Sunday, January 25, 2008
BAPTISM: DAVID & STEPHEN BAGWELL
I know that this question will arise. No doubt, some of you have already been asking it. The question goes like this: “Is it really possible that these two young men had not been saved until recent days?” How could that be? We saw them here with us week in and week out. And no one had to handcuff them to get them here. They increasingly expressed a strong interest in the Lord and in His Word. Last year when we went to the mall to share Christ with others, they went with us. Surely they must be mistaken; surely they were His children all along.
Rhonda reminded me of a similar situation. (Rhonda has to remind me of lots of things). My sister Tami was in college. She came to believe with all her heart that she had never been saved, though she was baptized when she was young, had seemed to be a vital part of the church, and lived what others would view as a Christian life. An older lady in her church, a lady who was a Bible teacher, expressed this opinion: “If Tami wasn’t a Christian, then none of us are Christians.” Perhaps some of you feel that way about David and Stephen.
So is it possible that they were only recently saved? David and Stephen certainly believe so, as they have already expressed. We might also mention that David and Stephen were not pressured when they were young, neither by their parents nor by others in this congregation. And they were not extremely young when they were baptized. David was eleven; Stephen was thirteen. By all appearances, they had repented and believed the gospel.
So what about it? We must be reminded that man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart (I Sam. 16:7). It is very possible for people to be fooled. The individual himself may even be fooled. I remind you again of the many who will say to Jesus on the last day, “Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name? and in your name cast out demons? And in your name do many wonderful works?” (Mt. 7:22). To them Jesus will say, “I never knew you; depart from me, you who work iniquity” (7:23). Consider Judas Iscariot. By all appearances, he was as much a follower of Jesus as the other eleven. He went everywhere they went and did everything they did. When Jesus announced on that last night that one of them would betray Him, not one of them said, “I suspect it’s Judas.” No, instead, they all said, “Is it I?” And yet Judas was a devil all along (according to Jesus’ words in John 6:70).
So we must admit that it is indeed possible for a person to give great outward evidence of knowing the Lord when he does not. That is the testimony of David and Stephen. But this obviously hasn’t been easy for David and Stephen, for they confess that they were born again in April (David) and in October (Stephen). The distance between their believing and their baptism is not the norm. May God give us grace to deal with this in a way that will bring glory to His name.
So how do we respond to their testimony? How do we handle this kind of situation? Let me suggest a twofold response. First of all, we rejoice. Last Sunday we talked about joy, and now the Lord has given a great occasion for rejoicing. It’s true that even if the building had burned this week and five of us had been killed, it would still be occasion for rejoicing, for every situation is an occasion for rejoicing in Him. Nevertheless. God has chosen this particular set of circumstances, and we thank Him for them.
Let’s read it from Luke 15:1-10…
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. 2. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. 3. And he spake this parable unto them, saying, 4. What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? 5. And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 7. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. 8. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? 9. And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 10. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Jesus said that there is more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner that repents than over 99 that need no repentance. Who are the 99 that need no repentance? In this situation, surely they represent the Pharisees. But didn’t the Pharisees need to repent? Of course, they did, but they didn’t think so. The Pharisees saw no need of repentance in their own lives. As a result, the angels couldn’t rejoice over them. But make no mistake about it, the angels of God rejoice over one sinner who repents. If there is such joy in heaven, shouldn’t there be great joy among God’s people on earth!
Perhaps another question might arise: Can a person be baptized more than once? No, not really. As a person is born into the kingdom once, so he can testify to that spiritual birth by baptism only once. But weren’t David and Stephen both baptized in the past? If they hadn’t received the life of Christ, then it wasn’t baptism. The outward performance has no validity if there is no inward reality.
Brothers and sisters, let’s not let the past take away from the joy of this baptism today. This is no less true baptism because they went through the motions in the past. This is an occasion for great rejoicing in the Lord. And even if some of you struggle with David and Stephen’s understanding of the situation, rejoice in the fact that today these young men are seeking the Lord with all their hearts.
Now let’s consider the second aspect of our response. It is impossible to celebrate with David and Stephen without entertaining this question: “If David and Stephen weren’t truly saved until recent days, could there be others in the same situation? Could there be others who have professed faith in the Lord but who do not possess His life?” Don’t stop there; let’s take it personally and then ask, “Could I be one of those?” While that is not a question we need to be asking every day of our lives, we are indeed commanded to examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the faith (II Cor. 13:5). So let’s allow the Lord to search our hearts this morning, even as we rejoice with David and Stephen.
I confess that this is not an easy thing. Our purpose is not to stir up needless doubting and false guilt. If you belong to Him, may the Lord give you a quiet but strong assurance of that reality. On the other hand, if there is no assurance, let’s take heed and cry out to God.
This morning we will share with David and Stephen the experience of being baptized. Baptism is one of the means of preaching the gospel. Instead of using words, baptism employs a picture. The one who is baptized preaches a powerful sermon, even if he doesn’t speak a single word.
So what is it that is pictured by baptism? Let’s read it again in Rom. 5:19-6:5…
For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21. That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. 1. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 2. God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? 3. Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
It cannot be denied that baptism is an act of faith and obedience on the part of the one being baptized. How can one follow Jesus and not be obedient to what He says in Mat 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." The pattern in Acts is found in 18:8, “[They] believed and were baptized” (see also Acts 8:12,37-38; 16:31-33).
It seems that Jesus’ own baptism had something to do with this faith and obedience. It certainly had nothing to do with washing His sins away, for He had none. While baptism isn’t the actual washing away of sins, Jesus’ own example underscores the truth of how important baptism is. Jesus Himself said that He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. And why was it right for Him to be baptized? The voice which descended upon Him when He came up out of the water said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17). “This is my beloved Son,” quoted from Ps. 2:7, affirmed that Jesus would indeed be God’s royal king, even as he would fulfill the royal Psalm. “In whom I am well pleased,” quoted from Isaiah 42:1, further clarifies that the road to His kingship would be the road of suffering and death, even as Isaiah 42 is one of those “suffering servant” passages. When Jesus was baptized, it’s as if He were saying, “Father, I receive all that you have for me. I submit myself to you fully and openly.”
So Stephen and David, when you are baptized this morning, you are doing so in submission to the Father. You are testifying that you want to please the Father in all things, though it means walking on the narrow way of suffering.
But this morning we want to stress again what baptism pictures. Not only are you submitting to the Father in faith and obedience, but you are providing the occasion for one and all to see the gospel. Romans 6 speaks of being buried with Christ by baptism unto death and being raised up from death. Let us not forget that the death and resurrection here spoken of is first of all the death and resurrection of Jesus our Lord. There can be no question about that. Had He not died and rose again, none of us would have any hope of being raised to life.
When you are put down into the water, you will become the picture of Jesus’ death and burial. Jesus died on the cross. There He took your sins upon Himself. Your sins, as are mine, are evil and wicked. God cannot tolerate even the smallest of your sins. Those sins made you the enemy of God. You deserve His eternal judgment and wrath. But praise God that Jesus died. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way, and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is. 53:6). Jesus endured the wrath of God, that you might not have to.
When you go down into that water, you will be cut off from everything around you. So it was for Jesus when He was on that cross; He was cut off from His Father. Out of that horrifying anguish, He cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He who had had perfect fellowship with God the Father forever and ever was not cut off. That is the ugliness of sin.
But praise God that Jesus didn’t stay in that grave. When you are raised up out of that water, you will picture the resurrection of Jesus our Lord.
Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph o’er His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain,
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose; He arose. Hallelujah! Christ arose!
It’s not just a song; it’s reality. The resurrection was the Father’s stamp of approval upon the life and death of His Son. Just as Jesus had said, it was finished. Everything was done, that we might have life through His name.
David and Stephen, we are baptizing you today because you are testifying that you have indeed received life through Jesus’ name, through His death and resurrection. According to Rom. 8:29, Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. Jesus was the first to be raised to die no more, but He by no means the last. As He put it, “Because I live, ye shall live also” (Jn. 14:19).
When you are put down into the water, you are bearing testimony that you died with Christ. Paul goes on to say here in Romans 6 that you were crucified with Christ. You died to the old way of life. And when you are raised up out of the water, you are bearing testimony that you have been raised to walk in newness of life. That new life is none other than the life of Christ. As Paul says in Gal. 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless, I live, yet not, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Our skeptical minds want to cry out and say, “No, it’s a fairytale. We haven’t really been given the life of Christ. He can’t really live His life through us. That’s too much to ask.” Skeptical minds, remember the power of the resurrection. How much power did it take for God to raise Jesus up out of the grave? Now I remind you of the great truth of Ephesians 1. Paul prayed that the eyes of their hearts (“understanding” in the KJV) might be enlightened so that they would know among other things “what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places…” (Eph. 1:18-20). Did you hear that? The same power that God used to raise up Christ has been made available to us who trust Him. It isn’t just power, but the exceeding greatness of His power, His mighty power. David and Stephen, I pray for you, and for all of us, that we may indeed know the exceeding greatness of that power in our lives for His glory!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
"His Commandments Are Not Grievous" -- 1/20/08
Sunday, January 20, 2008
HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS
I John 5:3
Last week our study could well be entitled: "Don’t Let Go of the Eternal." Jesus said, "Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto eternal life" (Jn. 6:27). No one can argue with that counsel, because we know that these physical bodies are going to die, and we also know that the physical food we eat will not sustain us a single day past the grave. So by all means, let’s spend ourselves for the meat which endures to eternal life. And what is that meat? It is Jesus, the one who went on to say, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall life forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (Jn. 6:51).
We learned from the experience of Esau that it is very possible to grasp the temporary meat that perishes and forsake the eternal. Esau was very hungry and listened to the cry of his flesh. He sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. He forfeited his rich spiritual heritage in order to satisfy his immediate hunger. God’s Word then records this brief but sobering message: "…and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:34). That is, he counted it as nothing. He regarded it as having less value than a bowl of soup. No wonder the writer of Hebrews refers to him as a profane man, a man that valued the common and despised the eternal.
Out of those passages, we emphasized our need to focus on the eternal. II Cor 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
We also acknowledged that such a focus in this world is not easy. Our five senses are bombarded by a powerful message that tells us to enjoy the here and now, because that is all we have. I pointed out three persuasive tools the enemy uses to derail our eternal focus. They are food, possessions, and entertainment. And guess what, those temptations will not be toned down in the days ahead; no, they will scream out with even more intensity.
Good News – God’s Commandments Are Not Burdensome
This morning I want to remind us of a great truth from the scripture. It comes out of I John 5:3, "…his commandments are not grievous." God’s commandments are not grievous. Most modern translations (including NKJV) render the word "burdensome," and that is the idea. The word literally means "heavy." God’s commandments are not heavy to bear.
We find this same word used in Matthew 23, where Jesus says of the scribes and Pharisees, "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers" (Matt. 23:4). That word translated "heavy" is the same word that is "grievous" in I John 5:3. It is religious men whose commandments are heavy and burdensome. Jesus also spoke of the burden He gives. Do you remember? Let’s read it in Matt. 11:28-30…
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The word "burden" (fortion) is exactly the same word that is used in Matt. 23:4 of the burden that the Pharisees put on men, but there is one great difference. The burden the Pharisees bind on others is heavy; the burden Jesus gives us is light. God’s commands are not heavy; they are not burdensome.
Isn’t that good news? Isn’t it good to know that God has not burdened us down with His commandments? Are we struggling a bit with that concept? Did the things I shared with you last week seem to constitute a heavy burden? Are those things too heavy to bear? From more than one source I have heard hints of such. I want us to think about that this morning. If those things are truly burdensome, then they are not from God, because His commands are not burdensome.
We could have sited a number of direct commands to go with the last week’s message. For example, in that context we could have quoted I John 2:15-17…
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
We could have just as easily quoted Rom. 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Are those commands burdensome? They can’t be, because they come from the Lord God. And yet, if we don’t have a good understanding, such commands can seem burdensome. Is it a hard thing not to love the world, not to be squeezed into its mold?
