Once upon a time, there was a king who looked from his palace window and saw one of his children collecting flowers in a distant field. The king watched as the child collected the flowers into a bouquet and wrapped it with ribbons of royal colours. The king smiled because the ribbon indicated that the flowers were being collected as a gift for his own pleasure. Then the king noticed that the child – because he was a child – gathered not only flowers. From time to time, the child also added some weeds, ivy, and thistle. To help his young child, the king gave a mission to his oldest son, who sat at his right hand. The king said to his eldest son, “Go to my garden and pick from the flowers that grow there. Then, when your sibling comes to my throne room with his gift, remove all that is unfit for my palace from his bouquet. Make it fit by putting in its place the flowers that I have grown.” The elder brother did exactly as his father had instructed. When the younger child came to the throne room, his brother removed the weeds, ivy and thistles, substituting all with flowers from the king’s garden. Then, the firstborn son rewrapped the royal ribbon so that his younger sibling could present his gift to the king. With a beaming smile, the younger child entered the throne room and presented the gift, saying: “Here is the beautiful bouquet I have prepared for you, Father.” Only later would he understand that his gift had been made acceptable by the gracious provision of his father... Each of us is the child with the weed-filled bouquet of good works. Though we may strive with energy and zeal to honour God, our deeds are never really worthy of his holy throne room. So our eternal King graciously provides the holiness He requires. He has sent his eternal Son, Jesus Christ, to make us and our efforts fit for heaven.
Bryan Chapel recounts this ancient parable in his book “Unlimited Grace.” God’s gracious love towards us knows no bounds, has no limits. His grace towards us, in Christ, is unlimited, unmerited, unwarranted and we are undeserving of it. Yet, from the moment we committed our lives to Christ, we were given this grace, brought into a new family, and given a new identity as believers. The saving grace of God is so vital to a believer’s life, that if we haven’t experienced it, then we cannot be a child of God. The grace of God is so necessary to our Christian walk, the apostle Paul wrote an entire letter from lockdown in Rome on this very subject. His letter to the Ephesians is all about “The Riches of God’s Grace” which we will be digging into as we begin our new series this morning. Paul tells us because of this glorious grace, believers have access to every spiritual blessing. So we must Praise the Father, Praise the Son, Praise the Holy Spirit, the three-in-one - Blessed Trinity. 1. Praise the Father vs. 3-6 We are now entering the fourth week of lockdown and many of us are feeling depressed and despondent. Paul was also in lockdown, or more accurately, locked up by the government of his day. Not for protection, mind you, but as punishment for his faith. Yet, he is overjoyed and worships God from his prison cell. He calls on believers to worship God and praise the “Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves vs.3-6” Through Christ his Son, God has imparted numerous spiritual blessings to us. When we are reborn into God's family, we are born rich, with all the spiritual wealth and power that we need to live the Christian life. We should praise God because he chose us and he adopted us. We are all born into sin which prevents us from seeking after God. God seeks us and has to choose us first. Paul tells us that through Jesus Christ, God has chosen the believer because of his grace towards us before the foundation of the world so that we may become holy and blameless in his sight. Not only are we chosen by God through Jesus Christ, we are also adopted into God’s family because of God’s great love for us. God becomes our Father, in the same way He is Jesus’ Father. In Roman society, an adopted child had the same rights and status as a natural born child. Through Christ, we have the same rights, privileges, and access to the Father. Therefore, as Paul tells us in Romans, believers are “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. 8:17b”. Paul has made it clear, we must praise the Father, because through Christ, he has chosen us, adopted us, and accepted us. Nothing we can do can make us worthy of God's love, and yet our Heavenly Father still chooses to lavish His love upon us. We are to praise God our Father for the glorious riches and grace he has bestowed upon us. All believers can praise God, for his manifest blessings towards us. 2. Praise the Son vs. 7-12 In the David Crowder song “All We Sinners Sang” it says: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away our sin, the Holy Lamb of God. Who makes us alive again. Oh, Your love, bled for me. Oh, Your blood, in crimson streams. Oh, Your death is hell's defeat. A cross meant to kill Jesus is my victory.” Like this modern song by David Crowder, Paul calls on us to move from praising God the Father, to God the Son. The reason we are to Praise Jesus the Son is because “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ vs. 7-10”. The word redemption means to be purchased and set free by paying a price. In the Roman Empire, there were 60 million slaves. A slave could be redeemed if someone paid for him and set him free. Christ has done this for us. He paid for our sins with his own blood and made us children of the living God. The Son’s blood does not only purchase our redemption, but grants us forgiveness. The word forgiveness means to cast away or carry away. This word reminds us of the Old Testament Festival known as the Day of Atonement. The high priest would take two goats, one would be sacrificed, and its blood sprinkled on the Ark of the Covenant. The second goat would have the sins of the nation placed on it by the high priest laying his hand on its head. This scapegoat was then chased off into the wilderness, carrying with it the sins of the nation. Jesus has removed our sins from us, he has cast them away, and granted us forgiveness. The Psalmist writes speaking of Christ “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 103:12.” Not only should be praise God the Son, for our forgiveness and redemption, but also for His sovereign rule. Jesus Christ has been given authority over heaven, earth and the entire universe. The pinnacle of God the Father’s salvation plan is that Jesus Christ will bring all things together, under his authority and rule. He is our king, and one day he will return to rule this kingdom. Jesus will come again to rule and reign on earth, and then there will be peace and Paradise. Therefore, we are to praise the Son, for all he has done, for in him we have been redeemed, we have been forgiven, and we are ruled by our sovereign King. 3. Praise the Holy Spirit vs.13-14 As come to the crescendo of our passage, we see how each part interlocks to give us a fuller picture of the Triune God, as we Praise the Father, the Son and now the Holy Spirit. God has chosen us through Christ, saved us in Christ, and now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ will be with us. For through the Spirit, the believer has been “included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory vs. 13-14.” Paul tells us the work of the Holy Spirit, is twofold. First, we are “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is promised to believers when they place their trust in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is a sign of a finished transaction. The seal of the Holy Spirit is a sign of both present and final salvation. The work of the Spirit within the believer is a sign of genuine belief in Jesus Christ. A seal can also be a sign of ownership – we are both part of God’s family and we belong to Him. Second, the work of the Spirit is a sign: He is “a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” Just like we put down a deposit for a house or a new car in order to gain access or use of it, in the same way the Holy Spirit guarantees our salvation. The Holy Spirit is a down payment by God, promising us the work he has begun in us through Christ will be brought to completion when we see Him face to face in the heavenly realms. The Holy Spirit is the seal and sign of our redemption - we have been saved, we are being saved, and one day our salvation will be made complete. Conclusion The opening verses of the book of Ephesians profess some of the most beautiful and powerful truths in all of scripture. The apostle Paul has exhorted us to praise the Holy Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Now, as we come to the end, there are three reasons why we need to do this. To start with, our blessings come from God. From God we receive spiritual blessings which no one can take from us and which no amount of money could buy. We cannot enjoy the vast blessings of creation and the treasures to come without knowing and loving the giver of gifts – God Almighty. Next, all of these blessings are a gift of God’s grace and for His glory. God chose us through Christ, the Son died for us and the Holy Spirit has sealed us with the sign of our inheritance. All this is done to bring God glory. Everything God does is to make His name great and bring glory to Himself. Therefore, our praises should likewise bring glory to Him and to Him alone. Finally, these blessings in the spirit are only the beginning. Whatever trials and obstacles come our way, we can draw on the limitless spiritual resources given to us by God. So we can praise God that the blessings he gives us now are only a foretaste of His glory and might. For the Lord is our rock, our shield and our redeemer. As we come to the end of our sermon, I know we are all missing our worship time, so I would like to end with the words from the song 10 000 Reasons by one of my favourite musicians, Matt Redman. Let these words stir our hearts to praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – the blessed three-in-one. “You’re rich in love and You’re slow to anger. Your name is great and Your heart is kind. For all Your goodness I will keep on singing, 10 000 reasons for my heart to find. Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul, worship His holy name. Sing like never before, O my soul, I’ll worship Your holy name. And on that day when my strength is failing, the end draws near and my time has come. Still my soul will sing Your praise unending, 10 000 years and then forevermore!”
