"We Shall Certainly Be..."

“For if we have been united him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” Romans 6:5

Beloved,

The Bible is full of beautiful and precious promises. For me, there is nothing more beautiful than the promise of our union with Christ. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life. He perfectly obeyed the Father. He always spoke perfect words. He always treated others with a perfect love. His perfect life led him to the cruel cross of Calvary in a perfect sacrifice for sinners. Jesus Christ is the perfect man.

So notice that when we put our faith in Jesus Christ the Bible says we are baptized with him into his death. His death becomes our death. His death pays the penalty for our sin. But our faith in Christ not only unites us in his death, but also unites us with him in his resurrection. Jesus’ perfect life is credited to us so when we close our eyes in death, we can be confident that we will open them in glory. For our union with Christ gives us confidence for the Apostle Paul writes that, “we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” We must hold fast to this confident hope. And none of this depends on us, but on the death and resurrection of our perfect Savior. Our faith brings us in union with His perfection. What a great promise!!

John Kent (1766-1843) wrote about this union:


Hail, sacred union, firm and strong
How great thy grace, how sweet the song,
That rebel worms should ever be
One with incarnate Deity!

One in the tomb, one when He rose,
One when he triumphed o’er His foes
One when in heav’n He took His seat,
While seraphs sung at hell’s defeat.


Beloved, is there any greater promise that we are united with Christ? “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32). Take heart and rejoice in your union with Christ!! For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

While We Were Still Sinners

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly; but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  (Romans 5:6; 8 ESV)

Beloved,

      Some days feelings of guilt and shame can be overwhelming.  We make another mistake and hurt someone we love. We fall again into a sin that we said we were never going to do again.  We feel alone, condemned and start to lose hope.  Regardless of where you are at on your spiritual journey, we all have days when we feel weak and our sin feels overwhelming. We may even doubt God’s love for us.

      In those moments, we must remember the great compassion and the immense grace that has been given us in Jesus Christ.  Jesus died for us while we were still weak.  Jesus died for us while we were still sinners.  Before Jesus died, he knew who he was dying for: wretched sinners.  But the truth of our sin should not overwhelm us in grief, but should cause our hearts to overflow in love.  For “God shows his LOVE FOR US in that while were still sinners, Christ died FOR US.”  This is a profound truth.  When we understand the truth about our sin, we only begin to understand how great God’s love is for his people.  God did not come to crush his people in there sin, but graciously and lovingly save them from their sin.  “As sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 5:21).”

    Beloved, grace is always more powerful than sin. We can trust that whenever our sin feels overwhelming in our life, the grace of God abounds all the more.  We will have days of guilt and grief over our sin. But in those days we have a choice: condemn ourselves or rejoice in that while we were still sinners, Christ was condemned for us. Oh what a great God we serve!!! “Amazing love! How can it be that thou, my God shouldst die for me?” 

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

Here I Raise Mine Ebenezer

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shenand called its name Ebenezer; for he said, “Till now the Lord has helped us.” (1 Samuel 7:12)

Dear Beloved,

It is important to remember what God has done for his people. God’s past faithfulness will ground us in his future faithfulness. After great miracles and victories, the nation of Israel would set up a monument to remember God’s deliverance.

After the return of the Ark, Samuel set up a stone and called it Ebenezer for the Lord had helped his people. The stone would serve as visual illustration of how God helps His people. So as children would walk by that stone, a father or grandfather would be able to pull them aside and tell them about the great victory God gave over their enemy. Monuments are instruments of remembrance.

Like Israel, we should take time to remember all that God has done for us. This Sunday, we celebrate our 106th year of the Park Baptist Church. God has been very gracious and kind to the people of Park. He has used this church to bring many people to Christ and to strengthen their walks with the Lord Jesus. In an effort to raise our remembrance of God’s faithfulness to us, we stop once a year to remember what God has done in and through us. As the great hymn of the faith, Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing, says,

Here I raise mine Ebenezer; hither by they help I’m come; and I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood.

We can rejoice in what God has done through Park for ultimately it is a work of His hand. Think about how many Jesus has sought when they were strangers, wandering from the fold of God through our 106 year history? Think about how many Jesus has rescued from danger by interposing his precious blood in the last century? Oh beloved, let us use this coming Sunday as a special day to rejoice in God’s faithfulness to the Park Baptist Church. We hope by His good pleasure that we will labor for his glory until we safely arrive at home.

