Old Testament Reading: 2 Kings 5:1-19

“Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, ‘Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’ So Naaman went in and told his lord, ‘Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel.’ And the king of Syria said, ‘Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.’ So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy.’ And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me.’ But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel.’ So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.’ But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, ‘Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?’ So he turned and went away in a rage. But his servants came near and said to him, ‘My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?’ So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, ‘Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant.’ But he said, ‘As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none.’ And he urged him to take it, but he refused. Then Naaman said, ‘If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the LORD. In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” He said to him, ‘Go in peace.’” (2 Kings 5:1–19)

New Testament Reading: Luke 17:11-19

“On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.’ When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’ And he said to him, ‘Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.’” (Luke 17:11–19)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

This is the last Lord’s Day of the year 2024. As I began to consider our text for today, I thought, what a wonderful passage to conclude the year with. As you can see, the central theme of this text is gratitude or thankfulness. Gratitude or thankfulness must be a central feature of the Christian life. The end of a year is a wonderful time to reflect upon God’s kindness to us and to give him thanks and praise. I believe this passage will help move us to give thanks and praise to God today.

*****

It Is Only When Men Are Aware Of Their Need That They Will Call Out To Jesus 

The first thing we see in our text is a group of men deeply aware of their need calling out to Jesus for deliverance. 

Our text opens with the words, “On the way to Jerusalem [Jesus] was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.” By these words, we can see that Luke did not present this story to us in chronological order. If ordered chronologically, this story would have been told nearer to Luke 9:51, for it was then that Jesus and his disciples were near the border of Galilee (in the north) and Samaria (in the south) as they began their journey towards Jerusalem. In Luke 17, Jesus and his disciples are further along in the journey. Luke takes us back in time when he tells this story about the ten lepers. I trust you can see that if Luke was not driven by chronological concerns to tell this story, he must have been driven by topical or thematic concerns. 

It was somewhere near the border between the regions of Galilee and Samaria that Jesus drew near to an unnamed village when he was met by ten lepers. A leper is a person with a skin disease called leprosy. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant, a person with leprosy was to be regarded as unclean and separated from society. The disease could have a terrible effect on the body. The impact it had on a person’s way of life was devastating as the individual would be cut off from family, friends, and the broader community. These ten leperous men were likely found together because they had formed a little community to support one another in their distress. 

Luke tells us that these ten leperous men stood at a distance as they cried out to Jesus. This was required by the law of Moses. Leviticus 13 contains laws regarding leprosy. There, instructions are given to the priests of Israel to diagnose the condition. There it is commanded that those with leprosy were to be pronounced unclean. They were to be separated from society. Leviticus 13:45 says, “The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:45–46). Here in Luke 17, we see this law in force. These ten lepers lived in a border region, on the outskirts of town, separated from society, and when they cried out to Jesus, they stood afar off. 

And what did they say to Jesus? In Luke 17:13 we read, “and [they] lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us’” (Luke 17:13). Clearly, this was a request for healing. Their miserable condition would have been apparent to all! No doubt, it was their leading concern. Above all, they wished to be healed of their infirmity so they could return to their homes and communities. 

While it would be wrong to assume that every case of leprosy was (or is) the direct consequence of some particular sin, I do believe it is correct to view the disease of leprosy and its Old Covenant consequences as a picture of sin and its effects. Sin, when unrepented of, ravages the soul. It eats away at one’s life. It results in division among men and women. It keeps us from the worship of God. These ten lepers were deeply aware of their miserable physical condition and of Jesus’ ability to heal, and so they ”lifted up their voices, saying, ‘Jesus, Master, have mercy on us’” (Luke 17:13). And as we consider this scene we should feel compelled to recognize the misery of our spiritual condition – we are sinners by nature; the wages of sin is death; sin brings division between man and man; sin separates us from God and the people of God. 

The truth is only those who recognize their sin and misery will cry out to Jesus for mercy and grace. As Christ has said elsewhere, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” (Luke 5:31). May the Lord grant us the ability to see and to feel our need for Jesus. May God, by his grace, enable us to see that we are desperately and incurably sick in the soul so that we might call out to him as these lepers did, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

*****

Jesus Is Merciful To Those Who Call Upon His Name

The second thing we see in our text is the mercy of Jesus displayed.

In verse 14 we read, “When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). 

When Christ said,  “Go and show yourselves to the priests”, it was strongly implied that if they did so, they would be healed. I have told you that Leviticus 13 contains laws for the Old Covenant priests regarding the diagnosis of leprosy and the pronouncement of leperous persons to be ceremonially unclean. Leviticus 14 contains laws for pronouncing lepers who had been healed of the disease to be ceremonially clean. In brief, if a leper was healed of the disease, he or she would present themselves to the priest, and the priest, after confirming that the leprosy was gone, would, through ceremonies, declare the person to be clean. In light of these Old Covenant laws, when Christ said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests”, he meant, if you go, you’ll be healed of this disease before you get there so that the priests can inspect you and pronounce you clean according to the law of Moses.

Notice, that it was not the priests of the Old Covenant who would heal these men. Jesus would heal them and the priests would simply acknowledge that they were healed and pronounce them to be ceremonially clean. Here we see the difference between Old Covenant and the New put on display. The ceremonies of the Old Covenant order could make a man ceremonially clean, but they could not cleanse the soul or make a man whole body and soul. Only God and Christ can do that through the power of the New Covenant, which is the Covenant of Grace. 

And notice that Christ decided to heal these ten men through means. Could Christ have simply said, be healed, and would they have been healed? Yes. But he required them to get up and to walk by faith promising that they would be healed on the way. Christ often works in the lives of his people like this. He often saves and sanctifies his people through means. By saying this, in no way do I mean to suggest that we contribute something to our salvation. No, we are saved by God’s grace alone through faith in Christ alone. But God works through means. Christ calls us to stand up, follow him, and walk in the means of grace that he has provided. Under the Old Covenant, there was a way for lepers to be made clean. Christ healed these men by commanding them to walk the path prescribed in Leviticus 14. And under the New Covenant, God has provided a way for sinners to be made clean. Sinners must turn from their sins and trust in Jesus. They must say with their lips, “Jesus is Lord”. These are to be baptized in water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These are to join churches wherein they will be taught to observe all that Christ has commanded. It is not the act of believing that saves. It is not baptism, the church, or the Lord’s Supper that saves. Jesus saves! But this is the path that those with authentic faith in Christ will walk in obedience to the command of Christ. The point is this: Just as Jesus healed these ten lepers as they demonstrated their faith in him but going to the priest in obedience to the command of Christ and according to the Scriptures, so too Christ saves and sanctifies his people as they demonstrated their authentic faith in him by turning from their sins and walking in new obedience. 

