Meadowbrooke Church Sermon Podcast: Recent Episodes
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Jude 1:8-13 I want to propose something to you that will sound pessimistic at first, but if you will stay with me to the end of this sermon, I believe you will leave not only challenged, but hopeful. So here is what I want to propose to you this morning: There is a fierce battle in our world, nation, state, and city over the souls of men, women, and children everywhere between the forces of good and the forces of The post “Contending for Reality” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jude 1:5-7 There are three stories we need to get into that Jude references, to do that, I will forgo a formal introduction. What I will say to set up my message today is simply this: There is a very real and present danger that threatens Christians that has existed since Satan enticed Adam and Eve to sin in the Garden. The same dangers that God’s people faced in the days of Noah are the same dangers Christians faced in The post “The Danger of Forgetting Who God Is” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jude 1:1-4 Can you imagine growing up with Jesus? When it came to his hometown of Nazareth and his family, Jesus said: “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household” (Mark 6:4). There is good reason to believe Jude, which is short for Judah, who was the half-brother of Jesus because of his relationship to James. In the gospel of Matthew, we are told that people listened to Jesus The post “Contending for What We Can Never Lose” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jude 1:1-4 First, why a sermon series on Jude and why spend so much time in an epistle that is only one chapter with 25 verses? For starters, it is because we believe the Bible is the Word of God, and that it is fully inspirited by the Holy Spirit who superintended the personality and language of individuals to reveal His will to mankind in all matters upon which the sixty-six books that make up the Bible touches upon. Because The post “An Introduction to Jude” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Samuel 15:1-35 Have you ever heard of the book or movie titled, The Stepford Wives? In the movie, Walter and Joanna Eberhart are the newest residents in a suburban neighborhood in Stepford, Connecticut after deciding to relocate their family from New York City with the loss of Joanna’s job as a television producer. At first, Stepford seems to be the perfect place to reconnect as a family. However, it becomes apparent to Joanna that the women in Stepford are The post “Faith, Doubt, and the Holiness of God” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Genesis 15:1-16There is a question I have been asked multiple times throughout the years related to God’s command to destroy certain people groups, the question is typically worded in this way: “If the God of the Old Testament and the New Testament are the same God, then why did he tell the Israelites to kill and destroy whole villages, including children?” According to the United Nations, the definition of a genocide is the deliberate intent to destroy (in whole or in part) a “national, ethnic, racial, or religious group.”[1]
Of the top three genocides in recorded history the Jewish Holocaust ranks surprisingly at third with an estimated 7-11 million Jews systematically murdered under the German Reich and German-Occupied Europe. The second worst genocide is known as the “Great Leap Forward,” which was an economic and social plan instituted by Mao Zedong and the Chinese Communist Party between 1958 and 1962 that left Chinese farmers to starve due to the government’s excessive grain-collection policies. They chose communist ambitions over the lives of their citizens; it is estimated that 55 to 60 million people starved to death.
The genocide that is listed as the worst of all the genocides is the Mongol Invasions and Conquests of the 13th Century. The Mongols traveled from region to region plundering wherever they rode as expert horsemen; through battles, sieges of entire cities, and large-scale massacres of civilians upon control of the cities, the Mongols are credited with an estimated 60 to 100 million deaths during their reign of terror. It is said that through their conquests, an estimated 11% of the world’s population died at the hands of the Mongols.
So, when God promised Abraham the land of Canaan that was already inhabited by other people groups, by what means would that promise become a reality? What was it that God promised you ask? Here is what he promised: “Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed…. To your offspring I will give this land” (Genesis 12:1–3, 7). Abraham was reminded of this promise not only in Genesis 15, but throughout his lifetime, as was every generation after him.[2]
God promised that the Hebrew people would be a blessed nation. Was it through the conquest of the land of Canaan that He would bless the nations? In Genesis 15:13-16, God promised Abraham that he would die in peace, but his descendants would be “afflicted for four hundred years” before they would inherit the land promised to them. However, in the fourth generation, after 400 years in Egypt, God promised: “And they shall come back in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” So, God raised up Moses to lead his people out of the captivity of Egypt to eventually inherit the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In Exodus 19:4-6, we are given some idea of how Israel would serve as a blessing to the nations: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.”
So, by what means would the promise of Canaan to Abraham and his descendants become the reality of the Hebrew people, and how does the expulsion of the Canaanites benefit the nations? I believe the answer to these two questions are tucked away in Genesis 15:16. When will the conquest of Canaan begin? When, the iniquity of the Amorites is complete.
Who Were the Amorites?The Amorites were one of the main people groups in Canaan. God told Abraham that his descendants would not drive out the Canaanites until the iniquity of the Amorites was complete. The way the NIV translates Genesis 15:16 clarifies why God would wait 400 years before sending Israel into Canaan to drive the people out: “In the fourth generation your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure” (Genesis 15:16, NIV). What we have in Genesis 15:16 is God’s revelation to Abraham that not only did his mercy find Abraham in the city of Ur, but that his mercy is far greater than the horrible sins of the Amorites.
What types of sins were the Amorites guilty of? The three goddesses worshiped by the Canaanites were Astarte (Ashtaroth), Anath, and Asherah who were the goddesses of sex and war; this included incest, bestiality, and child sacrifice. Considering the horrible practices the Canaanites were guilty of, God instructed the Hebrew people in Leviticus,
Do not make yourselves unclean by any of these things, for by all these the nations I am driving out before you have become unclean, and the land became unclean, so that I punished its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. But you shall keep my statutes and my rules and do none of these abominations, either the native or the stranger who sojourns among you (for the people of the land, who were before you, did all of these abominations, so that the land became unclean), lest the land vomit you out when you make it unclean, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. (Lev. 18:24-28)
For four hundred years, God would wait until the Amorites reached the point of no return regarding their sins and idolatry. Kent Hughes, in his commentary on Genesis wrote of the Amorites:
There ultimately would come a day when the Amorites had reached the point of no return—their cup would be full. And that is when God unleashed a flood of Israelites out of Egypt and across the Jordan. In truth, Joshua’s invasion was actually “an act of justice, not aggression” (Kidner). And the universal fact is, the history of the world is under the moral governance of God. The displacement of the Amorites by Israel was not simply the result of divine favoritism. They had long flaunted God’s moral law.[3]
The Canaanites grew guilty of all kinds of sexual deviations as well as child sacrifice, violence, and more. For four hundred years God’s patience restrained his wrath against the sins of the people groups that made their home there. It was in light of the mercy of God that the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 2:4, “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4).
Why Was Israel Called into Canaan?Israel was called into Canaan to serve as God’s mediator before the nations. Remember what God told Israel after they were delivered from Pharoah and the slavery of Egypt: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Exod. 19:4-6).
Between God’s commission of Israel to be his treasured possession, a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation, is Moses’ encounter before the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-17) and Joshua’s encounter with the commander of the LORD’s army (Joshua 5:13-15). Through the burning bush encounter, God commissioned Moses to lead all of Israel out of the bondage of Egypt just as God promised Abraham would happen. Joshua’s encounter with the Commander of the LORD’s army came just before he led Israel to take the first and major city of Canaan known as Jericho.
Before God told Moses why and how he would use him, he instructed Moses: “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground” (Exod. 3:5). Then God revealed himself to Moses: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (v. 6). Moses’ response was to hide his face “…because he was afraid to look at God.” After God told Moses how he would use him, Moses responded with a legitimate question: “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?” To which God answered, “I will be with you” (v. 12). God then told Moses that if the people ask him what kind of God would use a guy like Moses, say to them, “Say to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you…. The LORD, the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations” (v. 15). Moses was told that when he got into Egypt, he was to gather the elders of Israel together and tell them why the God who stands above all other gods would deliver them:
Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, “I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Exodus 3:16–17)
The last time Moses was in Egypt was 40 years before the burning bush. He had killed an Egyptian guard and fled for his life; for 40 years, he was in hiding… in the wilderness.
Before Joshua led Israel to take Jericho, Moses had died, and the mantel of leadership was passed down to Joshua. The last time Joshua saw the city of Jericho was 40 years ago when he, along with Caleb and 10 other men, were sent to “spy out the land of Canaan” that God promised he would give to the people (see Numbers 13). When they came back to report what they had seen all the men, apart from Joshua and Caleb, gave the people a “bad report” by telling them:
“We came to the land to which you sent us. It flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. However, the people who dwell in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large. And besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the Negeb. The Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the hill country. And the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and along the Jordan.”
Joshua and Caleb came back convinced that God was greater than the might of the Canaanites; Caleb even told the people: “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it” (Num. 13:30). However, the rest of the spies objected:
Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.” So they brought to the people of Israel a bad report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land, through which we have gone to spy it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people that we saw in it are of great height. And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” (Numbers 13:31–33)
God judged that generation and told them that because of their grumbling against God and faithlessness, not one person 20 years or older who refused to believe God would enter the land of Canaan. Joshua remembered those days, and now, forty years later and about the same age as Moses was when he confronted Pharaoh, Joshua was about to lead Israel to do what they should have done 40 years ago: take Jericho. We are told that Joshua was “by Jericho” when he looked and saw, “a man standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand” (Josh. 5:13). Do not miss the irony of how similar Moses’ encounter of the burning bush was to Joshua’s encounter with this man. Notice what happens next:
And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped and said to him, “What does my lord say to his servant?” And the commander of the Lord’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. (Joshua 5:13–15)
What you need to understand is that because Joshua bowed to worship the “Commander of the LORD’s army” we know that this person was no angel. Angels are creatures just like us and rightly forbid to be worshiped (see Rev. 22:8-9). The person Joshua sees is the preincarnate Jesus, and the instructions he gave him for how Jericho would fall would not come through any power of Israel or military expertise Joshua may bring as Israel’s leader; but, solely through the power and might of God almighty, who is the great I Am and stands above the nations of earth as the Holy One.
Jericho was part of the Amorite kingdom. When Joshua and all of Israel surrounded Jericho, the iniquity of the Amorites was complete.
The Purpose of Israel in CanaanFor more than 400 years God was patient with the Amorites’ worship of idols and what their worship, which involved gross sexual perversion that allowed for all forms of sexual expression outside the boundaries God’s design for marriage between a man and a woman, unhindered violence, and child sacrifice. The patience of God was exhausted and the measure of his justice appropriate. We are told that after the walls of Jericho came crashing down: “They devoted all in the city to destruction, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys, with the edge of the sword” (Josh. 6:21).
Jericho was destroyed… but not everyone in Jericho. There was a woman who ran a brothel by the name of Rahab who protected two spies Joshua sent into Jericho. After hiding the men from the king of Jericho, Rahab said to the Jewish spies:
“I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt…. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”(Joshua 2:9–11)
Not only was Rahab spared from the wrath of God because of her belief and faith in the God of the Hebrews, but her father, mother, brothers, and all who belonged to her (Josh. 6:22-25). Rahab married a Hebrew man by the name of Salmon; they had a son together by the name of Boaz. Boaz met a Moabite woman by the name of Ruth and had a son they named Obed. Obed was the father of Jesse, who was the father of a shepherd boy by the name of David who would become king over Israel. David’s descendant would be Jesus.
When we consider the promise to Abraham and the judgement of the Amorites, when it comes to our own sins: “Do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). When it comes to your own sin, know that Jesus, the descendant of Rahab, stood in your place for your sin on a cross so that you could know the kindness of God instead of his wrath over your sin. However, if you choose your sin over Jesus the savior, you will one day know the wrath of a holy God because you have refused to repent by turning to Jesus.
[1] The United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect (https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/genocide.shtml#).
[2] See Genesis 17:1-14; 22:15-18; 26:1-5; 35:9-15; 49:1-27.
[3] Hughes, R. K. (2004). Genesis: beginning and blessing (p. 233). Crossway Books.
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1 Timothy 2:11-3:13Truth be told, this is not the first time I have addressed what the Bible says about the role of women in leadership, but it is the first time since I was called by the elders and congregation of Meadowbrooke to serve as your pastor. To my knowledge, this is the third time in my 19 years serving as a teaching pastor that I addressed the role of women in ministry, and for the most part, what I believe the Bible says about women in ministry has not changed all that much; not because I am stuck in my ways, but because of the language and context of 1 Timothy 2:11-15 as it relates to 1 Timothy 3:1-13.
What I hope to do with the time that I have with you this morning is address four questions. Just so you know, I do not plan on spending a whole lot of time answering the first three questions because I believe the fourth question is the most important question of the four:
What is the big deal with 1 Timothy 2:11-3:13 and why does it matter?Why am I willing to address a controversial subject like the role of women in leadership roles in the church?What are the three ways Christians have read and understood 1 Timothy 2:11-3:13?What does the Bible really say about the role of women in ministry? The big deal with 1 Timothy 2:11-3:13 really has to do with what the apostle Paul meant by what he wrote in verses 11-12, which states: “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a many, rather, she is to remain quite.”
There are three views regarding the role of women in the church:
The Hierarchical view. This view teaches that women should only teach other women and children, but never men. According to the hierarchical view, women cannot be elders, deacons, serve communion, teach men, lead worship, or speak in a church service.The Egalitarian view. This view is the opposite of the hierarchical view and teaches that men and women are completely equal partners in every aspect of ministry. According to this view, all ministries and offices in the church are open to all qualified persons regardless of gender.The Complementarian view. This is the view that all church ministries are open to qualified men and women with the exception of the role of pastor-elder; qualified women can serve as deaconesses, teachers, worship leaders, full-time staff, and serve communion. I said in the first sermon of this series that there are two ways to categorize the various teachings of the Bible. There are “primary issues” (what I also label as “Gospel issues”). A “primary issue” is something that is taught in the Bible that is so important that if proven false, it would call into question the legitimacy of Christian faith and the reliability of the Bible (i.e. the virgin birth, the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus). Primary issues are those doctrines that you must believe to remain orthodox in our faith.
Everything that is not a “primary issue” is a “secondary issue.” Secondary issues are those things taught in the Bible that you believe to be true, but if shown that you are wrong, it will not wreck your faith. When it comes to secondary issues, there is room for disagreement without the need for breaking fellowship over such issues because secondary issues are not primary issues. While I believe that there is room for disagreement on secondary issues, I do not think that it is responsible or right to remain agnostic concerning such issues.
Because the Bible addresses secondary issues, we must seek to understand the truth of God’s word concerning such issues and hold on to the clear teaching of God’s word on such things. What the Bible teaches concerning women in church leadership is important, and I believe it is clear, but it is a secondary issue. Now, in categorizing the role of women in church leadership as a secondary issue, I want you to understand that Paul’s instruction to Timothy on the function of the role of men and women in leadership is motivated by a primary issue. So, now that I addressed the first three questions, we can focus the remainder of our time on the fourth question, which is: “What does the Bible say?”
Why did Paul Write 1 Timothy?Timothy was Paul’s spiritual son in the faith and was called to serve as the pastor of the church in Ephesus after Paul spent three years in the city planting the church. Ephesus was a city whose economy depended on trade. It was frequently visited by people wishing to see and experience one of the seven wonders of the world of their day known as the Temple of Artemis/Diana.
The origins of Ephesus were tied to a mythological queen of the Amazon women, known as Ephos. The Amazons were considered to be female warriors; some depictions of them were part of the decorative art in the Temple of Artemis/Diana. The Amazons were portrayed as superior to men. The worship in the temple included temple prostitutes, and the worship experience involved demonic possession of the priests, priestesses, and those worshiping at the temple. Commercial trade, manufacturing, and making and selling of religious icons all centered on Diana. Needless to say, the church in Ephesus existed in a culture where the worship of Diana affected the way women and men were treated and understood.
When Paul brought the gospel of Jesus Christ into Ephesus, he brought a message that was countercultural to the lifestyle and religious practices of Ephesus. The people Timothy found himself serving as a pastor were people saved out of the demonic darkness of that city, but not everyone in the church belonged there. When Paul left Ephesus after three years of pastoral ministry he met with the elders of the church and warned them: “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:28–30). Regarding the purpose of his letter, Paul tells Timothy: “I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15).
Because the church is called to be a pillar and buttress of truth, Paul was especially concerned about the kind of false teaching he warned the elders of the church would arise, “speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:28-30). So, throughout his letter to Timothy, he warned of the danger of false teaching and bad doctrine that threatened the church. At the beginning of his letter, Paul instructs, “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith”(1 Tim. 1:3–4; see also vv. 18-20; 4:1-5). And in conclusion to his letter, encourages the young pastor, “O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called “knowledge,” for by professing it some have swerved from the faith (1 Tim. 6:20–21).
What is the Point of 1 Timothy 2:11-15?What does Paul mean by instructing Timothy concerning the women in his church: “Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather she is to remain quiet.” (vv. 11-12)? How do you reconcile these two verses with the rest of the Bible? If Paul is telling us that women cannot teach men, why did he allow Miriam to lead his people in worship and to serve as a prophetess before his people (see Exod. 15)? What do you do with Deborah who served as both a Judge and a prophetess over both men and women in Israel (Judges 4-5)? Why was it okay for King Josiah who wanted to obey what he read in Deuteronomy to seek the counsel of Huldah the prophetess, and why was it okay for her to speak on behalf of Yahweh to a male priest and the men he was with (2 Kings 22:8-20)? Also, in Micah 6:4, Miriam is listed with Moses and Aaron as the three leaders sent to Israel by God as an example of his faithfulness and Israel’s repeated unfaithfulness.
What about what we read in the New Testament? If Paul was telling Timothy that women were not to teach men in the church, then how do you reconcile 1 Timothy 2:11-12 with Peter’s sermon on the day the Church was birthed and his quote of Joel from the Old Testament? Listen to the prophesy Peter said had been fulfilled the same day they received the promise of the Holy Spirit:
Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:14–18).
You may say, “Well that is talking about the end-times when things will be different.” Oh really? So, I ask you then, what do you do with Philip, the deacon, whose four daughters prophesied in Paul’s presence (see Acts 21:7-9)? What do you do with Paul’s instruction for the way a wife should prophesy while in public (1 Cor. 11:5; see also 14:1-5)? If women are not to instruct men, why did Aquila and Priscilla (a husband-and-wife couple) pull Apollos aside to correct him regarding something he taught (see Acts 18:24-26), and why didn’t Priscilla keep her mouth shut and just let her husband correct Apollos?
If women are not to instruct men, why was Mary Magdalene allowed to witness the resurrected Jesus first and why did he tell her tell her, “…go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” (John 20:11-18)? When Jesus commanded: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20), are women only permitted to teach women and children to observe all that he commanded?
This is why it is so important to read scripture within its historical and grammatical context. To pull verses like 1 Timothy 2:11-12 out to make a point without considering the overall point Paul is making is irresponsible and dangerous. So, what is it that Paul is saying in these verses then? Look at the connecting word in verses 13-15; Paul uses the word “For” which serve to clue us in to the point of the verses that precede it: “For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control” (1 Timothy 2:13–15).
To help you hear what Paul is saying to Timothy, consider what it was that Adam did not do while he stood next to Eve as she entertained the lies of the serpent. Eve was deceived by the false teaching of the serpent when Adam should have intervened by correcting the serpent’s dangerous doctrine. You see, while Eve was deceived, Adam understood that the serpent was teaching Eve something God did not say. Adam heard from the voice of God, yet he decided to eat the fruit God said would cause death anyway.
In Genesis 1:26-27, we learn that both Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. God not only created Adam and Eve as male and female, but he created them equal as image bearers of God, but different. Eve was not created first, but instead it was Adam who was first created. After God formed Adam from the dust of the earth, the Bible says, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” In other words, God created Adam as one uniquely called to protect and provide(these are very important words).
We further learn from Genesis that as Adam managed the garden by naming the animals, he found he had no helper fit for him. So, Genesis 2:21-24 states God’s response:
So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, “This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
When we consider this passage along with the one found in 1:28, which is the command to be fruitful, we discover that while Adam was by design called to be the protector and provider of his family, Eve was called to be the life-giver and helper of her family. It is not that either of them was better than the other, but that they were created to serve each other in different ways: Male as provider and protector, and Eve as life-giver and helper (nurturer).
Men and women are created as equals, but also very different by design. Adam and Eve were designed to complement each other as God intended design within the institution of marriage. The other reason why Paul uses Adam and Eve in these verses is because marriage is also a microcosm of God’s intended design of the Church.
Where are All the Women Pastors?Now that you understand why Paul used Adam and Eve’s story to set up what he wrote in chapter 3, I can answer the question regarding women in leadership. The role of overseers is synonymous with elders.[1] I also believe that the role of overseer and elder includes the role of the person called to the preaching and teaching ministry within the local church, primarily because of what Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:17, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” In other words, there is an elder or elders set aside to labor in preaching and teaching as a shepherd and overseer within the local church.
What is also important to note is that overseers are not the only individuals spiritually called or gifted to teach the scriptures. Every Christian is gifted with talents and spiritual gifts to, “stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). The overseer is an office in the church held by called individuals who meet a list of qualifications related to their character and spiritual maturity who serve the church by providing, guarding, and protecting sound doctrine. The language used in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 is gender exclusive to men not because women are incompetent, too emotional, or inferior, but by design. In his letter to Titus (another pastoral epistle), Paul includes in the responsibility of the overseer that he, “must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).
In 1 Timothy 3:8-13, we discover that unlike the role of overseer, the role of deacon is gender neutral. The word “deacon” literally means “servant” and it can be used to describe either a man or a woman. Deacons are the life-giving nurturers in the Church. The deacon provides the hands-on care to the family of God. If you are reading from an ESV, KJV, or a NKJV you need to understand that 1 Timothy 3:11 is an example where the bias of the translators is imposed on the text. The word for wife is the Greek word, gynē which can also be translated, “woman.” The same word used in 1 Timothy 2:11 is the same exact word used in 3:11 (it is not even in the genitive). The NASB and the NIV get it right in the translations: “In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything” (1 Timothy 3:11, NIV).
Paul’s life was seasoned with godly women who often made his ministry possible, one such person was Phoebe of whom Paul wrote: “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant [diakonos] of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well”(Romans 16:1-2).
So, when it comes to the office of overseer, I do not believe that the Scripture leaves any room for a woman to serve in that role, not because she is incapable, but because of design; this applies to the one who has been set aside for the regular preaching and teaching ministry within the local church. This does not mean that under the oversight of the Elders (overseers), a woman cannot teach, lead worship, evangelize, or even preach where men are present so long as she serves under the protective guidance and oversight of a plurality of biblically qualified men who serve as overseers/elders.
Consider the following points and what I think is important for you to walk away with from this sermon:
God has created us as equals as His image bearers. As men and women, we both bring unique qualities to the Church that are God-given that transcend culture.As men and women, we bring our unique giftedness to the Church and each and every single Christian in this room makes up a part of the Church body as a whole, and every single female and male follower of Christ is important to the health of the Church (see 1 Corinthians 12:14-20).We should not look at the different offices of the church in terms of status, but in terms of service, service according to God’s plan and pattern. The moment we begin to think of an overseer, deacon/deaconess, youth pastor, Life Group leader, or any other role in the church as positions of status instead of places of service we have missed the point of what it means to serve Jesus. [1] Elders and Overseers are used to describe shepherds in Acts 20:17, 28.
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Romans 8:18-30Grief. Why preach on this subject on Mother’s Day of all days? For starters, women in childbearing age are more prone to depression than men, and according to PsychCentral, are twice as likely to battle depression than men.[1] There are many factors for this that we do not have the time this morning to address, but besides the genetic, biochemical, and situational dynamics that factor into depression in mothers, mothers tend to find their sense of purpose in motherhood while most admit that the role of a mother is the most difficult and stressful things experienced. So, although this is not a sermon on motherhood specifically, a sermon on grief could not be more appropriate for Mother’s Day.
In this room is represented a host of hurts, disappointments, and lives that do not look at all what was envisioned. In his book, Walking with God through Pain and Suffering, Timothy Keller wrote in the introduction: “No matter what precautions we take, no matter how well we have put together a good life, no matter how hard we have worked to be healthy, wealthy, comfortable with friends and family, and successful with our career — something will inevitably ruin it.”[2] We live in the kind of world were you will inevitably experience something that vandalizes something you have worked hard to protect and keep.
On October 9, 2021 Cliff Abraham succumbed to complications due to COVID. Cliff and his wife Bonnie hosted one of our Life Groups. Cliff loved Jesus, his wife, and his children; his youngest child, Rachael was especially close to her father. I preached on Romans 8 at Cliff’s memorial service held right here at Meadowbrooke Church. Sometime ago Rachael asked if she could meet with me because she continued to struggle with overwhelming grief in the wake of her father’s death as she was trying to hold on to her faith. Rachael suggested the inclusion of a sermon on grief in this sermon series and offered to share some of her story as well. Towards the end of my sermon, I am going to have Rachael come up to the stage and join me to do just that.
I would like to think of this sermon as the second part to the sermon I preached at Cliff’s memorial service. My sermon then was on Romans 8:1-4, 28-39; at the time I did not feel the need to spend a whole lot of time on verse 18. I do think that it is appropriate to do so today.
My hope for each of you this morning is that you are able to cling onto the kind of hope that sustained the apostle Paul and so many other Christ followers. Think about this: When Paul was in prison, while not knowing what would come next, he wrote to a group of Christians in Philippi, “…for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil. 1:19–21). In his last letter to Timothy, when an execution for Paul was immanent, he wrote: “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Tim. 4:6–8).
When you read any of the epistles the apostle Paul had written, it becomes glaringly obvious that he was holding onto something that made whatever hurt he experienced worth it. This did not mean that Paul was some kind of super Christian or that he didn’t experience days that seemed too much to bear. If you are wondering what kind of suffering Paul experienced in his lifetime, he was arrested numerous times and spent countless hours under house arrest and in prison cells, he was beaten so often that he lost count. However, the worst of what he suffered for his faith he lists for us in 2 Corinthians 11:24-28; listen to what he experienced from his own words:
Five times I received at the hands of the Jews the forty lashes less one. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I was adrift at sea; on frequent journeys, in danger from rivers, danger from robbers, danger from my own people, danger from Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger at sea, danger from false brothers; in toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches.” (2 Corinthians 11:24–28)
Against the backdrop of the many ways Paul suffered, he wrote Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” In this single sentence, we discover what it was that kept Paul from being swallowed up by grief and despair. In this sentence is the reason why he could write to the Corinthian Church: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies” (2 Cor. 4:8–10).
We Will Suffer Before We Experience GloryNow, I do not want you to misunderstand by what Paul means with the word “glory.” The glory he is referring to is a glory outside of ourselves, and it is in light of that glory that our present sufferings dim and lose their edge. According to verse 19, it is a glory only available to the sons of God. The sons of God are the children of God. Who is the child of God? The child of God is the person who received the “abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness” of Jesus Christ by trusting that his death for your sins was enough just as Paul described three chapters earlier in Romans: “Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men” (see Rom. 5:18–21)
In Romans 8:32, Paul elaborated on what he meant in verse 18, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” The “all things” is the “glory that is to be revealed to us.” It is this glory that Paul focused on in the midst of his “present day” sufferings. Do not miss what he is saying here! Just because you are a child of God, does not exempt you from “present day sufferings!” Present day sufferings may include countless beatings, 39 lashes, canning, stoning, shipwrecks, and all sorts of dangers. Present day suffering may also include divorce, a wayward child, the loss of a job, disease, and even death.
Your present-day sufferings may be the consequence of your sins, it may be the discipline of your heavenly Father, or it may be both (see Micah 7:8-9; Heb. 12:3-17). Whatever form your suffering may come in, there is purpose and design behind it, or as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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” (2 Cor. 4:16–18). Oh, how we need a right theology of suffering!
The teaching that financial blessing, physical well-being, and easy living is always the will of God for your life is called the prosperity gospel, and it is an abomination (see 1 Tim. 6:6-10)! God’s will for your life is not a suffering-free life because to follow Jesus requires a cross-bearing life where one finds his or her identity in the One who suffered and warned: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33; see also Luke 14:26-33).
Your present-day suffering does not necessarily mean that God is displeased with you, what it absolutely means is that he is as work in your life. Listen to how Hebrews 12 explains the purpose behind the suffering a group of Christians were experiencing: “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons…. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Heb. 12:7–8, 11).
It is a Good God Who Will Reveal the Glory to UsMartin Lloyd-Jones, who himself died of throat cancer after nearly thirty years of faithful service as the lead pastor of Westminster Chapel in London. His sermons and writings have had a profound impact upon my life and theology as your pastor. He said of the glory the apostle Paul wrote of: “The great reality is the glory that is coming.… Hold on to this idea, that we do not really belong to this present age, that ‘our citizenship is in heaven.’ This present world is passing, transient, temporary. ‘The world to come’ is the real, the permanent world. That is the one that has substance and which will endure forever.”[3] When he learned that his cancer would not improve, he suspended further treatment and asked his family not to pray for healing, and to clear any confusion as to why he did not want them to pray for healing, he said, “Do not hold me back from the glory.” The cancer eventually robbed him of any ability to speak, his doctor said to him, “It grieves me to see you sitting here ‘weary and worn and sad.’” To which Martyn Lloyd-Jones replied: “Not sad!”. . .”Not sad!” and pointed to 2 Corinthians 4:16-19, “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.”
What is the glory that is to be revealed to us that filled a cancer-ridden Martyn Lloyd-Jones with joy? It is the glory all of creation, “waits with eager longing…” and the children of God, “groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (Rom. 8:19-23). You see the gospel is not only the forgiveness of sins made possible through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, but the reversal of the curse of sin and the complete redemption of all creation.
The glory that is to be revealed to us is the one the apostle Peter wrote about to encourage suffering Christians, that Jesus saved them to give them: “…an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (see 1 Peter 1:3–5). The glory that a good God will not only reveal to us but bless us with is the one the apostle John described for us in Revelation 21,
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Rev. 21:1–5)
This my dear brothers and sisters is what Paul meant when continued in Romans 8:28, “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Experiencing suffering in this present time does not mean that we have to understand it, like it, or want to experience it. What we need to remind ourselves of is that there is a good God who loves his children and will turn our suffering around into something beautiful. Evelyn Underhill wisely said, “If God were small enough to be understood, he wouldn’t be big enough to be worshiped.”
The author of Hebrews defined faith as “…the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). What is it that will keep your faith from being swallowed up by your grief? The trust in a God whose love and goodness are infinitely greater than the pain of the, “…sufferings of this present time.” This is the unseen hope that we must wait for with patience, knowing that suffering has a shelf-life and God promises that he will wipe away the tears that stain our eyes. This is why we can sing songs like, “You’ve Already Won”
There’s peace that outlasts darknessHope that’s in the bloodThere’s future grace that’s mine todayThat Jesus Christ has wonSo I can face tomorrowFor tomorrow’s in Your handsAll I need, you will provideJust like you always have
I’m fighting a battleYou’ve already wonNo matter what comes my wayI will overcomeDon’t know what you’re doingBut I know what you’ve done, thank you, GodI’m fighting a battleYou’ve already wonI know how the story endsWe will be with you again, you’re the one who savesYou’re my Savior, my defense, so we don’t have to be afraidNo more fear in life or death
[1] Stacey L. Nash. “Motherhood and Depression: How Depression Looks When You’re a Mom” (PsychCentral; September 20, 2022).
[2] Timothy Keller. Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (New York, NY: Penguin Group; 2013); p. 3.
[3] Boice, J. M. (1991–). Romans: The Reign of Grace (Vol. 2, p. 868). Baker Book House.
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Romans 12:1-8On March 26th, I preached a sermon titled, “Where are All the Dinosaurs?” In that sermon, I tried to summarize the first six chapters of Genesis to show you how things went from bad to worse the moment Adam and Eve sinned and rebelled against God in the Garden when they ate the fruit God told them not to eat because of their belief and desire that if they did so, they would be like God (see Gen. 3:1-13). The Apostle Paul wrote of Adam and Eve’s sin: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come”(Romans 5:12–14).
Over time, God increasingly revealed how he would fix the problem of the human heart. In Isaiah 44:3, God promised his people: “I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants.” In Ezekiel 36:26-27 we are told how the pouring of God’s Spirit would affect his people: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statues and be careful to obey my rules” (Ezek. 36:26-27). God would fulfill his promise to fix the sin problem of His people by giving them His Spirit to enable them to love God and obey his commandments. This promise is known as the New Covenant. The Old Covenant was the Law given to the Hebrew people through Moses, but the New Covenant would be given to both Jews and Gentiles through someone greater than Moses, namely Jesus Christ (see Deut. 18:15; Heb. 31-7).
For this reason, Jesus was born and lived a sin-free life, died for our sin-cursed selves, and then rose from the grave (1 Cor. 15:3). Jesus said that the reason he had come into the world, was to, “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) and to, “give his life as a ransom for many”(Matt. 20:28). Before he willingly subjected himself to be crucified for our sins, he promised:
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. (John 14:15–20)
After Jesus died and then rose from the grave, he told his disciples what would happen when they received the Helper he had promised: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Act. 1:8). What kind of power? The kind of power that enables a person to love God, keep his commandments, follow Jesus, and engage God’s mission to redeem the nations.
How Does the Holy Spirit Help?The moment you believe in Jesus Christ, you are baptized by the Holy Spirit. This is not a mystical event where you feel something strange, but it is a supernatural event where upon your belief in Jesus you experience the promise of the New Covenant where your heart is made to be able to love and obey God; this is also known as the circumcision of the heart. The supernatural phenomenon that happens with the baptism of the Holy Spirit is that you are now able to respond to God in love and faith in a way you were unable to previously.
The moment you believe in Jesus and then receive the Holy Spirit as the promised Helper, he then begins a work in your life known as regeneration. If you are a Christian, what has happened to you is that you are now a new creation that is experiencing a transformation of life, resulting in living out a practical righteousness coupled with a desire to be holy as God is holy (2 Cor. 4:16-18; 5:16-17; 2 Thess. 2:13; 1 Pet. 13-16). The Holy Spirit empowers you to live a life that with each passing day, will be more reflective of his character.
What I am about to say, I say often, and do not believe that I can say it enough: If you are a Christian, you were baptized (1 Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:1-10), indwelt (John 14:16-17; 1 Cor. 3:16), and sealed (2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13-14) by the Holy Spirit. All of the Holy Spirit that you will ever need already indwells you. When it comes to living a life that is holy, pleasing, and victoriously reflective of God’s power over the patterns of your life, it has more to do with the Holy Spirit getting more of you. One of the other ways the Holy Spirit is empowering you is gifting you with at least one supernatural gift from a list of spiritual gifts listed for us in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Romans 12:3-8 that is given to each Christian for the purpose of engaging God’s mission to redeem the nations through the gospel of Jesus Christ (Matt. 28:19-20).
Now, with that being said, we can now turn our attention to Romans 12:1-8.
You Were Saved to Live Worshipfully (Rom. 12:1-2)There is an important principle you must remember when reading and studying your Bible, and that principle is that you must consider the context of any verse, paragraph, or chapter you read in the Bible. There are certain words that clue you in to your need to consider what is about to be said in light of what has been said, and one of those words is “therefore.” We encounter that word in Romans 12:1, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God…”. The way the NIV translates this verse is helpful: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy…”
Romans 12 marks the beginning of his application for the Christian in light of all that he had written in chapters 1-11. It is because of the great mercy of God that you have been saved from his wrath over your sin because of his great love for you. Even though you were unrighteous, Jesus died for your sins to provide you with his righteousness (Romans 3). When you were an enemy of God, he loved you anyway and sent his Son to die for the purpose of reconciling you to himself (Ch. 5-6). When you were far off, God called you, predestined you, justified you, will one day glorify you, and will keep you and will never disown you (Ch. 8-9). You who were not considered the people of God are now the people of God; you who were once not beloved by God, are now loved by him; you who were once a child of his wrath, are now sons and daughters of the living God (Ch. 10-11). In celebration of those realities that only the Christian experienced and continues to experience, Paul concludes Romans 11 with these words: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:33–36).
In light of everything Paul wrote in Romans 1-11 that is true of the Christian today, we are to live differently because we are no longer dead but alive to Christ. So, in light of the mercy you have experienced by the God who had every right to pour out his wrath upon you, Paul wrote: “present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God” (12:1). Worship, since the beginning, involved a sacrifice that was not based on paying God back for his grace and mercy, but instead served three primary purposes:
A sin offering. There was a shedding of blood of an animal that was a sacrifice for the atonement of one’s sins, which ultimately pointed to the sacrifice Jesus would make in our place upon a cross (see Lev. 4; Heb. 9:22). A Thank offering. There was also the type of sacrifice that acknowledged the goodness of God in one’s life, which is known in the Old Testament as a Thank Offering. The Thank Offering could come in all forms, shapes, and sizes (see Psalm 107:21-22).The Tithe offering. The third type of sacrifice given in the Old Testament was the tithe offering which served as a way to acknowledge that all a person had was provided by God. Giving back a portion or “tithe” was and continues to be a way of acknowledging the goodness of God (see Mal. 3:8-10). To present your body as a living sacrifice is to present yourself to God both as a thank offering and a tithe offering as a way of acknowledging his goodness to you and what really belongs to him in the first place. Where are we to present our bodies as a living sacrifice? On the altar of his will for your life. What is his will for your life? Paul tells us in verse 2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
So Christian, how do you discern God’s will for your life? For starters, it begins with the “renewal of your mind…”. We discover what God’s will is for our lives first through his Word, which is the Bible. This is what Paul prayed for in his letter to the church in Colossae: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God…” (Colossians 1:9–10). God’s will for your life is sanctification (1 Thess. 4:3), and the way you pursue it is to listen to his word, know his word, and then obey his word. Anything that you are doing or participating in that God’s word prohibits is not his will for your life! R. C. Sproul offered great wisdom on the will of God in light of Romans 12,
It doesn’t matter what your job is or whom we marry or what city we live in. If we are not growing in sanctification, seeking God’s will about such things is worthless. God’s will for each of us is that we grow into spiritual maturity, that our lives become more fully set apart and consecrated by the Holy Spirit, and that our minds are changed. After that we will be able to tell what is pleasing to God. Then we will be able to know what He wants us to do—that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.[1]
You Were Saved to Live Sacrificially (Rom. 12:3-8)As you seek the will of God for your life what you will discover is that his will for your life is not only to be changed by the agency of his holy Word and the power of his Holy Spirit, but to use you to accomplish his will among his people who are called to engage his mission in the world. Timothy Savage, in his book on what it means to be the Church, wrote: “God strategically distributes the gifts among his people, ensuring that local churches are vested with the resources necessary to thrive for his glory; he arranges ‘the members of the body, each one of them, just as he desires’ (1 Cor. 12:18).”[2]
In Romans 12:3-8 Paul lists seven of thirteen spiritual gifts given to the Church. Before he provides us with his list, he writes: “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function…” (Romans 12:3–4). In other words, we collectively make up his Church and we each have an important part to play in our service within the local church. So, how is it that I present myself as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God? The answer is in verses 3-8.
Paul was playing his part in the Church by giving the Christians in Rome an apostle teaching these Christians what it meant to be a Christian. The Holy Spirit gifted Paul in this way not so that he could fill his own head with knowledge, but to give his gift away as an apostle out of love for his brothers and sisters for their good and God’s glory. He also reminds these Christians that not everyone has been gifted to do what he was called to do: “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, through many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (vv. 4-5). So, what are the spiritual gifts listed for us in Romans 12?
Prophesy: The supernatural gifting to speak forth God’s message to his people to aid them in understanding what his will is for their lives.
Service: The supernatural gifting to identify those things that need to be done however menial such things appear and to use whatever resources needed to accomplish such needs.
Teaching: The supernatural gifting to instruct others in the Bible in logical, systematic, and inductive ways to effectively communicate God’s word clearly to grow understanding for the spiritual life and health of God’s people.
Exhortation: The supernatural gifting to come along someone to encourage, comfort, console, and counsel them with the word of God to help them grow in their relationship with God.
Giving: The supernatural gifting to share material resources God has blessed you with for the good of others and the glory of God.
Leadership: The supernatural gifting of leadership to give direction for certain tasks to the body of Christ with diligence and courage and the ability to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of those tasks.
Mercy: The supernatural gifting of sensitivity towards the physically, emotionally, and spiritually hurting and needy. This person is gifted in his/her ability to care with words of compassion and tangible acts to alleviate their suffering.
The list we receive in 1 Corinthians 12:1-30 includes the gifts of administration, discernment, faith, knowledge, helps, tongues, and the ability to interpret the gift of tongues. I do not have the time here to elaborate on the gifts listed for us in 1 Corinthians 12, but we do spend two hours unpacking what each of these gifts are and how they are used in the Meadowbrooke Partnership Pathway course that we offer, and will be offering again soon.
The point is that each of you were gifted with at least one of these gifts for the purpose of giving them away as part of a local body of believers called the church. Using the gift(s) that God gifted you through the Holy Spirit is not only part of how you present you body as a living sacrifice, but giving your gift(s) and talent(s) away as part of the local church is how you do Romans 12:9-13, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality” (Romans 12:9–13).
For those of you wondering how to discover your spiritual gift(s): the best way to learn how God has gifted you is within the fellowship of other Christians in the context of a local church as you prayerfully look for ways to love and serve your brothers and sisters as you engage the mission God has called Meadowbrooke into here in Cheyenne.
The best way to decern God’s will for your life is by listening to his Word, so that it shapes your thinking, and the only way to present yourself as a living sacrifice is through actively giving away what God has gifted you, such as the life, talents, and spiritual gifts he has given to you. My mentor and spiritual father in the faith said to me once that the best way to decern the will of God is like steering a car, the steering wheel turns easiest when the car is moving forward. If you want to discover what God’s will for your life is, you will not be able to decern it clearly if you are not listening to him as you actively engage what he is doing in the world through his Church. This is why the author of Hebrews wrote something that sounds strangely similar to what Paul wrote in Romans 12, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23–25).
Each and every Christian in this room has been given a spiritual gift through the Holy Spirit along with a host of talents and abilities to be used to encourage and equip his people to accomplish his kingdom purposes in the world. You present yourself as a living sacrifice when you actively give yourself away for the glory of God and the good of his people.
[1] R. C. Sproul. Romans: An Expositional Commentary (Sanford, FL: Reformation Trust Publishing; 2019), p. 377.
[2] Timothy Savage, The Church: God’s New People (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2011), pp. 16-7.
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Good morning, everyone, glad you are here. Welcome to those watching online. If you are watching, I hope you’ll come worship with us in person, because it’s always better in person. But either way, I’m excited to be speak to you today!
For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Dan Nelson. My wife Melody and I have been at Meadowbrooke for 12 years. We have 3 daughters, 2 sons-in- law, and 2 grandsons. I was a pastor in another denomination for 21 years before we came to Meadowbrooke, and I was on staff for 5 1/2 of the 12 years we’ve been here. I’m semi-retired now and own a bookkeeping business. I serve on the Welcome Team and the finance team, and Keith invites me to preach a couple times a year.
Two weeks ago, Keith preached on hell and I’m sure, like me, you woke up that morning thinking, “Sweet!” because hell is, after all, a highly popular topic! This morning we’re going to look at another popular topic by asking the question, “Do we really need to talk about money in church?”
In my experience, the reason this is not a popular topic is because people are tired of their pastor trying to get them to give more money to the church. You’ve heard sermons like that, right? I have. I confess I have preached some as well, so I understand why a sermon on money is not a popular topic, and why so many pastors avoid talking about money in church.
But over the years, money became one of my favorite topics, because I am a satisfied customer when it comes to following the Bible’s instructions about money.
Will you please stand as we read the words of Jesus from Luke 16, starting with verse 10. They come at the conclusion of what we call the parable of the dishonest manager. The parable may not be familiar, but the closing words probably are, so familiar in fact that sometimes when we hear them – we don’t. My hope and my prayer is that we hear these words in a new way this morning, and that we find a place where we can put them into practice.
Luke 16:10-13“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant 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.”
Please sit. Let’s pray…
I’d like us to read the last slightly edited sentence out loud.
“I cannot serve God and money.”We try, don’t we? Or am I the only one? That’s why we need to talk about it.
When I started as a pastor over 30 years ago, I had a mentor who used a phrase that changed the way I thought and dealt with money in church.
He said, “Money talk is holy talk.” If this phrase is familiar, it may be because I’ve used it before. If we are going to be faithful to Scripture and allow it to speak into and guide our lives and shape our values and behavior, then we absolutely must talk about money in church.
Money talk is holy talk because the bible is full of money talk. A major theme of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes is Solomon’s pedal-to-the-metal pursuit of financial and material wealth.
Throughout much of the Old Testament is the idea that a person’s material wealth is directly connected with their obedience to God. If you obey God, he will give you financial blessings; if you disobey then probably not. The conversations we read in the book of Job clearly illustrate this. Job’s so- called friends were convinced that the reason Job lost all his material wealth in the course of about a day is because he did something wrong, so God “unblessed” him. Now if we read the beginning and the end of the book, we know that’s not true, but that’s what they thought.
Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us to, “remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth…” We get that mixed up sometimes, don’t we!
If you look at money talk in the Old Testament, you will eventually come across the term tithe. You’ve heard that word before, right? If we are going to talk about money in church, then we have to at least mention tithing.
Genesis 4:2The first step in the development of the tithe is in Genesis, where Adam and Eve’s children, Cain and Abel brought “portions” of their flocks and crops to the Lord. The idea was to set aside a portion of the first crop of the season to thank God for a successful harvest.
Leviticus 27:30 says, “Every tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or the fruit of the trees, is the Lord’s; it is holy to the Lord.” Holy talk!
Deuteronomy 14:22-23 says, “You shall tithe all the yield of your seed that comes from the field year by year.”
When God established priests and the temple, he instructed the Israelites to bring their tithes to the temple as an act of worship.
Malachi 3:8-10, a popular passage when it comes to tithing, said that those who didn’t tithe were threatened with a curse, while those who did tithe were promised blessing.
These passages and others tell us that the big idea behind tithing that everything we have really belongs to God and we get to give back 10% of it to thank him for trusting us with it.
So we see that by definition, a tithe is 10%. When we it a verb, to tithe means to give that 10% to God. Whatever you give after that is an offering. This means that I can’t give an offering until I first tithe. And if we’re getting technical, giving that tithe to anything other than the church isn’t really a tithe—it’s just a nice gift. But that’s never a bad thing!
Are Christians supposed to tithe?When we talk about tithing, someone always wants to know if Christians are still supposed to tithe because Jesus fulfilled the law and tithing was part of the law. I had this discussion many times over the years, and I used to be one who said Christians were supposed to tithe. But I changed my mind. I hope it’s OK that I changed my mind and don’t believe the same now as I did 20 years ago. Hopefully as a sign of growth and maturity, I’ve changed.
I have no problem when we say the Old Testament teaches tithing – it clearly does. I changed my mind because, when we look for tithing in the New Testament, there isn’t much. It’s mentioned, but nowhere do we see Jesus or any other author of scripture tell us we are required to tithe.
What we do see is that the New Testament has a lot to say about giving and generosity, selfishness and greed, and money and material things. Statistics tell us that Jesus talked about money and material wealth more than any other topic, including the Kingdom of God and love. Combined. One stat I read said that in Matthew, Mark, and Luke 1 out of every 6 verses deals with money, and 16 of 29 of Jesus’ parables deal with money and material wealth. Whatever the exact stats are, we know Jesus talked about money a lot, he warned us not to become slaves to it, and he encouraged us to be generous – but he never told us to tithe.
With that said, I have two bits of advice to offer. One, if you think Christians are supposed to tithe, then you should. Two, don’t knock it til you’ve tried it.
Another question often comes up, “Do I have to tithe on my gross or my net?” I’ve had some intense discussions on this one, and I finally realized that, if you do get into this kind of argument, you’ve totally missed the point.
There are three New Testament passages we’ll look at that illustrate why money talk is holy talk. One is the passage from Luke that we read at the beginning. Let’s reread Jesus’ familiar concluding words:
“No servant 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.” And neither can I.
Think about the master-servant terminology. The master is the one in charge, the one with the authority, the one with the power, the one who calls the shots. The servant is the one who obeys the master. Jesus says the servant – that’s you and me – can choose which master to serve, so we do have a little power here. But try as we might, we cannot serve both.
The reason we cannot serve both is because the commands and the values and the behaviors required by the master of the kingdom of this world are in great conflict with the commands and values and behaviors required the kingdom of God.
Now, considering that we must live in this worldly kingdom at least for the time being, we can’t avoid money. The news is filled with words like inflation, recession and bankruptcy, and phrases like, “the stock market went down again today,” and “the fed raised the interest rate again today.” all of which can raise our anxiety quotient.
Every month a variety of businesses and other organizations, like Black Hills and BOPU, Spectrum, Verizon and VISA to name a few, faithfully reach out to us, reminding us that our payment is due, and we apologize that the bill is higher this month than last.
And in the midst of all this, the marketers are doing their best to make us dissatisfied with what we have and convince us that we need more. We need a bigger house and we need a new car, or another car, and a new phone, and a new outfit, and a new fragrance, and a nice vacation.
Now there is nothing inherently wrong with buying a bigger house, or going on a trip. The real issue, the real question is: does all the time and energy and resources that I put into planning for, caring for, and paying for, all the stuff that I want, contribute to building the kingdom of God?
The second one is 1 Timothy 6:9-10. Back in the day, a guy named Paul wrote a letter to a young pastor named Timothy, a letter that wound up in the Bible so we, too, can gain wisdom from it. In that letter he said, “Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction.” Wow, how’s that for a mouthful that is on making money your master! “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.” Please note that it does not say money is the root of all evil; it says the love of money is a root of a variety of evil. “Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
This is why money talk is holy talk. When we start to love and get eager for money – and who among us has never been tempted to love and be eager for money – we wander from the faith, and we pierce ourselves with many griefs. We plunge into ruin and destruction. Not what I want for myself!
The third passage that illustrates why money talk is holy talk is the parable of the rich ruler in Luke 18.
Luke 18:18-23And a ruler asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to be saved?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘don’t step out on your spouse, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t lie, honor your mom and dad, and pray the sinner’s prayer.’ No wait, he didn’t mention the sinner’s prayer.” And the rich guy said, “Sweet – I do all this! I’m in!” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “Wait just a sec, I’m not finished: you need to sell all you have and give the money to the poor; then come, follow me.” But when he heard this, he became really sad, because he was really rich.”
You see why money talk is holy talk, right? It calls us to address the conflict in our lives between the values of the kingdom of this world and the values
of the kingdom of God. If we don’t learn how to deal with money and material things from a kingdom perspective, our priorities go off the rails. In the case of this ruler, it was a total barrier to him following Jesus. It brought him to a full stop. This passage reminds us that the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world are in competition – they are not allies.
At the beginning I told you I was a satisfied customer when it came to following the Bible’s instructions when it comes to money. I want you to hear from another satisfied customer, Jason Campbell. Jason and I met 11 years ago when we worked Echostar.
Is that good stuff or what! That’s how Jason and Marissa and Michelle are doing it. What they do and how they do it is not the only right way, but they are working to choose to serve the right master more and more often. ADVANCE to hose
Spring is just around the corner, many of you will be getting out into the garden. Some of us will do our best to avoid the garden, but some of you are looking forward to it. And we all know what happens when we grab the end of the hose, turn the water on, and head toward the garden: you get a kink in the hose and the water stops. A kink in the hose stops the flow.
