Expositional

God’s Righteous Judgment (Psalms | King’s Cross) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on August 7, 2025

INTRODUCTION

Part of growing up into biblical wisdom is coming to understand just how grave the situation is and at the same time just how good and just our God is. It’s worse than you think, and God has it in hand. American Christians need a lot more desperation in their prayers, and then a lot more praise in their hearts.

The Text: “Shiggaion of David, which he sang unto the Lord, concerning the words of Cush the Benjamite. O LORD my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me…” (Psalm 7:1-17)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

The context of this Psalm is a bit mysterious. A “shiggaion” is probably a song of deep or intense emotion. The word only occurs in one other place in Hab. 3:1. Cush the Benjamite is not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible, although it seems likely he was in some way involved in Saul’s persecution of David since Saul was from Benjamin.

David cries out for deliverance from an enemy seeking to tear his soul to pieces like a lion (Ps. 7:1-2). He prays an oath, saying that if he has done anything to deserve such treatment, let it come upon him (Ps. 7:3-5). David pleads with God to arise in His anger, and he asks God to judge him according to his righteousness and integrity (Ps. 7:6-8). David prays that God’s judgments would distinguish between the righteous and wicked, since God is angry with the wicked every day (Ps. 7:9-11).

The psalm warns that if the wicked will not turn from their evil ways, God will hunt them down (Ps. 7:12-13). The wicked do not merely do evil; they labor in their evil, bringing it forth with great effort and determination like a woman giving birth and they will fall into their own pits and plots (Ps. 7:14- 16). So David praises the Lord for His righteous judgments (Ps. 7:17).

THE INSOLENT REBELLION

Because of God’s goodness and power, evil is kept in significant check. This is the doctrine of common grace: God constantly restrains the evil impulses of sinners. Because of this, people are tempted to think that evil is not as bad as it is. We do not see sin for the insolent rebellion and suicidal terrorism that it is. For example, it came as something of a surprise for many when the COVID insanity persecuted businesses and churches and medical freedom. But “tyranny” is simply lawlessness: “As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people” (Prov. 28:15). If God and His law are not over the state, then you have a lawless state, a tyrannical state. The lion may not be hunting you right now, but it can turn on you any minute.

Many Christians have made peace with a lawless state simply because it hasn’t targeted Christians explicitly yet. But every law or policy in defiance of God’s law is an inherent claim to the right to. This is what pure democracy is: “vox populi vox dei.” Whether we are talking about socialized medicine, sodomite mirage, the abortion carnage, or unjust taxation, it doesn’t matter what the people vote for if they are disobeying God. We can and should be deeply grateful for God’s restraining mercy on our land, but we must recognize that we live in a land full of roaring lions and ranging bears.

OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

It’s often hard for Calvinists to pray the psalms that ask God judge us according to “our righteousness,” since we believe in “total depravity,” but there are at least three reasons we should not choke on these words at all.

First, we believe that by faith in Jesus Christ, His righteousness has truly been imputed to us, and therefore we are righteous in the sight of God (Rom. 4:22-25). He has done this by His free grace, and therefore it is humility to appeal to it. Second, remember that the Psalms are the Songs of Christ (Col. 3:16). He is our lead singer, and we sing in Him. This is really just another way of saying the first, but Christ sings for us and our lives are hidden in Him (Gal. 2:20, Col. 3:3). Third, the Holy Spirit is working in us what is well-pleasing to God (Eph. 2:10, Heb. 13:21). There really is a difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh (Gal. 5:19ff). It is not inappropriate to ask God to judge between us and our enemies on this basis. We cannot do it on an absolute basis (if God should mark iniquity, who could stand? Ps. 130:3), but we can do it on the basis of God’s work. And when we do, we should be willing for God to hold us to it (Ps. 7:3-5).

NO LITTLE SINS

This psalm says that the wicked “labor” with iniquity, literally they are “pregnant” with evil, having “conceived” mischief, which will always give birth to monstrous lies (Ps. 7:14).

