Quote of the Day - The Trinity

Here is how that great Puritan thinker, Jonathan Edwards, described the Holy Trinity:

This I suppose to be the blessed Trinity that we read in the Scriptures. The Father is the deity subsisting in the prime, unoriginated and most absolute manner, or the deity in its direct existence. The Son is the deity generated by God's understanding, or having an idea of Himself and subsisting in that idea. The Holy Ghost is the deity subsisting in act, or the divine essence flowing out and breathed forth in God's infinite love to and delight in Himself. And I believe the whole Divine essence does truly and distinctly subsist both in the Divine idea and Divine love, and that each of them are properly distinct persons."

--Jonathan Edwards, An Essay on the Trinity

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Quote of the Day

Many people visualize a god who sits comfortably on a distant throne, remote, aloof, uninterested, and indifferent to the needs of mortals, until, it may be, their importune cries badger him into taking action on their behalf. Such a view is false to the point of blasphemy. The bible reveals a God, who, long before it even occurs to man to turn to Him, while man is still shrouded in darkness and sunk in sin, takes the initiative, rises from His throne, lays aside His glory, and stoops to seek until He finds him.

-- John R.W. Stott, from chapter 1 of his terrific little book entitled Basic Christianity.

You Are Salt and Light

Scripture Text: Matthew 5:13-16

The first thing that should be said about this text is that it is part of the Sermon on the Mount, and falls between the beatitudes (freely bestowed blessings from Jesus), and the hard commands of Jesus on a number of subjects (including personal righteousness, anger, lust, divorce, oaths, retaliation, and loving enemies). Note carefully the order: The blessings are given freely first. This is grace. The commands come only after the grace, which is good because the commands are incredibly difficult. What connects the two? What effect does the blessings have such that the commands become something possible rather than another law to condemn us? The connection between the two is our identity in Christ – Salt of the earth and light of the world. In this text Jesus reveals this new identity to us and shows us our calling as missionaries.

Christ dispenses his blessings, the beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount, and in doing so creates new creatures with new identities: Salt of the earth and light of the world. Dale Bruner, who has written one of the best preaching commentaries on Matthew, calls today’s verses the “You Ares.” The dispensation of blessings by Jesus creates new people with capacities for obedience to his divine commands. If you are called by Jesus to receive these blessings, you become a new person. So this sermon asks the question: What kind people are created by these blessings from Jesus? What are there characteristics? How do they live together? What does the world see when they see these new creatures?

This text also calls the church to account. As we examine our life together as recipients of grace, are we living fully into the new identify which we have received, as people who are salt and light, or not?

Christians Are the Seasoning of the World

Matthew 5:13,

[13] “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

Jesus begins with a declaration of who his disciples are. This isn’t a declaration of what they will become at some point down the future or a statement of what they ought to be or what they should be. Christians are, as a result of receiving the unmerited grace of covenant blessings, the salt of the earth. The “you” at the beginning of the verse is plural, as in y’all, those who Jesus is addressing directly in this text, but also those here in this room hearing his words in public worship. You all are the salt of the earth.

Now, what is salt used for? It serves several functions, but it is most commonly known as a way to season food, to enhance it’s flavor so that it can be better tasted. Christians are to be the seasoning of life for the whole of the earth. “You are the salt of the earth,” he says. This is no small commission here, is it? How does salt season? It is mixed in and penetrates the food so that the richness and fullness of the food can be brought out. Christians are charged with living lives this way, in a penetrating way, in the world so that the grace shown to us might season all of human life throughout the world.

In creating this new covenant community by calling disciples, dispensing blessings to them, and giving them a new identity – salt, and light – Jesus is here making a new kind of Israel with the church. The Old Testament nation of Israel was the fulfillment of the covenant made to Abraham that his seed would become a blessing for all of the nations of the world. In Christ, this ancient promise receives its fulfillment decisively in the mission of the Church. By being the salt of the world, Christians bring the zest of new life in Christ to those who have nothing and who have not ever received the good news of the gospel.

There are big implications for the church in this text. Bruner gets them right, I think. Salt, he says, does not exist for itself. It does no good to have salt in a container if it’s never used to season anything. Similarly, Christians are not called and created to exist for themselves.¹ This is a huge issue for the entire church. We are not called to be the salt of First Presbyterian Church, and we are not called to be the salt of just Jackson Minnesota. The question is: Are we living the gospel life as those who are the salt of the earth? Are we passionate about fulfilling the great commission, or have we become flaccid in our faith? Are we uncomfortable by not being missionaries to our community and to the world, have we become overly comfortable by our lovely surroundings? Are we anxious to be salt for those who are strangers to us, who are sinners like us, or are we content to stick with only those we know, who we are familiar with, comfortable around? It is only through the power of the gospel, through our unmerited acceptance by God in Christ that we will ever be capable of being salt to the world. There is an individual aspect to this too. When was the last time you received a request from the church to go care for someone in need in the community who is not a member of our congregation? A church that is living as the salt of the world equips and prepares and sends everyone in the church to be salt for the world. If that is the standard, how would we be rated? How would you rate me and the other leaders of the church in this regard? Are we holding each other accountable, as we should, for our saltiness?