In Christ,

Pastor Dave

From My Youth

For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth; O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. (Psalm 71:5; 17)


Beloved,


According to the Barna Research Group, less than one out of every four born again Christians (23%) embrace Christ after their 21st birthday. This means that it is vitally important for young people to hear the gospel message of Jesus Christ while they are still in their youth. The number one reason for young people to come to Christ is to be raised by parents who love Jesus Christ. The best evangelism will always be when parents pass on the truths of the gospel to the next generation. It is responsibility of every Christian parent to teach the hope held out in the gospel to their children.


My prayer is for the young people at Park Baptist Church that they will be able to say along with the Psalmist, “For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. O God, from my youth you have taught me.” We want our children to come to faith in Christ at a young age. We want them to hope and trust in Christ as their Savior. This should be the heart’s desire of every Christian parent.


Although this is the hope for every Christian parent, this is not the hope of every parent. Many parents have abdicated their spiritual responsibility leaving their children susceptible to the lies of the evil one. If parents do not believe in Jesus Christ, neither will their children. Therefore it is our responsibility as a church to aggressively fight for the souls of the youth in our city. As the statistics show, the hearts of youth are more receptive to the gospel message. We need to go to our youth with the gospel. To that end, I pray you will support our church’s effort to take the gospel to youth which, Lord willing, will be spearheaded by our new director of youth ministries, Casey Espich. Casey is a passionate young man with a great fervor for the glory of Jesus Christ. It has been an honor to get to know him and see his heart to reach young people with the gospel of our Lord.



The Psalmist had come to the Lord in his youth, but writes this psalm at the end of his life. Listen to the lifelong impact that the gospel had on this man when he says, “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.” He came to the Lord as a young man and was still proclaiming the wondrous deeds of the Lord to end of his life. Beloved, imagine how many teenagers are in our city that could one day say as senior saints, “O Lord, from my youth, you have been my hope and my trust. You taught me from my youth and I am still proclaiming your wondrous deeds.” Let us fight for the souls of our young people with the gospel of Christ. Let us be intentional as a church to be a vehicle for the spread of God’s glory throughout this city.



In Christ,

Pastor Dave

Serve the King in Community

            Life should never be lived alone.  Some of the best friends in my life are those with whom I have labored with serving the Lord.  You can build friendships around a common activities or events, but I believe you build deep “family” friendships when you serve the Lord in close community.  The Apostle Paul gives us a model in how to serve in close community.

Serve in Close Community

            Paul was an extraordinary man.  Outside of the Lord Jesus Christ, he probably did more to spread Christianity than any other individual in history.  He wrote 13 books of the Bible. He planted numerous churches. He was an extraordinary man, but he was also just a man.  He struggled with sin. He struggled with loneliness and fatigue.  He struggled with hurt and confusion. Paul was a man that was able to accomplish extraordinary things, because he had help.  First and foremost, he had help from God.  1 Tim 1:12, “I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.” Paul ultimately knew that whatever he was able to accomplish for God he did by the strength and grace of God. That being said, Paul was able to accomplish much for God, because he served in close community with other brothers in the faith. 

            Remember Paul is writing this letter in prison.  He was put into prison because of his preaching of the gospel. He was put in prison for following the will of the Lord.  It is hard emotionally to experience trials and difficulties when you are following God.  Have you ever been there?  You are working for the Lord and trying to serve him and yet are experiencing hardship and difficulty. Following God does not always produce comfort, but often it brings persecution and affliction.  If that is the case, how important were the men that served alongside Paul?  Listen to how Paul speaks of these men, verse 7, “Tychicus will tell you all the news about me. He is a dear brother, a faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord.” Verse 9, “⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.” Verse 14, “¹⁴ Our dear friend Luke, the doctor, and Demas send greetings.” Can you hear his affection for these men?  There is so much warmth and love for these men. 

            Listen to verses 10-11, “¹⁰ My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) ¹¹ Jesus, who is called Justus, also sends greetings. These are the only Jews among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have proved a comfort to me.” Paul is in prison, experiencing hardship and trial, and yet God comforted him. How? Paul is comforted through the faithful service of his dear brothers in Christ.  Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times and a brother is born for adversity.”  Aristarchus, a name that is not regularly used in our conversation, was a fellow prisoner. He was jailed with Paul for his service for King Jesus.  He was also with Paul during the riot in Ephesus in Acts 19:28-29” ²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and rushed as one man into the theater,” and in again during Paul’s shipwreck in Acts 27. And yet, he was still with Paul.  A brother is born of adversity. 

