Grace OPC Sewickley PA

Sermon Book: Luke

Take Care How You Listen

About this sermon

Jesus warns, “Take care then how you hear.” Listening to sermons can be dangerous, because hearing God’s word and not responding hardens the heart. In the parable of the soils, some hear and the devil snatches the word away, some receive it with joy but fall away, and some let worries choke it. James warns against being a hearer who forgets what he has seen in the mirror. Those who come to worship should listen attentively, receive the word in faith, and be doers of the word.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

All around us, we see danger signs, don’t we? See them on electrical towers, mechanical devices, cigarette packages, TV advertisements for drugs. They particularly interest me. You know exactly what I mean, I can tell it by your laughter. After you listen to the three-minute spiel on what it could do to kill you or make you worse, you think, oh my word, I don’t think I want to take that drug. We’re almost numbed by them, aren’t we?

And we as Americans living in relative freedom and wealth, it does take operations and accidents to remind us this isn’t heaven, Toto. This is a fallen world that must be redeemed by God. There’s one warning that I want to highlight this morning. That’s the simple message. There is a warning, and I give you the most startling one, I think, that I’ve ever seen. The great physician, Jesus Christ, has determined that listening to sermons can be dangerous to you. I’m not kidding. Jesus says this, and we’re going to examine it this morning. You must be responding. You’ve got to be kidding. We’re doing everything we can to get people to come here and listen to the Word of God, sit under the Word of God, and we should. But you know, there is a danger in listening to sermons.

And the world doesn’t face that, does it? They’re all sitting around, you know, not knowing what to do with themselves because the Steelers don’t play until tomorrow night. And so they have no life until tomorrow night. Okay, the whole town is sort of shut down. Nobody’s going anywhere. Because life doesn’t include Jesus Christ.

I’ve been down to the Worship Cathedral, Pittsburgh, Word FM has a pastor’s appreciation dinner. I won’t go into all the where’s and wherefores of that, but it’s on the mezzanine. I’ve gone twice now on the mezzanine. I’ve gone for the seminary at the cathedral. Of course, you know what I mean, Heinz Field. That’s where everybody wants to go, and that’s where everybody worships in Pittsburgh if it’s not at Consul Energy Center. So the pagans don’t have a problem with listening to sermons because they don’t listen to sermons, but you, come regularly and sit under the preaching of the word, and you should. But Jesus gives this warning. There’s a real danger, and it’s in Luke chapter eight, verse 18.

Sort of reminds me of the third commandment, which is, the third commandment is, you may say it out loud, you shall not take the Lord, God, your name in vain, right? Now, who breaks that? Commandment. Certainly pagans do because they use God’s name as a curse word. But I submit to you that you and I are in danger of violating that command.

Why? Because we call ourselves Christians. We bear the name of the living God. And so we’re more in danger even than the pagans because they don’t claim to be believers. It’s similar to that. We sit under the word. Listen to the context. Let me read our passage. I thought I was never going to get to the scripture, but I will, okay? Our passage then is in Luke chapter 8, and let’s read the context.

The context of this chapter, we’ll read from verse 4 down, and I’ll actually read a few more verses afterwards to give you the whole context as Luke is putting different things together to try to convince Theophilus that what he’s heard is true, and these are things that he puts together. Here then the word of the living God, Luke chapter 8, verses 4 through 21.

And when a great crowd was gathering, and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable, quote, a sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it. And some fell on the rock. And as it grew up, it withered away because it had no moisture. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it. And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold. As he said these things, he called out, he who has ears to hear, let him hear.

And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, he said, to you, it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God. But for the others, they are in parables so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand. Now the parable is this, the seed is the word of God, the ones along the path are those who have heard, then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so they may not believe and be saved. The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, they receive it with joy, but these have no root. They believe for a while, and in time of testing, fall away. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way, they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit doesn’t mature. As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

No one, after lighting a lamp, covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care, then, how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given. And from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.

Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, your mother and your brothers are standing outside desiring to see you. But he answered them, my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.

Let’s pray. God, may you write this passage on our hearts so that, Lord, from now on, today and for however long we’re here on this earth, we may listen with ears to hear so that, Lord, your word may be a blessing. It may not harden us, but may bear much fruit in our lives. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen. So simply, I think you can see where I’m going. Christ has said, listening to sermons can be a dangerous, a dangerous occupation.

So what do you need to understand? Very simply, how you listen is very, very significant. How you listen to Pastor Knox tonight, and of course you will be back here tonight, of course, to listen to him, to hear the word of God. How you listen to him or to Brent or anybody else that gets into the pulpit, how you listen is significant because your listening will be amplified. How you listen is important because it will be amplified. If you listen correctly, it’ll bless. If you listen incorrectly, it’ll be amplified down.

Even what you think you have may be taken away. So let’s look at this. Look at verse 18 again. Let me just read the verses immediately around it. No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed but puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. This is one of Jesus’ obvious teachings. It’s a duh. It’s obvious, okay? You don’t turn the lights on to cover them. You want people to see, okay?

Nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known come to light. Those are pretty easy to grasp. Take care, then, how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. What comes to mind immediately for me is Hebrews, right? Chapter 2.

How shall we escape if we neglect what? So great a salvation. Hebrew believers, don’t be impressed with Moses. Don’t be impressed with the Old Covenant. It’s all real. God was there. He was working his people. But guess what? The real deal is Jesus. And now Jesus is here, and he’s done all of this, and it’s clear why. Look at all the miracles. Look at all the demons that tried to destroy Jesus. It’s clear. How will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? We can’t drift, beloved. You can’t sleep through these sermons, okay?

And I think you got good preachers here, and it’s not the quality of preaching, even if it’s, someone said this a long time ago, Roger Wagner, an OP pastor, worked with him for 20-some years in California. He says, look, even if you get chicken bones for a sermon, gnaw on them, Get whatever meat’s left on that bone, okay? You know, none of us are Whitfields, okay?

But the bottom line is if you get the real deal, if you get Christ preached to you, you get the meat of the word and all on that thing. I remember Tom Tyson was here the last time I was here, I think, and Tom said years ago, he was my pastor, he says, you get meat and potatoes.

Nobody comes here and says, give me rocks. I want something new and exciting. He says, you just want the same old gospel, don’t you? Give me the meat and potatoes. So it’s not spectacular. It’s the gospel. And what’s the gospel? Jesus. The incarnate Son of God who comes to fulfill the law, to give you his righteousness, and to take your sins to the cross. That’s the gospel. And you ought to gnaw on that. I mean, I don’t know any other gospel that’ll save you. So if you get the same old gospel, you ought to be happy, gnawing on it.

Okay, now, listen. Okay, that’s verse 18. Take care, then, how you hear, or how you listen. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. So, you gotta look. Scripture has this phrase in the Old Testament, it says, Behold! Look, behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. Pay attention. So the first thing you have to do is when you come to worship, you need to look and be aware.

You need to listen specifically to the truth of God. Now, again, without going into it as a separate sermon, look at the context. You know the parable of the soul, right? Some people yawn their way through sermons, and Satan plucks the word. They walk out the door heart-hearted. Others get jazzed. They get all excited. Yeah! Wow! That’s amazing!

But because there really isn’t any work in that person’s heart from the Holy Spirit, they walk away. And when somebody goes, what? You believe in Jesus? Or gets really nasty. And then all of a sudden, what? You zip your lip. You get backwards. Off you go, there’s no root. Others get choked out. Maybe they even get to the point they get baptized, they join church, okay? But guess what? The pleasures of life, the worries of life, the cares of what? Choke. No fruit.

The parable’s really clear. What’s the good soil? produces 100 fold. Now, in the telling of this other places Jesus says 40, 60, 100. So, all Christians aren’t the same but everybody has fruit. And the fruit comes from what? One of our elders was talking about this morning and Ed was speaking about that in Sunday school. Where does growth come from? You know that. You’re a Orthodox Presbyterians. You’re in this good congregation. You all say that. I’ve heard you. You memorize the catechisms or whatever. But do you meditate on it? Do you go over it? Do you pay attention to it? See, that’s the point.

The word of God. Why do people, here’s a theory of mine. Why do people go to Pentecostal churches? Because they like the excitement or whatever, okay? Lots of different reasons. But one of the reasons is, and I really believe this is, every human being wants to see the hand of God. And of course, that’s where people think it’s happening. Arms are growing, legs are growing, you know, all this kind of stuff. And supposedly, people think the war changed lives, friends.

Do you realize when you think about how miraculous it is that you all would come here and sit still for 30 minutes, 45 minutes, listen to this stuff, and go out and live it? The world thinks that’s nuts. Why do you go to school? I don’t know why, but you know, you go to school. Some make you go to school. Others pay for it, right? Nobody pays you to come here. See, the working of God in your heart, because you realize, I can’t have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, meekness, self-control. I can’t do that on my own. I need God.

And how’s God, the Holy Spirit, going to work? Through the Word. as you get convicted, as you get cleansed, as you get excited once again, and as he begins to conform you and shape you, you know, I’m teasing, half-teasing, but not because he’s a pope or a priest or anything. You ought to go hug Pastor Knox all the time, okay? Because in a sense, he’s your lifeline to the word of God as he feeds you. By the way, you kids, You know, if your parents or grandparents feed you, you ought to be really happy because they’re working hard to give you what you need to grow.

See, that’s what happens here. So how are you going to do that? I’ll just suggest this. We’ll come back to it later. Slammed. We’ll come back to that. S-L-A-M-D, okay, as in acrostic. We’ll come back to that, okay? How you listen. How you listen. Stop, listen, accept, meditate, and then do. We’ll go over those briefly, okay? But some verses, how do you listen? First of all, we think about this when we listen to each other, but turn to James. And this goes for sermons too. James chapter one, verses 19 through 20, and I think you’ll see how this fits. Know this, my beloved brothers, let every person be what?

Quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to get angry, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires. That’s a whole sermon in itself, but simply put, An angry person doesn’t listen. Remember the last time you were angry and somebody tried to calm you down? Did it work? No, because you’re not listening.

The key to good communication between people, but here in sermons is what? God’s communicating to you through your pastors, be quick to hear. See, stop, listen. When you come in here, you want to get notes out, you want to be working at this, stop and listen, and then accept what’s being said. Swift to hear, slow to speak. Now, and I know you think, you sit there. I’ve been through sermons, hundreds of them, okay?

And what do you do? I don’t agree with that. I don’t think about that. Right? Come on. You know, you don’t just sit there passively, you know, swift to hear, slow to speak, even internally, slow to get angry. What’s a practitioner mean about that? Why’d you get into my case? Someone say that last week. Were you preaching at me? Yes. I was preaching at everybody. What do you think I’m up here, just to yap?

I mean, you know, bottom line is God’s speaking to you. And I always tell them, it doesn’t matter if you think I’m a donkey. God used a donkey to rebuke a mad prophet. If I’m speaking the word of God, you need to listen. So slow to speak, slow to get angry, okay? Why? Because the anger of man doesn’t work the righteousness that God required. Again, listen to the words of Christ. Matthew 7. Matthew 7, you know this. You’ve heard this before, but let me just read it for you.

Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew. They beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, the floods came, the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall I don’t have the voice, but if I did, I would sing, don’t build your house on, you know, the kid’s song, okay? Don’t build your house on the sandy ground, you build it on the rock, and the rock is the word, you have to listen to the word.

Back to James chapter one, listen to this, okay? Verse 21, therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to what? Save your soul. The Bible doesn’t save you. It’s Christ that saves you, but he uses the Bible. He uses the preached word. 22, but be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word, not a doer, he’s like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. You’ve all done that, looks like. Mustaches and beards are trimmed. You know, the hair is all nice. He looked in the mirror, okay?

For he who looks intently at his natural face in the mirror, for he looks at himself and goes away at once, he forgets what he was like. Now, that’s pretty simple, right? I’ll use myself as an example. If I look into the mirror this morning, right, to shave, And I think, oh boy, I’m going to Swickly, and they’re going to love me just because I’m good looking. They’re all going to think I’m like a movie star. Are you kidding? Did I just look in the mirror? Did I forget what I just saw? It’s silly, but that’s what James says. That’s what it’s like.

You look into the perfect law of the word of God, and you go away, and you forget what it tells you that you look like. if you’re not a doer of the word. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, will be blessed in his doing. See, that’s why I say in the acrostic, the last one is do. Stop, listen, accept what’s said, meditate on it, and then do it. Well, that’s how you need to listen. Why? Because it gets amplified. Let’s go back to the text in Luke. Look what it says. Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given.

Can I ask you a simple question? Do you want more of Jesus? I need more of him. That’s my one big need, not money, not health. I need more of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. I want more. I’m tired of being a sinner. I’m tired of not doing it the right way. I want to grow in grace. Well then, what do I need to do?

Take hair out here, for the one who has, more will be given. And from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he, isn’t that an interesting one? Even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. See the amplification? God gives grace. Why? He gives. God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, humble yourself under the mighty hand of God. He’ll exalt you at the proper time. And then Peter goes on that, as you do this, you’re what? You’re resisting the devil. See, it all comes back again to the word.

If I submit to God through the word, I’m resisting the devil. You know, we don’t need any of this, on the name of Jesus, you know, some stylized thing of casting out demons or rebuking this, that, you know. To resist the devil simply is what? Submitting to God. And why do I submit to God? I listen to what he says.

You kids understand this, right? Go clean up your room. Well, you know, if you go out and mow the lawn and take in the garbage and everything else, you know, mom and dad might go, well, that’s really nice of you, but I asked you to clean your room. Oh, okay, okay. Then you go do the basement and you do the attic and everything, but you don’t do your room. You know, eventually your parents are going to go, son, what’s wrong with you? What don’t you understand about cleaning your room? You run around and do all these other things. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m in Western Pennsylvania. I didn’t understand. Red up your room. Oh, OK, Dad. I didn’t speak Western Pennsylvania to the kid. OK, that’s his problem. He didn’t understand my command. But if my commandment’s clear, just you do it.

Why is it so hard? Christian life is impossible, but it’s not all that complicated. Just do what God tells you to do. Of course you can’t, so you have to cry for grace, but the point is, we don’t have to come up with some kind of, you know, esoteric theology or whatever it is. Just go do what the Lord wants.

Why? Very simple, with your sermons. Hearers are never the same. Listen to me. You can’t come here, sit under the Word, and not be affected. You’ll either go away hardened, or soften and growing in grace. So that’s the message for this morning. The spiritual surgeon general has determined that listening to sermons can be dangerous.

Might put it this way, it’s like electricity. I’ve almost burnt my house down a few times because I didn’t have a healthy respect for electricity. You have to, electricity’s good, but if you abuse and you tinker with it the wrong way, it’s funny when you see it in a Travelocity commercial, the little guy gets blown back, but it’s not funny when you put your hand in the socket and you get zapped.

Isaiah, and again, remember the context. And again, this is along with the theme of the sermon, but we’ve heard this all, I heard it all the time growing up in a Bible-believing home. A parable is what? An earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Okay, that’s one way of going about it. And what’s the purpose? We always say, well, the purpose is what? To explain the kingdom of God. Yes and no. It’s a two-edged sword, right? What does Jesus say? Parables? Why are you speaking to them in parables?

And he makes a very interesting statement. He quotes here in Matthew 10, he quotes Isaiah 55, that hearing they will not hear, seeing that they won’t see, so that I’ll be justified for punishing them for their sins. Whoa, that kind of makes you step back. So every sermon has a purpose. It’ll divide fathers and sons, mothers and daughters. It’ll divide people on the elect and non-elect, but it’ll also divide people who are hearers and hearers only and those that are doers. Well, let me wrap this up by some final exhortations. Beloved, you need to be careful when you come here. And you need to be serious when you come here.

Remember, in one sense I could exaggerate for effect, why did Israel go into exile? You might say it, centuries of exposition of the word and prophetic preaching that was ignored, right? That’s why they ended up in exile. We can laugh, you know, a fiddler at the roof. It’s great Jewish humor, but it gets people killed. Remember what Rateviev says? Well, if that’s what it is to be God’s people, let them choose someone else for a while. You know, and everybody laughs. Yeah, but you know, God didn’t think that was funny. A whole generation died in the wilderness, you know, because they didn’t listen to the word of God.

It’s a great privilege, okay? So remember, it’s in the context of the soils. And the question is, what kind of soil are you? Kids? Adults? Are you the kind that can come in, sermon just bounces off you and kind of like that hard soil? Or are you a person that gets really excited about everything? Treat the Lord like the Steelers, you know, you get excited for a while and then you forget and no fruit. Or, you know, you’re here all the time, but there’s no love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control. Where are you?

Christ’s explanation of this particular parable and the parables in general. See, so Matthew, I mean, excuse me, Luke 18, take care how then you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. See, that confirms, doesn’t it, the Matthew 7, build on the rock, you’ll stand in judgment. You don’t do it, you won’t.

James, what we read there, being a doer of the word and not a hearer only. Well, I know this is usually not good homiletical way of going about it, but I’m going to read a quote, okay, because it’s the catechism. Can’t say it any better than this. The larger catechism, question and answer 160. What is required of you that hear the word preached? I modified that. It really goes, of those that hear the word, I’m preaching to you, okay? So the catechism says this. What is required of you that hear the word preached? It is required of you that hear the word preached, that you attend upon it with diligence.

You work at it. Preparation. What did you do last night? What did you do this morning? Did you really prepare? And prayer. How many poor pastors, I hope not yours, pastor and social pastor, get up in the pulpit and people haven’t prayed for? If you haven’t prayed for them, don’t complain about the sermon. You haven’t done your part. With diligence, preparation, prayer. Next phrase, examine what they hear by the scriptures.

Are you Bereans? I know you’ve been asked that before. Do you go home? Okay. Do you go over the sermon? Do you tear it apart in terms of the word and compare it to other scripture and go, boy, the pastor wasn’t bad. I find 50, there’s only one that I find that sort of makes me question. You examine it by the scriptures.

Receive the truth with faith. Without faith it’s impossible to please him because you must believe that he is and he rewards those that diligently seek him through the sermons. Receive the truth with faith, love, meekness, and readiness of mind as the word of God. I’m serious. Do you, in a sense, listen to Pastor Knox and Malin just as if it was the scriptures. Receive it as it is, the word of God. It’s never infallible like the word, but when it hits the word, it is the word of God.

And finally, meditate. See, I didn’t just come up with that. Meditate and confer of it. Think about it. Go back to it. Use it. Hide it in their hearts and bring forth the fruit of it in their lives. That’s what you’re supposed to do. That’s how you listen to these sermons.

