Old Testament Reading: Zechariah 13:7

“‘Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.’” (Zechariah 13:7, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 22:54-62

“Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’ And a little later someone else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not.’ And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:54–62, 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

It is remarkable that this story about Peter’s denial of Jesus is archived for us in the pages of Holy Scripture. I say it is remarkable because societies do not typically highlight the failures and shortcomings of their beloved leaders. Peter, it must be remembered, was not just one of the twelve disciples of Jesus; he was the leader of the Apostolic band. He was the leader before he denied his beloved Savior, and he would be a leader afterwards, too. And yet the writers of Holy Scripture did not hide this blemish. Instead, they, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, recorded it for the benefit of the people of God.

By the way, this is one piece of evidence that the Holy Scriptures are the inspired word of God. The Scriptures do not hide the warts and blemishes of the faithful, but rather expose them. Think of the stories of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and King David. God used these men in mighty ways to usher in God’s eternal kingdom. Some of them write Scripture. And yet they were sinners. Their sins are not hidden, but exposed. 

No doubt, one reason the Scriptures highlight the failures and sins of men like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter is to show that these men—as great as they were—were not the Savior.

Jesus of Nazareth is the Savior that God has provided. These men were used mightily by God to prepare the way for him and to exalt his name, but they were mere men. Like us, they were sinners in need of a Savior. Like us, they were saved by the grace of God through faith in the promised Messiah, Jesus Christ the Lord. 

Luke is not the only Gospel writer to record this incident wherein Peter denied his Savior on the night he was betrayed, the night before the day of his crucifixion. The other three Gospels contain this story too (Matthew 26:57-66; Mark 14:53-64; John 18:15-27). The Holy Spirit obviously wants us to learn from Peter’s denial of Jesus. I do believe there are lessons to be learned by us individually and also as the New Covenant community, that is to say, the church.

All four Gospels present the story of Peter’s denial of Jesus immediately after the story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The reason for this is obvious. The one event happened right after the other. First, Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and then Peter denied Jesus with his mouth. But it seems to me that Judas and Peter are meant to be compared and contrasted. Both men did something terrible. Both men turned their backs on King Jesus. But the sin of Judas was of a kind than the sin of Peter, I do believe there is much to learn from this observation.  

Peter Denied His Savior In A Moment Of Weakness, Whereas Judas Betrayed The Savior In A Premeditated, Coldhearted, And Calculated Way

As we compare and contrast the sins of Peter and Judas, it is apparent, first of all, that Peter denied his Savior in a moment of weakness, whereas Judas betrayed the Savior in a premeditated, cold-hearted, and calculated way. Both acts were sinful, but the sin of Judas was a different degree. His was a high-handed sin. It was an act of premeditated rebellion against God and Christ. Peter, however, stumbled badly when severely tempted.

Let us think of Judas for a moment. 

The Scriptures reveal that Christ knew all along that his heart was not true. In John 6:64, we hear Christ speak to his disciples, saying, “But there are some of you who do not believe.” And then John explains, “For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him” (John 6:64, ESV). Though Judas was numbered amongst the followers of Jesus Christ, his heart was never true, and Jesus knew it. 

Furthermore, we know that Judas thought about what he would do to betray Jesus well in advance. It was back in Luke 22:3 that we read these words: “Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was of the number of the twelve. He went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers how he might betray him to them. And they were glad, and agreed to give him money. So he consented and sought an opportunity to betray him to them in the absence of a crowd” (Luke 22:3–6, ESV). Notice how calculating Judas was. He thought about what he would do. He conferred with the chief priests and officers. He consented to their proposal. Finally, he looked for an opportunity to follow through on his plan. Judas’s act of betrayal was premeditated. 

Finally, consider how cold-hearted Judas was toward Jesus when he betrayed him. The sign the Judas chose to identify Jesus with was a kiss. In Matthew 26:48 we read, “Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, ‘The one I will kiss is the man; seize him’” (Matthew 26:48, ESV). Some other sign could have been chosen. But that Judas chose the sign of a kiss shows how cold-hearted he was. He was not bashful or ashamed about what he would do, and so he was willing to approach Jesus, look him in the eyes, and even to kiss him, and in this way, betray him to his enemies. The cold-heartedness and shamelessness of Judas were not lost on Jesus. When Judas approached him to betray him in the garden, Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48, ESV). Clearly, Judas’ heart was far from Jesus and devoid of love for him. 

Contrast this now with Peter’s sin. 

Peter did not plan to deny Jesus. To the contrary, after Jesus predicted that Peter would deny him, saying, “‘Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me’” (Luke 22:31–34, ESV). I do believe that Peter meant what he said in this moment—“Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.” True, he was self-confident. True, he was likely puffed up with pride. But one thing is clear: he did not intend to deny Jesus. In fact, he was committed in his mind and heart to remain by his side, even if it would cost him his freedom or even his life.  

