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THE CONTROVERSY OF CHRISTIAN CONVERSION
Luke 5:27-32 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas April 23, 2017 27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 31 And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” — Luke 5:27-32, ESV We have entered into a section of Luke’s Gospel where Jesus Christ begins to court controversy on every corner. He has landed on the radar of the religious rulers, and they are tracking Him at every turn. What the Lord does here seems stunning to the Pharisees, who caught Him hanging out with “tax collectors and sinners.” At the end of the day, however, it is what happens to Levi that is most controversial. Jesus had the audacity to convert him to His own brand of religion, the Christian religion. It made a brand new man out of him, so much so that Levi the tax collector has been known as Matthew the Apostle ever since. Levi was a Controversial Convert Levi was a lower-level publican, or tax collector, stationed at the city limits of Capernaum. He was not a chief tax collector like Zacchaeus, so he enjoyed no social status at all. He had a little money from ill-gotten gain and used it to consort with prostitutes, fellow tax collectors, and other such “sinners.” Misery loves company, and Levi’s lot often gathered together at Levi’s house. Respectable religious people in Jesus’ day wouldn’t touch Levi with a ten-foot pole. They would not talk to him, let alone go to a dinner party at his house, let alone invite him to join their group, let alone make him a leader in the group. What was Jesus thinking? What was Jesus doing? Why start such a controversy? When Jesus saw Levi sitting there, He must have thought to Himself, here is an elect child of God chosen by the Father from before the foundation of the world. His sins are great, but not greater than the grace and mercy of the Lord. He needs to be changed into a new person, so I am going to speak the word to him so that he will be converted into a newborn child of God. Now, you and I are not Jesus and we do not possess the omniscience of God. We do not know who the elect are, so we must approach all people as objects of God’s love and forgiveness. When we see someone who seems to be far from God and excluded from God’s people, we must go to them, like Jesus, and invite them come with us into the kingdom of God. Unwillingness on our part to associate with so-called sinners, or attend a social event rife with unbelievers, or to think we are somehow too superior to spend time with those who make no profession of faith is pure Pharisee-ism (which means quite literally, separatism). The worst advice I ever received in my Christian life was early on when fundamentalist pastors and leaders told me to separate myself from old friends and the places you find them. I did this to their peril. Christian people should have separate values and a holy character distinct from lost people, but Christians must never separate themselves from lost people. Jesus did not, and it made Him quite controversial. Perhaps we would do well to make a list of people we used to know, people of sinful natures, and reach out to them. Perhaps if we went to a dinner party with them, maintaining our Christian character of course, they might venture back to church with us. It worked for Jesus, most especially Matthew, but it was not without controversy. Christianity requires a Controversial Conversion The conversion of the convert is quite controversial in and of itself, especially when compared with contemporary methods of evangelism. Jesus did not ask Matthew to ask Him into his heart. Jesus did not invite Matthew to walk and aisle and pray a prayer. Jesus did not really ask Matthew anything. Christ gave him a command, two words led by an imperative verb, “Follow Me.” This is a simple commandment requiring total commitment. Matthew proved the call effectual when he did what verse twenty-eight said that he did. I can just here him singing, Long my imprisoned spirit lay, fast bound in sin and nature’s night; Thine eye diffused a quickening ray, I woke, the dungeon filled with light; My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth, and followed Thee. Amazing love, how can it be, that Thou my God should die for me! (Charles Wesley) Contrary to the opinion of heretics in history and not a few latter-day saints, conversion is not by the mechanisms of man but by the sovereign grace of God. Contrary to the attitude of hyper-Calvinists and the apathy of evangelicals everywhere, God’s grace is transmitted from person to person, delivered by a believer telling an unbeliever to believe, repent, and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus and Matthew prove to be most excellent examples. Christ is grace personified, and Matthew is struck by a love that will not let him go. He leaves everything he has for Whom he has gained. Matthew does not merely believe in Jesus, but turns and follows Jesus into the kingdom of God. When we talk to people about the gospel, let us tell them these controversial things: We do not need more believers in our churches today, as many so-called have long dropped out. We do not need more members in our churches today, as far too many are inactive. We need followers. We need converts. We need men and women and boys and girls convicted of their sin, convinced of the gospel, converted by the grace of God, who are willing to pay the cost to leave everything and give anything for the joy of following Jesus Christ. Jesus Remains the Controversial Christ The controversy does not end with Matthew’s