Redemption Groanings

Body Life

2011-08-29T10:52:00.002-04:00

The Preface to Mark Dever's book, What is a Healthy Church?:

Nose and Hand were sitting in the church pew talking. The morning service, led by Ear and Mouth, had just ended, and Hand was telling Nose that he and his family had decided to look for a different church.

“Really?” Nose responded to Hand’s news. “Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Hand said, looking down. He was usually slower to speak than other members of the church body. “I guess because the church doesn’t have what Mrs. Hand and I are looking for.”

“Well, what are you looking for in a church?” Nose asked. The tone in which he spoke these words was sympathetic. But even as he was speaking them he knew he would dismiss Hand’s answer. If the Hands couldn’t see that Nose and the rest of the leadership were pointing the church body in the right direction, the body could do without them.

Hand had to think before answering. He and Mrs. Hand liked Pastor Mouth and his family. And Minister of Music Ear meant well. “Well, I guess we’re looking for a place where people are more like us,” Hand finally stammered. “We tried spending time with the Legs, but we didn’t connect with them. Next we joined the small group for all the Toes. But they kept talking about socks and shoes and odors. And that didn’t interest us.”

Nose looked at him this time with genuine dismay: “Aren’t you glad they’re concerned with odors?!”

“Sure, sure. But it’s not for us. Then, we attended the Sunday school for all you facial features. Do you remember? We came for several Sundays a couple of months ago?”

“It was great to have you.”

“Thank you. But everyone just wanted to talk, and listen, and smell, and taste. It felt like, well, it felt like you never wanted to get to work and get your hands dirty. Anyway, Mrs. Hand and I were thinking about checking out that new church over on East Side. We hear they do a lot of clapping and hand- raising, which is closer to what we need right now.”

“Hmmm,” Nose replied. “I see what you mean. We’d hate to see you go. But I guess you have to do what’s good for you.”

At that moment, Mrs. Hand, who had been caught up in another conversation, turned back to join her husband and Nose. Hand briefly explained what he and Nose had been talking about, after which Nose repeated his sadness at the prospect of losing the Hands. But he again said that he understood since it sounded like their needs weren’t being met.

Mrs. Hand nodded in agreement. She wanted to be polite, but truth be told, she wasn’t sad to be leaving. Her husband had made just enough critical remarks about the church over the years that her heart had begun to reflect his. No, he had never burst into an open tirade against the body. In fact, he usually apologized for “being so negative,” as he put it. But the little complaints that he let slip out here and there had had an effect. The small groups were a little cliquish. The music was a little out of date. The programs did seem a little silly. The teaching wasn’t entirely to their liking. In the end, it was hard for the two of them to put their fingers on it, but they finally decided that the church wasn’t for them.

In addition to all that, Mrs. Hand knew that their daughter Pinkie was not comfortable with the youth group. Everyone was so different from her, she felt out of joint.

Mrs. Hand then said something about how much she appreciated Nose and the leadership. But the conversation had already run on too long for Nose. Besides, her perfume made him want to sneeze. He thanked Mrs. Hand for her encouragement, repeated that he was sorry to hear of their departure, then turned and walked away. Who needed the Hands? Apparently, they didn’t need him.

Not of...But Sent Into

2011-08-29T10:30:00.001-04:00

I thought this was a really good reflection from David Mathis about the well-known saying that Christians are to be in, but not of, the world.

Matt Chandler talks about suffering

2011-08-17T10:06:00.002-04:00

Love the glory and grace of God that I see through this man (RSS readers, you may need to click through to the Redemption Groanings site to view the video):

Why God Makes Much of Us

2011-08-14T06:51:00.003-04:00

John Piper preaching on why God makes much of us (if you'd prefer, watch it here).

Depression & the Ministry

2011-07-13T10:39:00.002-04:00

I found this article by Paul Tripp immensely helpful.

The Church In Culture

2011-06-29T10:59:00.002-04:00

I have great respect for Mike Horton, Matt Chandler and Tim Keller, and enjoyed listening to these three guys kick around the question of how the church is to be involved in the shaping and transformation of culture:

Chandler, Horton, and Keller on the Church in Culture from The Gospel Coalition on Vimeo.

Ingredients

2011-06-23T14:19:00.004-04:00

There's not many items on this list that you'd like to eat alone, right? Maybe the peanut butter, but I don't see anything else looking very tasty.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup butter

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup buttermilk

4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

But when it all gets mixed up, it turns into this:

I'll be trying to unpack the implications of this from Ecclesiastes 3 this coming Sunday. I'm looking forward to it...

The Treadmill

2011-06-11T12:04:00.001-04:00

It's funny: the book of Ecclesiastes is a few thousand years old yet captures the same exact point that this Best Buy commercial makes:

I'll be preaching on this "unutterable weariness" tomorrow morning.

Thinking Theologically about Memorial Day

2011-05-28T10:33:00.003-04:00

An excellent post from Kevin DeYoung. His conclusion:

In some parts of the church, every hint of patriotism makes you a jingoistic idolater. You are allowed to love every country except your own. But in other parts of the church, true religion blends too comfortably into civil religion. You are allowed to worship in our services as long as you love America as much as we do. I don’t claim to have arrived at the golden mean, but I imagine many churches could stand to think more carefully about their theology of God and country. Churches should be glad to have their members celebrate Memorial Day with gusto this Monday. We should be less sanguine about celebrating it with pomp and circumstance on Sunday.

The Biggest Problem in the Universe

2011-05-23T11:47:00.001-04:00

I was fortunate to have been in attendance when John Piper delivered this message at the 2009 Worship God conference. I absolutely love this clip:

The Passing Over of Sins from Sovereign Grace Ministries on Vimeo.

Gospel Fluency

2011-05-13T13:06:00.003-04:00

This is nearly four hours of material, but I found a wealth of wisdom here that I will probably be referring back to:

Gospel Fluency - Jeff Vanderstelt from Living Stones on Vimeo.

What is the Gospel - Jeff Vanderstelt from Living Stones on Vimeo.

Q & A Part 1- Jeff Vanderstelt from Living Stones on Vimeo.

Q & A Part 2 - Jeff Vanderstelt from Living Stones on Vimeo.

Christians & Public Schools

2011-05-12T14:45:00.000-04:00

Tim Challies linked to this article today, about the role of Christians in the public schools.

From my experience, talking about how Christians educate our children can be a volatile subject. I think that's unfortunate, and also unnecessary. When Christians root their identity in their Savior and in the gospel of His grace, I believe there will be civil conversation on this subject, even when there might be strong disagreement.

So give it a read and let me know what you think of it. Even if you're committed to a form of schooling other than the public schools, I think there's some thought-provoking material here.

The 4 G's & Busyness

2011-05-11T11:20:00.003-04:00

In Tim Chester's new book, A Meal with Jesus, he applies "the 4 G's" (4 liberating truths about God that Chester unfolds in this book, You Can Change) to the subject of busyness. Chester's conviction is that many Christians fail to engage in Christ's mission because they believe they are too busy. Yet we often fail to examine why were are busy. Chester presses us to consider:

You may be too busy because you're insecure and need to control life. But God is great and cares for you as a sovereign heavenly Father.

You may be too busy because you fear other people, and so you can't say no. But God is glorious, and His opinion is the one that matters.

You may be too busy because you're filling your life with activity in a desperate attempt to find satisfaction. But God is good, and the true source of joy.

You may be too busy because you're trying to prove yourself through your work or ministry. But God is gracious and justifies you freely through Christ's finished work.

What keeps you busy? Which one of these liberating truths about God can free you from the tyranny of busyness so that you can abandon yourself to the mission of making Christ known?

The Conspiracy

2011-05-09T14:45:00.002-04:00

I finished reading Stephen Altrogge's new book on contentment over the weekend, and I highly recommend. Here's the premise of the book:

"Greener Grass Conspiracy" Trailer - Stephen Altrogge from Crossway on Vimeo.

There's a ton of wisdom in Stephen's little book. If I could live in these realities 24/7, I'd be an amazingly immovable person.

Psalm 131

2011-05-09T13:01:00.002-04:00

This morning I read Psalm 131; I was moved, challenged and encouraged by this little meditation. It reminded me of a reflection I read on this Psalm awhile back from David Powlison. In Powlison's words:

Here’s Anti-Psalm 131:

Self,

my heart is proud (I’m absorbed in myself),
and my eyes are haughty (I look down on other people),
and I chase after things too great and too difficult for me.

