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The Party Ditch
There is more to the Lord’s table than confession of sin. While we ought not harbor sin, if we are keeping short accounts, confessing and repenting and believing, then there is every reason for our remembrance of Him to be a serious celebration. We take His sacrifice seriously and we take our joyous participation in His sacrifice seriously.
Consider the context of Paul’s warning to the Corinthians regarding communion in his first letter.
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Backpack Buddies
While browsing some old photos, I came across this image captured while we were in line to board our flight home from the 2009 Desiring God conference in Minneapolis.
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Nothing More Terrible
To me there is nothing more terrible for a preacher, than to be in a pulpit alone, without the conscious smile of God.
—Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Revival, 295
I heard this quote while listening to Mike Bullmore’s message, Watch Your Preaching recommended by Adam Ballie.
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Dirt in the Carpet
We are not our own. We are God’s. God chose us, created us, died for us, called us, and keeps us. He made each human being in His image, and He is conforming every Christian into the image of His Son.
We are not our own. No part of our selves, from tongue to toes, with spouse or with children, among co-workers or community, in the voting booth or at the coffee shop, no part of our lives is ours to do with whatever we want.
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Our Favorite Wool Sweater
In any given story, one character to watch out for is the guy who is always being told what to do and always doing whatever he wants anyway. We’ve all seen this guy before. If he’s five, he keeps playing with his Legos until mom says it three more times. If he’s fifteen, he says, “Huh?” If he’s twenty-five, he begins a debate over the nature of authority and its appropriate application.
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Available Space
“Keeping a rule,” however technically correct, falls easily into the trap of abstraction and impersonalism. As a result we oppose sin with a false standard of holiness, and then are surprised at its impotence. But gratitude, thanksgiving, contentment, and joy are always personal, by definition. Jesus is there, and if you thank Him, then that gratitude fills up all the available space.
—Doug Wilson, Clean Contentment
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The Gloomy Ordinance
I am increasingly concerned with a perspective that many Christians seem to be taking toward what has become the gloomy ordinance. One post about the Lord’s supper will not be sufficient to blow away the clouds that have covered us. There needs be much said, but it doesn’t all need to be said today.
Another name for the Lord’s supper is communion. Note that the ordinance the Lord gave us was about communion, not confession.
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How Collected We Are
We are not usually good team players. We put the “-ism” in individualism. We’re big on personal freedom and individual rights, personal investment strategies and personal preferences, personal development and self-reliance.
As a nation, our bumper-stickers say “Be all that you can be,” and “Look out for #1.” There have been days of cosmetic unity in our history, usually during the Olympics or when we’re in a clear war. Then we come together and raise our common flag.
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Interruptions or Inconveniences
Two Sundays ago was National Sanctity of Human Life Day. 38 years ago, January 22, our Supreme Court made a commitment to death, to legalized and protected murder in the name of personal health and individual freedom.
Thankfully there are many Christians who love and fight for life. They may work for life through writing or by voting or serving in office or caring or adopting. May their tribe increase ten-fold and may God help all Christians promote life.
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Like a Compass Points North
God takes His position as God seriously. He is not insecure or defensive, but He is jealous and promises to punish any who bow before knockoff gods. Commandment number one of ten made clear: “You shall have no other gods before me.” Worship of the LORD is to be exclusive; serve only Him. And worship of Him is to be done rightly: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image….
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Swords of Two by Fours
[I]n a fight a man needs a large heart and a narrow sword. We have jumbled everything, and now have narrow hearts, and our swords are clumsily made from two by fours.
—Doug Wilson, A Primer on Worship and Reformation, 23
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Mud All Over the Place
In John 13, Jesus began to wash the disciples feet as a demonstration of His love for them. When He came to Peter, Peter objected and, in a sense, we understand his objection because Jesus was the Master and the Master should be the one having his feet washed; He should not be the one washing. Jesus, of course, overcame Peter’s initial refusal, and then Peter reacted to the opposite extreme and told Jesus to give him a full-body bath.
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Love of the Congregation
Sometimes a minister tends to think too highly of himself as a clergy-man. He stands before the congregation; he, as God’s spokesman, pronounces the blessing; he is the holy person facing a congregation that is on a lower level. To prevent this attitude, it is well that he counteracts his sense of self-importance by affirming that he lives among brothers as a brother, and that he loves the congregation. May all God’s servants be of such a mind.
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How Important Is the Bible?
In this 18 minute video, John Piper asks and answers five questions about the importance of the Bible.
What would happen if it did not exist?
What would you give to have it or keep it?
What does it make possible?
How does it weather critics and detractors?
How much effort should be given to spread it and preserve it?
He also references the ESV and why our loving of God and others depends on our thinking (about Bible truth).
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Inspiration
Series | Inside the Walls
Creation begins to make the case for the giving essence of God’s authority. The incarnation of His Son also demonstrates willing exposure of His sovereign Self. In both creation and the incarnation, God shows not only who He is, but also what His goal is with us: fellowship. The revelation of His Word is the third aspect that demonstrates the purpose of disclosed truth and the inviting nature of true authority.
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The Year of the Unexpected
I don’t mind the New Year’s resolution-making process. Reviewing the last year helps me to rehearse God’s gracious gifts and often brings His gracious conviction over things that still need work. Rather than make resolutions “proper” last year, I answered Ten Questions by Don Whitney. The following is my assessment.
Last night as I was talking with Mo, she asked if we could have less unexpected things happen in 2011. The idea still rings in my mind the morning after, so much so that I’m ready to pronounce 2010 The Year of the Unexpected.
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Incarnation
Series | Inside the Walls
I am trying to make the point that, in the revelation of the Triune God, God is sharing Himself and inviting us into joyful relationship with Himself. God, then, is the ultimate example of true authority that gives, overflows, and participates. We see this theme in His creation and, apropos on this Christmas day, we also see this reality in His incarnation.
Incarnation The Son revealed the Father as well as the divine economy.
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Revealing Revelations
Series | Inside the Walls
Previously I asked, Why does God reveal truth? And what do we learn about authority by how God used His? The answer has far reaching implications.
God used His authority to reveal truth because the essence of authority, the way the Triune God really is, is to expose Himself, share Himself, and invite us into an intimate relationship with Him to share His joy. The truth, as revealed by God, is that true authority gives, overflows, and participates.
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Expressing the Congregation
Preaching does not have to be an individualistic sort of activity. In fact, great preaching well understands this. The true preacher is not over against the Christian congregation but rather is an expression of the congregation. The true Christian preacher affirms the faith of the congregation, and raises up the hope of the congregation. Much of the genius of great preachers is their ability to express the faith of the people to whom they are preaching.
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Revealing Definitions and Questions
Series | Inside the Walls
In my last post about truth I stated that problems come when truth-lovers are not totally truthful about God and about His authority. What am I talking about? There are more thoughts to come but, for now, the quick answer is: God’s revelation of truth reveals the true essence of authority. Today I’ll start building toward that answer with some definitions and questions.
Revealing Definitions The first key word is TRUTH: things as they really are; facts not fiction or, when regarding future events, how things will be really, not what we imagine we’d like the future to be.