Now let me give you a little reminder. John did not say, "His promises are not grievous (burdensome)." Rather, he said, "His commandments are not grievous (burdensome)." John chose his words carefully. The commands God gives us are not burdensome.
Rejoice, Even in the Midst of Suffering
Let’s begin in I Peter. Let me remind you that I Peter is a letter about suffering. We find references to suffering for Jesus’ sake all through this letter. I won’t take you to all those references, but don’t take my word for it; find them for yourself. You will find that Peter wrote to Christians who were experiencing difficult trials. The amazing truth is that coupled closely with this context of suffering is a strong emphasis on rejoicing in the Lord. That makes no sense to the world. In the natural economy of man, suffering and rejoicing are opposites. Surely they can’t go together. Nevertheless, that is what we find in I Peter.
Let’s read I Pet. 1:3-9…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We greatly rejoice in the fact of our eternal inheritance in Christ. Now notice in verse 5, "though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations (trials)." Mark it down, it will be necessary for us to experience heaviness through various trials. It is of God, for it provides a testing of our faith. Peter speaks of trial by fire. But this trying of our faith is glorious, because it will ultimately bring praise and honor and glory when our Lord Jesus appears. Now listen again to verse 8, "Whom having not seen, you love; in whom though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Though we cannot see Jesus with the physical eye, though we are in the midst of great trials, as we continue to trust Him, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Now come to chapter 4. Let’s read I Pet. 4:12-14…
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Again, the context is considerable suffering, as this is a fiery trial. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t view such trial as being unusual. So what are we do in the face of such suffering? Rejoice, because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings. When Christ appears in His glory, our rejoicing will be even greater, as we will be glad with exceeding joy, but even now we rejoice in the fact that we can suffer for His sake. If we are insulted for the sake of Jesus, we are blessed ("happy" here is the word that is normally translated "blessed"), because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. Don’t miss the fact that we are blessed when we are mistreated for the sake of Christ.
Do you see? Peter paints a picture of rejoicing throughout his letter. Not only do we rejoice because of the eternal inheritance that awaits us, but we also rejoice because we suffer for the sake of our Lord. We find exactly the same thing when we read what Paul writes in Romans 5. Let’s read Rom. 5:1-2, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We rejoice in our confident expectation of the glory of
God that shall be revealed. But now listen to verses 3-5…
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
We rejoice in tribulations. This is the word that literally speaks of being squeezed. When we are squeezed by suffering, we rejoice, because we know that God is going to use this painful squeezing to conform us to the image of Jesus. We rejoice in the Lord, and that rejoicing is heightened through suffering.
We find the same message in Philippians. Many of you can quote Phil. 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice." Praise God for this command, which is certainly not burdensome, but we must put it in its proper context. Later in the same chapter, we are reminded that Paul was in prison. In chapter 1 he elaborates on this theme, assuring his readers that his imprisonment was for the furtherance of the gospel. Because Christ was preached as a result of his imprisonment, Paul rejoiced. Let’s read it in 1:18, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." Furthermore, Paul urged this same attitude in his Philippian borthers and sisters. 1:29, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Do you see it? When he commanded them to rejoice in the Lord, he was speaking to Christians who were being privileged to suffer for Christ’s sake.
James tells us the same thing in James 1:2-3, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." It wouldn’t seem to be joy, but we are to consider it joy. Why? Because we know that God has great purpose in it; He is using this testing to work patient endurance in us, and that will bring glory to God.
Joy’s Close Friendship with God’s Commandments
What am I saying? I am saying that true joy in the Lord is not a cheap happiness that depends on the circumstances. Rather, it is a joy that is furthered greatly by suffering on behalf of Christ.
Now let’s pause for a moment to ask a question or two. Come back to I Pet. 4:13, "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings…" So here is the question: What is it that will cause us to be partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Think about that for a little while. We partake of Christ’s sufferings, when we are identified closely with Jesus Himself. Isn’t that what Jesus was teaching when He said in John 15:18-21…
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Because of the close association between Jesus and those who belong to Him, their treatment will be essentially the same. The world will hate them.
Now comes a second question: What is it that constitutes this close identification with Jesus? First of all, let’s be clear on what does not bring this close identification. It is not the profession of the mouth. In other words, because a person says he is a Christian, that does not mean that he will be closely identified with Jesus and will suffer with the Lord. This is especially true in the society of 21st century America. People around us are very accustomed to hearing people profess Christ, and it doesn’t phase them much. In our society, profession means little. Why? Because people in our society have seen again and again those who profess Christ with the mouth but continue to live like the rest of the world.
So what is it that demonstrates this close identification with Jesus? Is it not the keeping of God’s commandments? Surely someone will say, "No, it is not the keeping of the commandments. Rather, it is loving God with all our heart. That is what identifies a believer with Jesus." I certainly can’t argue with that. However, be careful. If we don’t define the term "love," we will be led far astray. Many who profess the name of Jesus will also say, "I love the Lord with all my heart." But it isn’t the profession of the mouth that demonstrates our identification with Jesus.
Come back with me to the place where we started. We began with the words from I John 5:3, "…and his commandments are not grievous." But now let’s read the context of those words. I John 5:1-3…
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
There is much here, but focus on the words of verse 3. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." People will say, "But that is a life of drudgery. That will rob us of joy." Let people say what they want to say, we are interested in what the Word says.
Look at Jesus. No one can dispute the fact that Jesus suffered greatly and that Jesus had great joy. He said to His disciples in John 15:11, "These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full." We read of Jesus in Heb. 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame…" Notice that joy and the cross are not mutually exclusive, but they are linked closely together.
What was it that gave Jesus such joy? What was it that caused Him to suffer so much? Now I want to show you a powerful scriptural basis for the joy that was in Jesus. Come to Hebrews 1. We will be reading a quotation from Psalm 45:6-7. That passage is quoted almost word for word in Hebrews 1, where the writer is showing the vast superiority of Jesus over the angels. Let’s read Heb. 1:8-9…
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
You will notice in this passage that God the Father addresses Christ the Son as "God." That’s because Jesus is God, and has always been God. Then in verse 9, the Father speaks of Himself as God, even as the God of the Son. Though we may not have perfect understanding, let there be no question that Jesus is indeed God. That is the emphasis of this chapter. Having said that, let’s come back to verse 9 and ask the question again: "What was it that gave Jesus such great joy? It was the fact that He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. This is placed beyond dispute by the use of the word "therefore." "Therefore (because you have loved righteousness and hated iniquity), God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above those around you. He has given you supreme joy."
What is it that caused people to hate Jesus? It was His love for righteousness and His hatred of iniquity. Jesus could have been a highly-respected, well-loved teacher in Israel. Remember, after He fed the 5,000, the people wanted to make Him king. But Jesus couldn’t go along with them, because He loved righteousness. And that righteousness was nothing less than the perfect will of the Father. He couldn’t compromise; because He loved the Father, He must do what was right, whatever the Father wanted. It was the living out of that conviction that got Him into deep trouble. Don’t miss the fact that the same thing that brought Him joy from the Father was the thing that caused Him to suffer at the hands of men.
Is there any connection? Could it be the same with us? Back to I Pet. 4:13, " But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings." They partook of Christ’s sufferings because they loved righteousness and hated iniquity, because they took seriously the will of God and the keeping of His commandments. We see this back in 4:4, "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." The world didn’t think it strange that they professed Christ, but that their lives were changed. They no longer loved iniquity; now they loved righteousness.
Joy and Eternity
Last week we talked about the importance of an eternal focus. I suggest to you that such a focus is both a cause for suffering and a gateway to joy in the Lord. We have already seen the joy that it brought to Jesus. "Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross…" (Heb. 12:2).
I must ask you a question: What exactly is the eternal focus? We read about it earlier from II Cor. 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The unseen things are eternal. And what are the unseen things? They are defined most clearly by Paul’s own words in Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Ultimately, the eternal focus is turning our eyes upon Jesus. He is the eternal one. He Himself is eternal life, according to I John 1:2. The eternal focus is not only looking to the distant future, but looking to the Christ who is our all in all, both now and forever. When I look to Jesus, worship Him, depend on Him, I am focusing on eternity.
But what does that have to do with joy? Everything. What did Paul command us to do in Phil. 4:4? He commanded us to rejoice, but that is only half the truth. Paul also revealed the source of that joy, when he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always." For the child of God, all true joy is in the Lord. We see that truth demonstrated in Paul’s own life. Acts 20:24, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." It is obvious that Paul was focusing on eternity. That is why he was not moved by the sufferings that were awaiting him. Listen to his words toward the very end of his life. II Tim. 4:6-8…
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Listen especially to Rom 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." We find the same attitude in the apostles in Acts 5:41, "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."
Now I admit that there are many things in life that bring a smile. When I hear someone say, "I saw three deer on the way to Cloudcroft." Being of almost normal intelligence, I immediately wonder how the speaker knows those three deer were on their way to Cloudcroft. I enjoy going out and playing an invigorating tennis match. Those are some of the simple pleasures of life, but none of those things can compare with joy in Christ. While I may engage in those other activities from time to time, my joy is in Christ. And when we find our joy in Christ, we want to focus on Him more and more. And the more we focus on Him, the greater our joy. And when suffering comes, we find that it only increases our joy, because we draw close to Jesus.
The key to this whole concept of joy is in asking this question: What is the source of my joy? To the degree that my joy is found in Christ, His commandments will not be burdensome and the eternal focus will be my delight. The problem is that our enemy, aided by our religious society, is marketing a counterfeit joy which despises the rule of God over our lives. This counterfeit joy tells us that man’s greatest happiness is in being free to do whatever he wants. Therefore, his "joy" is the result of God giving him what makes him happy. This counterfeit joy is well represented by Joel Osteen in his book Your Best Life Now. Yes, I read the book, because I saw a couple of you reading it. Having read it, my advice to you is this: "Don’t waste your time." Trust me; it’s heresy. It glorifies man and makes God man’s servant. Joel Osteen would have us to believe that we can follow Jesus and find our joy in the same things in which the rest of the world rejoices. That’s a lie. The joy of the true believer is God Himself.
I ended last week’s message by reading from the end of Psalm 73. Let me read again Ps. 73:25, "Whom have in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." With all our faults and shortcomings, do we desire Him? To be in His presence is joy unspeakable and full of glory. Because I have tasted that, I want more of it. David echoes that attitude in Ps. 16:8-11…
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
I once met a young lady who lived 500 miles away. I wanted to see more of her, but to do so was very demanding. It meant getting in the car and driving for nine hours or so. To spend as much time as possible, that meant only stopping one time the entire trip. And, of course, when I went on a weekend, that meant I had to let everything else go. What a burden I endured during those days. That’s foolish talk. I delighted in making those trips. The only reason I made one three-minute stop on the way was because my car couldn’t make it on one tank of gas.
To think that a life of keeping God’s commands by the power of the Spirit robs us of our joy is foolish thinking. To entertain the idea that an eternal focus is not consistent with overflowing joy is to miss the source of divine rejoicing. Separation from the world may rob us of the world’s temporary happiness, but if we set our eyes on things above, our joy can only be increased.
Conclusion
God’s commandments are not grievous. They are not a burden to His children. His commandments are not heavy. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). His commands are not burdensome. There is no greater joy than to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Jesus. Jesus said in Matt. 7:13-14,"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." His commands are not burdensome. True joy comes from walking in the narrow way.
There is one other scripture that we must not miss. Toward the end of his letter to the Galatians, Paul said this: "But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). That word translated "glory" speaks of rejoicing (sometimes translated that way in KJV, as in James 1:9, etc.). Paul’s delight was centered in the cross and nothing else. And as He gloried in the cross of His Lord Jesus, he was increasingly cut off from the world. And for him, that was pure joy. Why? Because His joy was in the Lord.
