Reformation Hope Church Brookfield WI Dr Wayne Sedlak

Heidelberg Catechism 97

May we then not make any image at all?

God cannot and may not be visibly portrayed in any way. Although creatures may be portrayed, God forbids the making or having of such images if one’s intention is to worship them or to serve God through them.

Scripture References:

Exodus 34:13–14, 17

2 Kings 18:4–5

“Eyes have they, but they see not…”

Psalm 115:5 — They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not.

Psalm 135:16 — They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not.

Psalm 19:9 — The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.

Exodus 20:1 — I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

________________________________________

God as Ultimate Authority

I am the ultimate authority.

Represent Me properly.

Man desires ultimate authority:

“You shall be as God, knowing good and evil.”

The Apostle Paul speaks of this inner resistance:

Romans 1:18 — For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Man wants to be like God.

Man wants to represent reality on his own terms.

This produces artificial men and artificial societies.

Idols are vain imaginations—a false view of life and of God.

________________________________________

Authority, Rebellion, and the Human Condition

Man wants ultimate authority. The abortion debate is fundamentally about who defines life and death. In practice, man’s preference rules the day:

• Man wants autonomy with no consequences

• Man wants a future unencumbered by liabilities

• Man cheats to gain relief

• Man then covers his sin

Cain wanted his way.

He became angry when confronted.

He lost control.

He murdered his brother.

He hid the body.

He lied about being his brother’s keeper.

“The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

Cain never repented. He built cities in opposition to the Lord—constructing a life without God. Yet man cannot live without worship; God must always be replaced with something else: pyramids, sphinxes, monuments—ancient and modern alike.

________________________________________

The First Two Commandments: Foundational Truths

The first two commandments are foundational to the whole of God’s Kingdom:

1. Man is subordinated to God as the ultimate definer of truth and reality.

2. Man must represent God as God prescribes.

This includes:

• God’s Word — “Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2)

• Imaging God properly

• Covenantal institutions established by God, each with delegated authority under Him:

o Civil government

o Church government

o Family government

All are subordinate to God.

________________________________________

Idolatry Defined

This commandment is about properly representing God.

Idolatry is worthless and damaging because it knows nothing of the true Lord’s character or His ways.

Idols are:

• A picture of rebellion

• A picture of deadness

They mock mediation. Adam and Eve demonstrated that left to themselves, mankind goes astray and requires oversight—a mediator.

The mediator rules over every aspect of life.

This is what man resists.

Man does not want to be beholden to anyone. He declares his own glory sufficient—“We’ve got this.”

But we do not.

And the result is damage and wreckage.

________________________________________

Works vs. Grace

Man turns mystical and attempts to buy God off with temporal works. Paul directly confronts this tendency:

Romans 9:11 — That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.

Ephesians 2:9 — Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The purpose of the Law is to show our need for a Savior.

We are wholly dependent on God.

In short:

Idolatry is seeking strength, meaning, or salvation from that which God has not prescribed or authorized.

Grace is the power to do God’s will.

Without grace, we are dead in trespasses and sins.

We do not hunger for righteousness—we hunger for our own lusts.

________________________________________

Societal Consequences of Idolatry

When left to ourselves:

• Societies descend into brutality or tyranny

• Chaos demands a substitute authority

Thus, the State becomes god—the ultimate giver of “grace” and strength.

Idolatry drives toward centralized power.

Man becomes represented by the State as god.

The welfare state reflects the heart of a people who want salvation without repentance. The State becomes the arbiter of law and truth. Abortion is defended and protected because it serves power and control.

Again:

The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

________________________________________

By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:1–10 reminds us:

• We were dead in sin

• God made us alive in Christ

• Salvation is by grace through faith

• We are created for good works God ordained beforehand

Idolatry assumes life can be managed without Christ.

God demonstrates His wrath by refusing to let idolatry take root permanently.

Deuteronomy 28 shows how God dismantles idolatrous societies step by step until destruction comes.

________________________________________

The Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is clean and foundational. God’s righteousness produces real good—spiritual and physical.

“More to be desired are they than gold… sweeter also than honey.”

The fear of God is not the fear of the State or of man.

Those produce terror, ruin, and servility.

A people who reject the Lord inevitably become enslaved.

God has ordained one means to break this cycle:

The Church—specifically, the power of preaching.

To the world this is foolishness.

Yet the Church declares:

“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof.”

Every knee must bow to Christ—or destruction follows.

