E-SERMON No.28 - HB 6:4-12 - THE DREADFUL DANGER OF APOSTACY

THE LETTER TO THE HEBREWS WAS WRITTEN TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS WHO WERE GROWING TIRED OF RUNNING THE RACE OF FAITH, AND THEREFORE CONSIDERED TURNING BACK TO OLD TESTAMENT RELIGION. The writer does everything in his power to dissuade them from such foolish, fatal action. The letter therefore contains five grave warnings against apostasy: 2:1-4; 3:7 - 4:13; 5:11 - 6:12; 10:26-39 and 12:14-29.

A closer look at Hb 5:11 - 6:12

# Some of the Hebrews are in danger of making shipwreck of their faith. Since they have tasted in wonderful ways the goodness of the Lord, they will have no excuses should they do so.

# Much is made of the addressee's knowledge of the truth. Although 6:4-5 speaks of imaginary people, it clearly alludes to the experiences of the Hebrews. They have repeatedly received irrefutable evidence about Christ.
Five experiences are mentioned: at one stage they were enlightened; they have tasted the heavenly gift; they have shared in the Holy Spirit; they have tasted the goodness of the word of God; and they have tasted the powers of the coming age.

# However, returning to the Jewish faith would amount to a rejection of Christ - and it would be impossible to be brought back to repentance again.

# The sin against which they are being warned here is the conscious and calculated rejection of irrefutable evidence about Jesus Christ - as manifested over a period of time in their lives, and confirmed in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.
Possibly this is the same sin as that mentioned in Mt 12:31-32; Mk 3:28-30; Lk 12:10; 1Jn 5:16-17 and 2Pt 2:20-22.

What about the perseverance of the saints?

# What the writer says here makes sense. People who turn their backs on the Lord after so clearly experiencing His grace, deserve to be rejected. That we can understand and accept.
The problem comes when we compare what is written here to other truths which are strongly emphasised elsewhere in Scripture. What, for instance, about the Lord's assurance that He will forgive us if we turn to Him again in humility after we have sinned? And what about the clear Biblical teaching that the Lord will keep those who belong to Him to the very end?
Does the Bible not teach that not a single one of the elect will be lost? What about the Lord's explicit assurance in Jn 10 that the sheep given to Him as the good Shepherd by the Father will never perish? He does, after all, "give them eternal life". No-one can snatch them out of His or His Father's hand. They "shall never perish" (26-30).

# All this is true! But the writer to the Hebrews does not think of those who forsake the faith as born again people. In v.7-8 we have a short parable, connected to the preceding with the little causal conjunction, "for" (ESV; NASV). The parable therefore explains v.4-6 - and in the process solves the riddle of the previous paragraph.
The "rain that often falls" is a Biblical reference to God's blessings. In this case it refers to the experiences in v. 4-5. But rain falls on all types of soil. And while the land is still bare earth, it is impossible to tell what it will produce - useful crops or weeds.
Thus the difference does not lie in the rain that falls, but in the type of soil. People who abandon the faith after experiences such as mentioned in v.4-5 produce weeds. It is what follows after the blessing of the Lord that shows the true condition of a heart.

# The Bible is very clear about the fact that there is an unbreakable relationship between the condition of a person's heart, and his or her lifestyle. Exactly this is the point of this short parable: apostasy is simply proof that the heart has never been regenerated.
Hb 6:9-12 confirms our conclusion. In spite of his warnings, the writer believes that his readers have indeed been saved and will accordingly not abandon the faith: "... dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case..." (9). What are these "better things"? The answer is given in verses 10 (their love), 11 (their hope) and 12 (their faith).
Better than what? Better than the experiences in verses 4-5! Why? Because love, hope and faith "accompany salvation" (v. 9b). For a long time already they have been displaying the irrefutable signs of true salvation - the only trustworthy signs!

Can the unregenerate experience this?

# Another question now arises: Is it at all possible for the unregenerate to have the experiences described in Hb 6:4-5?
Yes, indeed! Think of the many examples throughout Scripture. Think of King Saul. Consider Balaam, the New Testament's classic example of a false prophet (Num 24:15-19; 31:8, 16; 2Pt 2:15-16; Jd 11; Rev 2:14). What about people like Judas Iscariot and Simon the Sorcerer? Did these people not all have practical, in fact, remarkable experiences of the Holy Spirit's work?
Once we become aware of this fact, it is shocking to note in Scripture to what extent people can experience the Spirit's work - short of regeneration (cp. Mt 7:21-23).

# The respected theologian, John Murray, writes in his classic work, Redemption - Accomplished and Applied: "The Scripture itself, therefore, leads us to the conclusion that it is possible to have very uplifting, ennobling, reforming, and exhilarating experience of the power and truth of the gospel, to come into such close contact with the supernatural forces which are operative in God's kingdom of grace that these forces produce effects in us which to human observation are hardly distinguishable from those produced by God's regenerating and sanctifying grace and yet be not partakers of Christ and heirs of eternal life. A doctrine of perseverance that fails to take account of such a possibility and of its actuality in certain cases is a distorted one and ministers to a laxity which is quite contrary to the interest of perseverance. Indeed it is not the doctrine of perseverance at all" (p.153).

What then is this sin?

# For at least two reasons we need to understand clearly the nature of this sin. Firstly, many devout Christians are plagued by the fear that they might be guilty of it. Secondly, thousands believe that they enjoy eternal salvation on the strength of a short prayer in which they "made a decision for Christ". To them "once saved, always saved" constitutes a free pass to heaven, irrespective of how they live after their so-called "conversion".

# The unforgivable sin has at least three elements:

* Firstly, this sin is committed by people who know in their hearts that Christ is exactly what the New Testament tells us about Him. They have often seen irrefutable proofs, and have experienced the convicting work of the Spirit. More than likely they have also seen the Lord's grace manifested in a living church.

* Secondly, this sin is committed by people who reject Christ knowingly, in spite of what they have experienced.