Do you want joy? Then live for the glory of God. And how do we glorify God? John Piper makes this little statement: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" (Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, p. 45). Think about that: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." In other words, God receives glory in our lives when we make Him our delight, when we find our joy in Him. Looking to God as our all in all, focusing on His eternal value, does not rob us of joy; that is our joy!
May we not be fooled by the deceptive message which tells us we can have Christ and most of what the world has to offer. The so-called joy that comes from such a life is shallow and fleeting. But may we know in the depths of our being that in His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
Let me close with the prayer of a man who lived 1,600 years ago…
How sweet all at once it was for me
to be rid of those fruitless joys
which I had once feared to lose…
You drove them from me,
you who are the true, the sovereign joy.
You drove them from me and took their place,
you who are sweeter than all pleasure,
though not to flesh and blood,
you who outshine all light,
yet are hidden deeper than any secret in our hearts,
you who surpass all honor,
though not in the eyes of men who see
all honor in themselves…
O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.
(Quoted from St. Augustine, Confessions, IX, 1 in The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, John Piper, p. 40)
HIS COMMANDMENTS ARE NOT GRIEVOUS
I John 5:3
Last week our study could well be entitled: "Don’t Let Go of the Eternal." Jesus said, "Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto eternal life" (Jn. 6:27). No one can argue with that counsel, because we know that these physical bodies are going to die, and we also know that the physical food we eat will not sustain us a single day past the grave. So by all means, let’s spend ourselves for the meat which endures to eternal life. And what is that meat? It is Jesus, the one who went on to say, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall life forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (Jn. 6:51).
We learned from the experience of Esau that it is very possible to grasp the temporary meat that perishes and forsake the eternal. Esau was very hungry and listened to the cry of his flesh. He sold his birthright for a bowl of soup. He forfeited his rich spiritual heritage in order to satisfy his immediate hunger. God’s Word then records this brief but sobering message: "…and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way; thus Esau despised his birthright" (Gen. 25:34). That is, he counted it as nothing. He regarded it as having less value than a bowl of soup. No wonder the writer of Hebrews refers to him as a profane man, a man that valued the common and despised the eternal.
Out of those passages, we emphasized our need to focus on the eternal. II Cor 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
We also acknowledged that such a focus in this world is not easy. Our five senses are bombarded by a powerful message that tells us to enjoy the here and now, because that is all we have. I pointed out three persuasive tools the enemy uses to derail our eternal focus. They are food, possessions, and entertainment. And guess what, those temptations will not be toned down in the days ahead; no, they will scream out with even more intensity.
Good News – God’s Commandments Are Not Burdensome
This morning I want to remind us of a great truth from the scripture. It comes out of I John 5:3, "…his commandments are not grievous." God’s commandments are not grievous. Most modern translations (including NKJV) render the word "burdensome," and that is the idea. The word literally means "heavy." God’s commandments are not heavy to bear.
We find this same word used in Matthew 23, where Jesus says of the scribes and Pharisees, "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers" (Matt. 23:4). That word translated "heavy" is the same word that is "grievous" in I John 5:3. It is religious men whose commandments are heavy and burdensome. Jesus also spoke of the burden He gives. Do you remember? Let’s read it in Matt. 11:28-30…
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
The word "burden" (fortion) is exactly the same word that is used in Matt. 23:4 of the burden that the Pharisees put on men, but there is one great difference. The burden the Pharisees bind on others is heavy; the burden Jesus gives us is light. God’s commands are not heavy; they are not burdensome.
Isn’t that good news? Isn’t it good to know that God has not burdened us down with His commandments? Are we struggling a bit with that concept? Did the things I shared with you last week seem to constitute a heavy burden? Are those things too heavy to bear? From more than one source I have heard hints of such. I want us to think about that this morning. If those things are truly burdensome, then they are not from God, because His commands are not burdensome.
We could have sited a number of direct commands to go with the last week’s message. For example, in that context we could have quoted I John 2:15-17…
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
We could have just as easily quoted Rom. 12:2, "And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." Are those commands burdensome? They can’t be, because they come from the Lord God. And yet, if we don’t have a good understanding, such commands can seem burdensome. Is it a hard thing not to love the world, not to be squeezed into its mold?
Now let me give you a little reminder. John did not say, "His promises are not grievous (burdensome)." Rather, he said, "His commandments are not grievous (burdensome)." John chose his words carefully. The commands God gives us are not burdensome.
Rejoice, Even in the Midst of Suffering
Let’s begin in I Peter. Let me remind you that I Peter is a letter about suffering. We find references to suffering for Jesus’ sake all through this letter. I won’t take you to all those references, but don’t take my word for it; find them for yourself. You will find that Peter wrote to Christians who were experiencing difficult trials. The amazing truth is that coupled closely with this context of suffering is a strong emphasis on rejoicing in the Lord. That makes no sense to the world. In the natural economy of man, suffering and rejoicing are opposites. Surely they can’t go together. Nevertheless, that is what we find in I Peter.
Let’s read I Pet. 1:3-9…
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
We greatly rejoice in the fact of our eternal inheritance in Christ. Now notice in verse 5, "though now for a season, if need be, you are in heaviness through manifold temptations (trials)." Mark it down, it will be necessary for us to experience heaviness through various trials. It is of God, for it provides a testing of our faith. Peter speaks of trial by fire. But this trying of our faith is glorious, because it will ultimately bring praise and honor and glory when our Lord Jesus appears. Now listen again to verse 8, "Whom having not seen, you love; in whom though now you see him not, yet believing, you rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Though we cannot see Jesus with the physical eye, though we are in the midst of great trials, as we continue to trust Him, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Now come to chapter 4. Let’s read I Pet. 4:12-14…
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
Again, the context is considerable suffering, as this is a fiery trial. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t view such trial as being unusual. So what are we do in the face of such suffering? Rejoice, because you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings. When Christ appears in His glory, our rejoicing will be even greater, as we will be glad with exceeding joy, but even now we rejoice in the fact that we can suffer for His sake. If we are insulted for the sake of Jesus, we are blessed ("happy" here is the word that is normally translated "blessed"), because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon us. Don’t miss the fact that we are blessed when we are mistreated for the sake of Christ.
Do you see? Peter paints a picture of rejoicing throughout his letter. Not only do we rejoice because of the eternal inheritance that awaits us, but we also rejoice because we suffer for the sake of our Lord. We find exactly the same thing when we read what Paul writes in Romans 5. Let’s read Rom. 5:1-2, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2. By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God." We rejoice in our confident expectation of the glory of
God that shall be revealed. But now listen to verses 3-5…
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4. And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5. And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
We rejoice in tribulations. This is the word that literally speaks of being squeezed. When we are squeezed by suffering, we rejoice, because we know that God is going to use this painful squeezing to conform us to the image of Jesus. We rejoice in the Lord, and that rejoicing is heightened through suffering.
We find the same message in Philippians. Many of you can quote Phil. 4:4, "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice." Praise God for this command, which is certainly not burdensome, but we must put it in its proper context. Later in the same chapter, we are reminded that Paul was in prison. In chapter 1 he elaborates on this theme, assuring his readers that his imprisonment was for the furtherance of the gospel. Because Christ was preached as a result of his imprisonment, Paul rejoiced. Let’s read it in 1:18, "What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice." Furthermore, Paul urged this same attitude in his Philippian borthers and sisters. 1:29, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake." Do you see it? When he commanded them to rejoice in the Lord, he was speaking to Christians who were being privileged to suffer for Christ’s sake.
James tells us the same thing in James 1:2-3, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience." It wouldn’t seem to be joy, but we are to consider it joy. Why? Because we know that God has great purpose in it; He is using this testing to work patient endurance in us, and that will bring glory to God.
Joy’s Close Friendship with God’s Commandments
What am I saying? I am saying that true joy in the Lord is not a cheap happiness that depends on the circumstances. Rather, it is a joy that is furthered greatly by suffering on behalf of Christ.
Now let’s pause for a moment to ask a question or two. Come back to I Pet. 4:13, "But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings…" So here is the question: What is it that will cause us to be partakers of Christ’s sufferings? Think about that for a little while. We partake of Christ’s sufferings, when we are identified closely with Jesus Himself. Isn’t that what Jesus was teaching when He said in John 15:18-21…
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. 20. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
Because of the close association between Jesus and those who belong to Him, their treatment will be essentially the same. The world will hate them.
Now comes a second question: What is it that constitutes this close identification with Jesus? First of all, let’s be clear on what does not bring this close identification. It is not the profession of the mouth. In other words, because a person says he is a Christian, that does not mean that he will be closely identified with Jesus and will suffer with the Lord. This is especially true in the society of 21st century America. People around us are very accustomed to hearing people profess Christ, and it doesn’t phase them much. In our society, profession means little. Why? Because people in our society have seen again and again those who profess Christ with the mouth but continue to live like the rest of the world.
So what is it that demonstrates this close identification with Jesus? Is it not the keeping of God’s commandments? Surely someone will say, "No, it is not the keeping of the commandments. Rather, it is loving God with all our heart. That is what identifies a believer with Jesus." I certainly can’t argue with that. However, be careful. If we don’t define the term "love," we will be led far astray. Many who profess the name of Jesus will also say, "I love the Lord with all my heart." But it isn’t the profession of the mouth that demonstrates our identification with Jesus.
Come back with me to the place where we started. We began with the words from I John 5:3, "…and his commandments are not grievous." But now let’s read the context of those words. I John 5:1-3…
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 2. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. 3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
There is much here, but focus on the words of verse 3. "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." People will say, "But that is a life of drudgery. That will rob us of joy." Let people say what they want to say, we are interested in what the Word says.
Look at Jesus. No one can dispute the fact that Jesus suffered greatly and that Jesus had great joy. He said to His disciples in John 15:11, "These things I have spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy may be full." We read of Jesus in Heb. 12:2, "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame…" Notice that joy and the cross are not mutually exclusive, but they are linked closely together.
What was it that gave Jesus such joy? What was it that caused Him to suffer so much? Now I want to show you a powerful scriptural basis for the joy that was in Jesus. Come to Hebrews 1. We will be reading a quotation from Psalm 45:6-7. That passage is quoted almost word for word in Hebrews 1, where the writer is showing the vast superiority of Jesus over the angels. Let’s read Heb. 1:8-9…
But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
You will notice in this passage that God the Father addresses Christ the Son as "God." That’s because Jesus is God, and has always been God. Then in verse 9, the Father speaks of Himself as God, even as the God of the Son. Though we may not have perfect understanding, let there be no question that Jesus is indeed God. That is the emphasis of this chapter. Having said that, let’s come back to verse 9 and ask the question again: "What was it that gave Jesus such great joy? It was the fact that He loved righteousness and hated iniquity. This is placed beyond dispute by the use of the word "therefore." "Therefore (because you have loved righteousness and hated iniquity), God has anointed you with the oil of gladness above those around you. He has given you supreme joy."
What is it that caused people to hate Jesus? It was His love for righteousness and His hatred of iniquity. Jesus could have been a highly-respected, well-loved teacher in Israel. Remember, after He fed the 5,000, the people wanted to make Him king. But Jesus couldn’t go along with them, because He loved righteousness. And that righteousness was nothing less than the perfect will of the Father. He couldn’t compromise; because He loved the Father, He must do what was right, whatever the Father wanted. It was the living out of that conviction that got Him into deep trouble. Don’t miss the fact that the same thing that brought Him joy from the Father was the thing that caused Him to suffer at the hands of men.
Is there any connection? Could it be the same with us? Back to I Pet. 4:13, " But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings." They partook of Christ’s sufferings because they loved righteousness and hated iniquity, because they took seriously the will of God and the keeping of His commandments. We see this back in 4:4, "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." The world didn’t think it strange that they professed Christ, but that their lives were changed. They no longer loved iniquity; now they loved righteousness.
