In Everything

Thanksgiving is a Telescope

2010-11-22T18:04:00.001-05:00

The following is a quote from John Piper that I shared this Sunday in my sermon. Let your thanksgiving be a telescope for the glory of God.

Telescope Magnification

David said, "I will magnify God with thanksgiving." The word "magnify" can be used in two different senses. It can mean: make something appear greater than it is, as with a microscope or a magnifying glass. Or it can mean: make something that may seem small or insignificant appear to be as great as it really is. This is what our great telescopes help us begin to do with the magnificent universe which once upon a time spilled over from the brim of God's glory. So there are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, "I will magnify God with thanksgiving," he does not mean: "I will make a small God look bigger than he is. He means: "I will make a big God begin to look as big as he really is." We are not called to be microscopes, but telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality, when they know the competitor's product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is. The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.

4 False Ideas that Destroy Leaders

2010-11-01T11:27:00.001-04:00

1. “I Cannot…”

One of the things that seems to be appearing over and over again to me as I read the Scriptures is this thought…

At the end of the day I am a servant of the Most High God! And, a servant can do exactly what his Master has commanded him to do because he is operating under the power and authority of the One who called, equipped, and empowered him to serve in the first place.

You can do EXACTLY what God called you to do. Don’t back down!

2. “I Am Not as Good as…”

Comparing yourself to other ministers and/or ministries is one of the quickest ways to go insane and completely lose your focus on who God is and what He has called you to do.

We should learn from “them” but focus on “HIM”!

There will always be someone who does something better than you. Your call isn’t to imitate people but to focus on Christ.

3. “I Failed Before”

Of course you did.

All great leaders have failed at something significant.

However, what makes them great is that they do not allow their failures to define them. They pick up the pieces and move forward. They learn lessons from their failure…if there was a sin issue involved, they repent and submit to Jesus and the leadership of others and then they get on with life.

Peter failed. Remember when he tried to cut off the servant's ear and had to be rebuked by Jesus? Yet, when it came to Acts 2 and the day of Pentecost, he was the guy who Jesus anointed to preach the Gospel and see over 3k new believers!

4. “All Hope Is Gone”

The only problem with that thought is THE TOMB IS EMPTY and as long as that is a reality, then there is always hope--always.

I know some reading this feel like you are just about at the end of your rope but from my personal experience, I’ve discovered when I do get to the end of my rope Jesus is always there saying, “What took you so long?”

Losing hope can bring about times of intense desperation but quite often intense desperation leads to undeniable revelation! When we lose hope and believe that things are just about over, well, that’s always a time for God to remind us of WHO HE IS and what He is capable of!

by Perry Noble

Oct. 31 - Much More than Scary Movies and Costumes

2010-10-30T13:28:00.001-04:00

October 31. Halloween. When you think of this date, what comes to mind? For most its simply pumpkin carvings, scary movies, costume parties, candy corn, and spooky decorations. But are these the things that should come to mind and mark this date as significant? Don't get me wrong. I love putting a face to a pumpkin. I’m a sucker for candy corn, and I've been known to win a costume party or two. :) But do you know the Christian significance of October 31?

493 years ago tomorrow, a brave young monk named Martin Luther made a common bulletin board a place of conviction and change. On October 31, 1517, the day before All Saints Day, Luther’s 95 theses were nailed to the castle door of Wittenberg . This sparked the official beginning of reforming the church which gave birth to Protestantism. The starting gun was fired. The Reformation had begun. And with it, the seeds were sown for the return of God’s people to live, not according to man’s traditions and customs, but according to the word of God alone (Sola Scriptura).

What was Luther’s message? Simply put - an end to the corruption of the Catholic Church. Man’s power, man’s money, man’s tradition, man’s customs, had infiltrated the church. The church’s authority was now on par with the Scriptures themselves. And because of it, the church leaders were selling expensive “indulgences” to fund their building programs and shutting the people out from understanding God’s word and the truth of the gospel. Luther learned from studying the Scriptures himself that people were saved not by doing penance or any amount of good works, but by faith alone (Sola Fide) in Christ alone (Sola Christus).

“How does an unrighteous sinner become right with a righteous God?” That was the question that had plagued Luther’s mind and heart, and by God’s grace, he found the answer … “For our sake, He made Him to be sin, who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Cor. 5:21). Luther learned that the very righteousness God required for us to stand before Him was the very righteousness He freely gave to us in Christ. People only needed Christ!

October 31 is primarily known as a secular holiday, but …

May tomorrow be a reminder to us all of the change that can be brought through the conviction of just one person who is zealous for God’s truth. May tomorrow cause us to look back upon Luther’s simple act of conviction and ask God to grant us the same type of passion to stand up for His truth with sincerity and sacrifical love. May tomorrow serve to stir in our hearts the same hammer of conviction that drove the nails through the Wittenberg door, in the face of the status quo and in the pursuit of God's glory.

October 31 - much more than scary movies and costumes. Much more!

A Perfect Pastor? | Preaching.com

2010-10-25T21:51:00.001-04:00

Here's a small snippet from a book on pastoring. It was a reminder to me that being transparent in how God has and continues to bring me through my own struggles is exactly what people need to hear from their pastor.

A Perfect Pastor?

Latest Ultrasound

2010-10-15T11:09:00.000-04:00

Here's the latest ultrasound from our doctors visit today. You can just make out a profile.

Daytona with Lindsay

2010-10-12T23:46:00.012-04:00

Here in Daytona enjoying quality time with my wife and best friend before our little bundle of joy arrives on the scene.

Getting Back to Normal

2010-10-12T23:39:00.001-04:00

I've been on a fruit, nut, and veggie diet for 8 full days now. It's amazing to experience the difference in energy and mental clarity. It's like my body is getting back to normal.

Day 8 complete. Shooting for 30!

A Resurgence of Christian Leadership

2010-03-12T13:11:00.004-05:00

Chuck Colson sharing some key ingredients to Christian leadership. Worth the 3 min.

Forgiveness

2010-03-09T07:19:00.002-05:00

In the cartoon strip, "Calvin and Hobbes." Calvin is a little boy with an overactive imagination and a stuffed tiger, Hobbes, who comes to life as his imaginary friend. In one cartoon strip, Calvin turns to his friend Hobbes and says, "I feel bad I called Susie names and hurt her feelings. I'm sorry I did that."
Hobbes replies, "Maybe you should apologize to her."

