"In Life or in Death" Sermon: Philippians 1:18b-26

“In Life or in Death”

[Philippians 1:18b-26]

August 3, 2014 Second Reformed Church

            Last week, we began to see Paul explain to the Philippians how he was faring in prison in Rome.  We saw that he was not concerned about people talking about him or criticizing him – what he was concerned about – and what filled him with joy – was he was able to advance the Gospel through his preaching in prison, that other Christians were emboldened to advance the Gospel through their preaching, and even some of those who were against Paul were advancing the Gospel through their preaching.    

            In the next section of the text – in this morning’s reading, Paul turns from talking about his present circumstances to his future circumstances.

            Here, we find Paul telling the Philippians four things:

            First, God works everything together for the good of those who love Him.

            Second, God will fulfill His purposes in us.

            Third, we ought to desire that Christ glorify Himself in our body.

            And fourth, we ought to desire the abounding of Christ’s glorification. 

            “Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance,”

            First, God works everything together for the good of those who love Him.

            Is Paul saying that if the Philippians pray hard enough, that Jesus will make sure that Paul is freed from prison?

            No, that can’t be – for a number of reasons – including that Paul almost immediately talks about his desires if he lives or if he dies.  Paul does not know what God’s Will is for him and the outcome of his imprisonment and appeal before Caesar.

            No, what Paul is saying is that he rejoices because – whatever happens – he knows that the Philippians are praying for him – that he will be steadfast and true to the Gospel whatever God’s Will should be for him.

            Paul is rejoicing because – whatever happens – Jesus is with him always – even to the end of the age – and the Holy Spirit will strengthen him to be steadfast and true to the Gospel whatever God’s Will should be for him.

            And Paul is rejoicing because – whatever happens – he knows that on the last day he will be vindicated by Jesus Christ, his God and Savior, Who took upon Himself all of Paul’s sins, and gave to Paul His Righteousness, so he would be able to stand in the judgment and be declared holy and righteous – welcomed into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.

            The “deliverance” that Paul is talking about in this passage is his ultimate deliverance on the Day of Judgment – not whether or not he will be delivered from prison or live past his presentation of the Gospel to Caesar.

            Paul explained it this way to the Romans:  “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

            “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

(Romans 8:28-31, ESV).

            Paul explains that everything – everything – works together for the good of those who love God – all those who believe savingly in Jesus Christ.  Do you believe that?  If we believe it on the better days, the more difficult days won’t be as difficult.  Yes, we still have times of pain and sorrow and confusion about what is happening – but, if we know, somehow, God is working it all together for good, we have hope.

            And Paul tells us that everything that happens to believers happens for our good – and we know that it does, because God, Who loved us to salvation before we were created, is making us into the Image of His Son.  He predestined us to be His, called us, justified us, and glorified us – now – this is all in the present tense – even though it won’t be completed until Jesus returns.  All we who believe are secure in Christ and everything is working together for good.  Whether it is sickness or health, life or death, poverty or riches, family or singleness – all things.

            

            And Paul is telling the Philippians that he rejoices because he knows that whatever happens to him – he is right with God and will be delivered on the last day, if not before.  And He rejoices in their prayer for him and for God being with him to lead him.

            

            Let me mention again the fact that we have a church directory and a prayer list.  I encourage you to go through the directory and the prayer list and pray for the people in there.  Even if you don’t know the name or what the need may be – pray that each one would be steadfast and true to the Gospel – that God would give wisdom and strength to be the men and women we have been called to be.  Pray for each one’s joy in Christ, for satisfaction with what God has given, for hope.  Take a person or family each day.

“as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Second, God will fulfill His purposes in us.

Paul told the Philippians that it was his desire that he would glorify God in his body in whatever way God would be pleased to glorify Himself – whether that meant life or death for him – that he would not fear whatever would happen, but that Christ would be honored in his body.

How do you honor and glorify God in your body?

An example is the deaths of Bishops Ridley and Latimer, who had served under King Henry VIII and helped King Edward move towards biblical Christianity, only to be condemned to death by Queen Mary, who had embraced Roman Catholicism.