There’s a little book. I think it’s still available somehow. It’s called Consumers Guide to Preaching by Jay Adams. He actually sits, goes through this little book saying, how should you really listen to sermons? Maybe the title’s a little bad title, because you’re not consumers. But he’s trying to get the other, you have to examine these sermons. So I leave you again with the acrostic. Slam. Stop. Listen. Accept, meditate, and do. Beloved, for each one of you, for your families, and for this flock, may you stand on that day founded on the rock. Let’s pray.

Father in heaven, we thank you for this word. You’re clear, and sometimes we’ve forgotten this, but Lord, we need to get it down pat. We need to be hearers and doers of the word. And we won’t be doers of the word if we don’t stop and listen from our busy lives and remember that we’re in the heavenly courts of heaven and we’re hearing you, the living God, speak through our pastor. Help us, Lord God, to stop, to listen intently, to accept it, to meditate on it, and then do it. And Lord, may this congregation be here and may it grow to such an extent that, Lord, it has to start other churches, may this stay here till Jesus comes back on the clouds of glory. And we know the only way to do that is to be diligent hearers and doers of the word, not merely hearers only.

We pray this in your son’s name. Amen. If you’ll take your hymnals with me, let’s sing in closing, hymn 267, O Word of God Incarnate, and then we’ll remain standing for the blessing that Christ has earned for you, and after that, we’ll sing our choral benediction, hymn three, from Psalm 117, the first two. 267, let’s stand.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 18, 2011
The Prodigal Son

About this sermon

In Jesus’ parable a younger son demands his inheritance, squanders it in a far country, and ends up feeding pigs before he comes to his senses and goes home to confess his unworthiness. His father runs to welcome him with a robe, a ring, and a feast. The older brother refuses to come in. The parable exposes both the irreligious and the self-righteous, and shows the heavenly Father’s welcome to the unworthy. Christ, who tells the story, is the true Son who brings sinners home.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

Open your Bible to Luke chapter 15. We’ll start at verse 11. Luke chapter 15 starting at verse 11. While you’re turning there, I have just a couple of psalm quotations talking about the nations and how the nations are called to praise the Lord. And also the Hebrew people are called to call the non-Hebrew nations, the Gentile nations to themselves.

It says, Psalm 57, 9, I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples. I will sing praises to you among the nations. Psalm 67, 2, that your way may be known on the earth, your salvation among all nations. Let the peoples praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.

Also, Psalm 117, verse 1, praise the Lord, all ye nations, laud him, all peoples, all of the nations, all of the people are called to praise the Lord, Jew and Gentile alike, in Old and New Testament alike. Now, assuming we have found it all, Luke 15, starting at verse 11, let us read.

And he said, a man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me. So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country. And there he squandered his estate with loose living. Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him.

But when he came to his senses, he said, how many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger. I will get up and go to my father and will say to him, father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired men. So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.

But the father said to his slaves, quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet and bring the fattened calf, kill it and let us eat and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again.

He was lost and he has been found. And they began to celebrate. Now his older brother was in the field, and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. And he said to him, your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound. But he became angry and was not willing to go in. And his father came out and began pleading with him.

But he answered and said to his father, look, for so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours. And yet you have never given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him. And he said to him, son, you have always been with me and all that is mine is yours.

But we had to celebrate and rejoice for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live and was lost and has been found. grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God is forever. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this portion of scripture that is very dear to many of us, but sometimes the commonality of things that we do know can bring boredom to us. Help us not to be bored by anything in your word, but help us to see it anew. Help us to have it applied to us this day, this evening, that we might rejoice at the salvation that we have in Christ alone. In his name we pray, amen.

For purposes of symmetry and looking at our sermon, I must say this is a day of ease, and it is not, that is not by my plans. But we’ll start with our first point being an exit, our second being an entrance, and thirdly, an entreaty. An exit, an entrance, and an entreaty. So here we have this wonderful story, this beautiful and glorious picture of the gospel. Let us fill in just some of the details for us, looking at an exit.

There is this one man, and he has two sons. And the second son, the youngest son, comes to his father and he says, Father, I would like to take my inheritance. I would like to have the whole thing because I’d like to have it for myself. I have things that I have to do. See, what’s going on here is that it is more than just someone taking money. This inheritance would be his at his father’s death. So at his father’s death, he would have this money. He wants it now. Basically what he’s saying, not directly, but indirectly, he is saying to his father, you are as good as dead to me. Basically, you’re not dying fast enough. You could imagine the crassness of this man. He’s the kind of man who would say to his friends, you know, my old man is gonna kick the bucket. Really just a harsh way of speaking about his father.

What he would have been entitled to at that time, we’re told by certain sources, we’re told that he probably would have been entitled to one third of what was his father’s because a double portion goes to the firstborn son. Firstborn son was in a much better position.

And so he takes, he’s satisfied with his one-third. He figures, that’s the most I’m going to get. And he says, I want it, let me have it. So he exits. And he goes and he overspends. He overspends. He comes to learn the hard way, the deceitfulness of riches, the deceitfulness of money.

Many of us may have learned this the hard way when we might have thought we had a large amount of money, we just spend a little here, a little there, and all of a sudden it is gone. It is very deceitful sometimes when we have a large sum of money, especially one that we have not earned This is not only the case with this man. Many of us may know about it, but you need simply look into the news and listen and hear about sports stars and movie stars who have been given so much money they almost don’t know what to do with it. And it all is just thrown away so that they are declaring bankruptcy. Many lottery winners declare bankruptcy, statistically, seven or eight years later.

Very difficult to learn the hard way, but that is the deceitfulness of riches and the deceitfulness of thinking we have a certain amount of money, thinking it’s going to be with us for a long, long time. Especially overspending on money that we have not earned.

Surely this was a lazy man, a lazy son. Proverbs has things to say about those who would be lazy. Proverbs 10, 4 says, Poor is he who works with a negligent hand. but the hand of the diligent makes rich. Proverbs 12, 24 says, the hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor. Proverbs 19, 15 says, laziness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle man will suffer hunger.

That’s just a sampling. I could have pulled many proverbs out to us to show the the problem with this man’s problem just to diagnose what’s going on here this man was a lazy man but He comes to his senses after a while. He comes to his senses and finally he has to get a job. We’re not told that he had any work before that time. He was just living it up. He has to have a job.

There is no more money. And we can just imagine there are no more friends anymore. Where did all of his friends go? Surely someone will have many friends who has a large amount of money and is just constantly buying drinks, paying for this, paying for that. That’s the kind of person who everyone wants to be around. Someone who is very popular. But not anymore. Not after the money dries up, after it runs out. What is left? Just him. And he has to go and get a job. And what job does he get?

He goes to feed pigs among other things, of all jobs, I should say. He feeds pigs. At least it would have been respectable in a Jewish mindset if he had become a shepherd of someone’s sheep or something like that. But to be a pig feeder, how horrible that is in a Jewish mind, the most dirty, the most foul of animals.

And here he is feeding these This man has hit rock bottom, but he comes to his senses. He comes to his senses again. I didn’t plan this, but he comes to his senses in verse 17, just like this morning. Let’s read verse 17. But he came to his senses and he said, how many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here. with hunger. This would be an entrance, or we could say a re-entrance. He comes to his senses and says, you know, as bad as I have it, look how bad I have it, there are people who are working for my father and they are eating better than me.

He is envying the pods, probably corn pods of pigs. So after coming to his senses, He plans to go to his father to re-enter into that household. This man has no pride left. Imagine, though, what must have waited for him if he were to go back and become a servant in his father’s household. Surely he will be mocked and mocked horribly. He’s going to first have to beg his father and to grovel, to eat crow, to beg and to plead. Imagine what his big brother is going to think. All I have to say is, you know how big brothers can be. Imagine what he’s going to think.

And then also, worse of all, think about what his servants are going to be like. This is not just any group of servants. These were his servants at one time. But now, he is going to be their peer. He’s going to be their equal. And for some, what he’s asking for is that some of these who once were his servants will be his superiors.

This is a humbled man. So we also see that he prepares a speech. He prepares a speech in verses 18 and 19. This is what he says he’s going to say to his father. He says, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired men. So he says, that’s what I’m going to say to him. I’m unworthy. and please make me, allow me to work in your household. And surely he thought about that and thought about that and it rotated in his mind. This is what I’m going to say. This is what I’m going to say.

But the father sees him. Seemingly, the father was looking for him, looking for him on the horizon, seeing him from a long way off. And the father welcomes him in. And there in verse 22, his prepared speech begins. You may notice that it is word for word, verbatim. Sorry,

21. He says, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. And before he’s able to even say, make me one of your servants, the Father interrupts him. His planned speech didn’t go like he planned.

Many of us know what that is like. And the father showers him with blessings, amazing blessings. He says to him, you are my son. This is my son. Look, this one has come back. This one who was dead is alive again. He says, Put on him the best robe. Put upon him the ring. Put on him shoes or sandals. Let us cut the fattened calf. What is this robe that he’s given? This robe that he’s given is honor. You see, no servant is going to wear a robe that is like this robe. It’s the greatest robe. It’s the best robe that they have. He also is given a ring.

This probably wasn’t any old ring, not just any normal ring, but probably a family ring or an heirloom type ring that would have been able to identify the family. In ancient times, when someone was sending mail to verify who it was, they had a ring and they would press that ring into hot wax when they would send a document. And when they would do that, that would verify who this was. This was to verify what family this is coming from.

And also, he says, get him shoes. Why is that? Get him shoes. Get him sandals. Because sons don’t wear… Sons wear sandals. Sons wear shoes. But servants do not. And then also, he says, to get the fattened calf. This was something that was done for special occasions. You would save a certain calf and it would be the tenderest and the best.

Think about the time when Abraham was wandering around in Genesis 18.7 and the angelic beings come to him. Ultimately, God comes to him and Abraham runs in 187. Abraham also ran to the herd and he took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant and he hurried to prepare it.

He would not have taken a tough calf. He would not have taken one that just all the servants would eat, but one that is most tender. In Amos chapter 6, the The prophet chides those who are wealthy. Why? Because they had such disdain for the poor, but they were living it up themselves, regularly eating of things like the fattened calf, or one of the best meats.

In Amos 6.4, it says, those who recline on beds of ivory and sprawl on their couches, and eat lambs from the flock and calves from the midst of the stall. The best lambs and the best calves were for those who were most dear to the people.” And that is very much what’s going on in our passage here.

What an amazing picture of the Heavenly Father’s welcome to people who are unworthy, to people who come to Him and say, I am unworthy to be your son. But then we have an end treaty, or a calling to one to come in as well, and that is the older son. The older son comes in from working and he doesn’t even know what’s going on a time long before phones and cell phones. What is going on? And he hears, he hears that your little brother has come back and your dad has received him in.

Isn’t that great? what must have been going through this man’s mind at that time. Not only is this horrible little brother wasted his whole savings, but now he’s come back for my portion. You see, that one third is gone. All that is left is the two thirds, and that’s mine, he must be thinking. But then he begins to proclaim his faithfulness. Don’t you understand how good I’ve been, basically is what he says. He says, don’t you see what I have done?

Look at verse 29. He says, but he answered and said to his father, look, for so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours. And yet you have never given me a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him. There he is, proclaiming his own good works.

But what is significant about verse 29 is this, the word for serving or working there. There are a couple of different words that could have been used. But when he says, I have been serving you all these years, he doesn’t use the normal word for work. It’s not as to say, he didn’t say, I have been working for you all these words, all these years. He could have said that. That’s a different word. But the word that he uses is the same word that is often used when a slave is working. What he’s implying there is, not only I have been working for you, but I have been slaving for you all of these years.

See, this son whose relationship with his father is built upon works righteousness, not upon grace, sees his work for his father as drudgery. He doesn’t see it as something that is joyful to do. But notice the worthiness and the unworthiness of these two sons. You have one who comes and says, father, I am not worthy to be called your son.

And then the other one says, I have served you. I have never disobeyed. It seems that things are put on their head. It seems that the first are last and the last are first. For here, one comes proclaiming his unworthiness and he seems to have been found worthy. But the other, he comes proclaiming his worthiness.

What a sad view of parental relationship this one had. But even the father answers this one in grace. answering him, saying, son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours, but we had to celebrate and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead, and has begun to live, and was lost, and has been found. Here is the father’s welcome, the father’s welcome of the unworthy son. It’s a wonderful picture of the gospel. But who is Jesus really talking about here? Who is the audience for this parable? Go with me if you have your Bible open just to the first verse in chapter 15.

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near to him to listen to him. Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble saying, this man receives sinners and eats with them.” We have two parties set over against one another. We have the scribes and the Pharisees, those whose understanding of the Heavenly Father is built upon works righteousness, just like the oldest son and the youngest son.

That is the tax collectors and the sinners. those who are coming into the heavenly kingdom even faster, even more of them, sooner than those who know the scriptures far greater. Why is this? Because salvation is by grace. It is by grace, and not by works. this same kind of spirit would also come later on.

Let me just say that these same types of people, these scribes and these Pharisees, would despise the fact that not only these sinners are coming in to the kingdom of God, but also that Gentiles are coming in to the kingdom of God. For hear what Romans 9, 30 and 31 says, What shall we say then, that Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness attained righteousness? Even the righteousness which is by faith? But Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law? What is the relationship of sinners to God? repentant sinners, God receives them.

He calls them in. He puts the shoes upon them, the sandals. He puts the robe upon them. He gives them the signet ring. This is all to show His grace, that those who did not pursue righteousness are given it. And those who pursue it by works righteousness, those are the ones who are left without it. even confirming this, Romans 4, 4 and 5. Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor. but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. That is one of my favorite verses in the Bible, Romans 4-5, and I hope it is one of yours as well. That those who did not work, but simply believed, come to the faith.

But where is Christ in all of this? Where is Christ? Well, Christ is the storyteller. He certainly is that, we understand that. But Christ is shaming the tax collectors, and he’s shaming the Pharisees. But how much greater is Christ than these men? These men who had the Psalms. These men, these scribes, certainly imagine these scribes who would have copied multiple times the Hebrew Scriptures. Even copying Psalm 57 and 67 and 117, as I read before, where the nations are called. And also, according to the scriptures in the Old Testament, sinners are to be brought in.

There’s no room for arrogance in the kingdom of God, but these people seemed to have had it. So where is Christ in this? Brothers and sisters, what I want you to see tonight is that Jesus Christ is your older brother. and how much greater of a brother he is than this older brother was, or these older brothers the scribes and the Pharisees were.

For hear about the fact from Hebrews chapter 2 that Jesus Christ is not ashamed to call you his brothers. Hebrews chapter 2, 11 and 13. He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will proclaim your name to my brethren. In the midst of the congregation, I will sing your praise. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, behold I and the children whom God has given me. Quoting from the Old Testament.

What an amazing thing this is. that Jesus Christ is so much greater than this older brother. What Jesus is implying here is that Jesus would have done far more than this older brother had done. What is an older brother really for? I asked that before, asking, you know how big brothers are. Big brothers can be a real pain. but we have in Christ a big brother who is far greater than any big brother.

For he did not simply go to find his, as this man should have done, go and pull him out of the bar when he was drunk or take him out of the house where the harlots are. He did not go out and seek him. He did not simply do that. You have a an older brother who did far more for you than what this older brother ought to have done.

For the Lord Jesus Christ has gone and has rescued you from out of the miry clay in which your feet would have slipped. The Lord Jesus Christ has taken you out from that, not by simply grabbing you and pulling you from that. He has rescued you from sin. He died upon a cross and He rose again, far more than any brother could do for anyone.

Jesus Christ does for you. He did for you. He sent His Holy Spirit to draw you into the kingdom. This is the work of a holy and righteous older brother. How much greater He is than this man. But even more than that, Jesus Christ gives more than that, for He does not simply give a robe. Jesus Christ is the robe of righteousness. He gives it to you, His people. Not only that, He does not lay before you a feast. He is the feast for you. How much greater than that other brother. He rescued you from this. He underwent wrath. Christ was your sacrifice. All for this.

We have an older brother who is not ashamed to call us brothers. Are we ashamed of our sin? Yes, we are. But we have even still a brother who is not ashamed of our sin, because he died upon a cross, he rescued us, all by his magnificent grace. Let us pray. Most gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for these parables of the Kingdom. We thank you for all that they teach of Jesus Christ. We ask that the Gospel might be dear to us, that we might never grow hard to it, but we might constantly be softened to it. For it is our life. It is our resurrection life. We want to manifest the grace of Jesus Christ.

And we do ask that you would help us to also welcome those in who would come into the kingdom of Christ. Help us to join in Jesus Christ’s welcome and help us to join in the Father’s welcome as we see people coming into the kingdom of Christ. In his name we pray, amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

February 13, 2011
The Thief on the Cross

About this sermon

Isaiah foretold that the Servant would be numbered with the transgressors, and Jesus was crucified between two criminals. One mocks him even with his dying breath. The other rebukes him, confesses his own guilt and Jesus’ innocence, and asks only, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answers far beyond the request: “Today you will be with me in paradise.” The thief had no baptism and no Lord’s Supper; he was saved by grace alone through faith in the crucified Christ.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

As you’re being seated, let us open in God’s Word to Luke chapter 23. Luke chapter 23, I find that on page 68 in the New Testament of the Bibles that are in the pews. We’ll be reading 26 to 43. We’ll start at 26 for the purpose of giving the context, but I would put forward to you that we’ll be focusing especially on verses 39 to 43. A couple of weeks ago we read Isaiah 53, and we read about the sufferings of Christ, we could say the gospel of Isaiah. We read there that Jesus bore our griefs and our sorrows. That Jesus was for us stricken, smitten, and afflicted.

Jesus was numbered with the transgressors. Jesus’ life was a whole entire life of being numbered with the transgressors. He was baptized. to be numbered with the transgressors, to be a partaker of the wrath to come, to show that he was going to be numbered among us for we are baptized and we are baptized into him. Jesus spent much time with tax collectors and other types of sinners. He was numbered among the sinners. He was numbered among prostitutes and drunkards Jesus was among them often, but it was especially at the crucifixion where we see the fulfillment of what Isaiah tells us, that he was numbered among the transgressors, for it was there that Jesus spent time with the refuse of humanity, dying with them.

What we’re going to read about is the time where Jesus is crucified, and as he is crucified, he has a conversation with the two men on the other crosses. So, assuming you have all found it, let’s hear now God’s word. Luke 23, starting at 26. When they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus. And following him was a large crowd of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting him.

But Jesus, turning to them, said, daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, fall on us, and to the hills, cover us. For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?

Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. But Jesus was saying, Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.

And they cast lots, dividing up his garments among themselves. And the people stood by, looking on, and even the rulers were sneering at him, saying, He saved others, let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one. The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to him, offering him sour wine and saying, if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. Now there was also an inscription above him, this is the king of the Jews.

One of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at him, saying, are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us. But the other answered, and rebuking him, said, do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. And he was saying, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And he said to him, Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, today you shall be with me in paradise. Amen.

