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God’s Math

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Sermon Text: 1 Peter 4:12-19

The Problem of Pain is a well known booklet written by C. S. Lewis making the argument for why a good God would allow pain in His universe.  One aspect of his argument is our culture’s confusion between kindness and love.  We prize kindness with the view that we would prefer a God with more of a benign “grandfatherly” kindness over a father’s disciplinary love.  The difference is mainly one of outcome.  The former is seen as just watching over us to keep us content and happy, the latter is focused on making us good using whatever means are necessary to achieve that benefit.  Lewis in his chapter on God’s Divine Goodness puts it this way:

“When we want to be something other than the thing God wants us to be, we must be wanting what, in fact, will not make us happy.”

Given how much Peter deals with existing and anticipated suffering in his letters, approaching this with the right calculus is extremely important.  I’ve labeled it using God’s new math.

How was Peter qualified to teach on this subject?

From verse 15, what is the one way that we are not supposed to suffer?

What Fiery Trial is Peter referencing in verse 12?

What is the timing of Peter’s letter?

How does Nero fit in?

What was the nature of the suffering/persecution? 

What does “his glory revealed” mean in verse 13?

What time stamp does Jesus give his disciples in Luke 9:23-27 and Matthew 16:24-28 related to his coming glory?

How does this coming in glory relate to Jesus’ prophecy in Matthew 24?

How was God’s glory revealed in the judgement of Pharaoh?

What is the connection between Christ’s suffering and our own in verses 13, 14, and 16?

What did Jesus accomplish in His suffering?

What is necessary if the Father is going to successfully make us like Jesus?

How are we to process God’s judgment starting with us in verses 17-19? 

Who actually goes first: us or God?

Who is clearly in control of our suffering?

What is the role of the church in the midst of persecution?

How does God’s Math apply to us in our time?

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Departure from Bethany (Easter 2018)

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Introduction

The message that we Christians have for the world is a message that concerns certain historical events, and we include with that message the theological import, the theological meaning, of those events. We preach and declare that Christ died and rose, and we also declare that this same Christ was the God/man, meaning that His death was a propitiation for our sins, and that His resurrection was the vindication or justification of all who believe in Him. His new life is our new life, which we possess by faith alone.

The Text

“For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time” (1 Cor. 15:3–8).

Summary of the Text

This passage from 1 Corinthians contains a wonderful summary of the contents of the objective gospel. That gospel includes in it a summary overview of some of the resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ. But first, Paul had passed on to the Corinthians what he had received (v. 3). In accordance with the Scriptures (v. 3), Christ died for our sins (v. 3). He was buried, demonstrating that the death was not play-acting, not a sham (v. 4). The third day He rose from the dead, which was the initial moment of resurrection (v. 4)—a great event that was also in accordance with the Scriptures (v. 4). But the gospel contains more than just that initial instant of resurrection. What we call the resurrection includes the 40 days between that moment and the time of His ascension into Heaven. He appeared first to Cephas (Peter), then to the twelve (v. 5), and after that to over 500 brothers at one time (v. 6). The word had gotten out over the course of those 40 days and quite a crowd had assembled. Most of those witnesses were still alive decades later when 1 Corinthians was written (c. 53-55 A.D.) Then James saw Him, and all the apostles (v. 7). After that, in a way that was a bit irregular (because it was after the Ascension), the Lord appeared also to Paul (v. 8).
Sunday Morning Chaos

In all four gospels, the women are the first at the tomb Sunday morning (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20). The stone has been rolled away, and the tomb is empty. Mary Magdalene apparently separates from the other women, and goes to find Peter and John (John 20:1-2). The other nine disciples were not with Peter (perhaps because of his shame over his denial?), and they are found by the larger group of women. Peter and John run to the tomb, and find it empty, with Mary Magdalene apparently coming along behind them. After they depart (John having believed), Mary stayed there, saw the angels, asked about the body, and then after that encountered Jesus Himself (John 20:17). So Mary was the first to see the risen Christ, and as a group the disciples generally did not believe her (Mark 16:9-11). The other women had gone into the tomb separately (Matt. 28:5-10), and were sent by the angels to tell the disciples. As they were going back to Jerusalem, Peter, John and Mary Magdalene were coming back out of Jerusalem, on the way to the tomb. After Jesus appeared to Mary, He also appeared to the women on the way back to Jerusalem, who had been too frightened to speak to anyone (Mark 16:8). But after He appeared to them, they were able to deliver the message (Luke 24:9-11).

