Tuesday, August 30, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "X" for "Xenophilia"

“X”—Xenophilia

The actual Greek word is philoxenia, which literally means love of strangers, foreigners, aliens.

Xenophilia is defined in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 3rd ed. as attraction to that which is foreign, especially to foreign peoples, manners, and customs.

It thus stands in deep contrast with xenophobia (a fear or hatred towards foreigners, strangers, or those different than us), a sin that has too often characterized many churches.

In our English translations of the Bible, philoxenia is translated as hospitality (Rom 12:13; 1 Pet 4:9) and to show hospitality to strangers (Heb 13:2). Such love to strangers is a required attribute of church leaders (1 Tim 3:2).

In the final judgment Jesus will either commend or condemn based upon whether or not people have welcomed the least of these (and thus welcomed Christ himself; Matt 25:35, 43). Jesus is the great model for hospitality, as is indicated in the Gospel narratives as well in the whole wonder of his incarnation and passion.

Indeed, we were not merely strangers to him; we were God’s enemies when he died for us (Rom 5:8). In declaring such love, the Gospel also calls us to imitate him (1 John 4:10-11).

Monday, August 29, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "W" for "Worship"

“W”—Worship

We must continually teach and learn the Gospel because there is simply nothing else that evokes worship and adoration as the Gospel does. A survey of the hymnody of the church through the past twenty centuries makes this evident. The best hymns which have shown themselves to have staying power have always been Gospel—saturated.

God is glorified, Christ is exalted, and the cross and Christ’s atoning work are central. The same is true of the other key elements of Christian worship—our preaching, our confessions, our prayers, our ordinances. Take away the Gospel and Christian worship ceases.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Signs of Life in the Christian

I posted a quote a few days ago in which Jonathan Edwards, drawing from 2 Corinthians 5, reminds us that we are a "new creation" in Christ. A more modern commentator on the Gospel of Matthew suggests the opening words of The Sermon on the Mount, known as the Beatitudes, are to be "signs of life" in us new creatures. A way of life that, while not yet globally present, should already be found amongst Kingdom people.

"These statements [the Beatitudes], clearly, are not describing 'the way things are.' They are not suggesting that the mourners are already being comforted, despite appearances. They are not trying to teach hidden, timeless truths about a reality which is normally hidden behind a bleak facade. They are announcing a new state of affairs, a new reality which is in the process of bursting into the world. They are declaring that something that wasn't previously the case is now going to be; that the life of heaven, which had seemed so distant and unreal, is in the process of coming true on earth...These qualities - purity of heart, mercy, and so on - are not, so to speak, 'things you have to do' to earn a 'reward,' a 'payment.' Nor are they merely the 'rules of conduct' laid down for the converts to follow - rules that some today might perceive as somewhat arbitrary. They are, in themselves, the signs of life, the language of life, the life of new creation, the life of new covenant, the life which Jesus came to bring."

The Gospel Alphabet: "V" for "Vision"

“V”—Vision

Keeping our minds focused on the Gospel can help us align our hearts to God’s own heart. We so easily fall into pettiness and needless division when we are not prizing the things God prizes.

Jesus endured the cross and its shame because of the joy set before him (Heb 12:2); a joy which refers to the fact that through suffering and death he would bring many children to glory (Heb 2:10-18).

Paul also endured all manner of things for the sake of the Gospel and in the furtherance of its saving ministry (1 Cor 9:23; Phil 1:12-13; 2 Tim 1:11-12).

A clear vision of the goal imparts fortitude in struggling toward it and great forbearance in the face of distractions from it.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "U" for "Unity"

“U”—Unity

A clear Gospel focus contributes to the unity of the church. To be sure, we never achieve perfect consensus here because we need to constantly wrestle with variant details of conviction. But magnifying the Gospel as our central point of reference can help us keep a variety of lesser concerns in proper perspective (Phil 1:18).

