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Believing is Seeing (King’s Cross Church)

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INTRODUCTION

After touching Jesus’ hands and side and believing, Jesus said to Thomas, “because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed” (Jn. 20:29). There is a particular blessing in hearing the good news that Jesus is risen from the dead and believing. In fact, while sight has a good function, it is not the controlling or foundational faculty. What you believe colors what you can or will be able to see. Living by faith doesn’t mean living in an imaginary world; it means living with the certain knowledge that some things are true even though you can’t see them and with that knowledge seeing everything more clearly.

THE TEXT

“And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus…” (Lk. 24:13-35)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Luke sets up this story by highlighting the uncertainty of the women and the disciples having found the tomb empty and hearing a message from angels (Lk. 24:1-12). With that uncertainty and unbelief lingering, two other disciples began walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus that same day, talking about everything that had happened, and Jesus joined them, but they didn’t recognize Him (Lk. 24:13-16). Jesus asked them what they were talking about and why they were sad, and they asked Him if He was the only pilgrim in town who didn’t know what had happened to Jesus of Nazareth (Lk. 24:17-24).

Jesus responds, chiding them for their unbelief, and proceeds to explain from Moses and all the prophets that the Messiah had to suffer before being glorified (Lk. 24:25-27). When the disciples drew near their destination, they urged Jesus to come with them, and when He sat down with them, and blessed and broke bread and gave it to them, their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus, and He vanished (Lk. 24:28-31). Making sense of the glorious Bible study on the road, the two immediately returned to Jerusalem and told the others who had also heard that Peter had seen Jesus (Lk. 24:32-35).

THE BLIND ADAMSON FAMILY

Instead of grabbing the shoulders of Cleopas and the other disciple and looking them in the face and saying, “It’s me! It’s me!” or saying, “Oh fools and slow of heart to recognize that I’m standing right in front of you,” Jesus locates the foolishness and unbelief in their failure to remember and believe the Bible (Lk. 24:25). We have a hard time believing this, but one of the central messages of Scripture is that we cannot see or understand anything rightly apart from God and His Word. While the serpent promised a greater vision and wisdom, when the eyes of Adam and Eve were “opened,” they actually became blind and foolish (Gen. 3:5-7).

This doesn’t mean unbelievers can’t see or understand anything; nor does this mean that Christians magically see everything clearly. But it means that because of sin and separation from God everything is distorted, disoriented, and muddled. We desperately need the spectacles of Scripture and the Lasik surgery of the Spirit. Jesus says that having unconfessed sin is like having a log in your eye (Mt. 7:3-5). This is one of the reasons Jesus heals so many blind people during His ministry. He came to give sight to the blind Adamson family (Eph. 4:18).

MOSES, THE PROPHETS, AND RESURRECTION PROOF

So beginning with Moses, Jesus explains how the Scriptures teach that the Messiah had to suffer before coming into His glory. Jesus may have begun in the Garden with the Fall and promise of the seed of the woman and the skins that covered their shame: there needed to be blood shed by a substitute so that Adam and Eve could live. He may have talked about the covenant promises pictured in circumcision, barren wives conceiving, Isaac received back from the dead in a type, Joseph’s suffering and glory – all stories of human weakness and death turned to strength and life. He could have traced the same themes in the Exodus, the sacrifices, the bronze serpent, the story of Job, many of the Psalms (16, 22, 69, 116), and prophecies of the Messiah (e.g. Is. 53, Jer. 20, Zech. 3). The Old Testament is all about Jesus.

This story illustrates what Jesus taught in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which is about the rich man’s greed blinding him until it was too late and he died and found himself in torment in Hades (Lk. 16). When the rich man asks if someone might be sent back to warn his five living brothers, Abraham says that they have “Moses and the prophets.” And when the rich man argues that they would be more likely to repent if someone rose from the dead, Abraham says, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Lk. 16:31). If you will not believe God’s Word, then you will not believe even if someone rises from the dead (cf. Jn. 11:43-53, Mt. 28:11-15). Believing is seeing.

