Sunday, March 29, 2009
THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
Gen. 22:1-19
Last week I had someone ask me if we were going to get to Genesis 22 last Sunday. I had to inform that person, “No, we will have to wait one more week.” Well, I’m glad we’re finally here. So what is so special about Genesis 22? It is one of those red letter chapters in the Bible, one of those special passages that we come back to over and over again. Last week I mentioned that Genesis 19 was one of the ugly chapters in the Bible. Though chapter 22 begins with great difficulty, when we get the whole picture, is there anything more beautiful?
We could approach this chapter in many different ways. We can’t begin to exhaust its riches in one study. However, since our purpose in this Genesis study is to keep moving and not get bogged down, we will give it our full attention today and then move on. Before we dive in, let’s pause to ask God to speak to us this morning.
Pray.
Let’s read Gen. 22:1-19…
And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; 2. And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night. 3. And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat. 4. But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter: 5. And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them. 6. And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him, 7. And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly. 8. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes: only unto these men do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof. 9. And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door. 10. But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door. 11. And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 12. And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:
Let me go ahead and give you the outline we are going to use. Speaking of Abraham offering up his son, we consider these aspects of his actions…
1. What it required
2. What it revealed
3. What it foreshadowed
I. What It Revealed – Faith
We love our children, do we not? Not only do we love them, but we have hopes for them. As a father, I made many mistakes in raising our boys. Obviously, we parents see our mistakes more clearly as we grow older. Nevertheless, I can say from the depths of my heart that I long for them to do better than I have. I desire to see them following the Lord and leading their kids to do the same. When I see them doing better than I did, I am not jealous; I am overjoyed. Now with that in mind, suppose I found out that I would soon lose my sons. What would that do to me? I can’t even begin to imagine the depth of the pain. To make matters worse, what if God asked me to offer up my sons as a sacrifice, to take their very lives? Now let me make it crystal clear that God will never ask any of us to take the lives of our children. What we have here in Genesis 22 is a once-in-the-history-of-the-world request of a human father. It never happened before and it will never happen again. We’ll see why next week. Imagine the agony. Not only would I be losing my sons, but I would be losing all the hopes that I had pinned upon them.
While that is certainly not a perfect illustration, it begins to unearth the depths of what Abraham must have felt when God tested him. By the way, the King James uses the word “tempt.” The English word “tempt” is capable of conveying more than one meaning. Here are the first two definitions in my English dictionary: 1. to entice to do wrong… 2. to make trial of; test. In this case, the idea is clearly one of testing. God never tempts anyone to do wrong, but He does bring testing into our lives. We find that truth in James 1:12-14…
Blessed is the man that endureth temptation [trial, testing]: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13. Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
There can be no doubt that God was testing Abraham’s faith. This was the ultimate test. Verse 2, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will designate.” Notice the emphasis on your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love.” But wait a minute. Was Isaac Abraham’s only son? While he was the only son of Abraham and Sarah, we know that Abraham had another son. What was his name? Yes, Ishmael. Then why does God speak of Isaac as Abraham’s only son? In order to answer that question, we need to go back and read Gen. 21:9-21…
And Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, which she had born unto Abraham, mocking. Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac. 11. And the thing was very grievous in Abraham's sight because of his son. 12. And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called. 13. And also of the son of the bondwoman will I make a nation, because he is thy seed. 14. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, and the child, and sent her away: and she departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba. 15. And the water was spent in the bottle, and she cast the child under one of the shrubs. 16. And she went, and sat her down over against him a good way off, as it were a bowshot: for she said, Let me not see the death of the child. And she sat over against him, and lift up her voice, and wept. 17. And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is. 18. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; for I will make him a great nation. 19. And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink. 20. And God was with the lad; and he grew, and dwelt in the wilderness, and became an archer. 21. And he dwelt in the wilderness of Paran: and his mother took him a wife out of the land of Egypt.
Notice two things from this passage. First of all, we see that God told Abraham to send away Ishmael and his mother. Understand that Ishmael was no little boy by this time. He was fourteen when Isaac was born, and this is after Isaac was weaned. By now, he was likely 17 years old. The word “mocking” in verse 9 is a form of the word “laughter,” but clearly it was a mocking laughter. No wonder Sarah was upset, as she watched this young man ridiculing her little boy. But how could Abraham do what Sarah suggested? This was his own flesh and blood. He could only do it because God told him to do so. The rest of the passage makes it clear that God Himself was watching out for Ishmael. Now that Abraham had been sent away, there was no question about who would be the heir. In that sense, Isaac was his only son. But that is not the most important factor. Notice God’s words to Abraham at the end of verse 12, “For in Isaac shall thy seed be called.” While Abraham had two sons, only one was the son of promise. So Isaac was the only son with whom Abraham had any contact and he was the only son who was given in fulfillment of God’s promise.
The Lord was well aware that this would be a very difficult test for Abraham. He did not make it any easier by reminding Abraham that this was the son whom he loved. From the time he was weaned, he was the only son in Abraham’s household. He was the son born to Abraham in his old age (100, to be exact). Most important of all, Isaac was the son through whom Abraham would be blessed with descendants as numerous as the stars in the heavens.
So how did Abraham respond? Verse 3, “And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went where God told him to go.” If there was any reluctance, there is no record of it here. Don’t you wonder if Abraham slept any that night. Was there a wrestling with God, as when Jacob wrestled all night? Or could Abraham say what David would later say: “I lay me down and slept; I awaked, for the Lord sustained me” (Ps. 3:5)? We don’t know.
Where did God tell him to go? To a mountainous region called Moriah. By the way, according to II Chr. 3:1, this would be the site on which Solomon would build the temple. Why Moriah? Although we are not told, I think I have a pretty good idea. Notice in verse 4 that it wasn’t until the third day that they could see the place afar off. Best I can tell, it was some 50 miles away. Apparently Abraham was in no hurry. If he had hurried, he could have probably gone all the way in three days, but we see that on the third day they still had a ways to go. No wonder Abraham wasn’t in a hurry. It seems to me that the Lord deliberately chose a place a good distance away. That would give Abraham plenty of time to weigh this whole situation, to come to grips with this test of his faith.
Isn’t it a touching story, especially when Isaac said, “My father… I see the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for the offering.” We aren’t told how old he was. He is referred to as “lad” in verses 5 and 12, but this may be a bit misleading. The Hebrew word could be applied to a baby or to a grown man, as it was used of Joseph when he was 30 years old (Gen. 41:12,46). He was plenty old enough to understand about the offering of sacrifices. The most telling evidence of his age is in verse 6, where we are told that Abraham laid the wood on Isaac. We are talking about carrying up a mountain enough wood to consume a human sacrifice. That is why it seems best to view Isaac as a young man, as an older teen or in his 20’s. That didn’t make it any easier. Maybe a little boy wouldn’t understand, but Isaac certainly would.
Ultimately we can describe Abraham’s response with these simple words: “He obeyed God.” No, he didn’t kill his son outwardly, but the deed was already done in his heart. He did not hold back. Yes, he raised the knife to slay his son. Had the angel of the Lord not spoken at that precise moment, the deed would have been done. Abraham was fully obedient to the Word of the Lord.
Now back to our question: What did his obedience require? How could any father do such a thing, much less a father who believed that the promises of God necessitated that his son Isaac have children. How could God fulfill His promises through a dead son? Why would God ask Abraham to kill his son? Pagans did that, but surely not a man who followed the Lord who gives life. Don’t you know that Abraham pondered these questions again and again as he traveled toward Mt. Moriah. He couldn’t talk to his servants about this, and he certainly couldn’t talk to Isaac. It was just Abraham and the Lord. But as he was thinking, he was obeying, coming ever close to the place of sacrifice.
For the answer to our question, we only have to turn to the New Testament. I would encourage to write in your Bible out beside chapter 22 a reference to Heb. 11. Let’s turn there. Heb. 11:17-19…
By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son. 18. Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called: 19. Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
Abraham wasn’t able to figure it all out, but He took God at His Word. Whatever it took, God would not forsake His promise. Even if it meant bringing Isaac back from the dead, God would do it.
Think on that for a while. We read it so casually: So Abraham believed that God would raise him from the dead. Do you believe God could raise your child from the dead to fulfill a promise? This was no small thing. Abraham had never seen or heard of anyone being raised from the dead. His obedience required faith in a great God. Notice that I did not say his obedience required great faith in God. The focus isn’t on great faith, but upon a great God! Abraham’s faith is described by the three opening words “By faith Abraham,” but the key is verse 19, where we are told that Abraham accounted, reckoned, considered to be true, the fact that God was able to raise him up even form the dead. Abraham put his trust in a great God, and he was not disappointed. In a real sense, God did raise him up from the dead, because in Abraham’s mind and heart Isaac had already been slain.
No wonder we think of Abraham as the father of the faithful. Obedience grows out of faith. That is why the emphasis isn’t upon how great the man is, but how great is the God in whom he believes. That is the God we serve. Can you trust a God like that? Can you trust Him, even when you don’t understand His command? Can you trust Him enough to obey Him, no matter what? Surely He has proven Himself trustworthy. Praise God for this example of simple faith in a trustworthy God.
Do you have trouble trusting God? Do you feel like you are weak in faith? The answer isn’t to try to manufacture faith. It isn’t even to pray for faith. Oh yes, pray for faith, but don’t expect God to zap you right in the heart with ten pounds of faith. Where does faith come from? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God” (Rom. 10:17). And what do we find in the Word of God? We find the revelation of the true and living God, the One who is faithful and unchanging, the One who gave us His Son. And “he that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). As we come consistently to the Word of God, we understand more and more of this God who was able to raise up Isaac from the dead. We come to know the God who loved Abraham so much that He tested him, revealing that Abraham’s greatest treasure was not his son Isaac, but the Lord Himself. As we gaze upon Jesus Christ, we come to understand what it means that He loved us and gave Himself for us. Can you trust a God like that? Can you trust the God who revealed Himself to Abraham and who is revealing Himself to us through the Word?
II. What Did It Reveal?
We have seen clearly that Abraham’s obedience required faith. Now I want to ask you a question. You will be happy to know that this is not an essay question, nor a true/false question. Rather, it is fill in the blank. (Put it on the overhead). Please don’t answer out loud; just think of the answer and keep it to yourself. Here it is: “You see then how that by ______ a man is justified.” Okay, how many of you filled in the blank with the word “faith”? Hold them up high. I know you are shy, but if that is what you think, let it be known. Is there anyone who had a different response. What?
If you said “faith,” you are mistaken. However, only one of two things could have tipped you off that “faith” is the wrong answer. First, you may have known this exact text I quoted here. Yes, this is an exactly quotation. Or, you could have suspected that I was trying to trick you. When it comes to the concept, surely you are right. Doesn’t the Bible say that a man is justified by faith and not by works? Listen to Gal. 2:16, "Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified." But maybe it was different with Abraham. Maybe he was justified in some other way. Let’s read Rom. 4:2-5…
For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
We see Paul stating dogmatically that a person can never be justified by works, but that he must be justified by faith. He looks at it from the other side in Rom 5:1, "Therefore being justified by faith [literally, ‘having been justified by faith], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." So where on earth did we get these words which I claim is a direct quote from scripture? Someone tell us. Yes, it is from James 2. Let’s read the whole verse, James 2:24, "Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only." Did you hear that? James says that faith alone cannot justify a person. It makes you wonder if James was familiar with the apostle Paul, or if Paul had ever read James. It certainly appears that their statements are contradictory.
It helps me to picture the situation like this. Paul and James were fighting for the same cause. They were both faithful soldiers of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, they were fighting different enemies. Consider the United States during World War II. Some of our men were fighting a ground war on the European continent. They were armed with guns, and tanks. Their weapons were effective for the combat in which they were engaged. However, they would not have been effective in battling against Japanese planes. But we had another branch of our armed forces which we called upon to combat those planes. We had pilots who were trained to engage those planes and shoot them down. The Army and the Air Force were fighting for the same country, but they were battling two different enemies. As a result, they used very different weapons and tactics.
So it was with Paul and James. They both believed the same truth, but they wielded it against different enemies. Please allow me to explain what I mean. Paul was a Jew and even though he was the apostle to the Gentiles, he nevertheless wrote to churches where there were some Jews. As a matter of fact, Paul had been a Pharisee. Remember what he wrote to the Philippians: Phil. 3:4-6…
Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.
Paul and his fellow-Jews were seeking to become right with God by the works of the law. But Paul, having encountered the risen Christ, came to realize that no man can ever keep the law. So he tells us in Rom. 3:20, "Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin." This idea of a works righteousness was so deeply ingrained in the Jewish people that Paul had to constantly fight against that false idea. That is why he says in Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast."
We all have a pretty good understanding of that, but now let’s come to James. He was fighting a different battle, but a very important one. I think it will be best if we just go ahead and read the whole passage – Jms. 2:14-26…
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? 15. If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16. And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17. Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22. Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
So does verse 14 talk about a person who has faith and not works? No, it does not. Read it carefully. It talks about a man who says he has faith but in reality does not have works. That is the key to understanding this passage. He professes faith. The big question is posed at the end of verse 14: “Can faith save him?” I must say that the King James is weak at this point. It is not, “Can faith save him?” but “Can the faith save him?” The definite article is present, indicating that James is not talking about just any faith, but the faith, a particular kind of faith. So what kind of faith is he talking about? Context gives us the answer. He is talking about a professed faith which is not accompanied by works. He is referring back to the person who says he has faith but who does not have good works. Very clearly the idea is, “Can that faith save him?” In the Greek language, it is asked in such a way that it anticipates a negative answer. In other words, “That faith can’t save him, can it?” Or, “Surely that kind of faith can’t save him.”
After giving a very down-to-earth illustration in verses 15-16, James then makes this statement in verse 17: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” Again, it is the same thing. “Even so that faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead, being alone.” A dead faith can’t save anyone. But someone might say (verse18), “It’s just a difference of perspective. One person has faith; another has works. To that James says, “Show my your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” Do you see how he is stressing that true faith and works go hand in hand? Then in verse 19 he refers to the Shema, those words from Deut. 6:4 that the Jews quoted daily: “Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.” Listen to him: “You believe there is one God; you do well; the demons also believe, and they tremble.” Then it wraps it up with verse 20, “But won’t you know, O vain man, that the faith without works is dead.”
