s suffered many things. You see, there is no way that this guy Paul is a true apostle. No, God would not allow someone with such an important role to go through all of that.”

That’s what they were saying. We’re going to get into those details in chapters 10-12. But it’s important to understand why Paul writes these opening words here. He wants them to understand clearly that suffering and affliction are part of the Christian life. But that’s not the only thing. In fact, there’s something greater that Paul explains. You see, in the Christian life, God gives comfort and joy and hope in our trials and afflictions.

Let me put it this way. A big part of Paul’s letter teaches us a foundational theology of suffering. It’s a theology that we can understand in our minds and apply in our hearts. And when we do, not only will we understand the problem of pain, to use CS Lewis’s language, but in the grief and suffering that we observe and experience, God will overwhelm us with his comfort… the comfort of his grace in whatever we go through.

As we go through 2 Corinthians, it will be critical for each of us, you and me, to re-evaluate our theology of suffering. Because in the trials you are experiencing or will experience, your understanding of suffering will greatly affect your heart response to suffering. It’s that important.

We see that right here in these opening words. So let’s consider them.

And to start with, I have a theory about these 5 verses. I don’t know how to prove it. But I think that these 5 verses may have the most intense use of word repetition in the whole Bible.

·       That word “comfort” is used 10 times in the 5 verses. I’m including the verbs and the nouns, by the way.

·       The word “affliction” and “suffering” are used seven times, total between them.

·       The words “share” 4 times.

That is a lot packed into just 5 verses.

Maybe Psalm 150 rivals it. The word “praise” in Psalm 150 is used 13 times in just 6 verses. But still, in 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, multiple words are repeated – comfort, suffering, affliction, and share. It is intense – intensely comforting.

Before we get into Paul’s message, let me first define the word “comfort.”  Because we may be tempted to think about our current use of the word. When we think about comfort today, it is most often about how we feel in our senses. We say, “are you comfortable?” ...meaning are we at ease. “Are those chairs comfortable to sit on?” In healthcare... comfort is how well our pain is medicated.

Now, there’s nothing wrong with those uses.

But the word “comfort” here is spiritual and relational. It’s about being encouraged and consoled in the midst of a trial. In other words, it’s not about removing the affliction or being physically comfortable in it. Rather it is being strengthened in your soul while enduring the suffering, whatever trial it is.

Ok, with all of that said… (1) the false teaching being addressed, (2) the mind and heart application, and (3) the repetition and the word comfort, let’s now get into the message.

Let’s look at three things this morning.

1. Worship the God who comforts.

2. Know the comfort of God in Christ.

3. Share the comfort of God with others.

Let me say it again if you are taking notes… (repeat)

1. Worship the God who comforts

So first, worship! Look at verse 3. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.” In the very opening words (in the body of this letter), Paul emphasizes God as the God of comfort. God of ALL comfort. And these words direct our praise to him.

The very first thing that Paul wants the church in Corinth to do… is to worship and acknowledge God as the God of comfort.

And when it says that God is the “God of all comfort, who comforts us in our affliction” it is saying that God brings hope and resolve in suffering. He is present with us in our suffering. Back to the definition of comfort. God consoles us. He ministers to us. He strengthens us to endure. Furthermore, gives us assurances that his promises are eternal. In all of that, God provides a measure of peace in unsettled times and in pain. Comforting his people is part of his nature. He is the God of all comfort.

God is not some detached supernatural being that cares not about the suffering of his people. No, he loves us and ministers to us in our suffering.

So, in our suffering, we’re to direct our attention to him in worship … because he is the God of all comfort who comforts us in those ways.

In fact, let me add this point. Worshipping God is one of the ways through which God ministers to us in our suffering. When we praise him for all the ways that he cares for and loves us and gives us hope, he increases our comfort. Through it, he strengthens us to endure the trials and suffering in this life.

Now, when I say “worship” I am talking about both what we are doing here in our worship service, and in all of life when we direct our attention to God.

So, worship the God of all comfort.

2. Know the comfort of God in Christ.

#2 – know the comfort of Christ.

Let’s go back to the so-called super apostles one more time. They claimed that Paul’s suffering disqualified him for apostleship. They are very much like today’s health-wealth preachers. If you are not familiar with that term, it’s referring to pastors who say “that suffering is not God’s will for you.” One thing they believe is that sickness or affliction indicates that you do not have enough faith.

There are a lot of problems with that. The main problem is that it’s not the pattern of Jesus’ own life and ministry.

Verse 5 speaks of the suffering that we share in Christ.

Suffering is a part of the Christian life. And it was especially so for the true apostles. They endured much affliction and persecution because of their ministry. But through their suffering, they brought the comfort of Christ and his salvation to them.

You see, Paul is saying the opposite. He’s saying something like this “The reason that I am suffering is because I am sharing in the ministry of Christ. It is actually for your comfort and salvation. My affliction does not disqualify me. No, actually, my suffering is instead a qualification of my apostleship.”

Part of Paul’s message here is a defense of his ministry.

But he also wants them to know the amazing comfort of Christ in their own affliction.

Now, there are lots of ways through which God comforts us in suffering. But the main way is through the comfort we have in Jesus Christ.

Look at verse 5, “For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.”

The greatest comfort that we can receive in our affliction comes from sharing the comfort of Christ.

It says we “abundantly share” in Christ sufferings and comfort. I think that’s hard to get our minds around. Afterall, Jesus lived 2000 years ago. How do we share in his sufferings and comfort?

It happens this way… when God calls believers to him and gives them faith in Christ, he unites them to him. So, if you believe in the saving grace of God, he does this amazing thing. You are ingrafted into Christ… Jesus describes it like a vine being grafted into his root… like a branch grafted into a healthy tree.

Jesus said that when we abide in him, he will abide in us. That is what Paul is referring to when he says we share abundantly in Christ. He is ours and we are his. The afflictions that he endured, he endured for us… and through those afflictions, we receive the abundance of his comfort.

We have a Savior who endured the suffering and miseries of this life. He shed tears of sadness and was grieved at Jerusalem’s lack of belief. He was tempted in the desert. He was insulted and persecuted. He endured the shame of the cross where he suffered unto death.

And in our union with him, he ministers to us through what he endured… and he is therefore able to comfort us through his victory over the persecution and suffering and death.

I like how one commentary I read put it: “The key experiences of Christ, especially his suffering, death, and resurrection, are the pattern by which Christians can understand their own suffering and final triumph.”

Because we share in his suffering, we share in his great comfort.

It’s not emphasized here, but part of that comfort comes through knowing that Jesus sympathizes in our weakness and our suffering. You see, because we are united to him by faith, he is present in us. He is with us in our trials. He can therefore can minister his comfort to us. I like to refer to it as Gospel comfort. Sometimes you’ll hear me use that phrase “gospel comfort” when I pray.

We have the Gospel comfort of Christ through what he endured and accomplished for us. I’m talking about all those things I mentioned earlier. Strength to endure, hope and resolve. Consolation and peace. Heart encouragement. We share all those comforting things through him.

Now, there is more to say about this, especially as we consider Jesus’ resurrection. We’ll get to that next week.

All experience affliction and suffering. But we worship a God who comforts us in our affliction. And he does that through Christ.

3. Share the Comfort of God

So, #1, Worship the God who comforts. #2. Know the comfort of God in Christ.

And number 3, share the comfort of God.

One of God’s purposes in your suffering, is so that you can comfort others by the comfort you’ve been given in in Christ.

That is actually the main emphasis in these 5 verses. It’s woven throughout. In verse 3, right after it says that God comforts us in all our affliction… Paul writes this, “so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” And then again in verses 6 and 7, Paul goes right back to comforting others with the comfort that we are given.

Verses 6 and 7 are like an example. Notice he says, “if we.” “if we are afflicted it is for your comfort and salvation.” He’s talking about himself and Timothy. If they are afflicted, God will use it to comfort the Corinthian church. Verse 7 reinforces that. Next week when we get to verses 8-11, he is going to give a real example – their persecution in Asia.

Here is the point for them and for us. We are called to comfort one another. You and I are to both give and receive the comfort of God. That means relaying the comfort we receive in our affliction. That means directing one another to worship the God of all comfort. It means sharing the comfort of God in Christ. It means blessings each other with the promises of God in his Word. It means being with one another in our suffering… and caring for one another through trials. It means praying with and for each other through those difficult times.

Beloved in Christ, look around you in this room. These are your brothers and sisters in Christ. In the pain and suffering that we each share... we also need to share the comfort of God.

You see, one way that God ministers this grace to his people is through his people.

Now, two things come to mind that are necessary:

·       First, in order to minister God’s comfort to one another, we need to intentionally grow in our relationships with one another. I’m very encouraged by how that is happening here in different ways. But we should continue to strive towards that.  

·       Second, we need to know when we are each suffering. Someone can’t share the comfort of Christ with you without knowing the suffering that you are enduring. You know, sometimes we bottle things up. We don’t want people to know. I get it. To be sure, I’m not saying that everyone needs to know your trials and pain, but I encourage you to reach out to someone. Or reach out to me so that I can connect you with others here who can come alongside of you… and comfort you in Christ. In order for us to minister this Gospel comfort to one another, we need to share our burdens with one another.

In summary, part of the comfort we receive in our suffering comes through sharing the comfort we have in Christ.

Conclusion

So, worship the God who comforts. Know the comfort of God in Christ and share the comfort of God.

If you know the grace of God in Christ. If you have faith in the living Lord... then today, in the midst of the burdens you bear, as you feel the pains of this world weighing on you... be reminded in your mind and heart that God is the God of all comfort. Worship him.

Be strengthened and nourished and assured of all that Christ has done for you. Know of the comfort that he gives because you share in his affliction and his comfort. And may we comfort one another in that great eternal comfort.

If you are suffering today but you do not know the great comfort of Christ... come to him with your burdens. Lay your life and your suffering before him and come and worship him… for God is merciful as it says in verse 3. He will give you that everlasting comfort, the only true comfort in this life.

Grace and Peace to Corinth and Beyond

We are beginning a new series today - the book of 2 Corinthians. And we’ll just be considering the first 2 verses this morning. Chapter 1 verses 1-2 and you can find that on page 1145.

As you will hear, this book is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth.

In his opening greeting, Paul includes that this letter is also from Timothy. Now, that does not mean that Timothy is a co-author. Most of the book is written using the first-person singular, “I.” …and throughout, Paul talks about his own travels, his relationships, and his struggles.

Rather, Paul includes Timothy because Timothy was with Paul. And Timothy was very much known by the church in Corinth. Paul is saying that he and Timothy are unified in this letter that he is writing.

Let’s now come to God’s inspired and inerrant Word.

Reading of 2 Corinthians 1:1-2

Prayer

Over the last century, several books have been written about The Lost Art of Letter Writing.

And as you would imagine, these books lament how people today no longer sit down to write thoughtful and engaging personal letters. Or when we do communicate, we are not sensitive or thoughtful about our words. Salutations and concluding words are sparce. Etc. etc.

You would probably agree with those assessment. And if you think back over the last 100 to 150 years, there have been remarkable changes in communication technologies. We’ve gone from the telegraph, to the telephone, to email, to the cell phone… then came instant messenger and texting, and now video calls. As the technology has advanced, it has led to helpful and unhelpful communication habits.

But there is something special about an old-school letter written in pen and on paper. A letter with many personal elements. Life updates and feelings and struggles. Hopes and dreams. A letter that recalls times together and plans for the future. A letter with intentional thoughts about important matters. One that conveys love and care and longings. A letter that you can hold in your hand and read and ponder and read again.

Well, 2 Corinthians has it all. It is a letter of letters. I would say, out of all the New Testament letters, which we call “epistles,” 2 Corinthians is the most personal and engaging. What I mean is that 2 Corinthians contains more details about personal matters and events and relationships than the other letters in the Bible. Now, to be sure, I am not minimizing the other letters. Each is engaging and thoughtful and has a context.

But there’s something special about 2 Corinthians. In it, the apostle Paul conveys his love and care for the church in Corinth; he works through difficult things that he has gone through; he defends his calling and teaching; and he applies the truths of God in Christ to the situations that they are experiencing. In all of it, Paul encourages them, directs them in truth, and challenges them.

It’s beautiful.

Are we allowed to have a favorite book of the Bible? I think so. As long as we are not minimizing the relevance and authority of the others. Well, if so, my favorite book is 2 Corinthians.

And my hope is that over the next few months you will likewise come to love 2 Corinthians… and you will also be challenged as we apply it to our lives.

So let’s dive in. And this morning, as an introduction to the book, we’ll touch upon the city, the situation, and the significance. The city (what do we know about Corinth), the situation (what was happening in the church and what were the reasons Paul wrote this letter), and the significance (what does it say and why does it matter).

1. The City

Alright, Corinth.

           Please turn to the back of you bulletin. I thought it would be helpful to include a map. The arrows represent the apostle Paul’s travels on his third missionary journey. We’re going to come back to that shortly.

But first, notice Corinth. It’s right there on the southern part of Greece. And actually, the circle there for Corinth should be a little northeast of where it’s positioned on the map. That’s because Corinth sat between two inlets. On the east side of Corinth, there was access to the Aegean sea. Ships would travel back and forth between Asia Minor (modern day Turkey) and Greece, going to both Athens and Corinth. And on the west side of Corinth, was access to the Adriatic Sea. Italy is not pictured in this map, but it’s right there off the map west of Greece.

So, Corinth was strategically positioned. It was an access point between the two seas, allowing ships to avoid the often treacherous Mediterranean.

A couple of years ago, Caleb and I were helping at a missions conference on the island of Crete. Some of you were also there. You can see Crete there on the map. Well, on our way back, we took a ferry to Athens. And let me say, it was rough going on the Mediterranean. The winds were very high, and the waves just hammered the ferry the whole trip. It was like a 10-hour trip. We were glad it was a rather large ferry. Even so, it was rocking and shaking. But as soon as we got to the bay with Athens on the east and the ruins of Corinth on the west, it was much calmer. You see, back in the first century, ships were much safer docking near Corinth and sending their cargo across the land to the port on the other side of Corinth.

In fact, back then, Corinth was also a land port. It was the access point to the southern part of Greece.

I’m telling you all this because Corinth was a strategic city. It was a crossroads. It was the Roman capital of the whole region of Achaia.

Interestingly, the Roman Empire had destroyed Corinth 200 years prior. That happened in the year 146 BC. But 100 years later, in 44BC, Julius Ceasar re-settled the city given its location.

So, in other words, Corinth was a Roman city in Greece… and it attracted people from all over – from northern Africa, Asia Minor, Italy, and of course, Greece itself. It attracted Maritimers and merchants and other trades. It attracted the poor because there were jobs and it attracted wealthy. 

Added to the cosmopolitan mix was the religious diversity. People brought their idols and beliefs. And on the hill overlooking the city was the temple of Aphrodite. She was the Greek goddess of love and fertility. Some have suggested that temple prostitution was common. That is disputed, but what is clear is Corinth’s sexually promiscuous culture.

Ok, two things are important to understand about Corinth.

·       First, when you intermix all of these ideologies and cultures and religions, it is a recipe for tension and conflict and prejudice. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, which we call 1 Corinthians, we see that conflict played out in the church. Paul therefore addressed their lack of love for and unity with one another.

·       So that was one thing about Corinth – the people did not get along with one another. The second thing about Corinth involved social status. Because the city was relatively young and prosperous, the social structures were still being developed. There was an opportunity to raise your social status and standing. But in order to achieve that, often you had to figuratively climb over other people to gain a higher status. In fact, we will see that explicitly played out in this book, 2 Corinthians. We’ll come back to that in a minute.

So, to summarize, the city of Corinth was a melting pot of culture, religion, and commerce. It was also like the Las Vegas of the Mediterranean… with its sexualized and promiscuous culture. A culture that was filled with tension and prejudice and social one-upmanship.

It was a place that desperately needed the Gospel.

2. The Situation

So, that’s the city. Let’s now talk about the situation.

First, imagine how all of those cultural influences affected the church in Corinth.

The apostle Paul planted about 13 churches on his missionary journeys. Yet, he spends more time supporting the church in Corinth than any other church… all because of their sin and issues.

I believe that is true because we have record of multiple letters and visits and the involvement of other church leaders.

Let me highlight some of those things.

As far as letters, yes, we only have two of them preserved. 1 and 2 Corinthians. However, Paul actually wrote at least four letters to them. In 1 Corinthians he refers to an earlier letter. And in 2 Corinthians he refers to yet another letter– an emotionally painful letter which was written right after an emergency visit to Corinth.

Added to that, Paul invested his two most trusted co-laborers to help in Corinth. Timothy and Titus.

Ok, here’s a brief synopsis of events that led up to this letter.

·       First, Paul with Timothy’s help, planted the church in Corinth in about the year 51AD. That happened on Paul’s second missionary journey. In fact, we read the account from Acts 18 earlier. The church included Jews and Gentiles and it grew rapidly. We also read that Paul stayed for 18 months to help shepherd the growing community.

·       But then very soon after Paul left, he heard some discouraging news. Some people associated with the church were caught up in the sexual immorality of the culture. So Paul wrote his first letter to them explicitly about that. As I mentioned earlier, we don’t have that initial letter, but Paul alludes to it in 1 Corinthians 5.

·       Well, things did not get better, and the church also started to fracture in disunity. So, Paul writes the letter we know as 1 Corinthians. He doesn’t just put it in the mail, no, he sends it with Timothy.

·       Now, at this point, Paul is on his third missionary journey. Please look back at the map. As I mentioned, this is a map of Paul’s third missionary journey. Paul spent 3 years in Ephesus. Do you see Ephesus on the map there? That is where he wrote 1 Corinthians. Do you also see that purple dashed line? Well, Paul had to make an emergency visit to Corinth. He refers to that painful visit in 2 Corinthians chapter 2. We’re going to get to those details in a few weeks.

·       And then, after that emergency visit, Paul writes a painful letter. He refers to that letter in chapter 2 and chapter 7. But Paul doesn’t just write that letter calling them to repentance. No, he sends Titus – his other trusted co-laborer. Titus delivers it with Paul’s hope and prayer that they would seek repentance and renewal in Christ.

So, a founding visit, a letter, another letter, an emergency visit, and another letter. And besides Paul, Timothy and Titus were very involved. All of this is happening before Paul writes 2 Corinthians.

Now, the reason I’m telling you all of this is because Paul loves this church. He is on his knees praying with tears and he is fully invested in their spiritual wellbeing.

So, again, Paul sent the painful letter with Titus. Meanwhile, he continued on his missionary journey. He goes north to Troas. You can see that on the map. Titus had planned to meet Paul in Troas and give Paul an update. But Titus didn’t show up. Of course, Paul was worried. So, he continued on to Macedonia hoping Titus would meet him there. And thankfully Titus showed up.

And Titus brought good news. Titus shared that the church in Corinth repented and that they longed to see Paul again. This was great news to Paul.

And it is at that moment that Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.

We know all this from 2 Corinthians chapter 7. Let me quote a few words from that chapter. “But God... comforted us by the coming of Titus, ...he told us of your longing, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced still more. For even if I made you grieve with my letter, I do not regret it... because you were grieved into repenting."

Great news and encouraging words.

There are two reasons that Paul wrote 2 Corinthians.

·       First, he was very glad. He wanted to encourage them to continue in their spiritual maturity.

·       Second, there was a matter that Titus brought to Paul’s attention. And this goes back to Corinth’s cultural problems around social status. You see, there was a group trying to infiltrate the church. Paul sarcastically calls them “super apostles.” Basically, they were trying to position themselves as superior to Paul. They critiqued Paul’s theology and they sought to undermine his apostleship.

We don’t learn about these so-called “super apostles” until later in the book. But in every chapter, we get the sense that Paul is countering their false claims and false Gospel.

So, that is the situation. The church in Corinth had been heading in the wrong direction. Thay had been infected by the culture. But the Holy Spirit used Paul and Timothy and Titus to call them back to being a faithful witness. And in 2 Corinthians, Paul encourages them in their renewed faith and he exhorts them to stay away from these false teachers.

#3 The Significance

Now, I know what some of you are thinking right now, “You are putting me to sleep! How am I supposed to keep that all straight and why does it matter?”

We are now shifting to “The Significance.”

To answer the first question, “how to I keep it all straight?” as we work through 2 Corinthians verse by verse and chapter by chapter, we are going to come back to the situation at hand. My goal this morning was simply to give an overview.

To answer the second qurstion, “why does it matter.” It matters because in order to bring to bear the Scriptures to our situation, we need to first know the original situation… we need to understand why Paul writes what he writes, and what his words meant to them. It’s then that we can apply this Word to us.

Let me illustrate this by going back to verses 1.

Here are Paul’s opening words. “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God…”

It’s easy to skip over that, right. But consider what was happening in Corinth with the false apostles.

Paul is saying in his opening words, “God is the one who established the role he has given me. I, Paul, am a witness of Jesus himself. What I write to you, I write as a true apostle. Receive this letter as such and do not listen to or believe the false apostles. They are trying to dissuade you from the truth.”

Friends, this word is God’s Word. All of Scripture is. And it’s given to us through God’s ordained apostles. We are to hear it and heed it. That means we are to filter any and all spiritual teaching through this truth.

You see, it would be easy to miss this important point if we didn’t consider what was going on in Corinth.

And let me say, this book, 2 Corinthians, is gold. It gets to the heart of salvation. Over and over, 2 Corinthians speaks of the reconciliation that we have with God through Christ. That ministry of reconciliation come through Jesus’ death for us and the new life we have in his resurrection.

And 2 Corinthians applies that Gospel truth to God’s covenant promises, it applies it to our suffering and our weakness and our resources, and the way we live our lives. That’s what makes this book my favorite.

2 Corinthians is the height of the beauty of God’s grace put into words.

Rather than just tell you that, let me highlight some of the more well-known verses.

And by the way, these verses are going to be a part of our Scripture memory as a church this year.

·       2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Deeply encouraging words.

·       Here’s another great one. 2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.” …in Jesus

·       And how about chapter 2 verse 15 “…we are the aroma of Christ… among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing”

·       Another one of my favorites is 2 Corinthians 4:6 – “For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

·       Listen to chapter 4 verses 17-18 These are the most encouraging words in the trials we face.  “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

·       Moving to chapter 5.  Verse 21 is perhaps the clearest articulation of the Gospel in the entire Bible. Listen to it “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

·       2 Corinthians 8:9 You hear me pray this often before our offering. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.” That whole chapter is about God’s grace in giving. But that verse is not about earthly riches. No it is about the riches we receive in Christ Jesus, who became poor by becoming a man.

·       Ok, two more. Listen to 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.”

·       And here’s one last one, 2 Corinthians 12:9 This is Paul speaking about his “thorn in his flesh.”  He writes “But [the Lord] said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

You see, blessings upon blessings upon blessing in 2 Corinthians. And each one of those beautiful statements is founded on the grace of God in Christ. We have a lot to look forward to.

And I want to ask you to do something this week. I want you to read 2 Corinthians.

Let me leave you with the words of verse 2. And I want you to know, these are very common words from the apostle Paul. He uses in them in almost evert salutation in his letters. But they are not cliché’. No, he means these from the bottom of his heart.

He writes: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

As we study 2 Corinthians together, may God grant to us a deepening of his grace in our lives. And may we be renewed in the peace which God the Father gives through His Son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

Many in this City Are My People

We’re taking a one week break today from our Proverbs study. Next week, we’ll resume. It will be an Easter sermon from Proverbs. That’ll be interesting.

But today, as part of our focus on outreach, I wanted to consider the call and importance of Gospel ministry to the community in which God has placed us.

To do that, we are going back to the book of Acts. Our very first sermon series was in Acts. Acts gives us the beginnings of the church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. In it, we learn a lot about missions and ministry. Acts testifies to the apostles and early Christians fulfilling the great commission.

From a macro view, we see the Gospel spreading from region to region. And from a micro view, we see how God directs ministry in a city.

That’s what we’ll be doing today. Zooming in on the city of Corinth to see how God uses his people to reach his people.

Our text this morning is from Acts 18. We’ll be reading verses 1-11 but mainly focusing on verses 5-11. You can find that on page 1102 in the pew Bible.

The first time I preached this chapter, we considered verses 1-17, and I remember wishing I had more time to focus on the middle section, so that’s what we’ll be doing today.

Reading of Acts 18:1-11

Prayer

Every city in the ancient world had a unique characteristic. Rome, for example, was the seat of authority in the whole region – the center of the Roman empire. Ephesus boasted of its entertainment and sport. The heart of Athens was its philosophical and religious beliefs. The city of Antioch brought trade and traders from east and west. And Corinth was the city of sensuality. I think nearly every commentator I’ve read and every sermon I’ve heard about Corinth calls it the Las Vegas of the ancient world. A city caught up in the worship of sexual gods with an anything-goes promiscuous culture.

We don’t know for sure what the apostle Paul was thinking when he arrived in Corinth. But we do know that he had just come from Athens. And Athens had been a let-down for Paul. Athens was the only major city where Paul did not plant a church. Furthermore, he left Athens after only a small handful of people believed. And he headed to Corinth, only 50 miles away,.. another major city with its own idolatry.

So, I think likely, Paul felt apprehensive about how he would be received. But nonetheless, he persevered in his calling. And just like in other cities, he began by going to the Jewish synagogue. Look what it says in verse 4. Every sabbath, he went to the synagogue to try and persuade the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks to believe.

And what happened? Well, Paul’s fears were realized. They would not believe! In fact, verse 6 says they “opposed and reviled” Paul. They didn’t just ignore Paul. They actively opposed him. That’s a strong word there. Reviled. It means to actively defame someone by insulting or slandering or cursing them. Of course, this response wasn’t new for Paul, but given the let-down in Athens, Paul was aggravated.

Look at his response at the end of verse 6. “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” As he was saying that, he shook off the dust of his garments. If you won’t believe, then that’s on you! You see, he desperately wanted them to believe, but they didn’t and he was disappointed because they rejected the truth.

Can you relate? Maybe you don’t have the passion of the apostle Paul. But have you ever felt like your words were falling on deaf ears - those in your family; your neighbors; your co-workers. You’ve shared your faith. You’ve sought to be faithful. You wanted to see others come to faith, but it seemed like your efforts were wasted. Have you ever wanted to say or think what the apostle Paul said? “I’m giving up on you!” For Paul, it was, “forget you Jews! I’m now going to the Gentiles.”

Now, if you take that verse out of context, you are going to think that you should walk away if your efforts are not fruitful. You may think that this verse means that if a group of people are not hearing the word… then you should move on. But that understanding is not true!

Paul said, “From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” But the fact is, he continued to proclaim the Gospel to both the Jews and Gentiles! When he left the synagogue, he went next door. He wasn’t giving up.  In fact, and at the end of the very same chapter, chapter 18, Paul was travelling through Ephesus for the first time. And what did he do? He went to the synagogue. That first visit in Ephesus was just a brief stop. After that stop, he went back to Antioch, but he soon returned to Ephesus in chapter 19. And guess what he does back in Ephesus? He went back to the synagogue. Even though he said he would focus on the Gentiles, yet he continued to bring the Gospel to the Jews.

But there’s another surprising thing that happened. Look at verse 8 of Chapter 18. Remember, Paul had just said, your blood on you, I’m going to the Gentiles. But look what happens! Verse 8 - “Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue,” it says, “believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.”

So, Paul had just shaken off the dust from his garments and he had left the synagogue with a parting word about their unbelief… But look who then believes! The ruler of the synagogue! The very guy in charge! And not just him, but his whole household. And not just his whole household, but it says many of the Corinthians believed and were baptized.

Talk about a turnaround. After all the opposition, the Lord turned the hearts of many Jews and gentiles to him.

10-12 years ago, I was involved in an English as a second language ministry. It was for international graduate students and their spouses. Besides offering English classes, we offered a class called Christianity Explored. Some of you may be familiar with it.

Every semester we had a small handful of students. Some were Christians and others just curious about Christianity since they didn’t know any Christians in their home country. And there was a period of time I was discouraged. We weren’t seeing any fruit, so to speak. But we continued faithfully.

One semester we had a visiting scholar at Emory University attend. Her academic focus was feminism. She was very curious. She had lots of questions. And one of the very first question she asked was this: Why didn’t God send twins, a boy and a girl? It was a serious question. She wasn’t combative or anything. It came to mind given her feminist studies. I don’t remember exactly how I replied! I fumbled through some kind of answer. She was satisfied, I guessed because she stuck with the class.

Well, the Christianity Explored curriculum begins with what the Gospel is, and who Jesus is… It begins with the good news about Jesus. He is the eternal Son of God. He has come to offer life. We are dead in our sin, but through faith in Jesus Christ, God forgives.

But about half-way through the curriculum shifts to ask more personal questions. And I remember I was teaching one evening and I asked the question, “do you believe?” Now, when I asked it, I asked it in kind of a rhetorical way. But she looked at me and she said “yes, I believe.”

I was not expecting that! I’m not sure why I didn’t expect that. I mean, that’s what God does. He works through his Word, using his people, and through that endeavor, people come to faith. The Holy Spirit is the one who turns someone’s heart to believe.

But sometimes we get discouraged, thinking our efforts are not working. And we forget it is God who does the work, and we are merely called to be faithful. And we don’t even know the half of what God is doing! …as far as changing hearts and mind.

By the way, we baptized this woman, she returned to her home country. She found a faithful church. Her daughter came to faith in Christ, as well. What a tremendous testimony of God’s work.

Well, the apostle Paul experienced, as he had experienced before, a tremendous work of God’s grace. He went from a drought of belief to an exciting response to the Word.

Now, that did not change the fact that many were still opposing Paul’s ministry.

And we learn that one night, the Lord himself spoke to Paul in a vision… verses 9 and 10 “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” Paul needed this encouragement.

Now, to be sure, these promises were spoken to Paul, and some of it is very specific for Paul. The middle of the promise is an example: “No one will attack or harm you.” The Lord promised to preserve Paul for that moment in that city. Later in Paul’s life, we know he would be killed for the sake of the Gospel like the other apostles before him. But in Corinth for that moment God had more work for Paul to do and he promised to protect him.

What I’m saying is we have to be careful about applying the promises and prophecies in Scripture directly to our situation. Sometimes they do apply to us. For example, the first part of the promise is true for us. It says, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking, and do not be silent, for I am with you.” We know that this promise to Paul is also for us because we’re given that same promise elsewhere.

Jesus promised that he will be with us to the end of the age. That promise is part of the great commission in Matthew chapter 28. Or take what the apostle Paul said in Romans 8. Nothing will separate you from the love of God in Christ Jesus our lord… “neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation.” None of that will separate you from the love of God. As he puts it, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

So, that part of the promise to Paul is also a promise that God has given to us. He will be with us as we faithfully fulfill the Great commission.

Let’s now consider the last part of God’s promise to Paul. It’s an important one for us to know. It’s there at the end of verse 10, “for I have many in this city who are my people.”