TD Jakes, an author in the Christian world, says that Christians are supposed to be like garden hoses, channels thru which God pours his blessings. But sometimes we put a kink in our hose by focusing on our stuff. We put a kink in the hose by not trusting God to meet our needs. Focusing on getting more money and more stuff puts a kink in our hose. And when we get a kink, God’s blessings can’t flow, so he sends them to someone else who will let them flow. Why should God give us more when we are not faithful with what he has already given us?
Here is what I have discovered: when I put a kink in my hose and don’t give, I become even more self-centered and selfish. I lack consideration for others because I’m concerned with my own profit or pleasure. It becomes all about me and what I want, and I lose interest in blessing others, and generosity is out the window.
But what does it mean to be generous? Broadly speaking, generous means a readiness to give more of something, like money or time, than is strictly necessary or expected. Generous is a relative term because it is about you, and what your resources and commitments are. Your level of generosity has nothing to do with what someone else gives. Did that register? Generosity has nothing to do with what someone else gives – generosity is one place where it’s all about you. I think one of the marks of mature faith is generosity. Not token or average; generous. Average financial giving in our culture is around 3%. Are we going to be average, or generous?
So here’s my challenge for you: fight selfishness and greediness; get the kink out of your hose, and give generously.
“Ah, here it is!” some of you are thinking as you grab your wallet. “Here’s the pitch! He wants us to give more to the church.”
Sorry to disappoint you. I’m not interested in what you give to the church – that’s up to you. I do however want you to be a generous giver, wherever it is you give.
And please understand that God does not need me to give. Meadowbrooke does not need me to give. I need me to give. You need you to give. Because when you and I give, it changes lives, including our own.
The joy of giving is not in writing a check; the joy is when I see the result.
I support a kid named Cristian Rodrigo, a Compassion International kid. My $35 a month is not huge, but I get letters from him telling me how my giving has changed his life. That’s what happens when we give – giving changes lives, including our own.
Melody and I give to Meadowbrooke, and one of the line items in our budget is LifeChoice Pregnancy Care Center. Meadowbrooke’s monthly gift to them may not make THE difference in what they do, but it sure makes a
difference in the lives of the men and women and babies who pass through there. So I’m glad we give, because giving changes lives.
One of Melody’s high school friends works for an org called Ideas, and we help support her. She is a librarian, and she goes into countries that do not welcome Christian missionaries, but they’ll let a librarian in, so she uses her role to build relationships and share the gospel. Giving changes lives.
I’ve heard people say, and maybe you have too, or maybe even said it,that, “I’d like to give, but I just don’t have anything left to give.” But you know what? After 63 years of life, 42 years as a Christian, and 25 years as a pastor, if you’ll pardon my bluntness, that’s BS. Folks, we have money, so we have money to give. It may not be thousands or hundreds, but you and I have money to give. The problem is not that we don’t have money to give; the problem is that we are serving the wrong master.
But when we choose the right master, and we use money as a tool to invest in God’s kingdom, it becomes a powerful instrument of good. Giving changes lives – including our own.
There is so much more that could be said about all this, but we are out of time. So here is a bit of homework for you. Take a few minutes sometime this week – perhaps at lunch, or when you are watering the garden – to meditate on any of these passages. Or talk to your spouse or family or a friend about them. Ask yourself, and ask God, if there is anything you need to do – not just learn but DO – based on them. Is the time and energy and money I put into planning for and caring for and paying for all this stuff contributing to building the kingdom of God? Or is it competing with it?
Be intentional and thoughtful about who you choose to serve – God or money – because you have the choice. Look for ways to unkink the hose and let your blessings flow. And be generous when you do.
Let’s pray.
The post “Do We Really Need to Talk About Money in Church?” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Ephesians 6:10-20When you think of spiritual warfare, what comes to mind? Dr. Jerry Rankin once served as a missionary in Indonesia and recalls a time when he was asked by his Muslim Sudanese household helper and friend to visit her home to pray for her daughter who had become demon possessed. Dr. Rankin and his wife agreed and upon entering the home, found their friend’s daughter tied to a bamboo bed with disheveled hair, torn clothes, and snarling like an animal. When they walked into the room the girl glared at the missionary couple and said in clear, perfect English, “Jesus Christ is not God; Mohammed is the servant of the most high god.”[1] At first Dr. Rankin and his wife thought there was nothing weird about what the girl said since she and her family were Muslim… until they learned that the girl was uneducated and did not speak English.
In a very real sense, the demonic world exists, and demonic possession and oppression happens still today. Maybe when you think of spiritual warfare you think of what Dr. Rankin and his wife experienced in Indonesia in that little bamboo hut in a rural village. The reality is the devil and the demons under his command do not need to possess a person to accomplish their goal(s), for the enemy is much more cunning. Demons will use the most effective means they can employ to blind unbelievers and to hinder Christians. In some cultures that are persuaded by the supernatural, demons will manifest themselves in more obvious ways than in cultures like ours which are more impressed with the intellect or the sciences.
Before we jump into Ephesians 6, consider what the apostle Peter wrote in his epistle to a group of churches suffering persecution: “Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world” (1 Peter 5:8–9). The methods the devil uses to devour his prey are strategic, deceptive, and effective. The means by which he devours is both external and internal in that he uses outside forces, as well as the weakness of our own flesh, with the intent to destroy.
Who is the Devil and What are His Schemes?Satan at one time was known as Lucifer. He was the highest-ranking angel with the title of “Guardian Cherub” (Ezek. 28:14). We are told very little of what went wrong in Lucifer, but we are given some idea in Isaiah 14, “How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (vv. 12-14).
When he rebelled, we learn from Revelation 12:7-9, that he convinced one-third of the angels to help him sit on God’s throne by rebelling alongside him. I am not sure how many one-third equaled out to, but currently there are millions of Angels who did not rebel against God, which means there are probably hundreds of thousands of demons. Lucifer was not created evil, he chose to be evil; God knew what Lucifer would become, yet He created him anyway. We are not told how long Lucifer existed as God’s “Guardian Cherub”; it could have been hundreds or thousands of our earth years that he served God before he fell. However, the Bible does say that “He was guilty of sinning from the beginning” (1 John 3:8).
Lucifer is not just known as Satan, but he is known as the Accuser (Rev. 12:10), the Adversary (1 Peter 5:8), the Beast (Rev. 14:9-10), Beelzebub (Matt. 12:24), the Deceiver (Rev. 12:9), the Dragon (Rev. 12:9), the Enemy (Matt. 13:39), the Evil One (John 17:15), the Father of lies (John 8:44), the God of this age (2 Cor. 4:4), the Lawless One (2 Thess. 2:8-10), Murderer (John 8:44), the Prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:1-2), the Ruler of Demons (Luke 11:15), Ruler of this World (John 12:31-32), Serpent of Old (Rev. 12:9), the Tempter (Matt. 4:3), Thief (John 10:10), and the Wicked One (Eph. 6:16). He is the personification of evil who often hides his true colors, for we are warned that he “disguises himself as an angel of light”; the demons and all of his other servants do the same (2 Cor. 11:14).
What does this all mean? Well, let me highlight seven of his names. As our adversary he sees us as the enemy. As the deceiver and father of lies, he is a master at manipulation and counterfeiting the truth with lies. As the lawless one, he has no moral standard besides his own wickedness. As the murderer he seeks to destroy you. As the tempter, he seeks to lure you as far from God as possible. As the thief, he seeks to rob you of the kind of life and joy God intends for you.
According to Ephesians 6:11, the devil has schemes; the Greek word used for schemes is methodeia, which can also mean craftiness. In other words, the devil is methodical in his scheming to accomplish his evil intentions. How does he do this? For starters, his schemes are multifaceted. The primary means by which he schemes is through the world and the weakness of our own flesh. Charles Spurgeon said of the schemes of Satan: “He will attack you sometimes by force and sometimes by fraud.”[2] Sometimes his schemes are obvious and sometimes they appear to be hidden.
Some ways I see the devil scheming today is in the aligning of world powers such as China, Russian, Iran, and North Korea. Think about the oppression these nations have had upon the Church in history. Think of the thousands of Christians martyred or imprisoned under the Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and North Korean governments. I find it ironic that these nations are now the new axis of evil.
Another way I see the schemes of the devil are in the sanctioning of sex reassignment hormone treatment of children who believe they identify with a different gender. The fact that we are all created in the image of God, is it any wonder that it is our children that are under attack? We have idolized the gift of sex that was designed to be celebrated between a man and a woman, in the sanctity of marriage, and now we have made it the very core of a person’s identity. Now, the United Nations is suggesting that it is a human right for minors to consent to sex and that laws that would prevent adults to have sex with consenting children is a violation of that child’s human rights. When I learned about this, I could not help but think of Moloch who was an idol worshiped where the children of his devotees would be laid upon its arms over flames in the form of child sacrifice.
There are thousands of other schemes in our world that I believe the devil is behind. With the ongoing problem of human trafficking, substance abuse on a global scale, and now super AI that I am sure will be weaponized or will weaponize itself, there seems to be no shortage of methods to dehumanize or destroy those created to reflect the image of the God of life.
I believe that the devil’s most effective scheming is more subtle than what we are seeing on a global scale. The top three ways I believe the devil schemes in the life of a person are as follows:
The devil disguises himself to look good.
The devil, and his demons, can disguise themselves as appearing to be good (2 Cor. 11:13-15). Remember that Satan has been around for a long time and that he has had plenty of time to observe human actions for thousands of years. He is very good at raising up false teachers who give the impression of serving God while empowered by Satan. These people introduce doctrines that sound true but end up creating a level of skepticism with what is genuinely true, to lead them from sound doctrine to worship a different Christ (2 Cor. 11:4).
The devil twists the word of God.
Jesus said the devil has been a murderer and a liar from the beginning (John 8:44). He was able to deceive Adam and Eve into believing that God lied to them and did not have their best in mind when he forbade them to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 3). He has gotten people to doubt the goodness of God ever since. The reality is that every time we give into the temptation to sin, we agree with the devil that there was something better God was withholding from us, which is the sin we seek to satisfy ourselves with.
The devil is the great counterfeiter.
The devil is a master at creating attractive counterfeits. How does he do this, he does it with sex, he does it with relationships, he does it with work, and he is able to do it in 10,000 other ways. His counterfeits are not unlike the wise men and sorcerers of Pharaoh who each cast down their staff to turn them into snakes in the same way God turned Aaron’s staff into a serpent. The serpents looked similar to what God did with Aaron’s staff, but his staff-turned-serpent swallowed up those that belonged to Pharaoh (see Exod. 7:8-12). Satan is really good at seducing us into believing that the cheap substitute will satisfy.
How Can the Christian Stand Against the Devil?First, before we look for the practical ways we can stand against the devil, let me remind you that the devil is but one creature who cannot be in more than one place at a time. Paul tells us that the way to stand in the strength of God’s might is to, “Put on the whole armor of God…” (v. 11). So, what is the whole armor of God?
The Belt of Truth is the truth of scripture.
When Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted by the devil, it was the truth of scripture that he used to resist the devil. Jesus prayed these words for us in his high priestly prayer shortly before he was handed over to be crucified: “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:15–17). In writing to Timothy, Paul instructed: “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). One of the reasons why Christ has gifted his church with pastors, teachers, prophets, and evangelists is to equip Christians in the truth of God’s word, “…so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ” (Eph. 4:14-15). Sam Storms was right when he wrote, “Satan will always flourish in the midst of theological ignorance.”[3]
The Breastplate of Righteousness is the righteousness of Christ.
The breastplate as part of a warrior’s armor protects the vital organs, so it is no mystery why Paul would characterize the righteousness of Christ as essential to protecting the vital organs of the Christian’s faith. Satan is also called “the accuser” for a reason (Rev. 12:10), for he will look for ways to doubt the sufficiency of Christ’s righteousness over our wickedness and sin. The reality is that we are not good enough, but Jesus is! The enemy wants to convince you that you can do enough because he knows that your best efforts will never be good enough. The Christian must rest confidently in the truth of God’s word that Jesus is our righteousness: “For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith” (Rom. 3:23-25a). When the enemy says you are not good enough, you can respond by confidently declaring that “Jesus is all I need.”
The Shoes of the Gospel are what we wear as we follow Jesus.
The one who has the righteousness of Christ is one who hungers for the righteousness of Christ. Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” What does it look like to hunger and thirst for righteousness? Listen to what Jesus said: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst…. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:35, 56). To abide in Jesus is to follow him, and to follow him is to find your satisfaction in him, and to be satisfied in Jesus will keep you from seeking a satisfaction in any of Satan’s cheap substitutes.
The Shield of Faith is the growing defense of a confidence that rests in God.
The shield Paul has in mind here is not the little round shield a soldier might wield on his arm, but the kind designed to shield the whole body from the onslaught of arrows. It was about four feet tall, two feet wide, and reinforced with two layers of wood. What are the flaming darts of the evil one? I believe they are the doubts, temptations, and impure or evil thoughts that come out of nowhere. The shield of faith is only as large as your confidence in the scriptures, dependance upon the righteousness of Christ, and your satisfaction in Jesus. The more your understanding and confidence grows in the word of God, the righteousness of Christ, and your satisfaction in Jesus as you follow him, the larger and more effective the shield of faith will be in protecting you from the onslaught of the enemies dangerous and deadly flaming darts.
The Helmet of Salvation is the confidence we have that Jesus is enough.
The battle over sin is first won or lost in the mind. We are told in 2 Corinthians 10, “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 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…” (2 Corinthians 10:3–5). The Helmet of Salvation is the confidence that we belong to Christ and that there is no other who can satisfy and bring life to our whole being than he. To wear the Helmet of Salvation is to know that because of Christ: “For I am sure that 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” (Romans 8:38–39).
The Sword of the Spirit is the offensive weapon of God’s Holy Word.
The Sword of the Spirit is our only offensive weapon in all the armor we are to put on. The Sword of the Spirit is the word of God, and like the shield of faith, it is only as effective as our ability to wield it through a confidence in it, that can grow as we grow in our knowledge of it. The Greek word that is used for “word” is rhema, which is the spoken word. It is the word of God spoken in the same way Jesus spoke it to resist the devil while tempted in the wilderness (see Luke 4:1-13). Of the word of God, we are told in Hebrews 4:12, “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” (Hebrews 4:12). It is the word of God that is, “breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” (2 Tim. 3:16). Sam Storms suggests that there are three primary ways we can use the Sword of the Spirit: “We proclaim the Word (as Jesus did; see also Rev. 12). We pray the Word (Eph. 6:18-19; Acts 6:4; John 15:7). And we praise with the Word (i.e., sing the Scriptures).[4]
To put on the full armor of God is how we can stand with a strength not our own so that we can resist the schemes of the devil.
[1] Jerry Rankin. Spiritual Warfare (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing; 2009), p. 2.
[2] Charles Spurgeon. Shoes for Pilgrims and Warriors (Thursday, May 6, 1909).
[3] Sam Storms. Understanding Spiritual Warfare (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Reflective; 2021), p. 299.
[4] Ibid., p. 305.
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Luke 16:19-31C.S. Lewis said of the doctrine of hell something I myself also feel: “There is no doctrine which I would more willingly remove from Christianity than this, if it lay in my power. But it has the full support of Scripture and, specially, of our Lord’s own words; it has always been held by Christendom; and it has the support of reason.”[1] For some, if hell does exist, then it is only reserved for the really bad people. Others believe hell will be a type of party where they will see some of their friends.
Mark Twain reportedly said of hell: “Go to heaven for the climate, hell for the company.” The famous Playwright, Ben Jonson, said of hell, “There is no greater hell than to be a prisoner of fear.” Jerry Lee Lewis said, “If I’m going to hell, I’m going there playing the piano.” Oscar Wilde said, “We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.” John Milton said, “Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.”
There are all kinds of thoughts and opinions concerning hell but a better question is what did Jesus think about hell? There are three questions I think are worth our time considering this morning: Did Jesus believe in hell, what did he say about it, and why does it matter? I think the best way to answer these three questions is to turn our attention to a parable Jesus told in Luke 16:19-31 because it highlights the way we typically live out our days and the little we think about what happens after death.
Did Jesus Believe in Hell?Jesus used parables as a teaching tool. Parables are stories or depictions of earthly life that illustrates spiritual truth. Not everything in parables, such as the characters in such stories are meant to be taken literally, but the truth the story conveys is to be taken literally. For example, when Jesus told the story of person who sowed seed on four different types of soil, the point of his story was not the historical accuracy of the sower, but the way different people respond to the gospel in the same way different types of soil a seed is able to grow in (see Luke 8:4-15).
In the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the point is not necessarily whether or not these men in Jesus’ story were actual historical figures. There is a much more important point Jesus is making in his story, and that point is what you do with your life today has eternal consequences.
Here is what we are told about the two men. The rich man is never mentioned by name, but he, “was clothed in purple and fine linen” and “feasted sumptuously every day” (v. 19). The poor man is not anonymous, but has a name unlike the rich man, and his name is Lazarus (not to be confused with Jesus’ friend in John 11). Instead of the purple and fine linen that covered the rich man’s body, Lazarus was covered with sores while hungry and longing for whatever fell from the rich man’s table. The other irony here is that while the rich man was oblivious to Lazarus’ suffering the dogs were more aware of Lazarus’ suffering than any other creature as they “licked his sores” (vv. 20-21).
At some point both men died. Lazarus was carried to Abraham’s side while the rich man was buried. The rich man received a burial while Lazarus’ body was most likely “dumped unceremoniously in an unmarked grave.”[2] Lazarus was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side which was a Jewish metaphor for heaven, but the rich man found himself in Hades and in torment which is also known as hell. We know that Abraham’s side in Jesus’ parable is heaven and the rich man’s torment is hell because of the other ways Jesus describes heaven and hell throughout the four Gospels (i.e. John 14:2; Luke 23:43; Matt. 5:22, 29-30; 7:13-14).
Notice what Jesus says of the rich man while in torment. He lifted his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side, which was the place of honor. The rich man called out, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me…” (v. 24). The rich man most likely assumed that because of his family connection to Abraham that his religious identity was enough to get him to heaven while he lived his life eating and living sumptuously. As he found himself in hell, he begged that he send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water to cool his tongue. The rich man’s torment was so severe that he believed that just a drop of water on his tongue could ease his agony just a little bit.
Abraham’s answer was not what the rich man wanted to hear. Abraham reminded him of his life of easy living while he ignored Lazarus’ suffering and that while he had a lifetime to show compassion and mercy, he chose to fill his belly while Lazarus watched, and now it was too late. The chasm between heaven and hell is fixed and there is no reversing the judgment the rich man received and deserved.
Jesus shared this story within the context of his teaching concerning faithfulness to God and the love the Pharisees had for money. Just four short paragraphs earlier in the same chapter, Jesus said something that will help you make sense of the point he is making in his parable of the rich man and Lazarus: “No servant 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” (Luke 16:10–13). After Jesus said this, we are told that the Pharisees, “who were lovers of money, heard all these things and they ridiculed him [Jesus]” (v. 14). Listen to Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees: “And he said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before me, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (v. 15).
Listen, the rich man was not in hell because he ignored Lazarus, he was in hell because he loved his money more than God. Had he loved God, he would not have been able to ignore Lazarus.
Jesus described a time that is coming when he will judge the nations. He will separate the people like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. The sheep, he will place on his right (the place of honor) and the goats will be placed to his left. Here is what Jesus will say to the sheep: “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me’” (Matthew 25:34–36). Jesus will then turn to the goats,
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.’” (Matthew 25:41–46).
So, did Jesus believe in hell? Yes, he did. How long is the type of torment the rich man will have to endure? The same duration that will be meted out to the “goats” who symbolize those who do not belong to Jesus: a punishment that will be eternal.
What Did Jesus Believe About Hell?Jesus spoke more about hell than he did about love or heaven, and he did so for a reason. He spoke so much about hell because he came, “…to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). The reason why Jesus described the distance between the rich man in hell and Lazarus in heaven as a “great chasm” is because hell is the place, where those who are sent there, “will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…” (2 Thess. 1:9). So, what did Jesus say about hell?
For starters, Jesus described hell as a place of eternal destruction, and warned, “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). The destruction is not annihilation or temporary because when he described the final judgment, he said that the goats will, “go away into eternal punishment…” (Matt. 25:46).
What else did Jesus say about hell? Well, he said that it is a place of torture (Matt. 18:34), a place where the wicked are cut to pieces (Matt. 24:51), and a place of scourging (Luke 12:47-48). According to Jesus, hell is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 8:12; 13:42; 24:51; Luke 13:20), and a place of outer darkness (Matt. 22:13; 25:30). This means that, to Mark Twain’s great disappointment hell is not a place where you will be aware of any company, for you will only be aware of your own existence and the terrible agony that you are in.
Jesus believed the torment in hell to be so severe that he used the most horrific language possible to make the point that the experience will be as such that those who suffer there will long for only a drop of water on the tip of their tongue to find some ease from their suffering.
In describing the nature and horror of hell, Jesus warned about the danger of sin: “And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9:45–48). Here, Jesus quotes from an Old Testament passage concerning the nature of hell: “And they shall go out and look on the dead bodies of the men who have rebelled against me. For their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh” (Isaiah 66:24).
There is so much more that the Bible teaches about hell; I only wanted to show you that Jesus not only believed in hell, but wanted us to take it very seriously. I have not even touched on what the Bible says concerning the final state of hell as the “lake of fire” (see Rev. 20:11-15) where all who are cast into it, “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night…” (Rev. 14:11).
Why Does it Matter? So, why does hell matter? Well, for starters, hell is real! The language Jesus uses to describe hell is severe, and it is severe for a reason. Hell is severe because our sin is serious. The problem we have with the severity of hell is that we do not understand the severity of our own sin, nor do we understand the nature of the God we have sinned against.
Maybe you feel that a good God would not send anyone to hell. Maybe you believe that the love, grace, and mercy of God cannot coexist with a hell created by that same God. To do so is to bring God low and to make him more like yourself than who he truly is. The reality of hell is proof that God is both holy and good, but it also proves that he is also a God of love, grace, mercy, and justice in equal measure. This is why we read of God over and over from the Bible: “There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might” (Jer. 10:6). In Exodus 15:11, we read of God: “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?”
The problem with the doctrine of hell is not God, but us. The testimony of holy scripture against us is this: “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds…” (Col. 1:21), “dead in trespasses and sins… carrying out the desires of the body and the mind” (Eph. 2:1-3), “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God…. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:9-10, 18). Considering our nature compared to the nature of God, someone said: “The gates of hell are locked from the inside.”
We are the ones who are not good. We are the ones who do not get love, grace, mercy, and justice right. When it comes to holiness… we fall terribly short. We run to our sin instead of fleeing from it, for what was written in Jeremiah 2:12-13 is what we find most natural: “Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water” (Jeremiah 2:12–13).
Now, against the backdrop of the hard and striking things Jesus said about hell, listen to the hope offered to undeserving sinners such as ourselves:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God. (John 3:16–21)
Listen, sin will send you to hell! However, it doesn’t have to be that way because of Jesus who endured our hell on a roman cross for our sins. We deserve hell, but the Bible says, “For our sake he [God] made him [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). The empty tomb of our savior is evidence and affirmation that his cross is enough for our forgiveness and redemption.
The rich man in Jesus’ parable begged that since nothing could be done for his torment, that Lazarus be sent to the rich man’s five brothers that they may be warned so that they do not enter the same fate. The answer the rich man received is sobering: “They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). The rich man said, “No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent” (v. 30). Listen to how Jesus concludes his story: “If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead” (v. 31).
The death of Jesus is a picture of the ugliness and seriousness of our sin; it is also proof of the love of God for lost sinners. This past Sunday, we celebrated the reality that he is risen from the grave. Yet, some of you are still trivializing your sin and do not take hell as seriously as you ought. Understand that I am not talking about our ability to sin, but the sin you refuse to turn from because you love it more than you love God.
Some of you ignore the One who died in order that you would be pardoned from your guilt so that heaven instead of hell could be your reality. Maybe it is because you think you have time? My question to you is, “How do you know that you have any more time than this moment? There is one better and greater than Lazarus who is risen from the grave. Turn to Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins before it is too late for you. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
[1] C. S. Lewis. The Problem of Pain
[2] Sproul, R. C. (1999). A Walk with God: An Exposition of Luke (p. 316). Christian Focus Publications.
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1 Corinthians 1:18-25What is the cross to you? Historically it was the most brutal and inhumane form of capital punishment invented by the Persians and perfected by the Romans. An ancient Jewish historian called crucifixion, “the most wretched of deaths” (War VII, 202ff.) and rightly so, for the victim was hung naked to a cross fastened with nails in both his hands and feet. This mode of death was a slow, extremely painful suffocation. The nails not only pierced the hands and feet, but also pierced the median nerve, which would cause severe sciatic-like-pain through the entire body, which would only intensify every time the victim pushed his body up to get air into his/her lungs. Eventually the person would become so fatigued that he/she could no longer thrust his body up, thus leading to a slow, agonizing suffocation. Mostly males were crucified, but when a woman was nailed to a cross, she was nailed facing the cross because few wished to see a woman die in such a fashion.
It would take about three days for a person to die. As if the physical suffering that came with crucifixion was not enough, often birds of prey would perch themselves on the cross of the dying victim to feast while they hung dying, yet still alive. What was dropped, was left for the wild dogs to eat. Typically, the body was left to hang on the cross, and then latter thrown into the city dump. Did you know that the word “excruciating” literally means: “from the cross”? The word we use to describe pain at its highest level is a word originally derived from the most horrible form of capital punishment humans have ever come up with. This is why the word “cross” was a dirty and shameful word that was unwelcome at the dinner table.
For many, the cross is little more than fashionable jewelry, for others it is a symbol of anti-Semitism, and for some it is of little concern. The Bible says of the cross, that it, “is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians1:18). Why and how is the story of Jesus’ death on history’s most horrific instrument of death the “power of God”?
The Word of the Cross Has the Power to Save (vv. 18-20)What is the word of the cross? The word of the cross is the gospel that Paul preached to the Corinthians. The word of the cross is that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (15:3-4). The gospel is foolish to most people because its message turns the values of the world upside-down. The message of the cross challenges the personal gratification the world tells you is your right, it devalues the pursuit of fame as something trivial rather than something to be treasured, and it shatters the perception of what power is.
Think about the message of the cross for a moment. For those of us who consider the gospel to be the power of God because we have experienced it as such, ours is a hope that sounds like it was torn right from the pages of mythology. God got a young virgin girl pregnant by His Holy Spirit so that the child of her womb would be both a god and a man to defeat the forces of evil, fix all the ills of our world, then rule as a King on earth and the way that he would do this is to first allow His god/man child to die in the most painful and humiliating death possible. No wonder the word of the cross sounds so foolish to most people.
Yet it is through the message of the cross concerning the historic facts that Jesus both died for our sins and rose for the forgiveness of sins, as outrageous as it may sound, that God is rescuing sin-cursed humans from His just wrath. Yet it is in verse 18 that we learn of only two types of people in the world: 1) Those who are perishing, and 2) those who are being saved. Each type of person will respond to the Gospel in completely different ways. Those who are perishing see the message of the cross as nothing more than a crazy tale for weak-minded people. We learn in chapter 2 of Paul’s letter that the reason why those who are perishing reject the gospel is more spiritual than rational: “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of the God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (v. 4), and in 2 Corinthians we learn that the gospel “is veiled to those who are perishing” (see 4:3).
Every single person is born with a spiritual veil that prevents him/her from seeing the light of the gospel as being fundamentally true and the only means to escaping the wrath of a holy God. But to those of us who are being saved, the gospel is the power of God. The gospel is the power of God because it is the only means God uses to remove the veil that every single human being is born with. Yet, it is not only the Gospel that removes the veil for spiritually blind people, but it is also done in partnership with the power of God’s Spirit. Jesus said concerning a person being born again, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). Yet God ordained that the means by which the Gospel would be delivered to a person so that the Spirit can then make sense of it is through His people (see Rom. 10:11-15).
Then in verses 19-20, Paul refers to Isaiah 29:14 as support that this is the way God has always operated: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” The point is that God operates on a whole different playing field than those who operate according to the ethics of sin-cursed human beings. The point being made in these verses is not that the pursuit of wisdom, scholarship, or skillful debating is wrong, but that it is God alone who enables the blind to see through the proclamation of His gospel in partnership of the work of the Holy Spirit; it is not in the wise, the scribe, or the debater of this age that a person’s salvation rests.
At the end of the day when it comes to our salvation and the salvation of others, it is God alone who saves through the means of His son who He sent to die in our place under His wrath and, after being buried in a tomb for three days… He rose from the grave as the victor over sin and death. When Paul came into Corinth preaching the Gospel, he said that he did not come, “with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power”(v. 17).
The Word of the Cross Powerfully Transforms Lives (vv. 21-25)From the beginning God demonstrated His wisdom in redeeming a cursed creation that the world in its wisdom deemed ridiculous. When God planned to cleanse the violence from the earth with a flood because he, “saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5), he told Noah to build a boat because he was going to flood the earth.
Abraham was called out of Ur as a moon worshiper to become a Yahweh worshiper; God promised this man an heir even though he and his wife Sara were quickly advancing in age to the point that fathering a child would be highly improbable. Conventional wisdom of Abraham’s day suggested that he father a child through one of his servants, which he did try, but that was not the promise God made to Abraham. God promised a son that would be both his and Sarah’s, and in their old age God provided an heir. The Bible says that,
By faith the people crossed the Red Sea as on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.
And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Hebrews 11:29–38)
God raised a shepherd boy up to be a king over Israel through whom would come a descendant who would rule the nations, He spoke through unlikely prophets of old, and chose an unassuming and impoverished virgin and her fiancé to raise up the promised Messiah that she alone would be the biological parent of. God’s wisdom often rubs against the grain of the world’s conventional wisdom and is why the apostle Paul wrote in verse 21, “For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”
For the Jew, the crucifixion of Jesus was the ultimate proof that Jesus was cursed of God instead of sent by God (Deut. 21:23). And, for the Greek, the story of a suffering God who died and physically rose from the grave sounded ridiculous. Even so, the Christian has one message to proclaim that tears down such strongholds of disbelief, and that is the proclamation of the Gospel through the power of God’s Spirit.
To those who God calls out of the darkness of disbelief, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Our Savior’s death and resurrection demonstrates the power of God over sin and death and displays the wisdom of God who alone has the power to save and redeem. This is why Paul concludes verses 25 with these words: “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”
ConclusionIt was the word of the cross that Paul, the apostles, and every person whose life has been transformed by the good news that Jesus “…died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” All of the apostles, with the exception of John, died because of the word of the cross. John outlived them all, but suffered more than any of them.
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about the apostle John. It was John who stood with Jesus’ mother at the foot of the cross as he hung naked, humiliated, and dying. He heard the mocking of both of the criminals who were crucified on the left and right of Jesus. He witnessed how the one thief changed his tone and asked Jesus to remember him when He entered his Kingdom, John heard Jesus promise the man: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:39-43) although the man did nothing but ask to be remembered.
John heard everything Jesus said in his final hours. He heard Jesus pray: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). John listened as Jesus turned his gaze upon both his mother and John: “Woman, behold, your son! Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother!” (John 19:26-27). John heard Jesus plead with God for the first time when, instead of addressing him as Father, he addressed Him as God: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). Then, as if John needed to be reminded that the Lord of Glory hung before him as the suffering servant of Isaiah 53, Jesus said, “I thirst” (John 19:28). Finally, the moment had come, so Jesus declared: “It is finished!” (John 19:30), and then loud enough for the crowd to hear, Jesus said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46).
For John and the rest of the disciples, that was the end of it. No one expected a resurrection, but three days after Jesus was buried… that is exactly what happened. When the women came to the tomb to finish anointing the body of Jesus, they found the stone removed, the entrance exposed, and two angels who said to the women: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:5-6). When the women came back to tell the disciples that Jesus had risen, Peter and John ran as fast as they could to see for themselves; John beat Peter to the tomb to discover that the body was indeed not there. Not long after, Jesus appeared to Peter, John, and the rest of the disciples. Jesus also appeared to more than 500 people, and then eventually to Paul (see 1 Cor. 15:5-9).
If the resurrection was just a story and nothing more, none of the disciples, nor any of the others who witnessed the resurrection would have been willing to lose both their property and their lives over a fabricated story. The last time John and Peter saw their resurrected Christ, Jesus warned Peter that he would die because of his commitment to the Word of the Cross: “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go” (John 21:18). It is said that Peter died by crucifixion on an inverted cross. John not only heard the news of Peter’s death, but also the horrific deaths of every friend of his who witnessed the resurrection of Jesus.
About thirty years after Peter’s death, John was exiled on the island of Patmos for his love of Jesus and commitment to the Word of the Cross. In his 90s, John was alone and in many ways incapacitated. While in exile, he wrote the book of Revelation revealed to him by God, “…to show to his servants the things that must soon take place” (Rev. 1:1). Revelation was written to encourage a suffering Church, but it no doubt served to encourage a lonely and isolated John.
A large part of what John was able to experience through what God revealed to him on Patmos was through visions. What he experienced was simply breathtaking, for he saw God on the Throne of heaven and the Seraphim praising Him, declaring: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8). And every time the Seraphim testified to the holiness of God, the twenty-four elders fell down before God and worshiped Him, casting down their crowns as they said: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
John saw a scroll in the right hand of God. As to what the scroll is and what it symbolized, one possible explanation is that this scroll is the a type of deed for all creation. As John witnessed all that was taking place in that moment, he heard a mighty angel proclaim: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals” (Rev. 5:2)?
There was only One approved to open the scroll who had the authority to break its seals, and he was nowhere to be found. The one qualified had to have the authority of God while also fully human; John only knew one who was qualified and when He was not seen or found in that moment, John sobbed (v. 4). The reason why John wept when no one was found worthy to open the scroll was because the scroll contained God’s plan for redemption. If no one was found to open the scroll then as one pastor put it: “…then there will be no triumph for the gospel, no marriage supper with the Lamb, no new heaven and new earth, no eternal life. Only weeping.”[1]
Notice what the elder declared to John in the midst of his grief: “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals” (v. 5). Who is the Lion of Judah? He is the rightful heir of the throne of David… The Messianic King who will make all things new. In these verses, Jesus is described in a way that embodied the Word of the Cross Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, for John sees the Lion of Judah “as a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain…” (v. 6).
Jesus is the one worthy to open the scroll because he is the Lion and He is the Lamb. If there was no resurrection, then there is no Lion and there is no Lamb who is able to stand to receive the scroll, but only a dead martyr. Because Jesus rose from the grave, all of heaven celebrates and all of the nations will be reached with the Word of the Cross that the world deems weak and foolish, but is indeed the power of God:
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.” (Revelation 5:8–14)
The Word of the Cross is the gospel of Jesus Christ that, “…is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom. 1:16). In this room there are examples of all kinds of stories of power displayed in lives that have been transformed by the good news that Jesus, “…died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (15:3-4). He is risen!
[1]John Piper. Christ: The Lion and the Lamb.
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John 17:1-5; Genesis 1:1-2; &John 1:1-5, 14On the Day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter delivered a sermon that marks the birth of the Church (see Acts 2:14-36). The first 300 years of the Church’s existence, She experienced the worst of the Roman Empire as it sought to destroy through its laws and violence, which only served to grow it. One of the early church fathers who lived in the middle of the worst of those years under the oppressive heel of the Roman Empire was Tertullian (A.D. 155-220) who wrote against various heresies and coined the Latin word, “trinitas” of which we get the word “Trinity.” A sentence that Tertullian wrote regarding the suffering Christians experienced: “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”
Understand that Tertullian did not invent the Trinity, but assigned a word to a reality already assumed throughout the Bible with an ever-increasing clarity that God is One, subsisting in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word “trinitas” literally means “three-ness” or more simply, “three are one.”
Under the reign of Emperor Constantine (A.D. 306-337) whose conversion to Christianity led to the legalization of Christianity as the official religion of the Empire, the Bishop of Alexandria (a man known as Alexander) could host a bible study without incident. One of the pastors who attended the study was a man by the name of Arius. Some think that the passage that was discussed that day was Proverbs 8:22-25, of which theologians and pastors before and after Arius understood the personification of wisdom to be a reference to Christ. Arius also understood Proverbs 8 as a reference to Jesus. In light of the language of Proverbs 8, Arius concluded that since the text states that God begat wisdom, therefore the Son was begotten before the rest of creation. In other words, according to Arius, Jesus had a beginning point; “While God has always existed, the Son has not, which means there was a point at which God became a Father.”[1]
Alexander, and those who had come before, contended that Jesus, as the Son, is a Son because he is from the Father from eternity, and that the word begotten is not a reference to a point in time that Jesus was created, but that he has always been eternally the Son of God. But for Arius, he could not reconcile how God could be equally Father, Son, and Spirit, and at the same time remain one God as described in Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” For Arius, Jesus was not, nor could he be, co-eternal with the Father as equal with the Father as one God. What was alarming to men like Alexander was that Arius was essentially teaching that Jesus is not in a different category from the rest of creation, but simply the best and first of the Father’s creation. Essentially, according to the teachings of Arius (aka Arianism), the Son of God is inferior to God the Father as a person and in his actions.[2]
Because Arius’ supporters were growing, and an ever-increasing division threatened to rupture the unity of the Church, emperor Constantine recruited theologians from the East and the West to represent the catholic (universal) Church. In AD 325, church leaders and representatives from all over the empire gathered in Nicaea; of those who participated were Arius, Eusebius of Nicomedia, and others sympathetic to Arius’ teachings. One such person who leaned towards the teachings of Arius was emperor Constantine (who was baptized by Eusebius of Nicomedia). The council did not side with Arianism and ruled that it was not only contrary to the teachings of Scripture, but also heresy. Constantine honored the ruling of the counsel. Arius was then exiled, and all of his writings were ordered to be destroyed. The council wrote a creed to guard the universal Church against Arianism known as the Nicene Creed that was to be confessed in churches everywhere:
We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten of the Father [the only-begotten; that is, of the essence of the Father, God of God], Light of Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father; by whom all things were made [both in heaven and on earth]; Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down and was incarnate and was made man; He suffered, and the third day He rose again, ascended into heaven; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
And in the Holy Ghost.
[But those who say: “There was a time when he was not”; and “He was not before he was made”; and “He was made out of nothing,” or “He is of another substance” or “essence,” or “The Son of God is created,” or “changeable,” or “alterable”—they are condemned by the holy catholic and apostolic Church.][3]
In other words, God is a Trinity subsisting as Father, Son, and Spirit with one will existing as three persons. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not different forms of God, for that would be Modalism, which was also considered heretical. Jesus and the Holy Spirit were not lesser than the Father, for that would be Subordinationism, which was considered heretical. The Father, Son, and Spirit were not three separate deities, for that would be Tritheism, which is also heretical. No, God is One as Father, Son, and Spirit who exist eternally as three coequal and coeternal persons.
The Importance of the TrinityBefore I say anything else, I want you to know that there is no way I will be able to adequately address the doctrine of the Trinity as it is taught in the Bible in one sermon. Sometime after this sermon series, I will take more time to adequately preach on the Trinity to not only show you its significance in the Bible, but to prove to you just how significant it is for the life and faith of the Christian.
It is ironic, that when it comes to the doctrine of the Trinity, it is the deity of Jesus that is attacked while the Holy Spirit seems to be ignored all together. So, what I would like to do with the time that we have left is focus on three separate passages that are connected, but before I do that, I want to offer three points of clarification.
If the Trinity is something not taught in the Bible, then the Church has been wrong regarding its teaching of the nature of God and who He is for nearly 2000 years. If the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught in the Bible, then for centuries Jesus is not God and the worship of him for two thousand years as God the Son has been idolatrous because if Jesus is not God, then Christians have worshiped a creature rather than the Creator.The majority of serious Bible scholars, church historians, and respectable theologians understand that the doctrine of the Trinity was not birthed out of paganism, nor does it have its roots in Roman Catholic dogma. Permit me to give you two examples in the form of a quote from two men who were discipled by the apostle John: Ignatius (AD 50-117): “There is only one physician, who is both flesh and spirit, born and unborn, God in man, true life in death, both from Mary and from God, first subject to suffering and then beyond it, Jesus Christ our Lord.”[4]
Polycarp (AD 69-155): “Now may the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the eternal high priest himself, the Son of God Jesus Christ, build you up in faith and truth…and to us with you, and to all those under heaven who will yet believe in our Lord and God Jesus Christ and in his Father who raised him from the dead.”[5]
Let’s not just take Ignatius and Polycarp’s word for it though, let’s go to their source which was the apostle, John. I do not have a lot of time to address the following scripture passages, but I do have time to show you that the Trinity is in the Bible, and it is Jesus who helps us see it more clearly.
You see, the doctrine of the Trinity is not like the new furniture you put into a new house (the new house being the New Testament), but instead is the original furniture in a dimly lit room. You know the furniture is there, but you do not see the details and beauty of the furniture until the room is lit up by the sun light. When it comes to the Old Testament and what we read in the New Testament, Jesus is the Son who lights up the dimly light room of the Old Testament where the furniture of the doctrine of the Trinity can be clearly seen.
The Glory of Jesus (John 17:1-5)In John 17, we have a prayer that only John recorded in his Gospel. It is a beautiful prayer where Jesus prays not only for his disciples, but for every person who would hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and believe its message. The beginning of Jesus’ prayer highlights the essence of who he is:
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”
Remember that Jesus’ prayer comes just before his betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion; the hour Jesus refers to is the purpose for why he took on flesh by being born into the world. The first petition Jesus offers in his prayer is significant: “glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” If Jesus were only a man or the first created being who came on a mission from God to redeem mankind, he never would have petitioned that he also be glorified unless he was also God: “I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols” (Isa. 42:8; see also 48:11).
The second thing I want you to see in these verses is another petition Jesus gives: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed” (v. 5). What Jesus was praying for was that after his sacrificial death as the Lamb of God (see John 1:29-34), that he would be glorified with the glory He enjoyed before the world existed, which again speaks to Jesus’ eternality (see also John 1:1, 14; 3:13; 6:62; 8:58; 16:28; 17:24).
The Origin of Jesus (John 1:1-5, 14)What glory was it that Jesus enjoyed before the world existed? Let’s turn our attention to the beginning of the Gospel of John. Again, we do not have the time to expound everything in John 1:1-14 but there are a few things I want to show you about how Jesus is a light that illuminates the doctrine of the Trinity throughout the Bible, which again is Father, Son, and Spirit who exist eternally as three coequal and coeternal persons. Below is 1 John 1:1-5,14,
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…. 14And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Arius and his teaching that Jesus was a created being (Arianism), can be heard in the teachings of the Jehovah Witnesses as well as Mormonism. Because John 1:1 was a problem for Arius and continues to be a problem for every other group that rejects the Trinity, they will point to the Greek (the original language of the New Testament) and argue that because there is no definite article in front of God (Theos), that John 1:1 should be translated: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God.”
What such people fail to recognize is that within the rules of Greek grammar, the lack of a definite article is not needed when the context clearly indicates it. So, in John 1:1, the “God” that John is talking about is the Word, who is also the one true God who created all things. This is why those who believe Jesus was a created being and therefore reject that God is a Trinity will do grammatical gymnastics to explain away John 1:1. Here is the way John 1:1 literally reads in Greek: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the God, and the Word was God.”
So, who is the Word? The Word is Jesus who was with God because Jesus is also God. What happened to the Word who John identifies as Jesus? John answers that question for us in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”[6] Then as you read through the Gospel of John, you will discover that this is not the only place Jesus ascribes deity upon himself as One who is eternally equal with the Father, yet in taking on flesh, becomes like us in every way but without sin. Permit me to give you some examples before I conclude.
There are seven “I Am” (ego eimi) statements in the Gospel of John: Where Jesus said: “I am the bread of life” (6:35), “I am the light of the world” (8:12), “I am the door” (10:7), “I am the good shepherd” (10:11, 14), “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25), “I am the way the truth and the life” (14:6) and “I am true vine” (15:1). Every time Jesus said “ego eimi” the Jews believed he was blaspheming for good reason. The same words are used in the Greek Septuagint of the Old Testament in Isaiah in a number of places, but to make my point, I will only direct your attention to two places it is used in Isaiah. In each of these passages, Yahweh is referred to:
“Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the LORD, the first, and with the last; I am he.” (Isaiah 41:4, ESV)
“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me…. I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:10, 25)
Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus identified himself in such a way that made him to be equal with Yahweh. In the first chapter of John, Jesus is identified as playing an equal part in creation in Genesis 1:1; it is with this light that Genesis 1:1 is seen more clearly: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1–2).
All I want to do with this passage is to show you that Yahweh created all things as one God: Father, Son, and Spirit. So, with New Testament eyes, you can read Genesis 1:26 and see that the “Us” is not a reference to God and the angels: “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth’” (Genesis 1:26).
Because God is a Trinity, Peter could rebuke Ananias after he lied to him about what he gave to the Church with the following words: “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God” (Acts 5:3–4). It is for this same reason Paul could write to the Corinthian church: “…these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God” (1 Cor. 2:6–11). Because the Holy Spirit, like the Son and like the Father, is God, Jesus attributed blasphemy as the only offense that can happen to Yahweh to one that can also happen to the Holy Spirit: “Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:31–32).
Within the Trinity, the Father sent the Son to redeem sinners, and then the Son sent the Spirit to empower his people to accomplish the mission of Yahweh. This is why Jesus commissioned his Church with a command instead of a suggestion: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20). Did it ever occur to you that if Jesus was referring to three different modes of God (Modalism), or one Father, and the Son and Spirit as created beings (Subordinationism), or three gods (Tritheism), that he would have used the word “names” instead of “the name” (τὸ ὄνομα)?
ConclusionThe doctrine of the Trinity is not a subject that is absent from the Bible, but one that is assumed throughout the Bible. Before the world and everything else existed, God was there as one God in three persons. He is not a God who reveals Himself in three modes (Modalism); He is not a God that exists as One Father with the Son and the Spirit as subordinate to Him (Subordinationism); he is not a God who is three parts (1/3 Father, 1/3 Son, and 1/3 Spirit), nor is he a God that exists as three deities (Tritheism). The God of the Bible exists with no parts (aka simplicity): He is God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in equal measure.
The marvel and mystery of what happened within the Trinity is that Jesus humbled himself, by become human (the incarnation). When this happened, it happened for the first time within the unity of the Trinity although it was the plan all along (see Ephesians 1:3-14). When Jesus took on human flesh, something fundamental happened so that the salvation of sinners and the redemption of creation could be possible: God the Son became a man and by becoming a man he took on two distinct natures. The one nature he shared with the Father and the Spirit for all of eternity, but the second nature was new and that nature was human. The only qualified person to experience the wrath of God for the sins of mankind was a person who was both God and Man, yet without sin, and it is that subject I will address on Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday.
[1] Matthew Barrett. Simply Trinity (Grand Rapids, MI: BakerBooks; 2021), p. 47.
[2] Ibid, p. 48.
[3] Ritzema, E. (2016). Nicene Creed. In J. D. Barry, D. Bomar, D. R. Brown, R. Klippenstein, D. Mangum, C. Sinclair Wolcott, L. Wentz, E. Ritzema, & W. Widder (Eds.), The Lexham Bible Dictionary. Lexham Press.
[4] Ignatius, Letter to the Ephesians, 7.2.
[5] Polycarp, Philippians, 12:2.
[6] For other examples of the way Theos is used without the definite article where the meaning is clearly a reference to “God” see John 1:6, 12, 13, 18.
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Genesis 1-6G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a storyteller.” I want to tell you a story. The story I want to tell you is one that many of you already know or have seen or read a version of it. It is a story that is also our story; it is the story of Beginnings, and we find it in the first book of the Bible.
Out of the imagination of the mind of God came forth a world brimming with life and worship. On the first day God created the heavens and the earth; day and night. On the second day He divided the heavens from the earth. On the third day God created the land, sea, and vegetation. On the fourth day He created the sun, moon, and stars. On the fifth day, God created creatures great and small. On the sixth day, God created land animals and concluded his creation with the apex of it with the creation of mankind. And, on the seventh day… God rested.
Out of the mind of God came all sorts of species of plants, trees, vegetables, and fruit. Out of the mind of God came elephants, giraffes, lions, tigers, bears, and even the platypus. Out of the mind of God came everything from the Photocorynus Spiniceps (the smallest known vertebrate fish measuring up to 6.2mm in length) to the great Antarctic Blue Whale (the largest ocean dweller weighing up to 400,000 pounds and can grow up to 98’ long), and God designed and created every other fish in between. The crazy thing is that we are still discovering species both on the earth and in the sea.
Out of the imagination of God, He created human beings, and said: “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (v. 24). Before I even get into what it means to be created in the image of God, consider how amazing the human body is! When God created Adam and Eve, he created them with the same anatomy we have today; that means that God created humans with tongues consisting of about 8,000 tastebuds, with each tastebud containing dozens of cells that help you experience thousands of flavors. He created you with a heart that never takes a break until the day you die. God created you with a body of at least 2.5 million sweat pores, a liver that can regenerate itself, two lungs, two kidneys, with your small intestines measuring about 20 feet and your large intestine measuring about 5 feet.
That’s not all you were created with! As a final example of just how amazing your body is, Adam was created with not one, but two eyes with each having an estimated 2 million working parts, 256 traits that are specifically unique to each person (the finger print only has 40 unique traits), with more than 1 million nerves that connect the eye to the brain that make it possible for 80 percent of all the information you take in to be done so through your eyes. If your eye was a camera, it would have 576 megapixels compared to the 48 megapixels the camera on my iPhone 14 has.
Aside from the fact that Adam and Eve were created with amazing physical bodies, they, along with the rest of humanity, were created in a unique category within creation as the only species created in the image of God as the climax of all he had created saving the best of all that was made for last:
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. (Gen. 1:27-30)
Part of what it means to be created in the image of God includes not just the responsibility to manage creation, but also the ability to create. As image bearers, Adam and Eve, along with every generation that followed them, were given the ability to create language, cook, throw parties, make babies, practice medicine, design clothing, build houses, plant gardens, tell stories, create tools to plunge the depts of the seas, build rockets to soar to the heavens, and to learn the human anatomy and discover ways to heal the sick. However, the thing that sets mankind apart from the rest of creation is not only his ability to create, but also that he was designed to know and worship the God who created him with all the faculties God designed him with. This is what the psalmist marveled over when he wrote,
O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? (Psalm 8:1–4)
So, what about the dinosaurs? Were they in Eden? Did Adam, after he was given the task to name the animals, also name the T-Rex, the Triceratops, the Megalosaurus, and the Megalodon?
The Point of CreationWhen God created, he didn’t use special effects or any tricks; he spoke, and Creation came into being. Before I say anything else, I want you to know that I am convinced that God created everything mentioned in Genesis 1 in six literal days for two reasons: First, because of what I read in the Bible of which I will share three simple verses with you:
“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” (Exodus 20:11)
“For thus says the Lord, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it empty, he formed it to be inhabited!): “I am the Lord, and there is no other.” (Isaiah 45:18)
“By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (Hebrews 11:3)
The second reason why I believe God created everything we read in Genesis 1 is because he is able to do it, and when he did it, he created everything with what theologians call “apparent age” (in its mature state). So, when God created everything, he did not create them in their infancy but in their mature state with the ability to reproduce. This is why I do not feel the need to argue against the hypothesis of scientists who say that our universe is estimated to be 13.8 billion years old based on the speed light travels. I do not believe the universe is 13.8 billion years old, but I do believe God created the universe in its mature state so that the stars we are able to see reflect the fact that God created them to shine. The point of the creation account is not how long it took him to do it, but that God created it all, and when he was finished with creation, he declared it to be “very good” (v. 31). What made it good? It was good because a good God, with the word of his power, spoke it into existence.
