What Do We Do Now?

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This is a sermon that was given on April 8, 2018 and it focuses on the actions of the disciples following the resurrection of Jesus. When the disciples decide to go fishing is it a sign that they are going back to their former occupation, or is there another meaning with a lesson for us?

Written excerpts:

John 21:15 ^(NKJV) So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

Introduction:

Last Sunday we celebrated Easter (or Resurrection Day), but we still gather in joyful celebration today because Jesus is Alive! We will continue to celebrate His resurrection by gathering in His name and praising Him.

In various sermons I’ve preached in the past regarding the resurrection, I have spoken about the ways that Jesus manifested Himself to His disciples in order to verify His identity and His resurrection. So, as we consider the events surrounding the resurrection and the post-resurrection appearances of Christ that are recorded in the Gospels, we understand that the disciples have experienced emotional lows and highs. We understand that they have experienced a lot of things to think about and ponder. 

After the resurrection, there are about 40 days until the ascension of Christ into heaven. We are not given too many details of what took place during those 40 days, but today’s Scripture takes place during that time.

Today, with the help of the Lord, I want to use this passage and this story to share some thoughts that have been going through my mind as I tried to imagine what might have been going through the minds of the disciples in these days after the resurrection.

Let us consider the things we know about the disciples and try to answer a question that could have easily been on their minds following the resurrection: “What do we do now?”

Now that Jesus is alive again, what’s next?

I.     Obey Jesus’ words: Meet me in Galilee

The first point that I notice, and has been noted by some commentaries is the fact that the disciples have obeyed the most recent and direct instruction of Jesus – “Go into Galilee and meet me there.” 

Mark 16:7 ^(NKJV) But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.

Earlier, in chapter 14, Jesus had told the disciples that He would go to Galilee after He was raised from the dead. So here, in the 21^st chapter of John we read that these disciples are by the Sea of Tiberius, which is another name for the Sea of Galilee. They obviously have traveled from Jerusalem up to Galilee because that is what Jesus had instructed. And, I imagine they are expecting Jesus to meet up with them somewhere, but they may not know where or when. (However, it wouldn’t be hard for me to believe that they went to the Seaside purposely to see if they would meet Him there, because so many of His previous meetings had been there.) The important thing is that they have obeyed Him, and now they await the next instruction.

I think the spiritual lesson here is to be reminded we need to make sure we have obeyed what God has already told us, before we seek or expect new instructions.

Go to any section of the Bible and I think you will be able to find verses that emphasize the importance of obedience. From God’s strict requirement of obedience in the OT Law to the examples of faith in Hebrews 11 where obedience is highlighted as proof of faith, the point is inescapable.

Obedience is the major proof of faith.

Obedience is the major prerequisite for God’s blessings.

Obedience to God’s previous assignments will get us to the place where we can discover God’s next assignment for our lives.

For many people:

God says I want you to     (fill in the blank)        . And we respond by our words or by our actions: “I’m not good at that,” “I don’t like that,” “John Doe is better at that than I am,” “What else do you want me to do, Lord?”

What has God commanded you that you haven’t obeyed yet?

What did God tell you a long time ago that you haven’t obeyed yet?

Genuine faith in the resurrection will cause us to obey the Lord’s commands.

II.  Don’t idle time away: Go Fishing

The second lesson for us to learn from this post-resurrection account is this: Get busy doing something. What is really going on in this story that is related in John 21? Why are Peter and the others deciding to go fishing? Isn’t there something else they should be doing? 

Because of previous sermons I’ve heard on this text about Peter, I’ve assumed that Peter was uncertain about the future and had decided he might as well go back to his old occupation of fishing. Is he perhaps disillusioned over the fact that Jesus didn’t set up His earthly kingdom?

Some people have stressed the viewpoint that Peter was disobeying the commission Jesus had just given in the previous chapter: “As the Father has sent Me, so send I you.” Or, perhaps that he was disoriented and confused about what he should do or where he should go.

However, when I began to read the comments of different Bible scholars, I discovered that none of them actually held to that view of Peter’s actions. Instead, they all described his words and actions as just an indication that Peter was not content to simply sit around and do nothing while he waited for further instructions from the Lord. Some examples:

(Colin F. Kruse, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Jesus himself had told them to return to Galilee, and he would see them there. It is natural they would occupy themselves fishing while they waited for him. 

(R.C.H. Lenski New Testament Commentary) – It is entirely like Peter to make the proposition to do a bit of work; he likes activity. Besides, a good catch of fish will not come amiss while they wait for the further directions of their Lord.

(Robert H. Mounce, Expositor's Bible Commentary, Revised) – Peter is sometimes criticized for returning so quickly to his old line of work (Mk 1:16). But was he in fact returning to his former career as a fisherman? Is it not more likely that Peter was simply choosing to use his time profitably rather than to remain idle? 

So what can we learn from this? It is important to be busy. There is a saying that has been around a long time: “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” Have you ever heard it said, “If you want something to get done, find someone that is already busy to do it?” 

There are enough references in Proverbs and other places in the Bible to teach us that wasting time and God-given talents, skills and abilities is not pleasing to God.

