Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 5
Q&A 13, 14 & 15 Sermons Vander Kam on HC Lord's Day 5
Q&A 13, 14 & 1513 Q. But can we ourselves make this satisfaction?
A. By no means; on the contrary, we daily increase our debt.
14 Q. Can there be found anywhere a mere creature able to satisfy for us?
A. None; for, first, God will not punish any other creature for the sin which man has committed; and, further, no mere creature can sustain the burden of God's eternal wrath against sin, and deliver others from it.
15 Q. What manner of mediator and deliverer, then, must we seek?
A. One who is a true and righteous man, and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is withal true God.
Beloved in the Lord, there has been some very strange things that have been done in the name of religion since the time of the Reformation. There have been all kinds of movements and there have been these movements in all the various countries of western Europe and also here in this country that have lead people astray, and this was nevertheless, a seeking for redemption. And that is the kind of a thing that we also saw about 14-15 years ago in Jonestown, when there were about 900 people that committed suicide because there was an attempt to seek redemption. We saw it again this past week when over 80 people succumbed in Waco, Texas. And we see these cults as they lead people astray, and nevertheless it is a clear proof of this, that it is a seeking for redemption. And that is the kind of a seeking that we find all over, that we find in every age, that we find in all parts of the world, a seeking for redemption. This is the thing that Calvin means when he says that man is incurably religious. There is something within man that cries out for something more than what he has here in this life, and he is not able to find it. And seeing that he is not able to find it, he will stoop to almost anything in order that he may be satisfied, and he is not satisfied; and finally leads to destruction. Now these are the kind of things of course, that begin to disturb us, and they disturb us violently because of the fact that there are so many people that are lead astray. And that if the Gospel of Jesus Christ had come in time perhaps, perhaps there would have been a possibility that they might have been lead in the right direction. But the Gospel apparently did not come to them in time, and that even though they live in countries where the Gospel has come, that nevertheless it is a burnt over area and people no longer believe and when they no longer believe then they begin to grasp for all manner of things, and then they grasp for those things that will even lead them to their own death. Now those are the things that are also taken up here in this Lord's Day. As we speak to you on "The Attempt To Find Redemption."
Noticing in the first place, that it is not to be found in self. Secondly, that it is not to found in a creature. And finally, the kind that we are to seek. And that follows the three questions.
Now this first question beloved, is a very strange question in my estimation. It is the kind of a question that I begin to wonder whether it should be in the Catechism or not, because of the fact that if I would ask you this morning every man, woman and child here present, is there any way whereby you are able to save yourself; the answer would be crystal clear, and that is, everyone would say, no, of course not. And then I ask the question, why is it then that this encumbers, this question encumbers the Catechism. Where there are only 129 questions that cover the whole round of salvation, and that has to cover everything. And then you have to be very economical with your questions and answers, then why ask such a question that is so evident. That kind of a question as found here in question 13, but can we ourselves make this satisfaction. Of course not. That is an answer that comes so clearly, that comes so clearly because of the fact that we have been instructed, and that we have also experienced it. That we are not able to bring that satisfaction at all.
