The Virtuous Woman – Part 1 Sunday, October 13th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Proverbs 31:10-31 10Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil All the days of her life. 13She seeketh wool, and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands. 14She is like the merchants’ ships; She bringeth her food from afar. 15She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And a portion to her maidens. 16She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. 17She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms. 18She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: Her candle goeth not out by night. 19She layeth her hands to the spindle, And her hands hold the distaff. 20She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. 21She is not afraid of the snow for her household: For all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; Her clothing is silk and purple. 23Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land. 24She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant. 25Strength and honour are her clothing; And she shall rejoice in time to come. 26She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And in her tongue is the law of kindness. 27She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness. 28Her children arise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her. 29Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all. 30Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 31Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her own works praise her in the gates. Prayer Father, we thank you for the light of wisdom that is revealed in the Scriptures. And as we consider now this specific ray of light in this model of the virtuous woman, we ask that you would inspire us and motivate us and reveal to us the ways that we ought to pattern our own lives after this example. We ask for Your Holy Spirit in the name of Christ Jesus, and Amen. Introduction This morning, I am delighted to begin with you a three-part mini-series on the Proverbs 31 Woman. And these three sermons in Proverbs are going to set the stage for how to read and interpret the book of Esther, which we shall begin in November, Lord willing. So three sermons on Proverbs 31, and then Esther, that’s where we will be for the next few months, if you want to start reading and thinking ahead. Getting Our Bearings Well, let’s get our bearings first for where we are in the Bible. We are shifting gears from Mark’s Gospel in the New Testament to a Hebrew text that was likely written or recorded by Solomon around 900 BC. In the Biblical timeline, the book of Genesis spans about 2,300 years from Adam to Joseph.Moses comes on the scene around 1500 BC, 1500 years before the birth of Christ.And then about 500 years after Moses and the Exodus, you have the Davidic Monarchy established, and this brings us to Solomon’s reign which begins around 943 BC.We have in our Bibles multiple works by Solomon, we have Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon. But these three divinely inspired and canonical books are just a sample, the cream of the crop, of the many other things that King Solomon wrote. We read in 1 Kings 4:30-34, “And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men…and his fame was in all nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” So in addition to being king, Solomon was a kind of natural scientist, biologist, and philosopher. God gave to Solomon a special and supernatural gift of wisdom, and this gift was given so that knowledge might increase, advance, and be passed on to others, even to us who are living 3,000 years after Solomon reigned. Now if we zoom in on the book of Proverbs, we discover in chapter 1 that the whole purpose of this book is to train a young prince into a wise king. Proverbs is divinely inspired parental instruction. Listen to Proverb 1:1-8, “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; To perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother…” So Proverbs is a collection of riddles and wise sayings from a Father King & Mother Queen, that if observed, and if understood, and if obeyed, will turn a young and simple prince into a wise and just king. Proverbs was written to make those who read and obey it wise. Now there are many sins and mistakes that young men are prone to, and in the first 30 chapters Solomon covers them all: laziness, lust, drunkenness, violence, running your mouth, not listening to good advice, hanging with the wrong crowd, caving to bad peer pressure, not respecting your elders, wasting money, wasting time, trying to get rich quick instead of being patient and diligent, on and on Solomon goes. And then after all of that instruction and repetition, how does Solomon end the book?Well, we read in Proverbs 31:1 that the contents of this final chapter are, “The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.” Lemuel literally means “devoted or belonging to God.” We don’t know if this King Lemuel was a real person that Solomon knew, or just another title for Solomon himself, but in either case, these are the words of a king devoted to God, and an oracle that the king learned from his mother. So the contents of Proverbs 31 originates from the mouth of a godly woman, a godly and wise mother who wanted the best for her son and therefore had him commit these words to memory. Do Not Give Your Strength to Woman So what kind of oracle and advice does this godly mother give to her son? There are two sections to Proverbs 31. In verses 2-9, Lemuel’s mother gives him a poem about how a king should conduct himself.And then in verses 10-31 (our text), she describes the kind of woman that Lemuel should seek to marry. She gives him a description of the kind of daughter-in-law she wants to have.Godly mothers care about who their sons marry, and godly sons heed good advice from their mother. We read in verses 2-3, the Queen says to Lemuel, “What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? And what, the son of my vows? Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.”This threefold repetition of the question “What? What? What? Is another way of saying, “Listen, my son. Listen to me. Listen to your mother who bore you and raised you and dedicated you to God. Listen to the voice of your mother who knows you and loves you and wants what is best for you.”And then with his ears attentive to her voice, she says, “Do not give your strength to women.” This is a mother’s advice.This word that gets translated as “strength” is a very important Hebrew word which is pronounced hayil.Hayil is used 243 times in the Hebrew Bible, and it most frequently has a military connotation that signifies physical strength to fight, or to go to war, or to rule and govern with ability. A man that has hayil is a man of valour. For example, it says in Exodus 18:25, “Moses chose able men (men with hayil) out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.”In the book of Ruth, Boaz is called a “mighty man of hayil” (אִ֚ישׁ גִּבּ֣וֹר חַ֔יִל), he is a great man with wealth, valour, and strength. And so here in this context of Proverbs 31, King Lemuel’s mother is saying, do not give your hayil, your wealth, your substance, your power, your virility, sexual or otherwise, to women (note the plural!). So if that is the negative command, “Don’t do that.” What is the positive exhortation? What then should the prince do to avoid wasting his strength? Well, the answer is he needs to find one virtuous woman and marry her. And that is what verses 10-31 portray. The Virtuous Woman Now before we look at the first section of this passage, there are couple things you need to know. First, this is an acrostic poem, which means that each verse begins with a new letter in the Hebrew alphabet and goes all the way through. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, and there are 22 verses starting with verse 10 and going through verse 31. So to translate this into English terms, this is the A to Z of what a godly woman looks like. Every letter in the Hebrew alphabet begins a new verse to describe this woman. It would be kind of like writing an anniversary card for your wife and saying I am going to describe you with every letter in the alphabet: “A is for how Attractive you. B is for how Beautiful you are. C is for how great a Cook you are. And so on. That is essentially what Proverbs 31:10-31 is, a Hebrew acrostic poem from Aleph to Tav, it is a comprehensive vision for a virtuous wife. So that’s the first thing, this is a Hebrew acrostic poem that was written to be easily memorized (at least in Hebrew). Second, this portrait is not describing what a young woman in her teens or twenties must be before she gets married, but rather, it is describing what a godly woman becomes as she walks with God for many many years, raises children, manages a household, served the Lord, and loves her husband. In this sense, a young prince like Lemuel is being taught to look for the seeds of these virtues in a potential wife. And then once he is married, this portrait gives him and his wife a model to pattern their own marriage and household after. It is the wife’s responsibility to cultivate her own gifts and virtues that God has given her, but it is also the husband’s responsibility to see that she does not neglect those gifts and qualities. So remember this description is given in the first instance not to women, but to Lemuel, a man. A husband should not expect his wife to become the Proverbs 31 woman overnight, or on her own. This is a model and example for the husband to know and study, so that he can sanctify his wife, resource and encourage her in these ways. So to summarize my second qualification: what we are about to look at in these verses (this week and next) is a vast and beautiful garden in full bloom after years of weeding, pruning, and toil in the soil. This is the glory that comes from a long obedience in the same direction, and not a microwaved glory that disappears as quickly as it comes. That means we should both expect to fall short of this model and example (because its perfection), but also, we should be inspired to become this and aim at this over time and make the necessary changes now according to our life and circumstance. Applying this passage is going to look different if you are 13, or 25, or 65, whether you are married, unmarried, widowed, divorced, etc. There is something here for everyone to imitate. An essential aspect of wisdom is knowing how to discern the principle, and then apply it to your unique and individual circumstances. You need to the fear of God to do that. Now to our text. Outline of the Text There are three basic sections to this poem: 1. Verses 10-12 describe the woman’s value.2. Verses 13-27 describe the woman’s actions.3. Verses 28-31 describe the woman’s praiseworthiness. This morning we’ll only cover that first section, verses 10-12, and then next week we’ll cover the rest. Verse 10 10Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies. The first thing we learn about the virtuous woman is that she is not easy to find. Virtue is rare in a world of sinners (and even more rare in a world dominated by feminism and false teaching), and therefore a young man must do the hard work of searching, asking, knocking, networking, praying to God and pleading for God’s favor. We read in Proverbs 19:14, “Houses and riches are an inheritance from fathers, But a prudent wife is from the Lord.” Likewise in Proverbs 18:22 it says, “He who finds a wife finds a good thing, And obtains favor from the Lord.” So a virtuous woman is rare and precious, and you need God’s favor to find one. Now recall that Lemuel’s mother told him not to give his strength/hayil to women. Well guess what the Hebrew word that gets translated as virtuous is in this verse? It’s that same Hebrew word, hayil.The “virtuous woman” in Hebrew is called an wife with hayil. She is a woman of valour/strength/competence/substance.And so Lemuel’s mother is saying, don’t give your masculine hayil to a bunch of women, find one woman who has feminine hayil, and marry her.Now if you want to see the difference between masculine hayil and feminine hayil, the place to go is the book of Ruth. Because there is one woman in particular that the Hebrew Bible explicitly praises as a virtuous woman. And that woman is Ruth. Boaz is called an ish-gibor-hayil (a mighty man of valour), and he says in Ruth 3:10-11, “Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for thou hast shewed more kindness in the latter end than at the beginning, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.” In some versions of the Hebrew Bible, the book of Ruth is placed right after the book of Proverbs. And so reading in that order you would have this description of the Proverbs 31 woman, and then you would meet that woman in the person of Ruth. Recall also, Ruth is the great grandmother of King David, and the great-great grandmother of King Solomon. Some have speculated that perhaps this poem of Proverbs 31 originated with Ruth or Naomi and was passed down to Lemuel’s mother as family heirloom, the poem of the virtuous wife. Whatever the case, if you want to know what a virtuous woman looks like in an esepcially hard circumstance, Ruth is your example. And if you want to know what a man of virtue looks like, Boaz is your example.Boaz and Ruth, although economically very un-equal, are a great match because they are equal in virtue. They both have hayil in the way that God intended.So in answer to the question, “Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.” Well, it helps if you are a man of virtue and know what to look for. A prudent wife is from the Lord.In verses 11-12 we see why she is so valuable. Verses 11-12 11The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil. 12She will do him good and not evil All the days of her life. A virtuous woman is trustworthy. And that is extremely high praise given what Scripture says elsewhere about trusting other human beings. Psalm 118:8 says, “It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 39:5 says, “Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.” Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the Lord.” So a virtuous wife is not a substitute for trusting in God, but she is a rare and reliable confidant for her husband because she herself trusts in God.What makes a woman trustworthy then are the other virtues of 1) prudence, 2) discretion, and 3) love. 1. A prudent wife does not gossip or complain to others about her husband’s faults. We read later in this poem in verse 26, “the law of kindness is on her lips.” When she opens her mouth wisdom is what comes out. 2. Likewise, a discrete wife knows what details to disclose and what details to omit when she speaks of personal matters to others. Recall the qualifications for a deacon’s wife that we studied a couple weeks again, Paul says in 1 Timothy 3:11, “Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things.” He says further in Titus 2:3-5, exhort all “the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Jesus says that, “Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.” And therefore, a discrete woman must first cleanse her own heart, keep her own heart with all diligence, and then is able to safely keep the heart of her husband. “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil.” He has no fear of betrayal. 3. Third, a loving wife always and ever seeks the good of her husband, and that love covers a multitude of sins. Where love and trust are lacking in a marriage, true intimacy will be lacking as well. Our souls can only intermingle with one another, when there is mutual trust and mutual love that comes from the Holy Spirit.Summary: A virtuous woman is trustworthy. She is prudent and discrete, and the sign of that trustworthiness is that her husband can say in all honesty, “my wife has done me no evil but only good all the days of my life.” That is a really high bar and very high praise, and you can see why such a woman of virtue is hard to find and more precious than rubies. Conclusion Let me close with a few exhortations according to the different ages and stages of life in this room. First to the young men. If you want to find a virtuous wife, then you must become the kind of man a virtuous young woman would want to marry. A virtuous woman will not be attracted to you if you are lazy and broke, with no substance to give. In our day, many men have wasted their strength on women through pornography, through gambling, through the many deceptive snares of the world that promise immediate pleasure instead of the far greater and true satisfaction of hard work, self-denial, and chastity. And so heed the words of Paul who says to Timothy, flee these things. Flee the love of money, flee the deceptive woman, flee pornography and the lying snares of the devil. They are all liars that will rob your hayil and destroy you. I say again, If you want to find a virtuous wife, you must become the kind of man a virtuous woman would want to marry. Second, to the young women. I said earlier and it bears repeating, that this portrait of the virtuous wife is like the king’s palace garden in full bloom after many years of hard obedience. You don’t get acres of mature fruit trees and beautiful flowers overnight, or even in a few years. It is decades in the works. And so to borrow that imagery, you are starting with one little garden bed. Weed it. Tend it. Water it. Plant it. Nourish it. Care for it. And as it says in Zechariah 4:10, “Don’t despise that day of small beginnings.” The garden is your soul. Your life. Your responsibility. And so remember the words of Jesus who said, “He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much” (Luke 16:10), and if “you have been faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over many things” (Matt. 25:23). So practice faithfulness in your little garden bed, and God will in due time expand your borders. Third, to those who are married and only see in this portrait just how far you are from these virtues. Take heart and remember who is the source of every virtue: It is Jesus Christ. It says in John 1:14, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” This means that where you are presently is just the beginning and not the end. God wants to take your ashes and give you beauty. God wants to take your shame, your fear, your broken past, and give you a new chapter that is characterized by grace and truth. If you want that, God offers it to you every day. His mercies are new every morning. So call upon him, confess your failures and sins to Him. Go to the one of whom it says in Psalm 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield: The Lord will give grace and glory: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Amen.

The Apostolic Mission Sunday, September 22nd, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 16:15-20 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. 19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Prayer Father, we thank you for the obedience and faith of the apostles, and that through their witness, and by the power of Your Spirit, the gospel has gone out into the world. The news of Christ’s resurrection has reached our ears, it has pierced our heart, and it continues to scatter the darkness. And so reign now in us O King of light, that we might reign with You forever, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:8, “Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” This morning, we come to the end of Mark’s gospel. We began this series on April 2nd, 2023, and now over a year later, you who are patient in spirit and have attended closely unto this word shall be richly rewarded with its conclusion.Mark has taken us from John’s baptism in the wilderness, through Christ’s ministry in Galilee, up to his passion in Jerusalem. And now at the close of his gospel, He ends where he began, but in a new and better way.For we read in Mark 1:1-3, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” And so this gospel began with the prophet and messenger John baptizing and preaching in the wilderness. And now this gospel concludes with eleven new prophets, eleven new messengers (apostles), sent forth to baptize and preach in the whole world. Humble and local beginnings in Galilee now give way to grand and global new beginnings with a new message. Jesus is alive. Jesus is Lord. And what has brought about this great change? The new king David now sits upon his throne. And so this morning, I want us to consider two questions that arise from this text: 1. The first question (and the one we’ll spend most of our time on) is, “What was the apostolic mission of the 1st century?” Or to put it another way, “What did Jesus command the apostles uniquely to do? 2. Second, we will conclude by asking, “In what ways do we carry on that apostolic mission?” Outline of the Text There are two basic movements here: In verses 15-18, Jesus gives the eleven apostles their marching orders.In verses 19-20, Jesus ascends to heaven, and the eleven carry out those marching orders.So starting in verse 15 let’s walk through this text together. Verse 15 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. Who are the “them” that Jesus is speaking to here? Recall from last week that the disciples did not believe that Jesus was alive when Mary Magdalene told them, or when Cleopas and his companion told them. And then we read in verse 14, “Afterward he [Jesus] appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.” And so the “them” that Jesus is giving this commission to is the eleven disciples who he just chastised for their unbelief and hardness of heart. This is also the same as what Matthew records at the end of his gospel. He writes in Matthew 28:16-20, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” So although this text is often called The Great Commission, and we use this is a proof text for the church’s mission today, we must not overlook the fact that this mission in the very first instance and original context is uniquely given to the eleven apostles. Even in the 1st century, these orders to “go and preach” were not given to every individual believer. This order was not given to Mary Magdalene, or to Mary the mother of Jesus, or even to Cleopas and other male believers who were outside of the eleven. Christ called a special group of men from amongst the larger body of believers to do this work. Recall that Jesus had many followers, but we read that early on in Mark 3:13-14, “Jesus went up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach.” So while all creation is called to believe and follow Christ, only a select few, those whom Christ ordains, are called to go and preach in all the world. This is of course keeping with what James says in his epistle, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). And so this command to, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” does not apply directly to every individual Christian. This is a unique command, given to the eleven, and then as the book of Acts records, the apostolic office is extended to Mathias who replaces Judas, and then later to Paul when Christ visits him on the road to Damascus.So the apostles are a select few that have a special job to pour the concrete for the Christian church. Paul says in Ephesians 2:19-22, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” So Jesus is the chief architect, he is the author and finisher of our faith. And then he employs the apostles to be his fellow laborers. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:9-11, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” When you build a house, how many times do you lay the foundation? If you do it correctly, only once. Did God make a mistake when he laid the foundation of the church in Christ and the apostles? No.And that is why the church has always recognized that while there might be missionaries and evangelists and church planters who we can call lower case “apostles” (because their work is similar to The Apostles), still in terms of being ordained by Jesus to lay the foundation of the church, there are only these original 12 and their band. This is further confirmed by the vision of the church that John sees in Revelation 21. There he sees the New Jerusalem descending out of heaven from God and he says, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:14). Summary: The risen Christ gave these orders to go and preach to the apostles, and therefore everything that follows in the next verses applies uniquely to them. Verses 15-18 15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. Notice first that the scope of the apostolic mission is worldwide and to every creature. This is important to establish that salvation is offered not only to the Jews, or Israelites, but to every human being that has breath in their lungs. There is no nation, however wicked and barbaric that is beyond the grace of God. If Jesus died and rose again, then he can cause entire nations and civilizations to likewise die and rise again. For as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” He says in Romans 1:14-15, that as an apostle, “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.” So the gospel is for all creatures. It is for Greek philosophers, for backwards Barbarians, for Cretans who Paul affirms “are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons” (Titus 1:12). And so if the gospel is for Cretans, the gospel is for Americans. It is for our lying, and evil, and lazy butts. This is the great hope that grounds all of our evangelistic efforts: That If Jesus Christ died and rose again, then he can cause entire nations and civilizations likes ours to likewise die and rise again renewed. That is the apostolic hope, and the scope of the apostolic mission: ever creature under heaven. Now how exactly do these creatures enter into the kingdom? How is the foundation of the church laid?Well, there are three tools or weapons or instruments that Christ gives to the apostles. And we could categorize them as follows: 1. There is preaching. 2. There is baptism. 3. And there are supernatural signs. Or to put it another way, there is 1) Word, 2) Sacrament, and 3) Extraordinary gifts of the Spirit. Let’s consider each of these in their turn. Instrument #1 – Preaching of the Word Jesus says, “preach the gospel to every creature.” Paul says in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”So the ministry of the apostles is first and foremost a ministry of publishing the truth and refuting error. In Acts we find them preaching in the temple and the synagogues, and other public forums like the Areopagus in Athens (Acts 17), or the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus (Acts 19). Paul says in Acts 20:20-21 to the Ephesians elders, “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” And so the apostles are the heavens we sing about in Psalm 19. They declare the glory of God to all creation. In Romans 10:17-18, Paul applies Psalm 19 to his own ministry when he says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, [quoting Psalm 19:4] their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” Christ is the sun shining and lighting up the world, and the heavens are the apostles proclaiming his glory. That is what true preaching is. We magnify God. We speak of the glory and infinite value of God. We tell people to stop staring at themselves and staring at earthly things, and to look up to heaven to where Christ is, seated, enthroned, and reigning as King. The mark of true preaching is that raises your eyes to God. This is Christ’s chosen instrument for raising the dead. The Word of God is alive and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. And the apostles proclaimed that living and incarnate Word to all creation, and through their preaching heaven invades the earth. Instrument #2 – The Sacrament of Baptism Jesus says in verse 16, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Now recall who this announcement is directed to in the first instance. This is a warning first to the eleven that if they (who have been hardhearted) do not believe, they will not be saved. It is also a command for them to be baptized, not merely with water, but with the power of the Holy Spirit. We read in Acts 1:4-5 that Jesus, “being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” So in order for the apostles to work signs and wonders (all the extraordinary gifts described in the next verses), they must believe and be baptized by the Holy Ghost. And this is also the case for you and I if we want to avoid damnation. And so there are two errors we need to avoid when it comes to the topic of baptism. One error is to downplay the importance and necessity of baptism, as if it is just optional. Against this error Jesus says in John 3:5, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” So unless you are the thief on the cross, and physically cannot come down to get baptized, then you really do not have any good excuse. If that is you, come talk to the elders, request baptism, and we’ll make it happen. A second error is to treat baptism as if it automatically grants you entrance into heaven. Against this error is the example of Simon the Sorcerer, who tried to buy the Holy Spirit with money and was rebuked by the Apostle Peter. It says in Acts 8:13, “Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.” And then a few verses later Peter says to him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” So notice, Simon believed and was baptized, and yet he was still trapped in the gall of bitterness and the bonds of iniquity. And unless he truly repented, he died in his sins. Remember, not all faith is saving faith. And baptism does not automatically save you. But baptism is not optional for Christians, it is commanded by God.What is certain, is that unbelief damns you. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” Instrument #3 – Extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; 18They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. In the book of Acts we find almost all of these signs accompanying the apostles. Of casting out devils we read in Acts 19:11-12, “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.” Of speaking with new tongues, we have the Pentecost event in Acts 2. Of taking up serpents we heard from Acts 28 that “when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand…And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm.” Of healing the sick we read in Acts 3, that Peter said to the lame man at the temple, “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ancle bones received strength.” The only sign not recorded in the book of Acts is drinking something deadly and going unharmed. However, the church father St. Augustine said that to drink a deadly thing without being harmed is a reference to reading and engaging with the arguments of heretics in order to refute them. He writes, “For what else are hearing, reading and copiously depositing things in the memory, than several stages of drinking in thoughts? The Lord, however, foretold concerning his faithful followers, that even “if they should drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them.” And thus it happens that they who read with judgment, and bestow their approval on whatever is commendable according to the rule of faith, and disapprove of things which ought to be repudiated, even if they commit to their memory heretical statements which are declared to be worthy of disapproval, they receive no harm from the poisonous and depraved nature of these sentences.” So for Augustine, when Paul cited pagan poets and philosophers, and other non-inspired writers from memory, he was as one who had drunk poison and went unharmed. He had the spiritual maturity to judge truth from error. He knew how to plunder the Egyptians while not becoming an Egyptian himself. And so similarly for us today who read books other than the Bible, we also must take heed that if we drink poison, if we read what unbelievers write, that we have discerning tongues to judge what accords with faith, and what does not. In the words of 1 John 4:1, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” So those are three weapons that Christ gives to the apostles. And then finally we read in verses 19-20 that they used those weapons. Verse 19-20 19So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. 20And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Notice that the purpose of these signs and wonders was to confirm the word preached. They were signs especially to the Jews “who seek signs,” that the apostles were true messengers from God.We also have here the fulfillment of Jesus words to the disciples in John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”Jesus preached and healed and cast out demons in Galilee and Judea. But when Jesus goes to His Father, and sends down the Holy Spirit, the apostles are empowered to preach and heal and cast out devils in the whole world.What is the greater work? To heal a man’s body which will later die. Or to heal a man’s soul and rescue it for eternity?What is the greater miracle? The resurrection of Lazarus, or the conversion of the heathen nations to Christ? Conclusion “In what ways do we carry on the apostolic mission? Many ways could be enumerated but I will limit myself to just four: We preach the same gospel as the apostles. When we preach the New Testament, we are preaching the very words the apostles wrote, approved of, and ratified.When we preach the Old Testament, we are obeying the apostolic teaching that “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”There is no other gospel or foundation other than Jesus Christ, and we carry on the apostle’s mission every time we preach the same Word that they preached.We baptize in the same name as the apostles. Paul says in Ephesians 4:5, there is “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” And Jesus commanded in the parallel of Matthew 28:19, to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”And so all who receive baptism in the Triune Name are joined to the “one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” And it is in this sense that we have “apostolic succession.” We preach the same faith. We believe the same doctrine. We baptize in the same name.We continue to send and support missionaries, evangelists, and little a “apostles” to plant churches where there are none. Many of the places where the apostles once planted churches, are now places that need to be re-evangelized: Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Thessalonica, Antioch, Jerusalem, Rome.Here in America, where true religion once flourished, and righteous laws prevailed, now what we have become? Decadent, depraved, perverted from the truth.We love one another with the same love that the apostles received from Christ. It says in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”And what is that more excellent way? What is the best spiritual gift to have? It is love. It is the supernatural love of God we call charity: which is patient, and kind, does not envy, and does not parade itself, is not puffed up, is not rude, does not seek its own, is not provoked, it thinks no evil, does not rejoice in inequity but rejoices in the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails…And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”May God give us this apostolic gift that is the crown of all gifts. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

