Sermon notes for October 22:

All That Is In the World, 1 John 2:15-28

INTRODUCTION

According to John’s description, the world is formed by various “lusts” or desires, and by “pride” and “boasting.” We can respond faithfully to the world only when we discern the desires that shape the world and the desires and boasting provoked by the world.

THE TEXT

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. . . .” (1 John 2:15-28).

THE WORLD

Opposed to the family of the church is “the world.” Both in his letter and his gospel, John talks a lot about “the world” (John 15-16; 1 John 2:15-17; 3:1, 13, 17; 4:1, 3-5, 9, 14, 17; 5:1, 4-5; 19). In some places, this word refers to humanity or creation that is the object of God’s love (John 3:16), but in other places it refers specifically to humanity in its hostility to God (John 12:31; 14:30) and specifically to Judaism in its rejection of Jesus (cf. John 15:18-16:4). Here, John has the latter senses in mind: “The world” is not the creation itself, which God pronounced good, but a world-system organized in opposition to God and perhaps specifically Judaism in its opposition to Jesus (this is the specific world that is “passing away,” v. 17). Applying this today, our surrounding culture is “the world,” a cultural, social, and political system organized in hostility, or perhaps indifference, to God.

ALL THAT IS IN THE WORLD

John commands us not to love this world-system, and starkly states that if we love this world the love of God is not in us (v. 15; cf. James 1:27; 4:4). Probably drawing on the temptation of Eve in Genesis 3, John details the lure of the world under three headings. First, the world revolves around the “desire of the flesh,” which might include sexual and sensual desire, but also might include the desires that lead to the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Second, the world operates by spectacle and show, arousing the desire of the eyes. Finally, the world operates according to the “pride of life.” Life here, as in 3:17, probably refers to wealth, and includes the status that often accompanies wealth. Loving the world means idolizing Mammon, and striving for celebrity and fame.

The relationship between the world and desire is complex. Verse 16 indicates that desires and boastfulness make up the contents of the world – the desire of flesh, eyes, and boastfulness of life constitute the “all that is in the world.” The end of verse 16, however, suggests that the world is the source of desires and boasts: The desire of flesh desire of eyes, and boastfulness of life are from the world. Desires thus make up the world, yet the world is also distinguished from the desires such that the world produces, evokes, and provokes desires and boastfulness. Verse 17 distinguishes the world as its desires as if the desires are accompaniments of the world.

To put it more sociologically, (sinful) human culture – its institutions, practices, products – are all embodiments of evil desire or boastfulness. John hints that we should evaluate the world not only on the basis of what’s done or what things it contains, but on the basis of desire. And desire has a multiple relationship with culture: Desires are the “contents” of culture – culture is made up of embodied dreams, aspirations, lusts; on the other hand, the world is the source of desire, evoking certain kinds of desire. John’s sociology thus encourages us to ask what desires are embodied in roads, buildings, automobiles, iPods, coffee, customs, schools, and so on. John encourages us to penetrate below the surface of cultural life to the desires that shape and are formed by the world.

Sermon notes for October 15:

Do Not Love the World, 1 John 2:12-29

INTRODUCTION

The world around us seems to solid and permanent. We can hardly imagine what life would be like without well-stocked grocery shelves, autumn elections, air travel, electricity, running water, and all the amenities of modern civilization. John reminds us that worlds come and go; what remains is “the one who does the will of God” (1 John 2:17).

THE TEXT

“I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. I write to you, fathers, because you have known Him who is from the beginning. I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the wicked one. . . .” (1 John 2:12-29).

CHILDREN, FATHERS, YOUNG MEN

Verses 12-14 are puzzling. The connection of these verses with the surrounding context is unclear. It’s also not clear what groups John has in mind. Is he talking about literal age, or maturity in faith, or is he using various terms to describe all believers (cf. 2:1)? And why does John repeat himself?

The best option (at least on Monday morning) seems to be this. John’s “children” are all the believers in the churches he’s writing to, those with whom he has a “paternal” relation as a father in the faith (cf. 2:1, 28; 3:7, 18; 4:4; 5:21). As children, they have been forgiven and brought to an intimate knowledge of the Father (2:12, 13). “Fathers” is never used of all Christians in the NT. It is sometimes used of ancestors (Romans 11:28; 2 Peter 3:4), and at least once in Paul’s letters of mature believers, teachers, or leaders of the church (1 Corinthians 4:15). This seems the best sense here, and John says that the fathers have also come to know the Father who is from the beginning (1 John 2:13, 14). John addresses younger believers as “young men,” and reminds them that they have overcome the devil through the word of God and the power of Jesus (2:13, 14).