That ends the reading of God’s holy, inspired, and errant word. Let it be a delight to us. Let us go to God briefly to pray. Gracious God, as we have read of Christ crucified, Let us be, here and now, those who are able to say with Paul that we made up our mind to know nothing but Christ and Him crucified. May Christ be crucified in the word of the sermon today, and may it be, though sad to us, a delight to our hearts, for therein we find eternal life. Comfort us this day.

Challenge us with your word. Delight our souls. In Jesus’ name, amen. No one who is alive is outside of the saving realm of Jesus Christ. Let me just put that for us before you right now. No one who is alive is, in one sense, outside of the saving realm of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I would talk real briefly to young people, especially you who have been brought up into a covenant family or an OPC family or a PCA family, reformed families. You are very blessed for you have had the opportunity to come to the Lord Jesus Christ at a very early age to have God’s word read to you, to hear catechism, learning to sing, to sing God’s Word, and to sing prayers, which is really what the hymns are to us, you are blessed beyond measure. And praise God when a young person comes to the Lord Jesus Christ.

But this is not the case with all people. For many people do not grow up in families that honor the Word of God. Many do not even have parents that believe. And many people go through life, many years of life, sin after sin after sin. And that’s somewhat what’s going on, or that’s very much what’s going on with these two thieves on the cross. Now, we don’t know their stories. We don’t know if these two men happened to be sons of prostitutes. We don’t know if they were sons of believers or not.

But clearly, to get to the point where they are, they have spent lives of sin to be crucified in this way. But this man comes to the Lord Jesus Christ that we’re going to read about, the thief on the cross. He is going to come to the Lord Jesus Christ at the 11th hour of life. We praise God when someone comes to Christ at an early age, and we praise God when someone, after a life of sin, comes to the Lord Jesus Christ. Both of those are wonderful in the sight of God.

There are some people who would like to make it seem as though it’s not that great to come to Christ young because you don’t have a great story to tell about your life of sin. Do not let anyone speak to you that way. Do not be envious of many people’s stories about how much closer they were to the flames when they were pulled from it as a burning wick. Praise God for your story, because your story is really the story of the Lord Jesus Christ, because you have been brought into His story. But it is not always that way. I came to Christ not in my youth, and many others do as well. The outcome is the same, though, in one sense. People go to heaven. They will enter into the new heaven and the new earth. We praise God no matter what when someone comes to Christ.

As We examine our passage, I would break it up into three separate parts. Three separate parts, if you’re taking notes or you’re really good at memory, let me just give those to you. First, two rebukes. Secondly, true repentance. And thirdly, today’s redemption. Two rebukes being the first. Three, that’s 39 and following. And then true repentance being 40. And today’s redemption, excuse me, make that 42. And then today’s redemption being 43. You don’t need to worry about the verses too much, just get those into our head. Two rebukes, true repentance, and then today’s redemption.

First thing that we see as these men begin to talk to Christ is one begins to rebuke Jesus. There is this unsympathetic thief, and he begins to ask, are you not the Christ? If so, save us and save yourself. This is the unsympathetic thief. Now some of the other gospels talk about, I know it’s Mark at least, talk about the fact that the two both rebuked him. There seems to be a change of heart among these men. But we look at the first rebuke, and that is from this one who is a deceiver. He says, are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us. Imagine what is going on in the mind of this man at that time. Do you think that this man is asking for Christ to save himself for Christ’s own good?

No. This man is a thief. Have you ever been deceived by a thief? Not just someone who steals something once in a while, but someone who is really, really good at deceiving you. Someone who is able to take you alongside of them and say, you know, you and I, we are in this together. Let me help you, and you help me in just a few ways. Why don’t you help me first, and then I’ll return the favor.

That’s what’s going on here. Are you the Christ? Save yourself and us. This man cares nothing about Christ. He cares only about himself. He is only looking for his own way out. For this man, Jesus is just an opportunity to get what he wants, to get taken away, to not be upon the cross. Now the other thief does mock for a time, but he seems to change his tune after a while.

But I would put forward to you what goes on during a crucifixion. We see, oftentimes, pictures of crucifixions, and I really just want to look away. I think God’s word, especially the second commandment, is very clear that we ought not to have pictures of the Lord Jesus Christ. Why is it wrong? Well, let’s just put it aside for a moment. I think God’s word says it, but one disadvantage that we have of seeing crucifixes in Catholic churches and pictures everywhere is that It makes the cross look acceptable to us.

It makes it palatable so that we can take it in. Sometimes, when you look at a picture of Christ, it really looks beautiful. And that’s a horrible distortion of what it’s like. Do you know what happens in a crucifixion? In a crucifixion, your nails go through a person’s hands or his wrists, probably his wrists, because no bones were broken in Christ. And that going through there as he’s hanging on the cross, as people are hanging on the cross, creates a feeling as if you were to hit your funny bone. but it pulses throughout your whole arm.

And also, as you’re hanging, your shoulders will sometimes separate. And as you have your shoulders and your arms very high up in the air, you can’t breathe. So the only way that you can breathe is you have to push yourself up. You can’t do it with your hands. You have to do it with the nails that’s in your feet. You have to come up. To breathe, you have to come up to talk.

As I was wrestling with people when we were young, my brother and people, you’d have him in a hold and he’d say, I can’t breathe. And I’d say, yes you can, if you can talk. You can breathe. That’s what we talked about when we were wrestling. If you can talk, you can breathe. These men would have been unable to breathe. So they would have had to push themselves up in order to breathe. Then they can talk.

See, what’s horrible about these men mocking Christ in the way they do, especially the first thief rebuking Christ in this way, is that He’s doing so in his dying breath, unable to breathe. He pushes himself up and he rebukes Christ. It takes your energy away to have to push yourself up, and that is why eventually people just cannot. live any longer eventually. That’s why they broke the two men’s legs later on. They can’t stand up anymore then. Then they’ll just suffocate because they can’t breathe anymore.

That’s the first rebuke of the two rebukes. But the other man seems to have this change of heart and he does have a change of heart. He is looking upon Christ and he’s looking at this man who is mocking him and things change for him because he understands somehow, even though the epistle to the Hebrews had not been written yet, he understood that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. For the second thief rebukes the first thief for rebuking Christ. He says, do you not fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? Notice he doesn’t say, do you fear pain? Do you fear hell? Do you fear God? You are under the same sentence of condemnation.

How is it that somebody who is down and out like this man on the cross could find it in himself to still look down upon somebody? Don’t think that people who are in low places don’t have people that they look down upon. I’ve been to prisons to visit and to do ministry in prisons. It’s very interesting when you learn that there is a hierarchy in prisons. Prisoners who look down upon prisoners, who look down upon prisoners, who look down upon prisoners, all of them just despising one another. It’s not we’re all in this together and we’re all equally culpable.

This man is mocking Christ, even in his sad circumstances, he is still able to look down upon Christ. But the other man, rebuking him, the second thief, says words that needed to be said. Don’t you fear God. We’re getting something a little bit autobiographical there. That thief is beginning to fear God and to understand that this is no mere man. This is no simple petty thief. This is the son of God.

And he goes on and he says, we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our sins. But this man has done nothing wrong. This man is coming in touch with his own sinfulness, his own wickedness. Let us not, as sinners, ever look at other sinners and say, Well, I’m sinful, but look how sinful that person is. A little bit of self-justification, self-declaring of how good we are, even while we’re telling how bad we are. That’s not the way of the cross, and that’s not the way of Christ, because here is this man understanding his own wickedness, his own vileness. All of a sudden, this man, seeing his own vileness, sees the purity of Christ, the wonder of this one who was dying for sinners. No one who is alive is outside of the saving realm of Jesus Christ. This man rebukes the other man. But then we would move on to true repentance. True repentance.

He says, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. What is the name that he uses? He says, Jesus. That sweet, sweet name, and I hope is very sweet to you. Matthew tells us that he is named Jesus because he will save his people. This man, we don’t know if he was catechized, we don’t know if he knew Joel, but he seems to at least implicitly have an understanding of what Joel would say. that he will be saved who calls upon the name of the Lord, to call upon his first name. Not just, O Christ, or O Sir, or O Lord, but intimately, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

All of a sudden, this man, who has been a fool all of his life, fool not in the sense of name-calling, but this is a man who has been foolish in unbelief, is coming to Christ, and it is a miracle. This one has probably mocked the things of God his whole entire life, but Now he is willing to be mocked with Christ. He is willing to be a fool for Christ, even as he’s being crucified with Christ. It is true of this man what Paul would say, that the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing. but to those who are being saved, it is the power of God. This man, by God’s grace, pushed himself up, surely took a breath, and said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

Imagine the bird’s eye view. We talk about the bird’s eye view. If we want to just look at things outside of ourselves, see things from a higher perspective, I would put forward to you today the Barnabas eye view. We don’t know if Barnabas was there, excuse me, Barabbas, pardon me, Barabbas was the criminal who was let go and Christ was crucified in his place.

His name was Barabbas. Imagine what it would be like to be Barabbas in that time and look and see three crosses and look right into the middle one and say, that should be me. It should have been me. It should have been me. But we ought to all have that type of a view. To look at Christ and say, it should have been me there for my sins. He is pure. He’s spotless. He’s the Lamb of God. He has no business there. He ought not to be there. He is not a sinner.

But I should be there. You should be there. We ought to have, if he was there, the Barabbas eye view and say, that’s where I should be. but in my place condemned he stood. We also could see the other thieves I view, the rebuking thief, the second thief, the one who came to Christ to look in his dying day to the other one and say, this could have been me.

This could have been me, but for God’s grace. Only by the grace of God we are not consumed And in that time, Jesus was still the King of Kings. And though the darkness surrounded him, never did he shine so bright as in that time. Look at the amazing and humble request of this man. He says, remember me, remember me. So much more humbler than the apostles, the disciples, who would say, I want to sit on your right hand, and I want my brother to sit on your left. Or maybe we should ask our mom, and she’ll ask for us. There’s none of that kind of arrogance. All I want to do is be remembered in your kingdom. Such, so humble.

Is it a big thing for a petty thief or for a thief to ask simply to be remembered? It is very significant to be remembered if you’re one of those. Think about this. When we think of major thugs and gangsters and thieves, we can think of people who are very well known, people like Hitler and Stalin and Mao and Pol Pot, because they had so much power. that remembered, right? But nobody remembers the nameless thief or somebody who has been murdered.

I was talking to a Philadelphia social worker one time, who was telling me the story of discussing things with… Let me just back up. This social worker was telling me about a murder. And the social worker had asked around saying, you know, who murdered this person? Was anyone ever brought to trial? And the sister of the person murdered said, you know, nobody ever found out. See, the thing about these kinds of murders, especially in a city like Philadelphia, where they average one murder a day, nobody wants to talk about it.

Somebody is murdered. Somebody is a drug dealer or a prostitute or whatever the case may be. Nobody wants to come forward. They don’t want to put themselves out there. And so there are no witnesses. The police don’t have any evidence or they have very little. And it’s pretty much forgotten. Why? Because there’s going to be another murder of thieves and people like that tomorrow. But here this man simply asks, just remember, I would rather be a doorkeeper in your house than anywhere else. Humble request.

But as is true with us, it’s true with this man, that God is always greater than we had imagined. God is always greater than we had anticipated, and he is always able and willing to do far greater than we would have asked. Ephesians 3 20 and 21 says, Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to him be glory. A humble request this man gives to Christ and glorious things are going to happen to him, as we’ll see very soon.

Understand that there is a sense in which repentance is very easy to do. And there’s a sense in which it is difficult, if not impossible, to do. What do I mean? Do I just contradict myself? Not at all. Brothers and sisters, listen. It is difficult to repent because you must humble yourself and understand that you’re no better than anyone else.

As Paul would say, the worst of sinners, the chief of sinners. When we sin and when we repent, we must understand ourselves, feel ourselves to be the worst of sinners. If not, then we enter into that hierarchy where we would look down upon people who are worse sinners than us. But also I would put forward to you that it is easy to repent because we don’t do anything It’s all done for us because it is the work of God. God working in us to will to repent and to actually repent.

But understand that look what it took for this man to come to faith in Christ. He had to be bound by his hands and his feet. He had to be bound so that he could not do any more wicked works, any more wicked deeds. But what a testimony this is to the grace of God. and to the love of God, that God saves sinners wholly apart from anything that they can do. You did not bring anything to your salvation except for your sin. What did this man bring to his salvation? Nothing. Humble, humble request.

If you still believe that there is something good in you, that God chose you, I would rather you be bound like this man and enter into heaven than live a happy, healthy life and not understand our sinfulness on one hand, and the utter grace and goodness of God to save us in this way. So we have had our first two points, two rebukes and true repentance on the part of the second thief.

But then we have today’s redemption. What wonderful words from Jesus, comforting words. There were so many people there, but Jesus speaks to this one, and I would assume that he pushed himself up to speak these wonderful words. Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. At that moment, this man was receiving, or had received, all of the benefits of Christ’s redemption, even as it was taking place.

We talked a couple of weeks ago about justification. God declaring us righteous, even though we’re guilty. He declares us righteous, as if we had never sinned, and as if we had obeyed the law perfectly. This man is receiving that. This man is being adopted into the family of God. This man is being sanctified. He is a sanctified believer, we could even say.

But notice these glorious words. the blessed assurance that Jesus offers to this man. You will be with me. Don’t you long to be with Jesus? In one sense, we have Jesus with us. He has been raised, life-giving spirit, and he indwells the church. He is with us. We lack nothing at this point. But when Christ comes, we will be with him. Or, if we die before that time, we will be with Him.

What a joy to be with Jesus, and what a comfort that this man had. You’re going to be with me, with Jesus. And Jesus is not simply just speaking these words at this time. Keep in mind what Jesus is going through. Jesus did not simply undergo the pains that were brought upon him of man. He is undergoing the pain of God. Eternal torment being laid down upon him. Do you see the love of Christ for sinners? That even as Jesus is going through hell, He still cares for sinners. His plan was to die for sinners, for the love of them. And he loves them even as he is in his lowest point, being left by the Father.

And we also ought to not take these words for granted. Truly today, you will be with me in paradise. For Jesus is far more gracious than many of us. Think about many people who have done wrong, and then they come to you for help. It’s very tempting in those times, or maybe somebody has said something to you, that somebody comes for help when they’re in their time of deepest distress. And the person who is being asked for help says, you know, now you come. Now. Now you do.

You know, you spend your whole life in wickedness and sin, and now you want me to help you? Those kinds of stern remarks don’t come from Christ at all. If there was anyone who could have said that, it was Christ. But it was because of his love that he did not say those kinds of things. Truly, today, you are with me in paradise. No thought of, now that you’re in a pickle, you want me to get you out. You will be with me in paradise.

This man, This thief who is dying upon the cross is very useful to us. In the old Puritan sense we can say, what are the uses of this text? Well, we’ve talked about many of the uses of it so far. But I would put forward to you, brothers and sisters, that this is a very important man for us as we try to understand the doctrine of salvation and of our redemption.

This man did no good works, but he goes to heaven. I have heard people say, you know what is wrong with Christianity? It is that that you can be a horrible, wicked sinner your whole life, and at the end, come to Jesus, accept Jesus, and it’s all forgiven, and you go to heaven. And I have to tell you that I cringe when I hear non-believers say that. Because I say, I hope so. Not that I want to live any type of sin. I want to avoid it. We want to avoid sin at all cost. But that’s the very gospel.

That people are saved because they’ve done nothing but Christ has died for them and rose again for their justification. put forward to you that this man is a trump card for anyone who thinks that good works will get you into heaven. This man can’t do any good works. He’s crucified. He’s bound. He can’t give a large check to a charity and have a photo op. He can’t blow his horn and talk about all the good works that he has done. Yet, this man is saved.

There are people who will tell you that you must be baptized to be saved. But this man is not baptized. We have no evidence of that. Baptism does not save you. It’s a sign and a seal of what God is doing on the cross and doing to you and for you and through you. This man is a trump card. It shows you can’t believe that. This man is saved without being baptized.

There are those who would say that you must have the Lord’s Supper in their church. But this man takes no Lord’s Supper at all. Not at all. There are those who would say that you have to have what is called last rites. You have to have a priest come to you and bless you in certain ways in order for you to go to heaven. This man has none of that. There are no good works that are going to get us to heaven.

Islam is on the rise in our day. I don’t want us to be scared of Islam. We have Christ and we are in Him. What is Islam? All it is, is five things. Five good works that you’re supposed to do and then you’re supposed to hope that God will save you. You’re supposed to say that God is Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet. You have to go to Mecca. You have to give good, you have to pray five times a day. You have to give alms. You have to do all these five things.

It’s very simple really. But this man did none of these. He gave no alms, he did not go to Mecca, he didn’t go anything. Yet, this man is saved. Without the sacraments, without anything. Christ fulfills the simple. is the substance that fulfills the symbol. But there is, in a sense, a way that this man is baptized, and he is circumcised, and he is partaking of the Lord’s Supper, because at that moment in belief in Christ, he is being fed by Christ, by the cross, what the Lord’s Supper really is a sign for. This man is partaking of the substance of baptism. He is being crucified with Christ, meaning he is believing in him.

There are those who would believe that strange things are gonna happen to you when you die. Like, when you die, you’re going to go to a place called purgatory. And all of the sins that you have not yet repented of, those sins are gonna have to be burned off of you. for thousands of years. Then you can go to heaven.

None of that. This man is told, today you will be with me in paradise, not today you will go to purgatory and burn for thousands of years and then you’ll be able to come in to my kingdom and what a joy that will be have fun while you’re there not at all there are those who would believe in something called soul sleep where souls actually see are they’re not conscious of their existence until the resurrection time but Clearly in Jesus’s mind this Jesus has in mind a conscious understanding of his existence afterward today you will be with me in paradise and We’ll put one last thing before us today. It’s just the scandal of the deathbed conversion the scandal of the deathbed conversion, what I was talking about just a moment, a couple of moments ago, the thing that is the greatest scandal to the non-Christian world, that someone can live a horrible life like this thief, and still go to heaven. There is a sense in which we can take comfort in a deathbed conversion, and there is a sense in which we cannot. There is a sense in which we can.

Why? Because no one who is alive is, in a sense, outside of the saving realm of Jesus Christ. We must continue to pray for people who are outside of Christ. It is not too late. God may do a miraculous work in that person. We can take comfort in our loved ones who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, we must not quit praying because God works through prayer.

But also, we must not take comfort in a different way. There is a Puritan theologian who says, let me quote him, there is one such case of deathbed conversion or death cross conversion recorded in scripture. that none need despair, but only one that none may presume. There is one that none need despair, but there is only one we ought not to presume. We ought not to presume that we’re going to have a deathbed.

