John 11:54-57 - Before the Final Passover

John 11:54-57

54 Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

Message: Before the Final Passover

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: So with the plot now on for those to kill Jesus, which is what the disciples concern was earlier when he went to Bethany near Jerusalem (verse 8), John mentions in verse 54 that Jesus will no longer continue to walk with the Jews. He will get away from walking with the Jews as Has more to accomplish, though He knows His death is inevitable. But this lets us know that He will decide the time and not let others decide it for him. 

Verse 55 mentions the Passover was near. I remember in John 2 the Passover was near, so time is passing along, at least a year between those two passages. Based upon what I have read Jesus is probably about 31 if he began his ministry at age 30, but that is just my guess. Later, when Jesus was crucified, that would be during the feast of the Passover. 

In verse 55 it mentions the Jews left Jerusalem "to purify themselves." I looked this up in commentaries and Charles, a theologian in the 1800s states, "The Law ordained no special purifications before the Passover, but on the general principle of ceremonial cleanness, a large number of pilgrims would necessarily go up before the feast to observe the legal rites and offer the required sacrifices." Numbers 9:6 remarks that some are unclean, but Lord to Moses says those individuals (unclean because of a dead person) can still observe the Passover. And yet there is also mention in Leviticus 22:3 about approaching the holy (whatever that is at the time) unclean that person is cut off. As such, possibly there is an approach to 'better be safe than sorry.' 

And people wonder, possibly Jews whether Jesus will be present at the Passover. He is not with them. He was at the last one it seems in John 2, but for this one, at this time, possibly it is not known. It is clear that some Jews want to seize Him. 

Summary: Jesus goes to the wilderness, but back in Jerusalem, many are preparing for the Passover, wondering if Jesus will be present at it. 

Promise: We are not to seek suffering or harm, but as it occurs, we are to faithful and endure it. 

Prayer: Lord, you are holy and as I even come before you at various times to celebrate communion or a baptism or even an event like Christmas or Easter, I am not sure if I have taken the time consistently to prepare myself. You want me to observe these events, to remember, and in that be thankful the Your gift to me, but I think it can be important to first confess sin and see if there is any wicked in me and to think about how my life at that moment can be defiled by other things, by other priorities, by other thoughts. Help me to focus on You. Even as I attend church and walk into a fellowship, too many things are often on my mind. Even as take a moment to study Your word each day and pray, often there are thoughts at war within me of other responsibilities. So help me God to be serious about those times of service and worship and study, as I approach You - to cleanse me. I don't even pray God prior to getting into your Word and yet this pattern is done at Church. I know I'm not requited, but help me make those times more focused so that I am hearing You when You speak. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

Acts 6:4 - Preaching and the Preacher's Task

Acts 6:4 - But we will devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 

Message: Preaching and the Preacher's Task

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying: I have previously in these lessons, for these 10th month of lessons that celebrate the 500th year of the Reformation back in 2017, been looking at the focus for this month of the sacraments. While others hold to many varied sacraments, the reformers believe that two sacraments reign supreme - the Lord's Supper and Baptism. I have taken my time in studying each of these. What is clear in the study of these is these sacraments need the Word of God to come alongside them. They need clear explanation and scripture to be spoken as they are performed to provide context and meaning to them, otherwise it is taking another meal or taking another washing of some sort. 

Reformers such as Martin Luther and John Calvin became popular as they spoke, but the focused their hearers not on themselves but rather the Word of God. They labored in their study of the word of God to speak many sermons and teach the Word of God to their congregations. As I have studied them and even looked at later teachers like Charles Spurgeon and then into the 20th century like Charles Swindoll and John MacArthur, it is clear that all of these teachers have an incredible zeal to preach the Word of God in multiple times and multiple ways, going over and over the teaching of God's word. In other words, it is clear that their most important task is to preach and teach. As today's verse mentions in Acts 6:4, "They were devoted....to the ministry of the word." 

And as they did this preaching their lives and ministries, more importantly, have been blessed. People in churches often want their pastors to assume a lot of different roles, but we should only really expect our pastors to preach and teach God's word to us. 

