Our Salvation Summarized

 This post is a sermon that was preached at Wayside Community Church on Feb. 21, 2021 based on the Scripture, Ephesians 2:8-9. The salvation we enjoy that gives us a relationship with Christ is provided by grace, procured by faith, and proven by works. The worship service in which this sermon was preached can be viewed by clicking here.

Written Excerpts:

Ephesians 2:8-10 ^(NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Introduction: Quite a few years ago I pondered the question, “What is the main theme of the entire Bible?” After giving it considerable thought, I concluded there was one word that could adequately sum up the main theme of the entire Bible and that was the word, “redemption.” I went on to develop an outline and several lessons and sermons that explored how redemption is presented throughout the Bible.

If someone were to ask me, “What passage in the Bible best summarizes the salvation offered to us in God’s Word?” I think I might respond by quoting Ephesians 2:8-10. I have quoted from this passage a number of times in sermons, but I don’t believe I have actually preached from this text. Today I want to give a summary or overview of our salvation by using the words of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians in these three verses.

Some Bible scholars believe that this letter was not specifically sent to the church at Ephesus because some early manuscripts do not have the city’s name included. However, there are enough manuscripts that do have the name to convince other scholars that it truly was sent to Ephesus originally.

In any case, the letter is different from many of Paul’s letters in the NT because it doesn’t directly confront any particular problem in the church. In fact, some say that it reads more like a sermon in which the Apostle is explaining many aspects of God’s divine work in redemption followed by ways that truth should affect their conduct and daily living.

There are three main truths about our salvation that Paul expresses in these three verses.

I.          Salvation Is Provided by Grace.

The first truth regarding salvation is the fact that it is provided by God’s grace. This is a fact that Paul mentioned just 3 verses earlier as he was describing what Christ has already done for us. In verse 5 he states, “by grace you have been saved.”

A. Salvation by grace refers to what God has done and intends to do.

“For…” – The conjunction “for” at the beginning of verse 8 points back to what the Apostle had written in the previous verses.

v. 5 He made us alive after being spiritually dead.
v. 6 He raised us up to live in the heavenly realm with Christ.
v. 7 So that throughout the unending ages of eternity, He will receive glory, adoration, and praise.

(Francis Foulkes, Tyndale NT Commentaries) – Why can the life of heaven be possessed here and now? How is there such an exhibition of the love of God from which the whole creation of God can learn and wonder? Because “by grace you have been saved.”

B. Salvation by grace means it was pleasing to God.

Most of us know the standard definition of grace that we have always heard – “The undeserved (unmerited) favor of God.” Not only is “grace” defined as the “unmerited favor of God,” but the root word also includes such themes as “joy,” “thanks,” and “pleasure.”

Right before Paul mentions by grace you have been saved, in verse 5, he declared the love and mercy of God as the underlying reality in our salvation. When genuine love and mercy are the foundational motivations, the salvation by grace truly is a gift from God that gives Him joy and pleasure. We read in Ezekiel that God “has no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” (18:23, 32) Which would imply that He gets pleasure out of saving souls.

v. 8c “… it is the gift of God.”

There also seems to be the hint of pleasure in the idea that this grace is a “gift” from God. Think of the pleasure a parent gets from giving gifts to his/her child. Because of His infinite love, God showers His favor and grace on us, saving us from eternal judgment and our present guilt and shame. 

I praise Him today for His grace!

C. Salvation by grace means it had nothing to do with our efforts.

v. 8b, 9 “… that not of yourselves… not of works lest any man should boast.”

Philippians 3:3-7 Paul talks about all the things he could boast about if there was any merit in them, but he clearly affirms there isn’t. Salvation is never because of what we’ve done. Salvation is never because of who we are (i.e., in the sense of race, economic status, family name…). “The ground is level at the foot of the cross!” We’re going to have more to say about salvation and works later, but the point that Paul is making here is the irrefutable fact that we did not do any work or effort that made God decide to save us.

(Lenski NT Commentary) – As little as a dead man can do the least toward making himself alive, so little can the spiritually dead contribute the least toward obtaining spiritual life.

It was purely because of His infinite love and grace.

II.        Salvation Is Procured by Faith.

The second truth provided by Paul regarding salvation is the fact that it is procured by faith.

