Tag: god

Sermon Idea: Praying, “Your kingdom come,” is to pray for the destruction of Satan’s kingdom, the advancement of God’s kingdom of grace, the bringing and keeping of saints in it, and the Kingdom of glory to come. 

Introduction: The Gospel of Mark tells a remarkable story in which a desperate father comes to Jesus’ disciples, hoping they can heal his son, who is oppressed by an unclean spirit. The description of the suffering is devastating and traumatic.

¹⁷ And someone from the crowd answered him, “Teacher, I brought my son to you, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. ¹⁸ And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.” (Mk 9:17–18)

As you can imagine, this initial disappointment leads the father, in desperation, to plead with Jesus to have compassion on him and heal the boy, which Jesus does. The Lord Jesus’ command exorcises and defeats the unclean spirit. 

I bring this story to your attention because it shows what Jesus teaches his disciples about their failure. They asked him, “Why could we not cast it out?” 

²⁹ And he said to them, “This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.” (Mk 9:29) 

The nature of the fight required more than intellect, gifting, and resources. It required more than grit, willpower, and determination. It was a battle of spiritual proportion, and so it required the chief means of spiritual work–prayer. 

All that we want to see happen in our midst, all that we hope to experience–salvation, disciple-making, church health, holiness, gospel advancement–requires prayer. 

Jesus told us in John 18:36 that his kingdom is spiritual. 

³⁶ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (Jn 18:36)

Wilhelmus A Brakel is certainly right when he wrote, “It originates in heaven, is of a heavenly nature, functions in a heavenly manner, and culminates in heaven. It is therefore called the kingdom of heaven.”

The second petition in the Lord’s prayer is, “Your kingdom come.”

This is appropriate if we pray for the hallowing of God’s name as Jesus taught us, because the coming of God’s kingdom is the primary way that God’s name is hallowed. 

What does it mean to pray for God’s kingdom to come? Does it mean that we pray for the rising of an empire, a castle, and an army? Does it mean we pray for the future coming of the kingdom or the present coming of the kingdom?

It is really difficult to improve upon the older understandings of this petition as found in the Baptist Catechism. Listen to how the saints who’ve gone before us reflected on this passage. 

Q 109: What do we pray for in the second petition?

A: In the second petition, which is, “Thy kingdom come,” we pray that Satan’s kingdom may be destroyed, and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it and kept in it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

Since this cannot be improved upon, these four ways will serve as the outline for the rest of our time. 

I.) We pray for Satan’s kingdom to be destroyed 

The Bible often speaks of the fallen world as Satan’s kingdom through a variety of images. For example, Paul in 2 Cor. 4:4 refers to Satan as “the god of this world,” who has blinded unbelievers. In Ephesians 2:2, Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air.” Multiple times Jesus refers to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:27-32; 14:30). 

These descriptions do not mean that Satan had or has ultimate power. His kingdom is not equal to the kingdom of God. It does mean that he exercises authority and dominion over sinners. Those who are dead in sin are held captive and under the influence of Satan’s kingdom. 

We can pray for Satan’s kingdom to be destroyed because Christ has already laid a fatal blow to his rule through his death, resurrection, and ascension. The first gospel promise in the Bible is found in Genesis 3:15, where God promises that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. 

²⁷ “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. ²⁸ Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” ²⁹ The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” ³⁰ Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. ³¹ Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. ³² And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (Jn 12:27–32)

The cross presses Jesus’ foot firmly on Satan’s head, and when he returns, Jesus will crush Satan’s head and destroy his kingdom.   

Meanwhile, God’s people are responsible for praying for the destruction of Satan’s kingdom. We pray for the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ to pierce through the darkness of unbelief, so that blind sinners get a glimpse of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 4:5-6).

We pray for any continuing influence of Satan’s kingdom in the world to over governments, authorities, or powers to be undone. We pray that the influence of Satan and his demons would lose influence over people’s lives, and that the power of God would extinguish at last. 

Now, do you see why I began where we did? We cannot do ministry armed with nothing but our gifts, resources, and willpower. We’ll need more than our intellect. We need to pray and stand in Christ’s strength (Eph. 6:10). 

We pray, “Your kingdom come,” because it is by the power of God and the coming of Christ’s kingdom that the devil and his works will be destroyed. 

We need to ask a question at this point. Whose kingdom do you serve? No neutral ground exists between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. To reject Christ and his Lordship is to declare your citizenship in the domain of darkness. 

This brings us to the second element of this petition: we pray for God’s kingdom of grace to be advanced.

II.) We pray for God’s kingdom of grace to be advanced 

This is the positive side of the first element. If we pray for the destruction of Satan’s kingdom, we are also praying for the advancement of God’s kingdom of grace. 

At the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he announced that the kingdom of God was at hand, “…The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15)

Note the declaration of the kingdom and the necessary response: repentance and belief in the gospel. God’s kingdom of grace advances, as people come to acknowledge and then submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ.

Prayer is the means through which God works to advance the gospel around the globe and that is vital, because it is the gospel that is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16)

We should learn and seek to be like Paul, who, while in prison, was overjoyed that the gospel was advancing and becoming more widely known.

12 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. (Php 1:12–13)

To pray, “your kingdom come,” is to pray that the gospel not only advances, but is embraced. As sinners come to trust Christ, they are brought into the kingdom of God under the Lordship of Christ. We need to pray toward this end. 

This brings us to the third element of the petition: we pray that we and others be brought into it and kept in it. 

III.) We pray for ourselves and others to be brought and kept in it

Entrance into the kingdom of God is not like admission into an earthly organization or club. You don’t simply put in an application or commit to paying dues. Entrance into the kingdom of God comes only by God’s grace and the gift of the new birth. Listen to what Jesus told Nicodemus. 

³ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (Jn 3:3)

In salvation, God gives a new heart through our faith in the Lord Jesus. With that new heart we turn from Satan, sin, and darkness to the Kingdom of God. 

Listen to how Paul describes salvation in Colossians 1:13-14. 

¹³ He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Col 1:13–14)

Prayer is the means God uses not only to spread the gospel, but to draw sinners through it. If people will be saved, it will be in response to our prayers. To pray, “your kingdom come,” is to pray that the gospel finds reception in hearts ready to respond in repentance and faith. It is to pray that the Spirit calls, regenerates, and indwells sinners as they hear the gospel. 

Notice this as well. We are to pray that God keeps us in his kingdom by his grace. Make no mistake: every true believer who has entered the kingdom of God will remain there, but not because they kept themselves there. They will remain there because God faithfully keeps them. 

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Pe 1:3–5)

To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ (Jud 1)

²³ Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴ He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Th 5:23–24)

God keeps us by the use of means! The Word of God, prayer, the fellowship in the local church, and the administration of the ordinances. These are not lifeless rituals, but means of grace by which we are built up by the grace of God, conformed to Christ, and kept by the power of God.

As we are being kept by God, we look forward in hope to Christ’s return and the consummation of Christ’s kingdom. 

IV.) We pray for the kingdom of glory to come 

To pray, “your kingdom come,” is to pray for God’s kingdom and power to be fully known on earth as it is in heaven. It is to pray that God would be with us and we would be in his divine presence without limitation, separation, or restriction. 

It is to pray 1 John 3:2, ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. (1 Jn 3:2)

With God’s presence in the kingdom of glory comes the astonishing promise that sin, sickness, and death will no longer exist. The pains and heartaches of this fallen world and the suffering that ravages our fallen bodies will be undone. God himself will wipe the tears from our eyes. 

³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 

⁵ And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” (Re 21:3–5)

“…Leviticus was and is one of the most important books of the Old Testament. It not only presents the entire religious system of ancient Israel, but also lays the theological foundation for the New Testament teaching about the atoning work of Jesus Christ.”– Allen P. Ross

Introduction: Many believers have tried to read the Bible in a year, only to falter and grow frustrated by Leviticus’s tedious nature. Many commands seem foreign to everyday life, and others seem plain weird. In discouragement, the reader initially presses on as long as they can, then gives up. Why is this the case? If all Scripture is breathed out by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, why is it so hard to find the benefit of Leviticus? 

Common Reasons for Being Disinterested in Leviticus 

1. Leviticus is perceived as an interruption of the narrative of Exodus.

2. Leviticus reads as a collection of obscure ritual regulations. 

3. Leviticus is primarily concerned with ancient Israelite worship. 

4. Leviticus is difficult to relate to Christian faith and practice.

What all of these reasons miss, however, is the book’s true heart and meaning, which the reader can grasp only by appreciating the redemptive drama unfolding not only in Genesis-Exodus, but also in Numbers-Deuteronomy. 

