A Biblical Response to Church Closures & Covid Measures

John-William Noble, pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Aberdeen, Scotland, delivers a powerful opening sermon for our conference titled "COVID and the Church".

Drawing from his firsthand experience leading a small church plant in Aberdeen during the tumultuous years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Noble tackles a pressing question: "What should the churches have done in response to the crisis?" He anchors his message in the biblical narrative of Numbers 32, using it as a lens to expose deep-seated spiritual weaknesses within the contemporary UK church.

With pastoral urgency, Noble critiques the church’s handling of lockdowns, mask mandates, and vaccine policies, portraying the pandemic as a revealing moment that laid bare longstanding issues of spiritual cowardice and compromise. His sermon calls for heartfelt repentance and a bold return to faithfulness rooted in Scripture, emphasizing the church’s essential role as the bride of Christ, unwaveringly grounded in God’s eternal Word.

Opening Prayer: A Plea for Truth and Strength

Noble opens with a heartfelt prayer, addressing Heavenly Father with gratitude for the opportunity to gather and reflect on a topic that profoundly shaped society. He seeks divine guidance, asking that the words spoken align closely with the truths revealed in Scripture, illuminating the beauty and significance of being the church of Jesus Christ—a community called to stand firm on truth in an age rife with error. He earnestly prays for discernment to navigate the evils and wickedness that have surfaced in recent years, beseeching God to protect the church from falsehood and to fortify her on the unshakable foundation of His living Word. Noble concludes by expressing thanks for the authority of Scripture, praying that all proclamations honor God and are offered in the name of Jesus Christ. This prayer sets a reverent tone, grounding the sermon in dependence on divine wisdom.

Introduction: Revisiting COVID to Confront a Spiritual Crisis

Noble begins by acknowledging the divisive nature of the topic. Some in the audience might assert that churches should have boldly resisted closures, while others, weary of past conflicts, question the need to revisit such a contentious issue years later, longing to "move on." He counters this reluctance with a compelling argument: recent history, particularly the COVID crisis, profoundly influences both the present and the future. The pandemic was not merely a public health event; it exposed the spiritual climate of the church in nations like the United Kingdom, revealing uncomfortable truths about its priorities and convictions.Many church leaders, Noble observes, would prefer to erase their pandemic decisions—compliance with lockdowns, mask-wearing, and vaccine endorsements—from memory, as if clicking an "untag" button to distance themselves from the controversy. They yearn to return to a pre-COVID status quo, but Noble warns that this approach seeks to bury the church’s spiritual shortcomings in the shadows, avoiding public scrutiny. The crisis magnified "folly and even sinfulness" within the church, bringing hidden weaknesses into stark relief. As a pastor driven by a passion to uphold God’s Word, Noble insists that this issue is critical for the future of the church and its generations, who must be built on the solid foundation of Scripture rather than fleeting cultural pressures.

Biblical Foundation: Exposition of Numbers 32:1–24

Transitioning to Scripture, Noble invites listeners to turn to Numbers 32, reading verses 1–24 from the English Standard Version. He provides essential historical context to ground the passage: God’s covenant promise to Abraham (Genesis 17:8) to make him the father of many nations and grant his descendants a specific land. This promise passed through Isaac to Jacob (renamed Israel), whose twelve sons became the tribes of Israel. After enduring four centuries of slavery in Egypt, as God foretold, the Israelites were delivered by Moses through divine plagues, redeemed to journey toward the promised land of Canaan, across the Jordan River. 

Recent victories, such as against the Midianites (Numbers 31), had made them prosperous and united, ready to claim their inheritance.The narrative takes a critical turn: the tribes of Reuben and Gad, joined later by half of Manasseh, observe that the lands of Jazer and Gilead are ideal for their vast livestock (v. 1). They approach Moses with a seemingly practical request: "If we have found favour in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession. Do not take us across the Jordan" (v. 5). On the surface, this appears reasonable—plenty of land for many tribes—but Noble identifies it as a compromise that prioritizes self-interest over God’s plan.

