Singing & Slaying

Take Up and Read: Wednesday Edition

2012-02-01T10:07:00.002-05:00

Coal is close to the heart of many West Virginians. Since I make my home in West Virginia this photo gallery of coal operations around the world was interesting.

Here is Pastor Voddie Baucham on his invitation to Elephant Room 2, why he declined, the subsequent fallout and how race can push out orthodoxy.We need men like Pastor Baucham because he can confront black pastors who are heretics without race clouding the discussion.

In 2005 Peter Enns wrote a book that toed the line about Biblical inerrancy. Many felt the book opened the door to the Bible being fallible, though this may not have been Enns' intention. This eventually led to him leaving Westminster Seminary. Now he has written a book claiming that evolution and Christianity can coexist. (All you "there is no slippery slope" people need to take note.) Peter Leithart, who is a friend of Enns, takes him to task here and here. (Call it Peter vs. Peter brought to you by Peter.) The view that the early chapters in Genesis are not historical has gained considerable traction in "evangelical" circles lately. Tremper Longman is another man who has denied that Adam was a historical figure. This battle is not going away any time soon. I am grateful for Peter Leithart and the CRE (my denomination) which hold strongly to six-day creation.

Kevin DeYoung on why we should still have an evening service. Our church currently has only one per month. But DeYoung's points are worth thinking about. One question he doesn't address is "why has the church dropped the evening service?" The answer to this will tell us something how thinking in the church has shifted in last couple of decades. Has it dropped because our society has changed so much that getting to church twice on Sunday is now almost impossible?It is a logistical shift with people living further away from the place they worship? Or has it dropped because we have substituted discussion groups for preaching? Or has it dropped because we have become a lazier society that doesn't really want to show up at church twice in one day? It would be interesting to know why people stopped coming to the evening service and why churches stopped having them.

Here and here are some wonderful quotes from Doug Wilson's lectures at the Desiring God Pastor's Conference. He is my favorite teacher/pastor on the home and pastoral ministry.

Prayer in Worship

2012-01-31T05:30:00.000-05:00

On Monday I quoted James Jordan's first two theses from his book Theses on Worship. This morning I wanted to bring together his two points that worship is prayer and worship does not come naturally to make some observations about prayer in public worship.

1. Prayer should dominate the public worship of God's people. There should be many prayers in a worship service. They need not be long, but they must be frequent.

2. During worship, God's people should pray some prayers together. At our church we confess our sins with a corporate confession of sin that we all say. I would like to add more corporate prayers over the coming years. Anyone who doesn't like this should stop singing songs like, "Great is Thy Faithfulness" or "Come Thou Almighty King," which are both prayers.

3. Praying correctly and biblically is not something automatically inserted into a new believer's brain. Proper prayer is learned. Prayer is primarily learned in corporate worship. Those men who wish to pray in the public worship service must be well versed in the prayers and psalms in the Bible. Their prayers must be built on the foundation of God's Word. They would also be wise to have The Book of Common Prayer on hand, as well as Hughs Oliphant Old's book Leading in Prayer.

4. Learning to pray requires work.

R.L. Dabney on Public Prayer

2012-01-24T05:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I quoted from James Jordan's Theses on Worship. I want to now do several posts on prayer in the public worship of God's people, thus bringing together Jordan's first two points, worship is about prayer and worship is not natural.

Here are some quotes from R.L. Dabney on public prayer. It comes from the final chapter of his excellent book Evangelical Eloquence, which is a book on how to preach. These quotes will focus on the duty of the ministers, and I would add elders, to prepare for public prayer.

"I deem that the minister is as much bound to prepare himself for praying in public as for preaching. The negligence with which many preachers leave their prayer to accident[chance], while they lay out all their strength on their sermons, is most painfully suggestive of unbelief toward God and indifference to the edification of their brethren."

"The many blemishes which we hear in public prayers are to be traced to two sources: first, deficient piety, and second, deficient preparation."

Here are the six things Dabney believes we should remember about public prayer. The sentence in italics is my summary of Dabney's point.

1. The grace of prayer is to be secured only by a life of personal and private devotion. He who carries a cold heart into the pulpit betrays it not only to God, whose detection of it is inevitable, but almost surely to the hearers also. Powerful prayer in the pulpit comes from a holy life and much time in prayer outside the pulpit.

2. The pastor should remember that he is praying on behalf of the people, therefore his language should be simple, his petitions corporate, not private and he should make sure he is praying, not preaching. The pastor is to pray for the people, not for himself.

3. "The leader of the church's prayers shall present distinct and definite petitions, and these not too numerous....The leader of prayer should therefore speak as one who has an errand at the throne, a point to press to God." The prayers should be filled with specific requests for both the local body and the church at large.

4. "He who leads the devotions of others must study appropriateness of matter. He should ask himself what would be uppermost in the hearts of Christians at that time" Pastor should pray about those things which matter most to Christians.

5. The language of prayer should be well-ordered and considerate. He who speaks to the Searcher of hearts should beware how he indulges any exaggeration of words, lest his tongue should be found to have outrun his mind and to have "offered the sacrifice of fools."The pastor's prayers should be carefully thought out so he does not say things he will later regret or that offend the Lord.

6. "Above all should the minister enrich his prayers with the language of Scripture. Its inimitable beauty and simplicity, it is hallowed and sweet to every pious heart by a thousand associations. It satisfies the tastes of all; its use effectually protects us against improprieties; it was doubtless given by the Holy Spirit to be a model for our devotions." Pastoral prayers should be filled with language from the Bible.

Theses on Worship: Part I

2012-01-23T05:30:00.000-05:00

My own views on worship have shifted dramatically from my younger days. The book that started me thinking more biblically about worship was James Jordan's Theses on Worship. Jordan gets into your face and under your skin and forces you to reevaluate what worship is. I wanted to quote several of Jordan's theses here my blog. My hope is to introduce his ideas. Here are the first two theses from the book followed by some of his comments under that section.

1. God's house is a house of prayer
"The Lord's Day meeting of the Church is for prayer first and foremost. It is not for evangelism. It is not [for] entertainment. It is not for miracle, mystery or morality plays. It is not for an organ recital or a rock concert. It is not for intensive instruction. It is for prayer."

2. The faithful worship of the true God does not come naturally to fallen man.
"It is pervasively assumed today that worship is easy, and that it should be easy. There should not be anything hard about it. It should be easy to learn and easy to do. Says who...It takes practice to learn to dance. It takes practice to play the piano. It takes practice to learn to ride a bicycle. It takes practice to learn to tie your shoes. But when it comes to worship, what we hear is, 'No, no! May it never be! Worship must be easy.' What insanity is this?

A stranger comes to Church and says, 'My goodness. I don't know any of these psalms. I don't know when to stand and when to kneel and when to sit. I'm confused. I'm out of step. I don't feel like I belong here.' Well, what do we say? 'Aw gee, we're so sorry. We'll just take out all the beauty and form of worship and we won't do anything that you in your total ignorance won't appreciate.' Yes that's what the modern conservative, evangelical Church says.

But that is not what we should be saying. What we should say is this: 'That's right. Worship is an art, something beautiful done before God's throne for His glory. We had to learn how to do it, and if you come into the Church, we'll teach you how as well. Anything that is good and wonderful takes effort, and our worship is not something we do sloppily and with backs of our hands. Worship is something we cultivate, and it takes practice and patience to learn it.' That is what we should say, and if we loved men, it is what we would say. After all...true worship is good for men; while sloppy worship is destructive."

Pursuing Hospitality: What If I Am Single?

2011-12-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

What about those young men or women who are not married? Can they still practice hospitality? The answer to this is clear. Yes and they must. The command in Romans 12:13 is to all Christians, not just the married. However, there are can be some difficulties practicing hospitality when you are not married. Let me give a few bits of advice for those who are single. Much of this could also apply to couples who are limited in their space.

First, for young women and men still living at home. Make sure you are actively engaged in helping your parents with their hospitality. Do not stand by and let your parents do all the work. Do not assume that since you are now fifteen We learn best by doing.

Second, if you live on your own or with parents who do not share your convictions, you will have to think outside the box when it comes to hospitality. Most singles (and young couples) do not have room at their home/apartment to entertain a family. Or they may still live at home and this prevents them from just inviting people over. To fulfill this command they are going to have to do things a little differently. You could offer to bring a meal to a family’s house and eat it with them. Most families would love this. As a single man or woman, you could take a couple or family out to a restaurant for a meal. During the summer you could meet a family at a park with hotdogs, etc. and grill for them. When you are invited over to a home offer to bring some food or drink. As a single person you will have to find ways to practice hospitality that do not always involve your home. Do not be afraid to take initiative.

Third, watch hospitality in action. When you are invited to a home, observe and take mental notes about how things are done. Learn from the families around you so that you are ready to fill their shoes when the time comes.
Finally, do not forget other singles of the same sex. If you are a young man, invite young men to your home or apartment and cook them a meal. If you are a lady, living on her own or with a roommate, invite other ladies and serve them a meal. It may feel odd at first, but it is still hospitality.

I Don't Sin and Don't Hang Out With People Who Do

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

Here is another quote from John Calvin on the call of Matthew. His point is clear hypocrites do not understand the depth of their own sin and therefore they refuse to be counted among the wicked.

"Hypocrites, being satisfied and intoxicated with a foolish confidence in their own righteousness, do not consider the purpose for which Christ was sent into the world, and do not acknowledge the depth of evils in which the human race is plunged, or the dreadful wrath and curse of God which lies on all, or the accumlated load of vices which weighs them down. The consequence is, that they are too stupid to feel the miseries of men, or to think of a remedy. While they flatter themselves, they cannot endure to be placed in their own rank, and think that injustice is done them, when they are classed with transgressors." (John Calvin, Commentary on the Harmony of the Gospels, p. 401-402)

Pursuing Hospitality: What About Non-Christians?

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

One of the great difficulties for many of us is that we have friends or family members that are non-Christians. How do we practice hospitality towards those who are not believers? Each situation is different and will require wisdom, but here are some basic guidelines. If you have questions about a specific situation then should to talk to your elders.

First, showing hospitality to non-believers can be a good way to evangelize. There is no better picture of the gospel than eating and drinking with sinners. But do not use the meal as a way to “spring the gospel on them.” If you invite them over for a meal, invite them over for a meal. Don’t tell them it is a meal and the try to slide the gospel in the backdoor. That way they know what they are getting into and don’t feel duped. Of course, if the opportunity arises to talk about Christ take it. Just don’t force it.

One of the best ways to show people Christ is by inviting them into your home and letting them see your daily living. This would include prayer before meals, family worship, discipline of the children, love for your wife, etc. In other words, if someone comes in to your home for an evening they should see Christ preached through the way you live. You should pray that this would eventually open a door for you to preach Christ with your words.

Second, you should not generally invite someone into your home who claims to be a Christian, but is living in open unrepentant sin. Do not sit down at a table, pretending the person is a brother or sister in Christ, while they are engaged in high handed rebellion against God. I Corinthians 5:9-11 makes this clear. It can be difficult to determine how far to take these verses. If you have questions again you can talk to your elders.

Third, you should not invite over non-Christians who are promoting their non-Christian worldviews, especially if you have young children. I would invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian. However, I would not invite over a sexually immoral non-Christian who wanted me to join them in their sexual immorality or worse was interested in getting my children to see things their way. Usually, this is not the case. Most non-Christians you invite into your home will know you are a Christian and will respect that. However, as our society becomes more anti-Christian do not be surprised if non-Christians try to persuade your children or you on your own turf. If the person is recruiting for the world, you should be cautious in inviting them in.

Fourth, you should be cautious about going and eating dinner with non-Christians in their home. When you go into someone’s house you are subject to their rules. There may be occasions where this is okay. But I would normally advise against it, especially if the pagan is recruiting for the world. Try to invite them into your home or go to dinner with them at a restaurant instead.

Finally, the priority in your hospitality should be Christians. Rhese two verses make that point: John 13:35 and Galatians 6:10. If you can minister to non-believers you should. But if you have to make a choice, and some of us do, then invite over Christians. As John 13:35 points out, this is evangelism.

Pursuing Hospitality: Next Five Principles

2011-12-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here are the next five principles for hospitality. For the first five you can see this post.

Sixth, practice makes perfect. Your first attempts at hospitality can be awkward. The food may not turn out. The conversation may fall flat. You might forget obvious things. But like anything, you will get better with practice. As you have more people over and different types of people, you will learn what works and what doesn’t. You will learn what you can handle and what you cannot handle. You will find ways to start conversations and direct them. You will learn how to make your guests feel comfortable. Hospitality, like most things, becomes easier the more you do it.

Seventh, if you have children, include them in the preparation. Let them cook. Let them get out special toys for their guest. Our boys have made name plates for each guest coming. Help them to see the sacrifices and joys that come with having guests over. This will give your children a vision for hospitality and serving. One word of warning though. Do not make your children work the entire time the guests are there. You enjoy time with the guests. Let them enjoy that time as well.

Eighth, don’t make excuses for not practicing hospitality. Hospitality is hard work. It is a lot easier to find “reasons” not to practice hospitality than it is to do it. You will not practice hospitality if you are not convinced that it is absolutely essential to your Christian life and witness. As I said earlier, we all are at different phases in our lives and this can limit what we can do. However, there is rarely a reason to never practice hospitality.

Ninth, don’t grumble as you practice hospitality. I Peter 4:9 tells us to practice hospitality without grumbling. Peter is reminding us that it is a great temptation to grumble before or after we invite people into our home. We complain as we get ready for our guests. We complain when our guests leave without a thank you. We grumble about the problems our guests bring into our home. Peter says, “Don’t grumble.” We must cheerfully do our duty.

Finally, don’t judge other people’s hospitality. At a hospitable church, it is easy to start giving sideways glances. We begin to wonder why one family rarely invites anyone over. Or maybe we wonder why another family seems to have everybody over all the time. We wonder why they have three children and we have three children, but they never invite families over and we always do. Jealousy, envy, and pride are constant temptations when we start to obey the commands of Scripture. Tend your own garden. Stop worrying about the garden across town.

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-12-01T10:45:00.001-05:00

Here are some links I liked from this past week:

Pastor Doug Wilson continues to tell readers what to expect at a CRE church. Here he talks about wine in communion. Here he briefly describes our musical tastes.

Pastor Kevin DeYoung explains why a church must be unapologetically theological. In other words, every church should love theology.

Pastor Randy Booth tells his readers how to talk behind his back.

Brian Croft has a several good posts on having a multi-generational church and the blessings that come with it. Here are post 1, post 2, and post 3.

Do Our Fellow Christians Disgust Us?

2011-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Calvin again on the call of Matthew from Matthew 9:4-13. Here Calvin explains what we should do if we find ourselves not wanting to associate with sinners in the Church.

"He whom you detest appears to you to be unworthy of the grace of Christ. Why then was Christ himself made a sacrifice and a curse, but that he might stretch out his hand to accursed sinners? Now, if we feel disgust at being associated by Baptism and the Lord's Supper with vile men, and regard our connection with them as a sort of stain upon us, we ought immediately to descend into ourselves, and to search without flattery our own evils. Such an examination will make us willingly allow ourselves to be washed in the same fountain with the most impure, and will hinder us from rejecting the righteousness which he offers indiscriminately to all the ungodly, the life which he offers to the dead and the salvation which he offers to the lost." (Commentary on the Harmony of the Gospels, p. 402-403)

Pursuing Hospitalty: The First Five Principles

2011-11-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here are the first five principles on how to practice hospitality.

First, think long and deep about God’s kindness to you. All of our actions are to flow out of who God is and what he has done for us. If your hospitality is not an act of thanksgiving to God for what he has done then it will not please him. Hospitality should come from the overflow of your life in Christ, not from guilt. Study and pray over those passages in God’s Word that describe God’s kindness to you. Matthew 22 is a good place to start. You could also read Psalm 104-106. There are numerous passages in Isaiah, such as Isaiah 2:1-5, 55, and 66:10-13. You could also read passages that talk about feasting, like Exodus 24:9-18, II Samuel 9, I Kings 8 (especially verses 65-66) and II Chronicles 30:21-27. Finally, you could read and meditate on Revelation 21-22. A theology of hospitality grounded in God's Word must be the foundation for our practice of hospitality.

Second, cultivate a love for people and the messes that come along with them. People track in mud. This mud can be real, such as spilled milk, broken furniture or clogged toilets. It can also be mud like ugly marriages, selfish hearts, immature speech and ingratitude. Without a love for people and a desire to love them in the midst of their messes we will never truly practice hospitality. Are you willing to put up with the difficulties and problems people will bring into your home? If not, then go back to the previous paragraph and review how God cares for you in the midst of your messes.

