Introducing Philippians (Acts 16) -- 8/30/09

Sunday, August 30, 2009

INTRODUCING PHILIPPIANS
Acts 16

Last week I shared with you that we will be studying the letter to the Philippians. We have just completed a study of Genesis. Our study wasn’t just a survey, but neither was it an in-depth study. In my Bible Genesis covers 86 pages, while Philippians just a little over 5 pages. Genesis is well over 15 times as long as Philippians. One of the advantages of studying Philippians is that you will be able to get a solid grasp on the entire letter. Most anyone can sit down and read the entire letter in 15 minutes. I encourage you to do that. No doubt, when the Philippian Christians received the letter, they read the whole thing. They were eager to hear what their beloved Paul had to say to them. You will catch more of the flavor of this letter, if you will sit down from time to time and read the whole thing.

I know of no better way to introduce this letter than to look at the events that led up to the founding of the church at Philippi. And where should we go to look for those events? Yes, in the Bible. Yes, in the New Testament. And yes, in the book of Acts. Remember that Acts is the second part of a two-part book. Who wrote it? By the guidance of the Spirit of God, Luke wrote this two-volume work. A comparison of the first few verses of Luke and of Acts tells us that both were written to Theophilus. Listen to the beginning of Acts… (Acts 1:1-2)
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2. Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Luke makes it clear that he has already written one treatise to Theophilus. That first volume was about what Jesus began both to do and to teach. It covered Jesus’ life and work up until the time He had given commandments to His chosen apostles and then was taken up. Let’s read it in the last three verses of Luke’s gospel (Luke 24:49-53)…
And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. 52. And theyworshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: 53. And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

Clearly Acts takes up where the gospel of Luke leaves off. Let’s read the next two verses in chapter 1 (Acts 1:3-4)…
To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: 4. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

Here we see Luke reviewing again the command Jesus had given them to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Now come down to Acts 1:9-13…
And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. 10. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11. Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 12. Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey. 13. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

So we see that while Luke’s gospel tells about what Jesus did and taught while He was on the earth, the book of Acts takes up the story from there, telling what Jesus would accomplish from heaven through the work of His Holy Spirit. Some have aptly titled it “The Acts of the Holy Spirit.” While Acts focuses on the work of the apostles, especially that of Peter and Paul, those men were but tools of the Spirit of God. And the primary function of these apostles was to bear testimony to the resurrection of Jesus Christ (as we are told in Acts 1:22).

In Acts 9 we have the conversion of a man named Saul. We actually learn some things about Saul from Philippians itself. Let’s read it in Phil. 3:3-7…
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4. 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. 7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

Saul zealously opposed the church of Jesus Christ with everything within him. But there came a day when Jesus confronted Saul personally, even while he was on a campaign to round up Christians in the city of Damascus. It was then that the greatest enemy of the church Saul of Tarsus became its greatest missionary. We know him as Paul. It is this same Paul who wrote the letter to the Philippians. Let’s read it in Phil, 1:1, "Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons."

After spending the better part of three years being instructed by the Lord Himself out in the Arabian desert and becoming acquainted with the apostles at Jerusalem, Paul spent some time in his home town of Tarsus. From there, he was called on by Barnabas to help him minister at Antioch. There at Antioch, at the direction of the Holy Spirit, the church sent Paul and Barnabas out to uncharted territories to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know it as “the first missionary journey,” and it is recorded in Acts 13 and 14. After the Jerusalem Conference, which is recorded in chapter 15, Paul undertook a second journey. This time his partner was Silas. This morning we are going to look at Acts 16 in order to review the events that led up to the establishment of the church at Philippi during this second missionary journey.

Let’s begin by reading about the beginning of this second missionary journey in Acts 15:40-16:12…
And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God. 41. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches. 16:1. Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2. Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek. 4. And as they went through the cities, they delivered them the decrees for to keep, that were ordained of the apostles and elders which were at Jerusalem. 5. And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily. 6. Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7. After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8. And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10. And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

This missionary endeavor begins with Paul and Silas. The primary purpose for this trip was stated in Acts 15:36, "And some days after Paul said unto Barnabas, Let us go again and visit our brethren in every city where we have preached the word of the Lord, and see how they do." During the first missionary journey Paul and Barnabas had established churches at Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Derbe, and Lystra. So when we read in verse 4, “And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily,” he is talking about the churches in these cities.

What we don’t want overlook is the fact that Paul and picked up a junior partner in Lystra. His name was Timotheus. Sometimes he is referred to as Timothy, and most of us prefer the shorter form. He must have been converted during Paul’s earlier visit there. We know from Paul’s second letter to Timothy that he had a godly mother and grandmother. We see here that his fellow-Christians respected him highly. His godly character was known not only in Lystra, but in neighboring Iconium as well. Timothy, of course, is the co-worker that Paul mentions in his opening words to the Philippians.

After encouraging and strengthening the churches in these four cities, they found themselves about 350 miles from their home base, but there is no indication that they considered going back home at this time. There were vast lands full of unevangelized people. They were eager to continue sharing the gospel. However, the Spirit of God refused to let them preach in Asia (map). When they turned north to go into Bythinia, the Spirit wouldn’t allow them to go their either. So they made their way to Troas. It was there in a vision that Paul heard a Macedonian man saying, “Come over and help us.” Macedonia (what is now northern Greece) is the region to which they are now going.

So they left Troas and came to Samothracia. This was a very distinctive island, as it had mountains rising 5,000 feet. The next day they set sail and came to Neapolis, which was the port city of Philippi. The winds must have been favorable. Later, Paul would sail the opposite direction and the trip from Neapolis to Troas would require five days (Acts 20:6).

Macedonia was a Roman province. We read here that Philippi was the chief city of that part of Macedonia. We also read that Philippi was a Roman colony. By this time, it had been a Roman colony for almost 100 years, having received this status in 42 B.C. The original purpose of Roman colonies was military. The Romans would bring a significant number of its Roman citizens to live in the colony. From a military standpoint, it made sense to have these strategic Roman settlements throughout the empire. A Roman colony went by Roman law, regardless of the laws of the people of that region.

I. The Conversion of Lydia and Her Household (13-18)

13. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

As we begin to read of Paul’s work in Philippi, we find that there is something missing. What is it? There is no mention of Paul going to the synagogue, as he had in Pisidian Antioch and Iconium. Because this was Paul’s prevailing custom, we have to assume that there was no synagogue in Philippi. And that means that there were few Jews there, as the presence of just ten Jewish men was sufficient to constitute a synagogue.

So if there was no synagogue in which to preach, where would Paul begin his work? We are told that he and his companions went out by a river side, “where prayer was wont to be made.” In other words, it was customary for prayer to be made in this place. The key is that there were some women who met there on the sabbath to pray. How Paul and Silas found out about this meeting is unknown to us, except that the Lord found a way to make it known to them.

14. And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

It is generally assumed that Lydia was a widow, since there is no mention of a husband, though it is possible that she had never been married. We are told that she was from the city of Thyatira, which was a city of Asia. Isn’t it interesting that the Spirit wouldn’t let Paul preach in Asia, but his first convert in Europe was from the province of Asia! This lady named Lydia was “a seller of purple.” The people in the area of Thyatira were famous for their ability to manufacture and use a purple dye. Lydia either sold the purple dye itself, or clothing which was colored by the dye.

We are also told that Lydia worshipped God (literally, she was a worshipper of God). She was not a Jew, but she worshipped the true and living God. It reminds us of Cornelius, whose story is told back in chapter 10. She knew that Yahweh was the true and living God and she worshipped Him.

So Lydia was among those women who came down to the riverside on the sabbath to pray together. We are told in the previous verse that Paul and his company sat down and spoke to the women. The willingness to do so was not something Paul received from his Jewish heritage. Nevertheless, he saw this as a launching pad for the ministry in Philippi. Here was a group of ladies who were eager to worship God.

So when Paul and Silas spoke to these women, what do you think they talked about? It is no mystery. We are given no details, but it is clear from the context that they preached the same message they preached everywhere else—Jesus Christ, and Him crucified! When Paul spoke, the Lord opened her heart to attend to the things that he said. We must not pass over the fact that the Lord opened her heart, causing her to pay attention to what Paul said. Why is it that Lydia is the one woman that is singled out? Is it because she was the wisest of the women present? Is it because she had more common sense than the others? No, it is because the Lord opened her heart. If the Lord didn’t open the heart, there would be no hope for spiritually dead men and women to respond to the gospel.