Are you getting the picture? James was not dealing with people who believed you could earn your salvation by doing good works. He was confronting people on the opposite end of the spectrum. He was battling an antinomianism that is alive and well in our day. In other words, there were people who were claiming that a person can live any way he wants to live, as long as he has faith. Please allow me to put it in modern terms. “You don’t have to worry about me. I was saved when I was 12 years old and I know I was saved. I may not live such a great life, but I know I’m going to heaven because Jesus Christ is my Savior. He saved me and no man can pluck me out of his hand.” And if you haven’t heard anyone articulate that kind of thinking, I assure you that you meet people regularly who think that way and are relying on a profession that is not accompanied by good works. James says that kind of so-called faith is dead, worthless, vain.
You see, James isn’t talking about real faith, but about a counterfeit faith. It looks like the real thing, but it can’t be because it isn’t accompanied by good works. Yes, he could be talking about millions of Americans who say, “Once saved, always saved; I know I’m going to heaven.” Give me just a moment to clarify what I mean by that. If you ask me do you believe “Once saved always saved,” I will probably say “No.” Even though I believe the scripture clearly teaches that a true Christian cannot lose his salvation, I despise the terminology “once saved always saved,” because it carries with it the connotation that a Christian can live any way he wants to and have no bearing on where he will spend eternity. That is a lie, and James tells us so. Some of you don’t believe in the perseverance of the saints because you have reacted against those who promote this “once saved always saved” deception. We need a strong dose of James 2 in our day.
But what about Paul? Could he live with what James is saying? Of course, because he says the same thing. Come back to Eph. 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9. Not of works, lest any man should boast." But now read verse 10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” While no amount of good deeds can make us right with God, we have been made right with God by grace through faith in order that we might do good works. We were created in Jesus Christ to do good works; that is God’s purpose for us. Paul is in perfect concert with James.
But now we must come to the rest of James 2. You are still wondering how James can boldly say that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. We’re getting there. In verse 21, James introduces Abraham as an illustration of a man who had a genuine faith rather than a counterfeit faith. He didn’t just say he had faith; he demonstrated it by doing good works. (You thought I had forgotten about Abraham and Genesis 22, didn’t you?) Not only does James refer to Abraham, but he also points to a specific incident in the life of Abraham. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” Without question, James is referring us back to the events of Genesis 22. Abraham didn’t just talk about believing God; he did something in response. Now verse 22, “Do you see how faith operated together with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?” In other words, his faith was brought to completion by his works.
Now come back to Romans 4 again. Rom. 4:2-3, "For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3. For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." When Paul quotes from what the scripture says, the quotation is from Gen. 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.” Remember the context of that verse. At that time, the Lord appeared to Abraham and said, “Fear not. I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.” God had already made His great promises to Abraham, but Abraham still had no son. He complained that his only heir would have to be a servant in his household. That is when God assured him that he would have a son and that his descendants would be as numerous as the starts in the sky. That is when we read, “Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness.” Here is Paul’s point. Abraham had done no great deed. All he did was simply to believe what God had said. Period. On the basis of that, God justified him, declared him to be righteous.
But now come to James’ use of Abraham to show that a man is justified (proven righteous) by works. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar?” Now where in the scripture do we find the story of Abraham taking Isaac up on the mountain to offer him as a sacrifice? It is in Gen. 22. If Isaac was around 20 at the time, then this takes place at least 35 years after Gen. 15:6. While earlier, in chapter 15, Abraham did nothing but trust what God had said, now in chapter 22 he acts. When God told him to take Isaac up and offer him as a sacrifice, Abraham has to gather provisions for the journey, get the wood for the fire, take Isaac, and go.
Do you see? In chapter 15 it was faith. In chapter 22 his faith resulted in works, and by works his faith was brought to completion. That is exactly what James is saying in verses 21 and 22.
But don’t think for a moment that James does not know about Gen. 15:6, which is Paul’s favorite source for justification by faith. He quotes it here in James 2:24, “And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.” James says that Gen. 15:6 was fulfilled. How? It was fulfilled when Abraham took his son Isaac up on the mountain. He believed God over 35 years earlier, and it was that genuine faith that allowed him to be declared righteous, but the genuineness of that faith was fully proven years later when he did the deed. In chapter 15 Abraham was declared righteous; in chapter 22 he was proven righteous.
And that brings us to the quote I put up here earlier, from verse 24, “Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith alone.” Paul says that Abraham was justified by faith; James says that Abraham was justified by works. There is absolutely no contradiction. The key is understanding that while they use the same word, James brings out a different shade of meaning than Paul does. Paul says that Abraham was declared righteous by faith; James says that Abraham was proven righteous by works. To put it another way, Abraham was justified by faith, but he was vindicated by works. His faith was proved to be genuine by his works.
But we aren’t quite done yet. Sally says she is a Christian, and she has the works to prove it. She reads a Bible verse every day. She prays every day. Every Sunday morning she dresses in her Sunday best and goes to worship God. She loves her children and cares for them. When her husband goes to the bar, she has no desire to go with him. She professes that she has been declared righteous by God? Do her works prove her to be righteous?
Come back again to James 2 and think with me. James says that by his works Abraham’s faith was made perfect, was brought to completion (verse 22). Now here is the question: What works? What is it that James is talking about? Again, the context makes it very clear. “Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?” (21). James points to only one deed, the offering of Isaac. So why does James specify this one deed? Think with me, because this is extremely important. James points to this incident because it is not just any good work. Why did Abraham take Isaac up on that mountain, raise the knife, and prepare to plunge it into Isaac? There is only one reason – God told him to.
OBEDIENCE. This is the key. Because of his trust in the Lord, Abraham obeyed him, no matter what the cost. No, Sally’s works did not prove her to be righteous. As a matter of fact, Sally absolutely despised her neighbors on each side of her. Her neighbors on one side had come out of a background of drugs. They were no longer using drugs, but they still had the look. When they were outside, she made sure she was inside. The neighbors on the other side were atheists, and she had no use for atheists. She had what she considered good works, but she was not obedient to the Word of God. Faith is proven genuine by works of obedience. As Jesus put it, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 15:14).
Conclusion
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac; and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son” (Heb. 11:17). What did such a deed require? It required faith, a genuine trust in God. And when Abraham had done it, what did it reveal? It revealed faith, genuine trust in God. There is no way Abraham could have done it, had it not been for his trust in a faithful, Almighty, loving God. On the other hand, his obedience, his carrying out of the deed, revealed that his faith was more than just an empty profession. His deed of obedience revealed that his trust in God was the real thing.
Faith and obedience are tied so closely together that they can hardly be separated. You cannot have one without the other.
Now that brings us back to the latter part of Genesis 22. We read in verse 11 that the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven and told him not to lay his hand on the young man. It was then that Abraham saw the ram caught in the thicket and knew that the Lord had indeed provided the sacrifice. Now come to verses 15-18…
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16. And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17. That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18. And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Notice verse 17. God gives Abraham great promises, assuring him that He will bless him and multiply his seed as the stars of heaven and the sand upon the seashore. We know that God had already made those promises. That is what Abraham believed, when God counted it to him for righteousness. But notice here what is on each side of the promises. Before them are the words “for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son…” After the promises are the words “because thou hast obeyed my voice.” If we read only this, we would have to conclude that God blessed Abraham with many descendants because he took Isaac up on the mountain and offered him to the Lord. It would seem that God blessed Abraham on the basis of his works.
Do you see? This is the Gen. 22 equivalent of what we find in James 2. We know from chapter 15 that God made these promises to Abraham with absolutely no conditions attached. But now he reaffirms them on the basis of Abraham’s obedience. It is as if he says, “Abraham, you believed my promises. And now your obedience has confirmed the genuineness of you faith. And because of that faith relationship, which produced your obedience, I am indeed going to fulfill my promises.” One writer puts it like this…
We must realize that God’s choice of Abraham included not only the end God purposed (blessings) but also the means (faith and obedience). After his ultimate test on Mount Moriah God can say that the blessings are a result of the obedience which stems from faith. This same sequence is evident in the New Testament. (Bob Deffinbaugh. Sermon “Final Exams,” found at http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=101 )
Brothers and sisters, don’t fear testing, for God uses it to prove the genuineness of your faith. 1 Pet. 1:6-7, "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." The ultimate goal of the testing of our faith is that it might bring honor and glory to Christ at His appearing. It is through this testing that the dross will be purged from us and we will become the spotless bride of Christ. What glory that will bring to our Lord when we are presented to Him “a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that we should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27).
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Isaac Born & Sodom Destroyed -- 3/22/09
Sunday, March 22, 2009
A PROMISE FULFILLED AND A CITY DESTROYED
Gen. 17:15-21:8
This morning we come back to Abraham, the father of the faithful, the friend of God. We will begin in Genesis 17, where we left off two weeks ago. At that time, we looked at more of God’s dealings with Abraham. We focused on the covenant in chapter 15 and the circumcision, which was the sign of the covenant, in chapter 17. We didn’t get to the child, who would be born in fulfillment (partial) of the covenant. However, there was a child born in chapter 16. And who was that child? Yes, Ishmael. God had promised Abraham a son, and now he had a son. So what was the problem? Ishmael was not the son that God had promised. You remember the background of his birth, don’t you? At the suggestion of Sarah, Abraham took her servant girl Hagar and had Ishmael by her. But this was not the son of promise; this was the son born of the flesh. Ishmael represented what Abraham could do. This morning we will come to see what God did.
Before we get to the birth of the son of promise in chapter 21, we will look at some of the events in the intervening chapters. We won’t be reading all of these chapters, because you have been reading them on your own in preparation. So let’s dive in.
I. Abraham’s Favor with God
As we look at Abraham, I want you to notice that he was a man who had great favor with God. We see that truth in these chapters.
A. A More Focused Promise (17:15-27; 19:9-15)
Let’s read Gen. 17:15-22…
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18. And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
God had already promised Abraham a son, but now the promise is much more specific. Verse 16, “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations…” Ishmael is not the promised son, because that son will come through your own wife, Sarah. Yes, we see in verse 15 that God takes Sarai and gives her the name “Sarah,” which means “Princess.” Remember that Sarah is almost 90 years old by this time and has never been able to bear a child. It is obvious that Abraham is capable of having children, and he had Ishmael to prove it, but Sarah is old and barren. Nevertheless, this is the promise of Almighty God, that Abraham will have a son by her. What favor God showed this man. The wife whom he has loved for all these years is finally going to bear him a son, the son promised by God.
How did Abraham respond? He fell on his face and laughed, saying in his heart, “Shall a child be born unto him who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety, bear a child?” Please understand that Abraham’s response has been interpreted in different ways over the years. Some of you probably don’t even remember this part, because we usually remember Sarah laughing (chapter 18) and forget about this little incident. Here is the question: Does Abraham’s response reveal a lack of faith on his part? Or was this joyous laughter?
Those who take it as a lack of faith quickly point to verse 18, where Abraham says, “O that Ismael might live before thee.” Was he not still hoping Ishmael would be the promised son,
because he had no confidence that Sarah would really have a son? And after all, Abraham wasn’t perfect; he had plenty of failures both before this and afterward. So surely Abraham’s laughter was evidence of his doubt that God could deliver on His promise.
On the other hand, I want you to notice a few things. First of all, notice where Abraham was when he laughed. He was on his face. Abraham fell on his face. What does that mean? Go back to 17:3, “And Abraham fell on his face and God talked to him…” God had just introduced Himself as “the Almighty God” (verse 1). No wonder Abraham fell on his face. We find the same thing throughout the Word of God. Moses fell on his face before God; Joshua fell on his face before God; even the wicked king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before God. Why? Out of reverence for the living and Almighty God. I can find no instance where men fell on their face before God for any other reason. It was an act of submission to the Almighty.
Now compare this incident with Sarah’s response when the angel announced that she would have a son. You will remember that three strangers appeared to Abraham. Now let’s pick up the story in Gen. 18:9-15…
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13. And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14. Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Sarah overheard what the angel said to Abraham, and she laughed, because she was old and barren. Notice in verse 13 that the Lord specifically asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” You don’t find any such thing connected with Abraham’s laughter. It seems that there is a certain censure of Sarah’s behavior that is not true of Abraham’s. Furthermore, notice that Sarah denied that she had laughed. In short, she lied.
Finally, what do we read in the New Testament. Remember that we have been going back and forth between this section of Genesis and Romans 4. So let’s come again to Romans 4. Paul has been using Abraham as an example of an Old Testament saint who was justified through faith. Now let’s read Rom. 4:16-22…
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17. (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Earlier in the chapter we read of Abraham’s faith, but the verse quoted was Gen. 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.” That took place years before. But here in this section of Romans 4 we know he is talking about the events of Gen. 17-18, because he says Abraham was about 100 years old (99 according to Gen. 17:1) and because he speaks about the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Now Paul has in mind not just the promise of a son, but the promise of a son through Sarah. And what does Paul say about Abraham’s attitude? He was not weak in faith. He did not consider his own age or the deadness of Sarah’s womb. But he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. Rather, he was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully persuaded that God would deliver on His promise. That makes it very difficult to regard Abraham’s laughter as evidence of unbelief.
Then why did he laugh? Amazement. Joy. And perhaps he was perplexed. He believed it, but it was still quite a shock. Lord, how can it be?
But what about Ishmael and Abraham’s exclamation: “O that Ishmael might live before thee”? I’m not sure. This too has been taken different ways. Again, I find it hard to see it as evidence of unbelief. Abraham may have wondered what part Ishmael would play. After all, the boy was now 13 years old. No doubt, Abraham was very close to him. Remember that he was born when Abraham was 86. Perhaps in some sense he was jealous for Ishmael. Where does this newly defined promise leave Ishmael?
