Expositional

How the Church Grows (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #15) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on August 6, 2023

INTRODUCTION

Frequently, part of the difficulty we have in understanding and applying the Bible to our lives is that we do not understand the characters involved. One such character is the Church. The word for “church” can simply refer to a generic human assembly, like the Elks Club or a political party’s convention. But part of the message of the Bible is that God has established an entirely different kind of assembly in this world called the Church, unlike any other human institution.

The Text: “And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: but their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him…” (Acts 9:23-43).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After his dramatic conversion, Luke says that Saul was in Damascus for many days preaching Christ as the Son of God and confounding the Jews before escaping out a city wall in a basket (Acts 9:23-25, cf. 2 Cor. 11:32-33). Notice the juxtaposition: radical conversion and confounding the Jews (sounds powerful) versus a narrow escape in a basket (sounds weak). In Galatians 1:18, Paul says that it was three years before he went down to Jerusalem, where they were still afraid of him for his former persecutions, but Barnabas brought him to the apostles and vouched for his conversion (Acts 9:26-27). Saul began preaching with the other apostles boldly before another plot arose, causing the brothers to exit Saul stage left back to his home town of Tarsus (Acts 9:28-30). And despite what might look like another setback, Luke insists that this controversy and movement produced peace in the whole church, being built up, walking in the fear of the Lord, being comforted by the Holy Spirit, and it multiplied (Acts 9:29-31).

Meanwhile, Peter was travelling in some kind of circuit and came through Lydda where he healed a man named Aeneas from an eight year sickness that had kept him bedridden, causing many to turn to the Lord (Acts 9:32-35). While we are tempted to think this was a great power in Peter, he says, “Jesus Christ is healing you” (Acts 9:34). Then in Joppa, a prominent woman named Tabitha/Dorcas was raised from the dead when Peter knelt down and prayed (Acts 9:36-41). And many believed in the Lord and Peter ministered there for many days (Acts 9:42-43).

ORDINARY LIFE & EXTRAORDINARY POWER

Luke is a careful historian, but he is also summarizing and highlighting key events in order to make particular points. On the one hand, God really did work extraordinary miracles through the Apostles (1 Cor. 12:12). The Bible never assumes that just anyone can speak for God; in fact, anyone who claimed to but was lying was liable to a death penalty in the Old Testament (Dt. 18:20). So the Apostles were given unique authority to prove that they had the right to speak for God and write the New Testament – the signs confirm the Word (Mk. 16:20). At the same time, there was a lot of ordinary life most of the time, including somewhat humbling things like Saul being let down in a basket and fleeing various plots (Acts 9:25, 30). The apostles were not constantly working miracles, otherwise, why didn’t the apostles just call down fire or blindness on the enemies plotting against Saul? The reason is because humans are always tempted to focus on the wrong thing: miracles, signs, wonders, human brilliance. But the central glory, the central miracle is the transformation of ordinary human lives by the gospel. How was the whole church given peace when the same party that put Stephen to death was now plotting against Saul (Acts 9:29)? One big reason was that the one who had overseen that murder was now speaking boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 9:29). The goal is to point to Christ.

SIGNS OR PHILOSOPHY OR THE CROSS?

Elsewhere Paul says that the preaching of the gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing but to those being saved it is the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18). He says that everywhere he went the Jews demanded signs, and the Greeks demanded philosophy, but we preach Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks (1 Cor. 1:22-23). The problem was not with signs and philosophy per se, the problem was with a resolute refusal to believe combined with those demands. Many who say that they will not believe unless they see a miracle or hear a convincing argument will still not believe even then. Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. He taught the truth, and He died and rose from the dead. The apostles reasoned from evidence, and on occasion healed the sick and even sometimes raised the dead (Acts 9:22, 40). But the fundamental question is willingness to submit, willingness to believe. If you are not willing, no amount of signs or arguments will convince you. But the Christian Church is the gathering together of those who believe in Christ, who fear the Lord, and have the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

THE CHURCH LIKE NO OTHER

This is why the Church is no ordinary human institution. It is not based on human action or human wisdom. Christ said that He was establishing His Church on the Rock of Peter’s confession of faith, such that the gates of Hell would not prevail against it, giving keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, to bind and loose on earth as it is in Heaven (Mt. 16:18-19). This is not the Lions Club or a golf club. The Church is called the “Body of Christ,” such that what is done to Christ’s people is reckoned to Christ Himself (1 Cor. 12:12-27, Acts 9:4). The Church is called the “Bride of Christ,” for whom Christ died, to sanctify and cleanse and make completely holy and without blemish (Eph. 5:25-27). The Church is a “holy priesthood,” the temple of the Holy Spirit, elect and precious (1 Pet. 1:5, Eph. 2:20-22). While God has also established families and nations, and we may establish other human institutions, no other assembly has such promises.