These questions are important, because this text shows us that while Christ makes us the salt of the earth, we are to stay that way. There is a warning here which follows this amazing affirmation that we are the salt of the earth. Beginning with the second half of first 13:

[13b] “but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

Here’s the warning: If we don’t stay salty, we not good for anything. Bruner again nails this: “Salt a centimeter away from food is useless; Christians not living for people outside themselves are worthless.”² Those are some strong, stinging words, but they are true. Being salt to the world means that we should all feel great urgency for the world’s needs. Brothers and sisters, we have been blessed by God this way, to be the salt of the earth, for the purpose of blessing others. If we’re not doing that together in this congregation, then we might as well shut the doors and go home. That’s how radical this call to discipleship is.

One significant challenge to this is that the world would have us be bland. The world gets worried when disciples are “too Christian” or take their faith “too seriously.” The world prefers blandness, so it uses our pride, our need of the approval of others, to soften us, to not be so pushy, to back off. If we buy that, the warning from Jesus will become reality, we’ll be thrown out and trampled underfoot as useless. Father, kill all pride within us. Make us certain of our calling so that we can fearlessly be the salt of the earth, to be a blessing for others.

You Are the Light of the World

Matthew 5:14-16

[14] “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. [15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

We are the salt of the world, says Jesus. And now we learn that we are also the light of the world. Can you see how highly Jesus things of his disciples? I love this. Christians are the light of the world. The world is filled with darkness and death and sin and destruction, but the disciples of Christ are created to be a light that penetrates this darkness. We are created to be beacons that show the way to glory Risen Lord. We are, as a congregation, called to show people how life is lived in Christ. This is highly dangerous.

The reason it is highly dangerous is that the world often assumes that the church is composed of human beings who never sin. The result of that is that when sin rears its head, and there is, say, conflict in the church, the world will say – “See, they’re not really perfect after all.” Of course, the church is comprised entirely of imperfect people who, as a condition of membership, proclaim publicly that they are sinners. And of course, Christians are called to live fully into the grace they have received by living in obedience to Christ and his Word. But Christians do sin, and it is how the community responds to that sin that will ultimately make it a light to the world. Being a light to the world means that “there is something about the way Christians ‘are,’ about the way they live together and talk about each other, and about the way they relate to the not always friendly surrounding world.”

What grabs the attention of observers of the church is when sins are openly confessed and forgiveness immediately given, or when brothers and sisters happily give of their time and resources, without worry, and without the need for human approval, to feed the poor and tend to the sick.

Just as you, the church, have been made into salt by the blessing of Christ, we are set up as a visible light to a broken world. We are, in a way, ignited by Christ. The Lord does not call disciples from death in sin to eternal life and then leave them feeling useless. No, they are set up high so that people can see the glory of the one who is Lord.

Listen again to Matthew 5:16:

“[15] Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. [16] In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

What does this say about how Jesus uses us as a light? It says that we called by God and appointed to the task for shining in such a way that the good things we do, the services we perform for others, ultimately give glory to our heavenly Father, and not to ourselves. We are not called and set apart by Christ for the purpose of glorifying ourselves, but for showing off the glory of God to the world.

Jesus has a high view of his disciples whom he deeply loves. They are the very salt of the earth. They are the very light of the world. The reason Jesus has such a high view of his disciples, however, doesn’t just end with them. It ends with God. Christians are called, by God’s grace, to the high offices salt and light in order to glorify the Father. What this means is that you weren’t saved simply to protect you from punishment or hell. You were saved for a purpose that doesn’t end with just you. Christians are saved ultimately because it shows the glory of God. We are salt and stay salty when our impulses and desires find their fulfillment when God is highly exalted and glorified. We are light and shine the brightest when we show most fully the glory of the one who called us. The more transparent and humble we are, the more brightly God’s glory shines through us.

Remember, brothers and sisters, beloved of God, that you are the salt of the earth, the seasoning of goodness among the people. Remember that you are the light of the world, shining most brightly when God is seen most clearly in what you do. Remember that you were created not for yourself alone, but for the glory of the creator and sustainer of the entire universe. And if you think you may have forgotten all this, know that the Father is waiting for you like the father longing for the prodigal to return. And if you are a prodigal, know that you too can share in this gift of being salt and light by receiving Christ into your life right now.