Furthermore, Peter did follow Jesus and, in doing so, put himself at risk of imprisonment or death. In Luke 22:54 we read, “Then they seized [Jesus] and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, ‘This man also was with him.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘Woman, I do not know him.’ And a little later, someone else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I am not.’ And after an interval of about an hour, still another insisted, saying, ‘Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.’ But Peter said, ‘Man, I do not know what you are talking about.’ And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed” (Luke 22:54–60, ESV). Very soon, we will talk about Peter’s sin and what led to it. But for now, I am drawing your attention to the fact that Peter did begin to follow through on his earlier commitment, proving that it was the true intention of his heart. “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death”, he said. And when they seized Jesus and led him away, Peter followed at a distance. More than this, Peter remained in enemy territory for some time before succumbing to the temptation. 

And what was the temptation that Peter gave in to? When hard pressed, he gave in to the fear of man. He began to care supremely, not about what God and Christ thought of him, but of what others thought. He began to care supremely, not about his devotion to Christ and his Kingdom, but his own comfort. He began to care supremely, not about life everlasting, preserving his life in here in this world.  

No doubt, it must have been very nerve-racking and intimidating for Peter as he lingered there as a disciple of Jesus in the courtyard of the high priest. These people were very powerful. They hated Jesus, and it was clear that they were about to do him harm. If Peter was discovered, harm could be done to him too—or so he thought. And so, fearing man, he began to waver and to pull back from his devotion to Jesus, even denying him three times with his lips. 

[[It is interesting to consider that Peter would do something similar later in his life.  Pauls says, “But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, ‘If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?’” (Galatians 2:11–14, ESV)]]

Judas’s sin was premeditated. Peter’s was not. Therefore, although Peter’s denial of Christ was an awful sin, Judas’s sin was worse.

Question 88 of our catechism is interesting. It asks, Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous? In other words, are all sins the same in the sight of God? I’ve heard people say that they are. Though I agree that all sin is sin and that all sin renders the one who committed the sin a sinner in God’s sight, I agree with the answer or catechism gives. A: Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. (Ezekiel 8:13; John 19:11; 1

So then, some sins are, in themselves, more heinous in God’s sight than others. Though these two sins are related, the sin of murder is clearly more heinous in God’s sight than the sin of harboring hatred in your heart towards someone. When it comes to the sins committed by Judas and Peter, I think we can say that the sin of betraying Jesus into the hands of his enemies to be killed was more heinous than the sin of denying Jesus.  Both were sins. And both were terrible sins. But the one sin was more heinous than the other.

Our catechism also teaches that some sins, by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others. What does this mean? To aggravate is to make a situation worse. What are some of the factors that aggravate the heinousness of a particular sin?

Benjamin Beddome explores this question in his book, A Scriptural Exposition Of The Baptist Catechism. 

For example, he asks, “Do sins receive their aggravations from the persons offending? Yes. My people is risen up as an enemy, Micah 2:8. Are the sins of old persons more heinous than those of others? Yes. See what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, Ezekiel 8:12. And of ministers? Yes. Both the prophet and the priest are profane, Jeremiah 23:11. And of magistrates? Yes. He shall give Israel up because of Jeroboam who did sin, 1 Kings 14:16. And of eminent professors? Yes. Of whom is Hymeneus and Alexander, 1 Timothy 1:20.” A little later he asks, “Doth presumption aggravate sin? Yes. The soul that doth aught presumptuously reproacheth the Lord, Numbers 15:30. And knowledge? Yes. To him that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to him it is sin, James 4:17. And reproof? Yes. He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck shall be suddenly destroyed, Proverbs 29:1. And perseverance in sin? Yes. He went on frowardly in the way of his heart, Isalah 57:17.”

As has been said, Judas’s sin was presumptuous. He brazenly betrayed Jesus. He knew full well what he was doing. He planned it all out and he persisted in it. Peter’s sin, though it was similar to Judas’s, lacked these aggravating factors, and so the sin, though still awful, was less heinous in the sight of God. 

If it sounds like I’m trying to excuse or minimize Peter’s sin, that’s not my intention. Making these distinctions is beneficial. 

One, to warn sinners against committing high-handed, premeditated, cold-hearted, and calculated sins, like the one committed by Judas. To give the appearance that you are for Jesus outwardly, but to be against him or apathetic towards him inwardly in your mind and heart, is a very evil and dangerous thing.

Two, when we compare and contrast the sins of Judas and Peter, we are better able to understand Peter’s sin and the causes that led to his stumbling. 

It seems there was a progression.

The Scriptures indicate that Peter had pride in his heart. No doubt, he was involved in, and perhaps even at the center of, that dispute between the disciples over who was the greatest (Luke 22:24)

Connected to this, it seems that Peter was also self-confident. After Jesus foretold that he would stumble, Peter did not cry out to Christ for mercy and assistance, but said, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death” (Luke 22:33, ESV).