Joy and Eternity
Last week we talked about the importance of an eternal focus. I suggest to you that such a focus is both a cause for suffering and a gateway to joy in the Lord. We have already seen the joy that it brought to Jesus. "Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross…" (Heb. 12:2).
I must ask you a question: What exactly is the eternal focus? We read about it earlier from II Cor. 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The unseen things are eternal. And what are the unseen things? They are defined most clearly by Paul’s own words in Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
Ultimately, the eternal focus is turning our eyes upon Jesus. He is the eternal one. He Himself is eternal life, according to I John 1:2. The eternal focus is not only looking to the distant future, but looking to the Christ who is our all in all, both now and forever. When I look to Jesus, worship Him, depend on Him, I am focusing on eternity.
But what does that have to do with joy? Everything. What did Paul command us to do in Phil. 4:4? He commanded us to rejoice, but that is only half the truth. Paul also revealed the source of that joy, when he said, "Rejoice in the Lord always." For the child of God, all true joy is in the Lord. We see that truth demonstrated in Paul’s own life. Acts 20:24, "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God." It is obvious that Paul was focusing on eternity. That is why he was not moved by the sufferings that were awaiting him. Listen to his words toward the very end of his life. II Tim. 4:6-8…
For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. 7. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Listen especially to Rom 8:18, "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." We find the same attitude in the apostles in Acts 5:41, "And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name."
Now I admit that there are many things in life that bring a smile. When I hear someone say, "I saw three deer on the way to Cloudcroft." Being of almost normal intelligence, I immediately wonder how the speaker knows those three deer were on their way to Cloudcroft. I enjoy going out and playing an invigorating tennis match. Those are some of the simple pleasures of life, but none of those things can compare with joy in Christ. While I may engage in those other activities from time to time, my joy is in Christ. And when we find our joy in Christ, we want to focus on Him more and more. And the more we focus on Him, the greater our joy. And when suffering comes, we find that it only increases our joy, because we draw close to Jesus.
The key to this whole concept of joy is in asking this question: What is the source of my joy? To the degree that my joy is found in Christ, His commandments will not be burdensome and the eternal focus will be my delight. The problem is that our enemy, aided by our religious society, is marketing a counterfeit joy which despises the rule of God over our lives. This counterfeit joy tells us that man’s greatest happiness is in being free to do whatever he wants. Therefore, his "joy" is the result of God giving him what makes him happy. This counterfeit joy is well represented by Joel Osteen in his book Your Best Life Now. Yes, I read the book, because I saw a couple of you reading it. Having read it, my advice to you is this: "Don’t waste your time." Trust me; it’s heresy. It glorifies man and makes God man’s servant. Joel Osteen would have us to believe that we can follow Jesus and find our joy in the same things in which the rest of the world rejoices. That’s a lie. The joy of the true believer is God Himself.
I ended last week’s message by reading from the end of Psalm 73. Let me read again Ps. 73:25, "Whom have in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee." With all our faults and shortcomings, do we desire Him? To be in His presence is joy unspeakable and full of glory. Because I have tasted that, I want more of it. David echoes that attitude in Ps. 16:8-11…
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. 9. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11. Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
I once met a young lady who lived 500 miles away. I wanted to see more of her, but to do so was very demanding. It meant getting in the car and driving for nine hours or so. To spend as much time as possible, that meant only stopping one time the entire trip. And, of course, when I went on a weekend, that meant I had to let everything else go. What a burden I endured during those days. That’s foolish talk. I delighted in making those trips. The only reason I made one three-minute stop on the way was because my car couldn’t make it on one tank of gas.
To think that a life of keeping God’s commands by the power of the Spirit robs us of our joy is foolish thinking. To entertain the idea that an eternal focus is not consistent with overflowing joy is to miss the source of divine rejoicing. Separation from the world may rob us of the world’s temporary happiness, but if we set our eyes on things above, our joy can only be increased.
Conclusion
God’s commandments are not grievous. They are not a burden to His children. His commandments are not heavy. Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me" (Matt. 16:24). His commands are not burdensome. There is no greater joy than to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Jesus. Jesus said in Matt. 7:13-14,"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." His commands are not burdensome. True joy comes from walking in the narrow way.
There is one other scripture that we must not miss. Toward the end of his letter to the Galatians, Paul said this: "But God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world" (Gal. 6:14). That word translated "glory" speaks of rejoicing (sometimes translated that way in KJV, as in James 1:9, etc.). Paul’s delight was centered in the cross and nothing else. And as He gloried in the cross of His Lord Jesus, he was increasingly cut off from the world. And for him, that was pure joy. Why? Because His joy was in the Lord.
Do you want joy? Then live for the glory of God. And how do we glorify God? John Piper makes this little statement: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him" (Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, p. 45). Think about that: "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." In other words, God receives glory in our lives when we make Him our delight, when we find our joy in Him. Looking to God as our all in all, focusing on His eternal value, does not rob us of joy; that is our joy!
May we not be fooled by the deceptive message which tells us we can have Christ and most of what the world has to offer. The so-called joy that comes from such a life is shallow and fleeting. But may we know in the depths of our being that in His presence is fullness of joy, and at His right hand there are pleasures for ever more.
Let me close with the prayer of a man who lived 1,600 years ago…
How sweet all at once it was for me
to be rid of those fruitless joys
which I had once feared to lose…
You drove them from me,
you who are the true, the sovereign joy.
You drove them from me and took their place,
you who are sweeter than all pleasure,
though not to flesh and blood,
you who outshine all light,
yet are hidden deeper than any secret in our hearts,
you who surpass all honor,
though not in the eyes of men who see
all honor in themselves…
O Lord my God, my Light, my Wealth, and my Salvation.
(Quoted from St. Augustine, Confessions, IX, 1 in The Legacy of Sovereign Joy, John Piper, p. 40)
Monday, January 14, 2008
"Don't Let Go of the Eternal" -- Jan. 13, 2008
Sunday, January 13, 2007
DON’T LET GO OF THE ETERNAL
John 6:27; Gen. 25:27-34; Heb. 12:12-17
"Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life" (Jn. 6:27). Don’t spend yourself for the kind of food that will pass away, but work for the kind of food which will bring you eternal life. Those are not my words; those are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. The message I share this morning will have no effect unless we hear these words as from Jesus Himself, and not from any man. My words mean nothing, but the words which Jesus speaks to us are spirit, and they are life (Jn. 6:63). So let’s go to God in prayer right now, pleading with Him to give us grace to hear from Him, and not from man. PRAY.
Don’t labor for the food which will pass away, but for that which will endure forever. Jesus spoke those words to people who had been fed or had heard about the great feeding. Remember that Jesus fed 5,000 men at one time, besides the women and children. Those people were so impressed by the miracle that they said, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world" (Jn. 6:14). They actually tried to force Jesus to become their king (vs. 15). Jesus, desiring to please only God, quickly fled from their flattery and got alone with His Father.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. The next day those who had been fed (and doubtless others who had heard about it) went looking for Jesus. When they found Him, Jesus spoke these words to them: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the leaves and were filled" (Jn. 6:26). Now Jesus exposes the true motive of their hearts. While they were impressed by Jesus’ miraculous power, the bottom line was the fact that they followed Jesus for what they could get out of Him. Jesus reveals that they were looking for more free food. That is when He said, "Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life."
Surely every person in his right mind will shout "Amen" to Jesus’ warning. Any rational person can understand that the physical food which perishes can only nourish this physical body, which is destined to die. Because we cannot escape the truth that we will continue past the grave, we desperately need the kind of food that will give us life in the next world. A consistent diet of the most nutritious food on earth will not sustain life for a single day on the other side of the grave. Mark it down. So only a fool would spend his time, his energy, himself to acquire physical food and neglect seeking that spiritual food which will prepare him for eternal life. Can anyone disagree with that?
So what is that food which will not perish? What is that food which will endure to eternal life? You can’t buy it at Walmart, or at Lowes, or even at the health food store. This spiritual food is nothing less than Jesus Himself. Jesus makes that fact perfectly clear, as He continues to speak, as recorded in John 6. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (Jn. 6:51).
So all divine wisdom dictates that we follow after Jesus with our whole hearts rather than going after the physical food that can only satisfy temporarily. Can there be any question about this?
Now come with me to Genesis 25. Let’s read a familiar story. After the Lord confused the language of those who were building the Tower of Babel, He then called out one man, out of whom He would make a great nation. And who was that man? Yes, it was Abraham. And God gave Abraham, a son named Isaac, who was the son of promise. Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Isaac was 60 when his wife Rebeccah gave birth to twin boys. And what were their names? Jacob and Esau. If we want to remain true to chronological order, we will have to say "Esau and Jacob," because Esau was the twin who was born first. That fact is pretty important, because the oldest boy in the family was entitled to two special things – the birthright and the blessing. As would later be recorded in the law (Dt. 21:16-17), the firstborn son was entitled to a double portion of what the father had. In other words, his inheritance was twice as much as the other sons in the family. That was the birthright. And when the father was ready to die, the firstborn would receive the greatest blessing. As the firstborn (though they were twins), the birthright and the blessing belonged to Esau.
Now let’s read the story in Gen. 25:27-34…
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
There it is. Esau was faint. He was tired and so hungry that he said he was about to die. So he asked Jacob for some of the soup he had made. Jacob, living up to his name "heal-grabber, supplanter, deceiver," saw his opportunity to strike a bargain. "Sell me your birthright." Esau quickly reasoned, "What good is this birthright, when I am at the point of death?" So Esau sold Jacob his birthright.
It is important that we understand how serious this was. This was more than a selling away of his most valuable material possession. The birthright, along with the blessing which was so closely associated with it, had great spiritual connections. It was all tied up in God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac, who were the grandfather and father of Esau. He was proclaiming that his spiritual heritage had no value to him.
Of course, we might defend Esau. After all, he said that he was at the point of death. Was he? It seems very unlikely. The record says that he was faint. Esau said that he was at the point of death. If it was true that he was about to die, surely the divine record would have told us so. It is far more likely that Esau was looking for a way to justify his action in his own mind. Esau knew very well that what he was doing was wrong. While it’s true that Jacob was wrong in taking advantage of his older brother, that does not excuse Esau in any way. He sold his spiritual heritage from the Lord for a bowl of soup. He traded the eternal for the immediate.
The writer of Hebrews makes application of the example of Esau. Let’s read it in Heb. 12:12-17…
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Esau is identified as a profane person, one who for a morsel of meat sold his birthright. That Greek word translated "profane" carries the idea of common. It originally meant "accessible, lawful to be trod upon." It would be almost the opposite of "holy," which means "set apart." Jeremiah urged the people of Israel to extract the precious from the vile, from the worthless. Esau did the opposite. He traded the holy and precious things of God for the common things of man. He forfeited the eternal for the immediate.
Let’s drive the point home, so that no one will miss it. Esau’s great need was to value the things of God. The birthright and the blessing represented a great heritage from the past and reached into the future. BUT Esau felt that his great need was a bowl of soup. The cry of his flesh was, "Feed me NOW. I can’t wait." Instead of realizing the danger, falling on his face, and crying out to God, "O Lord, deliver me from this temporal desire," he yielded to his flesh and sold his birthright.
The temptation that faced Esau faces every one of us. Esau labored for the meat that perishes, and that is what Satan is urging us to do. You and I are facing a continual battle. Will we value the eternal? Or will we value the worthless? We will cling to the precious? Or will we grab that thing that gives us immediate satisfaction?
Some of you here are lost. You have not yet come to repentance and faith. You have not yet denied yourself, taken up the cross, and followed Jesus. You have not been redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You are apart from God and have no hope. Unless you fall on the stone which is Jesus Christ and are broken, you will perish. If you do not put your trust in Jesus, you will die in your sins. Your ultimate destiny will be the hell which God prepared for the devil and his angels. Unless there is a radical miracle from God, you will sell your soul for a bowl of soup. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26). I urge you to set your eyes on eternity. Look beyond immediate satisfaction to eternal glory. Don’t be fooled by the god of this world, but look to the God who created you and is worthy of your very life. Fall on your knees and cry out to Him for grace to seek eternal life. That eternal life is none other than Jesus Christ.