Amen.

¹Bruner, Dale. Matthew:A Commentary.Volume 1:The Christbook. Eerdmanns: Grand Rapids, 2004. 189.
²Ibid.

Given at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Minnesota
February 6, 2011
5th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Copyright © 2011 by Christopher Donald Drew

Sanctity of Life: Chosen and Adopted by Grace for God's Glory

Scripture Text: Ephesians 1:3-14

This past week brought news of a horrible series of crimes committed in Philadelphia¹, where hundreds of babies many mothers were killed by an abortionist. The doctor in question has been charged with multiple counts of murder, infanticide, conspiracy, abuse of corpse, theft, and other offenses.² His practice, if that is what we can call it, preyed on the young and the defenseless. The conditions of the clinic were so horrible that investigating crews could only enter the premises wearing HAZMAT gear. This week, I saw pictures of human parts wrapped in plastic or placed in clear plastic containers for “research.” I could not believe what I was seeing. This side of abortion is, of course, never publicized in the popular media. And it is because of this reluctance, and the urgency on this issue that I feel in my own heart, that I have started the sermon in this way.

It so happens that the prosecution of these terrible crimes in Philadelphia corresponded with preparations for Sanctity of Life Sunday, a day in which churches all over the country are proclaiming and celebrating the miraculous gift of life from Almighty God. Originally, my intent was to simply preach from the lectionary texts this week. But the story of this horrible series of crimes against the unborn and their mothers has gravely affected me. Christians everywhere should be rising up in protest against this ongoing slaughter. As long as abortion is continually presented merely as a “choice,” like the decision to get a tooth filled or what to order off the fast food menu, these stories will continue. 55 million children have been killed in this way, since the Supreme Court decision Roe v Wade in 1973, 38 years ago.

It is the sanctity of human life that drove the selection of texts this morning. We all need to be reminded what God says about human life in his Word. What is its origin? Who creates and develops human beings? And what is the ultimate purpose for the existence of human beings. You need to know what the bible, God’s Word, says on these things, not just what Pastor Chris’ opinion is about them.

Origin: Human Beings Are Created in the Image of God

The first text is Genesis 1, the first chapter of the first book of the bible, at verses 27-28, which reads:

[27] So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. [28] And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Men and women are created in God’s image. Did you notice that the scriptures say this twice in a row? Why the duplication? In Hebrew, doublets like this one add emphasis. Human beings are absolutely created in God’s image. I do not think this image is only recognizable after a child is born. Biology and the bible both tell us that human life begins in the womb before birth. Therefore, the image of God is somehow present even in the microscopic zygote making its way through the fallopian tube to the lining of the womb. God’s image is even in that tiny, tiny package of humanity. To be created in God’s image means, in the context of this passage, that humans are representatives of God. They are granted, in Genesis, authority in God’s name over the whole of the creation. There is divine dignity, therefore, in the unborn.

Development: Human Beings in the Womb Are Fully Human Throughout Development

Other scriptures make it clear that there is a baby in the womb, not just an impersonal fetus. Here is just one example from Genesis 25, where Isaac’s wife Rebekah becomes pregnant after a protracted season of barrenness. Here’s what we read, beginning at verse 22:

[22] The children struggled together within her, and she said, “If it is thus, why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of the LORD. [23] And the LORD said to her, “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” [24] When her days to give birth were completed, behold, there were twins in her womb.

Human beings are human beings from the get-go, and are formed and developed by the hand of God. Consider again these words from Psalm 139, which we just read responsively:

[13] For you [God] formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. [14] I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. [15] My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. [16] Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

It could not be clearer the God is the actor in the womb, bringing forth new human beings in his likeness and image, by means of a male and female created in God’s image.

The sanctity of human life can also be seen in the one-flesh union of marriage. In Matthew 19:4-5, Jesus is asked about the permissibility of divorce. Here is what our Lord said in response:

[4] He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, [5] and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? [6] So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.”

In this statement about marriage, Jesus affirms several truths about human life. First: God created humanity in God’s image as male and female. Jesus testifies and affirms the truth of Genesis 1. Second: God performs marriage, which should give us great pause as we consider the existence of something called “no-fault divorce.” Third: God crafts humans in the womb as the fruit of the marriages God creates and performs. In other words, God’s command to the humans in Genesis 1 to be fruitful and multiply is enabled by God’s fashioning of life. God creates what God commands.

Why does God do these wonderful things; the creation of human beings in God’s likeness and image; and the formation of unions in which new human beings created in his image are formed and developed for life inside and outside the womb? Psalm 139 makes it clear that there is a divine purpose in mind. There are, in God’s book, days formed for every human being created in God’s image. Why?

