Reformed & Expository Preaching

The Unhealthy Unwealthy Gospel (2) (Acts 7:1-52)

Introduction Stephen stands falsely accused. He has been set up by false witnesses who claim that he has blasphemed Moses, the Temple, and God. These charges are serious and warrant death under Moses. Stephen is invited to give a defense by the high priest when he says, “Are these things so?” One would think that Stephen would defend himself, but Stephen knows they do not want him to be acquitted on the charges because that would make them look bad. If Jesus is the Messiah, then the ruling council killed God’s very deliverer. Stephen does not defend himself, but presents the history of God interacting with his people throughout the ages. He shows that they are doing to Christ exactly what their fathers had always done to God's messengers. God Works Outside Canaan The God of glory appears to Abraham in Mesopotamia. Abraham was not in Canaan, but outside Canaan. God’s work and promise are never confined to a local city or land. In fact, we see that in their history they sold their own brother into slavery. Stephen moves to the story of Joseph ending up in Egypt. The Lord not only protects Joseph there, but preserves his people despite their betrayal of Joseph. The temple, Canaan, and Jerusalem do not contain God. He works outside the promised land. He has been a faithful shield to his people, but they have not been faithful to him. God Delivers His People Clearly, the Lord can protect the people outside the land. Now we move to Moses’ story. Joseph dies, and there is a new Pharaoh in the land. This Pharaoh forgets what Joseph did for Israel. He deals shrewdly (craftily, deceptively) with Israel. He desires to weaken them by killing the male infants. Not only is God’s people in a foreign land, but now there is a hostile leader to the Lord’s people. The Lord predicted to Abraham that his descendants would be oppressed. The Lord starts to quietly work on his deliverance. God raises up Moses. Moses should have been destroyed. Instead, he ends up adopted by Pharaoh’s daughter. He is educated in Pharaoh’s house, and Stephen summarizes Moses by saying that he was mighty in word and deed. Moses tries to relieve Pharaoh’s oppression by killing an Egyptian. He thought the Israelites would see this as an act of deliverance. No, when Moses confronts two Israelites fighting, the one accuses Moses of attempting to murder them rather than give them relief. Moses is asked, “Who made you ruler and judge?” Moses is rejected. He spends the next 40 years of his life in the wilderness. One day Moses meets God at the burning bush in the wilderness. God has heard the groaning of His people for generations. He is not indifferent. Moses, who once tried to deliver in the flesh by killing an Egyptian and was rejected by his own people, is now sent by God as the true deliverer. The Lord’s people are led out of Egypt by his hand. In the process, Stephen reminds them that Moses himself spoke of a coming Prophet like himself (Deuteronomy 18). This is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who is the definitive word and action of God, ultimately delivering his people. However, like Israel in the wilderness and in the land, they ignored the prophets, worshipped false gods, and never truly sought the Lord. God’s Continual Provision Despite Rejection God provides the tabernacle in the wilderness. He meets with people there. The tabernacle enters the land with Israel. This is replaced by the temple. The problem is that people think that the temple is holy in itself. They are not seeing the God who uses these means to commune with his people. God’s people continue to pursue false gods. Amos recounts their pursuing false gods (Amos 5). Isaiah reminds the people that the Lord dwells beyond the land (Isaiah 66:1-2). God’s people cannot look beyond the tangible gods. This is a human problem. Stephen lays out the core of the problem: “You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you.” Their heart is not tender to the Lord. They are like oxen who stiffen their neck against the farmer’s direction. They will not go where he leads them. They will not and have not taken on the yoke. (cf. Matthew 11:28) Conclusion Stephen’s sermon recounts God’s working in history. He has been faithful, protective, and present with his people. His people have responded with a deaf ear and an unyielding presence. The temptation is not unique to first-century Israel. We too can become attached to traditions, institutions, or routines while neglecting humble submission to Christ. We can become stiff-necked, insisting on our own way instead of yielding to our Savior. The prophet like unto Moses is ultimately Christ. He is the agent and action of God’s redemption. He is the greater Joseph who was rejected, and then exalted. He provides better provision than bread alone. He is the substance of eternal life. He is the greater Moses who delivers his people from a far greater slavery than Egypt. He is greater than the temple and the tabernacle, for he is God in the midst of us. Therefore, the call is not merely to admire Stephen's courage but to embrace Stephen's Christ. We are invited to take Christ’s light yoke upon us. We are to be a people praying for the Lord to search our hearts. (Psalm 139:23) Let us be a tender people to the Lord’s purpose. Let us find our identity and peace in our redeemer.