APPLICATIONS

Cleopas might be the same as “Clopas,” the husband of another Mary (Jn. 19:25), and they may be the two disciples going to Emmaus. Early tradition said that the two disciples may have been Clopas and his son Simeon, who was the second leader of the church in Jerusalem (after James). Another early tradition suggests that this Clopas was the brother of Joseph (father of Jesus), which would make the lack of recognition even more striking: not recognizing his own nephew.

Regardless, there’s a striking echo and reversal of Genesis 3 in this story: whereas two people ate food sinfully and their eyes were “opened” and they became ashamed of their nakedness and afraid (Gen. 3:6-7). Here, in Luke, we have two disciples filled with fear and shame, not seeing clearly, but in the breaking and eating of the bread with Jesus, their eyes are truly opened. While they only see Jesus for a moment, they suddenly see everything very clearly.

This story is one reason why the Reformation tradition has argued for the Word and Sacrament to go together and in that order. Hearing and believing the Word is the prerequisite for seeing and communing with Jesus rightly. But even then, the breaking of bread has a way of revealing what the Word says. What is it about the breaking of the bread? It’s receiving the gifts of God, giving thanks, and sharing them, and so seeing them by faith for what they really are.

Eyes are powerful gifts, but they are not simple mechanisms. Our eyes are loaded with biases and blind spots, prejudices and presuppositions. You need Jesus to show Himself to You in the Word and breaking of bread so that you can see Him crucified and risen, and by seeing Him, see your spouse, your family, your roommate, your neighbors, your job, your everything rightly.

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Crisis at the Temple (Palm Sunday 2023)

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Introduction

The Triumphal Entry was an episode in the ministry of the Lord that had a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning was when the disciples came back to the Lord with the donkey and colt, placed their garments on them, and seated the Lord there (Matt. 21:6). The middle of this event was when Jesus entered the city, and Matthew says that the whole city was moved (v. 10). So this middle was the procession itself. The culmination of this Entry, the climax of the day, the crowning event of what happened, was the cleansing of the Temple (v. 12).

The Text

“And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way. 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. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there” (Matthew 21:8–17).

Summary of the Text

As I have reminded you often, this great multitude was not the same crowd that was calling for the Lord’s crucifixion a short time later. They spread garments and palm branches in the road (v. 8). Now the crowd ahead of Jesus, and coming up behind, were all crying out for the Son of David to save them, which is what Hosanna means (v. 9). They were also saying, “Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord (Ps. 118:26), and “Hosanna in the highest.” When He entered the city, the whole place was shaken. Who is this (v. 10)? The crowd answered that it was “Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” (v. 11). And then we come to the climax of the Entry. Jesus went into the Temple, expelled all the buyers and sellers, flipped the currency exchange tables, and the chairs of those who sold doves (v. 12). He said they had transformed the house of prayer for all nations into a thieves’ den (v. 13). Then some blind and lame people came, and He healed them (v. 14). When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things He did, and the children who were still calling out “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they were really displeased (v. 15). They sought to rebuke Jesus with the words of the children (v. 16), and Jesus answered them with the psalmist (Ps. 8:2). From there, Jesus returned to Bethany a few miles away (v. 17).

The Nature of the Event

Moderns are often misled by the fact that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. This seems to us the sort of mount that a pacifist would use. But throughout the Old Testament, it was a mount of nobility or royalty. Deborah spoke of it (Judg. 5:10), Jair, a judge in Israel, had 30 sons who rode on 30 donkeys (Judg. 4), and Abdon was similar, with his sons and grandsons riding them (Judg. 12:14), and the princes of Israel, David’s sons, fled from Absalom on mules (2 Sam. 13:29).

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; Lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass” (Zechariah 9:9).

Given this symbolism, and the prophecies concerning it, and what the people were shouting, Jesus was making an audacious claim to the be the King of Israel, the Messiah of God.

But these were not just words—it moved on to an authoritative action, one that challenged the economic center of Jerusalem.