The Lord was saying to the apostle Paul “go on speaking” why? “for there are many in this city who are my people.” These people still needed to hear the good news!

I heard another pastor put it this way… there were people in Corinth who were God’s people, but they did not yet know they were God’s people. They had yet to believe! But they would believe, and God would use Paul and the church in Corinth to proclaim the good news.

It’s a promise specifically for Paul, but it certainly has relevance to us. You see, we don’t know who God will call to be his people. We don’t know whose hearts and minds the Holy Spirit will open up to hear the Word and believe. And we don’t know if or when God would use something we have said in the life of our friends or neighbors. It could be years down the road that the Lord brings to their minds what you said, and they hear. You see, we don’t know, but God does. And that is the very reason we should be faithful and not lose heart in the task. God is the one at work.

There are many people in Tucker, in Lilburn, in Clarkston, in Decatur, or wherever you live, who are God’s people but who do not yet know it. And we need to find them and tell them the good news of Jesus. And do you know how we find them? We tell as many people as we can about the good news of Jesus and the Lord reveals them.

Let me take a brief tangent. Like many of you, I did not grow up in a Presbyterian church or a reformed church. Some of you may not know what I mean when I use the words Presbyterian and reformed. So let me briefly define them.

We are a Presbyterian church, as you know. A Presbyterian church believes that qualified elders are called to oversee the church. We believe the Bible teaches that. A faithful Presbyterian church is also Reformed. That means we believe the Scriptures teach that the Old Testament and New Testament present one unified story of Salvation. And we believe that the Scriptures teach that God is sovereign over salvation. So, we believe the centrality of the Bible as God’s Word, which teaches that God is sovereign over salvation – really over all things.

Let me take you back 30 years. I was a senior in college. It wasn’t until then that God gave me a passion to study his Word. And I had this great job. I was a security guard in a big corporate building. I mostly worked from midnight to 7am. Actually, when I got the job, my grades went up, because I was essentially paid to study. Well, I had this deep desire to understand the Bible, and I had a lot of time to study.

You may have heard me share this before, but in the middle of the night for months and months, I was reading through the New Testament and cross referencing every single Old Testament cross reference. It was transformative in my life.

One of the main things I learned is that it’s through God’s sovereign grace that people believe… from beginning to end. Here’s what I mean: From before the foundation of the world, God determined those who would believe. The term used in the New Testament is the term elect. God has elected his people to be his people. He’s chosen them. He’s the one who turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. He gives us ears to hear and eyes to see. We were dead in the sins and trespasses of our heart, but God made us alive in him.

This idea of God’s sovereign grace is infused all throughout the New Testament. Jesus speaks about those whom the Father has given him. The apostle Peter clearly testifies about how God choses and elects his people in Christ. The book of Ephesian and Romans walk us through God’s gracious choice in election. Over and over and over.

But this is not just a New Testament teaching. No, the Old Testament testifies to this as well. Over and over, God chose people. He chose Noah and his family. He chose Abraham. He chose the people of Israel to be his people. Not because they were better than anyone else or because they deserved to be God’s people. No, rather he chose them to demonstrate his undeserved lovingkindness. That is what sovereign grace is about. We read earlier from Ephesian chapter 2 how we were dead in our sins but God made us alive together with Christ, by grace, it says, you have been saved.

To say it again, from before the foundations of the world, God elected his people to be his people.

You may be thinking… “wait, if God has elected people to be his people, then what is the point of evangelism?” That is a very important question. The answer is that God uses his people. He uses us to be the mouthpiece of the Gospel. As the message goes forth, the Holy Spirit turns hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. People hear the truth and grace of God because they are given ears to hear. And when they are spiritually awakened, they repent and believe. It’s a beautiful thing for God to use his people to reach his people.

Romans chapter 10 captures it well. Listen to these words. “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”

Do you see, there’s a chain there. It’s given to us in reverse order. Here’s the logical order:

1. Number 1 - we’re sent. That’s the Great Commission. God sends us all to bring his good news.

2. Step 2 - we’re faithful in going and declaring the Gospel. That looks different in different contexts and situations, but the Gospel message is the same.

3. Then number 3 – people hear. There are two sides to this. The outward call of the Gospel, which is what we do. The Gospel goes forth in words – spoken or written. And then there’s the inward call as God open ears to hear the good news.

4. And last, people believe! And I don’t have to tell you that, you know that because you believed! You believed and called on the name of the Lord, who saved you. Maybe you don’t remember the exact day that you heard and believed because you grew up in a home where the Gospel was always taught. Or maybe you do remember the day when you called upon the Lord and were saved. Either way, you did believe by faith.

To summarize: God uses us, according to his sovereign will, to bring the Gospel to his elect.

There’s no disconnect in the Bible between God’s sovereignty over salvation and his call for us to proclaim the good news of Jesus. In fact, they go together.

It is precisely because of God’s sovereignty that we have hope in the great commission! And not only hope, but confidence - confidence not in ourselves or our words, but confidence in God who is at work in the hearts and mind.

Think back to the apostle Paul again. What an amazing promise from God that there were more people in Corinth who were his people… more people who would hear and believe. Paul had seen it already and he would see it again. Just when he thought the Jews were a lost cause, God redeemed their synagogue leader. And then people from all walks of life believed. And a church was planted in Corinth. And Paul would continue on and leave Priscilla and Aquila to lead that fledgling congregation.

And beloved, God has and is using us. He’s using you in ways you do not realize. It may seem like the ground is hard. You may feel like your friends or family members are a lost cause, but do not underestimate the Sovereign will of our sovereign God, who in his sovereignty can call anyone from death to life.

So, may we press on individually and press on as a church in the great call to be a light of the Gospel here where God has placed us…  whether that’s your neighborhood, your work, your family. Whether that’s in Tucker, or Clarkston or in Lilburn or around the school here or wherever the Lord leads. May we trust in the Lord’s work and be faithful in the call. Just as the apostle Paul was faithful in Corinth, may we also be faithful to the call where God has placed us.

Amen

Deacons: Servant Leaders

Rev. Erik Veerman

6/4/2023 

In just a couple of weeks will be our third anniversary as a church. It’s hard to believe. A lot has happened since we launched. But I think you would agree, it been encouraging and a blessing. 

Part of that was becoming an official church in our denomination. That happened last August where we ordained our first set of elders and deacons. So, this year is our second round of officer nominations. And the reason we’ve taken a couple of sermons to focus on elders and deacons is that we are still setting the trajectory of our church. We won’t have sermons like this every year, but I think it is helpful in these formative years.

You’ll note in your bulletin that we have two scripture readings for our sermon text this morning.

On the surface, it’s a strange combination. The first is from Matthew 20. In that passage, Jesus speaks about the importance of being a servant. The second passage is the apostle Paul’s introduction to his letter to the church in Philippi.

They’re relate because both passages use the Greek words diakonos. Diakonos is the word for deacon or servant. In fact, if you have an English Standard Version, ESV, you’ll see footnotes to those words.

Last week, we considered elders, and so this morning, our focus is on deacons. And part of understanding the role of deacon (or, as we say, the “office” of deacon) is to understand the word itself and its various uses.

So, let’s now come to God’s Word.

Stand

First, Matthew 20:20-28. You’ll find that on page 981 in the provided Bibles. 

Reading of Matthew 20:20-28.

If you would turn now to Philippians 1:1-2. That can be found on page 1164. Again, just the first two verses of Philippians chapter 1.

Prayer

If you had lived in Rome in the third century, you would have experienced a lot of persecution. In fact, in the year 258, the Roman Emperor declared that all ordained leaders in the church should be executed.

And not only were the church officials to be killed, all of their possessions and the wealth of the church was to be confiscated and added to Rome’s coffers. 

So, on August 6, 258, the head of the Roman church, Callixtus, was martyred. He had been leading a worship service and an in the middle of the service, he was abducted and killed.

To comply with the full command, the Roman authority called up the head deacon of the church in Rome. His name was Lawrence of Rome. Only one year earlier, at the age of 22, Lawrence had been ordained as a deacon in the Cathedral church. 

Well, the Roman guard demanded of Lawrence that he gather all the wealth of the church in Rome and turn it over to the state. The historian Ambrose wrote that deacon Lawrence asked for three days to do that. He was granted that request. But in those few days, instead of gathering the treasury of the church, he distributed the treasury, all of it, to the poor and the suffering and the sick in the church.

On the third day, Lawrence was called to appear before the prefect of Rome. He demanded that Lawrence yield the full treasury of the church. In response, as Ambrose wrote, Lawrence brought forward many of the poor and suffering, whom he had helped. They all stood there in the presence of the Roman authority. Then Lawrence declared, “Behold in these persons are the treasures and crown of the church which I promised to show you.”

As you can imagine, that infuriated the Roman prefect. It didn’t take long for Lawrence to be seized, persecuted (literally half his body burned), then imprisoned, and soon after martyred.

I would put it this way: Lawrence of Rome’s acts of service capture the essence of what it means to be a deacon. He stewarded the resources of the church. He served her mercy needs (the needs of the people), and all with humility and self-sacrifice, honoring those he served.

But the question is, if that exemplifies the role of a deacon (service, stewardship, mercy, humility, and self-sacrifice), where in the Bible do we learn that? And actually, that’s a hard question!

You see, for elders, we have explicit passages like the one we looked at last week, 1 Peter 5. There is a command there to shepherd the flock. We also have examples like Acts 15 when the elders gathered to discuss a theological matter relating to the church. Or Acts 20 when Paul called the Ephesian elders and exhorted them to care for, protect and oversee the flock by the word of God’s grace. Even in 1 Timothy 3, the qualification of elders, there is a clear indication that elders need to be able to teach the Word. And 1 Timothy 5 references elders who labor in the preaching and teaching the Scri[tures.

So, for the office of elder, we’re given a clear picture of the their spiritual responsibilities.

The responsibilities of deacons, however, are not explicitly described in the Bible. It’s almost like we have to back-in to an understanding of what a deacon is called to. We’re given several clues and hints. And I think it’s because the role of deacon has more variety to it depending on a church’s situation and the time in history. Elders, on the other hand, have a more clearly defined responsibility. The spiritual needs of people are similar no matter what century or context. We all need the spiritual guidance and care, and we all need to be instructed in God’s Word. 

What I’m saying is that the role of elder has a more defined scope and the role of deacon fluctuates based on a church’s needs. Let me put it this way. Elders are given defined responsibilities for their role. Deacons are given defined principles for their role.

So, then, what are those principles and what does that mean for us? My goal this morning is to answer those two questions.

Before we get there, I think it’s important to note that the Bible clearly establishes the formal role of deacon. Yes, as I mentioned earlier, the word for deacon is also the general word for servant. And we’re going to come back to that in a few minutes, but first, two places in the New Testament talk about the formal office of deacon.

The first passage we read. Philippians 1, verses 1-2. The apostle Paul, along with Timothy, were writing to the church in Philippi, but with the special mention of the overseers and deacons. He writes this: “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons.” That word overseer is used synonymously with the word for elder in multiple places in the New Testament. So, what this salutation does is indicate the two formal positions in the church - overseers (or elders) and deacons.

Those two offices are also clearly indicated in 1 Timothy chapter 3. We didn’t read 1 Timothy 3 this morning, but we looked at it last year. In 1 Timothy 3, the apostle Paul is writing to Timothy, and he is explicitly telling Timothy who is qualified for formal leadership in the church. Paul lists two official positions and their qualifications. First, qualifications for elders, and second, qualifications for deacons. So that is the second place in the New Testament where the role of deacon is identified.

Let me make a side note – these passages only list two formal roles or offices. Overseers and deacons. The list doesn’t include rectors, bishops, or priests. No, just two offices. Other churches like Anglican or Episcopal churches have multiple layers of church leadership, but the New Testament just focuses on two offices. Elders and Deacons. By the way, that is one distinguishing characteristics of a Presbyterian church – the belief that the New Testament only defines these two offices for the church.

OK, so as we consider deacons, the natural question is this, what exactly defines their role?

And to answer that question, I want to give you two principles this morning.

Principle #1 – Deacons are co-laborers with Elders in the ordained leadership of the church. Co-laborers. In other words, they work together. They compliment and support one another in their work.

And really, the reason they are co-laborers comes from the very same two texts we looked at. 

The two offices go together. They are meant to. It is a team effort and partnership in serving and supporting the needs of a church family. And that realization tells us a lot about the role of deacon. 

As I mentioned several passages speak about elders, and I would say, those passages also help us to understand the role of deacon. You ask, “how?” Well, because they are distinct roles and since we’ve been given direction on the role of elder, that means that the role of deacon is complimentary to the role of elder.

Last year, one of our elders, Jeff Chinery, preached on the role of deacon. I loved his sermon title: “*everything else.” He made the case that deacons are to serve the church in support of the elders, so that the elders can focus on shepherding and teaching.

I think this is most exemplified in the book of Acts chapter 6. We’ve looked at that chapter in the past. What was happening in the early church in Acts 6 is that the church was growing so fast, the apostles could not keep up with the needs of the church body. And so word came back that the Hellenist widows had been neglected. They were underserved. Their needs were not being met by the ministry of the apostles and disciples.

And so the apostles gathered the church leadership together. They selected seven men who they appointed to support the work. The purpose of the seven was to serve the mercy needs of the people, so that the apostles could remain focused on their task of preaching and teaching. These seven were godly men, full of “wisdom and of good reputation,” it says.

And so the church set aside these men for the task. The apostles formally laid their hands on them, prayed for them, and dedicated their service to the church family.

To be sure, the formal title of “deacon” is not used in Acts 6, so I don’t think this explicitly ties to the role of deacon. However, I do believe that Acts 6 gives us a pattern to follow. 

• First, it shows us that there are different types of needs in the church – spiritual and tangible. 

• Second, the ministry of teaching and shepherding is furthered when the mercy needs of the church family are cared for separately. 

• And third, Acts 6 models setting aside qualified men to formally lead. We call that ordaining. I would say, Acts 6 gives us the pattern for ordaining both elders and deacons in the church.

Let me state principle # 1 again: Deacons are co-laborers with Elders in the ordained leadership of the church. Both roles support one another but are distinct. That means they work together, pray together, serve alongside one another, and support each other in their God given roles.

Part of that unity is captured in 1 Timothy 3. The qualifications for elders includes being gentle and not quarrelsome. Deacons, similarly, are to be dignified and not double tongued – meaning they believe and speak the truth in love. Those qualifications lead to the unity that elders and deacons should have in their work together and in their separate roles.

Now, as some of you know, sadly, in local churches, elders and deacons can be at odds with each other. I wouldn’t say that it’s widespread, but it is common. It can happen when elders see their role as managing rather than shepherding and teaching. Or it can happen when deacons see their responsibility as one of church oversight rather than one of serving.

That begs the question, though. What does it mean for a deacon to be a servant?

Well, that brings us to principle #2 – Principal 2 is this: Deacons are called to humbly serve the tangible and mercy needs of the church. One more time: Deacons are to humbly serve the tangible and mercy needs of the church.

And that has a broad scope. I mentioned earlier that it entails the specific situation and needs that a church and community has. The reason that it’s a broad responsibility is that the word servant, diakonos, has a broad use in the Bible. Diakonos appears 31 times in the New Testament. Only three of those are the formal role. Those, again, are found in Philippians 1 and 1 Timothy 3.

The rest of the 28 uses are used in different ways, with different emphases applied in different situations. As a noun, the word diakonos is used to indicate someone who is an assistant, or one who cares for the welfare of others, or one who labors in service. As a verb, it’s about serving or ministering to someone’s needs. In fact, some translations use the word “minister” in those cases. A minister of Christ, a servant of Christ.

As an example, let’s go back to Acts 6. When some of the widows were inadvertently being neglected, the disciples said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables.” The root of the word “serve” is the word diakonos. Again, it’s not used as the formal title of deacon, but it is used in the context of steward and distributing the financial resources of the church. That’s what it means there to serve the tables. 

Now, to be sure, I’m not saying that every use of the word diakonos should be applied to the role of deacon. Rather, my point is to give examples and uses to broaden our understanding of the word.

As a matter of fact, Jesus himself used the word diakonos multiple times. Mark records Jesus’ words in chapter 9. He said, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” Similarly in our Matthew 20 sermon text this morning, Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant…”

You see, leadership in the kingdom of God is upside down from leadership in the world. Greatness comes not through domineering and controlling, but rather through being a humble servant. Of course, that applies to all leadership in the church, but it specifically captures the use of the word diakonos.

So, back to principle #2. Deacons are to humbly serve the tangible and mercy needs of the church.

A big portion of that is mercy – if the elders are serving the spiritual needs of the church family, the deacons are serving the material or mercy needs of the church family. You know, those times when we each need practical help. That, of course, requires knowing our needs. Asking and seeking out and being able and willing to support those needs.

Let me add, it also includes other forms of diakonos service, which frees up the elders to shepherd and teach and pray. That would include stewarding the finances, the facility, and other resources. It doesn’t mean exclusively handling all of that but rather taking on the leadership of that work, partnering with others in the church and getting outside help as needed. And I should say, all of it with the support, encouragement, prayer, and oversight from the elders.

So, to review first, Deacons co-labor with Elders as the ordained leadership of the church, with unity and peace, caring for the needs of the church body. And second, deacons humbly serve, supporting the mercy needs and stewarding the tangible needs of the church.

Let me say one thing that I’ve heard in the past, but which I disagree with. Some have said that being a deacon is a stepping-stone to being an elder. They’ve said, it’s helpful to be a deacon first before becoming an elder. Honestly, I don’t find Biblical support for that. They are two separate roles with two separate giftings. Yes, they overlap in having a humble heart for serving, but the focus of their service is different. 

It’s not that being or becoming a deacon prevents a man from becoming an elder in the future. It’s just not a prerequisite. Being a deacon is a high, humble, and honorable call by itself in the church.

Now, before tying all this together, let me give you two applications for us.

And by the way, this is going to sound very familiar to last week, just applied to deacons.

1. First, as we enter these few weeks of officer nominations, seek out men who have hearts of service, who are humble, and who love Christ’s church. We have a tremendous group of deacons. Scott, Burt, David, Jonny, and Greg. But as you know, as a young church that is meeting in a school, we have a lot of needs to serve the body. These brothers need more faithful men to continue in their faithful work. Seek them out.

2. Second, for the men, here. Do you have a burden to serve? Do you get joy when helping in different ways, whether mercy, whether stewarding the gifts of the church, or helping in other ways. If so, would you pray about receiving a nomination to be a deacon? It is a great call. Ask trusted friends and family. It would truly be a blessing to all of us. A lot of things happen behind the scenes that make Sundays and other ministries happen, and a large part of that is the humble service of deacons – AND, I should add, those who partner with them in the work.

Ok, as we draw to a close, let’s go to the source of diakonos service in the church. I think you know where I’m going. Last week as we considered the shepherding role of elders, it all came back to the good shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep. He is the source of strength and the model of a true elder. 

Well, it’s the same with deacons. Right after Jesus said that whoever wants to be great among you must serve, he said “for the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve (diakonos), and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The greatest act of diakonos service, ever, was what Christ has done for us, serving by giving his life for many.

That’s what makes Lawrence of Rome’s short life of service so compelling. He could have gathered all the treasures of the church together and just handed them over to the Roman Empire – perhaps his life would have been spared. But instead, he embraced his call. He knew of all the needs of the church family. He knew what would become of him if he distributed the funds to the mercy needs of the church. Yet, he had the high calling in Christ’s Church as a deacon, ordained to serve. And so, he fulfilled his role and is now numbered with the martyrs. He served and honored those in the church by sacrificing his life for their wellbeing. What a testimony of the great service and sacrifice of Christ.

So, as we continue on in fulfilling our call here in Tucker, may the Lord see fit to raise up more faithful deacons with humble hearts of service, willing to serve because of the service of Christ. Amen

The Shepherd, the Shepherds, and the Sheep

Rev. Erik Veerman

5/28/2023

We’re taking a couple of weeks to focus on the church. That is in preparation for officer nominations coming up soon. Last week, pastor Chuck preached on the gifts of the spirit. Those are the various ways that each of us contribute to the life of the church – like service, or teaching, or hospitality, or works of mercy. They are from God and given for the express purpose of building up the body of Christ. 

Now, you may or may not remember this, but a year ago when we had our very first officer nominations, we had two sermons that focused on the qualifications of elders and deacons. They were primarily from 1 Timothy chapter 3. 

This year, we’re going to focus on the primary responsibility of elder and deacons. This morning elders and the call to shepherding. We’ll be looking at 1 Peter 5 for that. 

As a brief background, the book of 1 Peter was written by the apostle Peter to the churches in the northeastern Mediterranean region. So, it’s a very broad audience with direct applicability to the church today. And in the beginning of chapter 5, the apostle Peter turns his focus to the elders of the church.

So let’s now come to God’s word.

1 Peter 5 can be found on page 1206 in the pew Bible.

Again, our focus will be on verses 1-7.

Stand

Reading of 1 Peter 5:1-7

Prayer

You probably don’t know this, but the sheep population in Tucker has been on the rise! It’s true. That’s mainly due to a local shepherd named John. He’s a very nice guy… I’ve talked with him a few times. Some of you know him. He’s a Mennonite pastor and I think he has two to three dozen sheep. What he does is rents his sheep out to eat the Kudzu in your yards.

Well, a few months ago, his sheep were attacked by a pack of 11 coyotes. Normally that would spell disaster for the sheep. However, that night, two of his sheep dogs were on duty. Two Great Pyranees. The female dog gathered the sheep as close as possible. That allowed the male dog, Casper, to go on the attack. The fight lasted 30 minutes. By the end of it, Casper had killed 8 coyotes. He chased off the rest. I don’t believe a single sheep was lost.

Of course, the story went viral and Casper is now famous.

Since we’re in a metro area, it's little difficult for us to imagine what it means to be a shepherd. But I think we were given a glimpse. The threats are not just wild animals on the attack. No, shepherds deal with the weather, and with rough terrain, and, at times, lack of food and water. Sheep are not the smartest animals, and often wander off. If they’re not devoured by a wild animal, they can get lost and not know how to find water or make their way back to the fold. And sometimes, the shepherds are the problem! Instead of protecting their sheep, some fail to lead or protect.

I think you know this. One of the most common analogies in the Bible is shepherding - shepherds and sheep. It’s not just a New Testament thing. We sang Psalm 23 earlier – “The Lord is my shepherd.” And the Old Testament speaks of the shepherds of Israel. They were often the focus of God’s anger at their failed shepherding. In the middle of last year, as we were working through Zechariah, we came across one of the many warnings against shepherds.

That’s because the call of a shepherd is to protect and care for and nourish the sheep under his care. To lead and guide them to water to drink and grass to eat. To be on the lookout for danger and to protect. To stay awake and aware at all times, day and night.

It’s no wonder the shepherd and sheep metaphor is used. It captures both those caring for and guiding the flock as well as the flock itself - all of us who need caring for and guiding!

And 1 Peter 5 particularly captures the call of a shepherd. It’s full of meaning. 1 Peter 5 gives us a picture of a spiritual shepherd. It answers the questions, what is the role of a shepherd? How should a shepherd accomplish his role? How should he not accomplish his role? And there’s also guidance given to the sheep.

Now, I mentioned these verses focus on elders. Peter himself says so. And notice he writes as a “fellow elder.” Yes, Peter had a unique role as an apostle. More than that, he witnessed the suffering of Christ, as he says. He was there when Jesus suffered and was crucified. And Peter was there when he rose from the dead.

And let me say, this call for elders to be faithful shepherds was very personal for Peter.

The reason I’m saying that is because of two connected events that Peter experienced.

The first was a low point in Peter’s life. Jesus had predicted that Peter would deny him three times. And that prediction came true despite Peter’s telling Jesus he was willing to die with him. Peter denied Jesus three times, after which, the rooster crowed. His heart was grieved about it. He wept over his own failure to stand by his Lord.

The second connected event happened after Jesus’ resurrection and in a way, pointed back to Peter’s denials. Jesus, of course, appeared to his disciples many times. And one of the first times, Peter and a few of the others were fishing on the Sea of Galilee. And after breakfast, Jesus asked Peter, “do you love me?” Peter, of course responded, “Lord, you know I love you.” And what was Jesus’ response? He said, “Feed my lambs.”

But the interaction didn’t end there. No, three times Jesus asks Peter the same question. “Do you love me?” Now, imagine that you are Peter. You’ve already answered the question. But, yet the Lord persists in asking. “Do you love me, Peter?” Peter was grieved that the Lord asked again. He had already said “yes.” But Jesus asks him three times. Three times as if to remind Peter of his three denials. And Jesus responded similarly each time. First, he said, “Feed my Lambs.” Second, Jesus said, “Tend my sheep.” And third time, “Feed my sheep.” Perhaps by the third time, Peter realized the connection.

This is the call that the Lord had for Peter. To shepherd the flock… to tend and feed God’s sheep.

So, when Peter was writing to the elders in 1 Peter 5, he was passing along the call from Jesus himself. The command to care for the sheep of God’s pasture.

Let’s consider three things related to this shepherding call. First, the shepherds. Second, the sheep – you and me. And third, THE Shepherd. These verses touch upon all three.

1. Shepherds

So, number 1, shepherds. The call of an elder is the call to shepherd. It is the primary responsibility of elders in the church. And it’s a spiritual responsibility. 

• It means praying for the needs of the church family. 

• It means lovingly guiding us in matters of faith and practice as we seek to navigate the joys and trials of life. 

• It means teaching us what is good and right and true. 

Of course, To do all of that requires knowing the sheep…. AND it also requires knowing God’s Word. An elder should not be disconnected from either. Now, there are, of course, human limitations on how many people an elder can know. But being a shepherd elder means being closely connected with a subset of people in the church. And it’s the responsibility of the elders as a whole to work together to know and care for each and every member of their congregation. 

And one thing is very clear in these verses. There’s a spiritual oversight given to elders.

Look at the language in verses 2. There’s a responsibility to “exercise oversight.” There’s an active emphasis in the participle. It’s not a passive thing. No, it’s being involved.

Have you ever been to a control center? Where you have all these TVs in front of you. And each monitor is connected to a different camera. You can see all that is going on around a building, inside and outside… different rooms and entrances. And the security guard just sits there and watches. Well, that’s not what this is talking about. It’s not like watching the flock from a distance. Rather an elder needs to “exercise oversight,” to be among the flock, to see and know what is going on in order to best direct and lead and care for the flock of God. In other words, shepherding is an active responsibility.

Another thing that apostle Peter includes here is a contrast between good shepherding and bad shepherding. This is really important,

A bad shepherd uses his sheep. You see, for him, It’s not about the sheep, it’s about himself. A bad shepherd uses his sheep for “shameful gain.” He’s “domineering” over his sheep. Those are the words used here that highlight how not to shepherd.

No, instead, a shepherd should be very different. Notice it says, “not under compulsion.” In other words, a good shepherd feels called to shepherd. It gives him joy – not that it’s always easy, but he has an internal sense of wanting to lead and care for us. Peter also uses the words, “eagerly” and “willingly.”

And besides that, a good shepherd is an “example to the flock.” That’s at the end of verse 3. An example of godliness. A model of faithfulness. Last year when we considered the qualifications of an elder, being a model certainly describes the character and integrity of a man who is called.

Sometimes we think that a good candidate for elder needs to be a proven leader. It’s like we add that qualification to the list. But that’s not so. Being an elder is not like being a corporate executive or board member. Sometimes local churches get sideways because the elders they’ve ordained act more like CEOs than Shepherds. Now, I’m not downplaying the importance of organization, or being aligned, or communicating well. Those are important. Rather, I’m saying that spiritual leadership in a church is different than leadership in a business. An elder’s primary role is shepherding, which requires a demonstrated knowledge of the Scriptures, a demonstrated care for others in spiritual needs, and an ability to teach or disciple in the faith.

So, then, what does that mean for us, here and now? 

Well, for one, these are the kind of elders that we should be looking for. This is what it means to be an elder – to be a faithful shepherd. So, as you think and pray about who is qualified to be an elder among us, think and pray about the God given role of shepherding.

And if you are a man with that burden to guide and care for and pray for, and nurture people in the Word and in the Gospel, then I would encourage you to think and pray about accepting a nomination to elder. 

Aren’t we blessed to have Tim, Jeff, David, Jonathan, and Chuck shepherding us. Each of them has preached. Each of them is involved in some way teaching the Word or discipling. And each of them prays and cares for each of you.

Before accepting a role as a full-time pastor, I served as a lay elder in the church. By the way, that title pastor is the word for shepherd. In our denomination, pastors are elders. Well, a difficult situation arose with a family in the church. I was their lay elder with responsibility to help shepherd them, so I was involved. We came along side of them, prayed for them, supported them in different ways. It involved some difficult conversations, but in love. And I remember, at that time, we had some guests come into town to stay with us for the weekend. After church, I needed to stay for a little bit because of the situation. I obviously couldn’t share the details, but one of our house guests asked, “why are you involved in helping? I thought that was the job of the pastor.” 

I think that’s a common misunderstanding of the responsibility of an elder. As we learn here, it’s first and foremost a role of shepherding. Now, to be sure, the elders have responsibility to protect the mission of the church and to set the spiritual vision for the various ministries, aligning them with the church’s goals and purpose. That is also a form of shepherding. But their primary responsibility is to care for the sheep.

In summary, shepherd elders shepherd the flock.

Sheep

That brings us, second, to sheep. That includes all of us. All of us need to be shepherded, including the elders.

In these verses, the sheep are also given a responsibility.

You may be thinking, “I’m not called to be an elder, so therefore I can live free as a bird!” Well, that may sound fun, but the reality is that sheep are called to respond to shepherds.

Look at verse 5. “Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.” It’s the same word for elder here. Peter is specifically encouraging the younger generation to submit to their elder. Kids, teenagers, college age, young adults, that’s you! It doesn’t mean the rest of us are off the hook. We’re all called to submit ourselves to the spiritual care of our elders. That doesn’t mean always agreeing with everything said nor how shepherding is happening. But what it does mean is recognizing that God has placed elders over us for our care. It means listening and taking serious the call of an elder. It means allowing them to shepherd us, like being vulnerable to share our burdens and fears and sin. Why? So that the elders can focus their prayers for us. And allow them to come alongside of us to support us in specific needs. The times when we begin to wander off, they can gently direct us back to the flock… show us where to find nourishment for our souls.

1 Peter 5 continues, “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’” In order to submit ourselves to God and Godly elders, we need to be humble and listen and care about their role. Think about the opposite. Pride doesn’t want to listen or be shepherded. Pride says, “No, I think I’ll do my own thing.” Pride says, “You are not the boss of me!” None of us in our natural state wants to have anyone over us. Rather, we want control of our own lives and thoughts.