The Gospel Alphabet: "T" for "Theology"

“T”—Theology

While errant theological thinking on a variety of issues can lead us to a twisted Gospel; it is also true that an errant Gospel can unleash a host of heresies. It is worth pointing out that Satan is a competent theologian with great ability in confusing and misleading with regard to God’s truth.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Come Lord and Tarry Not

Here is a great hymn by the Scottish poet Horatius Bonar to sing after meditating on Romans 8: 18-30. Bonar, mentored by the venerable mathematician/theologian Thomas Chalmers, had an incredible gift for making complex realities not only understandable, but singable! This hymn is a reminder that while God began making things new at Christs first coming, we are still desperately awaiting His return when all things will be set right completely and finally.

Come, Lord, and tarry not;
Bring the long looked for day;
O why these years of waiting here,
These ages of decay?

Come, for creation groans,
Impatient of Thy stay,
Worn out with these long years of ill,
These ages of delay.

Come, for love waxes cold,
Its steps are faint and slow;
Faith now is lost in unbelief,
Hope’s lamp burns dim and low.

Come, and make all things new,
Build up this ruined earth;
Restore our faded Paradise,
Creation’s second birth.

Come, and begin Thy reign
Of everlasting peace;
Come, take the kingdom to Thyself,
Great King of Righteousness.

The Gospel Alphabet: "S" for "Salvation"

“S”—Salvation

Scripture is very clear that the Gospel is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes (Rom 1:16). This isn’t a truth pertaining only to evangelism. The Gospel saves those who believe, from first to last, through and through.

It includes all the wondrous doctrines of our great salvation, including, regeneration, justification, sanctification, glorification, and much more.

For this reason alone, the Gospel must remain central in all the ministries of the church.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Discipline of the Gospel

In his (very helpful) Romans commentary C.E.B. Cranfield reminds us that when you increase in your knowledge of the gospel you necessarily increase in your awareness of indwelling sin.


“The verses which follow [Romans 7:7-25] depict vividly the inner conflict characteristic of the true Christian, a conflict such as is possible only in the man, in whom the Holy Spirit is active and whose mind is being renewed under the discipline of the gospel. In the man who understands the law not legalistically but in the light of Christ and so recognizes the real seriousness of its requirement, and who truly and sincerely wills to obey it, to do what is good and to avoid the evil, the man in whom the power of sin is really being seriously and resolutely challenged, in him the power of sin is clearly seen. The more he is renewed by God’s Spirit, the more sensitive he becomes to the continuing power of sin over his life and the fact that even his very best activities are marred by the egotism still entrenched within him”

What is Your Stance Towards Indwelling Sin?

John Duncan (17th-18th century Scottish pastor): Christ came to save the contrasts of himself; but not to leave them such. There's nobody perfect: that's the believer's bed of thorns: that's the hypocrite's couch of ease.

Church Life Worthy of the Gospel

Paul admonishes the church at Philippi to let their manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ (Phil 1:27a).

What then does a church look like whose corporate manner of life is worthy of the gospel of Christ?

Paul tells us: it is a church that is always standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (Phil 1:27b).

When a church fails to understand that individual rights and desires within the body aren't ultimate (when these things become ultimate, it's a form of idolatry), it will experience carnal division and infighting in the body that damages the reputation of the gospel of Christ.

However, when a church understands that the gospel of Jesus Christ is ultimate; that is, we don't exist as a church for ourselves, but for the sake of the gospel, that church will be too busy on the front lines of ministry to concern itself with secondary and peripheral matters that end up dividing brothers and sisters who are called to stand firm in one spirit, with one mind.

My prayer for FBC Fisherville today is that we will continue to grow as a church that can aptly be described by its striving for the faith of the gospel. Please pray with me.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

New Birth

After reading 2 Corinthians 5 this morning I was reminded of a great quote (I think I got from Brian) on the new birth. It has been on my mind today and caused me to examine my "internal tempers and disposition" in light of Paul saying my "old [self] has passed away" and I am a "new creation" in Christ. It's my prayer that the Spirit continues changing all of our innermost principles from the very foundation...