15. And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us.

It seems a bit abrupt, when Luke immediately records that Lydia was baptized, along with her household. Why was she baptized? We are not told that she believed. Why not? We must understand this in the context of the book of Acts as a whole. The pattern of Acts is along these lines…

… "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (2:41)
… "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (8:12)
… "And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized" (18:8)

It is interesting to note that the word translated “attend unto” (prosecw) in verse 14 has several shades of meaning. While it can certainly mean “attend to, pay attention to,” it is also used to mean “to cling to, to cleave to a person or thing; to be given to or addicted to” (Thayer). Lydia not only paid attention to what Paul said, but she received what he said and clung to it. In short, she believed.

Not only was Lydia baptized, but also her household. That raises a question: Who was in the household of Lydia? We are not told. It seems best to assume that she had children or other relatives for whom she was responsible. It is also very possible that she had servants, depending upon the extent of her business. Concerning the baptizing of the whole household, we will take that up in a few minutes, when we come to the Philippian jailer.

Now listen to what she said to Paul after she was baptized. “If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.” This is strong evidence of the genuineness of her conversion. Remember that Paul and his companions are new in this town. The missionaries had been there for “certain days.” As was the case with Jesus’ apostles when they were sent out to preach, these men needed a place to stay. Lydia was volunteering her home. Whether she was aware of it or not, hosting the apostle Paul was not always a safe venture, but she was willing to identify herself with these who were giving their lives to proclaim the gospel of the Christ who had saved her. Her invitation was so simple and genuine that they couldn’t refuse.

We don’t know what happened to the rest of the women. The fact that they were not converted at this time in no way means that they rejected the Lord Jesus. Wouldn’t it be nice to know how Lydia interacted with them in the days ahead. I suspect that the Lord gave her a burden for these women with whom she was accustomed to pray. But if every such story were included in our sacred pages, we wouldn’t be able to carry our Bible in one volume. We will have eternity to learn the rest of the story.

II. The Delivering of a Certain Slave Girl from a Spirit of Divination (16-18)

16. And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

The word translated “damsel” is best understood to mean “a young female slave” (“slave girl” in NASV, NIV, Amplified). The idea of servanthood or slavery is also suggested by the fact that she brought “her masters” much gain. You get the idea that this young girl was being used by a bunch of greedy businessmen. Her value was in the fact that she had “a spirit of divination.” The Greek literally says that she had “a spirit of Python.” That is, she was inspired by Apollo, the god who was worshipped at Pytho (Delphi). I think it would be safe to say that this young girl was possessed by a demon. As a result, she had supernatural power to tell the future. The same Greek word is used in the LXX to speak of the witch of Endor, who had “a familiar spirit.” It was this supernatural ability that made her valuable to her masters, who no doubt charged a fee for her services.

17. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.

Doesn’t this remind you of the demon-possessed people with whom Jesus dealt? In Mark 3:11 we read of unclean spirits who fell down before Jesus and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” Listen to these words about the Gadarene demoniac… Mark 5:5-7
And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. 6. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, 7. And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.

Mark says that he worshipped Jesus and then referred to Him as “Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God.” So it is here, as this young lady points to Paul and his companions as “servants of the Most High God, who are showing the way of salvation.” We want to say, “What could possibly be wrong with that?” The main problem with it is the fact that it was spoken by this unclean spirit within the lady. Jesus did not accept worship and confession from demons, and neither did Paul. There is evidence to support the idea of a belief in that day that “the use of the precise name of an individual or spirit would secure mastery over him” (Mark, William Lane, p. 74). The proclamations of these demons was not a confession of faith, but a defiant challenge.

18. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

These words make it very clear that what this young lady was saying and doing was not a good thing. Paul was grieved (some translations say “annoyed”). Paul was fully aware that it was a spirit within the girl making these statements, as we are told that he spoke not to the girl, but to the spirit. And Paul didn’t mince any words, saying, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.”

Then we read, “And he came out the same hour.” “Same hour” seems to be an expression that means “at once.” Don’t get the idea that it took an hour for the spirit to leave the girl. The idea is that there was no delay at all.

We are told nothing more about the girl. I would certainly like to think that this girl was a saved that day, but the text does not tell us that. Perhaps Luke intended us to assume as much, but we cannot know that for sure. Jesus’ teaching indicates that it is possible for a person who is ridded of a demon to end up even worse. Luke 11:24-26…
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first.

Again, wouldn’t we like to know the rest of the story. We will have to wait a while for that.

III. The Conversion of the Philippian Jailer (19-34)

Now we come to the portion of Acts 16 that is best known, the account of the Philippian jailer. Let’s consider it again. First of all, let’s take a look at how Paul came into contact with the jailer.

19-20... And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers, 20. And brought them to the magistrates…

The casting out of this demon hit her masters right where it hurts, in the pocketbook. We don’t know all the details of how their business operated, but it is obvious that the supernatural demonic power within this girl is what made it work. Now they were out of business, and they were not happy about it. Their response was to blame Paul and Silas. They grabbed them and hauled them before the authorities.

20-21… And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, 21. And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.

We can see immediately that these men were not honest. Their real motive was revenge because Paul and Silas had ended their shady business, but in order to have a case against them, they trumped up some other charges. These men took advantage of the fact that there was much anti-Jewish sentiment among the Gentiles of that day. We have talked before about the mutual hatred between Jew and Gentile. They portrayed Paul and Silas as Jews who were bringing their superstitions before the Romans. After all, there were laws against bringing foreign religious propaganda into a Roman colony.

We might ask why Timothy and Luke were not included in this action. Perhaps it was because Paul and Silas were the leaders and the most vocal. Also, Paul and Silas were the most Jewish, as Luke was a Gentile and Timothy was half Gentile.

22-24… And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. 23. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely: 24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.

Now we get a glimpse at the people in general, here referred to as “the multitude.” Like the multitude which cried out for the crucifixion of Jesus, this crowd seemed easily influenced by these angry men. Perhaps there were quite a number of others who were suspicious of these “wandering Jews.”

It is not to the credit of the Roman magistrates that they did not investigate the charges at all. They were either very sympathetic with the angry businessmen or were swayed by the voice of the people. At any rate, they stripped Paul and Silas and commanded that they be beaten. Notice, “when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison.”

When they took Paul and Silas to the jail, they instructed a specific jailer to guard them securely. And this is where we meet that man that is commonly referred to as “the Philippian jailer.” His job was to guard these two men, making sure that they did not escape. He took them deep within the prison and put them in stocks. Such stocks were not made for comfort, but for security. They were instruments which had holes into which the legs were inserted.

25-26… And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. 26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

We all know about this. Even though Paul and Silas were in jail, and wrongfully at that, they prayed and sang praises to God, and the prisoners heard them. But let’s not get the wrong idea about what was happening. Paul and Silas weren’t putting on a show for the prisoners. Their actions came out of a heart of praise and thanksgiving. Remember that they had been severely beaten before they were imprisoned. They had every reason to be moaning and complaining, but they were praying and singing.

I don’t get the impression that God brought the earthquake because Paul and Silas started praying and singing at midnight. No. Rather, verse 25 is a description of what was happening when the earthquake struck. The emphasis here is on continuous action – as they were praying and singing praises to God, and as the prisoners were listening to them. Paul would later write to the church at this same city of Philippi, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice” (Phil. 4:4). Paul and Silas were continuously praying and praising God. No wonder the prisoners were listening to them. How could these men have such joy and confidence under such trying circumstances?

The sudden earthquake shook the prison to its foundations. Notice that all the doors were open and everyone’s bands were loosed. This was an unusual earthquake. It freed the prisoners, but it didn’t collapse the roof and injure them in any way. This was a God-directed earthquake which was sent for a very specific purpose.

27… And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.

When the jailer was aroused from his sleep, he discovered the worst. The doors were all open and the prisoners had surely escaped. It was common that if a prisoner escaped, the jailor would receive the punishment due the prisoner. So if there was at least one prisoner who was on death row and had escaped, the jailor would be executed. But even if not, as a proud Roman (probably a retired soldier), with a deep sense of duty and discipline, he saw only one option – suicide. He would take his life before he had to face his superiors.

28-31… But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here. 29. Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, 30. And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? 31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.

Before the jailer could do anything, Paul yelled at him, “Don’t do it; we’re all here.” It is obvious from Paul’s statement that the other prisoners had not run off, even though they had the opportunity. Why didn’t they escape? Surely it was because of what they had heard from these two unusual prisoners. They must have recognized the hand of God in the earthquake. Apparently they wanted to stay around long enough to see what was going to happen.

