THE INAUGURAL SERMON of REV. JOEL BEEKE

The evening of March 30, Rev. J. Beeke preached for the first time as our pastor. After singing Psalter 128, Zechariah 4 was read. After prayer was offered and Psalter 422 sung, our new minister spoke, in a few words, of how the Lord had led him by means of His providential hand to accept the call unconditionally to come to our congregation, and confirmed it for him personally from the Word of God in the words which Mordecai spoke to Esther, “Who knoweth whether thou art come for such a time as this?” He told the congregation that his heart was then fully inclined to bow before the ways and will of the Lord, and could only come to us with the confession of Esther, “If I perish, I perish.”

He expressed that although he may come together with his wife with freedom, yet this places them before many impossibilities. He confessed that their only hope was in an almighty and promising God, who says of Himself in His own Word, “Is there anything too hard for the Lord?” In spite of all shortcomings and weaknesses and inexperience, the Lord can give fruits upon the labors to the conversion of lost sinners, the strengthening of His people, as well as love, peace, and unity in the congregation, and that all, to the honor and glory of His Name.

On that basis our new minister spoke from Zech. 4:6, “Not by might, nor my power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”

THE FUTURE OF THE CHURCH

1. Impossible by the work and power of man.

2. Dependent upon the work and power of the Holy Spirit.

These text-words are both humbling and comforting. They are discouraging for many by nature, but encouraging for those who know something of true spiritual life. They contain an important lesson and warning for the church, for they are spoken by an angel of the Lord in reference to the building of the second temple, which is a spiritual type of the church.

The Jews that had returned from exile tried to rebuild the temple but within one year the enemies and opposition became so great that they had to stop. It seemed as if the enemies had conquered and the future looked even darker as the years went by. All power of man became powerless. Even Zerubbable, the God-fearing leader of the Jews, became discouraged. The future seemed to be impossible.

Then the Lord came over. He sent forth His servants Haggai and Zechariah with the message, “Not by might, nor by power, but my My Spirit.”

No Jewish army, no individual leader, no human strength or power could rebuild the temple. All work and power of man is useless in and of itself.

The church is no different today. It can’t be built by man, by God’s people, by office-bearers, nor by ministers. The Lord may be pleased to use sinful man, but He does not need to use any creature. It is still true today: “not by man” and “nothing in man”. The new minister then warned against placing any expectation in himself, as if a new minister has power to make things right or build thir gs up.

If the church were dependent upon the work and power of man then it never would have even come into existence, much less be continued. Therefore it is such a wonder of free and sovereign grace that the text continues: “But by My Spirit.”

Only that Spirit can build a congregation and form a true, living church. The future of the church is totally dependent upon the work and power of that blessed Holy Spirit. Man can do much outward activity and be busy with the things of the church, but by nature it is only a building on top of sand and sins.

Therefore, since there is so much artificial building and man-made bricks, the building of the Holy Spirit is often so hard to discern. Instead of building up immediately, the Holy Spirit begins by tearing down. Human might and strength must be broken also spiritually. A convicted people have to learn that all self-made attempts must be brought to a complete halt. Their merit-work has to come to an end, and all self-made bricks in the building of their own salvation have to become only rubbish.

At such times that true, invisible church, will fear there will be no future, for when they look upon themselves they can expect nothing but a 3-fold death. They are led in such a way to sign their own death sentence, but in that signing they also give everything over to the Lord — including the whole hellish mess within.

But now, when they fear death and have to go to hell, then death and hell is no longer necessary. Then that Spirit who has worked powerfully to take away, will also work powerfully to build up. He will continue His work, not because of anything in the church, but because He has laid the foundation in His elect and will never forsake the work of his own hands.

“By My Spirit” Jesus Christ is opened up to the living church as the only Name given among men whereby we must be saved. That Spirit takes of the things of Christ and reveals such things within them so that they see by faith something of the fullness, suitability, and preciousness of the Lamb of God, who is also the resurrected Lord. There is their future — in and through Jesus Christ, by the Spirit, according to the sovereign good pleasure of the Father.

That triune God will care for His church. In His Divine vision Zechariah saw that the oil of the Holy Spirit runs freely of itself through the pipes (the means of grace) to the candlestick so that the church can both have light within itself as well as give light outside of itself. In that vision Zechariah saw that the true church was all of God, through God, and by God — of the Father, who determined to give light to the church; through the Son, who purchased light for the church; by the Spirit, who applies light within the church.

The candlestick of the true church shall yet remain lit until the end of the world. The vision Zechariah received contains the certainty, the guarantee, the promise, and the future of the church.

The Lord fulfilled His own Word. Four years later the temple was finished and Zerubbabel laid the topstone with His own hands. Oh, that God may also so come in our midst — laying the foundation in the hearts of those who are still lying under the seal of election, continuing His good work in the hearts of those in whom He has already begun, but also laying the topstone for His more assured people, so that there may be shoutings, crying, “Grace, grace unto it!” (Zech. 4:7).

All of us need the oil of that Spirit for the future — converted and unconverted alike. May God grant that that oil may flow through the preaching of the Word also in the future, so that the vision of Zechariah, by the grace of God, may be fulfilled to some extent in the midst of our congregation.

After the sermon, Rev. Beeke spoke some personal words to Rev. Weststrate with respect to the installation, all his instructions over the past 3½ years, and his true friendship. He then spoke to the ministers present: Rev. Lamain, Rev. Kieboom, and Rev. Verhoef, as well as local ministers who were present from other denominations. Rev. DenBoer and Rev. Heerschaap, being unable to attend, sent their wishes through letters.

Rev. Beeke then addressed the consistory, congregation, young people, and parents, as well as those who traveled from both far and near, expressing his wish and prayer that God may dwell among us with His Word and Spirit, giving us what we need to remain with the truth and that we may live with one another in peace, unity, and love.

He closed by speaking some personal words to his wife, parents, family, and relatives, after which Rev. Kieboom (on behalf of the classis), Rev. Lamain (on behalf of the curatorium), and the mayor of Sioux Center, Mr. Wm. Mouw, spoke words of welcome to the new minister and his wife.

In the name of the consistory and the congregation, Elder Bert Harskamp spoke a few words and then requested the congregation to sing Psalter No. 244, stanza 5, after which the minister thanked all those who spoke, for their wishes, which he hopes the Lord will fulfill, and pronounced the benediction upon the congregation.

CORRECTIONS

The telephone number of Rev. Joel Beeke, and the address and telephone number of the new clerk, Mr. John Schelling, of the Sioux Center, Iowa, Congregation as shown in the April 1978 issue of “The Banner of Truth” were incorrect.

The correct addresses and telephone numbers are as follows.

Rev. Joel Beeke, 403 N. Main Ave., Sioux Center, Iowa 51250. His telephone number is 712/722-4350.

Mr. John Schelling - clerk, 783-4th Ave., N.E., Sioux Center, Iowa 51250. His telephone number is 712/722-3373.

Deze tekst is geautomatiseerd gemaakt en kan nog fouten bevatten. Digibron werkt voortdurend aan correctie. Klik voor het origineel door naar de pdf. Voor opmerkingen, vragen, informatie: contact.

Op Digibron -en alle daarin opgenomen content- is het databankrecht van toepassing. Gebruiksvoorwaarden. Data protection law applies to Digibron and the content of this database. Terms of use.

Printen