Third, work with your particular situation. We are all at different phases in our lives. To a large degree, these phases dictate how hospitable we can be. A man with six young children will not be able to practice hospitality to the same degree as a man with one child or man with children all over fifteen years old. A man who works 37 hours a week and is always home by 5 will be able to do things that a man who works 50 hours a week and travels a lot cannot. Proverbs says, “Be diligent to know the state of your flocks and attend to your herds.” (27:23) In other words, know your situation. Know what you have and what you do not have. Here are at least three things to evaluate:

1. How many children do you have and what are their ages? More children will often make frequent hospitality difficult. The reason is simple: children take time and energy. A mother who is nursing one child, with two in diapers and two more under the age of ten will have a hard time getting ready for guests. She is already practicing hospitality with her “guests.” She needs her husband’s help, which means hospitality will be more infrequent and will usually take place on the weekend. The amount of hospitality will vary from family to family. It is the husband’s job to make sure he is not overdoing it and is showing hospitality to his wife and children by considering their needs.
2. What is the husband’s job situation? How many hours is the husband working? Has he been out of town? A wife is not to lead in hospitality. That is the husband’s job. Therefore he needs to make sure that he is around to help. This will vary from home to home
3. What is the physical state of the home and the people in the home? Have the children been sick? Is the wife 8 ½ months pregnant? Has it been a long week or couple of weeks and the whole family needs a break? Sometimes the more righteous thing to do is not invite someone over.

Fourth, be hospitable. Don’t entertain. One of the great temptations with hospitality is to dazzle people. This is not what the Bible is talking about. There is a place in the Christian life for a grand feast with everyone in their best clothes. But that is not regular hospitality. Hospitality is about showing kindness, meeting the needs of your guests and making sure they are comfortable. Hospitality should be devoted, not to showing off, but to making sure your guests are at home. The food should be good, but not ostentatious. The meal and time afterward should be devoted to conversation and getting to know one another. It should be leisurely and joyful.

Fifth, go outside your normal circle of friends and peers. We all need friends. These are the people we invite over without thinking. The people we want to hang out with. This is good and we should certainly show hospitality to them. However, we also want to learn to be kind to those who are not like us. The young should invite over the old and the old the young. The family with no children should invite the one with five. The lawyer should invite the farmer. The auto mechanic should invite over the doctor. The Hispanic should invite over the Asian. We are the Body of Christ. We are not bound by race, economic status or level of education. We are bound together by the blood of Christ. Reach outside your normal group and invite someone over who you would not naturally think of inviting.

Why Christ Gathers the Worst of Men

2011-11-29T08:51:00.001-05:00

I have read a lot of John Calvin. I find him to be the most consistently edifying author I spend time with. However, even Calvin can at times surprise with his depth of theological understanding, his clarity in writing and his passion for Christ. As I studied Matthew 9:7-13, the call of Matthew, I came across a wonderful section in Calvin's commentary on what Christ came to do. Calvin was noting that Matthew was a very wicked man when Christ called him. He also noted that it surprised the Pharisees that Jesus called Matthew. Then Calvin explains why Christ calling the most wicked of men should not shock us.

"He [Christ] came to quicken the dead, justify the guilty and condemned, to wash those who were polluted and full of uncleanness, to rescue the lost from hell, to clothe with his glory those who were covered with shame, to renew to a blessed immortality those who were debased with disgusting vices. If we consider that this was his office and the end of his coming-if we remember that this was the reason why he took upon him our flesh, why he shed his blood, why he offered the sacrifice of his death, why he descended even to hell, we will never think it strange that he should gather to salvation those who have been the worst of men, and who have been covered with a mass of crimes." (Commentary on Harmony of the Gospels, p. 402)

Pursuing Hospitality: Introduction

2011-11-28T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hospitality is a lost art in Christian circles. Despite the priority it has in the Scriptures and the wonderful picture we paint of God as we do it, hospitality is largely ignored by the people of God. Yet it is one of the great privileges, obligations, and joys of every Christian. Christ has invited us to be guests at his table. The Lord, who made heaven and earth, is an excellent host who feeds and cares for this world. (See Psalm 104) As disciples of Christ and subjects of the Kingdom of God we are to imitate Christ by doing the same. Our tables are to be surrounded by guests. We are to wash the feet of the saints, which is a picture of hospitality. We are to entertain strangers. Paul says we are to be given to hospitality. (Romans 12:13) The word “given” means to pursue with all our heart. Hospitality is not something we get to if we can, but it is an essential part of our love for the Church and our witness to the world. I want to take this week after Thanksgiving and encourage you to practice hospitality. Below are a few verses, which provide the Scriptural foundation for hospitality. I would encourage you to "eat these verses." We begin with what God has done for us in Christ and then move on the specific commands of Scripture. On Wednesday and Friday I will list some practical things to consider when practicing hospitality.

Matthew 22: 1-14 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding." ' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.' So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' "For many are called, but few are chosen."

Romans 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

I Peter 4:9 Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.

Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.

I Timothy 5:9-10 Do not let a widow under sixty years old be taken into the number, and not unless she has been the wife of one man, well reported for good works: if she has brought up children, if she has lodged strangers, if she has washed the saints' feet, if she has relieved the afflicted, if she has diligently followed every good work.
I Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach.

Whose Work Is It?

2011-11-23T08:00:00.000-05:00

"The baptismal rite of Basel makes one thing clear above all: baptism is in the end a work of God. The minister, as the apostles before him, administers the sign of washing, but it is God who through his Holy Spirit cleanses the heart. One might say that the service underlines the epicletic nature of baptism. Having begun the service with the affirmation that our salvation is in the power of God alone, "Our help is in the name of the Lord," the minister calls the church to prayer. We are reminded that our part is to pray for the salvation of the child. It is God's part to give the child faith and by the inner baptism of the Holy Spirit to regenerate him. The power to save remains with God, who works when and where and how he pleases. The power is not in our hands. It resides not in the proper performing of liturigical rites. This was one of the essential insights of Reformed theologians. Our part is to administer obediently the sign God has given, to proclaim the rich promises of grace, to call on God to fulfill these promises, and to trust that he will fufill them...If it is true that God's Spirit works when and where and how he pleases, it is equally true that God works where he has promised to work. That was the heart of the theology of the covenant." (Hughes Oliphant Old, The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite, p. 72-73)

Not Magic, But a Sign

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

"We have taught that those baptized in the Lord Jesus are made one body with him in his death, and through baptism they die with him and are buried with him and in his Resurrection they rise to new life. Therefore, the true use or observance of baptism is that we regularly die to the old Adam and this kind of dying we must do as long as life shall last." (Wolfgang Capito, A reformer who worked alongside Martin Bucer in Strasbourg)

"Capito makes a point here which is essential to understanding the further development of the Reformed rite of baptism. Baptism is not a ritual which saves one as if by magic at a particular time or occasion. It is not as though before one is baptized one is lost and after baptism one is saved. Baptism is far more a sign under which the Christian lives out the whole of life. It is a sign of continual washing from sins and a continual renewal in new life. It is not so much the ritual of a once-and-for-all crisis experience as it is a prophetic promise of what is and always will be the character of the Christian life." (Hughes Oliphant Old, commenting on the above quote in The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite, p. 52)

Baptism Belongs at the Beginning

2011-11-17T08:55:00.001-05:00

"In the fourth century one had to prove one's faith before being baptized. One had to undergo a long and often rigorous scrutiny. Few people were baptized at the beginning of their Christian life. That was very different from the practice of the New Testament Church." (Hughes Oliphant Old, The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the Sixteenth Century, p. 31)

Take Up and Read: Tuesday Edition

2011-11-15T13:00:00.000-05:00

Here are some links that I have found helpful so far this week.

We tend to make reading and applying the Scriptures more complicated than it needs to be. Justin Taylor quotes J.I. Packer and Gerald Bray on the three questions we should ask as we read the Bible.

Since I am a CRE pastor, I have enjoyed Doug Wilson's series of posts on what to expect when you visit a CRE church. Here he gives a brief defense of using various postures in worship. Here he discusses covenant renewal worship, which is the way CRE churches structure their worship services.

If you are interested in my denomination you can go to crechurches.org.

Do Not Amend!

2011-11-14T08:00:00.000-05:00

God alone may exercise the perogative to amend his Word. In other words, Christians may not arbitrarily declare any portion of God's Word void, including any portion of the Old Testament. Any claim of change between the old covenant and the new covenant must be validated by further revelation of God as found in the Scriptures themselves. We have one Bible, not two. Both the Old and New Testaments are to direct the belief and practice of the new covenant believer. We might as well sever a tree from its roots and expect it to survive, as to sever the old covenant from the new. The Old and New Testaments are tied together and interdependent. The Old Testament needs the New Testament, and the New Testament needs teh Old Testament, to be properly interpreted and understood. Pastor Randy Booth

Book Review: To You and Your Children

2011-11-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

To You and Your Children: Examining the Biblical Doctrine of Covenant Succession by Benjamin K. Wikner
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not all essays in here are 5 stars, but most of them are very good, especially if someone is trying to get a big picture view of covenant succession. The essays that had the most impact on me were Robert Rayburns' on the Promise of Grace, Nelson Kloosterman's on Proverbs 22:6, Tim Bayly's on the Emasculation of the church, and Randy Booth's on how to pick up the pieces when parenting has gone wrong. It is odd that a lot of times books like these are accused of producing parents who presume upon God. My response to this book was gratitude for God's grace in covering my sin and gratitude for God's Spirit to guide me as I parent my children.

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Book Review: The Christian Imagination

2011-11-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing by Leland Ryken
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. Not every essay was great, but a lot of them were. The best part was the variety. There were long articles, short articles and lists of quotes. There were older writers and newer ones. There were articles on reading, writing, poetry, movies, fantasy, realism and why reading is such fun. There were various types of Protestants, as well as Roman Catholics. Some of the authors included were Francis Schaeffer, George MacDonald, C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Wendell Berry, Gene Veith, Leland Ryken, G.K. Chesterton and Madeleine L'Engle. In short, the book was a feast of a wonderful variety of essays by a variety of people on a variety of topics.

The articles I found most helpful were the ones on evil in Christian writing. There were two in particular that were helpful in sorting out this thorny issue. Susan Wise Bauer wrote an essay called "Three Faces of Moral Evil: Christian Writers and the Portrayal of Moral Evil." She compares three different views of evil using Stephen King as foil for one type. Also,a professor from Doane College, Richard Terrell, wrote an essay entitled "Christian Fiction: Piety Is Not Enough." Both of these laid some groundwork for how to include sin and evil in Christian writing. Brian Godawa's essay on the movies also addressed this issue.

I also really enjoyed Frederick Buechner essay "The Gospel as Fairy Tale" and Peter Leithart's essay on the reader humbling himself before writer.

A good book to help fire the imagination and to get the Christian to think through how to use the imagination in a way the glorifies God.

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False Teachers

2011-11-03T11:09:00.000-04:00

A couple of Sundays ago at Christ Church we discussed some characteristics of false teachers. Here they are.

1. False teachers enjoy arguing and speculating. ( I Timothy 1:4, 4:7, 6:20, II Timothy 2:14-18, Titus 1:14)

2. False teachers do not build up the flock. ( Ezekiel 34:1-6, I Timothy 1:4, II Timothy 2:14)

3. False teachers are concerned about their positions. (I Timothy 1:7, III John 1:9)

4. False teachers can very conservative. (I Timothy 4:1-5 and Colossians 2:20-23)

5. False teachers can be very liberal. (II Peter 2:18-22, II Timothy 3:6)

6. False teachers will rarely challenge God’s people and call upon them to turn from their sin. (Jeremiah 8:11, 23:21-22, II Timothy 4:1-4)

7. False teachers take. They do not give. (Jeremiah 8:10, Ezekiel 34:1-6, Micah 3:1-3, 11, I Timothy 6:3-5, II Timothy 3:6)

8. False teachers flee when there is danger. (John 10:11-14)

9. False teachers abandon sound doctrine. (I Timothy 1:3, 1:10, 4:1-7 6:3, II Timothy 3:10, Titus 1:9-16)

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-11-03T11:04:00.001-04:00

Here are some links I enjoyed this past week.

Kevin DeYoung laments that many Christian single women cannot find good Christian men. He also cautions Christian women to not have too high standards so that most men are excluded.

I always find Pastor Randy Booth edifying. For many Christians attendance at church is important, but not necessary. Pastor Booth has begun a series of posts on why church attendance is necessary as Christians. Here are the first three: post 1, post 2 and post 3.

Toby Sumpter has an article up at Credenda on All Hallows Eve. He has good thoughts on how our approach to God's holiness changes from the Old Testament to the New Testament.

Finally, here is a good word from Mrs. Nancy Wilson for wives and mothers. While I would not necessarily agree that a woman should work outside the home prior to marriage, if they do Mrs. Wilson's perspective is the only Biblical one to have. And most importantly this is a good word for all those wives and mothers who feel like "weirdos."

Take Up and Read: Reformation Sunday Edition

2011-10-28T10:44:00.001-04:00

Here are some links I enjoyed as Reformation Sunday approaches.

George Grant lists his favorite Martin Luther quotes. I would have enjoyed at least one quote with some spicy language. But the ones listed are very good.

Steven Lawson has been doing a series of blog posts at Ligonier about various reformers. Here are the posts on John Calvin, Heinrich Bullinger, William Tyndale, Ulrich Zwingli and Martin Luther.

At christianaudio.com you can get Martin Luther in his own words for free this week. For those of you who only know Luther because you have heard about him or sung "A Mighty Fortress" this book would be a good introduction to some of his thinking.

Also at Ligonier you can download for free R.C. Sproul's new book for children entitled "The Barber Who Wanted to Pray." It tells the story of why Luther wrote his classic on prayer called "A Simple Way to Pray."

Finally, one of the great contributions of the reformers was on the subject of justification by faith. Uri Brito, a pastor in Florida, has posted some thoughts by Peter Leithart on what justification is.

Soli Deo Gloria

Book Review: The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite

2011-10-27T08:58:00.001-04:00

The Shaping of the Reformed Baptismal Rite in the Sixteenth Century by Hughes Oliphant Old
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Very, very good. I loved this book, even though I couldn't translate all the German or Latin. There are two things I love about H. Old's writing.

First, he always tells you less than he knows. When you read him there are paragraphs which are little glimpses into the history of a subject or a person. You know that there are large amounts of information he left out. You wish you could sit down with him and have him expand on those paragraphs.

Second, he teaches theology through history. You think you are reading history, but when you are done your theology has morphed. He doesn't do this in an underhanded way. He simply shows how what men do and do not do in history flow from their theology. This book was superb in explaining that the reformers theology of baptism flowed directly from their theology of grace.

Two topics I enjoyed from this book. First, he explained how the Anabaptist opposition helped clarify the reformers' position. Second, I enjoyed the different types of baptismal prayers he quoted.

My theology and practice of baptism was clarified by this book. I am very grateful for H. Old's labors and scholarship. He has wielded a tremendous influence on my view of liturgy, sacraments and the Church.

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Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-10-20T09:24:00.000-04:00

Here are some links worth reading:

Trevin Wax describes how he wishes an interview about homosexuality would go. It is not perfect, but it is better than what you usually get. If you want to see how these interviews usually go see Al Mohler's dissection of Joel Osteen's interview with Piers Morgan.

Here is a good article by Mary Kassian on why gender-inclusive Bibles, including the new NIV, are bad for women and the Church.

Douglas Wilson has some short posts on what you can expect to find at a CRE church. Here is post 1 and post 2.

Here is why Tim Keller is slowly, but surely, losing my respect. I know it is not him presiding over the wedding service. But to have a woman officiating at wedding ceremony for your church in ministerial garb is a clear sign that compromise has occurred. A picture is worth a thousand words.

Finally a good short word by Pastor Randy Booth on how falling off a cliff usually begins with small excuses and compromises.

Book Review: Biblical Eldership

2011-10-19T13:00:00.000-04:00

Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership by Alexander Strauch
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An excellent basic overview of the office of elder. The strength of the book is the exegesis of various passages, such as I Timothy 3, 5 and Titus 1 on the office of elder. I also appreciated his sections on Acts 15, James 5:13-18 and Hebrews 13:17. I did not necessarily agree with all his conclusions, but his work on these passages provided a lot of food for thought. I would recommend it to anyone interested in being an elder.

I had two questions that he did not answer well. First, how much of Paul's ministry is paradigmatic for the elder? For example, I and II Corinthians contain several passages describing Paul's ministry. Do these passages have anything to say to the elder? Strauch did not answer this question very clearly. The reason I bring it up is because if Paul's ministry is a paradigm for an elder then it would seem to imply two types of elders or two offices (minister of the Word and ruling elder). Normally, a ruling elder who works a job 40-50 hours a week cannot be doing what Paul did.

