Early on Sunday Morning two millennia ago, the most terrifying sound the world will ever hear reverberated in the silence of a dark and sealed tomb. In the pierced pericardium of the Lord of Glory, just a whisper of truth, yet completely distinct, was the faint sound of a heartbeat. Undeniably this bruised, pierced, and suffering servant had defeated death; just as he said, he has risen (Matthew 28:6, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4). He was dead, but now he lives.
In the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of holiness declared Jesus Christ to be the Son of God (Romans 1:4). This proved that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by him (John 11:25, 14:6). The hymn declares, "Shout it out, Jesus is alive, he's alive! O happy day!"
But beloved, the first thing we need to see is that for many, this is not a happy day, in the vindication of Jesus Christ in his resurrection (1 Timothy 3:16), he proved, just as Noah proved that the ark was a promise of impending doom (Hebrews 11:6), that God has far purer eyes than to look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13) and has provided just one way of salvation (Acts 4:12). The Holy Spirit came to convict people of sin because they do not believe on Jesus Christ (John 16:9) and to show them judgment because Satan was dealt a death-blow at the cross (John 16:11, cf John 12:31, Genesis 3:15, Romans 16:20). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a very bad day for most of the world, who have sought to dethrone him since the beginning, and seek to do so even today, but in his resurrection he has become King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16), and he is set to tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty (Revelation 19:15).
Many will end up cowering, hiding, fleeing from the Eternal King, desperate not to see his face (Revelation 6:15-17). Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and he will destroy it from the surface of the earth (Amos 9:8).
And we may say, "Right! That is what unbelievers should be doing, fleeing from God for their sin!" And I say Amen, and Amen! But beloved, let me show you some believers who reacted similarly; without grace and mercy we would all flee from the face of God!
Look at Judges 13, I'd wouldn't be exaggerating to say this is one of my favorite passages of scripture. "A man of God came to me (Manoah's Wife), and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome." The messenger of God brought very good news, news of a coming, yet temporary and deficient, messiah (Samson) to judge Israel and redeem them from the grip of the Philistines. A brief conversation ensues in which the messenger calls for a burnt offering to be sacrificed. When the sacrifice is made, the messenger makes it clear to them that he is Christ. 'They fell on their faces to the ground...Manoah knew that the speaker was the angel of the Lord. And Manoah said to his wife, "We shall surely die, for we have seen God (Judges 13:20,21-22)!'"
Compare a moment when Isaiah sees God in a vision, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts (Isaiah 6:5)!"
And let's transfer to the New Testament, "Now as he (Saul, later the Apostle Paul) went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground... (Acts 9:3-4, cf Acts 22:6-7, 26:13-14)" Paul, zealous for his understanding of God, was put on his face, and not just him, but his companions who traveled with him.
The glory of Christ is powerful, on the night he was betrayed, a band of soldiers sought him, when he declared himself to be the I AM, "they drew back and fell to the ground (John 18:6)."
Balaam responded similarly (Numbers 22:31), as did the Magi (Matthew 2:11), demon possessed men (Mark 3:11), and a healed woman (Mark 5:33); simply seeing God has this distinct effect on people; he is of far purer eyes than to look on sin; in his endless burnings, who can stand (Isaiah 33:14)? Who can endure the heat of his anger (Nahum 1:6)?
Others fall farther and harder, Uzzah, perceiving his defiled hands as cleaner than the earth, touched the holy ark of God and fell dead (2 Samuel 6:6-7), as did Ananias and Sapphirah (Acts 5:5,10). God is holy and puts people on the ground willingly if possible, forcefully if necessary (Acts 5:11).
Apostles are not immune, Simon Peter saw the full glory of Jesus Christ and fell down at his knees, begging, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord (Luke 5:8)!"
This is not limited to earth; in Heaven the appointed authorities will bow willingly before the Lamb who was slain (Revelation 5:8).
Jesus Christ is the Light of the World (John 8:12), he has messengers whom he has declared to be the light of the world (Matthew 5:14), and when his glory shines through them, many fall down in their sinfulness (cf Revelation 19:10, 22:8, Acts 10:25, 16:29, 14:11-15). It is vitally important that we point them to the Righteous One who became sin for us, who bore our sins in his body, who fell down himself.
The night Jesus was crucified, under the weight of the condemnation that he was about to endure at the hands of his Father, he went to the Garden of Gethsemane, and "going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, 'Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will' (Mark 14:35-36)." The second time he prayed, "My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done (Matthew 26:42)." He prayed a third time (Matthew 26:44), knowing that to stand in the sight of God bearing the sin of the world would require an infinite payment, for each sin is costly, and unless the cup of the wine of the wrath of God were drained, the saints of God would be without hope. We cannot underestimate, nor even overestimate, the price which Jesus Christ paid for our souls.
