Word of Salvation – Vol. 21 No. 46 – August 1975

 

Lord’s Day 21 – (Q&A 55)

 

Sermon by Rev. A Nijhuis, B.D. on Lord’s Day 21 (2)

Silent Prayer.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is, when brothers dwell in unity
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life for evermore.” Psalm 133:1,3b. Votum & Salutation.

Singing: Psalter Hymnal 36

Prayer

Scripture Readings: Amos 2:4-16 & 1John 3:11-24

Text: Lord’s Day 21b (Question 55 only)

Singing: Psalter Hymnal 278 before sermon

Sermon

Prayer

Offering(s)

Singing: Psalter Hymnal 442:1,4

Apostles’ Creed

Benediction

Doxology: Psalter Hymnal 487 to the tune of 436.

 

Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,

TODAY we continue professing what is stated in the Apostles’ Creed.  WE are dealing with the 9th article of that creed: “I believe a holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.”  THAT is one article.  WE should keep that in mind when we recite that together.  WE should not act as if “the communion of saints” was a separate article.  THE proper way to say it is: “I believe a holy catholic Church, the communion of saints;” – AND then after a little pause follow with: – “THE forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.”

LIFE everlasting is the last article.  THAT is perfect bliss, full salvation such as eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has entered into the heart of man.

That has not entered into our heart, NEITHER has anything entered into our heart which belongs to salvation through Jesus Christ.

WHO could imagine the restoration of the creation wrecked as it was by our sin?  JESUS Christ is not OUR discovery, but the surprising gift of God.

Similarly the Church is a gift of God.  I believe a holy catholic Church.  IT is CHRIST’S building, His work.

And by believing in Christ I may sing, “that I am, and forever shall remain, a living member thereof.”  THAT is great, the greatest thing for a sinner.

Many people believe eternal life is ahead of us.  Eternal life however, begins HERE AND NOW.  The Lord does not say, “Well, later I will be your Saviour and your Lord.” He says that it begins today, now and here!  We may belong to the Lord Jesus Christ here and now and we are called to serve Him also here and now.

You cannot live a life without Christ here, while belonging to Him.  You cannot hope to enter life eternal if you don’t want to serve the Lord here.

I believe a holy catholic Church, the communion of saints.

That last part of this article calls for our attention, namely, “THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.”

We just follow the answer given in our catechism which shows us that it means:
            1.  BELONGING to Christ and,
            2.  SERVING Christ for the benefit of our fellow-men.

Isn’t the communion of saints a beautiful name for the Church, brothers and sisters, young people.  It is indeed wonderful that people may be called the communion of saints, and that the Church may be called that.  The Church is the communion of saints.  That whole expression is fantastic.  Imagine that not only is it a communion; but it is a communion of saints at that.  The one word is as surprising as the other.  How is it possible that the Church can be called the communion of the saints?  These are most exciting words.

You usually don’t say such nice things about the Church, do you?

Just mention that word, if you dare.  When the word “church” is mentioned and people start to laugh and to mock and say, “Did you ever hear of such a silly organization as the church?”  You may try another word “casino” and lots of people are enthusiastic and like to risk their money for it and waste their time for it.

You don’t take church seriously in these modern times, do you?  Imagine that – a church!  Forget about it.

In spite of all that, when there are no casinos anymore, and when no one peaks anymore about it, the church will still be there.  She is not the work of men, but the work of Christ.  His building is of a more lasting nature than that which men undertake.

The Church is the communion of saints, and the communion of saints means in the first place that “believers, all and every one, as members of Christ, are partakers of Him and of all His treasures and gifts.” When we speak about the communion of saints we may be inclined to think along the horizontal line, about the members of the Church and the fellowship among one another.  However, the Catechism speaks first about the fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, the vertical line.  There is no fellowship here among people apart from the fellowship with the Lord, anyway not that fellowship which is meant here.

We were taught already in Lord’s Day 2 that the law of God requires us to love God and to love our neighbour and that we are inclined to HATE God and our neighbour.

That is exactly the opposite of what is required.  We may speak about whatever.  Thanks to the common grace of God there is not, or not yet a complete realization of our inner nature.  That is still to come if we don’t know Christ.  That is hell!

