What is the "gospel"? (Romans 1:16) If it is the "power of God" then I desperately need to know what it is, to believe it and to apply it in my life. (Galatians 2:20)
But the answer to this question, "What is the gospel?," can be presented in various ways, all of them correct. It is like answering the question, "What is the ocean?" You can answer that question by saying, "The ocean is the water you find lapping up on the beach at hide tide." Or you can answer the question by saying, "The ocean is the water you find one mile deep on the bottom of the ocean floor." Both would be true. The first is a "shallow or surface or simple or 'shore'" answer and the second is a "deep or complicated or 'floor'" answer. The first answer is simple enough for a child to understand (John 3:14-16; Acts 16:31; Luke 18:9-14) and the second answer is difficult enough to keep the greatest minds wrestling for their entire lives (Romans 11:33-36; 2 Peter 3:16).
On the 'shore' the gospel is simply what God has done in Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:3-8) and what God has promised us because of what He has done in Jesus Christ (Luke 24:44-49). It is not what we must do or what our commit to Him must be. It is what He has done and what His commitment to us is (Hebrews 6:13-20; Genesis 15:17)!
The gospel is an ocean of grace. It is the good news of salvation (rescue from all that is bad and enjoyment of all that is good in God)by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.
But there is so much more to be said and believed and lived out! It will take the rest of our lives to plumb the depths of the riches in Christ (Colossians 2:2-3). To God be the glory!
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Promises, Promises
Those Tricky Trials
Have you ever thought about what makes trials so difficult for us and what makes difficult trials ‘easier’ for some believers, to the point that they can even sing after a beating while in prison?
Our experiences are difficult on two levels:
(1) what they actually involve
(2) what they “say” to us or about us
The second difficulty is really the greater of the two.
This is a very important truth about living by faith in what God has promised us in Jesus:
“Judge not Christ's love by providences, but by promises.” (Puritan Thomas Wilcox, Honey Out of the Rock)
This kind of thinking enables believers to respond to trials in amazing ways:
• The “Beating” of the Apostles (Acts 5:40-41; 16:23-25; Matthew 5:10-12)
• The “Seizure” of the Believer’s Property (Hebrews 10:34; 2 Corinthians 4:17)
We can either look at the “Providence Pile” or the “Promises Pile” in order to evaluate God’s love for us. Which pile we meditate on will determine how we respond to “beatings” and “seizures.”
“Faith in Jesus” means looking to Jesus for access to God and for all that God has promised to be for us, because of Jesus and His cross.
Ten Categories of Promises to Hold On To
It’s helpful to think of all that God has promised us as “categories” of promises.
Let me give you ten “categories” of promises of God to those trusting in Jesus that we find scattered throughout His Word, either explicitly or implicitly.
I will divide these 10 categories of promises into two categories that correspond to Romans 5:17 (“a righteousness that leads to life”) and the image of a house (“house” = the enjoyment of the dwelling place of God’s manifest glory [Psalm 36:7-9]; “door” = access into the house [John 10:7-10])
Righteousness Promises (Promises of the “Door” of Access to God’s “House”)
1. Pardon Promises
Like In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:14)
2. Perfection Promises
Like For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
3. Peace Promises
Like Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1)
LIFE Promises (Promises of the “House” of Help and Happiness in God)
4. Presence Promises
Like ... teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
5. Provision Promises
Like And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
6. Power Promises
Like I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
7. Protection Promises
Like The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul. (Psalm 121:7)
8. Purification (Pruning) Promises
Like "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)
9. Pleasure (or Profit) Promises
Like You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11)
10. Permanence Promises
Like Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
Holding On to Jesus in the Hurricane Force Winds of Life
When do you need to look to Jesus? All the time!
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
How do you fix your eyes on Jesus?
You look at the cross of Jesus and see flowing from it all that God has promised in His Word and hold on to that good news with all that is in you!
On a commuter flight from Portland, Maine, to Boston, Henry Dempsey, the pilot, heard an unusual noise near the rear of the small aircraft. He turned the controls over to his co-pilot and went back to check it out. As he reached the tail section, the plane hit an air pocket, and Dempsey was tossed against the rear door. He quickly discovered the source of the mysterious noise. The rear door had not been properly latched prior to takeoff, and it flew open. He was instantly sucked out of the jet. The co-pilot, seeing the red light that indicated an open door, radioed the nearest airport, requesting permission to make an emergency landing. He reported that the pilot had fallen out of the plane and he requested a helicopter search of that area of the ocean. After the plane landed, they found Henry Dempsey – holding onto the outdoor ladder of the aircraft. Somehow he had caught the ladder, held on for ten minutes as the plane flew 200 mph at an altitude of 4,000 feet and then, at landing, kept his head from hitting the runway, which was a mere twelve inches away. It took airport personnel several minutes to pry Dempsey’s fingers from the ladder. (Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching)
Holding on to Jesus (with all 10 fingers or categories of Scriptural promises to us in Jesus) should be like the man who fell out of the plane and held on for dear life until he landed safely – we must do the same until we land safely in the immediate presence of God.
From the sermon preached on March 14, 2010: What Are You Trusting Jesus For? (Part 2) (Romans 3:26)
Have you ever thought about what makes trials so difficult for us and what makes difficult trials ‘easier’ for some believers, to the point that they can even sing after a beating while in prison?
Our experiences are difficult on two levels:
(1) what they actually involve
(2) what they “say” to us or about us
The second difficulty is really the greater of the two.