Purpose: God Has an Eternal Plan and Purpose for His Human Children

That question brings us to Ephesians 1:3-14, one glorious sentence in the original Greek. A series of sermons could be preached on this single chapter, but I want to focus on three crucial verses because of what they say about the God’s plan for human beings. Those verses are 1:3-6

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, [4] even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love [5] he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Several things can be said about these verses.

First, God chose his children far in advance of their conception and birth. That is why Paul writes, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world.” Reflect on that great truth for a few seconds. God knew you before you were conceived, before your parents were conceived, before their parents were conceived, before everything. In his eternal council and will, God has chosen his children, born and as yet unborn. The existence of abortion is a declaration by our society we don’t believe this.

Second, those children were chosen because they were predestined for something, namely, adoption. Every single Christians is an adopted child, no exceptions. You are the son or daughter of your biological parents when you were born, but you become a child of the Most High God by adoption into God’s family, and those so chosen were destined for this adoption from the before the time of the creation. The reason for this adoption by God is that he loves his children. Verses 4-5: “In love [5] he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” The sign of that adoption by God is the sacrament of Baptism, which we will administer to Crosby in a few minutes. The existence of abortion in our culture is a proclamation by the society that there are unborn children who are unqualified for God’s love.

Third, ultimately God’s choosing of children for adoption out of love is of grace for something. Verses 5-6 tell us what that something is:

[5] he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, [6] to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Human beings chosen by God for adoption as children of God through Jesus Christ for the purpose of praising and glorifying God. The existence of abortion in our society declares that we think our individual autonomy is of greater importance than the praise of God’s glory.

Earlier this week, a pastor named Jared Wilson said, “There is no ‘least of these’ lesser than unborn children.” That means ultimately issues like the sanctity of human life and abortion are ultimately about Jesus.

Our Hope Can Only Be Found in the Gospel

These things are incredibly difficult to hear, but we need to hear them. We need to know the depth of our sin and ask God to forgive us. We need to repent, which means to decisively change course, so that human life will be treated with the sanctity is has been blessed with by God. And we need to hear again the message of God’s grace and forgiveness in Jesus Christ. God’s grace is infinitely larger than our sin, and it is there that we find our hope.

What does that mean for the us? I can tell you one thing it means for this congregation. The session late last year authored a resolution requesting our presbytery to grant this congregation relief on conscience from the abortion provision of the Board of Pensions health care plan. The presbytery will decide weather or not to grant such relief at the next meeting of the Presbytery this February 5th. I would ask that you pray for the presbytery as it makes its decision. If granted, a dollar amount equal to the cost of abortion procedures from the prior year is set aside from the Medical Plan dues of employers that have relief of conscience status. These monies are transferred to the Board of Pensions Assistance Program, where they provide a small portion of the funding for Adoption Assistance Grants to Benefits Plan members.

Second, other churches in our denomination with greater resources than ours have undertaken the tremendous ministry of connecting pregnant women with adoption agencies and parents who are eager to adopt. Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta has pledged to help anyone who walks in the door or who is referred to them. If you know of someone who might need to avail themselves of such a ministry, please let me know, and pray for these churches and these important ministries. As Paul makes clear in Ephesians, every Christian is adopted. Having been so graciously adopted, should not adoption be a huge ministry of the church?

I am deeply aware that there may be, in our congregation, wildly divergent and conflicting views on this issue. I am also aware that this topic can be the source of tremendous pain and grief. There may be some listening who are feeling intense feelings of guilt or judgment as a result of hearing from God’s word. That is why we need to know that God’s grace in Jesus Christ is sufficient to cover any number and any magnitude of sin. That is why we need to know that Jesus’ love is so deep for his children that he was himself willing to sacrificially give up his life for sinners who are themselves “the least of these.” Those who believe in Jesus are granted, free of charge, eternal freedom from sin and sin’s guilt and death. For this an all other difficult issues, look to Christ our Head. He will see us through. Jesus said, “[10:10]The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” He grants mercy where there is hopelessness and life life where there is death. As Paul wrote to Timothy so many years ago:

[1:15] The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

Amen.

¹One news account can be read here.
²The entire indictment can be read here. Be warned that the content is very graphic.

Given at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Minnesota
January 23, 2011
Sanctity of Life Sunday
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Copyright © 2011 by Christopher Donald Drew

"Not dead..."

In a recent sermon I recounted the famous story of Rev. William Haslam, a man who served as a pastor for quite some time without having been converted. The remarkable part of Haslam's story is that he was converted by his own sermon. After realizing that he was unregenerate, he entered the pulpit with the intent of resigning his pastorate until God saved him. As he preached, he was overcome by the Holy Spirit. The effect was so profound that another pastor, who happened to be visiting Haslam's parish that day, stood up and proclaimed, "The parson's been converted!" Much celebration ensued, and the ruckus was so disconcerting to some that they fled the church in fear.