An Authoritative Evaluation

The gospel of John tells us that Jesus had cleansed the Temple once before, at the beginning of His ministry (John 2:13-17). This was an event that declared that the House of God was diseased. Here in Matthew, the priest has now come a second time to inspect the House, and this time the house is to be dismantled (Lev. 14:44), not one stone left upon another.

Lord and Christ

If we are with the crowds of Palm Sunday, we are crying out, “Hosanna,” which means that we are calling for God to save us. That is our plea—Lord, save us.

But although this is used as a term of praise, it is not like Hallelujah, which simply means God be praised. Hosanna contains a petition, and the petition is for salvation, forgiveness, and deliverance. “Oh, Lord, hosanna, save us.” But from what?

Ultimately, this request is always for God to rescue us from ourselves. We are the ones with the problem, but it is also the case that we are the problem. We are the problem that all of us have.

But here is the difficulty. It is not possible to greet Him at the gates of the city with your palm branch, and then somehow to prevent Him from going up to the Temple and flipping over all of your tables. He is the Savior who interferes. He is the Lord Christ, and cannot be received in one of His offices and not in another.

He is the Son of David. Receive Him as such.

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The Earth is the Lord’s

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THE TEXT

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. 24 Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; 26 for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.”

27 If any of those who do not believe invites you to dinner, and you desire to go, eat whatever is set before you, asking no question for conscience’ sake. 28 But if anyone says to you, “This was offered to idols,” do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake; for “the earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness.” 29 “Conscience,” I say, not your own, but that of the other. For why is my liberty judged by another man’sconscience? 30 But if I partake with thanks, why am I evil spoken of for the food over which I give thanks?

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved (1 Cor. 10:23-33).

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Break Forth and Sing, O Barren

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INTRODUCTION

There is a perennial temptation for the people of God to go back to slavery. After Israel was delivered from Pharaoh’s tyranny, they found that freedom had its costs. They had no food; they ran into giants. So they longed to return to Egypt where there was bread, meat, and at least the semblance of protection—those chariots, pretty fancy.

A similar temptation came upon the Galatian Christians. God had brought them the gospel of Jesus Christ through Paul. But the Judaizers showed up shortly after preaching a different gospel, one that would take the Galatians back to bondage (Galatians 5:1). These Judaizers did not deny that Christ was the Messiah. But they insisted that if a man would be saved, then he must be circumcised, and thus keep all of the laws of Moses.

The Galatian situation maps on to Israel’s situation in Moses’ day. For Israel, there was no going back to slavery in Egypt. Egypt was under the judgment of God. For the Galatians, there was no going back to Jerusalem’s Old Covenant with its sign of circumcision. Jerusalem was under the judgment of God. In our text, Paul develops an allegory to teach the Galatian Christians that through Christ they have been set free and must not turn back to a yoke of slavery.

The message is: You’re children of the free woman so live free.

THE TEXT

For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise. Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar. For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now. Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman. So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free (Gal. 4:22-31).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Let’s consider a survey of the text. Paul writes to those who desired to be under the law (v. 21), not sweet Christians who wanted to obey God, but those who thought they would really get right with God by circumcision and keeping the laws of Moses.

It is as if Paul questioned these people, “But what about Abraham’s two sons?” Ishmael came by a slave woman, Hagar; and Isaac by a free woman, Sarah (v. 22). These sons were not born in the same way. Ishmael was born after the flesh and Isaac by promise (v. 23). Isaac, of course was a natural or biological son of Abraham just as much as Ishmael. But Isaac’s birth came about by divine promise, not mere flesh or nature.

These things are an allegory; they are two covenants. Hagar corresponds to Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage (v. 24). Hagar also corresponds to the Jerusalem that existed in Paul’s day, a Jerusalem that was in bondage with her children (v. 25). Remember that Jerusalem was the city that killed the prophets and it was the city that killed the Son. It was the city which was soon to be leveled by the Romans in AD 70.

Paul contrasts the Jerusalem which then was with the Jerusalem which is above. That heavenly Jerusalem is free and mother of us all (v. 26). She is Sarah. Isaiah says that this heavenly Sarah-Covenant, though she was barren, will have many more children than Hagar (v. 27).