Ephesians 2:8a ^(NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith…

After clearly stating that there is nothing anyone can do to earn or deserve salvation, Paul declares that there is something we do to receive it.

A. Faith does not earn salvation.

However, the phrase, “by faith,” in no way implies that faith is the one work we do that earns our salvation. Paul is simply reminding us that faith is the instrument through which we appropriate or obtain what God graciously offers. God offers salvation to us if we can believe it!

(Francis Foulkes, TNTC) – …this faith is defined best as a turning to God with a sense of need and weakness and emptiness and a willingness to receive what he offers, to receive the Lord himself.

B. Faith is a free choice aided by divine grace.

Some theologians are so strict about the doctrine of predestination they would say “only those to whom God gives the ability to believe will actually be saved.” Of course, it implies that “those to whom God refuses to give faith will be lost.” Other theologians rely on Scriptures which emphasize God’s desire for all to be saved and propose that the ability to exercise faith is part of universal grace God offers to everyone, but each one must choose to believe or not. So, we have the choice to believe God’s offer of salvation, but God is active in giving everyone the ability to choose.

Lenski said this: One often meets careless statements such as: "Grace is God's part, faith ours." Now the simple fact is that even in human relations faith and confidence are produced in us by others, by what they are and what they do; we never produce it ourselves. Even deceivers know that they must cunningly make their deceptions of such a nature that they may appear true and grand, and that they may thus produce faith in those whom they wish to deceive. There is no self-produced faith; faith is wrought in us. Saving faith is wrought by the saving grace of God.

Faith is not worked up on our own. We choose to believe because of what we’ve come to know and understand about God’s power, His motivation, and His character/reliability. When we do believe Him and take Him at His word, then He pours the grace of forgiveness and spiritual life into our spiritually dead hearts.

Paul in Romans – “Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”

Faith that procures salvation is a heart conviction in the truthfulness and reality of God’s promise to the extent that I am willing to stake my entire future on it. “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand!”

III.       Salvation Is Proven by Works.

The third truth Paul explains regarding salvation has to do with the consequences of salvation.

A. Works provide evidence of saving faith.

In verse 9 we were told that our works had nothing to do with God’s gift. Anything we did or may do does not gain merit or convince God to save us. But now, Paul clearly declares that there will be evidence of works as a consequence of salvation.

Eph. 2^10a  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works…

The word “works” here in v. 10 is the same word as in v. 9. It refers to labor, toil or deed. However, the word “workmanship” is from a completely different Greek word. It is used only one other time in the New Testament, Rom. 1:20.

Romans 1^{20 (NKJV)} For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

(Foulkes, TNTC) – [workmanship] … is used of the works of God’s first creation. Humanity was his making at the first, and now, because that work of his was spoil[ed] by sin, there is a new divine act of creation.

In the Romans text, Paul states that we can determine a number of truths about God by studying His creation – the things He has made – His workmanship. Now, in Ephesians, he uses the term to speak about the spiritual work God has done and is doing in the lives of believers. We are on display as the handiwork of God in a spiritual sense.

This workmanship or handiwork of God is the natural result of salvation and provides the evidence or proof that something spiritual and supernatural has taken place in us. Far too many people downplay the need for righteous works, claiming that grace means works are not important. But Paul is giving us the complete opposite picture.

B. Works arising from saving faith are entirely expected.

Eph. 2:10b which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

(Francis Foulkes, TNTC) – The nature and character of the works and the direction of the Christian’s daily walk (see on 2:2) are predetermined. This then corresponds closely with 1:4 which describes the end and goal of election as ‘that we should be holy and blameless before him’.

Just as you would expect that a child who has been sent to take a bath would return clean, so you could expect a person that has been saved by grace to show evidence in a changed life. Just as you would expect a student who has completed trade school to competently apply his/her trade, so you would expect a person that has been saved by grace through faith to demonstrate righteous works that correspond to the work of grace they profess.

Conclusion:

How is it with you? Are you now enjoying a personal relationship with Jesus Christ because you have been saved by grace?

Have you experienced the transformation that salvation brings, or are you just going through the forms of religion?

This salvation Paul describes, and I have tried to proclaim, is available to everyone who truly humbles themselves, turns from their sins and trusts completely in the grace of God through Jesus.