However Abraham intended it, God sorted it out. He first makes it clear in verse 19 that Sarah will have a son, his name will be called Isaac (meaning “laughter”), and the covenant will be established through him and his seed. Then the Lord assures Abraham that He will also bless Ishmael. Just to make sure that there is no confusion, He states again in verse 21 that the covenant will be established in Isaac, not Ishmael.
B. An Effective Plea (18:16-33)
Now come again to chapter 18. After the three visitors had again announced the birth of Isaac and after Sarah had laughed, we pick up the story in Gen. 18:16-23…
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
We read that “the men rose up.” Who are “the men”? Back in verse 2, we see that three men showed up at Abraham’s place. It is interesting that Abraham responds in verse 3, “My Lord.” But then down through verse 8 he addressed them in the plural. In verse 9, “They said unto him…” But in verse 10, “He said…” Then verse 13, “The LORD said…” Now come to what we just read in 16-23. 16, “The men rose up…and looked toward Sodom.” But then in 17, “And the LORD said, Shall I hid form Abraham that thing which I do…?” The LORD continues to speak down through verse 21. Then in 22, “And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.” The rest of the chapter is the conversation between Abraham and the LORD. So how many went toward Sodom? The answer is in 19:1, “And there came two angels to Sodom at evening…” So were they angels or men? Let’s read Heb. 13:2, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." It has long been held that this is a reference to Abraham’s hospitality, when these men/angels came to him. But why did only two angels arrive at Sodom? What happened to the third? It seems best to understand that the third was the LORD Himself (or the Pre-incarnate Christ, as some would contend). He stayed and talked with Abraham, while the two angels went on to Sodom, as they had business there.
As we will see in chapter 19, the Lord had plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. But what about Abraham? Should He hide His plan from Abraham? Of course, we know that God is not obligated to share His plan with any human being. Nevertheless, we read in Ps. 25:14, "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." Also Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." We read in Is. 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Nevertheless, He is eager to share His thoughts and His ways with those who fear Him. That is why we read in Ps. 103:7, "He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."
So in verses 20-21 of Gen. 18 the Lord shares His plan of destruction with Abraham. It goes something like this: “If things are as bad as they appear, I will destroy these cities.” Then the two angels left for Sodom. It is then that we read in verse 23-24, “And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there be fifty righteous within the city, will you also destroy and not spare the place on behalf of the 50 righteous?” Notice that he drew near. Praise God that we can draw near to Him. And what an insightful question. “Lord, surely you won’t destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Lord, be it far from You to kill the righteous with the wicked. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Most of you know the rest of the conversation. The Lord agrees that if there are fifty righteous, the city will be spared. Then Abraham, humbly acknowledging his own unworthiness, asks if 45 righteous would not be enough to cause God to spare the city? Okay, I won’t spare the city if there are 45 righteous people. Then Abraham continued to humbly plea for the righteous of the city, reducing the number to 40, then to 30, then to 20, and finally to ten. Finally the Lord said, “I will not destroy if for the sake of ten righteous people.”
What an earnest plea. Abraham didn’t want to see Sodom destroyed. Why not? Why should he care about Sodom? Because there were people there, lots of people. But they were wicked people. It appears that Abraham cared about that wicked city. But wait a minute. Did Abraham know that his nephew Lot was living in Sodom? We see in chapter 13 that Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13:12). However, we don’t know specifically if Abraham knew he went to live in Sodom. Do we have any other insight? Remember what happened in chapter 14. Sodom got involved in a skirmish. It was five kings against four kings, and Sodom was on the losing side. The warring kings took Lot, his family, and his stuff captive. Abraham armed 300 of his servants and rescued Lot. He knew Lot lived in Sodom.
But even so, why would Abraham care? Lot hadn’t done anything for him. After all, Lot was not humble enough to let his uncle take the pick of the land. Lot boldly chose what he thought he was the best, because he was a selfish man. Surely destruction was what he deserved. But Abraham didn’t see it that way. He cried out to the Lord, probably with Lot in mind.
C. More Mercy Extended (20)
Let’s skip chapter 19 for now. We aren’t going to read chapter 20, but I will give a very quick summary: Abraham did it again. After all the wonderful promises of God and after Abraham had believed those promises, he does a repeat of what we found in chapter 12. That’s right, out of fear, he continued to lie about his wife Sarah, telling King Abimelech that she was his sister. If you haven’t read the story, take time to read it this week.
So what was the LORD going to do with this repeat offender? While sin always has consequences, we see God’s great mercy here. Notice how the chapter ends in 20:17-18, "So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife." What mercy. I read this chapter and say, “It should have been the other way around. God should have had Abimelech pray for lying Abraham.” God loved His servant and continued to pour out mercy upon him.
D. A Gift Received (21:1-8)
Now come to chapter 21. Let’s read Gen. 21:1-8…
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. 7. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. 8. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
Such simplicity. Notice the emphasis on the fact that this son came through Sarah, the woman who was old and barren. “The Lord visited Sarah… The Lord did unto Sarah… For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham as son in his old age… whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.” Praise God! He always keeps His promises.
Chapter 17 ends with Abraham circumcising all the males of his household. So Ishmael was 13 when he was circumcised; Abraham was 99 when he was circumcised. Then come back to Gen. 21:4-5, "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Isaac was circumcised when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded. So we see that Abraham was 100 years old when God favored him with the promised son.
II. The Destruction of Sodom and More Mercy (19)
Genesis 19 is one of those “ugly chapters” of the Bible. Perhaps it isn’t the ugliest, but it is definitely on the list. If someone wanted to write a book to impress people and sway them to their own viewpoint, he would not include passages like Gen. 19. In the New Testament Peter mentions “just Lot,” or “righteous Lot.” Genesis 19 is not a picture of his finest hour. But in the final analysis, while the Bible speaks about men like Abraham and Lot, it is not about men; it is about the God who created man and sent His Son to redeem him. So let’s not lose sight of the main character in this story, God Himself.
A reading of verses 1-11 reveals the depths of the sinful men of Sodom. While the latter half of Romans 1 may describe much of our society, we don’t have a monopoly on it, because it also describes much of what was going on in Sodom. This is the environment in which the two angels found Lot.
Before we go any further, we might as well deal with the question about “righteous Lot.” Peter tells us not only that Lot was righteous, but also tells us that he was “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (II Pet. 2:7). That is, he was “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men” (NASV). Apparently, he didn’t participate in the sinful practices of Sodom, but neither did he flee it. It seems to me that there is no excuse for Lot remaining in Sodom, but he did so. We sometimes sing: “O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear…” That was the case with Lot. Nevertheless, God did not leave him in that situation, for whom the Lord loves, He corrects. And that is why the two angels dealt with Lot before they destroyed the city.
Let’s read it now in Gen. 19:12-29…
And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25. And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
A. The Rescue of Lot and his daughters (19:1-7)
The angels graciously told Lot to gather any family members and get them out of the city, because they were getting ready to destroy it. There is no indication that Lot doubted what the angels said. Lot knew they were angels, as he had seen them strike a mob with blindness, and he was well aware that the city was extremely wicked and deserving of God’s wrath. So Lot went to his sons-in-law and warned them of the coming destruction. (Whether they had already married his daughters or were pledged to do so makes little difference for our purposes). But his sons-in-law treated his warning as if it were some kind of joke. They paid Lot no mind.
We don’t know if Lot had other family members. If he did, we are not told. But when the morning came, the angels urged Lot to hurry and get his wife and daughters out of Sodom while there was still time. Now notice verse 16, “And while he lingered…” Lot was fully aware that God was going to destroy the city. Surely he knew these “men” were angels, for he had seen them blind a whole crowd a day or two before. Nevertheless, he lingered. He was still hesitant to leave the city. Why? Because too much of his heart was in that city. Jesus would say, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). From the time he pitched his tent toward Sodom back in chapter 13, he had found pleasure in the life of that city.
At this point, the angels took matters into their own hands. They physically laid hold of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters and escorted them out of the city. Why? Because the Lord had mercy on them! Praise God for His mercy. Praise His name that He carries enough about us to rescue us from our own lusts and stupidity.
B. Fire, Brimstone, and Salt (19:18-26)
Once the angels had brought them out of the city, they told them to run for their lives, to escape to the mountains so they wouldn’t be consumed by the destruction. But Lot was still reluctant. “Lord, thank you for being merciful to me and saving my life, but I can’t go to the mountains. I fear that something bad will happen there and I will be killed. Please let me go to that little town over there and all will be well.” Though we are not told the motive of Lot’s heart, it seems to me that it was a matter of loving city life more than fearing the mountains. He wasn’t going to die, if he went to the mountains, but he couldn’t conceive of being all alone there after becoming so accustomed to living in the city. Reluctantly, one of the angels agreed to let him move into that little town, assuring him that he wouldn’t destroy it. The town came to be known as Zoar, which means “little.”
Once Lot and his family had safely arrived in Zoar, there was nothing more to hinder the inevitable. We hear no more about the angels; now it is the Lord Himself who is about to act. The only restraint was His merciful concern for Lot. So now we read in verse 24, “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.” Let there be no mistake where the destruction came from. We are told that the Lord did it and it came from the Lord out of heaven. Not only was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed, but all the cities of the plain with their inhabitants. Zoar was the loan exception. You may wonder what brimstone is. Some translations render the word “sulfur” (ESV, NIV). But whatever it was, it was hot and it was deadly. In the Bible it is associated with God’s judgment.
Now back in verse 17, the angel had said to them, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee…” The command was very clear: “Do not look behind you.” Now verse 26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Notice that she looked back from behind him. It seems that even at this time she was still reluctant to leave Sodom, because we see that she was tagging along behind. Apparently she couldn’t resist the urge to look back and see what would become of her beloved Sodom. Her glance cost her her very life. By making her a pillar of salt, the Lord preserved her disobedience as an object lesson for anyone who cared to look.
C. The Power of Sin (19:27-38)
In verse 27 Abraham comes back into the picture. When God destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah, and all the cities of the plain, Abraham could see the smoke. Now let’s read again verse 29, “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.” Remember that Abraham had petitioned the Lord, and the Lord had agreed to spare Sodom, if there were ten righteous people in it. Obviously, the Lord didn’t find ten righteous people. Nevertheless, He heard Abraham’s prayer and spared his nephew Lot. We don’t know if Abraham ever knew in this life that Lot was spared, but God knew and He honored the prayer of His servant.
If that were the end of the story, it would still have a great element of sadness, especially when we remember what happen to Lot’s wife. And imagine an entire city without even ten righteous people. Unfortunately, this isn’t the end of the story. As we come to the last part of chapter 19, we are reminded of what happened after God saved Noah and his family. But this is even worse.
I trust you’ve read it, so I will give you the review in a nutshell. When Lot witnessed the great destruction, he decided that maybe city life wasn’t so great after all. Though the instruction of the angels didn’t convince him to go to the mountains, the fire and brimstone did. He feared to remain in Zoar, and so he moved to the mountains and took up residence in a cave. That’s where this sad incident took place. He could escape from the world outwardly, but he still brought the world with him into that cave.
Lot’s two daughters had lost their husbands and concluded that they had no prospects of finding husbands in the mountains. So on successive nights, they got their father Lot drunk and had relations with him. So these two daughters were both pregnant by their own father. They each bore a son. One was Moab and the other was Ammon. The descendants of those sons would be a thorn in the side of Israel for years to come.
Do you get the picture. Lot was able to get his daughters out of Sodom, but the seeds of corruption were planted deep within them. And, of course, Lot was certainly not blameless, for he himself became intoxicated and didn’t know what was going on. So look at this picture. Though his life was spared, his wife became a pillar of salt, he impregnated his own daughters, and he is living in a cave out of fear. It all began with his lust for city life. And you will also remember that Abraham had rescued him when he had been taken captive. Nevertheless, he continued to live in Sodom. Though he was deeply distressed by the sin around him, he continued to live in the wicked city of Sodom. He paid a very great price for his sin.
Conclusion: The Rest of the Story
That was the end of Sodom and Gomorrah, but the lesson must never be forgotten. While the cities were never rebuilt, the Word of God never lets us forget what happened there. Believe it or not, after this story ends, there are yet 28 references to Sodom throughout the rest of the Bible! You can find those references in Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, II Peter, Jude, and Revelation.
Let’s learn two lessons from the Lord Jesus. Jesus was denouncing some of the cities in which He had ministered. Now let’s read it in Matt. 11:23-24…
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Capernaum was the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. By settling in Capernaum, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Matt. 4:16, quoted from Is. 9:2). Jesus taught and healed in Capernaum. How privileged was that city. But what condemnation to those who wasted that privilege. Though Sodom was wicked, it’s wickedness pales in comparison to those who had Jesus with them and yet rejected Him.
Let’s update this passage a bit: “And you privileged churches of America, you shall be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which you have witnessed had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. Yes, it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” You say, “But we haven’t seen the mighty works of Jesus, as those who lived in Capernaum did. No, we have seen greater, because Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (Jn. 14:12). No, we haven’t seen the physical miracles that Jesus did, but we have seen the works He has done in and through those who truly believe in Him, and those works are greater than the physical miracles He did.
Listen to me. You haven’t trusted the Lord Jesus. You haven’t repented and thrown yourself on Him. Your judgment will be far greater than the people of Sodom and the people of Capernaum, for you have seen the power of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. You have seen the very life of Jesus Christ in people around you. You are well aware that God can not only do physical miracles, but He can cleanse you of your sin and put His life within you. What are you going to say to Him on the judgment day? Whatever you say, His response will be: “I never knew you; depart from me, you who do iniquity.” The people of Jesus day will say, “But Lord, we have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets” (Luke 13:26). You will say, “But Lord, I sat with your people. I walked and talked with people who knew you and loved you.” And because of that, greater will be your condemnation, for greater was your privilege.
But life goes on. Surely you will have plenty of time to fall down before the Lord and repent and believe. Please turn to Luke 17. After giving the example of Noah, Jesus then turns to our friend Lot. Luke 17:28-30…
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Hear me. The day is soon coming when Jesus will be revealed. Rev. 1:7, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." The Lord will have absolutely no pity on those who have rejected Him. You say, “But isn’t He a God of love and mercy.” Oh yes, He is, but only a stubborn, God-hating, rebel can fail to see that the Lord has already poured out His love and mercy at the cross. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). It pleased the Lord to crush His own Son at the cross. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21).