"The believer has such a sight and such a knowledge of things that, ever since, he is quite another man than he was before. It has exceedingly altered his internal tempers and disposition. The knowledge that he has is so substantial, so inward, and so affecting, that it has quite transformed the soul and put a new nature into the man, has quite changed his very innermost principles, and has made things otherwise, even from the very foundation, so that all things have become new to them. Yes, he is a new creature, he is just as if he was not the same, but born again, created over a second time." -Jonathan Edwards

The Gospel Alphabet: "R" for "Righteousness"

“R”—Righteousness.

In the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (Rom 1:17).

The Gospel reveals God’s righteousness in at least two ways. First, it is a declaration that God himself is just and righteous, for the Gospel teaches that in Christ our sins have been fully propitiated as a basis for his forgiving of us (Rom 3:24-26; 1 John 1:9; 2:2).

Then, second, through the Gospel, God declares us righteous as we put our faith in Christ Jesus. Thus in the Gospel God demonstrates his own justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Rom 3:26).

It is absolutely vital beyond words that we faithfully preach and teach this Gospel.

The Gospel Alphabet: "Q" for "Quickening"

“Q”—Quickening

Though by nature we were dead in our trespasses and sins and were objects of God’s wrath, God quickened us—made us alive with Christ—through his love and grace (Eph 2:1-5).

This God did, and still does, as we believe the Gospel, putting our faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "P" for "Passion"

“P”—Passion

Passion comes from the Latin passio, meaning “suffering.” We celebrate each year the passion of our Lord in our remembrance of Holy Week. Likewise, whenever we partake of the Lord’s Supper we proclaim the Lord’s death til he comes.

It is required of us not only to believe in Christ, the Suffering Servant, but also to suffer for him ourselves (Phil 1:29).

Paul saw his own suffering for the Gospel and for the building up of the church as an active participation in the afflictions of Christ (Col 1:24; Phil 3:10-11).

Monday, August 22, 2011

A Prayer to Start the Week: Divine Support

Happy in thyself,source of happiness in thy creatures, my Maker, Benefactor, Proprietor, Upholder.
Thou hast produced and sustained me, supported and indulged me, saved and kept me; Thou art in every situation able to meet my needs and miseries. May I live by thee, live for thee, never be satisfied with my Christian progress but as I resemble Christ; And may conformity to his principles, temper, and conduct grow hourly in my life. Let thy unexampled love contrain me into holy obedience, and render my duty my delight. If others deem my faith folly, my meekness infirmity, my zeal madness, my hope delusion, my actions hypocrisy, my I rejoice to suffer for thy name. Keep me walking steadfastly towards th country of everlasting delights, that paradise--land which is my true inheritance. Support me by the strength of heaven that I may never turn back, or desire false pleasures that wilt and disappear into nothing. As I pursue my heavenly journey by thy grace let me be known as a man/woman with no aim but that of a burning desire for thee, and the good and salvation of my fellow men.
(From Valley of Vision, 212-13)

The Gospel Alphabet: "O" for "Obedience"

“O”—Obedience

The Gospel calls forth obedience (Rom 1:5) in at least 3 ways:

(1) we must obey the Gospel by believing and receiving this Good News (Jn 6:29).

(2) the faith that saves works itself out in obedient living by God’s empowering grace (Phil 2:12-13).

(3) we are to obey Jesus’ command to bring this Gospel to the nations (Matt 28:18-20).

In our ministries of teaching and formation these calls to obey the Gospel must be clear and unmistakable.

Sunday, August 21, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "N" for "Narrative"

“N”—Narrative

We must ever study the Gospel because it is the summit and summary of the great narrative of God’s redemptive activity in the world. It is into this Story that we have been called.

In an age when many deny the existence of a single metanarrative that applies to all persons it is more important than ever that we know the biblical narrative and tell it faithfully to others, asking God to convince hearers as we do so that this is their Story as well.