So what is the point of creation according to Genesis 1? Of all that I mentioned that is visibly true of creation, are details God did not see the need to include in Genesis. We are not given any specifics concerning how many species of fish, bugs, birds, lizards, mammals, planetary systems, or how many sets of eyes Adam and Eve had except for their differences as man and woman made uniquely designed with the ability to reproduce and fill the earth with other humans. We are not even told how many minutes, hours, days, months, or years are represented between the moment Adam and Eve enjoyed each other’s company while “naked and unashamed” (Gen. 2:25) and the birth of their first child.
So, where are the dinosaurs? Just as God did not see the need to inform us of Adam’s two lungs, heart, and liver, he did not see the need to inform us of giant lizards that walked the earth. It is possible that the “great sea creatures” in Genesis 1:21 may have included the Megalodon, the Behemoth mentioned in Job 40:15-24 could be a type of giant beast, or the Leviathan mentioned in Job 41 might be a giant lizard? However, the giant sea creatures might only be a species of whale, or the behemoth could be a hippopotamus; we probably will never know on this side of eternity and that is okay.
Let me tell you what I do know. What our world experienced in the first two chapters of Genesis was a kind of peace it does not know today. The peace I am referring to is what the Hebrew ancients called shalom. It is a peace that can only be known with the presence of God, and it was violated when Adam and Eve believed the serpent over God and broke the command given to them: “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17).
What was Lost in Creation?Let me begin by telling you what was not lost in creation. What was not lost in creation were the dinosaurs. What was lost after Adam and Eve bit into the fruit was shalom, and it wasn’t just lost to Adam and Eve, it was lost to the rest of creation with Adam as the representative of mankind and the one responsible for managing and caring for what God had created.
Everything in the Garden of Eden was given to Adam and Eve for their pleasure and management. The only thing that was kept from them was the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil – not because God was selfish, but because He loved them. Then a day came when the couple found themselves before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. From out of the tree could be heard a voice from the mouth of a snake: “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’”
The root of the temptation was to question the goodness of God because He withheld fruit from only one tree in the garden. In other words, Satan was tempting Eve to doubt the goodness of God. Thomas Watson once wrote concerning sin, “Sin first tempts and then damns. It is first a fox and then a lion.”[1] So Eve, “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took its fruit and ate…” she then gave some to her husband and he did the same (Gen. 3:6). Their innocence was violated by their rebellion, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (v. 7).
Adam and Eve were deceived into believing that they could be equals with their Creator and after their sin they were deeply disappointed. Instead of experiencing the kind of liberty the Serpent promised, Adam and Eve experienced shame. The greatest cost to Adam and Eve and the rest of the human race was what their sin did to shalom they once experienced by vandalizing it with a death what was both physical and spiritual. This is what the Apostle Paul wrote about in Romans 5:12-14, “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come”(Romans 5:12–14).
Adam and Eve’s sin not only bring physical and spiritual death, but it spread through the birth of Cain and was evidenced when he murdered his younger brother because he did not like the way God favored Abel’s worship of God over his own. God judged Cain by banishing him. I want you to see something in the passage that I believe will help you understand where all the dinosaurs are in the Bible, but first, here is what God said to Cain: “And the Lord said, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth” (Genesis 4:10–12).
In response to Cain being sentenced to being a “fugitive and a wanderer” on the earth, notice Cain’s response to God’s judgement: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me” (Genesis 4:13–14). The response of anyone reading these verses in light of Genesis 1-3 ought to be, “Who are the other people that Cain is afraid will murder him?” If you think that Cain is overexaggerating a bit, notice God’s answer to Cain’s concern: “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the Lord put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the Lord and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (Genesis 4:15–16).
Who are all the violent people Cain is afraid of and where did they come from? The answer to that question is simply this: We do not know. What is the point? The point is that there are some things that God, in his wisdom, did not see the need for us to know, and there are things that are included in the Bible that were written because of what we must know. What we know, based on these verses, is that there were enough people on the earth that Cain was afraid of that God had to put a mark on him to ensure no one would murder him in the way that he murdered his own brother.
What is it that we must know? What we must know is that since Adam and Eve bit into the fruit, things have not gone from bad to better as the serpent promised, but from bad to worse. Cain fathered a number of children with his wife and so the bloodline of Cain continued and eventually Lamech was born. Lamech was the first to pervert God’s intended purpose of the institution of marriage by becoming the father of polygamy; we are given a glimpse into this man’s heart through the poem he wrote for his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;
you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:
I have killed a man for wounding me,
a young man for striking me.
If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold,
then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” (Gen. 4:24-24)
After Cain murdered Abel and was condemned by God to wander the earth, he was promised: “If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold” (Gen. 4:15). However, when we come to verse 24, Lamech promised, “If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” Adam and Eve wanted to be like God, so they ate what God told them not to eat. Cain could not stand the way God responded to Abel’s offering, so he murdered him. We do not know how much time passed between Adam’s sin and Cain’s, but by the time he murdered Abel, the earth was already filled with violent people. Cain’s great grandson Lamech was not only a violent man who had little regard for the sanctify of life, but his wickedness extended into the sanctity of marriage by becoming the first practicing polygamist.
By the time you get to Genesis 6, we discover that Adam and Eve’s sin spread like gangrene from one generation to the next to the point that we are told in Genesis 6:5, “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5).
ConclusionSo, where are all the dinosaurs? Honestly, I am not sure. However, permit me to offer my thoughts in light of the first six chapters in Genesis. Hollywood, books, and our imaginations have led us to believe that man and dinosaurs could not coexist. We assume that if a Tyrannosaurus rex and someone like Adam crossed paths, that he would be gobbled up. In a world where man and dinosaurs exist, one might assume the apex predator would be a creature like the Tyrannosaurus rex.
What we learn from the book of Genesis is that the apex-predator is really man. Because the “…wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (v. 5), we are given the reason why the flood was necessary: “Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence” (v. 11).
Now if you are really looking for a scary lizard in the Bible, you really do not need to look very far. He is known by a whole host of names: He is called the Accuser (Rev. 12:10), the Adversary (1 Peter 5:8), the Beast (Rev. 14:9-10), the Deceiver (Rev. 12:9), the Devil (1 John 3:8), the Enemy (Matt. 13:39), and the Evil One (John 17:15), and the great dragon (Rev. 12:9). However, in Genesis 3:15, the great dragon is reduced to a serpent, and we are promised that One would come through Adam and Eve’s descendants who would crush the head of that dragon (Gen. 3:15). Jesus Christ was born, lived, died on cross for our sins, and rose from the grave to do just that.
[1] Thomas Watson. The Mischief of Sin (Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications; 1994), p. 20.
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Ephesians 5:15-21; 1 Corinthians 14:15; Colossians 3:12-17The post “What are We Singing and Why?” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jeremiah 9:23-24; 2 Timothy 3:16-4:2To begin, I want to share with you the risk in preaching a sermon series like this. The risk is that I will say or teach something that you do not agree with or that you do not like because it challenges assumptions you have about the Bible that have never been challenged. This is part of the reason some of my pastor friends thought it was risky of me to follow through with this idea to preach this sermon series I had about six months ago.
There are two things I need to say before we begin, and I say it in an age where there are as many conspiracy theories as there are voices who promote such theories on platforms like YouTube. First, some of you have spent more time listening to those who validate your assumptions than carefully listening to the words in your Bible through a careful hermeneutic that studies each book, passage, paragraph, and verse in the Bible within its literary, historical, cultural, geographical, and theological context. My hope is that by the end of this series you will develop better skills in studying your Bible. As one of my seminary professors said at the start of his class: “If you are here to learn more about God through the Bible, you are a theologian by default; however, some of you are not very good theologians yet.”
Second, you must understand that there are two ways to categorize the various teachings of the Bible. The first category I refer to as “primary issues;” I also refer to these as “gospel issues.” A “primary issue” is something that is taught in the Bible that is so important that if proven false, your faith could be ruined. Some examples of “gospel issues” include: The origin of the universe, the inerrancy of the Bible as Holy Scripture, the person and work of Jesus Christ (his virgin birth, his suffering and crucifixion, and resurrection), the second coming of Christ to judge the living and the dead, the person and work of the Holy Spirit, and the teaching that God is One and yet three persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) while existing as one God (aka the Trinity). Gospel issues are those doctrines that you must believe to remain orthodox in our faith.
There is a reason for the ancient Creeds that our Church Fathers have written, and that Christians have recited throughout generations and continue to do so today. The Nicene Creed dates all the way back to AD 325 and to reject any of it was to reject the primary truths of what must be believed for a person to be a Christian; consider what the creed states:
We believe in one God, the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made; of the same essence as the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven; he became incarnate by the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and was made human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate; he suffered and was buried. The third day he rose again, according to the Scriptures. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again with glory to judge the living and the dead. His kingdom will never end.
And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life. He proceeds from the Father and the Son, and with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified. He spoke through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We affirm one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look forward to the resurrection of the dead, and to life in the world to come. Amen.
Everything that is not a “primary issue” is a “secondary issue.” Secondary issues are those things taught in the Bible that you believe to be true, but if shown that you were wrong, it will not wreck your faith. Listen carefully: “secondary issues” are never worth dying for. Permit me to list some examples of what I consider secondary issues:
The Hebrew word that is used in Genesis 1 for “day” is yôm which is often used to refer to 24 hour period of time we call a day or it can mean an indefinite period of time like an “age.” There are Bible believing Christians who believe that Genesis 1 is describing six 24-hour days that God created all things, and then there are Bible believing Christians who believe that God created everything over an extended period of time. I believe I have valid biblical reasons for believing that God created everything in six literal days, but it will not wreck my faith if it is shown that God actually did it in six ages. I believe that the origin of creation is a “primary issue” in that God created all things, but the timing of creation is a “secondary issue.”
Another example of a primary verses secondary issue is the whole Calvinism verse Arminianism debate. For me, the primary issue is that a person is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone. Although I am a strong Calvinist, if I am shown to be wrong and that my Arminian brothers and sisters are right, my faith will not be wrecked because for me, Calvinism is not a primary issue for my faith, it is a secondary issue.
Primary issues I hold with a closed fist because my faith and salvation are dependent upon such truths. Secondary issues I hold with an open hand because being wrong on such things does not affect my faith and salvation nor does it affect the eternal plight of those who believe differently than I do on secondary issues.
There is a third category, and that is the category the Bible really does not address such as the size of the universe, whether or not aliens exist, whether or not Adam and Eve had a bellybutton, or if Adam had one less rib than the rest of mankind, and so forth and so on. Regarding these issues, it is fine to have an opinion, but Paul warned Timothy about making too much of such issues:
Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:24–26)
I want you to know that most of the topics that were submitted were concerning primary and secondary issues that the Bible does address. For those of you who are concerned that I may say something you disagree with concerning those secondary issues, I will do my best to be fair in accurately representing various views I disagree with while clearly articulating how I believe the Bible addresses those topics. At the end of the day, it is your responsibility to take each sermon you hear in this series and search the scriptures yourselves to make sure what I have said lines up with what the Bible teaches.
The Ways God has Revealed HimselfThere are two types of ways God has revealed Himself and made it possible for you to know Him:
General Revelation. General revelation doesn’t give you all the data needed to know God. It is simply enough information given to everyone for the purpose of knowing that there is a God through what is seen and experienced through nature. Special Revelation. Special revelation is the supernatural and direct way He has revealed Himself. The Bible is God’s direct and intentional way of reveling who He is to specific people. God has delivered to you a handwritten personal letter for you to get to know Him. That personal handwritten letter consists of 66 books in the Bible, written by at least 39 different authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, over the span of hundreds of years, while remaining theologically consistent. It is without error, and is written so that you may know God, and provides instruction on how to live as one who belongs to him. The Bible does not address every subject there is to be addressed, but it does address what you need to know.
When it comes to the ways God has revealed himself, think of Creation as the delivery box and the Bible as the detailed contents inside the box. Your life was not meant to just appreciate the parcel box we call creation. Your life was meant to know what’s behind the wrapping of the box; you were meant to know the Person behind creation. A.W. Tozer said it best: “…the gravest question before the Church is always God Himself, and the most portentous fact about any man is not what he at a given time may say or do, but what in his deep heart conceives God to be like.”[1] C.H. Spurgeon once said to his congregation, “I believe… that the proper study of God’s elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.”[2]
The Bible is God’s special revelation given to you for the purpose of knowing him.
You Can Know God Through His WordFrom Genesis to Revelation, the Bible claims at least 3,000 times to be “The Word of the Lord.” In all of its 66 books, the many different contributors who were guided by the Holy Spirit over a period of hundreds of years, while remaining without error, demonstrates that it is a Book that stands above all other books. One can hardly find that kind of unity in a room with five authors writing about the same thing. The reason for this is because the Bible is supernatural book brought together and shaped by the same power that spoke all that we see and cannot see into existence.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we are told that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…” Why is all Scripture, “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”? So, that the man or woman of God, “may be complete, equipped for every good work.” The use of the word “all” is a reference to all of Scripture, something that the shaping of the New Testament at the time Paul wrote his letter to Timothy was considered to be a part (see 2 Pet. 1:20-21).[3]
The word Paul used to describe why all Scripture is authoritative is a Greek word (theopneustos); many believe Paul himself coined it, and it is only used once in the New Testament. The point Paul was making is that God “breathed” through the activity of the various authors of Scripture while using their personalities to compose a unified document of what is now sixty-six books to communicate God’s infallible Word. This means that God gave the message that he wanted written down to the authors who interjected their own styles, characteristics, and the vocabulary that was available to each of the human authors God used as they were guided by the Holy Spirit to be sure of accuracy and freedom from error.
This is why when Moses wrote Genesis 1-2, while writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he used the vocabulary that was available at the time and only gave the details of what his human eyes could see from his vantage point on the dirt that he stood on. How was Moses to explain that which his vocabulary had to stretch to describe? What words could Isaiah use in describing the vision of heaven where he saw creatures he had never seen before (see Isaiah 6:1-5)? When John wrote of the weird locust-like-creatures, did the vocabulary, and experiences he had at the time enable him to give the kind of sketch you would expect a police sketch artist to come up with or was his vocabulary equally stretched like those who had come before him (see Rev. 9:7-11). God in his sovereignty used imperfect people to communicate through scripture to give us just enough of what we need to know to obey him. The beauty of the Bible is that although its human authors were limited, the infinite God inspired and breathed through them to provide a corpus of Scripture that is just as relevant as it is timeless.
Permit me to give you three more examples of the primacy of the Bible over all other religious books. God inspired Moses to write Genesis 3:15 as he no doubt was also retelling the story of Adam and Eve that had been passed down from generation to generation as God protected the retelling of it. When Moses recorded the consequences of Adam and Eve’s sin and God’s promise of redemption in a single verse: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (Gen. 3:15), I doubt that Moses had in mind Isaiah 53 as the way that God would do just that. Yet, hundreds of years later a prophet by the name of Isaiah would write of one who would suffer for sins of mankind: “
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But 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….
And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:3–5, 9-11)
I do not think that Isaiah envisioned hundreds of years before its invention as the most violent and dehumanizing form of torture, that the one he wrote about would be crucified on a Roman cross.
Finally, consider the apostle John who faithfully wrote down everything that he saw in the book of Revelation sometime in AD 90 as an old man with a broken and deteriorating body. I do not think he was able to fathom the ships, planes, and linguistic advancements and technology that has enabled the Gospel to be shared in languages of people groups not yet discovered in his day or ours, yet he wrote down the following of what he was permitted to see:
And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.
Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Revelation 5:6–13, ESV)
So, the apostle Paul charged a young pastor in the city of Ephesus, in light of the trustworthiness and authority of all of Scripture and its value for, “teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” to equip the people of God so that they, “may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). What was the method young Timothy was to do that? What Paul wrote next serves to illustrate the primacy of the inspired word of God: “I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:1–2). This is why I preach; this is why we stand when we read Scripture together, and this is why we study the Bible.
The Bible is much more than a religious book, it is the word of God, and by its own claim, “… the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of souls and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb. 4:12).
Amen.
[1] A.W. Tozer, the Knowledge of the Holy (New York: Harper & Row Publications, 1961), 9.
[2] Quoted in J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), p. 17.
[3] See also Matt. 1:22; 4:4; 19:5; Mk. 7:9-13; Acts 1:16; cf. John 14:26; 16:13; 1 Cor. 2:13; 14:37; 1 Thess. 4:15; 1 Tim. 5:18; 2 Pet. 3:2; Rev. 22:18-19
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Matthew 7:28-29; John 1:1-5, 9-14I was so tempted to conclude my sermon last week with a poem that Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote while in prison one month before his execution, which was ordered by Adolf Hitler for Bonhoeffer’s involvement in a failed assassination attempt on Hitler’s life. In light of the time we have spent in the Sermon on the Mount, I would like to share Bonhoeffer’s poem with you:
Who am I? They often tell meI stepped from my cell’s confinementCalmly, cheerfully, firmly,Like a Squire from his country house.Who am I? They often tell meI used to speak to my wardersFreely and friendly and clearly,As thought it were mine to command.Who am I? They also tell meI bore the days of misfortuneEquably, smilingly, proudly,like one accustomed to win.Am I then really that which other men tell of?Or am I only what I myself know of myself?Restless and longing and sick, like a bird in a cage,Struggling for breath, as though hands were compressing my throat,Yearning for colors, for flowers, for the voices of birds,Thirsting for words of kindness, for neighborliness,Tossing in expectations of great events,Powerlessly trembling for friends at an infinite distance,Weary and empty at praying, at thinking, at making,Faint, and ready to say farewell to it all.Who am I? This or the Other?Am I one person today and tomorrow another?Am I both at once? A hypocrite before others,And before myself a contemptible woebegone weakling?Or is something within me still like a beaten armyFleeing in disorder from victory already achieved?Who am I? They mock me, these lonely questions of mine.Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine!
Throughout our time in the Sermon on the Mount, many of you have asked questions not unlike the ones Bonhoeffer asked in his poem. I trust that you have concluded, “Whoever I am, Thou knowest, O God, I am thine!” It is my hope that by the end of this sermon, your heart will soar over what that final statement in Bonhoeffer’s poem really means for you.
Although I preached on the last paragraph in the Sermon on the Mount last week, this sermon is my final sermon in the series even though I will not be preaching on Jesus’ sermon itself. Instead, I would like you to think of this sermon as an epilogue to this sermon series I have called, “Something Greater.” As a springboard into my epilogue, consider the response of those who heard the Sermon on the Mount when it was first preached: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matthew 7:28–29).
We will spend most of our time in John 1:1-5, 9-14, but before we can get there, I want to reflect upon what it was about Jesus that astonished those who heard him. In the two chapters that follow the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus demonstrates why he was able to teach as one who had authority. In Matthew 8:1-4, Jesus healed a leper with a single touch demonstrating his authority over disease. In the same chapter, Jesus calmed a great storm with the word of his mouth demonstrating his authority over nature (vv. 23-27). In Matthew 8:28-34, we read of how Jesus was confronted by two demon possessed men who cried out: “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” Jesus cast the demons out of the two men and into some pigs who then ran off a steep bank and drown into the sea; in doing so, Jesus demonstrated his authority over demons. Jesus also demonstrates his authority over death after raising Jairus’s daughter from death to life (see Matt. 9:18-26; Luke 8:40-56).
The Authority of Jesus as the Word of GodWhere did Jesus’ authority come from? It obviously came from within his own person. This is why the apostle John began his gospel with these words to describe Jesus:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 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.
The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1-5, 9-14)
What John states about Jesus in the first chapter of his gospel reveals that Jesus’ authority flowed from his divinity. According to John, Jesus was there when the universe and the millions of galaxies it contains were created. The opening words of John’s gospel should immediately take us back to Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” God spoke, and Jesus, as the Word of God and the second person of the Trinity, took the anvil of his omnipotent power and struck that which did not exist to make something that did. According to John, Jesus was there when, as the Psalmist states, “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts” (Psalm 33:6). The one who delivered the greatest sermon ever preached was and is the Word made flesh! As the Word of God, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
In Colossians 1, the apostle Paul said of Jesus something not at all dissimilar than that of the apostle John: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rules or authorities—all things were created through him and for him” (Col. 1:15-16). To be the “firstborn of all creation” is not a statement of origin, but a statement of preeminence and honor. Jesus is preeminently above all kings that he is the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:11-16). This is the reason his authority superseded that of the scribes, it is the reason he could cure disease, rebuke storms, make demons tremble, and raise the dead.
The Authority of Jesus as the Kinsmen RedeemerJesus as the Word of God also “…became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). There was nothing that men saw that seemed extraordinary about Jesus with the exception of those who witnessed him do the extraordinary. From a distance, he seemed just like everyone else. As the ancient creed that so many generations have recited in the Church states: “He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.”
The one of whom holy scripture testifies, “…is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17) grew up like any other child, learned language like any other human, attended school, worked a job for the first part of his life, lived a life without once violating God’s Holy law, while remaining perfect we are told in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” However, as the apostle testifies: “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:10-11). Oh, do not miss the point, that although they did not know him, they were amazed by him. They marveled over his authority to teach, but as we have seen in Jesus’ final four statements, amazement is not enough.
Jesus came not to be amazed or marveled at, but to be received! This is why John continues: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). Later on, in the gospel of John, Jesus said of himself: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16–17). The Word of God took on flesh to fulfill the role of Kinsmen-redeemer to redeem what was lost due to Adam’s sinful rebellion that resulted in the curse of creation.
In the Old Testament, a Kinsmen-redeemer had to meet three requirements in order to purchase property that has been taken from a family. First, a kinsmen-redeemer had to be a relative of the affected family; second, a kinsmen-redeemer had to have the means to purchase the property back for the affected family; thirdly, a kinsmen-redeemer had to be willing to restore the lost property back to the affected family. Jesus meets all three requirements to serve as our kinsmen redeemer to reverse the curse of sin and restore what was once taken from creation… because of his virgin birth. Jesus met the requirement of serving as our kinsmen redeemer in the following ways:
By being born of a virgin, the second person of the Trinity became a member of humanity.By being the Word of God, he had the means to pay the price to redeem what was lost through Adam’s sin.Because, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” Jesus demonstrated that he was willing to meet the requirements of kinsman-redeemer. Amazement at Jesus’ words and life only is the way those on the wide road respond, the expression of the unfruitful diseased tree, the words of those whom Jesus does not know, and only fixtures that hang inside of the foolish builder’s house.
Jesus came to redeem a people. As I stated last week, he was forsaken on the cross so that you would never be turned away by God. The axe of God’s wrath came upon him while he hung on that tree so that it would not come upon you (Gal. 3:13). If you cling to His cross, you are safe. How again are you safe if your hope and trust rests in Jesus as the kinsmen-redeemer? Oh, my dear Christian brothers and sisters, listen to Philippians 2:8-11,
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:8–11)
What many did not realize when our Savior preached his sermon on the mount, The one before them that was the One promised long ago who would be “pierced for our transgressions” and “crushed for our iniquities” on a roman cross of wood (Isaiah 53:5), and every Hebrew man and woman who would see him on that cross on the day of his execution would have rightly understood that the one who preached the greatest sermon ever preached, the one whose authority amazed them, was now cursed. What most of them did not realize in those moments as he hung dying was that he who hung there, hung for them: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree…’” (Gal. 3:13).
What is our hope in life and death
Christ alone Christ alone
What is our only confidence
That our souls to Him belong
Who holds our days within His hand
What comes apart from His command
And what will keep us to the end
The love of Christ in which we stand[1]
The Authority of Christ as Head of the ChurchHow is it that we come to Jesus Christ? We come with empty hands as those who are poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3), we come as those who mourn over our sin (v. 4), we come surrendering our pride before the foot of his cross (v. 5), and in doing so, Jesus proclaims to his redeemed: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (v. 6). This is a theme that runs throughout the Sermon on the Mount. Again, this is the point of John 1:12-13; it is worth considering the words of these verses again: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”
In his book, The Loveliest Place, Dustin Benge writes something beautifully stunning that is at the heart of why Jesus became a curse upon the cross for you dear Christian: “The cross, with all of its blood flowing, lacerated flesh, and the stench of death, becomes the epicenter of cleansing for sinners, where Christ looks lovingly upon his darling bride and declares, ‘My love… you are beautiful. (Song 1:15)’”[2] Jesus is not an abusive husband, he is not a demeaning husband, he is not a conniving husband, he is not a manipulative husband, he is One who models love in its purest form from which all husbands who identify in Christ are commanded to model: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…” (Ephesians 5:25). It is in this vein the Bible declares:
And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven…. (Colossians 1:18–23)
ConclusionThis is why it is not enough to be amazed at Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount or to marvel and be amazed at Jesus only. He is worthy of much more than your amazement! Skye Jethani wrote in the conclusion of his little book, What if Jesus Was Serious? something we are now forced to consider:
Our problem, I think, is that pop Christianity has emphasized Jesus’ love but ignored His intelligence. We treat Him like a benevolent old uncle who gives us advice because He truly cares for us, but deep down we suspect He doesn’t understand how the modern world really works. So, we dismiss His well-meaning input.
Jesus is smart. Jesus is serious. Imagine how your life would be different if you took Him at His word. And imagine how our world would be different if those who claimed to follow Jesus actually did.[3]
So, I ask you, what are you going to do with Jesus? What idols in your life need to be replaced with the Christ to whom belongs, “…power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12)? You who say that Jesus is “Lord” and “Savior” how long will you dismiss what he has said? How long will you live as though his commands do not apply to you? We are now finished with the sermon series, Something Greater. But the question I want to leave with you is the same one Dietrich Bonhoeffer asked: “Who are you… really?” I also leave you with a second question: “Who is Jesus to you… truly?”
We will be singing a modern hymn written not long ago, appropriately titled, “Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me.” I think it is fitting that I conclude this sermon with four verses from that hymn for reasons I believe will be clear:
What gift of grace is Jesus my redeemerThere is no more for heaven now to giveHe is my joy, my righteousness, and freedomMy steadfast love, my deep and boundless peace
To this I hold, my hope is only JesusFor my life is wholly bound to HisOh how strange and divine, I can sing, “All is mine”Yet not I, but through Christ in me
No fate I dread, I know I am forgivenThe future sure, the price it has been paidFor Jesus bled and suffered for my pardonAnd He was raised to overthrow the grave
To this I hold, my sin has been defeatedJesus now and ever is my pleaOh the chains are released, I can sing, “I am free”Yet not I, but through Christ in me.[4]
[1] Keith & Kristyn Getty, Matt Boswell, and Matt Papa. Christ Our Hope in Life and Death, (Getty Music Hymns and Songs; 2021).
[2] Dustin Benge. The Loveliest Place (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2022); p. 52.
[3] Skye Jethani. What If Jesus Was Serious? (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers; 2020), pp. 180-81.
[4] Michael Farren, Rich Thompson, Jonny Robinson. Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me (Farren Love And War Publishing, Integrity’s Alleluia! Music, Cityalight Music).
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Matthew 7:24-27What is this final paragraph in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount about? Is it about two foundations or is it about two types of builders? Some who have preached on this passage, emphasized the foundations that the builders used to build their houses on. However, it seems to me that if we are going to consider these verses within the context of the three sets of comparisons that precede it, this final paragraph in our Lord’s sermon appears to be about two types of people who have heard and listened to Jesus’ sermon and what they did with what they heard.
I want you to think about something: The comparison of the narrow gate verses the wide gate is really about two types of people and their response to Jesus (vv. 13-14). The comparison of the good tree verses the diseased tree is really about recognizing whose teaching is from God and what you do with it (vv. 15-20). The comparison of the false Christian verses the true Christian is really about the person who knows Jesus as Lord as opposed to the so-called Christian who calls Jesus “Lord.” And now we come to verses 24-27, which are really about the person who builds his life upon the words of Jesus and “does” them. At the end of each of these comparisons, we who have heard the words of Jesus are asked to examine if we are truly on the narrow way, if we are truly receiving the word of God, if we truly know Jesus as Lord, and if our lives are truly built upon the life and teachings of Jesus.
I do not want to make too much of this, but what I find interesting with the way Jesus concludes his sermon is that the number four has significant meaning in the Bible, for when it is used it is used to symbolize completeness. On the fourth day, God completed the material universe with the creation of the sun, moon, and stars (Gen. 1:14-19), and in many places on earth there exists four seasons. In the Garden of Eden there were four rivers (Gen. 2:10). In heaven there are four living creatures around the throne of God who never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come” (Rev. 6:6-8)! Also, who can forget the four horsemen of the apocalypse in Revelation 6:2-8. Frequently throughout the Bible the earth is referred to as having four corners, which again is symbolic of completeness (see Isa. 11:12; Rev. 7:1). So, I think it would be negligent of me if I did not at least point out that Jesus closed with four series of twos to complete his Sermon on the Mount, and each of his series of twos has to do with the way one responds to his words.
Before we look at the two builders, permit to show you what it at stake with each of the builders. Since the day I first read Matthew 7:24-27, I assumed that the storm that fell upon each house that the builders built served as a metaphor for life: “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house…” which resulted in one house surviving and the other falling in such a way that Jesus described: “…and great was the fall of it.” I want you to see something that preparing this sermon forced me to consider:
Of the many people who enter through the wide gate, Jesus said that that road, “leads to destruction.” (v. 13)The diseased and unfruitful tree will be, “…cut down and thrown into the fire.” (v. 19)Jesus will declare to many who call him “Lord, Lord”: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” (v. 22)Of those who hears Jesus’ words and DO NOT DO THEM, Jesus says of such a person: “…the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” (v. 27). The first three comparisons result in a final judgment that is cataclysmic and terrible. The question I was forced to ask while preparing my sermon on Matthew 7:24-27 is, “Why would this passage be describing a fate of the person who does not do the words of Jesus any differently than the three previous examples of people who did not listen to and obey the words of Jesus?” The reality is that the rain, floods, and winds are a description of judgment that will not end well for one of the builders. I also think that it is appropriate to conclude that a foundation built on the rock of Jesus’ words will keep you from shipwrecking your faith.
What the Builders Have in CommonI believe that for us to appreciate this final contrast Jesus gives us, we need to consider what these builders have in common. For me, what these builders have in common is the most sobering part of Jesus’ words.
Both builders heard the same message.
The “everyone” Jesus is referring to are those who have heard Jesus’ words. Daniel Doriani observes from these verses that, “…when we listen to the Sermon on the Mount, we do not simply hear Jesus’ words. We hear Jesus.”[1] He continues, “Jesus’ words perfectly express his character, his mind, his will. He never deceives, never changes his mind, never misspeaks. He never has to say, ‘Do as I say, not as I do.’ This world has all too many obese gym teachers, divorced marriage counselors, and debt-ridden financial planners. Not so with Jesus. He does what he says. He is what he says. Every word perfectly reflects his character, and his actions.”[2]
Jesus did not misspeak when he singled out what the builders have in common: “Everyone who hears these words of mine…” Think about what Jesus is saying here. Both builders are individuals who heard Jesus and his words, which means that they were within the community of people who were most influenced by Jesus. These builders are not all that dissimilar to the two types of Christians referred to in the previous description of those who say Jesus is Lord verses those who know Jesus as Lord. In other words, these are not unreached people groups…. both builders are individuals who believe they are Christians.
Both builders built a house
Secondly, these builders both built a house. There is no distinction between the two houses except for the foundation they were built on. The houses look the same. They look like they have been taken care of. They have similar windows, they are nicely painted, and have everything you would expect a newly built house to have. The homes that belonged to the builders is a metaphor of their religious lives. There does not appear to be any real visible distinction between the two men Jesus is referring to. Both builders attend the same church, they sing the same songs every Sunday, they attend the same church gatherings, they participate in the same Life Group, they both love the men’s breakfasts their church puts together. From the outside, they seem identical.
Both builders believed they were safe.
The final similarity we see with the two builders is that they both believed the house they built was safe, and thereby believed they were safe. The same material went into the frame of the house, the same furniture, fixtures, and art decorated their respective homes. It is also worth noting that because Jesus only made one distinction between the two houses built, that the houses were virtually identical in appearance as Martyn Lloyd Jones observed,
…We deduce that from the fact that our Lord makes it clear that there was no difference between these two houses except in the foundation. Looked at externally and on the surface there was no difference…. The two houses were apparently identical apart from just this one difference beneath the surface. So we are entitled to deduce that these two men like the same kind of house. Not only did each want a house; they wanted the same kind of house. Their ideas on the subject were absolutely identical. They had much in common.[3]
It is what these builders had in common that is frightening. It is possible to go through your entire life doing the same things other Christians are doing such as reading the Bible, participating in the worship service of a church, serving in church, tithing a portion of your income to a church, and so many other things, while assuming that you are eternally safe when in reality, you are not.
How the Builders are DifferentAlthough the builders look alike, they are very different. What is different is what is not seen. What is different is what is below the surface. What is different is what each builder really believes is most important and needed. What is different is that although the houses looked alike, one was much easier to build while the other took more time in preparation to build.
Each of the Builders Listened to Jesus’ Words Very Differently
Although each builder was able to hear Jesus’ words, only one acted upon what he heard. Please do not let the significance of how the builders responded to the words of Jesus pass you by. What do you think of Jesus’ words? When I ask this question, do not assume that the rest of the Word of God is exempt, for Jesus himself said at the beginning of his sermon: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17).
You have heard that the God known as Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai created all things out of nothing, keeps covenants he makes, and never gets frustrated because he is the Sovereign One, but do you take his words seriously? His word declares that you bear his image and that he formed you in the womb of your mother: “For you formed my inwards parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Ps. 139:13-14). If he is the creator, then there is purpose and design behind your existence, and you were designed and made to know and worship Him. God does not exist for you; you exist for God. Since when did the lump of clay that is creation ever gain the right to protest the hands that have shaped it? Here is both God’s truth and your truth echoed in the pages of ancient scripture: “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders” (Exod. 15:11). So, the question for you dear Christian is, “How is the truth of His word shaping your life?”
If you are a Christian, Jesus said that you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matt. 5:13-16). What do you taste like to the world? How is your light shining in in a dark world? Is there any real distinction between what is seen and experienced by those around you verses what is in the world?
Jesus said, “For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (v.20). He also said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (5:6). Who or what are you hungering for and thirsting for? Whose glory are you really after? From what source are you seeking your righteousness?
If you are really hungering and thirsting for a righteousness that only Jesus can provide, then what does that look like in your daily living? Are you truly hungering after the one who said when you are angry with your brother, to go and “be reconciled to your brother or sister…” (vv. 21-26). Are you truly thirsting after the one who said that we must take radical steps in addressing our sin (vv. 28-30)? Considering what Jesus said about marriage and divorce, what are you doing to save your marriage (vv. 31-32)?
Do you, Christian, want to know Jesus in such a way that you long for the same thing the apostle Paul longed for: “…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:10-11)? How is that kind of knowing affecting your character? When it comes to oaths and promises, are you becoming the kind of person Jesus told you to be when he said, “Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’…” (Matt. 5:33-37)?
The One who, “was despised and rejected by men…. Who borne our griefs and carried our sorrows…” He who, while facing a cross we deserved… of whom the scriptures testify, “…was oppressed, and was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that is before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isa. 53:3-7)… is he the one you want to know in such a way that you, “share in his sufferings”? What are you going to do with what he said about responding to the one who slaps your check, sues you for the coat off your back, or treats you unfairly (Matt. 5:38-42)?
Do you really want to know Christ in such a way that you are becoming like him in his death? How seriously are you to take what he said about your enemies: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…” (Matthew 5:43–45).
Jesus modeled how we are to pray, and at the heart of that prayer he modeled is a plea that God’s name be hallowed in all things. Do you long for his name to be hallowed and his kingdom to expand in and through your life (see 6:1-13)? The question I am really asking you is the one that we are all forced to ask after hearing the Sermon on the Mount: “Do we really take Jesus’ words seriously and what are we willing to do in response to his words?”
Do you believe what Jesus said about money and the stuff of this world to be true, and if so, how has that affected the way you use your money (see vv. 19-24)? Jesus said not to be anxious about tomorrow and to, “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…” (vv. 25-34); considering all that he has said, do you trust him?
Jesus said that our heavenly Father will not turn us away when we go to him (vv. 7-11), do you believe his words to be true? Throughout his sermon, Jesus has shown us that our dependency upon him is what is needed if we are going to hear his words and do them. He is the righteousness that will satisfy our souls! The question before us is simply this: “Do we really take Jesus’ words seriously and how are we obeying him?”
Which leads me to a simple but profound truth concerning what sets the one builder apart from the other.
Each of the Builders Responded to Jesus’ Words Very Differently
What sets the one builder apart from the other is simply this: One of the builders took Jesus’ words seriously enough to obey him while the other builder only listened to his words. One of the builders built his house on sand because he thought it was just too much to both listen to Jesus and obey him.
For the builder who built his house on the sand, to build on the foundation of Jesus’ words was not comfortable. To build on the rock was too narrow. To build on the rock was not fair. To build on the rock was asking him to give up too much. To build on the rock would cause too much friction within the family. To build on the rock would mean he would have to say no to certain temptations. To build on the rock would be to go against the advice and recommendation of those closest to him. To build on the rock would be too costly, for he would lose too much in this world and he did not think it was worth it. Jesus said of this person that the, “…rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it” (v. 27). Consider what Charles Spurgeon said of the foolish builder:
Yet though he was industrious, he was foolish…. The crash was terrible; the sound was heard afar…. The overflow was final and irretrievable. Many heard the fall, and many more saw the ruins as they remained a perpetual memorial of the results of that folly which is satisfied with hearing, and neglects doing.[4]
What will be the nature of the storm? How serious will it be? The storm is the judgment of God, and it is the place the wide road leads, the place the diseased tree will be burned, and the place the one Jesus does not know will hear, “I never knew you,” and the place where the foolish builder will be destroyed. We are warned of this judgment in Revelation 20:11-15,
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20:11–15)
What is it that will keep the one on the narrow road safe? What will prevent the fruitful tree from the axe? Why will the one who knows Jesus as Lord not be turned away on that day? What will keep the wise builder safe on the Day of God’s judgment? It is the cross of Christ. Jesus was forsaken on the cross so that those who trust in him will never be turned away by a holy God. The axe of God’s wrath came upon him while he hung on that tree (Gal. 3:13); that is why all who cling to His cross are safe. Jesus is the foundation, his words are our rock, his life is our house, therefore if you know him as Lord, you are safe!
Released from my chains I’m a pris’ner no more
My shame was a ransom He faithfully bore
He cancelled my debt and He called me His friend
When death was arrested and my life began
Our Savior displayed on a criminal’s cross
Darkness rejoiced as though Heaven had lost
But then Jesus arose with our freedom in hand
That’s when death was arrested and my life began
So, my dear friends, I leave you with five questions we are all forced to ask in the wake of our Savior’s Sermon:
“Do I believe Jesus’ words to be true?”
“Do I take Jesus seriously?”
“Do I know him?”
“Do I trust him enough to obey him?”
“Who am I?”
[1] Daniel M. Doraini. Reformed Expository Commentary: Matthew Vol. I (Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing; 2008); p. 308.
[2] Ibid. pp. 308-09.
[3] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans; 1976), p. 548.
[4] Daniel L. Akin. Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference; 2019); p. 153.
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Matthew 7:21-23Of all the things that Jesus said in his Sermon on the Mount, what he says in our passage today is the most frightening. How can a person who prophesied in Jesus’ name, cast out demons in Jesus’ name, and did many mighty works in Jesus’ name one day stand before the Jesus they called “Lord” only to hear from his lips: “I never knew you; depart from me, you worker of lawlessness?” How is that possible? What kind of savior will do that to those who not only called him “Lord” but “Lord, lord” during their lifetime? This is the question I hope to answer for you today.
Understand that these words in Matthew 7:21-23, they serve as the third series in the final part of Jesus’ sermon that call us to action. To understand what Jesus is saying here, we must consider his words in light of what he said about the narrow gate verses the wide gate, the good teacher verses the false teacher, and now the true Christian verses the fake Christian. What is scary about Jesus’ words here is that a person can claim to be a Christian, do lots of great things in Jesus’ name, and even claim he is lord, but not have the forgiveness of sins promised to all who believe in him: “But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).
Before I try and help you make sense of these verses and why it is so important that you understand what they are saying to you, permit me to point out something that Jesus says in verse 23 that serves as the linchpin to what Jesus says in verses 24-27. A while back in this sermon series, I explained the meaning to a phrase known as the “hermeneutical key” to understanding a passage. As a refresher, a hermeneutical key can be a word, a phrase, a verse, paragraph, or section in the Bible that makes sense of a particular passage in the Bible. The “hermeneutical key” for understanding what Jesus is saying here in Matthew 7:21-23 is found in verses 23, and more specifically, it is a single word. Permit me to read to you the verse and then I will point out what word I am talking about: “And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’” I believe the “hermeneutical key” is the Greek word Jesus used for “knew.”
Jesus could have used the word oida for the word know, like he did in Matthew 7:11 which states: “If you then, who are evil, know* [odia] how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Oida* is the kind of knowledge that is more mental or cognitive. It is the kind of knowledge I have of my wife and children where even in a crowded room, I know what they look like; it is a knowledge that some of you could have of my wife and children as well.
Instead of using oida, Jesus used the word ginōskō in verse 23. It is a fuller knowledge than oida, for it is a knowledge that is much more intimate of something or someone. Ginōskō is the kind of knowledge I have of my wife and children; it is a knowledge that is experiential and only deepens the more I do life with my wife and children. There will be “many” Jesus says who he will declare to their horror on the day of judgment: “I never knew [eginōn][1] you; depart from me…”.
The contrast Jesus makes between the two types of people who claim to be a Christian seems to be with what is said verses what is done. I want to focus on the person who claims Jesus is lord first since most of what Jesus says is addressed to such a person, then I will talk about the other person.
Those Who Say Jesus is LordThe Greek word for “Lord” that Jesus uses is the same word Romans in the first century would use for the emperor as a god, the word used is kyrios. It is word used for an owner, a ruler, or a master. In this case, the person Jesus has in mind is a person who claims to follow him, but not just follow him, this person has a doctrinally sound understanding of Jesus. In this person’s mind, Jesus is divine, he is master, and he is the owner. This person believes that Jesus is Lord.
The other thing that must be noted is that the person Jesus is describing is not just saying he believes Jesus is Lord, he is excited about Jesus. This is why Jesus uses kyrios twice. This was a literary device used in the same way we use the explanation point. The doubling of a word in Jesus’ day was used to intensify emotion in the form of literature. It is the same literary device used to describe King David’s deep grief over the death of his son Absalom in 2 Samuel 19:4, “O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
The person Jesus is describing here claims to believe in him, is doctrinally sound in that belief, and is excited about what they believe. Yet, Jesus continues in his description of this person who he will declare he never knew! These are people who are serving him inside and outside the church by prophesying, casting out demons, and doing mighty works in his name! These people are speaking and proclaiming God’s word, they are liberating the demonically possessed, and they are doing things in the name of Jesus that is changing lives… all in the name of Jesus as Lord! What this means is that there will be pastors, their wives, and their children; there will be Bible teachers, seminary professors, Life Group leaders, Children’s church teachers and workers, missionaries, and so much more who will hear the words of Jesus on the Day of Judgment: “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (v. 23).
Matthew 7:21-23 are not my words, these are Jesus’ carefully thought-out words my dear brothers and sisters! I wish these words were not in the Sermon on the Mount, but they are! What are we to do with them? Timothy Keller offered his explanation of what Jesus meant in these verses: “What Jesus is saying is, ‘You have the doctrine right. You’re excited about me. You’re in the church. You’re doing ministry. You’re changing people’s lives, and you’re not saved. You have no saving relationship with me. There is no real spiritual connection with me. There never has been. I never knew you.’”[2]
What you are feeling right now is the same thing I am feeling. I don’t want to feel the way this passage makes me feel, and my guess is that you do not want to feel that way either. These words force us to self-reflect and ask ourselves some very important questions: “Am I on the wide road?” “Am I a diseased and unfruitful tree?” “Does Jesus know me as his own?” The point is that you can be all around the gospel of Jesus Christ and yet not have it affect change in your heart. Just because you believe Jesus is who he claimed to be, just because you are excited about what you believe about Jesus, and just because you are doing things in his name… might only mean that you oida him. Your ideas about Jesus are orthodox, but do you ginōskō him?
The same word Jesus uses to describe what he will say to the fake Christian is the word he uses in his prayer to describe the true Christian in John 17:1-3, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know [ginōskō] you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:1–3). The apostle Paul used the same word to describe his religious pursuits as a pharisee in contrast to his relationship with Jesus:
But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith… (Phil. 3:7-9)
The kind of knowing that made every loss worth it for the apostle Paul was the ginōskō kind of knowing. Paul’s knowing included orthodoxy, but it was so much more than just orthodoxy, it also included orthopraxy; it was both a knowing in the mind and a knowing in experience, so Paul continued: “…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:10–11).
What Jesus wants us to ask ourselves, through the cutting of his scalpel-like words, is simply this: “Do I really know Jesus, does he really know me, and what place does he have in my life?” By the way, to ask these questions is not only healthy, but encouraged in the Bible, for the apostle Paul demanded that the Corinthian Church do the same, here is what Paul said: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5a).
Those Who Know Jesus as LordLet us now turn our attention to the true Christian. Jesus contrasts this person with the fake Christian by saying that unlike those he does not know, those who know him as Lord, “…does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (v. 21b). So, is it in doing God’s will that saves a person? The answer to that question is a resounding “No!” The doing of the Father’s will is the fruit of the one whose knowledge of Jesus is not superficial, but the ginōskō kind of knowing. The doing of the Father’s will is evidence that you are on the narrow way, that you entered the narrow gate naked because you entered as one who is poor in spirit, mourning over your sin, and have laid aside your pride at the narrow gate, which is the cross of Christ.
What kind of life does a ginōskō kind of knowing produce in the life the Christian? It produces a changed and changing life. Jesus tells us that this type of Christian not only does the will of the Father, but in verses 24-25 (which is our passage for next week’s sermon), he says: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Don Carson, who is a leading New Testament scholar offers a helpful perspective on Jesus’ words:
It is true, of course, that no man enters the kingdom because of his obedience; but it is equally true that no man enters the kingdom who is not obedient. It is true that men are saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ; but it is equally true that God’s grace in a man’s life inevitably results in obedience. Any other view of grace cheapens grace, and turns it into something unrecognizable. Cheap grace preaches forgiveness without repentance, church membership without rigorous church discipline, discipleship without obedience, blessing without persecution, joy without righteousness, results without obedience.[3]
Carson concludes his thoughts with the following indictment on the American Church: “In the entire history of the church, has there ever been another generation with so many nominal Christians and so few real (i.e. obedient) ones?”[4] Is Don Carson so far off? Jesus did not use the word “few” in describing the number of people who have preached sermons, taught bible studies, helped out in the church nursery, greeted visitors, went to the mission field, prophesied, cast out demons, and did many other mighty works in Jesus’ name! The numerical word used by our Savior’s lips is “many.”
Permit me to share with you scripture passages that will help you see what is missing in the lives of the many who will hear Jesus say: “I never knew you…”
“What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2:14–17)
“But what does it say? ‘The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart’ (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, 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. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:8–10)
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15)
What is missing in the lives of the many who are not known by Jesus is a love for Jesus. Oh, they know who he is. They know that he died on a cross for the sins of the world. They know what the Bible says. However, the kind of knowing that would compel one who truly loves Jesus to say: “…that I may know Jesus and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 3:10–11)… is foreign to them.
To the one who “knows” Jesus as Lord, has come to him not only because he is the only way to salvation, not only because he is the only means to receive the forgiveness of sins, not only because he conquered death and promises the same to all who trust him, but because he is a treasure to be treasured, a beauty to be beheld, a majesty to be wondered at, a savior to be prized, a redeemer to be treasured, the Lord of Glory to be worshiped! Jesus is not only to be understood, but to be known! This is why Jesus said to all who would consider following him: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26–27).
To this point John Piper wrote:
Saving faith does not receive Christ as disappointing. It does not receive Christ as boring, or foolish, or inferior, or secondary, or ugly, or undesirable. Saving faith receives Christ as he really is. Not that we know the totality of his greatness at the beginning of our relationship. But given what we do know, we see him as supremely desirable. No one could be a greater source of joy than Christ. Saving faith tastes this (realizes this substance) and receives Christ as such—with joy.[5]
Could there be any other possible reason why all of the redeemed in heaven continue to sing and shout: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing…. To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever” (Rev. 5:12-13).
The question we are all forced to ask ourselves in the wake of Matthew 7:21-23 is, “To whom does my heart truly belong?” The question I ask you now is simply this: “Will you chose this day the kind of ‘knowing’ you want to pursue Jesus with as you follow him?” Is it time to stop playing “church” and to start living out what it means to be the Bride of Christ? For it is not religion that seeks the will of the Father, but a relationship with Jesus motivated by love that generates a desire to do the will of the Father.
Amen.
[1] This verb is in the aorist, active, indicative from ginōskō.
[2] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive, 2012-2013. Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
[3] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (p. 145). Nashville, TN: Holman Reference.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Piper, John (2022). What is Saving Faith (p. 177). Wheaton, IL: Crossway.
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Matthew 7:15-20What or who comes to mind when you hear the words “false prophets” or “false teachers”? Do you think of Jim Jones who founded the People’s Temple, which grew to about 3,000 people. Jones began as a Pentecostal minister, but over time rejected Christianity as we know it and claimed to be the reincarnation of Jesus, Vladimir Lenin, and the Buddha. Jones eventually convinced his congregation to move to what he called Jonestown in Guyana in an effort to create a socialist paradise. After mounting scrutiny and criticism from the outside, Jim Jones convinced most of his 909 followers to drink cyanide mixed with juice. Those who refused were forcibly injected with cyanide through a syringe.
When you hear “false teacher” you might think of David Koresh of the Branch Davidians in Waco, Texas. Koresh had committed much of the Bible to memory and fathered children with multiple women in his compound, while forbidding marriage for anyone else. His compound was raided on April 19, 1993. During the raid the compound caught fire; 79 Branch Davidians died, 21 of those who died in the fire were children under the age of 16. David Koresh died of a gunshot to the head. Koresh taught of himself as a new messiah and the spiritual descendant of King David.
Other cults may come to mind when you think of false prophets or teachers; such as Joseph Smith and Mormonism, Charles Russell and The Watch Tower Society (Jehovah Witness), or the World Mission Society Church of God, which is also known as the “Mother of God cult.”
The World Mission Society Church of God teaches that there are three ages: 1) The age of the Father, which represents the way God interacted with his people in the Old Testament. 2) The age of the Son, which represents the New Testament. 3) The age of the Holy Spirit, which represents the arrival of Ahn Sahng-hung, the group’s founder who was born in 1918 and died in 1985 after suffering a heart attack, followed by a stroke, while on his way to the hospital.