When someone is with you and comforts you in adversity, your love for them grows exponentially. So let me say two things. First, if you are in trial, do not face it alone.  Invite people in to comfort you in the midst of that trial.  Secondly, if you see someone in trial, comfort them. Beloved, we do not need to go through affliction alone.

            Another blessing that Paul experienced in serving in a close community was that he was able to give away the ministry. The mission was bigger than the Apostle Paul.  He knew that there was much work to be done and more than one man can handle.  So he delegated the ministry to other men.  Paul sent Tychicus and Onesimus to the church to tell them about what was happening with him and to encourage their hearts. Verse 8-9, “⁸ I am sending him to you for the express purpose that you may know about our^[a] circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts. ⁹ He is coming with Onesimus, our faithful and dear brother, who is one of you. They will tell you everything that is happening here.”

  Paul could not make it personally, but he still wanted to care for the people.  He wanted their hearts to be encouraged.  These two men came on behalf of Paul as if Paul was coming himself.  They came as a representative of Paul.  Would they have preferred for Paul to come? Of course, but they appreciated the men who came. Recently, our deacons have divided up on church membership roll to share in the responsibility of caring for the flock.  So if a deacon calls or visits, they are coming as a representative of the church.  As a pastor I want to make as many visits as I can, but if I do not make a visit, know that it is not out of lack of concern. Like Paul, I want your hearts to be encouraged, that is why we are dividing up our membership so that we may more effectively care for you and to work that no one is overlooked. More information will be announced in the forerunner this coming week regarding our deacon families.  

            Paul served in close community with other believers.  His friends and brothers were one of the reasons he was able to accomplish so much for kingdom of God. His brothers were dear to him and much loved.  So do you have close brothers or sisters that you are serving with?  If you don’t, you have to ask yourself why don’t you have these kinds of relationships. Pride? Selfishness? Fear of Rejection? Timidity? Friendships and relationships are strengthened when we serve together.  Serve in close community.

Serve your Church Community

            Paul wanted to see the church in Colossae grow in Christian Character and Christian Service.  We have seen that theme throughout this letter

. 

Colossians 1:9-14:                  

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. ¹⁰ And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹ being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you^[d] to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. ¹³ For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption,^[e] the forgiveness of sins.

Colossians 2:1-7

I want you to know how much I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. ² My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, ³ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ⁴ I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. ⁵ For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how orderly you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.⁶ So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

3:12-17:

¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Paul never had met this church personally, but he loved his church.  Why? Because the people that he loved, loved this church.  Onesimus was from among the church as well as Epaphras. Onesimus was a run-away slave from the household of Philemon.  Paul sent of Colossians as well as the letter to Philemon with Tychicus and Onesimus.  So the last time Onesimus was back home, he was known as a slave and thief, but he returns as a faithful and dear brother. Do the words forgive as Christ has forgiven you, mean more knowing that one of the recipients of this letter was going to have to forgive the one who brought the letter? But do not miss it, Onesimus came back to serve his people.  He name means useful, which was a common name for a household slave, which is fitting for he returns to his home to be useful for the Lord.

            And look at the example of Epaphras in verse 12-13, “Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. I vouch for him that he is working hard for you and for those at Laodicea and Hierapolis.”  Epaphras served the church through faithful and consistent prayer for the church.  He prayed that they may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.  He was not casual about his devotion to prayer, but it says he wrestled in prayer.  The word used there is how we get the word gymnastics.  He labored for these people in prayer.  So Epaphras was serving the church in his prayers, he was also serving the church by caring for Paul’s needs. Many scholars believe that Epaphras was sent by the church to serve Paul. Also, Paul wrote the letter to the church because of the information shared by Epaphras as seen in Colossians 1:7, “You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.”

            Epaphras and Onesimus were both servants of the church.  Epaphras left Colossae as a servant in his ministry to Paul while Onesimus returned to Colossae to serve the church. God used Epaphras and Onesimus to serve and grow the church at Colossae.  Although Onesimus and Epaphras served alongside Paul in planting and strengthening churches, they were just examples of the typical believer in the New Testament.  Paul writes in Romans 12:4-8:

⁴ Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his^[b] faith. ⁷ If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸ if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

1 Peter 4:17-11

⁷ The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.  What is your gift? What has God given you to serve others?  Use whatever gift you have to serve this church. Sunday School, Nursery, Visitation, Welcome, Outreach, Sound, Power-point, Choir, Prayer, Fellowship, Teaching, Giving, Administration, Transportation, etc. 

