Old Testament Reading: Leviticus 19:9–18

“When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the LORD your God. You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another. You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD. You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor. You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD. You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.” (Leviticus 19:9–18, ESV)

New Testament Reading: 1 Peter 1:22–23

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” (1 Peter 1:22–23, 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.

Sermon

About a month ago, I preached a topical sermon entitled, Church Discipline: A Variety Of Cases And Measures. In my opinion, that was an important sermon, practically speaking, because it helped the members of this church to prepare for a rather difficult members’ meeting wherein we considered and voted on several diverse church discipline cases. 

After I delivered that sermon, and especially after our members’ meeting on August 19, it has been on my mind and heart to deliver another topical sermon on church discipline, but to focus this time, not on the technical or procedural side of things—the variety of cases the church will face and the variety of measures at our disposal—but on the heart. What must be in the hearts of church members and in the hearts of elders when conducting discipline?  Also, I wish to shift our focus away from formal church discipline to what has been called formative church discipline. And so here is the title of the sermon today: Formative Church Discipline: Love One Another Earnestly From A Pure Heart.

Why do I believe there is a need for a sermon like this? First, I will say, it is not because I am aware of any serious problem within our congregation as it pertains to formative church discipline or love. I’m very pleased with the way the members of this church have carried themselves when conducting discipline. When I look out upon this church, I see members committed to the process of discipline with love in their hearts for one another. I’m delivering this sermon today, not because I think we have a problem presently, but to help protect us from a potential error.

As you know, Christ’s churches must practice church discipline in obedience to his revealed will as found in the pages of Holy Scripture. Formal church discipling can take many forms. Depending on the situation, it may involve public censure (or rebuke), suspension, withdrawal, exclusion, or excommunication. I defined these things and discussed when they are appropriate in a previous sermon. But, according to our constitution, “formative church discipline is the church engaged in edifying and disciplining itself in love.” It goes on to say, “It is the responsibility of each member to endeavor to maintain this Christian duty of mutual edification for one another(Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:12-27; Ephesians 4:7-16; I Thessalonians 5:11-14; I Peter 4:10,11). This is done by the use of and submission to the gifts of those both old and young, office bearer and member, which Christ graciously gives to his church” (Article V, Section 3).

I trust you understand what formative church discipline is. It happens continuously in the life of a church, even if you are not thinking of it in these terms. When a preacher preaches, formative church discipline is taking place. When a pastor offers counsel to a member, that’s formative church discipline. When one member encourages or rebukes another member, again, that is formative church discipline. These are all examples of the “edifying and disciplining itself…”    

But the focus of this sermon is not on what formative discipline is, but on how. How, or in what manner, is formative church discipline to be done? The answer is, in love. That is what our constitution says. Hear it again: ​​“formative church discipline is the church engaged in edifying and disciplining itself in love.” Those two words are immensely important. Formative church discipline is always to be done in love. And please do not misunderstand: formal church discipline is to be done in love, too. 

Consider this: While there are only a handful of passages in the Holy Scriptures that teach us about formal church discipline—Matthew 18; 1 Corinthians 5, 1 Timothy 5:20, Titus 3:10, etc—there are many, many passages that insist that Christains have love for one another. 

1 Peter 1:22–23, which was read just a moment ago, is one such passage. The command found in the middle of that text will shape this sermon. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another… earnestly… from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” So the three points of the sermon are as follows: 1) Love one another; 2) Love one another earnestly; 3) Love one another from a pure heart.

Love One Another

First, Christians must love one another. 

Love, the Scriptures tell us, is to be the defining characteristic of a disciple of Jesus. 

Christ said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35, ESV). 

In John 15:17 we hear him say,  “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you… These things I command you, so that you will love one another.” (John 15:12, 17, ESV)

Love must be felt and shown. 

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:1–7, ESV)

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people” (Titus 3:1–2, ESV).

“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 drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24–25, ESV)

Love One Another Earnestly

True love is more than an emotion, but it is not less.  

