Reformation

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Reformation Sunday morning, the 27th of October, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

502 years ago, this coming Thursday, a German monk by the name of Martin Luther was fed up with the Roman Catholic Church, its actions and it leaders.  He strongly felt that this was a time for reformation.  So he walked up to the front of All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany and nailed his list of protests against the church on the front door, what we call his Ninety-five Theses.  Most folks consider this as the start of the Reformation Movement, which eventually led to the founding of this church family known as Pilgrim Reformed.

Reform was indeed needed in Luther’s day, but it has been needed for far longer than 502 years.  Oh, and there is one great reformation yet to come.  Please listen and follow along to what the author of the Book of Hebrews wrote in the first 10 verses of chapter 9 of his letter to those converted Jews who believed in Jesus, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 Then indeed, even the first covenant had ordinances of divine service and the earthly sanctuary. 2 For a tabernacle was prepared: the first part, in which was the lampstand, the table, and the showbread, which is called the sanctuary; 3 and behind the second veil, the part of the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of All, 4 which had the golden censer and the ark of the covenant overlaid on all sides with gold, in which were the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tablets of the covenant; 5 and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people’s sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing. 9 It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the service perfect in regard to conscience — 10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

--Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, the first covenant You made with mankind contained ordinances of divine service and an earthly sanctuary that was to mirror Your heavenly tabernacle.  But we were unable to keep our end of that covenant, and even corrupted it to our own benefit, perverting the law into schemes to enrich our coffers.  So You, Father, in Your infinite goodness and grace, sent Your Son to offer us a second, better covenant.  In Him we see the true, heavenly sanctuary.  You want us to be conformed to His image, to be like Him.  You gave Your own Spirit to those who accept Jesus as Lord that we might be transformed by the Spirit more closely into the likeness of Jesus.  Father, please help us to not be conformed to this world but to be reformed by the Spirit that we might better serve You and fulfill Your will.

Speak to us now, Father, with the message we need to hear this morning.  May Your Spirit move throughout every fiber of our being, transforming us into brethren of the Firstborn, Your Son Jesus.  This we pray in the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Robert Schmidgall, founder and pastor of Calvary Church in Illinois, once said:

Living without Christ is like driving a car with its front end out of line.  You can stay on the road if you grip the steering wheel with both hands and hang on tightly.  Any lapse of attention, however, and you head straight for the ditch.  Society in general - educators, political leaders, parents - exhorts us to drive straight and curb our destructive tendencies.  But it is a ceaseless struggle.

Coming to Christ is a little like getting a front-end alignment.  The pull toward the ditch is corrected from the inside.  Not to say there won't be bumps and potholes ahead that will still try to jar us off the road.  Temptations and challenges will always test our alertness to steer a straight course.  We can hardly afford to fall asleep at the wheel.  But the basic skew in the moral mechanism has been repaired.


I think that’s a pretty good analogy, for those of us who’ve driven vehicles in bad need of a front-end alignment.  The pull is constant, requiring our constant attention and efforts to correct it and drive straight.  But once we go ahead and get the front-end aligned, it becomes much easier to control the vehicle.

That’s what God’s Holy Spirit does for us.  When we come to Christ Jesus, we are given God’s Spirit to be our guide and helper.  He is our front-end alignment, allowing us to drive straight in this life if we follow His directions.  We just need to be sure that one of those huge potholes in life don’t knock us out of alignment again.


According to one of his reform-minded colleagues, Martin Luther marched up the steps of All Saints’ Church and nailed his Ninety-five Theses to the front door on October 31st, 1517.  That date, October 31st, might ring a bell  to you - it’s Halloween.  Some people believe Luther may have chosen All Hallows’ Eve to begin his formal protest to get people’s attention, but we don’t know for sure.

Luther’s concern at that time was over the church’s practice of allowing someone to pay in this life so that the punishment for their sins in the next life will be lessened.  This reminds me of how the Pharisees had so perverted the Law, primarily to benefit themselves.