God could take us in a surprise way, who knows what sort of way. Do not wait if you are outside of the fold of Christ. Come to Christ today. Come to Christ now. Make your calling and your election sure, like this man. Today is the day of salvation. No one who is alive is outside of the saving realm of Jesus Christ. Is that you? Is that someone for whom you care? Let us pray for them and for ourselves.

Our Heavenly Father, As we are believers for long amounts of time, it is very easy for us to lose our first love and it is very easy for us to begin to have a pharisaical spirit and think that those who are outside of our group, our family, our denomination, our nation, are lower than us. Help us to look to the cross in the only way that we can by making ourselves low, by being like this man, by being found in Christ. Thank you that there is still hope that we have for your thoughts are not our thoughts and we do not know the end from the beginning as you do. Help us to pray for those who do not know you that are very dear to us. and help us to not take for granted what we have, being in Christ, this thing which is wholly a work of God, namely the salvation of our souls. May it ever be sweet to our tasting. In Jesus’ name we do pray, amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 26, 2010
About My Father’s Business

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, January 4, 1998.

About this sermon

Luke’s Gospel follows Christ’s journey from Galilee to Jerusalem, and the story of the boy Jesus in the temple already traces it. His three-day absence in 2:46 foreshadows the tomb. The story shows Mary, and us, what it means to seek him.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

Our scripture reading this morning is from Luke 2. We are reading from verse 41. Give your attention now to the Word of God. Now, his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover, and when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the Feast.

And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child that Jesus carried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and his mother knew not of it. But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day’s journey. and they saw him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance. And when they found him not, they turned back to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came to pass that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions, and all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed.

And his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? Behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? know ye not that I must be about my father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart, and Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men.

Pray with me. Hear us, O God, for the sake of your Son. His great work of redemption, His merit is our hope and our security. We would pray, O God, through His mediation in the power of the Spirit, and that, O God, with the expectation and the confidence that we are heard. We would not pray simply for ourselves, but we do pray, O God, that we might hear your word. We would pray, O God, for those who are yours throughout the world, who are already assembled under the proclamation of the word and under the ministry of the means of grace. But we are asking, O Father, that you would demonstrate again the effectiveness of those means and of the preaching of the word, even as you are pleased to call your elect yourself. Father, we would rejoice as the many are brought out of darkness into light, out of death into life. May our proclamation, O God, Contribute to this end, even in keeping with your ordination. We ask this for the sake of Jesus, our Savior, who precedes us to glory. Amen.

It has been often pointed out that the longest single portion in Luke’s Gospel is preoccupied with Jesus’ journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. The account of that journey begins in the ninth chapter of Luke, verse 51. and reaches its goal in chapter 19, verse 28. The section, therefore, dealing with that journey, makes up, in whole or in part, eleven chapters in this gospel. From the sheer weight of the material alone, we can conclude that Luke, by the Holy Spirit, means to tell us in a very definite manner about this journey.

The journey is a dominant, if not the dominant theme for the Gospel, therefore. But this being the case, the theme of the journey being the dominant theme. We might well then expect this theme to be reinforced in the other portions of the gospel. This is, in fact, what we do find.

Before we are brought in this gospel to that central and conclusive journey, Luke tells us that Jesus had already made two previous journeys to Jerusalem. These two previous journeys stand close together in Luke chapter 2. and in their close proximity serve as an introduction that is a preparation for that latter greater journey. Of course, the journeys that I have in mind are those that stand side-by-side in Luke chapter 2, first verses 21 through 40, and then verses 41 through 52. The first of these passages, 21 through 40, tells us about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem as an infant, he having been circumcised eight days after his birth. The second passage, which we have read this morning, tells us about Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem as a child at the age of twelve. The famous instance including his disappearance for three days, his parents’ search for him, and their discovery of him in the temple.

But now, what I want you to mark about these two stories are their extraordinary similarities. One obvious tip-off that similarities are intended, that these stories have a parallel structure, is that each story ends on the same note. As you read along in Luke 2, you may have noticed it for yourself.

Verse 40 in chapter 2 speaks about Jesus’ growth towards maturity, that at the end of the first journey story, but so does verse 52, the verse that concludes the second journey story. You will note further in these two verses that certain words are repeated. The words wisdom and grace, they are used in both verses, and in both verses we have comment made upon Jesus’ progress or increase in wisdom. The strong match for these two verses leads us into a review of both of the stories in search of other correspondences. Let me help you pick out the parallels.

In the first story, speaking here of verses 21 through 40, In the first story, we have mention made of Jesus’ age. He is eight days, verse 21. In story number two, he is twelve years of age, verse 42. In story one, the law is specifically introduced in the rite of circumcision and in the provisions of the law for purification following the birth of a child. Verse 21, verses 22 through 24, verse 27.

The second story introduces the law in its reference to the Feast of Passover and in its reference to the customs of the Feast, verses 41 and 42. In the second story, Inferences concerning the law are in view, particularly as Jesus has his interview before the teachers in the temple, but most specifically in verse 51, where a mention is made of the way in which Jesus subjects himself to his parents in obedience to them.

Comment upon the Fifth Amendment. Both stories, you will note, are set explicitly at the Temple in Jerusalem. Further, both mention the fulfillment of the prescribed number of days in connection with the ceremonies in view. Next, both stories record encounters in the Temple.

One story, the first story, the encounter between Jesus’ parents and Simeon and Anna, In story number two, the encounter between Jesus’ parents and Jesus himself, interesting juxtaposition. This, of course, against the background of Jesus’ encounter with the teachers in verse 46 in that latter story. Each story carries within it the theme of amazement, or even bewilderment. In each, Jesus’ parents are baffled, amazed, bewildered. Note verse 33 in the first story, verses 48 and 50 in the second. with the second story adding comment concerning the amazement of the preachers.

In the Temple, verse 47. Both stories reflect implicitly further on Mary’s confusion. Story number one in Simeon’s comment about the sword that would pierce her soul due to the controversy generated by her son, verse 35. Story two, in Mary’s natural but spiritually imperceptive and limited question, verse 48.

Story one, and also story two, Both include the theme of mystery resolved in the finding of Jesus. Simeon and Anna, those who are awaiting the consolation of Israel and the redemption of Jerusalem, find the resolution of the mystery in the presentation of the child. Joseph and Mary, clearly, have the mystery of their son’s absence resolved by the story’s end. Furthermore, both stories bear witness to Jesus’ mission.

In the first story, Sinion lays that mission before us in his comments to Jesus’ parents, verses 29 through 32, and again specifically to Mary in verses 34 and 35. In the second story, Jesus lays that witness concerning himself before his parents in verse 49. They do not realize that he must be about his father’s affairs, his father’s business in his father’s house. Both stories mention Nazareth, the town in Galilee to which the family returned after the ceremonies in Jerusalem. And finally, as I have already stated, these stories conclude on the same note, with reference made to Jesus’ maturing and growth.

Now, I know that that was, for some of you, quite an exercise. Maybe some of you were trying to write those down as I went through them. If I have counted all of the parallels between these two stories, and I’m not saying that I haven’t missed a few, it would seem that there were at least 11 obvious connections between them. Certainly enough for us to conclude that these stories do in fact belong together. There are certainly enough connections between these two stories to say that they are meant to be interpreted in terms of each other. But equally clear is the fact that our stories are not identical. As perfectly matched as they may be, they record different events twelve years apart. And it will be in noting the differences, not just the similarities, that will help us to understand better the intention of these stories. For one thing, and yes, most importantly, as we turn to this second journey story this morning in Luke chapter 2.

Jesus himself now becomes the active participant. Jesus himself becomes the active participant. In the previous story, he was but a babe in arms, neither speaking nor conspicuously active in directing the course of events. However, with this latter story, Jesus now is front and center, making decisions, determining his own actions, if not the actions of others about him.

He is making decisions that separate him, that set him over against, that separate him parents that find him in discussions and even separating himself to a degree from the temple teachers, decisions that engage him in an exchange with his parents, and decisions that lead him to submit himself to his parents as they take him back to Nazareth, their hometown. as we move from the first story to the second story, from the first journey story to the second journey story, is a picture of the incremental control that is resident in Jesus as he is even more self-consciously aware of it.

Moving him as it does from his infant years to his teenage years. The objective of these stories, however, is hardly to provide us with the pattern for perfect child-rearing. Now, not that there might not be implications, but the objective of these stories is not to provide us with a pattern here in divine and holy scripture to provide us with a pattern for perfect child-birth. Although by verses 51 and 52, Jesus appears to be the perfect teenager, he is going home in submission to his parents. His actions, however, in the course of our second story, are hardly a model for the teen years. Jesus does indeed submit himself to the convention of the family in order that we all, in and through him, may be provided a complete and perfect obedience, extending even to our teen years. into which we might then enter.

Such is the nature of the redemption that he provides us. But as much as this may be a point to the story, the greater point is that he is able to do this for us because he is distinct from us. Yes, he is flesh and bone. Yes, he has a human body like we do, yet he is set apart, he is distinct, he is divine. And there is that sense in which, in the literal nature of the case, we cannot, no, must not follow him. We cannot and must not follow him.

I definitely pursued my own independence from my parents, but I don’t recall ever pleading the high level of my spiritual attainment and interest as the excuse. But even if I had developed such a high level of spiritual attainment and interest, Would I have been justified in hiding out for three days at a conference, be it even a conference on Reformed theology, without my parents’ knowledge? I don’t think so. I really don’t think so.

Here’s the purpose, then, of this story. to encourage such independence in teenagers. It’s the purpose of this story to encourage this kind of behavior. Wander off without your parents’ knowledge, very frantically searching for you, even with sorrow. and you popping up three days later. Well, if the purpose of the story is not to encourage such behavior on the part of teenagers, what is its purpose?

That purpose is brought to light in Jesus himself and by the overarching story of salvation in which he is the central figure. The account of Jesus’ journey at age twelve to the temple in Jerusalem draws along with it the story about his journey to the same location when he was but a babe in arms. And these stories, back to back, about earlier journeys, together move us to that conclusive journey with which this gospel will end.

Jesus’ self-conscious separation from his parents becomes a deliberate act full of redemptive historical significance. In the interests of his coming separation, in the accomplishment of redemption, it will force his parents and others towards them. to their own self-conscious reflections.

In the second story, then, at the end of Luke 2, in a way filled with redemptive historical significance, you will note that it is no longer Simeon and Anna’s testimony that baffles Joseph and Mary. Instead, now it is the testimony of Jesus himself. as he supersedes and displaces Simeon and Anna, as glorious as they were. He will confound his parents, but he will also confound the teachers of the law in anticipation of his exalted and unmatched supremacy. There’s no one like him.

The mention, therefore, of the three days—and we’re waiting for this—the mention, therefore, of the three days, verse 46, becomes the clincher. It, together with the development and presentation of Jesus’ self-consciousness is in addition to the previous story. We have moved in our preparation for the great journey to the point where we are anticipating more clearly the coming crisis. In the context of and for the purpose of fulfilling of the law, speaking now with regard to that great and latter journey in the context of and for the purpose of fulfilling the law, Jesus will journey to Jerusalem where he, after fulfilling the law in his death, will be lost to Israel for three days, only to be found again by the resurrection.

He himself, in that context, bearing testimony that baffles even those closest to himself. It is of importance in this regard to realize that, as in the story recorded in verses 21 through 40, so also here in this concluding story in Luke 2, Joseph and Mary, particularly Mary, are the foils for the truth of the gospel. In the second story, Jesus’ parents are placed in the company, you will note, of the teachers of Israel who are equally battled, and who finally, in their sinful ignorance, will crucify the Lord of Glory. Left to herself, will Mary not execute her son? Left to herself, Will she not also join the teachers from the temple to conspire in execution of her son?

Oh, we all have that residual goodness. Mary, especially, she’d never do such a thing. If you answer that way, in terms of the gospel that Luke is presenting here, you are a fool. And you neither know the gospel, nor Mary. But most particularly, you do not know yourself. the matching of the amazement among the teachers, and then in Mary and in Joseph, but particularly in Mary, is testimony to you and an affirmation of the Pauline doctrine of the universal depravity of humanity. They have sinned and come short of the glory of God, and not even Mary is excluded. that how this story ends on the upbeat.

For we are told in verse 51 that Mary treasures these things in her heart, and that by the operations of the Spirit in her. This suggestive that she becomes then the source of the distribution of this very witness, this very testimony, communicating these things out of the storehouse of her heart to Luke, the gospel writer. And that she has provided this information willingly, even though it indicts her. She incriminates herself by communicating this material to Luke. It is by this route that Mary becomes the strong and faithful figure, fulfilling a service to us that is instructive for the life of the Church as a whole.

She is diminished in the story, and seen therefore, as she now acknowledges, as in need of regeneration herself, which, when that regeneration comes, makes sense of all that she has stored up in her heart. She then knows that the child to which she gave birth, he being the very son of God, had to be completely engaged in his father’s affairs, that is, his father above his affairs, even to the point of disappearance in death, to the end that she, even she, might be saved by his death and resurrection from her ignorance, confusion, and yes, her depravity.

And if such be the case for Mary, the one whom Elizabeth earlier called the mother of my Lord, then what about your situation and your condition? You must understand how much Rome robs itself, as well as those who are adherents to her. For in failing to preach Mary as she ought to be preached, the Church is monumentally Mary in heaven now does not agree with any of the veneration directed towards her. Amen.

Truly, if such be the case for Mary, what of your situation and circumstance If Mary is led by Jesus’ true journey out of her confusion, ignorance and depravity into the regeneration of life and life, must not you also be led by that journey into true glory, now entered and enjoyed by your Savior, the Son of God? Oh Lord, that your church would hear your gospel writers inspired by the Holy Spirit. that there might then be that proper devotion, that right and appropriate piety, that marvelous and gracious carriage among your people that is an honor to you and an honor to your son. And may your church be forgiven for foolishness And even now, Lord, may you be at work in those who in their confusion have become the agents of confusion, that we all might be the children of light, walking as we should because of the great and conclusive journey of our Savior. Lord, we ask for your help. not only as we pray for ourselves, but for others, that you would multiply your praise from us.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

January 4, 1998
Simeon and Anna

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 28, 1997.

About this sermon

Simeon is a baffling figure, and in him and Anna the law and the prophets meet. Anna comes from the tribe of Asher and Simeon carries a tribe’s name, and both tribes mean something. Luke 9:23-27 shows the cost of the salvation they waited for.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

This morning we begin our scripture reading in Luke chapter 2. We are at verse 21. This is the word of God. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name is called Jesus. which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord. As it is written in the law of the Lord, every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord, and to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord. a pair of turtledoves and two young pigeons. And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. And the Holy Ghost was upon him, and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple.

And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Now let us, thou thy servant, depart in peace, according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things which were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against. Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

And there was one Anna, a prophetess. the daughter of Phenuel of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age and had lived with and husband seven years from her virginity, and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.”

I’m turning over to Luke 9. reading at verse 23. And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself and be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his father’s, and of his holy angels.

But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here which shall not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God. Pray. Father, may your word profit us. And Lord, we would ask the same for your people around the world. And Lord, we are asking you that you would prosper your word, according to your promise. But as we have been delivered from death into life, you might be gracious to those who proclaim your word in truth today, that there may be many who are brought from death to life. Father, we ask these things in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who is dead, the one who was raised and is alive forevermore. Amen.

Who is Simeon? Or, maybe better, what is Simeon’s meaning? This question is difficult to answer. In fact, it is as difficult as any we have addressed thus far in this series of messages from Luke’s account of Christ’s birth. Who is sinning? The difficulty of this question rises because of the many strands. we must unravel in order to understand the man.

On the surface of things, we are told in the text that Simeon lived in Jerusalem. He was a man whose devotion and piety were molded by his hope. He was also a man in whom had come the witness of the Holy Spirit, he being informed by the Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Christ. He was a man who, upon beholding the child Jesus, uttered a prophetic song, verses 29 through 32, and then a prophetic oracle to Mary, verses 34 and 35.

But in restating the obvious facts from the text, have we really answered the question Who is sinning? It is my conviction this morning that we have not. Actually, in order to understand this man, I judge we will have to deal with at least three matters, the first of which is this.

Simeon appears in a passage that opens and closes with references to the law. Simeon appears in a passage that has been framed by references to the law. In addition to that, There are references to the law throughout the entirety of the passage in view.

At its beginning, verse 21, Luke speaks about Jesus’ circumcision, which, according to Old Testament precedent, was carried out eight days after birth. The law is specifically mentioned in verse 22. In view are the purification rites for mothers following the birth of a child. But now, let your eyes drop down to verse 39. As this passage comes to a close, the law again is specifically mentioned.

The text says, When they had performed everything according to the law of the Lord, they, his parents, returned to Galilee. The passage opens with mention of the law, it closes with mention of the law, and there are multiple mentions of the law throughout the text, verses 23, 24, 27, and allusions to the law at other places. It would seem, it would seem that Simeon’s significance, his identity, his meaning, is tied up with, is bound to, the theme of the law. The second thing to keep in mind for William Simeon’s significance is his relationship in the text to Anna. it would seem that they go together.

Now, to this point in Luke’s narrative, he has presented us with two other male-female combinations. In the first chapter, we have Zacharias and Elizabeth, John the Baptist’s parents. We also have Joseph and Mary. presented to us there. Now, here in the second chapter, there comes a third pairing, Simeon and Anna.

But Simeon and Anna are different. They are distinct even in their presentation. The first two couples mentioned are married. Simeon and Anna are not. In this distinctive feature, Simeon and Anna are being set apart. They are being set apart as distinct in their identity from the other two couples. There is even an ascendancy in view here.

If I dare say it, Simeon and Anna, within this context, become even more important than Joseph and Mary. Yes, there will be a diminishment in the text for Joseph and Mary. Luke is being very deliberate in this. He will put Joseph and Mary in a lesser light that the Church in all succeeding generations may not exalt them unduly. The Church has no excuse. She has been told. She has been informed by the narrative. She has been informed by the apostolic testimony.

So let’s be done with the veneration of Joseph and Mary. Sinion and Anna, therefore, are distinct in their identity. And in a true and very real sense, Mary and Joseph are closer to Elizabeth and Zacharias than to Anna and Sinion. But now, having placed these two together, Luke intends us here to read them off of each other. He means for us to read each in terms of the other. Therefore, if we are to understand Simeon, we might well look to Anna. When we look into Anna, we gain better entrance into the significance of sin. In this regard, a couple of things hit you immediately.

The description of Anna as it is presented to you in verse 36. For one thing, she is called a prophetess. The only woman positively so identified with such a title in the New Testament. Prophecy is spoken of in connection with other women, but no other woman positively is described as a prophetess.