This is a very important truth about living by faith in what God has promised us in Jesus:
“Judge not Christ's love by providences, but by promises.” (Puritan Thomas Wilcox, Honey Out of the Rock)
This kind of thinking enables believers to respond to trials in amazing ways:
• The “Beating” of the Apostles (Acts 5:40-41; 16:23-25; Matthew 5:10-12)
• The “Seizure” of the Believer’s Property (Hebrews 10:34; 2 Corinthians 4:17)
We can either look at the “Providence Pile” or the “Promises Pile” in order to evaluate God’s love for us. Which pile we meditate on will determine how we respond to “beatings” and “seizures.”
“Faith in Jesus” means looking to Jesus for access to God and for all that God has promised to be for us, because of Jesus and His cross.
Ten Categories of Promises to Hold On To
It’s helpful to think of all that God has promised us as “categories” of promises.
Let me give you ten “categories” of promises of God to those trusting in Jesus that we find scattered throughout His Word, either explicitly or implicitly.
I will divide these 10 categories of promises into two categories that correspond to Romans 5:17 (“a righteousness that leads to life”) and the image of a house (“house” = the enjoyment of the dwelling place of God’s manifest glory [Psalm 36:7-9]; “door” = access into the house [John 10:7-10])
Righteousness Promises (Promises of the “Door” of Access to God’s “House”)
1. Pardon Promises
Like In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:14)
2. Perfection Promises
Like For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. (Hebrews 10:14)
3. Peace Promises
Like Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, (Romans 5:1)
LIFE Promises (Promises of the “House” of Help and Happiness in God)
4. Presence Promises
Like ... teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
5. Provision Promises
Like And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)
6. Power Promises
Like I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
7. Protection Promises
Like The LORD will protect you from all evil;
He will keep your soul. (Psalm 121:7)
8. Purification (Pruning) Promises
Like "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)
9. Pleasure (or Profit) Promises
Like You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever. (Psalm 16:11)
10. Permanence Promises
Like Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. (1 Thessalonians 4:17)
Holding On to Jesus in the Hurricane Force Winds of Life
When do you need to look to Jesus? All the time!
Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2, ESV)
How do you fix your eyes on Jesus?
You look at the cross of Jesus and see flowing from it all that God has promised in His Word and hold on to that good news with all that is in you!
On a commuter flight from Portland, Maine, to Boston, Henry Dempsey, the pilot, heard an unusual noise near the rear of the small aircraft. He turned the controls over to his co-pilot and went back to check it out. As he reached the tail section, the plane hit an air pocket, and Dempsey was tossed against the rear door. He quickly discovered the source of the mysterious noise. The rear door had not been properly latched prior to takeoff, and it flew open. He was instantly sucked out of the jet. The co-pilot, seeing the red light that indicated an open door, radioed the nearest airport, requesting permission to make an emergency landing. He reported that the pilot had fallen out of the plane and he requested a helicopter search of that area of the ocean. After the plane landed, they found Henry Dempsey – holding onto the outdoor ladder of the aircraft. Somehow he had caught the ladder, held on for ten minutes as the plane flew 200 mph at an altitude of 4,000 feet and then, at landing, kept his head from hitting the runway, which was a mere twelve inches away. It took airport personnel several minutes to pry Dempsey’s fingers from the ladder. (Illustrations for Preaching and Teaching)
Holding on to Jesus (with all 10 fingers or categories of Scriptural promises to us in Jesus) should be like the man who fell out of the plane and held on for dear life until he landed safely – we must do the same until we land safely in the immediate presence of God.
From the sermon preached on March 14, 2010: What Are You Trusting Jesus For? (Part 2) (Romans 3:26)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Say "When!"
For the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:26)
What am I trusting Jesus for When …
When I get married and have kids and a house with a white picket fence and achieve the American dream? When I get the job I’ve always wanted? When I score the winning basket in the NCAA national championship? When I become CEO of a Fortune 500 business? When I become rich and famous?
Or
When my car breaks down? When I lose my job? When I sin again in the way I’ve sinned for years? When my health fails? When my child rebels? When my parents are unreasonable? When my friends reject me? When school is boring? When my spouse leaves me? When I can’t find a spouse? When I can’t have children? When I can’t seem to handle the children I have? When I can’t buy a house? When I can’t hang on to the house I bought? When life isn’t what I expected? When my latter years aren’t what I’ve dreamed of? When I’m not rich and beautiful and famous and accomplished? When life is hard? When relationships are difficult? When my sin is ever before me? when I die? When I stand before God and give an account for my life?
So often in everyday life we forget what we came to Christ for … what we are trusting Jesus for! And we fail to apply that to our life situations.
• For some of us, our problem is condemnation. You need to trust in Jesus and submit to God’s gift of righteousness. (Romans 10:3)
• For some of us, our problem is complaining. You need to trust in Jesus and submit to God’s sovereign will. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
• For some of us, our problem is conformity. You need to stop conforming to the world and start conforming to Christ by submitting to God’s Word. (Romans 12:1-2)
• For some of us, our problem is conversion. You need to turn from idolatry and self-righteousness and trust in Jesus for LIFE and righteousness. (Romans 5:21)
Are you trusting Jesus? Have you ever come to Jesus for LIFE?
All You Need is Willingness
If the reason why a sinner is to come is because all things are ready, then it is idle for him to say, ‘But I am not ready.’ It is clear that all the readiness required on man’s part is a willingness to come and receive the blessing which God has provided. There is nothing else necessary; if men are willing to come, they may come, they will come. Where the Lord has been pleased to touch the will so that man has a desire towards Christ, where the heart really hungers and thirsts after righteousness, that is all the readiness which is wanted. All the fitness he requires is that first you feel your need of him (and that he gives you), and that secondly, in feeling your need of Him you are willing to come to Him. Willingness to come is everything. (Charles Spurgeon, p 29, Advice for Seekers based on Luke 14:17)
Come to Jesus for righteousness and LIFE and keep coming every day of your life! (Colossians 2:6-7)
This is a portion of the written sermon, What Are You Trusting Jesus For? (Part 1) (March 7, 2010)
What am I trusting Jesus for When …
When I get married and have kids and a house with a white picket fence and achieve the American dream? When I get the job I’ve always wanted? When I score the winning basket in the NCAA national championship? When I become CEO of a Fortune 500 business? When I become rich and famous?