Christ, though unseen, defends His people.

________________________________________

Final Word

“I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

God often drags us to the water.

Some refuse to drink.

The faithful do—and they take the land.

Psalm 11:7 — For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

________________________________________

The Prophetic Path Of Christ's Birth (And the Importance of Our Fascination with the Wise Men)

Examination of some of the prophecies of Christ's Birth (in Matthew 1-2):

- Reasons for doing so:

- Shows God's Faithfulness

- Jesus is indeed Christ (makes sure we got the right Messiah)

First announcement of the Gospel:

- Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between

thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his

heel.

Born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23)

- Matthew 1:18-19 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his

mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found

with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and

not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away

privily.

Born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:5)

- Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the

thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to

be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from

everlasting.

- The Othordox Jews of Modernity beleive this reffers to a future king or

the Messiah

- The reason to believe that this is the Messiah is the reference to "from

everlasting", can't be explained by a mortal king

Raised in Egypt (Hosea 11:1)

Target of Infanticide

- Jeremiah 31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,

and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted

for her children, because they were not.

Raised in Nazareth

- No prophet in the Old Testiment references this

- Some theologians look at Isaiah 11:1:

- Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and

a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

- Branch and Nazareth sound similar

The Prophetic Path Of Christ's Birth (And the Importance of Our Fascination with the Wise Men)

Examination of some of the prophecies of Christ's Birth (in Matthew 1-2):

- Reasons for doing so:

- Shows God's Faithfulness

- Jesus is indeed Christ (makes sure we got the right Messiah)

First announcement of the Gospel:

- Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between

thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his

heel.

Born of a virgin (Matthew 1:23)

- Matthew 1:18-19 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his

mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found

with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and

not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away

privily.

Born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:5)

- Micah 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the

thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to

be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from

everlasting.

- The Othordox Jews of Modernity beleive this reffers to a future king or

the Messiah

- The reason to believe that this is the Messiah is the reference to "from

everlasting", can't be explained by a mortal king

Raised in Egypt (Hosea 11:1)

Target of Infanticide

- Jeremiah 31:15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation,

and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted

for her children, because they were not.

Raised in Nazareth

- No prophet in the Old Testiment references this

- Some theologians look at Isaiah 11:1:

- Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and

a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

- Branch and Nazareth sound similar

Heidelberg Catechism 97

May we then not make any image at all?

God cannot and may not be visibly portrayed in any way. Although creatures may be portrayed, God forbids the making or having of such images if one’s intention is to worship them or to serve God through them.

Scripture References:

Exodus 34:13–14, 17

2 Kings 18:4–5

“Eyes have they, but they see not…”

Psalm 115:5 — They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not.

Psalm 135:16 — They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not.

Psalm 19:9 — The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.

Exodus 20:1 — I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

________________________________________

God as Ultimate Authority

I am the ultimate authority.

Represent Me properly.

Man desires ultimate authority:

“You shall be as God, knowing good and evil.”

The Apostle Paul speaks of this inner resistance:

Romans 1:18 — For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

Man wants to be like God.

Man wants to represent reality on his own terms.

This produces artificial men and artificial societies.

Idols are vain imaginations—a false view of life and of God.

________________________________________

Authority, Rebellion, and the Human Condition

Man wants ultimate authority. The abortion debate is fundamentally about who defines life and death. In practice, man’s preference rules the day:

• Man wants autonomy with no consequences

• Man wants a future unencumbered by liabilities

• Man cheats to gain relief

• Man then covers his sin

Cain wanted his way.

He became angry when confronted.

He lost control.

He murdered his brother.

He hid the body.

He lied about being his brother’s keeper.

“The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.”

Cain never repented. He built cities in opposition to the Lord—constructing a life without God. Yet man cannot live without worship; God must always be replaced with something else: pyramids, sphinxes, monuments—ancient and modern alike.

________________________________________

The First Two Commandments: Foundational Truths

The first two commandments are foundational to the whole of God’s Kingdom:

1. Man is subordinated to God as the ultimate definer of truth and reality.

2. Man must represent God as God prescribes.

This includes:

• God’s Word — “Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (Psalm 138:2)

• Imaging God properly

• Covenantal institutions established by God, each with delegated authority under Him:

o Civil government

o Church government

o Family government

All are subordinate to God.

________________________________________

Idolatry Defined

This commandment is about properly representing God.

Idolatry is worthless and damaging because it knows nothing of the true Lord’s character or His ways.

