Reformed & Expository Preaching

Is Providence a Problem? (2) (Job 1:1-2:10)

Introduction We like to think we have life figured out. Follow the right steps, make the right moves, and God will bless you. I am doing well, so I am dialed. I have life figured out. Struggle and suffer, and you must have done something wrong. The problem is that the book of Job refuses to let us off that easily. Job is blameless, upright, and God-fearing. Clearly, he is dialed, but everything is taken from him. His story forces us to ask: What does it actually mean to trust in the providence of God when life gets complicated? God Definitively Rules The catechism reminds us that God upholds heaven and earth. This means that God upholds the tallest tree to the smallest blade of grass. God is in charge during times of rain and seasons of drought. There is not one thing that falls outside his hand. This means that even Satan operates within God’s confines. God does not set out to destroy Job. Satan requests to sift Job, and God sets the boundaries. Job thinks that God does not see his good deeds as the book unfolds. But in reality, God is not distant or indifferent because he sees that Job is blameless and upright. God governs every detail of his creation. God allows Satan to sift Job because the Lord knows his servant. God Rules Over Poverty and Prosperity Satan is doing more than just trying to destroy Job. Satan claims that God blessed Job, so Job serves God. This battle is not just about providence, but a cosmic war. Satan does not believe that God can uphold his saints. Job loses everything: his children, his livestock, and even his health, from Satan’s challenge. Satan's gamble is that Job's faith was only ever a convenient transaction. Satan believes Job will curse God, exposing God as a fraud. Job is pushed by his wife to curse God. His response destroys Satan’s accusation. Job says to his wife, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" (Job 2: [https://www.esv.org/Job+2/]10) Job shows that the new Adam will not heed the voice of Eve. Job knows that in all things God is sovereign. We are called to the same posture of dependence. God Calls us to Wait on Him Job began the story blameless and upright. Job shows that he will wait upon the Lord. Satan claimed that Job only loved God because God made his life easy. Satan knows he cannot defeat God. However, Satan is confident he can rip a saint from God’s hand. Satan’s wager never pays off. Job never curses God, even as Job ends with his own wrestling match with God. Here is the remarkable thing the book of Job shows us: God did not merely restrain Satan's attack, but he used it to sanctify Job. Job submits to the Lord’s will when he says, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you" (Job 42:5 [https://www.esv.org/Job+42/]). The very trial Satan intended to use to destroy Job's faith became the means by which Job came to know God more deeply. Job does not concede answers, but he truly met God. We learn that the Lord does not seek to destroy us, but to nurture us. He can do this through trials and blessings. Conclusion Providence is not a problem to be solved. It is a reality to be trusted because we have a faithful Father who rules over all things. Life is genuinely complex. We see that the righteous suffer. We see that the wicked sometimes prosper. We have to come to grips with the fact that our neat formulas break down. God is not the problem. But the God who rules over leaf and blade, over rain and drought, over poverty and prosperity, is the same God who knows you better than you know yourself. He is not holding you at arm's length while the storms come. He is sanctifying and upholding you in the midst of them. So let us wait upon the Lord. This is not because we understand all his ways, but because we know He is our Faithful Father.

Abandoned or Empowered? (Acts 1:9-26)

