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Baptist Catechism 38

Question: What is sanctification?

Answer: Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 3:1–12

“My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will be bursting with wine. My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.” (Proverbs 3:1–12, ESV)

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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

The question that is before us today is, what is sanctification?

Sanctification is the third of the three fountainhead blessings that our catechism identifies as belonging to those who have faith in Christ. I call them “fountainhead blessings” because there are other blessings — indeed many other blessings! — but these either accompany or flow from the three that are mentioned: justification, adoption, and now sanctification.  To be justified is to be pardoned, that is, declared not guilty and made righteous in God’s sight. To be adopted is to be received into God’s family as beloved children. It is not difficult to see that there are many other blessings that are attached to or flow from these benefits. But as I have said, sanctification is the third of the three fountainhead blessings. 

What is sanctification? The answer provided by our catechism is very good. It is carefully worded, brief, and a true summary of the teaching of Holy Scripture. 

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Baptist Catechism 38

What is sanctification? Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Notice a few things about sanctification.

Firstly, sanctification is said to be the work of God’s free grace.  Who is the one who sanctifies?  God sanctifies his people.  And why does he sanctify?  Our catechism is right to say that it is by his free grace.  Like with justification and adoption, sanctification is a gift that God freely gives.  It is not based upon anything deserving (meritorious) within us.  

But perhaps you noticed something a little different about sanctification.  Whereas justification and adoption are said to be acts of God’s free grace, sanctification is a called a work of God’s free grace.  This is an important observation.  Justification and adoption are acts of God because God alone justifies and adopts his people, and he does these things in an instant.  There is nothing ongoing or progressive about the act of justification or the act of adoption.  But sanctification is a called work of God.  I think we are to take this to mean that it is a work in progress and a work that God does in us, as we will soon see. 

Secondly, our catechism describes what God does in those who have faith in Christ when he sanctifies them.  Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God.

This little phrase, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, is loaded with meaning.  It should remind us of what Baptist Catechism 13 taught us about the original creation of man. How did God create man?  Answer:  God created man, male and female, after his own image, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness, with dominion over the creatures.  This phrase should also remind us of what Baptist Catechism 21 taught us about man’s fall into sin and its effects.  Wherein consists the sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell?  Answer: The sinfulness of that estate whereinto man fell, consists in the guilt of Adam’s first sin, the want of original righteousness, and the corruption of his whole nature, which is commonly called original sin; together with all actual transgressions which proceed from it.  So, man’s nature was upright, perfect, and pure when God first made him, but when Adam fell into sin, human nature was corrupted.  We should also remember Baptist Catechism 34.  There we learned about effectual calling.  What is effectual calling?  Answer: Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ freely offered to us in the gospel. When God effectually calls sinners, he gives them new life (see John 3).  He enlightens the mind and renews the will.  Stated differently, when God effectually calls a sinner, he gives them new birth to make them willing and able to believe.  Without this regeneration or new birth, no one can turn from their sin and to Christ, for we are by nature, blind, deaf, and dead, spiritually because of sin (see Colossians 2:13).  All of this is true. But it would be a mistake to think that God’s work of renewal is completed in an instant.  No.  Although effectual calling and regeneration are completed in an instant,  God’s work of renewal is progressive and ongoing.  It lasts a lifetime.  This is what we call sanctification. 

All of this can be compared to physical birth and growth.  Effectual calling and regeneration can be compared to conception.  At conception, a new human life is brought into existence in an instant.  But there is a great deal of growth to take place after conception, and this may be compared to the spiritual process of sanctification.  Sanctification is a process of spiritual growth and renewal.  It lasts a lifetime. 

Thirdly, our catechism describes what those who are sanctified are enabled to do.  Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.  So you can see that sanctification is not only an act that God does to us but a work that God does in us.  Stated differently, unlike with justification and adoption, we do have a role to play in our sanctification.  In sanctification, God, by his grace, enables us more and more to die to sin and to live to righteousness.  Who, I ask you, is to die to sin and live to righteousness?  We are.  This is a work that we must do. But it is a work that God, by his grace, enables us to do. 

This is precisely what the Scriptures teach. Listen to Philippians 2:12-13.  Here Paul exhorts Christians, saying, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13, ESV).  Who obeys?  Who is to work out their salvation with fear and trembling?  Who is to will and work for God’s good pleasure?  We are.  But all of this is made possible by God’s work in us.

From time to time in this study through our catechism I have made mention of our confession of faith, the Second London Confession. Our catechism summarizes our confession, remember?  Reading our confession alongside our catechism can be a very helpful exercise.  In fact, I would recommend that you read Second London Confession chapters 10-13 alongside Baptist Catechism questions 34-38.  Here in these sections, both documents deal with effectual calling, justification, adoption, and sanctification.  I appreciate what our confession of faith says about sanctification. I’d like to read it to you now. 

Chapter 13 of our confession is entitled Of Sanctification.

Paragraph 1 says, They who are united to Christ, effectually called, and regenerated, having a new heart and a new spirit created in them through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection, are also farther sanctified, really and personally, through the same virtue, by His Word and Spirit dwelling in them; the dominion of the whole body of sin is destroyed, and the several lusts thereof are more and more weakened and mortified, and they more and more quickened and strengthened in all saving graces, to the practice of all true holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Paragraph 2 says, This sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh.

Paragraph 3 says, In which war, although the remaining corruption for a time may much prevail, yet, through the continual supply of strength from the sanctifying Spirit of Christ, the regenerate part doth overcome; and so the saints grow in grace, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, pressing after an heavenly life, in evangelical obedience to all the commands which Christ, as Head and King, in His Word hath prescribed to them.

This is a wonderful description of sanctification.  If you have been effectually called by God’s Word and Spirit to faith in Christ, you are justified and adopted.  This is finished.  Your justification and adoption cannot be increased or diminished.  And if you are a justified and adopted child of God, God the Father is sanctifying you now, by his grace.  You are being renewed in the whole man after the image of God.  God is doing this work in you.  By his Word and Spirit, he is enabling you to put to death the deeds of the flesh and to live a holy life before him.  I do appreciate that our confession describes this as a war.  Sometimes we win.  Sometimes we lose. Sometimes the battle is really hard.  But we believe the promise of God’s Word, “that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). Thanks be to God, he will finish the work he started in us, by his grace. 

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Conclusion

What is sanctification? Here is a fine answer:  Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.

Old Testament Reading: Daniel 4:1-28

“King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, ‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’ Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, ‘Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.’ Belteshazzar answered and said, ‘My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity. All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.” (Daniel 4:1–28, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 13:18-21 

“He said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’ And again he said, ‘To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.’” (Luke 13:18–21, ESV)

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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

If I were asked to choose one word to summarize the message of Luke’s gospel, I would choose the word, “kingdom”. Many have noticed that the theme of the kingdom of God runs prominently from the beginning to the end of Luke’s gospel. In fact, the theme of the kingdom of God also runs through to the end of Luke’s second volume, the Book of Acts. 