0 Comments
Our world is full of genuine conspiracies and cover-ups. Sometimes the truth is hidden for political reasons, for financial gain or to preserve reputations. One hidden truth which recently came to light is Operation Paperclip. Operation Paperclip was a secret program after the Second World War, during which more than 1600 Nazi scientists, engineers, and technicians were taken to the USA and employed by the US government. Many were former leaders in the Nazi Party. Yet for almost 60 years, this information was hidden from the world. It was only after declassified documents proving the existence of Operation Paperclip that the US government came clean. Many people were involved in hiding this truth from the American public under the guise of national security, but eventually the truth came out. When they were confronted with the truth of the resurrection, the ruling elite tried to hide the truth from the Jewish public. Just like Operation Paperclip, the truth of Jesus’ resurrection would never stay hidden.
We do not like our worldview to be shaken too much or too often. It is easier and simpler in our comfort zone. Yet the resurrection shatters all of our self-centered and selfish worldviews. It brings every single person on a direct collision course with the truth about Christ and his kingship. As we come this Easter Sunday to our final sermon in our series “The Hidden Truth”, all the evidence of Jesus kingship was before the Jewish Ruling Council. They had seen the rocks split, they had felt the earthquake, witnessed the curtain in the temple torn in two. Those standing at the cross had heard the centurion’s statement: ‘surely, this man was of the Son of God’. But still they refuse to believe, and there are many of us, who likewise refused to believe in the Risen Lord Jesus Christ. Our passage this morning shows us the lengths the Jewish Ruling Council would go to in hiding the truth of the resurrection. They did not want to accept, acknowledge, or pay homage to Jesus Christ, their risen King and ours. So Matthew tells us the chief priests, the guards, and the Roman authorities hatched a Conspiracy to cover up the Truth of the resurrection. But glory be to God – they failed. The King has risen, his Kingdom has come, and the truth is out. 1. Conspiracy vs. 11-12 The women rushed out from the empty tomb at the angel and the Lord’s instructions to tell a waiting world that he had risen. The soldiers had a different reaction to the miraculous resurrection, the angel’s appearance, and the stone being rolled away. “Some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money… vs. 11-12.” While the enthusiastic believers were worshiping the living Christ, the unbelievers were already plotting ways to destroy the witness and testimony of the resurrection. The Roman soldiers who had been stationed by the tomb realised that they were in hot water and their situation was dire. The Roman seal on the tomb had been broken, the stone inexplicably rolled away and the body had vanished. In the Roman army, dereliction of duty carried the severest punishment and possibly even the death sentence. But the soldiers were clever; they had been placed there by the Jewish religious ruling council. So instead of going to Pilate or even their commanding officer, they hasten to the Jewish ruling council and the chief priests. For they knew these men were anxious not to let news of a disappearing body or a resurrected Christ spread amongst the people. They knew these men would want to hide this miraculous truth. So the soldiers tell the chief priests everything which has happened, every single detail. The chief priests and the elders got together and discussed the evidence laid before them by the soldiers. Instead of accepting Jesus and coming to faith, they hatched a conspiracy to hide this truth from their own people. The first part of this conspiracy was to pay off the guards and to give them a sufficient sum of money to guarantee both their silence and so that they would spread, their version of the truth of what happened on the First Easter Sunday – the body had been stolen! 2. Cover Up vs. 13-15 With a conspiracy set in motion, and the bribe agreed upon, the chief priests and the elders instruct the soldiers on the story they are to spin to the outside world. They “are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day vs. 13-15”. The great cover-up has begun. The chief priests, the elders, and the soldiers put together a plausible explanation for the empty tomb. In short, Jesus disciples stole his body. This story has been told for centuries to the Jewish people. This hidden truth has kept millions of Jews and others from coming to faith in Jesus Christ our Messiah and king. Warren Wiersbe says, “Mark Twain once wrote that lie can go around the world while truth is still lacing up her boots. There is something in human nature that makes it easy for people to believe lies.” The irony is the story the Jewish ruling Council made up to explain the empty tomb, in fact proves the resurrection. Let’s examine the story: Jesus body was stolen. If this is true, there are only two possible culprits: either his friends or his enemies. His friends and family could not have stolen the body, because when they left the tomb on Good Friday, they were convinced Jesus was dead. When the disciples learned the truth and saw the risen Christ, they were given new energy for the gospel and boldly went forth to declare it. Later in life, they were all martyred for their faith. If they had indeed stolen his body to fake a resurrection, they would have admitted to this to save themselves. But because they knew the truth, they were willing to lay down their lives for Christ and his kingdom. If his enemies stole the body, it would defeat their purposes, work against their own agendas, and give credence to the doctrine of the resurrection. The very thing they were trying to prevent. If they had removed the body, why didn’t they produce it to silence the witness of the early church? On top of all of that, anyone who stole the body would have taken the grave clothes because this was the most valuable thing in the tomb. Yet as we’ve seen earlier in chapter 28, the clothes were left in the tomb, in an orderly manner. Hardly the scene of a crime or a grave robbery. As we have already seen, the Jewish Ruling Council was willing to go to great lengths both to kill Jesus and to cover up his resurrection. They paid Judas Iscariot 30 pieces of silver to betray our Lord. They paid the Roman soldiers a considerable price, in order to guarantee their silence. The sum would be princely indeed, because these men’s lives were on the line. If Pilate heard, the soldiers were afraid there would be hell to pay, and they could be executed. However, it is unlikely the soldiers would have suffered this fate, since even if the story got to Pilate, he was unlikely to care much about it. Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday; he was dead, which was the end of the story in his eyes. The disappearance of Christ body created no real problems for him, but it would allow him to stick it to the Jewish Ruling Council. The Jewish Ruling Council failed to cover up the truth of the Risen King. However many Jews to this day still believe their lie. At the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the powerful witness of the apostles, many Jews in Jerusalem realized their leaders were lying to them. Only then did they discover the truth that Jesus is alive. Through the powerful preaching of Peter in Acts, he called out to the people: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day 2:40-41”. The church grew because of truth of Jesus rising from the dead and the witness of empty tomb. Any person, who diligently studies the evidence, with an open mind and open heart, will conclude the resurrection of Jesus is a concrete historical fact. Conclusion All the forces of human ingenuity and the power of darkness cannot hide the truth of the resurrection. Fear motivated the actions of the Jewish Ruling Council and the soldiers; one feared the loss of power, the other loss of life. But the apostles and the early church allowed faith to rule their hearts, and boldly proclaimed the truth of the resurrection. The Lordship of the resurrected Jesus Christ is the hidden truth which the church has been proclaiming for almost 2000 years and will continue to do so until He returns. We can see all the evidence before us, yet for many there still remains a nagging question about whether we can believe the resurrection. The truth is, no matter what our religious convictions or lack thereof, we all believe in some kind of an Easter story. Our lives are shaped by “life from the dead” stories, whether we consciously acknowledge them or not. It is the Christian “life from the dead” story that makes all the difference in how we live. The “life from the dead” stories impacts our view of heaven, history and our own heart. First, take our view of heaven. This universe is by definition, a life from the dead, a something from nothing. See, if we don’t believe in an Easter God, who created everything, and then we need to find some inventive reasons to explain how the universe came into existence. We realise that all of creation, the history of human existence and the Easter miracle all have a creator behind it and is part of His grand narrative; He is writing a great love story towards mankind. Without an intelligent creator God, behind the creation of the heavens, the likelihood of life from the dead is virtually impossible. Second, our view of history. Historical record, of the life and death of Jesus, which the Bible bears witness to, is agreed upon by the majority of historians to be accurate and factual. He was executed and placed in a tomb. On the third day after his death, the tomb was found empty by his followers, who then claimed to have experiences of the risen Jesus. We know that Jesus body was never found. From its inception, the Christian movement preached the empty tomb as a key foundational doctrine. The Christian movement mushroomed in size, become the largest, most diverse society in history. Its central message was always the proclamation of the Easter story. Therefore, the history of the church since Easter Sunday is one of the most powerful arguments for the truth of its message. Without the resurrection there is no Christianity. Third, our heart, is the last and most powerful, reason for belief in the Easter story. Every single one of us lives as though love is ultimate. We all know that we need to prioritise relationships. We all live as though our life is greater than death, as though love trumps disconnection, light triumphs over darkness. We believe in life after death, in a type of resurrection. This is why we realise the belief in the resurrection is not an absurdity but rather it explains what otherwise would be absurd. Our hearts make sense when we embrace the Easter story. In our church, we sometimes allow the lies of the world to influence the way we preach the gospel, the way we do ministry and the way we reach out towards a lost and broken world. We allow the cover-up to win. It is sometimes easier to hear and preach sermons which do not confront us with the mysterious and magnificent truth about Jesus resurrection. When we put the risen Jesus at the forefront of our faith, we are called to react differently as a church. When we as a church know Jesus and see the glory of the resurrection, we start following our risen King, Saviour, and Lord. The tomb couldn’t hold Jesus, what makes us think that the box we place him into would hold him? We cannot hide the truth. The resurrection of Christ shapes our worldview and must change our lives. Let us stop living in fear and know that we are God’s children, part of the miraculous love story that He has crafted since the beginning of time. It’s time as a church and as a people of God to start living and declaring the truth that Jesus is the risen King. He is risen, He is risen indeed! “I'm forgiven cause You were forsaken. I'm accepted, You were condemned. I am alive and well, Your spirit is within me. 'Cause You died and rose again. Amazing love, how can it be? That You, my King would die for me? Amazing love, I know it’s true. It's my joy to honour You... In all I do, I honour You. You are my King. Jesus, You are my King.”
In this song by Chris Tomlin, we see the beauty and burden of the cross. The Cross is viewed in many different ways, to some it is simply a piece of jewellery we hang around our necks. To others, piece of religious art or the icon of faith. To some, the cross is abhorrent. One liberal theologian from the Anglican Church in England called the cross the greatest act of cosmic child abuse in all of history. Yet as Christians when we look at the cross on Good Friday, we see none of those things, we see the greatest act of amazing love in the history of the world. The God of the universe, who created everything by the word of His power, chose to become flesh and dwell amongst us, to lay down His life for us, for the very ones who nailed him to that cross. Lord Jesus, we will love you for the cross, and we will love you for the cost, for you paid the price for our sins which we could not pay. We come to the 4th sermon in our Easter Series “The Hidden Truth,’’. We come to the end of Jesus earthly journey, beaten, battered and broken, the King of God’s kingdom, hung on the old rugged cross for your sins, for my sins, for the sins of every person on the planet past, present and future. As we stand at the foot of the cross, and look into the face of Jesus Christ, we see the Rejecting of Love, and the power of his Redeeming Love for us. 1. Rejecting Love vs. 45-50 There he hung: Jesus the King, not in robes of splendour, but in splattering of blood, instead of a Crown of glory, a Crown of Thorns pierced his brow. The Pharisees and the Romans, and the crowd standing there, must have thought how could this be God’s Messiah, and the King of His kingdom. Creation reeled, as the saviour of the world hung ““From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) vs. 45-46”” At the heralding of Christ birth, there were angels and the guiding star, there was light which had broken into the world. Therefore, it is only fitting at his death there was a heaven-sent darkness, which lasted for three hours. All of creation was standing in solidarity with its Creator. Just as in the days of darkness before the Passover in Egypt, so there were three hours of darkness, as the Lamb of God died for the sins of the world. Creation was in rebellion, screaming out, as its Creator was crucified. But more than creation is horrified by the death of Christ. God himself turns his face away, he cannot look at his Son, who is so ugly and stained with sin. Jesus cries out: “my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” And the answer is God has forsaken him in order to bring our forgiveness, in order to show the greatest act of love. God rejected his own Son; the Scriptures bear witness to this fact. Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians makes this abundantly clear “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God 5:21”. The Father had forsaken Jesus; the darkness was a symbol of judgement, which he must endure the full outpouring of God’s righteous anger against sin. Jewish law taught that Cursed was anyone or anything which was hung on a tree. Jesus became cursed with sin, in order that we could be given its cure, and be brought into right relationship with God. While Jesus would have recited, the whole of Psalm 22 while He hung on the cross, vs. 3: “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel” is of particular significance. For here, we see yet more evidence, of his rejection of Christ. How could a holy God, who cannot tolerate sin, look with sympathy upon his own Son who has become sin. Not only has the Father turned His face away in disgust. The crowds now mockingly scoff at Jesus as they think He is calling for Elijah so they say: “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.” And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit vs. 49-50”. Jesus truly was scorned by the ones He came to save. Humanity stood there, laughing, triumphantly thinking they have won, and they can direct their own destiny now. Just like in the Garden of Eden, when all of creation was broken through Adam and Eve’s sin, so through Jesus sacrifice, the curse of sin would be broken. For there disobedience brought chaos, pain and suffering to the world, but through Jesus obedience, He brings order, and reconciliation with God. Jesus laid down his life, like a lamb led to the slaughter, and in three days, He will take it up again. So He breathed His last, and yielded up his spirit to God. He had finished the work for which the Father had sent him to earth. The King had died, for his people and his kingdom, and yet his subjects rejected and reviled him. 2. Redeeming Love vs. 51-54 As Jesus breathes his final breath and hands himself over to death, at the exact moment of the rejecting of his love, three extraordinary miracles that witness to the power and Majesty of his redeeming love take place. Firstly, his love restores “At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split vs. 51.” The tearing of the veil in the temple symbolised the way to God is now open to all believers. When Moses received the Ten Commandments, the earth shook. This earthquake at the very moment of Jesus death shows He was the One who conquered and perfectly fulfilled all these laws. No longer would believers have to conduct their relationship with God through priests, altars, sacrifices or the law. Anyone can come to God through Christ, since He had finished the work of salvation on the cross. Secondly, love revives “the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people vs. 52-53.” Matthew does not specifically say who these saints are, they are simply believers who had passed away prior to Jesus death on the cross. Although they were raised on the Friday as Jesus died, they only went to Jerusalem after his resurrection. When we accept Jesus as our Saviour, we are also raised from being spiritually dead to a new life in Christ. He revives our souls and gives us new purpose, just like those who rose from their graves. Thirdly, love redeems “When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God! vs. 54.” The Roman Centurion makes a startling declaration. The manner in which Jesus had died filled him with awe. Although we cannot say for sure what was happening in this man’s heart, it is quite possible this centurion was the first Christian believer. Even if we do not know whether he found saving faith. From the centurion’s own words, we see how deeply the crucifixion affected him and made his heart open to the truth. Jesus died to redeem those who trust in him. When we are confronted by the cross and the truth, we are forced to either accept it or reject it. There is no middle ground or gray area. We must declare - Jesus is Lord and is truly the son of God. The evidence of God’s total love for the world is seen in the death of His Son for the sins of the world. When we look at passages like 1 Corinthians 13; 4-8, 13 and John 3:16 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails... Now these three remain: faith, hope and love but the greatest of these is love...“For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” through the lens of Christ redeeming love on the cross, it brings a new perspective to our lives. It shows us what total love looks like, and it calls us to emulate that love in our daily lives. Conclusion So may we look at the cross afresh, this Easter on this Good Friday. How often in our lives, don’t we reject God’s love, we reject Christ as irrelevant, as unimportant, as something that people who really have problems need Jesus. He had God’s love, cost him everything, costing the rejection of His Son on the cross; it cost Jesus bearing the full brunt of our sins in order that we might have redeeming love and life. Do not reject the cross, and the love it brings, like the Pharisees did, like the Jews in Jesus day. For if we today reject this redeeming love, which is offered us, through the cross of Christ. Then one day, when we die and we stand before God, the Father will turn his face away from us; in the same way, as He did on that Good Friday 2000 years ago to his son. Oh the beauty and the power of this redeeming love, is refreshes revives restores, it brings hope and healing, cleansing and forgiveness. Oh how beautiful is the cross of Christ, how magnificent is all its facets, and how beautiful it is in all its ways. We could spend a lifetime studying the cross, and still we would not dig deep enough to understand the power of the fathers love for us. How deep the fathers love for us, how vast beyond all measure, that he would give his only son to make a wretch his treasure. What should I gain from his reward I cannot give an answer, but this I know with all my heart his blood has paid my ransom? Pause 1-2-3-4 There is a story told about an old English farmer who went to London and visited one of the great art galleries in the city. There he was attracted by a painting of the crucifixion. He sat before it, studying each detail with intense interest. At last, forgetful of his surroundings, he cried out, "Bless Him! I love Him!" Others nearby, startled by his words, came to see what was wrong with the old man. From different parts of the gallery, they gathered around him. They saw the tears flowing down his bronzed cheeks. They too looked at the painting of the crucifixion. After a while, one man in the group with tearful eyes, reached for the farmers hand and said, "And I love Him too!" Then another and another and still another took the old man's hand until there was a sizable group of sobbing believers rejoicing in front of the painting of Christ's crucifixion and declaring, "We love Him too!"Will you join the centurion in his confession, "Truly this Man is the Son of God?" Our closing story, sums up for me, the power of revealing love, when we look at the cross we do not need a million applications. We simply need to accept that on the cross when Jesus died the wrath of God was satisfied and for every sin on him was laid. Here in Christ death and revealing love we live. Professor Roderick Finlayson’s introduction to this passage really brought home the profound nature of Jesus prayer in the garden of Gethsemane to me. He says Jesus destination was the Garden, a place to which he had frequently resorted for communion and refreshment. But this time it was to be the place of conflict, the place where he should have not only a preview, but a foretaste of the cross. This was something more intimate, more distressing, than he had hitherto experienced. And in approaching this solemn study, we must tread reverently and cautiously. Gethsemane is not a field for intellect, it is a sanctuary for faith. There was transacted something that brings us completely out of our depth, yet something that has such a distinct bearing on our redemption that we dare not pass it by.