But we are here beloved, also dealing with those things that are indeed necessary for us, and the compilers of the Catechism have also seen this very clearly. And they come to us with this kind of a truth in order that we may be instructed by it. And those are the things that must stand very clearly before us this morning. So clear in fact, that if the sermon is preached correctly, and if there is spiritual life in the individual believer, then when you leave this building this morning you are going to be a different person than what you were when you entered. That is the guarantee of the Word of God, because here you are dealing with these things that are so fundamental to us, that we are not able to save ourselves, and that is our attempt. And we attempt that again every day because that is the thing that flies closest at hand. That is the most natural thing in the world that we would seek to do it ourselves even though we will confess, and confess openly, and confess again and again, that we are not able to do it, nevertheless we are going to try; that we are going to try it til the very end of life. These things beloved, are so clear to us for example, you see it again, here in our own city in this past week, a very prominent man passed away, and it took the daily paper almost an entire section to speak of his eulogy and all the things that he had accomplished. And the final answer was this, and he died. That is the thing that you find with a funeral, even of God's people, that it is said so many times, speak only the truth, only come with the Word. And then when it is done then they say, that was so cold, that was so cold. That there was not even mention made of the individual's exploits. The things that he did, the things that he had done throughout his life; don't those things count for anything! Does not that enter into the resume that we are to present to our Maker when we come to Him at the end of life? And then the answer of Scripture is, NO, even though it will also say that we shall be judged by the things that we have done, whether they be good or evil. No, these are the kind of things of course, that are so because of the fact that we are to come to confession. And we are to confess our sins. And let it be said very openly and let it be said very clearly, that confession, to us, is something very, very unnatural. And the reason for that is the way we were made, we were made in the image of God. Adam was not supposed to do wrong, and you weren't either. No man. Man was made with wisdom and righteousness and holiness, the imprint of God Himself was upon him. He was not supposed to do wrong. He was not supposed to think wrong. All things were to be excellent and all things were to be good and were to be perfect. And then he fell. And now that image of God has not been destroyed, as I mentioned a few weeks ago. It has been spoiled, but it has not been destroyed; man is still man. And now that image of God rebels against Him. It screams against Him. I'm not supposed to do anything wrong, I'm not supposed to be wrong; and now I read to you this morning and there is no one that doeth good, no not one.
Now where are we? This confession is something so difficult, so tremendously unnatural, and yet it is that absolute necessity because without confession there is no forgiveness. And if there is no forgiveness then are we still in our sins? And then are we still going to find that it will prove fatal in the end? So that we have to come to the confession of our sins, and to confess that is so difficult; Jesus puts it a little bit differently but nevertheless with the same intent. And that is, when He says, "All those who would come after me, let them deny themselves." Now that's the last thing in the world that I want to do is to deny myself. That the last person in the world whom I want to deny, and He says, "If you would come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me." Now then's there nothing left, except He.
We are reminded of these things time and again in the Scriptures, and you are able to find all kinds of illustrations I suppose, also in the natural life around us. But I would rather go to the Scriptures for the various illustrations that we use. And there you have the kind of an illustration for example, of King Saul, a man who was never, never wrong. He was not able to confess, and it was always somebody else's fault, and there is a glaring example in the Scriptures concerning that kind of an individual. And he is supposed to wait for Samuel to come to offer sacrifices before he goes into battle, but Samuel doesn't come and doesn't come, and finally it is getting so late, so he says, bring me the sacrifices, and he sacrifices them himself. And when Samuel comes, and he comes soon after that of course, and then he says, "Why did you do that? And because you have done that, the kingdom is going to be taken away." Well -- these people were getting restless, it wasn't my fault. But the people were getting restless, and I would have had a riot on my hands. Again; he is called upon to wipe out Amalek, and he comes back and he has saved the king of Amalek and also beasts, sheep and oxen. "Have you destroyed all of Amalek," asks Samuel. And he says, "Yes." "What is this bleating that I hear, what is that? Yah, well; we did take some animals, and we took them along, and we are going to sacrifice those to the Lord." Now that makes it alright. Obedience, says the prophet, is better than sacrifice. And that you've got to learn first; obedience is better than sacrifice.
Now we give so much, there are so many who do so much for the Lord; always a very dangerous thing. Of course the concept in itself is one that is very noble, that we are seeking to do these things. But at the same time, their import is this beloved, as though we are able to add to Him. To add to His riches is insulting Him. "Mine is the silver and the gold and the cattle upon a thousand hills, it's all mine." What would you do to add to it. Tonight we are going to sing of Psalm 116, "what shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits to me." All His benefits, they are so many, I am overcome by them. Now the time is also come, what shall I render to the Lord? I'd like to give something back too sometime. And what is His final answer: I will take the Lord, I will take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. There's nothing to give. Now that is precisely the meaning of question 13 of Lord's Day 5. Can we ourselves make this satisfaction? Of course not. There is no possibility that we are able to do it. And we are to realize beloved, that that means this, that we are bankrupt. That we are denying ourselves, that we are bankrupt, and you know what that means; that you have to live on grace.