Throw yourself on His mercy, for there is no other hope. Just as God fulfilled His promise of a son to Abraham, He will faithfully work His salvation in your life.
A PROMISE FULFILLED AND A CITY DESTROYED
Gen. 17:15-21:8
This morning we come back to Abraham, the father of the faithful, the friend of God. We will begin in Genesis 17, where we left off two weeks ago. At that time, we looked at more of God’s dealings with Abraham. We focused on the covenant in chapter 15 and the circumcision, which was the sign of the covenant, in chapter 17. We didn’t get to the child, who would be born in fulfillment (partial) of the covenant. However, there was a child born in chapter 16. And who was that child? Yes, Ishmael. God had promised Abraham a son, and now he had a son. So what was the problem? Ishmael was not the son that God had promised. You remember the background of his birth, don’t you? At the suggestion of Sarah, Abraham took her servant girl Hagar and had Ishmael by her. But this was not the son of promise; this was the son born of the flesh. Ishmael represented what Abraham could do. This morning we will come to see what God did.
Before we get to the birth of the son of promise in chapter 21, we will look at some of the events in the intervening chapters. We won’t be reading all of these chapters, because you have been reading them on your own in preparation. So let’s dive in.
I. Abraham’s Favor with God
As we look at Abraham, I want you to notice that he was a man who had great favor with God. We see that truth in these chapters.
A. A More Focused Promise (17:15-27; 19:9-15)
Let’s read Gen. 17:15-22…
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. 16. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. 17. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? 18. And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee! 19. And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him. 20. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation. 21. But my covenant will I establish with Isaac, which Sarah shall bear unto thee at this set time in the next year. 22. And he left off talking with him, and God went up from Abraham.
God had already promised Abraham a son, but now the promise is much more specific. Verse 16, “And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations…” Ishmael is not the promised son, because that son will come through your own wife, Sarah. Yes, we see in verse 15 that God takes Sarai and gives her the name “Sarah,” which means “Princess.” Remember that Sarah is almost 90 years old by this time and has never been able to bear a child. It is obvious that Abraham is capable of having children, and he had Ishmael to prove it, but Sarah is old and barren. Nevertheless, this is the promise of Almighty God, that Abraham will have a son by her. What favor God showed this man. The wife whom he has loved for all these years is finally going to bear him a son, the son promised by God.
How did Abraham respond? He fell on his face and laughed, saying in his heart, “Shall a child be born unto him who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety, bear a child?” Please understand that Abraham’s response has been interpreted in different ways over the years. Some of you probably don’t even remember this part, because we usually remember Sarah laughing (chapter 18) and forget about this little incident. Here is the question: Does Abraham’s response reveal a lack of faith on his part? Or was this joyous laughter?
Those who take it as a lack of faith quickly point to verse 18, where Abraham says, “O that Ismael might live before thee.” Was he not still hoping Ishmael would be the promised son,
because he had no confidence that Sarah would really have a son? And after all, Abraham wasn’t perfect; he had plenty of failures both before this and afterward. So surely Abraham’s laughter was evidence of his doubt that God could deliver on His promise.
On the other hand, I want you to notice a few things. First of all, notice where Abraham was when he laughed. He was on his face. Abraham fell on his face. What does that mean? Go back to 17:3, “And Abraham fell on his face and God talked to him…” God had just introduced Himself as “the Almighty God” (verse 1). No wonder Abraham fell on his face. We find the same thing throughout the Word of God. Moses fell on his face before God; Joshua fell on his face before God; even the wicked king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face before God. Why? Out of reverence for the living and Almighty God. I can find no instance where men fell on their face before God for any other reason. It was an act of submission to the Almighty.
Now compare this incident with Sarah’s response when the angel announced that she would have a son. You will remember that three strangers appeared to Abraham. Now let’s pick up the story in Gen. 18:9-15…
And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent. 10. And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him. 11. Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. 12. Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? 13. And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? 14. Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. 15. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Sarah overheard what the angel said to Abraham, and she laughed, because she was old and barren. Notice in verse 13 that the Lord specifically asked Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh?” You don’t find any such thing connected with Abraham’s laughter. It seems that there is a certain censure of Sarah’s behavior that is not true of Abraham’s. Furthermore, notice that Sarah denied that she had laughed. In short, she lied.
Finally, what do we read in the New Testament. Remember that we have been going back and forth between this section of Genesis and Romans 4. So let’s come again to Romans 4. Paul has been using Abraham as an example of an Old Testament saint who was justified through faith. Now let’s read Rom. 4:16-22…
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17. (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21. And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
Earlier in the chapter we read of Abraham’s faith, but the verse quoted was Gen. 15:6, “And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness.” That took place years before. But here in this section of Romans 4 we know he is talking about the events of Gen. 17-18, because he says Abraham was about 100 years old (99 according to Gen. 17:1) and because he speaks about the deadness of Sarah’s womb. Now Paul has in mind not just the promise of a son, but the promise of a son through Sarah. And what does Paul say about Abraham’s attitude? He was not weak in faith. He did not consider his own age or the deadness of Sarah’s womb. But he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief. Rather, he was strong in faith, giving glory to God. He was fully persuaded that God would deliver on His promise. That makes it very difficult to regard Abraham’s laughter as evidence of unbelief.
Then why did he laugh? Amazement. Joy. And perhaps he was perplexed. He believed it, but it was still quite a shock. Lord, how can it be?
But what about Ishmael and Abraham’s exclamation: “O that Ishmael might live before thee”? I’m not sure. This too has been taken different ways. Again, I find it hard to see it as evidence of unbelief. Abraham may have wondered what part Ishmael would play. After all, the boy was now 13 years old. No doubt, Abraham was very close to him. Remember that he was born when Abraham was 86. Perhaps in some sense he was jealous for Ishmael. Where does this newly defined promise leave Ishmael?
However Abraham intended it, God sorted it out. He first makes it clear in verse 19 that Sarah will have a son, his name will be called Isaac (meaning “laughter”), and the covenant will be established through him and his seed. Then the Lord assures Abraham that He will also bless Ishmael. Just to make sure that there is no confusion, He states again in verse 21 that the covenant will be established in Isaac, not Ishmael.
B. An Effective Plea (18:16-33)
Now come again to chapter 18. After the three visitors had again announced the birth of Isaac and after Sarah had laughed, we pick up the story in Gen. 18:16-23…
And the men rose up from thence, and looked toward Sodom: and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way. 17. And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; 18. Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? 19. For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. 20. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; 21. I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know. 22. And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom: but Abraham stood yet before the LORD. 23. And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
We read that “the men rose up.” Who are “the men”? Back in verse 2, we see that three men showed up at Abraham’s place. It is interesting that Abraham responds in verse 3, “My Lord.” But then down through verse 8 he addressed them in the plural. In verse 9, “They said unto him…” But in verse 10, “He said…” Then verse 13, “The LORD said…” Now come to what we just read in 16-23. 16, “The men rose up…and looked toward Sodom.” But then in 17, “And the LORD said, Shall I hid form Abraham that thing which I do…?” The LORD continues to speak down through verse 21. Then in 22, “And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the LORD.” The rest of the chapter is the conversation between Abraham and the LORD. So how many went toward Sodom? The answer is in 19:1, “And there came two angels to Sodom at evening…” So were they angels or men? Let’s read Heb. 13:2, "Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." It has long been held that this is a reference to Abraham’s hospitality, when these men/angels came to him. But why did only two angels arrive at Sodom? What happened to the third? It seems best to understand that the third was the LORD Himself (or the Pre-incarnate Christ, as some would contend). He stayed and talked with Abraham, while the two angels went on to Sodom, as they had business there.
As we will see in chapter 19, the Lord had plans to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. But what about Abraham? Should He hide His plan from Abraham? Of course, we know that God is not obligated to share His plan with any human being. Nevertheless, we read in Ps. 25:14, "The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." Also Amos 3:7, "Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets." We read in Is. 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Nevertheless, He is eager to share His thoughts and His ways with those who fear Him. That is why we read in Ps. 103:7, "He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel."
So in verses 20-21 of Gen. 18 the Lord shares His plan of destruction with Abraham. It goes something like this: “If things are as bad as they appear, I will destroy these cities.” Then the two angels left for Sodom. It is then that we read in verse 23-24, “And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there be fifty righteous within the city, will you also destroy and not spare the place on behalf of the 50 righteous?” Notice that he drew near. Praise God that we can draw near to Him. And what an insightful question. “Lord, surely you won’t destroy the righteous along with the wicked. Lord, be it far from You to kill the righteous with the wicked. Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”
Most of you know the rest of the conversation. The Lord agrees that if there are fifty righteous, the city will be spared. Then Abraham, humbly acknowledging his own unworthiness, asks if 45 righteous would not be enough to cause God to spare the city? Okay, I won’t spare the city if there are 45 righteous people. Then Abraham continued to humbly plea for the righteous of the city, reducing the number to 40, then to 30, then to 20, and finally to ten. Finally the Lord said, “I will not destroy if for the sake of ten righteous people.”
What an earnest plea. Abraham didn’t want to see Sodom destroyed. Why not? Why should he care about Sodom? Because there were people there, lots of people. But they were wicked people. It appears that Abraham cared about that wicked city. But wait a minute. Did Abraham know that his nephew Lot was living in Sodom? We see in chapter 13 that Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom (Gen. 13:12). However, we don’t know specifically if Abraham knew he went to live in Sodom. Do we have any other insight? Remember what happened in chapter 14. Sodom got involved in a skirmish. It was five kings against four kings, and Sodom was on the losing side. The warring kings took Lot, his family, and his stuff captive. Abraham armed 300 of his servants and rescued Lot. He knew Lot lived in Sodom.
But even so, why would Abraham care? Lot hadn’t done anything for him. After all, Lot was not humble enough to let his uncle take the pick of the land. Lot boldly chose what he thought he was the best, because he was a selfish man. Surely destruction was what he deserved. But Abraham didn’t see it that way. He cried out to the Lord, probably with Lot in mind.
C. More Mercy Extended (20)
Let’s skip chapter 19 for now. We aren’t going to read chapter 20, but I will give a very quick summary: Abraham did it again. After all the wonderful promises of God and after Abraham had believed those promises, he does a repeat of what we found in chapter 12. That’s right, out of fear, he continued to lie about his wife Sarah, telling King Abimelech that she was his sister. If you haven’t read the story, take time to read it this week.
So what was the LORD going to do with this repeat offender? While sin always has consequences, we see God’s great mercy here. Notice how the chapter ends in 20:17-18, "So Abraham prayed unto God: and God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bare children. 18. For the LORD had fast closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah Abraham's wife." What mercy. I read this chapter and say, “It should have been the other way around. God should have had Abimelech pray for lying Abraham.” God loved His servant and continued to pour out mercy upon him.
D. A Gift Received (21:1-8)
Now come to chapter 21. Let’s read Gen. 21:1-8…
And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. 2. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. 3. And Abraham called the name of his son that was born unto him, whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac. 4. And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him. 6. And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me. 7. And she said, Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age. 8. And the child grew, and was weaned: and Abraham made a great feast the same day that Isaac was weaned.
Such simplicity. Notice the emphasis on the fact that this son came through Sarah, the woman who was old and barren. “The Lord visited Sarah… The Lord did unto Sarah… For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham as son in his old age… whom Sarah bare to him, Isaac.” Praise God! He always keeps His promises.
Chapter 17 ends with Abraham circumcising all the males of his household. So Ishmael was 13 when he was circumcised; Abraham was 99 when he was circumcised. Then come back to Gen. 21:4-5, "And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him. 5. And Abraham was an hundred years old, when his son Isaac was born unto him." Isaac was circumcised when he was eight days old, just as God had commanded. So we see that Abraham was 100 years old when God favored him with the promised son.
II. The Destruction of Sodom and More Mercy (19)
Genesis 19 is one of those “ugly chapters” of the Bible. Perhaps it isn’t the ugliest, but it is definitely on the list. If someone wanted to write a book to impress people and sway them to their own viewpoint, he would not include passages like Gen. 19. In the New Testament Peter mentions “just Lot,” or “righteous Lot.” Genesis 19 is not a picture of his finest hour. But in the final analysis, while the Bible speaks about men like Abraham and Lot, it is not about men; it is about the God who created man and sent His Son to redeem him. So let’s not lose sight of the main character in this story, God Himself.
A reading of verses 1-11 reveals the depths of the sinful men of Sodom. While the latter half of Romans 1 may describe much of our society, we don’t have a monopoly on it, because it also describes much of what was going on in Sodom. This is the environment in which the two angels found Lot.
Before we go any further, we might as well deal with the question about “righteous Lot.” Peter tells us not only that Lot was righteous, but also tells us that he was “vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked” (II Pet. 2:7). That is, he was “oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men” (NASV). Apparently, he didn’t participate in the sinful practices of Sodom, but neither did he flee it. It seems to me that there is no excuse for Lot remaining in Sodom, but he did so. We sometimes sing: “O what peace we often forfeit; O what needless pain we bear…” That was the case with Lot. Nevertheless, God did not leave him in that situation, for whom the Lord loves, He corrects. And that is why the two angels dealt with Lot before they destroyed the city.
Let’s read it now in Gen. 19:12-29…
And the men said unto Lot, Hast thou here any besides? son in law, and thy sons, and thy daughters, and whatsoever thou hast in the city, bring them out of this place: 13. For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it. 14. And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law. 15. And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city. 16. And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city. 17. And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed. 18. And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord: 19. Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast showed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die: 20. Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live. 21. And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken. 22. Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar. 23. The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar. 24. Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven; 25. And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground. 26. But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt. 27. And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD: 28. And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace. 29. And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
A. The Rescue of Lot and his daughters (19:1-7)
The angels graciously told Lot to gather any family members and get them out of the city, because they were getting ready to destroy it. There is no indication that Lot doubted what the angels said. Lot knew they were angels, as he had seen them strike a mob with blindness, and he was well aware that the city was extremely wicked and deserving of God’s wrath. So Lot went to his sons-in-law and warned them of the coming destruction. (Whether they had already married his daughters or were pledged to do so makes little difference for our purposes). But his sons-in-law treated his warning as if it were some kind of joke. They paid Lot no mind.