* Thirdly, it is impossible for such a person to be brought to repentance again. By this Scripture does not mean that the Spirit is unable to bring such a person to true salvation, but rather that those who minister to him or her will find it impossible to get through. A petrified heart is impenetrable!
Why is this so? Because the Lord simply withholds His illuminating grace. As a result such a person has no desire to be saved. But what about Esau who tearfully tried to rectify his foolishness (Hb 12:17)? His was not genuine repentance at the wrong he had done. No, it was mere sadness because a blessing had slipped through his fingers.

What this sin is not?

# This sin cannot be committed unknowingly. In Lk 23:34 the Lord Jesus prays, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing". In 1Tm 1:13 Paul writes that the Lord appointed him to His service even though he had once been a blasphemer and a persecutor ...". He was shown mercy "because I acted in ignorance and unbelief."

# People who genuinely desire peace with God and assurance of salvation can be sure that they have not committed this sin - because it leads to an inner hardening and an unconcern towards the Lord.

# Those who hear the gospel - even if this happens repeatedly and clearly - and still refrain from accepting Christ, cannot be said to have committed the unforgivable sin. Of course they are in sin, but if they have not experienced the deep convicting work of the Spirit, they are not guilty of this particular sin. Let anyone who has rejected Christ up to now, and is worried about having committed this sin, flee to Christ. If you approach Him with a sincere and broken heart, the Lord will certainly accept you.

# People who have said blasphemous things about the Spirit in unbelief, ignorance or plain stupidity, have committed a grievous sin - and deep confession and repentance is necessary. But the unforgivable sin as such, it is not.

# Scripture warns us that our sin grieves the Holy Spirit (Eph 4:30), and that we can put out His fire (1Th 5:19). This has to be taken very seriously. But, once again, this is not the unforgivable sin.

Perseverance of the saints

According to Scripture there is a terrible possibility that people may move for a long time within the circle of the true church, and therefore within the sphere of God's grace - only to find in the end that theirs was a false faith. That is why John speaks of people who used to be members of the church, but then left because they never really were members of the body of Christ (1Jn 2:19). That is why Paul calls on believers to examine themselves whether they are in the faith (2Cor 13:5).
However, perseverance of the saints remains a glorious Biblical truth. But then the doctrine needs to be understood correctly: God will empower those whom He has sanctified (i.e. separated) for Himself to persevere in holiness until the end. And a holy life has but one watermark of authenticity: obedience to the Word of God, from a sincere heart full of faith in Christ, driven by a passion for His glory.

Nico van der Walt

ANTIPAS HERALD No.9 - REV 2-3 - THE LOCAL CHURCH AS A LAMPSTAND - A few perspectives on the letters of Rev 2-3

IT IS STAGGERING TO SEE HOW MANY CHRISTIANS PAY LITTLE OR NO ATTENTION TO THE NEW TESTAMENT REVELATION CONCERNING THE CHURCH. How few really understand what the local church [1] is all about. How few grasp the role she is playing in the outworking of God's eternal plan. O, what has happened to the passion for the church truly to be the church?
There must be few passages of Scripture that are both more well-known and more neglected than the seven letters in Revelation 2-3. Each letter justifies an in-depth study, but there is also value in an overall approach in order to examine the message of the letters as a whole - as we will now undertake.
The truths which this study deals with have made an indelible and life-changing impression on the author, and he believes that many thoughtful readers will experience the same.

Seven facets of the church

The theme of The Revelation is Jesus Christ’s war against, and ultimate triumph over the Evil One. This war rages on in the struggle between the church and the anti-God world system. The book therefore contains abiding lessons for the church through the ages. This holds par excellence for chapters 1-3.

# The book is a revelation of the glorified Jesus Christ to the Apostle John towards the end of the first century. It is addressed to seven specific local churches in Asia Minor (1:4) and deals, in the first instance, with their situations.
Nevertheless, the number of completion - seven - is meaningful. It indicates that these churches represent, as it were, the entire church of the dispensation between the first coming of Christ and His return. We have here seven facets of the universal church. Time and time again, each facet has to a greater or lesser extent been visible in the world-wide church through the ages.

# Thus one finds in these letters the weal and woe of the church’s history in embryonic form. On the one hand there is the tragic, the scandalous, the sin and the failure. On the other hand, there are the triumphs, the heroic faithfulness, the unswerving perseverance. The warnings are therefore directed against typical dangers - which really haven’t changed much through the ages. Here is counsel for every crisis, comfort in every trial, encouragement for every desperate moment. They are love-letters, these - from the heart of the Heavenly Bridegroom to His beloved bride, His pilgrim church through the ages.

# If there is one thing that these letters bring home, it is that every local church is of the utmost importance to the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, every letter is a pointed analysis of each one’s condition.

The priorities of the King

# It is a simple exercise to read through the letters in order to determine those things on which the Lord Jesus places a high premium - what He regards as important:

* Christian love - towards the Triune God and one’s fellow-man, especially brothers and sisters in the faith.

* Servanthood and good works.

* Faith, patience and perseverance in a hostile environment.

* Uncompromising purity of doctrine and rejection of false teachers.

* Hatred, avoidance and eradication of sin.

* Zeal for the purity of the local church, as well as the discipline and correction which serve this purity.

* Faithfulness in the congregation’s calling to proclaim the gospel of truth.

# Let there be no illusions: this is what being a church is all about; this is what the Lord seeks in His churches. And this holds non-negotiably for every congregation, irrespective of time, culture or circumstances.

# It is equally obvious in these letters what the Lord despises and judges in His churches - and what we must guard against with everything in our power:

* Lovelessness towards God and man.

* Tolerating false teaching and those who proclaim it.

* Laxity in the congregation’s discipline, and acceptance of both sin and sinners in its own midst.

* Religious formalism and spiritual lukewarmness.

* Self-satisfaction and a sense of having arrived in a religious sense.

# It is very meaningful to note the things to which the Lord Jesus makes no reference whatsoever in these letters. Surely it is reasonable to conclude that He does not regard them as of primary importance:

* Membership figures and growth.

* The congregation’s budget and facilities.

* Qualifications and giftedness of staff and ministers.

* Organization, programmes, activities, authority structure.

* Involvement in local or national politics and culture.