Now that all sounds very good and is thoroughly reformed, and you know what it means? That you and I are going to be on welfare. We are going to live by the grace of another, and otherwise we have nothing. And that always goes against us. We don't want that, we want to take care of things ourselves. And therefore if we have to be on welfare, I tell you, then you have to humble yourself; that is humiliating. And then we pray for the grace of God. That's what it means, that we live on His grace. Nah, not on ourselves, not on what we do, not on what we accomplish, not on what we have, but on His grace, that means, that we now live by welfare, by the welfare of God, by His good grace, that He keeps us in this life.
Now this is humbling us; when we cannot save ourselves, yah, that is one of those things of course, as I said at the beginning, to which everyone would immediately say, of course not, we can't. And then we go through life as though we can -- as though we are also contributing considerably to our own salvation. And it can't be done.
The longer He has us in His employ, the more damage we have done. The older we get, the greater the sin. We speak so many times of the old saints; yah, yah; Paul doesn't speak of old saints in Corinth or in Galatia or in Ephesus. He speaks of the saints that are there, young or old, but a Methuselah is a great sinner. And that kind of sinfulness, if it is not touched by the Spirit of God, which these people were. And then it is held back, then it is braked. But otherwise, these people prior to the flood that lived so long became steeped in sin. And that sin has cried up to the Lord Sabbaoth, and He has destroyed this world with the flood. Can you save yourself; no, by no means. You add to it daily.
I have referred once before to that parable which Jesus spoke, when He says this man who has the servant working in the field, and when he comes home at night, he does not say to the servant, "Now you sit down and I will serve you," but he says, "now, now that you have worked all day, that you are tired, that's all there, but that was your duty, and now you get up and you make ready for me." And then when it is all done he will have to say, and we are unprofitable servants. We have done only that which it was our duty to do. Now that is drinking at the fountain of Lord's Day 5. We cannot save ourselves, we daily increase our guiltiness, yes, like this; that if a debt is great, when it runs into millions, let us say, that the interest is going to consume you; that makes the debt so much greater all the time. Then you can understand how greatly it increases, and that is the kind of debt that we have. Jesus used all kinds of parables in order to make it clear to the people of that time. The one who owed ten thousand talents; he said, Lord wait and I will pay thee. That's a lie, he can't do it. There's no way in the world that he would be able to. And the lord said, "OK I forgive." But he goes to the one who owes him a hundred pence, and this man also says I will repay it, and he can do that. That can be done with wages; but he won't give him time. That is the situation with man.
When we are dealing with this matter of salvation, then let us realize that we are again going to go to the root, that we are again to go to the depths, and then we will also see the beauty and we will once more perhaps see the awe, the wonder, the miracle of salvation which we no longer see. Because we already know the answers. Therefore I cannot save myself, and it is so good that this question and this answer is in the Heidelberg Catechism and that they have not considered it to be superfluous.
Secondly, is there the possibility of any creature, can there be found anywhere a mere creature able to satisfy for us? The very fact that it is put in this way, that it is a mere creature, that is, that it is not praised to the skies, is already an indication of the direction in which it is going of course. A mere creature able to satisfy? No, it can't be done either. But nevertheless, those are the only others that we know, the only other beings that we know. Israel was very much acquainted with the animal world and they were also to sort them out, and they were to use some of them for sacrifices. And these were to be used in sacrifices in order that atonement might come. And they were to be there for symbols of that atonement that was finally to come to them, but they didn't know how, but nevertheless that was the command that they had received and they would also be obedient to that command, to bring these sacrifices. And they had to bring their sin offerings and they had to bring their thank offerings and they had to bring their burnt offerings, and all the various others. And all of these animals were brought. Now is there anywhere a creature able to satisfy for us, and to the Jews of the Old Testament dispensation this would have been a question that would have been very, very apropos. A question that would stand before them as high as the mountains. Isn't it, isn't a creature able to satisfy for us? If not, then why are we doing this? Then why are we bringing these sacrifices? Then what is the whole purpose of Leviticus. That He has thereby shown to us what is well pleasing to Him, and what has been commanded us as far as worship is concerned.