We don’t know if Lot had other family members. If he did, we are not told. But when the morning came, the angels urged Lot to hurry and get his wife and daughters out of Sodom while there was still time. Now notice verse 16, “And while he lingered…” Lot was fully aware that God was going to destroy the city. Surely he knew these “men” were angels, for he had seen them blind a whole crowd a day or two before. Nevertheless, he lingered. He was still hesitant to leave the city. Why? Because too much of his heart was in that city. Jesus would say, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matt. 6:21). From the time he pitched his tent toward Sodom back in chapter 13, he had found pleasure in the life of that city.
At this point, the angels took matters into their own hands. They physically laid hold of Lot, his wife, and his two daughters and escorted them out of the city. Why? Because the Lord had mercy on them! Praise God for His mercy. Praise His name that He carries enough about us to rescue us from our own lusts and stupidity.
B. Fire, Brimstone, and Salt (19:18-26)
Once the angels had brought them out of the city, they told them to run for their lives, to escape to the mountains so they wouldn’t be consumed by the destruction. But Lot was still reluctant. “Lord, thank you for being merciful to me and saving my life, but I can’t go to the mountains. I fear that something bad will happen there and I will be killed. Please let me go to that little town over there and all will be well.” Though we are not told the motive of Lot’s heart, it seems to me that it was a matter of loving city life more than fearing the mountains. He wasn’t going to die, if he went to the mountains, but he couldn’t conceive of being all alone there after becoming so accustomed to living in the city. Reluctantly, one of the angels agreed to let him move into that little town, assuring him that he wouldn’t destroy it. The town came to be known as Zoar, which means “little.”
Once Lot and his family had safely arrived in Zoar, there was nothing more to hinder the inevitable. We hear no more about the angels; now it is the Lord Himself who is about to act. The only restraint was His merciful concern for Lot. So now we read in verse 24, “Then the Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the Lord out of heaven.” Let there be no mistake where the destruction came from. We are told that the Lord did it and it came from the Lord out of heaven. Not only was Sodom and Gomorrah destroyed, but all the cities of the plain with their inhabitants. Zoar was the loan exception. You may wonder what brimstone is. Some translations render the word “sulfur” (ESV, NIV). But whatever it was, it was hot and it was deadly. In the Bible it is associated with God’s judgment.
Now back in verse 17, the angel had said to them, “Escape for thy life; look not behind thee…” The command was very clear: “Do not look behind you.” Now verse 26, “But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.” Notice that she looked back from behind him. It seems that even at this time she was still reluctant to leave Sodom, because we see that she was tagging along behind. Apparently she couldn’t resist the urge to look back and see what would become of her beloved Sodom. Her glance cost her her very life. By making her a pillar of salt, the Lord preserved her disobedience as an object lesson for anyone who cared to look.
C. The Power of Sin (19:27-38)
In verse 27 Abraham comes back into the picture. When God destroyed Sodom, Gomorrah, and all the cities of the plain, Abraham could see the smoke. Now let’s read again verse 29, “And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot dwelt.” Remember that Abraham had petitioned the Lord, and the Lord had agreed to spare Sodom, if there were ten righteous people in it. Obviously, the Lord didn’t find ten righteous people. Nevertheless, He heard Abraham’s prayer and spared his nephew Lot. We don’t know if Abraham ever knew in this life that Lot was spared, but God knew and He honored the prayer of His servant.
If that were the end of the story, it would still have a great element of sadness, especially when we remember what happen to Lot’s wife. And imagine an entire city without even ten righteous people. Unfortunately, this isn’t the end of the story. As we come to the last part of chapter 19, we are reminded of what happened after God saved Noah and his family. But this is even worse.
I trust you’ve read it, so I will give you the review in a nutshell. When Lot witnessed the great destruction, he decided that maybe city life wasn’t so great after all. Though the instruction of the angels didn’t convince him to go to the mountains, the fire and brimstone did. He feared to remain in Zoar, and so he moved to the mountains and took up residence in a cave. That’s where this sad incident took place. He could escape from the world outwardly, but he still brought the world with him into that cave.
Lot’s two daughters had lost their husbands and concluded that they had no prospects of finding husbands in the mountains. So on successive nights, they got their father Lot drunk and had relations with him. So these two daughters were both pregnant by their own father. They each bore a son. One was Moab and the other was Ammon. The descendants of those sons would be a thorn in the side of Israel for years to come.
Do you get the picture. Lot was able to get his daughters out of Sodom, but the seeds of corruption were planted deep within them. And, of course, Lot was certainly not blameless, for he himself became intoxicated and didn’t know what was going on. So look at this picture. Though his life was spared, his wife became a pillar of salt, he impregnated his own daughters, and he is living in a cave out of fear. It all began with his lust for city life. And you will also remember that Abraham had rescued him when he had been taken captive. Nevertheless, he continued to live in Sodom. Though he was deeply distressed by the sin around him, he continued to live in the wicked city of Sodom. He paid a very great price for his sin.
Conclusion: The Rest of the Story
That was the end of Sodom and Gomorrah, but the lesson must never be forgotten. While the cities were never rebuilt, the Word of God never lets us forget what happened there. Believe it or not, after this story ends, there are yet 28 references to Sodom throughout the rest of the Bible! You can find those references in Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Zephaniah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, II Peter, Jude, and Revelation.
Let’s learn two lessons from the Lord Jesus. Jesus was denouncing some of the cities in which He had ministered. Now let’s read it in Matt. 11:23-24…
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Capernaum was the headquarters of Jesus’ ministry in Galilee. By settling in Capernaum, Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which said, “The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up” (Matt. 4:16, quoted from Is. 9:2). Jesus taught and healed in Capernaum. How privileged was that city. But what condemnation to those who wasted that privilege. Though Sodom was wicked, it’s wickedness pales in comparison to those who had Jesus with them and yet rejected Him.
Let’s update this passage a bit: “And you privileged churches of America, you shall be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which you have witnessed had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. Yes, it will be more tolerable for Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.” You say, “But we haven’t seen the mighty works of Jesus, as those who lived in Capernaum did. No, we have seen greater, because Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father" (Jn. 14:12). No, we haven’t seen the physical miracles that Jesus did, but we have seen the works He has done in and through those who truly believe in Him, and those works are greater than the physical miracles He did.
Listen to me. You haven’t trusted the Lord Jesus. You haven’t repented and thrown yourself on Him. Your judgment will be far greater than the people of Sodom and the people of Capernaum, for you have seen the power of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. You have seen the very life of Jesus Christ in people around you. You are well aware that God can not only do physical miracles, but He can cleanse you of your sin and put His life within you. What are you going to say to Him on the judgment day? Whatever you say, His response will be: “I never knew you; depart from me, you who do iniquity.” The people of Jesus day will say, “But Lord, we have eaten and drunk in your presence, and you have taught in our streets” (Luke 13:26). You will say, “But Lord, I sat with your people. I walked and talked with people who knew you and loved you.” And because of that, greater will be your condemnation, for greater was your privilege.
But life goes on. Surely you will have plenty of time to fall down before the Lord and repent and believe. Please turn to Luke 17. After giving the example of Noah, Jesus then turns to our friend Lot. Luke 17:28-30…
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; 29. But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. 30. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.
Hear me. The day is soon coming when Jesus will be revealed. Rev. 1:7, "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen." The Lord will have absolutely no pity on those who have rejected Him. You say, “But isn’t He a God of love and mercy.” Oh yes, He is, but only a stubborn, God-hating, rebel can fail to see that the Lord has already poured out His love and mercy at the cross. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (I John 4:10). It pleased the Lord to crush His own Son at the cross. “He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Cor. 5:21).
Throw yourself on His mercy, for there is no other hope. Just as God fulfilled His promise of a son to Abraham, He will faithfully work His salvation in your life.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Covenant Fellowship -- March 15, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
THE JOY OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
By the grace of God, I desire to speak the truth in love this morning. I am speaking on behalf of Norman and myself, who are privileged to serve you as pastor/elders in this church.
John 13:34-35… "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Rom. 13:8… "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."
Gal. 5:13… "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
1 Cor. 12:25… "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
Heb. 3:13… "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Rom. 15:14… "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."
Rom. 12:10… "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
Col. 3:13… "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."
Hebrews 13:17 and a grave responsibility
We have come to believe that the carrying out of these “one another” principles is what the church is all about. Now please listen to Heb. 13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." I’m not reading this to tell you that you need to obey and submit to your leaders in the church, though you are commanded by the Word of God to do so. But I am reading this verse to assure you that Norman and I are aware that we must give account for you, because we have been appointed to watch over your souls. And if you think that phrase “watch over your souls” is rather heavy, I assure you that we feel the weight far more than you do. I believe I can say that Norman and I love every person who attends services here. However, we don’t bear the same responsibility for everyone who attends. We must give account for the souls over whom we have the rule.
That raises the question: Who are those souls, those lives? Not everyone who attends. Some who attend here are not yet believers. We praise God that you come and that you are seeking the Lord. We love you and we pray for you, but we are not responsible for you in the same way that we are responsible for those for whom we must give account. The souls of Heb. 13:17 are a part of the local church.
The Centrality of the Local Church -- Ephesians and Acts 2:42
And that raises another question: So who is a part of this local church? At that point, there is much confusion. I must take the responsibility for much of that confusion. In my lack of wisdom, I have not led us to carefully define this local church. With all the sincerity of my heart, I ask you to forgive me. I have hindered the Lord’s work at La Luz. But praise God, there is forgiveness with Him, that He may be feared (Ps. 130:3-4).
Since Norman and I are to be held accountable for the souls of men, we want to know for which souls we are accountable. We will love all who come, but we have a unique responsibility for those who are a part of this local church. The local church is not well defined by simply saying that it consists of those who attend services.
At this point some of you may have questions about the emphasis on the local church. Why not just talk about the church at large, the universal church, which is made up of all true Christians in the world? Isn’t that the church Jesus had in mind when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)? It certainly is, but how will Jesus build His church? The New Testament reveals that He will do it through local assemblies just like this one.
The word ekkesia (Greek word translated “church”) is used about 115 times in the New Testament. I went through those references and found some 14 that might refer to the universal church, and 11 of them are in Ephesians and its companion epistle Colossians. That is, about one in ten references refer to the universal church. Nine of the 14 are in Ephesians, that letter in which Paul gives us the grand sweep of God’s eternal plan. But even in Ephesians, there is no hint that God’s work on earth is not done through the local church. For example, consider Eph. 1:22-23, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." God gave Jesus to be the head over all things to the church. We read in Col. 1:18 that He is the head of the church. Yes, Jesus is the head of the entire church, made up of all Christians. But let me ask you a question: How does Jesus Christ exercise His headship? In the local church. We can talk all we want to about Jesus being the head of the church, but it means nothing unless we in the local church submit to Him as our head. Or consider the conclusion of that great prayer in Eph. 3:14-21. Let’s read Eph. 3:21, “Unto him be glory in the church by (or “in”) Christ Jesus…” Yes, glory goes to the One who is head of the universal church, but where will that glory be seen? It will be seen in and through the local church.
Understand that God works through the local church. That is where the rubber meets the road. It was that way in the New Testament and it is that way today. But don’t we read in Acts that God added daily to the church? We certainly do (Acts 2:47), but when you read the context, you will discover that these new believers were added to the local church, where they “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Christ builds His church, as He works through Christians who are assembled into local churches, where they are clearly seen and observed by a watching world. The one another principles of the New Testament are not carried out in the context of the universal church. While I may say that I love all my brothers and sisters in China, I am limited in showing that love. Where that love is demonstrated and seen is with my brothers and sisters in the local church.
The Local Church and True Discipleship -- Matt. 28:18-20
So the question becomes: How can the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified through this local church? It happened in that first church of Jerusalem, as believers met together regularly, were grounded in the Word, fellowshipped together and prayed together. That’s what they did. When Acts 2:42 tells us they fellowshipped together, that doesn’t mean that they just came to meetings. The word “fellowship” speaks of sharing something in common. But what did they have in common? That they were members of the same local church? No. They shared in common the life of Christ and they gloried in that truth. Listen to what John writes in 1 John 1:3, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." They longed for others to join their fellowship, which was a sharing of the life of the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. So the local church is to be a group of people who rejoice together, as they share the life of Jesus Christ. When you read the early chapter of Acts, you cannot escape the reality of that truth.
Please turn to Matthew 28. Remember that we want to take our model for “church” from the New Testament, not from the world’s view or from our traditions. I am not condemning traditions, because traditions can be very good. Even in the New Testament, Paul speaks of healthy traditions. The word itself simply refers to things that are passed down. Nevertheless, all traditions must be subjected to the Word of God. The Word judges traditions; traditions must never judge the Word. Let’s read from Matt. 28:18-20…
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. 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.
At this point we need to be reminded of what Jesus said shortly before He ascended back to heaven. There is one command in these verses. In the King James, it is the word “teach” in verse 19. “Teach all nations.” However, this is not the same word that is used in verse 20 – “teaching.” It is unfortunate that the King James didn’t preserve that distinction. The “teach” of verse 19 is a form of the word that is commonly translated “disciple.” Literally, Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations.” Jesus did not command them to make converts, but to make disciples. A disciple is literally “a willing learner.” A disciple follows his master with great devotion and continually learns from him. Then in the rest of verse 19 and in verse 20 we come to the brass tacks of what is involved in making disciples. And what is it? “Baptizing them… and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” We are really big on baptizing those who profess Christ, but notice that “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you” is perfectly parallel with “baptizing them.” Baptism is the one-time act; teaching them to observe all things is a lifelong process. Both are the work of the local church.
