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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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Clothed with Humility, Clothed for Glory

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Introduction

Peter comes to his final words of exhortation and encouragement. The holiness under pressure that he has been encouraging them in is a holiness that is arrayed in humility. This humility is characteristic of the entire Christian body, including the head of the body.

The Text

“The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away . . .” (1 Pet. 5:1-14).

Summary of the Text

Peter concludes his letter by exhorting the elders among them. He does so as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings, and a partaker of the coming glory (v. 1). His charge is that they are to feed the flock, exercise oversight of the flock (v. 2). They should not be compelled to the task, but should be willing for it. They must not be in it for the money, but rather because their mind is ready and eager for it (v. 2). Oversight does not mean “lording” it over the heritage of God, but rather should be offered through example (v. 3). When the Chief Pastor appears, such elders will receive a crown of glory that never fades (v. 4).

While the elders must not domineer, those who are younger should be submissive toward those who are older (v. 5). Yes, and everyone should be subject one to another, and more than that, should be clothed with humility. Why? Because God resists those who are not clothed with humility, and He gives grace to those who are (v. 5). So the clothing of humility must be put on in the presence of God (v. 6), so that you might be appropriately dressed as you wait for your exaltation in due time (v. 6). When you are clothed in humility, it is easy to feel vulnerable. Consequently, cast all your care upon Him. He will carry it; He cares for you (v. 7).

Be sober and pay attention; the devil wants to eat you (v. 8). He is a roaring lion, but when you resist him, you are doing nothing but what your brothers all over the world are also doing (v. 9). Hang tight. The God of all grace will have you suffer for a bit, but after that it is time for you to be established in an eternal glory (v. 10). The glory for all of this goes to Him, forever and ever (v. 11).

Silvanus, a faithful brother, was Peter’s secretary, enabling him to write, exhort, and testify to the true grace of God (v. 12). The church in Babylon, exiles and pilgrims together with the recipients, send their salutation, as does Marcus (v. 13). They should greet one another with the kiss of love, and peace is extended to all who are in Christ Jesus (v. 14).

Mutual Submission

Back in chapter 2:18, the domestic slaves were told to be subject to their masters (hypotasso). Christ submitted to the will of His Father, and the indignity of suffering at the hands of insolent men (2:21). Wives are told to be in subjection to their own husbands (again hypotasso, 3:1). The husbands are told to treat their wives likewise (3:7). Elders are told to oversee the flock, but in a way that is careful not to be domineering (5:3). The younger saints are told to submit themselves to the older (hypotasso). And then, as the crowning glory, absolutely everyone here is told to be subject to everyone else (hypotasso).

We see something similar in Ephesians, where Paul tells the saints not to be drunk with wine, but to be filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18). This filling with the Spirit is followed by a series of participles—speaking, singing, making melody, giving thanks, submitting yourselves one to another (hypotasso). This applies to everyone. Everyone sings and everyone submits. The instruction goes on to tell wives to submit to their own husbands (hypotasso), telling them to be deferential in a particular way.

Clothed with Humility, Clothed for Glory

The word glory comes up in this chapter more than once. Peter spoke to the elders as a partaker of the glory that is going to be revealed (1 Pet. 5:1). The elders are promised that if they discharge their office well, they will receive a crown of glory that will never fade (1 Pet. 5:4). God is a God of all grace, and He has called us into His eternal glory through Christ (1 Pet. 5:10). And the final doxology mentions it as well—to Him be glory and dominion forever (1 Pet. 5:11). Amen.

The idea is referred to in places where the word does not directly appear. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6). We are not supposed to humble ourselves because we are worms seeking our level, but rather because we are hungry for glory.

True humility is ambitious for glory. What makes it humility is the willingness to pursue glory the way God instructs us to. It is not humility to refuse glory; it is self-centered arrogance. God “will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life” (Rom. 2:6–7).

The Spirit of Glory

The spirit of humility is the spirit of Christ. The spirit of glory is the spirit of Christ. When you clothe yourself with humility, you are putting on Christ. When God clothes you with glory, it will be because you have been completed in Christ. “Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” (Rom. 8:30).

Apart from Christ, there is no humility. And with Christ and in Christ, the coming glory is inexorable. Do the nations rage? Are the intoleristas filled with spite? Let them be. The spirit of glory and of God rests upon you (1 Pet. 4:14).