Ahn Sahng-hong became a Seventh Day Adventist and was later excommunicated in 1962, much of his teachings were shaped by Seventh Day Adventist doctrine. In 1964, Ahn founded the Witnesses of Jesus Church of God and took on a mistress while married to another woman; the name of his mistress was Zahng Gil-jah. Some of Ahn’s doctrinal distinctives that shaped what would eventually become the World Mission Society Church of God include the following:
Sunday worship is pagan and the true day of worship is Saturday.The image of the cross is considered pagan.Christmas and Easter are considered pagan holidays.Every Christian in the world except those belonging to the World Mission Society Church of God is pagan.Humans were originally angels who sinned (we have no memory of our pre-existence).His partial agreeance with the doctrine of the Trinity, but instead taught what the early Church deemed heretical, which is known as “modelism.” Modelism is the belief that God has taken on three different forms instead of him existing in three different persons (the Father becomes the Son who becomes the Holy Spirit).A belief that he restored the true Passover, and that a person could not truly be saved from their sins unless they celebrated the Passover once a year on the 14th day of the 1st month on a sacred calendar Ahn recognized. After Ahn Sahng-hong died unexpectedly, his Witnesses of Jesus Church of God split into two groups. His wife and three children started New Covenant Passover Church of God, while his mistress and other followers started World Mission Society of God. Under Zahng Gil-jah’s leadership World Mission Society of God has grown rapidly, reporting over three million members worldwide. Here are some of their doctrinal beliefs:
A person must believe and worship Zahng Gil-Jah as Mother God in order to be saved.Ahn Sahung-Hung was the second coming of Christ, who is also understood to be God the Father and the Holy Spirit.Other requirements to be saved include: Annual Passover observance, regular tithing to World Mission Society Church of God, attending church (Zion) every Saturday, and to preach often (in places like Walmart, grocery stores, etc.). I have taken the time to elaborate on the Mother of God cult because, like the Church of Latter Day Saints and the Watch Tower Society have local locations, they have a Zion building in Cheyenne. Cults like these are known for the way they prooftext by taking verses in the Bible out of context to make it sound as though the Bible teaches their doctrines. They are also typically known for claiming some type of secret knowledge that was either lost or hidden that they alone are the faithful stewards of.
Cults are dangerous to be sure, and Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:15-20 are certainly applicable to such groups and their leaders. I think people like Zahng Gil-jah are “ravenous wolves” in sheep’s clothing, but I also think false prophets and teachers like her are easier to spot for anyone who reads the Bible. For starters, Jesus was pretty clear concerning his second coming: First, he said it would be both visible and very obvious (see Matt. 20:30; Rev. 1:7). Second, Jesus warned us of people like Zahng Gil-jah: “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand” (Matthew 24:23–25).
There are ravenous wolves who are more cunning and difficult to spot who creep into the church and among God’s people. They are much more subtle than the likes of Joseph Smith, Charles Russell, Jim Jones, David Koresh, Ahn Sahng-hong, and Zahng Gil-Jah. Jesus warns us of such people and how we can spot them to avoid them.
The Heart of False Teachers (v. 15)The heart of false teachers is that they intend harm upon God’s people. There is a reason why Jesus warns us of these people just after we are told to enter the narrow gate and avoid the wide gate (vv. 13-14). This is our first clue as to how to spot a false teacher. Do you remember what I said last Sunday? I said of the narrow gate, that it is the cross of Jesus Christ and although admittance through the gate is free because Jesus paid the price necessary to enter, a person can only enter naked. Within the heart of the false teacher Jesus warns us of is a desire to either avoid the cross of Christ or a way to add to the cross of Christ. The false teacher may tell you that the narrow way is a legitimate way to heaven but will insist that you can enter with whatever you would like to bring with you such as your own righteousness, a flippant attitude towards your sin, and your pride. For the false teacher, Jesus is either never enough or too much!
False teachers and false prophets have always found their way among God’s people and every time they have been able to deceive and consume those among God’s people it is because his people did not listen to God’s word or were ignorant of it. God warned Israel of his wrath against the sins of his people, yet in Jeremiah 6:13-19 Jeremiah warned all of Jerusalem:
“For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. 14They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. 15Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,” says the Lord.
Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ 17I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’ 18Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them. 19Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
The prophets and priests dealt falsely with the people and assured them that there was no judgment coming (v. 13-14), and by doing so, encouraged them in their sin. Why? Because they did not listen to God’s word and worse, they rejected his Law (v. 19).[1] These verses in Jeremiah and Jesus’ warning reminds me of a dear friend who confided in a pastor of the church her parents attended about the pressure she was receiving from her boyfriend to have sex with him. The pastor’s advice was that if she loved him, then it was okay. My friend listened to the pastor’s advice and then called me later because of the guilt she felt as a result. She listened to the pastor because she trusted him; she trusted him because she thought he was safe when in fact he was a wolf.
Daniel Akin wrote in his commentary on the Sermon on the Mount: “Disciples of Jesus must never let their spiritual guard down. They must be spiritually discerning, testing every teaching by the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. Eloquent speech is not the issue. Faithfulness to the Bible is.”[2] The apostle Paul warned the Corinthian Church of those who claimed to represent God but were something very different: “For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:13–15). The reason why false teachers and prophets lead others astray is because, like Satan, they are very good at disguising themselves as one who actually speaks on God’s behalf and loves his people when they really bring great harm to God’s people. This is an ongoing threat. Listen to Paul’s sage advice before leaving the Ephesian Church where he spent at least three years trying to strengthen their faith:
“Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years I did not cease night or day to admonish every one with tears. And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:28–32)
The way you stay alert and protect yourself from such imposters of the faith is to follow Jesus through the gate he has called us to enter to walk the way he has called us to walk. How do we walk according to his way? By listening to his word and obeying it.
The Way to Recognize False Teachers (vv. 16-18)Jesus tells us how we can recognize false teachers and false prophets: “You will recognize them by their fruits.” Jesus then asks a rhetorical question to drive home his point: “Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?” The answer is simple: grapes come from grapevines, not thorn bushes. Figs come from fig trees, not thistles. Healthy trees produce good fruit while diseased trees produce nothing suitable for consumption. The point is simple, good teaching comes from teachers and prophets who fear God and love his people. The only way good teachers and good prophets can speak truth on behalf of God is if they have entered Jesus’ narrow gate and are walking Jesus’ narrow way. Again, Daniel Akin is helpful on this point:
Two essential tests will expose those working to slip into our communities of faith: the doctrinal test and the practical test. The doctrinal test asks, Do their teachings line up with the gospel of Jesus Christ that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone? It asks whether they avoid the deadly mathematics of false teachers that add to the Bible, subtract from the person and work of Christ, multiply the requirements of salvation, and divide the people of God by a divisive and destructive spirit. The practical test asks, Are they antinomians on the one hand or legalist on the other? It asks whether they throw off all constraint to the extreme or seek to shackle us with legalistic obligations that are suffocating. If we closely watch doctrine and practice, the rotten fruit will expose a rotten teacher.[3]
The way to recognize rotten fruit is to have a steady diet of eating good fruit. False teachers and false prophets are not interested in the safety and spiritual safety of God’s people equally, as they are only interested in their own glory and self-gain, just as we are warned by Paul in Philippians 3:18-19, “For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things” (Philippians 3:18–19). The apostle Peter also warns of such people:
But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1–3)
These people are on your televisions, in your Christian bookstores, and on your podcasts. They refuse to speak of God’s holiness, righteousness, justice, and wrath. They avoid portions of the Word of God that make others uncomfortable such as the fallenness and depravity of man, and the final judgment that is to come.[4] They promise heaven without suffering, blessing without pain, and salvation without a cross. They puff themselves up with pride, fleece the people of God to their own profit, and claim a power of their own that others need. These are the men and women who are described in the holy scriptures as, “waterless springs and mists driven by a storm…. For, speaking loud boasts of folly, they entice by sensual passions of the flesh those are who are barely escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Pet. 2:17-19). John Gill, an English Baptist Pastor who lived in the 1700’s wrote of such people the following description:
When doctrines are contrary to the perfections of God, repugnant to the Scriptures of truth; when they tend to depreciate the person and offices, blood, righteousness, and sacrifices of Christ, to lessen the glory of God’s grace, to exalt the creature, and to fill men’s minds with notions of the purity, self-sufficiency, and ability of human nature; when they are calculated to feed the pride and vanity of men, to get money and gain applause, to serve their own interests, and gratify men’s lusts and passions—they may be easily discerned what they are, and from whence they come.[5]
The only way, my dear brothers and sisters, that you will be able to identify the wolves who creep in among you is if you are as familiar with the voice of the Shepherd through the pages of Holy Scripture as the air you breath. What I mean is not that your knowledge of the Bible is perfect, but that you know His voice in such a way that it is clear whose words belong to God.
ConclusionI love the Five Solas of the protestant reformation. They came out of a time where there were so many abuses in the church because the people did not have the Bible in a language they could read and study. The five solas include sola scriptura (Scripture alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola fide (faith alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (glory to God alone). You have a Bible in a language you can read and study because of the protestant reformation. It is through the Bible that you get to see the God who gave his Son who can be only received through faith alone, by grace alone, not for our glory but His.
My hope and prayer for you Meadowbrooke is that you are so helped in your walk on Jesus’ narrow way through the songs we sing, the sermons that are preached here, the life groups you participate in, our children’s ministries, our youth ministry, and every other ministry here in this church that you will be able to spot the wolves a mile away because you know the voice of God through your time in the Bible in such a familiar way that it is the air you breath! Because his word is the air you breath, you will be able to judge the truthfulness of everything you hear against the truth of God’s holy word and walk the narrow way to the tune of that glorious creed that comes from the pages of scripture: “Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone.”
As for the false teachers and prophets, there is an axe, and in the words of John the Baptist: “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matt. 3:10). This axe is not just laid at the root of the false teacher and prophet, but those who walk through the wide gate and onto the wide road with them. This is why it is the mandate of every pastor whose responsibility it is to open the Scriptures and to teach them, that he do so in a way that is honest to the text and in a way that the sheep can hear clearly. The purpose of preaching is not so that you can hear the voice of the pastor, but the voice of God through the faithful exegesis of that pastor who has labored through the week studying the scriptures and proclaims it for the health of Christ’s Church. This is my responsibility and I take it very seriously, and God forbid the day comes when I do not take my role seriously, you must then get rid of me. The words from holy scripture that was preached on the day I was charged as a minister of the gospel; I leave with you as a suitable conclusion to this sermon; it is the charge the apostle Paul gave to a young pastor and it is the charge given many pastors ever since:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. (2 Timothy 4:1–5)
Amen.
[1] See also 1 Kings 22:1-23 as another example of heart of false teachers.
[2] Akin, Daniel L. (2019). Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (pp. 141-42). Holman Reference.
[3] Ibid. p.143.
[4] Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom (p. 250). Crossway Books.
[5] Gill, John (2022). Church History Study Bible (p. 1425). Crossway Books.
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Matthew 7:13-14We now find ourselves in the final section in the Sermon on the Mount. If there was any question whether or not Jesus’ sermon is for the Christian… today, what Jesus says in conclusion to his sermon is unmistakable. If the Sermon on the Mount was a series of ethical statements to be lived out in a future kingdom, then there would be no need for Jesus to say what he says in verses 13-27.
There are four paragraphs that make up Jesus’ conclusion to his sermon, and each paragraph describes a set of choices before the one who has listened to his sermon. Each choice is an appeal from our Lord to choose life over death. We will consider each of these paragraphs on a deeper level in the four weeks that remain for this sermon series, but I want to highlight each of the choices that are before us:
There are two roads we can travel (vv. 13-14). There is a wide road that is easy now, but leads to destruction, and there is a narrow road that is hard now, but leads to life. We must choose what road we will travel.
There are two teachers we can listen to (vv. 15-20). One teacher bears life-giving fruit while the other yields rotten fruit that will sicken or kill.
There are two ways to listen to Jesus (vv. 21-23). There are two types of people who call themselves a Christian, but only one type of person is known by Jesus.
There are types of people who listen to Jesus (vv. 24-27). One type of listener wisely applies what he/she hears from Jesus to their lives in a way that results in something lasting, while the other only listens. Only one has a relationship with Jesus that is able to withstand the storms of life.
At the end of his sermon, Jesus says that there are two ways to live your life, one is popular while the other is not so popular. There are two kinds of teachers, one is truthful while the other is not. There are two types of people who are associated with Jesus, one who follows Jesus, while the other pays lip service to Jesus. Finally, there are two foundations you can build on and live your life upon; one is dependable, while the other is shifting and dangerous.
What Jesus calls those of us who have listened to his sermon to do is nothing new. There is a way that leads to life, and there is a way that leads to death. It is a way that has existed since Adam and Eve walked in the Garden, and you can hear the appeal to choose in Psalm 1, and it’s echo is heard throughout the Old and New Testaments: “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Psalm 1:1–2).
Towards the end of Deuteronomy, which is a series of three sermons preached by Moses, a similar appeal was made: “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them” (Deut. 30:19-20). After Moses died, God chose Joshua to take the people into the Land God had promised them; after Joshua fulfilled the mission given to him and shortly before he died, Joshua made a similar appeal to the Hebrew people:
Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:14–15)
On July 31, I preached on Matthew 5:10-12, the title of my sermon was, Joy in the Fire. In that sermon I introduced you to Sandemanianism, which is the theological posturing that essentially reduces faith in Jesus to a collection of facts about his life, death, and resurrection that if acknowledged as true, a person can have total and complete assurance that their sins are forgiven regardless of how that person feels about Jesus or how that belief affects the lifestyle of that person. Sandemanianism (aka Free Grace Theology) has crept into various streams of Evangelicalism that has reduced Christianity into two options that essentially make following Jesus optional. Permit me to give you an example of what the rational of Sandermanianism sounds like through the words of a well-known evangelist who died in 1917, then tell me if this is what you hear in anything that Jesus said: “There is a difference between salvation and discipleship. A man or woman can be saved by God’s grace without becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ.”[1]
We have already seen in the Beatitudes that to come to Christ for salvation requires that a person come with the understanding that he has nothing to offer God in terms of works of righteousness (he is poor in spirit), that he grieves over his sin (he is one who mourns), and that he is willing to surrender his pride before the cross of Christ (he is meek). But to come to the cross of Christ means that a person must come on Jesus’ terms and not their own. He is the Lord, those who come to him are not. Only three chapters after the Sermon on the Mount Jesus said this about salvation: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37–39).
Two Ways to LiveAt the end of the Sermon on the Mount we are faced with an ultimatum: Follow the way that is easy and most traveled but, in the end, will lead to destruction, or the way that is hard and least traveled but leads to life. There is a narrow gate and wide gate; the narrow gate opens to a narrow path that leads to life, while the wide gate opens to a road that is large enough for many to journey on it.
There are no more than two gates; that is all that exist before the person who has encountered Jesus. One gate leads to life and the other leads to destruction. The choice as to which gate to walk through is before us. What are you going to do with Jesus’ sermon? What will you do with the beatitudes? What will you do with Jesus’ statement on hungering and thirsting for righteousness (see Matt. 5:6, 20)? What will you do with what Jesus said about anger, lust, divorce, keeping oaths, and getting even with those who offend you? Do you intend to follow Jesus’ teaching concerning how to love your enemies, giving to the needy, trusting God’s will for your tomorrows, and how you are to use your stuff? Whose way do you think is better for your life? Your way, or God’s way? Do you really believe that God is equally good as he is sovereign?
You call God “Father” but are you willing to live in this world as though you really belong to his family? You say you want his name to be hallowed throughout the earth and your life, but to what end? You say that you trust him, but are you willing to yield to his will? You seek his mercy, but are willing to extend the kind of mercy you have received, to others? You say you want to live for him, but where are you seeking your joy, your satisfaction, your worth, and your identity?
There are two gates, one is narrow and the other wide. The narrow gate is the cross of Christ. Entrance to life is free because he already paid the price. To believe in Jesus is to follow him, and to follow him is to take up your cross, which is a dying to one’s self: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 10:37–39).
The other gate is wide and it opens up to a road most traveled because it is easy. What makes this way easy? It is easy because there is a mirage always before those on this road that offers whatever you want. On this road, the mirage of joy, satisfaction, your worth, and your identity comes in whatever form your appetites crave, even though God has said such appetites will lead to death. This road is easy because it is the one with least resistance from most of those in your community, school, government, work, and family. The wide road is considered beautiful, it is hailed as the moral high ground and those who travel it are viewed as good, even though it is paved not by the wisdom of a holy God, but the wisdom of man. The epitaph of those who travel this road is simple: “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Jud. 21:25).
One Way to LifeJesus’ Sermon on the Mount is a description of what it looks like to follow him, it is not a description of what you must do to get salvation. Maybe a helpful illustration is this: The narrow gate is the cross, the narrow way is the journey of following Jesus, and what happens as you walk the narrow way is a life that will look more and more like what we read in the Sermon on the Mount with each step we take towards Jesus. What makes the narrow road (way) difficult is not so much the road, but is the fact that it is specific. What makes it hard is that you cannot enter on your own terms, with your self-perceived righteousness, with your unwillingness to see your sin for what it is, or the determination to let go of your pride. The only way to enter the narrow gate is naked, but what is provided is the righteousness of Christ, for that is all you will ever need.
At the narrow gate, there is no accommodation, there is only Christ. What makes the narrow gate hard is that it is hard to find. The world says that there are many ways to God, and it is right to say so, but every way except the narrow way will lead to him as judge. As one pastor said, Jesus’ way, “…is not for people who want Jesus without any change in their lives. It is only for those who seek it with all their hearts…. The good news is that although the gate is narrow, it is wide enough to accommodate the chief of sinners (cf. 1 Tim. 1:15).”[2]
Jesus is the narrow gate, every other option outside of Jesus is the wide gate. Consider some of the things Jesus said about himself:
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35-51), so only he can satisfy those who hunger for righteousness.Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12), so only he can light up the darkness of the world.Jesus said, “I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7-9), so only he can lead to eternal life.Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11-14), so only he can provide safe passage to heaven…Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25), so victory over death is only possible through Jesus.Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), so his way is better than any other way. Jesus’ way is hard because, “…people love darkness rather than light” (John 3:19). One pastor wrote of the two roads before us a sobering warning: “It is easy to fall in step with the crowd. You can even add Jesus to all your treasured sins and possessions so you can feel religious. You can go to church and be as active or as passive as you desire. You never have to deny yourself or take up your cross. The only problem is that the natural way ends is disaster.”[3]
There is only one way to life, and that way is Jesus. Before you is a choice, and there is no room for error. You can embrace Jesus’ call to discipleship, but understand that the decision is not popular, and the walk is not easy,[4] for the world will hate you for it, some will identify you as phobic, others will write you off for being foolish or too extreme. Our savior even warns us of what others will think as we walk his path: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18–19).
My dear friends, we have been studying the Sermon on the Mount together since last May, Jesus’ appeal to enter the narrow gate is one of urgency (the verb tense used for “enter” is an imperative). His invitation to choose is a demand for action today; our savior did not leave any room for you to stand idle only to appreciate the gate, to hang images around your neck or on your wall to remind you of the gate, or to use language so that others might think that you have walked through the gate. Before you is the choice of life or death, and nothing more.
[1] Chambers, Oswald. Studies in the Sermon on the Mount: God’s Character and the Believer’s Conduct (2016), p. 77
[2] MacArthur, John (2008). The Gospel According to Jesus (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), p. 205, 207.
[3] Ibid., p. 208.
[4] ESV Expository Commentary: Matthew–Luke (Volume, 8), p. 126. (2021)
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Matthew 7:7-12As you have heard me say repeatedly, the Sermon on the Mount is not something Jesus preached to the world, but to the Christian. The Sermon on the Mount is also the center of what it looks like to be Jesus’ disciple; our Savior’s sermon is not a set of ethics for the future nor is it a list of unrealistic expectations Jesus had for his followers. In his little book, What if Jesus Was Serious, Skye Jethani wrote: “Jesus did not intend His sermon to be a beautiful ethical theory or a righteous but unattainable ideal. The evidence is overwhelming that He expects us to do what He taught.”[1]
After Moses received the Ten Commandments and instructions on how the Hebrew people were to live as God’s people, he came down from Mount Sinai and, “…told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules.” How did the people respond? They said, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do” (see Exod. 24:1-8). Moses went back up the mountain to commune with God and was gone longer than the people would have liked, so within days of promising God that they would obey and worship him, they made a golden calf to worship it and broke the Commandments they vowed to keep (see Exod. 32).
God threatened to destroy Israel for their sin, but Moses interceded on their behalf and God spared them. However, God did threaten that his presence would not go with them as He did in the cloud by day and pillar of fire by night; here is what God said to Moses:
The Lord said to Moses, “Depart; go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give it.’ I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, lest I consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.” (Exodus 33:1–3)
What is interesting is Moses’ response to God. You would think that God’s assurance to give them the land he promised to their forefathers would have been enough, but Moses recognized that it was not the land that the people really needed, but the presence of God: “And he [Moses] said to him, ‘If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth’” (Exod. 33:12–16)?
Moses was an amazing shepherd! Although he was surrounded by complaining, bickering, and ungrateful Israelites who had a habit of telling Moses that their years as slaves in Egypt were better than their days with him as their shepherd, prophet, and leader, Moses led the people until the day of his death. Before he died, Moses prophesied the following: “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen…” (Deut. 18:15). Jesus is our prophet like Moses, and so much more (see Heb. 3:1-4:16)!
The irony with Moses’ story with the Israelites is that in the Sermon on the Mount, we find Jesus on a mount where he delivers a message for a redeemed people, rescued not from the tyranny of an Egyptian pharaoh, but the tyranny of sin. In his sermon, Jesus’s words strike some resemblance with what God told Moses to say to the Israelites: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel” (Exodus 19:4–6). Moses was told to say this just before God gave Israel his Law. Jesus said at the beginning of his sermon:
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13–16)
Immediately after his statement about his followers being salt and light, he said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (v. 17). Then throughout his sermon, Jesus shows us what the center of discipleship with him looks like. I have said that the Sermon on the Mount is the center of what it looks like to be a Christian.
How Do We Get to the Center of Discipleship?It is easy, read through the sermon on the mount and become discouraged at just how far short is seems that you come to arriving at that center in your own life as a Christian. What Jesus does throughout his sermon is show us how it is that we move towards that center; he does so at critical points in his sermon at just the right time. Permit me to show you some examples of what I am talking about:
In the beatitudes Jesus shows us how we can become merciful, pure in heart, and the kind of people that bring the shalom of God into every place we enter. He reveals this to us in the middle of his beatitudes: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied” (5:6). The way that your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees (v. 20) is given to us in the Lord’s Prayer: It is finding our identity, satisfaction, and reason for living in the God whose image we were created in and the One our gives meaning to our lives. The way that we guard our hearts from idols (vv. 19-24) and to keep our focus heavenward on God instead of on ourselves (vv. 25-32) is given to us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” The way we get to the center of the kind of discipleship Jesus calls us to is with Jesus. He is who it is that satisfies a hunger for righteousness. He is who it is that reconciles us to a holy God so that we can have a relationship with him as our “Father.” It is through Jesus that we find our citizenship in God’s kingdom so that all that we must have, is met in him alone. How do we get to the center Jesus is calling us to? We get there by pursuing Jesus as our only hope and righteousness! There is no other way, and Jesus shows us again the way we get to what he is calling us to in Matthew 7:7-12.
I want to show you something that I believe will open up Matthew 7:1-11 for you and bring great encouragement to you. The golden rule that you have heard so often repeated by all types of people is found in verse 12, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” How does this verse relate to what Jesus said in the previous verses in Matthew 7? Let me show you. Jesus said something very similar to verse 12 in Matthew 22:34-40; he was asked what he believed to be the “great commandment.” Here was Jesus’ answer: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37–40).
The Law that Jesus came to fulfill is summed up in the Ten Commandments. The first four commandments pertain to our Love for God, and the remaining six commandments relate to how we treat our neighbor. So, what are the last six commandments? They are as follows: honor your father and mother, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, and do not covet. The health of your relationship with God will affect the way you treat others. Someone has said, your vertical relationship with God will spill over into your horizontal relationship with others.
If your relationship with God is healthy, you will notice your chronic plank problem and the need to remove it, only then will you see the speck in your brother’s eye with clear and compassionate eyes. How do you get to the place where you are able to see the planks in your metaphorical eye so that you can remove them? The law of God exposes our sin, but to what end? The apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 3:23-24, “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the Law, being confined for the faith that was destined to be revealed. Therefore the Law has become our guardian to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:23–24, NASB 2020). In other words, the Law of Moses shines a light on our sin for the purpose of revealing that our only hope for a remedy is the Christ who is the remedy for our sin problem. We literally just sang this in Matt Boswell’s hymn he wrote in 2018, His Mercy is More:
What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient all knowing He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many His mercy is more
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest the vilest the poor
Our sins they are many His mercy is more
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many His mercy is more
How is it that we are able to remove the plank from our eye? We go to the God who will not turn us away because of the mercy provided through his Son.
We Have a Father Who Will Not Turn Us Away Okay, so here we find ourselves staring at what I think is the summit of the Sermon on the Mount. It seems to me that from Matthew 5, we have been climbing a 14’er and now we find ourselves close to the top, and what we find is what Jesus says in 7:7-12.
How do move to the center of discipleship? Jesus again points us to the source of our strength, and it is not a strength we can muster up from within. From the beginning of his sermon, Jesus has been pointing us to the same place: “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7–8). What is it that grants us the favor to approach the Almighty? We are able to do so because we are his children, for he is our Father (v. 11).
I have not been able to stop thinking about what Jesus says here in v. 7-11 since this past Monday. Mondays are my day of rest; it is the day I begin by attending Gold’s Gym to work out and reflect. I usually spend about an hour doing some type of cardio workout while I listen to a sermon; I follow this with praise music, before switching to my workout playlist for the next hour while lifting free weights. This past Monday I spent an hour on the stair climber, and while on the stair climber, as I reflected upon today’s sermon text, I could not help but think of two other passages in the Bible that sound strangely familiar. I want to briefly share them with you as a way of encouraging your heart.
The first passage is found in Revelation 3:14-22, which serves as a warning to the Church in Laodicea, and the dangers that come in losing sight of the mission Jesus has called us to because we have lost sight of Jesus:
The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 3:14–22)
As I thought of this passage in Revelation regarding the church in Laodicea, I thought of the parallel of Jesus as the Groom of the Church standing outside of the bedroom of his Bride knocking with what we read in Song of Solomon 5:2-6. I really believe the parallel between these two passages was intentional:
I slept, but my heart was awake. A sound! My beloved is knocking. “Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my perfect one, for my head is wet with dew, my locks with the drops of the night.” I had put off my garment; how could I put it on? I had bathed my feet; how could I soil them? My beloved put his hand to the latch, and my heart was thrilled within me. I arose to open to my beloved, and my hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with liquid myrrh, on the handles of the bolt. I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned and gone. My soul failed me when he spoke. I sought him, but found him not; I called him, but he gave no answer. (Song of Solomon 5:2–6)
As I reflected on these two passages, I thought of my own heart and how prone I am to hesitate at Jesus’ invitation of a deeper intimacy with him. I am prone to turn him away because of the distractions in my life and the idols of my own heart. All the while he speaks to my fickle heart: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him, and he with me.”
While on that stair climber as I thought about what I read in Revelation 3, Song of Solomon 2, and Matthew 7:7-11, I was overwhelmed with this simple but profound truth: We have One who will not turn us away! Our Father is not like us, for he will not respond to our knocking, our asking, and our seeking, with indifference; nor will he treat our coming to him as though we were inconveniencing him. No, dear brothers and sisters, Jesus tells us that we can come to him and assures us: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” Or as the apostle Paul wrote in similar tone: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:31–32)? This is why we can celebrate using the words of another modern hymn:
How deep the Father’s love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory
Amen.
[1] Jethani, Skye (2020). What if Jesus Was Serious (p. 145). Moody Publishers.
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Matthew 7:1-6On March 22 last year I took time during two Sundays to answer a series of questions submitted towards the end of my sermon series, Christians Say the Darndest Things. One of the questions that was asked was the following: “What did Jesus mean when he said, ‘Judge not, that you be not judged’? Are Christians allowed to judge others? Are we allowed to speak against immoral behaviors?” When I received the question, I was so thankful that someone asked it, for it was something I should have included in my sermon series, bud did not. In fact, aside from John 3:16 that continues to be one of the most familiar Bible verses in America, Matthew 7:1 may be the current most quoted Bible verse in the United States: “Judge not, that you be not judged.” The New American Standard Bible translates Mathew 7:1 this way: “Do not judge, so that you will not be judged.” The NIV translates Jesus words slightly different: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”
So, what do we do with Jesus’ words? Is it the moral high ground to not judge others? Is the moral high ground to be totally accepting of all ideas, lifestyles, and behaviors? It would seem that is the new acceptable creed to live by. Kent Hughes makes the following observation: “…when it comes to matters of individual morality, the world abhors opinionated people, especially if they represent conventional morality. In these matters it adores the nonjudgmental person. The ideal Christian, and especially the ideal clergyman, is an undiscerning, flabby, indulgent, all-accepting jellyfish who lives out the misinterpretation of ‘judge not.’”[1]
D.A. Carson, one of the great New Testament scholars of our day, wrote a book titled, The Intolerance of Tolerance. The book was first published and released in 2012; he assessed where culture was going, he wrote in his book something I hoped would not come to pass but is now the dominate voice of our culture: “Neither the old tolerance nor the new is an intellectual position; rather, each is a social response. The old tolerance is the willingness to put up with, allow, or endure people and ideas with whom we disagree; in its purest form, the new tolerance is the social commitment to treat all ideas and people as equally right, save for those people who disagree with this view of tolerance.”[2]
So, how are we to understand what Jesus means when he said, “Judge not, that you be not judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” Let us now consider what our Lord has said.
The Kind of Judging that Jesus Prohibits (vv. 1-2)So, what are we to do with Matthew 7:1-6? Let me ask you some questions to help you grasp what kind of judging Jesus is prohibiting in these verses:
If the Christian is a person who only became a Christian because he was fully aware of his sin and helplessness before a holy God, then how would such a person see other people? If the Christian is a person who grieves over his own sin, how will he feel about those living in sin?If the Christian is a person who surrendered his pride before the cross of Christ for the purpose of dying to himself so that Christ might live through him, how will he respond to those who are still slaves to their sin?If the Christian is a person who has discovered that the righteousness he hungers for, is a righteousness that only Jesus provides, then what do you think his posture will be before those who continually seek their satisfaction in things, places, and people that do not satisfy?If the Christian is a person who understands God as his father, the kingdom of God as his inheritance, the sufficiency of God as his satisfaction, the mercy of God as his only hope, and the love of God as his only security, then what response do you think he will have to those still caught in sin? Now, I would like for you to take a step forward to see the thread Jesus weaves through his sermon. I already highlighted the first four beatitudes in Jesus’ sermon but think about the three beatitudes that follow: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:7–9).
The Christian is mindful of the great mercy of God he experienced; therefore, his posture ought to be one of mercy. The Christian is a person whose hunger and thirst for righteousness is satisfied in Jesus, so he ought to view himself as one beggar telling another where to find food. The Christian is a person who has the peace of God (shalom) because he has the presence of God in the person of the Holy Spirit who dwells in him, so everywhere he goes, so does the presence and peace of God.
Christian, do you know what the only difference is between you and the rest of humanity that does not know the God that you now call “Father”? The only difference between the true Christian and the un-Christian is that you experienced a mercy you could not work hard enough for, nor did you earn, but was provided for you on a cross through the sinless Lamb of God.
Do you see why reading a verse or scripture passage in the context of what was said before and after it is so important? If Jesus is prohibiting all forms of judgment, then what he says in the same sermon three paragraphs later makes no sense:
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15–20)
How are you to look and avoid false prophets without judging a person based on what you see and hear from that person? Jesus says in the same sermon: “Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” There are many other scripture passages in the Bible that seem to indicate that there is a need for judging others.[3]
The type of judgment that Jesus prohibits is the hypocritical kind that condemns instead of restores. “Where do I see that in the text?”, you may be asking. Look at verses two and three; Jesus tells us, “For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?”
Let me ask you again Christian, since it is you that Jesus is preaching to: “What kind of judgment did you receive from a holy and perfect God?” Oh, do not forget that you deserved the judgment of God that justifiably demanded his wrath upon your head due to your sin. But on whom did the wrath of God the Father fall? It fell upon Jesus, His Son, in your place! Remember, for your sin to be forgiven you had to come to terms with the serious nature of your sin; not for one moment did God nor Jesus ever minimalize the serious nature of your sin. What Jesus is condemning is the kind of judgment that would place yourself as better than the person you are judging. What does such judgment look like? It looks like a judgment that demeans a person and leaves no room for the kind of redemption you received.
The Kind of Judgment that Condemns (vv. 3-5)What is worse is not the person who judges a person as though he or she were better than that person, but the nature of that kind of judgment is hypocritical at its root. For starters, the person who judges another in a condemning way does so out of pride. Jesus uses hyperbole in a comedic way: “Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye?” Literally, Jesus is asking: “Why do you see the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not contemplate the plank in your own eye?” Out of a sense of pride, the person judges the sin of another while blind to the great evil of his own sins, or as Sinclair Ferguson observes: “So deeply has his sin conquered him that he has become blind to it. Sensitive to sin in others, he has been desensitized to the sin in his own heart.”
Jesus continues is a way that further exposes the foolishness of the person who judges others while ignoring his own sin: “Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye” (v. 4)? The kind of judgment that Jesus condemns is not only the one motivated by pride and blinded by hypocrisy but seeks to fix others, when you are in no place to do so, like a blind eye surgeon who assures you of his ability to remove cataracts from your eyes.
Jesus is not condemning the kind of judgment that seeks to restore and heal, but the kind of judgment that does more to destroy a person by looking for faults and failures while making the one judging feel better about himself. My guess is that you may have encountered this kind of person Jesus is describing in the Church; you may know of such a person in your own household, or you may be that person.
Think for a moment of what is involved in recognizing the plank in your eye regarding the splinter in your brother’s eye. What is involved is humility, as well as the kind of grieving over your own sin that is necessary in addressing it. Only when you see your sin for what it truly is, will you be able to help those who are caught in sin, or as Kent Hughes observes: “Jesus does want us to discern the sins and shortcomings in others, but he wants us to see them through clear, self-judged eyes—eyes that are tender and compassionate.”[4]
ConclusionThe kind of judgment that seeks to restore and heal is the kind of judgment that comes from one who is discerning and motivated by love and humility instead of pride (see Matt. 18:15-20; Eph. 4:15-16). It is the kind of judgment the apostle Paul described and encouraged: “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:1–2).
After addressing our own sin, and with clear, self-judged eyes, and motivated by compassion and love, what do we do when we seek to help and restore those caught in sin who have no desire to change? Here is where what Jesus says in verse 6 is so helpful; here is what our Lord tells us to do: “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.”
What do you do? Remember that life is too short and that your time is limited, so wisely discern the character of a person and his or her willingness to embrace the truth of the Gospel and God’s call upon his people to pursue holiness. A wise friend once gave me sage advice when it comes to helping others: “You cannot work harder than the person you are trying to help.”
Wild dogs will not be satisfied by a righteousness only Jesus can give and will most likely seek to devour the one offering the gospel. Pigs will not appreciate the treasures of the gospel and will most likely remain oblivious to the value of the Gospel. The Christian is to have his/her affections set on Jesus and by doing so is singular in his focus where his treasures are in heaven and while on earth he seeks, “first the kingdom of God and his righteousness…” (6:19-20, 33). While we follow Jesus on this side of eternity, the Christian life is one that involves the ongoing effort to remove planks from our own eyes so that we can see clearly as we engage the mission he has given us.
[1] Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom (p. 228). Crossway Books.
[2] Carson, D. A. (2013). The Intolerance of Tolerance (p. 98). Eerdmans.
[3] See: Ezek. 3:18-19; 2 Thess. 3:14-15; Jas. 5:19-20; Eph. 5:4-11; Titus 1:9.
[4] Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom (p. 232). Crossway Books.
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Matthew 6:25-34What is anxiety? Anxiety is the body’s response to fear, tension, or worry. Symptoms of anxiety include an increased heart rate, higher than normal blood pressure, physical tension, sweating, insomnia, and depression. The brain is designed to handle certain stressors for a short period of time and will release cortisol and adrenaline as a way to prepare your body to fight or run from the danger. The body was not made to be in a constant state of anxiety where the body’s anxiety response continues long enough that it becomes harmful to a person physically.
Karen Cassiday, a psychologist, said that when a person lives in a heightened state of anxiety the body, “has gotten ratcheted up and then has lost its ability to calm back down. It’s kind of like a car being stuck in high idle where the engine is racing too fast, but it’s not in gear.”[1] Prolonged anxiety can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, breathing problems such as asthma, stomach and gastrointestinal issues, a weakened immune system, weight gain, chronic muscle problems, and insomnia.
God designed our bodies in such a way that when threatened we can better defend ourselves, but we were not made to stay in a state of anxiety or high stress. When we remain in a state of anxiety for long periods of time, we get ulcers, get sick, or even have high blood pressure that can eventually bring great harm to us. Most of our anxiety and stress is over things we have little to no control over. In a sermon on this same scripture passage, Timothy Keller offers the following insight:
I think when Jesus says, “… do not worry about tomorrow …” at the very end of the passage, he’s summing up everything else he said. Worry is concern about the potential not the actual. Worry is concern about that which we can’t control. The essence of anxiety is the desire to control that which we can’t control. That’s why we’re anxious. We feel the need for control in an area where there is no possibility of control. That causes anxiety. Now that’s what it is. Anxiety is the will to control the uncontrollable.[2]
In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus offers us two reasons why anxiety makes little sense for the Christian. Because Jesus understood the nature of human beings, he also understood that the emotions are not something you can just turn off. When it comes to the anxious thoughts of God’s people, there is no “easy button” to keep your mind from racing in the darkness of the night. The same two reasons Jesus gives us here also serve to help us fight against the root of our anxiety.
You see, anxiety is what comes when we listen to our hearts instead of reason; reason says: “you do not have control” while the heart tells us: “take control.” The way to address our anxiety is to speak to our hearts the truth of God’s word. The root of anxiety is unbelief in the promises of God. The only way to address your unbelief is not to feed it with worry, but to starve it by feeding your mind with who God is and what he has said.
You may be asking: “Pastor Keith, where in the world do you make the connection that the source of anxiety is unbelief?” Permit me to show you where I make that connection, and then allow me the time to show you how what Jesus says in verses 25-34 serves to help you battle anxiety. So, where I make the connection between unbelief and anxiety is in what Jesus says in verse 30, “But if God clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?”
Now, let’s consider the two reasons Jesus gives us for why we should not be anxious.
Reason #1: God is Adonai (vv. 25-30)During our time in the Lord’s Prayer, I showed you that the reason we can pray the way that Jesus modeled prayer for us is because our heavenly Father is Elohim (he is Creator), Yahweh (he is faithful), and Adonai (he is sovereign).
In six days, God created all things. We believe that God created everything not because any of us were there on the first day of creation to witness it, but because our faith, along with reason, compels us to believe it to be. What we read in Hebrews 11:3 makes more sense than the theory that all of matter happened by accident: “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” In Revelation 4:11, we discover that God is celebrated because he created all things: “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.” This is why the prophet Jeremiah could pray in the wake of the unparalleled suffering of his kinsmen:
“Ah, Lord [Adonai] God [Yahweh]! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God [Elohim], whose name is the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts, great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.” (Jeremiah 32:17–19)
In verse 25, Jesus uses the same verb tense (present imperative) that he used in verses 19-20 regarding treasures: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” The first word we see in verse 25, is “therefore” which means: “In light of your treasure that is being laid up in heaven, ‘where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal…’” And, because God is a better master who loves you… instead of money which cannot give life, “…do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on” (v. 25). In other words, be vigilant in not worrying.
When I was in seminary, I was required to read a book written by John Piper titled, Future Grace, I read my first copy to the point that the binding is falling apart; I had to get a second copy. He has a whole chapter on anxiety, listen to what he said about it:
Stop for a moment and think how many different sinful actions and attitudes come from anxiety. Anxiety about finances can give rise to coveting and greed and hoarding and stealing. Anxiety about succeeding at some task can make you irritable and abrupt and surly. Anxiety about relationships can make you withdrawn and indifferent and uncaring about other people. Anxiety about how someone will respond to you can make you cover over the truth and lie about things. So if anxiety could be conquered, a lot of sins would be overcome.[3]
Anxiety forces us to take our eyes off God and who he is and places the focus on the self, who can do nothing but worry. So, Jesus gives us a way to move our focus back to where it should be with one word and three examples: “Look…”. The word, “Look” (blepō) can also be translated, “look intently at” or “to contemplate.”
So, what should I contemplate, Jesus? For starters, how about the birds that “…neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them” (v. 26). In other words, God feeds the birds that are insignificant creatures compared to humans, yet he cares for them. Yet God moved time and space to send his Son to die in your place for your sins, don’t you think that you are worth far more than the birds of the air and that he is able to provide food for you who are able to sow and reap?
What else should I contemplate Jesus? How about the fact that you woke up this morning. How much control do you really have over your life? How much time does your worrying and anxiety add to your life? Medically speaking, it actually does more to decrease the quality of your life: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life” (v. 27)?
Finally, a third thing to contemplate is the beauty of the lilies and the grass that covers the field. I decided to look up how to make a seed germinate, here are the six steps I found:
Prepare the seed-starting soil mix. Place the seeds in soil or a wet paper towel.Cover the seedlings with a plastic bag or lid. Place the seeds in a warm location.Keep the potting mix moist.Thin seedlings to encourage larger plants. Not one step tells me how to make the seed actually germinate. I can do everything right for the seed to grow, but at the end of the day, its life is dependent on God to make it happen. Jesus tells us that the flowers, “neither toil nor spin” and the grass is alive today and tomorrow it is gone (vv. 28-30).
Listen, if God cares enough to beautify a field and cover the brown dirt with a blanket of grass, “…will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” Do you really think that God is ignorant of your needs? Your heavenly Father will meet your needs when it is best and in his perfect timing. It might not be what you want, but he will provide what is needed in his grace.
So, what do we do with these three examples Jesus gave us? You speak to your anxious heart is what you do. Do what the Psalmist does in Psalm 42 and preach to your weary soul and tell your heart who God is: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Do what the apostle Peter says we should do: “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” (1 Peter 5:6–7). When you are afraid, do not turn to yourself, but to God (Psalm 56:3).
Reason #2: Adonai is Your Heavenly Father (vv. 31-34)Therefore, in light of the God who cares for birds, who sustains life, who makes seeds into beautiful flowers, and covers the dirt of the earth with a blanket of grass, “do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’” (v. 31). The God who created, who is faithful to his promises, and alone is sovereign, treasures you, dear Christian, like no other among his creation! “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:31–32)?
The danger of an anxious heart is that it can push you towards disobedience, but what Jesus is saying in these verses is that we can trust God by pushing through our disbelief by speaking to our hearts:
Our God is God, and there is no other; our God is God, and there is none like him, who declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, who declares: “My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose,’ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of my counsel from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have purposed, and I will do it.” (Isaiah 46:10–11)
Remember that Jesus is speaking to the Christian here. He is not speaking to the world, but to you Christian! I know this because of what he says in verses 32 and how he singles out the Gentiles, which was just another way for saying “Pagans.” Here is another way you can say what Jesus said: “For those who are far from God worry about what they will eat, what they shall drink, and what they shall wear.” The Gentiles look not to Elohim, Yahweh, or Adonai for their day to day needs because they do not know him, yet their ignorance does not negate the fact that the reason why they eat, the reason why they drink, the reason why they have something to wear, and the reason why they got up this morning had nothing to do with their control over tomorrow. And yet, unlike the pagan Gentiles, you, dear Christian, know the God who is Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai, and you just don’t know him; he knows you and calls you, his child! Unlike the pagan Gentiles, you call the one responsible for waking you up, clothing you, satisfying your thirst, and feeding you, Abba, which means Daddy. You are a member of his family!
But wait! There is more! Not only is he the reason you are able to eat, drink, and not have to worry about going outside naked, but you also are aware that he is the reason for your existence because, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Rom. 8:32)? That Son, who died for you, also redeemed you, and now your spiritual hunger has been satisfied because he is the bread of life. The Son who died for you is the living water who satisfies your thirsty soul. Jesus, the Son of God, who lived the perfectly righteous life you could not live and died the death that you deserved because of your sin, has clothed you in his perfect righteousness!
Now, God knows just how fickle our hearts really are. Jesus, in the preaching of his Sermon on the Mount, knew that he would be betrayed by Judas and arrested; he knew that not one of his disciples would come through that night without caving into their anxieties over his suffering and death. We all go through seasons where our hearts scream doubt and worry so loudly that the echo of our anxious hearts ring through the chambers of our minds with such volume that makes rest seem impossible. So, the question you may be asking right now is, “What help do Jesus’ words in these verses afford me?” I believe the help is found in verse 33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
You may not be able to turn your mind off, but you can fight against your anxiety by turning your eyes away from yourself and back to where they need to be: The kingdom of God where your citizenship resides! And know that as you do so that there is a mercy that will not allow you to be swallowed up by your despair so long as you look to the One who endured the cross and despised its shame on your account! And as you look to him know that his mercy is inexhaustible, or as Charles Spurgeon put it: “God’s mercy is so great that you may sooner drain the sea of its water, or deprive the sun of this light, or make space too narrow, then diminish the great mercy of God.”
So, Jesus concludes: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (v. 34). When it comes to addressing your anxious heart, listen to John Piper’s wise counsel “…you deal with anxieties by battling unbelief. And you battle unbelief by meditating on God’s Word and asking for the help of his Spirit. The windshield wipers are the promises of God that clear away the mud of unbelief. And the windshield washer fluid is the help of the Holy Spirit.”[4]
So, speak to your heart: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” This is what Brandon Lake meant when he wrote in his song:
So come on, my soulOh, don’t you get shy on meLift up your song‘Cause you’ve got a lion inside of those lungsGet up and praise the Lord
[1] Renee Fabian, “9 Ways Anxiety is Impacting Your Physical Health” May 4, 2018.
[2] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
[3] John Piper. Future Grace (Colorado Springs, CO: 2012), p. 51.
[4] Piper, J. (2007). Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989). Desiring God.
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Matthew 6:19-24I heard someone use the phrase, “Monkey Trap” to describe the method used to capture monkeys, so I did what many of us do when we need to learn something… I went to YouTube and typed “Monkey Trap.” To be clear, I had heard of the phrase before and understood what it meant, but I never looked for a video that actually showed how it worked.
One of the videos that was listed showed a man put something in one of the holes of a hardened termite mound, and he did this in a way that the monkeys in the area could see. He did this because he understood that the only way the monkey could remove his hand from the hole was if he let go of whatever it grabbed, and he knew that the monkey would most likely be unwilling to let go of whatever he grabbed.
In the video, one of the monkeys walked up to the hole and reached into the hole to take what the man placed in the hole. Once the monkey tried to leave the mound, he could not because of his clenched fist and his unwillingness to let go of the thing in his hand. While the monkey was freaking out because it could not get it’s hand out, the man walked up to the monkey with a rope that he used to tie around the monkey’s neck to take him into captivity.
For whatever the reason, the monkey would not let go of what was in its hand because it had to have the thing the man put into the hole. The problem was really a problem of perspective and perception. Perspective is, “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something.” It is a point of view.” Perception is, “a way of regarding, understanding, or interpreting something; a mental impression.” It is the way you think about or understand someone or something. Your perception is often affected by your perspective.
Jesus’ sermon is one for the Christian, and it is a sermon that is designed to get you in the right perspective to change your perception.
Before we dive into Matthew 6:19-24, I need you to understand what the word, “Hermeneutics” means. Hermeneutics is the method used for understanding the Bible. It is a system used for interpreting the point that the biblical authors had for any given scripture passage. When someone refers to a name, word, phrase, or verse as the “hermenutical key” of a section of scripture being studied, they are saying that name, word, phrase, or verse is the key to understanding the context of the verses that surround it. I believe the hermeneutical key (or linchpin) to understanding our passage this morning (Matthew 6:19-24) is found in verses 22-23, which states: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” I believe that these verses are the key to understanding verses 19-21 and verse 24.
When you read Matthew 6:19-24, it sounds as if verses 22-23 do not belong in the passage. In fact, if you take verses 22-23 out completely, it makes Jesus’ statement on treasure and money sound better. But, if you are able to see how these verses fit together, it will open up Jesus’ teaching in a much more helpful way.
We Need Healthy Eyes (vv. 22-23)What does Jesus mean by a good eye versus a bad eye? Does he mean the same thing that he means in verse 21 regarding the heart? In the Bible, the heart is a reference used to refer to the core of a person’s being. We see the use of both the heart and the eyes in this way in Psalm 119:36-37, “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” Maybe Jesus is saying that a healthy eye, like a spiritually healthy heart, will lead you in the right direction. But the way Jesus’ disciples and those listening to the Sermon on the Mount would have heard his words: “…if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness” was different than the way you may hear his words.
Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is to remember that Jesus was deliberate in his word choice in everything he said on earth, especially in his Sermon on the Mount. The phrase, “…if your eye is bad” should not be understood in a physical way like being nearsighted or farsighted or blind. The Greek word for “bad” is ponēros, which literally means “evil” or“wicked.” Literally, the phrase Jesus used is “evil eye” which was a Jewish idiom signifying a jealous, envying, or resentful spirit. It is to look at what others have that you do not have with envy and discontentment. So, what about the healthy eye? The Greek word Jesus uses for “healthy” is haplous which can be translated sincere. It is a person that has no ulterior motives. Jesus is contrasting the healthy eye with the evil eye; the healthy eye signifies a generous spirit that looks at the treasures of this world and the money of this world with the right perspective.
Okay, now we have to do one more thing before we move onto the verses before and the verses after our Lord’s statement on a healthy eye verses a bad eye. Remember what Jesus said about the Law and the Prophets early in his Sermon on the Mount: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Matt. 5:17). The book of Deuteronomy is part of the section of the Old Testament called the Law. In the Law, it was required that all of Israel forgive the debts owed every seventh year in light of God’s promise to bless them in the land that he gave them. The seventh year was a year when a person’s debt was canceled. I want you to listen to Deuteronomy 15:9-11, and see if you can hear what Moses wrote in Jesus’ words:
Take care lest there be an unworthy thought in your heart and you say, “The seventh year, the year of release is near,” and your eye look grudgingly on your poor brother, and you give him nothing, and he cry to the Lord against you, and you be guilty of sin. You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him, because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, “You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:9–11)
Would it surprise you that the Hebrew people were not very good about obeying God’s command to forgive any debt a person had against them every seventh year? The inheritance that God gave Israel included land, but that was not the best part of their inheritance. Israel was told what the best part of their inheritance was in Deuteronomy 7:6-8,
For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:6–8)
This is why the Hebrew people included in their worship songs words like the ones we see in Psalm 16:5, “The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot…. You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:5, 11). The best part of Israel’s inheritance was that they got Yahweh!
Do you see now why Jesus said: “The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness” (Matthew 6:22–23)? The guy in Deuteronomy 15 who is unwilling to cancel the debt of his brother, does so because he does not understand or comprehend what it means to have God as his inheritance. So, with Deuteronomy 7 and 15 as our backdrop, let’s move on to the rest of our text.