So what? Does this truth have implications? It certainly does. Jesus didn’t tell us to baptize them and make sure they come to the Sunday morning meeting. He didn’t tell us to baptize them and make sure they pray, read their Bibles, and give some money to God’s causes. He told us to baptize them and teach them to observe everything that Jesus commanded. But didn’t Jesus want new converts to assemble together in meetings? He certainly did, but He wanted them to assemble with purpose, to assemble that they might exhort one another, care for one another, love one another, pray for one another. Didn’t He want new converts to read their Bibles and pray? He certainly did, but our Lord desires more. He wants new converts to read and obey what they find in the Bible, to pray that they might bring glory to God, no matter what the cost. These are some of the things that must be taught to Jesus’ disciples.
Do you see it? This is the work of the church. The church must be about the business of making and developing disciples of Jesus Christ. But who are these disciples? Everyone who attends the services of a local church is not necessarily a willing learner in the school of Jesus Christ. While the church certainly desires to love all those who assemble in meetings, does it not have a special responsibility to those who want to follow Jesus and eagerly learn from Him? And as pastor/elders in this local church, we have a special responsibility to those disciples.
Thinking about Accountability – Heb. 10:24-25 and Eph. 5:18-21
During the past few years, we have thrown around the term “accountability” a great deal. We have stressed the importance of being accountable to brothers and sisters. But what does that mean? It means that you are responsible for actively helping your brothers and sisters to love one another, care for one another, exhort one another, submit to one another, etc. You are responsible for coming alongside them and aiding them in this endeavor, and you are responsible for welcoming them to do the same in your life. If that rubs you the wrong way, then you haven’t yet caught the New Testament concept of the church. I realize that it isn’t the American way or the code of the old west, but it is the way of our Lord. We must pray that the Lord would continue to renew our minds through the truth of His Word.
Please come to that familiar passage in Hebrews 10. After concluding a marvelous section on how our High Priest Jesus has opened the way for us into the presence of the living God, the author then comes to some practical applications of that truth. Let’s read Heb. 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." All too often we have lifted out the middle part of that passage and forsaken the rest. Many of us grew up hearing “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” However, we can assemble ourselves together week after week and be totally disobedient to this passage. But how can that be? Because the emphasis of this passage is not on meeting together, but upon considering one another that we might stir each other on to love and do good works. And how do we do that? By exhorting one another (verse 25). And, of course, we cannot exhort one another unless we come together. The word translated “exhort” literally means “to come along side.” This is what the church is all about. We come alongside one another so that we can help and be helped to do what Jesus told us to do. This is what we mean when we talk about accountability.
It is impossible for the church to function this way unless it is made up of people who are willing to share their lives together. We can’t do this unless we are willing to work at knowing one another. Now I acknowledge that this will come easier for some people than others. You may say, “But I just have a very hard time sharing my life with others. I have been hurt. Or, I’m just a private person.” BUT, if you love Jesus Christ and His church, you will have a longing to come alongside brothers and sisters more and more. It may be hard, but you want the Lord to keep chipping away on you. On the other hand, if you say, “I’ll tend to my business and let others tend to their business,” then you are not a part of the church, no matter how many meetings you come to. Oh yes, keep coming to the meetings and hearing the Word, but understand that this is not the meaning of the church.
The idea of exhorting one another, coming alongside one another, captures much of what it means to be a part of the local church, but there is another concept that is also key in defining the local church. Please turn to Ephesians 5. Let’s read Eph. 5:18-21, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Closely associated with the filling of the Spirit are four actions. We often associate the Holy Spirit with some great miraculous work, but that is not the most common work of the Spirit. When you see a brother or sister thanking God for that which the world would curse God, you know the Spirit is at work. And so it is with submitting to one another.
We have already read a passage about submitting to the leaders is the church, but this goes beyond that. Here Paul speaks of submitting to one another. Perhaps the best way I can communicate this idea is by sharing a personal illustration, so please allow me to do so. Rhonda and I had a decision we had to make. It didn’t seem to be a really big deal, but it was important because it affected someone we loved. We agonized over it and prayed about it, and finally we made the decision. It was difficult, but the person it affected seemed to be okay with it, at least outwardly. Later that day a brother came by to visit. After a while, he asked me what was going on in my life. That brother loved me enough to intrude into my life. He wasn’t just being polite; he wanted to know what was going on with me. He had no clue that we had been struggling with a decision.
At that point, I had to make another decision. Do I say, “Oh, not much. Been pretty busy. I’ve had some good visits with folks this week…”? Or do I tell him what has been occupying our minds the past few days. I made the decision to simply be honest. I told him the situation. Then he said, “Can I ask you some questions?” After five minutes of him asking me questions and bringing some things to my attention, it was clear that we had made the wrong decision. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late to change it. Had it not been for this brother’s interest in my life and my willingness to submit to his probing questions and gentle counsel, we would have hurt a person we love dearly and would have missed a wonderful opportunity.
Now I must say that it was not difficult to submit to my brother. Why not? Because the Lord had been blessing me with those kinds of relationships in the body of Christ for years. On the other hand, I could have thought, “You know, I’ve been a Christian almost 30 years longer than this brother. And, after all, I am a pastor. I think I can handle this without his help. The bottom line is that this is really our business, not his.” To my shame, I could have availed myself to counsel before we made the decision, but God was merciful and sent this brother to come alongside and help me.
As I see it, this concept of submitting to one another is one of the most difficult areas for Christians in our society. And that is one of the greatest reasons for the weakness of the visible church. As long as I tend to my business and you tend to yours, then we will never be the church. Regardless of what your background has instilled within you, God calls you to submit to your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. But what if someone asks me to do something I don’t want to do? Do I have to do what a brother or sister thinks I ought to do? If a brother or sister comes to you prayerfully and lovingly and asks you to consider something, that ought to stop you in your tracks. That is occasion for the most serious prayer. Our problem is often this: By default, we figure we are most always right. Our ideas are better than the ideas of others. Before you dismiss that idea, get honest with yourself. What if you had the attitude, “When my idea conflicts with a sister or brother, most likely I am wrong and she is right”? That is absolutely foreign to us, isn’t it? Our default setting tends to be: Most likely, I am right.
The Growth of the Church Pictured in Eph. 4:11-16
Now let’s shift gears and look at a wonderful passage in Ephesians. Let’s read Eph. 4:11-16…
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Who gave some? God gave some leaders to the church. Why did He do that? Verse 12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Don’t misunderstand what he is saying. These phrases are not parallel; they are consecutive. In other words, these leaders are to perfect (equip) the saints unto the work of ministry so that the body of Christ can be built up. The work of the ministry belongs to the saints, not to the leaders. To the degree that God’s people expect the leaders to do the ministry, to that degree the church will be paralyzed. Christian, if you are expecting me and Norman and a few others to do the ministry, you need to repent and then agree with the Lord that He has called you to be a minister. If the saints as a whole are not taking the responsibility for ministry, the body of Christ will not be built up. The good news is that this concept is very simple. The leaders equip the saints for ministry and the body is built up for the glory of God.
But what will that look like? We find the goal in verse 13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” This goal is expressed in three ways…
… unto the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
… unto a perfect man
… unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
As we are trained and serve together to build up the body, we will ever increasingly be unified in trusting and knowing the Son of God. People will differ on the emphasis here, but I think he is talking about trust and personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus. To put it another way, we will come to a perfect man, a mature man. To further define that concept, he speaks of attaining the full stature of Christ. Obviously, this will not be completely fulfilled until we meet the Lord. However, as we will see in the verses that follow, he expects a measure of fulfilling that goal in the here and now.
Before we come to verses 14-16, let me emphasize one thing. The context of all this is the body of Christ and the building up of that body. Don’t take this individually. It is as a unified body that will come to maturity in Christ. No Christian comes to maturity apart from the body. When he says “we all” in verse 13, he is talking about a group of individuals; he is talking about us together in the church. Years ago I preached a sermon on this idea of how we as Americans are so prone to take every scripture and individualize it. I actually wore some specially made glasses to illustrate how we need the Lord to open our eyes to the idea that we are not living alone. Together we are the bride of Christ. Together we are His body. Together we are the family of God.
Verse 14 begins, “That we henceforth be no more children…” It is here that we see the expectation of a measure of maturity. As we the church move toward maturity in Christ, we must no longer think and behave as children. Why not? Because children are easily carried about here and there. It is easy to steer a child where you want him to go. That is fine, if you are leading in the right direction. But when it comes to the people of God, there are forces that will attempt to lead us astray. We read in 2 Cor 11:2-3, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
So what exactly is the danger? “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” As the wind tries to alter the course of a ship, so there will be those who try to sway us from the truth. All we have to do is look around. Over the past few decades, churches have tried this program and that program to try to give people what they want, like children trying this thing and that thing. Rather than being tossed about like children, let us be mature in Christ.
And now verse 15. Rather than leading to chasing fads, maturity in Christ will lead us to grow up into our head Jesus Christ in all things, as we speak the truth in love. Again, understand that this is not growth as an individual. This is the growth of the body, of which Jesus Himself is the head. Rather than chasing after various teachings and methods, we grow up into Him. Our eyes are fixed on Christ and we are not easily moved. And that is why we need one another. We must constantly be exhorting one another to follow Christ, to look continually to him.
Let me quickly say a word about speaking the truth in love. It is difficult to translate the original. There is no word for “speak.” Literally, it reads, “But truthing in love.” The Amplified tries to bring this out: “Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly].” That’s the idea. We aren’t harsh, but loving. Nevertheless, we must stand for truth rather than being diverted by everything that comes along.
Finally, verse16, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Listen to that again, this time from the New King James: “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Now we see the picture of the church as a human body. Each part works together and causes the body to grow, and the key feature of this growth is the building up of the body in love. Notice that love is the dominant theme. That makes perfect sense in light of what Jesus said: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn. 13:35).
I took you through this passage to emphasize the togetherness that characterizes the church of our Lord. This togetherness does not take place in the universal church, but in each local church body. The Lord intends us to live out this picture in La Luz, New Mexico in 2009 until He comes. Furthermore, He will empower us to do so by His Spirit. Over and over, we must remind each other that this is what the church is all about. And as the church moves toward this goal, what will the world see? They will see unity and love, the two things Jesus said would draw people to Himself (Jn. 17:21; 13:35).
So Where Do We Go from Here?
Through the years, many of us have desired to practice these principles and have sought to do so with prayerful diligence. While the effort has been very rewarding, there has still been a great deal of confusion. We like to speak of the church as a family, for it is the family of God. But unless there is careful definition, even that is very misleading. Why? Because while there is a family gathered here, there are others who are not a part of that family. And though some of you may beg to differ with me, I contend that there are quite a number here who do not know what constitutes being a part of the La Luz church family.
At this point, I want to ask you to be patient with us. Norman and I do not claim to have all the answers. However, we want to humbly but strongly suggest that it is time for us to do some careful defining, to make it clear what it means to be a part of this local church. We believe that the place to start is to invite people to voluntarily enter into a covenant together. That simply means that before God and one another, we would agree by the grace of God and the power of His Holy Spirit to seek to practice the very principles we have talked about this morning. Is this what we are calling “membership”? Yes. The word “member” is not important to us. What is important is unapologetically entering into covenant together before God and one another.
But surely they didn’t sign a covenant in the New Testament? There is no record that they did, although we cannot categorically say they didn’t. Personally, I don’t believe they signed a covenant and I don’t believe they had formal membership. So why should we do this? As Mark Dever puts it, we are doing this in order to have a “clearly defined community.” Though they may not have used a formal covenant during Old Testament and New Testament times, there was always a clearly defined community. In other words, there was a clear division between those who followed Jesus and those who did not. Our desire is to openly invite followers of Jesus Christ to unite in covenant fellowship for the glory of God.
Please allow me to be practical. We would all agree that the church is to be about the business of making and training disciples of Jesus Christ. That is what we talked about in relation to Matthew 28:18-20. Let me ask you this question: Who is to be the focus of our discipleship training? Again, we want to love everyone, but who is eager to obey everything that Jesus commanded?
Now please allow me to come at it from the back side. Many of you have been through this with us, so please be patient with me, as you turn to Matthew 18. Let’s read Matt. 18:15-20…
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
In our current situation this raises all kinds of questions. Obviously, this can’t be applied to everyone, because everyone who attends is not a Christian. So does it apply to everyone else?
Now let’s read from I Corinthians 5. Paul was dealing with a specific case, with a sexually immoral man who was within the church. Now let’s read I Cor. 5:9-13 (NKJV)…
Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.
Here is the question: How can we put away from ourselves a person unless we know that such a person was truly a part? In other words, put away from what? From whom? We cannot practice corrective church discipline without a clearly defined community. We can’t exclude someone unless he has been included. We find this to be true both biblically and by experience. During the past five years we have been paralyzed regarding this kind of church discipline, because of the lack of a clearly defined community. Not only that, we have also been greatly hindered because of a lack of covenant fellowship, a fellowship in which every individual expresses a strong expectation that the brothers and sisters will pursue him in love when he goes astray.
As we have shared with you, a group of volunteers has hammered out details concerning a constitution and by-laws. They are designed to give us guidance, not to replace the Word of God. The Word of God will continue to be our guide. Since constitution and bylaws are required by law for incorporation, it is our desire to make those documents actually say something, rather than just be a formality. Therefore they are intended to clarify some of the specifics of how we understand the Bible directs us to operate as a church. It is not our purpose to go through that constitution this morning.
As a part of their task, this group has also written up a statement of faith. Basically, this statement of faith embodies what you have heard taught and preached in our meetings through the years. While it does not become too specific, we trust it is pointed enough to state where we are on the major teachings of the Word of God. A person will not be required to agree with everything in the statement of faith, but the person who becomes a part of this church will need to understand that this is what will be taught here and will not undermine that teaching.
What we would like to share with you this morning is the proposed church covenant. This is not original. It is used by the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. We are not tied to its specific wording, but we this is the basic concept which we want to portray. So let’s take a moment to pass out the copies of this covenant (pass them out)…
Proposed Church Covenant
Having, as we trust, been brought by Divine Grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to Him, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, we do now, relying upon His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with each other.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We will walk together in brotherly love, as becomes the members of a Christian church, exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other, and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require.