Calvin thinks about it for a moment and then responds, "I keep hoping there's a less obvious solution."

Too many of us keep looking for an alternative to forgiveness!

From "Taking the Risk Out of Dying," by Lee Griess

Seven Steps to a Spirit-Led Quiet Time

2010-03-09T06:09:00.004-05:00

1) Pray. "Lord, open my eyes to wondrous things from your Word."
2) Read. Select a relatively short passage to read. Read it aloud.
3) Identify the Teaching. What is God's Word saying in simple terms?
4) Ask, "What can I thank God and praise God for from this teaching?
5) Ask, "What do I need to confess to God from this teaching? (Where am I lacking?)
6) Ask, "What shall I ask God for to conform me to this teaching?
7) Apply. What steps am I going to take to apply this teaching?

Close in Prayer

*The steps above are adapted from Martin Luther's advice on a simple way to pray.

Pray First

2010-02-16T18:20:00.001-05:00

The more I'm in ministry, the longer I'm a Christian, the more I'm convinced that so many of our problems and stresses are because we don't pray first. Pray and then plan. Pray and then proceed.

Beware of Not Giving God Glory

2010-02-10T17:44:00.004-05:00

"On an appointed day Herod, having put on his royal apparel, took his seat on the rostrum and began delivering an address to them. The people kept crying out, "the voice of a god and not of a man!" And immediately an angel of the Lord struck him because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and died." Acts 12:21-23

God is passionate about getting all the glory. Are you partnering with Him in this or trying to steal some of the credit? We must beware of not giving God glory lest we fall in our pride and miss out on the joy that comes from pointing everything and everyone to the glory of God in Christ.

Truth Point Church - 2009 Retrospective

2009-12-31T18:36:00.003-05:00

Santa and Jesus

2009-12-10T10:55:00.001-05:00

Seeking God? Apply Now!

2009-08-09T14:51:00.008-04:00

Many people are seeking employment these days, spending all sorts of time applying here and there. In seeking God, it works the same way. We must apply ourselves, but not in order to get into a relationship with God, but to cultivate the relationship we have by faith in Christ. In seeking God, we must apply ...

Our Minds to God's Word
Our Hearts to God's Will
Our Resources to God's Work.

Seeking God? Apply Now!
Hebrews 11:6

Embracing the Vision of God

2009-08-08T12:43:00.008-04:00

Below is the sermon audio from this past Sunday, our 1st service of Truth Point Church. The text I preached from was 1 Samuel 16:1-13. People who embrace the vision of God do four things ...

1) They look to God in the midst of their disappointments
2) They look to God in the midst of their fears
3) They look to God in the midst of the world's standards
4) They look to God in the midst of being forsaken by others

Embracing the Vision of God
1 Sam. 16:1-13

Monergism Recommended Reading

2009-07-22T15:54:00.003-04:00

Monergism included a nice brochure with a recent purchase of mine. It was a list of their top reading recommendations. Thought I would share. Click on the image to enlarge. Happy reading!

The Evidence of Wisdom

2009-07-12T17:07:00.003-04:00

The Evidence of Wisdom
Ephesians 5:15-17

This sermon was delivered at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church on July 12, 2009

Truth and Error

2009-07-09T07:12:00.000-04:00

I love this quote ...

"Error doesn't become truth because it is widely accepted; truth doesn't become error, even when it stands alone!"

CT Features PCA's Keller

2009-07-06T17:40:00.009-04:00

Christianity Today recently featured PCA pastor and church planter, Tim Keller. You can read the article by clicking the cover picture. Keller has authored The Reason for God, and also Prodigal God. He is widely respected across many evangelical lines and is one of the men who's helped me, in many ways, to prepare for the ministry.

The Camel's Joyful Entry

2009-07-05T19:45:00.014-04:00

Who's admitted into the Kingdom of God?

Jesus said in Luke 18:17, "Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

And further on in verse 25, He says, "For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter into the Kingdom of God."

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you ... the rare, child-like Camel who God brought through! Meet ... Zaccheus.

"The Camel's Joyful Entry"
Luke 19:1-10

This sermon was delivered on June 28, 2009 at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church. Get comfortable ... Running time is 55:30. Ouch. I'm still learning how to say more with little, how to season my conviction with grace, clarify any tough truths, and communicate "Christianese" language for the unbeliever ... the ongoing challenges of learning to preach.

40 Inspirational Speeches in 2 Minutes

2009-07-01T19:35:00.008-04:00

The One Great Aim

2009-06-29T11:03:00.004-04:00

"To cut off the sinner from all reliance upon himself, his merits and his powers; and throw him, naked and helpless, into the hands of the Holy Spirit to lead him to Christ in faith; should be the one great aim of the ministry."

- Ichabod S. Spencer (1798-1854)

Cited from "I Can't Repent."

Online at: http://thirdmill.org/newfiles/ich_spencer/ich_spencer.cantrepent.html).

Let Your Love Flow

2009-06-26T13:12:00.006-04:00

In the Summer of 2002, I worked as the late night DJ for an oldies station in Southern NH (Oldies 96.7). We rolled out the hits from the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Sometimes you just need to stop what you're doing, turn up the volume, press play on a good time oldie, and dance like no one's watching! "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy."

Released in 1976, "Let Your Love Flow" was a No. 1 single on the United States pop charts, as well as the pop charts of Great Britain, Germany, and Scandinavia. Enjoy!

Only Because I Belong To Another ...

2009-06-24T20:41:00.026-04:00

In 2003, while working at ESPN, God called me into full-time ministry, and there was one assignment with the Sunday Night Baseball crew that I'll never forget. It was every Red Sox fan’s dream. The Red Sox were playing the Yankees that night and I got to arrive at Fenway Park early, meet the players and then work with the ESPN crew the entire game.

The coolest thing happened before the game got started. I was walking with the crew, probably about 5 of us inside, walking with all our gear by the concessions, and I wasn’t really paying attention to where I was going, I was just following them and trying not to look stupid. Well, I’m following Peter Gammons (some of you know who that is) and the rest of the crew and the next thing I know we walked through a door and I am standing right in the middle of the Red Sox clubhouse. All the players are there in their uniforms getting ready for the game. I could not believe it.

