Word of Salvation – Vol. 18 No.33 – August 1972

 

Our Bank In Heaven

 

Sermon by Rev. C, Moerman, Th.Grad. on 2Tim.1:12b (A.V.)

SCRIPTURE READING: 2Tim.1:1-14

PSALTER HYMNAL: 38:all; 328:1 and 3; 303:1 and 4; 378:all; 321:1 and 4

Sermon suitable for Preparatory or Thanksgiving after Lord’s Supper.

 

Congregation of our Lord,

In the depression years before the war the whole world of finance and commerce collapsed.  Shares, land, houses, big companies and money itself took a great beating.  Security was hard to find and many people getting on in age were much concerned about finding a safe place to invest their life’s savings.  They wanted to be sure that, when time came that they needed it, they would be able to use it and… THAT IT STILL WOULD HAVE VALUE.  They wondered whether “their money, their riches,” would be safe in the bank or with some other investment company.

Yes, people ‘worry a lot’ about their savings and investments.  Even today, to try to take doubts away, and to get a fair slice of the money market, banks are advertising with such slogans as: “You can bank on the Wales”.  BUT CAN YOU REALLY?  If another depression would hit our country, the market of finance and investment etc., could possible collapse again.  And even if not, what if the Lord takes away your soul tonight?  What good will be to you all your savings and riches?

But there is one bank which will never collapse.  It always repays, and that is OUR BANK IN HEAVEN.  Therefore WE do NOT say, “You can bank on the Wales”, but WE say: “‘YOU CAN BANK ON JESUS CHRIST.”

That’s what our text is dealing with: “OUR BANK IN HEAVEN”.  You see there in the front of the church the symbols of the two sacraments: Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  A fountain of living water, and a meal of living bread.

Why do you use the sacraments?  Because you want to express that you believe that Jesus Christ is your Saviour; that you want Him to be your children’s Saviour; that you have faith and trust and confidence in Him, not only that He will guide you today and strengthen you to help you to fight against sin, but also that He will give you strength to live a life of praise which never ends.  And that’s quite right… for “Communion” experienced with Christ in the sacraments is food for your soul; it gives substance and strength to your faith.

But if this is so… “Let then every shadow of doubt” be removed…!  LET YOUR FAITH BE STRONG, for you do not build on your own strength… but, you BANK ON JESUS CHRIST…!  “Your faith is safely guarded in Heaven.”…  No depression, no crisis, CAN EVER DEVALUATE the riches you have laid up, that you have given into deposit to Jesus Christ in Heaven…. You can bank on Christ…!!

Paul says in our text, “I am sure that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him.”

Now what actually had Paul entrusted to Jesus Christ?  HIS SALVATION, HIS LIFE, HIS SOUL, HIS WHOLE BEING, HIS WORK FOR HIM IN THE WORLD.

Paul, who himself in the younger years of his life HAD FOUGHT AGAINST JESUS CHRIST, who did not want to surrender to Jesus Christ, after he met with Him on the road to Damascus HAD BECOME A CHANGED MAN, He gave his life to Jesus Christ…Had faith that all his sins were forgiven…trust that Jesus would guide him, help him…save him.  He committed his whole being to Christ, both with body and soul, in life and death.

Paul was the one who sang: “I surrender all, I surrender all, all to Thee, my blessed Saviour, I surrender all.”

Paul made so to speak a deal with Jesus Christ.  And this is the best deal anyone can ever make in life, and the best deal even for you young people who are not able to come to the table yet.

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The deal, which goes as follows: “Lord, I know that I am a sinner, I need you very much in my life, you are working with your Holy Spirit in my heart, if you grant me forgiveness for all my sins, and give me the peace of mind and heart in all circum- stances” to use the words of Calvin “I give my heart to you”.  “Take my life and let it be, concecrated Lord, to Thee; Many things may happen to me in my lifetime, I may be ridiculed, beaten up, called a square by my friends, poverty may be my share, my work can be so overburdening, BUT I WILL ALWAYS BE SECURE, HAPPY BECAUSE I HAVE YOU.  JOYFUL, BECAUSE I WILL LIVE À PURPOSEFUL LIFE WHICH NEVER ENDS…and later I will meet with you “in full glory”…for salvation IS mine.

last.