Every fear which the previous mentioned prostrates had was well founded, God is of far purer eyes than that he can look on sin. Isaiah cried out in anguish, "Woe is me!" Manoah declared his sure ruin. Peter begged Christ to depart from his sinfulness. Ezekiel, a faithful prophet of God, though far from sinless, fell to the ground and wondered, "Ah, Lord God! Will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel (Ezekiel 11:13)?!" These fears were realized on the cross.
Jesus Christ was put to death as the wages of sin were paid out (Romans 6:23). He became a curse for us, as it is written "cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree (Galatians 3:13)." The sins of those who reproached God fell on Jesus Christ (Psalm 69:9), and the Father turned his back on the Son, causing him to pray the most heart-rending prayer in history, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani (Mark 15:34)?" And the only righteous man to ever live in all of history was put to a full end, it pleased is Father to crush him (Isaiah 53:10), he drained the well mixed cup of God's foaming wrath all the way down to the dregs (Psalm 75:8, Isaiah 51:17).
Manoah's wife prophesied oh so sweetly (which is why this is my favorite verse), "If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burn offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these (Judges 13:23)."
Jesus prayed, showing us the fulfillment, "This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs (Psalm 69:31)." Peter exposited, "Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know-this Jesus, delivered up according to the definitive plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men (Acts 2:22-23)."
Look at how this plays out in the Apostle John's life:
"I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet...I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw...one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength (Revelation 1:10,12-16)."
John did what I would do, what you would do, what everyone will do, "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead." But beloved, look at what happens next, "But he laid his right hand on me." He said, "Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1:17-18)."
Beloved, if your view of Jesus does not put you on your face, does not cause you to weep for your ruin, for your sin against heaven, does not cause you to dive for cover in the deepest darkest hole you can find, then your jesus is probably made up, and idols cannot save you. But the Living Christ, who laid his hand on John, bore the scars of crucifixion (John 20:25,27-28), and is mighty to save (Zephaniah 3:17, Isaiah 63:1), able to save to the uttermost all those who draw near to him in faith, he always lives to make intercession for his saints (Hebrews 7:25). Jesus Christ was dead, crucified for lawless men, giving himself for his saints (Galatians 2:20), but he has been raised for our justification (Romans 4:25).
Therefore, beloved, this Easter, make sure your view of Jesus Christ terrifies you; he sees to the very center of your being and all of your thoughts, words, and deeds are laid bare (Hebrews 4:13, Ecclesiastes 12:24). Recognize that without his willful atonement, you would be without hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12), that your soul would be the cost, that Hell would gape wide to catch your fall; fall prostrate on your face in humility, confessing your sins against Heaven (2 Corinthians 7:10), and then look to the cross where the Lord of Glory died and where justice and love kissed; it is empty. Look to the tomb where hope was buried; it is empty. Christ is risen, he has condemned every false way: he is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but by him.
On the final day, every knee will bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:9-11). Some will do so willingly, but many will do so out of abject terror and/or violence done to them by ministering angels. Beloved, bow willingly, in sorrow for your sin against Heaven, and God promises that he will lift up the humble (Psalm 147:6), but dear reader, if you wait, if you bow out of compulsion, know that God promises that he will cast the wicked to the ground (Psalm 147:6).
I promise that every face will touch the ground in the presence of Jesus Christ, he puts people on the ground. God has accepted the sacrifice of his beloved Son, he delivered him up by lawless men, he has delivered this message to you. He has no delight in the death of the wicked, so turn from sin and turn to the Resurrection and the Life, and live; may he lay his hand on your shoulder before Judgment Day and declare to you with all authority, "Fear Not."
In conclusion, there are two responses on Judgment Day, those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who will step forward willingly and in anticipation to meet Christ (1 John 2:28), and those who will flee in terror (Revelation 6:15-17); there is no middle option. May your sins have been to a cross two-thousand years ago, may you trust in Jesus Christ, and may the fact that his pierced heart is beating today prove to be your comfort and not your condemnation.
Tonight ended a long debacle I had with the stereo in my car. Let me make a long story less long so you’ll have the context, I’m including part numbers in hopes that this pops up on a Google search and gives people the gospel who were not looking for the gospel. Back around October I ended up with a Saturn SC-1 through some cool circumstances, I love this little car for what it is, but because it’s old and has a lot of miles on it, the stereo was worn out; I use the stereo frequently to listen to sermons and James White and Al Mohler podcasts. One of the first things I did was pick up a Dual XR4115 aftermarket stereo for it, this is a bottom end stereo that does not even have a CD-player it’s so inexpensive. I installed it and was instantly disappointed, but it did play music through the auxiliary cable (it will not play the iPod (iPad mini) through the USB), so I decided I’d live with it. At a month it died, the screen went out, making it effectively worthless. I took it back to the store I bought it at to find out it had a one month warranty and I had missed it by just a few days. I was about to leave and go purchase a better unit somewhere else, when the store manager arrived, called the employee a bad name, and gave me a brand new XR4115 in replacement.
