The Rest Stop

Public Reading of Scripture

2012-01-23T16:11:00.000-05:00

Part 5 in a series on the church’s “liturgy”

“Give attention to the public reading of Scripture.” So said the apostle Paul to Timothy, his protégé, in 1 Timothy 4.13. In other words, when the people of God gather for worship, they ought not simply hear someone talking about the Bible; they ought also to be given the privilege of simply hearing the Bible itself!

That seems very straightforward, does it not? In fact, it might seem obvious that Timothy would read the Bible aloud without Paul having to tell him to do so. So why does Paul command it? Why would Paul have felt the need to write Timothy, urging him not to forget to read the scriptures aloud in public worship? Perhaps because he knew that Timothy and his people (like most church leaders and congregations) might well be eager to get to the more ‘engaging’ parts of the liturgy – to the singing, the preaching, and so on. It’s human nature to want to quickly get to what we ourselves have prepared for the service, and to bypass the simpler, less theatrical things. So Paul reminds Timothy not to skim past the scripture reading, but to “give attention” to it.

This element of worship was doubly important in the early church era. In those days, many of the church members were illiterate slaves – intelligent enough, mind you, to follow Paul’s difficult logical arguments; but unable to decipher the language in which they were written! Add to that the fact that the printing press had yet to be invented, and we realize that even those church-goers who could actually read would have been unlikely to have a personal copy of the scriptures for private perusal. Therefore, for most Christians, the only time they got to hear the Scriptures was when they came to church! What a tragedy it would have been, therefore, to come on a Sunday and hear a sermon on a single verse (like Matthew 27.46 this past Sunday), but to have no other Bible read to you on this one weekly occasion for hearing it! So, in addition to the sermon (which was vital, in Paul’s estimation), attention needed also to be given to reading longer portions of scripture … so that a broader access to the whole Bible might be achieved for each member of the church.

Now what does this mean for us? We all have Bibles at home, and can read them any time we want, right? So maybe the public reading of scripture is not quite as important for us as it was in Paul’s day. Maybe. But it seems to me that, though our generation has more access to the Bible (in every imaginable format!) than any generation before us, we are still, overall, the most biblically illiterate generation since the Protestant Reformation! Even those of us who know quite a lot of Bible would have circles run around us by some of the illiterate folks of centuries gone by! Why? Because, as much emphasis as we put on private Bible reading and study, most Christians aren’t as consistent as they’d like to be. Most Christians don’t get near as much Bible into their systems as we ought! Therefore I conclude that the public reading of scripture is as vital today as ever! Even if we ourselves struggle to stay disciplined at home, at least we can know that, if we are in church 52 Sundays a year (and maybe on Wednesdays too), we are going to hear a significant chunk of the Bible in spite of our private inconsistency!

Let me also point out that the public reading of scripture is invaluable in several other ways as well.

Having heard the scripture read aloud enlivens our subsequent singing and praying. Surely, having heard God speak, we are in a much better frame for speaking to Him ourselves, than if we’d just opened our lips cold turkey.

Hearing the scripture read by another will often help us notices nuances of meaning we may have missed on our own. When the Bible is read publically, it is to be hoped that the reader has given enough prior attention to the passage to be able to emphasize repetitions, grammatical constructions, and even voice inflections that might be overlooked when simply reading flat words on the pages. Very often, those changes of voice or cadence will help his hearers see something quite valuable in the text that they would not have noticed at home.

The public reading of the scriptures sends a subconscious message to the congregation that God’s word really is important. We come to church, not merely to speak or sing to God, but to heard from God. And we come, not to hear the pastor’s thoughts on a given topic, but to be given God’s thoughts! And we are greatly helped to remember these facts when we actually set aside a few minutes in the service when no one but God is voicing his or her thoughts, ideas, studies, emotions, or even praise.

These are the reasons is why, whether in prayer meeting, or on Wednesday night, or in our Lord’s Day worship, we always include a scripture reading. And these are surely the reasons why God has commanded that we “give attention to the public reading of scripture.” I hope you will join me as we all give that attention!

Pastoral Prayer

2012-01-16T15:11:00.003-05:00

Part 4 in a series on the church’s “liturgy”

One of the great lessons I learned in college came to me in quite an unusual way. I learned it, not in the classroom, but from the Sunday morning worship service. Nor was it taught me in the church which I myself attended … but by the pastor under whose ministry Tobey sat week in and week out. Even more out of the ordinary was that I never heard this man preach, nor attended a service in his church! And yet I learned something from him that, to me, has become vitally important.

After we were married, Tobey and I were talking one day about how much she had enjoyed her time at College Hill Presbyterian Church, pastored by Alan Cochet (that’s CO-shay in Mississippi, y’all!). The thing that she seemed to remember and appreciate the most were the pastor’s prayers for his congregation – his pastoral prayers, as we call them at PRBC. Having never experienced such prayers myself (that I can remember), I was keenly interested in what she meant by – and what Rev. Cochet did during – the pastoral prayer. In essence, he did not simply sprinkle in brief, cliché filled prayers to serve as tokens and fillers in the worship service. Rather, each Lord’s Day morning, he carefully and thoughtfully worked his way through a whole host of praises and requests on behalf of his congregation, the community, and so on.

Rev. Cochet, in his weekly pastoral prayer, gave his people a small taste, it would seem, of the careful and thoughtful way he must surely have prayed for them in the privacy of his closet or study. And at least one college student, rather than being put off by prayers that necessitated several minutes of closed eyes, was actually enthused by and thankful for such pastoral care for the flock! Having heard her enthusiasm, I have tried to imitate some semblance of what she heard on those formative Sundays. Along the way, I’ve learned that pastors have been praying such pastoral prayers for centuries - imitating the masterful examples laid down by the apostle Paul (see Ephesians 1 and 3) and the Lord Jesus Himself (John 17)! Allow me to suggest a few reasons why I believe this practice has become so tried and true. Pastoral prayers are:

Actual prayers. Private prayer is not simply comprised of brief sentences sprinkled here and there (I hope). So why should we pray that way in church? Surely if there was ever a time to set aside a few minutes to really pray for all the various concerns of God’s people, it ought to be on Sunday morning during worship!

Instructive prayers. If the pastor never seriously prays in front of his people; if he always offers only brief segue-prayers between various points in the service; if they never hear how the shepherd prays for a variety of people and issues, many people (new Christians especially) may have a difficult time learning how to pray for such things themselves!

Recyclable prayers. When a pastor actually prays for Sam’s job interview, and Suzie’s surgery, and the missionary’s fruitfulness … folks in the congregation (hopefully) say to themselves: ‘Aha! There is something I ought to be praying for, too.' Thus, they may add their silent ‘amen’ as the pastor goes along … as well as their own personal prayers as the week goes along.

Comforting prayers. The hope is that, like Tobey in her college days, far from feeling overburdened by a 4-5 minute prayer each Sunday morning, Christians will be comforted to know that their shepherd notices and cares about their needs; that he has his eyes on the flock closely enough that he can pray very specifically for them.

Finally, let me point out that my own pastoral prayers are invariably modeled after the ACTS method of prayer. Noticing my method may help you PRBCers to follow along even more fully:

I begin with Adoration – hoping you will join me in praising God for His various attributes (usually selecting traits drawn from the opening song of praise). Next we engage in Confession – including a silent moment for you to confess your own sins specifically (and for me to confess mine). Third, we pray prayers of Thanksgiving – for the forgiveness we just requested, and for the various blessings God has recently poured out on His people at PRBC. And finally, we conclude the prayer with Supplication – requests for various members of our congregation, for churchwide needs or projects, for our missionaries, for various current events, and for the day’s services.

I hope you’ll join with me (or your own pastor), each Sunday morning, as we weave our way through the pastoral prayer. And I hope that this form of shepherding is as helpful to some of you as Alan Cochet’s example was to Tobey (and to me) so many years ago.

Public Prayer

2012-01-11T09:00:00.000-05:00

Part 3 in a series on the church’s “liturgy”

The idea that Christians should gather together in prayer is surely obvious. The example of the New Testament church alone should be sufficient to convince us along these lines. “They were continually devoting themselves … to prayer” (Acts 2.42). But what kind of prayer? At least three sorts are mentioned in the New Testament:

Personal, private prayer – alone in your closet (e.g. Matt. 6.5-6)
Corporate, shared prayer – as in family worship, or the church prayer meeting (see Acts 4.23-31, Acts 13.1-2, James 5.14-15)
Public prayer – when one person prays aloud on behalf of the gathered group (such as Jesus’ prayer in Acts 17, or Paul’s prayers in Ephesians 1 and 3)

It is this latter sort – public prayer – with which we are concerned in this article. When, why, and how are we to engage in public prayer when we gather for our worship on the Lord’s Day? As we said last week (concerning thoughtful silence), there are no hard and fast rules that govern the length, topics, or particular persons involved in such prayers. But it is clear that they ought to be a part of Christian worship. When we gather for worship, there surely ought to be prayers offered – and publicly so. We all benefit from hearing our brothers pray aloud, and from joining them with our own silent ‘amen.’

In our context at PRBC, there are usually a minimum of five public prayers as a part of each Sunday worship service – the pastoral prayer (with which we’ll deal next week); the offertory prayer; the sermon prayers (before and after the message); and the benediction (or closing prayer). The order of service is, perhaps, similar in your own congregation. But what is going on (or what ought to be going on) during each of those times of prayer?

The offertory prayer. It is no small thing to handle God’s money! Thus, when we pray for the offering, we are not simply filling time, or giving people a few seconds to dig their checkbooks out. It’s important that we sincerely plead with God to bless and use our offering! So I charge you who offer these prayers to do so earnestly and thoughtfully.

The two sermon prayers. In some ways, these 30-60 second snippets can become just another part of the service – even for the preacher who prays them! But let’s not allow it to be so! Your pastor desperately needs God’s help every time he opens his mouth in the pulpit. And you need ears to hear! So would you join him, in those two brief prayers, by silently and sincerely asking God to help both you and him to love, believe, and apply what we are about to hear, or have just heard? Perhaps the single greatest thing a Christian can do for his pastor is to pray for him … especially when it comes time to proclaim God’s truth!

The benediction. If you are called upon to conclude the service, a helpful way to pray is to thank the Lord for whatever truths you have just heard from His word … and to ask that He seal these truths upon the hearts of His people as they embark upon another week of walking with Him.

Allow me, also, to offer a few general rules of thumb as to exactly how public prayer should be undertaken. Prayers, prayed aloud, should be:

Scriptural. Do your best to use the words of the Bible when you pray aloud. One function of public prayer is to edify those who are listening. And there is no greater edification than to hear the word of God. So bring the language of scripture into your prayers!
Original. That is to say, don’t wade in the shallow waters of the same old prayer clichés – ‘bless the gift and the giver,’ ‘lead, guide, and direct us,’ ‘bless her in a special way,’ ‘forgive us for the many ways we fail Thee.’ Surely you can be more thoughtful than to simply say the same exact (often thoughtless) words every week … and to cause people to tune out because of it!
Plural. In other words, the person praying aloud ought not be the only person praying! We pray aloud, yes, so that people can hear and be edified … but also so that people can join in! So, as you listen, do more than simply listen. Add your silent ‘amen’ to the various petitions of the different prayers. Pray along with them! For, while God surely hears when one man prays along, there are unique promises given (Matt. 18.19) when God’s people “agree” together in prayer!

New Sermon Series

2012-01-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

Silence

2012-01-02T16:40:00.000-05:00

Part 2 in a series on the church’s “liturgy”

Some years ago, we added a new element to our Sunday worship – times of quiet meditation at either end of the service; a few added minutes, simply to think, and reflect, and pray. But why? Why do we have a season of personal preparation at the beginning of the service, and a time personal reflection at the end? And what might you do to incorporate such times of silent thought if they are not built into your own church's service?

The answer to why we do what we do is partially that Justin Harig suggested it several years ago. He had experienced this practice after heading off to college in Louisville, and came home encouraged by the helpfulness of it. But what Justin experienced in Louisville, and suggested to me, is also biblical! That is not to say that there is any portion of Scripture that specifically commands moments of silence in public worship. But there is biblical precedent and instruction concerning thoughtfulness in the house of God. And this kind of thoughtfulness is usually best achieved when we cease from the very important acts of singing, and listening, and preaching … and simply meditate in the silence of our hearts.

In this regard, I love what King Solomon wrote in the first two verses of Ecclesiastes 5:

“Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools … Do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought to bring up a matter in the presence of God. For God is in heaven and you are on the earth; therefore let your words be few.”

Aren’t those marvelous words? Before we open our mouths in the worship of the Lord, or even in public prayer, there ought to be forethought and preparation. We ought to guard our steps and quiet our hearts as we come into worship on Sundays. Hopefully, many of us take time out to do just this before arriving each week. But, even if we do, the hustle of getting kids to nursery and/or Sunday School; the rush of getting ourselves together for some role we may be playing in the Sunday service; and the opportunity to visit with one another in the moments leading up to 11am all have the potential to disquiet our hearts. Thus, it is surely wise and beneficial if, as part of our worship, we begin with a few moments to focus our minds and, as I say each week, prepare our hearts to meet with the Lord. Quiet prayer, confession of sin, or meditation on one or other of the day’s Scriptures or songs can be wonderful ways of doing so. I encourage you to make good use of that time!

At PRBC, we also have a time of quiet reflection just after the sermon, too. Why have we set that time aside? Think of those still moments as a chance to push the seeds that God has sown in your heart just a little further into the soil. As Jesus taught us in Mark 4, the devil delights in coming, like a blackbird, to snatch up the good seed of God’s word from before it can take root in our hearts. And a quick dash out the door on Sunday morning can greatly aid him in the process! Therefore, before we finish our worship each Sunday morning, we have that minute or so of reflection – a time to think over what we have heard, and let it sink in. That time is not adequate of course (which is why God has given us an entire day free from other pursuits); but the quiet reflection at the end of worship is at least a start, and perhaps a foretaste of the meditation that might continue throughout the Lord’s Day!

Now, if you attend a church that does not set aside moments, like these, for reflection and stillness ... then carve out the time yourself! Start by arriving in the pew (or stacking chair!) a few minutes early, closing your eyes (so no one will disturb you) and quieting your soul before the Lord. Then, at the conclusion of the service, do the same thing. People around you will eventually come to realize what you are doing ... and may even pick up the habit themselves!

However we do it, may we diligently use (and may the Lord kindly bless) these efforts toward personal silence and thought – both to prepare the soil of our hearts for the good seed, and then to thumb that seed in deeply and profoundly!

A Good Word for the New Year ...

2012-01-02T14:14:00.000-05:00

... especially if you're in Cincinnati on this wintry day:

Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean;

Remove the evil of your deeds from My sight.

Cease to do evil,

Learn to do good;

Seek justice,

Reprove the ruthless,

Defend the orphan,

Plead for the widow.

“Come now, and let us reason together,”

Says the LORD,

“Though your sins are as scarlet,

They will be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They will be like wool.

If you consent and obey,

You will eat the best of the land;

But if you refuse and rebel,

You will be devoured by the sword.”

Truly, the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
Isaiah 1.16-20

Lit∙ur∙gy

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-05:00

Liturgy. Sometimes it almost comes across as a bad word in evangelical circles. We hear the word and immediately imagine bells and smells, robes and rites, hats and holy water. These forms of worship are often part and parcel of what are called liturgical churches. We, however – along with most other gospel-preaching churches – have none of the above. By design, our services are fairly simple … and free of elements not found in the New Testament. But the fact that we are not a liturgical church does not mean we have no liturgy. After all, the word liturgy simply means ‘order of worship’ – and of course we have that! We do have a liturgy!

So there are liturgical churches – so called because of their focus on liturgy, ceremony, and so on. Then there are non-liturgical churches, like ours – so called, not because they have no liturgy, but because they intentionally desire that their order of worship be biblically simple. We might compare the difference to a woman’s choice of vase for her dining room table. She can choose a vase that is itself a work of art – so that her dinner guests leave her home admiring both the vase, and the lily placed in it. Or she can be so taken up with the beauty of the flower itself that she intentionally selects an understated vase – so that the flower, not the container, is what her friends remember when they rise from the meal.

We have deliberately chosen the understated vase, when it comes to our worship – not because we are plain and simple folk, but because we believe that Jesus, “the lily of the valley,” is far more worthy of attention than the container in which we lift Him up week by week. We want an order or worship that simply holds Him up for all to see, rather than attracting attention to itself.

That does not mean, however, that we have no order or structure to what we do. Every flower needs a vase. Nor does the simplicity of the vase we have chosen mean that our order of worship should be homespun, slapdash, or off-the-cuff. There is a difference between a simple vase and an ugly, poorly chosen one! So the goal of our weekly liturgy is to provide structure with simplicity; to create beauty, but understatedly so.

Hence, a good bit of thought goes into each week’s orders of worship. A good deal of biblical insight has also been given to us on these matters. The Bible is concerned about liturgy – not the precise order in which particular things are done, but the fact that certain elements ought to be a part of New Testament worship (things like prayer, the public reading of Scripture, the preaching of the word, the singing of psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and the collection of offerings).

Over the next few weeks, my plan is to use this space to walk through each of the elements of our particular liturgy – explaining why we do what we do, what we hope to accomplish by it, and so on. My hope is that, if we understand what we are doing and why, we might be all the more moved to do it well – with an elegance and beauty that befit the lily of the valley; but also with a simplicity that keeps the attention centered on Him! Will you join me in this pursuit of structured simplicity and understated beauty?

Bible Reading Plans

2011-12-31T13:15:00.002-05:00

'Tis the season to think about a Bible reading plan to begin on New Year's Day. Let me strongly urge this habit upon you - whether you read a lot or a little. We all need to eat true spiritual food each and every day! Here are some potential menus for 2012:

Read the New Testament in six months. This plan gives you 1, 2, or (very occasionally) three chapters to read in a day, and will take you through the entire NT by July 1, 2012. Upon completing it, I'd suggest just going right back through again ... especially if you're new to reading through the Bible. Would work well to read in two portions - either morning and evening, or personal and family devotions. Courtesy the ESV and Justin Taylor.

Read the Bible in two years. This plan, put together by Don Carson, will generally have you reading two chapters a day - one from one portion of Scripture, the other from another (Law, prophets, poetry, gospels, epistles, etc.). Would work well to read in two portions - either morning and evening, or personal and family devotions. Courtesy of Robert M'Cheyne, Ben Edgington, and Don Carson.

Read the Bible in a year. 2-3 chapters from the OT, usually 1 from the new. A little more time consuming, but well worth it! Again, this plan would work well to read in two portions - either morning and evening, or personal and family devotions. Courtesy the ESV and Justin Taylor.

Read the Bible in a year, in chronological order. For those of you who always wanted to get the timeline a little more straight in your minds, this is a good plan. It will require reading 3-4 chapters per day. If doing it in one year is too much, just disregard the dates and go at your own pace, circling each completed section as you go along. Courtesy the ESV and Justin Taylor, via Back to the Bible.

If you're tech-savvy, Justin Taylor has a handy-dandy blogpost with web, RSS, iCal, and mobile ESV versions of these plans, and others. Scroll down to the spreadsheet table near the bottom of his post.

If having specific dates tied to specific chapters will make you feel guilty when you get behind ... here is an at-your-own-pace-plan:

Read the New Testament at your own pace. If you start in Matthew and read a chapter every day, you'll finish in about 9 months. And, if you miss some days, just pick up where you left off, and know that you have three months' worth of days to catch up, or to go back and re-read a few books that were most intriguing or helpful to you, or to read some of the key books of the OT Genesis, Exodus, Proverbs, etc.).

Again, let me strongly urge the discipline of daily Bible reading upon you. The word of God is our food ... and we ought to eat well!

One other thought ... don't lose heart if you get behind! If we set our Sundays aside for the Lord and for rest, they will provide us great opportunity to catch up on any missed chapters through the week. Happy reading!

Hidden Gems

2011-12-26T14:40:00.000-05:00

We preachers don't often get to hear other men preach in person. One of the great advantages of the digital age, however, is that we do have every opportunity to hear good preaching ... over the internet. That said, I am occasionally asked who it is I listen to; to what preachers I turn to feed my own soul. My usual answer: 'O, a handful of British guys you've probably never heard of.'

Listening to one of them this past week, it occurred to me that perhaps these men ought not remain the preachers that 'you've probably never heard of.' So I determined to link you up with them, and make them a little more known to my small circle. Really, I want the good work of the Holy Spirit in these men to be a bit more known to you.

So here's the list, in alphabetical order:

Iain D. Campbell, Point Free Church, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. Campbell preaches with what Christians of days gone by called "unction." There is a Spirit-driven zeal and passion in his preaching that I find in few other places. Often, when I hear him preaching, I feel I haven't even begun to know how to preach. Here is this year's Christmas sermon.

Calum Iain MacLeod, Back Free Church, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. MacLeod is a master of simplicity, and of making the appeal to turn to Christ poignant and appealing from almost any passage of Scripture. His sermon "Come with us, and we will do you good" is a prime specimen.

Iver Martin, Stornoway Free Church, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. I have so often gotten help from Martin when in the midst of the pastor's normal 'Monday morning blues.' He often preaches as if in a one-on-one conversation, with very clear and helpful application all throughout. His sermon on Psalm 87 is one of my favorites.

If you'd like to know ho and why I ended up listening to these men, all from a small island off the west coast of Scotland, click "read more" below.

A few years ago, I read the biography / diary of a man named Kenneth MacRae - a 20th century pastor who ministered for many years in the town of Stornoway, Scotland. I was thoroughly amazed and encouraged - not only at his ministry, but at the level of spiritual life in the western isles of Scotland. It seems to me that God has been kinder to those people and that place than almost any other since the days of the New Testament.

At any rate, after reading about Stornoway, Lewis, and the Free Church of Scotland a century ago, I decided I ought to follow up and see what fruit remains today. The answer I found was encouraging. Martin, the minister in MacRae's former church, captivated my attention first, with his warm, applicational approach. Then I discovered Campbell and MacLeod, who both grew up in the western isles ... and who floored me with their simple and powerful preaching as well.

So check them out ... and pray that, like Elisha, I might inherit some of their spirit!

Read the Christmas Story Aloud!

2011-12-23T15:11:00.003-05:00

Here's wishing you all a Merry Christmas! All the merrier if you and yours find the time, during your celebrations, to read the Nativity account out loud. Perhaps Luke 2:1-20 will do you. But, if you can give it 10-15 minutes, I have put together a compilation of verses that tell the story of Christ's coming, from Genesis 1.1 onward. Take a look and see if this collection of verses might be ready-made to be read at the end of Christmas dinner, or around the tree on Christmas Eve.

You'll find the whole thing by clicking "'read more" below!

Oh, and if you'd like to break it up a bit, trying singing a carol at each of the two pauses (denoted by "..." between paragraphs). I'd suggest "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and "Silent Night" ... with perhaps "Joy to the World" at the end!

The Christmas Story … from the Beginning

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth … and God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it shall be food for you; and to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the sky and to everything that moves on the earth which has life, I have given every green plant for food”; and it was so. God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.’” The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. To Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it’; cursed is the ground because of you; in toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; and you will eat the plants of the field; by the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground, because from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The LORD God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken. So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life.

Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned. Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

They will pass through the land hard-pressed and famished, and it will turn out that when they are hungry, they will be enraged and curse their king and their God as they face upward. Then they will look to the earth, and behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be driven away into darkness. For behold, darkness will cover the earth and deep darkness the peoples.

But the LORD will rise upon you and His glory will appear upon you. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

As for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. And He will arise and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD His God. And they will remain, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace. The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

…

When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming in, he said to her, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.

Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, “Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.” So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet: ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH, ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH; FOR OUT OF YOU SHALL COME FORTH A RULER WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.

...

Listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know – this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Christ … died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God. Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.