They honored Christ in their bodies by preaching the Gospel and staying steadfast to it no matter what anyone did to them.  As the history recounts:

“When Ridley was asked if he believed the pope was heir to the authority of Peter as the foundation of the Church, he replied that the church was not built on any man but on the truth Peter confessed -- that Christ was the Son of God. Ridley said he could not honor the pope in Rome since the papacy was seeking its own glory, not the glory of God. Neither Ridley nor Latimer could accept the Roman Catholic mass as a sacrifice of Christ. Latimer told the commissioners, ‘Christ made one oblation and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, and that a perfect sacrifice; neither needeth there to be, nor can there be, any other propitiatory sacrifice.’ ….

“Both Ridley and Latimer were burned at the stake in Oxford on …, October 16, 1555. As he was being tied to the stake, Ridley prayed, ‘Oh, heavenly Father, I give unto thee most hearty thanks that thou hast called me to be a professor of thee, even unto death. I beseech thee, Lord God, have mercy on this realm of England, and deliver it from all her enemies.’

“Ridley's brother had brought some gunpowder for the men to place around their necks so death could come more quickly, but Ridley still suffered greatly. With a loud voice Ridley cried, ‘Into thy hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit...’, but the wood was green and burned only Ridley's lower parts without touching his upper body. He was heard to repeatedly call out, ‘Lord have mercy upon me! I cannot burn.Let the fire come unto me, I cannot burn.’ One of the bystanders finally brought the flames to the top of the pyre to hasten Ridley's death.

“Latimer died much more quickly; as the flames quickly rose, Latimer encouraged Ridley, ‘Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man! We shall this day light such a candle by God's grace, in England, as I trust never shall be put out’" (http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/bishops-ridley-and-latimer-burned-11629990.html)

Paul glorified God in his body – and he told the Philippians that he was sure – confident – that whatever God’s Plan was for him, God will do it, and it will fulfill God’s purposes.  Paul desired that he would not be ashamed whether he should suffer in his body or not, but with courage honor Christ and not fear whatever might happen to him.

Understand, Paul cared about what would happen to him.  Surely, he would prefer not to suffer and die.  But, as we saw last week – if his suffering and death would serve to advance the Gospel, then he was joyful to glorify God in that way.

How about you?

            To glorify God and honor Him in your body, are you equally as willing to be incredibly healthy and live a long, enjoyable life, as you are – for His Sake – not because you enjoy suffering – but for His Sake – to suffer horribly in your body and be mistreated in every conceivable way – or – anything between the extremes?

It isn’t always easy – that’s true.  There will be times of crying out to God for help and strength – for relief and comfort – we may even cry out with Job and ask “Why?”  And God may answer us the way He answered Job, “Who’s God here?”

Will we trust the God of the Bible – the One True God – and know that He is accomplishing His purpose through you and me?  Will we trust God and desire first and foremost that He would be honored and glorified through whatever way He chooses to use us to His Glory and for His Purpose?

Paul desired and prayed that he would be strong and courageous and not ashamed, but would continue to advance the Gospel, no matter how God chose to fulfill His Purposes in him – whether through his life or death.

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”

Third, we ought to desire that Christ glorify Himself in our body.

The other side of the coin, so to speak, is that we ought to desire that Christ would glorify Himself in our body – that He would use our bodies in such a way that we point to Jesus – that we show Him for Who He is.

Paul tells the Philippians that if God allows him to live after preaching the Gospel to Caesar, that will give him more opportunity for Christ to show Himself and His Gospel to the world through Paul.  Through the life of Paul and all his living – Christ making Himself known through him.

Do you desire people to look at you and interact with you and see that something is different – that they recognize Christ in you and through you and glorify Him for seeing Him there?  Do you want to live so others can see Jesus through your body? 

But, Paul says, if I die – if God’s purpose is fulfilled in my being put to death for the sake of the Gospel – then I gain – I will be in greater union and fellowship with Jesus – I will be in His Presence in Paradise all the sooner!

Understand, Paul was not suicidal.  Paul was saying the same thing Larry Norman said in one concert:  “People used to ask me if I had any goals.  And I said, yeah, I want to die.  I want to be with Jesus.  But now I have a new baby, and I don’t want to die – today.”

They were not talking about suicide – and suicide is not an option for any reason.

What Paul and Larry were saying was, “If I was given the choice, the choice to die and be with Jesus now would be a great gain, because I would be in greater fellowship and union with Him – which is my hope and joy.”

Do you want to die?  Not, do you want to commit suicide.  Not, do you want to escape all the painful and disappointing things of this world.  But, do you desire to be with Jesus – in the flesh?

