Second London Confession 26.2

“All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22)

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1–3

“Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:1–3, ESV)

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

Introduction

I thought it best to begin this brief sermon with a few reminders. Last Sunday I delivered the first of, what I think will be, 15 sermons on the doctrine of the church. Many of you are members of this church. You assemble with the church each Lord’s Day. You love the church and long to see her prosper. But what is the church according to the Scriptures? This is a very important question, but it is often neglected. I hope to answer it in the weeks and months to come. 

Those who were here last Sunday will remember that Chapter 26 of our confession of faith – the Second London Confession (2LCF) is about the church. The fifteen paragraphs of this chapter provide us with a succinct yet sufficiently thorough summary of what the Bible teaches about this important topic. Last Sunday, we considered 2LCF 26.1. That paragraph is about the universal or catholic church. It says, “The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” 

In the sermon I delivered on this paragraph, I said that I am glad our confession begins with a statement about the universal or catholic church. After all, this is the church for whom Christ died. Christ is the head of the church universal. The church universal is the bride of Christ and is his body. Brothers and sisters, it is very important for us to remember the universal or catholic church. Does this church assemble on earth now? No. Does this church have officers? No. Does this church administer the sacraments? No. Are you and I able to see this church? No. But God sees it. And it will be this church – the one true church – that assembles in the new heavens and earth after Christ returns to make all things new. It is important for us to remember the universal church lest we loose sight of the bigger picture of the redemption accomplished by Christ. He came to redeem, not you and I only, but his elect living in all times and places. This is the church for whom. Christ died. This is the church that will assemble in the new heavens and earth. 

But what about now? Are God’s people to assemble now as we sojourn in this world and eagerly await the assembly of the redeemed at the consummation? Yes, of course. God’s people are to assemble every Lord’s Day (see Hebrews 10:24-25). They are to assemble as members of particular, local, visible churches. That is what 2LCF 26.2 is about. In fact, the remainder of the paragraphs in 2LCF 26 are about the local church and the relationship that local churches are to have with one another. 

Paragraph 2 of 2LCF 26 is very important, for it clarifies who the members of local churches are to be. 

Paragraph 1 told us who the members of the universal church are. They are the elect of God gathered into one body under Christ the head, having been united to him by faith. But who are the members of local churches to be? The answer provided by our confession is very good. It is good, first of all, because it is true to the Scriptures. It is also good because it is sufficiently thorough and clear.  

Local Or Particular Congregations Are Constituted Of Visible Saints

To understand what 2LCF 26.2 is teaching, I think it is best to begin at the end. Who are the members of local congregations to be? The end of the paragraph tells us that particular congregations are to be constituted (composed, comprised, or made up) of visible Saints. 

Notice a few things about this statement.

One, our confession uses the word “Congregation” instead of the word church here. This is to clarify that the word church means assembly. A church is a group of people who congregate together. The church and the word congregation can be used interchangeably. By the way, the idea of attending church virtually is ridiculous. We do stream our services online so that those who are ill or otherwise hindered from assembling with the church may be encouraged from home or wherever they are. But this is no replacement for assembling with the church in person. This should be clear to all. When you watch and listen to a worship service online, you see the pastor, but you do not see the whole congregation. And the pastor and the congregation cannot see you! I’m afraid this is what many of those who “attend” church virtually want! They want to see and hear but to not be seen. This is not Biblical Christianity. A true church is a church that assembles for worship. More than this, a true church has members. As we will soon see, a true church is not a service to attend but a body to belong to as a member.     

Two, when our confession uses the word “particular” it is a reference to a local, visible church. As was said last Sunday, the Scriptures do sometimes use the word church to refer to the universal or catholic church, but more often than not, the word church is used in the Scriptures to refer to particular, local congregations, like this one. 

A moment ago, we read 1 Corinthians 1:1-3. There we heard Paul the Apostle address his letter to “the church of God that is in Corinth.” There the word church refers, not to the church universal, but to one, particular, local, and visible congregation in the city of Corinth. We could pile up many examples like this from the New Testament. One more will do.  In Galatians 1:2 Paul Paul addresses his letter, “To the churches of Galatia…” (Galatians 1:2). Here the word “church” appears in the plural. Why? Because Paul wrote this letter to many particular, local, and visible congregations spread throughout the region of Galatia. So then, the Scriptures sometimes use the word “church” to refer to the universal or catholic church. More often than not, the word “church” is used to refer to particular, local, and visible congregations.

Three, our confession states that these particular churches are to be constituted of visible Saints. In this context the word “constituted” means, composed, comprised, or made up of. Who is a local church made up of? Who are the parts of the whole? Answer: local churches are made up of visible saints. 

Let’s focus on the word “saints” for a moment. In the previous sermon I said, brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid to use the word catholic! We believe in the catholic or universal church. This has nothing to do with Roman Catholicism. And now I say, brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid to use the word “saint”. The Roman Catholics have ruined this word. They claim that only a handful of super Christians are saints. But the Scriptures often use the word “saint” or “saints” to refer to all who have faith in Christ. A saint is one who is holy. All Christians have been made holy through faith in Christ, having been washed in the blood of the lamb. And all true Christians are pursuing a holy life and will make progress in it, by God’s grace. If you read the letters of Paul you will see that he often uses the word “saint” to refer to the Christians who were members of the particular churches to whom he was writing. Listen to Ephesians 1:1: “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus…” (Ephesians 1:1). Listen to Philippians 1:1: “Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus, To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are at Philippi, with the overseers and deacons…” (Philippians 1:1). Saints are simply Christians.

And now let us consider the word “visible”. The universal church is invisible, remember?  We cannot see with total certainty who the members of the universal church are. Why? For one, the universal church is made up of God’s elect living in all places and times, past, present, and future. We cannot see that body of believers yet. Two, the universal church is invisible because we cannot see the hearts of men or discern with utter certainty whether or not they have been regenerated or have true saving faith. But the invisible, universal, church of Christ is made visible (in a limited and imperfect way). How so? Through the visible saints as they assemble in Jesus’ name as members of particular, local congregations.     

Visible Saints Identified

Now the big question is, who are we to regard as visible saints and thus receive into the membership of the local church?

The first portion of paragraph 2 tells us. There we read,  “All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints…” And then the paragraph concludes, “…and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.”

Who should our churches be made up of? Who should the members be? The simplest way to say it is like this: The members of local churches are to be those who have made a credible profession of faith in Christ Jesus. In the simplest of terms, that is what our confession is stating. I am glad, though, that our confession says more, for in saying more, our confession clarifies what a credible profession of faith is. 

Dr. James Renihan’s commentary on the confession is helpful here. He observes that in this paragraph there is “a mirror image of positive and negative qualities of visible saints” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). Who are the visible saints? Positively, they are those who profess the faith of the gospel and offer up their obedience unto God by Christ. Negativity, the visible saints are those who do not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation.

Let us consider these positive and negative qualities side by side. 

First, visible saints are those who positively profess the faith of the gospel. According to Renihan, “To profess the faith of the gospel is an ability to articulate [or express] a personal appropriation [or taking ahold] of Jesus Christ by faith and acknowledge and own Christian orthodoxy” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). Stated differently, a person who professes the faith of the gospel is one who claims to trust in Jesus Christ personally and to rely upon him for the forgiveness of sins and life eternal. More than this, a person who professes the faith of the gospel also knows the fundamental truths of God’s word – the truth about God, creation, man, sin, and salvation in Jesus Christ – and claims to agree with these orthodox tenets of the Christian faith.   

Negatively, visible saints will not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation. Take careful note of this: Our confession does not say that visible saints will not destroy their own profession by any errors. Rather, they will not destroy their own profession by any errors everting the foundation.   

Quoting Renihan again, errors everting the foundation are errors in “those doctrines without which Christianity cannot exist and would include denial of original sin and personal sinfulness, false views of Christ as the God-man and of His work of redemption and resurrection, and a rejection of the ‘scriptural Word as the ground of faith.’ Edward Leigh says, ‘Fundamental truths are all such points of doctrine which are so plainly delivered in Scripture, that whosoever doth not know or follow them shall be damned, but he that doth know and follow these (though erring in other things) shall be saved,’ and then proposes twelve fundamentals of the faith grouped into four sets of three” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). In brief, the first is about God, the second is about man, the third is about Christ, and the fourth fundamental category presented by Edward Leigh is about “‘the means of applying’ the work of the ‘Redeemer’: salvation is only by faith in Christ and repentance, which produce a holy life…” (Renihan quoting Leigh’s, A Systeme or Body Of Divinity, unnumbered pages 8-9).

The second positive quality of a visible saint is “obedience unto God by Christ.” Renihan says, “Obedience unto God by Christ simply means living carefully under the lordship of Christ” (Renihan, Baptist Symbolics Volume 2, 481). I saw a billboard this past week when driving the 15 freeway. It said, “Real Christians obey Jesus”. Typically, the billboards and church marques that Christians put up really annoy me. I think that was the best Christian billboard I’ve ever seen! “Real Christians obey Jesus”. How true that is! To be a Christian one must confess that Jesus is Lord! And Lords are to be obeyed. Christ himself said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). John the Apostle wrote, “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.” (1 John 2:3). In another place he said, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him” (1 John 3:6). To be clear, there is not a Christian alive who does not sin. But a true Christian will not live a life of sin. True Christians will repent. True Christians will pursue obedience to Christ the Lord. 

Negatively, visible saints will not destroy their own profession by unholiness of conversation. Today the word “conversation” means to talk. In the seventeenth century, when our confession was written, the word “conversation” was used to refer to someone’s conduct or behavior”. Unholiness of conversation means and unholy way of life.  True believers will not destroy their own profession by living an unholy or sinful life in disobedience to God’s moral law. 

To bring it all together, local churches are to have members. The members of local churches are to be visible saints. Who are these visible saints? They are those who have made a credible profession of faith. Positively, they are those who say they trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. They know the foundational truths contained within Holy Scripture – the truths about God, creation, sin, and salvation in Christ Jesus – and claim to believe those truths. Furthermore, a credible profession of faith also involves repentance and a life of new obedience in Christ the Lord. Stated negatively, those who make a credible profession of faith will not destroy their own profession by holding to fundamental theological errors – erroneous beliefs that undermine the very foundation of the faith. And neither destroy their own profession by living an unholy life of sin and rebellion against God’s law. 

Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, all of this might sound very obvious to you. But it has not been obvious to all. In the days when our confession was written, the doctrine of the church expressed in 2LCF 26.1-2 seemed radical to many. In those days, church and state were wed together so that citizenship in a nation would mean membership in the church. Connected to this, in those days most believed that the members of the church were to be those who professed faith in Christ and their children! Many who are reformed still believe this.

As you may know, our confession of faith is based on the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) – it’s an alteration of it. The Westminster Confession is the confession of the Presbyterians. We agree with them on an awful lot. We disagree with them on some points. The most well-known point of disagreement is over the doctrine of baptism. The Presbyterians believe that the infant children of believers are to be baptized. We believe that baptism is for those who make a credible profession of faith only. But I would like to suggest to you that it is our doctrine of the church that is more fundamental. Who are the members of local churches to be? We say, visible saints, or those who make a credible profession. But listen to what the Westminster Confession of Faith says about the visible church: “The visible church, which is also catholic or universal under the gospel (not confined to one nation, as before under the law), consists of all those throughout the world that profess the true religion; and of their children: and is the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ, the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary possibility of salvation.” We disagree with a number of things that the WCF says about the visible church. For the sake of time, I draw your attention to the remark about the children of believers. They are regarded as members of the church from birth before they can make a credible profession of faith. It is no wonder we also disagree about the timing of baptism, which marks a person’s entrance into the visible church.

Even more concerning to me than the Presbyterian error is the trend that I see today within Evangelicalism. Churches seem to care less and less about formal membership. If a church has formal membership, little effort will be made to discern a credible profession of faith in prospective members. Also, professing Christians will be allowed to bounce from one local church to the next with out much concern over where the Christians are coming from and why they are leaving their previous church. Just as 2LCF seemed radical to the majority of churches in the day it was written, I suspect it would seem radical to most of the churches that surround us if properly understood. 

Brothers and sisters, we must understand what our confession teaches about the church and we must strive to have our practice conform to our beliefs. One of the most important things that a church does is receive and release or remove members. This is what the keys that Christ gave Peter were for (see Matthew 16:19). Keys have the power to bind and lose. Keys have the power to open and close doors. Where did these keys that Christ gave to Peter go? Those who pay careful attention to the rest of the New Testament will see that they were not given to the Pope as the Roman Catholics claim but to the elders and members of local congregations. The elders and members of each congregation each have a key. The elders hold, what has been called, the key of authority. The members hold, what has been called, the key of liberty. One of the things these keys are used for is the opening or unlocking of the door of the church to new members. To receive new members the elders must turn their key and the members must turn theirs. Don’t you think we should know what the qualifications for church membership are? It would be a shame to lock a believer out when he should be received in! And it would also be a shame (and a danger) to let a non-believer in when he should be locked out! And the very same points could be made about church discipline resulting in exclusion or excommunication. The keys that Christ has given to the church through Peter are powerful keys. Christ says, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). The elders of the church do not hold the keys alone. No, one key belongs to the elders. The elders have the key of authority. And the other key belongs to the members. The members have the key of liberty, that is to say, the power and freedom to appoint officers, and to agree or disagree with the elders in the reception and removal of members from the church of Jesus Christ. Again I say, we all better know what the church is and who its members are to be.    