We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.
We will endeavor to bring up such as may at any time be under our care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and by a pure and loving example to seek the salvation of our family and friends.
We will rejoice at each other’s happiness and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.
We will seek, by Divine aid, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and remember that, as we have been voluntarily buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so there is on us a special obligation now to lead a new and holy life.
We will work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
You will notice from the first paragraph the recognition that we cannot carry out these principles without the aid of the Lord. So in essence, everyone of these “we will’s” is prefaced with “by God’s grace.” In reality, all we are doing is expressing our desire before God and to one another to be faithful to what He tells us in His Word.
So how are we planning to go about implementing this plan? With much care and prayer. Specifically, we believe the process will look something like this…
1. We will formally adopt the constitution and by-laws in the April Prayer and Planning Meeting. Those by-laws will include this covenant. They spell out some details about how we will operate as a church. That will be made available to anyone who wants to view it. However, we believe the key in all of it is our willingness to enter into this covenant relationship with one another.
2. All church membership will be dissolved. In other words, we will start from scratch. No one will be a member, including Norman and myself.
3. Those who desire to be a member/part of this local church, will attend the church membership class. We do not yet have the details of that class worked out, but our purpose will be to make clear what this church stands for and invite people to join us.
4. After attending the class, those who desire to be a part of this church will express that desire to the elders of this church. They will then meet with the elders, who will talk with them about their own testimony. The purpose of this is to confirmcthat they have truly been born again. No, Norman and I do not think we can see into the hearts of people, but wevcannot watch over
your souls without delving into your spiritual lives. Our desire is to have the church as much as possible be composed of truly born again believers.
5. Perhaps it goes without saying, but a person must have been baptized, as the scripture pictures baptism as a vital part of the discipleship process (as we saw in Matt. 28:18-20).
6. The final step in actually becoming a part of this body will be the signing of the church covenant.
Now let me be very honest. To the best of my knowledge, our great desire is to glorify God. I am not aware of any ulterior motives in moving in this direction. Norman and I have prayed about this, talked and prayed about it with brothers and sisters in the body, and have waited patiently on the Lord.
Here is what we are asking of you. We are asking you to set aside the consumer mentality that has become so common in our day. It has invaded the Lord’s church. You might be thinking: “Well, I’m just not sure I want to do that. What will be the benefits of being a member of this church? Is there any advantage in being a member/part over just being an attender?” That is the consumer mentality. We are humbly pleading with you to ask one primary question: “Lord, can I glorify your name in this, regardless of the cost to me?”
We want to tell you up front that there will be sacrifice in being a part of this church. If that bothers you, you have not yet understood the call of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). It is impossible to do that without sacrifice.
I remind you again of those two young Moravian missionaries, who sold themselves into slavery for the glory of God. Yes, they sold themselves to a man who owned a few hundred slaves on an island. He had vowed that these slaves would never hear the gospel. So these two young men sold themselves to the slave owner in order to have enough money to pay their passage to the island. As they were leaving on the ship, never to return, their family and friends watched them go. The last thing they heard was one of those young men cry out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His sufferings.”
But praise God for the opportunity to give our lives for His sake. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Phil 1:29). Yes, it will cost something to care for our brothers and sisters. Yes, it will be costly to join your brothers and sisters in taking the gospel to a hostile world. But praise God, they will know we are Jesus’ disciples, as we love one another.
Let’s pray…
THE JOY OF COVENANT RELATIONSHIP IN THE BODY OF CHRIST
By the grace of God, I desire to speak the truth in love this morning. I am speaking on behalf of Norman and myself, who are privileged to serve you as pastor/elders in this church.
John 13:34-35… "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Rom. 13:8… "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law."
Gal. 5:13… "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
1 Cor. 12:25… "That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another."
Heb. 3:13… "But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin."
Rom. 15:14… "And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another."
Rom. 12:10… "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;"
Col. 3:13… "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."
Hebrews 13:17 and a grave responsibility
We have come to believe that the carrying out of these “one another” principles is what the church is all about. Now please listen to Heb. 13:17, "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." I’m not reading this to tell you that you need to obey and submit to your leaders in the church, though you are commanded by the Word of God to do so. But I am reading this verse to assure you that Norman and I are aware that we must give account for you, because we have been appointed to watch over your souls. And if you think that phrase “watch over your souls” is rather heavy, I assure you that we feel the weight far more than you do. I believe I can say that Norman and I love every person who attends services here. However, we don’t bear the same responsibility for everyone who attends. We must give account for the souls over whom we have the rule.
That raises the question: Who are those souls, those lives? Not everyone who attends. Some who attend here are not yet believers. We praise God that you come and that you are seeking the Lord. We love you and we pray for you, but we are not responsible for you in the same way that we are responsible for those for whom we must give account. The souls of Heb. 13:17 are a part of the local church.
The Centrality of the Local Church -- Ephesians and Acts 2:42
And that raises another question: So who is a part of this local church? At that point, there is much confusion. I must take the responsibility for much of that confusion. In my lack of wisdom, I have not led us to carefully define this local church. With all the sincerity of my heart, I ask you to forgive me. I have hindered the Lord’s work at La Luz. But praise God, there is forgiveness with Him, that He may be feared (Ps. 130:3-4).
Since Norman and I are to be held accountable for the souls of men, we want to know for which souls we are accountable. We will love all who come, but we have a unique responsibility for those who are a part of this local church. The local church is not well defined by simply saying that it consists of those who attend services.
At this point some of you may have questions about the emphasis on the local church. Why not just talk about the church at large, the universal church, which is made up of all true Christians in the world? Isn’t that the church Jesus had in mind when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18)? It certainly is, but how will Jesus build His church? The New Testament reveals that He will do it through local assemblies just like this one.
The word ekkesia (Greek word translated “church”) is used about 115 times in the New Testament. I went through those references and found some 14 that might refer to the universal church, and 11 of them are in Ephesians and its companion epistle Colossians. That is, about one in ten references refer to the universal church. Nine of the 14 are in Ephesians, that letter in which Paul gives us the grand sweep of God’s eternal plan. But even in Ephesians, there is no hint that God’s work on earth is not done through the local church. For example, consider Eph. 1:22-23, "And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all." God gave Jesus to be the head over all things to the church. We read in Col. 1:18 that He is the head of the church. Yes, Jesus is the head of the entire church, made up of all Christians. But let me ask you a question: How does Jesus Christ exercise His headship? In the local church. We can talk all we want to about Jesus being the head of the church, but it means nothing unless we in the local church submit to Him as our head. Or consider the conclusion of that great prayer in Eph. 3:14-21. Let’s read Eph. 3:21, “Unto him be glory in the church by (or “in”) Christ Jesus…” Yes, glory goes to the One who is head of the universal church, but where will that glory be seen? It will be seen in and through the local church.
Understand that God works through the local church. That is where the rubber meets the road. It was that way in the New Testament and it is that way today. But don’t we read in Acts that God added daily to the church? We certainly do (Acts 2:47), but when you read the context, you will discover that these new believers were added to the local church, where they “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Christ builds His church, as He works through Christians who are assembled into local churches, where they are clearly seen and observed by a watching world. The one another principles of the New Testament are not carried out in the context of the universal church. While I may say that I love all my brothers and sisters in China, I am limited in showing that love. Where that love is demonstrated and seen is with my brothers and sisters in the local church.
The Local Church and True Discipleship -- Matt. 28:18-20
So the question becomes: How can the Lord Jesus Christ be glorified through this local church? It happened in that first church of Jerusalem, as believers met together regularly, were grounded in the Word, fellowshipped together and prayed together. That’s what they did. When Acts 2:42 tells us they fellowshipped together, that doesn’t mean that they just came to meetings. The word “fellowship” speaks of sharing something in common. But what did they have in common? That they were members of the same local church? No. They shared in common the life of Christ and they gloried in that truth. Listen to what John writes in 1 John 1:3, "That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." They longed for others to join their fellowship, which was a sharing of the life of the Father and the Son Jesus Christ. So the local church is to be a group of people who rejoice together, as they share the life of Jesus Christ. When you read the early chapter of Acts, you cannot escape the reality of that truth.
Please turn to Matthew 28. Remember that we want to take our model for “church” from the New Testament, not from the world’s view or from our traditions. I am not condemning traditions, because traditions can be very good. Even in the New Testament, Paul speaks of healthy traditions. The word itself simply refers to things that are passed down. Nevertheless, all traditions must be subjected to the Word of God. The Word judges traditions; traditions must never judge the Word. Let’s read from Matt. 28:18-20…
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19. 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.
At this point we need to be reminded of what Jesus said shortly before He ascended back to heaven. There is one command in these verses. In the King James, it is the word “teach” in verse 19. “Teach all nations.” However, this is not the same word that is used in verse 20 – “teaching.” It is unfortunate that the King James didn’t preserve that distinction. The “teach” of verse 19 is a form of the word that is commonly translated “disciple.” Literally, Jesus said, “Make disciples of all nations.” Jesus did not command them to make converts, but to make disciples. A disciple is literally “a willing learner.” A disciple follows his master with great devotion and continually learns from him. Then in the rest of verse 19 and in verse 20 we come to the brass tacks of what is involved in making disciples. And what is it? “Baptizing them… and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” We are really big on baptizing those who profess Christ, but notice that “teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you” is perfectly parallel with “baptizing them.” Baptism is the one-time act; teaching them to observe all things is a lifelong process. Both are the work of the local church.
So what? Does this truth have implications? It certainly does. Jesus didn’t tell us to baptize them and make sure they come to the Sunday morning meeting. He didn’t tell us to baptize them and make sure they pray, read their Bibles, and give some money to God’s causes. He told us to baptize them and teach them to observe everything that Jesus commanded. But didn’t Jesus want new converts to assemble together in meetings? He certainly did, but He wanted them to assemble with purpose, to assemble that they might exhort one another, care for one another, love one another, pray for one another. Didn’t He want new converts to read their Bibles and pray? He certainly did, but our Lord desires more. He wants new converts to read and obey what they find in the Bible, to pray that they might bring glory to God, no matter what the cost. These are some of the things that must be taught to Jesus’ disciples.
Do you see it? This is the work of the church. The church must be about the business of making and developing disciples of Jesus Christ. But who are these disciples? Everyone who attends the services of a local church is not necessarily a willing learner in the school of Jesus Christ. While the church certainly desires to love all those who assemble in meetings, does it not have a special responsibility to those who want to follow Jesus and eagerly learn from Him? And as pastor/elders in this local church, we have a special responsibility to those disciples.
Thinking about Accountability – Heb. 10:24-25 and Eph. 5:18-21
During the past few years, we have thrown around the term “accountability” a great deal. We have stressed the importance of being accountable to brothers and sisters. But what does that mean? It means that you are responsible for actively helping your brothers and sisters to love one another, care for one another, exhort one another, submit to one another, etc. You are responsible for coming alongside them and aiding them in this endeavor, and you are responsible for welcoming them to do the same in your life. If that rubs you the wrong way, then you haven’t yet caught the New Testament concept of the church. I realize that it isn’t the American way or the code of the old west, but it is the way of our Lord. We must pray that the Lord would continue to renew our minds through the truth of His Word.
Please come to that familiar passage in Hebrews 10. After concluding a marvelous section on how our High Priest Jesus has opened the way for us into the presence of the living God, the author then comes to some practical applications of that truth. Let’s read Heb. 10:24-25, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." All too often we have lifted out the middle part of that passage and forsaken the rest. Many of us grew up hearing “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” However, we can assemble ourselves together week after week and be totally disobedient to this passage. But how can that be? Because the emphasis of this passage is not on meeting together, but upon considering one another that we might stir each other on to love and do good works. And how do we do that? By exhorting one another (verse 25). And, of course, we cannot exhort one another unless we come together. The word translated “exhort” literally means “to come along side.” This is what the church is all about. We come alongside one another so that we can help and be helped to do what Jesus told us to do. This is what we mean when we talk about accountability.
It is impossible for the church to function this way unless it is made up of people who are willing to share their lives together. We can’t do this unless we are willing to work at knowing one another. Now I acknowledge that this will come easier for some people than others. You may say, “But I just have a very hard time sharing my life with others. I have been hurt. Or, I’m just a private person.” BUT, if you love Jesus Christ and His church, you will have a longing to come alongside brothers and sisters more and more. It may be hard, but you want the Lord to keep chipping away on you. On the other hand, if you say, “I’ll tend to my business and let others tend to their business,” then you are not a part of the church, no matter how many meetings you come to. Oh yes, keep coming to the meetings and hearing the Word, but understand that this is not the meaning of the church.
The idea of exhorting one another, coming alongside one another, captures much of what it means to be a part of the local church, but there is another concept that is also key in defining the local church. Please turn to Ephesians 5. Let’s read Eph. 5:18-21, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; 19. Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 20. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 21. Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God." Closely associated with the filling of the Spirit are four actions. We often associate the Holy Spirit with some great miraculous work, but that is not the most common work of the Spirit. When you see a brother or sister thanking God for that which the world would curse God, you know the Spirit is at work. And so it is with submitting to one another.
We have already read a passage about submitting to the leaders is the church, but this goes beyond that. Here Paul speaks of submitting to one another. Perhaps the best way I can communicate this idea is by sharing a personal illustration, so please allow me to do so. Rhonda and I had a decision we had to make. It didn’t seem to be a really big deal, but it was important because it affected someone we loved. We agonized over it and prayed about it, and finally we made the decision. It was difficult, but the person it affected seemed to be okay with it, at least outwardly. Later that day a brother came by to visit. After a while, he asked me what was going on in my life. That brother loved me enough to intrude into my life. He wasn’t just being polite; he wanted to know what was going on with me. He had no clue that we had been struggling with a decision.
