Reformed & Expository Preaching

Pastor Paul Lindemulder (Belgrade URC)
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We are a Bible Believing Reformed church in the Bozeman, Belgrade area. Subscribe to our sermon feed or better yet, worship with us each Sunday! May the Lord’s blessing and peace be upon you.

  1. 1d ago

    Saul's Mission (Acts 9:19-31)

    Introduction There are certain things in life that we simply like to stay the same. There is a certain comfort in consistency. We know what to expect. We know who people are. We know where we stand. This is true until it is not. Things change, and the challenge is figuring out what to do with the change. This is true today as it was for the early church. The early church knew that Saul was a threat. The church knew that Saul sought to destroy the church. The problem: Saul no longer desires to destroy the church, but to build it up. You can understand how the people wonder if this man has really changed. Has he changed? And those questions really bring us to the heart of this passage. Saul does not become credible simply because he is intelligent, gifted, educated, or persuasive. However, the church does eventually embrace Saul. Why does the church embrace this persecutor? Saul Is Not Immediately Embraced It is difficult for us to understand the early church’s skepticism. We think of the Apostle Paul, who wrote most of the New Testament by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We think of him as a brilliant apologist who defends Christ’s gospel. The early church has to adjust its mindset regarding Saul. This is a man who condoned the execution of your friend. He has papers to destroy you. How do you embrace this man? Saul is a changed man who has encountered Christ, is humbled by Christ, and so now he promotes the church. The synagogue does not embrace this right away, but eventually it does. Why? Luke tells us that Saul grows in strength. Saul does not grow taller or spend more time in the gym. The point is that Saul is growing in credibility. This is why those who hear him are confused by this change. He is the man who should destroy them, but instead he is proclaiming the Gospel. We might think that Saul is just a very gifted speaker. It seems that Saul is very articulate and capable when we read his writings. However, we need to be careful with this. There is always the temptation to put our confidence in personalities. We are impressed by intelligence, charisma, education, speaking ability, or influence. But none of those things ultimately establish his credibility. The thing that establishes his credibility is that Saul stands with the canon’s tradition. Saul is preaching the true Gospel. Saul Tastes His Own Medicine Saul was the hunter, but now he is the hunted. The city is watching for him. This is the same language that is used when the Pharisees try to watch Christ (Luke 14). They are not watching to learn from Christ, but watching to destroy Christ. They want to capture Saul to destroy him. And there is something almost humorous about the way Saul eventually escapes. The great persecutor of the church is lowered over a wall in a basket. When Saul reflects on this in 2 Corinthians 11, he does not boast about his significance, but this is a moment he is ashamed of his weakness. The Lord has captured him. Here Saul runs, but later in his ministry he will stand before kings and defend the faith. He will stand before the Areopagus and present the Gospel. He will defend the Gospel against critics even inside the church itself. Ultimately, Saul will learn to depend on Christ, wait upon Christ, and realize that his life is determined by Christ. Saul escapes from Damascus and goes to Jerusalem. Saul Goes into Hiding When Saul arrives in Jerusalem, the disciples are afraid of him. We are in Stephen’s home turf, and the people remember that Saul was venomous against the Gospel. Saul was present when Stephen was stoned. This is another situation where we wonder: will Saul be accepted? Barnabas steps in. Barnabas does not deny Saul's past. He does not pretend Saul had always been a good man. He does not say, "You're all misunderstanding him." Barnabas bears witness to what Christ has done. Christ captured Saul on the road to Damascus. Saul has boldly preached Christ in the synagogues in Damascus. This is not Barnabas sweeping issues under the rug. Barnabas does not say, “Sure he killed some people, but look at the greater good!” He does not say, “Well, sure there are some issues that he needs to address, but look at the large crowd he draws! Can’t we overlook a few personal issues?” Barnabas does not appeal to Saul’s giftedness, his charisma, but to the substance of Saul’s preaching. He preaches the resurrected Christ. Saul defends Christ as the Messiah. His defense is in line with the canonical words of Scripture. It is the canon that gives Saul credibility, as he operates within the confines of the canon. His credibility is not in his personality, but in the tradition of Scripture and Christ’s calling on the Damascus road. His mission is confirming that calling. It is about Christ, the Lord’s word, and Saul’s preaching in line with the Scripture. It is rooted in Christ and in the gospel Saul proclaims. In fact, he is so tied to the message that he suffers for the message. He ends up fleeing Jerusalem. We do not read about Saul again until Barnabas goes to look for him (Acts 11). This does not mean that the church has failed. Yes, there is conflict, persecution, and not a golden-age victory. However, the kingdom is still present. Then Luke gives us that beautiful summary of the church: the church has peace, is being built up, walks in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The fear of the Lord is not terror. It is the awe and the love for the living God. It is seeking to do his will because this honors him. It is doing it because it is Christ who has redeemed. It is in the power of the Spirit as we walk in the Spirit’s comfort. We are thankful that Christ has completed our redemption and secured us once and for all. Conclusion So, how does Saul gain that credibility? His credibility is not grounded in his personality. It is not about his gifts or his charismatic ability to capture an audience. No, it is something more. Christ appeared to him. Saul witnessed the resurrected Christ. Saul preaches a gospel in line with the prophetic tradition. Saul’s contribution to the canon is not Saul standing over the canon, but continuing the testimony that Christ is the suffering Messiah who lives to make intercession for his people. Saul’s credibility rests in the fact that his message is in line with the Lord’s word. Saul preaches the consistent Gospel. He is not writing new things, but clarifying and making explicit what was hidden prior to Christ’s advent. What Saul did not see, now he sees clearly and explains. These are not merely words that we hear week after week. They are words of life. They are the means by which God draws us near to himself. They are the means by which we know Christ. They are the means by which we are reminded that our salvation does not rest upon our own wisdom, strength, or credibility.