This unit has lasted for approximately the last three months. During this time it has started having issues, it won’t play the right front speaker from the iPod, but will from the radio, it stopped charging the iPod, and the screen has started to flash. I was expecting to be outside of the country for at least two years, and planned to sell the car shortly, but now I am staying and so am keeping the car for as long as it will run. Since I’m keeping it, I decided to put a better stereo in it. I have a Pioneer DEH-50UB in the truck, and it is the greatest stereo I’ve ever used, but they no longer make it. Its successor is the Pioneer DEH-64BT, so I decided to pick one up. I intended today to go visit a friend around noon and then stop at the store and get this unit afterwards. My visit lasted much longer, and I ended up at Walmart just after 7pm. I decided to go through the auto-department since I was only picking up one thing and then leaving. I pulled up to the back side of Walmart only to find that that door was locked for the night.
At this point I noticed four people sitting around a picnic table about a hundred feet away, I assumed they were Walmart employees on a break. I grabbed four $1Million bills from Living Waters and said a short prayer, and headed for the table. It became quickly apparent that the four weren’t employees, but teenagers, hanging out, listening to music, and smoking. I’d estimate them to be sixteen or seventeen, two boys and two girls. They were ecstatic about the bills, and thanked me for them, and one boy turned off the music as if knowing I was about to ask a question.
I asked if I could ask them the million dollar question, they agreed. I asked, “If you died tonight, would you go to Heaven?” Two said they hoped so and two wouldn’t answer. I told them that according to the Bible, good people go to Heaven (Psalm 24:3-5, Matthew 5:8, Matthew 5:20), and asked them if they considered themselves to be good people. They all said that they did (Proverbs 20:6). I told them I was going to give them the good person test.
I asked them if they had ever told a lie. They all said they had. I asked what that made them. One boy said, “Well, not a liar, because it’s not like I lie all the time.” I asked him if you had to murder all the time to be a murderer? He gasped/laughed and said, “Wow, I guess I’m a liar.”
I asked if they had ever stolen anything, they all said they had. I asked what that made them, they said a thief. I was surprised because usually I hear “stealer”. This one hit them pretty hard, I rarely see contrition at this point in the good person test, but these teens were already showing it.
I asked if they had ever taken God’s name in vain. They asked how they would do that? I said by saying things like Oh My God or Jesus Christ without reverence, they all said they had. I said that it was serious, because God will not hold them guiltless who takes his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).
Then I said, “Here’s the one that got me, I mentioned murder earlier, have you ever murdered anyone?” They all laughed uncomfortably knowing that based on how the test was going that something big was coming, “Here’s why it got me, Jesus said if we hate someone or call them an idiot or a curse word, we’re in danger of being judged as murderers (Matthew 5:21-22).” One student said, “Dang, I’ve murdered a lot of people.” I responded, "me too." We had about three seconds of silence while this sunk in.
I told them, “Based on your admission, you’re just like me, not good people, but liars, thieves, blasphemers, and murderers at heart. If that’s the way God judges us on Judgment Day, do you think you’d be innocent or guilty?” One girl quickly said guilty, but a boy jumped in and said, “But I think God knows my heart, and he’ll know that I tried my best.”
I said, “That’s actually not a good thing for us, God does know our heart, the Bible says that our heart is desperately wicked and deceitful beyond all things, who can know it? Only God can search the depths of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9-10). The Bible says that the pure in heart will see God (Matthew 5:8), but our heart is sick and not pure (Ezekiel 16:30, etc). For example, don’t answer this, but our heart is where our actions start (Mark 7:21), like adultery, Jesus said it starts in our hearts and looking with lust makes us adulterers at heart (Matthew 5:27-28).”
These kids were already convicted, and that crushed the two boys. I continued that because our hearts aren’t pure, we are in trouble, all liars will have their place in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8), no thief, no blasphemer, no murderer, and no adulterer has any inheritance in the kingdom of Heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). That’s the bad news.”
“But there is good news,” I continued, realizing it’s the day Jesus was crucified on, “God doesn’t want you to go to Hell (Ezekiel 18:32), so much so he did the most loving thing in history two-thousand years ago. Do you know what he did?” A girl said, “He gave his Son! Wait, that was exactly two-thousand years ago?” I said not exactly two thousand years, but close, and this weekend is Easter.