James says that every man is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed, and conceives sin, and when sin is born it brings forth death (Js. 1:14-15). The answer to this is looking to God as the giver of every good and perfect gift (Js. 1:17). When you think of “lust” do not merely think of sexual lust; think of all your desires, all your longings. Desire is not evil, but it must be constantly taught to receive the good and perfect gifts of God. Desire turns into sinful lust when it resents what God has given (and not given). This can be your desire for a meal, a different tone of voice from your spouse, better pay, different clothes or body, a car, a husband/wife, children, a house, leadership/respect, etc.

Psalm 19 says that the fight against sin begins at the level of “secret sins,” or they grow into presumptuous sins, which grow into great transgressions (Ps. 19:12-13). This is why sins need to be put to death when they are little through confession, repentance, and forgiveness. Keep short accounts. What are you in labor with?

CONCLUSION

We live in a land that has attempted to make peace with evil, but that is to actually be at war with God and to have God angry with us as a nation. And much of the church has led in this insolence. At the same time, He has demonstrated that He is a God who distinguishes between the wicked and the righteous. God did this in Sodom, and He has done this decisively in the resurrection of Jesus. How much more will He do this in our land, where thousands still refuse to bow to the death-Baals?

Worship holds these realities together. The joy of the Lord if your strength. If you would avoid the ditches of panic and apathy, worship the Lord and sing the Psalms with gladness. Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. The Cross is where God’s justice and mercy meet, and He will always do what is right.

Eagerly Skeptical (Acts of the Apostles) (Christ Church)

Christ Church on August 7, 2025

INTRODUCTION

Thessalonica was a major city in Macedonia. It had a huge harbor and was situated on a major trade route. It had been established by a Macedonian king named Cassander in 315 B.C., who named it after his wife Thessalonike. Paul was supported financially in his mission here by the saints in Philippi, the city he had just come from (Phil. 4:16).

THE TEXT

“Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few . . .” (Acts 17:1–15).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

They went through two Macedonian cities (Amphipolis and Apollonia) on their way to Thessalonica, which had a synagogue (v. 1). Paul followed his custom and went there first, reasoning with them there for three sabbath days (v. 2). His argument was that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead, and that this Jesus that he preached was that Christ (v. 3). Some Jews believed and attached themselves to Paul and Silas, but a great number of God-fearing Gentiles believed, and more than a few of their chief women (v. 4). The Jews who refused the proofs, driven by envy, rounded up some bad actors to get a tumult going (v. 5). They gathered up a mob, caused an uproar, and attacked Jason’s house (where Paul and Silas were presumably staying, in order to seize them (v. 5). Because Paul and Silas weren’t there, they grabbed Jason and some brothers instead and brought them to the rulers of the city. “These men who have disrupted the world have come here now” (v. 6). Their complaint was that Jason had showed them hospitality, men who were subversive to the decrees of Caesar, saying that Jesus is a different king (v. 7). This unsettled both the rulers and the people of the city (v. 8). Jason and the others with him posted bail, and were released (v. 9). And so that night the brothers packed off Paul and Silas to Berea, about 45 miles to the west (v. 10). Naturally, they went to the synagogue there. The Jews there were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and two reasons are given for saying this. They were eager for the message to be true, and they double-checked it against Scripture anyway (v. 11). A lot of them believed, and honorable Greek women, as well as Greek men (v. 12). But the unbelieving Jews in Thessalonica heard about this and decided to play the role of a dog in the manger (v. 13) and came to Berea to stir up a mob there. So the brothers sent Paul away right away, with Silas and Timothy remaining for some reason (v. 14). So Paul sailed down to Athens, and he sent word back to Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible (v. 15).

THE GENTILE BREAKPOINT

As we are seeing throughout the book of Acts, the lives of Gentiles and Jews were closely intertwined. It was very common for Gentile admirers of the God of Israel to be closely associated with synagogues, and you can see in both Thessalonica and Berea that what was preached to the Jews got to the Gentiles almost immediately. But from the Roman point of view, there was something unsettling about the Christian appeal to these Gentiles.

The Council of Jerusalem decided that Gentiles did not have to become Jews to become Christians. Hopefully that point has been hammered home by now. But by insisting that the Gentile converts keep themselves from the pollutions of idols (Acts 15:20), the Council decided that Gentile converts had to reject their native gods, their native customs, and They did not have to become Jews, but in this respect, they had to act like Jews.