We Need a Right Perspective to See the True Value of Earthly Treasures (vv. 19-21)In these verses you have three sets of contrasts: In verses 22-23, it is the healthy eye in contrast to the evil eye. In verses 19-21, it is earthly treasures in contrast to heavenly treasures. In verse 24, it is God in contrast to money. In these verses, Jesus is speaking to the Christian. Martyn Lloyd Jones said of these verses: “The great secret of life according to our Lord is to see ourselves and to conceive of ourselves always as children of our heavenly Father. If only we do that we shall be delivered immediately from two of the main temptations that attack us all in life.”[1]
To “lay up” treasures is literally to stockpile those treasures. Jesus said, “Do not stockpile for yourselves treasures on earth…”. Instead, “Stockpile for yourself treasures in heaven.” There is irony in what Jesus says here though. Look at what he says about treasures on earth. How lasting are the treasures of earth? Jesus tells us: “moth and rust destroy” and thieves break in and steal. In other words, your stockpile on earth will be eaten by moths, destroyed by rust, and taken by thieves. If thieves do not get what you gather, then the moths will eat up your clothing. And what the moths cannot eat, rust and decay will.
The treasures of earth Jesus is referring to are not just clothes, metals, and the stuff that thieves look for. Treasures on earth are the things that the world puts so much value in that have no lasting value. Beauty eventually fades, our bodies wear out, and death will take whatever fame you may have had so that few people will remember who you were. The thing that you can leave behind, such as your home, precious metals, or money also have a shelf life that will one day lose its value. There is a whole book in the Bible that addresses the fleeting nature of life and the things we acquire; that book is Ecclesiastes (note the final two verses of this book). This is one of the reasons the apostle John wrote, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world” (1 John 2:15–16).
When Jesus says in Matthew 6:19, “Do not lay up for yourself…” The verb he uses in the Greek is in the present imperative, which is a statement of command. But it is not just any old command, because it is in the present imperative, Jesus is commanding us to be constantly vigilant in not stockpiling earthly treasures. In other words, he is telling us to fight against the temptation to stockpile treasures on earth. Why? Because, we like the monkey in the story I shared, will grab on to the stuff of this world and will not let go until the enemy comes along with his noose to keep us captive.
However, there is a type of treasure that moths, rust, and thieves cannot touch. Jesus commands us to stockpile those kinds of treasures. Again, Jesus uses the verb “lay up” in the present imperative, which is a command that we stockpile treasures in heaven with constant vigilance. Now many have read these words and have concluded that we must be busy living lives that please Jesus so that we can have more rewards in heaven. Now, it is true that we Christians will be rewarded in heaven for the way we live our lives on earth, but think carefully what Jesus is saying here. Here is what Jesus promised the Christian hours before his crucifixion: “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:1–3). That is not all that has been given to the Christian! It gets better.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3–5)
Here is another promise concerning what has been given to you dear Christian:
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 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. (2 Corinthians 4:7-11, 16–18)
There is also coming a day when we will inherit heaven on earth after God makes all things new. On that day, the Christian will receive the kingdom of heaven without all of the things that hinder our joy on this side of eternity: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:3–4).
Jesus told a parable later in Matthew that is really about the attitude of the one who discovers the treasure of heaven: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matthew 13:44). In his joy, the Christian discovers a treasure that is worth infinitely more than anything this world could offer. Jesus said, “For where you treasure is, there your heart will be also” (v. 21). Or, to say it a different way: “Your heart will follow whatever treasure you consider most valuable.” If you have the right perspective regarding what treasure is worth having, then you will have a right perception on life.
We Must Understand that Freedom Can Only Come Through One Master (v. 24)So, where is your true treasure? If you say it is in heaven, what is it about heaven that makes your heavenly treasure worth having and keeping? This is where a correct perspective will give you a right perception about everything else. Is the treasure a bunch of rewards you will receive for living the Christian life well? Are you going to sell everything so that you can have crowns and rewards in heaven? I do not think so. There will be rewards in heaven, but that is not what makes heaven worth keeping and everything else you have worth letting go of.
So, what is it? What is it about heaven that makes living a life that honors Jesus worth it? I will read for you three scripture passages that will help you answer that question:
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18)
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” (Colossians 3:1–4)
“So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” (Hebrews 13:12–14)
So, I will ask it again: What makes heaven a treasure worth having above all other things? It is the, “inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Pet. 1:4). It is the light momentary affliction that,“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” (2 Cor. 4:17-18). What makes heaven… heaven is the One who will wipe away every tear (Rev. 21:1-4), and the Christ who, “suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet. 3:18a). It is the life we now have in and through Christ (Col 3:2-3). The treasure that Jesus has commanded us to lay up is the one that has already been stockpiled up in heaven and is the inheritance that is yours. This is why it is worth following Jesus outside of the gates where it is dangerous because, “here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Heb. 13:14).
Christian, the treasure that is in heaven, is yours. This is why it makes no sense to stockpile in treasures on earth when all that belongs to God is yours in Christ. Your heart can only go after one type of treasure. There is an enemy who wants you to be attracted to the treasures of earth to trap you and to ultimately rob you. Jesus came so that you can have life! This is why he 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” (v. 24). There is only one Master you were meant for, and it is through him that you can know and experience true freedom.
If you are a Christian, you are no baboon; you are a child of the living God. When you have the correct perspective by seeing all of life through the angle of the cross, your perception will compel you to hold the treasures on earth with an open hand as one who belongs to the King of kings and Lord of lords as a child of the God who owns it all. Permit me to close with something I read earlier this week: “The church is not a Trinitarian afterthought in response to man’s fall in the garden—quite the contrary. The church is the focused domain where all God’s presence, promises, and purposes are unveiled and eternally realized.”[2]
[1] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company; 1976); p. 351.
[2] Dustin Benge. The Loveliest Place (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2022) p. 15).
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Luke 2:8-20Story is a part of the DNA of every single human being. The reason why we love to both tell and hear stories is because we live in one. Every culture has a story to tell and within every human being living in that particular culture communicates by telling their own story. Jerome Bruner, the father of cognitive psychology, believes that storytelling is hardwired into our psyches and the chief reason why we learn to speak. Bruner further suggests that infants develop meaning through narrative, and that the need to create stories precedes language. Bruner is convinced that infants are motivated to learn to speak because they already have stories inside them waiting to get out.[1]
Great stories typically begin with “Once upon a time…” or “In a galaxy far, far away…” or “Long ago…”. The Christmas story is one such story, but it is not just any story, it is THE story. The Christmas story does not begin where many believe it begins, it begins in Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning.” It is filled with passion, there is an antagonist (the devil), it is all about a hero (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit), and it is about our need to be resuced (we have a sin problem). It is also a story that transforms unlike any other story; it is a story identified by one word in the Bible, and that word is, “Gospel” which means, “good news.” Of this good news, the apostle Paul wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” (Rom. 1:16).
Long ago it was foretold that the coming savior would be a king from the Lion of the Tribe of Judah from whom, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (Gen. 29:10). Long ago it was foretold that the coming King would be unlike any other king in that God would, “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Sam. 7:13). Long ago it was foretold that the coming King would be born of a virgin whose name would be “Immanuel” (Isa. 7:14).
Long ago it was foretold that the coming King would be called, “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” And that, “Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore” (Isa. 9:6-7). Long ago it was foretold that promised King would be born in an obscure place: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2).
On the first Christmas there were no carolers, no wrapped gifts under a beautifully decorated tree, only what appeared to be another typical night in Bethlehem. What escaped the notice of the world on that first Christmas was that for the first time in history, God became like us by taking on human flesh. That is what Immanual means: God with us. On the first Christmas, light pierced the darkness which could be heard through the newborn cries of an infant in Bethlehem.
Jesus is the Redeemer Born to Saves SinnersNine months before the first Christmas, a young teenage virgin girl by the name of Mary was visited by an angel, and the angel said to her: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:30-33). On the day the angel spoke to Mary, God took on human flesh then as a child began to form in her womb.
There was nothing special about Mary other than that she was favored by God to be the one to mother the child promised to Eve, a child who would crush the head of the devil, an antagonist by which all antagonists are modeled after. The baby Mary gave birth to on that first Christmas was the One of whom the ancient scriptures declared would bring lasting peace and would make all things new” (Isa. 9:7; Rev. 21:5).
In a world filled with so much violence, injustice, hatred, disease, disappointment, and death… we want and we need someone to turn it all around and make it all right. Throughout the Bible, God promised that he would turn things around and make as it was designed to be: perfect. The world needs a Prince of Peace, and when He was born on the first Christmas… He was largely ignored. The Bible says of Jesus:“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and is own people did not receive him” (John 1:9-11).
Jesus is Good News for All PeopleConsider all the people who were the first to witness the birth and life of Jesus. We see them all in our Nativity sets. Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and although it would not be for another year or two after Jesus’ birth, the Magi were also invited to experience the One promised long ago. What your nativity set most likely does not include are two other people who were introduced to Jesus before the Magi; the two people are Simeon and Anna the prophetess. When Simeon saw Jesus, he took Jesus into his arms and prayed: “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29–32). I believe all the people who were first to see and experience Jesus, embody the type of person Jesus came to save.
From his infancy through his adult years, Jesus’ identity was kept from his world until it was time to begin his ministry, one that would ultimately result in a crucifixion, then an empty tomb. When Jesus announced to the world who He was, he did it in his home town of Nazareth in a synagogue on a Saturday by reading an obscure and ancient passage written hundreds of years before his birth: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). Jesus then rolled up the scroll on which that passage was written, handed it back to an attendant, sat down, and then said: “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21).
Who are the poor Jesus came to proclaim good news to? Who are the captives he came to liberate? What kind of sight did he come to give to the blind? What kind of oppression did he enter our world to overcome?
The poor are not economically poor, but are those who are poor in spirit. The poor in spirit are those who recognize that they have nothing they can contribute to earn God’s forgivness for their sins. The captives are those who recognize the problem of their own sin, and they mourn over it. The oppressed are those who recognize true liberty can only be found in the redeemer that God promised long ago. These are the people Jesus came to give spiritual sight to see that he alone is able to rescue. He is the champion we all need.
The shepherds were told that first Christmas, “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.” The good news of Jesus’ birth is that a savior, a redeemer, and a champion was born as a gift to lost humanity out of God’s great love for the poor, the captive, the blind, and the oppressed.
What this means is that it doesn’t matter what you have done in your past, who your parents are, the poor choices you may have made, or how messed up you think your life may be… Jesus’ birth is good news for you too!
Application The Christmas story is a story of a God who came looking for people like Joseph, Mary, the shepherds, Simeon, Anna, and the Magi. The Christimas story is also a story for you and how a holy God pursues people like us. God didn’t look for the religious, He didn’t look for the Who’s Who, the big names, the celebrities, princes, or kings… He came looking for people like the shepherds. Listen to me for a second as we prepare to go our separate ways to celebrate Christmas with loved ones, family, and friends. What we learn from the shepherds is this: God pursues those who are far off and excludes those who are convinced that they are near to him because of their own righteousness.
Christmas is the good news that Jesus was born for the non-religious, the non-righteous, and those who seem to be far off. Most of us are familiar with John 3:16, but let me read it for you again along with verse 17,
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3:16–17)
The gift of Christmas is free to all who know that their good deeds are not enough and that they need a righteousness that is not their own because they know they need a perfect righteousness. You and I need the perfect righteousness of Jesus who was born to die, who lived a perfect life we could not live, to die a death that we absolutely deserved; it is through Jesus that we can know the peace of God, through His grace and mercy. This is why Jesus was born: “For our sake, God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21).
[1] Jerome Bruner. “Entry into Meaning.” Acts of meaning (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1990): 67-98.
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Matthew 6:13There have been people in my life who have had a significant influence upon me spiritually that are no longer walking with Jesus. I can still see their faces and when I think of some of these people, my heart still aches over the sense of loss I feel over their departure from the faith. My guess is that you may be able to think of those in your life who have walked away from the faith. Then there are also a number of well-known Christians who authored Christian books, preached to thousands of people from the Bible, wrote influential Christian songs, and are revered by countless Christians.
Then there is a name you may not have heard of before, but this person is responsible for writing or co-writing more than 70 songs with Hillsong. His name is Marty Sampson; one of his most notable songs he wrote was released in 2015 and is titled, “O Praise the Name.” Consider the lyrics of his song:
I cast my mind to CalvaryWhere Jesus bled and died for meI see His wounds, His hands, His feetMy Saviour on that cursed tree
His body bound and drenched in tearsThey laid Him down in Joseph’s tombThe entrance sealed by heavy stoneMessiah still and all alone
Then on the third at break of dawnThe Son of heaven rose againO trampled death where is your sting?The angels roar for Christ the King
He shall return in robes of whiteThe blazing sun shall pierce the nightAnd I will rise among the saintsMy gaze transfixed on Jesus’ face
O praise the Name of the Lord our GodO praise His Name forevermoreFor endless days we will sing Your praiseOh Lord, oh Lord our God
In 2019, Sampson stated on Instagram the following statement:
“Time for some real talk, I’m genuinely losing my faith, and it doesn’t bother me. Like, what bothers me now is nothing. I am so happy now, so at peace with the world. It’s crazy.”
“This is a soapbox moment so here I go … How many preachers fall? Many, No one talks about it. How many miracles happen. Not many. No one talks about it. Why is the Bible full of contradictions? No one talks about it. How can God be love yet send four billion people to a place, all ‘coz they don’t believe? No one talks about it. Christians can be the most judgmental people on the planet—they can also be some of the most beautiful and loving people. But it’s not for me.”
So, what happened to Marty Sampson? I am honestly not sure what happened; only God knows what goes on in the mind and heart of a person. I do know that there are numerous warnings in the Bible about guarding yourself from the kind of falling away that Sampson experienced. The apostle Paul describes the kind of thing Sampson experienced as a “shipwrecking” of one’s faith (see 1 Tim. 1:18-20). The book of Hebrews is full of warnings concerning shipwrecking your faith, but of them all, Hebrews 3:7-14 also serves to help us understand the final petition in our Lord’s prayer: “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:12–14).
The last petition in our Lord’s prayer is a prayer for protection from what some of you may be in very real danger of experiencing. I want to use the remaining time that we have to show you why I believe this and how it is helpful for you today. There are two parts to this final petition:
Lead Us Not into TemptationThe first question you should be asking right now is, what does Jesus mean by his carefully chosen words: “Lead us not into temptation…”? Does God really lead his children into temptation? The petition just before this one is, “forgive us our debts (sins).” Does God lead us into places where we are tempted to sin so that when we do sin, we can beg him for his forgiveness? For God to lead anyone to the place of temptation would make him the tempter, which would be a gross contradiction of other places in the Bible that state something very different. An example of one such passage from the Bible is found in James 1:13-14, which also serves to help us understand the final petition in our Lord’s prayer:
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. (James 1:12–14, ESV)
James’ answer is simple: “God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” The word used for temptation is the Greek word peirasmōs; it is used 23 times in the New Testament and nearly half the time is used, it is translated “trial.” One such place the word is translated “trial” instead of “temptation” is found in Luke 8:13, which is Jesus’ explanation of his Parable of the Soils. First, as a refresher, consider Jesus’ parable:
And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” (Luke 8:4–8)
This Parable has been called, “The Parable of the Seed”, “The Parable of the Sower”, and “The Parable of the Soils.” I think it should be known as “The Parable of the Soils” for it is a description of the four different types of people who hear the gospel, but only one person genuinely hears the gospel (the seed) and grows as a genuine Christian.
One person (seed) is described in the following way: “And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.” Here is Jesus’ explanation of this person in verse 13, “And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe for a while, and in time of testing (peirasmōs) fall away.”
What is it that we are to ask God for when we pray? I am fairly certain that it is not temptations that we ought to be asking God to not lead us into because he does not tempt people to sin. However, there are trials that could lead you to be tempted to sin. So, are we to avoid trials at all cost? Is it God’s will for your life to avoid the hard seasons of life?
In this very same sermon, Jesus said in the beatitudes, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:11–12). This is not the only place in the Bible where we are warned that trials are inevitable for the Christian. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation [trouble]. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Permit me to share two other scripture passages with you so that you are able to grasp how we are to pray:
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2–4)
“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” (1 Peter 4:12–13)
So, how are we to pray? When we pray, are we to include in our prayer the request that God, “lead us not into trials that may lead us to sin.” What kind of trials exist that can lead us to be tempted to sin? What trials or troubles does Jesus have in mind that we ought to pray that God not lead us into?
This is why there are two parts to this petition, and it is to the second part we must briefly turn our attention if we are going to know how we ought to pray regarding future trials.
Deliver Us from EvilThe word used in the original language that the ESV translates “evil” can also be translated “evil one” in reference to the devil. I think that the Greek word used by Jesus is meant to be ambiguous to allow for someone reading Matthew 6:13 to understand that the “evil” we ought to seek God’s deliverance from can be a thing, a circumstance, an entity, or all three at the same time.
A number of the translations such as the NIV translate this in the following way: “…lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’” (Matthew 6:13, NIV). I think that this is a legitimate way to translate this verse, but I also think it is a mistake to assume every trial you face has been put there by the devil. The evil you face could be the fickleness of your own heart, or it may be something outside of yourself other than the devil. The reality is that the devil is only one person and can’t be everywhere at once. He does have legions of demons at his disposal, so it is possible the evil you face may be demonic. Here is what I do know, the devil is real, he vehemently hates you, and wants nothing more than to destroy you, to immobilize you from participating in God’s mission. Here are some of the warnings we are given from holy scripture concerning the devil:
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV)
“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12, ESV)
The devil and his demons are real and they pose a real and present danger to you. However, the more present and consistent danger you face is yourself. Consider the following scripture passages that warn us about the evil we face in ourselves:
“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming.” (Colossians 3:5–6, ESV)
“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:14–15, ESV)
So, what does this all mean and how are we to understand Matthew 6:13? There are trials that can lead us into a temptation to sin against God that could ultimately result in the capsizing of our faith. There are several renderings of Matthew 6:13 you may find helpful. I cannot remember where I read it, but one rendition reads: “That we may not be led into temptation, deliver us from evil.” James Boice offered another option: “Keep us from wandering into paths where we will be tempted by the devil; but if he comes, keep us out of his clutches.”[1] Eugene Peterson, in his paraphrase of the Bible helps us come closer to a proper understanding of Matthew 6:13 in just eight simple words: “Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.”[2]
Helmut Thielicke, a German theologian who spoke into the spiritual vacuum left in the wake of Hitler’s rise and fall, reflected on the problem of sin and the role Satan has in it. Here is what he said: “There is a dark, mysterious, spellbinding figure at work. Behind the temptations stand the tempter, behind the lie stands the liar, behind all the dead and bloodshed stands the “murderer from the beginning.”[3]
ConclusionIt is fitting that our Lord places this final petition at the end of his prayer. It begins in the lofty places of heaven with, “Our Father…” who is Elohim (Creator), Yahweh (Covenant Keeper), and Adonai (Sovereign One). And like the rungs of a ladder, each petition moves from heaven to earth. It is his name that is to be hallowed with the coming of his kingdom in our lives and in our world, and the accomplishing of his will in all things. We seek the hallowing of his name as the all-sufficient one who graciously and mercifully gives and sustains our lives, we seek the renown of his name through the pardoning of our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, and set our eyes on the One who sustains us.
It is Jesus who stood before the devil in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11), who lived the life we could never live, died upon a cross under the wrath of a holy God for our sin, and now intercedes on our behalf as we enter before the presence of our heavenly Father through prayer. Of this Jesus the author of Hebrews offered a safeguard against spiritual shipwreck:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1–2, ESV)
When we pray, we pray recognizing a reality that Kent Hughes wisely observed: “The disciple is so weak that he is no match for the Devil. He needs a Savior, not an assistant, a Hero not a helper. He needs a Champion who will fight the evil one for him and who will snatch him from the clutches of the enemy who seeks to steal, kill, and destroy.”[4] This is why we pray.
How do we endure under the pressure of the types of trials where the rottenness of the curse of sin seems overwhelming, or perhaps the stench of hell overwhelms our emotional and spiritual senses? The answer has already been given to us in the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father: As we grow in our understanding of who God is, we will discover that he is perfect in all that he is. He is perfect in his love, grace, mercy, justice, holiness, and even in his goodness. He is Elohim, who creates out of nothing. He is Yahweh, who faithfully keeps his promises. He is Adonai, who never gets frustrated because all that he wills… he does.
Hallowed be your name: Our heavenly Father is holy. He is the center of the universe, all that exists, exists for him. When it comes to worship, we must come to him on his terms, not ours. His name is to be honored, not ours. He is holiness to the third degree and as one puritan theologian said long ago, God’s holiness is the, “beauty of all God’s attributes, without which his wisdom would be subtlety, his justice cruelty, his sovereignty tyranny, his mercy foolish pity.”[5]
Your Kingdom come: The kingdom for which we exist, where the Christian’s citizenship belongs is the kingdom that is Christ’s. We do not exist for the kingdoms of this world or the small kingdoms of our aspirations. When we pray that his kingdom come down to earth, we seek that his kingdom first expands in our own hearts and lives as we anticipate its coming for the renown and hallowing of his name, for his kingdom is the only one that will endure forever.
Your will be done: Our heavenly Father is Adonai! He is the Sovereign One whose will for your life is shaped by his character, his goodness and love as your heavenly Father, his holiness, and the expanding of his kingdom in your life and on earth. It is for his glory and his mission that the trajectory of your life is aimed by his will.
Give us our bread for tomorrow: It is because of God’s sovereign and good will for your life that you got up this morning. It is also because of God’s sovereign and good will for your life you may not get up tomorrow. The greatest gift he has given you that will not disappoint, is Jesus. I can think of no better and appropriate scripture passage that captures the spirit of Christmas than the one found in Romans 8:28-32,
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:28–32)
Forgive us our debts as we have forgiven our debtors: God’s grace is greater than all of our sin! Christian, you have been forgiven much, and because of Jesus, you can enter into the throne room of a great and awesome God confident that we can rest in his love, not our performance.[6]
Lead us not into trials, but deliver us from all evil: When the worst enters our lives, whether it be persecution, betrayal, disease, or even death, as children of our heavenly Father, with our eyes fixated on him, we can know that he will not allow us to be swallowed up by whatever trouble comes our way. We belong to him; you my dear Christian are a child of the living God.
Amen.
[1] Boice, J. M. (2002). The Sermon on the Mount: an expositional commentary (p. 205). Baker Books.
[2] Peterson, E. H. (2005). The Message: the Bible in contemporary language (Mt 6:13). NavPress.
[3] Hughes, R. K. (2001). The sermon on the mount: the message of the kingdom (p. 197). Crossway Books.
[4] Daniel L. Akin, Christ-Centered Exposition: The Sermon on the Mount (Nashville, TN: Holman Reference; 2019), p. 100.
[5] Stephen Charnock, The Existence and Attributes of God, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Crossway; 2022), p. 1039
[6] Daniel M. Doriani, Reformed Expository Commentary: Matthew vol. 1 (Phillipsburge, NJ: P&R Publishing; 2008), p. 228.
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Matthew 6:9-13If you have a cat or have been around cats, then you are familiar with the care they take in how they walk. They move in a cautious or stealthy way (see sermon video for clip), sometimes with confidence and sometimes with fear. There is a verb in our English language used to describe a person who behaves in an overly cautious way out of a fear of what to do or a fear of taking a stand against or for something. The phrase we use to describe this kind of behavior is “pussy-footing around.”
My family used to have a cat, and most of the time our cat walked and acted with grace and care. However, there were several times I had to remind our cat there were certain rules in the house that applied to her. One particular day, I found our cat clawing the carpet on one of our steps. She proceeded to claw the carpet after I firmly told her not to do so. I did not tell her once, not twice, but three times. When I heard her go to town on our steps the fourth time, I gracefully grabbed a pillow, snuck around to the base of our steps and launched a pillow so fast at the step just under her to remind her that I had the ability to snuff the 9 lives right out of her. I am not sure I have ever seen that cat run so fast out of fear of that pillow. Most of the time one could barely hear our cat walking around the house, but on that day, I could hear her run from those basement steps, through the kitchen, and into one of the bedrooms; in those moments after I threw that pillow, there was no “pussy-footing” around.
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” is the fifth petition in the Lord’s Prayer, and the second one that concerns our wellbeing. In Matthew’s version of the Lord’s Prayer, sin is equated to a debt, and in Luke’s version the word that is used is “sin.” The debt that we have been forgiven is the debt we acquired from our sin against a holy God. This is why the Bible states in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…” When it comes to our sin, we stand in a helpless state of uncleanliness, or as the Prophet Isaiah describes: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment” (Isa. 64:6). Romans 3:23 does not end with the wages we deserve for our sin but continues: “…but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
In Romans 3:23-25 Paul explains how our debt was paid: “…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins” (Romans 3:23–25). The English word “propitiation” means payment. The payment for our sin was the life of Jesus on the cross who bore the wrath of God for sins we were, are, and continue to be guilty of.
When our sin is exposed under the light of God’s holiness, and in the light of God’s holy violence upon sin on the cross of his Son, then it ought to be apparent just how serious our sin really is. When we pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name… we are immediately reminded of the magnitude of God’s mercy and grace that overcame our sin at Golgotha’s cross. We, like John Newton, pray forever aware of this simple and profound fact: “I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great savior.”
Thomas Watson wrote in his little book, The Mischief of Sin: “To love sin is to love a disease…. It is true of those who love sin that sin puts a worm into conscience, a thorn into death, yet that men should love sin shows that madness is in their heart. There is no creature who willingly destroys itself but man. Sin is a silken halter, yet he loves it.” Yet, while in our sin, God found us, redeemed us, and reconciled us to himself through a payment Jesus satisfied on our behalf on a cross he endured even though it was a cross you and I deserved.
Our Canceled DebtsThe other place in Matthew’s gospel where sin is equated as a great debt is found in chapter 18. Peter asked Jesus about forgiving those who have sinned against us: “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus’ answer helps us understand what it means to forgive those who have sinned against us. Consider Jesus’ answer to Peter’s question: “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). Seventy times seven Jesus? I have a hard enough time forgiving a person seven times, but seventy times seven? Jesus is not saying we forgive seventy-seven times or even 490 times, Jesus is saying to Peter that the number doesn’t matter, but instead he should be willing to forgive the sins others have committed against us to the degree we have been forgiven.
Jesus is not saying that we should ignore a person’s sin; because he had just finished explaining the process of holding a person accountable for sins that a person committed against you (see Matthew 18:15-20). Jesus told a parable that gets at the heart of why we ought to forgive others. The parable is found in Matthew 18:23-35. Let’s look at the first five verses of that parable as we seek to understand why we should forgive:Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. (vv. 23-27)
According to Jesus’ story, there was a king who wanted to settle accounts. As the king was seeking to settle accounts, a man was brought to him who owed him 10,000 talents, which was the equivalent of about 160,000 years of wages. If we were the man in Jesus’ story, our debt today would be around 2.5 billion dollars. It was physically impossible for the man in Jesus’ story to repay his debt as it would be impossible for you to pay off a 2.5-billion-dollar debt.
The point Jesus was making in His parable was that the man’s debt was incalculable. Nothing this man did would ever be enough to pay off his debt. Jesus’s point is that we are like that man, and nothing we could do would ever satisfy that debt! So, what was the man to do? Look at verse 26, “So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’” The king understood that there was no way that his servant could ever pay off his debt, but what did the king do? He forgave the man of his entire debt. My fellow Christian… Jesus is describing the one whose sin was paid for at the cross of Christ. This is the point of Colossians 2:13-14, “And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13–14). What did it cost Jesus? Well according to the prophet Isaiah, it cost him everything: “…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” (Isaiah 53:5).
In light of the great debt we owed due to our sin which Jesus paid on our behalf, I am reminded of a prayer written by a Christian long ago:No day of my life has passed that has not proved me guilty in your sight. Prayers have been uttered from a prayerless heart; praise has been often praiseless sound; my best services are filthy rags.
Blessed Jesus, let me find a covert in your appeasing wounds. Though my sins rise to heaven your merits soar above them; though unrighteousness weighs me down to hell, your righteousness exalts me to your throne.
All things in me call for my rejection, all things in you plead my acceptance. I appeal from the throne of perfect justice to your throne of boundless grace.
Grant me to hear your voice assuring me: that by your stripes I am healed, that you were bruised for my iniquities, that you have been made sin for me and I might be righteous in you, that my grievous sins, my manifold sins, are all forgiven, buried in the ocean of your concealing blood.
I am guilty, but pardoned. Lost, but saved. Wandering, but found. Sinning, but cleansed.
Give me perpetual broken-heartedness, keep me always clinging to your cross, flood me every moment with descending grace, open to me the springs of divine knowledge, sparkling like crystal, flowing clear and unsullied through my wilderness of life.
The question before us is why must we seek the forgiveness of our sins if Jesus already paid the full debt our sin incurred before a holy God? What about Romans 8:1 that assures the Christian, “There is no condemnation for the Christians”? The last line in this very old prayer gets at the heart of the kind of petition Jesus means for us include in our prayers: “Give me perpetual (continuous) broken-heartedness, keep me always clinging to your cross, flood me every moment with descending grace, open to me the springs of divine knowledge, sparkling like crystal, flowing clear and unsullied through my wilderness of life.” To seek the forgiveness of our sins, is to go before a holy God as one grieving over our sin we committed against our heavenly Father.
The Christian enjoys positional justification while experiencing progressive sanctification. Positional justification is what it means to have all your sin debt canceled due to the payment Jesus made upon the cross for sin. Progressive sanctification is the change that begins to happen at the moment of new birth and continues until the day you stand before God as your Father instead of your judge. J. I. Packer described the Lord’s Prayer in the following helpful way:The Lord’s Prayer is the family prayer, in which God’s adopted children address their Father, and though their daily failures do not overthrow their justification, things will not be right between them and their Father till they have said, “Sorry” and asked him to overlook the ways they have let him down.
This is what I believe the apostle John meant when he wrote 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
Forgiving the Debts of OthersIn his parable in Matthew 18, Jesus did not end his story with the cancellation and forgiveness of the servant’s impossible debt. To have experienced the great mercy of the king as the servant who was ‘forgiven much’ had experienced, you would think it would have affected the way he treated those who were indebted to him. Unfortunately, this man’s story did not end with gratitude or genuine appreciation for what his master did on his behalf. What we learn of this servant is that he went out and found the first person he could that was indebted to him. Notice this man’s attitude even though he had been forgiven of his incalculable debt: “But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt” (vv. 28-30).
There was no mercy demonstrated by the “forgiven” servant! There was no consideration of the great debt that he was forgiven, instead he meant harm on a man who owed him very little in comparison. All that was owed to the “forgiven” servant was 100 denarii, which was the equivalent of 4,000 dollars. Now $4,000 was a lot of money in Jesus’ day, but 2.5 billion was a little more, don’t you think? Here is the point Jesus was making in this parable: the sins people commit against us are petty compared to our offence against God that he mercifully cancelled.
Now if the Bible stopped there, we would all go our own ways thinking of this nice moral tale. But Jesus did not stop there; notice what happened next in the story:When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. (vv. 31-34)Then Jesus concluded his parable with these words: “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart” (v. 35)
What is the point of Jesus’ parable? The point is this: “Those who have been forgiven much, must be willing to forgive others.” What is Jesus saying in His parable and what bearing does it have in Matthew 6:12 and our prayers? Let me begin by telling you two things Jesus IS NOT saying here.
Jesus is not saying you will lose your salvation if you are unwilling to forgive the one who has sinned against you.Jesus is not saying that if we forgive others of their sin, our sins will also be forgiven. What Jesus is saying:
There is an unbreakable connection between God’s forgiveness of our sin and our forgiveness of other people’s sin against us.A forgiving spirit is part of what it means to be a Christian.If you are an unforgiving person, you may not belong to the kingdom of heaven. What is the mark of the true Christian? Considering our Lord’s prayer, I think it is twofold:
A genuine sorrow over the sins we commit that grieve the heart of our heavenly Father. The Christian is one who loves God and out of that love, seeks the forgiveness of God not so much out of a concern for his standing in heaven, but the relationship he enjoys with his heavenly Father.The fruit of the right understanding of what it means to be forgiven and to be a child of God is the ability to forgive others of the sins they have committed against you. The evidence of the truly penitent heart is a forgiving spirit. A forgiving spirit is one of the birthmarks of the child of God that can and ought to be seen by a cancel-culture-world. Just as we pray for our daily bread daily, we who have received the mercy of God, can go to him daily because the well of his grace and love is infinitely deeper than the depths of our sins, though we commit them daily. His mercy is new every morning and ready to wash over your guilty conscience. As Daniel Doriani concludes from our Lord’s prayer: “The question ‘Will God forgive again?’ is sensible, but it underestimates the gospel. God’s grace is greater than our sin. The gospel goes to sinners, to the poor in spirit. We rest in God’s love, not our performance. The Lord is pleased when we obey, yet he loves and forgives, whether we obey or not.”
At Jesus’ birth, the angel said to the shepherds: “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” (Luke 2:10-11). If you are a Christian, that good news met you in the darkness of your own sin and now: You are guilty, but pardoned. Lost, but saved. Wandering, but found. Sinning, but cleansed. You, my dear Christian, are a child of the living God!
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Matthew 6:9-13Of the six petitions in the Lord’s Prayer, the fourth petition is the one that you may be tempted to think least about: “Give us this day our daily bread…”. Compared to the rest of the world, most Americans do not worry about where their next meal is coming from. In fact, the top five things Americans worry about are financial instability/crisis, political instability, future pandemics, global warming, and war.[1] However, few Americans worry about where their next meal will come from. Aside from the more than 500,000 homeless in our country, our biggest problem is not the lack of food, but the overabundance of it. In fact, 41.9% of Americans suffer from obesity.
In fact, a survey was conducted that showed 30% of Americans eat out several times a week. If that is true, then according to another study I read this week, individuals who dine out two times or more a week have a 18% greater chance for a cardiovascular death and 67% of those who eat out more than once a week have a greater risk for cancer-related deaths.[2] Not to mention that the number one killer in America is not starvation but heart disease.
My guess is that most, if not all of you, do not currently worry about where your next meal will come from. The point of this petition in Jesus’ prayer is not so much about where your next meal will come from, but the recognition that neither your next meal nor your next breath is guaranteed to you. It is a petition that recognizes that God is sufficient while we forever remain deficient. Job understood this, for in the midst of his suffering, he recognized that God, “…gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields…” (Job 5:8-10). David appreciated the fact that every day is another gift we humans are not entitled to have:
O LORD, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath! Surely a man goes about as a shadow! Surely for nothing they are in turmoil; man heaps up wealth and does not know who will gather! And now, O LORD, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. (Psalm 39:4-7)
The reason why I believe that the fourth petition in our Lord’s prayer is more about our need for God and less about our need for food is because of one word. The Greek word, epiousios, which is only used once in all the New Testament. Greek scholars believe this word can be translated “daily” bread or “tomorrow’s” bread. I believe a more accurate translation of this petition is, “Give us our bread for tomorrow.” I think we do not need to exert a whole lot of mental energy to see that Jesus is not just talking about bread here, but what we need to live. Furthermore, I do not think Jesus has in mind “what” we need to live, but “who” we need to live.
Why Are We Alive Today?You are alive today because God exists. Because he is Elohim, he owns it all because he created it all. Because he is Adonai, all that you own and will own is actually gifted to you just as we are assured from the Bible: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
However, few people really appreciate the true reason why they got up this morning. The average person lives about 78 years which is a total of 28,470 days, and because that is the average, you assume that you will get up tomorrow morning. The reality is that if you are blessed to live 78 years on earth, it will be gone before you know it. Of our 28,470 days, we sleep on average 8,541 years away leaving us with only 19,929 days on earth awake. So, how does the average person use his/her average number of days on earth?
3,750 days of your life are spent working.360 days of your life will be consumed by the amount of time it takes the average person to get to and from work. 1,460 days are consumed with housework. 856 days if you are a man & 770.8 days if you are woman… will be consumed in the bathroom. 265 days will be consumed on your mobile phone . 55 days of your life will be consumed with getting dressed. 208 days of your life will be consumed with looking for lost property . 5,400 days of your life will be consumed by watching TV. 20.5 days are consumed with the amount of time the average American plays video games. – This number is much larger is some studies. So, of the 19,929 days you will spend awake, about 12,373 of those days will be spent working, commuting to work, cleaning your home, using the bathroom, being on your phone, getting dressed, looking for things you lost, watching TV, and possibly playing some video games. That will leave you only 7,556 days to do other things not on that list. All of this while 697,000 Americans will die due to some cardiovascular event that will interrupt what is left of their 28,470 days on earth. This is one of the reasons James wrote in his epistle: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit’— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13–15).
When we pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed by your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread…”, we are acknowledging that we not only exist for a purpose, but God is sustaining us this day to the next by his grace for something much, much more worthy of your time then your cell phone, the nice cloths that you wear, the company that employs you, the time you binge your favorite series or show, or the video games that you play. You, my dear friend, were born with purpose; not only as one who bears the image of the living God, but a human being whose existence is owing to the One who gives and sustains your life!
If you are a Christian, your Heavenly Father is Elohim of whom the apostle Paul attributed the very blueprint of your salvation before you were ever an embryo in your mother’s womb: “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4–6, NASB 2020).
If you are a Christian, your Heavenly Father is Yahweh of whom Jesus promised will never let you go: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27–29).
If you are a Christian, your Heavenly Father is Adonai of whom the apostle John celebrated when he wrote: “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are” (John 3:1).
As children of the living God, we are citizens of his kingdom and it is his will to first expand his kingdom in our hearts and lives before the day we enter into his kingdom after King Jesus sets it up, on earth as it is in heaven. What is his will for your life? What is he doing within you to prepare you for his kingdom? Listen to the following glorious words from Paul’s letter to Titus:
But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:4–7)
So, when we pray that our Father in heaven provide “our bread for tomorrow” for the hallowing of his name… we can be assured that all that comes tomorrow is for our good and his glory regardless if it is bread, a home, heat, clothing, or even death. What I mean is that when we pray, however God answers our prayer on his terms and in his way, we can know that he is doing so because he is for his children – just as we are assured in Romans 8:31-32, “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things” (Romans 8:31–32)?
What Bread Do We Really Need?I would be remiss if I did not point out a different kind of bread that is much more important than the kind we put into our stomachs. Thomas Watson was a puritan who lived in the 1600’s; he reflected on how God gives life and bread to all men and the arrogance of man to disregard that his life is owing only to the reality of a God of mercy. Here is what Watson wrote:
If all be a gift, see the odious ingratitude of men who sin against their giver! God feeds them, and they fight against him; he gives them bread, and they give him affronts. How unworthy is this! Should we not cry shame on him who had a friend always feeding him with money, and yet he should betray and injure him? Thus ungratefully do sinners deal with God; they not only forget his mercies, but abuse them…. Oh, how horrid is it to sin against a bountiful God!—to strike the hands that relieve us![3]
You may remember the story in the Gospel of John when Jesus miraculously fed 5,000 men plus women and children with only five loaves of bread and two fish. Because of the miracle, the people wanted more from Jesus. If Jesus were indeed the Messiah, they wanted Him to do something to top what they thought Moses did in the desert when their fathers ate manna that came from Heaven. After Jesus reminded them that it was not Moses who did this miracle, but God, He said: “It was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (vv. 32-33). When they asked Jesus to give them this bread, He said: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (v. 35).
It is ironic that this sermon happens to fall on the first Sunday of December when we not only will celebrate communion by taking bread together, but we sang our first Christmas song this Advent season. Jesus said to the people,
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 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.” (John 6:38–40)
On the first Christmas, the bread of life was born to a virgin and placed in a manger. The one of whom Isaiah prophesied long before Jesus’ birth: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He is the bread that satisfied and gives eternal life and lights up the darkness of our sin cursed hearts (John 1:1-5).
I read a story about a woman who purchased one of those boxes of Christmas cards without paying much attention to what each card actually said. In a rush to get cards to her family and friends, she quickly signed each card, put them in their individual envelopes, and mailed out almost all of the cards that were in the box of fifty. Sometime after each of her cards arrived at each of the nearly fifty addresses, she read one of the cards she had left; to her embarrassment, each of the cards had the following greeting:
This card is just to say
A little gift is on the way.
Needless to say, every recipient of each of the cards she signed never received their promised “little gift.” Jesus is God’s gift that will never disappoint, for he is “the bread of life.” When we pray for our daily bread for tomorrow, we can know that our heavenly Father will not only give us what we need for today, but he has already provided what we ultimately need for tomorrow! The gift that Elohim, Yahweh, and Adonai has given is no small gift, for it is Jesus who speaks to you dear Christian: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that 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. (Romans 8:31–39)
Amen.
[1] Amy Morin and Claire Gillespie, “What Americans Are Worrying About Right Now, From the Silent Generation to Gen Z”; Verywellmind.com; Oct. 8, 2021.
[2] For more on this study, see the websites: https://www.acsh.org/news/2021/03/29/eating-out-killing-you-15439 and www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/282929.
[3] Thomas Watson quoted from John MacArthur, Alone With God (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook; 2006), p.114.