Tenebrae comes from Latin, and simply means darkness. It reminds us of the darkness of sin, and what it has done to the world, and to the human heart. It reminds us, Jesus took on himself the sins of the world, so that we could have light once more. He became darkness, so that we could experience light. As we come to our third sermon in our series, “The Hidden in Truth”, we have been reminded, that Jesus is an unexpected King, and requires his followers demonstrate his love and life to the world through their actions, showing we are members of his flock. As we come to the garden, we focus on Christ’s anguish before the cross as he prepares himself to drink from the cup of God’s wrath. Even though he is God, Jesus is still human, wrestling with his fears before God, just like us. The hands that continually pray for us, here prays for himself in the garden. Jesus knows our fears, and our anguish, he knows everything we go through in our most joyous moments and in our darkest times, since he experienced sorrow too deep for us to comprehend. As he wrestles with his destiny before the divine Father, his prayers of supplication and submission ascend heavenward, but ultimately Christ will do his father’s will. His prayers in Gethsemane are an example for us to follow. 1. Prayer of supplication vs. 36-39 Jesus has just celebrated his last Passover meal with the disciples and in doing so, he celebrated the very first communion. As the cross and his death looms before him, Jesus takes his three closest disciples, Peter, James and John, and heads to the garden of Gethsemane on the mount of Olives to pray. He has been here many times before, but this time is different. His soul is in anguish as he begins to feel the weight of the sins of the world. He told the three disciples: “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will vs. 38-39.” We might be tempted to think that it is fear of death which terrified our Lord. But no, He faced the cross with courage and peace. He knew that it was his destiny to die for the sins of the world and he did not shy away from it. His sorrow came from knowing that he would be drinking from the cup of God’s righteous anger towards humanity’s sin. Jesus was made sin, as Paul tell us in 2 Corinthians “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God vs 5:21”. We would not have to bear this same sorrowful weight which Jesus had to carry completely alone, abandoned by his Father. In his prayer, Jesus is not resisting God’s will. He is not asking to be released from the death he knew was approaching, rather, he was seeking God’s will. His prayer of supplication was not selfish, he wanted to be obedient to God, but if there was another way, he was humbly asking for it. Even Jesus was afraid of drinking the cup of God’s wrath. Jesus teaches us that we can bring our petitions and requests before the throne of God. We can ask him for whatever we need and also wrestle with God when we do not understand His will. Sometimes we think that we should only come to God in prayer when our hearts are suitably inclined towards him. When we are in a good or worshipful headspace. But God tells us that we can come to him at any time. We can bring our joy, our sorrow, our heartache and our fear to Him and he will never turn us away. We are also reminded that Jesus prays for us. He intercedes with God on our behalf. But our prayers, like the one our Lord prayed in the garden, should also always first seek God’s will. I can pray everyday that the Lord gives me a Ferrari if it is not in God’s will, it will not happen. Let us always remember to seek God’s will and not our own. 2. Prayer of Submission vs. 40-46 During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had taught his followers the Lord’s Prayer and the words: Let your will be done. Now he truly has to practice what he has preached as he submits himself completely to his Father’s will. The disciples however have not. They have given in to temptation. After praying Jesus “returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing vs. 40-44.” Our Lord is going through the most excruciating agony as the sins of the world are piled on his shoulders and he begins to sweat drops of blood, because of the spiritual anguish laid upon his soul. Yet his closest companions, the disciples, cannot stay awake long enough to support him. This is unfortunately the problem of sin in the world. As Christians, our hearts long to worship God, but our sinful flesh fights within us. How often when we try to come to God in prayer, do we find our minds filled with a million distractions? Our hearts are willing, but our sinful flesh is weak. So, we should not judge the disciples too harshly. Remember that they have had a large meal and are probably very drowsy. Nevertheless, Jesus tells them to be vigilant, because their war is not just against flesh and blood, but against the rulers and the authorities of this dark world. Our Lord then returns to pray a second and a third time. He is yielding and submitting to God’s will. The Rev Warren Wiersbe reminds us: “As perfect Man, He felt the awful burden of sin, and His holy soul was repelled by it. Yet as the Son of God, He knew that this was his mission in the world. The mystery of His humanity and deity is seen vividly in this scene.” Jesus is the son of God, yet He made sure to spend time in prayer. Not just in the dark garden of Gethsemane, but throughout his life and ministry. Jesus teaches us what it means to submit to God’s will and to trust him completely, in the good times and the bad. Jesus knew the road ahead of him would be dark. Jesus knew the pain of bearing the sins of the whole world upon his shoulders would bring momentary separation between him and God, which would feel like a lifetime. He would drink the cup of God’s righteous anger down to the very last drop. He knew what awaited him, and yet he still prayed in submission to God – your will be done. Because Jesus submitted, Paul tells us in Philippians “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father vs. 2:9-11.” Conclusion Just like in the garden of Gethsemane, we too are faced with dark and desperate times. There is much fear, uncertainty, anxiety and anger worldwide. But still it is up to us to decide how to react to these unprecedented circumstances. Like our Lord, we can choose to submit our hearts and lives to God. Let us say: “We will follow where and when God leads” and, like our Lord say, “Your will be done.” Let us have hands together in prayer, hearts open to the will of God, knees submitted to his rule and reign in our lives and let us bring before him our prayers of supplication and submission. The famous Anglican theologian and bishop NT Wright said “At any given moment, someone we know is facing darkness and horror: illness, death, bereavement, torture, catastrophe, loss. They ask us, perhaps silently, to stay with them, to watch and pray alongside them. Distance is no object. In any one day we may be called to kneel in Gethsemane beside someone dying in a hospital in Nairobi, someone being tortured for their faith in Burma, someone who has lost a job in New York, someone else waiting anxiously for a doctor’s report in Edinburgh. Once we ourselves get over the shock of realizing that all our friends, neighbours and family, and even the people we have come to rely on, are themselves vulnerable and need our support—if even Jesus longed for his friends’ support, how much more should we!—we should be prepared to give it to the fullest of our ability. And when we ourselves find the ground giving way beneath our feet, as sooner or later we shall, Gethsemane is where to go. That is where we find that the Lord of the world, the one to whom is now committed all authority (28:18), has been there before us.” The TV series The Amazing Race, focuses a group of contestants who traverse the globe, completing clues, obstacles, challenges and puzzles, in order to move on to the next round of the race. The team which comes in last in each episode is eliminated. Some of the challenges are fairly easy, but others are a bit more difficult. In the third episode of the 2019 season, we find contestants on the island of Zanzibar. One of the challenges took them to a shop which makes ornate wooden chests. It is a fairly straightforward challenge: they have to find a key, unlock the chest and get their next clue. But there are two rooms of the shop filled with chests, all of which have drawers. Many of the teams spent hours hunting through these chests, trying to find the key with no luck. Eventually one of the teams accidentally discovers that all the chests have false bottoms, and drawers with hidden compartments. Very soon they find the key hidden in one of these compartments, unlock the chest and are on their way.
