Being Transparent with the Body of Christ

Our Pastor David had some very good closing words during his pastoral prayer yesterday that really got to me; he spoke of putting on that fake smile, like everything is okay when it really isn't. Oftentimes he pointed out that in church settings, if someone doesn't have that "mask" on, we get really uncomfortable that they're being so real, open and broken before us (almost to the point where we don't want to associate with them). Sometimes I have to fight the urge to put on that face during that linger time we have after the service, but I was able to be honest with some people yesterday that no, things were rough at home because both my son and wife were sick (thankfully I think both are on the upswing!) and in trying to care for them I was really weary.

I could have smiled and said (in response to "How's it going?"), "pretty good, how about you?" and continued on with the small talk/chatter that often accompanies that start to a conversation. But if we can't be real in church, to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, who can we be real with? Is our response those at work understand us better? Or the guys at the bar? If so, then we need to prioritize the relationships where we are being real with people (and others in the church have a role to play in that as well, in changing their attitudes towards others).

**********************************************************

I am praying very hard that soon after the start of the year that I can find a mentor in life to help guide me (and keep me accountable) in my spiritual walk as well as in life in general. It has been difficult at times over the past few months to gauge where I am at (if at times I even know what day it is), in the busyness that is my life. I am very quick to help and listen, but oftentimes not as quick to ask for it; as a result, I can feel a little weighed down emotionally, as I do at times right now. Christ's grace has sustained me, but I need His means (meaning His people).

**********************************************************

In other news, my wife and I sat down on Saturday and hammered out our first monthly budget, EVER. After reading Dave Ramsey's book, Total Money Makeover, we have been motivated more than ever before to attack our debt and eradicate it from our lives. It will be long and hard, and we will have to make sacrifices, but I want several things from this: 1) for my children to be able to live without the burden of debt and to see what it means to live without debt; 2) to be able to save for kids' college and our retirement (read: my career change--I don't think I'll ever retire); and 3) to be able to give more than I ever have before.

This last one is one I am looking forward to more than anything else; there are times I want to give to someone or something but can't because my debt has restrained me from giving like I would want to. So as Ramsey says, we will live like no one else, so that one day, we WILL live like no one else. Pray that God will guide us through this.

More to follow.

Obedience of Faith

Pastor David had a great sermon yesterday on the obedience of faith. The main text came from Hebrews 11, where we are talking about the subject of Noah building the ark, condemning the world and becoming an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Pastor David spent some time in Romans 1, where Paul speaks of preaching the Gospel so as to bring about the obedience of faith. It is something that I honestly have not thought much about, in the sense that the Gospel is a command. When Jesus (and the apostles that followed) preached the Gospel, the words given to repent and believe was not just a statement but a command.

If we are obedient, we are granted faith, but even faith is something that is granted to us as a gift. We must be obedient to the command of the Gospel to repent and believe in order to live eternally (it is a hard thing to sometimes swallow, that being man's responsibility coupled with God's sovereignty in salvation, but that is another post). The Gospel is God's answer to our rebellion because the Father's ordaining that His only begotten Son should die on our behalf and thus bear the wrath of the Father relieves us of our role in the very rebellion which separated us from the Father when Adam fell.

What some in past times (and even now--as Solomon says, "There is nothing new under the sun") is that the Gospel is not here to "fix" our temporal, earthly problems, even to bring the world into harmony or some inner peace. On the contrary, Christ himself said in the Gospels that he came to divide with the Truth He delivered. Father from daughter, mother from son--He acknowledged there would be those who would believe, and those who would not. He was not calling people to a better life--He was calling them to lay their lives down. He was giving them a hard teaching, one which required them to set aside their very SELVES and follow Him as Lord and Savior.

And yet, in this obedience of faith, some may feel doubts of abandonment; will God forsake me? This is what the audiences were likely thinking in hearing the Gospel, since throughout the Old Testament, they were so quick to forget the Lord's faithfulness! Also imagine Noah, surrounded by wickedness, no one else righteous, but God calls on him to build an ark, to set apart from the rest of the world, and he did so, in reverent fear of the Lord. One might have felt abandoned, but his faith (as was Abraham's) made him an heir of righteousness because he stepped out in obedience to the command that the Lord gave.

So too we must answer the call and command of the Gospel in our repentance and belief in Christ. Paul's drive to preach to the Gentiles was to spread the Word to them, to bring them to obedience of faith. This is likely why Paul in 1 Corinthians 2 speaks of knowing nothing but Christ and Him crucified; he endeavored to keep Christ the central part of the Gospel. Many can debate about what is like, but in one thing it can be sure, it is separation from God and the only thing that keeps one from that damnation is repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our obedience in sanctification is quite another thing, but bringing someone to the obedience of faith (with the obvious help of the Holy Spirit) must be done first. If we have truly repented and believed, we will not be abandoned and He will not let us go.

Still Dealing With It!