As I was preparing this sermon, I took a moment to look up all the occurrences of the word “kingdom” in Luke and Acts. By the way, this isn’t difficult to do if you use a concordance. Either a print or online version will do. In the ESV, the word “kingdom” appears 53 times in Luke and Acts. The vast majority of the time, the word is used to refer to the kingdom of God. It is interesting to read each of the verses in which the word “kingdom” appears. When you do, a story emerges and the central importance of this theme becomes clear. (Occurrences of the word “kingdom” in the ESV in Luke & Acts – 53 results in 51 verses)

Consider what the angel Gabriel said about Jesus when he spoke to the young virgin, Mary, concerning the child she would carry. He spoke to her, saying, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:30–33, ESV). So, when Luke first introduces Jesus to us, he introduces him as the King of God’s eternal kingdom.  

When Jesus began his earthly ministry, he said, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:43, ESV)

In the sermon on the plain, he spoke to his disciples, saying, ​​“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.” (Luke 6:20, ESV)

“Soon afterward he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.” (Luke 8:1, ESV)

After telling a parable to the crowds, he explained the meaning to his disciples, and said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’” (Luke 8:10, ESV)

When the time was right, Christ sent out his twelve disciples “to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.” (Luke 9:2, ESV)

After this, he sent out the 72 to do the same (see Luke 10:9).

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he said to them, “When you pray, say: ‘Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come.’” (Luke 11:2, ESV)

In Luke 11:20 we hear Christ say, “But if it is by the finger of God that I cast out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.” (Luke 11:20, ESV)

In Luke 12:31, Christ commands his followers to be not anxious about the things of this life but to seek first the kingdom of God.

And in Luke 12:32, Christ speaks tenderly to his disciples, saying, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32, ESV)

I trust you can see the importance of this theme in Luke’s Gospel. Clearly, Luke wants us to know that Jesus is the Messiah. And as the Messiah, he is the King of God’s eternal kingdom. Furthermore, Luke wants us to know that this kingdom – God’s eternal kingdom – was breaking into the world with power in the days of Jesus’ earthly ministry. If we were to trace this theme through to the end of Luke’s second volume, the Book of Acts, we would see this kingdom (which was inaugurated by Christ the King through his life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and session at the Father’s right hand) expanded from Jerusalem to Judea, to Samaria and to the ends of the earth through the preaching ministry of Jesus’ disciples after the Spirit was poured out upon them from on high (see Acts 1:6-8). Luke’s second volume, the book of the Acts of the Apostles, tells the story of the expansion of Christ’s kingdom to all nations. It begins with the disciples of Christ in Jerusalem (see Acts 1:4) and concludes with the Apostle Paul in Rome! Listen to the last three verses of the book of Acts. In Acts 28:28 we hear Paul speak to non-believing Jews, saying,  “Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles; they will listen.” And then Luke reports that Paul “lived there [in Rome] two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance” (Acts 28:28–31, ESV). As I have said, Luke’s two volumes are about Christ the King and the inauguration and expansion of his kingdom – the eternal kingdom of God – to all nations.

You might be wondering why I have provided you with this sweeping overview of the theme of the kingdom of God in Luke and Acts. There is a good reason. In the passage we are considering today, Jesus asks the question, “What is the kingdom of God like?” (Luke 13:18), and again, “to what shall I compare the kingdom of God?” (Luke 13:20). Here in our text, Jesus compares the kingdom to a mustard seed, and then to leaven. We will consider the meaning of these similes in a moment. For now, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that this passage marks the beginning of a large section in Luke’s gospel containing many teachings from Christ that clarify the nature of his inaugurated kingdom, how one enters into it, and how it will expand. 

Stated differently, while the first half of Luke’s gospel makes it abundantly clear that Christ is the King of God’s eternal kingdom, and that the kingdom was at hand, or near, in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry, the second half of Luke’s gospel is filled with teachings that clarify the nature or quality of Christ’s kingdom, who is in this kingdom and who is out, how one enters the kingdom, how it will expand, how it will relate to the kingdoms of this world, how leaders are to lead in this kingdom, as well as references to its eventual consummation. 

Here is a sampling of the “kingdom” passages we will encounter in the second half of Luke’s gospel. 

In Luke 13:29 Christ tells us that many who think they will enter the kingdom of God (because of their ethnicity or lawkeeping) will not. But “people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:27–30, ESV).

In Luke 17:20, Jesus, being “asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come… answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you’” (Luke 17:20–21, ESV).

In Luke 18:16-17, we hear Jesus say, “‘Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it’” (Luke 18:16–17, ESV).

In Luke 18:24 Christ says, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24–25, ESV).

In Luke 19:11 we read, “As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.” (Luke 19:11, ESV) What follows is the parable of the ten minas. 

There are other texts about the kingdom of God. I’ve presented you with these so that you might see, one, how prevalent the theme of the kingdom of God is throughout Luke’s gospel, and two, that our text for today (Luke13:18-20) does seem to mark a shift in emphasis. In the first half of Luke’s gospel, the emphasis seems to be on the fact that Christ is the King of God’s eternal kingdom and that this kingdom was present with power in the days of his earthly ministry. But in the second half of Luke’s gospel (from Luke 13:18 onward), special attention is given to the nature, quality, or characteristics of Christ’s kingdom. That the kingdom of God was present with power in the days of Christ the King’s earthly ministry should be clear to all! Now the question is, what is this kingdom like? Where is it found? How does one enter it? How will it expand? What will it be like in the end?

Before jumping into our text for today, I would like to ask you a question. When you think of the Christian faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ, how often do you think in terms of God’s kingdom? I would imagine that for many Christians the answer would be, not usually. If that is the case, I hope you can see the problem. 

When Luke presents Jesus to us in his Gospel and when he tells us about the Acts of Jesus’ Apostles, he presents the story to us as the story of the inauguration and expansion of God’s kingdom. And the same could be said for the Gospels of Matthew and Mark. Those two Gospels are also chocked full of references to the kingdom of God (see the occurrences of the word “kingdom” in Matthew and Mark). The word kingdom only appears five times in three verses in John’s Gospel, but these are powerful sayings. In John 3:3, Christ speaks to Nicodemus, saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3, ESV). In John 3:5 Christ tells him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5, ESV). And in John 18:36 we hear Christ say, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world” (John 18:36, ESV). Friends, the good news of Jesus Christ is the good news about the inauguration, expansion, and eventual consummation of God’s kingdom through the victorious work of Jesus Christ the King. If you are not accustomed to thinking about the Christian faith and the gospel of Jesus Christ in terms of God’s kingdom, that needs to change, for Christ came to secure a kingdom. 