Or
When my car breaks down? When I lose my job? When I sin again in the way I’ve sinned for years? When my health fails? When my child rebels? When my parents are unreasonable? When my friends reject me? When school is boring? When my spouse leaves me? When I can’t find a spouse? When I can’t have children? When I can’t seem to handle the children I have? When I can’t buy a house? When I can’t hang on to the house I bought? When life isn’t what I expected? When my latter years aren’t what I’ve dreamed of? When I’m not rich and beautiful and famous and accomplished? When life is hard? When relationships are difficult? When my sin is ever before me? when I die? When I stand before God and give an account for my life?
So often in everyday life we forget what we came to Christ for … what we are trusting Jesus for! And we fail to apply that to our life situations.
• For some of us, our problem is condemnation. You need to trust in Jesus and submit to God’s gift of righteousness. (Romans 10:3)
• For some of us, our problem is complaining. You need to trust in Jesus and submit to God’s sovereign will. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)
• For some of us, our problem is conformity. You need to stop conforming to the world and start conforming to Christ by submitting to God’s Word. (Romans 12:1-2)
• For some of us, our problem is conversion. You need to turn from idolatry and self-righteousness and trust in Jesus for LIFE and righteousness. (Romans 5:21)
Are you trusting Jesus? Have you ever come to Jesus for LIFE?
All You Need is Willingness
If the reason why a sinner is to come is because all things are ready, then it is idle for him to say, ‘But I am not ready.’ It is clear that all the readiness required on man’s part is a willingness to come and receive the blessing which God has provided. There is nothing else necessary; if men are willing to come, they may come, they will come. Where the Lord has been pleased to touch the will so that man has a desire towards Christ, where the heart really hungers and thirsts after righteousness, that is all the readiness which is wanted. All the fitness he requires is that first you feel your need of him (and that he gives you), and that secondly, in feeling your need of Him you are willing to come to Him. Willingness to come is everything. (Charles Spurgeon, p 29, Advice for Seekers based on Luke 14:17)
Come to Jesus for righteousness and LIFE and keep coming every day of your life! (Colossians 2:6-7)
This is a portion of the written sermon, What Are You Trusting Jesus For? (Part 1) (March 7, 2010)
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Being Loved by Being Ruled Well
Then Huram, king of Tyre, answered in a letter sent to Solomon: "Because the LORD loves His people, He has made you king over them." (2 Chronicles 2:11)
Do I connect ruling and loving?
Do I see myself as needing to be ruled?
Do I see that as a creature I must and will be ruled by something or someone?
Do I see that being loved by God is a matter of who or what He allows or causes to rule over me?
Do I see that because God loves me He has made the Lord Jesus Christ king over me?
"O Father, help me to embrace the truth that I am a creature (not the Creator). The Creator rules but the creatures must be ruled. Forgive me for fighting to rule rather than fighting to be ruled by You. Thank You for loving me by placing me under the rule of the Lord Jesus and making Him my King. Help me to gladly submit to Your rule over my life. Help to submit to Your sovereign will in praise and thanksgiving in all things and for all things. Help me to submit to Your written Word in trust and obedience more and more. Help me to submit to Your gift of righteousness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, day by day and moment by moment and sin by sin and need by need. Help me to be glad to be a creature who is ruled by the most loving King of all. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
Do I connect ruling and loving?
Do I see myself as needing to be ruled?
Do I see that as a creature I must and will be ruled by something or someone?
Do I see that being loved by God is a matter of who or what He allows or causes to rule over me?
Do I see that because God loves me He has made the Lord Jesus Christ king over me?
"O Father, help me to embrace the truth that I am a creature (not the Creator). The Creator rules but the creatures must be ruled. Forgive me for fighting to rule rather than fighting to be ruled by You. Thank You for loving me by placing me under the rule of the Lord Jesus and making Him my King. Help me to gladly submit to Your rule over my life. Help to submit to Your sovereign will in praise and thanksgiving in all things and for all things. Help me to submit to Your written Word in trust and obedience more and more. Help me to submit to Your gift of righteousness in Your Son, Jesus Christ, day by day and moment by moment and sin by sin and need by need. Help me to be glad to be a creature who is ruled by the most loving King of all. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen."
Monday, October 6, 2008
"What Does That Look Like?": Sunday Worship, Serious Suggestions, and the Spirit of Freedom
Making Sunday Special
This past Sunday I preached on "making Sunday worship special" and I did something that I don't often do. I gave a long list of things to do or not to do as a way to apply the truths we were talking about. So, now I want to help us think through how we should respond to exhortations to do or not do specific things in response to truth that we see in Scripture.
Responding to List-O-Mania
So I want to try to answer the question, "What should we do with the lists that preachers and teachers and authors come up with as specific applications of truth?" For instance, how would you respond to this exhortation from John Piper?:
It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch - and then wonder why their spiritual lives are weak and their worship experience is shallow with no intensity. If you really want to hear the Word of God the way He means it to be heard in truth and joy and power, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise (see Philippians 4:8). Then watch your heart un-shrivel and begin to hunger for the Word of God.