Love one another earnestly. 

The word rendered “earnestly” pertains to an “unceasing activity, normally involving a degree of intensity and/or perseverance—‘without ceasing, continuously, constantly’” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 655).

Feel love in your heart for each other.

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection” (Romans 12:9–10, ESV).

“Let brotherly love continue.” (Hebrews 13:1, ESV)

“For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 1:8, ESV)

Put on the leading heart virtue of love, as well as the other virtues of the heart that flow from it. 

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” (Colossians 3:12–14, ESV)

Love One Another From A Pure Heart

Our love for one another must issue from a pure heart. 

“Love one another earnestly from a pure heart…”, our text says (1 Peter 1:22, ESV).  

Paul, in 1 Timothy 1:5 says, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5, ESV).

The heart must be kept pure by our obedience to the truth.  

“Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart…” 

We are able to keep the heart pure and to love because of the work of regeneration that God has done in us. 

“Love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God…” (1 Peter 1:22–23, ESV).

Those born of God will love, for God is love. 

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7–8, ESV).

Conclusion

Know that love is not contrary to discipline. 

Consider that God is love, and God disciplines those he loves. 

“And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.’ It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:5–11, ESV)

Consider that every parent who loves their child will discipline them. 

“Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” (Proverbs 13:24, ESV)

Know that discipline cases (especially when they are difficult) can deaden our love for one another. 

“To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: ‘The words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands. “ ‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name’s sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’” (Revelation 2:1–7, ESV)

Know that love is the crucial ingredient to all our endeavors.

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Genesis 3:1-13

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’? And the woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’’ But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ And he said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.’ He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.’ Then the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’” (Genesis 3:1–13, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 22:39-46

“And he came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him. And when he came to the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation.’” (Luke 22:39–46, 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.

Sermon

The passage that is open before us today is well-known and greatly loved. Though Luke does not mention the Garden of Gethsemane by name, as do Matthew and Mark in their Gospels, that is where this scene unfolded. Luke 22:39 says,  “And he [that is, Jesus] came out [of the upper room] and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives [that is, across the brook Kidron (John 18:2) and into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36 and Mark 14:32), and the disciples [the twelve minus Judas] followed him” (Luke 22:39, ESV). 

As you likely know, the man, Jesus Christ, experienced great agony in his soul and body while in that garden. He was strongly tempted to abandon his mission to avoid the suffering that was before him. Nevertheless, he persisted. Through prayer, he overcame and submitted himself to the Father, saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”  

There is so much to learn from this passage. No doubt, we may learn a great deal from Jesus’ example. What should we do when pressed hard with temptation? We ought to follow Jesus’ example and pray. And how should we pray? We must pray like Jesus prayed! He cried out to God the Father, offered his desires up to him, and submitted to him. And we should do the same. But this passage does not only teach us about fighting against temptation through prayer, it also teaches us about Jesus, his person and his work. It would be a shame to jump straight to the practical and to ignore what this passage teaches us about Jesus, for I do believe that was Luke’s main concern. He wants us to see Jesus and to marvel over the wonderful Savior he is. He wants us to know that Jesus was obedient to the Father and faithful to his mission, although the temptation to abandon his mission was very great. 

When I first set out to write this sermon, I thought I would deal with both of these questions: What does this passage teach us about Jesus, his person and work? And what does this passage teach us about resisting temptation through prayer? But as I began to write, I quickly realized that it would be best to devote one sermon to each of these questions. Today, we will consider this passage while asking, What does this text teach us about our Savior, his person and work? Next Sunday, we will take up the question, What do we learn from Jesus’ example as it pertains to fighting against temptation?

Consider The Fiathfulness Of Jesus

To appreciate the faithfulness of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, I think it would be best to compare and contrast him with Adam in the garden of Eden.. 