CONCLUSION

The Church grows through the preaching of the cross of Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, crucified for sinners, raised from the dead, ascended to the Father, Lord of the Church, and Lord of the Nations. Or else if He isn’t, we really do have better things to do on Sunday mornings. But this is the message that has transformed the world: Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified for our sins, He was buried, and on the third day, He rose from the dead. This historical fact, this message of the Cross is the wisdom and power of God by which the Church grows and the world turns to the Lord. We are in fellowship, but our fellowship is with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Stay the Course (CCD)

Christ Church on July 30, 2023

INTRODUCTION

This brief letter from John shouldn’t be perceived as a loose page of Apostolic records which got stapled into the back of the Bible. It is no afterthought. Rather, the sense which this book of the Bible gives is that of a well loved uncle slipping silver dollars to his nieces & nephews. It is both personal and pastoral in its tone, while its content is simple, succinct, and robust.

THE TEXT

The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds. Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.
2 John

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

John, the aged Apostle, writes to the Elect Lady & her children (v1). This seems to be a personal letter, although a case could be made that he is writing to a specific church and personifies it as a Mother & her children (Cf. Rev. 21:2, 9; Is. 45:1-7, Is. 62:2-5). More likely is that this is a particular woman, who perhaps hosted a church in her home. John greets these saints, expressing his love for them, this love is shared by all who’ve known the truth (v1). The Christian love expressed by John is to be a jewel in the crown of this indwelling and enduring truth (v2). The encouragements and warnings which will follow are set in the context of the Spirit’s work to give to us the grace, mercy, and peace which God sent His Son to procure for us (v3).

John is delighted to encourage this faithful Lady that he has recently met some of her children, and that they were walking in the truth according to the Father’s commandment (v4). This “well done” is followed by a “keep it up.” It is quite clear that John is reminding her of the content of His Gospel & earlier epistle; there’s no new doctrine here, loving one another has been the ethic of God’s people from the beginning (v5). The love which God commands is a love that is loyal to His eternal truth (v6).

Now we come to some warnings. The early church faced no shortage of deceivers, not unlike our own time. While there is a surplus of deceivers, they all have the same boring doctrine in common: Jesus Christ hasn’t come in the flesh (v7). This requires believers to vigilantly “look to yourselves”, in order to not lose the great reward which awaits the faithful (v8). The dividing line in the world is between those who try to hurdle Jesus, and those who abide in Him. Those who abide in Christ’s doctrine have the Father & Son (v9). John’s lengthier first letter stresses how faith in Christ is our certainty of fellowship with the triune God.

This Christian hostess is exhorted to not show hospitality nor even a word of blessing to any such deceivers who seek entry to the body of saints who gathered in her house (vv10-11; Cf. 2 Tim. 3:6, 1 Tim. 5:13). John’s farewell notes that there’s a lot more to be said, but that “face to face” is better (here is a good prooftext for why live-streamed church is less than ideal). Covenant joy between the covenant family is a true glory & joy (vv12-13).

TRUTH & LOVE

Look back at this first section, and see how often we find “truth & love” walking hand in hand. One thing that is made plain is that the love of God is not at odds with the truth of God, and vice versa. Rather, walking in the truth is how we love one another. Living by lies is the quickest way to breed hate & contempt.

Truth is the framing, the love is the furniture. Truth is the bowl, the love is the warm meal it contains. Truth is the skeleton, love is the lifeblood. As Paul teaches, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Rom. 13:10).” Everything contained in God’s revelation leads us to two duties: loving God & loving our neighbor. But this love is not defined by mere pleasant sensations, but by truth. This is where the modern mantra, “Love is love” becomes a devouring blackhole.

The flip side is also needful. Discernment bloggers may have their five points of Calvinism ironed out, but how do they speak to their wife, how do they give their money to the poor, are their children well loved? Christ came as the incarnation of God’s love for us (1 Jn. 4:9-10), and yet the central glory of His coming was the revelation of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14).

RIVAL CHRISTS

The background of John’s warning is principally the false teaching of Cerinthus. That rascal asserted that “the Christ/divinity” came upon Jesus the man at his baptism, deserting him upon the cross. This falsehood, if embraced, would leave you with an impotent Savior. Jesus would be reduced merely to a good example, not our representative & substitute.

There’s another insidious reality of this sort of false doctrine which we ought not overlook. Denial of Christ’s incarnation is never just a flat denial; rather, it always smuggles in a “Rival Christ”. If a mere man died on a tree, you have no fellowship with God. This leaves you to seek after some other pathway to the divine. Our Lord God, however, has called His church into fellowship with Himself through Christ alone. The Elect Lady has been betrothed to Christ. John wants the early church to cling to this identity as the New Israel of God, and not be seduced by any Rival Christs.