So of course I’m noisy and restless inside, it comes naturally,

like a hungry infant fussing on his mother’s lap,
like a hungry infant, I’m restless with my demands and worries.
I scatter my hopes onto anything and everybody all the time.

Contrast that with the real Psalm 131:

O Lord,

my heart is not lifted up;
my eyes are not raised too high;
I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

So which Psalm describes your heart today?

Being the Church

2011-04-28T15:06:00.002-04:00

I love the vision these guys have out in Tacoma, Washington:

Soma Communities - Tacoma, WA from Verge Network on Vimeo.

I long to quit going to church, and to start being the church.

What do you talk about most?

2011-04-27T09:50:00.000-04:00

D.A. Carson (source: message, "Is the Culture Shaping Us or Are We Shaping the Culture?"):

If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.

If the gospel—even when you are orthodox—becomes something which you primarily assume, but what you are excited about is what you are doing in some sort of social reconstruction, you will be teaching the people that you influence that the gospel really isn’t all that important. You won’t be saying that—you won’t even mean that—but that’s what you will be teaching. And then you are only half a generation away from losing the gospel.

Make sure that in your own practice and excitement, what you talk about, what you think about, what you pray over, what you exude confidence over, joy over, what you are enthusiastic about is Jesus, the gospel, the cross. And out of that framework, by all means, let the transformed life flow.

Best Basketball Finish Ever

2011-04-02T14:24:00.002-04:00

College hoops fans, nothing you'll see tonight in Houston could compare with this ending from a few years back in the Division 2 championship:

Good Question, Good Answer

2011-04-01T10:47:00.001-04:00

"Why do bad things happen to good people? That only happened once, and He volunteered" - R.C. Sproul, Jr.

Rob Bell's New Book

2011-03-14T15:19:00.004-04:00

The blogosphere is blowing up with talk about Rob Bell's new book Love Wins, which releases tomorrow. I'm hoping to find the time to read this review of the book from Kevin DeYoung.

Functional Blindness

2011-03-09T14:12:00.003-05:00

Another reflection from A Shelter in the Time of Storm, this one on Psalm 27:4, "...to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord...":

I would like to think
that others are blind,
but I am not.
I would like to think
that I have
clarity of vision,
a penetrating insight
that lights my way.
I am good
at recognizing
the sight problems of others.
I am skilled
at pointing out
the gaps in their vision
and the blind spots
that alter how they
see
and the way they
respond.
I would like to
believe
that I have 20/20 vision,
but the evidence points
to the sad fact that
I don't.
I have the stunning ability
to look around
and not see You.
I see my
busy schedule
tasks to complete
problems to solve
people to see
demands to be met
things to repair
pressures to face
temptations to fight
pleasures to consume
things to build
things to tear down
plans to make
difficulties to survive
huge responsibilities
and short days.
I gaze at my life
every day
and again and again I fail
to see You.
It is a scary
reality,
humbling to admit.
Though this world
is filled with
Your glory,
I exist
so much of the time
glory blind.
In Your love
You created a world
that is a sight and sound
display
of Your magnificent
glory.
No matter from what perspective
we're looking,
no matter what vista
we're taking in,
no matter
where we're standing
and which way
we're gazing,
Your glory is visible
and evident.
Yet, again and again
I fail to see
your beauty.
So I seek Your
healing
one more time.
Please place Your
powerful hands
on my broken eyes
and give me sight again.
Please place Your
powerful hands
on my wayward heart
and make it seek again.
Don't let me be
so blinded
with me and mine,
that I fail to see
You.
For it's only
when my eyes
see Your
beauty,
and my heart
is filled with Your
glory
that I'll quit
seeking
identity
meaning
satisfaction
purpose
fulfillment
and life,
where it can't be found.
So I would pray
this simple prayer,
"Please touch me by
Your grace
so that there'll never
be a day
where I haven't
somehow
someway
gazed upon
Your beauty."

Humbled

2011-03-09T10:51:00.003-05:00

In Job 38, God finally addresses Job after 35 chapters of Job and his friends' speculations about God. God's address unfolds in a series of questions: Have you...? Can you...? Do you know...? Were you there when...?

I think the response God is seeking is pretty clear: No God, I have not. No, I cannot. No, I do not know. No, I was not there. You are God; I am not.

So grant me the grace, Father, to have a heart that is humbled and at rest before You. Give me joy in embracing the reality that I am not God.

Church Membership & Love

2011-03-07T16:32:00.001-05:00

Some time in the near future I'm hoping to listen to this sermon by Jonathan Leeman on the subject of church membership and love.

The Goodness of God

2011-03-04T14:42:00.002-05:00

Paul Tripp:

Being confident of the goodness of the Lord shouldn't be confused with an assumption that because God is good, he will give me the things I've set my heart on. In his grace, God is freeing you from the small confines of your little definition of what is good so that you can experience the huge and satisfying good that he has planned for you...Grace invites me to good that I could never have imagined, deserved or earned.

So what's your definition of "the good life"?

The Bible is Precious

2011-03-03T11:43:00.001-05:00

Thankful to JT for this wonderful reminder. Let's strive with all God's strength to never become numb to the gift of the Scriptures:

Safe

2011-02-25T10:41:00.004-05:00

The other day I recommended Paul Tripp's book of meditations on Psalm 27, called A Shelter in the Time of Storm. Here's a sampling, a reflection based on verse 5, "He will hide me in His shelter in the day of trouble."

I know it's not Scripture, but this might be worth committing to memory, or at least reading on a daily basis. I know my "prone to wander" heart is certainly in constant need of these reminders:

I am safe,
not because I have no
trouble,
or because I never experience
danger.
I am safe,
not because people affirm
me,
or my plans always
work out.
I am safe,
not because I am immune
from disease,
or free of the potential for
poverty.
I am safe,
not because I am protected from
disappointment,
or separated from this
fallen world.
I am safe,
not because I am
wise or strong.
I am safe,
not because I deserve
comfort or have earned my
ease.
I am safe,
not because of
money
or power,
or position,
or intellect,
or who I know,
or where I live.
I am safe because of the glorious mystery of
grace.
I am safe because of the presence of
boundless love.
I am safe because of
divine mercy,
divine wisdom,
divine power,
and divine grace.
I am safe,
not because I never face
danger,
but because You are
with me in it.
You have not given me
a ticket out of danger.
You have not promised me
a life of ease.
You have chosen to place me
in a fallen world.
I am safe
because You have given me
the one thing
that is the
only thing
that will ever keep me safe.
You have given me
You.
I am safe
from my evil heart
and this shattered world,
not because I can escape
them both,
but because in the middle of
temptation and trial,
danger and disappointment,
sickness and want,
You give me everything
I need to
fight temptation
and avoid defeat
and to point others
to the safety
that can be found only
in You.
So, I will wake up tomorrow
and face the anxiety
of not knowing,
the fear of my own weakness,
and the reality of the fall.
I will live with
faith,
courage,
perseverance,
and hope.
And when danger comes,
and it will,
I will whisper to
my weakening heart,
"Emmanuel is your shelter;
you are safe."

For reflection:
1. Where in your life is God exposing the inadequacy and unreliability of the places to which you have looked for safety?
2. Humbly consider if there is a person or thing that you would rather have in your life than the security the Lord has promised you in his care.

Checklist When You Sin

2011-02-24T11:38:00.002-05:00

From Fitzpatrick and Johnson's book, Counsel from the Cross:

1. Confess our sins to God (openly and freely), while praying to God for the grace of the Holy Spirit to strive against them.

2. Thank God for our ongoing struggle with sin because, when rightly viewed, it makes us love and appreciate Jesus Christ more.

3. Strive to put off our sin and obey all the moral law in the light of God's ongoing forgiveness, love, and grace.

Do you, like me, find it much easier to practice points 1 & 3 than point 2?

A Shelter in the Storm

2011-02-23T15:23:00.005-05:00

Over the past month I've posted a few meditations from Paul's Tripp's book Whiter than Snow, a book of 52 meditations on Psalm 51.

I enjoyed that book so much that I picked up a copy of Tripp's other similar book of meditations on Psalm 27, titled A Shelter in the Time of Storm. Here's a book trailer:

I'm almost halfway through the book, and I'm also finding this one encouraging, penetrating and insightful. Highly recommended!