The Galatians needed to grasp that they were Isaac, children of the promise (v. 28). They were the Spirit-born son being persecuted by the merely flesh-born son (v. 29). But they did not need to fret. For Scripture had already said through the mouth of Sarah that the slave woman and her son would be cast out (v. 30). And we in the new covenant are not slave-born, but freeborn (v. 31). You’re children of the freewoman so live free.

NO MORE SCHOOLMARM

Being a freeborn child of the new covenant means that you are no longer under a schoolmarm (Galatians 3:24-25). Say goodbye to all of the tsk-tsking and wrist-slapping. And if you’re response to this good news is to say, “Great, no more studying for me. Let me prepare my spit balls,” then know all of the freemen around you in this New Covenant classroom are chuckling to themselves saying, “This guy has no idea what the Spirit of holiness is about to do to him. He may not be ready for freedom. But freedom is coming for him and it is about to do a number on him.” If you think it hurt when the schoolmarm grabbed you by the ear, just wait until the Spirit does it.

ENLARGE YOUR TENTS

Sarah’s children have to join their free mother in enlarging their tents. The spirit of the Judaizers was an constricting one. The Galatians Christians couldn’t get into their little tent. They had put a few man-made hurdles in the way. In the face of this, Paul quotes Isaiah, and here it is with context:

“Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD. Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited” (Isaiah 54:1-3)

Peter got caught up with the Judaizing spirit when he pulled back and away from the Gentiles (Galatians 2:12). But the spirit of the new covenant says, “We’re going to need more space.” We both anticipate the Gentiles pouring in and our hearts are enlarged and wide open toward them. We care not what language you speak, what color you are. We care not what mess you have been tangled up in. Come sinners poor and needy, bruised and broken by the fall.

HEIRS, NO MERE SERVANTS

We happily say with Paul that we are servants of Christ (Romans 1:1). Yet this same Paul says that we are no longer a servant, but a son (Galatians 4:7). The slave woman’s son would not be heir, but the children of the freewoman would be (Galatians 4:30). An heir inherits. And what does an heir inherit? All that the Father determines to give. Our Father has not left us without a word on the matter: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things” (Romans 8:32)?

BORN AFTER THE SPIRIT, NOT JUST THE FLESH

We are members of the new covenant. Like the Galatian Christians, we are born after the Spirit, not merely the flesh (v. 29). The Galatians made the foolish mistake of beginning by the Spirit and then trying to proceed by the flesh, and they heard Paul’s dismay (Galatians 3:3). So let us learn the lesson.

Put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3). You can’t get the job done by might or power. You are children of promise. You are children of gift. You are children of a barren woman, and an old one at that. We are supernaturally-wrought sons and daughters and members of a heavenly covenant and kingdom that is now at hand.

We must learn that sacred art of living in our flesh (for there is no other way for us to live) without living by our flesh. Plan by the Spirit. Confess sin by the Spirit. Make your resolutions by the Spirit. Provide for your families by the Spirit. Teach your children by the Spirit. Everything must be done by the work of the angels, by the wind that blows where it wills.

AND THIS THROUGH CHRIST

And you say, “But how do I get access to that power? I really do long for the Spirit to be poured out on my life. Where can I get more of this Living Water?” . . . Through Christ. He is the one in whom this new covenant—this Sarah covenant—is established. It was established in his blood, the blood of the new covenant. That blood-secured covenant is more solid than your fears.

You say, “But sometimes I feel like a slave.” The blood says you are free. “But sometimes I feel like a barren and lonely woman who wants to shrink her home.” The blood says enlarge your tent and enlarge your heart. You say, “I just don’t have the strength.” The blood that speaks a better word than that of Abel says, “Yes, yes, of course you don’t. You are born of the Spirit, and having begun by the Spirit, would you be now perfected by the flesh?” Of course you won’t. You will be perfected the same way all of the saints are, by the Spirit through Christ.

Christ has set you free. Christ will keep you free.

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