He Is Risen Sunday, September 15th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 16:1-14 1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. 9Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. 10And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. 12After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. 13And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. 14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. Prayer O Father, we thank you that by Your Son’s resurrection, death is swallowed up by life. For the devil took the bait of Jesus’ flesh, and by that bait You hooked and caught the crafty serpent, and You have thrown down that ancient dragon and are still plundering his house. Continue that work as Christ’s resurrection is proclaimed in us, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, and Amen. Introduction In 1 Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul says that “if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…and ye are yet in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:14, 17). How do you know that your sins are forgiven? How do you know that your faith in Christ, and your hope for salvation is not an empty hope? Well, it all comes down to this question: Did Jesus Christ die and rise again? Did Jesus Christ die to pay the penalty for your sins, and did God accept that payment? How do you know your sins are forgiven? Well because God is gracious, He has not left you to wander in the dark on this question. Instead, He has given you the brightest of all lights in the Holy Scriptures. For starters, He has given to the world four distinct but harmonious accounts of Christ’s life, his teaching, his miracles, his death, his resurrection, and ascension on high. And within those four gospels we find a plurality of diverse witnesses to the empty tomb: we have angels, soldiers, chief priests, women, the disciples, amongst whom are unbelieving men, the hardhearted, and the skeptical. And yet what all of these witnesses attest to, both malicious and fair-minded, is that the body of Jesus is not in the tomb. Something happened. In Matthew we read that the Jewish elders bribed the guards into telling the tale that, “His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept” (Matt. 28:13). “We fell asleep,” is the best excuse they could come up with. And so even in the Jews’ attempt to discredit Jesus of Nazareth, they have unwittingly added their own witness to the reality that the body is not there. The tomb is empty. In addition to the four gospels, we also have the book of Acts, which records the history of the church from Christ’s ascension in 30 AD up to Paul’s Roman imprisonment around 59 AD, and all throughout those 28 chapters of Acts, the resurrection of Jesus is proclaimed and witnessed to, and believed on throughout the Roman Empire. This news of Christ’s resurrection was so widespread that Paul could say in Colossians 1:23 (written around 60 AD), it “was preached to every creature which is under heaven.” And so in the collection of books that we call the New Testament, are 27 distinct but harmonious witnesses to the resurrection of the Son of God. And most of the men who wrote those books, especially the apostles, sealed that witness to the resurrection in the blood of martyrdom. Something happened. Something that changed the Roman Empire. Something that changed Judaism. Something that changed fearful and ignorant men into bold and courageous apostles. What was that something? The church father St. Augustine argued that if someone does not believe in miracles, they are forced into a corner by the facts of history. Because either Jesus Christ miraculously rose from the dead. And if that is true, then believe on him for salvation. But if you deny that miracle, Augustine says, you are still left with perhaps an even greater miracle, namely, that without a resurrection, millions upon millions upon millions have freely believed on Jesus and had their lives transformed by him. And whereas unlike Islam, and other false religions, Christianity has conquered the world not by military threat and force of arms, or by the promise of sensual and earthly gain, but rather through love, through self-denial, by teaching contempt for this world, and repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Which is the greater miracle? That Jesus Christ rose from the dead? Or that he didn’t, and yet so many millions freely and joyfully believe that he did? Augustine contends, you’ve got a miracle either way. As Christians, we of course believe the former. And we defend against all adversaries that our faith in Christ’s resurrection is by no means in vain. In the words of the Apostle Paul, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable” (1 Cor. 15:19). In other words, if Jesus Christ is not risen, then this life is as good as it gets. And so get what pleasure you can while you can. But if Jesus Christ is risen, then for those who believe, this life is as bad as it gets, it cannot any worse than living here. Eternal life, with all the saints, in a new heavens and new earth awaits us, and as Jesus promised, the pure in heart shall see God. This is the ultimate desire of the Christian, to know God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent, and it is the resurrection of Jesus that assures us that our desire shall not go unfulfilled. Here in these 14 verses of Mark, we have God’s infallible witness to the resurrection of Jesus.And as we come to the end of Mark’s Gospel, and the second to last sermon in our series, we see that Mark’s love for irony continues to the end. For here, Mark has placed before us the greatest news that the disciples could ever hope for, Jesus is alive. He is risen. But instead of believing this news when they hear it, they don’t believe until Jesus himself appears to them. And so Mark has foregrounded for us the initial unbelief of the disciples, and he has done this in order to help us overcome our own doubts. So that we can find ourselves in these characters and learn the important difference between seeing and believing. For as Jesus said to Thomas in John 20:29, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” It is that blessing that Mark wants to give us by this resurrection account. Outline of the Text There are two basic sections to this text. In verses 1-8, the angel announces the resurrection to the women, and they tremble and are amazed.And then in verses 9-14, Jesus appears to the women and the disciples. So we have first the announcement of the resurrection by an angel, and then the actual resurrection appearances by Jesus. So let us walk through these verses together. Verse 1 1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Recall that the sabbath for the Jews ended at sunset on (what we call) Saturday night, roughly 6pm. And when that Saturday sabbath is past, they go out and buy spices.And then since it would be too dark to go visit the tomb, we read in verse 2… Verse 2 2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. So now it is what we call Sunday morning, around 6am, sunrise, and they have risen early to visit what they think will be the dead body of Jesus and a closed tomb.On their way there we read in verse 3… Verse 3 3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? So these women have not the strength to move the stone themselves. But on this day, that is no trouble. Their devotion is rewarded. Verse 4 4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. In Matthew’s account we are told that “there was a great earthquake, and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone” (Matt. 28:2). Verses 5-8 5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Notice that the very first proclamation of the resurrection comes from an angel. Just as the Virgin Mary was told by an angel that from her Christ the God-man would be born, so also now an angel is first to bring the good tidings to these women, that that same God-man is firstborn from the dead. He is risen. He is not here.These women are then commissioned to go and tell the disciples that Jesus has gone before them into Galilee, and that is where they will see him.Why Galilee? Galilee is the Shire. Galilee is where the story began. It was by the sea of Galilee that Jesus first called the disciples Simon and Andrew and told them, “I will make you into fishers of men” (Mark 1:17). Jesus has not forgotten that promise, even if the disciples have. But also, on the night of the Last Supper, Jesus told them in Mark 14:27-28, “All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.” So this is the regathering of the sheep. This was the plan all along, and so when the disciples hear from the women that Jesus is risen and waiting for them in Galilee, they are supposed to remember, that’s exactly what Jesus said would happen. He is calling them back to the beginning, back to their old stomping grounds, He is calling them back home. Because their ministry as fishers of men, which shall take them to the ends of the earth, is going to commence in just 50 days from now in Jerusalem. This is the apostle’s sabbatical before everything gets crazy. The angel says, “Tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” God really is the best storyteller. He knows what the disciples need, and He knows what you and I need when we are low and doubting. Sometimes, the remedy is to call us back to the familiar places, the places where we first met Jesus. The places where God spoke to us, and changed us, and where our faith was made strong in hearing His promises. For the disciples this was Galilee. For years they had seen Christ’s power there. He cast out demons, He healed the sick. He multiplied loaves and fishes. He raised the dead. He walked on water. He calmed a storm with His words. Those were the “good ol’ days” that the disciples have forgotten. Whatever faith or hope they had back then, has been shaken by the crucifixion, and so before Jesus appears to them in person, He wants to call their minds back to Galilee by the words of these women. For when they arrive there, they shall see him again. Where is Galilee for you? Where did God first meet you and change you and give you real joy? Where did you learn the sweetness and freedom of forgiveness, of having your heavy burdens removed? Perhaps it is not any specific geographic place, but rather for you it is a place in God’s Word, a verse, a story, a Psalm that gives you comfort? Or perhaps it is a fellow saint, a friend, or group of friends that stirred you up to love and good works, who made you want to love and serve Jesus more fervently. In Revelation 2, Jesus says to the church at Ephesus, “I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.” When the fire of your desire for God is waning, when there is no joy, the solution that Jesus prescribes is “Remember!” Go back to your first love. Remember from where you have fallen and do what you did when the love was hot. Put another way, “Go to Galilee.” Go to where God has met you in times past, and as it says in Jeremiah 29:13, “you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” Returning to our text, we have in verses 9-14, three different appearances of the risen Lord. Verse 9 9Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. The first person to see the risen Lord is a woman, and it is a woman who was formerly demon possessed. In John’s gospel we have a fuller account of this appearance, and there Mary mistakes Jesus for the gardener.It says in John 20:15-16, “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.”Here we have a new and Last Adam, a new keeper of the garden (the True Gardener), and with him, a new Eve, a new mother of the living. And so to Mary Magdalene is given the first announcement of the resurrection, and the first appearance of our Lord. God has made good on His promise that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. Christ is the serpent slayer.So seven devils were cast out of Mary, out of the woman. And now through her witness, the holy gospel is proclaimed. Verses 10-11 10And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. So here is the first instance of unbelief at the good news. They hear but do not believe. Verses 12-13 12After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. 13And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. This time Luke gives us the fuller account of this resurrection appearance. We read in Luke 24:13, how “two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.” We are told that one of them was named Cleopas, and the other disciple is unnamed. Jesus strikes up a conversation with them, they don’t recognize him, and so Jesus walks with them incognito, and it says in verse 27, “beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Eventually they arrive at their destination, they sit down to eat together, and it says verses 30-32, “Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” They then go back seven miles to Jerusalem, and tell the Eleven, “The Lord is risen indeed.” And Mark says, “neither believed they them.”Second strike against them. And we know from Luke that it was during this same meeting of the disciples that later Jesus appeared. Verse 14 14Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. Notice why Jesus rebukes them. Because they did not believe Mary when she told them. And they still did not believe after Cleopas and his companion told them. There are your two and three witnesses.And so the force of Christ’s rebuke applies to all who doubt what they hear, when the word of God is proclaimed. And conversely, the greatest commendation is reserved for those who Peter says, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9).Without faith, it is impossible to please God. And so believe the words of these formerly unbelieving apostles when they tell you, the tomb is empty, He is risen. And if you believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Buried Alive Sunday, September 8th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 15:40–47 40There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; 41(Who also, when he was in Galilee, followed him, and ministered unto him;) and many other women which came up with him unto Jerusalem. 42And now when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 43Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus. 44And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead: and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. 45And when he knew it of the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. 46And he bought fine linen, and took him down, and wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. 47And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. Prayer Father, we thank you for the devotion of your saints, of Joseph of Arimathea, of Mary Magdalene and the other women who beheld where Christ was laid. And we thank you for teaching us by their example how to adorn your body, with fine linen, with sweet spices, and with the pleasing fragrance of love and good works. Grant us to put on the righteousness of saints, for we ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen. Introduction Every Sunday we confess in the Nicene Creed that Jesus Christ “suffered and was buried.” Here in our passage this morning, Mark supplies for us the real inspired and historical basis for that confession, and with it he also introduces a brand-new group of disciples who we have yet to meet in his gospel thus far, namely female disciples. And so there are three questions I want us to consider in this sermon as we contemplate the burial of Jesus. Why does Mark wait until now to introduce these female followers of Jesus?What is the significance of Joseph of Arimathea?Where is Jesus while his body is laying in the tomb? Q1 – Why does Mark wait until now to introduce these female disciples? We are told in verse 41 that these women had followed Jesus and ministered to him when he was in Galilee. In Luke 8:2-3 we read likewise that, “certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, ministered unto him of their substance.” And so from early on in Christ’s ministry Jesus had female followers who gave him financial/material support. But if that is the case, why does Mark wait until now (at the very end of the book) to mention them? What is significant about this moment that warrants bringing these women into the foreground? There are few reasons but let me give you just one reason that is primary: And that is because these same female disciples will be the first to witness Christ’s resurrection. As we will see next week, these women will come again to Christ’s burial site, find the stone rolled away, and an angel will announce to them, “Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.” So unlike The Twelve, who were scattered and ran away, and who did not believe what Jesus had told them, that he must suffer and die and on the third day rise again, unlike The Twelve, these women stay at the cross and watch. And because they stayed and kept watch (even from a distance), they become key eyewitnesses to the most important event in human history. The death of Jesus, the burial of Jesus, and the empty tomb. And so keeping with Mark’s love for irony, he has reserved until now, to show forth that the woman’s deception which began in the garden, is undone by beholding and following Christ. Whereas Eve was deceived by the serpent and as it says in Genesis 3:6, “the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise,” here now these women, these daughters of Eve, behold something far more glorious than the forbidden fruit. They see through the veil of Jesus’ flesh, an open door welcoming them back into paradise. Eve desired the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and here these women find a better tree. The cross of Christ, and the One in whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are found (Col. 2:3). And so Mark shows for us here, the redemption of the female sex. And rather than Eve sharing the forbidden fruit (her sin) with Adam, God in his providence has so ordained that these women are first to share now the knowledge that saves, the good news of the risen Lord with their fellow male disciples. This is the infinite wisdom of God at work, who remembers His promise, and who does not forget any narrative thread, and who as the Author of all history has a sweet and glorious resolution for all those who love him. Do you believe this? Are there threads in your own life that feel broken, frayed, unresolved, or unresolvable. It says in Proverbs 13:12, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes (when the dream is fulfilled), it is a tree of life.” Whatever hopes you have that have been deferred, God wants you to give those hopes to Him, and for you to make Him your supreme hope. For as it says in Romans 5:5, the hope of the glory of God “does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given unto us.” And so while God does not promise to make you understand in this life all the reasons for Him doing what He does (and permitting what He permits), the cross teaches us that He can be trusted to work out evil for good. God can be trusted to take the seeds of your unfulfilled dreams and your hopes that have been deferred and to bury them with Christ so that in due time, they shall rise again transfigured and better than you could have ever hoped or imagined. This is what God has promised to those who love him. And so we learn from these female disciples to cling with love and holy devotion to Christ, even when it appears that all is lost. Even when it seems like God is dead. His body is buried. The bride of Christ knows the truth. In the words of Job 19:24-27, “I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” Does your heart yearn for God? Because this is the love that cannot be awakened too soon. Stir it up. Nourish it. Treasure His truth and His promise so that when you descend into the grave, living hope abides within you. This is what the burial of Christ teaches us. There is nowhere that you or I can go, that Christ has done not already gone and lit up with his glorious power. The bands of death cannot hold him, because as true man He is also true God. Now the women of course do not comprehend this all yet, but they exemplify by their presence at the tomb, what the bride of Christ ought to do. And in a similar way Jospeh of Arimathea is also an example for us. Q2 – What is the significance of Joseph of Arimathea? First of all, who was this man? Mark tells us in verse 43 he was, “an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God.” By honorable counsellor is meant that he was a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, the same judicial body that had just condemned Jesus to death. And so while it is possible that Joseph was in attendance at that trial when Christ was convicted, Luke tells us explicitly that, “He had not consented to their decision and deed. [and that he was] a good and just man.” In Matthew’s account, he adds that Joseph was also a “rich man.” And so again, this is an unexpected person to find at the most crucial moment in the story. Joseph is rich, Joseph is a member of the Sanhedrin, Jospeh is in the Jewish aristocracy of which Christ has been a vocal critic of. In John’s gospel we are given even more information when he says, “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus” (John 19:38). So Joseph was a secret disciple. He was afraid of publicly identifying with Jesus lest he lose his position and status amongst the Jews. Like Nicodemus, who also appears at Christ’s burial (in John’s account), these are men of whom it says in John 12:42-43, “Among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.” This is the temptation of the rich and powerful. And it is one of the reasons why it is so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. The rich have so much more to lose than those in the lower classes. And so it is all the more impressive when such a man risks his own life and wealth and status to bury the body of Jesus. Mark highlights this for us when he says Joseph “went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus.” The crucifixion of Christ has changed something in Joseph. For him the death of Christ has not made him more afraid like the disciples had become, instead it has had the opposite effect. He who formerly craved and desired the praise of men, now comes boldly before Pilate’s throne, craving the body of Jesus. And so here again we have an example to imitate. If you would desire to see the kingdom of God, you must be willing like Joseph to risk your job and status and wealth and life to have the body of Christ. This is how as it says in 1 John 4:18, “perfect love casts out fear.” When your desire to please God and be approved of by Him exceeds all other loves and all other approval, then your fear of man is extinguished. The degree to which your love for God burns with zeal, to that same degree your fear of death and your fear of loss is removed. For as Paul says, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. This is what the death of Christ changed for Joseph of Arimathea, and it is what the death of Christ should stir up in you. If Jesus gave up heaven to have you, how can you not give up your sorry life on earth to have the One who is Heaven? This is how the rich man enters the kingdom of God. This is how God brings the camel goes through the eye of a needle; He makes Christ to bear our sins and pass through the eye of death. Summary: Now another important aspect of this burial account is that it proves that Jesus really died. In case there was any doubt that Jesus was truly man, and that he truly suffered and died on the cross, the gospels supply multiple witnesses (men and women) to confirm that he had no pulse. In verse 44 we read that Pilate himself marveled that Jesus was dead so soon. And so he asks the Centurion to confirm this. And so lest anyone doubt the true death of Jesus, we have it confirmed by both Jews and Romans, men and women, by those hostile to Christ and those who loved him, that Jesus really died and was buried. The burial further proving that such death took place. For no human mere being could survive all of this. And so before we consider the resurrection next week, let us consider our third and final question which is… Q3 – Where is Jesus while his body is laying in the tomb? Recall what we said last week about the hypostatic union, or the mystery of the Incarnation. Namely that because Jesus is God, and he is One divine person with Two distinct natures, fully man and fully God, therefore,even when Christ’s body is separated from his soul (he was truly dead), that dead body was never and could not be separated from the Son of God. Put another way, because the union of the two natures (human and divine) takes place at the level of the Person (the eternal Word), and because that Divine Person has “life in Himself” (John 5:26), therefore, the union of Christ’s flesh to His Person cannot be severed. Even in death, Christ is alive! This is how death is swallowed up by life. Through this unbreakable union between His flesh and His Person, Jesus can say things like: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). Or in John 10:18, “No one takes my life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again.” So while his soul was severed from his body, his body was never severed from His Person. And so returning to our original question of “Where is Jesus while his body is in the tomb?” To this we can give three answers: 1. First, according to his flesh, Jesus is dead. His lifeless corpse rests in Joseph’s tomb and the prophesy of Isaiah 53:9 comes to pass which says, “And he made his grave with the wicked, And with the rich in his death.” And it is in this sense and in this sense alone (!) thatcan we say, “God died.” Paul speaks this way in Acts 20:28 when he says, “feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.” The Divine Essence has no blood, God has no body that you can cut or wound, except according to the human nature of the Son. And so Jesus truly died, and that meant his lifeless corpse rested in the tomb. But of course, that’s not the whole story. 2. Second, we can also say that according to his human soul/spirit, Jesus is alive, he descends into hell, and he is in Paradise. How can all three of those things be true? First, the human soul by definition is immortal. And so even when we die, and our soul is separated from our body, our soul does not disappear or go out existence, but rather our soul goes into one of two spiritual places, either heaven or hell. And so when Christ descended into hell, he did not go into the fiery burning place (Greek: Gehenna) where souls are damned and punished, he went to what in Hebrew is called Sheol and in Greek Hades, which had a good side and a bad side, and everyone prior to Christ’s death went down to this Sheol/Hades/Hell. For example, David says in Psalm 16:10, speaking of Christ, “For You will not leave my soul in hell (Heb: Sheol, Greek: Hades), nor will you allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Likewise, we see other righteous men (believers) speak of going down into Sheol at death. Jacob says in Genesis 37:35, “For I will go down into the grave (Sheol) unto my son mourning.” The preacher in Ecclesiastes 10:9 says, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave (Sheol), whither thou goest.” The Psalmist says again and again things like, “But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: (Ps. 49:15). So the place of Sheol/Hades/Hell is often used as a metaphor for death and what happens at death. And prior to the resurrection of Christ, everyone’s soul went down into Sheol. The bad/reprobate went to the bad side of Sheol, which we might call Gehenna, while the good/saved went to the good side of Sheol which is often called “Abraham’s bosom.” It gets that name from Jesus teaching in Luke 16. Two men die and are buried, a rich man, and a poor beggar named Lazarus. And it says this in Luke 16:23-26, “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. “Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.’ And so when Jesus died, his soul went down to Sheol, but it went to the Abraham’s bosom side of Sheol to bring all the souls of the faithful into Paradise (which is the beatific vision of God). And this is how Christ’s words to the thief on the cross are fulfilled, “today you will be with me in Paradise,” because the death of Jesus opens the door to Paradise for Old Testament believers. And now for us who live on this side of the resurrection, believers are always said to go up to heaven when we die instead of down to Sheol. Summary: Christ’s soul went down to hell, not to suffer (His work was already finished on the cross!), but to announce his triumph and victory to lead captivity captive. For as it says in Ephesians 4:9-10, “(Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) Finally, there is a third answer to this question, “Where is Jesus while his body is laying in the tomb?” 3. And that answer is, Jesus according to His divine nature is everywhere. For as it says in Jeremiah 23:24, “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.” So as one who is fully God, Jesus is ever and always omnipresent according to his divinity. He is the one in Whom all things are sustained in existence (Col. 1:17), and as Paul also says in Acts 17:28, “in him we live, and move, and have our being.” And so this means that even when Jesus’ body is severed from his soul, the very tomb in which his dead body was laid is at the same moment, being held together by His divine power. There is no place that anyone can go, body or soul, to escape God’s presence. For our very existence itself is efficiently caused by God, and it is Christ the Eternal Word from the Father who holds all things together. There is no escaping God. Conclusion And so let these three answers to “Where is Jesus?” become the great comfort and life of your soul. Because if death could not separate Christ’s body from His Person, then as Paul says in Romans 8, “nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord.”May God seal up this truth in your heart.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Wisdom, Truth, and Silence Sunday, September 1st, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 15:16–39 16And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. 17And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, 18And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. 20And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. 21And they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. 22And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. 24And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. 25And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 29And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. 33And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. Prayer All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned every one to his own way; And You O Father, have laid upon Christ the iniquity of us all. Heal us by his stripes, cleanse us by his wounds, for we ask this in the name of the great physician of our souls, Jesus Christ, Amen. Introduction In Proverbs 29:20, Solomon says, “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” And then elsewhere he says, “A fool’s voice is known by his many words” (Eccl. 5:3), and “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking…” (Proverbs 10:19). Many words, spoken in haste, are a recipe for much sin. How many of us have spoken in ignorance, many things we wish we could take back?Well here as we come to the climax of Mark’s gospel, which is the center of human history and the hinge upon which the whole world turns, we see that the time for words is over.In these 39 verses that describe the crucifixion, many words are spoken, but on the whole, they come from the mouths of fools. For example: In verses 16-20, a band of Roman soldiers mock and beat and spit upon our Lord, hailing him in jest as “King of the Jews.” A little later we find two thieves or rebels, who are crucified with Jesus, one on his left, and one on his right, and they also revile him. And then there are the passersby, the common folk, the crowds, who also rail against him saying, “save thyself, and come down from the cross.” And then last you have the chief priests, who have finally gotten what they want, and they mock him and goad him saying, “He saved others, himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Many, many, words spoken in haste, uttered in ignorance by the mouths of fools.This is what Jesus who is divine truth who is divine wisdom, endured for six long hours upon the cross. Now if we gather together from all four gospels the words that Jesus spoke from the cross, there are only seven sayings recorded. And in Mark’s account, Jesus has only one thing to say, and he only says it at the very last hour (the 9th) just before he dies, he says, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Those are the only “red letters” in Mark’s account of the crucifixion.And then it is only after he dies, that we hear a true word spoken from someone other than Jesus, and who does it come from? Not from a disciple. Not from a Jew. It comes from the mouth of a Roman centurion, “Truly this man was the Son of God.” This is the whole purpose of Mark’s gospel which he laid out in the beginning: To make us to believe and to say by the end of it, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Do you believe this? And will you confess this before a world that hates you even as it hates Christ? You see the way that Mark intends for you and I to not only believe that Jesus is the son of God, but also to find the courage to be unashamed of that confession, is not mainly by hearing Jesus’ teaching. For in fact, Mark has omitted most of Jesus’ sermons that we find in Matthew, Luke, and John. Mark’s focus is elsewhere. Mark’s focus is upon the actions of Jesus, and here especially he wants to lift our gaze to behold like the centurion, Christ suffering in silence upon the cross. Here more than anywhere else “actions speak louder than words.” There is a time for speaking the truth loud and clear, and then there is a time for sealing up what you have taught in blood. This the son of God perfectly shows. Christ teaches us how to live, and Christ teaches us how to die. And here by his example we are taught to do both. Outline of the Sermon The outline of the sermon is as follows: First, we will look at the Prelude to the Crucifixion. And then we will observe what takes place at the beginning, the middle, and the end of Christ’s crucifixion, or as Mark has it: the third hour, the sixth hour, and the ninth hour. Those are the three moments that Mark explicitly mentions and so we’ll consider what happens at each. So starting with the Prelude… Prelude & Context Recall that it is the day after the Passover and the first day of the Passover feast, which is called the Feast of Unleavened Bread.Jesus was arrested in the middle of the night, he wascondemned by the Sanhedrin, and then at first morning light (say 6am), he was interrogated by Pilate, sent to Herod, sent back to Pilate, where he was ultimately sentenced to be scourged and crucified. And so in verses 16-24 Mark gives us the prelude: Jesus is dressed up like a king, given a purple/scarlet robe, crowned with thorns, Hailed as king, and worshipped falsely. And as usual, we see here Mark’s love for irony. All of these actions are what these soldiers ought to do in truth if Jesus is who He says He is. If Jesus is the Son of God, then they ought to clothe him with the most expensive royal robes, they ought to crown with gold and precious stones, they ought to hail him and worship him truly as king of all creation. They should have done what the wise men did at Jesus’ birth. This is what is owed to Christ, and yet these soldiers jest and spit in the face of God. And if sinful men are willing to do this to a perfectly innocent man, then we should not be surprised when they do this to us who desire to imitate Christ’s perfection. For as Jesus says in Matthew 10:25, “If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!” So notice that from a human perspective living in the moment, this looks like the worst shame and dishonor a man could ever suffer. But from heaven’s perspective, this is the moment of Christ’s glory. The restraint and patience of Christ is here most honorable and admirable. And so it is whenever you suffer shame for Christ’s sake. Now after this theatre of mockery, Jesus eventually makes it to Golgotha/Calvary, and he is assisted by Simon of Cyrene who helps him carry the cross. There are various theories as to why this Golgotha was named “The Place of the Skull.” One legend is that the skull of Adam, the first man, was buried there. But that is doubtful unless Noah brought it with him on the ark. Another theory is that this is where David buried Goliath’s head. And thus, the imagery is that Christ, the son of David is here crushing the skull of the serpent, the greater Goliath, sin, death, and the devil. In either case, it is fitting that God should conquer death at a place so named. Summary: So that is the long Prelude, and now we arrive at the beginning of the crucifixion. Verses 25-32 – The Third Hour 25And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. 26And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 27And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. 28And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. 29And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, 30Save thyself, and come down from the cross. 31Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes, He saved others; himself he cannot save. 32Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. In our reckoning, the third hour is roughly 9am, or three hours from when the sun rose.And it is interesting that while Mark could have emphasized and foregrounded the physical agony that Jesus was in (he doesn’t even mention the nails in his hands and his feet), instead he emphasizes the cruelty and reviling of those around him. First above his head reads the legal reason for his execution, that he is “King of the Jews.” And this of course is the way that Rome enforced Pax Romana. Peace by force. Peace by crucifying and making bloody examples of traitors. Second, we see two actual traitors crucified with him, one on his left hand, and one on his right hand. And in these two thieves is signified the entire human race. Adam stole the fruit from the tree. And here Jesus makes restitution for that theft and rebellion. Of this repayment it says in Psalm 69:4, “They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head: They that would destroy me, being mine enemies wrongfully, are mighty: Then I restored that which I took not away.” What humanity stole, Christ restores. We also have signified here that the cross is the throne from which God judges. In Matthew 25:33 it says, “And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.” And as we learn from Luke’s account, one of these rebels who at the third hour reviles Christ, later repents, and is told, “today you will be with me in Paradise.” So you can either die unrepentant like the rebel on the left, or you can die with faith, hope and love in your heart for Jesus, and have all your sins removed. You are going to die either way, so what kind of death shall you choose? For those who believe, the cross becomes the throne of mercy where all our sins go to die. As it says in Psalm 85:10, “Mercy and truth are met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; And righteousness shall look down from heaven.” The cross is that meeting point between mercy and truth, between righteousness and peace. Between God and sinners. And those who look in faith to Jesus, shall see righteousness smiling down upon them from heaven. In this sense, God’s judgment becomes our greatest hope. So three hours go by, and in Mark’s account Jesus ears are filled with reviling. And then in verse 33 it says… Verse 33 – The Sixth Hour 33And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. The sixth hour is what we would call noon. The time at which the sun shines brightest and highest in the sky. But this is no ordinary day. It is the day of the Lord. It is the day of judgment. It is the day spoken of and foretold by the prophets. It says in Amos 10:9, “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, That I will cause the sun to go down at noon, And I will darken the earth in the clear day.” Likewise in Zephaniah 1:14-15, “The great day of the Lord is near, It is near, and hasteth greatly, Even the voice of the day of the Lord: The mighty man shall cry there bitterly. That day is a day of wrath, A day of trouble and distress, A day of wasteness and desolation, A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness…” These oracles of God’s judgment upon the land are taken up and applied to the body of Jesus. For Jesus is the new holy land. Jesus is the new Israel. Jesus is the temple that must be destroyed in order to be rebuilt three days later. This is how Christ fulfills the Old Testament prophesies (by not saving himself he is able to save others!). This is the moment that Psalm 88 describes when it says, “For my soul is full of troubles: And my life draweth nigh unto the grave…Loved one and friend You have put far from me, And my acquaintances into darkness.” For three more hours it is darkness and silence. Mark tells us nothing of what happens during this time. And then finally in verse 34 we read… Verses 34-39 – The Ninth Hour 34And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? 35And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. 37And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom. 39And when the centurion, which stood over against him, saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this man was the Son of God. Here are the only words that Mark places on Christ’s lips. This is what wisdom and truth shouts from the darkness, the question, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”What is the meaning of this Why question?First, let me give you the four incorrect interpretations you must avoid (if you don’t want to be a heretic). 1. The first error, which is the heresy of Arius, says that Jesus is a creature and not the eternal son of God in the flesh. And so for Arius, the created Word/Son replaced the soul in Christ, and so when Jesus says “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Arius interprets it as a proof that Word/Son is lesser than God, because he calls him “my God.” 2. The second error, is that of Nestorius, who said that the creature Jesus was indwelt by God according to grace (similar to how the prophets possessed the spirit of God), and therefore when Jesus cries “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” it is like a prophet lamenting the loss of the Holy Spirit’s presence in him. Both of these errors make Jesus less than God, or turn him into two persons and not one, and therefore the Roman Centurion is a far superior theologian when he simply confesses in verse 39, “truly this man was the Son of God.” 3. There is a third error more common in evangelical circles which says that when Jesus died, the divine nature was severed from the human nature (in other words, the hypostatic union was destroyed on the cross). But this misunderstands two things: 1) what human death is, which is the separation of the soul from the body, and 2) it misunderstands the nature of the hypostatic union or Incarnation. The death of Jesus was his voluntary and willful separating of his soul from his body (he truly died!), but because Jesus is a divine person (he is fully God) even his dead body remained united to His Person, and it was this very union of his dead flesh to His Person that effected his resurrection three days later. This is what Jesus is referring to when he says in John 10:18, “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.” It was easier for Christ to lay down his life and take it up again, than it is for you and I to go to sleep and wake up again. Because Jesus is the Eternal Son of God. Even his dead body is an instrument of his power. 