Paul’s companions were not special super Christians.  They were just ordinary people doing ordinary things for the glory of God.  I do not want to put an additional weight on you, but if you are not serving the church, you are the one missing out. But here is the thing, I should not have to convince you to serve the church.  The church is close to Jesus’ heart and if you love Jesus you should want to serve his bride. Listen to the words of the great hymn of the faith, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross:

        Were the whole realm of nature mine,

        that were an offering far too small;

        love so amazing, so divine,

        demands my soul, my life, my all.

Isaac Watts captured the heart to service.  God has given us so much that even if we had the whole world, it would not be an offering far too small.  He is so worthy. He is so excellent.  He deserves everything and we should want to give it to him. God has blessed you with gifts so that you can bless others.  Be a blessing.  Serve the church community.

Serve for the Conquered Community

            We end the book of Colossians, where we began four months ago.  The first sermon I preached as your pastor, I challenged you to be fit for heaven.  There are many things that are important in life, but nothing is more important that being with God forever in Heaven.  This book is full of thoughts of Heaven. Col 3:1-2, “ Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”  Thinking about heaven is so important because it helps us finish the race, to fight the good fight and to keep the faith until we are part of the conquered community.

Let me point out a few things here.  Laodicea mentioned here was a neighboring city to Colossae.  It is also mentioned by Jesus in Revelation 3:

14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. 15 “‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the church.”

Church at Laodicea was once strong and vibrant, but their works became lukewarm and they became wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  We are all susceptible to become lukewarm believers.  I believe that much of the American church has suffered from the sin of Laodiceans.  We have become lukewarm; we are neither white hot for the Lord or ice cold.  The Lord says that he wants to spit out the lukewarm believers. But God in her mercy reproves and rebukes those he loves and encourages his people to repent and turn back to him.  He is the one that stands at the door and is knocking for us to turn from being complacent and indifferent to red hot burning embers for the Lord Jesus Christ.  He says to get white garments to clothe ourselves so that the shame of our nakedness may not be seen.  For the one who conquers, Jesus will grant him sit with him on the throne as a co-heir of heaven.  Jesus has conquered death through his resurrection from the dead and is seated down with the Father in Heaven. 

            Beloved, we must serve with an eye on that conquered community which is the community of the

saints that have conquered death by trusting in Jesus Christ for their resurrection from the dead to eternal glory.  For even in the list we just read, we see one who did not endure until the end.  2 Tim 4:9-10, “⁹ Do your best to come to me quickly, ¹⁰ for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica.” Demas, who was once a faithful servant of Jesus Christ and a minister with the Paul, fell in love with this world and deserted the faith.  When you love this world, more than you love the world to come you end up abandoning the faith and losing eternal life.  We see a negative example in Demas, and a positive example in Paul.  Colossians 4:18, “I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains.” Paul was in prison.  He was in prison for preaching the gospel.  He could have left prison if who would have denied Jesus Christ. But his hope in heaven was far better than his hope for comfort and ease in this life.

1 John 2:15-17:

¹⁵ Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ¹⁶ For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.¹⁷ The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

One of the ways we protect our soul from love of this world is in serving others for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we serve, we give ourselves for others. We give our time, our energy, our money, our wisdom etc. We give ourselves.  And when we give ourselves for the sake of others, we follow in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Galatians 1:3-5

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, ⁴ who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And Ephesians 5:1-2

5 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children ² and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

When we serve others, we love others and follow in the example of the Lord Jesus Christ who loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Jesus gave his life so we could be with God. In many ways, our service helps people experience the Lord. 

            God has given us gifts to build up the church. Look back at our text in Verse 17, “Tell Archippus: See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.”  Archippus had given a work from the Lord, it was his job to complete it.  Let me ask you, what work have you been given in the Lord?  Where is God calling you to serve? See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.

            So how do you complete this work? How do we serve with an eye on the conquered community?  The last four words of this letter some it up. “Grace be with you.” Live in grace. Live in community.

