Prayers for Palm Sunday

Prayer of Praise

            Almighty God, we lift our voices in thanksgiving and praise for the King of  kings and Lord of lords, your Son Jesus Christ. We praise you that He has ascended on high and sits at your right hand. We praise you that he is making all his enemies a footstool for His feet and he is breaking in pieces the kings that rule the earth. We thank you that he is an eternal priest after the order of Melchizedek, the anchor of our soul, sure and steadfast, who sits behind the veil. Now O Lord we enter the Holy of Holies because of our great High Priest. We ask that you would touch our mouths with coals from your fire that we might lift our voices in praise to You. Hear our prayers and accept our worship through the shed blood of Christ we pray. Amen!

Prayer for Illumination: Ephesians 1:17-19

O Lord, Father of glory, we pray that you would grant to us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ. As we hear Your mighty Word read and preached open our blind hearts with the light of Your Spirit that we may know what is the hope of our calling, the riches of Your glory and the exceeding greatness of Your power toward us who believe. In the strong Name of our Redeemer we pray. Amen!

Eucharistic Prayers
Bread: King David

            Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it truly, right and good and our duty that we should at all times and in all places give You thanks and magnify Your Holy Name, therefore with the Angels, the Archangels and all the company of heaven we praise You saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Glory be to You, O Lord Most High.

            Everlasting Father We praise you for King David, the man after your own heart, the sweet psalmist of Israel who shepherded your people with integrity of heart and led them with skillful hands. In your mercy you took him from the hills of Bethlehem and gave him rule over Israel. We confess with King David, “Who are we that you have brought us this far, O Lord? And who is a great God like You O Lord? Truly there is none beside you. And what people is there like us whom you have redeemed from the power of the nations, Satan and sin. As we eat, grant us the faith of our father David, a faith that cut down giants and trusted in you in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death. We pray this through our great King, Jesus Christ, Amen!

Wine: Christ as King, Revelation

            Blessed are You Lord God for you promised to send one shepherd, to feed your people and lead them into green pastures and quiet waters. We praise for this good shepherd who has come and laid down his life for the sheep. We exalt your name for this Shepherd is the Son of God who was dead and now lives, whose eyes are like a flame of fire and whose feet are like brass. Who has the seven Spirits and the Key of David. We ask Almighty God that you would strengthen us as we drink that we may be counted among those who overcome so that in the end our Great Shepherd will clothe us in white garments and write on us the name of our God. This we pray through Christ our Savior. Amen

Five Goals for Shepherding Teenagers

Paul Tripp gives five specific goals each parent should have as they shepherd their teenagers.

1. Focusing on the Spiritual Struggle: Do not allow the seen to trump the unseen.

2. Developing a Heart of Conviction and Wisdom: Teach your children how to obey the Scriptures and to apply wisdom to those places that the Scriptures do not speak directly to.

3. Teaching a Teenager to Understand and Interact Redemptively with His Culture: He must neither reject the culture altogether or drink culture in without a second thought.

4. Developing a Heart for God in Your Teenager: There should be day to day evidence of your teenager's hunger for God.

5. Preparing Teenagers for Leaving Home: "This is the goal of all those years of parental labor."

Preparation for the Lord's Day: Part I

Worship is the grand event in the life of a Christian. Or at least it should be. Too often worship does not feel very grand. There are many reasons for this. However, one reason that is overlooked is our failure to prepare for worship. The Israelites were expected to be prepared for worship. We should prepare as well.  God does not want us to enter his presence with distracted minds, weary bodies, and cold hearts. He wants us to enter his house focused, rested, and with zeal. Our aim should be to bring him our best every Lord’s Day. Here are some suggestions to help you prepare for the Lord’s Service.

Preparation During the Week

1. Make sure you are doing family worship and/or personal devotions. In worship we sit underneath God’s Word, sing, and pray.  If your week does not have these things in them then worship will seem foreign. God’s Word will seem like a strange tongue to you. The prayers in worship will bore you instead of excite you. It will be hard.  To come into God’s house prepared you  must spend time in the Word, prayer, and song throughout the week.
2. Spend time during the week with members of your local church.  It is good to spend time with Christians from other churches. However, the priority should be on those from your local body. These are the ones you will worship with on Sunday. These are the ones who will sit under the word with you and pray with you.  These are the ones you will visit with following the service.  When you meet with them during the week, discuss the things of God. What are they learning from the Scriptures?  What do they remember about last week’s sermon?  What are they struggling with? Pray with them before you part ways. Then the bonds of Christian love will be strong when you meet before the Lord on Sunday.
3. Confess your sins during the week.  One of the greatest hindrances to Spirit filled worship is the failure to confess our sins.   We must regularly bring our sins before the Lord pleading the shed blood of Christ.  We must also confess our sins to each other. Do not enter God’s house with broken relationships. If you have sinned against someone, go to your brother and get forgiveness.
4. Work hard, so you will be ready for a day of rest. Remember we are to labor six days, not five. That doesn’t mean you have to work at your job six days. But it does mean Saturdays are not generally a day off.

Take Up and Read

Who is Planned Parenthood afraid of in 2012? Here is an interesting list.   I do not know everyone on the list. But any enemy of Planned Parenthood is a friend of mine.

Peter Leithart encourages us to tear a page out of Bible. Which one is it? Well check here to find out.

Kevin DeYoung reminds us that Calvinism does not make us cranky. Pride does.