The words of verse 29 are very graphic. Notice that the jailer sprang in (“rushed in,” NASV; NIV; Amplified). And he came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas. He was terrified. This man must have also recognized the hand of God in all of this.

We would like to say, “That jailer was moved by the praying and singing of Paul and Silas at midnight.” However, we must take note that when the earthquake struck, the jailer was asleep (vs. 27). He hadn’t been listening to Paul and Silas. Of course, the jailer certainly knew something of what had taken place. He could see their wounds, as a result of the severe beating. No doubt, he heard stories of why they were in jail. He saw their attitude. And remember that Paul and Silas didn’t begin singing at midnight. I suspect the jailer had plenty of opportunity to hear them and observe their attitudes. Judging from his response here, I would say it is very likely that he had heard some of Paul’s conversations with the other prisoners. While he may have been able to reject the message of these two criminals, it was a different story when he was confronted with the earthquake and his present desperation.

The jailer brought Paul and Silas outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” This man knew who to ask about salvation. In my mind’s eye, I can see him earlier laughing under his breath at the message they proclaimed, but it was different now. Please hear me. When people make light of the truth of the gospel, let’s not be discouraged. We are planting seeds, just as Paul and Silas did. If we continue to plant the seeds and don’t grow weary, things will change when the shaking comes. There are people who can reject the gospel now, but what will they do when they are about to drown in the storms of life? What will they do, when the economy crashes, when there is severe threat of a nuclear attack, or when they come face to face with death? Some will continue to shake their fist at God, but surely there will be some Philippian jailers among them.

Wouldn’t you like to have someone say to you, “What must I do to be saved?” It does still happen, but we don’t seem to see much of it in our American culture. Why not? I don’t have all the answers, but I believe the primary reason is because in America there is little fear of God and knowledge of His law. In other words, people don’t see any need to be saved. 21st century Americans subscribe to the bumper sticker philosophy that says, “No fear.” They read Matt. 10:28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" and regard it as a fairytale. Why should they fear a God like that, when they can believe in a God of pure love, who will never hold anyone accountable?

I don’t know if revival will ever sweep this land again. I’m quite sure it won’t, if God’s people don’t pray for it. The great revivals in this country began with prayer. But whether or not we ever see sweeping revival, God will give us the privilege of rescuing people here and there, people who are like the Philippian jailer.

Notice how the scripture rings true. I Pet. 3:15 is familiar to some of you. It reads: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:" What we forget is the context of this verse. Listen to the words just before it in verse 14, "But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." We see this truth played out in the experience of Paul and Silas. It was in the context of their suffering (and his own suffering) that the Philippian jailer asked them for a reason of the hope that was in them. When things are going well for us and we rejoice, the world shrugs its shoulders; “big deal.” But when we suffer wrongfully and rejoice in the Lord, there are some who will take notice. Are we willing to suffer in order that men and women might be brought to Christ? This is the cross, the dying to self, that Jesus speaks of when He says, “If any man will come after me, let deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me” (Matt. 16:24).

When the jailer asked, “What must I do to be saved,” Paul answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” Put your faith in the Jesus who died on the cross for your sins, and you will be saved. Throw yourself on this Jesus, and you will be saved. Simply trust Him.

You may be thinking, “Then why don’t you proclaim that message more consistently? Why do you always add a bunch more to it?” Because I don’t find people coming as the Philippian jailer came. When is the last time you saw someone come trembling with fear and fall on his face before God, saying, “What must I do to be saved?” We can proclaim “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,” but it will have no effect until the hearers tremble before an Almighty God whose law they have broken and whose authority they have despised. This man who said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” was a broken man, and “the Lord is near unto them that are of a broken heart, and saves such as be of a contrite spirit” (Ps. 34:18).

32-33… And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. 33. And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.

You probably noticed those words at the end of verse 31, “and thy house.” What does that mean? Some have taken it to mean that if the jailer believed, then all his house would be saved. However, we are given some clarification here in verse 32, “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.” Apparently, Paul gave further explanation to the jailer. They had already said to him, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,” but now they speak to him the Word of the Lord. It seems that they went to his house, because they also spoke to all that were in his house. That would have included his family and perhaps servants.

I find here no magic formula that tells a man his whole family can be saved on the basis of his own faith. While it is true that a man’s influence in his home is great, each individual must exercise faith in Christ in order to be saved. The promise of verse 31 is basically this: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved; and that goes for your whole family.” In other words, this isn’t just good news for you, but for your whole family. Praise God that his family responded to the good news in the same way that he responded, for we read that the jailer was baptized, along with all his (family).

And right in the midst of this glorious account of salvation, we read that the jailer took them and washed their stripes. Most likely, he took them to his own house, and there he cared for their wounds. While this is a simple statement, it speaks volumes. The jailer didn’t just receive a commodity called salvation from these men. They became his brothers in the Lord. As Lydia’s hospitality to Paul and Silas was a demonstration of the genuine salvation she received, so the jailer’s tender caring for them shows that he received that same salvation. What a change – from adversaries to brothers overnight!

IV. The Release of Paul and Silas (35-40)

35-40… And when it was day, the magistrates sent the serjeants, saying, Let those men go. 36. And the keeper of the prison told this saying to Paul, The magistrates have sent to let you go: now therefore depart, and go in peace. 37. But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out. 38. And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans. 39. And they came and besought them, and brought them out, and desired them to depart out of the city. 40. And they went out of the prison, and entered into the house of Lydia: and when they had seen the brethren, they comforted them, and departed.

Let’s just note a couple of things here. Paul claims his right as a Roman citizen. Roman citizens were exempted by law from degrading forms of punishment such as Paul and Silas had suffered. The big question is this: Why hadn’t they claimed their citizenship rights the day before? Wouldn’t that have saved them a beating? We see here that the magistrates were quite alarmed when they learned the fact of their citizenship. We read that they feared.
Some would say that Paul and Silas did protest, but that the authorities turned a deaf ear. However, it is doubtful that Luke, the careful historian, would have failed to mention that fact. Notice that while Paul claims his citizenship rights here, he apparently did not do so earlier in order that he might escape punishment. In other words, he didn’t make his appeal in order to save himself. So why does he do so now? Was it to teach them a lesson? Let’s consider the possibility that it may have involved the church at Philippi. We see here in this passage that before Paul and Silas left town, they went to Lydia’s house and they comforted (exhorted) the brethren. The value of Paul’s action may be in that it would discourage the authorities from hassling the church, which was founded by these two Roman citizens. If that was the case, Paul was not acting on his own behalf, but on behalf of the brothers and sisters he loved.

The Roman authorities could not legally force Paul and Silas to leave town. When they came personally to the prison, they didn’t come to give commands, but “they besought (entreated) them.” Rather than order them out of town, they begged them to leave town. No doubt, they were hoping to avoid any more trouble. Paul and Silas graciously left town, but not before visiting those who had believed the gospel message. It was as if they were marking that home, warning the authorities not to bother the Christians there. Someone has said they were practicing “holy blackmail.”

Conclusion

Let’s move forward just a little bit. From Philippi, Paul and his missionary band would go and preach in Thessalonica. Their preaching was not without opposition. In the heat of that opposition, their accusers make this statement in Acts 17:6, “These that have turned the world upside down have come here also.” The last place they had been was Philippi. The only place they had ministered in Macedonia was Philippi. When they said that these missionaries had turned the world upside down, they were speaking primarily of the work in Philippi.

Let’s think about that for a moment. Paul, Silas, Timothy, and Luke certainly turned things upside down at Philippi. A business woman was converted. A young girl was set free from bondage, and with her freedom came the collapse of a corrupt business. Out of this, a whole multitude of people were drawn into the proceedings. And these things were not confined to the lower classes; the leading authorities of the city gave the command to beat Paul and Silas and lock them up. A prison was literally turned upside down and one of its employees was forever changed, along with his entire household. Yes, the Lord turned Philippi upside down through these men.

So how did it all begin? Let’s read it again in 16:12-13 "And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. 13. And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." Notice especially those words that describe the beginning of their stay in Philippi: “And we were in that city abiding certain days.” When we think of the work in this city, we might just skip over those words, but that would not be wise. We might get the idea that they were just sitting around, because there weren’t yet any opportunities. Surely that wasn’t the case. I want to suggest to you that those certain days were vital in the ministry to Philippi.

What do you think they were doing during those days? I believe they were praying. They were waiting on God. They were allowing the Lord to prepare them for what was to come. They were doing the same thing Paul and Silas would be doing in prison; they were praying and singing praises to God.