Closing Song: Jesus Is Calling

I Still Do

 This is a sermon that was given on Valentine's Day 2021 and focused on the phrase, "Love never fails," in 1st Corinthians 13:8. It emphasizes the importance of remaining committed in one's marriage and in one's spiritual relationship with Christ. A video recording of the worship service in which this message was preached can be viewed here.

Written Excerpts:

1 Corinthians 13:8 ^(NKJV) Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Introduction:

(Today's Best Illustrations)

Just before Valentine's Day, my construction superintendent husband, Bill, casually asked me the name of my favorite perfume. "Sand and Sable," I said, pleased I was getting more than just candy. With that vital information, Bill confidently approached the clerk in the Penney's perfume department and asked, "Could I have a bottle of Sand and Gravel, please?" — Marion R. Hocking, Christian Reader, "Lite Fare."

My husband and I were driving toward our rural home when I spotted three deer about to cross in front of us. Noticing that my husband wasn't slowing down, I reached over, gently touched his arm, and said, "Honey... deer." He still didn't slow down, so I repeated more firmly, "Honey... deer!" Suddenly, he hit the brakes, veered, and managed to miss all three. After I caught my breath from our near-miss, I asked him why he hadn't paid attention when I warned him. "Warned me?" he said. "I thought you were being romantic." — Patricia Beecher, Horseheads, Christian Reader

It was Father's Day and my Sunday school class of five-year-old boys was working on homemade cards. I suggested they draw a picture of something their father liked—maybe golf balls, a fishing pole, a pet. One youngster raised his hand. "May I draw a picture of my mom? My dad sure likes her a lot!" — Clara Null, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Christian Reader

Some people just don’t really understand what it means to love. I read a story about…

(Illustrations Unlimited.) A woman was suffering from depression, so her concerned husband took her to a psychiatrist. The doctor listened to the couple talk about their relationships, and then said, "The treatment I prescribe is really quite simple." With that he went over to the man's wife, gathered her up in his arms, and gave her a big kiss. He then stepped back and looked at the woman's glowing face and broad smile. Turning to the woman's husband, he said, "See! That's all she needs to put new life back into her." The clueless husband said, "OK, Doc, I’ll try to bring her in on Tuesdays and Thursdays for more treatments."

(Sermonillustrations.com) Love at first sight is easy to understand. It’s when two people have been looking at each other for years that it becomes a miracle. – Sam Levenson, You Don’t Have to Be in Who’s Who to Know What’s What

Similarly, we might say it is understandable when two people stand at the marriage altar and promise, “I Do.” It’s truly amazing when after 20, 30, 40+ years they can say, “I Still Do!”

I believe the most appropriate passage of Scripture we can use to emphasize that point is 1 Cor. 13:8 “Love never fails…” Some of you might remember that I did a short series of messages about 5 years ago on “Biblical Principles for Marriage.” It turned out that the 6^th and final message of that series also occurred on Valentine’s Day – 2016. To begin today, I want to share some of the same thoughts that I shared then regarding the subject of love.

What is love anyway?

* I’m sure most of us have heard about the three kinds of love expressed by three common Greek words, eros (erotic, sensual, lust), philia (family affection, kindness and compassion toward another), and agape (divine love, self-sacrificing, unconditional).

Eros – sensual love; the word from which we get the word “erotic.” It centers on outward attractiveness and arousal of sensual, pleasure-seeking motives. It focuses more on the fulfillment and satisfaction of the one who “loves” rather than the one “loved.” - This word does not appear in the N.T.

Philia – familial (family) love; the bond of affection that exists between family members. It enjoys the emotional attachment and joy that develops through the bond that exists with the one loved. It includes strong friendship. On a few occasions in Scripture, depending on the context in which it is used, it also implies physical intimacy.

Agape – divine love. It is the kind of love that is unconditional, self-sacrificing, and committed. It is focused on the benefit of the one loved.

In all of the books and articles written about love, I suspect there are probably just about as many different definitions of love as there are authors, maybe more!

Love is that funny feeling you feel when you feel that you have a feeling you have never felt before. (Phillips' Treasury of Humorous Quotations) Well, that clears it up doesn’t it?

(The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia) - While the Hebrew and Greek words for "love" have various shades and intensities of meaning, they may be summed up [like] this: Love, whether used of God or man, is an earnest and anxious desire for and an active and [benevolent] interest in the well-being of the one loved.…  

Listen to these definitions that various authors have offered. Most of them really describe what Paul was talking about in 1 Cor. 13.