40 Day Timeline

While it is best not to be too dogmatic about such reconstructions, here is a suggested timeline:

  1. Mary Magdalene (John 20:11-18);
    2. Salome, Joanna, the other Mary, and one other woman at least (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10);
    3. Simon Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5);
    4. Cleopas and companion on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35);
    5. The disciples, Thomas missing (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25);
    6. The disciples, with Thomas present (John 20:26-29);
    7. Seven disciples at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-23);
    8. Disciples and small crowd on a mountain in Galilee (Matt. 28:16-17; 1 Cor. 15:6);
    9. James, the Lord’s brother (1 Cor. 15:7);
    10. Disciples, probably in Jerusalem, before they walked to Bethany on Mt. Olivet, where He ascended (Luke 24:49-53; Acts 1:3-11).

Please note that we are talking about a lot of people who saw the Lord, and in broad daylight.

Departure from Bethany

Bethany was a village located about a mile and a half from Jerusalem. It is the place where Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46). It is the place where the Triumphal Entry had begun (Mark 11:1; Luke 19:29). During the week that preceded His arrest, the Lord stayed in Bethany (Matt. 21:17; Mark 11:11-12). Simon the Leper lived there, and it was in his house that Mary had anointed Jesus (Matt. 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9; John 12:1-8). And Jesus led His disciples out to Bethany before He ascended into Heaven (Luke 24:50).

It is hard to escape the conclusion that Jesus went to Bethany and saw Lazarus, Martha, and Mary there. The conclusion of His resurrection appearances was not the dissolution of His friendships, but rather the eternal and everlasting ratification of them. He went to a town; He ascended into Heaven from a place. He knew people there. When He ascended, there were houses in the background, one of them being a place where He had previously stayed. In short, this last resurrection appearance was an event in history, in full color, under the same sun we have enjoyed this morning. We don’t know the precise latitude and longitude of the last place where Jesus was standing before He left, but God knows it. No doubt many an unwitting tourist has stood on the spot. There is probably a car parked there right now.

And because there is no reason a car couldn’t be parked on that very spot, your sins are forgiven. These things really happened, in other words. And by “really happened,” I mean something like actually happened. As sure as this Bible is on the pulpit, that being something that actually happened, so also Jesus walked to Bethany for His departure.

Those who want to pretend that Jesus rose, will also have to pretend to be forgiven. Those who know, as we do, that Christ is risen are also privileged to know that we also will rise. He is risen indeed.

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Cross-Shaped Lives (CCD Easter 2018)

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The Text

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us[a] in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, 2 that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. 3 For we have spent enough of our past lifetime[b] in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. 4 In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. 7 But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”[c] 9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen (1 Peter 4:1-11).

Cross-Shaped Lives

How does Easter shape your life? In this passage Peter draws application for us based on Jesus suffering on the cross, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh…do this in our life.” A religion that has at it’s center a crucifixion is a scary religion––for its people. We follow a crucified Christ, a suffering Savior. Because Jesus Christ has shaped you at the cross through his death and resurrection, you are to live a cross-shaped life. What does this look like? Peter shows three results in our passage in 1 Peter 4. With a cross-shaped life, you are armed to fight against sin and to live for God. With a cross-shaped life, you have hope in the resurrection and judgment. With a cross-shaped life, you love God’s people and glorify the Father.

Armed to Fight Sin (vs. 1-4)

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind.” Christ viewed the cross and his suffering on the cross as the means to fight against sin, and we are be armed with the same mind. Thus armed, we cease from sin. There are two ways to understand this and both are biblical and profoundly glorious. The first is we cease from sin because of our spiritual union with Jesus in baptism (Romans 6). The second way to understand this verse is more practical in that one who has committed to follow Jesus, even to the point of suffering for him, does not have the desire for sin. Sin grows bland, revolting, undesirable compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus. If you’ve armed yourself with the thought that you will suffer with Jesus, then you are ready to pile up the rubbish heap of all that keeps you from treasuring Christ.

That’s what Peter says, “For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles, acting like the world––when we walked in lewdness, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.” Peter remembers when he walked like this––drunken nights down at the docks and the fights and the swearing, and he’s done with it! We’ve spent enough of our life chasing after sin. And you must be armed to fight first your own sin. “Now” is enough! Peter pleads with you abstain from the desires of the flesh because they war against your soul (2:11). Don’t give any more of your time to being drunk. Don’t give your strength to porn. Don’t fritter away your time in coveting. Don’t you remember that Jesus has redeemed you with his precious blood?