This week has had its ups and downs--Tuesday I felt really horrible, Wednesday I felt better, Thursday was worse, yesterday was so-so and last night I slept a little better but now I believe I have a full-blown sinus infection (I took generic brand Afrin last night but then read somewhere online this morning that while it helps you to breathe, it swells your sinuses and can actually CAUSE an infection!).

I really don't want to have to do this, but I may have to break down and go to a doctor (I haven't seen one at all for about two years), but I have a full slate next week, and I certainly can't continue sleeping so irregularly.

The Maundy Thursday service we had at church this past Thursday was pretty good and the sermon on Christ having to suffer alone in the last hours was quite moving and very thought provoking.

Have a wonderful Easter!

When the Body Is Attacked

This post this morning has two different levels, the immediate one being that I woke up at about 2AM with a very stuffy feeling, a headache, and the starting of a sore throat. I tried several remedies and managed to make my way through the night but it was not a restful one. There was a time which I would simply cry out to God that He could just take this away if He wanted (it's easy to think you're going through the WORST THING EVER when you're in the middle of it, no matter what it is), but through His grace (and His faithfulness in increasing my humility and my trust in Him) over the past ten years, I was able to pray: "Lord, I ask for your healing power and rest but if your will be for me to endure this I pray you give me the grace to bear it."

So I woke up this morning, somewhat rested, still have a little bit of a sore throat and headache, but grateful to have gotten the sleep I did.

The other meaning this post has this morning is that these are trying times for those I am surrounded by--my father right now is dealing with unemployment, my mother in trying to deal with finances as a result of that, my brother trying to figure out the next big step in his life, a dear church friend who is dealing with a son and his girlfriend who have gone so far in playing "jokes" as to swear out a warrant for her arrest, another church family member who is dealing with cancer, and neighbors who are contemplating ending their marriage.

The "easy" thing to do with those outside one's family is to give in to "bystander effect": someone else will help them. It's not my problem, right? The pastor is better equipped to handle these situations. WRONG! As the Body of Christ, we have been created for interdependence with one another. God's providence has placed you where he has for a reason and if you are presented with an opportunity to minister to a brother or sister in their time of need, even if it's just being there for them.

If you've ever watched one of those nature shows where an animal or group of animals is hunting prey, when are they most successful? When they get one of the herd alone. So too does the Enemy win by making us feel alone, putting such thoughts in our heads like, "those people at church don't care about you, you'll have to deal with this by yourself" or even worse "where is God in your pain?"

But Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 12 how we are all members of the Body, and we each have a function:

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, [5] yet one body.

We all have a function, and we are all members of the Body. Be aware, Christian, of the hurting people around you, and meet them where they are--not in judgment, but in love, building up the Body so that the Word can be proclaimed and God glorified through the restoration of others.

Immigration and the Muslim Question

Recently I've been reading a book by Mark Steyn called America Alone: The End of the World as We Know It. In this book, Steyn points out that America is really the last bastion against the ever growing Muslim population and ideology. In fact, one of the major points he makes is that the Muslim birthrate far exceeds that of continental Europe, so much so that the Muslims, if the trend continues, will be the majority segment of the population in most countries in Europe by the middle of this century.

On the flip side, Europeans are not reproducing. Hardly at all--Spain and France have a birth rate closer to one child per family, which means they are not producing at a replacement rate (closer to 2 births per family). On top of that, Europe is often labeled "progressive" for how government plays a VERY large role in every part of their lives, providing them everything yet (as in France) requiring very little of the populace. They want their 30 or so hour work weeks but their paid vacations and benefits too. Unemployment is in the DOUBLE digits over there, while Americans complain if it breaks FIVE percent.

But the Muslim question centers not only around demographics, but ideology. The Muslim religion, in most parts of the world, is the fast growing religion at the moment. The situation with Muslim immigrants, more so than any other group, is that when they enter a country, they create an enclave of their own society rather than assimilate into the surrounding culture. They import their way of life and export that to their new community--so much so that Steyn notes in the Netherlands (a very "progressive" and modern society), women--who are not Muslims--are seen wearing head coverings if they live or work near Muslim areas.

The reason I wanted to comment on this issue is that Steyn commented on the American church, and while he is not a theologian and I have no idea of his faith, he said this:

Most mainline Protestant churches are, to one degree or another, post-Christian. If they no longer seem disposed to converting the unbelieving to Christ, they can at least convert them to the boggiest of soft-left political cliches, on the grounds that if Jesus were alive today he'd most likely be a gay Anglican bishop in a committed relationship driving around in an environmentally friendly car with an "Arms Are for Hugging" sticker on the way to an interfaith dialogue with a Wiccan and a couple of Wahhabi imams.

Now, is the above statement a little over the top? Maybe, but it does illustrate how mainline churches have forsaken the Gospel and have abandoned their duty to preach it. As a result, and letting down its guard, the Church (as a whole) has fallen down in Europe and allowed the Muslim influence to overtake it to the point where it is impotent in Europe (though through God's grace there may be an awakening yet).