“When he saw them he said to them, ‘Go and show yourselves to the priests.’ And as they went they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). The same could be said of all who are saved and sanctified through faith in Christ Jesus – “And as they went they were cleansed”. Notice how merciful Jesus is to those who call upon his name. Just as he cleansed these ten lepers of their physical ailments, so too he spiritually cleanses all who come to him by faith. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

*****

Though Nine Were Cleansed Only One Was Thankful

The third thing we see in our text is that though nine were cleansed only one was thankful. 

In verse 15 we read, “Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, ‘Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?’” (Luke 17:15–18).

Here is a question: Did this one man return before or after he saw the priest? Commentators differ in their opinions. Some take the words, ”Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back…” to mean that he turned back immediately after he was healed to thank Jesus before proceeding to the priest in obedience to Christ’s command. My view is that this man returned to Jesus after being pronounced clean by the priest. For one, this is what Christ commanded. “Go and show yourselves to the priests”, Christ said. I believe this is what he did. Two, verse 14 says, “And as they went they were cleansed” (Luke 17:14). It does not say they were healed but cleansed. I take this to mean they were healed and then pronounced clean by the priest. It is interesting that the Greek word translated as “cleansed” in Luke 17:14 is used many times in Leviticus 13 and 14  in the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament (the Septuagint). These ten were healed by Jesus and made ceremonially clean by the priests. Three, the same “Greek word is used in verse 17 where Christ says, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17). Again, I believe this word translated as “cleansed” refers to the action of the priests. So I believe this man went to the priests (perhaps the priests of Samaria). They saw that he was healed. They declared him to be ceremonially clean. After this, he returned to Jesus to praise God and to give him thanks.

The order in which these things were done is somewhat irrelevant. The point is that this man returned to Jesus to praise God and to give him thanks. Luke tells us that “he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:16). And when Christ responded to the man, he said aloud, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” (Luke 17:17–18). Clearly, this text is meant to rebuke the Jews for their disinterest in Christ. This text also anticipates the gospel of the kingdom of Christ spreading to all nations. You would expect the Jews to be most excited and eager to honor the Messiah who was promised to them and brought into the world through them, but by in large, the Jews were indifferent towards Jesus. Many rejected him. Some opposed him strongly. And others simply did not appreciate the significance of his person or work. 

But this Samaritan who was healed and cleaned of his leprosy could see clearly. He was truly humble and he was truly grateful for the deliverance that Christ brought to him. So he returned to Jesus and praised “God with a loud voice” (Luke 17:15). More than this, “he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks” (Luke 17:16). Those who know Christ truly – those who can see the terrible reality of their sin and their misery and the greatness of the salvation that Christ has worked for them – will feel compelled to give praise God with a loud voice, and to fall on their faces to give Christ thanks. 

*****

Conclusion 

The question I have for you this morning is a simple one. Are you grateful? 

If you are united to Christ by faith, you have every reason to be, for in Christ you have been cleaned of your sin and rescued from your miserable condition. In Christ, you have the sure hope of life eternal. In Christ, you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (see Ephesians 1:3). Do you see it, brothers? Do you believe it, sisters? The Samaritan leper who was healed by Christ could see it. He understood how great this salvation was, and how great the Savior was who worked this deliverance for him, and so he returned to Jesus to give him thanks and praise. And Christ said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well” (Luke 17:19). If we are united to Christ by faith we have every reason to give praise to God and thanks to Christ. Those who are mature and strong in faith will see it! Those lacking maturity may be blind to the blessings that are theirs in Christ Jesus. 

As I exhort you to be grateful to God and Christ, allow me to remind you of how terrible the sin of ingratitude is. In 2 Timothy 3: 1 Paul warns the young minister, Timothy, that  “in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people” (2 Timothy 3:1–5). These are the last days, brothers and sisters. The last days began when Christ ascended into heaven and sent forth his Holy Spirit. And notice what is mentioned at the heart of this list of sins that characterize these last days. “People will be… ungrateful”, the Apostle says. To be blessed by God and cleansed by Christ and yet to be ungrateful is a truly awful thing. May ingratitude not be named among us, brothers and sisters. But may all who are united to Christ by faith choose to give thanks in all circumstances.

And this is the last thing I wish to say to you today: thankfulness is a choice. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17, we find a command: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”, says the Apostle. Giving thanks is something we must choose to do. Have you ever noticed that as two people face the same circumstances, one may choose to be filled with gratitude and joy and the other discontentment and misery? Perhaps you have even been cognizant of the choice you are making in your own mind and heart. As you look out upon your circumstances you realize that you are at a crossroads. You can either choose to be thankful and joyful or ungrateful and filled with misery. As I have said, the Christian has every reason to be thankful and joyful in Christ Jesus. It’s not as if we need to fool ourselves into thinking that we are blessed or lie to ourselves to convince ourselves everything is going to be okay. No, In Christ we are blessed. In Christ our future hope is secure. We must see it, believe it, and choose to live a life marked by gratitude, thankfulness, and praise. 

May the Lord help us in the year to come. May he strengthen our faith and enable us by his grace to give praise to God and, with humble and grateful hearts, to  fell on our faces at Jesus’ feet to give him thanks.

Posted in Sermons
Comments Off on Sermon: Give Thanks And Praise To God And Christ, Luke 17:11-19 Posted by Joe

Second London Confession 26.11

“Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office, yet the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.” (Acts 11:19-21; 1 Peter 4:10, 11)

Scripture Reading: Romans 10:9-15

“…because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’” (Romans 10:9–15)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Second London Confession 26.11

In the Second London Confession of Faith (2LCF) paragraph 10, we confess that the work of pastors is “constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for [the] souls [of the members of the congregation], as they that must give an account to [Christ].” This is a nice and succinct summary of the job of pastors. Pastors must be devoted to prayer (in public and private), to the ministry of the word (in public and private), and to the shepherding of the members of the congregation. 

A follow-up question we might ask is this: is the work of preaching to be restricted only to those who hold the office of pastor or elder? This is the question behind 2LCF 26.11.

To be clear, we are not asking, may Christian husbands minister the word to their wives in private, or may Christian husbands and wives minister the word to their children in private, or may church members encourage one another with the word of God in private. The answer to these questions is, yes, of course! Every Christian has the privilege and responsibility of encouraging and exhorting others with the Word of God (see Colossians 3:16). Every Christian must be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in them (1 Peter 3:15) in private conversation. This is not about the private and personal ministry of the word but the public and formal preaching and teaching ministries of the church. Hear the question again: is the work of preaching to be restricted only to those who hold the office of pastor or elder? 