  2. 5d ago

    Washed in Christ (Titus 3:5; LD 26)

    Introduction: What Does Baptism Mean? A Reformed, Heidelberg Catechism View Baptism can be difficult to understand because we do not want to fall into either extreme. We do not want to say that baptism is merely sentimental. This would reduce baptism down to a sentimental reminder of Christ’s work. The Lord gives us the sacraments to strengthen our faith. The Lord works to build us up through the sacraments. On the other hand, we do not want to say that everyone who receives the sign is necessarily regenerate. This would contradict John 3, where the Spirit is free like the wind. The Heidelberg Catechism helps us here. Baptism is a sacrament instituted by Christ. It symbolizes the washing away of sin, and it confirms God's covenant promise. Through this visible sign, the Lord calls our attention to what Christ has accomplished and assures his people that his promises are real and certain. Christ instituted baptism to call our identity in him to our attention Baptism is a sacrament instituted by Christ. When Christ gave the Great Commission, he commanded his church to make disciples, preach the gospel, and administer baptism. Baptism identifies a people who have been set apart as the Lord’s people. Christ has completed his work. This is a sign of people set apart as a community of disciples washed in Christ. This does not mean baptism is merely a sentimental reminder. The catechism uses stronger language. The catechism reminds us that Baptism assures us. It visibly presents God's promises to us. This is a sign that testifies to the certainty of Christ’s work. When we take hold of Christ by faith, he is truly our redeemer. We believe because the Spirit works it in us by regeneration. Baptism calls our attention to these realities. It presents before our eyes the truth that we belong to a people who are set apart in Christ. It is a sacrament, so it nourishes and strengthens our faith. Life under the sun is plagued by uncertainty. We are called to walk by faith. We are called to look through the struggles of this age and see our Lord as our shield and defender. We can look at ourselves and wonder whether Christ truly is at work in us. Baptism directs our attention away from ourselves and back to Christ and his promises. The sacrament says, in effect: Christ’s people are established in him. Christ has promised redemption. Christ is faithful. His Spirit is at work in the midst of his people and his community. Baptism calls us to look to our faithful redeemer. Baptism symbolizes the washing that Christ alone accomplishes As water washes the body, baptism presents the deeper cleansing that is found in Christ's blood and Spirit. Baptism assures us that Christ’s work is real. He takes away our sins, and his cleansing goes clear to the soul. It is true that we are sinners because Adam fell, but we commit actual sins. We sin against our God. We need to be assured that we can draw near in times of temptation. We are set apart to him. He is our priest, and we are his people. Baptism assures us that Christ, as our priest, cleanses us so we can draw near to God. Christ has removed and cleansed us from all our sin and Adam’s sin. Baptism communicates that Christ continues to sanctify us. Titus 3 reminds us that we are saved not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to God's mercy. The washing associated with regeneration is not teaching us that water itself possesses some magical power that forces the Spirit to act. Paul’s point is that baptism communicates and pictures the cleansing that Christ accomplishes through his Spirit. Paul reminds Titus about the church he serves. The church was comprised of foolish people, disobedient, led astray, enslaved to passions, and characterized by sinful desires. And Paul does say, “Remind them.” This means that it is their problem rather than our problem. However, Paul drives home that we are sinners. It is not just “they have a problem.” He says, "We ourselves." It is easy for us to see sins in other people, but not so much our own sins. The Gospel calls us to be humble. Baptism is showing us that Christ has set us apart. It teaches us that God knows the people he redeemed and consecrated. Our fundamental drive is not pointing out others’ sins, but primarily being concerned for our own. We are all set apart in Christ. Titus 3:4 calls us to see that we are informed by the Lord’s appearing. But then comes the appearance of Christ. Christ is our epiphany (translated as appearance). Christ enters