Yes, reformation was definitely needed.  As I mentioned at the start, though, our need for reformation began much earlier than 1517.  God sent His Son Jesus to us, that we might be re-formed in His image.  We spoke this in our responsive reading earlier, from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans: that we are to be conformed to the image of God’s Son Jesus, that He might be the firstborn among many.  To be conformed in Christ’s image we must be reformed from how the world shapes us.  In chapter 12 of that letter to the Romans, verses 1 and 2, Paul tells us…

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

--Romans 12:1-2 (NKJV)

We are to be reformed into the image of Jesus, and not conformed to this world, but transformed by God’s Holy Spirit working within us.  And family, just like driving a car badly out of alignment can lead to serious consequences, not allowing ourselves to be reformed by the Spirit can be even worse.  Listen to what God Himself tells us in a few excerpts from chapter 26 of the Book of Leviticus…

"If you walk in My statutes and keep My commandments, and perform them, then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit.  I will give peace in the land, and none will make you afraid.

"But if you do not obey Me, and do not observe all these commandments, and if you despise My statutes, or if your soul abhors My judgments, so that you do not perform all My commandments, but break My covenant, I will appoint terror over you, I will set My face against you.

"And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins.  I will break the pride of your power.

"Then, if you walk contrary to Me, and are not willing to obey Me, I will bring on you seven times more plagues, according to your sins.

"And if by these things you are not reformed by Me, but walk contrary to Me, then I also will walk contrary to you, and I will punish you yet seven times for your sins."

--selected verses from Leviticus 26 (NKJV)

If we walk a godly path and are obedient to God’s word, our life will be blessed and we will have peace.  But woe upon us if we refuse the Spirit’s guiding hand and continue to walk our own path, contrary to God.  Being completely obedient to God’s laws and commandments is impossible for mankind, otherwise we wouldn’t have needed Jesus.  But we can allow the Spirit to lead us along that path, not trying to fight against God the whole time.


I spoke earlier of a great reformation to come.  The author of the letter to the Hebrews included this in the last verse of our scripture reading.  Some beautiful day, Jesus will return and realign all of creation, transforming even the earth itself.  Listen to what the Apostle John described in his Book Of Revelation, chapter 21, verses 1 through 5…

1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

--Revelation 21:1-5 (NKJV)

“Behold, I make all things new!”  The greatest and final reformation!  But for too many, by this point, it will be too late.  They’ll cry out, “Lord, Lord!”, but Jesus will respond, “Get away from Me – I never knew you.”

We do not want to hear those words.  Nor do we want any of our loved ones included in that lost crowd.  And frankly, if we truly follow Jesus as He commands us, loving our neighbors as ourselves, then we should not want for anyone to suffer eternal damnation!


Paul says that the sufferings of this present age are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  I would add that the sufferings of this present age in no way compare to the sufferings that are to come for those who reject Jesus in this life.

To be saved from eternal torment, one must be reformed.  We must be transformed from creatures focused on the world and its lusts and desires to more righteous beings centered on the light that is Christ Jesus.  We must allow ourselves to be led, by God’s Holy Spirit, out into the world, witnessing for Jesus.  For this is what our Lord commands, that we tell all the world about Him and what He has done for us.  Let’s rekindle the reformation movement, starting right here in Davidson County.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, when we accept Jesus as Your Son, You send Your Holy Spirit to live within us and always be with us, to guide us and transform us into the person You want us to be.  If we just give ourselves over to the Spirit and allow Him to do His work within us, we could break the binds this world has on us and no longer be conformed to it.  We could be transformed into a being more focused on the spiritual than on the physical.  Help us, please Father, to give free rein to Your Spirit and follow as He directs us.  Help us to be reformed closer into the image of Jesus.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, those who believe in You have God’s Spirit within us.  The Spirit bears witness to You, glorifies You, points the way to You, and so should we.  We are nowhere near perfect, and never will be in this life, but God’s Spirit will transform us into a more perfect being, a closer reflection of You, if we allow Him to, if we follow His directions.  Lord Jesus, please help us surrender to God’s Spirit and His guidance.  Help us to more closely reflect You in our daily walk.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Fruit We Bear

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 20th of October, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

We’ve been talking about God’s Holy Spirit, and mostly about how He lives within those who believe in Jesus as God’s Son and accept Him as their Lord.  Last week we saw that we are baptized by the Spirit when we do accept Jesus, and I touched on the question of how do we show evidence of that baptism.  What is our outward sign of the inward change He brings?  The Apostle Paul gives us the answer.