Our confession was written in the 17th century. In those days, there was a diversity of opinions on this subject. The Church of England and the Presbyterians believed that only ordained men could preach. Of course, like today, some simply took it upon themselves to preach. The Congregationalists and our Particular Baptist forefathers agreed with the Presbyterians that the church needed to approve and appoint preachers and, given the importance of preaching, the bar needed to be set high – as high as the Scriptures set it! But they did expand the circle a bit when they confessed that others besides ordained pastors or elders may preach. This position, they thought, better agreed with what is written in the Holy Scriptures. I do believe that 2LCF 26.11 is spot on. 

First, we confess that preaching is primarily the job of bishops or pastors.  “Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office…”, our confession says. The word incumbent means necessary or obligatory as a duty or responsibility. Who in the church is responsible for preaching and teaching the word? Bishops or pastors are. This responsibility belongs to them by way of office. 

Now, I do not believe this means that every elder must preach. Every elder must be apt to teach, says 1 Timothy 3:2 and 2 Timothy 2:24. But some elders may give themselves more to ruling than to teaching. And some elders might teach more in private than they preach in public. Our constitution makes this distinction, and I do believe it is a distinction drawn from the Scriptures (see 1 Timothy 5:17). But it is the eldership who has the responsibility to oversee the preaching and teaching ministry of the church, and, ordinarily, it should be the pastors who preach. The office demands it. And so we confess that it is bishops or pastors who are to be instant, quick, constant, or consistent in the preaching of the word of God. 

Secondly, we confess that preaching must not be strictly confined to ordained pastors or elders. “[Y]et the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them…”, our confession says. Acts 11:19-21 and 1 Peter 4:10-11 are listed as proof texts. Acts 11:19-21 describes a situation in the early church where the preaching of, what appear to be, non-ordained men was blessed by the Lord. And 1 Peter 4:10 commands that if Christ has given the gift of teaching to a man it is to be used in the service of Christ and his church. “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:10-11). Again, though pastors and elders are to lead in teaching by way of office, and though deacons are to lead in service by way of office, we should expect that others within the congregation will have the gifts of teaching and service. The point is that these gifts must be used for the building up of the body of Christ. 

Thirdly, we confess that the preaching or pulpit ministry of the church must be very carefully guarded. We agree with our Presbyterian brothers on this point. The preaching ministry of the church is so central and vital to the health of the church; it has such a great effect on the souls of men and women, boys and girls – that great care must be taken to ensure that only men who are gifted and fitted for the work engage in it. Just as the Lord’s Table must be fenced to ensure that only those qualified to partake of the sacred meal, so too the Sacred Desk (the pulpit) must be fenced to ensure that only those gifted and fitted by Christ stand behind it discharge the ministry of the word. The question is not, is there to be a fence, but where is the fence to be placed? Historically the Presbyterians have said, it is only those who have been classically ordained who may preach. We confess,  “that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to [preach the word].”

Notice a few things about this statement. 

One, we confess that if men are to be permitted to preach the word, they must be gifted and fitted. It must be remembered that these terms were used in paragraph 9. That paragraph is about the ordination of elders. There we confess that a man must show himself to be fitted and gifted for the office of elder before being ordained to the office. When we say that a man must be gifted for the office we mean he must possess the gifts or abilities required to fulfill the duties the office requires. In brief, he must be able to teach (1 Timothy 3:2) and able to rule, manage, and oversee the church (1 Timothy 3:4-5). When we say that a man must be fitted for the office of elder we mean that he must show evidence of the grace of God in his life. He must be mature in the faith (1 Timothy 3:6). He must meet the character qualifications outlined in Scripture, especially in 1 Timothy 3, 2 Timothy 2:24, and Titus 1. He must be well thought of by outsiders. It is important to note that the same terms are used here in paragraph 11 as we consider the question, who should be permitted to preach in the church? We confess that it is not only ordained pastors who may preach but others “gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it…”

At this point, you might be wondering, then what is the difference between the qualifications that must be met to hold the office of elder and the qualifications that must be met to be licensed to preach? 

The first thing I want to say in response to that question is, not much! Should men be permitted to stand behind the pulpit of the church to preach God’s word if they do not have the gift of teaching? No. Should untrained men who hold erroneous or heretical doctrines be permitted to preach? No. Or, to use the character qualifications for overseers found in 1 Timothy 3, should a man who is not above reproach, who is not faithful to his wife, who lacks a sober-minded, who lacks self-control, who is not respectable or hospitable be permitted to preach? Should men who are drunkards, violent, and quarrelsome be permitted to preach? Should men who are known to be lovers of money be permitted to preach? Should men whose households are in disarray and whose children are openly rebellious be permitted to preach? And what about recent converts and those who have a bad reputation in the community? Should these be permitted to stand behind the sacred desk to minister God’s holy word to God’s holy people? I hope you all have enough regard for the ministry of the word that you would quickly and definitively say, no, never. What is the difference between the qualifications that must be met to hold the office of elder and the qualifications that must be met to be licensed to preach? Again I say, not much.

Then why permit non-ordained men to preach? I’ll give you three reasons. 

One, as has already been said, the Scriptures teach that non-ordained men may preach and teach in Christ’s church. Some outside of the eldership of the church may have the gift of teaching (see again Acts 11:19-21 and 1 Peter 4:10-11). If Christ has given someone the gift of teaching it should be used for the good of Christ’s church. 

Two, practically speaking, there must be a way for men to be tested and trained before being ordained to the office of pastor or elder. I am not saying that every man who is licensed to preach will someday be ordained to the office of elder. There are a number of factors that might hinder that progression. The man might not sense a call to hold the office. His life circumstances might not permit him to devote himself to the work that the office requires. Or it is possible that though he has the gift of teaching, he does not have the gifts needed to rule with spiritual authority within Christ’s church. Dear brothers and sisters, you need to understand something. Pastors and elders do not only have the responsibility to teach and to oversee the teaching ministry of the church, they also have the responsibility to rule and oversee the church with spiritual authority. What aspect of pastoral ministry do you witness the most? What do you observe me doing the most? You see and hear me preach and pray. You might be surprised to know that preaching and praying, and preparing to preach and pray, is only a part of what I do as a pastor. Though you do not see it, each week a great deal of time and energy is devoted to shepherding, overseeing, and ruling within Christ’s church. And I hope you understand that the elders of this church, though they do not presently preach often, devote a great deal of time and energy to the oversight of the church and the shepherding of God’s people. Certain gifts are required for this work, brothers and sisters. Not everyone has the gifts and graces required to hold the office of elder. I promise you this, few things will damage the church more quickly than to appoint an unqualified man to the office of elder and to give him spiritual authority within Christ’s church. A man might show that he has the gift of teaching, and it might appear that he meets the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, but the man must be tested first (see 1 Timothy 3:10). The elders of the church must not be hasty in the laying on of hands of ordination to the office of elder (see 1 Timothy 5:22). Permitting a man who appears to have the gifts and graces required to hold the office of elder to preach the word is a good and safe way for men to be tested.   

