Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on April 5, 2015.

As everyone knows, today is Easter. Easter is the celebration of the singular greatest day in all of history. No day compares to what took place 2000 years ago when Jesus’ disciples went to the Garden were they had laid his body and found the stone rolled away, and they heard from the lips of Angels, “He is not here, but has risen.” In those words lie all hope.

Some of you who sit here today, have “celebrated” Easter in your entire life, however you have never CELEBRATED Easter. Your celebration up to this point has been vanity, for you have not been struck in your heart by the words “He is not here, but has risen.” You have yet to experience the full and complete weight of that reality as it relates to you eternity.

• Hebrews 10:1-14 – “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. 2Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? 3But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Consequently, when Christa came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;6in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. 7Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” 8When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. 10And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
  
  

Shadow of Good Things to Come

To grasp the hope found in the resurrection, we must understand death. Death exists because sin exists. This is crucial to understand. Romans 6:23 says, “the wages of sin is death.” Therefore, when kids ask, why do people die? The answer is because it is God’s punishment for our sin. It is the penalty for our rebellion. It is the consequence for rejecting the Author of Life.

The next question is where did this sin come from? It came into the world through the first man, Adam.

• Romans 5:12 – “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— “
  
  

Sin entered the World through Adam, he opened up the door and it spread to all of humanity. Every single person who is a descendent of Adam. This is who we are. This is why Paul says in Ephesians 2:3 that we are “by nature children of wrath.” The bottom line is that if Adam wouldn’t have disobeyed God’s Word in the Garden of Eden, then death would not have descended upon the earth, but he did, and our reality is that sin is in the world and so is death.

What is interesting is that the first thing that physically died on this planet was not Adam or Eve. Yes, they died eventually, but not immediately. The first creature that died is found in Genesis 3:21.

• Genesis 3:21 - “And the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.”
  
  

This was the first time blood was spilled on planet earth. Remember, death did not exist before sin. Only after sin did death occur, and the first thing to die was not Adam or Eve who were responsible, but an animal. And it was this animal that God used to cover the new found shame of Adam and Eve.

From that point on we begin to see a pattern of animal sacrifices begin.

• Genesis 4 - where Abel sacrifices a sheep to God and God was pleased with Abel sacrifice, but was displeased with Cain's sacrifice of fruit from the ground.
  
  
• Genesis 22 - where God called Abraham to Mount Moriah and told him to sacrifice his son, Isaac; however right before the Abraham was about to kill him, God intervened and provided a substitute sacrifice, a ram.
  
  
• Exodus 12 – Many of you may watch this tonight on ABC when you watch the Ten Commandments. Perhaps the pinnacle of the Old Testament, whereby God killed the first born of all people in Egypt, except those who killed a lamb and spread the blood over their doorposts. Upon seeing the blood of this lam, the Angel of Death would passover their home, and no one would die in that household.
  
  
• Exodus 29 - where God sets up a ceremonial system for the consecration of the priest were two lambs are sacrificed a day for seven days, one in the morning and one at twilight. This sacrifice would be required before a priest could serve the Lord.
  
  
• Leviticus 16 – We see God implementing a sacrifice of a goat. This is what was known as the Day of Atonement.
  
  

• Leviticus 16:15-16 – ““Then he shall kill the goat of the sin offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the veil and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it over the mercy seat and in front of the mercy seat. 16Thus he shall make atonement for the Holy Place, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel and because of their transgressions, all their sins.”
  
  

The nation of Israel continued this practice of the Day of Atonement year after year after year for about 1500 years. It continued until 70 AD when the temple was destroyed and has never been rebuilt since.

Why is this important? Why should you care about the animal sacrifice in garden , the lamb sacrifice of Abel, the ram sacrifice of Abraham, the Passover lamb sacrifice for Egypt, the consecration sacrifice of the Priest, and the yearly sacrifice on the Day of Atonement? The reason is because of Hebrews 10:1.

• Hebrews 10:1 – “For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. “
  
  

The law mentioned in verse 1 is referring to the ceremonial law of Israel, which includes sacrifices such as the Day of Atonement. This law, this ceremonial sacrifice, had been practiced for 1500 years give or take, but it actually stretches all the way back to the Garden of Eden. And what are we told about this law? We are told that it is a shadow of the good things to come. What is a shadow? It is a dark image that is cast when light shines upon an object. The shadow is not the object, it is dark symbol caused by the object.

The Day of Atonement is just a symbol, it is an outline of the true object. This is also true for the Passover Lamb, the ram of Abraham, the lamb of Abel and the sacrifice in the Garden of Eden. Each of these things are a form of a greater reality. What is this greater reality? What is this good thing to come?

Single Offering of the Body

It is the good news of Jesus Christ. Look at verse 5, “Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me.” The good thing, the true substance, the object that cast the shadow is the body of Jesus Christ. This is why John the Baptist says in John 1:29, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus is object that cast the shadow that we see in the Garden, with Abel, with Abraham, with Moses, and with Israel. All of these shadows point to the substance of the single offering of the body of Jesus Christ.