From there, they just went to a little prayer meeting down by the river. And what did they do there? They sat down and talked to the women which were meeting there. Nothing spectacular. It was a one-step-at-a-time ministry. Any believer could have done it.

The abiding certain days follows the pattern we see throughout the scriptures. Before Jesus began His public ministry, He waited for thirty years. Before that great ingathering on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples waited before the Lord in the upper room. Before Paul began his ministry, he spent the better part of three years in Arabia.

Brothers and sisters, let’s not waste “these certain days.” Let’s be on our knees before the Lord. Let’s be asking Him to speak to us through His Word. Let’s be praising Him for all things. You know, the Lord could use us to turn this part of His world upside down. Let’s not waste any of these certain days that are ours.

Joseph, Forgiveness, and Guilt -- 8/16/09

Sunday, August 9, 2009

JOSEPH, GUILT, AND FORGIVENESS
Gen. 50:15-22

This morning we are going to wrap up the story of Joseph. You may be wondering how we are going to cover the last twelve chapters of Genesis in one sitting. Well, the day’s young. No, I’ll try to be brief. The truth is that we have been dealing with the story of Joseph for the past month. Four weeks ago on Sunday morning we had a little visit from Joseph, which covered Genesis 37. That morning I encouraged you to read the rest of Genesis by taking one chapter a day for two weeks. Then after you read the story, we focused on Joseph during our Bible School. So we got a good dose of Joseph. By the way, if you weren’t here for Bible School and would like to watch the play that set the story of Joseph among the cowboys and Indians of the old west, the skit crew took the time and effort last Sunday to record those and we will make them available.

This morning we are going to deal with the part of the story that we didn’t get to in Bible School. It’s a very important aspect of the story, but after all you can only get to so much in five days. A few of you may have heard this mentioned in your class, but we are going to deal with it more fully this morning. On the surface, it would seem that after Joseph revealed himself to his brothers and expressed his forgiveness to them, Joseph brought his family down to Egypt and everyone lived happily ever after. While that may have largely been true for Joseph, his father Jacob, and little Benjamin, it wasn’t true of Joseph’s older brothers.

Please allow me to begin by talking to you a little bit about guilt. Is there anyone here who has ever felt guilty? And why did you feel guilty? For the most part, it was because you were guilty. You stole a watermelon out of someone’s garden and you knew it was wrong. You told a lie to your mom or dad. You felt guilty, and you were guilty. Perhaps some of you deal with a much greater guilt. Maybe you hurt someone very deeply. Though you regret it, there is no way to go back and undo it. If you go visit a prison, it will amaze you how many people there are very young. Let’s suppose a 23-year-old man shot and killed someone. Suppose he lives to be 75. It is very likely that he will carry that guilt for those 52 years. Though there may be times when he is able to push it back in his mind, given the right circumstances, it will begin to weigh on him again. It’s always there.

I. Reviewing the Story

Now let’s come back to Joseph and his brothers. You remember the story. Joseph’s ten older brothers hated him because they were jealous. Their father Jacob favored Joseph and made no secret of it, even giving him a bright coat that had “this is my favorite son” written all over it. As you know, the brothers seized their opportunity when Joseph came out to check on them, and ended up selling him to a trade caravan that was headed to Egypt. When they arrived in Egypt, they sold him to a man named Potiphar, who was the captain of the guard for the Pharaoh. But the Lord was with Joseph and he earned the trust of Potiphar, managing all of household affairs. After some time (we don’t know how long), Potiphar’s wife falsely accused him and Potiphar had him thrown into prison. Again, God was with him and he rose to prominence in that prison. We are told that the warden had it easy because he entrusted all his business to Joseph. Through a series of events, he was called before the Pharaoh himself, who had two very troubling dreams. Joesph made it clear that he couldn’t interpret dreams but that his God was able. Trusting God, Joseph rightly interpreted Pharaoh’s dreams to mean that there would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine. Joseph went on to boldly suggest to Pharaoh what needed to be done. Pharaoh was so impressed that he put Joseph in charge of storing up food in Egypt. As a matter of fact, Joseph became the prime minister, second only to Pharaoh in the whole country.

Things happened exactly like Joseph said they would. He wisely stored up food to take them through the famine. That famine was not limited to Joseph, but spread over the whole earth. When Jacob and his family ran out of food, he sent his ten oldest sons down to Egypt, as he had heard that one could buy grain down there. When the brothers came before Joseph to buy food, Joseph recognized them. However, he disguised his own identity and made sure his brothers didn’t recognize him. As he conversed with them, he found out that Benjamin was back home and that his father was still alive. He then accused them of being spies. Joseph sold them food, but he then assured them there would be no more food unless they brought their little brother Benjamin down to prove their story. To insure they would come back, he kept Simeon there in Egypt.

As expected, the time soon came when Jacob and his family ran short on food again. He told his nine sons (Simeon was still in Egypt) to go back and buy more food. They reminded him that there was no use going unless Benjamin was with them. After much persuasion, Jacob finally agreed to let Benjamin go. When they arrived and Joseph saw that Benjamin was with them, he arranged for them to eat with them. After that meal, he then sold them food and sent them away, instructing his servant to hide his special silver cup in Benjamin’s pack. When the servant pursued them and searched their sacks, the brothers were torn to pieces when the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. They said they would all go back and become the servants of Joseph. But Joseph said they were all free to go except for Benjamin. Judah pleaded with Joseph, finally asking if he could stay in Benjamin’s place.

Finally, Joseph could not restrain himself any longer. Now let’s read from Gen. 45:1-15…
Then Joseph could not refrain himself before all them that stood by him; and he cried, Cause every man to go out from me. And there stood no man with him, while Joseph made himself known unto his brethren. 2. And he wept aloud: and the Egyptians and the house of Pharaoh heard. 3. And Joseph said unto his brethren, I am Joseph; doth my father yet live? And his brethren could not answer him; for they were troubled at his presence. 4. And Joseph said unto his brethren, Come near to me, I pray you. And they came near. And he said, I am Joseph your brother, whom ye sold into Egypt. 5. Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 6. For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be earing nor harvest. 7. And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. 8. So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt. 9. Haste ye, and go up to my father, and say unto him, Thus saith thy son Joseph, God hath made me lord of all Egypt: come down unto me, tarry not: 10. And thou shalt dwell in the land of Goshen, and thou shalt be near unto me, thou, and thy children, and thy children's children, and thy flocks, and thy herds, and all that thou hast: 11. And there will I nourish thee; for yet there are five years of famine; lest thou, and thy household, and all that thou hast, come to poverty. 12. And, behold, your eyes see, and the eyes of my brother Benjamin, that it is my mouth that speaketh unto you. 13. And ye shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that ye have seen; and ye shall haste and bring down my father hither. 14. And he fell upon his brother Benjamin's neck, and wept; and Benjamin wept upon his neck. 15. Moreover he kissed all his brethren, and wept upon them: and after that his brethren talked with him.

I want you to notice in verse 14 that Benjamin returned the affection of Joseph. Do you see it? “Benjamin wept upon his neck.” But even thought Joseph kissed the other brothers and wept upon them, we read only that “his brothers talked with him.” The guilt they experienced prevented them from entering into a full relationship with Joseph. They were polite and they were grateful, but they were still distant. Joseph had clearly told them not to be grieved or angry with themselves. Nevertheless, though they were greatly relieved, things were not what they should have been. Their guilt was a barrier between them and Joseph.

Now if you question this and wonder if I am reading too much into the text, let me assure you that the context will confirm this truth. You see, this is not the end of the story. This is chapter 45, and there are still five more chapters in Genesis. Chapter 45 ends with the brothers’ return to their father and the incredible news that Joseph was still alive and ruling in Egypt. Chapter 46 gives the name of Jacob’s family members who moved to Egypt, ending with that glorious reunion between Joseph and his father. In chapter 47 Joseph presents his family to Pharaoh and closing with him settling his family in the land of Goshen. Chapter 48 tells of Jacob blessing Joseph’s sons Ephraim and Manasseh, and chapter 49 is the record of Jacob blessing his twelve sons. Chapter 49 ends with the death of Jacob, after he had charged his sons to bury him in the family cemetery plot back in the land of Canaan. The first half of chapter 50 tells us that they mourned for Jacob and buried him according to his wishes.

