Christ Church

Ethiopia Stretches Out Her Hands (Acts of the Apostles #20) (Christ Church)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

Remember that the Lord had said the gospel would progress from Jerusalem to Judaea, to Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. The books of Acts begins in Jerusalem. After the murder of Stephen, the disciples scatter into the province of Judaea, and also Samaria. Philip went to Samaria and ministered there. An angel then sends him into the wilderness toward Gaza, but does not tell him why. While there, Philip sees a chariot (and probably a caravan, given the importance of this man). As the gospel fans out across the world, this is the next stepping stone, and the word of the psalmist is fulfilled.

“Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God” (Psalm 68:31).

And as the next verse makes plain, Ethiopia is the harbinger of all the other nations coming to Christ. “Sing unto God, ye kingdoms of the earth; O sing praises unto the Lord; Selah” (Psalm 68:32).

THE TEXT

“And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert. And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet. Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? . . .” (Acts 8:26–40).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After Philip’s success in Samaria, the angel of the Lord commanded Philip to go down to the south desert road from Jerusalem to Gaza (v. 26). So he obeyed, and encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a very important officer under Candace, the Ethiopian queen. He was her treasurer (v. 27), and was returning home after worshiping in Jerusalem. Sitting in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah (v. 28). The Spirit spoke to Philip, and told him join up with this chariot (v. 29). When Philip did, he heard him reading Isaiah aloud, and asked him if he understood it (v. 30). In the ancient world, there was no such thing as reading silently. The eunuch replied that he was not able to without an interpreter, and invited Philip up into the chariot (v. 31). As it turned out, the place where he was reading was Is. 53:7-8—the place where the Suffering Servant is led as a sheep to the slaughter, not protesting, and his life was taken from the earth in a humiliating way (vv. 32-33). The eunuch asked whether the prophet was speaking about himself or about somebody else (v. 34). So Philip began to speak, starting from that passage, and preached Jesus to him (v. 35). As they continued traveling, they came to a place that had some water, and the eunuch asked what would prohibit him being baptized (v. 36). Philip said that if he believed with all his heart, he certainly could, and the eunuch replied that he did believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (v. 37). Indicating a difference in manuscripts, some of your Bibles don’t have v. 37 included. So the eunuch then commanded the chariot to stop, and both men went down into the water, and Philip baptized him (v. 38). When they both came up out of the water, the Spirit caught Philip away from the eunuch and so he went on his way back to Ethiopia rejoicing (v. 39). But Philip appeared at Azotus (Ashdod), where he preached through all the cities, until he came to Caesarea (v. 40).

MODES OF BAPTISM 

Not surprisingly, this passage has been referred to often when it comes to debates over baptism. Advocates of “immersion only” often refer to the fact that in v. 39, it says that they came up “out of the water.” The problem with this is that it would require the immersion of Philip also. The demands of the text would be fully met if they walked into the water knee deep, and water was poured or sprinkled over the eunuch’s head. At Christ Church, we practice water baptism by three lawful modes of baptism—Christian baptism is any application of water to someone in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19).

You have perhaps been erroneously told that baptizo means immersion, and can mean nothing else, which is not the case. It certainly includes immersion, but it is not limited to that meaning.

In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit is poured out on the disciples (Acts 2:17-18), just as the prophet Joel predicted (ekcheo). The verb pour is used twice. In Acts 10:44, the Holy Spirit fell on them (epipipto). When Peter recounts what had happened, he describes it this way. “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). And in the next breath, he describes this falling and pouring as a baptism—“ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 11:16). So pouring is clearly a biblical mode.

What about sprinkling (rhantizo)? In Hebrews, we are told about the older Mosaic ceremonies (Heb. 9:10), and they included “divers washings.” The word for washing here is baptismos, the noun. But three verses later, in describing one of the ceremonies, he refers to the “ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean” (Heb. 9:13). This sprinkling was part of the ceremonial ablutions that prepared the Israelites for worship. And in our text, what possessed the eunuch to ask about baptism? Remember that Philip started from Is. 53:7. As it happens, this is what Isaiah says nine verses earlier: “So shall he sprinkle many nations; The kings shall shut their mouths at him: For that which had not been told them shall they see; And that which they had not heard shall they consider” (Isaiah 52:15). So sprinkling is a biblical mode.