The post “Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:9-13 We now find ourselves at the third petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Remember that this petition, like the one that preceded it, serves the first petition to honor the Lord’s name as holy. When we pray, we pray: “Your kingdom come, for the hallowing of your name.” In light of his coming kingdom, we consider another important petition that ought to be included in our prayers: “Your The post “Your Will Be Done…” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:9-13 When I began this sermon series, I said that I believe that when Christians find their moral center, then perhaps we will begin to experience the kind of transformative power the Church in Acts experienced in the first century in our day today. I told you that the Sermon on the Mount is the center that we Christians are called too. The Sermon on the Mount is a picture of what discipleship really looks like. There are only The post “Your Kingdom Come…” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Luke 12:13-21 Good morning Meadowbrooke, I’m Dan Nelson and I get to be your guest preacher this morning. For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been around Meadowbrooke for almost 11 years, first as an attender, then on staff full time as the executive pastor, then part time, then as an elder. I came off the elder board at the end of September, and now I serve as a member of the welcome team, and I work with The post “What Fills Your Barn” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:9-13 In 1968 Irving West got into a fight at a high school carnival in Westminster, Maryland. When a police officer seized West, he snapped, “Get your g-damn hands off of me.” The next day, a judge sentenced West to 30 days in jail along with a fine for disorderly conduct. What surprised West was not the fine and 30 days in jail for his conduct, but the additional 30-days in jail with another fine tacked onto it for The post “Hallowed be Your Name” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:1-9 I thought about this day a lot over the past four weeks and how I should approach it. Over the years I found that the best way to serve the people God has called me to serve as their pastor is to show them the God of the Bible. I am struck by the irony that today is the first day we begin a deep dive into The Lord’s Prayer which is something I planned on doing from The post “Our Father” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:1-18 Our world is hungry, and what I mean by world is people. The world is hungry for happiness, it is hungry for satisfaction, it is hungry for new experiences, it is hungry for pleasure. People move from one relationship to another thinking that will satisfy. They move from one job to another hoping that it will help bring them closer to financial freedom with the thought that it will bring the satisfaction they long for. People make decisions The post “A Hunger for God” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:43-48 I read a story about C.S. Lewis’ response to criticism he received that a Dr. Normal Pittenger published in a 1958 issue of the Christian Century. The criticism Pittenger had was that C.S. Lewis did not care much for the Sermon on the Mount. Lewis published a response to Dr. Pittenger, which I think you may be able to relate as I am able to relate to Lewis’ words: As to “caring for” the Sermon on the Mount, The post “The Divine and The Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:38-42 If there was a passage that rubbed against the grain of our impulses, I think Matthew 5:38-42 is one such passage. Think about it, what would your first response be to someone who walked up to you and back slapped you? If you saw Will Smith slap Chris Rock during the 94th Academy Awards Ceremony, you may have wished that Chris slapped him back. After the attack on September 11, 2001, Toby Keith released his song, “Courtesy of The post “Justice and the Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:33-37 Think about some of the idioms we use to stress our truthfulness or intention to keep a promise. When I was child, I used the phrase, “Scout’s Honor” even though I never belonged to the Boy Scouts. The origin of the phrase is rooted in the high standards once associated with the Boy Scouts; to use the phrase was to indicate your intention of keeping a promise or to tell the truth. Another idiom used in association with The post “Character and the Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:31-32 I grew up in a broken home, but before I was born, my father vowed to my mother certain things. He vowed that he would remain committed to her for better and for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, that he would love and cherish her and that death would be the only thing that could separate them. My father did not keep his vows; he tore my mother apart with ugly and The post “Marriage & the Death of a Covenant” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:31-32 What is the consensus about marriage in America? Is it still considered sacred? In some ways, the answer is still “yes.” It would especially seem sacred by the average American in light of the 2019 Real Weddings Study that revealed the average wedding costs is $33,900 (engagement ring include). Rest assured those of you who are not yet married, for the average cost of a wedding in Wyoming is about $19,800 (engagement ring not included). Statistically speaking the The post “Marriage, Divorce, & the Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:27-30 Matthew 5:27-32 is a great example for why expository preaching is something that is needed and good for the Church. I say this because in all honesty, preaching on anything related to sex, or that addresses divorce, are probably the most uncomfortable subjects for me to preach on. The only other subject that is as uncomfortable for me to address as a pastor is the subject of money. I also recognize that sex and divorce have brought so The post “Adultery & the Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:21-26 If there is a scripture passage that is timely and speaks into our experiences today, it is Matthew 5:21-26. When I started this sermon series back in May, I introduced to you a diagram Jim Belcher used in his book, Cold Civil War. For Belcher, the center of his diagram is a political ideal where love of neighbor and the value of human dignity are foundational. What we have seen over the past decade is four different political The post “Murder in the Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:17-20 When I first applied to attend Philadelphia College of the Bible (PCB) in 1993 (now Cairn University), I had to sign an agreement form agreeing that I would abstain from alcohol while a student (which I believe to be a good rule). Not long before my acceptance to the college, all students had to agree to a list of standards; there were ten, now there are currently seven every student must agree to follow.[1] Permit me to share The post “Law and Love” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:13-16 Would you agree with me that we are living in a day and age filled with great tension between what we hope is possible versus what we think is impossible? It seems to me that every age that has preceded us: like Modernity that included the Renaissance (14th Century), the Enlightenment (17th Century), and now Postmodernity, has offered an answer for how society and our world could experience human flourishing and happiness. Out of Modernity came communism and The post “Salt and Light” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:1-12 How do you know that you are a Christian? This is a good and healthy question that you may have never asked, that you have been asking, or that you have recently asked. I assume that some within the hearing of this sermon have asked this question because this sermon series has caused you to ask it. Some of you may now be confused or even may be questioning as to whether or not you are a Christian. The post “How Do I Know That I Am a Christian” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:10-12 Robert Sandeman (1718-1771) was a Scottish Pastor who held to the view that only a mental understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus for sinners was enough to save a person’s soul. In Sandeman’s words, “bare assent to the work of Christ is alone necessary.” What Sanderman meant by these words is that so long as a person intellectually acknowledges that Jesus died for his/her sins, then that person can know for sure that he/she is forgiven The post “Joy Through the Fire” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:9 I read a statement on a marque in front of a church building in Cheyenne that read: “What the world needs now is love sweet love.” Although I think I understand the motive and intent of whoever thought to put those words on that church’s marque, love sweet love is not the remedy for a world filled with violence and war. In a Time Magazine piece titled, “The World’s Biggest Problems are Interconnected. Here’s How We Can Solve The post “Ambassadors of Peace” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:8 Today, I would like to point out the “elephant” in the room of the Evangelical Church in America. The elephant in the room that I am thinking of is the metrics that we use to measure success when it comes to the Christian life. It is not a problem that exclusively belongs to the church in America, for it is very much a part of our culture, but I want to identify what the problem looks like in The post “In Pursuit of Purity” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:7 Have you ever stopped to consider that throughout Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John who present for us a particular view of the life of Jesus, show us a boldness, authority, and fearlessness of our savior until Gethsemane? Hours before his crucifixion Jesus prayed in the place known as Gethsemane where he experienced great distress for the first time in his life: And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the The post “Generous Mercy” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:6 Can I tell you a story? As many of you know, I participate in Ride the Rockies last week. Every day was challenging but not once did I feel that my life was in danger until the last 15 miles of our 388 miles of cycling. Let me put in context why I felt safe for most of my ride. Ride the Rockies was very well supported. There are police who patrolled every route to make sure all The post “A Desire to be Satisfied” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:5 What does it mean to be meek? Meek is a word we do not hear or use all that often anymore. Maybe the reason for its little use in the English vocabulary is because it is not something that is highly valued in America. What we value is strength, boldness, and courage. We value ingenuity, skill, tenacity, and determination. These values are not necessarily bad, but meekness is not a character trait one might see in the hero The post “A Posture of Humility” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:4 While in my 20s and attending Bible College, I read a book by Ravi Zacharias titled Deliver Us from Evil. In his book, Zacharias shared the story of Dorian Gray from Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray. I have not read Oscar Wilde’s story nor have I seen its screen adaptation; however, Zacharias’ retelling of the story stayed with me since I read it over twenty years ago. Wilde’s story is of a very handsome man whose The post “A Heavy Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 5:1-3 We have been through a lot over the past three years, haven’t we? In just a short time, we experienced a Pandemic responsible for the death of millions, racial tensions so divisive that some are afraid to even mention what they believe or feel out of fear of what label they might receive, inflation is on the rise, another national recession appears to be immanent, the threat of a World War III seems more real than ever, and The post “Empty Hands” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Acts 2:42-47 Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that the difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is that the Christian lives his/her life in the awareness that he/she is always in the presence of God. What compels the Christian to turn his/her face towards God is, in the words of J.I. Packer, the “tremendous relief in knowing that God’s love to me is based at every point on the prior knowledge of the worst about me.” The four characteristics of the first The post “The Church We Long to Be” (part 2) appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Acts 2:42-47 What we learn from the Bible and history is that the first century church turned the world upside-down. Four vital characteristics enabled the church in Acts 2:42-47 to become an unstoppable force resulting in God-shaped transformation in the communities that surround her. I believe that if you devote yourself to the same four things that the first century Church devoted themselves to, you will experience the kind of vibrancy and life God wants for you and this church The post “The Church We Hope to Be” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Mark 15:42-16:20 I read a quote from R.C. Sproul some time ago that affected me; here is what the quote said: “Unbelievers can tolerate Christ only as long as he is stripped of his real identity.” If Jesus was simply a moral teacher not unlike Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, or the Dali Lama, then there is nothing really all that offensive about Jesus because we can accept the things that we like about Him and discard what we do not The post “The Resurrection” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
There is no associated manuscript with our Good Friday Sermon. There is associated audio if you would like to listen to our sermon from April 15th. The post “Seven Things Jesus Said from the Cross” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Mark 14:32-52 Some time ago, I read an interesting perspective that I had not heard before on what it must have been like for Jesus to enter Jerusalem the week before his crucifixion. We call this event, Palm Sunday. The people who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem understood it to be his triumphal entry to finally reign as the promised messianic king who would crush Rome and any other opposition that threatened the Hebrew people. Here is what I read that The post “The Shadow of the Cross” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Q: 1. What does the Bible say about tattoos, and is it okay for Christians to get them? A passage in the Bible that some Christians who believe tattoos are immoral to receive will often cite Leviticus 19:28 which states: “You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the LORD.” The context of Leviticus 19:28 is how the Hebrew people were to live distinct lives that honored Yahweh amid a culture The post “Q & A Sunday” Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Q: 1. C.S. Lewis said in Mere Christianity that if you can love at a standard equal to your peers, then you are not being charitable enough. Does scripture support this? Yes. The definition of charity is this: “Generosity and helpfulness towards the needy or suffering. Benevolent goodwill toward the love of humanity.”[1] When Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, he answered: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul The post “Q & A Sunday” Part 1 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jeremiah 9:23-24 God has gone through great lengths so that you can get to know Him and to understand who He is! There are two types of ways God has revealed Himself and made it possible for you to know Him; one way is known as “general revelation” and the other way is known as “special revelation.” General revelation doesn’t give you all the information needed to know God; it is simply enough information provided given to everyone for the The post “Our God is Awesome” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 John 3:1-10 This is the last statement we will be considering in our series. I do have one final message to wrap this series, “Christians Say the Darndest Things” up, but its purpose will be to appropriately conclude this series in a way I hope will be helpful. If you have been listening closely to each of the sermons in the series, each message was meant to build on the sermon that preceded it. “God helps those who help The post “We are All God’s Children” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Peter 1:3-12 Angels are amazing and powerful creatures! There are different types of angels with different ranks that serve God and the rest of his creation. Angels are not separate from creation but are a part of it, and when God created them, He created so many that the only number given is “myriads of myriads” (Rev. 5:11). They are individual persons who are intelligent beings like us, they experience different emotions like us, and they can make their The post “Heaven Gained Another Angel” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Revelation 1-22 There is no manuscript available for this sermon. If you would like to access this sermon, please view it on our website or facebook page, or listen to the audio available here or through our podcast streaming. The post “Behold the Lion, the Lamb, and the King” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Hebrews 5:11-14 I would like to share some statistics with you that may or may not surprise you. Did you know that in a survey conducted by Pew Research Center, 65% of adults in the United States identify as Christian, which is down compared to the 81% identified as Christian in 2001? To break that number down for you, of the 65% who identified as Christian, 43% identified as Protestant while the majority identified as Catholic. Here are some more The post “I’m Not Being Fed” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Jeremiah 17:3-18 I have heard the phrase, “follow your heart” more times than I am able to count. The concept of following your heart has been expressed in many different ways. Another way you can say follow your heart is, “Follow your dreams.” I think when some people encourage others that they can do whatever they set their mind to is just another way of saying, “Follow your heart.” Kidadl is a website platform developed for the purpose of providing The post “Just Follow Your Heart” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Timothy 6:3-10, 17-19 In a study published by GoBankingRates on what Americans worry about most in life, it revealed that one in four Americans said money was the thing they thought about most daily; another one in four Americans spent most of their time thinking about work. The study revealed that this was pretty consistent across the age groups with the exception of young adults (18-24yrs) and seniors (65+). Young adults worried about their love life slightly more than The post “Money is the Root of All Evil” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Luke 13:1-9 Is it true that bad things happen to good people? Are you a good person? According to a recent poll in America, 3 in 4 Americans believe they are fundamentally a good person. 4 in 5 believe humanity is inherently good. 46% believe they are better than everyone else they know. 62% agree that anyone can become a better person. 43% believe they’re doing all they can to improve. 70% of evangelicals agree that people are basically good. The post “Bad Things Happen to Good People” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Job 42:1-6 I have read that the philosopher Aristotle believed that there were two certainties in life: first, the universe is always changing, so that what is today is never the same tomorrow. Secondly, that everything that happens to you today is turning you into the person you are becoming. Although Aristotle was a pagan who did not know the God of the Bible we read today, he was able to see that there was purpose and meaning in life. The post “Everything Happens for a Reason” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
2 Corinthians 11:21b-33; 12:8-10 Are you familiar with the poem: “Footsteps in the Sand”? There is no real consensus as to who authored the poem nor is there any consensus regarding the date it was written. Based on the little evidence that is available, it is possible that it was written as early as the 1800’s, but it didn’t receive much attention until after it was formally published in 1978. It has been used across denominational lines, been included on The post “God Will Never Give You More than You Can Handle.” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 5:6-11 I read a story this week about a Caelie Wilkes who wouldn’t let anyone care for her “succulent” plant. Succulent plants require a lot of water. This presents a unique need which only a handful of other plants also represent. So, what does this have to do with Caelie Wilkes’ succulent plant? Caelie Wilkes was so determined to maintain what she believed to be a perfect plant that she would not let anyone else water the plant because The post “God Helps Those Who Help Themselves” appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Luke 12:22-34 Last year at this time I thought that there was a good chance that the pandemic would be behind us. Maybe we are entering an endemic? Who knows what things will be like next Christmas. Just about everything on TV and what I find on social media reminds me of some of my favorite demotivational posters. I would like to share four of them with you: What Jesus said to his disciples in Luke 12:32 is his encouragement The post God Gives… His Kingdom appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
John 14:15-31; Acts 2:1-13 The Holy Spirit is the most abused, neglected, and misunderstood person in the Church today. He is abused as a means to sensationalize charlatans through the manufacturing of miracles for their own personal gain. The Holy Spirit is neglected in many of our evangelical churches in exchange for programs and projects as the means for church growth and personal transformation because we believe that we are more than capable of accomplishing the mission Jesus gave his The post God Gives… The Holy Spirit appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Hebrews 1:1-5 I want to fill your head with some random facts that I learned this week, and I will leave the fact checking up to you: Some cats are allergic to humans. The apple pie is not really American. The national animal of Scotland is… the Unicorn. The 100 folds in a chef’s hat represent 100 ways to cook an egg. The largest known living organism is an aspen grove in Utah. Facebook has more users (2.89 monthly) than The post God Gives…. The Son appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Genesis 1:1; Psalm 100 Who is God? There are well over two thousand recognized deities that have been or still are worshiped today. The quest for that answer is not just an important question, it is the most important question anyone could ever ask. A. W. Tozer said it well when he wrote, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. The history of mankind will probably show that no people The post God Gives… Himself appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
James 4:1-3 Good morning saints! Good morning sinners! So – Has anyone here ever been angry? Really? I didn’t think Christians got angry. Remember the TV series The Incredible Hulk? It ran from 1978 until 1982 and starred Bill Bixby as David Banner, and Lou Ferrigno as The Hulk. Most of the time Dr Banner was a nice guy. But when someone got in his face – and it seemed to happen every week – he would utter those famous The post I’m Angry appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 23 Edward Sheeran is one of the world’s best-selling music artists of our time with more than 150 million records sold worldwide. He has a total of 43 singles and five albums he has recorded and two of those albums are in the list of the best-selling albums in UK chart history. As a child, Sheeran sang at a local church choir, learned how to play guitar at eleven, and started writing his own songs while in high school. The post Visiting Hours appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 112 Jordan Davis was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on March 30, 1988. He grew up attending church at an early age where his mom played piano in a Southern Baptist church. In one interview he said that he grew up attending church at least three times a week, twice on Sundays and once on Wednesday nights. His EP, released in 2020, includes a song titled “Church in a Chevy”, a song about Jordan’s faith and how God is not The post Buy Dirt appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 16 Ryan Tedder, the front man and co-founder of OneRepublic, is the genius behind most of the band’s success. Tedder was raised by extended family that consisted of missionaries and pastors, and it is through his upbringing in the church that his musical roots can be traced; in fact, one of the songs released on a previous album is about his grandfather titled, “Preacher.” Having learned to play piano at just three years old, his love for music only The post Run appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 87 Janelle Monáe was born in Kansas City, Kansas on December 1, 1985. She grew up in the Baptist church where her family also performed as musicians; it was in the church that Monáe learned to sing. Her mother worked as a janitor and motel maid while her father was a truck driver. When Monáe was only five, her parents divorced and sometime later, her mother remarried a postal worker. Monáe has released 3 albums, 20 singles, and 18 The post Turntables appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Brokenness in Christ The post Men’s Breakfast Sermon appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 66 The song “I Need You” was released on January 22, 2021 and has been described in one review as a song that, “brings radical joy to the moment.” The review, written by Aarya Kaushik for The Harvard Crimson heralds Jon Batiste’s “I Need You” as a song arriving, “In a time of such extreme social isolation, it is a beacon of hope, heralding a brighter future.” Jon Batiste grew up in a Catholic home surrounded by Jazz and The post I Need You appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 25 Alecia Beth Moore was born September 8, 1979 and grew up in Doylestown, PA and took on her stage name, Pink, when she was only 14 years old. Her parents separated when she was 9 years old and she lived with her mother, who she had a terrible relationship with during her teen years. The day that her father left, Moore wrote a poem that she later released as a song titled Family Portrait when she was 21; The post All I Know So Far appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Psalm 4 Justin Bieber is considered the prince of pop as well as the king of teen pop and is worth an estimated $285 million dollars. He was discovered after his mother posted some of his songs on YouTube and by the time he was only fifteen years old, he had his first #1 hit with the debut of his song, “One Time.” Bieber’s three most popular songs of the more than 70 he has recorded include “Baby” (2010), “Despacito” The post Holy appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 12:1-13 We started our sermon series in Daniel right around Valentine’s Day; and by the conclusion of this sermon, I will have preached 21 sermons on a book that has helped me work through my own anxieties concerning all that has happened, is happening, and will happen in my life and the world I live in. I started preparing for this series on Daniel last August while on vacation in Idaho. My hope was that when I finished the The post The End will be the Beginning appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 11:36-45 How will the world end? Who is the antichrist? When will Jesus come back again? These are three questions that Christians have been asking for centuries. There have also been all kinds of predictions for the way the world will end. Who can forget Y2K and the fear that all computers would shut down once we crossed the threshold of a new century known as the year 2000. Harold Camping, the president of the Family Radio Network, predicted The post The End is Near-ish (Part 2) appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 11:2-45 People do weird things during pandemics or other national crises; one thing that we do is stockpile. The top items that people cleared off the shelves were fruit and vegetable seeds, dumbbells, treadmills, yeast, gaming consoles, facemasks, and booze. Some other items that people confessed to purchasing because of the pandemic that I found to be a bit strange, include: Canned Quail Eggs in Water Anti-aging face masks Roller Skates Scented Candles Toilet Paper A Bidet for the The post The End is Near-ish (Part 1) appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 10:1 – 11:1 What I am about to say is serious, it is real, and it may seem scary to some of you. From the opening pages of the Bible to its final chapter is a story about a grand and glorious God who rescues and saves lost sinners. In the first two chapters, it begins with a beautiful creation that includes the creation of man and woman in the image of God; in the final two chapters of The post War in High and Low Places appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 9:20-27 One theologian said of Daniel 9:24-27, “The prophetic message Gabriel brought from the throne of God to Daniel is perhaps the most important not only in the Book of Daniel, but in the whole Bible.”[1] Commentators have said that Daniel 9:24-27 is “…the ‘key’ to prophetic interpretation. Others have called it the ‘backbone’ of prophecy.[2] Yet, Daniel 9:24-27 is, in my opinion, one of the most difficult passages to deal with in the Bible. The early church father The post Freedom from the Darkness 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 9:20-27 Have you ever heard of the year of Jubilee? The year of Jubilee is an important and sacred year that God commanded his people, Israel, to observe every seven cycles of seven, which was 49 years. Every seven years there was to be a year’s rest for the land of Israel, but every 50th year was to be a year of rest and redemption. The year of Jubilee required that all prisoners, all captives, all debts be released The post Freedom from the Darkness appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 9:1-19 Why was Daniel in Babylon? The obvious answer is that God is sovereign, and in his sovereignty raises up kingdoms and brings kingdoms down. The major theme of the book of Daniel is the sovereign might of a good God who works out his will for his glory and the good of his people. However, what was it that eventually caused Daniel to be carried off from his homeland to a foreign land? He spells it out for The post A Plea in the Darkness appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 8:1-27 William Cowper’s masterful poem-turned hymn, God Moves in a Mysterious Way, has been a source of comfort to me over the years, especially during seasons of pain and confusion. Over the course of four months, our son Nathan was hospitalized with COVID, my mother almost died, and a dear friend of mine suffered critical head injuries recently. It has been the first three verses in Cowper’s poem that I have thought most about over the past four months: The post Behind a Frowning Providence appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 7 When she was 18 years old, Joni Eareckson Tada went swimming with some friends in the Chesapeake Bay. Joni was healthy, active, and had what appeared to be her whole life a head of her. What she did not plan for was on that same day, she would end up a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. Joni decided to dive into the Bay but misjudged the shallowness of the water and suffered a fracture between the fourth The post The Kingdom of God is Our Inheritance appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 7:15-18 In Daniel 7, the prophet had a dream given to him by God that Daniel described as terrifying and dreadful, which greatly alarmed him to the degree that his color changed. Two times in the chapter, Daniel said that the dream alarmed him and filled him with anxiety. However, there are four references to our victory at the demise of the kingdoms of this earth, the great beast, and the antichrist that served to remind Daniel and all The post The Kingdom of Heaven is Real appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 7:15-28 The post The Triumph of Good Over Evil appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 4:10-17 The post Weighed in the Balance and Found Wanting appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 4 This has been a crazy couple of weeks for our family. The last time I preached was on Easter Sunday, and in my sermon, I talked about one of the many promises of the empty tomb which is the reality that because the tomb is empty, we know that suffering, disease, and death have a shelf life. I also mentioned that since my mother received back surgery to correct a disk that was pinching one of her nerves The post The Good News of a Sovereign God appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Acts 1:1-11 Good morning! I’m so thankful to have you all here with us this morning. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Justin Kennett and I am an elder here at the church. I know many of you know this already, but sadly today is my last Sunday at Meadowbrooke because God has called my wife and I back to California where Alyssa has started a wonderful job and God is using me for full-time The post The Great Commission appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 7:13-14 The Islamic State, also known as ISIS, is said to have been founded by Abu Musab al Zarqawi in 2004, although it did not go by that name until 2013. At its height, ISIS was able to take control and hold about a third of Syria and nearly half of Iraq. The goal of ISIS was to establish Sharīʿah, which is the law of Islam for Muslims. Because Islam believes Jesus was only a prophet and Mohammad their The post The Day Death Died appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Mark 14:32-52 When we behold Golgotha the day Jesus died, we see evil at its worst. Jesus, an innocent man, was sentenced to death in the most humiliating and horrific way. All throughout Jesus’ life, people were trying to kill him. When he was a toddler, Herod had all the children two years old and younger murdered in Bethlehem to keep Him from growing up. When one reads the four Gospels in the Bible, we learn of many attempts made The post The Day God Died appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 3 The irony of the third chapter in Daniel is that even though Nebuchadnezzar had a prophetic dream that Daniel was clearly able to interpret without the king ever making know the dream (see Daniel 2), is that instead of worshiping the God who revealed the coming kingdoms, he built a statue to be worshiped instead. It was clear that the point of the prophetic dream that God gave to king Nebuchadnezzar was that there was only one God The post Faith Before The Fire appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 2:21-35 There is a story about a man named Alexander, whose dream was to see the revered King of his homeland. On rare occasions the King would parade through different villages. Early in this man’s childhood, he remembered such an event that he had missed… he was determined to not allow such an opportunity to slip by again. Years passed and the fondness that Alexander had as a young boy for his king only grew with age. On a The post The Destiny of Kingdoms appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 2 Daniel Gilbert, a psychology professor at Harvard, believes that the reason why Americans are smiling less and worrying more and why happiness is down and sadness is up is not because people do not have enough money, but because people are more uncertain about the future than ever before based on the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.[1] Because of this, depression in America is on the rise. Gilbert said of his findings: “An uncertain future leaves us stranded in an The post The Reign of God and Empires appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 1:8-21 Let me state two very important truths that will help you understand the book of Daniel a little better, and make a little more sense of what is happening around you. The Bible claims from the very beginning in its first chapter that you are a human being who is made in the image of God. The Bible also states from the very beginning in Genesis 3 that there is an enemy who absolutely abhors you because you The post Identity and the Spirit of the Age appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Daniel 1:1-7 There is a series of Marvel Comics that I enjoyed reading as a kid and now an animated series is in development by Marvel Studios titled, “What If…”. The upcoming series, “explores what would happen if major moments from the films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe occurred differently.” A popular Amazon Prime series, The Man in the High Castle, like Marvel’s “What If…” series, explores what it may have been like if the Axis powers of Nazi Germany The post The Judgement and the Kindness of God appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Hebrews 10:19-25 On January 8, 1956 Peter Fleming (27), Jim Elliot (28), Ed McCully (28), Roger Youderian (31), and Nate Saint (32) were speared to death on a sandbar called “Palm Beach” in the Curaray River of Ecuador while trying to reach the Waodani with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nate Saint’s sister Rachel and Jim Elliot’s widow, Elisabeth, made contact with the tribe resulting in many of the tribe becoming followers of Jesus; this is a picture of two The post Developing Healthy Followers of Jesus Christ appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Philippians 2:1-11 I read a true story this week about a wife who stabbed her husband because she found a bunch of pictures on his phone of her husband with a younger woman she did not recognize. Listen to how the online news blog, The Star, reported the story: A confused and enraged wife stabbed her husband after seeing photos of him with a younger woman, who turned out to be herself from back then. The suspect attacked her husband, The post How Should We Engage Our World With the Gospel appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Corinthians 9:19-27 We live in a troubled world; everyone knows it, the movies portray it, and our latest elections were shaped by it. This is nothing new, for generation after generation has experienced this since the dawn of civilization. The cause of humanity’s ills has received countless hypotheses of its origins from as early as Socrates to Oprah. The remedies for the human problem is offered from a smorgasbord of ideas… just take your pick from a line of The post Why Engage Our World With the Gospel appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Ephesians 3:14-21 Last week I gave you seven reasons from the Lord’s Prayer why we must pray as a community who have been saved by Jesus and called into his mission to make disciples of all people. Here are the seven reasons I gave: We must pray because God is our Heavenly Father. We must pray because God is God. We must pray because God’s kingdom is coming. We must pray because it is God who provides for our needs. The post Where We Belong – Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 6:7-15 A vision statement describes the goal of an organization; our vision statement as a church family is the following: “We exist to develop followers of Jesus who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel.” The way you get to your vision statement is by implementing your mission statement; our mission statement is virtually the same with the exception of one word: “We aim to develop followers of Jesus by prayerfully engaging our communities with the gospel.” Where we The post Where We Belong appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Isaiah 9:6-7 There are two words I want you to think about this evening. The first is “Violate” and the second is “interrupt.” To violate something is to break or fail to comply with a rule or formal agreement. To interrupt means to stop the continuous progress of an activity or process. Those are the two words that come to mind when I think of 2020. Those are the two words that come to mind when I think ethnic tension The post Unto Us: The Prince is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 11:11-19 What person in your life “gets” you? What I mean by that question is this: “Who is it in your life and world that you look forward and long to spend time with?” Who is it in your life that loves and accepts you for you? Some of you may have had that someone in your life who you thought was that one person you were convinced accepted and loved you for you. Now that person wants nothing The post Unto Us: A Friend is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Luke 5:27-32 Early this week, GALLUP reported that, ‘Americans’ latest assessment of their mental health is worse than it has been at any point in the last two decades. Contributing to the decline is not only the pandemic, but the recent election and race relations in our country. Jobs have been lost, businesses continue to struggle to survive, and the future remains uncertain. A year ago, things seemed to be going well for our country, but our confidence and security The post Unto Us: The Priest is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Unto Us: A Shepherd is Given is a sermon preached at Meadowbrooke Church in Cheyenne, Wyoming by Pastor Keith Miller The post Unto Us: A Shepherd is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
John 1:29-34 One of my favorite movies and stories is C.S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. After entering a magical wardrobe that transported the Pevensie children into the world of Narnia where it was winter, but never Christmas, due to the curse of the white witch for the last 100 years. But after Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy enter Narnia things begin to change, for an ancient Narnian prophecy said that before Narnia would be delivered from The post Unto Us: A Lamb is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Luke 1:39-45 We live in a world that attributes worth on a person based on what that person is able to do. The Bible attributes worth on a person based on who that person is. Our world treats personhood as something completely different and separate from your physical body. In other words, the physical body is expendable because it is only a bundle of nerves and no more than a machine. The body’s worth is determined by personhood; this is The post Unto Us: A Son is Given appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Exodus 33:12-34:9 I don’t know about you, but a little stability would be nice. Everything around me seems to be in flux. Think about what life must have been like for Moses and the Israelites (the Hebrew people); not long before Exodus 32, Israel experienced one of the greatest events in history with their miraculous delivery from the powerful clutches of Pharaoh out of the slavery of Egypt into a freedom promised to Abraham and their forefathers. Moses and his The post The God Who Goes Before His People appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Isaiah 48:9-11 Albert Einstein once said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” John Calvin spent a lifetime working to help others see the beauty of the glory of God as it is revealed in the Scriptures. He The post Here I Stand: The Glory of God Alone appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Matthew 16:13-20 Thomas Cranmer was born on July 2, 1489. He died nearly five months after he watched his friends Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley burn to death at the stake for his role as a protestant against the Roman Catholic Church and as the archbishop of the Church of England (Anglican Church). Like his friends, it is believed that Cranmer also attended the White Horse Bible study that shaped his thinking that salvation was by grace alone, through faith The post Here I Stand: Christ Alone appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Galatians 2:15-21 After the death of William Tyndale, God began to stir in the hearts of those in power. Even though King Henry was partly responsible for the execution of William Tyndale, he approved an English translation of the Bible. While the Spirit of God was moving throughout all of Europe through the Reformation, he was doing the same in France through men like John Calvin and monarchs like Queen Marguerite of Navarre (1492-1548). The reformation was birthed in Germany, but it spread The post Here I Stand: Faith Alone appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Timothy 3:16-17 The post Here I Stand: Grace Alone appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
1 Timothy 3:16-17; Isaiah 66:1-2 There was a time when the Church forgot the Christianity of Jesus and the Apostles in the name of religion. Eventually this led to rampant immorality, abuses of power, and the fleecing of entire communities of people who wanted to be good Christians, by those in positions of authority in the Roman Catholic Church. The authority of the Pope and the Church in those days replaced the authority of the Bible. For the first 500 The post Here I Stand: One Book appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Zephaniah 4:14-21 How do you think God thinks about you? How does the holy, all-powerful, all-knowing God feel about you? My goal is to give you something to hold onto as we experience another divisive election season, continued civil unrest, and any anxiety you may be experiencing about an uncertain tomorrow. What I want to say in this sermon is like the epilogue of a great story; Romans was the great story we concluded last week; however, my sermon today The post The God Who Sings appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 16:17-27 In 2018, The New York Times published an article titled, “Scott Hamilton Was Demoted as an Olympic Broadcaster. Don’t Feel Sorry for Him.” Throughout the 80’s, all that Hamilton knew was winning. In 1981, Hamilton won the National and World Figure Skating Championships and then won his first gold medal in the 1984 Olympics. After a long career as a figure skater, Hamilton was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame. When asked during an interview The post Faithfully Enduring a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 15:1-13 Sin vandalizes peace. This is what we are seeing in our nation and in our world. I read a quote from Voddie Baucham that gets to the heart of the real issue we are experiencing in our country, Baucham said the following: “We are not seeing terrible things in our culture because we vote the wrong way, we are seeing terrible things in our culture because men love darkness rather than light.” Think about that quote for a The post Hope in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 14:1-18 I read an article the other day titled, Too Many Pastors are falling on their own Swords, which was published just this past week. I want to read to you a portion of it not because I am your pastor, but because of what it says. I was on a Zoom call recently with 10 pastors across three denominations, when one of the participants shared a struggle with suicidal thoughts in these challenging days. By the time the The post Living for What Matters in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 13:8-14 The average person lives 78 years, which is a total of 28,488 days. Of our 28,488 days, we sleep 8,541 of our 28,488 days away leaving us with only 19,947 days on earth awake. So, how does the average person use his/her average number of days on earth? 5,300 days are consumed watching TV and/or playing video games. 3,988 days are consumed with work. 1,305 days are spent with training and education to make you a better employee The post Living Well in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 13:1-7 By the time Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans, it was around AD 56-57. He most likely had already experienced his first of several imprisonments by the time he wrote his letter, and he certainly had experienced his share of harassment and physical abuse at the hands of people in authority. During his lifetime as an Apostle, Paul had experienced the reign of three Roman Emperors, of whom none were friends of the Church; and of which The post Respect in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Ephesians 4:1-3 The post How to “Unfollow Jesus” in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 12:1-2 Do you know what the number one complaint among millennials is according to Tess Brigham, a millennial therapist? After more than five years of meeting with patients between the ages of 23 and 38, the reason most of them keep coming back for help is because they said: “I have too many choices and I can’t decide what to do.” The fear that brought them into Brigham’s practice had to do with making the wrong choice. Brigham has The post Transformed in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 11:25-36 There is a lot of talk about being “woke” today. To be “woke” is to be “aware of and actively attentive to import facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).[1] The phrase “stay woke” describes a state of being self-aware while questioning the dominant paradigm while striving for something better. I believe that the phrase “stay woke” is gaining popularity today not only because of the death of George Floyd, but because at the core The post The Riches of God in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 11:1-24 Nationalism, according to Anthony Smith, is the “ideological movement for attaining and maintaining autonomy, unity and identity for a population which some of its members deem to constitute an actual or potential ‘nation.’” A person’s “national identity” flows from his or her sense of belonging to a state or nation. One’s national identity flows out of language, cuisine, and skin color. The positive expression of a person’s national identity is patriotism where a person’s national and civic identities The post The Kindness of God in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 10:14-21 The post Good News in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 10:1-13 I want to tell you two stories; one story I heard over ten years ago, and the other story I read this week. Both stories are true and happened during the Tsunami of 2004, and both stories put what has been happening in our nation and the world in perspective for me. The first story is about ten-year-old Tilly Smith and her family who I learned about in Heath Adamson’s book: The Sacred Chase. Two weeks before their The post How Should We Live in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 9:14-29 Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983), who was caught and sent to a German concentration camp for her involvement in hiding Jews from the Nazis in her home, gave sage advice that would do us all good to heed: “If you look at the world, you’ll be distressed. If you look within, you’ll be depressed. If you look at God, you’ll be at rest.” Like many of you, I am not sure what to believe from the media these The post Saved From Shame in a COVID-19 World – Part 3 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 9:6-15 The post Saved From Shame in a COVID-19 World – Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 9:1-5 How many of you remember falling on the pavement when you were little and receiving road rash? How many of you had a parent who insisted on making sure that your road rash was cleaned and that the best way to clean it was with rubbing alcohol or peroxide? What hurt more: receiving the road rash, or receiving the alcohol or peroxide to clean the road rash? After my crash on June 21, 2017, I received road rash The post Saved From Shame in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 8:18-29 Oprah Winfrey once said that, “There’s no greater gift than to honor your life’s calling. It’s why you were born and how you become most truly alive.” Now, just so you all know, I do not believe that Oprah is the greatest source for spiritual advise, but her statement about purpose reminded me of a group of men who met for breakfast and, during their time together, the topic of retirement came up. A man in the group The post No Condemnation in a COVID-19 World – Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 8:1-17 Most of the sermon I have preached have been sermons written and preached to my own heart. The legacy I hope to pass down to my children and my grandchildren are the collection of sermons that I have preached and tried to apply to my own life. Occasionally, I am motivated to write a sermon for a person or for a group. This is one such sermon. I understand loss. I understand the pain that is experienced when The post No Condemnation in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 7:14-25 I want to spend our time this morning by simply introducing Romans 7:13-25, by giving you two simple points as they relate to our lives and why we celebrate communion. So let me begin, first, by stating that there are two different views concerning who it is the apostle Paul is writing about in Romans 7:14-25. Some believe that Paul could not possibly be talking about his experience as a Christian, so they conclude that Paul was really The post Empowered by Jesus to Live in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 6:1-14 On April 6th Hulk Hogan (aka Terry Bollea) posted something on his Instagram that shocked many. His comments drew praise from some and criticism from others. He said: In three short months, just like He did with the plagues of Egypt, God has taken away everything we worship. God said, “you want to worship athletes, I will shut down the stadiums. You want to worship musicians, I will shut down Civic Centers. You want to worship actors, I The post Forgiven to Live in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Live Online Easter Service The post The Victor is Alive! appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Good Friday Service The post Reconciled From a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 4:13-25 Everyone has expectations. Some expectations are legitimate, such as the expectation that my furnace will do its job during the cold nights of winter and heat my home. Another expectation that I have, that I feel is legitimate, is the expectation that when I go home to eat my lunch that the food on my plate was not poisoned by my wife. A not so legitimate expectation to have is that Cheyenne weather will be consistent during the The post Justified to Care in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 3:21-26 Leprosy is a highly contagious debilitating disease that causes severe disfiguring skin sores and nerve damage in the arms, legs, and body. The disease has been around for thousands of years and a cure was only discovered in the 1950’s that is a multi-drug treatment that takes 6-12 months to administer; if leprosy is diagnosed early enough without, the affected person can be cured without long-term disability. Because the leprosy bacterium attacks the nerves, which then affects the The post Redeemed to Love in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Romans 12:9-21 I want you to think for a moment about the ways God pursued you. Each person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus has been wooed into salvation by a loving God who has pursued you until the day you surrendered through faith in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Before surrendering to the unrelenting love of God, the Bible says that your name was a collection of adjectives: Spiritually Dead (Eph. 2:1) Follower The post Following Jesus in a COVID-19 World appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
This week, Pastor Keith finishes the series titled: Who Am I? The post Who Am I . . . When the World Says that I am Not? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on human worth in our fragmented culture. The post Who Am I . . . In a Fragmented Culture? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Guest speaker, Brady Cone with Calibrate Ministries, shared his testimony and challenged us with how to reach those struggling with same-sex attraction. The post Part 2 – Who Am I . . . When I Am Same-Sex Attracted? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on same-sex attraction. The post Who Am I . . . When I Am Same-Sex Attracted? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on loss and divorce. The post Who Am I . . . When I Have Lost So Much? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on suffering. The post Who Am I . . . When I Do Not Feel Whole? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on depression and suicide. The post Who Am I . . . When I am Sad? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled: Who Am I? with a message on loneliness and singleness. The post Who Am I . . . When I am Lonely? appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
This week, Pastor Keith begins a new series titled: Who Am I? The post Fearfully and Wonderfully Made appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Questions for Pastor Keith were submitted over the previous week, and this Sunday he answered the first group of questions. Look for next weeks message for the rest of the questions! The post Q&A with Pastor Keith – Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Questions for Pastor Keith were submitted over the previous week, and this Sunday he answered the first group of questions. Look for next weeks message for the rest of the questions! The post Q&A with Pastor Keith – Part 1 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith shares the Good News of the Gospel that arrived with the birth of Jesus! The post Christmas Eve appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues The Promises of Christmas sermon series. This week we studied Luke 4:16-30 and Revelation 21:1-8 The post The Promise of Peace appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues The Promises of Christmas sermon series. This week we studied Luke 2:22-38 and 2 Peter 3:1-13 The post The Promise of Joy appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith begins The Promises of Christmas sermon series. This week we studied Luke 2:8-22 and 1 Peter 1:3-5 The post The Promise of Life appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 24:1-12. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Death appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 23:26-49. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Sin appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 21:10-19. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of an Uncertain Future appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 18:9-14. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Religion appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 12:32-34. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Stuff appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
2 Kings 7:3-11 Guest Speaker, Paul Mitton, from Converge Rocky Mountain challenges us to be a church on mission to spread the Gospel in our community and around the world. The post The Power of Go appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 12:4-34. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Fear appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 10:1-12. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Safety appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith continues the series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 9:57-62. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Relationships appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith begins a new series titled The Way a study on the Cross and Discipleship. This week, we look at Luke 14:25-31. The post The Way: Overcoming the Obstacle of Our Priorities appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
We exist to develop a culture of Jesus followers who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel. The post Develop – Part 2: Prayerfully Engaging Our Communities appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
We exist to develop a culture of Jesus followers who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel. The post Develop: Prayerfully Engaging Our Communities appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
We exist to develop a culture of Jesus followers who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel. The post Engage: We Exist to do Mission Together appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
We exist to develop a culture of Jesus followers who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel. The post Pray: The Posture of God’s People – Part 2 appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
We exist to develop a culture of Jesus followers who prayerfully engage their communities with the gospel. The post Pray: The Posture of God’s People appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 16 of “The Tree” – the final sermon in our series on the family tree of Jesus. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post Jesus: Redemption’s Purpose appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 15 of the sermon series “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post Jesus: Redemption’s Glory appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 14 of the sermon series “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post Mary: The Dawn of Redemption appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 13 of the sermon series “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post Ichabod: The Darkness of a Departed Glory appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 12 of the sermon series “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post Solomon: The Shattered Hope of Godly Expectations appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 11 of the sermon series “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. Preached by Keith Miller, Lead Pastor of Meadowbrooke. The post David: Longing for Mercy in Light of a Forever Kingdom appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
In this message, Larry Jacobsen teaches on Prayer and how to develop a culture of prayer in our church. The post Prayer appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 10 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. The post David: The Hope of a Forever Kingdom appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keiths message on what baptism means for the follower of Christ. The post Believer’s Baptism appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Dan Nelson - Sometimes I Doubt It, and So Do You The post Doubt appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 9 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree. The post Ruth: The Transformative Power of a Redeemer appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Message from Larry Jacobsen The Fruit of the Spirit Galatians 5 The post The Fruit of the Spirit appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Pastor Keith reviews where we’ve been in recent months as a church and shares Meadowbrooke’s vision and direction for the next 18 months. The post Meadowbrooke Vision appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Galatians 3:10-14 The post The Cursed & The Living appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
Part 8 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Joshua 2:1-24
Joseph, Rachel’s firstborn son with Jacob, was hated by his brothers, sold into slavery, then rose to a place of prominence under the providence of God just as he had dreamed would happen. Joseph brothers conspired together to kill him, but after their brother Reuben talked his brothers out of it, they threw Joseph into a pit. Instead of leaving Joseph in the pit, Judah talked his brothers into selling him to anyone interested in using him for slave labor.
Thirteen years after his brothers thought they were permanently rid of Joseph, as they sought food from Egypt during a great famine, Judah and his brothers found themselves before Joseph, second to only Pharaoh himself. After their meeting, Joseph’s brothers and father moved into Egypt under Joseph’s care. For the next 430 years, their children, and their children’s children lived, but eventually became slaves of another Pharaoh.
During that time, God raised up a man by the name of Moses to deliver his people from the slavery of Egypt to be His people in the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. In the land of Canaan the Hebrew people would be called to serve the nations as God’s Kingdom of priests. After God delivered the Hebrew people through the leadership of Moses, God commissioned His people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel”(Exodus 19:4–6).
By the time we come to the book of Joshua, Moses was dead, Joshua succeeded Moses, and all that separated them from Canaan was the Jordan (Joshua 1:1-11). However, before entering Canaan, Joshua sent two men to spy out the land the previous generation refused to take possession of under the leadership of Moses (Numbers ch. 13-14). The two men that were secretly sent into hostile territory were the two most able and faithful men under Joshua’s command. Unlike the report of the 10 unfaithful spies of Numbers 13, the spies from a new generation understood that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses was big enough to handle whatever Jericho and Canaan would throw at them; there report was simple and direct: “Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands. And also, all the inhabitants of the land melt away because of us” (2:24). However, the success of their mission was largely due to the faith of a Canaanite who was would seem too dirty for the God of the Hebrew people. The Canaanite was the infamous Rahab.
Rahab Was Far from God
I am stating the obvious by labeling Rahab a “sinner.” However, the striking thing about Rahab is that, of the citizens of Jericho, she was the furthest of all the citizens of Canaan from becoming a Yahweh worshiper for two very big reasons.
The first reason was because she not only belonged to the Canaanites, but she was an Amorite; which meant that God had particularly signaled out her people group from destruction for their evil. God had instructed His people in Deuteronomy 20, just what they were to do with the people when they entered the land: “But in the cities of these peoples that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance, you shall save alive nothing that breathes, but you shall devote them to complete destruction, the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, as the Lord your God has commanded, that they may not teach you to do according to all their abominable practices that they have done for their gods, and so you sin against the LORD your God” (20:16–18). Because she was an Amorite, Rahab stood condemned to suffer both the violence of the Hebrew people and the wrath of a holy God. It is for the purpose of leveling her home and city that the spies sought refuge in Rahab’s home.
The second reason we should believe Rahab was far from God has to do with her profession. Rahab was not only an Amorite in Jericho, but she was also a prostitute (Josh 6:25; Heb. 11:31; James 2:25), and Joshua 2 describes Rahab’s home as, “the house of a prostitute” which may have meant that she was not just an average prostitute, but one who ran a brothel. The Bible says horrible things regarding the sexually immoral:
“For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.” (Eph. 5:5)“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Heb. 13:4)“Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, lest the land fall into prostitution and the land become full of depravity.” (Lev. 19:29)
The spies had no interest in proselytizing any of the inhabitants of Jericho, especially a prostitute like Rahab. The reason the spies found their way into her home was because a whorehouse was a place where one could expect not to be questioned. As far as the spies were concerned, Rahab and her house deserved the same impending judgment that waited for the rest of Jericho. When the king of Jericho confronted Rahab about the two spies, she answered: “True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from.” She was then able to get the king and his men to look elsewhere for the spies by telling them, “…when the gate was about to be closed at dark, the men went out. I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them.” The men went looking for the spies where Rahab directed them because they had no reason to believe that she lied to them (see vv. 3-7).
God Came Near to Rahab
The second thing we learn of Rahab was that she was a seeker. What do I mean by the word “seeker”? Long before the spies ever set foot in her brothel, God was already at work in this woman. We know that Rahab was a seeker and God was at work in this woman because of what she said to the spies:
I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. Now then, please swear to me by the Lord that, as I have dealt kindly with you, you also will deal kindly with my father’s house, and give me a sure sign that you will save alive my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death. (Joshua 2:9–13)
Rahab helped the spies because she had heard about the God of the Hebrews and how He delivered them from the bondage of Egypt. This prostitute risked her life to save the spies, because of what she had heard regarding their God. God has moved in such ways in the hearts of people throughout human history.
One of my favorite stories took place in Myanmar near the city of Yangon in 1795 when an English diplomat entered a remote village near Yangon, which electrified the people of the village who were drawn out of their homes to see the white face of the foreigner. One of the villagers, who was of the Koran tribe, explained to the diplomat’s Burmese guide if the white diplomat was the “brother” whom the village expected would bring them their lost book. When the diplomat asked what book they were referring too, the villagers explained: “He is supposed to bring a book just like one our forefathers lost long ago” as they waited with baited breath to receive it once again. The diplomat inquired who the author of the book was, to which the villager replied: The author is Y-wa—the Supreme God. The white man who will give us this book will thereby set us free from all who oppress us.”[1]
It wasn’t until February 19, 1812 that a white man by the name of Adoniram Judson first stepped foot upon Myanmar soil with his wife Ann. Eleven years after his arrival, on July 12, 1823 Adoniram complete the New Testament in Burmese and part of the book that the Karen people waited for, was finally given to them.
Similarly, God moved in Rahab’s heart and mind in a like way. She heard of the great power of the Hebrew God and hoped for His mercy when His people would soon bring His wrath upon Jericho in His name. Rahab and her family were not only spared, but they were also brought into the community of God’s people. In fact, Rahab is listed among those who were revered for their great faith in epistle to the Hebrews: “By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies” (Heb. 11:31). When she heard about the God of the Hebrew people and how He delivered them, Rahab heard how Yahweh conquered all of the Egyptian gods by making a mockery of them with every plague brought upon Egyptians. She most likely heard how Yahweh instructed His people to mark their door posts with the blood of a lamb without any defects. The God of the Hebrews was unlike the gods she grew up worshiping, for the Hebrew God was One who not only loved His people, but he was active and alive!
When Rahab heard about Yahweh, faith was born within the prostitute just as it can only be birthed when people hear about him: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17). Rahab’s newfound faith resulted in action when the mercy of the only true and holy God came to her in the form of two Hebrew spies who represented the living God. Just as God spared every home that was marked by the blood of the lamb in Egypt, so Rahab was instructed to tie a scarlet cord and hang it from her window so that when the time came when God’s people brought upon the city of Jericho His wrath, Rahab and all in her home would be spared, and so she was. What is amazing to me, though, is that Rahab was not only spared, but she also became a member of the people of God.
As a member of the Hebrew people, Rahab met a Hebrew man by the same of Salmon and the two got married and had a son by the name of Boaz. Boaz would become the great-grandfather of King David. The tsunami of God’s love for an outsider like Rahab not only resulted in her salvation from a judgment she deserved, but included her as an ancestress of God’s son Jesus Christ.
Application
Consider the people included in Jesus family tree; each person included in His bloodline was used to illustrate that they were the kinds of people He came to die for. The infant Messiah was born to redeem:
God-usurpers like Adam and Eve,Conniving husbands like Abraham and wives like Sara,Compromising father’s like Lot and his morally debased daughters,The Leah’s of the world who long for the love of a father or the affection of their husbands,The Judah’s of the world who have used women for their own gain,Tamar’s of the world who have been used by men like Judah, and…Whores like Rahab.
There is a scarlet thread that runs through the Bible, and that thread is the promise of a redeemer who was eventually born to Mary the virgin. What Rahab’s story teaches us is that we are all Rahab in need of salvation from a judgment we all deserve.
Rahab was far from God who was brought closer through faith and a scarlet cord; we were outsiders brought to closer to God, because of the shed blood of Jesus Christ who didn’t hang from a window, but on a cross in our place.
[1] Don Richardson. Eternity in Their Hearts (Ventura, CA: Regal Books; 1981), p. 76.
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Part 7 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 38 Of all the stories we have looked at so far in this sermon series, the story of Judah and Tamar is the most shocking. When reading through Genesis, this story seems to come out of nowhere. In Genesis 37, Judah and his brothers conspired together to sell their brother Joseph into slavery to get rid of him and then in Genesis 39-48, we learn of Joseph’s love for God, moral purity, and humility in contrast to his brothers, especially that of Judah. Old Testament critics of the Bible used to suggest that because the story of Judah and Tamar is placed where it is in Genes, it must have been added later with no real purpose in the overall Genesis narrative. The reality is that Genesis 38 is right where it is supposed to be and is placed in the story purposefully and deliberately.
If there was ever a circumstance that grace seemed unable to overcome, it is in the lives of Judah and Tamar. Genesis 38 begins, “It happened at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and turned aside to a certain Adullamite, whose name was Hirah. There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua. He took her and went in to her, and she conceived and bore a son, and he called his name Er” (Genesis 38:1–3).
Judah’s Sins Were Great (vv. 1-11)
Judah grew up under the faith of his father Jacob, Isaac and Abraham. Abraham forbade Isaac from marrying any Canaanite women. Isaac forbade Jacob from marrying any Canaanite women. Throughout the Old Testament the Hebrew people were warned of the cultural and religious practices of the Canaanites and the danger of such people leading the them away from the worship of Yahweh. The Bible specifically stated to the Hebrew people: “You shall not intermarry with them [the Canaanites], giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods” (Deut. 7:2-3).
For background, permit me to share just a little bit of kind of gods that the Canaanite people worshiped. El, which means: god most high, is the head of the Canaanite gods. El is known for dethroning his father (Uranus), the murder of his favorite son, the and the beheading of his daughter. El is also known for seducing two women and allowed them to be driven into the desert after the birth of their children, Dawn and Sunset. With the character of the chief god of the Canaanites being what it is, can you imagine what kind of behavior characterized the priests and worshipers of El?
We know that Judah was headed down the slippery slope of moral compromise towards spiritual apostasy because he not only married a Canaanite, but looked for Canaanite women for his children to marry beginning with Er when he was of age. A secondary problem was that Er was already part Hebrew and part Canaanite with a nominally religious father and a pagan worshiping mother. A third problem we encounter in the story is that Er was already wicked. By the time Judah found Tamar as a wife for his first born son, Er was so wicked that God had to intervene by killing him because what was at stake was the promise of Genesis 49:10, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until tribute comes to him; and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.” So, let’s take a look at verses 6-11 for the purpose of getting a clearer grasp on Judah’s sin and Tamar’s shame:
And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also. Then Judah said to Tamar his daughter-in-law, “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up”—for he feared that he would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house.
A few things that were true of the culture of the time. In Tamar’s day, women could not just go out and get a job; the success and welfare of a family was dependent upon one’s property and offspring. If a woman was widowed with a child from her deceased husband, then she would not only be left without an inheritance, but no one to provide and protect her. The childless widow essentially would be left in a very vulnerable predicament with the only options available being prostitution or death. There was a practice, known as the Levirate Marriage Law, that was not only common for agricultural societies for the survival of a clan, but also one endorsed in the Bible: “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel” (Deut. 25:5-6).
After Er died, Judah arranged for his second oldest son to marry Tamar so that the name of Er would continue and so that his property could remain with Tamar and her child. However, every time Onan had sex with Tamar, he would “waste the semen on the ground” to keep her from becoming pregnant. He also did this because he wanted the rights and inheritance that was entitled to Er as the firstborn son of Judah. Because of his choices, God killed him too, which left Tamar widowed yet again and Judah in the predicament of giving his youngest son to Tamar in marriage when he was of age. However, after losing the two sons that married Tamar, Judah was afraid that his youngest and only son would suffer the same fate and was not willing risk having his only remaining son marry her. So he lied to Tamar by assuring her: “Remain a widow in your father’s house, till Shelah my son grows up.” However, Judah was not interested in Tamar’s future as a widow, but the welfare of the only son left in family. We are then told in the text that Tamar did what her father-in-law suggested: “So Tamar went and remained in her father’s house” (v. 11).
Tamar’s Pursuit of Justice was Godless (vv. 12-23)
“In the course of time…” I am not sure how much time elapsed after Judah sent Tamar off to her father’s house, but Judah’s youngest son was grown and there had still been no word from Judah about his promise to his daughter-in-law. At this point, it was obvious to Tamar that Judah had no intention of serving as her protector and provider as any good father-in-law was obligated to do. Judah only wanted to forget that Tamar even existed.
So after Judah’s wife died and Tamar heard that he was going up the shear sheep, “she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil, wrapping herself up, and sat at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah” (v. 14). Tamar’s plan was to look like a prostitute, because she knew that the character of her father-in-law was not all that different from his two deceased sons. I believe Tamar knew exactly what she was doing when she took off her widow’s garments and covered herself with a veil; her plan was to receive what Judah promised: an heir for his oldest son and security for herself. Tamar’s plan worked out as she had hoped: “When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute, for she had covered her face. He turned to her at the roadside and said, “Come, let me come in to you,” for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, “What will you give me, that you may come in to me”” (vv. 15–16)?
“What will you give me…?” Tamar asked. Her question was a play on Judah’s refusal to give her his youngest son. Because Judah was a man of affluence, he promised to send her a young goat in exchange for sex, and because she already knew that her father-in-law was not a man of his word, she responded: “If you give me a pledge, until you send it…” When Judah asked what would serve as a suitable pledge, she requested his signet, cord, and staff; the seal was hardened clay with a unique impression that identified the owner. Tamar knew that if her plan worked, she would need to provide proof that her father-in-law had intercourse with her. What is even more disturbing about the encounter Judah had with Tamar was that she was believed to be a “cult prostitute,” which gives us some sense for Judah’s religious convictions.
To be clear, Tamar is no saint in this story. Tamar used sexual entrapment and a form of incest to receive what she was owed. However, not only do we learn that Judah is a man of his own passions with his marriage to a Canaanite woman, disregard of the God of his ancestors by seeking out Canaanite women for his sons, but we also learn of his willingness to take advantage of another woman for his own personal gratification. The people of Yahweh and the descendants of Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were called to pursue justice, peace, truth, and righteousness; these are four traits that Judah completely lacks.
God’s Grace Broke through the Sins of Judah and Tamar (vv. 24-30)
Things become even more interesting in verse 24 when we learn that Tamar’s plan worked: “About three months later Judah was told, ‘Tamar your daughter-in-law has been immoral. Moreover, she is pregnant by immorality.’” In verse 27, Tamar was not only pregnant, but pregnant with twins, one of which would become the ancestor of Jesus. That twin was named Perez, which means “Breaking Through.” Through Judah and Tamar’s scandalous acts, the line of the kings that would eventually lead to the birth of David and then Jesus was preserved.
Regarding the heart of Judah, if his marriage to a Canaanite woman, the wickedness of his two older sons, his treatment of his twice widowed daughter, and his taking advantage of his widowed daughter for his own sexual gratification was not enough, his wickedness shines through his response to his now pregnant daughter-in-law. When it was reported to him that Tamar was pregnant, Judah said: “Bring her out, and let her be burned.” Judah’s response was the façade of righteous indignation and pure hatred for the life of another. Even though he set Tamar up with a son he already knew was evil, he ignored her when she was at her weakest and most vulnerable, and after learning of her pregnancy, he was ready to be completely rid of her by having her killed.
However, it in verse 25, only when Judah learns that he is the father, does he spare her life: “As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, ‘By the man to whom these belong, I am pregnant.’ And she said, ‘Please identify whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.’” Tamar uses a Hebrew word that is very important in the story that means to discern, realize or to recognize; it is as if Tamar is telling Judah to look at his own sin and see that he too deserves to be burned.
I believe that what happens next in the story is the spiritual equivalent of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac and Jacob’s wrestling with the Angel of the Lord: “Then Judah identified (recognized, discerned) them and said, ‘She is more righteous than I…” (v. 26). In other words, the one who had the legal right to punish Tamar for her sin (even thought he was guilty too), pronounced her righteous in spite of her sins. When Tamar was about to be punished, because she carried the messianic seed within her… she was saved.
At this moment of confrontation, Judah was able to see his sin for what it was. We are told that, “…he did not know her again.” This concluding sentence clues us into the fact that something changed with Judah in that moment as well. When we come to Genesis 44, we learn of an older Judah who was not interested in his one self-gratification, his own life, or his own prosperity, but the lives of others. In Genesis 44, we discover a Judah who was willing to sacrifice himself in exchange of the salvation of his younger brother.
Application
On the day Judah’s two sons were due to be born, they not only served to replace the two sons he lost to death, but they also served as a way for redemption:
When the time of her labor came, there were twins in her womb. And when she was in labor, one put out a hand, and the midwife took and tied a scarlet thread on his hand, saying, “This one came out first.” But as he drew back his hand, behold, his brother came out. And she said, “What a breach you have made for yourself!” Therefore his name was called Perez. Afterward his brother came out with the scarlet thread on his hand, and his name was called Zerah. (Genesis 38:27–30)
The name “Perez” means “breaking through.” This is how the grace and mercy of God invaded the lives of both Judah and Tamar: It broke through into their hearts and lives in such a way it changed them forever. The grace and mercy of God “broke through” into Tamar’s life with the redemption of what she lost as a widow through the birth of her first born. The grace and mercy of God “broke through” into Judah’s life by forcing him to see his heart for what it was and by compelling him to repent and become a new man.
But more profoundly, through the ugliness of sin and the actions of both Judah and Tamar, God brought forth a son out of the darkness, who was the ancestor of Jesus, and who would one day light up the darkness; One who would be the perfect Lamb of God and the perfect Lion of Judah. Out of Perez would come Boaz, and out of Boaz would come King David, and out of David would come Jesus. However, through Jesus would come the blessing promised for the nations. Into the darkness of a sin cursed world was born a savior (Luke 2:10-11).