_______

Scripture passages used, in order: Genesis 1.1, 25-31; Genesis 3.1-8, 17-19, 23-24; Romans 5.12; Genesis 6.5-6; Isaiah 8.21-22; Isaiah 60.2; Isaiah 9.2-7; Micah 5.2, 4-5; Isaiah 7.14; Galatians 4:4-5, Luke 1.26-38, Matthew 1.18-25; Luke 2.1-20; Matthew 2.1-2, 4-6, 9-12; Acts 2:22-24, 36; John 3:16; 2 Corinthians 5.21; 1 Peter 3.18; and Acts 3:19.

All Scripture quotations are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Several of the passages have been changed from poetic to paragraph form in order to make for easier reading of the story as a whole.

Feel free to copy and distribute these verse as you see fit, provided no changes are made.

Ten Reasons for Christmas

2011-12-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

Birthdays are quaint days of paying token honor to friends and family. Celebrations happen. Thanksgivings are made. Gifts are given. Then one day later … life goes on just like before. And for many people, that’s Christmas. We reminisce about Jesus. We set aside a day to honor Him. Then we get back to our normal routine. But Christmas ought to be so much more! Christmas is cataclysmic! It’s the day when the barrier between earth and heaven began to be peeled back. It’s the day when the immortal, invisible God of the Bible took on flesh and pitched his tent among us! That’s not quaint … that’s earth-shaking. Let me remind you why, with 10 reasons God became a man:

1. So sinful men might see God. God, majestic on His throne, cannot even be approached by sinful men (much less seen by them), lest they be incinerated by His holiness. But in Bethlehem, Mary, Joseph, and a group of ragamuffin shepherds laid eyes on very God of very God. And so may we. “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him” (John 1.18).

2. To testify to the truth. Jesus was born to teach. The crowds were amazed as He spoke for God with authority and understandability. “For this I came into the world, to testify to the truth” (John 18.37).

3. To bring grace and truth together. Truth without grace is hard. And so many legalistic people (Old Testament and New) experience the hardness of the Law without a Savior. But Jesus came, upholding the highest standards of truth … yet lavishing the greatest mercy on people who were unable to live up to them – see John 8. “The law was given through Moses…grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ” (John 1.17).

4. So He might “save His people from their sins” (Matt 1.21). Sin must be punished. But God wants to set sinners free. So how will He do it? He will lay their sins on another. But who can he find who has no sins of his own to pay for? There is no one like that … unless God Himself, the only sinless one, becomes a man and dies for sins Himself!

5. To be a “light of Revelation to the Gentiles” (Luke 2.32). Up until that holy night in Bethlehem, God’s plan of salvation had been at work almost exclusively among the Jews. But the Babe was born to bring salvation to every tongue and tribe – and that means us!

6. So we might be God’s children. Not only does God forgive our sins and treat us as righteous. He also adopts us as His beloved children. That’s why “in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, born of a woman … so that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Gal 4.4).

7. To rule the world. The lowly child in the manger came to take over this planet – and your life. “His kingdom shall have no end” (Luke 1.33)

8. To bring peace for the future. Isaiah prophesied that “every boot of the booted warrior in the battle of tumult, and cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us…” (Is 9.5-6). That baby is going to one day bring about an end to all war, famine, pain, revenge, and evil. What a day!

9. To bring peace on earth now. The angels sang “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace among men with whom He is pleased.” Resting in Jesus, we have peace even now, though the world crumbles around us.

10. To prove that God does the impossible. If God can become man, and confine Himself to a teenager’s womb, surely He can meet you an your “impossible” circumstances as well! For “nothing will be possible with God” (Luke 1.26-38).

Ephesians Sermons

2011-12-15T11:18:00.000-05:00

We recently completed a relatively quick survey of the book of Ephesians. If you'd like to read or listen in, click away!

Ephesians 1.1-2 - To the Saints who are at Ephesus - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 1.3-23 - Every Spiritual Blessing ... in Christ - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 2.1-10 - Alive Together with Christ - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 2.11-3.21 - Brought Near by the Blood of Christ - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 4.1-16 - Out of Many, One - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 4.17-5.21 - The Christian's Wardrobe - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 5.22-6.9 - The Christian's Work and Family - manuscript - MP3

Ephesians 6.10-24 - The Christian's Warfare - manuscript - MP3

Ten Reasons to go to the Mission Field

2011-12-12T17:28:00.001-05:00

The task of getting the gospel to the hidden peoples of this earth is not reserved for a select and adventurous few. It is too big for that. It’s a church-sized task. Under God, the whole church in this world should be involved in the Great Commission. All of us should pray fervently for the work. All of us should leverage our dollars to support the work. And though not all of us will go be missionaries … all of us should at least consider going … for the short term, or for a lifetime commitment. So, ten reasons why we should all consider going with the good news:

1. There is no other name by which men can be saved. So says Peter in Acts 4.12. Unless they hear the name of Jesus, the nations perish.

2. There are so many who have never heard. Consider the Siwa ... 30,000 tribal living completely isolated from the world in a steep ravine in the Egyptian desert. None of them have heard the gospel.

3. There are so few who are getting out the message. No one has ever gotten to the Siwa people with the gospel. Generation after generation has come and gone without a Savior. Should we not have the attitude of Paul who said: “I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ had already been named” (Rom 15.19)?

4. It’s hard to pray for the nations without being willing to go. Paul taught us to “pray…that the word of the Lord would spread rapidly and be glorified” (2 Thess 3.1). But if we pray that way, we must be ready for God to use us as part of His answer!

5. God will be with you if you go. Jesus sends us to strange, confusing, even dangerous places to make disciples … but not alone. “I am with you always,” He says, “even to the end of the age” (Matt 28.20).

6. You cannot fail in the task of missions. There are many pursuits which you can try and fail. But if your pursuit is gospel missions, you cannot fail. “As the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return there without watering the earth … so will My word be which comes from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty” (Is 55.10-11).

7. Compassion compels us to go. “Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons who do not know the difference between their right and left hand?” declares the Lord in Jonah 4.11. Should our compassion be any less?

8. The command of the Lord constrains us to go. Jesus’ final instructions were: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28.19). It’s awfully hard to “go and make disciples” if we are unwilling to “go!”

9. The example of Jesus urges us to go. Phil 2.5-11 describes Jesus as a great missionary who left His home and came to bring mercy to the nations. Food for thought … The passage begins this way: “Have this (missionary) attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”

10. God deserves to be made famous among the nations. The main reason we do Missions is because God is worthy of being made known. It is wonderful when sinners avoid hell. But even better that they go instead to heaven to forever declare the worth of God! So the task is to help the nations see how beautiful God is: “I will … send … them to the nations: Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Rosh, Tubal, and Javan, to the distant coastlands that have neither heard My fame nor seen My glory. And they will declare My glory among the nations” (Is 66.19)!

2011 Missionary Bio: Captain Allen Gardiner of Patagonia

2011-12-12T16:44:00.000-05:00

Each Christmastime, we consider the life of some great missionary from times past, and the lessons in faith that come with it. This year our focus was on Captain Allen Gardiner of Patagonia. Few missionaries have lived and died with less immediate fruit of their labors. But few stories are as moving as this one. I hope you'll enjoy. You may listen to the MP3, or download the manuscript.

Also, take some time to peruse our growing total of ten missionary biographies:

2002 - Lottie Moon, China - MP3*

2003 - William Carey, India - MP3*

2004 - Jim Elliot, Ecuador - manuscript - MP3

2005 - Ann Judson, Burma - manuscript - MP3

2006 - Eric Liddell, China - manuscript - MP3

2007 - St. Patrick, Ireland - manuscript - MP3

2008 - Helen Roseveare, Congo - manuscript - MP3

2009 - Amy Carmichael, India - manuscript - MP3

2010 - Svea Flood, Congo - manuscript - MP3
2011 - Allen Gardiner, Patagonia - manuscript - MP3

*Please excuse the somewhat poor recording quality on the Moon and Carey MP3's. Forgive also the strong country-fried accent on those first few (which I am losing more and more every year, as listening to all ten MP3's will demonstrate!).

Brethren, Pray for us...

2011-12-05T15:22:00.001-05:00

We spent a good bit of time, this past Sunday, on 2 Thessalonians 3:1. Paul (the missionary) wrote to Thessalonica (the supporting church) as follows: “Brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you.” What a great text to motivate us to pray for our own missionaries! We unpacked much of what Paul said during the course of the sermon. But allow me, in the lines that follow, to point out one more missionary prayer lesson that I did not mention on Sunday.

Namely, I want you to notice that Paul asked two things concerning the advance of “the word of the Lord” – both that it would “spread rapidly” and that it would “be glorified.” Those are two quite unique requests. On the one hand, Paul wants to see people saved and churches planted in swift succession. After all, the time is short, and people are dying without Jesus. So Paul prays that the word of God would “spread rapidly.” But, on the other hand, he prays that it will “be glorified” as it spreads – i.e. that the message of Jesus will not be trivialized, or watered down, or abridged, or handled carelessly. No! “The word of the Lord” is a treasure! And it must be treated as such; it must “be glorified.”

So Paul wants the best of both worlds – the rapid spread of a deep, profound, glorious gospel! That is not an easy balance to strike. Indeed, my hunch is that almost every missionary leans toward one side of the ledger or the other.

Some missionaries are rightly eager to see the word of God “spread rapidly.” They desire to plant churches as quickly as possible, and to raise up local, indigenous leaders ASAP. And, of course, this is a biblical desire. It’s what Paul himself wanted. But, without the balance for which Paul pleads in 2 Thessalonians 3:1, that rapidity can sometimes lead to a lack of caution and/or discernment. Corners can be cut in order to make Christianity ‘more palatable’. Certain pillars of Christian belief and practice may not be driven as deeply into the ground as they ought, because the missionary is keen to hurry on to the next church plant or village. And leaders can be put in place who are not yet ready to lead – perhaps either theologically, or morally. In other words, it is possible for the word of God to spread rapidly, but not to “be glorified” as it ought; for the gospel to advance quickly, but shallowly … leaving future generations of the newly planted churches to suffer the consequences. People may be saved in the short term, but the church turns to error and even heresy over the long haul because the foundations were not laid carefully enough. The word spread rapidly, but was not adequately glorified.

On the other hand, some missionaries lean quite in the other direction. They want the word of God to “be glorified” – to be carefully, fully, and systematically taught to the native people. They want to make sure they cross every ‘t’ and dot every ‘i,’ and not leave the people with a shallow understanding of the truth. And those are good instincts! After all, they are not merely planting the gospel for this generation, but for the next ten generations, if the Lord tarries. So they must take adequate time to get it right! But this concern to make sure the word of the Lord is carefully taught can become imbalanced if it leads to stagnation; if it prevents missionaries from the desire to see the word of the Lord spread rapidly; if it causes them to drag their feet and to assume that local people will never be able to lead their own churches; or if it causes them to be slow to plant new churches because they’re not sure if they’ll be able to get their theology down pat.

Incidentally, every potential imbalance I have pointed out is a danger, not only for foreign missionaries, but for local churches and pastors, too! So, if the shoe fits, you know what to do with it!

What our missionaries (and pastors, and churches) need is balance. We all need to have a great urgency and a desire to see the Lord’s work done as rapidly as possible … but, at the same time, a great care not to move so quickly that corners are cut and foundations laid hastily. And, O, what a difficult balance that must be to strike! That’s why Paul requests prayer … and why we ought to pray for our missionaries, precisely along these lines – “that the Lord of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified.” Will you join me in that prayer?

The Perseverance of the Saints

2011-12-03T08:55:00.000-05:00

We Baptists are fond of using the phrase “once saved, always saved.” And rightly so! No one will snatch Jesus’ sheep from His hand (John 10.28). God will surely finish the good work He began in us (Philippians 1.6), all the way until Jesus returns. So it is true that once a person is saved he is always saved … and will never lose his salvation.

But “once saved, always saved” is not the whole truth. It’s not only true that once a person is saved, he will always be saved … but that, once a person is saved, he will go on living like he is saved as well! The benefit of being a Christian, in other words, is not simply that God delivers us from sin’s penalty at the last day, but also that He delivers us from sin’s power in the present day. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5.17). If anyone is in Christ, therefore, he is surely different than he was before. If anyone is truly in Christ, he will surely grow, and change, and become more like Jesus. He will surely persevere and press on in the faith. That’s what new creatures do!

Yes, true Christians sometimes struggle, and may even have periods of ‘backsliding.’ But if we are genuine, those periods will not be the norm in our lives. If we are true Christians, the overall tenor of our lives will be one of continuing in the faith and growing in Jesus. True Christians do not make a profession of faith, go through the waters of baptism, and then largely disappear from the life and service if the church! No! True Christians are “new creatures” … and their lives show it! This is why the Bible constantly uses the word “if” in relation to our assurance of salvation. Let me give a few examples:

*John 8.31: “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of mine.”

*Colossians 1.22-23: “He has now reconciled you in His fleshly body through death, in order to present you before Him holy and blameless and beyond reproach – if indeed you continue in the faith”

*Hebrews 3.6: “Christ was faithful as a Son over [God’s] house – whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end”

*Hebrews 3.14: “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end”

What gives with all the “if’s”? Are the New Testament authors saying that we keep ourselves saved by holding fast, and continuing on in the faith? Do we have to do something to stay saved? No! It is Jesus, remember, that holds tight to His sheep, not the other way around (John 10.28). It is God, not we ourselves, who will finish the work He began in us (Philippians 1.6). And yet the Bible is constantly telling us that we are truly Christians, and that we have been reconciled to God, only “if” we continue or persevere in the faith. How can that be?

The answer is simple: The “if” clauses in the Bible do not signify conditions we must keep to stay saved. They simply signify evidence in our lives that God has already saved us! If God has really saved you, in other words, He will ensure that certain things will be true of you. You’ll continue in God’s word (John 8.31), and in the faith (Colossians 1.21-23). If God has really saved you, you’ll hold fast your confidence in Christ (Hebrews 3.6). You’ll love the brothers and put away sin (1 John). These are the marks of a “new creature”! And it is only “if” we demonstrate the marks of a “new creature” that we can be sure that we are “in Christ.”

Again, let me be clear. The Bible does teach that once we are saved, we are always saved. But it also teaches that, once we are saved, God will demonstrate His work in us by enabling us to persevere in faith and growth and steadfast hope in Jesus. And if we don’t see these demonstrations of God’s handiwork, then we have every reason to doubt whether He has yet begun the good work of salvation in us. For, whenever God begins a good work, He completes it!

Why give to World Missions?

2011-12-01T07:59:00.000-05:00

Every Christmastime PRBC collects an offering to support our missionaries – thosewho leave homes, jobs, family and go to remote places to bring the good news ofJesus to lost and dying people. Theycannot go unless we support them financially. The same is true of any missionaries from any church anywhere. So, let me give you ten reasons why everyChristian should support the cause of world missions. Weshould all give to world missions because:

1. Knowing Jesus Christ is the onlypathway to God. Jesus said that no one comes to the Father but through Me, John 14.6. “No one” will be saved without Jesus …including those our missionaries work to reach.

2. There are 1.6 billion (with a ‘B’)people who have never heard. A quarter of the world’s populous lives in regions where there is littleor no chance to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Howwill they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher,Romans 10.14? And how will there be apreacher if we do not support missionaries?

3. The harvest is plentiful, but theworkers are few. Praythat the Lord of the harvest would send out workers into His harvest says Jesus in Matthew 9.38. It seems only right, doesn’t it, that if weare going to ask God to send missionaries, we should be willing to supportthem.

4. God has blessed us so we can bless thenations with Jesus. There’s a reason why God made you andme Christians in America: so that we’d have more money than most of theworld … to sink into missionary purposes! Godblesses us, that the ends of the earth may fear Him, Psalm 67.7!

5. If we neglect God’s work, moths willeat our money! Not literally, perhaps … but money hasa way of disappearing when God’s people use it unwisely. Therefore … store up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy andthieves do not break in and steal, Matthew 6.20.

6. Missions is a fool-proofinvestment. God promises that people from every nation and all tribes and peoplesand tongues will worship Jesus in heaven (Revelation 7.9). The task will get accomplished, andtherefore your money will not be wasted! More than we can say for Wall Street!

7. Sacrificial giving is a joyoustask. When we give greatly to something greatly worthwhile, it’sfun! It’s a blessing! He whosows bountifully will also reap a blessing, 2 Corinthians 9.6!

8. We are Christians because someonesupported a missionary. Most of us have our ethnic roots inEurope and Africa, a few in S. America or Asia. Guess how the gospel got to these places? A missionary came with a Bible under his armand a prayerful, generous support team in his homeland! Let’s make sure many more missionaries arrivein many more places with Bibles under their arms and generous support teams backhome!

9. Our missionaries are worthy of oursupport. Most of our missionariesare away from family, with little Christian fellowship, often in danger, yet servingthe Lord faithfully in the middle of nowhere. That is why Jesus said the workeris worthy of his support … Matthew 10.10.

10. God is worthy of the worship of thenations! Ultimately, we support missions becauseGod is worthy of being made famous! People from every tribe and tongue ought to worship Him! The missionary task, therefore, is to win themultitudes to Jesus so that God’s praises will be sung as loudly as they oughtto be sung! Here are God’s missionarymarching orders: Bring my sons from afarand My daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone who is called by My name,and whom I have created for My glory, Isaiah 43.6-7!

May God give us grace,once again this Christmas, to invest in His glory among the nations!

The English Bible and the Protestant Reformation

2011-10-31T11:40:00.000-04:00

Since it's Reformation Day, I thought I'd re-post another article from a couple years back. It was also the introduction to yesterday's sermon, from Psalm 119.24, entitled "Your Testimonies are my Delight."

“Our Father which art in heaven hallowed be Thy name.” So many of us know those words so well. Our parents or Sunday School teachers taught them to us decades ago … and we can still remember them now – twenty, thirty, forty years on. But did you know that there was a time when those parents and Sunday School teachers could have been burned alive for teaching you those lines from Matthew 6?

It’s true. That is exactly what the Roman Catholic Church was doing in the early 1500’s. Not only was it politically expedient, in the middle ages, for the common man to be prevented from reading the Bible in his own language … but the Church itself realized that many of its practices could not be found in the Scriptures, and would actually be unmasked as heretical and soul-destroying if normal people could actually read God’s word. So the Bible – by both church and political laws – was kept locked in the Latin tongue that almost no one could read. And if you were caught reading, possessing, or reciting the newly (and illegally) published English version … the penalty was uniform: death by burning at the stake.

That was the fate that numerous people suffered in England – for reading or possessing the Bible in English! Included among them were seven parents, in 1519, who dared to teach their children the Lord’s Prayer in their own language.

It may distress some Christians that the Ten Commandments are being systematically removed from public display. But that is almost like nothing in comparison to the 1500’s! We can still display the commandments in our homes and churches. We can still own, read, and teach the Bible freely. We can stand on Fountain Square and read it aloud if we want. But here were seven parents who died for teaching Matthew 6.9-13 to their children … in English. It is absolutely unthinkable. And yet it was real. And it happens, in other nations with other languages, even today. And, oh, how we should pray that God continues to give His suffering people strength.

But as we approach the 494th anniversary of the beginning of Protestant Reformation (10/31) … we should thank God for these martyrs for the English Bible. Yes (praise God!) Luther, Calvin, and others rediscovered the biblical and liberating doctrine of salvation by grace, through faith in Jesus alone (and not by works of the law). But we English speakers might have totally missed the blessing were it not for a few brave men and women who dared to get the Bible into English – against the law. Men like John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, and Miles Coverdale translated it – and Tyndale was martyred for doing so. Countless cloth workers smuggled the English Bible into England hidden in bales of cloth sent over from the European continent. And then there were those brave men and women who lost their lives for simply possessing the word of God. Their deaths were not in vain. For such cruelty always arouses the attention of the public to the injustices of those in power … and fans the flame of hunger for God’s word, and for justice!

So this October 31; this Reformation Day – remember these English translators, cloth-workers, and martyrs. And thank God that we have the Bible – and the message of salvation, full and free in Jesus alone – in our own language!

To read more on this topic, check out Piper's bio on William Tyndale (where I got most of this info).

Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation

2011-10-31T07:00:00.000-04:00

This is a re-post from several years back. It's a familiar story, too. But it's worth repeating on this 494th anniversary of Luther's nailing His 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg.

In July 1505, a careless and superstitious German college student was traveling through the countryside in the midst of a tremendous thunderstorm. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning burst from the clouds and struck the ground so near him that it knocked him off his feet. Frightened and superstitious, he cried out “St. Anne, save me and I will become a monk!” Two weeks later, having survived the storm, he kept his vow and entered the monastery. His name was Martin Luther.

As is the case when you enter the monastery, Luther had a lot of time to think about himself and about God. And the more he thought, the more he realized just how short of God’s standard he fell. He began to hate himself for it. And, in a desperate attempt to make things right with God, he dove head-first into the strict life of the monastery. He read and prayed laboriously. He spent hours in confession, desperately trying to remember every sin he had ever committed—and ended up hating himself even more because he could not remember them all! He fasted constantly, sometimes for days on end. He sometimes disciplined himself by spending freezing winter nights sleeping in the cold with no blanket. He would later say, “I kept the rule so strictly that I may say that if ever a monk got to heaven by his sheer monkery, it was I. If I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading, and other work.”

Despite all his efforts, Martin Luther could find no peace with God. He was terrified of God and saw Him only as a Judge, eager to punish. Historian Bruce Shelley describes Luther’s first service of the Mass like this:

In the midst of saying his first Mass, said Luther, “I was utterly stupefied and terrorstricken. I thought to myself, ‘Who am I that I should lift up mine eyes or raise my hands to the divine majesty? For I am dust and ashes and full of sin, and I am speaking to the living, eternal and true God?’ No amount of penance, no soothing advice from his superiors could still Luther’s conviction that he was a miserable, doomed sinner. Although his confessor counseled him to love God, Luther one day burst out, “I do not love God! I hate Him!”[1]

Now why did Martin Luther come to a place where he hated God? Why did he feel so condemned and so unloved by God? The reason is because, all his life he had heard much about God’s righteous judgment on sinners. But he had never heard that God is also the One who freely forgives. He had never heard that forgiveness of sins was an absolutely free gift! Everything that Martin Luther had ever been taught by the priests led him to believe that it is up to us to get right with God by virtue of our own good works…and Luther found himself completely unable! So, he was undone. And he hated this God whom he believed was so exacting and so unmerciful!

Perhaps this is the position some of you are in this very moment: hoping to get right with God through being good, and finding yourself incapable of being good! You are frustrated. You feel like God will never be satisfied and you will never measure up. And you find it very difficult to love a God like that!

If that is where you are, I have good news for you. After ten years of struggling, Martin Luther finally found hope and forgiveness. And he found it in Romans 1.16-17 where the apostle Paul writes:

I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first an also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, he who is righteous by faith shall live.

Luther discovered two important things as he studied these two verses:

1.It is the “gospel”—the good news of Jesus’ death and resurrection—and not our good behavior, which “is the power of God for salvation.” We are saved by Jesus’ good works, not our own!

2. This salvation is available to “everyone who believes.” Or as verse 17 puts it, “He who is righteous by faith (as opposed to good works) shall live.” We become right with God, not by doing good works, but by believing in God’s Son!

Now, do you know what happens when we discover God’s mercy and grace toward sinners? Let’s let Luther describe it. Upon discovering the free gift of salvation through faith in Jesus, He said: “I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise!” When we realize that God wants to give us salvation as a free gift; and when, therefore, we stop trying to earn God’s favor, we gain peace with God. We no longer hate Him. We no longer see Him as our Condemner but as our Friend. We walk through open doors into paradise! That will happen for you today if you will but believe in God who saves the ungodly!