history, secures redemption, passes through death, and emerges triumphant. And those who belong to him are called to understand themselves in light of what he has accomplished. We have passed from death to life in Christ. This is why baptism is connected to the exhortation to die more and more to sin and live a holy life. Not because we are trying to prove that we deserve Christ, but because Christ has already made his people his own. Sin is not where life is found. Sin destroys. It divides. It promises freedom while bringing bondage. God does not call us away from sin to deprive us. He calls us to himself because life, joy, peace, and fullness are found in him. We are created to enjoy God. Baptism exhorts us to continually be who we are: a people set apart unto Christ. Baptism confirms and assures us of God's covenant promise The sign itself does not save us. Christ saves us. The sign is pointing us to our savior, and away from ourselves. This is the point Paul makes so clearly in Titus 3. "He saved us." It is not baptism that saved us. We are not saved by our works. It is not our righteousness that saved us. Christ saved us according to his mercy. Baptism assures us that God's covenant promise is real. Christ truly has established a people for himself. He truly does wash away sin. He truly does give life by his Spirit. And he truly is faithful to accomplish what he has promised in Christ. This is important because covenant assurance is not the same thing as saying that everyone who receives the sign necessarily possesses everything signified by the sacrament. Baptism identifies and sets apart a people unto the Lord. It marks out the covenant community. It visibly declares, here is a people who belong to Christ and who are called to live in the reality of his promises. We want to avoid the extremes. On the one hand, we might say, "This is a nice reminder." We also want to avoid saying, "Because the water has been applied, regeneration has necessarily taken place." Rather, we say that the Lord is placing his covenant sign before his people. He is testifying to the certainty and faithfulness of his promise. He is calling his people to believe what he has said and to live consistently with the identity that he has given to his covenant community. In terms of the covenant of grace, we should be reminded of Christ’s judgment. Sometimes people think that free grace means we can push the boundaries of grace. We can have our sin and Christ too. Baptism warns against such thinking. We can be assured that in Christ, we have passed through death. He has entered into death and judgment for his people. He has emerged victorious in his resurrection. And baptism presents this covenant reality before the church: Christ has passed through the waters of judgment, and all who are united to him by faith share in his victory. Those who walk away receive the baptism of death. Baptism, as a sacrament, pictures the twofold warning of the Gospel. Embrace Christ, and you have nothing to fear. Turn away from Christ, and you will be overwhelmed by the final judgment. Baptism calls us to look at Christ and ask: Who is he? What has he done? What has he promised? How has he preserved me? How has his mercy carried me? We are invited to think on the Lord’s faithfulness. He has led us through the death waters. We need to offer ourselves as living sacrifices called to live in Christ. We die to self and live in him. Baptism communicates that we have passed through death in him. We are part of his community. Conclusion So what is baptism communicating to us? The Lord builds up our faith through the sign. Baptism is not empty, but neither does the water itself force the Spirit to work. Rather, the Lord visibly testifies to his faithfulness and places his covenant promises before his people. We cannot answer exactly how much the sacrament builds up our faith. We cannot answer exactly when the sacrament builds up our faith. The Spirit blows and works as the Lord wishes. We cannot control the Spirit. However, the sign of Baptism assures us that the Spirit works in the life of the Lord’s church. The Spirit works in the life of God’s people. We are assured that the Lord has set apart a people unto himself. We are called and exhorted to live as living sacrifices before the Lord as we undergo his transforming metamorphosis (Romans 12:1). So let us look away from ourselves and back to our redeemer. Let us take hold of his promises by faith. And let us desire to bring glory to him as those who have been set apart unto him.