What are the characteristics of a kingdom? A kingdom consists of citizens living in a particular territory who are ruled by a king who rules through laws. If these are the characteristics of a kingdom, then the question becomes, who is the king of God’s kingdom? Answer: Jesus is. And who are the citizens of this kingdom? Answer: It is all who are born again. It is those who place their faith in Christ the King. And where is this kingdom? Answer: In the end, it will fill the earth. For now, it is present wherever its true citizens are. The kingdom of God cannot be drawn on a map, therefore. It is made visible, however, each Lord’s Day as the citizens of the kingdom of God assemble for worship and to sit around the Lord’s Table. What are the laws of this kingdom? They are the ever-abiding and unchanging moral law, summed up by the two great commandments to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves. In addition to the moral law, Christ has given his church possitive laws about her government and laws about New Covenant worship. 

The main point I’m am here making is this: If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you are a citizen in his everlasting kingdom. You should be deeply interested to know what his kingdom is like, and what Christ the King expects of you as one of his many subjects. 

The Kingdom Of God Is Like A Grain Of Mustard Seed 

Let us go now to our text. In Luke 13:18-19, Christ teaches us something about the nature or character of his kingdom by comparing it to a mustard seed. There we read, “[Jesus] said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches’” (Luke 13:18–19, ESV).

The word “therefore” needs to be explained. There must be some relationship between the previous passage or passages and this one for Luke to have written the word “therefore.”

I have already demonstrated to you that the theme of “kingdom” runs throughout Luke’s Gospel, from beginning to end. I suppose there is a sense in which the “therefore” of verse 18 refers back to all that has been said about God’s kingdom. But it seems most natural to think back to Luke 12:1. There we are told that many thousands of people had gathered around Jesus. These people were enthusiastic about something, weren’t they? Yes, they were excited about the arrival of the Messiah and his kingdom! And consider especially the words that Christ spoke to his disciples in the presence of this multitude, as recorded in Luke 12:29-32: “And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:29–32, ESV). Finally, do not forget what was said in the passage immediately before this one. A woman was healed. The hypocritical ruler of the synagogue, and all who agreed with him, were put to shame by Jesus, “and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him” (Luke 13:17, ESV). And so, we are to imagine a very large number of people following after Jesus. They are very enthusiastic. And what are they enthusiastic about? The arrival of the Kingdom of God.  

It is not difficult to see why Christ needed to teach about the nature or character of the kingdom he came to inaugurate. False hopes and expectations abounded! I’m sure that many expected the Kingdom of God to be earthly, militant, pro-Israel, anti-Roman, and for it to sweep in all at once life flood, as the kingdoms of this world typically do. I believe the word “therefore” refers back to the scene that has been set, beginning in Luke 12:1. “Therefore”, given the crowds, given their excitement, and given their many false expectations, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?”

The comparison that Christ chose was the grain of a mustard seed. “It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” 

It is interesting to read the commentaries on this passage. Theories about as to what (or who) each aspect of this comparison  – the seed, the man who planted it, the tree that developed, and the birds that nest in its branches – represent. I believe we can be helped in our interpretation of this comparison by looking back in the pages of Holy Scripture, and also forward.

When we look back in the Scriptures for texts that can help us interpret this one, Daniel 4:1-28 stands out (see also Ezekiel 17). We read the passage earlier. It is about Nebuchadnezzar, the great and mighty king of the kingdom of Babylon. He and his kingdom were symbolized by a great a mighty tree. “The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it” (Daniel 4:11–12, ESV). 

When Christ tells us that his kingdom is like a tree and that the birds of the air will nest in its branches, it is to remind us of Daniel 4. And I think we are to compare and contrast the tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom with the tree of the Kingdom of God. What became of the tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom? It was cut down. Nebuchadnezzar was humbled. He was called to repent of his injustices. But the tree of Christ’s kingdom will never be cut down, for his kingdom is founded in righteousness. His rule and reign will never come to an end, for he was raised to an incorruptible life. When Christ tells us that his kingdom is like a tree and that the birds of the air will nest in its branches, it means that the kingdom of God will flourish and succeed under his reign. The kingdom will spread to the ends of the earth and bring blessings and life to all nations.

But notice that Christ compared the kingdom of God to a mustard seed. I’ve heard it said that the mustard seed is the smallest of all seeds. I don’t think that is true (I’ve planted carrots and basil before, and those seeds are very small!) But a mustard seed is small especially when compared to the relatively large tree that it becomes. 

The meaning of the parable is simple and clear. The kingdom of God will flourish. It will spread to the ends of the earth and bless all nations. But it will start small and grow slowly. Furthermore, it will have a humble quality to it. Here Christ does not compare his kingdom to a great oak or cedar, but to the humble mustard tree.   

 When we look forward in the Holy Scriptures, we see this play out. The kingdom of God began with the death of Christ, his burial into the earth (like a seed), and his resurrection on the third day (like a sprout). And the kingdom would spread through the witness of his church, which is his body, from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Like a humble mustard tree, the kingdom of God would grow and grow, bringing the blessings of Christ, the Son of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of God, to all nations.  

The kingdom of heaven was at hand in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry, but his followers were not to expect it to arrive in its full and final. No, the kingdom of God would grow, expand, and develop slowly, in a process comparable to that of mustard seeds development into a tree.

The Kingdom Of God Is Like Leven

Christ makes another comparison in verse 20. “And again he said, ‘To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened” (Luke 13:20–21, ESV).

The meaning of this comparison is similar. Like a mustard seed, leaven is very small. And like the mustard tree, three measures of flour is quite a lot of flour! It would make a very large batch of dough. And so, like with the previous simile, there is a progression from small to large. But this simile about the leaven and the flour communicates something slightly different. It teaches us something about the powerful effect that the kingdom of God will have on the hearts of men and on the world.  

Leaven, as you might know, is a very small agent used in baking – think of yeast or baking powder. When mixed in a ball of dough, it has a powerful effect. It causes the dough to rise. Leaven is very small. Once it is mixed in with flour, you cannot see it. And yet it works powerfully. I so it is with the kingdom of God. 

Leaven, as you might know, is often used in the Scriptures to symbolize sin and the negative effects of sin in a person’s life or within the Christian community. But here Christ uses leaven to symbolize something good and positive, namely the positive effects that the kingdom of God will have within a person’s life and within the world.

As with leaven, the kingdom of God works in imperceivable ways. Yes, like with the rising of the dough, we can see the effects of it. We witness conversions. We hear people say, that Jesus is Lord. We see lives transformed. We witness the formation of local congregations. But as it pertains to the advancement of the kingdom of God, this work is imperceivable to us. The kingdom of God is advanced through the preaching of the word of God and by the inward and effectual working of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God works in concert with the word of God to enlighten minds, renew hearts, and transform the wills of man, to make them able and willing to believe in Christ and to confess him as Lord. The effect of this is powerful and perceivable. But the advancement of God’s kingdom is invisible to us. When worldly kingdoms advance, you can see it! You can see the armies mobilized and centers of power built. Not so with Christ’s kingdom, for his kingdom is not of this world. 

This principle will be restated later in Luke’s Gospel: In Luke 17:20, Jesus, being “asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come… answered them, ‘The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you’” (Luke 17:20–21, ESV).         

