Crossway Christian Church

Movies often present people as the embodiment of the devil, or at least possessed by him. His presence is easily noticed: the sly look, the bodily distortion, the glowing flames and the maniacal laugh. Dead giveaways all. But real life is harder. We read last week of the promise from God that the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent. But what of his seed? Today, we read of it, from an unexpected place.

Genesis 3 is another fundamental text in the Christian religion. It chronicles the sin of Adam and Eve in the perfect garden, as they turned against God and listened to the voice of the serpent. Yet, this sin is not a one-time event, something that was huge and large and unrepeated. The basic essentials of this sin are repeated by us every time we sin. And still, God’s love persists, and his mercy shines. As we consider this chapter, let us be reminded of the nature of our sin, and the greatness of God's mercy

As people made in the image of God, we understand what it is like to create something. We get to determine how our creation is structured and ordered. In our passage this morning we continue on with God’s creation story and we see how our perfect maker ordered his creation, and we get to see the results. God's creation design is a good thing.

“He’s the spitting image of his father” is not as common of a phrase as it used to be. It is from an old expression, sometime in the 17th century, when people would say “it is like he was spat out of his father’s mouth.” Biologically incorrect, but when it comes to man being made in God’s image, it’s not far from the truth (cf. Genesis 2:7). But what does it mean that we have been made in God’s image? Genesis affirms without hesitation that God’s likeness is the basis of all human identity as they image God to the world, but what does that really mean?

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” is one of the best-known phrases in all of the Bible. Today, the chapter is used mostly to battle evolution and fuel arguments over the age of the earth. But, if we focus our attention, we find that Genesis 1 has much more to offer us than that. It gives us the plan of God for all of creation. And what is more, patterns for what happens when that plan is rolled back by sin. How then are we to understand Genesis 1?

Some things are hard to top. Achievements in sports and music are sometimes so amazing, that trying to top them seems nigh impossible. Certainly, the resurrection of Jesus is greater than anything anyone has ever done. But Matthew doesn’t leave his gospel with the simple, if amazing, pronouncement that he has risen. Rather, he desires to show us the amazing and absolute authority of this risen Christ and shows us what it means for us.

We gather, as we typically do, to praise God for the work of Jesus Christ our Lord. That work has found its pinnacle in the death and resurrection of Jesus. But today is set aside as a special remembrance of that resurrection, which is our full hope and promise of glory. Today, as we consider Matthew’s account, let us consider these 5 things about the resurrection of Jesus.

Today is a day we gather to remember the heinous and brutal murder of our Lord and Savior. We call it Good Friday, but what is it precisely that makes it good? To remind ourselves again that this death is indeed good, we turn to the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews has one overriding emphasis: to show that Jesus is better. And tonight, let us see how his death, as a better death, makes this day good.

Sealing something as historical “fact” is fairly difficult for most things. We have to rely on what many today might think of as secondary and unreliable reports: eyewitness accounts and other events that are impacted by what happened. Details are always hard to establish. But, if there is one fact of antiquity that is assured, it is this: Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and died. But that bare telling of fact doesn’t help us understand what it all means. What does the death of Jesus mean for us?

Bullies are nothing new. Many of us have experienced their insults and abuse. Such acts are nothing new, as we see today. Jesus, weakened and eventually crucified, was ripe for such abuse, and his enemies took great pleasure in handing it out. Yet, for all their bluster, and for all the pain they inflict, they speak a startling amount of truth. Today, let us look at how Jesus is mocked, that we might marvel all the more as we anticipate his victory.

In our passage this morning, we encounter a great injustice. We see the trial of Jesus before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. This is the trial that will definitively decide Jesus’ verdict and sentencing. We see three reasons that Jesus was crucified, and behind it all we see that Jesus, though innocent, was convicted so that sinners, though guilty, may be freed.

Jesus is on his way to his execution; Judas is facing the reality and outcome of what he has done. We also see the chief priests tying up loose ends. This sets up what happens in the rest of the book of Matthew, and it highlights something for all of us. All of our attempts to remove our guilt on our own will fail. We need something different.

History is filled with trials that seemed only to mock justice. Nor is this a feature of some bygone era, less enlightened and more open to the whims of the powerful and elite. We suffer from these very things today. The trial of Jesus is perhaps the most famous example in history of such a show-trial. Today, we get a closer look at Jesus before the Sanhedrin, and Peter before the world, to see how each handled the trial that was before them.