But don’t think for a minute that the Esau temptation is an issue only for the lost. No. Understand that our adversary, the devil, who walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, is no respecter of persons. You who name the name of Christ are being tempted constantly to pour yourself into the life of this world, at the expense of the eternal glory. For just a moment look beyond the immediate and see yourself standing at the judgment seat of Christ, where every one of you will receive according to what he has done in this body (II Cor. 5:10). There where everything is swallowed up by the glory of the Lamb, will you be glad about where your focus was this past week? This past year?
We read it often, but let’s read it again. Read II Cor. 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Let that sink deep into your mind and heart. The things we can see are temporal; they only last for a moment. The things we can’t see are eternal. But it’s hard to live a life that is focused on the things we cannot see. It would seem that is a heavy burden. Paul says it is only a light affliction in light of eternity, for that burden we endure as a result of focusing on the eternal is achieving for us everlasting weight of glory. Is this not what our Lord Jesus was speaking of, when He said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and here thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:19-21).
Who can deny these truths? Who can possibly advocate focusing on the temporal things rather than the eternal? But surely we must ask this question: "So what are the temporary things that are capable of stealing our focus from the eternal? Are there certain things in this world that are particularly dangerous? Right here in 21st century America, what things are capable of deceiving us into selling out the eternal for the worthless?" Please allow me to briefly mention three. I won’t need to say a lot. I have prayed that the Lord will sharpen our minds to take these things home and think about them.
1. Food. You may think I’m kidding, but I’m not. The physical food that we put into our bodies can overshadow the eternal lives. "But Ron, that’s ridiculous. There’s no deception about food. Surely no one is going to be fooled by such a straightforward temptation. And besides, we have to have food to survive."
I was reminded this week of these truths. Was it not the attraction of physical food that caused Esau to see his birthright? You can pursue this even further by looking at this same tendency in his father Isaac, of whom it was said, "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison…" (Gen. 25:28). Andrew Murray puts it like this…
"It was eating that lost Esau his birthright. It was eating that lost Adam and his seed the kingdom of God. It was in refusing to eat, when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, that Jesus won back heaven for us" (The Holiest of All, p. 503).
Look at our society. We are told that one of the greatest health problems in our country is obesity. I read that two thirds of all Americans are overweight. Of course, obesity is not the problem, but only the symptom. Let it be said that there a few people who are overweight because of some type of glandular problem. And what the world says is overweight may mean nothing to God. However, it is still a fact that many of us are overweight because we like to eat. O that we were as diligent to feed ourselves on the Word of God as to feed these physical bodies!
May we remember the words of our Lord Jesus when He was tempted to eat after 40 days of fasting, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Mt. 4:4). The "It is written" tells us where Jesus learned this truth; He learned it from the Word of God, from the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy. May God give us grace to learn the same.
2. Possessions. We live in a society where bumper stickers joke about men and their toys. Even the world recognizes the absurdity of men laboring tirelessly so that they can buy the latest vehicles and gadgets, but it simply laughs. It is no laughing matter for God, who by His Spirit led Paul to write these words in I Tim. 6:6-11…
But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
It has well been said that the tendency is for things to own us, rather than us owning things. We have a great capacity to justify a lust for possessions by comparing ourselves with others. "I don’t have near as much as Tom and Sally." Even if I am poor and only long for more, such lust will be a snare and will drown me in destruction.
3. Entertainment. In our society there is surely no idol so tall as the god of entertainment, which is served admirably by its cousin leisure. And we might as well face the fact that the chief head of this many-headed dragon is the TV. It’s influence is so pervasive that it is difficult to escape it. Go to the gym and find the TV. Go to Walmart and find the TV. Go to some restaurants, and it is waiting for you there. A couple of years ago I was assaulted by this monster while I was pumping gas. And now our technology will allow us to watch TV on our cell phone.
I don’t have to tell you about the garbage that is on the screen. And beware of "wholesome TV." Wholesome TV teaches us how to live apart from God, and there is a sense in which life apart from God is more dangerous than life opposed to God. When "the Beaver" gets himself into trouble again and goes to his dad for counsel, how many times have you seen his dad turn to the scriptures? How many times have you heard him say, "Son, let’s pray. The Lord will guide us"?
I know a brother who says, "If you can handle a TV, fine, but I can’t." We might test ourselves with this simple verse from Phil. 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
A. W. Tozer says: "I can tell how much of God you have by how much entertainment you need."
And for those of you who have removed the TV from your home, beware that you replace it with the things of God, that you not remove one demon only to have seven more take its place. Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
What we see on the screen, view on the web, or read in a publication can effectively negate our time with God in prayer and the Word, and it is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence. Five minutes of filth can undo an hour of prayer.
If you have trouble seeing the danger of entertainment, or if you think you are not vulnerable to that danger, I challenge you to read Intoxicated with Babylon, by Steve Gallagher. There are two copies on the shelf back there.
Conclusion
Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life. David says in Ps. 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him." It isn’t enough to determine that you will escape the dangers that swallow us up with the temporal things of this world. Our determination will fail. We must taste the goodness of the Lord. Our hope is that His goodness will get such a hold on us that we can’t get enough of Him.
A man named Asaph struggled with these things. He was greatly disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked. These wicked men had everything anyone could want. Though they thought of no one but themselves, they had all anyone could want (or so it seemed). Asaph said that his feet were almost gone, that his steps had nearly slipped (Ps. 73:2). But finally, when he came into the Lord’s presence, he got a glimpse of eternity. He saw what was valuable and what was not. He closed his Psalm with these words… (Ps. 73:25-28 NKJV)
Whom have in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.
DON’T LET GO OF THE ETERNAL
John 6:27; Gen. 25:27-34; Heb. 12:12-17
"Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life" (Jn. 6:27). Don’t spend yourself for the kind of food that will pass away, but work for the kind of food which will bring you eternal life. Those are not my words; those are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ. The message I share this morning will have no effect unless we hear these words as from Jesus Himself, and not from any man. My words mean nothing, but the words which Jesus speaks to us are spirit, and they are life (Jn. 6:63). So let’s go to God in prayer right now, pleading with Him to give us grace to hear from Him, and not from man. PRAY.
Don’t labor for the food which will pass away, but for that which will endure forever. Jesus spoke those words to people who had been fed or had heard about the great feeding. Remember that Jesus fed 5,000 men at one time, besides the women and children. Those people were so impressed by the miracle that they said, "This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world" (Jn. 6:14). They actually tried to force Jesus to become their king (vs. 15). Jesus, desiring to please only God, quickly fled from their flattery and got alone with His Father.
But that wasn’t the end of the story. The next day those who had been fed (and doubtless others who had heard about it) went looking for Jesus. When they found Him, Jesus spoke these words to them: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the leaves and were filled" (Jn. 6:26). Now Jesus exposes the true motive of their hearts. While they were impressed by Jesus’ miraculous power, the bottom line was the fact that they followed Jesus for what they could get out of Him. Jesus reveals that they were looking for more free food. That is when He said, "Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that meat which endures unto everlasting life."
Surely every person in his right mind will shout "Amen" to Jesus’ warning. Any rational person can understand that the physical food which perishes can only nourish this physical body, which is destined to die. Because we cannot escape the truth that we will continue past the grave, we desperately need the kind of food that will give us life in the next world. A consistent diet of the most nutritious food on earth will not sustain life for a single day on the other side of the grave. Mark it down. So only a fool would spend his time, his energy, himself to acquire physical food and neglect seeking that spiritual food which will prepare him for eternal life. Can anyone disagree with that?
So what is that food which will not perish? What is that food which will endure to eternal life? You can’t buy it at Walmart, or at Lowes, or even at the health food store. This spiritual food is nothing less than Jesus Himself. Jesus makes that fact perfectly clear, as He continues to speak, as recorded in John 6. "I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (Jn. 6:51).
So all divine wisdom dictates that we follow after Jesus with our whole hearts rather than going after the physical food that can only satisfy temporarily. Can there be any question about this?
Now come with me to Genesis 25. Let’s read a familiar story. After the Lord confused the language of those who were building the Tower of Babel, He then called out one man, out of whom He would make a great nation. And who was that man? Yes, it was Abraham. And God gave Abraham, a son named Isaac, who was the son of promise. Abraham was a hundred years old when Isaac was born, and Isaac was 60 when his wife Rebeccah gave birth to twin boys. And what were their names? Jacob and Esau. If we want to remain true to chronological order, we will have to say "Esau and Jacob," because Esau was the twin who was born first. That fact is pretty important, because the oldest boy in the family was entitled to two special things – the birthright and the blessing. As would later be recorded in the law (Dt. 21:16-17), the firstborn son was entitled to a double portion of what the father had. In other words, his inheritance was twice as much as the other sons in the family. That was the birthright. And when the father was ready to die, the firstborn would receive the greatest blessing. As the firstborn (though they were twins), the birthright and the blessing belonged to Esau.
Now let’s read the story in Gen. 25:27-34…
And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents. 28. And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison: but Rebekah loved Jacob. 29. And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint: 30. And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31. And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32. And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33. And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.
There it is. Esau was faint. He was tired and so hungry that he said he was about to die. So he asked Jacob for some of the soup he had made. Jacob, living up to his name "heal-grabber, supplanter, deceiver," saw his opportunity to strike a bargain. "Sell me your birthright." Esau quickly reasoned, "What good is this birthright, when I am at the point of death?" So Esau sold Jacob his birthright.
It is important that we understand how serious this was. This was more than a selling away of his most valuable material possession. The birthright, along with the blessing which was so closely associated with it, had great spiritual connections. It was all tied up in God’s promises to Abraham and Isaac, who were the grandfather and father of Esau. He was proclaiming that his spiritual heritage had no value to him.
Of course, we might defend Esau. After all, he said that he was at the point of death. Was he? It seems very unlikely. The record says that he was faint. Esau said that he was at the point of death. If it was true that he was about to die, surely the divine record would have told us so. It is far more likely that Esau was looking for a way to justify his action in his own mind. Esau knew very well that what he was doing was wrong. While it’s true that Jacob was wrong in taking advantage of his older brother, that does not excuse Esau in any way. He sold his spiritual heritage from the Lord for a bowl of soup. He traded the eternal for the immediate.
The writer of Hebrews makes application of the example of Esau. Let’s read it in Heb. 12:12-17…
Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. 14. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 15. Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled; 16. Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. 17. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.
Esau is identified as a profane person, one who for a morsel of meat sold his birthright. That Greek word translated "profane" carries the idea of common. It originally meant "accessible, lawful to be trod upon." It would be almost the opposite of "holy," which means "set apart." Jeremiah urged the people of Israel to extract the precious from the vile, from the worthless. Esau did the opposite. He traded the holy and precious things of God for the common things of man. He forfeited the eternal for the immediate.
Let’s drive the point home, so that no one will miss it. Esau’s great need was to value the things of God. The birthright and the blessing represented a great heritage from the past and reached into the future. BUT Esau felt that his great need was a bowl of soup. The cry of his flesh was, "Feed me NOW. I can’t wait." Instead of realizing the danger, falling on his face, and crying out to God, "O Lord, deliver me from this temporal desire," he yielded to his flesh and sold his birthright.
The temptation that faced Esau faces every one of us. Esau labored for the meat that perishes, and that is what Satan is urging us to do. You and I are facing a continual battle. Will we value the eternal? Or will we value the worthless? We will cling to the precious? Or will we grab that thing that gives us immediate satisfaction?