Three, practically speaking, those ordained to the office of pastor or elder could use the assistance of those to whom Christ has given the gift of teaching. It is pastors and elders who are to be constant in the preaching of the word. Ordained men should be filling the pulpits of our churches primarily. But at times the burdens of life and ministry are such that ordained men could use a break from sermon preparation so they may give their attention to other legitimate concerns and needs. 

The second thing to notice about the last phrase in 2LCF 26.11 is that it is the church who is to approve and call men to preach. “… yet the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to [ordained pastors] but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.” 

The phrase, “approved and called by the church”, will help us to avoid two errors. 

On the one hand, some men think that they can appoint themselves to be preachers and teachers within Christ’s church. They decide, all on their own, or maybe with a few supporters, that Christ has called, gifted, and fitted them by the Holy Spirit to be preachers of the word, and so they attempt to thrust themselves into the ministry. This, dear brothers and sisters, is more common than you might think. I could tell you several stories of men who have come to us with an unholy ambition for ministry, who are convinced that they are called to the ministry, and when they see that the elders do not agree, they depart. We confess that those called by Christ, and gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit to preach must be approved and called by the church. If Christ has truly called them inwardly, then we trust that Christ will also call them outwardly through his church as the Spirit moves upon the hearts and minds of the elders and members of the congregation. 

This pattern is seen in the Romans 10 passage that was read at the beginning of this sermon. Vrse 14 says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14–15). Preachers are not self-appointed. They must be sent by the church. 

This is what the church of Antioch did with Paul and Barnabus. “Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers…  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’ Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off” (Acts 13:1–3).

And this is what was done to Timothy, and so Paul exhorted him saying, “Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you” (1 Timothy 4:14).

Just as men must not appoint themselves to the office of elder or deacon, neither can men appoint themsleves to be preachers and teachers of God’s word. The phrase “approved and called by the church” will keep us from falling into this error which is so common today. 

On the other hand, the phrase, “approved and called by the church” keeps us from the error of thinking that it is only the job of the pastor or the eldership of the church to appoint preachers. No, just as elders must be chosen by the church and not the elders only (see 2LCF 26.9), so too gifted brothers (this is what we call those who are approved or licensed to preach) must be approved and called by the church. 

How might this work, practically speaking? Well, it could be that the members of the church think that a man possesses the gifts and graces required to preach. Perhaps they think this because of the way he speaks or prays. They notice that he is sound in the faith. He speaks with clarity. He edifies others with the word in private conversation. They notice his humility and gentleness. They can see that he walks worthily and faithfully with the heart of a servant and that his house is in order, etc. And so some of the members bring this to the attention of the elders.  Or it could be that the elders think a man has the gifts and graces required to preach, and so they bring their opinion to the members of the congregation. If the elders and the members agree, then the man should be given an opportunity to preach in a private setting in front of the members of the church only (perhaps on a Lord’s Day evening). After hearing the sermon, the church can respond to the man in one of three ways. They can say, brother, we do not think you have the gift of teaching. Or, brother, we think you might have the gift of teaching but are not yet sure. Please preach for us again on such and such a day. Or, brother, we can see that Christ has gifted and fitted you to teach, and we wish to approve and call you to this work. Just as with the reception of new members, the excommunication of unrepentant sinners, and the appointment and removal of officers, the elders of the church and the members of the church must agree. The elders cannot use their power of authority to violate the power of liberty that the members of the church have by forcing a member, elder, or gifted brother upon them, and neither can the members use their power of liberty to violate the elders’ power of authority by forcing them to lay hands on a man to ordain him or to approve and call a man to serve the church as a preacher or gifted brother. 

The third and final thing to notice about the last phrase in 2LCF 26.11 is that those approved and called by the church to preach, may and ought to perform it. The idea here, dear brothers and sisters, is that if the Lord Jesus Christ has gifted and fitted a man to preach the word, and if this call of Christ is recognized by the man (internally) and by the church (externally), then it is only right that the gift be used. If the man or the church refuses to exercise the gift, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is disobeyed.    

Conclusion

Are ordained pastors and elders the only ones permitted to preach the word?

We confess, “Although it be incumbent on the bishops or pastors of the churches, to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office, yet the work of preaching the word is not so peculiarly confined to them but that others also gifted and fitted by the Holy Spirit for it, and approved and called by the church, may and ought to perform it.” (Acts 11:19-21; 1 Peter 4:10, 11)

May the risen and ascended Christ poor out these gifts and graces upon us from on high. May he bless us with more elders and deacos. May he bless us with Gifted Brothers so that the words of God will be proclaimed in our midst and dwell richly among us, and so that workers may be sent out into the harves, for the harvest, for “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2).

Posted in Sermons
Comments Off on Our Doctrine Of The Church: The Power Of Christ: His Act Of Government: Gifted Brothers, Second London Confession 26.11 Posted by Joe

1. What does our confession mean when it says that “the bishops or pastors of the churches” are “to be instant in preaching the word, by way of office”? 
2. According to our confession, is the work of preaching to be strictly confined to those who hold the office of bishop or pastor? 
3. Who may preach the word of God (publically; formally)? What are the standards or qualifications?
4. Who must approve and call a man to preach the word?
5. Why does our confession say, “may and ought to perform it”? Why the word “ought”?
6. What are some potential reasons why a man might be called to preach the word but not hold the office of elder (at least not yet)?

Posted in Study Guides
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Second London Confession 26.11 Posted by Joe

1. What is a leper? How does knowing the Old Covenant ceremonial laws regarding leprosy (Leviticus 13 & 14) help us to understand the situation here in Luke 17:11-19? 
2. Why did Christ tell the ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priests? (see Luke 17:14). Why are we to interpret this statement to imply the promise of healing? (see Leviticus 14) 
3. Of the ten, only one returned to give thanks to Jesus and he was a Samaritan/foreigner. Why is this point emphasized?
4. Those who are cleansed from their sins and saved by Jesus ought to give praise to God and live a life of gratitude before Christ Jesus. If we are not moved to give thanks and praise to God and Christ, what does this reveal about our souls?
5. What are ways we can give thanks and praise to God and Christ?

Posted in Study Guides
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Luke 17:11-19 Posted by Joe

1. What does Second London Confession (2LCF) 26.10 say about the work of pastors? What are they to devote themselves to?
2. Given the hard and important work that pastors are called to do, what obligation do church members have to their pastors? If you could choose only one word, what would it be? Church members must show ___________ to their pastors.
3. 1 Timothy 5:17-19 says that church members are to give double honor to their pastors/elders, especially to those who labor in preaching and teaching. What is meant by double honor? What are the two kinds of honor to be shown to pastors or elders?
4. Do the Scriptures teach that pastors are to be compensated financially? Which passages teach this?
5. If you were to argue from the “light of nature” for the support of minsters who labor in the ministry of the word, what would you say?     
6. Paul and Barnabas decided not to receive compensation from the people to whom they ministered (1 Corinthians 9:1–14). Why did they not make use of this right? Is this approach to be regarded as the ideal?