He also stated that while there are "moderate" Muslims, there is no moderate Islam. Be on your guard, Christian, for the day may come that this comes to your doorstep. Gird yourself up in the Word and stand fast in the faith.

Purgatorio is Back!

I had thought that Marc over at Purgatorio might go on an extended or even permanent hiatus, but I recently heard that Purgatorio is up and running again.

The Divine Vinyl posts are as great as ever. Check 'em out.

(NOTE: for those who don't know about Purgatorio, it's a site that points out humor in evangelicalism, christian culture, etc.--it's great for a chuckle and in some ways an interesting commentary of the state of things)

UPDATE: The "commentary" that I spoke of is VERY evident in his most recent post, a video posted by someone on YouTube, about how that person abandoned the faith. Such a message should encourage us all to be steadfast, and guard our hearts as well as those of the faith that are near to us.

Ringing in 2008

So I stayed up to watch the ball drop last night (and for those who watched ABC, it's a little tough watching Dick Clark, right? But I'm glad he's still plugging on). Then we watched the fireworks from our porch and that was pretty neat.

I always try to convince myself on the eve of a holiday that I have to work the next day. Why do I do this? Because subconsciously my body reacts differently--yesterday morning, not only because I had just gotten back from a road trip to WV but because I had to work, I would have slept until 9 or 9:30 (yes, that's REALLY sleeping in for me). However, I went to bed at about 12:30 this morning and woke up at 7. Phooey.

So I was awake this morning and thinking of the topic of resolutions and whether to make them, and I thought that often it is what expectations we put on ourselves and the type of help that we use to implement them that causes us to fall short.

Making resolutions in general is similar to choosing what diet to use--a person can look at their weight and state that they are going to cut out several things from their diet only to buckle under the pressure because they have tried to do too much too soon. There is also power in numbers--if you have even ONE person who can do it with you, it can make it seem easier since you've got a friend along in the fight.

I've often made mistakes resolving to make grand changes in my personal devotions. I have bought huge commentaries or books that will help me only to fall from that after days or even weeks.

So, with all of this in mind, I will commit (rather than a more grand "resolve") to moving towards certain goals. Resolutions tend to ask for drastic change (not that sometimes drastic change is never called for). I think that looking at making changes more in the way that our own sanctification works in our walk with Christ can lead to them being more lasting and effective.

But such an attitude must be reinforced by others--no man (or woman) is an island, as John Donne penned. We need each other every day. One price of increased individualism is increased loneliness, depression and despair--every one alive today has (or had) a mother and likely uncles/aunts, grandparents, siblings, but we choose to ignore our resources. Even at church, many check in for service and then run out the minute the service is over! The Church is not a gas station for you to fill up with spiritual fuel and head out on your week! It is a buffet of resources and spiritual nourishment designed by God to help us through this life--Christ guaranteed that we would suffer for His name and that this life would NOT be easy. Is He not faithful to provide the means to endure it?

With all that said, I commit to the following (and I fully hope that anyone who reads this blog would ask me how I am doing):

1. To study (not just read) the Bible for 20 minutes each day, finding a consistent time for this and for prayer.

2. To make a concentrated effort to exercise more consistently throughout the week, not just on the weekend.

3. To spend quality time with my wife once a week (that doesn't involve the TV!)

4. To read one book a month.

And that's it. To me, it doesn't do to have a long list of resolutions and it doesn't help me to make drastic changes that set me up for failure. Any Christian should want to read the Bible more than they did a year ago, if they are progressing along in their sanctification, but even they might not be as consistent in it as they will be in 10 years time. Discipline is practiced and developed, not instantly made. I pray that the Spirit will move upon my heart and give me guidance as I work these out on a daily basis and that most of all that these would all be filtered through a desire to glorify God most of all. For as John Piper has said, He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Happy New Year to all. May God send His blessings upon you this year.

A Tribute to a Godly Man

Robert Bailey, the father of my good friend Joey Bailey (family life pastor at Green Run Baptist Church in Virginia Beach), passed away last weekend. Many knew him as "Bob" and here is his obituary, courtesy of The Free-Lance Star in Fredericksburg (found here):

Robert J. Bailey

Robert James "Bob" Bailey, 62, of Fredericksburg died Friday, December 21, 2007, at Inova Alexandria Hospital following a brief and difficult battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born Feb. 23, 1945, in Glen Fork, W. Va., to the late Oley and Pauline Bailey. He graduated from Glen Rogers High School in 1963 with state awards in auto mechanics. Robert was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds received in combat, as well as the Bronze Star Medal for meritorious achievement against hostile forces. On June 23, 1967, he was united in marriage to Gloria Jean Moran of Oceana, W.Va. In 1987, Robert moved with his wife and their two children to Fredericksburg to work at Ourisman Chevrolet in Marlow Heights, Md., where he faithfully labored for 20 years. Robert's life had long been defined by his commitment to Jesus Christ. He was a loyal husband and loving father. He was a man of great strength, courage, and commitment to both his home and his church. Robert's loyalty and strength were matched by a heart always willing to help some one in need. Countless peo ple have benefited from his life throughout the years. Robert would be quick to give credit to God. He was a faithful member of Chancellor Baptist Church in Fredericksburg.

