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Trinity Evangel Church
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The Crooked Will Be Saved (Pt 1)
1w agoTap to summarizeThe Crooked Will Be Saved (Pt 1)Or, When the Word of God Came to JohnGod saves sinners. He makes the crooked straight. He finds the lost. God purposed to do so, He sends prophets to announce it. The salvation of the Lord is sovereign, it is gracious. Sinners deserve judgment, we all have sinned and have earned God's wrath. We are crooked, but God makes the crooked straight. At the right time, God gave His Word to a man named John who prepared the way of the Lord. He came preaching repentance, he came pointing to the Christ. Between Luke chapter 2 and 3 about 30 years have passed. Luke's account opened with an announcement given to the old priest Zechariah. The angel told him that he would have a son, that he should name his son John, and that his son would "turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God" (Luke 1:16). Here at the beginning of Luke 3 John begins that work of turning. The Word of God came to John (verse 2), and Luke recognized John as the preparing-prophet expected by the prophet Isaiah; prophet anticipate prophet. John proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. We might call his preaching negative, harsh, fire-and-brimstone. But it is also full of the hope of forgiveness, and clear in fruit. God makes the crooked saved. The work of John covers verses 1-20 and we’ll take it in two parts. Today we'll consider the context of John's work (verses 1-6) and the opening confrontation (verses 7-9). A Crooked Context (verses 1-6) John came crying out when the culture was crooked. The word of God came to John when things were a mess. It was a moral wilderness, a religious low point. Verse 1 is long, and unnecessarily long if the only thing Luke needed to establish was the date. A reference to the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar is enough to put it on the world timeline. It was about AD 29. Luke names seven men, five in the political sphere and two in the Jewish religious sphere. The first five are sort of like Russian nesting dolls (a fitting illustration used by Garland), and from Caesar to Pilate to Herod and Philip and Lysanias, there are levels and layers of crooked men. Herod is named again in verse 19, a key figure in John's story, bookending this whole section (verses 1-20). A caesar (like a king or emperor) over the empire, a governor appointed by the caesar with regional authority, and three local tetrarchs, rulers over assigned territories though still under Rome’s power. This isn’t just historical information, it’s a jumble of political jurisdiction. Even the two religious guys set a crooked stage. There could only be one high priest at a time, and Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas. But Annas was maybe like a mob boss, the one with power behind closed doors. (cf. John 18:13-27). The whole thing was a mess. It was a crooked state, dominated by crooked men. This is when the word of God came to John. John was not a scribe, studying the Law. He was not a priest, following the Law. John was a prophet, proclaiming God's message. He was in the wilderness (verse 2), which is where we last saw him (Luke 1:80). The next verse shows John nearer to the population. But the wilderness was not only a geographical place, it was a symbolic place. He would use wilderness analogies in his preaching (stones, snakes, trees). He proclaimed that it was time to prepare. He proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. This is not Christian baptism, and no one today still practices John's baptism. It was a liturgical event that showed a change of mind, which is what repentance means. They needed to change their thinking, to reorient their lives. Since it’s the first time we’re seeing the word in Luke, do you know where our English word "baptism" comes from? It's what's called a transliteration, when you make a new word by taking the sounds of the word in its original language and writing it with the letters of the destination language. Here the the Greek noun is baptisma related to the verb baptizo. It means to dunk, immerse, plunge, put under. It does not mean pour or sprinkle. There are nice Bible guys who say that immerse is not the definition. But John's work around the Jordan let him do full-body dunks in the river. Luke recognized John as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 40:3-5. Matthew and Mark reference one verse, but Luke quotes more. Prepare the way of the Lord. What was Isaiah referring to? Initially he looked to Israel’s return from exile in Babylon. But the glory of the Lord did not re-fill the temple at that time, and the King did not come. The anticipation, and the theme, are still relevant. John cried out. He called for men to get prepared as God was about to work. God was even coming. So get straight (verse 4), and this is what God will do, make the crooked (skolios) straight (verse 5). God is going to save sinners. All flesh is a reference to the global target of the gospel, even as the gospel is the power of God to salvation to the Jew first and then the Greek (Romans 1:16). Confronting the Crooked (verses 7-9) Matthew said this confrontation was specifically with the religious leaders among the Pharisees and Sadducees (see the almost exact message in Matthew 3:7-10). Luke leaves it with crowds. They are Jewish crowds, and they were coming out to be baptized. John calls them snakes, you brood of vipers. It's an image sometimes used in the OT, and not in an inviting way. It pictures snakes fleeing a field on fire, and John thinks that these people know that the fire is coming. What made him think that their hearts weren’t right? How did he know? He was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15), and he may have picked up on their conversations and their vibes. He exhorts them to prove their repentance. This is not just preparing for Jesus, this is pre-cross. Even still, John isn't offering a way to work oneself into salvation. He's saying that real repentance has real fruit. So, straighten up. Those who heard him were thinking to themselves that they were okay because they were part of the right group. But being right with God has never been about genetics, even though sons of Abraham are more responsible because they've had the revelation about the Lord. “Don’t even think that.” God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. The stones are not getting saved in this hyperbole, they are giving birth. The image of the axe...to the root pictures being cut off, cut down, severed, ready for the burn pile. The crowd was full of crooked men. They needed to be made saved. Conclusion John was a prophet preparing sinners to receive the Lord, not a pastor preparing saints to follow the Lord. He was a rough man with a sharp message. Are there any “vipers” at TEC? Do we have those who think they’re good with God because they usually come to church on Sundays? By God’s grace, our flock is not quite in the wilderness. And yet, like the Jews in John’s day, God has given many promises—and fulfillments—that people take for granted. There are many who profess faith in Christ who do not possess Christ, who are not possessed by Him. They do not give attention to the Word of God. Their lives are crooked even if they use the name of Christ. John’s call to repent in Luke 3 is to religious crowds, so do not be surprised if “Christians” need to be saved. What kind of fruit does repentance produce? Verses 10-14 raise that very question, and John gives very concrete answers. We'll look at them next week. God makes the crooked straight. Charge Christian, your life is in Christ. You are in Him, He is in you. You want to see fruit of your faith, and good. So abide in the Vine. Apart from Him you can do nothing. As you abide in Him and as His words abide in you, you will be much fruit, and so the Father is glorified. Benediction: And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (Philippians 1:9–11 ESV)
Transcribe →His Father's House
2w agoTap to summarizeHis Father's HouseOr, The Son Knew Where He BelongedIn what is arguably the key verse in Luke, Jesus says, “For the Son of Many came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). In this story, the Son of God is “lost,” at least to His earthly parents. They need to find Him, though He says He was right where He belonged. Only Luke includes this story in Jesus’ life. It is also the only text of Scripture in which Jesus Himself speaks before He began His public ministry. Jesus is 12, on the front steps of manhood, an astonishing adolescent. Why did Luke include it? So far angels have witnessed to the identity of Jesus, before and after His birth. Shepherds and strangers have witnessed to the identity of Jesus. And now Jesus Himself speaks about His identity. He knows who He is, where He belongs, who is Father is, and what He was supposed to be doing. It turns out pre-teens can know some things. This story is included so we can know about Jesus, and know those things for certain. It was typical for Jewish boys to begin studying God’s Law in earnest around 12 years old heading toward Bar Mitzvah at 13, affirmed as a “son of the commandment” and so responsible to obey. This is a year before that, and Jesus shows a surprising amount of maturity and understanding. His behavior also reveals significant lack of understanding even from Joseph and Mary. Lost - Not Where the Son Was Expected (verses 41-48) Men in Israel were called to Jerusalem for three feasts every year: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. It's time for the Passover feast in the spring, and apparently Joseph and Mary made it their annual habit to go together. Whether or not they took their son with them on previous trips, Jesus