I got to the best part, that Jesus Christ, God the Son, God in the flesh (John 1:14, 1 Timothy 3:16), came into this world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He lived a perfect sinless life, tempted in every way we’ve been tempted yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15), and that he willingly went to a cross to pay for our sins. Now we can go to Heaven when we die, not because we’re good people, but because we have a very good God who paid our fine on a cross, who three days later defeated death, and will give us his goodness, his righteousness, if we repent of our sins and put our trust in him (2 Corinthians 5:21).
“It is possible for us to lay our lives down for each other, for example, I could lay my life down for you, but I’m not taking it back up again, I don’t have that power. But Jesus said, ‘No one takes my life from me, I lay it down, for my sheep (John 10:11), that I may take it back up again (John 10:17).’ Jesus proved to be Lord and Saviour by dying on a cross and resurrecting from the dead three days later.”
“The way this all works out is if we’re all standing in Heaven someday, and I desperately hope to see you all in Heaven someday, and someone, maybe an angel, asks, ‘How did you guys get in here?’ We’re not going to be able to say, ‘because I was so good, or great, or awesome’, we’ll say gladly, ‘because Jesus Christ is my God and Saviour, and he sought me and bought me and to him belongs all the power, honor, and glory, forever and ever’ and everyone there will say, ‘amen.’ (Ephesians 2:8-9, Revelation 5:12-13)”
“Does this make sense?”
A young man answered, “This makes a lot of sense.” He looked at a girl and said, “This is the way God speaks to us, by sending a messenger.” (I don’t know the context behind this statement, but I have a feeling the Holy Spirit was doing something to prepare them for this conversation (John 16:8-11))
“I don’t believe in coincidences,” I said, “you have no idea how many crazy things happened to put me here at this exact time, and for the door there to be locked, at the very least I meant to be here three hours ago. So this Easter, really think about these things, repent towards God and put your faith in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone (Acts 20:21). The Bible says that if we are in Christ we are new creations, the old has passed, and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17).”
“Do you guys have Bibles at home?” I asked in order to provide some follow-up, they all said they had Bibles, “Open up those Bibles, never trust a man over the Word of God. I recommend you start in the book of John,” one girl mouthed John to herself to help remember, “it was written by one of Jesus’ closest friends, it will tell you who he is, why he came, and why it’s important to you. Since it’s Easter, I recommend you start in chapter 17, that’s where the crucifixion starts (John 17:1), but you can start at chapter 1 too.”
They thanked me and told me that I had given them a lot to think about. It was a blessing to be in exactly the right place at the right time to share in the blessing of preaching the excellencies of him who bled and died and lived again.
This Easter, tell someone about the hope that lives within you, Christ in you, the hope of glory.
I love Christmas. I am fully convinced that I love Christmas, and that it is a viable and wonderful means of showing honor to the Lord Christ (Romans 14). I had intended this season to refrain from pressing too hard on those Christians who are offended by Christmas, after all, if they are convinced in their mind, and it grieves their conscience, then it is neither right nor safe to press them. However, as the antiChristmas rhetoric has started this year, much worse than in previous years, it has become apparent that this misplaced zeal is only meant to tear down the love and joy of the brethren, and therefore must be rebuked. I am praying to convert you to "this holy tide of Christmas, all others doth deface" (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen), and encourage you to build up the church this advent season.
First of all, we must recognize that we are not living in sixth century BC Babylon, or seventh century AD Saxony, or first century Corinth, or any other place and age where paganism is indigenous. We live in "Post-Christian America", the verse that sums up this country the best is that they, "have the appearance of godliness, but deny its power." (2 Timothy 3:5) Raised under a Judeo/Christian system of law, no-one this Christmas season in America will be bowing down to trees or expecting that their yule log is anything more than a log, and definitely not a means of grace. I've asked thousands of people why they think they are going to Heaven, and I've gotten some outrageous answers, but not a single wrong answer has remotely dealt with observing Christmas or anything to do with Christmas.
Second of all, my friend Willem pointed out that the antiChristmas sentiments are taking on a definitive KJVO feel, chasing after every manner of myth that remotely supports their position. Everytime I've logged onto Facebook over the past week it's like I'm reading a Gail Riplinger novel...Strawmen seem to be the order of the day, ridiculous caricatures of facts are presented that are easily knocked down, the truth stands against the arguments. I'll leave the name out, because I really respect this pastor, but one pastor set up "Yule" as a Babylonian infant son, only to knock it down with ridiculousness; it sounds legitimate and of course you have to say, "I reject the Yule Log altogether!" But the problem is that it's utterly untrue; Yule means winter in German, I could go deeper into its awesome origins, but I just want to point out that KJVO superstitions are outside of the KJVO controversies, and we must forever be on the lookout for strawmen. Now, I've saved the best superstition for last; did you know that Christmas ends in MASS? It is clearly a celebration of the recrucifixion of Jesus and the Romanists are trying to get us to participate! Ok, let's apply your logic, it ends in Mass, true, which meant festival before it meant recrucifixion, and Christmas was around a lot longer than its name (earlier, Navity, Noel, Advent), but look at what it starts with, "Christ". It doesn't start with Winter, it doesn't start with Babylon, it doesn't start with Solstice, it starts with Christ. Every Papist recrucifixion ceremony is centered around their wrong interpretation of Christ, so ALL masses should be called Christmas, but they're not. The term, Christmas, means "Celebration of Christ", we're loving that God became a man, and dwelt among us.
