JOYFUL ORTHODOXY

Theologian in Training

2012-01-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm just so proud...

The New Birth

2012-01-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

Sunday's Sermon, "You Must Be Born Again" was from John 2:23-3:15 and focused on 3 Points:

1. The New Birth is Necessary

3:3, Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

2. The New Birth is Accomplished by God

3:5-8, Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

3. The New Birth is Based on the Work of Christ at the Cross

3:13-15, No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

You Can LISTEN TO THE WHOLE THING HERE

Is "Heaven is for Real" for Real?

2012-01-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

Awhile back I linked to a review of "Heaven is for Real" by Tim Challies. While I think Challies' critique is legitimate (and humorous) he was objectively mean in his tone. I found THIS REVIEW, by Rob Moll, much more balanced and helpful. It expresses concern for books of this type without ever surrendering to mean cynicism.
I'd recommend reading the whole review but here is a summary of the points he makes:
1. Near Death Experiences Often Allow People to Persist in Unbelief
He cites one example of a man that died, saw a vision of heaven and reasoned that since he saw heaven while not believing in Jesus he could probably go on not believing.

2. People from alternate religions often report blissful near death experiences and seeing their own god/gods rather than Jesus.
His point here is that we may want to reserve our judgment on the validity of these visions when many from other faiths have them as well.

3. Jesus doesn't seem to approve of trying to demonstrate that Heaven is real by using testimonies of the dead or nearly dead (Luke 16:31; 2 Corinthians 12:3-4; John 20:29).

4. Our yearning to live with God in the present life is just as important as our yearning to live with God in the future life.
He concludes, "I wish that our yearning for life with God were not so easily satisfied by reading these stories of near-death experiences. I wish that Christians more and more sought not to witness the wings of the angels but to be in the spirit-on the Lord's Day and every other day of the week."

For more of our thoughts on what to make of current "Heaven" literature check out these previous entries and reviews:
90 Minutes in Heaven: A Review of Don Piper's Message
90 Minutes in Heaven: Objections Answered
"Heaven is for Real" - But Not Because Colton Burpo Says So

Sermons Page Updated

2012-01-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Sermons Page on CVCCSD.ORG is pretty much up to date now. With the exception of yesterday's, every sermon in John so far is available for streaming or download. Check out the page HERE and listen in if you've missed one here or there. God bless!

Helpful Reading on Abortion

2012-01-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

With the anniversary of Roe v. Wade practically upon us there is a host of articles on the subject. Here is a list that I've read and found interesting.
Click each item to read:

An Actual Pro-Life Conversation by Sam Crabtree

A Plea Not to Grow Weary by John Knight

Sources to Help you Speak Against Abortion by John Piper

Abortion: The Moral Issue of Our Day by R.C. Sproul

May Every Mouth be Stopped...

2012-01-19T08:00:00.000-06:00

HS Youth in John's Gospel: Lesson 1

2012-01-18T14:40:00.002-06:00

Tonight we start our series in High School Youth Group through the Gospel of John. Unlike our sermon series through John our time in youth group will focus solely on many of the conversations that Jesus had with people.
Some examples include:

Jesus and his first disciples
Jesus and Nicodemus
Jesus and the woman at the well
Jesus and a hungry crowd

For a complete schedule you can check out our website's calendar right HERE.

Here's a rough outline of tonight's lesson
Opening Question: What Do We Learn about Jesus from John 1:35-51?

1. Jesus has a real personality (i.e., He’s a real person)

Jesus shows a capacity for irony when he renames the cowardly, hasty, unstable Simon to Peter.

"He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter)" (v. 42).

Jesus shows a preference for brutal honesty over dishonest flattery when he calls Nathanael an Israelite in whom “there is no deceit”.

"Nathanael said to him, 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?' Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, 'Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!'" (v. 47)

Point 2

Jesus knows everything about me

Jesus knows Nathanael’s character, where he was and what he was doing before they even officially met.

"Nathanael said to him, 'How do you know me?' Jesus answered him, 'Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you'" (v. 48).

Jesus also seems to know Simon’s future. By renaming him he foreshadows or predicts the change of character that Peter will experience after the resurrection.

Point 3

Jesus is the only way to God

And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (v.51).