came with them when He was twelve years-old. They stayed until the feast was ended which meant staying for seven days. Then it was time to head home, but Jesus did not leave with them. It was a group trip, a caravan from Nazareth or at least the region. There were family members and friends. If they did not go through Samaria, the trip from Nazareth to Jerusalem was around 80 miles, about a four day journey at 20 miles per day. That's a lot of vulnerability, and going in a group made travel a bit more secure. Luke doesn't say how many were in the group, but it was enough for a 12 year-old to get lost in. (They apparently didn't number off like we do for our Raggant Romps.) Jesus certainly knew that the group was leaving. He'd have been with His parents every night, and they'd have discussed the plans. But in the morning as everyone had breakfast and made final packing choices, the boys must have been playing or doing something, and when the group started out Jesus stayed behind. Joseph and Mary didn't concern themselves about it until finishing a full day of walking (verse 44). They assumed Jesus was just somewhere else in the caravan. But Jesus was not among them, and the relatives and acquaintances couldn't say where He was either. So in the morning they backtracked. By the time they found Jesus it had been three days, counting day one out, day two back, on the third day found. And they found Jesus in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions (verse 46). This is presumably then the third day of Jesus having the conversations. Why didn't He do this while the Passover activities were happening? What was He doing at night, and how did He fend for Himself in terms of things to eat and a place to sleep? He didn’t notice that Joseph and Mary were gone? This may be the nicest way Luke talks about the religious leaders in the whole book. This is the only time he refers to them as teachers, and Jesus is conversing not condemning. Everyone is impressed. They are amazed at what the boy knew and the answers He gave (verse 47). But Mary doesn't ask how He got His understanding, she asks how He could not understand how she and Joseph are feeling? Son, why have you treated us so? (verse 48) “What have you done to us?” A son should know better. They've been worried about Him. It caused them great distress that they didn't know where He was. How can He be so insensitive, even disrespectful? They’ve been “anxiously looking” (NASB). Found - Right Where the Son Belonged (verses 49-52) There might be only one twelve year-old on the planet that could have replied the way Jesus replied and not have it be adding smart-aleck insult to injury. Kids: do not try this at church. We know Jesus did not sin, we see that His parents don't rebuke Him, nor do any of the "teachers." It's not sin, but it certainly is a kind of nerve. It looks aloof, though He's fully aware of where He belongs. We’d expect a son to say something like, “Sorry, mom, I got lost in discussion, and sorry I didn’t tell you where I was.” But instead He said, Why were you looking for me? This has to be rhetorical, not actual. He didn't think that they wouldn't care. Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? Mary had just said, “your father and I” were looking, and Jesus refers to His other Father. There is also a translation question, though it's more interesting than solving. There is a missing word: “in the … of my Father it is necessary (for me) to be.” There's an article (dative plural), but no (dative plural) noun, and that expects something as understood. One way to understand it, as the ESV, is that Jesus knew He needed to be in His Father's house, so the Temple. Another way to understand it, so the KJV, is that Jesus knew He needed to be about His Father's business, as in, learning and teaching the things of Scripture. Doing the ministry isn't dependent on a place, but being in a place isn't where Jesus stays either. His parents must have understood His words, though they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. Even knowing what we know now, this provokes more questions than it answers. Why now? Why not when He was 11? Or 13? Why does He go home with them after this? What did He do for the next 18 years? Jesus apparently got up, and they apparently started walking, and He followed them home to Nazareth. He was submissive to them. It's not that He was rebellious by staying behind, but they weren't sure. We don’t hear from Him again until He’s 30. As she did after the visit from the shepherds 12 years earlier (Luke 2:19), Mary treasured up all these things in her heart. The last verse in the opening section of Luke's book summarizes the first 30 years of Jesus' life. Jesus kept on growing. This is clearly the human nature, since in His divine nature He was God. Here, in the Second Person of the Trinity in the flesh, He increased in favor with God. Jesus was truly man. He grew. He was twelve and then He was thirteen. He didn't skip childhood, didn't fake adolescence. He lived at home with His parents until He was 30 (though because he’s not mentioned, it seems Joseph passed away sometime during these years). Jesus was truly God. No other boy could say, “My Father” like this. It’s the first explicit Christological self-disclosure on record. The Son knew where He belonged. Conclusion Mary got her first taste of Simeon’s prophecy (2:35), though there is more pain to come. The three days of searching were a quiet rehearsal for a much harder Friday-to-Sunday. Two final comments: You don’t have to be Jesus in order to learn more about and love and talk about and obey God’s Word when you’re 12. For that matter, you don’t have to wait until 30 to “do” ministry. You might not amaze your teachers with your understanding, but you are capable of increasing your understanding. If you have “lost” Jesus, look in the Word. You will always find Him there. Charge Beloved, you can increase in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. You can, and, by God’s grace, you will. Read your copy of God’s Word, read it again and again. Pray to your Father in heaven, pray day and night. Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus. Benediction: [May your] hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2–3 ESV)
Transcribe →Eyes on Salvation
3w agoTap to summarizeEyes on SalvationOr, The Strange Things Strangers SayHere we meet two surprise witnesses, hear a song about global salvation, a warning of personal pain, the praise of a prophetess, and track a twelve-year transition in one verse. Luke has been threading parallel accounts of two boys up to this point. Announcement and announcement, then birth-circumcision-naming and birth-circumcision-naming. But Jesus has been getting more of the attention, we know why, and the rest of Luke 2 adds more. It's been 40 days since Jesus was born, and Joseph and Mary travel with their Son to Jerusalem to fulfill God's law, a fact mentioned three times in verses 22-24. But it's what else happens while they're at the temple that really stands out. Two strangers give witness to this special son, an old man named Simeon and a very old woman named Anna. Before now there were strangers to Joseph and Mary, and afterward they do not appear again. They say strange things, they see things about Jesus not everyone could. Though Luke doesn't quote it, the Law in Deuteronomy 19:15 required a minimum of two witnesses, and these two strangers leave no doubt in their witness. They had no relation, nothing to gain personally, but they gave witness by the Spirit to the salvation of the Lord. Parents’ Obedience (verses 22-24) This is a three-for-one. It's one trip to the temple to satisfy three different requirements. Under the Law a mother was impure for 40 days after giving birth to a son (Leviticus 12:2-6), then she needed to offer sacrifice. In addition, the firstborn was to be presented (Exodus 13:2). But presenting the firstborn didn’t require coming to the temple, so that suggests a third part as Joseph and Mary dedicated Jesus to the Lord’s service (as in 1 Samuel 1-2). The plural of their purification is a surprise, since the father was not considered unclean. But maybe Joseph helped with the bloody delivery and so was included. And here are the famous two turtledoves, as the offering of those who couldn't afford the lamb (Leviticus 12:8). No way that His parents perceived at this point that Jesus was the Lamb. From the beginning Jesus’ parents fulfill the law, and we will see that Jesus perfectly does so Himself. He was “born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5). Simeon’s Song (verses 25-35) This guy is a stranger to Joseph and Mary, and there is nothing special about his person. He is not called a prophet or a priest, he is not said to live on the temple grounds, he is not a man of importance in the city. He is an otherwise random dude, living in Jerusalem, but living by faith. The end of verse 25 says that he was waiting for the consolation of Israel. And in a moment it will be clear that the consolation is a person, the Messiah. We sing "Israel's strength and consolation, hope of all the earth, thou art." We read Isaiah 40:1, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” Three statements about Simeon and the Spirit: 1) the Spirit was upon him, 2) the Spirit had given him a message, and 3) the Spirit moved him to go to the temple that particular day. The supernatural message is unique. It had been revealed to him that he would not die before he saw the Lord's Christ. How long had he had this revelation? Months? Years? How many people had he told? Family? Co-workers? Kept it silent? How many people thought he was crazy, except for the fact that his reputation was that of being righteous? God, by His Spirit, was giving witness to God the Son through this stranger, and feeding the faith of Jesus' earthly parents. Their