Many of us can relate to this experience – we think we see the reality; we have the whole picture, only to discover a deeper truth or meaning. Many people think they know the answer to the question, who is Jesus. We celebrate Easter every year, with chocolate bunnies, hot cross buns, and we throw in a couple of religious services to boot. But in all the tradition, we are in danger of missing the truth. As we Begin our Easter Series “The Hidden Truth” we will see just how blind the Pharisees, the Crowds and even the Disciples were to the Question “Who is Jesus Really”? Are we just as blind or we ready to discover the hidden truth of who Jesus is this Palm Sunday? As we embark on Jesus final week on earth we encounter the section of teaching highlighted in the book of Matthew which focuses on the Rejection of the King. We see everyone thinks they know the type of Messiah Jesus is going to be: to the disciples and the crowds he is a ruler, to the Pharisees, and the Romans he is a rebellious zealot. Who is Jesus really, the answer is both profound and simple. For Jesus has not come to us as Expected King wielding political power, but rather he comes to us humble, unassuming as an Unexpected King to reclaim his kingdom. 1. The Expected King vs. 1-6 Jesus is standing on the Mount of Olives with his disciples, looking down into the Kidron Valley. The road to Jerusalem lies wide open before him - the road to his destiny, the road to his death. The Jewish feast of Passover is about to begin, there are probably about 2 million Jews in around the city of Jerusalem. Jesus has always kept his identity a secret, he shied away from public endorsements of his Messiahship. His true identity was, known only by the 12 disciples, his inner circle. But our Lord is about to step out of the shadows, and publicly declare on the stage of world history, he is the heir to David’s throne, he is not only Israel’s long-awaited Messiah but King as well. So, with the stage set, Jesus sends his disciples, into the village of Bethany to fetch him a donkey and a colt, for him to ride on. The significance of the plan Jesus has set in motion, must not be lost on us. Matthew says these events ‘“took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet “Say to Daughter Zion, See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them vs. 4-6”’. He is fulfilling prophecy, and being obedient to God’s word. In the Old Testament the book of Zechariah clearly describes that Israel’s long-awaited King would come to Jerusalem in this manner. Only Jesus Christ perfectly fulfills this prophecy, he is the only one with the credentials to prove that he is Israel’s long-awaited King. We do not usually associate a lowly donkey with kingship. But this has always been the Royal steed of the Jewish monarchs. Jesus would ride into Jerusalem in the expected manner; this is yet more evidence of his kingship. The significance of these events are not lost on the disciples, it must have taken every inch of effort to contain their excitement. Jesus is finally doing what they want. He is coming as their expected King, he is going to enter Jerusalem, the earthly kingdom of the Messiah is about to be inaugurated. He has at last put behind him all this nonsense of going to the cross, and dying for the sins of the whole world. He is about to take his rightful place, sitting on David’s royal throne and ruling the nations with a regal power from God’s capital city on earth Jerusalem. However, within a week, their exuberant excitement will come crashing down at the foot of the cross and all the expectations would seemingly fall apart. 2. The Unexpected King vs. 7-11 As Jesus climbs onto his royal steed and begins his journey towards his destiny and death. He comes out of the shadows, and publicly declares he Israel’s expected King. The disciples can barely contain their excitement; they throw their cloaks on the back of this royal beast of burden. The crowd do likewise, cutting palm branches, and throwing them on the road before him as a sign of homage to their King and prophet. Both the disciples and “the crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee vs.9-11.”” But amid the fanfare, we can feel a touch of sadness, for we know the end of the story. Although the crowd in their exuberant joy they are singing out Psalm 118:25-26, shouting Hosanna, which means save us now Lord. They have no idea what they are asking and what they are declaring. Their political aspirations have blinded the disciples and the crowds to see who Jesus really is. The Pharisees and the scribes are no different they conclude that Jesus must be destroyed. For in their spiritual blindness, they decide to kill the King, before he brings the entire Roman military machine down on their heads. When Jesus enters the city, and the people living there asked the question who is this Jesus, the answer is he is simply a Prophet from Nazareth. The religious leaders have robbed of their people of the truth of God’s word and substituted in their own man-made traditions. They were not interested in the well-being of the people, only protecting their own position. Later on in the week when Jesus is brought before Pilate, and the crowds and the Pharisees yelled ‘crucify him, crucify him we have no king but Caesar. This is the final piece of evidence, of their spiritual blindness and condemnation. The reason for this is simple; when they were asked the question ‘who is Jesus really’ their answer was a political king, who would save them according to their own designs. When he did not fulfill their political aspirations they called for is execution. They killed him because of unfilled expectations. Jesus is the unexpected king, because he fulfils not man-made traditions, but what the scriptures really taught. The Old Testament had always borne witness to the fact that Jesus would be the suffering servant who would lay down his life for his people. But through misunderstanding, misreading, misleading interpretations, and mistaken expectations, the people were blind to the true nature of Jesus kingship. One day when the king does return and reveals himself, it will not be in humble anonymity. As the book of Revelation tell us: “I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.19:11-12.” On that day, every knee will bow and every tongue will proclaim that Jesus is Lord of all. Conclusion At the beginning of our sermon, we asked the question, Who is Jesus Really? The crowds and the disciples expected a political leader. The religious leaders expected that he was just another troublemaker. Today, I want to ask you, who do you think Jesus really is? We have many expectations about Jesus, about what it means to follow Him and what He does in our lives. The world views him as everything from a myth, a good teacher, a nobody, a historical figure to a problem they are unable to solve. There are also certain expectations about what it means to follow Jesus. What must we do? Are there rules for being a good Christian and what happens when we fall short of the ideal held up by the church? Many so-called Christian leaders teach that being a Christian will also change your life in certain ways. Some say that following Christ means we will be healthy and wealthy; others we need to give more money to receive God’s blessings or forgiveness. But when we come right down to it, when we are confronted by Jesus, we cannot decide not to make a choice. We either turn away from Jesus or follow him. We have to lay down our worldly expectations, our selfish ambitions, our hard hearts and our pride. We have to follow the unexpected King, the one who challenges the system, who was crucified as a rebel and whose teachings turn all our preconceived notions upside down. Jesus is the unexpected king because he confronts our worldview. He says that we cannot save ourselves through anything we do. It does not matter how powerful, wealthy or famous we are. Jesus comes and turns all of our expectations of him and what it means to follow him on its head. Who is Jesus Really? He is God in the flesh, crucified for our sins and raised to life on the third day. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. His triumph and his kingdom have come into the world not through politics or a powerful army, but through love. The words of this song by Third Day remind us of who Jesus really is. Some see a teacher standing on a hill speaking words of wisdom. Some see a healer reaching out His hand to give sight to a blind man. Some see a dreamer wasting His life for what can never be. Some see a fool dying for His dream. Some see a prisoner alone before His judge with no one to defend Him. Some see a victim beaten and abused with all the world against Him. Some see martyr carrying His cost for what He believes. Some see a hero who set His people free. But I see love, I see love Light of heaven breaking through I see grace. I see God's faces shining pure and perfect. Love, when I see You, I see love. With Your last breath, I see love through Your death, I see life. I see peace in the eyes of a King. I see hope in your suffering. I see a calm in the center of a storm. I see a Saviour and see Him walking from an empty grave. Introduction A daughter complained to her father about how hard things were for her. “As soon as I solve one problem,” she said, “another one comes up. I’m tired of struggling.” Her father, a chef, took her to the kitchen where he filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to a boil. In one he placed carrots, in the second, eggs, and in the last, ground coffee beans. He let them sit and boil without saying a word. The daughter impatiently waited wondering what he was doing. After awhile he went over and turned off the burners. He fished out the carrots and placed them in a bowl. He pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. He poured the coffee into a bowl. Turning to her he asked, “Darling, what do you see?” “Carrots, eggs, and coffee,” she replied. He brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. He then asked her to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg. Finally, he asked her to sip the coffee. She smiled as she tasted its rich flavour. She asked, “What does it mean, Father?” He explained that each of them had faced the same adversity—boiling water—but each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting, but after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg was fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. By being in the boiling water they changed the water. The father then asked his daughter, “When adversity strikes, which are you?” Far too many Christians discover that when adversity strikes they are more like carrots or eggs than coffee. This results in many Christians and many churches bringing about little or no change in society. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. We can learn from the church of Philadelphia—a church which faithfully served God in the midst of great adversity. The book of Revelation is often referred to, as the revelation of Jesus Christ, for it is the heavenly Jesus who is giving this message to the apostle John. Our passage falls within a part of Revelation known as the letters to the seven churches. These were churches founded by the apostle Paul, which were located in modern-day Turkey. Philadelphia is the only church which does not receive a stern warning from Jesus. Rather this church receives encouragement for bearing up under a great deal of trials, persecution, and suffering. In Philadelphia, life was hard; the city was destroyed by earthquakes many times. The Christians in the city faced constant opposition from the Jews, and often felt like they had little strength. Our world is no different: we are facing a global pandemic, and we are in lockdown as a country. We wonder where God is in the midst of all of this. Times are hard. We feel overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the troubles on our path. As Christians, we are called to be led lights for the gospel, but in these dark times, we feel more like flickering candles. How can we proclaim the gospel, when there is so much resistance? The apostle John tells believers the answer is to keep holding on to Jesus. There is always hope, for the church is called to remain faithful no matter what fiery trails invade our lives. Jesus’ message to us as we face this lockdown is: He is Holding Us Up and we must never stop Holding On to Him. 1. Holding up vs. 7-9 The church at Philadelphia had suffered huge persecutions from both the Roman Empire and the Jews living there. At the time of this message, the Roman Emperor Domitian is on the throne. He hated Christians, and would do anything to stop the spread of Christianity. It is into this situation that Jesus speaks his stunning message of hope. He declares, “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open vs. 7b.” Jesus is declaring in these words, first and foremost that he is holy, holy in his character, in his actions, in his purposes. He is God, the true and living God, over and against all the false gods, which were being worshipped in the city of Philadelphia. Jesus has authority and is in control of all things. The images of the key of David and the open door have their origin in the book of Isaiah and they symbolise authority. Therefore, because of Christ authority and sovereignty, the members of the church at Philadelphia can have assurance that God is with them in this difficult situation. He is holding them up and supporting them, and he understands their pain. Jesus praises this church for not giving up in the face of hardship and adversity. He holds them up as an example to us. Jesus says, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut vs. 8a” This church refused to give in, when so many others had compromised the gospel. Jesus tells them, I have placed before you an open door or an open mission field. This church was perfectly placed for the gospel to go out into the parts of Eastern Europe where many pagan and barbarian tribes lived. Therefore, Jesus says, I'm giving you a mission field go out and tell the world about me. However, this church might say, ‘but Jesus, we are too small to make a difference, how can we go out, and share the gospel with all that we are facing’? Our Lord replies, “I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name vs.8b.” Jesus was saying to them that through his word, and his name, they could overcome any obstacle that faced them, for the name of Jesus is above every name. Paul, in writing his letter to the Philippians, says: “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father vs. 9-11”. In the same way that Jesus held up the Philadelphian church, he is holding us up. Jesus is the ultimate reality; he is the one who is holy and true. Revelations 1 tells us that Christ holds the keys of death and Hades. Jesus is in complete control, there is nothing which surprises him. He knows what we are going through, because He has walked this way before. Jesus tells us when we feel overwhelmed, when we feel stressed; when we feel we just can't go on, we must remember these words. If we love him, He says to us, I know you are weak, I know you are weary, but you have kept my word, and not denied my name. Having little strength, means that we will rely on Jesus, instead of relying our own abilities, we will look to Christ in times of great hardship, and know He is with us until the end of the age. Therefore, He places before us an open door. This open door will always look different depending on the mission field placed before us. The Church has been given an opportunity to shine Jesus light and love into the darkness. So we take our stand. We refuse to let fear rule our hearts instead of faith. Jesus is holding us up, just like the church at Philadelphia. 2. Holding on vs. 10-13 The Philadelphian church has been held up by the Lord. Now this church must hold on in the face of great adversity coming their way, for Jesus says “since you have kept my command to endure patiently; I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown vs. 10-11. The Lord promises them because they have kept his commands and have held up under great distress, he will keep them from the hour of trial. What this means is when their suffering seems too much to bear, Jesus will walk alongside them and will give them the strength to overcome it. They will not falter. They will pass the test, even if the whole the world fails it. Jesus gives us three Faith filled reasons in verse 11 to Keep Holding On. Firstly, Christ says, “I am coming soon.” He will return one day, and on that day, He will bring peace to the world. Therefore, the church must hold on. He has not left us; His spirit is still with us. But one day He will return, and when He does, He will usher in the new heavens and the new Earth, where there will be no more suffering or pain. So the church can persevere, whatever challenges and obstacles awaits us because our goal is heaven, and our master is coming soon. Secondly, Christ tells us “Hold on to what you have.” We told are to hold on to the words of Christ, to the promises of Christ. There are times when we will be tempted to take the easy route out, to give up our faith, and to succumb to the pressures of this world. In those times, we are to remember what Christ has taught us by His Word and through His Holy Spirit. We are to hold on knowing that in the midst of the storm, our Lord Christ Jesus is with us. Finally, Christ tells us the reason we must hold on to his Word, “so that no one may seize your crown.” Our Lord was not referring to an earthly crown; rather, he was referring to a spiritual crown. The Philadelphians were part of Greek culture. In a race or sporting event, the winner would receive a golden wreath or laurel; this was known as a crown. In the same way, the Philadelphians were to run this Christian race, but if they cheated, or gave up halfway, they would not receive this crown. Paul reiterates this concept in his letter to his young student Timothy. He says, nearing the end of his life, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Tim 4; 7-8”. Conclusion The church in Philadelphia was called to hold on to Christ and to persevere through the trials they faced. In return, God would tell them good and faithful servant, what you have done is pleasing in my sight. We are also called to persevere, for we know that our Lord is with us, walking with us. We are called to hold on to His Word, and to the promises, He made to us. Yes, we are all fearful, anxious, and unsure about what the present and future holds. But Jesus is telling us today that He is with us, He will hold us, guide us and give us the grace we need each day. Jesus is calling us to run the race and finish it, so that we too may receive the crown of righteousness. In the midst of adversity, trials and struggles we are called to persevere. But more than that, we are also called to change the world around us, just like the coffee in the boiling water. The Church in Philadelphia was known as the church of brotherly love. In the same way, we are called to exhibit that same warmth and brotherly love. We are being called as churches and as individuals to be God's beacons of hope in our communities. Jesus Christ has never forsaken us and He will never forsake us. The Lord our God is with us wherever we go. Introduction The truest test of any building’s durability or strength is seen in how it stands up to the various elements which bombard it on a daily basis. Such as heat and cold, rain and sunshine, climate change, and even catastrophic weather conditions. Our building, Trinity Presbyterian Church, is facing a storm, and its name is Covid-19. How we weather this storm as a church will speak volumes about our character, our compassion, but most importantly our love for Christ. We are the church, but if we are to remain, we need to remember love is a verb. Love as a verb means to be involved, to sacrifice, to listen, appreciate, and work together. Love is a doing word, meaning giving up your own rights in order to serve your