That is what happened for Martin Luther. And when he published his discovery on this date—October 31, 1517—God used this rediscovery of God’s free gift of salvation to begin a spiritual revival in which thousands of people found the same peace that Martin Luther found; the same peace that I hope each of you will find and share with others. Let’s pray that this would happen for someone today…

[1] This quote, the other quotes in this section, and the specifics of historical detail come from: Shelley, Bruce. Church History in Plain Language. (Dallas: Word, 1982), pages 238-239.

Not Even One

2011-10-24T10:49:00.000-04:00

This article was written about 6 years ago. I think I could "amen" it even more loudly now than then.

Tobey and I were talking this week with someone about what I’ve learned the last five years or so. Particularly, what have I learned about being a Christian. Here is my answer: I’m really not a good person. That is what I’ve learned. Of course I’ve learned other things. But that may be the main one: I’m really not as good as I thought I was.

Now I definitely grew up believing that everyone was a sinner. I’ve known Romans 3.23 as long as I can remember. But I think my attitude through much of my growing up years was that I (and my church-going compatriots) were among the sinners who really weren’t all that bad. There were sinners…and then there were SINNERS. And I was definitely in the lower-case sinners club.

Did I need God’s grace and forgiveness? Sure. Everybody does. But those people out there sure needed it a lot more than I did! I was one of those who sinned every now and again. I needed forgiveness sprinkled in here and there. But basically I was pretty good.

I really think that this is what I thought it meant to be a Christian. Now, of course, I wouldn’t have described it exactly this way. I would have spoken in terms that almost all Bible-believing people do. “Are you a sinner?” “Well of course, we’re all sinners!” “Do you need a Savior?” “Certainly. Everybody needs a Savior.”

Now, while these statements are correct, do you see that they are woefully inadequate? Being a Christian is not simply believing that we are all sinners—but that I myself am a terrible sinner! Being a Christian doesn’t simply mean we accept that all people need the Savior—but that I myself am in desperate need of His sacrifice on my behalf.

And for goodness sake, being a Christian doesn’t mean that I think I’m one of the lesser sinners. One is not a Christian because he has his act together, goes to church, and is a pretty nice person. But sadly, that is what many, many people, who go to church every Sunday believe.

Again, they would never go so far as to say: “I am saved by my good works.” No, No. That would be heresy. But many of the same people who would never claim to be saved by works would also be unwilling to admit of themselves: “I am not a good person. I am a bad person.” But isn’t that what the Bible says? When the Bible proclaims: “there is none righteous, not even one…there is none who seeks for God…there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Rom. 3.10-12)—isn’t it talking about me?

If I am honest with myself, I do not have to look very deeply into my heart, my thoughts, and my actions to discern that the Bible speaks truth here. But only when I do am I a candidate for God’s grace. For Jesus didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.

Faith Alone?

2011-10-10T10:33:00.000-04:00

In the church tradition from which we come, we are accustomed to being taught (correctly) that we are saved by faith alone. Many of us who grew up in church had verses like Romans 3.28 stamped on our memories: “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law.” And even those of us who haven’t been in church that long have at least had this truth ingrained on our minds—we are saved by faith in Jesus, not by doing good works. How true!

But as we’ve matured in faith; as we’ve read our Bibles, many of us have come across a bit of a trip-line in James 2. Check out verse 24: “You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” ‘WHAT? Justified by works?! That can’t be right, can it?’ Well, not only can it be…it is. It is right there in the Bible. And it seems like Paul and James are arguing on two totally different sides. And we might think that if we did not believe that God wrote the Bible. But since we believe God told both Paul and James what to write, their writings must somehow blend together to make one cohesive truth. And I believe they do…

What Paul is saying is clear—faith alone saves. James would agree. He’s just flipping the faith coin over so we can see what is on the other side—namely, good works. James knew that faith alone saved. He was simply pointing out that true saving faith is always accompanied and demonstrated by good works.

The people of other centuries explained this two-sided coin with a phrase that went something like this: It is faith alone that saves, but saving faith is never alone. In other words, if all you had was faith in Christ … that would be good enough to make you right with God; good enough to swing open the door of heaven. But the truth is that, when God grants a person faith, He always gives it in a package deal with love, a desire for holiness, and the Law written on our hearts.

Perhaps an illustration would help. Say the cabinet above your stove becomes so warped from steam that it is completely jammed shut. Try as you might, you cannot pull it open and get to the food inside. But along I come and give you a multi-purpose tool—a screwdriver, knife, fingernail file, allen wrench, box-cutter, and scissors all in one, pocket-knife type of contraption. So you unfold the screwdriver, turn the screws that hold the cabinet's hinges in place, remove the hinges, and off pops the door.

Now it would be totally correct to say: “The screw-driver alone got me into the cabinet.” No one would argue that. Neither the scissors nor the knife enabled you to get to your Cheerios. But those tools DID come in the package deal with the screw-driver. You couldn’t have gotten one without the other.

The same is true with faith. Faith in Jesus alone gets you into a relationship with God. Loving your neighbor, going to church, paying your tithes could never do that. But those kinds of things DO come in a package deal with faith. You cannot have one without the other!

And to carry the illustration further, remember that opening a shut door is not the only use for that screwdriver. It’s also helpful in putting up shelves, hanging pictures, and installing your air-filters! So it is with faith. Faith does not stop working when it believes on Jesus and the door of heaven swings open. It continues as a day-by-day trust in the Lord. And it is that day-by-day trust in the Lord that allows us to give money away, pray for our enemies, study our Bibles, etc. If we trust the Lord to bless our obedience, we will follow Him whole-heartedly—and good works will be the inevitable result! So not only is saving faith accompanied by a desire for good works…but it also positively produces the good works!

So we may both “maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from the works of the Law” and at the same time “see that a man is justified by works and not by faith (that is alone) alone.” Because true faith is never alone, but always shows up with its friends!

Satisfied?

2011-10-03T10:26:00.000-04:00

In Ecclesiastes 6.7, King Solomon penned these wise words: “All a man’s labor is for his mouth and yet the soul is not satisfied.” A powerful proverb—especially coming from a man whose appetite was fed with every pleasure known to man. Consider what Solomon is really saying:

1. Getting what you want will never satisfy you. Oh sure, eating more, owning more, vacationing more, feeling more…all these things may satisfy some temporary desires. They may make your body or mind happy for a season. But Solomon says that gratifying these desires will never satisfy the deepest part of a person—his soul. The soul is where the deepest longings exist. The soul is where the most painful agonies cry out. And in the end, it is often true that the people who are most wealthy and most gratified have souls which are least healthy and least satisfied! And Solomon ought to know. He was Bill Gates and the President of the United States all rolled into one—the wealthiest, most powerful man in the known world. Listen to his self-description in Ecclesiastes 2.4-10:

4I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; 5I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; 6I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees. 7I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. 8Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines. 9Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. 10All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward for all my labor.

Solomon had possessions (v.4-6), power (v.7), money (v.8a), sexual gratification (v.8b), fame (v.9a), wisdom (v.9b), pleasure (v.10a), and success (v.10b). Yet with all this, his soul was not satisfied. Read what he says in 2.11: “Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind.” Which brings me to my second point from Ecclesiastes 6.7:

2. Working for what you get will never satisfy you. Now that goes exactly contrary to the American way of thinking doesn’t it? We’ve been taught to think that the only things worth having are the things you have to work for. But Solomon says it isn’t so. He says that a man’s “labor” is, in the end, not satisfying to the soul.

When you work for something, the end result is that you get simply what you deserve. You earn a wage. And no one turns cartwheels when they get their same old paycheck on a Friday afternoon. But what if, when you get that paycheck, your boss has, out of the goodness of his heart, given you a $100 bonus? Then you get excited! So Solomon is right. The things worked for aren’t what exhilarate the soul. It’s the free gifts that truly make the heart glad.

So what is the point? Solomon’s point is simply this: Soul satisfaction comes neither through temporary, earthly gratification…nor through sweat and toil. Actually the opposite is true. Soul satisfaction comes as we: (a) Cease aiming to satisfy ourselves, and start aiming to be satisfied in God; and (b) Stop trying to work for everything we get and realize that satisfaction—forgiveness, purpose, relationship with God, and eternal life—is a free gift through the life and death of Jesus.

To boil it down to a simple question: Are you working for yourself…or resting in Jesus? The eternal satisfaction of your soul depends upon how you answer!

A Challenging Video

2011-10-01T07:02:00.000-04:00

Some logical, think-it-out kinds of questions re: abortion and eternity from Ray Comfort:

Is my Bible Accurate?

2011-09-30T21:00:00.000-04:00

All of this talk about Bible translation can be very instructive and edifying. But if we are not careful, it can also be quite disconcerting. With questions swirling in our heads about whether the KJV is based on the best Greek Testament; or whether the NIV’s translation theory is faulty, we may find ourselves wondering if we’ve been misguided all these years by faulty Bibles. So let me address that in this final article.

Have you been misguided by your Bible translation? Probably not. Yes, there are translations (such as those printed by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons) that intentionally change key words to promote their heresies. But chances are you haven’t been reading those versions. Probably you’ve been reading one of the following: the KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, HCSB, NIV, NRSV, or NLT. As I have been saying for the past five weeks, they are not all created equal. Some of them (particularly the NASB and ESV) are head and shoulders above the rest. But, if you grew up on the KJV or the NIV; or if you’ve been reading the NLT because of its ease of access, you will not have imbibed any heresy.

Here’s the mercy of God for you – though all translations have been put together by fallible men and women; and though there are noticeable differences in many of them … not one of those differences (in the mainstream translations mentioned above) will change the way a person believes about the cardinal doctrines of the faith.

Yes, the KJV has a few extra verses at the end of the book of Mark. The same is true in John 8, and in a few other spots. But the truths taught (or not taught) in those verses do not make or break the Christian faith. For the most part, the KJV’s additional verses just say the kinds of things that may be found in other places in the Scriptures.

And yes, the NIV and NLT sometimes frustrate me by telling me what they think Paul means instead of what he actually says. And sometimes, by doing so, some of the nuances Paul probably had in mind get ‘lost in translation’. But overall, even though they shouldn’t be interpreting for me, these translations get the interpretations basically right. You won’t be led into any serious errors if you’ve read the NIV your whole life long.

I hope that’s a relief to you. Surely there are better translations and worse ones. And yes, if you read one of the lesser ones, you will miss out on some things that God intends to give you. But I haven’t written this series of articles to undermine your confidence in the English Bible, but to strengthen it. I believe that, if you understand what you are holding in your hands, and how it was translated, and from what Greek manuscripts, and so on … you’ll actually be more confident that it really is possible, without knowing a word of Greek or Hebrew, to know exactly what Moses, Ezekiel, James, Paul, and John wrote … indeed, what the Holy Spirit wrote through them! I believe that, if you understand how translation works, and why it ought to work a certain way, you’ll see with all the more clarity the importance of reading from a good translation. And the better the translation, the better you’ll understand God’s word. And the better you understand God’s word, the more you will love Him; the more you will find yourself under the Spirit’s gracious influences; and the more you will grow into conformity to His Son. That’s worth a lot of effort … and a good translation!

What about the King James Version?

2011-09-30T08:15:00.000-04:00

Once we have settled the question of what kind of translation we want to use, we still have a question to answer. Which specific one? When thinking about word-for-word translations, we English speakers have four or five marvelous options (KJV, NKJV, ESV, NASB, and HCSB to name the ones that immediately come to mind). But which one shall we use? Most Christians are content with any or all of the above. But there is a minority who prefer the King James above all others, and who insist on using it alone. Some would even go so far as to argue that it is uniquely inspired. We have already shown that to be a misguided assumption.

‘But what about all the differences between the KJV and the modern translations?’ it is sometimes argued. ‘Is it not obvious that modern translations have left certain things out of the Bible?’ These are questions you may have been asked by a KJV-only proponent. At their best, these questions are well-meaning, but uninformed.

Did modern translators really leave things out of the Bible? And would they have done so, as some KJV-only proponents argue, as a grand conspiracy to change Bible doctrine, lessen our appreciation for the deity of Jesus, etc.? No, and no. So then why do the modern translations (especially in the New Testament) not include certain sentences, words, and sometimes whole verses or passages that appear in the KJV?

Well, remember that the New Testament came to us in Greek, not in Elizabethan English. Understand, also, that no one possesses the original copies of Luke in Luke’s own hand-writing, or of Galatians in Paul’s own script. All of the Greek manuscripts that exist today are handwritten copies of the various books of the Bible, produced from the first century AD and onwards. And, as we said about Bible translators before, so we now say of Bible copyists – they are not infallible. Sometimes, when we compare a handful of copies of the gospel of Matthew, for instance, it becomes obvious that one of the copyists inadvertently skipped a word or two. Other times it would appear that an overzealous copyist added a few of his own explanatory notes to the biblical text – notes which were sometimes thought by later copyists to have been part of the original text, and were therefore copied down as though they were!

What this means is that Bible scholars and translation teams have to sift through all the thousands of ancient Greek Bible manuscripts, comparing these aberrations, ‘typos’, and so on … and by careful consideration, come to studied conclusions about which manuscripts contain the most accurate copies of the infallible originals. There are men and women who have given their whole lives to this pursuit, gathering together the thousands of ancient Bible manuscripts available to us, and piecing them together into the most accurate final product possible. Thank God for them!

And, as in any scientific study, the larger the sample size these men and women have to work with, the more accurate the results. The more manuscripts the Greek scholars have, the easier it is for them to piece the New Testament together accurately.

What does this have to do with the KJV? Well, as you may know, the KJV was produced in 1611 – four hundred years ago this year! But at that date, the men who had pieced together the New Testament had only six or seven ancient Greek manuscripts to work with. And so they took the handful manuscripts they possessed and put them together into a Greek New Testament – from which Luther’s German Bible, the KJV, and several other versions were translated. And let me say, with everyone else who has ever known anything about this subject … they did a masterful job! The King James is a marvelous English Bible translation! And it is highly accurate to the Greek manuscripts its translators had to work with.

But that last sentence is key. The King James is accurate to the Greek manuscripts its translators had to work with – six or seven Greek manuscripts, all copied several centuries after the events of the New Testament. But, praise God, in the four hundred years since, over five thousand more New Testament manuscripts have turned up – many of them much, much older than the ones available to the KJV committee in 1611! So modern Greek scholars, in putting together the most accurate Greek New Testament possible, have about 900 times more data to work with. And, as they have studied that data, it has become fairly evident that some of the very ‘typos’ and overzealous notes that I mentioned already were prevalent in the manuscripts that the KJV translation team had to work with.

Put simply, we can now look back and realize that the KJV translators didn’t have as accurate a copy of the Greek New Testament as modern translators have at their disposal. That is no slight on the KJV committee, any more than we fault ophthalmologists from a century ago for not being able to offer contact lenses or laser surgery. As with the eye-doctors, the KJV translators were simply doing their best with the tools they had been given … and working masterfully, as I said. But if God has uncovered more and more data for us to work with, should we not use it … and piece together the best Greek New Testament possible? And, once that work has been done in the Greek (as it has), doesn’t it behoove us to use those better Greek Testaments as the basis for our modern English translations? Surely it does! Thus the existence of the ESV, the NASB, and so on … with their occasional variations from the KJV.

There is no conspiracy to take ‘the real English Bible’ out of people’s hands … but rather an earnest attempt to place the best English Bible into people’s hands, by basing it on the best Greek New Testament. Good, word-for-word, modern Bible translations are simply building upon the exact theories and disciplines employed by their forbears on the KJV committee … only with the kind of data to work with that would have made the men of 1611 salivate. We should be thankful for them. I have a feeling the KJV committee members would be!

What God Said ... or what He Meant?

2011-09-29T08:21:00.000-04:00

There are two theories of Bible translation – word-for-word, and thought-for-thought. One set of translators seeks to present the English reader with an accurate translation of each Greek and Hebrew word in the Bible. The other takes a phrase or so at a time, determines its meaning, and then renders that meaning into modern English. Which is best? I prefer the word-for-word theory of translation a hundred fold.

First, is it not true that God inspired every word of the Bible? That’s what the Bible says about itself. “Every word of God is tested” (Proverbs 30.5, emphasis mine). “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4.4, emphasis mine). Every last word of the Bible is God’s. And every last word is vital for my spiritual nourishment! And, therefore, I want a translation that seeks to translate every word! It’s true that God communicates thoughts to us in the Scriptures. But those thoughts come to us in specific words. And the only way to be sure we have translated God’s thoughts accurately is to translate each word that makes up the thoughts!

Second, I prefer word-for-word translations because I assume that, if God included in His word certain challenging matters, He must want me to understand them. Thought-for-thought translations seek to do away with the difficulties that sometimes come upon Bible readers by re-working or smoothing out the rough parts. But I believe that if God included in His word unusual, technical terms (like propitiation), He must want me to understand them. And if He included Hebrew poetry and imagery in the Bible, He must want me to learn how that imagery works and what it means. In other words, to seek to smooth out what the Hebrew and Greek Bible actually says is akin to assuming that God didn’t give us exactly what we needed when He infallibly guided the writing of His word. I prefer to think that God knew exactly what He was doing when He included some of the more challenging vocabulary of the Bible, and that He has good reason for requiring us to sometimes work hard to understand certain words, or metaphors, or ancient customs that the thought-for-thought translations skim over.

Third, I believe that thought-for-thought patterns of translating are dangerous because the translators end up interpreting the word of God instead of simply translating it. As I mentioned, the process of thought-for-thought translation requires a translator to look at a particular Bible phrase, figure out what it means, and then render what it means in modern English. Do you see the problem? Thought-for-thought translation requires the translator not only to translate the passage, but to interpret it. Instead of simply translating the word “propitiation”, and trusting you to master its meaning, he tells you what he believes propitiation means! But that is not the province of a translator. It is the reader’s job to figure out Bible meaning, not the translator’s!

The problem is not usually that, when interpreting the Bible for us, the translators get it heretically wrong. Most of the time their understanding of what a verse means is not off-the-wall crazy. The problem is that, when you and I read our Bibles, we are led to believe that we are reading exactly what God said through Paul or Jeremiah two or six thousand years ago … not what a team of Americans in Grand Rapids believe God meant. But suddenly, under the influence of this faulty theory of translation, a whole generation of Bible readers is left believing that God actually said X, when, in fact, X was simply the translator’s way of explaining what he thought God meant. Nuances of meaning are lost this way.

For instance, as Leland Ryken points out in his excellent work The Word of God in English, there is a great difference between a word-for-word translation of Psalm 16.6 “the lines have fallen to me in pleasant places” (NASB) and a thought-for-thought version of the same verse: “You make my life pleasant” (CEV). You can immediately see how the latter translation leaves out (and adds in) whole words. But there’s more missing than just a few words. The idea of “lines” is probably the psalmist’s way of making allusion to the boundary lines by which God had divided the promised land when the children of Israel had entered it after forty years of wandering. What a blessing that had been. And now the psalmist is using the language of that time period to say to God: ‘My life is just like that. Just as, in times of old, You apportioned Your people's lots in such a good and kind way, so You have done with my lot in life.’ But that reference to the book of Joshua, and all the imagery it invokes, can be completely lost when a translator chooses not to translate every word.

So what do I want from my translator? Not that he tells me what he believes the Bible means; and not that he simplifies it for me. I want him to give me the whole enchilada, to put in simply. Let me taste and see every single word that God has for me. I don’t want to miss a single flavor or spice!

Word-for-Word ... or Thought-for-Thought?

2011-09-28T09:32:00.000-04:00

I concluded yesterday’s article by saying that the largest reason, by far, for the discrepancies in our Bible translations is because different Bible translation teams have differing theories on exactly what it means to translate the Bible. Some teams are very concerned to precisely translate every word of the Greek and Hebrew text, even if those words require modern readers to put on their thinking caps. Other translation teams, in the name of readability, seek to take whole Bible phrases or sentences, figure out what they mean, and then put the entire phrase or sentence into modern English.

Which theory is right? The aim of the next two articles is to help you think it through. Today, let me further define (again, in my limited, layman’s terms*) the two basic theories of Bible translation.

On the one hand, there are the essentially literal translations. These are English versions of the Bible whose translators have sought to translate each word of the original Greek and Hebrew. That means, of course, that they even end up translating words that we do not use in our everyday vocabulary (propitiation, mercy seat, eunuch, and so on). The theory is that, if God really inspired these Greek and Hebrew words, then we want to make sure we translate every last one of them … trusting God (often through pastors and teachers) to help people understand the parts that are more difficult for modern English-speakers. Representatives of this school of translation include the King James Version, the New American Standard Bible, the English Standard Version, and the New King James Version.

On the other end of the spectrum are what are often called dynamic equivalent translations (like the New International Version, Today’s English Version, and the New Living Translation). Rather than translating word-for-word, these translations espouse a thought-for-thought way of rendering the Bible into English. In other words, the translator looks at a given Greek or Hebrew phrase, discerns what that phrase says and means, and then renders it into an English phrase that means roughly what the original means. Sometimes this requires explaining a word like “propitiation” instead of simply translating the word itself. Sometimes it means explaining a Hebrew metaphor instead of simply translating the metaphor and leaving the reader to figure out what it means that “the lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.”* The advantage of doing this, according to proponents of this theory, is readability. Their goal is to spare modern readers many of the Bible’s more difficult portions, and to make the Bible as accessible as possible.

Now let me say that men and women in both camps love the Lord. Men and women on both ends of the translation theory spectrum want to provide people with the best English Bible possible. But, given the wide variation in their theories, and in the subsequent translations they produce, both cannot be right.. So think it out. Word-for-word, or thought-for-thought? Which theory do you believe is best? Why so? Tomorrow, Lord willing, I’ll give you my considered opinion on this matter. Stay with me!

*for more detail on the differences between these two theories, see Leland Ryken's excellent book The Word of God in English. The "lines" metaphor mentioned above comes from Ryken's observations.

"But MY Bible says ..."

2011-09-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday we began asking the question of why our English Bible translations differ in various places. The first part of our discussion centered on the fact that we are, in fact, reading translations of the original Greek and Hebrew. And translations involve translators – men and women who, hopefully like you and me, are trying to do the best they can possibly do in their work for the Lord; but who, like you and me, have limitations and foibles and so on. This is one reason our translations differ – because different men and women sometimes translate the Greek or Hebrew in different ways.

In this article, let me mention some of the reasons why that may be so.

First, the fact is that the English language is quite sophisticated in its vocabulary and flexibility. In layman’s terms, that simply means that our language has a great capacity for saying the same thing with several different words. So, for instance, one translator may render a certain Greek word as “patient”, while another translator may render the exact same Greek word as “longsuffering”. Both translations are accurate because both “patient” and “longsuffering” have the same basic meaning. And it is this breadth and flexibility of our English vocabulary that accounts for some (though not most) of the variations in our translations.

Second, our Bible versions sometimes differ because, as we said last week, translators are fallible. One translation team may have a better grasp on a given Hebrew word or syntax pattern than another translation team. And thus, while neither team’s translation radically transforms the overall meaning of the verse in question, team B may be able to render the wording just a little more lucidly than team A. And yet, on the next verse, with a different set of vocabulary or syntax, team A may do just a little better job.

Let me say again that, as far as our mainstream English translations go (KJV, NKJV, NASB, ESV, NIV), both team A and team B almost invariably get the translations basically right. So these differences will not be a matter of bad versus good … but of good versus better.

Thirdly, the fact that we are reading translations rather than the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts requires us to understand that there are different theories of how the Bible should be translated. How exactly literal should a translation be? Should we translate word-for-word, or phrase-for-phrase? When a given Greek or Hebrew sentence is difficult to understand, how much license does the translator have to smooth the wording out and make it readable, even if he has to change the wording up just a bit?

These are questions over which Bible translators and scholars disagree widely. And it is largely because of these differing theories of translation that our Bible versions differ so widely. This is, by far, the biggest reason for the discrepancies in our various translations. There is much at stake at this point – much more than in any issue we have covered so far. Tomorrow, Lord willing, we’ll give an entire article to explaining translators and their theories … and how it affects what, for us, lies between Genesis and Revelation. Stay tuned.