Moses delivers a sharp rebuke (vv. 6–15), recalling the previous generation’s failure at Kadesh Barnea, where spies’ fear-driven report ("The people are big and scary") led to rebellion, God’s wrath, and forty years of wilderness wandering (Numbers 13–14). Only Caleb and Joshua, who "wholly followed the Lord" (v. 12), entered the land. The tribes propose a compromise: they will build settlements for their families and livestock, then arm themselves to assist the other tribes in conquering Canaan, returning only after the others secure their inheritance (vv. 16–19). Moses responds with a conditional acceptance, warning that failure constitutes sin: "Be sure your sin will find you out" (v. 23).

Noble draws out key themes: the tribes acted on what they saw ( fertile land) rather than faith in God’s promise, driven by pride and self-preservation. Reuben, the firstborn, forfeited preeminence through sin (Genesis 35, 49:4); Gad faced destined struggles (Genesis 49:17); and Manasseh was overshadowed by Ephraim. Citing 1 John 2:16 ("desires of the flesh... eyes... pride of life") and implying Philippians 2:21 (self-seeking), Noble labels this "well-dressed compromise"—a spiritual veneer over fleshly motives.

Application: COVID as a Mirror to Church Compromise

Noble pivots to apply Numbers 32 to the church’s response to COVID, framing it as a diagnostic moment that revealed not just errors but a deeper spiritual malaise. The UK church, inheriting a legacy of courageous Christians who shed blood to secure worship freedoms and moral laws, should have stood firm. Instead, like Reuben and Gad, many churches succumbed to fear and pride, choosing compromise over obedience. This section, expanded for readability, unfolds in four clear movements: heritage and failure, initial uncertainty, entrenched compromise, and a direct call to repentance.

1.  The Weight of Heritage and the Tragedy of Compromise

Noble begins by evoking the church’s rich heritage: "Think about the heritage of the church in our nation, going back many hundreds of years." Faithful Christians, risking and losing their lives, secured freedoms to worship and proclaim the gospel, establishing a moral foundation that shaped UK laws for centuries. Yet, he asks with piercing clarity, "What happened to our culture? And more specifically today, what has happened to our church?" The answer lies in the parallel with Reuben and Gad—a "well-dressed compromise" that cloaks fleshly desires in spiritual language.COVID didn’t create this weakness; it exposed it, magnifying "folly and even sinfulness" across the church. The heartache lies not in apostate churches—those openly rejecting Christian foundations and parroting government narratives—but in Reformed and evangelical communities, "actual brothers and sisters in the faith," who mirrored the tribes’ compromise. These weren’t outsiders ignorant of God’s promise; they knew the truth yet chose self-preservation, acting on what they saw (government mandates, public fear) rather than faith in God’s Word.

2. Early Uncertainty: Acting on Sight in Spring 2020

Noble transports listeners to early 2020, when "news in our media" sparked panic over a "new novel virus" that seemed a "great threat to everybody." Fear and uncertainty gripped society, and churches were not immune. In his context, pastoring a small church plant in Aberdeen, Noble recounts how their rented community centre closed, forcing a shift to online worship—"everyone was doing this online worship thing." He prioritized teaching biblical "spheres of authority," emphasizing that governments, even with good intentions, lack jurisdiction over the church’s worship (contra Romans 13 misinterpretations).Yet, like Reuben and Gad seeing fertile land, churches acted on sight, not faith. Noble confesses his regret: "In hindsight, it is a great regret to me that we didn’t sooner start meeting in public and then to meet in secret, which we did eventually do." The initial narrative—"a couple of weeks to flatten the curve"—seemed "no big deal," promising compliance would reopen doors. But this was a "very regrettable, sorry mess," as churches weighed risks ("We see the land is good") rather than trusting God’s call to gather (Hebrews 10:25).

3. Entrenched Compromise: Fear, Pride, and Doubling Down (2020–2021)

As restrictions persisted into 2021, Noble’s concern deepened: "This is when concern levels start to rise." Conversations with other leaders revealed a troubling trend: many had no plans to resume in-person worship, fixated on "what is the government saying? What is the government stipulating?" This mirrored the tribes’ plea: "Do not take us across the Jordan"—or, in modern terms, "Do not make us go back to church." Fear drove decisions—fear of government penalties, congregant backlash, or contracting the virus. Noble likens this to the tribes’ "self-preserving pride," choosing safety over obedience.Leaders justified compliance with "nonsensical" appeals to Romans 13 ("submit to authorities") and "love your neighbour," redefining worship to include online substitutes. Noble laments: "There’s absolutely no sense of a regret and a lamenting over these circumstances and the impact... on their own congregations." Instead, they doubled down. In Scotland, only a "very small number" challenged the government legally or met secretly; most dismissed such actions as "not very wise... putting people’s lives at risk."The most egregious failure? Pastors publicly endorsing vaccines, flaunting "I’ve had two shots" badges on social media. Noble calls this "utterly shameful," as it alienated congregants already alarmed by both worldly chaos and their churches’ capitulation. Like the tribes, leaders acted on "what they saw"—external pressures—rather than faith, crushing their flocks when "church congregations needed you most, pastor."