And not that you need to be persuaded, immersion is also a biblical mode. “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing (baptismos) of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do” (Mark 7:8). The washing of cups and pots obviously included immersing them.

BAPTIZED INTO THE LIVING CHRIST 

We are accustomed to think of baptism as resulting when a new believer comes to the water. But what happened prior to that was that the water came into the world, and the only way that the water could do that was because it was living water. Christ is the one who possesses the gift of living water (John 4:10). And when He brings the water to us, the water baptizes us, and that water is Christ Himself. And once we are baptized in His living water, we become a source of that same life that ministers to others. “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

Read Full Article

Hard Law, Hot Gospel: Any Other Gospel (CC Downtown)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

Apathy is like wearing concrete boots while swimming. Yet, all too often we are tempted to skate along and ignore complacency and indifference. We say things like, “the honeymoon is over” to justify marital apathy; or “we’ve always done it this way” to justify corporate bloat; or “don’t rock the boat” in order to maintain some status quo. This epistle is Paul being an apostolic burr in the saddle, pebble in the boot, and pain in the neck. In so doing, he kept not only the Galatians, but the early church as a whole from apathetically drifting back into business as usual.

THE TEXT

Paul, an apostle, (not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) And all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. […] Galatians 1:1ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Before we begin expositing the black and white letters of this epistle, we should take notice of the colorful context of this letter. Other than the synoptic Gospels, this letter from Paul to the Galatians is one of the earliest NT writings (~AD48). As we shall see, this fact proves to be pivotal in locking the door against a dangerous error that was threatening the early church. But this was not only from Paul, it was from Paul “and all the brethren” (v2), to the churches (plural) of Galatia. This helps us decide between two theories regarding the timing of this letter. The Northern Galatian theory argues that this was written to the Gauls located in what is now central Turkey; these were Celtic peoples, who were spread across Europe at the time. Paul eventually visited the northern Galatians (Acts 16:6; 18:5). The Southern Galatian theory is that Paul wrote to the Roman province of Galatia which consisted of four primary cities which we know Paul visited in his early mission trips: Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:14), Iconium (Acts 13:51), Lystra, and Derbe (Acts 14:6, 20 – 21). Given the content, not to mention the heat, of Paul’s letter we are left with a strong case for this being written in the lead up to the Jerusalem Counsel (Acts 15) not after.

Paul begins by asserting the nature of his apostleship (v1). He greets them with grace and peace, and briefly states the Gospel: Jesus (whom the Father had raised from the dead) gave Himself for our sins (Cf. Is. 53:6), to deliver us from the “present evil age”, by the Father’s will, and this all leads us to glorify God (vv3-5). Instead of pleasant thanksgiving for the Galatians, Paul begins with a deep grievance. And no wonder! The Galatians have drifted from the Gospel which he had taught them, into a graceless Gospel (v6). This took place because the Galatians were troubled by some who had perverted the Gospel (v7). Paul pronounces a double anathema on angelic or human teachers of this mangled Gospel (vv8-9).

This is very personal, not academic, for Paul. Other than Acts we learn more about Paul’s biography from this section of Galatians than anywhere else. This is important because Paul wants to impress upon the Galatians that Christ’s coming was apocalyptic, and Paul had personally experienced the potency of the revelation of Jesus Christ. None of what Paul has done was by man or for man, because this Gospel was from God and for God’s glory (vv10-12).

Beginning in 1:13, Paul launches into a lengthy personal history which continues through most of chapter 2 as well. Paul had been a zealous hall monitor for the laws of the Pharisees and was infamous for his seething persecution of the disciples of Christ and profiting from his persecutions (vv13-14). Elsewhere he describes himself as a blasphemer (1 Tim. 1:13). Central to Paul’s Gospel is the sovereign will of God to deliver such wicked sinners from their sin. Paul explains that by God’s grace the Son was revealed to him, and this was foreordained by God even when Paul was in his mother’s womb (vv15-16a, Cf. Is. 49:1). God kindly did this so that Paul would bring news of Christ’s deliverance from this present evil age to the heathen (v16). After Paul’s conversion, he didn’t enroll at Jerusalem Apostolic Seminary. This will be important to the argument that Paul concludes in chapter 2. Rather, he went into Arabia, presumably to pray and study (v 17; Cf. 2 Cor. 12:2-4). Three years later, he visited with Peter & James in Jerusalem for 15 days, but didn’t spend time with any of the other apostles (vv18-19).