Bible Translation 101

2011-09-26T22:19:00.001-04:00

Did you ever wonder why your Bible sometimes reads slightly differently than the preacher’s? Or how you can be in a Bible study, and two different people can read the same verse in such vastly differing translations? It’s an important question to ask. After all, if God has really spoken, we want to be sure we have His words in our hands exactly as they should be! And the difference between the translations can sometimes leave us wondering if we really do.

So what accounts for the difference in Bible versions? And why do some Christians see this as a fighting matter? Is it that important? Why or why not? These are valuable questions to consider.

Over the next several days, I am going to attempt to answer some of these questions – to take you on a layman’s tour of Bible translation, explaining the ins and outs of why our English Bibles are the way they are, and even why they sometimes differ slightly. I’m calling it a Bible Translation 101 (or, as I said, a layman’s tour) because that’s exactly what I am when it comes to these things – a layman who understand these things at a roughly introductory level. I am not an expert in Greek, Hebrew, linguistics, or translation theory – just a local pastor who wants his people to be confident that the Bible they read is an accurate English rendering of what God actually said in Greek and Hebrew. In order to be thus confident, it would be good for us to know how we got our Bible, why some translations are better than others, and so on.

Let me start with an introductory point, before moving on to some more challenging matters in the days ahead.

First, at the risk of stating the obvious, let me remind you that the Bible was not originally written in English! No, the Old Testament first came to us almost entirely in Hebrew, and the New Testament in Greek. So, unless you read one of those two languages, your encounters with the Bible are always in translation. And, of course, it was the original Bible authors (and not later translators!) who were specially inspired by God (2 Peter 1.21). So, when we speak of the infallibility or inerrancy of the Scriptures, we are saying that the Greek and Hebrew words of Peter, and Moses, and Luke, and Nehemiah were infallibly inspired by God … not that their English-speaking translators were infallibly inspired by God!

Does that make sense? The Scriptures are inspired in their original autographs; in their original languages. English (or Swahili, or Japanese, or German) translators are not protected from error in quite the same way. Surely we trust that God superintends our translators’ work. But He does not promise to make them infallible like He made Peter, Paul, Moses, and the rest of the biblical authors. And what that means is that we have taken a wrong turn if we seek to enshrine one particular English translation as ‘inspired’, and label all the rest as perverted. In point of fact, none of the translations are inspired, in and of themselves. They are inspired only insofar as they accurately translate the Greek and Hebrew manuscripts which are inspired!

In this regard (as I will go on to point out in the days ahead), not all translations are equally faithful to the original Greek and Hebrew, it’s true. So I am not saying we should not prefer one translation over another. I am simply saying that none of our English translations or translators were protected and guided along in quite the same way as God protected and guided the original Bible authors! And therefore none of them should be enshrined as the Bible for English-speaking people. It’s not the King James or New American Standard translations that were infallibly inspired by God, but the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts!

That’s the whole reason why this series of articles exist. Since we are not reading the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts; and since our English translators (excellent and faithful as they almost invariably are) are not infallible, it is worth asking which translations of the Bible render the original Greek and Hebrew most accurately and faithfully.

There are answers to that question. And there are accurate, faithful translations! In the posts ahead, I hope to help you know how to find them.

To Play, or not to Play ... on the Lord's Day

2011-09-22T09:06:00.001-04:00

A stirring article, from the BBC, on Scottish rugby start Euan Murray ... who will miss his country's world cup match this week because he believes in keeping the Lord's Day set apart for rest and worship.

"It's basically all or nothing, following Jesus" said Murray (pictured on the left). "I don't believe in pick 'n' mix Christianity. I believe the Bible is the word of God, so who am I to ignore something from it?" Read the whole article here.

Your Wagon Tracks Drip with Fatness

2011-09-19T16:55:00.000-04:00

“You have crowned the year with bounty, and your wagon tracks drip with fatness.” Psalm 65.11

David’s words, here, are to me some of the most delightful in the Bible. Not for their theological precision or doctrinal clarity. Psalm 65.11 is not that kind of verse. What it is, though, is a marvelous picture of the goodness of God to His people.

Picture what David is saying in the latter verses of Psalm 65. It has been a year of abundant rain (v.9). The soil is soft and blackened with moisture (v.10). And the grain, the grapes, and the flocks cover the hillsides like a cloak (vv.12-13). Every stalk of corn is in full ear. The grape vines are heavy and weighed down with fruit. The sheep are fat, and their coats are thick and white. God has “crowed the year” with His “bounty”!

And here comes the farmer with his wagon, trundling along the dirt road that runs through his farmland, harvesting all God’s goodness into the back of the cart. Indeed, the cart is so overloaded with corn and grapes, with wool and lamb chops; and the freshly watered ground is so soft and pliable, that the wagon wheels are furrowing ruts into the soil as the farmer rides along! “Wagon tracks” are being created by the weight of the blessings piled high in the wagon! Indeed, says David, the wagon is so full that wine and kernels of corn and fat from the mutton are actually running over the sides of the wagon and dripping down the sideboards into the “wagon tracks” below. That’s how bountiful the harvest has been – the wagon is bursting at the seams!

And that, says David, is how bountifully God deals with His people … and in so many ways! His wagon tracks drip with fatness! His blessings to us are pressed down, shaken out, and overflowing! God has spread an absolute feast of blessings before His people!

Sometimes the feast is literally comprised of grapes and corn, of wool and mutton. How blessed we are to be able to sit down to the kind of meals to which we are so often privy? Indeed, church fellowship meals, with all their bounty spread on the long tables, ought to remind us of just how good we have it. God’s wagon tracks, so often, literally drip with fatness and fruit of every kind!

But God’s bounty is even more profound when we consider how He forgives our transgressions (v.3), and brings us near to Himself (v.4), and makes us members of His household. What a blessing that we should be called the children of God; that we should sit at the table of all His spiritual delights; that we should have the new wine of the Holy Spirit living within us; that we should have the grain of the Scriptures to nourish our souls; that we should even be able to feast on the meat of the Word! Truly we have been given, as Paul put it, “every spiritual blessing.” Truly God’s wagon tracks drip with fatness!

And let us not forget that this cornucopia of blessings; this filling up of our spiritual wagons comes to us at the cost of God’s dear Son. It is because He died for us that we are adopted into God’s family. It is because of His great love that we have the privilege of prayer. It is His blood that has sealed our pardon and brought us into this life of blessing! O, there are a great many blessings piled up in the carts of God’s goodness to us. There are a great many things that we find so abundantly supplied that they are practically dripping down the sides of our wagons. But the greatest thing that ever dripped down the sideboards of God’s wagon was the blood of His Son! And if God has given us His Son, then we have bounty indeed!

"How-to" ... Eight Sermons from Romans 12

2011-09-19T12:41:00.001-04:00

We recently finished an eight week study of one of the great "how-to" chapters in the Bible: Romans 12. Listen in with us:

Romans 12.1a - Therefore
Romans 12.1b - A Living Sacrifice
Romans 12.2 - Renew your Minds
Romans 12.3-5 - A Sober Look in the Mirror
Romans 12.6-8 - We have Gifts
Romans 12.9-13 - One Another
Romans 12.9-13 - Holy, Hearty, Hopeful
Romans 12.14-21 - How to Respond to Each Person

From the Rising of the Sun to the Going Down of the Same

2011-09-12T15:33:00.003-04:00

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.” Psalm 113.3

It occurred to me, as I read this verse recently, that it could be interpreted in two different ways. I’ve always read these words as geographical description – God’s name is to be praised from the east (where the sun rises) all the way to the west (where it sets). And I still think that is probably the main thing the psalmist had in mind in Psalm 113.3 – geography. ‘Let the Lord be praised from east to west,’ he seems to be saying … ‘because the Lord is above “all nations”’ (v.4).

‘Let God’s name be magnified’ in other words, ‘from the rocky coasts of Maine, where the sun first dawns upon the mainland Unites States each morning … all the way the sandy beaches of San Diego, where the light leaves our shores at the end of the day. Indeed, let the name of the Lord be praised from Auckland, New Zealand to Honolulu Hawaii, and everywhere in between – “from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same.”’

“The Lord’s name is to be praised” in every geographic location! And that means that God’s people have work to do! Because that name is not yet praised with the geographic pervasiveness that Psalm 113 calls for. Less than one in ten thousand people praise His name in Afghanistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Yemen, Morocco, Tunisia, and the tiny European enclave of San Marino. Additionally, there are still 15 languages spoken by over a million people among whom exist no known Christians. And the statistics could go on. There are all sorts of places that exist between the geographic rising and setting of the sun where the name of the Lord is not being praised through Jesus Christ! And so Psalm 113.3 means we have work to do. It is not enough just to sing and read the psalm. We must pray, and give, and go so that its mandate might be fulfilled!

“From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.” It’s a geographical description, I think … producing a missionary mandate!

But, as I say, it occurred to me that some people might well read Psalm 113.3 with a slightly different twist. It is possible to read the psalmist’s words and think time rather than geography. It is possible, in other words, to hear the psalmist saying something like this: ‘From the time the sun rises in the morning, until it goes down at night, you should be praising God’s name – all day long!

In the psalmist’s time, sunrise to sunset framed many a person’s waking hours. They got up and went to bed with the sun. We’re a little different, of course. We might phrase the idea like this: ‘From the time the alarm clock goes off in the morning, until the time when the lamp goes off at night, “the Lord’s name is to be praised.” A tall task indeed!

As I said early on, I think the geographic, rather than the temporal, is what the psalmist had in mind when he wrote Psalm 113.3. But the previous verse does bring into play the idea of time. The Lord should be praised, the psalmist says in Psalm 113.2, “from this time forth and forever.” So it is possible that verse 3 carries that theme along. We ought to praise the Lord at all times!

But whether or not that’s exactly what verse 3 means, it’s certainly true that we should praise the Lord all day long. From sun up to sun down we ought to magnify the name of the Lord. And we ought to do so whether the sun comes up for us in Cincinnati, OH, or north Mississippi, or New Zealand, or Hawaii, or Turkmenistan, or anywhere in between. “The Lord’s name is to be praised” … in every geography, and at all times!

My most Vivid 9/11 Memory

2011-09-11T06:30:00.000-04:00

Today is, of course, a day to give thanks. The destruction could have been much worse on that never-to-be-forgotten morning ten years ago. And we should thank God it wasn’t. We should also thank God for the thousands of brave souls who made it so, and who have ensured that our lives have been much safer these last 10 years than we may have then dreamed. We should thank the Lord, too, for souls who may have been awakened to eternity by the events of that awful day, and who are now trusting and serving Jesus because of it. God really did work for good that which was meant as inestimable evil – the half of which working we may never fully know. So today is a day for giving thanks.

But it’s also a day to remember. We remember, today, the many people who lost their lives that day, and mourn over them. We also remember, in light of their loss, that eternity may be much closer than we sometimes think, waking up in the mornings and heading off to the daily routine. But perhaps, especially, on this tenth anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy, we who are old enough will vividly remember where we were when we first heard the news. We will remember exactly what television set first broadcast those horrible pictures before our stunned eyes. Some of us will clearly remember certain other events that took place on and around that day, too. Sudden tragedy has a way of permanently searing certain normally forgettable circumstances into our memories.

Let me tell you what I remember most about September 11, 2001. Most vivid in my mind is actually what happened on September 13. That night Tobey and I attended a Passion collegiate conference with Louie Giglio. Yes, we were well past college at that point, but he had made such a profound impact on us that we went to the event anyway, just down the road from my seminary. As you can imagine, there was a different atmosphere in the air than might have normally been the case with several hundred college students in the room. It was sober, weighty. And, of course, the events of recent days were addressed prominently. Here is a paraphrase of what I remember Louie Giglio saying that night:

In the days ahead there is going to be a great deal of discussion about what should be done with the country of Afghanistan. Our government will have some decisions to make. And it’s not for me to speculate about what they must do. But I know this – the likelihood is that thousands of Afghan people, with no access to the gospel, are probably going to go out into eternity in the months ahead. And, before that happens, some of God’s people are going to have to risk their lives in order to walk into that country and take Jesus to them. I wonder if it will be anyone in this room.

I was stunned. I did not do much singing the rest of the night. Was it me? Did I need to go to Afghanistan – at the time the least Christian and most vehemently anti-missionary country on the earth? It was hard to sleep that night thinking about what I might need to do, and what might become of those thousands of people – indeed, what has, now, become of many of them ten years later.

After talking with my missions professor the next day, we determined that, given the political situation, there was no way on earth any American was going to walk into Afghanistan without military credentials. I took that as God’s ‘no’ to the question of whether I was called to that country. I hope I was right. Thankfully, in the ten years since, the country has opened up significantly. The breaking of Taliban power has allowed the gospel to at least trickle into the country in tiny streams here and there. A few dozen believers before 9/11 have blossomed into several hundred. Not many in a country of 29 million people, I know. But exponentially more than before! That is one of the great Romans 8.28 victories of 9/11.

So when I think of 9/11, I grieve for America. I hope we never see a day like that until Christ returns. And I pray that our nation might be much more ready for that day of terror than we were for the one ten years ago. Right now we are scarcely prepared.

But I also grieve for Afghanistan when I think of 9/11 – because, even with all the opening up over the last decade, it is still the least Christian country on earth. Ten years later, there is still great need for workers sent out into the harvest. Would you pray that the Lord of the harvest would send them?

Finally, when I remember September 11, 2001, I also rejoice for the people of Afghanistan. Although still far behind the rest of the world, the people there are now at least somewhat more politically free. And some of them, having met the Son of God, are (as Jesus says in John 8.36) “free indeed”. I hope you are too.

Personhood Mississippi

2011-09-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

This just in from CNN: This November, Mississippians will have the privilege of voting to enact a new state law that would define human life as beginning at conception. Lots of friends have been at the grassroots of making this happen for a number of years. Bravo Les, Steve, and your mighty band of petitioners!

Visit Personhood Mississippi's website to find out more.

Happy Labor Day

2011-09-05T15:06:00.000-04:00

"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11.28

May the Lord grant you rest today - body and soul.

The Meaning of Baptism, Part 3

2011-08-29T09:04:00.000-04:00

In the last two weeks we have established two biblical facts:

1. Baptism does not, and cannot, save a person … nor add even an ounce to what Jesus has already done. Repentance and faith in Christ alone are what save a person.

2. Yet baptism is vitally important … because it is the New Testament way of making public profession of our faith. And, thus, every believer ought to go through the waters.

But now a third question: Why has God chosen baptism as the means by which we should make known our faith in His Son? Why is baptism the New Testament way to make a profession of faith?

Answer: Because baptism is a perfect picture of what Jesus has done for the believer. And what has He done? What has happened to us, if our faith is in Christ? Well, yes, our sins have been washed away. But that’s not really what baptism pictures. Rather, according to Romans 6, baptism symbolizes death and resurrection – both Jesus’ death and resurrection, and our own! Think it out.

First, Paul says in Romans 6.4 that we have been “buried with Christ through baptism into death.” In other words, Jesus died … and carried our sins to the grave with Him. So, if we belong to Jesus, our old sinful selves have been buried with Him! Sin no longer has mastery over us – it’s dead! And baptism symbolizes that. We are “buried with Christ through baptism!” In other words, when the believer is submerged under the water, it is a picture of burial – both Jesus’ burial, and the burial of our old sinful selves with Him! “We have been buried with Him through baptism.” What a marvelous picture!

And when we come out of the water? Well, that symbolic resurrection is a picture of an actual resurrection – both Jesus’ and ours. In verse 5, Paul says it like this, in the context of his description of baptism: “As Christ was raised from the dead … so we too might walk in newness of life.” Christ was buried, and rose … and, because He did, we rose, too! Because Christ rose, we have new life, both here and now, and in heaven forever! And we see this, in picture form, in baptism. We are buried under the water, symbolizing our death, and that of Jesus; and then we are raised back out of the water, picturing Jesus’ resurrection, and our corresponding new life of faith, hope, and love in Him!

Summary? Baptism does not save you. Baptism is a symbol and declaration of what happened to you (past tense) when you were saved by Jesus. And what happened to you? If you truly belong to Jesus, your old sinful self was buried with Him, and God created new life in your soul through Christ’s resurrection from the dead. And what better way to picture such a miracle than by having the new believer come before his fellow Christians and be symbolically buried and raised in front of them? That’s baptism! Praise God we got to see it again, recently. Let us pray that we have more and more opportunities to do so!

The Meaning of Baptism, Part 2

2011-08-22T09:00:00.002-04:00

Last week we spent our time nailing down the fact that, important as it is, baptism is not a part of salvation. A person may be saved by the blood of Jesus without ever having gone through the waters of baptism. But having said that, we may be in danger of minimizing baptism’s importance; of treating it is though it were marginal and unimportant, which it is clearly not.

So what gives? If baptism doesn’t save us, why do we do it? And why do we require folks to undergo believer’s baptism as a precursor to membership in the church? If it doesn’t save, why do we make such a big deal of it?

The simple answer is because the New Testament makes a big deal of it! And why so? Because, while the New Testament clearly teaches that baptism does not cause us to be saved, it also teaches that baptism is a public declaration that we have been saved already!

That’s right: Baptism – not aisle walking, or card-signing, or verbal testimony sharing – is the New Testament way for a new Christian to proclaim to the world that he or she is now a follower of Jesus. Baptism is the New Testament method of making a public profession of faith. Now that is not to say it’s wrong to give verbal testimony of our faith in Jesus! Would that we all did more of that! But the fact is that baptism was the way the early believers announced their commitment to follow Jesus. And so it should be today. The way we declare our faith publically is through the ordinance of baptism!

And, you know, every believer really ought to declare his or her faith publically, oughtn’t he? Surely! And, as I said, there are other ways of doing that – some of them even good ways. But if there is a definite New Testament way of professing faith in Jesus; and if every believer ought to profess his faith publically, it stands to reason that baptism is a really big deal!

So yes, baptism is only a picture. It never has saved a single soul … and never will. It’s just a symbol. But it’s an incredibly important one … because it is the symbol which God has given us to declare our faith in Jesus! Praise God for the opportunities we have, from time to time, to see the symbol acted out in the church!

Let’s pray that we’d have even more occasions, in the months ahead, to be thanking and thinking about baptism!

The Meaning of Baptism

2011-08-15T18:37:00.001-04:00

This Sunday we at PRBC will have the high privilege of enjoying the ordinance of Christian baptism. But what is baptism? What does it do? And what does it symbolize? There is often much confusion on the issue.

It is easy to just assume that baptism is a symbol of the washing away of our sins. What else could all that water be for, right? A few folks are even convinced that baptism actually does wipe away our sins … or that it is at least a necessary part of a person’s salvation. But is that what all that water is really all about? Is it really a symbol of washing? And does it save?

We’ll see in the weeks ahead that these ideas sail a little bit wide of the mark. In fact, what I’d like to do is to spend three weeks examining the issue of baptism in this column – asking what it is and isn’t, from Scripture.

Today, let’s be careful to notice that baptism is a symbolic ordinance, not a saving one. Baptism does not save a person, nor even contribute anything to his or her salvation! Rather, it is a symbol that he or she has already been saved.

Baptism (like good works) happens as the result of salvation, not as the cause of it! In other words, you could go through the water every Sunday from now until kingdom come, and still not necessarily be forgiven of sins … because it’s not the water that cleanses a person! No, rather we are taught that “the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1.7). It is blood, not water, that saves sinners!

But someone may argue: ‘Yes, it is the blood of Jesus that saves us. But baptism is a necessary act that enables a person to gain access to that blood. You cannot benefit from the blood, and you cannot be saved, without being baptized.’ Really? What about the thief on the cross in Luke 23? He went to paradise with Jesus that very day, without ever having a chance to be baptized in water! Simple repentance toward God and faith in Jesus was enough. And if it was enough for him, it will be enough for us!

So that’s the first big thing to notice … and we’ll content ourselves having nailed this one truth in place this morning: Baptism does not save a person … and is not a part of his salvation in any way. It is only a symbol after the fact. But praise God for the symbol! And praise God for what it symbolizes! Praise God that, in Jesus, sinners may become believers in Jesus and followers of God!

Three Sermons on King Joash

2011-08-11T14:21:00.004-04:00

Recently we have given three messages more or less to the life of King Joash. His is a fascinating true story - with great ups and horrific downs. Listen in. I hoped you will be helped and challenged as I have been.

2 Kings 11.1-3 - Jehosheba, the Faithful Aunt

2 Chronicles 24.1-14 - Joash did what was Right in the Sight of the Lord

2 Chronicles 24.15-25 - But After the Death of Jehoida ...

Remember the Prisoners

2011-08-08T18:08:00.002-04:00

At least three different times in recent weeks – in a couple of sermons (here and here), and in last week’s article – I have drawn your attention to the persecuted church. Let me do so again today. Why? Not to depress you, or even to frighten you as to what may come our own way someday … but rather because the Bible mandates that I do so. Did you know that? The Bible actually commands that we keep in our hearts the plight of those who suffer for the sake of Jesus. Where? In Hebrews 13.3: “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated.”

Now, while it is important that Christians reach out to all sorts of prisoners, and not forget them as they languish … the author of Hebrews has in mind, particularly, those who are “prisoners” for Jesus’ sake; those who are “ill-treated” because of their faith. After all, there were a number of such people in the early days of the church. But even more today. Yes, in spite of all the horrific persecution that we read of during the times of the Roman Empire, the number of Jesus’ sufferers is greatly multiplied in our own era – especially in the Muslim North Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. And, even though they are so many and so far away, the Bible tells us not to forget them! Even though we have never met them face-to-face, we are to “remember” them. How so? Let me make four suggestions:

1. Know them. How hard is it to remember someone you’ve never met? Quite! And so how can we, who probably do not know many persecuted believers, remember such people? By learning their stories! By signing up, perhaps, for the free monthly newsletter published by The Voice of the Martyrs. In it you will find a half-a-dozen or so stories every month – stories of real live people who have been threatened, arrested, beaten, tortured, widowed, or orphaned simply for being Christian. It’s not upbeat news. But it is uplifting to read of these wonderful believers and their faith in our good, wise, merciful God. I cannot recommend too highly that you subscribe! Doing so will help you know these dear men and women, which will help you “remember” them in these next three ways …

2. Pray for them. Perhaps there is no better way to “remember the prisoners … and those who are ill-treated” than to remember them in prayer. I want and need to do better at this myself. I hope you do, too. If so, you could get the aforementioned newsletter, and pray as you finish each article; or pick a certain day of the week on which you will consistently pray for the persecuted believers you’ve been reading about. But, however you do it, do it! Remember them in prayer!

3. Support them. What would we need if radicals burned down our church building this week? Or if several of our families became widowed and orphaned by mob violence against our church leaders? Or if one of our members was hospitalized for three months, recovering from burns or broken bones received from those who hate our Lord? What would we need in these situations … especially if we lived in the third world where insurance is only a dream? You get the picture, I think. O how many of our brothers and sisters need rebuilt buildings and homes! How many widows need a stipend and job training to help them get back on their feet! How many brothers in the Lord would clap for joy if their enormous hospital bill came back with “paid” stamped in red on the front! How many orphaned children need food and clothing that their murdered fathers are no longer there to provide!

And what a privilege if we had the opportunity to chip in! Indeed, we do! Again, I point you to The Voice of the Martyrs They are constantly on the ground in various persecuted regions – paying bills, rebuilding buildings, supporting widows, caring for orphans … and providing gospel materials so that these intrepid saints can keep reaching out to their communities! And I urge you to pitch in! There are few, if any, better causes that meeting the needs of those who suffer for Jesus!

4. Join them. Paul has taught us that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3.12). Maybe it won’t always be to the extent of burnings, beatings, and so on. But, if we are godly, people will oppose us just like the opposed our Lord. And so, in this last segment, let me just urge you to be that kind of godly. I’m not suggesting you go out looking for persecution. Just encouraging you to live in such a way that the enemies of the cross will take notice! The rest will take care of itself. “Remember the prisoners … and those who are ill-treated” by not being afraid to join them!