Introduction It would be so nice to open a door to a throne room and say there is Christ, our king, sitting on a throne. We might think that Christ’s ascension appears as a disappointing event. It seems that Christ has left his church. Why does Christ leave us in this world? We need to see that the Ascension is not a withdrawal of Christ's presence but rather a transformative moment that establishes the spiritual kingdom. Christ’s Ascension The Ascension of Christ is the inauguration of a new phase in God's redemptive plan. The prophets made a promise. The promise needs to come to fruition. We might want all of what the prophet’s word comes to pass, but that is not the Lord’s intention. The scene of angels appearing to the disciples on the Mount of Olives illustrates how the heavenly realm engages with earthly realities. The angels give the assurance that Christ’s return, as predicted in Zechariah 14:4, is guaranteed. However, now is not the time for the full physical blessings of the kingdom. Christ is not retreating, but publishing the Gospel call through his heralds that holy war is certainly coming. He will bring his final judgment when he returns. Judas’ Recollection The Apostles begin to process Christ’s ascension and his ruling from heaven as Peter realizes that Judas needs to be replaced. We begin to see how Christ rules the church from heaven by His Spirit. The disciples argued in the presence of Christ about their own significance, but now they see the bigger picture. Peter applies Psalms 69 and 109 to their current situation. Peter shows that Judas's betrayal was expected, but they missed it. Psalm 69:25 and 109:8 recount how David was betrayed, and he prayed that the betrayer would lose his station. The betrayer would also be replaced. Peter is showing that the apostles will take the scriptures and understand them in light of Christ. Matthias Chosen Peter makes the case that Judas needs to be replaced. The disciples nominate two men. They cast lots to see which of these two men the Lord desires to replace Judas. The lot falls on Matthias. He is the 12th Apostle to take Judas’ place. Should we continue to cast lots? We now discern the Lord’s will in the Spirit rather than casting lots. We do see Israel casting lots in the Old Testament, and practiced in this transitional period before Pentecost, as we see with Matthias’s ordination. However, we notice that after Pentecost the church moves toward deliberative, Scripture-based decision-making guided by the Spirit. We see this in Acts 15 with the Jerusalem Council. The church deliberates. It uses the Scriptures, and it judges/discerns in the Spirit. This is Christ ruling his church from heaven by His Word and Spirit. He is not ruling His church through the casting of lots. Conclusion The Ascension of Christ is not a disappointing departure. Rather, Christ’s ascension is a pivotal event that establishes the church's identity and mission in the world. We need to be assured that Christ’s departure is not a disappointment, but the assurance that Christ spiritually reigns. He did not abandon the promise of judgment, but delays it. It is now the call for the gospel to go out from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Now is the time to bow the knee to Christ when we hear the Gospel. It is not wise to delay. His second coming will bring the full physical shalom kingdom, but he will also put down all the rebellion. Let us be a people who bow the knee to Christ. Let us do so today as we walk in His Spirit being renewed after the image of our God.

Is Providence a Problem? (Job 38-42; LD 9)

Introduction There is a danger of throwing around "the providence of God" carelessly. Job reminds us that the providence of God and suffering can be complicated. Job captures what many of us feel in seasons of suffering. We feel confusion, frustration, and even the impulse to argue with God. Our problem is that we forget that when we suffer, God is giving us what we want. We have to remember that God does want his people to be blessed and living in Shalom. The book of Job resists an easy answer to the question of whether God’s providence is a problem. Job is not laying out a health and wealth Gospel. Job is not laying out a poverty gospel either. So, what is Job teaching about God’s providence? God Upholds and Rules (Creator and Sovereign) The Heidelberg Catechism grounds us: God is creator and sustainer of heaven and earth. Crucially, he is not just sovereign. God is not just a king, but He is our Father. A good father doesn't shield children from every hardship; he pushes them toward growth and tenacity. In hard seasons, we learn to wrestle with the deeper questions of who God is. Job has to learn this lesson. When you read his speeches up to this point, Job has a very black and white view of the world. You do what is right, and you necessarily receive a blessing. You do what is wrong, and you suffer. The Lord is showing that His ways and providence are more complex than a simple health and wealth gospel. God Provides (His Care Extends Further Than We Imagine) The Lord's speech from the whirlwind (Job 38–39) catalogs his care for creation. The cares for the details that many of us probably don’t think about a whole lot throughout our day. The Lord cares for the mountain goats, wild donkeys, the ostrich, the war horse, hawk, and eagle. The Ostrich is always the one that stands out to me. The animals are not smart enough for a basic survival instinct. They should be extinct, but the Lord continues to preserve them. God takes care of all the tiny details. The Lord is not trying to overwhelm Job. Rather God is demonstrating that Job needs to have a bigger picture of God, redemption, and the complexity of living in a fallen world. The Lord knows Job, but Job does not really know or see God. If he tends the ostrich, who should not be alive, then how much more does he care for his redeemed people? Job responds with a half-hearted repentance. His desire for the court is not adjourned. He needs to get ready for round 2. God Is Consistent With His Own Nature (Good, Holy, Righteous) Job is simultaneously right and wrong. Job is correct that he hasn't sinned to directly deserve this suffering. Job is wrong in accusing God of injustice. The Lord wants Job to see the bigger picture, and how the Lord continues to care for this creation. The Behemoth and Leviathan aren't just shows of power. No, these are majestic creatures that will destroy man. However, to the Lord they are merely little puppies who are eager to play. The Lord is in control, there is no creature that will overpower him, and the Lord is able to protect His people. Job's response shifts from passive-aggressive silence (ch. 40) to genuine repentance (ch. 42): "I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you." He moves from knowing about God to truly knowing God. That's the turn. Job will concede the Lord’s will even as Job does not understand the deeper struggle. The deeper struggle is Satan’s, accuser/adversary, challenge that God cannot raise up a people. In other words it is possible that God might be stronger than Satan. However, God is not stronger than his people. His people will never love God just because God is God. Job’s concession is more than just an acknowledgement that living in a fallen world is complicated. Job’s concession and repentance mean that Job truly seeks God. Conclusion Providence is not a witty bumper sticker. Not every season is joyful, not every trial comes with an explanation, and God doesn't owe us one. But the God who cares for the ostrich cares infinitely more for those he has redeemed. We might not understand, but Job teaches us that there is a bigger reason. In fact, there is a cosmic battle that wages behind the scenes. We bring our frustrations to him. God commands us to do this in our prayers. We bring these prayers respectfully, not accusatorially. We trust that in the complexity of a fallen world, this Father is working out something good, even when we cannot see it. Let that be our hope. Let us proceed in the confidence that our Lord will shepherd us to the other side of the trial. We know that He can because not only does he care for this creation, but he has redeemed His people. Let us walk in His power, and let us be confident of His shepherding hand leading us through the valley of the shadow of death to green pastures.