Evaluation by God and man

# Two of the churches receive only positive appreciation from the Lord. Smyrna (2:8-11) and Philadelphia (3:7-13) receive, as it were, A symbols.
On the other hand, two of the churches receive only criticism and rebuke. Sardis (3:1-6) and Laodicea (3:14-22) get F symbols. At least Sardis still has a few people who lead holy lives (3:4). Laodicea, however, is so far gone that one wonders whether it still has any left (3:20).

# A study of these four letters reveals a few issues that make anyone with a grasp of the church’s high calling and with the Lord’s honour at heart, to stop and take notice.

* The two A-churches are both struggling. Smyrna is poor and oppressed (2:9-10). Philadelphia has little power (3:8). In terms of today’s ideas both are really failures - but from the Head of the church they receive only praise.
On the face of it, the two F-churches are models. Even outside her own circle Sardis has a reputation for being alive (3:1). This probably indicates all kinds of activities. Laodicea is very rich and thinks that she has everything that a church could need (3:17). Today these two would be viewed as successful churches - but Jesus Christ has not a single good word for either of them!
Do we realize how much today’s ideas about the success or failure of a church differ from Biblical norms? It is vitally important for every church to evaluate herself continuously in the light of Scripture. Some "failures" might come out very encouraged; and some "successes" will certainly be shaken to their foundations! Say your church were today to receive such a letter from the Head of the church - what would the contents be? What would your symbol be?

* And let’s be careful not to form an opinion too quickly. A further observation shows how terribly easy it is to miss the ball completely when you evaluate a church. Twice we see in these letters how human evaluation is directly in conflict with Christ’s.
Outsiders reckon that Sardis is alive, but the Lord Jesus declares her dead! (3:1). The church in Laodicea pats herself on the back, but the Lord delivers devastating criticism: she is wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked!
It is grace indeed when a church refuses to lend her ear to the praises of others, because she knows how completely unreliable human opinion is. And very, very wise is the local church which, deeply conscious of her tendency towards self-deception, looks at herself again and again with ruthless honesty in the mirror of God’s word.
The Reformational fathers understood these things. Hence their clarion call: Semper Reformanda! (Ongoing Reformation). But, take careful note, reformation is not the discovery of new things; it is the fresh discovery of age-old things. He who does not regularly thank God for the eternally steadfast, universally authoritative, ever reliable Word, understands but little of God’s complete otherness and of human depravity!

The lampstand

# In these first three chapters of Revelation a very telling symbol is used for the local church [2], namely the lampstand (1:12, 13, 20; 2:1,5). Notice also the Lord’s intimate involvement with each congregation: He walks among the churches (1:13; 2:1).

# It is of decisive importance that the Greek word translated as "lampstand" (NIV) is properly understood and translated. The original word is luchnia, and is used twelve times in the New Testament (Matt 5:15; Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33; Heb 9:2; Rev 1:12, 13, 20 (2x); 2:1, 5; 11:4).
Authoritative lexicons [3] agree: the word signifies a stand on which one or more lamps were placed, so that the light could shine as far as possible. It does not refer to the lamp itself - there are other Greek words for that. The first four verses mentioned above highlight the distinction between the lamp (luchnos) and the stand (luchnia).
The best English translation, therefore, is lampstand, which is the word used throughout by nearly all the modern English translations.

# What is the point? In this last and exalted piece of revelation which the glorified Christ gives to His people, it is said of the local church that her essential task is to be a lampstand. Here the question necessarily arises: what, then, is the lamp, the light? Christ is the light of the world (John 8:12)!
What can be meant here other than that proclamation of the Christ-centred gospel is the central calling of every church! This deduction is completely in step with the rest of the New Testament. Philippians 2:15-16 spells out the same calling: "... you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life" (NIV). And Paul wants to do nothing but proclaim Christ, the Crucified (1 Cor 2:2).

# Now someone might say that he has always been taught that the "lampstand" stands for the Holy Spirit. That might be the case elsewhere, but here, clearly, it refers to the local church. It makes little difference anyway, because the Holy Spirit came precisely to glorify Christ (John 15:26; 16:8-11; 16:14).

Removal of the lampstand

# The church in Ephesus is warned that the Lord will remove her lampstand if she does not repent (2:5).
What does this mean? How does Christ remove the lampstand? What precisely happens in a congregation when the lampstand is removed?

# The Bible does not answer these questions explicitly. But experience has taught us many lessons. Church history is full of examples of what happens when a congregation's lampstand is removed.

* Spiritual blindness slowly sets in. Members gradually begin to lose sight of the wonder of their salvation. The consequence is that Christ’s radiant glory dims progressively in their hearts. And, unavoidably, their testimony about His Name and great acts of redemption gradually dies away.

* There is a shift in emphasis. People and their affairs start becoming the primary concern. There is an ever increasing obsession with making the church more enjoyable and social, and the world a better place.

# The tragic consequence is that "the Light of the world" no longer shines out of such a congregation. Christ is no longer held out to a dying world. And He is no longer the members' wisdom, righteousness, holiness and redemption. There is just no more boasting in Him - at least not from the heart and with wet cheeks (1 Cor 1:30-31, NIV).

* Christ is no longer preached as God’s Great Prophet. Proper exposition of the Word is replaced by all kinds of man-centred and "practical" topics in the preaching. God’s Law is in the background, as well as its unfolding by Christ and the apostles in the New Testament.

* Christ is no longer preached as God’s Great High Priest. The gospel, the true gospel, is seldom heard from the pulpit. And even when an attempt is made to present the gospel, the emphasis differs from that of the Bible: it is man-centred and sentimental. Because the members have become strangers to God’s righteousness and holy standards, the cross and its true meaning no longer matter so much anyway. God’s free grace in Christ towards sinners has made way for the self-merit of moralism.

* Christ is no longer preached as God’s Great King. You will go in vain to such a church to hear of His sovereign authority and rule in the lives of Christians. The necessity of self-denial and of cross-bearing in His footsteps is replaced with an emphasis on all the here-and-now benefits of being a Christian. Of His power to equip sinners supernaturally for a holy life, precious little is said; still less of Him as coming Judge.