Conclusion

If you have faith in Christ, you are a citizen in God’s eternal kingdom. Christ is your King!

And if Christ is your king, you ought to be concerned to honor him.

You ought to be concerned with obeying the laws of his kingdom – moral (unchanging moral precepts), civil (about the government of the church), and ceremonial (about New Covenant worship). 

You ought to be concerned to see his kingdom flourish. 

You ought to be concerned to see his kingdom advance. 

But to be faithful citizens of Christ’s kingdom, we must also know about the nature or character of his kingdom. What is it? Where is it? Who is in and who is out? What are its ethics? How does it flourish? How does it advance? What will it be in the end?

The two similies of Luke 13:18-21 are a great start. 

Like a mustard seed, the kingdom of God was inaugurated (planted) at Christ’s first coming, and it will grow and grow as it spreads to the end of the earth so that people from every tongue, tribe, and nation may nest in its branches, and then Christ will return to judge those not united to him by faith and consummate his kingdom. As the Scriptures say, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Corinthians 15:25, ESV). “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power” (1 Corinthians 15:24, ESV).

And like leaven, the kingdom of God will powerfully advance in ways that are imperceivable to us. We will see the effect of it! We will see conversions, baptisms, and the saints assembled at the Lord’s Table, as they are sanctified by God through the ordinary means of grace within local churches. But the battle for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom is invisible. The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but spiritual. It is through the preaching of the word of God and by the working of the Holy Spirit that sinners are “delivered… from the domain of darkness and transferred… [into] the kingdom of [God’s] beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13, ESV). And so we do not employ worldly tactics in our attempts to further Christ’s kingdom. No, we preach the word, we pray, and we seek to obey Christ the King’s commandments individually and corporately.   

May the Lord bless us with an increased understanding of the nature of Christ’s kingdom as we continue to study the Scriptures together Lord’s Day by Lord’s Day. May the end result be that God’s kingdom is strengthened and advanced, to God be the glory. Amen. 

Baptist Catechism 37

Q. 37. What is adoption?

A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. (1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Rom. 8:16,17)

Scripture Reading: 1 John 3:1–10

“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” (1 John 3:1–10, ESV)

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Q. 37. What is adoption?

A. Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. (1 John 3:1; John 1:12; Rom. 8:16,17)

In this section of our catechism, we are considering the many benefits that come to those who have been effectually called by God’s word and Spirit to place their faith in Jesus Christ, our great Prophet, Priest, and King. 

I want to remind you of the question asked in Baptist Catechism 35: What benefits do they that are effectually called partake of in this life?  Answer: They that are effectually called do in this life partake of justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them.

I have called the benefits of, justification, adoption, and sanctification fountainhead blessings. They are the main blessings that come to followers of Jesus in this life. And from these main blessings, many other blessings flow. Or perhaps we can think of them as three rivers emanating from a single source. But if we were to follow those three main rivers downstream, we would find that each of them branches off into many other rivers and streams. Justification, adoption, and sanctification are like that. They are the main blessings that come to those who trust in Jesus in this life, but from these three, many other blessings flow. 

We have asked and answered, what is justification? Justification is an act of God’s free grace, wherein he pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and received by faith alone (Baptist Catechism 36)  

And now we come to question 37.  It asks, What is adoption?, and answers, Adoption is an act of God’s free grace, whereby we are received into the number and have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God. 

If justification should cause us to think of a courtroom with God as judge, adoption should cause us to think of a dining room with God as Father.  Justification is legal.  Adoption is legal, too, but in the end, it is familial.  God justifies sinners, not to send them away as pardoned orphans.  No, he justifies them so that he might adopt them into his family.  If justification seems somewhat cold to you, the doctrine of adoption will fix that.  Adoption is warm, loving, relational, and familial.  Those who have faith in Christ are not only justified, they are also adopted into the family of God. 

What is adoption?  Notice a few things.

Firstly, our catechism tells us who adopts.  Adoption, we are told, is an act of God’s free grace.  Like with justification, adoption is something God does.  We do not adopt ourselves or contribute to our adoption in any way.  And like with justification, adoption is an act.  When our catechism says that adoption is an act, it is to be understood that it happens in a moment.  In other words, adoption is not a work in progress.  Yes, it has lasting ramifications – wonderful ramifications! But it is something that happens in a moment of time, and so it is called an act. Also, adoption is said to be an act of God’s free grace.  This means it is a gift freely given by God.  In no way can it be earned. 

Secondly, our catechism describes adoption as being received into the number.  This means those who believe in Christ are numbered as one of God’s children.  Our catechism lists John 1:12 as a proof text.  It says, “But to all who did receive [Christ], who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” (John 1:12, ESV). Think of how wonderful it is to be numbered among God’s redeemed children.

Thirdly, our catechism tells us that those who are adopted by God and received into the number have a right to all the privileges of the sons of God.  Romans 8:14-17 is listed as a proof text.  There Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, saying, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs — heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (Romans 8:14–17, ESV).  According to this text, those adopted by God through faith in Christ have the privilege of calling God, “Father”.  The Spirit comforts the believer by testifying to their spirit (or soul) that they are children of God.  And as children of God, we are heirs of God — co-heirs of Christ.  An heir inherits the riches of another.  Children are typically heirs of their parents.  If the parent is wealthy, the children will inherit the wealth of their parents when the parent passes away.  Here, Paul reminds us that we are heirs of God.  This is a metaphorical way of saying that God bestows his riches and blessings on his children. More precisely, God the Father blessed Christ the Son when he raised him from the dead and transferred him to glory.  And all who have faith in Christ are co-heirs with Christ. 

Some may wonder why adoption is necessary.  Are we not God’s children by nature?  Well, there is a sense in which God is the Father of all.  He is the Father of all in that he is the creator and sustainer of all.  But we cannot forget about man’s fall into sin. When Adam sinned, mankind’s relationship to God changed.  No longer are we by nature beloved children.  To use the language of Paul from Ephesians 2:3, we are now “by nature children of wrath”. This is why adoption is necessary.  When a sinner trusts in Christ, they are justified, forgiven, and cleansed, so that they might be adopted as God’s beloved children. 

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Conclussion

The doctrine of justification is immensely important. Last Sunday I said, that to get the doctrine of justification wrong means we get the gospel of Jesus Christ wrong. And that is true. But the doctrine of adoption is also very important. It helps us to remember that Christ did not merely live, die, and rise again to forgive our sins, pardon us, and wash us clean. No, he died to atone for our sins so that we might be reconciled to God the Father.

We will conclude with a reading from 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 which makes this very point. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:17–21, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Isaiah 58:13-14

“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13-14, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 13:10-17 

“Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, ‘Woman, you are freed from your disability.’ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, ‘There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.’ Then the Lord answered him, ‘You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?’ As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.” (Luke 13:10–17, ESV)

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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

You have likely noticed that Christ is often found condemning the sin of hypocrisy in this section of Luke’s gospel. 