All these things of course, to us, sound a little bit different. But there is no creature, no animal that is able to satisfy, because an animal only has a body. And man has body and soul, and he has sinned in body and soul and as a result of that, those that have only the body are not able, they do not qualify, are not able to satisfy for the sin of man. Then there is one other creature left, really, if you are going to go outside of humanity itself. And that would be the angel; would he be able to satisfy for us? Concerning the angels, there are always a lot of misgivings, and there are a lot of strange views concerning them, concerning their nature and also their purpose and their work; but nevertheless we are well acquainted enough with them for this, that we will know that they are spirits, and only spirits. They do not have a body, and as a result of that, seeing that man is body and soul, they also cannot satisfy, they also do not qualify. Because that would only be for the spirit, and that is not sufficient.
Is there a possibility in the totality of humanity, you grope, you grasp, you make attempts. You look for something, something to hold onto; is there something in the totality of humanity that might be able to save us? And the answer is NO, NO. Can't be done. See, this is precisely where we stand, where man stands, and that is the position that he doesn't want. He wants to be able to see his way through, he wants to be able to do it himself, and if he isn't able to do it himself, then that it is going to be done by someone else whom he knows well. Because, you know, to put it rather bluntly, when you are bankrupt, you really don't care to have the creditors go to your neighbors. In fact, that's an offence today in American government. The creditor may not go to your neighbor, ring the doorbell and say, "Well, I thought this was you, well that guy owes me money." Mayn't do that. Now that's what we don't want either.
And therefore to go to the other creatures was already a step in that direction, you know, that we don't want to take. We want to do it ourselves. But nevertheless let them keep it within the family, that is, of those who are inhabiting this world with us. Because they know about it anyway, don't they; that we are in dire straits. And that that bankruptcy is declared to them, that might not be so bad but, other strangers, that they also know about this. But hereby does it show to us beloved, in our confession and in following the Scriptures of course, how utterly unworthy, how utterly bankrupt we are; how utterly dependent we are, and that there is no possibility of salvation, of redemption anywhere else. And there is a groping for this, there is that possibility that comes, as I said a few moments ago that it is totally unnatural to seek forgiveness, or rather to make confession. David comes close to it, perhaps closer than anyone in Scripture when he confesses in Psalm 51, in Psalm 32, in Psalm 130. The sins that he has committed, and they are so great and they bother him so much, and it is shown to us at times that he is fleeing before Absalom, and then when he is fleeing before Absalom his own sons moved against him, and then someone comes and Shimei comes and curses David. And Abishai said, "Shall I kill him?" David says, "No, let him be." The Lord said to him, "Curse David." This man is coming close to making confession, confession of his sins, of his guilt. And he does that in Psalm 51. Read it. And there you will have an outpouring of the heart as no one has ever done before, perhaps. Maybe no one since.
Pouring out the heart to God, how he has sinned against Him. Not against Uriah, not against Bathsheba first of all, but against Thee, Thee only have I sinned and done that which is wicked, which is evil in Thy sight. And therefore wash me Lord, wash me with hyssop, wash me thoroughly and then I shall be clean. I cannot do it myself, and there's no other creature to be found that is able to help. That is the situation in which man is placed. See that confession of the Christian church has gone deeply into these things to reveal to us again the beauty of our salvation, of our redemption. Because that is not seen anymore, but it is simply bumper sticker evangelism. That isn't seen anymore. Is there salvation; of course -- Jesus saves. And how He does it, or why He does it, and why it is necessary, is not even asked. And then the awe, and the wonder, and the miracle of our redemption is lost from sight. And when we have lost that, we have lost a great deal. We are again to stand before Him in wonderment. Do you believe in miracles? That is always one of the touchstones, is it not, for believing. You believe in miracles, that embarrassing situation that an axe-head floats, that the dead are raised, that leprosy is cleansed. Oh yah! I'm a miracle, and you're a miracle. Not of the same nature but just as much, just as true. A miracle of the redemptive love of God; how's it possible. And that you must again see. And if we have lost that, we have lost virtually everything, and therefore we must maintain that with all that is within us.
And finally, notice also this last question; "What manner of Mediator and Deliverer then must we seek." And the answer; "One who is true and righteous man yet more powerful than all creatures, that is one who is with all, true God."
