Friday, November 06, 2009
The Flea Market
The Flea Market is tomorrow, November 7th, from 10 AM to 2 PM (D.V.) -- please join us, take a look, shop, and support the ministry of Jesus Christ at Second Reformed Church -- thank you!
Monday, November 02, 2009
"Who Is Melchizedek?"
“Who is Melchizedek?”
Rev. Peter A. Butler, Jr.
One of the more curious characters we meet in the Scripture is one by the name of Melchizedek. We read this in Genesis:
“After [Abram’s] return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand ’ And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.’ 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.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eschol, and Mamre take their share’” (Genesis 14:17-24, ESV).
At the very least, we can say this is a curious passage: Abram has come from defeating some of his enemies on the way to take the land of Canaan, according to God’s Will and Command, and after he has won the battle, he meets this Melchizedek in the King’s Valley. It is certainly a peaceful meeting – they have not come to war with each other. But who is Melchizedek?
We are told that he is the King of Salem. And, curiously, (since God did not allow any other king to also be priest), Melchizedek is said to be priest of God Most High – the same God that Abram worshiped (as we see in verse twenty-two). Melchizedek offered bread and wine to Abram. And Abram offered a tenth of everything he had to Melchizedek. And they parted.
We might consider this nothing more than a curious incident if the author of Hebrews did not tell us more about Melchizedek:
“We have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning home from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of the name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
“See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
“Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe from which no on ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is written of him, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant” (Hebrews 6:19-7:23, ESV).
What in the world is the author of Hebrews telling us?
At this point in the author of Hebrews’ letter, he is arguing that Jesus is a high priest, and a greater high priest that the priests of the Aaronic and Levitical orders – the two orders of priests we find in the Old Testament (save one).
The author of Hebrews argues that the priesthood of Melchizedek (a third order) is greater than that of Aaron and the Levi because the Levitical line came out of the descendants of Abraham, and Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, so, he representatively acted as the father of the Levitical priesthood and submitted himself to the greater priest, Melchizedek, by paying tithes to him, rather than vice-versa. In other words, since Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, Melchizedek was greater than Abraham. And since Abraham was the father of the Levites (the Levites were “in” him), Melchizedek was greater than the Levites.
Now, the prophet said the Jesus is the one and only other member of the priesthood of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Therefore, if Melchizedek as priest is greater than Abraham and his descendants as priests, Jesus is also greater than Abraham and his descendants as priests.
But who is Melchizedek?
Figuring out who Melchizedek is reminds me of one of C. S. Lewis’ letters in which he addresses a child’s question of who Aslan is – unfortunately, I could not come across the exact quote, but he doesn’t tell the child. He asks the child to consider who Aslan the Lion might be – the Son of the Great Emperor Across the Sea, who broke the power of the White Witch by his death and resurrection – through the “deeper magic” – and came at the same time as Father Christmas.
Who might Melchizedek be?
According to the Scripture, He resembles the Son of God, He always existed and always will exist, He did not have father, mother, or descendants, He is the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace, He is the Highest and Perfect Priest, He received the offering of tithes, He offered up bread and wine, and the only other member of His Priesthood is Jesus, God Incarnate, the God-Man.
Who is Melchizedek?
There is an idea in theology called “theophany,” and in Christian theology, it specifically refers to a pre-Incarnate appearance of the Son of God. Jesus is the Incarnate appearance of the Son of God – God became man, Jesus of Nazareth. But, there are a few cases in the Scripture where there is a pre-Incarnate – visible – appearance of the Son of God.
Melchizedek was a pre-Incarnate appearance of the Second Person of the Trinity – the Son of God.
[This article is being published in Dnyndharama Issue #3, 2009 (Pune, India).]
Rev. Peter A. Butler, Jr.
One of the more curious characters we meet in the Scripture is one by the name of Melchizedek. We read this in Genesis:
“After [Abram’s] return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. (He was priest of God Most High.) And he blessed him and said, ‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand ’ And Abram gave him a tenth of everything. And the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the persons, but take the goods for yourself.’ 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.’ I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me. Let Aner, Eschol, and Mamre take their share’” (Genesis 14:17-24, ESV).
At the very least, we can say this is a curious passage: Abram has come from defeating some of his enemies on the way to take the land of Canaan, according to God’s Will and Command, and after he has won the battle, he meets this Melchizedek in the King’s Valley. It is certainly a peaceful meeting – they have not come to war with each other. But who is Melchizedek?
We are told that he is the King of Salem. And, curiously, (since God did not allow any other king to also be priest), Melchizedek is said to be priest of God Most High – the same God that Abram worshiped (as we see in verse twenty-two). Melchizedek offered bread and wine to Abram. And Abram offered a tenth of everything he had to Melchizedek. And they parted.
We might consider this nothing more than a curious incident if the author of Hebrews did not tell us more about Melchizedek:
“We have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning home from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of the name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.
“See how great this man was to whom Abraham the patriarch gave a tenth of the spoils And those descendants of Levi who receive the priestly office have a commandment in the law to take tithes from the people, that is, from their brothers, though these are descended from Abraham. But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. In one case tithes are received by mortal men, but in the other case, by one of whom it is testified that he lives. One might even say that Levi himself, who receives tithes, paid tithes through Abraham, for he was still in the loins of his ancestor when Melchizedek met him.
“Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? For when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well. For the one of whom these things are spoken belonged to another tribe from which no on ever served at the altar. For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests.
“This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is written of him, ‘You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.’ This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant” (Hebrews 6:19-7:23, ESV).
What in the world is the author of Hebrews telling us?
At this point in the author of Hebrews’ letter, he is arguing that Jesus is a high priest, and a greater high priest that the priests of the Aaronic and Levitical orders – the two orders of priests we find in the Old Testament (save one).
The author of Hebrews argues that the priesthood of Melchizedek (a third order) is greater than that of Aaron and the Levi because the Levitical line came out of the descendants of Abraham, and Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, so, he representatively acted as the father of the Levitical priesthood and submitted himself to the greater priest, Melchizedek, by paying tithes to him, rather than vice-versa. In other words, since Abraham paid tithes to Melchizedek, Melchizedek was greater than Abraham. And since Abraham was the father of the Levites (the Levites were “in” him), Melchizedek was greater than the Levites.
Now, the prophet said the Jesus is the one and only other member of the priesthood of Melchizedek (Psalm 110:4). Therefore, if Melchizedek as priest is greater than Abraham and his descendants as priests, Jesus is also greater than Abraham and his descendants as priests.
But who is Melchizedek?
Figuring out who Melchizedek is reminds me of one of C. S. Lewis’ letters in which he addresses a child’s question of who Aslan is – unfortunately, I could not come across the exact quote, but he doesn’t tell the child. He asks the child to consider who Aslan the Lion might be – the Son of the Great Emperor Across the Sea, who broke the power of the White Witch by his death and resurrection – through the “deeper magic” – and came at the same time as Father Christmas.
Who might Melchizedek be?
According to the Scripture, He resembles the Son of God, He always existed and always will exist, He did not have father, mother, or descendants, He is the King of Righteousness and the King of Peace, He is the Highest and Perfect Priest, He received the offering of tithes, He offered up bread and wine, and the only other member of His Priesthood is Jesus, God Incarnate, the God-Man.
Who is Melchizedek?
There is an idea in theology called “theophany,” and in Christian theology, it specifically refers to a pre-Incarnate appearance of the Son of God. Jesus is the Incarnate appearance of the Son of God – God became man, Jesus of Nazareth. But, there are a few cases in the Scripture where there is a pre-Incarnate – visible – appearance of the Son of God.
Melchizedek was a pre-Incarnate appearance of the Second Person of the Trinity – the Son of God.
[This article is being published in Dnyndharama Issue #3, 2009 (Pune, India).]
Sunday, November 01, 2009
"Washed in the Blood of the Lamb" Sermon: Revelation 7:1-17
“Washed in the Blood of the Lamb”
[Revelation 7:1-17]
November 1, 2009 Second Reformed Church
Today is All Saints’ Day. And some may wonder why a Protestant church like ours would recognize the day – some of my colleagues gently tease me about it. All Saints’ Day or Hallowmas or All-Hallows (last night was All Hallows Eve, or Halloween) was instituted by Pope Boniface IV in 609 A.D. as a mass to be held every May 13th to “commemorate all those martyrs, known and unknown, who enjoy the beatific vision of God” (J. C. J. Metford, The Christian Year, 115).
For reasons that have been lost to history, Pope Gregory III changed the date to November 1st in 789 A.D. And in the Saram Missal, it was explained that on this day we give thanks to God for the merits of the saints which are applied to us and for multiplying our intercessors before God (116).
Now, we don’t believe that: Jesus Christ is the Only Intercessor between humans and God, and only Jesus’ Merits are applied to us, not the saints. We don’t worship the saints. We don’t worship the deceased. We don’t believe that any of the deceased can contribute to our salvation. Salvation is of Jesus and Jesus Alone.