I Didn't Belong There:

I must have really looked surprised, like, "Ya, I don't belong here at all," because a big black security guard started to approach me. He came up to me and asked to see my credentials. But before I could answer … a senior member of the ESPN staff put out his hand and told him, “Its okay, he’s with me.”

Whew! What a relief. The security guard patted me on the back and said, “Sorry about that, kid … you’re fine.”

What I didn’t realize, until after, was that my pass didn’t allow me entrance into the clubhouse. I could go anywhere else, but I didn't belong in the clubhouse, but the senior staff member did. He had earned the right to be there and only because of my relationship with him, I belonged. Because I was connected to someone who did belong there, I belonged too. And, you see, it’s the same way with getting into the "clubhouse" of heaven. We must belong to Christ.

And so the question we should ask ourselves is … how do we come into this relationship of belonging to Christ?

How Do We Belong to Christ?:

It begins by understanding why you need Him in the first place. It begins by understanding the bad news about ourselves and the good news about what Christ has done on our behalf. We need to realize, just like I did that day in the clubhouse, that in and of ourselves we don’t belong in heaven. Jesus says, “Be perfect as you heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. 5:48). Let's face the facts. None of us are perfect. We can't even measure up to our own standards, let alone, God's.

The Bad News About Ourselves:

All of us have sinned in thought, word, and deed and there’s nothing good any one of us can do to make ourselves right with God. I couldn’t do anything that day to earn my way into the clubhouse. There was nothing I could do. In fact, they should have thrown me out. And it’s the same with our sin before God, God is just and must punish our sins and that punishment is death … eternal separation from God and all that is good, but with no way to save ourselves, with no way to get ourselves into heaven, God put out his hand in love. He stepped in to save us.

The Good News About What God Did For Us In Christ:

God the Father in his great love for us sent God the Son to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus, who is both God and man, lived a sinless and perfect life and in his love for us and obedience to the Father he gave his life to die upon a cross. Now, I grew up in a Christian home and had heard many times “Jesus died for your sins.” But what does that mean?

On the cross, God the Father knowing all about me, every sin I ever have committed or will commit, he put those sins upon Christ and punished him in my place (Isaiah 53:6). Christ took the judgment I deserved, the wrath of God fell upon him. He died, was buried, but three days later after paying the penalty for every sin, he rose again from the dead and is alive today!!

Our Response:

When we turn from our sins and trust in Christ alone by faith alone … God promises to forgive all our sins and save us from a life of sin and death and save us to a life lived with and for God. That’s how we enter into this relationship ... simply by responding in faith, not in what we can do to save ourselves, but in what Christ has done for us ….

The Great Exchange:

You see, because of our sin, we deserved eternal death. And because of his perfect obedience, Jesus deserved eternal life. We deserved eternal punishment. He deserved eternal rewards. What happened on the cross was an unthinkable transaction, a glorious exchange.

"He became sin, who knew no sin, so that in him, we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).

He received our punishmentl; we received his reward.
He received all our sin; we received his perfect righteousness.

So how can I know for sure that when I die I'll belong in the "clubhouse" of heaven? Only because I belong to another; only because, by faith, I belong to Jesus Christ. He couldn't have been more clear when he said,

"I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6).

Congressman Forbes on our Judeo-Christian Nation

2009-06-23T22:08:00.001-04:00

God's Answer to Our Anxiety

2009-06-16T08:19:00.009-04:00

Our world is an anxious and worried world, yet Christians are called to “Be anxious for nothing.” But why? Why should we be filled with joy and peace in all circumstances? And how? How do believers discover personal peace when the dark clouds of uncertainty and adversity have blown into their lives? Now, more than ever, people have found themselves in a state of anxiety and fear, asking themselves …

Will I be fired for that mistake at work?
Will this business deal ever go through?
Will my son or daughter end up with the right person?
What will become of the economy?

The list goes on. But our desperate dilemma is solved in God’s decisive answer. So what is that answer? What is God’s answer to our anxiety? Paul knew it and thankfully he shared it with us in Philippians 4:4-7.

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:4-7 NASB).

From this text we learn that in all circumstances, Christians are called to …

1. Make Our Joy in Jesus Known at all Times (v. 4).

What brings the two words, "Rejoice" and "Always" together? “In the Lord.”

The attitude of joy, and the frequency of joy can only be brought together in the Lord … and Paul is being very purposeful here. He is using the saving and sovereign name of “Lord.” And it’s the name for Jesus. Just 2 chapters earlier in the same letter what does Paul tell us? That one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is “Lord” (Phil. 2:10-11).

Paul is teaching us that the way to have joy in every type of circumstance we face is to keep our eyes fixed upon the saving and sovereign work of Jesus Christ …

The further our minds wander from the Lord of the cross and the Lord of our circumstances, the further our hearts will wander from joy.

The presence of joy in our lives (especially in the worst of times) points others to Jesus in our lives.

2. Make Our Gentle Spirit Known to all Men (v. 5).

After giving them the positive command to “Rejoice in the Lord always …”, he explains in verse 5 how this can be seen in the life of the believer.

The Greek word for gentle spirit is very unique and can be translated also as yieldedness, forbearing, or reasonableness. What Paul is teaching us is that there is an attitude that is characteristic of the believer in days of difficulty … and that is joy, but the expression of that joy is not always jumping up and down. Sometimes it is. But often it’s simply that gentle spirit that is willing to yield to the providence of God in our lives.

What bears witness to our joy in the Lord, is our gentle spirit that is yielded to the sovereign will of the Lord. For we know … “the Lord is near.” Knowing Christ’s personal presence and leading in our lives reminds us that everything is going to be okay.

3. Make Our Requests Known to God (v. 6).

Notice the contrast. “Be anxious for nothing;” well, how do we do that? We pray about everything. Notice what Paul is not saying. He’s not saying don’t be anxious because you’re circumstances are good. No he’s saying “don’t be anxious because God is good and he is ready to hear your requests …. So pray!”

Be anxious for nothing; pray about everything!

Paul is using 4 Greek words for prayer that overlap and compliment one another. He uses “Prayer, Supplication, Thanksgiving, and Requests.” By prayer he is speaking generally about humbly approaching God, but the use of supplication and requests is important. These are the specific details of the believer’s life. What we see here is that we are to come to the throne of grace with specific prayers about specific needs ….

“The quickest way to get on your feet is to get on your knees.”