God's Protected Community (Romans 8:15, 28–39; LD 21)

Introduction Last week we considered God's promise to Abram that the Lord is our shield.  Lord’s Day 21 [https://threeforms.org/heidelberg-catechism/#lords-day-21] expands that promise from individuals to the community. It expands to his holy assembly.  While our culture prizes independence, Scripture reminds us that Christianity is never simply "my Bible and me." Christ gathers a people for himself, and it is within his church that he nurtures, strengthens, and preserves his saints. The One Triune God Gathers his People When we confess belief in the "holy catholic church," we are confessing faith in the universal church, not the Roman Catholic Church. The Apostles’ Creed uses this language to communicate that from the beginning, God has always intended to gather a people who would fellowship with him.  In fact, throughout covenant history God has always worked in the context of a community.  Man was not created to be alone. (Genesis 2:18 [https://www.esv.org/Genesis+2/]). Man was created to spread out across the earth, to produce, and to multiply in God’s perfect creation.  Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world.  The Lord promised to divide the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent (Genesis 3:15 [https://www.esv.org/Genesis+3/]).  The champion seed, Christ, will rise from the seed of the woman and defeat the serpent.  One thing we cannot miss is that the Lord will divide the human race.   Now, in a fallen world, we see that Christ gathers his people through his word and Spirit. The ordinary means God uses to call sinners is the preaching of the gospel. That is why the church itself is evangelistic. We invite people into the place where Christ speaks through his Word.  We are not invited or called to live on our own apart from Christ’s community.  Conversion ultimately belongs to God's sovereign work. Some are converted dramatically, others gradually, and covenant children often cannot remember a day they did not believe. Whatever the manner, it is Christ who gathers his elect throughout history into one covenant family.  No, the church is not perfect, and in this life there will be hypocrites mixed into the church. (I Corinthians 5 [https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+5/]; Belgic Confession Article 29 [https://threeforms.org/the-belgic-confession/#29]) Christ Unites his People in himself The church is not some club or just some organization where we pay our dues.  No, the church is Christ’s body.  Romans 8 [https://www.esv.org/Romans+8/] reminds us repeatedly that we are heirs together with Christ. Salvation is not merely individual but corporate. Every believer shares equally in Christ's inheritance through adoption as we take hold of Christ by faith. Because we belong to one body, every member has gifts to use for the good of the whole. Rather than asking, "What can this church do for me?" we ought to ask, "How can I serve Christ by serving his people?" (Romans 12 [https://www.esv.org/Romans+12/]). Paul reminds us that we have not received a spirit of slavery but of adoption. We are not terrified of God like he is some unstable king.  No, we approach God as Abba, Father, sharing the same family privilege Christ has secured for us. Our identity is no longer found in proving ourselves worthy but in belonging to God's family through grace alone by faith alone.  Christ Guards his Church Romans 8 offers one of Scripture's greatest assurances.  Yes, we will suffer. Paul does not deny suffering. Christians grieve. Christ himself wept at Lazarus' tomb and over Jerusalem. We taste Christ’s blessing by faith and the Spirit, but we have not arrived at the full glory.  Romans 8:28 [https://www.esv.org/Romans+8/] is not a command to suppress grief but a promise that God will redeem even our darkest seasons and most trying times for our eternal good.  We don’t just carelessly say this to people who are grieving, as this is not going to be necessarily helpful.  However, as we reflect back on life, we can see that God has shaped us and moulded us through those trying times.  We say that he did not cause it, but he allowed it for reasons he has not revealed to us.  We need to remember that in the fall we wanted chaos, disorder, and abuse.   We can get discouraged in this life.  So, Paul shows that God’s intention is to finish the work that he started.  God has chosen us, and God will bring us to full glorification. In fact, as Paul lists 10 and 7 things that can come against us, ultimately we ponder these triumphant questions:  Who can bring a charge against God's elect? Who can condemn? Who can separate us from the love of Christ? His answer is emphatic: No one.  Christ’s work is so sure that there is no power, there is no army, there is no authority that will destroy us.  In fact, when Paul cites Psalm 44:22, we read in the Psalm that David is waiting for an answer.  Paul gives the answer: “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37 [https://www.esv.org/Romans+8/]) The Good Shepherd loses none of those whom the Father has given him. Conclusion The communion of saints is not merely a comforting doctrine; it is the reality that our life is held together in Christ. Because Christ has gathered us, united us, and promised never to forsake us, we are free to encourage one another through every season of life. The emphasis is encouragement.  Sometimes we sit quietly with a friend.  This is probably the most effective time Job’s counselors interacted with him.  The reality is that sometimes we have nothing to say, and we just sit with someone so they are not alone.  Sometimes we rehearse the promises of Scripture.  Discerning what is pleasing to the Lord is not always easy.  Ultimately, we want to avoid shallow answers to suffering; we remind one another that our faithful Savior is still working, still defending, and still leading his people home.  He may seem silent, but he is actively working in our lives to shepherd us to glory.  As we serve Christ by serving his church, we press on together with this confidence: Nothing can separate God's people from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let that be our hope.