Paul avows the truth of all this (v20); he didn’t linger in Judea, going instead to Gentile regions. The Judaean Christians knew that their former persecutor was now preaching the Gospel he’d attempted to destroy, though they hadn’t met him personally these Jewish believers glorified God because of him (vv21-24).

THE GOSPEL IS PERSONAL 

It might seem incongruous to us why Paul stresses his personal history in making his argument against the Judaizers. The work which Paul has been set apart for, from his mother’s womb, is not a merely human venture. We could easily mistake Paul’s concern about establishing his apostolic office as some sort of territorial turf war. This is not why Paul is arguing. His apostleship is tied up with ancient promises which God, through Christ, has now made good.

We see this in Paul’s two allusions to Isaiah. First, consider his allusion to Isaiah 53:6. The sheep had strayed, every last one; so the Lord offers up His anointed servant as the sacrifice. He gave himself for us. Faithful OT saints believed that God would inaugurate the last times and would do so with two clear signs. The first would be the coming of the Messiah, the Lord’s servant and true King of Israel. The second sign would be that of the resurrection (Job 19:25). As Paul makes his argument throughout this epistle, these articles of ancient faith must be kept in mind. Jesus’ coming was the breaking through of God’s new creation work, and this of course was manifestly vindicated by Jesus’ own resurrection.

So then, Paul’s insistence on tracing his apostolic calling is not off topic from his main argument, nor is it a pious flex. If God’s new creation work had really burst into this world, then Paul’s Damascus road conversion is not off topic. The Risen Christ in His ascended glory had revealed himself to this blaspheming murderer to convert him and then task him to go with the glad tidings of the new creation to the Gentiles. This ties in with the second allusion that Paul makes to Isaiah and his description of the Messiah’s mission (Is. 49:1). Isaiah says Messiah would gather Israel’s wandering sheep and then shine with Gospel light upon the Gentiles. So Paul’s Damascus conversion and thus Gentile commission really was on topic.

THE GOSPEL IS POTENT 

This Gospel is also potent. It is potent personally. But the personal potency of the Gospel is in force because of the transformation that took place in the order of things when Christ arose. Christ’s resurrection was the Galatian’s deliverance from the present evil world. The world governed by demons, where hard law was needful to restrain the raving of depraved man. But since Christ had come, the old order was passing away and along with it the dominion of devils. Thus, a return to the Law (which is the primary issue Paul will deal with) is to turn away from the potency of Christ’s life, to the impotency of dead flesh. To return to the law would be to return to business as usual, and with Christ’s coming it was no longer business as usual. All things were being made new.

Read Full Article

The Master of the Ship (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #47) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

When the earth was filled with wickedness, and every imagination of the thoughts of men were evil, God sent the biggest storm in the history of the world and saved Noah and his family (Gen. 6-7). When the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, He caused a great storm to descend upon the Red Sea, parting the waves for Israel to pass through (Ex. 14). When Jonah ran from the Lord, He sent a great storm to hunt him down. “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word” (Ps. 148:8).

This is one of the great themes of the gospels: Jesus falls asleep in the boat in the midst of a storm and when the experienced fishermen panic and wake Him, He commands the storm to become calm (Mk. 4:41). At another time He walks out to the disciples on the sea in the midst of a storm, as though He were taking an evening stroll (Mk. 6:48). And as we come the climax of the story of Acts, we see the Lord Jesus once again commanding storms to do His will. We serve the God of great adventures (the kind that can make you feel sick), but He is the Master and He knows what He is doing. And faith obeys.