obedience to the law is right, but in God’s providence it set them up to meet Simeon. He shows up, walks up, and took their six-week old son up in his arms and started blessing God. Verses 29-32 are the third song in the opening chapters of Luke's book. We’ve read the Magnificat of Mary and the Benedictus of Zechariah, Simeon's song is often called the Nunc Dimittis, the first words in the Latin transition that mean “Now You let depart.” Now, Lord, you are letting your servant depart in peace. Simeon doesn't need to see anything else. The Christ is born, that's what he was promised in his lifetime. His eyes have seen your salvation, even as the angel announced the birth a Savior to the shepherds (Luke 2:11). Simeon had eyes on salvation, and salvation was just a month and half old. What has not been emphasized so far in Luke is the global nature of this saving mission. Verse 32 leaves no doubt: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. Also connected to the prophesies in Isaiah 40:5 and 49:6. The prophets anticipated not only Messianic rule over all the nations, but worship of the Messiah among the nations. Joseph and Mary's Son would be light, He is truth, He is the one who shows the vanity of idols and in Him is the answer to guilt and the hope of eternity. But the explicit reference to the Gentiles would have sounded strange. Even more so, their Son is the glory for God’s people, the Jews. Quite a song, and Jesus' parents marveled at the stranger's insight. Simeon wasn't done. He blessed them and then said specifically to Mary (perhaps as a hint that Joseph would not be around through the entire time), three things about Jesus: 1) Jesus will divide (fall and rise), 2) Jesus will pierce (Mary’s sorrow), 3) Jesus will reveal (hearts laid open). This is even more strange. There are two groups, those that would fall and those that would be lifted up. It's similar to the Cornerstone, either a thing others tripped and stumbled over, or the foundation upon which building happens. There won’t simply be dismissal of Jesus, He will be a dividing line. As for what would pierce through your own soul, that seems to be the heartache of seeing how her Son would be treated, even to death on a cross. And the third part belongs with the first two, showing especially the enmity toward God and His law and righteousness; Jesus reveals hearts, in particular the hostility in many hearts. These are strange words from a stranger, but Simeon had eyes on salvation. A Prophetess' Praise (verses 36-38) It seems that Simeon was old, such that he anticipated dying, not as if he heard at 27 that he'd not die before he saw the Christ. But this woman is over 100. Verse 36 has a decent amount of detail about her, not that she was well known, but this is the sort of historical record that would be more difficult to invent and get past the fact-checkers. Though the ESV in verse 37 says that she was eighty-four, the Greek really does say that she'd been married for seven years and then she was a widow for eighty-four years. So if she was married around 14, her husband died when she was 21, she's now about 105. Her life, for over eight decades, was given to worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. We don't get any quotes from her, but she also, by the Spirit, happened to come at the very hour, and began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. It’s strange, not only that Anna is a stranger to Joseph and Mary, but even as a woman and a very old widow, that her witness helps make faith more certain. She’d been dedicated in her service to God for 84 years, and now she had eyes on salvation. Simeon waited for the consolation of Israel and Anna speaks to those waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. Conclusion Another transition in verses 39-40. Joseph and Mary were obedient to God's law, and then went back home to Nazareth. As for Jesus Himself, even more than John's growing and becoming strong in spirit (Luke 1:80), Jesus grows and becomes strong, filled with wisdom and with signs of God's favor all over Him. Simeon's eyes saw salvation in his arms. Anna's eyes saw redemption in the temple. Mary's eyes would see her Son on a cross. Salvation has come, and strangers gave witness. It’s not a coincidence it is for the certainty of our faith. Jesus is the Consolation and Redemption. He is the watershed, dividing line. In Him many hope, Jews and Gentiles. Toward Him many hate, Jews and Gentiles. Jesus is the Savior of the world, and still a stone of offense. He is light to the nations and glory for Israel. Charge Give thanks to God for His salvation in Jesus. Live as those who are being saved, live as an aroma of Christ. We are not sufficient for these things, but God gives us His own Spirit in order to lead us and to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere. Benediction: But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. (2 Peter 3:18 ESV)
Transcribe →Bundled Joy
May 3Tap to summarizeBundled JoyOr, Unwrapping God’s Unreasonable Good PleasureIn this great passage there are three titles for the main character, two lines of exceptionally good news, two responses for all who hear, and all around a one-of-a-kind event. This is probably the story told and celebrated more than any other in the world. It may be the most surprising event in the universe, including more surprising than the creation of the universe. It's one thing for an eternal, omnipotent God to create a cosmos, it's an entirely other thing for God Himself to enter that cosmos, taking on the limits of human humility, and come as a baby. We are still unwrapping the implications. If you have ears to hear the origin story of the Savior's body, then it will not be hard to hear of His power to rise again from the dead in His body. In that respect, the birth of God in flesh works to increase our certainty in the things we have been taught, just as Luke wanted for those who read his book (Luke 1:4). So what do we have here? We have the meeting of heaven and earth. We have the praise of men and of angels. We have the announcement of peace and grace and joy. We have shepherds keeping watch over their flock by night, and we have the Chief Shepherd come to save His flock and make all things right. We have bundled joy. We call babies bundles of joy, but there is more joy in this baby’s birth that we are still trying to wrap our minds around. As we unwrap the bundle we still haven’t gotten to the ends of understanding God’s unreasonable pleasure. The story in Luke 2:8-20 has two main movements, with a transition in verse 21, then we'll try to see how much we can put together. The Great Joy of Heaven Unwrapped (verses 8-14) Because we know God is sovereign, we know that nothing about this event is haphazard. One speculates, and I think we can do this with a biblically shaped imagination, that there were some planning meetings about this particular day. It seems reasonable to think that one day we'll get to talk to some of the angels that participated, and what their preparations looked like. Instead of showing up outside of Caesar's palace, or over the temple in Jerusalem, or even over the manger, an angel of the Lord appeared to some graveyard shift shepherds outside of Bethlehem. These guys aren't outcasts, but they are no-names. They are important because they received this announcement, they didn’t receive the announcement because they were important. They were just “people,” people just like us. While minding their own business the glory of the Lord shone around them. The heavens declare the glory of God already, and this must have been like being five feet from the sun. The angel's message is evangel/good news! "Let me have your attention, please. A bundle of joy is being delivered that will change everything in Israel. A child is born at this hour in the city of David, the Savior, the Christ, the Lord. You can find Him bundled up, wrapped in cloths and laid in an animal’s food trough as a sign.” And without a moment for the shepherds to think the angelic army choir enters with their great lyrics: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased! From heaven to earth, from the highest to the lowest, from glory to glory, peace from God to men even as God is born a man. Gloria in Excelsis! You've probably heard or seen a variation of the second line: "on earth peace, good will toward men." This is not wrong, but it's based on a different reading found in some Greek copies that isn't likely to be original, though the KJV is hard to get out of our minds, and that’s fine. But the more likely angelic lyric (as translated in the ESV) emphasizes the sovereign grace of God, similar to the Lord's response to Moses when Moses asked to see God's glory. Glory is most visible when God shows grace to those He chooses for grace, and mercy to those He chooses for mercy (see Exodus 33:19). In Jesus is God’s own good pleasure unreasonably shared with men, though not every man receives His favor. The center of the announcement is in verse 11, and it provides the reason for the good news of great joy in verse 10. The reason is the identity of the one born. He is three things: 1) Savior, 2) Christ, 3) Lord. The combination of these three titles in one person is not found in any other Scripture prophecy or passage. Savior, one who delivers. It could be one who delivers from enemies or disease, one who rescues from physical or spiritual dangers. Jesus saves. Christ, is an English word derived from the Greek word that translates the Hebrew word for the Messiah, the anointed one. This title especially connects with the Davidic expectations (so He was born in the city of David), and it refers to His royal position and work. Jesus fulfills, He is the promised One. Lord, master, one who is in charge over another. But as Luke especially keeps attaching to Jesus (37 times in this