Thabiti Anyabwile shows the various ways faith is shown in Hebrews 11. I really enjoyed this list. He makes a good point that real faith always expresses itself, but does so in many different ways.

Finally, here are some good words by D.A.Carson about his father. It struck me to the core and made me ask, yet again, what type of heritage am I leaving behind?

Biblical Justice Primer: Bearing False Witness

I have already discussed the need for Biblical law and Biblical judges. Now I want to turn to some specific changes that should be made to the American judicial system based on the Scriptures. The first change may seem odd, but I think it is essential.

Listen to the words of Deuteronomy 19:18-20
"And the judges shall make careful inquiry, and indeed, if the witness is a false witness, who has testified falsely against his brother, then you shall do to him as he thought to have done to his brother; so you shall put away the evil from among you. And those who remain shall hear and fear, and hereafter they shall not again commit such evil among you."

One problem with the American justice system is the failure to punish false witnesses. I would put those who bring frivolous lawsuits in the category of false witness. A man can bring a charge, ruin someone's reputation, spend thousands of dollars of taxpayer money, and get away free, even if he loses the case and is shown to have lied. I know their are perjury laws, but these do not compare with the Scriptures required punishment for  bearing false witness. The Scriptures place bearing false witness on par with adultery and idol worship. It is not a minor issue to lie about someone's character or about what they did. Therefore if a case is brought and someone is found to be lying or purposely trying to destroy a company or individually by deceit then whatever they wanted to happen to that company or person should happen to them.

Adopting this policy would do two things. First, it would greatly reduce someone's desire to bring frivolous lawsuits or to press charges when they are unsure of the other person's guilt. You are not going to testify against someone unless you are sure of what you are saying.  Two, it would give innocent defendant greater confidence that they will hear a not guilty verdict. When the incentive to lie is taken away the innocent are usually set free.

All We Need We Have

"We need to walk into the rooms of our teenagers saying to ourselves, 'I have everything I need to do what God has called me to do.' In these moments we can experience a little more of the inheritance of character that Christ has provided us through his death." (Paul Tripp,  Age of Opportunity)

Legalism and Worldliness: A Pastoral Approach

  Pastors are always fighting on two fronts: legalism and worldliness (antinomianism).  I would like to briefly address both of these.  I am going to approach it as a pastor, but it applies to parenting as well.

                Pastors should aim to make every man mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28)  This means that the flock should have a true and growing faith in Christ that shows itself in obedience to God's Word. However, we like to separate true faith in Christ from obedience to God's Word. This is where the problems come.  Let me explain.

                Some people emphasize obedience to God's Word. Some temptations for this particular group are a judgmental attitude, emphasis on outward behavior without concern for inward heart issues, and separating relationship from obedience.  This group is in danger of divorcing obedience from a true and growing faith in Christ. But of course, obedience which does not flow out of faith in Christ and is not for the glory of God is not true obedience.

                Others emphasize faith in Christ. They use the word "grace" like it is a magic charm. They love the word "love."  This group is not so concerned about obedience. In fact, for them obedience is usually a bad thing because it shows that you are trusting in your works and on your way towards legalism.   This group is in danger of divorcing faith in Christ from obedience to God's Word. But of course, faith that does not lead to obedience is not faith at all.

                My point is simple: We tend to drift to extremes. On one end is legalistic conformity to a law (usually our own) without faith and love. The other is worldliness in the name of grace and faith. Pastors should address both of these of temptations in their flocks.  Why? Because both the legalist and the worldly exist in every church, and often in every heart. 

                How should a pastor address these two groups?  By preaching and teaching all of God's Word, which will naturally address both legalism and worldliness and bring balance to the Christian life.  Let me give you two examples of how a pastor could address this.  

                First, anyone who preaches through a book of the Bible will have opportunities to address both legalism and worldliness. From Genesis to Revelation these two attitudes of the human heart are present. For example, I recently preached through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).  It begins with grace, the “poor in spirit,” and ends with obeying Jesus’ commands. (See Matthew 5:3 and 7:24-27) There is no divorce of grace and obedience, of faith and works.  Some books of the Bible might lean more heavily one way or another. If you want to specifically address legalism, Galatians might be a good choice. If you want to specifically address worldliness, I John would be a good choice.  But in Galatians you will find good works and in I John you will find faith in Christ. So any man who preaches regularly through books of the Bible will address both of these tendencies. If he doesn’t he is missing something.

Parents as Idol Worshippers

Paul Tripp in his excellent book  Age of Opportunity lists several idols that parents have.  He notes that these idols often keep them from effectively parenting their teens. Here is the list of idols with a brief explanation from Mr. Tripp.

Idol 1: Comfort
"Secretly in our hearts, many of us want life to be a resort. A resort is a place where you are the one who is served...I am afraid that many of us live for comfort and bring this entitlement mentality to our parenting...Scripture warns us that life is far from being a resort. Life is war."

Idol 2: Respect
"Is respect a good thing? Of course! Is it something that parents should seek to instill in their children? Yes! But it must not be the thing that controls my heart or I will personalize what is not personal, I will lose sight of my role as God's representative, and I will fight and demand what only God can produce."

Idol 3: Appreciation
"Children should appreciate their parents. Yet being appreciated cannot be our goal.  When it becomes the thing we live for, we will unwittingly look with hyper-vigilant eyes for appreciation in every situation...If parents have forgotten their own vertical relationship with God as they've ministered to their teens, if they think of it all as an 'I serve, you appreciate' contract between parent and child, they will struggle with lots of discouragement and anger during the teen years."