The Text: “And when it was determined that we should sail into Italy, they delivered Paul and certain other prisoners unto one named Julius, a centurion of Augustus’ band…” (Acts 27:1-44)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Finally, Paul is sent to Rome with a number of other prisoners, under the care of a courteous Roman centurion named Julius (Acts 27:1-3). From Sidon, the first ship carries them north of Cyprus along the coast of southern Turkey/Asia Minor (Acts 27:4-5). From there, they find another ship sailing to Italy and make it as far as Crete as winter is coming on (Acts 27:6-8). While Paul warned them not to continue, the centurion was persuaded by the master and owner of the ship to attempt to make it to a better harbor, when an infamous Mediterranean storm system called Euroclydon struck them (Acts 27:9-14). Forced to let the ship drive in the storm for many days, the sailors lost all hope (Acts 27:15-20).

Finally, after many days in the storm, Paul announced that an angel had appeared to him and declared that all hands would be saved, although the ship would be lost, and on the fourteenth night, they neared land and dropped anchor (Acts 27:21-29). When some sailors attempted to escape in a boat, Paul warned them that the only way to survive the storm was to stay in the ship, and after the soldiers obeyed Paul, he urged them to have a little food, and broke bread with them (Acts 27:30-38). In the morning, they drove the ship aground, and while the soldiers were inclined to execute the prisoners, the centurion spared them for Paul’s sake, and as the ship was breaking apart, all 276 souls were able to swim safely ashore (Acts 27:39-44).

WHO IS THE MASTER OF THE SHIP?

This story illustrates well the entire story of Acts (and the history of the world). Who is the main Actor? Who is driving the action of the story? The Jews and Romans repeatedly think that they are in charge, but Acts demonstrates unmistakably that it is the risen Jesus and His Spirit at work in every detail. Here, the Romans think they are in charge and are following their Roman protocols for sending prisoners to Caesar (Acts 27:1), but very quickly, the Roman centurion is out of his depth (ha) and must rely on the expertise of the master and owner of the ship (Acts 27:11). But everyone soon appears to be at the mercy of the great storm called Euroclydon (Acts 27:14). But Euroclydon is not just a random force of nature: Jesus is the Lord of all of Creation –even the wind and waves obey Him (Mk. 4:41, Ps. 107:25-29). Euroclydon obeys Jesus.

The Romans thought they were sending prisoners to Rome. The ship master and owner thought they were taking goods for sale and trade and delivering passengers. But the Lord Jesus was taking His servant to Rome to preach the gospel to Caesar (Acts 23:11, 25:10-11). In fact, Paul seems to indicate that his personal survival was never in doubt, but when he stands up to encourage the ship after many days, he announces that he has now secured from God the safe passage of everyone else aboard (Acts 23:11, 24). By the end of this story, everyone is following the instructions of Paul, the servant of Jesus – Paul is the ship master and Christ is the owner because Paul (and all of creation) belongs to Him (cf. Acts 27:23).

APPLICATIONS

Clearly Julius the Centurion is a well-meaning but foolish Roman who learned to trust and obey Paul. This is what all Romans needed to learn to do. Unless Rome trusted in the Messiah Jesus and listened to His servants (the apostles), Rome would be lost just like the ship. In the end, many did believe in Christ, but like this shipwreck, the empire was lost while many swam to safety.

America is no different in this respect, but we have been given far more grace than ancient Rome. We were founded by evangelical and Reformed Christians. If the centurion represents the best of Roman piety, a sort of friendly foolishness, America is the prodigal son spitting on the grave of our fathers, wasting our lavish blessings on drugs and hookers, RVs and fashion. And God has sent the Great Euroclydon of Sexual Madness, full of lies and hubris and violence, and we have been driven by this storm for several decades. Our current cultural moment is a brief reprieve, but the fundamental question is whether we will actually repent and turn to Christ, whether we will actually turn and obey Him, or will we keep listening to the “ship masters” that got us into this mess?

It’s remarkable that the only way to survive the storm was to stay in the ship that was going to be destroyed (Acts 27:31). When land was in sight, the sailors wanted to take their chances in the lifeboat, which makes good human sense, but Paul said that if they did that they would perish. To put it another way, anyone who wanted to save his life would lose it, but those who were willing to lose their lives in obedience would save them (Mt. 16:25).