Jesus references Jacob’s dream in Genesis 28 to explain that he is, himself, the “gate of heaven” the “house of God” and the way to heaven is now open because of him. He explains this point plainly in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father expect through me.”

Point 4

Jesus is not meant to be observed WITHOUT also being followed

In other words, “Christianity is not a spectator sport.” In more other words, “Jesus intends for you to follow him, not just analyze him.”

The key actions in John 1:35-51 are (1) people following Jesus and (2) people inviting other people to follow Jesus. People who want their lives to change and make a difference have to follow Jesus.

Simon didn’t become a “Peter” overnight. He followed Jesus and Jesus changed him, molded him, fashioned over time and with various experiences. You can’t be a Christian and sit on your butt. John wrote what he did about Jesus so that we would see him, believe him, trust him and follow him.

The Purest Motivation for an End to Racism

2012-01-16T08:37:00.000-06:00

From John Piper's Bloodlines: Race, Cross and the Christian:
"One of the most important and least known facts about the battle to abolish the slave trade in Britain two hundred years ago is that it was sustained by a passion for the doctrine of justification by faith alone - which is at the center of the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Wilberforce saw mankind could, in no way, glory in their race to feel justified nor superior to another person, let alone another race or culture. He saw that the only thing which truly frees mankind, the only thing that truly sets us at peace and gives us that justification we're looking for is faith in Jesus Christ and because he saw this, he saw how vile, repellant, and evil was the slave trade.

Speaking of those who approved of the slave trade in his day Wilberforce said,
"They consider not that Christianity is a scheme 'for justifying the ungodly' by Christ's dying for them 'when yet sinners' - a scheme for 'reconciling us to God' - when enemies; and for making the fruits of holiness the effects, not the cause, of our being justified and reconciled."*

The purest motivation then, for an end to racism, is to see that men are not made right by contrasting themselves from others but by seeing how short we all fall when compared to God's holiness, by throwing ourselves at his mercy, trusting the sacrificial grace of His Son, and finding our hearts and affections renewed by this scandalous grace.

*William Wilberforce, A Practical View of Christianity, ed. Kevin Charles Belmonte (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1996).

The Bible: Road Map, Love Letter, Instruction Manual?

2012-01-12T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last February I wrote about whether it's actually helpful or not to think of the Bible as God's love letter, road map or instruction manual to his people. I was reminded of that post after watching this helpful video from Matt Chandler, Pastor of the Village Church. Check it out!
Since that original post I've struggled with whether there's a better metaphor for quickly capturing what the Bible is all about without bowing to trite catchphrases. While I'm still not settled on the matter I am convinced that Luke 24:27 is foundational. In Luke 24 Jesus explains to two of his followers, from "all the Scriptures", the things concerning himself. However we talk about the Bible I think it's safe to echo what Chandler says: Ultimately, it's not about you. It's about what God has done through Jesus Christ. To Him Be Glory Forever and Ever! Amen.

Jesus Cleans House: Initial Observations

2012-01-11T11:30:00.000-06:00

I get to preach on the cleansing of the Temple from John 2 this Sunday and I thought it might be fun and helpful to post some initial observations from the text. Personally I'm curious to look back on this after Sunday to see how it develops (especially the applications points).

What is John trying to show us in this story?
1. Jesus is in Charge of Worship
"In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade” (John 2:13-16).

What outrages Jesus exactly? Jesus comes to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem and, when he arrives at the Temple, he sees that instead of focused, reverent worship he sees trade and business. I've heard it summarized something like this before, "Under a cloak of religious concern is a supreme dedication to the accumulation of wealth." In other words, God is being used for the sake of man's greed.

Turn on the "Christian" television station and, I daresay, this is what you'll see. Stadiums full of eager worshippers and faithful givers being told to "sow their seeds of faith" so that God will do great things in their lives all the while the preacher's gold cuff-links, designer suits, luxury cars and private jets betray what he's really asking.

2. Jesus' Resurrection Testifies to His Authority
So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken (John 2:18-22).

