INTRODUCTION

“He descended into Hell.” How many times have you said this in your life? If you were brought up in churches that regularly recited the Apostle’s Creed, then you may have said it hundreds of times. But is it true? Did Jesus descend into hell? The answer, as we will see, is “No” and “Yes.” “No” in one sense, “Yes” in another sense.

Why does this matter? If what we are confessing is false, then we need to stop confessing it because we are speaking falsehood. If what we are confessing is true, we need to understand in what sense it is true. Otherwise, we are serving God only with our lips and not with our minds and hearts. Also, as we will see, a right understanding of this phrase is vital if we are to rightly know Jesus and a wrong understanding of it has led to serious error that affects the salvation of souls. So, did Jesus go to hell? Did he descend into hell? One passage that is key to understanding this phrase is 1 Peter 3:18-20.

BACKGROUND

The context here is the role of suffering in saving souls (8-17). Peter was writing to persecuted Christians who were puzzled about why God would allow suffering in their lives. Peter taught them how suffering for Christ brings souls to Christ as people saw and heard their witness for Christ in the midst of their suffering.

Peter then pointed to how God, in the same way, used Christ’s Spirit-supported suffering to bring us to God (18).

Finally he takes them all the way back to Noah to show how, with the help of Christ’s Spirit, Noah testified to his generation and though he suffered for it, yet still was used to bring the souls of his family to safety (19-20).

Why do we say, in one sense, no, Christ did not go to hell?

1. NO, JESUS DID NOT GO TO HELL

Most people who interpret this line in the Apostle’s Creed as saying Christ went to hell base it largely on this passage. Roman Catholics teach that Jesus went to hell, preached to the Old Testament saints, and liberated them from hell to take them to heaven. Although it may look like this passage is saying that, it isn’t, as I hope to show you from Peter’s words and Christ’s words.

Peter’s Words

The Preacher: The preacher is Noah, inspired by Christ’s Spirit. Prior to his birth on earth, the eternal Son of God preached through his prophets and his people in the Old Testament. “[In the spirit Jesus]…went and proclaimed [the truth]…when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah” (19)

The Hearers: The congregation who heard Christ’s words through Noah were the people on earth during Noah’s time but who at the time of Peter’s letter were now “spirits in prison” because they did not repent and believe Christ’s words. “[By the Spirit] he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared” (19-20). Matthew Henry wrote: “Because they were dead and disembodied when the apostle speaks of them, therefore he properly calls them spirits now in prison; not that they were in prison when Christ preached to them.”

The Message: The parallels between Peter’s and Noah’s times are obvious resulting in a similar message. Despite being a tiny righteous minority living among a large wicked majority, like Jesus in his day and Noah in his, we are to faithfully call to repentance and faith by the power of the Spirit, even though few are saved.

Christ’s Words

“Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed” (Lk. 16:26). There’s no traffic between hell and heaven. No one who is a spirit in hell’s prison will ever hear the Gospel and become free in heaven.

“Truly…today you will be with me in paradise” (Lk. 23:43). Jesus and the thief were going to paradise.

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” (Lk. 23:46). His spirit was going to his Father not hell.

“It is finished” (Jn. 19:30): Jesus’s suffering at that point was over not about to begin.

Jesus did not go to hell. At his death, his body was placed in the tomb and his soul went to heaven.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

You will not get a second chance. Many have used this passage to suggest that people in hell will get a second chance to hear the Gospel and believe. There are no second chances. There are no do-overs in hell.

You have a chance to witness. Use this passage to motivate evangelism even while suffering for it, because God can use it to save souls from hell. Even if it’s only a few saved, it’s worth our suffering for that.

WE HAVE ONE CHANCE TO WITNESS
WE HAVE ONE CHANCE TO BELIEVE

So, Jesus did not descend to hell. So, should we stop saying he did?

2. YES, JESUS DID GO TO HELL

If Jesus did not go to hell in the sense of going there in his body or soul to preach the Gospel to those in hell, in what sense did he go to hell. How can we still say, “He descended into hell?” Here are two ways that Reformed Churches have understood this phrase to be true.

Jesus went to the grave

Westminster Larger Catechism 50. Wherein consisted Christ’s humiliation after his death?

A: “Christ’s humiliation after his death consisted in his being buried, and continuing in the state of the dead, and under the power of death till the third day; which hath been otherwise expressed in these words, He descended into hell.”

