Word of Salvation – Vol.14 No.9 – March 1968

 

Sons Of The Kingdom

 

Sermon by Rev. P. van der Schaaf, B.D. on Matthew 8:5-13 & Luke 7:1-10.

Scripture Readings: John 4:46-54

Suggested Hymns: Psalter Hymnal: 383; 100 (2,4) (old); 404; 403; 468.

 

Beloved congregation of the Lord Jesus Christ!

As you know, in the days when Jesus lived on earth, the Romans ruled over Israel.  Therefore, in several towns, there were Roman garrisons to maintain law and order.

Generally speaking, relationships between such garrisons and the population were not too good.  As a rule they hated one another.  However, to every rule there is an exception, and the captain of the garrison of Capernaum was one of these exceptions.

During the years in which he lived in that town, a mutual sympathy grew between the captain and the population.  According to the elders of the Jews he LOVED the nation, and he SHOWED his love, too: he built a synagogue for them.

Is it any wonder that the population on their side loved and honoured this captain?

Of course, he was a heathen, an uncircumcised gentile.  So his Jewish friends were not allowed to come under his roof.  By doing so they would have been unclean.  But they did not despise him for that reason.  Rather, they regretted they were not allowed to enter his house, for they respected him highly.  The captain on his part did not think badly of them; he respected them, and their religion.

Well, one day sorrow entered the captain’s home.  One of his servants fell ill.

On the whole, in those days people did not worry about the sickness and death of a slave; but the captain was an exception to the rule, also in this respect.  His servant was very dear to him, and he did all he could to help him.  But it was all to no avail.  The man’s condition grows worse and worse.  At last, he lies, paralysed and in great pain, near to death.  Seemingly a hopeless case!

Then the captain hears that Jesus is entering Capernaum.  Jesus!

For the captain that means a new possibility.

Didn’t Jesus go about all Galilee, making well those who were ill with all sorts of diseases?  Didn’t the captain, just the other day, hear that Jesus had healed the son of another man of high position at Capernaum?  Wasn’t that young man near to death also?  Didn’t Jesus heal him from a great distance – only by speaking a word?

These stories of Jesus’ wonders are as seeds which have fallen on good ground, so that they give fruit even in trouble and pain.  It appears that they have raised belief in the captain’s heart; and his trouble and sorrow don’t put a stop to this growth.  On the contrary, they STIMULATE it.  Yes, the captain BELIEVES that Jesus is able to save his servant!  Not only others, but his own servant, too!

But is Jesus prepared to do so?  This is the important question!

For the captain is a HEATHEN; one of the uncircumcised; an unclean GENTILE.  Hadn’t he learnt that from his Jewish friends?  The captain realises his position; he feels he is NOT WORTHY to ask Jesus to come and save his servant.

But he has his Jewish friends!  Maybe they are willing to go and ask Jesus.  If so, Jesus may be prepared to come and help, for THEY are worthy people, children of Israel.

So the captain sends for the elders of the Jews.  Of course, they will do this for the captain; for, although he is a Roman, he is still their friend.  Doesn’t their law say, that one may hate the enemy, but that one must love the friend?

So the elders go.  They shall tell Jesus about the captain’s kindness; about his love to the nation, and, last but not least, about the synagogue he built.  Perhaps Jesus will then be prepared to come and help.

Soon they stand before Jesus, who is followed by a great multitude.  Hear them pleading the captain’s cause!

“Lord, the captain’s servant lies in the house sick of palsy, grievously tormented.

“The servant is very dear unto him and he beseeches you to come and save him.  We know he is a heathen, but still, Lord, do come and comply with his request.  He is worthy that you should do this for him.  Lord, he is a friend to our nation; he loves our nation very much; indeed, he built us a synagogue!”

In this way the elders urge Jesus strongly with their plea.  And the point of their plea means, HE IS WORTHY!

Will Jesus be convinced by the elders?  Will he be satisfied with their references?

The elders – and the people – wait in suspense.  For the captain may be an excellent person; he may love the people of Israel; he may have built Capernaum’s synagogue – but he is still an unclean gentile.