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Second London Confession 26.10 Posted by Joe

1. Why is it good to give special attention to the birth of Christ and to the doctrine of the incarnation once a year? Not every doctrine found in Holy Scripture warrants this kind of attention. Why does this one?
2. How is the prophecy of Zechariah a window into the Old Testament? How does his prophecy help us to understand what the saints of old knew and what they were expecting concerning the coming Messiah?
3. What are some of the Old Testament texts quoted or alluded to by Zechariah? 
4. What does this passage teach us about who Jesus is and what he came to do?
5. How might this text be applied by us today?

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Luke 1:67-80 Posted by Joe

Second London Confession 26.10

The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him; it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. (Acts 6:4; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; Galatians 6:6, 7; 2 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:6-14)

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 9:1–14

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? For it is written in the Law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.’ Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:1–14)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Second London Confession 26.10

How does the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church, govern his churches? In Second London Confession (2LCF) 26.8 we confess that he governs his churches through officers, especially elders. And in 2LCF 26.9 we confess that officers are to be chosen by the members of the church and appointed (or ordained) by the elders of the church if there be any constituted therein. 2LCF 26.10 is about the honor that the members of the church owe to their pastors or elders.

Dr. James Renihan has noted that 

“The tenth paragraph is unusual in that it is apparently not based on any previous document and is thus unique to this Confession. At the same time, it should be recognized that it is simply a pastiche [imitation] of Scripture texts knit together to make an important point. As a result, the teaching is not novel but rather reflects the churches understanding of these texts of Scripture.” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 503)

The phrase, “The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer”, imitates Acts 6:4 where Peter, the Apostles and elder says, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). 

The phrase “ with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him”, echos Hebrews 13:17, which says, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (Hebrews 13:17).

The phrase, “it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect”, is to remind us of 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13, which says, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13).

The phrase, “but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability so as they may have a comfortable supply” brings to mind Galatians 6:6, which says, “Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches” (Galatians 6:6).

The phrase, “without being themselves entangled in secular affairs” is meant to remind us of 2 Timothy 2:4 which speaks of ministers, saying, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4).

When our confession says that ministers are to be supported to the degree that they “may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others”, it is to remind us that showing hospitality is one of the qualifications that must be met to hold the office of elder or overseer – “given to hospitality”, says 1 Timothy 3:2.

When our confession says, “and this is required by the law of nature”, it is to remind us of the natural law arguments that Paul makes in 1 Corinthians 9:7: “Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?” (1 Corinthians 9:7). 

Finally, the words “and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel” remind us of those places in the Holy Scriptures that explicitly teach that ministers must be supported financially. In 1 Corinthians 9:14, Paul the Apostle is very direct. There he says, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). It is likely that Paul has Matthew 10:10 in mind, wherein Christ instructed his disciples saying, take “no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food” (Matthew 10:10).

I think you would agree that this is a very powerful way to confess the truth that pastors must be supported financially. It is a powerful presentation of this truth because it is so deeply rooted in Scripture. 

One question we should ask is, why did the Particular Baptists believe it was necessary to add this statement to their confession when writing in the year 1677? Stated differently, why is no such statement found in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1646) or the Savoy Declaration or Platform of Polity (1658)? Dr James Renihan explains,    

“The issue was important in several ways. After the enforcement of the Act of Uniformity in August 1662, ejected ministers no longer received support from the tithe system of the Church of England. In many cases, this meant immediate poverty. As (illegal) congregations were gathered under numerous non-conformists, it was necessary to examine the Scriptures in order to implement a new system of pastoral provision. The baptistic congregationalists by and large did not face this problem, for the majority of them had not been part of the national church system. Two versions of 1LCF, 1644 and 1646, included an article asserting the necessity of congregational support for pastors.“

You and I are accustomed to the idea that local churches must support their ministers, but this was not the way that ministers were supported in the church of England. In those days when church and state were tightly linked and intertwined, ministers would be supported by the state church. Just as church and state were intertwined, so too were taxes and tithes. But our Particular Baptist forefathers were separatists and non-conformists. They did not benefit from the tithe system of the church of England. The members of these churches confessed that ministerial support was the responsibility of each local congregation. 2LCF 26.10 is written in such a way to make it very clear that this is precisely what the Scriptures teach.

2LCF 26.8 states the responsibility of pastors or elders. Elders are “appointed by Christ” and are
“to be chosen and set apart by the church (so called and gathered), for the peculiar administration of ordinances, and execution of power or duty, which [Chrtist] [e]ntrusts them with, or calls them to…”  2LCF 26.10 begins with a statement concerning the responsibility that pastors have to the members:  “The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him…” But 2LCF26.10 concludes with a statement concerning the responsibility that members have to their pastors. 

What do the members of a particular church owe to their pastors? One word can sum it up: honor. Christians must show honor to their pastors and elders.

And the Scriptures teach that honor is to be shown to pastors in two ways. 

One, church members are to show honor to their pastors in the form of respect. 1 Thessalonians 5:12 has already been cited. There Paul speaks of pastors, elders, or overseers when he says, “We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12–13).

Two, church members are to show honor to their pastors in the form of financial compensation. In 1 Corinthians 9:14 Paul says, “In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). 

It is in 1 Timothy 5:17-19 that Paul mentions these two forms of honor and places them side by side, saying, “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, “The laborer deserves his wages.’ Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses” (1 Timothy 5:17–19). What is this double honor that Paul speaks of? Is it a double dose of honor in the form of respect? Is it a double dose of honor in the form of financial compensation? No, when Paul speaks of showing double honor to elders who rule well, and especially to those who labor (do the hard work of) preaching and teaching, he means that two kinds of honor are to be given – honor in the form of respect, and honor in the form of compensation. 

The context makes the meaning very clear. Paul shows that the first kind of honor he has in mind is honor in the form of compensation, when he says in verse 18, “For the Scripture says, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,’ and, ‘The laborer deserves his wages.’” And you can see that the second kind of honor is honor in the form of respect when, in verse 19 he says, “Do not admit a charge against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses.” Pastors will make enemies as they faithfully preach and teach the word and govern the church. Accusations against them are not to be received unless confirmed by two or three witnesses. 

Our confession clearly takes the view that double honor means honor in the form of respect and honor in the form of financial compensation when it says, “it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability…”

The phrase, “to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability…” means that churches must share the good things of this life with their ministers according to the ability of the church members. If the church members are very poor, they will not be able to share very much. If the church members are well-supplied, their pastor should be well-supplied too. In brief, church members must be generous with their ministers to be sure they have what they need to live as they devote themselves to the work of the ministry. 