It was possible for someone to admire the God of Israel from the back row of the synagogue without abandoning their ancient customs. In he Christian gospel opened wide one door in front of them, and slammed shut the door behind them. We are consequently seeing how the pagan populations are growing very nervous about this growing movement. Notice how the trouble-making Jews pitched this to the Gentile rulers of the city—these men are teaching something that is subversive to the decrees of Caesar. They are teaching people about the authority of a different king, one Jesus. This is the kind of charge that was guaranteed to get the attention of civic rulers—nobody wants to be the position of protecting seditious traitors, right?

EAGERLY SKEPTICAL

This is an early version of “trust, but verify.” Notice how Luke describes what it looks like to be well-born, to be noble. Someone comes with a message that promises wonderful things. A noble receives such a teaching warmly, hoping that it is in fact true. But the next step is crucial. They sit down and open up their Bibles. “To the law and to the testimony: If they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” (Isaiah 8:20).

ANOTHER KING INDEED

We do indeed preach and declare the kingdom of God (Acts 1:3,6;8:12; 14:22; 19:8; 20:25; 28:23,31). And there can be no kingdom of God without a king, and the name of this king is Jesus. He is the one who was given universal authority by the Ancient of Days, and a kingdom which cannot be destroyed (Dan. 7:14). He is the one who was given the nations for His inheritance (Ps. 2:8), and He intends to have them all (Matt. 28:18-20).

But He is a High King, not a replacement king. This means that all current political authorities must kiss the Son (Ps. 2:12), lest He be angry. The kings of earth are instructed to wise up (Ps. 2:10), meaning that they must serve and worship Him. They do not throw away their crowns, but rather they must lay them down at the feet of the Lord Jesus, after which they receive them back again. The path of wisdom for them is to echo the words of John the Baptist, wanting Him to increase and for themselves to decrease. But this kind of decrease is glorious, and brings the honor and glory of the kingdoms of men into the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:26).

Jesus is king. Christ is king indeed.

How to Look like a Madman (The Living Stone) (Living Stone Reformed Church)

Christ Church on July 30, 2025

INTRODUCTION

1 Peter teaches Christians how to endure suffering. Where we might be tempted to shy away from suffering by simply blending in with a culture that despises Christ, Peter exhorts us to embrace what the world deems madness. The wisdom of this world is like stumbling around in the dark. But Christ has led us out of darkness and into marvelous light.

THE TEXT

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, 2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. 4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. […] 1Peter 2:1ff

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

As the New Israel, brought into being by the potent Word of Jesus, it is imperative that the saints conduct themselves righteously, setting aside deeds of uncleanness (v1). As an infant craves its mother’s milk, so saints are to desire the Word, because they’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is gracious (vv2-3, Cf. Ps. 34:8). They have come to the Lord Jesus as a stone upon which to build, even though Old Israel had judged this stone as an unsuitable foundation stone. But God has spoken otherwise, ordaining this stone upon which to build His new temple (v4). Since these believers had trusted in Jesus, they are also identified with Him. They are living stones to be used to build a temple in which to serve God (v5). The OT citations pile up to prove Peter’s point. Christ is the foundation stone Isaiah foretold (v6, Is. 28:16 ). For those who entrust themselves to this stone, they will find Him steadfast and precious, whereas those who reject Him will find themselves continually stumbling over this stone (vv7-8, Ps. 118:22, Is. 8:14). In contrast to those tripped up by Christ, believers are set apart as a royal and priestly nation, and as such are to behave accordingly, unlike Israel had done (v9, Ex. 19:5-6). This is also what Hosea foretold: God would, by His tender-mercies, give the new name of “My people” to those who were once named “not My people” (v10, Hos. 2:23).

Once more, Peter admonishes them, since they are now citizens of this heavenly kingdom, to live according to their King’s law. Holiness is the true subversion (vv11-12). For the rest of this chapter and well into the next, Peter argues that this holiness will be most clearly displayed in how they conduct themselves in the face of severe mistreatment. First, they are to submit to the ordinances of kings for the Lord’s sake; they will most certainly be mistreated, but it should be due to righteousness, not due to smashing mailboxes (vv13-17). Peter commences to give household instructions. But he starts where others would end: servants (v18). Servants should serve their masters well, even abusive tyrants (v18). There is breathtaking glory in enduring injustice patiently (vv19-20). These servants, oft abused, are to model their service on the example of Jesus, who was the suffering Servant (v21).