So what of the date? I'm utterly convinced that my Saviour was born on the Winter Solstice (December 25th on the Roman Calendar, December 21st on the Gregorian Calendar); what better way for the King of Light to explode into the darkness rather than on the darkest day of the year? It's almost like he created it to be so. Were other pagan deities supposedly born on Christmas? Yes, but imitation is the greatest form of flattery. Jesus was born on Christmas. But if he wasn't, then you MUST be celebrating his birth somewhere else, because, beloved, you lose so much doctrine if you refuse to celebrate the Advent of your King. The coming of Christ is spoken of repeatedly in the scriptures, your assignment is to read: John 12:46, Luke 19:10, John 18:37-38, Galatians 4:4-5, Luke 5:32, John 3:16, 2 Corinthians 8:9, and especially Philippians 2:1-11; this list is not exhaustive, but it will give you a good start; your King is your example, he is King and Creator, yet he HUMBLED himself to pass into the world through his own creation, born in abject poverty in a stable.
The early church labeled Mary the "Theotokos", it's a word that really makes Protestants squirm, but it's not a term that venerates Mary, it's a term that defines Christ, it means, "God-Carrier", it's directly against the Eusebian heresy which said Jesus was born a man and only later became God at his baptism; the church invented the word Theotokos to say that Jesus is God now, was God in the womb, and forever will be God; it's a glorious term and I love it, even if it makes you squirm. This Christmas, you'd better remember that your Saviour is the Eternal God, even if you don't celebrate Christmas. Your God came not to be served, but to serve, and give his life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45; another Christmas verse).
Christmas really became popular when a terrible heresy was beginning, one we deal with today under the name, "Jehovah's Witnesses", they were originally called Aryans, and they denied the divinity of Christ; they were a major enemy of Christ in the 4th century. In Nicaea, in Turkey, in AD325, it was overwhelmingly agreed upon by the scriptures that Jesus is God the Son; so much so that Santa Claus (Nicolas of Myra, a great saint) punched Arius, the leader of the heretics, in the head. Christmas, or more accurately, the Feast of the Nativity, was a desperately needed festival to combat Aryanism, and another great saint, Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, wrote several great hymns to preach Christ in song. The KJVO people in his day were radically against his music, but it's beautiful.
O come, Redeemer of the earth, and manifest thy virgin-birth. Let every age in wonder fall: such birth befits the God of all.
Begotten of no human will but of the Spirit, Thou art still the Word of God in flesh arrayed, the promised fruit to man displayed.
All praise, eternal Son, to Thee, whose advent sets Thy people free, whom, with the Father, we adore, and Holy Ghost, for evermore.
Speaking of music, it's this time of year that people remember that Calvin advocated the "Regulatory Principle", that if it's not in scripture, we're not doing it. They forget that for the rest of the year they follow Luther's "Normative Principle", if it's not prohibited in scripture and it's useful, we're doing it (do you drive a car or use a computer?).
Very few of us are, like Calvin, Psalm only singers. The greatest hymns of the Christian faith are Christmas hymns, and the only gospel that most unbelievers are going to get this year are in the hymns. I wish I could make every unbeliever sit down and seriously contemplate the lyrics of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" and I rejoice that they are so thoroughly immersed in a gospel presence through song during this season.
Unbelievers undoubtedly associate this season as Christian; for a Christian to attack it is both confusing and destructive. We love that our Saviour put on flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14; another Christmas verse!), and we love that a whole nation is confronted with a God who so loved the world that he gave, as a gift, his only begotten Son (John 3:16, Romans 6:23), so I propose, neigh, demand, that we shine the light of Christ during this season, doing our best to ensure that people do not just honor Christ with their lips, but that they actually participate in his grace and are given a new heart which strives to obey his commands.
But is that what the regulatory principle calls for? Are you still holding to it? Then read John 1 and Luke 1-2 and Matthew 1 and Isaiah 9 and Genesis 3 and see that the birth narrative is a VERY real part of scripture, that Jesus having a birthday is hugely important. Like I said, if you reject the December 21st, 25th, or January 6th birthdates, then just make sure you're preaching that the Messiah came into the world in the most humblest way possible, that he held the universe together even as he was being held as a baby.