Our confession goes on to say three things about the level of compensation that should be given to ministers, ideally. 

One, our confession says that ministers should “have a comfortable supply.“ This means that, if possible, they should be freed from having to worry about how they will pay their bills or put food on the table. It would be very difficult for ministers to minister to the needs of others when their own needs are not met.

Two, our confession says that ministers should have a comfortable supply “without being themselves entangled in secular affairs…” This means that ministers should not have to do secular work on the side to make ends meet, and thus be distracted from the work of the ministry. Some might respond to this by saying, but Paul and Barnabus worked while they ministered! Yes, they did! But this is not the ideal set forth in Scripture for pastors ministering within settled and well-established churches. Those engaged in missions (church planting efforts) like Paul and Barnabus may need to work on the side while laboring to establish a church. Those ministering to poor congregations or in congregations that are not yet fully established might also need to work on the side. But as I have said, this is not the ideal. The ideal set forth in Scripture is that “those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (1 Corinthians 9:14). Do not forget, it was Paul the tentmaker who penned these words.  

Three, our confession says pastors should be supported to the degree that they are “capable of exercising hospitality towards others…” This means they should not be scraping by. The Scriptures teach that pastors must lead by example in showing hospitality (1 Timothy 3:2). Ideally, they should be compensated well enough so that they can manage the affairs of their household (1 Timothy 3:4) and have something to share (food and lodging) with those in need. 

Given the way that our modern economy works, one additional concern should be retirement. Ministers should be compensated to the degree that they will be able to retire from full-time ministry when the time comes for that transition to be made. 

One final question should be asked. Must all elders be financially compensated? I do not believe that is what the Scriptures or our confession teaches. 2LCF 26.10 seems to be about the financial support of those pastors who are devoted to what we would call full-time ministry. And 1 Timothy 5:17 does distinguish between elders who rule well and those who labor in preaching and teaching. It is the latter who are especially to be considered worthy of receiving double honor. 

Conclusion

The topic of giving has come up a lot lately. Brothers and sisters, one of the most fundamental responsibilities you have as a church member is to earn money by doing good and honest work and to give a portion of that money to God through the church so that your pastor or pastors are well-supplied and may devote themselves fully and without distraction to the hard and important work of the ministry.  

Indeed, we confess that “The work of pastors being constantly to attend the service of Christ, in his churches, in the ministry of the word and prayer, with watching for their souls, as they that must give an account to Him; it is incumbent on the churches to whom they minister, not only to give them all due respect, but also to communicate to them of all their good things according to their ability, so as they may have a comfortable supply, without being themselves entangled in secular affairs; and may also be capable of exercising hospitality towards others; and this is required by the law of nature, and by the express order of our Lord Jesus, who hath ordained that they that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel.” (Acts 6:4; Hebrews 13:17; 1 Timothy 5:17, 18; Galatians 6:6, 7; 2 Timothy 2:4; 1 Timothy 3:2; 1 Corinthians 9:6-14)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Our Doctrine Of The Church: The Power Of Christ: His Act Of Government: Ministerial Support, Second London Confession 26.10  Posted by Joe

Pre-Introduction

Given that this is the Sunday before Christmas I thought it would be good for us to break from our journey through Luke’s gospel to set our minds upon the events surrounding the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Though we will pause our forward movement through Luke’s gospel today, I would like to remain in Luke and to consider Luke1:67-80. By going back to this text two things will be accomplished. One, our minds and hearts will be better prepared to celebrate Christmas wherein we remember the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the marvelous doctrine of the incarnation. Our Savior, we must remember, is God with us. He is the eternal Son of God who assumed a human nature, body and soul. It is good for us to set our minds on this great doctrine of the Christian faith yearly. Two, by going back to Luke 1:67-80 we will be better prepared to continue our journey forward once we resume it. We have been moving slowly through Luke. For some time we have been in a section that contains many teachings and parables from Jesus. Today, it will be good for us to return to this text situated near the beginning of Luke’s gospel wherein the event of the birth of the Messiah is consistently presented as the fulfillment of the promises of God previously made and as the accomplishment of God’s plan of redemption established before the foundations of the earth. As you may have noticed, as I preach through books of the Bible I like to step back from time to time to consider the big picture so that we do not get lost in the details. And that is what we will do today. 

Here in Luke 1:67-80, we find the prophecy of Zechariah, who was the father of John the Baptist. As you may remember, Zechariah uttered the prophecy of Luke 1:67-80 after being struck with muteness for about nine months. Zechariah was a priest. He saw a vision while serving the Lord in the temple. The angel Gabriel appeared to him saying in Luke 1:13, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son [remember, she was barren and they were advanced in age], and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:13–17, ESV). It was because Zechariah did not believe the report that the angel said,  “behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place…” (Luke 1:20, ESV).

So what does all of this have to do with the birth of Christ? Well, a great deal! One, we know that Zechariah’s son, John the Baptist, would serve as the forerunner to Christ. He was the last and the greatest of the Old Covenant prophets who spoke of the coming of Christ. And he had the privilege of introduce Israel to their Messiah, saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29, ESV). So the birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus were intimately related events. Two, here in the early chapters of Luke we learn that the miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus did not happen off in a dark corner somewhere, involving only Mary and Joseph, but that others were involved. Others like this priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were also visited by an angel and touched by the A0lmighty. What happened to them helped to confirm the story of the miraculous conception and virgin birth of Jesus. Three – and here is where I would like to focus our attention this morning – this story regarding Zechariah and the prophecy that he uttered when his son was born helps us to understand what the Old Covenant saints knew and what they were expecting concerning the coming Messiah.

Have you ever thought of this before? Have you wondered what the faithful who lived prior to the birth of Christ thought concerning the promised Messiah? Clearly, they knew he would come. But what did they know about him? What did they expect him to be?

When you and I think about Christ there is very little mystery. We see him with clarity, for he has already come. We have the record of his life, his works, and his words. They are recorded for us in the four Gospels. But for those who lived prior to the birth of Christ, things weren’t so clear. They believed that the Messiah would come. They knew enough about the Messiah to place their faith in him. But they did not see him with the same clarity that we see him. What then did they know? 

Zechariah’s prophecy is very revealing. It is like a window through which we can look to see what some of the Old Covenant saints knew and what they expected the Messiah to be according to the Scriptures. Zechariah was a godly man. I trust that he knew the Old Testament Scriptures very well. But I’m sure he went to the Scriptures to study them very closely after being visited by the angel in the temple and while being struck with muteness for those many months. I would imagine that he devoured the Scriptures to consider, anew and afresh, all that they had to say concerning the coming of the Messiah, which the angel Gabriel said was at hand. Let us now turn to Luke 1:67 to consider what Zechariah said after his son was born, and when his tongue was loosed. Hear now the reading of God’s most holy word. 