Idols are:

• A picture of rebellion

• A picture of deadness

They mock mediation. Adam and Eve demonstrated that left to themselves, mankind goes astray and requires oversight—a mediator.

The mediator rules over every aspect of life.

This is what man resists.

Man does not want to be beholden to anyone. He declares his own glory sufficient—“We’ve got this.”

But we do not.

And the result is damage and wreckage.

________________________________________

Works vs. Grace

Man turns mystical and attempts to buy God off with temporal works. Paul directly confronts this tendency:

Romans 9:11 — That the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth.

Ephesians 2:9 — Not of works, lest any man should boast.

The purpose of the Law is to show our need for a Savior.

We are wholly dependent on God.

In short:

Idolatry is seeking strength, meaning, or salvation from that which God has not prescribed or authorized.

Grace is the power to do God’s will.

Without grace, we are dead in trespasses and sins.

We do not hunger for righteousness—we hunger for our own lusts.

________________________________________

Societal Consequences of Idolatry

When left to ourselves:

• Societies descend into brutality or tyranny

• Chaos demands a substitute authority

Thus, the State becomes god—the ultimate giver of “grace” and strength.

Idolatry drives toward centralized power.

Man becomes represented by the State as god.

The welfare state reflects the heart of a people who want salvation without repentance. The State becomes the arbiter of law and truth. Abortion is defended and protected because it serves power and control.

Again:

The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.

________________________________________

By Grace Through Faith

Ephesians 2:1–10 reminds us:

• We were dead in sin

• God made us alive in Christ

• Salvation is by grace through faith

• We are created for good works God ordained beforehand

Idolatry assumes life can be managed without Christ.

God demonstrates His wrath by refusing to let idolatry take root permanently.

Deuteronomy 28 shows how God dismantles idolatrous societies step by step until destruction comes.

________________________________________

The Fear of the Lord

The fear of the Lord is clean and foundational. God’s righteousness produces real good—spiritual and physical.

“More to be desired are they than gold… sweeter also than honey.”

The fear of God is not the fear of the State or of man.

Those produce terror, ruin, and servility.

A people who reject the Lord inevitably become enslaved.

God has ordained one means to break this cycle:

The Church—specifically, the power of preaching.

To the world this is foolishness.

Yet the Church declares:

“The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof.”

Every knee must bow to Christ—or destruction follows.

Christ, though unseen, defends His people.

________________________________________

Final Word

“I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”

God often drags us to the water.

Some refuse to drink.

The faithful do—and they take the land.

Psalm 11:7 — For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

________________________________________

Lord's Table

- Guarrantee of Lord's Government being established

Omnis create problems

- Why pray

- Why does God ask Adam to name the animals

- Why does Satan fight versus God (does he think he can win?)

Lord's Table

- Guarrantee of Lord's Government being established

Omnis create problems

- Why pray

- Why does God ask Adam to name the animals

- Why does Satan fight versus God (does he think he can win?)

Assurance through an "Ethical Faith"

Famine is largely from man's one creation

Fallen man knows "of God"

- Have the law, their conscience teaches them

- Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the

things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto

themselves:

- Romans 2:15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their

conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing

or else excusing one another;)

Extension of Predestination is so that you can follow the law:

Deuteronomy 29:28 And the LORD rooted them out of their land in anger, and in

wrath, and in great indignation, and cast them into another land, as it is this

day.

Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those

things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we

may do all the words of this law.

God test's his people to see if they will follow his commands:

Judges 3:1 Now these are the nations which the LORD left, to prove Israel by

them, even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan;

Judges 3:2 Only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to

teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof;

Judges 3:3 Namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and

the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount

Baalhermon unto the entering in of Hamath.

Judges 3:4 And they were to prove Israel by them, to know whether they would

hearken unto the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their fathers by

the hand of Moses.

An ethical faith is created by obedience to God's commands:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Sermons grounded in The Word of God and The Grace of God's Law. Dr Wayne C Sedlak has 45 years of Pastoral Ministry in the United States and Africa, including as University Professor and Educator.

Sermons grounded in The Word of God and The Grace of God's Law. Dr Wayne C Sedlak has 45 years of Pastoral Ministry in the United States and Africa, including as University Professor and Educator.

Sermons grounded in The Word of God and The Grace of God's Law. Dr Wayne C Sedlak has 45 years of Pastoral Ministry in the United States and Africa, including as University Professor and Educator.