This is the reason why Jesus came to earth...to die. He did not come to be a good moral teacher, or to lead a conservative political party. The Son of the Living God left the glory in Heaven to be the single sacrifice for all of humanity, to have his flesh torn apart and to bleed out so as to cover the shame of wretchedness, to die in our place, to cause death to Passover you, to atone for our sins.

And the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross is not like the shadow that was cast before it. The sacrifice of the Lamb of God has power. Jesus accomplished what no sacrifice accomplished before. The sacrifices of the shadow could not perfect those who draw near. This is why year after year after year these sacrifices of Israel continued, because they didn’t work. Look at verse 4, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.“ This was not their purpose. Their purpose is to point to Christ, for it is only the blood of Jesus that can take away our sins.

Perfected for All Time

Look with me at verse 12-14, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Let’s read it one more time and let these words sink in.

Once again, we see a single sacrifice. The death of Jesus happened one time and one time only. It is blasphemy to say that Jesus is sacrificed over and over again. What did Jesus do after he offered his body for sin? He sat down. Now compare this to verse 11, “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.” But when Christ offers his body, instead of continueing to stand, what does he do? He sits down. Why?

Because when Jesus offered himself the work was completed. It was done. There was nothing left to do to pay for your sins. The blood of Christ was sufficient to pay your debt to God. This is why Jesus cries out “It is finished” right before he dies on the cross. He had accomplished what he set out to do.

Which is what? To perfect you. Verse 14, “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” It is by the single offering of the body of Christ that you go from sinner to sinless. 1 John 1:7 says, “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” It is not our blood and sweat that takes away sin. It is only the blood of Jesus that has this power. Ephesians 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.” It is the blood of Christ that provides redemption, that provides forgiveness. It is grace alone. Romans 3:23, “or all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” The one and only way that you are justified before God is through redemption that is found in the blood of Jesus. There is no other way to deal with your sin issue. The body of Christ is the only solution, He is your only hope, and his body is sufficient to pay for all your sins.

Why is this important? It is important because some of you have been taught by false teachers. Some of you have sat in a religion that does not preach and teach Hebrews 10, 1 John 1, Ephesians 1, Romans 3. You have been wrongly taught that Jesus sacrifice was necessary, but that it was not sufficient.

Do you hear the difference? Necessary and sufficient are not the same words. There difference makes all the difference. You have been wrongly taught that you have to atone for some of your own sins; you have been wrongly taught that Jesus’ blood didn’t perfect you for all time; you were wrongly taught that you have not been justified by grace. Instead you were told that you have to perform some penance to absolve you from your sins, whether that be hail Mary’s, the Lord’s Prayer, communion, confession, church attendance, etc. The Bible speaks of none of these things having the power to pay for your sin. No sacrifice that you perform can pay the debt that you owe God. The bible is abundantly clear that it is Christ alone; so stop attempting to earn your forgiveness, for you can’t. Instead find refuge in the single sacrifice of Christ

The Resurrection is the Proof

So what does this have to do with the resurrection? How is the empty tomb connected to the sufficient work of Jesus Christ on the cross? Everything.

• 1 Corinthians 15:17 – “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. “
  
  

If the bones of Jesus still lay in a tomb outside of Jerusalem this entire thing is one big sham. We have wasted our lives following a fairy tail. We are people to be pitied. However, if Jesus really did overcome death; if Jesus really raised up the temple of his body; if Jesus has risen, and the tomb is empty than we should rejoice. For there is no greater evidence of the truth of Hebrews 10 than Christ paying the wages of our sin and defeating death. The empty tomb is the display of the reality that the battle was fought and won on the cross; that Christ was victorious.

No legitimate scholar debates the life of Jesus. It is almost universally excepted that Jesus existed. It is not a question of his existence. The question is, “Is He the Lamb of god who comes to take away the sin of the world.” That is what each one of you have to determine. Who do you say that Jesus is?

If his bones lie in a tomb, then eat drink and be merry for tomorrow we die, but if he has risen, and He has overcome our greatest problem, death, then I encourage you to listen to what he has to say.

The Lord’s Supper

Today we will celebrate the sufficiency of the body of Christ by remembering what he has done for us by eating bread and drinking juice.

• Matthew 26:26-28 - “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins”
  
  

This is bread is not Christ, for Christ sits at the right hand of God waiting until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. Also, we are not re-sacrificing Christ, for there is one single sacrifice. And this sacrifice we are remembering has been poured out for the forgiveness of sins, all of them, for all time, perfect in Christ.

This table is open to every follower of Christ. However, if you have not turned and placed your faith in the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice, then this table is not for you. However, I pray that by the Grace of God someday it will be.

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on February 22, 2015

Turn with me to Philippians 2:12-13. Today we will be looking at only two verses, and it will take as all of 45 minutes to do it. So we are going to get right to work this morning.