The Greek and Hebrew words for hell can be interpreted as “place of the dead” or “the grave.” It also fits into the creed’s linear chronology: (1) “Crucified, dead and buried,” (2) “descended into hell,” (3) “on the third day he rose from the dead.” However, if “descended into hell” means “buried,” this ends up saying “he was buried” twice.”

Those who support this view still insist that Christ’s suffering was over when he died, that being in the grave was part of his shame but not part of his suffering. It appeared that he had lost and death won.

Hell came to Jesus

Heidelberg Catechism 44. Why does the creed add, “He descended to hell”?

A: To assure me during attacks of deepest dread and temptation that Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier, has delivered me from hellish anguish and torment.

Those who take this view see the phrase not as part of a linear chronology, but as a summary of all of the preceding lines about Christ’s suffering. Calvin framed it as one of two ways the cross can be viewed. “The creed sets forth what Christ suffered in the sight of men [suffered...crucified, dead, buried], and then speaks of that invisible and incomprehensible judgment he underwent in the sight of God [he descended into hell].”

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Jesus suffered hell so you would not have to. Although his suffering was for only a few hours, yet because he was sinless and divine, his suffering was great enough and valuable enough to free us from suffering hell.

Let’s worship with all our minds. We must worship intelligently not ritualistically. As Michael Horton said, “His hell gained our heaven; his curse secured our blessing; his incalculable grief brought us immeasurable joy.” Therefore, let us say it with conviction and with joy: “He descended into hell.”

JESUS SUFFERED ALL HELL
SO WE WOULD SUFFER NO HELL

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Confess your faith. It’s so important not just to tell the truth but to understand it with our minds and embrace it with our hearts. This phrase of the Apostle’s Creed should be received with joy as it prevents it being said of us: “He/she descended into hell.”

Suffer for your faith. We need the Holy Spirit. It’s hard to tell people about hell. It’s even harder when we suffer for telling people what they need to hear about salvation from hell. Without the Holy Spirit, we will never be able to suffer for confessing our faith.

Prayer: My wonderful Savior, give me your Spirit so that I can endure suffering to tell others about your great salvation so that others can escape hell too. Amen.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What did you previously think this phrase in the Apostle’s Creed meant?

2. What other Scripture proofs can you think of to prove that Jesus did not go to hell?

3. How have you been helped by the Spirit when suffering for confessing your faith?

4. Does “descended into hell” mean “Jesus went to the grave” or “hell came to Jesus”?

5. Why is it so important to understand this phrase rightly?

6. How will understanding this better help you love Jesus better?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES.

INTRODUCTION

Suppose you were born without a sinful heart, lived a perfect life with no sins of omission or commission in thought, word, or action. Suppose your life was so good that you could go to the judgment seat and present a faultless life to God. Will God let you into heaven? He scans your life and finds nothing to criticize and everything to commend. You wait for the door to swing open but God brings down the barrier and says, “No entry!” “But why?” you ask in panic and desperation. The Lord points to Romans 5:19 inscribed on the barrier: “For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.” “How can another man’s sin keep me out of heaven?” you protest. Let’s answer that question with the help of Romans 5:12-21.

BACKGROUND

In general terms we can summarize the first four chapters of Romans as follows:

• Chapter 1. The Gentiles are guilty
• Chapter 2. The Jews are guilty
• Chapter 3:1-19. Everyone’s guilty
• Chapter 3:20-31. Get from deadly guilt to healthy joy through faith in Jesus.
• Chapter 4. Follow Abraham’s example of faith in the promises and you’ll inherit the world.
• Chapter 5:1-5. God invites us into his love through trouble
• Chapter 5:6-11. God proves he loves us despite trouble (with substitution, propitiation, and reconciliation)
• Chapter 5:12-21. God loves us with representation.

Who is your representative?

1. ADAM IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF MANY

“For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners…” (19).

Companies often appoint a person to represent them to others. The representative acts on behalf of the company. For example, a sales representative is given targets for his work and the future prosperity of the company depends on his performance. If the representative performs well, the company will benefit, but if he performs poorly, the company will suffer. At the end of the year, his performance is reviewed and he is rewarded and promoted or sacked depending upon how well or badly he has done for the company. In politics, we also appoint a representative to act for us and we vote depending on his performance.