The Unhealthy and Unwealthy Gospel (Acts 6:8-15)

Introduction It is easy to think that if we are faithful, God will always reward us with visible success. That was the assumption of Job's friends, and to some extent Job himself. Job does wrestle with God’s will, and lays out that the wicked man can prosper and the righteous man can suffer.  Justice in this age is not always so black/white.  We can fall into a hasty assumption that if we obey, life should go smoothly. If we suffer, we must have done something wrong.  Is this always the case? Stephen's story reminds us that God's kingdom does not always work according to our expectations. Here is a man full of grace, full of the Holy Spirit, and faithful in every way. Yet instead of receiving praise, he is falsely accused and brought to trial. Luke shows us that faithfulness is not measured by earthly success but by steadfast trust in Christ. Contradicting the Expected Narrative Stephen is introduced as a man "full of grace and power." His life displayed the work of the Holy Spirit. He is a man so enveloped by grace that he is a gracious man.  He served the weak as a deacon.  He defended the truth second to none.  Overall, he reflected the kindness of Christ.  His wisdom did not come from natural ability but from the Spirit working through him.  Christ shows his promise is true that he will give the words when one is hauled into a court.  (Luke 21:14 [https://www.esv.org/Luke+21/]) His godliness stirred opposition rather than an attentive ear. Those who argued against him could not answer his teaching because the Spirit gave Stephen wisdom beyond their own.  One would think that such compelling arguments would win the day.  However, the opposite happens.  The Opponents Create False Evidence Unable to defeat Stephen's teaching, his opponents turned to deception. They secretly persuaded false witnesses to accuse him of blasphemy against Moses, the temple, and God. Rather than submitting to God's Word, they twisted the truth to preserve their own system. This reminds us that unbelief is not simply a lack of evidence. The problem is the human heart. Stephen answered every objection faithfully, yet Luke tells us they failed to believe. Ironically, they violate Moses’ law as they recruit a malicious or a false witness against Stephen (Deuteronomy 19:15-21. [https://www.esv.org/Deuteronomy+19/] ). Moses is very clear that the thing the false witness desires to do to the accused will be carried out on them.  Clearly, they do not want what is orthodox.  They will cast aside Moses to destroy an innocent man. It is true that we are called to be ready to make a defense (1 Peter 3:15 [https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+3/]), but at the same time we are not to obsess about every possible objection (Luke 21:14 [https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+3/]).  The problem is not solved through moral or logical suasion.  It is a problem of the heart that only the Lord can cure.  A Second Moses, Rejected Like the First As Stephen stood before the council, Luke reports to us instant credibility: his face shone like the face of an angel. Just as Moses reflected God's glory after meeting with the Lord, so Stephen visibly reflected the presence of God.  When Moses received the Torah from God, we read that his face shone so brightly that God’s people could not look upon him (Exodus 34:29-35 [https://www.esv.org/Exodus+34/]).  You would think that the council would pause and contemplate.  They would think that maybe Stephen is also bearing revelation from the same God.  Maybe Stephen is bringing revelation and instruction, torah, that the council should heed.  However, Stephen would suffer as a martyr, as we will see in two weeks, because of their hard-hearted rebellion. We might think that this is defeat.  Christ never abandoned His servant. Stephen's strength came from the risen and reigning Savior, who upheld him through suffering and welcomed him into glory.  Christ’s ascension does not remove him from the church.  No, Christ’s ascension testifies that he rules over the church in the midst of his enemies.  His ascension testifies that he really empowers the church as sovereign ruler and priest (Psalm 110:2 [https://www.esv.org/Psalm+110/]; cf sermon on Psalm 110 [https://www.urcbelgrade.com/sermons-and-stuff/2026/7/15/christ-present-reign]).  The church must remember this lesson. We cannot judge God's blessing merely by numbers, popularity, or outward success. Christ calls His people to faithfulness. The results belong to Him, and we trust that it works out.   We are called to discern (Ephesians 5:10 [https://www.esv.org/Ephesians+5/]) what is pleasing to God and be faithful to him. Conclusion Stephen teaches us to keep our eyes fixed on Christ rather than on earthly outcomes. We may faithfully proclaim the gospel and still face rejection. We may do what is right and still suffer. But none of this means Christ has abandoned His people. Our Savior reigns even in the midst of opposition (Psalm 110:2 [https://www.esv.org/Psalm+110/]; cf sermon on Psalm 110 [https://www.urcbelgrade.com/sermons-and-stuff/2026/7/15/christ-present-reign]). He gives His Spirit to strengthen His church.  His Spirit gives us wisdom to answer when called upon.  The ultimate peace is knowing that in the Spirit we will persevere until the end. Therefore, let us seek to be people who are full of the grace of Christ.  Let us be a people who give ourselves over to the Spirit. Let us be a people who seek to discern what it means to be faithful in every circumstance. Our confidence is not in visible success but in our risen Lord, who holds His people securely in His hands and will never fail to bring them safely home.  Let us walk in him!