The three greatest attributes of Robert's life were his strength, love, and commitment.

Robert is survived by his wife, Jean; his son and daughter-in-law, Joseph and Stephanie Bailey of Virginia Beach; his daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Paul Thompson of Fredericksburg; four grandchildren, Jordyn, Grace, Nathan, and Emerson, who all knew him as "Pappy" and were his greatest joy; and his brother and sister-in-law, Rick and Freda Bailey of Glen Fork.

A funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 24, at Chancellor Baptist Church. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church. An additional service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 26, at Palm Memorial Garden, Matheny, W.Va., with visitation one hour prior to the service.

Date published: 12/23/2007

Were it that even half of that could be said about us when we passed--a life of service, dedicated to God, and loved by his family. May we weep with those who weep, yet rejoice in knowing that our brother has gone on to the Lord.

The Birth of Grace

It's the Christmas season, and I love this season for so many reasons. One of them is the music--I LOVE Christmas songs and hymns (we honestly have at least 25 Christmas albums of some kind). I was on the road to court listening to one of my favorite albums, City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time and the song that Caedmon's Call sings on that album is "Babe in the Straw."

I had listened to the song several times, but when I was listening to it the other day, the words in the chorus struck me:

and if we lose sight of your sweet face
at the birth of grace, at the birth of grace
light of truth shine like Bethlehem's star
lead us to where you are, show us who you are

I've been reading a lot in the Old Testament for my nightly Bible reading (I just finished Ezekiel and if that doesn't put a fear of God into you, I don't know what will!). In Reformed doctrine, we often talk about the Old and New covenants and how God ordained the Savior to come as He did, and how Christ is the eternal priest before God and mediator on our behalf.

But there's something at work in the transition between the covenants as well--notice that before Christ the people of God had to continually make sacrifices to God that were of an appeasing nature but did not ultimately satisfy the holiness of God. God's attitude towards Israel--His own people--had to be one of mercy. Mercy is often defined as having leniency towards another when wrong has been done, in other words, on the receiving end, not getting what you really deserve when you wrong someone else. God, in His forbearance, showed mercy to the Israelites time and again, pulling them out of their slavery to other peoples and saving them on the battlefield.

But they would sin against the Lord and grieve Him, over and over. But He mercifully brought them back until ultimate salvation could be achieved--this was GRACE. That God sent His only Son to earth to be born of a virgin, live a perfect, sinless life, and die on the Cross for the sins of the elect, whom God had ordained to save. At the birth of Christ, grace prevailed--the Lord would no longer need to show His forbearance toward His people because Christ as Savior wore the mantle of God's Holy wrath against our sin on the Cross while at the same time being the perfect and eternal sacrifice that satisfied God's justice and holiness.

The Lord still shows mercy to whom He will show mercy, but not as much in the overarching way that He had to show forbearance to His people in the Old Testament. Grace now prevails in that it gives us what we cannot earn for ourselves--eternal salvation and righteous standing before the Father. And this was all guaranteed by the birth, death and resurrection of Christ.

So this Christmas season, celebrate the birth of Christ, for it was the birth of grace!

Smearing Our Brethren on the 'Net

I was reading my morning Spurgeon this morning, and he points out that we should not make it our business to "help the Devil dishonor the Church."

Spurgeon quotes from Leviticus 16:19, which states the following:

You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life [1] of your neighbor: I am the Lord.

The KJV translation that Spurgeon quoted specifically states that we should not be a "tale-bearer," and it means that we should not go around spreading stories, true or not, that would damage the reputation of the person who is the subject of that story. Paul was very specific about those who gossip (see Romans 1:29-30).

The thing that has struck me most since I have been blogging and reading blogs on the internet is how easy it can be to vilify the individual (be that person a Christian or not) when telling a story about something that they have done or a belief that they hold to. Spurgeon goes on to state that we should most certainly rebuke sin, but this is to be done to his face (not to "rail" behind his back) so that you may restore that brother to Christ.

The internet provides a medium in which individuals can attack (and even appear to attack without meaning to) individuals personally rather than dealing with the sin or error itself (recent debates over doctrine on some blogs, I fear, have tried to rise to personal attacks and the medium is not personal so it easily lends itself to that).

Sin and error must be dealt with in the Church, but we must be careful in dealing with both that we do not take the extra step of trying to destroy the Body by our methods. We are the Body of Christ and they will know that we are Christians by our love for one another--this does not mean that we cede any essential doctrine or we water down the Gospel. May it never be.

Reproof and correction, at its base, should be motivated by a love and restoration for the other person, not a motivation to point out fault and claim "see, I told you he or she was [fill in the blank]!!!" Because we can all claim we are the greatest of sinners, and to smear another brother or sister in Christ in our blogging (and even worse, in more private conversations and emails) causes us to puff ourselves up and we do damage to our witness and the cause of Christ.