Please listen and follow along to what Paul wrote in chapter 5 of his letter to the Galatians, verses 16 through 25, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, meekness, self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

--Galatians 5:16-25 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, because You have given us Your Spirit to live within us and be with us always, You want us to live each day as Your Spirit guides us, walking our daily walk as He directs us.  Too often though, Father, we let our flesh direct our path.  The world’s grip on us is still tight.  Please help us to let go of the world and all the temptations it offers.  Help us be true to Your Spirit, and ever faithful to You.

Speak to us now, Father, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us through Your Spirit what You would have us do in our service to You and Jesus so that others may see the fruits of the Spirit we bear.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


In your bulletin you will find an excerpt from Charles Ryrie's book, So Great Salvation.  In that book, Ryrie also answers the question of what fruits might a Christian bear.  Let me summarize his response:

"One, a developing Christian character is fruit.  If the goal of the Christian life may be stated as Christlikeness, then surely every trait developed in us that reflects His character must be fruit that is very pleasing to Him.  Two, right character will result in right conduct, and as we live a life of good works we produce fruit.  Three, those who come to Christ through our witness are fruit.  Four, we may also bear fruit with our lips by giving praise to God and thankfully confessing His name.  Five, we bear fruit when we give money. Paul designated the collection of money for the poorer saints in Jerusalem as fruit."


I think these might better be considered as ways of seeing the fruits of the Spirit at work.  Note in the bulletin insert that Ryrie also says we might not be able to see or discern another person's fruit.  But we should definitely be able to discern the fruits within ourselves.  God certainly can, for He can see into our hearts.


In our scripture, Paul describes how God’s Holy Spirit battles against the flesh, and especially the lusts or desires of the flesh.  He says the two are contrary to one another, and because of that inner struggle we too often do not do the things we really wish to do.

Paul himself suffered from this conflict.  In chapter 7 of his letter to the Romans, he basically says that he does not do the things he wants to do, but does the things he does not want to do.  In other words, he doesn’t want to sin, but he can’t seem to help but sin.  We know how that is, don’t we?  We don’t want to hate other people, but there are some we just can’t seem to help but hate.

Paul goes on to list some of the evidence of the flesh at work, such as acts of adultery, sexual immorality, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, magic, hatred, contentiousness, jealousy, outbursts of temper, greed, envy, murder… and the list goes on and on.  I think we can call these the fruits of the flesh.  Then Paul lists some of the fruits of the Spirit, evidence of the Spirit at work within us: love, joy, peace, great patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, meekness, self-control.

Our congregational reading this morning speaks of the fruits of God’s Holy Spirit, doesn’t it?  Loving others, striving to understand them.  Being humble, doing what we do as a sign of thanks and gratitude to our Father God rather than to receive praise or glory for ourselves.  Seeking God’s help, especially when we feel we can’t go on, rather than rely solely on our own resources.  Remembering that God loves all of His creation, much more than we ever could.


Now as in so many instances, what Paul wrote to the Galatians is actually based on something that Jesus said during His ministry on earth.  And this just goes to show how much Jesus shared with Paul while he was blinded, how great an insight Jesus gave him, since the pre-conversion Saul never walked with Jesus and in fact worked against the church!

Listen to what Jesus said during His “Sermon on the Plain”, as recorded by the Apostle Luke in his Gospel account, chapter 6 verses 43 through 45…

43 “For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks."

--Luke 6:43-45 (NKJV)

Jesus says a tree is known by its fruit.  Not only that, but a good tree will not bear bad fruit.

Does this conflict with what Paul said about too often giving in to the desires of the flesh rather than the leadings of the Spirit, of sinning even when we don’t want to?  I don’t think so.  Jesus states that a good person, out of the goodness of their heart, will do good.  But those with evilness in their heart will do evil.  What is in our heart makes all the difference.  And even though as Ryrie noted we may not be able to see into another person’s heart, God can.  God knows if we are good or evil at heart.