Do you celebrate birthdays? Did you know that in a PAGAN culture, they thought that birthdays were arrogant and that only kings were arrogant enough to celebrate their birthdays? Do you live in that culture? I don't. I celebrate the birthdays of the ones I love; a dear sweet lady I know and love is celebrating her birthday right now, and I have such affection in my heart towards her and her family that I am telling you that I love her; later this month, and over the whole of the year, I will do the same for my Bethlehem born Nazarene King. Something major happened 2000 years ago in Bethlehem, it was only important because of what happened thirty-three years later when the King of Glory gave his life as a ransom then defeated death; as John Calvin said, "If the gospel be not preached, Christ is, as it were, buried. Let us stand therefore as witnesses, and do him this honor." Let us celebrate and preach the great events of our Saviour, and their theological implications. There are some hugely important events in scripture which we ought celebrate, but they aren't commanded in scripture.
In the Old Testament there is a command to raise ebenezers, or commemoration stones, to great events. Truly, Christians are only commanded to keep Passover (in the month of Easter), but has the regulatory principle so damaged you that you refuse to raise ebenezers? Jesus went to Hanukkah (John 10), which is not in scripture, and therefore I love to stand by ebenezers and preach the great events that happened there: Christmas, Easter (Passover), Reformation Day, John Calvin's birthday (I love birthdays), Columbus Day, etc. etc. My King breached human history on December 25th, 6BC; I'm going to tell you about it, here I raise my ebenezer.
I love Christmas, I hope you will also.
Messiah born so small, asleep in cattle stall Come to redeem our fall, nailed to a tree This tiny, helpless child Through death would reconcile The holy God and vile, His grace so free O come, let us adore. - Sovereign Grace Music
How many of you have seen the Passion of the Christ? That movie is pretty accurate as to what happened to Jesus Christ on the outside, but it utterly misses the point of his death, which was his spiritual torment and the wrath which was poured out on him for sin by his Father. So, since it is Good Friday, I want to look at Christ’s own words on that day.
If you have your Bible, and I hope you do, turn to Psalm 69…Psalm 69. This Psalm was written by David 1,000 years before Christ died on the cross, but in this Psalm we see Jesus’ prayer from the cross. The New Testament quotes this “chapter” of the Old Testament more than any other chapter, albeit Psalms aren’t really chapters, and everytime it is quoted it is pointed firmly at Jesus Christ. Every word in this Psalm is his own words. So this morning I want to read it in sections to you.
v.1-4Save me, O God! Forthe waters have come up to my neck.I sink in deepmire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the floodsweeps over me. I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim withwaiting for my God. More in number than the hairs of my head arethose who hate mewithout cause; mighty are those who would destroy me, those who attack me with lies. What I did not steal must I now restore?
In this passage introduces us to the event of the crucifixion. Jesus’ trial and scourging have already taken place, and he has been on the cross for a while. He describes his situation as the flood of death is about to overtake him. He has asked God at least once to save him, but then quickly turned the petition to “Not my will, but yours be done.” The pain is excruciating and Jesus very much would like it to stop if possible. The pain of the crucifixion is at hand, but look at the end of verse 4, “What I did not steal, must I now restore” points it at Heaven and the purpose of his sacrifice.
Jesus came to redeem his people, to ransom them from sin, to pay the debt to God which we owed. And what sort of things are these? Sin is transgression against the law, and the law is God’s righteous commandments. What was Jesus paying for on the cross? We start with what he says here, “What I did not steal, must I now restore?” He was crucified between two thieves, yet he never stole a single thing in his life, not a loaf of bread, not a song on the internet, not something from a store, yet he came to repay it. The Bible is clear that lying lips are an abomination to God and that all liars will have their place in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone, and Jesus, who the Bible says it is impossible for him to lie died in place of liars. There was no deceit found in the mouth of Jesus Christ, he never took God’s name in vain, he never said, “O my God,” or “Good Lord,” or “Jesus Christ” without reverence, yet he was smitten and afflicted by God for blasphemy. Jesus said that you’ve heard it said of old, thou shalt not commit adultery, but then he said that if you look with lust you’ve committed adultery already in your heart. Jesus Christ, who is totally faithful to his bride the church died for every lustful glance, paying the debt against Heaven.
Now imagine I have a debt, say a parking ticket, and it has to be paid. If someone will take this parking ticket and go pay it, then justice is served. This is basically what Jesus did, but look at verse 5, he takes it one step farther.
v.5 O God, you know my folly; the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.