Adam’s Appointment

God appointed Adam to be the representative of all humanity. God decided that Adam would act on behalf of all people in all places at all times. God’s appointment means we cannot sack him. God gave him a target to reach and warned him of a penalty if he failed. The destiny and prosperity of the whole human race rested upon Adam. If he performs well, he and all humanity will win and benefit. If he fails, all humanity fails and loses. When he acts, we are viewed as acting. When he fails, we fail.

Adam’s Job Description

Adam was given a number of tasks (Gen. 1:28; 2:15). But there was one task that was above all the others. It was the supreme test of his obedience and loyalty to God. “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Whatever else he did, he had to do this. Do it, and eternal death would be secured for all; fail, and eternal death would be suffered by all.

Adam’s Performance

“By the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners” (19). Adam’s sin was all the worse because he knew the potential for good and all the multitudes he was responsible for. He had a clear target, an easy target, and he missed it. Through that one act, all humanity were made sinners. Death’s reign began – physically, spiritually, and eternally (12, 17). As soon as we are conceived, we are sinners because this sin is counted as ours. We start with this on our record.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

We are coupled to Adam. Adam is the locomotive and we are the carriages pulled along in his train. We have no choice in the matter. We are born hitched and cannot be decoupled.

We are condemned with Adam. We are not on probation. We are already condemned. Even if we live perfectly all our lives, we are condemned.

ADAM REPRESENTED US
AND ADAM RUINED US

Can I change my representative?

2. JESUS IS THE REPRESENTATIVE OF MANY

“As…so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Christ’s Appointment

God the Father appointed his Son to be the representative of his people. He acted on behalf of these people, not all people (John 17:9). “Many” and “all men” here means lots of people. The destiny and prosperity of his people depended on him alone. If he performs well, all his people benefit; if he fails, all his people will suffer too.

Christ’s Job Description

Christ’s job description was “perfect obedience” which included not only obedience to the moral law but also suffering the death-punishment incurred by Adam’s disobedience. How would you like that as your job?

Christ’s Performance

He obeyed perfectly from the beginning to the end of his life. It was one long act of obedience. Obedience in life and obedience unto death. Just as Adam’s sin was credited to us, now Christ’s righteousness can be credited to us. A court can only declare us guilty or not guilty, but God can declare us righteous. Christ’s representation does not just place us back in probation but in a fixed state of righteousness that can never change. Adam’s representation condemned us, but Christ’s saves us. If you don’t want Adam’s representation, you cannot have Christ’s because both operate in exactly the same principle.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Who is your representative? In God’s eyes, there are only two people in the history of the world. Adam and his people stand before God’s law as one single person (the one for the many). Christ and his people stand before God’s law as one single person (the one for the many).

Uncouple from Adam. How do we disconnect from Adam and connect with Christ? How do we change our representative? Repentance decouples us from Adam and faith couples us with Christ. Jump off Adam’s train which is heading to death and jump on Christ’s which is heading to life.

ABOUNDING SIN OR
SUPER-ABOUNDING GRACE

A NEW CHAPTER

Get superabounding grace. If sin is abounding in your life and you despair that your sin is too much, too serious, too awful, too long, etc., do not despair because where sin abounds, there grace much more abounds. You can still connect to Christ and get all he has for you.

Grow in superabounding grace. Paul wanted the Romans and us to grow in our appreciation and praise for God’s super-abounding grace. Christ’s grace and life are far more powerful than Adam’s sin and death. One person’s righteousness can cover the sins of millions or billions.

Prayer. God of superabounding grace, help me to get and grow in your super-abounding grace by swapping out Adam for Jesus and turning from death to life by your Spirit.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What are some other examples of representation in every day life?

2. How would you answer someone who objected to Adam’s sin condemning them to hell?

3. How would you persuade someone to change representatives?

4. What else can you learn about Christ’s representation in verses 12-21.

5. How much better is Christ’s representation than Adam’s?

6. How has grace abounded over sin in your life?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

I pastored for 12 years in the Scottish Highlands. During that time, I was surrounded by sheep: sheep on the roads, sheep on the mountains, sheep on the beeches, sheep in my yard. Many of the members were shepherds. Never a day went by without seeing a sheep or a shepherd. There was therefore an innate understanding of the most common biblical model of leadership being the shepherd and his sheep.

Here in West Michigan most of us don’t have sheep or see sheep. We’re therefore not so familiar with this biblical model of leadership. Added to this is the difficulty that American culture is so individualistic. We resent or at least resist authority and do not like anyone telling us what to do or not do. We definitely don’t like to think of ourselves as sheep who need a shepherd.