Jesus did no evil and spoke without guile (Ps. 34:13). Despite this, He was reviled and put through severe suffering. Nevertheless, He trusted that the judgements of God are pure and right always (vv22-23). Christ’s example of righteously enduring unjust suffering is displayed in His crucifixion, where He bore our sins as His own, healing our wounds by His own (v24, Is. 53:5). We were straying sheep (Is. 53:6), but are now gathered by Christ the true Shepherd and Overseer of our souls (v25).

THE LIVING STONE

Peter gives us term for Christ we don’t find elsewhere in Scripture. Simon (reed), the one whom Christ renamed Peter (rock), now returns the favor and honors the Lord with the striking title of Living Stone. Abraham discerned afar off a heavenly city that God was going to build through him (Heb. 11:10, 16). Of old, Jacob prophesied that the Messiah would be ‘the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel’ (Gen. 49:24). David’s Psalms describe Israel’s God as a rock and refuge (Ps. 18:2; 31:2–3; 62:2). Daniel foretold a stone that would grow into a mighty mountain filling all the earth (Dan. 2:34–35, 44–45). Ezekiel foresaw a restored temple (Ez. 40–48).

Christ is the foundation of all God’s work of redemption. Christ is the stone which God has chosen upon which to build His end times temple; a temple made of people. Those who come to Christ, those who look to Him in faith, gladly enduring suffering like He did, are themselves made living stones with which God will construct His temple. Christ’s life of obedient service to His Father not only exemplifies how you should conduct yourself, but also enables you to do so. Faith in Christ writes you into the story of Jesus which God is telling. However, those that reject Christ find Him to be a striking stone. A stone that crushes them. A stone that makes them stumble and fall. No matter what, you will experience Christ as a stone. For those redeemed by His Gospel Word, Christ is a precious cornerstone that turns us into living stones as well. By this we are included in the habitation God is building for Himself. For those who reject this Word, the stone is experienced as a perpetual stumbling block. He is a stone that is alive. This is what His resurrection means. The construction of God’s house will be built upon Christ who died but now lives forevermore. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundational and inescapable truth of the recreation of this world.

OUR NAME

Now, this just so happens to be the text which principally inspires the name of our church. We selected this name in order to set this vision before us. God has elected Christ as the Living Stone whereby He will build a house for His glory to dwell in. As we trust in Christ, we form the walls, pillars, floors, and bulwarks of this temple erected for the Living God to dwell in. Selecting this name for our church sets a vision before us of a long-term building project that is founded on Christ and Him alone. From the quarry of sufferings, God carves stones of faithful saints. Such saints have gone before us, and we are laid next to them even as they were laid down in alignment with the foundation Stone. We also trust that when our fleeting days on earth are done, that God by His grace will continue this building until every nation, tribe and tongue joyfully worships in this temple which God is building. Thus, this name puts before us our connection to Christ and all the faithful saints that have gone before while compelling us to lift our eyes, by faith, to a glorious future. A future where our children’s children will also be set in these glorious walls of Zion, until this city fills all the world. But make no mistake, the Living Stone, which is Christ, is inescapable. The world must be brought to either come to Him in faith, or be stumbled by Him at every turn. What cannot be done is set this stone aside. That is what we as a church aim to believe and live out.

SUFFERING INJUSTICE

One of the most difficult things for us to do is to endure wrong treatment from others. We think it is our right to get back at those who harm us, abuse us, or mistreat us. But Peter wants us to look at the ultimate indignity and injustice of Christ’s sufferings to embolden us to suffer well. Looking in true faith to Christ really does change us. Looking to the wounds of Christ, really does heal our woes.