4. A similar and fourth error is that on the cross, the unity of the Trinity was “ruptured” when the Father “turns his face away” from the Son. And this is one of those places where how you interpret a metaphor can either make you a heretic or keep you orthodox. If you say there was a breach or rupture in the Trinity, you are contradicting what Scripture says everywhere about God’s essence, namely that He is One, that He is unchangeable, that is He is perfect, that He is omnipotent. To posit that the death of Jesus “breaks” something in God’s essence is also to confuse the two natures of Christ.Remember, only Christ’s human nature dies (the soul is separated from the body), and his divine nature remains divine (perfect, invulnerable, etc.). The divine nature by definition cannot die, and therefore because the Son is wholly God, no such “rupture in God” is ever possible. Alright, so there is a sampling of errors and heresies to avoid when thinking about Christ’s death and these words of dereliction, what then is the orthodox and correct interpretation of “My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?” First notice that these words are a quotation from the opening line of Psalm 22. And if you read Psalm 22, you will see that it describes in vivid detail everything that Jesus is experiencing: the piercing of his hands and feet, the casting of lots to divide his garments, his being surrounded by bulls of Bashan, by wicked dogs, his heart being turned to wax, etc. But how does Psalm 22 end? It ends with God ruling as king and all the nations bowing down to serve him. Psalm 22:27-29 says, “All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive.” And so Jesus has chosen these final words very carefully, because his death is the answer to the great Why question of human suffering. And his death is the explanatory path for how we go from feeling forsaken by God to worshipping at His feet. So Jesus says “my God, my God” first,according to his true humanity and second as a spokesperson for the church who is his body, and in doing so he teaches us how to call upon God just like the psalmist did. And then when he asks, “why have you forsaken me,” He is asking the Father, “why have you willed that I should be handed over to suffering, and that these men should be darkened?” Jesus of course knows the answer (according to both his human and divine knowledge), but he says this to teach us how to pray and talk to God in our suffering. Or to put it another way, Jesus is asking on our behalf why God permits such evils to afflict our world. Why does God permit the righteous and innocent to suffer? That is the great Why question that Psalm 22 and the death of Christ gives answer to. And Jesus wants to provoke that “problem of evil” with his dying breath. So how does the death of Christ answer this question that Jesus poses? Conclusion When you or I feel forsaken by God, it is the most natural thing in the world to ask God, why? Where are you? Why have you abandoned me? That is where Psalm 22 starts. And then depending on how long the darkness seems to prevail, and heaven seems to remain silent, our faith in God is tested.This is where Christ upon the cross becomes the great hope and anchor of our soul. Because first we see what we deserve as sinners (a painful and bloody death for our treason), and therefore however much physical pain we might be in, the pain we deserve is far greater. And further, while our sins deserve eternal punishment, everlasting pain and torment, the death of Christ means our pain as Christians is only ever temporary. It will not last forever! Paul says in Romans 8:18, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” And in 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 he says, “though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” So what makes our sufferings light and momentary (when they feel anything but) is our comparing them to 1) what our sins deserve (eternal conscious torment in this life and the next), and to 2) what Christ’s death has purchased for us (eternal conscious happiness beyond anything our heart could imagine). The death of Jesus puts an exclamation mark and a deadline on all of our pain. And so when God permits the righteous to suffer, as the book of Job teaches, it is only to reward us more richly afterward. The pain is temporary, but God’s love is forever. And so I close with the promise of Isaiah 54:7-8, “For a mere moment I have forsaken you, But with great mercies I will gather you. With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; But with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” Says the Lord, your Redeemer.” May God show you this grace. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Pax Romana Sunday, August 18th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 15:1–15 1And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. 3And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. 6Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. 12And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 15And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. Prayer O Father we desire to know more than anything Christ and him crucified. For here in this text, as we behold his passion, and his silence, and his scourging, we uncover a fountain of salvation that wells up in us to eternal life. Grant us your spirit in full, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction In John 14:27, just a few hours before Jesus was arrested, he told to his disciples the following: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” According to Jesus there are two kinds of peace. There is 1) the peace that comes from God which gives quiet to the heart, and then there is 2) the peace that the world gives which leaves the heart restless and afraid.Here in our text we see these two kinds of peace on display. In Jesus we behold the very peace of God which surpasses understanding. It makes Pilate to marvel. And then in everyone else we see angst and fear and a striving for peace, but one that is willing to literally sacrifice God in order to get it. Now at present, our world, and our nation, is hardly at peace. And most people are willing to admit that. The American Empire is as divided now as it has ever been. And this is because you cannot simultaneously worship different gods and be a unified people. What is true of individuals is true of nations, no man can serve to masters.And so as we study this passage, and consider the different groups involved (the Jews, Pilate, Barabbas, etc.) I want you to think about how the same motivations that put Christ on the Cross, are at work in various groups today. Motivations that are at work even in your own heart if you live according to the flesh: envy, greed, fear, vainglory, anger, murder, etc. All these spirits and more can be found in this scene. And then, in the middle of that storm of sin, in the eye of the hurricane as it were, is Jesus. Perfect. Tranquil. Serene. Peaceful. And therefore, when Jesus says, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives,” this is what he is referring to. You can have peace with God, and peace within your own soul, even when there is open hostility everywhere else. That is the peace that Jesus possesses and offers to all who will follow him. Context Remember the context of our passage. Last week we saw that Jesus was first arrested and tried in the middle of the night by the highest Jewish authorities (the Sanhedrin). And while the verdict was pre-determined (Jesus must die), the Jews needed to find a charge that would stand up before Pontius Pilate. This was because Rome alone possessed the death penalty (John 18:31), and so although the Jews considered Jesus’ crime to be blasphemy, they must translate this religious charge into one that Rome will accept as being worthy of death: treason or sedition. And so we see here at the beginning of Mark 15, that thecouncil delivers Jesus to Pilate with the charge that he is “King of the Jews.” The great irony here of course is that unlike all their false witnesses against him, this charge is true. But it is a true charge that they personally reject. Jesus confessed this truth and more when the high priest asked him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” and Jesus said, “I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” So starting in verses 1-2, let us begin our exposition. Verses 1-2 1And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. 2And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto him, Thou sayest it. We have here fulfilled the words of Micah 2:1-2 which says, “Woe to those who devise iniquity, And work out evil on their beds! At morning light they practice it, Because it is in the power of their hand. They covet fields and take them by violence, Also houses, and seize them. So they oppress a man and his house, A man and his inheritance.” The Jewish authorities are greedy to plunder the man Jesus and his rightful inheritance (the world), and so they devise iniquity, they plot evil on their beds, and then straightway in the morning they consult to put Christ to death. It was customary for Pilate to hear and try cases as soon as the morning light had dawned, and Mark will tell us a few verses later that Christ was crucified at the “the third hour,” which is what we would call (roughly) 9am in the morning. So everything that happens between now and the crucifixion takes place between about 6am and 9am, sunrise and the third hour. We see in verse 2 that Mark jumps straight into Pilate’s interrogation, “Art thou the King of the Jews?” But we read in Luke’s account that just before this, “they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.” So mingled with the true charge that Jesus is “King of the Jews” are still other false charges such as “forbidding to give tribute to Caesar.” Even here the Jews continue to twist the words of God and misrepresent his teaching. Jesus’ response to Pilate is curious in that he says, “You have said so.” Meaning, “I am the King of the Jews but not in the way that you or the Jews think.” John’s account gives us the fuller conversation where Jesus says, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” So yes, Jesus is King, and He is king of the Jews and the Romans and everyone else. But the source of his kingdom’s power is from above. And so even Pilate’s lawful authority is only his insofar as God has ordained and permitted him to have it. And therefore, Pilate has it backwards. It is not Pilate who has authority over Jesus, but Jesus who has authority over Pilate. As Jesus tells him in John 19:11, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above.” Continuing in verses 3-5, we see Jesus again silent before his accusers. Verses 3-5 3And the chief priests accused him of many things: but he answered nothing. 4And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee. 5But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pilate marvelled. The principle of wisdom that Jesus is employing here is that we speak truth to the ignorant but are silent to the obstinate. If someone is genuine in their desire to know and they ask, we answer. But if someone is asking and seeking only to refute us or argue with us, we can simply refuse to answer (we walk away). For three years Jesus had taught openly so that the Jews might have their ignorance cured, and indeed many of them had their eyes opened and followed Jesus. But this group of chief priests, scribes, and elders, rejected the light. In the words of Romans 1:21-22, “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools…” So this is the Sanhedrin, obstinate in their accusations, whereas Pilate is ignorant and willing to hear Jesus out. In verses 6-11, Mark then describes a custom that Pilate attempts to use to pacify the crowd, but instead it backfires. Verses 6-11 6Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. 7And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. 8And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. 9But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 10For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. 11But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. So recall that it is now the first day of the Passover feast, the feast of Unleavened Bread. And at Passover the Jews remembered how God had miraculously delivered them from oppression and tyranny in Egypt. Now in the Jewish mind of the 1st century, who is Egypt? Rome. Who is Pharoah? Caesar. And what we find in the history books (both biblical and secular) is that the Passover festival was an ideal occasion for Jewish revolts. This was the time when Jerusalem was flooded with pilgrims, religious fervor was at its peak, and the whole nation was remembering how God had killed the firstborn sons of Egypt and delivered Israel as His firstborn son. And in that atmosphere, it would be very easy to stir up insurrection against Rome and try to reclaim Jewish independence. Much of their expectation for the Messiah was that He would be this kind of revolutionary figure who would restore their former glory. And so by the time of Jesus it had become customary not only for Pilate to be physically present in Jerusalem for the feast, with a great military presence to keep an eye on things. But to also “throw them a bone” by releasing one prisoner to them. You can imagine how this custom signifies different elements of both the Passover and the Day of Atonement rituals. As Passover, a firstborn dies, and a firstborn goes free. On the day of Atonement, one goat dies, and the other is released. The high priest knew it was expedient that one man die for the nation. And Pilate knows he can release one prisoner and that scapegoat will buy him some peace until the next festival. And so this debate between the Jews and Pilate is ultimately over which goat dies and which goat gets released. There are already three men in custody awaiting crucifixion: Barabbas and what are probably his two associates, that we call “thieves.” In Greek the word is λῃστής and in John 18:40 this same word λῃστής is used of Barabbas, “Now Barabbas was a robber (λῃστής).” So Pilate already has some actual rebels to crucify, and because Barabbas is manifestly a murderous rebel, and Jesus is manifestly innocent, he forces the Jews to own the decision of who dies and who goes free. Pilate tries to abdicate, and the Jews are happy to take responsibility for Jesus’ death. In Matthew’s account, Pilate washes his hands and says, “I am innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it.” And then it says, “And all the people answered and said, ‘His blood be on us and on our children.’” In John’s account, the chief priests shout, “We have no king but Caesar.” Those are shouts of actual blasphemy and actual idolatry, andthey are coming from the mouths of the Jews, who are supposed to be a light to the gentiles but have become even darker than they. So despite Pilate’s knowledge that Jesus is innocent and the Jews are acting from envy, He does not have the backbone to do what is just and right in the eyes of God. Pilate opts for the false and surface peace of the world, instead of suffering the consequences of a Jewish riot on his watch. So while the Jews are motivated by envy, Pilate is motivated by fear, by the optics, and the pressure of Pax Romana. Peace by force or whatever is politically expedient. What was the result of this policy? The greatest injustice in human history. The only perfectly innocent man to ever walk the earth was crucified at his command. As we say in the Nicene Creed every Lord’s Day, “he suffered under Pontius Pilate.” One bad decision can have many unintended consequences. So the Jews, having chosen Barabbas instead of Christ, Pilate then asks what the sentence ought to be for Jesus. What will make them content? Verses 12-15 12And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? 13And they cried out again, Crucify him. 14Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. 15And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. Notice that Pilate is now learning firsthand why Jesus was silent. Because there is no dialog, there is no negotiating with those intent on murder. Pilate tries to reason with them. He appeals to Jesus’ innocence. In Luke’s account we learn that Pilate even sent Jesus to Herod for examination, and Herod sent Jesus back finding nothing of guilt in him. But for all this evidence in favor of acquitting and releasing Jesus, the mob prevails. And why? Because as it says in verse 15, “And so Pilate willing to content the people,” had Jesus scourged and crucified. If the governing principle for your decision making is how can I pacify the mob (this very loud person or vocal minority), you got another thing coming, and you certainly don’t belong in leadership. And yet this is how much of American politics operates. Emotional bribes, actual bribes, and organized temper tantrums (a.k.a. “mostly peaceful protests”) until people get what they want. This can happen on the macro level with nations and governments and groups of people. But it also happens every day at the personal level. Between husbands and wives, parents and children, bosses and employees, etc. And this is why the first quality that God desires for a judge or ruler is that he “fears God,” and then also that he be “a man of truth, and [one who] hates covetousness” (Ex. 18:21). David says likewise in 2 Samuel 23:3, “He that ruleth over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.” Pilate lacked the fear of God. Pilate lacked the knowledge of the truth. And although he could see the envy of the Jews, he has not the backbone to uphold justice. And therefore Jesus is handed over to be scourged. A Roman scourging, unlike a Jewish disciplinary whipping, did not have a 40-lash limit. And while Mosaic law does not permit torture or crucifixion, the Romans had no problem with such cruel and unusual punishments, especially for rebels of the state. This was how Pax Romana was enforced. Scourging was usually done with a leather cord that had pieces of bone or lead or glass on the ends and that cut into and tore off the flesh. And so it was not uncommon to die from the scourging. The Jewish historian Josephus records one such scourging where a man was whipped until you could see his bones. He was essentially flayed alive. And so however severe this scourging of Jesus may have been, he survived, but Isaiah 52:14 says he was marred beyond recognition, more than any man. This is likely why Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry the cross for Jesus. Because the scourging made carrying that crossbar physically impossible. Now as much as that description of Christ being scourged can turn our stomach and make us want to turn away our face from his pain, it is in the very looking upon Jesus in agony here and upon the cross, that we find an infinite source of strength. Conclusion How do you endure your trials? You look at the trials of Christ.How do you endure slander and misrepresentation, and the twisting of your words? You look at the holy silence of Jesus.How do you not cave and compromise like Pilate did? You look at the steadfastness of Jesus the immovable rock.How do you endure pain unto death (your own future passion narrative)? You think upon the scourging of Jesus’ flesh as it was torn off his back, and you believe Him when he says, “I did that for you. I did that because I love you and I want to give you my peace.” The only way peace can be had between God and sinners, is for you to become a sinner no longer. You must become a saint. And that is what the death of Jesus Christ offers you. It gives you way to die to sin and rise again to newness of life. It says in Romans 4:25, “[Jesus] was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Faith is that looking upon Jesus and locking eyes with him. And when you are moved by His love to love Him in return, you receive what Philippians 4:7 calls, “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, [which] will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” And so while the Jews were moved by envy, and Pilate by fear and ambition, Jesus is only and ever moved by love. Because love is God’s very nature. Love is God’s very essence. And therefore, whosoever is united to Love through love in the savior, has the promise of peace in this life, and perfect and everlasting peace in the next. May God give you this peace that comes from His love. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Supreme Court of Heaven Sunday, August 11th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:53-72 53And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. 54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. 55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59But neither so did their witness agree together. 60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. 65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. 66And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. Prayer Father, we thank you for the perfect and holy silence of Jesus, who held his peace before false accusations, and then was unashamed confess the truth, that He was and is ever shall be the great I AM. Grant us that same peace and courage as we bear witness to You in this hostile world. We ask this in Christ’s name, Amen. Introduction This morning, we come to the first of two trial scenes that will ultimately result in Christ’s crucifixion. Here in our text Jesus is first tried and condemned by the highest Jewish authorities.And then next week we will see Jesus tried and condemned by the highest Roman authorities. And so the theme of this section in Mark is the contrast between justice and injustice, truth and falsity. And in Mark’s classic style, there is irony all the way through. Last week we studied the contrast between the flesh and the spirit, and here that contrast continues as we see Jesus (full of the spirit) silent before his accusers, and then there is Peter (minding his flesh) who is loud and vehement in his denials of Christ. So Mark tells this story in such a way as to contrast Jesus who stands firm before the highest earthly authorities, and Peter who wavers and cowers and hides before even the lowest servants, a young servant girl. It says in 2 Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” And here we see those two distinct spirits at work. The carnal spirit of fear in Peter makes him afraid to lose his life. Whereas in Christ, we behold the spirit of power and love and serenity in his face. So that is the contrast Mark is drawing our attention to here. So let us walk through this text together and see how God might teach us to live unashamed of Christ and His Word. Outline of the Text There are three basic sections to our text: 1. In verses 53-59, Jesus is falsely accused.2. In verses 60-65, Jesus speaks the truth and is condemned.3. In verses 66-72, Peter denies knowing the Lord. Verse 53 53And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes. Recall that Judas has just betrayed our Lord, and now they are escorting him from the garden of Gethsemane to the house of the high priest. The high priest was Caiaphas, and we learn from John’s gospel that before going to Caiaphas’ house, they stop at Annas’ house, who was Caiaphas’ father-in-law. It says in John 18:12-14, “Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.” So whatever judicial proceedings may follow, the high priest as judge has already predetermined the verdict. Jesus is guilty. Jesus must die, and it’s just a matter of finding a charge that will stick. Verse 54 54And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest: and he sat with the servants, and warmed himself at the fire. So Mark toggles back to Peter, and again we learn from John’s gospel that John himself (who personally knew Caiaphas) tells the maiden at the door to let Peter into the courtyard (John 18:16-17).And where do we find Peter? Trying to blend in. Warming himself at the fire of the ungodly.This is the hour of darkness, when the light of the world is going to be snuffed out, and instead of joining the true light, the true God, as he goes to the cross, Peter opts for the warmth and fellowship and fire of the wicked. Bad company ruins good morals, and it is this fellowship with the world that too often precedes apostasy. Returning now to the trial… Verses 55-59 55And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. 56For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. 57And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, 58We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. 59But neither so did their witness agree together. So in spite of the council’s plans to manufacture a guilty verdict, they are unable to find two witnesses who can agree.And this is typical of the self-righteous Pharisaic mindset, to attend closely to procedural details and the appearance of justice (having two witnesses), while at the same time ignoring the actual justice of the law. This is the bureaucratic nanny state that we have made for ourselves in America. Suffocating and unjust laws, but all in the name of justice. At the same time, because evil is ultimately unintelligible and irrational, it’s not surprising that these men who are plotting an unjust death sentence, are struggling to find witnesses that can agree. It says in Proverbs 14:22, “Do not they err that devise evil?” And in Proverbs 14:16-17, “the fool rageth, and is confident. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly…” So the Bible teaches that those who plan and devise evil make mistakes along the way. Even Satan, the ultimately criminal mastermind, destroyed his own kingdom by crucifying Christ. This is why criminals get caught and thieves are fools. Because envy and anger blind the mind from thinking clearly. And so even the cleverest of the wicked is ultimately found out. Indeed “they err that devise evil.” The closest they can come is to twisting the words of Jesus, where he says in John 2:19, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” They reinterpret what Jesus said of “the temple of his body” (John 2:21), and they apply it to their literal sanctuary.But despite being united in their evil intentions, this council is unable to make anything stick. Whatever charge they send to Pontius Pilate needs to stand up to Roman law, not just Jewish law, and they know that. Remember, the Jews did not have authority to carry out the death penalty themselves. This was a power Rome reserved for itself, and so it was one thing to condemn Jesus to die for sabbath breaking, or heresy, or some religious law, but if Rome was going to execute Jesus, it had to be for something more serious like treason or sedition or the destruction of the sanctuary. How then do you convict a perfect man? All you can really do is lie. You have to make stuff up. Except here even their lies don’t agree. And in this instance, Rome is keeping them honest. The fact that there is a higher power above them, forces Caiaphas to confront Jesus directly. Verses 60-61a 60And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 61But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Why does Jesus hold his peace? For at least two reasons: 1. Because Jesus knows what time it is. It says in Ecclesiastes 3, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die…A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” And in this instance, Jesus is the wise man who knows Proverbs 23:9 which says, “Speak not in the ears of a fool: For he will despise the wisdom of thy words.” And Proverbs 26:4 which says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.” What could Jesus even say to these fools? Their mind is already made up, they already know what they want to believe, they don’t have ears to hear, and therefore anything he says can and will be used against him. False accusations that don’t agree are their own refutation. What more can be said? There are times when silence is perfect wisdom, and Jesus knows the time for silence and suffering has come. He is the sheep silent before his shearers as Isaiah prophesied. 2. Jesus holds his peace to teach us to do the same. It says in Proverbs 13:3, “He who guards his mouth preserves his life, But he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction.” So we, like Jesus, must learn when to argue our case, when to defend ourselves, and when doing so would make us companions to fools. But how do you which situation is which? As we said last week, these kinds of judgments cannot be made soberly if you are living according to the flesh, if you are governed by emotions and ego and carnal passions. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14-15, “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things…” So to walk in the spirit is to imitate Christ, and there were times when Jesus had no problem starting arguments, ending arguments, offending his interlocutors, and refuting his opponents. Jesus who is perfect love incarnate hurt people’s feelings for their good. There are times when giving offense is the best medicine. Faithful are the wounds of a friend. And then there are other times when you should take a different course. It says in Proverbs 11:17, “He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.” Paul says in 2 Timothy 2:23, “foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do generate strifes.” Summary: There is a time for teaching and arguing and defending oneself (a soft word turns away wrath), but then there is a timefor silence, and avoiding foolish controversies, and for patient endurance as you wait for God to vindicate you. Jesus was facing a situation that is described well by Psalm 11:3 which asks,“If the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?” In other words, when the courts of human opinion and the foundations of earthly civil justice are filled with fools and criminals, what is there to say? The answer is given in the next verses of the psalm: “The Lord is in His holy temple, The Lord’s throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The Lord tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates. Upon the wicked He will rain coals; Fire and brimstone and a burning wind Shall be the portion of their cup. For the Lord is righteous, He loves righteousness; His countenance beholds the upright.” This is how Jesus and the saints live when the foundations are destroyed: They look to the supreme court of heaven, to the LORD who sits in his holy temple, and who promises to stand up and vindicate the righteous. This is what allowed Jesus to remain silent in this instance: it was the knowledge that Truth and that Justice would win out in the end. And this is the same reason why we don’t take vengeance into our own hands. Because God sees all, and God shall judge. And so while silent before our adversaries, before false accusations and persecution, our hearts cry out to God for vindication. And God promises to hear those cries. So outward silence for the saints means fervent prayer on the inside. When earthly courts are stacked against us, we appeal to God’s throne on high, to the supreme court of heaven that one day shall overturn every false opinion and false judgment ever rendered. Returning to our text, Jesus finally breaks his silence. And what does he break his silence to do? To reveal his true identity as Son of God and Son of Man. Verses 61b-64 Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 63Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? 64Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death. Here is the charge that will incriminate Jesus not only before the Jews but before Rome as well: Jesus claims to be king. Jesus claims to be God. Jesus is LORD. He is the great I AM. That is the truth that gets Jesus crucified, because according to the laws of men, the very existence of such a person is both blasphemy and treason. And in this sense, the Jews and Romans understood better than most American Christians the political implications of who Jesus is. If Jesus is Lord, then Caesar is not. If Jesus is God, then our laws must conform to His. If Jesus is King and Creator, then we are his subjects whether we like it or not. That is the claim that gets Jesus crucified, and it is that same claim that will continue to get us Christians in trouble with every wicked regime. So how does the high priest respond to such a claim? Verse 63 says, “the high priest rent his clothes,” It’s interesting that Mark includes this detail because it says explicitly in Leviticus 21:10 that unlike the other priests, the high priest “shall not rend his clothes.” And further, what does the rending of one’s garments signify? For the king, to cut his garment was to cut up the kingdom. For the priest, to tear his clothes was to tear up the priesthood. Tearing of the clothes is a tearing of one’s office, station, and person. And so what has the high-priest done? Unwittingly, he has spoken the truth that his office is going to be torn from him, just like the temple veil would be torn in two. The high priests’ garments were like wearable version of the temple veil. God intended that the high-priest embody in himself the people of Israel in their priestly service before God’s throne. And so this whole trial in the high priest’s house is a radical inversion of the Levitical priesthood. The high priest was there to serve the Lord in the Lord’s house. And here the Lord incarnate is put on trial and accused of blasphemy in the high priest’s house. So it is fitting that he tear his garments, for very soon his priesthood shall be deposed. Continuing in verse 65 we see how the rest of the council treats him. Verse 65 65And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands. Here is another one of those great ironies in Mark’s account. Jesus is mocked and spit upon and told to prophesy, when this is very thing he prophesied earlier in the book. It says in Mark 8:31, “And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” This is also a fulfillment of various Old Testament prophecies which foretold the suffering of the Messiah. It says in Lamentations 3:28-30, “He sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproach.” And then in Isaiah 50:6-7 says, “I gave my back to the smiters, And my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God will help me; Therefore shall I not be confounded: Therefore have I set my face like a flint, And I know that I shall not be ashamed.” So while these men mock Christ and tell him to prophesy, they are by those very actions fulfilling multiple prophesies from Christ and the old testament.Finally in verses 66-72, we have Peter’s denial. Verses 66-72 66And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth. 68But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And he went out into the porch; and the cock crew. 69And a maid saw him again, and began to say to them that stood by, This is one of them. 70And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71But he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not this man of whom ye speak. 72And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept. So while Christ stands firm, Peter fails to live up to his name. And the reason he falters is because he still does not believe the words of Jesus. That he must die and rise again. Before Peter ever denied knowing Christ, he first denied the truth that Christ had spoken. And this is how most of our fears and denials of Jesus before men come about. We either forget or neglect or fail to believe the Word of God. It is one thing to sing the words of Psalm 27, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” and it is another thing to not be afraid when an actual army encamps around you. It was one thing to sing and pray Psalm 3:6, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, That have set themselves against me round about,” and another thing to live it. C.S. Lewis once said that “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point.” Courage/Fortitude is the resolve to persist in doing good when it is difficult. And it is that latter part, the difficulty, that makes our faith courageous. Conclusion How then can we grow in our courage and fortitude for Christ? How can we live more unashamed of Jesus and his words? Well let me give you just one place to start.1. Before anything else, you have to die to this world. And that means not caring what sinners think of you, and caring infinitely more about what God thinks of you. Or to put it another way, you have to live as if heaven is watching, as if God is present in the room, because He is. What did Jesus say to Caiaphas that made him tear his clothes? “Ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” That was a prophesy to Caiaphas and to the whole world, that after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, all would know the power and divinity of Jesus by his power at work in the saints. What are the clouds upon which Christ comes? It is the church triumphant, alive and full of joy. If you want to enter the hall of faith, if you want to become as Hebrews 11 describes, “of whom the world was not worthy” well then you have die to this world and live for the next. You have to live as it says a few verse later in Hebrews 12:1, as “seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” Courage and fortitude is hard when you are alone. But when you can see by faith, the power of Christ in this cloud of witnesses, in the lives of the saints gone ahead, and the saints next to you, then courage becomes a little bit easier. Because there is holy and heavenly peer pressure not to give in. God is watching. Heaven is watching. Myriads of angels are watching and rooting for you. So do not be ashamed of God and His Word. For what did Jesus tell his disciples in Mark 8:38? “Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” So die to the world, and live for God. That is where courage is born and nourished. May that spirit be given in greater measure unto all of us. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Sword & The Cross Sunday, August 4th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:43-52 43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. 45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. 46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him. 47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. 50 And they all forsook him, and fled. 51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. Prayer Your law O Lord is perfect, converting the soul. Your testimony is sure, making wise the simple. Teach us now the simplicity of Christ, that we might become wise, and attain unto that vision of God, wherein faith becomes sight. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Well for the last two weeks we have been studying this most intimate scene in Gethsemane. And we have been doing so with an attentive eye to how we might imitate our Lord Jesus as he 1) prepares himself to suffer, 2) endures suffering, and then, 3) eventually dies in his suffering. And the reason we are so interested in the death and sufferings of Christ, is first and foremost because it is the means of our salvation. It says in 1 John 2:1-2, “If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.” So there is no forgiveness of sins apart from Jesus. There is no resurrection from the dead apart from Jesus. And therefore, the sufferings of Christ are the most beautiful and potent expression of God’s love. For as Jesus Himself says in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” And also in Romans 5:7-8 the Apostle says, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” So to suffer and die is the supreme purpose for which the Son of God took to himself a true humanity (a human soul, and human flesh). And therefore, as a perfect man, full of grace and truth, Christ could become a once and for all sacrifice to cover all of our sins. And furthermore, as one possessing our humanity, except without sin, the life of Jesus also becomes our life. Our sufferings become a participation in His sufferings. Our death becomes a participation in his death. This is what the Apostle Paul means when he says in Colossians 3:3, “you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” Likewise in Galatians 2:20 he says, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” And so the reason this scene in Gethsemane and everything that follows is of utmost importance to us, is first 1) because it effects our salvation, but also 2) because we too are going to suffer and eventually die. And therefore, we want to learn from Christ how to walk those same three steps. To 1) prepare ourselves for suffering, 2) to learn how to endure our suffering, and 3) finally, to be faithful in suffering unto death that we might receive the crown of life (Rev. 2:10). This the Lord Jesus perfectly teaches us in the gospels. Outline of the Text Our sermon text this morning has three basic movements to it: 1. In verses 43-46, Jesus is betrayed and arrested. 2. In verses 47-49, there are two different responses to his arrest. 