Maybe Peter still doesn’t know what God wants him to do, but he’s not going to “just do nothing.” Fishing is not only something he knows how to do, but it will provide livelihood and sustenance until further directions arrive.

There is nothing wrong with rest and recreation, but the danger is to become wasteful of time. (This is an area that I often feel I need to be better at.)

We’ve already mentioned that obedience gets us to the place where Christ can give us our next assignment. And, while we’re waiting on that next assignment from the Lord, stay busy. Do the things we know to do. It is often in the “doing” that we learn the next thing God wants from us. 

III.  Realign your life with purposes of Christ: Feed my sheep

There are other very important lessons to be learned from this conversation between Jesus and Peter, but today I just want to focus on the fact that Peter is finally given his assignment for the future.

We just finished describing Peter as someone who was not content to simply sit around and wait until he received a definite assignment. He likes to be active. He is busy while he’s waiting. 

Now, Jesus appears to the whole group with a prepared breakfast by the lake.

(Ever had breakfast by a lake?)

These men were no doubt very hungry – having toiled all night with the fishing nets.

After the breakfast, Jesus gives Peter his next assignment: “Feed my sheep.”

By all we know, Peter immediately readjusts his life and his priorities to coincide with the Master’s plan. After the resurrection, Peter gets his “marching orders” and he willingly makes the adjustment to obey.

If Jesus is risen, He deserves our worship and adoration.

If Jesus is risen, He deserves the right and authority to call us into His mission and purpose for the world.

If Jesus is risen, and we’re His disciples, then He “calls the shots” for us and we listen; we obey and we engage.

At this point in faith, it is no longer “What do I want to do?” but it is “What does God want me to do?”

Conclusion:

In conclusion, let me refer to the announcement we have put in the bulletin for the past few weeks regarding the upcoming plan to reach out to our neighbors. I don’t know what you’ve been thinking about it, but, just in case you didn’t know, I didn’t place that in the bulletin merely to provide interesting news for you to read. It has been in there for the purpose of sparking interest in your minds and hopefully being open to whatever role God wants you to play in the effort.

I’m pleased to say that there have been a few people who have inquired about the plan, so I know God is speaking to those individuals at least. J Our goal and purpose as Christians is to make an impact for Christ where we live.

A number of months ago I felt convicted over this question: “I wonder how many of the neighbors near this church really know who we are, or have any idea that we even care about them?”

So, in a month or so, we’re going to reach out to all of the households within a mile or two of this church. We’re going to give them a little gift from the church and we’re going to ask them if there is anything we can do to show that we care about them. We’re not going to start out by asking them to come to church. That sounds too self-serving (get more people coming, to get more money in the offering plate, etc.). Isn’t that the way many people think? Well, we’re going to work on trying to show love and concern so they will want to find out more about why we are doing it.

That’s all I’m going to say right now. I’ll be sharing more information as we go from week to week, so you’ll know what kinds of help we need.

The point is this: Let’s get busy Obeying the Lord

Let’s stay busy doing what He presently is leading us to do.

Let’s re-adjust our priorities and our plans and our lives in order to serve the Lord and accomplish His mission.

A really good song that goes along with this theme today is found in the Praise and Worship hymnal: We’ll Work till Jesus Comes 

He's Not Here, But

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This is a sermon that was preached on Resurrection Sunday. It emphasizes some of the similarities in the messages given by the angels at the empty tomb and the angels at the Mount of Olives when Jesus ascended into heaven. The message of hope is, "You will see Him again!"

Written Excerpts:

Mark 16:6-7 ^(NKJV) But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."

Introduction:

I saw a cartoon yesterday on Facebook that made me chuckle. It was a cartoon about pastors. The picture showed a man and woman leaving a church and they are standing next to the pastor at the door of the church. The man says, “You’re in a rut, Reverend. Every time I come here you preach on the resurrection!” Well, if you haven’t been here since last Easter, you might have the same impression after today’s message! J

Although, the resurrection message is not a bad message to constantly repeat. The Apostle declares, “If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain and our preaching is vain.” So, hopefully without surprising anyone, we’re going to be talking about the resurrection today.

When we heard the reading of the two passages of Scripture a little earlier, they were passages that provide details about two different events. The first text was describing the scene at the tomb of Jesus, and the second text was describing the scene at the Mount of Olives when Jesus ascended up into heaven. The message given to Jesus’ followers by the angel at the tomb was this: “He is not here.” But… go tell… you will see Him as He said.

The actual words stated by the angels following the Ascension is a little different from the scene at the tomb, but the emphasis is very similar. The angels mention that Jesus was taken up from them into heaven, so he is essentially saying, “Jesus is not here.” He is no longer with us. He then proceeds to tell the disciples that He will come again in the same manner as you have seen Him go. Just like resurrection morning, the message is: He is not here but you will see Him again.

In both cases, the angel states a present fact, then follows with a promise of future hope.

I.    The Present Fact

Facts are interesting things. Sometimes people have even characterized facts as “pesky” things. Why? Because they are what they are. You can’t change the facts. You can manipulate them, re-interpret them, try to obscure them, but real facts do not change.

1.    At the first scene, the tomb, there are two facts provided by the angel. The first one is: He’s not here in this grave.