Idol 4: Success
"We tend to approach parenting with a sense of ownership, that these are our children and their obedience is our right...We begin to need them to be what they should be so that we can feel a sense of achievement and success.  We begin to look at our children as our trophies rather than God's creatures...When they fail to live to our expectations, we find ourselves not grieving for them and fighting with them, but angry at them, fighting against them, and, in fact, grieving for ourselves and our loss."

Idol 5: Control
"The goal of parenting is not to retain tight-fisted control over our children in an attempt to guarantee their safety and our sanity. Only God is able to exercise that kind of control.  The goal is to be used of him to instill in our children an ever-maturing self-control through the principles of the Word and to allow them to exercise ever-widening circles of choice, control, and independence."

Book Review: Just Do Something

Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God's Will by Kevin DeYoung
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent tonic to the "wait for God to tell me what to do" Christian life. DeYoung is clear, biblical, and funny. I had some minor disagreements here and there. But the main point of the book is one that every Christian needs to hear. God is not going to give you specific direction for every facet of your life. He is not going to tell you exactly who to marry or what job to take or what store to shop at. He gives us directions on how to be more holy, but not on what to do on Friday night. DeYoung especially speaks to all the passive males in the Christian world who stand around waiting for something to happen to them. I would encourage every man under 50 to read the book and every pastor or elder. It will free you from the paralysis of indecision.

View all my reviews

Prayers for 5th Sunday in Lent

Here are the prayers I composed for this coming Sunday's worship service. 

Prayer of Praise: I Corinthians

Lord God Almighty, who ordained before the ages your hidden wisdom, which was revealed in Christ. We confess that you have prepared for us what no eye has seen, nor ear has heard, nor heart has imagined. We give you everlasting thanks for the grace given to us in Jesus Christ. We praise you for your Spirit who has given to us the mind of Christ. Help us to render you true worship, knowing nothing except Christ and Him crucified, that our hearts may be refreshed by the many blessings which You give to your saints. These things we ask through the strong name of Christ, who lives and reigns...Amen!

Prayer for Illumination: Deut 11

Almighty God, Blessed are the blameless who walk in Your Law and seek you with their whole heart.  Give us grace this day to lay up these words we are about to hear in hears and in our souls.  Help us  to bind them on our hands and make them as frontlets between our eyes.  Help us to teach them with diligence to our sons and daughters and talk of them when we sit our houses, when we walk by the way and when we rise up.  And as Your Spirit gives us power to keep your commandments drive out our enemies from before our face that the nations may see the glory of the risen Christ.  We ask this in the name of Jesus our Rock and Redeemer. Amen! 

Eucharistic Prayers
Bread: Lamentations and the Fall of Jerusalem

            Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it truly, right and good and our duty that we should at all times and in all places give You thanks and magnify Your Holy Name, therefore with the Angels, the Archangels and all the company of heaven we praise You saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Glory be to You, O Lord Most High.

            We praise that you are a God who chastises your people. Long ago your people sinned against you by transgressing your covenant, forsaking your commandments and refusing to turn from their evil ways. You sent destruction upon them and the great holy city of Jerusalem sat lonely like a widow and wept bitterly because there was no one to comfort her. Yet because of your mercies she was not consumed for your compassions never fail; they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness, O Lord.  As we partake of this bread, grant us grace to receive your discipline and to wait quietly for your great salvation. For you are our portion and in you alone do we hope. In Christ’s Name, Amen!

Wine: The Garden of Gethsemane

            Everlasting Father, we glorify your Son Christ for that long night in Gethsemane. He was full of sorrow and exceedingly distressed, even to the point of death. All the disciples failed him, for the spirit is willing, but the flesh was weak. He pleaded to have the cup pass from him, but ultimately submitted to your will and for the joy set before Him endured the cross. Forgive us for taking for granted His great work on our behalf. Grant to us by Your Spirit grace to submit to your will and persevere to the end, not matter what the cost, that we might at the last day enter into your everlasting kingdom. In the Strong name 

Peter Leithart on Political Theology

Here is an interview Peter Leithart did with the Society for the Advancement of Eccelsial Theology.  I have not heard of this particular group before. However, the interview is very helpful. Dr. Leithart makes the simple point that the entire Christian life is political because we serve a King and live in a Kingdom that is not of this world. I especially enjoyed the phrase "Christians never have limited political capital."  I have reprinted the interview in full below.  It can be difficult in places, but I think you can get the main point. 

1. For those who are not familiar with your work, can you describe your contribution to the question of how the individual Christian and the Church relates to the State?

PL:  I have addressed church-state questions in many of my books, though obliquely rather than directly.  I have explored those themes in various books – The Kingdom and the Power, Against Christianity, and more recently my historical study, Defending Constantine, where I address church-state relations more directly.

But I am convinced that political concerns are inherent in theology.  Political theology is not some specialized branch of theology, but a dimension of all theology.  Politics is not simply about passing this legislation or electing that candidate.  Politics addresses questions about the distribution of power, and more broadly questions about the shape and future of a group.  Theology cannot help but address those questions, and do it all the time.  The Bible certainly deals with political questions like this.