We must be careful here and couple this what Scripture teaches elsewhere about righteous opposition to tyrants. However, it is a remarkable thing when a Christian is faced with lionlike tyrant. This tyrant may be a king, a spouse, a parent, a pastor, or a boss. First, you must face such tyranny as Christ did: trusting that God will judge righteously. This demands that your faith must not be principally in earthly courts of justice, but in the final court of God’s judgement. As David said in Psalm 34, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are attentive to their cry (Ps. 34:15).” Secondly, by not returning evil for evil you are in fact, like Christ, becoming a greater condemnation to your persecutors. They must either repent and reconcile, or face an even greater judgement for continually abusing the innocent. Again from Psalm 34, “The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.[And] Evil shall slay the wicked (Ps. 34:16, 21a).”

SUBVERTING THE WORLD

To trust in Christ, to walk as His royal priests during our earthly sojourn, to conduct ourselves as He did, to build our life upon the Living Stone of Christ and so be used as living stones ourselves is utterly insane to this world. But, like David’s madness in the courts of Achish, what might appear to be madness in the eyes of the world, is how God delivers us. How were you saved from your sins? By the sinless One taking them as His own. How do you subvert tyrants? By enduring their assaults without responding to their sin with your own sin. What should you build your life on? A Living Stone that worldly wisdom rejects.

After all, God’s plan to overthrow all tyrants and bring them to judgement is to let tyrants cruelly kill the Messiah. And then raise the Messiah to life again in order that He might ascend as their judge. The suffering Christ has subverted the world’s wisdom, and calls us to do the same by living as He did.

The Lord our Savior (Psalms | King’s Cross) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on July 30, 2025

INTRODUCTION

The Christian religion is not stoic; it is covenantal. This means that we do not deny or seek to ignore the real pain and trouble that we face, but we live in the certainty that every atom in the universe obeys its Lord. God has determined to work in this world to restore it, through His covenant Word and covenant Presence. He has determined to act for His people in history, and so one way we trust our Lord is by crying out to Him in our trouble expecting Him to act.

The Text: “To the chief musician on Neginoth upon Sheminith, A Psalm of David. O LORD, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure…” (Ps. 6:0-10)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

This psalm can be broken into three sections: the first section is a desperate cry for mercy (Ps. 6:1-3), the second section is the request for deliverance because of his enemies (Ps. 6:4-7), and the third section is the triumphant turn, defying enemies and resting in God’s answer (Ps. 6:8-10).

David’s initial cry for mercy acknowledges that God disciplines His people, but David prays that the discipline would not be so fierce (Ps. 6:1). He cries out for healing because he has grown weak in his body; even his bones are troubled (Ps. 6:2). But his soul is troubled the most, and so he cries out to the Lord, ‘how long?’ (Ps. 6:3). The word for “troubled” could also be translated “panicked” – this is intense pain and fear.

Then David makes his direct request, asking God to return and deliver his soul; he asks God to save him for the sake of his covenant mercy (Ps. 6:4). David appeals to God’s honor and asks how it is better for him to be in the grave where he cannot give thanks out loud (Ps. 6:5). And he once more tells God what his pain and grief are like: groaning, crying, and wearing thin because of his enemies (Ps. 6:6-7).

Having cast his cares upon God, David faces his enemies and warns them in no uncertain terms to leave him alone because God has heard him (Ps. 6:8). Because God has received his prayer, he sings defiantly that his enemies will be ashamed and panicked and turn away in a moment (Ps. 6:9-10).

CHRISTIAN PEACE & TROUBLE

The Bible does not teach that Christians never feel down or anxious or troubled. Rather, the Bible teaches that Christians know what to do with their trouble. In Philippians 4, it says, rejoice always, maintaining self-control because the Lord is with us, and then it says that this means we ought not be anxious about anything, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make our requests to God (Phil. 4:4-6). And the promise is that the peace of God which passes all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:7). This is the basic biblical outline for dealing with depression, anxiety, and panic: practice rejoicing, remember that God is present, and present your requests to God with thanksgiving.

While Christians are certainly to fight depression and anxiety and panic, they are to fight it by bringing it to God. David is not describing a mere cerebral experience; he is describing an ache in his whole being (Ps. 6:2-3). But he does what the godly always do: he brings it to the One who can handle it all.

GOD’S STEADFAST LOVE

The central request is that God would turn, deliver, and save for the sake of His hesed. The word hesed is the word for God’s covenant mercy or His steadfast loving kindness. God’s hesed is His sworn allegiance to His people in the covenant. This is the center of David’s appeal in the midst of his pain: “I am yours. Save me. Deliver me because You have claimed me and promised to never leave me.”