gospel), He is Lord of all, the transcendent ruler with all authority. Jesus reigns. The Great Joy on Earth Unwrapped (verses 15-20) The angels are done. They got one shot. Did they ever appeal to God to get permission to come back at other key moments in Jesus' life? Did they wonder why it wasn't a worldwide show? The shepherds do go, but it's not a foregone conclusion. The angels don’t guide them or watch to make sure. There are sheep to watch, right? They weren't out in the field just camping under the stars like that was fun. They talk it over, and decided to do it. How did they know which place had a manger? A couple of these details point toward a particular inn for guests. They likely would have known most of the residents, and maybe even knew that one of the out-of-towners arrived pregnant. The comment about the presence of more than just Joseph and Mary to hear the shepherds' story indicates a more public place, a group was already gathered. Some might have been called to help in the delivery; child labor isn't a silent night deal. The towns people heard what the shepherds said and wondered. Is that enough? Mary herself treasured...pondering in her heart (verse 19). The boy arrived just as the angel had announced to her (Luke 1:31). But why didn't the angel/s let her hear this update? Why the shepherds? She’s giving it thought, we’d say she was “mulling things over” (Darrell Bock), trying “to put the pieces together” (Mark Coleridge). Treasuring any revelation from God is a theme so far in Luke’s record. She’ll be doing that for years. The shepherds themselves went back to work, glorifying and praising God. “Can you believe that?” And, yeah, they do. Conclusion Verse 21 is a transition, and it fits more at the end because less time takes place between verses 20 and 21 (eight days) than between verses 21 and 22 (at least 40 days). But it also fits here because Jesus' circumcision focuses on His name: Jesus. Jesus is His human name, the proper noun, the given name from His earthly parents, the name Gabriel told them before Jesus was born (Luke 1:31). But under the doctrine of Christology, there is no one else like Him. There is salvation in no other name, "Jesus Christ of Nazareth" (Acts 4:10, 12). "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified" (Acts 2:36). He is "Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 1:4). We confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and we are saved (Romans 10:9). Jesus saves. Jesus fulfills the Word. Jesus rules the world. This is the bundle of joy! Jesus is the one through whom unreasonable good pleasure comes to earth. Mary was not a reasonable choice, the shepherds were not reasonable, Bethlehem itself was not reasonable, except that God had already chosen it to receive this gift. Mary was trying to put all these things together. Are you still wondering and wandering, or have you received the great joy in Jesus? Charge God shows grace and mercy in Jesus. Jesus saves, Jesus fulfills, Jesus reigns. This is a story of great joy among men, a story of highest glory for God. Beloved, like the shepherds, return to your work glorying and praising God for all you have heard and seen as it has been told to you. Benediction: Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word. (2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 ESV)
Transcribe →Pass It On
Apr 26Tap to summarizePass It OnOr, Forks and BatonsI first used one of my favorite illustrations in the context of making disciples. Let's say you have a huge meatball on the plate in front of you and you want to pick the whole thing up all at once. What would you use? You wouldn't use a toothpick, you wouldn’t use a plastic fork, let alone a spork. You'd want a solid metal fork with all its prongs (though technically a fork has tines and a pitchfork has prongs). If your fork had only one prong, it would slip out or rip through the meatball. You need a multi-prong fork. It's easy to get the sense that discipleship needs "the" right way, "the" one book, "the" process. But in fact, in order to grow up in Christ, and in order to see each person growing in the body of Christ, it’s not a one-size-fits-all deal. We need a multi-prong approach. Switching analogies from forks to batons; we want multi-prong forks for sake of clear baton handoffs. what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2 ESV) Everything needs to be said, and usually more than once. In some ways, until the Head of the church returns, we will always be in a generational hand-off of the faith. The church is the pillar and defense of truth (1 Timothy 3:5), we are to adorn the teaching (Titus 2:10), we are to commend the works of the Lord from one generation to another (Psalm 145:4). Pass it on. Principles A few more principles: Discipleship is primarily an "as we're going" task. "Go" in Matthew 28:19 has been the standard English translation for centuries. The Greek word is πορευθέντες, a participle that modifies the only explicit imperative in the commission, “make disciples” (μαθητεύσατε). The same construction occurs in Mark 16:15, “going..preach” (πορευθέντες...κηρύξατε). Though regularly translated as a command, "Go" is more accurately translated “going" or “while going." The participle describes action that should occur before the activity of the main verb (in Matthew 28:18, "make disciples"). So, we must make disciples, and we do that as we're going. We should train and send missionaries to foreign nations, but realize, we are "the ends of the earth" from a Jerusalem point of view (cf. Acts 1:8). Seattle is 6,766 miles away from Jerusalem. It's great to Go, but that movement is assumed, not commanded. Making disciples doesn't require anything special, but it does require everything normal. It usually involves the mundane and the daily (think Deuteronomy 6:7). Make disciples at the grocery store, running other errands, attending soccer games, riding in the car, cleaning the house (or someone else's house), weeding, painting, cleaning gutters, responding when the wifi is down. The point is: proactively expose your life to others with Jesus’ name in your mouth and the Bible in your mind. Maximize your path crossings as you are going. Discipleship is about persons more than programs. The best curriculum cannot guarantee growth. There are no checklists to complete or shortcuts to wisdom and maturity. Some structure (like organized small groups) may be helpful, but the best program with the wrong people won't make disciples. On the other hand, the right people with the worst program—or even no program at all—will move forward. “Structures don't grow ministry any more than trellises grow vines.” (Marshall and Payne, The Trellis and the Vine, 17) Discipleship is personal. How is the person not like Christ (think Colossians 1:28)? How can we help them be more like Christ? Even the programs that we have as a church are intended to get persons in contact with each other. The air war is great, but don't let the ground war suffer. Making disciples is God's goal to share Himself (and His Trinitarian joy) with men and women from every nation. God delights in Himself, and discipleship is His delight extended and shared with persons. Making disciples is completing the Trinitarian commission. You are missing out if you just partake and don’t participate. If you come and soak, okay, and also your joy will be half of what it could be if until you learn to serve and pour yourself back out into someone else's life. There is always someone who knows less than you. You can encourage someone. You're (probably) ready. Every believer has a responsibility to reach out to someone else and make a disciple. Don't just sit there, disciple somebody. And don’t expect something special when you’re not taking advantage of the regular. Start Here What can you do, where should you start a discipleship journey proper? It is not complicated. Take advantage of available opportunities for your own life of following Christ. Pay attention to the air war—in other words, be faithful in worship with the assembly on the Lord's Day. Then participate regularly in (the same) small group. Show an interest in other people, spend some time talking with them. Try to do all the “one anothers.” Assess your own maturity, and in particular whether you need to be finding a disciple-er or someone to disciple. Are you running the race of faith? And are you receiving the baton or passing it on? Consider categories such as: Are you/they ready to die? Will death be gain? Are you/they living for Christ? Making progress and joy in the faith? Ready to give a defense for your hope? Are you/they zealous for good works? Hearers and doers of the Word? Caring about what Christ cares about in every sphere? Ask one of your current Life to Life leaders who they would recommend for you to meet with. (Note: while much discipleship does not require scheduling a regular meeting or following a particular curriculum, because our lives are so richly scheduled, we often do need to set aside priority time for this particular work. It is a balance.) Read a book such as The Master Plan of Evangelism or The Trellis and the Vine to prime the pump for sake of discipleship. Pray. Identify, as you are able, ways in which you are not yet like Christ, in other words, weak or immature spots, and identify someone else who seems to be further along than you in that area. (Note: you may not have one and only one person who disciples you for the rest of your life. There are some seasonal discipleship opportunities. Also, don't be frustrated if that person freaks out because you are asking to meet with them and they don't have any idea what to do. Give grace, be patient.) Life to Life We do keep referring to Life to Life groups because they are a strategic way to focus on the few to reach the many. We encourage our L2L groups to focus on application. Because