Now let’s set the timing of Jacob’s death. How old was he when he died? Gen. 47:28, "And Jacob lived in the land of Egypt seventeen years: so the whole age of Jacob was an hundred forty and seven years." This agrees with 47:9, which tells us that Jacob was 130 when they moved to Egypt. So for 17 years Jacob and all twelve sons lived together in Egypt. What could possibly be better? Jacob didn’t think he would ever see Joseph again. At one point he feared that he would never see Simeon again and that he would possibly lose his son Benjamin. Benjamin had no hopes of ever seeing his full brother Joseph. The ten older brothers never dreamed that they would see Joseph, that he would be second in command in Egypt, and that he would not take revenge upon them. This should have been the best “live happily ever after” story in the whole Bible.

But now let’s read what the text says in Gen. 50:15-22…
And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him. 16. And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying, 17. So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him. 18. And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. 19. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? 20. But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them. 22. And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.

II. Ten Forgiven Brothers Living with Guilt

When Jacob died, there was a brand new crisis for Joseph’s older brothers. But why? Because they believed Joseph was only delaying his revenge upon them until after their father died. They believed that Joseph was being nice to them only for their dad’s sake. If he would have killed them, it would have been really hard on his father, and Joseph loved his father. But now that Jacob was dead, they saw no reason that Joseph should not pour out his hatred in full measure and give them what they deserved.

They were so afraid that they cooked up a deceptive scheme. They sent a messenger to Joseph to tell him basically this: “Before your dad died, he wanted to give you this urgent message: Please forgive your brothers for the evil they did to you.” And then they added their own pitiful plea for his forgiveness. Some believe that Jacob actually said this, but I see no indication of that in the text before us. It seems more likely that the brothers just made it up, believing that Joseph was more likely to listen to a message from their father than from them.

Now don’t forget the timing of all this. Before they ever moved down to Egypt, Joseph told them that he had forgiven them. Jacob had arrived in Egypt 17 years before his death. Allowing some time for the move, it was going on 18 years since they had heard Joseph’s expression of forgiveness. For over 17 years, they had been worrying about Joseph getting even with them. During that time, such a thought never crossed the mind of Joseph. He had truly forgiven those brothers. That is why Joseph started crying on this occasion, when his brothers begged his forgiveness. Not only did they beg for forgiveness, but they fell down on their faces and said, “We will be your servants.” Joseph didn’t want more servants; he had plenty. He wanted brothers, but they were not able to be real brothers to Joseph because of the guilt that continued to plague them.

Here in verses 19-21 we come to the climax of this whole story. Joseph’s brothers intended evil when they sold him, but God meant it all for good, in order that he might “save much people alive.” Had Joseph not gone to Egypt and been in that prison when Pharaoh dreamed, there would have been no one to interpret the dreams and thousands of people would have perished during the famine, including Joseph’s family. The fact that God worked His plan through the actions of the ten brothers does not excuse their sin in the least, but it does show what a mighty God we serve.

I can never think of the story of Joseph without coming back to Rom 8:28-29, "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." As we love God and are the called according to His purpose, we can have absolute confidence that all things work together for good? And what is the good? It is that we might be conformed to the image of His Son.

Praise God that here in chapter 50 we have a picture through Joseph of what God did in His Son Jesus Christ. Through God’s work in and through Joseph, many people were saved. That was a physical salvation; they didn’t die at that time. Through God’s work in and through His Son Jesus, many are saved – not from physical death, but from eternal death. God has rescued millions from eternal death through the work of His Son Jesus Christ. Praise His name!

III. Was There a Reason for Their Guilt?

Now come back to the relationship between Joseph and his brothers. Notice 50:21, “Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” Joseph continued to reassure them. How did they respond? We don’t know. Joseph lived to be 110. That is, he lived another 53 years after his father Jacob died. Did his brothers ever get over their guilt? Were they ever able to truly be brothers to Joseph? We don’t know, because we are not told. We would like to think that now that Jacob has died and Joseph continues to love them and comfort them, they would realize that they had truly been forgiven. On the other hand, the brothers may have come up with some other reason to believe that Joseph was delaying his revenge.

So why did it have to be this way? Why were these ten men plagued with guilt for at least 40 years? More to the point, why were they so guilt-ridden for 17 years after they heard Joseph tell them that they were fully forgiven? What a way to live?

I want to suggest a possible answer to those questions. Could their continued guilt be attributed to the fact that there was no way to wipe out what they had done? Joseph was willing to overlook the evil they had done to him. It is clear that God had taken all of it and used it for His glory and their good. We also see in the story that the brothers had changed through the years. While they had sold the favorite son Joseph, they had grieved deeply when they thought that the favorite son Benjamin would have to be left behind in Egypt. Judah had even begged to take his place. Nevertheless, what they had done to Joseph was still fresh in their memory. They knew that Joseph still had just cause to take revenge upon them at any time.

IV. What about God’s Forgiveness in Christ?

Now let’s move from that day to the present. What about guilt today? We live in a guilt-ridden society. In general, the most highly educated voices in our culture try to deal with guilt by denying it. Psychiatrists, psychologists, and sociologists try to tell people they don’t need to feel guilty, and they have many strategies to reinforce what they say. The problem is that it doesn’t work. And why doesn’t it work? It doesn’t work because you can’t get people to not feel guilty, if they are guilty. The fundamental problem is that we are all guilty before God. And even if a person is able to fool himself into thinking he is not guilty, then he has an even bigger problem than feeling guilty. While he may feel good the rest of his life, he will have to face the consequences of his guilt for all eternity.

So is the forgiveness Joseph offered his brothers a picture of the forgiveness that Jesus offers to us? Yes, and no. Just as Joseph forgave his brothers, so Jesus forgives people who have mistreated Him and who do not deserve His forgiveness. The parallel reaches that far, but that is not the whole story. There is a way in which the forgiveness that comes through Jesus Christ is very different than the forgiveness that Joseph offered his brothers.

Think about it with me. Take all of your sins and wrap them up in a bundle. I lied to my parents more than once. I once said under my breath to my mother, “I hate you.” I have entertained evil thoughts. I have been eaten up with pride, which God hates. I have tried to paint a picture of myself that is better than I really am. I have mistreated my wife and kids. I could go on and on, but that makes a pretty good bundle. When I put that pack on my shoulders, it is enough to weigh me down. I would have to say that God would be right to take vengeance upon me. He has done me nothing but good, and I have repaid Him with evil. He would be justified in sending me to hell forever and ever. I have plenty of reason to feel guilty, because I am guilty. I’m not alone; I am just one of the billions of people who have lived on this earth and been guilty before God.

Now suppose Jesus comes along and says, “You are forgiven. I am not going to hold your sins against you. I will overlook all your sins. Come and have fellowship with me.” That’s wonderful! I rejoice with joy unspeakable. What could be better than that? But then there comes the day when I do something particularly bad. I am having a bad day and I yell at my wife. Then when everything gets still and I am lying there in the bed, I begin to wonder if I am really forgiven. Jesus says I am forgiven, but am I really? There are still all those things that I have done through the years. What if He decides that I haven’t been good enough? Surely my sins are bad enough to send me to hell.

This is where God’s forgiveness through Christ differs from what the brothers received from Joseph. When we are forgiven through Jesus, our sins are dealt with completely. They do not linger to haunt us in the future. Even in the Old Testament we have strong hints of this truth. Ps. 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” We read in Is. 38:17 that God has cast our sins behind his back. According to Micah 7:19, they have been cast into the depths of the sea.

But how does that happen? How can a person’s sins be removed as far as the east is from the west? While you are thinking on those questions, let me ask you another? What is the meaning of “forgiveness”? Ps. 103:12 does indeed capture its meaning, because “to forgive” means “to send away.” When a person’s sin is truly forgiven, it is sent away. It isn’t overlooked; it isn’t covered up; it is sent away completely.

Jesus died and rose in order to forgive us our sins. Let’s read Eph. 1:3-7… (see also Col. 1:14; 2:13)
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5. Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

In Jesus we have not only redemption through His blood, but also the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. Though we don’t deserve forgiveness, we can have it through Jesus, because He has the power to forgive. Jesus demonstrated that power, when He spoke these words to the scribes in Matt. 9:6, "But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house." And the man got up and went home. Just as surely as Jesus had raised him up, He had sent his sins away.

Let’s go back to that question that I ask again and again: “How can God forgive you of your sins?” If you just ask Him, will He forgive you? If you are sincere enough and sorry enough, will He forgive you? Absolutely not. God’s forgiveness of sins is not based first upon our asking, but upon what Jesus did at the cross. In order for sins to be sent away completely, those sins have to be dealt with. They must get what they deserve. God poured out His punishment on Jesus, who took our sins upon Himself. God does not overlook our sins. Yes, there is the sense in which He overlooked the sins of Old Testament saints until Jesus came and died for those sins, but we are on the other side of the cross. And even with those Old Testament saints, their sins were overlooked only until the coming of Christ. Their forgiveness was still based on the death and resurrection of Jesus.