Our sins, our doing wrong when we want to do right, are forgiven and washed away by the blood of Jesus.  We just need to be extra careful not to keep doing the same things, the same sin, over and over.


God knows our hearts.  He knows if His Spirit is indeed within us.  We can’t hide from Him, nor can we fake His Spirit’s effect on our lives.

There are many good people in this world who do good things, who exhibit signs that we could see as fruits of the Spirit within them, yet are damned to eternal torment because of their unbelief.  If they do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, if they do not accept Him as their Lord and Master, following Him, obeying Him, then God’s Spirit is not within them and they are condemned, no matter how much good they do!  God sees all, God knows all, God cannot be fooled.


Family, we need to take a close look at ourselves, a close inward look.  Can we see the fruits of God’s Spirit within us?  Can we see evidence of His influence in our daily lives?  To put it bluntly, coming to church on Sundays and sitting in the pews listening to a sermon does not make a person a Christian any more than sitting in a garage going “vroom-vroom” makes them a car!  If a person is not truly a Christian, a follower of Christ, then the Spirit of God is not within them, no matter what they do!

God’s Spirit can make the evil heart good.  He will lead us to do good, to do as Jesus wants us to do, if we just follow His lead.  We just need to believe.  We just need to let go of the world and give ourselves over to the Spirit within us.

Let go and let God.  Believe in Jesus, follow the Spirit, do good, please God.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, when we accept Jesus as Your Son, You give us the wonderful gift of Your Holy Spirit to live within us, to lead us, to guide us, to always be with us.  If we just follow Your Spirit’s lead, we could break away from the binds of our fleshly desires that tie us to the world.  But too often we do what we really don’t want to do, down in our hearts.  The temptations of the world are very strong and alluring.  Help us, please Father, to resist Satan’s pull, to turn from those temptations, to walk as Your Spirit directs us.  Help us to bear the fruits of Your Spirit that the world might see You in us and all we do.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, those who believe in You have God’s Spirit within us.  You washed us clean of our sin, but that does not give us license to keep on sinning, to go on living like nothing has changed.  God’s Spirit will change us.  We just need to follow His directions.  Thank You, Jesus, for offering us salvation.  Please help us show our gratitude by doing as the Spirit leads, by showing His fruits in all we do.  Help us to live and walk in the Spirit each and every day.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Spirit and Jesus

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 13th of October, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

I’m sure you remember the story of John, a kinsman of (and born just a few months before) Jesus.  We call him the Baptist, for he lived out in the wilds, along the Jordan River, preaching repentance and baptizing people from Jerusalem and all over Judea.

Now Jesus didn’t begin His actual ministry, not in earnest, until He was around 30 years old, and it started with John there at the River Jordan.  Please listen and follow along to the enormously important event the Apostle Matthew recorded for us in chapter 3 of his Gospel account, and I’ll be reading from the New King James Version of our Holy Bible…

1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’”

4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

--Matthew 3 (NKJV)

Let us pray…  Father God, You announced to all who could hear that day that Jesus was Your beloved Son, in whom You were well pleased.  Those words were recorded and saved for us by one of His closest followers, Matthew, so that we could hear Your announcement, too.  This is huge!  This is momentous!  Because of this announcement, there should be no reason for anyone to doubt the authenticity and authority of Jesus, nor to reject Him as Lord.  Because to do so is to reject You.  Please help us truly understand what it means to accept Jesus, to believe in Him as Your Son and our Master.  Speak to us now, Father, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us what You would have us do in our service to You and Jesus.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


Gregory of Nazianzus was a 4th century Archbishop of Constantinople and noted theologian.  Much of his work, which continues to influence theologians today, regarded the relationship among the three Persons of God - the Trinity.  Gregory wrote:

The deity of the Holy Spirit ought to be clearly recognized in Scripture.  Look at these facts: Christ is born; the Spirit is His forerunner.  Christ is baptized; the Spirit bears witness.  Christ is tempted; the Spirit leads Him up.  Christ ascends; the Spirit takes His place.  What great things are there in the character of God which are not found in the Spirit?  What titles which belong to God are not also applied to Him?  He is called the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the mind of Christ, the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of adoption, of truth, of liberty; the Spirit of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge, of godliness, of the fear of God.  This only begins to show how unlimited He is.