To echo Spurgeon, I would plead that our talk and actions be infused with the doctrine of the Gospel and our hearts be broken for those who commit sin and error. Make it a point that if someone tells you a tale or gossips about someone else, let it stop with you--glory in Christ and do not glory in pulling your brother down.

Doctrine-Infused Speech

I was reading my daily Spurgeon this morning when a particular line grabbed me:

We may judge of the secrets of the soul by their manifestation in the man's conversation.

Wow. I have to ask myself, does the truth of Scripture grip me in this way, that my conversation shows my understanding of the Gospel? When I am pressed by the heat of situations or encounter others who struggle, do I promote the truths of the Gospel with my speech? I confess that I do not. Spurgeon also, in quoting 3 John 3, states that "doctrines simply held as creed are like bread in the hand," while if that bread is eaten and digested, it does nourishment (and so too with doctrine).

I've commented on this before, but what we feed on (intellectually and spiritually) determines what we produce with our mouths as well as how we act. We can be a tool of both reproof and encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ but also be a stumbling block and detriment to the Gospel in how we speak and act (see James 3:8).

What "secrets" does your conversation with others reveal? Are they the secret treasures of the Gospel or does your talk display something else? May our minds be permeated by the Gospel and its doctrines and may we hold them as dear as life.

A Thank-full Thanksgiving

Wednesday night my parents came into town and it has been nice to have them here--we're a little closer to them than we were when we were at the Beach, so it's good for them to come and not have to travel so far. My wife unfortunately had to work today even though I did get a rare day off.

It's amazing to think that another year has passed since the last Thanksgiving when they were down here, and much has changed. My dad, who had a job last year, finds himself unemployed now and having to look for work at age 57, which is tough for him. But, in another way, it has allowed him to do four (!) devotionals each morning as he prepares for his day (sometimes God wants to get your attention, yeah?).

I'm thankful for family, and for the strong Christian roots I've been blessed with--not only on my side of the family, but my wife's as well. I'm thankful for being able to work and having a job, as well as a reliable car and good house to live in. We have a wonderful dog and food to eat. And we have a great church with a great group of believers to fellowship with on a weekly basis.

But while being so thankful my wife and I realize there is a deep desire that we both have (to have a child of our own) and we wonder (constantly) if/when that will happen. We have prayed and groaned and it has made us weary (wondering if there is something within us or within that desire that is wrong?)--but it is in this that reminds me how marriage and the love within it is based on a decision that must be made daily. I must wake up and decide that I will love my wife, no matter what may come, and she does the same towards me. When I say that I love my wife, it runs deeper than cutesy hearts and cupid arrows and chocolates on Valentine's Day--I am committed to being the person she needs, now and forever, until the Lord Himself relieves me of that duty.

People often wonder why the divorce rate in this country is the same between Christian and non-Christian homes. A person once said (I can't remember who?) that love is finding your happiness or joy in someone else's happiness or joy. Did you hear that? Your deepest joy should be in making someone else happy--and the end game of your actions should simply be their happiness. Not to get a promotion, to feel good about yourself in giving them a certain gift (so as to pat yourself on the back for a job well done), or puff yourself up, but simply bringing them joy.

Most people don't see love in this way--they use it to get something for them--if it isn't useful to them, or can't give them an advantage, why employ it(though they would NEVER outwardly admit this)?

Be thankful on this day that you cherish Christ and that Christ is the center of your marriage (with the gracious help of the Holy Spirit), and if it isn't, plead in your prayers to Him to convict you in this.

A Christ-less Heaven

Today in church our pastor was in Hebrews 9 again and we were dealing with Christ entering into heaven itself and Pastor David pointed out what was right there in verse 23:

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

That's right. Christ died to purify not only the earthly manifestations of the "holy place" in which we would offer sacrifices, but also died to purify heaven itself. I have to be honest that that question had NEVER jumped out at me before.

It says just this in verse 24:

For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Christ purified heaven itself--now, at first blush that would seem to say that there was something in God that needed to be purified, but remember: God made the heavens too. He is above it! And it is His presence that made the earthly copy of heavenly things holy! He was before time and before the heavens. 1 Peter mentions the promise of the new heavens and new earth that we look forward to in the time coming when Christ shall return--and Isaiah prophesies this in Ch. 65 and 66.

The union of Christ with the Father purified the heavens because perhaps in a way there was a peace--even an appeasement?--that occurred with Christ's entrance into the heavens. Christ was the Lamb who was slain for all time--taking away the iniquity once for all for God's people, whom He had chosen before time began. No longer did God have act as He did in the Old Testament time and again for His name's sake (due perhaps to the inferior nature of the sacrifices made and the unfaithfulness of His people)--Christ, His Son, offered Himself as a sacrifice once. And in this sacrifice, His work corresponds to the promise that God made in Ezekiel 36, when He speaks of putting a His spirit within us, giving us a new heart--this could not be done without Christ's sacrifice, because His holiness CANNOT be compromised (in the same chapter, several verses show God's concern for His holy name). Without Christ's sacrifice and the eternal effect of his life, death and resurrection, we would still be making continuous sacrifices.