You may say, “But what about I John 1:9, which says, ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness’”? Notice that John says God is both faithful and JUST to forgive us our sins. The only reason He is able to send our sins away is because Jesus took the punishment for those sins on the cross. Justice was done at the cross. My sins were taken care of completely. They got what they deserved, the just punishment of God. There is no reason for them to exist any longer. God has removed them from me as far as the east is from the west.

Conclusion: Wrapping It Up

Now what does this have to do with Joseph and his brothers? This good news connects with the Joseph story at the point of forgiveness and guilt. The brothers continued to feel guilty, because there was no sense that their sins were gone. While they were gone in the mind of Joseph, they were still in the minds of the brothers. There is a sense in which the brothers were justified in feeling guilty, because they had no way of knowing that their sins would not at some point receive a just punishment. They had only the word of Joseph. Of course, we know Joseph was trustworthy. They wanted to believe that, but in their minds their sins were just too big.

If you are in Christ and have the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace, then you don’t have to be like Joseph’s brothers. If you live like them, then you are not living up to your birthright. You are not grasping your privilege as a child of God. Think of the worst sin you have ever committed in your entire life time. I’ll give you a minute. I’m not going to ask you to share it, but I am asking you to think of it. Do you have it in mind? Think for a moment just how bad that sin was. So what has become of that terrible sin? If you have been redeemed through the blood of Christ, it has been sent away. Jesus bore the punishment for that sin, allowing God to cancel it completely.

There is a sense in which that sin no longer exists. You say, “But I can still remember it.” Can God remember it? Yes, He can, but He doesn’t. Some people say that God can’t remember our sins. He can remember because He is God. Just as He never had to learn anything, He doesn’t forget anything. The good news is that He chooses not to remember. An imperfect but appropriate illustration is our forgiveness of others. Just because you forgive someone for something, that does not mean you forget it. Some would say, “If you don’t forget it, then you haven’t forgiven,” but that isn’t true. That would make forgiveness a matter of the mind rather than the heart. It isn’t that you can’t remember that sin against you, but you choose not to remember it. So it is with God. He chooses not to remember the sins for which Jesus died. The last words of the new covenant promise of Jer. 31 are these: “For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Those words are quoted twice in Hebrews (8:12; 10:17) in relation to the mighty work of Jesus our Lord.

That’s why the child of God does not have to feel guilty for the sins he has committed in the past. They are done. Consider an illustration. You owe $100 on your electric bill and you are not able to pay it. It bothers you because you have never had a delinquent bill in your life. Even though you paid thousands of dollars on your father’s hospital bill and other emergencies came up, it still bothers you. But then one day you get a note saying that it has been paid in full. A good friend who loves you knew your circumstances and paid that bill. Will you keep on worrying about it not being paid? Will you call the electric company and ask them to give you a little more time to pay? Of course, not. It’s paid.

So it is with the sins of the true believer. They have been buried in the deepest sea, removed from us as far as the east is from the west, blotted out by the blood of Christ, done away with completely. Go back to that worst sin that I asked you to consider. You’ve considered it, but consider it no more. Even that sin has been sent away by your Savior. Jesus is the propitiation for your sins. That is, God’s wrath upon you was removed because Jesus took it upon Himself. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus suffered that death in your place. The Lord chooses not to remember that sin any more, and you can make that same choice.

We have been singing that song, “In Christ Alone.” The last verse begins, “No guilt in life, no fear in death; this is the power of Christ in me.” Those words are only true for the person who is in Christ, whose conscience is clear as a result of Christ’s work on the cross. No Christian has any just reason to feel guilty, unless he sins and refuses to confess it to the Lord. The fact is that Christians still commit sins. So what do we do? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful (He will do what He promised) and just (on the basis of Jesus’ death on the cross) to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9).

If you are a Christian and have been carrying guilt, there are two basic reasons. Either you have sinned against God and have not confessed your sin, or you have refused to count His forgiveness as a fact. Many would say to you, “God has forgiven you; now you need to forgive yourself.” I may be simplistic, but that isn’t biblical. I find nothing in the Bible about forgiving yourself. Against God and God only have we sinned. We confess our sins to Him, and then we believe that He has done what He promised. He has sent our sins away and made us clean again. Let’s leave our guilt at the cross, that we might effectively live for our Lord.

On the other hand, if you are not a true believer, a child of God, the possessor of new life in Christ, then you have every reason to feel guilty because you are guilty. Your sin separates you from your Creator. You are dead in your trespasses and sins, having no hope and without God (Eph. 2:1,12). All your denials will not change the truth. No amount of counseling can lessen your guilt one bit. Even if you can get to the point where you don’t feel guilty, you will still be guilty before God, as a child of His wrath. The only hope for you is the blood of Jesus Christ. But praise God there is hope for you. Jesus said, “Come unto me, all you that labor and are heavyladen, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). There is no burden so heavy as guilt that is the result of sin. I urge you to come to Jesus in repentance and faith. Understand that you can’t make it without Him. You may have thought that you are able to bear your sin, but you are not. Your sin will follow you to an eternity in hell. Repent. Change your mind. Throw yourself on the Christ who endured God’s wrath on the cross.

Let theChildren Come to Me -- 8/9/09

Sunday, August 9, 2009

LET THE CHILDREN COME UNTO ME
Mark 10:13-16

Let’s read Mark 10:13-16…
And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein. 16. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

Jill is 12 years old. She has grown up in the church, and she is still in the church. Best she can tell, her parents love God with all their hearts. They aren’t perfect, but this is not one of those stories where the parents go to church on Sunday and have nothing to do with God the rest of the week. Nor is it a case of her parents preaching one thing and living another. Jill’s parents are genuine Christian people, and Jill appreciates that. She wouldn’t want to trade places with anyone else. She can honestly say that God has blessed her.

So what could be better? Jill has asked that very question. “What’s wrong with me? What more could I ask for? My parents love God and they love me. They expect a lot from me, but they don’t pressure me to be something I’m not. Why do I sometimes have all this turmoil inside me?” It isn’t like Jill is deeply depressed or anything like that, but there is an uncertainty in her. It’s like something is not quite okay.

I. Speaking to the Young

You may wonder why I’m talking about Jill this morning. Jill is just a girl I made up… sort of. But in reality, Jill is kind of a combination of many of you young people who are sitting right here this morning. She will be more like some of you than others. Most of you will find yourself identifying with Jill to some extent.

So why am I doing this? With much fear and trembling, I want to speak very directly to you young people this morning. As I speak to you, your parents are praying. How do I know, because I asked them to pray. More importantly, they pray for you on a regular basis. Why do I say that I am speaking with fear and trembling? Because it is a very serious thing to talk to people about coming into a relationship with Jesus Christ, about the need to be justified before God. Though it is not more serious to talk to you young people about that subject, it is more difficult. I will explain that a little bit later.

Young people, please understand that your parents and grandparents deal with a certain amount of difficulty because of you. Let me explain that. By the way, from time to time I might pick on some of you. Know that it’s because I love you. Most of your parents aren’t greatly concerned about you doing what millions of American kids are doing these days. Ruth, I doubt that your parents have lost any sleep because they are afraid you will sneak out the window late at night and go to a party. There are plenty of parents that are worried about that very thing. Caleb, I don’t think your parents are getting ulcers because they are worrying about you getting hold of some dangerous drugs. As a pastor, I have never run across any of you down at the police station or in juvenile court. You may laugh, but let me assure you that kids don’t have to be 16 in order to get in trouble with the law these days.

Now listen to me, most of your parents are extremely pleased that you are good kids. Yes, you bring great pleasure to your parents. Nevertheless, they are very concerned about your salvation. That’s what I want to talk to you about. What does the Bible say about sin? First of all, what is the result of sin? To put it biblically, the wages of sin is what? Death (Rom. 6:23). You all know that. Isaiah says, “Your iniquities have separated between you and your God (Is. 59:2). God can’t have anything to do with sin. You have grown up hearing that. You know these things.