• Philippians 2:12-13 – “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
  
  

There are times when reading God’s Word you come up against apparent paradoxes. These paradoxes are only paradoxes because we are not God. By that I mean that our finite understanding does not always allow us to see the union of two truths that appear to be mutually exclusive. For example, the Trinity. God is one, yet He is also three persons. To us, this is a paradox. Our understanding of space/time limits our ability to accept the proposition that a being can be one and separate simultaneously. Having said that, just because we can’t connect the dots, doesn’t mean it isn’t so. It just means that we are not God, and we need to work a little harder and grasping it.

So with that said, if you run into an apparent paradox in the Bible do not reject it. Instead, recognize that the Bible is not the problem. You are, and ask the Holy Spirit to help you mine the depths of God’s truth. When you do this, you will most likely find that the deeper you dig, the greater the treasure you will find.

The Paradox

So let us start with the paradox. In verse 12 we see Paul telling the Church in Philippi to “work out your own salvation.” This is a command. Paul is telling them to work, to do something. He places the obligation, the responsibility on the people. Then in verse 13, in the same sentence, Paul says, “it is God who works in you.” Paul is saying that God does the work.

Is Paul schizophrenic? He starts his sentence with us doing the work, and ends the sentence with God doing the work. Which is it? Is it us, or is it God? At first glance, we believe that these positions are mutually exclusive. We believe that they cannot both be true. It has to be one or the other, but not both.

Why? Because when we read the Bible we wrongly superimpose our finite, our limited knowledge over the Bible. We wrongly have a tendency to Lord over God’s word. We wrongly approach the Bible as if we are god, and we therefore then attempt to shape God’s word to match our view of reality. This is not the way you read the Bible. We should not twist the Bible to match our metanarrative, the Bible that should shape us to match God’s redemptive narrative. For it is the Bible that is the revelation of true reality. We must humble ourselves beneath the Word of God and allow it to refine us. We must be willing to accept difficult truths, even if we don’t understand it initially.

So today I encourage you, to start from that position, as position of humility as we attempt to mine the depths of the reality that we work out our salvation, and God works out our salvation.

Foundation

Next, lets us talk about the foundation of this text. We are focusing on only two verses, and there is a risk that when you do this, you read it with blinders on. We must recognize that these verses are not on an island. They are a part of a letter. They are part of a flow of thought. Verses 12 and 13 have a foundation under them, so let us spend some time looking at that foundation. The foundation begins in Philippians 1:3.

• Philippians 1:3-6 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.“
  
  

Paul begins by recognizing that God is the one who first began the work in the hearts of the Philippians. If you recall, the first person who was saved in the Philippians church was Lydia. We examined her conversion in Acts 16:14 when we are told, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” This is why Paul thanks God, for it was God who initiated the relationship. Lydia was a passive recipient of God’s Grace. Paul was sent by God, to proclaim God’s Word, and God opened up Lydia’s heart. In that moment, God made Jesus irresistible to Lydia and she did the only rational thing, she accepted Christ as her Savior and her Lord.

At that moment, Lydia is saved. Salvation has come into her heart. She is eternally secure in the arms of Jesus. On the cross, Jesus paid for all her sin; past, present, and future, and she has been given the righteousness of Christ. This is the great substitution. Christ takes our sin, and we take his righteousness. This is why Paul says in Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” For those who are in Christ, the gift of salvation is received at the moment of faith. This is why Paul can confidently say in Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

It is a guarantee that all who are in Christ will be brought to completion. We will all reach the end. We will endure. We will persevere. If you don’t persevere, that means that you were never in Christ. That God never began a work in you, but you were just fooling yourself.

However, for a true follower of Jesus, in between the beginning and the end is the Christian walk. And this is what Paul starts to discuss in Philippians 1:27.

• Philippians 1:27 – “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.” 
  
  

Paul encourages their Christian walk, their Christian life to match, to fit, to be consistent, with the gospel reality in their life. Their lives should reflect their faith in the gospel. Meaning that when the world watches how you live, there should be no question that you trust in Jesus. This is why verse 28 says, their life should be a “clear sign” “of your salvation.” What you do in life is evidence of your already secured salvation. Your life is an outward display of an inward reality.

And it is this foundation that Paul lays out before he says in verse 12, where he says, “work out your own salvation.” Why is this important? Because Satan would love for you to read verse 12 as saying, “work for your salvation.” Satan would love for you to think that your salvation is dependent upon what you do, as if salvation is something to be earned. But we all know that salvation is a gift of God’s Amazing Grace, not a wage.

So what does verse 12 say? It says we are to “work out your salvation” not “work for your salvation.” To work out your salvation means that you already have salvation. God, at the moment of conversion has taken out your heart of stone and given you a heart of flesh. At the moment of conversion God has birthed you into spiritual existence. At the moment of conversion God has made you a new creation. At the moment of conversion God has adopted you into his family. And this is who you are at your core. However, this does not mean that immediately upon conversion that you will perfectly, without sin, outwardly display this inward reality.

In between justification and glorification, there is sanctification. Meaning, that in between you being declared not guilty through Christ and being perfectly like Christ in Heaven, there is a life of transformation that occurs. We call this transformation sanctification, and this is the Christian walk. This Christian walk has two sides to the coin, your role and God's role.