Who are the members of the church to be? “All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” (1 Corinthians 1:2; Acts 11:26; Romans 1:7; Ephesians 1:20-22)

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 24

“Be not envious of evil men, nor desire to be with them, for their hearts devise violence, and their lips talk of trouble. By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might, for by wise guidance you can wage your war, and in abundance of counselors there is victory. Wisdom is too high for a fool; in the gate he does not open his mouth. Whoever plans to do evil will be called a schemer. The devising of folly is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to mankind. If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small. Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter. If you say, ‘Behold, we did not know this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it, and will he not repay man according to his work? My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste. Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Lie not in wait as a wicked man against the dwelling of the righteous; do no violence to his home; for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity. Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the LORD see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him. Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. My son, fear the LORD and the king, and do not join with those who do otherwise, for disaster will arise suddenly from them, and who knows the ruin that will come from them both? These also are sayings of the wise. Partiality in judging is not good. Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are in the right,’ will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations, but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them. Whoever gives an honest answer kisses the lips. Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house. Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause, and do not deceive with your lips. Do not say, ‘I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.’ I passed by the field of a sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 24)

New Testament Reading: Luke 14:25-35 

“Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Luke 14:25–35)

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

Introduction

These words from our Lord and Savior regarding the requirements for being a disciple of his are shocking. Hear him again: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” These words from our Lord grab the attention, don’t they? They are meant to! But they must be properly interpreted if they are to be properly applied. So let us consider these words of Jesus carefully and be sure to take then in their context. 

Luke has just told us about an interaction Jesus had with a group of Pharisees and other prominent people at a dinner hosted by a ruler of the Pharisees. Someone invited Jesus to this dinner and judging by the hard things Jesus said to these elites, as recorded in Luke 14:1-24, I don’t think he made many friends at this banquet! What did Christ condemn these Pharisees for? He condemned them for their legalistic and loveless observance of the Sabbath day, their self-exalting pride, and the favoritism they showed to friends, relatives, and rich neighbors while neglecting the poor and the needy in their midst. Christ concluded his condemning remarks with a classic parable – a story about a man who gave a great banquet and invited many through his servant. The servant obeyed the will of his master and invited the guests of honor, but they all made excuses! The man then instructed his servant to go into the streets and lanes of the city to bring in the poor and the crippled. This the servant did, but there was still room at the table! And so the master “said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” And then the master remarked, “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet” (Luke 14:23-24). The meaning of this parable was and is clear. The guests of honor were the Pharisees and other religious elite within Israel. The gospel of the kingdom of God came to them through Jesus, God’s servant, but they rejected the invitation. The gospel of the kingdom would go to the poor and crippled within Israel and would be received more readily by them. And because room remained at God’s banquet table, the invitation would be extended to all nations. 

As we approach our text for today, it is important for us to remember a few things: 

One, the hostility between Jesus and the religious elite within Israel was growing. It was back in Luke 9:22 that Christ spoke to his disciples, “saying, ‘The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised’” (Luke 9:22). Since then, we have watched the hostility grow! Indeed, the hostility would culminate in the crucifixion of Jesus and the persecution of the disciples of Jesus. 

Two, Christ warned his disciples that they would experience hostility, not only from the religious elite within Israel but from their fellow Jews and even from members of their household. It was in Luke 12:49 that we heard Christ say, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law” (Luke 12:49–53).

Three, we must remember how Luke portrays the Pharisees and others who rejected Jesus. He portrays them as people in love with the world and the things of this world. They are hypocrites who love to appear clean and righteous before men but inwardly they are full of greed and wickedness (see Luke 11:39). They clamored for positions of power and prestige while neglecting the poor. Stated differently, Luke portrays those who rejected Christ as people who loved the world supremely. Love is the most powerful motivator. And what did these people love most? They loved themselves most. They loved the praise of men most. They loved the pleasures of this world most. 

When we remember these things – the increasing hostility between Christ and the religious elite within Israel (a hostility that would result in the crucifixion of Christ, and the persecution of the disciples of Christ), the hostility that would arise against Christians even from the members of their own households, and the thing that hindered people from following after Jesus, namely, a supreme love for self,  the world, and the things of the world – then we will better understand the shocking words of Jesus concerning what is required to follow after him. 

Hear his words again: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.”  

Disciples Of Jesus Must Hate Their Parents, Spouse, Children, Siblings, And Even Their Own Life 

What does Jesus mean when he says that to be his disciple we must hate our father and mother, wife and children, yes, even our own life? Does this not flatly contradict the clear teaching of Scripture?  

As it pertains to the requirement of hating father and mother, what about the fifth of the Ten Commandments which requires us to honor father and mother (see Deuteronomy 5:16)? Did Jesus mean to abrogate the fifth commandment? This cannot be! For one, it is a part of God’s ever-abiding moral law. Two, in another place Christ commands obedience to the fifth, saying, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother’” (Luke 18:20). 

As it pertains to the requirement to hate wife and children, what about those places in Scripture that clearly command the husband to love the wife and fathers to lovingly care for their children? For example, Colossians 3:19 says, “Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them”. And in Ephesians 6:4 fathers are commanded to not provoke their children to anger, but to bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Even the requirement to hate your own life seems to be a contradiction, for elsewhere Christ sums up the last six of the Ten Commandments with the command to love your neighbor as yourself (Luke 10:27). Indeed when Paul commands husbands to love their wives in Ephesians 5 he says that “husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church…” (Ephesians 5:28–29). And a little later he says, “let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).

If the words of Christ found here in Luke 14:26 are taken in a strict and literal sense, then Christ contradicts himself and the very Scriptures he has inspired. This cannot be. And so we must ask ourselves, can these words be interpreted in another sense? Indeed they can. 

What then does Christ mean by the words, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple”? He means that the love we naturally have for our mother and father, our spouse and our children, yes, even the natural love and concern that we have for our own well-being, must pale in comparison to the love that we have for him. The love that we have for God and Christ must supersede the love we have for parents, spouses, children, yes, even for our own lives. And here is the real point: if a choice must be made between father and mother, spouse and children, yes, even one’s own life and following after Christ, our love for Christ must prevail, and those who would hinder us from following after him must be neglected, forsaken, and turned away from. 

To be clear, there is nothing about being a disciple of Jesus that requires us to break off relationships with parents, spouses, and children. Ideally, if a parent, spouse, or child does not follow Christ along with you, the natural relationship will remain happy and intact (see 1 Corinthians 7:12). But Christ is here anticipating hostility from the non-believing world and he is calling his disciple to count the cost. 

The point is this: to be a disciple of Christ, one must be willing to lose relationships with the people they love most – parents, spouses, and children – indeed, they must be willing to lose their own lives for the sake of following after Jesus. 

Contrast this with the unbelieving Pharisees at the dinner party. What did those men love supremely? They loved themselves supremely. They loved the world and the pleasures and prestige of the world supremely. What hindered them from following Jesus? Many things, I’m sure. It seems that one of the hindrances was this: they would not let go of their places of honor (see Luke 14:8), or the approval they received from friends, brothers, relatives, or the rich (see Luke 14:12) to follow after Jesus. This, friends, is why Christ said, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” 

Disciples Of Jesus Must Bear Their Own Cross

Christ then stated this same principle in another way: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” 

In modern times the image of the cross has been sterilized and romanticized. In Jesus’ day, the cross was known only as a brutal instrument of death. The Romans would execute criminals by hanging them on crosses. There they would die, typically of asphyxiation. 

Jesus would soon bear his cross. Quite literally, he would carry his cross part of the way to the place of his crucifixion. He would die on that cross, and there make atonement for the sins of those given to him by the Father in eternity.     

Here Jesus says that all who follow him must bear their own cross. 

Notice, it is not the cross of Christ that we are called to bear. Only Christ could bear that cross. He atoned for the sins of his people on that cross. He bore the wrath of God in the place of sinners on that cross. Only Jesus the Messiah, the eternal Son of God incarnate, could bear the weight of that awful load. The disciples of Jesus cannot bear the cross of Christ, but we are called to bear our own cross.   

This is actually the second time the word “cross” appears in Luke’s gospel. Back in Luke 9:23, we heard Christ say, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). These two sayings of Jesus are very similar. When we take them together it is very clear what Christ means. To take up your cross is to deny yourself. To take up your cross is to die to yourself.  

Sometimes disciples of Jesus will be called to take up their cross in the ultimate sense, that is, to die the death of a martyr. As you know, many of the original disciples of Jesus would be called to take up their cross in this ultimate sense – many were put to death because of their allegiance to Jesus. Indeed, there have been many martyrs throughout the history of the church. Even so, the truth remains that most disciples of Jesus have and will die a natural death. But notice, that all of Jesus’ disciples are called to bear their own cross. And in Luke 9:23 Christ says that this cross is to be carried daily. This means that all disciples of Jesus must die to themselves in metaphorical or spiritual way. This we must do to follow Jesus in the beginning, and this we must do throughout the Christian life.

What does it mean to take up your cross daily and to die to yourself? It means that you no longer live for yourself, for this world, or for the pleasures of this world, but for the pleasure of knowing and serving God and Christ, and for the joy of serving others. 

Paul the Apostle spoke of his personal cross-bearing when he said, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7–11)

Earlier in the same letter, Paul urged the believers to bear their own crosses, when he said, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 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 2:3–8).

Dear brethren, this is truly the essence of the Christian life. The Christian life begins when a sinner, by the grace of God, dies to self and trusts in Christ. And the Christian life is to be marked by continual and daily cross-bearing. There are many hindrances to this. Pride will rear its ugly head. Selfish ambition will sometimes reemerge. A love for the world and the pleasures of this world will intrude. But the disciples of Jesus must daily put to death what is earthly in them (see Colossians 3:5).

Disciples Of Jesus Must Count The Cost

Now that Jesus has told the multitudes what is required to be a true disciple of his, he urges them to count the cost before continuing with him, lest their profession of faith be found false. This exhortation to count the cost was delivered by Jesus to the crowd through three illustrations.

The first is found in verses 28-30. There we read, “For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’” (Luke 14:28–30).

This great multitude that followed Jesus was filled with excitement. They had high hopes for Jesus. But as has been said in previous sermons, the hopes of many in this multitude were misguided. Many expected him to immediately bring an earthly kingdom and earthly prosperity, and so Christ set them straight. Following me may cost you your relationship with your parents, your spouse, or your children. Following me may cost you your life! Those who wish to follow me must bear their own cross. Are you sure you want to continue with me? Are you sure you have what it takes to finish what you are beginning to build?

Of course, we know that all who have true faith in Christ will finish. True believers will persevere because God will preserve them (see Philippians 1:6). But one of the means God uses to preserve his elect is his word. And here, the Word of God says, count the cost! The elect of God will count the cost and will continue with Christ to the end. The nonelect will either turn back immediately or make false professions and turn back later. Why? Because they love this world more than Christ! Their god is their belly; their minds are set on earthly things (see Philippians 3:18-19). But the elect of God will hear the Word of God. The Spirit will call them inwardly and make the word effectual. They will understand what the cost of discipleship is. They will count the cost. And they will say, it is worth it! They will agree with the Apostles and say, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…” (Philippians 3:7–9).   

The second illustration is found in verses 31-32. There we read, “Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace” (Luke 14:31–32). 

The illustration is different, but the message is the same. Wise builders will count the cost before building, and wise kings will count the cost before waging war. Disciples of Jesus must do the same. Those who follow after Jesus must first count the cost.

By the way, I do wonder if Jesus used the illusion of building a tower because being a disciple of Jesus involves participating in the building of Christ’s kingdom. Christ’s kingdom is built as the disciples of Jesus die to self daily and testify concerning the hope that is in them through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. And I do wonder if Jesus uses the illustration of waging war because being a disciple of Jesus involves spiritual warfare, “For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds” (2 Corinthians 10:4).

Clearly, Christ calls those who wish to follow him to first count the cost. 

In verse 33 we read, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). This is another way of saying what was said before: “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27). To renounce is “to willingly give up or set aside what one possesses—‘to give up, to part with one’s possessions’”(Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, 565). Just as not all Christians are called to bear their cross in the extreme by dying the death of a martyr, but must carry their cross daily by dying daily to self, so too, not all Christians will be called to actually give up all that they have. The first disciples of Christ did. In Luke 18:28 we hear Peter speak to Jesus, saying, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” And [Jesus] said to them, ‘Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life” (Luke 18:28–30). Some disciples of Jesus throughout the history of the church, and even in the present time, have been called by God to renounce all to follow Christ, but many disciples of Christ are, by God’s grace, permitted to retain the good things of this life – house, wife, brothers, parents, and children. Those disciples of Jesus who enjoy these blessings must be very careful to obey Christ’s words still! These earthly blessings must be enjoyed and held onto with an open hand and not a clenched fist. Hear again the words of our Savior: “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

The third and final illustration is found in verses 34-35. “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34–35).