And who qualifies as a sinner? Perhaps that is a little more difficult. We come to the Bible and we see all kind of sinners. Just a couple of weeks ago we read Genesis 34 and 38, those ugly chapters where violence and immorality were practiced by the actual sons of Jacob. And what could we say about the people of Noah’s day? They were so wicked that God wiped them out with a flood. But even righteous Noah got drunk after the flood. The sins of Sodom were so great that God rained down fire and brimstone on them. You know plenty about sin because you have read about it numerous times in the Bible. You also know about sin from the world in which we live. You are well aware that there are people who lie, steal, commit murder and adultery, curse their parents, and speak against God. What you don’t see firsthand you hear about from the news or somewhere else. We live in a sinful world, and you are well aware of that fact. And you know the truth of the scripture. Is there anyone who is not a sinner? Who can quote a Bible verse that answers that question? “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way…” (Is. 53:6).

So what is the problem? Or maybe I should say “problems.” Though you know deep down that you are a sinner, sometimes you don’t feel like a sinner. You know you aren’t perfect, but when you compare yourself with others, you don’t look so bad. For quite a number of you, when you compare yourself with your parents at a similar age, you stack up pretty good. When we read some of those stories from Genesis, you have a little trouble identifying because you have never even wanted to do some of the things that those people did. You aren’t eager to go out and sin, like many people are. Though you fail sometimes, you have a desire to honor your parents.

But when you get honest with yourself, you are willing to admit that you are a sinner. You realize that sin goes much deeper than just doing the ugly things that most of the world is doing. You understand that sin begins in the heart. Though your sin may not seem that bad, you have to admit that you have violated God’s law. Anyone here ever broken any of the Ten Commandments? [Give opportunity for response]. All of you have broken the commandments, just as I have. You admit that you are a sinner.

So what’s the problem? For some of you, the problem is this: What can I do about it? “I know I’m a sinner. I know that I need to be made right with God. But what can I do about it? I am learning the Bible more and more. And I don’t resent that. I like learning about God. I go to the church services, and I don’t mind that either. I even try to listen to the sermons. I try hard to do what’s right. I try to obey my parents and treat other people right. I even try to be nice to my brothers and sisters. But I’m still not sure if that is all I need to be doing.”

And then you hear your pastor, your parents, and others talk about getting saved, being made right with God, about being born again, about becoming a child of God. This is where it really gets confusing. You know that your parents would like nothing more than to see you become a Christian. And that is certainly true of your pastors – Norman and myself. But neither your parents nor your pastors are able to tell you exactly what you need to do. They tell you that you must repent and believe, but they don’t tell you when or how to do that. Because you want to please your parents, sometimes you just wish they would tell you exactly what to do. When they want you to carry out the trash, there is no question about the steps involved. You get up, grab the trash can, take it out to some container, dump it in, and then put the waste basket where it was. Somehow you wish they would give you such a definite plan for being saved.

Repent and Believe

First of all, let me reinforce the truth that you must repent and believe. That was the basic message of the Lord Jesus. Please turn to Mark 1. You know that this takes place toward the first part of Jesus’ ministry because it is in the very first chapter of Mark. It isn’t in Mark 16, but in Mark 1. Let’s read Mark 1:10-15…
And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12. And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him. 14. Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15. And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Mark covers a lot of ground in just a few verses. We find his summary of Jesus’ baptism, His temptations in the wilderness, and His basic message. The basic message is simply: Repent and believe the gospel. But what does that mean? You have heard it many, many times, but what does it mean to repent? “Repent” literally means “change your mind.” But this is no little change of mind; it is a complete change of mind. It is a change of mind that leads to a change of life. It begins with a change of mind about sin. As I said before, you are tempted to think of your sin as not too bad, since you haven’t done some of the bad things that other people have done. You know that you are a sinner, but you can live with that. When you come to repentance, your mind is changed. You know that your sin is terrible, that it is ugly to God. You can’t stand it any more. You can’t live with the knowledge that your sin separates between you and God (Is. 59:2). Your mind is changed; you hate sin.

But Jesus didn’t just say “Repent;” He said, “Repent and believe the gospel.” Repentance and belief are two sides of the same coin. If when you repent, you hate your sin and want nothing more to do with it, then what naturally follows? You believe on the only One who can do anything about your sin. And who is that? The Lord Jesus Christ. But what can Jesus do about your sin? He lived 2,000 years ago. I would like one of you young people to be brave enough to come tell us what Jesus did about your sin? If you get stuck, I will help you. Would anyone like to try?

[Lived a sinless life. Deserved nothing but the Father’s praise, but instead He went to the cross. God made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (II Cor. 5:21). Yes, He took my sins upon Himself. He took upon Himself the wrath of God, which I deserved. My sins were totally paid for when Jesus died on the cross. God doesn’t overlook our sins; He punished them when He laid on Jesus our sins.]

But now I have a question for you. How can a dead Savior do anything for you? Oh, you say that He rose from the grave. Indeed, He did. Jesus didn’t stay in that grave. On the third day He rose…

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior;
Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord.

Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph over His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Death cannot keep his prey, Jesus my Savior;
He tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord.

Up from the grave He arose with a mighty triumph over His foes;
He arose a victor from the dark domain, and He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

Young people, that is the gospel, the good news – Jesus, who had been with God the Father from the beginning, came into this world and lived a perfect, holy, sinless life. That perfect life qualified Him to be a sacrifice for sinners like I. So He went to the cross and took my sins upon Himself, enduring the wrath of God. And then He rose from the dead, where His Father declared Him to be the Son of God with power. He lives today and says to sinners like us – “Repent and believe this good news.” Yes, that is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the name of Jesus Christ, I urge you to repent and believe. But this is where the problem comes. How do we recognize true repentance and belief? There is a false repentance and belief. Why is that? Because man tries to do what God alone can do. No human being has the power to repent and believe on His own. Why not? Because according to Eph. 2:1 everyone of us comes into this world dead in his trespasses and sins. A dead man can’t do anything. He has to be moved by someone else. That is why Jesus called sinners to Himself but then said, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:44). Repentance and belief, which are two sides of the same coin, is a gift from God.

You may say, “Then do I have to decide if I am being drawn by God.” NO. That is not your concern; that is God’s work. When you truly repent and believe, you will know that God has done the work in you. If the Father had not drawn you, you would not have repented and believed.

Now we come back to our problem – how do we recognize true repentance and belief? How do you recognize it? How do your parents recognize it in you? How is that true repentance and faith made visible to the Lord’s church? One of our difficulties is that we have a great tendency to look for the outward and the immediate. Our culture drives us toward that view. We speak of repentance and faith, and we quickly want to reduce it to some outward action, whether it be walking down an aisle or saying a prayer. God’s work cannot be reduced to such formulas. Lord willing, we are going to talk much more about that next Sunday or some time soon. As parents, it would make it so much easier if we could say, “If my child does this, I can know that he has truly come to repentance and faith.” We will look in vain for such a formula. And no one has to tell any of us that we have a great drive for the “right now.” We want our precious children to be saved and now. The Lord desires their salvation more than you do, but He is in no hurry. While repentance and faith are the urgent need, we must not try to get ahead of the God who promised Abraham a son and delivered only after 25 years.

So let me speak directly to you young people. You have heard the gospel again and again. You have heard it from me and others in this church who have spoken to you. Last week you heard it from Alex and Justin and Norman and Joe and Michelle. You hear it in your Sunday School classes. Most of you hear it from your parents. There is a sense in which you know the gospel. But it isn’t enough to know the truth, you must repent and believe. In Jesus’ name, I urge you to repent and believe. BUT don’t try to prove your repentance and belief by doing outward things. When you repent and believe, God Himself will give you assurance that you belong to Him. Katie shared that very testimony last week. One night as she listened to the same gospel that she had heard hundreds of times before, God assured her that He had given her the grace to repent and believe and she knew that she had been saved. It was the Lord Himself who gave her that assurance. Young people, cry out to God day by day. Tell Him that you need Him. Ask Him to give you grace to think about Jesus and what He did on the cross. Understand that He loves you and longs to see you become His child.

II. A Word to Parents

Now I have a word for you parents, but I urge you young people to listen in. We don’t have many secrets that we keep from you, and there is nothing secret about what I am going to say. Discerning true repentance and faith is not always an easy thing, whether it be discerning it in one’s self or in another. Why is it important to know this? Ultimately, the only thing that matters is where a person is in God’s eyes. On the other hand, the primary testimony of conversion, of salvation, of true repentance and belief, is baptism. So who should we baptize? The person whom we believe to have truly repented and believed and thereby been justified by the Lord. But the truth is that none of us can see accurately into the depths of another person. That’s why it is a challenge to discern evidences of true faith.