Summary: Sacraments must carry with them the study and preaching of God's Word. 

Promise: God's word tells us that the primary task of pastors is preaching and teaching, so that is what we should expect above all from our preachers. 

Prayer: O God, you are glorious and God and your ways are right and true. I am thankful for the good teachers of the Word that you have placed in my life. I am amazed at their many lessons and teachings of the Word of God. For me, I am most thankful for Norm Boshoff as you drew me into fellowship and then later Tom Nelson who amazed me of this love and devotion of Your Words and then his great communication of those words. Thank you God for using these men to bring further excitement and joy to me in reading Your Word. And thank you for my mom and her great devotion to You and that daily excitement she set before me to also have that joy and desire to study and read Your word and walk with you every day in every way. You have placed great people in My life and I am so thankful for this. 

Ephesians 4:5 - One Baptism

Ephesians 4:5 - One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism

Message: One Baptism

Time: Paul wrote the letter to the Ephesians sometime in AD 60–61, around the same time he wrote Colossians and Philemon. Ephesians deals with topics at the core of being a Christian - faith and practice, no matter the situation.

What the Lord is Saying: This lesson ends 8 lessons on the sacrament of baptism. I conclude so far that baptism is not salvific. It remains a sign of the covenant God made with His people to be separate and distinct from all of the people on the earth. The practice of it is required for every believer in Christ. I don't believe it is something that we can simply make an option, and it needs to be done soon after trusting in Christ as Savior and Lord or repenting of our sins. Because it is no salvific I think it can be done at any time in a person's life. Believing parents can have their children do this as a sign again of God's covenant and the father commissioning his family to serve the Lord. Peter did mention baptism for the remission of sins but I think this is a confirmation of that act that Jesus did on the cross and I do not think baptism saves a person from their sins. I think the act of baptism is very powerful and unites us with Christ and his death and resurrection. It provides the believer in Christ clear meaning of God regenerating His people for Himself and choosing them to be His. It is Spirit that purifies us but it is the act of baptism which also confirms this work of the Spirit. 

Today's verse remembers the oneness meaning that we have and the Unity which we possess. When Paul addresses unity to the Ephesians he remarks on:

One Body and One Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6). 

It is noteworthy that baptism is included here. The words expressed here speak of unity. But they also speak of singularity. We do not have multiple bodies, but one. There are not multiple Spirits, but one. Our calling is by God and does not occur multiple times in regards to our salvation. And so does baptism occur multiple times? 

Tabletalk tells a story example of this and gives the idea that it is a one time thing as multiple baptisms give the idea of regeneration or salvation occurring multiple times. This is confirmed in the Westminster Confession of Faith. The idea is baptism is about God and not for man necessarily and its validity is not after a profession of faith. 

I guess I don't mirror this stance. I think it can be once, but if the person feels like it is needed again, then this seems fine. Perhaps a pastor needs to share from the pulpit a message so as to not bring about confusion. Salvation is once. 

Summary: We are united with Christ in baptism. Baptism presents a picture of unity and I believe as a command it can be more than once if the person sees a value in this. 

Promise: Salvation is entirely by God's grace. Water baptism does not regenerate us. But it provides a powerful picture of this and it is something we do out of obedience. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for teaching me through Your Word and helping me understand you better. I continue to define my faith and beliefs. Thank you for that process to learn. I pray that baptism will always glorify You and help us understand further you setting us aside. Help people in my life, in my family better understand the importance of this practice. Specifically, I pray for Brandon that you would help him see the need to be baptized. 

Acts 2:38 - Baptism and Forgiveness

Acts 2:38 - Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Message: Baptism and Forgiveness

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying: I am enjoying taking a deeper dive into these studies on baptism and its significance as a sacrament. As I have studied in the last 2 lessons -- Baptism is commanded in Scripture following conversion and it is to be instituted in the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit, but the method can be any form with water over the person. Baptism has regenerated all who believe in Christ alone for salvation. For me in these studies, there needs to be a strong emphasis on baptism and its work before God in 3 persons and then being regenerated as a Called One of Christ. It is true that not everyone that is baptized will be part of the kingdom of God but this should not diminish the act of baptism. Baptism needs to be important in the life of the believer, of the person being regenerated. I think it needs to be something that each person that has made a decision to follow Christ does. In the previous lesson it speaks of how there is change in that person or a renewal. 