Remember that this whole Psalm is Jesus speaking, so it points out that Jesus took our sins and called them his own, even though he was and is the perfect sinless Saviour. He was tempted in every way we’ve been tempted yet without sin. But here in this verse he took our sins from us and considered them his own. He who knew no sin became sin for us so that in him we can become the righteousness of God. He bore our sins in his body on that cross.
And at any given time he could have made it stop, he said he had 12 legions of angels at his beck and call to rescue him if he were to call. That is 70,000 angels, all perfectly capable and able to destroy entire cities, to crush Jerusalem and save Jesus at a moments notice...but if he had done that, we beloved, would be without hope, we would not have a sin bearer, our debt against Heaven would be unpaid, and so look at verse 6 and the gloriousness of Christ's prayer.
v.6 Let not those who hope in yoube put to shame through me, O Lord GOD of hosts; let not those who seek you be brought to dishonor through me, O God of Israel.
If Jesus had chosen to save himself, then we would be put to shame because though we hoped in God, he would not have been able to forgive our debts. Jesus was tempted up to the point of death to forsake us and save himself, but he remained faithful.
v.7For it isfor your sake that I have borne reproach, that dishonor has covered my face.
Jesus came for the main purpose of testifying to the truth, of honoring his Father, and here he says that he has born reproach, suffering, for the sake of his Father. This is just as important if not moreso than the prayer he just prayed about those who hope in God, because God's name as a saving and merciful God is at stake.
Let me give you two pictures of God, on one hand you have the God of Justice, the judge of all the earth who always does right, he says that he will by no means hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain, he must punish sin because he is a perfectly just God. But on the other hand you have the God of Love, who says though your sins were like scarlet they shall be made white as snow, who says your sins are put away, that says you are redeemed and forgiven. These two descriptions of God are entirely contradictory if not for one thing, because this God of Love can't overlook transgression without being a bad judge, and this God of Justice can't pour out justice and still be merciful...unless something big happens.
And that is what we are reading about Jesus on the cross, the God of the Universe manifest in the flesh, taking our sins on himself and having the full wrath of his Father poured out on him. Justice is served in the crushing of Jesus Christ, mercy is ours if we hope in him. Psalm 85 says that love and truth are met together, justice and peace have kissed each other on the cross. God is both just because he punished sin, and he is loving because he took the punishment himself.
v.8-9 I have becomea stranger to my brothers, an alien to my mother’s sons. Forzeal for your house has consumed me, andthe reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.
He we see that this Psalm is definitely talking about Jesus. Even his own brothers turned on him and told people that he had lost his mind. But oh the glory, after Christ's resurrection James became the bishop of Jerusalem, preaching that Jesus Christ was the Messiah. The unconverted priests tried to get him to recant his belief and took him to the top of the Temple in order that he would either renounce Jesus Christ, or they would push him off. From the top of the Temple he preached that Jesus is the Messiah, that all must look to him in order to be saved, and one of the priests shoved him from the top of the Temple and then they beheaded him on the ground. Jude became a missionary all over the Middle East, and was eventually shot with arrows and beaten to death for his adherence to his Brother as the Sovereign Lord of all nations. But, at this point as Christ is dying on the cross, he is alone, both of these brothers had abandoned Christ and would have nothing to do with him.
Christ quoted verse 9 about zeal consuming him when he cleansed the temple, and because of his adherence to the truth and his refusal to compromise on who God is and that every idol is an abomination to him, they crucified him on the charge of claiming to be God.
v.10-12 When I wept and humbledmy soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I madesackcloth my clothing, I becamea byword to them. I am the talk of those whosit in the gate, and the drunkards makesongs about me.
Oh what a reception the King of kings received from the people, utterly scorning him at every turn, calling him every manner of wickedness and name. The only hope of mankind pushed away as an impotent and sinful man, and yet these are the very sins he was paying for as he hung on Calvary's cross.
v.13-19 But as for me, myprayer is to you, O LORD. Atan acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness. Deliver me from sinking inthe mire; let me be delivered from my enemies and fromthe deep waters. Let not the flood sweep over me, or the deep swallow me up, orthe pit closeits mouth over me. Answer me, O LORD, for yoursteadfast love is good; according to your abundantmercy,turn to me. Hide not your face from your servant; for I am in distress;make haste to answer me. Draw near to my soul, redeem me; ransom me because of my enemies! You know myreproach, and my shame and my dishonor; my foes are all known to you.
Oh beloved, I hope you see the agony which your Saviour went through to bring you to God. He prays to be saved, but not now, when it is pleasing to God. And he would be saved, but not from the excruciating pain of the cross, but from death when three days later the same God who put him to death would raise him to life forevermore. Remember that Jesus Christ very easily could have saved himself, yet entrusted himself wholly to God, knowing that the purposes of God will be accomplished to perfection.