Fuel for a Preacher's Heart

2011-02-17T14:01:00.003-05:00

On average, I probably spend 20 hours preparing for a typical sermon. Last year I preached 32 times. My plan, if the Lord wills, is to do that for the flock of Joy Community Fellowship for around 25 more years, if they'll have me.

That totals 16,000 hours of my time devoted to preparing to preach God's Word. That's a lot of hours. This blog post from Trevin Wax provided some rich encouragement to me that all those hours are a worthwhile investment of time.

Gospel Glimpses

2011-02-14T13:51:00.002-05:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted the Youtube clip of Nadin Khoury meeting DeSean Jackson of the Eagles on the view. Today I read this article from Rick Reilly, and especially this quote helped me to grasp why I love this story:

I keep thinking about why I cried that day. I think it's that when the biggest and fiercest and most famous of us takes time to stand up for the smallest of us, it makes me proud to be a sportswriter, proud to cover these athletes, these men.

Who could be the biggest, fiercest, most famous hero than the Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ? And who could be more small and defenseless than people like you and me?

DeSean Jackson came and stood up for this young man, and in it we see just a little picture of the Holy Son of God, Jesus Christ, standing up for us as our Advocate.

That's why that little clip on Youtube brings tears to my eyes.

Lord, Break My Heart

2011-02-04T15:32:00.001-05:00

Another meditation from Tripp's Whiter than Snow. This one comes from Psalm 51:17, "A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise":

I am too satisfied
with the things I say
the things I do
the attitudes
of heart
that shape my reactions
day
after
day
after day.
I too easily
accept
quick assessments
of my own righteousness
in situations
where I have been
anything but
righteous.
I am too skilled
at mounting
plausible arguments
structured
to make me feel okay
about what I think
what I desire
what I say
what I do.
I am too defensive
when a loved one
makes an attempt
to call me out
and suggest
for a moment
that what I
have decided
said
or done
is less than
godly.
I am too
comfortable
with the state of things
between
You and me
too relaxed
with the nature
of my love for You
too able to
minimize
my need for Your
grace.
In the recesses
of my private
world
there is so much
that is wrong
that I am able
to convince myself
is right.
There are attitudes there
that should not be.
There are words there
that should not be.
There are thoughts
that do not agree
with Your view
of me
and mine.
There are desires
that take me in a
different direction
than what You have planned
for me.
I make decisions
based more on what
I want
than on what
You will.
So I am hoping
for
wise eyes
that are able
to see through
the cloud of
self-righteousness
and see myself
as I actually
am.
I am praying
for
wise ears
that are able
to hear through
the background noise of
well-used platitudes
and hear myself
with clarity.
And I am longing
for
a humble spirit
that is willing
to
accept and confess
what You reveal
as You break through
my defenses
and show me
to me.
I am hoping
for
a broken heart.

Better than any Punt Return

2011-02-04T14:32:00.001-05:00

I don't think I ever imagined posting a clip from The View on this blog!

(Read more about the story here).

Belief is a Cover-Up

2011-01-31T14:49:00.002-05:00

Challies posted this video today; a good one if you ever hear the line, "Belief is a cover-up for insecurity":

Mere Christianity

2011-01-28T12:02:00.004-05:00

(Thoughts here provoked by Kevin DeYoung)

Read these two quotes:

Now before I became a Christian I was under the impression that the first thing Christians had to believe was one particular theory as to what the point of this dying was. According to that theory God wanted to punish men for having deserted and joined the Great Rebel, but Christ volunteered to be punished instead, and so God let us off. Now I admit that even this theory does not seem quite so immoral and silly as it used to; but that is not the point I want to make. What I came to see later on was that neither this theory nor an other is Christianity. The central belief is that Christ’s death has somehow put us right with God and given us a fresh start. Theories as to how it did this are another matter: A good many different theories have been held as to how it works; what all Christians are agreed on is that it does work.

The [theory] most people have heard is the one I mentioned before–the one about our being let off because Christ had volunteered to bear a punishment instead of us. Now on the face of it that is a very silly theory. If God was prepared to let us off, why on earth did He not do so? And what possible point could there be in punishing an innocent person? None at all that I can see, if you are thinking of punishment in the police-court sense. On the the other hand, if you think of a debt, there is plenty of point in a person who has some assets paying it on behalf of someone who has not.

This writer seems to be scoffing at the idea of penal substitutionary atonement, the idea that on the cross Jesus bore in His flesh the punishment for the sins of His people. If someone wrote this today (and, sadly, there are plenty of people writing it today), conservative evangelicals would label this heresy.

Yet the man who wrote these quotes is none other than C.S. Lewis, in his famous book Mere Christianity. Why do you think evangelicals are so fond of C.S Lewis, while regarding many contemporary writers saying the same thing as enemies of Jesus and the gospel?

Evangelism through Community

2011-01-27T14:07:00.001-05:00

Tim Chester:

You’ve managed to talk to your friend about Jesus without much response. What should do you do next? How can we get disinterested people interested in the gospel? Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35; 17:21, 23). How will people believe that Jesus is the Son of God sent by God as the Savior and Lord of our world? Through the common life of God’s people (John 17:21, 23).

Proclamation must be central to mission because the gospel is a word to proclaim. But our message is understood best in the context of our lives and especially our life together and our love for one another. Time and again people are attracted by what they experience in the Christian community, and this creates interest in the Christian message. This means we need to introduce people to the Christian community, not just by inviting them to our meetings, but by including them in our shared life.

To reach the many people today who have rejected church we need to take church to them by doing mission in the context of ordinary life. As people hang out with us, eat meals with us, do chores with us they will encounter a disparate group of people who somehow are family together, a community that challenges their priorities and provokes their questions.

Somebody Else

2011-01-26T09:10:00.003-05:00

A meditation from Paul Tripp's book, Whiter than Snow:

I really wish I could blame
somebody else.
I wish I could place the responsibility
on somebody else.
I would love to point the finger
at somebody else.
I wish I could convince myself
that it was somebody else.
I tried to feed myself the logic
that it was somebody else.
For a moment I bought my argument
that it was somebody else.
There is always another sinner
who can bear my fault.
There is always some circumstance
that can carry my blame.
There's always some factor
that made me do what I did.
There's always somewhere else to point
rather than looking at me.
But in the darkness of bedtime
the logic melts out of my heart.
In the moments before sleep
the pain begins to squeeze away my breath.
As my mind replays the day's moments
the conclusion is like a slap.
There is no monster
to hide from.
There is no excuse that holds.
My war is not external,
the enemy is not outside.
The struggle rages within me,
nowhere to point or run.
No independent righteousness,
no reason for smugness or rest.
I am my greatest enemy
and rescue my only hope.
In the quiet I face it
I cannot blame somebody else.
One more time I close my eyes admitting
my only hope is found in Somebody else.

No, Mr. President

2011-01-24T13:35:00.001-05:00

From JT's blog:

The President’s statement on the Roe v. Wade anniversary:

Today marks the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, and affirms a fundamental principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters.

I am committed to protecting this constitutional right. I also remain committed to policies, initiatives, and programs that help prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant women and mothers, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption.

And on this anniversary, I hope that we will recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights, the same freedoms, and the same opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams.

Albert Mohler calls this “one of the most revealing—and tragic—statements made by any political figure in our times.”

John Piper responded to a similar statement by the President a few years ago:

New Keller Book

2011-01-24T10:19:00.001-05:00

Tim Keller talks about his forthcoming book, King's Cross, due out next month:

Introduction to Books & Resources by Timothy Keller from Redeemer City to City on Vimeo.

Violent Grace

2011-01-20T16:50:00.003-05:00

In addition to my daily readings from Scripture, I've been enjoying Paul Tripp's devotional book, Whiter than Snow. It is a collection of 52 short meditations on Psalm 51. Here's a quote from the chapter I read this morning, titled Violent Grace. It's a reflection on Psalm 51:9, "Let the bones that you have broken rejoice":

God's grace isn't always comfortable because He isn't primarily working on our comfort; He's working on our character. With violent grace He will crush us because He loves us and is committed to our restoration, deliverance and refinement. And that is something worth celebrating.

Get more info on the book, and read the first four meditations, here.

The Hermeneutic of the Gospel

2011-01-19T14:24:00.001-05:00

Leslie Newbigin:

“How can this strange story of God made man, of a crucified savior, of resurrection and new creation become credible for those whose entire mental training has conditioned them to believe that the real world is the world that can be satisfactorily explained and managed without the hypothesis of God? I know of only one clue to the answering of that question, only one real hermeneutic of the gospel: congregations that believe it.”