A False Dilemma
There are two extreme ways you might respond to this: (1) You might reject it as simply an expression of legalism: "That's pure legalism! The Bible doesn't explicitly say that!" or (2) You might receive it as "the will of God": "Wow! I didn't realize that that was God's clear will for all Christians." Some see these two responses as the only possible ways to handle such a comment by Piper. But there is a third, and I believe, a more Scriptural response to these kinds of specific applications of truth, or exhortations, or "do or not do lists." The third option is to see these kinds of specific applications and "lists" as "serious suggestions." (This is similar to Paul's counsel in 1 Corinthians 7:25-28, 35-38)
"Serious Suggestions," Can You Be Serious?
What do I mean by a "serious suggestion"? First, of all, I don't mean to downplay the importance of what is said. But the two words are carefully chosen. A "suggestion" is not the same as a "command." A command, in this case - a divine command, obviously carries much more weight and authority than a human suggestion. But that does not mean the human suggestion (ie, a suggested way to live out divine truth in line with divine commands) is not important.
That's where the word "serious" comes in. A serious suggestion means that we should seriously consider doing or not doing something in our Christian lives. We are to take these suggestions seriously because we are exhorted to be continually asking ourselves (in response to the truth of Scripture), "What does that look like?" It is one thing to say that we believe that God is present in a special way when we assemble together as believers in Jesus for corporate worship, and study, and fellowship, and to base this belief on Scriptural convictions. But it's another thing to apply that truth to our lives in conscious, concrete, observable and even, imitable ways.
Passionate Suggestions
John Piper is a passionate guy. He speaks and writes passionately. Sometimes preachers and teachers and authors can present "serious suggestions" in a very passionate way that may give the wrong impression that they see them as more than "serious suggestions," and really see them as essential and necessary to Biblical Christianity and pleasing God for all believers. As I just said, this may be a confusion created by the passionate way in which these "serious suggestions" are given. Does this mean the passion is out of place? I don't think so. I think it is the reality that the passion is misplaced by the hearers (hopefully not by the speaker or writer). We can be passionate in our giving "serious suggestions" without being dogmatic about them because what we are trying to convey is a passion for the spirit of the suggestion, not the suggestion itself. So to express passionately the idea of reading something inspiring on Saturday night instead of watching TV in order to prepare for worship need not be meant to communicate a passion for the act itself, but rather a passion for the heart that should or could fuel such an act: a heart to hear the Word of God.
Concrete Response to Truth
So when preachers and teachers (like me) give a list of "do's and don'ts" (specific ways we could flesh out or act on the truth seen in Scripture) or when we read books that give these kind of specific ways to apply truth, we need to see them not as "pure legalism" or "divine will" but "serious suggestions." We need to see these "lists" or individual suggestions as things we need to seriously consider as we seek to concretely act on our belief in specific truth. To say we believe something and not act in concrete ways to express that faith is to be a "hearer and not a doer of the Word." (James 1:21-25)
Free to Do Whatever?
We also have to be careful of how we define "freedom in Christ." It is true that if the Scripture does not clearly prohibit something or command something then we can put that issue in the category of "freedom." But a "freedom issue" is not an area where we can do whatever we want. A "freedom issue" is an area where God has not given us a clear command and has, in that sense, left us "free." But what He does command is that we exercise our freedom responsibly (Galatians 5:13) and with wisdom in light of all that Scripture teaches about God and man and life (Ephesians 5:15-16). So we still have to wrestle with the questions, "Does this glorify God? Is this profitable? Is this edifying? Does this master me? Is this really wise in light of my spiritual goals to become like Christ and be a blessing to others?" (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23, 31; Romans 14:1-12)
When a "List" Isn't Legalism
I am very much against legalism. I realize that practical applications that people try to make and "lists" of things to do or not to do can appear as legalism to many. And, depending on how we look at them, it certainly could be a form of legalism. But that is not necessarily the case. R.C. Sproul in his book, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, identifies four different kinds of legalism: (1) The belief that one can earn one's way into the kingdom of heaven, (2) The adherence to the letter of the law to the exclusion of the spirit of the law, (3) The addition of our own laws to the law of God, and (4) The practice of majoring on the minors.
If we see or hear someone give us "concrete" ways to live out a belief in a particular truth of Scripture, or ways to apply a particular principle in Scripture, we certainly must be careful of a legalistic response to what they say, knowing that only Scripture carries the authority of God for our lives. I should not take anyone's list of practical applications of a particular truth and (1) make them a standard to achieve in order to gain heaven, or (2) follow the letter of the list without concern for the spirit (or heart) that it should express, or (3) add the list to the commands of God in Scripture for all people to follow at all times in every situation, or (4) make the list more important than love for God and love for others. If we avoid these things, lists of practical suggestions about how to flesh out our faith in the truth can be liberating rather than legalistic.
That's the Spirit!
So, as important as "being doers of the Word and not hearers only" is in doing concrete things to express our faith, we must not forget that it is the "spirit/heart" (not the "letter") that is most important in regard to these practical and serious suggestions about walking out our faith. We are to maintain our commitment to the spirit (heart expression and attitude) of what the Scripture calls us to believe and to do. But we are to do this without becoming enslaved to something that is a "concrete" expression of the spirit of the Scripture but not a "commanded" expression of that spirit.
So, what I'm saying is, you can still be committed to loving the church and ministering to others and still choose to leave after church and not stay for the picnic on any given Sunday. The issue is the "spirit" of being committed to valuing the special presence of God among His people and loving the body of Christ in a local church setting, not the "letter" of staying every Sunday and picnicking on the school grounds. Or you can get up during the service and go to the bathroom if you really need to. The issue is the "spirit" (heart) to hear the Word of God and to participate in all that is happening during the worship service, and doing all you can to enable yourself to not need to do that for the honor of God and for your sake and for the sake of not distracting others. The issue is not the "letter" of never getting up to go to the bathroom during a service.
Hindered by Provi Who?