Whatever the particulars, several things come out of these verses. First, the church is a family. Second, like a family, the church is made of people of diverse levels of maturity, each of which has its particular strengths and gifts. Finally, a healthy church requires the contributions of all. A church of young men would be vigorous, but potentially unwise; fathers in the faith benefit from the zeal of the young.

THE WORLD

CONCLUSION

Against all this, John, echoing Jesus, urges us to love those things which are from the Father – Jesus, His people, His kingdom, His righteousness. Everything is ours (1 Corinthians 3); the creation is laid up for the righteous in Christ. Paradoxically, we can only gain the world if we renounce it.

Sermon For October 8:

Knowing We Know Him, 1 John 2:1-11

INTRODUCTION

John insists that talking that’s not backed up by walking is a form of lying (1:6). He returns to a similar point here: True knowledge of God is evident in obedience to His commandments (2:3), and the one who abides in God must walk as Jesus did (2:6).

THE TEXT

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. . . .” (1 John 2:1-11).

OUR ADVOCATE

At the beginning of chapter 2, John is still talking about how to handle sin. His goal is to guard his readers from sin (2:1), but he knows that no one will completely avoid it (1:8, 10, 2:1). When we sin, we can still be confident that God accepts us, since Jesus is our “Advocate.” In Greek, this word is parakletos, the same word Jesus uses to describe the Spirit (John 14:16). It means a “defense attorney.” Jesus the Righteous takes up our case before His Father.

Verse 2 describes the work of Jesus as “propitiation” (Gr. hilasmos). As an abstract idea, to “propitiate” is to “pacify anger.” Jesus turns away the wrath of God by His obedience. But the word probably has more concrete connotations. In the Septuagint, the related word hilasterion refers to the cover of the ark of the covenant (Exodus 25:17-22; Hebrews 9:5), a word that is also used to describe Jesus and His work (Romans 3:25). In the symbolism of the ark, is related to the firmament canopy that serves as a “veil” between heaven and earth. To say Jesus is the hilasterion means that He is the screen, the firmament, through which the Father views the world.

This explains the universalism of John’s statement in verse 2. Calvinists, who believe in a definite atonement, have trouble with this verse and others like it (1 Timothy 4:10; Titus 2:11; 1 John 4:14). The solution is that the cross has multiple intentions: Jesus died to secure salvation for His sheep (John 10), His Bride (Ephesians 5), but He also died and rose again to be the “firmament-covering” for the whole world.

KNOWING THAT WE KNOW

Though believers continue to sin, and need the continuing forgiveness of God, our lives are to be characterized by obedience to God’s commandments and by imitation of Jesus. If we claim to be disciples of Jesus but consistently and impenitently disobey Him, we are liars (2:4). But the love of God comes to maturity in the one who keeps His word (2:5). In emphasizing the connection between love and obedience, John is just repeating the words of Jesus (John 14:15, 21; 15:10).

What “commandments” does John have in mind? John no doubt has Jesus’ “new commandment” in mind (John 13:34; 15:12; cf. 1 John 2:8), the commandment to believe in Jesus and to love one another with the same self-giving love Jesus showed for us (cf. 1 John 3:22-24; 4:21).

Sermon notes for October 1:

Walking in the Light, 1 John 1:5-2:11

INTRODUCTION

John’s gospel is about the character of God: He proclaims that God is light, and has no darkness at all (1:5). This gospel comes with the demand to walk in the light (1:6). What does that mean?

THE TEXT

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. . . .” (1 John 1:5-2:11).

STRUCTURE

John uses his light/darkness contrast at the beginning and end of this section (1:5-7; 2:8b-11), which sets apart these verses as a distinct paragraph. Within this outer frame, John deals with sin (1:8-2:2) and the commandment to walk in the same manner as Jesus walked (2:3-8a). John moves from one topic to another with “hook words,” a word used at the end of one section becomes the main theme of the next section (“sin” in 1:7-8; “darkness/light” in 2:8-9). John’s use of direct address (“My little children,” 2:1; “Beloved,” 2:7) also marks off new sections. The whole section is roughly chiastic:

A. Darkness and light, 1:5-7

B. Sin and forgiveness, 1:8-10

C. “My beloved children” (sin), 2:1-2

D. “By this we know,” 2:3-5a

D’. “By this we know,” 2”5b-6

C’. “Beloved” (commandment), 2:7-8a

A’. Darkness and light, 2:8b-11

DARKNESS AND LIGHT

I suggested in an earlier sermon that John uses “darkness” and “light” first of all as temporal markers (cf. 2:8b). “Darkness” is the evening of history, the Old Covenant; “light” is the day of the Lord that comes when the Eternal Light takes flesh (cf. John 1:6-9). How is the Old Covenant “night”? Israel was not completely in the dark. God revealed Himself to them, and they had the light of the law (Psalm 119). But the revelation in the Old Covenant was partial and incomplete compared with the new revelation in the Son (cf. Hebrews 1:1ff). Further, the Old Covenant was a covenant of veils, which separated the light of God’s glory from the people. With the new covenant, the veil is removed and the full light of God shines. In the first instance, those who “walk in darkness” are those who continue to live according to the patterns of the Old Covenant.