To the Prideful: Receive the Kingdom Luke 9:46-62

“This is the greatest BBQ I ever had.” “This is one of the greatest books I have ever read.” “That was one of the greatest QB performances this year.” “That was the greatest compliment I have ever received.” Imagine if you could record all your conversations over the last month, and then do a search for how often the word “greatest” was used in a sentence, I think we would be surprised on how often the word appears. Our society loves to talk about the greatest. Whether it is restaurants, sports, books or vacations, we love to talk about the things that we think are the greatest. It is very interesting how passionate discussions can get when there is a debate about the “greatest.” Now many of us would not admit to this, but I believe that we enjoy these debates because deep down all these debates are about proving why we are the greatest. We want to prove that our interests, opinions and sports teams are the greatest because if they are the greatest well then I must be great for liking or having them. We know from the Bible that there is only one thing that is the greatest and that is God himself. God is the greatest. 1 Chronicles 16:25, “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods.” God is above all and is indeed the greatest.

The Scriptures testify to His greatness, but it also testifies to our lack of understanding of his greatness. In Genesis 3, Eve was tempted to doubt God’s greatness and to replace His greatness with her own. So we read in Genesis 3:1,


“Did God actually say, “You shall not eat of any tree in the garden?” And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat for the fruit of the trees in the garden, but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.” But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. (Gen 3:1-5)”


Eve was tempted to doubt God being the greatest with the promise that you can be like God. The serpent was telling Eve that she was the greatest. It was her opinions and her interests that mattered more than the Lord. “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate (Gen 3:6).” Adam and Eve believed the lie about their own greatness and rejected the greatness of God. Their hearts were filled with pride and their pride brought sin and death into the world. Beloved, the prideful sin of Adam and Eve still lives in our hearts and we must be vigilant to address pride in its many forms. This morning, we are going to look at 4 exhortations to the pride in our hearts. The first three exhortations I will attempt to apply to all of us and the last I will hope to apply specifically to Robert Deaton who will be ordained as a deacon at the end of our service. First exhortation is to the Prideful Self: Receive the Least of the Kingdom.

I. To The Prideful Self: Receive the Least of the Kingdom


Verse 46, “An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest.” We read verses like this about the apostles and we are shocked at their pride. Who goes around debating on which of themselves is the greatest? You may give them a hard time, but if you were to analyze your own heart, I am sure you have an inner dialogue about your own greatness all the time. You see someone doing something you disapprove of and the “Greatest Debate” starts in your own head. “Well how could she wear white shoes after Labor Day, doesn’t she know better? I would never do that.” Translation I am a better dresser than she is or I am the greatest dresser between the two of us.” So let’s not be too hard on the disciples.


Luke goes on in verse 47, “But Jesus knowing the reasoning of their hearts.” Beloved, always know that you cannot hide your heart from God. Jesus does not judge you based on your external obedience, but on the inner working of the heart. And Jesus hates a prideful heart. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5 say, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God is against the prideful and he is also against the prideful thoughts in your own heart. So in love Jesus Christ, knowing the reasoning of our hearts gives us an illustration on how to fight against our prideful thoughts. Verse 47, “But Jesus knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me, For he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”

In Jesus’ day children were not highly valued. In the Mishnah, a record of oral rabbinical teaching, it says, “Morning sleep, midday wine, chattering with children, and tarrying in places where men of the common people assemble, destroy a man.” [1] Children were not taught the Torah until age 12 and were looked at like as a nuisance. Jesus redefines greatness. Greatness is not being known to the powerful, but in the reception of the lowly. The key phrase in verse 48 helps us understand what Jesus is saying. He says whoever receives this child in my name receives me. Greatness is found in knowing Jesus Christ and receiving the least of the kingdom in Jesus name. Our reception to the least of our society is an indicator whether we truly have received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Christians should never strive to be great in the eyes of the powerful in our world, but to receive the lowly. For the least will be the greatest. Those who humble themselves will be exalted by the Lord.

When I graduated college I served at a church in Washington, D. C. in the men’s ministry. We were in the nation’s capital and when I started a bible study my goal was to serve the well-educated, thoughtful, future power brokers of our nation in the Word, but the Lord, knowing the reasoning of my heart, wanted to teach me to receive the lowly. The Men’s Bible study was eventually filled with the homeless and downtrodden. These men had no power and no external greatness, but they knew Jesus Christ. And they taught me that true greatness is not found in the company of the powerful, but in the company of weak. So, who is in your company? How do you receive the weak and lowly? Jesus says to the Prideful Heart: Receive the Least of the Kingdom. Second, exhortation is to the Prideful Church: Receive the Laborers of the Kingdom.