Consider a few things: 

Like Adam, Jesus was (and is) a man. This should be clear to all given what is revealed about him in the Gospels. He was born of a woman. He grew in stature and wisdom. He was sometimes hungry and thirsty. He was sometimes filled with sorrow and grief. Here in the garden, the true humanity of Jesus is put on full display, isn’t it?

Luke tells us that Jesus had customs or habits. The Greek word is ἔθος. It refers to “a pattern of behavior more or less fixed by tradition…” (Louw and Nida, 506). All humans develop customs or habits. Jesus’ custom was to come to this garden with his disciples. Luke has already told us about this custom. In Luke 21:37, we read,  “And every day he was teaching in the temple, but at night he went out and lodged on the mount called Olivet.” (Luke 21:37, ESV). And John reports the same in his Gospel, saying, “When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples” (John 18:1–2, ESV).

Luke also tells us that Jesus prayed. He was a man of prayer. After speaking to his disciples, saying, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40, ESV), he went and prayed, so that he would not succumb to the temptation. Luke says, “And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed…” (Luke 22:41, ESV). Have you ever wondered why Jesus needed to pray? If it is true that he is the eternal Son of God incarnate, why did he need to pray to God? He prayed because he was truly human. Yes, Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the eternal, Triune God. But in Jesus the Son, we must never forget, assumed a true human nature. Jesus has a true human body. And Jesus has a true human soul (a mind, a will, and affections or emotions). It was as a true man that Jesus prayed. And when he prayed, he prayed with the entirety of his human nature.  

Notice his bodily posture. Luke tells us that he “knelt down.” Jesus honored God with his body. 

And as it pertains to his soul, notice that Jesus prayed with his human mind or intellect. He spoke to God, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.” 

What cup was Jesus referring to? The cup is clearly metaphorical. It symbolized the experience he was about to endure. To drink a cup, metaphorically speaking, is to experience something. In this case, the “cup” that Jesus was about to “drink” was a cup us suffering. 

Have you ever wondered how Jesus knew that he would soon have to endure great suffering to accomplish the mission God had given to him? I suppose we may say that he knew it because he was the person of the eternal Son of God incarnate! But do not forget what Jesus said to his disciples in the previous passage. In Luke 22:37, Jesus speaks to them, saying, “For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’ For what is written about me has its fulfillment’” (Luke 22:37, ESV). This, it must be remembered, is a quotation from Isaiah 53, which is a prophecy about the sufferings the Messiah would endure. It says things like this: 

“He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows… But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed… like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt… Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53, ESV).

Though it may be that Jesus knew what he was about to endure by means of his divine personhood and nature, it is also true that the Scriptures revealed what he would soon endure, for the Scriptures spoke of the sufferings of the Messiah ahead of time, and the man Jesus Christ knew the Scriptures. He knew (via his human mind) that his body would soon be pierced and crushed unto death, and his soul would endure unimaginable anguish and grief as he bore the sins of many to make atonement for them. The Scriptures revealed this about the sufferings of the Messiah, and the man Jesus knew that he was the Messiah. He used his mind as he prayed. He knew that the sufferings described in Isaiah 53 would have their fulfilment, and that they would be fulfilled by him very soon. And so he prayed, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me.” 

Jesus also prayed with his human emotions. Emotions are implied in verse 42. It’s hard to imagine Jesus saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me” in an emotionless way. But Luke speaks of Jesus’ emotions directly in verse 44, saying, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly…” The word agonony refers to “a state of great mental and emotional grief and anxiety—‘anguish, intense sorrow’” (Louw and Nida, 318). The phrase “more earnestly” communicates that there was prologued intensity in Jesus’ prayer. Friends, God does not have changing emotions or passions, but human beings do. And Jesus was (and is) truly human. He prayed with great emotional intensity in the garden. 

Jesus also engaged his human will as he prayed. The will is that part of the soul that chooses to think, speak, or do something.  And pay attention to this: When Christ prayed to the Father in the garden, he submitted his human will to the divine will, “saying, ‘Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done’” (Luke 22:42, ESV). 