Since the Old Covenant instituted divisions between Jew and Gentile, walking in darkness means maintaining, or re-instituting, those divisions after they have been removed in Christ (cf. Galatians 2). In John’s situation, those who “walk in darkness” and “hate their brothers” are Judaizers; but the light/dark contrast has a broader application to anyone who hates other believers. In this respect, light/darkness in 1 John is like Spirit/flesh in Galatians.

FELLOWSHIP AND CLEANSING

John insists that we cannot have fellowship with a God who is Light so long as we walk in darkness, the darkness of the Old Covenant or the darkness of hatred. If we say we are of the light but continue to live in darkness, we become liars. Walking in the light together is the only way to have fellowship with one another (1:7). Those who are in fellowship with one another in the light are cleansed of sin (1:7). The sequence of John’s thought is important: It moves from walking in light to fellowship with one another to cleansing. The communion of the church is the place where we find cleansing – not, as Jews and Judaizers claimed, in temple sacrifices. We often think that God forgives sins in spite of His justice. But John says the opposite: God forgives sins because He is “faithful and just” to cleanse the sins of those who openly confess sin.

Sermon Notes for September 24:

The Word of Life, 1 John 1:1-4

INTRODUCTION
John begins his first epistle where he begins his gospel, announcing the incarnation of the Word who was from the beginning. Through this incarnation, John and his readers have fellowship with the Father and Son.

THE TEXT
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life. . . .” (1 John 1:1-4).

BEGINNINGS
John is clearly referring to Genesis 1:1 at the beginning of his gospel, and by this allusion he is telling us that his gospel story is the story of a new creation. John’s first epistle begins the same way. There are other allusions to Genesis 1 as well: The “Word of Life” is the word by which God spoke creation into being (1 John 1:1); the contrast of light and darkness recalls the work of the first day (Genesis 1:1-5; cf. John 1:4-5, 9); as we shall see, the word for “propitiation” (Gr. hilasmos) is connected with the “firmament” that divided the waters above from the waters below (1 John 2:2; cf. Genesis 1:6-8). The incarnation of the Word is the beginning of a new beginning.
It’s important to see that “incarnation” here does not simply refer to the fact that the eternal Word became flesh and blood. It refers to the entire life and ministry of Jesus. This seems to be the point of the odd grammar of the first lines of the letter, where John uses a neuter pronoun (translated “That which” or “what”) when “Word” (Gr. logos) is masculine. He uses the neuter to refer to the entire life and ministry of Jesus.

LIFE MANIFESTED
Jesus is described here as the “Word of life” and as “the eternal life” (vv. 1-2). Jesus does communicate life to us, but He communicates life to us because He Himself is life. He doesn’t simply have life; He is life. “Life” should be understood in the fullest sense here: God has all abundance, energy, joy, delight, buoyancy in Himself and His Word, but He has chosen not to keep all this eternal and infinite liveliness to Himself. The Life was “toward” the Father from all eternity (v. 1); in the incarnation, the Father turned Himself inside out, so that the Word of Life is toward us.
John appears to have some specific events of the gospel story in mind in his opening verses, particularly when he writes about “what our hands of handled” (v. 1). That refers to the disciples’ touching of Jesus after His resurrection (Luke 24:39; John 20:27). Jesus is the Word of Life, the eternal life, supremely in His resurrection from the dead.

MEDIATED COMMUNION
This life is available to us through the Word of Life, now manifested in human flesh. But there is an order to this manifestation. We don’t have direct access to the Word of life; we haven’t literally heard, seen, beheld, or handled Him. Instead, we rely on the testimony of the “we.” John uses the first person plural to refer to himself and the other disciples who did witness Jesus directly. It is through fellowship or communion with them that we have fellowship with the Father and the Son (v. 3). And we have communion with them by believing their written testimony concerning the Word of Life (v. 4), and abiding in the community of which they are the foundation stones (cf. Ephesians 2:20).
In short: We have no communion with the Father without communion with the Son; no communion with the Son without communion with the apostles; and no communion with the apostles without receiving their written testimony and communion in and with the church.