One final question. What is a "providential hindrance" in relation to being at church on Sunday? A providential hindrance can be something that makes it impossible to get to church (car trouble, hurricane, etc) or a combination of circumstances that, when considered together, make another choice the wise thing to do under those circumstances. This is where you will be responsible before God in determining what set of circumstances would lead you to choose to do something other than go to worship with the people of God. For instance, Should you travel on Sunday when on vacation rather than take time to attend worship somewhere? It is not my job (or any Christian's job) to tell you what to do in this situation or to "pass judgment" on your decision, but it is our place as Christians to raise the question in each other's minds, Where is my heart in this decision and is it really necessary? Do I have other options? What would please the Lord, all things considered?
This past Sunday I preached on "making Sunday worship special" and I did something that I don't often do. I gave a long list of things to do or not to do as a way to apply the truths we were talking about. So, now I want to help us think through how we should respond to exhortations to do or not do specific things in response to truth that we see in Scripture.
Responding to List-O-Mania
So I want to try to answer the question, "What should we do with the lists that preachers and teachers and authors come up with as specific applications of truth?" For instance, how would you respond to this exhortation from John Piper?:
It astonishes me how many Christians watch the same banal, empty, silly, trivial, titillating, suggestive, immodest TV shows that most unbelievers watch - and then wonder why their spiritual lives are weak and their worship experience is shallow with no intensity. If you really want to hear the Word of God the way He means it to be heard in truth and joy and power, turn off the television on Saturday night and read something true and great and beautiful and pure and honorable and excellent and worthy of praise (see Philippians 4:8). Then watch your heart un-shrivel and begin to hunger for the Word of God.
A False Dilemma
There are two extreme ways you might respond to this: (1) You might reject it as simply an expression of legalism: "That's pure legalism! The Bible doesn't explicitly say that!" or (2) You might receive it as "the will of God": "Wow! I didn't realize that that was God's clear will for all Christians." Some see these two responses as the only possible ways to handle such a comment by Piper. But there is a third, and I believe, a more Scriptural response to these kinds of specific applications of truth, or exhortations, or "do or not do lists." The third option is to see these kinds of specific applications and "lists" as "serious suggestions." (This is similar to Paul's counsel in 1 Corinthians 7:25-28, 35-38)
"Serious Suggestions," Can You Be Serious?
What do I mean by a "serious suggestion"? First, of all, I don't mean to downplay the importance of what is said. But the two words are carefully chosen. A "suggestion" is not the same as a "command." A command, in this case - a divine command, obviously carries much more weight and authority than a human suggestion. But that does not mean the human suggestion (ie, a suggested way to live out divine truth in line with divine commands) is not important.
That's where the word "serious" comes in. A serious suggestion means that we should seriously consider doing or not doing something in our Christian lives. We are to take these suggestions seriously because we are exhorted to be continually asking ourselves (in response to the truth of Scripture), "What does that look like?" It is one thing to say that we believe that God is present in a special way when we assemble together as believers in Jesus for corporate worship, and study, and fellowship, and to base this belief on Scriptural convictions. But it's another thing to apply that truth to our lives in conscious, concrete, observable and even, imitable ways.
Passionate Suggestions
John Piper is a passionate guy. He speaks and writes passionately. Sometimes preachers and teachers and authors can present "serious suggestions" in a very passionate way that may give the wrong impression that they see them as more than "serious suggestions," and really see them as essential and necessary to Biblical Christianity and pleasing God for all believers. As I just said, this may be a confusion created by the passionate way in which these "serious suggestions" are given. Does this mean the passion is out of place? I don't think so. I think it is the reality that the passion is misplaced by the hearers (hopefully not by the speaker or writer). We can be passionate in our giving "serious suggestions" without being dogmatic about them because what we are trying to convey is a passion for the spirit of the suggestion, not the suggestion itself. So to express passionately the idea of reading something inspiring on Saturday night instead of watching TV in order to prepare for worship need not be meant to communicate a passion for the act itself, but rather a passion for the heart that should or could fuel such an act: a heart to hear the Word of God.
Concrete Response to Truth
So when preachers and teachers (like me) give a list of "do's and don'ts" (specific ways we could flesh out or act on the truth seen in Scripture) or when we read books that give these kind of specific ways to apply truth, we need to see them not as "pure legalism" or "divine will" but "serious suggestions." We need to see these "lists" or individual suggestions as things we need to seriously consider as we seek to concretely act on our belief in specific truth. To say we believe something and not act in concrete ways to express that faith is to be a "hearer and not a doer of the Word." (James 1:21-25)
Free to Do Whatever?
We also have to be careful of how we define "freedom in Christ." It is true that if the Scripture does not clearly prohibit something or command something then we can put that issue in the category of "freedom." But a "freedom issue" is not an area where we can do whatever we want. A "freedom issue" is an area where God has not given us a clear command and has, in that sense, left us "free." But what He does command is that we exercise our freedom responsibly (Galatians 5:13) and with wisdom in light of all that Scripture teaches about God and man and life (Ephesians 5:15-16). So we still have to wrestle with the questions, "Does this glorify God? Is this profitable? Is this edifying? Does this master me? Is this really wise in light of my spiritual goals to become like Christ and be a blessing to others?" (1 Corinthians 6:12; 10:23, 31; Romans 14:1-12)
When a "List" Isn't Legalism
I am very much against legalism. I realize that practical applications that people try to make and "lists" of things to do or not to do can appear as legalism to many. And, depending on how we look at them, it certainly could be a form of legalism. But that is not necessarily the case. R.C. Sproul in his book, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith, identifies four different kinds of legalism: (1) The belief that one can earn one's way into the kingdom of heaven, (2) The adherence to the letter of the law to the exclusion of the spirit of the law, (3) The addition of our own laws to the law of God, and (4) The practice of majoring on the minors.