  3. Sep 1

    God's Prisoner of War (Acts 9:1-19)

    Introduction God shows his grace in capturing an unlikely prisoner. Saul assumed that Christ was a failure. Saul’s goal is to do everything in his power to destroy Jesus. Saul sees Jesus as the failed liar who ended up on a cross. Saul was breathing threats and murder. This makes explicit that he was consumed with destroying the church. He had received authority to travel to Damascus, find those who confessed Jesus Christ as the Messiah, bind them, and bring them back to Jerusalem. Saul's entire identity and purpose were wrapped up in opposing Christ and destroying his people. He will not bow the knee to the self-proclaimed Messiah. Saul soon realizes that he is closer to Pharaoh than to Moses. A Changed Plan Saul’s plan is to stamp out the church. However, the Lord had another plan. The Lord is going to take the Pharaoh oppressor and turn him into an agent of revelation like Moses. Before Saul ever arrived in Damascus, Christ met him on the road. Heavenly glory surrounded him, and Saul was helpless on his knees. Ironically, he bows before the Lord he seeks to destroy. This is the reality of God's sovereign grace. Saul did not change his own heart. He did not decide one day that perhaps he had been wrong. Christ confronted Saul in such a way that a stubborn man is kneeling before him. The Lord has a way of disrupting our plans when our plans are contrary to his will. Christ captured Saul on the road to Damascus. We are reminded that we are truly saved by the Lord’s grace. It is by the Lord’s power. We can kick against the goads, but the Lord always gets his man. Pharoah may have rebelled, but eventually he released the Lord’s people. An Intended Destination Saul might have a letter from the high priest, but the true heavenly high priest has different orders for Saul. He is still bowed down before the Lord. He hears a voice: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Christ does not say, “Why are you persecuting Christians?” He says, “Why are you persecuting me?” Christ is identified with his people. He heard the groanings of his people in Egypt. So, he experiences the persecution of his people. Christ is present with his people, literally feeling their pain. That should be a tremendous comfort to the church. We can sometimes think that Christ is far away. We see the struggles of the church. We experience suffering. We wonder whether the Lord sees what is happening to his people. Acts 9 reminds us that the Lord does not just see it, but he feels it. The church’s persecution is persecuting Christ. Saul asks, “Who are you, lord?” As Saul recounts his kicking against the goads, this is probably not affirming that Christ is God. Rather, it is just Saul affirming that someone with a bright light has captured Saul’s attention. And then Saul hears the words that overturn his entire world: “I am Jesus.” The Jesus that Saul thought was a failure is very much the messiah. Stephen’s sermon was not fluff, but the substance of Isaiah’s servant songs. Stephen correctly understood the connections of Christ in scripture. Saul must come to grips that his whole identity is his own self-deception. Saul is not putting down a deviant movement. No, Saul is the deviant movement that seeks to destroy the Lord’s work. A New Commission When Saul arrives at Damascus, he is no longer following the directive of the high priest’s letter. No, he is fasting. He realizes that these threats and murder were against Christ. He realizes that he has destroyed the very thing he is called to build. Then the Lord sends Ananias. Ananias is resistant to his mission. He knows that Saul is not someone who casually disagrees. No, Saul is here to arrest, haul back to Jerusalem, and potentially kill if he can get away with it. So, we can understand why Ananias does not run out the door. But Christ assures Ananias that the Lord has taken hold of Saul and Saul has a mission. His mission is to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, and even his own people. Saul is going to suffer on account of Christ. Saul will not only be the messenger, but he will be invested in this message. Ananias enters and addresses him as “Brother Saul.” A man who had intended to drag believers away as prisoners is now welcomed into the fellowship of God's people. The Lord restores his sight. Saul is baptized. He receives strength. We see how the grace of the Gospel works. And the Lord gives him a new commission. Yes, Saul will suffer for Christ. He will proclaim Christ. He will bring the gospel to Jews and Gentiles. The man who once sought to destroy the people of God will spend the rest of his life serving the people of God and proclaiming the Christ he once hated. Ananias is not giving him an assignment to undo what he has done, but commissioning him. Saul will suffer like the other disciples. Only the grace of God can produce such a transformation. Thus, the Lord captures his prisoner of war. Little did Saul realize that he was going to be more Moses than Pharaoh. Conclusion What, then, is the point of Saul's conversion? It reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of Christ. Saul was actively opposed to Christ. He had heard the preaching of Stephen. He had seen the testimony of the church. He had heard voices calling for restraint. The Lord had been pricking and prodding Saul, as Saul recounts in Acts 26. However, Christ will break his people. We may look at someone and think there is no way that person will ever come to Christ. We may see anger, hostility, rebellion, and hatred toward the gospel. The wisdom of the world would never have chosen Saul to become an apostle. Ananias certainly would not have chosen him. The church probably would have considered him one of its greatest threats. The Lord’s grace will overcome. Christ will prevail. The reality is that we may taste the suffering of this present age, but we are not a defeated people. Christ is in the midst of our suffering. He conquered death. He gives us life. So let us not think that Christ is distant. Let us not think that his grace is weak. Let us not think that anyone is beyond his reach. Let us not limit God’s power. May we draw near to our Savior as his redeemed people. Let us trust in his power. Let us not test the boundaries of his grace. Let us see the joy that the Lord has made the unworthy share as the worthy only in Christ. Let us see the sweetness of his grace, his mercy, and his complete redemption. Let the peace of God rule within us so the joy of the Lord exudes from us.

  4. Aug 29

    Finding our Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-26; LD 25

    How does the gospel advance? It advances not only as people come to faith, but as the church grows together as the body of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds us that we have been joined together by one Spirit, called to serve rather than compete, and to find our worth not in our gifts or accomplishments but in Christ alone. Through the preaching of the gospel and the visible testimony of the sacraments, our eyes are continually directed back to our Redeemer as we grow in gratitude and are increasingly conformed to him.

    Finding our Unity in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-26; LD 25

  5. Aug 25

    The Gospel Advances: Embracing the Ordinary (Acts 8:26-40)

