“And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest,” Luke 22:23-24.
I read Luke 22 on the Lord’s Day passed. It deals with issues that took place in a day when the cause of Christ is in the midst of a crisis. It provides us with an insight to events impacting upon the whole Free Presbyterian Church.
I am referring to the dismissal of Rev David DiCanio from the ministry of the gospel. David DiCanio’s ‘sin’ was to fearlessly denounce that which is already denounced in God’s Word, ‘Contemporary Christian Music’, and which is specifically denounced in the standards of the Free Presbyterian Church.
However, there are those ministers and elders who defy the Bible’s denunciation and encourage the use of such unscriptural music in the worship of the Lord.
David DiCanio I believe, offended those whose minds were set, like the minds of the apostles in our text, upon self-importance and self aggrandisement rather than upon the information given them by the Saviour regarding the climax of His earthly ministry.
In considering these verses I was struck by the fact that:
I. THE MIND OF GOD’S SERVANTS, EVEN AS THEY STILL SAT AT THE TABLE WHERE THE SAVIOUR HAD JUST INDICATED HIS APPROACHING DEATH, SEEMED INDIFFERENT TO THAT REVALED TO THEM IN THE SAVIOUR’S WORDS!
1. How could those men be occupied with self esteem and self importance in the aftermath of the Last Supper? Had they heard nothing of what He had said?
“And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you,” Luke 22:14-20.
The Saviour had just announced that He was to be taken “by wicked hands” and “crucified and slain,” Acts 2:23. But the apostles were occupied by thoughts of vain glory!
2. Is it not sadly so today? The Free Presbyterian Church was brought into being to engage in the battle for truth and the honour and glory of the Saviour as His enemies crowded around to overthrow all that was His.
That battle rages still today BUT there are few in our church who engage the enemy as that enemy was engaged by Dr Ian Paisley in those early days. I submit that there are men more interested in who will hold office and flaunt their ‘authority’ than in the shameful treatment of the Saviour both within and without of the ranks of professing Christians!
I doubtless will offend some by saying this BUT what I say is the mind of many ministers if they would but say it publicly rather than just privately amongst themselves!
3. Particularly, the apostles took no heed of the poignancy of the Saviour’s words just prior to their carnal debate! “But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!” Verse 21-22. The tide of evil opposition to the Saviour was reaching its zenith but the apostles were indifferent, being occupied by thoughts of their own importance!
Never have I felt the distressfulness of the attitude of the apostles as it is here declared as I felt when I read these words yesterday. I felt that there was a particularly telling demonstration of a spirit that is all too evident amongst us today. Many Christians neglect to hear the Word of God on the issues that face us because they are absorbed in and distracted by the earthly affairs of their own lives! Status and appearance, wealth and possessions, business and temporal affairs — all this crowded in and blocked out the tragic circumstances amassing around the name and cause of the Lord Jesus.
How many Christian parents take any heed to the corrupting of the state school system so that children, their children, are going to be taught the obnoxiously immoral standards being dictated by those in subservience to the sodomite/LGBTQ within the government?
Warnings have been issued by our own Free Presbyterian Education Board but little or no heed has been taken of the warnings. Rather, many ministers and elders remain largely indifferent to the threat and are even engaged in closing Christian schools!
II. WE LIVE IN A DAY IN WHICH THE SPIRIT OF CALVARY IS RAPIDLY REACHING ITS ‘END OF THE AGE’ CLIMAX!
1. The day of the final challenging of God by the Antichrist and his allies is fast approaching. Two thousand years ago it was said: “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh,” James 5:8. If they mean anything, these words of James call for a preparation of our hearts for the climax of the ages. God’s people were to ever live in such a spirit. Paul said to the Corinthians: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; that in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 1:4-8.
It has ever been the purpose of God to “confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Lord would want us, His saints, to be blameless in “the day of Christ”. He would confirm and establish in us such a spirit by having us informed and taught to ever bear that day in mind.
Is there any theological subject more neglected among us than that of the ‘coming of the Lord’? Numerous people have told me in response to articles I have published on this topic, that their minister never really deals with the matter in any detail nor refers to the many Scriptures which set forth the great apostasy that is to directly precede that glorious event.
That is why so many Christians are occupied with matters of a mundane and non-spiritual nature. The cry of the Saviour, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh,” Matthew 24:44, is largely ignored and little though given to it — just as the apostles had given little or no thought to what the Saviour had said to them of His approaching crucifixion!
2. Such careless heedlessness gave rise to their shameful reaction to the Saviour’s arrest and trial. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out, as against a thief, with swords and with staves to take me? I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and ye took me not: but the scriptures must be fulfilled. And they all forsook him, and fled,” Mark 14:48-50.
Peter had struck out sinfully with the sword and “smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear,” verse 50. This brought him a rebuke from the Saviour. “And Jesus answered and said, Suffer ye thus far. And he touched his ear, and healed him,” Luke 22:51.
The Saviour’s healing of the wound shows how contrary to His will the blow by Peter was.
3. Sadly, the running away was not the total of their sad reaction to the Saviour’s dishonouring. Peter had been told that he would disown the Lord but he could not believe that he would ever do such a thing. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me,” Luke 22:31-34. Mark adds some important words in his account of this incident. “But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all,” Mark 14:31. Peter’s shameful denial was something they all were guilty of.
By ignoring the apostasy of today and not contending as our churches did in former times, I believe that we show evidence of this spirit of indifference which gave rise to an awful turning of the back upon the Saviour in the hour of “the power of darkness.”
III. SUCH A SAD SPIRIT OF INDIFFERENCE RESULTED IN THE APOSTLES MERELY LOOKING ON FROM A DISTANCE AS THE LORD WAS CRUELLY TREATED BY WICKED MEN
“But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end,” Matthew 26:58. “And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things,” Luke 23:46-49.
That is what the spirit of indifference, evident among us, will doom our church to in the coming days of battle if there is not a most decided rejecting of it.
Ministers and elders who know things are wrong must show courage and rise up and oppose the present direction the church is being led in.
What should we do?
Let us all remember what is written. “And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.” And there came also Nicodemus, which at the first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand,” John 19:38-19.
These men, in the end, cast off their fear and timidity and boldly did what the apostles failed to do. They expressed their faith in Christ and stood with Him in His hour of shame and reproach.
Let us not forget the ladies who likewise showed such grace and courage. “And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them,” Luke 23:55-24:1.
Their actions are recorded for learning and encouragement. No matter how we may have failed the Lord it is never too late to cast aside that failure and render to the Saviour the honour and service we should have ever done.
Let every Free Presbyterian rise up as did Joseph and Nicodemus and boldly own the Lord and “go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come,” Hebrews 13:13-14.
May these few words help us to understand what is our duty today and rise up NOW and do it.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev Ivan Foster (Rtd)
Monday, 9th December 2024