I do not forget that Peter was negligent in prayer. When Jesus entered the garden of Gethsemane, he commanded his disciples, saying, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:40, ESV). Jesus went away to pray, and when he returned, he found his disciples “sleeping for sorrow, and he said to them, ‘Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation’” (Luke 22:45–46, ESV).

Furthermore, Peter demonstrated that his mind was set on the things of this world and that he trusted in the strength of his flesh. When the enemies of Christ approached, he struck with the sword (Luke 22:50).

Peter did show courage when he followed Jesus after he was taken captive, but the text also says that he followed at a distance (Luke 22:54). Dear brothers and sisters, our walk with Jesus must always be close. To follow him at a distance is a dangerous thing. 

Finally, when Peter was in the courtyard of the high priest, he began to show that the fear of man was in his heart. Three times, he was identified as a potential disciple of Jesus, and three times he denied it, out of fear that he would suffer for his association with his Savior.

We distinguish between the sins of Judas and Peter, not to excuse Peter’s sin, but to better understand it so that we might learn from it. Was Peter’s faith true? Yes. Did Peter have a genuine love for Jesus in his heart? Yes. But weakness and corruptions remained within him. Peter needed to be humbled. He needed to learn not to rely upon himself or the strength of his flesh, but on Christ. He needed to learn that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world, but is heavenly and eternal. No doubt, this was a very low moment in Peter’s life—perhaps the lowest—but the Lord willed to refine Peter through this experience. 

Dear brothers and sisters, examine yourselves in the light of Peter’s sin and the progression that led to it. Ask yourself, are these weaknesses and corruptions that were in Peter in me? If you look inward and find pride, self-confidence, slackness, or sleepiness in prayer, worldly mindedness, a distant walk with Jesus, or the fear of man, turn from these sins. It seems to me that it is better to humble yourself before God than to have to be humbled by him.   

When Jesus Looked At Peter, He Was Filled With Sorrow;
When Jesus Looked At Judas, He Felt No Shame

That Peter’s heart was vastly different from Judas’s heart is seen most clearly in the way the two men responded when Jesus set his gaze upon them. When Jesus looked at Peter, he was filled with sorrow; when Jesus looked at Judas, he felt no shame.

We have already considered Judas in Gathsemany. When Jesus looked at Judas in the garden and spoke to him, saying, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Luke 22:48, ESV), Judas was not phased. He proceeded to deliver the kiss of betrayal just as he had planned. 

But Luke tells us that when Peter was “still speaking [his words of denial], the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly” (Luke 22:60–62, ESV).

Jesus did not say anything to Peter. He did not need to. There was a sermon contained within his gaze, and Peter heard it. That look from Jesus—I imagine it was an intense, sorrowful, and compassionate look—brought to mind what Jesus had said previously: “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” It was then that Peter came to his senses as the Holy Spirit of God brought conviction to his soul.

And that it was true convention that Peter felt is proven by two things. 

One, Peter wept over his sin. By this I do not mean to suggest that conviction must always cause us to weep if it is to be deemed true. No, we will not always weep when the Holy Spirit convicts us concerning our sin, but we will grieve over our sin ( 2 Corinthians 7:9–11). Friend, if you are able to sin against God and you are not grieved by it, this indicates that something is very wrong with your soul. How can someone who has been born again of the Holy Spirit of God sin and not care? If this is the condition of your soul, you must cry out to God for mercy. Ask him for the new birth. Or ask him to make your hard, calloused heart soft again.   

Two, that this was true conviction that came upon Peter is proven by his actions. Peter went out and wept bitterly, and then he turned from his sin to Christ again. 

Peter Repented And Was Restored, Whereas Judas Persisted In Sin And Was Destroyed

Peter repented and was restored, whereas Judas persisted in his sin and was destroyed. 

Jesus prophesied that Peter would return after his failure. “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31–32, ESV).

It is only in John’s gospel that we find the story of Peter’s repentance and restoration by the risen Christ. In John 21, we learn that Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection by the Sea of Tiberias. He spoke to them, saying, “‘Come and have breakfast.’ Now none of the disciples dared ask him, ‘Who are you?’ They knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and so with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus was revealed to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, ‘Follow me’” (John 21:1–19, ESV).

Luke has his own way of telling us about Peter’s repentance and restoration. Peter is mentioned one more time in Luke’s Gospel. In Luke 24:12 Luke reports that Peter, after hearing the report of the empty tomb of Jesus, “rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened” (Luke 24:12, ESV). More than this, Luke, in his second volume—the Book of Acts—tells us all about the faithful and fruitful ministry of Peter. Interestingly, Peter’s first words recorded in the book of Acts have to do with Judas. Acts 1:15 says, “In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120) and said, ‘Brothers, the Scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who became a guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.’ (Now this man acquired a field with the reward of his wickedness, and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their own language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ‘For it is written in the Book of Psalms, ‘May his camp become desolate, and let there be no one to dwell in it’; and  ‘Let another take his office.’” (Acts 1:15–20, ESV)

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, I pray that this sermon would have a sobering effect on you. 