Now, regardless of what we make of this title in Anna’s case, part of its intention is to direct you back to Simeon, is to help you understand Simeon, who, although he is not called a prophet, utters a prophetic song in verses 29 through 32, and offers his prophetic oracle to Mary in verses 34 and 35.

Simeon, therefore, is seen in prophetic light, and together with Anna, he stands as a prophetic presence in the context—reaching back to pick up our first point—in the context of the law. law and prophets together. And if you are going to understand the significance of Sinion, you are going to understand the significance of the law and the prophets, what the law and the prophets have been all about. In this regard, you might remember how the Gospel of Luke concludes with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, speaking to two depressed disciples. And he expounds to them, out of the law and the prophets, his own significance, why it was necessary for the Christ to suffer in order to enter into his glory. What do we know, then, about Simeon and his significance? So far we have Simeon, a prophetic presence, standing within the context of the law. Law and prophets, then, set before us, if you will. the sum of all previous revelation. But there is another factor bearing upon Simeon’s identity that hits us in the description of Anna given in verse 36, and it is this.

The mention of her tribe. Not only is Anna the only titled prophetess in the New Testament, she is among the few, if she is not the only woman, with a stated Jewish pedigree provided in the New Testament. Now, as strange as that is, more strange still is the fact that the tribe from which she comes, the tribe of Asher, is among the proverbial Lost Tribes, belonging to the devastated ten northern tribes of the Kingdom of Israel. that were dispersed in the 8th century B.C. How this woman’s lineage was preserved over 700 years, we are not told. But she, in this her tribe, the tribe of Asher, bears some connection to Sinion. and helps us to open up his significance further. I say that she, in her tribe, bears some connection to Simeon, because Simeon, in his name, carries a tribal tie. Do you remember the tribe of Simeon? reading us of Anna back to Simeon, we see Simeon the prophet, we see Simeon shorthand for tribe. Simeon, you will recall, was the second of Jacob’s sons. He was cursed by his father. for his sin with Levi at Shechem, and that cursing by Jacob before Jacob’s death is recorded in Genesis 49, verses 5-7. God, in this prophecy to Simeon, the tribe of Simeon, promises that Simeon will be scattered. Simeon will be scattered. Hang with me. This scattering in itself connects to Asher, who also was scattered.

The disappearance of Simeon is a matter that presents itself later in the blessings we hear from Moses in Deuteronomy 33, this coming 400 years later than Jacob’s pronouncement. For you will notice in Deuteronomy 33, in contrast to Genesis 49, that Simeon now is omitted.

There is no mention of him at all. He is as good as gone, even as they enter the land. But the witness isn’t done yet, for we have the matter of the distribution of the land when Joshua leads the tribes in. Do you remember that? Joshua 19, verses 1-8 speaks about the distribution to Simeon.

And there we are told that Simeon has no distinct property. He is propertyless, in effect, for he is absorbed into Judah. There is no special territory given to Sinion. He is absorbed into Judah and thereby lost from view. Gone. Before Asher, the tribe of Asher is lost to the Assyrians along with the nine other tribes of the North in the 8th century B.C. himself a prophecy was lost into Judah in the fourteenth century B.C. Now, you might be thinking that I’ve really gone out on a limb here, that I’m really stretching this thing, I’m really grasping for this one. running from Anna’s tribal connection to Simeon’s name for the purpose of gaining better entrance into Simeon’s meaning and identity. And I’m sure that I would agree with you that this is indeed a stretch, if it weren’t after the fact, of Simeon’s spiritual condition and situation.

You see, Simeon now is presented to you here in Luke 2 as a man who has no life, save that life directed to, absorbed into the figure of the Lord’s Christ. The only reason he continues to live in this world is to see the salvation of the Lord. Oddly, the tribe of Simeon, before this namesake in Luke 2, had no life, but that life bound up in Judah the tribe of the promised Christ. Figuratively, then, the tribe of Simeon awaits vindication, the vindication that will come through the exaltation of the son of Judah, the descendant of David.

A manifestation, then, of the Lord’s true Messiah. And it will be by this route that Simeon, the ancient tribe, himself will be delivered. By this route, Simeon’s life and significance will come to light, both tribe and man. What we know about the tribe of Asher, Anna’s tribe, carries the point along. It also will speak to us about messianic glory, of the exceptional nature of the kingdom realized in Christ.

Asher was eighth born to Jacob. In the blessings and cursings from Jacob in Genesis 49, Asher is ninth mentioned, but by the time you get to Deuteronomy 33 and Moses’ pronouncements, he’s dead last. In numerical order, Asher descends, becoming last. However, if you note the blessing spoken out by Moses in Deuteronomy 33, in terms of blessing, Asher ascends and becomes first. The last becomes first. For Moses says of Asher in Deuteronomy 33, Most blessed of sons is Asher. His brothers will favor him and serve him. Asher, numbered last, is exalted and made first.

Sinion, lost in Judah, is found. Death is giving way to life, and in ways that only God can accomplish. Asher, north Simeon South, figuratively bringing together the whole of dispersed Israel, devastated by sin, humiliated and even destroyed, given over to death, now reborn, exalted, regathered in Simeon and Anna. Israel reconstituted. The utterly impossible. has happened.

These two, Simeon and Anna, have a common life and identity. In them we see Judah and Israel, the two kingdoms reunited in their true calling, poised and ready to behold and welcome the consolation of Israel, the redemption of Jerusalem in the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

But there is, of course, one other factor that helps us to understand Simeon’s identity, and that factor is the person of Jesus himself. For you see, This will not be Jesus only, or even his most important journey to Jerusalem and the temple. He will make yet a final journey. And it will be in relationship to Jesus’ last journey to Jerusalem that Simeon’s identity is made more clear still. For it will be in that latter journey that Jesus will come conclusively himself within the context of the law and its demands. He there, within that context, receiving the greater circumcision for the removal of the body of flesh, as Paul testifies in Colossians 2, And there he will perfect the purification from all uncleanness from sin, which the law could only anticipate but could not achieve. And there, in the context of that final journey, and as a consequence of it, he himself will be acclaimed the Lord’s Christ, and that by a unified witness of a renewed and restored Israel, as its consummate and true prophetic testimony converges on his person and upon his word.

Simeon and Anna, therefore, do not represent the disciples in their confused state about Jesus’ ministry as they’re making their way to Jerusalem for that final confrontation. Simeon and Anna do not represent the disciples in their confused state at the crucifixion and even at the resurrection.

Much less do Simeon and Anna represent confused but devout Israelites who may have an interest in or have an attachment to Jesus, be it even abroad, such as Joseph and Mary. No, Joseph and Mary themselves will represent all of those people. They will represent the confused and the bewildered. They’re the ones who don’t get it in the story, and they won’t get it in the next story either. when Jesus goes to the temple at age twelve. But Simeon and Anna do get it. Simeon and Anna then represent Israel restored, unified, consoled, redeemed, prophetically alert, Holy Spirit filled, as even on the day of Pentecost, it is all becoming clear.

Before the events take place, you are seeing them pass before your eyes. You are beholding the history before it even happens. You are being given a completed story, even in sedal form, at its beginning. And Simeon, who was not to see death until he saw the Lord’s Christ, does he not anticipate Christ’s disciples at their very best state, those to whom Christ promises that they would not taste death until they see the kingdom of God? in that kingdom, which the disciples beheld even as the Spirit descended, has truly come. And in the One who stands at its center, there is a light of revelation to all the nations, to the Gentiles. The glory of the Lord’s people is real. They have no other glory than this.

And at the same time, that kingdom has come in and with Christ, who raises and casts down many in Israel, he being a sign of those dividing families, even among the Jews, as surely as a sword of confusion and division will pierce Mary’s own soul. For by him, the thoughts of many will be revealed. And because of him, many under the law will be set against one another. and even at each other’s throats.

Who is sin? He is the once fallen, but now raised and faithful Israel, one in whom we see Israel restored, who in the context of the law, but now filled with the Holy Spirit, the consummate blessing of God, welcomes the Christ the one for whose sake, that is, the one who has existed for Christ and for Christ’s sake alone. Who is Simeon? He is the one in whom we are even privileged to befold ourselves and the patterns of the Church in her present situation, for we await Christ’s return even as Simeon awaited his first coming. And we find our life completely and totally in him, even as Simeon found his life completely and totally in Christ. Did not the Apostle Paul say, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And can you, in understanding and grasping Simeon’s significance, say anything less?

I trust not. Oh God, there are no loose ends. You tie everything together. You bring back that which was thought lost. You raised that which was dead. And in this, O God, you provide the marvelous testimony about yourself, that there is no one like you. Truly, as we would know who Simeon is, even more, O God, we would know who you are. The father, we pray that Simeon and others in your word. Would continue to be a help to us. In knowing you. We have no life. But our God. And we have no existence. But our Savior.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 28, 1997
Born Outside the Land

This recording is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, delivered December 24, 1997.

About this sermon

Israel’s restoration to Judea after the exile was never final, because the heavenly kingdom is final. Christ comes into the world under Caesar’s decree, in a land still under Rome’s rule. His birth carries three things with it.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

Father, it is not our joy alone, even the secret, but it is the joy of your people around the world. Dear Lord, we ask that the joy that is expressed may well in itself be a witness to your greatness and your faithfulness. Father, be pleased to use us, even the joy that we express, that we then, according to your Spirit in some small way, might be a means for you to speak powerfully to others. May it be, O God, that our joy directs others to the greatness of the redemption which has been accomplished in Christ. May our joy be well grounded in your word and direct others to that word. We pray these things now, O God, for the sake of Jesus our Savior. Amen.

Now I have to admit that I was tempted, as I usually am, during the Christmas Eve service or in terms of my preparations for the Christmas Eve service. a nice little service on Christmas Eve, folks coming out to church, not wanting to delay too long, not wanting to think too hard, coming in for a bit of homiletical fluff before they go home and get down to business about the real matters of Christmas. As I said, I was tempted.

Shall we have a bit of homiletical nonsense? Or should we have a good old-fashioned, mind-destructing sermon? Well, you know how that argument came out of me. If you came for a bit of homiletical fluff, please sit back. You know, maybe you can catch a little sleep. You might be here a while.

The details with which Luke’s Christmas story opens here in chapter 2, reminiscent of an earlier time in Israel’s history. I have in mind the time of the exile. The exile you will remember was that period belonging essentially to the sixth century B.C., when Judah was overrun by the Chaldeans, by the Babylonians. A large number of Jews subsequently carried off from their homeland into captivity, into the proverbial Babylonian captivity.

Here was one of those extraordinary periods in history when figures no less impressive than Caesar Augustus and Quirinius captured the world’s attention. They walked on the earth like gods. And it is while the Jews were still in captivity. But the Medo-Persians, you will remember, under Cyrus the Great, destroyed Babylon. Cyrus later issued the command that repatriated the Jews to their homeland.

Thus began the so-called Restoration. When the Jews came back into Judea, and into its territories. But this restoration for the Jews was anything but perfect. For instance, it was not a permanent restoration. It wasn’t an everlasting or an eternal restoration. In other words, the Jews were being restored to a territory that could again be lost, from which they might again be exiled.

But furthermore, and quite important for the purposes we have before us this evening, many of the Jews, upon their return to their homeland in the 6th century B.C., continued to be displaced persons. Even within their home territory, they continued to be displaced persons. In this regard, you may recall how painstakingly the law, and especially the book of Joshua, lays out the boundaries for the various tribes of Israel. You must understand that these territorial claims were as sacrosanct to the Jew as any of his religious obligations and duties. But upon the return from Babylon, the return from the captivity, many Jews for various reasons found resettlement on the family farm, so to speak. impractical, if not impossible. This then left many Jewish families far from their ancestral roots, even within the parable of the promised land.

Families far from their ancestral roots families like those of Joseph and Mary, who presently lived in Nazareth of Galilee, when their ancestral ties were far to the south in the territory of Judah, and particularly the environs of the town of Bethlehem, the village of David. It would seem then that in a certain and in a very real sense, the exile, despite the restoration that came in the 6th century BC, for the Jews, has continued. It has continued with many families living now, even now, at great distances from their tribal inheritance.

But what, you might ask, might be the divine purpose for this present predicament, even as the first century dawns? Why has God placed his people in such a situation as this, one in which being restored from exile, they are not restored and still remain in exile. Is not the reason for this the fact that the Lord wants his people to know that being restored to the land of Israel does not equal arriving home. Being restored to the land of Israel does not equal arriving home. It does not signal the end of the journey.

To paraphrase the Apostle Paul, himself a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin, we could put it like this. To be at home in the land of Israel is to be absent from the Lord. of 2 Corinthians 5 verse 6. You know how the next verse goes? For we walk not by sight, but by faith. That is to say, the land of Israel never was the gold. for the people of God. Instead, God himself was the goal. Keep himself in his glorious eternal kingdom in heaven, from which there is no exile. That is the goal.

Jews then living as displaced persons, like Joseph and Mary, as aliens and exiles, even within the land of Israel, become in themselves an eloquent sermon. Notice now how the theme intensifies and develops. here in the story that Luke gives us. For neither is the Lord’s message to Israel in the circumstances along these lines. I will overcome the incongruities and your displacement, and I will restore each one of you to your rightful and original territorial assignment. Judah for Judeans, the territory of Benjamin to Benjaminites, the land of Asher to Asher’s children, the land of Naphtali to the descendants of Naphtali. The Lord does not say that nor intend to say any such thing.

But instead of some sort of affirmation of tribal territorial rights, the Lord himself declares his intention in this alien and exile couple, Joseph and Mary in Luke 2. But even more especially and particularly, in the child Mary carries. For you see, even when the Lord oversees and directs Mary and Joseph back to the territory of Judah, back to the regions of Bethlehem, to the territory of their ancestral rights.

He does not allow them to stay there. Having arrived in Bethlehem just in time for Mary’s child to be born, these descendants of Judah are not allowed any permanent address In the regions of Bethlehem, Christ, you will recall, was born in a stable. Then shortly after the birth, they returned to Nazareth in Galilee.

You see, remain exiles, because the Lord of heaven and earth, the Lord who is at work to save his people, is endeavoring to instruct them that their true home is elsewhere. But this being the case, the Lord, of course, does not leave Israel in the dark as to where that true home might be.

We see the true home coming to life in however a preliminary way in the story of Jesus’ a story which at the same time is inclusive of Israel’s past and suggestive of the coming life of the church. What you will want to understand from all of this is this. The story of Jesus Christ’s birth carries in it the story of Israel, whose life now the Son of God willingly and consciously takes to himself thereby setting before the ancient people of God that ancient people’s true home and destiny. But this birth also carries within it the purpose to which Christ himself will press in his maturity, in the maturity of his ministry, namely his death and his resurrection, through which that true home ordained for the people of God that will be achieved. And finally, the story of Christ’s birth carries within it the story of the Church and its future, the story of all those savingly bound to the Savior, who through him are going home indeed. First of all, then, Christ’s birth carries with it the story of Israel. God, in becoming man through the incarnation, I hope you know that word, literally enters into the experience of his people, such as his love.

If we are to see in Mary and Joseph the exile history and even its continuation, we must admit that Mary’s child has been conceived in and is born into the same circumstance. Joseph and Mary’s history has become his history, their history being a history in which we perceive the exile. It becomes a history in which he partakes. In Christ God himself lives through the exodus. Such is the vicarious nature of his identity. He takes it to himself, to the end that in himself he might deliver his people from exile and bring them to their true home.

How God will accomplish this brings us to our second point. Christ’s birth carries within it testimony to the purpose to which our Savior presses in his mature ministry. In fact, we can see in the birth the pattern of the whole of Christ’s life. That pattern, the whole of it, before Christ lives it. It is there in infant form.

For just as the Son of God comes down from heaven to earth and will return there, so he comes in his mother’s womb from the north country of Galilee to be born in Bethlehem and visit Jerusalem, then to depart again for Galilee. Similarly, just as he, Christ, as a child, travels south to Judah and Jerusalem, and while yet in Mary’s womb, there in his mother, to suffer rejection, there was no room for him in the inn. only to be born to angelic acclamation, and then to depart northward again. So as a man in his full maturity, he will journey south from Galilee to Judah and Jerusalem, and while yet in his flesh there suffer rejection and death, only to be born again in resurrection to angelic acclamation, then to depart into the regions of glory.”

It is obvious, is it not? The pattern is divinely inspired, divinely appointed. The parallel is perfect. God moves us then in the story about the birth of his Son to the story about the death of his Son. I said it before, I will say it again. There is deliberate movement in the gospel as we move from the womb to the tomb.

You may not have noticed it, but that is why Luke, in chapter 23, verse 53, tells us that the tomb into which Christ’s dead body was laid was one in which no man had ever lain. We move from the virgin womb to the virgin tomb. The angelic messengers at the tomb to the women match the angel messengers in the field near Bethlehem, speaking to the shepherds. The sign of the empty tomb, with its linen wrappings upon Jesus’ resurrection, matched the sign of the manger and the swaddling clothes at Jesus’ birth. And David, Jesus’ departure from Judah to the north into Galilee, anticipates his departure into heaven, the true home for all God’s exiles who live as strangers and aliens in this world.

This brings us to our third and final point. The story of Jesus’ birth carries within it the story of the Church taking shape. We see that story of the Church in the angels and in the shepherds. The angels themselves are the pattern for the coming ministry of the Church.

They bear witness to Jesus Christ. A witness that leads to a superlative worship of God and his benediction upon his people. The shepherds follow suit. Beholding what God has done, we are told, they made known what had been told them about the And then we are informed of their worship of God. The pattern is the same. But now notice the pattern of the gospel conclusion.

For there we find angels telling women, and women telling apostles. And there is in Christ himself. Later, telling those apostles that they would be his witnesses. Even throughout the world. Concerning the message of the kingdom. And the truth about forgiveness of sin.

And you might note how the Gospel of Luke concludes with a scene of the apostles then at worship, even worshiping Christ, and celebrating God’s great glory, expressing the peace that has come to them. What peace? Doesn’t God want it? What peace? The apostles know better, as do we. True peace, not as the world does. but as God himself is capable of doing.

With the combination then of the close of the Gospel of Luke with its beginning, and the regularity of the pattern of witness and worship that you see there, we cannot but conclude that here is set before us the life of the Church in witness and in worship. For she is to bear witness to and worship, not just the virginally conceived and virginally born Son of God, but the bodily crucified, risen and ascended Lord. Furthermore, by this one Lord and Savior, we his church now have our praise perfected, even unto highest heaven, with the knowledge that although we are still aliens and strangers in this world, as Peter tells us at the opening of his first letter, although we are the true twelve tribes scattered abroad, as James tells us at the beginning of his epistle, although we are the exiles, we are those with whom God is pleased by virtue of his grace and not on the basis of our righteousness. We are the recipients of an eternal peace, a gift from him that comes to us from our true home in heaven, that place into which Christ has gone and into which we most certainly I am reminded of John Calvin’s great line in this regard.