So, even when I am not doing political theology, I am doing political theology.  Let me given a couple of examples of what I mean.  Ecclesiology has been a major focus of my work, and, as I see it, that bumps directly up against political questions.  The intimate connection between ecclesiology and politics has been obscured in modernity because the church has been marginalized and has allowed itself to be transformed into a sociologically invisible and politically innocuous religious group.  Scripture, by contrast, treats the church as a political entity in itself, each individual congregation as an outpost of the heavenly empire of a heavenly Emperor.   That means that the church and its claims about Jesus, sin, and salvation are political claims, necessarily.  I’ve also written a lot on sacramental theology, and I have had the same concerns in view.  Sacraments ritualize and represent the kind of community that the church is and aspires to be, and that again means that the sacraments inevitably have a political dimension.  I think in fact that the eclipse of sacramental consciousness and sacramental theology is one of the great political tragedies of the past several centuries of church history.  The Eucharist has been privatized and individualized, and that means it lacks the political edge – as the table of the kurios, the Lord – that it has in the New Testament.  How many wars among Christian nations would have been avoided if our sense of community had been shaped by being table fellows with one another?

2.  Richard Mouw and Carl F. H. Henry have suggested that the Church’s role is not coterminous with the responsibility possessed by individual believers.  Do you agree or disagree?

PL:  Yes, I think that is fairly obvious.  An individual believer might be a judge who sentences someone to prison or to death; the church as an institution can never do that. As always, though, the devil is in the details.  I don’t take that distinction to imply that the church as an institution has only an “indirect” political role, that it can never intervene in political affairs as the church.  Over the centuries, the church as an institution, or representatives of the church, have addressed political issues directly, without overstepping the bounds of churchly authority.  Ambrose rebukes Theodosius and denies him communion because of a rash and bloody military episode. During the middle ages, the church disciplined nobles who defied the truce and peace of God. I think it’s entirely proper for the church to speak as church to political injustices.

Sacrificing Like Christ

On Sunday I preached that we are to walk in love, which means that our lives are to be lives of giving, lives of sacrifice. This came from Ephesians 5:1-2 and also reflecting on Romans 5:6-8.  I then gave four ways we can know that we are learning to sacrifice like Christ.

1. We are learning to sacrifice without resentment. Sacrifice with bitterness is not sacrificing like Christ.

2. We are learning to sacrifice when there is nothing in it for us. If we have a "I do this for you, but you will do something for me" mentality we are not sacrificing like Christ. What can you give to Christ for what he has done for you? This is a great danger for parents who often give to their children in the hopes that the children will give back to them.

3. We are learning to sacrifice for those who do not deserve it.  Let's state the obvious: Jesus gave for those did not deserve, you and me.  Go and do likewise. It is a great twisting of grace to only give to those who we think deserve it.

4. We are learning to sacrifice with joy.  A sacrifice that is sour is a sacrifice tainted with sin.  This does not mean you ignore the difficulty of sacrificing for others. (See Jesus in the garden.) But it means that we should be glad to lay down our money, time, energy, and dreams for those around us.

Calvin's Influence on the Modern World: Part II

According to David W. Hall, here are the final five ways Calvin influenced the modern world.

1. Decentralized Politics: "Calvin shaped polity, which appeared to be either liberal or daringly democratic for its day, provided checks and balances, separation of powers, election by the residents, and other elements of the federal structure that would later be copied as one of Geneva's finest exports."

2. Parity Among All Professions: "Another of the culture-shaping aspects of Calvin's thought was his emphasis on the sacredness of ordinary vocations. Before Calvin and the Protestant Reformation, the doctrine of vocation or calling was thought to be exclusively for the clergy. However, Calvin's view of work as having inherent dignity given by our Creator elevated all disciplines and lawful vocations to the status of holy callings.  One could, after Calvin, be called to medicine, law, or education just a a clergyman was called to serve the church."

3. Economics and Profit: "Wherever Calvinism spread, so did a love of free markets and capitalism.  If one valid measurement of leadership is its impact on its immediate environment, one might well compare the socio-economic difference in Geneva before and after Calvin...Prior to Calvin's immigration (1536), Geneva had 50 merchants, 3 printers and few, if any nobles.  By the late 1550s, Geneva was home to 180 merchants, 113 printers and publishers, and at least 70 aristocratic refugees who claimed nobility."

4. Music in the Vernacular: "One of Calvin's early initiatives was to translate music designed for use in public worship into the language of the day...Calvin wanted everyone who participated in worship, not only the clergy, to be able to understand and reiterate the truths of Scripture-this time in poetic structure. His democratizing of holy song and other elements of worship made parishioners participants in the divine liturgy; simultaneously, it also boosted the endeavors of artists."

5. The Power of Publishing Ideas: "If Martin Luther seized on the potential of the printing press, Calvin and his followers elevated the use of the press to an art form.  With the rise of the Gutenberg press, Reformers seized the new media with a vengeance to multiply their thought and action plans. Perhaps no first generation Reformer seized the moment quite like John Calvin...So successful was Calvin's city at spreading the message in print that all books published in Geneva were banned in France [which was Roman Catholic] beginning in 1551"

The Primacy of Grace

"At the very heart of the Protestant Reformation was the revival of Augustinian theology with its strong emphasis on the primacy of grace.  The Reformers believed that God took the initiative for humankind's salvation. In light of such a strong doctrine of grace the baptism of infants was quite understandable.  In fact,  the baptism of infants demonstrated very powerfully that our salvation rests not on any knowledge or work or experience or decision of our own, but entirely on the grace of God." (Hughes Old, Reformed Baptismal Rite, p. 139)

Take Up and Read

John Piper shows how grace takes a very practical priority in Paul's letters. He begins and ends each letter with grace. Pastor Piper tells us why this is important.