We do not usually receive visions like Paul, but we have the clear word of God in Scripture. When you haven’t been listening, sometimes you get to the point where Wisdom says, “you should have listened to me.” You should not have gone your own way. And sometimes you get there after much harm and much loss. But the Word of the gospel comes and it says: “Be of good cheer, fear not, have courage, believe God, and obey.” In the storms of disobedience, it can seem so complicated, but obedience parts the clouds. Tell the truth. Be kind to your wife. Submit to your husband. Obey your parents. Confess your sin; forgive those who have sinned against you. Obedience is the greatest adventure. The Lord Jesus is the Master of the Ship and the Master of the Storm.

Read Full Article

The Two-Edged Sword (Christ Church)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

Charles Spurgeon once offered a humble recommendation for how to defend the Bible. He kept it quite simple, “Let it defend itself.” His statement gets to the heart of our problem. We want to hold up the Word of God, forgetting that it holds us up. We want to cut with the Sword of the Spirit rather than have it cut us. We treat the sword like it is an inanimate object in need of the living to wield it. But our text says the word is alive and we are the ones in need of animation. We’re the ones in need of entering into rest, being prodded to enter that rest by the two-edged sword.

SURVEY OF THE TEXT- HEBREWS 4:11-13

Given the example of the Israelites, many of whom after being delivered out of Egypt still died in the desert, new covenant saints must labor to enter that rest (v. 11). That rest is not just any rest, more about this particular rest in a moment. We can enter that rest because of the Word of God, which is quick and powerful, sharper than the sword that splits the heart (soul and spirit), body (joints and marrow), and mind (thoughts and intents) (v. 12). This Living Word doesn’t only carve up the individual, it exposes all of creation, every creature being laid open today by the same Word to whom they will one day give an account (v. 13).

INTO THAT REST

The rest here described is a very particular kind of rest. It is called that rest. And that rest was defined in the previous verse, “For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his”(v. 10). God’s rest was previously described as “the seventh day” when God rested from His work of creation (v. 4). But in verse 10 we hear of another, who entered into His rest like God did from His own. And then our text in verse 11 says that the saints should enter into that rest, namely the man’s rest from verse 10. So who is that man?

The context identifies that man as Jesus Christ, who “is passed into the heavens” (v.14). As God rested from His work of creation so Christ has rested from His work of redemption. And the saints must labor to enter that rest, the rest of Christ’s completed work. There is a future fulfillment of this rest when you arrive in heaven. But there is a present reality of this rest for all those who will have it.

THE WORD OF GOD IS QUICK

Verse 11 provides the directive but it doesn’t supply the fuel for completing the directive. You can hear the exhortation to enter into rest well enough and still be left troubled about how you’re actually going to enter in. Even if Christ is in you, your flesh is no help at all, “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin” (Romans 8:10). But verse 12 supplies the remedy. Enter into Christ’s rest “for the word of God is quick.”

The Word of God in this passage is not merely the prophets and the apostles but the Living Christ Himself. Quick in our text is often translated living. And the same sense comes through in both words. The Christ Word is always up to something. Creation itself was formed by that Word. The soul of man was formed by the same— “The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1). New life comes by this same Word (1 Peter 1:23). The maintenance and maturity of that new life comes likewise (John 17:17).

In whatever the Christ Word is up to, He is effectual. God says through the prophet Isaiah that His Word is like rain or snow from heaven and it will prosper in the thing whereto He sent it (Isaiah 55:11). But that prospering is not as straight-forward as some make it out to be. His sword cuts to the dividing of soul and spirit, joints and marrow, thoughts and intentions. It goes places we can’t go and accomplishes there things we can’t accomplish.

What it accomplishes is always good, but it can take us by surprise. God’s Word is a fire that melts cold hearts and a hammer that breaks hard hearts (Jeremiah 23:29). So this Christ Word enfleshed dry bones in Ezekiel’s valley and, at the same time, disemboweled King Jehoram due to his sin. This two-edged sword plagued Pharaoh, hanged Haman, and sent dogs to eat Jezebel (2 Kings 9:10). But it also humbled Nebuchadnezzar, turned Manasseh from his evil way, and spared Nineveh.