We have considered the sins of Judas and Peter today, not only to learn about these men and what they have done, but to learn from them so that we might examine our own souls to see if there is anything Judas-like, or Peter-like, in us. Are you in any way like Judas? Are you in any way like Peter? If so, cry out to God for mercy and grace. Turn from your sin and turn to Christ Jesus. 

And do not forget how merciful, gracious, and kind he is. When Jesus fixed his gaze upon Peter in the courtyard, it was not an angry look that he gave. No, it was intensely sorrowful, compassionate, and kind. Peter has sinned grievously, and yet he loved his Savior, and he knew that his Savior loved him. 

It may be that the Lord Jesus is fixing his gaze upon you today to call you to repentance and faith. After you grieve over your sin, run quickly to Jesus just as Peter did. When Peter heard that the tobt was empty, he rose and ran to it, hoping to find his Savior. And when He saw the risen Christ on the shore of the Sea of Tiberias, Peter threw himself into the sea, swam to him, and ran to him (John 21:4-8).  

Turn from your sins, and run to Jesus, “For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption” (Psalm 130:7, ESV).

Baptist Catechism 106

Q. 106. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

A. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, but the special rule of direction is that prayer; which Christ taught His disciples, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer. (Matt. 6:9-13; 2 Tim. 3:16,17)

Scripture Reading: Philippians 1:3-11

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” (Philippians 1:3–11, 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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Q. 106. What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?

1. The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer…
   1. The scriptures are filled with examples of prayers.
   2. The scriptures teach us about God, his will, his plans, his purposes.
   3. The scriptures teach us about ourselves and our neediness before God. 
2. But the special rule of direction is that prayer…
   1. “Rule of direction” means pattern or procedure. 
   2. The Lord’s Prayer may be recited word for word, but it is meant to be used as a guide, pattern, or procedure. 
3. [W]hich Christ taught His disciples, commonly called the Lord’s Prayer.
   1. The Lord’s Prayer is a traditional title for this prayer. 
   2. It is called the Lord’s Prayer, not because Christ prayed it himself, but because it is the prayer that Christ taught his disciples to pray. 

The Lord’s Prayer is found in Matthew 6:5-15. It consists of a preface, six petitions, and a conclusion. 

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. 

In this manner, therefore, pray: 

Our Father in heaven, 

Hallowed be Your name. 

Your kingdom come. 

Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. 

And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. 

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 

For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:5–15, NKJV)

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Conclusion

1. There was a traitor amongst the twelve disciples of Jesus. How should we interpret this? How could this be? (see John 13:10-11)
2. What does this passage teach us about the nature of Christ’s kingdom? How will it advance? How should Christians treat their enemies? 
3. Earlier, Christ commanded his disciples to get swords for themselves and said that two would suffice (Luke 22:35-38). What does this passage teach us about the way in which disciples of Jesus should or should not use swords? May Christians defend themselves? May Christains serve as police officers or soldiers? Should the church use the sword to advance its cause? What should the church do if persecution comes?
4. Why did Christ submit himself to the darkness?
5. How do you plan to apply this text and the sermon that was preached?

Baptist Catechism 105

Q. 105. What is Prayer?

A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies. 

Scripture Reading: Philippians 4:4–9

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:4–9, 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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Introduction 

We are now enetering the very last section of our catechim. Questions 105—114 are about prayer. 

Don’t you love how our catechism concludes on a practical note? Our catechism is filled with rich doctrine. All doctrine is practical, by they way. You just have to ask the question, so what?, and put a little effort into answering that question. But our catechism explicitly practical in the end.

Questions 90 asks, What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin? In other words, what must we do? A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.

That’s practical! The questions that follow teach us about faith, repentance, and the means of grace—the Word of God read and preached, Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, prayer. These are the things that followers of Jesus Christ are to do, practically speaking. They are to go on believing in Jesus and repenting of their sins. They are to be Baptized. They are to join themselves to a properly ordered church, wherein the will hear the Word of God read and preached, partake of the Supper, and pray. And they themselves are to pray.

As I have said, the last portion of our catechism is about prayer. In questions 105, prayer is defined. What is prayer? The answer our catechism gives is beautiful. It consists of seven parts. 

First, and most fundamentally, prayer is an offering up of our desires to God. 

“Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8, ESV)

Secondly, our catechism says, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. 

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” (Romans 8:26, ESV)

Thirdly, we are taught to pray for things agreeable to [God’s] will. 

“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.” (1 John 5:14, ESV)

“And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:27, ESV)

Consider his revealed will and pray according to it. 

Consider his hidden will and submit to it in prayer – Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done. 

Fourthly, our catechim teaches us to pray in the name of Christ. 

“In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.” (John 16:23, ESV)

To pray in the name of Christ is to come to God in him, through him, and for his names’ sake. 

Fifthly, we find the word, believing. 

“And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”” (Matthew 21:22, ESV)

“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:6–8, ESV)

Sixthly, we are instructed to pray, with confession of our sins. 