To fully appreciate Leviticus, readers must understand the problems posed by Genesis and Exodus. Genesis recounts the gravity of sin and humanity’s exile from God’s presence. Eden has not only been lost; life in God’s divine presence has been lost with it. 

Exodus records not only God’s great redemptive act of delivering his people from Egypt through the Passover lamb, but also the command to build the tabernacle, which would be at the center of Israel’s worship of God and a means to experience God’s presence again. Exodus, however, ends with a problem. God’s glory fills the tabernacle, and no one can draw near to Him—not even Moses. 

34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. (Ex 40:34–35)

Here, in response to this exact problem, Leviticus becomes significant. 

Exodus 40:34-35	Leviticus 1:1-2 (CSB)
34 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. 35 And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.	Then the Lord summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting: 2 “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any of you brings an offering to the Lord from the livestock, you may bring your offering from the herd or the flock.

Leviticus is not a stand-alone book with an altogether different theme than Exodus. It is the sequel to Exodus, which not only explains how Israel becomes the nation it is, but also answers and solves the problem at the end of Exodus. It’s about restoration to and life in God’s divine presence. That’s the point of Genesis-Deuteronomy. It is the point of the entire Bible. 

The Main Theme of Leviticus 

So, with L. Michael Morales, we agree that the theme and theology of Leviticus is “YHWH’s opening a way for humanity to dwell in the divine Presence.” 

Scripture begins with life in God’s divine presence (Gen. 1-2) and ends with life in God’s divine presence in the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21-22). 

 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God (Re 21:3)

Between these two great visions of life in God’s divine presence is God’s gracious making of a way through his covenants, laws, and sacrifices, ultimately fulfilled in the New Covenant. 

This longing for God’s presence is the Bible’s theme. Consider how it appears throughout the Psalms, for example.  

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Ps 16:11)

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Ps 23:6)

O LORD, I love the habitation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. (Ps 26:8)

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. (Ps 27:4)

As to the importance of this theme of divine presence, Morales is worth quoting in full. 

“Its dominating concern, as well as the rest of the Bible, is the way in which humanity may come to dwell in the house of God. Under the Mosaic covenant, that way opened by YHWH was through the tabernacle and later temple, its priesthood and rituals—that is, through the Levitical cult. The advent of Christ would open a new and living way into the house of God; indeed, that was the goal of his taking out humanity upon himself, of his suffering, of his resurrection, and ascension.”

Leviticus as the center of the Pentateuch

The first five books of the Bible, Genesis-Deuteronomy, are a collection of Scripture known as the Pentateuch (i.e., “five-scroll). Notably, Leviticus sits at the center of these five books, underscoring its importance not only to the Pentateuch but to the rest of the Bible. 

(A) Genesis 

    (B) Exodus 

               (C) Leviticus

    (B) Numbers 

1. Deuteronomy 

The Day of Atonement as the center of Leviticus 

We cannot survey all the reasons and evidence here, but several Old Testament scholars consider Leviticus 16, the Day of Atonement, central to the book’s literary structure. Atonement means “to be reconciled,” at-one-ment. 

Lev 1-7 Sacrifices 

     8-10 Institution of priesthood                          (Approaching God)

       11-15 Clean/Unclean in daily life 

                  16 Day of Atonement                        (Judgement/Cleansing) 

        17-20 Holy/profane in daily life 

      21-22 Legislation for the priesthood.              (Communion with God) 

 23-27 Festivals/sacred time                                  Holiness 

Again, Morales is helpful. 

“How the Day of Atonement relates to the theme of YHWH’s opening a way for humanity to dwell in the divine Presence is readily recognized when the significance of the atonement is understood, namely, that it makes possible life in the divine presence.” 

The purpose of highlighting the structural nature of the Pentateuch and the structure of Leviticus is to reinforce the central theme of God’s divine presence and what it means for sinful people to dwell in it once again. 

Why should Christians care about and study Leviticus? 

1. Leviticus is Christian Scripture not only intended for those in the ancient past, but for the church today. 

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Ro 15:4)

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Ti 3:16–17)

I like the encouragement from Gordon Wenham, “…the biblical writers believed, and the Church has always accepted, that they were writing more than history. They were recording God’s word to his people. Leviticus is therefore more than a description of past historical events and more than a collection of dated laws. It tells us about God’s character and will, which found expression in his dealings with Israel and in the laws he gave them. Those who believe that God the Lord “is the same yesterday and today and forever” may look to the book’s theology for insights that are still valid and relevant.”

2. Leviticus is vital for a proper understanding of the New Testament in general, and some books like Hebrews in particular. 

4 Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. 5 They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, “See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.” 6 But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. (Heb 8:4–6)

3. Leviticus explores the importance of holiness, a theme too often overlooked by many Christians today. 

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy. (1 Pe 1:14–16)

14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Heb 12:14)

4. Leviticus teaches the importance of liturgy and proper worship of the triune God, a theme neglected by many evangelicals today (Lev. 10). 

Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. (Le 10:1–2)

28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire. (Heb 12:28–29)

5. Leviticus lays the foundation that sinful people can only dwell with God by the means he provides—a truth that ultimately brings us to the centrality of Christ crucified and risen. 

13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. (Heb 9:13–14)

Sermon Idea: God’s love is why He sent the Son to save the world. 

Introduction: John 3:16 is the most recognizable verse in the entire Bible. It is the first verse young children memorize; you can see it on billboards along the highway and in the stands at sporting events. In 2009, Tim Tebow even etched “John 3:16” into his eye paint for the BCS National Championship game as the University of Florida quarterback. 

It is simply familiar. This familiarity, of course, is not bad, but it can become problematic when we take these familiar truths for granted. Here is one scholar describing the potential problem. 

Familiar verses can seem like the ABCs of the Christian faith—things to move beyond in order to drink from deeper wells. But if we have this attitude, we may forget key elements of the Christian gospel and miss the deeper, varied truths that are right there. – Jarvis Williams 

This evening I want to put this familiar verse before you one more time, not as the ABC’s of the Christian faith, but as the very life-giving message of the gospel and the only hope for sinners. I want us to see the deeper, varied truths that are right here. 

This Spirit has used this single verse to convict sinners, bring repentance, and bring faith in the Lord Jesus. For that reason, I decided to begin this week with this familiar verse. My simple prayer is that God will use this evening to draw people to Himself through this familiar but crystal-clear Word. 

As we look at John 3:16, I hope to show you the greatness of God’s love, the giving of the Son, and the gift of eternal life.

I.) The greatness of God’s love 

It is hard to think of a more famous use of the word “so.” If you listen closely, you can probably even hear the stress people put on the so, when they say, “For God so loved the world…” 

This word captures the greatness of God’s love because it directs our attention to both the action and the object of God’s love. 

The word “so” captures the greatness of God’s love because it shows how God’s love is made manifest. It might he helpful to read John 3:16 in the CSB, which makes this crystal clear. 

¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son (Jn 3:16)

Giving His Son makes God’s love great and glorious. This act manifests His love and makes it known! This is why 1 John says that God sending His Son is love. 

⁹ In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 Jn 4:9–10.

All that we have in the gospel: the sending of the Son incarnate in Jesus Christ, his perfect sacrifice on the cross in the place of sinners, his glorious resurrection from the dead, and the grace of salvation begins with God’s great love. 

As part of discipleship, I’ll often encourage people to ask several questions about Scripture. The first one I teach them to ask is, “What do these verses teach us about God?” 

We learn that God has demonstrated his love for the world in a visible, historical, and sacrificial way. God is love, and his love is great, so he manifests it by sending the Son. 

God’s love is also great because of the object of God’s love: “For God so loved the world…”

Two important points stand out here. The world is very big, and the world is very bad. 

We need to remember that Jesus is having a conversation with Nicodemus, who is described as “a ruler of the Jews.” Nicodemus expected God to send a Messiah to save Israel and to judge Israel’s enemies. He expected that Israel would be with God in his Kingdom. God’s love for Israel was little in doubt. 

John 3:16 does not say, “For God so loved Israel…” No, the Gospel of John is teaching us the greatness of God’s love and the extent to which the gospel will reach. God’s salvation through the Messiah will not be for Israel alone, but for both Jew and Gentile. In other words, it will be for the world. God loves the world: every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. There is not a people group on planet earth that we should not labor, strive, and give to get the gospel to. God loves the world. 

Something more needs to be said here. It is not just that the world is big. It is also bad. Here, the greatness of God’s love is amazing. God’s love for the world is not a love for an obedient, righteous, and holy world. It is love for the world that is wicked, rebellious, and sinful.