But the key to the whole prayer process is to come “with thanksgiving.” A spirit of thanksgiving is the ingredient in our prayer life that changes everything. When we are brought to a point where we can thank God for this trial and this testing, when we can do that, something inside will break and the flood of God’s peace will fill our soul. That’s the promise … God’s peace in Christ.

4. God Will Make His Peace Known to Us (v. 7).

When we pray specifically with a humble and thankful spirit, and make our requests known to God, He promises to make His peace known to us.

And the peace of Christ will come to us in such a way that it is beyond comprehension. It’s not a peace that comes because our situation has changed. That's why we won’t be able to explain it. Something has changed on the inside … but not necessarily on the outside. It is the peace of Christ which comes to guard our hearts and minds.

The Greek word for guard here is “Phroureo,” and it means “to hold the fort against all enemy assaults.”

When God makes His peace known to us, it will protect our emotions and thoughts from being torn apart from the assualt of anxiety.

When we are focussed on Christ (v. 4-5) and have faith in Christ (v. 6), we will experience the peace of Christ (v. 7). It all comes back to our need for Christ and our need to pray.

Anxiousness is our problem; Prayer is our prescription; Peace is our promise!!

Whatever you might be going through, rejoice in Jesus Christ! For it is the saving and sovereign work of Jesus that gives us the reason to be joyful at all times and gentle hearted to all men. It is Christ who gives us the access to God in prayer, and the peace that we can’t explain in the day of adversity.

I recently called up my parents, and I was speaking with my dad, who’s an elder at their church in New Hampshire. I called him up to talk about the challenges that lay before Lindsay and I in church planting and I guess he could tell right away that I seemed anxious over the phone …. and I was. I was searching for some answers and I began right in by telling him all my questions I had for him … he just paused and responded with a question of his own … He simply asked, “How’s your prayer life, son? How’s your prayer life?”

I thought the answer to my anxiety was in talking with him; he knew the answer was in talking with God. In other words, "go to the throne, instead of the phone."

The Only Love That Satisfies

2009-06-06T16:41:00.005-04:00

This message was delivered at Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in February, 2009. I pray that the Lord speaks to you from His Word and for His will.

"The Only Love That Satisfies"
John 4:1-30

Questions to Ask in Looking for a Local Church

2009-06-05T16:33:00.002-04:00

Preaching and Teaching:

Is the Gospel being proclaimed faithfully or does it encourage “easy-believism?”
Is the Word of God being taken out of context or handled correctly?
Are the people of God being exhorted from the Word of God to live holy lives?
Are the people falling more and more in love with Christ?
Are the people learning more and more about the power of God or the power of positive thinking?

Worship and Church Culture:

Are the Scriptures being read in the worship service?
Is prayer and Christ-centered songs an integral part in the worship service?
Are the sacraments (Baptism and Lord’s Supper) being rightfully administered?
Does the atmosphere reflect a church that is full of love and grace in truth?
Is there a spirit of joy and reverence for the presence of God?
Is the glory of God the motive behind the worship or the entertainment of people?

Evangelism and Discipleship:

Is the church growing numerically? If so, do these new people know the gospel and are they being discipled?
Is there a plan to make disciples? If so, are the leaders intentional about discipling every member?
Are the leaders equipping the saints for the work of the ministry?
Is there church discipline? Are the leaders willing to admonish people and kick people out if necessary to protect the sheep from the wolves?
Are the elders and deacons godly men of humility and integrity who are involved in the work of the ministry?

Leadership and Church Government:

Are there checks and balances (accountability) in place for the leaders?
Is there a constitution and by-laws (some sort of standards) that the leaders are held to?
Is the statement of faith visible on paper and also in practice?
Do the leaders foster a culture of apathy towards applying the truth of God’s Word to everyday living or do they create an atmosphere for growth?

Outreach and Cultural Mandate:

Are the widows, orphans, and the poor being cared for in word and deed?
Is the church reaching the nations and the local community with the gospel?
Are the leaders willing to speak openly about the issues of our day?
Are there gospel-centered ministries to unbelievers in need?
Are the leaders intentional about teaching people a biblical worldview and influencing culture?

All these questions can be summed up with one question …

“Can I stand before the Lord Jesus Christ and honestly say that this local church is the best place I could find to care for my and my family’s soul?”

You Just Wait

2009-05-15T21:06:00.006-04:00

In the quiet morning hours, the sun doesn't rise right away. It doesn't suddenly break through the wall of darkness; it doesn't arrive in an instant ... it slowly chisels its way through. It asks you to wait for it. It tells us,

'Here I am. But be patient. I will rise and give you the ability to see. You just wait.'

God asks you to do the same.

'Be patient. I'm here. Trust me. I will rise over the situation you're in. I'm more faithful than the sunrise I established. You just wait.'

"Light dawns in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, merciful, and righteous" (Psalm 112:4).

My Favorite Kramer Scene

2009-05-09T14:57:00.001-04:00

Finishing up my work at Knox Seminary with a much needed laugh.

Two Problems and Two Solutions

2009-05-03T17:40:00.015-04:00

As I see it, there's two main problems that have led to the worldliness and weakness within the Christian church today.

Two Problems:

1) Many good and wonderful church-going people do not know God's Word, so they can not discern truth from error. Why? Well, taking the Bible and prayer out of public schools has greatly increased biblical illiteracy, but we can't forget about the influence technology has had as well. The rise of technology has put information at our fingertips, and with this information readily available, the apparent need to memorize and hide God's Word in our hearts has diminished. The question has become - why memorize it when I can just 'Google' it?

And what's worse is that everyone thinks they know the Bible. But ask the average Christian today to tell you to define the gospel, to tell you who Christ is, why he had to die, the ten commandments, etc. - basic truths about Christianity and most evangelicals can't do it. They can't do it because they simply don't know God's Word. They simply aren't being discipled. God's truth has been set aside by pastors for the world's wisdom and self-improvement principles.

2) Many pastors either do not know God's Word or they do not bother to handle God's Word with care in the pulpit. This seems like a radical, almost arrogant statement - especially coming from a 28 year old ... but isn't that the problem. We see age; we see position and think, 'hey, they're older and have 'pastor' before their name - they know what they're talking about. Don't question them.' But the sad truth is that many pastors do not know what they are talking about. They are peddling God's Word to get people in the doors. This is not something new ...

"Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions" (1 Timothy 1:6-7 ESV).

Their goal for their glory, is masked by church attendance and suito salvation committments in the name of God's glory. How do you fill seats and bring people down to the altar? Tickle people's ears with what they want to hear. Give them just enough Scripture so that the sermon seems like biblical truth. Give them a list of principles to live out, because that's what we all want - a list of things to check off to get God to like us and our lives to be happy. And then, sell Jesus as the means to giving you that life you've always wanted. He will make your life wonderful, abundant and more fulfilling (which is true, but they allow the hearers to interpret those terms for themselves and what the unbeliever hears is that Jesus will become my magic atm machine I always wish I had) ... Folks, the word of the cross is foolishness to man. And many pastors have given up this foolishness, which is the wisdom of God, and claiming to be wise, they've become fools (1 Cor. 1:17-31).

Two Solutions:

1) Get to know God's Word. Love it. Live in it. Memorize it. Meditate on it and come to it with a teachable spirit, not wanting to worship the God created in your image, but the God who is there, revealed in the pages of Scripture.

2) Pray for all those laboring in the ministry. It is not easy and the pressure to compromise is great. We must pray for pastors to return to the Word and plead with them to preach the sufficiency of Christ. If this can't be done, get to a church as fast as you can that is faithfully teaching God's truth and unashamedly preaching Christ and him crucified. Click here to read about some things to look for in faithful preaching. Also John Piper has some great things to say in "What is Preaching?"

The Center

2009-05-02T06:41:00.015-04:00

Have we lost our center as Christians? Instead of the center point of our lives being the truth of Christ, is our center merely our feelings and experiences? If so, then we probably have lost the ability to have bad experiences. What do I mean? We go places ... to plays, concerts, movies ... even church, and the purpose is not to seek and savor Christ and His truth ... but to seek and savor experiences for the purpose of feeling good.

And because this is the end goal: To have good experiences ... we often won't allow someone, based on their conviction of Christ and His truth, to tell us that they had a bad experience when we felt good about it. Why? Because it threatens our perception of the experience and feelings. Truth? Who cares if the play's message didn't align with God's truth, who cares if the musician didn't share the gospel? Who cares if the movie was off-color or the sermon off-line ... "it made me feel good! And you can't take that away from me."

The first step to revival in the church today is for the church to get over ourselves, our goals, our dreams, our feelings. It's not that these things are bad and need to be repressed, its just instead of springing from entertainment or emotionalism, they need to spring from truth - instead of being grounded in a love of self, they need to be grounded in a love for the Savior. When we lose ourselves in seeking Christ, we find ourselves for the first time in life.

"There Is"

2009-05-01T15:08:00.008-04:00

There is a God who loves;
There is a day we die;
There is a God who lives;
There is a reason to try;
There is.

Hell Discovered God

2009-05-01T14:03:00.002-04:00

_____

My mentor and friend, Steve Poole, had this at the bottom of his email signature. I thought it was worth sharing ...

"Hell is in an uproar because it is done away with. It is in an uproar because it is mocked. It is in an uproar, for it is destroyed. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. Hell took a body, and discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see."

From an Easter sermon by John Chrysostom (400 AD)

Together for The Gospel Live - 3 Free Mp3s

2009-04-27T21:55:00.007-04:00

Sovereign Grace Music has provided 3 free mp3s from the Together For the Gospel Live CD. You can download them free and purchase the complete CD on their website.

"Let's Go!"

2009-04-27T15:43:00.011-04:00

________

"Then after this he said to the disciples, 'Let us go to Judea again.' The disciples said to him, 'Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?' Jesus answered, 'Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.'"

(John 11:7- 10)

The power of fear keeps many from entering into God's fullness. Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, fear of physical danger, but these fears are not of the Lord. "We have not been given a spirit of fear, but of power, and love and a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7). Jesus didn't follow fear; he followed his Father (John 6:38). He was so focused on being obedient to the Father that even the eminent threat of stoning would not stop him from going boldly back to Judea.

Where Christ leads us we must follow, or else be left to stumble in the darkness of fear. This is what every disciple of Christ must come to answer. What is leading me? What do I follow? Do I follow my fears or do I follow Christ? The disciples did not want to go back to Judea . Let me paraphrase. Fear gripped their hearts and they began to question Jesus. 'Do we have to remind you, Jesus, of what we just escaped from? Stoning! That's right, stoning! And now you want to go back?' 'YES!' But why? Jesus reveals the secret to overcoming fear.

“If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him?” (John 11:9,10)

Jesus compares two types of people –those who do not stumble and those who do. The difference lies in whether you are walking by day or walking by night. Jesus uses a physical principle to illustrate a spiritual truth. Walking by day, by the light of the sun, clearly exposes what to step around or over, giving us the confidence to walk ahead without fear of falling. Without the light to guide us, we stumble along the way. So how do we spiritually walk by day? By walking according to God’s Word. “Your Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

When we hide the light of God's Word in our hearts and his light is in us, guiding us, and growing us, we begin to walk forward in the midst of difficult circumstances with a supernatural confidence. The world sees this as a leap of faith into the darkness, but the disciple of Christ knows better. Following the voice of the Good Shepherd is not a leap into the darkness, but just another confident step into the light. When he is leading us, and he is with us, we cannot fail. How does he lead us?

Christ leads us through his Word. His Word instills confidence in us to advance into the unknown. Are you listening to his voice today? Or the voice of fear? Which one will you answer? Jesus said, “Let us go...” He repeats the same thing in verse 15 of the same chapter, “Let us go...” Twice he invites his disciples to go with him, but the danger of the past and the fear of the future weighed heavy on their minds. They could not see ahead, but look at what they would have missed if they had of stayed behind.

Jesus was about to perform one of the greatest miracles in his earthly ministry. If the disciples had of followed their fears instead of their Rabbi, they would have missed seeing Lazarus walk out of the tomb after being dead for four days. Can you imagine if, because of fear, you opted to stay behind and had to hear from all those who went, “You missed it. You should have seen it! Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead! You should have been there!” I don’t know about you, but I never want to hear those words ringing in my ear, reminding me of my fear, “You missed it. Oh, you should have seen it!”

The Lord has invited all of us to move forward with him. He is inviting us to follow Him and I pray God keeps me close to his light, walking by his Word to see clearly where Jesus is leading. It's better to have a trial and Jesus with you, then no trial and no Jesus. Think of what we miss out on, simply because it's easier to walk the comfort road?