(The following quotes are taken from: Draper's Book of Quotations)
C. S. Lewis – Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained. 

M. Scott Peck – Love is an action, an activity. It is not a feeling.

Margaret Anderson – In real love you [desire] the other person's good. In romantic love you [desire] the other person.

Madeleine L'Engle – Agape love is... profound concern for the well-being of another, without any desire to control that other, to be thanked by that other, or to enjoy the process.

How long does love last?

Everything we have stated so far helps us understand what the Apostle Paul was getting at in the description of love in

First Corinthians 13:4-8 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. ⁸ Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

Four phrases in these verses that give us the indication of how long love lasts. Love suffers long…. bears all things… endures all things… Love never fails.

“fail” – lit. to fall, fall off, or drop; fig. to lose effectiveness, become inefficient. (A.T. Robertson) “love survives everything.”

The filial type of love can suffer pain, injury and even death after the prolonged cruelty from a loved one. But agape love still survives, because it is not based on the worthiness of the one loved, only on the deep desire for the benefit of the one loved.

When a man and a woman stand at the wedding altar before the minister, they hear words similar to this: Jack, do you take Jill to be your lawfully wedded wife, to live together in the holy covenant of marriage? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others keep yourself only unto her, so long as you both shall live? If so, answer, “I do.”

I assume that nearly every couple standing at the marriage altar fully intend to honor these promises for the rest of their lives. But, just like the Christian life, marriage isn’t “a sprint.” It is “a marathon.”

It’s much easier to say “I Do” when standing at the altar with nothing but hopes and dreams about the future. It’s not as easy to say “I Still Do” years later when there is sickness, financial disaster, job loss, or any number of other adverse situations that potentially bring trouble into the relationship.

Similarly, it’s easy to promise the Lord we will faithfully love and serve Him when we first bow in prayer to confess our sins and accept His sacrifice in our behalf. It is quite another matter to passionately love Him and serve Him years later when there has been trouble, adversity, opposition, and heartache. There may be many circumstances and situations in a marriage that cause one or both spouses to doubt the phrase, “Love never fails.”

Is it possible for filial love to survive everything too? (i.e., the love between spouses, or other family relationships.) Yes, only if it is truly mixed with the divine (agape) love. It is not in our human ability, but only as we are filled with God’s love that is “shed abroad in our hearts” (Romans 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.) It will not survive automatically.

Love will last longer when we intentionally take steps to nurture it.

There are many passages of Scripture in the Bible, esp. the NT, that give admonitions to husbands and wives, which will help nurture love and keep it alive.

Ephesians 5:21-33 Compares love between Christ and church with love between husband and wife.

v. 21 “submitting to one another”

Ephesians 5:22 (NKJV) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.

Ephesians 5:25 (NKJV) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,

Colossians 3:18 (NKJV) Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.

1 Peter 3:7 (NKJV) Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.

Submission, sacrificial love, understanding, and honor are all important elements for keeping love alive.

Today's Best Illustrations – My son-in-law, Alan Jones, told me a story of a Hassidic rabbi, renowned for his piety. He was unexpectedly confronted one day by one of his devoted youthful disciples. In a burst of feeling, the young disciple exclaimed, "My master, I love you!" The ancient teacher looked up from his books as asked his fervent disciple, "Do you know what hurts me, my son?"

The young man was puzzled. Composing himself, he stuttered, "I don't understand your question, Rabbi. I am trying to tell you how much you mean to me, and you confuse me with irrelevant questions." "My question is neither confusing nor irrelevant," rejoined the rabbi. "For if you do not know what hurts me, how can you truly love me?" — Madeleine L'Engle in Walking on Water.

This illustration applies to marital love and Christian love. If we do not know our spouse or our Lord well enough to know what hurts them, then we cannot really love them.

Love and the Christian Life

Revelation 2:4 (NKJV) Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

(Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown Commentary) “…thirty years had elapsed since Paul had written his Epistle to them. Their warmth of love had given place to a lifeless orthodoxy. Compare Paul's view of faith so called without love, 1 Co 13:2. “If I have all faith so that I can remove mountains…”

(Albert Barnes) In this respect they were in a state of declension; and though they still maintained the doctrines of his religion, and opposed the advocates of error, they showed less ardor of affection towards him directly than they had formerly done.