II. To The Prideful Church: Receive the Laborers of the Kingdom
Verse 49, “John answered, “Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.” But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, for the one who is not against you is for you.” So the disciples are slow learners. Jesus is trying to correct their prideful hearts, but John responds with pride. John wanted to show Jesus on how great of followers the disciples were being. He says that we caught someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but because he does not follow with us, they tried to stop him.


Beloved, people who are not against us and the gospel of Jesus Christ are FOR us. We are on the same team. There should be no competition among churches. One of the reasons I regularly pray for other churches and meet to encourage other pastors is to remind us that we are all part of the same kingdom. We are all members of the kingdom of God. If a revival broke out in Rock Hill and people were coming to Christ left and right and churches across this city were being filled up and our attendance remained the same, would you be glad and rejoice? I would. Paul writes in Philippians 1:18, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” When the faithful bible preaching churches of Jesus Christ are growing, God is pleased. So praise His Name. We want the greatness of Jesus Christ to be magnified in this city. If Christ is proclaimed, in that rejoice. If He wants to use Park Baptist Church to that end, to God be the glory. If He wants to use the church down the street, to God be the glory.


So let me say this, I love this church. I love what God is doing in this church. I am excited in how God is growing us and who God is bringing in our midst. It is exciting. God is moving at Park. But if you have friends and family who attend other faithful bible preaching churches, do not invite them to our church. Tell them to be faithful and loyal to that church. Now, there are times when people need to leave their church. It could be due to reasons of ministry philosophy or theology, but it should always be done in a gracious and loving way. We want our church to grow. But we don’t want to our church to grow only numerically. We want our church to grow in holiness, in love for God’s Word, in grace, and in humility. We want it to grow God’s way. So before you invite people to our church make sure you know why you are inviting them. Be excited what God is doing at Park, but be even more excited for what God is doing in the Kingdom. So if they are not attending church, Invite them. Are they non-believers? Invite them. Are they searching for a church home? Invite them. Are they faithful members of other Gospel preaching churches? (Key word: Gospel preaching) Ask how you can pray for them and their church. Got it. The third exhortation is given to the prideful world: Receive the Lord of the Kingdom.


III. To The Prideful World: Receive the Lord of the Kingdom

Verse 51, “When the days drew near for him to be taken up (probably a reference to his ascension following his resurrection), he set his face to go to Jerusalem. And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him. But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.” After verse 51 Jesus starts to narrow his focus on the cross and resurrection. Jesus words and ministry start to intensify. The focus of his ministry starts to turn to Jerusalem where he will be crucified and resurrected. This is important because as the attention turns to the cross so does the rejection of Jesus Christ. The people of the Samaritan village did not receive Jesus. Why? Because his face was set toward Jerusalem and the people did not want to receive the message of the cross.


The message of the cross strikes right at the heart of the pride of the world. As I mentioned in the introduction, we all have an innate sense that we are the greatest because of our sinful nature. Our sinful nature replaces God as King with placing the kingly crown on our own heads. We believe that our desires are the most important desires in the world. The message of the cross is against sinners. Pastor Mark Dever says, "A gospel that in no way offends the sinner has not been understood." The cross should offend the sinner. The cross says that your sin is so heinous in the eyes of God that you deserve to die. Friend, if you are here with us today and are not a believer in Christ, the Bible says that all human beings have fallen short of the glory of God. We have rebelled against God’s greatness and deserve to be punishment. The punishment for our rebellion is unquenchable fire and the weeping and gnashing of teeth in a literal, eternal place called Hell. The message of the cross is that you, a sinner, deserve to die. The message of the cross says you are dead in your sins and need a Savior. And that is offensive. (Pause) But it is also glorious.


The text says in verse 51 and 53 that Jesus set His face towards Jerusalem. The good news of Jesus Christ is that while we replaced God’s greatness with our own, Jesus set his face to Jerusalem where he would lay his life down as a ransom to purify filthy sinners with his precious blood. The message of the cross is the most offensive and encouraging message in the world. In one breathe it says you are a sinner and deserve to die and in the next it says that one has come to die in your place. Jesus died and was raised for everyone who would turn and trust in Him. The people of Samaria did not receive the message, for in their pride, they did not want to admit the first part. They could not acknowledge their sinfulness; therefore they missed the second part of one who came to die for them. Friend, admit you are a sinner deserving of punishment and receive the Lord of the kingdom. Believer, this message also gives you freedom to confess your sin because you do not stand in your righteousness but in the righteousness of another. Every time we confess our sin, we are placing our trust in the work of God in the cross of Jesus Christ.