# Normally such a church now becomes popular. Why? 1 Corinthians 1:23 gives the answer. The "stumbling block" (NIV) has been removed and hypocrites feel at home. The preaching no longer contains "foolishness" - with the result that fleshly unbelievers don’t take offence.
Self-satisfaction soon follows. When God’s Law and holy standards are not preached, what is there to keep people humble? Add popularity to this - and a sense of having arrived is unavoidable.

# The absence of Christ-centredness in a church is not the cause of its losing the lampstand - it is the proof that the lampstand has already been removed!
It is tragic, but a church can exist lampstand-less like this for centuries. All that is necessary is to build in enough institutional props and it will stand by itself - a ruin dressed up with pomp and splendour. And nobody inside the walls realizes it, because everyone who walks in the light has long since left. Where the Lord Jesus is, His servants will necessarily be there with Him (John 12:26).

A destiny-determining choice

# Through all the ages there has always been a razor-sharp choice before every local church (as well as every preacher and member): Do you choose faithfulness, or do you choose success?
What is faithfulness? It is living according to God’s standards. What is success? It is measuring up to man’s standards.
Of course one can choose faithfulness and also impress men (in the grace of God). And one can choose success and still fail in the eyes of men. But it is impossible to choose success - and at the same time to succeed in God’s eyes.

# Oh, if we could only remember: there are two paths before each congregation. And this demands a quality decision. A choice is unavoidable - a radical, intensely conscious, and destiny-determining choice. Either we choose the honour of man (so that we can be glorified), or we choose the honour of God (so that He may be glorified).

[1] The Greek word ekklesia is translated as "church" in English. It may refer either to the local church or to the universal church.

[2] Note that it is not the church in general which is here described as a lampstand, but each local church or congregation. Indeed, it is repeatedly emphasized that there are seven lampstands (1:12, 13, 20; 2:1).

[3] Cf. Bauer, Arndt & Gingrich, p.484; also Louw & Nida, 6.105.

Nico van der Walt

ANTIPAS HERALD No.6 - JH 14:12 - GREATER WORKS THAN JESUS

WHEN LAST DID YOU DO GREATER WORKS THAN JESUS?
Do you find it a shocking question? Well, it is based on a very explicit promise of our Lord:

"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father." [John 14:12, NASB]

This verse has been the source of much controversy. It has precipitated uncertainties and doubts in countless hearts. It has been used to support heresies and deceptions without number.
But it is written, nevertheless - black on white! There is no doubt whatsoever about its textual authenticity. And the NASB translation is above criticism.

A closer look at this staggering promise

# How are we to understand these puzzling words? After all, when a saying of Jesus starts with "truly, truly" (Gr. amen, amen), we should jump to attention. These words invariably introduce some of the most solemn and profound statements of our Lord. They tell us that all the authority and affirmation of the Son of God Himself is behind a particular announcement. A closer look at this promise is therefore quite revealing.

# It is given to him "who believes in Me". John uses his peculiar way (in Greek) to describe saving faith - to believe into Christ. This faith is therefore not something exclusive of which only a very few spiritual giants partake. It is the faith given to all in Christ. It is saving faith.

# The promise is given to every individual Christian. The singular is used throughout. It is therefore not a promise to the church corporately.

# The Greek word "greater" (Gr. megas) denotes a difference of degree and not a difference of number (Gr. polus). It therefore means greater, rather than more.

# A burning question is what Jesus means by the word "works". Apart from this verse, the word occurs 26 times in the Gospel. In 8 cases man in general is the subject with the works referring to his actions, whether good or evil. In 18 cases, however, Jesus Himself is the subject with the works referring twice to the whole of His earthly work (4:34; 17:4), and 16 times to His miracles [1]. When this information is applied to our verse, the following can be stated:

* The "works" of Jesus' disciples referred to here, cannot be ordinary human deeds like the 8 cases above, because they are compared to Jesus' works and are clearly of the same nature.

* These "works" can clearly not be compared to the whole of His earthly work.

* But one alternative remains: these "works" of the disciples are compared to the miracles of Jesus! The immediate context confirms this. In the previous two verses Jesus refers to His works, clearly His miracles.

# The condition for and key to the fulfilment of this staggering promise is Jesus' departure to the Father. This was of course the prerequisite for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:33). The disciples would not do these "works" in their own strength, but through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit based on the finished work of Christ.

# No thorough, responsible and honest exegesis can escape the conclusion that Jesus promises true believers that they, like Him, would perform, in the power of the Holy Spirit, astounding miraculous things; in fact that these things would be even greater than the miracles that He performed during the time of His humiliation!

What about the fulfilment of the promise?

# Following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the early church entered into experiences never known by believers before. Much is said about amazing miracles in the Book of Acts. It would therefore seem logical to see in all this the fulfilment of the promise in John 14:12. Many people hold this position. And without doubt they have a case worthy of respect, deserving closer attention. Should they be right, hardly any verse in Scripture can have more profound practical implications for the church of our day.

# A careful and thoughtful study of the Word of God and church history does, however, reveal serious flaws in this belief. It crumbles under at least two undeniable realities.

* The promise is made to each and every believer, but at no time over twenty centuries (and that includes the first century) has the miraculous (in the sense of the above interpretation of the verse) been the typical experience of Christians in general.

* In no way can it be said of any "miracles" happening since the day of Pentecost, that they have surpassed the miracles of our Lord in greatness.

# Does this mean that we have here a promise of our Lord which has failed to materialise? Many are the disillusioned who have this suspicion lurking in their hearts. (It is indeed, for many other reasons as well, one of the pastoral tragedies of our day that numerous people have, due to false expectations, been disillusioned into spiritual paralysis.)
However, as will be shown below, this promise has been fulfilled millions of times since the day of Pentecost.