In Luke 12:1 we hear Christ say, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” In Luke 12:56 he spoke to the unbelieving people in the crowd, saying, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” And here in the passage that is open before us today, Christ speaks to the ruler of a synagogue and to all who agreed with his faulty opinion, saying, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” (Luke 13:15–16, ESV)

It should be clear to all that Jesus Christ is vehemently opposed to hypocritical religion and to all who practice it. The religious hypocrite will practice their religion externally and superficially but without love in their heart for God and their fellow man. The hypocrite will dress and play the part of one who is religiously devout, but inwardly they remain dark and corrupted, devoid of spiritual life, light, and love. 

In Matthew 23:27 we hear Christ speak to the hypocrite, saying, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.” In Luke 11:39, Christ says something similar to the hypocritical Pharisees: “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” 

These metaphors are powerful. They help us to see that religion that is merely external and superficial is an abomination to God and Christ. Christ came to redeem a people for himself. He came to free his people from bondage to sin, Satan, and the fear of death. He came to give his people new life (2 Corinthians 5:17), new hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-35), and new minds (Ephesians 4:22-24), so that we might walk in new obedience (Ephesians 4:1), not superficially, but in sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8). As I have said, religion that is merely external and superficial, like that of the Scribe’s and Pharisee’s, is an abomination to God and Christ. It always has been. It always will be. 

The Occasion

Let us now turn to our text by asking the question, What was the occasion of the rebuke delivered by Christ in Luke 13:15?   

In verse 10 we read, “Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.” I have a few things to say about this verse:

First of all, it must be recognized that Jesus Christ observed the Sabbath day and kept it holy in obedience to God’s law during the days of his earthly ministry. In those days, the Sabbath was to be observed on the seventh day of the week. As you probably know, the seventh day, or Saturday, was set apart by God as holy at the time of creation. Even in the Garden of Eden, before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve were to work to the glory of God for six days and cease from their ordinary labors on the seventh day to rest and to take up the work of worship. This ordinance was instituted at the time of creation. The Sabbath, like the institution of marriage, is for all humanity, therefore. And as you probably know, this creation ordinance was written on tablets of stone by the finger of God and given to Isarel through Moses at Mount Sinai. The fourth of the Ten Commandments is, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates” (Exodus 20:8–11, ESV). The Ten Commandments are repeated in the book of Deuteronomy. The fourth commandment is the same in Deuternomoy as in Exodus, but the people of God are called to remember two different historical events on the Sabbath day. In Exodus, the stated reason for keeping the Sabbath is, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.” In Deuteronomy, God commanded the Israelites to remember that they were slaves in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD had brought them out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. The text says, “Therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day” (Deuteronomy 5:15, ESV). So then, all of humanity is to observe the Sabbath to remember creation and the God of creation. Old Covenant Israel was also to remember their redemption from Egypt. In a moment, we will consider the obligation that we have to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy under the New Covenant. For now, I simply wish to observe that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ remembered the Sabbath day and kept it holy. If he had failed to do so, he would have sinned and could not have functioned as our Redeemer.

Secondly, it is important to notice what Christ did on the Sabbath. He assembled with the Old Covenant people of God to worship. Our text says, “Now [Jesus] was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.” The Jewish synagogues were very much like our churches. They were meeting houses where the Jews would assemble to hear God’s word read and explained, to pray, and to sing. So similar were the synagogues of the Jews to the churches of the New Covenant era that in James 2:2 the Apostle uses the Greek word for “synagogue” when he refers to the Christian church. The ESV translates the word as “assembly”. “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly…”, or synagogue, the text says. The point is this: Jesus assembled with God’s people on the Sabbath day. Where would he be found? In the synagogue, or we might say, the church. 

Dear brothers and sisters, the Sabbath day has always been a day to assemble with God’s people for corporate worship. Stated negatively: never was the Sabbath to be observed merely by individuals in isolation from others. From the beginning, it was designed to bring God’s people together for worship. And this is one reason why a particular day is set apart by God’s appointment. If it were left us to us to choose one day our of the seven (as many these days suppose) then it would not facilitate us assembling. Please hear me: the Sabbath was not instituted for Adam as an individual, or for Eve as an individual, but for the two of them together, and for humanity descending from them. The communal purpose of the Sabbath is made exceedingly clear in the law of Moses. Leviticus 23:3 says, “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places”. A convocation is a public meeting or assembly. A holy convocation is a public meeting for the purpose of worship. When Leviticus 23:3 says, “It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places”, it is clear that the Old Covenant people of God were not only to assemble at the tabernacle or temple at set times during the year but weekly in their communities to worship and serve God Almighty. What was the Sabbath designed to facilitate? Solemn rest and holy convocation or assembly.

Again I say, in a moment, we will consider the obligation that we have to observe the Sabbath day and to keep it holy. For now, please see that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ remembered the Sabbath day and kept it holy. Even he assembled with God’s covenant community for worship. Observing the Sabbath day and keeping it holy involves assembling with God’s people. It always has and it always will. This is why the writer of the book of Hebrews commands Christians, saying, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day [the last day] drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV). 

The third thing that would like you to notice about verse 10 is that Christ “was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.” Christ was regarded as a great Rabbi or teacher even by those who did not recognize him as the Messiah, so he was permitted to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. As it is under the New Covenant so it was under the Old, attention is to be given to God’s word, and especially to the promises concerning the Christ that are contained within, on the Sabbath day. 

Now, something special happened on this Sabbath day. In verse 11 we read, “And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself” (Luke 13:11, ESV). Mind you, not every physical ailment is attributed to Satan or the demonic in the Scriptures. In fact, in Luke 14 we will hear about a man who had a case of dropsy. He was also healed by Christ on the Sabbath day. Nothing is said about a disabling spirit or the influence of Satan in that case. But in this case, we are told that the woman was bent over and could not fully straighten herself because she had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. In verse 12 we read, “When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, ‘Woman, you are freed from your disability.’ And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God” (Luke 13:12–13, ESV). 

I would ask you to put yourself there in that meeting house of the Jews. Imagine the scene. I think it is safe to assume that many in the synagogue knew this woman. I doubt she was in any condition to travel. This was likely her hometown and her home church. What would you think if you saw this woman who had suffered for many years miraculously healed? What would your response be? And what would you think about the fact that she was healed on the Sabbath day? Would you rejoice and think, how fitting! This woman has been renewed and greatly refreshed on the day we are called to remember God’s creation and the eternal rest that will be ours through faith in the Messiah! More than this, she was delivered from the Evil One on the day we are called to remember the deliverance that God worked for Israel to bring them out of Egyptian bondage and to look forward to the greater redemption that Messiah will accomplish when he crushed the head of the serpent in fulfillment of the promise of Genesis 3:15. How fitting! Is that what you would think? I hope so! And what would you think about Jesus, the one who performed this miracle? Would you not ask yourself the question, who then is this who has the power to drive away evil spirits, to deliver from bondage to the evil one, to heal the body and refresh the soul? I would hope so! 