In fact, this is why John tells Christians not to love the world: “world,” in John’s gospel, refers to fallen, sinful humanity. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 Jn 2:15)

 God loved the world when the world did not love God. 

⁸ But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Ro 5:8)

This brings up an important practical point. The gospel will not be good news to you, and God’s love will not be great in your eyes, unless you are convicted that you are part of a wicked, rebellious world in need of salvation. 

Scripture is clear that every person in the world is in need of salvation, because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:23)

In 1 John, we are told that denying that we have sinned makes God a liar and means his word is not in us. All of us, without exception, are members of the world God loved by sending his Son, which means we all need a Savior. 

The gospel will not be sweet to you until you realize how necessary it is. 

The gospel is the good news that God loved the world that sinned against God. The manifestation of that is the giving of the Son. Let’s look at verse 16 again.

II.) The giving of God’s Son 

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

The phrase “only Son” carries great weight in the ESV, or “only-begotten Son” in other translations. “Son” is a royal title in the Bible, but when it refers to Jesus, it means more. It speaks to Jesus’ shared divine nature with the Father. He is the eternally-begotten Son of God.  

¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:14)

We see the greatness of God’s love in giving the Son at two levels. The first is the incarnation. The eternal Son of God is sent into the world by becoming flesh and dwelling among us.

The second giving is Jesus’ offering as a sacrifice on the cross in the place of sinners. We know both are in view because John 3:16 is sandwiched between John 3:14-15 and John 3:17. 

In John 3:14-15, Jesus told Nicodemus that just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so also must the Son of Man be lifted up. This clearly references the cross. Jesus will be lifted up by his substitutionary death on the cross, so that all who look to him in faith will be saved. 

John 3:17, we are told that God sent the Son into the world. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (Jn 3:17)

The “giving” mentioned in 3:16 includes both sending the Son and sacrificing the Son. God’s love results in the mission of the Son of God, who leaves the glories of heaven, humbles himself by becoming human, and is sacrificed on the cross, dying in the place of sinners.

Great love and a great cost. These two themes led Isaac Watts to pen When I Survey the Wondrous Cross. 

See from His head His hands His feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

Since Jesus is the one whom God sent to accomplish the mission of salvation, belief in Him brings salvation. Let’s consider the final point—eternal life. 

III.) The gift of eternal life 

The purpose of giving His only Son is that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. Notice that although not all will respond to the gospel, the gospel is offered to everyone. Many will hear—“whoever believes in him” — but will not believe. 

The Bible places the blame for that unbelief squarely on the unbeliever. They sin because they love the darkness, and in their sin they hate Christ’s light. 

¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (Jn 3:19–20)

The end for those who do not believe is perishing. It is to be eternally separated from God, so that eternity is defined as death or perishing rather than life. 

That doesn’t have to be your story. Hear the call of the gospel. For all who believe in Jesus, there is eternal life. 

Eternal life is sharing in God’s life through faith in Jesus Christ. It is a life of quality and quantity. It includes the future resurrection and eternity with God in heaven, but also includes real, spiritual resurrection life the moment someone is saved. 

Those who place their faith in Jesus Christ can live content in the present while also hoping for the future. Listen to Jesus’ words to Martha in John 11. 

²⁵ Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. (Jn 11:25–26)

The comfort that these truths can bring to the Christian is many, and if taken seriously, will anchor your heart in the midst of the most difficult moments. 

The hope of eternal life transforms a fear of death, so that we can say with Paul, “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”  

Eternal life means we can say, “To live is Christ and to die is gain.”

When I was in North Carolina, one of my members had a heart attack. While talking to the doctor, he said, “To live is Christ and to die is gain,” to which the doctor responded, “Do you have a death wish?” 

The answer, of course, is no! The hope of eternal life means we don’t live like the world, grieve like the world, or even die like the world.

Hope in eternal life means that we can answer the first question of the Heidelberg Catechism with confidence in every word.

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

1. That I am not my own,¹ but belong—body and soul, in life and in death²—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ….Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life⁹ and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

Hear the familiar words one more time. 

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (Jn 3:16)

Amen. 

“I will not participate.” 

Years ago, a church member had sent me this response after I had encouraged the congregation to respond to the public reading of Scripture with “Amen.” For this member, any sort of standard or formal response amounted to stifling the Spirit’s movement in worship. 

This perspective is common among many in the church today. It’s easy for us to let feeling and experience determine the spiritual worth of our worship. We can adopt the mindset that if it feels good, the Spirit was moving. If it did not, the Spirit was absent. The question is: Do habit and ritual really stifle the Spirit? Or could they soften our hearts toward him? 

Throughout the history of the church, across a number of traditions, congregations have responded to the public reading of Scripture. Some have responded with a simple “amen.” Other congregations find the reader of Scripture concluding with, “This is the Word of the Lord,” followed by the congregational response, “Thanks be to God.” Congregations might also respond with statements such as “Praise you, O Christ” after a Gospel reading.

I want to make the case that a congregational “Thanks be to God” is both a biblically justified and spiritually beneficial response to the reading of Scripture in corporate worship.  God commands the church to devote itself to the public reading of Scripture and to give thanks in all things. When these two commands are considered in light of the Bible’s repeated description of congregational response to the read Word, we have a solid biblical and theological case that such a practice is spiritually edifying. 

The Public Reading of and Response to Scripture

The Bible itself depicts God’s people corporately reading and responding to it. 

First, God commands the public reading of Scripture. He instructed his people to read his word publicly in the Old Testament (Exodus 24:3; Deuteronomy 1:1, 27, 31:9-12; Nehemiah 8), and does the same in the new. (1 Timothy 4:13).^[1] Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Spirit, further commands that Colossians and 1 Thessalonians be circulated and read in local churches (Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Revelation states plainly, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear (Revelation 1:3). God intends for his people to hear the voice of the risen Christ beyond the reading of the sermon text. We are to read the law, the prophets, the writings, and the gospel. As Stephen Presley has written, “Following these examples and exhortations, the early church has always prized the public reading of Scripture. They could not image a worship service without someone reading healthy portions of Scripture drawn from across the canon.”^[2]

Second, congregational response to the Word is modeled in Scripture. Throughout the Bible, God speaks to his people, and they respond. After Moses reads the covenant stipulations in Exodus 20-23, the people respond, “All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.” (Ex 24:3) Upon hearing the covenant curses and blessings, the people respond with, “Amen” (Deuteronomy 27). Call and response are clearly woven into the structure of several Psalms (106, 118, 136). During the covenant renewal in Nehemiah 8, the people respond corporately to Ezra’s reading of the law by raising their hands and saying, “Amen, Amen” (Nehemiah 8:6). If these examples are not persuasive, perhaps we should note that call and response is part of the liturgy of heavenly worship (Revelation 4-5). Finally, it is worth meditating on the fact that the canon’s last words are a call-and-response. 

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen (Revelation 22:20–21)

Cultivating a Thankful Church

But a congregational praise to the Lord in response to hearing his word is not just biblical. It’s spiritually beneficial. Why? Because it cultivates the gratitude that God commands his people to have. 

God commands the church to give thanks in all things. The Christian life and worship in the body of Christ are to be characterized by thanksgiving. The Psalms instruct us to enter God’s presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2, 100:4). Of particular importance for our purpose is Paul’s command in Colossians 3:15-17 for the church to give thanks in the context of corporate worship. 

15  And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.  And be thankful.16  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,  with thankfulness  in your hearts to God. 17  And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,  giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:15–17)

Along with Colossians 3:15-16, I do not believe it is an exegetical stretch to apply Paul’s commands for the church to give thanks in everything (Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18) as support for the spiritual benefit of congregational response. As the saints gather to hear the Word of God, responding with “thanks be to God” upon hearing the Word read is a beautiful expression of corporate obedience to God’s command to give thanks in all things.

Is the formula “This is the Word of the Lord, thanks be to God” explicitly found in Scripture? No. It is, however, deeply biblical. God has commanded his people to commit to the public reading of Scripture. He has commanded us to give thanks in all things and provided numerous congregational responses throughout Scripture. 

As you gather for corporate worship, prepare your heart to respond joyfully and boldly to the words “This is the Word of the Lord.” The living God speaks to his people by the living Word of God. How can we not give thanks?

---

^[1] Although some translations may imply a private reading is in view (KJV, NKJV), the pairing of exhortation and teaching with the command to read Scripture only makes sense if the reference is the public reading of Scripture. See Sam Waldron, How Then Shall We Worship?: The Regulative Principle and the Required Parts of the Church’s Corporate Worship (Evangelical Press, Great Britain, 2022) 206-207.