The comfort road may look like it's full of securities, but it's empty of stories. God has saved the miraculous stories for those willing to accept his invitation and travel the unknown road with him. Whatever you may be facing this week, let me encourage you not to stay back with the timid souls who allow their fears to guide them. Trust the Lord. Can you hear him calling? He says to you today, "Let's go!"

Covenant Theology is NOT Replacement Theology

2009-04-24T17:10:00.006-04:00

I had a close friend of mine recently tell me, in no uncertain terms, that Covenant Theology is just "Replacement" Theology where Israel is replaced by the church and the Scriptures are merely spiritualized to fit our interpretation. His comments are not new, and his comments are not surprising. In fact, I am overwhelming disapointed with how little attention the reformed community has given to the topics of Israel, the Church, and End Times.

The brushstroke of hyper-dispensationalism has colored the airwaves and bookshelves with an unbiblical and offcolor view of Israel, the Church, and the End Times that has dangerously confused the majority of professing evangelicals. Thankfully, Sam Storms, from Enjoying God Ministries, has weighed in with a strong three-part response to the false notion that Covenant Theology is so called "Replacement" Theology. May there be many more men who write and speak out regarding these biblical truths. Storm's three-part response is below. It's a must read.

The Church, Israel, and "Replacement" Theology - Part 1

The Church, Israel, and "Replacement" Theology - Part 2

The Church, Israel, and "Replacement" Theology - Part 3

Don't Waste Your Life - Music Video

2009-04-20T19:24:00.001-04:00

Irena Sendler vs. Al Gore: You Choose ...

2009-04-20T12:50:00.002-04:00

Christian Baptism: A Balanced and Biblical Survey - Introduction

2009-04-18T15:43:00.031-04:00

"A Song of Ascents. Of David. Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity. It is like the precious oil on the head, running down on the beard, on the beard of Aaron, running down on the collar of his robes! It is like the dew of Hermon, which falls on the mountains of Zion! For there the Lord has commanded the blessing, life forevermore"

(Psalm 133, ESV).

Every Christian when dealing with the topic of baptism should take the time to pray and carefully study the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments along with other helpful resources to arrive for themselves with the answers to these four central questions ...

1) What is the biblical meaning of baptism?
2) What is the proper mode of baptism?
3) Who is to be baptized? And …
4) How should I work and worship with Christians who disagree on this topic?

The purpose of this survey on baptism is to lead people to a balanced and biblical approach to answering those 4 questions, but before I begin, I must be honest, I have put off this post on baptism for too long and for two reasons.

1) I was raised in a non-denominational Christian home that taught …

Believer’s Only Baptism: Only those who make a credible profession of faith in Jesus Christ are to be baptized by immersion.

I have not wanted in anyway to spark a division amongst family or friends who hold to a different view than me. It breaks my heart and threatens my joy to see godly Christian men and women who love the Lord and who have been called out of darkness and into His marvelous light, break friendship or fellowship over the topic of baptism. I never want this to happen, so even as I type these words there is reluctance in my heart to put this forward. But let me just say from the outset, that at this point in my understanding I personally hold to …

Covenant-Household Baptism: Only those who make a credible profession of faith along with their covenant-household are to be baptized by sprinkling or pouring.

However, I personally would immerse someone who desires this mode of baptism and will also seek to serve God, share the Gospel, and worship along side wonderful brothers and sisters who hold to a ‘believers only’ position. We must all keep in mind that great and godly men down through the ages of church history have differed and still differ today on the topic of baptism, but God has blessed the ministries of men and women on both sides.

2) For most of my life I held to the view that baptism was simply “an outward expression of an inward commitment.” But as I studied both the Old and New Testaments, especially the OT in light of the NT, I began to see that there was more to baptism than I once thought. This frustrated me, challenged me, and started me on a quest to search the Scriptures and read all the books I could on the topic with an open mind and an open heart. But as I began to gather books and consult the various ‘experts’ from both positions I noticed that each party approached the topic of baptism very dogmatically as if baptism was the easiest doctrine to understand and each side did not seem to take the other side’s arguments seriously.

So it took me a lot of time to study the Bible and survey several volumes on baptism to try and come up with what I believe will be a helpful survey on baptism from both positions. What I learned is that anyone who makes the claim that this is an easy “black and white issue” either hasn’t done his or her homework, and they just don’t know what they don’t know, or they are threatened with the arguments from the other side and do not want to address them with openness and gracefulness.

Let me make 3 statements that may clear up some common misconceptions about the covenant-household baptism position:

1) We DON'T Believe In Baptismal-Regeneration (baptizing a baby doesn't save the baby):

Covenant-Household Baptism is not "high-church ritualism" or "left over Catholicism." Nothing could be farther from the truth. It is a position, as I will later show, that comes directly from the Scriptures. I do not believe that baptizing anyone, adult, teen, child, or infant saves that individual. Baptism is applied only to infants of believers with the understanding that they need to come to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ just like every one else.

2) We DO Baptize Adults who Profess Faith in Christ:

Many have the wrong perception that those who hold to covenant-household baptism don't baptize adults. We do. We believe in believer's baptism, we just don't believe the Scriptures teach Believer's Only Baptism. My wife, Lindsay, was baptized as an adult upon profession of faith in Christ because she had never been baptized before. However, we do rebaptize individuals on a case by case basis.

3) We DO Allow Baptists to Become Members and Teach in our Churches:

Someone can disagree with the definition of baptism till the day they die and work and worship together in our local churches. People who hold to a believer's only position are welcome to join the membership of Prebyterian churches and other Reformed congregations who hold to covenant-household baptism. They are encourgaged not to just join the fellowship, but to use their gifts in ministry which may include a staff position and even preaching and teaching the Scriptures. It is the elders who must be in agreement on baptism.

These 3 misconceptions aside, as my time allows, what will soon follow is a three-part survey from the Scriptures on baptism.

In Part 1, I will share what I have found to be the strongest and most common points that make up the baptisic position and provide counter-responses to each point.

In Part 2, I will share what I found to be the strongest and most common points that make up the covenant- household position and provide counter-responses to each.