If we see or hear someone give us "concrete" ways to live out a belief in a particular truth of Scripture, or ways to apply a particular principle in Scripture, we certainly must be careful of a legalistic response to what they say, knowing that only Scripture carries the authority of God for our lives. I should not take anyone's list of practical applications of a particular truth and (1) make them a standard to achieve in order to gain heaven, or (2) follow the letter of the list without concern for the spirit (or heart) that it should express, or (3) add the list to the commands of God in Scripture for all people to follow at all times in every situation, or (4) make the list more important than love for God and love for others. If we avoid these things, lists of practical suggestions about how to flesh out our faith in the truth can be liberating rather than legalistic.
That's the Spirit!
So, as important as "being doers of the Word and not hearers only" is in doing concrete things to express our faith, we must not forget that it is the "spirit/heart" (not the "letter") that is most important in regard to these practical and serious suggestions about walking out our faith. We are to maintain our commitment to the spirit (heart expression and attitude) of what the Scripture calls us to believe and to do. But we are to do this without becoming enslaved to something that is a "concrete" expression of the spirit of the Scripture but not a "commanded" expression of that spirit.
So, what I'm saying is, you can still be committed to loving the church and ministering to others and still choose to leave after church and not stay for the picnic on any given Sunday. The issue is the "spirit" of being committed to valuing the special presence of God among His people and loving the body of Christ in a local church setting, not the "letter" of staying every Sunday and picnicking on the school grounds. Or you can get up during the service and go to the bathroom if you really need to. The issue is the "spirit" (heart) to hear the Word of God and to participate in all that is happening during the worship service, and doing all you can to enable yourself to not need to do that for the honor of God and for your sake and for the sake of not distracting others. The issue is not the "letter" of never getting up to go to the bathroom during a service.
Hindered by Provi Who?
One final question. What is a "providential hindrance" in relation to being at church on Sunday? A providential hindrance can be something that makes it impossible to get to church (car trouble, hurricane, etc) or a combination of circumstances that, when considered together, make another choice the wise thing to do under those circumstances. This is where you will be responsible before God in determining what set of circumstances would lead you to choose to do something other than go to worship with the people of God. For instance, Should you travel on Sunday when on vacation rather than take time to attend worship somewhere? It is not my job (or any Christian's job) to tell you what to do in this situation or to "pass judgment" on your decision, but it is our place as Christians to raise the question in each other's minds, Where is my heart in this decision and is it really necessary? Do I have other options? What would please the Lord, all things considered?
Helping Us with "What Does This Look Like?"
The truth that God views the corporate identity of the local church as His special dwelling place, like the "holy of holies" in the Old Testament, and promises to work in special ways in us and among us as we worship Him together in "spirit and truth," must be believed and it must be acted on in concrete ways. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:19-22) How are you applying this truth in your own life? How is this truth making a difference in what you think and do in regard to the local church and Sunday worship? If your answer is, "I don't know," then that is why "serious suggestions" can be helpful in forming truth-based, promise-driven practical principles and plans for putting our theology into practice in everyday life.
That List I Was Talking About
So in light of these considerations, I am comfortable in encouraging you to consider these "serious suggestions" regarding "making Sunday worship special":
1. Fathers, communicate the importance of worship with the Church to your family.
2. Speak well of the church around the dinner table.
3. Pray for God to meet us on Sunday.
4. Pray for those leading and for a humble, open, teachable heart.
5. Prepare on Saturday night and Sunday morning by ...
Getting to bed at a good time to get sufficient rest.
Turning off worldly TV and stay away from worldly movies (use something to stir your hunger for God and His Word).
Getting up in time to read the Word and pray before you leave.
Avoiding the paper and TV and radio news, sports, work around the house, etc. and other distractions.
Getting to church on time (give yourself plenty of time).
6. Come to receive (take advantage of both Bible study and worship; bring your Bible; take notes if it’s helpful; listen carefully).
7. Come to give (to participate, respond, communicate, share, interact).
8. Work to minimize distractions for yourself and others (go to the bathroom before the service; watch your liquid intake; sit closer to the front).
9. Trust God for good no matter what happens (even if the message seems boring or you don't care for the music style or selection).
10. Make it non-negotiable (unless providentially hindered).
11. Talk about the message afterward.
12. Take time to fellowship afterward (stay for the picnic).
13. Get outside your comfort zone and cliques and look for opportunities to minister and encourage.
14. Review the study and sermon notes during the week.
15. Remember that there is more to the gathering of the church than what the eye can see.
God bless you as you consider these "serious suggestions"!
Pastor Earl
Thursday, August 21, 2008
The Glory of the (Electric) Chair?!
This past Sunday we talked about not being ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, since Paul says just that in Romans 1:16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel ... . And we noted that shame is a powerful emotion of pain associated with guilt or shortcoming or impropriety (see John Piper's Living by Faith in Future Grace, p. 131). Shame can be appropriate or "well-placed" (as Piper calls it) or inappropriate or "misplaced." Appropriate shame is when we feel bad for the public guilt of being caught in an immoral activity. Inappropriate shame is when we feel bad for something good or something that honors God and Christ. Paul is saying that feeling ashamed of the gospel and therefore, being afraid of identifying with Christ is misplaced shame: a shame for something that is good - because the gospel is "good news," indeed, the greatest news ever! But one of the things that makes us ashamed to express our hope in Christ is that we fear being thought of as foolish. We don't want to be "fools for Christ." But we must come to grips with the reality that the gospel of Jesus Christ appears foolish to us until God opens our eyes to see the wisdom and power and glory of God in the cross of Jesus Christ. But until God opens people's eyes to the glory of the cross of Christ, we shouldn't be surprised if they see us as foolish. As I mentioned on Sunday, we sing about the cross (and wear the cross and display the cross) as if it is something that should easily be seen as an symbol of hope and glory. If we take a portion of the words of a popular song (The Glory of the Cross) and change a couple words, maybe it will make us think more about what we are singing.