Indeed, this is our story, this is our song, praising our Savior (the main point of the Story), all the day long.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "M" for "Mission"

“M”—Mission

We must continually learn and teach the Gospel so that we may not lose sight of the great work that God is doing in our world. God is actively engaged in the wondrous work of reconciling all things to himself. It was for this that the Son of God came: God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself (2 Cor 5:19).

And this work continues in and through us, the body of Christ, gathered and dispersed throughout the world. The very work for which the Father sent the Son, the Son has now sent his church to continue (Matt 28:18-20; Jn 20:21).

And he promises to be with us always. Being in his presence must be taken as seriously as doing the work of mission, for mission can only have power when Christ is indwelling us and we him.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Sermon for August 21: "Desperate Faith" Part 2 (Luke 5:17-26)

Please be in prayer for our service Sunday as we look at another person (and his friends) who are desperate for the Lord Jesus Christ. To be sure, Luke is setting us up for Jesus' statement in 5:32: I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

In other words, Jesus will not save the "self-righteous," and self-sufficent. He only saves those who come to terms with their sin and desperate situation before a holy God.

Interestingly, situated between the accounts of the desperate leper (5:12-16) and the desperate paralytic (and his desperate friends) (5:18-26) stands the Pharisees and the teachers of the law (5:17). This group has it together. They aren't desperate; why should they be? All their "i's" are dotted and all their "t's" are crossed theologically and morally.

No one was more religious, moral, or zealous for the Law of God than the Pharisees. And yet, Luke wants us to see that it's only the desperate who can benefit from the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Pharisees are left out in the cold. Their righteousness will not deliver.

Indeed, Jesus says elsewhere, For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20).

He tells Nicodemus, a Pharisee, (and ruler of the Jews), unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).

No wonder we are desperate. If the Pharisees can't make it with their religious commitment, who can? Only those who understand this and come desperate to the Lord Jesus Christ in repentant faith.

The Gospel Alphabet: "L" for "Love"

“L”—Love

The Gospel is the revelation of God’s abounding love: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). We need to immerse ourselves and the saints we serve in that Good News.

The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, for example, is an ongoing reminder of Christ crucified (1 Cor 11:26). God’s Gospel love also calls forth love as response. The Lord’s Supper both declares God’s love and demands that we love one another in turn (1 Cor 11:27).

The Apostle John makes this clear. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another (1 Jn 4:10-11).

And again he writes, We love because he first loved us (1 Jn 4:19). To see love grow in the hearts of God’s people and reach to their neighbors, we must school them continuously in the Gospel of love.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "K" for "Knowledge"

“K”—Knowledge

We continually learn the Gospel, even as believers, because the Gospel is the revelation of the knowledge and wisdom of God. Though the message of Christ crucified seems foolish to many in this age, to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:23-24).

The Gospel is a message of wisdom among the mature (1 Cor 2:6), a message that is God’s secret wisdom that has been hidden for ages (1 Cor 2:7). But God has revealed it to us by his Spirit (1 Cor 2:10). Who has known the mind of the Lord that he would instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16). To grow in the knowledge of God’s wisdom, grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, then, let us remain steadfast in the Gospel.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "J" for "Jealousy"

J”—Jealousy:

We learn and teach the Gospel because we are called to be jealous for those we serve. The apostle Paul declared to the Corinthians, I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband, to present you as a pure virgin to Christ (2 Cor 11:2).

Indeed, God himself is a jealous God (Exod 20:5). True love that is covenant based is properly jealous concerning the parties in that covenant. We must keep the true Gospel before the eyes of those whom we teach and serve so that they will avoid what Paul feared for the Corinthians—that is, that they should be deceived by the serpent’s cunning and somehow be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ (2 Cor 11:3).

Deeper acquaintance with the true Gospel will help believers recognize and reject the preaching of another Jesus and a different Gospel (2 Cor 11:4).

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Trinity and Our Salvation

Let us never forget that our salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ is a salvation that brings us to the Father. Yes, Jesus is THE way, the truth, and the life; but let us understand that Jesus is the way to the Father.

I love the way Douglas Wilson states it in a recent article of his, "All of Christ for All of Life: Foundations."