Paul said it was hard for him to choose – he wanted both – he rejoiced in Christ glorifying Himself through using Paul in his body in the ministry of preaching the Gospel and seeing people come to know Jesus and grow in Him and His Salvation – yet – he rejoiced in Christ glorifying Himself through His death – that He would be received into the presence of Christ and His Glory.

We ought to be a conflicted people.  We ought to desire to live as long and as well as we can that Jesus could use us to make Himself known.  And yet, we ought to yearn to be with Jesus in His Kingdom even now.  That’s part of what Paul means when he writes:

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you” (2 Corinthians 4:7-12, ESV).

God has put the treasure of the Gospel in jars of clay like us so that it will be easy to see.  Christ glorifies Himself in our bodies – Christ makes Himself known in our bodies – as the world looks at us and our frailty and our failings – and yet sees something glorious – Who is Christ the Lord.

Paul told the Thessalonians:  “Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe” (1 Timothy 4:7-10, ESV).

There ought to be a deep desire to be in the condition of being home – in the fullness of the presence of Jesus.  And that should affect our living, should it not?  That we should live in such a way that it shows we desire to be with Jesus eternally and look forward to greater fellowship and union with Him?

And so Paul looks at the two possibilities:  that he will live through preaching to Caesar and his desire that God would use him in his fallen body to glorify God, or that he will not survive preaching to Caesar and his desire that God would glorify Himself through the destruction of his fallen body through death.

Paul said he believed it was more necessary that he live for the Philippians’ sake?  Why?  Well, as we read through the letter, we find that they were a “normal” church with misunderstandings, struggles, and sin, and Paul believed that he could be the greatest benefit to them by living and returning to minister to them.

 “Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

            

            Fourth, we ought to desire the abounding of Christ’s glorification. 

So now we have to ask ourselves, why does Paul say that he knows he will remain?

Didn’t Paul just say that he didn’t know what God’s Will was for him, but whatever it was, whether it be life or death, he desired to glorify God in it?

What we do not see in the English translation is that this is meant to be understood as a conditional statement.  That is, Paul means, “I know that if I will remain and continue with you all, it will be for your progress and joy in the faith…”

Paul – speaking in conditional language – tells them that if God allows him to keep on living – it would be to help in the maturing of and the giving of joy to the Philippians so that they would glory in Christ.  Paul was confident that God would use him as a blessing to the Philippians if he was released, and they would respond by abounding in Christ’s glorification.

We know that God’s answer was “no,” Paul was not to survive his encounter with Caesar.  Yet, Paul would still have wanted the Philippines to mature and have joy in Christ and to abound in glorifying Jesus.

We see this in many places in the Scripture – your primary reason for being – my primary reason for being – is glorifying Jesus.  We ought to – in every way – while we have breath – be seeking always to show Jesus for Who He is – the One God and Savior.

Paul wrote:  “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, ESV).

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).

And the beings of heaven sing:  “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (Revelation 4:11, ESV).

Paul looked at his future and saw that because he was a believer, God would work out everything for his good – whatever might happen – in life or in death.

Paul acknowledged the Sovereignty of God and His control over our lives in achieving His purposes.

And Paul said that he wanted to glorify God in his body, whether he lived or died, and encouraged the Philippians to seek to abound in the glorification of Jesus in our lives.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, from You and through You and to You are all things. To You be glory forever. Help us to be a people who trust You in all things – seeing Your Hand moving history as You have predestined to Your Glory.  Help us to stand for Your Word and to seek Your Glory in all that we do in this life and even in the way that we shall die. For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

August Sermons

D.V., the preaching schedule for August is as follows:

8/3/14

 Philippians 1:18b-26 “In Life or Death”

8/10/14

 Philippians 1:27-30 "A Sign of Salvation”

[The pastor is on vacation from August 11^th – August 25th] 

8/17/14

 Guest preacher:  Will Lampe

8/24/14

 Guest preacher:  Will Lampe

8/31/14

 Philippians 2:1-4 “Complete My Joy”

"Advance the Gospel" Sermon: Philippians 1:12-18a

“Advance the Gospel”

[Philippians 1:12-18a]

July 27, 2014 Second Reformed Church

            What is the most important thing in your life?  Your health?  Your marriage?  Your children?  Your job?  Your money?  Your home?  Your friends?  Your stuff?  What do you most look out for?