Salty salt makes things savory. Salty salt preserves things. But salt that loses its saltiness is good for nothing. It’s not good for the soil. It’s not even good for the manure pile. It is simply thrown away. And this is a warning to the backslider, the apostate, and the false professor. The person who once made a profession of faith but then afterward turns back from it is like salt that has lost its savor. He is in a most miserable condition, for at one time he knew the truth and claimed to love it, but afterward, he went back to the world.  Hebrews 6:4-6 speaks of the miserable condition of the apostate and says, “For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt” (Hebrews 6:4–6).

Conclusion

Count the cost. That is what Christ called the multitude that followed him to do. Christ was not interested in having many followers. He was interested in having sincere and faithful followers though. And the same is true to this present day. Do you wish to follow Jesus? Then count the cost.  “If anyone comes to [him] and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be [his] disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after [him] cannot be [his] disciple” (Luke 14:25–27). Those who do not renounce all they have cannot be a disciple os Jesus (Luke 14:33). Those who love themselves, this world, and the things of this world will surely say, the price is too high! Those whom God has graciously chosen and is calling by his Word and Spirit will say, the price is just right. I’ll gladly suffer the “loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him…”

Old Testament Reading: Proverbs 25

“These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied. It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out. As the heavens for height, and the earth for depth, so the heart of kings is unsearchable. Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel; take away the wicked from the presence of the king, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put lower in the presence of a noble. What your eyes have seen do not hastily bring into court, for what will you do in the end, when your neighbor puts you to shame? Argue your case with your neighbor himself, and do not reveal another’s secret, lest he who hears you bring shame upon you, and your ill repute have no end. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold is a wise reprover to a listening ear. Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest is a faithful messenger to those who send him; he refreshes the soul of his masters. Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of a gift he does not give. With patience a ruler may be persuaded, and a soft tongue will break a bone. If you have found honey, eat only enough for you, lest you have your fill of it and vomit it. Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor’s house, lest he have his fill of you and hate you. A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a war club, or a sword, or a sharp arrow. Trusting in a treacherous man in time of trouble is like a bad tooth or a foot that slips. Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda. If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. The north wind brings forth rain, and a backbiting tongue, angry looks. It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife. Like cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country. Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain is a righteous man who gives way before the wicked. It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glorious to seek one’s own glory. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.” (Proverbs 25, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 14:7-24 

“Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.’ He said also to the man who had invited him, ‘When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.’ When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, ‘Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (Luke 14:7–24, ESV)

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

Introduction

Luke begins the section we are considering today by saying, “Now [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited…” This reminds us of the scene. Back in Luke 14:1, we were told, “One Sabbath, [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” (Luke 14:1, ESV). Remember, he healed a man of dropsy there, and he confronted the Pharisees for their cold-hearted legalism. So, this is the scene. Jesus is at the home of a high-ranking Pharisee for dinner, and it is to this group that he speaks.

Interestingly, Luke describes Jesus’ teaching as a parable. A parable is an earthly story with a spiritual meaning. Typically, a parable is a fictional story designed to illustrate spiritual truths. Eventually, in Luke 14:15-24, Jesus does tell a fictional story. But he began by using the real-life situation he was in – the dinner at the ruler of the Pharisees’ house – as a kind of living parable. By this I mean, in verses 7-14, Christ used the situation he observed in the room as an opportunity to teach about spiritual things.

What are the spiritual lessons delivered by Christ in this passage? Here Christ teaches us about life in his eternal kingdom and he does so by contrasting it with the way these Pharisees were living. No doubt, these Pharisees thought they were in the kingdom of God. More than this, they believed they were the preeminent ones in the kingdom of God. But here Christ condemns their way of life and insists that the values and ethics of his kingdom are radically different from the values and ethics of theirs.

You have heard me say that the gospel of Luke is all about the inauguration of the kingdom of God at Christ’s first coming, and so it is. If you pay careful attention to what Jesus has to say about life in his kingdom and the ethics of his kingdom, you will see that Christ’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom when compared to the kingdoms of this world. This is what we see in the text that is open before us today. The way of the world is not the way of Christ and his kingdom. Things work differently in Christ’s kingdom. In brief, it is not the prestigious, powerful, prideful, and self-promoting who flourish in Christ’s eternal kingdom, but those who are humble, lowly, and servant-hearted.   

This passage consists of three parts. 

Everyone Who Exalts Himself Will Be Humbled, And He Who Humbles Himself Will Be Exalted   

The first is found in Luke 14:7-11. There we read, “Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor…”  In that culture, men lounged on the ground at low tables to eat. As it is in our culture, certain positions at the table were considered to be places of honor. The places of honor at the table were the most comfortable, provided the best view of the room, and were situated close to the host or guest of honor so that conversation could be had with those of importance. What did Jesus observe at this dinner party? He saw men clamoring for the best and most honored places at the tables.  

And so he took the opportunity to instruct them concerning them, saying, in verse 8, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

This is a wise saying. It sounds very much like Proverbs 25:6-7: “Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence or stand in the place of the great, for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here,’ than to be put lower in the presence of a noble” (Proverbs 25:6–7, ESV). This is very good advice. One would be wise to follow this advice at dinner parties or at weddings. But I trust you can see this is about more than dinner party etiquette. This is about life in Christ’s kingdom. 

In the world, and even in the world of the Pharisees of Old Covenant Israel, men clamor for positions of honor, power, and prestige.  But this is not how things work in the inaugurated kingdom of Christ, that is to say, the church. In the kingdom of Christ, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” It is this final remark from Jesus that makes his teaching a parable. Christ used the scene that was unfolding before him – men clamoring for positions of honor – to make the point, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”      

As I was contemplating this passage it occurred to me that later in Luke’s gospel we find another story about Jesus dining with others. It is in Luke 22 that we find Jesus dining with his own disciples. There is a linguistic connection between this passage and that one. In Luke 14:1 we are told, “One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” (Luke 14:1, ESV). And in Luke 22 the same Greek word translated as “dine” appears. In Luke 22:14 we read: “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:14–15, ESV). There the Greek word translated as “eat” is the same as the Greek word translated here in our text as “dined”. Not only is there a linguistic connection between Luke 14 and Luke 22, but the scenes are very similar. In both scenes, Christ is dining with people. I do believe that Luke wants to compare and contrast these two dinner parties. 

In Luke 14, the ruler of the Pharisees is the host. In Luke 22, Jesus is the host. In Luke 14, the Pharisees are found clamoring for positions of honor. And what do you know, in Luke 22 the twelve Apostles are found doing the same thing. In Luke 22:24 we read, “A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest” (Luke 22:24, ESV). In Luke 14 Christs rebukes and instructs the Pharisees, saying, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” In Luke 22:25, Christ speaks to his ambitions, self-seeking, and self-promoting disciples saying, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves” (Luke 22:25–27, ESV). Luke does not tell the story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at this Passover feast. Only John tells that story in chapter 13 of his gospel. No doubt, the words of Jesus recorded in Luke 22:17 are meant to remind us of this story. Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, the Messiah, the Lord of Glory, humbled himself and took the position of a servant. As he celebrated the last Passover with his disciples, he “rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him” (John 13:4–6, ESV). And he instructed his disciples, saying, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:13–15, ESV).

This is the ethic of Christ’s kingdom. The great are those who are truly humble. The great are those who are resolved to serve and to put the needs of others ahead of their own desires. This kingdom ethic is exemplified by the King of the kingdom, Christ the Lord, “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. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:6–11, ESV). All who have Christ as their King are to have this mind within themselves (see Philippians 2:5). We are to clothe ourselves with humility toward one another, knowing that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, ESV).

It is possible, dear friends, to act humble in public but to lack true humility in the heart. We must not forget that God sees the heart. True humility comes when we begin to see ourselves as we really are.  Those who are proud have a distorted view of themselves. They see themselves as righteous (in themselves), being blind to their sin and folly. They see themselves as self-sufficient, oblivious to the fact that it is God who upholds their life and gives them their every breath. Contrary to all the evidence, the proud think of themselves as immortal and invincible. They do not see that their life is but a vapor and a breath. Those who are truly humble see themselves as they truly are. They agree with God’s word that they are sinners by nature, creatures who depend on God for everything, and created to give thanks and praise to God and to worship and serve him forever. True humility comes only when we begin to see ourselves as God sees us, as revealed in the pages of Holy Scripture. 

The Pharisees lacked a proper view of themselves, and so Christ warned them and taught them, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Sometimes the proud are humbled even in this life, and sometimes the humble are exalted even in this life. Certainly, the proud will be humbled and the humble will be exulted on judgment day and in the life to come.        

Do Not Invite Those Who Can Repay, For You Will Be Repaid At The Resurrection Of The Just 

In Luke 14:12 Christ delivers another message. This time, he spoke directly to the man who had invited him to the banquet and said, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:12–14, ESV).

If in the previous parable, Christ confronted the Pharisees concerning their pride and self-promotion, here Christ confronts them for the preferential treatment they showed to their kinsmen according to the flesh and those with prestige.

It would be a mistake to think that Christ is here forbidding private dinner parties wherein those invited are all friends or members of the same family. Certainly, there is a time and place for private celebrations. Jesus’ words must be interpreted in kingdom terms if they are to be correctly understood. These were Pharisees, remember? They were recognized as religious leaders within that society. Clearly, this dinner that Christ attended was not a simple celebration for family and friends, but an event of religious and political importance. This is why the people were clamoring for the honored places as the tables. I’m sure the whole scene made Christ sick, and so he confronted them for the preferential treatment they showed to family and those with prestige while neglecting the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind among them. 

Jesus’ concerns in this instance seem to be very much like the concerns that James had when he wrote his letter to Christians, saying, “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ while you say to the poor man, ‘You stand over there,’ or, ‘Sit down at my feet,’ have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called? If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘

You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well.” (James 2:2–8, ESV)

As I have said, this passage is about Christ’s kingdom and the ethics of his kingdom. I do not doubt that what Christ saw in the house of the ruler of the Pharisees repulsed him. He delivered this teaching as a rebuke to the Pharisees, and also to instruct his disciples concerning life in his inaugurated kingdom, that is to say, in the church. Dear friends, as the church – that is to say, as the officers and members of Christ’s church – we must never show partiality or preferential treatment to family members or to those of wealth and prestige within society but must care for the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind among us. In other words, we must not relate to people thinking, how will I benefit from this relationship in the here and now? Instead, we must love our neighbor as ourselves and do unto them as we would have them do to us if we were in their position. Here Christ reminds us that there will be a reward for those who live according to this ethic when he says, “For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” 

 Blessed Is Everyone Who Will Eat Bread In The Kingdom Of God

Christ had one more lesson for this group. It is found in verses 15-24.

In verse 15 we read, “When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, ‘Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!’” Evidently this man understood that Christ was talking about the kingdom of God and the ethics of this kingdom. Why did he speak up? I do not know. Perhaps he genuinely agreed with Jesus. Perhaps he simply wanted his voice to be heard. Perhaps his statement was intended to prompt Jesus to answer the question, who will eat bread in the kingdom of God? Whatever the man’s motive, Jesus did take the opportunity to teach about entrance into the kingdom of God. Here we find a classic example of a parable. 

Verse 16: “But he said to him, ‘A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet’” (Luke 14:15–24, ESV).

The primary meaning of this parable is clear. The man who gave a great banquet represents God. The banquet represents the marriage supper of the lamb that will be enjoyed in the new heavens and earth when the kingdom of God is consummated (see Revelation 19:9). The servant who was sent out to say to those invited, “Come, for everything is now ready”,  is Jesus Christ. Those who were invited first – the ones who made excuses as to why they could not come because they were preoccupied with the cares of this world – represent the Jews and especially the leaders of the Jews, men like the Pharisees. The master of the house growing angry and saying to his servants, “Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame”, represents the realities of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Not many who were wise according to worldly standards, or powerful, or those of noble birth followed after receiving the invitation to the great banquet. Rather it was foolish, the weak, the low and despised in the world, who responded in faith to the invitation of Christ (see 1 Corinthians 1:26–29). When the servant in the parable spoke to the master, saying, “Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room”, it symbolized the fact that not all of God’s elect were called to faith and repentance in the days of Christ’s earthly ministry. Far from it! There was still room – a lot more room – at God’s banquet table table. When the master said to the servant, “Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled”, it symbolized the fact that the gospel of the kingdom of heaven would soon go out from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (see Acts 1:8). When the master spoke to the servant saying, “For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet”, it was a condemnation of the Jews, especially the religious elite from amongst the Jews, who had rejected the invitation of Christ and persisted in unbelief. 

The man at the table said, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” No doubt, his statement was true! But Christ made it clear by this parable, that none of these Pharisees would be blessed to eat bread in the kingdom if they continued to make excuses and reject the invitation delivered by Jesus because they loved the world and the things of this world more than God.

This, I say, was the primary meaning of this parable. This is what the parable meant primarily as it was originally delivered by Jesus the audience he had at the ruler of the Pharisee’s house. But parables can have layers of meaning. The secondary meaning of this parable is that this dynamic continues even to the present day. The invitation to the great banquet of God continues to go out. It is the gospel proclaimed by the followers of Jesus Christ. And men and women continue to make excuses and reject this invitation because they love this world and the things of this world more than God and the things of God. 