Wilson writes: The Father is our destination, Jesus is the road, and the Spirit carries us down that road.

What a mighty Redeemer God we worship: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

One Atheist's Confessed Reason for Rejecting Christianity: His Love of Sin

Aldous Huxley (26 July 1894 – 22 November 1963) was a widely read English writer and famous atheist of the early to mid 20th century. He once freely confessed that his rejection of Christianity was motivated by his desire to sin.

He wrote: I had motives for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had not; and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning for this world is not concerned exclusively with the problem of pure metaphysics; he is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants to....For myself...the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of liberation, sexual and political (Ends and Means, pp. 270, 273).

The Gospel Alphabet: "I" for "Intimacy"

“I”—Intimacy:

Through the Gospel we’re invited into a living relationship with the living God. In the love proclaimed at the heart of the Gospel, God has adopted us into his family.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called the children of God, and that is what we are” (1 Jn 3:1). The Holy Spirit empowers us to believe the Good News and is sent into our hearts, enabling us to cry, “Abba, Father” (Gal 4:6).

Rehearsing the Gospel in our worship, teaching, preaching, fellowship, and service helps us to nurture and celebrate this unfathomably intimate relationship.

Monday, August 15, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "H" for "Hope"

“H”—Hope

We center on the Gospel because it is the source of our hope. In the face of a broken world and indwelling sin, the Gospel is a great and steadfast hope, and from this hope springs forth faith and love sufficient for each day (Col 1:5).

Diminished “Gospels” may promote easy believism on the one hand, but may put the burden of salvation back on our shoulders rather than locating and leaving it in the hand of God.

This parody of hope isn’t certain. But the glorious Gospel is a blessed hope indeed (Titus 2:13), an anchor for the soul (Heb 6:19). Christ in us is the hope of glory (Col 1:27). This is the hope held out in the Gospel (Col 1:23).

With such a hope fixed within our hearts—based upon the certainty that God has made us his children and the confidence that we will be with Christ and like him forever—we long for and labor toward becoming more like him even now (1 Jn 3:1-3).

The Good We Do: All of Grace

I spoke of "see saw" theology yesterday in the sermon. On a see saw, two parties can't be up at the same time. When humanity is exalted, God is brought low. When God is exalted, humanity is brought to its proper place.

In light of that thought, here's a statement by Matthew Henry to humble us and exalt God as we begin our week:

Whatever good we do, we must look upon it as the performance of God's promise to us, rather than the performance of our promise to him (Judges to Job).

Sunday, August 14, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "G" for "Grace"

“G”—Grace:

We need to consistently learn and teach the Gospel because a Gospel-centered focus leads us to a Grace-centered focus.

When we drift from the Gospel, we lapse into either “antinomianism” (the erroneous thought there is no need for the law in the Christian life) or legalism (the erroneous thought that it is through my obedience to the law that I earn favor).

Let us then ever study the glorious Gospel that we may stand fast in the true grace of God (1 Pet 5:12) and may indeed “grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forevermore” (2 Pet 3:18).

Saturday, August 13, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "F" for "Fidelity"

“F”—Fidelity:

Faithfulness to the true Gospel calls for ongoing study and obedience. As well, it demands watchfulness, lest false Gospels be introduced. The battle against counterfeit Gospels has always been an issue in church life (see Paul’s, Peter’s, Jude’s, and John’s ministries). Like Paul we must resolve not to tolerate other “Gospels”, even if it comes from a heavenly angel (Gal 1:6-9).

Only a consistent learning and reviewing of the Gospel can ensure that we will be astute enough to separate the chaff from the wheat.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Sermon for August 14: "Desperate Faith" (Luke 5:12-16)

Please be in prayer for our service on Sunday as we consider the desperate plight of the leper. Of course, Luke is proving the claims that Jesus made when he preached his sermon in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-27). That is, Jesus, the anointed one, has to come usher in the Lord's favor to the poor, captive, blind, and oppressed (4:18).