Renewal of our heart and life is only possible through faith in Jesus Christ.  That is the reason why this answer first states that believers all and every one, as members of Christ, are partakers of Him and of all His treasures and gifts.

It is not enough to know this and to be able to recite this answer of the catechism.  It is good though to know it by heart, but it is not sufficient.  Even as members of the Reformed Church, it is possible, that we live our own life, that we stick to our ideas and our customs and that we are unwilling to be reformed according to the will of our Master.  You may preach and preach, but it does not help if we remain the same self-centred people throughout the years; and if we don’t change in spite of the Word of God and in spite of the fact that we know a lot of things.

You see, there is only one way to change that, namely by listening to the voice of the Master.  We cannot change our own life.  And in ourselves we are unwilling to do so.  There will never be a communion of saints apart from the Lord Jesus Christ, unless we turn to Him, and unless He starts working in our hearts.

That is why we first have to listen to the first part of this answer.  The communion of saints means before all other things that we, you and I, believe in Jesus Christ, and that we are one with Him.

The question which we first have to answer is whether we love the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord, or to use the words of the Catechism, whether we are “partakers of Christ and all His benefits and gifts.”

Don’t be mistaken.  Christ is mentioned first and then follow His benefits and gifts.  That is the right order.  Everyone likes to enjoy Christ’s benefits.  Who does not like to enjoy eternal life, eternal bliss?  Who does not receive a lot of His gifts here on earth?

We may not be aware of it or even deny it, but the truth is that all things we enjoy are gifts, gifts of Christ.  If we start counting them there is no end to those gifts.  We like to receive more and more, and of course, if it were possible to enjoy life eternal without any misery and trouble, well, we would like that too.  However, the right order is first of all CHRIST, and then follow His benefits.  Therefore, I don’t ask whether you like the gifts of Christ, rather, do you love Christ?  Do you really love Him?  Do you belong to Him?  Is the fellowship with Him right?

Without Christ we can do nothing.  We are unable to build the communion of saints.  We need Him first of all, and we don’t need Him only at the beginning or only on the day of our public profession of faith; but we need Him every day, even every minute.

The fellowship with Christ has to be maintained and it has to grow.  This is impossible unless we use the means Christ has granted to us and use them faithfully.  We have to listen to His voice and we have to pray for the Holy Spirit.  That means simply that we have to go to church faithfully and to hear the Word of God and to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.  We have to read the Word of God in our homes and to ask the Lord for His blessing upon it.  If we don’t, if we neglect the means given to us and this can easily happen, also to Reformed people and if we neglect our daily devotions, we slide back and in the end we turn away from Christ.  Brothers and sisters, young people, don’t overlook this “first” part of the answer to the Catechism.  Don’t overlook the fellowship with Jesus Christ.  Don’t forget to examine yourself or to ask yourself, “Do I have fellowship with Christ?”

If you honestly must confess that you miss this, well listen then to His invitation to come to Him and to surrender to Him.  I know that you are not able to give yourself faith.  But, I know too that Christ does not reject anyone who comes to Him.  I know of the promise of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit will be given to all those who ask for Him.  You may be sure of it.

If you have to confess that you are neglecting the things which are most important, and that your prayer-life is no more than a routine-business, or that you are inclined to forget it altogether; I pray, turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and change your life with the help of Him Who is willing and able to do just that.  With Him nothing is impossible!

O yes, the communion of saints is a wonderful thing, a wonder of grace, a gift from heaven.

However, you cannot enjoy this without Jesus Christ.  You cannot contribute to it without Him Who makes people, dead in sin, alive through Him.

The flower of the communion of saints can only blossom on the root of the fellowship with Christ.

It is a beautiful flower, the communion of saints, a unique flower, not to be compared with any other fellowship in the world.

Christians are people who are one in Jesus Christ.  They belong to the same Lord.  They are cleansed by His blood.  They are baptised in His Name.  They are listening to His voice and they are trying to live according to His will.  They partake of the same life – the life of Jesus Christ.

No, they are not a group of people who think the same way, who have similar opinions, but are a fellowship of all believers.

I call this fellowship a miracle which it is, because in our heart there grows by nature only hatred, envy and things like that.  Thanks to the Holy Spirit, Who operates in the hearts through the Word of Christ, love is growing.