I remind you again of those sobering words of Jesus in Matt. 7:21-23,
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Our desire is to help ourselves and others avoid that pronouncement from Jesus. After Jesus says those words to a person, there will be no second chance. That is why we seek not to give anyone false assurance of a relationship with Jesus.

In saying all of that, I haven’t even mentioned how it applies to young people. Even with adults, this is an area to which we come with fear and trembling. The difficulty is compounded with children. Let me state it bluntly: It is more difficult to discern true repentance and belief in a child than in an adult. That is not to say it is impossible by any means, but it is more difficult and requires care and prayer. Let me give you a few reasons why this is so. I want to acknowledge that I am drawing heavily from the little book Your Child’s Profession of Faith­, by Dennis Gundersen. This brother simply draws these principles out from the Word of God.

1. The Intellectual Immaturity of Children

I Corinthians 13 is commonly known as the love chapter, because in it Paul tells us about the nature of that agape love that comes from God alone. Toward the end of the chapter as a part of an illustration, he writes these words in verse 11, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." In commenting on this verse, Dennis Gundersen writes…

A child speaks less maturely than you; so you cannot assume he means what you mean by what he says. He thinks less maturely that you; so you cannot assume his thoughts are what yours are just because he uses the same words you might have used to express those thoughts. He reasons less maturely than you; his is the reasoning of a child, incomplete and partial to a greater degree than even some of the most immature adults. Can anyone doubt that taking this into account is crucial when deciding how we will respond to a child’s profession of faith?

We read these words of Paul in I Cor. 14:20, "Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men." Paul uses children as an illustration of those who think immaturely. He is not condemning children or putting them down; he is simply acknowledging that adults must not think as children, because children have not developed maturity in their thinking. While every Christian is commanded to be childlike, none of us should be childish in our thinking.

This intellectual immaturity of children makes it very difficult for them to understand some of the basic concepts of the New Testament, things like hating father and mother (Luke 14:26), being at war (I Tim. 1:18; II Tim. 2:4; II Cor. 10:3-4), and being married to Christ (II Cor. 11:2). While these may not be easy even for adults, they are far more difficult for children.

2. The Instability of Children

Let me read to you that familiar passage from Eph. 4:11-15…
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:

Our goal is to grow up into Christ in all things. That will not happen if we are tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. That is the nature of children, to be tossed to and fro in this manner. When I was a kid we used to watch the Beverly Hillbillies. Jethro was the perfect example of childishness, though he was in a big body. One day he wanted to be a big Hollywood producer; the next day he was determined to be a brain surgeon. Again, this is not to demean children in any way. While there are certainly adults who are not very stable, this is the nature of children. That is why the Word of God pictures children as being unstable.

We read these words in Matthew 11:16-17…
But whereunto shall I liken this generation? It is like unto children sitting in the markets, and calling unto their fellows, 17. And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

As a rule, a child may be excited about something one moment and care nothing about it the next. Jesus makes it clear that adults should not be like that.

Of course, we may say, “But this particular child is not like that.” True, this intellectual immaturity and inconsistency is by degrees. One child will be more mature than another. The point the scripture makes is that we must not expect children to think like adults and be consistent like adults, though we may view them to be very mature for their age.

3. The Likelihood of Deception in Children

We might immediately cry out, “But adults can be deceived as well.” That is certainly true and we must never forget that. Nevertheless, according to the Word of God, such deception is a much greater danger with children. Come back to Eph. 4:14. We read it earlier, but let’s read it again. This time I am going to read it out of the NKJV. “That we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting…” Do you see the principle here. We must not be like children, because children are especially vulnerable to the trickery of men, who with cunning craftiness plot to deceive others. If we are like children, we will be deceived.

We might say, “But no one is trying to deceive our children.” We have an enemy, who is constantly trying to deceive us and our children. Let me remind you of the way Satan operates. 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.

Remember that foolishness is bound in the heart of a child (Prov. 22:15). Though there are degrees, that is true of every child. Let’s read Prov. 1:1-4…
The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2. To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3. To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4. To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

The word “simple” is used a bit differently in the Proverbs than the way we would normally use it. The simple refers to those who have not yet been taught. They are inexperienced in practical wisdom. It doesn’t mean that they are dumb, but they have not yet attained unto wisdom. Then notice that in verse 4 there is a parallel between the simple and the young. That is exactly why the young must be taught knowledge and discretion, that they may attain unto this wisdom that is so important.

While it is true that adults can be deceived, according to God’s Word, it is much more likely that children will be deceived. That is why we give special attention to children when it comes to dealing with sensitive spiritual matters. When one of our children says to us, “I believe in Jesus and I want to be baptized,” we don’t immediately take that at face value. While we are excited that this child is thinking about the Lord Jesus, we must carefully weigh all of these factors I have mentioned. We are not going to be in a hurry.

This is why there is great danger in much of the child evangelism that is practiced today. The goal is not to get our children to profess Christ. I repeat: The goal is not to get our children to profess Christ. The goal is so teach our children and model Christ before them in such a way that they will be convicted of their deep need for Him, seek Him, and come to know Him. Our focus isn’t on the outward expression, but rather upon the inward reality.

By the way, I want to encourage you parents to make an effort to think in biblical concepts and to express those biblical concepts in biblical language. Let me give you an example. It is very common for adults and children to say something like this: “I asked Jesus into my heart.” While that may sound nice because we have become so accustomed to it, it isn’t biblical. The word “heart” is used over a hundred times in the New Testament, but it is never remotely mentioned that someone should ask Jesus into his heart. Let’s say what God says, and He says in His Word that we are to repent and believe the gospel.

Let me say a word of encouragement to you parents. I am well aware that you take very seriously the spiritual welfare of your children, and I praise God for that. As a pastor, I don’t take that lightly. It is a great privilege to work with you in teaching and loving your children. You are doing well. Continue on faithfully, knowing that the God we serve can be trusted with the welfare of our children.

Children, young people, we want to keep on encouraging you to seek the Lord with all your heart. I want to remind you that the key issue is not getting baptized. The most important thing is for you to come to understand who God is, who Jesus is, and what He has done for you through His death and resurrection. Your part is to repent and believe. If you say, “I did that,” I remind you that repenting and believing is a way of life. If you have truly repented and believed, one of the ways you will know it is genuine is that you keep on repenting and believing. Concerning baptism, be patient with us who are adults. We don’t mind you asking us about baptism, but understand that while we believe baptism is important, we are even more concerned about what is happening on the inside of you.

Conclusion

Having said all that, let me reinforce what Jesus said: “Let the little children come unto me and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God” (Mark 10:14). Don’t discourage even the very young. Talk to them about Jesus, who He is, and what He has done. Don’t ever take the attitude, “He’s too young to understand. There will be plenty of time for him to think about the Lord when he gets older.” God forbid that we should take that attitude.

On the other hand, Jesus is not saying, “Let the little children come to me and be saved right now.” I repeat, this is not necessarily an invitation to repent and believe. I would take it to be this kind of invitation: “Let the little children come to me and learn of me.” Of course, there may be some who have been nurtured to the point that God has brought them to repentance and faith. There will definitely be others who are not at that point.

If you question this interpretation, I want to show you something that you may not be aware of. We read this verse from Mark 10:14, but remember that there are four gospels. What are they, you young ones? Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Three of them are often called the “synoptic gospels.” That’s a fancy word that speaks of seeing the same. Three of the four gospels are more alike, while one differs. Which differs the most? John, that’s right. This is one of those instances where Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell the same story. You find the parallel to Mark 10 in Matthew 19 and Luke 18. I have them printed out in parallel on the screen (Mark 10:13-16; Matthew 19:13-15; Luke 18:15-17). Just read them over quickly. You will notice minor differences, as a specific writer adds a detail that the others don’t mention. On the other hand, all three tell us that the disciples rebuked them for bringing these littler children.

What I want you to notice is the very significant addition by Luke. Do you see it in verse 15? Luke doesn’t say that they brought the little children. Rather, he says that they brought their infants, babes. They weren’t bringing them to be saved; they were bringing them in order that Jesus might touch them and pray for them, as Matthew and Mark bring out. When Jesus says, “Suffer the little children to come unto me,” He is including the babies. Obviously, He is not saying they are ready to repent and believe. Nevertheless, it is never too young for them to be taught about Jesus and for their parents to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.

So let’s say it with enthusiasm, “Let the little children come to Jesus.” Let them come to us and we will teach them about Jesus and urge them to long for His work in their lives. By God’s grace, we will love them, instill God’s Word in them, and pray for them until they are the children of His Father.