It Could be Hotter

2011-08-02T20:41:00.002-04:00

If you’re at all like me, maybe you’ve been whining a bit about the record heat wave we are experiencing these days. I hate hot weather … with a passion. I think it’s surely one of the effects of the fall! Give me 65 and breezy any day of the week!

But I’m trying to remind myself of something quite important in these dog days of summer – it could be hotter! For one thing, I could be back in Mississippi where what Cincinnati calls record highs are simply the norm, and where the humidity often feels, literally, like you’ve closed the bathroom door too long while taking a hot shower. Or the air conditioner could be out, or non-existent, like it is for so many people in our city every summer. So there’s a lot to be thankful for, even when the sun is beating down and the A/C is having trouble keeping up.

But even if you’re A/C is out and you’re trying (in vain) to sleep at night with no sheets on, and under the minor comfort of a mere ceiling fan … it could still be much, much hotter! So, if you’re tempted (like me) to murmur, think about three ways that is so:

First, you and I could be facing the fiery furnace of persecution. We could, in other words, be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in Daniel 3. Yes, I know, they seem not to have actually felt any of the heat. But for most of our suffering brothers and sisters in the world, that is manifestly not the case. The furnace is turned up very, very hot for many of our brothers and sisters in the persecuted world … such that they’d take a ceiling fan and safe haven any day of the week – air-conditioning or not.

Second, we could be enduring the wasting heat of guilt and condemnation. Listen as King David describes it: “When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer” (emphasis mine, Psalm 32.3-4). In other words, unconfessed sin can become like the drain that comes at the end of a hot, un-air-conditioned summer day. It can literally wear you out, “as with the fever heat of summer”. And, having been worn out with both, more than once in my life, I’d choose “the fever heat of summer” any day over the groaning and oppression and shame and condemnation of sins un-repented-of. I hope you would, too.

Finally – most predictably and most seriously – we could be consigned to the fires of hell. We could be without Christ and without God in the world. We could be forever without the hope of mercy … in that place where, according to Isaiah 66.24, the “fire will not be quenched”; that place where the longing for even a single drop of cool water upon our tongues will never, ever be satisfied (Luke 19.24). If we are on our way there, we ought to bless God’s mercy that we aren’t there yet … and then flee to Christ who, alone, can rescue us from such a fate. And if we have run to Christ, and been rescued forever from the flames, we ought to bless God all the more! For, yes, I will be the first to admit my dislike for 95 degree day after 95 degree day … but let me never forget that, without Jesus, it could be much, much hotter!

John Stott (1921-2011)

2011-07-27T14:55:00.005-04:00

John Stott, one of the great Christian leaders and Bible expositors of the 21st century, went to be with the Lord today. Tributes from the family at All Souls Church in London may be read here.

My drop into what is sure to be a large bucket full of praise is simply this: I could not often read John Stott's commentaries in sermon preparation! Why? Because his ability to outline and explain Bible passages so far outstripped my own that, if I read what he wrote before putting together my own outline, I'd be forced to either:

preach his far superior outline, or
feel really miserable about my own!

That's how skilled he was at handling the word of truth! I have no doubt he will be greatly missed, especially by those who knew him personally. Praise God for his books and preaching.

The Months Ahead

2011-07-25T16:02:00.003-04:00

Pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. Eph. 6.19

So requested the apostle Paul of his brothers and sisters in Ephesus. And so I request of you as life settles down, fall draws nearer, and a few new series of sermon lie before us. I’m hoping to accomplish three main things (and various and sundry others) in the pulpit over the next four months or so. Would you pray that, in each one, God would bless “the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel”?

Romans 12 is one of the great ‘how-to’ chapters in all the Bible, beginning with that great and lofty calling that we present our bodies as living sacrifices. Starting this week, I hope to spend a couple of months’ worth of these summer Sundays perusing it, and bringing out it’s treasures for you to enjoy. So ask the Lord to help me immensely in “the opening of my mouth”, that I will faithfully make known “the mystery of the gospel” in its wonderful, practical applications.

Psalms 61-70 are next in our multi-year (perhaps multi-decade!) trek through the Psalms. Taking ten or fifteen of these Bible hymns at a time, every year or two, maybe someday we’ll make it all the way to the end! This year’s ten or fifteen, on Wednesday nights this late summer and fall, will cover the 60’s, up to Psalm 70. There are a good number similarities in many of these Psalms. So pray that God will help me trace the common themes all the way through, but also bring out that which is fresh and unique in each poem … to the invigorating of our souls.

Ephesians is perhaps (with the exception of Romans) Paul’s most influential letter. It’s from Ephesians that we quote “by grace you are saved … not as a result of works.” It’s in Ephesians that we read of “the full armor of God”. It’s Ephesians that teaches us, in most detail, about Christian family life. And the list could go on. Indeed, a study of Ephesians could go on and on, too … for years! Just check our Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s sermons on it! But we’re going to attempt the difficult (but doable!) task of studying it in eight weeks on Sundays this fall. Since brevity is not my forte, you might pray for me in that regard! And since this is such a rich, helpful book, you might pray that the Spirit breathes life into our studies, making known to us the richness and “mystery of the gospel” in Ephesians!

As an addendum, I have a potential opportunity to take the material I gather on Ephesians and gather it together in book form. Prayers for God’s direction and blessing on that front are appreciated, too!

Finally, next to all these plans, I should post a reminder of James 4.15: “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that” (emphasis mine). I am very well aware that the plans of a man are not always the same as the plans of the Lord! So pray that, as I move through the weeks and months ahead, I’ll be open to the possibility that God may want me to go in different directions, to study different books and passages, and to tweak (or even scrap) the plans I have made. Pray that I’ll keep my plans, as it were, written in pencil … and always be open to the Spirit’s direction.

Grateful for your prayers … and looking forward to the months ahead!

The God of All Comfort

2011-07-18T16:25:00.000-04:00

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1.3-4

Life is often very difficult. Any and every person that walks on the guilty sod of this fallen world will undoubtedly suffer – including, and especially, the followers of Jesus. For, "in this world you will have trouble," He tells us in John 16.33. But, as followers of Jesus, we have wonderful promises like that of 2 Corinthians 1.3-4 to bear us safely through. Consider that:

1. God is “the Father of mercies”! Our God, the “Father of the Lord Jesus”, is “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions”. We know that, more than any earthly Father, our Father in heaven longs to comfort us, His adopted children. "If you, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him" (Matthew 7.11). So allow Him to do just that in your day of trial. Go to Him in His word, and especially in the gospel of His dear Son, and allow Him to be for you the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort”.

2. God has a good purpose for your suffering! Our God “comforts us in all our afflictions so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction”. We don't always (or ever) know all that God is doing through our suffering. But we know that He has promised that "all things work together for good to those who love God, who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8.28). And we can be sure of at least one of those good designs that God has for our suffering. We suffer – and, in turn, receive His comfort – so that, when we meet others who suffer, we have a testimony to share and the salve of Jesus Christ to pour into their wounds. Haven’t you found this to be true? God so often meets us in marvelous comfort … precisely so that we will have a story to tell that will be just the encouragement that someone else needs to help them hang on in faith! So see your sufferings, and your comforts, in that way. Keep a record of God’s faithfulness in them. And see that record of His faithfulness as a blessing, not only to you, but to who knows who else may someday need to hear it!

3. Our God should receive the praises of our lips precisely because He has a purpose in allowing us to suffer. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” That is an action word – “blessed”. And we are to actively, intentionally engage in blessing God … even in suffering! Because we know that God is always working in our lives according to His own good purpose, even when we suffer … we ought always to praise Him for His working in our lives, even when we suffer! God is always worthy of our praise …whether through our shouts of triumph or through our bitter tears. Why? Because God is always faithful. So we can "bless the Lord at all times" (Psalm 34.1) – even in suffering. We can "rejoice in the Lord always" (Philippians 4.4) – even in pain. We can "give thanks in everything" (1 Thessalonians 5.18) – even and especially in affliction and loss.

So – those who are loved and who have been bought by Jesus Christ – rejoice when you suffer! The LORD, the Father of Jesus is “the God of all comfort”. And He will use your pain and comfort for the glory of His own holy Name. As John Piper has written:

For God's beloved naught is vain,
God does not waste the gift of pain.

Love and comfort to you in Christ.

Elisabeth Ann Strassner

2011-07-13T09:35:00.004-04:00

Born at 1:51AM on July 13. 7lbs., 14oz. Mom and baby are healthy!

Elisabeth is from John the Baptist's mother. Ann after missionary Ann Judson. And, least interestingly, Strassner after yours truly.

You Thought I was Just Like You

2011-07-12T09:15:00.000-04:00

So says God to some of His people in Psalm 50.21. And it caught my eye as I read it this week. How many times do I act as though God were just like me? How many times do I bring Him down to my level? Surely more than I realize! So it got me thinking. What are some of the ways we might fall foul of the accusation that God made against the Israelites there in Psalm 50? What are some ways that we are prone to shrink God down to our own size? Let me list just a few …

Flippancy. When we refer to God as ‘the man upstairs’ or ‘the big fellow’, it seems to me as though we are treating Him like we treat one another; as though he were just like one of us. It’s one thing when we don’t take one another or ourselves seriously. Sometimes, in fact, it is quite appropriate to call ourselves or others by quaint or silly nicknames. But is that how the created thing should speak to His Creator? We can’t find a single instance of it in Scripture. So, while it is right and good to refer to God in familiar terms (as our Father, and as our Friend), it is belittling to jest about Him, or call Him by names that denote far less reverence than the Bible ever uses. And we ought to be careful, even with the best intentions, of doing so.

Distrust. How easy is it, when something difficult happens, to doubt whether God will really be able to come through this time. Of course we’d never say it that way. But our fretting, and worrying, and taking matters so quickly into our own hands shows that we are (at least temporarily) thinking of God as though He were a bit like us; as though His hands just might be tied like ours are. When the truth is that God is infinitely able to come through no matter what the circumstance or problem. And we ought to trust Him to do so!

Pettiness. Isn’t it a common thing, for many Christians, to become bitter over offenses committed against us … and to use God’s justice and hatred for sin as an excuse to hold on to our own petty lack of forgiveness? I think it is! It is easy to try and pass off our bitterness as righteous indignation; to be able to treat people with contempt, or talk about people viciously, all the while convincing ourselves that we are only saying about them what God would say! That was part of the problem in Psalm 50. The people were slandering one another, and assuming that God would back up their words. Why? Because they thought He was like them … holding grudges, and harboring bitterness, and behaving pettily, and so on. But God is not like that, is He? He is not like us in this regard at all. God’s forgiveness is full and free because Christ died for us. And so, when we sin and repent, He casts our sins into the ocean of His forgetfulness, and remembers them no more. And we ought to do the same.

Imagination. Isn't imagination a good thing? In most spheres of our thinking, definitely so! But not when it comes to our conceptions of God. The second commandment specifically warns against imagining God, especially in a physical sense. Why? Because, when we try to imagine what God looks like, we have nothing visual with which to compare Him except created things … which we are expressly warned not to use as likenesses of God! And so, when we do so, we inevitably end up imagining God in our own image and thinking that He is just like us … because we are all we know with our own two eyes! It would be better for us to simply accept the fact that God is Spirit; and that, even in His incarnation, we do not know exactly what He looked like. And, rather than imagining His face here and now, we ought to long for that day when we will truly see Him face to face, there and then! In that day, it will still be true that God is not like us. But in that day, miraculously (1 John 3.2), it will also be true that we will be like Him!

Pray without Ceasing

2011-07-11T07:00:00.003-04:00

That is God’s command to us in 1 Thessalonians 5.17. It does not mean that we lock ourselves away in a closet all day and never do anything but pray. But it means that, as we go about our daily routine, we ought to be lifting up the day’s events, the people we meet, and the tasks that lie ahead to God. Over the next week, I want to ask you to add our Vacation Bible School to the list of things you are praying for through the day. I also want to ask you to maybe print this blog post and use it as a prayer guide for VBS during your daily quiet time … and for some of you … as you commit time to come and pray while VBS is happening. So, pray for…

Our Teachers and Assistants - Tammy, Midge, Allen, Stephanie, Joyce, Carolyn G., Eric, Linda, and Mirian
▪That their lessons would be well-prepared, accurate, winsome.
▪That the manner in which they teach would convey to the children that God is great and greatly to be praised.
▪That they would love the children deeply, and so be an attractive testimony.

Our Other Volunteers - Mark, Scott H., Mandy, Diane, Alisha, Regina, Carolyn V., Philomina, Gwen, Scott M., CJ, Sarah W., Brian, Brad, and Karen
▪That their games, snacks, administration, songs, and other duties would be done with all their hearts … and be well-prepared.
▪That they would love the children deeply, and so be an attractive testimony.
▪That they would, especially, have opportunities to interact with and show the love of Christ to the parents.

The Children
▪That God would bring them … lots of them!
▪That God would make their hearts ready to learn, teachable, and softened toward His gospel.
▪That God would give us a group of children who can, by-and-large, attend the whole week long and get the full picture we’re trying to paint.

Parent’s Night - Friday, 7:45-8:30pm
▪For Charles as he prepares a brief gospel message for the parents, from the book of Jonah.
▪That many parents would come.
▪That the parent’s hearts would be softened toward the message, and that many might be drawn to Christ.

Remember, If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us (1 John 5.14)!

A Cause Big Enough to Live for

2011-07-07T11:29:00.005-04:00

I thought the following article by John Piper was very perceptive and challenging. Here's a flavor:

What kind of Christians do we want our churches to breed? Consider: Apathetic Christians, who spend most of their discretionary time in worldly entertainment, seldom pray, weep, or work for the reaching of the perishing peoples of the world. Do not coddle them. Confront them. Tell them to get a life. PG13 videos every other night leaves them spiritually powerless and empty. They need a cause big enough to live for. And die for.

The article is an introduction to Desiring God's upcoming fall conference: Finish the Mission.

Some of you might think of attending. I think it could be quite stirring and helpful.

Sermon Series: Minor Characters of Major Significance

2011-07-05T10:49:00.009-04:00

Over the last few weeks we've given our Sundays and Wednesdays to observing the lives of some of the bit actors in God's drama of redemption; some of the Bible's lesser known characters. What can we learn from some of these men and women whom we may have never noticed before? A lot actually - both about the good news of Jesus, and about our own personal discipleship. So listen in, or read along! I hope you are encouraged and helped.

1 Kings 18.3-4 - Obadiah Feared the Lord Greatly - Read - MP3

Jeremiah 38-39 - The Other Ethiopian Eunuch - Read - MP3

Acts 18 - Priscilla and Aquila - Read - MP3

2 Samuel 17 and 19 - Barzillai, the Gileadite - Read - MP3

Various Texts - John, who was also called Mark - Read - MP3

Colossians 1 and 4 - Epaphras, Small Town Pastor - Read - MP3

2 Kings 11.1-3 - Jehosheba, the Faithful Aunt - Read - MP3

I hope to add a couple more sermons to the series (and this blog post) in the next few weeks. So, if you're interested, check back. And, as always, I hope you enjoy the word of the Lord!

Vacation Bible School

2011-07-05T08:05:00.000-04:00

VBS is coming ... July 11-15, 6:30-8:30pm nightly. Check it out.

In the Shadow of His Wings

2011-06-27T18:21:00.003-04:00

Some time ago I was doing a little shopping at my favorite grocery store – Aldi. I don’t remember what I bought that day. But I do remember what I saw in the parking lot. No, it wasn’t a bunch of rusty old shopping carts, or tire-tracked garbage strewn here and there, or plastic bags blowing in the wind. The very absence of these kinds of things is one reason why Aldi tops my list! Rather, in the grassy berm alongside our local Aldi parking lot was a little family of Canada Geese (I've been told they really are Canada Geese, not Canadian Geese … look it up!).

There were two beautiful brown and black adults – mama and papa, I assume. And then there were four or five fuzzy little yellow goslings. And guess what I did? What every American living in the 21st century would do! I pulled out my trusty little camera phone, drove as close as I could, rolled down my window, and began snapping away. And, almost as soon as I began snapping, mama and papa goose began hissing! You’ve seen something like this before with big birds, I am sure. They straighten their necks. They hiss. They rattle whatever it is they may have to rattle. And they raise their wings in a threatening posture and begin to charge. And, believe me, I felt threatened. I wanted to be the one snapping them, not vice versa!

So I got my pictures from a little further away than I had hoped. And then I drove home eager to show the photos of mama and papa goose’s little ones to my little ones. But it occurs to me that I got something more than just a few grainy photos and some cheap groceries that day at Aldi. I also got a picture of the watchcare of our heavenly Father.

Did you know that four times, in the Psalms (17, 36, 57, and 63), King David refers to himself as taking shelter in the shadow of God’s wings? But what is he talking about? Does God have wings? Not literally, of course. So what did it mean for David to take refuge in the shadow of God’s wings?

It’s possible that He was referring to the ark of the covenant – where the blood of the sacrifices for sin was shed. Above that ark were two angels, with their wings stretched forth, as if sheltering the ark. Perhaps David was speaking about the ark, then, when he asked God to shield him beneath the shadow of His wings. Perhaps he was asking, in other words, that God would put David in that place where sin was atoned for beneath the angels’ wings; where blood sacrifice makes us safe and forgiven before God. That is a good place to be, is it not – where Jesus’ blood covers us from all sin? So I say perhaps that place of blood sacrifice is what David speaks of when he refers to being beneath the shadow of God’s wings.

But I think, probably, he has something else in mind in those various psalms. For, in at least three of the four psalms, David uses the phrase in connection with God’s protection from his enemies, not God’s forgiveness of his sins. In at least three of the four psalms, in other words, someone is threatening to harm David – just like those geese thought I was threatening to do that day in the Aldi parking lot! And so I think that, when David refers to taking refuge under God’s wings, he is picturing something like I saw that day in the grass outside my favorite grocery store. Maybe David had even seen something like I saw. Maybe he’d watched how birds respond when their young are threatened – how they hiss, and rattle, and raise their wings. Maybe he’d seen little goslings rushing under their parents’ bellies when they’d been given a fright. And, seeing these things, he said to himself: ‘That’s what God is like. I am His little one. And when someone threatens me, they threaten the apple of my Father’s eye. When they threaten me, His neck straightens out and His wings go up, and all who would seek to harm me have been fairly warned. That’s what My God is like – like a father goose whose children have been threatened!’

And isn’t that a beautiful picture – God hissing, and stamping, and spreading His wings when you are threatened? Surely that’s what He does! Surely He defends His people, and even fights for their cause. And so we ought to take refuge in the shadow of His wings! We don’t have to fight our own battles or defend our own names. Rather, we ought to find ourselves, all the time, waddling as fast as we can underneath His breast, and taking comfort in the shadow of His protective wings!

Lessons Learned in Europe, Part 5

2011-06-20T08:05:00.006-04:00

This morning we come to a fifth and final lesson to be learned from a visit to the European continent. The first four have been as follows:

1. The value of Christian history

2. The sadness of neglecting that history

3. The communion of the saints

4. The menace of liberal theology

The fifth lesson from Europe is really the logical overflow of numbers 2 and 4. Because most of Europe has embraced a liberal view of the Bible, she has become disconnected with her history, and with her Maker. And because of that disconnect, European people make up the least Christian continent on the planet. According to the latest edition of Operation World (which you should all purchase immediately!), only 2.5 percent of men, women, boys, and girls on the European continent would be classified as evangelical believers. That is to say that only 2.5 out of every hundred Europeans would say that they are in relationship with God by faith alone, in Christ alone!

This is the continent that sent Christianity to America, and to the south Pacific, and to Africa and Asia! To be sure, they had quite a lot of American help in those last two places. But since our own access to the gospel came from Europe, nearly the whole modern world owes the advance of the gospel to its various shores to the work of God in this one smallest of continents between the years 1500 and 1900! And yet now it is the least Christian continent of them all!

Let me just mention the few countries that I was privileged to pass through back in May. Germany, home of Martin Luther and the birthplace of the Protestant Reformation is now only 2.1% evangelical. Switzerland, the land of Calvin and the birthplace of evangelical Presbyterianism is slightly better – but still only 4.4% believing. Little Liechtenstein, which was hardly touched by the Reformation, has only one evangelical church and 186 believers. Even when we consider that the entire population is just 36,000 … we are left with only 0.5% believers. In Austria, the percentage is exactly the same. Only one-half of one percent of Austrians believe the gospel! In the Czech Republic, it’s 0.7%. And in the rapidly declining United Kingdom, the number of believers stands at 8.8% … and falling.

What are we to make of this, by way of application? I think it’s to say that Europe is now one of the great mission frontiers of our world. When Americans think of sending missionaries, we are accustomed to think of Africa, and China, and the Muslim world. And rightly so. There are great needs in each of those places. And, within those places, there are tribes and people groups that are even less Christian than Liechtenstein and Austria. But on the whole, it seems to me that mission-minded people need to start paying much, much more attention to the continent of Europe. It’s already the least Christian continent on earth … and the situation is not getting better, overall.

No, in Europe there are not very many hungry mouths to feed or AIDS orphans to care for. There are not hidden tribes who have almost no contact with the outside world. But that doesn’t mean all is well. The people there – 97.5 percent of them – are dying and facing eternal judgment without Christ. And so, as I conclude these thoughts on Europe, I give a final plea. Might not some of you go to Europe? Not, as I did, to visit family homeplaces, and bathe in Christian history … but to make your own homeplaces, and to be a part of a new chapter of Christian history.

I am certainly not the Holy Spirit. So I cannot tell anyone where they should or should not go. And I would be thrilled if some who read these pages went to Africa, or China, or the Muslim world. We must go to those places ... and some of the best folks I know work in them! But, after all that I saw and experienced in mid-May, I would be delighted to see a few of us pack up our bags for Liechtenstein or Austria, too. I would be thrilled to see some of us go to Scotland and re-proclaim the gospel of John Knox and the Covenanters. I would be amazed if God would raise up some of us to go to the land of Luther and preach the gospel of salvation by faith alone with the same passion with which he did.

In spite of all its history and outward religious trappings and landmarks, Europe is the new mission frontier. May God give us grace to see past the spires and into the streets … and to take the gospel there once more.

Sermons from the End of the Old Testament

2011-06-13T10:06:00.001-04:00

Recently (and originally quite unplanned) we undertook a series of sermons from the final two-and-a-half centuries of Old Testament history - the time period of the Jewish exile into Assyria and Babylon, and then the return and rebuilding efforts in Jerusalem. This time period, it seems to me, has a lot to say to the 21st century church. So, over the course of several sermons, we tried to pull out just a very few of those lessons - mainly from the words of the prophets as they spoke into the situation for the good of God's people. So listen in:

Hosea 1 - Severe Mercy

Hosea 5 - Total Depravity

Zechariah 3 - The Gospel According to Zechariah

Nehemiah 4.6 - The People had a Mind to Work

Again, this is not a point-by-point study of all the historical or theological ins and outs of the period of the exile and return ... but a look at God's prophetic words to His people at various points along the way (with a particular eye toward how God's words then are so apropos today). I hope you are informed, challenged, encouraged, convicted, and brought closer to God in Christ. Many blessings.

Lessons Learned in Europe, Part 4

2011-06-13T08:01:00.007-04:00

Over three weeks, I have mentioned three lessons that the continent of Europe taught me during my time there in May:

1. The value of Christian history
2. The sadness of neglecting that history
3. The communion of the saints

Now, today, let me mention a fourth lesson: The menace of liberal theology. What is liberal theology? Simply put, it is man’s attempt to make the teachings of the Bible more palatable to modern tastes. Sometimes that means denying certain biblical ethics as incompatible with our modern understanding of things – sexual norms, gender norms, and so on. Other times, liberal theology means smiling demeaningly at people who actually believe in things like the virgin birth, or the parting of the Red Sea, or the miracles and bodily resurrection of Jesus. ‘Everyone knows these things didn’t literally happen’, they say. ‘For, clearly, they are incompatible with modern science’. Incidentally, they are incompatible with science – that’s why we call them supernatural! But liberal theology, uncomfortable with supernatural events that we cannot explain with modern methods and reason, reject the supernatural events in the Bible as legend; as mere poetic ways of teaching ethical lessons; as little more than religious counterparts to Aesop’s fables.