Rather than consider whether worship has indeed been corrupted by their greed they evade the issue and challenge Jesus' authority. This is classic human behavior. My conscience bears witness that I am in the wrong and this person has exposed it. What's the quickest way for me to get out of this? Discredit the one who exposed me, of course. If I can challenge the authority and integrity of this person, his accusation will not stick.
Jesus' own testimony and John's emphasis is that the guy who rose from the dead, never to die again, has no challengers. If you want a sign, Jesus says, as to why I have the authority to do these things just wait. Speaking figuratively of his own body, Jesus says if you were to tear down this temple (which they will do) I will raise it up (which he does). If I have authority over death, I have authority over you.

What do you and I do to evade Jesus' authority? Tell me if any of this sounds familiar:

I'll be sure and investigate Jesus' claims and give Christianity a chance....someday.
I'll come to Jesus once I have this or that straightened out in my life.
I think Jesus was a good man, even a moral example we should all follow...I'm just not convinced he was God.
I think Jesus is like every other great philosopher/religious figure in history.
I like what Jesus says about "this" but not "that".

3. Jesus is Zealous for the Glory of God
His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (John 2:17).
The criticism is clear: You don't have the authority to do what you've just done.
It's interesting that the disciples remember Psalm 69:9 when reflecting on this moment,

"For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me."

In other words those who hate you, hate me because of how zealous I am for you. Jesus sees that people, under a cloak of religiosity, are being distracted from what is ultimately valuable, namely God. I love the way the King James translates this verse. It says, "Zeal for your house hath eaten me up."
David is "eaten up" with Zeal for the praises of God and this results in the reproach of those who do not have the same adoration for God. John returns to this point repeatedly throughout John so that you and I know would know what life is all about: the glory of God.

"I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed"

(John 17:4-5).

Even if we say this is also our concern, sometimes our lives betray that it isn't and I think so much of what we live in trains us in the opposite direction. I think right now, the cultural bent appeals to the sin in our hearts to make things all about us rather than him. We bear this out in a variety of ways within a worship setting.
Signs we may be making worship about us:

I don't like any of the songs.
I'm bored easily.
I feel like it was too long (even though I have the patience to endure 3 hours of football).
I think about lunch...alot.
I'm upset by noisy children or the "irresponsible parents" of noisy children.
I like to criticize and advise the ministries in the church without taking any responsibility for them.
I'm more concerned about being greeted than greeting others.
I'm not sure how the sermon applies to me (NOTE: This thought may in fact occur because of bad preaching, but not always. Even bad preaching, if it's based on the Bible, can benefit everyone because it is God's word.)

4. Jesus' Resurrection & Authority Warrant our Believe
"When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken" (John 2:22).
Let us behold and believe the risen Son of God and by believing have life in His name!

January Prison Ministry Update

2012-01-10T17:26:00.003-06:00

From Harlan Moss
This is the beginning of a new year and what lies ahead for each of us is unknown. We can make our plans but James 5 tells us, “13 Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.” Thankfully for those of us who know the Lord, we know he is working all things for our good!
The young man that I wrote about last month who was dealing with fear, continues to grow and is open to counsel. He told me that he knows God’s Word is true because he has put it into practice and it works!
Another man who has been in the prison for a number of years told me that he had tried various religions but none of them had worked for him. He had known the way when he was younger, but he had been too self-centered to accept it. He went on to tell me how empty he was on the inside and he needed someone to help him get right with the Lord. We prayed together and he became a new person in Christ!
I had to deliver some literature to Unit C where the minimum inmates are housed. As I was leaving Unit C, a young man asked me, “Are you a chaplain?” I told him I was and he went on to tell me how depressed and discouraged he was with his life and that he had thoughts of suicide. He told me how he had thought he could wait until he was forty years old to have Jesus in his life, but he realized that he felt hopeless on the inside. He admitted that he had been a prodigal and was tired of running from God. We prayed together and his countenance changed to a smile! Jesus said, “Behold I make all thing new.” Praise the Lord for His patience with each one of us!
One of the inmates in Segregation, who realizes the importance of reading the Bible daily, said to me today, “As I grow in my faith I realize that Jesus is so loving and kind. He gives me such an inner peace!” He said this with a big smile on his face. Praise God for the great work he is doing in men’s lives and making inmate’s hearts new!
Thank you for your faithfulness through your prayers and gifts!
In Christ,

Harlan Moss

Your gifts are appreciated and tax deductible. The checks can be made out to and sent to: South Dakota Prison Chaplain’s Association (SDPCA), P.O. Box 90509, Sioux Falls, SD 57109-0509.
Please designate "Harlan Moss" in the memo section of your check to be sure the funds are credited to the correct ministry.