Guarded by Our Shield and Defender (1 Peter 1:1-9; LD 20)

Introduction Abraham struggled to trust God's promises even after receiving a vision and an explicit word from God. The Lord assured Abraham that he is Abraham’s shield (Genesis 15:1 [https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+1/]).  The Lord will protect him and defend him. Peter also doubted the path to glory through the suffering of the cross.  The thought of a distant God protecting a people who seem so far away just seems absurd.  Christians today may wonder whether God has abandoned his people. We face trials, and we might wonder if God is really in the midst of them.  This becomes even more apparent when Peter addresses us as exiles.  If we are in exile, we would think that God is even more removed from us.  Peter, who struggled to believe Christ would protect him, assures the church that the Triune God has neither forgotten nor forsaken His people. Rather, He is actively guarding them until they receive the inheritance He has prepared for them.   The Triune God Peter tells us that the Father has chosen us.  It is his foreknowledge.  Why does he know?  It is because he has decided it (1 Peter 1:1 [https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+1/]).  Our exile status is intentional.  The Son has redeemed us through his blood.  The Holy Spirit is sanctifying us to conform to Christ. (1 Peter 1:2 [https://www.esv.org/1+Peter+1/]) Peter writes to believers living in exile.  We are outside the promised land.  We have to see that exile does not mean abandonment. The Father elects/chooses His children, the Son continues to reign as Lord and Redeemer, and the Spirit remains present, sanctifying and preserving God's people. The Lord refines his people through the painful trials.  The trials are like gold passing through the flame.  These trials are not signs of God's absence.  No, the trials are used to burn away the impurities of our faith, conforming us to be more faithful children of God. The Triune God is personally guarding us as he protected and guarded his people in foreign lands.  We are currently in exile on a Christian pilgrimage to the promised land, being guarded by God.  It is true that we are reminded of our creaturely status when we contemplate the doctrine of the Trinity.  We know that our God is beyond our full comprehension.  However, we can know and do know our God.  We know that he is actively working on our behalf.  Our Certain Application Yes, we are in exile.  We are away from the promised land.  However, our Lord works to protect us.  The Heidelberg Catechism reminds us that the Holy Spirit has been given to me.  We might think of someone more spiritual having the Spirit.  However, the Holy Spirit is given to me.  I am a temple of the Holy Spirit by God’s grace.  The Holy Spirit will be with us from this age to the age to come.  We might not think that this is very important.  However, Peter assures us that God is giving us double protection.  The inheritance that Christ has won for us is being guarded in heaven.  We are continually and actively being guarded by God to receive that inheritance. The assurance of this is that no Babylonian or Assyrian can take our inhertiance like we saw with Israel in the past.  Yes, we will face trials in this age.  We will get some bumps and bruises along the way, but the Lord will be the shield and defender, guaranteeing that we will receive what he has set apart for us.  This means that as the Holy Spirit is given to us by Christ, we will be protected.  It means that as the Father has chosen us, we will receive his chosen inheritance.  This is not because it is grounded in us, but by our God working in history.  Conclusion Peter knows the struggle of the Christian life.  He too wanted glory now.  He did not understand Christ’s mission to gain heaven through the cross.  In fact, Peter denied Christ three times when Christ was heading to the cross.  Peter did not understand the suffering to glory.   Peter had an awkward breakfast with the Lord, where the Lord asked him three times if Peter loved him and charged Peter to care for his people after Peter’s three answers.  Peter knows the grace of Christ.  Peter was assured that he would persevere until the end.  It is not because Peter is so competent, but because the Lord is that faithful.  Let us take Peter’s testimony seriously.  Let us hear his inspired words to encourage us in this life.  Our God is not distant.  We might not fully understand the doctrine of the Trinity, but we know that our God guards our inheritance and he actively guards us.  We will receive what he has set out for us.  Christ has earned it.  The Father has chosen us.  The Spirit applies Christ’s distinct blessings. As we face trials in this age, let us be confident that the Lord is refining us to be the people he has called us to be.  He is shepherding us in the midst of it.  We will dwell with him in our inheritance he secured for us.  Let us live out the days he has numbered for us in the confidence of his protection and faithfulness.  I did a series on “Sojourning Under the Sun [https://www.urcbelgrade.com/sermons-and-stuff/category/Sojourning+Under+the+Sun].”  You can read a short summary of exile on the Gospel Coalition’s  [https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/exile/?utm_source=chatgpt.com]website.