That is liberal theology. In essence, it is a rejection of the Bible’s truthfulness and reliability as a historic source of information, and as an abiding guide for moral and ethical norms. Now, liberal theologians still quote from the Bible, of course. That’s how they make their living. And it wouldn’t be very economically advantageous, in many of their pulpits, to just admit that they scarcely believe in God at all. So they still dabble in religious and spiritual matters, and throw in a few Bible verses here and there … but with a rationalistic, slithery, unbelieving slant behind everything they say.

Many American churches are overrun with this kind of ‘ministry’, too. But, for more than a century, this kind of infidelity to the word of God has been the overwhelming norm in Europe. And what has been the result? A continent whose every city is laced with wonderful church spires … but whose people account for the smallest population of Bible-believing, gospel-proclaiming Christians of any content on the planet. Even Asia – with its Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu strongholds and megacities – has a greater percentage of evangelical believers than Europe! That should absolutely astound and alarm us – especially since religious and social trends in Europe seem so often to make their way to the United States within a few decades.

What will become of our country when its churches begin closing at the rate they are in Europe? How difficult and dark might things become? It’s already happening, in increments. But the continent of Europe stands as one gigantic, church-spired warning sign that things can get much, much worse. So let us learn the lesson! Let us hold fast to the word of life. Let us be delighted that the Bible tells us things that can only be true if there is a supernatural God out there somewhere! And let us pray for a great awakening of biblical faith – both here in our land, and across the way in the once great continent of Europe!

Lessons Learned in Europe, Part 3

2011-06-06T08:00:00.006-04:00

So far, in my reminiscences on two weeks in Europe, I have reflected on the value of Christian history and on the sadness of forgetting that history. For this third article, I’d like to fast-forward to the present day. For the work of God in Europe, though so obviously evident in days gone by, is not limited to the past. Yes, Europe (like America) is becoming more and more secular with each passing decade. Yes, when looking at the continent as a whole, the gospel light seems to be growing dimmer and dimmer all the time. And yes, as a future article will detail, Europe is really the 21st century mission frontier (the least evangelical continent on earth). But … when you look at the content and its various cities up close, there are still some marvelous works of God taking place. And we were definitely privy to some of them in mid-May.

In specific, what we saw was what Christians so often experience when they travel – the communion of the saints; the way in which Christians who have never met one another before can instantly recognize and treat one another as brothers and sisters. In this regard, the trip was a great encouragement to me!

It started on the first Sunday in Germany (our second day there). After having spent Saturday evening in a former family hometown, the plan was to hop on a ferry, cross Lake Constance, and try and find a church to attend in the city of Konstanz. I had found an evangelical church online, which advertised that their services were sometimes translated into English. But I hadn’t written down the address and we didn’t know how easy it would be to find it. So there we were on the ferry, steaming along, and falling into conversation with a young German woman who spoke near perfect English. It turns out she is an evangelical believer who was on her way to church in Konstanz that morning, where she’d be translating the service into English for some Nigerian guests! So guess where we went to church? And guess whom we sat next to? It was really marvelous to see God provide, and to experience the welcome from Heidi and a congregation of probably 50 or so German believers meeting in a house for the singing of praise and preaching of Christ! For those two hours, we were part of their family!

We had the same experience the following Sunday at Musselburgh Baptist Church, near Edinburgh. Pastor John Shearer and his wife Jan graciously picked Justin and me up at our transportation hubs, hosted us overnight, fed us the best meals we had the whole trip, and made us feel very welcome in their church home. In addition, John took us around Edinburgh, seeing some of the aforementioned historical markers, and even climbing Arthur’s Seat with us just before dusk! And all of this, in my case, for a ‘chap’ from America whom they didn’t know from Adam!

The worship service at Musselburgh was no less warm and encouraging! Lively singing, lively preaching, and a reverence for the Lord’s Supper that we’d do well to import to this side of the Atlantic!

From there we went on to Glasgow where the good folks at St. George’s-Tron Church and the Cornhill Training Course worshipped with us, fed us, invited us into their homes, toured us around, and so on. Especially bright was the evening invitation to the home of Ross and Ann McMahan. Ann is the secretary at the Cornhill center. Before she’d ever met us or seen our faces, Justin and I had an invitation to spend an entire evening in the McMahan home, where we were treated wonderfully and shown around their church building and their city of Greenock.

Again I repeat that all of these things were done for us, in spite of our being complete strangers! It was the perfect illustration of 3 John 5-6, in which God’s people are urged to send visiting Christians “on their way in a manner worthy of God”, and “especially when they are strangers”. This is the Christian ethic, is it not? And it is the communion of the saints! These various Christians warmly welcomed “strangers” because, in Christ, we are not really strangers at all … but brothers and sisters in Jesus! What a privilege to be a part of such a family. May God grant us, on this side of the water, to send many such brothers and sisters on their way just as worthily!

Lessons Learned in Europe, Part 2

2011-06-02T11:09:00.006-04:00

Last week I began a series of articles recounting some spiritual lessons I learned while globetrotting across western Europe. The first of those lessons was, very simply, the value of Christian history. Everywhere you look, across Europe, are spires, and monuments, and statues, and so on … many of them reminders of men and women who lived (and often died) to serve the Lord Jesus Christ as faithfully as they knew how. So much so that it almost seems as if every town (especially in Protestant-rich Scotland) has an encouraging Christian story to tell.

But something struck me as Justin and I stopped off at many of these plaques and places – namely that there weren’t many others stopping off (with a few notable exceptions!). Cars swooshed by. Crowds of tourists with their cameras ushered past. And locals with their lattes in hand hurried by, on their way to work or lunch. And most of them seemed completely oblivious to the momentous events that took place on the very cobblestone patches of sidewalk on which they were walking! So that’s the second lesson from Europe: The sadness of history forgotten.

Now let’s at least give the locals the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps if I drove by Thomas Boston’s ruined church, or John Knox’s burial site five days a week, I’d become pretty oblivious, too. And, for all I know, there may be some hugely important historical location right under my nose here in Pleasant Ridge that I don’t even know about! So maybe that’s the reason few people seem to notice the famous churches, graves, and monuments. But I halfway think that the reason many European people do not know (or acknowledge) the Christian history all around them is because, in some cases, they’d prefer not to remember (or acknowledge) it.

The classic example of this (maybe not just in Europe, but in the whole world) is the burial place of John Knox. Knox not only brought the full force of the Protestant Reformation (and thus, the good news) to Scotland, but he also organized the Presbyterian Church, which has been the dominant religious group in the country for 450 years. Furthermore, he led Scotland to be the first nation in the world to make public education a priority for every citizen and, through his politics and religion, laid the foundation for the democracy that is now enjoyed as the only acceptable norm throughout the entire English speaking world! Politically, John Knox was something akin to the Thomas Jefferson of Scotland. And theologically, he was the Martin Luther of the English speaking world. But today people park their cars on top of his grave site! I’ll explain …

As I said last week, the church building in which Knox preached the gospel so powerfully is located on the Royal Mile, which undoubtedly has to be the most popular historic and tourist destination in all of Scotland. And St. Giles Cathedral is (besides the castles at either end of the Mile), the most noticeable building on the street. Indeed, the church’s spire is one of the dominating landmarks on the Edinburgh skyline. Everyone who goes to Edinburgh sees and knows St. Giles. And, not surprisingly, John Knox is buried in the old churchyard. But here’s the catch. Some years ago, the churchyard was paved over and turned into a parking lot for the church and nearby political offices. And, not only did they not leave the Knox tomb cordoned off as a special, fenced in historical landmark … but they didn’t even put a sign or a plaque in the pavement to tell you that John Knox is buried beneath your radiator! The only indication that space 23 is any different from the others is a one-foot-square piece of concrete (with no inscription) laid flush with the asphalt next to the number ‘23’. In other words, if you didn’t know the story of Knox’s tomb being paved over, you’d probably assume that the little yellow-painted slab concealed a plugged up drain hole or something of the sort!

Now, austere and self-effacing man that he was, Knox would probably not be alarmed at the hiddenness of his burial plot. And neither should we be if no one ever knows where our bodies lie at rest. But the reason it’s so sad is not because they have merely forgotten Knox, but that he seems to have been intentionally obscured. In other words, Knox isn’t buried in space 23 as a way of honoring his humility … but as a way of hiding the legacy of a man whose staunch Bible-based theology, frankly, embarrasses most modern Scots. Many people don’t want to remember Knox. And, in their most touristy area, the powers that be have made an intentional effort to obscure him from view as much as possible – because of what he believed!

And my sense is that this kind of ignorance is the reason why so many other sites go unnoticed as well. It’s not that Mary and Tom and Jane intentionally ignore the martyr’s monuments and so on. It’s that the culture in which they live is now embarrassed by what those martyrs and preachers believed … and thus draws very little attention to their memorials. And the result is that many people, I feel sure, have no idea what they’re walking past! They’ve forgotten the history, at least partially so that they might also forget the theology. That’s the sense I get, anyway. And it’s a sad thing – and one that happens in America in much the same way!

So let us be different. Let us remember Christian history – not mainly for the sake of the men and women of the past, but for the sake of the God and the truth which they served!

Lessons Learned in Europe, Part 1

2011-05-24T14:01:00.007-04:00

Having just spent two weeks in Europe, I must say that I came away absolutely amazed at much of what I saw – marvelous castles perched on the edge of five-hundred-foot cliffs; snow-topped mountains; gorgeous green meadows with fluffy sheep by the thousands; stunning cathedrals; thousand-year-old city walls and gates; and even common houses that are older than our entire nation! In Europe, there seems to be character, quaintness, and remarkable history to be found at nearly every turn and in every city, town, and humble village.

And embedded in it all are a number of very obvious spiritual lessons – some of them heart-warming; others depressing; and all of them relevant even to people living across the pond in modern America! So I propose to use the next several of these articles to share some of my observations with you; to point out some spiritual lessons I learned simply from having spent two weeks among the mountains, spires, towers, and people of western Europe.

The first thing that struck me on my travels was Europe’s amazing Christian history. Everywhere we went – from modern Germany, to alpine Switzerland, to little Liechtenstein, to the hustle and bustle of downtown Glasgow, we saw gigantic church buildings. In fact, very often we saw several such buildings all within eye-shot of one another – and from the same denominations! Meaning? There was a time when so many people were going to church each Sunday that (in the cities anyway) churches had to be built every few blocks to accommodate all the worshippers! And, consequently, there are heroic stories of faith to be found all over the place.

For instance, in a single day in Scotland, I was able to see: two different martyrs’ monuments; the oldest Protestant-built church building in Scotland; the birthplace of the great reformer John Knox; the home and church of John Brown (who prepared one of the first ‘Study Bibles’ in the English language); the church where Horatius Bonar preached to hundreds and wrote hymns like “Not what my Hands have Done”; and the birthplace and churches pastored by my historical hero, Thomas Boston. All of these men and sites are world famous. And I did all of them in one day, before dinner … bypassing many other interesting historical sites and monuments along the way!

In Germany, I got 3-4 minutes alone in the tiny little study where Martin Luther holed up while fleeing from Roman Catholic persecution … and where he translated (in three months!) the entire New Testament into German – opening up the word of God to untold thousands of Germans who had never been able to read it before; and paving the way for the Bible to be translated into virtually all the other languages of Europe, to the salvation of millions of souls ever since. And here I was in the very room where it took place! Absolutely amazing and humbling!

So what’s my point? That we should all take a tour of Europe? Wouldn’t that be nice! But whether we ever stand in Luther’s study, or pray inside Thomas Boston’s ruined church, the point is that we ought to be immensely grateful for our Christian history. We ought to know it far better than we do. We ought to study the past so that we might praise God for the marvelous works He has done; so that we might learn from history’s mistakes and successes; so that we might be spurred to pray that God might move again the way He did, say, at the time of the Reformation; and so that we might be humbled – i.e. that we might not be so foolish as to think that our generation is ‘so far ahead’ of the men and women of old. A simple tour through the streets of Edinburgh or the castles of Luther’s Saxony would show us how far we have to grow … but also how capable God is of helping us do so! So I say thank God for Christian history!

Glory, Majesty, Dominion, and Authority

2011-05-16T14:01:00.001-04:00

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25

Jude’s epistle closes on a triumphant note. “To Him who is able” – namely to “the only God and Savior” – Jude wants his readers to ascribe “glory, majesty, dominion and authority”. He finishes his letter by urging us, his readers, to give God the praise and the honor that are justly His!

Ascribe to Him glory, Jude says. Recognize that it’s all about Him; that we exist for His fame, not our own. God keeps us (v.24); and we should keep ourselves … yes, for our own good. But even more importantly, God does these things, and we work with Him to do them ourselves, for the sake of His “glory”! That’s why we exist, as the old catechisms remind us: “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”.

And then also, Jude says, we should ascribe majesty to our God. We should recognize that He is a great and marvelous King. We should be awed by Him. We should see the majesty of the recent British royal wedding, and then say to ourselves: ‘If there is that much pageantry, and ceremony, and beauty, and attention given to the prince of England … how much more does the King of Heaven deserve that we should make His praise great; that we should worship Him in the beauty of holiness, and with all our might?’ God is majestic! And we should treat Him that way!

Thirdly, Jude says that we should ascribe to God dominion. Unlike most of the kings and princes of our day, God is not just a figurehead potentate. He does not have a parliament through which He must work to make decisions. No! This King still has a realm under His absolute control. He is a true King! And, of course, His “dominion” is a vast one … stretching from one end of the infinite universe to the other! And we should ascribe this power to our God! We should recognize, and have no doubt of the fact, that He is in absolute control over everything that we see … and over billions upon billions of pieces of the created order that we will never see! God owns it all! He has “dominion” over the entire universe!

And, because He has dominion, we ought, also, to recognize His authority. If this God is King of everything we see, then He’s King over us! And, instead of making Him force us to fall in line with His dominion, we ought to voluntarily bow the knee to Him; we ought to voluntarily submit to His “authority”. He is the King! So who are we poor little spiritual peasants to question His rule, or to shirk our responsibilities to Him?

‘O’, Jude says, ‘let us grant our God “glory, majesty, dominion and authority”’. And let us do so, not just every now and again; not just on Sundays at 11am … but “before all time and now and forever.”

And let us do so, Jude says “through Jesus Christ our Lord.” That’s important! God has designed the universe for His own glory. But He has also designed it in such a way as to create maximum glory for Himself by bring people to worship, and adore, and trust in His Son! When knees bow to Jesus, the Father is glorified (Philippians 2.11). And that’s the same thing Jude is saying here. The way to glorify “the only God our Savior” is to glorify Him “through Jesus Christ”. The way to glorify the Father is to glorify His Son!

So, as we conclude our long, slow meander through the epistle of Jude, I close by asking you if Jesus is your everything. Is He? If He is, then you will most certainly contend earnestly for the faith (vv.1-3) … because the faith is about this Jesus! If He is, well then you will have no problem recognizing and avoiding false teachers (vv.4-19) … because you know and love the true one so well! If Jesus is your everything, then you will always have plenty of fuel to throw on the fires of your love for God (vv.20-23). And if Jesus is all the world to you, then, in glorifying Jesus, you will always find yourself, of necessity, ascribing “glory, majesty, dominion and authority” to His Father!

93 Sermons on Luke!

2011-05-09T19:09:00.001-04:00

After studying through Luke in different parts of four years, we have finally completed our sermon series on the entire gospel! 93 sermons! Only the last 85 were recorded digitally, but we hope to add the first 8 some time this spring or summer.

To listen, click through to our sermon archives and sort the sermons, by series, by clicking on the "series" heading at the top of the column on the far right. Then just scan down, in alphabetical order, to "Luke: The Life and Times of Jesus".

To Him who is Able

2011-05-09T13:58:00.005-04:00

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 24-25

Jude 21 (which spent the last three weeks considering) presents a foundational Christian truth. We have a responsibility to fan our own love for God into flame. We have a responsibility to keep ourselves in love with God. That is absolutely basic … and vitally important for us to understand. But I want you to notice that Jude 24 presents a truth even more fundamental, and basic, and vital for our understanding. For, in that verse, Jude reminds us that it’s not just that we must keep ourselves, but that God Himself is actually keeping us, too! Jude 24 is about “Him who is able to keep you”! And what that means is that, even when you are keeping yourself in love with God, it’s actually God who is keeping you, so that you can keep yourself!

God is the one who gives you strength to walk in His ways, and to love His truth, and so on! Even though you have a responsibility to keep yourself, it is actually God’s keeping that allows you to do so! This is why we believe in the eternal security of the believer – not because we have great confidence in ourselves to do all that Jude 20-23 commands. But because we have great confidence in God to do what Jude 24-25 describes!

God is able! He is the one who keeps you in the faith, ultimately! He is the one, Jude says, who is able to sustain you … and in three specific ways:

First, God “is able to keep you from stumbling”. And that is so important in a book which has dealt so much with the dangers of false prophets. Along the way, we have noticed nineteen traits of the false teachers; nineteen ways we can recognize them and their errors. And we might think to ourselves: ‘How am I ever going to remember it all? What if I forget some of those nineteen, and end up falling prey to the very kinds of men Jude warns about?’ Well, ultimately, your remembering and your preservation from falling into damning error depends on God. He is the one who is “able to keep you from stumbling” … even when you are weak and gullible! And the same is true on a moral plane. There are so many temptations, within and without, aren’t there? How do we navigate them all? How do we keep from making shipwreck of our faith? Well, there are things we must do! But, beneath those things is an assurance that, if we truly belong to Christ, then He Himself will keep us from stumbling! “He is able”!

But then Jude also says that this God “is able … to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless.” Now there are two amazing things that Jude says there. The first is the amazement that we could even stand before God’s glory at all! When we consider our record; when we look at our rap-sheet; and then when we consider that God is holy, holy, holy … how could we ever expect to do anything but cower and grovel and weep in His presence? And yet Jude says He’s able to make us stand! And not only to stand, but to do so with a clean record; to do so blamelessly! How can it be? Only because God sent His Son to live and die with a clean record in our place … so that when we stand before God, we are wrapped in the cloak of Jesus’ righteousness! We couldn’t have cleaned our garments ourselves, but He “is able” to make us “blameless” in Jesus!

And then, thirdly, Jude says that God “is able to make us stand in the presence of His glory … with great joy.” And, again, this ought to amaze us. To think of standing before the thrice holy God ought to make us sinners tremble with fear. How can we stand before Him? On our own, there’s no way! But, in Christ, we can not only keep from keeling over in His presence, but actually stand there rejoicing because we know He will approve of us! And, again, that is all His doing, not our own! He is the one who is “able” to allow us great joy even in His holy presence; because He is the one who loved us enough to send His only Son to die in our place!

That is the good news! Our whole salvation – whether it be the ability to keep from stumbling; or the ability to stand before God without fear of judgment – has nothing to do with who we are or what we have done. You only stand, and you only keep standing because “He is able to keep you”!

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God - The Sermon Series

2011-05-03T10:22:00.001-04:00

I've been posting, the last three weeks, from Jude 20-23 - and specifically from the phrase "keep yourselves in the love of God". If these articles have been helpful to you, know that we also did a sermon study on these four verses last summer. Here's the run down

Jude 20-23 - Keep Yourselves in the Love of God

Jude 20-23 - Building yourselves up on your Most Holy Faith

Jude 20-23 - Praying in the Holy Spirit

Jude 20-23 - Waiting Anxiously for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ

Jude 20-23 - Snatching them out of the Fire

Trusting you'll be encouraged, challenged, and blessed.

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God, Part 3

2011-05-02T13:58:00.006-04:00

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 20-23

Last week we began looking at four ways we can “keep ourselves in the love of God”; four logs we can throw onto the fire of our devotion to the Lord to keep it burning brightly, according to Jude 20-23. Here they are again:

1. “building ourselves up on our most holy faith”
2. “praying in the Holy Spirit”
3. “waiting anxiously” for the Lord’s return
4. having “mercy” on the doubting and the unbelieving

We took a long look at the first of those practical bits of wisdom in the last article. So let’s tackle the other three today. How do we keep our love for God burning hot?

Secondly, by praying in the Holy Spirit. Again, that almost sounds too simple, doesn’t it? How do we fan into flame our love for God? Study the Bible (#1) and pray (#2)! It sounds like children’s Sunday School, doesn’t it? But maybe children’s Sunday School is more profound than we thought! Maybe if we adults would go back to the basics, we’d be a lot better off! For it really is true that a central key to growing in love with God is just to talk to Him! To set aside daily time for communion with Him. And not just for asking for things! But time set aside to pour out your heart to Him; to confess your sins; and to react to what you just read in His word! This is what we need! And we need it, not only personally, but corporately as well! And so I urge you to please cultivate you own private prayer life, and to please make an effort to be a part of your church's corporate times of prayer … and see if your love doesn’t grow!

But now a third way to keep yourself in the love of God; to fan into flame your devotion – by waiting anxiously for Jesus’ return. I believe that is what Jude means when he speaks of “waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” For when will “eternal life” be consummated? When Jesus returns, of course! And so what Jude is doing is reminding us that a readiness and an eagerness for Jesus’ second coming will actually fan the flames of our love for Him! By contemplating all that Jesus will do and be for us when we see Him face-to-face, our zeal for Him will grow! And so I urge you to do it! Set your mind on things above, as Paul says elsewhere! Think on the realities of the eternal world – a world bought for you with Jesus' precious blood, and brought to you with Jesus’ second coming … and see if your love doesn’t grow!

And then Jude mentions a fourth way we can keep our love for God lit – by having mercy on sinners, doubters, and backsliders. Isn’t that what he says in verses 22-23? We keep ourselves in the love of God by snatching people out of the fires of hell; by bringing people from doubt to faith! And haven’t you experienced this? Haven’t you seen how encouraging it can be when we see someone come to faith; or come back to the faith? When someone we have long prayed for turns from darkness to light? It revives our own zeal, doesn’t it! It gives us renewed fervor for the Lord’s work. And it reminds us of that time when our eyes were first opened, too! And in all these ways, our love for God is fanned into flame. So get busy trying to win people to Christ; trying to rescue backsliding church-goers; trying to help the doubters … and see if your own love doesn’t grow!

Two Reasons I should be Praying Today

2011-04-28T09:02:00.003-04:00

One close to home, geographically ... the other spiritually. Will you join me?

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God, Part 2

2011-04-26T15:00:00.001-04:00

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 20-23

We said last week that the main thing in these verses is that we “keep ourselves in the love of God”; that we keep the fire of our devotion to the Lord burning brightly; that we fan our love for Him in to flame and throw logs onto the fire of our zeal. So that’s the command in these verses: “Keep yourselves in the love of God.”

But then, surrounding that command, Jude suggests four ways we might fan the flame; four logs we might throw onto the fire of our devotion to keep it burning bright and hot. How do we keep our zeal for God lit? Four ways from these verses:

1. By “building ourselves up on our most holy faith”
2. By “praying in the Holy Spirit”
3. By “waiting anxiously” for the Lord’s return
4. By having “mercy” on the doubting and the unbelieving

Over the next two articles, I’d like to look at each of those four things; at each of those four logs that, if we will simply pick them up and make use of them, will brighten the fires of our love for the Lord. And the first, as I say, is simply that we build ourselves up on our most holy faith. But what does that mean?