Sermon Text: Luke 1:67-80

“Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And you, child [speaking now to his son John], will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.’ And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day of his public appearance to Israel.” (Luke 1:67–80, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

These are beautiful words that Zechariah uttered. And these words were indeed inspired by the Holy Spirit, just as the text says: “Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying…” But here is what I want you to see this morning. This prophecy of Zechariah is a window into the Old Testament. It is a window for those of us who live on this side of the life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ to look through so that we might clearly see Christ in the Old Testament, and know for certain that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the Messiah promised from long ago. This prophecy of Zechariah is packed with references to the Old Testament Scriptures. It’s as if Zechariah had the Old Testament Scriptures concerning the first coming of Christ bottled up inside of him, and, after months of muteness, he, under the inspiration of the Spirit, let it all out. He could not wait to give glory to God for the salvation that was being accomplished in his day and before his very eyes. 

Let us now consider Zechariah’s prophecy in four parts.  

*****

He Blessed The Lord God Of Israel

First of all, notice that this prophecy was in a fact a blessing directed towards the God of Israel. The first words are, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel…” (Luke 1:68, ESV). In other words, this prophecy is praise. Zechariah was moved to give praise to the Lord God of Israel. 

And why does he refer to the Lord as the God of Israel? Well, it will soon become clear. He is giving praise to God for the salvation that he has worked through the nation of Israel, for it was through Old Covenant Israel that the Christ was brought into the world. 

This is exactly what Paul was reflecting upon when he wrote in Romans 9, “For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9:3–5, ESV). Zechariah blessed the Lord God of Israel because Israel was the conduit through which the Christ was brought into the world.

Remember how I said this prophecy of Zechariah’s is packed full of quotations from or allusions to the Old Testament? Well, even this blessing is not original to Zechariah but is a quotation of Scripture. 

It is interesting that these words, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel…”, or words very similar to these, are found at the end of books 1, 2, and 4 of the Psalms. You should know that the Psalms are divided up into five books. And I am saying that books 1, 2, and 4 conclude with words similar to the ones uttered by Zechariah. For example, listen to how Psalm 72, which is the last Psalm in book 2 of the Psalms,  concludes: “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things. Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen! The prayers of David, the son of Jesse, are ended” (Psalm 72:18–20, ESV). I think it is very significant that Zechariah uses this blessing formula which is found in the Psalms to give praise to God for the arrival of the Christ. It’s almost as if God is signaling to us through Zechariah’s prophesy that we should consider the life of Christ in light of the Psalms. In fact, that is exactly what is happening. When Zechariah blessed the Lord by quoting from Psalm 72:18, he urged us to go to the Psalms and to see Christ there. 

And this phrase, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel…”, or one similar to it,  is also found in 1 Kings 1:48, 1 Chronicles 29:10, and Ezra 7:27. Each of these passages has something to do with God’s work of redemption ultimately accomplished in Christ. But for the sake of time, I will read only 1 Kings 1:48. This is that passage where King David identifies Solomon as the heir to his throne, saying at the conclusion, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who has granted someone to sit on my throne this day, my own eyes seeing it” (1 Kings 1:48, ESV). Do you see what is going on here, brothers and sisters? There in 1 Kings 1:48, David blessed the Lord for his son Solomon. But here Zechariah uses the very same words to bless the Lord for the arrival of David’s greater son, Jesus the Christ.  

Here is what I want you to understand. When Zechariah, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, said “blessed be the Lord God of Israel..”, not only was he blessing the Lord for the salvation that was being accomplished in his day, but he was also directing our minds to all of those places in the Old Testament where that phrase is found so that we might go there and consider what those passages have to teach us regarding the coming of the Messiah. As I have said, his prophecy is like a window into the Old Testament. Through it we see how Zechariah understood the Psalms, and passages like 1 Kings 1, 1 Chronicles 29, and Ezra 7. He saw Christ there in the form of promise. And he knew that these prophecies concerning the Christ were being fulfilled before his very eyes, and so he gave all glory to God. The rest of the prophecy will demonstrate this even more so. 

*****

He Blessed God For Visiting And Redeeming His People

Secondly, notice that Zechariah blessed the Lord God of Israel for visiting and redeeming his people. Verse 68: “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people…” (Luke 1:68, ESV). 

This is the language of the Exodus. When Zechariah used the terms “visited” and “redeemed” it was to draw our minds to the Exodus event. We are to remember how God “visited” and “redeemed” Israel from bondage. When Moses first came into Egypt, after being called by God in the burning bush to accomplish redemption for the Hebrews, he and Arron met with the elders of Israel to tell them of the word they had received from the Lord. And the Scriptures tell us how the elders of Israel responded. They “believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.” (Exodus 4:31, ESV). 

At the time of the Exodus Moses visited his people and he redeemed them from Egyptian bondage. But Zechariah was not blessing God for what he did through Moses at the Exodus! Instead, he was blessing God for the marvelous things that he was doing in his day. Zechariah understood that God was “visiting” his people again, and accomplishing a far greater act of redemption through the Christ who was in Mary’s womb, of whom his son was to be the forerunner. Zechariah blessed the God of Israel for “visiting” his people. He understood that God was accomplishing redemption, not through Moses, but through the Messiah. And the Messiah came to redeem his people, not from Egypt, but from Satan’s kingdom, from the bondage of sin, and from death.  

The Exodus event was a foretaste and a picture of the greater act of deliverance that Christ would accomplish. And the prophets of the Old Testament spoke of this greater act of redemption to be accomplished by a Redeemer greater than Moses. Consider Isaiah 59:20, which says, “‘And a Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who turn from transgression,’ declares the LORD” (Isaiah 59:20, ESV). God’s people who lived under the Old Covenant – Zechariah being one of them – looked forward to the arrival of this Redeemer. And here in Luke 1:68 Zechariah declares that the redeemer has come – he was in the womb of the virgin Mary – and so he gave thanks to God for visiting and redeeming his people.

*****

He Blessed God For Providing Salvation In The Line Of David

Thirdly, Zechariah blessed God for providing salvation in the line of David. Look at verse 69. There Zechariah declares that God has “raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David…” (Luke 1:69, ESV). 

Who is this David that Zechariah refers to? Well, it is King David, the greatest of Israel’s kings. David was the king with whom God made a covenant. You can read all about that covenant in 2 Samuel 7. In brief, God promised to give David a son and to establish his kingdom forever, as 2 Samuel 7:13 says, “He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:13, ESV). 

This promise was immediately fulfilled through David’s son, Solomon. Solomon would have the throne after David. And Solomon was the one to construct the temple, or house, of the Lord. But this promise made to David was about more than Solomon, for Solomon’s kingdom would come to an end. The promise made to David regarding an everlasting kingdom and a son who would reign forever and ever was really about the Christ. Zechariah knew this. And that is why he gave glory to God regarding the news that Messiah was at hand, saying “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us…” (Luke 1:68–71, ESV).