The women had arrived expecting to find the body of Jesus still in the tomb, but the angel confirmed what they observed – the body is gone; Jesus is not here.

I can imagine that their immediate passion and desire is to see Him. The fact that He is gone raises all kinds of questions. If they can see Him it will eliminate the questions. For right now, even if they could just see His body, it would no doubt bring some level of relief. But He is not here, and the questions are mounting, especially with the strange words, “He is risen.”

Along with the fact “He is not here,” the angel provides a second fact that stretches the mind. “He is risen.” The first one is easy to comprehend because they can see that there is no body lying in the tomb. But the second statement must be taken on faith that the angel truly is real and is communicating truth. This fact can easily be verified, but not at the immediate moment. They must obey the words of the Lord communicated by the angel in order to verify the fact He is alive.

2.     At the second scene, on the Mount of Olives, there is a fact provided by a different angel: “This Jesus... was taken up from you” (He’s no longer here on this mountain or in this earthly life).

Jesus was gone. They obviously knew this fact already. They had watched Him rise out of sight. But I can imagine that they’re standing there somewhat stunned by what had just happened. According to the previous verses, they were expecting and hoping that Jesus was going to finally establish the Kingdom of God on earth and Israel would be delivered from the hated Roman occupation. But instead of preparations for a military campaign against the Romans, Jesus says a few words and then leaves.

In both of these scenarios, the facts are vivid and stark. In our own lives, sometimes the facts of life leave us stunned, bewildered, and shaken. Right when we may think everything is going great, things can suddenly turn for the worse. In the case of the missing body, this fact only compounded the foregoing fact that the One in whom they had hoped placed so much expectation, had been put to death by crucifixion. It seemingly can’t get any worse, but it does. Now His body is missing.

II.  The Future Hope

Well, the angel does not end with the cold hard facts of despair. He continues speaking to the women with a message of hope.

In the first case at the tomb, the obviously great news of hope to the women is this, “He is risen.” Wow, what wonderful, good news! Every Easter we try to emphasize this message of resurrection from one perspective or another. It was a message of hope. In light of all the emotions they had experienced just a couple of days ago, hearing that He is alive surely must have elicited exuberance in their hearts.

But, how? What really happened? It seems that there still must have been some mixed emotions. Joy? Yes! But still many questions. Their joy over the news of his resurrection was undoubtedly increased when they heard the next words from the angel.

1.     But you will see Him in Galilee.

I can’t imagine the joy and the hope that sprang up in the hearts of these women as the angel proclaims to them that they should go and tell the other disciples to meet Jesus in Galilee, just like He told them before His death. It’s no wonder that the Scripture says that they ran…

He was with us just a few days ago. He was taken away and put through horrible pain and suffering and then killed. He was buried in the garden tomb. But now we have the chance to see Him alive, again. The pain of yesterday can potentially be overcome with the joy of seeing Him again.

Oh my, dear friends, think of what I just said. “The pain of yesterday is overcome when we see Him again.” Easter; the resurrection, is all about getting a brand new view of Jesus. He’s not a helpless victim. He is the victor!

2.     But you will see Him again.

The scene at the Mount of Olives is drastically different, even though it has been just more than a month since Jesus was raised from the grave. Today He has taken His disciples out to the mountainside and offered more instruction. Then, in just moments, He rises off the ground and keeps on going right up through the clouds. He’s gone!

Again, it’s hard to comprehend their emotions. I’m sure there is amazement over what they just witnessed. But I’m also confident that there was a certain amount of distress. He’s gone, Again! Perhaps a very similar feeling as they had felt a month ago when He was buried swept over their minds and hearts.

Right at that moment, two men in white apparel showed up and gave them this message. This same Jesus who was taken up into heaven (He’s no longer here), will come again in the same manner as you have seen Him go. You will see Him again!

Jesus will return!

Conclusion:

This Easter morning in 2018 I have good news for you. The same Jesus who was crucified, buried and raised again, is the same Jesus who was taken up into the heavens, and is the same Jesus who is returning from the heavens someday. I encourage you to take heart. Whatever physical or emotional pain you may be going through, just focus on the future hope we have in seeing Jesus again.

One of the certainties of the resurrection is the return of Christ. Anyone who can keep his promise to rise from the dead can be trusted to return like he said!

Let us stand up and rejoice by singing the closing song: He Rose Triumphantly 

The Lamb Is Approved

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This is the sixth message in a series of sermons given during Lent in which details of the Passover in the Old Testament are compared to the events surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This message speaks about the Passover lamb that was brought into the household and watched for 4 days prior to slaughter in order to know it was without disease or defect. Jesus, the Lamb of God, entered Jerusalem 4 days before Passover to be "tested and examined" and prove He was worthy to die.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

On the 10^th day of Nisan (which is the first month of the Hebrew calendar), each Jewish family selected a one-year-old lamb from the flock and brought it into the household so they could watch it until the 14^th day – the day of Passover. The purpose for bringing the lamb into the household on the 10^th day was so they could keep a close watch on it and make sure it had no defects or disease. As the lamb interacts with the children and family members the father keeps an eye out for any signs of blemish or defects. It is the father’s responsibility to acknowledge that the lamb is worthy to be slain. The lamb will be slaughtered on the evening of the 14^th as a substitute for every firstborn son in every family. (Adapted from Messiah in the Passover)

Hundreds of years later, on the 10^th day of Nisan, the miracle-working prophet from Nazareth rode down the Mt. of Olives on the back of a donkey and entered the city of Jerusalem. The One whom John the Baptist identified as the “Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world,” has entered the city to be tested, examined, and watched.