Am I as passionate about serving Christ today as I was years ago? As I stated earlier, it’s easy to promise the Lord we will faithfully love and serve Him when we first bow in prayer to confess our sins and accept His sacrifice in our behalf. It is quite another matter to passionately love Him and serve Him years later when there has been trouble, adversity, opposition, and heartache. Essentially, we are saying, “Lord, I still do!” To keep our love genuine and passionate for Christ we must nurture it.

Conclusion:

We have talked about divine love (agape) as the love that is not seeking what it can get, but seeking to provide what is needed and beneficial for the one loved.

When we talk about loving the Lord, it is obvious that He needs nothing, so how can we seek to provide what is needed for the benefit of the One we love?

1. When we do anything that brings glory to Him. Think of the number of times in the ministry of Jesus when He did something, and it says the people “glorified God.”

2. Jesus said, whatever you do for the least of these my brothers you do unto me.

3. We also want to emphasize the fact that the love of God for us never fails either!

Closing Song: More Love to Thee

His Face Was Set

 This is a sermon that was based on Luke 9:51, 53 which describes Jesus' determination to go to Jerusalem in spite of all the opposition and eventual crucifixion He would be facing at Jerusalem. The message was accompanied with the sacrament of communion. 

Written Excerpts:

Luke 9:51, 53 ^(NKJV) Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem… But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

Isaiah 50:7 ^(NKJV) "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

Introduction:

Have you ever seen or known anyone that was resolutely determined to go someplace or accomplish some feat that it seemed like it took priority over every other matter in their life? How about a child that has made up his/her mind to do something that is just a little above their ability? We could take a few lessons from them, couldn’t we?

I hesitate to even mention this personal example because someone might get the mistaken idea that I’m really intelligent, but I remember my first day of NT Greek class in college. The professor flat-out stated, “This class will divide the men from the boys.” I made up my mind that first day that I was going to finish the semester, and the entire year, standing with the “Men!” (Please don’t ask me too many Greek vocab words now!)

“As Abraham Lincoln prepared to sign the Emancipation Proclamation, he took his pen, moved it to the signature line, paused for a moment, and then dropped the pen. When asked why, the president replied, "If my name goes into history, it will be for this act, and if my hand trembles when I sign it, there will be some who will say, 'he hesitated.'" Lincoln then turned to the table, took up the pen, and boldly signed his name.” Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 8. (sermonillustrations.com/a-z/d/determination) It sounds like President Lincoln had experience with the media of his day also. i.e., Those who would focus on such a minor detail as a trembling hand rather than the significance of the document.

These are just a few examples of situations in which various people felt compelled to go forward and felt committed or determined to achieve a desired goal. The message I want to bring to you today is based on a text in the Gospels about Jesus that gives us some insight into the mind and life of our Lord. Luke, a physician, gives us a description of the Lord that none of the other Gospels record. There are portions of these last verses of Luke chapter 9 that appear in other Gospels, but this particular story doesn’t.

The title of my sermon today is, “His Face Was Set,” which is taken from verse 51 in Lk. 9. It is another way of saying he was determined, or he was committed. Let us examine these closing verses of Luke 9 in order to understand more fully what is involved in our Lord’s commitment and what that means for His followers.

I.          Jesus was committed to the Father’s will.

Luke 9:51 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem,

The Father’s will for the Son, while he was on earth, ultimately concluded with the return of the Son to be with Him in glory.

“time… to be received up” – (Leon Morris, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) The expression “to be received up” is unusual. It is actually a noun (‘the days of his receiving up’), which occurs here only in the New Testament. The corresponding verb is used a number of times in Acts, sometimes of Jesus’ ascension. … Luke will have in mind the consummation of Jesus’ work in the crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and session at God’s right hand (cf. 22:69). But first in this sequence is the cross, and there is courage accordingly in the fact that Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.”

Luke is explaining that it is important to understand the setting and context in which these events take place. The context is this: Jesus knows that soon he will be put to death (v. 44), rise again, and ascend into heaven. There is some debate among Bible scholars whether this present journey takes him directly to Jerusalem or if there are other stops and events leading him on a much longer and indirect route before reaching the final destination. In any case, it is implied by Luke’s words that the real motivation behind His determination and commitment is the “receiving up” at the end of His earthly ministry.