Praying Scripture

2011-01-17T16:39:00.002-05:00

Perfectly timed with my sermon on prayer from yesterday, Tim Challies posted this reflection on praying Scripture.

I don't think there's a better way to ensure that we are "praying in the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:18) than to pray God's Word back to Him.

Seeing Jesus on Every Page

2011-01-17T15:28:00.002-05:00

I've posted this video before:

But just yesterday I came across this excellent resource from the ESV Study Bible: Vern Poythress highlighting the History of Salvation in the Old Testament.

Bookmark this resource and refer to it as you read through the Old Testament. It looks like a great way of seeing the point that Jesus made to His disciples after the resurrection:

"And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. " Luke 24:27

Jeff Vanderstelt on Gospel Rhythms

2011-01-13T13:46:00.001-05:00

One of the most important passages for me in understanding the church and its mission is 1 Peter 2:9-12,

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

In this 15-minute video, Jeff Vanderstelt begins with that great text and then shares how the network of churches he leads in Tacoma Washington have worked that out in the "ordinary" stuff of every day life:

Jeff Vanderstelt: Rhythms [VERGE 2010 Main Session] from Verge Network on Vimeo.

If you have a few minutes, check it out and let me know what you think....

Loving Someone into Lovability

2011-01-13T08:13:00.001-05:00

The gospel method of change is that through Jesus, God counts us as good before we actually are good in practice.

In this short blog post, John Piper ponders what would happen if we were to love others as God has loved us. My guess is that as you read it, your mind will gravitate toward someone in particular.

If that happens for you, then why not ask yourself (or more importantly, ask the Lord) what you should start doing to love that person?

Never an Interruption

2011-01-12T13:01:00.003-05:00

For a bit of the flavor of Tripp's DVD on parenting, here is an article just posted at The Gospel Coalition website. He writes:

You and I must remember that our Lord loves our children more than we ever could, and his commitment to their growth and change is more faithful and persevering than ours could ever be. Because of this, in his grace and love, he will manufacture moments that expose the needy hearts of our children to us. He will faithfully employ the little moments of everyday life to expose to us and our children their need of rescuing and forgiving grace. And he will not do this only at the moments that you feel are appropriate and when you feel most prepared.

Read the rest; if you're a parent, it's well worth your time!

The Church & Social Issues

2011-01-12T12:22:00.003-05:00

There's a lot of discussion among church leaders today about "social justice", and what part (if any) this kind of work has to do with the church's mission. Loads and loads of books, conferences, articles, etc are coming out trying to address that complicated issue.

With all the discussion, I find these words from John Piper to be right on. I agree heartily with his point, and love his brevity in making it. Answering the question, "Should the church work on social and political problems?", Piper writes:

Yes . . .

If you mean: Ten million Christians should take 10 hours a week spent watching TV, and give that time to worthy social and political engagement.

No . . .

If you mean: The pastors should leave their Bible study and pulpits and counseling and evangelism, and put that time into politics and social ministries.

Getting to the Heart of Parenting

2011-01-12T10:46:00.003-05:00

Westminster Books is running a great sale this week (runs through 1/18) on Paul Tripp's DVD, Getting to the Heart of Parenting. For this week only, the DVD series (ten 25-minute sessions) is only $14.99, 75% off the regular price.

Michelle and I have watched these and found them to be edifying and challenging.

Bible Reading Plans

2011-01-09T13:50:00.001-05:00

As promised to the congregation I have the pleasure of serving, here is a blog post from Justin Taylor with several options of Bible reading plans to use in engaging with the Scriptures in 2011.

Just because we're a week and a half into the New Year does not mean it's too late to pick up a plan that works for you and hold fast to the Scriptures!

Is this Funny?

2011-01-07T10:15:00.002-05:00

The other day I posted a quote from Pastor Tullian that it's unwise to be serious when it's time to be silly, and unwise to be silly when it's time to be serious.

What response does wisdom dictate toward this two-minute clip?

Obviously the creators of this intend it to be funny...and I think in ways it certainly is funny. But I'm not sure that I should think it's funny.

What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know...

How Precious is the Bible?

2011-01-05T16:13:00.004-05:00

This Sunday at Joy Community Fellowship I'll be doing my best -- with the Spirit's help -- to motivate, persuade, encourage and inspire our congregation to devote themselves to the Word of God in 2011.

This video was a timely bit of inspiration for me: John Piper at the Lausanne answering these five questions to determine how important the Bible is:

What would happen if it did not exist?
What would you give to have it or keep it?
What does it make possible?
How does it weather critics and detractors?
How much effort should be given to spread it and preserve it?

John Piper @ GELF Breakfast - Lausanne 2010 from Crossway on Vimeo.

Questions to Ask When Preparing for Marriage

2011-01-05T11:12:00.003-05:00

As I tend to do from time to time, I'm posting this link as a way for me to locate something that I plan to refer to in the future, in hopes that it might also be profitable for some of you readers: a list of questions to ask when preparing for marriage.

Seriousness & Silliness

2011-01-04T16:28:00.001-05:00

A good word from Pastor Tullian:

It's just as unwise to be serious when it's time to be silly as it is being silly when it's time to be serious. (see Ecclesiastes 3)

The Truth about Anxiety

2011-01-04T14:59:00.001-05:00

Tim Keller:

"It takes pride to be anxious – I am not wise enough to know how my life should go."

Feelings & Truth

2011-01-04T14:55:00.003-05:00

John Piper:

This is the way I live my life every day -- seeking to bring my vagrant feelings into line with ultimate reality. My feelings are not God. God is God. My feelings do not define truth. God’s word defines truth. My feelings are echoes and responses to what my mind perceives. And sometimes—many times—my feelings are out of sync with the truth. When that happens—and it happens every day in some measure—I try not to bend the truth to justify my imperfect feelings, but rather, I plead with God: Purify my perceptions of his truth and transform my feelings so that they are in sync with the truth.

That’s the way I live my life every day. I hope you are with me in that battle.

I'm with you, John. Thanks for the challenge!

Bible Reading in 2011

2011-01-01T08:42:00.003-05:00

I am not a big fan of change. And I am BIG fan of the Bible. So the idea of changing my Bible reading plan is not an easy thing for me to do!

But as of this morning, I've made a change. For the last 6-8 years I have used the Discipleship Journal plan, which takes you through the entire Bible in a year, reading from four different places.

But back in July I mentioned coming across Grant Horner's complex reading plan, which has you read a chapter from ten different places in the Bible each day. Since seeing it, I've been intrigued by it but have felt some reservations about how it might affect my communion with God in His Word.

But after several recommendations, I'm going to give it a try for at least a month. I've tweaked the plan slightly so that I am only reading eight chapters daily, instead of ten. And after one day, I was greatly blessed by time in His Word. So we'll see how it goes.

What plan do you use for doing your Bible reading? If you don't have a formal "plan", how do you decide what you're going to read? I'd be curious to know how other readers mine the riches of God's Word. Leave a comment and let me know.

ESV Update

2010-12-31T15:22:00.003-05:00

Last month in preparing to preach on 1 Corinthians 10 I learned that in 2007 that the ESV underwent an unpublicized revision of its text.

If you're curious, here is a listing of all the changes.

Family Time

2010-12-23T08:54:00.004-05:00

In his book, The Busy Christian's Guide to Busyness, Tim Chester writes:

Often family and church are portrayed as being in tension. No doubt there are times when families need to be alone together. But what are your aspirations for your children? This is where the rubber meets the road.

People speak about putting the kingdom first, but in practice it's often second to their children. "I'd work on that difficult estate," people say, "but it wouldn't be fair on my children." And we all nod wisely as if this is self-evident.

But it's highly questionable. I shocked someone recently by asking them to name one occasion on which Jesus speaks positively about families. Every time Jesus talks about families he sees them as competing for our loyalty to him and his community.

I, too, find this shocking. Can anyone take up Chester on his challenge? Where is one occasion in which Jesus speaks positively about families?

What are the positives and negatives of this quote? Do you find yourself agreeing with Chester, or disagreeing?

Critics

2010-12-22T13:48:00.002-05:00

I might get this quote from David Powlison (via Tullian) framed:

"Christ uses critics to guard our souls from self-destructive tendencies."