A Sad Story

2012-01-06T13:33:00.002-06:00

The story of 18 year old Ben Breedlove's death, due to a dangerous heart condition, is an obviously sad tale. His story is becoming nationally known and has many people talking and thinking about death, heaven and God. A boy has died and a family has lost a brother and son far too early in life. That this world is a broken place, yearning and groaning to be delivered from its bondage to decay, is rarely more clear to us than when something like this happens.

But this story is sad on a level that no one seems to be talking about. In a 2 part youtube video Ben summarizes the story of his battle with a heart condition that eventually claimed his life. In the video, Ben explains how he "cheated" death three times in his life. For each time he recounts either an overwhelming feeling of bliss or visions of a bright light and even Heaven itself.

Because of these experiences he believed that God is real and that he was going to Heaven when he died. I think I should be clear that I don't know if Ben went to Heaven nor do I wish to make a definitive pronouncement on his eternal destination. I can hope that he went to Heaven and I can trust that God will treat him fairly but I simply can't know for certain and I don't wish to speculate about whether Ben went to Heaven or not.
What I wish to express is a concern. I'm concerned for the multitudes (especially my High School Youth Group) that may sensationalize Ben's videos without ever really interacting with and submitting to the One True God. Let me summarize some problems I have with Ben's videos so my concern is more evident.

1. Ben relies on his subjective, unprovable experiences to give him comfort in the face of death.
This is simply not Christian. Christians have comfort and hope in death, not because of unverifiable experiences but because of the historically reliable, verifiable Resurrection of Jesus Christ that is witnessed and predicted in the Scriptures.
To put it another way, the Apostles didn't find their most lasting comfort in their personal experiences but in the revelation of God in Scripture.
Consider 2 Peter 1:19. After having submitted his eyewitness testimony to the coming of Christ, Peter says, "And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts..."
Peter says that the testimony of Scripture is more "confirmed" or reliable than his eyewitness testimony.
Ben's story will be forgotten so quickly. Any hope or comfort gained from his "visions" will fade even more quickly. But Scripture remains and so we set our hope on the God of the Bible as He is proclaimed in the Bible.

2. Ben Claims He Had a Vision of Heaven...and Kid Cudi Was There?
In his last "vision" Ben claims to have been welcomed to Heaven by his favorite rapper Kid Cudi. If the problem here isn't obvious then I've probably already lost you. The Bible says that when believers are absent from the body they're present with the Lord...not Kid Cudi (Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:8). That Ben would be welcomed to Heaven, or even be given a vision from God of Heaven, wherein he's greeted by a Hip Hop artist who has dedicated his career to the accumulation of wealth, the promotion of alcohol and chemical intoxication and the objectification of women would be laughable if it wasn't so gut wrenchingly sad.

3. Ben Seems More Satisfied with Himself than Jesus
Ben's account of his last vision consists largely of how good he looked and how proud of himself he was for the life he's lived. But the testimony of Scripture is that, in Heaven, the more we have to say about ourselves, the less we'll have to say. The Scriptures testify that, in God's presence, God's praises are sung. Not our own.

4. Ben Doesn't Even Mention Jesus
No one comes to the Father except through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Controversial, I know. But I'm just quoting Jesus. There is one way to be counted pure enough to stand in God's presence and it is to be washed, sanctified, cleansed, and justified by the atoning work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Ben invites no one to believe that, experience that or share in that. Ben invites people to a Hallmark version of God at best and, at worst, invites people to himself.

CONCLUSION
Friends, the Gospel of God is so much better than Ben's testimony! It's been predicted since brokenness and sin entered the world. It's been manifested in a Jesus Christ that actually lived among us, died for our sins, and rose from the dead! In Him is hope! In Him is life! Leave behind the testimonies of men and embrace what God Himself says about His Heaven and His Son. Taste and see that the Lord is good!