So, why bother with All Saints’ Day? We do have a time to remember those who have died during the past year, but we do so not merely to remember them or thinking that in some way they can do anything for us. No, we remember those who have died because their deaths remind us that we, too, will die, and there is a life after this life – and only two places a person will spend it. For those who believe in Jesus Alone for salvation – we will spend eternity in the Presence of our God and Savior. Those who do not believe in Him will spend eternity in Hell receiving His Wrath.
This morning we turn to the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation to consider what we are told about the life after this life for all those saints who do believe in Jesus Alone for salvation. We are going to consider what this chapter tells us about the glimpse we are given of what you and I and all those who believe in Jesus Alone for Salvation will experience in the Kingdom.
Now, we are looking at the book of Revelation, and we need to keep a few things in mind as we do so:
First, the book of Revelation is written in symbolic language – it is written in a code – it is not meant to be taken word-for-word literally. For example, in verse nine, Jesus is called the Lamb. Jesus has not turned into a four-legged farm animal with curly fur. It is an image – a symbol – that has to be interpreted.
Second, whereas we struggle with interpreting some parts of this book, the original audience of this book would have understood it. John wrote the book of Revelation in this style to keep non-Christians from understanding, but the Christians of his day were suppose to understand it, and they would have. Our problem is that we do not live in the same context they did, so it takes more work for us to understand what John is saying.
Third, besides the difficulty of understanding what John means, many Christians stay away from the book of Revelation because they believe is it a terrifying work – like a Stephen King novel. But that was not John’s intent – as one reads over the whole book, it becomes obvious that John’s intent is to comfort the Church – to show them that the Promise of God is that even though things will get bad – there will be persecution – Jesus has already won. Jesus is already victorious. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords from before time and forever and ever. So, John wants Christians to take comfort and not to be terrorized. Jesus is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against His Church, because we belong to Jesus.
And fourthly, in the time that we have left to look at this chapter, I am not going to try to decode it all – much less the entire book of Revelation. Let us look to this chapter to learn a few doctrines – teachings – that we find in the light of All Saints’ Day.
Chapter seven has John seeing four angels at the four corners of the earth holding back the wind, so the wind would not blow on the earth – they are disrupting the patterns of nature – ready to harm the earth and the sea – to punish the creation to punish humanity. And God sends another angel who calls out in a loud voice, holding the Seal of the Living God – so they know he is a legitimate representative coming to them with instructions from God – saying, “Don’t harm the creation until all of the servants of God have been sealed on their foreheads.”
Now, if you’re like me, you’re picturing movies like “The Omen” where the little kid has a birthmark of “666" under his hairline or behind his ear – which is not on the forehead, brothers and sisters!
Symbols, brothers and sisters! I have never seen a Christian with a “bought by God” symbol of any kind on his or her forehead. Don’t be confused by Hollywood and fanciful teachers. Symbols!
What is John telling his readers? God will not allow any of the elect to be lost. Every single person that God has chosen for salvation will be saved. Neither human, nor demon can keep God from receiving every one He has chosen for Himself into the Kingdom. Remember Jesus’ prayer: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know the truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:612, ESV).
John is telling the first century Christians that though the Romans slaughter them – which is what was happening – though the world and the demons come against them – God will not allow any of His elect to be lost. Everyone whom God intends to save and bring into His Kingdom will be saved and brought into the Kingdom. No matter what happens today or tomorrow or in the days to come, everyone that the Almighty, All-Knowing God intends to come to faith in Jesus Alone will be saved. Take comfort – none will be lost You will not be lost if you believe in Jesus Alone.
John goes on to describe 144,000 being sealed – saved. The Jehovah’s Witnesses take this absolutely literally and say, “Well, yes, there will only be 144,000 people in the Kingdom.” Without going into a lesson in numerology – the numbers three, four, twelve, and ten – which are found in 144,000 are symbolic and, together, the 144,000 means that the complete, full, perfect number will be sealed – not one will be lost – all of those intended will be sealed and saved.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses explain that they are the 144,000 who will be sealed and saved. But verses five through eight say that the 144,000 are 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel – John is talking about the Jews that will come to faith in Jesus Alone. (Perhaps we might ask the Jehovah’s Witnesses we know if they were born Jews...)
There was a question in the first century about whether God had abandoned the biological Jews – and the resounding answer across the New Testament – what John is saying here is, “No God has not abandoned the Jews. The full, complete number of Jews that God always intended to come to faith in Jesus will come to faith in Him Alone and be sealed and received into the Kingdom.”
John tells his original audience, and us, there are elect from all of the tribes of Israel. God is not done with the biological Jews. All that God intended will come to faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, and Him Alone – the Only Savior.
But just as there was controversy about whether God had abandoned the biological Jews, there was a question concerning whether Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, was also for the Gentiles – the non-Jews. Did Jesus come just for the Jews? And, again, John says, “No!” Verse nine: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and the Lamb.”
Jesus is the One and Only Savior of the Jews and the non-Jews, every nation, every people, every tribe, every language. As Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, ESV). It doesn’t matter who you are or what your heritage is or what you have done or how you were brought up – everyone who believes in Jesus Alone for salvation is sealed and saved and brought into the Kingdom of God – surely and eternally – without any chance of being lost.
Be comforted! If you believe in Jesus Alone – that He has paid the debt for your sins and credited you with His Holy Life – you are His forever and ever and no human or demon can ever change that – not even you. If you truly believe, it is because God planned from all of eternity to save you and make you His own. Be assured!
And then what?
John saw a great multitude dressed in white robes worshiping before the throne and the Lamb – Jesus – with palm branches in their hands, crying out, “‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”
That is the picture we see of life in the Kingdom – worship. The primary thing that those who have died in Christ are engaged in and the primary thing that everyone of us who dies in Christ until He returns will be doing in the Kingdom is worshiping Him. The life after this life, for believers, is a life of eternal worship of our God and Savior.
Don’t worry – there won’t be any boring preachers, sinful preachers, who make mistakes in their preaching. There won’t be any bad hymns or bad music. You and I and all those who believe will be before the Face of God, in eternal worship, before the One Who is Utter Truth, Complete Beauty, Perfect Wisdom, Perfect Harmony. It will be a far more glorious worship that we can every imagine or experience here on earth.
But one of the elders turned to John and asked him if he knew who the group was that was wearing the white robes, and John admitted that he did not know and asked the elder to tell him. These, the elder explained, are the ones who came out of the great tribulation. What kind of things did they experience? This and more, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might again rise to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even in chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in the 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 11:35b-38, ESV).
Some people who follow Jesus – some people who believe in Him Alone for salvation – will suffer horribly – even be put to death. Are you willing to be one of them? We would all like to die a quick and painless death – or even to be alive when Jesus returns and be taken straight into the Kingdom. But are you willing, for the Sake of Jesus, to suffer and die horribly? It’s something to consider. In America – for now – it is unlikely that we will suffer like that. We may some day. Christians around the world suffer horribly and are put to death for their faith in the most inhuman ways today.
Here is what one of them wrote – who suffered horribly in his life – and eventually was put to death by being decapitated: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18, ESV). I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us! As horrible as things might get on this earth – if we keep our eyes on Jesus – if we look at this life through His Promises and what we know will come – whatever we suffer for Him – is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us!
“Well, you don’t know how much I have suffered,” you may say. And you’re right. None of us know how much any other person has really suffered. But take this word from Paul as a promise – the worst that you ever suffer for Jesus is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us That is how great life in the Kingdom is. That is what those who have died in the faith are already beginning to experience.
Why? John tells us, because they have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Again, that does not mean that these people were literally washed in lamb’s blood – or in the physical blood of Jesus. What it tells us is that in dying – in shedding His Blood – as the Final and Eternal Sacrifice – Jesus has merited salvation for everyone who will believe in Him. Jesus has done all the work.
In his first letter, John wrote, “If we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7, ESV).
“Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
On that final day, when Jesus returns, all the world – those who have believed and those who have not – will see the promises of Jesus come to pass. For those who have believed – for those who have gone before us and for we who have yet to die in the flesh, listen to these words of John, “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 their be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4, ESV).
On this All Saints’ Day, let us be comforted and assured, remembering those who have died in Christ and considering for ourselves our future in Christ, believing what He has told us: all those God has purposed to save will be saved. God is still saving some from the biological Jews – through Jesus Alone. And He is also saving some from every type of person that ever was – through Jesus Alone.
And on that final day, because Jesus came to earth to live, suffer, die, rise, and ascend, all who believe in Him Alone are forgiven for their sins, credited with His Righteousness – destined to spend eternity in His Kingdom, in Glory – worshiping forever and ever – safe, secure, guided, at peace, without pain or sorrow.