But given how pervasive this imagery is in the Bible and how God has designed it for our spiritual benefit, how should we implement the shepherding model in our church? How can we be better shepherds and better sheep? 

The sheep need this. Old sheep need to be reminded they are sheep who need a shepherd. New sheep need to be taught it for the first time. The shepherds also need it. Old shepherds need to be reminded of their duties and responsibilities, and new shepherds need to be taught it for the first time. How can we be better shepherds and better sheep?

BACKGROUND

In John 21, Jesus told the Apostle Peter three times, “Feed my sheep” (15, 16, 17). At the end of his first letter, Peter passes on this instruction to other shepherds too.

How can we be better sheep?

1. WE ARE STRAYING SHEEP

Throughout Scripture, sinners in general, and God’s people in particular, are described as sheep

Sheep are foolish. I don’t know what sheep would score in an animal IQ, but I think they would be close to the bottom of the scale. They seem to only know how to do one thing well – eat grass. They are so irrational. You watch them as they pause in front of a stream. They know they can’t jump it or swim it. So what do they do? They jump in anyway!

Sheep are slow to learn. Every shepherd will tell you countless stories about how sheep can be taught a very painful lesson, and yet fail to learn the painful lesson. A sheep may get caught in barbed wire trying to break through a fence. And the next day it will try it again, and again….

Sheep are unattractive. Although some shepherds may tell you differently, to most us when we get close up sheep are dirty, smelly, and ugly.

Sheep are demanding. They demand grass, grass, and more grass; day after day, and night after night. (Do they ever sleep?) And when snow is on the ground, they aggressively demand food from the shepherd. Just listen to them bleat if their troughs are empty even for a short time. And watch the life-or-death stampede when the shepherd appears.

Sheep are stubborn. Have you ever tried to move a sheep? It’s like trying to move an elephant. Ever watched a shepherd try to maneuver a sheep into a fold or a dip-tank. It’s like trying to wrestle with a devil. I’ve watched the most macho of men beaten by sheep.

Sheep are straying. Perhaps the main reason Scripture chooses sheep to characterize us, more than any other animal, is because of its well-deserved reputation for straying (Isa. 53:6) and getting lost (Lk. 15:3ff).

Sheep are copycats. When one sheep decides to start running, they all decide to start running. If you were able to ask one, “Why did you start running?” it would say, “Well, because he started running.” The next would say the same. And the next one. And when you got to the last sheep he would just say, “I dunno.”

Sheep are dependent. Some animals can cope and thrive without any close supervision. Not sheep. They are very dependent on their shepherd. They cannot live without him (or her).

The shepherd is a sheep. Before the shepherds start looking down on the sheep, remember the shepherd is also a sheep! This is what makes spiritual shepherding so difficult. The shepherd remains a sheep who also needs shepherding.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Let’s confess we are sheep. There are many animals we would like to be compared to – a lion, an eagle, a horse, dog, a cat. But God wants us to see ourselves as sheep.

Let’s pray for a shepherd. We need the Great and Good Shepherd to find us, save us, carry us, lead us, teach us. etc. But we also need under-shepherds if we are to thrive spiritually.

SHEEP NEED SHEPHERDS
WHO ALSO ARE SHEEP

So how does a sheep-like-shepherd shepherd sheep?

2. WE NEED STRONG SHEPHERDS

The Shepherd’s Actions

“I exhort the elders among you…shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight…” (1-2)

• Mix: Elders are to be among the flock, available, accessible, involved
• Know: Know the sheep as individuals with their own unique characters and needs
• Gather: The search out missing and straying sheep to lovingly bring them back to safety
• Carry: Weak sheep, sick sheep, young sheep, and old sheep, sometimes need carried (Isa. 40:11)
• Lead: The shepherd goes before the sheep and decides where they are going.
• Feed: Always thinking about the best food for each sheep (John 21:17).
• Guard: Watch out for dangers and protect from threats
• Teach: Sheep need trained and educated because they are foolish and prone to stray.
• Rebuke: Sometimes a wayward sheep needs discipline to stop them straying again.
• Heal: They remove barbs and stings, pour ointment into wounds, comfort through loss.

The Shepherd’s Attitude

“…exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock” (2-3).

• Not forced but as a volunteer: Not lazily or reluctantly but with enthusiasm and energy
• Not for their gain but the sheep’s gain: Not for personal profit but for the sheep’s profit
• Not a dictator but an example: Not demanding respect but earning it, practicing what they preach.