Second, how much of Paul's instructions to Timothy and Titus, outside of the passages specifically about elders, apply to elders? Here I am asking the same question as the one above. If Timothy and Titus are paradigms for elders then there would appear to be two offices or at least two very different duties within the same office. A man who works 40-50 hours and is a ruling elder on the side is going to have a difficult time using Timothy or Titus as a paradigm. Some of this is implied in I Timothy 5:17-18.

My point is that whether you call a position "Three office" or not, if you use Paul, Timothy and Titus as your paradigm there is going to be at the very least a functional difference between the man who devotes himself full time to the ministry and the ruling elder. I do not think Strauch addressed this issue very carefully or clearly. By focusing on the passages that just specifically address elders, he left a lot of relevant passages on the cutting room floor.

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Why Bach Still Matters

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here are four good posts from Greg Wilbur on what the church can learn from Johann Sebastian Bach. Below the posts are ten principles Wilbur derived from studying Bach. If you want a book length treatment of Bach's life you can read Wilbur's book Glory and Honor.

Part I
Part II
Part III
Part IV

Principle #1: A worship leader should be a student of Scripture who is constantly seeking to reform their ideas, worship, and aesthetics to the Word of God. God is the standard of beauty and excellence—our worship should seek after biblical excellence and objective beauty, goodness, and truth.

Principle #2: A worship leader should seek to understand the role of music and liturgy in worship in teaching doctrine—not only on a week-by-week basis but in the macrocosm of the life of the church.

Principle #3: A worship leader should be a perpetual student of their craft seeking to understand the theological basis of the very inner workings of music.

Principle #4: A worship leader should seek excellence in their work and consistently strive to improve their talents and abilities by growing in skill and depth—musically and theologically.

Principle #5: Worship should be accessible yet excellent.

Principle #6: How a worship leader plays and leads in worship should be different from the playing at a recital, coffeehouse, or concert.

Principle #7: Worship leaders should choose songs and musical arrangements that are ecclesiastically appropriate—what is appropriate in other venues may not be for corporate worship. The criteria for what is ecclesiastically appropriate refers not only to text but also music, the combination of text and music, arrangements, and execution.

Principle #8: Part of leading worship is looking towards the development of subsequent generations of musicians grounded on issues of permanence and with knowledge of the history of Church worship.

Principle #9: Worship leaders should build on the foundation of the past instead of replacing it, relying more on the Biblical notion of craftsmanship rather than the humanist concept of originality

Principle #10: Reliance on God's grace alone.

Fighting Sexual Immorality

2011-10-18T16:32:00.001-04:00

Proverbs considers sexual immorality one of the greatest temptations facing men. It is addressed early and often in the book. Here are some quick thoughts I gleaned on how to fight sexual immorality from a recent reading of Proverbs 5.
1. Remember that sexual immorality is trading a temporary pleasure for a permanent pain. (verses 1-6)

2. Remember that sexual immorality wastes your energy, money, and time. (verses 9-11).

3. Remember that sexual immorality will ruin your reputation. (vss. 12-14) The man who refuses to listen to instruction and consistently indulges in immoral acts will find himself on the edge of total ruin. He will be publically recognized as a fool.

4. Remember to enjoy your wife or wait for your future wife. (vss. 15-20)

5. Remember that God sees you when are sinning. (vss. 21-23) It is easy to believe that we are on our own , that no one sees us. But God’s eyes are always watching.

The Christian and His Possessions

2011-10-14T12:58:00.000-04:00

When I finished preaching Matthew 6:19-34 a few weeks ago, I decided to put down some of the basic biblical principles for handling possessions and money. These are not comprehensive, but give a basic biblical framework for how we should think about our money and possessions. Most of the principles come from Matthew 6:19-34 and I Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19. I would encourage you to read the passages before looking at the points below.

1. God is our Father. He loves us and will care for us. Therefore we should not worry. If he chooses to remove some of our possessions, it is for our good. This should also lead us to pray for our needs.

2. We will die. Therefore we need to make sure our possessions are being used to store up treasure in heaven.

3. We should earn our money through honest, hard work that does not take advantage of the poor and weak.

4. Our possessions are gifts from God, even those possessions we have worked hard for. Possessions and work are part of God’s grace to us.

5. We are stewards of our possessions. A steward was someone left in charge of a house while the master was away. Jesus uses this model in Matthew 25:14-30. Paul also uses a similar idea in passages like Colossians 3:23-25. We will answer to our master with how we use our time, money and possessions.

6. Wealth is not a vice or a virtue.

7. Poverty is not a vice or a virtue.

8. Both wealth and poverty come with temptations. When one is rich they tend to forget God and become proud. When one is poor they tend to doubt Him and grumble against him, often taking matters into their own hands. (See Proverbs 30:7-9) God is to be honored with our possessions, whether we are rich or poor. We are to trust in him and be generous with what he has given to us.

9. God wants us to enjoy our possessions. We should not feel guilty about what we own or about enjoying it. This does not mean we are selfish gluttons or live in luxury. It does mean we are to eat our food, drink our beer, sleep in our beds, read our books, play in our yards, and drive our cars with thankfulness and joy.

10. Those who are rich in this world are expected to be rich in good works. To whom much is given, much is required. The wealthiest Christians should be the ones doing the most good deeds. But these good deeds should be hidden, not paraded before men. (See Matthew 6:1-4)

11. Christians should be known for their contentment. We should not be proud when we have a lot. Nor should we disturbed when God removes some of our possessions from us. We should be content in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:11-13) In a world that always wants more, contentment is great witness.

12. The desire to be wealthy is sin. We should work hard, plan wisely and let God build our bank account as he sees fit. Proverbs 27:20 says, “The eyes are never satisfied.” You will not be satisfied when you get what you want, so be content with what you have.

13. A love of money can destroy someone’s faith and plunge them to ruin. (See I Timothy 6:9-10) We often joke about greed, but in the Scriptures it is a terrible sin. Greed can choke the spiritual life out of a man and send him to Hell.

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-10-13T10:19:00.001-04:00

Here are some links worth reading.

Here is a brief exhortation from Kevin DeYoung on the theological foundations for mercy ministries, as well as some mistakes people make when trying to do mercy ministries. The mistakes are worth reading carefully. I especially appreciate numbers 3, 4 and 13. More could be said, but this is good food for thought.

Dr. Leithart has some blog posts on how the U.S.'s involvement in the Middle East has led to less Christians in the area not more. It is noted that neither George W. Bush, nor President Obama seem to care. Here is post 1 and post 2.

Finally, Pastor Doug Wilson has done an excellent series of short videos on work. With all the protests on Wall Street these are worth watching to get a biblical perspective on work.

Why Some Reformed Are Not Reformed

2011-09-27T09:21:00.004-04:00

Carl Trueman laments that many of those who call themselves reformed are reformed on the doctrines of grace, but not reformed on other issues. Here is a quote from an article he recently wrote:

"The problem with the way `Reformed' is often used today is that it divorces certain things (typically the five, or more often, four points of Calvinism) from the overall Reformation vision of pastoral care, church worship, Christian nurture and all-round approach to ministry. The Bible becomes sufficient for the doctrines of grace; but what works, what pulls in the punters, becomes the criterion for everything else, especially ecclesiology and pastoral practice.

One question I have, as the reformed movement grows, is can it continue to hold to the doctrines of grace, while rejecting the reformers "overall vision of pastoral care, church worship, Christian nurture and all-around approach to ministry?" My gut says no.

The Shape of Sola Scriptura

2011-09-09T07:00:00.000-04:00

The Shape of Sola Scriptura by Keith A. Mathison
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A really good book looking at both the biblical and historical view of the Scriptures. He section on "Solo Scriptura," that is the view that each individual Christian can interpret the Bible however he pleases, is great tonic for much of what ails Protestant hermeneutics.

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Malachi 2:17-3:5

2011-09-08T10:00:00.000-04:00

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away your ticket and jump off.

You sit still and trust the engineer. Corrie ten Boom

Though God take the sun out of heaven, yet we must have patience. George Herbert

One of the most perplexing questions that faces those who believe in God’s sovereignty is “Why doesn’t God act when he has all the power?” We sit back and watch as disasters occur, tsunamis crush cities, earthquakes devastate countries and tornados ravage the Midwest. Beyond these natural disasters, there are wicked men who rule around the world. Greedy corporate executives strip thousands of people of their pensions. Tyrants drop bombs on their own people. Pornography producers are some of the richest men in the world. The next door neighbor seems rich and happy, yet never attends church. Where is God in all this? Why does evil seem to triumph? Why do good men die unknown and wicked men die with a taxpayer funded funeral broadcast on T.V.?

When we begin our journey in Christ it can seem like the white hats always win and the black hats always lose. But as time stretches on we see evil triumph. Time can erode our confidence in God’s justice. Our brothers during Malachi’s time had the same problem. They had listened to Haggai and Zechariah’s great prophecies about the coming Kingdom of God, yet evil still seemed to be in control. In this section of Malachi God assures his people that he is good and has not left his throne. We would be wise to hear these ancient words from ever living God about the certainty of his judgment and the need for patience.

2:17 begins this fourth disputation. The focus in this debate on an Israel’s attitude towards God. Israel is wearying God with their words. What are these words? They are that God must either love evil or not exist. (2:17) There is no justice in Israel. Sin is rampant. Immorality reigns. So men begin to ask the question we all ask when the evil prospers, where is God? Most of us, even in our darkest moments, have never uttered the words in this chapter. But we may have thought them. The thought may have flitted through our mind, “Maybe God really isn’t in control.” The first statement in verse seventeen verges on blasphemy because it implies that God must love evil. The second statement is more veiled, but the idea is the same. “The God of justice is missing.” Despite the harshness of the statements, for the first time in Malachi we are dealing with a people who are actually concerned about righteousness. They ask these questions because they want to see righteousness in the land. However, they think God acts too slowly, so they assume he is absent or that he is a God who loves evil. If these men hold on to these views it could lead to hopelessness and eventually a falling away from the faith. But God is merciful. He gives these men assurance of his coming judgment/justice.

Malachi gives Israel the promise that God will suddenly come to his temple to judge (3:1) and purify his people, especially the priesthood. (3:2-3) When he does this Israel will once again be able to offer to the Lord a pleasant offering because she will be holy. (3:4) Finally God says that when he comes he will execute judgment upon all evil doers. (3:5) The word for judgment in 3:5 is the exact same word translated justice (NKJV) in 2:17. The justice Israel is looking for in 2:17 comes in 3:5. God is reminding those saying these things to be patient. Evil will be dealt with in God’s timing. God does not love evil nor is he absent. But he is patient, often much more patient than we are.

Malachi 3:1 is a prophecy of John the Baptist who is the messenger sent to prepare the way for the Lord. (Matthew 11:10 and Mark 1:2) This means that the prophecy in this section is primarily about the coming of Christ to purify and judge Israel.

Applications

• God does at times allow the wicked to prosper and sin to go unpunished. (2:17) It should not shock us when this occurs. He rarely judges quickly. For this we should be grateful because it gives men time to repent. But we also must not forget that God will not be patient forever. Men who flaunt their evil will be judged by God either in history or at the final judgment.

• God comes to his people with two purposes: purification and judgment. (3:3 & 5)These two things go hand in hand. Today God does not come visibly to his temple as he did when Christ appeared, but he still comes to us, especially in worship. Therefore two purposes of worship are to purify us of our sins and to judge those who refuse to repent.

• The phrase “who can stand” in 3:2 is a military term meaning that no one and nothing will be able to stand against God’s advance. This should be a source of great comfort to us. We see the number of people set in battle against God. We see the amount of money they have at their disposal. We see them sitting in places of power and we might be tempted to think that God’s hand will be stopped. Maybe God’s purposes can be thwarted. But Malachi reminds us this is not the case. The rank, wealth, and strength of men and nations are of little consequence to God. His purposes will stand.

• Only a pure people can offer a pleasing sacrifice to God. (3:2-5) Those who worship God must be clothed in the shed blood of Christ and must live a life of confession and repentance. Again this is why we confess our sins in worship and throughout the week. We cannot offer to God and acceptable sacrifice if we are not clean. Those who continue in sin, but still want to worship God, will find that he will come and be “against them.” They will be judged.

Gathering Our Wits

2011-09-07T06:59:00.000-04:00

"It is intolerable presumption for us to put our trust in creatures and to ground ourselves upon them, and yet there is no fault more common in all the world. We can say well enough that it is not lawful, and that we ought not to do it, but meanwhile everyone does it. Now, let us remember ourselves, for there is nothing that God holds more dear or whereof he makes greater account than His honor. Neither is it sufficient for us to leave Him the mere title and name of God. He must be known as He is; that is to say, that all power lies in Him; that He is the fountain of all manner of grace and goodness; that it is His proper office to maintain and preserve us; that our life is in His hand along with all things that pertain thereto. When we have thought well upon this, let us take order to gather our wits about us, so that we are not grounded upon creatures." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:49-58)

Defending Constantine

2011-09-07T06:11:00.001-04:00

Defending Constantine by Peter J. Leithart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An very good book that challenges much modern thinking on the relationship between politics and the church. It starts slow, as he covers the historical time frame leading up to Constantine appearing on the scene. But the book picks up steam from there. I like that he used John Howard Yoder as a foil. Yoder is a good opponent who provides some solid critiques of just war theory. By using someone as accomplished as Yoder, Leithart's arguments are strengthened. The final chapter is the best I have read on applying the Sermon on the Mount to politics and giving a biblical view of empire. One of the best books I have read on political theology.

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Delighting in Every Condition

2011-08-31T12:37:00.004-04:00

Jeremiah Burroughs' book The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment should be required reading for any American Christian. It addresses a host of evils that come from discontentment and how to deal with them. Burroughs' combines the warmth of a pastor with the skill of a heart surgeon as he shows why discontentment is so wicked and why contentment is such a blessing. Here is his definition of Christian contentment. I really like it because he uses the word "delights." A lot of us endure God's "disposal in every condition," but few of us delight in it.

"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition." (p. 19)

Take Up and Read: Tuesday Edition

2011-08-16T08:00:00.001-04:00

Here is an account of a presbyterian church in Pittsburgh becoming friendly to sodomites. Please note a former pastor who was married for 29 years and then divorced his wife because he found he was gay. Also note that the church in the article has grown since it became more friendly to sodomites. Notice also that they talk like Christians, using words like "submit joyfully to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all aspects of life." And they claim to be guided by the Scriptures. All in all it gives a sobering picture of where the American church is headed.

Several months ago the Bayly Brothers posted an article from a former sodomite. An amazing and eye opening article. Not for the faint of heart or for young children. But worth the read.

Responding to Critics

2011-08-15T10:00:00.001-04:00

Over the last couple of years, my church has received various kinds of criticism. Here is a list of ways I have encouraged my flock to respond to that criticism.

1. Always be gracious. Treat the person with kindness and charity, assuming they have good motives. Throughout conversations, try to find things you agree on and emphasize those. Often those who criticize us are Christians who love Christ. Treating them with kindness is not optional!

2. Do not apologize for believing what the Bible teaches. Many of us when confronted tend to shrink back. This is a product of our modern relativistic age where everyone's opinion is supposed to be equal. Satan wants us to walk around doubting everything we believe. Do not back down from what you believe. Do not be mean, but be firm.

3. As you talk to people make them deal with the Bible. Often people have not actually looked at what the Bible says on an issue. Go to Scripture and discuss it. This means you need to know what the Bible teaches. If you have questions about the Biblical basis for what we do or believe then you can talk to the leadership.

4. Tell people about the work God is doing at Christ Church. Christ is clear that men shall know us by our fruit. (Luke 6:43-45) All of you spend hours each week with people from Christ Church. You see Christ being formed in your brothers and sisters around you. You see Christ presented every week in songs, prayers, confession of sin, preaching, at the Lord's Table, and as you are sent out. We are not a perfect church, but the fruit is there and growing. Bring these things up, not in a proud way, but simply to show that God is working.

5. Do not accept vague accusations from people about what they think we teach. Get specifics. Ask questions like, “So exactly what is it that you think we believe about…?” This is a fundamental requirement of Biblical justice. Biblical justice requires two or three witnesses. (I Timothy 5:19) This means if someone is going to accuse an elder of false teaching, it must be proven. Proving does not mean reading something somewhere about what someone thinks we teach. It means talking to the specific men involved and getting the facts. This is also the teaching of Matthew 18:15-20.

6. If someone brings up specific concerns about Christ Church, ask them if they have attended our worship service, talked to the leaders, or listened to several sermons which are available on our website. If they say, “No,” then tell them they need to do those things, especially the last two. If someone is not interested in doing some or all of the things mentioned above, then they are not really interested in the truth.