Well, when Jude talks about “your most holy faith”, I believe he is talking, not about your personal trust in God, per se; but about the faith; about the Christian faith in all its truth and doctrine. In other words, what Jude wants is for us to build up our lives on top of the foundation of the faith; on the foundation of Christian truth and doctrine. And where do we find that doctrine? In the Scriptures! That is where “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (v.2) has been deposited – in the Bible. And so what Jude wants us to do, in order to keep our love for God burning brightly, is simply to build our lives upon the Christian faith, as it is given to us in the truths of the Bible.

Now that sounds over-simple, does it not? How do you keep yourself loving God? Read the Bible! Study the Bible. Listen to the Bible preached. Memorize the Bible. Seek to better understand the Bible. Comprehend the Bible’s doctrines. And then just do what the Bible says! In some ways, it really is that simple! And yet how often do we find ourselves neglecting the Scriptures, or just breezing through a five minute devotional in the morning? That’s like trying to keep your winter fire going with only a few pieces of kindling wood thrown into the smoldering embers once or twice a day! It will never work. And neither will scant attention to the word of God ‘work’ for those who want to obey Jude’s command to keep themselves loving God! If we are to love God, we must be people of great devotion to the Book! We must really dig into deeply!

The picture Jude paints is that of a building. Our love for God is like a building, or a house. And no house is ever built with just the few pieces of lumber that you can hang out the back of your trunk after a visit to Lowe’s! No! A house can only be built with multiple trips and large loads gathered at the lumber yard! And so it is with the building of our love for God. We must take multiple trips to the lumber yard of God’s word; we must gather large loads of the truths which make up our “most holy faith” and stock them away in our minds! And so I plead with you, very simply, to become people of the book! To give yourself copious opportunities for reading it, hearing it, and meditating upon it! “Keep yourselves in the love of God” by “building yourselves up on your most holy faith”!

Good Friday Sermons

2011-04-22T11:47:00.002-04:00

In case you're looking for something that might help you meditate on the cross and the death of Jesus on this Good Friday afternoon ... here are some of our recent sermons through the latter portion of the gospel of Luke:

Luke 22.39-46 - Not My Will but Yours be Done
Luke 22.47-71 - Betrayed, Denied, Abused, Victorious
Luke 23.01-25 - A Mockery of a Trial
Luke 23.13-31 - Trading Places with Jesus
Luke 23.32-46 - The Cross
Luke 23.47-56 - The Burial

And, if you're thinking ahead to Resurrection Sunday ... here's some initial food for thought. If you're in the area, join us at 11am Sunday for more!

Keep Yourselves in the Love of God, Part 1

2011-04-18T13:01:00.001-04:00

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. And have mercy on some, who are doubting; save others, snatching them out of the fire; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh. Jude 20-23

The key to this one long thought comes right in the middle: “Keep yourselves in the love of God”. That’s the command that Jude is concerned about. That’s the fire he wants us to keep lit – “the love of God”. All the other verbs surrounding that one main command explain how we can actually go about accomplishing it. How do you “keep yourselves in the love of God”? By “building yourselves up on your most holy faith”; by “praying in the Holy Spirit”; by “waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus to eternal life”; and by having “mercy” on doubters, backsliders, and so on.

So again, there’s one command, and then four sub-points that explain how to go about keep that one command. The main thing is that we “keep ourselves in the love of God”. That’s the fire that Jude wants us to keep lit. And then all the other things (building, praying, waiting, and having mercy) are like logs that we can throw on the fire to keep it burning. ‘Keep the fire of love burning’ Jude is saying. ‘And here are four ways you can do it.’

We’ll come back, over the next two weeks (Lord willing), and talk about those four sub-points; those four logs that can be thrown on the fire of “the love of God” to help keep it lit. But, today, let’s just think about the main command – “keep yourselves in the love of God.”

That phrase alone deserves some careful attention, doesn’t it? Because, at first blush, it sounds quite unbiblical. “Keep yourselves in the love of God”? How is that? I thought we didn’t have to do anything to make God love us, or to keep God loving us! I thought Jesus already did everything that needed to be done to demonstrate the love of God for us (Romans 5.8)! Surely there is nothing we must do to keep God loving us; to keep ourselves in His love! Jesus already did it for us! So what gives? How can Jude come along and tell us to keep ourselves in the love of God?

Well, the answer to the question ‘what gives?’ is to realize that the phrase “the love of God” can mean two different things. Usually, if we used the phrase “the love of God”, we’d be talking about God’s love for us … as in ‘The love of God is amazingly demonstrated in that He sent His Son to die for us.’ But we can also use the phrase “the love of God” to refer to our love for God. For instance, ‘For the love of God, please stop sinning!’ In other words, ‘If you really love God, you’ll stop sinning in that way!’ And it is this second idea that Jude has in mind in the 21st verse of his letter. “Keep yourselves in the love of God” he says. In other words, keep yourselves loving God; keep the zeal of your devotion to Him burning brightly.’ That’s what Jude means. And that’s what he goes on about for four verses here toward the end of his letter.

He wants us not to allow our love to flicker out. He wants us to throw more and more logs onto our zeal for the Lord; to keep the fire stoked and the flames burning brightly. And so does God Himself. Consider what He’s done for us … giving His only Son to die in our place; giving His life in exchange for ours! And should we not be devoted to a God like that? Should we not love Him with all our hearts! Yes! But our love tends to grow cold, doesn’t it? Familiarity with the things of God may not breed contempt, but it often breeds complacency. And that’s why we must keep ourselves; why we must fan the flames; why we must throw logs onto the fire. “Keep yourselves in the love of God”! O, how I pray that will not merely be a Bible verse for us to know, but a lifelong quest and commitment!

False Teacher Traits, Part 4

2011-04-11T17:51:00.001-04:00

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, "In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts." These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. Jude 17-19

One more time Jude hits the nail squarely on the heads of the false teachers (ouch!). One more time he spills out a list of their dirty laundry and their ugly character traits. So far he has called them dreamers, unclean, rejecters of authority, proud, heartless, spineless, fearless, loveless, fruitless, grumblers, accusers, flatterers, lustful, and boastful. And in verses 17-19 he has yet more to say! So, without further adieu, let’s hear, one more time, what Jude (and the Holy Spirit behind him) really think of men who lead people away from Christ and heaven by their false doctrine and slimy character. Since we’ve already listed fourteen of these sordid traits, we’ll pick up our numbering accordingly (making this article read a bit like a Puritan sermon!) …

False teachers, Jude says fifteenthly, are mockers. They like to make fun of people and ideas. They are engaged in caricature. Why? Probably because their doctrine can’t actually stand on its own, so that they are forced to make their teachings appear correct by making true teachings seem silly. They mock because they don’t have truth on their side.

Sixteenth, false teachers follow after their own ungodly lusts. Now Jude has already touched on lust once already. So, for him to come back to it a second time must mean that this is a chief trait of the heretics. They are what they are because they lust for power, and money, and position, and often sex. None of these things usually come to the true prophet of God. And, even when they do, he is hardwired to deflect the praise to Jesus … exactly the thing the false teacher wants for himself! So the false teacher creates a system of doctrine that emphasizes man – his gifts, his faith, his health, his prosperity, or what-have-you. And then he makes himself the model for whatever man centered ideas he is propounding. And, before long, he is the guru. Everyone comes to him with their problems, and their money, and their adulation. And the process is complete. He is well down the road of following after his own ungodly lusts. And others are following, too!

Seventeenth, false teachers cause divisions. Their doctrine itself, of course, is divisive. Because there are always going to be some people who see the holes, and know their Bibles better than the false teacher would like. But the character of these men is also divisive. Because, remember, the ministry is built around themselves, the gurus. And so people have to choose whether they want to give authority and praise and money to the guru or not. And those who don’t are kicked to the curb … and the church is divided.

Eighteenth, false teachers are worldly-minded. Their teachings and practices almost always emphasize the things of this world, and not the one above. So they often talk more about man’s faith than God’s power. They talk more about the body than the soul. They want earthly prosperity more than heavenly joy. And, often, their teaching is worldly-minded concerning the person of Jesus. So worldly-minded, in fact, that Jesus’ other-worldliness is overlooked and He is made out to be little more than a mere man and a good teacher! Because, to think anything else would be to admit that there is much more going on in the universe than can be perceived with our own two eyes and in this concrete world.

And finally, nineteenthly, false teachers are devoid of the Spirit. All the power they have is what they themselves can drum up by way of charisma, marketing, strong-arming, and so on. But the Holy Spirit is not upon their ministry … nor shaping their character, either.

So what’s the upshot of these Twenty Characteristics of False Teachers (Minus One)? Should we pull out this list every time we show up for Bible study or preaching? Not necessarily. But we must have these things in mind. In fact, if we can some up, we’d simply say that the ministry of a false teacher is characterized by man-centeredness rather than God-centeredness; by self-aggrandizement rather than love for people; by charisma rather than character; and by a gross mishandling of the Scriptures (and often total ignorance of them). So take that summary with you to church each week … and be on guard! “In the last time,” as Jude says, these men will be crawling around like ants.

You ought to Remember

2011-04-04T22:01:00.001-04:00

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jude 17

For fourteen verses now Jude has been giving the lowdown on false teachers – their traits, their fates, the destruction they can wreak, and so on. Fourteen verses of rightly and marvelously tarring and feathering the religious charlatans! But in verse 17 Jude shifts gears (though he will wield his tar brush one more time before he’s finished!). Verses 3-16 are all about the false teachers. ‘“But you” are a different story’ he says to his readers. You are a different sort of people. You ought to be different than these men!

And what ought to be so different for true believers? Simply that they “remember.” True believers are not carried away by strange doctrines and savvy peddlers of religious snake oil. Why? Because true believers “remember the words” of “the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ”! True believers know the truth and can recall it to mind. They “remember” what the apostles have said about false teachers (v.18) … and can therefore spot them from a mile away. And they also “remember” the sound doctrine that the apostles taught … and can thus easily discern a counterfeit from the real thing. Christians are people who “remember”!

It’s so important to have a good memory – to be able to recall what the Bible says even when the book itself not in your hands! Because, when you’re out working in your yard on a Saturday morning, for instance … you probably don’t have a Bible in your hands. And so, when the Jehovah’s Witnesses walk up behind you and start handing out their materials, their teachings might actually sound okay … unless you can, even without a Bible in your hand, still “remember the words that were spoken … by the apostles”; unless you have truth stored away in your memory! But if you have truth stored in your memory, you are so much less apt to be led astray … either by the doctrines of the heretics, or by their personalities and methods.

The same can be said of doubts that Satan plants into your mind. Say you’re sitting in a university lecture in which the Bible is being ‘proven’ to be filled with contradictions, and implausibilities, and so on. Well, either you’d better have a Bible in your backpack, or you’d better have its truths hidden away in your memory … so that you might pull them out and counter the doubts that may arise in your mind (and perhaps counter the professor, too!). And the same could be said when doubts assail you on the hospital bed, and you don’t have a Bible readily at hand. If you don’t have Romans 8.28 stored away in your memory bank, you just might give in to despair! But if you “remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ”, then you have a shield of faith in your hand with which you may extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one!

So, surely, “beloved” … “you ought to remember”! Sometimes you ought to intentionally memorize key passages of scripture. And, more than that, I think, you ought to be so often in the word and under good teaching that it simply begins to become a second language to you. You ought to be so often in and around the Bible that you speak its language and know its doctrines almost without having to think about it; so that verses that you didn’t even know you knew by heart would spontaneously arise to the surface in the time of need! So I urge you, “beloved” to “remember”!

False Teacher Traits, Part 3

2011-03-29T13:39:00.001-04:00

These are grumblers, finding fault, following after their own lusts; they speak arrogantly, flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage. Jude 16

Sometimes you have to hit a nail several times before you’re really confident it will hold. You want the nail driven extra, extra deep because whatever it’s holding simply must not fall down. So, if you’re hanging your great-great-grandmother’s family heirloom decorative mirror, you’re probably going to make sure the nail that holds it in place is driven extra well. You’re going to hit it several times.

And sometimes the Bible is like that, too. Sometimes the biblical authors seem to hit the same nail again, and again, and again. Because there are certain biblical concepts that simply must not fall to the ground. And so the authors hit the same nail and say the same thing over, and over, and over again. And such is the case with Jude. He keeps coming back, time after time, to the false teachers and their characteristics. For, evidently, he really, really wants his readers to get it. He wants to make sure they can see and smell a heretic from a mile away. This biblical concept simply cannot fall to the ground … for, if it does, then some of Jude’s hearers will fall into hell, having been tripped up by the snares of the false teachers who have crept in among them.

So, with that in mind, bear with Jude as he hits the same nail a third time; as he rattles off another list of ways we can recognize the false teachers. Here in verse 16, he gives five of them. Let’s think each trait over, briefly ...

First, false teachers are characterized by grumbling. “These are grumblers” Jude says. They complain. They murmur. Why? Because they want everything their way. They are self-seeking divas. They are building an empire for themselves, not for God. And so, when things don’t go exactly the way they want; when people don’t fall in line, the whining begins!

Second, false teachers are characterized by accusing, or “finding fault”. This goes hand-in-hand with the previous point. When things don’t go according to their master plan, it can’t possibly be because they themselves are at fault; or because God is simply not blessing their heresy. No, it’s always someone else. And the offender has to be found out, so he can be rooted out or brought into line.

Third, false teachers are characterized by lusting. They follow after “their own lusts.” Again, the whole reason they are in ministry is to build a personal kingdom. Because, if you have power over people, then you can usually get what you want – the right car, the right salary package, the right women, and so on. And, yes, there are pastors that do this today! They have turned their pulpit into a throne … and are able to get away with opulence and even sexual sin because they have built an empire in which they are above the law.

Fourth, false teachers are characterized by boasting. “They speak arrogantly.” This is all part of the propaganda. In order to build up their control and authority; in order to increase their personal capital with their hearers … sermons, church events, anniversary celebrations, and so on are carefully contrived to make the pastor more and more of a celebrity; more and more of a demigod and a superman. Sometimes it’s his gifts that are accentuated. Other times it’s his learning. Sometimes it’s his ‘command’ over the spirits that is flaunted. And things like clothing and appearance all come under consideration as well. ‘How can I make myself appear to be as superhuman as possible?’ is the question these men are often asking themselves, even if subconsciously.

Fifth, false teachers are characterized by flattering. Some people won’t fall in line and worship the pastor simply because he appears to be almost a demigod. No, they’re not going to fall in line that easily. And what they need is a little flattering; a few extra pats on the back. And false teachers are almost always glad to give it. But this is not a pastor encouraging his people. It’s “flattering people for the sake of gaining an advantage.” Because, again, the false teacher’s goal is often to build a little kingdom for himself. And if he has to butter a few people up in order to do so, so be it!

Now what’s the summary? False teachers are in it for themselves. That’s why they boast and flatter – to gain the adulation of their hearers. That’s why they grumble and accuse – to make anyone who dares oppose them look like either a buffoon or a renegade who opposes ‘God’s anointed.’ All of it is because of lust – a lust for power, and praise, and fame, and all the sensual pleasures that come with such things. So be careful of celebrity preachers. And be careful, too, of men who are not so famous … but whose actions and attitudes make it very clear that they’re dying to be so. God’s teachers build God’s kingdom. False teachers build their own.

Black Darkness? Really?

2011-03-21T16:24:00.005-04:00

"… for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. It was also about these men that Enoch, in the seventh generation from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him." Jude 13-15

Last week we said that purveyors of false gospels are heartless, spineless, fearless, loveless, and fruitless. Today we add to that list the word hopeless. For that is what Jude says about the future prospects of these men and women. “Black darkness” is reserved for them … a darkness that can be felt, apart from the gracious presence of God, where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. And, says Jude, these men will squirm in that torment “forever.” There is no escaping the lake of fire. And, whatever our sins, that is good reason to repent … today! Hell is forever.

But sometimes, when we talk about hell, or the lake of fire, or the “black darkness” as Jude calls it … it can seem a little harsh. For instance, someone may read the book of Jude and say to themselves: ‘OK, Jude. I understand why you’re uptight about false teachers. We want to get the Bible right. We want to get the gospel right. So we should be careful, no doubt. But “black darkness”? Just because a guy got his theology a little crossed up? Doesn’t that seem a little bit harsh? I mean, we’re all probably a little bit confused about some things.’

But remember what Jude says in verse 15. The Lord is not so angry because somebody didn’t quite get all his i’s dotted. No! The problem with false doctrine is that it defames God. It speaks “harsh things” against Him. That is why it is so damnable. False teaching distorts God, and makes Him out to be less – far less – than He actually is.

For instance, when someone begins claiming that the Bible is filled with mistakes, and that the miracles are simply myths, they are saying two things. One, that God is really not powerful enough to raise people, bodily from the dead, or to part the Red Sea, or what-have-you. And two that this same God is either incompetent or dishonest … because He allowed the Bible to be written with so many mistruths inside! So you could see why God would be irritated by such bold and blasphemous claims!

Or when someone comes along and says that we must be saved by faith in Jesus, plus some other set of works – be they penance, confession, baptism, or whatever it may be … what that person is really saying is that Jesus is not enough. But can you imagine looking God in the eye and saying that? ‘God, you know I like Jesus quite a lot. But His finished work on the cross was clearly inadequate. In fact, when He cried out “it is finished”, He surely didn’t mean what He said. For “it” wasn’t finished until I came along and added my two cents.’ That’s blasphemy, is it not?

And when someone pronounces that Jesus Christ was ‘just a man’ or ‘just a good teacher’, the sacrilege grows. So that, again, we might ask what God might say to such a person who is so bold-faced as to determine, two thousand years after the fact, that they know better who Jesus was than Jesus Himself! Indeed, to call God a mere man is, I think, very near the height of arrogance; the height of the “harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

And that is why God cannot tolerate false doctrine! It’s not that He is enraged if your understanding of the end times is a little off track; or if your view of baptism is askew. Those things are important. And it is sin if we misinterpret the Bible. And all sin is punishable by fire, apart from the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. But false teachers go several steps farther than the person who is just a little bit confused about a few less obvious biblical points. False teachers take the very plain teachings of the Bible and distort them in such a way that God Himself comes out distorted. They make Him less than He is. They make Him out to be a liar. And they undermine and eschew the very good news about Jesus that might have saved them! And that is why God is so angry.

Tsunami Relief

2011-03-16T15:30:00.003-04:00

Check out CRASH Japan, an evangelical disaster relief organization on the ground in Japan

Also, Samaritan's Purse is heavily involved, too.

False Teacher Traits, Part 2

2011-03-14T15:36:00.001-04:00

Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion of Korah. These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted; wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever. Jude 20-23

Back in verse 8, Jude began compiling a list of ‘character traits’ that describe false teachers. He’s already said that they are dreamers, that they are men of unclean character, that they reject authority, and that they are proud and arrogant. But now, in verses 11-13, he continues the indictment. Follow along as he adds four more items to his list of False Teacher Traits:

In verse 11, he reminds us that false teachers are heartless. I believe that is part of the point of comparing them to Cain, Balaam, and Korah. We haven’t room for the details here, but search the Old Testament and you’ll see that each of these men were willing, in their selfishness and pride, to destroy other people. “Cain” murdered his own brother (Genesis 4). “Balaam” convinced God’s people to worship idols … resulting in a deadly plague upon the camp of Israel (Numbers 31.16). And “Korah” tried to bring down Moses, and ended up, in his arrogance, bringing his whole family to its death (Numbers 16). And what was the common denominator between these men (and the false prophets to whom Jude compares them)? They all got people killed! And that’s Jude’s point. The problem with false teachers is not that they just get a few things wrong … but that their errors are deadly! And they really don’t care. As long as they get what they want, who cares about you? And yet people still get sucked in by these Balaam’s! Don’t let it happen to you!

Second, Jude informs us that false teachers are spineless. Most of the time they don’t come right out and make their beliefs plain. Instead (Jude 12) they remain “hidden” within the church. They try to lull people into their confidence. They are sneaky. And they are, therefore, spineless – unwilling to just come out and say what they really believe. So we must be on guard! We must pay very careful attention to what we’re taught!

Third, Jude says that these men are fearless. They “feast with you without fear” (v.12). In other words, they are not really bothered by Paul’s warning that those who take the Lord’s Supper in a sinful, ungodly way might just be killed (1 Corinthians 11). Because, remember, they are arrogant. They think they are God’s untouchable anointed. So why should they be afraid? Soon enough, they will find out, Jude will go on to say at the end of verse 13! So make sure you don’t join them!

Next Jude tells us that false teachers are loveless. As we said already, they couldn’t care less what happens to you, so long as they get the prestige, or money, or power they are after. They care (v.12) only “for themselves.”

And finally, says Jude, these men are fruitless (v.13). They’re like clouds that never produce any rain, and like trees that never sprout any fruit. In other words, they do their thing, and look the part … but nothing good ever comes of it. No one is helped. No one is moved closer to heaven. No one is converted to Christ. No, the whole thing is just one giant house of straw. Their entire life’s work will come crashing down at the last day … just like a farmer eventually cuts down and burns the trees that take up space in his orchard and never produce any fruit! Such will be the fate of the false teachers. Such will be the fate of so many of the familiar, smiling faces on TBN and in the so-called emergent church. They have built quite an empire for themselves here on earth. But they will have no reward in heaven … because they cultivated empires instead of fruit trees!

So watch out for these men (and women). They’re very good at sucking people in. As Phil Collins sang: They’ll ‘take your heart but you won’t feel it.’ So guard that heart. Know the truth. Love the Scriptures. And cling to the biblical Jesus!

Two reasons to Pray for Japan

2011-03-11T11:10:00.003-05:00

Japan is suffering right now. It is also one of the least reached nations on earth. So there are two reasons to pray. Here they are, from Matthew 24 ...

4And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you. 5For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. 6You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. 7For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. 8But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs. 9Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. 11Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many. 12Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved. 14This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

In other words, the earthquake in Japan is not further evidence that we should just hunker down wait for Jesus to come back any day. No, this is merely an early birth pang. If we want Jesus to be back any day, we must spring into action, getting the gospel to "all the nations, and then the end will come." May it be so in Japan.

Anthony, Ethiopia, and Persecution

2011-03-10T16:10:00.002-05:00

Anthony is in Ethiopia this week and next ... hoping to train pastors in the cities of Hosanna and Jimma. But this just in from his twitter account:

60+ churches & homes have been burned w/in the last week in Jimma. So, we're unable to work there. Pray for the believers in that region.

And here's a news link. Please be praying.

Respect the Devil!

2011-03-09T13:03:00.002-05:00

But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you”! But these men revile the things which they do not understand. Jude 9-10a

Perhaps my title threw you off a little bit. I hope it at least got you intrigued. ‘Is Kurt really saying we are supposed to respect the devil? What in the world does he mean by that?’ Well, know that I do mean what the title implies. We ought to respect the devil. Know also that I will explain what I mean as I type along down the page.

First, realize that what Jude says in verses 9-10 is a continuation of what he just said in verse 8. Remember that, in that verse, Jude was beginning to compile a list of traits that characterize false teachers. They dream instead of studying. They defile the flesh and live sinful lives. They reject authorities and often run one man shows. And they revile angelic majesties. That is to say that they become so puffed up with pride; so sure that they are God’s unique, anointed servants that they come to think of themselves as invincible. And that pride asserts itself, especially, in the way they assume they can ‘bind the devil’, command the demons, and so on.

So that was verse 8 – four characteristics of false teachers. And, in verses 9-10a, Jude expands on the last of those points. He gives more detail as to why reviling angelic majesties is so foolish. And what he says is actually quite amazing.

Evidently, when Moses died, Satan and the archangel Michael had a giant brouhaha about who would get control of Moses’ corpse. The Bible says nothing about this, so we cannot be certain exactly why they were disputing over such a thing. And, really, it is beside the point in Jude’s train of thought. The main thing is that Satan and Michael were having a dispute. And here’s the kicker: Michael, in the midst of that dispute, was unwilling to call names, pronounce judgment, or in any way assert superiority over the devil. That’s what verse 9 is all about. He did not personally revile or rebuke the devil, but simply said “The Lord rebuke you.”