Sermon Notes for September 10:

Bless and Curse Not, Romans 12

INTRODUCTION
Last week, I made a case for the legitimacy of imprecatory prayers and Psalms. But that leaves a lot of questions unanswered – When are prayers of imprecation legitimate? Against whom is it legitimate to pray imprecations? And, most importantly, how do imprecations square with the NT’s command, “Bless and do not curse”?

THE TEXT
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. . . .” (Romans 12:1-21).

WHEN?
In what circumstances does David pray imprecations? Psalm 109 is one of the most relentless imprecations in the Psalter, calling on Yahweh to convict him, cut off his life early, leave his children fatherless and his wife a widow, send creditors to devour his house, and leave him without friend or support (vv. 6-13). What have these enemies done to merit this kind of cursing? David complains that they have “opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue” (v. 2). In short, they have lied about and slandered David. They have cursed him, and, claiming the Abrahamic promise, David asks the Lord to curse them.
At other times, David asks the Lord to scatter his enemies who seek his life (Psalm 59:1-8, 11). And he prays that the Lord would break the teeth of unrighteous rulers (Psalm 58:1, 6-11). David certainly believed that a wise man ignores an insult, but when there is a persistent campaign of slander and lies, when there is a campaign to kill David, he appeals to God for help.

WHO?
Against whom are imprecations prayed? David does not pray imprecations against all non-Israelites or unbelievers. He does not pray curses against the ignorant, nor against Gentiles who are peaceable toward him. He prays imprecations against enemies who persistently, relentlessly conspire against him. This is not, notice, limited to Gentiles (cf. Psalm 56 [with title]). In fact, David was most intensely persecuted by Saul, and he prays that the Lord would frustrate Saul’s efforts to kill him (Psalm 7 [with title]; 52 [with title]; 59:11 [with title]). David prays imprecations against apostate Israelites who persecute the Lord’s anointed. Along similar lines, Paul curses Judaizing Christians who have turned against Christ (Galatians 1:8-9), Jesus pronounces woes against scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23), and the NT quotes Psalm 109 with respect to Judas (Acts 1:20).

BLESS AND CURSE NOT
Jesus instructs His disciples to rejoice in persecution (Matthew 5:10-12), to love our enemies (5:44), and to bless those who curse us (Luke 6:27-28). Paul instructs us not to take vengeance, and says that when we are persecuted we should “bless and curse not” (Romans 12:14), and James condemns the hypocrisy of a mouth that brings forth blessing and cursing (3:9).
This has several implications. First, we should make sure that we are a people characterized by blessing and not by cursing, and that includes those who hate and persecute and lie about us. While we may pray for God to judge, we should never become the First Church of the Curse. Second, we are able to do good to our enemies because we know that God will deal with them with perfect justice. Paul follows ups “bless and curse not” with a reminder that God takes vengeance. We don’t have to defend ourselves, and we can even make ourselves vulnerable to abuse, because we believe God will answer our prayers to be our Defender.

Sermon Outline for September 3, 2006:

Cursed Are Those Who Curse, Deuteronomy 32:1-43

INTRODUCTION

We should pray God’s promises back to Him. But God has not only issued promises; He has also issued threats. Faithful prayer asks God to be true to both.

THE TEXT

“Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. Let my teaching drop as the rain, my speech distill as the dew, as raindrops on the tender herb, and as showers on the grass. . . .” (Deuteronomy 32:1-43).

SONG OF MOSES

Yahweh commanded Moses to compose the song of Deuteronomy 32 as a witness against the sons of Israel, so that when Israel turns from Him and suffers trouble as a result, “this song will testify before them as a witness” (Deuteronomy 31:20-21). Deuteronomy 32 is one of the most frequently quoted passages in the Bible. In many passages, Yahweh is called the “Rock” of Israel (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 92:15; 119:137; 145:17; Jeremiah 10:10; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4) or “Father” (Deuteronomy 32:6; Isaiah 63:16; 64:8; Jeremiah 3:4, 19; Malachi 1:6; Matthew 5:16). The threats of famine, pestilence, and sword in verses 24-25 are frequently mentioned by the prophets (e.g., Jeremiah 14:12-16; 15:2-3). Isaiah picks up the comparison of Israel to Sodom and Gomorrah (v. 32; Isaiah 1:9) and the refrain “I am He” (v. 39; Isaiah 43:10; 48:12).