we live in a day with a cornucopia of Bible-teaching and theological resources, we want the L2L groups not to be separate Bible studies per se. They are encouraged to consider things that have been said in the air war campaign on the way to implementing on the ground. Understanding is necessary, just as with the men in Ezra’s day (remember Nehemiah 8, especially verses 7-8). Questions about what a text means, or what interpretation the preacher gave, is appropriate. But now that we have heard the Word, how will we be doers of the Word (James 1:22-25)? For that matter, we get to know one another better as we talk about our challenges. It is personal, and it is a sharing of life, of rejoicing and weeping (Romans 12:15). Related: this is what a podcast can't provide, nor a sermon on YouTube. Many will be tempted to believe that this is what the AI pastor bot is providing. But we are three-dimensional image-bearers, and it is not good to be alone, even if the images on a screen are moving. L2L groups are path-crossing for church-body building. Fellowship for fellowship's sake collapses in on itself. Fellowship around the truth, around our common confession, fellowship as we walk in the light (1 John 1:7), that is true fellowship. Conclusion Of course we also encourage making disciples the old fashioned way: birthing them. “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4). The church and home are different spheres. They can be distinguished, they also have overlap. We’re passing on the faith to another generation. Why do elders not lead L2L groups? Why do elders attend L2L groups? Our pastors participate while other men organize and lead the groups as a prong on the shepherding fork—getting to know and be known. It’s also a prong on the baton-passing fork—evaluating and training more shepherds. And it’s a prong on the growing up in Christ fork—since pastors are also sheep still growing and looking to the chief Shepherd. The analogy of the trellis and the vine informed the TEC logo. Because it's so easy to let the trellis/programs be the focus over the vine/persons, we have intentionally worked to be less formal. Less formal works better for certain sizes of groups, less formal works for those who already have more familiarity with each other. Less formal doesn't automatically mean unclear, but also it's possible for people to forget, it's possible for people to not pay attention to what's there. It is possible to be new or so unfamiliar that some definitions can help. It's not necessarily an issue of balance, but it is an issue of clarity and love, it is personal and we want it to be that way as much as we can. This brief series on The Adulting Church is part of passing it on. We seek to equip and encourage so that all the saints are “speaking the truth in love…to grow up in ever...
Transcribe →Serving Saints
Apr 19Tap to summarizeServing SaintsOr, Building Up the Body in LoveWe're talking in this series about our purpose to see the church body blessed. We're talking about some of the principles behind the work. And we'll include some discussion on the particular practices that we're using, practices that should be consistent with the principles and purposes. Last week we considered the personal nature of the Great Commission, and even distinguished the category of discipleship proper. In this case the proper indicates the scope of focus more than a strict course to follow. Discipleship proper belongs with the ground war, and ground war complements the air war. Preaching and liturgy belong with the air war, one-on-one or at least living room conversations belong with the ground war. God's Word gives us more than one way to refer to our goal. Actually, God's Word teaches us more than one goal. As believers, the end is Christlikness, to be mature in Christ, to be faithful followers of Christ, which would include being able to reproduce ourselves like adults. As the church body, the end is also corporate maturity, loving truth and loving each other unto strength in unity under Christ as our Head. The Great Commission is a church-building project; where there are believers there should be body; many members one body. For that matter, the work of the church is a disciple-making project; where the church is healthy the Christians are healthy, and they raise their kids in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and they live as salt and light in a bland and blind world. Each year we spend some time focusing on our Lord's Day liturgy, not because it is the only important part of our practice, but because it is our uniquely group activity. We do have other practices, not to replace Sunday morning but to supplement the work, and that includes what we call Life to Life Groups. L2L groups are not quite air or ground, but they are a bridge and a catalyst for air and ground campaigns to be more effective. Growing Ministry Again, these are Bible-driven purposes, even if putting them into practice takes some Bible-informed wisdom. Just as there is no inspired, one-for-all order of service in Scripture, so there is no inspired, one-for-everyone scope and sequence of maturing as a disciple. Ephesians 4:11 and following does remind us that one of the reasons that God gives churches pastors and teachers is: to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. We're not trying to sneak things into this text, but there is a lot of work (ἔργον) and a good amount of freedom left to the pastors and teachers to figure out how to proceed with the work. The ministry is service (διακονίας); to serve is to provide, to serve is to be of use in achieving something. As we meditate together on this, what is your purpose for serving and what are the different ways you can serve? As for the goal, that's clear. As for the methods, that is less clear only because it’s less limited. The paragraph answers why we serve: the good of our fellow body-members, and even more, the good of the group. We have a reputation as a church, we have strengths and weaknesses as a church, not just as persons who confess that Jesus is Lord. Jesus is saving men and women, and He is sanctifying a collective Bride. In Ephesians 4:12-16 we’re looking for: building up the body we all attaining the unity of faith we all attaining the knowledge of the Son of God together getting to mature manhood together getting to the stature of the fulness of Christ adults, not children growing up in every way into Christ each part working properly the body grows the body is built up in love The bookends, so to speak, are the built up (εἰς οἰκοδομὴν verse 12 and 16). This is the ministry: edification/building/strengthening of each unto the building up of the whole. So how do you, can you, work properly toward this purpose? Where does it happen? It doesn't happen in any one way or any one place. It also doesn't happen if you're not (ever) thinking about it or trying to do something. One reason the elders resist giving too many specific methods is because it is very easy for people to think that "serving" only happens at certain times and places (which note, is following the example of Paul even in the passage). Maybe you’ve heard, if the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Let’s modify that: everything should be for building up the body so use whatever tool you have. Equipping Ministry The saints must be equipped to sacrifice in service, and what's the plan for that? What tools and tactics can/should be employed? What training and opportunities are there? Pastors/elders/shepherds should be the first-step-takers. But even though we have a plurality of elders, we cannot accomplish life-on-life, discipleship proper, with each person in the assembly. In fact, the only women we meet regularly with one-on-one are our wives and daughters. But we can be responsible to oversee, both in providing and protecting, directing and defending, the extension of that work. And to the degree that we pull that off, we're successfully equipping the saints to multiply the serving beyond what the five of us could accomplish by ourselves. To treat pastors as the only level of leadership in the body is not only impractical, it actually misses the point of Ephesians 4:12. When we examine Jesus' life, serving, teaching, and exampling, we see that He did not spend the same amount of time with every individual. He did not refuse to talk with anyone, but He did not invest with equality. The principle He modeled is focus on the few to reach the many. And here we are today, even though Jesus had 11 faithful men, among whom 3 were more on the inner circle, at least according to how many times they are mentioned. The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman traces Jesus' steps and is must read material. So our pastors are not hermetically sealed off from any particular sheep in the field. And also, for strategy's sake, we give more consideration to some men more than others. That next group are mostly, though not entirely, made up of those we refer to as L2L leaders. We have some addition meetings, discussions, and actually even qualifications for that group of men. We're investing a lot of our equipping dollars in that group, so that they can also invest in more men themselves. L2L groups are also not really places for discipleship proper, though we do anticipate that some discipleship proper relationships will be connected to L2Ls. L2Ls help us with the shepherding of how the saints are building one another up. Conclusion Children (see that language in Ephesians 4:14) tend to struggle more with being 1) gullible, 2) fearful, 3) selfish, 4) immature. The work of the ministry is to encourage each other, speaking the truth in love, unto spiritual maturity, to manhood, to no longer being children. Again, try to consider how an entire church might be like a child, or like an adult. Let’s be an Adulting Church.