3. In verses 50-52, all the disciples forsake Jesus and run away (one of them naked!). Now I want to look at this passage from two different perspectives: 1. First, from the perspective of flesh, and then 2. From the perspective of the spirit. Recall that just before our text, Jesus told his very sleepy disciples, “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” And now here we have played out before our eyes, living illustrations of what flesh does and what the spirit does. We have negative examples, cautionary tales from those who live according to the flesh (who are carnally minded), but then we also have a perfect and positive example of how to live by the spirit. So let us consider this passage first by observing four portraits of the flesh. Verses 43-46 – Flesh Betrays & Arrests God 43 And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders. 44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely. 45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him. 46 And they laid their hands on him, and took him. We have named here two different examples of those who live by the flesh. Judas, and the armed multitude sent from the Jews.First, let us consider the chief priests, scribes, and elders who send this armed multitude. This is the group we met earlier in Mark’s gospel, whom Jesus argued with and refuted in the Temple, and they are the highest Jewish authorities (also known as the Sanhedrin). What was their motive for wanting Jesus’ dead? In the next chapter Mark tells us explicitly, “Pilate knew that the chief priests had delivered him because of envy” (Mark 15:10). What does flesh do when it sees someone else enjoying some good that it wants but does not presently have? Sinful flesh becomes sad. Sinful flesh begins to covet. And while sinful flesh would be happy to have that thing for itself, sinful flesh would also be happy simply to see that person lose the good they have. Envy in its most proper sense is sorrow at another’s good. Envy therefore despises all superiors, and only wants to have equals and inferiors. In this sense envy is form of pride. Envy is one of the driving forces behind our modern spirit of egalitarianism, of socialism, of feminism, of transgenderism, and of the cult of victimhood. It says in Proverbs 27:4, “Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; But who is able to stand before envy?” The demonic spirit of our age is envy. And where does envy lead? Eventually to murder. In Galatians 5 when Paul is enumerating all the works of the flesh, where does he place envy and murder? Right next to each other (Gal. 5:21). Envy and murder hold hands. Envy is what drove Cain to murder his brother Abel. Envy is what drove Joseph’s brothers to attempt to murder him. Envy is what drove Haman to wipe out the entire Jewish nation. And envy is what motivated the Jews to crucify their own Messiah. When envy discovers the power and opportunity to get it what it wants, murder is not far off. And so it is with these chief priests, scribes, and elders. Even Pontius Pilate “knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.” So that is one ugly portrait of flesh that has to die in all of us. And if you can conquer envy, you can overcome just about every other sin. Because to crucify envy is to crucify your pride. And to crucify pride is to deny yourself, take up the cross, and follow Jesus. So instead of envy, of sorrowing at another’s good fortune, or status, or skill, or looks, or whatever superior good we might want for ourselves, God would have us be content, and to rejoice with that person instead. It says in Hebrews 13:5, “Let your lifestyle be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave you, nor forsake you.” Summary: That is our first example of flesh, the envious Jews as represented by the chief priests, scribes, and elders. They are Cain, Christ is Abel.Now the second negative example is that of Judas. Judas is what we might call today an ex-vangelical pastor. Judas was not merely a follower of Jesus; he was an ordained apostle. Judas had authority, he had clout. He had been taught by the very mouth of God and yet his heart was hardened from love for money. The case of Judas then is a most fearful warning to all those who profess faith, but especially to leaders in the church. Judas is foremost amongst those Jesus describes in Matthew 7:21-23, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” The life of Judas is a perpetual warning sign to those who hear the word but do not do it. It is a warning to those who teach the word, but do not do it. It is also a warning to those who desire to be rich. For as Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:9-10, “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Judas saw Christ as a mere steppingstone to earthly riches and earthly power. And he chose that in spite of hearing Jesus preach, “You cannot love God and money, you cannot serve two masters, for either you will hate the one and love the other.” And so the kiss of Judas upon the face of Christ, was no kiss of love but of hatred. And because Christ is very life itself, by betraying Jesus with a kiss, Judas simultaneously betrays his own soul. To give the “kiss of death” to another is really to wrap the noose around your own neck (as Judas would later literally do). This is the insanity and irrationality of sin: It is always suicidal. “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). God says in Proverbs 8:35-36, “Whoso findeth me findeth life, And shall obtain favour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: All they that hate me love death.” To love money more than God is to love death. To love any created good more than God is to harm your own soul. And this is because God created you for Himself. Jesus says that life consists in knowing God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent. So what kind of Christian are you going to be? The kind that uses God as a means to earthly gain? Or the kind the honors God as the beginning, middle, and end of all our existence? Summary: Judas shows us that sinful flesh is ultimately unintelligible (it don’t make no sense). Sin is always myopic and shortsighted, because it latches on to what is temporal and fleeting and forsakes what is eternal. Consider: Judas kissed the face of God and exchanged what is infinitely precious for 30 pieces of metal, and then he doesn’t even spend it, instead he goes and hangs himself. Does anything about that make sense? This is what I mean by the irrationality of sin. And it is why Christ and the apostles, and the prophets are so insistent that you make zero provision for the flesh. And it is why the Lord Jesus taught us to pray regularly, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” You and I need to constant and regular deliverance from the evil that remains within us, and the myriad temptations to sin. No man on this side of glory ever graduates from praying the Lord’s Prayer. Continuing in Verses 47-49, we behold a third portrait of flesh, which is the disciples’ response to Jesus’ arrest.And while the disciples are far from the sin of Judas, and far from the sins of the Sanhedrin, they are still being merely carnal. Verses 47-49 – Flesh Takes Up the Sword 47 And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear. 48 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. We are told in John’s gospel that it was Peter who cut off this man’s ear. And knowing Peter’s zeal, we aren’t really surprised. And so while self-defense can be good and righteous in many cases, and Jesus himself approved of them taking two swords with them, nevertheless this was not one of those appropriate occasions. For as Jesus himself will say to Peter, “all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword” (Matt. 26:52). So we see in here in Peter’s actions the natural desire of our flesh when we suffer or witness injustice. When our flesh feels wronged, it desires to get even, it desires to defend itself and take vengeance on the evil doer. And that is actually a good and virtuous passion, but only when it is governed and regulated by the law of God. Recall that earlier in Jesus’ ministry, James and John, two sons of thunder,were ready to call down fire upon the Samaritans for not welcoming them. But what did Jesus say to them? It says in Luke 9:55-56, “But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’ And they went to another village.” So Peter, like James and John, does not know what spirit he is of. And why? Because he still does not understand the way in which evil shall be overcome. The flesh thinks that evil can be overcome by the sword, by horses and chariots and the strength of men. But Christ teaches us that we overcome evil by doing good. For as it says in Romans 12:19, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.” So unless you are a civil magistrate, to whom the sword of vengeance has been given to punish the wicked on God’s behalf (Rom. 13), then the law of God requires you to do as Christ did, and to overcome evil by doing good. There is a time to stand up and lawfully defend ourselves, and there is a time to turn the other cheek. But because Peter was thinking carnally, he could not discern the times. Paul teaches us the ordinary way of calling down fire upon our enemies. He says in Romans 12:20, Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” That is how our God who is a consuming fire destroy the evil. So the flesh wants to get even, it wants to hit back, and sometimes (like James and John) it even uses Bible verses to justify taking vengeance. But to those who from carnal passion take up the sword, Jesus says, by the sword they shall perish. And at the same time, to those who deny their flesh, and take up the cross and follow Jesus, to them belongs eternal reward. Summary: So there is the way of the sword, and there is the way of the cross. And remember how the saints in Revelation are said to defeat the devil? It says in Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” If our war was with flesh and blood, then the sword would be our weapon. But because our warfare is with principalities, and powers, and the forces of darkness in high places, therefore our weapons are not carnal but spiritual. They are the weapons of faith, hope, and love. The same love the Lord Jesus used to conquer death itself. Finally, in verses 50-52 we have a fourth portrait of flesh and we see what all flesh does when it is uncovered. Verses 50-52 50 And they all forsook him, and fled. 51 And there followed him a certain young man, having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; and the young men laid hold on him: 52 And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked. Now there is endless speculation about who this young man was, and why Mark even includes this detail (none of the other gospels have it). And of the many options put forth by the commentators, I think the most likely candidate for who this young man was is that he was either Mark, the author of this gospel, OR, it was just some anonymous disciple (not one of the twelve), who Mark uses to signify various spiritual realities. In either case, the young man is said to be wearing linen around his naked body. And these are two curious details that have important resonance in the Old Testament. Linen is the fabric associated with the priests, and nakedness recalls our first parents, who like this young man, were found naked and afraid in a garden with God. So what is going on here? Well for starters, we have signified in this naked young man the failure of Adam’s priesthood. Recall that Adam’s first task was the priestly duty of guarding and keeping God’s sanctuary (The Garden of Eden). But Adam allowed the serpent to creep in, and deceive his wife, and because Adam chose to serve his flesh instead of God, from that point onward, the human race has been dominated by fleshly desires that lead to death. However, in God’s mercy, Adam and Eve were made to feel in their bodies a sense of shame. This is the universal feeling of nakedness, of being uncovered and exposed for what we really are. And so the grace of shame is that we all look for something to cover us. When our flesh feels exposed, we (like this young man) run and hide and look for cover. And what we have here in this man, dressed in linen (the priestly garb), is a picture of the law’s failure to provide that covering. Paul says in Romans 7:5, “For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.” In other words, the law of the old covenant was good and right and spiritual, but because we were fleshly, knowing the law only made things worse. It made us feel even more naked than before. And therefore, the linen cloth of Adam’s priesthood, of the Aaronic priesthood, had to be replaced by something better, the blood of Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. So that is just one aspect of what I think is suggested here by the naked young man. When our flesh is exposed, we look for cover, and the question is where will you find that covering?Or as Paul says in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” So those are four portraits of our flesh: 1. Flesh is envious and murderous like the chief priests, scribes and elders. 2. Flesh is irrational and suicidal like Judas who betrayed our Lord. 3. Flesh desires to take up the sword instead of the cross, like Peter in his misguided zeal. 4. And flesh fears being uncovered and when it is exposed, it runs and hides. Now I want to close by considering this whole scene again but from the perspective of Christ in the spirit. How does the Lord Jesus teach us to walk? Conclusion Four Contrasts of Spirit to the Flesh First, when Jesus is the object of envy from the chief priests, scribes, and elders, Jesus counters with brotherly love. He does this first by rebuking the mob that arrests him. Love is willing to confront and rebuke sinners: “Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled.” So Jesus loves them by telling them their sin.Second, Jesus shows brotherly love by using their evil actions to bring about their good. This is the same thing that Joseph did for his brothers, but in a more marvelous way.Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers, but God used Joseph to save those same envious and murderous brothers, and the whole world from starvation. And so at the end of Genesis, we have this scene: “And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants. And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.” (Genesis 50:18-21).How kindly has God treated us who have transgressed against him? How kindly does Christ treat those who envy and murder him?Love and kindness are the fruit of the spirit. This is something the flesh cannot produce.And so we also ought to love one another, even those who might are envious. As my pastor Doug Wilson taught me, “we ought to pray that God blesses our enemies with really cute grandkids.” If you can honestly pray for that, you are on your way to walking in the spirit of Christ.Second, Jesus treats Judas with that same love and kindness. Betrayal is one of the worst pains we can ever suffer. Worse than physical pain is the emotional and relational pain that betrayal can deal out. Adultery, divorce, abandonment, abuse, prodigal children. Betrayal can leave scars that only God can heal.But that is exactly why Jesus went to the cross and suffered this betrayal from Judas. Because as it says in Isaiah 53:5, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed.”Where does the power to forgive our betrayers come from? It comes from the bleeding side of Christ, and from the acknowledgement that however badly we have been treated, we have treated God far worse. And if Jesus can forgive me, I can forgive anyone.So Jesus overcomes betrayal by loving his enemies, even Judas.Third, while Peter takes up the sword against the mob, Jesus restrains himself. In Matthew’s version of this same scene, Jesus says, “Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?”It was not that Jesus lacked the power, it was that Jesus uses his power for the greatest spiritual good, namely our salvation.If Jesus had fought back, no cross and no redemption. But because he entrusted his soul to God, and was obedient unto to death, his death secured our everlasting life.Fourth, and finally, whereas the young man ran away naked, Jesus stood his ground and was willing to be exposed on the cross in order to provide a permanent and perfect covering of our nakedness. That is the hope of the gospel to all who trust in Christ, and so I close with words of Hebrews 12:2 which says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”Look to Jesus and he will clothe you in resurrection glory. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Spirit Is Willing Sunday, July 28th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:26-42 26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. Prayer Father, we thank you for the example of Christ, who teaches us to learn obedience through the things we suffer. We ask now for an increase of grace that we might receive endurance to run and finish our course with joy. We pray all this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction For those of you who were here last Sunday, you may notice that we have the same sermon text all over again. And there are two reasons for that: One is because we only got through verse 36 in our exposition (so we’ve got a few more verses to get through), but second is because this scene and moment in Christ’s life is so significant and so dense with revelation, that I want to explore a little more how to apply these truths in our own lives and sufferings. So the outline of my sermon is as follows: 1. First we will review what we covered last week in verses 26-36. 2. Then I’ll briefly expound verses 37-42, 3. And then third and finally we’ll consider the work of the spirit in our lives. Review of Verses 26-36 We said last week that there is a kind of numerical symmetry in that just as God is three persons in one essence, so also Christ the God-man is three essences in one person. The Triune God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three distinct persons who are the One Divine Essence.And Jesus Christ is the one Divine Person, The Son, who also joined to himself two other created essences, a human soul and a human body. So who is Jesus? He is fully man and fully God. One Person, two natures (human and divine). One person with three distinct essences (human soul, human flesh, and divinity). And so what Mark and the other gospel writers have given us in Gethsemane is a window into how Christ as a perfect man, subordinates his human flesh and human soul to God. And therefore, we who have received the very Spirit of Christ, can learn from Jesus how to do the same. In the words of the Apostle Paul, we are learning how to “walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit, so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us” (Rom. 8:4). Now there were 3 distinct lessons we learned from Jesus that answer the question, “How do I walk with God through the valley of the shadow of death?” Or to put the question another way, “How do you suffer righteously?” “How do you endure pain and sorrow and the many griefs of this life, without sinning?” Jesus is your example par excellence and the first lesson we observed is that: 1. Christ prepares himself for suffering by singing and praying with his disciples. It says in verse 26, “And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” We could also go a few more verses back and observe that Christ eats and fellowships with his disciples as well. So God gives us one another, and He gives us this corporate gathering of the saints around His table, to communicate grace to those who need it. The Apostle James says, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms…” (James 5:14). Notice that phrase is any among you afflicted? The Apostle assumes that your afflictions are taking place within the context of the church. All who are baptized are baptized into Christ’s body (the visible church), and as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:26, “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” So if you are a Christian, your individual sufferings and afflictions are never actually solitary, they are always as parts to the whole who is Christ. We often feel alone and feel abandoned and feel alienated from the life of the church, and indeed there are times when our infirmities prevent us from being physically present at the public gathering. But remember the promise that Jesus gave to his disciples, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Now despite being an Apostle in the church, Paul found himself like Jesus, alone without any other Christians to help him. He says in 2 Timothy 4:16-18, “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!” So although Jesus had the fellowship of his disciples, and although Paul had many companions and fellow ministers in the gospel, there usually comes a time in our life when we must face down our fears alone. And yet, because we are members of Christ’s body, we are never completely alone. The Lord stood by Paul and strengthened him. And in Jesus’ case, when all forsook him, His Father was His unbroken source of strength. Summary: So the lesson for us is first, prepare yourself for suffering by being present among the body, by singing and praying and feasting together as we do, and that is how the majority of our trials become tolerable. We endure them together. We bear one another’s burdens together. We suffer and rejoice together. God intended that His grace be ordinarily communicated from one member to another united in Christ. But then also remember that there are extra-ordinary times of crisis when God calls our number, and he permits affliction to so remove us from human society, so that all we have is Him. We might be stuck in the hospital, or stuck in our sickbed at home, or forsaken by all our friends and family. And that is what Jesus experiences here in Gethsemane, total alienation from those who are closest to Him. And yet ever and always, our Father is with us. The Lord will stand by you and never forsake you. It is to this truth that you must cling. Now the second lesson we learn from Jesus is… 2. How to be fearful and sorrowful and yet without sin. It says in verses 33-34, “And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death…” So Jesus teaches us that it is natural to our bodies to fear pain and fear death for ourselves and others, and yet that fear of suffering can be so governed, and even overcome, when it is directed towards a greater purpose, namely the will of our Father in Heaven. So contrary to the Stoics, who equated passions like sorrow with vice and moral weakness, for them there was no place for sorrow in the life of a wise man, Jesus on the other hands teaches that to be truly human and perfectly human requires us to be sorrowful at times. It is actually a defect in our nature to not feel sadness when there is real evil in the world. This is what Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 1:18, “For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.” And so Christ who in his humanity possessed the fullness of wisdom and fullness of knowledge, also possessed a sorrow unto death. And thus Isaiah 53:3 calls him “a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief,” for “Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows.” So Jesus teaches us that sorrow accompanies knowledge, and grief accompanies wisdom. And yet these passions that can tend to debilitate us, or leave us despondent and depressed, need to not terminate there. For as it says in Psalm 30:5, “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Here on the night of Passover, we behold a perfect man, the lamb of God, fearful and sorrowful unto death, but it does not derail his mission, his passions do not overcome his reason, but instead he governs them by his spirit and directs them to the work His Father sent him to do. When God sends you on a mission, he does not expect you to be unaffected by the obstacles in your path, indeed He permits them to be there.And what He wants you to do is imitate the Lord Jesus and rule your passions like a Godly Emperor rules his kingdom. That means there is a place for sadness and a place for joy. There is a place for hope and there is a place for fear. We see in the Apostle Paul’s ministry that there is even a place for holy anxiety. The same one who says, “be anxious for nothing” (Phil. 4:6) also says, “I feel daily pressures and anxiety for all the churches” (2 Cor. 11:28). And he considers that anxiety appropriate and exemplary. Summary: So a life of Christian perfection does not consist in a life without passions/emotions/feelings. But rather, the perfect humanity of Christ teaches us to govern and direct them to God. The third lesson we learn from Christ is… 3. How to pray in suffering. Jesus says in verse 36, “Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” We said that prayer is the ascent of the mind to God, and that there are three basics steps to prayer: 1. We acknowledge our Father’s infinite power to do all things. 2. We ask Him for what we presently desire. 3. We wait and wrestle and keep on asking, until our desire becomes one with the Father’s. That is what means to say, “not my will, but Yours be done.” There is the excellent line from St. Jerome who says, “The good Lord frequently does not grant what we wish, in order to bestow what we should prefer.” In other words, God always gives us what we would have asked for if we knew as much as He did. So those are just three of the many lessons we might learn from this scene in Gethsemane, but let us turn now to consider a fourth lesson in verses 37-42. Recall, Jesus has just told his disciples to keep watch while he prays, and now he comes to check on them. Verses 37-42 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. Observe that the disciples fail to do all the things we just learned by example from Jesus. Instead of supporting Jesus in his greatest hour of need, they fall asleep. Instead of ruling their bodies and passions in accord with reason, they let their eyes grow heavy and dim. Instead of praying fervently to the Father for strength to stand firm, they slumber. Three times Jesus comes to them, three times they are found sleeping. Now in the disciples’ defense, it’s the middle of the night. They’ve had a full day, a full meal, the wine is starting to have its effects, and so sleepiness is the most natural thing for them to feel here. And this is why Jesus says, “The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.” Earlier in his ministry he told them, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing” (John 6:63). So there is a kind of double lesson in Jesus’ exhortation here. 1. As long as you are in the body, the flesh is going to weigh you down. That is not to say that the body or matter is inherently evil, but rather that because of the sin nature we inherited from Adam, our bodies don’t work like they ought to. In Adam before the Fall, and in Jesus’ perfect humanity, the lowers powers of the body worked in harmony with the higher powers of reason and will. But after the fall, that harmony was broken. The grace of original justice was removed, and that is why sin leads to death. We fell from grace and inherit from Adam flesh that must eventually die. And this what provokes the Apostle Paul to say in Galatians 5:16-17, “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Likewise in Romans 7:23-24 he says, “But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Paul is describing in Himself the weakness of the flesh that Jesus is warning of. Even after we are baptized and united to Christ, so long as this flesh remains, it profits us nothing. And therefore, the second half of this lesson is that… 2. The spirit is willing. When we are born again, and God enlightens our mind, a new principle is implanted within us. This principle goes by many and various names in the New Testament: In Romans 8, Paul calls it, “the law of the Spirit of life” or being “in the spirit” or being “spiritually minded.” In Ephesians he calls it being “in Christ” or putting on, “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” In Acts it is described as receiving power from on high or receiving the Holy Spirit, and in other places is simply called grace. God graciously gives us His Spirit, so that what was disordered and broken by sin can be reordered and healed by Christ. In this life, the war between flesh and spirit does not stop until death. Flesh will never ever profit us. But in the life to come, that grace and Spirit we receive here, comes to full bloom in the resurrection. And then we too shall share in the perfect bliss of knowing God and loving God and walking in the joy and peace and love of the Spirit forever. Summary: When God gives us His spirit, we are given a new power through which we can wage war and win against sinful flesh. This is the power of faith, hope, and love for God. And the more we exercise this power, and subdue our flesh, the easier it becomes to keep in step with Spirit. So that is the fourth lesson, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Now I want to close by highlighting one aspect of the spirit’s work in us, which is to sanctify or make holy. The Spirit Sanctifies What happens when God sanctifies someone or something? First, he separates it, and then he purifies it for His own use. We see this exemplified in the consecration of the high priest. First, God took Israel out from all the other nations. He sanctified them from the world. Then, God took the tribe of Levi out from all the other tribes and set the Levites apart to be His firstborn son. And then God took the sons of Aaron, out from the tribe of Levi to be his holy priests. And then God took one of those priests, out from the rest, to be High Priest, and he alone could enter the holy of holies. Now how did all of those sanctifications take place? It says in Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” The blood of Passover sanctified Israel from the world. The blood of circumcision sanctified the seed of Abraham from the rest. The blood of bulls and goats sanctified the priests and tabernacle and holy vessels. Where there is a cutting off, a separation from what is common and unclean, there is blood. So when God wants to sanctify you, what should you expect? You should expect to see blood. You should expect to see things cut out of your life that are of no use. You should expect to be alienated from the world, because you died to that world.This is what the spirit wills against the weakness of our flesh, to say with the Apostle Paul, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Gal. 2:20). It was by the severing of Christ’s body from his soul, that the blood of the New Testament was ratified. It is by the sprinkling of that same blood upon us that our sins are washed away. And it is on the basis of that most precious blood, that the spirit of eternal life is given unto us. May God give you that spirit in greater measure. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Spirit, Flesh, and Divinity Sunday, July 21st, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:26-42 26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. 37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? 38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. 40 And when he returned, he found them asleep again, (for their eyes were heavy,) neither wist they what to answer him. 41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand. Prayer Father, we thank you for the glory of the Incarnation, and that Your Son, the Eternal Word, took himself a true humanity, a rational soul and a passible body, in order to die and rise again impassible, incorruptible, never to die again. We thank you for this eternal life that is offered to us in Christ. Join us to Him more deeply by Your Spirit, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction There is a famous saying amongst the theologians that just as in God three persons are one essence, so also in the Incarnate Son, three essences are one person. I’ll say that again in more explicit terms: Just as in God three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) are the one Divine Essence, so also in the Incarnate Son, three essences (the human soul, the human body, and the divine nature) are one person, namely the God-man Jesus Christ.There is a kind of numerical symmetry between who God is as Trinity, and who Jesus is as the God-man (three persons in one essence, three essences in one person). And what we have here in our sermon text this morning is one of the clearest windows into that ineffable mystery of who Christ is. We know that Jesus is fully God, he is the eternal Word and Image of the Father. We know that Jesus is fully man, he has a rational nature, a body, and soul, and yet he is perfect and without sin. We know that Jesus is one divine person and not two different persons. In the incarnation, the eternal Son joined to Himself a real humanity. He is one person with two distinct natures, fully man, and fully God. But how do these three distinct essences of a human spirit and human flesh (with together constitute human nature), and the divine nature of the Son all interact with one another? Well here in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before Jesus is arrested and crucified, we have one of the greatest revelations of that mystery. And so while you may not think of yourself as a theologian (and indeed very few are called to be theologians in the professional sense), all of us who profess to know Christ ought to desire to know Him as He actually is, and not merely as we might want him or imagine him to be.So there is really a twofold purpose for God giving us the gospels and more specifically for giving us this scene in Gethsemane that opens to us the interior life of the God-man Christ Jesus. 1. The first reason is stated in John 17:3, where Jesus himself says, “this is eternal life, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” There is only one God and one Christ, and eternal life consists in knowing him. And that means that any other Jesus than the one revealed in Holy Scripture is a fake and alternative Jesus that cannot save. Many heretics have tried to refashion a Christ according to their own vain imaginations. Arius rejected the full divinity of the Son and fashioned for himself a Jesus who was something less than God. And for this obstinate error he was rejected by the orthodox, and the Nicene Creed was drawn up to guard against such errors. The Manichees and Docetists rejected the full humanity of Christ and fashioned for themselves a more spiritual Jesus who only appeared to do the things he is said to do in the gospels. That God would become man was too absurd for them to handle because matter itself was tainted in their view. These are just two of innumerable examples of people making Jesus to be something other than God has revealed. They either diminish his full divinity, or diminish his full humanity, or more popular in our day, they make Jesus to be the poster-boy for whatever new social issue they are pushing. And so now we’ve got socialist Jesus, black Jesus, woke Jesus, gay-affirming Jesus, and all manner of absurd and blasphemous idolatry. None of these are the actual Jesus of Scripture, and therefore to put your faith in them is to trust an idol that cannot save. So to summarize, the first and primary purpose for God giving us this revelation of Christ’s interior life is so that we might know the true Jesus and find salvation in Him. 2. Now secondarily and more practically, God has given us this revelation of Christ’s sorrow and anguish and real humanity, in order to teach us how to walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Or to put it another way, Jesus shows us what is inside of him, his emotions and passions and thoughts, and the conformity of his will to the Father’s, in order to teach us how to do the same. How do you cope with the threat of pain, and the knowledge of your inevitable death?How do you endure sorrow, and the fear of losing what you love? Or perhaps you aren’t sure how are you supposed to feel when you suffer. Is it okay to be sorrowful unto death, or is that a lack of faith? Well here in this most beautiful and intimate passage, Christ gives us answers to those kinds of questions. And so as we walk through this text together, let us take heed to how we might imitate our blessed Lord. The Context Remember the context of our passage. It is the night of Passover, and Jesus and the disciples are in Jerusalem. They have just eaten and partook of the Last Supper, the bread and the wine, and Judas has now exited with plans to betray him. Jesus has also taken a kind of Nazarite vow saying in verse 25, “I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” And immediately following this, we read in verse 26… Verse 26 26 And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. How does Jesus prepare himself to go to the cross? He sings together with his disciples.Tradition holds that after the Passover meal, it was customary to sing Psalms 115-118. And while Mark does not tell us exactly what they sang (the text simply says “having hymned”), it is a most probable conclusion that the words of the Psalms were upon the lips of Christ as he readied himself for his ultimate suffering. If you remember Psalm 118, that is the Psalm that says, “The stone which the builders refused Is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes… Bind the sacrifice with cords, Even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: Thou art my God, I will exalt thee. O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: For his mercy endureth for ever.” Here we are instructed by Christ’s example. How should you prepare yourself for walking through the valley of the shadow of death? You should sing and pray the Psalms together with the church. You should thank and praise God for His everlasting mercy. And this is of course what God would have us do in all circumstances, good and bad. For as it says in Psalm 34, “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” And in Psalm 119:164-164, “Seven times a day do I praise thee Because of thy righteous judgments. Great peace have they which love thy law: And nothing shall offend them.” And in James 5:13, “Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.” So singing the Psalms and praying the Psalms is Christ’s weapon of choice in his moment of greatest distress. And as we will see later when Jesus is hanging upon the cross, it is the words of Psalm 22 and Psalm 31 that he utters. “My God, my God, why has thou forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1). And “Into thy hands I commit my spirit” (Ps. 31:5). So if singing and praying the Psalms was necessary for the God-man, how much more necessary for us who are not God?!After this corporate hymning, they leave the upper room, it’s the middle of the night, and they go out to the Mount of Olives. And it is here that Jesus foretells the scattering of the disciples, his resurrection from the dead, and Peter’s denial of knowing Jesus. Verses 27-31 27 And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered. 28 But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. 29 But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. 30 And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. 