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him.’” (Psalm 32:5–6, ESV)

“I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, ‘O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.’” (Daniel 9:4–5, ESV)

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8–9, ESV)

Seventhly, we  must remember to pray with thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.  

“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:5–6, ESV)

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Conclusion

Soon, our catechism will present the Lord’s Prayer to us a model or pattern for prayer. The Lord’s Prayer is made up of six petitions and a conclusion. We will walk through those together and learn all about them. Here is a question: Must we always pray through the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer each and every time we pray? I think not. I’ll encouarge you to pray through the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer when you are praying privavly in your “prayer closet.” The Lord’s Prayer can  also be used in corporate prayer, to guide a pastor or congregation in prayer. But a Christian ought also to pray spontaniously throughout the day by themselves and with others. It is not my view that all of the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer must be prayed in these instances. But the seven parts of this basic definition of prayer are helpful. Whenever we pray, we must remeber what prayer is to that we might pray accordingly. Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies. 

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 55

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: WITH STRINGED INSTRUMENTS. A MASKIL OF DAVID. Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy! Attend to me, and answer me; I am restless in my complaint and I moan, because of the noise of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked. For they drop trouble upon me, and in anger they bear a grudge against me. My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. And I say, ‘Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest; yes, I would wander far away; I would lodge in the wilderness; Selah I would hurry to find a shelter from the raging wind and tempest.’ Destroy, O Lord, divide their tongues; for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they go around it on its walls, and iniquity and trouble are within it; ruin is in its midst; oppression and fraud do not depart from its marketplace. For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. But I call to God, and the LORD will save me. Evening and morning and at noon I utter my complaint and moan, and he hears my voice. He redeems my soul in safety from the battle that I wage, for many are arrayed against me. God will give ear and humble them, he who is enthroned from of old, Selah because they do not change and do not fear God. My companion stretched out his hand against his friends; he violated his covenant. His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords. Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. But you, O God, will cast them down into the pit of destruction; men of blood and treachery shall not live out half their days. But I will trust in you.” (Psalm 55, 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

As you may recall, when I preached on this same text two Lord’s Days ago, I brought this question with me: What does this passage teach us about Jesus, his person and his work? In that sermon, I said, I think this was Luke’s main purpose in writing this text. He wants us to see Jesus, to consider who he is and what he has done for us! Who is Jesus? He is the person of the eternal Son of God incarnate. And what has he done for us? As the eternal Son of God, he submitted himself to the eternal will or decree of God the Father to, in the fullness of time, become incarnate, so that he might suffer in the place of sinners, atone for the sins of the elect through the shedding of his blood, die, be raised, and ascend to glory. This is the work he has done, so that he might bring many sons and daughters to glory. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus’ full and true humanity was displayed. And so too was his perfect submission to the Father’s will for him. What a wonderful Savior he is! By approaching this text with the question, What does this passage teach us about Jesus, his person and his work?, my hope was that it would move you to trust in Jesus and, by faith, receive the good gifts that he has secured for his people—the forgiveness of sins and the hope of life everlasting. 

But this is not the only question we may ask of this text. As we look upon Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, and as we consider the way in which he resisted temptation and submitted to the Father’s will for him, we may also ask the question, What can we learn from Jesus’ example as it pertains to our fight against temptation and sin? 

Is Jesus merely an example to us? No! Before he is an example to us, he is our Redeemer, Savior, and friend. As we consider him in the Garden, we must first be moved to trust in him and to worship and adore him. But this does not make him less than an example. He is that too! Having trusted in Jesus for the forgiveness of our sins, we are then to obey him. We are to obey his commandments, and we are to walk in his ways.

That the Apostles looked to the life of Jesus as an example for his disciples to follow is easy to prove.

Listen to Paul: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)

Listen to John: “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” (1 John 2:1–6, ESV)

So, we have looked upon Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to consider his person and work, and you have been urged to trust in him and to worship and adore him for the wonderful Savior he is. Now, we will look upon Jesus in the garden again, to consider him as an example to us. Jesus fought against temptation in the garden, and he overcame! What can we learn from him so that we might do the same? 

Be Religious

In Luke 22:39, we read, “And he [Jesus] came out [of the Upper Room where he had celebrated the Passover with his disciples] and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples followed him” (Luke 22:39, ESV).

I have a simple observation to make about this verse: Jesus had customs. The Greek word is Ἔθος. It refers to “a pattern of behavior more or less fixed by tradition…”, a “custom, habit” (Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 506.) Jesus had customs or habits. Or we might say, he was religious. 

Be religious, brothers and sisters. I understand that the word “religious” has fallen on hard times. No doubt, there is a kind of religiosity that must be avoided. Religion is devoid of the gospel and lacking in spiritual life, and love is no good. But there is also good religion. As James says, “Religion that is pure and undefiled before God the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world” (James 1:27, ESV). To be religious is to be devout, devoted, and constant. The one who is religious is concerned with piety or holy living. Surely, these are good things. 