God International Kingdom (Acts 1:1-9)

INTRODUCTION The book of Acts is the second volume of Luke's two-part work. Luke writes this second volume to the same audience as his first volume. His gospel records the historic work of Christ. It is the invitation for Theophilus and the world to see that Christ is the Messiah for the nations. His second volume, Acts, records the impact of Christ’s mission. Our struggle is that we might think Christ has left his church. However, Acts is communicating that Christ is very much present with his body until the end of the age. Luke communicates that the ascended Lord remains present with his church through the Holy Spirit, actively advancing his kingdom. THE BOOK'S SUMMARY Luke opens Acts by grounding it firmly in his Gospel. The same Christ who died and rose appeared to his disciples with many proofs, teaching them about the kingdom of God. The book of Luke ends with the disciples witnessing Christ being taken to heaven. Acts opens with the disciples gathered around Christ, receiving their marching orders, and then Christ being taken to heaven. Luke is picking up where he left off, and for good reason. Luke is building continuity between Christ's earthly mission and the ongoing mission of the church in the Holy Spirit. These two volumes are meant to be read together as one story. The first volume is the basis for the church, Christ’s completed work, and the second volume is the power given from on high. The second volume assures us that Christ really is with his church until the end of the age. WHY ENTER INTO GLORY? Christ instructs his disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the promise of the Father. What is this promise you might wonder? It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This fulfills what John the Baptist announced: one is coming who will baptize with the Spirit. John's baptism identified people with the Messiah’s mission. The people are identified in a mission that is not complete. In order for Christ to complete his mission, he must live a perfect life, die on the cross, and be raised to life. The final event is Christ entering glory. The temptation is to think that Christ restores a physical kingdom. However, Christ must ascend into heaven. He must sit on the right hand of God while the church heralds his gospel message. The Holy Spirit baptism now confirms and seals God's people in a mission fully accomplished. The fire that is associated with judgment does not consume the Lord’s people, but cleanses them. So, when Christ enters glory, it is the declaration that the precedent is set for the prophet’s word to have partial fulfillment. When Christ returns, he brings the full physical fulfillment. WHY THE DISBELIEF? We would think that the disciples would cherish this promise. However, when the disciples ask whether Christ will now restore the kingdom to Israel, they reveal a common misunderstanding. They want the glory kingdom now. They want the full physical blessings of Christ’s kingdom. They understand the prophets to promise: the messiah, judgment, and then physical blessings. They fail to understand the depth of the fall. Sure, the heavens and earth will have continuity, but they are to be fully glorified without any remnant of sin. Christ cannot just put a Band-Aid on this world. Christ redirects them: the timing of final restoration belongs to the Father alone. Now is not the time for full glory. What the church is called to is witness and herald. The Gospel will be preached beginning in Jerusalem, to Judea (wider district), and Samaria (a mix of Jewish/Gentile heritage). The gospel will then go to the ends of the earth. This is the intention of the Abrahamic covenant coming to its full spiritual flowering: blessing going out to all nations through a Spirit-empowered, gospel-bearing community. The new covenant is not new in substance, but it shows the intention of the promise made to Abraham. The intention has been for the nations to receive the benefit of Christ’s work. However, the disciples did not expect the delay between the first coming of Christ and the second coming. They struggle with disbelief because they expected the full glory of Christ’s kingdom. CONCLUSION The church today lives between two great events: the ascension of Christ and his return. We are in the New Covenant. This is not new in the radically different sense. It is new in the sense that it is confirmed and qualitatively different. It means that the intention has always been for the nations to embrace the messiah. However, now we see the revelation of that intention. Right now, we live as Spirit-empowered people, united and rooted in Christ. As we journey together as a people set apart in Christ, we are bearing witness to his gospel and caring for one another as we go. Acts is not a record of a church left to fend for itself. It is the story of a church sent, empowered, and united to the living Christ. May we be a people who walk in Christ's power, a people who wait for our Savior, and a people confident that he has set a historic precedent that will never be overturned.