Work Out Your Salvation

Let us begin by talking about our role. This text makes many grace based Christians flinch. They see work and think there must be a typo, but rest assured it is not. This word work is an active word, not a passive. Paul is telling us that we play a substantial part in becoming who we already are. Becoming like Christ in obedience is not something that just happens, but something that we make happen. And this is not the only place we see text like this in the Bible. In fact later in this letter Paul says this:

• Philippians 3:13-14 - “But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”
  
  

Paul sees his Christian walk as one that involves straining, pressing forward. This gives us a picture of a force that is pushing against him and his actively pushing back. Paul's following of Jesus is not passive, it is engaged. Paul is working out his salvation. Likewise, in Paul's letter to young Timothy, his apprentice, listen to what he says,

• 1 Timothy 6:11-12 - “But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of the faith.
  
  

Paul commands Timothy to flee bad things, and pursue good things. He sees this running from and running to as an act of War. He sees it as a battle that Timothy will find himself in the midst of. Once again, Paul instructs Timothy to be active in his Christian walk, not passive. Timothy plays a substantial role in being obedient to God. The author of Hebrews speaks to the same thing.

• Hebrews 12:14 - “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
  
  We are to strive for holiness. Striving is not passive, it is active. If you are not striving, then you won't see the Lord. This should cause of to fear and tremble, should it not. And this is exactly what verse 12 says, “Work our your salvation with fear and trembling.”
  
  Does this describe your Christian walk? Are you working out your salvation, are you straining and pressing forward, are you striving, are you fleeing and pursuing, are you fighting the fight of faith? Or are you coasting? We need to do a quick inventory of our lives in Christ. Do you look more like Jesus today then you did one year ago? How about 5 years ago? How about since you have been saved? If you cannot say confidently, yes, then you may be deceived.
  
  How can I say this, if I believe that we are saved by Grace? How can I put so much emphasis on works when we know that it is not works that save, but grace that saves. It is because of verse 13.
  
  

For It is God Who Works

• Philippians 2:13 - “ for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
  
  

If God has begun a work in you, meaning that you have been born again, then God comes into your heart and dwells inside of you.

• 1 Corinthians 3:16 - “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?”
  
  

Think about this. God, who is Holy, Holy, Holy. God who created the heavens and the earth. God who makes the mountains melt like wax, lives in you. Think about this the next time you want to lie, or lust, or hate. It is not just that God is watching, he is in you and you sin. This is the reason that we should obey with fear and trembling.

And why does God come and reside in us? What is His reason? What is His purpose? What does verse 13 say? He lives in us “to will and to work for his good pleasure.” This is amazing. God is in your heart making you will and work. Are you tracking? God is changing your desires. He is changing your delights. He is changing your loves. He is changing you from the inside out.

So how does this look practically? It looks like Bryan and Amy Speed waking up at 4:00 a.m. every morning to read the Bible and pray. It looks like James donating over a $1000 so others can go on a mission trip. It looks like Freddie willing to travel to the other side of the planet and risk his safety so to encourage his brothers and sisters in Christ. It looks like 30 people cramming the front of our Church on Wednesday night equipping themselves to make disciples. It looks like Paul sitting chained to a Romans guard and preaching Jesus Christ to the entire imperial guard.

All of these actions are evidences of the salvation that we have already received. When Christ truly comes and takes up residence in your heart he changes you. You want to pray, you want to read the Bible, you want to share the Gospel, you want to go on mission trips, you want to wash each others feet, you want to cut off your right hand if it causes you to sin. You want to strive, press on, strain, work out, and fight the fight of faith to be like our King. Our King who obeyed to the point of death on a cross.

Over the years I have heard people say, slow down, don't take on too much, you are going to burn out. I have even had people tell me that they believe I am trying to earn my way to Heaven. When I hear those things I want to say, get behind me Satan. Because what I see in the Bible is verse like 1 Corinthians 15:10.

• 1 Corinthians 15:10 - “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
  
  

I do not want the Grace of God to be vanity in my life. With all my being I want to be like Jesus, my greatest treasure. And I pray for all of that you will join me in this fight of faith.

 

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on January 11, 2014


Open you Bibles to Philippians 1:3-11. Last week we began our journey through the book of Philippians, and we focused our attention on how the Church in Philippi began. In doing so we examined Acts 16 where we saw Paul, Timothy, Silas, and Luke setting sail and landing on the continent of Europe with the express purpose of sharing the Gospel to anyone they could find. This path of obedience led them to a Jewish business woman named Lydia. Upon God opening her heart, Lydia was the first convert in the continent of Europe. And from that point the Church in Philippi began.

Today we are going to continue to examine this relationship. So let us read out text, pray and see what God has to say to our hearts this morning.

• Philippians 1:3-11 – “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
  
  

In this text, one thing is abundantly clear, Paul loved these people. Why can we say this? First he is constantly praying for them. This people are on his mind. When he is before God in prayer, the Philippians are on his lips. And not only on his lips, but on his heart. Verse 7 says, I hold you in my heart.” There is not an more intimate place to hold something then in your heart. If that was not enough, in verse 8 he says that he yearns for them. That is a strong word, yearn. The word in Greek is epipotheō, and it is commonly translated to long, desire, to pursue with love. It is a word that describes a soulful, internal, deep desire. And this is the feeling, or affections that he has for the local Body of Christ at Philippi.