Young Men = Bambi on Ice

2011-08-15T08:00:00.002-04:00

"The problem with vain disuptations and quasi-heresies and quarrels over words is that they are tempting bait for young men. Nobody loves arguing over open-hand theological issues like young men. There is something about the intellectual and emotional dawn of masculine maturation that instinctively draws young guys to stupid arguments. And many times the issues and topics are good things-things we should have opinions on or enjoy discussing. But young men are like Bambi on the frozen pond-all awkward limbs and little coordination." (Mark Driscoll in Entrusted with the Gospel, p. 79)

Witnesses to Grace, Heralds of Damnation

2011-08-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

"And indeed, does it lie within us [preachers] to promise men life everlasting or to denouce against them the vengeance of God? And yet we do it nevertheless, but we go no further than the Word of God, as it is put into our mouths. We have His testimony that we are his witness and heralds. By His "witnessess" I mean we assure the faithful of the grace and salvation promised to them and as His "heralds" we pronounce and publish His sentence against all the unbelieving and against all rebels." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-08-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Peter Leithart reminds that the true icons are people, not images. He relates all of this to the reformation of the Mass and truly celebrating the Lord's Supper.

Not Just Us, But Our Works are Accepted

2011-08-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

"It is true that we have not fulfilled all the law, but yet God records it in His accounts as if all had been performed because we are made clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. And just as we are cleansed, so are our works also, and when they come before God, He accepts them as though they were thoroughly good, righteous, and perfect. (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 28:1-2)

Take Up and Read: Tuesday Edition

2011-08-09T08:00:00.001-04:00

What does it take to be a leader in the evangelical world? Ligonier prints an excerpt from Ian McMurray's biography on John MacArthur to answer that question.

John Piper speaks of five ways we can honor God in our vocation.

The Law of God is a Friend

2011-08-08T09:18:00.002-04:00

"Let us mark, therefore, that all the promises contained in the Holy Scripture are, as it were, so many testimonies of the fatherly love of our God, showing himself to have a care for our health and welfare, in that He vouchsafes [swears/promises] thus to apply and fashion Himself to us. By this means the law of God becomes more friendly to us, in that we see that in keeping it we shall not be disappointed of a good reward, one far greater than we should wish, for under this word of blessing is comphrehended all manner of propsperity." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuternomy 28:1-2)

Calvin Had 21st Century America in Mind

2011-08-05T08:00:00.002-04:00

"I told you at that place [a sermon on Deuteronomy 19:14] that if a man's lands are not kept secure, no man will be master of his own possessions, but all will go to spoil and chaos. And surely the maintenance of just weights and measures, of lawful money, and keeping boundaries unchanged, are things that are universally acknowledged. How can men buy and sell, or engage in any trade at all if the coin is not lawful? Again, if weights and measures are falsified, we shall be cheated. What purpose will justice serve any more? And we can say the same for boundaries and landmarks. So then, under this saying [Deuteronomy 27:17] God intended to show that it was necessary for us to observe equity and uprightness in dealing one with another." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy)

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-08-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

Robin Phillips tells us why praying to the saints is a problem. What I particularly like about this article is how he tells how praying to the saints works at the common man level. Often Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox will argue in the abstract, telling us that praying to the saints does not mean worshipping the saints and does not detract from Christ mediatorial work. While in theory this works, in reality praying to the saints often does lead to both of these things.

John Piper tells the difference between entertainment oriented preachers and bible oriented preachers.

An excerpt from J.C. Ryle on how someone knows if they love Christ or not.

A Call to Battle

2011-08-03T10:00:00.002-04:00

Deuteronomy 31:6 "He will never leave you nor forsake you."
Joshua 1:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
I Chronicles 28:20 "He will not leave you nor forsake you."
Hebrews 13:5 "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

What is interesting about these quotes is that they come all come at a time of great transition in the Israel's history. In the first two, Israel has been wandering in the wilderness and is now coming to the edge of the promise land. Moses promises the people that God will not leave them. Then God himself promises Joshua that he will not leave them.

In I Chronicles David is passing the torch to Solomon. He reminds Solomon that God will not abandon him, especially as he seeks to build the Temple.

Finally, in Hebrews the shadows are passing away. The Temple, the sacrifices, the priesthood are all about to be gone. For the readers of Hebrews there is a great temptation to go back to the shadows and abandon Christ. The writer of Hebrews is urging his readers to not shrink back. Why? God will be with them.

These quotes are not there to put on a poster with a sunset so that we might have warm and fuzzy feelings in our hearts. These verses are there to remind us to press forward. To keep conquering those who oppose the Kingdom as Joshua did. To keep building the house of God as Solomon did. To toss off everything that would keep us from pressing forward to Christ, as the writer of Hebrews urged his readers. These verses are not a sentimental call to ponder God's presence. These verses are a call to battle, a battle we are assured to win because the King of Kings is with us.

No Addition or Subtraction

2011-08-03T08:00:00.001-04:00

"We must also note that God will not be served or worshipped after our fancies, but He will have us to walk according to His Word, without adding anything thereto or taking away anything therefrom, so that all the inventions of men are equivalent to so many idols. (John Calvin, Sermons on Deuteronomy)

Sermon Outline: Matthew 6:12

2011-08-02T10:00:00.001-04:00

Sometimes sermons take on a life of their own. My outline for this past week's sermon is below. However, if you hear the sermon you will find that at times I deviated from the outline.

Christ Church of Morgantown
7th Sunday of Trinity
July 31st, 2011
Sermon: The Lord’s Prayer: Forgive Us Our Trespasses
Matthew 6:12, 14-15

Exordium
When things are familiar to us we tend to take them for granted. When I was growing up my father loved to do things with us. He would play soccer with us in the yard. He would play football with us. He worked construction. One day a concrete truck got the wrong instructions. So here you have a concrete truck half full with no place to the put the concrete. So my dad bought the concrete cheap and poured us a concrete pad to play basketball on. I think it was twelve by twelve. Anyway, my dad loved to do things like that. Every time a friend would come over and spend the night or play with us they would always comment about how great my dad was. They would say how neat it was that he would play with us. They would tell me how great my dad was. Of course, I rarely thought this. I thought every father played football and basketball with his boys. I took it for granted what my dad did for us. We do this often with familiar things. We see them so frequently we become dull to how amazing they are.
So it is with the our subject his morning. The Kingdom we needed teaching on. The holiness of God we needed teaching on. Our daily bread we needed teaching on. But the forgiveness of sins, I have that one down pastor. I don’t need a sermon on that.

Exegesis

We sin daily.
Q82: Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?
A82: No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God,[1] but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed.

Note here the underlying assumption is that we sin and will continue to sin. It won’t be the same sins, but this portion of the prayer argues against the notion of perfection. We carry sin in our hearts until our death. Perfection is not an option.

What we tend to say is, “We don’t sin like those people.” We look at the sins of others and think we are pretty good people. But the standard is not other people. The standard is God. The standard is not my neighbor.

There are two different types of sin that our fathers talked about, sins of commission and sins of omission. Sins of commission are doing those things which we ought not to do. For example, lusting, stealing, getting angry at my children or spouse, and disobeying my parents. We usually think about sin in this category.

But when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was he didn’t tell us what not to do, but rather what to do. Love the Lord your God… We sin when we do not love with all our heart. We sin when could have helped our wife, but chose not to. We sin when we could have honored our parents, but chose not to. We sin when we could have glorified God in the work place, but instead shrunk back.

There are two areas we sin, internally and externally. Again we tend to think externally only, that which people see. But sin begins in the heart. Why do we do what we do? Here is the great question. Jesus is teaching us in this large section (Matthew 6:1-18) that we can pray, fast, and give alms and be sinning. How? Our hearts are fixed upon the world.

Love the Word
God’s Word does many things for us. It can comfort when we are downcast. It can encourage us when we have done well. It can show God and his mercy. It tells us the story of God and his Messiah sent to redeem fallen man. But the Bible also shows us our sin. It exposes us to God and his character and his law. Do you read the Bible for information or for transformation? Do you read the Bible so you can see what others are doing or to shape your own life? How often does your Scripture reading

God Grants Forgiveness
Here is where we have to decide if we are going to bored with the same old story or rejoice in the same old story. It should amaze us every time we confess our sins that we are forgiven. Every time we come and plead the blood of Christ is should cause us to wonder. What good reason does he have? Why should he forgive us? What can we give him that he should take away our sins?

His forgiveness is continual. We get so tired of forgiving others, don’t we? Our children come back with the same sin and ask forgiveness again. But God doesn’t. His forgiveness is continual. Matthew 18:21-22

His forgiveness is complete. I John 1:8-9. He does not partially forgive. It may be worthwhile to ask here, what is forgiveness.

His forgiveness is unconditional. That means all we have to do is ask. I remember this movie “The Mission” where Robert DeNiro plays a soldier who is converted to Christianity and decided to join a monastery in South America. The head priest decides to make DeNiro show is allegiance by hauling a cross up a mountain. It is a thought provoking movie and worth your time. However, the point I want to make is that we don’t need to haul a cross up a mountain. God does not forgive because of what we do. We don’t get in because do this or do that. We get in because God draws us and we request forgiveness.

Love the Cross-Sometimes I get tired of people who talk about the cross and nothing else. Why? Because that is not what the Bible does. The Bible talks about a lot of things. It talks about sheep and goats, parenting, wisdom and chariot wheels with eyes. But if someone rarely talks about the cross, if Jesus’ death is an afterthought then their theology is warped. Something has gone awry in their thinking. The cross must be something we glory in. Why? Because at the cross our sins were forgiven.

We Should Forgive Others Daily
We should expect to be sinned against.

Does this mean we must forget the sins of others? Does God forgive and forget? If this is the criteria then we cannot forgive because it is hard to forget. But that is not the point. God does not forget. Forgiveness is not holding someone’s sins against them anymore.

Does this mean we earn forgiveness?
Why can this not be true? Jesus seems to be saying here that God will forgive us, if we forgive others.

Our debt is too large. Your sins are so numerous that you could spend thousands of years seeking to earn your way in and still not atone. Your sins are not just many they are against God.
If we do that undermines the entire Gospel. Why because the Gospel is the forgiveness of our sins?
Alas and Did My Savior Bleed- But drops of grief can ne’er repay the debt of love I owe

Forgiveness is free, not earned. Paul makes this explicit throughout his epistles, Romans and Galatians. Romans 6:23 is a great example. Ephesians 1:7 is another example. Titus 3 is another example.

We can never forgive exactly as God forgives. If what Jesus is saying is that you must forgive just like God does then we are hopeless.

So what does this mean? Christ is telling us here that one of the clearest proofs of our own salvation is our willingness to forgive others. He is telling us that if we want to know whether we are saved or not, whether we understand our salvation or not we must look at how we forgive others.

WLC Q105: What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A105: In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray, That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins;[2] which we are able to be rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.[3]

HC Q: 126. Which is the fifth petition?
A: "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; that is, be pleased for the sake of Christ's blood, not to impute to us poor sinners, our transgressions, nor that depravity, which always cleaves to us; even as we feel this evidence of thy grace in us, that it is our firm resolution from the heart to forgive our neighbor.

Take Up and Read: Music Edition

2011-08-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

For your reading pleasure, here are some blog posts about worship music.

Here are two by Kevin DeYoung where he lays out ten principles of church music. A lot of good thoughts and principles that can and should be applied in our churches.
Part 1
Part 2

Here is a four part series by Gregory Wilbur on why Bach still matters for church music.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Finally, several years ago Douglas Wilson did a series of exhortations to his congregation on church music. You can find them here. I have found many of them helpful.

The God Who Spares Us

2011-08-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

"And above all let us be mindful of this general promise: that God calls us to Himself as His children; that He spares us and bears with us, and does not enter into an extremity of rigor wiht us; and that even though there are many faults in our works, He accepts them; that if we offend we always find pardon at His hand; that when we swerve aside He brings us back onto the way; and that none of our faults is imputed to us." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:11-15)

Martin Luther's Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

2011-07-29T10:00:00.001-04:00

Our Father who art in heaven.
What does this mean? God would thereby [with this little introduction] tenderly urge us to believe that He is our true Father, and that we are His true children, so that we may ask Him confidently with all assurance, as dear children ask their dear father.

The First Petition: Hallowed be Thy name.
What does this mean? God's name is indeed holy in itself; but we pray in this petition that it may become holy among us also.

How is this done? When the Word of God is taught in its truth and purity, and we as the children of God also lead holy lives in accordance with it. To this end help us, dear Father in heaven. But he that teaches and lives otherwise than God's Word teaches profanes the name of God among us. From this preserve us, Heavenly Father.

The Second Petition: Thy kingdom come.
What does this mean? The kingdom of God comes indeed without our prayer, of itself; but we pray in this petition that it may come unto us also.

How is this done? When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word and lead a godly life here in time and yonder in eternity.

The Third Petition: Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
What does this mean? The good and gracious will of God is done indeed without our prayer; but we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.

How is this done? When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel and will which would not let us hallow the name of God nor let His kingdom come, such as the will of the devil, the world, and our flesh; but strengthens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith unto our end. This is His gracious and good will.

The Fourth Petition: Give us this day our daily bread.
What does this mean? God gives daily bread, even without our prayer, to all wicked men; but we pray in this petition that He would lead us to know it, and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.

What is meant by daily bread? Everything that belongs to the support and wants of the body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, homestead, field, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious children, pious servants, pious and faithful magistrates good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.

The Fifth Petition: And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
What does this mean? We pray in this petition that our Father in heaven would not look upon our sins, nor deny such petitions on account of them; for we are worthy of none of the things for which we pray, neither have we deserved them; but that He would grant them all to us by grace; for we daily sin much, and indeed deserve nothing but punishment. So will we verily, on our part, also heartily forgive and also readily do good to those who sin against us.

The Sixth Petition: And lead us not into temptation.
What does this mean? God, indeed, tempts no one; but we pray in this petition that God would guard and keep us, so that the devil, the world, and our flesh may not deceive us, nor seduce us into misbelief, despair, and other great shame and vice; and though we be assailed by them, that still we may finally overcome and gain the victory.

The Seventh Petition: But deliver us from evil.
What does this mean? We pray in this petition, as in a summary, that our Father in heaven would deliver us from all manner of evil, of body and soul, property and honor, and at last, when our last hour shall come, grant us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale of tears to Himself into heaven.

Amen.
What does this mean? That I should be certain that these petitions are acceptable to our Father in heaven and heard; for He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has promised that He will hear us. Amen, Amen; that is, Yea, yea, it shall be so.

We Do Not Labor in Vain

2011-07-29T08:00:00.001-04:00

"The prophet Isaiah would have us to fight against this temptation. [To believe that there is no reward for the righteous.] Even though the whole world should laugh the godly to scorn, and the wicked triumph over them, yet for all that he faithful should not be astonished, but say to themselves, "No, no, the righteous man shall not lose his labor; he shall not be deceived of his expectation when he depends wholly upon the promises of God." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:11-15)

Westminster Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

2011-07-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

Q98: What is prayer?
A98: Prayer is an offering up of our desires unto God for things agreeable to his will in the name of Christ, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgement of his mercies.

Q99: What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer?
A99: The whole Word of God is of use to direct us in prayer; but the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called The Lord's Prayer.

Q100: What doth the preface of the Lord's prayer teach us?
A100: The preface of the Lord's prayer, which is, Our Father which art in heaven, teacheth us to draw near to God with all holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and ready to help us; and that we should pray with and for others.

Q101: What do we pray for in the first petition?
A101: In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name, we pray, That God would enable us and others to glorify him in all that whereby he maketh himself known; and that he would dispose all things to his own glory.

Q102: What do we pray for in the second petition?
A102: In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we pray, That Satan's kingdom may be destroyed; and that the kingdom of grace may be advanced, ourselves and others brought into it, and kept in it; and the kingdom of glory may be hastened.

Q103: What do we pray for in the third petition?
A103: In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven, we pray, That God, by his grace, would make us able and willing to know, obey, and submit to his will in all things, as the angels do in heaven.

Q104: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A104: In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread, we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.

Q105: What do we pray for in the fifth petition?
A105: In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, we pray, That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are able to be rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.

Q106: What do we pray for in the sixth petition?
A106: In the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray, That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Q107: What doth the conclusion the Lord's prayer teach us?
A107: The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, Amen. teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power and glory to him.

And, in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.

Take Up and Read: Thursday Edition

2011-07-28T08:00:00.003-04:00

Pastor Paul Tripp explains why pastors tend to get depressed and burn out. I thought point number one was excellent and one that wives should be taught as well.

Justin Taylor has some thoughts on the death of John Stott. I read two of Stott's books recently, Between Two Worlds and The Sermon on the Mount. Both were excellent, with Between Two Worlds being one of the best books on preaching I have read in a long time. The Christian world has lost an elder statesman.

John Piper talks about Stott's ability to open up the Bible and show the treasures inside and how that affected Piper's ministry.

Finally, Tim Challies talks about how buying his Honda Civic made him think about consumerism and choices. This article makes me want to trim down my choices.