It could be that you are one of those fools who have chosen the fleeting pleasures of this life over a seat at God’s heavenly banquet table. How do you receive this invitation and come to take your seat at God’s heavenly and eternal banquet table? Only by turning from your sins and trusting in Jesus the Messiah for the forgiveness of your sins. How foolish the men in this parable were! They were invited to a very great and grand banquet! And yet they made excuses. The first one said, “I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.” And another said, “I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.” These were lame excuses indeed. And they reveal the indifference, lovelessness,  and lack of interest that these men have in the master and in the master’s house.  Some who are here might have the same indifference, lovelessness, and lack of interest in God and in the things of God. 

It is so, I pray it will soon change. May the Lord grant to all who hear these words a true appetite for the great banquet of God that will be enjoyed when Christ returns to consummate his kingdom. May our hunger for the things of this earth pale in comparison to our hunger for the marriage supper of the lamb. And dear friends, may the Lord grant us the grace to have our hunger pains for the feast of that great and final day satisfied by the feast that God has set before us now in the Lord’s Supper.  

The man at the table with Jesus was right! “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” This will be true in the world to come when the kingdom of God is consummated. But it is also true now as those with faith in Christ eat bread at the Lord’s table in the inaugurated kingdom of heaven.

Conclusion

Second London Confession 26.1

The catholic or universal church, which (with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace) may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Hebrews 12:23; Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:10, 22, 23; Ephesians 5:23, 27, 32)

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 5:22–33

“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” (Ephesians 5:22–33, ESV)

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

Introduction

For some time now I have been telling you that I would like to present teaching to you concerning our doctrine of the church, also know as ecclesiology. It took me a while to decide where to deliver this teaching. I thought about presenting this material in Sunday School, but then I thought, too many would miss it! I also thought about delivering a series of sermons on the doctrine of the church in the first portion of our liturgy, but I decided against this not wanting to disrupt our study of the Gospel of Luke. And then one day it dawned on me: this study would fit very nicely in the second portion of our liturgy in the place of the catechetical preaching for a time. 

Catechetical preaching is theological or doctrinal preaching, and that is what this will be. In the weeks to come I will present you with a series of short sermons on the doctrine of the church. What do the Scriptures teach us about the church?  That will be the general question we will address. 

And thankfully, we do have time to address this question. For many years now it has been our custom to progress through the 114 questions and answers of the Baptist Catechism once every two years. When we decided many months ago to join the morning service and the afternoon service into one liturgy with two parts, one of the positive consequences was that we will not need to cancel the second portion of the liturgy to make room for the quarterly worship gatherings of our association or members meetings. This means I now have a little room in our two-year schedule. I intend to use that room in the schedule to elaborate further on certain topics addressed by our catechism or to address topics that our catechism does not address at all.

Speaking of our catechism, it is interesting that the Baptist Catechism says very little about the doctrine of the church. The word church appears only once. It is found in question and answer 101. That section of the catechism is about the external and ordinary means of grace: the word of God read and especially preached, baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and prayer. Question 101 asks, 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. This is an important question and answer. It helps us to see that baptism is to be administered by those ordained within the church and that baptism marks the entrance into the covenant community. The church is the place where disciples of Jesus Christ are taught to observe all that Christ has commanded. As I have said, Baptist Catechism 101 is very important, but our catechism does not contain anything like a full-blown doctrine of the church. Please hear me, this is not a complaint. The Baptist Catechism is designed to be used to instruct in the fundamentals of the faith. Also, it is designed to summarize our confession of faith. And our confession of faith does contain a very robust statement concerning our doctrine of the church. 

As I thought about the best way to present our ecclesiology to you, I could not think of a better way than to walk through chapter 26 of our confession of faith, the Second London Confession (2LCF). Chapter 26 consists of 15 paragraphs. I intend to present one paragraph to you each Sunday for the next 15 weeks. I trust that these brief sermons will feel very much like the catechetical sermons you are accustomed to hearing. 

After deciding on this approach, the only other question to answer was, when should this be done? Or where would be the best place to break from our journey through the catechism to insert this teaching? I suppose it would have been natural to wait until  Baptist Catechism 101 where the word “church” is found, or to insert this teach right before or after the section on the external and ordinary means of grace, especially the ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, given that they are the two sacraments or ordinances of the church (Baptist Catechism 96-104). Frankly, I didn’t want to wait that long. I think we need this teaching sooner rather than later. And so I have decided to insert this teaching on the church right here at this point of transition in Catechism.  We considered question 43 last Sunday. That was the last question in the second major section of our catechism. Questions 7 through 43 teach us what man ought to believe concerning God. Questions 44 through 114 will teach us about the duty God requires of man (see Baptist Catechism 6). This is a very natural place to break, therefore, and to teach systematically on the doctrine of the church. 

There is one more thing I would like to say by way of instruction before looking at paragraph 1 of 2LCF 26. As we begin this topical sermon series I would ask you to read chapter 26 of our confession. In fact, it would probably be good for you to read chapters 26-30, for these five all relate to the topic of ecclesiology. But do please read chapter 26. And as you do, I would ask you to look for two themes. One, look for Jesus Christ and ask yourself the question what is the relationship between Christ and the church? Two, look for the theme of power and authority. Where does church power come from, where does it reside, and how is it disseminated? No doubt, I’ll be drawing your attention to these two themes as we progress through these 15 paragraphs in the weeks to come.  

Now, let us briefly consider 2LCF 26.1. 

The Catholic Church Is The Universal Church

Typically, the first paragraph of each chapter in our confession states the doctrine under consideration in the most general terms possible. If you wish to know what we believe about any given topic addressed by our confession, and you only had time to read one paragraph, you should read the first paragraph. When it comes to chapter 26 of the Confession and our doctrine of the church, you should probably dig deep and read the first two paragraphs, for they are both essential to a proper understanding of the church, as we will soon see.   

This introductory paragraph is about the catholic church. Brothers and sisters, we must not be afraid of the word catholic. This introductory paragraph has nothing to do with what is called Roman Catholicism. That is a false religion. That tradition proclaims a false gospel. Catholic simply means universal. And that is what we are considering here – the catholic or universal church. 

It is worth noting at this point that chapter 26 of our confession is mainly about local or particular churches. Paragraph 2 will turn our attention to local, particular, or visible churches, saying,  “All persons throughout the world, professing the faith of the gospel, and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors everting the foundation, or unholiness of conversation, are and may be called visible saints; and of such ought all particular congregations to be constituted.” The remaining paragraphs are about local, particular, or visible churches, such as this one. But paragraph 1 is about the church catholic or universal.

The Catholic Church May Be Called Invisible

Here in this paragraph, we are told that the catholic or universal church “may be called invisible.” Local churches are not invisible. You can see them. A photo can be taken of the members of local churches. But the catholic or universal church is said to be invisible. How so? Our catechism clarifies that it is invisible “with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace.” So then, the catholic or universal church is not a visible church now. No, it is a spiritual church. 

Now would probably be a good time for me to tell you what the word church means. The word church simply means “assembly”. Local or particular churches are local and particular assemblies. They are visible. But the catholic or universal church does not yet assemble, at least not on earth, and so it is rightly said to be invisible. Invisible to whom? It is invisible to us but not to God.

The Catholic Church Consists Of The Whole Number Of The Elect

Who then are the members of this universal and catholic church? Pay very careful attention to what our confession says.  The universal church “consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof…” Stated differently, the members of the universal church are the elect of God and the elect in waiting. The universal church consists of all whom God has chosen. 

I ask you, is the membership of this church mixed? By that I mean, does it consist of true believers and unbelievers, or true believers and false professors? No! In paragraph 3 we will confess that “The purest churches under heaven (that is to say, the purist of the local, visible churches on earth) are subject to mixture and error; and some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan; nevertheless Christ always hath had, and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof, of such as believe in him, and make profession of his name.” But the universal and invisible church of Christ is pure. It is only those who are united to Christ by faith who are members of the universal church. And all the members are pure. Why? Because Christ has made them pure! 

This, dear friends, it the one church that Christ laid down his life for. Did Jesus lay down his life for Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church in Hemet CA? No! For two reasons. One, it is possible that there are people on our membership roster who do not have true faith in Christ. Two, it should be abundantly clear that Christ laid down his life for more than just the members of this particular visible church. To use the language of Ephesians 5, what church did Christ “give himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” What church is this? Did Christ lay down his life for the church in Ephesis or the church in Galatia? Not exactly. He laid down his life for one church, and that one church is the church catholic. 

Again, The universal church “consists of the whole number of the elect, that have been”, that is to say, who lived in the past from Adam’s day to the present, “are…”, that is to say, who are alive now, “or shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof…” This is a reference to the elect who are alive now but have not yet believed, or the elect who have not yet been born. 

The Catholic Church Will Not Always Be Invisible

This catholic or universal church is invisible now. This church has members (the elect), but it does not have officers. The sacraments are not administered within the universal church, for it cannot be assembled on earth. But will the universal church always be invisible? Will it always be unable to assemble? No. Though the catholic church cannot assemble now, it will assemble in the new heavens and earth. And that is what our confession draws our attention to with the words, “shall be gathered into one, under Christ, the head thereof; and is the spouse, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”    

A moment ago I urged you to read 2LCF 26 in its entirety and I asked you to look for two themes. One, look for Jesus Christ and ask yourself the question what is the relationship between Christ and the church? Two, look for the theme of power and authority. Where does church power come from, where does it reside, and how is it disseminated? Church power is not explicitly mentioned in this introductory paragraph, but Jesus Christ is. And his relationship with the church is presented in such a way that it prepares us to take up the topic of church power in the future. 

What is the relationship between Christ and the church? 

Notice, all of God’s elect shall be “gathered into one, under Christ.” Christ is the one who unifies the one true church. The members of the one true church share this one thing in common: spirit-wrought union with Christ through faith in him.

Notice that Christ is here called the head of the church. The English Annotations say, “Christ is said to be the Head of the Church in three respects, especially. First, in that he is above the Church, and ruleth it, as the head guideth the body. Secondly, because he conveyeth life into it, as the head doth to the members. Thirdly, he provideth for it, as the Head doth for the members, and participates in the same nature with it, as the head doth with the members” (English Annotations on Ephesians 1:22).

Borrowing language from Ephesians 5, the church universal is also said to be the bride of Christ. This is the church that Christ laid down his life for. The confession alludes to Ephesians 1:23 when it calls the church “the body of Christ, and the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” 

Conclusion

Though it is true that chapter 26 of our confession will quickly turn our attention to particular local churches (such as this one), and though it is true that the Scriptures speak often of local churches – the church in Ephesus, Philippi, etc., and rather infrequently of the church universal, I’m glad our confession begins here with a definition of the church universal. This should help us to not lose sight of the bigger picture as we sojourn together in these last days as members of a local, particular, visible church. Christ has sheep who are not of this fold! And we must not forget about them. As we seek to build one another up in this local church, and as we seek to encourage the planting and prosperity of other local churches, we must not forget about the church catholic. How marvelous it will be to assemble with that perfect and pure church in the new heavens and earth. She will be a splendid church “without spot or wrinkle or any such thing…” She will be “holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:27, ESV). This is because Christ shed his blood to atone for her sins. He will have then sanctified her, “having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word” (Ephesians 5:26, ESV). 

Friends, being a member of a local congregation matters nothing at all if you are not a member of the church catholic. You must be found in Christ, being united to him by faith. 

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 103

“OF DAVID. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Bless the LORD, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! Bless the LORD, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!” (Psalm 103, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 14:1-6 

“One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’ But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. And he said to them, ‘Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?’ And they could not reply to these things.” (Luke 14:1–6, ESV)

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

Introduction

Luke 14:1-6 is very similar to Luke 13:10-17. In both passages, Christ heals on the Sabbath Day. In both passages, Christ comes under the criticism of Jewish leaders for it. In Luke 13:10-17 the criticism is spoken; in Luke 14:1-6 it is implied that the leaders were critical and judgemental towards Jesus in their hearts.  In both passages, Christ rebukes his critics and insists that the Sabbath Day is not only a day for rest and worship but a day to show mercy to those in need. 

In the sermon I preached on Luke 13:10-17, I focused on the Sabbath. I attempted to demonstrate that Christ was not against the Sabbath but was concerned to observe it properly. Christ was not preparing to do away with the Sabbath (as many claim) but was rescuing the Sabbath from the heard-hearted and loveless legalism of the Pharisees. In that sermon, I attempted to convince you that the Sabbath day was the very best day for Christ to perform this miracle of healing, for the Sabbath day is meant to remind us of the eternal Sabbath rest we will enjoy when Christ returns to make all things new. When Christ healed the woman with a disabling spirit, it was a foretaste and foreshadowing of the new creation. It demonstrated that Christ has the power to bring us into the state of glory, of which the Sabbath is a sign, and to heal us from all our infirmities. In that sermon, I also attempted to convince you that the practice of Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God today (see Hebrews 4:9). The Sabbath day is no longer on the seventh day, but is now the first day of the week. Why? Because Christ rose from the dead on the first day of the week, and when he rose on the first day, he accomplished our redemption and inaugurated a new creation and the New Covenant. The seventh-day Sabbath has been fulfilled by Christ and has been taken away, but Sabbath-keeping remains for the people of God. Now, we rest from common labor and recreations to devote ourselves to worship, corporately and privately, on the first day of the week. It is Lord’s Day (see Revelation 1:10) or Christian Sabbath. 