²Accessed July 7th, 2026.

 

Sermon Idea: Above all spiritual obstinacy and darkness is the supremacy of Christ and the superior power of His gospel. 

Introduction: During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he encountered several Jewish leaders who could be described as spiritually obstinate. They were hopelessly stubborn, unable to see the glory of God in Jesus standing before them, just as they were unable to see the glory of Jesus in the pages of Scripture.   

Speaking to unbelieving Jews, Jesus said, 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. (Jn 5:38–40)

Jesus also encountered numerous evil spirits and demons who not only knew who he was, but who were fearful of him. One such encounter was in the country of the Gerasenes, as a man who lived naked among the tombs was tormented by a legion of demons that caused him great harm.

As Jesus entered into this region of darkness, the demon-possessed man fell immediately at the feet of Jesus and pleaded with him. 

28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him and said with a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me.” (Lk 8:28)

In both of these scenarios and others like them throughout the Gospels, Jesus remains supreme. The unbelief of the crowds and the rejection of him by the Jewish leaders did not stop the Kingdom’s advance. Nor did the spiritual darkness and evil spirits prove to be a match for the authority of Christ. With a mere word, he delivered many people from the bondage of evil spirits.

Acts 19:8-20 teaches us that the supremacy of Christ continues even as he has ascended into heaven. We have put an emphasis in our study of Acts on the risen and ascended Christ, because he is the proper subject of the book. The acts recorded by Luke are not primarily those of Peter and Paul, but those of the risen Lord Jesus. 

In Acts 19, Paul encounters spiritual obstinacy from unbelieving Jews. Even still, the Word of the Lord becomes known throughout the entire region. Why? Because our risen Lord lives, reigns, and acts. Above all spiritual stubbornness is the supremacy of Christ, who accomplishes his purposes. 

Through Paul’s ministry, evil spirits are also cast out. Even though the risen Lord reigns in heaven, every evil spirit fears his name. He may be in heaven, but he acts, and when he does, the devils of Hell cannot rival his power. They do what he says. 

Above all spiritual obstinacy and darkness is the supremacy of Christ and the superior power of His gospel. That is the simple truth I want to show you this morning. 

Before we do, I want to help us think wisely about the nature of the spiritual realm, especially the spiritual darkness behind so much of the world’s evil. We need to reflect on stories like this because they remind us that there is a spiritual realm where angels minister, and demons oppose God’s people. 

In the West, many have become practical unbelievers in the spiritual realm. What I mean by that is many Christians profess to believe in the supernatural but live day to day with practical unbelief in them. They profess to believe, but pray pithy prayers lacking conviction. They mentally assent, but relate to the church, the Bible, and ordinances as if they are unaware of spiritual warfare.

For many of our missionaries serving in pagan cultures where animistic belief and pagan religion are rampant, texts like these resonate deeply. In those contexts, an awareness of evil spirits is imperative. 

That said, we need to engage with these texts carefully, reading them with the rest of Scripture in clear view. 

C.S. Lewis wrote his famous book, The Screwtape Letters, as a senior demon writing to a younger demon about how to properly tempt and attack a human being. It’s a really insightful book, but Lewis was aware that he needed readers to engage with it wisely. This is what he writes in the introduction. 

“There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence. The other is to believe, and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist or a magician with the same delight.” 

One way we avoid unhealthy engagements with texts like these is to keep the whole story of the Bible in view. If you’re a Christian, you should read them through the lens of your deliverance in Jesus Christ, which is not only from your own personal sin but also from the domain of darkness and death. 

13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Col 1:13–14)

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Pe 2:9) 

With these truths in mind, let us look at the text together to see and savor the supremacy of Jesus Christ. 

I.) Spiritual Obstinacy (Acts 19:8-10) 

It is good for us to remember that Paul is in Ephesus. Last week we saw that 12 men repented and came to faith in Jesus Christ. This is the beginning of the church in Ephesus, and what we read about here in Acts 19 is the continual strengthening and equipping of this young church. Look with me starting at verse 8. 

8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. (Acts 19:8)

As was Paul’s custom, he made his way to the synagogue, but now he stayed for an extended period. His method remains the same. He reasoned and aimed to persuade from the Scriptures about the kingdom of God. 

References to the kingdom of God in Acts are few, but when they do appear, they occur at critical moments. In fact, references to the kingdom bookend the entire narrative. 

3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. (Ac 1:3)

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Ac 28:30–31)

In between those two references, it appears at key moments when the word is spreading. The Kingdom of God was central to the preaching of Jesus and the apostles, so what is the kingdom? It is the reign and rule of God exercised over his people. It comes in the person and work of Jesus, so that entrance into the kingdom comes only through repentance and faith in Jesus. 

This is how Jesus preached the gospel: 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mk 1:15) 

God is sovereign over everything and everyone, but it is those who give their allegiance to Christ as king who are members of the kingdom of God. There is nothing more important in your life than this. Have you given your allegiance to Christ through faith? Have you professed that faith in Christian baptism? 

The question is not whether Christ is risen. It is not whether God has made him both Lord and Christ. The question is whether you’ve bended your knee in allegiance to him. 

As good as this message of the kingdom is, it’ll sometimes fall on obstinate ears. Like Jesus before him, Paul met opposition to the gospel. 

 9 But when some became stubborn and continued in unbelief, speaking evil of the Way before the congregation, he withdrew from them and took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:8–10)

It is heartbreaking when those presented with the truth so clearly continue to harden their hearts against it. We need to notice that this does not discourage or distract Paul from this purpose of his mission. 

He presses on strategically and invests in the disciples who had believed. We don’t give up on people, but we don’t prioritize time with those who speak evil of the way. We prioritize time with those who are ready and eager to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Above the rejection and attempts to stop the spread of the faith is the supremacy of Christ, who works mightily through Paul’s time with a mere twelve men. I can think of someone else who spent dedicated time with just twelve men and changed the world. There is an important lesson to learn from the ministry of Jesus as echoed even here in the ministry of the Apostle Paul. 

The most fruitful growth is deep before it is wide. Look at verse 9-10 again. 

took the disciples with him, reasoning daily in the hall of Tyrannus. 10 This continued for two years, so that all the residents of Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks. (Acts 19:9-10) 

Imagine spending two years learning how to read and interpret the Scriptures from the Apostle Paul. He invested deeply in these brothers, no doubt discussing many of the themes found in letters such as Romans, Galatians, and others. They didn’t spend two years with Paul content with a diet of spiritual milk. Paul trained and formed these men in the deep things of God, so that their palate longed to taste the meat of the Word. 

The word advances in verse 10, becasue these mature men were spreading the Word throughout their time with Paul. Depth has led to breadth. The irony of prioritizing width over depth is that you end up stunting the church’s growth. It doesn’t matter how big you get if you neglect spiritual depth and maturity; you’re just left with an unhealthy church full of people who can’t help each other grow. 

II.) Spiritual Darkness (Acts 19:11-16) 

Not only was the word advancing through these disciples, but God was working extraordinary miracles through Paul. 

11 And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, 12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them. (Acts 19:11–12)

As a reminder, signs and miracles are used early in the life of the church to verify and support the proclamation of the Word. They are not ends in and of themselves and always point beyond themselves to support the proclamation of the Word. These are normative experiences or gifts, but given by God for the purpose of spreading the Word in new regions, especially those that may be filled with pagan idolatry and religion. 

The focus of this passage, however, is not on Paul but on the sons of Sceva who attempt to use the name of Jesus for their own selfish gain.

13 Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims.” 14 Seven sons of a Jewish high priest named Sceva were doing this. (Acts19:13–14)

We have enough clues in the text to tell us these are not purely motivated people. After hearing or seeing God work through Paul, they invoke the name of Jesus as if it’s a mere magical incantation or formula. They do so not for service to Christ or to the hurting, but for their own selfish gain. They want the power, and they think doing things in Jesus’ name is a means to gain more power. 

It does seem noteworthy that the word translated “adjure” is never used by Jesus in any exorcism he performs. Scholars tell us it was used in magical incantations, and used notably by demons in Mark 5:7. 

7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me. (Mk 5:7)

It is a dangerous thing to seek spiritual power apart from God and his grace. The world is not a neutral place, and curiosity about spiritual darkness can be detrimental to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 

15 But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” 16 And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded. (Acts 19:15–16)

The evil spirit acknowledges Jesus and Paul, but neither respects nor responds to these sons of Sceva. The evil spirit knows they are frauds and inflicts great harm on them, resulting in public shame. It is terrifying to realize that people can suffer great harm from evil spirits.