partner, friend, family or fellow church member. Pause 1-2-3 As come to our next sermon in our series, Paul reminds us the only way the church will last, is if it is built on Christ and held together with love. Without love, all the bricks and spiritual gifts are worthless. Our church, just like the Corinthian church, is a melting pot of different cultures, races and nationalities. Yet Paul calls on us as believers to be the light of Christ, to our church, our community, and our country. He wasn’t just writing this letter to married couples, instead to the various members of his diverse congregation. He reminds them no matter their different nationalities, different cultures, no matter their diverse gifts and talents, love united them. This same love unites us in a unique and beautiful way. Paul tells us the love for Jesus and for each other is Essential, Expressive, and Eternal. Pause 1-2-3 1. Love is Essential vs. 1-3 Just like a car needs an engine to run, a plane wings to fly and tennis racket strings to hit a ball, in the same way Paul tells us, we need love in order to function, both as believers and the church. Love is absolutely Essential for “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal... If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing vs. 1, 3”. We are to love one another, because God is love. God taught us how to love by sending His Son into the world. Jesus Christ taught us what love is by dying on the cross. He also commanded all those who follow him to love each other. Believers are given the gift of the Holy Spirit who teaches us to love one another and who pours out the love of God into our hearts. Therefore, we can see that love is essential and it enriches all it touches. Pause 1-2-3-4 The Essential nature of love means that all the sermons, prayer meetings, church services, Bible studies and seminars, are useless without it. If we can’t show love to our fellow brothers and sisters in this time of crisis, then we honestly need to check our own hearts, and ask the question have we truly understood the love of Christ. We can often be so caught up with all the gifts and abilities, which we have been given. Yet forget to do the simplest of things, like showing kindness and compassion those in need, regardless of status or privilege. See we are all given talents, gifts, and passions. If we use these unique gifts in love, it strengthens and enriches everything we do. It is incredibly easy to see the difference between a person who simply works for money and someone who is passionate about their job. We are called to passionately serve Christ and others during this difficult time. We are called to do everything in love, for without it we are nothing but hot air and noise. We are to show the kind of radical love, which Jesus showed us. John first letter says, “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister 4:19-21” Pause 1-2-3 2. Love is Expressive vs. 4-7 The Essential nature of love is the beginning and not the end. Paul goes on to tell us that it must be seen through our actions towards those we care about. Love must be expressive and put into practice daily. This is why Paul says: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres vs. 4-7.” Love is a verb. Paul gives us some of the actions we should take to make love a reality, and some of the verbs we should avoid. This is what love is: patient, kind and rejoices with the truth. The word patient in the Greek means long-suffering. It means to help carry someone’s burdens. To walk with them both in the good times and, far more importantly, in the bad. Be slow to get angry with each other. Then, love is kind. The author Raold Dahl wrote that of all the human characteristics, kindness is the greatest. Like Jesus, kindness is moved by the needs of the sick, the poor and the downtrodden. Love also rejoices in the truth. In any argument, there is your side, my side and the truth. There should be complete transparency and honesty with each other. But the truth shouldn’t be a club to beat each other over the head with. Always speak the truth in love. Pause 1-2-3 We are also shown what love isn’t. It’s not envious, boastful, proud, it does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs or delight in evil. Do not be envious of each other’s achievements or successes, rather rejoice together. Love is not puffed up, rude or arrogant. It is too gentle and sensitive to dishonour others. Love puts the interests others before our own, instead of being self-seeking or selfish. When we care about each other, we bear with each other, we don’t keep score, we take no pleasure at the misfortunes and tragedies of others. Paul reminds us not to keep score of these past hurts or arguments. This will make our love richer, our lives more peaceful, and our church filled with love. Remember what he says love always does: It always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres, no matter the circumstances. Pause 1-2-3 3. Love is Eternal vs. 8-13 The very nature of love is sacrificial; it drives us, calls us, and encourages us to strive for something better. It is when we put others before ourselves that we truly understand the nature of love, the heart of God and the power of Christ. Love is Essential, love is Expressive, love is Eternal, it will always prevail. This is why Paul says: “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love vs. 8, 13”. We can think of these as the three abiding graces. They will remain when all else has gone: faith, hope and love will be with us when we enter heaven one day. We have faith in Christ as the author and perfector of our salvation, through whose precious death on the cross we are granted access to eternal life. We might think we won’t have faith when we reach our eternal home, yet we will still depend on God to supply our every need. Hope gives us purpose and meaning in this topsy-turvy life. We can look forward to the future with hope, knowing God is already there and is working all things for the good of those who love him. We also have a secure hope in the promises of God. Faith and hope are individual, self-contained and personal graces. Pause 1-2-3 Yet love covers our feelings and actions towards others and God. When we love, we reach beyond ourselves to be concerned about others. Our love for God and for others will grow into the perfect expression in heaven. More than that, by loving well, we become more like God, since God is love. Love never fails, because it is rooted and established in God. God’s very nature and essence is love. Therefore, we can trust God. Everything else in this world will eventually break down, and turn to dust. But God’s love will endure for ever, it is permanent, it protects us, sustains us, and encourages us. Then no matter what storms of life sweep across our paths. We will endure, we will survive, and we will thrive if God’s love is at the centre of our lives. Pause 1-2-3 This is his promise to everyone sitting here. We must put our trust and our hope in Him alone, God will not let us down, and He will not fail us. Because God is love, and in Him there is no darkness, His perfect love will drive out all fear. So let us put our trust in the unfailing love of God, and we will never be disappointed or dismayed. For God’s love will always light our way. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Pause 1-2-3 Conclusion The phrase “do not worry” or similar phrasings thereof appear 365 times in the Bible. Once for every day! However it is difficult not to worry at this time. There are moments where it feels like everything is carrying on as normal. I see restaurants and shops open. I see people still going to work, builders working on new houses, busses driving along. Yet there are things that remind us of this crisis. Joshua is home, a number of people are working from home. There is a shortage of hand sanitizer and toilet paper. There are people at the door, spritzing our hands with hand sanitizer before entering the church. Pause 1-2-3 Yes, it is okay to be worried or anxious during this time. It is okay to ask not to shake hands or hug people. It’s okay to miss physical church services. We might not know what the future holds, but we know the One who holds the future. Our God of love is with us, no matter what happens. Thus, I encourage us to think of how we love those around us. Love means taking care of members of our community who are at risk. That means, if you have someone working for you, consider asking them to work from home, or if it is a position where this isn’t possible, ask them not to come to work, but carry on paying them where possible. Love means washing our hands, following rules set forth by our government, listening to experts in the field, so that we can flatten the curve. Pause 1-2-3 Love means being patient in this time of uncertainty. Love means being kind to those in critical positions – our medical staff, our pharmacy staff members, the clerks in the stores, who would probably like to practice social distancing, but who carry on working because they are needed. Love rejoices in the truth. Ignore fake news and fear-mongering, and listen to credible news sources. Remember that love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. When this health crisis has passed, we want to be able to stand together, saying we showed the love of God, our trust and hope are intact and together we persevered, as a church, as a family and as South Africans as a whole. May the love of God dwell in our hearts through Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. May these words by Third Day lift our hearts and calm our fears: “Your love, oh Lord. Reaches to the heavens. Your faithfulness stretches to the sky. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains. Your justice flows like the ocean's tide. I will life my voice to worship You, my King. I will find my strength in the shadow of Your wings. Knowing God will care for us and carry us through this crisis because “these three remain faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” |