Over at Ligonier they discuss what Charles Spurgeon believed about unconditional election. Several of Spurgeon's quotes are pure gold.

Translating the Bible into various languages is one of the primary ways the Church reaches into lost countries and cultures.  Without a Bible in their own language people will have a difficult time learning about Christ and obeying his commands. However, there is always the danger that a translation will not be faithful to the text.  Some Islamic translations are attempting to make the Scriptures less offensive by removing the term "Son" when referring to Jesus. Gene Veith addresses that particular issue here.   And here is a lengthy note by a missionary on why this translating to accommodate a  particular culture is rotten.

I remember a pastor preaching on Proverbs 7 and adultery saying, "Dread the first step."  How many lives, marriages, and churches have been destroyed because men and women do not dread that first step?  They play with knives and wonder why they and those around them end up bleeding on the floor.  Andree Seu over at World Magazine describes how affairs often begin with a very small first step.

Here is a tribute to John Knox. One of my favorite men from the reformation. He is a great example of how clinging to Christ gives one courage.

Finally, Carl Trueman has great quote from B.B. Warfield, a professor at Princeton when it was still reformed.  The quote hits at the center of the Christian life; an understanding that we are saved by grace through no merit of our own.

Worship as Politics

"Worship is Political Science 101. In every worship service, the Christian ekklesia is renewed in her unique story and language,  her unique political experience and vocation.  Every worship service is a challenge to Caesar because every Lord's Day we bow to a Man on the throne of heave, to whom even great Caesar must bow...Every Lord's Day, the Church is reconstituted as a polity whose obedience is owed to Christ, and we are taught to name Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords." (Peter Leithart, Against Christianity, p. 67)

Why Worship is Political

1. In worship we declare Jesus to be the King of Kings. We say that Caesar must bow to Him. We say that Jesus rules right now, not the President or the Prime Minister or ever else may be sitting on the throne.

2. In worship, we offer prayers before the throne of God, as a body. We can pray anytime, but the corporate prayers of the saints have the ability to turn the hearts of kings. (See I Timothy 2:1-2) In worship we appeal to the one who holds the king's heart in his hands. (Proverbs 21:1)

3. In worship we come to hear and obey a law that is higher than our constitution. We declare that the Supreme Court or the UN does not have the final say in what is right or wrong. God's law is supreme.

4. In worship, we are reminded that in the end there will be only one city. There will not be Morgantown or Fairmont or West Virginia or the United States or Madagascar or Australia. In the end there will only be the Church, bought by the blood of Christ, sanctified by the Spirit, singing praise to the glory of the Father. (Revelation 5:9)

5. In worship, we are being prepared for and participating in that one final city, the heavenly city, where our citizenship lies. (Philippians 3:20) This is a city of song, fellowship, God's Word, water, bread and wine, and forgiveness of sins.

6. In worship, we are reminded that nations are converted not through fleshly power or coercion or swords, but through sacrifice. We are reminded that we are being saved because He died. If we want to be a witness then we too must learn to die. (Ephesians 5:1-2)

7. In worship, we sing the Psalms.  The Psalms are deeply political.  (Psalm 2, 45, 110, etc. )

There is more that could be said, but that is a good start.

Bucer on the Old Testament Sacraments

"One notices with great interest that Bucer has a very high understanding of the spiritual value of the Old Testament sacraments. They are not merely outward forms or ceremonies. They were ordained of God as signs of an inward and spiritual reality.  Bucer did not reject the Old Testament ceremonies on the same principle that he rejected many of the medieval ceremonies of the Church.  He did not consider them empty, meaningless ceremonies of merely human invention. The sacraments of the Old Testament were truly sacraments because they were divinely given.  For Bucer, the problem with the medieval ceremonies was that they were not commanded by God." (Hughes Old, The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the 16th Century, p. 127-128

Book Review: Wordsmithy

Wordsmithy: Hot Tips for the Writing Life by Douglas Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Douglas Wilson at his best; Funny, straight to the point, and practical. Filled with great advice on how to become the type of person who writes stuff that people want to read. I found my preaching was challenged as well. I cannot recommend it too highly for all those who long to write. But even for those who don't it is worth your time.

View all my reviews

Calvin's Influence on the Modern World: Part I

David W. Hall lists ten areas the modern world is different because of John Calvin. Here are the first five. 

  1. Education: Calvin broke with medieval educational practices by creating the Academy, a school where education was not restricted to the aristocratic elite. 

2.   Care for the Poor: Calvin elevated the office deacon to such a point that he felt that the deacons care for the poor was one of the essential signs that a reformation was taking place in the midst of the people. 

3.   Ethics and Interpretation of the Moral Law: “Calvin’s interpretation of the Ten Commandments as ethical pillars was widely influential for generations of character development…The law, then was as gracious as it was necessary. Such a fundamentally positive view of God’s law would become a distinctive ethical contribution of Calvinism.”

4.   Freedom of the Church: “A church free from external, hierarchical, or civil control was a radical and lasting contribution that Calvin made to the modern world.”