But consider the response of the ruler (we might say, elder) of the synagogue. In verse 14 we read, “But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant [angry]  because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, ‘There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day’” (Luke 13:14, ESV). 

The Problem

I trust that most, if not all of you, will know that there is something very wrong with this response from the ruler of the synagogue. Something is off, and I’m sure you can see that. But what is off? What exactly is the problem with his thinking? Let us now carefully consider Christ’s response in verses 15 and 16 so that we might know exactly what the problem is. 

In verse 15 Christ answers the ruler of the synagogue, saying, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?’” (Luke 13:15–16, ESV).

Notice a few things about Jesus’ reply: 

First of all, the word “hypocrites” is plural. Though Christ answered the ruler of the synagogue, he was speaking to others too. Others must have agreed with him, and so Christ confronted them all. 

Secondly, Christ put his finger on the problem when he called the ruler of the synagogue, and those who aligned with him, hypocrites. The problem was hypocrisy. Once again, we find religiously devout people externally practicing their religion, but without love in their heart for God and man. Think of how hard-hearted you would have to be to watch Christ touch this woman to heal her and to free her from her bondage, and for it to produce anger and indignation within you instead of joy. Think of how spiritually blind you would have to be to watch Christ perform this miracle and instead of thinking, this must be the Messiah, to think this man has sinned by doing work on the Sabbath day! Truly, this ruler, and those who agreed with his opinion, were religious hypocrites. They were like whitewashed tombs – pretty on the outside but vile within. They were like dishes and cups that had been washed on the outside but left filthy within. 

Thirdly, the ruler of the synagogue and those who agreed with him were hypocrites because they were terribly inconsistent. Christ called them out on this, saying, “Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?” Do you see the point that Christ makes? The ruler of the synagogue condemned Jesus for touching this woman with his hand to lose her from her terrible bondage, to set her free, so that she might be refreshed in body and soul on the Sabbath day, and yet the ruler, and everyone present, would do something very similar with their ox every Sabbath day. They would use their hand to untie the oxen. They would lead it out and set it free so that it could drink and be refreshed. The ruler of the synagogue and those who agreed with him were hypocrites because they justified their actions while condemning Jesus for doing the very same thing.   

Fourthly, the ruler of the synagogue and those who agreed with him were hypocrites because they were devoid of love. Tell me, brothers and sisters. What is the sum of the moral law? The sum is this: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5–6, ESV), and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself…” (Leviticus 19:18, ESV). Contrary to popular opinion, these two great commandments do not lighten or lessen the obligation we have to keep the Ten Commandments. On the contrary, these two great commandments sum up the Ten and clarify that to keep the Ten, really and truly, one must keep God’s law from a heart filled with love for God and others. The ruler of the synagogue, and those who agreed with him, were hypocrites because though they loved to appear righteous before men by their strict (and legalistic) Sabbath keepinig, they did not love the LORD their God. If they loved the LORD they would have loved Jesus and all that he did, for he is the LORD, the eternal Son of God incarnate. And if they loved their neighbor as themselves they would have rejoiced to see this neighbor of theirs healed by Christ,  even on the Sabbath day. 

Fifthly, and related to this, I trust you can see how Jesus argued from the lesser to the greater. He countered the ruler and those who shared his opinion like this: You consider it to be perfectly appropriate to use your hand to untie a rope so that your ox or donkey can be set free from bondage to its post to drink water so that its life may be preserved. How much more appropriate it is for me, the LORD’s Messiah, to use my hand to lose this woman – this human being and daughter of Abraham – from her debilitating disease (a disease, by the way, which caused her to walk around, not upright like a human with her face lifted to heaven, but with her face pointed down to the ground like an ox), and from her bondage to Satan? If it is appropriate to untie your ox on the Sabbath (which it is) how much more appropriate is it for the Messiah to heal the sick and to set captives free on the Sabbath day? 

Sixthly, I hope you would agree that when Christ healed on the Sabbath day it was most fitting, given what the Sabbath signifies. 

What does the Sabbath say signify? From the time of creation when God first instituted the Sabbath (Genesis 2:1-3), the Sabbath signified eternal rest in God’s glorious presence. Stated differently, from the time of creation when God first instituted the Sabbath, the Sabbath signified eternal life – life in glory. The Sabbath was instituted at the time of creation to function as a perpetual reminder that God created the heavens and the earth in six days and rested on the seventh. It functioned as an invitation to Adam and Eve to enter into eternal rest, eternal life, or life in glory through their faithful obedience to God under the Covenant of Works. But as you know, Adam and Eve failed to enter that rest. They committed an act of treason when they ate of the Tree of the Knowledge Of Good and Evil. They were expelled from Eden and barred from the Tree of Life. They sinned and fell short of the glory of God (see Romans 3:23). They did not enter into the eternal rest of which the Sabbath was a sign. But the practice of Sabbath keeping remained in the world amongst the faithful in the days between Adam and when the Ten Commandments were given to Israel through Moses at Sinai (see Exodus 16:22-23). And when God’s unchanging and ever-abiding moral law was summarized in the Ten Commandments, the command to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy was given a central place. 

Question: why would Sabbath keeping remain in the world after man’s fall into sin?  Do you understand why I am raising this question with you? If the sabbath was originally given to signify eternal rest in the presence of God and to function as an invitation to enter it through obedience, why would Sabbath keeping remain after man’s fall into sin? The tree of life was taken away, but Sabbath-keeping remained. Why? 

One, to remind God’s people that God is the creator of heaven and earth and that is with. 

Two, to remind God’s people of God’s original offer to Adam in the Covenant of Works, namely, life eternal in his glorious presence obtainable through obedience to God’ law. 

Three, to remind God’s people that Adam and Eve, and all humanity descending from them, fell short of the glory of God when Adam fell into sin. The ongoing pattern of six days of work and one day of rest functions as a perpetual reminder that we have not yet entered into the eternal rest of which the Sabbath is a sign. 

Four, the ongoing practice of Sabbath-keeping functioned as a reminder that God has promised to redeem us from our sin and misery by sending a Savior, born of the woman, who would crush the head of the serpent, Satan, who tempted her in the beginning. The first promise concerning this redeemer is found in Genesis 3:15. It was restated, developed, and amplified many times over as redemptive history unfolded. And we have the divinely inspired record of this contained in the pages of Holy Scripture. That the seventh day Sabbath functioned as a reminder that God would redeem his people from sin and misery is seen most clearly in Deuteronomy 5:15 wherein Moses commands Israel to keep the Sabbath day holy and to remember that they were slaves in the land of Egypt, and that the LORD brought them out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched. If you know your Bible, you will know that the Exodus event was a type or picture of the much greater redemption that the Messiah would work for his people to deliver them from bondage to sin, Satan, and the power and fear of death. Why did Sabbath keeping remain after Adam fell into sin given that he failed to obtain the eternal rest of which the Sabbath was a sign? To remind God’s people of God’s creation, man’s fall into sin, and the redemption that was promised to come through Christ the Redeemer. 