PROGRESSING PAST JESUS

The temptation which John is guarding us against is the temptation to embrace the false doctrine of “Jesus +”. This was clearly a problem in the early church with the various false teachers who were presenting Christ is a good “starting point” but insisting that there was greater illumination & knowledge to be had. Jesus was merely a step along the way, not the central point of it all.

This is still an allure for many professing Christians. They come to Jesus for some reason, but then begin insisting that true flourishing is found beyond Jesus. It’s in this diet. It’s in understanding this secret conspiracy which the world elite have hidden from you. It’s in sexual liberation. It’s in lifting weights, avoiding seed oils, being pronoun inclusive, checking your privilege, and on and on.

But Jesus is not a static reference point. You can’t treat Him as if he were merely the “you are here” dot on a mall map. He is far too great to be used as a starting point. He will not be confined. He will not be ignored. All attempts to go around Christ the Savior will inevitably still come face to face with Christ the King.

JESUS ONLY, EVER, ALWAYS

This is what it means to walk in the truth. God lavished His love upon You, in sending us His Son. Thus, Jesus is everything to you. Jesus in your waking and sleeping. Jesus in your work and rest. Jesus, ever, only, always. Don’t let this slip past you, John tells us what awaits those who diligently keep the faith: a full reward. Jesus died in your stead. Rose again by the power of God. By faith, clinging to Him alone, all your days, you receive a full reward. The reward is Christ, and the way to the reward is Christ.

Joy is Normal (Troy)

Christ Church on July 30, 2023

The Text: Psalm 32

Christ is Lord of Saul (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #14) (King’s Cross)

Christ Church on July 30, 2023

INTRODUCTION

The Lordship of Jesus Christ means the submission and surrender and obedience of all. And this is good news because He died and rose again for our sins, and He knows what He’s doing – He is a gracious Lord. He rules for our happiness. But this may be one of the most hated Christian doctrines.

The lies of our flesh, the world, and the Devil say that God is withholding something from us, He has forgotten us, He would help but He can’t, or else that He isn’t really good. And these lies tempt us to panic, grasp, demand, get angry, and in various ways assert our own lordship which only makes us less happy. In this passage, Christ confronts the plans and misconceptions of Saul and Ananias, and what Jesus says to them, He says to every one of us: “arise and go.”

The Text: “And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem…” (Acts 9:1-22).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Full of animosity, Saul takes his persecution on the road to Damascus, where Jesus confronted him with a bright, blinding light, and gave him radically new orders (Acts 9:1-9). Notice that Jesus addresses Saul personally, by name, and that He takes the persecution of His people personally, reckoning what is done to them as done to Him (Acts 9:4). Three days later, a disciple named Ananias was instructed by the Lord to go find Saul to restore his sight, and to baptize him so that he might receive the Holy Spirit, and despite his concerns, he obeyed (Acts 9:10-18). Saul immediately preached Christ in the synagogues, causing quite a stir, especially as his arguments increased in strength, confounding the Jews (Acts 9:19-22).

Kicking Against the Goads & Obedience to the Lord

When Jesus confronted Saul, He said, “it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5). The image Jesus is using is taken from using oxen to plow a field, where a farmer often had a prick or goad that would be used to drive the oxen. Sometimes a goad might even be attached to the plow, such that if the animal kicked, the goad would prick them even more sharply. Sin makes people beastlike, slaves to their lusts, slaves to their passions, slaves to their emotions, slaves to their past. The call of Christ is the call to full and true humanity and freedom.

Jesus graciously confronts Saul by saying that he is in rebellion and his rebellion is only making it more painful for himself. And Saul responds in surrender: “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” And the command from the Lord is to “arise and go” (Acts 9:6). The same command is given a few verses later to Ananias, “Arise and go” (Acts 9:11). Who dares order people around like this? The One who made us, the One who suffered and died for our sins. The One who is worthy of all obedience. Jesus is Lord.

THE SORROWS OF THE WICKED

In Psalm 32, a similar warning is given in the context of confession of sin: “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee. Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about” (Ps. 32:9-10).

The contrast in this psalm is between the sorrows and pains of our beastly stubbornness and the joy and relief of obedience and confession. If you are not a Christian, then you cannot have peace and joy when you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, when you are trying to be your own lord. But if you are a Christian, you cannot have peace and joy if you are refusing to obey your Lord, and in particular refusing to confess your sins.

Years later, Saul/Paul wrote to Timothy: “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting” (1 Tim. 1:15-16).

Do not despair. Do not lose hope. If Saul obtained mercy there is mercy for you and there is mercy for anyone.

CONCLUSION

“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Cor. 15:9-10).

God’s grace is not a flimsy, weak thing. His grace is fiery and fierce. His grace propels us to great and joyful obedience. In Christ, God’s authority and kindness are married. His will is almighty and all-gracious. He summons us to die, but the summons to die, is an invitation to begin to really live. Your own desires and plans are often not good, right, or healthy. But when you obey the Lord joyfully, you become a force for that good.