The passage that is open before us today is so similar to Luke 13:10-17, I suppose I could have simply preached that sermon all over again today. But instead of repeating what I said only a month or so ago, I have decided to come at this text from a slightly different vantage point. Instead of focusing on the Sabbath, I wish to focus on the topic of healing. 

If you have been paying attention in our study through the gospel of Luke you will know that Christ healed many in the days of his earthly ministry. If you are familiar with the New Testament Scriptures, you will know that the apostles of Christ could heal (see Acts 3 & 4) and that some within the early church also had the gift of healing (see 1 Corinthians 12:28). 

This raises many questions. Here are the questions that come immediately to my mind. Why did Christ heal? Why were the apostles of Christ given this ability to heal? Why did some within the early church have the gift of healing? Does the gift of healing remain in the church today? If not, does God heal today? If so, how does God heal? Should we expect that God will heal us? Why should we pursue healing when we are physically ill? And how should we pursue healing? These are the questions I would like to address today. 

First, we will move very quickly through our text. After that, we will take up the topic of healing. 

A Brief Exposition Of Luke 14:1-6

In Luke 14:1 we read, “One Sabbath…” As I have said, I do believe this text is about the Sabbath and the practice of Sabbath-keeping. “One Sabbath, when [Jesus] went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” I do like the idea that Christ dined with others on the Sabbath day. I do believe that the Sabbath is a wonderful day to have people in your home to eat with them. It is interesting, though, that Christ “dined at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees…” As you know, the Pharisees were typically opposed to Jesus, and that there was opposition and tension in this situation is made clear by the words, “they were watching him carefully.” They were watching him so as to catch him in some perceived error so that they might accuse him. I’m guessing you could feel the tension in the room. This doesn’t sound like a pleasant dinner to me. 

In Luke 14:2 we read, “And behold, there was a man before [Jesus] who had dropsy” (Luke 14:2, ESV). Dropsy is a condition involving swelling due to the build-up of lymphatic fluid under the skin.  We would call this condition, edema. 

In Luke 14:3 we read, “And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, ‘Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?’” (Luke 14:3, ESV). The word “responded” is interesting. Responded to what? The lawyers and Pharisees hadn’t said anything! But they did, if you know what I mean. They said things before, they spoke through their body language, and Christ knew their thoughts, and so he responded to them, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 

I do wonder if this man with dropsy was a friend of theirs. I assume he was. Poor fellow. When Christ asked, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?”, everyone knew Christ was thinking of him and his condition. I’m sure the man with dropsey wanted everyone to show him mercy and to give the green light, but in verse 4 we read, “But they remained silent.” He must have felt betrayed and unloved by his legalistic friends. Thankfully, Christ showed him compassion. In the second half of verse 4, we read, “Then [Jesus] took him and healed him and sent him away” (Luke 14:4, ESV). 

Jesus then took the Pharisees and lawyers to Sabbath school. Verse 5: “And he said to them, ‘Which of you, having a son or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?’” (Luke 14:5, ESV). The obvious answer is that everyone in the room would labor to pull their son or ox out of a well on the Sabbath-day. Why? Because these men, though they showed no love to their friend with dropsy, loved their sons enough to rescue them from harm on the Sabbath. And truth be told, they would even rescue their ox if it were in trouble. Why? Because an ox is a living being that is to be cared for and (perhaps this was the more important thing to these men) the ox had great monetary value. Think of how much work it would take to pull a son or an ox out of a water well. It would require a lot of work – way more work than was required of Jesus to free this man from his watery bondage. When the lawyers and Pharisees disapproved of Jesus’ actions in their minds and hearts, they once again were proved to be cold-hearted hypocrites, and so the text says, “they could not reply to these things” (Luke 14:6, ESV).

As I have said in the introduction to this sermon, though this text is mainly about the Sabbath, proper Sabbath observance, and the significance of the Sabbath, I wish to focus attention on the topic of healing.

Why did Christ heal? 

Why did Christ heal? Why did he heal this man in this instance? And why did he heal so frequently in the days of his earthly ministry?

First of all, we must say that Christ healed the sick because he had compassion on them. In Luke 7:13 we are told that Christ had compassion on the weeping widow who had lost her only son before he raised him from the dead. In Matthew 14:14 we read, “When [Jesus]… saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.” There is more to be said about the reason Christ healed, but one reason is that he had compassion on the sick.  

Secondly, when Christ performed these miracles of healing it was a sign. The Apostle John often uses the word “sign” in his gospel to describe the miracles Jesus performed. John 2:11: “This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.” John 2:23: “Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.” John 3:2: “This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” John 4:48: “So Jesus said to him, ‘Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.’” John 6:2: “And a large crowd was following [Jesus], because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick.” John 7:31: “Yet many of the people believed in him. They said, ‘When the Christ appears, will he do more signs than this man has done?’” Etc. 

A sign is “an event which is regarded as having some special meaning” (Louw-Nida, 442.) The miracles that Jesus performed were signs that demonstrated that: his words were true; he was from God and that God was with him; he was the Messiah just as he claimed.  In Acts 10:38 we hear the Apostle Peter speak of the earthly ministry of Christ, saying,  “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” (Acts 10:38, ESV). You see, when Christ healed and cast out demons it was a sign that God was with him and that the kingdom of God was indeed present with power (see Luke 11:20).

But why this sign? Why did Christ heal as a sign that God was with him? In other words, is there some special significance or meaning within the sign of healing? Indeed, there is. Friends, the signs Jesus performed were not magic tricks. It is not as if Christ performed miracles merely to impress his audience. It is not as if he said, do you not believe my claims? Well, watch this! No, like with the Ten Plagues that were poured out on Egypt through Moses, the miracles themselves were pregnant with meaning.

When Jesus cast out demons it was a demonstration that he had the power to overthrow Satan and his kingdom and to establish the kingdom of God. And when Christ healed the sick and raised the dead it was a demonstration that he has the power to eradicate all sickness and even death. He has the power to do what the Psalmist hoped for in Psalm 103 – to heal all our diseases and redeem our life from the pit. 

If we wish to interpret the healing ministry of Jesus correctly, we must remember where sickness and death came from. They were not a part of God’s original creation. They were not present before man’s fall into sin. Sickness and death entered the world when Adam rebelled against God. Indeed, the wages of sin is death! The healing ministry of Jesus Christ must be viewed against the backdrop of man’s fall into sin and God’s promise to send a Redeemer. In brief, in Old Testament times it was promised that God would send a Redeemer who would defeat the Evil One who tempted Eve and, through her, Adam. This Redeemer would reverse the effects of the fall. More than this, he would bring his people into the estate of glory, of which Adam, and through his representation, all humanity, fell short. 

When Christ healed the sick it was not only a sign that his words were true, that he was from God and that God was with him, and that he was the Messiah just as he claimed. It was also a sign that he had come to reverse the effects of sin and to bring his people into the estate of glory, where sin and death will be no more.

Why were the Apostles of Christ given the ability to heal? 

The answer to the question, why were the apostles of Christ given the ability to heal?, is almost the same. The difference is this: while Christ healed by his own authority and power, the apostles of Christ healed and worked signs and wonders in Jesus’ name.   

In Acts 3 we find a story wherein the Apostle Peter healed a man who was lame from birth.  The man was begging and he “fixed his attention on [Peter and John], expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, ‘I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!’” (Acts 3:5–6, ESV). The man was healed and the people were astonished, “For the man on whom this sign of healing was performed was more than forty years old.” (Acts 4:22, ESV).

If you search for the phrase “signs and wonders” in the book of Acts, here is what you find: Acts 4:29-30 we find believers praying for continued boldness in the face of persecution, saying, “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” In Acts 5:12 we read, “Now many signs and wonders were regularly done among the people by the hands of the apostles.” In Acts 14:3 we read, “So [Paul and Barnabus] remained for a long time [in Iconium], speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” In Acts 15:12 we are told that the “assembly [in Jerusalem] fell silent, and they listened to Barnabas and Paul as they related what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.”

The apostles of Christ were given the ability to perform wonders in the name of Jesus Christ as a sign that the word they proclaimed was true. These saw Christ resurrected, remember. These were commissioned by Christ to function as his special representatives. It is no wonder that God enabled them to work signs and wonders as a demonstration that their word was true. 

Do you know where else the phrase, “signs and wonders”, is found? It is found in the Old Testament in texts that are about the Exodus. In Exodus 7:3, God speaks to Moses, saying “But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.” In Deuteronomy 6:22, Moses says, “And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous, against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household, before our eyes.” Jeremiah 32:20 says, “You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day.” This is an important observation. The working of signs and wonders is linked to great acts of redemption. God worked signs and wonders through Moses in the Exodus. And God worked signs and wonders through Christ and his apostles in the days when Jesus accomplished our eternal redemption.

Why did some within the early church have the gift of healing? 

Why then did some have the gift of healing in the days of the early church (see 1 Corinthians 12)? I trust you can anticipate the answer. In the days of the early church – in the days before most of the New Testament Scriptures were written – there were apostles, prophets, and other eyewitnesses to Christ’s resurrection ministering the word of God and testifying to what they saw, and miraculous gifts did accompany them – the gift of healing, miracles, and tongues – as a sign that their word concerning Christ was true. 

Does the gift of healing remain in the church today? 

Does the supernatural gift of healing remain in the church today? No. There are no apostles, or prophets in the church today. These are the stones of the foundation of God’s new covenant, new creation temple, remember? Christ is the cornerstone. The church is built upon this foundation. The offices of apostle and prophet have ceased. And neither are there eyewitnesses of Jesus’ resurrection in the church today. For this reason, there are no miracle workers or healers in the church today. The ability to work miracles and heal functioned as a sign that the apostles, prophets, and eyewitnesses of Christ’s resurrection spoke the truth. These have passed away, and now we have their inscriptuarted word. The miraculous gifts have ceased. More could be said in support of our cessationist position, but this will have to do for now. 

Does God heal today? 

But does God heal today? This, my friends, is a different question. And the answer is, yes! Do Christians have the supernatural gift of healing today? No. But does God heal today? Yes. 

How does God heal today? 

And how does God heal? Three categories come to mind. 

One, miraculously, through prayers of his people.

This is why James says, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14, ESV). It is not only the elders who should pray for healing. If a person is ill, they should pray for their own healing. They should also pray with others for healing. And if the illness is so severe that they are bedridden and unable to assemble with the church, they ought to ask the elders of the church to come and pray for them and to anoint them with oil. Some say the anointing oil is medicinal. Others say that it symbolizes the Holy Spirit. While I respect the medicinal view, I do believe the oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. And I do not believe that the symbolic view requires us to call this anointing a sacrament of the church, as the Roman Catholics do. The oil signifies the Holy Spirit. It reminds the one who is ill of God’s presence and of his love for them in Christ Jesus. The oil does not heal. Prayer is the means through which the healing comes (if it is God’s will to grant it), and that what James says next: “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:15, ESV). The point is this: though the miraculous gift of healing has ceased, this does not mean that God has ceased from healing in miraculous ways. If it is his will to heal, he will do it through the means of prayer

Another way that God heals is naturally, through prayer, with the help of gifted physicians.

Did you know that Luke, the author of this Gospel, was a physician? That is what Paul calls him in Colossians 4:14. As we reflect on the fact that Luke was a physician, I suppose it should strengthen our conviction that God can bring healing to us miraculously or through natural means. Luke knew that Jesus could heal and yet that did not lead him to abandon his work as a physician.  

Dear friends, if you are ill it is not wrong for you to seek help from a physician. God has gifted men and women with the natural ability to study the natural body and to help it heal from injury and illness. We should rejoice in this gift and make use of it when necessary. But I would urge you to be careful. Take care that you do not place your trust in man rather than in God. Take care to avoid the assumption that physicians have all the answers. In our day and age, I believe it is especially important to think critically and to take responsibility for your health. We should recognize that the majority of the doctors in our society operate within a system. In fact, you should know that it is very difficult for a doctor to break away from the established system even if they want to. And while there are many good things about our modern medical system – things to be thankful for – it is my conviction that the system has significant flaws and weaknesses. We should be mindful of the flaws and weaknesses, brothers and sisters, as we pursue health and healing.  

I do not wish to bind anyone’s conscience on this point, but I would encourage you to consider looking outside of the established system for alternative approaches to health and wellness. It is my opinion that while our modern medical system excels at trauma care, there are alternative approaches that better support overall health and healing.  But as soon as I say this, I must caution you again. In my experience, many of the so-called alternative approaches to health and wellness that I have encountered are all tangled up with philosophies, worldviews, and religions that we as Christians must not entertain. I have also read books on alternative theories about health and wellness that claim to be Christian or are written by professing Christians. But upon close examination, I find their use of Scripture to be very concerning and their theology very poor. 

The general point that I am making is simple. God has the power to heal us miraculously and directly.  This he will sometimes do, and if he does it, he will do it through the prayers of his people. But God might also heal through natural means and with the help of physicians. Dear brothers and sisters, in some instances, I do believe it is right for us to seek the assistance of physicians and health practitioners while pursuing health and healing, but we must be discerning. Ultimately, our trust must be in God, not man. All things must be bathed in prayer.   

There is a third way that God heals that we sometimes forget about. God does also heal through prayer and the body’s natural healing processes. 