Jesus was a religiously devout man. He had customs. He developed and maintained holy habits. And we should do the same. 

Habits and customs are bound to form. Everyone has them. The question is, are they good and God honoring? 

If you were to ask me, What are the habits I should develop? I would encourage you to break your life into spheres and encourage you to develop and maintain healthy and holy habits in each.

Think of your life at work and in society. Be diligent in your work, whatever it is that God has called you to, so that God gets the glory in your work. Be on time for work. Focus while at work. Work at a pace that will enable you to have longevity. Strive for excellence and advancement in your profession, whatever it may be. Develop and maintain holy habits in the sphere of your labor. 

Think of life in the home. Holy and healthy habits must be developed and maintained at home, too. Husbands and Fathers, spend intentional time with your wife and children. Open the Scriptures with them. Talk about the things of the faith. Pray with them. Etc. 

Think of life in the church. Holy and healthy habits must be developed and maintained by you as it pertains to your membership in the church. Be devoted to assembling with the church for worship on the Lord’s Day. Make a habit of preparing your mind and heart for worship, even the night before. Show up early. While in worship, focus your minds and open your heart to the Word of God. Remain afterwards for fellowship. Engage in meaningful, God-centered conversations while here. Endeavor to encourage others in Christ.  Make a point of meeting someone new to bring greater unity to the body of Christ. Engage thoughtfully with your pastors and elders to benefit from their spiritual oversight. Again, I say, habits and customs are bound to form. Everyone has them. The question is, are they good and God honoring? We must labor to develop and maintain holy habits.  

Think now of your individual or private life. What are the habits to develop in this sphere? I suppose we could break things down further to consider the body and the soul—and make no mistake about it, these two things, the body and the soul, are certainly intertwined and related.

Body discipline is of some value, brothers and sisters. The Christian should think about their bodily customs and habits—diet, exercise, sleep, and the like. But godliness in the soul is of mauch greater value. As Paul says, “for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, ESV).

Are you religiously devout as it pertains to the health and care of your physical body? If so, that is good. I commend you for it. Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and it is right that you care for it. But do not forget that the physical body you now have will one day die and decay (unless Christ returns first), whereas your soul will never die. This is why the Apostle said, “godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8, ESV).

So what spiritual habits or customs should the Christian develop and maintain to experience growth in godliness in the inner man? 

We could talk about this for a very long time. In brief, I would exhort you, dear Christian, to slow down the pace of your life enough to, one, meditate deeply on the Word of God (and to apply it to yourself), two, pray mindfully to God the Father, through Christ the Son, and by the Holy Spirit, and three, to have authentic fellowship with other disciples of Jesus so that iron may sharpen iron. It seems to me that all of the spiritual disciplines or customs that could be listed that are of benefit to the souls of men can be categorized under some part of this exhortation: slow down the pace of your life enough to, one, meditate deeply on the Word of God (and to apply it to yourself), two, pray mindfully to God the Father, through Christ the Son, and by the Holy Spirit, and three, to have authentic fellowship with other disciples of Jesus so that iron may sharpen iron. 

Do not skip over the first part of the exhortation, which is to slow down the pace of your life. It’s been said that there is nothing new under the sun, and that is, in a sense, very true. But our modern age does present some unique challenges. We live in a very fast-paced, busy, and distracted age. I’m afraid that the pace of our modern lives, and the fact that we are constantly bombarded with media and carried away by entertainment (which is always at our fingertips), has produced shallowness in our thought lives and in our relationships. If we are going to meditate on God’s word to apply it to our minds and hearts, we must slow down enough to actually contemplate what God has said. And if we are going to develop deep and meaningful relationships with God and others, the pace of our lives must be slowed, and the distractions minimized. Slow down, brothers and sisters. Put your phones away.  Turn off the television so that you might meditate on God’s word, pray, and enjoy meaningful fellowship with one another. This can be done every day. The Lord’s Day is an especially good day for it. I’m calling you to do what the first disciples of Jesus did: “And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:42, ESV)

Though it would be beneficial to talk about the importance of developing the custom or habit of meditating on the word of God (Psalm 1) and laboring to apply it to our lives (James 1:21-25), and though it would be good to speak of the benefits of authentic Christian fellowship, I think you know what the focus of this sermon will be on, namely, prayer.  

Be Religiously Devoted To Prayer

Be religious, brothers and sisters. And today I will especially encourage you to be religiously devoted to prayer. 

You know that it was Jesus’ custom to pray. “And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.” (Mark 6:46, ESV)

He prayed with his disciples. “Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray.” (Luke 9:28, ESV)

He taught his disciples to pray in private. 

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6, ESV)

And he taught them how to pray, saying, “Pray then like this: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’” (Matthew 6:9–13, ESV)

Here in our text, Jesus entered the Garden of Gethsemane with his disciples, as was his custom, “And when he came to the place, he said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation’” (Luke 22:40, ESV). After this, he entered into prayer. ​​“And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed…” (Luke 22:41, ESV). Clearly, he prayed so that he would not succumb to temptation. And when he returned to his disciples only to find them sleeping, he once again spoke to them, saying, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46, ESV).