Malachi 2:10-16

2011-07-27T08:30:00.000-04:00

I have such a hatred of divorce that I prefer bigamy to divorce. Martin Luther

God is the witness to every marriage ceremony, and will be the witness to every violation of its vows. Thomas V. Moore

The statistics on divorce are alarming. By now, we have heard them so often that the news bounces off us and has no impact. Even if you take a best case scenario, divorce is rampant in American culture and in the American church. At the best divorce is around 30% in the American church and some put it over 50%. It should come as no surprise that Satan, the master tactician, continues to attack one of the central ways God advances his kingdom. Without a unified home, there is no raising of godly children, there is no picture of Christ and the Church to the outside world, and there is no strengthening of the Church. Satan doesn’t hate marriage. He hates God, Christ, and His Kingdom. Very few things destroy the work of the kingdom as quickly as failed marriages. However, what may come as a bit of surprise is that the desire to be loosened from our marriage vows is not a new sin. Jesus addresses this head on in Matthew 5:31-32 and 19:3-12. And now in our study of Malachi we come to chapter 2, which contains one the most extensive teaching on divorce in the Scriptures.

This third disputation in Malachi continues the theme of Israel’s unfaithfulness. Unlike in 1:6-2:9, the people under God’s microscope are not just the priests, but all of Israel. This section is the most famous in Malachi because it deals directly with divorce. It is not hard to understand, but the applications are very important and frequently ignored.

The key phrase God uses to describe Israel’s attitude is that of faithlessness or treachery. The term is used in verses 10, 14, 15, and 16. Israel’s faithlessness is seen in two areas. First, instead of marrying Israelite women who worship God, they marry pagan wives. (2:11-12) God calls this profaning the covenant. Malachi says that the Lord will cut off from among the people anyone who marries a pagan. Notice that, just like our earlier passage, the Israelites are still bringing offerings, despite living in sin. (vs. 12) Second, the wives they have they treat with contempt and divorce with ease. (2:13-16) Notice here that marriage is referred to as a covenant. It is clear from Ephesians 5 that if marriage is similar to the relationship between Christ and his church then it is a covenant. But only here in Malachi and in Proverbs 2:17 is the word covenant used in describing marriage. God says both that unfaithfulness in marriage and the failure to marry godly wives show a general unfaithfulness by Israel where they do not live as if God is their father. (vs. 10)

Applications
• Our faithlessness in relationships shows our faithlessness to God. The Apostle John says the same thing in I John 4:20. We see the connection here between the first and second great commandments. (Matthew 22:35-40) At no point can we say we love God, if we hate those around us, especially our wives and children.

• The state of our marriages shows the state of our hearts. Divorce and treating our wives with contempt means we are far from God. We lament the divorce rate in America and we should. But there are many Christian marriages where the husbands treat their wives poorly. God considers this treachery and will not let it go unpunished. Just because you are not divorced does not mean your marriage is thriving.

• Christians are to marry Christians. The intermarrying of Christians with pagans will bring a curse upon God’s people. Paul makes this same point in II Corinthians 6:14-18.

• Weeping, tears, and emotion are not a substitute for obedience (vs. 13-14) This does not mean we never weep or cry out to God, but we must want to obey him as well. Mere display never pleases God. He does not accept it if it does not lead to growth in obedience.

• Marriage is a covenant and therefore is not to be entered into lightly, nor to be exited easily. There is no stronger bond in Scripture than a covenant. The way we treat the vows we make on our wedding day says a lot about our character. Do we see the vows as flexible and easily abandoned? Or do we believe that they are unto death?

• One clear purpose of the marriage covenant is the raising of godly children. (vs. 15) There are more reasons for marriage than this, but to exclude this reason it to gut marriage of one of its primary purposes. A marriage that purposely excludes children is a marriage in rebellion against God.

• God hates divorce. (vs. 16) Unfortunately, the American church does not. Thus we sit under the curse of God.

• Divorce is equal to violence. (vs. 16) What is interesting about this is many modern socially minded Christians who shout from the rooftops against violence are perfectly fine with divorce. How odd, since according to Malachi, they are one and the same.

• Twice in this section the men of Israel are urged to take heed to their spirit. (vs. 15 and 16) Divorce and contempt for our wives arise out of the heart. There may be external factors, such as finances, that put pressure upon a marriage, but in the end divorce comes from sin that has taken up residence in the heart. As Proverbs says, we must keep/guard our heart. (Prov. 4:23)

Tearing the Body of Christ into Pieces

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Concerning the outward order of things, [worship and preaching] we know that our Lord Jesus Christ would have men to assemble themselves together. I grant we are not bound all to be in one place, and men also preach in various churches in one town. Why? Because the whole world cannot be present to hear one sermon. Yet for all that, because of our slowness we are so bound that we must gather ourselves together in the name of God. He who wants to stay at home, despising the common order, and says, 'I can read at home and edify myself sufficiently there,' that man breaks asunder the unity of the faith and tears in pieces the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his strength." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:1-10)

Heidelberg Catechism on the Lord's Prayer

2011-07-26T10:00:00.001-04:00

Recently I have been preaching through the Lord's Prayer. I have found the catechisms from the reformation to be a great help throughout the sermon series. Here is the section on the Lord's Prayer from the Heidelberg Catechism.

Q: 116. Why is prayer necessary for Christians?
A: Because it is the chief part of thankfulness which God requires of us and also, because God will give his grace and Holy Spirit to those only, who with sincere desires continually ask them of him, and are thankful for them.

Q: 117. What are the requisites of that prayer, which is acceptable to God, and which he will hear?
A: First, that we from the heart pray to the one true God only, who has manifested himself in his word, for all things, he has commanded us to ask of him; secondly, that we rightly and thoroughly know our need and misery, that so we may deeply humble ourselves in the presence of his divine majesty; thirdly, that we be fully persuaded that he, notwithstanding that we are unworthy of it, will, for the sake of Christ our Lord, certainly hear our prayer, as he has promised us in his word.

Q: 118. What has God commanded us to ask of him?
A: All things necessary for soul and body; which Christ our Lord has comprised in that prayer he himself has taught us. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Q: 119. What are the words of that prayer?
A: Our Father which are in heaven, 1 Hallowed be thy name. 2 Thy kingdom come. 3 Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 4 Give us this day our daily bread. 5 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 6 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Q: 120. Why has Christ commanded us to address God thus: "Our Father"?
A: That immediately, in the very beginning of our prayer, he might excite in us a childlike reverence for, and confidence in God, which are the foundation of our prayer: namely, that God is become our Father in Christ, and will much less deny us what we ask of him in true faith, than our parents will refuse us earthly things.

Q: 121. Why is it here added, "Which are in heaven"?
A: Lest we should form any earthly conceptions of God's heavenly majesty, and that we may expect from his almighty power all things necessary for soul and body.

Q: 122. Which is the first petition?
A: "Hallowed be thy name"; that is, grant us, first, rightly to know you, and to sanctify, glorify and praise you, in all thy works, in which thy power, wisdom, goodness, justice, mercy and truth, are clearly displayed; and further also, that we may so order and direct our whole lives, our thoughts, words and actions, that thy name may never be blasphemed, but rather honored and praised on our account.

Q: 123. Which is the second petition?
A: "Thy kingdom come"; that is, rule us so by thy word and Spirit, that we may submit ourselves more and more to you; preserve and increase thy church; destroy the works of the devil, and all violence which would exalt itself against you; and also all wicked counsels devised against thy holy word; till the full perfection of thy kingdom take place, wherein you shall be all in all.

Q: 124. Which is the third petition?
A: "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"; that is, grant that we and all men may renounce our own will, and without murmuring obey thy will, which is only good; that every one may attend to, and perform the duties of his station and calling, as willingly and faithfully as the angels do in heaven.

Q: 125. Which is the fourth petition?
A: "Give us this day our daily bread"; that is, be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, that we may thereby acknowledge you to be the only fountain of all good, and that neither our care nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without thy blessing; and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures, and place it alone in you.

Q: 126. Which is the fifth petition?
A: "And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"; that is, be pleased for the sake of Christ's blood, not to impute to us poor sinners, our transgressions, nor that depravity, which always cleaves to us; even as we feel this evidence of thy grace in us, that it is our firm resolution from the heart to forgive our neighbor.

Q: 127. Which is the sixth petition?
A: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil"; that is, since we are so weak in ourselves, that we cannot stand a moment; and besides this, since our mortal enemies, the devil, the world, and our own flesh, cease not to assault us, do you therefore preserve and strengthen us by the power of thy Holy Spirit, that we may not be overcome in this spiritual warfare, but constantly and strenuously may resist our foes, till at last we obtain a complete victory.

Q: 128. How do you conclude your prayer?
A: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever"; that is, all these we ask of you, because you, being our King and almighty, are willing and able to give us all good; and all this we pray for, that thereby not we, but thy holy name, may be glorified forever.

Q: 129. What does the word "Amen" signify?
A: "Amen" signifies, it shall truly and certainly be: for my prayer is more assuredly heard of God, than I feel in my heart that I desire these things of him. For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. If we believe not, yet he is faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Take Up and Read: Tuesday Edition

2011-07-26T08:00:00.004-04:00

Toby Sumpter strikes again, reminding us of the real danger of lust and pointing us to Christ for a remedy.

Pastor Leithart shows how higher education, despite its rhetoric, often teaches students to despise the average man.

Here is how Vern Poythress helped his boys become men. I have not done it as Poythress did, but there are some good building blocks in his plan.

Finally, one evanglical has decided that evangelism is a bad thing. He would rather take the easy, comfortable, non-threatening route and just talk to people about jesus. He has found talking to them about Jesus instead of asking them to repent and convert is easier and more compelling. He has also found that when you treat Jesus as just a model for leadership the Muslims listen. I do not know much about this guy, but I can guarantee you is not going to get stoned or beaten for his faith.

Sermon Outline: Matthew 6:11

2011-07-25T13:00:00.002-04:00

Christ Church of Morgantown
6th Sunday of Trinity
July 24th, 2011
Sermon: The Lord’s Prayer: The Fountain of All Good
Matthew 6:11

(The audio can be found here.)

Exordium
So far our Lord has led us through the most mighty aspects of our prayer. We have ascended the heights and looked out. What do we see? God name’s should be a great priority in our prayers. We see his mighty Kingdom and we give thanks that we are in it and pray for it to grow through evangelism and discipleship. Finally, we saw that God’s will should be a great priority in our prayers. We saw that are many obstacles to God’s will being done. When we pray, “Thy will be done,” we are praying that these obstacles would be removed. We pray that we would renounce our will and seek that which pleases God.

It is easy after these first three petitions to fall into a trap of thinking that God is so high and mighty that he does not care about our daily existence. His name is so holy that he has no time for us. His Kingdom is so great that we are a but a particle of dust in the great and mighty Kingdom of Heaven. His will so perfect and good that we are mere mortals who cannot compare. This feeling is good. God is Mighty and exalted.

But we run the risk of forgetting he is also our Father. He has drawn near to us. He dwells with us. He cares for us. The next petition Christ gives to us reminds us that God is not just a King, but he is also a Father.

Remember as we move forward that we are not leaving God behind. We are not leaving God’s name and Kingdom and will behind us and now focusing on our needs. We begin with God’s name and kingdom and will and then the requests we make must fit into what we have already prayed.

Example: Give me my daily bread in a way that hallows your name, builds your kingdom and accomplishes your will.

Exegesis

Theological foundations/assumptions for this prayer request. (Prods to prayer.)

Our Father Cares About the Most Mundane Aspects of Our Lives
Nothing was as normal as bread in Israel. It was the staple food.

Bread [is a symbol] for everything necessary for the preservation of this life, like food, a healthy body, good weather, a house, home, wife, children good government and peace. Martin Luther

The early church fathers felt this too mundane and thus interpreted this as referring to the Lord’s Supper. But this surely misses the point, not just of this verse, but of this entire chapter.

Psalm 104
I Peter 5:7

Our Father Cares for Us Continually.
His attention to our lives does not waver and does not grow slack. Day by day he looks down upon us and provides for our needs. His eye never wanders from us.
Illustration: Losing sight of my children.
Illustration: Psalm 139

We may not feel like his care for us is continual. We may feel that he has forgotten us, but that is why God’s Word directs us not our feelings. There is never a moment when God is not overseeing our lives.

Our entire life from beginning to end is dependent upon God.
God alone sustains our lives. Not men, not money, not possessions, nor our bosses, but only God keeps us. This fact is easy to forget because our lives are so easy.

John Calvin: It is indeed the true proof of our faith when we ask nothing but from God, and not only acknowledge him to be the only fountain of all blessings, but feel that his fatherly kindness extends to the smallest matters, so that he does not disdain to take care even of our flesh.

Our prayer life will grow as our dependence upon God grows. If we think we earn things. If we think our bank accounts and health are there because we have earned them. If we think that our next paycheck is dependent upon us then we will not pray.
Illustration: George Mueller

We pray daily because we so easily forget the kindness of God. If Christ told us to pray for our yearly bread, we would forget God. And we do don’t we.

What if God takes away our daily needs, such as food, money, health and home? What if God does not answer this prayer?
Remember your daily necessities are gifts, not rights. You are not owed them. You have no right to them. God can and does take them away.

But why? Why would God remove these most basic necessities? Well, if God takes away one gift from his children he intends on giving them another. God removes something from our lives to give us something better, usually a deeper walk with Him. God never removes things to tear us into pieces. His point is never to destroy.
1. Josh’s bike accident.
2. Job and the Apostle Paul

We pray daily that God would provide for our needs.
This is not a prayer for luxury. It is not a prayer for mansions and cars and big, fat bank accounts. It is a prayer for our daily needs. When we understand who God is then will not fear bringing before him our needs. You should never be ashamed of asking God for things that you need. If Christ tells us to ask for our daily bread then all else is there for the taking. What do you need day by day? Bring it before his throne. He wants to hear and provide for you. He wants to see you depending upon him.
Proverbs 30:7-9
Here is a great difference between our God and the gods of the ancient world.
As your learn to pray do not neglect either aspect. Do not forget the great aspects of the Christian life. Pray big prayers. Teach your children to pray great prayers. But also learn to pray for the normal things of life. God wants us to pray for both.

We daily thank him for his provision.
Americans are notoriously ungrateful. We have so much, so very much. Our homes are outfitted with things the Emperor could not have imagined. Yet we grumble, we complain. Why? We think it is earned or deserved instead of a gift from God. If we are dependent upon God for our daily bread then we are dependent upon him for everything. But we don’t view things that way.

Thanksgiving and gratitude will flow naturally when we know that all things from his hand. He is the fountain of all good.

WLC: Q104: What do we pray for in the fourth petition?
A104: In the fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our daily bread,[1] we pray, That of God's free gift we may receive a competent portion of the good things of this life,[2] and enjoy his blessing with them.[3]

HC Q: 125. Which is the fourth petition?
A: "Give us this day our daily bread"; that is, be pleased to provide us with all things necessary for the body, that we may thereby acknowledge you to be the only fountain of all good, and that neither our care nor industry, nor even thy gifts, can profit us without thy blessing; and therefore that we may withdraw our trust from all creatures, and place it alone in you.

Give Me a Fire and a Hammer

2011-07-25T08:30:00.000-04:00

"Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jer 23:29)

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned that William Willimon identifies some of the common weaknesses in contemporary worship. The first weakness was the lack of coherence in worship. At my church we address this particular weakness by using a fixed pattern in worship called covenant renewal worship. You can see what I said about that here.

The second weaknesses in modern worship is the inadequate treatment of Scripture. This is actually not a surprise. Despite Protestants paying lip service to the Bible and talking about the Bible, very few actually read and know what it says. We are like the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:29-30. We decorate the Bible, write papers about it, extol it over other books, but don't read it or obey it. Nowhere is this seen as clearly as in our worship services, which are largely void of Scripture, except for the sermon text. For all the faults of our forefathers in the faith, they at least made sure the service was filled with the Bible. Almost all churches read at least one section from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament every week. Many read three or four sections, depending upon the church tradition. The Westminster Directory for Public Worship suggests a chapter from the Old and a chapter from the New Testament every week with a Psalm as well.

Besides the reading of the Scriptures, there were two other ways the Bible permeated the worship services of our ancestors. First, the psalms were sung. In this way the church was memorizing parts of Scripture. Second, the prayers from the pulpit were filled with Scripture. So even when the congregants were listening to the prayers, they were hearing God's Word.

At Christ Church we try to fill our service with God's Word. We have two Scripture readings, one section from the Old Testament and one section from the New Testament. I would like to eventually add more, but for now that is sufficient. Besides this we also sing several psalms a week. Many of these we have memorized. The elders fill their prayers with Scriptures, praying God's Word back to him and teaching God's people in the meantime. There are numerous other places where Scripture is read as well. We have a call to worship that is Scripture. We have a call to confess our sins, which is Scripture. We have a promise of forgiveness following the confession of our sins, which is taken from Scripture. Finally, we have a commission and benediction at the end of the service that is also Scripture. Here is how the Scriptures were used at one of our recent worship services.