Friends, God has designed our bodies with this incredible ability to heal. You can see it most clearly when you cut yourself. The cut will heal naturally and over time.  I’m afraid we sometimes forget about this natural ability and feel as if we must intervene whenever symptoms arise. Worse yet, we intervene with medicines even before there is a real problem, having been convinced of a threat. There is clearly a time for medical intervention. But is it not possible that our excessive interventions and our propensity to overmedicate make problems worse in the long run? To be clear, my view is not that all medications are bad. Neither am I advising that those on medications stop the use of them. That can be very dangerous, as you probably know. I am, however, urging thoughtfulness and discernment. I am urging you to take a step back from the system and from the industry that supports and surrounds it and to ask critical questions. When it comes to the topic of health and healing, we cannot forget that God has designed the human body with the capacity to heal itself. I would even propose to you that many of the common symptoms of illness that we experience are in fact an important part of the body’s healing process. When we always rush to suppress symptoms, we might be doing more harm than good. I do believe we would benefit from regaining confidence in the body’s natural ability to heal. Not every fever requires a pharmaceutical. Not every ache or pain requires a consult with a doctor. As I consider our modern medical system, I do wonder if a good deal of the sickness in our society is not the result of a system that overmedicates and is quick to intervene. 

Should we expect that God will heal us? 

Does God heal today? Yes. How does God heal? Sometimes directly and miraculously as his people come to him in prayers. God also heals through natural means, with the help of gifted physicians, and through the body’s natural healing mechanisms. But should we expect that God will heal us when we are ill? This question must be answered carefully. 

One, we must know for certain that God is able to heal us if it is his will. If God does not bring us healing immediately or ever in this life, it is not due to some weakness or inability in him. 

Two, connected to this, we must not forget God’s purposes in our afflictions. Does the Bible teach that Jesus healed and that God can heal the sick? Yes. But the Bible also has a lot to say about the causes and purposes of afflictions in the lives of God’s people.

Earlier I mentioned having concerns with books I’ve read on alternative approaches to health and healing written by authors who claim to be Christians. One of the major concerns I have is with the idea that Jesus Christ came so that we might be healed bodily now. These authors will point to passages like our text for today and say, see, Jesus heals! In him, we are already healed. We only need to believe it and claim it, etc. That’s nonsense

In fact, the Scriptures have a lot to say about the benefits of afflictions and God’s purposes for them. You know, there is a book of the Bible devoted to this very subject, the book of Job. Job cannot be ignored. And neither can we ignore passages like James 1:1-2: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2–4, ESV). 1 Peter 5:6-7 is also precious. Here Peter commands us, saying, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6–7, ESV). These passages teach that we are to submit ourselves to God in the midst of afflictions. We are to trust him, knowing that he loves us. We are to wait upon him, knowing that he will exult us in due time. 

This is what Paul did. In 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, he speaks of a metaphorical thorn in his flesh. “So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:7–10, ESV). Some claim that this thorn in the flesh was not a physical ailment but a person who harassed Paul. I doubt that given what Paul says about the weakness and limitations that Pual endured because of this thorn in the flesh. But really, it does not matter what this thorn in the flesh was. The point is clear. Paul suffered under an unrelenting affliction of some kind. Afflictions of all kinds are a part of life in this present evil age. Paul asked for it to be removed, but God said no. And the affliction was used by God to draw Paul into a closer dependence upon him. In this, Paul rejoiced. 

Those who claim that Christ came to heal us now ignore the fact that afflictions of all kinds are used by God to test, strengthen, mature, and purify his people as we live life in this present evil age. Brothers and sisters, we must have a well-developed doctrine of suffering and afflictions. We will not fare well in this world without it. 

The question that I would really like to ask these people is, what about death? Did Christ come to irradicate death now? Clearly the answer is, no. And that reveals the problem. These folks have developed a system of doctrine that erroneously brings the blessings that will be enjoyed by God’s people in life to come into the here and now. 

Did Jesus come to heal us and to free us from all afflictions? The answer is yes! But we will experience the fullness of those blessings only in the life to come.    

Why should we pursue health and healing?

Some, after hearing what I have said about God’s purposes in afflictions and my warnings against expecting the blessings of the life to come in the here and now, will think: then I suppose we must simply be content with sickness. That is not my point. Yes, we must pursue contentment when sick! But this does not require us to be content with the sickness. In fact, I do believe that Christians have an obligation to pursue health and healing.   

Morally, the sixth commandment requires it! Our catechism is helpful:

Q. 72. What is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

Q. 73. What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others. (Eph. 5:29,30; Ps. 82:3,4; Prov. 24:11,12; Act 16:28)

Q. 74. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto. (Gen. 4:10,11; 9:6; Matt. 5:21-26)

Friends, God has given you a body. We must be good stewards of it! 

How should we pursue health and healing?

How then should we pursue health and healing?

One, always through prayer. When ill, we must pray to God to implore his mercy. As we ask him to remove the affliction, we must also humble ourselves before him and submit ourselves to his perfectly wise will. As we ask him to remove the affliction, we must pray that he would use it for good in our lives and the lives of others. We must also give thanks to God in the midst of the affliction. As Paul 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). I’m afraid that people make their afflictions much worse when they give themselves over to a grumbly and ungrateful mindset. We are to pursue contentment in God and in Christ in every circumstance. As Paul says in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11–13, ESV). How should we pursue healing? Always through prayer. And our prayers must always be perfumed with thankfulness. “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” (Philippians 4:4–7, ESV).

Two, when we fall ill, we should make a careful search for sin. All illness is the result of sin in a general way. As has been said, illness was not present in the world before Adam rebelled. To be clear, not every illness is the direct result of some personal and particular sin. The story of Job is clear about that. But some illness is the result of personal and particular sin. When David lived in unrepentant sin, he said that his bones wasted away and that his strength was sapped as by the heat of summer (Psalm 32). Paul says that some who partook of the Lord’s Supper in Corinth in an unworthy manner were weak and ill, and some had died (1 Corinthians 11:30). In the James passage that was read earlier about the one who is ill calling for the elders of the church to pray and to anoint with oil, James says, “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:15, ESV). James suggests that there may be a connection between illness and sin. It could be that God disciplines his beloved children when they are living in unrepentant sin by permitting them to be afflicted with illness. It could also be the sin that has brought with it what we would call natural consequences. If you are drinking to the point of drunkenness, do not be surprised if your liver is diseased. And similarly, if you are harboring bitterness and unforgiveness in your heart, do not be surprised when that heart sin affects your physical body. Dear friend, we are soul and body. These two parts of our nature must be distinguished but they cannot be divided. The soul affects the body, and the body affects the soul. When I urge you to make a careful search for sin, do not forget to look for sins of the mind and heart. Sins of the mind and heart will affect the natural body if left unchecked. I’m not sure why we have such a difficult time recognizing this in our day and age. When you are angry, you’ll feel hot and grow red in the face. When you are bitter, you’ll feel it in your gut. When you are anxious, you’ll experience tightness in your chest. When these sinful emotions are not dealt with and are allowed to remain, they are bound to impact us physically even resulting in illness. If sin is found, it must be turned from. 

Three, when we fall ill, we should make a careful search for folly. By this I mean, we should examine our lives and ask, am I living foolishly in some way? Under this heading I would encourage you to ask questions like this: am I consuming unhealthy food, am I ingesting, injecting, or implanting things that may be toxic into my body, am I overworking, am I overly stressed, am I staying up to late and not getting enough rest, am I neglecting physical activity and exercise, etc., etc.  These things might not fall under the category of “sin”, but it is possible that foolish living will result in physical illness. If folly is found, we must turn from the folly and pursue a life of wisdom.

Four, when we fall ill, we must look to Christ and place all of our hope in him. We must look back upon his earthly ministry to consider the signs and wonder he performed. When we consider that he cast out demons, healed the sick, raised the dead, and was raised from the dead himself, after which he ascended to glory, we see that he has the power to forgive all our iniquity, to heal all our diseases, to redeem our lives from the pit, to crown us with steadfast love and mercy, and to satisfy us with good so that our youth is renewed like the eagles (see Psalm 103). We must also look to the future to the return of Christ the King when all of these benefits will be ours in full in the new heavens and earth that he has secured. Then and there, God will wipe away every tear from our eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for then the former things will have passed away” (see Revelation 21:4).

Conclusion

Baptist Catechism 43

Q. 43. What shall be done to the wicked, at the Day of Judgment?

A. At the Day of Judgment, the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves, shall be sentenced, together with their souls, to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever. (Dan. 12:2; John 5:28,29; 2 Thess. 1:9; Matt. 25:41)

Scripture Reading: Revelation 20:11–15

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11–15, 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.

Introduction

Talk of hell is weighty. It is a very heavy and serious subject. Every Christian does feel this heaviness within their soul when they think of someone being sentenced to hell, and it is right that they do. It is similar to the heaviness that fills a courtroom when a criminal is tried, convicted, and finally sentenced. Everyone in the room can feel the weightiness of the moment. Everyone knows that something serious is happening. And even if all agree that the man is guilty and the penalty is just, those who have love in their hearts will feel a sense of sorrow even for the condemned, knowing that a life has been ruined by sin. And how much more is the weightiness of the final judgment, and eternal damnation?

I think it is right to say that the Christian should never take pleasure in the thought of someone going to hell. The Christian should feel a sense of sorrow at the thought of even their worst enemy coming under God’s condemnation. Just as it would be concerning if a courtroom erupted in jubilant celebration when the sentence of death is pronounced upon the condemned, so too it would be concerning if someone rejoiced in their heart concerning the thought of a man going to eternal punishment. Only one who is consumed with anger and a desire for vengeance could feel such a thing in their heart. As I have said, it is right that we feel a sense of sorrow for those condemned, for this is a weighty matter.

But let us be sure not to err in another direction, and that is, to consider the judgments of God to be somehow unnecessary or unjust. While it is true that the thought of men coming under the judgment of God is weighty and ought to produce a sense of sorrow within us, it is also true that we ought to say this is right and even good.

If we go back to the courtroom you’ll see what I mean. If when the guilty murderer is sentenced to death the courtroom erupts in jubilant and cheerful celebration, that shows that men are very angry and vengeful — this cannot be the disposition of the Christian. But will anyone dare to say that it is wrong for them to rejoice in the fact that justice has been served? Will anyone dare to say that those who have lost a loved one at the hands of the murder are wrong to consider the judgment to be fitting, right, and even good? And so you see that justice will always produce a mixture of thoughts and emotions. It is right for us to grieve over the destruction that sin brings, but it is also right for us to rejoice when justice is served. 

If we rejoice in this way over the just judgments of men, how much more should we rejoice over the just judgments of God? And brothers and sisters, rest assured God’s judgments are always perfectly just.

For one, God is not driven by a passion for vengeance, as we sometimes are, so he is moved to overdo it.  In fact, the scriptures reveal that he takes no pleasure at all in the death of the wicked. Listen to Ezekiel 33:11: “ As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11, ESV).

And when God judges, he does not judge with limited knowledge as we do, for he is all-knowing. Human judges and juries do their best to judge according to what they know. They rely upon evidence and testimonies. But they cannot see for themselves whether or not the crime was committed. Not so with God. The Judge of all the earth sees everything with perfect clarity. He even knows the thoughts of man and the intentions of his heart. He does not struggle with the issue of limited knowledge when he administers justice. 

And when God judges he will get it perfectly right, for he is just. The punishment will fit the sin, and perfectly so. Psalm 96:10 speaks to this: “Say among the nations, ‘The LORD reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity” (Psalm 96:10, ESV). Equity means rightness or fairness. God’s judgments will be perfectly right and fair. And this is why Paul says in Romans, “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (Romans 3:19, ESV). At the judgment, every mouth will be stopped. No one will say, God, you got it wrong. 

In our prisons, there are men and women who insist that they are innocent. Some of them probably are! For we are flawed in our judgments. But many of them are guilty. They know it, but they lie. There will be none of that at the judgment on the last day, for God will judge with perfect equity, and all will see it. Every mouth will be stopped before him who judges justly (Romans 3:19).

This truth should bring a kind of comfort to the people of God. This world is filled with sin, wickedness, and injustice. We long for justice because we are made in the image of God who is just. And so it is comforting to know that on the last day God will right every wrong. 

And isn’t it interesting how even those who do not believe in God or in the Christ whom he sent will comfort themselves with the idea of justice in the afterlife when faced with some great evil? “This predator will get what is coming to him”, they say. Or “this terrorist who killed thousands of innocents will pay in the life to come.” These same people may deny that hell exists for the common folk, but they hope that it exists for those who are particularly heinous. They assume that hell is sparsely populated, I guess. They assume that it is for Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, and other characters like these. But when it comes to the common man, hell is a myth to them. Those who think in this way are right to take some comfort in the fact that wrongs will be made right in the end and that justice will be served. But they are terribly wrong to minimize their own sin and the sin of others.  

The scriptures teach that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23, ESV), and “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23, ESV). Yes, there are particularly heinous sins. But all sin is truly heinous and will be punished on the last day, unless we are found in Christ, washed in his blood. 