In the course of this song, Yahweh promises, with His hand raised in an oath, to “render vengeance on My adversaries,” to “repay those who hate Me,” and to “avenge the blood of His servants” (vv. 40-43). Like other portions of this song, these promises are reiterated frequently in Scripture, particularly in Revelation (Matthew 23:35; Revelation 6:10; 11:18; 16:6; 18:24; 19:2). Yahweh is an Avenger, a jealous Husband who does not tolerate assaults on His bride.

CURSED ARE THOSE WHO CURSE

Behind the Song of Moses stands Yahweh’s original promise to Abram. As soon as Yahweh brings Abram to Canaan, He promises not only to make Him a great nation and plant Him in the land, but also to “bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse” (Genesis 12:3; cf. 27:29; Numbers 24:9). Notice that the threat is not against those who curse Yahweh. Yahweh threatens to curse those who curse Abram. We are Abraham’s seed (Galatians 3), and thus these promises are ours: Our Lord promises and threatens to curse those who curse us, and to take up our cause against our enemies. If we should turn the promises of Genesis 12 (land, a great nation, blessing, great name) into petitions – and we should – there is every reason to turn the threats of Genesis 12 into petitions as well.

LEX TALIONIS

Another principle operating here is the “law of retribution” or “lex talionis,” the principle of “eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (Exodus 21:22-25; Leviticus 24:17-22; Deuteronomy 19:16-21). In Deuteronomy 32, Yahweh threatens to carry out this principle against those who shed the blood of His people: Blood for blood (cf. Matthew 23:35). Like the saints under the altar of heaven (Revelation 6:9-11), we should cry out for justice – that the Lord would avenge the blood of His bride.

Sermon Notes for August 27:

According to His Will, John 15:1-16

INTRODUCTION

Prayer is not a monologue, but always a response to God’s prior word, the second leg of a conversation. Faithful prayer speaks back to God as He has spoken to us; faithful prayer prays according to God’s will.

THE TEXT

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. . . .” (John 15:1-16).

ACCORDING TO MY WILL

1 John 5:14 says, “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Christians are sometimes confused by this, assuming that John is referring to what theologians call the “secret” will of God. If we discern what God is planning to do, get a peek at the decree, then we can pray according to God’s will. That’s not what John means. Of course, we, like Jesus, surround our prayers with “Your will, not mine, be done” (Matthew 26:39), and this refers to God’s “secret” will. But John is referring to God’s revealed will. Praying according to God’s will means talking back to God in a way that conforms to the way God talks to us.

PROMISES TO PRAYER

God’s will for us and for the world is revealed in His promises. God is aware of our reluctance and weakness in prayer, and so He has given us many assurances that He answers prayer. Many of these assurances come from Jesus Himself. After teaching the disciples the Lord’s prayer, He told them that God gives to those who ask, is found by those who seek, and opens the door to those who knock (11:5-13). Within these few chapters of John, He repeatedly promises that His Father will give what the disciples ask: “Whatever you ask in My name, that I will do” (14:13); “Ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you” (15:7); “If you shall ask the Father for anything, He will give it to you in My name” (16:23).

But what has God promised? He has promised that all nations will be blessed in Abraham’s seed, that the world will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea, that His will will be done on earth as in heaven. He has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus; to provide food, clothing, and all necessities; to deliver us from evil and to give us strength in all temptations; as we saw last week, to fill the world with righteousness.

ABIDING IN CHRIST

The promise of John 15:7 and 16 should not be taken out of the context of John 15 as a whole. Jesus uses the image of the vine and branches to describe our relationship with Him. He is the vine, the true Israel, and in Him is all life and health. Branches are good for nothing when they are cut from the vine, and can bear fruit only if they stay in the vine. Jesus therefore urges His disciples to “abide in Me” because outside of Him, we are incapable of doing anything (v. 5). How do we abide in Jesus? We abide in Jesus when His word abides in us (v. 7), and we abide in Him by keeping Jesus’ commandments (v. 10), and particularly His commandment to love one another (v. 12). We can abide in Jesus only if we remain in communion with other disciples of Jesus, other members of His body, other branches in the vine. As the Word of Jesus abides in us, and as we keep His word, we become more and more attuned to His desires, purposes, and passion for the world and for us. As we abide in Jesus, our prayers are more a more specifically conformed to God’s will for us.

PRAYER OF FAITH

The Westminster Confession says that true faith responds to all God’s words appropriately, trusting His promises, obeying His commands, trembling at His threats. Prayer is the natural result of faith: God says, ask for this and I’ll give it, and if we have true faith, we ask.

Sermon Notes for August 20:

Holy War, Ephesians 6:10-18

INTRODUCTION

What is God up to in the world? We saw last week that God is at work to perfect His people, to bring them to maturity, and to glorify us and the world. But the Bible also describes God’s work in the world with the word “righteousness.” Paul claims that the gospel is all about the revelation of God’s righteousness, and Jesus pronounces blessing on those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Establishing righteousness means making war against unrighteousness.