With all of that in mind, I return to my sixth observation about Luke 13:15-16. Not only was it fine for Jesus to heal this woman on the Sabbath day, it was most fitting! In other words, the Sabbath day was the very best day for this miracle to be performed by Jesus! Why? Because he is the Messiah. He is the scull crushing the seed of the women promised in Genesis 3:15. He is the Redeemer of God’s elect. He is the one greater than Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15; Luke 9:35, Acts 3:22). He is the one greater than Joshua (Hebrews 4:8). He is the second and greater Adam (Romans 5:12ff; 1 Corinthians 15:22, 42-58). Jesus Christ is the one who has redeemed us from our sin and misery and has earned for us life eternal in the blessed presence of God. He obeyed God’s law perfectly, suffered in the place of sinners,  made atonement for the sins of his people when he bleed on the cross. Jesus died, was buried, on the third day he rose from the dead. He has ascended to the right hand of God the Father, where he is now seated. Christ, the second and greater Adam, has entered into his rest. And when he returns, those united to him by faith will then be invited to enter into the new creation and into the eternal rest of God which he has secured as our head and representative. When Jesus touched this woman and healed her on the Sabbath day it was must fitting, for it showed that he is the LORD’s Messiah. This mirricle was a samll foretaste, or preview, of the work of redemption that he was about to accomplish. He came to set his people free from bondage to sin, Satan, and death. He came to begin and new creation and to heal us body and soul. This is the work he will bring to completion when he returns to judge and make all things new. Then, we will experience the eternal Sabbath rest of which our present Sabbath-keeping is a sign (see Hebrews 4:8-11).    

The seventh, and final observation I have regarding Jesus’ response to the legalistic synagogue ruler, as recorded in Luke 13:15–16, is that the problem was not that the ruler desired to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy.

As you probably know, very few professing Christians today care at all about the Sabbath. In fact, many would claim that there is no longer an obligation to observe the Sabbath under the New Covenant. And those who hold to this erroneous view will sometimes point to passages such as this one and say, See! Jesus was against the Sabbath! In fact, the text says no such thing.

It is true, Jesus is against the hypocritical observance of the Sabbath. 

It is also true, Jesus is against all forms of legalism. 

The legalist thinks that they can be justified before God through their law-keeping. This is false. As Paul says in Galatians 2:16, “yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:16, ESV)

The legalist will also add manmade laws to the law of God, which is certainly what this ruler of the synagogue, and all who agreed with him, had done. We are to cease from work on the Sabbath day, and that must include works of mercy, including healing. They were wrong to add their own laws to the law of God and to lose sight of the real meaning and purpose of the day. 

 But it is not true that Jesus was opposed to Sabbath-keeping. As has already been said, it would have been a sin for Christ to profane the Sabbath, and if he sinned he could not have been our Redeemer.  

In fact, the gospels often speak of Jesus observing the Sabbath day to keep it holy. And we often find his entering into disputes with the Pharisees over the proper observance of the day. The question is, what were the disputes over? Was Jesus arguing against the creation ordinance of Genesus 2:1-3 or the 4th commandment? I think not. Why then the disputes over the Sabbath? Here is an idea. Perhaps Jesus was concerned with teaching his disciples how to properly observe the Sabbath so that could keep holy and teach others to do the same, afteer his assention to the Father’s right hand. Perhaps he was concerned to rescue the Sabbath from the hypocrisy and legalism of the Pharisees! They had piled a lot of garbage on the Sabbath day! Their manmade laws and traditions had obscured the intended meaning and purpose of the day and had turned the day into a burden instead of a delight. Perhaps Jesus entered into these disputes about the Sabbath, not to do away with it, but to rescue and restore it for use in the New Covenant era. If the practice of Sabbath keeping were meant to be thrown in the garbage, it is odd that the gospel writers would spill so much ink telling Christians about how Christ, who is said to be Lord of the Sabbath, observed the day (see Luke 6:5).

The point is this: the problem with the ruler of the synagogue, and those who agreed with his opinion, was not that they loved God’s law and desired to keep it from a renewed heart, but that they were hypocrites and a legalist. And so Christ Christ rebuked them. 

In verse 17 we read, “As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.” Dear brothers and sisters, when Jesus Christ and his works are at the center of our Sabbath-keeping, it will lead to much rejoicing amongst the people of God. 

Permanence

We have considered the occasion for the rebuke offered up by Christ. We have also considered the problem with the ruler of synagogues’ opinion. Finally, I would like to speak briefly about the permanence of the Sabbath day. This is necessary given the prevalence of the view held by many Christians today that the practice of Sabbath-keeping does not remain for the people of God (see Hebrews 4:9).

I’ll be very brief. Here are ten reasons to believe that the practice of observing one day out of every seven as holy unto the Lord remains for the New Covenant people of God, that the day has changed from Saturday to Sunday, and that this arrangement will last until Christ returns to usher in the new heavens and earth, in which the faithful will enjoy eternal rest in the presence of the glory of God. 

One, the Sabbath was instituted at creation, not at Mt. Sinai. Like the institution of marriage, the practice of Sabbath-keeping was not for Israel only, but for all people descending from Adam and Eve, living in all times and places

Two, connected with this, the Israelites knew they were to observe the Sabbath day before the Ten Commandments were given (see Exodus 16:22-23).

Three, when the command to observe the weekly Sabbath day and keep it holy was given to Old Covenant Israel, it was placed right at the heart of the Ten Commandments, which are a summary of God’s ever-abiding and unchanging moral law. 

Here is a question to ask the anti-Sabbitarian. Is the Christian still to worship God alone, not with idols, to not take the name of the Lord in vain, to honor father and mother, to not murder, commit adultery, steal, lie, or covet? Any orthodox Christian will admit that these moral laws are to be obeyed by all people, especially the Christian. After all, it is this law – the moral law which was written by the finger of God on tablets of stone at Sinai – that is written on all the hearts of God’s New Covenant people through the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit (see Jeremiah 31:31-34). If the command to treat one day out of every seven as holy unto the Lord as a day for rest and worship is not one of these ever-abiding and unchanging moral laws, then why did God write it in stone as one of the Ten? 

In fact, there is a really good explanation for why the fourth commandment does contain an ever-abiding moral lprinciple. The first four commandmenst are about the worship of God. The first commandment tells us who is to be worshipped – God alone. The second commandment tells us how God is to be worshipped – not with images or according to the imaginations of men, but only according to God’s word. The third commandment has to do with the attitude or heart of worship. We are to worship God, not vainly, but with reverence and awe. And the fourth commandment is about the time of worship. God is to be worshiped always. He is Lord of every day. But he is especially to be worhipped on one day out of seven according to the pattern instituted at creation. One and six, one and six, one and six. This pattern is baked into the created order.