But the elder described here, is an elder who is a model of truth and love and who cares for you and has the utmost desire to see you flourish in your walk with the Lord. Our responsibility as sheep, then, is to be humble and listen. It includes receiving encouragement from them and at times, admonition… so that we may be renewed and built up in Christ

Of course, the other responsibility that we have as sheep, as I already mentioned, is to seek out qualified elders that can and desire to lead and shepherd in these ways.

So, elders are called to shepherd the flock. Sheep are called to be shepherded by such elders.

The Shepherd

And finally, the Shepherd. THEE Shepherd. The one true and great shepherd who shepherds the shepherds and shepherds us all.

Verse 4 calls him, “the chief Shepherd.” Or as Jesus called himself, “the good shepherd.” Or as the author Hebrews calls him, “the great shepherd.”

Jesus is the Shepherd. It’s through him that the shepherds of his people can shepherd.

Really, all the elders and pastors in the church are all lowercase “s” shepherds, or as they are often called “under shepherds.” All serving “under” the chief shepherd.

And there’s something else you should note here in 1 Peter 5. We, the sheep are God’s sheep. It says that back in verse 2, “shepherd the flock of God.” And going back to Jesus’ interaction with Peter. “Feed MY sheep.” “Tend MY lambs.” A shepherd needs to understand that the sheep under his spiritual oversight are God’s sheep. He should be directing them to God – to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Verses 6 and 7 emphasize this. “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

The focus should be on God as shepherd, and the earthly shepherds should point to him. Yes, they care for us, the sheep, but we are God’s sheep, and ultimate he is the one, as it says, who cares for us.

Let me put it another way: Jesus, as the chief shepherd, is…

(1) the model of what it means to be a shepherd. Elders should look to Jesus in how he cared for and shepherded.

(2) Jesus as the chief shepherd is the one to whom the earthly shepherds should direct us. 

and (3) he is the source of strength and hope for the shepherds and the sheep. That’s what’s captured in verses 6 and 7. The great shepherd “will exalt you,” meaning your hope for eternity is in Jesus, the chief shepherd. That’s why earthly shepherds should direct your hope to him. And they should encourage you to “cast all your anxieties on him.” Jesu will protect you forever.

So, he’s the model, he’s the one to whom shepherds should point, and he is the ultimate source and strength.

Let’s go back to Casper the famous sheep dog for a minute.

I think the most compelling part of the story is what happened after the coyote attack.

You see, the sheep were safe. 8 coyotes had been killed, the rest gone. But Casper was nowhere to be found. In fact, it was thought that maybe Casper himself has been dragged off and killed or had wandered off to die from his wounds. Word went out on social media, but no one could find him. 

But two days later, Casper limped back home on his own. Part of his tale was gone. He had open wounds on his neck. The coyotes had torn into his flesh. Some of his skin looked like it had been peeled off, it was so bad. You see, Casper had put his life on the line for his sheep. Fighting to save them. Willing to die and almost dying for them.

This is the call of a true shepherd. To be willing to die for his sheep.

And that is what the chief shepherd has done for you. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

There’s no greater love, no greater care, and no greater protection for his sheep than to die for them. To die in their place so that they would live.

And this is what Christ has done. He gave his life for yours. He endured the suffering and the attacks of the enemy and the just judgment of God, so that you may live. And he bears the scars.

Do you know the chief shepherd? If not his arms are open. He offers to be your chief shepherd and for you to be his sheep, to give your life to him, that he may guide you and lead you, and direct you to what it means to be in the flock of God.

May he be the one to whom our elders direct us. And may he be our good shepherd, forever.

Amen.

Rev. Erik Veerman

4/9/2023

Resurrection Hope in Suffering

Our Easter sermon text is from the book of Philippians, chapter 3, verses 8-11. You will find that on page

1166 in the provided Bibles.

As a background, the book of Philippians was written by the apostle Paul. He wrote it to the church in

Philippi. Philippi was on the northern coast of the Agean Sea. That would place it in the northeast area

of modern-day Greece. About 10 years before writing this letter, Paul had planted a church in Philippi.

That’s where Lydia had come to faith. Also, while there, he had also been severely beaten and then

briefly imprisoned. In fact, Paul likely wrote this letter from a prison – when he was in Caesarea.

The reason I’m mentioning that is one theme in Philippians is joy in all circumstances. In the lead up to

our verses this morning, Paul calls them to rejoice in the Lord. Then he lists all the temporary things that

used to give him status in the world, but which he gave up for Christ.

Let’s now read Philippians 3 verses 8-11

It is our practice to stand for our sermon text, in reverence of God’s Word. We would stand for all of our

Scripture readings but that would be a lot of ups and downs. So, consider this representative of our

reverence for the Holy Scripture.

Reading of Philippians 3:7-11

Prayer

I picked these verses this morning because they deal with suffering. Last week’s massacre in Nashville

has been difficult to process. Evil and tragedy are not new. We all know that. But when they strike close

to home, it prompts questions, and it weighs on hearts. The shootings occurred at a sister church and

school in our denomination.

But if I could broaden it out, every month brings new suffering and pain, some caused by evil acts,

others caused by natural disasters, as we call them, others by accidents or disease. Besides the shooting,

in the last couple of weeks, several deadly tornadoes ripped through Mississippi and Missouri. In

February, a devastating earthquake killed tens of thousands in Turkey and Syria.

And we ask why? Why cancer? Why murder? Why catastrophes and deadly accidents?

A common question is this, “with all the evil and suffering in the world, does God even exist?”

In philosophical circles, it’s called the problem of evil. If the Christian God is so powerful and good, then

why would he allow evil and suffering in the world?

That’s an important question for all of us to consider. In countless surveys about religion over the last

10-15 years, the problem of evil has been one of the top 3 arguments against Christianity or against the

existence of God in general. It’s not new, of course. Every generation, every individual seeks an answer.

This morning, I want to address the question of evil and suffering. And I want to use these verses in

Philippians 3 as a foundation. To be sure, we don’t have time for a full answer to the question. However,

these verses give us a perspective on life, on suffering, and on the world. And they particularly focus on

the resurrection of Christ as the ultimate answer to our suffering.

My goal is not to leave you with a dry, disconnected response. No, rather, my hope is that you might

leave this morning with both an intellectual understanding of the Christian perspective on evil and

suffering as well as a personal grasp of what Jesus’ resurrection means for you.

That’s the flow of how we’ll work through this. First, a more academic response to suffering and evil but

then second, we’ll traverse down to the personal. The evil and suffering in our own lives.

The General Problem of Evil

If you were to boil down the “problem of evil” argument, it would be this:

• The Christian God of the Bible is supposed to be a good and all-powerful God.

• A morally good and all-powerful God would not allow suffering and evil to exist.

• But evil does exist.

• Therefore, Christianity cannot be true.

• In summary, Christianity and evil cannot co-exist.

Now, there are different paths we could go down in response. One of those could be the underlying

presupposition in the argument that good and evil exist. But if they exist, there must be a higher moral

being that defines good and evil. That’s one path. I don’t think that answer, even though it’s true, gets to

the question of “why.”

Another path could be the assumption about God’s nature. Yes, it’s true that Scripture speaks of God as

good, but that’s only one of many aspects of God’s nature of which the Bible speaks. That could be

another path to go down in response. Certainly, that would be a helpful discussion.

But what I believe is the most helpful response is to understand how the Bible speaks of evil and

suffering. In other words, the perspective it gives on the presence of evil and suffering, and God’s

response to evil and suffering. It’s to look at the whole picture of the Christian worldview and

understand how good and evil fit.

If we just focus in on the existence of God or just consider the seeming disconnect between God’s

goodness and the presence of evil, then we’re not really getting to the heart of the matter. We wouldn’t

see how evil and suffering fit in to the broader Biblical narrative, nor understand how suffering fits into

the Christian’s life, now and in the future.

Let’s look at Philippians 3. These verses help by giving us a perspective on suffering. They do that

through an underlying understanding of the world and our situation, but also they give God’s answer to

suffering and death.

Let’s consider three things here. Let me list them, and then we’ll go through them as the intellectual

response to evil:

• First, the presence of suffering and death

• Second, a perspective of reality beyond this world

• And third, God’s resolution to suffering and death

I’ll restate each as we go through them.

Again, number 1, the presence of suffering and death.

Nowhere in the Bible is evil, suffering, and death minimized. These verses are a great example of that.

The apostle Paul has experienced persecution, tragedy, and loss. In fact, at the point in his life when he’s

writing this, he’s been stoned, left for dead, and imprisoned multiple times, including his present

imprisonment. He bears many scars from being tortured. He speaks about his suffering, here, and he

alludes to his own future death. It’s all very real.

The presence of evil in the world goes all the way back to the beginning chapters of the Bible. Originally

the relationship between God and man was intimate and their communion was pure and untainted. But

then sin and death entered the world. Mankind, through the first man and woman, Adam and Eve,

broke communion with God by breaking his command. And from that point on, the whole world

changed. Besides death, the corruption affected all of creation. The whole world groans, as the apostle

Paul wrote in Romans 8.

But from the very moment when sin, suffering, and death entered the world, God began his plan of

redemption. That plan is being worked out all the way to a future day when, as the book of Revelation

tells us, there will be no more tears, no more suffering, no more evil, and no more death.

What I’m saying is that central to the Christian message is the reality of suffering, evil, and death in the

world. They do not disprove Christianity or the Christian God. On the contrary, those hard realities

testify to the reality of Christianity.

Second. These verses in Philippians 3 give us a perspective that goes beyond this world - beyond the

physical world of time and space. Paul makes that clear in these verses. He considers his worldly pursuits

for the sake of his fame worthless. They are all loss to him. That’s what he says. Verse 8. Paul gave them

up and suffered because of it. Why? Because there’s something greater. There’s something greater than

this life. He speaks about it in verse 11 - a resurrection from the dead. It’s an acknowledgement that this

world and all the trappings of the world are temporary. Life is fragile and we die. That theme is very

consistent throughout the Bible. The momentary afflictions of this world compared to the glory of the

life to come. The Bible speaks over and over about heaven and hell. About life beyond the grave. About

a heavenly home. As Jesus said, “in my father’s house are many rooms, I go there to prepare a place for

you.”

The difficulty is that we live in the world now. We are bound by time and space. So when we think of

evil, we are naturally disposed to think within the box of our world. Of course, it can be very

discouraging. Hope can be elusive as we see and experience the vanity of life. Yet the Scriptures speak

clearly of a hope and peace that can be experienced now because of a future life where there is no

suffering. That’s what the apostle Paul is referring to – a future resurrection to a new heavens and earth.

One, as I mentioned earlier without the burden of evil.

That brings us to the third intellectual response to the problem of evil. And that’s God’s resolution to

sin, suffering, and death.

The heart of God’s response is the resurrection of Christ. It’s why Paul says in verse 10 that he “may

know [Christ] and the power of his resurrection.”

The very hinge upon which all Christianity turns is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Why do we

say that? Because it’s through the resurrection that God reversed the trajectory of sin and suffering and

death. And God accomplished that great reversal not through a mere man, but through the God man,

Christ Jesus. The fulness of God dwelling in the fulness of man. In fact, Christ is the one through whom

God created all things, in heaven and earth. That is clear in Scripture. Hebrews 1, Colossians 1, John1.

Jesus subjected himself to torture and death at the hands of his very own creation in order to redeem

his very own creation.

Did you hear that? God triumphed over evil through evil and suffering. In the book of Acts, which is

about the New Testament church, it says that Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and

foreknowledge of God,” It says he was “crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” But then it

says, “God raised him up.” Through the resurrection, God triumphed over evil.

And just to be sure, the resurrection of Jesus was not just the return of his body to the same physical

state before his torture and death. No, it was a resurrection to a renewed imperishable body. A physical

body which would last forever, a body through which even now he is ruling and reigning.

This is the power of the resurrection. Sin, suffering, death, and evil have ultimately been dealt with

through it. And through it, there is a guaranteed hope beyond the pain and miseries in this life.

How so? Through his resurrection, Christ has secured an imperishable resurrected life for us - one with

no pain or loss or fear or evil. Without the resurrection, there is no hope beyond this life. But, as we say,

Christ IS risen. Many, many bore testimony to his resurrection.

The death and resurrection of Christ is the Bible’s resolution to the problem of evil.

Let me recap the intellectual responses to suffering and evil:

• First, evil and suffering are real. Christianity speaks very clearly into that reality, revealing the

wicked heart of man and the effect of sin on all creation. Evil, sin, and suffering do not undermine

Christianity, but rather testify to Christianity.

• Second, the Bible speaks of life beyond our present fallen condition. We are not bound and

trapped in a corrupt world with no hope. There is life beyond this life. One that is incorruptible, free

from all evil, and death.

• And third, the resurrection is the means through which God has dealt with sin and suffering. It’s

the basis of our sure hope. That’s why the resurrection is the pivot point in all of history. Through it, God

is and will make all things right and new.

The Personal Problem of Evil

If I ended this sermon here, it would be lacking. It’s one thing to talk about evil and sin and suffering, but

it’s another to experience it. Some of you know that suffering all too well.

Amy can tell you, when we pray for our children, one of the things I pray for almost every time is for God

to protect them from evil. I think that’s what made the Nashville tragedy particularly hard for me.

Especially since the pastor of the church lost his 9-year-old daughter.

You see, we cannot merely work through these hard questions in our minds. No, dealing with evil and

suffering is very personal.

One thing is clear in Philippians 3. These matters were also very personal for the apostle Paul. Over and

over, he talks about his own pursuits… about knowing Christ and attaining that resurrection life in him.

Let me highlight what he says:

• First in verse 8, he writes about “the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord.” (he

says)

• Later in that verse, he writes about sacrificing in this life, why? He says “in order that I may gain

Christ”

• He continues that in verse 9, “and be found in him”

• Verse 10, “that I may know him”

• Then he says, “that I may share in Christ’s suffering, becoming like him in his death”

• And Paul concludes in verse 11, “that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from

the dead.”

Let me note this. If you have been with us in our recent series through 1 John, you will be very familiar

with the word “know.” Verse 10. “that I may know him.” The original Greek goes way beyond our

modern sensibilities. In English, the word “know” focuses on an intellectual understanding. We process

information. We read words. Knowledge to us today is categorizing and knowing information. Being able

to recall the information and analyze it.

But knowledge of something or someone in the world of the New Testament times goes far deeper. To

be sure, it includes a head knowledge, that we talked about, but it also comes with an intimate personal

heart-felt belief. Truly knowing Christ. Not just knowing of him, but communing with him

That kind of intimate knowledge of Jesus is not optional. Paul is implying in these verses that we cannot

merely assent to Christianity’s answers to sin and suffering. We can’t just say that it sounds good, or just

say that its answers to evil align with the reality around us.

Rather, in order to have the hope of the resurrection in your sufferings and death, you have to know the

One who suffered and died.

To say it in another way, the power of the resurrection for you only comes through knowing Christ.

“Knowing” in the full Greek sense of verse 10.

And the way you know Christ is answered in verse 9. It’s through faith in him. It’s recognizing, as it says,

that you cannot have a righteousness of your own, but rather you need Christ’s righteousness.

Let me put it in the terms that we’ve been talking about today. You cannot save yourself from evil, from

suffering, or from death. Suffering itself does not save you. You cannot resurrect yourself. Rather, there

is only One who can… the One who himself triumphed over evil, and sin and death. To triumph with him

requires faith in him.

And when you come to know him, and the power of his resurrection, then you will share in his suffering

and his death and will share in his resurrection. That is one of the most beautiful aspects of the Christian

faith. In our grief, in the evil we experience, and in our death, in all those things, we share in Christ’s

suffering and death. When you know Christ, he ministers to you in those sufferings… because he has

gone before you in them and has triumphed over them. Your hope for a future resurrection is found in

the power of his resurrection.

It doesn’t take away the tears, the suffering, or the evil in this world now, but if you come to know him

and the power of his resurrection, then you will have that immoveable rock upon which to stand. And

you will have that future resurrection hope knowing that you will triumph in him.

A couple of weeks before his daughter was killed, pastor Chad Scruggs was preaching on Jesus raising

Lazarus. The profound moment in that story was when Jesus wept. Jesus knew that he was about to

raise Lazarus, yet he wept. Pastor Scruggs said these words as he preached, “Do you see that a strong

confidence in the end of the story does not undo or justify the absence of grief in the middle. A mature

faith adds its tears to the sadness in our world. Jesus says blessed are those who mourn… all the while

not losing confidence how that sadness will eventually be overcome in him.”

Following the passing of his daughter, Pastor Scruggs lived out that belief. He wrote, "Through tears we

trust that she is in the arms of Jesus who will raise her to life once again."

I don’t know how each of you deal with the presence of evil, sin, and suffering in the world… or its

presence in your own life.

On an intellectual level, if the problem of evil trips you up as you consider Christianity, know this: the

Bible is not silent. Rather, evil and suffering’s very presence is why Christ came and it’s why Jesus’ death

and resurrect is the linchpin of Christianity.

On a personal level, each of us experiences the corruption of the world and the heart of man, including

our own hearts. At times, it will be very painful and sad. In those moments, hope in three things.

• First, God has, himself, experienced pain and evil. God the Father gave up his son to suffer and

die. And the Son of God, Jesus, endured the evil of this world. We’re invited to share in his suffering.

• A second hope - this world is not all there is. One day, evil, sin, and suffering will all come to an

end.

• Third, through the resurrection, God triumphed over evil. If you know Christ and the power of

his resurrection, you will share in Jesus’ triumph… along with your family and friends who also know and

believe in Christ.

May we each have the same heart and mind as the apostle Paul: faith in the risen Lord. May we have his

same confidence, comfort, and hope. If you do not know the resurrected Christ, may today be the day

that you come to know his comfort and hope.

Prayer

FACT: We are at war. Bold. Underline. Italics. Exclamation point. We are at war. There are an estimated 600 million Evangelical Christians around the globe today making up about 8% of the world’s population. The majority of the other 92% are walking in darkness, held captive by our great enemy Satan who is the father of lies. Billions have been led astray by false forms of Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Secularism, Materialism, Atheism, and vast array of other false religions. These all stand in opposition to the Gospel and often fight with great zeal against Jesus Christ and His people. We are engaged in a war for the souls of men, women and children. The Battle is real and it one that we cannot win on our own.

Stories of persecution

In a few weeks we will be celebrating Palm Sunday here at TPC. Six years ago, on Palm Sunday 2017, bombs blew up at two churches in Egypt, killing nearly fifty Christians and injuring more than one hundred others. Just hours after the blast, amid outrage and grief, Pastor Boulos stepped before his packed church in Egypt and gave the terrorists a three-point sermon that went viral worldwide. It was entitled “A Message to Those Who Kill Us.” His three points were simple: “Thank you,” “We love you,” and “We’re praying for you.” Pastor Boulos said “Thank you” because the terrorists gave the dead the honor to die as Christ died; and because the

terrorists’ actions made people outside the church mindful of their eternal destinies. (After the attacks, Egyptian churches overflowed with people who had never attended before). Then Pastor Boulos said “We love you” because even murderers and thieves love those who love them, but only followers of Jesus are taught to love our enemies. Pastor Boulos closed his

message with “We’re praying for you” because, he reasoned, if a terrorist could taste the love

of God even one time, it would drive hatred from his heart.

This is one story of persecution among millions through the ages. Across 76 countries, more than 360 million evangelical Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith today. We are indeed at war. And on our own, it is a war that we cannot win.

John Piper on Prayer as a War-Time Walkie Talkie

John Piper has been preaching that we are war for decades. In his book “Let the Nations Be Glad!” Piper says some convicting things about our major weapon in fighting this war against our adversary the devil – a weapon that we often misuse or do not use at all. That weapon is prayer as we know from Ephesians chapter 6 (which we read earlier). It is our primary firepower against the devil. But let me read directly from John

Piper’s book, because I’m not so sure we act like life is a battlefield. Piper says:

“Probably the number one reason why prayer malfunctions in the hands of believers is that we try to turn a wartime walkie talkie into a domestic intercom. Until you know that life is war, you cannot know what prayer is for. Prayer is for the accomplishment of a wartime mission…[Our] field commander (Jesus) called in the troops, gave them a crucial mission (go and bear fruit); [he] handed each of them a personal transmitter

coded to the frequency of the General’s headquarters, and [he] said, ‘Comrades, the general has a mission for you. He aims to see it accomplished. And to that end he has authorized me to give each of you personal access to him through these transmitters. If you stay true to his mission and seek his victory first, he will always be as close as your transmitter, to give tactical advice and to send air cover when you need it.’

“But what have millions of Christians done? We have stopped believing that we are in a war. [There’s] no urgency, no watching, no vigilance. No strategic planning. Just easy peace and prosperity. And what did we do with the walkie talkie? We [have] tried to rig it up as an intercom in our houses and cabins and [our] boats and [our] cars – not to call in firepower for conflict with a mortal enemy, but to ask for more comforts [and

cushions] in the den.”

Four Elements of Earth-Shattering Missions Prayer

With that as our introduction, I want to turn to our two texts for today. We will be looking at two biblical prayers that were prayed in times of great distress for God’s people. We will look at one prayer in 2 Kings 19 and one prayer in Acts chapter 4. In both situations God’s people were at war and they were engaged against enemies they knew that they could not defeat. They knew they were hopeless unless God came to their rescue. So, they turned to Him in God- exalting, enemy-defeating prayer. In both instances, these prayers moved the heart of God and he acted with great power to help his people.

Both of these prayers follow a pattern and have 4 key elements that I want to examine. As we look at prayer as a weapon of war against the enemy, I want to encourage us to integrate these elements in our prayers as individuals, as families and as a church body here at TPC. We can use these prayers as roadmaps as we pray for the work of spreading the Gospel to every tribe and tongue and people and nation. Let’s look at the pattern first, and then we will look at how it plays out in these two prayers. The pattern is printed on the back of today’s bulletin.

The Pattern is:

We acknowledge the DIVINE POWER of God alone

We affirm our DEPENDENCE on God alone

We arouse the heart of God to DELIVER his people and to DESTROY our enemies

We appeal to God to DISPLAY HIS GLORY for all the earth to see

Hezekiah’s Prayer (2 Kings 19:14-19)

First, let’s consider Hezekiah’s prayer. Let us look at the historical backdrop. Hezekiah was King of Judah. He was a good king. In fact, the Bible says there were no kings of Judah before or after him that followed God like he did. In 2 Kings 18:5-7 we read:

5 He trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him. 6 For he held fast to the Lord. He did not depart from following him, but kept the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; wherever he went out, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him.”

Now these last words were the epicenter of the problem that Hezekiah was facing. He rebelled against the King of Assyria. He would not bow his knee to a pagan king. The King of Assyria was named Sennacherib and the capitol of his evil empire was “Ninevah” if you have ever heard of it. It is no wonder that brother Jonah had no love for this people.

So, Sennacherib was coming to extract his vengeance on this rebel king of Judah. He besieged Jerusalem with the largest most powerful army on earth. Then he sent a blasphemous letter (in 2 King 19:10-13) to Hezekiah that read:

‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. 11 Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? 12 Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?

13 Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or

the king of Ivvah?’”

In verse 14 we read about what Hezekiah did upon receiving this letter. It says: “Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord.” What a glorious demonstration of faith. He didn’t sit and fret on his throne, filled with anxiety and fear. He didn’t sit and strategize and mull over all of his military options to fight or surrender. He went into the temple and spread the letter before the Lord and prayed! And what did he pray?

First, Hezekiah Acknowledged the DIVINE POWER of God alone:

15 And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth.”

Consider these words in contrast to the blasphemy of Sennacherib who had mocked the God of the Israelites. Hezekiah here is saying to God, Sennacherib is a blasphemous liar, for we know, we believe, we have faith that you alone, not Sennacherib, are the Sovereign Lord who is above all kings and who sits enthroned over all nations.

Second, Hezekiah Affirmed His DEPENDENCE on God alone: In verse 16 we read:

“Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. 17 Truly, O Lord, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands 18 and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone. Therefore they were destroyed.”

After acknowledging the power of God alone, Hezekiah humbly entreats God, demonstrating his complete dependence on God. He says incline your ear O Lord. Listen to me. Hear me. We need your help, Lord. And “Open your eyes Lord and see. “ If you don’t listen to us and see us, no one will hear us, see us, rescue us. The idols of the other nations did not save them. But we depend on you, the true and the living God who alone has the power to save us!

Third, Hezekiah Aroused the heart of God to DELIVER his people and to DESTROY their enemies: In verse 19 we read: “So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand.”

Only after acknowledging God’s power and sovereignty, and his dependence on God alone, Hezekiah appeals for help. He simply says, “O Lord our God, save us, please from the hand of Sennacherib.” His heart’s desire was for his people to be delivered and he knew that no one else could deliver from the mighty hoards of the Assyrians, so he simply says, “save us, please.” It is beautiful in its simplicity and earnestness.

Finally, Hezekiah Appealed to God to DISPLAY HIS GLORY for all the earth to see: “That all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.” Hezekiah was praying for something bigger to happen than just for his people to be rescued. He knew the power of the Assyrian army, the arrogance of King Sennacherib, the wanton cruelty, and destruction and annihilation that they had wreaked on the entire Middle East. He knew that if God delivered His people and destroyed the Assyrians, then all the Kingdoms of the earth would know that there is only one and true and living God who answers prayer and is more powerful than any king or empire that sets themselves up against Him. He wanted God to deliver his people in the same magnificent way that he had delivered His people from the hands of Pharoah King of Egypt hundreds of years before and all of the world heard and trembled. He wanted God to be glorified far beyond the borders of Judah, and so he prayed for this very thing.

So what did God do in response to Hezekiah’s prayer?

Two things. First, God sent the prophet Isaiah to assure Hezekiah that God had heard his prayer and would surely come to the defense of his people. We will not read Isaiah’s entire message for the sake of brevity, but in verse 22 God says to Sennacherib:

“Whom have you mocked and reviled? Against whom have you raised your voice and lifted your eyes to the

heights? Against the Holy One of Israel!”

And jumping down to verse 32-34 God says:

32 “Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city or shoot an arrow there, or come before it with a shield or cast up a siege mound against it. 33 By the way that he came, by the same he shall return, and he shall not come into this city, declares the Lord. 34 For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.”

The second thing that happens is that God acts with great power. He sent his angel and destroyed the Assyrian army. In verses 35-37 we read:

35 And that night the angel of the Lord went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. 36 Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and went home and lived at Nineveh. 37 And as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, struck him down with the sword and escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son reigned in his place.

Indeed, now the whole world knew there was only one God, the God of Israel, that he alone had all power, and that He delivers His people from their enemies when they pray. The blasphemous king of Assyria and his mighty army were totally annihilated by Jehovah Sabbaoth—the God of Angel Armies.

The Prayer of the First Church (Acts 4)

Let us turn our attention now to the New Testament, to Acts chapter 4, to a prayer of the disciples, of the early church. The context here is that in chapter 3 Peter and John were going up to the temple to pray. Along the way they met a beggar who had been lame from birth who asked them for money. Peter replied:

“I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”

Peter then proceeds to preach a powerful gospel sermon at the end of Acts chapter 3 to everyone gathered at the temple. This results in Peter and John being arrested because all of this greatly annoyed the Jewish religious leaders. They interrogated them and asked them where they got the power to heal this man. Peter boldly says:

“Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a crippled man, by what means this man has been healed, 10 let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by him this man is standing before you well. 11 This Jesus[a] is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.[b] 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men[c] by which we must be saved.”

The religious leaders and rulers then ordered Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus and doing miracles in His name.

“But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to

God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

“When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and prayed.”

What did they pray? Their prayer is very similar to Hezekiah’s, containing the same 4 elements although in a different order. Let’s take a look.

First, in verse 24, the church Acknowledged the DIVINE POWER of God alone: “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them.” Before they ask for rescue, they begin with worship, adoration and an affirmation of faith in God’s sovereignty and power over all things.

Second, the church Aroused the heart of God to DELIVER his people and to DESTROY their enemies: In verses 25-28 we read:

25 who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit, “‘Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples plot in vain? 26 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord and against his Anointed’—27 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

They reminded God that these very same enemies of theirs, these Jewish religions leaders, who are now persecuting them had only a short time ago set themselves up against God and his Anointed son Christ Jesus and joined with the Gentiles to destroy him. But the disciples also acknowledged that all of this was part of God’s sovereign plan that he has predestined to take place.

Third, the Church Affirmed their DEPENDENCE on God alone: In verse 29 they pray:

“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness”

We see that they have a simple prayer for help. Strengthen us to continue preaching your gospel in the midst of persecution. We need your help. We cannot win this war on our own. Protect us and strengthen us and give us boldness. We depend on you in this war for souls.

Finally, the church Appealed to God to DISPLAY HIS GLORY for all the earth to see: In verse 30 we read:

“while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your

holy servant Jesus.”

In addition to a plea for boldness, the church asks God to do signs and wonders through the Name of Jesus. They wanted something greater to happen than just to be able to continue to share their faith. They wanted God to act in powerful ways so that all the earth would know that salvation is found in no other name than in the powerful and beautiful name of Jesus Christ.

How did God answer this prayer? We see in verse 31:

“And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

God answered their prayer for boldness. He shook the earth and poured out the Holy Spirit upon them. Along with that, he also answered their prayer for miracles. In the next chapter, Acts 5 we read that they continued to do miracles in the Name of Jesus. People from all around brought the sick and demon possessed to the disciples and they were ALL healed.

Conclusion: As we draw to a close this morning, I want to offer three words of encouragement as we wage war for the souls of the lost through prayer, as we continue the battle of global missions and church planting among every tribe and language and people and nation.

First. Your prayers matter. The enemy wants you to believe that your prayers do not matter, that your prayers are not heard, that God is not moved by your prayers. That is a lie. James 5:16 says: “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” In Revelation chapter 5 we get the glorious glimpse into the throne room of God. We see angels, elders, heavenly creatures and the redeemed from every nation are gathered to worship the Lamb of God. Here we see that our prayers are a fragrant incense before God. It says that angels and heavenly creatures and elders are holding golden bowls of incense before God. What is the incense that fills those bowls? The prayers of all the saints through the ages. They are a beautiful aroma to God and they move his heart. Your prayers matter and are effective in this battle. They are ever present in the throne room of heaven.

Second. We do not pray alone. Both Jesus and the Holy Spirit pray with us and pray for us. In Hebrews 7:25 we read: “Consequently, he (Jesus) is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” And in Romans 8:26-27 we read: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” We do not pray alone in this war.