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Christ’s Victory: Judgment and Salvation

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The Text

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us[a] to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, 20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited[b] in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him” (1 Peter 3:18-22).

Suffering for an End

Peter has called Christians to be like Christ and to be like Christ even in suffering. An understandable question is whether suffering like Jesus is worth it? Peter has us consider two examples from the story of the Flood of delayed judgment and eventual salvation. This story is not only about the salvation of Noah’s family but also the judgment against the fallen angels. Peter points that both the spirits’ judgment and Noah’s salvation come through the victorious suffering of Jesus.

We learn three principles from these verses. Even though God’s judgment may delay for thousands of years, His justice will come like it was declared to the evil spirits. Even in judgment, God saves his people like he saved Noah in the ark. Even though Christ suffered unjustly to death for doing good, that suffering was not defeat but was instead a victory over all angels, authorities, and powers.

The Just for the Unjust (vs. 18)

Peter begins with the suffering of Christ which is the means of our salvation, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (vs. 18). The essence of the gospel is an exchange––Jesus Christ takes our sins and He gives us His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus accomplishes this salvation “being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit…”

A Journey through the Underworld 

What is death? We know that death results from separation from the living God due to our sin (Eph. 2:1-2). Death is also the separation of the soul from the body. Joe Rigney said, “God made human beings to be embodied souls and ensouled bodies. Death rips this asunder.” We are familiar with what happened to Jesus’ body after his death (Mt. 27:57-60). But what about Jesus’ soul? Where did his soul go during this time? Christ’s soul went to Hades to proclaim his victory.

Prior to Jesus’ death and resurrection, the souls of the dead went to Sheol. In the New Testament, Sheol is translated in Greek as “Hades” which, yes, is the Greek mythological underworld of the dead. Hades was divided into two regions, one a place of paradise (called Elysium/Abraham’s Bosom) and the other of torment (called Tartarus/Hades), and these were separated by a great chasm. This is confirmed in the quasi parable of Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31) where both men die and descend to Hades––Lazarus to the Abraham’s bosom and the rich man to torment in flames. Where did Jesus go when he died? To paradise in Hades (Lk. 23:43). And from here, Jesus preaches across the chasm to the imprisoned spirits in Tartarus (2 Pet. 2:4). What was the specific sin that landed these spirits in Tartarus?

Preached Judgment to the Spirits (vs. 19-20)

This takes us back to before the Flood. Genesis 6 begins with man multiplying on the face of the earth. Then, “The sons of God saw that the daughters of man were beautiful. And they took as their wives any they chose” (Gen. 6:2). The phrase “the sons of God” is used to describe angels (Job 2:1). These fallen angels and human woman were breeding, and God responded with a declaration for a fixed lifespan, a definite mortality. This gets at the sin of the rebellious spirits. They tried to generate immortality outside of God––attempting to reach the tree of life without God.

Their rebellion was a big deal in God’s history of the world since they were reserved for judgment (2 Pet. 2:4, Jude vs. 6) and singled out for Christ’s preaching. Jesus triumphed over them that life does not come through rebellion outside of God. How can we live? Peter points to Noah’s ark––only through Christ’s death and resurrection.

Noah and His Saving Baptism (vs. 20-21)

How were Noah and his family saved? There are two right answers––the ark and God. God used the ark as the means to deliver Noah. Those eight souls were saved because they were in the ark. Peter says this is a type of baptism, which now saves us.  Jesus Christ is the ark. Those who are in Christ pass though the water of God’s righteous judgment and are saved. We must note that during Noah’s day it was not enough to know about the ark, memorize its blueprints, live in its shadow, stand right next to it every Sunday morning for years while the ark was under construction. You got to be in the ark, just like you got to be in Christ.

Christ’s Victory and Reign (vs. 22)

The ark, which was the scorn of the world, soon came to define the world. Now Christ, the new ark, defines the world. Jesus Christ is the one “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to him” (vs. 22). And so all these angels, authorities, powers, Caesars, presidents, masters, slaves, husbands, wives, sons, daughters are all under Jesus Christ. We are all under Him, but are we in Him? Christ’s death was his victory. And Christ’s victory is our salvation. And so his victorious suffering should be proclaimed!

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