The structure of the gospel of John

# The key which unlocks John 14:12 is to be found in the structure of John's gospel. It can be represented as follows:

Prologue (1:1-18)

Main body (1:19-20:29)
Introduction (1:19-52)
John's message (2:1-20:18):
Behold, Jesus, the Son of God, the Christ! Believe
in Him, and you will have eternal life!
Conclusion (20:19-29)

Purpose (20:30-31)

Epilogue (21:1-25)

John's purpose in writing (20:30-31)

# These two verses are vitally important for understanding the method John uses to put his message across.
John makes it clear that he has carefully selected and described a number of (miraculous) signs in order that his readers "may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God".

# What must be grasped and appreciated, is that this Gospel is meticulously planned; that it is carefully structured like a poem. No student of this Gospel will deny that it is a wonderful work of art.
John structures the main body of his Gospel around seven signs or miracles of Jesus. These signs are strung together by some of the most profound discourses of our Lord (relating to and interpreting the signs), but the skeleton and message of the main body is primarily to be found in the miracles, not in the discourses.

The introduction and conclusion of the main body [1:19-52 & 20:19-29]

# In the introduction of the main body (1:19-52), Jesus the Christ takes over the baton from the herald, John the Baptist. In the last portion of this introduction (1:44-52) Jesus leads the sceptical Nathanael to faith and confession (v.50) by giving him a very personal sign (v.49). Jesus then makes an announcement concerning what is to follow: "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that" (v.50). There can be no doubt that Jesus refers to the many miracles which would authenticate Him to be the Messiah (v.52). Nor can there be any doubt that John describes this incident to prepare his readers for his plan of action described above. And in the very next verse he starts implementing this plan.

# In the conclusion of the main body (20:19-29) the resurrected Jesus appears to His disciples. He then commissions them (v.21-23). So the baton of action is once again handed on. Then in the last portion of this conclusion (v.24-29), Jesus leads the sceptical Thomas to faith and confession (v.28) by giving him a very personal 'sign ' (v.27). This is proof of Jesus' last, final, ultimate sign: the resurrection (2:18-22). Jesus then makes an announcement concerning what is to follow (v.29). Thomas has come to faith by witnessing with his own eyes Jesus' final sign to unbelieving man. But what about future generations, after Christ's departure? How would they come to faith? Jesus' announcement is consolatory beyond words. Thomas, you believe, having seen. And this is no small thing, because it brings you eternal life. However, from now on, something even more remarkable, something greater will take place - people will believe, without having seen any signs!

# The correlation between Nathanael's and Thomas' respective encounters with the Lord is unmistakable. Both are told by others: "We have found Him" (1:45), "we have seen Him" (20:25). Both react sceptically (1:46; 20:25). Both receive a personal sign (1:47-48; 20:27). Both believe and call out a profound confession (1:49; 20:28). Both receive an announcement concerning what was to follow: It is good that you believe, but much more remarkable things are to follow - greater things (1:50-51; 20:29).
What is more, both encounters are part and parcel of two of the most important transitions of all revelational history. In the first instance the Son of God is about to start His public ministry on earth. And things never known before would become the order of the day: the sovereign God would work in a completely new way. In the second instance, the disciples are about to start their ministry, having been sent as Jesus had been sent (20:21). And things never known before would become the order of the day: the sovereign God would work in a completely new way - sinners would believe without having seen!

The distinctive miracle of the last days

# The riddle of John 14:12 has clearly been solved. What are the greater works the disciples would do? After the departure of Jesus, having become partakers of the Holy Spirit, they would lead people to true saving faith in Jesus Christ!

# They would of course not do this in their own strength. Only the Holy Spirit can bring somebody to salvation. But He does so through the disciples. They are therefore, as co-workers, completely involved - so much so that it can indeed be said that they are doing it (cf. Acts 26:18).

# This promise was wonderfully fulfilled in the ministries of the apostles, so that Peter could write some thirty years later: "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy ..." (1Pet 1:8).
And for almost two thousand years now, millions have experienced this distinctive miracle of the last days. Not only have their blind eyes received sight to see "Him who is invisible" (Heb 11:27). They have also, as co-workers of the Lord of the harvest and equipped by His Spirit, taken part in the unspeakable privilege of doing greater works than Jesus.

A last problem

# One question still remains: Can it honestly be said that leading someone to true faith in our day is a greater work than the miracles of Jesus?

# It can be looked at from two points of view.

* Firstly, consider what actually happens in the receiver of the miracle. By and large, the contemporary Church has watered down the sinfulness of man (the doctrine of original sin) to such an extent that conversion is looked upon as hardly more than the pulling up of one's religious socks. But the Bible clearly teaches that natural man is fallen. And this means (to refer only to one portion of Scripture, Eph 2:1-10) that he is spiritually dead (v.1); that he is under God's wrath (v.3); and that he is a slave of the world, Satan, and his own flesh or sinful nature (v.2-3). When such a person receives the gift of saving faith in Christ (v.8), he is made spiritually alive (v.5); he is raised up into a justified life (v.6); and he is made to sit in heavenly realms in a position of authority over the world, Satan and his flesh (v.6).
Is this change a small thing? No one who has any understanding of the radical depravity of natural man, and the staggering privileges of someone united to Christ through faith, can ever think so. In fact, people who personally know the reality of this great work, can never stop thinking about it in awe. And exploring the riches of their salvation, becomes a lifelong and passionate endeavour.
The greatness of this greater work is therefore not primarily to be sought in numbers. The miracle is that even one believes, without having seen. It is like a high jumper. The incredible thing is not that he clears seven feet 42 times, but that he clears seven feet at all.

* Secondly, consider the consequences for the receiver of the miracle. Jesus healed lepers, the blind, the lame, the dead. And we can just marvel at that. But all those people died again physically. And without God's saving grace, each one of them will spend eternity in hell. On the other hand, if the Spirit's effectual call works through my ministry but once, that person will spend all eternity in the glorious presence of God!

# Need more be said? A sinner coming to saving faith in Christ, is a greater thing than a Lazarus being raised from the grave.
Underlining this is not to belittle the glorious ministry of our Lord on earth (God forbid!). It is accentuating the majestic sublimity of the triune God's gracious work of recreation in a sinner's life. It is putting the emphasis where God's Word puts it. And it is celebrating the staggering Biblical revelation that He uses feeble and impotent men and women as co-workers to bring about His mighty works.
O, what a privilege to say with the Apostle Paul that our Lord has given us thís mission: "I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me" (Acts 26:17-18).