Brother, sister, is this what Christ is saying to you this morning through his word?  “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46, ESV). I know that you are not sleeping now. That is not what I mean. But perhaps you have grown sleepy and sluggish as it pertains to your private communion with God in prayer. If this is so, Christ would say to you, “Why are you sleeping? Rise and pray that you may not enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46, ESV).

Dear friends, prayer is a means of grace for us. In it, we commune with God. Through it, we are strengthened spiritually so that we might walk faithfully in this world and resist temptation. Why then do we neglect it? Why do we fail to gird ourselves for battle in prayer, as the Apostle commands, and then act surprised when we are wounded in the battle? 

Jesus spoke to his disciples twice in the garden, saying, “pray that you may not enter into temptation.“ Its as if the Apostle Paul expands on this in his letter to the Ephesians, saying. “[B]e strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints…” (Ephesians 6:10–18, ESV).

Be Religiously Devoted To Thoughtful, Sincere, And Earnest Prayer

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to be religiously devoted to prayer, and may your prayers be thoughtful, sincere, and earnest. In other words, I am urging you to pray with your mind, from your heart, and with your will.

You know that it is easy to go through motions in prayer. I’ve taught you and encouraged you many times before to pray through the petitions of the Lord’s Prayer. It is a wonderful guide to prayer. By it, we are helped to address God as Father, to seek his glory first, the furtherance of Christ’s kingdom, obedience to God’s revealed will, and humble submission to his secret or hidden will. The Lord’s Prayer also invites us to bring our cares and concerns to the Lord – give us this day our daily bread – to confess our sins to him, to forgive as we have been forgiven, and to request deliverance from temptation and sin. 

 Think of how well-rounded and spiritual the Lord’s Prayer is. Think of how beneficial it would be to our souls if we were to use this prayer as a guide as we pray to God the Father, through Christ the Son, and by the Spirit, in a thoughtful, sincere, and earnest manner. Think how pleased our God would be with such mindful and heartfelt prayer. And yet so often, we go through the motions. Jesus did not go through the motions when in Gethsemane, and neither should we go through the motions when in prayer.

Notice, Jesus cried out to God as Father (Luke 22:42).

Jesus brought his sincere desires to the Father in prayer: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me”  (Luke 22:42, ESV). 

And yet Jesus submitted his human will to the will of the Father in prayer, saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42, ESV). 

You’ve heard it said that prayer changes things, and it does. One, though prayer does not change the eternal will or decree of God, God does providentially work through the prayer of his people to bring about his purposes in the world. Two, prayer changes us. It is through prayer that we are encouraged, knowing that God the Father loves us, hears us, and will do what is best for us. It is through prayer that we are strengthened spiritually so that we might obey God’s revealed will. It is through prayer that we are enabled to submit our wills (desires) to God’s will and to rise resolved, content, and at peace.  

Brothers and sisters, I can promise you that you will experience none of this if you are prayerless or if when you pray, you merely go through the motions. Our prayers must be thoughtful, sincere, and earnest. We must pray from the mind and heart. We must bring the will along too, submitting to God’s will, as Christ did, saying, “Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42, ESV). 

Christ prayed earnestly, and he received strength from heaven. “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” (Luke 22:43–44, ESV). We ought to pray earnestly (incessantly and with intensity) too. When we pray earnestly and by faith, we must know that God, our Father in heaven, hears us, and he will surely help us in our time of need. 

Rise Up From Prayer To Walk In Obedience

There is one last thing to learn from the thoughtful, sincere, and earnest prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane, and that is, having prayed, we must rise up in the strength we have gained with the full resolve to walk in obedience to God’s revealed will and to accept his secret will for us. 

Verse 45: “And when [Jesus] 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 22:45–46, ESV). And what followed after this? The betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion of Jesus.

Like Jesus, having prayed, we must then rise to obey.

Conclusion

Dear brothers and sisters, if you have grown slack and sleepy in your prayers, please fix that today. Having placed your faith in Jesus, and having received the salvation that he has earned for you, follow Jesus’ example of prayer. As the Apostle says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, ESV).

Baptist Catechism 103

Q. 103 Who are the proper subjects of this ordinance [that is to say, of the Lord’s Supper]?

A. They who have been baptized upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from dead works. (Acts 2:41,42)

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:36–42

“‘Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.’ Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’ And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.’ And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this crooked generation.’ So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” (Acts 2:36–42, 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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We have, for some time now, been considering the outward and ordinary means that Christ uses to distribute the benefits of the redemption he earned a long time ago to his elect, living in all times and places. These means, conduits, or delivery mechanisms are sometimes referred to as the means of grace. Baptist catechism 93 rightly identifies the Word of God, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer as the outward and ordinary means of grace. These are the things, external to us, that God ordinarily uses to save and to sanctify his people. 