5.   Collegial Governing: “His 1561 exposition [of I Samuel 8] discusses the dangers of monarchy, the need for proper limitation of government, and the place of divine sovereignty over human governments…The character of Calvinism is exhibited in this (and other) sermons that advocated limited government.”

Take Up and Read

I want to bring to your attention two blog series that are worth following and a couple of regular posts that I enjoyed.

First, Kevin DeYoung belongs to the RCA, a denomination that is close to compromising on the homosexuality issue. His church is presenting an overture on sodomy. He is writing a series of posts this week on why and how sodomy must be fought in his denomination. Here is the first, second, and third posts in the series. Today he posted the overture that he will make to his classis (think presbytery).  These posts take a lot of courage. It is easy for those of us in denominations that reject sodomy to think what he is doing is easy. But it isn't.  DeYoung has been in this denomination his whole life. His family, going back a couple of generations, is from this denomination. His reputation has been forged preaching in RCA churches. No doubt, he will upset a lot of people for attacking this lie.

Second, Keith Mathison is one of my favorite writers and was very influential as I left Dispensational theology and came to covenant theology. He is doing a series of posts on eschatology over at Ligonier's blog. Here are the posts that are currently up:
Introduction
The Promise to Abraham
Blessings and Curses
The Davidic Covenant
Psalm 110

Here is a great post by Al Mohler on the challenges that will face the next generation of ministers. I would encourage you to note where he believes pastors will be tempted to compromise, places like evolution, sexuality, and the exclusivity of the Gospel.  Pray that the elders at Christ Church would not compromise on these particular issues.

Finally, here is wonderful praise from a man whose father sang with vigor in worship.  As I read, a couple of things struck me. First, fathers should remember that their approach to worship has a deep impact on their children. Second, the songs from worship should not be limited to worship. They should stretch out and fill the corners of our lives. Third, he speaks of hymns, but how much more should we sing the psalms with vigor. They are the very word of God.

Book Review: Age of Opportunity

Age of Opportunity: A Biblical Guide to Parenting Teens by Paul David Tripp
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of the best books I have read on shepherding older children. As I read it, I was constantly thinking about my own children and the congregation I serve. The book is really well-outlined, which allows for easy referencing after I was done reading. He did a good job of maintaining a proper biblical balance between focus on Christ, but not allowing this to obscure how teenagers should behave. One of the most important things he emphasizes is how much work and time good shepherding requires. This was a strength of the book. Yes, the teen years are a great opportunity to see your children grow in Christ. However, this opportunity requires great labor and dependence upon Christ. Highly recommended for all pastors and anyone who will be or is raising teenagers.

View all my reviews

Biblical Justice Primer: Righteous Judges

Last week I noted that any return to Biblical justice requires a return to God's Word as our standard. However, merely having our laws built upon God's Word is not enough. We must have the type of men behind the bench who will keep the laws.   I love to say, "We are only as good as the men who rule us." This is especially true of judges. Unrighteous judges used the law to convict Jesus. (See especially Matthew 26:59-68)  In order for godly laws to be effective we must have righteous men holding the gavel.

In Deuteronomy 1:16-17 and 16:18-20 Moses tells us what type of men the judges are to be.

1. They are not to show partiality. That is why lady justice wears a blindfold.  No matter who is coming before the judge he is to show the same amount of care in making a judgment on the case. It does not matter if the man is rich or poor, great or small. Justice must be dealt. In America, we have the rich getting special treatment in the courts because of their money. And the poor getting special treatment because we feel sorry for them. In a biblical system your economic status does not determine whether or not you get a fair trial.

2. They are to fear God and not man. This is why the loss of a higher law is the death of true justice. If there is no law above the judge, he will be more easily persuaded by other men. He will not look to the bar of God where he must give account. But instead will be pushed by politicians or lobby groups or his wife. A righteous judge, like the righteous master in Ephesians 6:9, knows that there is a judge in heaven to whom he must give an account. 

3. They must not take bribes.  Money or positions of influence or lobbyists or best friends must not influence a judge. He must adhere with the precision of a surgeon to the law. Money makes us blind. How many judges have been put in office because they promised to do this or to do that? How many bought their positions?  Bribes are wicked and where they exist true justice is absent.

A Thought Experiment: Assurance & Preaching

Assurance is a tricky thing in the Christian life. There are numerous ways we can gain assurance. With regards to assurance, there are two things I try to prevent: a false believer from thinking he is a real one and a real believer from thinking he is a false one. This is not easy, as false believers are not easily convinced of their true state and true believers often have great doubts. However, I think preaching in such a way that Christ's work and his commands are presented is the best way to guard against either error. Below I present two different types of preaching and what I think are the effects these types of preaching will have. I will admit it is simplistic and there are other things that could and should be added. But I think the main point will be clear. These thoughts were prompted as I preached through Ephesians 4:25-5:2.  

Here are the two preaching scenarios: In the first, there is a preacher who believes that he must preach Christ. His sermons focus around Jesus and his work on the cross. They focus on what he did to save us and redeem us. This preacher looks for Jesus in every text, including the Old Testament ones. The primary application to every one of his sermons is "Trust in Christ or keep trusting in Christ." He does not normally exhort men to be obedient. He thinks this will lead them to trust in themselves instead of Christ.  He does not preach against gossip or lying. He does not say that the sexual immoral will burn in the lake of fire. (Revelation 21:8) He sticks to what Jesus has done.He believes that if he does this men will turn from their sin as they trust in Christ.