This intimate relationship that he has with these people is not a superficial one. It has roots, it has strength, it is authentic and it produces in Paul joy. Verse 3 and 4, “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy,” Every time he brings to mind, when he remembers these people he experiences joy in his life. No matter where he is, what he is doing, how hard his circumstances are, when he closes his eyes and remembers the people in Philippi his heart rejoices.

Let me ask you, do you have someone in your life like this? Is there someone that no matter how bad of a day you are having, you can close your eyes and picture them in your mind and instantly joy washes over you? For many of you, you might say yes, but I am guessing the ones that bring you joy are your children, maybe your spouse. But what about your Church? Take a moment and look around at the people in this room. Do you yearn to be with them? Do you have an affection of Christ for them. Do you rejoice when you walk in these doors and see their smiling faces?

I don't know about you, but I have been to some Churches that have broken my heart. You walk in, and everyone is mindlessly going through the motions, like robots. No one is conversing, no one is smiling, no one looks like they want to be their. They look like slaves tied the the pews; burdened by the requirement of attending Church. It is a sad, sad picture. For Church is not suppose to be that way. Church is to be alive, vibrant, flourishing, hopefully, exciting, and abounding in love, both towards God and towards each other.

The assembly of God's people in worship should be like a shining city on a hill, whereby outsiders will be either repelled by it like cockroaches or drawn to it like moths to a flame. And the love of God and the love of others should be the fuel to that fire, as I hope we will see today. So with that, let us look at why did Paul love these people so zealously.

Partnership in the Gospel

• Philippians 1:3-4 - “I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.”
  
  

What does out text say the reason is that Paul prays for them with joy? Verse 5 says “because of your partnership in the gospel form the first day until now.” Do you recall the first day? We looked at it last week? Let us take a look at it again. Turn with me to Acts 16:14-15. As I stated earlier, the first convert was Lydia. Let us take a second look at her conversion.

• Acts 16:14-15 - “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15 And after she was baptized, and her household as well, she urged us, saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay." And she prevailed upon us.”
  
  

After God opened her heart to receive the gospel message of Jesus Christ, what happened? First, she was baptized and then what happened? So was her household. All of her household placed their faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I am not sure how this played out, but I am guessing that Lydia was doing all she could to encourage others in her home to listen to the words that now burned in her heart. It appears that Lydia was the matriarch of the family. We don't know her history, nor do we need to know. All we know that she was saved, and so was everyone else under her roof.

Which brings me to the question, how many of us have unsaved people in our household? I am guessing every single one of you. Perhaps they are not living in your house, but I am sure that everyone has aunts, uncles, cousins, and in-laws that do not love Christ; relatives that are destined to Hell if God does not open up their heart. What are you doing to save them? Are you praying every day for their salvation? Are you praying that God would open up their heart to receive the gospel? Have you proclaimed the gospel to them? Have you shared your testimony with them? Have you sat down and opened up the Bible and talked about who Jesus is and why they should care? I will be the first to admit that I have failed miserably. In fact, my lack of boldness and courage makes me sick! My lack of love for their souls makes me sick!

When God saved you, he did not mean for you to be a hoarder of His grace. You are meant to be a conduit of his grace. He saved you to be about his work. You are the God ordained means to a God ordained salvation.

• 1 Corinthians 7:16-17 - “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? 17Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.“
  
  

When God saves you, He wants to immediately use you to reach others. He wants you to immediately, share your new faith with everyone. No hesitation. If you have unbelievers in your life, do not pull away from them, lean in. Bear witness. Share the Gospel. Love them.

What is the next thing we see after everyone in her house was saved? She persuades Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke to make her home their gospel headquarters. She didn't just ask them to come by for an hour to hang out, she asked them to stay. This was going to be the new home base. This was going to be the brick and mortar for the Church, and she did this without hesitation.

Think about this. Lydia appears to be a single, jewish, business women and within a short time meets four random men down by the river and insists that they stay at her house. Who are these guys? Can you trust them? What baggage do they bring to the table? Are they wanted? What will people think? Is her house clean? Does she have enough food? What about her business? What about the mouths she has to feed? None of that seems to cross her mind. Once God opened up her heart and made Jesus preeminent in her life, everything else was trivial. She instantly leveraged what she had to offer for the sake of the expansion of the Kingdom, no matter what the cost.

This radical love of Lydia, however, was not isolated. If you continue reading in Acts 16 we see a second story of conversion. Look at Acts 16:25-34. Paul and Silas found themselves in some hot water and ended up being beaten and thrown in jail.