31 But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. Jesus begins with a quotation from Zechariah 13, and he identifies the disciples as the sheep who are scattered, “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, Saith the Lord of hosts: Smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: And I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”Now if the disciples knew the Scriptures more thoroughly, they would have known that this scattering in Zechariah is followed by a remnant being preserved and refined through fire, and eventually being regathered as a people for God. Zechariah 13:9 says, “And I will bring the third part through the fire, And will refine them as silver is refined, And will try them as gold is tried: They shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: And they shall say, The Lord is my God.” So Jesus is foretelling how this scattering and regathering, this exile and return, of the new Israel shall take place. It is through his death and resurrection. He is the shepherd who shall be smitten, but that is not the end. He says, “But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.” And yet in spite of this clear testimony to his resurrection, the disciples protest that they shall not be offended or scattered. Peter, speaking most boldly says, “If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all said likewise. Well Jesus knows all things, and he knows that these bold words shall quickly be proved hallow. And so Jesus keeps in step with the words of Psalm 118, which perhaps they had just sung, which says, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” And “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: What can man do unto me?” Likewise in Jeremiah 17:5 it says, “Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm…” So Jesus entrusts himself to no man, for he knows all men and he knows men are a vain hope (John 2:24-25). Instead, he entrusts Himself wholly to the Father. Verses 32-36 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. 33 And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. Here is that window into Christ’s soul that I spoke of earlier. So let me draw your attention to three aspects of Christ’s person that show forth his true, real, and perfect humanity.1. He “began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy.” The sense of this amazement and heaviness is that Jesus is anxious, he is disturbed, he is troubled in his soul. Properly speaking Jesus is experiencing something of the passion of fear. Now how is it that Jesus could be afraid of anything, when He is God, and He knows that He is going to rise again from the dead? The answer is that Jesus had a real humanity which includes what we call more technically, the sensitive soul, or the sensitive appetite. This is that part of our being that naturally desires and tends towards what feels good and avoids what doesn’t feel good. For example, we naturally desire what is physically comfortable: a good meal, clean water, clothes that fit us, temperature that suits us, a bed we can sleep in, and so forth. These are bodily goods that our sensitive appetite desires, and Jesus Christ had those natural bodily desires and yet they were always perfectly regulated by his higher reason, or what we call the spirit, or intellect and will. So whereas you and I, because of sin, struggle to rule our bodily appetites, we struggle to get up in the morning, or we overeat, or we let our bodily discomfort rule our reason and we say hurtful things in a moment of anger, Jesus Christ had constant and perfect rule over his sensitive soul. Remember that right after his baptism, he fasted for 40 days and was tempted in the wilderness. That was not merely an act of his divinity, it was an act of his human nature wherein his bodily desires were made subject to reason. The devil tempted him, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” So Jesus began his public ministry be ruling over his bodily appetites, and he concludes his ministry by doing the same, and that includes ruling over the natural fear of death and pain that is common to our humanity. Now let us consider for a moment the nature of fear. Where does fear arise from? What makes us afraid? Fear arises in us when there is some future evil or pain that we would like to avoid. And because fear is increased by our own imagination, the more detail and the more knowledge we have of the pain that we may have to undergo, the worse that fear becomes. So much so that sometimes people have panic attacks, or nervous sweats, or PTSD, or we say, “they psyched themselves out.” And so this is one of those places where Jesus knowing all things, actually increases his suffering. If you were going to be crucified, would you like to know in advance and in great detail just how painful it will be to have nails banged through your wrists and ankles? Would you like to experience ahead of time in your own imagination the shame of being stripped naked in front of the world, beaten and mocked, treated as a fraud, and hung up to die between two criminals? Fear is increased by the amount of knowledge we have of future pain, and Jesus knew from the beginning of his life the excruciating suffering that he would one day have to undergo, and not only the physical pain of being crucified, but also the spiritual pain of having to sever his own body from his soul. So Jesus Christ was and is true man, and he proves this by showing forth this part of him that is common to all humanity. We dislike pain and we don’t want to suffer. The same was true for Jesus in the sensitive part of his soul. Now if fear regards a future evil. Sorrow arises when evil becomes present to us. And insofar as our mind and imagination and our senses are united to that evil (afflicted), so also sorrow is increased. And so the second thing we see in Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane is stated in verse 34… 2. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death…” It is as if Jesus is dying before he actually dies. If you know sorrow or disappointment or the death of what you love, you know it is like having your heart turned into wax or being punched in the gut. Set aside for a moment the threat of any physical pain, and just consider how the knowledge of losing what you love, a spouse, a child, a parent, your home, the knowledge of that loss can so debilitate your body with sorrow, that is as if you are dead while still breathing. We call this consequence of sorrow despondency. We lose our appetite. The world turns from color to black and white. We say, “a part of us has died,” or “we are dead inside,” when that sorrow of loss pierces us cold. Well Jesus feels in his soul a sorrow unto death, but unlike you and I who might be frozen or debilitated or made despondent by grief, Jesus endures it with a heart that burns with love. He does not let sorrow prevent him from praying or going to the cross, instead he allows it to increase the devotion of his prayers. It says of Jesus in Isaiah 53:3-5, “He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, And carried our sorrows: Yet we did esteem him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: The chastisement of our peace was upon him; And with his stripes we are healed. What made Jesus sorrowful unto death? He was carrying the sorrows of the world in his heart. He was bearing in his body the uncountable griefs of humanity. The person who loves little or loves no-one, feels only sorrow for himself. But when you start to truly love other people, their pain becomes your pain. Their troubles become your troubles. Love is a unitive force that enlarges our heart so that you begin to feel in yourself other people’s pains and joys. This is how you rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, love makes that possible. How many people did Jesus’ love? And how much love did he have for them? The reason that Jesus was sorrowful unto death was because he loved so many so greatly. He loved the world, he loved Israel, he loved the disciples, he loved Judas, he loves you. And so although God does not love everyone in the exact same way, the love of God is such that the death of Christ has the power to atone for all. It says in 1 Timothy 2:4, “God desires all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” And in 1 John 2:2, “he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” And so according to Christ’s true humanity, he was sorrowful unto death, and this was because of the great love with which he loved us. Jesus was not stoic or unaffected by the work His Father called him to do. It says in Hebrews 5:7-9, which is an inspired commentary on this scene. That Christ, “who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.” 3. This brings us to the third aspect of Christ’s person that is revealed in his prayer, and that is the presence of two distinct wills in Christ, a human will that chooses to submit to the divine will. Verses 35-36 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. Notice first that in calling upon God as “Abba, Father,” Christ reveals himself as a true and obedient Son. As God, Jesus is eternally begotten of the Father, co-equal and co-eternal with him. But as regards the human nature joined to His person, it says in Philippians 2:5-8, “he made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” So here in Gethsemane we have the revelation of two distinct wills in Christ. And this is essential to maintaining his true humanity. If Jesus had only a divine will, then he would not be fully man, because it is essential to human nature to have a free will from which we choose to do either right or wrong. And if Jesus lacked that ability, then he could not be said to have truly obeyed and fulfilled the law of God on our behalf. And further, if he had no human will, then none of his actions would be a real example for us to imitate. But because Jesus has a true human will, we can learn from him how to rule our passions, we can learn from him how to keep our own fear and sorrow within the bounds of reason, and most importantly, we can learn how to pray and conform our will to the will of God. Conclusion So let us close by observing how Jesus conquers his own fear and sorrow unto death. 1. Notice first that Jesus acknowledges the power that His Father has to remove the cause of his suffering:“Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee…” So when you pray, pray in faith. Pray with the knowledge of the truth that God is omnipotent and sovereign and does all things well. Our God is Creator, and Governor, and the Worker of wonders. And it is within this context of God’s infinite power and love that we offer all our prayers to Him. Moreover, he is not a distant God, aloof or absent, but rather an ever-present help in time of need (Ps. 46:1). And so Jesus taught us to address God in prayer the same way that he did, as “Father.” Paul says in Romans 8, that because we have received the spirit of Christ, the spirit of and sonship and adoption, that we also cry, “Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together” (Rom. 8:16-18). So when you are fearful or sad or hurting, do not forget the power of God, and the nearness of your Father, and the Spirit of adoption that was given unto you. 2. Because “all things are possible unto thee,” Jesus asks His Father to “take away this cup from me.” In other words, if there is some other way to save the world that does not include Jesus dying on the cross, Jesus, according to his humanity, would prefer that way instead. And yet, because he desires something greater than the mere avoidance of pain and death, namely, to satisfy divine justice, to glorify His Father and save the world, Jesus subordinates his natural human will to the divine will that He shares with the Father. And indeed, that is the whole purpose of prayer. Prayer is the ascent of the mind into God so that our will can be conformed to His. We see this same pattern in the life of Paul. In 2 Corinthians 12. Paul knows that God has the power to remove the thorn in his flesh, and he says, “I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. [He asks God to remove the cup]. And how does God respond? “And he said unto me, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.’” So this is how we pray: 1. We acknowledge our Father’s power to do all things. 2. Then we appeal to that power and ask Him to act on our behalf. 3. And then we wait, and listen, and observe, and sometimes we pray again and again and again, we wrestle like Jacob with the angel, and insodoing we are saying to God, here’s what I want, but make me to want what You want. Not my will, but yours be done. And you’ll know that your will is aligned with God, when you can say what the Apostle Paul said when God told him no, the thorn is good for you. 2 Corinthians 12:10, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” This is the way of Christ, the way of the cross, the way that we conquer fear and death. May God teach us to pray, even as our Lord did.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

A New Year’s Meal Sunday, July 14th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:12-25 12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? 13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. 18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. 22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Prayer Father, we thank you that what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, You have done, by sending Your own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, You condemned sin in the flesh: so that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. We ask for that same Spirit now, in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction When God was about to deliver Israel out of Egypt, it says in Exodus 12:1-2 that, “the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.” The text then goes on to describe the Passover meal and the feast of unleavened bread, which carried the regulation that “Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.” So starting on the night of Passover, all the old leaven was to be purged from the house. And anyone who did not purge out that old leaven, or who partook of leavened bread during that week, was excommunicated (cut off) from the priestly nation. And so the New Year festival for the Jews began with a literal spring cleaning (Passover was in late March/early April), and this was a hard reset on everyone’s daily bread. Nobody’s leaven was allowed to continue for more than one year. Now why is this? Leaven in Scripture can be either a positive symbol or a negative symbol, but in both cases, leaven is a principle of growth and of transformation. Leaven is contagious and depending on whether your leaven is good or bad, so also the spreading of it can be either good or bad. For example, in Matthew 13:33, Jesus says that “The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.” How did God’s kingdom grow? He took a handful of Jews from the old Israel, gave them His spirit, hid them in the world, and today there are millions of Christians across the globe. And eventually, the whole world shall be leavened. We see leaven also in the law for the peace offering, it says in Leviticus 7:13, “Besides the cakes, as his offering he shall offer leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offering.” So leaven here is connected with the person’s gratitude, and works, and their desire to share a meal with God. So leaven can have this very positive and salvific connotation in Scripture. However, in the context of the Passover, leaven signifies sin.  Leaven signifies the old ways, of the old man, in the old land of Egypt. For as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 5:8, “let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” And so Passover and the subsequent feast of unleavened bread, was a way for the nation of Israel to press reset on their soul. They were meant to take inventory at the beginning of the harvest year, before the crops were planted, and recall all that God had done for them in bringing them out of Egypt into a land of their own. So Passover is this kind of New Year Festival in which we leave behind the old and look ahead to the new. And it was at this same festival that Jesus Christ chose to transform the whole world through his death and resurrection. So here in our text we have the end of the law, the final Passover meal, and also the establishment of a new covenant, a new creation, and a new festival for the people of God.So with that in mind let me give you the outline of our passage and then we’ll walk through it together. Overview of the Text In verses 12-16, Jesus prepares a room for Passover.In verses 17-21, Jesus prophesies that he will be betrayed.In verses 22-25, Jesus establishes the new covenant in his blood. Verse 12 12 And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover? Mark gives us this timestamp which places these events on the 14th of Nisan in the Jewish Calendar (the first month of the ecclesiastical year). And because the Passover had to be celebrated within the city walls of Jerusalem, the disciples ask Jesus where they might go and prepare for him. Verses 13-16 13 And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. 14 And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples? 15 And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. 16 And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover. So remember that Jesus is a marked man. The chief priests and scribes are looking for any opportunity to take him by craft, and so while Jesus is residing in Bethany, perhaps still at Simon the Leper’s house, he sends two disciples into the city to make final preparations. And what these two disciples find is that Jesus has already made provisions for them. There is a man carrying a pitcher of water, and they follow him. And then they meet the master of the house, and he shows them a large upper room furnished and already prepared. And all they have to do is “make ready.” Perhaps gather the final ingredients for the meal itself. Some bread, some wine, some herbs, and the lamb. There are echoes here of Abraham and Isaac going up to Mount Moriah. Isaac says, “’Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?’ And Abraham said, ‘My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together’” (Genesis 22:7-8). According to 2 Chronicles 3:1, Mount Moriah was where Solomon built the temple. And so every time the Jews went up to Jerusalem for Passover, they were walking in the literal footsteps of Father Abraham. And now, 2,000 years after Abraham and Isaac walked up that mountain, and came back down, these two disciples go up as well, and they find that the words of Jesus are as true as the words of Abraham in Genesis 22:14, “Abraham called the name of the place, The-Lord-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the Mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” So Jesus has provided for himself and his people, a place to dine. The disciples go up into the city, “and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.”Where is the lamb? The true lamb is coming. Verse 17 17 And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. Here is the new Israel, the new leaven of God’s kingdom, coming into Jerusalem (which has become a new Egypt). And yet there is secret malice and hidden wickedness among them that has yet to be purged. And so Jesus warns that one of them is going to be cut off, not only from Israel, but from the land of the living. Verses 18-21 18 And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me. 19 And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I? 20 And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish. 21 The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born. It is better to never have been born, than to betray the Lord Jesus. For whenever someone betrays Christ, and forsakes their allegiance to Him, they are in reality betraying their own soul and forsaking life eternal.What endless sorrow and regret awaits those who die in their sins. To begin to follow Jesus and then to betray him, is to have the gates of heaven wide open before you, only to turn back and dive into hellfire instead. “Woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.” These are haunting and fearful words.Why does Jesus give this warning? Because he loves the disciples (including Judas) and wants them to examine themselves to see whether they be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5).For all of them shall each in their own way, betray Christ. Judas for money, and the rest for fear of death. Peter will deny knowing Christ three times. And as Mark shall record a few verses later, “And they all forsook him, and fled.” These are the twelve men Jesus chose as his ambassadors. He has invested years in teaching them and showing them the way of faith, and yet in the moment of his greatest earthly need, He is betrayed by one, and forsaken by them all. A leadership success story indeed.But notice the calm resolution in Christ’s voice when he says, “The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him.” Meaning, what Judas shall do of his own free will, inspired by Satan, is by no means outside of God’s plan and control. And because Jesus is God, as he says in John 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.”Jesus wants them to know that in every detail that follows, in every tragedy that proceeds, from his betrayal, to his arrest, to his unjust trial and beating, to his last breath on the cross and descent into the grave, all of it is His loving plan to bring salvation to the ends of the world. This is the mystery of God’s providence and power. That man and the devil does what he does freely and is judged personally responsible for his actions, and yet God so governs, orders, and directs these events, so that they work together for our good and His glory. Do you believe this? God intended for His church to read this gospel and to behold His power and His wisdom and His words of warning, so that we also should take heed to what is growing inside of us. Is there faith or unbelief? Is there within you the leaven of sin and malice and envy? Is there ingratitude and discontent that is blinding you, like Judas, from the infinitely precious gift that is the knowledge of God? Or perhaps we are more like the other eleven? Fearful, anxious, and self-preserving.Like Peter we talk a big game about loyalty and love for God, until it costs us something, then we run and hide. Jesus says in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” Unless we live by the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit, and cling to the words of Jesus which are spirit, our end shall be no different than Judas and the long line of ex-Christians, the formerly faithful. And because Jesus knows what is in man, and He knows the frailty of flesh, and how fearful and forgetful we are, He also has made provision for our restoration and nourishment. And this is the Lord’s Supper. Verses 22-25 22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. 25 Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God. Notice first that Jesus takes bread, gives a blessing of thanks, and then breaks it. This is a reversal and undoing of the curse upon Adam, who was told in Genesis 3, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” The bread that some man had toiled and sweated for in order to produce, Jesus takes and give thanks for. This is an affirmation of the goodness of creation in spite of the fall. And it is also teaches us that God accepts our works, when we offer them to Him with thanksgiving through the hands of Christ. But most importantly, this bread is broken and identified with Jesus’ body. How shall the curse of death be overturned? Through the work and labor of the Last Adam on our behalf. Through his toil and sweat upon the cross, and through his eating the curse into himself so that death might be swallowed up once and for all. Now what happens when you break open Christ’s body? Blood starts to flow. And so next it says, “he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.” Notice again that Jesus is giving thanks for his immanent death. How does Jesus prepare himself for pain? He thanks His Father that through the shedding of his blood, a new testament shall go into effect. For as it says in Hebrews 9:16-17, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” The inheritance that is eternal life can only be had if our sins are forgiven. “And without the shedding of blood there is no remission” (Heb. 9:22). So someone’s blood must be shed, and that person must have the power and authority to deliver on that promise. And therefore Christ alone is the mediator of this covenant, for as God he has the power of eternal life, the power to forgive sins, and as perfect man he can offer his life a pleasing sacrifice to make atonement for sin. This is the blood of the new testament. It is God’s signature on the dotted line of His last will and testament, that seals our inheritance. Finally, after giving them this new creation meal of his body and blood, Jesus takes a Nazarite vow saying, “Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” A Nazarite is a holy warrior who voluntarily sets himself apart for some sacred work. Samson was a Nazarite, and he was set apart to deliver Israel as a judge. And now for Jesus, the true Samson, the true Bridegroom, he sets himself apart to deliver the whole world from sin and death and bondage to the devil.Now when was this special and voluntary work of Christ accomplished? When did Christ drink wine anew in the kingdom of God? According to the gospel accounts, this took place upon the cross. It says in Mark 15:22-23, “And they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted, The place of a skull. 23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not.” So notice before he is crucified, they offer him wine, and he rejects it. He is still under the vow. But then at the ninth hour, after he cries “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” It says in verses 35-37, “And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. 36 And one ran and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.” John’s gospel makes this even more explicit when it says in John 10:28-30, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” Only after his work is accomplished, he says from the cross, “I thirst.” And what is Jesus thirsty for? What does he desire? To show forth that his vow as a holy warrior is complete. He is Samson choosing to die with the Philistines. Conclusion Are you prepared to dine with Jesus? Have you removed the old leaven of malice and wickedness from your soul, and become sincere and true in your love for God? Your whole life on this earth is a mere preparation for judgment day. The day in which you will either be cast out like Judas into everlasting punishment, or granted entrance into the eternal feast where we shall eat and drink with Christ in the flesh.Have you made yourself ready for God? This you must do if you would see eternal life.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.

The Fragrance of Love Sunday, July 7th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 14:1-11 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. Prayer Thy love O Lord is better than wine, Thy name is as ointment poured forth, Therefore do the virgins love thee. Open now unto us the gates of heaven, that we might behold in your Word, the exceeding riches of Your grace and kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. And Amen. Introduction This morning, we are picking back up in the Gospel of Mark. We began our study of Mark’s Gospel way back in April of 2023, so for over a year now we have been steadily plodding through this book, and finally we have come to the last movement of this symphony, and the final act of this gospel. Chapters 14-16 record what is typically called “the Passion Narrative,” which begins with Christ’s body being anointed for burial and ends with the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord.So these last three chapters are what the previous 13 chapters have been preparing us for. For three years Jesus has preached the gospel, he has healed the sick, he has performed miracles, he has cast out demons, he has taught and fed the multitudes, and now, two days before the great Passover feast, Jesus is himself prepared as a sheep for the slaughter. Overview of the Text Our text sets up a contrast between two kinds of people. 1. There is the unnamed woman, who from love and devotion, pours out precious ointment upon Jesus’ head, an amount valued at 300 denarii, or about 1 year of wages.2. And then there is Judas, who from greed and self-interest, betrays Jesus for money. How much? Thirty pieces of silver.And then we might also add a third group of people, which is the guests, the other disciples, those observing and judging the value or prudence of this woman’s actions. In their eyes this is anointing is wasteful, whereas in Jesus’ eyes it is meritorious and praiseworthy.So, there are many lessons for us in this text, so let us walk through it and then make some applications from it. Verses 1-2 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2 But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people. So it is two days before Passover, and in our reckoning this would likely be Wednesday of Passion Week. And Jesus has just finished his scorching condemnation of the Temple from the Mount of Olives, where he foretold the city’s destruction within one generation. That was Mark 13.And now here we have the Jewish authorities (whom Jesus refuted in earlier chapters) plotting how they might take Jesus and kill him, without stirring up the crowds. Far from regarding the solemnity of the sabbath and the Passover festival, the chief priests and scribes treat it as a kind of inconvenience that must be factored into their plot of Jesus’ downfall. “Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.”So notice the irony and divine wisdom in the timing of these events. Passover was the remembrance and reenactment of God delivering Israel from bondage in Egypt. And more specifically, remembering the night in which the angel of death passed over, and killed all the firstborn in the land who did not have the blood of the lamb to cover them.And so in the middle of this great festival and memorial to God’s redeeming mercy, men are plotting God’s death. Mortal creatures are seeking to take by craft the omnipotent and all wise God. This is one of the many jokes that God tells in His Word.So these opening verses of Mark 14 set the stage for a divine comedy. As it says in Psalm 2:4, “He who sits in the heavens shall laugh, The Lord shall have them in derision.” While men may plot the destruction of the righteous, and while the enemies of Christ’s body may surround us like vultures, we serve the God of whom it says, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness,” and, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” Seeing that this God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the lowly, we have now in verse 3 a stark contrast to the murderous high priests and scribes. For here in this unnamed woman, we have a portrait of true and humble devotion. Verse 3 3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head. The scene shifts from a murderous plot outside, to a feast inside in Bethany. Bethany means house of obedience, and it was the last stop on one’s pilgrimage to Jerusalem, located just a couple miles from the city walls. And it is here that Jesus dines at Simon the leper’s house, who was a former leper that Jesus had healed. And then depending on how one harmonizes this story with the other three gospel accounts, this unnamed woman was likely the same woman that John’s gospel identifies as Mary, the sister of Martha. And if that is the case, Mary, Martha, and Lazarus would all be in attendance together with Jesus’ disciples as John 12 records. So in the midst of this large gathering, of at least 15 men dining together (Jesus, the twelve, Simon, and Lazarus), it says, “there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.” What is the significance of this rather socially awkward interruption of the meal? There are echoes here of the Song of Solomon, which is a love poem between Christ and the Church, between the Bride and the Bridegroom.In the voice of the Bride it says in Song of Solomon 1:12, “While the king sitteth at his table, My spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.” And what do we have here in Bethany? We have King Jesus, sitting at the table, and the woman’s spikenard sending forth its smell. In the voice of the Bridegroom it says in Song of Solomon 4:10, “How fair is thy love, my sister, my spouse! How much better is thy love than wine! And the smell of thine ointments than all spices! And how does Jesus respond to this aroma of love? He says in verse 6, “she hath wrought a good work on me.” So God has given us this scene to signify not just this individual woman’s devotion to Christ, but the devotion the church should have for Christ. The woman signifies the bride, and Christ is the greater Solomon, the Bridegroom. This is a common theme throughout all the gospels when Jesus interacts with women.What about the significance of her gift?When we consider this lavish gift of the woman, we discover that many biblical virtues are signified here. By the ointment is signified joy and fellowship, healing and wholeness. Proverbs 27:9 says, “Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart.” Ecclesiastes 9:8-9 says, “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works. Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.” Psalm 133 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head…” So ointment in Scripture signifies the Holy Spirit, who is the very bond of unity and love, and who gladdens our heart as we pour forth in generosity and charity to others. One of the proper names of the Holy Spirit is Gift, for as we recite in the creed, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, and this procession is a pouring forth of the infinite love between Father and Son. Recall the scene in Acts 5, where Ananias and Sapphira drop dead for lying to the Holy Spirit. Why was their sin of keeping back some of what they had promised to give to God, called “lying to the Holy Ghost?” Because it is proper to the Holy Ghost to be freely given, and therefore to say you are going to freely give your possessions, but then to secretly keep them back, is to contradict the very Spirit in which the gift is to given. So this woman’s gift of ointment is a fitting sign that the Holy Spirit indwells this woman. She has been moved by God to adore Christ in this way, and to prepare his body for burial. What about the spikenard? By the spikenard, is signified a kind of purity or faithfulness. In Greek it is actually two words, (νάρδου πιστικῆς) which you could translate as nard of faithfulness, or genuine/unadulterated nard. And then Mark tells us explicitly that this spikenard was “very precious.” So this is an expensive and beautiful gift that is fit for a king. It exemplifies the giving to God of all that one considers most precious, and it so extravagant that it actually offends some of the disciples. Verses 4-5 4 And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? 5 For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her. Notice that in Mark’s account, it is not Judas alone who is indignant. Some of the other disciples join in the murmuring against her.And what is their reasoning? It was wasteful. It was economically foolish and not the best allocation of capital. It could have been sold and given to the poor.Now we know from elsewhere in the gospels that Judas’ motive was not care for the poor, but rather, the poor were his front/cover for his own thievery and self-interest. As treasurer, he used to help himself to the money bag. And while Judas’ motive was greed and self-interest, there are other disciples who join in the murmuring and indignation because they are moved by Judas argument, that this could have been given to the poor instead. And doesn’t Jesus tell us to care for the poor?Notice how easily these disciples are manipulated by an emotional appeal to the poor. This is American identity politics 101. Wealthy thievesuse the poor as a cover and front for their own self-interest.They oppress the poor in the name of helping the poor, and it is well-meaning disciples who are easily steered by such appeals. Much more could be said about this, but let us see how Jesus responds? Verses 6-9 6 And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me. 7 For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. 8 She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying. 9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her. Jesus as the faithful bridegroom comes to the defense and vindication of his bride. What they considered wasteful and excessive, Jesus considers fitting and most appropriate to the occasion.Despite Jesus telling his disciples in very clear and explicit terms, multiples times, that he is going to be arrested, crucified and rise the third day, still they don’t get it. But this woman does.This woman knows what is fitting for the occasion, because she is full of the Holy Spirit. And so she does from love for Christ, what she will not ever have the opportunity to do later, namely anoint and perfume the body of Christ in preparation for his burial.This is the logic of Jesus’ vindication and praise of her action. The poor you have with you always, and you can do them good from your own resources anytime you want. And God will reward you richly for doing so! Psalm 41 says, “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.” So Jesus is not discouraging helping the poor. And indeed as Paul says, we must remember the poor and be merciful unto them.  But this is a special occasion, a once in a lifetime opportunity that will not come again, where you are gathered around the table with God incarnate. And it is just two days before his body will be crucified for the sins of the world. And so what could be more fitting, than to “waste” this most precious ointment, upon the body of God? To prepare his body for burial, and to prophesy by one’s offering that this same body shall perfume the whole world with the knowledge of God. That this same body shall be the aroma of salvation to the ends of the earth. What could be more fitting than this? So Jesus lauds this woman’s devotion. And he declares that wherever this gospel shall be preached, and indeed it shall be preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.How does this land with the disciples? Mark only tells us about the actions of Judas. Verses 10-11 10 And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them. 11 And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him. Notice the text began in verses 1-2 with the problem of how to catch Jesus by craft, and now here Judas offers himself as the solution. If they give him money, he will find a way to conveniently betray him.So this is the contrast Mark draws our attention to. The woman sacrifices something precious for love for Christ. Judas sacrifices Christ for something he considers more precious, namely money. Remember Jesus words in the Sermon on the Mount, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Judas has chosen Mammon for his god, and the reward Mammon gives is death. The woman has chosen Christ for God, and her reward is life everlasting. Conclusion Who is your Master? Who do you serve? Who or what receives your devotion and attention and desire? Who do you give your most precious ointment to? Do you even have the oil of the Holy Ghost to give?In Matthew 16:25 Jesus says, “whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.”This is the decision before us every day, every hour, every time we are tempted to settle for earthly goods over heavenly goods. And what the Bible teaches us is that every earthly good is a gracious gift from God, and yet those earthly goods must always be subordinated to and made servants of the Greatest Good, namely God. This means being ready at all times like the Apostle Paul to count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:8). It means that God leads in triumph through the trials of this life so that “through us He diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place” (2 Cor. 2:14). It means that while Christ is absent from us in body, He is always present in the hearts of the faithful who love him, and because of this love, the King shall say to the righteous on judgment day, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me…Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” So when you serve the body of Christ, those who Jesus calls “my brethren,” you are doing it as unto Christ Himself, and you shall by no means, lose your reward.May God make us into a people that is zealous for good works, that is full of charity, that the fragrance of Christ would be known in our region. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.