            After Paul greets the Philippians in his letter and gives thanks for them and tells them the things that he yearns for them, he then turns to address their concerns about him.  Remember, Paul was in prison in Rome, waiting to appeal his case – and preach the Gospel – before Caesar, himself.

            In addressing the Philippians’ concerns, Paul tells them two things in this morning’s text:

            First, suffering for the Gospel advances the Gospel.

            Second, the advance of the Gospel is more important than the reasons people advance it.

            Paul had plenty of enemies from the Jews and the Romans and others for a variety of reasons.  And that does not surprise us, does it?  Jesus promised that Christians will be enemies of the world:

            “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:18-21, ESV).

            Paul addresses the Philippians’ concerns about him regarding what seem to be two different groups of enemies.  Paul is so vague about them that the Philippians must have known exactly who he meant without his going into much detail.  We, however, can only safely conclude some basic facts about these two groups.

            And so, we consider Paul’s points:

            First, suffering for the Gospel advances the Gospel.

            In Paul making that point, we understand that his enemies – his detractors – were saying, “See, Paul is in prison for preaching the Gospel.  If he was really preaching what God said – if he was really a son of God – would God allow him to suffer at the hands of Rome?  No, the Christian life is one of victory over sin, the devil, death, and Hell.  If Paul is suffering, it is because he preached something that was not true.  Paul is suffering because the Gospel Paul preached is not true.”

            It’s not a terrible argument, is it?  Paul was preaching about union with Christ, the hope and joy of the Kingdom, the victory of Christ in the Resurrection, and here he was, being hunted, beaten, and some people were even trying to kill him.  That doesn’t sound right, does it?

            The only problem with their criticism of Paul and his preaching of the Gospel was that Jesus promised that anyone who follows Him will suffer at the hands of the world.  And the Scripture writers are in agreement about this:  follow Christ and you will suffer.

            As Peter wrote, “Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:13-17, ESV).

            When we follow Jesus, when we proclaim the Gospel, when we advance the Gospel, we should be prepared to suffer.  The world hates Jesus and His Gospel.  So, we shouldn’t be surprised.

            And, understand, if you suffer for the Gospel, that advances the Gospel.  As Paul says in this morning’s text, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel,”

            Paul explains two ways in which his imprisonment has served to advance the Gospel – how his suffering for Christ and His Gospel has served to advance the Gospel.

            Paul tells the Philippians, “so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”

            The imperial guard of Rome – the Praetorian Guard – consisting of 9,000 praetoriani – 9,000 guards (O’Brien, Philippians, 93).  Paul told the Philippians that because he was imprisoned for Christ, word spread throughout these 9,000 guards that Paul was imprisoned for preaching that there is One Way to Salvation – through faith alone in God Who came to earth in the Person of Jesus and physically resurrected from the dead.

            “Because I am imprisoned in Rome, the Gospel has advanced – 9,000 soldiers have heard the Gospel!”

            And Paul tells the Philippians, “And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.”

            The Christians in Rome looked at Paul and how he was dealing with his imprisonment – continuing to preach the Gospel to any who would hear, and the Roman Christians took great confidence in his example.  Rather than dissuade the Roman Christians from proclaiming the Gospel, seeing Paul continue to stand for the Gospel and preach the Gospel in prison, served to make them more confident in the message and the truth of the Gospel – it served to make them much more bold in their preaching – they were preaching the Gospel without fear of what might happen to them – they were submitting to the rule of Christ over them and not worrying about what secondary powers in the world might do.

            As Jesus taught, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven”

(Matthew 10:28-33, ESV).

            “The Christians in Rome have taken my imprisonment and my example in prison to be an encouragement and an emboldening – they are preaching the Gospel all the more – and without fear of what the world might do to them.”

            Paul told them not to worry about the people who were preaching against Paul – and the accusations that his imprisonment showed that his preaching of the Gospel was defective – or wrong.  The results he was seeing was that the Gospel was advancing – the guards were hearing the Gospel preached – and the Gospel message was circulating among the ranks.  And the Christians in Rome were preaching all the more, with greater boldness and without fear.