• Acts 16:25-34 - “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29 And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." 32 And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. 33 And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. 34 Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.“
  
  

First, how awesome are Paul and Silas. They are in a foreign land, sharing the gospel, end up in jail and what do we find them doing? Praying and singing hymns to God. There is not a moment in their life that is not oriented to God. And what happens? The jailer asks the most important question that anyone could ever ask, “What must I do to be saved?” They tell him as clearly and as plainly as you can, “Believe in the Lord Jesus.” Notice they did not say, faith plus works, faith plus the Eucharist, faith plus no mortal sin, faith plus a member of the Church. They said as clear as a bell, faith alone.

After the jailer placed his faith in Christ what happened? He took them home, washed their wounds, feed them and introduced him to his household which, once again, led to his family being saved. Just like Lydia, we see instant partnership in the Gospel, right out of the gates. And once again, let's not forget that the jailer did this at a great risk. What do you think his Roman boss was going to think about this jailer taking the prisoners home and giving them a bath, feeding them, and having a big joy filled party?

Don't forget that this was the same guy who almost killed himself because he thought he had let the prisoners escape, talk about pressure at work. That guy that almost committed suicide because he was having a bad day didn't exist anymore, he was now a new creation in Christ. God had taken out his heart of stone and replaced it with a heart of flesh. A heart that instantly loved God and loved his new brothers in Christ. He no longer cared about what people thought, or what consequences he would be facing tomorrow at work, his primary focus was on the good news of Jesus Christ.

Partakers of Grace

So let us ask why. Why do we see such a radical step of faith in the partnering of the Gospel in the lives of the jailer and Lydia? Flip back to Philippians 1 and look at verse 7.

• Philippians 1:7 - “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel.”
  
  

The jailer, Lydia and all of the Saints in Philippi were partakers of grace. Now don't let that phrase slip through the cracks of your mind. They were partakers of grace. What does that mean?

• Ephesians 1:7 - “ In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace “
  
  

It means that we are wretched sinners. We have rebelled with every once of our being against an infinitely Holy, righteous, awesome, and beautiful Creator, and we deserve infinite punishment, we deserve Hell. But God, being rich in mercy, and because of his great love sends his Son to stand in our place and bear the wrath of His Father for us. He then freely offers to us forgiveness and invites us to be adopted in his family where we can enjoy the in inheritance of our Father for all eternity. That is what is means to be partakers of grace. We deserve despair of Hell, but instead through Christ we inherit the riches of Heaven.

And in light of the love of God that he lavishes upon us, there is only one logical, consistent, fitting, or worthy response, and that is for the love of God to break forth like a river busting through a dam and washing everyone down stream. Who cares about your job, who cares about your business, who cares about what the neighbors are saying, who cares about what your family might think. You want everyone to experience Christ. And this is exactly what happened for Lydia and the Jail. The question is, has it happened to you, or are you just going through the motions?

Paul's Prayer and My Prayer

I do not want Cornerstone Church to go through the motions. I can't do it. I can't survive as your Pastor emotionally if we just play Church. Your partnership with me in the Gospel is a means of grace that flows straight to my heart, and produces in me joy. My prayer today, is Paul's prayer.

• Philippians 1:9-11 - “And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”
  
  

The source of love, the source unity, the source of joy is God. It is his grace that saves us and His grace that sustains us. And for that I praise Him.

 

Preached at Cornerstone Church in Cascade, IA on November 30, 2014

Today we come to the end of a two month sermon series on the Doctrines of Grace. To end our series I want to review the doctrines, briefly, and then I want to talk more about why understanding these doctrines matter in your day to day Christian walk.

So in review, the Doctrine of Grace are primarily about God's sovereignty in our salvation. Meaning that from beginning to end, it is God who saves. God gets all of credit for for our salvation, and therefore God gets all the glory.

The acronym for the Doctrines of Grace spells TULIP. Let us quickly go over each doctrine. First there is Total Depravity. This doctrine summarizes the Bible's teaching that man is a sinner. That our hearts our desperately sick, that nothing good dwells in us, that every intention of our heart is only evil continually, that all our “righteous deeds” are like filthy rags, that we are wretched; therefore we have no ability in ourselves to save ourselves or come to Christ. Jesus said it very clearly in John 6:44 that , “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.”

Which leads to the next doctrine we talked about, Irresistible Grace. Irresistible Grace is the drawing of a wretched sinner to Jesus by God. It is the shining of the light of Christ into a sinners heart by God. It is the Holy Spirit blowing into our life, birthing us into spiritual life. It is God circumcising your heart. It is God taking out the heart of stone and giving us a heart of flesh. It is God giving us eyes to see and ears to here. It is God opening our hearts to pay attention to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without the God's overcoming our resistance to Him by his irresistible grace, we are without Hope to repent and place our faith in Jesus Christ.

This begs the question, how does God decided whose life he will pour out His irresistible grace? He does this by His Unconditional Election. This is the “U” in TULIP. Unconditional Election is the understanding that God, before time began, chose whom would be adopted into his family to be holy and blameless before Him. That God chose whom would receive His grace. This decision is a sovereign decision, meaning that God makes this decision with no outside influence. He is the only truly free decision maker in the Universe. God has mercy on whom he has mercy. This is not based on what we do, it is based on God's free, sovereign will.