It turns out that Halsam's conversion marked the beginning of a much larger revival. One of the souls saved during this time was an older man who went by the moniker "Old Billy." This is what happened next, as recounted by Haslam in his book From Death to Life:

This dear man lived for three months after this, verifying the words I was led to say to him at the beginning of our intercourse -- that the Lord was keeping him alive in order to have mercy upon him. At the end of this time, his daughter came to see me one morning in great haste, and said, "Father is dying, and does so want to see you. Will you come?" I went immediately. On reaching his house and entering his bedroom, his wife said, "You are too late; he is dead!" Softly I moved forward to the bed, and looking into that face once more, I thought that I could still see sign of life. Pressing his cold hand, I spoke a few words about the loving-kindness of the Lord. He knew me, and a smile brightened his face at the precious name of Jesus. While we stood silently round his dying bed, he said (evidently in reference to what he had heard), "Not dead: just beginning to live." Thus, with a sweet, triumphant smile, he departed."

Beautiful.

What Are You Seeking?

Scripture Text: John 1:29-42

Last week, we learned that the baptism of Jesus was for us. He didn’t need baptism because he was without sin. We also learned that because of his baptism, those who are in Christ receive multiple gifts through Christ. He gives the gifts he didn’t need to those who are in deep need, who are dead in sin. Jesus gives those folks the exact things they need – The gift of forgiveness of sins, and the gift of abiding, steadfast presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

This week John the Baptist makes another appearance. There are two significant sections in the reading this week from the gospel of John. There are, therefore, two main points to this sermon. First point, the only way to know Jesus and to see who he really is is by the revelation of God in the new birth proclaimed in baptism. Second point, those who receive this gift of seeing who Jesus is are transformed into witnesses and are empowered by the Holy Spirit so that others whom Christ is calling may fellowship with him and receive his grace.

Context

Immediately before our reading, John is interviewed by some priests and Levites sent from the Pharisees in Jerusalem who are curious to know what he’s doing. They ask them the question: “Who are you?” John tells them that he is neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet anticipated first by Moses. What are you doing, then, if you’re none of those people, the interviewers ask. John replies by telling them I’m the guy that Isaiah foretold, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said” (1:23). Okay then, say the interviewers, why do you baptize, if you’re none of these other famous people? John gives a reply, but doesn’t quite answer their question. His reply is:

[1:26] “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, [27] even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

And now it’s the next day. John the Baptist sees Jesus coming toward him and exclaims, “[29] Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! [30] This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’

Notice the imagery here. John calls Jesus “the Lamb of God,” which seems to be a clear refers to the sacrificial lamb of the Passover, and other Old Testament sacrifices for sin. John is basically saying, this is the man who will take away all sins through his sacrificial death for others. This would have been a shocking thing to say about a human being. How exactly could John have made the determination the Jesus was this “Lamb of God?”

The answer to that question comes in the verses that follows:

[30] This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ [31] I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”

Here, John finally gives the answer to the question from his visitors the previous day. Why do you do this, the interviewers from Jerusalem want to know? I do this, so that the promised one of God might be revealed to Israel.

John’s eyewitness testimony continues:

[32] And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. [33] I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ [34] And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

First point: The only way to know Jesus and to see who he really is is by the revelation of God in the new birth proclaimed by baptism.

You will notice that John did not know the full extent of Jesus’ identity until Jesus was baptized. John likely knew of Jesus by virtue of the relationship between his mother, Elizabeth, and her cousin Mary. But he didn’t know who Jesus really was until it was revealed to him by God when Jesus was baptized.

I can see one huge implication for this text for those of us here in the room who are listening. Jesus’ full identify is only provided to and only seen by those to whom it is revealed. You cannot truly know Jesus unless the Holy Spirit reveals him to you. Jesus is a human being, but he is also God. Any human can be casually known in passing or in brief conversation. But you cannot know the fullness of who Jesus is unless God reveals it to you.

How is Jesus revealed? The first way is by the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon you to open your eyes to the truth of God’s Word. He is revealed to you whenever baptism is administered, the moment when God’s saving work is enacted publicly before the church and by other witnesses. Jesus’ identity is revealed in the Supper, where we receive not just bread and wine but the very spiritual food of the body and blood of Jesus, who is the host of the meal. Unless the Holy Spirit resides in you, the bible will appear to be just another religious book, as it is treated in the contemporary university. Apart from the revelation of God, baptism is just fancy washing ceremony done in obedience to some religious rule. Apart from the revelation of God, the Lord’s Supper is just a simple meal. But for those to whom the fullness of Jesus’ identity has been granted by the Holy Spirit in the new birth, the bible, the font, and the table are the very means of grace, of forgiveness, of salvation, of sanctification, and of eternal life, because all of them reveal the glorious Savior.