Some of you here are lost. You have not yet come to repentance and faith. You have not yet denied yourself, taken up the cross, and followed Jesus. You have not been redeemed with the precious blood of Jesus Christ. You are apart from God and have no hope. Unless you fall on the stone which is Jesus Christ and are broken, you will perish. If you do not put your trust in Jesus, you will die in your sins. Your ultimate destiny will be the hell which God prepared for the devil and his angels. Unless there is a radical miracle from God, you will sell your soul for a bowl of soup. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matt. 16:26). I urge you to set your eyes on eternity. Look beyond immediate satisfaction to eternal glory. Don’t be fooled by the god of this world, but look to the God who created you and is worthy of your very life. Fall on your knees and cry out to Him for grace to seek eternal life. That eternal life is none other than Jesus Christ.
But don’t think for a minute that the Esau temptation is an issue only for the lost. No. Understand that our adversary, the devil, who walks about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, is no respecter of persons. You who name the name of Christ are being tempted constantly to pour yourself into the life of this world, at the expense of the eternal glory. For just a moment look beyond the immediate and see yourself standing at the judgment seat of Christ, where every one of you will receive according to what he has done in this body (II Cor. 5:10). There where everything is swallowed up by the glory of the Lamb, will you be glad about where your focus was this past week? This past year?
We read it often, but let’s read it again. Read II Cor. 4:17-18…
For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18. While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.
Let that sink deep into your mind and heart. The things we can see are temporal; they only last for a moment. The things we can’t see are eternal. But it’s hard to live a life that is focused on the things we cannot see. It would seem that is a heavy burden. Paul says it is only a light affliction in light of eternity, for that burden we endure as a result of focusing on the eternal is achieving for us everlasting weight of glory. Is this not what our Lord Jesus was speaking of, when He said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and here thieves break through and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through and steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matt. 6:19-21).
Who can deny these truths? Who can possibly advocate focusing on the temporal things rather than the eternal? But surely we must ask this question: "So what are the temporary things that are capable of stealing our focus from the eternal? Are there certain things in this world that are particularly dangerous? Right here in 21st century America, what things are capable of deceiving us into selling out the eternal for the worthless?" Please allow me to briefly mention three. I won’t need to say a lot. I have prayed that the Lord will sharpen our minds to take these things home and think about them.
1. Food. You may think I’m kidding, but I’m not. The physical food that we put into our bodies can overshadow the eternal lives. "But Ron, that’s ridiculous. There’s no deception about food. Surely no one is going to be fooled by such a straightforward temptation. And besides, we have to have food to survive."
I was reminded this week of these truths. Was it not the attraction of physical food that caused Esau to see his birthright? You can pursue this even further by looking at this same tendency in his father Isaac, of whom it was said, "And Isaac loved Esau, because he did eat of his venison…" (Gen. 25:28). Andrew Murray puts it like this…
"It was eating that lost Esau his birthright. It was eating that lost Adam and his seed the kingdom of God. It was in refusing to eat, when Satan tempted Him in the wilderness, that Jesus won back heaven for us" (The Holiest of All, p. 503).
Look at our society. We are told that one of the greatest health problems in our country is obesity. I read that two thirds of all Americans are overweight. Of course, obesity is not the problem, but only the symptom. Let it be said that there a few people who are overweight because of some type of glandular problem. And what the world says is overweight may mean nothing to God. However, it is still a fact that many of us are overweight because we like to eat. O that we were as diligent to feed ourselves on the Word of God as to feed these physical bodies!
May we remember the words of our Lord Jesus when He was tempted to eat after 40 days of fasting, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Mt. 4:4). The "It is written" tells us where Jesus learned this truth; He learned it from the Word of God, from the eighth chapter of Deuteronomy. May God give us grace to learn the same.
2. Possessions. We live in a society where bumper stickers joke about men and their toys. Even the world recognizes the absurdity of men laboring tirelessly so that they can buy the latest vehicles and gadgets, but it simply laughs. It is no laughing matter for God, who by His Spirit led Paul to write these words in I Tim. 6:6-11…
But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. 9. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 11. But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
It has well been said that the tendency is for things to own us, rather than us owning things. We have a great capacity to justify a lust for possessions by comparing ourselves with others. "I don’t have near as much as Tom and Sally." Even if I am poor and only long for more, such lust will be a snare and will drown me in destruction.
3. Entertainment. In our society there is surely no idol so tall as the god of entertainment, which is served admirably by its cousin leisure. And we might as well face the fact that the chief head of this many-headed dragon is the TV. It’s influence is so pervasive that it is difficult to escape it. Go to the gym and find the TV. Go to Walmart and find the TV. Go to some restaurants, and it is waiting for you there. A couple of years ago I was assaulted by this monster while I was pumping gas. And now our technology will allow us to watch TV on our cell phone.
I don’t have to tell you about the garbage that is on the screen. And beware of "wholesome TV." Wholesome TV teaches us how to live apart from God, and there is a sense in which life apart from God is more dangerous than life opposed to God. When "the Beaver" gets himself into trouble again and goes to his dad for counsel, how many times have you seen his dad turn to the scriptures? How many times have you heard him say, "Son, let’s pray. The Lord will guide us"?
I know a brother who says, "If you can handle a TV, fine, but I can’t." We might test ourselves with this simple verse from Phil. 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
A. W. Tozer says: "I can tell how much of God you have by how much entertainment you need."
And for those of you who have removed the TV from your home, beware that you replace it with the things of God, that you not remove one demon only to have seven more take its place. Col. 3:1-4…
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.
What we see on the screen, view on the web, or read in a publication can effectively negate our time with God in prayer and the Word, and it is not necessarily a one-to-one correspondence. Five minutes of filth can undo an hour of prayer.
If you have trouble seeing the danger of entertainment, or if you think you are not vulnerable to that danger, I challenge you to read Intoxicated with Babylon, by Steve Gallagher. There are two copies on the shelf back there.
Conclusion
Labor not for the meat which perishes, but for that which endures to eternal life. David says in Ps. 34:8, "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in him." It isn’t enough to determine that you will escape the dangers that swallow us up with the temporal things of this world. Our determination will fail. We must taste the goodness of the Lord. Our hope is that His goodness will get such a hold on us that we can’t get enough of Him.
A man named Asaph struggled with these things. He was greatly disturbed by the prosperity of the wicked. These wicked men had everything anyone could want. Though they thought of no one but themselves, they had all anyone could want (or so it seemed). Asaph said that his feet were almost gone, that his steps had nearly slipped (Ps. 73:2). But finally, when he came into the Lord’s presence, he got a glimpse of eternity. He saw what was valuable and what was not. He closed his Psalm with these words… (Ps. 73:25-28 NKJV)
Whom have in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For indeed, those who are far from You shall perish;
You have destroyed all those who desert You for harlotry.
But it is good for me to draw near to God;
I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all Your works.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
As Wicked As He -- 1/6/08
Sunday, January 6, 2008
WICKED AS HE
I would like to begin this morning by asking you to consider the man whose name is Osama bin Laden. Most of you will recall the man immediately, though we don’t here as much about him now. He was the man who mastermind-ed the 9/11 attack upon the World Trade Centers in 2001. He quickly became the chief object of "The War on Terror." As amazing as it might seem, the United States government and all its allies have not been able to track him down.
In a few words, how would you describe this man? Perhaps he might be referred to as the Hitler or Stalin of our day. Not too long after 9/11, he was hanged in effigy out here between La Luz and Tularosa.
Now let’s take a minute to consider why this man seems to be the personification of evil. Why was his deed so much worse than many others? We could begin by mentioning the number of lives lost. In one devastating action, over 3,000 Americans were killed. While many more lives have been lost in wars, this action was not part of a recognized war. These were typical Americans who were simply doing their jobs in New York City. Relatively speaking, they were innocent people who were minding their own business. What right did Osama bin Laden have to arrange for their deaths?
The loss of life is only the tip of the iceberg. Now consider the families of each individual that was killed. During the days following 9/11, we heard the stories of many of these hurting families. Husbands lost wives; wives lost husbands. Hundreds of children lost a parent. And yes, plenty of parents lost children. The lives of these families will never be the same, and all because of the actions of a man they had never met or even heard of.
Today from time to time certain crimes are classified as "hate crimes." We won’t go into all the details of that, but surely if there was ever a hate crime, this was it. Osama bin Laden was not protecting himself or his people. None of the occupants of the World Trade Center or the Pentagon had done anything to him. Yet he took great delight in the destruction that resulted from his actions.
We might also consider the fact that this was first degree murder. Sometimes a person is guilty of killing another, but it wasn’t something that was planned. That was not the case with Osama bin Laden. Who knows how long he had been planning his attack. He gave attention to every detail. How much money and manpower were expended to carry out this evil deed? This man knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the pain and agony he would cause, and that is the very reason he did it.
Finally, let’s look at the long-range results of 9/11. Through this one action of Osama bin Laden, he changed an entire country, even western civilization itself. If and when you fly on a commercial jet line, part of your plane fare goes to pay the damage caused by this terrorist. No, the money is not used to rebuild the World Trade Centers, but it is used to provide security, in hopes that 9/11 will never happen again. When you are pulled aside and searched, you can thank Osama bin Laden. His heartless deed heightened the "fear factor" throughout our society. Life in this country has never been the same since 9/11. Economically, the United States has paid a great price.
And what does Osama bin Laden deserve? Surely he deserves to be tracked down and prosecuted. I don’t know what you believe about the death sentence, but if there was ever a case where it is justified, surely this would be it. Or maybe the death sentence is too good for a man like bin Laden. But what does he deserve in God’s court of justice? Surely he deserves to be cut off from God completely, to burn in hell forever and ever.
So I ask you: Is not Osama bin Laden an evil man? Can anyone think of another man as evil as he? I can. Every person in this room is as wicked as Osama bin Laden. I can hear your protests, but they mean nothing to God. Let me repeat it: Every person in this room is as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Now how can I say that? How can I possibly believe that all of us are as wicked as that man? Let me try to explain, but it cannot be done without going to the Word of God, where we find the truth about God and the truth about man.
I. If Not Restrained by the Grace of God, We Would Do the Same or Worse
Most of us have heard the saying, "Except for the grace of God, there go I." That is a saying; it is not taken from the Bible. However, there is much biblical truth in that little saying. Whoever is responsible for these words understood some important biblical principles.
I remind you of Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." The reason we think some of our deeds are righteous is because we compare them with the deeds of others. In light of what Osama bin Laden has done, I think that most everything I do must be righteous, but that is not what God says.
I remember sharing the truth of this verse one time. After the service, an older lady confronted me and told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t believe that. She let me know that she had done plenty of righteous deeds. Though most people are not so bold as this lady, that is the attitude that runs throughout our society and even infiltrates the church. We don’t want to be put in the same category as the Hitlers, Stalins, and bin Ladens of our world. Nevertheless, all of our righteous deeds are like filtgy rags in the sight of God. And if it were not for the grace of God, they would be far worse. Who would believe that Judas was capable of betraying the very Son of God? More to the point, who would believe that David was capable of adultery and murder?
II. We Must Understand that Sin is Against God
I mentioned David, so let’s consider this one who was a man after God’s own heart. He committed adultery and then he became a murderer to cover it up. Months later, with the help one of God’s bold prophets, David finally owned up to what he had done. "I have sinned against the Lord," said David (II Sam. 12:13). Not too long after this, he penned the words of Psalm 51. We know this because the superscription of Psalm 51 gives us the occasion of the Psalm: "A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba." Much of this Psalm is familiar to many of you. David cried out for mercy. He asked God to create in him a clean heart. But perhaps the most startling words of the entire Psalm are found in verse 4, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…"
At first glance, we might think that David is cold and callous. Didn’t he have any concern for what he did to Bathsheba and Uriah, her husband? Did he really believe that he had done them no wrong? No, that isn’t what it means. What we must understand is that sin is against God. Who was it that said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery"? And who was it that said, "Thou shalt not kill"? Who was it that made Bathsheba and Uriah? Whose creatures were they? When we answer those questions, we begin to understand the meaning of all of verse 4, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." David was grieved because of what he had done to Bathsheba and Uriah, but that was nothing in comparison to what he had done to God. He had rebelled against the God who had delivered him from the lion and the bear and even from Goliath, the God who had made him king over His people and had blessed him immeasurably.