            Remember, as we have noted before, we are not called to seek out suffering – we are not called to be obnoxious for the sake of the Gospel.  We are called to be prepared, because if we truly present the Gospel, suffering will occur.  Maybe you’ll be thrown in jail, maybe you will be thought less of, maybe your spouse will be murdered, maybe you’ll lose a promotion – or a job.  Are you ready to suffer for Christ and His Gospel – whatever that suffering may be – if it serves to advance the Gospel?

            It’s not an easy thing to consider, and it’s easier to say you will lose anything than to actually lose something.  So, we need to prepare for it – by getting our priorities right – seeing what is of true value and what we can let go of for the sake of Christ.

            We looked at a passage recently in Sunday morning Bible study, where Jesus said, “Now when Jesus saw a crowd around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. And a scribe came up and said to him, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead’” (Matthew 8:18-22, ESV).

            Jesus told a scribe – someone with some authority and standing in the community – you must be willing to become homeless for the sake of the Gospel.  Jesus told a man whose father had just died that showing Christ the proper respect was a higher calling that honoring his father by being there to bury him.

            Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done” (Matthew 16:24b-27, ESV).

            Jesus tells those who follow Him, if it will advance the Gospel for you to be crucified, you must do it.  Because advancing the Gospel is the most important thing – making sure everyone hears the Gospel call to belief and repentance – is the most important thing – it’s the chief job God has given us.

            Second, the advance of the Gospel is more important than the reasons people advance it.

            “Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will.”

            A second group of people, who were against Paul, were preachers who were envious or jealous of him.  People who looked at him or heard him speak and thought, “I’m a better speaker than he is.  I dress better than he does.  My body is more buff than his.  Why should he have all the followers?  Now that he’s in jail, it’s my time to capitalize on what he was preaching and get the attention, the recognition – all the benefits that Paul was getting that I am certainly more deserving of.”

            The words that Paul uses here do not mean that these preachers saw what Paul had and wanted to have it for themselves as well.  What Paul is saying is that they preachers saw what he had and they wanted to have it and they wanted Paul not to have it.  They did not just want to be as popular and as admired as Paul, but they wanted to be as popular and as admired as Paul and have Paul no longer be popular or admired.  It is an insidious form of covetousness that says, “You have this thing that I want and deserve, and I want it and I want you to no longer have it.”

            OK?

            Now, here’s the rub:  working out of insidious, envious, covetous, rivalrous motives, these people preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ rightly and truly!  Whether they really believed and received the Gospel themselves, we are not told, but they preached the Gospel Paul preached because they were envious of what they thought Paul profited by preaching this Gospel, and they thought they should have that profit and not Paul!  They were preaching the Truth of the Gospel – salvation in Jesus Alone – they were preaching for the wrong reasons, but they were truly proclaiming the Gospel.

“The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment.”

There were preachers who preached, believing the Gospel, and believing that Paul was advancing the Gospel by suffering for the Gospel in prison.  Then there were these others who preached out of selfishness – hoping to hurt Paul’s reputation – to knock him off the top of the heap – to cause him competition in the Gospel-preaching game.

But Paul was not concerned about being the most popular or the best recognized preacher of the Gospel – as he explained to the Philippians:  “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.”

Paul said he didn’t care why people were preaching the Gospel, as long as the Gospel was being rightly preached.  If the Gospel was being preached – if it was being advanced – Paul was filled with joy – that joy that can only come through being satisfied with where you are in Christ Jesus.

            Would you be satisfied with being nobody – with having any recognition or awards taken away by someone else – if it advanced the Gospel?

            John the Baptist was talking with his disciples about Jesus and said, “John answered, ‘A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, “I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.” The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease’” (John 3:27-30, ESV).

            John told his disciples that – at a wedding – the bride and the bridegroom are the center of attention – the friend of the bridegroom ought not to be seeking to be in the spotlight.  The best thing the friend of the bridegroom can do – if he is a true friend, is direct people’s attention to the bride and bridegroom.  So, the best thing we can do to show people Jesus and direct them to the Gospel is to get out of the way.  And if others want the “spotlight” of preaching the Gospel – directing people to Jesus – if they are rightly preaching the Gospel – rejoice!  There are more places for you to go and more people for you to tell.

            So Paul tells the Philippians that all is well, because the Gospel is advancing.  Yes, he is in prison, but the guards are learning why he is in prison – the message of the Gospel, and that message is spreading throughout the praetorium.  The Christians and Rome are looking at the way Paul is carrying himself in prison and being more confident and more bold in preaching the Gospel.