At that point, I had to make another decision. Do I say, “Oh, not much. Been pretty busy. I’ve had some good visits with folks this week…”? Or do I tell him what has been occupying our minds the past few days. I made the decision to simply be honest. I told him the situation. Then he said, “Can I ask you some questions?” After five minutes of him asking me questions and bringing some things to my attention, it was clear that we had made the wrong decision. Fortunately, it wasn’t too late to change it. Had it not been for this brother’s interest in my life and my willingness to submit to his probing questions and gentle counsel, we would have hurt a person we love dearly and would have missed a wonderful opportunity.
Now I must say that it was not difficult to submit to my brother. Why not? Because the Lord had been blessing me with those kinds of relationships in the body of Christ for years. On the other hand, I could have thought, “You know, I’ve been a Christian almost 30 years longer than this brother. And, after all, I am a pastor. I think I can handle this without his help. The bottom line is that this is really our business, not his.” To my shame, I could have availed myself to counsel before we made the decision, but God was merciful and sent this brother to come alongside and help me.
As I see it, this concept of submitting to one another is one of the most difficult areas for Christians in our society. And that is one of the greatest reasons for the weakness of the visible church. As long as I tend to my business and you tend to yours, then we will never be the church. Regardless of what your background has instilled within you, God calls you to submit to your brothers and sisters in the body of Christ. But what if someone asks me to do something I don’t want to do? Do I have to do what a brother or sister thinks I ought to do? If a brother or sister comes to you prayerfully and lovingly and asks you to consider something, that ought to stop you in your tracks. That is occasion for the most serious prayer. Our problem is often this: By default, we figure we are most always right. Our ideas are better than the ideas of others. Before you dismiss that idea, get honest with yourself. What if you had the attitude, “When my idea conflicts with a sister or brother, most likely I am wrong and she is right”? That is absolutely foreign to us, isn’t it? Our default setting tends to be: Most likely, I am right.
The Growth of the Church Pictured in Eph. 4:11-16
Now let’s shift gears and look at a wonderful passage in Ephesians. Let’s read Eph. 4:11-16…
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15. But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Who gave some? God gave some leaders to the church. Why did He do that? Verse 12, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Don’t misunderstand what he is saying. These phrases are not parallel; they are consecutive. In other words, these leaders are to perfect (equip) the saints unto the work of ministry so that the body of Christ can be built up. The work of the ministry belongs to the saints, not to the leaders. To the degree that God’s people expect the leaders to do the ministry, to that degree the church will be paralyzed. Christian, if you are expecting me and Norman and a few others to do the ministry, you need to repent and then agree with the Lord that He has called you to be a minister. If the saints as a whole are not taking the responsibility for ministry, the body of Christ will not be built up. The good news is that this concept is very simple. The leaders equip the saints for ministry and the body is built up for the glory of God.
But what will that look like? We find the goal in verse 13, “Till we all come in the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” This goal is expressed in three ways…
… unto the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God
… unto a perfect man
… unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
As we are trained and serve together to build up the body, we will ever increasingly be unified in trusting and knowing the Son of God. People will differ on the emphasis here, but I think he is talking about trust and personal acquaintance with the Lord Jesus. To put it another way, we will come to a perfect man, a mature man. To further define that concept, he speaks of attaining the full stature of Christ. Obviously, this will not be completely fulfilled until we meet the Lord. However, as we will see in the verses that follow, he expects a measure of fulfilling that goal in the here and now.
Before we come to verses 14-16, let me emphasize one thing. The context of all this is the body of Christ and the building up of that body. Don’t take this individually. It is as a unified body that will come to maturity in Christ. No Christian comes to maturity apart from the body. When he says “we all” in verse 13, he is talking about a group of individuals; he is talking about us together in the church. Years ago I preached a sermon on this idea of how we as Americans are so prone to take every scripture and individualize it. I actually wore some specially made glasses to illustrate how we need the Lord to open our eyes to the idea that we are not living alone. Together we are the bride of Christ. Together we are His body. Together we are the family of God.
Verse 14 begins, “That we henceforth be no more children…” It is here that we see the expectation of a measure of maturity. As we the church move toward maturity in Christ, we must no longer think and behave as children. Why not? Because children are easily carried about here and there. It is easy to steer a child where you want him to go. That is fine, if you are leading in the right direction. But when it comes to the people of God, there are forces that will attempt to lead us astray. We read in 2 Cor 11:2-3, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."
So what exactly is the danger? “That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” As the wind tries to alter the course of a ship, so there will be those who try to sway us from the truth. All we have to do is look around. Over the past few decades, churches have tried this program and that program to try to give people what they want, like children trying this thing and that thing. Rather than being tossed about like children, let us be mature in Christ.
And now verse 15. Rather than leading to chasing fads, maturity in Christ will lead us to grow up into our head Jesus Christ in all things, as we speak the truth in love. Again, understand that this is not growth as an individual. This is the growth of the body, of which Jesus Himself is the head. Rather than chasing after various teachings and methods, we grow up into Him. Our eyes are fixed on Christ and we are not easily moved. And that is why we need one another. We must constantly be exhorting one another to follow Christ, to look continually to him.
Let me quickly say a word about speaking the truth in love. It is difficult to translate the original. There is no word for “speak.” Literally, it reads, “But truthing in love.” The Amplified tries to bring this out: “Rather, let our lives lovingly express truth [in all things, speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly].” That’s the idea. We aren’t harsh, but loving. Nevertheless, we must stand for truth rather than being diverted by everything that comes along.
Finally, verse16, "From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Listen to that again, this time from the New King James: “From whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.” Now we see the picture of the church as a human body. Each part works together and causes the body to grow, and the key feature of this growth is the building up of the body in love. Notice that love is the dominant theme. That makes perfect sense in light of what Jesus said: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (Jn. 13:35).
I took you through this passage to emphasize the togetherness that characterizes the church of our Lord. This togetherness does not take place in the universal church, but in each local church body. The Lord intends us to live out this picture in La Luz, New Mexico in 2009 until He comes. Furthermore, He will empower us to do so by His Spirit. Over and over, we must remind each other that this is what the church is all about. And as the church moves toward this goal, what will the world see? They will see unity and love, the two things Jesus said would draw people to Himself (Jn. 17:21; 13:35).
So Where Do We Go from Here?
Through the years, many of us have desired to practice these principles and have sought to do so with prayerful diligence. While the effort has been very rewarding, there has still been a great deal of confusion. We like to speak of the church as a family, for it is the family of God. But unless there is careful definition, even that is very misleading. Why? Because while there is a family gathered here, there are others who are not a part of that family. And though some of you may beg to differ with me, I contend that there are quite a number here who do not know what constitutes being a part of the La Luz church family.
At this point, I want to ask you to be patient with us. Norman and I do not claim to have all the answers. However, we want to humbly but strongly suggest that it is time for us to do some careful defining, to make it clear what it means to be a part of this local church. We believe that the place to start is to invite people to voluntarily enter into a covenant together. That simply means that before God and one another, we would agree by the grace of God and the power of His Holy Spirit to seek to practice the very principles we have talked about this morning. Is this what we are calling “membership”? Yes. The word “member” is not important to us. What is important is unapologetically entering into covenant together before God and one another.
But surely they didn’t sign a covenant in the New Testament? There is no record that they did, although we cannot categorically say they didn’t. Personally, I don’t believe they signed a covenant and I don’t believe they had formal membership. So why should we do this? As Mark Dever puts it, we are doing this in order to have a “clearly defined community.” Though they may not have used a formal covenant during Old Testament and New Testament times, there was always a clearly defined community. In other words, there was a clear division between those who followed Jesus and those who did not. Our desire is to openly invite followers of Jesus Christ to unite in covenant fellowship for the glory of God.
Please allow me to be practical. We would all agree that the church is to be about the business of making and training disciples of Jesus Christ. That is what we talked about in relation to Matthew 28:18-20. Let me ask you this question: Who is to be the focus of our discipleship training? Again, we want to love everyone, but who is eager to obey everything that Jesus commanded?
Now please allow me to come at it from the back side. Many of you have been through this with us, so please be patient with me, as you turn to Matthew 18. Let’s read Matt. 18:15-20…
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. 16. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. 17. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican. 18. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
In our current situation this raises all kinds of questions. Obviously, this can’t be applied to everyone, because everyone who attends is not a Christian. So does it apply to everyone else?
Now let’s read from I Corinthians 5. Paul was dealing with a specific case, with a sexually immoral man who was within the church. Now let’s read I Cor. 5:9-13 (NKJV)…
Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside God judges. Therefore “put away from yourselves the evil person.
Here is the question: How can we put away from ourselves a person unless we know that such a person was truly a part? In other words, put away from what? From whom? We cannot practice corrective church discipline without a clearly defined community. We can’t exclude someone unless he has been included. We find this to be true both biblically and by experience. During the past five years we have been paralyzed regarding this kind of church discipline, because of the lack of a clearly defined community. Not only that, we have also been greatly hindered because of a lack of covenant fellowship, a fellowship in which every individual expresses a strong expectation that the brothers and sisters will pursue him in love when he goes astray.
As we have shared with you, a group of volunteers has hammered out details concerning a constitution and by-laws. They are designed to give us guidance, not to replace the Word of God. The Word of God will continue to be our guide. Since constitution and bylaws are required by law for incorporation, it is our desire to make those documents actually say something, rather than just be a formality. Therefore they are intended to clarify some of the specifics of how we understand the Bible directs us to operate as a church. It is not our purpose to go through that constitution this morning.
As a part of their task, this group has also written up a statement of faith. Basically, this statement of faith embodies what you have heard taught and preached in our meetings through the years. While it does not become too specific, we trust it is pointed enough to state where we are on the major teachings of the Word of God. A person will not be required to agree with everything in the statement of faith, but the person who becomes a part of this church will need to understand that this is what will be taught here and will not undermine that teaching.
What we would like to share with you this morning is the proposed church covenant. This is not original. It is used by the Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington D.C. We are not tied to its specific wording, but we this is the basic concept which we want to portray. So let’s take a moment to pass out the copies of this covenant (pass them out)…
Proposed Church Covenant
Having, as we trust, been brought by Divine Grace to repent and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and to give up ourselves to Him, and having been baptized upon our profession of faith, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit, we do now, relying upon His gracious aid, solemnly and joyfully renew our covenant with each other.
We will work and pray for the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
We will walk together in brotherly love, as becomes the members of a Christian church, exercise an affectionate care and watchfulness over each other, and faithfully admonish and entreat one another as occasion may require.
We will not forsake the assembling of ourselves together, nor neglect to pray for ourselves and others.
We will endeavor to bring up such as may at any time be under our care in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and by a pure and loving example to seek the salvation of our family and friends.
We will rejoice at each other’s happiness and endeavor with tenderness and sympathy to bear each other’s burdens and sorrows.
We will seek, by Divine aid, to live carefully in the world, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, and remember that, as we have been voluntarily buried by baptism and raised again from the symbolic grave, so there is on us a special obligation now to lead a new and holy life.
We will work together for the continuance of a faithful evangelical ministry in this church, as we sustain its worship, ordinances, discipline, and doctrines. We will contribute cheerfully and regularly to the support of the ministry, the expenses of the church, the relief of the poor, and the spread of the Gospel through all nations.
We will, when we move from this place, as soon as possible, unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all. Amen.
You will notice from the first paragraph the recognition that we cannot carry out these principles without the aid of the Lord. So in essence, everyone of these “we will’s” is prefaced with “by God’s grace.” In reality, all we are doing is expressing our desire before God and to one another to be faithful to what He tells us in His Word.
So how are we planning to go about implementing this plan? With much care and prayer. Specifically, we believe the process will look something like this…
1. We will formally adopt the constitution and by-laws in the April Prayer and Planning Meeting. Those by-laws will include this covenant. They spell out some details about how we will operate as a church. That will be made available to anyone who wants to view it. However, we believe the key in all of it is our willingness to enter into this covenant relationship with one another.
2. All church membership will be dissolved. In other words, we will start from scratch. No one will be a member, including Norman and myself.
3. Those who desire to be a member/part of this local church, will attend the church membership class. We do not yet have the details of that class worked out, but our purpose will be to make clear what this church stands for and invite people to join us.
4. After attending the class, those who desire to be a part of this church will express that desire to the elders of this church. They will then meet with the elders, who will talk with them about their own testimony. The purpose of this is to confirmcthat they have truly been born again. No, Norman and I do not think we can see into the hearts of people, but wevcannot watch over
your souls without delving into your spiritual lives. Our desire is to have the church as much as possible be composed of truly born again believers.
5. Perhaps it goes without saying, but a person must have been baptized, as the scripture pictures baptism as a vital part of the discipleship process (as we saw in Matt. 28:18-20).
6. The final step in actually becoming a part of this body will be the signing of the church covenant.
Now let me be very honest. To the best of my knowledge, our great desire is to glorify God. I am not aware of any ulterior motives in moving in this direction. Norman and I have prayed about this, talked and prayed about it with brothers and sisters in the body, and have waited patiently on the Lord.
Here is what we are asking of you. We are asking you to set aside the consumer mentality that has become so common in our day. It has invaded the Lord’s church. You might be thinking: “Well, I’m just not sure I want to do that. What will be the benefits of being a member of this church? Is there any advantage in being a member/part over just being an attender?” That is the consumer mentality. We are humbly pleading with you to ask one primary question: “Lord, can I glorify your name in this, regardless of the cost to me?”
We want to tell you up front that there will be sacrifice in being a part of this church. If that bothers you, you have not yet understood the call of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). It is impossible to do that without sacrifice.
I remind you again of those two young Moravian missionaries, who sold themselves into slavery for the glory of God. Yes, they sold themselves to a man who owned a few hundred slaves on an island. He had vowed that these slaves would never hear the gospel. So these two young men sold themselves to the slave owner in order to have enough money to pay their passage to the island. As they were leaving on the ship, never to return, their family and friends watched them go. The last thing they heard was one of those young men cry out, “May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His sufferings.”
But praise God for the opportunity to give our lives for His sake. “For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Phil 1:29). Yes, it will cost something to care for our brothers and sisters. Yes, it will be costly to join your brothers and sisters in taking the gospel to a hostile world. But praise God, they will know we are Jesus’ disciples, as we love one another.
Let’s pray…
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