For those of us who yet live, let us look forward to that day of being united with all of the saints in the Kingdom, and let us not forget that Jesus is with us right now, as He promised: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b, ESV). And He meets us spiritually, unites us with Him, strengthens us and empowers us by His Grace to do His Will, through the reading and preaching of His Word, and also through the sacraments. As we soon receive the bread and the cup, Jesus, Himself, the Very One Who has saved everyone who will believe, will meet with you and minister to you, for His Sake and to His Glory. Hallelujah!
Let us pray:
Savior God, it is almost too much to believe that You would choose to save a people for Yourself, but that is Your Promise, and You cannot lie. So we rejoice that those who have died in the faith are with You right now, and the day will come when we will join them and You in joy and worship. Be with us now. Minister Your Grace to us through the bread and the cup. And lead us on in assurance and hope. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
[Revelation 7:1-17]
November 1, 2009 Second Reformed Church
Today is All Saints’ Day. And some may wonder why a Protestant church like ours would recognize the day – some of my colleagues gently tease me about it. All Saints’ Day or Hallowmas or All-Hallows (last night was All Hallows Eve, or Halloween) was instituted by Pope Boniface IV in 609 A.D. as a mass to be held every May 13th to “commemorate all those martyrs, known and unknown, who enjoy the beatific vision of God” (J. C. J. Metford, The Christian Year, 115).
For reasons that have been lost to history, Pope Gregory III changed the date to November 1st in 789 A.D. And in the Saram Missal, it was explained that on this day we give thanks to God for the merits of the saints which are applied to us and for multiplying our intercessors before God (116).
Now, we don’t believe that: Jesus Christ is the Only Intercessor between humans and God, and only Jesus’ Merits are applied to us, not the saints. We don’t worship the saints. We don’t worship the deceased. We don’t believe that any of the deceased can contribute to our salvation. Salvation is of Jesus and Jesus Alone.
So, why bother with All Saints’ Day? We do have a time to remember those who have died during the past year, but we do so not merely to remember them or thinking that in some way they can do anything for us. No, we remember those who have died because their deaths remind us that we, too, will die, and there is a life after this life – and only two places a person will spend it. For those who believe in Jesus Alone for salvation – we will spend eternity in the Presence of our God and Savior. Those who do not believe in Him will spend eternity in Hell receiving His Wrath.
This morning we turn to the seventh chapter of the book of Revelation to consider what we are told about the life after this life for all those saints who do believe in Jesus Alone for salvation. We are going to consider what this chapter tells us about the glimpse we are given of what you and I and all those who believe in Jesus Alone for Salvation will experience in the Kingdom.
Now, we are looking at the book of Revelation, and we need to keep a few things in mind as we do so:
First, the book of Revelation is written in symbolic language – it is written in a code – it is not meant to be taken word-for-word literally. For example, in verse nine, Jesus is called the Lamb. Jesus has not turned into a four-legged farm animal with curly fur. It is an image – a symbol – that has to be interpreted.
Second, whereas we struggle with interpreting some parts of this book, the original audience of this book would have understood it. John wrote the book of Revelation in this style to keep non-Christians from understanding, but the Christians of his day were suppose to understand it, and they would have. Our problem is that we do not live in the same context they did, so it takes more work for us to understand what John is saying.
Third, besides the difficulty of understanding what John means, many Christians stay away from the book of Revelation because they believe is it a terrifying work – like a Stephen King novel. But that was not John’s intent – as one reads over the whole book, it becomes obvious that John’s intent is to comfort the Church – to show them that the Promise of God is that even though things will get bad – there will be persecution – Jesus has already won. Jesus is already victorious. Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords from before time and forever and ever. So, John wants Christians to take comfort and not to be terrorized. Jesus is the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End, and the gates of Hell will not prevail against His Church, because we belong to Jesus.
And fourthly, in the time that we have left to look at this chapter, I am not going to try to decode it all – much less the entire book of Revelation. Let us look to this chapter to learn a few doctrines – teachings – that we find in the light of All Saints’ Day.
Chapter seven has John seeing four angels at the four corners of the earth holding back the wind, so the wind would not blow on the earth – they are disrupting the patterns of nature – ready to harm the earth and the sea – to punish the creation to punish humanity. And God sends another angel who calls out in a loud voice, holding the Seal of the Living God – so they know he is a legitimate representative coming to them with instructions from God – saying, “Don’t harm the creation until all of the servants of God have been sealed on their foreheads.”
Now, if you’re like me, you’re picturing movies like “The Omen” where the little kid has a birthmark of “666" under his hairline or behind his ear – which is not on the forehead, brothers and sisters!
Symbols, brothers and sisters! I have never seen a Christian with a “bought by God” symbol of any kind on his or her forehead. Don’t be confused by Hollywood and fanciful teachers. Symbols!
What is John telling his readers? God will not allow any of the elect to be lost. Every single person that God has chosen for salvation will be saved. Neither human, nor demon can keep God from receiving every one He has chosen for Himself into the Kingdom. Remember Jesus’ prayer: “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know the truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled” (John 17:612, ESV).
John is telling the first century Christians that though the Romans slaughter them – which is what was happening – though the world and the demons come against them – God will not allow any of His elect to be lost. Everyone whom God intends to save and bring into His Kingdom will be saved and brought into the Kingdom. No matter what happens today or tomorrow or in the days to come, everyone that the Almighty, All-Knowing God intends to come to faith in Jesus Alone will be saved. Take comfort – none will be lost You will not be lost if you believe in Jesus Alone.
John goes on to describe 144,000 being sealed – saved. The Jehovah’s Witnesses take this absolutely literally and say, “Well, yes, there will only be 144,000 people in the Kingdom.” Without going into a lesson in numerology – the numbers three, four, twelve, and ten – which are found in 144,000 are symbolic and, together, the 144,000 means that the complete, full, perfect number will be sealed – not one will be lost – all of those intended will be sealed and saved.
The Jehovah’s Witnesses explain that they are the 144,000 who will be sealed and saved. But verses five through eight say that the 144,000 are 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel – John is talking about the Jews that will come to faith in Jesus Alone. (Perhaps we might ask the Jehovah’s Witnesses we know if they were born Jews...)
There was a question in the first century about whether God had abandoned the biological Jews – and the resounding answer across the New Testament – what John is saying here is, “No God has not abandoned the Jews. The full, complete number of Jews that God always intended to come to faith in Jesus will come to faith in Him Alone and be sealed and received into the Kingdom.”
John tells his original audience, and us, there are elect from all of the tribes of Israel. God is not done with the biological Jews. All that God intended will come to faith in Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, and Him Alone – the Only Savior.
But just as there was controversy about whether God had abandoned the biological Jews, there was a question concerning whether Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, was also for the Gentiles – the non-Jews. Did Jesus come just for the Jews? And, again, John says, “No!” Verse nine: “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and the Lamb.”
Jesus is the One and Only Savior of the Jews and the non-Jews, every nation, every people, every tribe, every language. As Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, ESV). It doesn’t matter who you are or what your heritage is or what you have done or how you were brought up – everyone who believes in Jesus Alone for salvation is sealed and saved and brought into the Kingdom of God – surely and eternally – without any chance of being lost.
Be comforted! If you believe in Jesus Alone – that He has paid the debt for your sins and credited you with His Holy Life – you are His forever and ever and no human or demon can ever change that – not even you. If you truly believe, it is because God planned from all of eternity to save you and make you His own. Be assured!
And then what?
John saw a great multitude dressed in white robes worshiping before the throne and the Lamb – Jesus – with palm branches in their hands, crying out, “‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.’”
That is the picture we see of life in the Kingdom – worship. The primary thing that those who have died in Christ are engaged in and the primary thing that everyone of us who dies in Christ until He returns will be doing in the Kingdom is worshiping Him. The life after this life, for believers, is a life of eternal worship of our God and Savior.
Don’t worry – there won’t be any boring preachers, sinful preachers, who make mistakes in their preaching. There won’t be any bad hymns or bad music. You and I and all those who believe will be before the Face of God, in eternal worship, before the One Who is Utter Truth, Complete Beauty, Perfect Wisdom, Perfect Harmony. It will be a far more glorious worship that we can every imagine or experience here on earth.
But one of the elders turned to John and asked him if he knew who the group was that was wearing the white robes, and John admitted that he did not know and asked the elder to tell him. These, the elder explained, are the ones who came out of the great tribulation. What kind of things did they experience? This and more, as the writer of Hebrews tells us, “Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might again rise to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even in chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in the 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 11:35b-38, ESV).
Some people who follow Jesus – some people who believe in Him Alone for salvation – will suffer horribly – even be put to death. Are you willing to be one of them? We would all like to die a quick and painless death – or even to be alive when Jesus returns and be taken straight into the Kingdom. But are you willing, for the Sake of Jesus, to suffer and die horribly? It’s something to consider. In America – for now – it is unlikely that we will suffer like that. We may some day. Christians around the world suffer horribly and are put to death for their faith in the most inhuman ways today.