The second man also wants to preach Christ. But he believes preaching Christ does not mean preaching only what Jesus has done upon the cross, but also how we should live because of what Jesus has done. He does not believe calling his flock to live obediently will necessarily lead to legalism.  So he preaches the crucifixion and resurrection as the only hope of mankind. But also preaches against gossip, lying, sexual immorality, pride, wrath, laziness and a host of other sins. He reminds his people that Christ has conquered those sins and that because they trust in him they are to be a new kind of people who are killing sin in their lives by the power of the Spirit.

Beowulf Quoted: Part II

Here are a few more of my favorite quotes from Beowulf.  This first I like because of the last line. The man of God should give no thought to his own life.

"Then in a fury, he [Beowulf] flung his sword away.
The keen, inlaid, worm-loop-patterned steel
was hurled to the ground: he would have to rely 
on the might of his arm. So must a man do 
who intends to gain enduring glory
in a combat. Life doesn't cost him a thought."

"...He who wields power 
over time and tide: He is the true Lord."

Here Hrothgar speaks after Beowulf has defeated both Grendel and his mother. I liked this quote because God and dripping blood show up together. That doesn't happen much in modern Christian fiction.
"....So I praise God
in His heavenly glory that I lived to behold
this head dripping blood and that after such harrowing
I can look upon it in triumph at last."

This scene reminds me of two Biblical scenes: Jonathan departing from David (I Samuel 20) and Paul departing from Ephesus in Acts 20:37-38. Why do men not form friendships like this much anymore?
"And so the good and grey-haired Dane,
that high-born king, kissed Beowulf
and embraced his neck, then broke down
in sudden tears. Two forebodings
disturbed him in his wisdom, but one was stronger: 
nevermore would they meet each other
face to face.  And such was his affection
that he could not help being overcome:
his fondness for the man was so deep-founded,
it warmed his heart and wound the heartstrings
tight in his breast."

Martin Bucer on Caring for the Poor

I really enjoyed reading Martin Bucer's book Concerning the True Care of Souls. It is pastoral theology at its best. His first three chapters are excellent as he discusses what is the Church and how Christ rules in the Church. Here is his definition of the Church from the first chapter:

"The church of Christ is the assembly and fellowship of those who are gathered from the world and united to Christ our Lord through his Spirit and word, to be a body and members of one another, each having his office and work for the general good of the whole body and all its members."

He then goes on discuss this definition in more detail.  After preaching on Ephesians 4:28 Sunday, I wanted to post the last four points Martin Bucer makes in his opening chapter.  He says that Christians should be sharing their possessions and then gives some rules for that sharing. I thought this was helpful in thinking about how to address needs in the body.  His points are in italics and my notes follow.

1. Christians have their fellowship not only in spiritual matters, but also in temporal ones. (Acts 4:32, 34, 35) His point here is a vital one. We often think of sharing in Scripture and prayer, which are of course important, but material possessions matter. Our love for the Church must be expressed in tangible, physical ways.

2. Christians dedicate themselves and their possessions to the help of the poor and the promotion of godliness. (II Corinthians 8:1-5)  Here Bucer puts up some fences around our aid. First, it must actually help the poor. Second it must promote godliness. Our aid cannot be such that it promotes ungodliness.  It is unbiblical to give money to subsidize laziness or drunkenness or any other form of sin. 

3. The sharing of Christians takes place in such a way that those in need are helped and the others not burdened. (II Corinthians 8:13-15) Bucer's point here is not that our giving shouldn't cost us. Our giving must be sacrificial and that means it should hurt. His point is that by giving we shouldn't make ourselves poor or others poor. It does no good to replace one poor person with another.

4. Anyone among the Christians who does not want to work and is a burden to the other people is not only not to be fed by the congregation, but also to be cast out as one whose life is disorderly. (II Thessalonians 3:11-13)  Bucer puts up one final fence around our giving. A man who is a financial burden to the Church, yet refuses to work should be kicked out of the Church. Of course, Bucer is assuming the man is physically capable of working.

Later this week I will answer the question: What is a legitimate need? When should we help and when should we not?

Beowulf Quoted: Part I

I have read Seamus Heaney's translation of Beowulf every winter for the past four years. Each time I read it I enjoy it more.  Beowulf belongs to the season when the wind is pounding, the temperatures hover around 25 degrees, and the snow whips into your face like ice spears.  I know some Beowulf readers swear by Chickering's translation. I have his on my shelf and will read him next year. However, this year is was Heaney's translation again.   Here are some of my favorite quotes from the poem.

"....Behavior that is admired
is the path to power among people everywhere."
 
"...Oh, cursed is he
who in time of trouble has to thrust his soul
in the fire's embrace, forfeiting help;
He has nowhere to turn. But blessed is he
who after death can approach the Lord
and find friendship in the Father's embrace."

"When Hrothgar arrived at the hall, he spoke,
standing on the steps, under the steep eaves,
gazing at the roofwork and Grendel's talon:
'First and foremost, let the Almighty Father
be thanked for this sight. I suffered a long
harrowing by Grendel. But the Heavenly Shepherd
can work His wonders always and everywhere.'"

Beowulf speaks to Hrothgar after Grendel's mother has attacked and killed one Hrothgar's men.
"Wise sir, do not grieve. It is always better
to avenge dear ones than to indulge in mourning.
For every one of us, living in this world
means waiting for our end. Let whoever can
win glory before death. When a warrior is gone
that will be his best and only bulwark.
So arise, my lord, and let us immediately
set forth on the trail of this troll-dam.
I guarantee you: she will not get away,
not to dens under ground nor upland groves
nor the ocean floor. She'll have nowhere to flee to
Endure your troubles today. Bear up
and be the man I expect you to be."