Daily Trinitarian Delight

2010-12-22T11:12:00.004-05:00

This Sunday at Joy Community Fellowship I'll be attempting from John 1:18 (and a few other texts) to describe the ineffable: the infinite delight, joy and pleasure that God has had in the fellowship of Himself from all eternity. As a result, I've been reading a good bit this week on the Trinity.

Heavy stuff, but I found this quote from Eric Thoennes in the ESV Study Bible's article on the Trinity to be very insightful and practical. In essence, Thoennes writes that there are little shadows and echoes of the doctrine of the Trinity everywhere:

This unity and diversity (One God, yet eternally existing in three distinct persons) is at the heart of the great mystery of the Trinity. Unity without uniformity is baffling to finite minds, but the world shows different types of reflections of this principle of oneness and distinction at every turn.

What is the source of the transcendent beauty in a symphony, the human body, marriage, ecosystems, the church, the human race, a delicious meal, or a perfectly executed fast break in basketball? Is it not, in large part, due to the distinct parts coming together to form a unified whole, leading to a unified result?

Unity and distinction -- the principle at the heart of the Trinity -- can be seen in much of what makes life so rich and beautiful. Woven into the fabric of the world are multiple reflections of the One who made it with unity and distinction as the parallel qualities of its existence.

Sports World and Real World

2010-12-20T10:55:00.005-05:00

It was historic, as far as sporting events go. The first time in the history of the National Football League that a game ended on a "walk-off" punt return for a touchdown:

In the hours after watching that historic football game, I began to realize that it had given me a cultural parable to explain one of the most perplexing questions in the universe: how could a good, loving, all-powerful God be believed in when the world in which He supposedly rules over is in such chaos and brokenness?

That question is a great barrier to faith for many non-believers. And the next time I encounter that question -- especially if it's a sports fan who poses the question -- I might remind the inquisitor of this football game before getting into the testimony of the Scriptures, which of course are our only sure and reliable witness to all things pertaining to faith. I say that to make absolutely clear that any earthly parable attempting to explain heavenly realities -- including this parable -- has its holes and weaknesses. Nevertheless, here's what I got out of yesterday's improbable Eagles win:

Simply put, there is a "glory" to yesterday's game that would not have been so palpable and awe-inspiring had the Eagles just steamrolled the Giants from the opening kickoff. Had the Eagles won yesterday by a score of 45-3, surely Eagles fans would be thrilled. But that thrill couldn't possibly compare with the thrill of seeing what was a sure defeat (down 31-10 with 8 minutes to play) suddenly, stunningly, transformed into an incredible victory. An Eagles blowout would have been nice, but not nearly as momentous (by sports standards) as what transpired yesterday. This game will be talked about by football fans for decades.

As Philly Sportswriter Phil Sheridan put it, "There is no fourth-quarter ecstasy without three preceding quarters of agony." And it's in that quote that I see a football-illustrated parable of the history of the whole world.

I do not want to minimize or trivialize the indescribable pain experienced by millions in this world by comparing it to a ballgame, but I believe there is a pointer here which might help a skeptic (especially a sports-enjoying skeptic) come to grips with how a corrupted, miserably broken world is still compatible with the sovereign, benevolent, God we discover in the pages of the Bible.

In His infinite power and goodness, God surely could have prevented the fall of this world into sin, and the ensuing chaos, misery, brokenness and suffering that has ensued as a result. He could have maintained a perfect world that was eternally free from any contamination of sin. But in His inscrutable wisdom, He knew there was another way of governing the world which would bring deeper joy to His redeemed: allow the world to fall into terrible corruption, and then triumph over all the forces of evil and corruption by setting the cosmos free from its bondage to corruption so that it might enter into the glorious freedom of the children of God.

This is what Jesus Christ, the God-Man, accomplished in coming into this sinful world, suffering on the cross for the sins of all who believe, and rising from the dead as the firstfruits of a victory which is still to be consummated when He comes again to make all things new. All who place their trust in Jesus will share in awesome triumph, enjoying His glory for all eternity. And that enjoyment will only be deepened by the pain and affliction we've been called to endure in this broken and chaotic world.

In the New Heavens and New Earth, when we celebrate forever the victory of the Lamb of God, who looked hopelessly defeated as He walked up the hill of Calvary, yet triumphed over sin and death and Satan and hell to make His blessings flow throughout the renewed cosmos "far as the curse is found", there will be deeper joy for us, and greater glory to Him, for having endured millennia of pain and heartache and sorrow in this sin-soaked world. He will be more beautiful to us than He would have had the world never fallen into sin and corruption, just as yesterday's game is more beautiful to Philly fans because it had appeared so hopeless during so much of the game.

Ultimately, I think that's why the "miracle in the Meadowlands, Part 2," captures the enthusiasm of sports fans like me. It's just a little preview -- a little foretaste -- of the great, final, cosmic victory of Jesus, our great King and Savior. To Him be glory forever and ever...even through echoes as small and trivial as a football game.

Aces Wild

2010-12-15T10:28:00.002-05:00

In the Facebook world, this picture gets a quadruple-like!

Real Love

2010-12-08T15:23:00.003-05:00

My wife had surgery on Monday, and is still recovering. Our experience over the last few days reminded me of this snippet of a Matt Chandler sermon that I heard some time ago:

To be real honest with you, I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. It’s not because I don’t

love love. I very much love love. But I think our culture has no idea what it’s

celebrating. It has no real clear definition of “love.” If you’ll pay attention to our

culture, our definition of love can’t be defined outside of self-seeking or “what makes me

happy. . .how does it work for me. . .” So that’s a really lame, weird thing to celebrate.

If the idea is that love is this kind of emotional, stirring, mysterious thing that can attack

you from out of nowhere, that is so powerful that you can’t control it, that’s a dangerous,

terrifying idea. It’s not to be celebrated, honestly. So for those of you romantics who

think it should, let me just say this. Right now, I’m very much in love with Lauren. But

let’s say I go to the store tonight to buy a bag of chips and the baby angel in the diaper

with a weapon pops me in the back, and now all of a sudden I see this other lady and now

she’s the beautiful one, she’s the one that I love. That’s a terrifying idea and not one that

I think should be celebrated.

So I’d like to read a passage out of Song of Solomon 8, starting in verse 6. “Set me as a

seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love [ahava] is strong as death,

jealousy is fierce as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, the very flame of the LORD.

Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love

all the wealth of his house, he would be utterly despised.”

I have been with Lauren for 12 years, and we’ve been married for 10 years. There have

been these moments in our marriage and in our relationship where I thought, “This is a

really cool moment.” And few of those have anything to do with some hyper-emotional,

romantic, violins in the background, good glass of wine, beautiful scenery. Few of them

revolve around that. Honestly, they tend to be a lot more painful than that. I’ll give you

an example from this morning. Our seven-month-old is extremely selfish. I don’t know

if you’ve ever had one of these things, but she’s decided to cut all four of her top teeth

last night. So there was not a lot of sleep happening at the Chandler household last night.

But when they do radiation, specifically in your brain, you only lose hair where they

shoot the radiation. So I’ve got this real weird head thing where this is bald but then this

still grows hair. And I can grow hair like a Chia Pet. I could strain right now and make it

grow. I didn’t shave before I went to bed last night, so I had to get up this morning and

shave. And there are part of my head that I can’t see or reach. So at about 6:45 this

morning, despite the fact that we didn’t sleep much last night, I’m waking up Lauren.

I’m like, “Hey Boo, I need you to shave the back of my head.” To which her response

was, “They can’t see the back of your head.” So I was like, “I know they can’t see the

back of my head, but this can’t happen. You’re going to have to get up.”

So Lauren comes into the bathroom exhausted and shaves the back of my head so I could be pretty

for you. Now, that’s ahava. That’s a love of the will. That’s not, “Oh isn’t this

romantic? I get to get up with my sick husband at 6:45 in the morning after only getting

a couple hours of sleep and shave his radiated head.” But that’s ahava. That’s love.

That is a foundational, deep, full of guts, “I’m not going anywhere” love. That’s to be

celebrated. If we could celebrate that, then I’d be all about Valentine’s Day. But that’s

not what our culture is celebrating. It’s so much more emotive, so much more silly, so

much more hollow, so much more “I like you today. Let’s celebrate that.” So I’m not a

fan. That’s the mini sermon. Now let’s get to Colossians.

The Nature of True Beauty

2010-12-08T15:20:00.002-05:00

Something else to file in the category of "Something I want to listen to, but don't have time now":

Al Mohler talking at Capitol Hill Baptist Church on the nature of true beauty.