Baptist Catechism 94 and 95 focus on the Word of God, read and preached.

Baptist Catechism 96 is about the efficacy of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

Questions 97 through 100 focus on baptism, what it is, to whom it is to be administered, and how it is to be administered. 

Interestingly, Baptist Catechism 101 is about church membership. 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. So then, those who turn from their sins and place their faith in Christ are to be baptized, and these are to join themselves to an orderly church, typically, the one they were baptized in. 

I say it is interesting that Baptist Catechisms 101 is about church membership, because it is situated right in the middle of a series of questions and answers about the means of grace. The meaning is clear: God distributes these means of grace that we are here considering in and through his churches. 

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached to the world by the church, that is to say, by her minsters and members sent out 

Those who are brought to repentance and faith (through the converting ordinance of the word of God) are to be baptized into the church (by those called and ordained to do so).

And it is within the church (as members of it) that Christ followers are to “walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” This means that Christians are to strive to obey God’s commands as church members, and they are to partake of these ordinances or means of grace as church members. It is in the church that the word of God is read and preached, that baptisms are administered and observed, that the Lord’s Supper is served, and that prayers are offered up to God.    

I think it was Cyprian who famously said, “No one can have God as Father who does not have the church as Mother”, and there is truth to that statement. The Holy Spirit uses the church to give birth to new believers through the preaching of the word of God. And it is within the contect of the church that new believers are nursed, nurtured, and disciplined, so that they might grow up to maturity. It is not the church that saves and sanctifies—God and Christ do. But the church used by God to bring salvation to sinners and to sanctify them further, for these means of grace that we are now considering are administered by her.  

When our catechism says in question 101, 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, this includes the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s supper is an ordinance (something Christ has ordered or ordained) to be observed in the church to the end of the world. 

That is what Baptist Catechism 102 teaches. Q: What is the Lord’s Supper? A: The Lord’s Supper is an ordinance of the New Testament, instituted by Jesus Christ; wherein by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to His appointment, His death is shown forth, and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporeal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of His body and blood, with all His benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace.

Finally, Q 103 asks, Who are the proper subjects of this ordinance? In other words, who should partake of this ordinance? A. They who have been baptized upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from dead works. 

Notice, our catechism does not say, it is they who have been baptized who are the proper subjects of this ordinance. If the answer were worded like this, I suppose it could be taken to mean that those baptized as infants may properly partake of the Supper, but that is not our view.   

I also find it interesting that our catechism does not directly ask who may partake of this ordinance, but rather who are the proper subjects of this ordinance. I’m not sure about this, but I wonder if the wording is meant to leave room for the opinion that some Particulat Baptists of the 17th century held (and some still hold today) that those who were baptized as infants in protestant churches and who hold to paedobaptsit conviction can be permitted to come to the Lord’s Table, especially when visiting from other churches. May they be served the Supper? Some would say, yes. Is it proper? Not in our view. Why? Because their baptism is invalid, given that it was not administered upon a personal profession of their faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance from dead works. 

Acts 2:41-42 is listed as a proof text in our catechism, and it is a good one: “So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers” (Acts 2:41–42, ESV).

Baptism is to be given to those who turn from their sins and profess faith in Jesus, which is something infants can’t do. 

Baptism marks the beginning of the Christian life and membership in the covenant community. The Lord’s Supper signifies continuing in Christ and in the covenant community.

Baptism may be compared to a wedding. The Lord’s Supper may be compared to an anniversary celebration.

In baptism, we say, “I believe”, and “Jesus is Lord”. In the Lord’s Supper, we say “I still believe”, and “Jesus is still Lord”.  

In baptism, God says, “This one is mine”. In the Lord’s Supper, God says, “I am ever faithful and with you still.” 

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Conclusion

Appendix

Compare the Baptist Catechism with the Westminster Shorter Catechism at this point.

Q. 92. What is a sacrament? 

A. A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ; wherein, by sensible signs, Christ, and the benefits of the new covenant, are represented, sealed, and applied to believers.

Q. 93. Which are the sacraments of the New Testament? 

A. The sacraments of the New Testament are, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. 

Q. 94. What is baptism? 

A. Baptism is a sacrament, wherein the washing with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, doth signify and seal our ingrafting into Christ, and partaking of the benefits of the covenant of grace, and our engagement to be the Lord’s. 

Q. 95. To whom is Baptism to be administered? 

A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the visible church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and obedience to him; but the infants of such as are members of the visible church are to be baptized. 

Q. 96. What is the Lord’s Supper? 

A. The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine, according to Christ’s appointment, his death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment, and growth in grace. 

Q. 97. What is required for the worthy receiving of the Lord’s Supper? 

A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the Lord’s Supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge to discern the Lord’s body, of their faith to feed upon him, of their repentance, love, and new obedience; lest, coming unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.