In today's passage it speaks of the forgiveness of sins. 

The Westminster Confession of Faith speaks of Baptism in 28.1. 

Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ, not only for the solemn admission of the party baptized into the visible church, but also to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God through Jesus Christ, to walk in the newness of life: which sacrament is, by Christ’s own appointment, to be continued in his church until the end of the world.

Thus, there remains this close relationship between a person repenting and then being baptized. Acts 2:38 states that baptism follows repentance. "Repent and be baptized..." Thus, before one is baptized they repent of their sins.  

There are places in scripture that speak of salvation into the Kingdom of God that do not speak of baptism. I understand now that this does not mean that Baptism is not necessary, but I think repentance is the first key to our lives. It is the commitment and the act to turn oneself from sin and run towards Christ. We repent and then as we do baptism assures us that God has cleansed us from our sin and forgiven us. Thus, baptism gives us confirmation of God cleansing us. 

I definitely have not thought of baptism in this way in my life. I have heard some say it is necessary for the forgiveness of sins. Yet, what it seems to be that we repent and turn from sin and then baptism confirms our forgiveness of sin. A baptized person can be a saved person, but a non-baptized person can still be a saved person and a baptized person can be an unsaved person. I am still not sure it is a requirement but it is very important and with the language about it being so prevalent in scripture, I think it is something that needs to be present in the life of every believer. It is not something to shy away from. 

For me, I believe a person can be complete in Christ following repentance but still it is a command and we need to follow through on baptism to the best of our ability, as soon as we can. I think a person can be complete because of so many instances of this in Scripture. And yet baptism needs to be present in the life of a follower of Christ.  

The Westminster Confession acknowledges that baptism can occur with an infant. I don't understand this thinking. This doesn't seem to be a valid form of baptism, but the reformers I know agree with this thinking.  

I'm still struggling with this. I also think that well Jesus has the authority to forgive sin. He forgives sin often in the Gospels. But forgiveness by people always was in the form of people acting. In the Old Testament, people would sacrifice animals. They carried out an act. In the New Testament people are baptized. And so people have this responsibility to act. As people we need to see these outward signs of our commitment to Him. But let's not get caught up in thinking that doing these acts saves people.  

Summary: People who have repented need to be baptized. It confirms their new birth to the visible church.  

Promise: The water of your baptism is God's unbreakable promise to you to forgive you when you repent. But it is the Spirit that cleanses us. God cleanses us. Baptism reminds us in a visual way to the visible church God's promise to cleanse and forgive. 

Prayer: Lord, this subject is one that I continue to struggle with in understand. Perhaps it is the way some people share it with me - with such authority that if a person is not baptized then they are not saved. And yet on the flip side I struggle with it that maybe it is too much of an afterthought. You have given us words that speak of its importance and so Lord help me to be one that confirms its practice. Right now, I'm thinking of my son-in-law Brandon and him sharing to me that he has not been baptized. Help me to encourage him in this. And continue to give me wisdom and guidance as I have future conversations about this with others. 

I Corinthians 11:23-25 - Word and Sacrament Together

I Corinthians 11:23-25 - 23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Message: Word and Sacrament Together

Time: Not the first, but 2nd letter to Corinthians, but the first to survive and to be considered authoritative. Written in AD 55, it was penned after Paul had reports of quarreling in this church he had previously visited. Paul covers a number of subjects, but all focus on the Christian's life in the church.

What the Lord is Saying: In the last lesson, I expanded on the idea of sacraments, these rites or acts we do and how they point to an act of God in a person's life. They reveal truth and reveal something in a person's life. They have a special relation or union between the sign and the thing signified. In this lesson, I will continue to study and connect these dots. 

Towards the end of my time what I saw was a way for us to see salvation in others through these sacraments and have a visible way to confirm faith. And so baptism and the Lord's Supper give breath to our visual world in helping us understand and believe spiritual truths. 