If you listen to it before me, let me know how it is!

Lessons Learned After a Year

2010-12-03T09:57:00.003-05:00

One year ago tomorrow, Matt Chandler underwent surgery that removed a malignant tumor from his brain. In this blog post he talks about some of the lessons he's learned through the past year.

Though I've never met him, I love this man and am so grateful to God for the example he is setting in treasuring Christ above all.

The 3 Most Disturbing Words on TV

2010-11-24T14:33:00.001-05:00

This weekend I'll be preaching on the well-known words of the Apostle Paul, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything do all to the glory of God."

In light of that wonderful exhortation, I found this post by Mike Cosper at the Gospel Coalition blog very insightful. Though I often fall short, I'm eager for myself and for those I love to magnify Jesus in everything that we do.

Cosper's post is wise instruction on watching television for the glory of God. Check it out and let me know what you think.

The Gospel Drives Discipleship

2010-11-23T15:11:00.001-05:00

I'd like to read this but don't have time to right now, so I'm posting it here so I can refer back to it when I have more time. Maybe you will find it interesting too.

In this series of posts, Bob Thune explores how the gospel drives discipleship from beginning to end by sharing his experience working with a friend, Ryan, who identifies as a transsexual.

In Honor of the Spectrum...

2010-11-23T15:01:00.001-05:00

Youtube is amazing. I did a search for Julius Erving buzzer beater looking for a highlight from this game, and found it. I was at this game with my dad, in the very top row of the arena if I'm not mistaken.

Ah, the memories:

Identifying Idols

2010-11-21T19:32:00.003-05:00

After preaching this morning on idolatry from 1 Corinthians 10:1-22, I had a few people ask me for a list of the questions I mentioned to our congregation to identify the idols of our hearts. Here they are, in case anyone is interested in doing some heart-work.

You can listen to the sermon here.

What captures your greatest zeal?

Whose approval do you crave most?

What do you brag about? Ie, what personal distinctives tend to make you feel superior/look down upon others?

What do you feel like you need to have in order to be a happy, whole, meaningful, successful, person?

What are you afraid of?

What do you complain most about?

What is that one thing that, if you were to loose it, would cause you to feel that life isn’t worth living?

Where do you go for comfort in the midst of stress?

What angers and frustrates you most?

What things cause you to question God’s love and goodness to you? In other words, about what things do you say, “Jesus, I’d be sure of your love for me if only You…”?

What do you sacrifice the most for?

What's Your Passion?

2010-11-17T14:10:00.000-05:00

Challenged today by this quote from Don Carson:

If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of things I emphasize again and again and again and again. That had better be the gospel.

If the gospel—even when you are orthodox—becomes something which you primarily assume, but what you are excited about is what you are doing in some sort of social reconstruction, you will be teaching the people that you influence that the gospel really isn’t all that important. You won’t be saying that—you won’t even mean that—but that’s what you will be teaching. And then you are only half a generation away from losing the gospel.

Make sure that in your own practice and excitement, what you talk about, what you think about, what you pray over, what you exude confidence over, joy over, what you are enthusiastic about is Jesus, the gospel, the cross. And out of that framework, by all means, let the transformed life flow.

Spread the Joy

2010-11-15T15:19:00.009-05:00

While supplies last through December 16th, you can get 48 copies of John Piper's Seeing & Savoring Jesus Christ for just $68 (or whatever you can afford).

Why not take a risk and buy some as Christmas for unbelieving family members and friends and attach a note telling them why Jesus is a treasure infinitely greater than anything else you'll find under a Christmas tree?

Of course, it might be wise to get them another "real" gift as well, to let them know that you think about them and care for them as they are, and don't simply regard them as your personal conversion project. What do you think?

Anyway, click here for more details about the special.

Suffering & Idolatry

2010-11-15T15:13:00.003-05:00

This blog post from Tullian Tchividjian is worth your time. A few of my favorite quotes:

Job’s maintained his joy and perspective in a season of suffering because he held onto a robust theology of grace. Job knew that he was not entitled to anything he had—God held the title to everything.

Our response to suffering reveals what we’re building our life on and what we’re depending on to make life worth living. This means that suffering itself does not rob you of joy—idolatry does. If you’re suffering and you’re angry, bitter, and joyless it means you’ve idolized–and felt entitled to–whatever it is you’re losing.

Joylessness and bitterness in the crucible of pain happens when we lose something (or think we deserve something) that we’ve held onto more tightly than God.

Much of our anger and bitterness is [the result of] God prying open our hands and taking away something we’ve held onto more tightly than him.

Future Hope --> Love Now

2010-11-15T10:45:00.004-05:00

Matt Chandler, commenting on Colossians 1:3-5, that the love of the Colossians for all the saints was because of the hope laid up for them in heaven:

"If your only hope is here, on this earth, in this bit of time, you tend to be a miserable person and you’ve got a hard time loving anybody because all you’ve got is right now. So everybody becomes means to your happiness and your satisfaction now. That usually makes you a miserable person, because everybody exists to meet your needs."

I think that's very insightful, and very timely for my often-loveless heart.

Also, see this video update from Chandler with great news on his health!

The Pastor and the Gospel

2010-11-12T14:48:00.004-05:00

While on vacation, I spent some time reading through the recently-published book in honor of John Piper, For the Fame of God's Name. I didn't get through all of it, but since it's a collection of essays, I leaped around to read the ones that were most appealing to me. In the weeks to come, I hope to read the rest.

In CJ Mahaney's chapter, The Pastor and the Trinity, Mahaney adapted his talk from the 2007 Sovereign Grace Leader's conference. As I've written about before, being in attendance for that talk was a key, defining moment in my ministry. So I was eager for the refresher in this chapter. Writing on 2 Corinthians 13:14, and Paul's prayer for the grace of the Lord Jesus to be with the Corinthians, I was struck especially by this:

Paul’s example reminds me that:

I must never assume the gospel.
I must never assume the church I serve sufficiently understands the gospel.
I must inform every aspect of pastoral ministry with the proclamation and celebration of the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ revealed in the gospel.
I must never teach on any topic without explaining how it relates to the gospel.
I must preach to reveal the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must counsel to impart the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must help those vulnerable to legalism and condemnation to experience the justifying grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must help those fighting a besetting sin to experience the sanctifying grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must help the suffering to experience the comforting grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must help the weary to experience the sustaining grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I must help those who persist in disobedience to experience the convicting and cleansing grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I think I'm going to have those bullet points printed out and hung somewhere in prominent view.

How Members Can Serve the Church on Sunday Morning

2010-11-01T09:09:00.002-04:00

From the Nine Marks Blog:

At the Trellis and Vine Workshop in DC today, Colin Marshall shared ways that ordinary church members can serve the church on Sunday mornings.

Before the Service

Read the passage in advance
Pray for the gathering
Greet newcomers (act like you are the host)
Think strategically about who you should sit with
Arrive Early

During the Service

Sing with gusto (even if you can’t sing)
Help with logistics (if there’s a problem, help fix it)
Don’t be distracted
Listen carefully
Be aware of your facial expressions (you may affect others and discourage preachers)

After the Service

Connect newcomers with others
Get newcomers information
Start a conversation about the sermon
Ask someone how they became a Christian
Stay late

Blog Break

2010-10-28T11:55:00.002-04:00

The blog is going to be dormant until some time around November 15th. I'll be on a retreat with my fellow elders from Joy Community Fellowship this weekend, and then will be taking 10 days of vacation. In the Lazarus household, vacation means no computers at all.

If I still have any readers left, I'll see you all mid-November.

DeYoung & Keller on Generous Justice

2010-10-26T15:18:00.004-04:00

If I can say this without sounding like the president of his fan club, I really do love Tim Keller. His emphasis on the centrality of the gospel for all of life, for both believers and unbelievers, has been life-changing and ministry-changing. I say that without exaggeration.

Keller's new book, Generous Justice, is due out in the next couple of weeks, and I am eager to read it. Today Kevin DeYoung, another sharp thinker whose ministry has been an encouragement to me, interviewed Keller about the new book. I thought this quote was especially helpful:

I believe that making disciples and doing justice relate (not exactly) but somewhat in the same way that faith and works relate to one another. We would say that faith alone is the basis for salvation, and yet true faith will always result in good works. We must not “load in” works as if they are an equal with faith as a salvation-base, but neither can we “detach” works and say that they are optional for a believer. Similarly, I would say that the first thing I need to tell people when they come to church is “believe in Jesus,” not “do justice.”