conversion, it only begins. For Jesus maintains this same mode of operation for the entirety of His earthly ministry. Then, He commissioned His true followers to do the same. Let the controversy continue! Jesus said that people are not sick, they are sinful. In His response to the controversy created by the self-righteous Pharisees, Jesus likened sinners to sick people. It is a powerful metaphor, not a metaphysical point. People do not commit crimes, misdemeanors, and other sins because of sickness (with the rare exception of the criminally insane). They do such things because they are sinful and selfish. They want money that does not belong to them, they want sex that is not wholesome and marital, they want power to be used to coerce, they want things for themselves at the expense of God and neighbor. It is not a sin to be sick but it is sick to be sinful and not realize it, nor seek to do anything about it; and, it is a sickness unto death if not cured by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus demonstrated that people do not need to be left alone, they need to be bothered and changed by the gospel. The emphasis upon pluralism and tolerance that existed in Jesus’ day is exponential in ours. It is not a bad thing, per se, until freedom of religion becomes freedom from religion. The spirit of the age now demands that if we have Christian faith, we keep it to ourselves and not offer its life-changing power to anyone else. Such laws exist in Muslim countries, post-Communist countries, and are creeping into our very own country. Are we willing to risk controversy to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with our world? Jesus insisted that the kingdom of God is not for pussy-footed professors of faith, but for full-fledged followers of God. “Follow Me” is the most important commandment in Scripture, upon which all other commandments stand. Those who obey, believe. Those who believe, obey. Christianity is not membership in a separatist club, it is not a get-out-of-jail-free card, it is not an hour of worship a year or even a turn once a week. Christianity is a converted life, a new life-style, where all of life is given to the One who gave His life for us. You did not know high school football player Chuck. You did not know college baseball player Chuck. You did not know get drunk and have a good time Chuck. You only know Pastor Chuck. Those two fellows are as different as night and day, as Levi and Matthew. In truth, life was simpler as Levi compared to Matthew. Before I became a follower of Christ, my weekends were free, I had few run-ins with other people, and spent virtually all of my time and resources on myself. After I was converted to Christianity, my schedule got hectic, I had to fight the world and the flesh and the devil and the Pharisees, and everything I own was signed over to the control of another. I found controversy as a young believer, found it in every church I have served as a pastor, and it will continue until the controversial Christ comes again or takes me home. I would not have it any other way. Neither would Matthew. And I pray, neither would you. No matter the controversy, no matter the cost, follow Jesus, or you’ll be lost. Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM
John 3:16 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas April 16, 2017 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” — John 3:16, ESV It has been written that the Gospel of John is a pool shallow enough for children to play and deep enough for elephants to swim. This is especially true of its most familiar verse. The reference alone is enough to conjure up the words from memory, whether you see “John 3:16” listed in a church bulletin, posted on a wall, or held up in a football stadium by some man with multi-colored hair. You know John 3:16 by heart. But, does your heart truly know John 3:16? Has it properly passed through your mind and lodged permanently in your heart and evidenced itself in your will? Let me take a few moments to share with you exactly what this most familiar verse means, whether you are a young child or an old elephant. Then, let me suggest the only proper response, love. BECAUSE HE LOVES US Because He loves us, God gave His Son. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13, ESV A soldier jumps on a live grenade because he loves. A mother dives to push her child out of the path of a runaway truck because she loves. God came down from Heaven, in the person of His Son Jesus Christ, and went to the cross, because He loves us. We live in an ever-increasingly unloving world. Look at the way our political leaders (yes, leaders) treat one another. Look at the percentage of spouses who walk out on their mate, often their children, too. Look at crime statistics. It seems sometimes as if we live in a world where no one loves anyone anymore. Actually, this may not be a sign of an unloving world, but a world in which most people love themselves, too much. When self love is all the love you have, people become dispensable and God remains invisible. God could have abandoned such a people. Imagine a perfect planet without us, without sin, for God to enjoy. God does not need us, but God does love us. And because He loves us, He came to us, He lived among us, He died for us, because He loves us. Because He loves us, God gave us faith. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. — Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV One of the great misunderstandings about John 3:16 is the insertion of the words, “whosoever will.” A correct translation into English is admittedly be more cumbersome, “the one who has faith” or “the believing one” would be much more accurate. It is not a verb, an action, but it is a participle, a verbal noun, describing a certain kind of person, the kind God loves and gives faith. From whence does saving faith come? It is like buying a treasure with money given to you by your father. I distinctly remember my first pair of baseball spikes. I wanted them, I went to the sporting goods store, I put the money on the counter and bought them. I brought them home, I wore them, they were mine. But it was my father who gave me the money in the first place. To be loved by God unto salvation you must have faith in John 3:16, you must have faith in the gospel, you must have faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The faith is yours, you profess it for Christ, and Christ is yours. But where did the faith come from? It was a gift to you from God. Why did God give it to you? Because He loves you. Because He loves us, God gave us a pardon. Jesus … delivers us from the wrath to come. — 1 Thessalonians 1:10, ESV I remember a popular witnessing program that encouraged the participants to approach people with a prelude before giving the gospel, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life.” I appreciate this approach, it is wholesome and true. But it would be equally true to preface the gospel with this statement, “God is angry with you and has a terrible plan for your life.” The gospel does not just give us the grace of life, it pardons us from a deserved death sentence, at the end of which we would experience the awful wrath of an angry God. Not since Jonathan Edwards has many sermons been preached on this subject, but the subject is part and parcel of, the dark side if you will, of John 3:16. “Perish” means punitive destruction, a deserved death sentence. You may think you’ve done some bad things, but never murder. Who then is responsible for the death of Jesus Christ? Every sinner is guilty, including me, you, the whole congregation, and the whole world. Yet God visits this present world with the gospel, with faith, with a precious pardon. Why would God save us? Because He loves us. Because He loves us, God gave us eternal life. Love never ends … — 1 Corinthians 13:8 The end of the matter of God’s love is that God’s love never ends. Accepting John 3:16, salvation by grace through faith, is not an end as some people testify saying, “I’ve done that, I’m okay, I’ve asked Jesus into my heart,” etc. Discovering and accepting the love of God is just the beginning, a beginning that never will end, even unto eternal life in Heaven with God, face to face. The best gift a person can give is time (no, not a gold watch). God has made a plan for believers by which we will spend eternity with one another, celebrating and enjoying our salvation; and, seeing Him and spending time with Him, face to face, forever. Why would God do such a thing? Because He loves. What are we to do? We are to love Him back. Now let us look at this verse again in the broader context of all of Scripture. BECAUSE WE LOVE HIM Because we love Him, we believe. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. — Proverbs 3:5-6, ESV It is debatable what the first response to the gospel must be. Some say faith must unlock the door. Others suggest self-loathing or fear, perhaps conviction, the realization of one’s sinfulness. I believe it to be love. The effectual hearing of the gospel is most like falling in love. The message, even a simple one like John 3:16, brings you into the presence of God and you are smitten. You do wonder how a glorious and gracious God could love such a sinner and doer of bad deeds. But the gospel convinces you of God’s love for you anyway, and you cannot help but love Him, and because we love Him, we believe. The biblical word “believe” is badly interpreted in this modern age, which too simplistically equates belief with mental assent to certain facts. Here again the accurate translation is wordy, but worth the trouble. The word literally means “to trust completely and obey thoroughly.” This is how we feel about God, about the Lord Jesus Christ, about the Holy Spirit when we fall in love with Him. Because we love Him, we trust Him completely and seek to obey Him thoroughly. Because we love Him, we repent. No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. — Luke 13:5, ESV John 3:16 contains a word for “believe,” but there is no mention of repentance. But remember, the meaning of a text in Holy Scripture is dependent upon the context of the verse, chapter, book, testament, and the whole Bible. Can a person be saved by believing without repenting? Jesus said, “No …” (see Luke 13:3-5). Faith and repentance are not really two things, but two sides of the same thing. They are both gifts from God (ref. Ephesians 2:8-9, Acts 11:18, 2 Timothy 2:25, 2 Peter 1:1, etc.), they are both required for salvation, they are both evidence of salvation, and they are both motivated by love. Faith is our belief and repentance is our behavior. We turn away from sin and selfishness and run to God, godly living, and the good of others. We do not do this out of fear, for if we believe and repent, there is no punishment (albeit there are always consequences). We repent, we live godly lives, because we love the God who saved us and set us apart for His service. Because we love Him, we are baptized. Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. — Romans 6:3-4, ESV We love Jesus because He died on the cross and walked out of the tomb. Because we love Him, we do the same thing. In Scripture and church history, this is known as baptism. You do not have to be baptized to be saved, but if you are saved you have to be baptized. Baptism is a humiliating public experience, much less but much like crucifixion. It is an affirmation and picture of John 3:16, of the gospel, of the death that leads to life, Christ’s and your own. It is an unashamed witness for Jesus. It is a statement of love. Few people get married in secret. Lovers get married in public because they want everyone to know they are in love, that they are committed, for life. The gospel, beautifully symbolized by baptism, is love that leads to life. Because we love Him, we join the church. Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her … — Ephesians 5:25, ESV Acceptance of the gospel leads to baptism. Baptism leads to membership and participation in the church. Herein lies the hardest part of loving the Lord. Since churches consist of people, problems abound. Leaders have to be chosen, rituals have to be agreed upon, finances have to be collected and expended, and every decade or so we have to decide upon the color of the carpet in the Sanctuary. Hell breaks loose. We could say many things here, but we must remember that love is our theme. I do not take my place in the church because I love the institution, although there are many things to be loved. I do not take my place in the church because I love the members, although I do, even though some require much prayer and effort. I am in the church and will serve as a member of the church until I die because I love the Lord Jesus Christ, it is His church, warts and all, and if He gave Himself for her, so will I. Because we love Him, we witness. I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. — Romans 1:16, ESV Have you ever spoken to someone else about your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, children or grandchildren? Have you ever shown pictures, told stories, bragged on their achievements? You are not ashamed of the, are you? Of course not. You cannot imagine why everyone does not share your opinion that this is the cutest, smartest, most talented person in the world! Why? Because you love them. When we receive the gospel, God becomes our greatest love. It is not enough for us to love Him, we truly want others to love Him, too. We want this for the glory of God. We want this for the good, the salvation, of others. So we witness, even beg, with prayers and conversations, so others will come to Christ. We may even use John 3:16. Because we love Him, we live with Him, now and forever. See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. — 1 John 3:1-3, ESV Who you love determines how you live. I live in a house, even a room, with my wife, because I love her. I prefer to live in close proximity to our children, even though vocations and various callings keep us apart. We love dogs, at least two, in a pet owner kind of way, so they have some room in our house, too. Because we love God, we live with God. We do not tell Him we love Him as a youth and then live without Him for the rest of our lives. We do not come to His house once or twice a year and say we love Him. Besides, the house of God is not the church building, it is Christ and His church. The house of God is not our house, even though it is a parsonage, but God is the primary resident of our house. You are the house of God, if you are a child of God, if you love Him, believe in Him, repent to Him, are baptized for Him, belong to Him, tell others about Him, and live with Him, now and forever. Everybody says they love God, but does that make it so? Everybody accepts John 3:16, but do they understand John 3:16? Everyone says, “Christ is risen,” but is He risen in you, indeed? The answer is yes, if you truly love Him. And remember if you do, it is because He first loved you. “Oh, how I love Jesus … because He first loved me!” Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. THE SAVIOR
Luke 5:17-26 Dr. Chuck DeVane, Pastor Lake Hamilton Baptist Church Hot Springs, Arkansas April 2, 2017 17 On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21 And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22 When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” — he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25 And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26 And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.” — Luke 5:17-26, ESV Have you seen anything extraordinary lately? If so, surely it involved a savior. A savior is an incredible person who does amazing things, things that make life better. When a phenomenal athlete leads his team from worst to first, we consider him a savior of the franchise. When a highly skilled surgeon performs an operation that saves a life, we consider him a savior for the one who was sick and dying. When a shrew businesswoman takes over as CEO of a floundering organization and brings it back to profitability, she is the savior of the company. A savior is someone who takes on our greatest problem. He or she has extraordinary wisdom or skill to solve the problem. And, when the problem is solved, lives are changed for the better. This is a pretty good definition of a savior. But there is no Savior in the world quite like Jesus. The primary purpose of Luke’s Gospel is to convince a generally Gentile audience that this Jewish carpenter from Galilee is the God and Savior of the world. He does it with aplomb in every pericope, especially in a story like this one. Here, Jesus takes on a man’s greatest problem, although it is somewhat hidden at first behind a lesser affliction. He solves it, as only Jesus, as only God, can do. In