In Part 3, I will share why I personally hold to covenant-household baptism and put forth an approach for how I believe Christians can worship together despite their differences in a local church for the glory of God and the advance of the gospel. And along the way, as you'll find below, I will provide some helpful links to other articles, sermons, books and blogs on the topic. But let me close this introductory post with a word from Paul and our Lord Jesus Christ ....

1 Corinthians 1:17a: "For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel ..." (ESV).

John 17:22-23: "The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me" (ESV).

Some Helpful Links:

Covenant-Household Baptism:

Francis Schaeffer on Baptism (Article)

Baptism: A Duty of God's People (Article)

Believer's Only Baptism:

John Piper: On Baptism and Church Membership (Sermons)

Are Paedobaptists Unrepentant? (Blog Post)

Eliminating all Suffering, Especially Eternal

2009-04-18T00:08:00.002-04:00

Conversation with DA Carson, John Piper, and Tim Keller (1 of 6)

Senior Sermon at Knox

2009-04-17T12:31:00.013-04:00

On April 09, I had the amazing privledge of opening up the Scriptures to the Knox faculty and students. I preached my senior sermon from Hebrews 12:1-3. For friends and family who are interested in hearing it, you can hear the message below. May the Lord continue to grant you grace for your race.

"Running the Final Mile"
Hebrews 12:1-3

Death and the Christian

2009-04-10T13:18:00.003-04:00

John Piper has written a wonderful discussion between death and the Christian. You can read it here.

Lord, Teach Us To Pray

2009-04-02T09:55:00.006-04:00

"Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke 11:1)

What prompted the disciples to ask this? Was it because Jesus had the magic words, the magic "abracadabra" formula for prayer? No. Their request came from observing their Master's prayer life and realizing that everything about him was due to his relationship and fellowship with the Father. We are told that Jesus prayed ...

Early in the morning (Mark 1:35)
Through the night (Luke 6:12)
Before great trials (Matthew 26:36; Luke 6:12–13; 9:18,21,22)
After great achievements (Matthew 14:23; John 6:15)
For the glory of the Father (John 17:1)
For his people (John 17:9)

Oh, that we might look to Jesus and ask him, not just how to pray, but to make us people of daily prayer and constant communion with the Father that we might be used of him. As someone once said, "Prayer is not made in order that men may use God for their purposes, but that God may use men for his." Lord, teach us to pray.

Know Your Student's Constitutional and Federal Rights

2009-03-25T23:53:00.004-04:00

The Following came from research done by The Christian Anti-Defamation Commission:

The Supreme Court ruled, in the landmark case of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, that all students must be allowed their Constitutional rights even while attending school. The Supreme Court remarked on this issue, saying that neither "students [nor] teachers shed their constitutional rights . . . at the schoolhouse gate" (393 U.S. 506 (1969)).

The Court argued that their expressions cannot be limited to a certain forum during school. Therefore when a student "is in the cafeteria, or on the playing field, or on the campus during the authorized hours, he may express his opinions..." (393 U.S. 512 (1969)). And because the First Amendment protects the right to religious freedom of expression, students are therefore allowed to express these views.

The Constitutional and Federal rights of students can be simply broken down as the:

* Freedom to Meet with Other Students for Prayer, Bible Study, and Worship

* Freedom to Wear Clothing Depicting Religious Messages and Symbols

* Freedom to Express Religious Beliefs on Campus

* Freedom to Share Religious Tracts on Campus

* Freedom to Pray Voluntarily

* Freedom to Carry a Bible or Other Religious Literature

* Freedom to Prepare School Assignments and Projects From, and Expressing, a Religious
Perspective

* Freedom to Observe Religious Holidays on Campus

* Freedom to Organize Religious Clubs

* Freedom to Live According to Their Religious Beliefs While on Campus

Courtesy of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (03-25-09).

Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

2009-03-25T12:50:00.002-04:00

"Jack," The Jewish Chiropractor

2009-03-21T01:28:00.002-04:00

Tonight, Lindsay and I and our new dear friends, Ron and Connie, met a man outside Panera who made me realize just how much I need to learn about evangelism. Let's call him "Jack."

Jack, was a self-professed, part-time Jew who cracks backs for a living and couldn't help overhearing our conversation we were having outside about hell (ya know, just your typical 'Friday night conversation'). Well, we noticed him, noticing us and we began talking to him and invited him to pull up a chair. He had much to talk about, but it was what he wouldn't talk about that continued to frustrate me.

Everytime we began to address such topics as God, Sin, Christ, Truth, the Bible, etc., Jack would dodge the subject and dart down a different path. This became very frustrating, but we all did our best to speak lovingly and openly about such things, yet with conviction. We spent approximately 45 mintues trying to maintain a logical conversation, but to no avail.

We shared as much as we could, trying to share the gospel through any crack in the conversation we could find. Ultimately, Jack was satisfied in experiencing God in many ways and not taking "the easy way out" as he called it, in identifying with Christ. In his words, "we agreed to disagree," but ended shaking hands, exchanging business cards, and committing to pray for him.

Here's a few things that I learned as we walked away from an otherwise frustrating conversation:

1) Evangelism is First, a Proclamation

Before we said goodnight, after we had parted ways with Jack, the four of us (Ron, Connie, Lindsay and myself) prayed and thanked God that he would grant us the opportunity to bear witness and proclaim Jesus Christ as the only Lord, God, and Savior. Evangelism is extremely frustrating if we only view it in terms of invitation. It is first, a proclamation of who Christ is and what he has done to save sinners. The Spirit of God does the converting. Our work is the communicating.

2) Steering the Course is more important the Staying the Course.

In our effort to stay the course and spend time learning more about Jack and the things he had to say, we lost ground by not steering the course of the conversation back to the questions that he wouldn't answer and the topics that he didn't want to discuss. When it comes to conversations, some people are clever and some people are logical. Jack was very clever. When we speak with the "Jacks", we must remember that evangelism is most effective when we focus on the direction of the conversation more than the duration.

3) Always Seek to End on a Prayerful and Postitive Note

Although we can't confuse love with being softspoken about Christ, it's also true that we should try not to leave a conversation with an attitude of anger and hostility. An effective goodbye is more than just agreeing to disagree at the end of the conversation. It's expressing a thankfulness to the person for taking the time to talk and asking how we might pray for them.

Pray for our friend, the Jewish Chiropractor, and all those who are seeking to be faithful and better witnesses in proclaiming God's Truth about God's Son to a world that desperately needs him.