Why? Because first, believing in Jesus meets a more radical need and second, because if they don’t believe in Jesus they won’t have that gospel-motivation to do justice that I talk about in the book. So there’s a priority there. On the other hand, for a church to not constantly disciple its people to “do justice” would be utterly wrong, because it is an important part of God’s will. I’m calling for an ‘asymmetrical balance’ here. It seems to me that some churches try to “load in” doing justice as if it is equally important as believing in Jesus, but others, in fear of falling into the social gospel, do not preach or disciple their people to do justice at all. Both are wrong. A Biblical church should be highly evangelistic yet known for its commitment to the poor of the city.

Check out the whole article here.

Humble Thinking

2010-10-25T15:02:00.003-04:00

From John Piper's book Think:

Any knowledge that does not stand in the service of love is not real knowing. It is prostituted knowing. It's as though God put surgical tools in our hands and taught us how to save the sick, but we turned them into a clever juggling act while the patients died. Knowing and thinking exist for the sake of love -- for the sake of building people up in faith. Thinking that produces pride instead of love is not true thinking. We only imagine that we are thinking. God does not see it as thinking. It's not surgery; it's juggling.

The Gospel Every Day

2010-10-25T14:55:00.002-04:00

Pastor Tullian:

Once God rescues sinners, his plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel, but to move them more deeply into it.

Or to put it another way:

The gospel is not only growing wider in the world but it’s also growing deeper in Christians.

Or to put it another way:

The gospel doesn’t just ignite the Christian life but it’s also the fuel that keeps Christians going and growing every day.

Or to put it the way the Apostle Paul put it (in Colossians 1:6):

"Of this (the believer's future heavenly hope) you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth."

Bottom line: make your chief ambition of every day to get your heart deeply rooted in the gospel.

Gems from Gospel Math

2010-10-21T13:17:00.002-04:00

Three of my favorite quotes from Tullian's talk at the DG conference which I posted yesterday:

The irony of gospel growth is that those who end up obeying more are those who increasingly realize that their standing with God is not based on their obedience but on Christ's. Those who end up performing better are those who understand that their standing isn't based on their performance for Christ, but on Christ's performance for them.

The world spends a lot of money trying to tempt us to locate our identity in someone or something smaller than Jesus (therein lies the depth of my disappointment at the Philles' current woes).

In Christ my identity is secure, which frees me to give everything that I have because in Christ I already have everything that I need.

The Mathematics of the Gospel

2010-10-20T14:03:00.004-04:00

I've mentioned Tullian Tchividjian many times on the blog. Here's a good introduction to his ministry: his seminar given at Desiring God's National conference a few weeks ago called Giving Thought to Gospel Math: Why Jesus + Nothing = Everything (If viewing this in a feed reader, you may need to click through to the site to see the video).

Thinking about the Lord's Supper

2010-10-20T13:59:00.003-04:00

File this in the category of items that I post here simply for my own future reference. If it benefits others too, all the better! Via JT:

Here is a thoughtful, helpful essay from Kim Riddlebarger, entitled “The Reformation of the Supper” (PDF), from the new book, Always Reformed: Essays in Honor of W. Robert Godfrey, ed. R. Scott Clark and Joel E. Kim.

The essay looks at three issues related to how often the Lord’s Supper should be celebrated, and how one’s theology of the Supper can impact the answer to that question:

The Biblical Evidence for the Frequent Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
The Historical Evidence for Frequent Celebration of the Lord’s Supper
Some Pastoral and Theological Implications of Frequent Celebration

Don't Forget to Groan, 10/16

2010-10-16T09:39:00.001-04:00

A daughter of Lt. Col. Robert Baldwin, of Eliza, Ill., looks on as a flag is presented during his burial service at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va., on Oct. 6. Baldwin was killed in Afghanistan.

(Why should we groan?)

Busy Christians

2010-10-15T14:20:00.006-04:00

"How are you doing?"

It seems like one of the most common answers to that question is: busy. Busyness seems to be a paralyzing illness in our society, and especially in the church.

A few years ago Tim Chester (whose book You Can Change I have recommended many times on this blog) wrote a book called The Busy Christian's Guide to Busyness.

In it, he says that one of the important ways to deal with our busyness is to identify the desires of our hearts that make us try to do more than God expects of us. Here are some examples, along with the accompanying truths of God that can liberate us from the tyrannies of our sinful desires:

I’m busy busy because I need to prove myself-The liberating rest of God
I’m busy because of other people’s expectations-The liberating fear of God
I’m busy because otherwise things get out of control-The liberating rule of God
I’m busy because I prefer being under pressure-The liberating refuge of God
I’m busy because I need the money-The liberating joy of God
I’m busy because I want to make the most of my life-The liberating hope of God

If you find that you're always telling people about how busy you are, this might be a good book to check out.

Double Jeopardy & God's Justice

2010-10-14T11:55:00.004-04:00

"Did Jesus die for the sins of all people?" Almost every evangelical Christian is going to answer that question with a resounding, "Yes!"

But I think the question is worthy of some reflection, because of the idea of double jeopardy: that is, the legal principle that a person cannot be convicted and punished twice for the same crime.

The question about Jesus dying for the sins of all people begs this further question: if Jesus did in fact die for the sins of all people -- even those who reject Christ and endure eternal punishment in hell -- why would a righteous God send those people to hell? If Christ died for their sins, then the punishment has been paid. To send that person to hell would seem to significantly call God's justice into question.

So, did Jesus die for the sins of all people?

Don't Waste Your Work

2010-10-14T09:28:00.002-04:00

Piper, from Don't Waste Your Life:

"You don't waste your life by where you work, but how and why."

So a "secular" vocation (ie, one that is not structurally connected to the church) has every bit as much value and dignity in God's sight as the vocation of pastor or missionary.

What is Church?

2010-10-13T16:03:00.003-04:00

How likely is it that you and your family can embrace and live out the following commands in Scripture by gathering with people for an hour and a half on Sunday morning?

John 15:12 – Love one another
Romans 5:13 – Don’t pass judgment on one another
Romans 12:5 – Be members of one another
Romans 12:10 – Honor one another
Romans 12:16 – Live in harmony with one another
Romans 14:19 – Build up one another
Romans 15:5 – Be like-minded toward one another
Romans 15:7 – Accept one another
1 Corinthians 12:25 – Care for one another
Galatians 5:13 – Serve one another in love
Galatians 5:26 – Don’t provoke or envy one another
Galatians 6:2 – Bear one another’s burdens
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another
Colossians 3:13 – Bear with each other and forgive one another
1 Thessalonians 3:12 – Abound in love toward one another
1 Thessalonians 4:18 – Comfort one another
Hebrews 3:13 – Encourage one another
Hebrews 10:24 – Stir up one another to love and good deeds
James 5:16 – Confess your sins to one another
1 Peter 4:9 – Offer hospitality to one another
1 Peter 5:14 – Greet one another
1 John 1:7 – Fellowship with one another
1 John 3:11 – Love one another
Ephesians 5:21- Submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ

That's probably not all going to happen this Sunday. So as much as I love Sunday mornings with the flock at Joy Community Fellowship, we better not reduce church to what happens in that weekly meeting, right?

A Story of Perception

2010-10-12T15:55:00.001-04:00

I thought this was a cool story:

In a Washington DC subway station, Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world, recently played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before, Joshua Bell sold-out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100 each to sit and listen to him play the same music. But in the subway station, practically nobody cared or even noticed him.

Check out the rest of the story here.

Seven Questions to Enter the Pulpit With

2010-10-12T09:39:00.001-04:00

In his recent message at the Desiring God National Conference, Francis Chan mentioned seven questions that he asks himself in preparing to preach:

Am I worried about what people think of my message or what God thinks? (Teach with fear)
Do I genuinely love these people? (Teach with love)
Am I accurately presenting this passage? (Teach with accuracy)
Am I depending on the Holy Spirit's power or my own cleverness? (Teach with power)
Have I applied this message to my own life? (Teach with integrity)
Will this message draw attention to me or to God? (Teach with humility)
Do the people really need this message? (Teach with urgency)

I think I might well print these questions and place them in my binder, so I can be reminded of them as I prepare to preach God's Word to the congregation I have the privilege of serving.