Piper On Politics

2012-01-04T06:00:00.000-06:00

Observations such as this are always helpful to me in political seasons like this one. On the question of how Christians can have a positive impact on government John Piper says:

"Within churches, Christian organizations, and across the media, God can raise up spokesmen who--from a prophetic, radical, and biblical standpoint--can lay hold of that which is only seen in part by Republicans, Democrats, and Independants. They can then gather those biblical components together into a whole and, leaving party distinctives aside, exalt that.

I'm not thinking there should be another party, just truth. It seems that the Christian church should not--as a church--join partisan politics. Rather, we should be speaking prophetically to issues that relate to what Christ's will is. Then we should just let the chips fall as they may. If it sounds Republican or Democratic or Independent, so be it.

Gather the issues together and meditate on them. Weigh them in the balances of the Bible. And then speak prophetically about them. That would probably do more for exalting Christ than it would for exalting any of the candidates, which is what we want to do anyway. Ultimately we want to communicate--even while engaging in politics--that politics are not the main issue on this earth. Knowing the Creator is the main issue, as well as being reconciled with him and glorifying him in all that we believe and say and do. That's what the church needs to constantly be calling people to."

To listen to a fuller response CLICK HERE

Why is Theology Necessary?

2012-01-03T06:30:00.000-06:00

I loved this illustration from Millard Erickson on why theology (the study of God) is necessary:

Theology is necessary because truth and experience are related. While some would deny or at least question this connection, in the long run the truth will affect our experience. A person who falls from the tenth story of a building may shout while passing each window on the way down, "I'm still doing fine," and may mean it, but eventually the facts of the matter will catch up with the person's experience...Since the meaning and truth of the Christian faith will eventually have ultimate bearing on our experience, we must come to grips with them.

Naught Be All Else To Me...

2012-01-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

We sang Be Thou My Vision in worship yesterday and each time we do I'm always blessed by one line above all others:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;

Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.

Essentially, the writer is saying, "God, I don't want you to be anything but what you are."

May our hearts sing that very line in this new year.

What Makes a Resolution Stick?

2011-12-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Last year I was given the privilege and blessing of filling the pulpit at West Center Baptist Church in Madison, SD. It was the first Sunday after Christmas and it seemed only natural to make some observations on spiritual growth in the New Year. Today, I found myself reflecting on the observations from that sermon.
So, here they are:

What Causes Lasting Change in Us?
Possibility #1: Rules

This is the idea that, with better rules, a stricter or more efficient regiment, or a more sound routine, I can tow the line. I can be better or get better in this area of my life. Even the Bible says that rules are good. It's built right into the 10 Commandments, right after it says to "honor your father and mother" it says, “that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.”

Problem: The rule itself, though it is good, produces no desire in us to actually abide by it. Knowing that running is good for me produces no desire to run. Knowing that 14 cookies in a 24 hour period of time is bad for me, for some reason, does not produce in me a desire to avoid those cookies.

The Apostle Paul felt this as well at one point in his life:

"For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out" (Romans 7:18).

So, perhaps we need something more relationally authentic than institutional for real lasting change...

Possibility #2: Fellowship and Accountability

We see that accountability and prayer, at least, cooperates with holiness in several places in the Scriptures. It’s clearly seen in James 5:13-16,

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15] And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Problem: Once again, we see an essential good of Christian living but not the sole, sufficient means of lasting change. Why? Because accountability partners are still human and capable of deceiving and being deceived. We are capable of playing the church game so precisely that our sins can remain hidden and unchecked by one another.

Possibility #3 is the Solution: The Revelation of a Holy God

In Isaiah 6:1-7 we see this proven by Isaiah's response to a revelation of God's Holy Glory. A revelation of God's Holy Glory causes lasting change in us:

1. By Magnifying His Supreme Value and Worth

Verses 1-3:

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory!”

2. By Exposing Our Sin

Verses 4-5:

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”

3. By Revealing the Only Sufficient Atonement

Isaiah 6:6-7;

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for."

Isaiah 7:14

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

A Few Observations from John 1:35-51

2011-12-28T08:00:00.000-06:00

I get to finish out John chapter 1 in our sermon series on John's Gospel this coming Sunday so I thought I'd hash out some of my initial thoughts right here.

In reading through the text several times a few things came to my attention.