Called as Christ's Disciple (LD 8; Matthew 28:16-20)

Introduction Redemption has a purpose beyond just our personal salvation. Yes, that is part of it, but there is more. The Heidelberg Catechism makes clear that we are redeemed by a specific God who personally reveals himself. He is one God and three persons. He is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of these persons shows their connection to creation and our redemption. His goal is not just to save, but to commune with his people. The driving question is: what does it mean to be set apart as disciples of the Trinitarian God, and why does that designation matter? The Father of All Creation The Father is the source of all life. This means that generally He gives life to all creation. He is the one who brought this world into existence through the word: Christ (Col. 1:15-20). This whole creation knows God. He sustains even those who reject him, which speaks to his patience and character. The Father specifically gives life to his people. More specifically, the Father is the one who elects and calls his people before the foundation of the world. The Father sent Christ on Christ’s successful mission. Thus, he is the father of his creation and the father of his redeemed people. The Son of Our Deliverance Christ is both the means of creation and the agent of redemption. We mentioned in the previous point that this whole world has its existence in Christ. Christ is the word. Christ is also the one who secures our life. His resurrection is the precedent for eternal life. He moves from asserting God's promises to fulfilling them with authority. "All authority has been given to me" is not a tyrant's boast; it is the declaration of a risen Redeemer who has accomplished the work he set out to do. The beauty of Christ’s farewell speech in Matthew is that Christ secured the authority for the church to exist, and Christ is with his church until the end of the age. The Holy Spirit of Our Sanctification He gives life to this creation. This means that all creatures, all creation, and humanity receive their life from him. (Psalm 104:29-30) The Spirit also gives life to God’s people. The Spirit indwells Christ’s people. You cannot have Christ without the Spirit. Christ is with His people, and Christ is with his church until the end of the age. So, when we have the Spirit, we have Christ dwelling with us individually and as the body of Christ. Conclusion Our redemption is carried out by the Trinitarian God. God does care for this creation, but how much more for his church. The Great Commission belongs to the church, not just to individuals, and it is carried out under Christ's authority while he remains present with his church. The call to make disciples begins with prayer and humility, trusting that it is the Father who calls normally through Gospel preaching, the Son who redeems, and the Spirit who gives life. Our identity is secure in Christ, and nothing will annul what he has decreed. Let us be empowered by our God, and let us walk in him.