Christ, in purifying the heavens, offers himself as sacrifice and as our mediator between us and the Father, forever interceding for us. Praise His Holy Name.

The other point that David also made is that we often may look to heaven as the end rather than Christ--when we are suffering and in a hard place, how often do we not say, "Lord, take me now!" But this type of escapism is exactly the attitude Christ does not want us to have, but rather we would say with Paul that I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the future glory that is to be revealed to us. And this glory is Christ! Do you dream simply about the streets of gold and the absence of suffering rather than being with Christ, your Savior? Remember that heaven without Christ, to quote my pastor, is just another word for hell--separation from Christ is no heaven at all! The Trinity is 3 in 1! Christ's entrance into heaven made it the "promised land" for us, because without His sacrifice we have no audience or standing before the Father!

No matter the storm, flee to Christ and fling yourself at His feet, hearing His Word for your life today.

Fighting the Spiritual Snobbery Within Us

When I was driving to court today I was ruminating over the sermon my pastor gave last Sunday (it was on Hebrews 9, near the end of the chapter), and he talked about how we are so quick to judge others around us without looking very hard at ourselves. We easily condemn someone for a sin that we may even privately commit! We have (at most times) a very high and exaggerated view of ourselves--we often have mirrors spread throughout our house, but how often do we hold up the mirror of the Word to really (and I mean, REALLY) examine ourselves?

It's very easy to watch the news, even local news, and lament or even approach disgust at a thief (white or blue collar), murderer, etc--but our first response should be to say, "Lord, they need you!" and pray for their soul. Apart from Christ, we are nothing, and our accomplishments are nothing apart from what glory they bring to Him. There is a saying that goes, "But for the grace of God, so go I." Understand that you may not be a murderer, a thief or a cheat--but there is a flesh-nature that, but for the regeneration ordained by God and the restraining power of the Holy Spirit, would be capable of that.

So when you see someone in the world in your travels or watching television who may drive you to disgust or disdain, get off your high-horse and get on your knees.

Reformation Sunday Celebration

My wife and I attended a wonderful service Sunday night celebrating the Reformation (as well as what God has done and is doing) at Grace Church here in the Valley, joined by several other Presbyterian churches in the area.

It was a time of worship, prayer, communion and a wonderful sermon. Rev. Mike Sharrett of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Lynchburg (they have a wonderful website which can be visited here) preached on 2 Kings 2: 15-25, where Elisha is addressing three different categories of people shortly after the torch of prophet is passed from Elijah to him.

The first group is skeptical of Elisha's word that Elijah does not need to be looked for, but ultimately Elisha gives in and allows 50 of them to go--when they come back stating they could not find Elijah, he tells them that they should not have gone.

The second group (near the end of the passage) is a mocking group of boys who is representative of those in the town that disdain the message that Elijah brings and essentially call him "baldy"--Elijah then turns to curse these boys and two female bears come from the woods to tear the boys apart.

The third group in this spectrum is a group of those in the town of Jericho that come to Elijah about their water problem--they show themselves blessed to be where they are, yet their water does not allow them to possible grow crops or feed their livestock. Unlike the other groups, they come to Elijah believing that he through his God can help them.

Rev. Sharrett drew parallels to a spectrum of people that receive God's Word: the first group can receive the Word but when the heat of life comes, they run to other pleasures or sensualities for their comfort, forsaking the living water of the Word. The second group who mocks are the ones who disdain the Truth and further condemn themselves before the Father. Finally, the third group hears and treasures the Word, knowing that it gives life, believing that the Father will do what He says.

Rev. Sharrett gave us a challenge to be people of the Word, to read it daily and not just on Sundays--one test that he gave us to tell whether we were people of the Word was not whether we were actually doing it everyday but if we missed it, did something inside us ache for missing it. Part of our regeneration is the changing of our desires--do we desire the Word, even if we are not perfect in our execution and exercise of that discipline?

May we be people of the Word, and do honor to the saints that have come before us, especially those of the Reformation, who liberated the Word from the pulpit, making it available to all and reemphasizing the priesthood of all believers.

Emerging Church/Emerging Conversation

I won't pretend that I know all the distinctions/difference between the above terms, but I know there has been much going on in the blogosphere lately on the topic.

There are many leaders/speakers within this movement, but two of the folks in the conversation, Doug Pagitt and Brian McLaren, have made some suppositions/statements which I find somewhat disturbing.

To start, I have to say that the part of the movement which is probing what it means to be missional (however that is defined) is something that does interest me, insofar as it searches to find how the Gospel is to be practiced or lived out. It's when in trying to be missional that some folks redefine or reshape the Gospel that I have a HUGE problem.

