In every culture you have those you would consider “a low life.” These people are just about on par with vermin in the eyes of most people. God also has his scoundrels. Chief among them is the sluggard. With stinging vehemence Proverbs 6:9 raves, “How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?” No, this isn’t your mother trying to get you out of bed for school. This is God expressing his utter disdain for slothfulness. Be clear though: The sluggard is not condemned because he sleeps. He is rebuked because he sleeps too much. He is in love with sleeping. God made us in such a way that we become weary, so rest is a necessity. We need to sleep so that we might be properly refreshed and enabled to fulfill our God given tasks. You could say that it is part of our God given call to rest periodically. God knows how enjoyable rest is for us. Psalm 127 talks about how God grants the pleasure of a good night’s sleep to those he loves. Moreover, God has designated a whole day for the purpose of rest. For six days we are to fulfill our regular employments. But on the Lord’s Day [Sunday] we set these aside to give our bodies a break and refresh our spirits in worship. But as with all of God’s creation, we must remember that we can abuse our “R&R.” When our recreations intrude upon our occupations we no longer sleep to the glory of God. When sleep exceeds its rightful parameters we sin. Of course the parameters for our rest can change and be different for each of us. If you are sick or infirm, obviously you need more rest. God has called you, at that point, to recuperate. But rest should never impinge upon our daily callings when we can rightfully execute them. In our day the Christian virtue of diligence is becoming a rare and valuable thing. This is because we live in a pleasure loving society. People love not working. Ask any employer what is the biggest problem they have with their employees. I bet you will find that it is having people who are late to work or who are not diligent in their work. Recently a news cast reported that businesses in America loose a staggering amount of money each year. It wasn’t because of a market recession; it was because of a work recession. Thousands of dollars are lost because coworkers chatter while “on the clock.” Duties are neglected as employees sit in their cubicles and surf the internet while the boss is not looking. Productivity becomes low because laborers stretch break time a few minutes longer each day. Idleness is fleecing America. But sloth is not limited to the 9-5 job. Sloth is especially evident in our calling to godliness. We are to work out our faith with fear and trembling, but more often we fizzle out. Prayer is skipped because of the snooze button; worship is skipped because of a football game. Worship is missed (though you be in the pew) because you caught a severe case of Saturday night fever. We must remember that every activity under heaven has its season—even rest and recreation. But pleasure should never overstep its rightful boundary. God allows us enjoyments, but we must enjoy them in the way God wants and to the degree he wants. Then we must promptly take up our regular employments, doing them with the requisite diligence. Neglecting our daily callings in life stirs God’s indignation.
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But I don’t think that you could have a complete cross story without this seventh saying. Part of the reason is the symbolic significance of the number seven. In the Bible seven represents perfection, fulfillment, or completion.