    Introduction We can easily fall into the mindset that if something is working, then we must have figured out the system. We look at the growth of the church in Acts, the conversions in Samaria, and the gospel going forward it seems like we figured it out. We want to look at the history and then figure out the method to move forward. But that is not how the Lord works. John 3 reminds us that the Spirit blows where the Spirit wishes. We cannot force God’s hand to work on our timing. In Acts 8, Philip is sent away from a place where the gospel is experiencing visible success and into the middle of nowhere. He is to go on a desert road leading toward Gaza. This seems like a waste of valuable resources. Why send a man to the middle of nowhere when he is having success in his current location? We are reminded that the Lord is not governed by our measurements of success. The Lord is sovereignly building his church, and he uses his appointed means to accomplish his purposes. The Lord sends his servants to unlikely places Philip had already seen remarkable things happen in Samaria. Yet the Lord sends him away from that work and down a desert road. He knows that he has to go because an angel tells him to go. This makes it pretty easy to discern the Lord’s will. This reminds us that we are often tempted to think that God is most present where we see the most visible success. We want the large numbers, the obvious fruit, and the places where the opportunities seem plentiful. But the Lord sends Philip somewhere that appears insignificant. Philip follows the Lord’s command. He heeds the angel’s word and travels down the road to encounter an unlikely disciple. He meets a chariot with an Ethiopian eunuch. The Ethiopian eunuch was a prestigious official, a treasurer of the queen. This man had traveled to Jerusalem to worship the Lord. Yet he was also a foreigner, an outsider, and a man trying to understand the Scriptures. From Philip’s perspective, this encounter may have seemed completely unexpected. Clearly, the Lord had his purpose. The Lord used Philip as his means to bring the gospel to one of the Lord’s people. Philip sees the chariot, or maybe we could say small stagecoach. The Spirit tells him to approach the stagecoach. Normally, prestigious people travel with armed bodyguards. However, Philip follows the Spirit’s command. He is invited to join the Ethiopian dignitary in the chariot. We can sometimes long for the extraordinary. We want spectacular experiences, dramatic interventions, and obvious signs that God is at work. But Acts 8 reminds us that God's extraordinary providence often leads us to ordinary means. The Lord’s work is ordinary The Ethiopian eunuch is reading Isaiah 53, the passage concerning the suffering servant. He is confused by what he is reading. Who is this servant? Who is being described? Is this the prophet? Is this someone else? Philip begins with that very passage and tells him the good news about Jesus. In other words, he preaches the text. He exposits the text’s intention about Christ and the gospel. Philip does not need to invent a new message. He takes the Scriptures and opens them up. He shows how the suffering servant is Christ and how the death of Christ was not an accident or an unfortunate turn of events. It was the purpose of God. His opening up the text echoes Christ opening up the word and eyes of the disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24. The intention is that the messiah suffers to make the necessary payment for sin. This is the beauty of the gospel. We are the sheep who have wandered away. We are the ones who have gone astray. But our Redeemer comes as the suffering servant and lays down his life to gather his sheep. The point of the Scriptures is not ultimately to give us better advice, better systems, or better lives. The Scriptures reveal Christ. Preachers are called to preach the Gospel. The good news of being redeemed in Christ. The good news of being new creatures in Christ who are set free to live for their Lord. The good news that they are made right before the living God in the suffering servant once and for all. Seeing the unlikely result After hearing the gospel, the eunuch sees some water and asks, “What prevents me from being baptized?” He understands that he wants to be identified with Christ’s people because he knows that Christ is the messiah and redeemer. Baptism is the sign of entrance into the visible covenant community. It marks a person as belonging to the people of God. It is a sign of being united with the Lord and identified with his people. It is the sign that calls to the world’s attention and the community’s attention that the Spirit is working in the midst of God’s people. Again, notice the pattern: the Word is preached, Christ is proclaimed, faith is worked in the heart, and the sacrament marks the person as belonging to the Lord. The Lord uses his ordinary means to accomplish his extraordinary purposes. Philip is sent to preach the Gospel. The Lord could have had the angel do it, or the Spirit could have conferred extraordinary knowledge. The Lord sends Philip. Philip the evangelist is to do more work for the Lord. This is why the Spirit snatches Philip away. It is also a reminder for the Ethiopian that he cannot say, “You're coming back to Ethiopia with me. I have a job for you.” The Lord is making clear that this is his church. The Lord sends his messengers with his gospel. Yes, the Lord uses his means, but the Lord works in his timing. Conclusion The extraordinary events of Acts eventually lead us back to something very ordinary: two men sitting together, talking about the Scriptures and the suffering servant. We can take for granted the radical call of the gospel. The suffering servant is the intended messiah. Christ’s intended mission was to suffer for his people. We also see that in terms of the gospel ministry, the intention is for the preachers to preach the gospel. The Lord could have done it through angels, but there is an intention that the normal way for the church to go forth is for preachers to preach the Gospel from the canonical writings. This happens for the unlikely Samaritans. It also happens on an unlikely desert road. The Lord’s means will accomplish his purpose. Let us not take the gospel for granted. Let us celebrate the normal means of Gospel advancement. Let us have the ears to hear and the hearts to be receptive to the message.

  6. Aug 20

    Pursuing God's Reward (2 Timothy 4:6-8; LD 24)