Why is that significant? Because Michael (among the strongest of God’s angels) evidently recognized the great might and power of the one with whom he was disputing. He recognized that this was no minor foe. He respected Satan’s might and would not lock horns with him in his own name or strength. And that is significant! If not even Michael the archangel would personally rebuke the devil … what does that say about the men on television who venture to do so? What does it say about Christians who think they can bind the devil, or wrestle with him and win? It says, as Jude points out in verse 10a, that these people are reviling “things which they do not understand.”

It is insanity to try and take on the devil. Insanity! That is Jude’s point in verses 9-10. Anyone who would attempt to do so ought not be trusted as a Christian teacher … because he doesn’t understand even the most basic things – namely that he is absolutely helpless apart from Christ!

The devil is not, by any means, invincible. Jesus will one day scoop him up like the lint in your dryer’s catch-basin and throw him into the lake of fire. But note well that it is Jesus who will do this! Only God Himself can effectively revile and rebuke the devil. And you and I can only reasonably engage him when we say, with Michael the archangel, “the Lord rebuke you”. So rather than rebuking him or reviling him, we ought to respect the devil – not for his character or goodness; not in a servile way; and certainly not in the way we reverence God. But we ought to respect him nonetheless – not mainly as a bow to his strength (which is considerable and real), but as an acknowledgment that we are not God!

Holding the New Testament in Your Hands for the Very First Time

2011-03-03T11:20:00.005-05:00

Would that we were all this excited ...

HT: Justin Taylor

St. Patrick, Jesus, and the Good News

2011-03-03T09:39:00.006-05:00

A few years ago, I posted about St. Patrick of Ireland, and how he points us to the gospel. His is an amazing story. Check it out here.

If you'd like more detail, you can also listen to or read an entire biographical message based on the life of St. Patrick.

And (maybe best of all) if you have an unbelieving friend who might be helped to see Jesus by looking through the green lenses of Patrick of Ireland's example and teaching ... send them to the blog post ... or the message. Or print out this tri-fold tract for them (if you print page 1 ... and then print page 2 on the reverse, it ends up looking pretty nice). If you're not from PRBC, feel free to insert your church's information in place of ours on the back panel.

By what Authority?

2011-03-02T20:30:00.004-05:00

Preached from Luke 20 tonight. Was helped to discover some practical wisdom in the way Jesus dealt with scoffers and skeptics ...

In verse 2, we find Jesus’ opponents coming to Him, in essence, with that age-old childish refrain: ‘Says who?’. ‘You’re saying a lot of incredible things there, Jesus. But what gives you the right to talk like that? What gives you the right to make these kinds of claims? "By what authority are you doing these things?"’

It’s the same thing that people say today when you present to them the challenging words of Scripture. Instead of just taking them at face value, and admitting that they just don’t like what they say … some of our friends start questioning the authority of the scriptures themselves: ‘Why should I believe the Bible? Who says that this book is any better than or different from the Qur’an, or than my own religious musings?’ And I just note that, in the face of that kind of questioning, Jesus did not feel the need to get into a long drawn out argument about the authority behind His teaching. He just demonstrated the authority of the teaching by continuing to teach … and letting God continue to work (see the rest of Luke 20)! And that is a good lesson for us.

God’s word is like a hammer that break rocks into pieces, says Jeremiah. And no one ever argues about hammers, do they? No, if your friend doesn’t believe that your hammer is strong enough to shatter a rock … you don’t argue with him about the physical properties of your hammer! You just keep hitting the rock until the hammer settles the argument itself! And so should be our first response when people question the authority of Scripture. So maybe they don’t believe it has power. But if you just keep applying it to the hardness of their hearts, eventually the Bible will prove itself!

Now that is not to say that there is no place for showing people why the Bible is reliable, and why the faith is reasonable. There is, indeed, a place for those things; a place for apologetics. But when someone is simply scoffing at the authority of Jesus and Scripture, arguing and apologetics usually serve little purpose. Sometimes it is far better to demonstrate the authority of Scripture by simply proclaiming its truth than by arguing about its truthfulness!

False Teacher Traits, Part 1

2011-02-28T15:11:00.002-05:00

Yet in the same way these men, also by dreaming, defile the flesh, and reject authority, and revile angelic majesties. Jude 8

If you work in a bank, you need to be able to recognize counterfeit bills. In fact, bank tellers usually get some level of training in doing so. They are shown some common marks of a counterfeits, and given some easy ways to discern a fake. And that is much the same kind of training Jude provides in the eighth verse of his epistle. In very short order, he rattles off some of the obvious marks of a false teacher; some of the easiest ways to spot a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Indeed, he list four marks of such a man (or woman). That is not to say that every false teacher will necessarily possess all four. Nor that these are the only four marks. But it is to say that these are some of the easiest things to spot. Even before you begin to pick up on question marks in the content of his teaching, a false teacher is often discernible because there are question marks in his behavior and character; and in the very methods with which he pursues his ‘ministry’.

So, without further adieu … four characteristics of false teachers …

First, they are dreamers. Not dreamers in a good, visionary kind of sense. No, these men are dreamers in that they base a significant amount of their teaching, not on the plain reading of the Bible, but upon visions that they have had; or upon ‘special insights’ into the Bible (to which the common man is not privy). These are the kind of men who are often heard to say things like: ‘the Lord spoke to me’ … and then who make whatever the Lord ‘spoke’ law for their hearers. Watch out for men like that … whose ministry is based on what ‘God said to me’ in prayer or in a dream, rather than what God says to all His people on the pages of the Bible!

Second, false teachers are often unclean in their character. “Dreaming, they defile the flesh.” In other words, it is no coincidence, Jude says, how often the dreams of these self-appointed prophets end up being of such kind that they make the ‘prophet’ above the law. Or, to put it more simply, isn’t it strange how these special messages from God so often seem to mean that the recipient of the message has a special anointing, and therefore plays by a different set of rules? Sometimes the different set of rules has to do with authority in the church; sometimes with financial responsibility; and sometimes with sexual and marital ethics. But it’s always the same. ‘God speaks to me differently than He speaks to others. And therefore, my boundaries are different from those of others, too’!

Third, Jude says that false teachers reject authority. They usually run their churches or organizations as a one man show; as an autocracy. And why shouldn’t they? After all, God speaks to them differently than He does everyone else! They have special insights that no one else has. So they cannot be expected to be made accountable to a group of elders, or to regular congregational approval. “Touch not the Lord’s anointed” is their battle cry. And it’s no surprise. These men and women have already, in large measure, rejected the Scriptures (since God speaks to them directly!). So, if they are not going to listen to the Bible, why should we ever expect they listen to a bunch of ‘normal’ Christians?

Finally, says Jude, false teachers have a habit of pride. In the first century, they reviled angelic majesties. In other words, they thought so highly of themselves that even the angels should bow down to them; even the angels should walk at their heels. And, of course, that especially goes for the dark angels, or demons! And there are men and women like this today. They’ve got the devil by the tail! They know the magic words. And, of course, they have the special anointing. So there is no need for them to follow the biblical injunction and “resist the devil”. No, no. They are strong enough to make a full frontal attack on the price of darkness! And the same is true of other people who oppose them. ‘Don’t these people realize that I have an anointing? I am invincible. I am the unique servant of God!’

O, how we should beware! And how we should be watchful of a man’s character and method of ministry. If we do, we often won’t even need to wait around long enough to see that his words contradict scripture. It will be obvious in his character, and in the fact that he does not appeal to scripture for his authority … but to ‘the anointing’! So beware, I say! And stay close by the Bible!

Damnable Heresy

2011-02-21T13:40:00.003-05:00

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all, that the Lord, after saving a people out of the land of Egypt, subsequently destroyed those who did not believe. And angels who did not keep their own domain, but abandoned their proper abode, He has kept in eternal bonds under darkness for the judgment of the great day, just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities around them, since they in the same way as these indulged in gross immorality and went after strange flesh, are exhibited as an example in undergoing the punishment of eternal fire. Jude 5-7

Jude is now getting down to the nitty-gritty. Remember, this little letter was written, primarily, to warn the church about false teachers and their teachings. Verses 1-4 have simply been introductory. But now the persuasion, the warning, and the arguments really begin. Jude is going to pull out all the stops (or at least all the stops one can pull in a 25-verse letter) to try and convince his brothers and sisters in Christ not to fall into the trap of heresy. And the first thing he does; the first stop he pulls out is to remind the people that heresy is damnable. That’s what verses 5-7 are about. They are a reminder that those who turn away from “the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (v.3) are destroyed. And Jude uses three examples to demonstrate this awful reality.

First, he reminds us of the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years in the book of Exodus. Yes, God had been merciful to them. Yes, He had delivered them from slavery. But some of them still “did not believe”. Some of them still worshipped idols, and murmured against the true God. And verse 5 reminds us that every last one of those privileged, but unbelieving, Israelites perished in the wilderness – at God’s hand, and under His judgment. He left them out there until all the unbelieving adults died off.

And, in bringing that up, Jude’s point is simply to say to New Testament Christians: ‘If God did that to the Israelites; if, even after showing them such mercy in rescuing them from Egypt, He was willing to destroy them for their unbelief … what do you think will happen to us? Yes, we are greatly privileged. Yes, we get to hear the gospel week after week, and benefit from so much that the church is and does. But if any of us turns away from the truth; if any of us believes a false gospel … all the privileges we have been given will not be enough to save us. We must not simply be blessed by God. We must believe Him … and shun false teaching and practice!’

And then Jude teaches a similar lesson in verse 6. Not only was God willing to destroy humans who turned from the truth … but angels as well! And think of the privileges angels have. They worship around God’s throne. They deliver His messages in the world. They minister to the saints. They fight wars in heavenly places. And yet if they – even they! – turn from the truth … their end is hell; they are “kept in eternal bonds under darkness.” And if angels can go to hell, surely church folks can, too … if we’re not careful to believe and practice truth!

And then, in verse 7, Jude says, in effect: ‘And don’t forget Sodom and Gomorrah.’ In other words, if it seems far-fetched that God would really destroy people; if it seems like God is too nice to wipe people off the face of the earth … just read Genesis 19! God hates sin! Indeed, He hates it enough to burn its unrepentant practitioners away like kindling wood. Never doubt that! And, therefore, be very careful that you do not turn away from the truth. Be very careful that what you believe – and how you live – is biblical. Do not be led astray by unbiblical teachings. Because belief in unbiblical propositions leads to destruction of biblical proportions!

So, I urge you – know and cling to the truth; especially the truth as it is in Jesus. Know what the Bible teaches about Him! Know the biblical Jesus with clarity and precision, and believe in Him with all your heart. And cling to Him, and Him alone, with all your hope.

Believer's Baptism

2011-02-21T13:06:00.004-05:00

What does the Bible say about baptism? Is it for believers only? Or is it legitimate to include the infants of believers as well? Here's John MacArthur laying out the details.

The Value of Reminders

2011-02-14T13:58:00.001-05:00

Now I desire to remind you, though you know all things once for all … Jude 5a

Isn’t that interesting? Jude knows that what he is about to say is known to his readers already. He knows they have it down pat. Perhaps they could write the next few sentences for him … so familiar are they with what he is about to say. And yet, in spite of that; and perhaps at the risk of having them say: ‘Here he goes again’ … Jude still says “I desire to remind you”!

Next week, Lord willing, we will take time to think out the things about which Jude wanted to remind them. But today let it suffice to notice that he wanted to remind them. I find it instructive that the great early church leader found it necessary to say some things twice, three times, and more. He found it necessary to re-go-over the same territory which he knew his listeners had heard umpteen times before. It did not bother him to remind them, again, of the forty years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, or of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. And the fact that he didn’t mind reminding them is, conveniently, a reminder to us!

Jude’s reminders are a reminder that reminders are not a bad thing! Did you get that? It’s not a bad thing for us to hear the same old Bible stories again and again; or to hear sermons on the same old themes again and again! Precisely because we are forgetful! That is not to say that we will easily forget the story, say, of David and Goliath. But we are very prone to forget to apply its truths to our lives, are we not? If we weren’t, we’d never fret when faced with difficulties, now would we?

Similarly, we will surely not soon forget how God delivered His people from slavery in Egypt. But we may forget that not all of them actually entered the Promised Land. And we may forget what that means for us: namely that we must press on in faith – not turning back; and not simply experiencing an initial exciting religious flourish!

And, of course, we will not forget that Jesus died for our sins. We won’t forget the cross, and the whips, and the thorns, and the tomb, and the resurrection! We won’t forget that Jesus died so that we might be forgiven and set right with God! But we may forget to apply those facts to our daily lives. That is to say that we may live, for many days, as though our relationship with God depended upon how well we’re doing this week; how often we read our Bible; how well we behaved, and so on. O, I know we know better. But we still sometimes carry on this way just the same. And, after a week of feeling defeated and discouraged and distant from God, how wonderful it can be to walk into church on Sunday morning and hear the same old story of Jesus, and of free grace, and of justification by faith and not by works of the law! How wonderful a reminder can be … even if we what we have forgotten was not necessarily the truth itself, but simply its daily application to our lives!

So remember this in days ahead, when your pastor seems to be re-covering the same ground, sometimes Sunday after Wednesday after Sunday after Wednesday. It’s not a bad thing. We all need reminding of the same old things sometimes … and especially of ‘the old, old story of Jesus and His love.’

Heretics and Heresies

2011-02-08T11:13:00.001-05:00

The bulk of the book of Jude is a warning concerning heresies and heretics. But what do those words mean? Well, a heresy is a false theological belief that, if held, damns a person. And a heretic is the person who believes such a thing. For instance, if a person claims that there is more than one God; or that Jesus was only a mere man; or that we may be saved by our good works … that person is a heretic. Because what he or she believe means that he cannot possibly saved. That is a heresy. It’s not simply a matter of a person being wrong, say, on the mode of baptism, or on the unfolding of the end times, or even regarding spiritual gifts. A heresy is not just an incorrect belief. It’s an incorrect belief that damns a person; a belief that is in no way compatible with biblical Christianity. So Jehovah’s Witnesses are heretics, but some of the most wild-eyes charismatics (even with all their sad mistakes) are not. And we must be careful to make a distinction.

It’s a distinction that is important in the book of Jude. The men Jude has in mind, as he levels condemnations in the middle portion of the book, are not just men who have a few things out of place in their theology. They are men who, because of what they believe (or fail to believe) are going to hell. And they are men who are intent on dragging others there with them!

So what does Jude say about such heresies and heretics? Four things in Jude 4:

First, Jude says heretics and heresies often creep into the church “unnoticed”. In other words, it’s not simply that we have Mormons or Unitarians out there, but that often times heresies creep up inside the church, and rear their ugly heads before anyone realizes what is happening. Now, of course, that fact speaks to the cunning of the devil. But it also speaks to each local church’s need to be careful about who becomes a member, and who does the teaching. It’s why we have a process that all new members must go through. We want to have as few unnoticed heresies and heretics creep in as possible.

Second Jude says that heretics and heresies should be no surprise. God knew about them “long beforehand”. And Jude himself tells us that they will creep in. So we shouldn’t be naïve. Heretics and heresies will try and nestle into the membership of our church, and bring as many people to hell with them as they can. So we must be vigilant. And we must not think, ‘O, this could never happen in our church’ and thus turn a blind eye to what we know is false, because ‘it just can’t be. He surely doesn’t mean what it sounds like he means.’

Third, Jude informs us that heretics and heresies are licentious. Specifically, they “turn the grace of our God into licentiousness.” They say, in other words: ‘We’re saved by grace, not works. And so it doesn’t matter so much how we live. In fact, all this talk about living a holy life is just legalism!’ Heretics love that argument. And we must beware of it!

Finally, Jude tells us that heretics and heresies “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.” That is to say that most heresies (but not all!) stem from false beliefs about Jesus Himself. Some believe that He was just a mere man (as in the JW’s, and the liberal Protestants). Others, particularly in the ancient world, have argued that the Messiah was no man at all. Perhaps Jesus was a man, they say; but the Christ was someone different; a separate spirit that simply came upon the man Jesus, but was not a man itself. Still others, like the Mormons, call Jesus God … but believe that He is no more god than you and I may someday be; and certainly not one and equal with the Father.

There are many heresies in the world today. But so many begin with a failure to believe in the biblical Jesus. And so we must be all the more careful to know our theology; to understand the Trinity; to be students of the scriptures … lest we be carried away by a doctrine that we don’t even realize is damnable; lest we (perhaps even with good intentions) end up denying “our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”!

The Real St. Valentine

2011-01-31T15:14:00.002-05:00

Here's my annual reminder that the Valentine's Day phenomenon can be captured and used for the gospel's sake. If you'd like to read up on who Valentine was ... and how he points us to the gospel of Jesus, click here. Feel free to pass the link along, too.And, again this year ...

If you've read the blog post, and would like to pass this info along to a friend in paper form ... here's a link to a tri-fold Valentine's tract that we created. Just print as many copies of side one as you'd like, then flip the pages over and print side two on the reverse. And, if you're from another church, feel free to replace our church's contact info with your own church's.

May you be a blessing, this February, to someone who needs to know Jesus!

Contention is Necessary

2011-01-31T15:09:00.001-05:00

Beloved, while I was making every effort to write to you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. (Jude 3)

‘The reason I am not a Christian is because church folks always seem to be fussing and fighting about something.’ Ever heard anyone say that? Admittedly, it’s often just a cop-out. For, in many cases, the person who makes such a complaint has darkened the door of the church so few times that he has no idea on earth what church people are ‘always’ doing. And yet, for some folks, there is a real grain of truth in the complaint about church folks and their infighting. Sadly, many churches are blighted with this disease. They fight about the style of music, the color of carpet, who got elected to such-and-such an office, and who was left out. And the list could go on. But, rest assured, that is not what this article is about.

When I say (as I do above and below) that ‘contention is necessary’ in the church of Jesus Christ … I am not referring to the kind of nitpicky sparring that consumes so many churches and Christians. That kind of thing will kill a church (and I am so thankful that PRBC has been relatively free of it these last 6 years or so!). No, rather than looking for reasons to be contentious, brothers and sisters in Christ ought, like Jude, to “make every effort” to accentuate “our common salvation”; to emphasize our unity at the foot of the cross. And I find it refreshing to hear Jude say that what he really had hoped to do was to write an encouraging letter. He really did want to write his brothers and sisters about how the Lord was at work in their midst, and about what Christ had done for them all, and how God had been good to them as a church family. He really did want to write about their “common salvation”, not their causes for concern. And we will do well to always keep that desire in mind, and to “make every effort” to be like Jude ourselves.

And yet Jude also says that, in spite of his desire to be encouraging, and to bring people together … he has a fire welling up in his bones. He wants to write a nice, easy, comforting letter. But the Spirit won’t allow him. No, as he puts quill to parchment, Jude feels a “necessity” to warn his brothers and sisters in Christ; to put them on the lookout for potential problems in the church – both in the realm of proper beliefs, and of proper behavior.

And he doesn’t merely want these Christians to be aware of potential problems … but to “contend earnestly for the faith.” That is not to say he wants them to be contentious. But Jude (along the Holy Spirit who is driving his quill) wants this church (and every church) to fight for what is right – again, in belief and in behavior! He wants them to protect the church from wolves in sheep’s clothing; from dissenters who would destroy unity or lead people into false doctrine; and from so-called Christians who might destroy the church’s testimony with their unrepentant sin. And the rest of the book is largely an explanation of how and why they must fight these battles … and why we must fight them, too!

Jude really wanted to write a letter about “our common salvation”. But the Spirit constrained him, instead, to urge the church to fight for the truth; to contend for the faith. And both are necessary. Christians must be constantly reminding themselves to focus on their commonalities in Christ, to find equal footing beneath the cross, and to stop bickering over the church décor! But sometimes the commonalities that we share in Jesus force us to close ranks, to take up the sword of the Spirit, and to fend off enemies … both within and without. Sometimes, in order that we may protect the faith we all hold in common, contention is necessary. May God give us grace to know when it is, and when it isn’t. And may He give us grace to “contend for the faith” without being contentious.

Proverbial

2011-01-28T14:37:00.002-05:00

That's what we have been lately. That is to say that we've mulling around in the book of Proverbs for a few Wednesdays in a row. Here are the fruits ...

Proverbs 14.30 - A Tranquil Heart - MP3
Proverbs 16.20 - Attention to the Word - MP3
Proverbs 16.1-6 - Sovereignty, Searching, and Salvation - MP3

Hope you enjoy Solomon's wisdom ... and God's truth!

Mercy, Peace, and Love

2011-01-24T15:44:00.003-05:00

May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you (Jude 2)

Now, admittedly, it may sound, in Jude 2, like our author is simply inserting a few religious clichés for lack of anything better to say. “Mercy”, “peace”, and “love” are words that are thrown around so meaninglessly in our day that we may think that Jude, too, is simply plugging them in here to fill a little space, or to buy himself some time until he can think of what he wants to say next. The same way we interject the same tired phrases into our prayers, time and again, for lack of anything more thoughtful to say: ‘Lead, guide, and direct us’; ‘Bless her in a special way’; ‘Bless the gift and the giver’; or, ‘Forgive us where we fail Thee’; and so on!

But surely, guided by the Holy Spirit, the half-brother of the Lord is not merely throwing away words, is he? Surely we can’t just skim over Jude 2, thinking to ourselves: ‘Mercy, peace, and love. Well, all the apostles say something like that at the beginning of their letters, so let’s just scuttle along to verse 3 to find out what Jude’s really on about in this letter.’ No. If Jude wishes us mercy, peace, and love … then we ought to receive it! And we ought to think about what each of those words mean!

What a blessing that Jude (and the Holy Spirit in back of him) wishes us “mercy.” What is mercy? Well, in definition form, it’s when someone does something for you that you cannot do for yourself. In picture form, it’s the Good Samaritan sliding off his donkey and onto his knees to bandage the wounds of the fallen traveler in Luke 10. It’s Boaz leaving out extra scraps of grain for poverty stricken Ruth to stumble across as she scavenges for food. And it is the Lord coming, in human flesh, to the earth ... to live a sinless life that we ourselves have not lived; to die in our place; and to rise from the dead so that we too might walk in newness of life. He has bent down to do for us what we could never do for ourselves – rescuing us from sin’s penalty, and it’s power. He has set us free from Satan’s bondage so that we, like Hosea’s wife Gomer, don’t have to go back to our prostitution. That’s “mercy”! And that’s not just a throw away word!

And then there is “peace”. And, O, all the things the Bible says to believers regarding peace! Most importantly, because Jesus bore God’s wrath in our place, we have peace with God. And, not only that, but in Christ we also have peace with God's people. By adopting us all into one big family, Christ broke down the wall between Jew and Gentile, black and white, slave and free. None of those categories matter a whit to us if we belong to one and the same Father! And then, of course, the gospel also offers us the peace of God … namely the contentment and tranquility that can be ours if we’ll just be child-like with the Lord; if we’ll just believe that He really will do what He says and provide all our needs according to His riches in glory. What a difference Christ makes. He settles us. He calms us. He, if we will simply take Him at His word and keep our hearts staid upon Him, puts our hearts in perfect peace!

And it’s all because of “love”. Why did God send His Son? Why is He so merciful? Why has He made peace with us by the blood of Jesus’ cross? Not because He is obligated! And certainly not because we deserve it. But simply because of His great love for us! What else could motivate Him to forgive all that He forgives … at the cost of His Son’s blood and tears? What else can we say but that this God must love us immensely? His affection for His people knows no explanation, and has no motivation, and comes from no other origin except that God, very simply, is love!

Do you know His love? Have you experienced the mercy of Christ? Do you have peace with God, and with His people, and with your circumstances? Jude prays that you would … in “multiplied” measure! And so do I!