What wisdom once devised the plan
Where all our sin and pride
Was placed upon the perfect Lamb
Who suffered, bled, and died?
The wisdom of a Sovereign God
Whose greatness will be shown
When those who electrified Your Son
Rejoice around Your throne
Repeat chorus:
And, oh, the glory of the chair
That You would send Your Son for us
I gladly count my life as loss
That I might come to know
The glory of, the glory of the chair
© 2000 Sovereign Grace Praise (BMI). Words and music by Bob Kauflin
If our Lord Jesus had come to earth in the 20th century and died in an electric chair in order to be obedient to the point of death, even death in a way that only the worst criminals in our society die, would we be surprised if the watching world thought it strange that we would sing about an instrument of death for "the worst of sinners"? May God help us not to be ashamed of the glory of the cross, even if it sounds foolish to a watching world!
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Dream of the Three Chairs
Last Sunday we talked about how we should pursue assurance in such a way that it honors Christ and the gospel. Here's a story that illustrates my main point.
A man has a dream. In this dream, he is caught up to the edge of a bright and festive "Paradise." There he sees people in a single file line before the throne of God. He hears a loud voice say, "Your resting place on earth will determine your resting place in eternity."
There are three chairs in front of the throne which stands on the edge of "Paradise." The first chair has no bottom at all and is labeled "WC." The second chair has a trap door for a bottom and is labeled "CP." The third chair has a rock solid bottom and springs and is labeled "CA."
An angel escorts each individual to the chair he rested in while he was on earth. The man sees the angel escort a college professor, who was an atheist, over to the first chair labeled "WC." When he tries to sit down, the atheist falls straight through the chair into the dark and distant "Pit" below.
The man then sees the angel escort an elderly woman, clutching her prayer beads, over to the second chair labeled "CP." When the woman sits in the chair, it appears to hold for a moment, then the trap door opens and the woman falls through the chair into the dark and distant "Pit" below.
Next the man sees the angel escort a child over to the third chair labeled "CA." When the child sits in the chair, the bottom holds, the angels sing, and the child is gently catapulted into the middle of the bright and festive "Paradise" - right into the arms of Jesus and the joy of the Master.
The man awakes from his dream singing, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame* but wholly lean on Jesus' Name."
* "The sweetest frame" refers to anything in me - what I desire or do or think or feel - even on my best day!
The Meaning of the Story (Reader's Digest Version)
We all live “Coram Deo” – before the face of God. There are three basic “resting” positions that men and women have before God. These three “resting” positions are represented by these three chairs, designated as “Without Christ (WC),” “Christ Plus (CP),” and “Christ Alone (CA).”
The “Without Christ” chair represents those who are “resting” on their attempts to fulfill some standard of righteousness on their own without any dependence upon Jesus Christ and His finished work. This has come to be known as the Pelagian position.
The “Christ Plus” chair represents those who are “resting” on the work of Jesus Christ plus their own efforts and contributions and achievements and merit and condition in order to fulfill the divine standard of righteousness before God. This has come to be known as the semi-Pelagian position.
The “Christ Alone” chair represents those who are “resting” on the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone in order to fulfill the divine standard of righteousness before God. This has come to be known as the Sola Fide or Faith Alone position (or Reformed position or the Justification by Faith Alone position or the imputed righteousness of Christ position).
The Meaning of the Story (Extended Explanation)
The first two positions (WC and CP) have been declared to be heresy in the historic councils of the church and the third position (CA) has been clearly affirmed in the historic early and Reformed creeds and most of all, in the Scriptures itself.
The question is, in light of these three possible “resting” positions,
"Root" is what faith is. 1 John also emphasizes one other thing that forms the foundation for the two kinds of fruit mentioned above: faith in Jesus as the God/Man who is our Right-eousness and our Propitiation on the cross (spoken of as belief in the Name of Jesus - 1 John 2:1-2; 3:23; 5:1, 4-13).
If we fail to see strong fruit in our lives (desire for God, His people, and His Word) then we need to check and strengthen the root: focus on Jesus Christ, who He is, what He did in His life and death for us, His willingness to save all who come to Him, His sufficiency to save all who come to Him, and all that God promises those who trust in Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
Focusing on Jesus Christ and God's promises to us because of His finished work is crucial to strengthening the root and strengthening the fruit in our lives. We need to see Jesus more clearly as a ready and willing and able Savior for sinners and the giver of LIFE!
The only safe resting place is the "Christ Alone" chair no matter how much I desire God or love His people or trust and obey His Word. And yet we should seek to grow in desiring God and loving His people and trusting and obeying His Word by "resting" even more in what Christ has done for us in providing a "righteousness that leads to LIFE" (Romans 5:21).
As we seek to sink down even more in the chair of trust in Christ's righteousness alone, we will grow in our love for "the chair" (Christ Himself) and we will be conformed more and more into the shape of "the chair" (conformity to the likeness of Christ)!
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
You can read the sermon manuscript or listen to the message by going to www.coastcommunitychurch.com and look under resources / sermons for August 10, 2008.
Look and Live! (John 3:14-16)
A man has a dream. In this dream, he is caught up to the edge of a bright and festive "Paradise." There he sees people in a single file line before the throne of God. He hears a loud voice say, "Your resting place on earth will determine your resting place in eternity."