Call to Worship: Psalm 149
Call to Confession: Psalm 130:1-4
Promise of Forgiveness: Psalm 130:5-8
Old Testament Reading: Deuteronomy 19:15-21
New Testament Reading: Matthew 5:38-42
Commission: Acts 1:6-9
Benediction Hebrews 13:20-21
We also sang Psalm 23 and Psalm 46.

Pastors' Words or God's Words

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

"Pastors are not appointed to set forth whatsoever doctrine seems good to themselves, or to bring men's souls into subjection and bondage to them, or to make laws and articles of faith at their own pleasure; but rather only to bring about the rule of God that His Word may be hearkened to." (John Calvin, Sermon on Deuteronomy 27:1-10)

Kevin DeYoung on Friendship

2011-07-07T09:53:00.003-04:00

Here are three good posts on friendship by Kevin DeYoung.

Why Friendship is Good.

Are You a Fake Friend?

Are You a Foul Friend?

While you are thinking about friendship why don't you pick up Steve Wilkins' excellent book Face to Face from Canon Press. The best book on hospitality and friendship I have read.

The Need for Sanctification

2011-07-05T07:00:00.000-04:00

Really, I think most of us need to read a good book on sanctification. We have unrealistic hopes of the absence of temptation in this life, and this is primarily because of the Campus Crusadification of doctrine (which really means the destruction of doctrine) that's taken over the Church in these United States the past seventy-five years or so. The Church has become the parachurch and she has no doctrine of sanctification--and therefore no doctrine of the Church. There are few pastors; men ordained today have no expectation of being shepherds because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification and so we need no shepherds. We have no elders exhorting, rebuking, or disciplining the flock because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification. We have no doctrine of the Sacraments--and specifically the Lord's Supper--because, again, we have no doctrine of sanctification. (The Bayly Brothers)

Read the whole post here.

Nature is Our Sister

2011-06-15T14:55:00.002-04:00

The main point of Christianity was this: that Nature is not our mother: Nature is our sister. We can be proud of her beauty, since we have the same father; but she has no authority over us; we have to admire, but not to imitate. This gives ot the typically Christian pleasure in this earth a strange touch of lightness that is almost frivolity. Nature was a solemn mother to the worshippers of Isis and Cybele. Nature was a solemn mother to Wordsworth or to Emerson. But Nature is not solemnt to Francis of Assisi or to George Herbert. To St. Francis, Nature is a sister, and even a younger sister: a little dancing sister, to be laughed at as well as loved. (G.K. Chesterton)

HC: Lord's Day 30-Excommunication

2011-05-23T07:00:00.000-04:00

Q: 80. What difference is there between the Lord's supper and the popish mass?
A: The Lord's supper testifies to us, that we have a full pardon of all sin by the only sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which he himself has once accomplished on the cross; and, that we by the Holy Spirit are grafted into Christ, who, according to his human nature is now not on earth, but in heaven, at the right hand of God his Father, and will there be worshipped by us. But the mass teaches, that the living and dead have not the pardon of sins through the sufferings of Christ, unless Christ is also daily offered for them by the priests; and further, that Christ is bodily under the form of bread and wine, and therefore is to be worshipped in them; so that the mass, at bottom, is nothing else than a denial of the one sacrifice and sufferings of Jesus Christ, and an accursed idolatry.

Q: 81. For whom is the Lord's supper instituted?
A: For those who are truly sorrowful for their sins, and yet trust that these are forgiven them for the sake of Christ; and that their remaining infirmities are covered by his passion and death; and who also earnestly desire to have their faith more and more strengthened, and their lives more holy; but hypocrites, and such as turn not to God with sincere hearts, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Q: 82. Are they also to be admitted to this supper, who, by confession and life, declare themselves unbelieving and ungodly?
A: No; for by this, the covenant of God would be profaned, and his wrath kindled against the whole congregation; therefore it is the duty of the Christian church, according to the appointment of Christ and his apostles, to exclude such persons, by the keys of the kingdom of heaven, till they show amendment of life.

Applications
1. Here we come to the warnings concerning the Lord's Supper. First, hypocrites are not to be admitted to the table. Those who claim Christ, but do not walk worthy are to be excluded. This does not mean sinners cannot come to the table. It means unrepentant sinners cannot come to the table. Sinners must come, but they must come ready to turn from their sins. Those who are excluded from Supper are those who want the privilege of being counted among Christians, but do not want their life to conform to Christ. These hypocrites are to be cast out the church until they repent and turn. Second, if someone chooses to eat and drink while not turning they will be judged by Almighty God. Even if the elders do not know, God does. He will bring the person who profanes the table to account.

HC: Lord's Day 29-We Really Partake

2011-05-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

Q: 78. Do then the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ?
A: Not at all: but as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood of Christ, neither is the washing away of sin itself, being only the sign and confirmation thereof appointed of God; so the bread in the Lord's supper is not changed into the very body of Christ; though agreeably to the nature and properties of sacraments, it is called the body of Christ Jesus.

Q: 79. Why then does Christ call the bread "his body", and the cup "his blood", or "the new covenant in his blood"; and Paul the "communion of body and blood of Christ"?
A: Christ speaks thus, not without great reason, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as bread and wine support this temporal life, so his crucified body and shed blood are the true meat and drink, whereby our souls are fed to eternal life; but more especially by these visible signs and pledges to assure us, that we are as really partakers of his true body and blood by the operation of the Holy Spirit as we receive by the mouths of our bodies these holy signs in remembrance of him; and that all his sufferings and obedience are as certainly ours, as if we had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction for our sins to God.

Applications
1. There is not much to say on question 78. However, I do like the analogy to baptism.

2. Question and answer 79 is rich with great theological truth. First, note again that the Lord's Supper is a sign of assurance. It is there to assure us that we are really partakers of Christ's body and blood. In other words, the point of the supper is not to make us doubt whether we really partake of Christ's blood or not. Second, the picture painted of imputation is beautiful. God looks on us, because of the work of Christ, as if we ourselves had suffered and made satisfaction for our sins. We are united to Christ in such a way that his sacrifice becomes ours. His righteousness becomes ours. This is good news indeed!

Pastors Need Courage

2011-05-18T11:00:00.000-04:00

"Courage is the greatest lack today. If all men in the ministry acted upon what they know we would have a far better ministry." (Williamn Still, The Work of the Pastor)

"Preachers need courage--courage to the let the Bible say what it means, courage to see the world as it is, and courage to address the difference between the two...The conviction that there is a God who has spoken in the Bible is the root fo all courage in preaching and teaching...Courage watches the culture and the church, without blinking, to address them as they are, not as we prefer to imagine them." (Daniel Doriani, Putting the Truth to Work)

HC: Lord's Day 28-Assurance Yet Again

2011-05-18T07:00:00.000-04:00

Q: 75. How are you admonished and assured in the Lord's Supper, that you are a partaker of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross, and of all his benefits?
A: Thus: That Christ has commanded me and all believers, to eat of this broken bread, and to drink of this cup, in remembrance of him, adding these promises: first, that his body was offered and broken on the cross for me, and his blood shed for me, as certainly as I see with my eyes, the bread of the Lord broken for me, and the cup communicated to me; and further, that he feeds and nourishes my soul to everlasting life, with his crucified body and shed blood, as assuredly as I receive from the hands of the minister, and taste with my mouth the bread and cup of the Lord, as certain signs of the body and blood of Christ.

Q: 76. What is it then to eat the crucified body, and drink the shed blood of Christ?
A: It is not only to embrace with believing heart all the sufferings and death of Christ and thereby to obtain the pardon of sin, and life eternal; but also, besides that, to become more and more united to his sacred body, by the Holy Spirit, who dwells both in Christ and in us; so that we, though Christ is in heaven and we on earth, are notwithstanding "flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone" and that we live, and are governed forever by one spirit, as members of the same body are by one soul.

Q: 77. Where has Christ promised that he will as certainly feed and nourish believers with his body and bleed, as they eat of this broken bread, and drink of this cup?
A: In the institution of the supper, which is thus expressed: "The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and: said: eat, this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: this cup is the new testament in my blood; this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come.". This promise is repeated by the holy apostle Paul, where he says "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."

Applications
1. Question 75 is one of the most marvelous statements of the purpose of the Lord's Supper in print. And guess what? It makes the exact same point as was made in the baptism section. The sacraments are there to assure us of our salvation. How many modern churches use communion to do exactly the opposite? Communion is a time to doubt your salvation. Communion is the time to wonder if we actually do believe or not. But the gospel is good news. Jesus' life, death, resurrection and ascension is good news. And if these things are what communion is about, then how can we possibly turn it into a time filled with scare tactics, guilt trips and beat downs? Believe that as surely as you eat and drink Christ's body was broken and his blood spilled for you.

2. Question 76 points to the idea of communion increasing our union with Christ and with his body. It is not simply about remembering, but something happens as we eat and drink. The Spirit unites us to the living Christ and unites us to the living Body of Christ, the Church.

The Authority of the Preacher

2011-05-17T11:00:00.000-04:00

Here is Christopher Ash's summary of the authority of the preacher.

A. The preacher exercises the authority of Christ in the Church
1. Under the old covenant, God governed his people by the written word preached by prophets.
(a) The primacy of the prophet in the people of God.
(b) The authority of God is exercised not by the written word, but by the written word preached.

2. Under the new covenant, Christ governs his people by the written word preached by preachers.
(a) The progressive revelatory role of the prophets is fulfilled in Christ the Prophet.
(b) But Christ the Prophet is no longer here!
(c) And so we need preachers to continue the proclamatory work of the prophets.

B. The preacher’s authority is a borrowed authority, only obtained by much toil, sweat and with deep humbling.

HC: Lord's Day 27-Where to Find Assurance

2011-05-16T07:00:00.000-04:00

Q: 72. Is then the external baptism with water the washing away of sin itself?
A: Not at all: for the blood of Jesus Christ only, and the Holy Spirit cleanse us from all sin.

Q: 73. Why then does the Holy Spirit call baptism "the washing of regeneration," and "the washing away of sins"?
A: God speaks thus not without great cause, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as the filth of the body is purged away by water, so our sins are removed by the blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ; but especially that by this divine pledge and sign he may assure us, that we are spiritually cleansed from our sins as really, as we are externally washed with water.

Q: 74. Are infants also to be baptized?
A: Yes: for since they, as well as the adult, are included in the covenant and church of God; and since redemption from sin by the blood of Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the author of faith, is promised to them no less than to the adult; they must therefore by baptism, as a sign of the covenant, be also admitted into the Christian church; and be distinguished from the children of unbelievers as was done in the old covenant or testament by circumcision, instead of which baptism is instituted in the new covenant.

Applications
1. There is a theme in these sections on the sacraments; assurance. The answer to question 67 says, "The Holy Spirit assures us in the sacraments." Question 69 says that as surely as I am washed externally with water so I am "certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all pollution of my soul." And here in question 73 we see that baptism is given so that we might be assured that we are spiritually clean. Not to belabor the point, but the sacraments are given, like the promise of the Gospel, to assure us that Christ has paid all and our sins can be forgiven in him. Assurance is first found by looking at Christ, the cross, the gospel and the sacraments. It will not be found in the closet of your heart.

2. Children should be baptized. They belong to the covenant people. To not baptize children is to say they are excluded from the church of God and strangers to the covenants of promise.

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 26

2011-05-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

Q: 69. How are you admonished and assured by holy baptism, that the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is of real advantage to you?
A: Thus: That Christ appointed this external washing with water, adding thereto this promise, that I am as certainly washed by his blood and Spirit from all the pollution of my soul, that is, from all my sins, as I am washed externally with water, by which the filthiness of the body is commonly washed away.

Q: 70. What is it to be washed with the blood and Spirit of Christ?
A: It is to receive of God the remission of sins, freely, for the sake of Christ's blood, which he shed for us by his sacrifice upon the cross; and also to be renewed by the Holy Spirit, and sanctified to be members of Christ, that so we may more and more die unto sin, and lead holy and blameless lives.

Q: 71. Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism?
A: In the institution of baptism, which is thus expressed: "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit", And "he that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believes not, shall be damned.", This promise is also repeated, where the scripture calls baptism "the washing of regenerations" and the washing away of sins.

Applications
1. Notice the first question. How do we know that the cross is of real advantage to us? We all wonder this at times. How do I know that I am a Christian or that Christ died for me? One way is by looking at our baptisms and the promise given there. As sure as the water was poured, sprinkled or I was dunked in it, I can be assured that Christ shed his blood for me.

2. The answer to the second perfectly balances justification and sanctification. Christ's blood means that my sins are forgiven and that I should lead a holy life. It does not mean that my sins are forgiven so I can do as I please. It does not mean that I must earn forgiveness. It means that I am holy in Christ and I need to grow up into that holiness.

Weaknesses in Worship: Part I

2011-05-12T11:00:00.003-04:00

William Willimon is one of most insightful and provocative writers around today, especially on issues of worship and sacraments. He is also a Methodist. That means he has bought hook, line and sinker women's ordination and other faults of the Methodist church. Despite this, his books are worth reading because he forces you to examine your presuppositions. Also his writing is lively, which makes him fun to read. In his book, A Guide to Preaching and Leading Worship, he lists some of the common weaknesses in worship. I am going to take each weakness Willimon mentions and discuss how my church attempts to correct that weakness.

The first weakness Willimon mentions is that many services lack focus and coherence in the acts of worship. "The service moves in several different directions at once. " In other words the service is just a mishmash of songs, prayers and a sermon with little plan or direction. How does it all fit together? Willimon mentions the use of a lectionary and the church year as solutions to this problem of lack of coherence. We use the church year. However, our lectionary is tied to the word preached and I preach through books of the Bible. So we do not use a lectionary that skips from book to book.

While I am not opposed to either of these, the best way for coherence and direction in worship is to have the service move in a Gospel centered direction. The Gospel is what we preach and our services should have this as their mold. In my circles this is known as covenant renewal worship, but is done by other groups that do not use that name.

Here is how it works. Our service has a specific direction and movement. Each piece of the service leads to the next piece. The service begins with sinners being brought into the presence of a holy God. Those sinners then confess they are sinners and plead the shed blood of Christ. They are then forgiven and sanctified by God's Word. They eat a meal of peace with God (the Lord's Supper) and then are sent out to be salt and light in the world. This is how we experience the Gospel in our lives and therefore this forms how we do worship. The pattern is the same every week because the Gospel never changes. Luther was once asked, "Why do you preach the Gospel every week?" He said, "Because you forget every week." That is why for us at Christ Church, we have the same pattern of worship every week. Below is a short look at our service. If you would like a more extensive look you can go to our church website and look at the "Our Worship" tab for a full liturgy.

Called to Worship by God
Confession of Our Sins
Consecration by God's Word
Communion with Christ and His Body
Commissioned to Go Out and Preach Christ to the World

Despising the Name of the Lord: Malachi 1:6-2:9

2011-05-12T07:00:00.004-04:00

You should most certainly have your Bible open to Malachi 1:6-2:9 while you read this.

Taking up nearly one third of Malachi, this is the longest section in the book. The priests are the target of this section. God asks the priests why they do not honor him as father or reverence him as master. The Lord says that they have despised his name. (vs. 6) But the priests seem to be in the dark. They think they are innocent and therefore ask God to bring proof. God brings proof by bringing two pieces of evidence into the courtroom.

The first piece of evidence is the lame offerings the priests give to God. (1:7-14) The priests think they are holy. They do not see how they have despised God’s name. But God points a finger at their mockery of his law to show how they drag his name through the mud. The priests, who are supposed to carefully obey God’s commands, offer to God lame, blind, and sick sacrifices. (vss. 7-8) Leviticus 22:18-25 and Deuteronomy 15:21 forbid this type of offering. God says even the Persian governor would not accept this offering. Why does Israel think God will accept it? (vs. 8) Israel wants God’s favor (vs. 9), but does not want to obey God. Therefore God tells them they should shut up the doors of the temple. (vs. 10) Their offerings are in vain.

He then reminds them that one day all the offerings will be pure and they will not just be offered in Israel, but in all lands. The promise given in 1:11 is wonderful picture of the spread of the Gospel. Let’s take a closer look at what it is saying. First, these pure offerings will cover the entire earth. The phrase “from the rising of the sun, until its going down” makes that clear. Second, incense was a picture of prayer. So this passage is saying that the earth will one day worship the Lord through prayer. Third, the word “pure” is never used of the offerings in Leviticus. Malachi is saying that these future offerings will actually be more holy than the offerings in the Old Testament. Finally, the Gentiles are the ones making these offerings, not the Levitical priesthood.