1. Jesus Knows Everything
This seems to be one thing that John is trying to demonstrate when he records Jesus' intimate knowledge of Nathanael's character and even his location prior to meeting Jesus for the first time.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” Nathanael said to him, “How do you know me?” Jesus answered him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”
(John 1:47-48)
It's also interesting that Jesus (re)names Simon in a way that predicts what he will become later in life.
One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother. He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas” (which means Peter).
(John 1:40-42)
Simon was anything but a "rock" in character throughout the Gospels, but after the resurrection Peter became concrete and unflinching in his dedication to Christ, even dying rather than reject his Savior. He was, indeed, a rock and Jesus knew he would be, even before he was.

2. Jesus was a real person
If you're looking for it, I think you can see a lot of personality in the way that Jesus relates to these first disciples here. First of all, it's at least a little funny for Jesus to call Simon, "Peter" when his character is anything but consistent with his namesake. Jesus gives Simon a name both with irony and with expectation. You can almost see the brotherly twinkle in Jesus' eye as he renames Simon.
Also, with Nathanael, Jesus is somewhat playful. He calls Nathanael an Israelite in whom there is "no deceit." Note that Jesus says this of Nathanael after Nathanael has asked, in reference to Jesus, "can anything good come from Nazareth?" Jesus seems to be appreciating, or even gently ribbing, Nathanael for "telling it like he sees it." Nathanael has a tendency for brutal honesty and Jesus seems to point it out to generate a rapport with him.
I love seeing things like this in the Gospels and this is where I think most portrayals of Jesus on TV and Film are so flawed. In most of the movies we see with Jesus, the guy looks dead before they even crucify him, sulking about introspectively, with little personality to speak of. This is hardly the picture the Gospels give us.

3. Jesus is the Way
Jesus tells Nathanael that he will see "heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man."
Jesus is referencing Jacob's vision in Genesis 28 where he sees a ladder, reaching to Heaven with God's angels ascending and descending on it. He wakes from his dream to say, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."
Jesus, essentially, tells Nathanael, instead of a ladder you will see the Son of Man. He will be the gate of Heaven, the House of God, the way, the truth, the life and no man will see the Father without Him.

4. Jesus Means to be Followed more than Observed
Both Andrew and Philip respond to what they see and hear of Jesus by (1) following Jesus and (2) inviting other people to see and follow Jesus.
I liked D.A. Carson's comment on Andrew inviting his brother Simon to meet Jesus:
"[Andrew] thus became the first in a long line of successors who have discovered that the most common and effective Christian testimony is the private witness of a friend to friend, brother to brother."

The Virtue of Bible Centered Preaching

2011-12-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

Jonathan Leeman, writing for 9 Marks shares why it is so critical that a pastor have a deep abiding love and conviction for the power of God's Word.

It will keep him from manipulating.
It will keep him from building your church and your spiritual life on his personality.
It will keep him happy.
It’s the primary means to your growth and your church’s growth.
It’s your best hope of reaching non-Christian neighbors.

CLICK HERE to read the whole article and his biblical support for each point.

Chris and I have a similar discussion on video about why we preach the way we do at CVCC that you can watch below if you haven't already seen it.

Christmas in Psalm 36

2011-12-23T08:00:00.000-06:00

One of the themes that's embedded in the expectation surrounding Christmas is that of "light". It's in Zechariah's prayer after the birth of John the Baptist:

"[The sunrise] shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace" (Luke 1:78b-79).

It's a huge part of the prophets' longing:

"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness on them has light shined...For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:2, 6).

The expectation of the Messiah as a day when God's light would shine in a unique way was also, quite naturally, sung in the Psalms.

"For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light"

(Psalm 36:9)

With Psalm 36:9 it's also apparent that the author sees light as a equivalent to true, abiding life.

Tonight at our Christmas Eve service, we'll be making 6 points from Psalm 36 on darkness and light. Our prayer is that they will be the very words of life to those who hear.

CHRISTMAS MEDITATION FROM PSALM 36
To Be in Darkness:
1. Is to (wrongly) assume our sin will remain hidden (v. 2)

Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
2. Is to accept evil (v. 4)

He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.
3. Is to die forever (v. 12)

There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.