Here it is important to understand the Bible never described Christian believers being possessed internally by a demon. That is impossible, for Christians are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). 

In fact, Christ is so supreme and the presence of the Spirit in the life of the believer so powerful, that we can resist the devil and the influence of demons. 

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. (Jas 4:7–8)

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith (1 Pe 5:8–9)

Spiritual warfare in the Christian life is real, but we stand not in our strength but in the Christ who is the victor, who has won the battle, and who will return to inflict the full weight of Judgment on Satan into eternity.

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil (Eph 6:10–11)

III.) Superior Power (Acts 19:17-20) 

We have said that the primary point to take away this morning is that, above all, spiritual obstinacy and darkness, the supremacy of Christ and the superior power of His gospel prevail. 

Verses 17-20 drive that point home. 

17 And this became known to all the residents of Ephesus, both Jews and Greeks. And fear fell upon them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was extolled. 18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily (Ac 19:17–20)

The culture of Ephesus was rampant with magical arts, power, and pagan religion. The Temple of Artemis is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is in that context that so many see the failure of the sons of Sceva. They know what we know: that had Paul given the same command in the name of Jesus, the evil spirit would have obeyed. 

The magic arts of the sons of Sceva failed, and in that failure, many came to see that Jesus Christ, as preached by Paul, is a superior power and a superior Lord. 

This event not only brought people to saving faith but also led to greater repentance among disciples of Jesus in Ephesus who were reluctant to leave their dark spirituality entirely.

8 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all.  (Acts 19:18-19) 

By seeing more of Jesus’ supremacy, they gave up and repented of practices that were hindering their walks with Jesus Christ. 

God’s grace often finds us trapped in all kinds of sin and idols. Although we have been changed and made new, it takes time to align our entire lives with God’s righteousness. These disciples have come to recognize that Jesus is better than the sinful practices they once indulged in. 

That’s what we need to believe this morning. What might be hindering our walk with Jesus? We need to know Jesus is better! 

He is better than the vain philosophy and progressive ideology. 

He is better than every distracting pleasure. 

He is better than any addiction, big or small. 

He is better than any habit or act that harms our ability to enjoy being in sweet communion with God. 

What do we need to proverbially throw into the fire this morning? Let’s shed it like clothing before a race: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely (Heb 12:1)

Why? 

Above all spiritual obstinacy and darkness is the supremacy of Christ and the superior power of His gospel.

Question 1: Who is the first and chiefest being? 

Answer: God is the first and chiefest being. 

The Baptist catechism begins with God, because there is no knowledge of truth about the world or ourselves apart from knowledge of God and his character. The assumption of the Baptist catechism, like that of Holy Scripture, is that God exists. It makes no effort to prove God’s existence, but assumes that God is! 

 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Ge 1:1)

Jim Orrick, in his new commentary on the Baptist Catechism, helpfully elaborates on this point. 

“Like the Bible, the Baptist Catechism does not attempt to prove that there is a God. God’s existence probably cannot be proven to satisfy someone who has become a skeptic, and HIs existence does not need to be proven to satisfy a person who is willing to believe the truth. We do not need to convince a newborn baby that there is oxygen in the air and that she needs to breathe it. She was designed to breathe it. She may grow up to be a stubborn person who denies oxygen exists, but as long as she lives, she lives breathing—and being kept alive by—the very thing that she denies. God is more essential than air. “In him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). God’s existence may not be recognized by a skeptic, but to the seeing eyes, we live in a world that is bursting with God.” 

1. God is the first being. 

Thus says the LORD, the King of Israeland his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: “I am the first, and I am the last; besides me there is no god. (Is 44:6)

Before anything was, God eternally was, perfectly self-sufficient, having life in himself, being perfect love and in need of nothing. This is what God’s name reveals to us in Exodus 3:14. 

13 Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. (Ex 3:13–14)

God is the only self-existing being, and as the first being, he is the creator of all things, including human beings. It is impossible to know ourselves rightly apart from the understanding that we are created in God’s image (Gen. 1:26-27)  

Benjamin Beddome (1717-1795), in his study notes on the Baptist Catechism, elaborates on the different ways God being first is taught to us throughout Scripture.

Is he first in government? Yes.

Thy throne is established of old (Psalm 93:2) 

Is he first in the world of grace? Yes.

All things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself (2 Cor. 5:18) 

Is he first to display his love? Yes. 

We love him becasue he first loved us (1 John 4:19) 

Should God then be first in our thoughts? Yes. 

When I awake I am still with thee (139:18)

And first in our esteem? Yes. 

Whom have I in heaven but thee (Psalm 72:25) 

These are but a few examples, but they are a rich reminder that there is an abundance of edifying meditations to consider when thinking about God as the first being. 

2. God is the chiefest being. 

For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods (Ps 97:9)

“Above all beings that God created, God is the chiefest being. Angels may have great powers, but God is their chief. Demons may try to undermine God’s influence or even wish that they could overthrow God Himself, but he is the chiefest being, and His rule and reign remain unmoved.” – Jim Scott Orrick

“Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? (Ex 15:11)

for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” (Da 4:34–35)

Let’s consider again how we might meditate on this truth with the help of Benjamin Beddome. 

Should God then be chiefly loved? Yes. 

Thou shall love the Lord thy God with thie heart (Luke 10:27) 

And chiefly feared? Yes. 

Rather fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell, (Matthew 10:28)

And are those happy who are interested in him? Yes. 

Happy is that people whose God is the Lord, (Psalm 144:15)

Sermon Idea: Godly fathers who exemplify and pass down a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ are a grace to their families.

Introduction: This morning, I want to talk about the grace that godly fathers are to their families. I hope to remind you that dads play an invaluable role in shaping and forming the spiritual health of their wives and children, as they exemplify and pass down a sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe this is the positive vision the Bible gives us about husbands and fathers. 

Unfortunately, the Bible’s positive and robust vision of fatherhood has not been common in contemporary culture. For decades, the portrayal of the typical dad on television has been poor. They don’t lead, show initiative, or do anything well. For television sitcoms, men are the joke. 

When you consider this along with the broader culture’s negative perspective on masculinity, it is easy to see why some men might be discouraged and why some young men think so little of themselves. 

I fear that if the church does not counter these negative narratives in the culture with biblical truth, men will start to believe that they are, in fact, incompetent, unnecessary, and problematic. Why lead when no one will follow? Why show initiative when you’re just going to do it wrong? Why teach your children if you don’t have anything to offer? 

The Scriptures and substantial data from the social sciences tell us that present and involved fathers are vitally important. God calls and exhorts men to lead their families in following Jesus Christ. 

Paul writes in Ephesians 6:4: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Eph 6:4)

The church should be a place where men are valued, equipped, encouraged, affirmed, and celebrated. They should be prayed for as often as they are depended on. They should be expected to lead their families and encouraged to do so. 

This morning will be a humble effort to do just that. Proverbs 4 gives us the image of wisdom being passed down from a father to a son. This chapter does not say everything that could and needs to be said about fatherhood, but it does give us enough to edify us this morning. 

I want to make five observations from Proverbs 4 that can apply to fatherhood. I want us to observe the father’s presence, intentionality, tradition, wisdom, and warning. 

I.) A godly father’s presence 

Throughout this chapter, there is a command for the son to hear the words of the father. 

Verse 1, “Hear, O Sons, a Father’s instruction…”

Verse 10, “Hear, my son, and accept my words.” 

Verse 20, “My son, be attentive to my words.” 

Of course, these are introductions to draw attention to the coming content of the father’s instructions. There is something more basic and obvious, but vital about them. The father is present with the son. His presence is not only in body, as if to merely be in the same vicinity, but he is attentive, caring, and affectionate. The possessive language “my son” conveys an embraced responsibility. 

The presence of a father with his children is what makes knowing him possible and lays the relational foundation for passing down the faith. I was struck by how important presence is when reading the account of a famous climber named George Mallory. 

He became famous for taking part in the first three British explorations of Mount Everest. He tragically died during the last exploration, leaving behind his wife and three children. 

When asked why he wanted to climb Everest, Mallory said, “Because it is there.” What Mallory accomplished can be found in history books and appreciated by climbers to this day. What is interesting, though, is how one of his sons’ perspectives was quite different. Although not angry or bitter, Mallory’s oldest son was honest when he said, “I would so much rather have known my father than to have grown up in the shadow of a legend, a hero, as some people perceive him to be.” Zack Eswine sums up the power of this story well when he wrote, “The mountain was there, but so was John, George’s son.”