Reflecting upon his own encounter with Jesus and how grace broke through the almost impenetrable walls of his Christless, religious zeal, the Apostle Paul stated something we should all identify with: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But I received mercy for this reason, as the worst of sinners, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” Here is the truth: our sin can never outdo God’s grace just as the hymn, In Christ Alone celebrates:
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe! This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied; For ev’ry sin on Him was laid— Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain; Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me; For I am His and He is mine— Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
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Part 6 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 29:14-35 The Bible is so real, so raw, and relevant to life! It does not paint a pretty picture of what happens when you bring multiple sin-cursed people into a relationship together. The people who comprise Jesus’ family tree were real, historical people. Genesis 29 introduces us to a self-centered and deceitful man by the name of Jacob, and a girl no-one wanted that wound up being Jacob’s wife.
When God told Abraham that he would bless him, He promised that through Abraham’s descendants, a child would be born who would bless the nations. Abraham and Sarah had a son named Isaac who later married Rebecca and was blessed with a set of twins of whom God made the following promise:
“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided;the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Gen. 25:23)
God told Isaac and Rebecca, specifically, that the seed of promise would not be the older son, but the younger. When Rachel gave birth to her two babies, we are told: “The first came out red, all his body like a hairy cloak, so they called his name Esau. Afterward his brother came out with his hand holding Esau’s heel, so his name was called Jacob” (vv. 25-26). Jacob literally means “heal grabber.” Yet, regardless of what God said of Jacob, Isaac favored Esau more.
Culture demanded that Isaac bless his first-born, but God had decreed that Jacob would be the recipient of what was entitled culturally to the Esau. Esau was a “man’s man”; he was strong and had a natural gift for hunting. Jacob, however, was a mama’s boy who grew up “a quiet man, dwelling in tents” (v. 27). The tone of the Isaac and Rebekah’s family dynamics is illustrated in verse 28, “Isaac loved Esau because he ate of his game, but Rebekah loved Jacob.”
The sad thing about the way Isaac and Rebekah treated their sons is that Esau grew up to be a willful, proud, self-centered man, who exercised little self-control. Jacob grew up to be a self-centered liar, deceiver, and manipulator. We see Esau’s lack of self-control and the manipulative skill of Jacob in the last paragraph of Genesis 25,
Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” (Therefore his name was called Edom.) Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (Genesis 25:29–34)
These verses highlight Esau’s dismissive attitude towards the honor of being the first-born as a descendant of Abraham. Esau cared more about his stomach than he did his identity in Abraham; he was willing to trade in what was eternal for what was temporary—a bowl of stew! Jacob was no better, for he manipulated his brother in a moment of weakness.[1] Jacob’s lying, deceiving, manipulating character reached its climax when he and his mother conspired together to deceive Isaac after he planned to give Esau the blessing of the firstborn in spite of what God said of Jacob:
When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, “My son”; and he answered, “Here I am.” He said, “Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die.” (Genesis 27:1–4)
After Esau went out as instructed by his father, Rebekah pulled Jacob aside and plotted against her oldest son and her husband:
Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, Rebekah said to her son Jacob, “I heard your father speak to your brother Esau, ‘Bring me game and prepare for me delicious food, that I may eat it and bless you before the Lord before I die.’ Now therefore, my son, obey my voice as I command you. Go to the flock and bring me two good young goats, so that I may prepare from them delicious food for your father, such as he loves. And you shall bring it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.” But Jacob said to Rebekah his mother, “Behold, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a smooth man. Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him and bring a curse upon myself and not a blessing.” His mother said to him, “Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my voice, and go, bring them to me.” (Genesis 27:5–13, ESV)
So Jacob did as his mother instructed, deceived his father into blessing him while Esau was hunting, and Esau hated his brother for it (see Gen. 27:30-45). Yet, even though Jacob was, at this point in his life-story a lying, deceiving, manipulating jerk, God was still committed to His promise to Abraham and to Jacob as his man:
Jacob left Beersheba and went toward Haran. And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:10–16)
After Jacob’s dream, he traveled to see his uncle Laban to take for himself a wife from one of his daughters just has his mother and father instructed.
Outside of Eden We Want Rachel (Gen. 29:1-20)
When Laban learned that his nephew had come to see him, he “ran to meet him and embraced him and kissed him and brought him to his house” (Gen. 29:13). Jacob stayed with his uncle for a month and fell in love with Rachel, the younger daughter of Laban (v. 18). His love for Rachel is explained in verses 16 through 18, “Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah’s eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.”
I am not sure exactly what is meant by Leah’s eyes being weak; some commentators think that she was cross-eyed, others think that they were sunken, baggy, or even bulging. I think that compared to her gorgeous sister, Rachel, Leah was average. Laban recognized the difference in his daughters by the names he had given to them; the Hebrew meaning for Leah can mean “wild cow” or “gazelle,” while the Hebrew meaning for Rachel is “ewe” or “lamb” which was more of a term of endearment. Rachel was beautiful and Jacob loved her for her beauty.
When his uncle offered to pay Jacob for his work, Jacob offered to work for seven years in exchange for the hand of Laban’s younger daughter in marriage. Laban agreed. “So Jacob worked seven years to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days” (Genesis 29:20, NLT). Rachel was the apple of his eye; Rachel was all Jacob wanted and all he probably felt he needed, for he was willing to work for his uncle for no other wage, but the hand of his daughter in marriage. Jacob, like Jerry Mcquire, in a dog-eat-dog world, full of cynicism and grief, may have felt that having Rachel with him would satisfy him and bring a measure of happiness that had eluded him growing up.
On this side of Eden, we all want a Rachel to bring us happiness. We might not call it “Rachel.” But, we feel it in movies like Jerry McGuire, we all long for an Oz, and our hearts beat for the Grey Havens of Lord of the Rings. We do not want Leah, we want Rachel.
Outside of Eden We Get Leah (Gen. 29:21-30)
After Jacob completed the seven years of work, he asked to have Rachel as his wife: “Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife; I’ve completed what we agreed I’d do. I’m ready to consummate my marriage.’ Laban invited everyone around and threw a big feast” (Genesis 29:21–22, The Message). Finally, Jacob was about to receive what he had longed for; finally, his life would become sweet. The wedding party commenced, the meal was eaten, and the wine consumed. The bride was presented to Jacob during the wedding banquet veiled at night with Jacob, mostly likely, feeling pretty good from the wine, and Laban deceived Jacob. “But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and he went in to her. And in the morning, behold, it was Leah!”
When Jacob discovered that he was not married to the woman of his dreams, but to the weak-eyed daughter whose name meant “wild cow” he was irate. He had been deceived just like he deceived his brother Esau. The life Jacob had dreamed for himself seemed to be shattered: “And Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me’” (v. 25)? Laban manipulated Jacob again out of seven years of free labor with the added bonus of getting rid of his oldest daughter by selling another lie: “It is not so done in our country, to give the younger before the firstborn. Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me another seven years” (vv. 26-27). Tim Keller, in a sermon on this passage, made the following observation:
One of the most fascinating things in the narrative is the way it turns on you, because here is Jacob saying, “Finally, finally I’m going to have happiness in this life. Finally, finally I have Rachel!” But behold in the morning it was Leah. There is a very interesting little commentary written by one of my favorite writers, Derrick Kidner. He puts it this way. Derrick Kidner says, “But in the morning, behold, it was Leah. This is a miniature of our disillusionment, experienced from Eden onwards.”
Do you know what he is saying? He is saying everybody in this room needs to know … you critically need to know it … no matter what your hopes for a project, no matter what your hopes for marriage, no matter what your hopes for love, no matter what your hopes for a career, no matter what you have hopes in, in the morning it will always be Leah. No matter what you think is Rachel, it will always be Leah.[2]
Outside of Eden We Still Have Hope
The wedding celebration lasted seven days; convincing Jacob to finish out the celebration with Leah, would give sufficient opportunity for Leah to get pregnant. When the week was over, according to verse 30, Jacob took Rachel as his wife: “Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah, and served Laban for another seven years.” However, due to the pervasive greed of both Jacob and Laban, Leah was caught in the middle and loved by no one, for Leah was hated and Rachel was loved.
The irony of Leah’s story is that the only person that was for her was God himself: “When the LORD saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren” (v. 31). The heart-rending part about Leah’s story is that after each birth of each of her children, while God blessed her, the love of her husband that she desperately longed for eluded her. Listen to Leah’s response to each child born to her:
“And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, ‘Because the LORD has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me.’” (v. 32)
“She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “Because the LORD has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also.’ And she called his name Simeon.” (v. 33)
“Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons.’ Therefore his name was called Levi.” (v. 34)
“And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praise the LORD.’ Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.” (v. 35)
I wish Leah’s story ended with her praising the LORD, but it didn’t. Like Sara in the story of Abraham, Rachel also used a servant to bare children, because she was not able to bear any children, while her older sister seemed to be a baby-making factory. Leah, did the same as well. What followed, seemed to be a feud between Leah and Rachel as to who could score the most babies through their servants. God eventually blessed Leah with two more sons and finally a daughter, but her desire for the affection and love from her husband never waned, nor was it ever satisfied (see Gen. 30:19-21). The only two children Rachel was able to have was Joseph and Benjamin; the birth of her second son killed her.
Application
The irony of Leah’s story is that the one who was frowned upon by her father, rejected by her husband, and hated by her younger sister, was favored by God. The promise God made to Jacob that the nations would be blessed through his seed, did not come from the wife he idolized, but from the woman God blessed, for out of Leah came Judah. The descendants of Judah would be known as the Tribe of Judah; out of Judah would come the line of kings that would eventually include David, and then ultimately conclude with Jesus.
Out of a relationship, shaped by the evil intentions of the two most important men in her life, Leah was blessed with seven children (which is the number symbolic in the Bible for completeness or perfection). Of her seven children, was one of whom the scriptures promised, “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet” (49:10).
From Leah’s story and the story of the Bible, we learn three powerful lessons:
Your sin-induced behavior will have consequences from which others will suffer. The first group of people who will be victimized by your sin are the members of your family. Remember that in dealing with your spouse and your children, to seek their forgiveness when you have sinned against them and to give the gift of forgiveness when it is needed. Because you were born a sinner, you will sin against those closest to you.
In this life, we tend to look for Rachel, but seem to always wind up with Leah. We look for Rachel, because we believe we have worked for her, or that we deserve her, but in the end we are eventually disappointed. Remember that our hearts are idol factories that tend to make good things, ultimate things. The only way to get rid of the idols of your heart is to replace them with Jesus.
We were made for someone better than Rachel. There is only one who can complete you and make you whole. That one is not your spouse, your child, or your community. The one who is better than Rachel is Jesus Christ. While speaking to a woman who was always looking for a better “Rachel” in the form of one relationship with a man after another, Jesus met her and told her that that reason that she could not find the satisfaction that her thirsty soul longed for, was because she was looking for it in placed that could not provide it. “Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:13–14, ESV)
[1] Lest we are tempted to look down upon Esau for trading in his birthright, we are guilty of doing the same thing when we confuse our identity in Jesus Christ for our place of employment, friendships, stuff, or relationships.
[2] Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church.
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Part 5 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 13, 14 & 19 Entitlement is the belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment. Entitlement looks like the kid who threw a fit because he received thirty-seven gifts for his birthday last year, and only received thirty-six this year. Entitlement looks like the ungrateful child whose grandmother gave him a $20 gift card, but rather than saying “thankyou” she said: “That’s it?” Entitlement looks like the new college student who is devastated to learn that there is no one on campus who will wash his dirty clothes or clean his room.
Entitlement chains a person to their victimhood and blinds that person from seeing the good within their reach. The daughters of Lot were such people.
Lot was the nephew of Abraham. Where Abraham’s life ended with hope, redemption, and encouragement for all who read this, Lot’s story ends tragically and leaves its reader with a sense of pity, fear, and disgust. The conclusion of Lot’s story is found in Genesis 19:30-38:
Afterward Lot left Zoar because he was afraid of the people there, and he went to live in a cave in the mountains with his two daughters. One day the older daughter said to her sister, “There are no men left anywhere in this entire area, so we can’t get married like everyone else. And our father will soon be too old to have children. Come, let’s get him drunk with wine, and then we will have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father.” So that night they got him drunk with wine, and the older daughter went in and had intercourse with her father. He was unaware of her lying down or getting up again. The next morning the older daughter said to her younger sister, “I had sex with our father last night. Let’s get him drunk with wine again tonight, and you go in and have sex with him. That way we will preserve our family line through our father.” So that night they got him drunk with wine again, and the younger daughter went in and had intercourse with him. As before, he was unaware of her lying down or getting up again. As a result, both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their own father. When the older daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Moab. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Moabites. When the younger daughter gave birth to a son, she named him Ben-ammi. He became the ancestor of the nation now known as the Ammonites. (Genesis 19:30–38, NLT)
Lot’s life ended so horribly, I believe, for four reasons.
Lot Trusted His Own Wisdom over God’s Promise(Gen. 13)
Genesis 13 states that because growing flocks, herds, and tents, the relationship between herdsmen that worked for Abram and the herdsmen that worked for Lot began to grow tense. To settle the escalating tension, Abraham made the following suggestion: “Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herdsmen and my herdsmen, for we are kinsmen. Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right, or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left” (vv. 8-9). So it happened: “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar.” Lot saw that the grass was greener in the Jordan Valley and chose the better land for himself (Genesis 13:10–13).
Lot, no doubt, knew of God’s promises to Abraham. There were other ways for the two men to resolve the disputes between their herdsmen, but instead, they thought it best to part ways. Abraham gave Lot the opportunity to choose what he wanted, but rather than relying on his uncle for wisdom, Lot chose the option that would best benefit him.
There are two hints in Genesis 13:10 that tell us Lot’s choice had little to do with God: The first thing we learn from verse 10 is that Lot chose selfishly: “Lot lifted up his eyes and saw that the Jordan Valley was well watered everywhere like the garden of the Lord. He did not ask the LORD which choice was better for his family and his own soul, but instead took the land that he believed would benefit him materially.
The second hint we are given is in Genesis 13:10. Lot saw that the Jordan Valley was not only like the garden of the LORD, but also, “like the land of Egypt…” If you recall from the previous sermon, Abraham and Sarah found trouble in Egypt just a few verses earlier when the famine in the land of Canaan was severe (13:1) and Abraham chose to go to Egypt instead. Lot was with Abraham when their lack of faith in God’s promise led them to Egypt and he witnessed what happens when people base their decisions on feeling rather than faith in God. Still, Lot desired what Egypt had in spite of the promise of God.
Lot Distanced Himself from the Voice of God(Gen. 14; 19:1)
The second thing that led to Lot’s tragic end was that, although his uncle represented the voice of God (as imperfect as he was), Lot moved away from Abraham in search for something better. And, when it came to Sodom, Lot could not stay away. First, Lot settled “among the cities of the valley and moved his tent as far as Sodom,” (13:12) and in Genesis 19:1, Lot found himself, not just a resident of Sodom, but a prominent man in a city filled with, “great sinners against the Lord.” Even when Lot had the opportunity to leave, he chose otherwise.
In Genesis 14, Lot became the victim of war between several regional kings. Sodom and Gomorrah was pillaged and Lot was taken captive. In response, Abraham took 318 fighting men and rescued his nephew and his nephew’s people. After he rescued Lot and defeated the armies, Abraham said something to the Kings that was is very interesting: “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’” (14:22–23)
In contrast to Lot, who was interested in how he could benefit from Sodom, Abraham was convinced that his blessing came from God; therefore, he saw no need to keep any of the wealth of Sodom that Abraham took from the kings who took his nephew. Abraham wanted God to receive the glory from his successes. After witnessing Abraham’s military success over the four kings, and after watching his uncle refuse the wealth of Sodom and Gomorrah, it would have made sense for Lot rejoin Abraham. Instead, Lot chose the city of Sodom over the presence of God within the company his uncle. In effect, Lot distanced himself from the voice of God.
Lot Cared More about Himself than His Family(Gen. 19:1- 22)
Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah was great “and their sin is very grave” (Gen 18:20), God planned to completely destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. Before destroying the city in which Lot lived, God told Abraham of his plans. Most likely out of concern for his nephew, Abraham pleaded with God to spare the city if even 10 righteous people dwelled there. God agreed, but not even 10 righteous people could be found.
However, God had sent two angels to rescue Lot (for the second time) from the impending doom that awaited his neighbors. When Lot saw the angels, whom I believe to have been disguised as men, he offered them his hospitality:
The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said, “My lords, please turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then you may rise up early and go on your way.” They said, “No; we will spend the night in the town square.” But he pressed them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house. And he made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. (Genesis 19:1–3)
The first three verses provide indication that Lot did have some religious convictions. After the men agreed to come to his house, he made them a meal and, “baked unleavened bread…” (v. 3). That Lot baked “unleavened bread” tells us that He was a worshiper of Yahweh like Adam, Seth, Noah, and his uncle.
Lot was probably not unlike many of the men we find in our churches today. Men who believe in God, claim to follow Jesus, and enjoy knowing and worshiping Him, but find themselves torn between two worlds: the world they can touch, feel, and prosper materially from, and the distant, unseen, but promised world. The question we should ask ourselves at this point in Lot’s story is why did he not move with his family to a safer place?
The events that took place after Lot invited the men into his home is shocking (for emphasis, this passage is from the New Living Translation):
But before they retired for the night, all the men of Sodom, young and old, came from all over the city and surrounded the house. They shouted to Lot, “Where are the men who came to spend the night with you? Bring them out to us so we can have sex with them!” So Lot stepped outside to talk to them, shutting the door behind him. “Please, my brothers,” he begged, “don’t do such a wicked thing. Look, I have two virgin daughters. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do with them as you wish. But please, leave these men alone, for they are my guests and are under my protection. (Genesis 19:4–8, NLT)
What!?!? Lot felt morally obligated to protect the men he took into his home, but no moral obligation to protect his two virgin daughters. The men of the city then attempted to break into the house, but the angels blinded them so that Lot and his family to leave before the city was destroyed, but Lot cared more about himself than his own family.
Even after what happened the night before, Lot still hesitated to leave the place that God had decided to destroy because it was so utterly wicked. “As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city.” But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the Lord being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city” (Genesis 19:15–16).
Lot Feared People More than He Trusted God(Gen. 19:23-39)
Lot, his wife, and his two daughters did leave Sodom along with Lot’s two sons-in-law, and all that he had loved. God destroyed the city which, I believe, had become the idol of Lot’s heart. After all that they had experienced, from the horror of the Lot potentially handing his daughters over to the men of the city, to the supernatural intervention of God, Lot’s wife could not bring herself to simply walk away. Against the command to leave and not look back upon the city, Lot’s wife looked, and she meet a tragic end by becoming a pillar of salt.
Under the wrath of a God whose patience ran dry over Sodom and Gomorrah, Abraham looked on from a distance:
And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the Lord. And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace. So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.” (Genesis 19:27–29)
Because Lot stayed in Sodom when he should have moved back under the care of his uncle, his wife and two sons-in-law died. All that was left of Lot and his clan were his two daughters. The angels encouraged him to flee with his family to the hills, but Lot wanted to remain in the valley in a small city called Zoar. His wish was granted and the angels promised Lot that he and his family would be safe there. However, out of fear for his life and disregard of the angels’ promise, Lot went to the hills and made his home in a cave. Lot’s lack of faith in the promise of God, and the desire to make a name for himself, landed him in a cave alone with the only family he had left. In Zoar, Lot could have found new husbands for both of his daughters, but he was paralyzed by fear and a distrust that the God of his uncle could keep him safe.
Returning to the first passage of the sermon (Genesis 19:30-38), it was fear of not having children like the other women they knew that emboldened Lot’s daughters to become pregnant by getting their father drunk and raping him. Both became pregnant and the oldest daughter named her son Moab from whom came the Moabites, and the younger daughter named her son Ben-ammi, from whom came the Ammonites. Both groups became known for their gross idolatry and immorality. The Moabites worshiped the god, Chemosh, while the Ammonites worshiped the god, Molech. Followers of both deities would offer their children as sacrifices to be burned in the fires of their god.
Application
Lot ended up the way he did for the same reason so many find themselves in the place they had never thought possible. Perhaps now, many are convinced that there is no redemption. However, there is a wisdom to be gained, four things in particular, through the story of Lot’s life:
Do not trust in the apparent wisdom of our age or your own self-imposed wisdom over what God has said or promised. Everything God has said and promised in his Book is ultimately for your good.Creating distance between you and the voice of God will eventually result in the fickleness of other voices, including your own, to replace the one responsible for creating all things out of nothing, because of his goodness and love, for your joy and satisfaction.God has made us for a contentment and a peace that can only be experienced with a life centered primarily on a love for God, and secondarily, on a love for others. Human flourishing cannot be experienced in a universe where idols are its center.If you are a Christian, the best antidote for fear of anything or any person is a right understanding of who God is and what He thinks of you.
In 1996, I took a class on Buddhism and the life of Siddhartha Gautama taught by a devout Buddhist out of a motivation to understand Myanmar and the culture in which my wife grew up. I absolutely enjoyed the class, but at the same time, felt deep remorse over the millions who ascribe to its worldview. Throughout the class I built friendships with my classmates as well as my professor and enjoyed many conversations with them about Jesus Christ and what it means to be a Christian.
I will never forget one of the classes when the professor took out of his bag a broken clay bowl and asked, “Is this a perfect bowl.” There was silence, because most of the class either believed the question to be a trick or they just didn’t know the right answer. I finally broke the silence with an answer: “No. The broken bowel is not perfect” I said. “Why can’t this bowl be a perfect broken bowl?” ask my professor. I understood the point that the professor was trying to make, so I again responded, “the bowel is not perfect, because it can no longer serve that purpose for which all bowels were originally created.” I will never forget the response of one of my classmates, with whom I had shared the gospel with earlier that day. She turned around to look at me and said in a voice loud enough for the entire class room to hear, “Well, I guess I am a broken bowl then.”
The wisdom of our age will tell you that it is okay to be broken, and will try to convince you to accept your brokenness as perfection. That is wrong. Our brokenness is because we are all under a curse. Our brokenness is the result of our being born sinners that our world and your world is not the way it is supposed to be.
You may be sitting here today “broken” because you were the victim of someone else’s perverted idea of entitlement – an entitlement that led to abuses suffered verbally, physically, emotionally, or even sexually. You may be sitting here today in the wake of the destruction your own sense of sin-induced entitlement that has left a trail or pattern of destruction. You may be sitting here today convinced that because you are broken, that there is no hope for wholeness or repair. I want you to hear the voice of God out of the pain of your darkness and brokenness that continues to echo from the cross of Abraham’s seed: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you” (Jer. 31:3).
Even out of the darkness and evil that Lot’s son Moab was born, and the great evil that his descendants would be responsible for, a little Moabitest girl would eventually be borne by the name of Ruth. Ruth would eventually meet and marry a man from Bethlehem whose name was Boaz. The two would eventually have a son whom they named Obed who was the grandfather of King David. God’s redemptive grace is bigger than Lot’s sin, the sin of his daughters, the sins of the Moabites, and whatever sin you may think is too big for the power of God’s amazing grace. He is bigger than your brokenness, so don’t settle or accept that as the end. Instead, rest in the promise of a God who, even as his Son cried: “It is finished,” shouts, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Rev. 21:5)! Jesus didn’t die just to take your sins away; Jesus died to make you new: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).
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Part 4 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 12-23 Before discussing Abraham’s story, I’d like to begin with anecdote. A man named Jack accidentally fell of the edge of a steep cliff. On the way down he was able to grab hold of a branch, which temporarily stopped his fall. He looked down, and to his horror, discovered that there were hundreds of feet between him and the bottom of the cannon. He couldn’t hang there forever, and there was no way for him to climb up the steep wall of the cliff. So Jack began yelling for help, hoping that someone passing by would hear him. “HELP! HELP! Is anyone up there? HELP!” He yelled for a long time, but no one heard him. He was about to give up when he heard a voice.
“Jack, Jack. Can you hear me?”“Yes, yes! I can hear you. I’m down here!”“I can see you, Jack. Are you alright?”“Yes, but who are you, and where are you?“I am the Lord, Jack. I’m everywhere.”“The Lord? You mean, GOD?”“That’s Me.”“God, please help me! I promise if, you’ll get me down from here, I’ll stop sinning. I’ll be a really good person. I’ll serve You for the rest of my life.”“Easy on the promises, Jack. Let’s get you off from there, then we can talk.”“Now, here’s what I want you to do. Listen carefully.”“I’ll do anything, Lord. Just tell me what to do.”“Okay. Let go of the branch.”“What?”“I said, let go of the branch… Just trust Me. Let go.”There was a long silence.Finally, Jack yelled, “HELP! HELP! IS ANYONE ELSE UP THERE?”
The definition of faith, according to the Bible is, “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Heb. 11:1). I am not sure what Abraham was hoping for, or to what sort of convictions he held, but his family’s home was in the City of Ur, where Nanna, the Mesopotamian Moon god, was worshiped. Although childless, Abraham was prosperous, settled, and old. What he may not have known was that he was a descendant of Shem, ten generations removed, and the last time God spoke to anyone directly was with Shem and his brothers.
Abraham Heard God’s Call
Before Abraham had an encounter with God, he was known as “Abram,” which means: “Exalted Father.” As the story unfolds, God eventually renamed him Abraham which means, “Father of many.” Both names are all well and good for people with children, but Abraham was childless. No matter how hard he and his wife tried, Sarah could not get pregnant.
When he first heard God’s voice, Abraham was seventy-five (75) years old and his wife Sarah was sixty-five (65). Although old, God promised Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). Through this statement, God promised three things to Abraham: (1) Land, (2) descendants, and (3) that through him the nations would be blessed (redemption).
At this time, Abraham was oblivious to God; all he knew was the gods his ancestors worshiped. Yet, God pursued him, and Abraham responded to God in faith and obedience:
By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. (Heb. 11:8-10).
Abraham Eventually Obeyed God
When Abraham decided to move his wife and her family to famine struck Canaan, he first took a detour to Egypt. However, knowing that his wife was beautiful and that others in Egypt would kill him in order to take her, Abraham said to his wife, “I know that you are a woman beautiful in appearance, and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ‘This is his wife.’ Then they will kill me, but they will let you live. Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake” (Gen. 12:11-13).
At this point in Abraham’s story, we should be asking ourselves three questions: (1) If God said that He bless Abraham and make him the father of a great nation, why did he feel the need to go to Egypt? (2) In order for God to fulfill His promise, He had to keep Abraham alive and Sarah safe, so why did Abraham feel he had to put his wife in harm’s way to save himself?
Think about the unfair situation in which Abraham put his wife. He was willing to have her sleep in another man’s bed so that he would not be harmed. Once in Egypt, Sarah was noticed, and taken, by the Pharaoh. Thankfully, God intervened by afflicting Pharaoh and his household with what the Bible calls, “great plagues.” To make a long story short, Pharaoh returned Sarah to Abraham, and commanded that they both leave immediately. God spared Abraham from making a bigger mess than he had already made.
I wish I could say Abraham learned his lesson and that he and Sarah lived happily ever after, but he didn’t. In Genesis 20, Abraham repeated the same sin by telling Sarah to again pretend to be his sister in order to protect himself. Again God not only spared Sarah from being violated by another man, but also spared Abraham from making a bigger mess. In both instances that Abraham directed Sarah to pretend to be his sister, he was motivated by fear instead of faith. Before we are too hard on Abraham, how many times have we focused on fear rather than faith in our own lives?
There is one more example of Abraham’s faithlessness; however, in this instance, both Abraham and Sarah were guilty. In Genesis 15, God reiterated His promise to bless Abraham; in fact, God entered into what is called a unilateral covenant of which He was obligated to honor. After God reiterated His promise to Abraham, we are told that Abraham “believed the LORD, and he [God] counted it to him [Abraham] as righteousness” (Gen. 15:6). Then in Genesis 16, Sarah develops her own plan to help God fulfill His promise to them. “Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. She had a female Egyptian servant whose name was Hagar. And Sarai said to Abram, ‘Behold now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Go in to my servant; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.”
That phrase: “And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai” is language intended to force the reader back to Genesis 3, referencing God’s words to Adam: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it’ cursed…” (v. 17).
Sarah could not see or believe that God could do the impossible, so she encouraged Abraham to have sex with their servant so that the servant would get pregnant. This was the culturally acceptable thing to do at the time, but the problem with their little plan was that it rubbed against the grain of God’s design for their marriage and His promise for their lives. Still, Abraham got Hagar pregnant, and the child she bore is part of the reason for the unrest in the Middle East today. Abraham and Sarah’s plan to assist God caused unspeakable misery. Abraham listened to Sarah even though God promised that He would do the impossible.
All three blunders in Abraham’s life could have resulted in an end to God’s determination to bless the nations. Over and over again, God proved faithful by redeeming Abraham’s seemingly unredeemable choices.
God was Faithful to Abraham
Nothing about Abraham’s actions warranted God’s favor. When God called Abraham for the purpose of blessing him, and blessing the nations through him, He did it for a bigger reason than Abraham and Sarah could have ever imagined.
The promise to Abraham was not just for him. The key to the promise is that God was going to make of Abraham a great nation to bless the nations of the world. God said, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:1-3). Abraham and his descendants would be the instrument of God’s blessing to the world, because through Abraham’s descendants, would be born the Savior of the World.
God honored His promise to Abraham; both he and Sarah became the proud parents of Isaac. We are not told how many years it was after Isaac’s birth, but at some point God spoke to Abraham and said some of the most horrific words Abraham would ever hear: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you” (Gen. 22:2). However, things were different this time as Abraham had known God for many years since he was first called out of his homeland. The Bible tells us that that Abraham, “rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac.”
Abraham did not argue, debate, or protest. He simply obeyed. Abraham believed if he followed through with the sacrifice of his own son; God was big enough to raise him up from death to life. For this reason, when Abraham took Isaac up the mountain, he told the young men he brought with him: “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” Abraham would have followed through with killing his one and only son had God not stopped him. Abraham had no longer put limits on God’s abilities. Abraham understood that God was too big for any limitations, because at this point in his life, Abraham knew His God. In response, God reiterated His covenant promise:
By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice. (Gen. 22:16-18)
Application
There are so many practical applications that can be drawn from the life of Abraham for our lives. However, there are four primary points highlighted below:
God never breaks His promises, but does answer His promises in His own perfect time.Anytime you try to force the hand of God because you think He needs your prodding and assistance, you will most likely make a mess of your circumstances and cause undue pain to those around you. God does not want your help, but He does want your obedience and faith. Finally, God loves you too much to leave you as you are; He is committed to molding and shaping you into the man or woman you were meant to be.
There is a more obvious thing to be gleaned from the story of Abraham’s life. Abraham was ready to slit the throat of his only son Isaac. He was committed; however, God called out to him: “Abraham, Abraham!” and stopped him. If God was able to resurrect Isaac, why didn’t he allow Abraham to kill his son? Because there was a better sacrifice in the future, and it was not Isaac! The better sacrifice would, however, come through Isaac’s bloodline. This sacrifice would not test our faithfulness and righteousness, but would die as the only person in human history who was perfectly faithful, righteous, and innocent.
The one who would come through Isaac’s bloodline would not carry a pile of wood, as Isaac and Abraham had, but would bear a wooden cross to the place of his execution. The one who would eventually come through Isaac’s bloodline, would not be tied down to some alter as a test of his father’s faithfulness, but would be nailed to a cross for your sin and mine because God is faithful. He is faithful to the promise that he made long before, that He would crush the head of the serpent and liberate us from the bondage of our own sin. Why? Because we are sinners under a curse due to the sins of Adam and of ourselves. Someone perfect, someone human, and someone qualified to do so, had to step in our place to receive the full judgment of God on our behalf. Isaac was only a foreshadowing of what God would do through Jesus of Nazareth when Jesus became sin for us so that we could be forgiven and pardoned from our sins just as the prophet Isaiah foretold 600 years before Jesus was even born:
Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But 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. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth…. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:4–10, ESV)
Jesus, as the seed of Abraham, died to save and redeem you for Himself, so that we might experience the promise made to Abraham long ago:
…in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Gal. 3:26-29)
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Part 3 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree
Genesis 6-9 The story of Noah and the flood is not for little children. The story of the flood is horrific, frightening, and tragic. The flood is the justifiable holocaust of an entire generation with the exception of one solitary family. Had any of the children that day survived the flood and asked to draw on paper what they had experienced, I do not believe you would have seen anything close to what we see in our churches today shown in the image to the right:
Instead, what you would have seen is something like the pictures some of the children who survived the tsunami of 2004, that killed over 200,000 people, drew to illustrate their experience:
After Cain murdered his younger brother and was driven away from his family to be a wanderer with his wife, we are told that the hearts of his descendants grew increasingly evil. Cain’s great, great, great grandson Lamech was the first to pervert God’s intended purpose of the institution of marriage by becoming the father of polygamy and the value; we are given a glimpse into this man’s heart through the poem he wrote for his wives:
“Adah and Zillah, hear my voice; you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:I have killed a man for wounding me, a young man for striking me.If Cain’s revenge is sevenfold, then Lamech’s is seventy-sevenfold.” (Gen. 4:24-24)
Essentially, Lamech was boasting that God could only avenge Cain seven-fold, but he had the ability to avenge himself seventy-sevenfold. This behavior was the growing culture of the day until Seth was born.
After Seth was born, we learn that people began to call upon the name of Yahweh: “At that time people began to call upon the name of the LORD.” With the birth of Seth, a second and godly bloodline began in order to counter the bloodline of Cain. Cain’s line represents evil, while Seth’s line represents godliness. Cain’s line grew to be both secular and violent, while Seth’s bloodline represented godliness in a world where calling upon the name of the Lord was rare and unpopular.
Through Seth, God would fulfill the promise made to Adam and Eve; through Seth’s line, the kingdom of God’s light and power was moving to make the promise a reality. The hope was that, through Seth, would come a deliverer.
Sin Vandalizes What is Good
Noah was the descendant of Seth and worshiped of the God of Adam and Eve. In Genesis 6, we learn that things went from bad to worse when it came to the spirit of Lamech. We are told in verse 5 that, “The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” And, in verse 11 that, “the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence.”
By the time Noah’s generation began, there were three types of people: The sons of God, the daughters of man, and the Nephilim. There are three legitimate theological explanations for who these three sets of people were, you can decide for yourself what you believe.
The “sons of God” are fallen angels who mascaraed as men while the daughters of men were human women. The fallen angels impregnated the women and they in turn gave birth to the infamous Nephilim who may have been very large men who were also feared ferocious warriors.[1] The “sons of God” represent the godly line of Seth (the seed of God) and the “daughters of men” represent the ungodly line of Cain (the seed of Satan) whose offspring were the Nephilim, who were not giants, but ruthless warrior champions, known for their combat skills.Finally, the third view understands that the “sons of God” were kings over certain regions, revered as gods by those they ruled over. Their attitude was that of Lamech who did as he pleased and took any woman as his wife as he wished. These kings practiced rampant polygamy by taking the “daughters of men” (common women) as their wives. The sons born to these common women were powerful princes who were regarded as the, “mighty men who were of old, the men of renown.”
I lean towards the third view, simply because it seems to fit with Lamech’s disregard of human life and propensity towards violence. I believe the Nephilim, not to be giants, but ferocious warrior champions who sought to extend their fathers’ power by tyrannical injustice. The spirit of Cain’s bloodline only became more evil and violent with time, and by the time Noah was born, the godly line of Seth was so systematically adulterated by the ungodly bloodline of Cain that all that was left of Seth’s godly, Yahweh worshiping line was Noah.
We are told that God, “saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” God’s response is haunting: “And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them” (v. 7). The violence and wickedness of man was so bad, that the only recourse for God was to judge mankind through a catastrophic flood.
Sin Grieves the Heart of God
In verse 6, we read, “And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.” Literally the word for “regret” in the Hebrew can mean, “Grieve.” Sin grieves the heart of God, and the rampant sin that filled the earth of Noah’s day grieved God. I believe the grief God felt was over the judgment that His perfect justice over sin demanded.
When you think of the flood, or even hell, don’t think of God as some bloodthirsty monster who is eager to snuff out the lives of men, women, and children. It was only because the wickedness of Noah’s generation was so great, pervasive, and unrelenting that He chose to flood the earth. Yet, even in the midst of great evil and wickedness, God chose to spare a man and his family to start over, and he did it through Noah’s family (v. 8). So, God instructed Noah, “I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make yourself an ark of gopher wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch” (Gen. 6:13-14).
The only creatures that would be spared would be Noah and his family, and two of every animal according to their kind with which God would use to start over (note that God did not say two of ever species, but of its kind). To Noah, God promised: “I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two over every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female” (v. 18-19). And so the floods came, and thousands of people met their doom through an aquatic holocaust.
Sin is Triumphed by the Goodness of God
After more than 300 days on the ark, “God remembered Noah and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark.” The ark found dry ground on Mt. Ararat, and so “Noah went out, and his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives with him. Every beast, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out by families from the ark.” When God could have killed every single living thing, including Noah and his family, He spared Noah, his family, and a selection of animals through an ark made of wood. God promised Noah, and all who read this story, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you… I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth” (vv. 8-9, 11).
As a sign of God’s covenant with Noah, and us, He established the rainbow. The rainbow is not just a pretty phenomenon that comes with rain and sun, the rainbow serves to remind us and God that He will never destroy mankind by a flood. The rainbow is God promise that his warrior bow is hung up in the sky. The blood of the earth from the hands of wicked men was cleansed with the food. God’s promise to Adam and Eve of a deliverer, the hope Adam and Eve had for Seth, that through his bloodline that seed would come, was realized through Noah, who stood righteous in the midst of wickedness. God triumphed over the wickedness of mankind through the flood, but in His goodness, He provided a way for the Christ to come.
Application
Not long after Noah and his family were saved from the judgment of God, we are reminded that no flood can remedy the problem of the human heart. In Genesis 9:20-29, Noah gets drunk and passes out naked. His son, Ham, looked upon his father’s nakedness in a way that was shameful and disrespectful. Ham was cursed to become a servant of the descendants of his older brothers, while Shem would carry on the blood-line that would eventually lead to the birth of Jesus Christ.
The problem of Adam, Cain, Lamech, Noah, and Ham is our problem too. We have a heart problem that only the Christ can remedy. Trees provided the gopher wood that would spare Noah and his family from floods of God’s wrath, and yet it was a tree that Jesus, the descendant of Adam, Seth, Noah and Shem, would be nailed too for the purpose of become the curse we deserved. Noah was righteous in God’s sight, but he still had the same sin problem that every generation before him. Jesus was perfectly righteous just as the Bible declares: “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Pet. 3:18). It is only through the cross of Christ that we can be saved from the floods of God’s wrath with Jesus as the only one qualified and able to pay the judgment our sins deserve.
If the flood tells us anything, it tells us that God takes sin very seriously, and cannot ignore it; according to His nature, God must judge sin. Because every person on earth is born with sin, from the moment of birth, we are in need of salvation. The salvation we need was made available to all through another life-saving instrument, which was not an ark, but a cross of wood.
The ark was an amazing instrument of salvation that took 110 years to build to save one family and some other creatures, but the cross is the only instrument used to kill our savior for the purpose of saving the world. In closing, I leave you with the following passage from John 3:16-21,
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
[1] In Numbers 13:33, after some Hebrew spies snuck into the land of Canaan the came back with came back with the following report: “And there we saw the Nephilim (the sons of Anak, who come from the Nephilim), and we seemed to ourselves like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” Another verse that is used to support this view is found in Jude 1:6-7, “And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.” (Jude 6–7)
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Part 2 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 4 What makes Star Wars timeless and great, in my opinion, is that the film shares some of the important themes from the Great Story. In the Great Story (the story of redemption in the Bible), the great serpent and antagonist entered into the Garden where man and woman enjoyed true love with both God and each other, they were tempted to sin against God by the Serpent. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat and God cursed all of creation because of Adam and Eve’s rebellion.
With the rebellion of Adam and Eve came death and the vandalization of Shalom (God’s peace). Every experience of life would, from that moment on, become a reminder of death. For Adam, he would labor by sweat and blood to bring life from the ground; for Eve, she would painfully labor with sweat and blood to bring forth life from her womb. But in the shadow of evil and death, God gifted Adam and Eve with a promise – a prophecy – that the great serpent would one day be destroyed:
I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you strike his heel.”
(Genesis 3:15) So who or what is the serpent? In Harry Potter, he is the Dark Lord Voldemort. In The Lord of the Rings, he is the Dark Lord Sauron. In The Wizard of Oz, he is the Wicked Witch of the West. In The Matrix, he is Agent Smith. In The Chronicles of Narnia, he is the White Witch. In Superman, He is Lex Luther. In The Dark Knight Returns, he is the Joker. And, in Star Wars he is Darth Vader and every evil Sith Lord before and after him.
After Luke Skywalker defeated Darth Vader, who happened to also be his father, it seemed as though balance was brought to the universe. What we learned from the seventh Star Wars movie in the trilogy, The Force Awakens, is that Han Solo and Princes Leia had a son whom they named Ben. Because the force was strong with Ben, they sent him to be trained by his uncle, Luke Skywalker until Ben was seduced to the Dark Side by Supreme Leader Snoke, while giving into the temptation to be as powerful as his grandfather, Darth Vader. Ben took on a new name as a champion of the Dark Side: Kylo Ren. Needless to say, the expectation Han and Leia had for their son to grow into a force for good under the tutelage of Luke was victimized by pride.
The expectation Adam and Eve had for their son, Cain, was not unlike that of the expectation Han Solo and Princes Leia had for their son. When it came to the worship of Yahweh, Cain brought a portion from his labors from the ground, while Abel brought “the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions” in worship to the Lord. Both men were raised by Adam and Eve to worship their Creator, but between the two sons, there was a difference in how they worshiped the Lord, and how God responded to their worship.
After Adam and Eve were forced out from the Garden due to their rebellion, God began to move through human history to bring forth the promise He made to Adam and Eve, and as He did, He provided more details of what that Seed would do for, and with, a cursed creation. God vowed to honor and keep the promise He made to that first couple, but only in His own time.
God Honors Worship that is Motivated by Love… Not Duty
The offering that Cain and Abel brought to the LORD was their way of thanking God; it was their way of worshiping Him for all the good that He brought into their lives through their respective occupations. Cain was a farmer, so he brought the produce of His work to God, not because God needed it, but as a way of worshiping Him. Abel was a shepherd, so he brought a portion of his labor before the LORD as an offering. In verse three we are told that Cain brought his offering, “In the course of time...” which is probably a reference to the end of the agricultural season. So, this was not the first time Cain or Abel worshiped God through their respective offerings.
Abel’s offering was that of the “firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions.” The reason for the detail here is that Abel’s offering was thought out, carefully prepared, and the best of what he had to offer God, while Cain’s offering was not. The point is that Cain came to God on his own terms, while Abel came to God on God’s terms. Cain’s offering was motivated out of obligation and duty, while Abel’s was motivated by reverence and love. We know Abel’s offering was motivated by his love and reverence of God for two reasons: First, according to verse 5, “…but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell.” The second reason is found in Hebrews 11:4, “By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts.”
What I find amazing about this story is that God did condemn Cain for his poor worship, but instead instructed him as to how his offering could be accepted just like his brother’s was: “If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it” (v. 7). Cain could have responded to God’s displeasure with repentance and humility by seeking God’s forgiveness, but he continued in his anger and ignored God’s warning. God personified Cain’s sin as a beast seeking to destroy him just as it did to his mother and father. Instead, Cain was mastered by his sin and acted upon his anger with the murder of his brother: “Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.” The beast of Cain’s sin was not sitting at some door, the beast was the problem lurking within his own heart, and it produced a hatred for his brother that resulted in the first murder. The great evil of Cain’s sin was not just that he killed an innocent man, but that he killed one who was made in the image of God.
God’s Love Compels Him to Keep His Promises
After Cain murdered his brother, God did not wait for Cain to find him, but came to him instead: “And the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is Abel your brother?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’” Cain, not only murdered his brother, but lied to God. Cain was familiar with his parent’s story and knew that there was no hiding from God, but the nature of sin is irrational. Cain thought that his sin would go unnoticed by God Himself, and then he thought he could fool God.
Cain’s calloused answer to God regarding his brother is deafening. Yet the LORD approached Cain anyway: “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it shall no longer yield to you its strength. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth” (vv. 10-12). Cain failed to consider that, although dirt covered the corpse of his murdered brother, the blood of Abel screamed for justice, and that is what God gave Cain.
As is so common with sin, Cain’s relationships would be forever affected by his sin. Where once he enjoyed and was skilled at bringing life from the earth, the earth would now be his enemy. Cain’s response: “My punishment is greater than I can bear. Behold, you have driven me today away from the ground, and from your face I shall be hidden. I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.” (vv. 13-14).
The amazing thing, to me, in this story is that even after the murder of his brother and his calloused and deceitful response to God, God heard this murderer’s cry for mercy. Not only did God hear Cain, God responded to Cain with grace: “Then the LORD said to him, ‘Not so! If anyone kills Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, lest any who found him should attack him. Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden” (vv. 15-16).
We are not told what became of Cain, nor are we told how it was that there were other people on Earth besides Cain, Eve, and Adam; the story is not concerned with filling in the details, but only concerned with explaining how it is we are the way we are today. We are told that Cain’s wife accompanied him and they had a son by the name of Enoch. Four generations after Cain murdered his brother, we discover that his great-great-grandson Lamech and his children were even more evil than he was, and that things only got worse.
Application
I can’t even begin to imagine what Adam and Eve must have experienced when their firstborn son murdered their youngest son. When Cain was born they had nothing but high expectations for him in light of the promise of God; he was the one to crush the head of the serpent. With the judgment of Cain, Adam and Eve were essentially childless and the promise God made to them in the Garden seemed to be void.
In light of Adam and Eve’s sin, there was redemption, forgiveness, and even salvation. But for Cain, he would wonder the earth cursed; his life would never be the same. What we learn from his life is similar to what we learned from Adam and Eve: Sin is always costly, never delivers what it promises, wrecks shalom, brings unwanted shame, and robs you of joy.
When it comes to sin and temptation, the Bible says: “…but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death” (James 1:14-15; NIV).
Cain’s problem is our problem, sin is the wild beast that desires you and me, but we must rule over it. How does one rule over sin? You rule over your sin with your first line of defense – your mind, the word of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Permit me to give you three verses that give us three ways to fight against our own sin in a way that Cain failed to do:
The war over your sin is first won or lost in your mind. We read in 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 the following, “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, being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” What we learn from this verse is that if there is to be victory over your sin, there first must be victory in your mind.The war over you sin is not a dead-end where there is no escape from it. We read in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Cain could have changed his behavior if he was truly interested in his worship to be pleasing to God, or he could have gone to his mother or father for helps and advice, but instead he decided that killing his own brother was the best option.The war over your own sin is not just an issue of your flesh, but also spiritual in nature. Regarding our struggle against our own sin, the Bible states: “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:10-12).
When all seemed dark and hope seemed to slip into the despair of the curse, Eve became pregnant with a third son who they named Seth, which means “appointed.” Eve’s response was not that she had, “gotten a man with the help of the LORD” but “God has appointed for me another offspring” (v. 25). With the birth of Seth, we are told that, “people began to call upon the name of the LORD.” In other words, unlike the bloodline of Cain, where the worship of Yahweh was nonexistent and evil permeated the earth, the bloodline of Seth yielded the same spirit that was present in Abel, which demonstrated a love for Yahweh and a desire to worship Him. The promise God made to Adam and Eve would eventually be fulfilled not through Cain, but through Seth’s bloodline. As S.A. Sacks once wrote: “Hope rises like a phoenix from the ashes of shattered dreams.” Out of the shattered lives of the first family, God brought hope into the world again through Seth, but, more specifically, through the promise of a deliverer.
Abel is a picture of innocence whose heart belonged wholly to the God of all Creation. The slaughter of Abel, as an innocent representation of the God he served, was a foreshadowing of the one who would come through the bloodline of Abel’s younger brother Seth. Listen to Hebrews 12:24, “…and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” Abel’s shed blood screams for vengeance, while the innocent shed blood of Jesus screams forgiveness and complete atonement. Abel’s blood screams: Judgment! Jesus’ blood screams: Salvation! When Abel’s blood was shed, it stained the ground, because of Jesus’ blood was shed, our sin can be washed away so that we can be made righteous.
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Part 1 of “The Tree” – a study of Jesus’ family tree.
Genesis 1-3 G.K. Chesterton once wrote: “I had always felt life first as a story: and if there is a story there is a story teller.” This statement is why, I believe, we are able to hear a bit of our story within the pages of the Bible. God is the storyteller of creation and human history, and we are the characters who find ourselves on the stage of his great and grand story of redemption.
The types of people that God wanted to follow Him were not people who had it all together spiritually. This statement is especially true of the types of people who comprise Jesus’ family tree. In Mathew 1:1-17, we are given a list of all those in Jesus’ family tree that support Him being the rightful heir of King David. In Luke, we are given a similar list of Jesus’ ancestors that prove that He was the promise made to Abraham. However, looking closer, the individuals in Jesus’ family tree will prove to be a bit scandalous.
Beginning with Adam, we are provided a list of ancestors, some of whom were guilty of deceit, incest, rape, adultery, and murder. We will not look at all of the people in Jesus’ family tree, but we will look at some of the key people that comprise His linage. What you will discover in the weeks to come is a God who not only turns evil around for good, but also takes what is ugly and makes it beautiful.
Included in Jesus family tree are people like Adam and Eve who had their hearts crushed by a wayward firstborn son who murdered their second son. Also included in Jesus’ family tree is Noah, who, after he’d passed out drunk, was humiliated by one of his sons. Jesus is the descendant of Abraham and Sarah whose marriage included deceit and a lack of faith. He is the descendant of the son of Abraham’s nephew, Lot, whose daughters raped him while drunk. Also in Jesus’s family tree is Jacob’s unwanted and ugly wife, Tamar, who disguised herself as a prostitute for the purpose of getting pregnant by her father-in-law. Also included were the brothel running prostitute known as Rahab, and Ruth, who was from a people that despised the Hebrews, and who can forget David, whose guilt of adultery and murder eventually divided his kingdom. With each of their stories, God was able to transform what appeared to be categorically ugly into something captivatingly beautiful. As with all family trees, we must start with the beginning.
God is the Creator
The Bible starts with the phrase: “In the beginning…” What happened in the beginning?“God created the heavens and the earth” (v. 1). This is how we tell stories: “Once upon a time…” “A long, long time ago…” In a galaxy far, far away…” Like all other stories, our story begins in the mind of God when, “The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep” (v. 2).
Out of the imagination of the mind of God, came forth a world brimming with life and worship. On the first day, God created the heavens and the earth; day and night. On the second day, He divided the heavens from the earth. On the third day, God created the land, sea, and vegetation. On the forth day, He created the sun, moon, and stars. On the fifth day, God created creatures great and small. On the sixth day, God created land animals, and finally mankind. And, on the seventh day… God rested.