As we take these sacraments and administer them they are not simply done in silence but we spend time as they occur explaining the union of practice and grace. In the Lord's Supper we share scripture about it -- like today's passage. In baptism we talk prior to the act about salvation and what we see in baptism - death (a person under water) and resurrection (a person coming up out of water). In this practice we also observe what Christ did as well as he was baptized and he instituted the Lord's Supper. So we know that these events in our lives are important but they are joined with words and not simply acts alone. Even in other acts such as a marriage union it is important to speak of what God is joining together and it is of His doing. 

Faith is heard. Romans 10:17 - "Faith comes from hearing and hearing the word of Christ." So this speaking of the Word of God is paramount in the practice of the sacraments. No one can simply say they did it without the Word of God coming together with the Sacrament. 

In today's passage we witness this coming together and connection. Again, by themselves bread is simply a part of our meal for eating and nourishing and wine or drinking the cup is the same. But in this practice we make mention that the bread and cup have a connection to God giving up Himself for the salvation or giving of His life for sinners -- “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And lately I have been marveled at the usage of the language of cups in the Bible. Wondering if this cup of the Lord's Supper also can speak of God's wrath and His conquering of it in my life (Jeremiah 25:15).  In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” The sacrifice occurs in the Body and the Blood takes the place of my sin or the need for judgment/wrath. 

Summary: These acts or rites we observe are empty without the words of God bringing these acts into significance with what Christ has done on our behalf. 

Promise:  It is the preaching of God's Word and the administration of the sacraments that must go together. Let us not let eagerness to meet Christ in His sacraments cause us to neglect meeting Him in His Word.

Prayer: O God, thank you for the gift you give us in these Sacraments and how we can come to know you better as we practice this ordinances of Your Grace in our lives. Help me to always stay grounded in Your Word as we witness or practice these sacraments. I pray the Word of God would remain paramount in our lives and unite us in these practices. Bring churches together and help us to not focus so much on our differences but our similarities so that we have more Unity within the Body of Christ. 

I Peter 3:18-22 - The Sign and the Thing Signified

I Peter 3:18-22 - 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 19 in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison, 20 who once were disobedient, when the patience of God kept waiting in the days of Noah, during the construction of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through the water. 21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him.

Message: The Sign and the Thing Signified

Time: Peter wrote to a group of people that probably included Jews and Christians at the time of probably AD 64, as the persecution of Christians by Nero was ramping up. It is thought Peter spent his final years in Rome. Peter calls people to root themselves in the perseverance and presence of Christ. 

What the Lord is Saying: In the previous lesson, I saw that sacraments are signs that point to something else and convey promises of God. They are specific rites or acts that are performed or carried out to reveal truth and set people apart from those in the world. 

In a somewhat mysterious way, God works through them to accomplish His purposes. God has in His mercy in history shown mercy to a remnant of people. He bestows grace therefore on certain people. And this grace occurs through faith. We often express this in our services of the Lord's Supper when we state it is a time for believers to partake and those visiting or those who are not of the faith of Jesus as Savior and Lord of their lives are not to partake. 

Somewhat unlike the Lord's Supper, baptism has stronger language that gives the idea of it being salvific. There are verses in the Bible that seem to state that Baptism saves. In Acts there is frequent mention of this like in Acts 2:38 when Peter says to be "baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins" and yet even in this verse I can see how someone could mean that baptism signifies or is the visible sign someone has received for having faith. We know countless other examples of salvation in which baptism is not mentioned. And then also here in these verses of I Peter 3:21 in which he says, "baptism now saves you." I must admit having struggled with these words as compared to the Body of Scripture on salvation. And that struggle has come most often in discussions with those that worship with the Church of Christ who hold that Baptism is the instrument that is needed by every person in order to be saved (In my conversations one thing I've heard from them is there are different ways God saved people - one way during Old Testament times, another way while Jesus walked this earth and then another way once Jesus ascended to heaven, the later being the time when Baptism was prescribed. This is where I struggle because I see all of scripture either pointing forward or back to Christ and I think in all situations God has asked us to receive Him by faith and then following this our faith responds with acts of obedience and I see baptism as one of those acts albeit a very important one that should follow faith soon after). 