Third, and finally, the war has already been won. As opposition to the Gospel grows stronger day by day, and persecution of the church intensifies, it is easy to be discouraged and to believe that we are losing the war. Perish the thought! King Jesus has already defeated sin and death and Satan through his death and resurrection. Satan is in the throes of death, wriggling and writhing and lashing out like the great serpent that he is. The final victory will soon be revealed, so let us persevere to the end in our faith and in our God-exalting, enemy-defeating wartime prayers. What shall we pray? And what shall we pray? Let us pray that the light of the gospel through the power of the Holy Spirit will push back the darkness that holds almost 7 billion souls in slavery to the devil. Let us pray that the lost sheep will come into the fold of Jesus. Let us pray that the Church of Christ will prevail as we storm the gates of hell. Let us pray that the elect from every tribe and people and language and nation will be saved. And let us pray that every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior to the glory of our Heavenly Father. And let us pray, “Come quickly, Lord Jesus, Come Quickly, and let your sovereign rule and reign be revealed for all of eternity!” To him be the glory. Amen.

Last week, we focused on the remnant of Israel, chosen by grace. We learned that even though Israel as a whole, rejected God and his promises, yet God in his mercy has always had a remnant of his people who did and do believe.

This week, the apostle Paul shifts to talk mainly about the Gentiles. He answers the question, why did God ordained that Israel would not believe. Why? So that the Gospel would go to the Gentiles. That is the main focus of our sermon text this morning. And, as we’ll see, it will relate back to Israel.

Reading of Romans 11:11-24

Prayer

In 2008, art professor Sam Van Aken did something very unique. He grafted in 40 different kinds of fruit branches into a single tree. He called it the Tree of 40 Fruit. And it is quite spectacular.

The tree is still alive today, 16 years later. It’s planted on the campus of Syracuse University where Van Aken teaches.

Every spring, buds will blossom into a beautiful array of pastel colors with shades of white and pink and red and purple. It looks fairy-tale-like but it is real.

But what’s more amazing is what happens in the summer. It produces all kinds of fruit including peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, cherries, and almonds. Basically different kinds of stone fruit -different heirloom and native varieties.

Interestingly, Van Aken began producing multiple Trees of 40 Fruits and you can actually buy one. Several museums and universities now have them on display. There are about 20 of these beautiful trees around the country.

It's a picture of what is described in Romans 11:11-24. People from all over the world, being grafted into the tree of faith in Christ. Each with different blossoms and fruit and each displaying the wonder and glory of God in Christ. He is the root and the source of life and the one who sustains and is cultivating this amazing tree.

This idea of grafting is the apostle Paul’s main analogy in these verses. And it’s very helpful. Paul uses it to help answer an important question. His question is right there in verse 11. “Did Israel stumble, in order that they may fall?” In other words, is the reason that Israel stumbled in their faith because God wanted to reject them forever? And his answer is, “By no means.” There it is again.

And actually for the rest of the verses today, he explains his answer, and he uses the grafting illustration to help.

Before we dive into these verses, let me point out there are two main parts to the answer. And what we will see is that Paul actually circles back to those two answers three different times.

The two parts to the answer are right there in verses 11 and 12. So, let me first highlight what he says there, and then we’ll take them one at a time and see them worked out in these verses.

So, why did Israel stumble in unbelief?

1. The first part of the answer is right there after the question. “through their trespass [Israel’s trespass], salvation has come to the Gentiles.” The first reason for Israel’s sin of unbelief is so that the Gospel would go to the Gentiles.

2. And that leads right in to the second part of the answer. It’s the next phrase in verse 11. “So as to make Israel jealous.” And a little bit later Paul adds, and “thus save some of them.” In other words, one reason that salvation has come to the Gentiles is so that Israel will see what God is doing and be jealous – jealous in a good way. They will want to be a part of what God is doing and that will cause some to believe.

So, that is the summary. Part #1 – Israel’s unbelief has resulted in salvation going to the Gentiles. Part #2 – the Gospel going to the Gentiles will make Israel jealous, so that more will come to believe.

And we see those very same two points in verses 13-16 and then again in verses 17 to 24. It’s that last section of verses where apostle Paul talks about branches being cut off and also grafted in.

Main Point #1. Israel’s Unbelief -> Salvation to the Gentiles

So, let’s take those one at a time. Again, point number 1 - Israel’s rejection has resulted in salvation for the Gentiles. And to support his point, in verse 13, Paul highlights his own ministry to the Gentiles.

It’s like he’s saying, “look at what God is doing among the Gentiles, to whom I am called.”

Paul’s own ministry testifies to how the Jews rejected Jesus which caused him to go to the Gentiles. In fact, it’s the pattern in almost every city he went to. The first thing Paul would do is find the Jewish synagogue and speak to them about Jesus. But every time, the Jews, by in large, would reject the Gospel. So, what would he do? Paul would go to the Gentiles. Sometimes he would even be so bold and tell the Jews. If you are not going to believe, then I am going to them. That happened in the city of Antioch. It happened in Corinth. And it happened again in Ephesus. All of those are recorded in the book of Acts. In Corinth Paul said. “Your blood be on your own heads! I am innocent. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.”

And, as we considered before, it’s not as though every single Jew rejected Jesus. Some believed. Paul, himself, and others were an example of this. But it was a small number compared to God’s work among the nations. Faith in Christ was exploding among the Romans and the Greeks and those in Asia minor and in North Africa and it was beginning to spread to all non-Jewish people groups, all Gentiles, to the ends of the earth. And as we talked about before, the Gospel is continuing today to expand to all nations, peoples, and languages.

Here is where we get to the grafting metaphor. Verse 17, which is the third time that Paul explains how Israel’s unbelief resulted in the Gentiles’ belief. He writes in 17, “branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in.”

Let’s go back to the Tree of 40 Fruit…. In order to accomplish all the grafting, Professor Van Aken would begin by carefully notching the tree trunk. He would then insert new freshly cut branches from other fruit trees and align the grain so that the sap could flow into the branch. And actually, he couldn’t do it all at once. it took 10 years to graft the 40 different varieties into the tree. But that wasn’t the only thing he had to do. He also pruned off many of the natural branches. The reason is, pruning redirects more nutrients to the grafts. It would also allow for more sunlight and airflow. The end result is that the grafts would take and become part of the tree.

Unbelieving Israel was pruned away, and the believing Gentiles were grafted into the trunk. All the promises of God for Israel of old would become promises for us. All the blessings and benefits of true faith given to them, Israel, would become blessings and benefits for us. Those benefits include communion with God and one another as we are all united to Christ. Through that union, we have been reconciled to God. We have peace with him. We now have the source of nutrients through God’s Word and in his Spirit. All those things and more are now available to the branches that have been grafted into Christ.

So, why did Israel stumble in unbelief? The part 1 answer is so that believing Gentiles would be grafted into the tree of life.

Now, before we move onto the part 2 answer, which is about Israel’s jealousy, I want to take two tangents – two side comments. There are two other important things related to the Gentiles being grafted in.

Tangent #1: Humility

The first tangent is a tangent that the apostle Paul takes. Did you notice that he warns the Gentiles? Right after he says that branches have been cut off so that you can be grafted in, look at what verse 18 says. “Do not be arrogant toward the branches… it is not you who support the root but the root that supports you.” Let me ask, who are the branches that he is referring to? It’s the branches that were cut off. Paul is referring to unbelieving Israel. Do not be arrogant towards them. If you are arrogant, as verse 19 says, you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” The emphasis there is on “I.”

To be sure, that statement is true. Branches were broken off so that you could be grafted in. And the apostle Paul validates that in verse 20. “that is true,” he says.  However, he adds, “you should stand fast through faith.” Paul is saying, remember, you are a product of God’s grace which you received through faith. It is not you who grafted yourself in. “Do not become proud,” he says. No, you’ve received God’s kindness and not his severity. Rather than being prideful, we need to understand that we’ve been grafted in by faith according to God’s grace.

We don’t know the reason that Paul includes this. It’s possible the church in Rome was experiencing persecution by unbelieving Jews. It’s possible the church was acting out against the unbelieving Jews. We’re not sure. However, they and we are given a clear directive. We, as branches grafted into the root, are to treat unbelieving Jewish people with respect and love. We should have a desire for them to believe in Christ and be grafted back into the tree of faith.

There is a lot of antisemitism in the world today (racism against the Jews). In fact, since the Holocaust, some have argued that the New Testament is the reason. People have even said that the apostle Paul and Jesus himself are guilty of causing antisemitism. Friends, that belief is a perversion of what the New Testament teaches. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We are called to love our neighbors – that includes any and everyone. And there should be a unique place of respect for our unbelieving Jewish neighbors. We’re called here to be humble and loving toward the branches that have been cut off, because we have been grafted in.

So that is the first tangential comment.

Tangent #2: Who is true Israel?

The second comment also relates to the grafting. It’s an important question. Who are God’s true people? Who is true Israel? I want to answer that by considering all of history.

And let me start with the easy part of the answer. God’s true people include people from all nations who truly believe by faith in Jesus Christ for salvation. In other words, Gentiles who have been grafted in by faith. That is one group that is part of God’s true people.

Another group are Jewish people who believe by faith in Jesus as the Messiah and as their Savior. I’m talking about messianic Jews today and going back to the time of Jesus. They were not grafted in. Rather, they were and are the natural branches that have not been cut off. That is the second group.

There’s also a third group. The third group are the Israelites before Jesus came, who believed in God’s promises by faith. They did not have a clear picture of how salvation would be accomplished, but they looked to God for salvation and hoped in the coming Messiah. These are the remnant of old of which the beginning of Romans 11 speaks. They did not look to the law for their salvation, but neither did they reject God’s law. Rather, they trusted in God’s covenant promises by faith and sought to honor him as a response of faith. Romans chapter 9 also spoke about them. Remember what the apostle Paul said? Not all Israel are Israel. A subset of Israel was true Israel – children of the promise. Those are the remnant in the Old Testament times… and they are part of God’s true people.

And finally, I don’t want to leave out the non-Israelites in the Old Testament who also believed in the God of Israel, like Ruth and Rahab. They are also among God’s elect.

All of those groups are part of God’s true people. We sometimes say spiritual Israel or as I mentioned true Israel. All those groups are branches of the tree, either natural branches that have not been cut off or grafted-in branches. They have all received God’s grace and mercy. Or to use the words here, God’s kindness. And they all have true faith in Christ - either hoping in what God would do to bring salvation, or believing in Jesus and what he has done. And none of those groups are saved by their works. Rather we are all saved by Christ’s work and his righteousness.

In one sense, that’s a summary of these three chapters in Romans.

Ok, I hope those two side comments are helpful. First, the call to humility and love for unbelieving Israel in hope that they may believe. And second, addressing the question, Who are God’s people?

Main Point #2. Salvation of the Gentiles -> Israel’s Belief

Let’s come back now to the main question of these verse. Why did Israel stumble in unbelief? The first part of the answer was so that salvation would come to the Gentiles. It has and continues to today.

That brings us to the second part of the answer. Israel’s stumbling will lead to more Jews coming to faith in Christ. Here’s the logic: Unbelieving Israel will see what God is doing throughout the world. Some will be jealous of it and subsequently come to believe. That word jealous is in verse 11 as we already considered. It is also there in verse 14.

One reason that Paul highlights his ministry to the Gentiles is because he wants his fellow Jews to also believe in Jesus. He says, “I magnify my ministry in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous and thus save some of them.” Do you see that? By the way, this is the third time in these three chapters that the apostle Paul opens his heart. He so desires that the unbelieving Jews would believe.

Why? He answers that with a rhetorical question in verse 15. “…what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead?” He knows that they are branches cut off without Christ.

But, God can graft them back in. It’s right there in verse 23. “And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in.” He’s talking about unbelieving Israel coming to believe. Do you see that double negative? “If they do not continue in their unbelief.” In other words, if they turn to believe, they will again be grafted in. He’s referring to current generation or future generation unbelieving Jews who come to faith in Jesus. They will be grafted back into the tree.

You know, I was curious which root stock was used in the Tree of 40 Fruit. I was hoping it was an olive tree… but actually, it’s a plum tree – technically a Myrobalan Plum. Maybe some of you know what that is. It has a hearty root system. It’s resistant to many diseases. It can grow in different soil types. This kind of plum tree can also receive grafts from many other kinds of stone fruit trees. For all those reasons, it was used as the main root system and trunk for the Tree of 40 Fruit. But do you know what kind of branch can most easily be grafted into this kind of plum tree? A Myrobalan plum branch. I know that’s probably obvious.

As verse 23 say, “God has the power to graft them in again.” And if God has grafted us in, from a wild olive tree… “how much more,” he says, “will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.”

God chose to reveal himself to Abraham and his descendants, who would become the people of Israel. It was not because of anything they did, but it was because of his purposes. Through them, he revealed himself. He revealed his character. He revealed his promises and law. God revealed the nature of his creation and the call for each of us to know him. He revealed the sinful heart of mankind. He revealed redemption. And it is Israel, physical Israel, through whom God sent his very son. Jesus himself was Jewish. And it is through him, that the world, the Gentiles, would come to know and believe in the God of Israel. He is the one true God of the universe.

And the very clear sense we get from these verses is that God is not done with unbelieving Israel. Back to verse 12, “if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean” From the context of chapters 9-11, I believe Paul is referring to all the remnant of Israel, whom God has ordained to come to know Jesus. How amazingly rich will that be!

Let me note, lots has been written about that one verse, verse 12. Particularly the phrase “their full inclusion.” I do want to spend more time on that phrase. But you’ll have to come back next week. There’s a similar phrase at the end of chapter 11 in verse 26. It says there that “all Israel will be saved.” What does that mean? We’ll work through both of those next week.

The main point of these verses is clear. God has grafted us, the gentiles, into the nourishing olive tree that is true Israel. If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you are part of God’s people saved by grace through faith. We’ve been united to him, to Christ, by faith. And God will use that amazing grace, which is going forth all throughout the world, to bring about a godly jealousy in unbelieving Israel.

As we come to a close, let’s go back to what it means to be grafted into the root. Remember, Paul was writing to the church in Rome. A majority of the Christians in Rome were Gentiles. They didn’t have the background of the Jewish people. Before coming to Christ, they didn’t know the law of Moses. They didn’t have the Psalms or the Prophets. They never read the historical account of Israel as a nation nor the wisdom literature. Yet, they believed. And when they were grafted into Christ, all of that history became their history. In the book of Romans there are about 60 Old Testament references. In writing to the church in Rome, Paul is drawing them into the full counsel of what God has revealed in his Word.

And it’s not just for the believing Gentiles in Rome. No, this is our history. Abraham is our father by faith. We are not natural descendants, but we are now spiritual descendants by faith. We have been grafted into what God has done in Israel and what he is doing now around the world, as people from every tribe, and tongue and nation who have been grafted into him.

May that give us a passion to see more Gentiles grafted into the tree by faith in Christ. And may God give us a similar passion and humility, desiring to see the natural descendants of Israel come to know Jesus as their Messiah and Savior and be grafted back in.

May it not just be a tree of 40 Fruit, but a tree with branches from the 17,000 people groups in the world including believing Israel in her fulness.

Last week we considered two main ideas from the middle of chapter 10.

·       First – faith is simple. It is confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in his death and resurrection.

·       Second – In order for people to know about saving faith, they need to hear. And in order for people to hear, believers need to be sent to proclaim the good news.

And that brings us to our verses this morning. The question is, what about the people of Israel? Why do most not have this saving faith?

That is the main question to which the apostle Paul now turns.

Reading of Romans 10:18 to 11:10

Prayer

Back when I was in the business consulting world, I worked with lots of people with different beliefs and backgrounds – that include a few Jewish people. With two of them, in particular, I had multiple conversations about God and faith. Both of these guys had a very strong Jewish identity. Both of them would celebrate Jewish holidays. Both of them knew what those celebrations were about. However, neither of them believed in God at all. And that is pretty typical. I suspect some of you have had the same experience.

Albert Einstein, the most famous scientist in US history who was also Jewish, wrote this: "The word god is for me nothing more than the expression and product of human weaknesses,” Einstein furthermore said, “the Bible [is] a collection of honorable, but still primitive legends... No interpretation no matter how subtle can (for me) change this." That is a hear heart.

Many Jews, today, are very secular like Einstein was. Not only do they reject Jesus, but many reject the existence of God.

To be sure, orthodox and other conservative Jews certainly do believe in God. However, they reject Jesus as the Messiah. One of the most well know Rabbis in history described Jesus as the failed Messiah…. He wrote, “Rather than redeeming Israel Jesus caused Jews to be killed and exiled, changed the Torah and led the world to worship a false God.”

All of that is sad to consider. As the apostle Paul wrote in the beginning of chapter 9, “to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all.”

And we ask, why? Why, Lord, do they not believe? After all, they have the promises and patterns and prophecies of the Messiah. And the New Testament has about 1000 Old Testament quotes and allusions. They reveal how Jesus fulfilled those promises and patterns and prophecies.

Is it because they have not heard? Or is it because they have not understood what they heard? Lord, have you rejected your people?

These are important questions. And those are the three main questions in these verses.

In one sense, the apostle Paul has already answered the question. Do you remember from chapter 9 that God in his sovereignty has mercy on those whom he choses to have mercy and he hardens whom he chooses to harden? That answer is from the divine perspective. It’s from the perspective of God’s purposes, which are for his own glory. Remember, it’s about God’s mercy.

Well, today’s verses answer the question from the human perspective. We learned last week that the means through which people receive the righteousness of God (the means through which people are saved) is through faith in Christ. It’s professing Jesus as Lord. It’s believing him as the promised Messiah. That is how we come to know that God has been merciful to us.

So, from a human perspective, why do more Jewish people not believe by faith in Christ? Did they never hear? Or is it that they do not understand?

Well, those first two questions are answered at the end of chapter 10.

Let’s take those in order. First, did unbelieving Israel never hear? Is it possible the problem is they have not been told?

Well, the apostle gives an answer right there in verse 18. “I ask, have they not heard? Indeed they have, for ‘Their voice has gone out to all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world.’”

That is a very interesting quote. It’s from Psalm 19. It’s actually one of my favorites. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.” And then the words quoted in Romans 10 “Their voice has gone out to all the earth…”

The reason this reference is interesting or curious is that the beginning of Psalm 19 is speaking abut God’s character and nature revealed in creation. The verse that Paul quotes is not talking about God’s Word and the promise of redemption going forth. But Romans 10 is. It’s about God’s Word (his special revelation) and about salvation in Christ. So, there is a seeming disconnect.

Now, there have been different interpretations as to why Psalm 19 is referenced. Let me give you two possibilities which I think best answer the question.

·       First, Psalm 19 actually does talk about God’s special revelation in the second half. The Psalmist writes later in the Psalm, “the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” And it goes on to talk about God’s “testimony” and “precepts” and “commands.” So one possibility is that Paul is alluding to the whole Psalm. He’s saying, yes, Israel has heard. They have the Scriptures, which includes the law. And remember from up in Romans 10:4. Christ is the end of the law – he is its purpose and fulfillment. Bottom line, yes, they have heard. So that’s one strong possibility.

·       A second possible reason is this: Since the whole creation testifies to God’s character and everyone in the world has therefore witnessed it, how much more so has Israel heard. Israel has both the witness of God’s general revelation all around them and they have the special revelation of God’s revealed Word. Yes, they have heard.

Whatever the reason for the Psalm 19 reference, the point is clear. As Paul says, “Indeed they have [heard]”

Which brings us to the next question. Ok, well, if they indeed heard, is the reason they did not believe because they did not understand? You see that question right there in verse 19, “Did Israel not understand?”

And Paul answers that with multiple Old Testament references. In fact, in our verses today, there are 7 Old Testament quotes – that’s 7 in just 14 verses. That is a lot. As he has done that throughout these chapters, Paul answers the questions by going back to the Scriptures.

Alright, I want you to look down at our text in Romans 10 and 11, you’ll see some of those quotes. In the English Standard Version, which is what we use for our readings, you’ll see three indented quotes at the end of chapter 10. And if you look over in chapter 11, you’ll see two more indented quotes in verses 8 through 10. We already discussed the first reference - Psalm 19. The other four Old Testament quotes are all related.

They all answer the question, why didn’t Israel believe?

I like the way that one commentator summarized it. He says that these verses reveal “that not ignorance but unwillingness was the cause of Israel’s lack of faith.” (Hendrickson)… not ignorance, but unwillingness. They understood the words, but they ignored or disregarded them.

Sometimes, I’m sitting on the couch or I’m sitting in my recliner, and Amy will ask me a question. Now, I may be present in the room (well, at least my body is), but my brain is somewhere else. I could be thinking about my sermon or thinking about a house project or thinking about something related to church. And I’ll instinctively respond to Amy’s question with “sure” or “that sounds good.” All the while, my mind is not there.

And then every once and a while, she ask, “any thoughts on what I just asked?” My first thought is, “wait, what did she ask me? is this a trap?” No, she’s sincere… and I have to quickly come back to reality and pretend like I was always there. But she knows. Her words came in one ear  and went out the other.

Israel heard the words, but they didn’t really hear. They understood but they really weren’t listening. No, their mind was on other things. In fact, their mind was on other gods, not on the one true God.

And that’s the point of the Moses reference in Romans 10 verse 19. It’s a quote from Deuteronomy 32. God was angry because Israel was pursuing false gods. They knew God’s law, that they should have no other gods before him, but they disregarded it.

And so, what did God do? Well, he went to a people who were not his people and he made them his people. That’s the “jealous” reference in verse 19.  And actually, verse 20 mentions the same thing. This time it’s a quote from the prophet Isaiah, chapter 65. “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”

In other words, since you ignored and rejected my words, I’m going to reveal myself to the Gentiles in order to make you jealous.

By the way, next week we’ll get into the jealous theme a little more because Paul comes back to it in the middle of chapter 11, so stay tuned for that.

The point here is that God clearly revealed himself to them, but they ignored him. The next quote in verse 21 is actually the very next verse in Isaiah 65. “All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”  God had been gracious to them, but they rejected him. Again, not because of ignorance (not knowing), but because of disregard.

Now, jump over to chapter 11 verse 8. It’s related. It says, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.” And that continues to today. God closed the eyes of Israel’s hearts. Chapter 11 verse 10 is similar. “let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see, and bend their backs forever.”

You see, it’s both their responsibility for not listening and believing…. and it is God who hardens them.  That is the tension in these three chapters and really in all of scripture – man’s responsibility and God’s sovereignty.

It goes back to something we considered in chapter 9. Every single one of us was dead in our sins and trespasses – our unbelief. Every single human being is responsible for his or her unbelief and sin. It goes all the way back to the tragic results of the fall. But God in his mercy chose some to receive his grace. And that is part of the answer to the question here. And it is an important question.

Did God reject his people, Israel? That’s the question in chapter 11 verse 1. After all, Israel rejected him, so does that mean, given God’s sovereignty, that God rejected them?

What is Paul’s response? Well, it’s one of his many emphatic responses. “By no means!” Absolutely... positively... unequivocally, God did NOT reject his people!

And he gives two examples followed by a reason.

The first example is very very personal. Paul gives the example of himself. He was an Israelite to the core – a Hebrew of Hebrews. He had been a pharisee! In fact, Paul was persecuting and killing Christians before Jesus himself appeared to him. But then he fell on his knees and believed in Jesus as Lord – as the promised Messiah. Do you see how Paul is answering the question? Look at me. I am an example of the fact that God has not rejected his people.

And you know what, Paul is writing to the church in Rome. Several in the church to whom he was writing were also Jewish. Paul mentions the most well-known ones in chapter 16 - Priscilla and Aquilla.  They were Jewish, originally from Rome. About 25 years earlier they had to flee Rome because of persecution against the Jews. That’s when they moved to Corinth and met Paul. Somewhere in there they became believers in Jesus. After Corinth, they were sent to Ephesus to help the church there. And now they were back home in Rome.

And besides Priscilla and Aquila, in the book of Acts, we learn about several Jews coming to faith in Christ including a Jewish synagogue leader. Paul’s point is that God had not rejected his people. There were in fact, many Jews, including himself, who believed.

Did you know that today, there are about 350,000 Jews who believe in Jesus. Multiple organizations have done surveys in the last several years including Pew Research. That is 350,000 out of about 15 million Jews in the world. That is a small number, but it is not insignificant. There are Messianic Jewish congregations in Atlanta that believe in Jesus. There are about 300 congregations in the modern nation of Israel who believe in Jesus. You see, the remnant not only existed in Paul’s day, but a remnant of Israel exists today.

Ok, let’s go way back. Paul gives another example. This time he goes back almost 900 years from his day. He reminds his readers of the prophet Elijah. Back in Elijah’s day, many in Israel followed the false god Baal.

Some of you remember what happened. King Ahab called the prophets of Baal and the people of Israel to convene on Mt Carmel – 450 false prophets showed up. Elijah was there by himself as the sole prophet of Yahweh.

And Elijah called on the prophets of Baal to build a structure of wood and a sacrifice on top of it and to call on Baal to bring down fire to consume the sacrifice. So that is what they did. They built it and called on their god. But, of course, nothing happened. So Elijah then mocked them. Where is your god? Perhaps he is busy or perhaps relieving himself in one of the porta-potties… or maybe he’s on vacation, or asleep.

And this went on.

Finally, Elijah had a structure built and a sacrifice prepared – it included 12 stones to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. And not only that, he sent for water and had the whole structure doused in water so that the wood was saturated and the trenches around the altar were full. And Elijah prayed. And immediately, fire came down and consumed the sacrifice. It consumed the stones, the wood, the sacrificial bull, and the water in the trench. The people then bowed down and worshiped the Lord God.

But their belief was short lived. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel put immense pressure on the people and again their hearts turned away from God. Earlier in our service, we heard the account in 1 King 19. The king and the queen also threatened to kill Elijah.

And so Elijah goes off into the wilderness. He’s overwhelmed. He feels like a failure. He feels like his ministry is all for nothing. He feels like he’s the only faithful one. And what does he say to the Lord? It’s quoted there in Romans 11 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life!” He actually says that twice back in 1 Kings! That’s how strongly he felt.

But then the Lord God reveals his glory to Elijah and responds.

And God gives Elijah a very surprising answer. It’s not the answer that Elijah was expecting. He thought he was alone in the world. But God said, “I have seven thousand in Israel who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” You are not alone! There are those who heard and who believed!

Let’s go back to Romans. After referencing God’s response to Elijah, Paul writes … “So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.”

God had not rejected his people Israel, because he has always had a remnant of his people Israel who are his true people. Earlier in chapter 9, Paul identified them as descendants of the promise. And here Paul writes they are chosen by grace.

Grace, by the way, is the Greek word Xaris. It means an undeserved gift. Grace is not something we can earn by works, rather it is a gift of God.

That is why verse 7 says, “But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.” You see, it cannot be both works and grace that make God’s remnant of Israel be his true people. No, those things don’t go together. The very essence of grace is that it is undeserved – works cannot save you.

Let me ask, was there ever a time when salvation was achieved through our works? The answer may surprise you.  Yes, but you have to go all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden before the fall. Since the moment they ate the forbidden fruit…  the only work that could achieve salvation is the work of God in Christ for you. That is God’s grace. It is for all who believe by faith. That includes Israel of old who believed by faith in the savior to come… and it includes Jews today who believe by faith in the savior who has come.

It is all a gift of grace.

Now, in verse 7, Paul does say that Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. What he is saying is that Israel, as a whole, the natural descendants, failed to believe. By in large, that’s true. However, as he puts it next, “the elect have obtained it.” Those are the remnant of Israel, which God ordained before the foundation of the world, to believe in him. It is they who are chosen by grace.

Here’s the summary:

Did Israel hear? Yes, they all heard with their ears, but only the remnant heard with their hearts. Did they understand? Yes, they all understood the words, but only the remnant truly listened. The rest were hardened by their own unbelief and hardened by the Lord. But God, in his sovereign grace, ordained some to everlasting life. God has therefore not rejected his people.

I want to end with a brief word of application. Let me first say that this application is not directly present in these verses. However, it is a necessary response. Last week, we talked about proclaiming the good news – blessed are the feet of those who bring the good news. Well, besides that responsibility… there’s only one other thing that we can do… one other thing that can affect change in someone’s heart to hear and believe.

We can pray.

God is the one who opens ears to hear and opens eyes to see. Yes, he uses his people to proclaim but it is his Holy Spirit who changes a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. When we pray, we recognize that. We recognize that it is those chosen by grace who will believe.

And so we boldly pray that God would open the eyes and ears of all to hear his word – just as he did ours. And our prayer should include Jewish unbelievers – the secular ones, the orthodox ones, any and all who reject God and his Son, the Messiah and Savior of the world.

May God remind us of his grace in our lives… And may we pray that he would expand the remnant of Israel, that many more would believe in Jesus.

As you are turning there, let me note a couple of things.

We are in the middle of our summer study of Romans 9-11. Thank you to Peter Van Wyk for preaching last week from the end of chapter 9 into the beginning of chapter 10. It was excellent. As we get into these verses this morning, I’ll refer back to some of those points.

In these three chapters, the big question is, how should we understand Israel and the Jewish people today? Especially unbelieving Jews? There were many in the apostle Paul’s day and there are many today.

It’s an important question because God revealed himself to the world through Israel. So, Israel, as a people, were central in God’s plan.

One thing that underlies these chapters is having a heart for their salvation. In the beginning of chapter 9, Paul put it in the most passionate of ways. If I could be cut off for their sake that they would believe, I would do it. That is how deeply he desired to see them believe in Christ. In fact, Paul says something similar at the beginning of chapter 10, verse 1 – he writes,  “my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”

Our hearts desire should be the same. So that is the underlying sentiment in all three of these chapters.

And what the apostle Paul has been explaining in these chapters is the relationship between unbelieving Israel and believing Israel and believing Gentiles. As I mentioned before, but just to be sure, the Gentiles are all the non-Jewish people.

To explain the relationship between these groups, Paul asks questions and gives answers. That has been his approach all through Romans.

And as he asks and answers questions, he makes the point that his answers are not new. I was thinking about how he’s done that. I think a good phrase that captures it is this, “it has always been that way.” He doesn’t use those words, but that idea is in every answer.

For example:

·       Paul asks, since many Israelites do not believe in Christ, have God’s promises failed? Remember that question from three weeks ago? His answer is no. Why? Not all Israel are Israel. A subset of Israel are children of the promise. He points out that it has always been that way.

·       Paul next asks, is God unjust when he chooses only some to believe? The answer is no. Rather God in his sovereignty is merciful. He points out again it has always been that way.

·       His next question, which was last week, is a really important one. Do the Gentiles (which includes us or most of us) receive a right standing before God by faith, but the Jews are righteous by keeping the law? Paul’s answer again: no! Righteousness is only received by faith. In fact, it has always been that way.

That answer is like the beating drum of these chapters. It has always been that way. That is why there are so many Old Testament quotes. And we’ll continue to see that.

Alright, I know that is a long preamble, but hopefully that helps tie together where we’ve been so far.

In our verses this morning, Paul addresses the next logical question, what is this faith thing? And second, how do people come to know of this faith?

So, let’s turn now to God’s word.

Reading of Romans 10:5-17

Prayer

The word “faith” today is very squishy. I think you know what I mean. Its use is broad. We say we have faith in other people. Or we have faith in our abilities. Or we have faith that something will work out in the end.