Next we examined Limited Atonement. This is the Biblical doctrine that Jesus was sent to rescue the elect, the ones chosen by God. This teaches that Jesus actually saved a specific people. That his death was a particular death, with a personal application. Jesus did not die for an opportunity to be saved, but that actually saved people. Limited atonement is the teaching that Jesus came to die for his sheep and that there is no greater love that to lay down your life for a friend.

Lastly, we looked at the overwhelming passages that point to the wonderful truth that when God begins his work in you, He will complete it to the end. This is the doctrine of Perseverance of the Saints, otherwise known as eternal security. This teaches that when you are adopted into God's family, He doesn't later kick you out. He doesn't give you eternal life and then say, just kidding. He doesn't open your eyes, to close them again. He doesn't love you, then send you to Hell. Perseverance of the Saints is the reality of the forever love of God.

These are the Doctrines of Grace. The question we will now address today is, why does it matter? I would argue that it matters immensely. As I stated before, other than my conversion, there has been no greater revelation in my life than the Sovereignty of God.

In this sermon series I have already spoken of two reasons as to why the Doctrines of Grace matter. First, God receives all the glory in our salvation. When we accept the truth of the Doctrines of Grace in our lives we are left with only one response, to praise God for His glorious grace. The second result we examined last week is that the Sovereignty of God is the catalyst to the Great Commission. Like Christ who was sent to rescue His Bride with victory guaranteed, we as his brothers and sisters, take the baton and go to all nations to bring in the sheep that are scattered abroad, knowing that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation and Jesus' sheep will hear his voice.

Today, I want to continue to discuss why embracing the Doctrines of Grace matter. These doctrines are not academic. They are doctrines you should build your life upon. Today, I have ten reasons why I believe that we should care about these doctrines.

1. The Doctrines of Grace are what the Bible teaches
   
   

As I was studying these doctrines over the last two months, I ran across an author who said that when people ask him, “Do you believe in Calvinism?” His default answer is, “The question is not what I believe, the question is what does the Bible teach?” I love that statement. This must be our default answer. We must embrace these doctrines for no other reason than the Bible teaches us these things.

We must remember that God's Word is His revelation to man. Jesus tells us in Matthew 4:4 that it is God's Word that is bread to our souls. Jesus then tells us that in John 17 that it is God's Word that sanctifies us. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3 that God's word is what equips us and makes us competent for all good works. The Doctrine of Grace is are doctrines of God's Word. The doctrines are not academic, they are much needed rations for this spiritual battle we find ourselves in and we must allow them to have their full effect upon our hearts and minds.

1. The Doctrines of Grace are the Gospel
   
   

Not only are the Doctrines of Grace what the Bible teaches, but these Doctrines are of first importance. These doctrines are the core of redemptive history, for these doctrines are the Gospel. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preaches, said these words about Calvinism.

“I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.”

1. The Doctrines of Grace Reveal the Greatest and Most Personal Love of God
   
   

As Christians we love to proclaim the love of God, and rightfully so. For we are told in 1 John 4 that God is love. The understanding of the love of God as directed to us is life changing, but I wonder how many people really understand the width and depth of God's love. The Doctrines of Grace are the fullest expression of the immensity of God's love. For only in these doctrines can we speak of an eternal love of God that began before time, a personal love of Jesus that cause him to die for you, and an enduring love of God that will never forsake us. No other theology, but reformed theology expresses this kind of eternal, specific and unbreakable love.

I did a lot of driving this weekend and we had a cd with Chris Tomlin's new song Waterfall on it. Perhaps you don't know this but Tomlin is a Calvinist, but in this song he says, your love is like a waterfall. And I was dwelling upon this phrase in connection to my sermon today and I thought, yes this is true, if you see the waterfall like Niagra Falls and not the the Cascades of the Maquoketa. It is the overwhelming and powerful love that pummels us and causes us to respond with reciprical and radical love for God and radical love for others.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Give us Assurance of our Salvation
   
   

What is so good about the good news? This is the question that Martin Luther wrestled with before his conversion. He was a Roman Catholic monk that hated his life. Why? Because he was always worried that he was going to lose his salvation, or that he wasn't holy enough to be in God's family. Is this the good news that Jesus proclaimed? Is this the truth that Jesus said will make us free? Absolutely not. The good news of the Gospel is the reality that Salvation is of the Lord. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus came to save his Bride completely. That his sacrifice was entirely sufficient to pay for all your sins past, present and future. The good news of the Gospel is that once Jesus rips you out of the arms of Satan, and does not hand you back over to the enemy after you make a mistake.