    Introduction If salvation is by grace and our good works do not earn our redemption, what motivates us to live faithfully for Christ? Scripture speaks openly about rewards, crowns, and even Christ repaying his people for what they have done. At first glance, this can seem to conflict with the Protestant conviction that we are saved by grace alone.  The answer is not to deny the biblical language of rewards, but to understand how those rewards are given. We do not merit God’s favor, but we receive these rewards by grace (LD 24). If it is by grace, then what can these rewards be? Why would we work for Christ if these rewards are freely given to us?  Our Blessings Are Established, Not Earned The standard for earning God's blessing through our own works would be nothing less than perfection. There is no acceptable margin of error before a perfectly holy God. If we were to stand before him on the basis of our works, even our best efforts would fall short.  The problem is that even our best works are stained by sin.   This helps us understand Paul's confidence at the end of his life. When he says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7) he is not boasting that he has accumulated enough merit to purchase his crown. His confidence rests in the faithfulness of God and the finished work of Christ.  He has kept the faith, not the works.  Paul knows that his departure is near, yet he can face death with peace because his salvation does not rest upon his own performance. His hope is established in Christ.  This is why Paul is confident that God will rescue him from every evil deed. (2 Timothy 4:18). Our Rewards Are Given by Grace It is true that Scripture does speak about God rewarding his people.  We have to deal with that language. Christ speaks of treasures in heaven, Paul looks forward to a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) , and Scripture repeatedly teaches that God sees and remembers the works of his people. But these rewards are not wages that sinners independently earn. They are rewards of grace. When God calls attention to our good works, he is ultimately displaying what his grace has accomplished in them. These are not works that sinful people can or will produce by their own will.  These works will only come by the Holy Spirit’s power.   Paul's description of himself as being “poured out as a drink offering” (2 Timothy 4:6) illustrates this beautifully. His suffering does not add to Christ's atoning sacrifice. Christ's work is complete. Paul's life and suffering simply demonstrate the sweetness and effectiveness of Christ's finished work. Therefore, when God crowns his people, he is not rewarding autonomous human achievement. He is crowning the work of his grace that produces the visible fruit.  We Are Called to Fight the Good Fight of Faith Many people assume that if the rewards are given by grace, then we are not motivated to work.  However, grace does not make Christians careless or passive. The opposite is true. Because we have been united to Christ, we now desire to live for him.  People who do not have grace will not desire to live for Christ even a little bit.  Paul tells Timothy to preach the Word, endure suffering, remain sober-minded, evangelize, and fulfill his ministry. Timothy is not told to earn a greater reward. He is exhorted to be faithful to Christ. (2 Timothy 4:1-5) Likewise, when Paul says that he has fought the good fight, he is describing the persevering Christian life. The fight is not an attempt to finish Christ's work. Paul is a drink offering.  His life is spent, poured out as he nears death.  Paul sees his life lived in Christ’s power as a garnish alongside the true offering, not the offering itself. The drink offering does not add to or improve the sacrifice; it accompanies it, showing its sweetness. Christ's offering alone is what makes him right before God. His works are merely the sweet fruits that show the power of God's grace. (Leviticus 23:13; Numbers 15:1-10) Paul is using the metaphor of the Olympic games.  The Christian life is a marathon, or an Olympic boxing match (I Corinthians 9:26-27).  Paul’s point is that he is living a deliberate life before the Lord’s face.  It is our continual turning to the Lord.  We do not persevere in our own strength, nor do we persevere in order to earn God's love. We persevere because God is preserving us, and his grace produces a new desire within us to turn toward Christ and away from sin.  The threat of God’s judgment is frightening.  However, if one is left in sin, then one will not care.  Only those informed by the Lord’s grace will care about truly pleasing the Lord.  One truly informed by grace will see that they cannot please God in their works.  Conclusion We do not deny that God calls us to do good works.  We do not deny that God rewards the good works we do as a fruit of our faith.  The problem is we can fall into a trap that we do good works to finish Christ’s work.  Paul was poured out as a drink offering.  His works are not the basis of his righteousness.  We do not obey Christ so that He will finally decide that we are worthy of heaven. Christ has already secured our redemption. We do not serve Him so that we can have a better mansion than someone else. We serve him because he is our Redeemer. The servants in Luke 17:10 understood this. When their master commended them, they did not boast about what they had earned. They simply recognized that they had done what their master had commanded. They merely did their duty! We should have the servant’s perspective: Lord, we are just doing our duty to serve you.  Christ has given us everything we need for salvation. He has given us His Spirit, united us to himself, and secured our eternal inheritance. Therefore, we joyfully serve him because we belong to him.  Whatever reward he chooses to give is an expression of his grace. Whatever good work he produces in us is ultimately a testimony to his grace. And whatever perseverance we display is evidence that he is faithfully preserving his people. So let us fight the good fight of faith, finish the race set before us, and keep the faith.  This is not for our praise, but for his glory alone!

  7. Aug 18

    The Unlikely Advancement (Acts 8:4-25)