On the cross your major enemy is not blood loss or exposure or exhaustion, but it is suffocation. With your arms stretched out and your full body weight hanging from your shoulders you can breathe in all you want, but beloved, you cannot breathe out. In order to breathe out, you have to prop yourself up on the nails driven through your feet in order to alleviate the strain on your chest muscles. Every time you would do this oxygen would surge through your system awakening numbed nerves, and every breathe would bring a new surge of pain. On the Passover that Jesus died on, it was against Jewish law for dead bodies to be left outside past sunset, so while it normally took someone up to three days to die of crucifixion, they decided to break the legs of the condemned so that they would suffocate to death and could be taken down. But when they got to Jesus, he was already dead, look at verse 20;
v. 20-21Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am indespair. Ilooked forpity, but there was none, and forcomforters, but I found none. They gave mepoison for food, and for my thirst they gave mesour wine to drink.
Remember that this was written a thousand years before Christ died, yet it knew he wouldn't die of suffocation, but of a ruptured heart. In order to make sure that Jesus was actually dead the Roman Soldiers thrust a spear under his ribs into his heart, and blood and water poured out, which is caused when the heart muscles rupture, and it takes about an hour, so Christ died of a ruptured heart about an hour before the thieves on either side of him.
The Roman Soldiers kept vinegar near the crucifixion sight in order to give to prisoners to dull the pain and help them die quicker, they offered some to Jesus but he refused, he would not let the pain be blunted which he was suffering for the effects of sin. How would David know about this soured wine? Crucifixion wasn't even invented until 600 years after David penned this Psalm!
And now we turn to the controversial part of this Psalm. When Jesus died he died for a very specific purpose, to secure the salvation of all who believe. In John 17 you can see Jesus praying for all saints, for all who will believe, but he is very specific that he is not praying for those who will not believe. In verses 22 through 29 Jesus Christ specifically prays against those who will not believe, in verse 27 asking that they be cast into Hell. Revelation 14:10 speaks of this again that in the presence of the Lamb, Jesus Christ, the full undiluted wine of God's wrath is poured out on those who would not believe.
v.22-28 Let their owntable before them become a snare; and when they are at peace, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, so that they cannot see, and make their loins tremble continually. Pour out your indignation upon them, and let your burning anger overtake them. May their camp be a desolation; let no one dwell in their tents. For theypersecute him whomyou have struck down, and they recount the pain ofthose you have wounded. Add to them punishment upon punishment; may they have no acquittal from you. Let them beblotted out of the book of the living; let them not beenrolled among the righteous.
It's a powerful verse, and one that only Jesus Christ can pray because he knows who will be saved or not, and it shows that he was saving a very specific people, and that in order to be amongst that people you must trust in him, putting your hope in God.
v.29-31 But I am afflicted and in pain; let your salvation, O God,set me on high! I willpraise the name of God with a song; I willmagnify him withthanksgiving. This willplease the LORD more than an ox or a bullwith horns and hoofs.
In the midst of his afflictions Jesus Christ shows that his affections are still on Heaven, that he remains trusting in God and with his obedience to his Father. His perfect sacrifice is pleasing to God more than any other, because he willingly went to the cross to shed his blood for the remission of sins of many, for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
How can anyone possibly look at the cross and be glad? It was an instrument of extreme torture, yet verses 32 and 33 say when we see the crucifixion we will be glad.
v.32-33 Whenthe humble see it they will be glad; you who seek God, let your hearts revive. For the LORD hears the needy anddoes not despise his own people who are prisoners.
On this cross, where Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied. He has reconciled us in his body of flesh through his death, he will save his people who are prisoners in sin and revive those who are dead in sin. Beloved, if this is not you, then I implore you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be reconciled to God, to repent towards God and put your full trust in Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ alone that his payment on Calvary's cross was entirely sufficient to pay your way into Heaven. After Christ died they took his body down and laid it in the tomb of a rich man, and there it stayed for three days. It looked like the end, it looked like the man who claimed to be God really wasn't God but an imposter. But on the third day, in the darkness of a sealed tomb, the most glorious sound, better than the songs of angels, the world has ever heard was heard faintly in the bosom of the Lord of Glory, a heart-beat. Silently at first, then undeniable, the King was alive!
And this concludes our study with verse 34-36,
v.34-36 Letheaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. ForGod will save Zion and build up the cities of Judah, and people shall dwell there and possess it; the offspring of his servants shall inherit it, and those who love his name shall dwell in it.
When we read this as pointing to Jesus Christ we see it as the heavenly New Jerusalem, where all of his saints will dwell for eternity, where we will praise our King who sought us and bought us, who endured the agony of Hell on the cross, who was faithful unto death, and who lives forevermore to make intercession for his saints.
Beloved, trust in this Christ, preach his gospel, he is worthy, and those who trust in him will not be despised.