Sometimes faith refers to different religions. You’ll hear people ask, “what faith tradition do you come from?” Other times you will hear “he has a deep faith” or “she has a deep faith.” Or maybe you’ll even hear, “I have faith in science or technology to solve such and such a problem.”

You see, in today’s world, faith has a lot of different meanings.

But what is the faith that the apostle Paul is speaking about here? That is a crucial question. He’s told us that righteousness, which is our right standing before God, comes by faith and not works.

He explained that we are righteous before God not because we are good enough. No, rather, it is because of Christ’s righteousness. When we have faith, we are given his righteousness. I like how Peter put it last week: Christ is the law. It’s a great way to think about it. Christ is the beginning of the law. He is its purpose and its fulfillment. He fulfills the law for us. And guess what, it has always been that way.

But the question is, what does it actually mean to have a righteousness by faith and not the law? That is the first question that these verses address.

Look at verse 5. It says, “For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them.”

In other words, if you think that you can become righteous by keeping the law, you will live with the consequences of not keeping the law. And you know what? …the consequences are bad. Verse 5 is a reference back to the book of Leviticus. In fact, it’s not the only time the apostle Paul quoted this same verse from Leviticus. In Galatians chapter 3 (which is his letter to the church in Galatia), Paul quotes the same verse. He then says that trying to be righteous through the law is a curse. As he put it there, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” The point is: we cannot keep the law. There is only one who has, and that is Jesus. He is the only righteous one.

And that is why we are called to have faith in him.

Let me take a moment and speak to the children and teenagers here. One thing you learn in life is that your work and efforts contribute to good outcomes or rewards. For example, if you do your homework and study hard, you will likely do well in school. If you practice and train in a sport, you will excel in the competition. If you do your household chores and respect your parents, they will give you more privileges.

You see, we have this idea ingrained in us that to get a reward, we need to put in some sort of effort. And that is true for almost everything in life. Except it is not true for the most important thing in life - faith in Jesus.

Faith is not something you do to get a reward. That is what we learn here. Faith is not work. We don’t have to do anything. We don’t have to look to find faith. This is what verses 6 to 8 teach.

We don’t have to ascend to heaven to find Jesus. We don’t have to search the depths of the earth or cross the sea to find him and know him. Those verses, by the way, quote Deuteronomy 30, which we read earlier in the service.

There are no special hoops to jump through. We don’t need to meditate or do special religious practices to have faith in Jesus.

No, on the contrary, Jesus is near– the word of God is near. That is what it says in verse 8, which again is a quote from Deuteronomy 30. Faith is simple. And, in fact, it has always been that way.

That is why he quotes from Deuteronomy. Faith it is believing in your heart and confessing with your mouth. It’s that simple - believing and confessing.

Believing and confessing – those are two words used multiple times in verses 9-13. The word “believe” is used three times. The word “confess” is used twice. But a synonym to confessing, which is  the phrase “to call on him” is used twice more. So, faith is simple – it’s believing in and confessing Jesus.

It’s right there in verse 9, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” That is a very clear and simple statement of faith.

And to be sure, confessing something is not just saying it. Rather you are declaring that you wholeheartedly embrace what you are saying. And, as it says here, it’s confessing that Jesus is Lord. That word Lord is referring to Jesus divine nature. So, part of it is that you are affirming that Jesus is God. But you are also declaring that Jesus is your Lord. He’s Lord of your life.

I’ve always been intrigued by something the apostle James wrote. In James chapter 2, he talks about true faith. And he writes this: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe [that]—and shudder!” It’s very penetrating. He’s saying that the demons know who Jesus is. In fact, in the Gospel accounts, it’s the demons who first recognize Jesus as the eternal God. But what does that get them? Nothing. Why? Because they cannot confess that Jesus is their Lord. You, see they can recognize who he is as God the Son, but they cannot confess him.

Saving faith is simple – it’s believing in and confessing that Jesus is God and that he is your Lord. And a key part of that is believing in the resurrection. That’s the last half of verse 9. Belief in the resurrection is a key belief for true saving faith. Let me give you three reasons.

·       First, when you believe in Jesus’ resurrection, you also believe that he died. Someone can’t be resurrected without first being dead.

·       Second, believing in the resurrection, means believing that Jesus conquered death and sin and the devil. Without the resurrection, he would not have been victorious over those enemies of the faith.

·       And third, believing in the resurrection, is believing in the hope for heaven. Our future resurrection comes through Jesus’ resurrection.

This is why believing in the resurrection is so important as a key part of having faith.

Alright, let me summarize so far. Faith is simple. It’s confessing Jesus as Lord - your Lord – and believing in what he’s done for you. Saving faith is not a generic faith like how the word “faith” is sometimes used today. Faith is not being generically religious or trusting in whatever. Rather, faith is confessing and believing in Jesus, who is the focus of our faith. So, we acknowledge the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished in his death and resurrection. And we personally trust in its sufficiency to make us righteous in him.

And in verses 11 to 13, Paul goes back to the same point he’s made multiple times now. It’s the same thing for the Jews and Gentiles. It’s the same faith – he makes that really clear in verse 12. “there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all.” And you know what? It has always been that way. Those two quotes in verses 11 and 13 are from the prophet Isaiah and Joel. The emphasis is on “everyone.” “Everyone who believes in him…” and “everyone who calls on him… will be saved.” Faith in Christ is offered to all - Jew and Gentile, alike.

Now, Paul has more to say about faith in Christ for both groups of people. Next week, we’ll be talking about the remnant of Israel, “chosen by grace,” as he puts is. And the week after next, we will be talking about how believing Gentiles have been grafted into Christ. So, stay tuned for those.

But before we get there, Paul turns to an important question. If having faith in Christ is the only means through which people receive his righteousness, how do people know about this faith? He’s talking about both unbelieving Jews and unbelieving Gentiles.

And he answers that with a series of questions. Look at the first two questions there in verse 14. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?”

By the way, do you hear the two aspects of saving faith in those? Confessing and believing in Christ. How are they to call ON HIM…? How are they to believe IN HIM…? The rhetorical answer is built into the question.… they need to hear about Jesus.

The next two questions are the next two logical questions. “…how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”

Do you see how Paul asks the four questions in the reverse order to show how it needs to happen? He’s making the logical point.

Faith is confessing and believing in Christ. But in order for them to confess and believe in Christ, they need to hear about him. Well, in order for them to hear about him, someone needs to tell them. And, in order for someone to tell them, people need to be sent.

Being sent leads to proclaiming the Gospel which leads to people hearing, which leads to some believing.

I googled population estimates in the first century. There were a lot of educated guesses. Back in Paul’s day, in the middle of the first century, there were roughly 150-350 million people in the world. I know that is a wide range, but it still gives us an order of magnitude.

At that time, Christianity was growing rapidly, but it was still miniscule compared to the world’s population. It’s very hard to know how many Christians there were back then. But think about this…

·       When the Holy Spirit was given after Jesus’ resurrection, 3000 believed. Some were residents near Jerusalem, other dispersed to other regions across the Mediterranean.

·       The book of Acts documents the Gospel going to Africa through the Ethiopian Eunuch. Apollos was from Africa and he had heard.

·       Peter brought the Gospel to the coastline along the eastern Mediterranean.

·       Of course, Paul went to Asia Minor, and Greece.

·       We don’t have Scriptural record of the other apostles, but tradition has Thomas going to east Asia; Matthew going to northern Africa and Simon to Persia.

When the book of Romans was written, it had only been about 25 years since Jesus’ death and resurrection. That’s it. But the Gospel had been going forth. Yet even with all those encouraging ways the Word was going out, Christianity was still small. It was growing exponentially percentage wise, but there were still likely only tens of thousands of Christians at the time. Again, that’s small compared to the hundreds of millions in the world.

A vast majority of those hundreds of millions were not Jewish – they were Gentiles. But there were also Jewish people who had been scattered all over going back centuries earlier. When Assyria and Babylon overthrew Israel and Judah, respectively, the Jews were dispersed. Jewish documents and DNA evidence seem to indicate that the exiles travelled deep into Africa and far into east Asia. My point is that many many Jews and Gentiles all over the world needed to hear about faith in Christ.

In verse 15, Paul quotes from Isaiah, chapter 52.  “how beautiful are the feet of them who bring the good news!” Isaiah 52 is a great chapter. In it, God foretells that the good news would go forth. In that same chapter, he assures them that “the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your rear guard.”  Those who heed the call, would not and will not be alone.

Let’s go back to what was happening in Rome. When the church in Rome received this letter in the middle of the first century, they were just beginning to experience persecution. That persecution would continue for another couple of hundred years…. In fact, between 250 AD and 300 AD, it escalated. Christians were being tortured, persecuted in various ways, and many executed.

But something else happened over that same period. Christianity exploded in growth. Historian Rodney Stark estimates that the number of Christians in the City of Rome went from 78,000 in the year 250 to 298,000 in the year 300. A 350% growth in 50 years. He estimates that 66% of the population of Rome confessed and believed in Christ in the year 300.

The persecution only accelerated the good news going forth. And remember, this letter was written to the church in Rome. Many were heeding the Romans 10 call to be sent. They were preaching the good news, people were hearing, and many believed by faith, confessing Jesus as Lord.

Today, the world’s population is about 8 Billion people. The Joshua Project, which tracks unreached people groups, estimates that out of the 17,300 people groups in the world, 7,280 are unreached. They consider a people groups as unreached if less than 2% of the population are Bible believing Christians. By their estimates, 3.43 Billion people live in unreached people groups.

What I am saying is that the call for the church to be sent very much applies to us today.

To be sure, the call to proclaim the good news of Jesus applies to all of us. There are many in our city who have yet to hear and our responsibility is to bring the good news to them.

But let me point out… the word “sent” in verse 15 comes from the Greek work apostello – which means be sent forth. Apostello is also the same root for the word apostle. The ones sent out. So these verses particularly focus on going forth in the work of Gospel missions. It’s bringing the good news to people and people groups that have never heard – Jews and Gentiles. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news.”

As many of you know, I’ll be headed out on a sabbatical in the middle of next month. One thing that Amy and I will be doing is visiting some of the missionaries that we support as a church. We’re excited to see the work to which God has sent each of them. And as you also know, in the next couple of months we’ll be sending out Jonathan and Beka (and Andrew and Josiah) to the Middle East. They are going forth to support the work of bring the good news to a people who desperately needs the hope of Christ.

And why do we do this? Why do we support missionaries and send people out? Well, Paul concludes and really summarizes with these words. “Faith comes from hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” We send and support… so that the word of Christ is preached, so that people can hear the word of Christ, and confess and believe in him by faith.

Let me bring this all together. Righteousness has always come through faith in Christ. For God’s people in the Old Testament, it was faith looking forward to the promised Messiah and the salvation he would bring. For the people in the New Testament and beyond, it’s faith in what Christ has done, bearing our sin on the cross and being raised from grave. All people are called to believe by faith, Jews and Gentiles.

And that message of faith needs to go forth so that people can hear about, believe in,  and confess Jesus as Lord.

In closing, let me ask, do you feel the call to be sent? That could mean many things. It could mean dedicating your life to bring the Gospel to the people and people groups here in the Atlanta area who need to hear about faith in Christ. But that could also mean going forth to the ends of the earth to proclaim the good news… or support the work of proclaiming the good news.

If you feel any sense of that, talk to me. Talk to one of our mission team members. We’ll explore together what that sense of call may mean. And one thing that will be for sure – you will have a church family fully supportive of that call to be sent, fully supportive in prayer, fully supportive in partnering in the great call to go. “Blessed are the feet of those who preach the good news.” Amen

This summer, we are working through Romans 9-11.

Last week, we started with the opening few verses of chapter 9. In it, the apostle Paul revealed his heart. Every fiber of his being desired to see his fellow Jews who do not be in Christ, come to know Jesus as the Messiah. He was willing to be accursed if God would open their hearts to know the promised Savior. We should have that same heart and desire.

Paul also answered an important question. Since the vast majority of Israelites did not believe in Jesus, does that mean that God’s Word and promises failed? The answer is no. Paul revealed that there has always been a distinction between the natural descendants of Abraham and the descendants of the promise.

God’s Word has therefore not failed.

Ok, that brings us to these verses. He continues the argument and works through some important matters.

For a little context, I’ll start reading from verse 8.

Reading of Romans 9:9-23

Prayer

Is God sovereign or does man have free will? The answer is yes and yes. Sometimes we set those two statements in opposition. But the Scriptures teach both. Is God sovereign? Yes. Can we act according to our will? Yes. God has created us with the ability to think and reason. We are responsible for our actions. God has given all mankind common grace, as we call it, by which people can choose to do honorable and kind and generous things, or not. However, in our fallen state, that is, since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, there is one thing that no one can do.

Noone is able, in his or her own will, to choose God and salvation. No, rather, the Bible is clear that we are dead in our sins. Spiritually dead. Only God can turn our hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. Only the Holy Spirit can awakens us. Only he can give us a new heart to see our sin and to grieve it. It is at that point that we are then able to turn to God in Christ and pursue holiness and righteousness in him through his Spirit.

Are you following me on the distinction? So yes, God is Sovereign. Yes, man is responsible. And yes, we have free will. But our free will is limited by our nature. In our fallen nature, we are spiritually dead and cannot pursue God. In our redeemed nature, we are alive in Christ and able to pursue him and the things of God.

I bring that up because in the middle of Romans 9 (these verses), Paul is speaking about salvation. Specifically, he is speaking about election. It’s about those to whom God has determined to give his grace.

In context, the apostle Paul is answering the question, why did God choose to give some Israelites his mercy and believe in Jesus and others he did not? Of course, the question applies to all people. He’ll make that clear in the next section.

And let me say this. This chapter is a beautiful chapter, but it is also a hard chapter.

It’s beautiful because it is about God and his mercy. And it’s hard because it is about God and his mercy – specifically that he chooses who will receive his mercy.

There are two things that I hope and pray that you will leave here with today.

·      First, a renewed sense of who God is - an understanding of who God is as your creator.

·      Second, I hope and pray that you will see the mercy of God in these verses. Yes, these verses speak of God hardening people’s hearts, but the emphasis is God’s mercy.

With that in mind, let’s begin by considering the historical examples.

Last week, we touched upon Abraham and Sarah. Remember from last week, God declared that his covenant promises would be fulfilled through Isaac’s descendants and not Ishmael’s. Isaac was Abraham and Sarah’s son born to Sarah in her old age. Ishmael was born to Sarah’s servant, Hagar. Remember, Abraham and Sarah didn’t think that Sarah could conceive a child, so they came up with their own plan. But that was not God’s plan.

Paul’s point in bringing up Isaac was to differentiate between the natural descendants and the descendants of the promise. God ordained a subset of Israel, a remnant, to be his true people – spiritual Israel.

Now, someone *could* argue that God did not choose Ishmael because of external reasons – after all, Ishmael’s mother, Hagar, was not Abraham’s wife. In fact, Ishmael was born due to Abraham and Sarah’s lack of faith. So, someone could argue that for those reasons, God instead chose Isaac.

However, that is not what Paul is saying. He wants us to be absolutely sure that we get it – God is the one who chooses. And so, he gives a second example in verses 10 through 13 - Jacob and Esau.

Jacob and Esau are both the sons of Isaac. We are just one generation down from Abraham. Isaac marries Rachel and they have two sons. Not only that, but they are twins. Esau was born first and Jacob second.

Some of you know this, but I have a twin sister. In fact, I was born first. And, of course, I would remind my sister about that. “I’m older than you.” Sometimes she would tell people that she was born first. And you know what… they would believe her and not me! That always bothered me – but I think I’m over it.

Back to Esau and Jacob. Before Rachel’s twins were born, God told her that the younger would serve the older. Before they were born, God determined to choose Jacob.

Paul brings that up because God’s choice of Jacob was not based on anything external. It was not based on anything that Jacob did or did not do. It was not based on anything that his parents did or did not do. It was not based on birth order. That is the point of verse 11. “though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls— she was told, ‘The older will serve the younger.’”

That would have been especially surprising in that culture.

God chose Jacob because that is who he chose. Some of you will remember what happened between Jacob and Esau. Esau was born first – he was a great hunter. Isaac, their father, favored Esau over Jacob. Isaac loved the wild game that Esau would hunt and kill. Rachel, on the other hand, favored Jacob.

And one day, Esau came home from hunting, and he was starving! Esau was so hungry that he was desperate. So, Jacob took advantage of that. He offered food to Esau if Esau, in exchange, would give Jacob his rights as firstborn. And Esau did it. He gave away the privileges and inheritance of being the firstborn son. And not only that but when they were older, Jacob tricked his father Isaac into giving him the blessing. He pretended to be Esau. And Isaac, who could hardly see at the time, gave Jacob the family blessing.

That whole account reinforces Paul’s point. God chose Jacob even despite his status as second born and despite his deception.

Which bring us to the difficult and weighty statement in verse 13. “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” It’s a quote from the prophet Malachi who is speaking about God’s love for Jacob and his descendants, and his judgment on Esau and his descendant, the Edomites. “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”

It’s hard to hear because it comes across as unjust. Doesn’t it? From our perspective, God arbitrarily chose Jacob and not Esau.

Is that fair? and that is why in verse 14, Paul poses that very question “Is there injustice on God’s part?”

And look at his answer. “By no means!” In the book of Romans, this is the eighth out of ten times that Paul answers his own question with that exact phrase. “By no means!” Emphatically no. God is not unjust to choose some for life and mercy.

And in the rest of our verses today, the apostle gives reasons.

Before we look at them, I want to share some personal things.

I’ve had a few transformational moments in my life. You know, times when God did something in me and either the trajectory of my thinking or my life path changed in some way.

We all have them. For many of you, the biggest transformational moment was when you professed faith in Christ as your Lord and Savior. For me, I grew up in a Christian home and I don’t remember exactly when that happened - which, by the way, is a great testimony to God’s faithfulness.

However, I’ve had other transformational moments. One was in high school when I really owned my faith. Another was during a summer in College - I was hiking the Inca trail in South America and God saved my life – literally. That’s a whole other story.

Another moment happened in my early 20s – I think I was 22. I was reading through the Bible. I had all these questions swirling in my mind about God and about our will as humans... you know, questions about God’s purposes and plans and about predestination… and questions about man’s free will and choice.

One evening, I was reading these very verses in Romans 9, and it all hit me like a ton of bricks. I remember feeling the profound weight of this chapter. It was a very emotional moment. There were two things that were impressed upon my heart and mind. First, God’s sovereignty in salvation. And second, his underserved mercy and grace in my life. It was overwhelming.

Every time I read these words, I go back in my mind to that time in my life. I can’t always recapture the feelings, but I’m reminded of God’s mercy.

God’s mercy is the overwhelming emphasis in verses 15-23. Yes, God’s judgment is present in these verses. We’ll get there in a minute. But first, look with me at how many times God speaks through Paul about his graciousness in these verses.

It’s where he begins in verse 15. God said to Moses “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Mercy, mercy, compassion, compassion. Verse 16 emphasizes God’s mercy, “it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy”

Verse 18, “mercy” is highlighted again, and in verse 23, he speaks of “vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.”

Five times God’s mercy is emphasized, twice more he uses the word compassion.

Something really important to understand is this: We do not begin in some neutral state in relationship to God. No. One of the foundational principals taught in Romans, and the entire Bible, is that we were dead in our sins and trespasses. Romans 3:23 “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

All were or are spiritually dead, but God in his mercy chose some to know him and to believe. That is why God’s mercy is God’s mercy. He shows compassion and mercy on those whom he brought from death to new life. It’s God’s mercy because there’s nothing that we bring to the table.

That is why God’s sovereign choice is not unjust. The just thing for God to do would be to leave us all in our state of sin and rebellion and his just judgment. No one deserves God’s mercy, but yet he is merciful.

What I am saying is that to understand these verses, requires us first to understand the nature of God’s mercy and compassion. God’s mercy is undeserved. Yet, God has given it to those whom he has chosen.

So, the primary answer to the question of whether God is unjust is no, rather, he is merciful.

Now, there’s more here. These verses also speak about God himself and why some receive mercy and others do not.

Those things are related and the answer centers on God. God is described here as the potter. He is our creator. The creator of all things. He is the only one who deserves glory. He is the only one who deserves his name and might to be proclaimed. Therefore, God will do whatever he wants to do, if it will bring more honor and glory to his name.

In other words, God’s very purpose is that he himself would receive more glory.

That may sounds very self-serving to our ears. And the reason is, it is self-serving. But think about it this way: God is infinite and eternal. He is perfectly and eternally just and holy and powerful. He is the only one worthy of ultimate glory.

In other words, because of his very nature, it is right for God to seek his own glory. And part of seeking his own glory includes choosing who will receive mercy and who he will harden.

Now, that may not make sense, initially, but Paul illustrates it for us. He reminds the church about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt… this goes back in the time of Moses.

I wont go through the whole history, but here’s the short story: Jacob’s 12 sons and their families ended up in Egypt. God used Jacob’s second youngest son, Joseph, to save them from a famine by bringing them to Egypt. Over 400 plus years, the grew great in number. But because of their great number, Pharoah became worried. And so he enslaved the Israelites. He put heavy burdens on them. He appointed unrelenting taskmasters.

That was when God raised up Moses. He was an Israelite, but ironically he was brought up by Pharoah’s daughter in Pharoah’s own palace. And when Moses was older, God called him to confront Pharoah. Moses commanded Pharoah to let God’s people go. But something happened. God hardened Pharoah’s heart. That is what Romans 9 verse 17 is talking about.

And why did God harden Pharoah’s heart? It was so that God could display his glory.

God did just that. He sent ten plagues. He turned the Nile River into blood and sent hail. And then darkness, and locusts, and sores and others things. Plague after plague that displayed God’s power. And after every plague, Moses called on Pharoah to let God’s people go. But every time either Pharoah hardened his own heart or God hardened Pharoah’s heart. Those descriptions went back and forth. It demonstrated that Pharoah was also responsible for rejecting God.

Pharoah continued to refuse to let the Israelites go. That is until the final plague. The Passover. The first born in every Egyptian family died but the Lord passed over the Israelite homes if they put the blood of a lamb over their doorpost.

And so, Pharoah relented and he let Moses and the people go. But again, God hardened Pharoah’s heart. He and the Egyptian army decided to pursued the Israelites. God’s purpose, again, was to display his glory through the pillar of fire and cloud, and the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of the Egyptian army.

Through it all, God displayed his power and glory.

Listen again to verse 17, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.’”

God in his sovereign will and for his purposes hardened Pharoah’s heart, so that his glory would be made known in all the earth. It’s a clear example of how God works out his sovereign purposes in election for his glory. God is the one in control of all things and all things work out for his glory.

Paul closes out his argument in verses 22 and 23 with this question: “What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory”

He begins there wth the phrase “what if God” but it’s not really a question. Rather, Paul is saying “have you considered this? …what if God’s purpose in election is not only to display his power, but what if God also desires those who receive mercy to know the amazing riches of his grace through the contrast of his judgment on others?” What if this is so? Well, it is so. It is just a sensitive way of responding to the honest questions in the earlier verses.

He is saying that our understanding of God’s mercy is enriched when we recognize the just wrath that we deserved in contrast to the riches of grace that we receive.

When we recognize the utter depth of his mercy, God is more glorified. He is more glorified in election because, first, his power is displayed… and, second, his mercy is made clearer to those who have received it.

Here’s the summary.

First, God is God. He is the one in whom and for whom all things exist. He is the potter. We are the clay. He is the one whose purposes come to pass. He is the one who turns hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. He is the one who calls us out of darkness. He is sovereign over all things including and especially salvation, and it is all for his glory.

Second, no one deserves God’s mercy. All of us fall short of the glory of God. We are all at fault and all deserve his wrath. But God…. But God in his mercy has ordained some to everlasting life. And in doing so, his mercy and power and glory are displayed. And those who have received his mercy, give him more glory. We recognize that there is nothing in us that saves us. It’s only God’s mercy.

And that mercy comes through Jesus Christ alone. You know, one thing about these verses is how they highlight both the mercy and wrath of God. And, God’s mercy and wrath are fully displayed and achieved in the cross of Christ. The way that God gives his mercy to those whom he has called, is by pouring out his wrath on Jesus instead of them. To use the words of Romans 9, Jesus became the vessel of wrath in your place, so that you may become a vessel of mercy. That is how we receive his undeserved mercy.

And part of that mercy is a future glory with him. Did you notice that at the end of verse 23? It says – “vessels of mercy, which God prepared beforehand for glory.” The mercy of God comes not only through Jesus enduring God’s wrath, but it also comes through his resurrection. The eternal glory that we will share with him forever, was achieved when he rose from the grave. Mercy upon mercy. Compassion upon compassion. It was and is all God’s mercy and grace.

In closing, if you are asking yourself, am I among God’s elect? Am I a vessel of mercy? There’s one simple test. Has God opened your heart to see your sin, to see God’s undeserved grace in Christ, and have you received his mercy in Christ? If your, that is your great assurance.

If you have not seen that yet…. is God working in you now? Are you feeling the weight of your sin and your need for his mercy? If so, there’s one simple step – turn to the one who offers his grace and who will give you God’s mercy. Turn to Jesus. And when you do, you will know that you are his.

May God make known to all of us the riches of his grace, as people who have received his undeserved mercy. Amen

That was four years ago. And in between our regular sermon series, we’ve been going back to different chapters in the book of Romans.

So, for the next 7 weeks, we’ll be working through Romans chapters 9-11.

This morning, our sermon text is Romans 9:1-8 – actually, I’ll read verse 9 as well.

You can find that on page 1123 in the pew Bible.

Reading of Romans 9:1-9

Prayer

Almost every news broadcast today touches upon the war in Israel and Gaza. And it weighs on our hearts. Every day it seems that more people die. Just when it appears there may be some semblance of peace, there’s another setback. Iran sends a barrage of missiles at Israel. Hezbollah attacks towns on Israel’s northern border. An errant bomb kills aid workers in Gaza. Hamas uses Palestinians as human shields.

Until the October 7 invasion of Israel, there had been relative peace going back to the mid-1990s. Occasional skirmishes lasted only a few days. Today, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight

And we are saddened at the loss of life. We grieve the Israelis murdered in their hometowns. We grieve the Palestinians in Gaza caught in the crossfire. And we are angry at the hate filled and bloodthirsty regimes and groups. Thinking back on our Proverbs study, the description of wickedness defines some of them like Hezbollah and Hamas. The Lebanese and Palestinians and Israelis are often their victims. And they have a goal to wipe Israel off the map.

Let me add another layer of complexity. This spring, protests arose on several college campuses across the United States. Many of the protestors were supporting Hamas and were against Israel. It’s been reported that antisemitism has been on the rise in the US. That is deeply concerning. Besides the fact that any and all racism is sin, we’ve seen the tragic effects of antisemitism in the past – persecution and genocide.

With all of that in mind, how are we, as Christians, to respond? And related to that, how should we understand Israel and the Jewish people in relationship to God’s redemptive plan in history?

Let me acknowledge, some of you are really nervous right now. You’re either nervous wondering if I’m wading into politics… or you are nervous about how I will talk about Israel.

Let me slightly relieve some of those concerns.

·      First, Romans 9-11 speaks about Israel. In fact, the apostle Paul directs us how to think about Israel and how to understand Israel within God’s plan of redemption. If there is any text in all of the New Testament which helps us with these questions, these three chapters do.

·      Second, when we get to chapter 11, some of what Paul writes does have implications for end-times theology. However, these chapters are not about the end times, so we won’t be getting too much into that sticky subject.

·      And the last thing to relieve some of your concerns… like any passage in the Bible, we’ll begin with the text and its context and draw conclusions from that perspective. I’ll be very careful not to impose current politics or geopolitical events into the text. Rather, we’ll seek to do the opposite – understand what the Scriptures mean to the original audience, and then second, how they apply today.

In fact, let’s start there. Let me remind you of Paul’s occasion for writing. He wrote this letter to the church in Rome. Unlike the other churches that Paul wrote to, Paul did not plant the church in Rome. He had actually never been to Rome, at least after his conversion. Yet, Paul knew many of the Christians in Rome. In chapter 16, he greets many of them. That list includes Priscilla and Aquilla whom he met in Corinth. It includes other Jews who professed faith in Christ, including some of his relatives. The list includes many Greek and Roman names, some names typically given to nobility. You see, the church in Rome represented a cross-section of the culture – Jews and Greeks and Romans. But they all shared one thing in common – they believed in Jesus as their Savior and as the promised Christ.

And it’s important for me to point out one more thing. The New Testament was not yet available. But they did have a couple of things. They had the Old Testament translated into the common language of the time, Greek. They had people who were discipled by the apostles – Priscilla and Aquilla are examples of that. They likely had others who knew the promises of Christ or, perhaps, who had even met Jesus.

And you ask, what were they being taught? Well, they were being taught about God, his law, and his promises. The church in Rome was learning about Jesus – who he was as God and as the promised Messiah. They were learning how he fulfilled the prophecies, and what Jesus had done to accomplish salvation.

So, even though the majority of the church in Rome were not Jewish, yet they were learning about God’s work in history, through Israel, to bring salvation to the world. That is why the first 8 chapters give a thorough explanation of sin, of God’s law, of Christ’s righteousness, of God’s promise to Abraham, and how all of those things relate to believing Jews and Gentiles. That is a big emphasis in the opening chapters.

Romans 1 verse 16 is a key verse in the whole book. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” In fact, multiple times in the opening chapters he speaks of the Jew and the Gentile or Greek. What he is saying is that salvation is offered to all people - Jews and Gentiles. The word Gentiles is a catch phrase for anyone who was not Jewish. So, Salvation in Christ is offered to all people.

But why is Paul making the point about the Jew and the Gentile? Well, it’s because he wants the church in Rome to be unified in the Gospel. He wants them to understand how the people of Israel relate to this salvation and how the Gentiles relate to salvation. Hint – the same way.

But there are some huge questions to be addressed.

What about the natural descendants of Israel who do not believe? Does that mean God’s promises failed? I mean, God gave all these promises to Israel, but they still did not believe! In fact, an overwhelming majority of Jewish people in Paul’s day did not believe in Jesus as the promised Messiah… AND an overwhelming majority of Jewish people today do not believe in him.

What are we to make of that? And how should we relate to and consider those of Jewish descent?

Well, Romans 9-11 gives us clear answers and directs us how to relate.

And Paul doesn’t waste any time. No, he gets right to the point. He begins by modelling for us, how you and I should relate to Israel.

We’re going to look at these opening verses in two sections. First, verses 1-5 – Having a heart for unbelieving Israel. And second, verses 6-8 – Realizing that true Israel represents children of the promise not the flesh. That’s where we are headed.