Second point: Those who receive this gift of seeing who Jesus is are transformed into witnesses and empowered by the Holy Spirit so that others whom Christ is calling may fellowship with him and receive his grace.

Next day, the next scene. John is standing with two of his disciples. He sees Jesus and calls out, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” Hearing these words, John’s two disciples begin to follow Jesus. So John has witnessed that Jesus is the Lamb of God, and John’s two disciples begin to follow Jesus. As the two are following, perhaps a bit unsure of what is going on, Jesus suddenly turns around and asks them the question: “What are you seeking?”

What are you seeking? These are very profound words. What are you seeking by following Jesus? Have you asked yourself the question recently? Ask it now. Why are we hear today? Is it to seek after Jesus? Or something else? And if your seeking after something else, what is it?

This question Jesus asks is huge! Why is this question huge? Because the answer will ultimately reveal what is at the center of the human heart, that is, of what we worship. The answer will reveal what we are truly seeking after. If you were to ask this question that Jesus asks to anyone you might meet on the street, how would they answer? Here are some possibilities: Happiness, fame, money, a fruitful marriage, retirement, success, property, a family, relief from pain, a gas station, food, a hotel, good health, a Kleenex, it could be anything, couldn’t it? Let me ask you this now: If someone stopped you on the street and asked you what you were seeking, what would you say? The answer always will reveal what is at present the most important to us.

This penetrating question from Jesus to those who would follow him is, in fact, the most important question you can ever be asked as a human being. The answer to the question reveals what is at the bottom of the human heart. This is the question that is at the heart of faith, salvation, and discipleship. The answer to this question reveals for the world to see who we really worship.

How did these two guys answer? “[38b] And they said to him, ‘Rabbi’ (which means Teacher), ‘where are you staying?’ [39] He said to them, ‘Come and you will see.’ So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. [40] One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.”

Notice how Jesus is addressed here? John called him “the Lamb of God,” but they call him “rabbi.” Jesus asks them what they are seeking. They respond that they are seeking to be where he is staying! Getting closer now. So they go off and stay together in fellowship. That’s all we know. We don’t know what they discussed, or what they ate or drank. All we know is that they go off to spend time with Jesus where he is.

This is what happens next:

[40] One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. [41] He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). [42] He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).

Can you see the pattern here? They two disciples seek after the place where Jesus is and something huge has happened. By following him in faith to the place where he was staying, they see Jesus for who he really is. They have been granted the gift of knowing who he really is! I think we know this for two reasons: First, Andrew no longer calls Jesus “teacher,” but “the Messiah.” Second, after spending time with Jesus, Andrew has suddenly become a witness to who Jesus really is, just like John the Baptist was a witness. Andrew then runs off to find his brother Simon and announces, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew then brings his brother to Jesus for an introduction. And in the presence of Jesus, Simon receives a new name, a clear sign of the call of God.

This is the pattern of new birth and discipleship. The Holy Spirit opens a person to the truth of the gospel by means of witnesses. John the Baptist was a witness to his own disciples, who then followed Jesus and came to know him as the Christ. Andrew, having had this truth revealed to him, becomes a witness by and gives his witness to his brother Simon, announcing to his brother that he has found the Christ. Simon in turn is brought to Jesus, and Jesus marks calls him and gives him a new name. A new life has begun! Peter, too, will follow and become a disciple and also a witness to Christ.

And so it goes. Jesus enters the world. The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to be the Son of God to John the Baptist and to other believers. They come to Christ, and then they in turn go out, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and witness to the good news of the Christ to others.

Peter will become a prominent apostle, but will later deny Jesus three times, but will be restored by Jesus at the end of the gospel. Having been so restored, what does Peter do? He becomes the first to preach the gospel at Pentecost. He will be persecuted, jailed, and rescued for the proclamation of the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. He was transformed from one who sought after Jesus and became one who sought to bring others to Jesus, just as Andrew has sought him out. And this pattern has gone on and on and on for over 2,000 years, and now we are sitting here today as a result of that witness. The question for us is now: What are we seeking? What are we seeking by being here? Are we looking for good advice? To be seen as good people by others? Or are we seeking after Christ, to fellowship with him where he is? Are we then being transformed by him through the means of the Word and Sacraments? Are we witnessing, bringing others to Jesus where he is?

The larger church in general in this community has to a certain extent fallen by the wayside like Peter did with his denials of Jesus. Today, our denials of Christ come in a couple of forms. The first is a result of complacency. We’ve become far to comfortable in our faith. The second form of denying Christ comes from our fear of the culture’s hostility to Christianity. The good news for us, however, is that with Jesus there is always more and more grace. By the power of the Holy Spirit, not even these denials can overwhelm the power of his grace, and a people can be restored to their baptismal calling to witness to the power and might and glory of the risen Christ.