Do not believe the lie that your sin is not serious. It is truly terrible for humans to live in the world that God has made, to enjoy his blessings in this life, and to partake of his mercy, but fail to give him honor and glory. How ungrateful we are by nature. And not only do we fail to honor our Creator, we worship the creature instead. We rob him of the glory due to his name. This is a heinous sin deserving of God’s just condemnation. And add to this the disrespect we have shown to mother and father and to others with authority over us, the hatred we have shown to our fellow man, our sexual immorality, our thievery, and dishonesty. We are ungrateful sinners by nature. Do I really need to convince you of this!? It is strange how we read the news and say, look at all the wickedness in the world! But we are unable to see the wickedness in our own hearts. We see it in the lives of others while convincing ourselves that we and those who are close to us are basically good. 

Brothers and sisters, God would be just to send us to hell for all eternity for our sin against him –  for failing to love him with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves –  But he is merciful and kind, as you know. He has provided a Savior, Christ Jesus the Lord.    

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Catechism Explained

Question 43 of our catechism helps us to understand these things. It asks, “What shall be done to the wicked, at the Day of Judgment?” Answer: 

“At the Day of Judgment” 

“At the Day of Judgment…” When will this day be? It will be on the last day when Christ returns. Christ came the first time to pay for sins and to accomplish our salvation. And the scriptures teach that he “will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28, ESV), and to judge. Christ himself taught this when he said, “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left… Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”(Matthew 25:31–33, 41 ESV).

“The bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves” 

“At the Day of Judgment the bodies of the wicked, being raised out of their graves…” Notice that the resurrection day is the Day of Judgment. On the last day when Christ returns, the dead in Christ will be raised, and so too will the dead who are not in Christ. Question 41 of our Catechism taught us that on that day those in Christ, “being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly blessed, both in soul and body, in full enjoyment of God to all eternity.” Here we learn that those not in Christ will be raised bodily too.  

John was shown a vision of this as recorded for us in Revelation 20:12-13: ​​“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened…. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done” (Revelation 20:12–13, ESV).

“Shall be sentenced, together with their souls” 

So then, or catechism is right to say that the wicked will be raised and “shall be sentenced, together with their souls”. Just as the righteous will be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly blessed, both in soul and body, in full enjoyment of God to all eternity”, so too the wicked will be judged in body and soul, that is to say, as whole persons.

 “To unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever.”

Lastly, our catechism says, “to unspeakable torments with the devil and his angels forever.” Three things should be noted. One, hell is described as a place of torment. And this is clearly the teaching of scripture. Two, hell is also a place of torment for the devil and his angels. It will be a place of punishment for all who have rebelled against their maker, the exception being those to whom God has shown mercy in Christ Jesus (see Revelation 20:10). Three, our catechism is right to say that this punishment is forever. The Matthew 25:41 passage that was cited earlier teaches this. There Jesus says to the goats, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels”(Matthew 25:31–33, 41 ESV, emphasis added).

Some have questioned if eternal punishment fits the crime of a lifetime of sin and rebellion. Though there is some mystery concerning what heaven and hell will be like, we must believe and confess what the scriptures teach. Hell is eternal, and God is perfectly just. Perhaps we need to adjust our view concerning the severity of sin instead of standing in judgment over God’s justice. 

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Conclusion

Let me conclude with three suggestions for application. They will sound familiar to you because they are similar to the points of application that were made last week.

One, this teaching should move you to ask the question, where will I go when Christ returns to judge? Will I be openly acknowledged and acquitted by him and invited to experience the glories of heaven, or will I fall under his just condemnation and be cast into the torments of hell? What makes the difference? Answer: faith in Christ! We are all born in sin. We all violate God’s law in thought word in thought, word, and deed. We all deserve the torments of hell. But God has provided a Savior for us, Christ the Lord. We must be found in him, and so I urge you to turn from your sins, trust in Christ as Savior, and confess him to be your Lord.  

Two, this teaching should move us to pray for those who do not believe in Christ and also to tell them about Jesus. These are the means that God uses to bring his people to salvation: the proclamation of the gospel and prayer. 

Three, this teaching should increase our gratitude for the mercy and grace that God has shown to us in Christ Jesus. In questions 35 through 41 of our catechism, we were taught about what Christ has saved us to. There we learned about the benefits that come to those who have faith in Christ in this life –  justification, adoption, sanctification, and the several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them, namely, assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end. There we also learned about the blessings that come to believers at the moment of death and at the resurrection. But here in questions 42 and 43, we have learned what Christ has saved us from, namely, eternal judgment in hell. 

Thanks be to God for his mercy and grace shown to us in Christ Jesus. 

Baptist Catechism 42

Q: But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?

A: The souls of the wicked shall, at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day. (Luke 16:22-24; Ps. 49:14)

Scripture Reading: Luke 16:19–31

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19–31, ESV)

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

Introduction

Baptist Catechism questions 35-43 are about the benefits that come to those who are effectually called by God’s word and Spirit to turn from their sins and place their faith in Christ. 

What benefits do those who believe in Christ enjoy in this life? In Baptist questions 35-39 we are taught all about justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the “several benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from them, namely, the .assurance of God’s love, peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, increase of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.” These are all blessings (or benefits) that come to the believer in this life.

Question 40 then asks, what benefits do believers receive from Christ at death? That is a good question, don’t you think? We experience many benefits in this life through faith in Christ Jesus, but what about when we die? Are there blessings that come to the believer then? Yes. Here is the answer: “The souls of believers are at death made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies, being still united to Christ, do rest in their graves till the resurrection.” This is very comforting, is it not? Though death is an unpleasant thing for all people, for the believer there is a sense in which it is a blessed thing because of what Christ has accomplished for us. 

Question 41 then asks, what benefits do believers receive from Christ at the Resurrection? Answer: At the resurrection believers, being raised up in glory, shall be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the Day of Judgment, and made perfectly blessed, both in soul and body, in full enjoyment of God to all eternity. We considered this question and answer last Sunday, so I will not comment on it now. 

Notice that here in questions 42 (and 43), the blessings that will be enjoyed by those who have faith in Christ at death and at the resurrection are contrasted with the awful destiny of those who die in unbelief and in their sins. I do believe that questions 42 and 43 are still about the benefits that come to those who trust in Christ. Whereas in questions 35-41 we learn about what the believer has been saved to, here in questions 42 (and 43) we learn about what the believer has been saved from.  

Listen again to question 42: “But…” That word is important. It is a word indicating contrast. “But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?” Answer: “The souls of the wicked shall, at death, be cast into the torments of hell, and their bodies lie in their graves, till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.” 

Let us now briefly consider the catechism piece by piece. 

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Catechism Explained

“But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?” 

Notice that question 42 asks, “But what shall be done to the wicked at their death?” 

I suppose some might be thinking, but aren’t we all sinful? Aren’t we all wicked? Well, by nature, yes. But when our catechism speaks of “the wicked” it is referring to those who remain in their unbelief and die in the guilt of their sins. Though it is true that we are all born in sin, when a person is drawn to faith in Christ it is because they have been born again. No longer are they “wicked”, for when they turn from their sins and trust in Christ they are, at that moment, washed and forgiven. And though it is true that we all continue to struggle with sin, those who have faith in Christ have been justified (declared not guilty), adopted (as children of God), and are being sanctified further with each passing day. For these reasons, those in Christ cannot be called “wicked”. They are instead called “saints”. And this is by the grace of God alone. So then, this catechism question is asking, what happens to the wicked, that is to say, to those who do not believe in Christ, and are therefore still in their sins, when they die?     

Here is the answer:

“The souls of the wicked” 

“The souls of the wicked…” Notice that a distinction is being made between the body and the soul. This should sound familiar to you. In an earlier catechism question, we learned that believers have a body and soul. And here we are taught that non-believers have a body and soul too. In other words, all humans have a body and soul. A soul is not unique to those who have faith but is an essential part of human nature. 

“Shall at death”

Back to the answer: “The souls of the wicked shall, at death…” Here we are talking about the moment of physical death. Question: what happens to the souls of those who have faith in Christ when they die? We have learned that at the moment of death “the souls of believers are… made perfect in holiness, and do immediately pass into glory…” (BC 40), that is to say, into the blessed presence of God.  

“Be cast into the torments of hell”

But this is to be contrasted with the destination of the souls of the wicked. What will happen to the souls of those who do not have Christ as Lord and Savior when they die?  “The souls of the wicked shall, at death, be cast into the torments of hell…” What is hell? I suppose we might say that it is the opposite of heaven. While heaven is a place of eternal blessedness in God’s glorious and gracious presence, hell is a place of eternal torment wherein God’s perfectly just wrath is poured out on the unrighteous.

Earlier I read from Luke 16:19–31. I will not take the time to explain that text in detail now, for that is not the purpose of this sermon. But I would encourage you to go back to that text later today or later this week to reflect upon it. In that passage, Jesus tells us about the destinies of two people at the moment of death. There was a rich man who prospered in this life. But where did his soul go when he died? To Hades. This is what the place of hellish torment was called prior to the resurrection of Christ from the dead. The rich man suffered in Hades because he was wicked and unbelieving. But where did the poor man go? The text says his soul went to “Abraham’s side”, or “Abraham’s bosom”. Before Christ from the grave, that is what the heavenly and pleasant portion of Hades was called (Hades is a general term referring to the place of the dead before the resurrection of Christ. And within Hades, there was a place of torment and a place of comfort. By the way, why do you think the place of comfort was called “Abraham’s side” or “Abraham’s bosom”? It is because it was those who had the faith of Abraham who went there. It was those who believed in the promises concerning the coming Messiah that were entrusted to Abraham who went to be with him in paradise to be comforted there. Now that Christ has accomplished our redemption through his life, death, resurrection, and ascension, there is no longer Abraham’s bosom, but only “heaven” and “hell”, for through Christ the way into the heavenly holy of holies has been opened up. All who were in Abraham’s bosom before Christ’s resurrection are in heaven now. And all who have died in Christ ever since his resurrection and heaven too. They went there immediately and in their soul. In so too will we if we have faith in Christ and die before he returns. 

Though there are some things that require explanation in Luke 16:19–31 because of the fact that Jesus spoke these words before his resurrection, the text does illustrate the point, doesn’t it? When people die, their souls go either to a place of torment or a place of blessedness and comfort. Now that Christ has risen, we call these two places heaven and hell. 

“And their bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.”

What happens to the bodies of those who do not believe in Christ when they die? The same thing that happens to the bodies of believers. “[T]heir bodies lie in their graves till the resurrection and judgment of the great day.” This mention of the “resurrection” day, which is the “day of judgment”,  anticipates the next question, which is this: “What shall be done to the wicked, at the Day of Judgment?” The answer to this question will have to wait until next Lord’s Day.

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Conclusion

Let me conclude with three suggestions for application.

One, this teaching should move you to ask the question, where will I go when I die? Will I go to experience the glories of heaven, or will I go to experience the torments of hell? What makes the difference? Answer: faith in Christ! We are all born in sin. We all violate God’s law in thought word in thought, word, and deed. We all deserve the torments of hell. But God has provided a Savior for us, Christ the Lord. Listen to John 3:16-18: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John 3:16–18, ESV)

Two, this teaching should move us to pray for those who do not believe in Christ and also to tell them about Jesus. These are the means that God uses to bring his people to salvation: the proclamation of the gospel and prayer. This is why Paul wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16, ESV)

Three, this teaching should increase our gratitude for the mercy and grace that God has shown to us in Christ Jesus. This teaching concerning what Christ has saved us from should cause us to wholeheartedly agree with the apostle Paul, when he says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places… In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, … In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:3–14, ESV). May our gratitude towards God increase. May our love for him grow and grow. May we, like the Apostle, be moved to praise. 

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 118

“Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Let Israel say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let the house of Aaron say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Let those who fear the LORD say, ‘His steadfast love endures forever.’ Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. All nations surrounded me; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: ‘The right hand of the LORD does valiantly, the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!’ I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD. The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 13:31-35 

“At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’ And he said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13:31–35, ESV)

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

Introduction

As we enter into our text for today, it is important to remember the scene. Jesus is now journeying towards Jerusalem. He was determined to go there. And he had made it clear to his disciples that he would suffer and die there. Despite this, great multitudes had flocked to Jesus to hear his teaching and to see the miraculous deeds he performed. This multitude was mixed. Some who followed after Christ were devoted disciples of his. Others wished to be healed by him. Some were curious about him. And some were his enemies. 

Our passage for today begins with these words: “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’” The words, “At that very hour” connect this passage with the previous one. If you remember, near the end of the sermon on the previous passage, I attempted to demonstrate that that passage and this one go together thematically. In the previous passage, Christ warned the crowds about waiting too long to enter the narrow door of the kingdom. The narrow door is faith in Christ. That door will close to every individual at death. It will close permanently at the return of Christ. But I also said that there was a sense in which this warning had special relevance to the Jews, covenantally speaking. The kingdom of God was prefigured amongst them on earth from the days of Moses onward. The gospel of salvation through faith in the Messiah was proclaimed and entrusted to them from the days of Abraham onward. But the Scriptures are clear. When the Jews rejected Jesus as the Messiah and crucified him (through their leadership), a partial hardening came upon Israel (see Romans 11:25). The kingdom was taken from them and given to a people producing its fruits (see Matthew 21:43). 