A heart for unbelieving Israel

One thing that is important to know, the apostle Paul was Jewish. As he puts it in his letter to the Philippian church, he was “of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee… as to righteousness under the law, blameless.” In other words, if anyone could claim a status as a true Israelite, Paul could. But when he came to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, he realized that his Jewish credentials could not save him. They never could. No, rather, he learned that salvation comes through faith in Christ, alone, for both the Jew and the Gentile.

And he desperately wanted his fellow Jews to believe.

We see that in the opening five verses of chapter 9. Paul is pouring out his heart. He yearns for his fellow Israelites, who do not believe. He longs that they come to believe in the promised Savior. And look at the statement he makes in verses 3, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh.” He was saying that if there was a way to offer his life and be cut off from Christ in exchange for his fellow Jews to believe in Christ, he would do it. He had unceasing anguish for them, it says.

Now, to be sure, Paul knows that he could never actually be cut off. After all, he just said in chapter 8 that nothing shall separate those who are in Christ Jesus, “neither death nor life, nor angels, nor demons, nor anything else in all creation shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord.” Again, Paul knows it’s not possible, but yet he wishes that it would be so. That is how passionately he desires Israel to be saved.

As a side note – isn’t this a picture of the Gospel? Paul was willing to give his life in place of his fellow unbelieving Israelites. He was willing to receive the judgment of God so that they would not receive it. Paul could not literally do that, but that is how much he desired they be saved. One commentator said this of Paul’s heart: It’s “a spark from the fire of Christ’s substitutionary love.” Paul was willing to give his life like just like Jesus gave his.

Beloved, we should have the same heart as Paul for our unbelieving Jewish neighbors and friends. To be sure, most of us, maybe all of us, are not Jewish like the apostle Paul. However, that shouldn’t matter. Our hearts should long for unbelieving Jews to be saved… really, our hearts should long for any unbeliever to come to know the grace and mercy of Christ. I don’t want to limit the application here to just Israel.

We should desire any unbelieving people to come to faith. Going back to the Middle East, we should desire that more Palestinians come to faith… that more Syrians and Iranians would come to faith in Christ. And by the way, the church is growing among those people groups in amazing ways. I read an article the other day how the church in Iran is exploding in growth.

And here’s a challenging one – we should desire to see the Gospel penetrate the hearts of Hamas and Hezbollah – especially those involved in the ongoing wickedness and evil.

May the Lord bring peace in the Middle East, not through war, but through Christ. Amen to that?

And of course, there’s another application here: we should have hearts that yearn for our unbelieving family and friends. May the Lord use us to share the love of God in Christ and may the power of the Gospel turn their hearts to him.

Let me ask: Do you struggle to have a heart like Paul? One thing you can do is remind yourself of God’s grace in your life. You know, remind yourself of how he brought you from death and judgment to life and peace... Next week, we’ll be talking through God’s sovereignty in salvation. The middle of Romans 9 gives us hard truths but when we realize God’s undeserved love for us in Christ, there’s nothing else we can do but fall on our knees in worship and share that love with others.

Let’s go back to Israel. Paul is emphasizing Israel in these verses. And look how he puts it in verse 4: “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever.”

You see, through Abraham and his descendants (in other words, through Israel), God revealed himself. He gave them his Covenant promises. God gave them his law and he gave them worship – which here is referring to the sacrificial system. He revealed himself through the tabernacle and the temple – “his glory,” as verse 4 puts it. Each step of the way, God revealed to them more and more who he is and his promised redemption.

So much of the New Testament refers back to all these things … the law, the covenant promises, the prophecies, the patterns, the sacrifices. I heard a sermon the other day and the pastor said that the New Testament is like a sponge – it has its own structure and substance, but when you squeeze it, the Old Testament comes out.

It’s so true. The New Testament reveals how Christ fulfilled each of these aspects of God’s revelation to Israel. The covenant promises are fulfilled in him. The Exodus and the Passover and the Temple and the sacrifices find their true meaning in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The law itself reveals the need for Christ and his righteousness. The prophets, like Isaiah and Ezekiel, prophesied about the coming Messiah – and the New Testament testifies that those prophecies are fulfilled in Jesus’ nature, his life, his death, and his resurrection. King David and others were shadows of the King to come – the eternal king.

Earlier in the service, Ed read the road to Emmaus account. Wouldn’t it have been amazing to be there… to hear Jesus himself testify to how he fulfilled all these things. Maybe those guys were in Rome? Probably not, but they went somewhere testifying to all this.

And notice what he included in the list in verse 5… that Christ himself, who is God over all, he says, came in the flesh as a Jew. God sent the savior of the word through the people of Israel.

You see, all of it is there for the people of Israel to see and know and believe. Paul longed for his fellow Israelites to believe. It was all before them. They didn’t have to learn about all those things, they already knew them. Rather, they needed to see and believe in Jesus as the one who fulfilled it all.

So, similar to Paul, we need to long that all unbelieving Jewish people would believe. That includes, of course, many who are residents of Israel today – both secular Jews and orthodox Jews. We do that by praying. We do that by making known to our Jewish friends and neighbors and co-workers how all these things that Paul lists out are fulfilled in Christ. Friends, this is the opposite of antisemitism. We are here today as gentile believers (or a majority of us) because of how God revealed himself through Israel to bless the world. May our hearts long, as Paul longed, to see them believe.

2. Realizing that true Israel are children of the promise.

Which brings us to an important question. If most of Israel did not and does not believe, does that mean that God’s promises didn’t come true? Does it mean that God’s Word failed? It’s a very legitimate question. After all, God revealed himself in all those ways, yet, so many did not believe.

And this is where we will turn to verses 6-8. Because Paul gives us an answer. He says, “it is not as though the Word of God has failed.” And then he gives the reason. He says, “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.”

Wait, what!? “Not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel”

If you are into logic or philosophy, that statement will come across as contradictory. You may be thinking, “the law of non-contradiction says that something can not be both true and not true at the same time.” So, we have an apparent contradiction. But let me point out… the law of non-contradiction includes not just at the same time but also in the same sense.

And that is why this is not contradictory. He is referring to Israel in two different senses. #1 physical Israel and #2 spiritual Israel – or Israel according to the promise. In fact, in verses 6, 7, and 8, he describes the distinction in three different ways.

·      We already considered verse 6. Not all the physical descendants of Israel are Israel.

·      In verse 7, he puts it this way – “not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring.” That’s interesting. We’ll come back to the Isaac reference in a minute. Essentially, just because you are Jewish, he’s saying, does not mean that you are part of the promise.

·      And in verse 8 he explains, “it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.”

Again, what he’s saying is that there are two categories. Physical Israel are the Jewish people physically descended – in other words, they have Jewish DNA. And second, spiritual Israel are the spiritual descendants of Abraham – children of the promise. By the way, what we will learn later in chapter 9 is that the spiritual descendants also include us - gentile believers. In other words, the people of God throughout history include the people in the Old Testament who believed in the promise as well as believers in Christ in the New. Stay tuned in a couple of weeks for that.

But let’s go back to Isaac. The second half of verse 7 quotes from Genesis 21 that Abraham’s son Isaac was his true offspring.

Here’s what happened. Abraham was married to Sarah. God had promised that Abrham’s descendants would be like the sand on the seashore. But there was a problem! Abraham and Sarah they didn’t have any children. So, what did they do? They took matters into their own hands. Abraham had a son with his maidservant, Hagar – that son was Ishmael. Ishmael was definitely a descendant of Abraham, however he was not the promised descendant.

No, God had other plans.

He promised them that Sarah herself would have a child. But here’s the thing. She was 90 years old at the time. That is hard to imagine. She was way passed child-bearing age. Sarah herself laughed when she heard the promise. But God said, “is anything too hard for the Lord?” The answer is…? And he did it. The Lord fulfilled his promise. Sarah gave birth to Isaac when she was 90 and Abraham was 100. I’m tired just even thinking of that. Sleepless nights, a crying baby, dirty diapers at 90 and 100.

But the Lord did it. God then revealed that his covenant promise would be fulfilled through Isaac, not Ishmael.

Do you see what Paul is saying? The distinction between the natural descendants and the descendants of the promise is not new. The word of God had not failed!

Even despite many natural descendants not believing in Christ, God’s promises were coming true. After all, Paul himself and other Israelites did believe in the promise fulfilled in Jesus. And more would and will come to believe.

Conclusion

Now, there are many more questions to ask and answer. Why did they not believe? How is it that the Gentiles are part of the promise? Is there hope for unbelieving Israel in the future? If so, in what ways? Those are some of the questions that Paul will address.

But he begins where he needed to begin and where we need to begin. A heart for the lost, including and especially the people group through whom God promised and brought salvation.  As 2 Corinthians 1 says, “All the promises of God find their yes and Amen in Jesus.”

May the Lord turn more and more physical descendants of Abraham into children of the promise. May they see and believe and know Christ, “who is,” as Romans says, “God over all.”

And may the Lord give us hearts for all people… and eyes to see how all the promises of old are fulfilled in Christ.

The Battle within: The Redeemed Sinner

Rev. Erik Veerman

7/23/2023

This morning, we’re wrapping up our summer study of Romans 6-7.

One thing we’ve learned is that our justification is the foundation to our sanctification. Our justification

is how God has redeemed us and restored us to a right relationship with him. Our sanctification is the

ongoing work of God in us as we are conformed to his image.

For example, Chapter 6 revealed that God has applied Jesus’ death and resurrection to us by uniting us

to him. Our justification comes through that beautiful union through which we receive the benefits of

what Christ has accomplished.

But the main point of Chapter 6 is that because we’ve been united to Christ, we should turn from the

ongoing sin in our life and pursue the things of God. That’s our sanctification. It happens through the

work of God’s Spirit now in us, as we seek to live out the grace of God. Our justification in Christ is the

foundation to and motivation for our sanctification.

That brought us to chapter 7. It has focused on our relationship to God’s law. His law is the ultimate

standard of right and wrong. Because of our sin, God’s law revealed condemnation and death. To put

that in terms of our justification, God’s law does not and cannot justify us. No, instead we need faith in

Christ – He fulfilled the law’s requirement of perfect obedience for us and he paid the law’s penalty for

us.

The important thing we learned is that the law was not the problem before coming to Christ. No, rather,

our sin was the problem. In fact, the law is good and holy and right. It reveals our sin, points us to God,

and directs us to holiness and righteousness.

And that brings us to these final verses in chapter 7. We’ve already learned that the law is not the basis

of our justification. These verses reveal that the law is also not the basis of our sanctification.

So now, let’s come to these last verses of Chapter 7. You can find that on page 1121 if you are using the

provided Bibles. Chapter 7 verses 13-25

Stand

Reading of Romans 7:13-25.

Prayer

About 10 years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Belgium. A group of us were visiting some missionaries

to experience their work. While there, we took a day to explore a couple of WWII battle sites. Of

particular note, we stopped by some of the Battle of the Bulge sites. In fact, we came across some of the

old foxholes that had been dug near the city of Bastogne. There was no sign, just a nearby monument

dedicated to the E Company from northeast Georgia. The men fighting in that location had been trained

near Toccoa, Georgia. It was moving to be there. The soldiers had hunkered down in the freezing cold

starting. It was December, 1944. They stood their ground, fighting for each other and against evil. Many

lives and limbs were lost.

The Battle of the Bulge was Germany’s last-ditch effort in the war. You see, by then, the allied forces had

already recaptured France. The successful invasion on the beaches of Normandy delivered a devastating

blow. The war was over… but it wasn’t. It was over in the sense that there was no path to victory for the

evil Nazi regime, but it wasn’t over because the Germans had not yet surrendered.

The war had been won but the battles continued. And those battles were real. Jeff and Dianne Chinery

had a neighbor who fought in the Battle of the Bulge. He passed away recently, but he told them how

hard and cold it was.

Beloved in Christ, victory over sin has been achieved, but the battles against sin are still waging. Sin’s

power has been broken. But until we reach eternity with Christ, we will still battle. Not to win the war.

No, it’s already been won by Christ for us. We still battle, but we do so as victors in him. Sometimes we

call this the already and not yet. The war has been won in Christ already, but we have not yet reached

the full benefits of his victory.

That’s what I believe the apostle Paul is describing in these verses: the ongoing battle of sin in the

Christian but with the sure hope in Christ’s victory.

Now, I have to tell you, there have been different interpretations of these verses. Some believe, myself

included, that Paul is writing from the perspective of a believer, redeemed in Christ. Others believe that

he’s writing from the perspective as an unbeliever, not yet redeemed, such as his old self. In fact, many

of the early church fathers in the second and third century thought Paul was personifying someone else

– someone unredeemed. Augustine, who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries started with that

perspective, but then changed his mind. He originally thought the apostle was writing as an unbeliever.

But later in life, Augustine decided it’s better to understand these verses as someone redeemed by

Christ but still struggling with sin. If you know a little of Augustine’s life perhaps his own struggle

influenced his understanding.

Today, you’ll find commentators on both sides and some in the middle.

Again, I believe Paul is writing as himself as a believer by faith in Christ. Let me give you the two reasons

which tipped the scales for me:

• First, there is a very clear change in verb tense. The verses we looked at last week, 7-12 were

referring to the past. For example, in verse 7 Paul wrote, “if it had not been for the law, I would not have

known sin.” In the next verse, he said, sin “produced in me” (past tense) and later, “sin “deceived me.”

Then Verse 9, “I once was alive apart from the law.” Do you hear that? And if you read those verses

again, you’ll get the clear sense that Paul was writing about his pre-conversion as the Lord began to

open the eyes of his heart. That is very different from our verses this morning - 13-25. He’s now

exclusively using present tense verbs. Over and over “I do” and “I do not” and “I agree” and “I know”

and sin “dwells with me.” Present tense. Let me add to that. In these verses, Paul continues to talk

about himself. Some believe he’s switched to now talking as an unbeliever. I just don’t buy that

argument. In verse 25 he writes, “I myself” He’s emphasizing himself. Plus, these verses are a

continuation from the previous verses. He connects them to the commandment he’s been referring to

as well as the rest of God’s law. So, I believe the apostle is talking about himself in the present tense, as

a believer in Christ.

• Second, the person who’s speaking is very affirming of God’s law with a heart desire to fulfill it.

As we go through these verses, notice that he refers to the law as good. He wants to do what the law

says, which is good. In these verses, he uses the word “good” over and over in reference to the law. And

he has an internal desire to do that which is good. There’s very much a heart motivation to do good, not

an external, pharisaical, “going through the motions” response to God’s law. A Christian’s view of God’s

law should be that internal heart desire to know it and obey it. God’s law is good. It’s not our salvation,

but it helps us to see our sin and to know how God desires us to live.

I hope that helps. I think by the end of this sermon, you’ll have an even deeper sense that this is

redeemed Paul speaking… that he’s writing as himself at this moment in his life.

With that perspective in mind, let me first summarize these verses.

Paul is acknowledging the internal struggle of sin that he and all believers deal with. We desire to do

what is right according to God’s good law, but we often fail because of the weakness of our flesh. This is

the ongoing and often intense battle against sin. But thanks be to God because the war has already been

won.

As we start to look at some of the specifics, notice that Paul begins with a reminder of God’s law.

In fact, verse 13 is a good summary from last week. He writes, “Did that which is good,” meaning the

law, “bring death to me?” Did the law bring death? “By no means!” The law merely revealed our sin for

what it is – (1) totally contrary to God’s will; (2) deserving of death and condemnation.

“The law is spiritual,” Paul writes. God’s law is good and righteous as he stated one verse ago. But in

contrast, look at the end of 14, “but I am of the flesh, sold under sin.” I know what some of you are

thinking. “See, I told you so. This isn’t the apostle Paul talking as a Christian. No, a Christian has been

bought by Christ. He’s now free. Got you. Checkmate. Good game.”

Ahh! But I got you. Because you see, his train of thought does not end there! No, it continues. Look at

the middle of 15 “For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” You see, in our minds, we

want to do that which is good. We have the earnest desire to do what is good. But what do we do

instead? We end up doing what we hate – sin! You see, it’s the Christian who hates his or her sin. “Sold

under sin” is referring to the sinful hearts that we were born with. Like David’s plea for mercy in Psalm

51. As we read earlier, he said, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother

conceive me.” Even though we’ve been redeemed, the presence of sin is still there.

Every single one of us here has patterns of specific sin in our lives. What’s yours? Anger? Lust? Coveting?

Do you have an addiction? Or are you prone to laziness or selfishness. There are a whole host of things.

The Christian hates his or her sin. A maturing Christian hates his sin more and more.

Do you not cry out to God. “Lord, I know what is good, but I need your help because I continue to

struggle with this specific sin.” This is what these verses are saying.

This helps us understand Verse 16, which can be confusing. It says, “Now if I do what I do not want, I

agree with the law, that it is good.” Paul is saying that the law gives him the categories of right and

wrong. He recognizes his sin, which is good. It’s like he’s saying, “Lord, I’m agreeing with the law. When I

sin, I know that it is wrong. That is a good thing!”

Does not your heart grieve when that sin you are so familiar with raises its ugly head again?

The important question is: how should we understand the ongoing sin in our lives? What is going on

inside that causes us to sin? Verse 17 answers that question. “It is no longer I who do it.” But you say,

“What?! How can the apostle say that? Of course, it’s him, right. He’s the one who sinned.” Let me

explain it this way, Paul is saying is that his identity is now in Christ. That’s who he is. It’s what defines

him. He’s a new creation in Christ. Sin is no longer his core identity. Rather when he sins, it’s the vestiges

of sin in him from the fall. “It’s no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

To say it again, the battles we wage against sin are not battles to win the war – it has already been won

for us. But that does not make the battles easy.

As you look at these verses, multiple times, Paul comments on the difficulty of the battle against sin.

He says in verse 18 “nothing good dwells in me.” But he’s very careful to qualify it. He adds, “that is, in

my flesh.” He goes on to say that the battle is so difficult. I am not doing what I want but I do the very

thing that I consider evil.

Do you feel that tension in your own life? I know many of you do. Because I’ve talked and prayed with

some of you about it.

For the believer, feeling overwhelmed by sin is common. I think the reason Paul repeats this tension is

because we all experience it. Because look, it’s repeated again in verses 22-23! “I delight in the law of

God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind…”

What is that war being waged? It’s right there at the end of 23. It’s the war seeking to make you “captive

to the law of sin.” On the one hand, there’s the law of God. On the other hand, there’s the law of sin, as

he puts it. Or we could say, “the law of how sin operates.”

Here’s what sin wants to do in your life: Sin wants to bring you back to your old ways. It wants you to sin

more and feel condemned more. Here’s how sin operates: it wants you to think that the battles you are

fighting are still battles to win the war. Sin wants you to think that you are losing the war or that the

answer is to run to God’s law.

A few years ago, I was counselling a man who struggled with pornography. A common struggle of many.

It was an on and off thing in his life. He would have times of victory. But then he would stumble and fall.

And he said to me one day in deep pain. “I don’t even know whether I am a Christian. I keep failing. I

keep losing the battle against lust.”

We went to Romans 7. “I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.” And “I

see in my members another law waging war in me.” I said to him, “the very fact that you are fighting the

battle and feel that ongoing conviction testifies to your faith.”

In his mind, he had been comparing the sinful part of his flesh to God’s law without reminding himself of

the Gospel. That caused him to feel condemned by his sin.

The law is not the means or avenue through which we are sanctified. Let me put that in another way:

The law’s function in our justification is very similar to the law’s function in our sanctification. It does not

justify us, and it does not sanctify us. Rather, it reveals our sin and either points us to Christ for the first

time or it points us back to him.

I really like how pastor John Stott put it: He said, “Having vindicated the law in verses 7-13 as not

responsible for sin or death, Paul now proceeds to show that nevertheless the law cannot be

responsible for our holiness either.” He continues, “The law is good, but it is also weak. In itself, it is

holy, but it is impotent to make us holy.”

As a Christian, what do you do when that persistent sin circles back around? …when you fall to its

temptation again? Where should you turn for help? Your temptation will be to go to the law. See how

bad I am! You’ll feel the weight of that sin.

What should do you do, instead? Two things!

First, go to Christ!

Paul proclaims, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” He’s not hiding

from the severity of his sin nor that the sin in his flesh is an affront to God. No, Paul is very upfront

about his sin, as should we. In his first letter to Timothy he writes, “The saying is trustworthy and

deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the

foremost.” Paul clearly recognizes the severity of his sin over and over. All that does for him is make him

all the more thankful for Christ. You see, Paul knows where to turn. “Thanks be to God through Jesus

Christ our Lord!”

Repeat these words in your heart. Not out loud but inside. “I am redeemed.” “The war has been won.” “I

can fight the battle of my sin in his strength.” “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ [my] Lord!”

Beloved in Christ, you have a Savior who loves you and who has died for you. You are united to him.

You’ve been justified in him. Let your justification in him be the foundation to your sanctification. Go

back to it as often as you need it.

Love God’s law. Love it not because it saves or sanctifies, but because it points you to God and directs

you to the one who does save and sanctify.

So that’s the first thing you should do when your sin weighs you down. Return to Christ, be reminded

that you’re victorious in him. Fight the battle against sin in his strength, not yours.

Second, draw upon the strength of God’s Spirit in you. There’s only one Holy Spirit reference in this

whole chapter - way back up in verse 6. To be sure, the apostle Paul is not downplaying the Spirit’s role

in the life of the believer. Remember, this chapter focuses on God’s law. What it is and what it isn’t.

What the law does and what it does not do. But when you turn the page to chapter 8, it is full of

references to the Holy Spirit - 20 references in chapter 8 to the Holy Spirit. Many of them about how

God applies his law in us.

“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of

life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” Over and over. We are in the Spirit.

He dwells in us. We can set our minds on the Spirit. Through the Spirit we can put to death the deeds of

the body. Etc and Etc.

For those of you who were here three years ago. That was our very first sermon series. Romans chapter

8. We needed a Romans chapter 8 encouragement in the midst of Covid.

We can draw upon the strength of God’s Spirit who applies God’s Word in us. How do we do that? We

go to God in prayer. We ask him for strength. We dig deep in his Word. We seek to worship God

together and in our lives. And through all of it, his Spirit will be at work in us.

So, when the battle gets intense, go back to the salvation you have in Christ and draw upon the work of

God’s Spirit.

The Battle of the Bulge lasted about 40 days. 40 painful days. It ended on January 25, 1945. In the three

months that followed, the allied forces launched several counter attacks. As they advanced, they

liberated several concentration camps. They pressed on knowing the end was near. And finally, on May

7, 1945, Germany unconditionally surrendered. The war had already been won but now it was officially

over.

There will come a day when believers by faith in Christ will be fully released from sin. That day will come

when either (1) we pass from this life into glory or (2) when Christ returns in glory. Until that day, fight

the ongoing battles of sin through Christ, in his Spirit, knowing that he has already won the war.

The Law Revealed what Sin Concealed

Rev. Erik Veerman

7/16/2023

Our sermon text this morning is Romans 7:7-12. You can find that on page 1121 in the Pew Bible. One of the things that we’ve seen in Romans 6 and 7 is a series of questions with answers. This is one of the apostle Paul’s literary techniques. He asks a question about an important matter of faith and practice, and then he explains the answer. Verse 7 has a new question followed by an explanation.

And just like last week, he’s continuing to focus on God’s law. His goal is to explain the relationship between the Christian and God’s law. Needless to say, that’s important for all of us. If we misunderstand the purpose of God’s law, we can either think it saves us (so we work hard to obey) or we can think the law has no more value to us (so we disregard it). But neither is the right answer.

Last week, we learned that the Christian is no longer bound by the law… specifically, Jesus met the requirements of the law for us, perfectly obeying, and he bore the penalty of the law for us. Instead of being bound to the law, we belong to Christ. We’re no longer captive to the law, but are now filled with God’s Spirit.

That’s where we ended last week.

STAND

Reading of Romans 7:7-12.

Prayer

The largest pendulum in the world is located in Paris. It’s called the Foucault pendulum and is about 220 feet tall. It’s named after the French physicist Leon Foucault, who installed it in 1851. All day long, it swings back and forth. As the earth rotates, it changes direction.

We are kind of like pendulums. Aren’t we? When it comes to different beliefs, no matter the category, we sometimes swing from one extreme to another. When we learn something new, sometimes we realize that there are problems with our old perspectives of something. But instead of coming to a balanced view, we swing all the way to the other side. This especially happens in groups. There’s a social theory called Group Polarization. Group discussions tend to result in extreme positions. It’s caused by social dynamics and pressures to conform. It can lead to large swings of collective opinion within social groups.

The apostle Paul is worried about pendulum swings. Or maybe we call them overcorrections. In chapter 5, he wrote “where sin increased, grace abounded.” Paul believed that but was worried that his readers would take it to the extreme. “Well, then, let’s sin more!” So, in chapter 6, he dealt directly with that concern. “Should we continue to sin that grace may about? By no means!” Don’t go there! Don’t swing too far!

In chapter 7, Paul is worried about another pendulum swing. This time, he’s worried that they will completely disregard God’s law.

You see, up to this point, Paul’s discussion about the law has been largely negative. The law leads to condemnation which leads to death. Back in chapter 2, he wrote, “All who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.” Or think of earlier in chapter 6… “we are not under law but under grace.” Or last week’s verses, we are no longer bound by the law.

Now, if the apostle Paul had ended his discussion of the law in chapter 7 verse 6, how do you think they would respond? I think some of them would swing like a pendulum to the opposite extreme. Some of them, especially the Jewish Christians in Rome, but also some Gentile Christians had been steeped in the law. We get the sense that some of his readers overemphasized the law. Paul’s been trying to correct that. But he doesn’t want them to overcorrect. “Paul, I get it now! This whole time, I’ve been elevating the law. But now, as you say, I am free of the law. It was the problem! I see clearly now, thank you, Paul. The law is no longer important. We can throw it all away.” Do you see how they could have come to that conclusion? Paul had to be really clear of what he was saying and what he was not saying.

Why? Because, when it comes to God’s law, our tendency is one of two extremes. Either legalism, which is strict adherence to the law thinking we still need to earn God’s favor. OR antinomianism. That’s a big word. It means anti-law… disregarding God’s law believing it has no purpose.

But neither is the answer. That’s part of the message of chapter 7. The first 6 verses were addressing the tendency toward legalism. And verses 7-12 are addressing the opposite extreme, antinomianism. The apostle Paul deals with the second extreme, disregarding God’s law. These verses explain the relationship of God’s law to our sin.

I say that because that is the main question. Is the law sin? By no means! Again, there’s that really clear response. Heaven forbid we think that.

I think you can understand the possible confusion. Part of the message has been that the law brings condemnation and death. Someone could think, therefore, that the law must be the problem. After all, the law seems to be the first thing in the progression to condemnation and death. But the law is not the problem. No. Rather sin is the problem. It’s our sin, our rebellion against God, that deserves the condemnation. The law’s nature is, in fact, the opposite of sin. As it says down in verse 12, the “law is holy.” And he adds, the commandment is “holy and righteous and good.” He’s referring to a specific commandment, and we’re going to get back there.

And because it is God’s law, any and all sin is condemned by it. The law does the condemning. Sin is what deserves to be condemned.

Think of a courtroom setting. Suppose a man is on trial for murderer. The law states that someone found guilty of murder will be punished in some severe way. And let’s say that this guy on trial is found guilty. The evidence was overwhelming. The jury therefore convicts him. And the judge in the trial sentences him to life in prison. Is the law is the reason the guy is serving a life sentence? No, the law is just the standard. The reason for his life sentence is his action.

You see, the law of God is not sin. It is not evil or unjust. Rather, the law displays the very nature of our holy God. The law is good and right. Through the law we can know of God’s righteousness. We are made aware of God’s very nature as pure and true. God’s law reveals his character as perfectly just and entirely good.

Instead of dismissing the law as the problem, we should uphold the law. We should see it as God’s perfect standard for righteousness - the standard which points us to God, himself.

For the Christian, the law doesn’t go away! It’s still there for our blessing and edification and guidance, we’re just no longer condemned by it.

So, we can rejoice with the Psalmist in Psalm 19, as we did this morning, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; …the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.”

The law is beautiful - it reveals the splendor of God’s holiness. We can delight in the law because it shows us God and his goodness.

As we talked about last week, in response to being freed from the law’s condemnation, we can seek to honor God through it, not as a means to salvation but in response to his salvation. So, we seek to know the law, and meditate on it, and uphold it, and delight in it.

The law is not sin. It’s not the problem.

But that brings us to an important question. Since God’s law is not sin, since the very nature of God’s law is in contrast to sin, well then, how do God’s law and our sin relate? interact?

Really, the heart of these verses answer that. You can think of the beginning of verse 7 and verse 12 as brackets. The law is not sin. In fact, the law is holy, and righteous and good. And the middle section helps us to know the interplay between the law and sin.

And there are three things. Three ways that the law relates to sin.

•            First, the law reveals sin. That’s verse 7

•            Second, the law stirs up more sin – that’s verses 8 and 11

•            And third, God uses his law to bring conviction of our sin and lead us to Christ. That’s verse 9 and 10.

The law reveals sin, stirs up sin, and is used to bring conviction of sin.

Reveals Sin

If the nature of God’s law is holy, and righteous, and good (as verse 12 says), then one of the things it will do is reveal that which is unholy and unrighteous and not good. The law is the perfect standard and therefore it will illuminate everything that does not conform to its standard. It reveals our sin. Again, it is not sin, but rather reveals our sin. If you blame the law as the problem, it’s kind of like you are shooting the messenger. The law is the messenger that is revealing the problem.

You can see that role of revealing our sin right there in verse 7. Paul writes, “Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.” And he gives an example. “For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’”

Just to be sure, even though he uses one of the 10 commandments, he’s not saying that the law came into existence when the 10 commandments were given. No. He’s already said in earlier chapters that the law is written on the hearts of all.

But what the commandments do is reveal the extent of sin. They illuminate the atrociousness of our sin. The expose the breadth of our sin and the nature of our sin. The law is like a big light shining on your sinful heart.

The law reveals sin.

Stirs up more sin

But second, the law often stirs up more sin! And that’s where Paul goes next.

That’s captured in verses 9 and 11. In fact, the first few words are almost exactly the same. Verse 9 says, “But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness.” Verse 11 extends that to include the deception of sin. In other words, when our sinful hearts are confronted with the law of God – we want to rebel even more. That is the deception of sin. Your sin wants you to sin more.

And that’s true!

Let me try to illustrate this.

Kids, suppose it’s raining outside and suppose your yard is full of mud puddles and you love playing in the mud. Let’s say you ask your mom to go out… but your mom says, “sure, you can go out and play, but don’t jump in the mud puddles.” When you hear that, doesn’t it make you want to jump in the puddles even more? There’s a stirring up of sin in you. Now, all you want to do is jump in the mud puddles. And also, you’re not happy with your mom telling you what you can’t do.