Would you join me in praying for the whole church to experience a revival of its baptismal calling? Lord, we pray that you will grant us the gift of boldness so that we are able to speak to someone outside of our immediate families or this church about Jesus. Grant to our pastors and elders the gifts of leadership inspire the people to courageous witness. Show how we can help each other and hold each other accountable with evangelical witness we are charged with by none other than our Lord himself. Let us feel the fire of the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, that together we may become far more bold in our individual and corporate witness to the glory of Christ. Lives are in peril. We are called to act. Amen.

Given at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Minnesota
January 16, 2011
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Copyright © 2011 by Christopher Donald Drew

God With Us: Water and Spirit

Scripture Text: Matthew 3:13-17

There once was a pastor by the name of William Haslam who shepherded the congregation of Baldo church near Truro, in England. One Sunday in 1851, the pastor took to the pulpit, having been deeply convicted of sin. His intention upon entering the pulpit was to tell the congregation that he would not preach again to them until he was saved and to ask them to pray for his conversion.

Haslam’s message for the day was based on Matthew 22:42, the place where Jesus asks the Pharisees the question, “What do you think about the Christ?”

He began to preach, and as the words came forth, he saw himself as a Pharisee who did not recognize that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God. At that moment, the Holy Spirit breathed new life into him and the effect was so obvious and marked that a local preacher who was present stood up and shouted 'the Parson is converted' and the people rejoiced 'in Cornish style'.

Others were also converted on that day, including members of Haslam’s own household. Others, interestingly, fled from the church in fear. A revival followed that blessed Sunday that lasted for three years during which time souls were saved weekly, often daily.¹

I think it would be surprising if the pastor of your church came into the pulpit and announced that he wasn’t going to preach anymore because he was unconverted. But I imagine that is was actually more surprising that the conversion was observed an announced by another pastor before Haslam to even get to his resignation. What a surprise that must have been!

We should have that kind of surprise when we see that Jesus came to be baptized by John. John was offering a baptism of repentance, which was a turning to God and way from sin. But we know from the scriptures that Jesus was totally without sin throughout his life. So why on earth would he be baptized?

The first part of the sermon will attempt to answer this question about Jesus’ baptism, a question that used to dog at me throughout my youth and into early adulthood. In the second part of the sermon, I will suggest that Jesus’ baptism was for us, not for him, and will give some practical ways baptism confers particular gifts upon the new believer. In part three, I will briefly touch on the ethical implications of our baptisms.

Why Was Jesus Baptized?

The first thing we should notice about this story is that it immediately follows some fire and brimstone preaching by John and Baptist. John is the last of the Old Testament prophets, really. He’s preaching a pointed message to the people of Israel, “[2] “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” What does it mean to “repent?” It means to turn away from sin and return to God. Notice that there are two parts to his short sermon. The first is an imperative. It’s the language of command. Repent! Turn back to God! Notice that the imperative is based first on an indicative, which is a statement fact. That indicative is “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

John is proclaiming the reality that God’s kingdom is right next door. And if you want to be preserved from God’s wrath, you must reform your ways and walk by the law of God. Right away you should feel some anxiety, because no one has ever fulfilled the law perfectly. As a result, all are subject to the righteous, justified wrath of God for sin, and all are, by default, subject to the penalty of eternal damnation for violating God’s holy and righteous law. John’s baptism serves as a baptism of repentance. Those who responded to John’s preaching come to the water for baptism, “confessing their sins.” This would have been a public confession of sins, make in front of others, and the baptism would have been a marker of proclamation by the sinner that, from that point on, he or she would endeavor to follow God’s law.

So the baptisms are underway, and a bunch of religious authorities show up. John shows them no deference at all, but instead refers to them as a “brood of vipers” who presumed they were in God’s good graces by virtue of the fact that they were sons of Abraham. To that, John tells them that their God has the power to take “from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” That is, real children of Abraham who are obedient to God’s word in their hearts and not just by external performance for human approval.

John concludes his remarks like this:

[11] “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Judgment is coming with the coming of the kingdom, and you had better get ready. That’s John’s message from the law.

But then here comes Jesus. And John is surprised.

[3:13] Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. [14] John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” [15] But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

John shows the surprise we should all feel when Jesus enters the water. In what way does what Jesus’ baptism fulfill all righteousness? I think there are reasons why Jesus’ baptism fulfilled all righteousness, and I credit Dale Bruner for helping me think this through:

First, Jesus’ baptism fulfills all righteousness because in being baptized, Jesus publicly declares his deliberate decision to live a life of righteousness in every conceivable way. He seeks entirely to do the will of his Father, and that begins with his baptism.