The sin of Osama bin Laden was not primarily against the United States of America, nor was it against the people who died in the Towers, nor the families who lost loved ones. His sin was against Almighty God. And what is true of his sins is true of your sins. You too have sinned against the Creator of the universe. You too have spit in the face of the God who made you and who has done you nothing but good.
And that brings us to a third very important reason I can say that you are as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
III. There Is a Vast Difference Between the Creatures and the Creator
We have a marvelous ability to forget who God is. Let’s go back one Psalm to Psalm 50 and hear the Psalmist speaking to us… (Ps. 50:19-21)
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
Though it is unintentional, sometimes we bring God down to our level. We get to thinking that He is like us. We forget that He is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy (Is. 57:15).
Consider the most wicked man on earth, even Osama bin Laden, if you like. And now consider the most righteous man on this earth. Get someone definite in mind – both for the most wicked and the most righteous. Place the most wicked way down here, and then place the most righteous somewhere above him. Fit the rest of humanity somewhere in between. And now where will you put God? If between the most wicked and the most righteous there is a thousand miles, where will God fit? In our society, God is just a little higher than man, if even that. But let me tell you how it is. If for illustration purposes, we put a thousand miles between the most wicked and the most righteous of men, then the distance between the most righteous man and God will be the distance to the farthest star in the universe. No, I don’t know how far that is. To put it another way, the difference between God and the most righteous man will be measured in light years. God will be a million light years above the most righteous.
Do you see what that means? That means that the difference between two people, even the most righteous and the most wicked, is negligible. It is nothing. That is why I can say with absolute confidence that everyone of you (and I) is just as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Why You Protest against the Idea that You Are as Wicked as Osama bin Laden
So why does that offend us so deeply? Why do we have so much trouble accepting that? I believe the primary reason is because we have a tendency to be man-centered. Some of you see a greater difference between the Osama bin Laden and the apostle Paul than between the apostle Paul and God, and that is blasphemy.
The society in which we live has become absolutely man-centered. Man has become the measure of all things. And that attitude has permeated the professing church in our society. That is one of the primary reasons that we are so messed up. We have been conformed to the world’s idea that all thinking begins with man.
Consider what is called "the seeker sensitive" church. The concept goes something like this… People are turned off to today’s church. We better find out why. So we go out and take surveys of why people are down on the church and what they would like to see in the church. Then we tailor our services and ministries to meet the needs of the people around us. Of course, we do not compromise the message of the gospel. We must never do that. We meet the felt needs of people, and then we will have opportunity to give them the gospel.
You may say, "And what’s wrong with that?" I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. When we start with man, we have already compromised the message of the gospel. The true gospel begins with God, not with man. A man-centered gospel is no gospel at all. Why would we ever want to survey the world to find out what the church should be doing? Why would it ever be okay for the world to dictate the actions of God’s people. We don’t have to ask people what they need; we know what they need, because God has told us in His Word. People need to understand that God is holy and righteous, that man is wicked to the core and has rebelled against God, and that there is no hope except in Jesus Christ. That gospel will always be foolishness and a stumblingblock to unbelieving men, but praise God that the preaching of the cross is the power and wisdom of God to them who believe!
Now let’s just read through some scripture. Let’s begin in Romans 1. Rom. 1:16-32…
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
That is Paul’s general description of mankind, because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Look again at verse 21, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Who can say that this is not true of him? If not now, there was a time when you did not glorify Him as God and you were not thankful. The terrible sins that are listed in the rest of the passage come out of that attitude. If you are not guilty of all those specific sins, understand that you are guilty of the root cause of them, and if it were not for the grace of God, you would have committed every one of them.
But again, you protest, "Don’t lump me in with homosexuals and murderers and haters of God." Okay, let’s just keep reading. Rom. 2:1-11…
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11. For there is no respect of persons with God.
Hear those words, "Whoever you are that judges another, you are condemning yourself." Do you see the picture here? Some (especially the Jews) would read that list of terrible sins and say, "Yes, that is perfectly true of the great masses of mankind, and I agree that you are right in judging them – but there are others, of course, like myself, who hate those sinful tendencies and wouldn’t think of doing those things." To them Paul says, "In judging them, you are judging yourself, because you do the same things."
Wow! How could Paul accuse his fellow-Jews of doing the same things? It was such sinful acts on the part of the pagan Gentiles that caused the Jews to despise them in the first place. And now Paul says that they do the same things. How can that be? Are you getting a glimpse? It is just like my statement that everyone of you is as wicked as Osama bin Laden. You haven’t done the exact same things, but in principle you have. You have rebelled against the same God with a heart as wicked as his.
Be careful when you are quick to assign God’s judgment to those you consider wicked. When Paul concluded the words of chapter 1, I can just hear Jews (and perhaps other so-called "moral men") saying, "Amen. That’s right, Paul. They deserve the judgment of God." To this Paul replies in verses 3-4, "And do you who judge them and do the same things that they do think you will escape the judgment of God. Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance? Don’t you know that God’s goodness is designed to lead you to repentance?"
Now come to verse 5, "But after your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up for yourself wrath which will come upon you on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (paraphrased). Now Paul speaks to the man who has indeed despised the goodness of God and has refused to repent of his pride. That man is storing up wrath for himself in the last day. Bear in mind that the Jews to whom Paul was speaking were very moral men. Paul himself had been a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He is speaking to those who thought they were too good to commit the sins listed in chapter 1. Nevertheless, they are under the wrath of God.
And what do you make out of verses 6-11? God will render to every man according to his works. Let’s read it again… (Rom. 2:6-11)
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11. For there is no respect of persons with God.
Does it sound like Paul is contradicting his teaching elsewhere that salvation is by grace through faith? That is not the case. This passage is about judgment. Throughout the scripture, we are taught that every man will be judged by his works. Salvation is indeed by grace through faith, but judgment will be by works. We must understand that grace and faith do not give a person license to sin without punishment. Rather, they enable a person to live a holy life, a life that is described by the words "by patient continuance in well-doing week for glory and honor and immortality." The only person who will "work good" (vs. 10) is the person who has been saved by the grace of God and enabled by that same grace to bring forth good fruit.
For our discussion, the key words are in verse 9 – "of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. Paul tells us that both are contentious and guilty of disobedience. We see more of this truth in chapter 3.
So let’s come to chapter 3. In verse 9, Paul takes the Gentiles and Jews together and writes these words in 3:9-18..
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17. And the way of peace have they not known: 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Paul makes it clear that whether Jew or Gentile, we are all under sin. We quote verses 10-11 often: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." We accept that with no problem. And verse 18 is okay too, when Paul says, "There is no fear of God before their eyes." But we have trouble with verses 13-16 especially. Surely some of us do not have a throat that is an open sepulchre, nor is the poison of snakes under our lips. Surely our mouth is not full of cursing and bitterness. We are blind to the fact that the indictments of verses 10, 11, and 18 are far more serious than the specific sins listed in between. Because no man seeks after God and there is no fear of God before there eyes, the door is opened to every foul deed that can be imagined. For every sin you can prove that you have not committed, there are a dozen more that you have and a thousand more you would have committed, had it not been for the grace of God. You are part of the race that has committed all of the sins listed in Romans, and you have done more than your share.
I tell you, every one of you – you are as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Conclusion
So what is the point of all this? Why am I laboring to convince us of our wickedness? I must say that it would be much easier to preach another sermon. And there are certainly plenty of messages we need. So why this? Is it not because the wickedness of pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency are more evil than we are able to comprehend? Is not our tendency to compare ourselves with others a sure sign of man-centeredness?
Perhaps you are saying: "I am not wicked. I have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb; I have been raised up to sit in the heavenlies with Christ; I am dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ my Lord." If that is where you are, then praise God that He can do such marvelous things for a person as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
You will remember that Paul said, "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" (I Tim. 1:15). I don’t claim to have perfect insight into what Paul meant, but he did say, "I am the chief of sinners." It isn’t, "I was the chief of sinners," but "I am the chief of sinners." Was it not because Paul saw his life as a whole? He remembered well how he had persecuted the church of God and wasted it (Gal. 1:13). He realized that there was no sin of which he was not capable. But then he could say: "By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me" (I Cor. 15:10). It was that grace working in Paul that delivered him from the depths of sin which he had committed and was capable of committing.
I am reminded of the story of the sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus. Simon, the Pharisee, noted that she was a very sinful woman. Why would Jesus let her get close to Him, if He were indeed a prophet? But remember the words of Jesus: "Her sins, which are many are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little" (Lk. 7:47). I love little because I cannot grasp how much God has forgiven in my life.
Praise God when He delivers us from our sin. May we never forget that He did it; we didn’t. Though we are as wicked as Osama bin Laden, God has poured out His mercy and grace upon us. And if we are in Christ, we are new creatures. May God give us grace never to take an ounce of credit for the change; all glory belongs to Him!
Read the song: "And Can It Be That I Should Gain (p. 57)
WICKED AS HE
I would like to begin this morning by asking you to consider the man whose name is Osama bin Laden. Most of you will recall the man immediately, though we don’t here as much about him now. He was the man who mastermind-ed the 9/11 attack upon the World Trade Centers in 2001. He quickly became the chief object of "The War on Terror." As amazing as it might seem, the United States government and all its allies have not been able to track him down.
In a few words, how would you describe this man? Perhaps he might be referred to as the Hitler or Stalin of our day. Not too long after 9/11, he was hanged in effigy out here between La Luz and Tularosa.
Now let’s take a minute to consider why this man seems to be the personification of evil. Why was his deed so much worse than many others? We could begin by mentioning the number of lives lost. In one devastating action, over 3,000 Americans were killed. While many more lives have been lost in wars, this action was not part of a recognized war. These were typical Americans who were simply doing their jobs in New York City. Relatively speaking, they were innocent people who were minding their own business. What right did Osama bin Laden have to arrange for their deaths?
The loss of life is only the tip of the iceberg. Now consider the families of each individual that was killed. During the days following 9/11, we heard the stories of many of these hurting families. Husbands lost wives; wives lost husbands. Hundreds of children lost a parent. And yes, plenty of parents lost children. The lives of these families will never be the same, and all because of the actions of a man they had never met or even heard of.
Today from time to time certain crimes are classified as "hate crimes." We won’t go into all the details of that, but surely if there was ever a hate crime, this was it. Osama bin Laden was not protecting himself or his people. None of the occupants of the World Trade Center or the Pentagon had done anything to him. Yet he took great delight in the destruction that resulted from his actions.
We might also consider the fact that this was first degree murder. Sometimes a person is guilty of killing another, but it wasn’t something that was planned. That was not the case with Osama bin Laden. Who knows how long he had been planning his attack. He gave attention to every detail. How much money and manpower were expended to carry out this evil deed? This man knew exactly what he was doing. He knew the pain and agony he would cause, and that is the very reason he did it.
Finally, let’s look at the long-range results of 9/11. Through this one action of Osama bin Laden, he changed an entire country, even western civilization itself. If and when you fly on a commercial jet line, part of your plane fare goes to pay the damage caused by this terrorist. No, the money is not used to rebuild the World Trade Centers, but it is used to provide security, in hopes that 9/11 will never happen again. When you are pulled aside and searched, you can thank Osama bin Laden. His heartless deed heightened the "fear factor" throughout our society. Life in this country has never been the same since 9/11. Economically, the United States has paid a great price.
And what does Osama bin Laden deserve? Surely he deserves to be tracked down and prosecuted. I don’t know what you believe about the death sentence, but if there was ever a case where it is justified, surely this would be it. Or maybe the death sentence is too good for a man like bin Laden. But what does he deserve in God’s court of justice? Surely he deserves to be cut off from God completely, to burn in hell forever and ever.