Here is what one of them wrote – who suffered horribly in his life – and eventually was put to death by being decapitated: “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18, ESV). I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us! As horrible as things might get on this earth – if we keep our eyes on Jesus – if we look at this life through His Promises and what we know will come – whatever we suffer for Him – is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us!
“Well, you don’t know how much I have suffered,” you may say. And you’re right. None of us know how much any other person has really suffered. But take this word from Paul as a promise – the worst that you ever suffer for Jesus is not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us That is how great life in the Kingdom is. That is what those who have died in the faith are already beginning to experience.
Why? John tells us, because they have been washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Again, that does not mean that these people were literally washed in lamb’s blood – or in the physical blood of Jesus. What it tells us is that in dying – in shedding His Blood – as the Final and Eternal Sacrifice – Jesus has merited salvation for everyone who will believe in Him. Jesus has done all the work.
In his first letter, John wrote, “If we walk in the light, as [God] is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7, ESV).
“Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence. They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
On that final day, when Jesus returns, all the world – those who have believed and those who have not – will see the promises of Jesus come to pass. For those who have believed – for those who have gone before us and for we who have yet to die in the flesh, listen to these words of John, “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 their be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4, ESV).
On this All Saints’ Day, let us be comforted and assured, remembering those who have died in Christ and considering for ourselves our future in Christ, believing what He has told us: all those God has purposed to save will be saved. God is still saving some from the biological Jews – through Jesus Alone. And He is also saving some from every type of person that ever was – through Jesus Alone.
And on that final day, because Jesus came to earth to live, suffer, die, rise, and ascend, all who believe in Him Alone are forgiven for their sins, credited with His Righteousness – destined to spend eternity in His Kingdom, in Glory – worshiping forever and ever – safe, secure, guided, at peace, without pain or sorrow.
For those of us who yet live, let us look forward to that day of being united with all of the saints in the Kingdom, and let us not forget that Jesus is with us right now, as He promised: “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20b, ESV). And He meets us spiritually, unites us with Him, strengthens us and empowers us by His Grace to do His Will, through the reading and preaching of His Word, and also through the sacraments. As we soon receive the bread and the cup, Jesus, Himself, the Very One Who has saved everyone who will believe, will meet with you and minister to you, for His Sake and to His Glory. Hallelujah!
Let us pray:
Savior God, it is almost too much to believe that You would choose to save a people for Yourself, but that is Your Promise, and You cannot lie. So we rejoice that those who have died in the faith are with You right now, and the day will come when we will join them and You in joy and worship. Be with us now. Minister Your Grace to us through the bread and the cup. And lead us on in assurance and hope. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
October 31, 2009
Happy Reformation Day! Make sure to give each of the little sinners that comes to your door today a copy of Luther's Theses.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
November Sermons
D.V., I plan to preach:
11/1/09 Communion/All Saints
Revelation 7:1-17 “Washed in the Blood of the Lamb”
11/8/09 Stewardship
I John 3:16-18 “Are You Giving God Your Leftovers?”
11/15/09 Thanksgiving
Colossians 1:3-14 “We Always Thank God”
11/22/09 Christ the King
Guest preacher: Rev. Luis Perez
11/29/09 Advent 1
John 1:1-18 “The Word Became Flesh”
11/1/09 Communion/All Saints
Revelation 7:1-17 “Washed in the Blood of the Lamb”
11/8/09 Stewardship
I John 3:16-18 “Are You Giving God Your Leftovers?”
11/15/09 Thanksgiving
Colossians 1:3-14 “We Always Thank God”
11/22/09 Christ the King
Guest preacher: Rev. Luis Perez
11/29/09 Advent 1
John 1:1-18 “The Word Became Flesh”
Sunday, October 25, 2009
"Christ Lives in Me" Sermon: Galatians 2:15-21
“Christ Lives in Me”
[Galatians 2:15-21]
October 25, 2009 Second Reformed Church
Have you ever done anything wrong? Have you ever not done what you ought to have done? That’s a very simple way of explaining what sin is – it’s doing what God has said not to do and/or not doing what God says we ought to do. And God tells us, even if we do not want to admit it, we have all sinned – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:3:23, ESV). And what happens to those who sin? God tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a, ESV). And that is not just physical death, but eternal death – eternal war with God – the Eternal Wrath of God against those who are never reconciled to God (cf. I Corintthinas 6:9-10).
It would seem, then, if we really consider it, the most important question we could ask is “How does a person become right with God?” How can you – how can I – become right with God? How can we come out from under God’s Wrath and enter into His Kingdom of Life?
From the beginning of the Church, two different ideas were taught. In first century Jerusalem, there were some who taught that salvation is by faith plus keeping all of the laws of the Old Testament. Today, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by faith plus doing enough good works and/or buying enough indulgences and/or by serving enough time in purgatory. Today, some charismatic and Pentecostal groups teach that salvation is by faith plus the good work of speaking in tongues. And some of the Seventh Day Adventists teach that salvation is by faith plus worshiping on Saturday.
The Reformers – John Calvin, Martin Luther, and others – understood that “faith plus something we do equals salvation” is not what is taught in the Scripture. God says and teaches us through His Word that salvation is by faith alone – we become right with God through faith alone. This faith by which we are reconciled to God receives and believes in Jesus and what He has done for all those who will believe in Him. Let us consider, on this Reformation Sunday, what it is that we believe and receive through faith alone through which God reconciles us to Himself.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is, among other things, confronting the Judaizers – those who were teaching that salvation is by faith plus keeping the Old Testament Law – and telling the Galatian Christians not to believe them – that salvation is by faith alone – keeping the Law could not save anyone and it does not make what Jesus did any more effective. In fact, it makes it look as though Jesus’ Sacrifice was not enough. It makes it look as though what Jesus did was great, but it only gets us so far – we have to keep the Law, which brings us the rest of the way to being right with God. Blasphemy! Heresy!
Paul tells the Galatian Christians to remember that they were born Jews, under the Law, but they knew, even as Jews, it is not possible to be justified by works of the Law, and as David wrote, “no one living is righteous before [God]” (Psalm 143:2b, ESV).
Well, what does it mean to be justified? To be justified is to be declared legally innocent. Understand, when we are justified through Jesus Alone, we are not merely declared not guilty, but we are declared innocent – and we’ll see how that is in a moment. But it is by being justified through faith alone in Jesus Alone that we are reconciled – made right – with God.
Paul tells the Galatian Christians that they believed in Jesus Christ Alone – the He is the Promised Savior, God become Man, Who lived under His Own Law, suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended back to His throne – in order to be justified. They knew that every mere human being is born a sinner and therefore condemned, so no matter how much of the Law a person keeps, it can never be enough to merit perfection, which is the only way a person could “work” his way into the Kingdom.
Then Paul addresses a hypothetical question: “If Jews are justified by the Law, and not sinners, like the Gentiles – the non-Jews – does that mean that Jesus makes the Jews sinners?” You see, there was an idea amongst the Jews that it was possible for them to keep the Law and be holy without the Savior. We remember the rich young ruler who said he had kept all of the law perfectly from his youth. Paul answers, “Certainly not!” Jesus unveils our sin – He makes us understand that we are sinners – He removes our self-imposed blinders and shows us for who we truly are, but He does not make us sinners. We are sinners of our own doing.
So, in verse eighteen, Paul says if we argue that the Law justifies us – saves us – in any degree or in any part – all we do is prove that we are sinners. The Law was given to us to show us what God requires and to expose our sin. To try to use the Law to show were are not sinners backfires.
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.” This is the first half of how were are justified – how we are made right with God: as we already said, the punishment for sin is death, and every mere human being is a sinner. The Law exposes our sin and condemns us. The only way we can live is if Someone Who never sinned voluntarily takes our place – as our Substitute – and receives the full punishment – God’s Wrath – on Himself. That is what Jesus has done for everyone who will believe. Jesus has taken your place and my place and your place, and suffered the punishment for your sin and my sin and your sin. Jesus acted as our Representative and Substitute before God and received the penalty we were due for our sin. So, just as we became sinners “in Adam” – because Adam was humanity’s representative at the creation, we receive new life – forgiveness for our sins – as we have been crucified with Christ. As Paul also wrote, “So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:11, ESV).
That’s the first half – Jesus as our Representative – our Substitute – stood in our place – we were crucified in Jesus and with Jesus – and the debt for our sins was paid. Our guilt has been removed. We are forgiven.
But the second half is this – Christ does not just put us back in the place of Adam before the Fall – a human being who is innocent, but has the ability to sin. No, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” You see, Jesus kept the Law of God perfectly. He never sinned. He is holy. And Jesus imputes – He credits to our account – His perfect righteousness – His perfect keeping of the entire Law of God, so that when God looks at us He sees the whole Law perfectly fulfilled in us. And, as we have seen, He gives us the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit to remind us of all that He has said in His Word and to help us understand all of it.