You see, it's folks like Pagitt who state that John MacArthur preaches a perverted Gospel. Yes he said that--see this post.Pyromaniacs: Different Gospels

McLaren in a recent book, Everything Must Change casts the Gospel as a type of social gospel, where Christ came to establish His Kingdom here on earth, and the Gospel is meant to essentially cure social ills and the human condition. (see a great post by Tim Challies on McLaren's newest book here)

There's a sense in which they feel they have a new lease on the Gospel, that they are trying to invent a "new" way to be a Christian, but this social gospel has been preached before, and as Tim Challies mentions, it has been defeated.

McLaren and Pagitt want to leave behind "stuffy" Protestantism and orthodoxy, but if you do this in abandoning basic understandings of justification, atonement, etc, you have no Gospel at all. Jesus did not come to die so that we could have a better world--he died to save us from it and from the wrath of God!

Were the disciples preaching the Gospel to help create a better world? Did they die for that? Did Paul preach dying to oneself everyday because the people he was preaching to needed a better sense of community? NO! He preached to them because they were sinners, and they needed a savior! When Peter speaks in his letter about being prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have, he speaks of the hope in Christ that we have for our salvation, not some social interpretation of the gospel.

Helping and serving others should be a work that is an outflow of the grace that Christ has shown us--it should be a means, not an end of preaching the Gospel, and that's where I fear that the focus of this "conversation" is moving toward.

We have been told in the Gospel that there is one name by which we are saved, and that is through Christ--He said Himself that no one can come to the Father except through Him. If we begin to make the Gospel into a different focus other than the fact that each person needs to come to Christ for salvation, then the Gospel is not preached.

Suffering and Trusting in God

Now that I've posted something trivial about sports, I'll turn to the topic of suffering and the really great sermon that our elder Chris preached on this past Sunday.

The passage was from 1 Peter 4:12-19, which reads as follows:

12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. 15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And

“If the righteous is scarcely saved,
what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 Therefore let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Chris began by stating that Christians who suffer should trust the love of God for a joyful outcome, outlining three points:

1. Be Sure That Suffering Will Come (v. 12)

Suffering in this life, as a Christian, is not a matter of if, but when. Suffering is often utilized by God to test us, to burn away the impurities much like the person who burns away the dross off the gold. Christ told his disciples to count the cost in following Him, because he warned them that as He suffered, so they would suffer. The importance of trusting in the love of God is that we are taken by surprise when we suffer, to the point that we cry out to God, saying "Why is this happening to me? Have you forgotten me God?"

Now, honestly, how many of us have said that when we have come up to suffering or adversity? Many of us have because we forget how God is ALWAYS with us, and is ALWAYS faithful. But God is not only there, but He gives us the grace necessary to rejoice in our sufferings and to cause us to look to God and see His sovereign purpose in it--which is to glorify His name by it (see Rom. 8:18). Notice it is to HIS glory, not yours, that you suffer, so throwing a pity party does not proclaim Him or His gospel in your life.


2. Be Sure That Your Suffering Is For Worthy Reasons (v.15)

It is often that we are bold enough to ask God "Why me" when the suffering is a result of our own disobedience! Peter speaks of evil doing, murder, theft, and even of someone who is a busybody and meddles in another's business. We should not moan in our suffering if we have consciously sinned as Peter mentions. It should be a warning to examine ourselves to make sure that we suffer for worthy reasons.


3. Be Sure That God Has a Sovereign Purpose For Suffering (v. 17)

a. In judgment, God separates the dross from the gold by revealing His glory through the suffering of His Church--in judging His people first, He identifies them as His own, setting them apart for His glory and honor.

b. In producing faith through the suffering, God causes us to put our faith in Him rather than lean on our own understanding or righteousness or flesh. HE must be our portion--we must cling to Christ and in Him alone when we suffer.

c. In connection with the one above, we entrust our soul to God by practicing the faith that He has given to us--this comes in our being sanctified.


In conclusion, Chris reminded us that our motivation for doing good and trusting Him in suffering is that he loves us despite our level of obedience and faithfulness to Him. What a blessed thing indeed!

Our Bibles Are Not Antiques

I was in a Christian bookstore last weekend to purchase a concert ticket and I was noticing how many different types of Bibles there were available for purchase in the store; study bibles, devotional bibles, parallel bibles, children's bibles, and numerous translations. Next to the Bibles were the numerous ways to cover your bible, whether by fabric or by leather, zipper case or not.

It got me thinking about a few things--for starters, how many bibles I had in my house (close to six, I think). In addition, looking at the casings in the store, I thought that oftentimes we treat the physical Bible itself as an antique rather than something to be used. We don't mark it up or highlight in it, because it's the Word of God, after all! We put it back in its casing and are very careful to open and close it, because we wouldn't want to damage it--but have you ever seen the Christian with the Bible whose cover is worn and the pages marked up like it was a college textbook? That's how we ought to use it, for as Paul states in 2 Timothy 3:16, all Scripture is breathed out by God, and profitable for teaching, for reproof, and for training in righteousness."