THE TEXT

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. . . .” (Ephesians 6:10-18).

RIGHTEOUSNESS

“Righteousness” sometimes refers to individual obedience to God, but it often means something broader. “Righteousness” means “justice” or “right order.” To say God is establishing righteousness means that He’s putting a sin-corrupted world back together again. To do this, He not only works through the Spirit to produce the fruits of the Spirit, but also judges and destroys His enemies. God is a Warrior, and His purpose in the world is to defeat all his enemies.

WARFARE AND CHRISTIAN LIFE

Christians are called to be partners with God in the work of establishing and extending the righteousness of God’s rule. When we are justified, we are put into a right relation with God, but we are also deployed into a battle to establish righteousness on earth. Throughout Scripture, the life of faith is depicted as a life of battle. Abraham battled against kings in the land to rescue lot; Moses led people in battle, and Joshua conquered the land; David, the man after God’s own heart, was a lifelong soldier. Even the Old Testament saints who were not soldiers were militant in their faith - think of Samuel and Elijah and Jeremiah. Jesus is the Greatest of the Holy Warrior of Scripture, taking on the greatest enemies of all - Sin, Death, and the Devil.

This militancy is not confined to the Old Testament. Christians too are called to be warriors of Christ. In fact, the “armor of God” to which Paul refers is not so much the armor that God gives as the armor that He Himself uses in His warfare (cf. Isaiah 59:16-21). Like our Lord, we take on the greatest enemy, confident of victory: “We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers” (Ephesians 6:12), and our weapons are not fleshly but spiritual (2 Corinthians 10:3-5). Through Jesus, we overcome Sin and Death. While this includes struggle with the sin in our own members (Romans 6), it also involves struggle for justice in the world, a passion to see God’s righteousness established.

WORSHIP AND WAR

Paul lists prayer among the weapons of Christian warfare, and Scripture teaches more broadly that our worship is an act of war. Many of the Psalms were composed by a warrior to be sung by warriors, and 2 Chronicles 20 and other passages show that worship involves calling on God to rise up against His and our enemies.
Sermon for August 13

Sermon Notes for August 13:

Bringing Sons to Glory, Hebrews 2

INTRODUCTION

We tend to read the Bible as if it were only about God working out our salvation from sin. But that is too narrow an understanding of God’s purposes in creation. As James Jordan has put it, the Bible is salvation history, an account of holy war, and the story of the maturation of man into glory.

THE TEXT

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward. . . .” (Hebrews 2:1-18).

WHAT’S IN THE BIBLE?

If we think of the Bible as a book only about salvation from sin, we have a hard time accounting for its actual contents. Think of the stories of the patriarchs. Yahweh promises to bless Abraham with a seed that will bring blessing to the nations, the same seed promised to Adam and Eve. Through the story of Abraham, Yahweh shows that He will overcome all obstacles – death, barrenness, threats from Pharaoh – to bring His promised seed into the world. But the story is also the story of Abraham’s growth in faith: He believes God, and in the end he is so confident in God that he is willing to sacrifice his long-awaited son. He grows also in glory, from being “Abram” to being “Abraham.” The story of Abraham is the story of God bringing Abram to maturity, to what the Bible calls “perfection.”

And what is the point of the lengthy narrative of Jacob? It again focuses on Yahweh’s faithfulness in keeping His promises, but it also tells the story of Jacob’s growth in wisdom and skill in deflecting the threats of his brother Esau. If Abraham grows into the kind of man who is willing to sacrifice his son, Jacob grows into the kind of man who knows how to pacify a murderous brother. The story of Joseph is about a man who matures through trials to become second to Pharaoh in Egypt.

INFANCY OF ISRAEL

Maturation is not only a major focus in individual stories but a major theme of the Bible as a whole. As Paul describes the story of the Bible, it moves from the “minority” of Israel to the “maturity” of the church. Under the Old Covenant, Israel was under tutors, guardians, and managers (Galatians 3-4), but now that Jesus has come we have come to mature manhood. Through Jesus, many sons have been brought to glory. This does not mean that they have been brought into heaven. It means that sons have been glorified, brought to full humanity. This is as much the goal of the work of Jesus as our deliverance from sin.