Thoughts on Preaching ...

2009-03-21T01:19:00.000-04:00

Tullian Tchividjian, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church's new lead pastor, had this to say on his blog about preaching. I found this very helpful.

"To be a faithful preacher, one needs to be tri-perspectival in their exegesis. That is, they need to be committed to the exegesis of the Bible, the exegesis of our culture, and the exegesis of the human heart. Some preachers claim that if you exegete the Bible properly, you don’t need to bother yourself with the exegesis of our culture or the human heart. The problem with this view, however, is that the Bible itself exhorts us to apply Biblical norms to both our lives and to our world.

As a preacher myself, I benefit greatly from listening to a wide variety of preachers. In some cases I learn what to do, and in other cases I learn what not to do. But in every case, I learn something. Some preachers teach me how to be a better exegete of the Bible. Others teach me how to be a better exegete of our culture. And still others teach me how to be a better exegete of the human heart (the Puritans were the best at this). But every preacher should be striving to do all three in the context of every sermon.

Preachers must learn how to unveil and unpack the truth of the Gospel from every Biblical text they preach in such a way that it results in the exposure of both the idols of our culture and the idols of our hearts. The faithful exposition of our true Savior from every passage in the Bible painfully reveals all of the pseudo-saviors that we trust in culturally and personally. Every sermon ought to disclose the subtle ways in which we as individuals and we as a culture depend on lesser things than Jesus to provide the security, acceptance, protection, affection, meaning, and satisfaction that only Christ can supply. In this way, good preachers must constantly show just how relevant and necessary Jesus is; they must work hard to show that we are great sinners but Christ is a great Savior."

One Courageous Preacher Calls Our President to Courage

2009-03-19T18:58:00.000-04:00

Piper speaks out against abortion and calls our President to be courageous.

He Is No Fool

2009-03-19T18:50:00.001-04:00

Before my uncle Harold died, he left me with several quotes that had meant much to him. This was one of his favorites …
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot (1927 - 1956)

We must pray for God to raise up more Jim Elliots who are so gripped by the truth of the gospel that they are willing to live for it and die for it. The war of ideas is being lost to the coffee and cake Christianity which is built on the foundation of consumerism. The church must get back to the courageous Christianity which is built on the foundation of Christ.

God-Centered Vocabulary

2009-03-19T18:47:00.000-04:00

It would be good for all of us to eliminate from our everyday vocabulary a few meaningless words, and they are … 1) luck, 2) fortunate, and 3) chance. If God controls this entire universe, which he does (Job 37:1-24); if God governs every second of our lives, which he does (Eph. 1:11); and if God ordains even the smallest details of our day, which he does (Matt. 10:29) … then where is the place for being “lucky”, “fortunate”, or saying “what are the chances?”

Christians ought not to adopt the vocabulary of a culture that seeks to replace God and supress the truth of his sovereignty (Rom. 1:18). Instead, let’s try using such phrases as “we’re very [replace lucky] blessed” or “we’re [replace fortunate] thankful that …” or “What [replace 'are the chances'] is the likelihood of that happening?” It’s hard but let’s try, perhaps we’ll get lucky and chances are, when we stop using these words, well be among the most fortunate.

What's The Purpose in Preaching?

2009-03-19T16:41:00.000-04:00

What should be the purpose in approaching the pulpit to preach on Sunday morning? I believe Scripture sets forth three primary purposes:

I. To Exalt the Acts of God:

First, the purpose of preaching is an exaltation of “… real objective events … a declaration, not a debate … the proclamation of the mighty acts of God.”[1] The pulpit is not a place to exalt in what man has done, but rather to exalt in what God has done. The purpose is to preach the creative and redemptive acts of God which culminate in the gospel of his saving grace. After all, the gospel is not a good theory or a good idea; the gospel is good news – the greatest act in the history of the world in what God the Son accomplished once and for all in the person of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the purpose is to “proclaim him” ( Col. 1:28 ) and preach as first importance (1 Cor. 15:3-4), his perfect life, his substitutionary death, and his triumphant resurrection from the dead. Exalting the acts of God, then, will always point to or point back to the finished work of Christ revealed in all of Scripture (John 5:39). A preacher fulfills his Master’s command (Mark 16:15) by exalting the truth of what God has done to redeem and rescue his chosen people from sin and death, which is the power of God for their salvation (Rom. 1:16).

II. To Exposit the Truth of God:

Second, the purpose of preaching is an exposition of God’s truth by faithfully explaining (2 Tim. 2:15) his living and active word (Heb. 4:12-13) for the sanctification of his people. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them in the truth, your word is truth” (John 17:17). Only when the truth of God’s word is clearly set forth will people truly hear God’s truth as food for their lives. Jesus told Peter three times, “If you love me, feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17). And we know that his sheep must be fed “not by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matt. 4:4, Deut. 8:3). Thus, the purpose of preaching is to bless God’s people with God’s truth which will unfold “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8). As Jay Adams points out, “He [God] has not promised to bless our word; that promise extends only to his own.”[2] The preacher sets out, in season and out of season, to exposit the whole council of God for the people of God.

III. To Exhort the People of God:

Finally, the purpose of preaching is an exhortation for the people of God to observe God’s truth for their new lives lived in Christ. When the pulpit is filled with an exalting exposition of God’s work and word, the Holy Spirit begins to “effect changes among the members of God’s church that build them up individually and that builds up the body as a whole.”[3] Preaching should exhort God’s people to walk in newness of life – to love God and their neighbor in Christ, to find their joy and hope in Christ, to carry their cross by faith for Christ and to live lives that are set apart in Christ. It should encourage them not to forget what they saw in the mirror (James 1:24-25), but to remember and reform their lives to God’s word as the Holy Spirit works to conform their lives to God’s Son.

[1] James S. Stewart, Heralds of God (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1979), 63.
[2] Jay Adams, Preaching with Purpose (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1982), 19.
[3] Adams, 13.

Do You Possess Your Possessions?

2009-03-19T16:38:00.000-04:00

Possessions are important, but they're not of first importance. They are suppossed to be something we possess, which is just another way of saying, they are things that we own, things that we control and use. Yet, not surprisingly, many people don't really possess their possessions - their possessions possess them. They are first controlled by the thought of owning them, and then possessed with the anxiety of losing them. So which is it? Are you master of your things? Or do they master you?