The church is really the greatest miracle of the world.  The hindrances of race and nationality, rank and class are swept away.  White and coloured people become brothers and sisters in the Lord.  At the same Table are the Lord of Lords and His humblest servant.  Believers live from the same bread, build on the same promises, are hoping for the same joy and are already here enjoying the fellowship with their Lord and with one another.

I believe the communion of saints.  Yes, sometimes I see something of it already, something that touches my heart, but sometimes I don’t see it.  Especially when it happens that brothers of the same house are trying to destroy one another.  It’s awful.

Yet… I believe the communion of saints.

The communion of saints is not only a privilege, a gift from heaven.  It is also a charge, a commission, an order, a responsibility.  That is always the case.  A gift means at the same time that I have to serve with it.

That’s also the case here.  Just listen, “…second, that everyone must know himself bound to employ his gifts readily and cheerfully for the advantage and salvation of other members.”

Did you know this already, that communion of saints means that you are called to serve, to serve with all your gifts, readily and cheerfully?

That last part is the most difficult.  To make a sacrifice, well, it may be hard, sometimes very hard, but it can be done.  Every boy and girl knows that.  When your parents ask you to do something for them, it may be not too difficult to do according to their wish; but to do so readily and cheerfully, that’s another thing.

But the Lord wants ready and cheerful servants, people who love to do His will unconditionally.

The communion of saints means that we are ready and willing and happy, and that the Lord will use even me in His service for the advantage and salvation of other members.

This is quite a different picture than that we usually draw.  We may think, that the whole church is more or less there to help ME and to serve ME and to please ME.  It may even happen in a smaller circle, let us say, of young people, that they have the idea that everybody is just there to act according to their desires.

There are people, adults and youngsters, who behave like that.  They are never willing to do anything for the community.  They have always excuses; and they may even offer pious excuses.  They never come forward to offer themselves.  Sometimes they cannot get out of doing something, and they may do it, but not readily and cheerfully, but reluctantly and grudgingly.

Let us learn anew that “communion of saints” does not refer to all the other people, but to me.  “That I am bound to employ my gifts readily and cheerfully for the advantage and salvation of other members.”

Do you realise what this means?  Do you, no, not your fellow-members, but do you already know the joy and the happiness of this service of the Lord.  May He open our eyes that we may see our gifts from Him and that we may discover where we can serve Him and my fellow-men.  May the Holy Spirit make me willing and prepared to do what I’m bound to do.

How happy life like that is.  It is a foretaste of eternal life, when we may serve the Lord without any flaw and shortcoming, and where our whole life shall be to the glory of His Name.

Communion of the saints is a real privilege and a real responsibility too.  Don’t overlook the fact that the communion of the saints is not something we can practise or which we don’t practise according to our own free will.  For Christians it is a must, a necessity.

Every one of us must know himself bound to employ his gifts readily and cheerfully for the advantage and salvation of other members.

This is not just the opinion of the people who made our catechism.  This is a confession of Christians who base this confession on the Word of God.

Remember the words our Lord Jesus Christ once spoke, when He said: “When the Son of man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne.  Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He will place the sheep at His right hand, but the goats at the left.  Then the King will say to those at His right hand: “Come, o blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me.”

Then the righteous will answer Him: “Lord, when did we see Thee hungry and feed Thee, or thirsty and gave Thee drink?  And when did we see Thee a stranger and welcome Thee, or naked and clothed Thee?”  And the King will answer, “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”

Then He will say to those at His left hand: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave Me no food, I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome Me, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.”

Then they also will answer: “Lord, when did we see Thee hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to Thee?”

Then He will answer them: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to Me.”

And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

This is simple and clear language.  Those who are members of Christ have to bear fruit.  The fruit is that we love our fellow-Christians and act accordingly.

Christians cannot close their eyes and hands and hearts to their brothers and sisters in the Lord.  They have to show their love towards the Lord, by showing their love towards those for whom Christ gave His life.

We have to examine ourselves to find out whether we know ourselves bound to employ our gifts readily and cheerfully for the advantage and salvation of other members.

Remember, it is a matter of life and death.

Amen.