Christ’s obedience to the Law is our comfort, because we know that no matter what our failures in this world may be, we are eternally credited by Jesus with the full keeping of the Law. And, we are also forgiven for all of our real sin, because Jesus has already taken the punishment of all of the sin we will ever commit on Himself.
How could anyone possibly think that what we do can and would add to the Work of Jesus? Now we live by faith alone – receiving and believing that Jesus has lived a Perfect and Holy Life under God’s Law, that He has voluntarily been our Substitute, taking the punishment for our sin – so we were crucified in Christ, and He has credited us with His Holy keeping of God’s Law and given us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – so Christ lives in me – the Father sees Christ when He looks at us.
As Paul wrote, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (II Corinthians 5:14-15, ESV).
If, Paul concludes in this morning’s reading, if we could be justified through the Law – if we could be forgiven and made holy through the keeping of the Law – then Jesus would have died for no purpose. Do you understand? If we can or have to do anything to have God declare us innocent and bring us into His Kingdom, then Jesus’ Death was worthless. If Jesus did not do it all – if Jesus did not have to do it all – then the Incarnation was worthless.
But it was not worthless, dear brothers and sisters – and that is why we celebrate Reformation Sunday, remembering the rediscovery of the biblical teaching of justification by faith alone.
We know from the Word of God that Adam sinned as our representative, so every mere human being is born a sinner.
We know that God’s Law exposes our sin and condemns us to eternal death, and no one can completely keep the Law.
So, we need a Savior. We need God to become man, live under His Own Law, suffer, die, rise from the dead, and ascend back to His throne. We need the God-Man to voluntarily take our place on the cross as our Representative – as our Substitute – and take God’s Wrath upon Himself for our sakes – for our sin. And we need the God-Man to impute – to credit us with His Holy Keeping of the Law, so we would be seen as righteous in the Eyes of God and be received into His Eternal Kingdom.
And, brothers and sisters, that is exactly what Jesus did. And if you believe in Jesus Alone by faith alone – not relying on your own good works to save you – He will save you. He will forgive you. He will make you right with God. He will prepare a place for you. And you will have an eternal home with God.
What should our response to this be? What else can it be but to thankfully obey God? How else could we show our everlasting thanks to God, but by doing those things He has commanded us to do and not doing those things that He has forbidden – not because they have any part in our being right before God, but because we are so thankful to God for what He has done for us – (because we cannot help ourselves!) – that we want to do everything we can, by the help of God the Holy Spirit Who lives in us – to please God?
We have been crucified with Christ; our sins are forgiven.
Christ lives in us; we are seen as holy by the Father.
Let us rejoice, give thanks, and live for Jesus.
Let us pray:
Almighty God and Savior, You came to us when we had nothing but sin to offer, and You chose to die for us and to give us life through You. How amazing is our God Let us be thankful and live ever more thankful lives, letting others know about the Only Savior, our Only Hope. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
[Galatians 2:15-21]
October 25, 2009 Second Reformed Church
Have you ever done anything wrong? Have you ever not done what you ought to have done? That’s a very simple way of explaining what sin is – it’s doing what God has said not to do and/or not doing what God says we ought to do. And God tells us, even if we do not want to admit it, we have all sinned – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:3:23, ESV). And what happens to those who sin? God tells us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23a, ESV). And that is not just physical death, but eternal death – eternal war with God – the Eternal Wrath of God against those who are never reconciled to God (cf. I Corintthinas 6:9-10).
It would seem, then, if we really consider it, the most important question we could ask is “How does a person become right with God?” How can you – how can I – become right with God? How can we come out from under God’s Wrath and enter into His Kingdom of Life?
From the beginning of the Church, two different ideas were taught. In first century Jerusalem, there were some who taught that salvation is by faith plus keeping all of the laws of the Old Testament. Today, the Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is by faith plus doing enough good works and/or buying enough indulgences and/or by serving enough time in purgatory. Today, some charismatic and Pentecostal groups teach that salvation is by faith plus the good work of speaking in tongues. And some of the Seventh Day Adventists teach that salvation is by faith plus worshiping on Saturday.
The Reformers – John Calvin, Martin Luther, and others – understood that “faith plus something we do equals salvation” is not what is taught in the Scripture. God says and teaches us through His Word that salvation is by faith alone – we become right with God through faith alone. This faith by which we are reconciled to God receives and believes in Jesus and what He has done for all those who will believe in Him. Let us consider, on this Reformation Sunday, what it is that we believe and receive through faith alone through which God reconciles us to Himself.
Paul’s letter to the Galatians is, among other things, confronting the Judaizers – those who were teaching that salvation is by faith plus keeping the Old Testament Law – and telling the Galatian Christians not to believe them – that salvation is by faith alone – keeping the Law could not save anyone and it does not make what Jesus did any more effective. In fact, it makes it look as though Jesus’ Sacrifice was not enough. It makes it look as though what Jesus did was great, but it only gets us so far – we have to keep the Law, which brings us the rest of the way to being right with God. Blasphemy! Heresy!
Paul tells the Galatian Christians to remember that they were born Jews, under the Law, but they knew, even as Jews, it is not possible to be justified by works of the Law, and as David wrote, “no one living is righteous before [God]” (Psalm 143:2b, ESV).
Well, what does it mean to be justified? To be justified is to be declared legally innocent. Understand, when we are justified through Jesus Alone, we are not merely declared not guilty, but we are declared innocent – and we’ll see how that is in a moment. But it is by being justified through faith alone in Jesus Alone that we are reconciled – made right – with God.
Paul tells the Galatian Christians that they believed in Jesus Christ Alone – the He is the Promised Savior, God become Man, Who lived under His Own Law, suffered, died, rose from the dead, and ascended back to His throne – in order to be justified. They knew that every mere human being is born a sinner and therefore condemned, so no matter how much of the Law a person keeps, it can never be enough to merit perfection, which is the only way a person could “work” his way into the Kingdom.
Then Paul addresses a hypothetical question: “If Jews are justified by the Law, and not sinners, like the Gentiles – the non-Jews – does that mean that Jesus makes the Jews sinners?” You see, there was an idea amongst the Jews that it was possible for them to keep the Law and be holy without the Savior. We remember the rich young ruler who said he had kept all of the law perfectly from his youth. Paul answers, “Certainly not!” Jesus unveils our sin – He makes us understand that we are sinners – He removes our self-imposed blinders and shows us for who we truly are, but He does not make us sinners. We are sinners of our own doing.
So, in verse eighteen, Paul says if we argue that the Law justifies us – saves us – in any degree or in any part – all we do is prove that we are sinners. The Law was given to us to show us what God requires and to expose our sin. To try to use the Law to show were are not sinners backfires.
“For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ.” This is the first half of how were are justified – how we are made right with God: as we already said, the punishment for sin is death, and every mere human being is a sinner. The Law exposes our sin and condemns us. The only way we can live is if Someone Who never sinned voluntarily takes our place – as our Substitute – and receives the full punishment – God’s Wrath – on Himself. That is what Jesus has done for everyone who will believe. Jesus has taken your place and my place and your place, and suffered the punishment for your sin and my sin and your sin. Jesus acted as our Representative and Substitute before God and received the penalty we were due for our sin. So, just as we became sinners “in Adam” – because Adam was humanity’s representative at the creation, we receive new life – forgiveness for our sins – as we have been crucified with Christ. As Paul also wrote, “So you must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ” (Romans 6:11, ESV).
That’s the first half – Jesus as our Representative – our Substitute – stood in our place – we were crucified in Jesus and with Jesus – and the debt for our sins was paid. Our guilt has been removed. We are forgiven.
But the second half is this – Christ does not just put us back in the place of Adam before the Fall – a human being who is innocent, but has the ability to sin. No, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.” You see, Jesus kept the Law of God perfectly. He never sinned. He is holy. And Jesus imputes – He credits to our account – His perfect righteousness – His perfect keeping of the entire Law of God, so that when God looks at us He sees the whole Law perfectly fulfilled in us. And, as we have seen, He gives us the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit to remind us of all that He has said in His Word and to help us understand all of it.
Christ’s obedience to the Law is our comfort, because we know that no matter what our failures in this world may be, we are eternally credited by Jesus with the full keeping of the Law. And, we are also forgiven for all of our real sin, because Jesus has already taken the punishment of all of the sin we will ever commit on Himself.
How could anyone possibly think that what we do can and would add to the Work of Jesus? Now we live by faith alone – receiving and believing that Jesus has lived a Perfect and Holy Life under God’s Law, that He has voluntarily been our Substitute, taking the punishment for our sin – so we were crucified in Christ, and He has credited us with His Holy keeping of God’s Law and given us the indwelling of the Holy Spirit – so Christ lives in me – the Father sees Christ when He looks at us.