God is infinite, without limits, and so is His Spirit.  As Gregory noted, scripture from both testaments bear this out.  God is all-powerful, and so is His Spirit.  And God’s Spirit lives within us.  Doesn’t that imply that we, through God’s Holy Spirit within us, might also be all-powerful and without limits?  That, my dear brothers and sisters, is a very humbling thought.


Matthew opens chapter 3 by telling us that, “In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’”  And then one day Jesus walked up and the Kingdom of heaven was indeed at hand, and standing right there in front of him.  Although John thought it highly inappropriate that he should be baptizing the Christ, he did so because Jesus asked him to.

And then came that announcement to the world, heard and recorded so that no one should doubt, no one should refuse to believe or accept, yet some still do.  God recognized Jesus as His own Son, His beloved Son, and said so!  Not only that, He sent His Spirit to alight on Jesus in a visible appearance like a dove.

How can anyone not believe?  Why can’t they see that rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself?


A few weeks ago we looked at the Spirit's role as regards Jesus.  In our scripture reading this morning, we can see how He came to Jesus the Man in the first place.  But what we may have missed is that God promised to send His Spirit to Jesus long, long before Jesus came to earth as one of us.

The prophet Isaiah foretold this over 600 years before Jesus was born, that Jesus would bear God’s Spirit.  Opening the 11th chapter of his book of prophecy, Isaiah wrote in verses 1 and 2…

1 There shall come forth a Shoot from the stem of Jesse,
And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.
2 The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him,
The Spirit of wisdom and understanding,
The Spirit of counsel and might,
The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

--Isaiah 11:1-2 (NKJV)

There’s some of those descriptions of the Holy Spirit that Gregory mentioned in my illustration at the start.  The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might and knowledge.  The Spirit of the Lord.

We know that Jesus was born of the line of Jesse, and Matthew told of God’s Spirit coming down and resting upon Him.  Oh, and there’s a little bit more of what we’ve talked about recently that Isaiah verifies.  Some time back, I mentioned how God's plan all along included salvation for the Gentiles.  Well, Isaiah spoke that promise for God, also, and again, long before Jesus came to us as a Man.

Starting in chapter 42 of his book of prophecy, Isaiah refers to the Christ as being the Servant of God, with a capital “S”.  He introduces us to the Servant in verse 1 with these words…

1 “Behold! My Servant whom I uphold,
My Elect One in whom My soul delights!
I have put My Spirit upon Him;
He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles."

--Isaiah 42:1 (NKJV)

God’s Servant, His Elect One, in whom His soul delights.  “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”  The very same sentiment, if not the same words, yet recorded nearly 700 years apart.  And “He will bring forth justice to the Gentiles”.  What greater justice is there than salvation?


God’s Spirit came to Jesus and through the Spirit Jesus was able to do wondrous things, to perform incredible miracles, even to return life to the dead.  I think it a miracle that Jesus could stand out in the open, on level ground or a mountainside, and speak and thousands of people could hear and understand Him, seemingly with no trouble.  I have to use a microphone and amplification just to be heard clearly in the back of this sanctuary!

God’s Spirit empowered Jesus to serve God.  The same Spirit now lives within us.  The same power, wisdom, counsel, understanding, might, godliness, and knowledge is available to us, within us.  Now we may or may not be able to perform miraculous acts, but with the Spirit always at our side, we should never be afraid to try.  If the power would suddenly go out, I know the Spirit would help me be heard by everyone here.  I may not be able to raise someone from the dead, but I can help keep them alive within the hearts of their loved ones.

The thing is, the Spirit is within us to help us serve God, and God doesn’t really give us the tough jobs that He gave Jesus.  Our tasks, for the most part, are much easier, requiring less a miracle, but more a determination on our part to do what God would have us do.