The Shepherd’s Assessment

“And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory” (4).

All shepherds must remember they are under-shepherds, under the Chief Shepherd, to whom they must give an account for how they shepherded his flock. Peter does not base his salvation on his perfect shepherding (because it wasn’t perfect), but he does see his shepherding taken into account when the Chief Shepherd is distributing eternal rewards. And notice that the sheep also must give an account for how they submitted to their shepherds (5; Heb.13:17).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Choose good shepherds. Nominate and elect those who have these qualifications.

Know your shepherd. Find out who your shepherding elder is and use him as your first responder/discipler.

Pray for your shepherd(s). Pray for your pastors, but also for your shepherding elder as his work is hard.

Welcome your shepherd. When he reaches out to you, respond and interact rather than suspect or resent.

Use your shepherd. Share your burdens, hopes, aims, fears, problems, aims, questions.

Submit to your shepherd. So long as they are following the Chief Shepherd, respect their decisions.

SHEPHERDS SHEPHERD FOR THE SHEPHERD

SUMMARY

THE NEXT CHAPTER

Sheep, follow your Shepherd. Accept his oversight, his leadership, his teaching, his decisions, his example, insofar as they follow the Chief Shepherd. Ask them for help with spiritual questions, development, growth.

Shepherds, feed your sheep. That involves supervision of the teaching ministry of the church in the worship service, in the Sunday schools, small groups, etc. It involves protecting the flock from false doctrine and ethics. It involves personalized feeding.

Prayer: Chief Shepherd, we are all your sheep. Shepherd us all directly and through our under-shepherds, so that we all are gathered safely into your fold at the end.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do we resist the biblical imagery of sheep who need a shepherd?

2. How does viewing yourself as a sheep change the way you view yourself?

3. What makes it easier to follow certain shepherds more than others?

4. Which roles do you see our shepherds doing well and which not so well?

5. In what ways is our Chief Shepherd better than our under-shepherds?

6. How will this change the way you shepherd or are shepherded?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

“You say you love me, so prove you love me.” Husbands, what would you do if your wife said that to you, or vice versa? Parents what would you do if one of your children said this to you? What would you be willing to do to prove you love them?

Sometimes we may even say that to God” You say you love me, so prove you love me.” We might especially say that (or at least think it) when we are going through trouble (Romans 5:3). Trouble tempts us to doubt God’s love for us. What is God willing to do to prove his love for us? How does God prove his love for us? Romans 5:6-11 provides three incontrovertible proofs that God loves us.

BACKGROUND

In general terms we can summarize the first four chapters of Romans as follows:

• Chapter 1. The Gentiles are guilty
• Chapter 2. The Jews are guilty
• Chapter 3:1-19. Everyone’s guilty
• Chapter 3:20-31. Get from deadly guilt to healthy joy through faith in Jesus.
• Chapter 4. Follow Abraham’s example of faith in the promises and you’ll inherit the world.
• Chapter 5:1-5. God invites us into his love through trouble
• Chapter 5:6-8. God proves he loves us despite trouble

How does God prove his love to us? 

1. GOD PROVES HIS LOVE WITH SUBSTITUTION (6-8)

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (6-8).

Normal Love

Normal love will normally give time, money, attention, help, protection, provision. Normal love will rarely give life itself. Normal love will rarely die for a moral person. Normal love may conceivably die for a kind, generous, loving person. It’s almost unheard of, but it is possible to imagine that. The person may be so morally valuable, beautiful, and useful that we can see circumstances in which someone might give their life for him/her.

Abnormal love

Jesus died for the weak (6), the ungodly (6), sinners (8), enemies (10). He died in their place, instead of them, as their substitute. This is an unusual love, an exceptional love, an extraordinary love, a unique love, a rare love, a surprising love, an atypical love, an unparalleled love.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Enjoy more love by seeing how unloveable you are. Sometimes we receive a gift that makes us think, “I don’t deserve that.” The result is that we love the giver even more than before. The more undeserving we feel of Christ’s love, the more we will experience more of his love.

Enjoy more love by seeing how lovable Jesus is. When we think of how much a person sacrificed to give us a gift, we cannot but love them more. That’s why we love our military so much – people of high character give up so much to give us freedom and safety. We love them even more when we consider how they sacrifice so much for not just the greatest in our society but the lowest too. The most loveable Jesus gave himself for the most unloveable sinners so that we will love him more.