Transcribe →Discipleship Proper
Apr 12Tap to summarizeDiscipleship ProperOr, The Groundwork of the Church’s GrowthFor a number of reasons it’s time to give some refreshers about the small group part of our church trellis. The last time we had any sermons on Life to Life groups was 2012, and, that's actually a long time ago. We have also been working to re-evaluate and clarify the purpose for our Life to Life leaders, as well as the expectations for current leaders and the process for identifying and onboarding future leaders. So this short break from Luke will have some reminders, give some categories and some standard operating principles. I’m thinking about calling this series: The Adulting Church. If we rephrased Ephesians 4:16, "when each life is working properly, [it] makes the body life grow so that it builds itself up in love." We’re moving from our teen years into “mature manhood” (Ephesians 4:13). Today we're going to consider where that mindset comes from and our general strategy for developing the life of Christ in our body. This is the work of shepherding, it is the work of disciple-making, the work of the ministry. There are principles and purpose, then there are the persons and the tactics. It's Not Business, It's Personal When Jesus commanded His disciples to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19), what steps do you think that disciple-making project took in the disciples' minds? It certainly is NOT exactly the same as what we're doing in the 21st century church, though, that's not entirely a bad thing. For obvious historical and technological reasons, the 1st century disciples could not have imagined the world-wide-web that enables almost instantaneous and global transmission of the gospel. Church web sites, Christian blogs and tweets and #blessed signs at Hobby Lobby, free sermon mp3 downloads and podcasts to carry in one's pocket, live-cast conference videos and DVD sets, any one of those things would have blown their minds. The book as we know its format wasn't even printed for another 1400 years after the apostles, and radio broadcasts were another almost 500 years after that. While Israelite men travelled to Jerusalem every year for the Passover “conference,” making disciples did not involve flying in celebrity pastors or flying to hear said speakers gathered for national Bible-centered conferences. The disciples could not have imagined 2000 years worth of accumulated commentaries and devotional helps that fill the library shelves of laymen (or their Bible apps, or asking AI), let alone seminary trained book nerds. No doubt they would covet (an allowable Christian practice) our ability to travel with relative ease to all nations, to communicate so broadly and so quickly, even while we're sleeping, and to learn about Christ with a completed canon, let alone to stand on generations of study-ers and writers, and hear sermons in our comfortable corporate gathering spots for Lord's day services. They would say we have very favorable conditions for making disciples. I think they would also say we're not doing very good/well at making disciples. The primary reason is because: making disciples is personal. The Great Commission Think about the personal implications of the Great Commission. “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19–20 ESV) Going in Person. "Go" or “while going" is different than writing or calling or publishing. The "feet of those who preach the good news" are beautiful (Romans 10:15) because the feet go along with mouth that belong to the person that brings the gospel. The Practice of μαθητεύω. The disciples would have thought about making disciples as they thought about being disciples. A disciple was "one who was constantly associated with someone who had a particular set of views" (μαθητής, BAGD). A disciple listened to the master or teacher and learned from him because he was there with him. They had been following a Person for three years when He gave them this assignment. The Ordinance of Baptism. Forget for a moment what baptism pictures (identifying with the Person of Christ and with the persons of His Body), just consider the act itself. A book can't baptize anybody, a pulpit or sermon download can't either. It takes at least two persons: a dunk-er and a dunk-ee. There are no remote or online baptisms, nor is it part of a person's quiet time. Teaching to Obey. In the discipleship process, the object of teaching is only learning to the degree that the learning leads to living. In knowledge terms, the demons know theology more accurately than we do and not because they’ve read Calvin's Institutes. A podcast may describe, in a general way, what you should do, but it cannot demonstrate for you what obedience looks like in the wild. A website cannot watch to see if you obeyed, or provide suggestions for next time, or confront you on disobedience. The disciples learned what discipleship looked like from their Discipler. When Jesus "called to Him those whom He desired...He appointed twelve so that they might be with Him and he might send them out to preach" (Mark 3:13-14). He appointed them to hang out with Himself. Yes, He taught and ministered to the masses. But by far, most of His time and attention was personally invested in 12 ordinary men. Paul's Ministry The apostle Paul, author of the majority of the New Testament, also understood and practiced teaching "in public and from house to house" (Acts 20:20, and see the record of his meeting with the elders in Ephesus in Acts 20:17-35). Paul was committed to "the gospel of the grace of God" (v.24). He "did not shrink from declaring...the whole counsel of God" (v.27). He commended the Ephesians "to God and to the word of His grace which is able to build...up and give...an inheritance among all those who are sanctified" (v.32). He loved him some truth. He loved him the Bible; he was writing (some of) it! So, why bother going to be with them? Why bother living "among" them (v.18)? Why live with them so long, for three years (v.31)? Why work "night and day" (v.31)? Why was he crying over them (v.31)? Because, while it is important to "preach the word" (2 Timothy 4:2), and while God may make large group preaching effective, making disciples is personal. How would Paul know if his declaration was "profitable" (v.20)? Why was teaching "house to house" necessary? Because each house had individual needs, whether they knew that they needed (let alone wanted) help or not. Air War and Ground War Spurgeon once wrote that "Illustrations, like windows, let light into the chambers of the mind." That is very true. Windows are also easier to throw bricks through, so I'm aware that this illustration will break at certain pressure points. Perhaps the best analogy I've heard for distinguishing between public and personal elements of making disciples, while also recognizing the benefits of both, is to think about it in terms of the air war and the ground war. From Acts 20:20, ministry that is public and from house to house. The air war, or air campaign, illustrates large scale efforts, both with remote launching of explosives and blanket distributing of provisions. Corporate services, and then books and websites can cover a lot of people. Preachers fire gospel missiles from the pulpit that target sin. They also drop spiritual food and medication for hurting souls. As I said earlier, our air war arsenal is far more abundant than the disciples could ask or imagine. But the air war, by definition, can only be so effective because it can only get so close. The ground war or ground campaign represents more small scale, careful and incisive movement. Again, this includes both close-range gospel confrontation and personal gospel care. A sermon might demolish one house of sin and leave the neighbor's house standing. A door-to-door deployment is harder to avoid, and a face-to-face question is a harder to dodge. You can, but it's more difficult at close range. Likewise, having a first-aid kit is great, unless you can't get to it or don't know what to do with it. Troops on the ground carry out disciple-making objectives in close quarters. An air war could write a constitution but not by itself establish government or better living conditions. Which is better? For sake of making disciples, is the air campaign or the ground campaign more important? We shouldn't need to ask the question. If both were available and coordinated toward the same objective, would we really ask which is better? Why not both? Do you want cake or ice cream? Yes! The two approaches complement each other. This isn't a competition; we're on the same side (or at least we should be). There's certainly room for, and benefits of, both. Can you imagine why a pilot would be threatened by a foot soldier wearing the same colors, or visa versa? The two should work together, each appreciating the benefits the other provides. I'm more confident when I'm on the ground knowing that I've got air support. When I'm in the air I'm more hopeful knowing that someone is following-up (cleaning up) on the ground. Which is harder? I think the air war is more expensive; it takes more e...