Everybody in Capernaum’s street that day feels the difficulty.  Is Jesus allowed to go under the roof of a heathen?  Moreover, aren’t His blessings only for the children of Israel?  Is it right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs?  That is the hard and important decision that has to be taken!

However, it seems that Jesus has been convinced by the plea of the elders, who said, He is worthy!

“And Jesus said unto them, I will come and heal him.  And He went with them”.

Does Jesus, too, find the captain worthy?  But wait a moment before drawing the final conclusion: For these are not Jesus’ last words,

“And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, Lord, do not trouble yourself for I am not worthy that you should come under my roof; therefore I did not consider myself worthy to come to you.”

What a humble, noble, excellent man this captain is!  While Jesus is prepared to come under his roof, he sends friends to say that he is not worthy that Jesus should do this.

“Lord, do not trouble yourself; for I am not worthy!”.

But then what about his servant, who is near to death?  Well, as we have seen the stories about Jesus’ wonders are like seeds which have fallen on good ground, so that they give much fruit.

Hadn’t Jesus healed the son of that other man of Capernaum only by speaking a word?  Look how much fruit that story produces in the life of the captain!

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof!”

“But, Lord, it is not necessary that you should enter my house, either.  For you have authority over sickness and disease, like a captain over his soldiers.  Like a captain, you are able to give orders from afar.  If you say to the sickness of my servant, ‘Go,’ it shall go.

“Therefore, Lord, do not trouble yourself by entering my house; I am not important enough for these troubles.  Say only the word, and my servant shall be healed!  But do not trouble yourself about it.”

“When Jesus heard these things, He marvelled at him”.  Indeed!  But be careful now!  For WHY did Jesus marvel?  Because of his humility and nobleness?  Because of his concern about his servant, near to death?  Because of his love to the nation?  Because of the synagogue he had built?  Not at all!  Listen only to Jesus Himself!

“He turned and said to the multitude that followed Him, I say to you, I have not found so great FAITH, no, not in Israel”.

“And to the centurion, Go your way; as you have BELIEVED, so be it done unto you!”

This is Jesus Christ, the SAVIOUR of the world!  He saves those who believe!

Of course, it is very important to love the nation in which you live.  Don’t forget that!  It is very important, too, to care about your servant, especially when he is sick.  Keep that in mind!  Likewise, it is very important to build a place of worship for the Lord.  Remember that!  All these things are so important that God Himself commands us to do them.

But they are not so important that you may lay them down before Jesus Christ with the purpose of buying His favour and power, to save you or anyone else.

Jesus said, “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”.

Let’s assume you are perfect indeed.  What more did you do, than the things you are commanded?  There is no profit in you because you have only done what you were ordered to do!

But you are not perfect at all!  No one is good, but only God!

While we must be absolutely perfect, even our best works are all imperfect!  Therefore we cannot lay them down before Jesus with the idea of buying His favour and power to save us.  On the contrary, even our best works daily increase our debt, because they show that we did not do what it was our duty to do.

So NO-ONE is WORTHY that Jesus should come under his roof,

Maybe the captain didn’t understand all these things.  But in one respect he understood them very well.  He was aware that HE HIMSELF was unworthy to come to Jesus.

In this respect, he understood these things much better than the elders – who found themselves worthy enough to go to Jesus, and found the captain’s love and work good enough to lay down before Him.

In reality, all this man’s good works were not good enough.  And about the one thing which was needful – the captain’s FAITH – Jesus did not hear a word.

Nevertheless, Jesus found it.  By faith, the captain sent the elders to Jesus.  By faith, he felt that he was not even worthy to come to Him.  By faith he said, “Say the word, and my servant shall be healed.”  Yes, Jesus found faith!  And what a faith!

He marvelled at it, and said, “I say to you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel!”

There is in these words, on the one hand, a shout of joy; on the other hand, a silent reproach.

Joy – because of the faith of the heathen; but reproach because of the unbelief of Israel.

Being a prophet, and foreseeing the things to come, Jesus is going to speak about the future.