I recall one man who told me that he hated the weekends because he was always worried that he would lose his salvation. Whether it be thinking the wrong thought, watching the wrong movie, saying the wrong word, you name it. He never had peace in his heart. Does this seem like freedom? No it sounds like a prison.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Produce True Holiness
   
   

We read in Ephesians 1:4, “he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.“ This verse captures all of redemptive history from beginning to end. The end is the destiny of the elect. If you are in Christ than your are guaranteed to be Holy and Blameless before your Creator. This is who you are. This is who you are in Christ. This truth is the looking glass self. Meaning that if you believe that Holiness is your destiny than you will strive for that Holiness right now. Being guaranteed to become like Christ is motivation to become like Christ. I think this is why Paul says this in Philippians 3

• Philippians 3:12-15 - “ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.“
  
  

This is how we must think. We must realize that our end goal is perfection, holiness. It is what lies ahead, so let us think this way the next time you are tempted by Satan.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Produce True Humility
   
   

The Doctrines of Grace are the only theology that gives God all the credit from beginning to end for our salvation. It is all grace. Therefore, there is absolutely nothing to boast about before God. This is the other side of the coin regarding giving God all the glory. The most humble understanding of our salvation is Calvinism. All other theologies exult man. Other theologies make man sovereign over his destiny and God a servant to us, but once again this is not what the Bible teaches. God repeatedly tells us that He desires a broken and contrite spirit. The Doctrines of Grace provide such contrition.

And it is from this lowly state that God can begin to use us for His purposes. It is this posture of humility that gives us the ability to wash each other's feet, put other's interest before ours, take the log out of our eye, and acts as a guard against our sinful desire to lord over our brothers and sisters in Christ.

1. Doctrines of Grace Produces True Patience
   
   One of the fruits of the Spirit is patience, but what is patience? Patience is waiting on something that is certain to come. I don't believe patience exists if the future is up for grabs. The existence of patience assumes the sovereignty of God.
   
   

• James 5:7 - “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. “
  
  

This is what the doctrines of Grace promote, the understanding that God will do what pleases Him when it pleases Him. He is the one who brings the early and late rains upon this earth. As a Pastor who so desperately desires this community and surrounding areas to have their eyes open to the faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, I must patiently trust in God's timing and His pleasure. I must constantly remind myself that we plant and we water, but it is God who gives the growth, and likewise, he will have mercy on whom he has mercy. Without this understanding of God's sovereign plan for the redemption of His people, I worry that I would have already thrown in the towel. For what hope do I have, if salvation is not of the Lord, but it is of man.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Destroys Anxiety
   
   

One of the biggest issues in America, despite our wealth, education, and health is anxiety. We are the riches nation ever to walk this planet, yet simultaneously we are a nation of worriers. Why? Because we see ourselves as ultimately in control of our destiny. The problem with this, is that we know deep down inside that we have no ability to control anything. We place ourselves as our own sovereign, but we know we have no power. This is what free will theology teaches, that you are the captain of your own ship. It is no wonder that we are always worried about running aground. What is the solution to this anxiety? It is the sovereignty of God.

• Matthew 6:25 - “"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?“
  
  

Think about what Jesus said. Worrying does not add a single hour to your life. The Bible tells us that our days are numbered, every one of them. You will die when God wants you to die. You can take every precaution but you cannot change your fate. It is this understanding that has compelled thousands of missionaries into the mission field. The truly believe that there is no safer place than to be in the center of God's will.

1. The Doctrines of Grace Are a Fountain of True Joy
   
   

This Christmas season we will see or hear the word joy several hundred times. You will probably receive at least a dozen Christmas cards with the word joy plastered all over it. How often do you think about the source of this joy? Jesus says this to his disciples:

• Luke 10:19 - “Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. 20 Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven."
  
  

Jesus tells them that their source of joy should be that there names are written in Heaven. What does that mean? In Heaven there is a book. It is called the Book of Life of the Lamb that was slain. We are told about this book in Philippians and also in Revelation. In this book are names. These names are the people who will not be sent to Hell, but instead will be in the presence of God forever. Here is the interesting part. We are told in Revelation 13 and again in Revelation 17 that these names are written in this book before the foundation of the world and the names will never be blotted out. So Jesus tells his disciples to rejoice because your name was written in my book before the world began and no one will erase it and because your name is in that book you will overcome and your will reign with me in Heaven. This is your source of Joy!

1. The Doctrines of Grace Improve Your Prayer Life
   
   

It is interesting. Since I have been more outspoken about my belief in the Doctrines of Grace, I find myself in more and more discussion. People love to resist Calvinism, which I believe is more evidence that it is true. However, when I do find people resisting it, I usually ask them this question, have you ever prayed for the salvation of someone? Everyone answers yes. Which is good. We should pray this way, but when you pray that God would save someone you are praying for irresistible grace. You are praying for God to be sovereign over their heart.

All Christians pray like a Calvinist. Every single one of you. If you wanted to be consistent with your claimed theology of free will, then you would not pray for peace and comfort and revivals and conversions, because free will claims that God has no control over those things. But something deep inside us knows that this is not true. The Holy Spirit groans inside of us to pray for hearts to break for Jesus, and this is a prayer that we need to pray more often.

As we stated earlier, I want us to be praying about the month of December. I want each of us to pray like a Calvinist. Pray that God would open the eyes of your neighbors. Pray that God would draw them to Jesus. Pray that God would cultivate their hearts and make them good soil to receive the Gospel. And pray like you believe He can do it.