PRAYER

This has important implications for prayer. In a number of respects, we are to pray like little children. We should recognize that we can’t do anything without our Father’s help, and ask Him with the confidence of a trusting child. But in other respects the Bible teaches us to grow up (1 Corinthians 14:20). Through immersion in Scripture, through consistent prayer over many years, through learning the Psalms, we should aspire to mature until our desires imitate God’s desires, our thoughts His thoughts, our prayers His will. God wants us to grow from priests, who need explicit guidance at every turn; to become kings, who can discern good and evil and make judgments in complicated situations; to become prophets, members of God’s council and advisors to the heavenly King.

Sermon Notes for August 6th

God, the World, and Your Prayers, Exodus 32:1-14

INTRODUCTION

As a church, we believe that before the foundation of the world God ordained whatever happens in the world, down to the slightest detail. But this seems to be contrary to some explicit statements of Scripture, which talk about God changing His plans. And it seems to nullify the significance of our prayers. How do we put all these things together?

THE TEXT

“Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make us a god who will go before us’ . . . .” (Exodus 32:1-14).

ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO HIS WILL

Scripture does teach that God works all things according to the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:11), works everything for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and does as He pleases among the hosts of heaven and among the peoples of the earth (Daniel 4:34-37). Ecclesiastes 11:5 says that God “made” or “does” all, and on either translation it means that God is the ultimate source for every thing that exists, for all the relations among things, and for the development of things in time.

Other teachings of Scripture depend on this. If God reveals Himself in all things, then He must somehow be in control of all things. The doctrine of “general revelation” assumes that God is the ultimate cause of everything. We are to give thanks to God for all things, and that assumes that everything that happens to us somehow comes as a gift from God. God knows the future in every last detail, and He can know the future only if the future exists in some sense, exists in His mind and plan. If you deny that God has planned everything, it’s quite logical to say He doesn’t know the future.

HE CHANGED HIS MIND

At the same time, Scripture speaks frequently about God changing His mind. Abraham is able to convince the Lord to spare Sodom if He can find ten righteous men (Genesis 18). When Yahweh was ready to destroy Israel because of their sin at Sinai, Moses convinced Him to “change His mind” (Exodus 32:14). Jeremiah encourages the people of Judah to repent and avoid destruction, reminding them of how God “changed His mind” in the days of Hezekiah (Jeremiah 26:13, 19). When Amos pleads with God for Israel, the Lord changes His mind and does not bring judgment (Amos 7:1-6).

It’s not accurate to say that God didn’t really change His mind in these events. The Bible says He did, and we believe that the Bible is true. How can we reconcile this with the passages that teach God has planned everything, and the explicit statements that God does not change His mind (1 Samuel 15:29)? There is a great mystery here, but the best thing to say is this: “God changed His mind” is true not in spite of His decree, but because of His decree. The decree determines what is real, and God decreed the whole situation of threatening-and-changing-His-mind. “God changed is mind” is as true as “I changed my mind.”

YOUR PRAYERS

The God of Scripture is high and exalted above creation, but He is also within the creation, interacting with creation, responding to our actions and words. His interactions are as real as our interactions with each other. And thus it’s true that prayer changes things. As James said, “You have not because you do not ask.”

Sermon Notes for July 2

End of Judah, 2 Kings 23:31-25:30

INTRODUCTION

After Josiah, Judah unravels rapidly. Josiah’s son is imprisoned by Pharaoh Neco (23:33), and before long Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonians are invading, destroying the temple and the city (24:1). It is Good Friday for Israel.

THE TEXT

“Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. Now Pharaoh Necho put him in prison at Riblah. . . .” (2 Kings 23:31-25:30).

HISTORY AND TORAH

Overall, the historical books (Joshua-2 Kings) can be seen as a fulfillment of the promise and threat of the Torah, and the historical books run parallel to the Mosaic Pentateuch. Joshua tells about the inheritance of the land that had been promised to Abraham. Judges tells of 12 judges, who correspond to the 12 sons of Jacob. In the books of Samuel, David appears as a new Moses who leads the people out of bondage to Philistia, conquers the city of Jerusalem, and sets up a tent there. In many respects, Kings corresponds with the book of Numbers: the rebellion of Jeroboam is a golden-calf rebellion, but Israel continually rebels throughout 1-2 Kings, as in Numbers. The end of Kings corresponds with the end of Deut, which predicts the exile, but also the return.