(R.C.H. Lenski, New Testament Commentary) "He set his face firmly," therefore, does not mean that he faced death with brave resolve, but that he looked forward to his return to the Father with full comprehension…

However, Jesus understood that the “receiving up” cannot happen until the death, burial, and resurrection have occurred.

What is the motivation for you following Jesus? Isn’t it ultimately to go be with Him? As His disciple, we certainly want to accomplish His will in our lives here on earth, but the ultimate goal and motivation for us is the hope of getting to be united face-to-face with our Lord for all of eternity. If we lose sight of that, we will lose our commitment to be true and faithful. On the other hand, we cannot lose sight of our responsibilities in Kingdom work here because we’re longing to leave this mess and go be with Him.

II.        Commitment sometimes results in rejection.

Luke 9:52-53 (NKJV) ⁵² and sent messengers before His face. And as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. ⁵³ But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

We are not told how many “disciples” were with Jesus at this time. It could have been just the 12, or it could have been a much larger group. In either case, we are told that some kind of advanced preparation would have been necessary in order to feed and house them overnight. But… the Samaritans “did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem.

What does this mean? What is it all about?

(R.C.H. Lenski, New Testament Commentary) It is not the size of the party that led to the refusal of the Samaritans of the village to receive Jesus, nor the fact that this party was headed for Jerusalem. [cf. Josephus, et.al.] Even larger parties that were going and coming to and from the festivals found entertainment among the Samaritans enroute even as Jesus and his party now thought feasible. It is Jesus to whom these Samaritans object. They have heard of his miracles and know all about him. He is now proceeding to Jerusalem, there to display his powers, is passing right through their land, right past their sanctuary on Mt. Gerizim, and acting as if their worship amounted to nothing.

Their rejection did not deter Him from His journey.

What about us? Can people see that our “face is set?” Can they see our determination?

You can easily tell what some people have “their faces set” for. I’m talking about those things for which everything else gets shoved aside. If you want to know my opinion, I’ll tell you why so many child and youth sports are held on Sundays these days. It’s because “sports” is what their parents have their “faces set for.” Let me offer another illustration. My parents and Kris’ parents had their “faces set” for going to church every Sunday. If we ever got company on Sunday, our parents’ words to the company went something like this, “We’re going to church. You’re welcome to go with us, but if you don’t wish to go, we’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

III.       Commitment does not include revenge.

Luke 9:54 (NKJV)  And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, "Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?"

The disciples were truly committed. They had been following Him for over two years now and they were “all in.” Luke had just reported earlier in the chapter about the meeting with Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration, so apparently James and John thought it would be okay to call down judgment on these people just like Elijah had done in his day.

Luke 9:55 (NKJV)  But He turned and rebuked them, and said, "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.

Being a disciple entails much more than defending the Lord’s reputation. It demands imitating His spirit, His motivation, and His conduct to carry out the Father’s plan of redemption, rather than condemnation. Unsanctified zeal can cause disciples to stray outside of God’s will and divine purposes.

IV.       Commitment outweighs all competing interests.

We do not have enough time to thoroughly discuss these three examples that Luke provides in verses 57-62, but I’ll try to summarize them.

A. Glamorous Participation

Luke 9:57 (NKJV) Now it happened as they journeyed on the road, that someone said to Him, "Lord, I will follow You wherever You go."

This man pledges to follow Christ wherever He goes without really counting the cost of such a pledge.

Luke 14:28 (NKJV) For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it--

B. Family Crisis or affection

Luke 9:59, 61 (NKJV) Then He said to another, "Follow Me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father." ⁶¹ And another also said, "Lord, I will follow You, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house."

Next two examples relate to family responsibilities. In both cases, the Lord’s answer seems harsh and unrealistic, even contrary to other biblical passages requiring loving care for our families.

The first man’s father either wasn’t dead yet and he wanted to wait until he passes, or some think it might relate to a practice called “secondary burial” in which the corpse was buried first in a cave, then after 1 year the bones would be placed with other ancestors. (Liefeld and Pao, Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Revised)

Luke 9:62 (NKJV) But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."

“looking back” – “… not an occasional glance, but a constant looking to the rear.” (Lenski)

There is always the potential for legitimate duties and pursuits to distract us and deter us from following God’s will and keep us from being a true disciple. We can’t keep looking back.

Conclusion:

•      The disciple must be like the Master.