Now, notice the picture to the above right--it is an old Bible and not one that was preserved in glass or in pristine condition. Or this picture, which shows a Bible that has clearly been used.

When my wife and I got married, my dad gave us a table that had been in his family for a long time--it was a table that my parents and I used as a computer table while I was still living at home, but when it was given to us, it became our dining table. Now, we could have put it over in the corner and treated it as an antique, but we were given it so that we could use it.

So before you are quick to be overprotective of your copy of God's Word (notice that I'm not saying you should toss it around like you don't care about it), remember that it's been given to you by God for use and for your benefit.

We Are All Proclaiming Something

I went to men's prayer breakfast this morning and heard a WONDERFUL advocating of family worship. We read from Ephesians 5:22-6:4, a well known (and sometimes misinterpreted) passage of Scripture.

It speaks of the wife submitting to the husband and the husband loving the wife as Christ loves the Church; the visiting pastor (also named David and a pastor of a ARP Church in Blacksburg?) very correctly pointed out that the passage was NOT about the privilege that a man derives from that passage, but in fact the responsibility of men to their families. I am the first to say that I do not practice family worship as I should, and don't pray often enough with my wife--our pastor David pointed out that it takes a real intimacy to pray with your spouse, and this is something that has to be developed through the action of prayer.

The visiting pastor pointed out that there has been a real abdication of responsibility of men/families within the Church when it comes to spiritual instruction and family worship, and certain statistics were thrown out to show how many children leave the faith (being defined as not being a member of a local church) after a certain time subsequent to high school. The percentages were high and some objected to them bringing in examples of the prodigal son, that they don't tell the full story, etc. But focusing in on the numbers or their fallibility misses the point. The passage focuses on the responsibility of the man as head of the family to model and live out his faith by his instruction and discipline. We will be accountable for what WE do--focusing in on the complexity of the situation and other cultural factors will allow us, if we are not careful, to excuse our inaction when it comes to spiritual instruction to the family. We might say, "Johnny has strayed a little bit, but it's that city he's living in--it's too liberal" or "the college he chose doesn't have any good churches nearby" and so on.

But do we ignore the Psalms and Proverbs where it says "train up a child in the way he would go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it?" Do we not try?

I am of a younger generation, and though I do not have children, I am a product of the generation where youth functions and groups were designed to completely fill the gap created by the lack of instruction at home. As time has gone on, more and more "innovations" are put forth to pull more kids in--but if they don't see that lived out at home, there's a disconnect. The whole schematic is backwards. Home should be where the spiritual foundation is laid, and the church in its functions for youth should reinforce what is already or mostly known.

I agree with the visiting pastor--I don't have anything against youth groups--but it asks the youth leader to do more than he's able. If you abdicate your responsibility of spiritual discipline and instruction to the pastors of the local church, do you know what you're saying? "Hey Pastor Bob, would you raise my kids?" Because that's what it really amounts to! You can't shove the kid into youth group (at least the ideal) where the Word is preached and God's commands are advocated and then expect him to come home, see the exact opposite (or at least only apathy toward spiritual things) and be able to process the contradiction! It's like having two parents who have two completely different standards.

And this brings me to the title of this post--we all proclaim something with how we live our lives. Some will say, "I am not evangelist, I don't really know how to witness well" etc. But I would challenge you that are witnessing to people everyday, whether you know it or not--if they know you go to church, even that you are a Christian, you proclaim something. In your relationships, your work ethic, your temperament, and so on.

We as men will be held accountable for how we carry out the responsibility we have been given over our families, and it is something, when I think about it, that shakes me to the core because I know that I have failed miserably in it. But as someone so correctly pointed out this morning, it is not too late to start now.

Christ is not just a part of our life, he should BE our life, permeating our conversation and our thoughts, as well as our relationships with our family. This can only happen through immersion in the Word and gaining knowledge about our God, having His praises on our lips through song and through prayer. What did Paul desire? In 1 Cor. 2:2 he states, "I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Christ and Him crucified." Let that be our prayer today as we love and minister to those to whom we have been entrusted with, and let the Lord deal with us graciously, and not as he ought.

Excited!

I just got the new Caedmon's Call CD in the mail--you can view information on their new album here. The title of the new album is called "Overdressed" and it is great to hear Derek Webb with them again--to me, it just really hasn't been Caedmon's Call without him. Of course, he won't be joining them permanently (I don't think--but I'm not sure).

The EVEN BIGGER NEWS is that Caedmon's will actually be coming to do a concert 15 minutes from where we live!!! My wife and I haven't gotten to see them since college, so we are VERY excited that they are coming close by--it will be a real treat to see them again.

In other slightly important news, the Red Sox play the Yanks tonight, and I'm not sure I'll watch since as a superstitious baseball fan, to watch would be to somehow jinx the Sox, and I don't want that 8 game lead to dwindle!