Arm yourself with the cross to fight your sin, and also fight against our culture’s celebration of sin, or even your friend’s. Have the backbone and gristle to be different than everyone else because you are doing the will of God. But sometimes when you live like that you get thrown into a lions den or chucked in a fiery furnace or nailed to a cross.

Judgment and Resurrection (vs. 5-6)

If your life is shaped by the cross, you have hope for the future. Even though those still running in the world will trash talk you, “they will give an account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but alive according to God in the spirit.” Peter recognizes that you got enemies that malign you because you’re not running with sinners and in sin anymore. He says that those who taunt Christians, look down on Christians, persecute Christians will give an account to the Judge. So don’t worry about you giving pay back. All wrongs will be righted. God will settle accounts with all people, the living and the dead.

Fervent Love and Covering Sin (vs. 7-11)

Above all, Peter tells us that to we must love one another, and love fervently. This is the clear result of those shaped by the cross. We love because he first loved us. “By this we know love because he laid down his life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for our brethren” (1 Jn. 3:16). We are told to cultivate a fervent love, and a good place to start with with hospitality. Give yourself away and do it without grumbling, just like Jesus did. What did Jesus do before the judgment of the cross? “Here is bread, here is wine.”

When we see the people of God, we see a parade of God’s amazing grace. God’s grace is evident and working in his people––those who teach, who serve, who throw baby showers, who pray for every prayer request on the church email, who clean up the fishy crackers ground into the carpet.      

In All Things Glorified

What’s the result when Christians live cross-shaped lives? What happens when you refuse to run with the world and fight against your sin? What happens when you have the unshakable confidence that whether you live or you die, you belong to the Lord (Rom. 14:8)? What follows when you love and forgive and feast and serve and teach according to the grace that God gives you? Your cross shaped life becomes a living doxology––glory to God through Jesus Christ to him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Palm Sunday (CCD)

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The Text

“And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,2 Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.3 And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.4 All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,5 Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?” (Matt. 21:1-10)

  • What is the question that Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem raised?  Did the crowds get it right?
  • What do we believe about Jesus?  Is the gospel just about saving us from our sins or something more?
  • How does our belief or understanding about God impact our actions?

Disciples of Jesus

We want to be Jesus’ disciples in this, so let’s step back and look at Jesus seeking to make this point clear to one of his key disciples — Peter.   What lesson did Peter learn about the kingdom:

  • on his trip to Caesarea Philippi?
  • following his denial of Jesus at the High Priest’s home?
  • when Jesus spoke with him over breakfast at the Sea of Galilee?

The Nature of the Kingdom

The point of these examples is that while Christ’s kingdom is undeniable and present in heaven and on earth, it is not the political kingdom that the disciples expected.  What is it based on:

  • the disciples actions in Acts 3-5?
  • Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Luke 17?
  • Peter’s teaching in 1 Peter 2?

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Palm Sunday 2018

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Introduction

We live in a world that hates authority. The world hates authority because it hates the Author (Jn. 15:17-24). The world hates the fact that God has exalted His Son to His right hand as Lord of all. Because Jesus is Lord, the world hates all lordship. But the good news of Palm Sunday is that Jesus is Lord and God is in, the process of restoring the gift of godly authority to us for the healing of the world.

The Text

“When Jesus drew near to Jerusalem He sent two disciples into a nearby village to commandeer a donkey and a colt for His use (Mt. 21:1-2). Jesus told them that if anyone asked what they were doing, they were to say that the Lord needed them (Mt. 21:3-4). Matthew says that this was done to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy, and the disciples went and obeyed the command of Jesus (Mt. 21:5-6). The disciples spread their clothes on the donkey and the colt, and Jesus sat on them, and the crowds joined in spreading their garments and cutting down branches and laying them on the path and heralding Him as the Son of David (Mt. 21:7-9). When He arrived in Jerusalem, the whole city noticed and asked who He was and the multitude told them it was Jesus of Nazareth (Mt. 21:10-11). Jesus went all the way into the temple where He cast out those buying and selling, arguing that they had displaced prayer with theft (Mt. 21:12-13). Meanwhile, the blind and lame came to Him in the temple and were healed, and many children were shouting that Jesus was the Son of David (Mt. 21:14-15). This made the chief priests and scribes angry, but Jesus said that this was God’s doing, perfecting praise from infants” (Matt. 21:16).