•      If the Master is so committed, disciples should be also.

•      How committed are you? What is your face set toward?

As we share communion this morning, let us meditate on the example of our Lord who “set His face to go to Jerusalem” so He could complete the mission for which He was sent.

Our closing song leads us into the sacrament of communion:

The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power

Clothed with Salvation

 This sermon is based on various Scripture passages that speak about "putting on the Lord Jesus Christ," "putting on the new man," or being "clothed with the garments of salvation." These Scriptures present the analogy of being clothed as a way to represent the transformation that takes place in those who have been born again and are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation. A video recording of the worship service in which this sermon was preached can be viewed here.

Written Excerpts:

Isaiah 61:10 ^(NKJV) I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

Introduction:

I don’t know how many of you ever think about how we preachers decide what messages to preach. I’ve heard some preachers, particularly traveling evangelists, speak as though God audibly tells them what text and what message to give. It does appear as though that might have been the case with many of the biblical prophets. However, in 40+ years of ministry, I can’t say God ever spoke audibly to me with the Scripture text or theme He wanted me to preach on any given Sunday!

For me, the ideas for sermons often come through the things I read, or occasionally, something I hear/watch. I have a file folder that is stuffed with short articles, sermon outlines or quotes from other preachers that I have saved because when I heard it or read it, it struck me as something I might want to develop into a sermon sometime. Every now and then I get that folder and flip through the papers to see if God is leading me to pursue any of the themes. Sometimes I sense, what I believe is the Holy Spirit, impressing me to pursue a series of messages on a particular topic or a series of messages through a book of the Bible. I am telling you this because the idea for today’s sermon came from a recent daily devotional I read by the well-known author, Max Lucado. I started through this devotional book this year after having it in my library for many years.

Allow me to read for you what I read earlier this month:

(These comments were taken from Lucado’s book, When Christ Comes)

“[Does] Jesus care what clothes we wear?

“Apparently so. In fact, the Bible tells us exactly the wardrobe God desires.

“’But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about satisfying your sinful self’ (Rom. 13:14).

“’You were all baptized into Christ, and so you were all clothed with Christ. This means that you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus’ (Gal. 3:26-27).

“This clothing has nothing to do with dresses and jeans and suits. God’s concern is with our spiritual garment. He offers a heavenly robe that only heaven can see and only heaven can give….”

Lucado also quoted the passage in Isaiah 61 that I read a few minutes ago and was also read in our responsive reading earlier in the service.

With the help of the Holy Spirit (because I know I cannot speak for God without His anointing), I want to speak to you today about being clothed with salvation. I’ll start off by asking the question, “How well dressed are you today?” 

The Bible teaches us that there are several important things we are to “put on” as we walk with Christ and seek to pattern our lives after Him in our Christian lives. Here are some clear principles that need to guide our minds and actions in this regard.

I.          We must first be clothed with salvation.

When I first read verse 10 in Isaiah 61 without considering the context, I figured that the use of the first-person pronoun, “I,” was directly referring to the prophet Isaiah. However, after checking with a few different commentaries, I discovered that more than one believed that the speaker is to be understood as the same one speaking in verses 1-4. If you look at those, you will immediately realize that these are the verses that Jesus read in the Synagogue one Sabbath and specifically applied them to Himself. Commentators say that it is the Servant of Yahweh (Jehovah) who is speaking. It is the same “Servant” that is described in chapters 52:13 – 53:12.

“Salvation” is a term that encompasses many aspects of God’s work in the lives of His people. It generally means deliverance and would include deliverance from anything and everything that keeps one from being like Christ and doing the work of Christ. It also, more specifically, refers to the spiritual transformation from death to life that takes place in the heart and life of everyone who puts faith in the sacrifice of Christ for them. (Eph. 2:8-9)

Anyone who wants to be clothed in a way that pleases God must first of all be clothed with salvation. They must know they have been born again, forgiven of all sin, and walking in obedience to the spiritual light God shines on their life’s pathway. Without a spiritual birth that produces a transformation in us, all of our efforts to conform to a set of rules will be nothing more than a set of clothes that appear quite different than we think.

Isaiah 64:6 ^(NKJV) But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags….

The Servant of Jehovah in Isaiah 61 declares that this clothing of salvation and righteousness is figuratively like a bride and groom all decked out for their wedding day. Without the clothing of salvation, we appear naked in the eyes of God.