We talk about sin quite a lot here at Crossway, and for a simple reason: Scripture seems to talk about it a lot. In the end, sin is nothing but a betrayal of God. It is simply acting as though God’s commands and desires for us are not good for us, and that we know better. We betray him as our creator, designer, and as God. This betrayal leads to our death. In our passage, as Jesus steps in for us, this betrayal leads directly to his death. Let us look at three acts of betrayal this morning, so that we might better know how to avoid it.

Temptations will find us. While it is certainly best to flee from it, there is no way to escape it in this world. What do we do when times of doubt and the allure of sin press hard against us? Jesus was as we are, tempted like us, but without sin. If this is so, and we take it seriously, then watching carefully how he handles his temptation would prove an immense help. Let us see how Jesus faces the most severe temptation anyone has ever faced. When we do, we find that we should:

The Lord is particular in how he is worshipped and approached. Simply having a good heart will not do, for the Lord is keen to have his people follow his instructions and directions. This instinct is very much true in the Lord’s Supper and the Passover it is based on. Today, as we come to think about Jesus’ institution of the Supper, we are reminded of directions; not in how we take it, but the directions the Supper points toward as we take it.

We have all wasted money in our lives on something. Sometimes it is just a poorly thought through purchase, or something that we regret. No one does this better than the government, whose stories of waste are legion. Our story today is one that speaks of waste – an almost unthinkable expenditure of perfumed ointment which could no doubt have helped many in need. But Jesus saw great worth in the act, and so ought we today.

I have only failed two tests in school that I remember. One was an algebra test in 9th grade. The other a Physical Chemistry exam in college. The first was a surprise, the second expected. Neither was pleasant. Being judged and failing never is. In the end, though, these tests were not that important. Most tests aren’t; but there is coming one that will be, though. Jesus will sit on his throne and he will judge between the sheep and the goats. What are the sheep like, that we might be counted in their number?

Andrew Carnegie was one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. He was industrious, clever, personable, and had great financial sense. But he was far from a self-made man. He was born at the right place, got involved in the right business, and took advantage of the opportunities given to him. We ourselves have been given a great opportunity; the Lord has left us with a great treasure to invest. What will we do with it?

There is a crater in Turkmenistan that burns constantly. Because of this, it has a very ominous appearance, it has earned the name The Gates of Hell. While that is a bit of an overstatement, the continual burning is more reminiscent of hell than anything here on earth. Things that burn eventually go out. Including torches. The five foolish women in our passage know this, yet fail to act. Are we headed for their fate?

In 1533, a German preacher promised the New Jerusalem would come in Strasbourg. It didn’t. In 1844, an American farmer promised the return of Christ. He didn’t show. Charles Russell promised Jesus’ return in 1878, 1881, and finally in 1914. All were wrong. Recently, Harold Camping promised it in 1994, 2005, and 2011. Yet, here we are, still awaiting the return. We might be tempted to ask again with the disciples “What is the sign of your coming?” Today, we get to consider Jesus’ own answer.

When I was a child, I had two great and abiding fears: aliens and Armageddon. While I am no longer afraid of aliens, I am still somewhat afraid of Armageddon. Not the event itself, mind you, but the amount of stress and importance people place in figures and signs and times. Eschatology, or the study of the end of the world, should be filled with hope and good for Christians, yet it can be unnecessarily dividing. Today, we will begin to wade into these waters, as Matthew and Jesus lead us. Yet first, Jesus speaks of the fall of the Temple and the crushing of Jerusalem.

I use many words when parenting my children. “No!” comes up quite often, as does the sometimes more exuberant “stop!” I have, at times, used the exhortation “whoa!” when trying to calm my children down. I must admit, though, that I don’t think I’ve ever used the word as Jesus does here. The Pharisees and Scribes are in a pitiful state, filled with hypocrisy and self-assurance, they are fit only for hell. But what about us? What are we fit for?

Controversial opinions are stock and trade of our lives now. The angrier and the crazier the idea, the more clicks it gets, the more money is made, and the more notoriety the talking head gets. But not all controversial opinions are wrong or bad. Jesus, in Matthew 23, will say much that is controversial, both then and now. Taking aim back at those who have sought to trip him up, he takes the Pharisees to task. Yet, we would be foolish to think that he is not also speaking to us. If we are not to be like them, then what ought we do?

I have a bit of a reputation as a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas, but I truly do love this season. However, as a preacher I find it difficult. There are only so many birth passages, and having preached for well over a decade now, I’ve gone through most of them. Yet, by God’s grace, today we may well have stumbled onto an odd and sneaky Christmas passage. Today let us hear about the unique Lord and Son of David, who has come to save his people.