Transcribe →Baptisms - April 5 - 2026
Apr 5Tap to summarizeBaptisms - April 5 - 2026In order of testimonies: Julia Sarr (01:57) Lucy Monnie (06:58) Henry Monnie (10:44) Selah Lugg (13:31)
Transcribe →Peace to You
Apr 5Tap to summarizePeace to YouOr, The Comfort and Commission of the Risen Lord JesusIf you’d seen your Master crucified on Friday, what would you want to hear on Sunday? According to Peter and John, Jesus' tomb was empty (John 20:1-10). Then Mary Magdalene came and said she had seen the Lord and that He gave her a message about ascending to heaven (John 20:11-18). If any seed of hope started to grow in your heart that Jesus was alive again, what would you want to hear Jesus say? Remember that when the authorities arrested Him, you ran. The shepherd was struck and the sheep scattered (Matthew 26:31). Which would be heavier: your grief or your guilty conscience? What if Jesus really is alive? What will He think of how you handled the last few days? The disciples only had to wait until Sunday evening to find out. What Jesus says first is not quite "Peace be with you," as the ESV translates, but more precisely, "Peace to you." The Greek (εἰρήνη ὑμῖν) may assume a verb, but it’s compact. Jesus is not expressing a wish; may peace be with you. He is making a declaration. The risen Lord who just purchased peace is now announcing it to the men who abandoned Him. And what is this peace? A feeling of calm? That starts to scratch it. It’s not the absence of all conflict; there is great trouble, sorrow, and fear all around. Peace in verse 19 corresponds to shalom, a word of wholeness, of harmony. It describes a certainty that the important things are in the right place, and the rest of the things don’t matter or will be arranged in place at the right time. When Jesus stands before His frightened disciples and declares "Peace to you," He is saying: the thing that was broken between you and God is now fixed. I fixed it. It is finished, and here I am to prove it. In verses 19-20 John emphasizes the comfort of this peace. In verses 21-23 John describes the commission that flows from it. The Comfort of Resurrection Peace (verses 19-20) Jesus makes clear both His resurrection and His attitude toward them. On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. (John 20:19–20) On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the disciples were together behind locked doors... for fear of the Jews. Having arrested and crucified Jesus, would the Jewish authorities hunt down His followers? The disciples met together rather than separating, but not in the open. Then Jesus came and stood among them. John doesn't say Jesus walked through the doors or simply appeared. Somehow, in a miraculous way, Jesus came through the physical barriers. The reason the disciples locked the doors is fear. Jesus appearing among them was startling if not a new reason to fear what He would say to them. And he said to them, "Peace to you." Jesus promised this peace on Thursday night: "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you" (John 14:27a). He immediately followed that by saying, "Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, 'I am going away, and I will come to you'" (verses 27b-28a). He's back just as He said. He didn't take His peace away from them, He secured it for them. What a burden of grief He could have laid on them. Instead, peace first. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and side. This confirms three things. First, Jesus' identity. He is the same one who had been crucified and pierced on Friday. Second, Jesus' bodily resurrection. The disciples were seeing Him in the flesh, not a vision. Third, Jesus' peace. This is what makes His declaration so thick. His wounds bought and brought peace with God (see Isaiah 53:5). The scars are the proof of purchase; He made “peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:20). Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. They should have rejoiced. Jesus was alive, He was with them, and He declared peace to them even though they had deserted Him. The risen Lord replaced their confusion, their conviction, and their cowering with the comfort of one word: peace. The Commission of Resurrection Peace (verses 21-23) Jesus makes clear His intent to use them going forward. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (John 20:21–22) Jesus restates His message: again, "Peace to you." The repetition means more than Hello. His wounds purchased their peace with God. Peace is a reason to rejoice. And peace comes with responsibility to announce it to others. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. Jesus already prayed this in their hearing (John 17:18). He hadn’t abandoned His plan even though they had abandoned Him. He commissions them. And He supports their commission: he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit." The peace that comforted them now compels them. They are not merely recipients of His peace, He sends them as representatives of it. “This peace is not merely to fortify the hearts of the disciples amid all the enmity and hatred of the world; they are to be possessors of the Lord's peace because as his witnesses and messengers they are to dispense this very gift of peace in a peaceless world.” (Lenski, p. 1369) Conclusion There is no greater comfort and no more compelling commission than what the risen Jesus gave that Sunday evening. He found His men fearful and hiding. He declared them forgiven and showed them the proof of His victory. Then He sent them out. We have reasons to rejoice this Easter morning. Because the tomb is empty, death has no final claim on those who belong to Jesus. Peace to you! Because He showed His wounds, we know the price has been paid in full, not partially, not provisionally, but completely. Peace to you! Because He said "Peace to you" to men who had abandoned Him, we know that His grace is faithful. It does not shatter when we fail. Peace to you! And because He sent those same failures out as His messengers, we know that our usefulness to God does not depend on our track record but on His resurrection. Peace to you! The peace Jesus declared that evening is the same peace He declares to everyone receiving Him. It is not a wish. It is a fact, accomplished by His death and confirmed by His rising. It is for you who believe, it is for your children who believe. It is for our comfort, it is our commission from our risen Lord. Peace to you! Charge Jesus is risen from the dead, so all who believe in Him have peace. MEDITATE on peace. "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts" (Colossians 3:15). MEDIATE this peace. We preach the “good news of peace through Jesus Christ (he is Lord of all)” (Acts 10:36). Peace to you! Benediction: Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21 ESV)
Transcribe →The King of Peace
Mar 29Tap to summarizeThe King of PeaceThe best form of government is a Monarchy. The history of the West, long before America's War for Independence, has gone through all sorts of political strife and structures. We're born into one political system and think that's the way it's always been. But a Constitutional Republic - the sort that we're blessed with in America - is a very recent endeavor in our overall historical narrative. The West has tried on all sorts of political clothes. Our current system of modern liberty is pretty new, and can trace its roots to the Protestant Reformation. John Calvin summarized the basic options we have when it comes to government institutions: a Monarchy, an Aristocracy, or a Democracy. Samuel Rutherford wrote Lex Rex, arguing for a Constitutional limited government. John Locke expounded on the people's consent. And James Madison put a lot of that together when he drafted much of the United States Constitution. Today we enjoy the blessings of these ideas in consequence. A Constitutional Republic with limited government is the best form of government we've had on this side of Adam's rebellion. We have had to try on all these political clothes, dressing and changing, because men are sinners. In Federalist 51, James Madison writes, If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. (Federalist 51) And