If heaven is our home, what is earth but a place of exile? The Jews, in returning from the exile, had not come home yet. But all those believing in the virgin-born Son of God, the one who was crucified for sinners and raised again on the third day of his body, being ascended into heaven, all those savingly trusting in him, all those exiles here are on their way home. and have as a down payment upon their arrival there the peace of God already. You don’t have to be afraid if you are in exile. under the banner of Christ.

At this Christmas season, may we all be certain that we are among the exiles. What love, O God, that you would come to us, that you would know our lives intimately as you have, that you would take the history of your people to yourself. that you would take to yourself their burden and even their sin, that you would bear that sin upon us, that you would bury it in the tomb, that you would rise again and by that resurrection grant life eternal to your people who are exiles still in this world. Father, may we know ourselves to be exiles. May we confess with all our heart that our home is in glory. And may we live, O God, in keeping with the peace of the gospel, in an obedience to your will, even until you are pleased to take us to war. And Father, until that day arrives, we pray that your church worldwide would witness faithfully to Christ and worship the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Yes, we ask, Father, that there might be a faithfulness in us in our journey, even as there has been that faithfulness.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 24, 1997
His Name Is John

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 21, 1997.

About this sermon

Zacharias and Elizabeth stand for Israel, and Luke 1:57-80 falls into four parts. Naming the child John breaks with family custom, as the old gives way to the new. God opens Zacharias’s mouth and he sings, and 1:80 shows the law serving the gospel.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

This morning our scripture is in Luke 1 at verse 57. We begin our reading at verse 57. This is the Word of God, Luke 1, verse 57 and following. Now, Elizabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered, and she brought forth a son. and her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had showed great mercy upon her, and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, Not so, but he shall be called John. And they said unto her, There is none in thy kindred that is called by this name. They made signs to his father, how he would have him called. And he asked for a writing table and wrote, saying, His name is John.

And they marveled all. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed. And he spake and praised God, and fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea, and all that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people. and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us.” to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. And the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel.”

The first of Luke’s Christmas carols is Mary’s Song, verses 46 through 55 in chapter 1 of Luke, traditionally known as the Magnificat because of the first word in the Latin version of this song. The second of Luke’s carols is Zacharias’ song, found in verses 68 through 79, commonly known as the Benedictus. Again, for the same reason, Benedictus being the first word in the Latin version of this This song by Zacharias appears in a text made up of four sections.

First, Elizabeth’s deliverance through the birth of her son and the subsequent celebration, verses 57 and 58. Secondly, the circumcision and naming of the child, verses 59 through 63. Then, Zacharias’ healing, the people’s response, and his own prophetic praise, verses 64 through 79, and finally, the child’s life as he moves into maturity and toward his ministry, verse 80.

Now, there are two things I want you to keep in mind as we begin this message this morning. First of all, I want you to notice the parallel between the account of John’s birth in chapter 1 and Jesus’ birth in chapter 2. Both accounts follow the same line and development. First, the birth and dependent praise. Next, the circumcision and the naming. Then, the prophetic praise, even prophecy. uttered accompanying the child’s presentation, and finally, the child’s early life and growth. You might note in this regard the parallel between chapter 1, verse 80, and chapter 2, verse 40.

These accounts, then, are deliberately structured. They have a parallel that is deliberately presented to you. You ought to see that parallel and to profit from the parallel as you move from one chapter to the next. Now, I won’t say any more to you this morning about this parallel, except this.

Jesus has as his forerunner John. John is the forerunner to Jesus in more than later ministry. John is the forerunner to Jesus. He is the forerunner in the totality of his life. What this means is that we are to see, then, the figure of Jesus Christ himself, that one whose way John prepares, that one for whom John is the forerunner.

Even in the story about John’s birth. As you read the story or hear the story of John’s birth, you are to see beyond John to the one to whom John points. Remember then, the story of John’s birth serves Christ. Now, the second thing I want you to keep in mind as we begin this message this morning is this. This story about John’s birth plays well, fits well, into the overall design of Luke’s writings.

Very much at the center of Luke’s writings is the theme of the temple and service at the temple. You might remember Luke’s gospel begins its narrative with a scene in the temple, the very beginning of Luke chapter 1, but it also ends in chapter 24 with a scene in the temple. Luke’s gospel begins in the temple and it ends in the temple. The temple also plays a very prominent role in the book of Acts, the other writing by Luke, as Acts builds towards that remarkable climax in chapter 21, verse 30, where we are told that Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, the apostle of the gospel, was dragged from the temple and then, immediately, the doors to the temple were shut. You might want to add your own exclamation point. The doors of the temple now are permanently shut against the gospel and against the gospel’s the gospel’s apostle.

Zacharias is a priest serving in the temple. Zacharias is a priest serving in the old temple, in the old administration. John, his son, is a Levite. He is a priest also. and his service will be understood within the context of the priesthood. He is that Levite who prepares God’s people for service, not in the old temple, but in a new and final temple which God is bringing and establishing. Knowing this will be helpful for you in understanding the story of John’s birth. We begin with verses 57 and 58 in Luke 1. You remember the events leading up to these verses.

Elizabeth, the barren, elderly wife of Zacharias, the priest, has conceived a child miraculously in her old age. And although righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord—chapter 1, verse 6—Elizabeth, with her husband Zacharias, had been unable to generate a child. And despite their righteousness, which is underscored in Lutz’s account, the announcement concerning their baby’s conception even elicits an unbelieving response from the baby’s father. Zacharias, who was struck dumb by the angel Gabriel in judgment for his unbelief. And then Elizabeth, at the realization of her conception, again, despite her righteousness, secludes herself in shame and speaks out rudely, even blasphemously, about the Lord’s mercy.

It is after Mary has come to visit Elizabeth in her sixth month that Elizabeth undergoes a great change, a transformation. In this transformation, we can see the form and pattern of the change that is coming to Israel, but also the transformation of regeneration.

Elizabeth now births her child to her own great joy and to the great joy of her family The meaning of all this has nothing to do with the hope of a faithful but barren woman. It has nothing to do with the hope that a faithful but barren woman may carry with her into her old age, like Elizabeth, hoping, yes, against hope, that she might yet have a child. You will recall that Elizabeth was not especially thrilled about learning of her pregnancy. Much rather, Elizabeth’s story has its meaning in its relationship to the story of salvation and God’s great overarching plan of redemption.

Therefore, in Elizabeth we see Israel itself. which, for all of its righteousness before the law, cannot deliver itself, nor in itself even respond appropriately to that deliverance when it comes. It can’t generate salvation, but it can’t even respond appropriately to that salvation when it comes back to itself. Israel, like Elizabeth and Zacharias, her husband for that matter, proves itself faithless if not contemptuous of the Lord’s dealings. and his purpose of salvation. It has no real interest in the law’s plan and purpose for salvation.

It has, instead, every interest in its own personal position and its own personal problems. I’m a barren woman. That’s the important thing here. The important thing isn’t what God is going to do with the world, the important thing is me and what happens to me. Israel, even at its best, cannot bring salvation, nor in itself can it receive the salvation that the Lord sends. It is plain, then, is it not?

Hope does not rest in or with Israel any more than it rests in or with Elizabeth. Hope rests alone in God, who, according to his eternal counsel, according to the purposes of his own will, performs the impossible in sending salvation and in changing hearts to receive his salvation. be they even the hearts of those who, like Elizabeth, had been much more content living comfortably within the provisions of the law, satisfied within that context. But the law’s very purpose is to greet the gospel, just as Elizabeth Davy, from the womb the voice of Mary, the one who carries the gospel in her own womb in the person of Jesus Christ. Israel is led by Elizabeth’s baby, even as Elizabeth herself has been led to receive the gospel. And when the word salvation, having come full term, is delivered, there is great rejoicing for many. just as there was among Elizabeth’s neighbors and relatives. But as the story of Elizabeth is now drawing to a close, as is Israel’s story in her, we turn to Zacharias for the purpose of completing his story. We begin with verses 59 through 63 in the account of John’s circumcision and his naming.

Zacharias is still dumb. He cannot speak. In that condition, he attends his son’s circumcision, which, according to traditions based upon Old Testament precedent, was to occur on the eighth day after birth. and in a ceremony attended by at least ten witnesses. But when those performing the rite, or those simply attending it, were determined to call this boy, Zacharias, after his father, Elizabeth objects and demands that the child be called John. Those present object in reply. protesting that the name John appears nowhere in the family register, in the family tree. They then appeal to Zacharias. Apparently, the mother’s wish in this case is not conclusive. Zacharias beckons for a tablet and writes, to the astonishment of the assembled gathering, his name is John, verse 63. what is going on in this account.

Here we are watching the transition from the old order to the new, in a new frame, with a new frame of reference. So we move from Elizabeth to Zacharias, as this new order is brought about by God himself. The old order is seen in the ceremony of circumcision itself, to which John is subjected. The old order is also seen in those gathered for the event, those who in time insist upon the naming of the child, Zacharias. The new is seen in John, in John the child, as acknowledged by Zacharias and Elizabeth. Their determination to name the child John indicates their determination to bow before the angel Gabriel’s directive, a directive by which the coming of the new administration, the new order, was announced.

In fact, a directive by which the gospel had been announced. Verse 19, the angel Gabriel speaks about the good news. that has come to Zacharias. For them, then, his parents, to name this child after the father, to name this child Zacharias, would be a rejection of the revelation that had been given to them.

But it would also be a symbolic perpetuation of the old order under the crippling handicap signaled in the liability of Zacharias’ own disbelief. Naming the child John signals the appropriate break with the past and the embrace of the new. The name John itself underscores this.

It means Jehovah’s gift, emphasizing God’s grace to hopeless and helpless Israel. which even through the law could not make itself good enough to save itself in its condition. Whatever else the unified testimony from Zacharias and Elizabeth about the name is intended to tell us, it is meant to tell us this much. God brings out of Israel a common confession by his mercy, by his grace, a common confession of the new with regard to the new order when the new arrives.

This confession is the only confession to which the old order, the older administration, even in its laws and legal sanctions and codes, was predestined. It was not for the perpetuation of the State of Israel. It was not for the sake of putting before you laws and statutes by which you might then construct the perfect society. It was not put in front of you so that you could create a perfect world here.

Zacharias and Elizabeth represent the old order, particularly in its Levitical and legal identity. Their confession of the grace of God in the naming of their child reveals the transition from the old order, they themselves making this confession, to the new upon the arrival of the gospel.

The astonishment of those gathered mentioned in verse 63 has nothing to do with the miraculous character of what is going on in the naming of the child, as if Zacharias and Elizabeth hadn’t talked to one another, hadn’t conferred with one another about this beforehand, as if somehow, miraculously, because the man couldn’t talk, he couldn’t communicate with his wife, didn’t know what name she had in mind, she didn’t know what name he had in mind. Believe it or not, that’s the way the commentators approach this text. The astonishment of those gathered here, mentioned in verse 63, has nothing to do with some supposed miraculous transition going on between Elizabeth and Zacharias in the agreement upon the name.

Instead, it has everything to do with the absolute befuddlement and belittlement of the assembly that has been gathered here at the circumcision rite and serenity. Likewise, even as there has been rejoicing over the birth of John, there is also confusion and befuddlement amongst those who are clinging to the law and its order, clinging to their traditions. And they will be continually baffled by the new, as the new makes its appearance and grandly declares its presence in the dawning of the kingdom in the ministry of Christ.

This brings us to verses 64-79, Zechariah’s healing, the people’s response, and Zechariah’s song of prophetic praise. Very quickly, Zechariah’s healing, verse 64, has its meaning in this. The law is given its true voice in the interests of blessing the gospel. The voice of the law is restored for the purpose of blessing the gospel. Gospel does not, you see, serve law in this redemptive historical sense. Law serves gospel. Zacharias’ voice is restored that he might now speak as one representative of the law but his voice is restored in the interests of blessing the gospel.

What about the people’s fear and their questions, verses 65 and 66? These reactions anticipate the response throughout Judea concerning the gospel events coming Yes, as they are inaugurated and are seen in John, but much more so in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the child more significant than John still. We have then, in verses 68 and following, Zacharias’ song, filled with the Holy Spirit, to the intent that he might praise. reaching out beyond himself into the age of the gospel, that he might participate in the blessing of the coming of the Spirit. His song divides into two parts, verses 68-75 and then 76-79. In verses 68-75, we find a celebration to the Lord because There has been the commencement of the day of salvation in the birth of John, which Zacharias now, according to the Spirit, precedes.

He is speaking in the most grandiose terms as if the complete accomplishment of that salvation for which he and Israel awaited has now become a genuine reality. You will note that the man praises his words. He gives us his verbs in the past tense. The Lord has visited us.

He has already accomplished redemption for his people, verse 68. He has already raised up the horn of his salvation, verse 69. Here in what is taking place in the birth of John is the fulfillment of the promise to David, verse 69. The oath to Abraham, verse 73. Here is the satisfaction of God’s holy ancient covenant, verse 72.

In verses 76-79, Zechariah speaks specifically about his son now, and recognizes in him that great latter-day prophet whose ministry fulfills the promises from Malachi, the last of the canonical prophets, concerning the one who precedes the Lord, preparing his way for entrance—yes, his entrance, but also the entrance of his people into the last and lasting temple. and that specifically through the forgiveness of sins.

The consummate administration has come. John’s ministry prepares a people who will serve the Lord without fear in holiness and righteousness all their days. Priest language, verses 74 and 75, even as their feet are guided into the way of peace Verse 79, priest language again, Zechariah’s psalm, is the priesthood, the law, the old temple order, blessing the gospel, which has begun its marvelous work in John’s presentation. A presentation in which we perceive the very fullness of Christ, who comes after. This brings us to the end, verse 80. If, in verses 64-79, the law blesses the gospel, in verse 80, the law serves the gospel. In John, now, the entire legal order and its priestly structure are placed at the disposal of the gospel.

The wilderness setting here for him in his early years and later for his ministry, answer to the prophecy that God himself is coming out of the wilderness, and that his people must return to him in the wilderness there to greet him for the consummate exodus experience. This consummate exodus wilderness experience has as its objective a people for entrance into God’s final temple, his everlasting dwelling place.

No temple of this creation, no building or structure in this earth. The fact that the wilderness in view here is actually the Judean wilderness, think of It is the Judean wilderness, meaning that Judea herself has become a wilderness, a place of pilgrimage, not a place of final resting. The sanctuary for which John prepares us gradually makes itself plain. and effectively so. As I have said, this is no structure of this creation, but it belongs to the heavens.

And if we were to relate it to John’s ministry of baptism, it goes like this. Beyond even the waters above the earth, Beyond even the waters above the earth, there is the sanctuary and habitation of God prepared for his elect. To get to him, you have to go through the waters that are above the earth. And the symbolism of your baptism here, when you are baptized by water, is indicative of your passage through those transcendent waters into the very presence of God. John’s ministry at the Jordan is in the interests of the consummate baptism, you passing through waters you do not see into the very presence of God.

It is this which has been your blessing in the gospel administration. No longer in a preparatory stage, but in its grand and glorious reality. You make a wonderful beneficiary of the gospel, of the new administration that has come. That newness being of a peace of eternity and glory.

Your baptism, even with water, as you move from John’s baptism to your own, being a sign and seal unto you that you have been privileged, now by faith, to pass through the transcendent waters, even those waters which are above the earth, into the very presence of God. This is the value of the gospel to you. This is the significance of John’s birth, and it prepares you for the meaning and intention of Christ’s.

Now, above all, when such things have been given to you, Don’t hold on to the old. Even though it extends to you all kinds of visible securities, let it go. and pledge your life in the interests of those things that are not seen, that are eternal in the heavens, where Christ himself, your unseen Lord, sits serene at his Father’s right hand.

We thank you, our Father, for the beauty of your word and the power of its instruction. O Father, deliver us from that attitude of mind that finds the imperatives only in the imperative sections of the scriptures. Rather, O God, may we be molded and shaped, even commanded and directed by the narratives that are before us, what we find. in the Gospels as we are told the stories of Jesus’ birth and ministry, even as that is the consequence of the undergirding and underpinning ministry of John the Baptist. May we learn, O Lord, effectively these lessons, that we would not be left without the proper imperatives that are ministered to us by your Spirit in the whole

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 21, 1997
My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 14, 1997.

About this sermon

Elizabeth is Israel in her glory and her shame at once. Luke 1:39-56 moves in four stages: Mary’s journey, her reception, her song, and her service to Elizabeth. In Mary’s song the New Testament overtakes the Old.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

Luke chapter 1, we are at verse 39. This is Luke 1, verse 39. Give your attention to the Word of God. And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.

And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she spake out with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ear as the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour, for he hath regarded the lowest state of his handmaiden For behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is his name.

And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation. He hath showed his strength with his arm. He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away. He hath opened his servant Israel in remembrance of his mercy, as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham and to his sea forever.

And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house. Our text this morning progresses in four stages. First of all, Mary’s journey and greeting, verses 39 and 40. Then her reception, verses 41 through 45. Her song, verses 46 through 55, and finally her sojourn and return home, verse 56. Now, obviously, Mary stands front and center to this text. Even more so does the child she carries, our Savior Jesus Christ. However, the one we will have to come to grips with, if we are to understand this passage best, is Elizabeth.

Who is Elizabeth? Well, of course, Elizabeth is the barren wife of Zacharias the priest, the Levite. Elizabeth has just conceived in her old age a child, no less a figure than John the Baptist, the forerunner to the Messiah. But is that all Elizabeth is, the wife of Zacharias, the mother of John, John the Baptist? Can we see in her more than a woman visited by a miracle, be it even as extraordinary a miracle as this one responsible for the conception of John the Baptist? we do see more in Elizabeth.

If you are to understand our text in the best way, you must see that Elizabeth is Israel. She is the people as a whole, the nation as a whole. Specifically, she is Israel positively considered, living proximate in Judah to God’s promises to David, within reach of and devoted to Jerusalem, bound in her husband to the service that God has prescribed for his sanctuary in the temple. In short, Elizabeth is an extension of her husband, Zacharias. In short, Elizabeth is Israel, described together with her husband as those righteous in the sight of God, walking uprightly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord, verse 6 in Luke 1.