God closes his opening argument by saying that Israel has become weary of worship. That is they have become weary of God. (vs. 12-13) The temple was now several decades old. Israel had been hoping for the glory of the Messiah to come soon. But it had not. The priests became weary of coming to God, even “sneering” at the offerings and allowing Israelites to bring unworthy offerings. So God says they are cursed. (vs. 14)

The Lord continues to press the case against the priesthood in 2:1-9. The focus here shifts from the offerings of the priests to their teaching. Malachi begins by issuing a call to true repentance. He tells the priesthood to “take these things to heart.” (vs. 2) He says if they do not heed this call and turn back to the Lord he will curse them. The Lord will curse their blessings. Those good things which the priesthood has will become a burden. Their descendants will be rebuked. (vs. 3) The offerings and the feasts, which are supposed to be the glory of Israel, will become humiliation, as the dung from these feasts are spread upon the faces of the priests. This will make them unclean, unfit for service in the temple. Unlike their father Levi, who taught the word of God, these Levites have caused Israel to stumble over God’s law. (vss. 5-8) So they will finally be taken away, driven from the temple as unclean and unholy because of their refusal to listen to God’s word and refusal to teach God’s word. The Levites were supposed to be glorious, a great light to Israel. Instead they will become contemptible. (vs. 9) If the priesthood refuses to turn from their sins God promises to curse them.

Applications
• We must bring into worship what God requires. That means the Bible is our guide for worship. In the New Covenant there is more freedom in worship than the old, but the Bible is still our guide. God expects our best in worship, this means our singing, praying, preaching, etc. must be of high quality.

• We cannot expect God’s favor if we do not seek to obey his commands. To ask God’s blessing, but refuse to listen to his voice is to make a mockery of His Word.

• Weariness in worshipping God is a terrible sin and will place one under his curse. It is easy as we move through our Christian life to become lazy and apathetic in our worship. Time can be a problem in our Christian life. Pastor Dale Davis makes this point when he comments on Genesis 16 and 17. He notes that thirteen years passed from the end of chapter 16 to the beginning of 17. Then he says this, “What had happened during the previous decade-plus. Abraham played veterinarian to his goats, settled scraps among his herdsmen, sat up with Sarah when she had the flu—in short all the sorts of things that one does in the wash-your face, brush your teeth, go to work routine of daily living. And year follows year that way, and Yahweh’s promise goes unfulfilled. Is the writer not telling us that time can be a severe problem for faith?” We must constantly draw near to God in prayer, asking him to keep us zealous for his face. Time can erode our joy and delight in coming into God’s presence.

• Those whom God has called to preach and teach the word, must understand the weight of the task they have been given. Pastors and elders are not priests, but they do perform a priestly duty by bringing God’s word to his people. Malachi says the priests of his day will be cursed because they caused people to stumble over the law. How many ministers will stand before the Lord of all the earth ashamed because their flocks stumbled over the law due to their teaching? All those who teach the word must bear in mind the awful judgment if they fail at the task. Thus James says that not many should seek to be teachers. (James 3:1)

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 25

2011-05-11T07:00:00.003-04:00

Q: 65. Since then we are made partakers of Christ and all his benefits by faith only, whence does this faith proceed?
A: From the Holy Spirit, who works faith in our hearts by the preaching of the gospel, and confirms it by the use of the sacraments.

Q: 66. What are the sacraments?
A: The sacraments are holy visible signs and seals, appointed of God for this end, that by the use thereof, he may the more fully declare and seal to us the promise of the gospel, that is, that he grants us freely the remission of sin, and life eternal, for the sake of that one sacrifice of Christ, accomplished on the cross.

Q: 67. Are both word and sacraments, then, ordained and appointed for this end, that they may direct our faith to the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross, as the only ground of our salvation?
A: Yes, indeed: for the Holy Spirit teaches us in the gospel, and assures us by the sacraments, that the whole of our salvation depends upon that one sacrifice of Christ which he offered for us on the cross.

Q: 68. How many sacraments has Christ instituted in the new covenant, or testament?
A: Two: namely, holy baptism, and the holy supper.

Applications
1. The Holy Spirit operates in both the preaching of the Gospel and in the sacraments. Most Protestants would say yes to the first, but no to the second. This also means that just as the Holy Spirit works only in the elect via the preached word, so He works only in the elect via the sacraments.

2. The sacraments are there to assure us that Christ's work upon the cross is sufficient for our salvation. In other words, the sacraments cause us to look away from ourselves to the cross. They are not there so that we might look into our hearts or into some past experience.

Malachi 1:1-5

2011-05-10T07:00:00.006-04:00

Background
538 B.C. Cyrus, King of Persia, issues a decree allowing Israel to return to the land. (II Chron. 36:22-23, Ezra 1)
538 B.C. First return to Israel takes place under Zerubbabel. (Ezra 1-6)
536 B.C. Restoration of the temple begins, but stalls.
520 B.C. Haggai and Zechariah are sent by God to encourage Israel to finish building the temple. (Ezra 5:1-2)
515 B.C. The temple is finished.
460 B.C. God sends Malachi to prepare the people for the ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah.
458 B.C. Ezra returns to the land. (Ezra 7-10)
445 B.C. Nehemiah returns to help rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

The general dating of Malachi is pretty clear. He prophesied during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah. This can be seen from the following facts. First, he prophesied during a time when the temple and priesthood were established and things had become routine. Thus he had to prophesy following the rebuilding of the temple under Zerubbabel, Haggai, and Zechariah. Second, he uses the term “governor” in 1:8. This is a Persian term, again indicating a period when Israel was under Persian rule. Persia ruled from 550 B.C. until around 360 B.C. Finally, Malachi addresses many of the same issues found in Ezra and Nehemiah. For example, the issue of marriage to foreign wives is addressed in Ezra 9-10, Nehemiah 13:23-27 and Malachi 2:11-16. Also both Nehemiah and Malachi address the misuse of the tithe. (Nehemiah 13:10-13 and Malachi 3:8-10) All of this is to say that Malachi probably prophesied during the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.

However, dating Malachi more specifically is difficult. Did he prophesy just before the reforms of Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah? Did he prophesy during the reforms? Or did he prophesy following the reforms? The time period that makes the most sense is that Malachi prophesied just prior to Ezra and Nehemiah. The lack of specific mention of either Ezra or Nehemiah and the reforms they instituted would indicate that God used Malachi to soften the people of Israel up in preparation for the ministry of Ezra and Nehemiah.

The people during Malachi’s time were downtrodden. The temple had been rebuilt, but not as glorious as before. They had heard or read the great promises given to Haggai and Zechariah about the coming kingdom. However, the picture painted for them in passages like Haggai 2:6-9 and Zechariah 14 was not unfolding before their eyes. Instead they were just a band of rag tag Jews, who were still in subjection to the Persian Empire. No great king had appeared to deliver them. Joyce Baldwin notes that Malachi is a great book for God’s people when they are just waiting. He says, “Malachi’s prophecy is particularly relevant to the many waiting periods in human history and in the lives of individuals. He [Malachi] enables us to see the strains and temptations of such times, the imperceptible abrasion of faith that ends in cynicism because it has lost touch with the living God.”

Malachi is structured around six disputations or debates between God and his people. Here they are:
1. First Disputation: 1:1-5
2. Second Disputation: 1:6-2:9
3. Third Disputation: 2:10-16
4. Fourth Disputation: 2:17-3:5
5. Fifth Disputation: 3:6-12
6. Sixth Disputation: 3:13-4:3
7. Closing Exhortation: 4:4-6

The primary theme of Malachi is the covenant. Malachi begins with God’s mercy in calling Israel into the covenant. Then he moves on to showing the various ways Israel has been unfaithful to the covenant. Throughout the book God promises to be faithful to his covenant even if Israel is unfaithful.

Malachi 1:1-5 How Do You Love Us?
Malachi begins by quoting a question from Israel, “In what way have you loved us?” (vs. 2) Here is the first sign of Israel’s spiritual state during the time of Malachi. She does not believe that God loves her anymore. We are not told the reason for Israel’s doubt. Maybe she expected the promises of Haggai and Zechariah to have been fulfilled by now. Maybe she expected to get her nation back and no longer be under Persian rule. Whatever the reason, she was no longer sure of God’s love.

Malachi gives two specific ways Israel can know that God loves her. First, God elected her to be his covenant people. Malachi says that God loved Jacob and hated Esau, his brother. (vss. 2-3)The point here is not that Jacob was more lovely than Esau. The stories in Genesis show that Jacob was far from perfect. The point is one of election. God elected Jacob and he did not elect Esau. Paul draws this exact point from this passage in Romans 9:13. So Malachi tells Israel God has elected them thus can be assured of his love.

Second, Malachi tells Israel that her enemies will surely be cast down. Edom was a descendant of Esau. Sometime prior to Malachi the Edomites had been driven out of their territory by invaders. The beginning of verse 4 shows that the Edomites had been “impoverished” but hoped to return to the land. God assures Israel that this will not happen. The point here is that Israel has been the recipient of God’s electing love, unlike the descendants of Esau who have and will continue to receive his wrath.

How can Israel know that God loves her? He has shown his covenant love in electing Israel and he has not judged her as he judges the other nations.

Applications
• The election of God’s people is to be a source of comfort and reassurance, not doubt. Many well-meaning Calvinists make election a reason for doubting God’s love. Malachi does not use God’s election this way. Instead, he tells a very disobedient Israel that God loves them because he has chosen them.

• The judgment of God against the enemies of the church is a visible symbol of his love for His people. Throughout history many enemies of the church of have risen. But none of them stand forever. Nations come and go, but the Church of Christ endures. God’s protection of the church and casting down of her oppressors is a sign of his covenant love.

Good Links

2011-05-09T12:01:00.003-04:00

Brian Croft on what his wife said when asked, "What is something practical I can do to make you feel loved and appreciated by me?” The answer will probably surprise you at first, but after you think about it, you will no longer be surprised.

Toby Sumpter on the Isaiah, Babylon and mothers. The post may look like it has nothing to do with mothers, but keep reading. He gets there eventually.

Pastor Douglas Wilson on seven thoughts about the assassination of Osama Bin Laden.

Assembling Under the Word

2011-05-09T11:00:00.005-04:00

"How is the covenant God to govern his people after the covenant mediator is dead, the one through whose ministry they have been redeemed? The covenant will continue as the covenant God assembles his covenant people under his preached covenant word. Deuteronomy is the mandate for the people of God to assemble under the preached word of God, or to be more accurate, the written word preached. This is why Deuteronomy is not really a law book, but a preaching book." (Christopher Ash, The Priority of Preaching, p. 23)

Heidelberg Catechism: Lord's Day 24

2011-05-09T07:00:00.001-04:00

Q: 62. But why cannot our good works be the whole, or part of our righteousness before God?
A: Because, the righteousness, which can be approved of before the tribunal of God, must be absolutely perfect, and in all respects conformable to the divine law; and also, that our best works in this life are all imperfect and defiled with sin.

Q: 63. Do not our good works merit that which God will reward in this and in a future life?
A: This reward is not of merit, but of grace.

Q: 64. But does not this doctrine make men careless and profane?
A: By no means: for it is impossible that those, who are implanted into Christ by a true faith, should not bring forth fruits of thankfulness.

Applications
1. All of our works in this life are marred with sin. Therefore, there is no room for pride. Without Christ's blood even what we consider "good works" would send us straight to Hell.

2. The Heidelberg does a great job of keeping its answers tied to Scripture. A lot of men feel that any talk of reward is unbiblical. However, the Bible plainly teaches that there are rewards to the faithful. (See II Timothy 4:7-8 and Hebrews 11:6) The question is not, "Is there is a reward?" But rather, "What type of reward is it?" The Heidelberg rightly answers that it is a reward of grace.

3. The doctrine of grace does not lead to men doing whatever they please. Note that last phrase, "It is impossible..." If a man is born again, he grows in holiness. Any other teaching is not from the Bible.

Friday Specials

2011-05-06T10:00:00.004-04:00

Many ministries do specials every Friday. Here are the ones for this week.

Canon Press has numerous deals.

You can still can still buy one copy get one free of (until May 8th) Loving the Little Years by Rachel Jankovic. The shipping is free as well. My wife read the book and said it was excellent.

While you are at Canon Press's web site check out their overstock and damaged page. Might I suggest Future Men by Wilson and The Shape of Sola Scriptura by Keith Mathison. You can get them there for 1/2 price.

Canon press is also selling one of their books at 1/2 price every Friday. This week it is Heaven Misplaced by Douglas Wilson. This is a non-technical introduction to post-milleniallism. Type in "50 Fridays" in the coupon code box when you order and you should get the book for 1/2 price.

CBD has some good deals on the older Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. I have found these to be excellent shorter commentaries. A good choice for the layman who wants to dive in deeper to some books from the New Testament. CBD has the ones below for $4.99. I would recommend anything by Leon Morris and there are two on sale by him.

Leon Morris on I and II Thessalonians
Donald Guthrie on the Pastoral Epistles
Ralph Martin on Philippians
Leon Morris on Luke
R. Alan Cole on Galatians
Colin Kruse on II Corinthians

Every Friday Tim Challies has a give away from a Christian book seller. This week the prize is a set of books from Brian Croft. They are geared towards pastors. All you have to do is visit this page and then enter your name and email.

Finally, Ligonier Ministries does a $5 Friday, where they sell certain products for only $5. This week you can find several teaching series by R.C. Sproul available.

Book Review: Fahrenheit 451

2011-04-20T10:05:00.000-04:00

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am not sure yet, what I think of Bradbury. His imagination is amazing. He is brilliant with words. The way he uses words and images will cause you to come up short and read sections again. However, at times the prose can get in the way of the story. Still this was a good book to work through. His coda at the end of the book about how minorities, especially ideological ones, tend to be the first to promote censorship of books was fascinating. The book certainly makes you think about the world and why certain things "are not up for discussion" or "have always been that way."

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Book Review: The Word Became Fresh

2011-04-20T09:31:00.002-04:00

The Word Became Fresh: How to Preach from Old Testament Narrative Texts by Dale Ralph Davis

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A really good introduction to preaching OT narrative. Pastor Davis doesn't just tell you what to do. He shows you how to do it. Also, he has an easy to follow writing style. I especially enjoyed his gentle critique of some of the negative aspects of the "Christ-centered preaching" movement. His chapter on the nasty portions of the Old Testament was excellent as well.

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Movie Review: Fiddler on the Roof

2011-04-05T10:53:00.005-04:00

My family and I just finished watching Fiddler on the Roof for the second time. We watched it several years ago and I enjoyed it thoroughly. So we rented it again. Maybe it because my children are older or maybe because I am older, but on second viewing there were some issues with the worldview of the principle character, Tevye.

First, I will mention what I enjoyed about the movie.

It is a well-done movie, especially for a musical. Most musicals are a waste of time. The songs are inane and often filled with innuendo. The characters are one-dimensional and the story is often weak. Fiddler on the Roof was vastly superior to other musicals. The songs are fun, but usually make a point and move the plot along. The characters have some depth. And the plot makes sense and feels real, not contrived.
The men in the movie sing and dance.
There is a richness to the culture presented. I am not sure how true it is to real Jewish culture at that time, but the picture presented was intriguing. The traditions were known by all and society revolved around certain accepted ways of doing things. I like this. American culture is impoverished, having almost no traditions and certainly not viewing tradition as generally good. Very few of us live in a truly distinct culture with distinct customs and rituals.

Here are things I didn't like.

Despite the costumes and the historical setting, the characters think like moderns. Tradition is viewed as a chain that has bound us to the past. It must be tossed aside. There are really no guiding principles on which to make decisions. We all have to decide what is best for each of us.
Decisions are made based on how one feels. The great tension in the movie is how the father, Tevye, will react to the various changes taking place around him. In the end, he reacts, not based on principles or tradition, but on how he feels about the situation. His daughter wants to disobey the rules. Tevye decides that is okay. Why? Because he thought it through and decided the rules were bad? No. But because there is a light in his daughter's eyes, which, of course, means it must be okay. I think his decisions are often correct. But the way he gets there is pure sentimentalism. In other words, he does what he feels to be best. The message is basically: Follow your heart. Which the Bible says is a really bad idea. (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Tevye is a poor leader, especially in his household. It is clear as you move through the movie that he is afraid of telling his wife no. He is afraid of crossing his wife. He is usually pushed around by his wife, but he still must give the appearance of being in charge, so he is often loud and boisterous, yet in the end he does not lead. Here he is a poor picture of the true husband, Jesus Christ. Christ leads by love. We hear him, not because he will squash us if we do not listen, but because he has laid down his life for us. Tevye does not do this.