    Introduction We would expect that Stephen’s death would halt the gospel’s advancement. One of Christ's faithful servants had been murdered, and the gospel agitators grow in boldness. The church is being persecuted. Yet what looked like defeat was actually another step in the fulfillment of Christ's promise. Christ promised that the Gospel is to go from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This is exactly what is happening. Clearly, Christ is standing and ruling at the right hand of God as Stephen testified and witnessed. Does this defeat silence Christ’s mission? Preaching to Unworthy People We were just outside Jerusalem where Stephen was executed by a brutal mob. So, Philip went down to Samaria. This is unsettling because Samaria historically mixed pure worship with pagan worship. They have also shown hostility to the Jews and vice versa. Why so much tension between Israel and Samaria? This is a place that was resettled by foreign peoples who mixed the worship of the Lord with the worship of their own gods (2 Kings 17). This is a place that not only refused to help rebuild the temple, but actively opposed it (Ezra 4). So, it is safe to say that we would not expect Samaria to be receptive to the Gospel. We are reminded that the unworthy hear the Gospel. So often we can forget how unworthy we ourselves are. We can look at our upbringing, our knowledge of Scripture, our membership in the church, or the blessings we have received and begin to think that we are somehow more deserving of God's grace. However, we must remember that the gospel came to us as an unworthy people. The Lord has been gracious in progressively purifying or sanctifying us, but he receives the credit. We must always remember that his work in our sanctification does not make us worthy of his grace. It is his grace that is at work in us. Preaching to Apparently Receptive People Acts 8 also reminds us that outward reception of the gospel is not necessarily the same thing as genuine faith. Simon the magician heard Philip, witnessed the signs, and appeared to believe. In fact, Luke reports that he believed, was baptized, and was even amazed at what he witnessed (8:13). Luke is only reporting his observation. He does not know if Simon really embraced Christ or not. Simon only professes to believe. Eventually, his fruits exposed his heart. Luke reports Simon's profession and baptism, but the subsequent events reveal that his profession was not genuine saving faith. Understand that Simon was not amazed by the Lord’s power, but by what the apostles possessed. He tried to buy their power, but man does not control the Holy Spirit. The Apostles could not sell the Holy Spirit even if they wanted to. Man cannot sell what man cannot control. Peter rebukes Simon harshly. Simon misses that the apostles not only bear witness to Christ’s work but also to the gospel going out. This is why Peter says that the Holy Spirit falls just as at the beginning. (11:15). The apostles do not bring the Holy Spirit as the norm. Rather, they testify to the Spirit’s work. They are testifying that this place, which should be hostile, has received the Spirit. You could almost hear the Jewish apostles report that if the Samaritans can be saved, how much more the Gentiles. That is a danger for us as well. We can be around the things of God without truly submitting ourselves to God. We can admire Christianity, enjoy the blessings of the church, know our Bibles, and even make a profession of faith, while still wanting our lives to revolve around ourselves. We can want Christ's blessings without wanting Christ himself. Simon wanted the power of the Holy Spirit, but he did not want to truly surrender to Christ’s yoke. Preaching with Principle Peter therefore does not offer Simon a technique for obtaining spiritual power. He calls him to repentance. Peter says, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” Simon the magician was trying to be a better magician. He may have been dabbling with demonic influence, and certainly using deception to gain significance. He thought he could just acquire a new spiritual power, and then have even more significance. No, the apostles are moved by the Spirit. They do not move the Spirit. Peter's answer reminds us that God is not someone we manipulate or control. He is the living God. We do not harness him; we submit to him. His Spirit does not serve our ambitions. We are called to submit to the work of his Spirit. Tragically, Simon does not obey, but rather begs Peter to pray for him. The prayer is not that Simon would turn, but that Peter’s pronouncement would not come true. Simon does not realize that Peter cannot change the terms of the gospel. This is why the gospel must always be preached according to God's principles rather than our own. Philip goes where God sends him. Peter and John go into a place where they might reasonably have feared for their lives. They preach Christ, and they bear witness to the work of the Spirit. They are not building their own reputations. They are not trying to make themselves great. They are servants of Christ, and the gospel belongs to him. Conclusion And there is great comfort in that. Stephen has died, but the gospel continues. Persecution scatters the church, but the gospel continues. Even a man like Simon can appear to believe and reveal an unchanged heart, and the gospel continues. The success of Christ's kingdom does not depend upon the worthiness of the people who receive it or the strength of the people who proclaim it. The Lord himself preserves and advances his church. Our covenant privileges are precious, and we should be thankful for them. We should teach our children the promises of God and rejoice that the Lord has placed us within his church. But we must never turn those privileges into a reason for thinking ourselves superior to those outside. The Samaritans remind us that God's grace reaches people we might never have chosen. We should be a humble people. So let us remember where our worth is found. It is not in our family, our upbringing, our knowledge, our church membership, or our Christian accomplishments. Our righteousness is found in Christ. Our life is found in Christ. Our identity is found in Christ. Our peace is found in Christ. We come to him not as people who have earned the right to be there, but as sinners who have been received by grace. We do not need to make ourselves great. We do not need to manipulate God or manufacture spiritual power. We simply need to bow before our Savior, trust his promises, and walk in faithful obedience. The same Lord who carried his gospel from Jerusalem to Samaria continues to preserve his church today. He will gather his people, sustain his people, and bring his gospel to its appointed end. The gospel is for the unworthy. This means that the Gospel is for you and me. Thanks be to God that our hope does not rest upon our worthiness, but upon Christ and his finished work.