In today's passage I focus on two possible contrasting thoughts - verse 18 states that Christ after dying for sinners brings us to God. So this is God choosing man for salvation, God through his life, death, and resurrection brings people to God by faith, making them alive by the Spirit. And then Peter speaks a lesson of God proclaiming to the spirits in prison, once disobedient, but then God brought them to safety through water and then Peter states that the water baptism saves. 

What Tabletalk explains is:

• Peter connects the salvation conferred in baptism with the salvation conferred to Noah's family in the flood.
• Not all of Noah's family experience salvation as Ham was later cursed by the Lord (Gen. 9:18-25; was he cursed by God or Noah?)
• So we can conclude that like the flood that saved people, not all people that receive baptism will be saved. 
• Yet the admonition that baptism saves you give the impression that grace is so closely connected to baptism.  

And maybe that is the point right now, that there is a close union between the sacraments and salvation and therefore we can conclude in their importance and as we observe them they have a special relation or union that helps confirm a person's life in Christ. 

The Westminster Confession of Faith 27.2 states, "There is, in every sacrament, a spiritual relation, or sacramental union, between the sign and the thing specified: whence it comes to pass, that the names and effects of the one are attributed to the other." 

Perhaps what is going on here is we can see salvation in a person through the act of baptism. We can't see into a person's heart, but baptism helps us see this in a person. 

Summary: There remains an importance in participating in the sacraments. And in this participation a union or relation between the sign and the thing signified. 

Promise: Scripture frequently describes the sacraments as accomplishing certain things without telling us how they do so. Yet, in this accomplishment we have careful rendering of those acts lest we fall into error. 

Prayer: Lord, I thank you for the Word of God. I admit God that at times it is a mystery to me in the relationship between me and the blessing in which you have conferred upon me. Lord, if one thing is clear it is my obedience and that I am to take seriously these acts in my life. Lord, help me be a person that upholds this and gets not so much focused on the language but on the results. Thank you for baptism and being able to witness it even yesterday in Andrew's life at church as well as the other people that were baptized. Thank you for the richness it yields and being able to see salvation itself through it. Keep shedding light into my life and thank you Spirit for always working in me. 

Romans 4:11a - Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace

Romans 4:11a - and he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised.

Message: Signs and Seals of the Covenant of Grace

Time: Paul wrote Romans from Corinth as he prepared to leave for Palestine. Phoebe (16:1,2) was given the great responsibility of delivering the letter to the Romans believers. At this time, Rome had a population of 1 million, many of whom were slaves. The Romans church was doctrinally sound, but it still needed rich doctrine and practical application. Rome had massive buildings but also slums.

What the Lord is Saying: Today's lesson title describes one definition of the term sacrament and now I move to a new set of lessons on sacraments. This is a word that is not familiar to me and is not something that I have learned growing up in a Baptist church. In my last lesson on Worship, I had a lesson on Sacraments in Worship and in that lesson I looked at the history of this word "Sacraments" and how it came to be defined both by the Reformers (Protestants) and the Catholics which seem to be the two main body of religious people during the 16th century. 

Sacraments was clearly a controversial subject not only between Protestants and Catholics but even between the Protestants today. And this seems to be one of the reasons we have different denominations because of how we have defined this interpretations and churches. Even a church known as the Church of Christ who state they are non-denominational are a church that hold to specific sacraments. 

Thus, this new series of lesson will focus on the Reformers view of sacraments and what they are and what they look like or should look like in our lives and churches today. As Tabletalk records:

In contrast to some traditions that view the sacraments as mere memorials and testimonies, traditional Reformed theology affirms that the sacraments convey the promises and grace of God to the elect, but in contrast to Roman Catholicism, traditional Reformed theology understands the efficacy of the sacraments as rooted in the work of the Spirit and faith, not the actual performance of the sacramental rites. 

Interesting words here and lots to unpack. 

First with the definition. The English word sacrament comes from Latin. And the root of the word is the same as the meaning of "holy" or "consecrate." As such, sacraments are holy mysteries. But this mystery is not an unknown as it is a means to reveal truth. They are specific rites or acts to reveal truth and set God's people apart from the world. Baptism, the Lord's Supper and even preaching are sacraments. 