yet, men are not angels. Men are depraved. Limited authority is the best bet we have when having to deal with the sinful ambitions of men. And so, we argue and debate, filibuster and freeze budgets, vote and elect. It limits sin, yes. But it also limits righteousness. It limits the good a righteous ruler may intend to do. It's necessary, yes. And it's all extremely inefficient and exhausting. And, even with all of the checks and balances, how much evil still gets through? That's why I believe the best form of government is a Monarchy... as long as you have an inherently wise and fully righteous monarch. If there was no sin, the most efficient and productive form of government would be a monarch ruling with expediency, building for the good of his constituents. And that's what we will have in King Jesus. He will rule as a Monarch, an Emperor. There will be no need for our votes controlling folly; no need for our political theory controlling sinful ambition. We will not be poor subjects waiting for permission from a power-hungry tyrant. No, we will rule as kings. We will build, make decisions, and bear productive fruit. But we will be kings within his Empire, laying down our crowns at his feet. There will be no sin and no strife. We will live in the Kingdom of Peace, with the King of Peace at its helm. What a day that will be. And that King of Peace reveals himself by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey colt some 2000 years ago. For this Palm Sunday, we're going to review that scene from Luke chapter 19, verses 28-44. I'm going to pull 3 main points out of this section. It's 3 points about the King. The King Reveals Himself (28-35) We typically associate the Triumphal Entry with Jesus coming into town like he normally would, and a spontaneous crowd bursts out into praise. But that's not what we see happen here. Jesus is not a passive actor in this scene, simply receiving praise. Not at all. Jesus is the one who sets the entire scene up. He's the protagonist. Jesus sent 2 disciples to bring the colt that he knew was ready for him. And to make sure the owners knew it, they were told, "The Lord has need of it." Jesus then sits on this colt and rides it into the city. This is the only recorded moment in the 4 gospels when Jesus rides an animal. So, no, this was not just another normal stroll into town that was interrupted by the crowd. Like an effective politician, he set this up. Jesus was not responding to what they were doing. They were responding to what he was doing. He planned this. He organized it. He made it happen. Jesus intended for exactly this to occur. Jesus was revealing himself to be the King the prophets spoke of, in line with the prophecy from Zechariah 9:9. Him organizing for a colt to be ready for him to enter Jerusalem is on purpose. This is a symbolic act to show the people that he is their king. Where earlier he would tell people not to make him known, here he is very explicit in his communication. He's proclaiming himself to be the Messiah. He is revealing himself to be the long-awaited, rightful King of Israel. The prophecy in Zechariah tells us what the colt was supposed to demonstrate - humility. Yes, there will be a time when King Jesus will enter on a great white horse. But this entry is introducing the humble king. So humble, in fact, that not only is he riding a donkey, but he's riding the colt of a donkey - an animal that has not even been prepared to be ridden. The colt demonstrates the humility of the king. But don't let his humility deceive you. He very much is the King. He has revealed himself to be. And he receives worthy praise. The King Receives Praise (36-40) This multitude is acknowledging Jesus as "the King who comes in the name of the Lord." They publicly proclaimed him to be. "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!" The crowds exclaim. This was indeed pretty risky for Jesus. This is not a private confession, as was Peter's. This is a public rally heralding Jesus as the Son of David - the rightful King of the Jews. The religious leaders are based in Jerusalem. King Herod is in Jerusalem. If Jesus didn't want to draw this sort of attention, he would've told the disciples to cut it out. But the exact opposite happens. Not only was it Jesus' initiative to make a scene here, when the Pharisees tell him to make his disciples stop, he rejects their demand. Jesus approves of the behavior of the crowd, and says it must happen. "It's either them or the stones." I don't think the stones crying out would have helped the Pharisees' case. Again, the King is the protagonist. He's not passive. The emphasis is to be put on Jesus revealing himself and receiving their praise. He set it up to happen. And he approves of it happening. The King Pronounces Judgement (41-44) Luke is the only one who records this part of the Triumphal Entry about Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Jesus approaches Jerusalem as the rightful King of Israel. He receives the welcome and praise, but he knows what's about to happen. He knows that the leaders of the city, along with many in it, will reject him. They will do so because they don't know the things that make for peace. The things that make for peace were hidden from their eyes, and so they did not know the time of their visitation. This is where many commentators, I believe, mistake what's happening. They claim that the Jews misunderstood the nature of the Messiah's rule. If they would have seen that the rule of the Messiah was to be spiritual, with a spiritual kingdom, they would have received their King. Except that the context of Zechariah is about a physical kingdom, not a spiritual, non-political one. You can't eisegete the text and call it exegesis. And the most common title for the awaited for king of Israel - the Messiah - is the "Son of David." Where was David's throne? On earth. So, where will the Son of David's throne be? On earth. The "Son of David" is not a heavenly title. So, no, Jesus' rule should not be reduced to a spiritual reality. Jesus' claim was and is political. The Jews did not misunderstand the nature of his rule. What they misunderstood was its means. The rule of the Messiah was, indeed, going to be physical. But the way he was going to bring about his physical reign was through spiritual means. He was going to build it inside-out. The cup would be washed on the inside, so that the outside would be clean. The Kingdom of the Son of David will be brought about through changed hearts turning to him for forgiveness and cleansing - a people made new. The Kingdom of the Son of David is more than physical, but it isn't less. And because the Jews reject their King, they are judged by the King. Because they did not know the things that make for peace, they will not have peace. What Makes for Peace Notice how Luke introduces the Triumphal Entry. Right before Jesus entering Jerusalem, Luke tells us about Jesus' Parable of the Ten Minas. We usually remember the nobleman who gave minas to his servants. But that parable also included citizens who lived on the nobleman's lands who "hated him" and said, "We do not want this man to reign over us." And the very last verse of that parable is the nobleman dealing with these citizens, whom he now calls his enemies. Luke bookends the Triumphal Entry with the parable of the nobleman slaughtering his enemies who didn't want him to reign over them, and with Jesus weeping over Jerusalem because it rejected the things that make for peace. Luke's depiction of the Triumphal Entry and Israel's rejection of its King is him playing out that section of the Parable of the Ten Minas in real time. What makes for peace? What does peace have to do with government? Peace is the end of government. That's the entire point of good politics. Peace for its constituents is the ultimate objective of the government institution, whether it be a monarchy, aristocracy, or democracy. The reason we want our God-given rights secured, the reason we want justice upheld, is so that we can have peace. Without rights secured, there is only tyranny. Without justice, there is only strife. Without the preservation of life, li...
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