            And Paul tells them not to worry about people who are preaching the Gospel because they don’t like Paul.  The joyful point is that they are preaching the Gospel!

            Of course, heretics must be stopped, but anyone who is preaching the Gospel ought to be encouraged to do so.  Other issues – such as covetousness – may be addressed in other ways – but don’t stop the right preaching of the Gospel.

            So, are you ready to work hard for the advancement of the Gospel?  Are you ready to tell others about what Jesus did in history?  Have you made advancing the Gospel your priority?  Will you obey Jesus?  As we noted last week:  “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV).

            Are you ready to suffer for the news of the One Way to salvation?  Are you ready to be looked down on, ignored, forgotten, and even despised?

            Brothers and sisters, true joy is found in Jesus Christ and His Gospel.  As Paul shows us in our text this morning – the advance of the Gospel is where we will find our joy through Jesus Christ. 

            Let us pray:

            Almighty God, we do not like to suffer, and we enjoy others thinking well of us.  Help us to keep Your Incarnation, life, crucifixion, and Resurrection before us that we would see the advance of the Gospel as worth more and more joy-filling for us, than having the world treat us well and think well of us.  For it is in Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.

"Baptized Into Death" Sermon: Romans 6:1-4

“Baptized Into Death”

[Romans 6:1-4]

July 20, 2014 Second Reformed Church

            This morning, we intend to baptize Samuel Hastey.  As we do so, we do well to prepare ourselves with an understanding of what is going on – what we expect to happen in and through the Sacrament of Baptism.  We call it a sacrament because it is one of the two symbolic events of the Gospel that Jesus told us to do:  “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV).

            So, part of the “why” of baptism is that Jesus said to do it.  Therefore, we should do it.

            Yet, the question remains, why do we baptize infants – babies?

            For three reasons:

            First, baptism is the formal entrance of the child into the believing community.

            Second, baptism is a sign – it is symbolic – of what God has done in Jesus for salvation.

            And third, baptism is a seal for the person who makes a profession of faith.

            Involved in this whole idea is the concept of “covenant” – that God has made an agreement – a contract – between Himself and all those who will ever believe.  We understand contracts – agreements – in our culture, as well:  we hired a company a couple of weeks ago to repair the entrance stairs to the church.  If they did the work, they would get paid; if they did not do the work, they would not get paid.

            We understand that the Covenant between God and the children of believers continues from the Old Testament through the New Testament.  In the Old Testament era, male children were circumcised as the symbol of the Covenant; in the New Testament era, children are baptized.

            As we consider baptism, let us also note two wrong understandings – two things we do not believe that the Scripture teaches:

            Baptism does not save the child or anyone – baptism does not remove sin – baptism does not make the child a Christian.

            And, baptism does not do nothing.  Something really happens during baptism that cannot be wished or imagined away.

            On the TV show, “All in the Family,” Archie and Mike were discussing baptism, and Mike said that he had renounced his baptism years earlier, and Archie responded, “Try to renounce your belly-button, buddy-boy.”  In other words, something real occurs during baptism, but it does not make the child a Christian.

            So, what does happen?

            First, baptism is the formal entrance of the child into the believing community.

            We look back at the institution of circumcision to see the parallel:

            “And God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant’” (Genesis 17:9-14, ESV).

            Here we see that circumcision was the entrance into the believing community in the Old Testament.  The sign has changed – and now all children – not just male children – are received into the community through baptism.

            Bringing a child to be baptized is the parents’ and the believing community’s way of acknowledging that the child was born or adopted into the believing community and the parents and the community – the Church – pledge to do everything within their power to raise the child in the faith – to teach him the Truth of what God has said in His Word and to impress upon him the understanding of the necessity of receiving and professing the One Way of Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone.

            It is the child’s responsibility – taken on for him by the parents and the community – to respond to the call to receive and profess faith.  Just as baptism does not make the child a Christian – the parents and the Church’s promise to raise the child – to diligently instruct the child in the faith – does not make him a Christian.  The child – enabled by God – must receive the Truth of Jesus as Savior to become a Christian.

            Second, baptism is a sign – it is symbolic – of what God has done in Jesus for salvation.