But as positively as we might see Elizabeth and her husband, for that matter, as much as we might see Elizabeth in this positive light and in relationship to Israel, she at the same time sets before us Israel subject to limitation and, yes, even corruption. Elizabeth, like Israel, is aged and barren. and not even her observation of the law, not even her righteousness which is according to the law, will deliver her from her barrenness, from her condition. And Elizabeth, like Israel, is also being bound to her husband, an extension of the Levitical system, but also inclusive of Levitical unbelief. as Zacharias, her husband, failed to believe the angel Gabriel in his message to him. And Elizabeth, like Israel, is caught, is caught despite her best intentions in a bitter dissatisfaction over God’s ways and means. Her response to God’s action, to this conception that has come to her in her old age, is to seclude herself, to hide herself away in shame, and then to explain, this is the way the Lord deals with me. Both Israel’s best and Israel’s tragic failure, therefore, reside simultaneously in Elizabeth. Her best cannot save her, her failure condemns her. that God has worked in her and for her as he does for old Israel.

And in her, he has established hope. By his work, John is conceived in her womb. And even in the womb, this child, this child will be effectual in ministry. even as a fetus in the womb, this child will move Elizabeth, his mother, just as he will then lead through Israel later, by the grace of God, into repentance and into faith in the coming of the Son. It is in this context, within this frame of reference, that we are to understand the various stages of the text we have before us this morning. First of all, Mary’s journey and her greeting, verses 39 and 40.

Mary is no less the figure for the new than Elizabeth is the figure for the old. Mary is no less the figure for the new than Elizabeth is the figure for the old. It is underscored in her physically. She is a virgin she is young. In contrast to Elizabeth in her age, Mary’s pregnancy now by the Holy Spirit speaks of further and even greater fruitfulness. Yes, we may speak of that spiritually, but think of it even physically.

Mary will yet bear other children, and this in contrast to Elizabeth who receives one child to resolve her bareness, and then no more. Mary carries within her the Son of God, and she, in her person, represents those bound to him, those in whom he comes to live.

If Elizabeth is the Old Testament, Mary is the New. If Elizabeth is Old Israel, Mary is New Israel, aligned in her meaning with the Church itself. But while Mary is the New, aligned with the Church, and here is the point. she is vitally bound to, she is vitally connected to. No. Mary herself is a Jew.

She is engaged to Joseph, a descendant of David, and the angel has described her as a cousin or a relative to Elizabeth, verse 36. Mary may reside in Galilee, outside her ancestral territory of Judah, in a region alien to Judah and Jerusalem, but both she and the child she carries find their destinies bound to Judah and Jerusalem. In fact, Mary’s journey to Judah with Jesus in the womb is but prelude for the later journey ending at the tomb. Now, you ought to be able to remember that, because it rhymes. What is happening here with regard to the womb anticipates what’s coming at the tomb.

Notice now further that Mary, upon her arrival at Elizabeth’s home, or the home of Zacharias the Levite, the home of the law, if you will, that upon arrival Mary greets or salutes Elizabeth. We have already said Elizabeth is the Old Order of Israel, particularly associated with the Law. Mary’s greeting is a greeting from the New. In other words, the New Testament, the New Order, is greeting the Old. The Church, if you will, is greeting Israel when Mary greets Elizabeth. The gospel is greeting the law.

Now, I trust that it is not difficult for you to see the significance of all of this. Mary, in greeting Elizabeth, speaks to us about the Church’s continuing attitude towards the Old Testament. to the older order, toward the law, toward Israel itself. The Church must always acknowledge her connection to all that has gone before her in the plan and history of salvation. She must always acknowledge. Her love for the Old Testament, yes, for the Old Testament, for the law of God, and for Israel, who as a people prepared the way for the new.

Don’t go through life with half a Bible. and go to that church that encourages you to do just that. The church must not then embrace a contempt for the Old Testament, a disdain, a disinterest, as many have proposed, who have claimed to speak for the church. But neither can the Church justify an antinomianism, that is, an anti-law attitude, an anti-Moses attitude, as if the law had not been given by God to Moses on Sinai. At the same time, the Church must not gouge out her eyes when it comes to the Old Testament.

Instead, it is imperative that she openly confirmed her dependence upon Israel and Israel’s history. Paul will go so far in 1 Corinthians 10 to tell these Gentile Christians gathered that the Jews in the Old Testament were their fathers. Mary was a guest in old Israel’s house, and so are we, the Church. Remember, not just Mary, but Jesus was a Jew. and no amount of racist banter, be it white or black, can change that fact.

But if the new greets the old in Mary’s greeting of Elizabeth, then secondly, the old, by the grace of God, receives the new as Elizabeth receives Mary. Nothing less is in view here other than Israel graciously led to embrace the gospel. Elizabeth, left in herself, left to herself, will not, cannot receive the gospel. Her self-imposed seclusion, verse 24, and her residual bitterness, verse 25, are not expressions of gratitude and joy for the role that she now plays in the plan of salvation. Change comes for her through Mary’s grieving, and through the leap of the babe within her own womb.

Just as change will come for many in Israel through John’s preaching later and through his announcement of the Messiah, John’s later joy will be to hear the Christ’s voice as the best man rejoices at the voice of the bridegroom. That here, even now, before the ministry of either John or Jesus commences, even here, before John will publicly explode with his joy over Jesus, he leaps in the womb. John’s leap proves the old is not hostile to the new. We have seen that the new greets the old, but the old is not hostile to the new, but rather the new is the fulfillment of the old, the old welcoming the new. even confessing the new to be the superior and superlative administration, the very goal for which the old existed.

John’s joy then translates into a transformation for Elizabeth, as if you are witnessing here a conversion. The movement from old into new, she is filled with the Holy Spirit, and her mouth overflows with blessing. Formerly she was filled with rancor and sarcasm, if not cynicism. Now she is filled with the Holy Spirit and with thanksgiving. Indeed, Elizabeth anticipates the transformation in store, so all the elect in Israel, who through the witness of John and then the preaching of Christ, are led to the glorious for the day of Pentecost and the fullness of the Spirit, together with all the blessings of the kingdom of God. Elizabeth’s blessing of Mary and her blessing of the fruit of Mary’s womb, verse 42, is the blessing generated graciously by God in which the law and the prophets of Israel, the old administration, glory in the Messiah and in the gospel of the Church. Here is Israel’s true delight, here is her true destiny and goal. But here also is her confession of genuine, abject humility, in which the old order now, through Elizabeth, declares its subordination to the new.

For Elizabeth explains, how has it happened to me? How has it happened to me? I’m an Israelite. I’m a Jewish woman, why wouldn’t it happen to me? How has it happened to me? How has it happened to Israel, that the mother of my Lord, that is, the Church, the fullness of all my expectations, should come to me?

She asks this question especially in light of the superlative righteousness, even that righteousness which is by faith. Yes, there is the doctrine of justification by faith, even in the first chapter of Luke. She asks this question especially in light of the superlative righteousness, the righteousness which is by faith, demonstrated by Mary, by the Church, who, unlike Elizabeth, believed what was told her by the angel.” that if the old in Elizabeth acknowledges the superlative and even superior character of the new, and even announces her subordination to it in the third place and in Mary’s song, Mary now, as the new, exhibits her own genuine humility. by subordinating herself to the old. You see what’s happening in Mary’s song. Do you catch it? Do you catch the tone? Does it register?

Now, to be sure, we have in Mary’s song grand testimony to the superlative, superior character of the New and the subordination of the Old to the New. For example, in Mary’s song we find four explicit citations of Hannah’s song from the Old Testament, recorded in 1 Samuel 2.

Both Mary’s and Hannah’s songs begin on the same note. My soul magnifies the Lord, or exults in the Lord. Both songs celebrate the event of the coming of the kingdom. Hannah’s song celebrates the kingdom coming in David’s reign. Mary’s song celebrates the coming of the kingdom in Christ’s reign. Mary’s citation of Hannah’s song Honor the connection between the two mighty acts of God that Mary’s song celebrates the conclusiveness of God’s action now in the coming of Christ. David’s reign is but a mere shadow. Christ’s reign is real. It is the final thing.

Along these lines, Mary’s song evidences the superiority and superior character of the new and the subordination of the old in its use of Old Testament quotations and allusions. Over thirty different texts are cited in the Course of Mary’s Song. Over thirty, drawn from the Law, the Prophets, and the Old Testament writings. The effect of this massive yet magnificently compressed compendium of Old Testament revelation is to suggest that the whole of the Old Testament is not only fulfilled in the New, but interpreted by the New. The latter act interprets the former. Mary gathers all these Old Testament references in the interests of demonstrating that the Old Testament’s final interpretation is found as it is subjected to the light of God’s conclusive act in Jesus Christ and in his gospel.

But having said that, the subordination of the old to the new. One more time. Truly, the wonderful thing is this. As much as Mary’s song testifies to this superlative superior character of the new, Mary’s song, although representative of the new, carries the tone, the color, and the language of the old.

The relationship to the Hannah story and the thirty-plus citations from the Old Testament, evidence the servant character of the new, even as it subordinates itself to the old, even as it becomes like the old. Jesus, the embodiment of the new, becomes himself the servant to the old, that he might fulfill the old and save those in bondage under the old. Later, the Apostle Paul, in the spirit of Mary’s song and in the spirit of Jesus Christ, will say, To the Jew I become a Jew, so that I might win the Jews. To those who are under the law, as under the law there not being myself under the law, so that I might win those who are under the law.

1 Corinthians 9.20.

Mary’s song, therefore, caps the theme of humility woven throughout the text, not only will the old subordinate itself to the new, but the new humbles itself and subordinates itself to the old. And all of this, mind you, is grounded in God himself. will humble himself for the sake of the redemption that he is accomplishing. This humility in God shows itself in Mary’s song itself.

It is seen as you watch the development of the song and the progression in it. The specific titles and names for the Lord at the beginning of the song will disappear by the end. will not appear. Instead, the name Israel and Abraham appears. Mary, in her song, captures the condescension of God. where it would seem as if God moves out of the way for the sake of his people whom he intends to exalt.

The Lord becomes the servant for his people. By this humility and servanthood in God, we see also the playing out of that which is at work in the Incarnation. God most clearly taking to himself in that Incarnation human flesh to be born of a woman. But finally, Mary’s story and service to Elizabeth through her own humility is described to us in terms of a three-month stay, verse 56. In the final analysis, this stay and service by Mary for Elizabeth, this subordination of Mary to Elizabeth, speaks to us of God’s humiliation in Christ for us, in order to minister as he does during the course of his service. For he will minister to Israel, not for three months, but for three years, and then he will subordinate himself to death for three days. only to rise and return to his home, not to Galilee, but to glory. That place to which we all shall be brought, if we have that faith, when our days of service in a self-chosen subservience and subordination are ended in this world.

And may the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom your own service has been perfected, bless you in your journey home. O Father, may your Church stand strong in her witness to the coalescence of the Testaments in your Word, and how each Testament serves the other, but in the interests of the exaltation of the latter. May we be trained in our souls even as we observe this pattern, for it is the pattern that resides in you and is manifest in Christ. For surely the old order is to serve him that he makes himself the servant to it, that it might be saved and redeemed. Father, we have a journey, and in it, Lord, we have been given a responsibility for service.

May we serve with all humility, not such as the world admires, but such as glorifies you, such as is found finally in Elizabeth and in Mary, but principally in Jesus Christ. and in our God. We pray these things, O God, even as we look to you with joy for what you have provided us, trusting you for

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 14, 1997
The Babe Leaped for Joy

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of the “Luke’s Christmas Story” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, December 7, 1997.

About this sermon

Throughout Luke, Christ blesses women with a new liberty and dignity. The New Testament uses women to teach about Christ, and Elizabeth and Mary show how. When Mary greets her, the child in Elizabeth’s womb leaps for joy.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

I’d like to offer a disclaimer to all who are listening to this tape. I offer this at the beginning so you will know that I’m aware of my own mistakes. During the course of this sermon I stated that Luke’s gospel is the only gospel to contain the story of the poor widow at the treasury of the temple in Luke 21. I have been corrected and am acknowledging that to you presently that of course there is a parallel text at the end of Mark 12. Take this in consideration as you listen to this message.

Thank you. The name was Joseph of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest, and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of Baha’is shall overshadow thee. Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And behold, thy cousin Elizabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month with her. who was called barren, for with God nothing shall be impossible.

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.

And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she spake out with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke, the writer of this Gospel and also of the Book of the Acts, could very well be called the Lord’s friend to women. I might say this about Luke not simply because of his approach to women in his writings generally, but because of his broader concern for those marginalized people in the first century A.D., among whom were the women. These marginalized people, appropriate vehicles then through whom we might observe the wondrous workings of redemption.

For example, more than the other gospel writers, Luke commits space to the poor and their true concerns. At the same time, more than the other gospel writers, Luke devotes space to women, often combining them with the poor. For instance, only Luke records Jesus’ parable about the widow who pleads her case to the annoyed judge, Luke 18, verses 1-8. And only Luke tells the story about the poor widow who, while Jesus watched her, gave her all by depositing her last two copper coins in the temple treasury, Luke 21, verses 1-4. To be sure, Luke will end His Gospels, as others do, with women prominent at the cross and at the empty tomb. At the same time, Luke, throughout his Gospel, outdistances the other Gospels in the frequency with which he mentions women.

He even makes a point to include them in his description of Jesus’ entourage in Luke chapter 8. Here in this account, verse 1, we have mention made, of course, of the twelve disciples, but there are also some women, Luke tells us, who have been healed of evil spirits and sicknesses. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others who were contributing out of their own private resources to the support of Jesus and the disciples, verses 2 and 3. Luke, therefore, could well be called the Lord’s friend of women.

But this very fact occurs to us while reading Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth. Luke is not, as you know, the only gospel writer to provide us the story about Jesus’ birth. we also have the account of it in Matthew’s Gospel. But Luke’s story is much more extensive. In fact, it is more than three times the length.

Further, Luke isn’t content to tell us merely about Mary as Matthew is he tells us about two women. He tells us about Elizabeth and Mary. In these two women, Luke, at the outset of his Spirit-inspired message, if by no other means than the amount of space given to these women, he will accent and highlight the gospel’s intention concerning women. Without a doubt, that intention, that purpose involved, it sets before us the new dignity, the new dignity mediated to women through Jesus Christ’s incomparable person and Now, you must not misunderstand Luke’s or the Gospel’s intention at this point. It is not to suggest that women in the biblical Old Testament religion hadn’t had a dignity all along, particularly that dignity is observed in the fact that the woman also is created in the image of God, but especially that she was privileged now that sin has come upon this creation, to bear in her body the promise of salvation. And although this privilege may be conferred upon a select few women throughout the history of salvation, as it is recorded in the Old Testament, Still, all the women of the covenant are seen as typically participating in the actual process by which salvation comes. Women, generically.

Rightly, the Apostle Paul then says in 1 Timothy 2.15, women shall be saved through childbirth. By even granting a constant dignity to women in Biblical Old Testament religion, the gospel itself brings a new dignity for women.

By that gospel, the woman is set free. Here is liberation. The woman is set free from the ancient strictures of the law. those strictures which preached to her her own uncleanness, yet strictures which were unable to remove that uncleanness from her.

Under the law, she couldn’t as much as approach the temple, enter into it. and she was bound by a mandatory testimony and an inheritance to which she was only indirectly connected under a male family heir. But because of the gospel, and by the familiarity and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ’s blood Her own blood no longer enhances her sinfulness and the judgment of death that she carries in her own body. Because of the gospel, and by way of the power of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, she is no longer denied the exalted status, Son of God, and I say that with all seriousness. In her own person, not as an extension of the person of her father, or her brother, or her husband, or her son, that is, not as an extension of any male to whom she may be related in this world.

In her own person, she now participates directly in the promised inheritance, belonging to all of the children of God in Christ, male and female alike. Nor is she denied access because of her gender to the courts of the Lord that she walks right into the assembly, being sacramentally sanctified for just such access.

Luke, the friend of women, provides a powerful picture of this sacramental consecration and access in the book of Acts. In the most deliberate fashion, in Acts chapter 8, Luke tells us about Philip preaching among the Samaritans. When the Samaritans believed, they were baptized, and then Luke adds in verse 12, men and women alike. Here, not just a Samaritan, but a Samaritan woman is recognized as heir to the glorious inheritance. She is sacramentally sealed in an act that clearly moves her beyond the sacramental provisions of the Old Testament.

But again, it is important that we not misunderstand Luke’s or the gospel’s intention. While Luke and the New Testament invests the woman with a new dignity and even exalts her, it does not intend to destroy the difference between her and the male. It does not intend to destroy the difference between females and males, or the roles appropriate to both. Earlier this year, at the Reformation season, we heard a powerful message from Dr. Nelson Klosterman, in which he contended that our roles, respective to each other, male and female, are an extension of office.

We have an office in God’s economy to fill. and we live in keeping with God’s order as we are conscious of that office and fill it appropriately. But much less does the New Testament’s intention to elevate set the female above the male. However, at the same time, the New Testament does find in the woman that proper vehicle in whom we observe God’s dealings with his people in a most unique fashion. The New Testament does this in two ways. First, the woman is that proper vehicle in whom we are able to see the general pattern of salvation. in whom we are able to see the general pattern of salvation.

God takes her without strength and without status. She has no inheritance in her own right. He takes her without strength, now epitomized, in a barren woman and in a virgin, obviously without strength even to conceive, he takes her who is without strength and without status, and by his saving work in Jesus Christ, he gives to her both, both strength and status. And what God has bestowed by grace, not by right, hear me in that, by grace, not by right, to the woman he bestows on all of his people in saving them. All of us in our powerlessness, all of us rendered without status. apart from the ministry and the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf.

So the woman becomes a proper vehicle, an appropriate vehicle, in whom we are able to see the general pattern of salvation. But secondly, and more profound still, women in the New Testament become those proper vehicles in whom we are able better to see the particular movement for the history of redemption as we observe the progress from the old administration into the new, from the old order into the new.

And here is the significance of the two women. for the story we read this morning. These two women, Elizabeth and Mary, will tell you the whole story of the Bible. They will present to you, in fact, something of the entire essential history of the world. These two women, if you have not thought of it already, these two women are the two Testaments, the Old and the New Testaments.

And in their interaction with one another, we will witness them as servants of things greater than themselves. their interest being those greater things. In them, and in their interaction with one another, we will witness the operation of things greater than themselves, and we will observe the transformation of the old by the new. you will see, in what happens between them, the transformation of the old by the new.

Elizabeth is the old testament. May be underscored by her age. She is the Old Testament. She embodies the Old Testament. She and her husband, for that matter, Zacharias, are the law. They are the Levitical order. They are Israel ensconced in Judah, performing service in Jerusalem, yet crippled and made fatally weak by faltering faith and bitter complaint. and her husband for that matter, all the law, the rabbinical order, they all, Israel, ensconced in Judah, performing service in Jerusalem, yet crippled and made fatally weak by faltering faith and bitter complaint.” You know the story of Zacharias, which is preceding the one that we’ve read this morning. Hell, he was struck dumb by the angel Gabriel for not believing the message about the coming birth of John the Baptist to his then and aged wife. Elizabeth, however, even more significantly than her husband, captures the heart of Israel.