We are the beloved sons and daughters of God.  How pleased He is with us, how delighted He is, I think depends on how well we strive to serve Him.  If our baptism by water is an outward sign of our inward commitment to Jesus, then how do we outwardly show evidence of our baptism by God’s Spirit?  By humbly serving God, just as Jesus did.

Let’s give the Spirit free rein to work within us, empowering us, emboldening us.  Believe in Jesus, feel the Spirit, serve God.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You announced that Jesus was Your own beloved Son, and then You sent Your Holy Spirit to rest upon Him and empower Him in His ministry.  This should have been all people needed, or need today, to believe in Jesus and accept Him as Lord.  But too many don’t.  They reject Him, and they reject You.  Help us, please Father, in our belief.  Help us stay strong and faithful in the face of so much disbelief around us.  Empower us through Your Spirit in our service to You.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, for those who believe, there is no doubt that You are God’s beloved Son.  And through You, we who believe have the same Spirit living within us that rested upon You and empowered You during Your ministry on earth, the same Spirit that took part in the creation of all there is, the same Spirit that raised You from the dead.  Thank You, Jesus, for asking God to send His Spirit to us.  Please help us to not only heed the Spirit, but to allow Him to use us in service to You and our Father God.  Help us feel His power and use His power, that we may carry out the task God has given us.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Lord and our Savior.  Amen.

The Cleansing Blood

[The following is a manuscript of my message delivered on Sunday morning, the 6th of October, 2019 at Pilgrim Reformed Church.  Today's service included the observance of Holy Communion.  Look for the video of our services on our Vimeo channel:  http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]

Last week I got a little ahead of myself when I mentioned that the previous week we had looked at one reason Jesus had to die.  And then I went on to talk about the second reason - so that the Holy Spirit could come to believers.  So if you were confused, it’s understandable, because I’m actually going to look at the first reason today.  And I’ll let the author of the Letter to the Hebrews provide our explanation.  Please listen and follow along to what he tells us in chapter 9, verses 6 through 28, and I’ll be reading from the Modern English Version of our Holy Bible…

6 Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests would regularly go into the first part, conducting the services of God. 7 But only the high priest went into the second part once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins of the people, committed in ignorance. 8 The Holy Spirit was signifying through this that the way into the Most Holy Place was not yet revealed, because the first part of the tabernacle was still standing. 9 This is an illustration for the present time, showing that the gifts and sacrifices offered could not perfect the conscience of those who worshipped, 10 since they are concerned only with foods and drinks, ceremonial cleansings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

11 But Christ, when He came as a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, 12 neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies so that the flesh is purified, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 For this reason He is the Mediator of a new covenant, since a death has occurred for the redemption of the sins that were committed under the first covenant, so that those who are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16 For where there is a will, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. 17 For a will has force after men are dead, since it has no force at all while the testator lives. 18 So not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when Moses had taught every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God has commanded you to keep.” 21 Likewise he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of worship with blood. 22 And according to the law almost everything must be cleansed with blood; without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

23 It was therefore necessary that the replicas of heavenly things be cleansed with these sacrifices, but that the heavenly things themselves be cleansed with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ did not enter holy places made with hands, which are patterned after the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. 25 Nor did He enter to offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own. 26 For then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the world was created, but now He has appeared once at the end of the ages to put away sin by sacrificing Himself. 27 As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this comes the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many, and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin but to save those who eagerly wait for Him.

--Hebrews 9:6-28 (MEV)

Let us pray…  Father God, Your true tabernacle is in heaven, where Jesus sits at your right hand.  Anything we have on earth is a mere shadow, corruptible instead of incorruptible.  Please help us grasp the difference.  And especially, please help us understand exactly why it was necessary for Your Son to sacrifice Himself, and what that blood offering means to us.  Speak to us now, Father, with the message we need to hear this morning.  Show us what You would have us do in our service to You and Jesus.  This we pray in the blessed name of Your Son, Jesus our Lord.   Amen.