No Confidence in the Flesh  (Philippians #10)

Christ Church on July 23, 2023

INTRODUCTION

Everyone here has an inner life and an external life. If there had been no fall, no rebellion, there would have been a true unity between the two. But the entry of sin into the world made it possible for us to dissemble and to play the hypocrite. When this happens, a person takes advantage of the separation—he can now present one appearance to the world, a holy appearance, and he can keep a lozenge of diseased unholiness under his tongue.

THE TEXT

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless” (Phil. 3:1–6).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Remember that one of the themes of this letter is the necessity of rejoicing in the Lord. This is stated again here (v. 1). Paul does not mind repeating himself, which he certainly does here, and he regards the repetition as being a safety for them (v. 1). Sound doctrine is the foundation of all true joy, and so it is crucial that they be warned away from the false teachers. These false teachers he calls dogs (v. 2), evil workers (v. 2), and the party of mutilation (v. 2). They call what they are doing “circumcision,” but that honor actually goes to the orthodox Christians (v. 3). They are the ones characterized by three things—they worship God in the spirit, they rejoice in Christ, and they put no confidence in fleshly work (v. 3). If it were possible for any man to have confidence in the flesh, Paul could certainly outdo him (v. 4). Paul then pulls out his resume—circumcised on day eight, Israelite stock, a Benjaminite, a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee concerning the law, a zealous persecutor (v. 6), and blameless if you wanted to call this kind of thing blameless.

TWO KINDS OF BLAMELESSNESS UNDER THE LAW

Throughout the book of Psalms, we see petitions lifted up on the basis of the psalmist’s innocence or blamelessness—“Judge me, O Lord; for I have walked in mine integrity . . .” (Psalm 26:1).

Zecharias and Elizabeth were blameless in this way:

“And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” (Luke 1:6).

But they were not sinless, as can be seen in how Zecharias was disciplined for his failure to believe Gabriel (Luke 1:19-20). If God were to mark iniquities . . . (Ps. 130:3). But they were nevertheless conscientious believers, and they were faithful to the covenant of their God—a covenant that made ample provision for sin.

But prior to his conversion, Paul was not at all like this. He was blameless in the sense that all his papers were in order, but he was also a blasphemer (1 Tim. 1:13), and an insolent man (v. 13). His was an external blamelessness. Internally, he was a rat’s nest of corruptions (Rom. 7:19-20).

One time I asked a leading theologian in a movement that is called the New Perspective on Paul whether or not he believed that Zecharias and Elizabeth, on the one hand, and Paul, on the other, were all basically in the same category. Sure, Paul was something of a hothead, but were they all “blameless according to the law” in the same basic way? He said they were. But this is obviously false. Zecharias was regenerate and Paul, prior to the Damascus road, was unregenerate. The distance between them was the distance between Heaven and Hell.

MY BIBLE IS MORE UNDERLINED THAN YOURS

The easiest thing in the world is to disparage the external markers of holiness that other traditions or religions hold as precious. In the Middle East, men can buy make-up that will mimic a callus on your forehead, the kind of callus that forms when you pray toward Mecca the way you ought. The bishop wears a mitered hat in order to accentuate his dignity. A pop evangelical preacher wears a Daffy Duck t-shirt to accentuate his relevance and approachability. Funny hat, funny shirt, tomayto, tomahto.

When the Pharisee and the tax collector prayed in the Temple, and the Pharisee prayed like a good Reformed man—soli Deo gloria—“I thank thee, God . . .” he went home unjustified. But how many of us thank God that at least we are not like that Pharisee?

How many Reformed believers know that we cannot take any glory in the creature, none whatever, and somehow take glory in the fact that this is something we understand. Self-righteousness can feed upon doctrines as well as upon flowing robes and stoles. We are fallen and can take ego-credit for anything, and can be quite proud of our humility.

We have to keep an eye on all these twists and turns. As the Baptist minister once put it, with a twinkle in his eye, “We Baptists don’t believe in tradition. It is contrary to our historic position.”

HEART RELIGION

What indicators can the devil duplicate? The devil can sign an orthodox creed (Jas. 2:19). The devil can quote Scripture from memory (Matt. 4:6). The devil can perform miracles (Matt. 24:24). The devil can conduct his temptations on the pinnacle of the Temple (Matt. 4:5). The devil can dazzle you the way a shining angel could (2 Cor. 11:14).

What can’t the devil do? He cannot wash your sins away. He cannot usher you into joy. “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.” If you were wearing a beautiful cross around your neck, and I were to use that as an illustration in the sermon, as a thing that some trust in instead of Christ, you could not fix the problem by taking off the necklace. It fixes nothing to replace the “necklace” with “no necklace.” No, the thing must be replaced with joy.

“For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 14:17).