Laughter

2010-10-11T12:08:00.002-04:00

Randy Alcorn:

We need a biblical theology of humor that prepares us for an eternity of celebration and spontaneous laughter.

And he's got a text to back it up:

"Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh" (Luke 6:21).

Conquering in Conflict

2010-10-11T10:44:00.004-04:00

Awhile back I mentioned that I had picked up Sam Storms' book of meditations on Colossians, The Hope of Glory. I enjoyed that book so much that I recently purchased Storms' similar book of meditations on the seven letters of Revelation 2-3, called To the One who Conquers.

I really appreciated this quote on the church in Ephesus:

The first church to receive a letter from Jesus was located in a city that wasn’t even remotely Christian. No laws existed to protect their freedom of religious expression. The worship of false deities was institutionalized. The only things on which the Ephesian believers could rely were God himself and one another. Yet, as we’ll note in a subsequent lesson, they labored faithfully for the gospel, endured patiently, and were intolerant of evil. Yes, the church had its problems, for which Jesus issues a stern rebuke, but its members had not abandoned the faith.

How would you and I fare in such a pagan atmosphere? I ask this because it often appears to me that many Christians believe the church in America can survive only if it is afforded legislative protection, only if politically conservative and Christian candidates are elected to national and local office, only if the next appointee to the Supreme Court is pro-life, only if prayer is restored to our public schools.

Make no mistake: I’m eternally grateful for the laws that safeguard our rights, and I consistently vote for those candidates who are social, fiscal, and moral conservatives. But have we come so to depend on such political blessings, economic liberties, and the legal protection Christianity enjoys that in their absence we fear the destruction of the church and the silencing of our witness?

The church in Ephesus, as with so many other congregations in the first century, knew nothing of a constitution, a first amendment, or a right to vote. Yet they survived, and thrived, in the midst of what strikes us as unimaginable state-sanctioned idolatry and immorality. Before we panic or lose heart at the state of our state, or the condition of our city, we would do well to remember the promise of Jesus: “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18).

Help Send R.C. Sproul’s Book on Abortion to Congress

2010-10-08T15:00:00.003-04:00

This sounds like an exciting opportunity from Ligonier Ministries:

January 22, 2011 marks the 38^th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision. On January 3rd, the 112th United States Congress will open with newly elected representatives in the Senate and the House of Representatives joining the incumbents. This is an important opportunity to influence our nation’s leaders on the critical issue of abortion. To coincide with both of these dates, Ligonier will send R.C. Sproul’s Twentieth Anniversary special edition of Abortion: A Rational Look at an Emotional Issue (Reformation Trust Publishing, November 2010) to every Congressional representative. Will you help?
Our goal is to raise $6,000 to fund this effort. For every $10 that you donate, you send one book to a representative. It is our hope that this resource, along with a letter from R.C. Sproul, will make an impact on the hearts and minds of our representatives in Congress.

Getting Practical

2010-10-08T14:30:00.001-04:00

From David Mathis's introduction to With Calvin in the Theater of God:

Calvin's big, biblical vision of God changes every day life. If you really want to be practical, don't reach for gimmicks, checklists, and self-helps, but come with Calvin to the Bible and get to know the most important realities in the universe: God, creation, sin, heaven, hell, Jesus, his cross and resurrection, the Holy Spirit. The biblical vision of the glory of God in Christ is the most practical reality in the universe.

You can read the introduction, and the rest of the book, online for free here. I'll have more to say about this book next week.

Don't Forget to Groan, 10/8

2010-10-08T13:51:00.001-04:00

On Monday, October 4th, a large reservoir filled with toxic red sludge in western Hungary ruptured, releasing approximately 700,000 cubic meters (185 million gallons) of stinking caustic mud, which killed many animals, at least four people, and injured over 120 - many with chemical burns. The 12-foot-high flood of sludge inundated several towns, sweeping cars off the road as it flowed into the nearby Marcal River:

A 34-year old resident checks his new furniture in Kolontar, Hungary on October 6, 2010 after a wave of toxic red mud swept through the small village.

An animal lies dead in the toxic mud, which flooded the village of Kolontar.

The Lesson of Job

2010-10-07T17:40:00.002-04:00

Pastor Tullian quotes Piper on the book of Job:

I came with nothing from the womb, I go with nothing to the tomb.
He is not poor nor much enticed, who loses everything but Christ.

Think -- A Plea to Thinkers

2010-10-07T13:29:00.001-04:00

From the final chapter of Think:

Make all your thinking an act of love for people...Thinking that does not aim to display Christ and build up people is not worthy of God's approval. It may produce wonders -- antibiotics, buildings, bridges, books, big-screen TV's -- but the final stamp on the box will be: Disapproved.

Admiring Roy Halladay...

2010-10-07T06:15:00.003-04:00

With one foot raised! What a start to the Playoffs!

With One Foot Raised

2010-10-06T13:35:00.001-04:00

For the first time in the 127-year history of the franchise, my beloved Phillies have finished with the best record in the major leagues. ESPN's "experts" seem to think that the Phils are the favorite to win the World Series. It's certainly an exciting time to be a Phillies' fan.

With that in view, I received a great reminder yesterday in the book With Calvin in the Theater of God. Sam Storms begins his chapter on Calvin's vision of the glory of heaven with a quote from Calvin written to a woman suffering from severe physical afflictions. He says that her (and our) afflictions are instruments through which we learn "to have one foot raised to take our departure when it shall please God."

In other words, we ought to live every day with one foot raised, ready and eager for the day when we will depart from this world and enter into the splendor of heavenly glory. Storms then closes the chapter with this exhortation:

Young man, young woman, go to school, study hard, prepare yourself for fifty or more years in a productive and exciting career. But do it with one foot raised!

Let all of us diligently labor at our place of business. Honor our employers by giving them a good day's labor for a day's wage. But always work with one foot raised!

By all means, get married. Enjoy the delight of romantic affections. Devote yourself to your spouse, yet do it with one foot raised!

Be quick to educate your children. Prepare them for life. Raise them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, but always with one foot raised!

Study Greek and Hebrew and Latin! But study with one foot raised!

Celebrate life with your friends over a good steak and your beverage of choice. But eat and drink with one foot raised!

Weep at the grave site of a child. Mourn at the loss of a friend. But may it always be with one foot raised!

Read a book. Write a book. But read and write with one foot raised!

Cheer for your favorite football team (or this fan might say, baseball team) and celebrate wildly every victory. But do it with one foot raised!

Labor to enact legislation to improve life in your city, your state, your country, but always with one foot raised!

Plant a garden. Plant a church. Open a savings account. Purchase a thirty-year certificate of deposit. Invest in a stock. But do it all with one foot raised!

So I'm looking forward to the start of the MLB postseason, and appreciate Storms' encouragement to cheer for my favorite team. Hopefully there will be 11 wins to celebrate wildly...but I'll be doing it with one foot raised.

Think -- A Thought for Non-Thinkers

2010-10-06T08:04:00.000-04:00

The final chapter of John Piper's book Think is a final plea to encourage both thinkers and non-thinkers. Here's one of his encouragements to non-thinkers. It may seem a bit self-serving given my calling in the church, but I think it's valuable to consider nevertheless:

Respect those who by inclination and calling devote time and effort to thinking for the sake of understanding the Bible and the world we live in. Christ has given pastors and teachers to the church (Eph. 4:11). Their job is to "labor at preaching and teaching" (1 Tim. 5:17), "rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15), "able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it" (Titus 1:9). That is not all they do. But this part of their life is difficult, important, and precious. Respect them for their work. As Paul says, "Respect those who labor among you...esteem them very highly in love because of their work" (1 Thess. 5:12-13).

Think -- Knowing and Loving God

2010-10-05T15:12:00.002-04:00

From page 90 of Think, in a chapter entitled Loving God:

The main reason that thinking and loving are connected is that we cannot love God without knowing God; and the way we know God is by the Spirit-enabled use of our minds. So to "love God with all your mind" means engaging all your powers of thought to know God as fully as possible in order to treasure Him for all He is worth.

God is not honored by groundless love. In fact, there is no such thing. If we do not know anything about God, there is nothing in our mind to awaken love. If love does not come from knowing God, there is no point calling it love for God. There may be some vague attraction in our heart or some unfocused gratitude in our soul, but if they do not arise from knowing God, they are not love for God.

Today

2010-10-05T11:03:00.000-04:00

Paul Tripp:

Today will you you forget who you are and try to earn what Christ has already achieved and search for what he has already given?