SOLOMON DECREATED

As 2 Kings comes to a close, all that Solomon achieved unravels. The gold and silver he brought to the land is now taken out of the land (24:13), and the temple is torn down (25:9, 13-17), as is the palace. Israel’s land no longer extends to Solomonic boundaries; Nebuchadnezzar’s does. Instead of forming a marriage alliance with Egypt, as Solomon does, Jehoahaz becomes Pharaoh’s prisoner. This section also continues parallels between the Northern and Southern kingdom. Josiah dies like Ahab, and Josiah’s family is destroyed, as Ahab’s was, soon after his death. Importantly, there is also a shift in chronology. Chronology is sovereignty: The one in charge sets the times. At the end of Kings, the writer stops marking time by the reigns of kings of Israel and Judah and begins marking time by reference to Nebuchadnezzar’s reign (25:1, 8). These chapters are organized by two sequences of seven events, which run parallel to each other. The numerical association with creation indicates that Judah is being “decreated.”

2 Ki 23:31-24:2     2 Ki 24:8-25:1

1. Jehoahaz for 3 months   1. Jehoiachin for three months

2. Jehoahaz imprisoned by Phar 2. Jehoiachin imprisoned by Neb

3. Phar places Eliakim on throne; name 3. Neb places Mattaniah on throne; name change

4. Phar takes Jeho to Egypt, dies there 4. Neb takes Jehoiachin to Babylon; doesn’t die

5. Jehoiakim reigns 11 years   5. Zedekiah reigns 11 years

6. Jehoiakim rebels against Neb 6. Zedekiah rebels against Neb

7. God brings attackers   7. Yahweh rejects Judah

HOPE FOR DAVID

Yet, the book does not end with Good Friday. Jehoiachin is raised from prison, given new clothes, and set at the king’s table (25:27-30), all signs of future restoration for David’s house and for Judah.

Sermon Notes for May 28

2 Kings 22:1-23:3

INTRODUCTION

Hezekiah is a new David, Manasseh an idolatrous Solomon. Josiah reverses the sins of Jeroboam by bringing an end to Jeroboam’s liturgical experiments. Great as he is, he cannot save Judah from destruction. Huldah’s prophesies that Jerusalem, Judah, and the temple are doomed (22:16-20), and the narrator confirms that all his reforming efforts have not turned away Yahweh’s wrath against Manasseh (23:26ff.). From a Pauline perspective, this story shows that there is no redemption for Israel through the law, no matter how faithfully obeyed or enforced (Romans 8:1-4). As Habakkuk said, the law has “become impotent” (1:4).

STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY

The author describes Josiah in terms that show he is comparable to the great heroes in Kings and the entire OT. He is another Hezekiah, who also walks as David walked (v. 2). He is like Joash in his devotion to maintaining the temple (22:4-7; cf. 12:6-16). Like Joash, Josiah is a boy king, who is eight when he ascends to the throne (22:1). In his 18^th year, again following the example of Joash he begins to repair the temple, reversing the damage done by Manasseh. During the repairs, the priest Hilkiah finds a copy of the “book of the law,” perhaps a copy of Deuteronomy (22:8).

Josiah is also a Moses, who conforms to the law of Moses (23:25), proclaims the law, and destroys golden calves. He is also Joshua, refusing to turn to the right or left (23:6; cf. Deuteronomy 5:32; Joshua 1:7), reverses the Canaanitization program of Israel’s kings and completes the conquest. Between Joshua and 2 Kings there are only two Passover celebrations – Joshua’s (Joshua 5) and Josiah’s (2 Kings 23).

Josiah’s story covers two chapters, and the whole is chiastically organized:

1. Opening, 22:1-2: Josiah does not turn to right or left (Deuteronomic)

2. 22:3-20: book of the Torah found

3. 23:1-3: Renew covenant acording to “book of the covenant”

4. 23:4-20: Reforms of Josiah

3’. 23:21-23: Passover according to the “book of the covenant”

2’. 23:24: all the word of the “torah”

1’. 23:25: did law of Moses: turned to Lord with heart, soul, might (Deuteronomic)

BOOK OF THE LAW

Even before he finds the book of the law, Josiah is busy purging the temple. The description of his activities is closely parallel to Joash, but unlike Joash he does not run into problems with the priests. Josiah’s reaction to the reading of the book shows that it contained curses, and the reformation that follows suggests that he is responding to the laws in Deuteronomy (cf. phrase “book of the covenant” in Exodus 24:7; cf. Deuteronomy 29:21; 31:10-12). Josiah is the ideal king, who does what the Shema demands: He “hears” the word of Yahweh with a “tender heart” (v. 19).

The prophetess Huldah delivers an oracle against Judah and Jerusalem (vv. 16-17), and another directly to Josiah (vv. 18-20). The prophecy begins and ends with references to wrath, a wrath that will not be appeased. Josiah can save himself, but he cannot save the land or the temple. Though Josiah knows that judgment is coming, he does not simply resign himself to the prophecy. He responds by leading the people in renewing covenant (23:1-3) and then embarks on a large-scale reformation and cleansing.