The previous passage has something to do with this great transition from the Old Covenant to the New when the gospel of the kingdom would no longer be largely confined to ethnic Israel but would go to all of the nations of the earth. The previous passage concluded with this warning from Christ to the unbelieving Jew: ​​“In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (Luke 13:28–30, ESV). This same theme continues in the passage that is open before us today. Here Christ speaks condemningly of the earthly city of Jerusalem and declares the temple in Jerusalem to be forsaken. But he spoke this way to draw our attention to the fact that something greater than Jerusalem and the temple is here. We will come to this main point eventually. For now, by way of introduction, I simply wish to remind you of the scene and the connection between the theme of this text and the previous one. 

Let us now work our way through this passage, verse by verse. 

Concerned Pharisees?

In Luke 13:31 we read, “At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, ‘Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.’” Most of the Pharisees were opposed to Jesus, remember? How are we to understand this warning from these Pharisees? Were these Pharisees genuinely concerned for Jesus’ well-being? Were they concerned that Herod, the ruler of the region of Galilee that Christ was in, would do him harm? After all, this was the Herod who had John the Baptist beheaded not long before this. Were these Pharisees genuinely concerned for Jesus? That is the question. Most commentators say, no. Instead, it seems that these Pharisees were attempting to drive Jesus to Jerusalem where they planned to have him killed. They could not drive Jesus by force. The multitudes surrounding him were simply too large. And so they attempted to drive him by fear. 

Dear brothers and sisters, it is not good to be driven by fear. From time to time it is right for us to be driven by instinctual fear. If the house is on fire, it is good for the emotion of fear to rise within us to move us to run. But often men and women are driven by unholy fear – a fear concerning the future and the unknown. Some are paralyzed by unholy fear. The fear keeps them from doing what God has called them to do. Others are driven into foolish decisions as they attempt to avoid the things they fear in their minds.       

The Evil One often uses fear to derail or debilitate God’s people, and that is what these Pharisees attempted to do with Jesus. When they spoke to him, saying, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you”, they were attempting to use fear to control Jesus and to drive him in the direction they wanted him to go. But Christ would not be driven by unholy fear. He was resolute in fulfilling God’s purposes for him. He was driven by the fear of God. Those who fear God supremely will not easily succumb to the fear of man. 

Consider Christ’s response. It is found in verses 32 and 33: “And he said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’” (Luke 13:32–33, ESV)

When Christ called Herod a fox he drew attention to the fact that he was a shrewd and cunning ruler. Foxes are cunning creatures. They are not strong like lions. They do not hunt and survive by brute force. Instead, they employ shrewd and cunning tactics. Herod was known for being a cunning ruler and a shrewd politician, and so Christ called him a fox.

When Christ called Herod a fox and told the Pharisees to go deliver a message to him, it also suggests that Herod was behind what the Pharisees said to Jesus. Herod and the Pharisees likely wanted Jesus out of Galilee (Herod’s jurisdiction) and in Jerusalem but for different reasons. The Pharisees wanted Jesus killed. Herod did not want to be troubled politically by Jesus and the great multitude that followed him. 

The important thing to notice is that Jesus would soon leave Galilee and go up to Jerusalem, but Herod or the Pharisees did not drive him there. He would go up to Jerusalem willingly knowing that he would suffer and die there. 

So, Christ responded to the Pharisees saying, “‘Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.” This must mean that Christ planned to remain in Galillie a bit longer. He would continue his ministry there (without fear) today, tomorrow, and on the day after that, his course – his work or activity – in that region would be finished. And then Christ said, “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.” 

As I have said, Christ was determined to go to Jerusalem to suffer and die there for he knew it was the will of God for him. Christ went to the cross for you and me and for all of God’s elect willingly. He laid down his life for sinners. His life was not taken from him. Christ spoke of this very directly. In John 10:15-18 we hear Christ say, ​​“I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason, the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge [order; command] I have received from my Father” (John 10:15–18, ESV).

Jerusalem Condemned And The Temple Declaired Forsaken

Now we come to the strong and condemning words that spoke against the city of Jerusalem and his declaration that the temple was forsaken. 

Listen again to verse 33: “Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33, ESV). When Christ said, “it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem”, he drew attention to Israel’s sad history, namely, their propensity to listen to false prophets and to persecute the true prophets sent by God, even to the point of death. 

This sad history is not hidden. It is plainly recorded for us in the Old Testement Scriptures. A good summary is found in Nehemiah 9. There we are told about the people reading God’s law as they celebrated the Feast of Booths after returning to the land after 70 years in exile in Babylon. We are told that they spent a quarter of the day reading God’s law and a quarter of the day confessing their sins corporately. They recounted the history of God’s dealings with them beginning with Abraham and they confessed the sins of their forefathers beginning with the Exodus. When they come to the time after the conquest, the time after Israel was settled in the land that God had promised to give to them, they spoke to God, saying, “Nevertheless, they [their forefathers]  were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their back and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. Therefore you gave them into the hand of their enemies, who made them suffer. And in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviors who saved them from the hand of their enemies. But after they had rest they did evil again before you, and you abandoned them to the hand of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them. Yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many times you delivered them according to your mercies” (Nehemiah 9:26–28, ESV). This is a summary of Israel’s sad history. And if we remember that history, then the words of Christ, “for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem” (Luke 13:33, ESV), will make sense to us. 

In verse 34, Christ mourns over the city of Jerusalem: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” (Luke 13:34, ESV).

Here Christ mourns over Jerusalem. He cried out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…” I do believe it is right for us to hear sincere grief in the voice of Christ concerning Jerusalem. Jesus the Messiah, the eternal Son of God incarnate, mourned over Jerusalem. This anticipates what we will encounter in Luke 19:41. When Christ finally enters Jerusalem, Luke tells us that he wept over the city and the people within. 

Some of you may know that those opposed to the doctrines of predestination, effectual calling, and limited atonement will sometimes try to use the words of Christ, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”, to say, see! Jesus desired that all of Israel would be saved. He wanted to gather them. But they were unwilling to come.  He attempted to call them, but the call was not effective. The people resisted the will of Christ. 

Please allow me to say a few things about this. 

One, this text is not about the predestinating purposes of God or the doctrine of effectual calling. It is, however, about the earthly ministry of Jesus the Messiah. Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom freely to all Israel. Like every prophet and every preacher, Christ called men and women to repentance and faith externally. Some believed in him. They ran to him like baby chicks run to a hen to take refuge under his wings. If we wish to speak in terms of predestination and effectual calling, those who came to Jesus were God’s elect. These were called, not only in an external way by the word of Christ but inwardly and effectually by the working of the Holy Spirit.  When Christ said, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings”, he was speaking of his preaching ministry wherein he delivered an external call to faith and repentence to all who would hear.

Two, it is important to note that Christ did not say, how often would I have gathered you together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing, but rather “How often would I have gathered your children… and you were not willing!” When Christ said, “How often would I have gathered your children” he was referring to the common people. When he said, “and you were not willing” he was speaking of the leaders of Israel – the Pharisees and others. This comports with the reality of the situation. The vast majority of those who followed Christ were from amongst the common people. Very few of the leaders within Israel followed after him.  

Three, when Christ confronted the leaders of Isarel for their unbelief, saying, “and you were not willing”, this in no way contradicts the doctrine of effectual calling. I find that people are often confused about this. We who are Calvinists agree that men and women have free will, that is to say, they make real and free choices. The problem is not that men and women lack free will. The problem is that our wills are by nature fallen and in bondage to sin. When a sinner hears the gospel of Jesus Christ, he or she will always be unwilling to turn from their sins and to trust in him, that is, unless the Spirit works upon them inwardly to make them willing and able to believe.    

The point that I am making is that the words of Christ, “How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!”, in no way contradict the doctrines of predestination, effectual calling, or limited atonement as some Arminians claim. Here we find Christ speaking as the Messiah, the God-man, concerning his public preaching ministry. And what he says agrees with the reality of the situation. Christ preached the gospel of the kingdom freely to all. As the great prophet of God, he was faithful to callen men and women to repentance and faith in himself. This was an external call – the kind that every preacher of the gospel delivers. Some from amongst the common people did believe, but the vast majority of the leaders of Israel persisted in unbelief, for they were unwilling to follow after him. 

What Christ said next would have shocked many. He spoke of the temple in Jerusalem when he said, “Behold, your house is forsaken.”  To forsake is to leave. To forsake a house is to abandon it and leave it empty. Under the Old Mosaic Covenant, the temple was God’s house. As you may know, after the tabernacle and temple were built, those structures were filled with the glory of God. Concerning the Tabernacle, the last verse of the book of Exodus says, “For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel throughout all their journeys” (Exodus 40:38, ESV). Concerning the temple, 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 says, “As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, ‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever’” (2 Chronicles 7:1–3, ESV). The temple was built as a house for God. Of course, God is omnipresent. Heaven and earth cannot contain him. But under the Old Mosaic Covenant, God showed that he was in the midst of Israel by manifesting his glory in the temple. 

When Christ said, “Behold, your house is forsaken”, he meant, it is abandoned by God. And how could God abandon the house he commanded Moses and later Solomon to build? How could he abandon Jerusalem as the place of his habitation and worship? He abandoned Jerusalem and the temple because he did not design them to be his permanent residence. A man who buys a piece of land may build a small dwelling to live in while he constructs his permanent residence. But what will he do when his home is finished? He will abandon the small dwelling to take up residence in his new home. And so it was with the temple in Jerusalem. It functioned as God’s home on earth for a time. But it was not designed to be his permanent dwelling. 

The tabernacle and temple of the Old Mosaic Covenant foreshadowed greater things to come. And the Prophets of Old spoke of greater things to come. Ezekiel was shown a vision of a temple of ginormous proportions (see Ezekiel 40). Isaiah spoke of a new heavens and earth (see Isaiah 65). These prophesies find their fulfilment in the temple of the New Covenant, which is not made of stone, but of living stones, that is to say, of God’s people, and in the temple of God’s new creation. Again, there will be no temple of stone in the new hevens and earth. All will be the temple of the living God, for God will dwell in the midst of us and his glory will illuminate all like the light of the sun. 

When Christ spoke to the unbeliving Jew’s saying, “Behold, your house is forsaken”, he was indicating that the temple and the city of Jeruslaem had served their purpose in God’s plan of redemption. To state things very simply, the tabernacle and later the temple, had served their purpose under Old Covenant order. But now that the Christ has come, and now that the New Covenant has been instituted, the temple, the city of Jerusalem, and the nation Israel are no longer central. This is what Christ meant when he said, “Behold, your house is forsaken.” 

Blessed Is He Who Comes In The Name Of The Lord

Jesus then concluded with these words, “And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’” (Luke 13:35, ESV). This is an interesting statement. At first, it might seem as if it does not fit the context, but it certainly does. 

To understand the meaning, we must look forward in Luke’s gospel. Jesus would minister for a bit longer in Galilee and then he would go up to Jerusalem. Luke tells us about what happened when Jesus entered the city. In Luke 19:37 we read,  “As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’ And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples.’ He answered, ‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out’” (Luke 19:37–40, ESV). So then, the words of Christ, “And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”, pointed to the future. . 

But they also pointed to the past. The phrase, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” comes from a very important Psalm – Psalm 118. That Psalm is glorious. It celebrates God’s covenant faithfulness. Interstingly, it urges men and women to take refuge in the LORD. This agrees with what Christ has just said about desiring to gather the children of Isarel as a mother hen gathers her chicks under her wings.  In this Psalm, the Psalmist cries out to God for salvation. “Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it” (Psalm 118:19–20, ESV). This should remind us of what Christ has just said about entering through the narrow gate before it is too late. In verse 21, the Psalmist gives thanks to the LORD for the salvation he has provided: “I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation” (Psalm 118:21, ESV). 

As it pertains to our passage in Luke, things get really interesting starting in verse 21. There we read, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone” (Psalm 118:22, ESV). You will likely recognize this verse. It is cited or alluded to often in the New Testament (see Matthew  21:42, Mark 12:10-11, Luke 20:17, Acts 4:11, Ephesians 2:20, and 1 Peter 2:4–7). Who is this cornerstone? Jesus is the cornerstone. And what is he the cornerstone of? He is the cornerstone of the foundation of the New Covenant and the New Creation temple of God.  Paul the Apostles picks up this theme in his letter to the Ephesians. Most of them were not Jews but Gentiles. And so he wrote to them, saying, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Ephesians 2:19–21, ESV). And what does it mean that “the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”. Who are the builders? The builders represent the leaders of the Jews. They rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They crucified him! But this rejected stone became the cornerstone in the foundation of God’s eternal temple. Are you beginning to see why Jesus cited Psalm 118 immediately after saying, “Behold, your house is forsaken.”

Let’s go on. In Psalm 118:23 we read, “This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” (Psalm 118:23, ESV). So then, this rejection of the cornerstone by the builders was according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God (see Acts 2:23). 

I’ll pick up the pace substantially now in our reading of Psalm 118. But as I read, be sure to think of Jesus Christ on his way to Jerusalem to be crucified. “This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we pray, O LORD! O LORD, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! We bless you from the house of the LORD. The LORD is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:24–29, ESV).

When Christ cited Psalm 118:26 he was not only anticipating the reception he would recieve in Jerusalem, he was also claiming to be the fulfillment of all that Psalm 118 says. He is the Savior God has provided. He is the door of rightousness. He is the rejected stone that became the cornerstone. He is the festal sacrifice offered upon the horns of the altar. All of this is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. And so, we “give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:29, ESV).

Conclussion