Second, Jesus’ baptism by water fulfills all righteousness because it transforms the water baptism for repentance into what we know it to be, a baptism of the Holy Spirit. Now, when someone is baptized by the church, there is a cleansing of sin and, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the creation of a new person who is a doer of righteousness. The old life is dead and gone, and a new life has begun.²

After saying these things, the baptism commences. Here’s how Matthew records what happened next:

[16] And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; [17] and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

When Jesus is baptized, the heaven open, and two things come down from heaven. First, the Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove, so that the fullness of the Triune God is revealed. With the Holy Spirit coming to rest on Jesus, Jesus is marked, set apart and identified as the long awaited Suffering Servant of Isaiah. Then, with the declaration of God’s voice, we learn that Jesus is the very Son of God. By submitting to baptism, Jesus is publicly marked and anointed in this office for all the world to see, and for us to see in reading this scripture.

What Does Jesus’ Baptism for Us Mean?

As we said earlier, Jesus did not need baptism to be cleansed of sin. He was without sin. He was not baptized to receive the Holy Spirit, because as the Son of God he exists in Triune splendor with the other two persons of the Holy Trinity. He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. But what does that mean for us in the church? How is Jesus’ baptism connected with yours or mine? The basic answer to that question is this: Jesus’ baptism was to fulfill all righteousness for our sake. Jesus’ baptism confers to the recipient gifts that Jesus himself did not need – forgiveness of sins and new birth. Jesus’ baptism was for us. This means, as Bruner rightly notes, Jesus’ baptism really was his first act of service on behalf of his followers.

This means in the church we now receive two gifts as a result of this first act of service by Jesus.

First, in your baptism you received the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit comes to the new believer in power, but in the power represented most appropriately by the dove, of gentleness and meekness and kindness and love. It is the power to walk as a people created for righteousness before God. It is a power that sanctifies the believer throughout life and creates within the believer the desire for righteousness.

Second, in your baptism you received divine favor, God’s grace. God spoke these words at Jesus’ baptism: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased.” By being baptized for us, those who are shown such favor in baptism become the adopted children of God. When you were baptized, you were adopted into God’s family as a gift of grace. Now, in p Christ, when God looks upon you he sees the image of his Son, the same son with whom he is well pleased. Bruner writes, “In our baptism we are allowed to hear the words spoken at Jesus’: ‘You are my priceless child; I am deeply pleased with you.’”³

Ethical Implications for the Believer

These gifts, God’s unmerited favor by grace in the forgiveness of sins, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, mean there will be for the believer huge ethical ramifications in this life. What do I mean? Here are just a couple of examples:

Security and Comfort

Baptized Christians should be deeply wary and concerned if their lives are lived in such a way as to place too much importance on personal security and comfort. Why? Because eternal security and comfort have already been granted to you in your baptism. There can be no greater comfort than the knowledge that you are a person with eternal life in Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring God glory through acts of sacrificial service to your neighbor. In that knowledge, Christians, more than anyone else, should be empowered by the Holy Spirit to act with fearless boldness in their churches, relationships, and occupations.

Personal Relationships

Christians should be gravely concerned if they find present in their lives personal relationships that do not reflect the character of the Divine Father who has adopted them as a beloved child. Because we were adopted by God, even through we didn’t deserve it because of sin, we should be greatly saddened by the still-overwhelming presence of divorce, or of relationships that dishonor God’s plan for human fruitfulness and flourishing, of revenge, slander, or violence. The new birth enacted by baptism creates within the believer a desire for holy living as children made in the very image of God, children who love their neighbors as themselves. Disobedience to God’s command proclaims to the world that we do not take God’s Word seriously, makes a mockery of the Cross of Christ, exposes the church to the oft-claimed charge of hypocrisy, and declares a disbelief in the power and grace given to us by our baptism into Christ.

The good news of the gospel is that our sins never have the last word. They have been covered over by God’s gracious forgiveness in Christ. If, in the examples I’ve used, you detect sin in your own life, head right back to the Cross, where Jesus paid it all for you, but also remember what Jesus did for you in your baptism. You were made into a new creature with spiritual capacities for holiness and righteousness. Amen.

¹Transcribed from the account given at the website http://www.williamhaslam.org. See also Haslam's autobiography entitled From Death to Life.
²Bruner, Dale. Matthew: A Commentary. Volume 1: The Christbook. Eerdmanns: Grand Rapids, 2004.102.
³Ibid., 112.

Given at First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Minnesota
January 9, 2011
Baptism of the Lord
Copyright © 2011 by Christopher Donald Drew