It is interesting to note that the Hosanna songs the people were singing as Jesus rode toward Jerusalem are taken from the “Hallel Psalms” that we told you about last Sunday. These are the Psalms (Ps. 113-118) and are sung during the Passover celebration. In just a few days, Jesus would sing that same Psalm with His disciples before going out to the Mount of Olives where He was betrayed.

Four days after His arrival in Jerusalem it will be Passover. Is this Lamb, worthy? Will he pass the tests? The religious leaders and elders are anxious to show to the public that this man cannot be the Messiah. They aim to show that He is not worthy of their devotion because they will show by their confrontations that He can’t pass the test.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – Throughout this section Jesus’ opponents are variously described as chief priests and scribes… chief priests and elders of the people… chief priests and Pharisees… Pharisees and Herodians… Sadducees… [and] Pharisees... The various power groups in Judaism, who in other respects could not be expected to see eye to eye, are thus all in their different ways drawn into active opposition to Jesus. 

For our message today I want to consider the testing that Jesus went through between Palm Sunday and Passover night as He is proven to be worthy as the sacrifice for all people.

I.    The First Test: What is your authority?

After riding into Jerusalem on Sunday, it is believed that Jesus went to the temple on Monday (day 11) and drove out the money changers and those who bought and sold in the temple. What a display of zeal and authority! It surely must have set the religious rulers on fire with contempt. The following day (Tuesday - day 12), the chief priests and elders came to Him attempting to trick Him into saying something that will reveal He is not worthy to be honored and followed.

Matthew 21:23-27 ^(NKJV) Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, "By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?" ²⁴But Jesus answered and said to them, "I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: ²⁵The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." ²⁷So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.

We are told that these leaders who confront Jesus are the people who are responsible for civil and religious order in the Jewish community. They want to prove that Jesus is not worthy of the Messianic implications in the praise of the people at His triumphal entry as well as His cleansing of the temple. 

Jesus’ response is to ask them a question, which some writers indicate is an approved Rabbinic form of debate. In asking His question, Jesus clearly ties His ministry, message and authority in with the ministry and message of John the Baptist, who had already declared Him to be the Lamb of God. As much as the leaders hated Jesus, they had to walk away defeated because they knew what the common feeling was among the people toward John the Baptist.

(Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) – …by declining to pronounce an ‘official’ verdict on John, whose ministry was so clearly in line with that of Jesus, they had forfeited the right to challenge publicly the authority of Jesus.

The Lamb is victor. He has passed the test. There is no flaw or blemish in Him.

II.  The Second Test: Do you honor civil authority?

In the next test, which takes place on the same day (Tuesday). It comes from a group of Pharisees and Herodians. Two sects within the Jewish community who normally are at odds with each other.

The Pharisees claim to be faithful to the Scriptures and despise any compromises with the pagan Roman authorities. The Herodians are supportive of the Roman civil rule. Normally they do not join together in any kind of common effort, but today they do so in order to trap Jesus into saying something that will either inflame the Roman authorities or the loyal Jews.

Matthew 22:15-22 ^(NKJV) Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. ¹⁶And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. ¹⁷Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?" ¹⁸But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, "Why do you test Me, you hypocrites? ¹⁹Show Me the tax money." So they brought Him a denarius. ²⁰And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" ²¹They said to Him, "Caesar's." And He said to them, "Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." ²²When they had heard these words, they marveled, and left Him and went their way.

(Lenski New Testament Commentary) – Luke 20:20 calls these emissaries of the Pharisees "spies who feigned themselves to be righteous," and adds that their plot was to deliver Jesus into the hands of the governor. These disciples were men whom Jesus had not met before, who thus could pose as honest inquirers. The Pharisees arranged matters so that their disciples were accompanied by the Herodians. The latter were to act as witnesses, and their word would be more effective with the Roman governor than that of mere disciples of the Pharisees. 

These people not only believe that they have the perfect question to capture the Teacher in a dilemma and force Him to indict Himself, but they begin with flattery. 

Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men…

We are told that the specific tax they are referring to here is paid directly to Rome, and the Jews viewed it as representing their subjection to a foreign power. (Tyndale Commentary)

Is it lawful? – No question that it was the Roman law. They’re asking if it is permissible for God’s people to pay this tax which could be viewed as allegiance to a foreign power. Will this Man, the One who has made some unbelievable claims to be the Son of God, be able to pass this test? Will the Lamb prove to be above reproach?

Yes, He not only shows that they cannot trap Him in a situation that indicts Him, but He traps them in their own dilemma they cannot escape. Rather than Jesus going away with head hanging because of His answer, His accusers walk away defeated. Instead of trapping the Lord in a political/moral dilemma, they walk away realizing that Jesus has just exposed their hypocrisy. They who have the image of God stamped in their very existence do not rightfully “render to God the things that are God’s.”