Brothers, what our children want most from us is our presence. There is no prestigious status you can reach, no profits you can gain, no pleasure you can seek that is more valuable than presence with your children. 

Ambition is good, and you should have holy ambitions to succeed, advance, and accomplish great things. Men were not meant to stay home. We flourish by giving our lives to provide. but not to the expense of being present with our families. 

The Scriptures are clear as to the importance of a father’s presence, but it is helpful to remember that research in the social sciences continually corroborates Scripture’s witness. 

In a manual prepared for the United States Department of Health and Human Services, W. Bradford Wilcox, a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, summarized his research as follows, 

“One study of school-aged children found that children with good relationships with their fathers were less likely to experience depression, to exhibit disruptive behavior, or to lie, and more likely to exhibit pro-social behavior. This same study found that boys with involved fathers have fewer school behavior problems and that girls have stronger self-esteem. In addition, numerous studies have found that children who live with their fathers are more likely to have good physical and emotional health, to achieve academically, and to avoid drugs, violence, and delinquent behavior.” 

Present and involved fathers are crucial for the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children. 

You don’t need the best job to be a present father. You don’t need the best education to be a present father. You don’t need to be cool or have the latest, greatest toys to be a present father. 

As I reflect on my life, I can say this is what I appreciate most about my dad. He was not and is not an example of perfection, but he was faithfully present. There was not a school concert, play, event, graduation—not one—when I looked up and did not see Dad there. 

II.) A godly father’s intentionality 

Proverbs four not only teaches us that godly fathers are present, but that they steward that presence with intentionality. Listen to how the Father pursues the son with intentionality. 

In verse 1, “a father’s instruction.”

In verse 10, “Hear, my son, my words.” 

In verse 11, “I have taught you” and “I have led you.”

The image of the father in Proverbs takes heed of the teaching of Proverbs 22:6, Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Brothers, embrace the responsibility of teaching your children about the Lord with joy. Take it as your daily calling and commission as a father and follower of Jesus Christ. Why? We know we have something good to offer our children. 

Look at verses 1-2 again, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts. 

We are God’s chosen instruments to teach our children about what his good, beautiful, and true in a fallen world that is bad, distorted, and deceptive. We have good precepts to give to our children, precepts in God’s perfect and inerrant Word. 

What is at stake if we don’t embrace the responsibility of being intentional with our children? If we don’t teach them, someone else will, and we won’t like what’s being taught. Social media, television, and friends are poor substitutes for the loving instruction of parents. 

Brothers, let us lead the way in our homes in following Jesus. Let’s teach them the whole counsel of God’s Word and let our instruction be supported by a life faithfully lived in submission to Christ. 

As we disciple and instruct them in the Lord, let them hear our prayers, see our confession and repentance, let them see sacrifice and love for their mother. Let them hear us talk about the importance of the church. Let them hear how we hope our neighbors come to Christ. 

As we say all of this, we need to keep in mind that we can be faithfully present and intentionally teach, but we can’t make children listen or be attentive to what we say. We can’t make them accept instruction about what is good, beautiful, and true.

III.) A godly father’s tradition 

As fathers who pass down the faith to our children, we desire to establish a tradition that will endure for generations long after us. Solomon reflects on the tradition that we received from his Father. 

When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. (Pr 4:3–4)

What I want you to see is that the tradition in which Solomon stands and which he passes on in Proverbs 4 is a vision of life beyond oneself. It is to live from something, or better yet, someone greater than ourselves. 

The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. 9 She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” (Pr 4:7–9)

Wisdom has a source, and God is that source. To encourage the pursuit of wisdom and insight is to encourage knowing God and living rightly before him. Solomon was urged not to forget David’s teaching because he offers wisdom from God, who is perfect.  

In the same way, brothers, we must be men who love Christ and point beyond ourselves, Christ. In the New Testament, we learn that Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God. We will serve our children well if we demonstrate a joyful life dependent on Christ for all things. What we want is for our children to see Christ in us. Why? 

Our children need our presence and time here and now, but only Christ can be present with them forever. 

Our children need our protection and provision, but only Christ is the bread of life and living water. 

Our children need our affection, play, and affirmation, but only in Christ can they become new creations. 

The father’s tradition in Proverbs 4 is wisdom, which begins with the fear ot the Lord. In the New Testament, we learn that fear of the Lord comes through faith in Christ, whose substitutionary death on the cross, burial, and resurrection make it possible for us to be reconciled to God, be forgiven, and dwell with God forever in the new heavens and new earth. 

Brothers, what a privilege. We get to teach our children the most important and grandest truths of the world. We do so for them, but also by grace, for the many lives that come after them. 

IV.) A godly father’s wisdom 

Part of teaching our children is not only what to pursue, but how to pursue it. You see, wisdom is not like a file you download on a computer. You can’t cant get wisdom once and have it forever. It is a way of life, a way of life in relation to God and others that his right. That type of life requires perseverance. Listen to how we are encouraged to pursue wisdom. 

Do not forsake…  (vs. 2) 

Let your heart holdfast; Keep my commandments and live…” (vs. 4) 

Do not forget, and do not turn away (vs. 5) 

Keep hold, don’t let go, and guard her (vs. 13) 

Let them not escape (v. 21) 

Keep them within your heart (vs 21) 

Keep your heart with all diligence (vs. 23) 

The father tells the son to guard his heart every day, becasue when he stops guarding it, he will be vulnerable to temptation and sin. 

Illustration: Solomon 

4 For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Ki 11:4)

Solomon was given wisdom from the Lord in his youth, but in his old age, he turned away and worshipped false gods. Wisdom is about becoming a particular type of person— a person who conformed to Jesus Christ. 

It is our job, brothers, to ensure that our children care more about who they are becoming than what they are accomplishing. 

V.) A godly father’s warning 

Fathers also lovingly warn their children about the sinful life in which they live. The father directly tells the son, Do not walk in the way of the wicked. 

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. (Pr 4:14)

The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. (Pr 4:19)

Life: The motivation and benefits of wisdom 

keep my commandments, and live. (Pr 4:4)

For she is your life. (Proverbs 4:13)

 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. (Pr 4:23)

Brothers, we are to be present and intentional about our children’s discipleship because their lives are at stake. 

Application

1.) We should pray and support dads who are giving their all to their families. They have enough negative voices in the culture that run them down and tell them what a problem they are. Wives, especially, should be the strongest affirmers, supporters, and prayer warriors. If your complaints and corrections far outweigh your encouragements and thankfulness, you’re not helping him flourish. Plants grow when showered with water, not gasoline. 

2.) Develop a culture of support and discipleship. 

Sermon Idea: The Christian faith has the explanatory power to make sense of our lives, the world, what’s wrong with it, and how to fix it. 

Introduction: In an effort to make sense of the world in which we live, there is a series of fundamental questions that every person and every civilization will seek to answer. The answer to these questions will determine how we see and understand the world: Who or what am I? What is wrong with the world? How can it be fixed? 

There are other related questions we could add, but these basic questions will help you identify your worldview—the lens through which you interpret all your experiences. 

Throughout most of our study of Acts, the gospel has been proclaimed to Jews raised in the Old Testament Scriptures or to Gentile God-fearers who had come to believe in Israel’s God. In those cases, Peter and Paul would often reason from the Scriptures, proving that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah whose death, burial, and resurrection have made salvation possible through faith in his name. There was a place to begin because common ground was already established by a shared worldview. 

When Paul sits waiting in Athens, he is among a people with an entirely different worldview. They see, think, and explain the world very differently. 

Athens was culturally and intellectually significant. F.F. Bruce wrote, “The sculpture, literature, and oratory of Athens in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. have, indeed, never been surpassed. In philosophy, too, she occupied the leading place, being the native city of Socrates and Plato, and the adopted home of Aristotle, Epicurus, and Zeno.”

It was also a city, as you would expect, full of pagan idolatry. It was a place of temples, statues, and images of worship. There would not have been a place you could have turned without being inundated with a religious culture contrary to truth. 

I don’t know if Paul had intended to speak while in Athens, but the longer he sat waiting for Silas and Timothy, and the more he witnessed the pagan idolatry around him, the more his spirit was provoked. 

16 Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. (Ac 17:16)

To say that Paul was provoked means that he became unsettled with uneasiness about all that he saw, so much so that he couldn’t help but speak. 

17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. (Ac 17:17)

Paul’s zeal for the glory of God will not allow him to be apathetic when the honor and worship due to God is given to vain idols. We should be so zealous for God’s glory that we are heartbroken by any measure of idolatry, not only in our hearts, but wherever it is found in culture and society. 