You may not have seen, you might not have understood her actions recorded in verse 24, or caught the tone of her reply in verse 25. In verse 24, she secludes herself in shame. This is not the action of a woman filled with praise and thanksgiving. She secludes herself in shame, and in verse 25, her words are a bitter, sarcastic, and faithless exclamation. The New American Standard Version may have inadvertently caught this in the way in which it has translated that twenty-fifth verse.

This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men?” Well, you can almost hear the intonations of a New Jersey or New York Jewish woman. This is the way the Lord has dealt with me.

That’s Elizabeth’s response. But this is more than a bitter and thankless remark from an embarrassed and shamed woman. In it we are to hear all Israel, in her bitterness, constantly thankless and dissatisfied with the Lord’s dealings. despite the corrupt heart, the obvious unworthiness.

Elizabeth carries within her, as does Israel whom she represents, a seed, a child, the remarkable remnant, true to God’s purposes in his covenant, and this one, John the Baptist, will direct even her, his mother, to her Savior. You are going to watch a conversion. You are now to witness the conversion of Israel into the church. This takes place when Mary visits. the other woman in the story. So she stands over against Elizabeth.

She does not reside in Judah, even though she is of Judah. She does not reside in Judah, or in territory proximate to the temple. But like the very child she carries, she comes from an alien territory. into her own territory. For she is of Judah’s line, and she belongs in the territory of Judah, but she presently lives in Galilee, and now must journey to Judah to meet those who are related to her. But as with Mary, so with the child in her Jesus comes from the alien territory, the alien territory of heaven. He journeys to Judah and Jerusalem by way of Galilee in order to meet with his relatives who should be prepared to greet him.

Later on, it will be by way of the ministry of John the Baptist that the path is prepared for Jesus in his ministry, but here John in the room leaps in anticipation of the latter recognition of Jesus the Messiah at the Jordan. in Mary, for that is what she represents.

The New Testament has greeted the old, acknowledged the old upon entering the house, even as John in the Old Testament, Elizabeth, has rejoiced at the salutation of the new. But now, through this affirmation from the womb, John, even before he is born, leads Elizabeth, Israel of old, into the blessings of the new. Verse 41, she is filled with the Holy Spirit. you will notice that he is not without repentance the very substance of the ministry of John the Baptist, for he preaches repentance, does he not? And this repentance comes to expression in Elizabeth as she confesses that Mary, unlike herself, believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord. Mary had said, you will remember, to Gabriel the angel, verse 38, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be of them to me according to thy word. Here then in Mary is the new Israel into which now the old is brought by the grace of God, by the testimony of the prophet, by the last prophet, John the Baptist, and by the miracle of repentance and faith.

But it is in the company of these two gentle women that you sit this morning, even as by faith you are bound to them both. And even more importantly, this morning you sit, do you not, in the company of Jesus Christ, the very one into whose service these two gentle women were enlisted, the very one in whom and through whom the ages of the world.

Do you believe God? Have you received his salvation? Have you repented and expressed your own faith? Luke may well be the Lord’s friend to women, but only in order that women and all of us might be the friends of the Lord. You are a friend, are you not? Male or female?

Our God, what a work how your kindness is manifest in the old and your mercy as you bring the old to the point where it will embrace the new and even be transformed by it. O Father, we are the beneficiaries of your mighty and glorious work. And Father, may we, your children, male and female alike, understand the service into which Elizabeth and Mary were enlisted. And may we also comprehend our position that we in fact sit with them if we have confessed like faith and expressed a repentance that is necessary even unto salvation. Lord, be merciful to us that the strength of all that you have done would be obvious to us even as we see our Savior by faith. And may we know the extent of his love and the greatness of his ministry for us even as we approach this table.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

December 7, 1997
Christ’s Infallible Exegesis

This sermon is from the Rev. Charles G. Dennison sermon archive, part of “The Holy Spirit” series, and was preached at Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Sewickley, PA, during a worship service on Sunday, April 23, 1995.

About this sermon

Christ reads Isaiah 61 in the Nazareth synagogue and deliberately adds to and subtracts from the prophecy as he reads, and that editing is infallible exegesis. The coming of the Spirit authorizes that kind of reading. The congregation’s fury shows they understood exactly what he claimed.

More sermons from Luke · Browse all sermons

Sermon transcript

Tonight we are reading from Luke’s Gospel, the fourth chapter, and we are beginning with verse 16. This is Luke 4, verse 16. Let’s give our attention to the reading of God’s holy word. where he had been brought up, and as was his custom, he entered a synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read.

And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him, and he opened the book and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. And he closed the book and he gave it back to the attendant and sat down.

And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon him. And he began to say to them, today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. And all were speaking well of him and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from his lips. And they were saying, is this not Joseph’s son? And he said to them, no doubt you will quote this proverb to me, physician, heal yourself.

Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. And he said, truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown, but I say to you in truth, There were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land. And yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, but only named the Syrian. And all in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things. And they rose up and cast him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But passing through their midst, he went his way.

Hear us, our Father, as we would be fed by your word and nourish your church, even as she is built up in obedience, as we see in her the very order of your word, taking shape before us and exerting its proper influence and authority for our lives. To this end, O God, we pray for those who have the responsibility of rule in the Church, that they may rule well, wisely, looking to themselves. We pray, O God, for those who serve in the office of the diaconate, that they may be a model for us all, so that we may serve after them, so that we may be instructed even by their service. and be gracious, Lord, to those who teach. For, Lord, it is an awesome responsibility that is laid upon them. Father, we pray for your church, good and strong ministries of the word, and those ministers who will stand for the truth against error. These things we pray now, in Jesus’ name, amen.

We have talked most recently in our evening messages about the Holy Spirit specifically as endowment, or putting things a little bit more crassly, as equipment for the Messiah. We have noted that, at least in part, the Spirit’s descent upon the Christ at his baptism by John was a confirmation of this very point. The Holy Spirit comes to Jesus Christ as unique endowment in order that the Messiah may be equipped for what follows. We gain some insight into what follows, of course, by looking at the Temptation. So we are able to see something of the entirety of the trial that belongs to the Messiah wrapped up in that temptation and bewilderment. But understand as well, as we think about the Holy Spirit in relationship to endowment, that it is all too easy to make much too little of the endowment of the Spirit for the Messiah. We are likely, for instance, to think of this endowment in altogether and exclusively practical terms.

That the Spirit comes to the Messiah in order to empower him, that is, in order to add to him strength. That the Spirit comes to the Messiah for the specific purpose of ministering comfort to him, in the difficulties that he faces throughout the course of his ministry.

But we should not limit the Holy Spirit’s effect upon Christ in this way, for the coming of the Spirit upon the Messiah has greater significance than what we have just described. You see, the great day of salvation envisioned by the prophets was no less to be a day of the Spirit than it was to be the day of the Christ. The Spirit then comes upon the Christ not just as endowment for empowerment for him and for personal comfort. But the Spirit comes upon the Christ as indicative of the fact that the day, the great day, awaited by God’s people has arrived. A day that is marked not only by the shining forth of the Lord’s Christ, but the coming of the Spirit himself, yes, upon the Christ, but for the people of God. According to Isaiah, the Spirit’s presence with the Messiah truly, undoubtedly, characterized the arrival of that great day of salvation for which the prophets longed.

Repeatedly, this point is made throughout the entirety of Isaiah’s prophecy. We have a number of familiar passages in keeping with this message set out before us in the glorious, emanuel section of Isaiah’s prophecy. We find, for instance, chapter 11, verses 1 and 2. Then a shoot will spring from Jesse’s stem, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit, and the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him.” The Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. The promise of the Messiah. is joined with a promise concerning the Spirit and the Spirit’s arrival in this coming of the great day of God’s salvation. Later in Isaiah, the picture of the coming Messiah is filled out for us in those wonderful servant psalms that we find from chapter forty on.

Here, as earlier, the spirit is just as much at issue. Yes, the servant of the Lord, but likewise, the spirit of the Lord. Chapter 42, verse 1. Here we find the Lord declaring, Behold my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights. I have put my spirit upon him, and he will bring forth justice to the nations. A little later, in those servant song sections, Isaiah chapter 48, verse 16, here once more the material dominated by the theme of the servant of the Lord, but the Lord introduces his servant in such a way that it seems that the servant is himself the Lord.

From this text, it is clear that the Old Testament is not without its own witness to the deity of the coming Messiah. Nevertheless, this verse also makes it plain once more that the coming day of the Messiah is also the coming day of the Spirit, and now The Lord God has sent me and his Spirit.” Thus that text concludes. Both the speaker in this text, obviously the servant of the Lord himself, and the Spirit, come commissioned by God for the great work of salvation.

And moving on toward the close of Isaiah, Toward the great New Heavens and New Earth portion at the end of the prophecy, we find two passages that speak along these very lines. The first is quite interesting, Isaiah 59, verse 21, in that it lends its own unique coloring to the combination of the Messiah and the Spirit.

Here, once more, we have the promise laid out before us concerning the Redeemer, verse 20. But then, the Redeemer will come to Zion, we are told, but in verse 21, this contains the promise that those who turn from their transgressions will receive the perpetual blessing of God’s word and spirit in the messianic visitation. What is particularly interesting here is the Spirit’s connection, not just with the Messiah himself, but also with those who find forgiveness through him in the day of his coming. So the Spirit, yes, given to the Christ and coming with the cross, the Spirit characterizing the day of the Christ, but here as well, the Spirit, the blessing that comes upon those who have received forgiveness through the ministry of the Messiah. The point remains that the coming of the Messiah and the coming of the Spirit belong together.

This brings us finally to the last reference, Isaiah 61, verses 1 and 2. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me the voice of the Messiah himself speaking here, to bring good news to the afflicted, he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. We’re taking us into that second verse of Isaiah 61.

Now it is this passage I’m sure you recognize. It is this passage that Jesus quotes on that marvelous Sabbath when he visited the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth. His quotation of this particular text from Isaiah is opportune, for with it he pulls along behind it all the other texts from Isaiah that we have spoken of this evening. The fullness of the Isaiah revelation is in tow behind the quote of Christ from this Isaiah text.

The basic message, once more, is this, that the Messiah and the Spirit of God belong together. The long wait for the arrival of that salvation promised by God for His people has arrived.” So then Jesus, after reading this text, Isaiah 61, verse 1, and also a portion of verse 2, sits down and says, “‘Today the Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.

One can only wonder at the wonderment of those that were congregated on that day. Here is one of the classic texts of the Old Testament speaking about the Messiah, speaking also about the Spirit. And this native to Nazareth now, after having read this text, sits down in the company of these who have gathered in the synagogue and declares to them, today the scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. As I have said, we can only wonder at the wonderment of those who were congregated that day.

As they looked around them, Jesus having made this declaration, as they looked around them, there didn’t seem to be anything different in what they were experiencing. The face of the earth hadn’t changed. The Roman government was still in place, its authority unmoved. Disease was still a reality, even though Jesus had been healing in Capernaum and makes reference to that. Disease was still a reality. The stress of every kind was also a reality to these people. Looking around them, it was as if nothing had changed. The man makes a statement, they look around him, all is the same.

Nevertheless, Jesus declares that the great day of God’s salvation has arrived. and that this is a visitation of the Messiah, of the Lord’s Messiah, and of the Spirit of God. Now, they might be genuinely thrilled that this famous hometown boy has come back to visit them.

We might as well think that even at this point in the exchange, as pleased as they are to have it, the wonderment and even bafflement has begun. Well, you see, there were many things that these Jews had come to expect in connection with the dawning of the great day of salvation. had even come to think that it was their right to expect these things, their due. And that on the basis of their understanding of the very Old Testament passage that Jesus quoted. They had their own interpretation of Isaiah 61, verses 1 and 2. They had their own understanding of what it meant for there to be the proclamation, yes, the final proclamation of the Good News to the poor.

When the Messiah appeared, when the Spirit came with him, then there would be removed from Israel all poverty. There would no longer be any impoverishment. This was to be the good news for them. This was the good news for them. There was no other good news for them but this. Take away my impoverishment. Take away my poverty. Take away my hated social status. Make me rich. When the kingdom comes, I will be rich. I will be rich in the things of this world.

What about the release of captives, also mentioned in the Isaiah prophecy? How do the Jews of Jesus’ day understand that message from Isaiah the prophet? This can mean nothing else but literal release of captives. You’re in prison, you get out. We can expect nothing less for John the Baptist, in fact. He’s in prison, he should be released. This is the day of visitation, is it not? We hardly envision a beheading for John.

The release of the captives would mean, then, the cessation of political and judicial injustice and oppression, the arrival of freedom for the downtrodden, the arrival of the year of jubilee, the acceptable year of the Lord, the favorable year of the Lord, as it is here articulated in Luke 4.19. must mean the presence of permanent release from debt, the retirement of all financial obligations, life away completely.

But Christ’s message, as you know, lies along a different track, a track that runs, yes, the self-assured interpretation of his Jewish audience. This is even indicated by the way in which Jesus goes at his quoting of the Isaiah passage. For you will note, when you compare Isaiah 61 with what Jesus states here, that there is the addition of a line. There is a line here in Jesus’ version that does not appear in Isaiah 61.

It is the line in which Jesus states that with his coming there is the recovery of sight for the blind. Now that might be a throw back to another text, Isaiah 35, but it is definitely incorporated by Jesus into this text in this setting, and that’s for the specific purpose of throwing his audience off.

By the addition of this text, this line, by speaking of the blessing that is coming to the blind, Jesus means to awake his audience to the true character of the spiritual difficulty, spiritual problem that faces them. Oh yes, he is about the business of healing the literal blind, and undoubtedly he has done that in Capernaum before he has arrived at Nazareth. But it is not just the physical blindness that Jesus has in mind here. And by adding the lines, he’s calling attention to the addition which the messianic kingdom brings, and that’s specifically in relationship to spiritual blindness.

A ministry of near-physical cure. poses its own threat and presents its own stumbling block. As Jesus himself notes in the 23rd verse, you’ll say to me, perform the signs that you performed in Capernaum. Here, do them here. Physical miracle can be turned into spiritual stumbling block. Oh yes, it is a sign. It is an indication that the great day has arrived.

Jesus is about the business of healing those who are literally blind. But that isn’t the end of the matter, and that’s not the most supreme matter. His business is to bring spiritual life and sight, and that is greater, a greater blessing than receiving sight for your natural eyes that are blind. People then can dote upon physical healings as much as they can upon personal enrichment. Jesus’ message here cannot and must not be taken in the direction of the health and wealth gospel.

But Jesus’ interpretation now, in which he presents and even exercises his sovereignty with respect, too, because he is adding a line to the idea in prophecy. Jesus’ interpretation of this text is of a peace. All of the elements must now be viewed in precisely the same way in which we have understood his reference to the blindness. You must go back and deal with the poverty along the same lines. the enslavement and imprisonment along the same lines, the arrival of the favorable year of the Lord along the same lines, the whole issue of liberation along the same lines.

In fact, it is the Spirit’s presence with the Messiah that determines this very matter. It is the Spirit’s presence. that demands that you take the text in this direction. You cannot go in any other direction but in the spiritual direction, and you must capitalize the word spiritual. This is the Spirit’s ministry, to convince you that physical blindness is not the most supreme thing that must be healed and cured, but spiritual blindness must be. and that release from prisons of this world is not the high point of God’s intention for you, but liberation from the prison house of sin and the terrors of death.

It may well be that Jesus’ audience on that Sabbath was even more surprised when they sat down and thought about it, when they thought about what He had done. You see, they read the Isaiahn prophecies in such a way that the coming of the Messiah and His Spirit meant the immediate judgment upon their enemies and the imposition of their rule and authority over all the nations. Jesus, however, in his quotation of Isaiah 61, verses 1 and 2, will stop short of the line in verse 2 that mentions the fact that there is a coming day of judgment, vengeance, and reconciliation. Did you check out Isaiah 61, 1 and 2, when reference was made to it this evening? Did you notice what it says there?

The quotation runs along, to proclaim liberty to the captives, freedom to the prisoners, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. There’s no period there. And the day of vengeance of our God. That’s how the sentence progresses. But Jesus stops his quotation of Isaiah 61, 1 and 2, short of that line that speaks about the day of vengeance arising. Now, Jesus does this not because he doesn’t believe in the coming judgment of God, but because he knows, if anyone knows, he knows that in the coming of the Messiah and the coming of the Spirit, there first comes the marvelous blessings of the Spirit before the visitation of final judgment.

There is this window of grace, and this window of grace means opportunity, yes, for Jew, but as Jesus goes on to point out to the audience gathered at Nazareth that day, for Gentile as well. There were many widows in Israel. There were many lepers in Israel. There is a window of grace providing opportunity, yes, for Jew, but marvelously for Gentile also. Now you have to understand that such a message as that did not sound much like good news in the ears of the Jews of Nazareth. And I might add, it still doesn’t to the Jews of this day.

Such an interpretation of Isaiah, in the final analysis, as this group of people walks away from the brow of the hill from which they were going to throw Jesus down, such an interpretation of Isaiah, as offered up now by Jesus himself, is judged to be an insult. And anyone who would prosecute the case for such an interpretation, and do it as rigorously and as directly as Jesus did himself, is obviously guilty of blasphemy and worthy of death.

But Jesus is the Immanuel. of whom Isaiah spoke. He is the servant of the Lord, of whom Isaiah wrote. He has absolute authority, and that in the Spirit, to interpret the prophecies which are about him. And he renders infallible interpretation. we must make sure that we who hear his infallible interpretation follow him. If we will, and if we do, truly the great blessings of which this one Emmanuel, the servant of the Lord, the Messiah, spoke. The great blessings of which he spoke are ours. The greatest blessings.

What? That my physical blindness would be removed? That I would get out of jail. No. That I would have God. Live with Him beginning now and forever. Let’s pray. We thank you, our God, for what has come, yes, the day of the blessed one, the Messiah, but also the day of the Spirit. And with the Spirit’s coming, yes, in and through the Messiah, the proper rendering and interpretation of even the precious promises of the past. the rich and abundant blessings meant for us even now, as we are delivered from blindness of the soul, to see the things of God, and know that even as we have seen them with the spiritual eye, we shall see them also in our resurrected bodies. And we have the word of our Christ and the blessed presence of the Spirit to guarantee this truth to us. May we delight in it with all your church, even to the end of this age and beyond. Amen.

The sermon text provided above is derived from the sermon audio recording making use of generative tools. It has not been manually edited. While transcription tools have a high degree of accuracy, the output may include generative textual, punctuation, and/or formatting errors.

April 23, 1995