For instance, in the Bible, the seventh day is the Sabbath day, the completion of the week. By week’s end you were to have fulfilled your work so that you could dedicate the seventh day to the Lord. So you can sort of see that the number seven carries this idea of completion or perfection. And it is with this seventh word that Jesus perfects his work as our Redeemer. And when you understand what Jesus says here, you understand that is exactly what he is saying. When he says, “Into you hands I commit my spirit,” he insinuates that two things are being brought to their completion. He’s announcing the completion of his obedience and his sufferings. I. Jesus completes His obedience (i.e. his active obedience) In speaking these words, Jesus wants us to know that he is bringing his obedience to completion. Jesus came to earth to “fulfill all righteousness.” If he did not fulfill every jot and tittle of the law, we could not be counted as righteous before God. As lawbreakers, we need someone to fulfill the law on our behalf. And that is exactly what Jesus does here. The evening is drawing nigh for Jesus. The Sabbath day is almost upon them. And for the Jew, the fourth commandment required a day of holy rest. And after this word, Jesus enters into a state of rest. He dies, and subsequently, he is laid in a tomb. And there he will remain undisturbed throughout the duration of the Sabbath. But I want you to understand that physical rest was not the only thing required in the Sabbath command. It was supposed to be a day of spiritual rest too. As a matter of fact, that is the real purpose of the fourth commandment. The Sabbath was designed to be a day given over to God and devoted specifically to him. It was to be a holy day—a day where men spend time refreshing their souls in the worship of God. Do you see what I mean? The Sabbath command calls men to cease from their labors and other worldly activities and so that one can spend as much time as he can enjoying communion with God. And that’s exactly what Jesus tells us he is going to do here. When he says, “Into your hands I commit my spirit” Jesus pushes us out of this realm. He pushes us into the realm of heaven. He basically says, “Father, I have been agonizing on this cross all day. I have been doing the work you have called me to do. But in just a moment I am going to die. My body will be put in a tomb, but my spirit is going to come to you. And I look forward to being there with you, spending the whole Sabbath in your presence.” So you see? By his voicing this word, Jesus shows us that even in his death he has fulfilled all righteousness on our behalf. This is good news for you and me because we are Sabbath breakers! Sure, we do not recognize the seventh day of the week anymore. Ever since the resurrection, the first day of the week is one God has appointed as his day of worship. But how many times have we squandered the Lord’s Day on ourselves rather than giving God the priority he deserves? You know that time you skipped church so that you could go golfing? Do you know how much that offended God? Ladies, instead of seeking to commune with God, you played hooky so that you can go shopping with the girls. You might not know it, but these are egregious sins in the eyes of God. If anything, it shows how tepid your love for God really is and how much you value your job or your recreation over him! But friends, the last words of Jesus are, “into your hands I commit my spirit.” With His dying breath he expresses the anticipation he has for that communion with His heavenly Father. And by doing so he brings to completion his obedience and he fulfills that righteousness that we so desperately we lack. But you’ll notice that it is not just his obedience that he completes. In these words we also see that he brings his sufferings to completion. II. Jesus completes his sufferings What is said here is something radically different than what we have witnessed so far in our service. The whole notion of Jesus coming into the presence of God to enjoy communion with him is a radical juxtaposition to all that the cross represents. For the last several hours we have seen nothing but the rejection of Jesus. Here on this cross God has stripped him of every earthly blessing and completely abandoned him. The Father has essentially said, “You are utterly repulsive to me and I want nothing to do with you!” We even have Jesus’ own testimony. We heard him cry out and say, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” But here in these words we see something radically different. Jesus says, “Into your hands I commit my spirit.” The idea is that Jesus will no longer be pushed away—they will no longer be separated! Instead, he knows that in just a moment his spirit will ascend to heaven where the Father will open his arms to receive him. And that can only mean one thing: Jesus has completed his sufferings. He has endured the totality of God’s wrath and curse and come out the other side. Or, as one theologian has said, Jesus expresses the fact that he is already begun to taste the sweets of his victory. This is why those who trust in Jesus need not fear being condemned by God. You need to understand that when you die, your body will be laid in the tomb, but your spirit will live on. If you have not turned from your sin and trusted Christ, you will awaken to find yourself in hell receiving the just punishment for your sins. But if you place your faith in Christ, you can be assured that you will not suffer the least prick upon your soul. Jesus Christ has born it all and he has opened the way to the Father so that sinners like you and I may enter into the presence of God when our life on this earth is done. The beautiful thing about these last words of Jesus is not words of departure; they are words of entrance. And they are here to remind us that though we have lost fellowship with God, through the redemption of Christ we may have it restored. This seventh saying of Christ heralds the perfect work of our Mediator: The curse of sin is broken…completely. One of the things that Jesus does in these words is remind us that he is coming again. He says that he will drink this cup anew with us in the kingdom of heaven. And that means that as we partake of these elements today we should remember that one day we will have opportunity to sup with Christ in a more true manner.