Do you see how sin can be heightened by the law? Paul said something similar up in verse 5. Our “sinful passions were aroused by the law.” Also, This is not something new in the Bible. Let’s go back to the Garden of Eden. Adam was told not to eat of the forbidden fruit. But God’s command to not eat made the forbidden fruit all the more attractive. Satan seized the opportunity to deceive them.

You see, commands can make you want to do the very thing that you are not supposed to do.

So, first, the law reveals sin. Second, the law stirs our hearts to more sin.

Conviction of Sin

And the third one is that God uses his law to bring conviction of sin. The unbeliever is made aware of his sin and condemnation, which leads him to Christ. There’s an application for believers as well. But I’m saying unbeliever because in these middle verses, Paul is talking about his life before coming to Christ.

Notice these verses are full of personal reference. I counted 8 uses of the word “I” or “me.”

Now, let me take a little tangent.

Some scholars don’t think that Paul is talking about himself and his personal history. Rather, they believe he is speaking on behalf of humanity in general (like putting himself in Adam’s shoes) or speaking on behalf of Israel in particular (back when they received the 10 commandments). And let me say, it is possible to use first person pronouns but speak as a representative of a group. And these Bible scholars make some great points. I’d be happy to have a side conversation about it.

However, I want to argue that Paul is referring to himself. That he’s conveying how God revealed his sin, and his struggle, and how his eyes were opened to the condemnation that the law revealed which his sin deserved.

One of the reasons that I believe Paul is writing about himself is how personal he is. All through his letters, he expresses love to his recipients. In different places, he shares his testimony, the burdens that he’s carried, what he’s endured, grief and joys. Sometimes we think of the apostle Paul as this aloof, heady guy, but his letters are saturated with relationships and personal situations. This section is no different.

But the other reason I believe Paul is talking about his own story is who he was before his conversion.

Paul had been a pharisee. The pharisees were the ones who were totally self-righteous. The law was their salvation – so they thought. They even created more laws to help them obey God’s law. It was all external and hypocritical. They believed that they could keep God’s law. In fact, Paul was the epitome of a Pharisee. Elsewhere he described his old resume - all that he had done, who he had studied under, what he knew. At the time in his life, before turning to Christ, he thought all of it was his ticket to heaven.

With that in mind, look back at the second half of verse 7. “For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, ‘You shall not covet.’” Now, think about this. “You shall not covet” is the tenth commandment. And this commandment is very different than the others, especially if you are a pharisee. Think about the other commandments, Do not murder. Do not commit adultery. Keep the sabbath. Do not take the Lord’s name in vain, etc. A pharisee would think “I can do those things.” Because all a pharisee is thinking about is the external. He has no sense that anger is murder, that lustful thoughts are adultery. But a pharisee can’t escape the tenth commandment. Why? Because that commandment’s very nature is internal. “Do not covet.” Covet is wanting something in your heart that is not yours. The apostle Paul’s heart was exposed. He realized that he was breaking the tenth commandment all over the place. And he wanted to break it more.

Now look at verse 10, “The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.” As a pharisee, he had thought that the commandments led to life. But when he fell under that heavy conviction of his sin when his sin was revealed, then he realized he was a law breaker. He could do nothing about it. He was condemned. Instead of the promise of life, the law proved to be death. Not because the law was the problem. No. His sin was exposed. He had been blinded by his sin. Deceived by his sin. He had no sense of his sin until he felt the weight of conviction. Until God opened up his heart and revealed his sin through the law. Until that, he didn’t know his sin.

That understanding also helps to explain the end of verse 8. It says, “For apart from the law, sin lies dead.” Let me put that slightly differently. “For apart from the conviction of the law, we’re blind to our sin.” In that sense sin was dead in us. We didn’t realize our sin.

Verse 9, then, applies that understanding in Paul’s former life. He says, “I was once alive apart from the law.” In other words, even though he was a Pharisee and knew the law, he was not under the conviction of the law. IN that sense, he felt alive, even though he was dead. Next it says, “but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died.” When Paul realized he was breaking the tenth commandment, then “sin came alive.” Sin had always there, but it was now exposed. He fell under the conviction of the law. And then he realized he was actually dead. Spiritually dead.

Again, I believe Paul is writing from the perspective of his old self. He thought he was alive because he didn’t see his sin. But when sin came alive, as the law revealed, he realized he was actually dead.

That’s how the Holy Spirit uses the law in an unbeliever. God reveals sin and the condemnation of sin, and therefore the need of a savior. That’s what conviction of sin is. God revealed to Paul the death he deserved, and then turned him to Christ.

And I should say, part of that is similar for the believer in Christ. God uses his law to bring conviction of our sin. The difference is, the believer is no longer condemned. The conviction of sin is instead, God working his sanctifying grace in the Christians life… as we are conformed more and more to the image of Christ.

Conclusion

Let me try to briefly summarize all of this and close. The law is not sin. Quite the opposite. It is holy. Because it is holy, the law reveals sin. In fact, the deceptive nature of our sin does not like the law and the law can stirs up more sin (the law doesn’t do that, our sin reacting to the law does that). But in all of it, God uses his law to bring conviction of our sin, either turning our hearts to Christ for the first time or returning our hearts to him.

In all of it, the law is good. That’s why Paul ends he way he does. Think of all the ways that God’s law is good.

•            It is good because it is pure and holy and righteous in and of itself.

•            God’s law is good because it points us to God who is pure and holy and righteous

•            It is good because God uses it to reveal our sin and bring conviction of sin

•            It is good because it revealed our need of salvation and therefore pointed us to Christ

•            And finally, it is good because it directs us to godliness and righteousness in him

So instead of swinging like a pendulum to an antinomian, anti-law belief, see the law as good in all those ways. Love his law, because you love him.

Freed from the Law to Serve in the Spirit

Rev. Erik Veerman

7/2/2023

We’re starting into Romans 7 this morning.

This week when I was preparing, I read a helpful description of how chapters 5 through 7 relate. Each chapter presents a different fruit of our justification. Our justification is how God has made us righteous in his sight through Christ. We are justified.

•            The fruit of our justification in chapter 5 is peace with God.

•            The fruit of our justification in chapter 6 is holiness,

•            and the fruit in chapter 7 is freedom - peace, holiness, and freedom.

That’s helpful. The freedom described in chapter 7 is freedom from God’s law. We are released from God’s law. Now, you probably have a lot of questions about that statement. What is God’s law? What does it mean to be free from it? How do we then relate to God’s law? I think you’ll find that chapter 7 addresses those questions.

Let me make one more comment before we read. The chapter starts out with the word “or.” “Or do you not know…” That means that these first few verses are a continuation of chapter 6. The question, “should we continue to sin so that grace may abound?” The first 6 verses of chapter 7 answer that question with regard to God’s law.

You can find Romans 7 on page 1121 in the pew Bibles.

We’ll focus on verses 1-6.

Stand.

Reading of Romans 7:1-6

Prayer

“Live Free or Die.” That expression has been used at different times in history, but you probably know it as New Hampshire’s state motto. “Live Free or Die.”

You would think, with such a motto, that people living in New Hampshire had more freedoms than the rest of us.

Well interestingly, in the mid-1970s, some residents started taping over the “or die” part of the motto their license plates. That didn’t sit well with the state. They, then, sued their own residents. Apparently in the “live free of die” state you were not really free… at least when it comes to the use of their motto. Well, the case made it all the way to the US Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the residents.

When it comes to human laws, we have a complicated relationship. On the one hand, they are helpful. They provide protection and order and direction to society. On the other hand, breaking the law can lead to difficult situations – punishments and imprisonment. Some civil laws we like, some we hate, some we tolerate. At times, tyranny and abuse can lead to unjust laws.

When it comes to God’s law, we have a complicated relationship. On the one hand, God’s laws are helpful. They provide protection and order and direction to humanity. On the other hand, breaking God’s law can lead to difficult situations – certainly immediate consequences, but also the ultimate consequence of offending God. Some of God’s laws we like, others we ignore, some we violate. But one thing is for sure, none of God’s laws are unjust. To some they just appear to be.

Well, Romans 7 seeks to uncomplicate the complicated relationship we have with God’s law. It’s easy to be confused by different aspects of God’s law. But I think you’ll find this chapter helpful because it clarifies the purpose of God’s law, the penalty of God’s law, and what it means to be freed from God’s law.

To best understand chapter 7, we need to first understand where Paul’s readers were coming from. And I want to remind you that he’s writing to the church in Rome. The church was pretty diverse – we know that from chapter 16. It included Jewish converts, Roman elites, other Gentiles and Greeks. Typically, when the Gospel reached a new city, the first converts were Jewish. That’s because Paul and the other disciples would begin by going to the synagogues. They would preach how Jesus was the fulfillment of the promised Messiah. As the church grew, the disciples and new Christians would branch out to the marketplace and other venues to preach Christ.

We’re not told exactly how the church began in Rome, but likely it was similar. We’re given clues to that in the book. Earlier chapters spoke about Abraham and some of the history of Israel. Paul had also written about the law. Before we even get to chapter 7, he had already used the word “law” 43 times. He’s written about “the law and the prophets” he’s written about “the works of the law.” And he’s talked about the “law written on our hearts.” There’s been an underlying assumption that his readers understood God’s law. 

Now look at chapter 7 verse 1. He writes, “do you not know, brothers—” and listen to what he writes next… “for I am speaking to those who know the law.” And then he goes on. You see, they were steeped in the law. Even the Gentile converts would have been taught the 10 commandments and the various laws like the sacrificial laws and other ceremonial laws.

But here’s was their struggle: Because of their background, their temptation would be some form of legalism. In other words, they would have been tempted to see the law in some way as necessary for salvation. Like believe in Jesus *and* keep God’s law, and you will be saved.

But, you know, that’s not how it works. That’s not how salvation works. The problem is that if we are still bound by God’s law, then we are also still under its penalty. And that’s a problem.

So, Paul wants to clear that up. Really, the entire chapter helps to clarify how the Christian should relate to God’s law. So, it has deep relevance to us.

Now, what these first 6 verses do is bridge the gap between Paul’s explanation of our union with Christ and God’s law. I already mentioned the important word “or” at the beginning. In other words, as Paul begins to discuss God’s law, he does so by relating it to our union with Christ… which includes answering the chapter 6 question of our sanctification.

And here’s how he does it: he begins with a rhetorical question and then gives an illustration and explanation.

The question is right there in verse 1. “or do you not know… that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives?” He’s saying, “Of course the law is no longer in force when someone dies! You know that. Death releases someone from the law.”

And in order to explain it, the apostle gives the example of a marriage. Its something that we can understand. By the way, this is yet another illustration of our union with Christ. In chapter 6 we talked about how Jesus described our union with him as a branch grafted into a new root. We also talked about the illustration that Paul used. That we are no longer a slave to sin but a slave to God.

Here’s a new illustration: A husband and wife are united to one another. They are legally bound. That’s the word used here, “bound.” Think of wedding vows – “as long as we both shall live.” While they are both alive, they are bound by the laws of marriage. That makes sense. If one of them commits adultery, the one who broke the marriage vow would be an adulterer or an adulteress. Guilty. Committing infidelity breaks that union. They would face the penalty of breaking the covenant of marriage.

Similarly, neither is allowed to marry someone else while their spouse is still alive. They are still married and bound by their vows. But if one of them dies, the living spouse is free to marry someone else. The covenant vow they entered into is no longer in effect. Death has released the living spouse from the binding law.

Here’s the comparison:

Before knowing Christ, we were bound to the law. Let me explain that. The law here is referring to God’s law – referring primarily to God’s moral law, which the 10 commandments summarize. To only worship only the one true God. To not take his name in vain. To obey our parents, to not commit adultery, nor murder, lie, or covet, etc. We were bound to that law. And there are two aspects to this binding.

•            First, we were bound, in and of ourselves, to keep the law… just like a marriage vow in the illustration – you are not to break the vow nor marry someone else. So, bound to keep it.

•            And second, we were bound by the penalty of the law… again, just like in the illustration – if you break the marriage law, you are an adulterer and receive the penalty for your adultery.

And therein lies the problem. We could not keep the requirements of the law. Therefore we were bound by the penalty of the law. You see, God’s law is perfect! But in our sin, which chapter 6 is clear about, we failed to keep God’s law. We broke God’s law. And do you know what that means we were? Back to the illustration. We were spiritual adulterers. We deserved the full penalty of the law as adulterers. And the penalty of breaking God’s law is death.

To quote the Apollo 13 lunar mission: “Houston, we have a problem!” The problem is we needed to be released from both the demands of the law (what we were required to do) and released from the penalty of the law.

Or to go back to an earlier expression. We needed to “live free or die!” Or maybe it would be better to say, “be freed or die.”

Well, the good news for us is that there is a way to be released from the law. In marriage, death breaks the law’s binding. The living spouse is released from marriage. When one spouse dies, there is no more marriage. Couples vow, “Till death do us part.”

The parallel is that for a Christian, death releases you from both the demands and penalty of the law. Jesus’ death for you. Really, your death in his death. Remember that from chapter 6? And this is where the beginning of chapter 7 verse 4 comes in. Go ahead and look at it. “Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ.” In other words, because you are united to Christ, his death released you from the crushing requirements of the law and its penalty. Jesus fulfilled the requirements for you through his righteousness and released you from the law’s penalty through his death.

This is a beautiful illustration. Part of it is how we are now married (or I should say, betrothed) to Christ. United to him. Like so many Scriptures, Jesus is the bridegroom and we, the church, God’s people, are his bride.

What this is saying is that we are no longer married to the law of sin and death, but rather, we are married to, united to Christ. That’s the second half of verse 4. After it says that you have died to the law through Christ, it says, “so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead.” You belong to another, are married to another.

Christ has released you from the law through his death, and now you are his bride. But of course, we can’t be married to someone who is dead! That’s not possible. But Jesus is no longer dead. As it says, he’s been raised from the dead. We now belong to him, who died to release us from the law, and who now lives.

Are you tracking with the marriage illustration? Let me summarize it so far.

For the Christian…

1. First, as in a marriage, you were bound to God’s law which required perfect obedience to it and death if you broke it.

2. Second, as in a marriage, if you break the marriage vow you are an adulterer. You did break God’s law and therefore you and I were adulterers – guilty.

3. Third, as in a marriage, in order to be released from the requirements and penalty of the law, death needed to happen. Well, death has happened. The death of Christ for you, which released you from the law.

4. And fourth, as in a marriage, if your spouse dies, you are free to marry again. Well, you have been! You now belong to Christ. You are betrothed to him as we wait for his return and the great marriage supper of the Lamb. We, the church, are his bride.

But let me ask this question: what happens when a person re-marries after his or her spouse died? Well, he or she makes a new covenant vow with that new husband or wife. There’s a new marriage contract in place. The old one no longer applies. The new one is now in place.

The old is gone, the new has come. Or to put it in terms of Romans 7. We’ve been released from the old way of the written code (that’s the end of verse 6). We’ve died to it. As it says, we are no longer a captive. No longer imprisoned by it. We’ve been released. And God has given us a new promise.

Ok, for the theologically minded, let me go a little deeper and put this in broader covenantal terms.

We were bound by the Covenant of Works. Or sometimes we say the Covenant of life. That was the covenant promise that God established with Adam back in the Garden of Eden. The promise was, if you obey, you will live, if you disobey, you will die. Well, Adam and Eve failed to keep that Covenant. In their failure they and their descendants reaped all the negative consequences. Sin and death, and more sin and more death. Verse 5 of Romans 7 captures the consequences of that… “our sinful passions” were “aroused by the law.” That means in our flesh, our sinful nature, we wanted to break God’s law. That simply lead to more sin, or, as verse 5 says, “our sinful passions were at work in our members to bear fruit for death.” Not godly fruit leading to sanctification, but ungodly fruit because it was all leading to death.

But in Christ, God released you from the Covenant of Works. You are no longer bound to it. And in its place, God gave you a new Covenant promise. We call it the Covenant of Grace. In Jeremiah 31, the prophet refers to it as the new covenant. We read from Hebrews 10 earlier in the service. Those verses refer back to Jeremiah. The new covenant is not an external covenant based on the law which condemns, but rather in the new covenant, the covenant of Grace, God fulfills our responsibility in Christ. It’s a covenant where God’s law is not external, but they are now written on our hearts. And as Hebrews says, where God will remember our sins and lawless deeds no more. It’s a Covenant of Grace.

Released from the Covenant of Works, blessed by the Covenant of Grace.

Before we wrap up, there’s something else very important in these verses. It goes back to the question that Paul asks in chapter 6. Do we sin that grace may abound? These 6 verses conclude his answer. The answer is in verse 4. Remember, we now belong to Christ who has been raised from the dead… and listen to what it says next “that we may bear fruit for God.” One of the implications of being freed from the law is that our hearts are now turned toward God. So that in him, we might serve him and honor him in our lives. Not because we’re trying to be righteous in God’s eyes, but because we already are righteous in God’s eyes… because he’s freed us from the demands and penalty of the law to now serve him.

But we don’t serve God in our flesh, meaning in our own strength or our own will. No, no, no! We serve God in the Spirit. We serve through the Holy Spirit who is the one who is working in us. That teaching is right there in verse 6. “We are released from the law… so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.” You see, it is now the work of God Spirit in us who directs us to bear fruit for God… to pursue the things of God. The Holy Spirit helps us to put away the idols that distract us from him. He reveals the passions of our flesh and turns our hearts to repent, and to again pursue his will. This is the new work in us. The “new way” of God’s spirit, as it says.

But here’s what we do. We drag ourselves back into the old way. We try to put ourselves again under the yoke of God’s law. Salvation becomes faith in Christ plus keeping the law. We say, “I’m not good enough,” or “God is not happy with me.” Therefore, “I need to try harder to win God’s favor.” In our minds. we check the boxes of God’s law. I did this good thing, check. I didn’t do this bad thing, check.

It’s like putting on one of those orange jump suits that prisoners have to wear. And you go about your day acting as if you are still incarcerated. In your mind you are doing things because you want to please the parole board. You have no joy. You’re always conscience of the prison uniform that you put on. Even though you have been completely exonerated, your heart and mind are still functioning as if you need to somehow win your freedom.

But all that is doing is reverting back into a legalism that relies on the law. It will cause you to feel condemnation because you can’t live up to demands of his standard.

Brothers and sisters in Christ: God has released you from the curse of the law. You are no longer a captive. You are free. He’s taken away the penalty. He’s taken away the burden. You are no longer bound.

And, instead, he has given you his Spirit. Seeking to bear fruit in your life should not come from the vestiges of the law in you that brings condemnation. Rather, seeking to bear fruit should come from your identity in Christ. You’ve been given his Spirit. You now belong to him. You are no longer married to the law which brings condemnation. No, you are married to Christ, united to him through the Holy Spirit. And through his Spirit, you desire to and are able to please and honor him in your life, knowing of his grace.

Do you see the difference? One path is just trying to take you back to your old self and the old way. You’ll never measure up and you’ll feel that weight. But the other path is serving with the Spirit. Knowing that you’ve been released from the law and you now belong to God in Christ.

You see, it’s out of that new union with Christ, through the Holy Spirit, that you are free to now serve and seek him with a new liberty and peace in Christ.

Next week, we’ll work through an important question. If being bound to the law brings death… does that mean that the law is bad? Is it evil? Verse 7 asks that very question. So, stay tuned to hear the answer.

In summary, the weight of God’s law is unbearable. No one can escape its requirements (perfect obedience) or its penalty (death). But if you are in Christ, that is, if you’ve come to him by faith seeking his forgiveness, you are no longer bound to the demands and curse of the law. No, the law’s demands and curse have died with Christ for you and in you. You now belong to him, who is risen. He’s given you a new marriage vow, a Covenant of Grace. He promises that he will never leave you or forsake you. And he’s given you his Spirit that you may freely serve and love him.

So, may we embrace our freedom in Christ and joyfully serve him in His Spirit. Amen?

Earned and Deserved to Unearned and Undeserved

Rev. Erik Veerman

6/25/2023

Just one verse this morning. Romans 6:23. This verse is probably one of the top 10 well-known verses in the Bible. We’re not going to stay parked on verse 23 for the whole time. In fact, Romans 6:23 is a good summary chapter 6.

The main purpose of Romans 6 is to answer the question in verses 1 and 15. Should we sin, that grace may abound? The apostle Paul clearly answers that and gives his reasons. We are dead to our sin, united to Christ, and therefore we should pursue righteousness. Our last two Romans 6 sermons have honed in on those themes.

But there’s something else going on. Romans 6 also reveals the beautiful work of salvation in our lives… starting with where we came from, a state of death, and ultimately where he’s bringing us, eternal life. And included are the steps along the journey.

Romans 6:23 basically summarizes that. After we focus on the verse, we’ll be going back to different parts of the chapter to see the progression.

Well, let’s come now to this verse. You can find that on page 1121 in the pew Bible.

As we come to God’s word, please stand as you are able.

Romans 6:23. In fact, because it’s just one verse, let’s read it together.

Prayer

People spent 76.5 Billion dollars on anti-aging medicine last year. Did you even know anti-aging medicine was a thing? That includes supplements, hormone treatments, and other medicine to try and extend life expectancy.

It’s an interesting commentary on our culture. It reveals a recognition of death and dying, but also in some way, a pursuit to overcome death. And we know, this is not new. In the late 1400s, the explorer, Ponce de Leon, sought to find the ubiquitous fountain of youth. And if you go back to the 3rd century BC, China’s first Emperor, Qin Shi Huang, also sought to overcome death. He believed that consuming mercury would lead to eternal life. Can you guess what happened to him?

Life and death are not peripheral matters for anyone. They may not always be front and center in our hearts and minds, but when confronted with the frailty of life, we often pursue some kind of self-preservation.

Well, Romans 6:23 deals with those very things, the reality of death and the hope of life. But it takes those central matters to new levels – not just physical, but spiritual and eternal.

•            The death that Romans 6:23 speaks about is a physical, spiritual, and eternal death. We’ll come back to that in a couple of minutes.

•            And the life that it speaks about is a physical, spiritual, and eternal life.

That’s one reason this verse is so well known. It’s a rubber-meets-the-road reality that makes an eternal promise.

For that reason, Romans 6:23 has been used in countless evangelism methods, like Evangelism Explosion, or the Roman Road, or the 4 Spiritual Laws.

Some use it in what they call “one verse evangelism.” And I would say, it really does capture the heart of the good news of Jesus. It clearly presents the reality of sin, death, and life. One of my goals today is that you would see that.

Now, I’m not opposed to evangelism methods – they can be helpful ways to explain the need for Christ and the hope he gives. Some of them, I believe, are better than others. And I’m not opposed to Romans 6:23 being used to help present the Gospel hope of Christ. It is helpful and clear.

However, I do want to point something out. The apostle Paul was writing to Christians. The book of Romans is written to the church in Rome. His primary goal is to teach and encourage the church. And chapter 6 is especially for believers in Christ to lay hold of our union with Christ and its impact in our lives.

If you are a believer in Christ, this verse summarizes your condition before coming to faith in Christ, and it reminds you of where you are headed in Christ for eternity. If that’s you, what I’m saying is not to turn off your minds this morning. See this verse as a deep reminder of where you came from, what God has done, and what he will do for you.

If you’re not a believer in Jesus, or you are unsure about this Christianity thing, well then, see this verse in a different light. First, as a warning about the reality of death, but second, as an amazing gift of life that God offers to you.

What I’d like to do is basically two things, this morning. First, get into the weeds of this verse. Each word is full of meaning. Doing so will make it even more weighty and even more glorious at the same time. And then, second, connect this verse to the rest of chapter 6. That will help us not just see our origin and destination, but also the path of Salvation that God has and is working in us.

That’s where we are headed. So, let’s begin by analyzing some of these words and phrases.

Wages

First, “wages.” The English word “wages” really does capture the underlying meaning of the Greek. It’s the salary, or you could say, reward due someone for their service. Of course, this verse is using it in the negative sense. When we think of compensation for work, we think of receiving a fair payment. Here, the word wages is applied to our sin. It’s pointing us to what we deserve because of our sin. It’s the just or fair compensation for sin. It’s what we are due because of our sin.

Sin

Now, briefly, let’s get into that word “sin.” Our sin includes all the ways in which we have violated God’s commands including defaming his name, rejecting him in unbelief, putting ourselves or others or other things before God in our lives. But it’s also more than that. We didn’t consider chapter 5, but that chapter speaks about how our very nature is sinful. All humanity inherited a sinful estate from Adam. We were born in sin.

What I’m saying is that the reference to sin here is not just our sinful actions or inactions. It also includes how we are inherently sinful.

Death

That brings us to the word “death.” Death is described as the just payment for our sin. The word death means more than just physical death. Yes, it includes physical death (and the process of dying which we experience), but the word death here also includes spiritual death. That sense is also wrapped up in the underlying word. It’s the separation from God and salvation forever.

The wages of sin is death.

God in all of his glory and majesty and goodness and truth is utterly holy – that means he’s set apart from any and all things that go against his perfectly righteous nature. Sin is that thing which goes against God’s character. Sin cannot remain in God presence. Because of his very character, God will deal with sin. So, when it says the “wages of sin is death,” it’s saying that death is the fair payment for our sin. Death is God’s righteous anger against sin. It’s God’s eternal wrath against sin and the sinner. Eternal and spiritual and physical death.

But you say, “wait, wait, wait, time out! That sounds overly harsh and cruel of God to inflict that upon us. That comes across as ‘fire and brimstone,’ like that well-known sermon by Jonathan Edwards ‘sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.’ Aren’t you overstating it?”

I know that’s what you are thinking because it’s also my natural thought. I don’t want to consider the wages of sin because it is a hard truth. But you see, God’s justice is infinite. He cannot just sweep sin under the rug and ignore that it’s there. No, any and all of our sin is an affront to our holy God. We deserve hell and eternal damnation. We’ve earned that because of our sinfulness. Scripture is not silent about the hard reality of God’s wrath.

Speaking of famous verses. I think the most well-known verse is John 3:16. Right? “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” It’s a verse that speaks of God’s love. And you say, “see, I told you so. God so loved the world. That’s what it says!” And I would say, “amen!” But two things are important to note about John 3:16.

First, don’t skip over the part about not perishing. Those who believe shall not perish. John 3:16 is not avoiding the reality of death.

But second, if you go down to later in the very same chapter, John 3:36, the apostle John clearly speaks of God’s anger. Listen to these words: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

You say, “but what about Jesus’ teaching? After all, he loved people.” Well, over and over, Jesus spoke about hell. He said that it’s a place of eternal torment, of unquenchable fire, it’s where people will gnash their teeth in anguish, from which there is no return. He said it is outer darkness.

I’m a people pleaser, just like you. I don’t want to offend you because deep down I want you to like me. But if I am not faithful to preach about the full wages of our sin, then I am not pleasing God, nor am I communicating the full message of the Gospel.

Let me put it this way: We can’t fully understand the second half of this verse unless we fully understand the first half of this verse. We can’t know the fullness of God’s love unless we understand the fullness of God’s wrath. The more and more we realize the depth of our sin and what we deserve, the more and more we are in awe of God’s love and grace. So, let’s not minimize, ignore, or reject the utter atrociousness of our sin and the hell that we all deserve. No, instead, let’s go there. Let’s believe it because it is out of that understanding, the cross becomes utterly amazing… truly beautiful. The wages of sin have been satisfied for you who believe.

Well, with that raw reality of the wages of our sin, now let’s come to the amazing gift of God. “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Gift

That phrase “free gift” is one word in the Greek. The root of the word is Xaris, grace, but with the emphasis on free. God’s gift is free. It’s unmerited and underserved. Do you see the contrast to the first part of the verse? Our sin deserves death, but the answer is not doing good to deserve life. It does not say, “the wages of sin is death, but the wages of our righteousness is eternal life.” No. We cannot earn eternal life. A dead person cannot, in his own strength, come back to life. Rather, the only way to receive eternal life is as a gift from God.

Eternal Life

That phrase “eternal life” has so many dimensions to it. As I mentioned, physical, spiritual, and eternal – eternal in the sense of unending. But also, eternal in the sense of secure or protected forever. It is new life beyond this life in all those ways. Now, I’m not saying that each of us will not physically die. We will unless the Lord returns. Rather I’m saying that we will have new physical bodies in eternity. So, eternal life in the sense of overcoming physical, spiritual, and eternal death.

 This is the free gift of eternal life. What a contrast to the wages of sin!

And notice the sentence does not end after the phrase “eternal life.” The sentence can’t end there. There’s still the problem of dealing with the wages of our sin. Something needed ot be done to replace the wages of our sin, death, with life. And so verse 23 continues… “in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In Christ Jesus, Our Lord

Now, I want to talk to the teenagers for a moment. Let’s say that you just received your drivers’ license. You are so excited, but then something tragic happens. You are driving and your best friend texts you. You get distracted and try to reply. Well, you lose focus, you swerve into oncoming traffic, then overreact, and you swerve the other way, and go off the road… a young boy was riding his bike and you hit and kill him. The punishment handed down is life in prison, no chance for parole. But for the sake of the illustration, let’s say there’s a little-known law that allows one specific individual to serve the sentence for you. The father of the boy who was killed. And in an amazing display of undeserved love, he does that for you. You are free and for the rest of his life, he is in prison for you.

You see, the wages for our sin still needed to be dealt with. And that’s what God has done through Christ. Through the cross of Christ, the wages of sin were satisfied. And it’s way beyond that example. The holy, righteous wrath of the one, true, living, and eternal God was satisfied. As God, Jesus was able to eternally satisfy the wages of our sin. And as a perfectly righteous man, Jesus was able to satisfy the wages of sin in our place.

And don’t miss that little word “in.” (back in verse 23) “In” as in “In Christ Jesus.” It takes us back to the beginning of chapter 6. We have been buried with him in our spiritual baptism (that was the idea in verse 4). Likewise, we have been raised with him to new life because we are united to him (that’s what verse 5 says). That is where the free gift of eternal life comes from. Just as Jesus was resurrected, so those in him will be resurrected to new life withhim forever. Death has been defeated in Christ, and those in him, united to him, have died to death in him and will be alive in him forever. It’s hard to even understand the eternal part of eternal life. But we know that we will be with Christ, forevermore.

And that gift should profoundly impact your life, today. Back to the example, imagine how your life would change after that father willingly was imprisoned in your place.

 I want you to note another phrase that’s easy to miss! It’s those last 2 words. “Our Lord.” Really, they connect to the entire chapter. We’ve been considering what it means to be united to Christ. It means that grace is not cheap grace (remember that). It means that because we’ve died to sin, we should put our sin to death. In other words, Jesus cannot only be your Savior. He also needs to be your Lord. Lord of your life. Or to put it in Romans 6 terms. You are no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to God. He is your Lord. Do you see how the phrase “our Lord” ties verse 23 to the entire chapter?