As I have said, the full humanity of Jesus Christ was put on full display there in the garden of Gethsemane. Just as Adam was (and is) a man, so too Jesus was (and is) a man. Just as Adam was present in the garden of Eden, body and soul, so too Jesus was present in Gethsemane, body and soul.  And just as Adam was tempted in the Garden of Eden, so too was Jesus tempted in Gethsemane. 

That Jesus was tempted in Gethsemane should be clear to all. He was hard pressed and very distressed. Clearly, Jesus was dreading the suffering that was before him and longed for a way out, humanly speaking.  

Here is a question. Was it possible for Jesus to abandon his mission? In other words, theoretically speaking, was it possible for Jesus to run away from the cross and not submit his human will to the divine will? We must say, no. I’ll give you three reasons why Jesus couldn’t fail his mission, beginning with the least and moving to the greatest.

First of all, notice the support that the man Jesus received from heaven. Luke tells us that “there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43, ESV). Yet again, Luke reminds us of the spiritual world and the battle that rages there over the souls of men. Satan was intensely active in those days. He led Judas astray. He wished to have all of the disciples of Jesus so that he might sift them as wheat, but Jesus interceded for them (Luke 22:31). No doubt, Satan wished to destroy Jesus. Do not forget what Luke said in 4:13. After Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness at the start of his public ministry, Luke tells us, “And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time” (Luke 4:13, ESV). The battle between Satan and Jesus was clearly coming to a head. And so the evil one pressed the man Jesus hard in the garden. But all of heaven was behind Jesus and for his success.  Again, Luke reports, “there appeared to [Jesus] an angel from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:43, ESV).

Secondly, we must not forget that the man Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit and with power. Luke told us about this anointing in 3:22. At the time of Jesus’ baptism, “the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased’” (Luke 3:22, ESV). Peter stressed this anointing of the Holy Spirit in his preaching. In Acts 10:38, we hear Peter say that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power.” And that “He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38, ESV). The Holy Spirit anointed Jesus and filled him with the power necessary for his work.

Thirdly, and most significantly,  it was the person of the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, that was acting through the human nature of Jesus Christ. A person is a subject who acts through a nature. You are I share this in common: We have human natures—that is, we have human bodies and human souls consisting of a mind, affections, and will. What distinguishes us from one another? We are different persons acting through the particular human bodies and souls that God has given to us. We share the “what” in common, but we differ as it pertains to the “who”. What is Jesus? He is a human. But who is Jesus? Who is the person of Jesus of Nazareth? Who is the subject acting through that particular human being? He is the person of the eternal Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity. That is who Jesus is. He is the Son of God. And because the divine nature cannot be divide from the divine person of the Son, we confess that in Jesus, “ two whole, perfect, and distinct natures were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion; which person is very God and very man, yet one Christ, the only mediator between God and man.”  In the man Jesus, it is the person of the Son of God who acts. Therefore, it was impossible for Jesus to abandon his mission and to fail. For Jesus to succumb to temptation and to rebel against the will of the Father would require that the person of the eternal Son of God rebel against the will of the Father, and that cannot be, for the will of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is one. 

Now, some may wonder, if Jesus couldn’t sin because he was supported by heaven, anointed with the Holy Spirit beyond measure, and is the person of the eternal Son of God incarnate, then was the temptation he endured genuine? Yes, it was genuine. Jesus was genuinely tempted as a human being. His human mind was troubled by the sufferings he would soon endure, his human emotions were truly overwhelmed by his circumstances, and the resolve of his human will was tested. So intense was the temptation in his soul, even his body was affected. Luke reports that so great was the agony of Jesus’ soul, that “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44, ESV). This condition actually has a name. It is called hematidrosis. One source says it is a very rare “medical condition that can be caused by extreme stress, anxiety, or physical exertion. When capillaries (tiny blood vessels) in the sweat glands rupture, red blood cells can leak into the sweat, causing it to appear bloody.” This, it seems, is what happened to Jesus’ body. So great was his stress, so intense was his angst, “his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44, ESV). Was the temptation Jesus endured genuine? Yes, indeed.  And so the writer to the Hebrews says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15, ESV).