As Paul wrote, “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (II Corinthians 5:14-15, ESV).
If, Paul concludes in this morning’s reading, if we could be justified through the Law – if we could be forgiven and made holy through the keeping of the Law – then Jesus would have died for no purpose. Do you understand? If we can or have to do anything to have God declare us innocent and bring us into His Kingdom, then Jesus’ Death was worthless. If Jesus did not do it all – if Jesus did not have to do it all – then the Incarnation was worthless.
But it was not worthless, dear brothers and sisters – and that is why we celebrate Reformation Sunday, remembering the rediscovery of the biblical teaching of justification by faith alone.
We know from the Word of God that Adam sinned as our representative, so every mere human being is born a sinner.
We know that God’s Law exposes our sin and condemns us to eternal death, and no one can completely keep the Law.
So, we need a Savior. We need God to become man, live under His Own Law, suffer, die, rise from the dead, and ascend back to His throne. We need the God-Man to voluntarily take our place on the cross as our Representative – as our Substitute – and take God’s Wrath upon Himself for our sakes – for our sin. And we need the God-Man to impute – to credit us with His Holy Keeping of the Law, so we would be seen as righteous in the Eyes of God and be received into His Eternal Kingdom.
And, brothers and sisters, that is exactly what Jesus did. And if you believe in Jesus Alone by faith alone – not relying on your own good works to save you – He will save you. He will forgive you. He will make you right with God. He will prepare a place for you. And you will have an eternal home with God.
What should our response to this be? What else can it be but to thankfully obey God? How else could we show our everlasting thanks to God, but by doing those things He has commanded us to do and not doing those things that He has forbidden – not because they have any part in our being right before God, but because we are so thankful to God for what He has done for us – (because we cannot help ourselves!) – that we want to do everything we can, by the help of God the Holy Spirit Who lives in us – to please God?
We have been crucified with Christ; our sins are forgiven.
Christ lives in us; we are seen as holy by the Father.
Let us rejoice, give thanks, and live for Jesus.
Let us pray:
Almighty God and Savior, You came to us when we had nothing but sin to offer, and You chose to die for us and to give us life through You. How amazing is our God Let us be thankful and live ever more thankful lives, letting others know about the Only Savior, our Only Hope. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
Reformation Sunday Pot-luck Lunch
Join us for worship this morning at 10:30 AM and then stay after as we celebrate the biblical understanding of the Scripture with a pot-luck lunch. All are invited!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
"Do You Understand?" Sermon: Acts 8:26-40
“Do You Understand?”
[Acts 8:26-40]
October 18, 2009 Second Reformed Church
This morning we meet Philip for the second of three times in the book of Acts: we saw his encounter with Simon Magus, who desired to buy the ability to give the Gift of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, and now we are told that an angel of the Lord told Philip to go south – remember he was in Samaria in the north – to the road that went from Jerusalem to Gaza.
This was an old route that was not used as often as others at that time – it went from Jerusalem, which is northeast of the Dead Sea, and extended down to the port city of Gaza, in what we now call the West Bank. This road went through a section of desert. So, since it was an old road and a road that went through the desert, we might well expect that it was lightly traveled.
For whatever reason, in the Plan of God, there was an Ethiopian eunuch on that road. He was a court official of Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. He was a man of power – in charge of the treasury of the Queen. And he had come to Jerusalem to worship – he had made what would have been about a twelve-day journey by chariot from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship. He was a Gentile believer in the God of Israel. He was one of the few at that time outside of Israel who was a faithful follower of YHWH. And he was a fulfillment of prophecy:
David wrote, “Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm 68:31, ESV). Ethiopia was once called Cush.
And Isaiah wrote, “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people’; and let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast to my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 56:3-5, ESV).
Both as a nobleman from Cush (Ethiopia) and as a eunuch who believed in the God of Israel, this man was part of the fulfillment of the prophecy that God made that He would bring eunuchs and Gentiles – and specifically those from Ethiopia – into His Kingdom. And we know from reading the whole history as it is presented in our text that this man believed in the Savior that God sent.
And Philip saw the chariot, and the Holy Spirit told Philip to run and catch up to the chariot – it must not have been going very fast – and as he ran up beside the chariot, he heard the eunuch reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Now let’s consider what that tells us: This eunuch was a powerful man, he would have had his own servants, servants who could have read to him, but we are told that he was reading the scroll himself. We can assume that he was also holding the scroll as he read. There were not many scrolls of the Scripture in existence, so it would have been costly to obtain. Yet, here he was, with his own copy of Isaiah, reading it himself, out loud, as he was being taken home.
Consider: first century chariots didn’t have shock absorbers or air-conditioning. He was on an old road – probably bumpy – going through a desert part of Israel, reading what was likely a Greek scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
If he didn’t want a servant to read the scroll to him, or if he didn’t have a servant with him to read the scroll to him, why didn’t he just wait until he got back to the palace, where he could be more comfortable to read? Why was he reading in a chariot on a hot, bumpy road? Why wasn’t he doing everything he could to make the ride home comfortable?
There can only be one reason: he wanted to read the Word of God – Isaiah – right then and there, uncomfortable as it was, because reading the Word of God was a top priority for him. He desired to read the Word of God whenever and wherever he could, even if the conditions weren’t optimal, because the Word of God was that important to him.
Many of us have seen each other’s homes. Most of us have comfortable places to sit and read. We sit and read the newspaper, and we sit and watch TV, ... do we sit in our comfortable chairs and on our comfortable couches and read God’s Word? We read Nora Roberts and James Patterson, do we read the Word that contains the Way to eternal life?
In a strange way, it is a comfort and quite disturbing to know that nothing changes:
St. Chrysostom, in the fourth century, made this comment: “Consider, I ask you, what a great effort it was not to neglect reading even while on a journey, and especially while seated in a chariot. Let this be heeded by those people who do not even deign to do it at home but rather think reading the Scriptures is a waste of time, claiming as an excuse their living with a wife, conscription in military service, caring for children, attending to domestics and looking after other concerns, they do not think it necessary for them to show any interest in reading the holy Scriptures” (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament V: Acts, 98).
Most people I ask either say they don’t read the Bible because they don’t have the time or because they don’t understand it. The excuse of not having time is a silly excuse, as we can understand from Chrysostom’s quote – we make time for what we believe is important. And as far as not understanding the Bible, I find that most people say that but have never even tried to read it, or they pick up an old King James Bible and get thrown by the language. If you have trouble understanding the language of the Bible you have, ask me, and I will at least recommend another.
Still, there are some who have difficulty understanding even so – that is in part due to the fact that there are difficult passages in the Bible. But most of it is straightforward, so, if you need help in understanding something – ask me, look it up in a good reference book, etc., don’t let go of something of importance in the Scripture.
We need to read our Bibles every day to be healthy Christians. I find it helpful to have a plan or a system for reading. I used one that is in the daily devotional that I read that has an Old Testament and a New Testament reading for each day – a total of about three chapters a day – which, if you flip through the Bible, you’ll see is not much. I just began Jeremiah and I Timothy. We have shorter reading plans in Freeman Hall – take them, they are free. If you start one, you may slip up and not do a reading one day. That’s okay, just go on to the next day. I find doing my reading first thing in the morning helpful, both for my state of mind and so I won’t get busy and forget to read. Do what works for you, but read. If Jesus and His Salvation – if the Word of God is a priority in your life – and if you’re here this morning, I assume it is – read you Bible.
If you’re not a Christian – if you haven’t believed in Jesus Alone for salvation, you will find the Bible even more difficult to understand, and that’s understandable – you can’t understand God’s Word until you believe it, and then God the Holy Spirit lives in you and helps you to understand.
Philip ran up to the chariot and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Isaiah 53:7-8, “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from earth.”
And the eunuch answered, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” “Of course I don’t understand it. I have been in Jerusalem and listened to the rabbis, and they argue amongst themselves as to what the text means. I don’t understand it myself – their arguments all seem equally valid to me – I need someone who really understands to guide me through – to explain the text to me.”
God has done something very strange. God has given the world a book with everything it needs to know for salvation and life, and God has made it impossible to understand until it is believed. God has ordained ministers to preach the Word of God – and teachers will tell you that monologues – speeches – sermons – are a terrible way to convey information. (I can see your mind wandering right now.)
Paul wrote, “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news ’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:13-17, ESV).
Philip joined the eunuch in the chariot and sat with him. And the eunuch asked, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” The rabbis of the time were scrambling to make sense of this text, because it had been understood to be about the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior – and the Christians were claiming it was about Jesus of Nazareth – the Crucified – so the rabbis were saying it must be a prophecy about Isaiah, himself, or someone else – which of course makes no sense.
So Philip, like Jesus on the road to Emmaus, opened the Scriptures to the eunuch, and showed him that this text was part of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Paul would later write, “...Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, 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 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 2:5b-11, ESV).