The word “goat” was most often used, outside of just describing a grass-feeding animal, as one who was a victim, blamed for something they didn’t do. It has taken on a rather distinct and somewhat opposite meaning now: the greatest of all time. People love to debate things like this; especially at the close of the year rankings and lists are all the rage. Commandments seem like an odd thing to rank, but today we get the definitive list. But what does it mean to love the Lord with all you are, and your neighbor as yourself?

Today we start our celebration of Advent – of Jesus’ coming into the world. His incarnation as a child led to this very week in his life, his advent into Jerusalem. As we continue our study through Matthew, our text today speaks of the Sadducees as the leadership in Jerusalem continue the questioning of Jesus by asking him about the resurrection; or, rather, by mocking it. But Jesus has an answer for them, and one for us as well.

Every election we are subject to the same effusive language: This is the most important election ever. None of this language is new, but it is almost as old as our democracy. Yet, soon, we will face an election in our midst that is even more impactful on your daily lives than that for the presidency: the election of our two more elders. As we approach that date, it is good to provide some common answers to questions as you think about their qualifications.

Everyone loves a good party, and for all the grief the Old Testament gets for being filled with blood and vengeance, the people of Israel were called upon to throw parties often. Celebrations and feasts were a central feature of Israel’s worship of God, which was fitting: the Lord is a joyous God, and that joy that extends naturally to his people. In our passage this morning, Jesus says that the Kingdom is like a party; but a party that not all are excited to attend. What can we take away from that parable?

No one ever wants to hear their doctor say the dreaded C-word: cancer. At the same time, we understand that not all cancers are the same. Some are very treatable and have almost no effect on your quality of life; others are debilitating and almost always fatal. Good doctors will not just inform you of the disease, but its prognosis as well. Jesus, the good physician, has notified the leaders of Jerusalem of their problem. In this parable, he is telling them the full extent of it. Their problem is not just with some prophet from Nazareth, but with God himself.

The world is filled with authorities. Your boss, your governor, your president. For each of us, escaping authority is an unthinkable dream. We all have someone to answer to. Yet, when it comes to the gospel, we don’t often talk about authority. Gift, grace, compassion? Sure! Authority, demand, obedience? Well, we might whisper something about them, as the fine print of a sermon. For what does authority have to do with the Good News of Jesus? As it turns out, much.

Most, if not all other world religions are based on principles. Islam’s center is not Muhammed, but action. The same can be said about Buddhism and Judaism. Moses and Buddha might be important, like Muhammed, but the principles of the religion extend beyond them. Not so with Christianity – we are a religion that centers not so much on principles as on a person. As we have seen what kind of King Jesus is, the incident with a withered fig tree helps to show us what kind of person Jesus ISN’T.

In our last installment on the Church and Politics, we consider how Christians handle themselves in our American context.

Political turnover in the past was chaotic. No matter how good the former King was, there was no indication as to what the next ruler would be like, or what his policies would be. While the father might have been a good and conscientious king, that was no promise that his son wouldn’t be a bumbling idiot and mean to boot. For many in Jerusalem, while they perhaps had heard of Jesus, they didn’t know much about him. In his introductory and triumphal entry, they learn something important about him: humility.

Many folks in America are "really" political. What of Christians? How political should we be? Maximally, as it turns out!

If we live in a new Kingdom, not of this world, how then are we to interact with the governments of this world? While we are to submit, we also must necessarily subvert.

How political is the gospel? As it turns out, it is political through and through

We are in the political ad season, with every candidate promising that they’ll look out for your interests and, at the same time, telling us the other won’t. “I care about you” is the theme of them all, and for good reason. All politicians know one inevitable human fact – we care about ourselves, and often to the detriment of the good of others. Jesus here tells his disciples that this cannot be so for them. But that inevitable human fact is hard to shake. That is why you need to learn humility.

The Bible is a wonderful book. Written over the course of a millennium, in different languages through the eyes of different cultures and people, it hits on a variety of subjects. Money, sex, anger, power, war are huge issues, but it also tackles smaller ones – friendship, speech, time-management, philosophy, even at times giving us a look at simple personal correspondence. Yet, there is one driving question that lingers in the background, one thing that is the Big Thing in the Bible – how do we gain eternal life? Jesus is presented with that very question and gives a surprising answer.