Not only was the temptation Jesus endured genuine, but it was also much greater than the temptation endured by Adam in the garden. 

Consider this: both Adam and Jesus were tempted to rebel against God’s revealed will for them, but God’s will for Adam was different from God’s will for Jesus. Jesus’ mission was much more difficult. Adam was called to actively obey God’s law in paradise. This he was to do perfectly and perpetually for a period of time (theologians refer to this as a probationary period). And after actively obeying God’s law, he would have been permitted to eat of the tree of life, that is to say, he would have entered into life in glory. Compare and contrast this God’s will for Jesus. Jesus also had to actively obey God’s law. He had to keep all of God’s commandments, not only the moral law, but the many positive laws of the Old Covenant. And this he had to do, not in paradise, but in a world fallen in sin and filled with temptation. More than this, Jesus was also called to passively obey God by submitting himself to suffering—suffering throughout his life, and especially suffering on the cross. Do not forget what Jesus had just said to his disciples. Isaiah 53 has its fulfilment! And Jesus knew that he would be the one to endure the suffering that is described there. His body would be crushed, and his soul would experience the agony of death as he would bear the sins of many to make atonement for their sins before God. Never was Adam asked to do anything like this. The weight that Jesus was called to bear was much greater than the weight Adam was called to bear, and so the temptation to turn away was greater, too. 

Secondly, we should compare and contrast the fight that Adam put up in the garden when temptation came and the fight that Jesus put up. Adam hardly resisted at all. Adam’s fall into sin is described in one brief line: “and she also gave some [of the forbidden fruit] to her husband who was with her, and he ate” (Genesis 3:6, ESV). There is no indication that Adam agonized over this decision. There was no resistance; there was no fight. But Jesus resisted temptation all the days of his life. He resisted while in the wilderness at the start of his public ministry, throughout the days of his public ministry, and especially here in Gethsemane, on the night before he would go to the cross. 

Jesus endured genuine temptation in Gethsemane. And the temptation he endured was greater than the temptation endured by any man who has ever lived, for Jesus endured through to the end. He endured, resisted, and emerged victorious, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42, ESV).

 There is one last comparison to be made between Adam and Jesus. These two men are unique in that they lived as federal heads or representatives of others. Adam represented the human race in the Covenant of Works, and Jesus represented those given to him by the Father in eternity in the Covenant of Grace. With both of these men, success would mean success for all and failure would mean failure for all of whom they represented. We know that Adam failed, and Jesus succeeded, and this is why the Apostle says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22, ESV).

As we consider Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, it is important that we view him not as an individual man, but as one who represented others. He endured the temptation for those given to him by the Father. This is why the Apostle speaks of Jesus as” the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV). What was the joy set before Jesus? It was the reward of his obedience, namely, the redemption of the elect—even the redemption of all creation. You may go back to Isaiah 53 and see that the Messiah was destined to suffer and die for others. He was to suffer and die for his spiritual offspring. He was to suffer and die to atone for sin, to bear the sins of many, and to make many righteous. How important it is that we view Jesus as a covenantal head or representative of others in Gethsemane and on the cross. 

Conclusion

I’ll conclude now with a few brief suggestions for application. 

Firstly, it is not uncommon to hear preachers emphasize the deity of Christ, and that is a very good and important thing to do! I wish to emphasize his humanity today! Christ Jesus, our Savior and King, was and is a true man. We must think of him as such. The Messiah indeed had to be God with us, for no mere man could do the work required for our salvation. But it is equally true that the Messiah had to be truly human, for, as the ancients have said, what is not assumed is not healed or redeemed. To heal and to redeem human beings, the Messiah had to be one. That Jesus was and is truly human is seen clearly in the Garden of Gethsemane. I would urge you to reflect upon his humanity today. 