Philip opened the Scriptures and explained to the eunuch that Jesus is the Savior that God sent for all who will believe. God sent His Son to earth as a human being, Jesus of Nazareth, and He lived, suffered, died, rose, and ascended back to His throne in Heaven, having secured the salvation of all who will repent of their sins and believe in Him Alone for salvation.
And the eunuch believed savingly in Jesus Alone, and when they happened upon some water, the eunuch said, “See, here is water What prevents me from being baptized?” The eunuch did not want to wait until he got back to Ethiopia to be baptized in a clean lake or river, or in a baptismal font or pool. No, as soon as he saw a small amount of dirty water on the side of the road in the desert, he desired to obey Jesus’ command to be baptized: “See, here is water What prevents me from being baptized?” His nobility was put aside – he was now a servant of Jesus Christ and desired to jump to obedience.
Did you notice as we read the Scripture that the text jumps from verse thirty-six to verse thirty-eight? Verse thirty-seven is in a footnote. It reads, “And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” The verse is in a footnote because we do not know whether it is authentic, or whether it was added later. However, the point is moot: Philip would not have baptized the eunuch unless the eunuch repented and confessed faith in Jesus Alone for his salvation. So, whether or not those were the exact words he said, the eunuch did confess his faith, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the eunuch in the water by the side of the road.
Do you want to please God? Do you want to obey Him? Do you get excited reading His Word – hearing it read and preached – and want to act on it? Some of you have asked me why I spend so much of much vacation time going to conferences and lectures – because the Bible excited me – God excites me – Jesus excites me – this Gospel that we believe in excites me – and I want to know it and know our God better – both for my sake and so I can serve you better. Pray that you would want to understand more. Pray that you would want more of Jesus.
And then Philip was gone – the Spirit of the Lord carried him to Azotus – thirty-four miles up the coast – and the eunuch saw him no more. We have a few records of supernatural transportation in the Scripture. There’s not much more we can say about it than that: it was supernatural.
And the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. He was full of the joy of his salvation. He went back to Ethiopia, rejoicing, knowing that the Savior he had hoped for had come. He believed in Jesus and brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Ethiopia. “...you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8b, ESV). This eunuch was the beginning of the spreading of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. His name is never even mentioned, but we will know him in the Kingdom.
Philip continued preaching the Gospel, beginning at Azorus, continuing up through all of the towns until he came to Caesarea. Once he got to Caesarea, as we find out later in the book of Acts, he gets married and has four daughters, and they entertain the “soon-to-be” Apostle Paul as he preached the Gospel in that city.
What does this history tells us?
First, we ought to desire to read the Word of God. If we love our God and Savior, how can we not be drawn to His Word and want to know it better and Him through it? If you have or had a spouse, didn’t you want to talk with that spouse and know him or her better? If you have a best friend, don’t you want to talk with him or her and get to know him or her better? We have access to the Word of the Almighty and Immortal God and Savior of the Universe, don’t you want to know Him better?
Then, second, we ought to have reading the Word of God as a priority. Not everyone is called to be a pastor or a theologian. Not everyone is called to spend the majority of their lives studying, reading, praying, teaching, and preaching the Word of God, as I have, but doesn’t it make sense that reading God’s Word would be a priority for every Christian? Shouldn’t that be something we all look forward to doing every day? Don’t we long to know what God will say to us in the next chapter?
Then, third we ought to ask for help in understanding the Word of God, both from other Christians and God. Ask me about translations. Come to Bible study. Read good Christian books. Ask me questions – and if I don’t know, I will get back to you. Ask other Christians that you believe have a good understanding of the Scripture. And pray that God will help you to understand. God had given you God within you – God the Father and God the Son have given God the Holy Spirit to live in every Christian. Remember what Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). God will help us understand what God has said.
One warning: although God has promised to help us understand His Word, we may make mistakes and the devil seeks to mislead us. So, as we read the Scripture, let us be aware of what the Church has always taught, and if we come up with something that has never been taught by the Church before, or goes against two thousand years of accepted teaching, consider whether you may be mistaken – perhaps inspired by green leftovers...
Fourth, we ought to respond promptly to the Word of God. As we read and understand the Word of God, if we love God, we ought to respond promptly to what He has said. If our response is, “Oh, I don’t believe that” or “Aww, do I have to?” there is something wrong with us, not God, not the text. If we love God, we ought to put ourselves and our preferences and predilections at the feet of Jesus, humbly submitting to what He says – for He is God.
Consider your favorite sin – I have a favorite sin – it is something that we get enjoyment out of doing, but we try not to do because God has said not to do it. For example, a murderer, at least in some sense, enjoys murdering, but God says not to murder, so when a murderer comes to faith, he must humble himself and submit to God and not do what God has forbidden.
But we are also to do those things that God says to do. Love our neighbor – even to creepy ones. Even the ones that are nasty to us. Worship. Pray. Fellowship with other Christians. Jesus said these things are a light burden (cf., Matthew 11:30) compared to the burden we have carried in our lives as slaves to sin.
And that leads to our fifth and final application, we ought to find ourselves rejoicing in Jesus as we follow the Word of God. The Christian life will not always be a happy life, but if we live life through the lense of the Gospel of Jess Christ, it will be a joyful one. If we rightly follow the Word of God, we will have joy.
Do you understand?
Let us pray:
God of Love, Who has given us Your Very Word and the indwelling of God Himself, draw us more closely to You. Make us like that eunuch who just had to read Your Word and then rejoiced and responded in joy when he understood it. Do not let us find comfort until we find comfort in You and in all that You have said. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
[Acts 8:26-40]
October 18, 2009 Second Reformed Church
This morning we meet Philip for the second of three times in the book of Acts: we saw his encounter with Simon Magus, who desired to buy the ability to give the Gift of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit, and now we are told that an angel of the Lord told Philip to go south – remember he was in Samaria in the north – to the road that went from Jerusalem to Gaza.
This was an old route that was not used as often as others at that time – it went from Jerusalem, which is northeast of the Dead Sea, and extended down to the port city of Gaza, in what we now call the West Bank. This road went through a section of desert. So, since it was an old road and a road that went through the desert, we might well expect that it was lightly traveled.
For whatever reason, in the Plan of God, there was an Ethiopian eunuch on that road. He was a court official of Candace, the Queen of Ethiopia. He was a man of power – in charge of the treasury of the Queen. And he had come to Jerusalem to worship – he had made what would have been about a twelve-day journey by chariot from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship. He was a Gentile believer in the God of Israel. He was one of the few at that time outside of Israel who was a faithful follower of YHWH. And he was a fulfillment of prophecy:
David wrote, “Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm 68:31, ESV). Ethiopia was once called Cush.
And Isaiah wrote, “Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people’; and let not the eunuch say, ‘Behold, I am a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: ‘To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose the things that please me and hold fast to my covenant, I will give in my house and within my walls a monument and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off” (Isaiah 56:3-5, ESV).
Both as a nobleman from Cush (Ethiopia) and as a eunuch who believed in the God of Israel, this man was part of the fulfillment of the prophecy that God made that He would bring eunuchs and Gentiles – and specifically those from Ethiopia – into His Kingdom. And we know from reading the whole history as it is presented in our text that this man believed in the Savior that God sent.
And Philip saw the chariot, and the Holy Spirit told Philip to run and catch up to the chariot – it must not have been going very fast – and as he ran up beside the chariot, he heard the eunuch reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
Now let’s consider what that tells us: This eunuch was a powerful man, he would have had his own servants, servants who could have read to him, but we are told that he was reading the scroll himself. We can assume that he was also holding the scroll as he read. There were not many scrolls of the Scripture in existence, so it would have been costly to obtain. Yet, here he was, with his own copy of Isaiah, reading it himself, out loud, as he was being taken home.
Consider: first century chariots didn’t have shock absorbers or air-conditioning. He was on an old road – probably bumpy – going through a desert part of Israel, reading what was likely a Greek scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
If he didn’t want a servant to read the scroll to him, or if he didn’t have a servant with him to read the scroll to him, why didn’t he just wait until he got back to the palace, where he could be more comfortable to read? Why was he reading in a chariot on a hot, bumpy road? Why wasn’t he doing everything he could to make the ride home comfortable?
There can only be one reason: he wanted to read the Word of God – Isaiah – right then and there, uncomfortable as it was, because reading the Word of God was a top priority for him. He desired to read the Word of God whenever and wherever he could, even if the conditions weren’t optimal, because the Word of God was that important to him.
Many of us have seen each other’s homes. Most of us have comfortable places to sit and read. We sit and read the newspaper, and we sit and watch TV, ... do we sit in our comfortable chairs and on our comfortable couches and read God’s Word? We read Nora Roberts and James Patterson, do we read the Word that contains the Way to eternal life?