Marriage is uniquely important in the Bible. In Genesis, we find in the opening two chapters three basic points: God has created everything that is not himself; Humans were made in his image; and humans are given into marriage. That’s quite a place of importance for marriage! The fact that God calls his people his bride, that Jesus is the bridegroom, and one of the few pictures we have of heaven describe it as a wedding feast shows that the emphasis in Genesis is not lost. Today, we see the importance that marriage has in Jesus’ eyes, but also the importance of those who do not fit into that mold.

Everyone has rules. Very few people are true anarchists, and even they are probably kidding themselves. We may differ on what they are, but we all believe that some things are right and some wrong; and doing justice is nothing more than to right the world’s wrongs. But where does forgiveness fit in? What should we forgive, or how much? Today, we follow Peter’s question, and Jesus’ quite difficult answer, and see what it means for us

Discipline, no matter the form, is difficult stuff. No matter how we need to be disciplined, the fact that we must work at it indicates our deficiency in some way. At times, that is just working on the basics of the Christian life, becoming more like Christ in our thoughts and actions. But at other times, more outside help is needed. As we continue to think through how we are to live together as community, Jesus today commands that we be loving one another through discipline. But what does that look like?

Veterinarians are not novel and new things; ever since there has been a need to keep working animals upright and pulling, there has been a need to have people to keep them that way. Quickly, animal care spread from animals that do work for us to the animals that provide for us. The church is both the sheep and paradoxically the vet at the same time. We are to keep each other whole and healed, and work hard to prevent sin and its sickness from spreading.

The Olympics are in full swing, and it is hard not to think of both the triumphs and failures of the past. There are many times that teams, with much more individual talent have failed their ultimate test. USA Basketball, loaded with some of the most talented players in history, were humiliated when they took only a bronze medal in 2004 – the precise opposite of the “Miracle on Ice” of 1980. We know well that it is not just individual talent, but how that talent works together that matters. Jesus has instructed us on our own individual morality in the Sermon on the Mount; now he turns to teaching us how to play well together. These are sermons for the church, beginning in the smallest of places: children

We think that we would love to get whatever it is our hearts desire. To have a genie grant us wishes, or the power and money to get what we want. Some think that this is precisely what Jesus holds out to us, especially in passages like the one before us. “Nothing will be impossible for you” is quite the promise – but what does Jesus mean by that? And what role does our faith play in this great promise? More than you may think!

Humans will endure much, so long as they know what they are enduring for. Athletes like Michael Phelps will stretch their bodies to the limit to win medals and accolades. Ernest Shackleton and crew endured a year in the Antarctic just to survive. Jesus has made it clear that disciples will have to suffer in this world to gain their lives back in the next. What will sustain us through this suffering? Nothing but the most spectacular glory.

We are fallen, which means that, on this side of Adam and Eve’s transgression, we will sin. But it also means that we will just flat out get stuff wrong. Mistakes will be made, errors endured, failures felt. It just so happens that, whether a simple error or a sinful transgression, mistakes are wonderful opportunities to learn from. Peter has made a terrific blunder, but the Lord, in his kindness, never overlooks a good opportunity. He will use Peter’s sinful outburst as a chance to teach what true discipleship looks like, for Peter’s sake and ours.

There are questions and conversations that you will remember forever. Whether from someone who pushed you to be better, or saying “I do”, those moments define a good portion of our lives and who we are. Peter’s defining moment is before us today; yet it is not his alone. All of us share in this moment, for there is no other question that is more important. Who do you say Jesus is?

Bre and I attempted to teach our children some sign language when they were really young. It is an excellent way to get them to communicate with you before they can talk, and it has been useful beyond those early days. We had a limited vocabulary, however, and sometimes when I sign I need to make gestures that, to be frank, are not always understood. Or never understood. Turns out signs must be understood to be helpful. Today, the Pharisees and Sadducees want a sign from Jesus, but they won’t get one. Instead, Jesus pleads with his disciples to see the warning signs of their leaven.

It is probably fair to say that we have all experienced déjà vu at some point in our lives. That odd feeling that whatever we are experiencing we have already experienced before. Today, perhaps, we might feel that way. Just a month ago, and less than a chapter ago, Matthew recorded for us the feeding of the 5,000. Now, in a passage eerily similar, he records the same feat, this time for 4,000. Why do this? What can we learn from this passage that we haven’t learned before?

“Never take no for an answer!” It’s one of the most popular cliches used in our culture. Be persistent to get what you want, keep working and selling and eventually it will happen. Yet, it is also clear that sometimes such thinking is taken too far, and tragedy results. There is one person with whom persistence is of the upmost importance: Jesus. He loves persistent faith! Today, we have a story of such persistence, even amidst great suffering and much silence.