Growing Pains (Acts 6:1-7)

Introduction The book of Acts gives us honest "metrics" of the church. Luke records remarkable growth for the early church. There are thousands of converts. However, he never presents an idealized picture of the church. Alongside gospel success come persecution and real problems. In Acts 6, the congregation begins to murmur. The church is in the wilderness and is acting like Israel in the wilderness. Luke does not hide the conflict, but records how the church worked through the conflict. We are reminded that healthy churches are not churches without problems, but churches that address problems through Christ’s wisdom. Sometimes a church loses sight of Christ’s priorities. How does this church repent and conform to Christ’s wisdom? The Church Experiences Growing Pains As the church expands, believers from different backgrounds join the congregation. Luke intentionally calls them disciples. A disciple is someone who is dedicated to their teacher’s instruction. This is an important reminder that Christians are lifelong learners who continually grow in conformity to Christ. We never arrive or graduate as disciples in this life. We continually grow in Christ. This is a lifelong dedication to the master’s instruction through his word and spirit. The problem is growth exposes weaknesses. Cultural tensions arise as the Hellenistic widows are neglected, and murmuring threatens to divide the body along ethnic lines. The group is on the verge of splitting over a legitimate issue. We have seen Israel do this in the wilderness. The Lord wrestles with his people, and sometimes we wonder if the Lord will prevail. Christ Provides Wise Servants for his Church The apostles recognize the legitimacy of their grumbling. This is very scary for the church. Israel grumbled about food, and the Lord provided through manna (Exodus 16). Another time when Israel grumbled was when Korah challenged Moses’ rule (Numbers 16-17). We see in these examples that when God’s people grumble, they are complaining about God. So, now the new community is grumbling. They might have a legitimate concern, like Exodus 16, but this normally does not end well for God’s people. Will they meet God’s anger, or is there another solution? The apostles hear this, and they know that they have a God-given task to preach and pray. So, the solution has to be honoring to God. They have to preach and pray. However, the Lord is upset when the community’s weak are exploited or neglected. The complaint is not presented in a godly way. The community is grumbling; widows are exploited, and the community is not bearing a godly witness to outsiders. They have a solution. It is not that they are beneath waiting on tables, but that is not their priority. They are called to preach and pray. They cannot abandon their God-given task. They tell the congregation to choose seven men of good reputation, men who are full of the Spirit, and who demonstrate Godly wisdom. The apostles will be dedicated to preaching and praying. These men will tend to the widows’ needs to make sure that the widows are not exploited. The community is satisfied with this solution. There are seven servants or deacons who are appointed primarily to this task. The solution teaches us that every office in Christ's church matters. All the offices in the church serve to advance the gospel. The Word of God Remains the Source of Life Luke concludes by reminding us that the church will continue. We learn that as the apostles preach the Gospel, "the Word of God continued to increase." This is not saying that the word of God grows bigger, but that the church continues to bear more fruit as it grows through Gospel preaching. We hear the wonderful declaration that priests who once opposed Christ become obedient to the faith. The power that preserves and grows the church is never organizational skill alone, but the faithful preaching of Christ. This has to be accompanied by prayer and a congregation that is continually transformed by the Gospel message. Conclusion We must realize that the church will always experience growing pains. The church is comprised of struggling sinners. Unfortunately, the poor are always among us (Matthew 26:11). We are disciples to be instructed through the preaching of the Gospel. It is through this means of grace that Christ continues to instruct the church in his wisdom. It is through Gospel preaching that the Spirit is pleased to work to grant discernment. Christ comes to redeem the exploited and give them relief. The church, as disciples, is called to emulate Christ’s mission. So, the apostles will continue to preach the Gospel and pray, while the office of servant, deacon, will care for the physical needs of the saints. So, we see that the church, guided by Christ’s wisdom, finds the solution. We have the office of deacon. We see that the church as a whole receives the Lord’s care. As disciples of Christ, we are called to imitate his compassion, rejoice in his gospel, and confidently trust that he will continue building his church according to his perfect wisdom.