Majoring in God's majors

# Let the reader test himself. Suppose you had to make a choice. Either, you could from now on have a healing ministry like Jesus and the ability to walk on water, to multiply food, and to raise the dead. Or, in the time left for you in this life, you could enjoy the privilege of leading one person to saving faith in Christ. Which would you choose?

# John 14:12 is a promise - a glorious promise. But it is more. It is also an implicit command. Let us therefore not grow slack in our obedience to this solemn, sublime, urgent and exciting calling. Until the King of kings returns, we can confidently conclude that all the harvest has not yet been brought in. And until that happens, we must continue doing the greatest of all miracles!

[1] John uses the words "semeion" (sign) and "ergon" (work) virtually as synonyms to describe the supernatural acts of Jesus - His miracles. Only once, in 4:48, does he use "teras" (wonder) - and never "dunamis" (mighty deed, miracle), the two words frequently used in the New Testament to describe miracles.

Nico van der Walt

E-SERMON No.30 - LK 11:5-13 - THE GENEROUS FATHER

MOST CHRISTIANS WRESTLE WITH GUILTY FEELINGS OVER THE FACT THAT THEY DO NOT PRAY ENOUGH. Sermons and books about prayer are so challenging that one becomes discouraged before you even start praying.
But this is not the Lord Jesus' approach. Lk 11:5-13, following as it does right after the Lord's Prayer, is wonderfully encouraging. We are invited to approach the Father's throne of mercy with boldness and to do so again and again.
What we are taught here should govern our life of prayer as well as our walk with the Lord. Many of our problems with prayer can be attributed to the fact that we are to some extent ignorant of the truths in this teaching.

A rhetorical question (5-8)

In the original the Lord begins with one long rhetorical question which presupposes the reply: Certainly not! (5-7).
It may be paraphrased as follows: Can any one of you imagine having a friend - to whom you go at midnight to borrow bread, because you have an unexpected guest - who would refuse to get out of bed, sending you away with a number of silly excuses?
This was unthinkable in a culture in which hospitality and good neighbourliness was valued much more highly than today!
In v. 8 Jesus then comes to the conclusion: In view of their friendship the man will of course get out of bed! But even if their friendship were insufficient motivation (what a silly idea!) the petitioner's shameless boldness (Greek) would compel the man in bed to assist him. Undoubtedly the midnight-host will get his bread!

Application (9-10)

In v.9 our Lord issues three injunctions in succession: Ask! Seek! Knock! This is of course really one and the same command, only worded in three different ways.
Each of the injunctions is followed by the assurance that obedience to it will not be in vain. Ask, and you will receive! Seek, and you will find! Knock, and the door will be opened!
In the case of all three verbs the tense used in the Greek text indicates ongoing action. This can be interpreted in one of two ways. Jesus either emphasises that we should keep on praying, or that we should always pray. In the former case the idea would be that we should keep on, persist, and not give up. In the latter He would mean that we should pray always, and not be timid - that we should go again and again to the throne of grace!
All this may look like splitting hairs, but the way in which we interpret these injunctions holds far-reaching implications. The first interpretation would convey the message that prayer is not easy, but that perseverance will ultimately be rewarded. The second would constitute a hearty invitation to ask again and again, with the utmost boldness. Which is the correct interpretation? The answer can be found in the very next verse.
Verse 10 starts with the causal conjunction "for". Jesus is thereby indicating that He is about to explain what He meant in the previous verse.
In the original language the words "ask", "seek" and "knock" are present participles. The idea is therefore that while asking, we receive; while searching, we find; while knocking, the door is opened to us.
What the Lord is therefore saying, is not that we will eventually receive after we have prayed for a long time, but that we will receive while praying. So it's clear. Verse 9 is a hearty invitation and an encouraging assurance: make continual prayer part of your way of life and answered prayers will be a daily reality. The Lord is therefore giving us the assurance that any disciple of his will always be welcome at the throne of grace. He is assuring us of the goodwill and generosity of His Father. This is the main point of the parable.
However, Jesus does not want to give his hearers the wrong impression. He is not suggesting that prayer is a superficial exercise. It is not just a matter of asking at your heart's content. He knows that prayer is sometimes a demanding battle, and that persistence is often essential. This is, in fact, what He teaches in Lk 18:1-8. And here in Lk 11 His careful choice of words balances the encouraging invitation above.
What He is saying, as it were, is, "When you pray, you will sometimes get the feeling that your Father is not there. But seek Him purposely and you will find Him. At other times you may get the feeling that He is ignoring you, but knock with determination, and the door will be opened."
This is exactly the way in which a neighbour will assure you of his goodwill: "If you need me, don't hesitate to call on me - night or day. Just remember, I am sometimes in the back garden, so just come and get me there. And I am a tight sleeper, so don't hesitate to hammer on the door!"

Driving it home (1-13)

Our Lord clearly does not wish us to miss this invitation to pray. Again He uses two rhetorical questions to strengthen his point. Will a father give his son a snake when he asks for a fish, or a scorpion when he asks for an egg? Of course not! Pray therefore, it pleases your Father. Pray! Your prayers will be answered! Pray! It is never in vain!
A final rhetorical question drives the conclusion home. Again the answer is crystal clear: If sinful parents know to give only the best to their children, all the more our heavenly Father!

The Father's great gift

In verse 13 the Lord Jesus gives an unexpected twist to His teaching. Contrary to what may be expected from what He has been saying, He does not promise a general answering of prayers, but specifically the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The promise Jesus makes in Mt 7:7-11 is verbally almost the same, but with a more easily understandable ending: the Father gives good gifts to those who ask Him.
Taking all of the above into consideration, we arrive at three very important truths.
Firstly, the Holy Spirit, in fact only He, is God's great gift to Christ's New Testament church. If we have Him, we do not really need anything else. Whatever God and our calling demand of us, we find in Him.
Secondly, believers know that they receive nothing from the Father except on the grounds of Christ's merit. However, we forget only too readily that we also receive nothing of eternal value save through the working of the Holy Spirit. Every good gift that we receive from heaven is, as it were, delivered by the Holy Spirit.
Thirdly, we receive from the Father only that which the Holy Spirit will deliver. He is holy and will bring nothing that is in conflict with His character. He brings only good gifts. We need to keep this in mind when we pray, or else we may end up asking for something that is in conflict with God's will - and of course not receive it.