Now the next Lord's Day is going to go into this matter concerning His manhood, concerning His humanity, and also concerning His Godhead. And therefore I'm not going to go into that this morning, but simply in regards to this connection with the previous questions and answers. And that is this, that when there is the intent to find redemption, when there is that kind of looking for redemption, and then you find that every road is closed. It is not found in yourself, nor anywhere else in this world, nor anywhere else around the Spirit; nowhere. Is it then a fruitless search. And then the last question of this Lord's Day says, "By no means, there is such a One." We must have a mediator who is true man. Yah, of course, cause man has sinned, man has to pay. Yah, but to find a true man, there is none that doeth good, no not one. We are all under sin, we are all under condemnation, says the apostle in Romans 3. But we must find a man who is with all, true, that is perfect man. But a perfect man can't do it either. So man has sinned, man must pay, there you have to find that man. But then God has to do it, who must with all be true God. Now that I can't find. See, and this was one of the great mysteries of the Old Testament. By the way, mystery, when that word is used in the New Testament, means the thing that was finally hidden, which is now revealed, that's the mystery, mysteries of godliness, of which Paul speaks so often. Not that he is writing mystery stories, no, no. There are no such things in the Scriptures, but these are the mysteries that formerly were hid, and that are now made manifest. That I am looking for One who is with all, true man, and at the same time, true God. That is the kind of man that I need, kind of being I need in order to receive redemption.
And then it again looks hopeless because there are none such. There was no one like that in the Old Testament times, there's no one that even approaches it, there's no one like that throughout all the ages of this earth, no one even approaches it. One who is true God at the same time that he is true man. And consequently, and thereby has also cut off all other religions, you see that. All other religions are cut off, there is only one name under heaven, given among men, whereby we are to be saved. That is the name Jesus. Who is with all, true man and true God. And that is the kind of a mediator we need.
Now Job had also spoken of that, it is some weeks ago that I read to you in connection with the Catechism preaching, from Job 9. And Job asked in the second verse of Job 9, "How shall a man be just with God?" And then in the very closing part of the chapter he says there is no umpire between us who is able to lay his hand upon us both. And to lay your hand upon God, you have to be God. Let everyone else keep his hand off. Then of course, He lays His hand upon man so that He has to be man. He saw already, that was the need, that was the need of the hour, that was the need of the soul. That there would be a God-man, an umpire between us who would be able to lay His hand upon us both and bring us together. That is redemption. That is the Mediator who does that. And now the glorious Gospel of salvation comes with this, because I'm not preaching on the whole Catechism this morning of course. And Lord's Day 5 leaves us with this, and the next Lord's Day is finally going to ask, "But who is this Mediator, who is at once true God and true righteous man." And then the answer comes, "Our Lord Jesus Christ who was made unto us wisdom from God and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." Yah, that's it. It is not a fruitless search, you would think it would be; because there is no such being that we would ever imagine; one who is both God and man in one. It goes beyond our minds, beyond our thinking. But there is such a one, says the Scripture. And He has been revealed, and He has shown us in recent weeks what He has done in order to heal that breach. He stood in the breach, says the Psalmist, between God and man and brings them together. We saw it at the cross, we saw it at the empty tomb; our Lord Jesus Christ. There is redemption, and there is redemption in no other. There's an attempt to find it all over. It can be found only here, and here it is narrowed down; what kind do you need? Oh, this is the kind. It can't be found in me, nor in the totality of humanity nor any other creature. But that God-man, that is the only one who can do it. Then we have recaptured the awe, and the wonder, and the miracle of our salvation. And then God's people are indeed blessed. Amen......
We thank Thee Lord our God for the Word wherein Thou hast spoken to us. That Word of grace, that Word of comfort, that Word of instruction. And we pray wilt Thou hallow it to our hearts by Thy Holy Spirit. Bless us further on this day, bring us together again into Thy house this evening that we may worship Thee in Spirit and in Truth, and that we may keep this entire day holy to Thee. Forgive our sins and hear us in Jesus Name. Amen.....
Information What's New Our Beliefs Sermons Literature U.R. Churches Classis Michigan Links Search Feedback Home