Paul made a good deal…and was assured that his faith would

Now I am sure that there are many old and young people, who would love to have such a strong faith; but they look at themselves and say “No…for I am so unreliable, so weak, I change so often”.  But is that the right thing to say?  Lift up your hearts and eyes to heaven where Jesus Christ is the source of power and strength.

Why was Paul’s faith so resolute and strong, what was his secret?  HE KNEW THE BANKER.  And you can bank on Jesus Christ.  No doubt…Paul says, “I know whom I have believed…’

“I know” means here “I have the absolute knowledge and certainty,” not just some emotional experience, which, by the way, is very good to have.  BUT A SURE AND FIRM CONVICTION, BECAUSE I KNOW WHOM I have believed.  “Whom” is the keyword here.  The general theme, the Banker, Jesus Christ…MY FAITH IS SAFE WITH HIM.  FAITH RESTS IN CHRIST HIMSELF.  HE KEEPS IT, HE GUARDS IT, HE PRESERVES IT.

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Once you have committed your life to Him, Your salvation is secure, BECAUSE HE LAYS IT UP AS A TREASURE IN HEAVEN.  FOR YOU..in your name,

Paul does not ask here “But why for me Lord?  As a matter of fact, Paul could be very confused about his own life.  I am quite sure that Paul never understood the “why”.  As you and I can never understand, why WE are elected by God’s Grace.  Paul could be quite mixed up even to the extent, that “sin committed” puzzled him greatly.  “The good I want to do is so awfully difficult, and evil lies so close to the doors of my heart.” Paul could be a very mixed up fellow, a reed shaken by the wind, BUT NOT AS FAR AS THE OUTCOME OF HIS FAITH WAS CONCERNED, That was safely kept for him “in the Bank of heaven”.  You don’t have to go and look at your

money everyday, to believe that it is still there.

A living TRUST in Christ Jesus Himself is expressed here.  Do you have the same assurance?

The story is told of an aged mother, who knew her bible well.  She had a stormy and difficult life, As she became older her memory failed her and also her eyesight.  She could no longer read her bible…  But one passage kept clear in her mind.  “I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND AM PERSUADED THAT “HE” IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH I HAVE COMMITTED UNTO HIM”.  She repeated these words many times, until at last when she was on her deathbed, she could not even say the whole passage any longer but her moving lips were saying, “I know WHOM I have believed.”

GLORIOUS STRONG FAITH…THAT’S SOMETHING WE ALL CAN HAVE…if we do not look on ourselves, driftwood tossed about, BUT AT THE BANKER, whose word is faithful and WHO NEVER DISAPPOINTS.

NO, NEVER…for He will guard it until that Day.  That is, until the day that life’s journey is over and all the dangers past” THE DAY WHEN YOU WILL APPEAR BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST In that glorious day when the shadows will be lifted and the dawn of eternity break through, THEN…Christ will give you “THE FULL ENJOYMENT OF SALVATION’ which during this life you already enjoyed as a hope, nay a certainty, as a safe deposit in the Bank of Heaven,

Wales.

People of God, you can Bank on Jesus, a lot more than on the But please do…for if you have faith, but miss the assurance thereof, you also miss the joy, THE JOY OF CERTAINTY OF SALVATION, Christ will help your faith to become strong.  He does in Word and Sacraments, Go back into the world tomorrow, AND KNOW WHOM YOU HAVE BELIEVED…and not you, but that HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT WHICH YOU HAVE COMMITTED TO HIM…ALWAYS…UNTIL THAT DAY, AND HE WILL CERTAINLY DO IT.

Amen.