At this point in the narrative, Jesus has delivered the possessed, healed the sick, preached the kingdom to the crowds (4:31-44), and called out Peter (and James and John) from his idolatrous life to follow him (5:1-11).

Now a desperate man with the desperate condition of leprosy comes urgently, humbly, and boldly to Jesus for healing and cleansing.

Indeed, Jesus has demonstrated his authority and glory as the Son of God (3:38).

In light of this, the leper recognizes two things: 1. Jesus' authority and glory; 2. the leper's own desperate condition.

It's in knowing these two truths that precipitates desperate faith for the leper. It wasn't a comfortable place for the leper; but it was the safest place.

Truth be known, we are no less desperate than the leper. Prosperity, health, and creature comforts mask this condition for us. Let's learn from the leper.

The Gospel Alphabet: "E" for "Evangelism"

“E” for Evangelism.

The Gospel is not only food for believers; it is also the saving medicine for those who haven’t yet believed. And we are compelled by the love of Christ to declare this Good News to all people. As witnesses to the Gospel (Acts 1:8), we shall be called upon to testify. When we are, we must be sure to get the message of the Gospel right for there are many counterfeit “Gospels” in the world.

Furthermore, remember: the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Rom 1:16). It's the only saving message we have. It's also the only saving message we need. Amen!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "D" for "Depth"

“D”—Depth.

We don’t move from the milk of the Gospel to the meat of something else. Rather, we move from the milk of the Gospel to the meat of the Gospel.

Indeed, Paul, after concluding his section on the “tender mercies” of the Gospel and preparing to move on to its implications for living, concludes his argument in awe and wonder: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom of the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” (Rom 11:33).

The wonder of how deep and powerful the Gospel—most notably as it works in the believing heart—is well stated in this Puritan prayer titled “The Gospel Way”:
Blessed Lord Jesus,
No human mind could conceive or invent the Gospel. Acting in eternal grace, thou art both its messenger and its message, lived out on earth through infinite compassion, applying thy life to insult, injury, death, that I might be redeemed, ransomed, freed. Blessed be thou, O Father, for contriving this way, Eternal thanks to thee, O Lamb of God, for opening this way, Praise to thee, O Holy Spirit, for applying this way to my heart. Glorious Trinity, impress the Gospel on my soul, until its virtue diffuses through every faculty; Let it be heard, acknowledged, professed, felt
.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "C" for "Contextualization"

“C”—Contextualization.

Paul was determined to become all things to all people for the sake of the Gospel (1 Cor 9:19-23). He knew that the Gospel will take on different forms in different cultural settings. Yet when we communicate the Gospel to others, we may be guilty of confusing it with our own cultural trappings. For example, some missionaries have been guilty of imposing their Western cultural forms on those to whom they carried the Gospel. This reflects a lack of discernment about which aspects of our own Christianity are truly Gospel-driven and transcultural, and which are culturally driven and therefore variable.

To help us avoid such an error, its crucial that we continually study the heart of the Gospel so that may discern and distinguish the treasure we bear from the jars of clay in which we bear it (2 Cor 4:7).

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "B" for "Belief"

B”—Belief. We must continually teach and learn the Gospel because even Christians struggle to truly believe God’s Good News. The message of the cross is both countercultural and counterintuitive.

To the world it is foolishness and weakness. To our flesh it is simply too good to be true. And the Devil—the accuser—continually speaks a contradictory word to our hearts. Hearing all this we, with knowledge and awareness of our sins and failures, struggle to believe the Gospel. To believe it at a deep level, with an appropriate appreciation of all that it implies, is a lifelong task. We must hear it again and again and ask God to seal its truth on our hearts.

Lord, I believe, but help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). God answers this request through the Gospel.

Monday, August 8, 2011

The Gospel Alphabet: "A" for "Alignment"

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul teaches us that the doctrine of the Gospel is "of first importance." He writes: 1 Cor 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you- unless you believed in vain.3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures

As I often say, gleaning from Pastor Timothy Keller, the Gospel is not merely the ABC’s of the Christian life; rather, it is the A to Z of the Christian life.