How Excellent Thy Name Sunday, June 23rd, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Psalm 8:1-9 To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David. 1 O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength Because of thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, And whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Prayer Father, we thank you for the prophet David, and how you inspired Him to write this most excellent song of praise. Inscribe these words upon the tablet of our heart, that we might not sin against you, but rather praise you at all times, for you are the God who gives, and takes away, and then rewards us beyond all that we could ask or imagine. We pray all this in Christ’s name, Amen. Introduction One of the blessings of summertime in the Northwest, is that there are occasionally fewer clouds in the sky. And when the sky is clear, especially on a warm summer night, you can go outside, and look up, and behold the handiwork of God’s finger. When the sky is clear you can see the moon, you can see more stars than you could ever count. And if you are ever able to get out of the city, away from the light pollution, and into the mountains or a high place, the views of God’s creation, the heavens above, are astonishing. They make us to wonder and to marvel that someone made all of that.What are stars in the night sky but God poking little holes of light into a blanket of darkness. Stars are little windows into the heaven beyond the heavens, beyond the firmament, where the beauty of God’s light dwells. From our perspective, down here on earth, looking up, the stars are shining portals into the place where God dwells. And they make us to marvel even as David did when he wrote this psalm.The Apostle Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:15-16, that Jesus Christ is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” The divinity of Christ is a light unapproachable. As it says in John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” And again in John 1:4-5, “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” So because God is up there in a light so bright it would blind us, the Son of God, took to Himself human flesh, and he veiled His infinite and divine glory, His uncreated light, so that one day we might see God as He is. St. Ephrem the Syrian (died 373 AD), has this wonderful poem where he says, “God had seen that we worshipped creatures. [So] He put on a created body to catch us by our habit. Behold by this fashioned one [Christ] our Fashioner healed us, And by this creature [the Lord Jesus] our Creator revived us.” God saw that idolatry was in the heart of man. We see something amazing like the moon or the stars or the galaxies far off, and we are tempted to worship them. But it is that temptation to transcendence, to adore and worship what is awe-inspiring, that God intended as a signpost of His glory and His beauty as the Creator. God intended for us to be stirred to worship Him as we look at His creation, and what sin has done is severed that connection and turned us in on ourselves, to worship ourselves and even lifeless creatures. So salvation is in its fullest sense is not merely the forgiveness of sins, it is not merely the resurrection of our body, the whole purpose of forgiveness and resurrection is so that we can see and enjoy God as He is. And because it was our bad habit to worship creatures, God became a creature in the man Christ Jesus, so that in beholding the perfection of his humanity, his life and death and resurrection, we might be brought to know and behold His divinity. It is this hope of the beatific vision of God in Himself that is our highest and greatest good. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.” Likewise, the Apostle John says in 1 John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. To see God in his very essence, to enter that unapproachable light, and to be united to the Triune God in knowledge and love, is the highest and greatest good that any creature can attain to. And it is that grace of union with God, that Jesus Christ came to give us. As it says in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.” This is what Psalm 8 is all about. In these nine verses from David’s pen, are contained a summary of the Christian faith, Creation, Fall, Redemption and Consummation. Psalm 8 is like an Old Testament version of the Apostle’s Creed. And this is made possible because God is the ultimate Author of Scripture, and His divine authorship allows us to read the Psalms at multiple levels. There is first what we call the literal or historical signification of the letters on the page. So the Hebrew word יָרֵ֥חַ signifies the mental concept moon, כוֹכָבִ֗ים signifies the mental concept of stars. Or in English, the word sheep, signifies our conception of the animal sheep. Written words signify our mental conceptions, and our mental conceptions are true when they correspond with the external realities of moon, stars, sheep, etc. So that’s the first level of reading, connecting letters on the page with things or historical events in reality. But then there is the spiritual interpretation (sometimes called mystical, or figurative, or typological meaning), where the actual things themselves are signs of other things. So the literal sense is where the words signify things. And the spiritual sense is where those things signify other things. For example, the word sheep means the animal sheep. And then spiritually, a sheep can signify a vulnerable Christian. Jesus says to his disciples in Matthew 10:16, “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves.” Or to give another example. The word moon signifies the literal moon in the sky. And then that moon in the sky can signify the church, because the church like the moon, has no light of her own, but only that light she receives from Christ who is the sun of righteousness. Thus, Song of Solomon 6:10 speaks of the church saying, “Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, Fair as the moon, clear as the sun, And terrible as an army with banners?” The church mirrors and reflects Christ, just like the moon mirrors and reflects the sun. So the Psalms especially are full of this multi-layered meaning, and this is one of the reasons why God did notinspire the apostles to write a bunch of new songs for Christians after the incarnation. There is no new book of Psalms in the New Testament canon, but rather, the church sings the same 150 Hebrew Psalms but with a renewed understanding of them as they are fulfilled in Christ. So following the example of Christ and the Apostles, in how they interpreted Psalm 8, we also can find here in these nine verses, a complete summary of the Christian faith. So let us consider this Psalm first at the literal level, and then as the New Testament applies it to Christ and the Church. Exposition of Psalm 8 We read in the title of the Psalm, “To the chief Musician upon Gittith, A Psalm of David.” What does “upon Gittith” mean? Hard to say… Some take Gittith as referring to a kind of instrument that David made in Gath that makes a joyful sound. Some think Gittith is the specific tune this psalm was set to. Others take Gittith as referring to the winepress, which is how the Greek LXX translates it (ὑπὲρ τῶν ληνῶν). And they say the occasion for singing this Psalm is the Feast of Tabernacles/Ingathering at the end of harvest season, when the wine was being pressed. This idea fits nicely with the theme in this Psalm of man being given dominion over the earth, and his duty to cultivate creation, turning grace into glory, grapes into wine. Whatever the case, it is hard to know for certain. What was the occasion for David writing this Psalm? The occasion of this psalm is a clear and dark night, when David is able to look up and consider the heavens, the moon and the stars. We might think of this psalm as kind of midnight counterpart to Psalm 19. In Psalm 19, David begins by saying, “the heavens declare the glory of God.” And then he meditates upon the motion of the sun which rises “as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race,His going forth is from the end of the heaven, And his circuit unto the ends of it: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof” (vs. 5-6). So Psalm 19 is David’s daytime meditation on the heavens, and Psalm 8 is his midnight meditation on those same heavens. As he says in Psalm 19:2, “Day unto day uttereth speech, And night unto night sheweth knowledge.” It is that nighttime knowledge David is wondering at in Psalm 8. Now he begins the Psalm in verse 1 the same way he ends it in verse 9 by saying… Verse 1a & 9 1 O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth! David bookends this summary of our faith by extolling the name of God. According to the letter, this name was LORD, YHWH, Jehovah. And this of course is who the man Christ Jesus is.Jesus Christ is LORD. He is Alpha and Omega, beginning and end. And as it says in Romans 11:36, “For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”Jesus Christ is the Author of life, He is the one in whom our whole life consists, and He is the telos, the end and purpose for our entire existence. As St. Augustine famously said, “You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it finds its rest in You.”Therefore, from beginning to end, from creation to consummation, from womb to tomb, from the river to the ends of the earth, the name of God is to be extolled. “O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!”Is that the cry of your heart? Is that the banner that flies over your life? That to live is to magnify the name of Christ, and to die is gain. That was the cry of the psalmist and the apostles, and it is the longing of all true saints.Continuing in verse 1 he says… Verse 1b Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. That is, the divine nature is beyond what your eyes can see. You can see the heavens and you can marvel at their grandeur, but the glory of God is even greater than this. It is above the created heavens.However beautiful the stars and galaxies may be, and indeed they are stunning, the beauty of the One who created them far surpasses. Verse 2 Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength Because of thine enemies, That thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. We move now from the glory of God above in the highest heavens, down to mankind in his most helpless state. There is a certain beauty and excellence to the celestial bodies, their vastness and splendor, but then there is a different an even more intricate beauty that is the image of God in man. As David says in Psalm 139:13-14, “For thou hast possessed my reins: Thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Marvellous are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.” So God’s handiwork is seen in the midnight sky, his divine nature is infinitely above the heavens, and yet this infinite and glorious God is the one who said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 1:26-27).And what is even more glorious than God’s image stamped upon human nature, is when that nature in its infancy praises its Maker, “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength.” God employs the cries of our nursing covenant children, and the songs of our toddlers singing the doxology, as his chosen weapon to silence and still the enemy and the avenger. This is one of the many reasons we keep our children with us in the worship service. Because their praise is often more potent and genuine than ours. Their childlike faith and love for Jesus often puts ours to shame. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.” The forces of darkness are confounded when our helpless and weak children give glory to God. God has ordained that the military might and strength of the church be exemplified “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings.”So parents, teach your children, from the moment they are born, to love the Lord Jesus, to praise Him, and worship Him, and participate with us in the worship service. And yes that includes baptizing them and preparing them to eat from the Lord’s Table.It says in 1 Corinthians 7:14, that God regards the children of at least one believing parent as holy, “else were your children unclean” (literally unbaptized/unwashed). We baptize our infants because as it says in Acts 2:39, “the promise is unto you, and to your children,” and just as the covenant sign of circumcision was given to all of Abraham’s household (Isaac and Ishmael), so also the covenant sign of baptism is given to all those who are within the household of faith. Do not underestimate what God can do in and through babies and nursing infants. This psalm is clear, God has ordained strength, He has established praise for Himself from their lips, and God uses their cries to silence the enemy and the avenger. Verses 3-4 3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him? Here David expresses that feeling we all have had when we encounter the vastness of the universe. What is man in comparison to the stars and the moon? And what am I, just a guy, amongst billions of other people on this planet?John Piper once said, “Nobody goes to the Grand Canyon in order to build their self-esteem. Nobody goes to the Alps to feel big. But they go.” And the reason they go is because there is a certain joy and freedom in forgetting ourselves and being caught up in something infinitely bigger, namely God. The 18th century pastor David Dickson once said, “To be occupied with our little selves is not God’s way of making us either healthy or happy.” Isn’t that the truth? The paradox that David is expressing in this Psalm is the spiritual vertigo of looking out over the edge of the cosmos, into infinity, and then realizing God thinks about me. What is worse, I am sinner from the womb, and yet God cares for me. To quote Psalm 139 again, David says, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with thee.” Have you ever asked the LORD this question, “What am I that you are mindful of me?” Have you experienced the freedom of being utterly insignificant to the world, and yet so important to God that He would die for you? That is the joy and freedom the gospel brings.In the remaining verses (5 through 8), David goes back to Genesis 1-2 and considers man’s place in the order of creation. Verses 5-8 5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, And hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: 7 All sheep and oxen, Yea, and the beasts of the field; 8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, And whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. On the great scale of created being, there are angels at the top, who are pure spirits, intellectual substances.And then just below them is man, “a little lower than the angels” (or in Hebrew, Elohim, the gods/God). And so man has an intellectual nature like the angels, we call it the soul or spirit, and that soul is joined to a material body, and this body is what weighs us down now that sin and death has broken us.Nevertheless, because man is in the image of God, he has a rational nature, an intellect and free will, God has “made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands.” Notice here that man’s dominion extends to the animals on earth, birds in the air, and fish in the sea, which are called the works of God’s hands. But he was not yet given dominion over the celestial bodies (moon and stars) which are the works of God’s fingers. So in the hierarchy of creation, there are angels, mankind, and then animals, and they are on a descending scale according to how spiritual they are. Angel are pure spirits, man is a body-soul compositive with a rational soul, animals are a body-soul composite with only a sensitive soul.And then the psalmist concludes in verse 9, “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Summary So that is Psalm 8 according to the first layer of meaning. And if we didn’t have the New Testament, we would likely stop here and just appreciate that this Psalm has thus far covered the existence of God, His glory and power, the creation of man, and the fall of man for which reason there is an enemy and avenger that must be silenced through praise. But there are at least three key places where this Psalm is quoted in the New Testament, and those quotations reveal a second layer of meaning that completes what we call the “story of salvation,” or “redemptive history.” So let us briefly consider those three quotations. The first is Matthew 21:15-16, where Jesus is making his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. 15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? So Jesus quotes Psalm 8 as finding a unique fulfillment in these children singing, “Hosanna to the Son of David” as he enters the temple. And so who is the enemy and the avenger in this context? It’s the chief priests and scribes who are silent in their praise of Jesus, but vocal in their blasphemy against him.The chief priests and scribes want to silence these children, but as Jesus says elsewhere, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”So here we have Jesus identifying himself as the LORD of Psalm 8 who is deserving of praise.What is the most excellent name in all the earth? It is the name of Jesus. And so on our second reading of this Psalm, the new context becomes the week of Passover, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and Jesus silencing the enemy and avenger with the singing of little children. The second quotation is in Hebrews 2, where the Apostle Paul is explaining how Jesus is greater than the angels. Hebrews 2:5-11 5 For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. 6 But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? 7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren… So Paul gives a kind of running commentary on Psalm 8 as it applies to Jesus.In answer to David’s question in verse 4, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Paul answers that the Son of God took on human flesh and became a son of man, so that the sons of men could become sons of glory. And he did this by becoming a little lower than the angels, not only by taking on human flesh, but by the suffering of death, and it was that death on the cross that crowned him with glory and honor. Here we have the death, the crucifixion, the burial, and resurrection of Jesus, breathing new life into this Psalm.How is man crowned with glory and honor? Well now he is crowned by being united to Christ in his suffering and death. As Paul says in Philippians 3:10-11, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”There is no crown or glory for the Christian except through the grave, exception though perseverance in suffering. That is how Christ received honor and glory, and that is also how we shall attain to the same. Third and finally, the Apostle Paul quotes Psalm 8 in reference to the salvation of the world and the final judgment. He says in 1 Corinthians 15:25-28, For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith, all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. So the dominion that Adam was given over birds and beasts and fish in the sea was itself a sign of Christ’s dominion over all the nations on earth.Jesus himself said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.” And unlike Adam who was not given dominion over the heavens, the man Christ Jesus now reigns from heaven, together with the saints, and he is in the business of making all things new, of fashioning for us a new heavens and new earth, in which righteousness dwells.So in Jesus Psalm 8 is glorified. And so the next time you sing it, sing it twice. Sing it thrice! Sing it to extol God’s wisdom in creation, His grace in redemption, and His glory in making all things new. “O Lord our Lord, How excellent is thy name in all the earth!”In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

This Generation Shall Not Pass Sunday, May 12th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 13:24-37 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. 34 It is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Prayer Father, we ask that by the power of Your Word and Spirit, you would awaken those who are slumbering in the dark. Raise us up again to walk as children of the light, and to so let our light shine before men, that they might see our good works and glorify you O Father in heaven. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Do you remember the very first words that came out of Jesus’ mouth when we began Mark’s gospel? Within the opening 13 verses of Mark 1 we cover a lot of ground: Jesus is baptized by John, he is anointed by the Holy Spirit, he is driven into the wilderness, he is tempted by Satan and with the wild beasts, and then it says in Mark 1:14-15, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”In these opening words from the mouth of Jesus he makes two definitive statements about timing. First, a certain “time is fulfilled,” and second, the kingdom of God is “at hand” (ἤγγικεν), or more literally the kingdom of God has approached/drawn nigh.It is this same gospel of the kingdom that by the time we get to our text here in chapter 13, the disciples have also themselves preached. And yet still they have some lingering questions about how exactly this kingdom comes, and when exactly this kingdom comes. As pious Jews they would have almost certainly known the prophecies of Daniel 2 and Daniel 7. It says in Daniel 2:44 referring to the days of the Roman Empire, “And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” Likewise, it says in Daniel 7:14, that when the one like the Son of Man ascends to the Ancient of Days, “And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” This is the kingdom the prophets foretold. This is the kingdom that the angel Gabriel announced to the virgin Mary in Luke 1:31-33 saying, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” This is the kingdom that Jesus comes preaching from the very start of Mark’s gospel, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” Here in Mark 13, Jesus has been answering the disciples’ lingering questions about how and when this heavenly and everlasting kingdom of God shall arrive. Just to remind you of the immediate context of our passage. It is the week of Passover. And as they leave the temple the disciples are admiring the stones, and Jesus says, “Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down” (Mark 13:2). They then go up to the Mount of Olives “over against the temple” (vs. 3), and the disciples ask in verse 4, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” And then starting in verse 5, Jesus foretells what will take place leading up to the kingdom’s arrival. Already we have covered verses 5-27 in great detail, but this morning we come to Jesus answering that original question of the disciples regarding timing. And so that will be our focus as we finish out this chapter. Now the way in which Jesus answers this question about timing is curious. And so let me give you the basic outline of our text which contains his answer. Outline of the Text In verses 28-29, Jesus gives the disciples the parable of the fig tree.In verses 30-32 Jesus gives them a direct and explicit time frame for the kingdom’s arrival but chooses not to tell them the exact day or hour.And then in verses 33-37, he tells them how to live in the light of this immanent judgment on Jerusalem and arrival of the kingdom.So with that let us turn to consider first the parable of the fig tree. Verses 28-29 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. So Jesus starts with this analogy, that just as a fig tree blooms and signifies that summer is approaching,so also when they see “these things come to pass” they can know “the kingdom of God is nigh at hand” (Luke 21:31).Now the question becomes, what are the “these things” Jesus is referring to. And the most natural and logical reference is to the cosmic signs that he just described in verses 24-27. Remember that Jesus began his discourse by warning them of events that are not signs of the end. He said in verses 5-8, “Take heed lest any man deceive you: For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.” So “wars and rumors of wars” are not the “these things” that signify the kingdom’s arrival. Famines and troubles are not the fig tree blooming in the spring, Jesus says they are just “the beginnings of the birth pains.” We know from the book of Acts and the rest of the New Testament that these are all events that took place in the years starting with Pentecost in 30 AD up to around 62 AD (or whenever the abomination of desolation took place). So Jesus spends a good deal of time warning the disciples that the kingdom shall not come until after certain events have taken place. For example, he says in verse 10, “the gospel must first be published among all nations.” And we know from Paul’s letters to the Romans and the Colossians, that by 60 AD that taske was completed. Paul could say in Colossians 1:23, that the gospel “was preached to every creature which is under heaven…and was “bringing forth fruit in all the world” (Col. 1:6). So Jesus gives in verses 5-27, a series of events that must happen prior to the kingdom’s arrival, and this includes the beginnings of the birth pains, the spread of the gospel to all nations, the great tribulation, the abomination of desolation, and then as we saw last time, after that tribulation, the powers of heaven would be shaken, the martyred saints would ascend to heaven, and as Revelation 11 describes, it is that sounding of the 6th trumpet that signifies the seventh trumpet is near. And what happens when the seventh trumpet sounds? Revelation 11:15 says, “And the seventh angel trumpeted; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” So the blooming of the fig tree I take as a reference to the events that take place after the great tribulation, and which are given under the various symbols and images we looked at in verses 24-27 (darkening of sun, moon, and stars, the coming of the Son of man, etc.).By the way, it just so happened that Jesus’ prophecy about the temple being destroyed took place on August 4th, in 70 AD. So when Jesus gave this parable of the fig tree, it was a very literal sign about the season in which his words would be fulfilled, “When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near.”So this parable establishes the general time and season for the kingdom’s arrival, and then in verses 30-31, Jesus puts a terminus or end point for when “all these things will be done.” Verses 30-31 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. So the time frame Jesus gives here is before “this generation” passes/dies. Jesus has already in Mark’s gospel talked about this generation (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη), and has described them as a “faithless generation that seeks after a sign” (Mark 8:12, 9:19), and as an “adulterous and sinful generation” (Mark 8:38).You recall in Matthew’s gospel when Jesus is pronouncing woes on the Pharisees he says, “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: 35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. 36 Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.”So contrary to those who have tried to re-translate or re-interpret “this generation” (ἡ γενεὰ αὕτη), to refer to something other than that generation living in Jesus’ day, there is simply no way to take do so given the context, the Greek grammar, and the logic of the passage.Jesus could not have been more clear. “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” Contrary to many well-meaning Christians who punt the contents of this chapter into our future, Jesus was not a false prophet. Jesus was not lying. All these things were fulfilled before that generation died out, just like he said they would. Recall also an earlier promise that Jesus gave to his disciples in Matthew 16:27-28, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works. Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” As I mentioned last week, John the Apostle was one such person standing there, who lived to see Jerusalem destroyed. And according to church history John lived for another 30ish years after and died around 100 AD. So Jesus gives a definitive time frame for the kingdom’s arrival: before this generation passes. Jesus was 33 years old when he made that promise, and so the disciples could expect the kingdom to arrive almost anytime over the next 30-60 years, which is a quite a long time.And in case they had any doubt about Jesus’ prophesy, he adds in verse 31, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.”We know from the rest of the New Testament, that there were doubters, there were false teachers, there were antichrists, and as 2 Peter 3:3-4 says, “there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” And the Peter goes on to describe the immanent passing away of heaven and earth, and how they are to live as the day of the Lord approaches. He says in 2 Peter 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” What promise is Peter referring to as he writes this letter around 64 AD? He’s referring to the promise Jesus gave them here in Mark 13, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” Now after giving them that time frame of say 30-60 years. Jesus goes on to tell them how to live in the meantime. Verses 32-33 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. 33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. So Jesus intentionally does not specify the exact day and hour in which God’s kingdom shall arrive. This is not because he himself is ignorant of that day, for He is God and he knows all things, but rather, Jesus says, “neither the Son” to signify that He is choosing to not reveal that day and hour to them. The Son as revealer of God’s Word is concealing this from them. And the question then is, Why?Well, for a few reasons: First, because Jesus does not want the demons and powers of Satan to know the day of their doom. Just as he concealed his divine identity when he was born in Bethlehem, so also he is concealing the divine plan for Satan’s destruction. No good general in the army tells the enemy how and when he is going to attack them. And similarly with Christ who is even more crafty than the serpent. Jesus is the one who comes like a thief to catch and bind the great thief of this world: the devil. The second reason for not revealing the exact day and hour of his coming, is because Jesus knows what is in man (John 2:25). Jesus knows human nature, and he knows how people would live if he told them the exact day and hour of his coming to destroy their world and usher in the new. Just imagine for a moment that Jesus told you the exact day and hour that you were going to die. How would that affect you? We all know that we are going to die, and most of us within 30-60 years, some more some less. And yet if God told you told the exact day and hour of your death within that time frame, that is knowledge that would be hard to handle. It is also knowledge that could diminish the merit, reward, and motivation for your faithfulness. If your death was scheduled for tomorrow, what would you be doing today? The true Christian would be fervent in prayer, confessing their sins, keeping watch, reading God’s word, and seeking assurance that they were ready to stand before God and give an account to Him for everything done in the body. When our death feels immanent, it clarifies what is really important. When death becomes immanent, it exposes this world and our worldly pursuits for the vanity it all is. Now imagine that God told you your death was 40 years out. Would you feel the same urgency to get right with God? Would you feel the same necessity to be vigilant and watchful and faithful in the meantime? Jesus knows human nature. And he knows that you are easily distracted, you procrastinate, you put things off until you really have to do them. And this is the test of living without knowing the day and hour of judgment. And it is this same test that Jesus was giving to that generation as they would undergo the greatest tribulation and time of testing this world has ever seen. And therefore, like a good coach and teacher, Jesus tells them exactly how to pass the test. And what he says in essence, is that they must keep watch and be vigilant like a man who never sleeps. In verse 34 he gives them another parable/analogy. Verses 34-37 34 It is like a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. 35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. So the years after Christ’s ascension to heaven, are like a man (the master of the house) taking a far journey. And the disciples, are the servants, the porters/doorkeepers, who take care of the master’s house (the church), while the master is away. So the disciples have work to do in the master’s house. They are overseers/elders who must watch over God’s flock so that when the Chief Shepherd appears, they shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away. And so Jesus charges them to be spiritually watchful like a man who never sleeps. Or as Paul states more explicitly, they must “pray without ceasing.” And so while no human being can survive very long without real physical sleep, it is the sleepless man who exemplifies spiritual wakefulness. And so the disciples must be vigilant to keep watch all throughout the master’s journey. He has promised to return, he has given them the general time frame, but the day and hour they know not. And so Jesus gives this charge to spiritual wakefulness, not only the disciples, but as he says in verse 37, “what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.”This is the recurring and constant exhortation that Jesus gives all throughout Mark 13. And yet ironically, despite giving this repeated charge, we are going to see in the very next chapter, that the disciples fall asleep on the job. Conclusion In Mark 14, when Jesus is praying in Gethsemane he says, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch.” He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him. And He said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for You. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will.” Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Again He went away and prayed, and spoke the same words. And when He returned, He found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy; and they did not know what to answer Him. Then He came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? It is enough! The hour has come; behold, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners.The disciples failed the Lord Jesus on the night of his passion. They failed to keep watch. They failed to stay awake. They succumbed to the weakness of their flesh. And yet what we see after Christ’s death, and resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, are eleven very different and very watchful disciples. When we read the book of Acts, and when we read their letters, we encounter disciples who are fervent in prayer, zealous for good works, genuine in love, and bold for the Lord Jesus.It says in Acts 5:40-42, “And when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”What we learn from the disciples’ example, is that the resurrection of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit make all the difference.It is not easy to keep watch and pray without ceasing. It is as easy as gravity to fall into a spiritual slumber, to forget the gospel, to forget the promises of God, to forget the glorious and future hope that awaits us.And so if you and I would pass the test that is this life, not knowing the day or hour of our death, then we need the same Holy Spirit and the same means of grace, that God gave to his apostles.That means, we need the church. We need one another. We need the Word of God dwelling in us richly with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. We need baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We need constant and regular fellowship. We need as it says in Hebrews 3:13, “daily exhortation lest you become hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”It says likewise in Hebrews 10:23-25, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”No man knows the day or hour of his death. But by the means of grace that Christ has given, we can be ready so that that day does not catch us unawares. May the Lord increase this grace among us.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Gathering of the Elect Sunday, April 28th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 13:24-31 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Prayer Father, we thank you for these words of Christ, which are reliable, which are trustworthy, and which are supremely authoritative. Please order our lives in accord with Your Word, for we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction When you first professed faith in Jesus Christ, and when you were baptized into the Triune Name, what changes took place inside of you? What changes took place outside of you, in your relationships, your “network,” the people and places you frequented? At conversion, many changes take place, some are visible, some are invisible, some are inside of you, some are outside of you, some are immediately noticeable, and some changes you only notice after many years. The Bible speaks of many diverse effects of God’s love and His saving power amongst His people. And while every person may experience God’s grace a little differently, there is one common effect and change that is true for ALL of God’s elect. And that is a new presence of faith, hope, and love for God that did not exist before. At conversion, God infuses into our nature, He breathes into our soul, three supernatural virtues: faith, hope, and love. And it is through our use of these virtues that many other spiritual benefits are realized. Paul says in Ephesians 2:1-3, that before conversion we were, “dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.” So prior to your conversion, you were enslaved to the world, the flesh, and the devil. But then Jesus Christ came and as it says in 1 John 3:8, “For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” Or as we sing in that great hymn, I Know That My Redeemer Lives, “He lives to crush the fiends of hell, glory hallelujah!” And so Jesus Christ came to conquer, and he conquered by dying and rising so that you also could die and rise again with Him. But salvation does not stop there, Jesus Christ also ascended into heaven (Acts 1), he was enthroned and now reigns supreme. And why? So that you also might ascend to heaven, and sit down and reign with him. This is exactly what Ephesians 2 goes on to say, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Now have you ever wondered, “How exactly can that be true of me?” In what sense has God made us to sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus when our bodies are clearly still down here on earth?Or, in what sense can Paul say to the Hebrews in Hebrews 12:22-23, “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.”In what sense is it true what Joe Stout likes to say that “on Sundays we go to heaven?” The answer is found in that phrase of Ephesians 2:5, “He made us alive together with Christ.” What was made alive? It’s not referring your body, it’s referring your soul (the thing that was dead in trespasses and sins and separated from God). And what did God do to your soul to resurrect it? He breathed into your soul three supernatural gifts of faith, hope, and love. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” So it is by faith, hope, and love that we are able to ascend to heaven, and sit with Christ in heavenly places, and boldly approach the throne of grace and find mercy. Is through these three activities of the soul that our spirit really ascends to heaven and sits and reigns with Christ. This is why Paul says in Colossians 3, “If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. [And how do you do that? He goes on and says…] Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” This is what it means to be a spiritual man (a new creation) and no longer carnal or worldly. It is when your heart, your soul, your mind, and you spirit has God as its supreme object of faith, hope, and love. This is also how the promise of Jesus is true for you when he says, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” He is with your spiritually. Or his promise in John 14:23, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” The infinite and omnipotent Triune God really comes and makes His home inside of you, when you love Him with all your being. This is something only a spiritual person can understand. For as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:14-13, “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned…[but we receive that] “which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” And so it is of the nature of faith, hope, and love to unite us to the object of our faith, hope, and love. And therefore, if Christ is in heaven, ruling and reigning, and Christ is the object of your trust, and the object of your hope, and the one you most adore, then truly it is said of you, that you are seated with Christ in heavenly places. At present we are only there spiritually (by faith), and in hope we are there bodily (we look to that day of resurrection). And one day our faith and hope shall give way to the sight of our true love, and when we see Him, we shall be made like Him (1 John 3:2). Now why all of this rant about faith, hope, and love, when we are in the middle of Mark 13? The reason is because our passage this morning is Jesus describing the real historical gathering of the saints to sit down and reign with Him in heaven. And it is this cosmic transfer of power from the principalities and beasts of the old world to “the Son of Man” (Christ and His people), that should increase our present faith, hope, and love towards God.If you believe what Revelation 1:6 says that Christ “hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father,” and if you believe what the Lord Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” And if you believe that we are seated with Christ even now in heavenly places, then that would change some things. It would change your prayer life, your thought life, your priorities, your worries, your hopes and fears and emotional states. Because Christ is risen, and you have died to this world. And Christ has ascended, and he lives reigns to give you life forever. Truly in Jesus the best is yet to come, and every day that passes is one day closer to the fulfillment of our hope, the wiping away of every tear, the undoing of death, the resurrection of all things and the bliss of heaven. When the church believes this in faith, and longs for it in hope, and loves the God who promised it, she is made to ride upon the heavens with Christ. She is made ready to wield the scepter of her Lord. Which as Christ promises in Revelation 2:26-27, “And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.” The Church Triumphant is presently ruling this world with the Lord Jesus. And we the Church Militant are in union with them and with Him and together we are the Son of Man. And it is this identify that the church must recover if we would see real reformation and real revival in our day. And so that is the practical application and implication of our passage this morning. With that up front, let us now turn to a very brief exposition of verse 27.Let me read for us again the surrounding context starting in verse 24. 