In a strange way, it is a comfort and quite disturbing to know that nothing changes:
St. Chrysostom, in the fourth century, made this comment: “Consider, I ask you, what a great effort it was not to neglect reading even while on a journey, and especially while seated in a chariot. Let this be heeded by those people who do not even deign to do it at home but rather think reading the Scriptures is a waste of time, claiming as an excuse their living with a wife, conscription in military service, caring for children, attending to domestics and looking after other concerns, they do not think it necessary for them to show any interest in reading the holy Scriptures” (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament V: Acts, 98).
Most people I ask either say they don’t read the Bible because they don’t have the time or because they don’t understand it. The excuse of not having time is a silly excuse, as we can understand from Chrysostom’s quote – we make time for what we believe is important. And as far as not understanding the Bible, I find that most people say that but have never even tried to read it, or they pick up an old King James Bible and get thrown by the language. If you have trouble understanding the language of the Bible you have, ask me, and I will at least recommend another.
Still, there are some who have difficulty understanding even so – that is in part due to the fact that there are difficult passages in the Bible. But most of it is straightforward, so, if you need help in understanding something – ask me, look it up in a good reference book, etc., don’t let go of something of importance in the Scripture.
We need to read our Bibles every day to be healthy Christians. I find it helpful to have a plan or a system for reading. I used one that is in the daily devotional that I read that has an Old Testament and a New Testament reading for each day – a total of about three chapters a day – which, if you flip through the Bible, you’ll see is not much. I just began Jeremiah and I Timothy. We have shorter reading plans in Freeman Hall – take them, they are free. If you start one, you may slip up and not do a reading one day. That’s okay, just go on to the next day. I find doing my reading first thing in the morning helpful, both for my state of mind and so I won’t get busy and forget to read. Do what works for you, but read. If Jesus and His Salvation – if the Word of God is a priority in your life – and if you’re here this morning, I assume it is – read you Bible.
If you’re not a Christian – if you haven’t believed in Jesus Alone for salvation, you will find the Bible even more difficult to understand, and that’s understandable – you can’t understand God’s Word until you believe it, and then God the Holy Spirit lives in you and helps you to understand.
Philip ran up to the chariot and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
Isaiah 53:7-8, “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before his shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from earth.”
And the eunuch answered, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” “Of course I don’t understand it. I have been in Jerusalem and listened to the rabbis, and they argue amongst themselves as to what the text means. I don’t understand it myself – their arguments all seem equally valid to me – I need someone who really understands to guide me through – to explain the text to me.”
God has done something very strange. God has given the world a book with everything it needs to know for salvation and life, and God has made it impossible to understand until it is believed. God has ordained ministers to preach the Word of God – and teachers will tell you that monologues – speeches – sermons – are a terrible way to convey information. (I can see your mind wandering right now.)
Paul wrote, “For everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news ’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:13-17, ESV).
Philip joined the eunuch in the chariot and sat with him. And the eunuch asked, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” The rabbis of the time were scrambling to make sense of this text, because it had been understood to be about the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior – and the Christians were claiming it was about Jesus of Nazareth – the Crucified – so the rabbis were saying it must be a prophecy about Isaiah, himself, or someone else – which of course makes no sense.
So Philip, like Jesus on the road to Emmaus, opened the Scriptures to the eunuch, and showed him that this text was part of the Good News of Jesus Christ. Paul would later write, “...Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, 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 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 2:5b-11, ESV).
Philip opened the Scriptures and explained to the eunuch that Jesus is the Savior that God sent for all who will believe. God sent His Son to earth as a human being, Jesus of Nazareth, and He lived, suffered, died, rose, and ascended back to His throne in Heaven, having secured the salvation of all who will repent of their sins and believe in Him Alone for salvation.
And the eunuch believed savingly in Jesus Alone, and when they happened upon some water, the eunuch said, “See, here is water What prevents me from being baptized?” The eunuch did not want to wait until he got back to Ethiopia to be baptized in a clean lake or river, or in a baptismal font or pool. No, as soon as he saw a small amount of dirty water on the side of the road in the desert, he desired to obey Jesus’ command to be baptized: “See, here is water What prevents me from being baptized?” His nobility was put aside – he was now a servant of Jesus Christ and desired to jump to obedience.
Did you notice as we read the Scripture that the text jumps from verse thirty-six to verse thirty-eight? Verse thirty-seven is in a footnote. It reads, “And Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart, you may.’ And he replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’” The verse is in a footnote because we do not know whether it is authentic, or whether it was added later. However, the point is moot: Philip would not have baptized the eunuch unless the eunuch repented and confessed faith in Jesus Alone for his salvation. So, whether or not those were the exact words he said, the eunuch did confess his faith, they stopped the chariot, and Philip baptized the eunuch in the water by the side of the road.
Do you want to please God? Do you want to obey Him? Do you get excited reading His Word – hearing it read and preached – and want to act on it? Some of you have asked me why I spend so much of much vacation time going to conferences and lectures – because the Bible excited me – God excites me – Jesus excites me – this Gospel that we believe in excites me – and I want to know it and know our God better – both for my sake and so I can serve you better. Pray that you would want to understand more. Pray that you would want more of Jesus.
And then Philip was gone – the Spirit of the Lord carried him to Azotus – thirty-four miles up the coast – and the eunuch saw him no more. We have a few records of supernatural transportation in the Scripture. There’s not much more we can say about it than that: it was supernatural.
And the eunuch went on his way rejoicing. He was full of the joy of his salvation. He went back to Ethiopia, rejoicing, knowing that the Savior he had hoped for had come. He believed in Jesus and brought the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Ethiopia. “...you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8b, ESV). This eunuch was the beginning of the spreading of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. His name is never even mentioned, but we will know him in the Kingdom.
Philip continued preaching the Gospel, beginning at Azorus, continuing up through all of the towns until he came to Caesarea. Once he got to Caesarea, as we find out later in the book of Acts, he gets married and has four daughters, and they entertain the “soon-to-be” Apostle Paul as he preached the Gospel in that city.
What does this history tells us?
First, we ought to desire to read the Word of God. If we love our God and Savior, how can we not be drawn to His Word and want to know it better and Him through it? If you have or had a spouse, didn’t you want to talk with that spouse and know him or her better? If you have a best friend, don’t you want to talk with him or her and get to know him or her better? We have access to the Word of the Almighty and Immortal God and Savior of the Universe, don’t you want to know Him better?
Then, second, we ought to have reading the Word of God as a priority. Not everyone is called to be a pastor or a theologian. Not everyone is called to spend the majority of their lives studying, reading, praying, teaching, and preaching the Word of God, as I have, but doesn’t it make sense that reading God’s Word would be a priority for every Christian? Shouldn’t that be something we all look forward to doing every day? Don’t we long to know what God will say to us in the next chapter?
Then, third we ought to ask for help in understanding the Word of God, both from other Christians and God. Ask me about translations. Come to Bible study. Read good Christian books. Ask me questions – and if I don’t know, I will get back to you. Ask other Christians that you believe have a good understanding of the Scripture. And pray that God will help you to understand. God had given you God within you – God the Father and God the Son have given God the Holy Spirit to live in every Christian. Remember what Jesus said, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV). God will help us understand what God has said.
One warning: although God has promised to help us understand His Word, we may make mistakes and the devil seeks to mislead us. So, as we read the Scripture, let us be aware of what the Church has always taught, and if we come up with something that has never been taught by the Church before, or goes against two thousand years of accepted teaching, consider whether you may be mistaken – perhaps inspired by green leftovers...
Fourth, we ought to respond promptly to the Word of God. As we read and understand the Word of God, if we love God, we ought to respond promptly to what He has said. If our response is, “Oh, I don’t believe that” or “Aww, do I have to?” there is something wrong with us, not God, not the text. If we love God, we ought to put ourselves and our preferences and predilections at the feet of Jesus, humbly submitting to what He says – for He is God.
Consider your favorite sin – I have a favorite sin – it is something that we get enjoyment out of doing, but we try not to do because God has said not to do it. For example, a murderer, at least in some sense, enjoys murdering, but God says not to murder, so when a murderer comes to faith, he must humble himself and submit to God and not do what God has forbidden.
But we are also to do those things that God says to do. Love our neighbor – even to creepy ones. Even the ones that are nasty to us. Worship. Pray. Fellowship with other Christians. Jesus said these things are a light burden (cf., Matthew 11:30) compared to the burden we have carried in our lives as slaves to sin.
And that leads to our fifth and final application, we ought to find ourselves rejoicing in Jesus as we follow the Word of God. The Christian life will not always be a happy life, but if we live life through the lense of the Gospel of Jess Christ, it will be a joyful one. If we rightly follow the Word of God, we will have joy.
Do you understand?
Let us pray:
God of Love, Who has given us Your Very Word and the indwelling of God Himself, draw us more closely to You. Make us like that eunuch who just had to read Your Word and then rejoiced and responded in joy when he understood it. Do not let us find comfort until we find comfort in You and in all that You have said. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
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