In keeping with this notion, J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett in their recent book, Grounded in the Gospel (108-116), have offered what they call the Gospel Alphabet—26 reasons (drawing from the alphabet) why the Gospel must retain pride of place in our families, churches, and personal walks.

Over the next several days, I will be sharing this alphabet with you. Today we come to the first letter: A.

The “A” is alignment. That is, we must continually learn and study the Gospel because it is to be the “plumb line” for all our doctrine and living. We are to measure all our teaching to ensure that it corresponds to the glorious Gospel of God (1 Tim 1:11). If our teaching about God, humanity, sin, salvation, the church, last things, and any other doctrine we teach does not accord with the Gospel then they must be rejected.

So, we see a reason in this why Paul would say the Gospel is "of first importance."

Sunday, August 7, 2011

The Importance of Gospel Delight

Per Scotty Smith, here is the full quote from John Flavel on the importance of delighting in the Gospel. I partially quoted it this morning in my sermon. I think you will find it penetrating and insightful.

John Flavel was one of the main influences in Charles Spurgeon’s spiritual formation in the gospel. This statement will give you insight as to why:

Ecstasy and delight are essential to the believer’s soul and they promote sanctification. We were not meant to live without spiritual exhilaration, and the Christian who goes for a long time without the experience of heart-warming will soon find himself tempted to have his emotions satisfied from earthly things and not, as he ought, from the Spirit of God. The soul is so constituted that it craves fulfillment from things outside itself and will embrace earthly joys for satisfaction when it cannot reach spiritual ones. The believer is in spiritual danger if he allows himself to go for any length of time without tasting the love of Christ and savoring the felt comforts of a Savior’s presence. When Christ ceases to fill the heart with satisfaction, our souls will go in silent search of other lovers. By the enjoyment of the love of Christ in the heart of a believer, we mean an experience of the “love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us” (Rom. 5:5). Because the Lord has made himself accessible to us in the means of grace, it is our duty and privilege to seek this experience from Him in these means till we are made the joyful partakers of it.

Saturday, August 6, 2011

The Vanity of Prospering Without God

To prosper in sin is the greatest tragedy that can befall a man this side of hell. Envy not such a one his pomp any more than you would a corpse his flowers (17th century English poet, John Trapp).

Friday, August 5, 2011

Sermon for August 7: "The Making of a Disciple" (Luke 5:1-11)

Please be in prayer for our service Sunday as we consider the process Jesus took Peter through to teach him about true discipleship.

Of course, the key to all true discipleship is beholding the glory and majesty of the Lord Jesus.

This is exactly what Peter experienced after Jesus led Peter to the greatest catch of fish of his life in the middle of the day, no less--which was virtually impossible from the human perspective. As Norval Geldenhuys comments:

This miracle spoke to Peter in a very special manner. For he was a fisherman by trade and knew how humanly impossible it was to catch fish successfully in the lake in the early morning hours. The Lord's revelation of power in the field of Peter's own particular calling--the trade of a fisherman--consequently made a very powerful impression on him. That is why it was precisely after this event that he fell down before the Saviour with an overwhelming sense of His superhuman, divine glory and with a deep realization of his own utter sinfulness (The Gospel of Luke, 182).

Mark this down: all discipleship begins this way. It begins with seeing the glory of Christ and being stirred to respond to him in repentance and faith.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

The Infinite Glory of Our God

I've always loved this poem by Hildebert, the 12th century Archbishop of Tours. Read it, muse on it, let it stir you to worship the living God.

First and Last of faith's receiving,
Source and sea of man's believing,
God, whose might is all potential,
God, whose truth is truth's essential,
Good supreme in thy subsisting,
Good in all thy seen existing;
Over all things, all things under,
Touching all, from all asunder;
Centre thou, but not intruded,
Compassing, and yet included;
Over all, and not ascending,
Under all, but not depending;
Over all the world ordaining,
Under all, the world sustaining;
All without, in all surrounding,
All within, in grace abounding;
Inmost, yet not comprehended,
Outer still, and not extended;
Over, yet on nothing founded,
Under, but by space unbounded;
Omnipresent, yet indwelling....