            Baptism is one of the two visible representations of the Gospel that Jesus gave to us – the Lord’s Supper being the other.  As we baptize, we are symbolically showing what happens in salvation – what Jesus has done to save all those who will believe.

            In the Old Testament, we are told that circumcision is symbolic – it is a sign of what God does in salvation – in this way:  “And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live” (Deuteronomy 30:6, ESV).

            We understand that the physical circumcision that occurred to baby boys was not of their hearts.  That physical sign was to symbolize what God did in the heart – how God changes the heart – circumcises the heart, so a person will believe and receive the Gospel – God’s Way of Salvation.

            Paul most clearly explains that baptism is the New Testament version of this symbolizing of the Gospel, when he writes, “In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:11-12, ESV).

            Just as circumcision of the flesh was symbolic of God’s changing a person’s heart, so baptism with water is symbolic of spiritual union with Jesus in His death, burial, and physical Resurrection.

            You see, the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ – is a response to the fact that we have all sinned against God – and God – since He is Just – must punish sin.  But, if God punished us justly for our sin, none of us would survive – we would all suffer God’s Eternal Wrath.  So God, in love, made One Way for anyone who believes to be saved – that is the Good News.

            The Gospel – the historical facts which we must believe with our minds as true and receive in our hearts – are the historical facts of Jesus:  God came to earth in the Person of Jesus, lived a perfect life under God’s Law, died for the sins of everyone who would ever believe, and physically rose from the dead and ascended back to His Throne.

            If we truly believe those facts as true and receive them in our hearts – then we are united with Jesus – He has changed our hearts – we have been united with Him in His life, so we are seen as having kept God’s Law, and we are united with Him in His death, as He took on God’s Wrath for our sins, and we are united with Him in His Resurrection, so we can live eternally with Him in His Kingdom.

            Our text this morning, which comes in the context of those who were arguing that if God is gracious to us when we sin, we ought to sin more, so God would be more gracious, Paul tells the Romans – and us –

            “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

            Paul explains that baptism symbolizes the Gospel – the Good News of Jesus Christ – that Jesus died, was buried, and physically rose from the dead.  Samuel with be “under the water” – as though dead, but he will live.  Baptism is a symbolic representation of what Jesus did for all those who will believe.

            So, we see that baptism really does something:  it formally welcomes the child into the believing community, it engages the parents and the Church in the raising of the child in the faith, and it symbolically portrays the Gospel message of Jesus’ life, death, and Resurrection, which must be believed, if anyone will be saved from the Wrath of God and welcomed into His Kingdom.

            Yet, baptism does not save – it does not make the child a Christian.

            Third, baptism is a seal for the person who makes a profession of faith.

            What occurs today is the welcoming of Samuel into the community of faith, the pledging of his parents and the Church to raise him in the faith, and a symbolic presentation of the Gospel.  But Samuel will not be saved from the Wrath of God unless he professes faith in Jesus Christ – unless he believes in his mind and receives in his heart the facts of the Gospel – the history of Jesus.

            If Samuel does one day profess saving faith in Jesus, and please God he will, then this baptism that he receives today will become a seal on him.  Then it will be a reality for him that God has changed out – circumcised – his heart – that he has been united with Jesus in His life and death and Resurrection, and He will be the adopted son of God, who will forever live in the Kingdom with Jesus.

            Anyone can receive the sign of baptism, but as we have said, baptism does not save – it symbolically presents the One Way of Salvation – and those involved swear to raise the child in the faith, but the child must one day make a profession of faith – believing the Truth of the Gospel in his mind and receiving it in his heart.  Then, the baptism received prior to conversion – belief – becomes a seal.  At the point that he truly believes, he will have the assurance of God’s Eternal Love for him.

            Let us pray:

            Almighty God, we thank You for giving us Your Gospel in history, in word, and in symbols.  As we prepare to baptize Samuel, we ask that You would change hearts and seal baptisms long ago received that some who see this Sacrament administered would, for the first time, truly believe and receive Salvation through Jesus Christ Alone.  We ask for strength and wisdom for Joshua and Rebekah and all who will be in contact with Samuel in his instruction in the faith – that they would be a profound light of the Gospel to Samuel – and that You would bless their efforts – that all of their lives would point to the Truth of You.  And we ask that You would be willing to raise Samuel to new life through Jesus Christ Alone that he would be saved by You and remain forever with You in Your Glory.  And we ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.