In today's verse, Romans 4:11a, Paul remembers the old covenant sacrament of circumcision. And he states that what this sacrament of circumcision did was describe a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while uncircumcised. So circumcision was a physical representation of an inward decision or faith. It was an outward sign of that which occurred on the inside. It revealed to people what had occurred on the inside. It is a visible mark that God owns us. 

Thus, these sacraments and the practice of them become a representation to the outside world that we belong to God. Obviously, not everyone who practices the sacraments is a true representative or part of the remnant (Jeremiah 23:3), but it is meant to be a mark of the visible church. 

I think of tattoo's and the prominent place they now have in our world. I have a co-worker that has several tattoo's on her body to chronicle in this permanent way a remembrance of her brother who died and also her kids. When seeing these tattoo's therefore there is no doubt or should be no doubt of what has occurred with her on the inside. My son-in-law has a tattoo on his arm of a nail cross that relays his commitment to Christ and my daughter has also added these tattoo's, though small of a cross and also a New Mexico symbol. They are not ashamed therefore in these ways to press something on their bodies permanently to express who they are or the truth that they want to convey to others. Signs point beyond themselves to something else. 

In my life, what do I show others - my life, my words but also a baptism and the Lord's Supper observance but also other avenues of my life. 

Summary: Sacraments are signs that point beyond themselves to something else and convey the promises of grace and God. 

Promise: For those who believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation, justification, and sanctification, the sacraments provide further confirmation that God cleanses us and nourishes us in Christ. 

Prayer: O Lord, thank you for this lesson and these truths about sacraments and revealing to me an understanding of this. I definitely know this has been a subject that has divided many people that are part of Your fold, Your remnant. Lord, give me understanding and help me to understand this subject and what it means to my life as a follower of Yours. Thank you for the truth of Your Word and I pray Holy Spirit that You would continue to reveal truth to me through these times that I have in Your Word and that I would listen and that I would obey. 

Acts 2:42 - Sacraments in Worship

Acts 2:42 - They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

Message: Sacraments in Worship

Time: Clearly written by Luke, this book follows the lives of Peter and then Paul after Jesus' ascension into heaven. The book was completed about 62 AD as Paul sat in prison. It provides an account of the growth of the Church and spread from Jerusalem, from a small group of frightened believers in Jerusalem transformed into an empire-wide movement of people who had committed their lives to Jesus Christ, and it should help us to be bold and have zeal in our walks with God.

What the Lord is Saying: An initial thought here is thinking that those groups that want to pattern themselves off of the early church often don't realize that the scripture of the early church was often the Old Testament scriptures. So they would have been teaching of the Old Testament scriptures by the apostles as well as new revelation given by Christ. My guess is the sermon on the Mount was probably a big part of that teaching since it is probably the message that Jesus repeated the most. 

This verse in Acts mentions that the church devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship. And also breaking of bread and to prayer. Even today, we want to mirror these practices. And yet I wonder if there becomes a desire by many to group these practices into almost a checklist of things that must be done by participants when people gather. I think checklist Christianity is a big concern because it becomes more about doing the checklist than exploring the relationship with Jesus. 

A couple of days ago I gave a ride to Albuquerque from Durango an engaged couple after I attended a wedding with them. As we discussed things, the gal asked me about the difference between Methodist and Baptist. It was an interesting question and one in which I found myself being stumped answering. From her perspective, having grown up attending non-denominational churches, she really did not understand the different between the two churches or beliefs and I found that I struggled in explaining it. 

And yet each of the denominations we have (Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, etc.) is really a product of a group of people that have come together to agree on a structure of how the Bible is to be applied and lived out and how worship is to be conducted each time people gather for worship -- after the reformation. I mention that because it seems that this idea of the application of sacraments is a chief reason for those different manifestations of churches or different denominations. Even those that call themselves non-denominations come together to agree upon something.