Luke goes on in verse 54, which has an important lesson to the pride remaining in our hearts, “And when the disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But he turned and rebuked them. And they went on to another village.” The people rejected Jesus and James and John wanted to call fire down from heaven on them. We see their pride well up again. They took great pride in being in the inner circle of Jesus. They accepted Jesus so why don’t others? It is right to call fire down on heaven for those who don’t. I see so much of the Southern church culture. We take so much pride in our position as Christians, that we lose sight in how we became Christians in the first place. Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the

gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” We were shown grace by God in our coming to faith. It is not of our own doing. So when we encounter people who do not receive Jesus Christ, we must pray that God would be merciful to them in helping them open their eyes for without grace we would be there too. Listen to what Charles Spurgeon says to the self-righteous:

“O you self-righteous people, how can you talk about being saved? What saving do you want? You are as full of good works as you can be and your pride shines—how can you be saved? Those who are saved by Jesus are those who are in themselves lost, ruined and undone. Until you know your ruin, and confess your sin, it is not likely you will ever accept a Savior. While you feel you can save yourselves, you will attempt it; but when you can do no more, then you will fall into the arms of your Savior; and what a blessed fall that will be!”[2]


Beloved, fight against self-righteousness, and fall into the arms of your Savior. And go into our prideful world and pray that they would receive the Lord of the Kingdom. The last exhortation goes as a warning to the Prideful Servant: Receive the Labor of the Kingdom.


IV. To The Prideful Servant: Receive the Labor of the Kingdom


We take the ordaining of our deacons and pastors very serious. Ordination is our way to set aside someone for unique service the kingdom of God. In Acts 13:2, “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. Today, we are going to set apart Robert Deaton for the work to which the Lord has called him: to serve as a deacon. I would like to give a charge to Robert from the end our Sermon Text this morning. Luke 9:57,


As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” To another he said, “Follow me.” But he said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” And Jesus said to him, “Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.


In this section, Jesus lays out the cost of following Him. Robert, there is a great cost in following Jesus. Notice how often the word “follow” is used in this section.

V. 57, “I will follow you wherever you go.”


V. 59. “Follow me.”


V. 61, “I will follow you, Lord, but let me first...


The command of Jesus is very simple. Follow me. Follow means to come behind or to be a disciple. Jesus is calling you follow him. But remember what Jesus means when he says follow him. He is calling you to follow him as he set his face to Jerusalem. He is calling you to follow him in the way of the cross. I want you to notice how many people in this passage claimed that they would follow Jesus…eventually.


Verse 59, Lord let me first…


Verse 61, I will follow you, Lord, but let me first…


Robert, you are being set apart to serve as a deacon. The word deacon itself means to serve. But you are not called to serve like the people that Jesus met along the road that day. They all said that they would follow Jesus, but they would not follow him first. The calling of all Christians, especially leaders, is to serve Jesus Christ as the greatest joy of your life. You must humble yourself under His Lordship. The labor of the kingdom is a glorious task.


Jesus gives a great image of those who follow him. He says, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. “ Robert, you are being called to put your hand to the plow and sow into the kingdom of God. Farmers would plow up the hard ground to prepare the seeds for the harvest. You are called to plow up the hard ground of the heart with sacrificial love to prepare to seed of the Word for people’s hearts. Farmers would plow the field in hot seasons of drought and in season of perpetual rain. God is calling you to labor for his glory in times of pain and in times of blessing. The work of plowing was hard work and it often costs the farmer his strength. Robert, God is calling you to work hard even at the cost of your strength. Jesus says no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. We are setting you apart as deacon for good. This is not a temporary job, but a commission to lifelong service to the King of kings and the Lord of lords. It is a great honor to serve the Lord. I exhort you to receive the labor of the Kingdom.







[1] Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke Volume 1: 1:1–9:50. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (p. 895). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.
[2] http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-four-lucky-lepers-robert-leroe-sermon-on-evangelism-urgency-48291.asp?Page=3 accessed on 8.31.13 3:44 pm