I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. (Is 42:8)

Verse 17 does say he reasoned with Jews and God-fearing Gentiles in the synagogue, but the focus of this chapter is Paul’s ministry in the marketplace. Paul isn’t afraid to engage these different belief systems with the gospel of Jesus Christ, and he does so in a conversational, interactive way. Paul is engaging with opposing ideas in a way that fosters conversation and sharing, rather than shutting them down. 

18 Some of the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers also conversed with him. And some said, “What does this babbler wish to say?” Others said, “He seems to be a preacher of foreign divinities”—because he was preaching Jesus and the resurrection. 19 And they took him and brought him to the Areopagus, saying, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? 20 For you bring some strange things to our ears. We wish to know therefore what these things mean. (Ac 17:18–20)

Philosophical schools were common in Athens, and Paul engages with two of them: Epicureanism and Stoicism. 

Epicureanism pursued pleasure and happiness as its ultimate goal by avoiding physical pain and mental distress. They had a naturalistic view of the world; everything comes from atoms and matter. Human beings then had no reason to fear death, becasue the soul would cease to exist at the point of death. In fact, Epicurus thought the fear of death caused unnecessary anxiety, and not believing in the eternality of the soul would free people of that mental distress. They rejected the afterlife and any divine judgment. Although they believed in many gods, they held that the gods did not intervene in the world or in people’s lives. 

Stoicism sought to cultivate inner peace, resilience, and virtue no matter the circumstances of life. For the Stoics, god was in all things, thinking nature has a divine soul, the logos. 

These are attempts to explain real-world experience and how to address the difficulties that come with being human in a fallen world. There are many such attempts today to make sense of the world and the difficulties we experience. We need to know and expect that we will encounter alternative explanations for who we are, why we’re here, what’s wrong, and how to fix it. 

In our day, there will be secular naturalists who will explain that this world is all there is. The material is everything, and the cause of everything. The universe is closed, and there is nothing supernatural at work in the world. 

When I was in high school and in college, postmodernism and relativism were all the rage. Truth is not an objective reality but a subjective, social construct. 

In our time, critical theory has consumed our culture, training many to see the world through the lens of power dynamics and lived experience. It is one’s lived experience that gives one access to the truth, especially if one is an oppressed minority. 

What’s my point? There is no neutral ground on which we walk, and there are no neutral ideas that we encounter. Everything is rooted in presuppositions and beliefs that offer explanations for the world in which we live, what it means to be human, and how things are made right. 

What Paul is going to do when brought to the Areopagus, and what I want you to be able to think about is how the Christian faith has the most explanatory power to make sense of our lives, the world, what’s wrong with it, and how to fix it.

Although some accused Paul of being a charlatan and a babbler, others thought he was a preacher of two deities: Jesus and Anastasia. Others wanted to hear more from Paul, so they escorted him to the Areopagus to speak with those eager to hear new ideas. 

21 Now all the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there would spend their time in nothing except telling or hearing something new. (Ac 17:21)

When given this opportunity, Paul speaks with clarity and conviction, but in a wise and winsome way. He steps into the world of the pagan idolatry around him and uses their presuppositions and beliefs to tell the true story of the world. Look with me beginning in verse 22, and we’ll see that the Christian faith explains the truth about God. 

I.) The Christian faith explains the truth about God (Acts 17:24-25) 

22 So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. (Ac 17:22–23)

As Paul engages them, he begins with their own presuppositions. He points out an altar to the unknown god. The Athenians did not want to accidentally neglect the worship of a god, so they set up an altar as an assurance. They believe this god exists, but they are ignorant of him. 

Paul takes that sincere worship of this unknown god and proclaims the one true and living God, “…this I proclaim to you.”

24 The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. (Ac 17:24–25)

God is the creator-God, the Lord of heaven and earth. Nothing that has come to be apart from God’s work of creation.

The opening words of the Bible declare, In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Ge 1:1)

The prophet Isaiah said, Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it (Is 42:5). 

The author of Hebrews teaches us, 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. (Heb 11:3)

God is not part of the universe or the material world. He transcends the universe as the Lord of heaven and earth. God is entirely free and independent of creation. 

Paul then gives us three negative statements. Since God is the creator and independent of his creation. He gives us the first two in verses 24-25. 

1. He does not live in a temple made by man 

2. He is not served by human hands

To say that God does not live in temples made with hands won’t feel as applicable to us, but it would to the men of Athens. Their gods were housed in temples and manifested in images and statues. 

As creator and Lord, God is also self-sufficient. He is not dependent on anyone or anything. He is self-existent and has life in himself. The Christian tradition has referred to this attribute as divine aseity—Latin for “from himself.” God is a perfect being whose existence is found in himself alone. God needs nothing and needs no one. Before creation, God was perfectly fulfilled as God, for the Holy Trinity is perfect fellowship. 

This is why Paul says, “…though he needed anything.” God created freely, not out of necessity. When we serve him with our lives, but we do so as a gift of fellowship that we need as creatures, not that God needs as God. 

Why is thinking about God important for us? How does the doctrine of creation inform our Christian life? I can’t say all that needs to be said, but I want to make mention of just three brief things. 

1. Life is a gift that should stir gratitude in our hearts. 
2. Dependence is what it means to be human, so it should be embraced. 
3. Purpose: The doctrine of creation directs us to why we exist, to know God and worship him. 

Q. 1. What is the chief end of man?

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever. (Westminster Larger Catechism)

II.) The Christian faith explains the truth about humanity (Acts 17:26-29)

Knowledge of God as creator explains why we are here and tells us about who we are. We know from Genesis that we are created in God’s image and meant to reflect his glory. 

In Acts, we learn that, in God’s providence, He determined the periods and places in which we all live. The diversity of every ethnic, tribe, and tongue is under the sovereign will of God, and through the gospel, He is going to redeem a people from every tribe, nation, and tongue. 

26 And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, 

We live in a day and age in which people are obsessed with identity. There is pressure to be our authentic selves, a self deep within us that we have to pull out and express. A theology of creation and what it means to be created by God should alleviate this pressure to a degree. Identity is not something we make or create. It is something we inherit and receive. 

None of us chose where we were born, who our parents are, or where we were raised. All of these things are part of what God has used to make you uniquely you, and He does not make mistakes. The only thing that is wrong with you is the sin that taints your understanding of God, yourself, and others. 

The purpose of this allotment is to have the opportunity to know God, even if that opporunity in sqaundered because of sin.  

27 that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, 28 for 

                  “ ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; 

as even some of your own poets have said, 

                  “ ‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ 

29 Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. (Ac 17:26–29)

Verse 27 may seem odd to us because we are used to reading Paul, who tells us no one seeks after God. The seeking here, though, isn’t an inclination that desires God, but a reaching out for something blindly. Also, the grammar suggests that this feeling their way won’t happen on its own. We will all need help. 

We all need help because we have all sinned. 

For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Ro 3:22–23)

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 (Ro 5:12)

3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (2 Co 4:3–6)

The problem with the world is sin, transgression, and rebellion that break God’s law and separate us not only from Him but also from one another.   

Although it’s subtle, Paul is beginning to provide a more thorough explanation for the world they’ve experienced. The Christian faith tells us what’s actually wrong and how to make it right. 

III.) The Christian faith explains the truth about salvation & judgment (Acts 17:30-31)

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Ac 17:30–31)

There was a time when God overlooked the idolatry and unbelief of the nations, but now something has changed. 

It is very similar to what Paul writes in Romans.

This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Ro 3:25–26)

What has changed is that God has sent himself in the person of his Son to proclaim the Kingdom of God, live in perfect obedience to the law, die for sins, and be raised from the dead. 

God commands everyone everywhere to repent because a future judgment is coming, at which everything that is wrong will be made right. The way in which God will judge the world in righteousness is by the appointed Lord Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Jesus confirms that Jesus is the one by whom we’ll be judged. That either happens on the cross or on judgment day!

 5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. (1 Ti 2:4–6)

To this command there is no exception. God is worthy of worship, and there is glory due His name. What everyone needs most is to be restored to the God whose law they broke and from whom they have been separated.  

The only way that is possible is through faith in Christ. As we place our faith in Jesus, we repent, change our minds about who is in control of our lives, what is right and wrong, and to whom we’ll give our allegiance and affections. 

32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. (Ac 17:32–34) 

The Christian faith has the explanatory power to make sense of our lives, the world, what’s wrong with it, and how to fix it. 