And really, chapter 6 gives you the full picture of your salvation in Christ. It begins with your state before God’s gift. You were dead in your sin. And chapter 6 ends with the eternal life you will experience in Christ, forever. Verse 23 is like the book ends in your life. From your deadness to your aliveness. From the wages of your sin to the eternal gift of life.

Let’s briefly walk through those steps outlined in chapter 6. There are four of them.

1. Condemned Slaves of Sin

First, the place of being dead in your sin because of the wages of sin. We were condemned to death – physical and spiritual death as we’ve discussed. Verse 17 says that we were slaves of sin. We were unable to break free from that slavery to sin. We could do nothing to free ourselves.

2. Freed from slavery

But thanks be to God. He did not leave us in that state of condemnation. Verse 6 captures step #2. “our old self was crucified with [Christ]” Why? It says, “so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” Verse 18 is similar. They both highlight that we’ve been set free from sin. And as we considered last week, it is God’s work, not our work.

3. Alive to God

So, #1 we were condemned because of our sin. #2 God freed us through Jesus’ death and resurrection. And now #3. We are alive to God. We are freed to now live for and in Christ. And this is the big emphasis of Chapter 6. As I mentioned last week, this chapter is considered the sanctification chapter in the Bible. Sanctification is God working in you conforming you more and more to Christ each day. And as we saw last week, we have a responsibility in that. We’re to present ourselves to God, to pursue Christ and his righteousness. So that’s step 3.

4. Eternal life

And the last part of God saving us is the gift of eternal life. Actually, look at the end of verse 21 into verse 22. It summarizes these four steps. It says, “For the end of those things is death.” It’s speaking about being slave to sin. That’s step #1, where we began. Next, verse 22 says, “but now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God.” That’s the second step - God freed us in Christ. It continues, “the fruit you get leads to sanctification.” That’s step #3. We’ve been freed in order that we may serve and honor God. And then, last, verse 22 concludes: “and its end, eternal life.” God is sanctifying us until that day that we will be with our Savior and Lord in heaven, forever.

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Conclusion.

Let me end where we began. Death is coming. Every single one of us, to one extent or another feels or fears death. Let that be a warning to each of us. The full condemnation of God’s wrath is coming. But God has defeated death and defeated hell for you through Christ. And in him you will have life eternal.

If you are a believer by faith in Christ, this is a deep and rich encouragement. Let this whole chapter draw you closer to Christ, especially this wonderful conclusion. The free gift of eternal life. It’s yours in Christ Jesus, your Lord. Let it be that gift that you treasure and hope for and long for and which sustains you in this life.

And if you don’t know Jesus, now is the time. Death is coming, but God has overcome death and offers you eternal life in him. Will you believe?

Slaves to Righteousness

Rev. Erik Veerman

6/25/2023 

A big thank you to David Fraser for preaching last week. Aren’t we always blessed by his rich insights into the Gospel of Mark?

A couple of weeks ago we started a summer sermon series in the book of Romans chapters 6 and 7. That will be our focus for the next 5 weeks. 

These are two chapters where the apostle Paul answers the question, “should we sin because we’ll get more grace?” And as we considered two weeks ago, the emphatic answer is, “heaven forbid!” And he goes on to answer why.

The reason we started with the first 11 verses are their emphasis on knowing. If you remember, that word “know” is used three times in those opening verses. Well, as we get to these next 11 verses it shifts to two things. 

• First, action. Over and over we’re called to respond. As I read, listen for the word “present” as in “present yourself.” That’s one emphasis, our responsibility. 

• But second, there’s also an emphasis on something done to us. We’ve received action from God. Also listen for the phrase “have become” or “have been” as in “have been set free.”

Those two ideas are interwoven throughout these verses. Our responsibility as a result of what God has done for us in Christ.

Reading Romans 6:12-22 (Page 1120)

Prayer

I bought a lemon tree this week. It’s too small right now to produce lemons, so I made some paper lemons so you can imagine it. This lemon tree is called a Meyer Lemon tree. The root system is not the original root system for this small tree. No, this stem with its branches had been cut off from its own roots and grafted into a new root structure. And as you can see, it’s alive! One of the reasons for grafting fruit trees into new root stock is that it helps protect the fruit tree from disease and it gives it strength and durability in different environments.

In the first 11 verses of Romans 6, we learned how believers in Christ have been grafted into him. The language used in verse 5 is “united.” We’ve been united to Christ. And let me say, it’s one of the most theologically beautiful concepts in the whole of the Bible. Believers in Christ are united to him in a mysterious way. If you know and believe in Christ as your Savior, you have been grafted into him like this lemon tree has been grafted into a new root system. It’s through that union that you receive the benefits of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Through his death, you’ve died to your sin and its consequences, and through his resurrection you have assured hope beyond the grave.

That’s what the first 11 verses reveal - the great truth of your union with Christ; that your old self died with him and your new self is alive in him. Christ is now the source of your strength. All the nutrients and blessings of Christ are flowing through you because you are in him and he is in you.

So, with that truth, the rest of this chapter now turns to the consequences of your union with Christ.

And when you think about it, it’s profound! Knowing that when you came to Christ as Lord and Savior, the change in your life was more than just setting your mind and heart on God. You became one with him, as a branch that has been grafted into the vine. The Holy Spirit united you to him. Even though we can’t comprehend how that union that happens, it’s true, andd it has deep implications for how we live our lives. And that’s what this second half of chapter 6 focuses on.

Two points. [CHECK: They are on the back of your bulletin.] I also included some of the related verses that go with each.

1. First, You’ve been freed from your slavery to sin. (Romans 6:14, 17, 18, 20, 22)

2. Second, Therefore, live as slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:12, 13, 16, 19, 21)

You’ve been freed from your slavery to sin. Therefore, live as slaves to righteousness.

1. You’ve been freed from your slavery to sin (Romans 6:14, 17, 18, 20, 22)

Another way to describe point #1 is your status. You are freed. Or another word: redeemed. Or rescued. Or delivered. It’s not something that you’ve accomplished yourself, rather, it’s something that God has accomplished on your behalf.

Look down at verse 14. This is right after that apostle Paul says you are to be an “instrument for righteousness.” We’re going to come back to that in point 2. But look at what he says in verse 14. “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.” Do you see how this is a statement of your status? Sin “will not have dominion over you.” “will not.” It’s referring to the fact that because of your union with Christ, sin is no longer in control. And let me define sin again. Sin is when you break God’s commands in what you think, say, or do… or in what you don’t think, or don’t say, or don’t do.

In other words, sin used to be in control of your life, but since you are in Christ, sin is no longer in control. 

The end of verse 14 further explains. “You are not under law but under grace.” If Christ is your Lord and Savior, your status is no longer condemned by God’s law, but rather your status is redeemed by God’s grace. Grace is God’s free and underserved gift of salvation.

Imagine chains tied to your arms and legs and secured to the wall of a prison cell. That’s an image of your old self under the power of sin. You were bound by it.

I was thinking of Les Mis this week. I’ve used this illustration before but there’s an angle that connects really well with Romans 6. Jean Valjean is the protagonist. And the story starts out with Valjean in prison. We learn he had stolen bread to feed his sister’s family.

And his punishment is forced labor for years and years. He’s consigned to grueling work in the galley and quarry. The guards constantly driving the prisoners like cattle. There’s no escaping. That’s like our old self, bound by sin, slaves of sin. 

But something happens to Jean Valjean when he’s release. As a former prisoner, he was considered tainted and unworthy of being hired or helped. He had nowhere to go. But a bishop takes him in and feeds him. Despite that, in Valjean’s desperation, he steals the bishop’s silver utensils. Well, soon after he left, he’s arrested and brought back to the bishop. But in an overwhelming display of grace, the bishop gives Valjean his silver candlesticks as well. Had the bishop spoken up, Valjean would have been condemned to live out his days as a slave. But instead, he’s shown favor and love. And that grace changed him. In the musical, the Bishop sings to Valjean, “I have bought your soul for God.” A little bit later, Valjean responds that this man offers me freedom. And he concludes that out of the whirlpool of my sin, a new story must begin.

Romans 6 over and over declares that your old self had been a slave to sin, or a slave to lawlessness and impurity. But, Christ bought your soul for God. You have been set free by him. That’s the language here. Verses 17 and 18 and 20 and 22. You’ve been set free. It’s a passive action that has happened to you. You see, you didn’t set yourself free. You didn’t break the power of sin. No, God has done that for you. It says, “you have been set free.”

This language of slavery and freedom is Paul illustrating your union with Christ. He’s using a metaphor. He says that right there in verse 19. “I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations.” In other word, “I’m using this life example because this is a difficult concept to understand.” You see, in the Roman Empire in the first century, indentured servitude was very common. Paul’s audience would have been very familiar with slavery. A slave was forced to obey his master. And furthermore, the terms of the slavery and freedom were not in the control of the slave. I think we all get that. The metaphor teaches that before you were united to Christ, you were bound by sin to death (verse 16). Your branch was not grafted into the life-giving source of Christ, but rather it was bound to your former self. Your old root system was dead in your sin. There was nothing you could do to come alive. But God made you alive in Christ. You were cut from that old dead root and grafted into Christ into his life-giving root structure.

The summary of point #1 is this. Sin no longer has dominion over you. God has given you his grace in Christ. You’ve been freed from your slavery to sin through your union with Christ. It’s God’s work, not your work. It’s grace because you didn’t deserve to be freed, but God has freed you.

2. Therefore, live as slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:12, 13, 16, 19, 21)

That brings us to point number 2. Therefore, live as slaves to righteousness.

The implication of the grace that we have in Christ is to live, not as slaves to sin, but instead as slaves to righteousness.

You probably noticed that the question in verse 15 is virtually the same question as in verse 1. “Are we to sin because we are not under the law but under grace?” And his answer is the same, “by no means!”

To put the answer in another way. Since God gave you his underserved grace by freeing you from sin, then why would you want to continue to be in sin?

Sometimes we call this misunderstanding “cheap grace.” The idea that because God is so gracious, we don’t need to worry about how we live. We can willfully continue to sin knowing that God will forgive us. That’s cheap grace.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German pastor who opposed the Nazi regime, wrote these words:

“Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves. Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, [and] grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate.” 

In fact, I don’t think we can even call it cheap grace. It totally misunderstands the purpose of grace.

Bonhoeffer then writes about true grace which he calls costly grace. “Costly grace ... is the kingly rule of Christ, for whose sake a man will pluck out the eye which causes him to stumble… it is the call of Jesus Christ at which the disciple leaves his nets and follows him.”

You see, the true grace of God causes us to pursue righteousness.

To put it in another way, as a response to God’s work in us, uniting us to Christ, we are therefore enabled and called to pursue him and his righteousness.

That idea is captured in the language of verses 12 and 13 and 19. In verse 12, Paul writes, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” Your ears, your eyes, your mouth, your hands… each part of your body is directed by your mind and heart. God is saying in Romans 6 that as new creations in Christ, pursue the righteousness of God and not the sinful passions of your heart which are worked on in your mind, and mouth, and hands, etc.

That word “present,” as you heard, is used multiple times in these verses.

• Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, 

• but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life

“Present” meaning “to offer” or “to give yourselves in service to.” So it’s saying, because God has grafted you into Christ, so now give yourself in service to him and his righteousness. 

• If you look down at verse 19, its similar. “Just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity… 

• so now present your members as slaves to righteousness”

There’s that language again of slavery. This time, not a slave to sin, but as a slave to righteousness. 

The beautiful think about Jean Valjean’s life is how he changed. After Valjean received that undeserved grace, he dedicated his life to helping and showing grace to others. He started a business that provided for many his town. He cared for Cosette, acting as her father after Cosette’s mother passed away. He rescued Marius from the drama of the French Revolution, carrying him through the sewers of Paris to freedom. Yet the whole time he was being pursued by Javert, the inspector seeking to throw Valjean back into prison and slavery. But Valjean was a new man, with a new freedom, enslaved by grace. The ultimate picture of this was when the revolutionaries captured Javert, they planned to kill him, but Jean Valjean spared Javert’s life. Valjean had the opportunity to take revenge on the man who had hunted him through the years. But instead, Valjean returned the grace given to him so long ago. He was now a slave to righteousness.

His heart had been changed and there was a new master to serve.

There’s a word at the end of verse 19 that really captures the theological heart of our response. It says, “present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.” Sanctification is God’s ongoing work in us. If you will, conforming us more and more, each day, to Christ. Sanctification is also a work of grace. But we have an active part in that. Our responsibility is to respond to the Holy Spirit’s work in us through our union with Christ. That is sanctification. 

And look at verse 22. It continues that emphasis on God’s sanctifying grace in our lives. It says, “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification...”

I love that phrase there. “The fruit you get.” It does not say “your fruit.” Imagine that you are this lemon tree, and you are growing yummy lemons. The thing is, you have a new root system. The nutrients that are causing those lemons to grow are flowing through you and in you to produce those lemons.

You see, it’s God working in you through your union with Christ that produces the fruit in your life.

For a long time, I misunderstood this idea of fruit in the Christian life. When people would ask if I was displaying fruit, I would always think of things external to me. Like, are people coming to faith, am I seeing others grow in discipleship. But I came to realize that the fruit of the Christian life is an internal thing. It is God working in you. Galatians 5 captures it well, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

Let me put it this way, bearing fruit is allowing God to work his sanctification in you. Now, you can constrict it. Imagine you are a branch, and you say, “I don’t want fruit, I’m going to cut off the flow of nutrients to my branches.” But what will happen? Well, your leaves are also going to turn brown. And that’s going to lead to a branch that is in poor spiritual health. But that’s not what we’re called to!

Let me read our two points again and then summarize.

#1 You’ve been freed from your slavery to sin. #2 Therefore, live as slaves to righteousness.

What I’m saying is that God has taken you from death to life. Because he now lives in you, you can now live in his righteousness. It’s still God working in you. It’s God’s fruit. Don’t believe that it’s you who are producing the fruit. But you are responsible to present yourselves to God in obedience. That’s what it means to live as slaves to God and his righteousness.

Conclusion

Now, I think it’s important for me to answer the how question. In other words, how do we do this? Where do we start? Where do we go to fulfill this call to live as slaves to righteousness?

Well, part of the answer is right in verse 17. “But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart” (and here’s the answer), “to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.” When God unites you to Christ, you become obedient from the heart (from within) to what? “to the standard of teaching to which you were committed.” It’s saying, we go to God’s Word. God commits us to it. In other words, he brings us to his standard of righteousness which is his Word. So, we read the Bible, we seek to know it, to understand it, and to apply it in our lives. And through that endeavor, God will produce that fruit which leads to sanctification.

Now, every single one of us struggles with certain temptations and sin. The journey of sanctification is not an easy one. For example, addictions are very difficult to overcome. It takes prayer and outside help and the body of Christ supporting you. Also, the impact of past situations and broken relationships and grief is hard to navigate as we seek to pursue righteousness. 

The apostle Paul is not saying that the journey is easy. In fact, in the next chapter, he’s going to be very clear about his struggles and how he looks to God’s grace.

But how do we take steps forward? Well, I want you to think about one or two areas of sin in your life. Is it sexual temptations that you act upon in your heart or mind or in pornography or adultery? Or is it anger or anxiety or covetousness? Or are there cultural idols that are distracting you from God – the love of money or you reputation or your appearance? What is it?

Now let’s apply Romans 6 to that sin. If you are a believer in Christ, you are united to him. And that gives you three things that will both challenge you and help you. 

• First, when you sin, or to use the words here, “when you present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness.” When you do that, you are sinning against Christ. Remember, he is in you. Actually, this is helpful to think about that when you are tempted… remembering that Christ is in you and you in him.

• Second, and related to that. Because you are united to Christ, you can draw on the deep nutrients of his righteousness in your life. You can allow his fruit to develop in your life as you grow in sanctification. So, go to him with your sin. Go to his Word. Seek his righteousness which in you.

• And third, because you are united to Christ, you have his grace… the grace of Jesus death and resurrection. I want you to hear me if you are struggling right now. God’s grace should not be used to justify your sin. But that does not mean that God’s grace is not sufficient for when you do sin. It is. Through your union with Christ, you are assured that you have been brought from death to life for eternity.

As we close, you probably noticed - I did not include verse 23 this morning. Romans 6:23 is one of those well know verses in the Bible. So, we’re going to consider it next week. And of course, it very much connects to the rest of chapter.

To wrap up. If you know God in Christ. If you have professed faith in him, repenting of your sin, then you have been freed from your slavery to sin. In that new life, united to Christ, your call is to live no longer as a slave to sin, but as a slave to righteousness. If that’s you, allow God to work his fruit in you, the fruit of sanctification.

But if you do not know God in Christ. You need him. You need to be united to him by faith, you need him to free you from your slavery to sin. And you need to instead be his servant. He is a loving, gracious Lord to who will free you forever.

United in Death and Life

Rev. Erik Veerman

6/11/2023

United in Death and Life

As some of you are aware, in between our main sermon series, we have been coming back to the book of Romans.

In fact, when we launched our church, we started in Romans chapter 8. That was because the pandemic had just started and we needed a Romans 8 kind of encouragement - God’s sovereign assurance.

After Romans 8, we took over a year to go through the book of Acts. That was a great book for us as a new church, because Acts is the history of the church as it was being established. Acts ends with Paul arriving in Rome. So, next, we studied Romans chapter 15 and 16. That was a nice postscript to Acts because those chapters highlighted the church in Rome.

Next, we went to the Old Testament book of Zechariah. Visions of flaming walls, a candelabra, flying objects as well as prophecies. All of it looking forward to the life and ministry of Jesus, the consummate priest and king.

Well, after Zechariah, we were again back in Romans. That was last fall. We went through chapter 12. It was about not conforming to the world, but instead being transformed by the Gospel. It also included the unity that we have with one another in Christ and the marks of a true Christian.

As you know, we then went through 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John, which we just finished last month.

And now, we’re back in Romans. This time, chapters 6 and 7. That will be our focus this summer. These two chapters relate because they are about the implications of God’s grace and law for the Christian.

Anyway, I wanted to give you a little reminder of where we’ve been and what you can expect over these next two months.

This morning, we’ll focus on the first 11 verses of Romans 6. You can find that on page 1120 in the pew Bible. As you are turning there, let me note one important phrase in chapter 5. The apostle Paul concludes chapter 5 by saying, “where sin increased, grace abounded even more.” In other words, the more sin, the more grace of Christ. That’s important to note because chapter 6 opens with a question about that.

Stand. Reading of Romans 6:1-11.

Prayer

Catherine the Great, as she was known, reigned as Russia’s monarch from 1762 to 1796. Many describe her as the most influential Russian leader in their entire history. She enacted several cultural reforms, including expanding cities, establishing new school and universities, and reforming Russia’s legal system. Literature and arts flourished due to her support of learning and enlightenment ideals. 

Catherine’s reign also included several aggressive military campaigns. Under her control, Russia’s army seized control of Crimea (sound familiar?) and parts of Poland. Russia dominated Eastern Europe and had a growing political influence in the world. In fact, Catherine’s aggression started back when she staged a coup against her own husband, Peter III. He had been emperor of Russia for only 6 months until Catherine forced him to abdicate his throne. To this day, his death is a mystery.

Throughout her time as empress, several of her adversaries received the death penalty after being convicted of crimes against the state. Despite that, Catherine the Great considered herself a Christian. She’d been raised in a protestant church. She converted to Russian Orthodoxy when she ascended to power and she participated in orthodox practices and worship services.

The question is, how did Catherine reconcile her Christian beliefs with her actions? Which, as you can tell, often betrayed her beliefs. Well, she gave this answer: “I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will forgive me: that's his.”

I guess she never read Romans 6.

“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

I think it’s a natural question. If God has forgiven and will forgive us when we sin, and if Romans 5 says that the more we sin, the more grace God gives us, then it seems to follow that if we want more grace, we should sin boldly.

That in essence is what Catherine the Great believed. “I am the dictator of a great nation. That requires at times cruel acts for the sake of my country, which, by the way, God has given me. Since God is a gracious God, he will forgive me, and the more he does, the more grace I receive.”

You see, the apostle Paul had anticipated this line of thinking. He had just laid out in chapter 5 the sinfulness of our estate as descendants of Adam. Next, he revealed the free gift of life and righteousness through Christ. In him we abound in grace.

From that point, the apostle Paul could have jumped right to chapter 8! “There is therefore now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.” I mean, it logically flows, doesn’t it? Sin and death through Adam, life and grace through Christ. “Therefore, there’s no condemnation for those in Christ!”

But before going there, the apostle Paul knew that he had to address the question of sin in the life of the believer. He had to first answer the question, “should we continue to sin?” and as part of that, he had to give the reasons for the answer. How do grace, sin, and God’s law relate in the life of a believer?

In short, that’s what Romans 6 and 7 answer for us. And I think you’ll find it’s so helpful. Not just because these chapters explain how sin and grace and God’s law relate, but because they reveal the most profound truths about your relationship to Christ. Truths that will change you.

Ok, let’s go back to the apostle’s opening question:

“Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound?”

What is the answer at the beginning of verse 2? If you have the ESV, let’s read the three word answer together. “By no means!”

Here are some of the other English translations of that phrase:

• God forbid!

• Certainly not!

• Absolutely not!

• Heaven forbid!

• Far be the thought.

• May it never be!

• Of course not!

• That’s unthinkable!

• Or my favorite: “What a ghastly thought!”

What is Paul saying here? He’s saying that grace does not give us license to sin. Grace is not a free pass to do whatever you want. Sin, by the way, is breaking God’s commands in what we do or don’t do... or say or think.

So, in verse 2, he answers the yes/no question. The simple answer is an emphatic “no!” But what’s really important is to know why and then to apply that to our lives. Again, that’s what these two chapters do. They work out the answer. Just glance down to verse 15. Notice it is a very similar question with a very similar short answer. It shows that Paul is working out the answer.

The reason we’re just starting with the first 11 verses is that they give us the foundation to the answer. Paul is explaining what actually happens to someone who comes to know and believe Christ. There is a profound change in his or her life – your life, my life. And it’s more than just what our hearts and minds believe. Something changes in us.

The apostle wants us to know and grasp what that change is.

In fact, that word “know” is used three times in these 11 verses. Look at verse 3. “Do you not know” and it goes on to explain something about baptism. Look next at verse 6. It starts out “we know” and talks about death. Verse 8 also starts out “we know” but it talks about life. And look at verse 11. It says, “so you must also consider yourself…” That word “consider” means understand. So, in other words, these first 11 verses emphasis knowing what happens in us when we come to Christ. And that knowledge has a profound impact on how we live.

Given that, let’s look at this in three points. Those three points line up with the three uses of the word “know.” By the way, those three points are on the back of your bulletin, if it helps.

1. Know that you are united with Christ. (verses 3-5)

2. Know that your old self died with Christ (verses 6-8)

3. Know that your new self is alive with Christ (verses 9-10)

1. Know that you are united with Christ.

So first, know that you are united with Christ. When you come to faith in Christ, something amazingly mysterious happens in your life. And these verses describe it for us. We can’t fully understand it, but we can know it to the extent that God describes it here for us.

These verses describe that mystery in terms of our baptism. You see that right there in verses 3 and 4. We’ve been baptized into his death, and by implication, raised with him to new life.

I want you to see something. Notice that there’s a parallel here between the word “baptism” and the phrase “united with him.” Verse 3 says “baptized into his death” and verse 5 says “united with him in a death like his.” Similarly, part of this baptism includes being raised from the dead. Verse 5 includes the phrase “united with him in a resurrection like his.”

So, to put these elements together, this baptism is about being united with Christ.

By the way, that word baptism has been interpreted in two different ways in these verses. The first interpretation is that it refers to your baptism with water. You know, that sacrament when the minister baptized you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The sign of water is used to signify the cleansing of Christ. That’s one interpretation. The second interpretation is that the word baptism here refers to your spiritual baptism – what’s happening on the inside. Meaning when you came to Christ and received the Holy Spirit. That word baptism can also mean that. In other words, it can mean that time when God opened your heart to believe and you professed faith in Christ. That’s when God cleansed you – you were justified in his sight through Christ. So, spiritual baptism in that internal sense.

I definitely lean toward that second understanding. Baptism in these verses is about those who have the blessings and benefits of Christ in his death and resurrection. That’s emphasized in the parallel between baptism and this idea of being united to Christ. 

But here’s the million dollar question: what is this union with Christ? Because it’s the thing that ties all of this together. All of these verses. Really the whole chapter. United in his death. United in his resurrection. And the implications of that for us.

That word “united” in the Greek includes the idea of being grown together or grafted together. The best way to understand this union is that we have been ingrafted into Christ. Jesus spoke about it in these terms. He said that he is the vine, and we are the branches.

Think of a how a branch is grafted into another tree. It’s a very cool thing. All kinds of fruit trees can be grafted into a different root system. Apple trees as well as citrus, peach, pear, olive, cherry, and others. If you cut off a branch of one of those trees, and you slice it in just the right way, and then pair it to the root system of another tree, at the precise angle and cut, then the fibers of the trees will fuse together. That branch becomes part of a different tree. 

The thing is, when you cut off a branch from a fruit tree, it’s dead. It may look alive, it may still have leaves on it. But there’s no more nutrients feeding it. It can’t sustain itself. Even if you stick it in the ground, it’s not going to grow new roots.

But when that branch is grafted into that new root system, it has new life. The nutrients from the roots feed that branch. Remember from your biology class days. The xylem and phloem flow back and forth between the roots and the leaves and fruit. The branch becomes one with the tree.

That’s how our union with Christ is described. The Holy Spirit unites us to Christ. We’ve been grafted into him. Jesus said that apart from him, a branch will wither and not bear fruit… It will die and be thrown into the fire. But in him, the branch will have new life.

We were dead but now we’re connected to a vibrant tree with the nutrients flowing through us that give us life. Christ is in us, and us in him – united together. And that union comes with all the blessings and benefits of salvation in him.

And think about this question, how do we actually receive the benefits of Christ’s death for us? And how do we actually receive the benefits of Christ’s resurrection? Well, we receive those benefits through our union with Christ. It’s through that union, that my sin, your sin, is transferred to Christ, and his righteousness transferred to you. That’s the benefit of being united in Jesus’ death. And it’s through that same union in his resurrection that we have and we will be resurrected to new life in him, forever.

If you know and believe in Christ, you have been grafted into him in a mysterious way that only God knows. But he’s assured us of it! And isn’t it amazing to think about? He is in you, united to you and you to him. The blessings of his death and his resurrection are yours.

Think about it this way: Salvation was accomplished through the death and resurrection of Christ. Your union with Christ is how God applies that salvation to you, believer in Christ. It’s an amazing mystery for us to behold and wonder and embrace.

Know that you are united with Christ. Ok, that’s the first “know.”

2. Know that your old self died with Christ (verses 6-8)

And that union has significant implications for us. Those implications revolve around two things. Jesus’ death and his resurrection.

That brings us to the second and third “know.” #2 - Know that your old self died with Christ - your old self died with Christ. The whole point of the cross is that Christ bore your sin. He took on your sin and all its consequences for you. Your old self, before your union with Christ, was imprisoned by your sin. You needed to be freed from the chains of your sin.

That’s what verse 5 is talking about. “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin [meaning your sin and its consequenes] might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

Through the death of Christ, our sin died with him. Therefore, we are freed from our sin. It no longer identifies us. We’re not bound by it. Christ has paid the penalty for sin, and because of our union with him, we’re no longer slaves to sin, we’ve been set free.

It’s like that great line in the hymn, And Can it Be. “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.”

If the whole point of the cross is to deal with our sin, to put to death its consequences, to free us from its bondage, then why would we think that in this new found freedom, we should sin even more? That goes back up to the second half of verse 2. “How could he who died to sin, still live in it?” Do you see that incongruity? Do you see the disconnect with the idea to sin more so that grace abounds more? Heaven forbid! We’ve been united to Christ, we’ve died with him to our sin.

Now, there’s an underlying assumption here. Sin is still present in the Christian life. The Christian can still sin. And, actually, that goes along with what we studied in 1 John. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves.” The difference between our old self and our new self is that our new self is not bound to sin. We have the ability in Christ to pursue righteousness.

Ok, let me summarize point #2 this way: Because our old self and our sin died with Christ, we should die to our old self and seek to put to death our sin.

So that’s one implication of our union with Christ… letting our sin die with our old self, which has died in Christ.

3. Know that your new self is alive with Christ (verses 9-10)

The other implication is like the flip side of the coin. It relates to the new life we have. In that mysterious union, we have all the blessings and benefits of Jesus’ resurrection. We live because he lives.

Point number 3 is this: Know that your new self is alive with Christ.

You see, in our union with Christ, we are one with the risen Lord. One in the sense that just as he will never die, so we have eternal life in him. That means, not only should we turn away from the temptation of sin, but we should embrace that we are alive in Christ. We’ll experience the death of our bodies, but we will live forever. What a great joy and hope!

And I want you to think of the phrase that’s in verse 10. “The life he lives, he lives to God.” Because we are united to God in Christ, our life should be about him. Do you follow me? It should no longer be about sin and death, but rather our life should be about living for the purpose of God, living in the grace of God, and living to glorify him with our words, our intentions, our actions, and our desires. Because of our union with Christ and the eternal life we have in him, our whole being should be one of worship to God in Christ.

That is our new self. IN other words, if we are united with Christ, our life should be about him. We are alive in him.

Do you see the two sides of this mysterious union? Our old self in all of our sin, dead in and through Christ. Our new self, alive in him, living for him and through him. 

And that’s why verse 11 compels us to reflect on our union with Christ. “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

It doesn’t matter whether you are a monarch of a powerful country, or whether you live a retired quiet life at home, or whether you are a student, a teacher, a professional, a pastor or whether you’re a parent or a child. It doesn’t matter whether you are 9 or 99. The call is the same, “consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”

Conclusion

As we come to a close, you may have noticed, there’s one thing that is overwhelming in these verses. And when I say overwhelming, almost every single verse focuses on it. It’s the emphasis on death and life. The death and crucifixion of Christ, our death, the death of sin…. and life! The resurrection and life of Christ and our life in him. 

• Dead, death, and die are referenced 14 times in these 11 verses. Add “crucified” to that and it’s in every single verse starting in verse 2.

• The reference to “life” is similar. If we include “raised” and “resurrection” and “alive,” there’s 10 references in these 11 verses.

And every single one of these is directly or indirectly connected to the death and resurrection of Christ. The death of sin was accomplished through the death of Christ. The new life we live was achieved through the resurrection of Christ.

There’s nothing more central to our faith and to our union with Christ than Jesus’ death and resurrection. You take away either and there is no death of sin, no life, no hope for eternity. These verses are clear, they are referring to Jesus’ actual physical death and resurrection. His death and resurrection are the key in our union with Christ which drives us away from sin and to God in Christ to live in him.

So, may we know of the great union that we have with Christ. And through that union, may we put to death our old self and our sin. And may we turn our lives to Christ and live in and for him, all because of his death and resurrection for us. Amen?