III. The Third Test: Do you understand Scripture?

Continuing on into the day, Jesus is confronted by another group that is intent on showing that He is not worthy of the devotion and honor that people have been giving. These people are called “Sadducees.” The specific characteristic that is mentioned about them in Scripture is this: they do not believe in the resurrection. They appear to come with the intent of proving that Jesus does not know the Scriptures as well as they do. (Messiah in the Passover)

Matthew 22:23-33 ^(NKJV) The same day the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Him and asked Him, ²⁴saying: "Teacher, Moses said that if a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁵Now there were with us seven brothers. The first died after he had married, and having no offspring, left his wife to his brother. ²⁶Likewise the second also, and the third, even to the seventh. ²⁷Last of all the woman died also. ²⁸Therefore, in the resurrection, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had her." ²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God. ³⁰For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven. ³¹But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ³²'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." ³³And when the multitudes heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

Conclusion:

All three of these tests that we have discussed probably took place on the same day – Tuesday of Passion Week. But these are not the only times Jesus was “being tested.” Throughout the week there were other questions asked (What is the greatest commandment?) and additional lessons and discourses that Jesus taught.

In all of the questioning and in all of the speaking, Jesus is proven over and over to be without defect, flaw or sin. When the week winds down at the trial of Jesus, it’s as though the four days of “testing” are summed up in the words of Pilate when he announces to the crowd, “I find no fault in Him.”

For the very first Passover and every subsequent observance of Passover, the head of the household would have to approve the lamb after watching it for 4 days. He would have to verify that the lamb is truly without defect and worthy to be slain for Passover. On the night of Passover, right after Jesus celebrated the event with His disciples, the Father presented Him as the Passover Lamb who was worthy to die, not just for firstborn sons, but in the place of every human being. Jesus has been examined, watched and tested. He has been proven worthy to be the sacrifice for all mankind.

(Biblewise.com, “Chronology of Passion Week”) In Moses' Passover in Egypt, death was merely avoided. In the Passover Jesus celebrated, death wasn't avoided: it was confronted and conquered for all mankind.

All through the service today the worthiness of our Redeemer has been celebrated. The songs we’ve sung, the Scripture that was read, the special music, and the message of the sermon have all pointed to the fact that Jesus Christ, “the Lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world,” is worthy to be slain. When we look into the book of Revelation, we read the Lamb that was slain is worthy of all praise. 

Revelation 5:11-13 ^(NKJV) Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, ¹²saying with a loud voice: "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!" ¹³And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: "Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!" 

Let us close the service today by singing the chorus: Worthy Is the Lamb

Repent, Obey, & Celebrate

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This is the fifth message in a series of sermons given during Lent in which details of the Passover in the Old Testament are compared to the events surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This sermon discusses the topic of Passover as recorded in the OT books of history and poetry. It emphasizes the fact that Passover observance mentioned in 2 Chronicles occur when righteous kings repent of their forefathers' sins and they obey the Lord by keeping the Passover. The Psalms speak of Passover in celebration of God's miraculous deliverance.

Written Excerpts:

Introduction:

I have been doing a series of messages the past 4 Sundays on the subject of the Passover. I mentioned that I have been reading a book titled, Messiah in the Passover, and I have been learning a good bit about how the biblical material concerning the Passover relates to the sacrifice of Jesus. Not only have I learned more clearly how Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, but I’ve also learned more information regarding the ways that Christian Communion relates to the event of Passover and its historic celebration by the Jewish people.

We started this series by showing how God began preparing His people for Passover hundreds of years before it actually happened, and how that corresponds to the prophecies of the Messiah’s first coming. It also corresponds with the prophecies regarding the Messiah’s second coming that God has already given us.

Next, we spoke about the fact that the original Passover in Egypt was always referred to as a redemption from bondage and slavery in Egypt. This parallels the message of the NT in teaching us that we all have been redeemed from the bondage of sin through the blood of Jesus.

The third message of the series was given during one of our regular Communion services and focused on the 4 different cups of wine that were traditionally passed during the observance of Passover by the Jews. It was interesting to note that Jesus provided a brand new meaning for the third cup of the meal. This cup was normally called, “the cup of redemption” and Jesus changed its meaning away from the past by saying, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”

Last Sunday the message addressed the topic of Atonement, which is another theme that is connected with Passover. The connection between Passover and atonement is based on the fact that God chose Passover as the day His Son gave His life and shed His blood to make atonement for all of our sins.

In the first three sermons of the series, we looked at the Passover as it was presented in the “books of Moses,” which are known as the LAW. Today, we are going focus on the Passover as presented in the “history” and “poetry” sections of the OT, which the Jews simply refer to as “The Writings.” 

In the LAW, the Passover is mentioned many, many times; not only in predicting and recording the actual event, but also in the describing the laws God gave regarding the way it was to be celebrated year after year. However, in the WRITINGS, we only have a few places that the Passover is mentioned. Yet, there is an important message as we study it.

There are four different places when Passover is mentioned including the book of Psalms. The first mention is found in 2 Chronicles 30:1-31:1 and it speaks about the reinstatement of the Passover observance during the reign of King Hezekiah following the evil reign of his father, King Ahaz. The next mention is recorded in 2 Chronicles 35:1-19, which records the reforms that were instituted by King Josiah following the evil reign of his father, King Amon and grandfather, King Manasseh. The third record of Passover is found in Ezra 6:19-21, which is all about the Israelites returning to Jerusalem from captivity in Babylon/Persia. As soon as the temple is rebuilt, they begin to once again celebrate the Passover in accordance with God’s law. The final example of Passover expressed in the “Writings” is found in the Psalms. There are various places in the Psalms where the Psalmist describes the Passover and the Exodus as examples of God’s faithfulness to Israel, as well as God’s mighty power over their enemies.

I want to speak to you about Repentance, Obedience and Celebration.

I.    Repentance

When people abandon their worship of God and their trust in God, they naturally abandon their obedience to God’s commands. The people of Israel had forsaken the Lord and had resorted to worshiping the gods of the pagans. This included the practice of many despicable things that God clearly condemned. Because of their disobedience, God had brought judgment upon them from enemy nations.

One of the wicked kings that led Israel further from the Lord was King Amon. But when he died his son Hezekiah ascended to the throne. Hezekiah’s heart was turned toward the Lord and we read about it in 2 Chron. 29:1-11. Even though the word “repentance” is not used in these chapters (29 & 30), yet the point is still emphasized by the word “return.”

When we read about Passover in chapter 30, it is presented in the context of people “returning to the Lord.” 

2 Chronicles 30:9 ^(NKJV) For if you return to the LORD, your brethren and your children will be treated with compassion by those who lead them captive, so that they may come back to this land; for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn His face from you if you return to Him." 

In other words, they repented of the way they had been going and purposed to return to the ways of the Lord. The same could be said about Josiah in chapter 35.

In similar fashion, his father, King Amon, as well as his grandfather, had promoted the worship of idols and pagan gods. But Josiah determines to return to the Lord when he becomes king.

Read 2 Chron. 34:1-7.

Josiah demonstrated repentance by clearing out all the trappings of idolatry that had been connected to his father’s reign. As I stated earlier, whenever people stray from the Lord it is always accompanied by direct disobedience to His commands and His will. It is always a direct result of caving in to the pressure of those around them who do not love God and serve Him, and usually due to a desire to “be like them.” Or, it is a direct result of satisfying their own fleshy appetites for self-will and autonomy.

The only way to remedy the situation is to repent and return to the Lord. That is, get rid of all the “idolatry” connected with the gods of this world. This principle still holds true today. If there is anyone here today that has strayed from the Lord then please know that the first thing you need to do is repent. That means you turn away from the path your on and return to the path that God has laid out.

II.  Obedience

One of the evidences we find in Scripture that indicates Hezekiah’s and Josiah’s obedience to the Lord is their observance of Passover.

2 Chron. 30:1ff and 35:1ff.

In spite of the fact that the fathers and grandfathers of these kings had led the people into idolatry, I’m quite sure that there were a number of individuals in Judah and Israel who had not forsaken the Lord. I am confident that their hearts were filled with excitement and gratitude when these kings announced that the Passover was being re-instituted.

In addition to these two instances when Passover was observed as a clear sign that the leaders had returned to the Lord, there is one more instance of Passover observance that takes place much later. The reforms and obedience to the requirements of God’s law that we just described under King Hezekiah and King Josiah were short-lived. 

If you remember your Bible history, you know that the nations of Israel and Judah continued their downward slide into idolatry and pagan practices, even reaching the point they were sacrificing their children in the fire to pagan gods. Because of the wickedness of the nations, God brought judgment upon them and allowed enemies to conquer them and carry many of them away into exile. After several decades of living in exile in a foreign country, God started bringing His people back to their own land. 

Within two years after returning to their homeland, the people of Israel had laid the foundation for the rebuilding of the temple. However, due to severe opposition, the work was interrupted for 16 years. Finally, the temple is rebuilt and immediately dedicated to the Lord. About 40 days following the temple dedication, the exiles celebrate the Passover in obedience to the Lord.

Ezra 6:16-22

It has been 70 years since the first temple was destroyed and all that time, the proper observance of Passover was abandoned. So the stories of these kings and the returning exiles help us see that obedience to the Lord included the observance of Passover. The return to the observance of Passover reminds us that God requires and desires our obedience to His Word. If we truly want to demonstrate our love for Him and appreciation for His deliverance from bondage, then we need to be diligent about obeying Him also.

III. Celebration

The final emphasis we want to point out this morning is celebration.

In all of the examples I have mentioned, the people were more than likely celebrating God’s grace and victory in overcoming the enemies of paganism and their return to the worship of the one true God. But, ever since the very first observance of Passover recorded in the book of Exodus, it included the element of celebration for God’s mighty deliverance from slavery and bondage in Egypt.

This is even more clearly seen in the Psalms.

Ps. 77, 80-81, 105, & 135-136 are all different Psalms that relate the details of Exodus and Passover. Most, if not all, of them do so for the purpose of praising God for His intervention in behalf of His people.

In addition to these Psalms I’ve already mentioned, there are a group of Psalms that are called the “Hallel Psalms.”

Hallel (ha-láy-el) – Hebrew word for praise. The word “hallelujah” comes from that word.

These Psalms include 113-118, and they are psalms of joyful thanksgiving for the redemption the Lord has provided for His people Israel. These psalms are what the Jews would sing in worship celebrations, which would include Passover. They were also an important of the Passover Seder.

Usually Ps. 113-114 would be sung before the meal, and Psalms 115-118 after the meal. (Richard Flashman in Messiah in the Passover)

In Matthew 26 and Mark 14, the passages that describe the last supper Jesus had with His disciples, it says that they “sung a hymn and went out to the Mt. of Olives.” The Messiah, along with his closest disciples, is praising God for the redemption God has provided for His people.

Conclusion:

As we have been studying the connection between Passover and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, leading up to Easter, I hope this message today will serve as a reminder that God not only requires, but He delights in the repentance, obedience and celebrations of His people.

In ancient times, the people of Israel were chosen to be in a covenant relationship with God that is still in effect today. But Jesus, at the Last Supper, instituted a covenant with all people of all nations and languages through the blood He shed at Calvary. Our only legitimate response to His offer is repent, obey and celebrate. Repent (turn away from) our sin, obey His Word and celebrate His salvation and marvelous grace.

As we celebrate our salvation this morning, let us stand together and sing the hymn: My Jesus I Love Thee.

The Atonement of Christ

(To download an mp3 file of this message, click on the title above. To listen online, click on the play button of the audio player.)

This is the fourth message in a series of sermons given during Lent in which details of the Passover in the Old Testament are compared to the events surrounding the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our salvation. This sermon discusses the topic of atonement, emphasizing the fact that God chose Passover as the day His Son would die for the sins of the world.

Written Excerpts:

Romans 3:23-26 ^(NKJV) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Introduction:

For the last three weeks we have been looking at the Passover event recorded in the Old Testament and comparing it with various details of the sacrifice Jesus Christ made on the cross for our salvation from sin. We want to continue the discussion today by speaking on the subject of atonement and making a connection to the celebration of Passover.

(Illustrations Unlimited, Edited by James Hewett) There was a little girl whose parents had a miserable marriage and were divorced, having nothing in common except their affection for the child. One day as the girl was playing in the street she was knocked down by a bus and seriously injured. Taken to the hospital, she was examined by the doctors but was found to be beyond human aid. 

Hastily summoned to the hospital, her parents heard the sad news and stood silently, one on either side of the bed, looking down helplessly at their little girl. As they stood there, the child's eyes suddenly opened and seeing her parents she tried to smile. Then drawing one arm from under the sheet, she held it out in the direction of her father. "Daddy," she said, "give me your hand." Turning to her mother, she stretched out her other arm. "Mummy," she said, "give me your hand." Then with a final effort of her fast-ebbing strength she drew them close together. 

This is a picture of what Christ did on the cross. The Savior [who literally was the outstretched hand of God], took the hand of sinful, hateful humanity and placed it in the loving hand of [the Father]. Jesus reconciled us to God; He broke down the barrier; He restored the broken fellowship caused by sin or turning our backs on God. Just as in this little girl's dying to bring her parents together, Jesus was dying to bring God and us together, but [we must receive its benefit by a willful act of faith].

One of the major benefits of the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the reconciliation between God and humanity. Because of sin, God’s law had been violated and separation had resulted. The only way for reconciliation to occur required the demands of the law to be satisfied while sparing the life of the offender. Jesus made that possible by His own death.

This morning I want to walk through some of the important concepts in Scripture related to the Atonement and then tie it in with the events of Passover, which Jesus fulfills.

I.    The meaning of atonement

I suppose we should begin with a short discussion on what the word “atonement” actually means. Most of us have probably heard the word used many times, and we may actually use it in some of our daily conversations. But, I wonder if we fully grasp the biblical meaning of the word?

Some definitions:

(Van A. Harvey, A Handbook of Theological Terms) Generally, the term refers to the reconciliation (at-one-ment) of two parties. In Christian Theology, it refers to the restoration of the broken relationship between God and man that was accomplished in the life and death of Jesus Christ.

(Michael Cohen, “Passover and the Atonement,” in Messiah in the Passover, ed. by Bock and Glaser) [Quoting from various other sources Cohen says] A basic dictionary definition of atonement is “satisfaction or reparation for a wrong or injury.”…the word for atonement in O.T. Hebrew means “make an atonement,” “make reconciliation,” or “purge.” It also includes such actions as “to cover over,” “to forgive,” “to expiate,” “to wipe away,” or “to reconcile.”

(James Denny, Quoted in Profiles in Wesleyan Theology by Leslie Wilcox, Vol. III) Atonement is that act of God, whereby through the death of Christ, He made full provision for the settlement of the sin problem.

(William Burt Pope, Ibid) We mean by the atonement the whole economy of our Lord’s saving intervention as consummated on the cross. [Leslie Wilcox goes on to write], That means that whatever way you view sin, here is God’s all-inclusive answer to meet that need. As regards [to] man’s rebellion, it is reconciliation. As regards [to] man’s bondage, it is redemption. As regards [to] man’s transgression, it is pardon. Whatever term you may use to portray the awful dilemma of man as a sinner, this meets them all in one great act of Divine rescue.