The stories of Jesus’ wonders are as seeds which have, so to speak, blown over onto good ground, on the other side of the garden wall; for the captain was a heathen.

But, in the future, the whole earth will be the garden – and the seed shall be sown deliberately all over the world.  Then neither circumcision nor the lack of it shall be important, but faith working through love, and those who will walk by faith shall have peace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

This gospel of Jesus Christ shall give much fruit all over the world.  Many, having heard about Jesus, shall come and pray, “Lord, I beseech you, deliver my soul.” Many shall come, humble but believing, saying, “Lord, I am not worthy to be called your son, but I believe in you as my Saviour.”

So: many shall be saved out of eternal death and live for ever.

Being a prophet, Jesus foresees the things to come – and there is a great joy in His words, “I say to you that many shall come from the east and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven”.

From the East or from the West, it doesn’t matter!  Jew or heathen, it doesn’t matter!  The only question is whether you BELIEVE!  All those who DO BELIEVE are children of the kingdom of heaven, which is like a bright festive hall in a dark night,

Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob were there already when Jesus lived on earth.  Since then, many have come from the east and the west and have entered the kingdom’s festive hall.

You, too, are called to the feast of the kingdom!
            “Come, for the feast is spread, hark to the call;
             Come to the living bread, offered to all.
             Come to His house of wine, low on His breast recline,
             All that He has is thine; come, sinner, come.”

Hark to the call!  Reply to the call!  Say, “Jesus, we come to Thee, o take us in!”.  We are not worthy, but we believe!

So we shall enter the festive hall and be guests at the bridal feast of the Lamb forever.  But if we do NOT believe we shall be cast forth into outer darkness: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

That is the other side to Jesus’ sermon in Capernaum’s street.

As we have seen the heathen was only a plant on the outside of the garden wall.

Israel was the garden itself.

Throughout all ages the seed of the gospel has been sown in Israel.  God laid down His laws among them.  So, in a special way, God was Israel’s King, and they were His special people.

Jesus calls them not only SUBJECTS of the kingdom, but even CHILDREN of it.  God was not only their KING, but even their FATHER!  But what about the fruits?

If the heathen brings forth so much fruit, what may be expected from the children of the kingdom?  Still Jesus says, “I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel”.

Perhaps a lot of so-called good works; but, generally speaking, without faith!  Only WILD GRAPES in the vineyard of the Lord God.  But then the Lord lays the axe to the root of the trees; and every tree that does not give good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

Being a prophet and foreseeing the things to come, Jesus speaks also about these things.  “The Kingdom of God shall be taken away from Israel, and shall be given to a nation bringing forth the fruits of it.” And “the sons of the kingdom shall be cast forth into the outer darkness”.

Then it will be of no avail to say, “We are children of the kingdom; we have Abraham to our father; we are circumcised.”  Jesus says to such people, “Neither circumcision nor the lack of it is important, but faith working through love.”

And with regard to Abraham, Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.  Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day – and he saw it, and was glad.”

Abraham was a son of the kingdom through FAITH in Christ Jesus.  If YOU are CHRIST’S, then you are Abraham’s children, and you shall sit down with him in the kingdom of heaven.  But if you don’t believe in Christ, you shall be cast forth into the outer darkness.

Brothers and sisters, the kingdom of heaven has been taken away from Israel and has been given to US.

We are now the children of the kingdom.  We may hear the Word of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

We may be baptized in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

We may partake of the Lord’s Supper which is a sign and seal of the table of the kingdom of heaven.

But: are we now a nation bringing forth FRUIT?  Do we REALLY believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour?

That is the important question:

Without faith, even holy baptism and the Lord’s Supper are of no avail!  They, too, are designed to direct our faith to Jesus Christ as the only Saviour of the world.

Only to those who believe in His name, God gives the right to become children of the Kingdom of heaven.

Therefore, test yourselves, if you are in the faith; make sure of yourselves!

Then Jesus says to you, Go your way; as you have believed, so shall it be done unto you.

You shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven!

 And, in yon land of light,
 Clothed in our robes of white,
 Resting not day nor night,
 JESUS will we sing!

Amen.