WE GET HIS LOVE FOR US
AS HE GIVES HIS LIFE FOR US

Substitution is a persuasive proof of Christ’s love. Any other proofs?

2. GOD PROVES HIS LOVE WITH PROPITIATION (9)

Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God (9).

God’s wrath was turned away

“Propitiation” means a turning away of God’s anger with a sacrifice with the result that God’s wrath is satisfied, placated, and pacified. This does not mean that the Father was furious with us and Jesus made him love us. No, out of his great love for us, God the Father provided his beloved Son to take the full force of his anger until it was extinguished.

Christ’s body was like an umbrella that God provided to shelter us while the storm of God’s wrath was poured out on his Son. Not one drop got through to us, not one drop is left to touch us. When God’s wrath is fully satisfied, the storm is over, the dark clouds of anger are emptied and disappear, and the sun shines brightly and warmly upon us. His wrath was turned away on the cross by the body of Jesus and is therefore turned away today for all who take shelter in Jesus.

God’s wrath will be turned away

“…much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (9).The Bible tells us that God’s wrath is coming at the end of the world (Rev. 6:12-17). But for those who have the umbrella of Jesus’ body, there is nothing to fear. We were saved from God’s wrath at the cross and therefore we will be saved from his wrath at the end of our lives or the end of the world (whichever is sooner).

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Flee the wrath of God (Matt. 3:7). John 3:36 tells us that if we do not believe in Jesus, if we are not under the loving umbrella of his blood, that we are under the wrath of God. It is a big dark cloud above our heads, ready to break upon us at death or the end of the world. Run as fast as you can from it to shelter under the blood.

Enjoy the love of God. Not one drop of God’s judicial anger will ever touch you. Not one drizzle or drip of anger. Rather you are under the umbrella of his love, an umbrella he provided in Jesus’ blood. Feel and sense his loving shield that not only protects you from his anger but opens a window to his love.

GOD’S LOVE
REMOVED
GOD’S WRATH

These are two massive arguments for God’s love. Any clincher?

3. GOD PROVES HIS LOVE WITH RECONCILIATION (10-11)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation (10-11).

We were his enemies

The most implacable world conflict is probably the Israel-Palestinian strife. All attempts at “reconciliation” have been based on “ceasefire and separation.” The idea is that if the two sides can stop shooting at one another and separate from one another, there will be peace. So far, all attempts at peace have failed.

But there’s an even more implacable spiritual conflict, the one between God and sinners. There is a hostility on both sides, but on God’s side, the hostility is holy and justified, whereas on our side it is sinful and unjustified. By birth and practice, we are opposed to God and God is therefore opposed to us. Any reconciliation has to remove hostility from both parties.

God, though did not wait until we declared a ceasefire. He did not wait until we stopped opposing him. “While we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son.” The most offended (and justly offended) party took the initiative to reconcile us to his favor, fellowship, and friendship.

We are his friends

Christ’s death removed the just hostility of God toward sinners like us. As we receive Christ’s death by faith, the hostility to God in our own hearts is removed. This isn’t just a “ceasefire and separation” reconciliation. It actually deals with the cause of the conflict and removes it. If he dealt with the greatest cause of separation and alienation by his death, much more will he save us now and forever as he lives in heaven forever.

The God we hated, we now love. The God we hated now makes us happy. “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation” (11). This is not a mere tolerance of God but a total delight in God.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

Receive reconciliation. We are not reconciled until we receive the reconciliation ourselves, which we do by faith. It’s all done, completed, finished, with every loose end tied up. Let’s open our hands and hearts to take it.

Rejoice in reconciliation. I’ve been involved in many attempts to reconcile people over the years. Most attempts failed. Some made some progress but it took a long time and a lot of work. Here’s a reconciliation that is completed for us. It concerns the most important relationship in the world. Receive it to rejoice and rejoice to receive it.

GOD LOVES HATERS INTO LOVERS

SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

God commends his love to us. He doesn’t just state it, describe it, propose it, define it. It’s not a cold, casual, dutiful communication. It’s not just “Take it or leave it!” He recommends his love, he persuades, he argues, he presents his best possible case to convince us. He wants to win us over, and therefore pressures us with his most powerful arguments and reasons. Receive then rejoice in this recommendation to be assured of God’s love especially in trouble.