The magazine, Today in the Word, carried this little story in its November 14, 1993 issue:

Three times a month, Jermaine Washington and Michelle Stevens get together for what they call a "gratitude lunch." With good reason! Washington donated a kidney to Stevens, whom he described as "just a friend." They met at work where they used to have lunch together. One day Michelle wept as she spoke about waiting on a kidney donor list for 11 months. She was being sustained by kidney dialysis, but suffered chronic fatigue and blackouts and was plagued by joint pain. Because Washington couldn't stand the thought of watching his friend die, he gave her one of his kidneys. When you've got something great to be thankful for, having a "gratitude lunch" is a great way to celebrate.


This morning we will come to our Lord's table for the sacrament of Holy Communion.  We will eat and drink in remembrance of the sacrifice Jesus made just for us.  Because of that sacrifice, and all God's blessings, we have much to be thankful for.  So consider this our "gratitude lunch".


Our scripture reading this morning was long and filled with much information.  First we must realize that the entire book of Hebrews is all about Jesus, and about His superiority in all things.  So in our passage, the author is comparing the old covenant God made with mankind, and the laws handed down through Moses, with the new covenant that Jesus brought to us.

In the old, only the high priest could enter the Holiest Place in the tabernacle, which itself was merely a replica of what is in heaven.  There the priest would cleanse all the earthly things with sacrificial blood, to wash away his sins and those of the people.  The old covenant required him to do this once a year.

Only blood can wash away sin.  Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness.  God spoke through Moses to explain why, in Leviticus chapter 17 verse 11…

11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your lives; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

--Leviticus 17:11 (MEV)

It is the blood that makes atonement for the soul, that allows forgiveness of our sin.  But Jesus is a much greater High Priest.  He does not enter into the holiest place made by human hands, but into the actual tabernacle in heaven, into God’s very presence.  And His sacrifice, of His own blood, is not sprinkled once a year, but was poured out one time for all time, and for all people.

Only the blood of the Spotless, completely Innocent Lamb can wash away our sin.  Jesus made that sacrifice for us, for you and for me, so that we could be washed clean and appear spotless when we stand before God.  And once He made it, His job on earth was done.  Listen to what the Apostle John recorded in the 19th chapter of his Gospel account, verses 28 through 30…

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

--John 19:28-30 (NKJV)

“It is finished!”  The task God assigned Jesus was completed - to enter into the Most Holy Place and there to sacrifice Himself so that we could be washed clean of our sin.  Once, for all.


We come to our Lord’s table, to eat of His body, broken for us, to drink from the cup of His blood, shed for us.  Jesus is the new covenant between God and mankind!  His own blood sealed that covenant.  We take of His body and His blood to remember… to remember the sacrifice, to remember the covenant, to remember the importance of keeping up our end.

Believe in Jesus, obey His voice, and be saved.  In the blessed name of Christ Jesus our Lord.  Amen.


Let us pray…  Father God, You knew mankind would never be able to meet its end of Your first covenant with us, the Law, but we had to realize it for ourselves.  Like the rich young ruler, we thought we were obeying you perfectly, even in the depths of our sin.  So You gave us another chance and a better way to be cleansed of our sin.  You gave us Your Son, who washed us clean with His own precious blood.  Help us, please Father, to understand the great importance of this act of mercy and grace.  Help us always remember and hold dear just what Jesus did for us.

Please hear us now, Father, as we come to You in the silence, speaking from our hearts, promising to turn from our disobedient ways, seeking Your forgiveness and Your help…

Lord Jesus, You are the perfect Spotless Lamb, the greatest High Priest.  You entered into the true tabernacle of God and gave a blood sacrifice on our behalf, so that our sins could be forgiven.  You who were without sin took all our sins upon Yourself, so that we could be seen as clean in our Father God’s eyes.  Thank You, Jesus, for suffering for us, for giving of Yourself for us.  Please help us to fully grasp why You had to suffer and die.  Help us understand what Your sacrifice means to us.  Help us to follow You, to obey You, to see You as our Lord and Master.  And may we never forget or take for granted Your great love that led You to so selfless a sacrifice.  This we pray in Your glorious name, Christ Jesus our Master and our Savior.  Amen.