Secondly, as you think upon the man Jesus Christ, ponder how he suffered in body and soul to redeem us body and soul. He suffered, died, and rose again bodily so that he might raise us bodily. And he endured great temptation and agony in his soul and was found faithful. Consider what Jesus endured in his human mind, his affections, and in his human will. He was tempted and found faithful in every part of his human nature so that he might redeem and heal us bodily. As I said in the introduction to this sermon, there are many practical things to learn from Jesus’ example in the garden. This we will do next Sunday, Lord willing. But before I say, do this in imitation of Jesus, I think it is important to say, look at what Jesus has done for you in obedience to the Father. 

Thirdly, as you think upon the man Jesus and consider his temptation and all that he suffered, remember that he is a faithful high priest who is able to sympathize with you in your temptations and sufferings. As the Apostle has famously said, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16, ESV). That is my final point of application, knowing that Jesus was tempted as we are tempted, and that he suffered more than any of us have ever suffered, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15–16, ESV). 

Baptist Catechism 101

Q. 101. What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?

A. It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Acts 2:46,47; Acts 9:26; 1 Peter 2:5; Heb. 10:25; Rom. 16:5)

Scripture Reading: Romans 16:1–15

“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well. Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well. Greet also the church in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in Asia. Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my beloved Stachys. Greet Apelles, who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the family of Aristobulus. Greet my kinsman Herodion. Greet those in the Lord who belong to the family of Narcissus. Greet those workers in the Lord, Tryphaena and Tryphosa. Greet the beloved Persis, who has worked hard in the Lord. Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother, who has been a mother to me as well. Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas, and the brothers who are with them. Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.” (Romans 16:1–15, 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.

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So why have I tortured myself with the task of reading all of these unfamiliar and hard-to-pronounce names that are found at the end of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome? The reason I’ve done this is to remind you that those who have faith in Christ are to be baptized and join themselves to churches. These names are names of real people who believed in Christ, were baptized upon their profession of faith, and were members of the church in Rome. Isn’t that awesome to think about? These hard-to-pronounce names represent people — real people, who lived real lives, a long, long time ago. They lived in a very different time and place from the time and place we live in today, but we share this in common—our faith in Christ, our baptism, and our membership in Christ’s church. They were members of the church in Rome. They heard the Word read and preached there, and they celebrated the Lord’s Supper there, much in the same way that you and I do in this place today. 

The question that we are considering from our catechism today reminds us of the same thing. Those who have faith in Christ are to be baptized, and those who are baptized are to join themselves to a local church where they will be taught to obey all that Christ has commanded us. 

Let’s consider question 101 of the baptism catechism piece by piece. First, the question: “What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?” In other words, what are those who are baptized to do?

That is a really important question. Baptism is to be applied near the beginning of the Christian life. It marks one’s entrance into the kingdom of God and shows that we are partakers of the Covenant of Grace. It should be applied not long after someone makes a credible profession of faith. So baptism is applied at the beginning of the Christian life… but what then?

Our catechism is right to say that “[i]t is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ…

What does “particular” mean in this context? Here, “particular” refers to a local, or visible, church. 

Is there such a thing as the universal, or catholic, church? Yes, of course, there is. When we speak of the universal church, we are speaking of all who have (and have had) true faith in Christ throughout the world. The universal church is sometimes called the invisible church because we cannot see it with our eyes. God sees it, but we cannot. The universal church cannot assemble on earth. It assembles in heaven now, spiritually speaking. And it will assemble for all eternity in the new heavens and earth after Christ returns. But it cannot assemble on earth today, for the universal church is too large, and it is separated by geographical distance, not to mention language and culture. When a person places their faith in Christ, they are automatically joined to this universal and invisible church by virtue of their Spirit-wrought union with Christ.