Book Review: The Prayer of the Lord

2011-04-01T15:49:00.001-04:00

The Prayer of the Lord by R.C. Sproul My rating: 4 of 5 stars Good, solid exposition of the Lord's Prayer. He also answers some questions about prayer at the end of the book. Chapter 7 on "forgive us our debts" was particularly convicting. View all my reviews

Questions to Ask

2011-03-29T09:54:00.002-04:00

Chris Brauns posted a blog on some questions not to ask before allowing something to shape one's worldview. He was talking primarily about inspirational Christian books. But I think his point applies to books, movies, video games, magazines, radio shows and music. Here are the three questions to ask:

The question is not:

•Can the author construct a hypothetical scenario that seems compelling to me? For instance, if an author says, “If God sends x number of people to hell, then we have problems,” the author is not appealing to any biblical authority. Rather, he is appealing to what resonates with people’s culturally conditioned sensibilities.

•Do I like how the story makes me feel? All kinds of fiction make people feel good during the duration of a movie or a book. Audiences felt good when they watched the movie Pretty Woman. But do we really think that the way to redemption for a prostitute and a selfish materialist would be an extended business relationship?

•Does the story involve me? There are all sorts of stories that draw an audience in so that they want to know the outcome or resolution of the plot. However, this doesn’t mean that we should allow them to shape our worldview.

What question should we ask? "To what source of authority does this book appeal."

Book Review: Bonhoeffer

2011-03-24T10:01:00.000-04:00

Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A really well done biography. Metaxas has taken some heat for presenting Bonhoeffer as too evangelical. He might have done that in some places. I am not as familiar with Bonhoeffer's theology, so I have a hard time making that call.

However, the book did what a biography is supposed to. It made me feel like I knew the man when I was done. It also opened up the time period in a unique way. Most of what I read about Nazi Germany is about Americans or English who participated in the war in some way. But to have the perspective of a man inside Germany was helpful.

Three things struck me about Bonhoeffer as I read the book. First, he could use words well. There are dozens of quotes from him in the book. Many of them stick with you a long time because of the way the sentences are constructed. Second, Bonhoeffer tried to understand and obey the will of God. This is a major theme of the book. Bonhoeffer wanted to live completely in the will of God. Whether he did that or not is up to others to decide. Third, his family and upbringing had a tremendous influence on his life.

Two other items in the book sparked my curiosity. First, the complexity of the conspiracy to overthrow Hitler is a tale that I would like to know more about. The list of people involved in trying to usurp Hitler or assassinate him is long. The book made me more curious about men like Stauffenberg and others who tried to find ways to get rid of Adolf. It also made me wonder if things would have been different if Britain had actively helped the conspirators. Second, I wonder if liberal theology paved the way for the capitulation of the German Church to Hitler?

A good book about a very fascinating, Christian man who died for trying to overthrow Hitler. The story leaves an imprint and made me ask questions about the strength of my own convictions.

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What is Wrong with Missions?

2011-03-22T10:58:00.002-04:00

Here are two great articles on what is wrong with missions. The first is by Doug Wilson. The second is over at the Bayly's Blog where they agree and add some nuance to what Pastor Wilson said. Both are worth your time and thought.

Pastor Doug Wilson's Post

The Bayly Brothers' Post

You are a Tool

2011-03-18T09:25:00.001-04:00

Every workman knows the necessity of keeping his tools in a good state of repair, for “if the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength.” If the workman lose the edge from his adze, he knows that there will be a greater draught upon his energies, or his work will be badly done. Michael Angelo, the elect of the fine arts, understood so well the importance of his tools, that he always made his own brushes with his own hands, and in this he gives us an illustration of the God of grace, who with special care fashions for himself all true ministers. It is true that the Lord, like Quintin Matsys in the story of the Antwerp well-cover, can work with the faultiest kind of instrumentality, as he does when he occasionally makes very foolish preaching to be useful in conversion; and he can even work without agents, as he does when he saves men without a preacher at all, applying the word directly by his Holy Spirit; but we cannot regard God’s absolutely sovereign acts as a rule for our action. He may, in his own absoluteness, do as pleases him best, but we must act as his plainer dispensations instruct us; and one of the facts which is clear enough is this, that the Lord usually adapts means to ends, from which the plain lesson is, that we shall be likely to accomplish most when we are in the best spiritual condition; or in other words, we shall usually do our Lord’s work best when our gifts and graces are in good order, and we shall do worst when they are most out of trim. This is a practical truth for our guidance, when the Lord makes exceptions, they do but prove the rule.

We are, in a certain sense, our own tools, and therefore must keep ourselves in order. If I want to preach the gospel, I can only use my own voice; therefore I must train my vocal powers. I can only think with my own brains, and feel with my own heart, and therefore I must educate my intellectual and emotional faculties. I can only weep and agonise for souls in my own renewed nature, therefore must I watchfully maintain the tenderness which was in Christ Jesus. It will be in vain for me to stock my library, or organise societies, or project schemes, if I neglect the culture of myself; for books, and agencies, and systems, are only remotely the instruments of my holy calling; my own spirit, soul, and body, are my nearest machinery for sacred service; my spiritual faculties, and my inner life, are my battle axe and weapons of war. M’Cheyne, writing to a ministerial friend, who was travelling with a view to perfecting himself in the German tongue, used language identical with our own:—” I know you will apply hard to German, but do not forget the culture of the inner man—I mean of the heart. How diligently the cavalry officer keeps his sabre clean and sharp; every stain he rubs off with the greatest care. Remember you are God’s sword, his instrument—I trust, a chosen vessel unto him to bear his name. In great measure, according to the purity and perfection of the instrument, will be the success. It is not great talents God blesses so much as likeness to Jesus. A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God.” Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to my Students

HT: Mark Horne

Book Review: Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture

2011-03-14T08:00:00.001-04:00

Preaching the Whole Bible As Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching by Graeme Goldsworthy

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I do not think I have ever read a book that weaves together theology, specifically biblical theology, with preaching in such an excellent way. Goldsworthy's book challenged me on numerous levels. I am not sure I agree with everything he says, but his diagrams, clarity of writing and love for Christ make this an excellent antidote to much of the shallow preaching that fills the pulpits of America. I felt it was far superior to Brian Chapell's Christ-Centered Preaching. This book is meat and will push a pastor to look closely at his theology, as well as his preaching.

In the first section he examines the relationship between preaching and biblical theology. In the second section he goes through the various genres and gives examples of how to preach Christ from all of Scripture.

My main question is one of application. If Christ is the central point of all of Scripture, which cannot be denied, how do we bridge from what Christ did to how we are supposed to live? Goldsworthy is right to say that all of our action as Christians must flow out of the Gospel. But how does this translate to application in preaching? Again Goldsworthy does a good job of showing how the point of the Old Testament is not primarily to give us character studies, but to show the progress of God's redemptive work in history. So the point of Daniel is not primarily to show us Daniel's character, but God's ruling over the nations and his delivering his people. But again, how do I apply books like Daniel without sinking into moralism? I wish he had answered these questions more clearly.

Still, it is a great book and one I will be referring to often.

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Book Review: What is Worship Music?

2011-03-11T13:00:00.001-05:00

What Is Worship Music?: Basics of the Faith Series by Paul S. Jones

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A brief (38 pages) introduction to some parameters for worship music. The author comes from the reformed perspective, which I agree with. He had many good points, that were clearly stated and provided food for thought as I prepare the liturgy for my church. The one thing I wish he would have addressed more clearly was the use of instruments in the service. I think the book would be helpful for anyone trying to get a general grasp on what our theological priorities should be as we worship.

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Psalm 22 in Matthew 27

2011-03-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

Matthew quotes from Psalm 22 twice in his narration of the crucifixion in Matthew 27. In verse 35 he quotes from Psalm 22:18. Christ quotes Psalm 22:1 in verse 46. Matthew's point here is a simple. Even in the middle of this great darkness, where the Son of God is being crucified, God is in control. Even here, where we would assume God has lost his handle on things, Scripture is being fulfilled. Even at the cross, where the Kingdom appears to gotten off track, God's Word predicted it long ago.

If God was in control at the cross, how much more is he in control of our tragedies and sorrows? If Christ trusted his Father at the cross, how much more can we trust our Father when we have to endure trials and tribulations?

Social Justice and Divorce

2011-03-10T13:00:00.001-05:00

I was reading Malachi this morning and it struck me how the Lord says that He hates divorce because it covers one's garment with violence. (Malachi 2:16) Today it is fashionable, especially among younger Christians, to freqently discuss the issue of violence, especially as it relates to social justice. Many pastors and scholars call upon Christians to be people of peace, to resist violent solutions to problems around the world. America's military exploits are placed under the microscope to determine if they line up with God's Word or not. Exploitation of workers in both America and abroad are deplored by socially conscious Christians. Some of this is a move in the right direction. For too long, the conservative church has merely cheered on the American state instead of challenging it biblically.

However, as I read this passage in Malachi it occurred to me that most of these socially conscious Christians would not take a strong stand against divorce. Which is odd, because the Scriptures explicitly say that divorce is an act of violence. If we are against violence, then we should be against divorce because divorce is violence. However, divorce is rarely if ever preached against. It makes one wonder whether those socially conscious Christians are making biblical arguments against violence or whether they are just interested in going along with current fads in American secular society?

Book Review: The Priority of Preaching

2011-03-10T08:00:00.002-05:00

The Priority of Preaching by Christopher Ash

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a pleasant surprise. I had not heard much about it, but a fellow pastor really enjoyed it, so I thought I would give a try. The book was a tremendous encouragement to me. It is well structured and short, which made for an easy read. However, it did not feel light. Numerous points the author made caused me to stop and evaluate my preaching and my ministry. I highly recommend this to any new minister or to any older minister who feels that preaching is no longer effective.

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2011-03-09T11:25:00.002-05:00

Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry by John Piper

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very good book on what pastoral ministry should be about. Numerous chapters challenged my priorities. A worthwhile read for any man going in the ministry or any lay person who wants to pray effectively for their pastor. I agree with another reviewer that his chapter on worship was most frustrating. I also didn't like how he quoted himself at the beginning of each chapter. That seemed odd.

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When to Argue

2011-02-16T09:46:00.003-05:00

Here is wonderful grid that Justin Taylor posted from Sam Crabtree's book, Practicing Affirmation. If you want to know how to put it into practice go here.

Sermon Outline: Matthew 4:1-11

2011-02-15T14:03:00.004-05:00

Christ Church of Morgantown

6^th Sunday of Epiphany

February 13^th, 2011

Sermon: The Voice Satan and the Word of God

Matthew 4:1-11

Exordium

At His baptism, Jesus is filled with the Spirit. As any good Jew knows the Spirit has one purpose: to prepare you for war. In Judges 3:10 Othniel receives the Spirit and goes to war. In Judges 15:14 Samson receives the Spirit and tears rope like it is thread. In 1 Samuel 16 David receives the Spirit and in chapter 17 he fights Goliath. Jesus receives the Spirit to prepare him for war. And God is not slow to push Christ to the front lines. No slow march. Immediately he is cast out into the wilderness to fight with Satan. In the movies they always save the climactic battle for the end. But in the Gospels it is the beginning. Satan loses the very first time he steps onto the battlefield. It must have been pretty discouraging for him.

Exegesis

In this section Matthew is again bringing up two Old Testament temptations. First, we have the temptation of Adam, where Satan's voice drew Adam's heart away from God. His failure plunged the entire human race into the cesspool of sin. Second, we have Israel's failure in the wilderness. Two spectacular failures. Would this one turn out differently? Remember also that Adam was tempted under ideal circumstances. He was in a beautiful garden with almost no restrictions on his activities. But not so with Christ. Christ was in a desert without food, having fasted for forty days and nights.

The passage is not hard to understand. Satan offers Christ three specific temptations. Christ answers each temptation with a quote from the Scriptures. Let's look at the three temptations and how Christ answers them.

Verses 1-4 Do Not Trust God
The appeal here is to physical comfort.
Verses 5-7 Tempt God. Make God your servant to do your bidding.
Verses 8-11 Bypass the Cross, take the easy route
Satan brings pleasure just like following God does. But here is the difference. Satan gives temporary pleasure for lasting pain. God gives temporary hardship for long term joy.

All of these temptations have a common theme. First, Satan says to Christ be selfish. Think of yourself. Do not think of your Father in heaven. Do not think of your people. What do you need? Bread, reassurance that God will deliver you or a reign. Second, Satan says, do not trust God. God will not provide. God will not protect. God will not reward your work. Doubt God. Doubt his word to you. Therefore resisting temptation does not mean think about yourself. It means think about others.

Exhortation

The guarantee of temptation.
We must fight. We must teach our sons and daughters to fight. We are warriors. Life is a battle. If you are not prepared for a combat to the death then find another religion. I think this is especially important as we raise our children. Often, we think the answer is to keep them from any battles at all. We assume that temptation can be removed if we just keep out certain movies and don't let them go to government schools.
Calvin's comments on I Timothy 6:12: Faith is never without combats. We cannot serve God without being men of war.
Often great victory is followed by tremendous temptation. We like the end of chapter 3. This is my Son with whom I am well pleased. But we are not so fond of being thrown out into the wilderness.
The method of temptation
1. Satan wants you to question God's Word. "Has God really said?" "If you are the Son of God…" Another words is God speaking the truth? Does he really mean what he says? You probably get sick and tired of hearing about God's Word over and over again. But without the Scriptures, there is nothing left.
2. Satan appeals to the immediate. Two the temptations go this direction: the bread and the Kingdom. Tempting us to settle for the here and now and not worry about the future. Impulse leads to sin. No man would commit adultery if he could see clearly the consequences of that sin. Would David had glanced at Bathsheba if he could see his dead child and his rebellious child? Here is why self-control is such a vital tool in the Christian life.
  1. Illustration of an engineer who got addicted to pornography.
  2. Proverbs 6 and 7
1. Satan twists God's Word to create doubt.
  He uses Psalm 91 in the exact opposite way it was meant to be used. The Psalm is an exhortation to trust. The Psalm is telling us to rest in God's care for us. But Satan implies that we need to test God's trustworthiness. He is tempting Christ just as he tempted Adam and Eve. God is not trustworthy. But there is an added twist. He is using the Word of God to tear down the character of God.
The defeat of temptation
1. Remember the work of Christ.
  All of our victorious battles are rooted in Christ's ultimate victory. Our victories flow from his victory. We know that Satan is defeated, not because we have done so well, but because He has crushed him.
2. The word of God
  Christ could have said a lot of things to Satan. Any words he spoke would have been the word of God because he was God. But what does he do? He quotes three times from Deuteronomy. Christ is telling us how to win the battle. But it must be applied. See we will never face the exact temptations that Christ faced, but we can use the same weapon.
3. Don't dialogue: Fight
  We like to talk things over instead of resist and run. Jesus did not rationally discuss the matter with Satan. When Satan says, "Take a second glance," You say, "Get behind me Satan."
  1. Illustration from LOTR with Saruman

Book Review: What I Learned in Narnia

2011-02-14T12:00:00.001-05:00

What I Learned in Narnia by Douglas Wilson

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

An excellent, short commentary on the various spiritual lessons from the Narnia series. Has all of Wilson's best traits, practical and spiritual, with none of his worst, sarcasm. My eleven year old got it for Christmas and read it one day. Each chapter does not just tell you something, but challenges the way you live. If you know Narnia, then this book will be a delight.

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What is Love?

2011-02-14T06:43:00.001-05:00

Here is good unpacking of what love is by Paul Tripp.

Book Review: Trials of Theology

2011-02-11T10:58:00.002-05:00

Trials of Theology, The: Becoming a 'proven worker' in a dangerous business by Andrew Cameron

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A brief book, which pull essays from men of the past and the present to address some dangers of theological study. It is primarily directed at students of theology who are in seminary or a similar setting. But it has much value for the pastor as well. I especially enjoyed Augustine's short letter about needing more time to study and pray, Warfield's essay on the religious life of theology students and Carson's essay on the dangers that come with studying the Bible. I still think Helmut Thielicke's book "A Little Exercise for Young Theologians" is a little bit better.

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John MacArthur

2011-02-11T10:03:00.006-05:00

Like many of you, I have been heavily influenced by John MacArthur. His books on the lordship salvation issues greatly shaped my thinking during my college years and eventually led me to embrace reformed theology. Tim Challies asked Pastor MacArthur fifteen questions and posted his answers on his blog. Pastor MacArthur's answers are full of wisdom, grace and a love for God's Word. I was convicted and encouraged as I read. He addresses, among other things, the new reformed movement, charismatics, evolution and the need for long term pastoral ministry in one place based on the preaching of God's Word.

First Ten Questions

Second Set of Five Questions

Kevin DeYoung also posted some quotes about contemporary preachers from Hughes Oliphant Old's seven volume history of preaching. There are several interesting quotes, but the last one about John MacArthur is very insightful and shows how God chooses the foolish things of this world to shame the wise. Here is the blog post.

May God grant the next generation many more pastors like John MacArthur who cling without apology to the Word of God.