I referred to my Oxford Dictionary on the subject of Sacrament. It is a term not found in the Bible - but by the 3rd century was being used to describe baptism and the Lord's Supper or Eucharist. Later in the 16th century, at a time when the Reformation was occurring and Protestantism was becoming more prominent - the Council of Trent of 1564 defined 7 sacraments. The Council of Trent was the formal Roman Catholic reply to the doctrinal challenges of the Reformation.  These sacraments are Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction, Holy Orders, and Marriage. Again, hopefully the practice of these is not simply to perform a checklist but rather to experience the relation or encounter between God and human beings. 

As I personally think of these sacraments in my life and how I maybe grew up performing them (attending a Baptist church most of the time the emphasis was on baptism and Lord's Supper) - for me these acts represented an identification of my union with Christ - baptism and the Lord's Supper was an identification or union with Christ's death and resurrection. Baptism was a one time experience whereas the Lord's Supper was more often. Currently, I am content in this. Also, for both of these they are done in community  - with others and with Christ. There is a community testimony of sorts that occurs. I'm not sure if I see a problem with expanding these acts if churches have more of them as long as they remain an experience to identify with Christ and other believers. 

I do not think these are requirements of salvation, but I also think they are things the Christian would want to do as they encounter God. 

Summary: In our sacraments, we worship God, encountering God as we identify with Christ. At a minimum these acts should include baptism and Lord's Supper. 

Promise: Sacraments are public ordinances and we participate in them rightly in the context of public worship. 

Prayer: God, I come to You even in prayer to have community with You, to acknowledge You as God and my need for You daily and your help in my life. Thank you for this. Lord, you have clearly instituted ways in which we encounter You as we gather together - acts that we do together - such as baptism and the Lord's Supper. In these Lord are ways to come together and worship You and encounter You as both a Body and as individuals. Thank you for making these significant in our lives - to show us we are not alone and that we are about being a 'together' people. Give me patience as I come in contact with those that perhaps take a different perspective on these or have a greater emphasis on some items. Lord, keep us in communion with You and let these acts not simply be a checklist to perform in thinking doing them alone is what is needed. Keep helping me understand this Lord. I praise You. 

Matthew 28:18-20 - Administering Sacraments

Matthew 28:18-20 - Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."

Message: Administering Sacraments

Time: Matthew, one of the 12 apostles, is credited with this book, despite the fact that he did not sign it. Dating it's writing is difficult, but most agree it to be AD 60-65 since it does not mention the destruction of the temple in AD 70. A Jew, he includes 50 direct citations and many other indirect citations from the Old Testament. 

What the Lord is Saying: 

The text today from Matthew 28, that was looked at in the previous lesson in which I focused on the idea of teaching and observing all that Christ commands which means teaching and observing the Word of God in its entirety -- now also mentions the importance of baptism -- Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them. And then also prior to his death on the cross, Christ emphasized the Lord's Supper. In I Corinthians 11:26 Paul emphasizes that we are to do the Lord's Supper often. Thus, it is clear that in addition to the faithful preaching of the Word of God, there are also practices or acts or sacraments that the church needs to be involved in regularly observing and leading the congregation and the other church people doing. I believe it is clear that sacraments are needed and a part of church life. 

Yesterday, when I mentioned teaching the Word of God faithfully, I did not mention all of the various ways in which I think this is done in the Church. In the same way, sacraments is also varied in what different churches emphasize as the sacraments. It would seem from this lesson in Tabletalk, which is overseen and written by Ligonier, that at the minimum churches need to be practicing the Lord's Supper and baptism. 

I saw this comment from Charles Simeon (1759-1836), a theologian associated with the Church of England:

So say I of baptism and of the Lord’s Supper: “In their proper and appointed use they cannot be too highly valued: but, if abused to purposes for which they were not given, and looked to as containing in themselves, and conveying of themselves, salvation to man, they are desecrated.”

Now, in this comment, it seems he is saying that while important and highly valued, baptism and the Lord's Supper should not be seen as salvific. And yet this is where the Roman Catholic Church resides. I saw this article that states: "The Divine Salvific Offer is Based on the Interrelationship between Faith and Sacraments." And this comment from Basil the Great, a bishop born in Turkey, living in Asia Minor from 330-379 stating:

Faith and baptism are, however, two mutually inherent and inseparable modes of salvation, for faith is in fact perfected through baptism, and baptism, for its part, is founded through faith, and both attain their fullness through the same names. For as we believe in the Father, in the Son and in the Holy Spirit, so we are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And certainly the confession of faith goes forward, which introduces us into salvation, but baptism follows, which seals our assent.