The fourth reason that a Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God is this: that of which the Sabbath is a sign is not here yet. Christ has entered his rest. We rest in him, partially. But the eternal rest that Christ has earned will be ours on the last day when he returns to judge and make all things new. The Scriptures explicitly teach this in Hebrews 4. I’ll say it again. The thing that the Sabbath signifies, namely eternal Sabbath rest in the presence of the glory of God, is not enjoyed by us in full. Only when it is here in full will the weekly Sabbath be fulfilled and thus taken away.

The fifth reason to believe that the practice of Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God is that Jesus Christ is Lord of the Sabbath and in his earthly ministry, he taught us how to keep the Sabbath day holy, free from hypocrisy and legalistic demands. We are to follow the example of Jesus, the Lord of the Sabbath.

Sixthly, concerning the question, who changed the day from the seventh day to the first day, the answer is simple: Jesus Christ, the Lord of the Sabbath, changed the day. 

Seventhly, why did the day change from the seventh to the first? Answer: because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week. When Christ rose from the dead, it was the beginning of the new creation. When Christ rose from the dead, it was for the accomplishment of our redemption. You see, the day was not changed arbitrarily, for no good reason, or according to human custom. No, the day was changed by the work of Christ. Just as the seventh day Sabbath was instituted through God’s work of creation, so too the first day Sabbath was instituted by God’s work of re-creation. The first day Sabbath commemorates, not only the first creation (which was ruined by sin), nor Israel’s redemption from Egypt (which was a type of greater redemption yet to come), but Christ, his life, death, burial, and resurrection, the redemption he has accomplished and the new creation he has earned.   

Eighthly, what then has happened to the seventh day Sabbath? Answer: it has been fulfilled by Christ and thus taken away. In fact, under the Old Mosaic Covenant, there were many new moons, festivals, and Sabbath days added to the weekly Sabbath (see Leviticus 23). These – the seventh day Sabbath, and the other yearly Sabbaths,  have been fulfilled by Christ and are no longer binding on the people of God. And this is why in Colossians 2:16 Paul says, “Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ” (Colossians 2:16–17, ESV). It’s a shame the ESV translates the Greek word σάββατον in the singular, for in the Greek it is plural. A more litteral reading would be, Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or Sabbaths. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. So, there is a sense in which the Old Covenant, seventh day Sabbath, along with the Sabbath days that were added to it under Moses have been fullfiled by Christ and have passed away. This explains texts like Colossians 2:16 and Romans 14:5. You are not bound to observe the weekly, seventh day Sabbath or the Jewish calendar instituted in the days of Moses, brothers and sisters. These were fulfilled by Christ. But this does not touch the pattern of one in seven instituted at the time of creation.  

Ninelthy, is there any Biblical evidence that the New Covenant church observes the weekly Sabbath, not on the seventh day, but on the first day of the week? Yes, the evidence is overwhelming. This new pattern was established by Christ. When Christ appeared to his disciples after his resurrection and before his ascension, he met with them to break bread on the first day of the week, which is sometimes called the eighth day (see John 20:19, 26). And it was clearly the practice of the early church to assemble for worship on the first day of every week (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). In Revelation 1:10 we learn that this day had come to be called the “Lord’s Day”, for it is the Day of Christ’s resurrection, the day that the Lord has set apart as holy. When all things are considered, it is clear that the pattern of setting aside one day for rest and worship out of every seven remains for the people of God. And no, it is not left to us to decide what day it will be. The Christian’s holy day is Sunday, the first day, the Lord’s Day.  It is this day that is to be observed and kept holy unto the Lord as the Christian Sabbath.     

Tenthly, there is a New Testament text that teaches all of this in a very direct way. I’ve referenced it already. It is Hebrews 4:1-13. Lord willing, I will preach through the book of Hebrews someday. Then we will be able to consider this text in detail. For now, I will cite the conclusion to the argument that is developed there: “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God…” (Hebrews 4:9, ESV). The word translated as “Sabbath rest” is σαββατισμός. It refers to a special religiously significant period for rest and worship—‘a Sabbath rest, a period of rest.’” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 651. I believe the meaning is this: the practice of Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God in this New Covenant era.

Our confession is correct in Chapter 22.7: “As it is the law of nature, that in general a proportion of time, by God’s appointment, be set apart for the worship of God, so by his Word, in a positive moral, and perpetual commandment, binding all men, in all ages, he has particularly appointed one day in seven for a sabbath to be kept holy unto him, which from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ was the last day of the week, and from the resurrection of Christ was changed into the first day of the week, which is called the Lord’s Day: and is to be continued to the end of the world as the Christian Sabbath, the observation of the last day of the week being abolished.”

As it pertains to the practice of Sabbath keeping, our confession is also correct in Chapter 22.8: “The sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering their common affairs aforehand, do not only observe an holy rest all day, from their own works, words and thoughts, about their worldly employment and recreations, but are also taken up the whole time in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.”

Conclusion

Why do I, as your pastor, urge you to remeber the Sabbath day and to keep it holy?

One, I am a minister of the word of God, and this is what God’s word teaches. I believe that I will stand before God someday to give an account. I’d like to hear the Lord say, well done good and faithful servant. For a minister to pick and choose what he wants to preach and teach in order to appease his audience is an act of treason against Christ the Lord.

Two, I love God and Christ and wish to see them worshipped. Yes, we are to worship God always as individuals, as families, and in the community each and every day, but one day out of seven is to be set apart as holy. It is a day for solemn rest and holy convocation. Dear brothers and sisters, I long to see you assemble with hearts and minds prepared for worship. 

Three, I do love and care about you and your souls. I’m an convinced that the honoring the Lord’s Day Sabbath as holy is the very best thing for you. Your body needs rest. You soul needs to be refreshed. As the hymn says, we are prone to wander as we walk in this world. The Sabbath day has a way of calling us back to God and Christ, our creator and redeemer.

Dear brothers and sisters, when you treat the Lord’s Day as if it were a common day – when you work unnecessarily, when you devote the day to recreation, when you fail to assemble with the church of God for worship – you do sin against God and profane what is holy. I must exhort you to stop sinning against God, my friends. But I wish to also impress this upon you: when you profane the Sabbath day by treating it as if it were common, you do damage to your own soul and miss out on the great blessing of the Sabbath day. I do love the saying of Jesus found in Mark 2:27: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”, Christ said. This does not mean that the Sabbath is a day for us to do whatever our sinful hearts desire. But it does mean that the Sabbath was instituted by God for our benefit! If is for our good that God commands us to remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy! And it should not be difficult for you to see why it is for our good. The Sabbath day, when properly kept,  has a way of recentering our lives upon God and Christ. It is a day for spiritual nurishment and refreshment. It is also a day that helps us to love one another. Yes, it is a day for worship. But Christ has taught us that it also a day to show mercy and kindness to those in need.  

We will conclude by reading the same passage that was read at the beginning of this sermon: Isaiah 58:13-14: “If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 58:13-14, ESV)