Out of the mind of God came forth different rivers, multitudes of species of plants, trees, and all kinds of vegetables and fruit. Out of the mind of God came the great dinosaurs, elephants, the giraffe, lions, and tigers, and bears. Out of the mind of God came forth the great sea creatures, coral reefs, small fish, jellyfish, snails, sea turtles, etc. It was the product of God’s unlimited imagination that the idea of human beings became a reality after He said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (v. 24).Human beings were created as unique category within creation, for we are the only creatures that bear the image of God.
When God created, He didn’t use special effects or any tricks; He spoke and Creation came into being. When He had finished with creation, God declared it to be “very good” (v. 31). “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1) when he took the blank canvas of nothing and then painted the beauty of creation with the brush of His omnipotent Word.
We Reflect the Image of the Creator
On the final day of His creative acts, God created man. He didn’t just create another creature, He created a creature “in his own image… male and female he created them” (Gen. 1:27). Not even the angels in heaven bear the image of God; only we humans bear His image! Adam and Eve were given three commands: 1. Be fruitful and fill the earth with people like themselves; 2) manage creation; and, 3) Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. All three commands were meant to increase their joy as human beings created in the image of God. So what does it mean to be created in the image of God? I believe the answer is found in Genesis 1:28-30,
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.[1]****
Part of what it means to be created in the image of God includes not just the responsibility to manage creation, but to create. As image bearers, Adam and Eve, along with every generation that followed them, were given the ability to create language, cook, throw a party, make babies, practice medicine, design clothing, build houses, plant gardens, raise a family, tell stories, put color to a blank canvas as the echo of the One who created mankind in His image.
Have you ever paused to notice when reading Genesis 1-2 that although God had every right and ability to name the animals of creation, it was Adam He gave the honor to do? From the very beginning, God made room for Adam to create, or as Andy Crouch put it: “He makes room for Adam’s creativity—not just waiting for Adam to give a preexisting right answer to a quiz but genuinely allowing Adam to be the one who speaks something out of nothing, a name where there had been none, and allowing that name to have its own being.” Crouch goes on to write, “God’s first and best gift to humanity is culture, the realm in which human beings themselves will be the cultivators and creators, ultimately contributing to the cosmic purposes of the Cultivator and Creator of the natural world.”[2]
The purpose of Creation was always to fill it with image bearing worshipers of the Creator as the intended maximization of the joy of His creation. When God brought life out of nothing, He also gifted His new creation with the fruit that is enjoyed through a life rooted in Him, and that fruit is joy.
There is a Destroyer Who Hates Us
Everything in the Garden of Eden was given to Adam and Eve for their pleasure and management. The only thing that was kept from them was the fruit of tree of the knowledge of good and evil – not because God was selfish, but because He loved them. Then a day came when the couple found themselves before the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Out of the tree could be heard a voice from a snake: “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?’”
The root of the temptation was to question the goodness of God, because He withheld fruit from only one tree in the garden. In other words, Satan was tempting Eve to doubt the goodness of God. Thomas Watson once wrote concerning sin, “Sin first tempts and then damns. It is first a fox and then a lion.”[3] So Eve, “saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took its fruit and ate…” she then gave some to her husband and he did the same (Gen. 3:6). Their innocence was violated by their rebellion, “Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked” (v. 7).
What happened? Adam and Eve were tempted to doubt the goodness of a God, who gave them everything in creation except the fruit from one tree. They were deceived into believing that they could be equals with their Creator, and after their sin, they were deeply disappointed. How do I know they were disappointed? Because the first thing Adam and Eve discovered, was not the promise of the serpent, but the shame resultant of their own actions. Before they bit into the fruit they were naked and unashamed, but then after they sinned, they were not only aware of their nakedness, but were ashamed of it, so they covered themselves with fig leaves. The greatest cost to Adam and Eve, and the rest of the human race, was that of death; physical and spiritual death. Donald Grey Barnhouse had a way of putting the Bible into perspective; in one of his sermons on what happened in the Garden of Eden, he said:
Adam’s choice was an act of rebellion, the equivalent of a declaration of independence…. Adam, in effect, said, “I am tired of having everything north, south, east, and west of this tree. I will be independent. I will run my own affairs.” It was not a request that God share the throne of government with man; it was an ultimatum to Him to abdicate and leave full control to man.[4]
Jesus said of the Devil that he, “was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). The motive of the devil was his hatred of God and his hatred for the only creature in all of creation that bears the Creator’s image. However, it wasn’t the devil’s choice that made Adam and Eve sin, it was Adam and Eve’s choice to sin against God, and their choice cost them the life for which God created them.
To the serpent, God promised that Adam and Eve’s offspring would one day crush his head and that the best he would be able to do is to wound him. To the woman, God promised that, in the giving of life, she would be reminded of death through the pain of childbearing. To the man, God promised that in the bringing of life from the ground he would be reminded of death, as the work to do so would greatly increase. Both Adam and Eve, and all who would come after them, would one day lose to the great enemy of life, which is death.
God is a Great Redeemer
Adam and Eve sinned against God, but were met His Grace. While hiding from God, Adam and Eve were sought out by God. When God should have written them of, God promised a deliverer who would one day liberate the human race from the curse of sin through His Son, Jesus Christ. How true the lines of Frederick Faber’s poem, There Are’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy:
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy,Like the wideness of the sea;There’s a kindness in His justice,Which is more than liberty.[5]****
The response of Adam and Eve is encouraging. The very first thing Adam did was name His wife. Up to this point in the story, we only have known her as “the woman.” After God’s curse over creation, and the promise of one who would destroy the serpent, Adam responded in faith by naming his wife, “Eve,” which means “mother of the living.” Then God covered their shame with animal skins even though they were removed from the Garden where they once enjoyed the presence of God.
After Adam named his wife “Mother of the Living,” they had their first son. They named their firstborn son Cain, which literally means: “Here he is.” In response to the promise of God that a deliverer would come through them, they believe Cain was the answer. They believed that Cain was the promised Christ.
So what should we take home from this story? First, Adam and Eve never, in a million years, thought that their disobedience would have the kind of implications that it had for the whole human race, even though God warned them that their disobedience would be catastrophic. Here is what we learn from Adam and Eve’s story:
Sin is always costly. Consider what Adam and Eve’s sin cost them; it cost them their intimacy with God, their intimacy with each other, and it robbed them of a joy that far exceeded what their sin could have delivered.Sin never delivers what it promises.Adam and Eve were told that if they sinned against God by eating the forbidden fruit that they would be just like God, but what they received is pain and death. Sin destroys peace. Before the fall, Adam and Eve enjoyed peace in the garden. There was harmony and continuity in the garden, but their sin disturbed what they once enjoyed. Sin vandalizes the peace of God. Sin brings unwanted shame. The moment Adam and Eve sinned against God, their innocence was turned into shame. They once enjoyed each other’s company naked and unashamed, but their sin resulted in their need to cover up their shame by covering up their nakedness. Sin will rob you of genuine joy. Adam and Eve were made to enjoy, experience, and bring forth life, but their sin robbed them of life and delivered only death. No Sin is bigger than God’s Grace. Even though there were consequences to their sin, Adam and Eve experienced the overpowering grace of God over their sin.
What we will see, included in Jesus’ family tree, is a list people guilty of some of the worst sins. I believe the reason for that, and the reason that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke do not try to hide it, is because Jesus’ family tree tells us of the kinds of people that He came to redeem and save. Jesus’ family tree also tells us that if God can take the ugliness of adultery, murder, abuse, and even incest, and transform it into something beautiful, then He can take whatever is ugly in your life and redeem it into something beautiful as well.
Did God not do the same with the ugliest instrument of death called the cross? God used the infamous crucifix and turned it into the instrument of our redemption: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree” (Gal. 3:13).
[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ge 1:28–30). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
[2] Andy Crouch. Culture Making (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Books; 2008), 109-110.
[3] Thomas Watson. The Mischief of Sin (Morgan, PA: Soli Deo Gloria Publications; 1994), p. 20.
[4] Donald Grey Barnhouse, “God’s River,” Romans vol. 2(Grand Rapids, MI: 1982), p. 17.
[5] Frederick W. Faber. There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy. 1854.
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The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed – Part 5
John 17:24-26
I am going to offer some free marriage and parental advice with you this morning. I must admit that the advice I will be sharing with you came from the internet. When it comes to marriage, not only does the breakdown of communication, money, unmet expectations, a lack of trust, and an unexpected lifestyle change factor into the divorce rate in America, but the following five excuses have been used for divorcing one’s spouse:
Your commute is too long. If your commute is 45 minutes or more each way, you are more likely to divorce according to a 2013 Swedish study.Everyone is doing it. According to a study published by Social Forces, couples are 75% more likely to divorce if a close friend or family-member divorced. Your first child is a girl. Having a firstborn daughter leads to divorce more than having a firstborn son based on 60 years of US census data. An unmarried couple is more likely to marry if their first child is a boy based off of a University of Washington study.You share the household chores equally. According to a Norwegian study, when couples split the housework down the middle, divorce rates were higher. It was suggested by the author of the study that by sharing the chores equally, you create a business-like partnership rather than a relationship filled with generosity, intimacy, and spontaneity.
Now for five parenting tips:
Think cute thoughts. In the 1910’s it was suggested that an expectant mother should only think cute thoughts because her baby could be ugly if she thought otherwise.No touching your baby. In the 1960’s it was suggested by some “experts” not to hug or cuddle their babies because it would only make them grow up to be a socialist.Rub your colicky baby with your saliva. An unscientific practice of some is to help soothe your baby’s belly ache by rubbing your baby’s belly with your own saliva. Do as I say, not as I do. Everyone agrees that this is a bad parenting tactic, but it is probably the most practiced.“Respect your teen’s privacy.” This is the dumbest advice in my opinion, especially in an age of social media, sexting, and dumb decisions.
The greatest need of Cheyenne and the greatest need of our families is the same: We are made for and are in need of a relationship the God of the Bible. There are three things that are obvious throughout Jesus’ prayer and those three things are summed up in John 17:24-26.
We were made for a relationship with God.Only Jesus can reconcile us to God.Reconciliation with God will change your life.
We were made for a relationship with God
We were made for heaven. Your spouse was made for heaven. Your child is made for heaven. Jesus’ desire is not for us to have the latest toys, a comfortable life, or what desires we think we should have. Jesus’ desire is for you and me to be with him in heaven and to see his glory that was given to him by the Father. What glory is that? The glory of the Lamb who stands, though he had been slain, and the one of whom all of heaven ascribes: “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation…” (Rev. 5:6-10).
The glory we will see of Jesus in heaven includes the visible marks left from his crucifixion for our sins. Every time Jesus is seen in heaven, his mere presence shouts: “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29)! Jesus is what our city, neighbors, and our families’ need, which is far greater than anything else we could ever give them. The first place that anyone ought to see and experience the glory Jesus prayed about is in our homes. So how can your children, your spouse, your father, your mother, grandfather, grandmother and every other member in your family see the glory Jesus prayed about? The Apostle Paul’s ambition in life was for people to see the glory of Jesus reflected in his life and was able to live his life in such a way that it did just that.
Before meeting Jesus on the Damascus Road, Paul’s greatest treasure was his religious achievements rather than a relationship with the living God. However, after Paul became a Christian, and follower of Christ, his previous religious achievements were all dung in light of knowing Jesus: “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish (dung) in order that I may gain Christ…” (Phil. 2:7-8). So what did Paul do with his new found treasure? He gave it away so that others could enjoy the same treasure, and he did so by first striving to experience three things that our families need to see in us so desperately; Paul wrote about it: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 2:10-11).
The operative word in Philippians 3 is the word, “know.” It is the same knowledge Jesus referred to in his prayer: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (John 17:3). The way people would see the glory of Jesus was if they desired the kind of knowledge that resulted in experiencing the power of Jesus’ resurrection, sharring in Jesus’ sufferings, and becoming like Jesus in his death. This is the best way Paul could give people Jesus, and it is the way that validates the Christian faith before a watching world. We were made for a relationship with God and the way to have that relationship is through Jesus!
Only Jesus can reconcile us to God
The world does not know God. The world does not know that we were made for heaven for the purpose of being in the presence of God. The world does not know that every person born into this world is born at odds with a God who loves them. The world is ignorant of the fact that we are born alienated from God because we are all born sinners: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God” (Rom. 3:10-11). The Bible declares the following indictment concerning the human race: “The hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead” (Eccl. 9:3). And if that were not enough, we are warned in Romans 1:18, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”
There is only one hope for this world and it can only be found in the Christ, who died for our sins, was buried, and was raised on the third day according to the scriptures! The Bible states: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts. 4:12). After Jesus told his disciples about his death, just moments before his prayer, he claimed the following: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).
I read a story some time ago that resonated with me and reminds me of the posture of our world towards a God people need:
“The phone rang at 1 A.M. in the home of Leo Winters, a highly acclaimed Chicago surgeon. The caller from the hospital said that a young boy had been tragically mangled in a late-night accident. Dr. Winters’ hands were probably the only ones in the city skilled enough to save the boy.
“The quickest route to the hospital took the doctor through a dangerous neighborhood. But since time was critical, he decided to take the risk. Driving through the worst part of the neighborhood, he came to a stoplight. A man in a gray hat and dirty flannel shirt jerked open the door, pulled him out of his seat, and screamed, ‘Give me your car!’
“Winters tried to explain that he was a doctor on an emergency call, but the thief refused to listen. He jumped in the car and sped off. The doctor wandered for more than forty-five minutes, looking for a phone so he could call a taxi. When he finally got to the hospital, more than an hour had passed. Dr. Winters burst through the hospital doors and ran to the nurses’ station.
“The nurse on duty shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, doctor, but you’re too late. The boy died about thirty minutes ago. His father is in the chapel if you want to see him. He is awfully upset. He couldn’t understand why you never came to help.’
“Dr. Winters walked hurriedly down the hallway and entered the chapel. Weeping at the altar was man dressed in a dirty flannel shirt and gray hat. Through tear-blurred eyes the boy’s father looked up at the doctor and in horror realized his tragic mistake. He had foolishly pushed away the only one in the city who could have saved his son!”
The world responded to Jesus in a similar way when they crucified him. The world continues to respond in a like manner by dismissing the Bible as myth. They view the gospel as too exclusive, and Jesus is only a good man. The gospel is life, but people want to take their salvation into their own hands, only to find out that, after death, it is too late.
The world does not know God, but we do, because we know Jesus. What people need to see, so that our words are validated, is the resurrected life. Our aim in life, if we truly know God, is to desire and strive to know Jesus as Paul longed to know him: “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil. 2:10-11).
Reconciliation with God will Change Your Life
Finally, the greatest need people have is not only to know Jesus, but to follow him. When Jesus finished his prayer, he finished by praying: “I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” Do you know what Jesus is praying for in this final sentence of his prayer? Jesus is praying that we would not only grow in our relationship with him, which is the kind of discipleship he talked about many times, but that our faith would remain organic. What I mean by “organic” is that our relationship would not only grow, but spread.
Our hearts, as Tim Keller wrote in his book: Counterfeit Gods, are idol factories. This is especially true of our kids. Our battle is not primarily with the devil when it comes to our soul and the souls of our children; our battle is with our own hearts and how they lead us astray so easily due to our sin-nature. Think about the stuff our kids have to deal with every time they walk into school, surf the web, dive into social media, and interact with their peers whose parents are just as lost as their children. We need to model for them that the only way to deal with the idols of their heart, is to replace them with Jesus. The only way to do this is by taking up your cross and following Jesus.
On April 3, 2010, the 2-year-old daughter of David Anderson fell 20 feet off a historic boat into the cold East River. Witnesses heard a splash, then a terrifying scream. A moment later, the father, David Anderson, was seen racing down the deck of the four-mast Peking ship, emptying his pockets along the way. Eric Stringer, a witness to what happened, described that the young girl’s father, “Jumped in like a scene out of a movie, he was pulling things out of his pockets as he was running down the steps. He didn’t hesitate.” Once Anderson reached the pier, the frantic father flicked off his shoes and bolted over a fence. Witnesses said he then gazed into the water. His daughter, identified by sources as Bridgette Sheriden, was below the surface. “He jumped in feet first like a pin,’ said Stringer, a freelance TV producer from Hicksville, L.I. “He went all the way under, and when he came up, he had her in his arms.” Bridgette was rushed to Bellevue Hospital in good condition and released a few hours later.”
There is something more horrific than a cold river, a raging gunman, and death itself when it comes to the safety of our children and the well-being of our families. We were made for heaven, but apart from Jesus, looms a judgment that both we and our children deserve because of our sin. I don’t doubt for a moment that any parent at Meadowbrooke Church would dive 20 feet into frigid water to save their drowning child, but what are you doing to rescue them from hell?
If you are a Christian, what are you doing to give your spouse or your children what they need most from you? Are you giving them Jesus? Are you modeling the gospel before them and the world around you? There was a code that Israel needed to live by if they were to have any hope of passing down their faith to the next generation; that code is found in Deuteronomy:
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4–9, ESV)
The only hope we have of passing our faith onto our spouse, children, and family is to first live out our relationship with Jesus, and then make disciples of the members of our family.
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The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed – Part 4
John 17:20-24
Mother Teresa is credited for saying “No one thinks of the pen while reading the letter. They only want to know the mind of the person who wrote the letter. That’s exactly what I am in God’s hand–a little pencil.” I want you to think about it in light of the following passage:
Jesus prayed that we would be like that pencil in the Father’s hands when he said:
I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.(John 17:20–23, ESV)
When I read Jesus’ prayer in John 17, I cannot help but think that our treatment of one another communicates the mind of God to the world. The kind of unity that those within the church experience among each other, to the degree that it is visible before a watching world, communicates to the world something about the God we worship.
According to Jesus’ prayer, there are three ways our unity is best experienced and displayed for the world to see. With the time we have remaining, I want to explore those three ways to show why our core value on unity is not only Biblical, but so important to our mission of “Navigating life together by connecting people to Jesus.”
We are United by Love (v. 21)
Jesus does not only pray for his disciples that were presently alive, but prays for all his disciples that would hear the gospel and believe in Him. The thing that he prays for, is that we, who make up the Church, would be one in the way that God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son, were unified. But what is it that brings us together?
What brings us together is the union we share together in Jesus. The bond that we share together is the shed blood of Jesus Christ, and our relationship with God is the magnet that draws us closer to one another. Jesus described the kind of union he wanted for us; that union was to be like the one he experienced with the Father. If you read through the gospel accounts, you will discover that the Jesus was constantly pressing into the Father in prayer, dependence, trust, and submission. What brings us together is the supernatural union that we all share in Jesus, and this union is why we often feel an immediate bond with fellow Christians, even when we do not share the same language. I experienced this everywhere I have traveled; I have encountered Christians in America, airports, and on the other side of planet earth who did not share the same language; however, through a discovered common bond in Jesus, the interaction felt like I was being reunited with family.
What brings us together? Love brings us together! The love that we have experienced from God through Jesus brings us together. That same bond of faith that is rooted in Christ has birthed a love that we share for one another. This bond is why 1 John 2:9-11 states: “Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:9–11, ESV)
The reason why the apostle John could say something as strong as he did in 1 John 2:9-11 is because the closer we draw to Christ, the closer we will be drawn to one another. The further you drift from Christ, the further you will drift from his people. Your love for brothers and sisters in Christ is a gauge for the health of your relationship with God.
We are Bound by Faith (v. 22-23)
Someone said: “When the Bible speaks about church UNITY, it speaks of UNITY not at the expense of truth, but on the basis of it” (John Blanchard). The glory Jesus is referring to in verses 22-23 is the glory of the gospel infused into the life of a person, resulting in transformation and action. Jesus was born to “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). Remember what Jesus prayed in the beginning of his prayer: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” (v. 1). The way Jesus would glorify the Father would be through his dying in our place on behalf of our transgressions.
Remember what Jesus said in Luke 14 to anyone who wanted to become his disciples: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (v. 27). If you call yourself a Christian, you must understand yourself to be a disciple of Jesus Christ who is committed to following Him. If you are going to call yourself a Christian, Jesus must become your highest priority, your deepest love, your greatest treasure. When you become a Christian, your identity is no longer rooted in your family, spouse, children, or even your own self.
Jesus’ reference of the cross as the means to following Him… was scandalous. The cross was a symbol of death and Jesus was telling all who were interested in following him, that doing so would mean a voluntary death to self and all that was thought to be important. This is the glory that was given to Jesus and the glory that he has given to his Church.
So what does cross bearing have to do with our unity? Paul answers that question in Philippians 2:3-11,
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death,even death on a cross.(Philippians 2:3–8, ESV)
A proper understanding of the gospel, and a faith to match it, will result in the kind of discipleship Jesus demanded of his followers. Biblical discipleship will affect a person’s mind, heart, and attitude to “count others more significant than themselves and to look to the interests of others.” This, my dear brothers and sisters, is the kind of faith that binds us together and strengthens our unity as his people.
We are Destined for Heaven (v. 24)
One of the reasons I love John 17 is because of what Jesus prays for in verse 24. Jesus desires for you and for me to be with him where he is. One of the reasons he longs for us to be where he is, is so that we can see the glory given to Him that all of heaven continues to celebrate today, tomorrow, and forever – something we will share forever. We get a glimpse of the glory Jesus referred to in his prayer in the book of Revelation.
When we come to Revelation 5, we read about a scene that all who have preceded us have witnessed, and that many of us will witness. We see a scroll in the right Hand of Him who was seated on heaven’s throne. The scroll represented the deed of redemption, and when no one was found to open that deed, John wept bitterly, because he understood the implications of what it would mean had no one been qualified to open the scroll. If no one was found, then as one pastor put it so well: “…there will be no triumph for the Gospel, no marriage supper with the Lamb, no new heaven and new earth, no eternal life. Only weeping.” But there is one who is worthy to open the scroll, and at His name every knee will bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth; and of His name, every tongue will confess that He is Lord… Jesus is worthy to open the scroll.
In Revelation 5:7, the Lamb took the scroll, and all of heaven honored him with the words: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing” (Rev. 5:12). This is the glory Jesus referred to in his prayer.
Jesus is glorified in heaven as our High Priest who serves as our advocate. This is why the author of Hebrews rejoices, “we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy place…. But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises” (Heb. 8:1-2, 6). Jesus wears the garments of a high priest and His presence is one of majesty. So much so that when John saw Him for the first time, he said, “I fell at his feet as though dead” (1:17).
Jesus is glorified in heaven as the Martyr’s song (Rev. 7:9-17) because it is through His shed blood that suffering Christians, “shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore…” It is only in Jesus that every tear will be wiped away from the eyes of His Bride, because it is only through Jesus that the curse of Sin is reversed (vv. 15-17). Jesus is glorified in heaven as the Groom of the Church who clothes His Bride in white, never to be sold into the slave market of sin again. He is glorified as the One who paid the ultimate dowry, which came in the form of His own blood. The angels stand in wonder at the redemption offered to the likes of us because they never experienced the love of a Groom like the Church has.
Jesus is glorified in heaven as the King of kings and Lord of lords (Rev. 19:11-21). Jesus is the triumphant King who will come in judgment by treading the nations as one stomps on the grapes in a wine press. He is glorified as the One who will come as a victorious King dressed in white and on a horse to symbolize both his purity and triumph before a drop of blood is even shed. Jesus is glorified as the King of kings who comes in faithfulness, truth, and righteousness.
Jesus is glorified in heaven because He is Lord; or as the late S.M. Lockeridge put it:
“There was nobody before Him and there will be nobody after Him. He had no predecessor. He will have no successor. He is all things. He is the giver of life. He is the joy out of every sorrow. He is the light out of every darkness. He’s the peace that passes all understanding. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. You can trust Him!”
There is no god before Him. There will be none after Him. He is the first. He is the last. He is preeminent. There is no other god! Hallelujah! You can trust Him!
Application
We are unified because of the love of God and the love we have for one another. We are unified because of the common faith that we share in Jesus as our savior. We are unified because we have been made sons and daughters of God who will spend all of eternity together with Jesus.
What I do not believe Jesus expected when he prayed John 17 was that we would all be cookie-cutter Christians who are clones of the same thing. The Church is a diverse community of individuals who, because we are loved by God, are able to love one another. We are a diverse community whose faith in Jesus, as the only means for our salvation, brings us together. We are a diverse community who will one day spend forever together. We have so much in common because of who we are in Jesus Christ:
In Jesus, we are justified freely by His grace (Rom. 3:24)In Jesus, we are now God’s children (1 Peter 1:3)In Jesus, we are forgiven of all our sins (Eph. 1:7; Heb. 9:14)In Jesus, we are loved by God Almighty (John 16:27)In Jesus, we belong to God (John 17:9)In Jesus, we will never be forsaken or abandoned by God (John 10)In Jesus, we are treasured by God (1 Peter 1-2)In Jesus, we are the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21)In Jesus, there is, for us, NO condemnation (Rom. 8:1)In Jesus, God is working all things together for our good (Rom. 8:28)In Jesus, we have obtained an inheritance that only God alone can give (Eph. 1:11)In Jesus, we are a new creation… the old is gone and the new has come (2 Cor. 5:17)In Jesus, we are sons and daughters of God (Gal. 4:6)In Jesus, we are no longer strangers or aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints (Eph. 2:19)In Jesus, we are members of the body of Christ (Eph. 3:6)In Jesus, we are set apart for the mission of God (Eph. 2:10)In Jesus, we are loved by an everlasting God (1 John 4:19)
With all that we have in common, is there any reason for us not to be united?
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The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed – Part 3
John 17:13-19
The movie: The Greatest Showman illustrates strong themes regarding what it means to be loved, and to be human. I was introduced to The Greatest Showman through the movie’s soundtrack and fell in love with the music immediately. Our whole family has seen the movie and my oldest son and I have seen the movie at least four times. If you have not seen the movie, it is loosely based on the story of P.T. Barnum who gathered a band of “freaks” to be featured in his circus show, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
The film received mixed reviews, and it only scored 56% positive reviews of the 232 critics that shared their thoughts on the movie. The Toronto Globe and Mail wrote that the film was, “Empty, moronic, pandering and utterly forgettable.” The New York Post suggested that the songs making up the soundtrack were “tacked on like some drunk’s game of pin the tail on the donkey.” Well, it turns out that the film continues to be a fan favorite as the soundtrack remains in the top twenty on the top 200 Billboard Charts. It also remains one of my top 10 favorite films.
One of my favorite scenes in the film takes place after P.T Barnum made it clear that his circus staff of freaks were to remain out of sight during a show he put together for the world renowned and beautiful opera soloist, Rebecca Ferguson. In the film, Barnum’s freaks were excluded from an after party celebration of social elites, of which the Bearded Lady, Lettie Lutz, protests in her song, This is Me (which was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2017):
I am not a stranger to the darkHide away, they say‘Cause we don’t want your broken partsI’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scarsRun away, they sayNo one’ll love you as you areBut I won’t let them break me down to dustI know that there’s a place for usFor we are gloriousWhen the sharpest words wanna cut me downI’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown them outI am brave, I am bruisedI am who I’m meant to be, this is meLook out ’cause here I comeAnd I’m marching on to the beat I drumI’m not scared to be seenI make no apologies, this is me
The reason I believe that this movie has been such a hit, the reason the album is #14 on the Billboard charts, is that the song reminds us that our circumstances, status, limitations, or disabilities do not need to define us. Another reason I think this film remains a fan favorite is because it celebrates our humanity in its own way.
What this film fails to do, which does not affect my love for the film and soundtrack, is that it accepts “my broken parts” and “my scars” as a part of the end product of “who I am meant to be.” The reality is that we are broken, we do have scars, we are flawed, but it does not consider who we are meant to be, especially in light of Jesus’ prayer.
In Jesus’ prayer, he specifically prayed in John 17:13 for his people to have his joy fulfilled in them. To what was Jesus referring as the cause our joy in the midst of a hostile world? It is obviously all that he taught, but it is more specifically what he said in “the greatest sermon ever preached on planet earth” (see John 14-16). In the midst of a violent and hostile world, that is broken, scared, and dark, the gospel is the remedy to our troubled hearts. Jesus said, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1). We were made not for today, but for eternity. We were made not for the purpose of brokenness and scars, but for a wholeness that can only be experienced through a relationship with a God. He takes what is broken and scared and makes it new. This is the good news that Jesus Christ brings; this is the Gospel.
We Were Given the Gospel
We have been given the Gospel; this is what Jesus meant in his prayer: “I have given them your word.” As a result of being given the gospel and having accepted it, the world hated the disciples and it will hate anyone who has received the Gospel. Just as light dispels the darkness and life is an enemy of death, those whose eyes have been opened by the light of the Gospel and have been made alive through it, are, and will continue to be, hated by the world just as Jesus was and continues to be hated by the world. This is why Jesus warned: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33; NIV).
What we learn from Jesus’ prayer is that in the midst of trouble, we can know and have real joy. This is the Christian ideal, but as G.K. Chesterton observed: “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” Christianity is a religion of inconvenience, because it calls us to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Matt. 16:24). We live in a nation where the word “inconvenience” is a dirty word. On a blog for Fortune.com, Benjamin Snyder observed:
Cereal sales are getting crushed and there’s a surprising reason why…
The core issue appears to be that millennials simply don’t have the energy for the breakfast option, according to the New York Times. The newspaper reported that a survey conducted by Mintel, a global research firm, found nearly 40% of millennials consider cereal inconvenient to consume. Why? Because it needs to be cleaned up after eating.
The paradox of the Gospel runs against the grain of what our culture believes the secret of life is, which can be summed up with the slogan: “You can have it your way.” Jesus explained the paradox for us: “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matt. 10:39). In other words, remaining in the Father’s love and obedience to Jesus is the secret to happiness, but how we get there is “knowing God and knowing Jesus” (John 17:3), which begins with faith that Jesus lived the life we could never live, died the death we deserved, and conquered death by rising from it on the third day. Jesus prayed that we would not be spared from trouble, but protected from the devil. Why did Jesus pray that we would be “kept from the evil one?” Because the evil one wants nothing more than to have Christians silenced and sidelined by fear, sin, frustration, and distractions.
We Are Being Transformed by the Gospel
The greatest need people have is not acceptance, but gospel transformation. This need is why Jesus prayed that we would not be taken out of the world, but kept from the evil one. The strategic linchpin for the Gospel to go forth into the world is not systems or programs, but our pursuit of holiness. Consider what Jesus prayed for us:
Do not take them out of the world.Keep them from the evil one. Sanctify them in the truth
How are we to be sanctified in the truth? We are sanctified in the truth more and more as we depend on Jesus as the only means for the remedy to transform the brokenness and scars resultant of our sins. We are not meant to be what we are now, but who Jesus created us to be.
How can we be “sanctified in the truth?” A theologian by the name of Arthur W. Pink once wrote, “The Great mistake made by most of the Lord’s people is in hoping to discover in themselves that which is to be found in Christ alone.”[1] Just before Jesus prayed, he shared with his disciples the secret of sanctification, Jesus said: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:1-3, 5).
Consider again what Jesus prayed for in verse 13; Jesus prayed that his joy would be fulfilled in us. The way that this joy is fulfilled in us is by remaining in the Father’s love and obedience to Jesus – this faithfulness is what it means to “abide” in Jesus. Abiding happens when accept Jesus as the only means for our salvation. Belief in Jesus results in following him. Following Jesus requires obedience to Jesus, which results in abiding in him, and as you abide in Jesus – His ways begin to evolve into the desire of your heart and the outcome of your life. This internal transformation is what it means to “genosko” Jesus.
In today’s world, where we can get the answer to most of our questions right at our finger tips, there are many things that we can “know.” If someone asks Siri the question, “How long is the Golden Gate Bridge,” they will get an almost instantaneous response. But if we were sitting next to a retired construction worker who spent 4 years of his life building the Verrazano bridge in his 20s, we would not only get the right information, we would get it with great passion. This juxtaposition is the difference between knowing about something, and truly “knowing” something.
Abiding in Jesus is the key strategic linchpin to fulfilling the great commission to go and make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). If we are not abiding in Jesus by reading and studying our Bibles, gathering together with other Christians, sitting under the preaching of God’s word, and celebrating the Gospel through regular and consistent worship, we will have little influence in this world, lack the joy God wants us to experience, and find ourselves sidelined to the satisfaction of the devil, the grief of the Holy Spirit, and the eternal plight of our neighbors. We were meant for so much more.
Jesus prayed that as we are sent into and remained in the world, we would be protected from the devil and sanctified through the Gospel. If you are ever tempted to think God can’t use you because of your past, consider the words of John Newton: “I am not the man I ought to be, I am not the man I wish to be, and I am not the man I hope to be, but by the grace of God, I am not the man I used to be.”
We Are Sent Into the World to Share the Gospel
We are not only made for a purpose, but we were made for a mission. Just as Jesus was sent into the world, He has sent us into the world. We were ransomed from our sin and the world to be transformed into the kind of people we were born to be, for Jesus prayed: “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” How are we to go into the world? We go into the world with the same mindset Jesus did: He laid his life down out of obedience to the Father for the sake of people in desperate need of salvation.
Jesus prayed that we would have the same self-sacrificing mindset that he did as we go into the world when he prayed: “And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth” (v. 19). We become sanctified in truth by dying to ourselves for the purpose of God’s mission to seek and save the lost. The “great commission” of Matthew 28:19-20 is not the “great suggestion.” We are sent into the world, not to play, but to point people to where real and true joy can be found in and through Jesus Christ. After thinking a lot about the song, This is Me, I tried to reimagine what the words might be in the song if it was theologically accurate and biblically hopeful; this is what I came up with, and this is how I would like to conclude our time together:
I was a stranger in the darkRunning away, fallen, and astrayI was nothing, but fractured and broken apartMy sin has caused my brokenness and scarsYet I continued to run awayUnaware that God meets us as we are.For upon the Cross my savior diedAnd was buried, along with all my sin and shameAnd now I have found my place in ChristWhereas his new creation, I am madeSo, when the world tries to bring me downI’m gonna rest in God’s amazing grace.I am saved, I am sanctified, I am in ChristI am not yet what I will be, but I am becoming what I was meant to beLook out ‘cause here I comeI am marching to the beat of a different drumI am called by grace, I am sent by ChristI am a new creation, this is me.
We were made for a mission. This mission is the reason we were given the gospel.
[1] Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace (Colorado Springs: Navepress; 1991), p. 101.
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The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed – Part 2
John 17:6-12
One of Spiderman’s most dangerous villains is Venom. Venom originated as a symbiotic alien organism that initially formed Spiderman’s new costume, one that not only amplified his abilities, but also altered his personality. Peter Parker didn’t know that the symbiote was also siphoning his powers until he (with the help of other superhero friends) managed to tear it off, and only then did he realize its lethal effects. In her book, Almost Christian, Kenda Dean suggests that a version of Christianity, like the analogy of Venom and Spider-man, has infected the Church.
Dean’s book offers a bleak outlook on the state of the Christian faith, basing such on the results of a three-year study (The National Study of Youth and Religion). In Almost Christian, Dean reveals that America’s youth, particularly those who were shaped in a churched culture and call themselves “Christian,” embrace a certain brand of Christianity that is “caught, not taught” from their parents and a church culture labeled “Moralistic Therapeutic Deism,” by those who conducted the study from which Dean’s book is based. According to Dean, the guiding beliefs of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism can be summed up in five guiding beliefs:
A god exists who created and orders the world and watches over life on earth. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions. The central goal of life is to be happy and to feel good about oneself. God is not involved in my life, except when I need God to resolve a problem. Good people go to heaven when they die.
According to the study, most parents treat religion as something caught and not so much taught; what today’s youth has caught has been essentially the “Christianity” of their parents. In Almost Christian, Dean explains,
Parasitologists define a symbiote as the weaker of two organisms inhabiting the same space, so that the weaker can draw life from the stronger. In the most dramatic cases, by the time the host notices, the symbiote has siphoned off its nutrients, guaranteeing the symbiote’s survival but leaving the host seriously weakened. Continuing the analogy from comic lore, Venom’s symbiote occupied its hapless victims while inhaling their souls, reducing them to hideous creatures themselves, human beings whose depleted souls left them too weak to resist the symbiote’s beguiling allure. When this symbiote inhabited Spiderman, leaving a trace of Venom behind, it was often impossible to tell them apart. The result? When the impostor threatened to supplant the original, no one was the wiser.[1]
In John 17, Jesus’ prayer teaches us what it really means to be the Church and what it means to be a Christian. In verses 6-12, we discover what it means to be loved by God and how it is we can love others.
You Are Loved By God
When I read these verses, I think of them as God’s way of unpacking John 3:16, “God so loved the world.” In John 3:16 God loved the world so much that He gave us Jesus, but in John 17, God loved Jesus so much that He gave him the Church. The difference between John 3:16 and John 17 is important. God loved us so much that He gave us Jesus. Our problem is that we are sinners in desperate need of God’s forgiveness so that we can be reconciled to Him instead of being rejected, judged, and condemned to hell. God sent his only son to save us from eternal damnation; this is why Jesus prayed in verse 3, “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
In John 17, Jesus prayed for those whom God has given him out of His love for Jesus. Look at the passage a little more closely. Jesus referred to his followers as people that God gave him:
“I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world.” (v. 6a) “Yours they were, and you gave them to me…” (v. 6b)…everything that you have given me is from you.” (v. 7)“I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.” (v. 9)“All mine are yours, and yours are mine…” (v. 10)“…I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that may be one, even as we are one.” (v. 11)“While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me.” (v. 12)
Each time the word give is used in these verses, is the word is used to describe something that has happened in the past. When you come to verse 20 where Jesus specifically refers to us, He could have prayed, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who you will give to me…” Instead, Jesus prayed for those “who will believe” in Him. In other words, those who will believe, are those whom the Father has already given to Jesus.
Here is how you should hear that “God loves you” out of these verses:
God created all things; therefore, all things belong to God and exist for God.We are the only creatures on planet earth that are in rebellion towards God as people who have sinned against him.Our greatest need is to be reconciled to God, and the only way that can happen is through Jesus (John 17:1-5).
Therefore, God gave those who desperately needed eternal life to the only person (Jesus) who had the authority to give eternal life (v. 2).. Let me say it another way: God gave sinners to Jesus so that Jesus could make sinners righteous through their belief in Him. This is why the Bible says the following about us: “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 Cor. 5:21). Because God gave us to Jesus, Jesus gave us eternal life and made us new. We are told in the Bible: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17).
It has been said that Elvis Presley always wore a Christian cross, a star of David, and the Hebrew letter Chi (a charm for good luck). When asked about his three charms, Elvis answered, “I don’t want to miss out on heaven due to a technicality.” Sadly, if Elvis really believed this, then he failed to understand that God loves us too much to leave our eternal fate up to trinkets, charms, and good intentions. Only Jesus is able to give eternal life.
We Love Others Because God Loves Us
God loves us too much to leave our eternal plight to trinkets, charms, and good intentions, but He also loves us too much to leave us as we are. The whole point of our salvation is to restore what was lost due to Adam and Eve’s sin, which is the reason that every single one of us was born into this world spiritually dead to God. A relationship with Jesus, that is rooted in a belief that only He was able to live the perfect life and died the death that only we deserved, is the only way in which we can become reconciled. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked…” (Eph. 2:1-2).
Vladimir Lenin is the founder of Soviet Communism; he died at the age of 54 due to a brain hemorrhage. Upon Lenin’s death in early 1924, his body was embalmed and placed in a mausoleum near the Kremlin in Moscow. Lenin’s 149 year old body continues to be preserved for the purpose of maintaining the body’s look and feel, but to do that, they have had to substitute parts of the decaying skin and flesh with plastics and other materials. As Lenin’s body continues to deteriorate, the work of preserving his body not only becomes more difficult, but the body is “less and less of what it used to be,” said one expert.
That sets the work apart from processes like mummification, he notes, “Where the focus was on preserving the original matter while the form of the body changes.” Now, in addition to the skin replacements, Lenin has false eyelashes, and instead of skin fat, researchers have molded a combination of chemicals to keep his skin looking the same.
The body is re-embalmed using a bath of chemicals in alternate years. Lenin has kept scientists busy: During the period between the 1950s and 1980s, as many as 200 experts had jobs maintaining the body, Scientific American notes. It cost $200,000 in 2016 to keep Lenin’s dead body looking young; the body remains on display still today.
Trinkets, charms, good intentions, and religion are like the chemicals, plastics, prosthetics, and paints that keep Lenin looking better with each passing year while he remains as dead as the day he suffered a brain hemorrhage in 1924. Dead is dead! However, God is the God of the living and when we receive the gift of salvation through faith in his Son Jesus, we become spiritually alive! “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved” (Eph. 2:4-5).
The result of God giving us to Jesus is life, not “moralistic therapeutic Deism!” We were made alive in and through Jesus. We are made new in Jesus. We are being made to look more and more like Jesus as a result of the eternal life that only Jesus could give. The evidence that your faith is not based on the value of trinkets, charms, good intentions, and religion, is your changed life that begins with belief. Belief in Jesus is the kind of knowing that is more than facts you know in your brain, but facts that you are experiencing: “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” (Jn. 17:3).
The kind of eternal life begetting “knowing” is ginosko. To know God and to know Jesus, so that it results in eternal life, is an experiential knowing and trusting that results in the following evidences that your faith in Jesus is real.. Jesus provides us with a list of things that genuine faith in Him generates in the lives of his followers:
Jesus’ people keep God’s word. (v. 6)Jesus’ people believe Jesus is the Christ. (v. 7)Jesus’ people receive God’s word and apply it to their lives. (v. 8)Jesus’ people do not walk away from the faith. (v. 11-12)Jesus’ people are one because they love what God loves.
The evidence that you have received the saving grace of God through Jesus is not just a born again love for God, but a genuine love for the things that God loves. The evidence of a love for God is a love for people – especially a love for God’s people. The love we have for one another will be one of the primary ways people know that our lives have been changed, and that we now belong to a God who is not only the God of the living, but a God of love.
Our colors are the same: red. The blood of Jesus Christ is what binds us together. As his bride, Jesus left us in the world for a purpose: To make disciples of all nations by baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and in doing so, teaching them to observe all that Jesus has commanded us (Matt. 28:19-20). Do you know what legitimizes our belief that Jesus not only died for our sins, but also was raised to new life? What makes our message legitimate before a lost world is a resurrected life that is marked by five characteristics:
Keeping God’s word.Trusting in Jesus as the Christ.Applying God’s word to our lives.Keeping the faith because it is real.Loving what God loves in a world filled with so much death and hatred.
Jesus prayed that we would be one, and what brings us together as the Church is the love of God and our love for one another.
[1] Kenda Creasy Dean, Almost Christian (Oxford, NY: Oxford University Press; 2010), p. 13.
The post Together: We are a Known by Our Love appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.
The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed – Part 1
John 17:1-5
Slavery is what happens when a person is controlled by another, forced to work against their will, and treated like property. While slavery has been outlawed by just about every nation on planet earth, 45.8 million people are in some form of slavery today. What this number means is that, more than any other time in history (even more than the entire African slave trade), exists men, women, and children who live a hellish nightmare where freedom is only a dream, and equality is a privilege outside of their reality. Here are some basic facts that I found regarding slavery around the world (although this is just a sampling):
UNICEF estimates that 200,000 children are sold into slavery each year into the agricultural, domestic, and sex industries of wealthier neighboring countries of Africa’s West Coast.
90 thousand Dinkas in Southern Sudan are owned by North African Arabs, and are sold for as little as $15 dollars per human being! Physical mutilation is practiced upon these slaves to both prevent escape and to enforce the owner’s ideologies upon his “property.” When Arab nomads kidnapped Kon, a young 13-year-old boy, he saw several Dinka men hobbling around because their owner cut their Achilles tendon since they refused to become Muslims. When threatened to have the same done to him, Kon converted to Islam.
Between 200,000 and 300,000 children are held captive in locked rooms and forced to weave on looms for food. These children are known as “carpet slaves” in India.
Millions of children are sold to feed the billion-dollar sex trade industry. They are sold in exchange for food, housing, drugs, and other commodities. On a typical day in one brothel in India, the average girl may be exploited 10-40 times a night for as low as 20 Rupees per encounter, which is about 50 cents for every horrific experience.
Even with the 13th Amendment, the United States is the largest market for sex slavery in the entire world. The State Department estimates that somewhere between 14,500 and 17,500 women, girls, and boys are trafficked into the United States as sex slaves.
Slavery is not the only problem. There is another human rights problem in our world, and it is that of the unborn who are treated as disposable property. Over 700,000 babies were aborted in the US in 2018, while nearly 23,000,000 babies were aborted this year alone. Since 1980, over 1 billion babies have been aborted worldwide, because they were deemed property instead of people.
The reason that slavery and abortion exist today is simple: There is an enemy who hates the fact that we are the only creature in the universe that bears the image of the God he hates. That enemy is the devil, and Jesus said of him: “He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). We human beings have a propensity towards perverting what God has called good, and because of our sinful nature, some of the fruit of our sinful nature is slavery and death.
We have a history of slavery and death, because of our own spiritual slavery and death – a spiritual slavery and death from which Jesus came to liberate us. He saved us from the bondage of sin through his life, death, and resurrection. Although legislation is necessary in a world full people with lawless hearts, legislation and government are not enough to change the culture of the heart.
When Jesus prayed in John 17, He prayed for us and He prayed that we would experience the life that we were made to enjoy – a life rooted in Him as our savior. When Jesus prayed, He prayed for the Church who is His bride.
Martyn Lloyd-Jones said that Jesus’ prayer in John 17 was “the greatest prayer offered on earth…”[1] I want you to look with me at the first five verses of this incredible chapter in the Bible, because Jesus highlights three things that every Christian shares in common. I will unpack each of these three. In John 17, Jesus prays for those who…
Belong to Him.Believe in Him.Were bought by Him.
We Belong to Him
Jesus’ prayer begins and ends with glory, for through His death He will glorify the Father. Why would Jesus pray that the Father be glorified by His horrible and violent death? Remember that the “glory” of God is not a reference to some bright light, but it is all things that comprise the character of God. God’s glory is His perfect grace, it is His perfect wrath, it is His perfect mercy, it is His perfect justice, it is His perfect love, and it is His perfect holiness put on display for all to see. When Jesus lifted up His eyes and prayed: “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” (v. 1), He was praying that through His violent and horrific death, God’s character would be on perfect display.
Before we can even consider what it means to belong to Jesus, we have to pause to consider how it is that God is glorified through His death and how we can belong to Him in the first place. The reality is that God is holy and we are not. We are sinners in great need of the grace of God because, apart from grace, there is no hope of a pardon, but only the expectation of an eternal and great judgment. The Bible states of God: “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong” (Hab. 1:13). The Bible also states that, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (Rom. 1:18).
As a perfect judge, God is morally obligated to judge our sin, but do not misunderstand God’s obligation to judge to be reactionary, self-indulgent, or with the feeling of suffering a great injustice, or him just “flying off the handle” like can happen sometimes as a parent. Do you know where the phrase, “Fly off the handle” originated? The phrase alludes to the uncontrolled way a loose axe-head flies off from its handle. This example is not how God’s anger and wrath work. J.I. Packer wrote of the wrath of God in his book, Knowing God: “God’s wrath in the Bible is never the capricious, self-indulgent, irritable, morally ignoble thing that human anger so often is. It is, instead, a right and necessary reaction to objective moral evil.”
So why did Jesus pray that his death would glorify the Father? Through Jesus’ death, the wrath and justice of a perfect and holy God would be satisfied. No good judge can ignore wrongdoing and/or injustice. People stand up in protest when justice is ignored or trivialized, unless they are on the receiving end of justice, resultant of their wrongdoing. Therefore, if in His divine and holy purity, God is unable look upon sin, then we, who all have been born into sin, stand in great peril under the looming of a perfect and good judge who cannot turn a blind eye from our sin. We need a mediator, a priest, and someone who will stand on our behalf!
When Jesus prayed, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” He was praying that he would glorify God through his death, because through his death, Jesus would liberate a people to be His. Jesus is glorified through his death because through it we are given eternal life. What brings us together is not our personality, good looks, or nationality. What brings us together is the finished work of Christ; the “all” that the Father has given to Jesus to receive eternal life is us. This gift is the reason for what Paul wrote in Romans 8:
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?” (Romans 8:31–35, ESV)
The first thing we share in common is that we belong to Jesus together.
We Believe in Him
In Jesus’ prayer, he said that eternal life is that they (we) know God, and Jesus, who was sent by God. The word “know” in this verse is not the kind of knowledge you have about the day-to-day. The word “know” that is used in verse 3 is the Greek word: “Ginosko” which means knowledge, but it is an experiential knowledge that involves more than just the mind. To know God is to trust in him and to know Jesus is to be convinced that he is all that you need for the forgiveness of your sins.
The reason we belong to Jesus is that we believe in him. The only means to receive the mercy and grace of God, so that we can know the love of God, is through a personal relationship with God that is rooted in a faith convinced that Jesus lived the life we could never live and died the death we deserved. Jesus prayed: “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” Jesus did not include Mohammad, he did not include Siddhartha Gautama, he did not include the 330 million gods that make up Hinduism, and he did not include your good intentions, your religious devotion, or whatever deeds you think you need to do to get to heaven. Jesus is the only means to be reconciled to God alone.
Our faith in Jesus binds us together as his people.
We Were Bought by Him
When Jesus prayed, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you…” he was referring to the work he came to do, and that he was born to die on our behalf. When I read John 17, it feels very much like a courtroom where he is standing on our behalf, not to get us acquitted in God’s courtroom of justice, but to take on the full wrath of God on our behalf so that God’s perfect justice would be satisfied.
Jesus prayed he would glorify God through his death because at the cross, the perfect justice of God, His perfect mercy, grace, and love, would be offered to guilty sinners. This glorification is why the Bible states in Romans 5:8, “…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Make no mistake; there was no trivializing of sin with Jesus’ prayer. He stood on our behalf, to satisfy the wrath of God and ransomed us from sin and death:
“…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3:23–26, ESV)
Jesus prayed that he would glorify God through his death, because through his death, Jesus would claim a bride for himself. Jesus bought us through His own blood. Now, through our belief in him, we belong to him.
Application
Jesus’ blood is an eternal binding of all who believe in Him, and it is stronger than the bond we share with anyone else. This binding is why Jesus prayed about the unification of His church.
During the Reconstruction Era following the Civil War, newly freed slaves faced the inconsistencies of their new “freedom” juxtaposed against the many new laws enacted, primarily in the southern states, to keep them, quite literally, in their place. Jim Crow Laws, as they have come to be known, took their name from a minstrel song of the 1830s in which the character was named Jim Crow. The character came to be associated as the archetypical black slave.
Jim Crow Laws were a series of legislative mandates that assured blacks and whites “separate” places in society. From separate restrooms and rail cars, to separate water fountains and park benches, these 1896 US Supreme Court ruling cemented these laws under the banner of the in the case of Plessy v. Ferguson declaring the rights of blacks and whites to be “separate but equal.”
On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, we set aside a day to honor a man who felt and believed that such laws should never have been tolerated. A bond stronger than our constitution binds us together, because the color of our skin does not matter, nor does our ethnic heritage, nor socioeconomic status. We are one in Jesus Christ. The Bible states that, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). This unification is also why Jesus prayed, “Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11).
In God’s economy, there is no such thing as “separate but equal.” There is only equal; there is one, and this one is the Church!
[1] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, The Assurance of our Salvation (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books; 2000), p. 11. The post Together: We are the Church appeared first on Meadowbrooke Church.