Revelation 3:17 ^(NKJV) Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'--and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—

II.        The clothing of salvation includes right attitudes.

Colossians 3:12 ^(NKJV) Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;

The Apostle had just written in the preceding verses (see vv. 8, 9) that there were specific things they were to “put off” or “get rid of” or, to be “stripped off” regarding the previous attitudes and actions prior to their life in Christ. Just as they needed to strip off the things pertaining to the world and deeds of evil, they also needed to “put on” the things that emulated Christ and His attitudes.

v. 12 mentions: tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and longsuffering.

These are attitudes and motives of the heart that will, in turn, motivate the actions that are pleasing to the Lord. Rather than anger, hatred, and arrogance, they were to “put on” or become clothed with tender mercies, kindness, humility and love. It truly teaches us that God is not only concerned with outward deeds or performance, but He is ultimately concerned about the inner attitudes and motives of our hearts.

Jesus said… Matthew 15:19 ^(NKJV) For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

The heart matters must be changed by the Holy Spirit Himself. We cannot do it on our own. That is why we must be clothed with salvation before we can “put on” any of the other “garments” related to it. The kind of attitudes I portray indicate the kind of “garment” I’m wearing. So, the question is, “Do I portray the garment of salvation or the garment of sin?”

The Apostle Paul and the Apostle Peter both bring up the matter of outward clothing and how that should not be a distraction away from the inner attitudes of the heart that ought to be shining through our lives. For example…

1 Peter 3:3-4 (NIV) Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. ⁴  Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.

The structure of this sentence probably doesn’t completely prohibit everything resembling these descriptions, but it is clearly saying that however we dress outwardly, it should not block or distract from the “gentle, quiet spirit” that is inside. If I am known more for the way I dress (or undress) than for my love for Jesus and possession of His attitudes, then I need to “put on Christ.”

If I am known more for anything than my love for Jesus and demonstrating His character, then my life needs new “salvation clothing.” (Mike Reece) “If I am known more for my anger about politics than my love for Jesus, I must revisit [readjust] my priorities.” So, it is a legitimate question to ask myself whether anything in my life, including the way I dress or behave, prevents people from being able to see a spirit and an attitude that glorifies Christ?

III.       The clothing of salvation includes righteous conduct.

The Apostle Paul makes it very clear in all of His letters that having salvation is more than a mere spiritual transaction between God and me, that clears my record of sin and says I now can be admitted to heave. It is something that really has a transforming effect on my life.

A. Verbal conduct

In the Colossians passage we mentioned a few minutes ago, the items Paul urged them to “put off” or “strip off” included verbal conduct such as blasphemy (slander), filthy language, and lying.

Colossians 3:8-9 ^(NKJV) But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,

I am troubled by the number of professing Christians I’ve run into over the years that still reveal by their language and speech that they haven’t taken off the old garments of sin. I realize that the transformation isn’t always instantaneous. In some cases, it takes time. But there is no reason for a Christian to simply excuse his/her unholy speech – gossip, slander, filthy language, and lying. God can and will deliver us if we faithfully seek His grace and submit to His Spirit.

B. Physical conduct

Romans 13:12-14 ^(NKJV) … Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. ¹³  Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. ¹⁴  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

The message is clear. Cast off the works of sin and darkness and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Get rid of the clothing of sin and take on the clothing of Christ. What is the foundational reason?

Galatians 3:27 ^(NKJV) For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Everyone who has been baptized into Christ has also “put on” Christ or has been clothed with Christ. When we live in the world and people see us, they should see Christ because we are “clothed with Christ.” I don’t know about you but I feel as though I barely know what it really means to be “clothed with Christ.”

Conclusion:

I have been talking about putting off; stripping away; and casting off the garments of sin that are exhibited in all the kinds of attitudes and behaviors described in the words of Jesus and the letters of the Apostles. We have described the need to put on or clothe ourselves with Christ and the garments of salvation that are demonstrated in the kinds of attitudes and actions that are holy and Christlike.

Neither one of these (putting off or putting on) can be done by our own power or ability. We must have the power of the Holy Spirit. We must have God’s Spirit descend upon us and transform us into the image of Christ. That is why I have selected the closing song we have for today. I realize that it is probably a new song for many of us (at least it is for me). But it has an excellent message.

Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart