August 10 @ Jubilee

Tomorrow I will continue both Summer Sermon Series. In the morning I'll be preaching on Psalm 15, about the covenant-keeper who will never be shaken. Theme and Heads: 

FAITHFUL COVENANT-KEEPERS MAY DWELL NEAR TO THE LORD

1. The Question (v. 1)
2. The Answer (vv. 2-5a)
3. The Promise (v. 5b)

In the afternoon we'll be wrapping up our study of chapter 2 of the Canons of Dort with a sermon on Article 9 entitled: The Bridegroom and his Bride. Here's the summary:

Despite the attacks of the devil against Christ and his church, the eternal plan of God will prevail. Christ will, from the beginning of the world until its end, gather in the elect from every language, people, and nation. There will always be a church of believers founded upon the blood of Christ to love, praise, honour, and glorify him, for the Bridegroom must have a bride.

As always, visitors are welcome at Jubilee Church.

When evil seems to triumph…After the bombing of MH17.

Opening words to a sermon on Psalm 11 by Rev. George van Popta to be preached this coming Sunday, July 27th, 2014.

Once again we have seen a monstrous evil: a passenger airplane flying 10 km in the air shot out of the sky killing 282 people. We hear about man’s evil every day, but then there are those moments which stop you dead in your tracks and you ask, “How can that be?”

One middle-aged couple, Arjen and Yvonne Ryder, were members of our sister church in Albany, Australia. Three young adults lost their parents, five little children lost their grandparents, others lost a brother and a sister, a congregation lost members, friendships broken.

And that is only one story that we know a little bit about of the devastation this senseless missile strike caused. Similar stories can be told 282 times because of this murderous event. A dozen different nations were represented on flight MH17—Canada as well—all with a unique story

This Summer I am preaching through some of the Psalms. I was drawn to Psalm 11 which speaks about the horrific and grisly evil committed by man, about the despair the people of God feel in the face of such evil, and about our God who will set everything right.

THE LORD IS OUR REFUGE IN THE FACE OF TERROR

1. Reasons for despair

2. Cause     for     trust

Notes from a parishioner of a sermon on Romans 12:15, 16

Sermon delivered before the professions of faith of two sisters and a brother.

Text: Romans 12:15, 16

Reading:  Romans 12: 1-16

Romans 12 begins with:  offer your bodies as a living sacrifice.  This is your spiritual worship.  At the beginning of the book of Romans, Paul discusses the sinfulness of man.  Then, to the end of chapter 11 he discusses the gospel, namely that Jesus went to the cross because of our sin. Finally, in chapter 12 he describes how we now will live.  This passage is not only a command; it is also a description.  Because of God’s mercy we will give ourselves to God and to each other. Chapter 12:3 tells us:  the transformed life looks like this. 

Theme:  As people transformed by the Spirit of Christ, we endeavor to be a blessing to each other.  This calls for

1.       joyful sympathy,

2.       harmonious unity,

3.       natural humility. 

1.Joyful sympathy.  We are all part of a body.  You, as part of the congregation, cannot remain aloof because you are part of the body.  We all function together and are sensitive to the feelings of others, remembering that there is a time to weep and a time to laugh. However, we all respond differently to circumstances and each other.  We are to be Christ-like.  He entered into our sorrow and so gave us reason for joy.  Jesus is the man of sorrows who entered our world so we might be saved.  He entered our lives and did not stand aloof, and he became the man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.  On the last day, when He returns, he will remove all our sorrow and restore us to joy.  He embraced our sorrow so we could embrace his joy.  To be Christ-like, we rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. 

2.Harmonius unity.  This does not mean that we all live and think identically.  Harmony implies an orchestra; everyone is on the same page at the same time, but we play different notes that blend together.    Our looks, personalities, opinions, and histories are all joined together.  John 17 says:  that all of them may be one…as we are one…so that the world may know God sent the Son.  Disunity in the church brings dishonor to the Lord.  Congregational unity is about truth and obedience, not uniformity.  And unity does not supersede everything.  There must be unity in true faith and loyal obedience to God. 

3.Natural humility.  Conceit is corrosive to unity and a most effective hindrance to our witness to the world. Jesus welcomed all who wanted to be with him, so naturally should we.  We should experience and foster harmonious unity.

But we are not perfect.  Each one of us is a work in progress.  By the sheer grace of God, our congregation will make more beautiful music with the addition of Carol, Sarah, and Guy.

Sermon by Pastor George on September 9, 2012. Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes of a sermon on Lord's Day 22

Text:  LD 22
Reading:  Isaiah 64, Job 19:23-27; Phil 1:18b-26

Although the theme of the Heidelberg Catechism is comfort, the word ‘comfort’ is only used 7 times in 129 questions and answers.  While you don’t need the word itself to express the theme of the catechism, it is usedtwice in LD 22.

My comfort is that I belong, soul and body, in death and life, to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ. 

1.       My soul will be immediately taken up to Christ. 

2.       My flesh will be raise up powerfully by Christ. 

3.       My future will be lived joyfully in Christ.

1.What happens between death and resurrection?  Gen 2:7 speaks about man as a living being or living soul. Body and soul are woven together to make a living being.  Ps 139 speaks about being woven together in his mother’s womb.  Sin entered the world, disrupting and devastating and twisting all creation.  Sin tore man apart, body from soul.  Death is terrible, but even there the gospel shines through. There is no more sin then. How do we know the soul is immediately taken up to Christ its head?  See the story of Lazarus in Abraham’s bosom, remember what Jesus said to the criminal on the cross, and recall what Paul said to the Philippians in 1:23.

My soul will be taken up to Christ, my Head.  The head of a body is essential.  The husband is the head of the wife; as Christians, Christ is our head.  This is comfort and encouragement.

2.My body will be raised by the power of Christ.  A funeral is not the end of everything.  Job 19 says that  I know my Redeemer lives and in my flesh I will see him with my own eyes.  2 Cor. 5:20.  Christ is the first fruits and we are the harvest that comes after.  One problem with 19^th century hymnody is that it always misses the resurrection.  These hymns are platonic, only about the soul. But Scripture also speaks about the resurrection of the body.

3.What happens after the resurrection?  All things will be renewed.  1 Cor. 2:9 says that no eye has seen what God has prepared for those who love him.  Is 64 is about God’s grace in the midst of judgement.  The day of judgement will be a wonderful day for believers.  God will not keep silent and will not punish us beyond measure. We can begin to enjoy this eternal joy even now, in this life already.  We must live in the future.  In our best moments our heart and flesh cry out to God said Rev Vos.  We live as a sojourner or pilgrim, in the future, not the present. 

Our heart and flesh may fail, but the gospel of Jesus never fails.  The Word of God will prevail forever.  (The amen-song was based on Ps 73:25,26.) 

Sermon by Pastor George, Aug 12, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's note of a sermon Lord's Day 21, QA 56

Text:      LD 21 Q&A 56, http://canrc.org/?page=355

Canons of Dort V, 4&5, http://canrc.org/?page=281

Reading:  Micah 7:18-20; Matt 5: 21-30; 2 Corinthians 5:10-21

Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, gave quite a definition of sin.  If we are angry with our brother, we are liable to terrible consequences.  Lust is adultery committed in the heart.  Pluck your eye out if necessary to avoid sin because that is how serious sin is!  Even our feelings, even how we speak, even just looking can be serious sins according to Jesus.  Feelings, words, and looks describe who you are and your relationship with Jesus.  We tend to downplay what Jesus said here, but that is wrong and stupid.  Minimizing sin leads to minimizing forgiveness, and that, in turn, leads to saying that forgiveness is not necessary and that Jesus is irrelevant.  We, as believers, confess the forgiveness of sins.

Though we struggle against sin, we believe we are everlastingly forgiven. 

1.       The forgiveness of our sins. 

2.       The struggle against our sin.

3.       The pardon despite our sin.

1.Forgiving sin is not the same as excusing sin.  We excuse our sin, thus minimizing it.  If you have a perfect excuse, you don’t need forgiveness; you just need to be excused, as for a burp.  But sin is not the same as bad manners. We must forget about the excuses and confess our sins.  We must ask for forgiveness and God will forgive us and remove our sins as far as east is from west.  Micah 7:18-20 promises that God will tread our sins underfoot.  We have righteousness imputed to us through Christ.  That righteousness is really ours now.  The church proclaims this forgiveness.  2 Corinthians 5 points out that the ministry of the church is to proclaim the gospel.  We need the blood of Christ and need to come clean of our sin.  David had a lamentable fall, and for a year he stewed over this (perhaps as in Psalm 32).  Then God sent Nathan the prophet and David acknowledged his sin and was forgiven.  We also need to admit our sins, lay them before God, and ask forgiveness.  Then our sins will be completely forgiven.  We will even have Christ’s righteousness imputed to us. 

2.The struggle Paul experienced against sin is described in Romans 7.  “I have not yet been delivered from my old sinful nature!”  This is the lament of all Christians because no one can do what is right all the time.  It remains a struggle of watchfulness and prayer against sin.  If there’s a sin you need to avoid, avoid the temptation associated with it and be sure to watch and pray.  Tell the Lord about your weaknesses and ask for help against that specific sin.

3.If you believe in Jesus, you’ve crossed over from death to  life.  We all have to appear before the judgement seat of Christ. But Q&A 56 talks about God forgetting and forgiving our sins.  How can we understand this? 

We will not be condemned eternally because of our sin.  Because of Jesus, God will not condemn us.  Yes, we will have to stand before the judgement seat of God, and this is a legitimate and powerful incentive for godly living, making us much more zealous to fight sin.    But there is a distinction between judgement and condemnation.  All will be judged; some will be condemned, but some will be pardoned for Christ’s sake. 

There’s also another book that will be opened, the book of life that has the names of all those who belong to Christ.  How can you know your name is in the book of life?  If you love Christ and accept his forgiveness, your name is in the book.  Let that gospel strengthen us this week, whatever happens.

Sermon by Pastor George, August 5, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes of a sermon on Acts 13:1-12

Text:  Acts 13:1-12

Reading:  Acts 11: 19-30

Sermon: The proconsul and the sorcerer

The Holy Spirit goes his own sovereign way in building a church. 

1.       In discipling.

2.       In discipline.

Because of the persecution after Stephen’s death, many fled to Antioch.  It was the third leading city in the empire after Rome and Alexandria.  The Christians spoke to both Jews and Greeks as they travelled.  The apostles, however, stayed in Jerusalem.  It was essential that they stay to hold down the fort.  Just as they’d sent to Samaria after Philip’s preaching, so they sent Barnabas to Antioch.  Barnabas soon realized that Antioch needed Saul of Tarsus.  After his conversion, Saul probably spent 8 or 9 years in Tarsus before Barnabas took him to Antioch.

The Holy Spirit goes his sovereign way in discipling and discipline.  There were prophets and teachers in Antioch, and Barnabas was one of them.  Barnabas means ‘son of encouragement’—he had a gift of encouragement. Others included Simeon called Niger, from Africa. Lucius was from Cyrene, Lybia.  Manaen was essentially a ‘step-brother’ of Herod the tetrarch, the one who had put John the Baptist to death.  He was a Jewish fellow who grew up with Herod, but the Lord claimed him for the kingdom of God.  Saul was the fifth one, the greatest persecutor who became the greatest preacher and evangelist. 

Obviously the Holy Spirit can disciple whomever he wants, even unlikely converts.  The Holy Spirit wanted Barnabas and Saul for his work.  They, together with John Mark, Barnabas’s cousin, travelled to Cyprus, Barnabas’s home.  We’re not told what happened as a result of their work in Salamis, but we are told about Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who had Bar-Jesus or Elymas on staff. 

This sorcerer tried to oppose the gospel, but he was unsuccessful. The Holy Spirit wanted to turn Sergius Paulus into a disciple and he succeeded.  The Lord is sovereign and calls each of us in our own way.  Perhaps some of us are not disciples yet, but the Holy Spirit will bring in his own, some willingly and some kicking and screaming. Even if someone is trying to stand between you and the Lord, the Holy Spirit will overcome that person. 

Bar-Jesus claimed to be connected with the Jesus people, with salvation.  He was likely an astrologer on Sergius Paulus’s staff.  As Barnabas and Saul spoke to Sergius Paulus, Bar-Jesus tried to oppose them in fear for his job.  It was the forces of hell vs. those of heaven.  Then Saul, also called Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit.  This is the point at which Paul was called to the leading position in the church.  He did not thrust himself forward, but the Holy Spirit filled him and enabled him to serve. 

Paul called Bar-Jesus a child of the devil.  He wasn’t just mistaken, he was purposefully opposing the truth. Therefore he received the covenant threat—at midday you will grope and be struck with blindness and confusion (Deuteronomy 28:29).  The Holy Spirit’s discipline will come down on those who knowingly try to oppose God. When it comes to matters of truth being compromised, the church must tell the truth boldly.  

But note this:  Paul told the sorcerer he would be blind for a time. He was given the chance to repent.  The blindness was temporary.  God is gracious and wants all to repent and be saved.  Therefore the window of grace is always open to those who repent from their sins. 

Ensure that you are a disciple, following Jesus.

Sermon by Pastor George on July 29, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes of a sermon on Lord's Day 20, HC, and Eph. 5:15-20.

Text:  LD 20

Reading:  Ephesians 5:15-20

We will focus on the second part of this Lord’s Day, on the work of the Holy Spirit as described in Ephesians 5:15-20.  People who are filled with the Holy Spirit will spill the Holy Spirit as they move around in life and bump into people.  Whatever you are filled with will spill out of you.  If you are full of malice, etc., these will spill out of you, but if you are filled with the Holy Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit will spill out of you, Ephesians 5. 

The Lord fills his people with his Spirit. 

1.       The command to be filled.

2.       The way to be filled.

3.       The evidence of being filled.

1.Be filled with the Holy Spirit.  This is a command, not an option.  It is a very serious sin not to be filled with the Spirit.  This is not a command to do something, but to receive something, a gift that was promised at baptism.  In the Greek, we are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit continually, not just once.  Ephesians 1 –We are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2—The church is a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 4—Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit.  Also, remember from Acts that faith in Jesus and having the Holy Spirit are intimately connected.  If you believe in Jesus, the Holy Spirit will flow forth from you.  Christ will give you the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Ephesians tells us to look to Jesus and receive the Spirit, who in turn makes you look to Jesus so you receive the Spirit, and so on in a positive spiral. 

2.So, how are we filled with the Holy Spirit?  Christ does not really need a preacher.  He can speak through a donkey, as he has done in the past, but that that’s not the usual way he works.  He usually sends a preacher.  The Lord connects preaching by a sinful minister with faith in Christ and the gift of the Spirit.  These two are intimately connected.  The preacher is a clay pot filled with jewels which are scattered to us.  God gives his grace and the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him for them.  Ask, seek, and knock.  If there is a lack of spirituality in our lives, it is because we’re not listening to the Word and not praying as we ought to pray.

3.What happens to someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit?  There will be differences in his or her personal life, worship, and relation to God.

Such a person lives wisely and makes wise choices.  Decisions make a difference. We live in evil times and in a secular culture. The church has never been attacked as it is today.  Here in Ottawa it is attacked by worldliness; in many places it is attacked by persecution.  Therefore we must make the most of every opportunity to witness and to serve.  The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”  Both Ps 14 and 53 are about this topic—it is so important that this psalm is presented twice in the Bible! But we who do believe in God must understand the Lord’s will and commandments and reject evil. 

Paul makes a contrast between being drunk with wine versus being drunk with the Holy Spirit.  Alcohol is a depressant that leads to ungodly behavior when taken in excess.  When you’re drunk you can’t be filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit-filled person will love to worship, sing, and praise.  Be careful about what we sing—even so-called spiritual songs can be wrong.  ‘Sing songs to each other’ means that we should teach each other while praising God, and of course we must be careful we’re teaching correct teaching.  What it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit is further worked out in the following verses:  Spirit-filled families will function as Ephesians 5 says, with loving husbands, submissive wives, honoring children, and wisely nurturing parents.

What spills out of you as you interact with others?  John 7:38—whoever believes in me, streams of living water will flow from within him. By this Jesus meant the Spirit.  Does the Holy Spirit flow out of you like a living stream?

Sermon by Pastor George, July 22, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes on a sermon on Luke 23:22-25

Text:  Luke 23:22 to 25 (Lord’s Supper service)

Reading:  Luke 23: 1-25

In previous Lord’s Supper sermons we’ve discussed portions of the form:

“There he was bound that he might free us from our sins.”

“He suffered countless insults that we might never be put to shame.”

Now we’ll focus on:

“Though innocent, he was condemned to death that we might be acquitted at the judgement seat of God.”

Jesus was proclaimed innocent seven times, by seven different people:

1.       The high priest and Sanhedrin (Matt 26:57ff).  When Jesus’ trial began they were looking for false evidence so that they could put him to death, but they couldn’t find any though many false witnesses came forward.  They knew Jesus was innocent.

2.       Judas, who betrayed him (Matt 27:4) said, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.”

3.       Pilate was relieved that Jesus belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, but Herod could not condemn him.  (Luke 23:15)  Herod found no basis for the charges against him. 

4.       Pilate’s wife (Matt 27:19) sent a message telling Pilate, “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man.”

5.       Pilate himself declared Jesus innocent.

6.       One of the criminals crucified with him (Luke 23:39ff) said he had done nothing wrong.

7.       The centurion said that surely this was a righteous man.  (Luke 23:47)

These are the human testimonies to Jesus’ innocence.  The Lord God also testified to Christ’s innocence by raising him from the dead (Acts 2:24).  It was impossible for death to hold onto him because he was innocent.  Thus the Holy Spirit vindicated Jesus. 

Why did Jesus die if he was innocent?  Because our sins were placed upon him.  He was put to death for our sins.  Therefore confess your sins.  Jesus died that we might live with him in perfection.  Not only is Jesus ‘not guilty’. He is also innocent, a much deeper and broader quality.  We are also innocent, but only in Christ. 

Sermon by Pastor George on July 8, 2012. Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes of a sermon on Lord's Day 18

Text:  LD 18  http://www.canrc.org/?page=352

Reading:  Luke 24: 36-53

This is a very special Lord’s Day.  It is the most profoundly theological while also the most warmly experiential. 

Q&A 47, 48 are profoundly theological, showing clearly the difference between the Lutheran and Calvinist view of Christ.  The Lutheran position is that Christ’s human body took on all the attributes of divinity, including omnipresence.   This coincided with the Lutheran position on the physical presence of Christ in the Holy Supper.  The catechism points out that he is spiritually present everywhere, but not physically.

Q&A 49 is very experiential, and the sermon focuses on it.

Theme:  The Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven for our benefit. 

1.       He took our flesh to heaven. 

2.       He sends us his Spirit from heaven. 

3.       He advocates for us in heaven.

1.Jesus took our flesh to heaven.  Peter, the Emmaus road disciples, and the women told the other disciples that Jesus had risen, but they didn’t believe them.  Jesus showed them his scars, etc—he still has human flesh and bones.  They were not convinced, because it just seemed too good to be true.  So Jesus ate in front of them, proving that he still has human flesh.  Obviously, however, it is different from ours.  As Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 15, the seed falls into the ground and something different but essentially the same arises.  It is still the same, but it is also profoundly different.  “The dead shall be raised imperishable and we shall be changed.”  When talking about a spiritual body, we must note that ‘spiritual’ is not the same as non-material.  Rather it means powerful, immortal, imperishable, and glorious.  We will one day be where he is, and in Jesus we already have a glorified body because we are connected to him.

2.Jesus sends us the Spirit from heaven. He gives us power to be his witnesses, the power to seek heavenly things, Colossians 3.  What are earthly things?  They are the satanic vices:  anger, rage, malice, slander, filthy language, lying, immorality, impurity, etc.  By the power of the Holy Spirit you will be able to turn away from them.  Instead, you will turn to the heavenly things:  compassion, kindness, humility, patience, building each other up, giving thanks to God.  Colossians 3 lists both the earthly vices the Holy Spirit takes us away from and the heavenly ones he leads us toward.  Do not resist the Holy Spirit.  Don’t be like the people Stephen preached to, the stiff-necked people.

3.Jesus advocates for us in heaven.  Jesus left the disciples while he was blessing them.  He fulfilled the work of an Old Testament priest, who had to bless after both sacrifice and prayer were offered.  Jesus performed and performs those three functions, and he continues to pray and advocate for us.  The fact that he prays for us is full of meaning:

         i.            It assures us of eternal life.  He has given us the Holy Spirit, and his presence in heaven is a guarantee of ours.

       ii.            When we fall into sin, we have an advocate in heaven who prays for us, who sticks up for us, and who says “I died for that person!”

      iii.            He loves us enough to know our name and prays for us by name. The Good Shepherd knows us by name.

     iv.            He understands us.  He identifies with us as a human being.  He was tempted like us in every way.  He knows what it is like.  He went through it all.

       v.            He assures us of our fellowship with the Father.  Just as the Father has fellowship with the Son, so he has fellowship with us. 

The disciples obeyed Christ and worshipped him with great joy, Luke 24.  Like the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8, they went on their way with joy.

Sermon by Pastor George on July 1, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes of a sermon on Acts 8:26-40

Text:  Acts 8:26-40

Reading:  Isaiah 11: 1-11; 56: 3-8

Philip, the evangelist who had preached in Samaria, now preached to the Ethiopian and then went on to Azotus (also known as Ashdod).  Each of these was the focus of the gospel.  ‘What prevents me from being baptized?’  asked the Ethiopian. ‘What prevents me from living as a baptized person?’ we ask.  ‘What prevents me from going on my way rejoicing?’

The Holy Spirit uses Philip to gather the Ethiopian eunuch into the church of Christ. The Holy Spirit’s use of Philip is

1.       deliberately directed,

2.       evangelically focused, and

3.       joyfully effective.

1. Deliberately directed.  ‘All of Samaria’ turned to Christ as a result of Philip’s preaching.  He was one of the greatest preachers of all time. The Holy Spirit sent Peter and John to preach and after the Holy Spirit had come, they went back to Jerusalem, but Philip remained and worked in Samaria.  Then he was suddenly called away from these hundreds or thousands to minister to one man.  The Lord directs us.  We just need to trust and obey.  That is all we are asked to do. 

Ethiopia was considered one of the ends of the earth.  Thus the Ethiopian had come a very long way to worship the Lord.  This man was a eunuch, the finance minister of Candace.  (Candace was the title of the queen mother who ran the day-to-day life of the country, because the king was a god, too holy for everyday business.)  As a Gentile and a eunuch, however, he couldn’t enter the assembly of the Lord, but Philip was called to minister to him. 

God deliberately directs people and events, sometimes building the church through massive conversions, and sometimes through individual conversions.  God directed each one of us into the church, some through childhood, some through friends and family.  Some were born in the church and drifted for a long time, and some are still drifting.  The Holy Spirit sends people to bring drifters and others into the church. 

2. Evangelically focussed.  The man was reading Isaiah 53 and invited Philip to explain it to him.  This chapter clearly and profoundly explains Jesus Christ.  Jesus is the interpretive key to all of Scripture. We need preaching that focuses on Christ. We need it to teach, inform, change, edify, and release us from guilt.  Any other kind of preaching leads to discouragement.  What could prevent the Ethiopian from being baptized?  Nothing. 

Then the Spirit moved Philip 30 km to Azotus because his work with the Ethiopian was done.  When Philip got to Azotus, he started to preach there.  As Acts 21 shows, he lived in Caesarea later on.

3. Joyfully effective. What was there to be joyful about?  The Ethiopian eunuch was welcomed into the kingdom, even though he was not welcome in the temple.  He himself had been made to be a temple.  So he went on his way rejoicing.  Joy is a gift of the Holy Spirit.  As Isaiah 56 pointed out, a day was coming when eunuchs would enter the church of Christ.  The only thing that is needed to enter the church of Christ is faith in Jesus. Yes, there are texts about sinning against the Holy Spirit. They are important, and we never preach cheap grace.  But we always preach freegrace. 

So, what prevents us from living for Christ, going our way rejoicing that the Holy Spirit lives in us?  Nothing, absolutely nothing at all.  Believe, and receive.

Sermon by Pastor George on July 1.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

A parishioner's notes on Sunday's AM sermon

Text and Reading:  Acts 8:4-25

This is another sermon in a series about the work of the Holy Spirit in Acts.  Philip—the deacon, not the apostle—came from Jerusalem and preached.  At the end of the story, people went back to Jerusalem.  That city is like bookends for the story, and between these two bookends we read amazing things about the Holy Spirit and about Simon, an evil man, and his attack on the church and the gospel.  We’ll focus on the autonomous and magnificent work of the Holy Spirit.

Theme:  The Holy Spirit, by freely giving himself to repentant people, brings about the unity of the church.  The Holy Spirit

1.       fosters ecumenical unity,

2.       refuses human forgery,

3.       demands prayerful humility.

1.Fosters ecumenical unity. Note:  this is the only chapter where people are baptized without receiving the Holy Spirit.  This is very peculiar, and we, like the churches in Jerusalem and Samaria, need to understand it.  Vs 16 says ‘not yet’.  The Spirit had not yet come upon any of them.  Those words show that normally he would have come upon them already. The Holy Spirit is free and autonomous.  We cannot put him in a box.  Sometimes baptism comes before the Holy Spirit and sometimes vice versa, but here in Samaria they are separate. 

Why did the Holy Spirit hold himself back? Not because of anything that the Samaritans or Philip did or didn’t do.  Philip’s preaching was accompanied by all sorts of miracles and many people came to faith.  Philip was a Spirit-filled preacher (Acts 6). All of that was good.  So the problem does not lie with the Samaritans or with Philip. 

The important point is that Samaria was the first decisive step out from the Jewish church.  All the pilgrims who came to Jerusalem at Pentecost were Jews, or at least proselytes, and the church started in Jerusalem.  Now Philip moved outside of Jerusalem, to Samaria, home of the despised Samaritans.  This could have caused trouble for the church, but the gospel bridges every divide.  With God no barriers exist, and here he removed them for the believers. 

When the apostles Peter and John came to Samaria from Jerusalem, then the Samaritans received the Holy Spirit. This showed that the Jerusalem and Samaritan churches were related.   The first church to be established outside Jerusalem needed to be involved with the apostles, both to end the racial animosity and prejudice between Jews and Samaritans, and to avoid schism in the church.  By coming through the apostles, the Holy Spirit created ecumenical unity between these two churches. 

2.Refuses human forgery:  Simon himself believed and was baptized. He was amazed at the miracles performed by Philip and even more so when Peter and John came.  Simon could see that the Holy Spirit came upon the Samaritans.  (We don’t know how he could see this; the text does not say.)  Then Simon asked for this power.  Simon was all about power (vs 10).  So many people think they can buy God off with what they are, do , contribute, etc.  Simon is an extreme example.  He thought the gift could be bought, but the gift is a gift.  In fact, the Holy Spirit is both giver and gift. God rejects all who come to him to manipulate the Holy Spirit.  We can only receive him by believing and receiving.  We cannot earn him in any way. 

Though the apostles are no more, we have the Bible.  When the apostolic word is proclaimed, we have access to the Holy Spirit.  So open yourself and receive the Holy Spirit.  We cannot acquire this by human endeavor.  We can neither earn nor purchase anything from God, and if we think we can, we are frauds.  Instead, we must depend on the free grace of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

3.Pray for forgiveness.  Sin is doctrine or conduct against the commandments of God. We must repent and pray for forgiveness.  Peter told Simon to pray and Simon asked Peter to do it for him instead.  But we must pray.  Simon did not want to pray for forgiveness.  Often people don’t want to admit sin but rather want to affirm themselves.  They prefer arrogance to humility and refuse to repent.  But  LD 45 says that God will give his grace and the Holy Spirit only to those who ask him for these gifts.  So ask, and receive.   

Sermon by Pastor George, June 24, 2012.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.

Baptism

(Notes taken by parishioner of sermon preached before the baptism of an adult)

Text: Acts 2:37-39

Reading: Joel 2:28-32, Acts 2:14-41

What is baptism? It is something Jesus commanded in Matt 28: 18-20 where he told the disciples, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to do all that I have commanded you.”  

So the disciples began to do so.  On the day of Pentecost 3000 people responded in faith and were baptized after Peter’s sermon. 

Theme:  Peter’s sermon evoked a conversation that got to the fundamental issues of life.  In this conversation we hear

1.       an anxious question,

2.       a gospel answer,

3.       a generous promise.

1.An anxious question. When you’re at the end of your rope, you ask, “What shall we do?”  These people were Jewish pilgrims who did not know much about Jesus. When the Spirit was poured out on the 120 believers, they went out to preach the gospel in many other languages –the pilgrims were from  many language groups—and caused so much commotion that some said they were drunk. 

Peter explained what was going on in his sermon.  He summarized Jesus’ life, ending with his resurrection and ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.  Fifty days earlier some of these pilgrims had participated in a mob event, calling for Jesus’ death.  Now it turned out that this Jesus had been made Lord and Christ by God! Naturally they were cut to the heart and filled with fear, leading to the question, “What shall we do?”

Jesus was put to death by sinners and for sin, for our sin.  Perhaps you’ve never heard much about Jesus or perhaps you’ve forgotten him.  And perhaps your reaction is the same as these pilgrims, “Wow!  What shall I do?”

2.A gospel answer.  The answer for every person alive today, is “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.  And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”  Note that the order of these happenings is not rigid. 

After all, repentance is the work of the Holy Spirit.  Repentance is being sorry for sin, and it is a gift of God to those who look to Jesus Christ.  Acts 11:18 shows that God grants repentance as a proper response to the preaching of the Word.  Baptism brings one into the possession of Christ.  In Matthew it says to be baptised into the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, all three persons of the Trinity at once.  The Holy Spirit is also a gift.  What do you do to get a gift?  Nothing.  You just get it. Repentance, forgiveness, and the Holy Spirit are the free gifts, and baptism is a sign of it, a sign and seal of the Holy Spirit.

3.A generous promise.  We get this three-fold gift, and the only thing we need to do is…nothing.  For whom is all this?  It is for you, your children, and all that are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God will call.  These pilgrims likely had children at home, and the disciples were sent to people who were far off. 

So the question is, how does God call people?  Through the preaching of the gospel. Thus the promise is for all who are in church right now listening to God’s call, visitors as well as members.  The gospel promise is for you.  God will grant to you freely, as a gift, that which baptism seals.  Those who are called should come to God.  He wants you to come to him to repent, believe, and accept his generous promise. 

Sermon by Pastor George.  Notes, errors, and omissions by NPS.