So I ask you: Is not Osama bin Laden an evil man? Can anyone think of another man as evil as he? I can. Every person in this room is as wicked as Osama bin Laden. I can hear your protests, but they mean nothing to God. Let me repeat it: Every person in this room is as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Now how can I say that? How can I possibly believe that all of us are as wicked as that man? Let me try to explain, but it cannot be done without going to the Word of God, where we find the truth about God and the truth about man.
I. If Not Restrained by the Grace of God, We Would Do the Same or Worse
Most of us have heard the saying, "Except for the grace of God, there go I." That is a saying; it is not taken from the Bible. However, there is much biblical truth in that little saying. Whoever is responsible for these words understood some important biblical principles.
I remind you of Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." The reason we think some of our deeds are righteous is because we compare them with the deeds of others. In light of what Osama bin Laden has done, I think that most everything I do must be righteous, but that is not what God says.
I remember sharing the truth of this verse one time. After the service, an older lady confronted me and told me in no uncertain terms that she didn’t believe that. She let me know that she had done plenty of righteous deeds. Though most people are not so bold as this lady, that is the attitude that runs throughout our society and even infiltrates the church. We don’t want to be put in the same category as the Hitlers, Stalins, and bin Ladens of our world. Nevertheless, all of our righteous deeds are like filtgy rags in the sight of God. And if it were not for the grace of God, they would be far worse. Who would believe that Judas was capable of betraying the very Son of God? More to the point, who would believe that David was capable of adultery and murder?
II. We Must Understand that Sin is Against God
I mentioned David, so let’s consider this one who was a man after God’s own heart. He committed adultery and then he became a murderer to cover it up. Months later, with the help one of God’s bold prophets, David finally owned up to what he had done. "I have sinned against the Lord," said David (II Sam. 12:13). Not too long after this, he penned the words of Psalm 51. We know this because the superscription of Psalm 51 gives us the occasion of the Psalm: "A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba." Much of this Psalm is familiar to many of you. David cried out for mercy. He asked God to create in him a clean heart. But perhaps the most startling words of the entire Psalm are found in verse 4, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight…"
At first glance, we might think that David is cold and callous. Didn’t he have any concern for what he did to Bathsheba and Uriah, her husband? Did he really believe that he had done them no wrong? No, that isn’t what it means. What we must understand is that sin is against God. Who was it that said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery"? And who was it that said, "Thou shalt not kill"? Who was it that made Bathsheba and Uriah? Whose creatures were they? When we answer those questions, we begin to understand the meaning of all of verse 4, "Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest." David was grieved because of what he had done to Bathsheba and Uriah, but that was nothing in comparison to what he had done to God. He had rebelled against the God who had delivered him from the lion and the bear and even from Goliath, the God who had made him king over His people and had blessed him immeasurably.
The sin of Osama bin Laden was not primarily against the United States of America, nor was it against the people who died in the Towers, nor the families who lost loved ones. His sin was against Almighty God. And what is true of his sins is true of your sins. You too have sinned against the Creator of the universe. You too have spit in the face of the God who made you and who has done you nothing but good.
And that brings us to a third very important reason I can say that you are as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
III. There Is a Vast Difference Between the Creatures and the Creator
We have a marvelous ability to forget who God is. Let’s go back one Psalm to Psalm 50 and hear the Psalmist speaking to us… (Ps. 50:19-21)
Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. 20. Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 21. These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
Though it is unintentional, sometimes we bring God down to our level. We get to thinking that He is like us. We forget that He is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy (Is. 57:15).
Consider the most wicked man on earth, even Osama bin Laden, if you like. And now consider the most righteous man on this earth. Get someone definite in mind – both for the most wicked and the most righteous. Place the most wicked way down here, and then place the most righteous somewhere above him. Fit the rest of humanity somewhere in between. And now where will you put God? If between the most wicked and the most righteous there is a thousand miles, where will God fit? In our society, God is just a little higher than man, if even that. But let me tell you how it is. If for illustration purposes, we put a thousand miles between the most wicked and the most righteous of men, then the distance between the most righteous man and God will be the distance to the farthest star in the universe. No, I don’t know how far that is. To put it another way, the difference between God and the most righteous man will be measured in light years. God will be a million light years above the most righteous.
Do you see what that means? That means that the difference between two people, even the most righteous and the most wicked, is negligible. It is nothing. That is why I can say with absolute confidence that everyone of you (and I) is just as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Why You Protest against the Idea that You Are as Wicked as Osama bin Laden
So why does that offend us so deeply? Why do we have so much trouble accepting that? I believe the primary reason is because we have a tendency to be man-centered. Some of you see a greater difference between the Osama bin Laden and the apostle Paul than between the apostle Paul and God, and that is blasphemy.
The society in which we live has become absolutely man-centered. Man has become the measure of all things. And that attitude has permeated the professing church in our society. That is one of the primary reasons that we are so messed up. We have been conformed to the world’s idea that all thinking begins with man.
Consider what is called "the seeker sensitive" church. The concept goes something like this… People are turned off to today’s church. We better find out why. So we go out and take surveys of why people are down on the church and what they would like to see in the church. Then we tailor our services and ministries to meet the needs of the people around us. Of course, we do not compromise the message of the gospel. We must never do that. We meet the felt needs of people, and then we will have opportunity to give them the gospel.
You may say, "And what’s wrong with that?" I’ll tell you what’s wrong with it. When we start with man, we have already compromised the message of the gospel. The true gospel begins with God, not with man. A man-centered gospel is no gospel at all. Why would we ever want to survey the world to find out what the church should be doing? Why would it ever be okay for the world to dictate the actions of God’s people. We don’t have to ask people what they need; we know what they need, because God has told us in His Word. People need to understand that God is holy and righteous, that man is wicked to the core and has rebelled against God, and that there is no hope except in Jesus Christ. That gospel will always be foolishness and a stumblingblock to unbelieving men, but praise God that the preaching of the cross is the power and wisdom of God to them who believe!
Now let’s just read through some scripture. Let’s begin in Romans 1. Rom. 1:16-32…
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. 18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath showed it unto them. 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
That is Paul’s general description of mankind, because the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. Look again at verse 21, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Who can say that this is not true of him? If not now, there was a time when you did not glorify Him as God and you were not thankful. The terrible sins that are listed in the rest of the passage come out of that attitude. If you are not guilty of all those specific sins, understand that you are guilty of the root cause of them, and if it were not for the grace of God, you would have committed every one of them.
But again, you protest, "Don’t lump me in with homosexuals and murderers and haters of God." Okay, let’s just keep reading. Rom. 2:1-11…
Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4. Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6. Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11. For there is no respect of persons with God.
Hear those words, "Whoever you are that judges another, you are condemning yourself." Do you see the picture here? Some (especially the Jews) would read that list of terrible sins and say, "Yes, that is perfectly true of the great masses of mankind, and I agree that you are right in judging them – but there are others, of course, like myself, who hate those sinful tendencies and wouldn’t think of doing those things." To them Paul says, "In judging them, you are judging yourself, because you do the same things."
Wow! How could Paul accuse his fellow-Jews of doing the same things? It was such sinful acts on the part of the pagan Gentiles that caused the Jews to despise them in the first place. And now Paul says that they do the same things. How can that be? Are you getting a glimpse? It is just like my statement that everyone of you is as wicked as Osama bin Laden. You haven’t done the exact same things, but in principle you have. You have rebelled against the same God with a heart as wicked as his.
Be careful when you are quick to assign God’s judgment to those you consider wicked. When Paul concluded the words of chapter 1, I can just hear Jews (and perhaps other so-called "moral men") saying, "Amen. That’s right, Paul. They deserve the judgment of God." To this Paul replies in verses 3-4, "And do you who judge them and do the same things that they do think you will escape the judgment of God. Or do you despise the riches of His goodness and forbearance? Don’t you know that God’s goodness is designed to lead you to repentance?"
Now come to verse 5, "But after your hardness and impenitent heart you treasure up for yourself wrath which will come upon you on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (paraphrased). Now Paul speaks to the man who has indeed despised the goodness of God and has refused to repent of his pride. That man is storing up wrath for himself in the last day. Bear in mind that the Jews to whom Paul was speaking were very moral men. Paul himself had been a Pharisee of the Pharisees. He is speaking to those who thought they were too good to commit the sins listed in chapter 1. Nevertheless, they are under the wrath of God.
And what do you make out of verses 6-11? God will render to every man according to his works. Let’s read it again… (Rom. 2:6-11)
Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7. To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9. Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10. But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11. For there is no respect of persons with God.
Does it sound like Paul is contradicting his teaching elsewhere that salvation is by grace through faith? That is not the case. This passage is about judgment. Throughout the scripture, we are taught that every man will be judged by his works. Salvation is indeed by grace through faith, but judgment will be by works. We must understand that grace and faith do not give a person license to sin without punishment. Rather, they enable a person to live a holy life, a life that is described by the words "by patient continuance in well-doing week for glory and honor and immortality." The only person who will "work good" (vs. 10) is the person who has been saved by the grace of God and enabled by that same grace to bring forth good fruit.
For our discussion, the key words are in verse 9 – "of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. Paul tells us that both are contentious and guilty of disobedience. We see more of this truth in chapter 3.
So let’s come to chapter 3. In verse 9, Paul takes the Gentiles and Jews together and writes these words in 3:9-18..
What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13. Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14. Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15. Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16. Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17. And the way of peace have they not known: 18. There is no fear of God before their eyes.
Paul makes it clear that whether Jew or Gentile, we are all under sin. We quote verses 10-11 often: "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one; 11. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." We accept that with no problem. And verse 18 is okay too, when Paul says, "There is no fear of God before their eyes." But we have trouble with verses 13-16 especially. Surely some of us do not have a throat that is an open sepulchre, nor is the poison of snakes under our lips. Surely our mouth is not full of cursing and bitterness. We are blind to the fact that the indictments of verses 10, 11, and 18 are far more serious than the specific sins listed in between. Because no man seeks after God and there is no fear of God before there eyes, the door is opened to every foul deed that can be imagined. For every sin you can prove that you have not committed, there are a dozen more that you have and a thousand more you would have committed, had it not been for the grace of God. You are part of the race that has committed all of the sins listed in Romans, and you have done more than your share.
I tell you, every one of you – you are as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
Conclusion
So what is the point of all this? Why am I laboring to convince us of our wickedness? I must say that it would be much easier to preach another sermon. And there are certainly plenty of messages we need. So why this? Is it not because the wickedness of pride, arrogance, and self-sufficiency are more evil than we are able to comprehend? Is not our tendency to compare ourselves with others a sure sign of man-centeredness?
Perhaps you are saying: "I am not wicked. I have been redeemed by the blood of the lamb; I have been raised up to sit in the heavenlies with Christ; I am dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ my Lord." If that is where you are, then praise God that He can do such marvelous things for a person as wicked as Osama bin Laden.
You will remember that Paul said, "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" (I Tim. 1:15). I don’t claim to have perfect insight into what Paul meant, but he did say, "I am the chief of sinners." It isn’t, "I was the chief of sinners," but "I am the chief of sinners." Was it not because Paul saw his life as a whole? He remembered well how he had persecuted the church of God and wasted it (Gal. 1:13). He realized that there was no sin of which he was not capable. But then he could say: "By the grace of God I am what I am; and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which was in me" (I Cor. 15:10). It was that grace working in Paul that delivered him from the depths of sin which he had committed and was capable of committing.
I am reminded of the story of the sinful woman who anointed the feet of Jesus. Simon, the Pharisee, noted that she was a very sinful woman. Why would Jesus let her get close to Him, if He were indeed a prophet? But remember the words of Jesus: "Her sins, which are many are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little" (Lk. 7:47). I love little because I cannot grasp how much God has forgiven in my life.
Praise God when He delivers us from our sin. May we never forget that He did it; we didn’t. Though we are as wicked as Osama bin Laden, God has poured out His mercy and grace upon us. And if we are in Christ, we are new creatures. May God give us grace never to take an ounce of credit for the change; all glory belongs to Him!
Read the song: "And Can It Be That I Should Gain (p. 57)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)