Yes, we believe that we really and truly commune with Christ during this meal. But it is in a spiritual way. Our communion with him is facilitated by the Holy Spirit. One day we will actually dine with him. We will be able, like Thomas, be able to put our finger in the hole of his hand. In other words, he will be present physically at the table. And that reminds us that someday our sufferings will cease. One day we will be ushered into that glorious kingdom where there shall be no more tears. At that table there will be perfect happiness. This meal today is a foretaste of that glorious day. It is here to tell us that all who come to Jesus, pleading for his mercies, are guaranteed a seat at that great banquet. You might think of this as an appetizer—the first serving in a full course meal. It is that which tells you that a reservation has already been made. And it is this gospel truth that should serve to stir you on. If you are weak, find in this your renewal. If temptation has gotten the best of you, come here and be reminded that Christ has cast all your sins away. If you question the truth and legitimacy of your salvation, let this be the anchor that keeps you from bobbing in the sea of doubt. It is also my solemn duty to warn the uninstructed, the profane, the scandalous, and those who secretly and impenitently live in any sin not to approach this table. You ought not come to this ordinance without discerning the body of our Lord, for to do so would be to eat and drink condemnation unto yourself. Nevertheless, this warning is not designed to keep the humble and contrite from participating. This meal is set for those who know that they are guilty sinners who no hope of eternal life apart from the saving work of our Lord Jesus. Let us therefore pray, and in doing so, examine ourselves so that we may partake to the glory of God and our growth in grace Though God of God and Light of Light,
He shunned the grandeurs of his might. He donned the form of mortal man To carry out redemption’s plan. He who did rule in riches lush Let it all go that he may crush With one great blow that serpent’s head, And all the evils that we dread. The King Divine, He took on skin! Yea, he came down to cancel sin. Was born to die; to be accursed! That Adam’s pains may be reversed! Jesus was born that death may be Vanquished for all eternity! So give him praise and ne’er forget How he did stoop to pay your debt. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15 These words are perhaps some of the most stunning words that have ever been written. They comprise a simple sentence, but the concepts are monumental. And if you pause to grasp the significance of them, you will have a greater appreciation for the magnitude of Christmas.
If you read these words correctly, it will sound like an alien invasion. Read it again: “Christ Jesus came into the world.” Doesn’t it sound like something extraterrestrial? In a sense, that is what is being communicated. After all, this verse is talking about the birth of the Son of God! This is part of what makes Christmas so astounding. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ. But this was no ordinary baby; this was God come in the flesh! As God, Jesus is not originally from this world. His rightful dwelling place is heaven. Yet this passage tells us that He left this resplendent home in order to come to earth! But what would possess him to do that? You wouldn’t leave the Hilton Suite to vacation in the slums of New York, would you? Certainly not! So why would Jesus deprive himself of these blessed conditions and take up residence in this sorrow filled world? The verse says that he came “to save sinners.” He left the joys and safety of his heavenly abode so that he could bring life and salvation to people like us. (continued on back) I recognize that this might catch you off guard, but it has to be said. You are a sinner. The truth is we have offended God, and we are guilty of breaking his law. As such, we deserve to be punished. This is the good news though! Jesus came into the world to take the punishment that is due to us for our sin. The whole reason he was born was so that He might provide a way to escape the penalty of sin. When Jesus came into the world, it was for one purpose. It was so that he could die. At the end of his life he was crucified. And there on that cross Jesus endured the wrath and curse of God as the perfect sacrifice for sin. Perhaps now you are starting to see the magnitude of Christmas: God entered history! He took on human flesh! He died to save those who had offended him! More than that, this salvation can be yours! Christmas can come to be even more monumental because Christ can be your savior. You must understand that you will never be good enough for God. Neither can your offenses be overlooked. The only way to be made right with God is by having your sins forgiven. The promise of God is this: if you confess your wrongdoing and trust Jesus, you will be saved. Jesus came into the world for this very thing. otherwise known as... |
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