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Review of Verses 24-26 Last Sunday we covered verses 24-26, which we said describes a change in the celestial/spiritual powers of heaven. We saw that the darkening of sun, moon, and stars, is a reference to the removal of the entire spiritual-political government of the old creation. This includes the fall and binding of various demonic powers, like Satan and the ones who were influencing the beast empire of Rome and the harlot Jerusalem. This includes the fall of many human rulers such as the high priesthood and priests in Jerusalem, and the emperor Nero who died in 68 AD. This includes (perhaps most of all) the end of the whole sacrificial system at the temple, which was a way of keeping heavenly time on earth with its daily sacrifices, weekly sabbaths, new moons, and festival seasons. The entire sun, moon, and stars of the old covenant and old creation were coming to end in the 1st century. And Jesus says that it is going to be replaced just like Daniel 7 foretold, with the coming of the Son of Man to inherit the kingdom. What is the coming of the Son of Man? It is not the bodily return of Christ at the end of history, it is the enthronement of the saints in Christ who then receive the kingdom. So the Son of Man is not Jesus all by himself, it is Jesus together with his spiritual body, the church, the saints, who are in union with him. And we know this because when the vision of Daniel 7 is explained, the “one like the Son of Man” is identified three times as the saints. And so Jesus is THE Son of Man par excellence, and the saints are the one LIKE the Son of Man. And together they receive the kingdom and everlasting dominion. We might also remind ourselves here of the timing for when the Son of Man is said to come. In Daniel 7, the Son of Man comes to bring an end to the fourfold kingdom that began with Nebuchadnezzarand was then consumed by Persia, then Greece, then Rome. So God’s kingdom was promised to come in the days of what we call the Roman Empire, and what the Bible calls the “oikumene.” Jesus gives an even more definitive timestamp in Mark 9:1 and Matthew 16:27-28, when he says, “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.” Notice that Jesus speaks of a coming in glory with his angels to judge mankind and that he promises that some of his disciples standing there will live to see that happen. Who lived to see it? Well, the Apostle John was given a vision of it, which we call the book of Revelation, and church tradition holds that he lived beyond 70 AD when the Son of Man indeed came. So that’s verses 24-26, and then here in verse 27 we read… Verse 27 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. Q. What is this gathering of the elect? In the history of the church, there have been basically four different interpretations of this verse, and so before I explain which interpretation I think is best, let me set before you all the different options. Option #1 – This gathering of the elect refers to the resurrection at the end of history. The problem with this view is that the timing is clearly 1st century, not the final judgment. Jesus says this will take place at the same time as the coming of the Son of Man and this cosmic transfer of power, and Jesus says in verse 30, “this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” So we need to at least reject the timing portion of this first interpretive option. Option #2 – This gathering of the elect refers to evangelistic efforts throughout the church age. Under this interpretation, angels is sometimes translated more broadly as messengers and can refer to either human missionaries or spiritual/angelic messengers who help those missionaries.This is a possible interpretation, but there are a few reasons why I am not persuaded of this view. First of all, you have the timing problem again. When Jesus gives the parable of the fig tree, he says in Matthew’s parallel account, “when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matt. 24:33). And then Luke’s version states explicitly what is near, he says, “when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” So if this gathering of the elect refers to the spread of the gospel by missionaries after the great tribulation,it is hard to see how that ongoing work, which continues even to this day, could be a sign to them in the 1st century that God’s kingdom is near. A second reason I am not persuaded of this view is that in Matthew’s version of this same verse he says, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:31). Notice first that the location from which the elect are gathered is all spoken of here in strictly heavenly terms. They are taken “from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Mark includes “to the uttermost part of the earth,” but in both passages the elect seem to be partially, if not exclusively, those who are already in heaven. This makes the evangelistic option of people on earth less likely since it includes at least some elect who are in heaven. Secondly, Matthew also adds that this gathering is accompanied by the sound of a trumpet. When trumpets are sounded in Scripture, it most frequently refers to a specific day or moment of judgment and/or resurrection. This again does not really fit if this gathering of the elect is ongoing missionary work throughout the entire church age. Option #3 – This gathering of the elect refers the 1st century church on earth being reconstituted after the scattering of the great tribulation. One of the strengths of this position it that it fits well with the promise of Deuteronomy 30:4 which says, “If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you.”And then in Zechariah 2:6, it says, “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven.”So in the Old Testament, when tribulation and persecution arises, God’s people are sent to the four winds to both escape judgment and also to be evangelists in those regions where they are exiled to. This is actually what happens in the book of Acts right after Stephen’s martyrdom. It says in Acts 8:1, “Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.” So remember Jesus’ words just before his ascension in Acts 1:8, “you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And how was that fulfilled? Well as the book of Acts goes on to record, the gospel goes forth often unintentionally (from a human perspective) because of persecution and being scattered to the four winds. And so this interpretive Option #3 is saying that after the early church was scattered to the four winds, and after many of them died in the great tribulation, God is going to regather those remaining so that the gospel can continue once all these judgments and wrath on Rome and Jerusalem have been poured out.Now I think this interpretation is possible, but it does seem to overlook two elements in Matthew’s parallel regarding the trumpet and the emphasis on the elect being gathered in heaven. And so let me give you Option #4 which I think is the best explanation. Option #4 – The gathering of the elect refers to the first resurrection, which is described in Revelation 11 and Revelation 20. Now this may sound strange to some of you at first, but Revelation 11 and Revelation 20 both describe a literal bodily resurrection and ascension of the saints that takes place in 70 AD. Recall that in Matthew’s version this gathering of the elect is accompanied with the sound of a trumpet, and it just so happens that in Revelation 11, during the sounding of the sixth trumpet and just before the sound of the seventh trumpet blast, there are two witnesses who are martyred in Jerusalem, their dead bodies lie in the street but then it says, “And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them. And they heard a great voice from heaven saying unto them, Come up hither. And they ascended up to heaven in a cloud; and their enemies beheld them” (Rev. 11:11-12). And then a few verses later it says in Revelation 11:15, “And the seventh angel sounded (lit. trumpeted); and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Notice this is the same language as Daniel 7 which speaks of the Son of Man receiving the kingdom. So just as Christ died, rose, and ascended to heaven in 30 AD, so also the saints will die (many of them as martyrs in the great tribulation), but then rise, and ascend to heaven in 70 AD to possess the kingdom. If that sounds fanciful to you, consider Revelation 20 which states this even more explicitly. It says in Revelation 20:4-6, “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Notice that those who participate in the first resurrection are those who have already died and their souls are in heaven. Part of the drama of Revelation is that the saints are waiting to be vindicated and enthroned even as Christ is enthroned. We read earlier in Revelation 6:9-10 it says, “I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? 11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.” So by the time we get to Revelation 20, those remaining servants of Christ have been killed (as Revelation 11 gives us a snapshot of), and they are resurrected to reign with Christ for the whole millennium/church age (1,000 years). This interpretation fits together all the pieces and timing aspects that the previous 3 interpretations do not. We agree with Option #1 that this ingathering of the elect is referring to a bodily resurrection and ascension of the saints. However, it is not the final resurrection in view, it is the first resurrection as Revelation 20 describes. We see also that angels are involved as Revelation describes in sounding the trumpets, carrying out God’s judgments, and gathering the elect (see Rev. 14). We see also that the souls of the saints are gathered from heaven even as their dead bodies on earth are resurrected and gathered from the uttermost parts of earth.Wherever their dead bodies were, God could resurrect them and cause them to ascend into heaven. Finally, we see also that the first resurrection fits all of the texts that locate the timing of this ingathering as being simultaneous with the coming of the Son of Man, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the beginning of the church age (the millennium). Conclusion Now regardless of which interpretation you find most persuasive, one thing that everyone agrees on is that the place of regathering is no longer the temple in Jerusalem as it was in the Old Testament. In times past, when God scattered his people to the four winds, he eventually gathered them back to a central physical location, which was the temple in Jerusalem.But as Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father…But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”When God destroyed the temple in 70 AD, and gave the kingdom over to the saints, He was testifying for the rest of history, that the central place of worship, and the central place the elect are gathered to, is around Jesus Christ who is enthroned in heaven. And therefore as I read earlier from Hebrews 12, when we lift our hearts to God through faith, hope and love, we truly come to “Mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.”This is what God is gathering us for every Lord’s Day, to sit down with him in heavenly places. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

The Coming of the Son of Man Sunday, April 21st, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 13:24-31 24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. 28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. Prayer O God and Father of Lights, from whom all Goodness and Light proceed, grant us now to behold in the lamp of Your Word, He Who Is the Light of the Whole World. Make now to shine upon us, the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the very image of God. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Well, this morning we come to the climax of Mark 13, wherein Jesus describes in very cosmic terms his coming to destroy Jerusalem and the old creation. And because this is a passage of Scripture that is so often misinterpreted as referring to Christ’s final coming at the end of history, we will only cover the first three verses of our text this morning, verses 24-26, and then next week we will review and cover verses 27-31. Now the reason I wanted to read verses 24 through 31, is because verse 24 and verse 30 give us the time frame for when this coming of the Son of Man shall be. According to Jesus words in verse 24, it will take place “in those days after the tribulation.” Which tribulation? The one he just got done describing in verse 19 when he said, “For in those days shall be tribulation, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.” And then in verse 30, Jesus gives them the broader timeframe for when one stone shall not be left upon another in the temple (vs. 2), when he says, “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.” So according to Jesus, the great tribulation, the gospel going forth to all nations in the Empire, the abomination of desolation, and the coming of the Son of Man, are not future events to us, they are all future events to the twelve disciples and will be fulfilled within one generation of him speaking, that is within roughly 40 years. And as later books in the New Testament itself testifies, and as both secular and church history testifies, Jesus was not lying. All of these things took place just like Jesus said they would. And they took place between 30 AD when Christ ascended into heaven, and 70 AD, when Jerusalem and the temple was destroyed. So whatever the coming of the Son of Man is, Jesus guaranteed in the strongest terms possible, “Verily I say unto you, that this generation [then living] shall not pass [die], till all these things be done. Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.” And yet despite this very clear timeframe, the Christian church has often struggled to interpret this section of the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24, Mark 13, Luke 21, plus Revelation). They read of stars falling from heaven, and the sun and moon being put out, and then they look outside and see there is the sun, at night is the moon, and no stars seem to have fallen. Moreover, they hear, “the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory,” and they automatically assume that this must refer to Christ’s bodily return at the end of history. So you can see why some Christians have struggled with this portion of Scripture. Well, my hope this morning is to help you interpret these words the way Christ intended and the way the apostles themselves interpreted them. And in order to do that, we are going to have to go back and study their Bible, the Old Testament, because almost every single word that Jesus speaks here in verse 24-27 is a quotation or allusion to an Old Testament passage. Where so many pastors and Bible commentators go wrong is that they forget the first rule of biblical interpretation, which is, “Scripture interprets Scripture.” God is his own and best interpreter. And therefore, if we want to become better readers of God’s Word, we need to get all of Scripture inside of us. So it is to that task we shall now give ourselves. Outline of the Text There are six events that Jesus foretells/prophesies in verses 24-27, and you will notice they are all spoken of in heavenly terms. This morning we’ll cover events 1-5. In verses 24-25 we have the first four events which are: 1. “the sun shall be darkened,” 2. “the moon shall not give her light,” 3. “the stars of heaven shall fall,” and then I take the 4th event as summarizing the first three: 4. “and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.” In verse 26 we have the fifth event: 5. “then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” In verse 27 is the sixth event: 6. “And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.” So let’s begin by considering events 1-4 together since they are often found in this same order in the Old Testament. Verses 24-25 – Q1. What does it mean for the sun and moon to be darkened, the stars of heaven to fall, and the powers of heaven to be shaken? Well, let us consider first why God created the sun, moon, and stars (these heavenly powers). We read in Genesis 1:14-18 that on the fourth day, “God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day [the sun], and the lesser light to rule the night [the moon]: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.” So there are three basic purposes for the sun, moon, and stars: 1. To literally give light and life to the earth. 2. To mark days, nights, times, and seasons. 3. To rule/govern those times. So from the very beginning of the creation, even before man was formed, God placed sun, moon, and stars in the firmament to rule the world. Without the sun and the changing seasons, there would be no food or sustenance for man, and in this sense at the very least, man is subject to and dependent upon the powers of heaven for daily bread. A few chapters later in Genesis 15, God tells Abram to number the stars, and promises “So shall thy seed be.” So God promises that Abraham’s children would be as stars in the heavens. Note it is here that stars are becoming symbolic for human beings. And then the next time sun, moon, and stars all appear together is in Genesis 37, where Joseph (Abraham’s seed, great grandson) dreams that the sun, moon, and eleven stars are bowing down to him. And Jacob his father says to him, “What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth?” (Gen. 37:10). So just within the first 37 chapters of Genesis, we have a theme already developing about the sun, moon, and stars. They are heavenly rulers, they determine times and seasons, and God promises that one day, His people will be those rulers. Jacob is the sun, Rachel is the moon, Joseph’s eleven brothers are the stars. Now by the time we get to the book of Exodus, instead of God’s people being in charge and governing the earth, we see they are enslaved to the Egyptians and to Pharaoh who regards himself as a kind of god. Ra was the sun-god of ancient Egypt, and therefore when God brings the 9th plague of thick darkness over all Egypt, he was doing so to demonstrate that He is the one who ordains times and seasons, who raises up rulers and casts them down. Pharaoh thought he was the sun, and so God darkens the sun to remind him that YHWH alone is God. Remember the whole purpose for the Exodus and the ten plagues upon Egypt. God says in Exodus 7:5, “And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” The purpose for all of God’s judgments is the glory and knowledge of His Name. One of the main lessons of the Exodus is that God is the one who establishes and ordains all powers, both heavenly and earthly (Rom. 13:1). Pharaoh and his governors apostatized when they “forgot Joseph” and became a false sun, moon, and stars (even worshipping them). They stopped governing the times justly. How so? They did not give God his worship or sabbath (seventh day) rest to His people. And therefore, when God’s appointed rulers fail in this duty, he eventually replaces them. This is what God promised to Abraham and it is what Exodus records. The first part of Exodus is the destruction of the Egyptian cosmos, He darkens their sun. And then the rest of the book (along with Leviticus and Numbers) is God turning the twelve tribes he redeemed out of Egypt, into His heavenly host. This is what the construction of the tabernacle was all about. The entire sacrificial system of the old covenant was a way of keeping times and seasons and doing “God’s will on earth as it is in heaven.” Israel marked every new day with an evening and morning sacrifice. Israel marked every seventh day with an extra lamb upon the altar to mark the Sabbath. Every new moon there was special burnt offering, grain, offering, drink offering, and sin offering. And then there were special festival times (seasons) like Passover, Pentecost, Trumpets, and Booths. And these all revolved around the changing seasons of sowing and reaping, first fruits and fall harvest. And all of this further signified the pattern of death and resurrection, darkness to light. So the sacrifices that God prescribed in the law were an earthly way of tracking heavenly time. And all of this is in view when Jesus says the sun, moon, and stars are going to be put out when the Son of Man comes. At one level, Jesus is prophesying that the temple and its sacrificial offerings are going to be cut off. Just as when Pharaoh apostatized and then Egypt was destroyed by plagues, so also when the Jews become wandering stars (Jude 11) and idolaters, Jerusalem will be likewise destroyed. This is the pattern of how God judges and rules the world. This is further proved in how the prophets foretold the destruction of other idolatrous nations. We heard earlier in Isaiah 13 that the destruction of Babylon when it was conquered by the Medes and Persians is spoken of in these same cosmic terms, “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, Cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate: And he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, And the moon shall not cause her light to shine. And I will punish the world for their evil, And the wicked for their iniquity… Therefore I will shake the heavens, And the earth shall remove out of her place, In the wrath of the Lord of hosts, And in the day of his fierce anger.” (Is. 13:9-11, 13). So notice, all of these cosmic/astral signs are symbolic for the real historical fall of Babylon in 539 BC. Likewise, referring to the destruction of Egypt it says in Ezekiel 32:7-8, “And when I shall put thee out, I will cover the heaven, and make the stars thereof dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give her light. All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over thee, and set darkness upon thy land, saith the Lord God.” And then in Joel 2:10, speaking of Jerusalem’s destruction it says, “The earth shall quake before them; The heavens shall tremble: The sun and the moon shall be dark, And the stars shall withdraw their shining:” So notice that in all these instances (and there are many others), it is not a literal sun, moon, and stars that is in view, but rather sun, moon, and stars are symbolic for the spiritual-political rulers of a nation: the emperor, his wise men, and his princes, and sometimes even to the demonic forces behind those earthly powers. So when Jesus says, “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken,” he is prophesying the fall of the entire old creation and its spiritual-political government. This includes many demonic forces and principalities, and even Satan who Christ bound in Revelation 20. This includes the Jewish priesthood and the sacrificial system that marked time in the old covenant. This includes the Roman empire, and its status as the fourth beast and kingdom of Daniel 2 and Daniel 7. All of these different powers and authorities are symbolized by sun, moon, and stars if you know the Old Testament Scriptures. Now if verses 24-25 foretell the end of the old world and its spiritual government, it is verses 26-27 that foretell who replaces those old rulers and powers in the heavens. And this is spoken of in Daniel 7 as “the coming of the Son of Man.” Verse 26 26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. So let’s start with the question, “Who/what exactly is the Son of man?” When most people hear the phrase “Son of Man” they automatically think it refers to Jesus who repeatedly calls himself the “Son of Man.” But “Son of Man” is actually a title that Jesus takes to Himself, and it is the title that God gave to the prophet Ezekiel, who is called “Son of Man” over 91 times in Ezekiel. And so if you want to know who/what the Son of Man is, if you want to know why Jesus calls himself the Son of Man, you have to first understand who Ezekiel was. So who was Ezekiel? Ezekiel was God’s high priest during the desolation of Jerusalem (593-573). He was ordained in the 30th year, and he lived before, during, and after the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple. One of the important things we learn from the book of Ezekiel, is that the Son of Man is a prophet and priest who pronounces judgement on Israel (and the nations), and calls them to repent, and when they don’t repent, he destroys them with His words. In Ezekiel 11 God says, “prophesy against them, prophesy, O son of man…And it came to pass, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died” (Ezek. 11:4, 13). We read also in Ezekiel 43, that he beholds in a vision the glory of God and says, “And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw…when I came to destroy the city.” So although the armies of Babylon literally burned the temple and destroyed Jerusalem, Ezekiel teaches us that it was actually him, the Son of Man, and God’s prophetic Word that destroyed the city. So Scripture teaches us that there are multiple levels of causality for God’s judgments. There is God at the top, and he commands his angels and even demons to punish evildoers, and then he also includes the prophets and the saints in those judgments. Jesus speaks of this in Matthew 16:19, as the power given to the apostles to bind and to loose. He says, “I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Likewise, he tells his disciples in Luke 10:19, “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions [demonic forces], and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Paul also speaks of this spiritual power when he says in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4, “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.” And again in Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” So 600 years before Jesus and the Apostles, Ezekiel was God’s “Son of Man” who would set the pattern and example for when Jesus takes up this title in the gospels. Jesus, like Ezekiel, is a true priest and true prophet. Jesus, like Ezekiel, will preach repentance, be rejected and mocked, and then prophesy the end of that city while laying the blueprints for a new temple. Jesus, like Ezekiel, will destroy Jerusalem, not by his literal bodily presence, but by the word of His mouth, using a foreign army (Rome) to burn it to the ground. This is part of what it means for Jesus to be the Son of Man. He is a prophet and priest who comes to bring judgment with His words. Now in addition to Ezekiel being the Son of Man (and Jesus being a new Ezekiel), there is an important vision in Daniel 7, which Jesus is quoting and interpreting here in verse 26. And this is the key to understanding what the coming of the Son of Man is.In Daniel 7, Daniel has a vision of four beast empires (Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome), and he sees the Ancient of Days sitting in judgment to destroy those beasts and give their dominion to “one like the Son of Man.” It says in Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” And then a couple verses later Daniel is given the interpretation of this vision, and this is where we are told who/what the one like the Son of Man is. Daniel 7:17-22 says, “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever. Then I would know the truth of the fourth beast, which was diverse from all the others, exceeding dreadful, whose teeth were of iron, and his nails of brass; which devoured, brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with his feet; And of the ten horns that were in his head, and of the other which came up, and before whom three fell; even of that horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spake very great things, whose look was more stout than his fellows. I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” So who is the Ancient of Days in this scene? It is God. And who is the “one like the Son of Man?” It is the saints, the church, or as Paul describes it, the body of Christ. And therefore, when Jesus calls Himself “the Son of Man,” He is explaining how this vision of Daniel 7 is going to be fulfilled. He is explaining how the saints inherit the kingdom of God: The Ancient of Days, God Most High, shall come in the flesh. He shall become a Son of Adam, a Son of Man, and become the beginning of a new humanity succeeding in all the ways that Adam and every other Son of Adam failed. And then as God and Man, he shall be glorified on the cross. As Jesus says in John 8:28, “When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he.” And also in John 5:26-27, “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.” So Jesus Christ is both Ancient of Days and Son of man. And the way the saints ascend to heaven to take the kingdom, is through being united to Jesus and being made like the son of man, conformed to His image (Rom. 8:29). So now having Daniel 7 in our minds we can interpret Jesus words in verse 26, “And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.” Well, there is nothing here or in Daniel 7 about the Son of Man descending to the earth. This is the Son of man coming up/ascending to the Ancient of Days. Therefore, this rules out the bodily return of Jesus Christ to the earth (Acts 1:11). What the coming of the Son of man in power and glory refers to is threefold: 1. The destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by Christ and his saints, just like Ezekiel destroyed it the first time. 2. The end of the beast empires and their spiritual dominion, which God established with Babylon in the days of Nebuchadnezzar (603 BC), and ended with Vespasian in 70 AD. 3. The giving over of that spiritual-political dominion to the saints in Christ, who together are the Son of Man (as the head is united to the body). Both Daniel and Jesus agree that these events must take place in the days of the Roman Empire, and Jesus further specifies, they will all be fulfilled within one generation of his death and resurrection. And so it is hard to overstate what happened in the 1st century in 70 AD. Truly the powers of heaven were shaken, and to Christ and the saints was given all authority in heaven and on earth. The implications of this transfer of power are immense, and merits a whole sermon in itself. Nevertheless, let us conclude for today by answering a final question, “How did people see this coming of the Son of Man?” Well, we can say they saw it literally with the destruction of the city and many other recorded signs in the heavens (we’ll look at this next week). But more true to Jesus words, they saw it figuratively, that is they perceived and knew or saw the truth about who Jesus claimed to be, that Jesus was no false prophet and in fact He is the Son of God just like He said He was. In the very next chapter, when Jesus is being interrogated by the high priest it says in Mark 14:61-62, “the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” It is that line that gets Jesus charged with blasphemy and sent to the cross. And yet he tells that individual high priest that he himself will see the coming of the Son of Man. Jesus was not lying. That high priest saw and knew afterward who Jesus was. And after 70 AD, the whole world knew that Jesus’ prophecy came to pass, “not one stone shall be left upon another of this temple.” So the coming of the Son of Man was the vindication of Jesus Christ and the vindication of all the saints who put their hope in him.Moreover, it confirms and testifies for the rest of human history, that Jesus Christ is Lord and God, He is Ancient of Days and Son of Man, and there is no other name under heaven by which you can be saved. He promised to destroy that apostate city and he did. And now to Him and the saints belong all authority in heaven and on earth. That’s you and me, and that is the spiritual power we have in Jesus.So let us wield that authority as He has commanded, that God’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Remember Lot’s Wife Sunday, April 14th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 13:14-23 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Prayer Father, we thank you for these words of warning and comfort and assurance from the Lord Jesus. We thank you also for the Holy Spirit, who helps us to test the spirits, to know which are from God and which are from the world. We ask for the gift of spiritual discernment as we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers and forces of darkness in high places. We ask for Your Help in Christ’s name, Amen. Introduction The title of my sermon this morning is “Remember Lot’s Wife.” These words come from the mouth of the Lord Jesus in a passage that is parallel to Mark 13, and which Luke records in his gospel in Luke 17:31-32. There we read, “In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife.” Jesus likens the coming tribulation and destruction of Jerusalem as a time similar to two previous historical events. The first is Noah’s flood. He says in Luke 17:26-27, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.” So just as life seemed to go on “business as usual” for those who rejected Noah’s preaching (the Ark was his sermon), so also shall it be in the days leading up to the coming of the Son of Man, when the building of the church is God’s sermon. And whereas in Noah’s day it was water that drowned and cleansed the old world, in 70 AD it will be the Roman armies who shall act as God’s flood and fire to burn down the temple and baptize the cosmos which it represented. Jesus says, “as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” The second event that Jesus likens the destruction of Jerusalem to, is God raining fire down upon Sodom and Gomorrah. Jesus says in Luke 17:28-30, “Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.” In both of these instances, you have a persecution and rejection of righteous Noah and righteous Lot (2 Peter 2:7). In both instances there are messengers and warnings that a flood of judgment is coming, and yet because the inhabitants of those places refused to repent, they are blinded to the obvious signs that their world is coming to an end. And therefore, for the ungodly, life seems to just go on as it always has, until all of a sudden, the Son of Man comes like a thief in the night, and there they are, caught unawares and without excuse before the judgment seat of God. This is the state of every single person who does not know and is not told when he shall die. Any day could be judgment day. And so although Jesus is speaking here of a particular judgment upon a particular people at a particular time namely 70 AD, the principles here are universal. Because when is judgment day for you? It is the day you die. As it says in Hebrews 9, “it is appointed unto men once to die, and then comes judgment.”Jesus tells a parable in Luke 12 that describes the person who does not recognize that death can come any day. In Luke 12:16-21 it says, Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” What was the sin of Lot’s wife? Why does Jesus want his disciples to remember her as they endure the greatest tribulation in world history? The sin of Lot’s wife was the same as the rich fool. Neither were rich toward God. Both loved this present world which is passing away more than the world that is to come. Lot’s wife was in the very process of being delivered from destruction and yet she chose to look back with longing at Sodom and Gomorrah. She was sad and unwilling to flee to the mountain of God. Therefore, Jesus says after “Remember Lot’s wife.” Remember the pillar of salt that she became. “For whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” That is the lesson Jesus is teaching his disciples (and wants to teach us) throughout the Olivet Discourse. No man knows the day or hour in which judgment shall come. We all know we will die, and we might even know that it will be within the next 40 years more or less, but the day and hour is hidden from us. And therefore, we are always to be watchful, always to be prayerful, and are always to be ready to die should the good Lord require our soul of us this very night. As Moses says in Psalm 90:12, “Teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. You can either be Noah in the ark, willing die to this world so that you might enter the new creation. Or you can cling to Sodom and Gomorrah like Lot’s wife did and lose your life trying to preserve it. Jesus tells his disciples all these things in advance so that they can be prepared and ready for judgment. And so also should we. Now last Sunday we spent a good hour on the question, “What is the abomination of desolation?” And if you missed that, you ought to go back and listen to that sermon because I will not repeat all of it here. But in that sermon, we said there are few different candidates for what the abomination of desolation might have been. It might have been the Jewish priests’ rejection of all sacrifices and tribute for the Gentiles, according to Josephus this took place in 66 AD, and this is what kicked of the Jewish-Roman War. Or, it might have been the completion of the temple and its decoration in 64 AD, along with Nero’s persecution of Christians for the fire in Rome. Or, it might have been the murder of the apostles, specifically of James the Just who was bishop in Jerusalem, and was martyred in the temple court by the priests in 62 AD. Whatever the case, Jesus says in verse 14, “when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains…” So the abomination that maketh desolate is a public sign that the end of Jerusalem and the end of that age is approaching. And therefore, Jesus gives instructions to those who recognize this sign, and it is to those instructions that we shall now attend. Outline of the Text In verses 14-18, Jesus exhorts us with diverse metaphors to forsake our lives in this in world and to look with hope to the next.In verses 19-20, Jesus identifies these years as the great tribulation but promises that God will cut those days short for the sake of His elect.And then in verses 21-23, Jesus warns them of false Christs and false prophets who will try to deceive them.So starting in verse 14, the first exhortation Jesus gives is, “let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains…” Verse 14 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: Now Jerusalem itself was situated on a mountain and was sometimes called the holy mountain (Is. 66:20). We have also seen that Jesus is presently saying all of these words and pronouncing this judgment as he sits upon a different mountain, the Mount of Olives. And so it is interesting that Jesus does not specify which mountain or mountains the inhabitants of Judaea ought to flee to, but rather he gives them this general exhortation to flee to the mountains. This is likely because “fleeing to the mountains” is symbolic/emblematic for what God’s people usually do to escape from wrath and evildoers. In Genesis 19, where does Lot escape to? To the mountains of Zoar. In Genesis 31, where does Jacob escape to as he flees from Laban? To the mountains of Gilead. In Exodus, where does Moses flee to and then later the whole nation of Israel? To Mount Sinai. In Joshua 2, where does Rahab tell the spies to hide so they can escape from the men of Jericho? To the mountains (Josh. 2:16, 22). In 1 Kings 19, when Jezebel is hunting Elijah, where does Elijah flee to? To Horeb, to the mountain of God. Now think about this for a moment, can a mountain hide you from the wrath of God? Can a mountain protect you from the God who formed and created mountains? Of course not. So when the righteous flee to the mountains, what are they actually fleeing to? What reality do the mountains signify? They signify the One who is the highest of all high places. They signify God who is our rock and refuge and strength and our hiding place in the storm. It says in Psalm 125 which we often sing, “They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Zion, Which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. As the mountains are round about Jerusalem, So the Lord is round about his people From henceforth even for ever.” Or, as we love to sing in Psalm 121, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.” So when Jesus says “flee to the mountains,” what is he saying? He is saying flee to God. Flee to the one who is the lover of your soul and who promises that though you walk through the fiery furnace, not one hair of your head shall perish. Though they kill and crucify your body, do not fear them, trust the one who has the power to kill or preserve your soul. Remember, all of the disciples are going to suffer and die for Christ’s sake. And so Jesus is not telling them here how to avoid tribulation and martyrdom, he is telling them and all who hear these words, how to endure tribulation and die well. When you like Christ are surrounded by bulls of Bashan. Or when you like Lot are surrounded by murderous sodomites. Orwhen you like Jerusalem are surrounded by armies. Where can you go?Flee in your soul to the mountains. Lift your eyes to the hills and run to God. Run by faith to Mount Zion and there you shall find the Peace the surpasses understanding. In God you shall find grace to endure the very worst that this world, your flesh, and the devil may bring. In verses 15-18 Jesus gives essentially the same exhortation but under different metaphors. Verses 15-18 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. So while all these sayings can be taken in their literal physical sense, there are some intentional oddities that Jesus gives to draw our minds to the spiritual sense.For example, in verse 15, if you are on the top of your house, how do you escape without going back down into the house? Is Jesus encouraging people to literally jump off their roofs? I doubt it. I think it is far more likely that Jesus is using the house and the housetop as it is often used elsewhere in Scripture to refer to the place of prayer (the housetop) and the things pertaining to the body (the house). For example, Psalm 102 is titled, “a prayer of the afflicted” and in verse 7 the psalmist says, “I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.” We see in Acts 10:9 it says, “Peter went up upon the housetop to pray about the sixth hour.” We read in Isaiah 2 and Micah 4, a prophecy of God’s kingdom arriving and it says, “But in the last days it shall come to pass, That the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, And it shall be exalted above the hills; And people shall flow unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, And to the house of the God of Jacob…” So remember God’s House, which is the temple, is itself a symbolic holy mountain, and so when Peter goes to pray upon the housetop, he is spiritually in prayer ascending to God’s holy mountain. Obviously, we are not any closer to heaven because we pray from our rooftops, it is that the highest part of our being, our housetop, (namely our soul/mind/spirit/heart) is elevated above earthly things, the body, the house, and therefore Jesus says, “let him that is on the housetop [in prayer and communion with God] not go down into the house [seeking bodily things], neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house.” This is the same as what Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:7, “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” So Jesus is saying in parable form what Paul says explicitly in Colossians 3, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above [on the housetop], where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth [in the house]. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.” This same principle applies also when Jesus says, “And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment.” Paul puts it this way in the very next verses, “put off the old man with his deeds; And put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Col. 3:9-10). If you are in the field laboring for Christ who is the Lord of the Harvest, don’t go back like Lot’s wife did for the garments of the old creation. You are a new creation, and God has a new garment, namely the resurrection, waiting for you! Next in verse 17 Jesus says, “But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!” To what does this refer? Well, there is nothing wrong with taking these words literally because everyone knows it is pregnant and nursing women and their babies who are the most naturally vulnerable when attempting to travel. But I think the reason Jesus mentions pregnant and nursing mothers is because they are a picture of what the church and more specifically pastors are going to be like during this time. In 1 Thessalonians 2:7, Paul identifies himself as a nursing mother. He says, “But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.” In Galatians 4:19, he says “My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” Likewise, he says in Hebrews 5:12-14, “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” So Paul sees himself as pregnant with new believers, and as a nursing mother giving milk to new Christians. And it is during the great tribulation when those baby Christians are going to be most vulnerable to deception and falling away. Their powers of discernment have not been trained yet, and so it is going to be hard work to minister to them at the same time that false Christs and false prophets and persecution tempts them to fall away, to go back and grab their garments, and to leave the housetop of prayer. Remember Jesus said that the troubles leading up to the great tribulation are just “the beginnings of the birth pains.” But now as judgment day approaches for the old creation, those labors pains are heating up, and so Jesus says woe to those actual women who are pregnant and nursing in those days, woe also to those pastors and newborn Christians who are caught in the crossfire, and woe to the whole church and old creation, as she must die in order to give birth to the new. The last of these exhortations in this section is verse 18, where Jesus says, “And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.” Again, this can refer to the literal season of winter, but also to the metaphorical winter which is coming upon the earth. In Matthew 24:12 Jesus says, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” So the tribulation of these days will be severe and traveling to church, traveling anywhere, is going to be made even more difficult for Christians by both literal winter and the spiritual winter of lawlessness. And therefore, Jesus warns and promises in verses 19-20… Verses 19-20 19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. God knows the limits of his elect. It says in 1 Corinthians 11:13, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”Where is the way of escape? Jesus is telling us here. It is only in God, upon the housetop, in the mountains, where you soul can flee and find rest, even as great tribulation surrounds you.So the apostles and the 1st century church went through this great tribulation Christianity survived! God upheld their faith! According to Revelation 7, there was an innumerable multitude of Christians, “from all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues [who] stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” And it says Revelation 7:13-14, “One of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”God knows your limits. God knows the exact temperature at which your faith will be purified and at which your faith will fail. And even if your faith wavers for a moment, remember what Jesus said to Peter before his crucifixion, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Luke 22:31-32).Peter’s faith stumbled. He denied Christ three times in a row. He feared for his life. But God is merciful and as it says of Him in Isaiah 42:3, “A bruised reed He will not break, And smoking flax He will not quench.”So you can trust the Lord Jesus, you can trust your Heavenly Father to carry you when you are weak and strengthen you in times of trouble. For He is the God who cuts the days of tribulation short for the sake of His elect. He is the God who promises that those who die in tribulation, shall be clothed in white, and crowned with glory, and granted entrance in the heavenly bliss of His eternal kingdom.May this same God who preserved His church in the 1st century through great tribulation, give us the same faith to persevere and hold fast in hope to His promise of eternal life.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