Four practical implications

1. Jesus encourages us to pray with boldness, not with presumptuous rashness.
These two attitudes differ like day and night.
To be bold in prayer means to appear before the holy God in trusting faith and expectation, in spite of your remaining sin, solely on the basis of the perfect mediatorship of His Son. It means praying in His Name - without hesitance, timidity or fear, but freely and with assurance. It means to pour out your heart before your Father's throne.
On the other hand, presumption in prayer has to do with an attitude of smug self-assurance and self-centeredness, which knows very little of the fear of the Lord, or one's own unworthiness.

2. Our heavenly Father does not wish us merely to pray, but to pray boldly.
While the danger of presumption in prayer is ever present, the absence of boldness is probably a bigger and more general problem. That is why the Bible encourages boldness more often than it warns against presumptuousness in prayer.
Here in Lk 11 Jesus assures us repeatedly of the Father's benevolence towards His children - ten times over [1]. There is hardly another promise that receives greater emphasis in the Bible.

3. Knowledge of God and His promises is the key to boldness and persistence in prayer.
Although the emphasis in Lk 11 is not primarily on perseverance in prayer, it so happens that we can and will persevere because we are convinced of our Father's generosity. After all, the very reason why you keep on hammering on your neighbour's door until he wakes up, is because you are assured of his goodwill. You would only hesitantly knock on the door of an unfriendly neighbour - and only once or twice - before turning away.
Nothing is of greater importance to our prayer life than true knowledge of God - more particularly His goodness, love, grace and covenant faithfulness towards those who are in Christ. It is because we know God in truth that we pray as we ought to - with boldness.

4. Only white-hot prayers reach heaven; cold prayers freeze before they get there.
This saying of the old Puritans is confirmed by many prayers in the Bible, especially in the Old Testament. Quite often we come across prayers full of holy impatience - almost to the point of blasphemy. Can you imagine praying like this? "Awake, O Lord! Why do you sleep? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us for ever. Why do you hide your face and forget our misery and oppression?" (Ps 44:23-24). "O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?" (Ps 89:49). "O Hope of Israel, its Saviour in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveller who stays only a night? Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? ... do not forsake us! (Jer 14:8-9)
Surely prayers like these would have been blasphemous had they not sprung from hearts aglow with passion for God's honour. But exactly here lies the secret. Nothing pleases God more than a burning zeal for His glory (Num 25:7-13).
How do we get this intensity of zeal for the Lord and His honour. What leads to prayers like those above? There is only one answer: my heart will burn with love and zeal for the Lord to the extent that I know Him! And the higher the flame of love and zeal burns in my heart, the more will I pray boldly - simply because I can not tolerate the dishonouring of His name.
And of course, the man or woman with a white-hot zeal for God can hardly pray a self-centred and presumptuous prayer!
Nico van der Walt

[1] Once in v.5-8; 3 times in v.9; 3 times in v.10; once in v.11; once in v.12; and once in v.13.

E-SERMON No.33 - LK 7:23 -THE SNARE

JOHN THE BAPTIST IS THE MESSIAH'S HERALD. HE IS AN ASCETIC NAZARENE (Num 6:1-21; Mt 11:18-19). His clothes are made of camel's hair, and he lives on locusts and honey. To crown it all, he is a fire and brimstone preacher: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!" (Mt 3:2). The Jews are full of expectation. Liberation has come! And no-one is more excited than the zealous John himself.
But then John lands in gaol for confronting Herod about his sins. No doubt John wrestles in prison with the question: How could God have allowed such a calamity to befall him and take him out of action? Is he going to miss all the excitement of the triumph of the great Messiah?
But what this uncompromising Nazarene finds even harder to accept, is the fact that this Jesus is now reputed to be keeping the company of gluttons, drunkards, tax collectors and sinners! (34).
One can well imagine how he is plagued by doubts as he paces to and fro in his cell. To think how I have sacrificed everything! And He? He is enjoying life! And yet - I saw with my own eyes the Dove descending on Him, and I heard the voice saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Mt 3:16-17).
Finally John cannot take it any longer. He sends a few of his disciples to Jesus with the question: "Are you the one ...?" (20). Jesus' reply is simple but says it all: "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor" (22). Who would know better than John that this is the fulfilment of the Messianic prophesies in Isa 35:5-6 and 61:1?
And then, as they walk off, the Lord Jesus calls after them: "And blessed is the one who is not offended by me!" (23, ESV).

Technical

The word that Jesus uses here, translated by "offended", is quite meaningful [Gr. skandalidzo (the verb); skandalon (the noun)].
In Classical Greek it has the connotation of being caught in a trap or snare. The noun is used for the stick that triggers the trap when the animal or bird steps on it [1]. In the New Testament the verb means to cause to stumble or to offend (active voice) and to stumble or to take offence (passive voice). Used as a noun it has the meaning of a stumbling-block or an offence.
I have no axe to grind with modern translations, but in order to properly understand and apply Jesus' warning, we need to apply a little imagination and exegetical freedom. I would paraphrase Lk 7:23 as follows: Blessed is the man who does not land up in a trap on account of My words or actions!
Jesus' message to John is therefore: It is terrible for you to suffer in that cell of stone, but be careful that you do not land in a cell that is far worse - one of an emotional and spiritual kind. Then you will indeed be helpless, like an animal or bird in a snare!"