As I have said, Zechariah’s prophecy is packed full of Old Testament allusions and quotations. It’s as if every little word and phrase is meant to send us back into the Old Testament to see Christ there in the form of prophecies and promises, types and shadows.   

The phrase “horn of salvation” does this. The horn is a symbol of power and strength. And when Zechariah gives praise to God for raising up a horn of salvation, he is thanking God for his provision of a strong king who would rescue his people and judge all his enemies. And the phrase “horn of salvation” does remind us of certain prophecies that pointed forward to the arrival of a strong and anointed king who would do this very thing.    

Consider the prayer of Hannah after she gave up her son Samuel to the Lord’s service. She said, among other things, “The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the horn of his anointed” (1 Samuel 2:10, ESV). It is interesting that Hannah uttered these words before there was ever a king in Israel. In fact, it would be her son Samuel who would anoint David as king years later. And in her prayer, she rejoiced in the salvation of the Lord and said that God would “exalt the horn of his anointed”.  It is marvelous to consider the faith of Hannah. Her prayer would be fulfilled, in part, by the anointing of King David. But it would be fulfilled fully and finally, in Christ, who is the Messiah, that is, the Lord’s anointed one. When Zechariah blessed God for raising “up a horn of salvation” he was indicating that this prophecy of Hannah was being fulfilled in his day. The Messiah, or Anointed One, was at hand. His horn was being exalted for our salvation. 

And let us also consider Psalm 132:11-18. In this Psalm of Ascents, we read, “The LORD swore to David a sure oath from which he will not turn back: ‘One of the sons of your body I will set on your throne. If your sons keep my covenant and my testimonies that I shall teach them, their sons also forever shall sit on your throne.’ For the LORD has chosen Zion; he has desired it for his dwelling place: ‘This is my resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy. There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame, but on him his crown will shine.’” (Psalm 132:11–18, ESV)

Brothers and sisters, Zechariah blessed the Lord because he knew that this prophecy was being fulfilled before his very eyes. He was witnessing the fulfillment of the promise of God, which says, “I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.”

*****

He Blessed God For Keeping The Promises He Made To Abraham

Fourthly, and finally, Zechariah blessed God for keeping the promises that he had made to Abraham. In verse 72 we read: “to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” (Luke 1:72–75, ESV)

This is marvelous. Do you see how familiar Zechariah was with the Old Testament Scriptures? Do you see how clearly he saw the Christ in them? He knew that what God was doing in his day was in fulfillment of the promises made to David, Moses, and Father Abraham before them.   

I cannot take the time to describe to you in detail all of the promises that God made to Father Abraham. You can read about them in Genesis 12 and following. But I will remind you that God promised to bless the nations through Abraham. He promised to give Abraham a son. And though Isaac was born to him in his old age, he was not the son who would bless the nations. No, it would be the Messiah who would do that, Christ Jesus the Lord, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Hear the word of the Lord spoken to Abraham in  Genesis 22:16-18: “By myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:16–18, ESV).

It was this promise made to Abraham that echoed down the corridors of the history of redemption being amplified in the days of Moses and in the days of David being finally fulfilled in Jesus the Christ. Zechariah saw the dawning of that day and he blessed the Lord the God of Israel. He knew that the Redeemer was at hand, who would  deliver us “from the hand of our enemies”, so that we “might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” His own son would be the prophet who would prepare the way for the Lord, and in this he rejoiced. 

*****

Conclusion

I think you can see why I have said that the prophecy of Zechariah is a window into the Old Testament. Through it, we may look and see Jesus Christ there in the form of promise. 

And Zechariah’s prophecy does also help us to know what the Old Covenant saints knew concerning the coming Savior. Now, I am not claiming that all of God’s people who lived before the birth of Christ understood what Zechariah understood. After all, he lived at the very end of the Old Covenant era. And he did receive a very special revelation – he was visited by the angel Gabriel. And after being visited by the angel he had months to search the Scriptures (or at least to reflect on the Scriptures he already knew) while he was mute. It may very well be that Zechariah, being moved along by the Holy Spirit, had an unusually clear understanding of Christ from the Scriptures. Nevertheless, we do see what the Old Testament saints had access to. They knew that the God of Israel would visit and redeem his people, that he would raise up a Savior in the line of David, and a Son from Abraham’s offspring. And this Son would deliver us “from the hand of our enemies, [so that we] might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.”

Let me ask you, by way of conclusion, do you know the Old Testament Scriptures? And do you see Christ there as Zechariah did? Yes, we live under the New Covenant. And we have the New Testament Scriptures, which are indeed a great blessing. But it is vitally important that we read and understand the Old Testament. Christ came in fulfilment to promises made long ago. If we wish to understand why Christ came, and what he came to accomplish, to the Old Testament Scriptures we must go! With a new year right around the corner, it is a good time for me to remind you to read the Scriptures in the coming year. Put away the distractions, friends. Stop wasting precious time on meaningless things. Take up the word of God and read.

Secondly, let me ask you, do you rejoice at the thought of Christ’s first coming and the accomplishment of our redemption as Zechariah did in his day? Granted, Zechariah was at the epicenter of things. His experiences were unusual and awesome. When he considered the marvelous things that the Lord was accomplishing in his day he exploded with praise. You and I should do the same. Yes, we are 2,000 years removed from the accomplishment of our redemption. And yes, we see Christ most clearly. No longer is the accomplishment of our salvation in him a mystery to us. Nevertheless, we ought to come to worship each Lord’s Day eager to bless “the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David…”

Thirdly I ask, are you living now in the freedom he has earned for you? Why did Christ come? Why did he redeem us? According to Zechariah, it was so that we “might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.” Brothers and sisters, God has redeemed us in Christ – he has freed us from bondage to sin and Satan – so that we might serve him; so that we might walk before him in holiness and righteousness all our days. 

Fourthly, I must ask you, do you know this Savior of whom Zechariah speaks? Do you know who he is, what he has done, and why you desperately need him? Have you placed your faith in him for the forgiveness of sins, to be reconciled to God, and to have the hope of life everlasting? If you do not know him, if you have not placed your faith in him, this must be your leading concern.  God’s word tells the truth when it says that we are all by nature sinners under God’s wrath and curse and in need of the Savior. Jesus Christ is the Savior God has provided. “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). If you do not know the truth about Christ – if you have not placed your faith in him for the forgiveness of your sins – today is the day of salvation. It is time for you to repent, to trust in Jesus, and to live in obedience to him from this forward.   

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Luke 1:67-80
Comments Off on Sermon: Blessed Be The Lord God Of Israel, Luke 1:67-80 Posted by Joe