CREATION EXPOSED 

This living and effectual Word is the same Word to whom man will one day give an account. Verse 13 says that all things are already exposed before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. This is a reference to the judgment seat of Christ— “For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ . . . So then ever one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10, 12). But the only way to give a faithful account to the Word it to have that Word carve you up. The only way to go before Christ with a load of good works done in the body is to enter into His rest.

Read Full Article

Sin and the One-Two Punch (CC Troy)

Christ Church on

INTRODUCTION

Many passages in the Bible speak of the glory of God’s creation. Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 95 says, “The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Psalm 104 says, “How many are your works Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number—living things both large and small.” The first category we think of is nature. From the towering peaks of the Andes in Venezuela, to the great freshwater lakes of Michigan, to the parched sands of the Sahara the Lord has made a variety of breathtaking biomes for life to flourish in. The water cycle refreshes the earth with vitality. The seasons form a natural rhythm for life. The day and night cycle establishes periods of activity and rest. The stars and the moon give light by night. And the sun sheds its energy, light, and warmth by day.

THE PROBLEM

The problem of sin is old, deep, wide, and even transcends our physical reality into the heavenly realm. But we are Calvinists. There are elect angels and non-elect angels. This means, thanks be to God, there is a purpose to all of this. To the pagan, death is just a part of life. You’re born, you live a meaningless life, and then you die. When the Christian sees death, we say, “There is something wrong with that. That is not natural. Something about this world is fundamentally broken. Romans 8 says, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Sin is the problem. Sin is the enemy who wants to knock us down. And despite our delusions, we would not have fared any better were it us in the garden being tempted. We would’ve fallen just as they did.

THE JAB

This question about where to place Jesus goes back much further than the 300s. In fact, the author to the Hebrews had to do the same thing. Listen to chapter 1, “Having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. For to which of the angels did God ever say, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’? Or again, ‘I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son’? And again, when he brings the firstborn in the world, he says, ‘Let all God’s angels worship.’ Now, what prompted this apologetic argument? Why take verses from the Psalter to prove that Jesus is superior to the angels? The readers of the letter to the Hebrews were enamored by angels, attributing to them a power and a standing that was not warranted. And that is understandable because the Bible does present them as very powerful and important beings. Take Galatians 3:19 for example. It says that the law of God was communicated through angels by an intermediary. This is repeated again in Acts chapter 7 at the end of Stephen’s speech. He says, “Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? And they killed those who announced beforehand the coming of the Righteous One, whom you have now betrayed and murdered, you who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it.” And we have a third reference in Hebrews 2:2.

THE RIGHT-CROSS

It is a strange man who would say, “When I consider a subject worthy of meditation, I gravitate towards judgment day.” But I hope to convince you that that man is not strange at all. That is the sort of man who understands the character of God and the justice of God. We cannot seem to separate in our minds, judgment day, from the concept of terror. In one sense, this is biblical. Hebrews 10:26 says, “if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.” Are you an adversary? Do you keep sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth? No, you take up the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation and you fight against sin. You come here every week to renew covenant. You read the Bible to learn more about the God you serve. You pray to Him and cast your cares on Him. God uses means, even warning passages like this one, to remind us of the severity of God.

CONCLUSION – CHOSEN TO BE SAVED

When judgment comes, it will be a glorious day. There are men and women who have done wicked things in this life. They have cast ruin and destruction. And this is the crucial part, some have gotten away with it. They have escaped the law and they have escaped the avenger who carries the sword in service of God. And so yes, they may have gotten away with it in this life, but they won’t in the next. Justice is coming and as Christians that should give us joy. The victims and the recipients of injustice will have their day. And then at one point it will be your turn. It will be your task to call the demons out of their gloomy darkness and judge them. And when you do consider Nahum 1 as your opening text, “The Lord is a jealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and wrathful; the Lord takes vengeance on his adversaries and keeps wrath for his enemies. The Lord is slow to anger and great in power, and the Lord will by no means clear the guilty.”

Read Full Article