There are three chairs in front of the throne which stands on the edge of "Paradise." The first chair has no bottom at all and is labeled "WC." The second chair has a trap door for a bottom and is labeled "CP." The third chair has a rock solid bottom and springs and is labeled "CA."
An angel escorts each individual to the chair he rested in while he was on earth. The man sees the angel escort a college professor, who was an atheist, over to the first chair labeled "WC." When he tries to sit down, the atheist falls straight through the chair into the dark and distant "Pit" below.
The man then sees the angel escort an elderly woman, clutching her prayer beads, over to the second chair labeled "CP." When the woman sits in the chair, it appears to hold for a moment, then the trap door opens and the woman falls through the chair into the dark and distant "Pit" below.
Next the man sees the angel escort a child over to the third chair labeled "CA." When the child sits in the chair, the bottom holds, the angels sing, and the child is gently catapulted into the middle of the bright and festive "Paradise" - right into the arms of Jesus and the joy of the Master.
The man awakes from his dream singing, "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame* but wholly lean on Jesus' Name."
* "The sweetest frame" refers to anything in me - what I desire or do or think or feel - even on my best day!
The Meaning of the Story (Reader's Digest Version)
We all live “Coram Deo” – before the face of God. There are three basic “resting” positions that men and women have before God. These three “resting” positions are represented by these three chairs, designated as “Without Christ (WC),” “Christ Plus (CP),” and “Christ Alone (CA).”
The “Without Christ” chair represents those who are “resting” on their attempts to fulfill some standard of righteousness on their own without any dependence upon Jesus Christ and His finished work. This has come to be known as the Pelagian position.
The “Christ Plus” chair represents those who are “resting” on the work of Jesus Christ plus their own efforts and contributions and achievements and merit and condition in order to fulfill the divine standard of righteousness before God. This has come to be known as the semi-Pelagian position.
The “Christ Alone” chair represents those who are “resting” on the Person and work of Jesus Christ alone in order to fulfill the divine standard of righteousness before God. This has come to be known as the Sola Fide or Faith Alone position (or Reformed position or the Justification by Faith Alone position or the imputed righteousness of Christ position).
The Meaning of the Story (Extended Explanation)
The first two positions (WC and CP) have been declared to be heresy in the historic councils of the church and the third position (CA) has been clearly affirmed in the historic early and Reformed creeds and most of all, in the Scriptures itself.
The question is, in light of these three possible “resting” positions,
- How do we avoid heretical thinking as we consider the issue of assurance?
- How do we keep from thinking like a semi-Pelagian when we pursue assurance of salvation in our Christian lives?
- How can we keep from encouraging people to sit in the “Christ Plus” chair in their pursuit of assurance?
- This is a difficult matter.
I shall [consider one point] the more readily, because of the great importance which attaches to the subject of assurance, and the great neglect with which, I humbly conceive, it is often treated in this day. But I shall do it at the same time with fear and trembling. I feel that I am treading on very difficult ground and that it is easy to speak rashly and unscripturally in this matter. The road between truth and error is here a specially narrow pass; and if I shall be enabled to do good to some without doing harm to others, I shall be very thankful. (J.C. Ryle in his book, Holiness)
In light of Romans 1:16-17 and other Scriptures, I’d like to suggest what I would call A Gospel Strategy for the Fight for Assurance. This implies:
- That there is a “law-oriented strategy" for fighting for assurance, which I believe is insufficient and that detracts from the glory of Jesus Christ.
- That, like every other aspect of life, assurance is a matter of faith and faith in this world always involves a fight.
- That assurance is attainable to a significant degree in this life although we probably should not expect the fight to end before our “sight” of Christ has begun.
Surely, while we teach that faith ought to be certain and assured, we cannot imagine any certainty that is not tinged with doubt, or any assurance that is not assailed by some anxiety. (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion)
Four things we need to do:
1. Check the Fruit (Matthew 7:15-20)
2. Check the Root (Luke 6:43-45)
3. Strengthen the Root (Luke 13:6-9)
4. Strengthen the Fruit (2 Peter 1:1-11)
I am using the metaphor of a tree which has both fruit and root because this metaphor is often used in Scripture to talk about spiritual life and to talk about the issue of assurance and the distinguishing of true believers from false believers.
"Root" is what faith is. 1 John also emphasizes one other thing that forms the foundation for the two kinds of fruit mentioned above: faith in Jesus as the God/Man who is our Right-eousness and our Propitiation on the cross (spoken of as belief in the Name of Jesus - 1 John 2:1-2; 3:23; 5:1, 4-13).
If we fail to see strong fruit in our lives (desire for God, His people, and His Word) then we need to check and strengthen the root: focus on Jesus Christ, who He is, what He did in His life and death for us, His willingness to save all who come to Him, His sufficiency to save all who come to Him, and all that God promises those who trust in Him. (2 Corinthians 3:18; 2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 7:1)
Focusing on Jesus Christ and God's promises to us because of His finished work is crucial to strengthening the root and strengthening the fruit in our lives. We need to see Jesus more clearly as a ready and willing and able Savior for sinners and the giver of LIFE!
The only safe resting place is the "Christ Alone" chair no matter how much I desire God or love His people or trust and obey His Word. And yet we should seek to grow in desiring God and loving His people and trusting and obeying His Word by "resting" even more in what Christ has done for us in providing a "righteousness that leads to LIFE" (Romans 5:21).
As we seek to sink down even more in the chair of trust in Christ's righteousness alone, we will grow in our love for "the chair" (Christ Himself) and we will be conformed more and more into the shape of "the chair" (conformity to the likeness of Christ)!
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
You can read the sermon manuscript or listen to the message by going to www.coastcommunitychurch.com and look under resources / sermons for August 10, 2008.
Look and Live! (John 3:14-16)
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