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Why Do We Need Consistency in Corporate Worship?

Why do we need to be regular and consistent in corporate worship? Certainly not because it impresses God or earn points with him. But think about it this way:

Through the preaching of the gospel, baptism, teaching, and the Lord’s Supper, the Triune God creates an oasis in the desert. God uses these means not only to teach us about the new creation but to actually create it….The means of grace…are God’s strategies for delivering Christ to us and to the world (M. Horton, Gospel Commission, 178).

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Do We Display the Christian Grace of Humility?

A truly Christian love, either to God or men, is a humble, brokenhearted love. The desires of the saints, however earnest, are humble desires: their hope is a humble hope; and their joy, even when it is unspeakable, and full of glory, is a humble, brokenhearted joy, and leaves the Christian more poor in spirit, and more like a little child, and more disposed to a universal lowliness of behavior (Jonathan Edwards, Religious Affections, Yale, 1959, pp. 339f.).

An Evangelical Failure

We Evangelicals have failed to pass on to our young people an orthodox form of faith that can take root and survive the secular onslaught. Ironically, the billions of dollars we’ve spent on youth ministers, Christian music, publishing, and media has produced a culture of young Christians who know next to nothing about their own faith except how they should feel about it (Michael Spencer, quoted in Grounded in the Gospel, J.I. Packer and Gary Parrett, 51).

Monday, August 1, 2011

31 Biblical Virtues to Pray for Your Children

1. Salvation—"Lord, let salvation spring up within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." (Isa. 45:8; 2 Tim. 2:10)

2. Growth in Grace—"I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." (2 Pet. 3:18)

3. Love—"Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them." (Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:2)

4. Honesty and Integrity—"May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection." (Ps. 25:21)

5. Self-Control—"Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do." (1 Thess. 5:6)

6. Love for God's Word—"May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." (Ps. 19:10)

7. Justice—"God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do." (Ps. 11:7; Mic. 6:8)

8. Mercy—"May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful." (Luke 6:36)

9. Respect (for self, others, and authority)—"Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands." (1 Pet. 2:17)

10. Biblical Self-Esteem—"Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus." (Eph. 2:10)

11. Faithfulness—"Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts." (Prov. 3:3)

12. Courage—"May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions." (Deut. 31:6)

13. Purity—"Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions." (Ps. 51:10)

14. Kindness—"Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1 Thess. 5:15)

15. Generosity—"Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." (1 Tim. 6:18-19)

16. Peace-Loving—"Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace." (Rom. 14:19)

17. Joy—"May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit."
(1 Thess. 1:6)

18. Perseverance—"Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them." (Heb. 12:1)

19. Humility—"God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all." (Titus 3:2)

20. Compassion—"Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion." (Col. 3:12)

21. Responsibility—"Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load." (Gal. 6:5)

22. Contentment—"Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength." (Phil. 4:12-13)

23. Faith—"I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them." (Luke 17:5-6; Heb. 11:1-40)

24. A Servant's Heart—"God, please help my children develop servant's hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men." (Eph. 6:7)

25. Hope—"May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Rom. 15:13)

26. Willingness and Ability to Work—"Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord and not for men." (Col. 3:23)

27. Passion for God—"Lord, please instill in my children a soul that 'followeth hard after thee,' one that clings passionately to You." (Ps. 63:8)

28. Self-Discipline—"Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair." (Prov. 1:3)

29. Prayerfulness—"Grant, Lord, that my children's lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers." (1 Thess. 5:17)

30. Gratitude—"Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Eph. 5:20; Col. 2:7)

31. A Heart for Missions—"Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see Your glory declared among the nations, Your marvelous deeds among the peoples." (Ps. 96:3)
© Bob Hostetler. Used with permission. www.ReviveOurHearts.com Info@ReviveOurHearts.com