Application 

1. Pray for a greater zeal for the glory of God. The Lord’s Prayer is a good prayer to pray in that regard. 

2. You were created to know God and worship him. Does your life and its priorities reflect your created purpose? 

3. Repent and prepare for that coming day! It is only through faith in Jesus that we will be saved from the wrath to come (1 Thess. 1:9)

4. Proclaim the gospel and God’s command to repent, motivated by both God’s glory and the gravity of eternal judgment. 

Sermon Idea: The proclamation of Jesus as King confronts and challenges the ways of the world and changes it one redeemed saint at a time. 

Introduction: Carl F. H. Henry is a name unknown to many evangelical, conservative Christians today, but his influence is still felt, even if taken for granted. If Billy Graham was the face of evangelicalism in the 20th Century—the face and voice that everyone knew—Carl F. H. Henry was the mind. He was the one doing all the intellectual heavy lifting and writing, which gave evangelical Christians a substantive voice. 

In 1947, Henry published a small but serious book called The Uneasy Conscience of Modern Fundamentalism. It was a loving, but prophetic rebuke against the conservative fundamentalists of his day, who seemed to have receded to the sidelines of the culture, not addressing the most pressing issues of the day. 

In that book, Henry would say things like this, “A Christianity without a passion to turn the world upside down is not reflective of the apostolic gospel.”

Later in the book, he wrote this, “If historic Christianity is again to compete as a vital world ideology, evangelicalism must provide a solution for the most pressing world problems…The redemptive message has implications for all of life; a truncated life results from a truncated message.” 

If the gospel has implications only for individuals, without impact on the broader culture and society, Paul would never have been accused of “turning the world upside down.”

The proclamation of Jesus as King confronts and challenges the ways of the world, changing it one redeemed saint at a time.

In Acts 17, Paul and Silas make their way to Thessalonica after experiencing great suffering in Philippi. The ministry they did in this chapter resulted in the planting of the church in Thessalonica, to which Paul wrote 1 & 2 Thessalonians. We’ll turn to 1 Thessalonians a couple of times. 

When they get there, they encounter great opposition, accused of being troublemakers and upsetting the status quo. 

These men who have turned the world upside down… (Ac 17:6)

Now, this accusation was not true in one sense, but very true in another. What these opponents meant was that they were causing trouble for Rome. The peace that Thessalonica had with Rome was being disrupted by these zealots who were trying to overthrow the Roman Empire. They were accused of leading a revolt. 

For example, in verse 7, they also accuse them of opposing Caesar. 

and Jason has received them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” (Ac 17:7)

The statement is not true in this sense. The apostles taught the early churches to honor the Emperor (1 Peter 2:13-17), to pray for kings and rulers (1 Tim 2:1-2), and to live as godly, honorable citizens (Romans 13:1; 1 Peter 2:11-12). 

The apostles did turn the world upside down in another sense, in a much more subversive way. As they preached Jesus as King and people began to give their allegiance to him by faith, they began to change, and over time, this change was reflected not only in individuals but in the societies in which they lived. 

In these two missionary efforts, first in Thessalonica, and then in Berea, I want to observe the proclamation that turns the world upside down and the people who turn the world upside down.

I.) The proclamation that turns the world upside down (Acts 17:1-15)

After leaving Philippi, Paul and Silas pass through Amphipolis and Apollonia to get to Thessalonica. The reason seems to be strategic. Thessalonica was one of the largest and most important cities in the area, as it was located right at the intersection of major trade routes.

Once in Thessalonica, Paul visited the Jewish synagogue first, as was his regular practice. 

2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” (Ac 17:2–3)

What turns the world upside down is the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Here, Paul explains and proves that Jesus is the Messiah from the Scriptures. He takes the time to explain, listen to questions, and show from the Bible that the Messiah’s death and resurrection were necessary. 

I would imagine the passage he opened was very similar to the ones we’ve seen used earlier in Acts. 

Passages like Isaiah 53:5-6.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; 

we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

And Psalm 16, which foretells the resurrection of Jesus, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, nor let your holy one see corruption (Ps 16:10)

These passages prove that the Messiah needed to suffer and die on behalf of his people, but they also prove something else. Since Jesus of Nazareth is risen, he is the Messiah, and therefore Lord. He is the king.

This is what Peter declared at Pentecost.

36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Ac 2:36)

The proclamation that Jesus is King is what turns the world upside down, for he is the King of kings. Those who follow Jesus give their ultimate allegiance to him rather than to Caesar, and in the first few centuries, this becomes a disturbance not only to the Jews but also to many throughout the Roman world. Why? 

Why did the preaching of Jesus as Lord turn the world upside down? The Lordship of Jesus changed his followers and the societies in which they lived. There is a lot that we could say, but I want to highlight a few important ones. 

1. The Lordship of Jesus challenged and delivered people from pagan idolatry. 

For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Th 1:9–10)

To understand how significant this was, keep in mind that the pagan idolatry of the ancient world was intertwined with every other aspect of life.  All of life: the government, the marketplace, and the home had a connection to the many pagan gods of the ancient world.  

Larry Hurtado, in his really wonderful book Destroyer of the gods: Early Christian Distinctives in a Roman World, helps explain how the pagan world would have thought about converts to Christianity. 

“In their eyes…it would have drawn a lot of objection and even harassment…it would have seemed to the general public a kind of religious and social apostasy, an antisocial stance.”

The proclamation of Jesus as Lord exposed the pagan idols to be empty and vain. They were mute, deaf, and lifeless. Jesus Christ is risen, and he lives. 

In our context, we don’t have to worry much about lifeless pagan idols, but we do have to confront worldly idolatry. The idolatry most present in American culture and Massac County is no exception; it is the idolatry of the self.

It is the idolatry of understanding ourselves apart from God and the Lordship of Jesus. This manifests itself in a host of ways, but the most prominent ones involve progressive views of sexuality and gender. It is to create a new reality not based on truth, but on passions, desires, and self-declared identity. 

To proclaim Jesus as Lord in our current culture is to also speak the truth about human beings, that we can’t rightly know ourselves apart from God and his Word. 

Illustration: Louise Perry, British Journalist and author of The Case Against the Sexual Revolution. 

“…what Louise Perry observed about the reality of biological sex led her to explore the more fundamental truth claims of Christianity. And when she discovered that Christianity makes the most sense of the reality she observed, she embraced the supernatural Christian faith due to the light it shines on the natural world.”

2. The Lordship of Jesus destroys the distinctions of class. 

4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. (Ac 17:4)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise. (Ga 3:28–29)

3. The Lordship of Jesus raises the ethical standard consistent with God’s righteousness. 

3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; (1 Th 4:3–5)

Throughout the New Testament, we are given commands about what a faithful life following Jesus looks like. The best way to oppose disordered sexual immorality and the denigration of marriage is to cultivate a rightly ordered sexuality and exemplify covenant faithfulness in marriage before a watching world. 

Another prominent example is the distinctly pro-life views and actions that set them apart from the surrounding world (Infant exposure/abortion, etc.) 2:2thou shalt not murder a child by abortion nor kill them when born. (Didache 2:2) 

These are just examples, but the point is that our confession that Jesus is Lord has implications not only for our individual lives but also for the communities in which we live. We are to be a light in a dark world and the salt that preserves the world. 

I think one of the better statements on Christian social engagement is found in the Baptist Faith and Message.

All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will of Christ supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methods used for the improvement of society and the establishment of righteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only when they are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, and pornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, the abused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalf of the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. Every Christian should seek to bring industry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of the principles of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order to promote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men of good will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spirit of love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth. – Baptist Faith & Message 2000, XV. The Christian and Social Order 

II.) The people that turns the world upside down (Acts 17:1-15) 

We have seen the proclamation that turns the world upside down, but let’s consider the people. 

4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. (Acts 17:4)

11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed, with not a few Greek women of high standing as well as men. (Ac 17:11–12)

God’s way of truly and permanently changing society is not through politics, initiatives, or military means. God changes society one redeemed sinner at a time. When sinners are made new creations in Christ, they live and minister in a way that reflects how God makes all things new. 

 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything (1 Th 1:6–8)

If Waldo is going to be a church through which God turns the world upside down, we need to center the proclamation of Jesus Christ as Lord in all our ministries and be committed to disciple-making. 

What we need most is not a new initiative, program, or plan. What we need most is a deep adoration for Jesus Christ and a renewed zeal in every member to be a gospel-sharing, disciple-maker. 

The proclamation of Jesus as King confronts and challenges the ways of the world and changes it one redeemed saint at a time.