Dig It Deep

Monday morning always begins with a prayerful evaluation of the teaching times coming up in the week ahead: Monday afternoon, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday morning, and Sunday night. There is no day off. Starting at 5 a.m., I’m always writing studies or sermons. This is in addition to my own personal studying/devotion and that which I do with my children. I think I stand in good company.

“The LORD then spoke to Aaron, saying, ‘...make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean...teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which the LORD has spoken to them through Moses’” (Leviticus 10:8,10,11).

“Of Levi he said, ‘...they observed Your word, and kept Your covenant. They shall teach Your ordinances to Jacob, and Your law to Israel’” (Deuteronomy 33:8-10).

“For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:10).

“Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites, explained the law to the people while the people remained in their place. They read from the book, from the law of God, translating to give the sense so that they understood the reading” (Nehemiah 8:7,8).

“But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers” (Psalm 1:2,3).

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘...go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you...’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

“So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God...we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.’ ...the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of the disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were becoming obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:2,4,7).

“For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears” (Acts 20:27-31).

“An overseer, then, must be...able to teach...” (1 Timothy 3:2).

“In pointing out these things to the brethren, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, constantly nourished on the words of the faith and of the sound doctrine which you have been following” (1 Timothy 4:6).

“It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance. For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. Prescribe and teach these things. Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:9-16).

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching” (1 Timothy 5:17).

“Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit Who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you” (2 Timothy 1:13,14).

“Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:14,15).

“The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

“You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, Who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Timothy 4:1,2).

“For the overseer must be...holding fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:7-9).

“But as for you, speak the things which are fitting for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).

“These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you” (Titus 2:15).

This is the Word on the matter in both Testaments. I am trying to help others come to this place in their service to Christ’s Church. I burdened to constantly be digging the well deep, far deeper than it would need to be delved for a typical Sunday morning sermon. Why? Because it’s usually needed...needed to answer a question from someone during the week, to comfort someone who’s struggling, or to guide the congregation on another matter entirely. It is the only ground for fellowship, visitation, evangelism, counseling, and good works. The study and teaching of the Word is never wasted or in vain.

How are you preparing? “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14). The Holy Spirit says through the inspired author of this letter, “by this time you ought to be teachers.” It doesn’t necessarily mean that they would be Sunday School teachers or ordained elders/deacons – but those who have been growing together with Christ’s people in His Church for some time ought to be an influence for the Word on those around them. We are surrounded by people who are seeking help, answers, and guidance for the questions of life. We alone have the answers. Can you handle the “word of righteousness,” having your “senses trained to discern good and evil”? Have you dug your own well deep, deeper than you need for your own daily devotions? You never know when you’ll need to draw the water of life for your family, neighbors, friends, or that stranger you’ll meet in the Providence of the Sovereign King this day.

The Commanded Waters of the King

“Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Saviour, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being a church ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of church membership and to the Lord's Supper” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, VII).

I meet with two candidates for baptism this evening. We have a baptism service this next Sunday night, and it’s always a valuable chance to revisit the biblical texts on baptism.

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:37,38). Someone recently asked why we don’t extend Gospel invitations in this way. The two-fold command of Peter on the day of Pentecost was “repent” and “be baptized.” I don’t know if I’ve ever heard that Gospel response commanded, and I’m pretty certain I’ve never given it. I admit this by way of confessing pastoral failure.

As Carl Trueman ably pointed out in his The Creedal Imperative (which I read with our mission pastor earlier this year), the first thing to go when ecumenism, para-church involvements, and denominational camouflage (my term, not Trueman’s) become the rule is a church’s dedication to living out the biblical witness on the sacraments/ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Since interpretive differences on the ordinances are the usual reasons for denominationalism, the ordinances are happily relegated to no-man’s land these days in favor of a Rodney King-ist approach: “Can’t we all just get along?” Sadly, this usually means putting the local church second to the universal church (though the N.T. is written to the local church and the biblical support for the idea of the universal church is far less in volume), and it always means making baptism and the Lord’s Supper disappear from view (since these highlight the local church and our uniqueness as a denomination).

It’s the first step in obeying the King’s command to make disciples of all the nations: “...baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). It is, as I heard a Presbyterian say last year, the beginning to a lifetime of discipleship in Christ. It is a commitment on the part of the church to teach them everything that Christ the King commanded of His disciples (Matthew 28:20). It is a surrender to the rule of Christ the King. It is an entering into the promises of the Father to those who are in union with His Son; it is also a recognition of the curse upon those who do not have a living faith in the Son.

Baptism is important. It is worth making much of, and should be mentioned with the presentation of the Gospel, regardless of the demands of ecumenism and/or a popular sentimental watering-down of denominational distinctiveness. I'm not against cooperation for the Kingdom work, but not at the expense of what we confess to be the biblical standard for His Church.

Paul mentions it when giving his testimony to the people in Jerusalem: “A certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, came to me, and standing near said to me, ‘Brother Saul, receive your sight!’ And at that very time I looked up at him. And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear an utterance from His mouth. For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. Now why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name’” (Acts 22:12-16).

Remember your baptism. Read Romans 6 and remind yourself of the radical change and union God uses it to proclaim over you.

“Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, after angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him” (1 Peter 3:21,22).

Have you repented and been baptized in His name? Have you been baptized unto a lifetime commitment to be discipled by His church unto full obedience to His commands? Have you appealed to Him from the waters for forgiveness that comes only through His name?

This is the command of the King. Hear, obey, and receive His boundless mercy and grace.

- Pastor Michael