To Be in the LIGHT:
1. Is to take refuge in the steadfast love of the LORD (v. 7)

How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
2. Is to be satisfied by God (v. 8)

They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
3. Is to have life forever (v. 9)

For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.

Sunday's Sermon: What Child is This? Part 2

2011-12-22T08:00:00.000-06:00

John 1:14-18:
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) [16] For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.

Click the link below to hear Pastor Chris elaborate on these three points from Sunday's sermon on John 1:14-18.
1. God became a human being.
2. He who was without sin died for us sinners, so that our sinfulness no longer keeps us from entering into fellowship with God.
3. Because he is like us he can help us in our times of need.

LISTEN HERE

O Holy Night

2011-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

It's not particularly unique to claim "O Holy Night" as your favorite Christmas Hymn, but I love it too much to care. This is pretty much the best Christmas song (in my estimation) ever.
David Crowder's rendition here is pretty sweet too. Interestingly, O Holy Night is the English interpretation/adaptation of the French poem "Midnight Christians" written by Placide Cappeau (1808–1877). The poem was later set to music by Adolphe Adam. The English version is actually not a word for word translation of the original French poem but rather a loose adaptation.

Here is a translation of that original poem:
Midnight, Christians, it's the solemn hour,
When God-man descended to us
To erase the stain of original sin
And to end the wrath of His Father.
The entire world thrills with hope
On this night that gives it a Savior.
People kneel down, wait for your deliverance.
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, here is the Redeemer!

The ardent light of our Faith,
Guides us all to the cradle of the infant,
As in ancient times a brilliant star
Conducted the Magi there from the orient.
The King of kings was born in a humble manger;
O mighty ones of today, proud of your grandeur,
It is to your pride that God preaches.
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!
Bow your heads before the Redeemer!

The Redeemer has overcome every obstacle:
The Earth is free, and Heaven is open.
He sees a brother where there was only a slave,
Love unites those that iron had chained.
Who will tell Him of our gratitude,
It's for all of us that He is born, That He suffers and dies.
People stand up! Sing of your deliverance,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer,
Christmas, Christmas, sing of the Redeemer!

Angels We Have Heard On High

2011-12-20T08:00:00.000-06:00

What's with the "X" in Xmas?

2011-12-19T07:30:00.000-06:00

Did you know that the "X" in "Xmas" isn't actually an "X"? It's true. It actually stands for the first letter of the Greek spelling for Christ. It's an abbreviation never originally intended to take Christ out of Christmas at all.

R.C. Sproul does a pretty good job of explaining:

"The X in Christmas is used like the R in R.C. My given name at birth was Robert Charles, although before I was even taken home from the hospital my parents called me by my initials, R.C., and nobody seems to be too scandalized by that.

X can mean so many things. For example, when we want to denote an unknown quantity, we use the symbol X. It can refer to an obscene level of films, something that is X-rated. People seem to express chagrin about seeing Christ's name dropped and replaced by this symbol for an unknown quantity X. Every year you see the signs and the bumper stickers saying, "Put Christ back into Christmas" as a response to this substitution of the letter X for the name of Christ.

First of all, you have to understand that it is not the letter X that is put into Christmas. We see the English letter X there, but actually what it involves is the first letter of the Greek name for Christ. Christos is the New Testament Greek for Christ. The first letter of the Greek word Christos is transliterated into our alphabet as an X. That X has come through church history to be a shorthand symbol for the name of Christ.

We don't see people protesting the use of the Greek letter theta, which is an O with a line across the middle. We use that as a shorthand abbreviation for God because it is the first letter of the word Theos, the Greek word for God.

The idea of X as an abbreviation for the name of Christ came into use in our culture with no intent to show any disrespect for Jesus. The church has used the symbol of the fish historically because it is an acronym. Fish in Greek (ichthus) involved the use of the first letters for the Greek phrase "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior." So the early Christians would take the first letter of those words and put those letters together to spell the Greek word for fish. That's how the symbol of the fish became the universal symbol of Christendom. There's a long and sacred history of the use of X to symbolize the name of Christ, and from its origin, it has meant no disrespect."

Little Drummer Boy

2011-12-16T08:00:00.000-06:00

A Better Way to Shop on Black Friday

2011-12-15T08:00:00.000-06:00

Now that's just good clean fun...