the balance, lives are not just temporarily, but forever changed. A Problem is Laid at Jesus’ Feet A major problem is literally laid at Jesus’ feet. Perhaps it would be more humane to say a person with a major problem is put before him. He was brought by “some men” according to Luke, though Mark marks the men as four. The man’s problem is paralysis, a dilemma that even modern medicine cannot adequately solve. The four men feel bad about it, obviously, and perhaps had even been involved in it. Maybe they injured their friend, or maybe he simply fell on the rocky terrain as together they ran around the Sea of Galilee. Whatever the cause, these four friends were determined to move heaven and earth (and literally moved some of the earthen tiles from above) to get their friend to the one person who had the potential to make the problem go away. Friends bring friends to Jesus. In most cases, gaining access by busting through a roof is not required. A sincere testimony and a winsome invitation will do. But in this case, with a paralyzed pal blocked by a parade of people packed into Peter’s house, drastic measures were necessary. In Luke’s prior episode, a leper fell down at Jesus’ feet. Here, a paralytic is laid at Jesus’ feet. It’s amazing the things you find at Jesus’ feet in Scripture. It’s mostly problems, problem people, like you and me, with a big problem that only the person and work of Jesus Christ can conquer. Jesus Solves the Big Problem Jesus, possessing the infinite wisdom of God, identified two problems where mere morals saw only one. The paralysis was a pitiful indeed, but not the primary problem according to Jesus. The bigger issue was sin. Some might interpret this as an indication that this man’s sin caused his paralysis, and that could have been true. Maybe he was breaking and entering and injured himself while leaping to escape. Maybe he was a horse thief thrown by his embezzled equine. Most likely, Jesus was not referring to a single sin that left his body paralyzed, but the condition of sin and collection of sins that had stricken his soul and left him spiritually dead. We live in a culture where the only thing that is sin is saying something is sinful. Such was not the case in Jesus’ day, but the remedy He applied was considered scandalous. Here is where the manifold wisdom of Jesus and the utter foolishness of the Pharisees come together to preach the gospel in a prolific way. Jesus, who was in the house to preach and heal that day, did both to this crippled man. Christ cared deeply about his broken body, but cared even more for his lost soul. He fixed the latter first, than later allowed him to walk, yes walk, home with his faithful friends. Both the gospel and the miracle are God’s, and God’s alone, to give. But which of the two miracles is greater, costlier, more permanent, according to Jesus? The enemies of Christ, who have Him on their radar now, are introduced in the narrative to further prove two powerful points. First of all, they confirm “sins” are the issue, not a single sin. People have the power to forgive a single sin committed against them by another, but only God has the authority to forgive all of our “sins.” The foolish Pharisees were quite right, only God Almighty can forgive such sinfulness. So, in their resentful and roundabout way, they help to prove that Jesus is Lord, that the carpenter from Nazareth is Immanuel, God with us, Messiah, Savior of the world. Do the math. Jesus forgave this mans sins. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus is God! Jesus is Lord! Jesus is the Savior! Lives Are Changed for the Better All of life is essentially a search for a savior. We have problems, we want them solved, so that our lives will be better. Education is an exercise in problem solving to pave the way for a better life. Romance and other relationships solve the problem of loneliness so that life is more complete. Religion is the greatest search of all for the solutions to the problems that vex us most, sin and forgiveness, death and life. The search continues until we meet Jesus. We cannot come on our own, we have to be brought. We lie paralyzed before Him, unable to contribute one iota to the solution. The Savior tackles our problems, our sins, with a cross and an empty tomb. We walk, yes walk, away free. This paralytic did what all saved sinners do. He walked, with God, and lived the remainder of his life for the glory of God as he spread the good news of Jesus far and wide. Waft it on the rolling tide, Jesus saves, Jesus saves! Tell to sinners far and wide, Jesus saves, Jesus saves! God is not primarily in the temporary business. Christ bore the cross and wrote the gospel as an eternal love story. Physically healed people eventually die. Christians whose sins are brought to the Savior live forever. Jesus is the Savior! Bring your problem and burden of sin to Him, and bring your sinful friends, too. Christ alone can conquer sin and death. Your life, and the lives of others, will be abundantly and eternally better. Copyright © 2017 Lake Hamilton Baptist Church, All rights reserved. Check out the weekly happenings at Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. |
AuthorDr. Charles F. "Chuck" DeVane, Jr., is the Pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas. His weekly sermon article, "The Gospel Truth," has been published in newspapers in Arkansas and Georgia. Dr. DeVane is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has served in the pastorate for over 20 years. Contact Pastor Chuck at PastorChuck@lakehamiltonbaptistchurch.org
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