Commend God’s love to others. We are ambassadors, representatives, spokespersons for love divine. Use the proofs and arguments God has provided in Jesus.

Prayer. God of love, thank you for proving your love to me through substitution, propitiation, and reconciliation. use me to persuade others with the proofs of your love. Amen.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. What has made you doubt God’s love?

2. Which of the three proofs is most persuasive to you?

3. How would you explain and illustrate substitution, propitiation, reconciliation to a child?

4. Which songs help in commending God’s love to you?

5. What difference would it make to your life if you were fully persuaded of God’s love?

6. Who will you commend God’s love to this week? How will you do it?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

INTRODUCTION

First Byron is known as a Bible church, a church that teaches and preaches the Bible without compromise or apology, in the pulpit, in Bible Studies, in small groups, and various youth ministries.

First Byron is known as a worshipping church, a church that prioritizes congregational singing of old and new songs that glorify God..

First Byron is known as a welcoming church, a church that warmly welcomes visitors and works hard to integrate visitors into our church family.

First Byron is known as a missionary church, a church that sends and supports multiple evangelists and missionaries at home and around the world.

First Byron is known as a shepherding church, a church where the pastors and elders actively seek out and shepherd the flock.

First Byron is known as a generous church, a church that gives away hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to good causes.

First Byron is known as a Christian education church, a church that sacrificially supports Christians families to educate their children in quality Christian schools.

That’s a lot! But I have a question. Are we known as a praying church? When people think of First Byron, do they think, “That’s a place where the Christians are devoted to congregational prayer” or that prioritizes united prayer.” How can we increase the priority of joint prayer in our congregation?

It was a priority for the New Testament church. They devoted themselves to prayer while waiting for the Holy Spirit. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers (Acts 1:14). They devoted themselves to prayer after the Holy Spirit was poured out. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers (Acts 2:42). How can we devote ourselves to prayer like the early Christians? How can we fulfill this part of God’s purpose for his church? (Isa. 56:7).

BACKGROUND

Acts 1:14 and Acts 2:42 bookend the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost. It’s no accident that the Spirit was poured out in response to prayer and also increased prayer.

Why should we have more joint prayer in our congregation?

JOINT PRAYER BRINGS EXTRA BLESSINGS TO US AND EXTRA GLORY TO GOD

This is the last sermon in our series on prayer. It’s last, but not least. In fact, in a very real sense, the last is first. In our context, it’s the most important sermon of all. It’s the one that all the others on prayer have been driving towards. The previous sermons, with their varied imagery, were laying the foundation for this one.

• The cross: We learned about the power and persuasion of praying in Jesus’s name.
• The throne: We learned how to pray with confidence by coming to the throne of grace.
• The battlefield: We learned how to be prayer warriors, engaging in spiritual warfare on our knees.
• The supper: We learned how prayer brings us into the closest possible communion with God.
• The door: We learned how to bring all our needs to the open door of God’s ear.
• The window: We learned how prayer changes our perspective for the better about everything.
• The schedule: We learned how we can pray both at formal fixed times and informally at all times.
• The help of the Spirit: We learned about how the Holy Spirit prays for us in our heart-groans.
• The help of the Son: We learned how the Son of God prays for us in the courts of heaven.

All these benefits are available for individual prayer and family prayer. But they are even more available for group prayer. We’re also encouraged towards group prayer by the fact that the Lord’s model prayer is in the first person plural (we/our/us) and therefore clearly intended to be used by Christians praying together.

The Bible and church history teach that God gives blessings when Christians pray together (2 Chron. 7:14; Matt. 18:19; Acts 3:1; 4:23-31; 12:12; 13:2-3; 14:23; 16:13, 16).

• The blessing of more answered prayers (Matt. 18:19)
• The blessing of God’s presence in prayer (Matt. 18:20)
• The blessing of sharing burdens, joys, and sorrows (Gal. 6:2; Rom. 12:15) and therefore closer fellowship with one another.
• The blessing of learning how to pray by listening to others pray. The great theologian John Owen said that “the prayers of the weakest saints may be useful to the greatest apostle.”
• The blessing of more prayer as we are stirred up to pray in our private lives and as other groups start.
• The blessing of revival. Pentecost and multiple examples in church history demonstrate that widespread spiritual revival often follows Christians praying together.