  8. Aug 13

    What Benefit is This Knowledge? (LD 23; Romans 3:21-26)

    Introduction There can be a disconnect in the Christian life. We can become so focused on doctrine that we forget that we are called to live out the gospel. Or we can become so focused on living the Christian life that we lose sight of the doctrine that gives us the strength and assurance to live it. The Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 23 understands this tension. As we come to justification by faith, it essentially asks us, Is this doctrine really helpful? Is this something that actually benefits us? Does knowing that we are justified by faith make any difference in the Christian life? I think those are important questions.  So, let’s begin.  Is This Helpful? The first thing we have to understand is the seriousness of our problem. Our problem is that we minimize sin.  We sometimes like to think that if we can just clean up enough of the outward problems, we will be okay. Maybe we haven't done everything right, but we have done better than the person next to us. Maybe we have kept 99.99% of the commandments. But the problem is that sin is not merely a collection of bad behaviors. Sin is at the core of who we are. Our behavior or actions are merely the fruit of the deeper root problem.   In the fall, humanity essentially told God, We don't want your order. We don't want your holiness. We don't want you ruling over us. We were exiled from Eden, and God gave us what we wanted.  And that leaves us in a desperate position. We see this even in some of the great saints of Scripture. Jacob spent much of his life trying to accomplish the promises of God in his own strength. He wrestled with God and came away limping, learning that the promises of God come through weakness and submission to the Lord. Job wanted his day in court with God. He wanted to present his case and demonstrate that God had gotten things wrong. But when Job finally comes face-to-face with the living God, he puts his hand over his mouth. He learns that God's wisdom is far greater than his own. Paul was a man who considered himself blameless according to the law, yet Christ had to stop him on the road to Damascus. Even Paul had to learn that God's strength is manifested in weakness. And then there is Isaiah. Isaiah appears to be one of those Old Testament saints who was pretty dialed in. Yet when he comes into the presence of God, he doesn't say, "I dwell in the midst of unclean people who make me unclean."  No, he says, “Woe is me. I am a man of unclean lips” That is the point. Apart from Christ, we have nothing. Paul makes this very clear in Romans 3. He gives a staccato of Old Testament references and demonstrates that there is a universal problem that impacts Jew and Gentile. It doesn't matter how religious you are or how well you have cleaned up your life. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. That is why justification by faith is so helpful. It tells us the truth about our condition. We cannot save ourselves. We need a rematch and not a participation trophy. The championship game has already been played. Adam failed, and in Adam we have all failed. The verdict has been issued. We need someone to reengage the competition and overturn the previous verdict.   And that is exactly what Christ does in his work.  However, this can still be all doctrine.  Is there a place where this really impacts our Christian life?  Is This Assuring?  This is where the beauty of justification really comes into view. The Heidelberg Catechism says that I share in all of Christ's benefits. He has made perfect satisfaction for my sin. He has given me his perfect holiness. And I am regarded before God as if I had never sinned and as if I had perfectly obeyed all that God commanded. Think about the beauty of that. It is not my righteousness. It is Christ's righteousness. It is not my perfect obedience. It is Christ's perfect obedience. It is not something I have earned. It is a gift.  God has freely given it to his unworthy children. Paul says in Romans 3 that we are justified by God's grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Justification is a legal declaration. Before the heavenly court, we deserve condemnation in Adam. But in Christ, we are declared righteous. And this is what makes grace so amazing. Sometimes we define grace as “unmerited favor.” But I think Scripture gives us an even deeper picture. Unmerited favor could mean that God just gave us something.  We did not earn it.  However, we could be neutral.  For instance, you love your kid, so you just buy your kid ice cream.  The kid did not specifically deserve it, but you want to spend some quality time together. We actively rebelled against him. We told God that we didn't want his holiness, his rule, or his order. If we continue with the illustration of buying a child ice cream, we can ask: Would you buy your child ice cream after your child washed your car with a Brillo pad?  I am guessing that the child is not getting ice cream.  However, we did far worse to God in the fall.  He also gives us more than a participation trophy or ice cream.  God gives us heaven through the work of his son.  Christ doesn't simply overlook our sin. This is why Paul uses the language of redemption.  Redemption is buying someone out of slavery.  That is what Christ did.  He purchased us out of our bondage of sin to set us free to live in him. Christ had to lay down his life in our place.  He has to die because sin is that heinous.  It is not that God is so villainous, but sin is that heinous.  We cannot find a simple solution to this complex problem.  So if someone wants to mock justification by faith as a “participation trophy,” I say, "I'll gladly take it." I'll put it on the shelf and proudly say, I am in Christ Jesus, and apart from Christ I have no hope. However, we need to remember that Christ reengaged the championship game.  He won the game and gives us the credit. Conclusion So is justification by faith helpful? Absolutely. Because we have a 100% problem, and we need a 100% Savior. Is justification assuring? Absolutely. Because Christ has done what we could never do. He has satisfied God's justice, paid our debt, redeemed us from slavery, and given us his righteousness. And is my faith good enough? No, but Christ is. That is the good news. The gospel isn't that God looked at us and decided that we were basically good enough to receive a participation trophy. The gospel is that we were condemned in Adam, and Christ came into the heavenly courtroom and stood in our place. He took the judgment we deserved and gave us the righteousness we could never earn.  He overturned the previous loss and won us our victory.  And so we don't use grace as an excuse to push the boundaries of sin. If we really understand what sin is, why would we want to return to it? Sin is destructive. It tears us away from the true peace and shalom that God created us to enjoy. So let us continue to take hold of Christ by faith. Let us forget what lies behind and press forward toward what lies ahead. Christ Jesus has made us his own. And as the Holy Spirit continues to conform us to Christ, let us walk in him, trusting not in the strength of our faith, but in the strength of our Savior.

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