4. Pastoral Confrontation: A Call to Repent and Reflect

With piercing directness, Noble addresses leaders: "If that’s you, if you are a church leader who went along with this narrative and drove it, do you have an understanding of the fact that there were so many increasing numbers of sheep, even your own sheep, that were going without a shepherd?" He demands repentance: "You must repent before the living God." This isn’t a minor misstep to "brush under the carpet" but a "framework" of cowardice that marked a "dark moment in recent church history." Future generations will see masked Zoom services as "utter folly," not courage.

Defenses like "We did the best we could" fall short against Scripture’s call to wholly follow God, as Caleb and Joshua did. Noble contrasts the tribes’ half-measure—offering to fight but settling short—with churches’ justifications: PCR tests, masks, segregation, and silent hymnals were deemed "perfectly reasonable" to "protect people" and preserve worship. Yet, the motive was self-preservation, not God’s glory, echoing the tribes’ desire for land "outwith the promise and purpose of God." 

Noble asks: "Is it the promise and purpose of God or is it the promise and purpose for self? Which is it?"He ties this to Christ’s sacrifice: In Gethsemane, facing "blood drops" of agony, Jesus submitted fully ("Not My will, but Yours be done," Luke 22:42), bearing the sins of His bride, the church (Ephesians 5:25). If Christ didn’t shrink back, how can His church claim "disclaimers" for government mandates or "big and scary" threats? The church is essential, defined by physical gathering, holy fellowship, and vibrant worship (Colossians 3:16), not virtual substitutes or elbow bumps "in case we pick up a virus."

The Church’s Essential Calling: No Compromise

Noble transitions to a broader challenge: The church’s identity is non-negotiable, rooted in Christ’s authority, not human dictates. Leaders who buckled during COVID reveal their framework for future crises—whether immigration, false ideologies, or other pressures contradicting Scripture. He poses a sobering question: "Are you then going to stand boldly and proclaim that there is one true living God... even [if] imprisoned for upholding the truth?" Christians must also evaluate: "Do you trust your spiritual leaders? Are they shepherds who will fend off the wolves?"Compromise isn’t a neutral option; it’s sin, as Moses warned: "Your sin will find you out." The church must reject worldly "agree to disagree" mentalities, uniting on God’s revealed truth, not shared opposition (e.g., to vaccines). Noble cites a recent tragedy—a Ukrainian woman stabbed in America while onlookers did nothing—as a metaphor for the church’s passivity, parroting "Jesus reigns" while hiding the gospel, as they did "five years ago with their masks on." The church is a "pillar and buttress of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15), meant to inspire fear in the world and devil, not mockery for weakness.

Call to Repentance and Bold Gospel Proclamation

Noble calls for repentance from cowardice, urging churches to live boldly in "the shadow of death," confident in Christ’s victory as the "Lamb who was slain" and "Lion of Judah" (Revelation 5:5–6). The gospel demands fearless proclamation amid danger, requiring churches "strong, grounded, and built upon the promise and purpose of God," not settling short like Reuben and Gad.

Closing Prayer: Mercy and Magnification

Noble closes with a prayer thanking God for His truth, which divides error rampant in culture and pulpits. He leads in repentance for sin, praising God’s mercy as comfort for the fallen. Affirming Christ as the church’s head, he prays for a passionate commitment to proclaim truth in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Spanning approximately 45–60 minutes, Noble’s sermon is a prophetic call to action. Blending rigorous exegesis, personal confession, and bold confrontation, it exposes COVID as a revelatory moment, not a footnote. For Grace Baptist Aberdeen—a Reformed, confessional church plant founded in 2019—it reflects Noble’s ministry of biblical resilience, equipping believers to stand firm amid cultural decay and future trials.