Charles Spurgeon said, “How could we look for a Pentecost if we never met with one accord, in one place, to wait upon the Lord? Brethren, we shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general till the prayer-meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians.” Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, “There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” The Reformed faith has experienced more revival in Korea than anywhere else in the world in the last half-century. Why? Christians there gather 365 mornings a year for prayer. Google “Prayer and Revival” to find many articles about how revivals of true Christianity followed the revival of united prayer meetings.

When blessing comes in response to group prayer, God gets great glory. He gets great glory because group prayer emphasizes that we are helpless and entirely dependent upon God for blessing. When there is little or no group prayer, God holds back blessing because then people would attribute it to the pastor or the church.

CHANGING OUR STORIES WITH GOD’S STORY

There are many different ways we can increase joint prayer in our church. We can join the prayer group that meets on Wednesday at 7.30 pm in the Haven. If that time or place does not work for you, then we can have group prayer meetings at other times. We can pray together over the phone or over Zoom. We can add prayer to existing group meetings. We can meet in twos and threes or tens or twenties. We can have men’s prayer groups and women’s prayer groups. Some might be for seniors, some for our young. Some could meet early morning, others in the evening. Some may meet before church services or after, or through the week. We can have regular church-wide prayer meetings. We can have prayer groups devoted to mission, revival, the new building project, individual needs. However or whenever, here are some general guidelines to help make joint prayer work.

Have clear leadership. Someone should take the lead and give clear direction and set the tone. It can be a different person each week, but the person should know beforehand and prepare appropriately. That may also involve picking a particular theme for each week.

Prepare. Take some time before the prayer time to think through what you pray for or ask others to pray for.

Set a time limit. Better to start short (15 or 30 minutes) than so long that it cannot be sustained. Encourage multiple short prayers rather than few long prayers that are hard to keep focused on.

Share prayer thanks and prayer requests. Sharing answered prayer encourages more prayer. Make sure you have more time for prayer than for prayer requests.

Speak loudly. There’s no point in praying if the prayers cannot be heard by others. Volume also helps energy levels.

Don’t say “I.” We are praying on behalf of others, his church family.

Sing praise songs every 10 minutes. This helps sustain concentration, energy levels, and a worshipful spirit.

Pray specifically. Pray for individual needs, congregational needs, ministries, missionaries, nations, etc.

Take notes. Someone should take notes of prayer requests and conclude with any not yet prayed for.

Repeat prayers quietly. Don’t just listen but join with the prayer by saying the words quietly to yourself.

Say “Amen.” Encourages the one praying and enlivens the ones praying with him/her. “I agree with that prayer.”

Review with ACTS. At the end of each prayer meeting or before beginning another, review the balance of Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication and adjust accordingly.

SUMMARY

A NEW CHAPTER

Add prayer to group meetings. It would be wonderful if every single ministry, small group, Bible study, youth meeting would integrate group prayer into every gathering. This is the easiest way to increase devotion to prayer.

Add group prayer meetings. There already is a regular weekly prayer meeting but that time may not work for you. So why not start one at another time and place.

Prayer. Helper of the helpless, thank you for the help of your Spirit, your Son, and your saints. Help me to get your help through joint prayer times in our church family.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Why do you think joint prayer is not prioritized in most churches today?

2. What other blessings are received through joint prayer?

3. What did you learn from Googling “prayer and revival”?

4. How can we use prayer to give God more glory?

5. What other practical help would you give when starting a prayer group?

6. What will you do to increase joint prayer in our church and in your life?

PDF OF SERMON NOTES

If you want to change your story, you need to know God’s story. This devotional, part of the StoryChanger Devotional series, is a friendly, practical guide to understanding the book of Exodus and how it shapes your story.

Exodus: Stories of Redemption and Relationship includes 50 devotionals with daily readings designed to help you learn, love, and live the whole Bible. It walks you through the full text of Exodus, offering thoughtful comments on the book’s message, reflection questions, and a personal daily prayer. This devotional can help reorient your mind and transform your life with God’s better story.

• 50 Daily God-Centered Devotionals: Each day includes an explanation of that day’s reading, reflection questions, and a personal prayer
• Great for Families, Individuals, or Small Groups: Accessible for non-Christians and new Christians, this devotional also helps readers learn how to effectively share God’s story

The StoryChanger Series

The StoryChanger: How God Changes our Story with his Story (An Introduction)

Luke: Stories of Mission and Mercy (Daily Devotional)

Exodus: Stories of Redemption and Relationship (Daily Devotional)

Visit The StoryChanger website for Daily Audio Devotionals.