エピソードの説明はありません

The Abomination of Desolation Sunday, April 7th, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA Mark 13:14-23 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment. 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Prayer Father, we thank you for these words from the Lord Jesus and how you used them in the 1st century to preserve the church through The Great Tribulation. We thank you also for how you continue to use these words to inspire and encourage us amidst our afflictions. Make us now to cling to your Word, for you alone have the words of Eternal Life. We ask in this Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction Well, we are back in Mark 13, and this morning we come to an exceedingly difficult question that the church has yet to come to any consensus answer for, which is, What is the abomination of desolation? And while we will spend the majority of our time trying to answer that question, we must not forget or lose sight of the larger purpose for Jesus teaching these things, which is, to prepare the disciples to die as martyrs for His Name. The twelve apostles are going to be commissioned, empowered, and sent to the four corners of the earth to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, and while that gospel will indeed conquer and be victorious, it will not be without bloodshed. So just as Christ conquered by suffering and dying on the cross, so also the apostles and early church shall conquer by suffering and being faithful even unto death.So this is the very practical purpose for Jesus telling the disciples what shall take place within one generation. And we know that these events were all fulfilled in the 1st century because after describing these events Jesus says in verse 30, “Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.”So all of Mark 13 refers to events that took place in the 1st century, within one generation. Recall that starting in verse 5 is Jesus’ response to the disciples’ question in verse 4 which is, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” And what are the “these things” they are referring to? They are referring to Jesus’ declaration that “there shall not be left one stone upon another [in the temple], that shall not be thrown down” (vs. 2). So the “end” (vs. 7) that is spoken of here, is not the end of our world, it is the end of the temple which was itself a symbol of the whole cosmos. So when the Jerusalem temple is destroyed and replaced by Jesus Christ, the true temple and the saints in Him, it can rightly be described as the end of the old world and the beginning of a new creation. It is rightly spoken of as the end of the age and the beginning of a new heavens and new earth in which righteousness dwells. This end is also what Daniel is shown in his visions where there is a series of world empires that starts with Babylon, then Persia, then Greece, and then Rome, and it is during the reign of this fourth empire, this fourth beast, that the kingdom of God is said to come. And how does it come? It comes like a stone cut without human hands. It comes like an altar descending from heaven that grows into a mountain that fills the whole earth. It comes like the Son of Man up to the Ancient of Days. And as it says in Daniel 7:17-18 “These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the earth. But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.”So for the saints, judgment day is a day of victory. It is a day of joy, and triumph, and vindication. And so Jesus describes for the disciples in this chapter what shall precede this judgment and the arrival of his kingdom. So let me give you a brief review of the basic chronology and order of events that Jesus describes leading up to our passage. In verses 1-8, Jesusdescribes what will take place from roughly 30 AD-62 AD. There will be deceivers, wars and rumors of wars, earthquakes, famines, and troubles. But these he says are just “the beginnings of sorrows” (vs. 8). In verses 9-13, Jesus describes how during that same time period, the gospel will be preached to all nations, they will stand before kings and councils, and “be hated by all for My name’s sake.” And it is here that Jesus begins to describe what conditions will be like leading up to and through The Great Tribulation: Lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold, and even the natural bonds of love will be broken. Brother will betray brother, children will rise up against their parents and put them to death, and so forth. And this brings us to our text, verses 13-23, where Jesus speaks explicitly of a “tribulation/affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.” And I take that as referring to roughly the years 62/64-68 AD. During that great tribulation, a number of the apostles died. Tradition holds that Paul was killed in Rome between 64-67 AD. And likewise the Apostle Peter. Jesus also warns that during this time there will be false christs and false prophets who do signs and wonder to deceive those in the church, and therefore Jesus says, “But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.” So notice, the function of this prophecy of Jerusalem’s destruction is to build our faith, and give us hope, and to keep us from falling away. The constant exhortation Jesus gives to his followers is “keep watch,” “watch out,” “take heed to yourselves,” “watch and pray,” “stay awake.” Because “a little slumber, a little sleep, a little folding of the hands to rest, and spiritual poverty shall come upon you like an armed man” (Pr. 6:10-11). Jesus wants his disciples to endure and persevere through the greatest tribulation there ever was or shall be, and that is why he gives them these words in Mark 13. And you and I, by imitating the faith of these apostles, we too can learn to endure the much smaller tribulations we face. That is the practical purpose of this passage. So with that by way of review and introduction, let us turn now to this question, “What is the abomination of desolation?” Let me read again verse 14 for us. Verse 14 – What is the Abomination of Desolation? 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains… Notice first of all what is contained in the parentheses, “let him that readeth understand.” Matthew’s version has basically the same parenthetical statement, “whoever reads, let him understand” (Matt. 24:15).This is almost certainly something that Mark and Matthew added to their gospels as a kind of footnote for the person reading this gospel in the public assembly of the church. It is also a call back to the book of Daniel which says, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” That is Daniel 12:10, and then in the very next verse Daniel 12:11 it speaks about the abomination of desolation. “And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. 12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” And then after one more verse, the book of Daniel ends.So both Matthew and Mark alert the reader of their gospels to understand what Jesus is talking about, with the implication being that they (like Daniel) are then to explain what the abomination of desolation is to those who do not understand. A few verses earlier in Daniel 12:3 it says, “And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.”So God gives wisdom to his prophets, apostles, and teachers in the church so they can be like shining stars to guide those who are in the dark towards righteousness. Wisdom is not just secret knowledge that someone acquires to keep for themselves, wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit that is for the edification and building up of the whole church. And so in this parenthetical statement, “let him that readeth understand,” is an exhortation aimed particularly at 1st century readers/teachers (and by extension to pastors like myself) who must do the hard work of trying to understand what this abomination of desolation is referring to.So what I want to do in our remaining time is take you on the journey of discovery that you must go on if you would understand these things. Because this is a place where Proverbs 25:2 is apt, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: But the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” God has purposely given us puzzles in His Word, because He wants us to do the hard spiritual and intellectual work of comparing Scripture with Scripture. Because it is in the very process of reading and studying and meditating and praying for divine light that God changes us into men and women of the Word. It is how God grows us into the honour of kings. The words “Abomination of Desolation” So let us begin with a consideration of the words themselves, what is an abomination of desolation? The first clue Jesus gives us is that this is “the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet.”There are three places where the abomination of desolation is referred to in the book of Daniel: Daniel 9:27, Daniel 11:31, and Daniel 12:11.I should note here In the Hebrew Old Testament there are two different words that are often translated as abomination. The first is תּוֹעֵבָה (toevah), which refers to actions or customs that are either generally immoral or that would violate the ceremonial laws of Israel. Examples of this kind of abomination תּוֹעֵבָה would be things like homosexuality, bestiality, necromancy, adultery, etc. These are abominations that both Jews and Gentiles could commit. The second kind of abomination is the one that Daniel speaks of and comes from a different Hebrew word which is שִׁקֻּץ (shiqqutz). And if you look at the 28 instances of this Hebrew word in the OT, you will see that it overwhelmingly refers to some kind of idol or idolatry that God’s people commit. And for this reason, many scholars choose to translate abomination as sacrilege. It is an action of apostasy/idolatry by the priestly nation, and the high priest in particular to worship a false god (an idol of the nations) instead of the true God of the covenant. Now if you know anything about Daniel 9, Daniel 11, and Daniel 12, you will know that these are some of the most difficult chapters in the whole Bible to interpret. And so we don’t have time to examine and explain each of these texts, they would each need their own sermon or series of sermons, but let us just hear these 3 passages and say a word about each to get them fresh in our mind. Daniel 9:26–27 says, “And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined. 27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” So this is a prophesy that during the middle of the 70th week, the daily sacrifice and tribute will be stopped in the temple, and there will be abominations (plural) that cause and bring about the desolation to the temple. So notice the order is abomination first, then desolation. Sacrilege/idolatry first, and then because of this God forsakes and desolates his house. Daniel 11:31-33 says, “And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. 32And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. 33And they that understand among the people shall instruct many: yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days.” Notice here that again the abomination that maketh desolate is connected with the taking away of the daily sacrifice. There is an exchange of true worship for false worship. Notice also there is a promise that those who understand shall instruct many, but there will be a tribulation that follows in which they die by sword and flame, etc. This instance in Daniel 11 refers to events that took place around 171 BC and are recorded in the Jewish history of 2 Maccabees. During that time there was division in Jerusalem over adopting Greek customs and at one point the Hellenizing Jews conspired to buy the high-priesthood and succeeded. They slandered and deposed the lawful Zadokite High Priest, Onnias III, and his brother Jason replaced him. Three years later, a man named Menelaus (who was not a Zadokite at all), went to Antiochus Epiphanes and bought the high priesthood for himself, and from that time onward, there was no Zadokite high priest in Israel again. 2 Maccabees 4:13-14 says, “Now such was the height of Greek fashions, and increase of heathenish manners, through the exceeding profaneness of Jason, that ungodly wretch, and no high priest; 14 That the priests had no courage to serve any more at the altar, but despising the temple, and neglecting the sacrifices, hastened to be partakers of the unlawful allowance in the place of exercise.” So this is the abomination of desolation that Daniel 11 describes. The priests themselves apostatize and commit sacrilege by deposing and eventually murdering the true high priest, and then they neglect the sacrificial offerings that God commands. And then after these abominations have been committed, God desolates his house, usually by sending a foreign army to invade and plunder it. We see this same pattern earlier in Israel’s history when Eli’s two sons Hophni and Phineas commit sacrilege, they steal God’s food from the altar and rob God’s people, and they fornicate with women at the tabernacle. And because Eli does not stop them, God desolates his house and allows the ark of the covenant to be taken and captured by the Philistines. Likewise in Ezekiel, we see the priests in the temple bowing down to idols, worshipping the sun, and other abominations, and it is this priestly sacrilege that causes God’s glory to depart from the house, and then he sends Babylon in to desolate it. So the consistent pattern throughout biblical history is that the priests commit the abomination (idolatry/apostasy/sacrilege), and then God desolates his house using some Gentile army as his instrument of punishment. And we could go further and note that after He uses the Gentile power to judge his people, he then punishes that Gentile power for their sins as well. This was the pattern for the first destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and it is exactly what God does a second time as Jesus foretells. The third instance of the abomination of desolation is Daniel 12:11, and this is the same abomination of desolation that Jesus is calling his disciples attention to. So if you can interpret Daniel 12 correctly you can interpret Mark 13:14 correctly. But as I said, Daniel 12 is a hard chapter. Daniel 12:11 says, “From the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days. Seven Criteria So let’s summarize what we have learned thus far from Daniel’s abomination of desolation. 1. We know that this kind of abomination is an act of idolatry/sacrilege that only priests can commit.2. We know that it is the kind of high-handed sin that would cause God to forsake and desolate his house like he has done in times past.3. We know that it is somehow connected to the stopping of the daily sacrifice and tribute at the temple.4. We know that when these abominations are committed, there is some kind of tribulation for those who are faithful. Now if we look back at our text of Mark 13, we can also add three other criteria to our list. 5. Whatever the abomination of desolation is, it must be according to Jesus, “standing where it ought not.” Or as Matthew’s version has it, “standing in the holy place/area (τόπος).” This means it must be somewhere in Jerusalem, the holy city, with the temple being the most obvious location.6. The abomination of desolation must also be a public action or event because it is something people can see. It is one of the signs (Mark 13:4) that the destruction of Jerusalem is near.7. In terms of timing, this public sign must take place 1) during the great tribulation (vs 19),but also 2) prior to the worst of the Jewish-Roman war when leaving the city would be very difficult. So between 62-68 AD (depending on when you think the great tribulation took place). Now with those seven criteria in front of us, we can now use them to weigh and sort the different historical options in front of us. One of the more common interpretations is that the abomination of desolation refers to the Romans entering the temple, and offering pagan sacrifices to their false gods. However, there are at least two reasons why this cannot be. First, as we said earlier, only priests can commit the abomination part, and second, the timing doesn’t work. It would make no sense to tell Christians to flee to the mountains after Jerusalem has already been conquered. So we can rule this option out. Another interpretation is that the abomination of desolation refers to an event that took place in the winter of AD 67-68, when as Josephus records, Jewish Zealots took over the temple, “entering the Holy Place with defiled feet” and appointed their own high priest. The previous high priest, Ananus, said afterward, “Certainly, it had been good for me to die before I had seen the house of God full of so many abominations, or these sacred places that ought not to be trodden upon at random, filled with feet of these blood-shedding villains.” Does this historical event fit our seven criteria? Well, this certainly fits the desolation part, but again, these were not priests who were profaning the temple, it was other Jews (lawless Zealots) deposing the current high priest. Also, the timing is a bit late for this to be the sign to flee to the mountains. You would have wanted to be long gone from Jerusalem by this time. So I think we can rule this option out. So let me propose for you three historical events that I think can mostly fit these seven criteria and are all possible candidates for being the abomination of desolation. And I should note that part of the difficulty is that we have limited historical records of what happened during these years, in large part because it was the great tribulation was happening. So here are the three best options I have found. Proposal 1 – The Abomination of Desolation refers to the ending of sacrifices in the temple for any foreigners in 66 AD. This took place in AD 66, and Josephus himself says this was the true beginning of their war with the Romans. “And at this time it was that some of those that principally excited the people to go to war, made an assault upon a certain fortress called Masada. They took it by treachery and slew the Romans that were there, and put others of their own party to keep it. At the same time Eleazar, the sons of Ananias the high priest, a very bold youth, who was at that time governor of the temple, persuaded those that officiated in the divine service to receive no gift or sacrifice for any foreigner. And this was the true beginning of our war with the Romans; for they rejected the sacrifice of Caesar on this account; and when many of the high priests and principal men besought them not to omit the sacrifice which it was customary for them to offer for their princes, they would not prevailed upon. These relied much upon their multitude, for the most flourishing part of the innovators assisted them, but they had the chief regard to Eleazar, the governor of the temple.” (Wars of the Jews, Book II.17.2) The timing fits, being during the great tribulation, which some place as going from 62-66 AD, others 64-68 AD, and others 62-68 AD. So whichever timeline you hold to, 66 AD is a decent candidate for when someone would want to flee to the mountains and get out of Judea, because it’s just prior to the Jewish-Roman war. It also fits with the timing of the sacrifices being stopped, and although they did not completely stop for the Jews, we might call this a great abomination in that they were doing exactly opposite of what God commanded in the law, and what Jesus had just rebuked them for when he said, “my house is to be a house of prayer for all nations.” This was a public action, it was priestly action, and it happened in the holy place. So that’s one pretty good option. Proposal 2 – The Abomination of Desolation is the completion of the temple and persecution of Christians in 64 AD. For many years Herod had been building and decorating the temple, and in 64 AD, the same year that Nero blamed the fire in Rome on the Christians and began to persecute them, the temple was finally complete.The timing seems to fit, and some mark this as the beginning of the great tribulation. The completion of the temple was a public event that everyone would know about, and in this sense, the temple itself is the abomination in that it embodies and represents the idolatry of the priests and their rejection of Jesus Christ as the new temple.One difficulty is that in order to make this fit with the ending of sacrifice that Daniel foretells, you would have to spiritualize it and say something like, God no longer accepted their daily offerings because of their idolatry and in that sense the daily sacrifice was taken away. That is not an illegitimate move to make, but it is less likely I think. Proposal 3 – The Abomination of Desolation refers to the martyrdom of James the Just in 62 AD. James the Just was the brother of Jesus, and Eusebius records that to him “the bishop’s throne in Jerusalem had been assigned by the apostles.” Eusebius goes on to say that he lived as a Nazarite. He was “consecrated from his mother’s womb. He drank no wine or liquor and ate no meat. No razor came near his head, he did not anoint himself with oil, and took no baths. He alone was permitted to enter the sanctum, for he wore not wool but linen. He used to enter the temple alone and was often found kneeling and imploring forgiveness for the people, so that his knees became hard like a camel’s from his continual kneeling in worship of God and in prayer for the people.” So James the Just has a priest-like status in the temple. The priest’s garment were linen, and it says James wore linen. He alone was permitted to enter the sanctum. If this refers to the holy place, then James was likely an ordained priest of the Jews. At the same time, because James is a Christian and the bishop of Jerusalem, he is in a very real sense, a more true priest than anyone else. He is a true priest of God in the true temple of God (the church) in the true and heavenly Jerusalem. And therefore, when the scribes and Pharisees murdered him, publicly, at Passover, in the temple, they were committing the worst kind of abomination: human sacrifice of God’s new temple. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:17, “If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” So in this sense, every time the Jews murdered a Christian, they were committing an abomination that would bring about their desolation. They were fulfilled what Jesus foretold in John 16:2, “the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service (λατρεία).” And when they put James the Just to death, they were actually cutting off the true daily sacrifice, which is the prayers of the saints, the prayers of this bishop, who offered those prayers in the holy place. Furthermore, it is this murder of the saints that Jesus cites in Matthew 23 as the cause for Jerusalem’s desolation, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.” For this reason, I think the martyrdom of James the Just is one of the best candidates for being the abomination that brings about Jerusalem’s desolation.And so I will close by reading from Eusebius the full description of his martyrdom:“Now, since many even of the rulers believed, there was a tumult of the Jews and the Scribes and Pharisees saying that the whole people was in danger of looking for Jesus as the Christ. So they assembled and said to James, ‘We beseech you to restrain the people since they are straying after Jesus as though he were the Messiah. We beseech you to persuade concerning Jesus all who come for the day of the Passover, for all obey you. For we and the whole people testify to you that you are righteous and do not respect persons. So do you persuade the crowd not to err concerning Jesus, for the whole people and we all obey you. [11] Therefore stand on the battlement of the temple that you may be clearly visible on high, and that your words may be audible to all the people, for because of the Passover all the tribes, with the Gentiles also, have come together.’ [12] So the Scribes and Pharisees mentioned before made James stand on the battlement of the temple, and they cried out to him and said, ‘Oh, just one, to whom we all owe obedience, since the people are straying after Jesus who was crucified, tell us what is the gate of Jesus?1’ [13] And he answered with a loud voice, ‘Why do you ask me concerning the Son of Man? He is sitting in heaven on the right hand of the great power, and he will come on the clouds of heaven.’ [14] And many were convinced and confessed at the testimony of James and said, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David.’ Then again the same Scribes and Pharisees said to one another, ‘We did wrong to provide Jesus with such testimony, but let us go up and throw him down that they may be afraid and not believe him.’ [15] And they cried out saying, ‘Oh, oh, even the just one erred.’ And they fulfilled the Scripture written in Isaiah, ‘Let us take the just man for he is unprofitable to us. Yet they shall eat the fruit of their works.’ [16] So they went up and threw down the Just, and they said to one another, ‘Let us stone James the Just,’ and they began to stone him since the fall had not killed him, but he turned and knelt saying, ‘I beseech thee, O Lord, God and Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ [17] And while they were thus stoning him one of the priests of the sons of Rechab, the son of Rechabim, to whom Jeremiah the prophet bore witness, cried out saying, ‘Stop! what are you doing? The Just is praying for you.’ And a certain man among them, one of the laundrymen, took the club with which he used to beat out the clothes, and hit the Just on the head, and so he suffered martyrdom. [18] And they buried him on the spot by the temple, and his gravestone still remains by the temple. He became a true witness both to Jews and to Greeks that Jesus is the Christ, and at once Vespasian began to besiege them.” (Eus., Hist. eccl. 2.23.10–18)May God give us faith such as this, they we too might bear witness to the glorious and saving gospel of Jesus Christ. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.

Seeing and Believing Easter Sunday, March 31st, 2024 Christ Covenant Church – Centralia, WA John 20:24-31 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Prayer O Father, we thank you for opening to us from Christ’s side, the door of life. We thank you most of all for the death and resurrection of Your Son, which is the greatest of all signs, and is a perpetual testimony that your love for us is stronger than death. As we open now Your Word, we ask for spiritual strength, so that we may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is incomprehensible:the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that we might be filled with all the fulness of God. We ask for this in Jesus’ name, Amen. Introduction In Matthew 16, Jesus asks his disciples, “Who do men say that I am?” And his disciples answer him saying, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” And Jesus said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The chief purpose of the four gospels is to make you to say what Peter said, and more personally, to make you say what Thomas says here in our sermon text. In answer to the question, “Who is Jesus? Who do you say that I am?” The gospels are written so that you might answer, “Jesus is my Lord and my God.” My lord and my God.More important than any other truth there is. More important than any other confession you make. Is this confession of faith from Thomas the Apostle. Who is Jesus? He is “My Lord and my God.”We are told in Philippians 2:10-11, that there will come a day when “at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” And so Scripture teaches us that there are two ways of confessing that Jesus Christ is Lord. One is voluntary and arises from the grace of faith: “Jesus Christ is my Lord and my God.” The other confession is involuntary. It is the forced confession of a conquered foe. It is the fearful and shuddering confession that demons and the reprobate shall make when they stand before the throne of the Lord Jesus on judgment day. James 2:19 says, “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!” The unclean spirit in Mark 1:24 says, “what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.” So you can believe that Jesus is Lord and God like a demon with a lifeless faith that has no love in it. Or you can believe like an apostle, with a faith that flows from charity, and thanksgiving, and joy that God loves you and has forgiven your sins. Which confession shall you make? Every rational creature, angel and saint, demon and sinner, will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But one confession will come from loving faith, and the other will come from a fearful hatred. When the final judgment comes, there will be no other options. And so I declare to you today what the Apostle Paul declared to the men of Athens 2,000 years ago, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent, [and why?] because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” What does the resurrection of Jesus 2,000 years ago mean for you today? It means that Jesus is Judge, Lord, and God whether you like it or not. He is Lord and God objectively, irrevocably, and there is nothing you can do to change that. The resurrection of Jesus means that Psalm 2 has come to pass, and that “He who sits in the heavens now laughs, and holds his foes in derision” (Ps. 2:4). It means the nations of men are put on notice and the notice the church proclaims is Psalm 2:10-12, “Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, And rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, And ye perish from the way, When his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” The resurrection of Jesus 2,000 years ago means that to Christ and his body has been given, “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Dan. 7:14).So do you want to reign and live with Christ in glory? Do you want to be seated with in heavenly places? Then confess now with Thomas, while you still have life, while you still have breath in your lungs and time to say voluntarily, Jesus is “my Lord and my God.” And if there is any hesitancy in you to make that confession, I invite you to consider these words from John’s gospel and the example of Thomas. In our sermon text this morning, we are given the story of how Thomas came to make that personal confession of faith. And my hope is that by retracing Thomas’ steps, and by considering the pitfalls of Thomas in his state of unbelief, we too might be healed and rescued from our doubts. So with that, let us turn and expound these most precious words of God. Verse 24 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. Here we are given the occasion for Thomas’ unbelief. And that occasion is his absence from church. His absence from the assembly of the apostles. For some reason (we are not told exactly), Thomas did not gather with the other ten disciples on Sunday.We are told in verse 19, just before our text, that after Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.”And so Thomas is absent for this first appearance of Jesus to the apostles on Easter Sunday. And this absence tells us at the very least, that Thomas must have not been listening when Jesus said very explicitly, that “the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise the third day” (Mark 9:31). Explaining the disciples’ ignorance it says in John 20:9, “For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.” So Jesus had already told the disciples what the gameplan was. He is going to die, but three days later, he will rise again. But for some reason, Thomas thinks that Christ’s death is the end of the story. For Thomas, the crucifixion was merely another evil thing happening to a good man, and not the divine plan of God to save the world. So Thomas does not believe what Jesus had told them earlier, he does not understand the Scriptures, and we see in the next verse he does not believe his fellow disciples when they tell him Jesus is risen and has appeared to us. Verse 25a 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. It is here that Thomas’ unbelief is perhaps most shameful. It is one thing to not believe Jesus prior to his death and resurrection. After all, nobody in the history of the world had ever died and come back again like Jesus did.But now, here are ten additional witnesses to that resurrection, confirming what Jesus had himself foretold, ten men who Thomas had lived with and done ministry with for years, and yet when they say, “we have seen the Lord,” he does not believe them. Instead, how does Thomas respond? Verse 25b But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. Compounding the unbelief already in Thomas’ heart is this doubling down on doubt. The disciples may have seen Jesus, but Thomas says seeing Jesus is not sufficient! He must physically touch his body and feel with his own finger the places where the nails pierced him. He must thrust his hand into Jesus side and feel where the soldier pierced him. Thomas will not believe he says unless his physical senses, his feelings are gratified.Now the Bible has a name for this kind of person, do you know what it is? Thomas is being what the Bible calls a carnal man, that is someone who walks and lives according to the flesh. The carnal or fleshly person is someone who is more concerned with worldly things than heavenly things. And because worldly possessions and material goods are finite, carnal men often bite and devour one another for those worldly goods. Or they are anxious and fearful about tomorrow, about food and clothing and things pertaining to the body. The carnal person’s life revolves around and terminates in the temporal goods that God gives and never traces them up to their Source. This is the essence of carnal living. Paul charges the Corinthians with acting this way in 1 Corinthians 3 when he says (to a bunch of baptized Christians), “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men?” Likewise, Paul says in Romans 8:5-8, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace…So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” So do you have life and peace? Does peace of soul characterize your life? If not, then you, like Thomas, have a carnal mind. So the carnal/fleshly person is the person who lives to gratify his sensual appetite. The carnal man or carnal woman lives to acquire and enjoy the lusts of the flesh. They are the “Anti-Joseph” or the “Anti-Moses” who embraces Egypt and the fleeting pleasures of sin, who embrace the seductions of Potiphar’s wife, and esteem the riches of this world as preferable to suffering with Christ. This is the carnal and fleshly mind that all of us default to unless we are born again by the grace of the Holy Spirit. And even after we are born again, Paul says in Galatians 5 that there is now an ongoing war that goes on between the spirit and the flesh, and if you make provision for the lusts of the flesh, if you sow to the flesh and feed your carnal appetites, you will from your flesh reap corruption (you will die!). So no man ought to presume that just because he has had some spirit-filled moments in the past, that he is no longer at war with the flesh. Otherwise, Paul would not have told us in Romans 8:13, “If you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Your salvation is dependent on you cooperating with God’s grace to put off the old man and put on the new (Eph. 4:22-24). Your salvation is conditional upon you working out the grace that God works in (Phil. 2:12-13). And it is because your salvation depends upon a living and loving faith and not a empty belief, that the Apostle Peter says, “Brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Summary: So salvation is ALL of grace, and that grace includes you freely willing and choosing to obey Christ and trust Him. That grace includes the hard work of denying yourself, taking up the cross, and following Jesus. There is no conflict between free grace and hard work. And this the life of Jesus bears witness to. For Jesus is Himself the very fullness of grace and truth, and yet no man worked harder and suffered more than Jesus. So Thomas at this stage in verse 25 is being a carnal man. He is faithless. He is doubting. He is stubborn. He is not pleasing God.And yet behold how God condescends to love this carnal sinner. Verses 26-27 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. So a full week passes between Thomas hearing that Jesus has risen, and him actually believing that Jesus is risen. And we can only imagine what that week must have been like for doubting Thomas.While the women and the other ten disciples are rejoicing that Jesus is alive and pondering the implications of his resurrection, Thomas is still skeptical. Thomas is still faithless and distressed. Thomas is still indulging the doubts of his flesh.In this instance, Thomas exemplifies what the rest of the world is like before they come to faith. It is an objective and verifiable fact that Jesus Christ is risen. The tomb is empty. You won’t be able to find the body. People have seen him and touched him. The sun is rising in the eastern sky. The world is being reborn. And yet Thomas in unbelief places his hands over his eyes. This is what the carnal world is like when they refuse to acknowledge the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They are stubbornly saying “I refuse to believe in the sun,” while their eyes are closed and their hands are covering them. For as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” One of the lessons we learn from Thomas is that there is a kind of unbelief that cannot be reasoned with. Would you argue with someone who did not believe that the sun existed? Well, there are people who have chosen to live in the dark, and their eyes have grown so accustomed to living in the dark, that even if they were to stand in the sunshine at noonday and open their eyes, it would only blind them and confirm their belief that the sun does not exist! This is the blindness that man has chosen for himself because of his sin. And it is for this reason that Jesus says in John 3:3, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” So a full week goes by after Jesus Christ has risen, but there is no joy in Thomas’ heart because of his unbelief. For Thomas, the resurrection of Jesus has not yet become true. And yet, there is enough hope in his heart (or perhaps some doubting of his doubts) that he chooses to gather with the other apostles on the following Sunday. And it is then and there, with the doors shut, and the church assembled, that Jesus chooses to appear, stands in their midst and says, “Peace be unto you.” We then read in verse 27 what Jesus says directly to Thomas, “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.” So how does Jesus condescend to his elect when they are doubting, when they are being carnal? Well, note first that He does not come to Thomas immediately. He makes him wait. He gives him time to repent. He gives him time to think it over. And this is often how God deals with us and it is why the Psalmist sometimes cries, “How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me” (Ps. 13:1). Moreover, it is during this period of feeling that God is absent that our faith is tested, and mockers start to run their mouth. The Apostle Peter speaks of this in 2 Peter 3:3-4 saying, “scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?” So God’s timing and our timing are not the same, and often what we think is the right time for God to show up in the way we want him to, is often not what is actually best for us. And so the Psalmist also prays and exhorts us saying, “Wait on the Lord: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord” (Ps. 27:14). So Jesus gives Thomas time to change his mind and walk back his bold doubting. And something happens during that week to make Thomas go to church and gather with the disciples. And it is significant that only then and only there, where two or three (or ten) are gathered, that Jesus chooses to appear in the midst of them. The next thing Jesus does for this doubting apostle is offer to him the proofs he desired, to touch and feel his resurrected body. And by offering his body to Thomas, he also reveals his divinity. Because although Jesus was not physically present when Thomas made those stubborn demands, “Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe,” Jesus was there listening, He was spiritually present. And this is because Jesus is God and there is no place where God is not. So Jesus was there all along according to His divine nature, even when Thomas was doubting. And it is this truth that should be a great comfort to us when we feel like God is absent. You cannot get away from Him for it is in Him that we live and move and have our being. David says in Psalm 139:7-12, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me; Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.” So despite the felt darkness that Thomas was living in, the darkness of doubt and unbelief, even in that hell, Jesus was there all along. And Jesus wants Thomas to know that, and so he offers to him the very things he demanded when thinking that Jesus was still dead and absent, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. And be not faithless, but believing.” In these words, is a kind and gentle rebuke from our Lord, “be not faithless, but believing.” Doubt and unbelief are sins that we must confess and repent of. Paul says in Romans 14:23, “whatever is not from faith is sin.” And so do not pretend that doubt is something that just happens to you, but rather, treat doubt as Jesus treats it, as an action and decision of your will to hear the truth and not believe it. Remember, the sun is up, Christ is risen, this is the truth that saves the world. And so make war on anything thatmight undermine your precious faith. Make war on your doubts and doubters and carnal desires that dull your spiritual senses. Remember how the righteous man lives, “the just shall live by his faith.” Summary: So Jesus comes to Thomas when he is gathered with the disciples on the Lord’s Day. For where two or three are gathered in love, there is Christ present in a special way. And it is there that Jesus reveals his resurrected humanity and the power of his divinity. And all that is left is for Thomas to keep his word and believe. Verse 28 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. We are not told whether Thomas actually touched Jesus or not. The text does not say. Perhaps seeing and hearing Jesus was enough. Either way, Thomas makes a confession that only someone with the grace of faith can make, he calls Jesus “my Lord and my God.”Notice that seeing and touching Jesus is one thing, it proves his resurrection (here he is!). But it is another thing altogether to believe that this resurrected Jesus is the invisible immortal all wise and only God.Physical sensation alone cannot get you there, and that is because supernatural truths are not arrived at by the five senses. Supernatural truths are by definition above natura (supra sensible).Where do you apprehend truth and choose what to believe? In the immaterial and spiritual part of you that the Bible calls the soul, or the mind, or the heart. It is in that part of your being that continues to exist even after your body dies that truth is found and faith is activated. For as Jesus himself says in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” Likewise in 1 Corinthians 2:14 it says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” So you could see and feel the risen Lord Jesus, and still not believe that that Jesus is God. And so what we have here in Thomas confession is the light of the Spirit shining upon him. Thomas sees one thing, and believes another. Thomas sees Jesus with his physical eyes, but he believes a truth in his intellect that physical eyes cannot see, namely the divinity and lordship of Jesus. And therefore, Jesus says in the next verse… Verse 29 29 Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Here again, Jesus calls us to become spiritual creatures and not carnal. Thomas was uniquely granted to physically see Jesus, and with that help he then believed that in Jesus was the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily.As a good theologian proceeding from faith, Thomas attributed to the one divine person of the Son, a full humanity and full divinity, “my Lord, and my God.” Orthodox Christology.But Jesus says, there is a greater blessing, it is more praise-worthy, to believe that same truth without seeing him. And that is because faith is what pleases God.Finally, in verses 30-31, we are given the purpose for all of this story. Verses 30-31 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. The purpose of Christ’s death and resurrection, and the purpose for John writing this all down, was so that you might hear and believe. And by believing have life through his name.Jesus Christ suffered in the flesh, so that you might die to your flesh and put away your carnal mind. And Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day, so that you too might rise again and become a spiritual creature.The carnal man settles for carnal goods. But the only good that can satisfy the infinite desire of your soul is a spiritual good, namely God. So make him your best and highest end. Say from faith He is “my lord and my God,” and you also shall be resurrected never to die again.In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, Amen.