Quick Sermon Outline: Ephesians 4:28-30

My Translation

Let the one who is stealing, steal no longer

            But rather let him labor hard by means of working with his hands

                        So that he might have something to share with the one who has need. 

Do not let any corrupt/foul word come out of your mouth, but only what is good

            To build up according to the need

                        In order that it [the word] might give grace to the one who hears

      And do not grieve/pain the Holy Spirit of God

                        By whom you were sealed to the day of redemption

Points from verse 28

1. We earn through hard work, not from theft or chasing pipe dreams. 

2. We earn more so we might have more to give. 

3. There are often legitimate needs in the Body of Christ. Just because someone has a need does not mean they were lazy. 

4. The first line for meeting needs is the individual members of the body, not the deacons. 

Points from verses 29-30
1. Words are powerful. See Proverbs 18:21
2. Our words are to meet need of the moment. This requires wisdom, which in turn requires listening. 
3. Corrupt words grieve the Holy Spirit. One excellent way to not grieve the Spirit is to biblical language. This does not guarantee that your words are not corrupt, but it will help.

The Privilege of Preaching

Charles Hodge commenting on Ephesians 3:2:

"Paul esteemed the office of a messenger of Christ as a manifestation of the undeserved kindness of God towards him, and he always speaks of it with gratitude and humility. It was not its honours, nor its authority,  much less any emolument [payment] connected with it, which gave it value in his eyes; but the privilege which it involved of preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ.

Swatting Flies: Credo-Baptism and Young Children

I am a paedo-baptist. That means I believe that children of believing parents are born into the Covenant and therefore have a right to the covenant sign, baptism. However, I know many of you at Christ Church are Baptist and disagree with me on this particular point. Earlier this week Tim Challies posted a list of when baptist churches allow a child to baptized. I encourage you to read the post here. As I read the quotes from various churches questions began to buzz in my mind like so many flies.  So here is my attempt to swat at those flies. By the way, I love my Baptist brothers. This is not an attempt to start a fight, but rather I am trying to help you think more Biblically about your position. 

First and foremost, what is the biblical basis for putting off baptism until well after a profession of faith? Most churches on the list said they would not baptize a child solely on his profession of faith. (Ted Christman's was the exception. My guess is that Christman's church is not the norm in Baptist circles.) There must be a period of time until the child matures. Mark Dever's church in Washington D.C. implied that baptism should be put off until a child is out from underneath their parents' authority. Both John MacArthur's and John Piper's church said that a child must be eleven or twelve until they are baptized, no matter when they make a profession of faith.  My question is: Do they have a Bible verse for that? In the Bible as soon as a profession of faith is made the person is baptized. There is no waiting period for anyone. Peter and Paul were apparently not worried that a man's profession of faith might not be real. (See Acts 2:41, 8:12, 8:38, 16:15, 16:33, 18:8) Even Paul's baptism was only a few days past his conversion. (Acts 9:1-9 and 18) So again, why wait?

Trading One Pope for Another

Hubmaier [Another Anabaptist leader] "concludes by promising a sort of infallibility to the pious Christian who read with a clear conscience: 'Then judge in your own conscience and understanding according to the simple Word of God...and you can be well assured you will not err.' This short sentence is a clear statement of Hubmaier's understanding of how Scripture is to be interpreted. Hubmaier rejects both medieval Scholastic exegesis with its great respect for tradition and the classical Protestant method of exegesis. In its place he puts a very private sort of personal illumination." (Hughes Oliphant Old, The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the 16^th Century, p. 97)

A Church Free from Sin

"For the circle of Conrad Grebel [An Anabaptist leader], as for Muntzer, believer's baptism was the one key reform for the Church. If only those who gave evidence of a firm and mature faith were baptized, then the Church would be free from all kinds of impurities. Believer's baptism would be the effective sword used to separate the true Christian from Christendom." (Hughes Oliphant Old, The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the 16^th Century, p. 91)

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

Here is a wonderful list of six things that would be true of the Church if true reformation was to take place. J.I. Packer, like John Stott, has a gift for being clear and deep.

Toby Sumpter explains how the Reformation was an opening of the armory. A great post on what the Roman Catholic Church had done and how the reformers undid it.

How bad are things on the abortion/infanticide issue? There is an article in the Journal of Medical Ethics advocating "after-birth abortions."  Anyone who opposes this point of view is a "fanatic" who is destroying "academic discussion and freedom." Notice the tone the editor of the journal, Julian Savulescu, takes with those who are critical of the article. The systematic killing of children in the womb will lead inevitably to the systematic killing of children outside the womb. Honestly, Hitler is in rear view mirror. We passed him long ago.

Here is another article on abortion. Be warned.  It is has some language describing an abortion, which is graphic and heartbreaking.  In the article a man laments killing two out of three triplets after an IVF treatment. Several thoughts occurred to me as a I read the article. First, what are we to think of medical doctors who kill babies? Second, why do men have no say in whether a child is born or not, yet if it is born they must support him/her financially?  The logic of this escapes. Third, how many other men and women are crippled with the same grief and guilt, a grief and guilt that can only be remedied at the cross.