But that is not the church that our catechism is talking about. No, our catechism teaches that the one who has faith in Christ ought to join themselves to a particular church—a local church, a visible church—consisting of officers and members. It is here, in local churches, that the Word of God is read and preached and Sacraments are administered as the church assembles each Lord’s Day. That is what the word “particular” means in this context. 

You know, as you read the New Testament, you’ll find that references to particular, local churches are everywhere. You just need to look for them. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John were to be circulated amongst the churches, and they contain instructions for life in the church. The book of Acts is all about the local church. We hear of churches being planted, of elders and deacons, and of members. Most of Paul’s letters were written either to local churches —churches in Rome, Ephesus, Colossi, etc.—or to men who were serving as ministers within these churches. Even the book of Revelation was addressed to seven particular churches in Asia Minor. 

The topic of the local church is so pervasive in the NT that it is really hard to imagine the Christian faith being practiced apart from it… and yet so many in our day and age neglect membership in a local church. Many claim to love Jesus, but they want nothing to do with the church. These seem to have forgotten that Jesus did not merely die for them individually—no, he laid down his life for the church. It is the church, and not you and me as individuals, that he calls his bride (see Eph 5:25ff.).

So, we must acknowledge that this is what the Scriptures call us to do. After believing in Christ, we are to be baptized. And having been baptized, we are to join ourselves to a particular church.

Notice also the word “orderly”. “It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ…” An orderly church is ordered (organized) according to the Scriptures. No church is perfect. But a church that is well-ordered will have officers and members. The Scriptures will be faithfully taught there, and the Sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper will be faithfully administered. And lastly, an orderly church will be disciplined. And by this I mean that the church—its elders and members together—will be faithful to do what is commanded in Matthew 18 and described is 1 Corinthians 5. Those who are struggling with sin will be lovingly and patiently called to repentance, and those who persist in sin will, in an orderly manner, be removed from the church.  

Again, “orderly” means properly ordered. And properly ordered implies that there is a standard to which we are to conform.  I’m afraid that many churches have forgotten this. So many take it upon themselves to decide how they should “do church”, but that is not our place. Some decisions are naturally left to us, but our main concern should be to conform ourselves to the order prescribed by Christ which is found in the Scriptures.

The words “give up themselves” are also important. “Church” is not a service to attend, but a body to join. Are you following me? When someone joins a church they make a commitment to that congregation, and the congregation makes a commitment to them. And what is that commitment? Well, in brief, we commit to be the church together, to assemble for worship, to receive the word together, to partake of the ordinances, and to do, and even be subject to, discipline. When someone joins a church they make a commitment to love the members of that congregation, and they receive a commitment to be loved. The Scriptures teach that new members are to be received (Romans 14:1), and that does imply some formality. Please remember this: Christains are not merely to attend church, as if attending a conference, or worse yet, a concert or comedy club. Christians are to give themselves up to a local church. They are to entrust themselves to the elders, deacons, and members of that church, and they themselves are to endeavor to use whatever gifts God has given to them for the building up of the body of Christ in that place, for we are all members one of another (Romans 12:5).

Lastly, our catechism says, “that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.”

The Christian life is a walk. It is a journey. Where we end up matters more than where we begin. And Christians are to walk with others. They are to walk by faith in the church. And in this walk, we are to be concerned with keeping the commandments of God. Remember what Jesus said when he commissioned his disciples?  “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV). One of the primary responsibilities of the church, with elders at the lead, is to teach Christians to observe all that Christ has commanded them. This is a process. Sometimes it is a difficult process. We must be patient and kind towards one another. 

God’s commands are to be obeyed, and Christ’s ordinances are to be kept. Here we are to think primarily of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. 

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Conclusion

Q. 101. What is the duty of such who are rightly baptized?

A. It is the duty of those who are rightly baptized to give up themselves to some particular and orderly church of Jesus Christ, that they may walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. (Acts 2:46,47; Acts 9:26; 1 Peter 2:5; Heb. 10:25; Rom. 16:5)