It has happened to others

The very thing against which Jesus is warning John does, in fact, happen to many. They land in a snare as a result of Jesus' words and actions.
In the little town of Nazareth, where Jesus grew up, the people were amazed at His wisdom. But because of His humble background they refused to accept His teaching. "And they took offence (Gr. skanalidzo) at him." (Mt 13:57) - which elicited Jesus' well-known response, "Only in his home town and in his own house is a prophet without honour." Except for His brothers, who came to believe in Him after the resurrection, and perhaps a few others, the people of Nazareth never escaped from the snare!
In Mt 15 the Lord Jesus warns the Jews about their hypocrisy. Because of this they take offence (Gr. skanalidzo; v. 12). The Scribes and Pharisees also never escaped from the snare!
In Jn 6 our Lord preaches about God's sovereignty in salvation, His forthcoming crucifixion, and the necessity of believing in Him as the crucified Saviour. Again many take offence (Gr. skanalidzo; v. 61) and turn their backs on Him. In all probability very few of them ever escaped from the snare!

Peter's offence

Is escape from the snare of offence possible? Only if God in his mercy frees you! Peter learnt this from experience. In Mt 26:31 the Lord Jesus uses the same word as He warns his disciples that they would that very night "fall away" from Him. Peter reacts with indignation, "Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will" (v. 33). Jesus assures him that he will not only take offence, but will also taste the bitter fruits of betrayal - before the cock crows, he will disown his Lord three times.
And so it transpires. Peter feels let down and humiliated by everything that happens. Why did Jesus in His omnipotence not destroy his enemies? Why did He humiliate him when he pulled his sword (Jn 18:10-11)? Peter's devotion to Jesus finally drops so low that he betrays Him. Then the cock crows - and Peter is devastated (Mt 26:75).

It is possible to escape, however

We are all familiar with the emotions that come with failure. Peter is crushed by feelings of guilt and self-reproach. He is a dismal failure as a disciple! All that remains for him is to return to his occupation as a fisherman. At least that is something he is good at! The others join him. They sail out, possibly in the same boat that Peter abandoned three years before. But they fail to catch a single fish! (Jh 21:3).
The following morning Jesus stands on the shore and shouts, "Friends, haven’t you any fish?" (the Greek text of Jn 21:5 betrays a note of amusement in the question). "Throw your net on the right side of the boat!", He then shouts. They do so and catch more fish than they can handle (6).
All of the disciples, but Peter in particular, needed to learn that when the Lord calls on you to leave your boat and nets, He means what He says.
If you desert your calling - and if the Lord has mercy on you - things will keep on going wrong, until you repent. But once you turn back, He will bless you again and provide all your needs.
The following verses then describe in a moving way Peter's restoration (Jn 21:15-17). His calling is to be a shepherd of the Lord's flock, no matter how big a failure he considers himself to be. In fact, this knowledge of his weakness is exactly the right medicine to prepare him for what lies ahead. The Lord does not work through the arrogant. His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9-10).
What does Jesus actually do in Jn 21? He removes Peter from the snare of offence at the Lord! And He does so with wonderful tenderness. It makes one think of a boy removing a bird from underneath a trap with such care that he can feel the frightened bird's beating heart under his fingers.
Jesus' words, "Follow Me", (19) signalled Peter's final release. The Lord had not rejected him! And we know how fruitful the years that followed were. How Peter benefited from his experience in the snare!

What about you?

We all face snares from time to time. We are confronted with something that the Lord does or does not do; with what He tells us or does not tell us. There are thousands of disillusioned Christians, captives of their offence at the Lord - simply because He failed to live up to their expectations!
They were going to do great things for Him, but then their world collapsed about them. A loved one died a horrible or untimely death. They were diagnosed with a terminal disease. Someone else was healed after prayer, while they themselves only got worse. They have friends with four children while they remain childless. One of their children has a mental or physical handicap. They firmly believed that they were being guided by the Holy Spirit, but it all came to nothing. They have been the victim of unscrupulous "prophets". They have started with a full-time ministry, but are struggling to survive. The church and its leaders have failed them.
People caught in these sort of snares accuse God of double standards, but forget that James was beheaded (Acts 12:2), while Peter was freed (Acts 12:7-10); that Stephen was stoned (Acts 7:59), while Paul was resurrected, as it were (Acts 14:19-20).
How many Christians have started backsliding after being caught in the snare? Many of them still keep up appearances, but their hearts are no longer with the Lord. They do not trust Him any more. They are spiritually dead. All that remains is for the machines of religion and tradition to be switched off.
Are you helplessly caught in a web? Listen! It pleases the Lord to set people free. Therefore, come and bow in total worship and subjection before Him. He is your Creator and therefore your sovereign Owner. He is all-wise and you can trust Him. If you are in Christ, He will work for the good everything in your life - good and bad (Rm 8:28-30).
Humble yourself, therefore, under God's mighty hand (1Pt 5:6), surrender yourself, bow in acceptance, entrust yourself to the loving One Who knows best. He is the Potter, you are the clay. He often treats those He favours as He did the Baptist and Peter. And whether you are a Stephen or a Paul, always let your attitude be that of Daniel's friends: "... the God we serve is able to save us from (the blazing furnace), and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not ... we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up" (Dn 3:17-18).
My friend, as in the case of Peter, the Lord Jesus is calling you to follow Him. Forget what is behind and strain towards what is ahead (Ph 3:13).

Thé Rock of stumbling

One final truth is of vital importance. In Rm 9:32-33 Christ is called "a stone that causes men to stumble". This was especially true of the Jews. Why? Because He is the crucified one (1Cor 1:23; Gl 5:11). What is this saying to us? Christ is a stumbling-stone particularly to the religious - those who consider their good works to be a stepladder to heaven. To them the cross is an insult, because it tells them that they have nothing in themselves to offer God. As a result, the gospel of God's free grace lands them in a snare!
Never forget this: God saves sinners - spiritual beggars, lost sons, tax collectors. Therefore, do you know in your heart of hearts that as far as your own merit is concerned, you stand in utter condemnation before God - and that Christ is your only hope? This is a non-negotiable prerequisite for eternal life.
The Bible offers no comfort to the proud and the self-righteous. But to sinners there is an open invitation: "Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life" (Rev 22:17).
Flee into Christ! Hide in Him for life and death!

[1] Colin Brown, The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol 2, p.707.

Nico van der Walt