II.  The biblical description of atonement

Leslie Wilcox, now deceased, was a professor of theology at a well-known Bible college in Cincinnati for many years. In his three-volume work titled, Profiles in Wesleyan Theology, he provides a helpful discussion describing the various features of the atonement that are expressed in Scripture.

For our purposes today, I want to borrow his basic outline.

The Need for Atonement

(Wilcox) Simply stated, its need is the wreck and ruin wrought by sin.

See Romans 3:9-18

15 statements in this passage that consists of quotes from the Old Testament. 1^st 7 statements declare the extensiveness of sin with key words like “all,” have sinned or “none” are righteous. The next 8 statements tell the depths of sin. They describe the darkest characteristics to which man can and does fall because of sin.

The need is universal, and it is tragically dark! Something must be done that will reach all of humanity in all of its depravity.

The Provision for Atonement

Rom. 3:23-25

Immediately after summarizing the tragic need, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Paul launches into the remedy God provided.

Romans 3:24-25 ^(KJV) Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

Listen to the words Paul uses to describe what God has done. 

Some words describe the source of God’s provision: “grace” (including mercy, and love).

Some words describe the cost of God’s provision: “blood” (including cross, death, suffer, delivered, sent…).

Some words describe the changes made possible by God’s provision:

• (Change in regards to the Law) “justified,” “remission,” (pardon) and “forbearance.” 
• (Change in regards to relationship) “Propitiation” (covering, atonement, reconciliation). 
• (Change in regards to ourselves) “Redemption,” (ransom). 

All of these words that the Apostle uses emphasize the fact that the provision God has made is adequate in every way for the problem we have.

The Exclusiveness of the Atonement

There is only one way of salvation. We do not get to devise our own plan or our own method of reconnecting with God. The only way of salvation is through the atonement of Jesus Christ. All of the O.T. sacrifices and offerings that were to be done exactly as God commanded simply illustrate the validity of Jesus’ claim, “I am the way, the truth and the life, no man cometh to the father but by me.”

God is the offended party. He is the One who sets the standards by which the plan of Atonement must operate. It’s not up to us. The only part that is “up to us” is to believe it, accept it, and live it.

The Specific Plan of Atonement

Jesus’ death on the cross was not an after-thought of God’s once He discovered that mankind had disobeyed Him. Adam and Eve’s sin did not catch Him by surprise. My sin and your sin did not catch God by surprise. We are told more than once in Scripture that the sacrifice of God’s Son was planned “before the foundation of the world.”

Ephesians 1:4 ^(KJV) According as he hath chosen us in [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

God has planned since eternity past to have a holy people for Himself. 

Other Scriptures tell us that Jesus is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Prophets foretold it; Jesus predicted it and willing submits to it. It is all part of the original plan.

Remember that if the Almighty God with infinite knowledge and wisdom planned the Atonement, then it will be completely sufficient for the magnitude of the need.

The Extent of the Atonement

This speaks to the fact that no one who ever has lived or ever will live for all time has been left out of the provision. It is a Universal Atonement.

Heb. 2:9 – Jesus tasted death for “every man.”

Is. 53:6 – “All we… have gone astray… laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Wilcox) The 2^nd “all” is equal to the 1^st “all.” 

“whosoever” passages: Christ came and provided the benefits of His sacrifice for “whosoever will.”

There are so many more ways we could describe the facts and benefits of the Atonement, but, as I stated earlier, it would take several more sermons to do so.

III. Atonement and Passover

In the book I mentioned earlier, “Messiah in the Passover,” the chapter written by Michael Cohen is dedicated to the subject of the Atonement and Passover. There are a few points mentioned in that chapter that we haven’t covered yet, so I’ll wrap up with those now.

Cohen, a Christian Jew, describes how it impacted his life to recognize that God chose Passover as the day for the death of His Son, Jesus. This caused him to realize that Passover is more than just a celebration of God’s deliverance of a nation from slavery. It is now a celebration with eternal and spiritual significance for the entire human race.

 There are other parallels that can be made:

A.  Passover took care of the problem of God’s people being separated from Him and the land He had promised. Atonement takes care of the problem of all people separated from God because of sin.

B.  Passover requires a payment of the blood of lambs. The Atonement required the payment of Christ’s blood.

C.  Passover includes a confession of faith by the Hebrews as they obey God’s command and apply the blood to the door frame. The Atonement of Christ requires a confession of faith in the sacrifice of Jesus and obedience to His Word.

D.  Passover includes a transfer of benefits as the Hebrews become the people of God, in covenant relationship with God, and traveling to a land promised by God. Atonement, likewise includes a transfer of benefits to every believer: family, covenant relationship, and promise of inheritance.

Conclusion:

As we meditate on the atonement that God provided through His Son, Jesus, I trust that our hearts not only respond in genuine faith and obedience to His Word, but that we will worship, honor and adore Him for His glorious plan.

“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!!!”

I thank God today for the blood of Jesus!

Let’s close the service by standing and singing this final hymn:

A Wonderful Fountain