This is what gives Christians great boldness even in the face of great trouble: sickness, abortion, political corruption, terrorism, sexual debauchery, etc. We do not deserve God’s mercy, but God has freely promised it and therefore He loves to be asked for it. Adam and Eve were promised mercy in the Garden, and Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. God’s covenant mercy called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and delivered Israel out of Egypt, through the wilderness, and into the Promised Land and established the Kingdom under David. Despite all their sins and failures, God’s covenant is His sure and eternal Word to be the God of His people and to save them and deliver them from their sins, from the grave, and from all our enemies. And on top of all of that steadfast love, God sent His only Son to seal it in His blood for all time.

This is part of David’s appeal regarding the silence of the grave. It is absolutely true that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord (2 Cor. 5:8), but the silent grave of every saint is still a standing, temporary offense to the Covenant of Grace, awaiting the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the body. The promise is that even the grave must be undone. Death will be swallowed up in victory. The worship of Heaven is currently embodied by the Church on earth, but at the resurrection, the graves will be opened and the worship will thunder.

THE LORD JESUS HEARS

This psalm uses God’s covenant name YHWH eight times: four times in the initial cry for mercy, one time in the request for deliverance, and three more times in the defiant doxology at the end. This is the name that was given to Moses at the burning bush, “I am,” but in the third person, “He is” (Ex. 3:14-15). In Jewish tradition the name was rarely pronounced and the vowels were not printed (YHWH), and the generic word for “lord” (Adonai) was substituted, with the vowels from Adonai sometimes inserted, creating the word “Jehovah,” although most modern scholars think the original vowels would give us something more like “Yahweh.” Our English Bibles designate YHWH as “LORD” in all caps as opposed to “Lord.”

Some have thought it important to return to a regular use of the name “Yahweh,” and while it is perfectly fine to use, the New Testament gives us at least two indications that it isn’t necessary. First, when the New Testament quotes the name, it routinely translates it with the generic Greek word for Lord (“kurios”) (e.g. Mt. 3:3, 22:44). But secondly, and more emphatically, God has given us a new covenant name for Himself: Jesus – which means “savior.” In Romans 10 it says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, and then a couple verses down it quotes from Joel to prove this is true: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13, cf. Joel 2:32). Jesus is Yahweh; Jesus is LORD.

CONCLUSION

Question 1 of the Heidelberg Catechism famously begins: What is your only comfort in life and in death? That I am not my own but belong body and soul in life and in death to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ…

This is our only comfort: that we belong to Him. He has purchased us with His blood. He has claimed us publicly in baptism and set His name upon us. And therefore, He has claimed all that we are: your family, school, business, city, nation. He is Lord. So cry out to Him. Claim His covenant promises. And then defy all your trouble in the name of Jesus.

Prison Acoustics are Best (Acts of the Apostles) (Christ Church)

Christ Church on July 30, 2025

INTRODUCTION

This is the place where Luke joins up with Paul’s entourage (v. 10). He may have been the man in the vision, but regardless, we know that he joined them here. When they cross over to Macedonia, this is the first recorded evangelistic foray into Europe. This is where the Philippian church is established, and reading Philippians alongside this narrative will be especially rewarding.

THE TEXT

“And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them . . .” (Acts 16:9–40).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

A man from Macedonia appeared to Paul in a night vision (v. 9), asking him to come to Macedonia. The conclusion was to go there in the will of God (v. 10). They left Troas, and went through Sam thrace, Neapolis (v. 11), and then to Philippi, a Roman colony and chief city (v. 12). After a few days, they attended Jewish services by the river (v. 13). Speaking to the women there, they led a woman named Lydia to Christ (v. 14). They baptized her, and she then insisted that they stay with her (v. 15). A possessed fortune-telling girl began to harass them by declaring their mission (vv. 16-17). After some days, an annoyed Paul cast the spirit out (v. 18), which wrecked her ability to make money (v. 19). Her masters grabbed Paul and Silas an accused them to the city rulers (vv. 19-20). They accused them of being Jews, not Christians, and contrasted this with the Roman customs (v. 21). So the mob came against them, and the magistrates ordered them beaten (v. 22). After many stripes, they were committed to prison (v. 23). The jailer put them in the inner prison, with their feet in stocks (v. 24). Naturally, at midnight Paul and Silas started singing hymns to God, with other prisoners listening (v. 25). That’s when the earthquake happened, breaking the doors and chains (v. 26). The jailer saw this and was going to kill himself (v. 27). Paul shouted reassurance (v. 28). The jailer called for a light, and fell down before Paul and Silas and brought them out, asking how he could be saved (vv. 29-30). The answer was for him and house—believe in Christ (vv. 31-32). The jailer cleaned them up, and they baptized him and his household (v. 33). He took them in and fed them, rejoicing (v. 34). The next day, the magistrates assumed the lesson had been learned and sent messengers saying it was time to let those men go (v. 35). The jailer passed the message on (v. 36). Paul said nothing doing. Roman citizens need to be escorted out (v. 37). When they got the message, the magistrates complied, and were much more courteous this time (vv. 38-39). They left the prison, went to Lydia’s house, comforted the saints, and then departed (v. 40).

REALLY ROMAN

Macedonia was a Greek region, but Philippi was a very Roman city. Alexander’s father, Philip, named it after himself, and strengthened it. But in 42 B.C. it was the site of the battle where Octavian (Augustus) and Mark Antony defeated Brutus and Cassius. About twelve years later it was reorganized as a Roman colony (v. 12), and a lot of veteran soldiers were retired there. These people prided themselves on being Roman (v. 21), accusing these traveling Jews of violating Roman customs when they themselves were in the process of violating basic Roman norms. But Paul and Silas were both Romans (v. 37), and Paul was the kind of Roman who had a pocket copy of the Constitution on him.

A MERCHANT OF PURPLE

Lydia is described as a merchant of purple goods, and we are told she was from Thyatira. This meant she was a dealer in luxury goods, and almost certainly wealthy. In the ancient world, purple was derived from the murex shellfish, and the extraction process was very costly. Purple was consequently indicative of status, riches, and royalty. A person in her social class would likely have had a household that had a couple hundred people in it.

THE PYTHONES

The fortune-telling girl was a devotee of the god Apollo. The original says that she had the “spirit of a python” (v. 16). The myth was that Apollo had slain a giant python at Delphi, which is why his priestess there was called The Pythoness. He was the god of reason and order, and he slew the dragon of chaos. In this biblical account, there is no hint that the girl was faking it. It was a real demon.

PRISON ACOUSTICS ARE BEST

In Philippians, Paul tells these saints that he knew the secret of contentment, well-fed or hungry (Phil. 4:11). He was contented when he was put up at the rich lady’s house, and he was contented

when flogged and housed in the prison stocks. The Philippians knew this about him. He had told the Philippians to rejoice all the time, and he had even said it twice (Phil. 4:4)—and they all knew about his midnight impromptu psalm sing. He had told them to do everything without grumbles (Phil. 2:14), and they knew that he lived in the same way that he taught. He was no grumbler.

WASHED THEM ALL AWAY

There is a wonderful picture of gospel grace in v. 33. The jailer took them and washed their wounds. When that was done, they turned around and washed away his sins in baptism. Not only so, but also everyone in his household. The Romans had unlawfully flogged these two citizens. In repentance, the jailer washed their stripes. In forgiveness, they washed his spiritual wounds in return.

So remember that Paul, the persecuted and forgiving one here, at one time had himself been the persecuting one. He had changed sides earlier in his life, just as the Philippian jailer was changing sides now. He knew what that was like.

What we are talking about is the grace of God in the gospel. This is a message of grace, forgiveness, cleansing, and all of it undeserved. You can see how this plays out in a very tangible way here. This is what it looks like. Repentance knows how to wash the wounds that you inflicted. Forgiveness knows how to wash the wounds of the one who inflicted pain on you.

In the message of the cross, we transition from getting what we deserve, good and hard, to receiving as a free gift a precious salvation, the worth of which is beyond all mortal reckoning. We labor hard for our own damnation until we are out of breath, and then God invites us to sit at His table and eat.

“And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined” (Isaiah 25:6).