The Commandeering King

Don’t miss the fact that authority is laced through this entire text. It begins with Jesus commanding two of His disciples to take some poor guy’s donkey and colt (Mt. 21:2-3, 6). And notice that both commands require faith. The disciples had to believe that Jesus had the right to command them and the fellow the donkey and colt belonged to. We know from Luke’s parallel account that the disciples were asked by the owners what they were doing, and the disciples told them exactly what Jesus said to say, the Lord has need of them (Lk. 19:33-34, Mt. 21:3). Notice that: the Lord needs them. No explanation, no further information. This is merely an assertion of authority, and the only possible response is to believe or not.  Matthew says that all of this is actually even higher stakes than just commandeering a couple barn animals. He says that Jesus is fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy that Israel’s King would come to Jerusalem riding on a donkey in order to defend His city, drive away all her enemies, and take up a dominion from the river to the ends of the earth (Mt. 21:5, Zech. 9:8-10). Finally, Jesus exerts His authority by driving out the money changers in the temple, quoting Isaiah 56, asserting that the temple belongs to Him (Mt. 21:12-13). Again, the response to this assertion is either acceptance or rejection. The chief priests and scribes reject His authority (cf. Mt. 21:23), while the lame and the blind and the children believe.

Authority and Faith

If you live in this world, our culture, you are marinating in hatred of authority, and so it cannot be any surprise to find that the Church has imbibed a great deal of this hatred, even while still saying things like Jesus is Lord. But the rot goes down deep, and we create workarounds to deal with our limp. But what we don’t realize is that getting used to the limp is getting used to the wrong sort of weakness. What is it that overcomes the world? “And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 Jn. 5:4). As a result of the Fall, authority has been corrupted and misused and this really does add to the difficulty and challenge of embracing lawful, biblical authority, but in our arrogance, we think it best to just ratchet all that authority talk way down, lest anyone misuse it, lest anyone get hurt. And in so doing, we are insisting that no one actually exercise any faith. Submission to authority requires faith. One time a centurion came to Jesus begging Him to heal his servant, but he told Jesus to just give the word because he understood how authority worked, and Jesus said He never saw such faith (Mt. 8:9-10). Many holy week sermons subtly succumb to exactly what the world wants us to say. You often hear that Jesus came to be a King, but He’s not a king like everyone expected. He’s a suffering King. And this is true as far as it goes, but the cumulative effect is often the message that Jesus wins through laying down His authority. And so the application becomes the same. But this is absolutely not true (e.g. Mt. 26:53, Jn. 19:11). Jesus insisted that no man could take His life from Him, that He was the only one who could lay it down and with the same authority He could take it back up again (Jn. 10:18).

Jesus Our Healer

Far too many people come into the Christian faith thinking that Christianity is a way to get God to bless your plans. But the most basic Christian creed is Jesus is Lord. This means He is your Master, your King. When Jesus calls a man, it is abundantly clear that He demands everything. But this is good news because only Jesus knows what it will take to eradicate our sin. So He assigns judges, pastors, presidents, husbands, fathers, mothers, teachers, etc. He must take our colts; He must overturn our tables; He must die. What is He doing? He’s healing us (Mt. 21:14). This means coming to Him with everything that ails us and praising Him like jubilant kids.

Jesus Our King

Matthew says that when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, He was fulfilling Zechariah’s prophecy: Israel’s King had come in order to encamp around His house as a guard, in order to destroy Israel’s enemies, in order to establish His reign from the River to the ends of the earth, because of the blood of His covenant (Zech. 9:8-11). Jesus came to do what only He could do in order to secure His people forever. He came to live the perfect life we could not live, to suffer the scorn and death that only He did not deserve, to lay His life down with full authority, and having paid the wages of our sin completely, He took His life back up again. Never for one moment did Jesus relinquish His authority, but at every step He exercised His authority to encamp around His house as a guard, to drive away our enemies, and establish His kingdom forever. And in His kingdom there are many priests and kings, many lords and ladies. Faith in the authority of Jesus receives this good news, and the same faith in the authority of Jesus receives these good works. And this is our victory that overcomes the world.

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