Thus, the differences are clear. While both emphasize the importance of baptism and the Lord's Supper, there are clear differences in how they are applied in the church and meant to be viewed toward an individual's salvation. And then Roman Catholicism has 7 sacraments and other churches and denominations also have certain beliefs about these sacraments that they are to be defined a certain way. 

So what is my conclusion? I believe they are necessary and valued, but overall in Scripture it seems incompatible to say they are necessary for salvation and yet they are necessary and important and need to be observed. I think there are scripture that can infer that they may be salvific, but again, overall the reading and observation of scripture does not speak that they are in conjunction with salvation. And then as I watch and look at Jesus and what He spoke about and said, it seems that salvation is by faith alone and even more salvation is a gift from God and man once he is called has no choice but to respond in faith. Now, it could be said that once called man has not a choice to also practice the sacraments and in the many different ways that they are instituted. That is possible. I suppose this is an area in which the focus needs to be on the heart. 

As is mentioned in Psalm 51, it is God that creates in me a clean heart and it is Him that restores to me the joy of my salvation and He delivers me and He is my salvation. To me it is all Him and yet following and practicing will happen. James speaks of works and Paul speaks of works. Yet, the works are automatic in the life of the one that is called and I don't believe the works even as they include these sacraments are salvific. 

Summary: Part of a church's mission and belonging to a church is participating in and doing sacraments and instituting the Lord's Supper and believers following through with baptism are the minimum and yet neither are salvific. 

Promise: Sacraments need to be part of a church existing, but they also need to be rightly administered. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Your word and its teaching. Lord, it seems normal and yet I wish it wasn't so at times that there is some much variation in our lands of these ordinances and what is emphasized and what is taught as being associated with salvation. Because this variation often results in division and differences and in our land today, those feelings are already high in matters not directly associated with the church's mission. So I pray Lord that you would heal your land and you would conform people to Your Word. I pray that we would be a people of the heart and even in our differences, we would show respect and not strong emotions of dividing or even war. May you be glorified in all that we do and say and my Your name continue to be proclaimed. And as we do these works which I believe normally follow our faith filled lives, may you help me do them for your glory and remember the meaning of them as I do them. 

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am now working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines celebrating the 500th year of the Reformation. The month of August is about the Body of the Lord - the Church recovered in the Reformation; July was the right use of God's Law; June was justification by faith alone; May about solus Christus - Christ Alone; April, salvation by grace alone; March, the sovereign providence of God; February, the doctrine of revelation, Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve; January, the doctrine of God. 

Christ's Body

The Body of Christ - The Church is the Body of Christ and Christ loves the church. We are to imitate Christ and see that the Church is how Christ carries out His purposes in the world. The Head of the Church - Christ is Head of the church and he only has final authority and gives life to the church. Life is found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. - The Church We Can See - Belonging to a church is not optional, for anyone. We are meant to live in a community with other believers, to hear the Word of God preached, and to grow. The Church We Cannot See - What we see is the Visible church, the invisible church only God knows because He is omniscient and that is the Church we cannot see. 

Truths about the Church from the Apostles Creed

Church Unity - The church is bigger than our local assembly; there are core beliefs among the invisible church. One People Throughout History - God has only one people; throughout the world there are people that share doctrines and truths despite their being differences in where we attend or belong. God's Holy People - By being in Christ, though we still have a fallen nature, God has set us apart as holy, as his saints. True Catholocity - God's people includes men and women from every tribe and every tongue that hold to the biblical gospel. The Apostilic Church - we are fellow citizens with all people from all tribes and tongues throughout history, united by being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets teaching, thus apostolic, with Christ Jesus being our cornerstone.

What the Church Does and Believes

Preaching Christ and His Commandments - A church needs to be committed to faithfully preaching the Word of God.