Cruciformity ✞

Reflections on Confronting Death

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:02:00 -0500

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High

will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,

my God, in whom I trust.”

(Psalm 91:1-2 ESV)

Monday of this week was a day of mourning. Death came and snatched away life. I turned to Psalm 91 - a passage I often look at for comfort. And I was thinking about the promise: that whoever lives under God’s protection will stay in his protective shadow. He is the Almighty God, the all-powerful God who invites us to live with him, to dwell with him, to abide close to him. But the invitation isn’t all.

We have to respond: “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” God’s power, God’s might, and God’s greatness can be terrifying. We don’t want to naturally run to God. When we meet someone who is incredible, someone who has amazing skills, we are often intimidated by them. How much moreso with God?

But God doesn’t use his power, might, and greatness to intimidate us. He uses his power, might, and greatness to invite us to trust him, to find refuge in him when we face trouble, to live knowing that his protection doesn’t keep us from trouble, but that his protection means that he takes our troubles and makes them serve his purposes.

How do we trust him? How can we know that God won’t use his power, his might, and his greatness in a way that will intimidate us, that will cause us to flee from him? We see how God used his power, his might, and his greatness: he sent his One and Only Son to become a man, to live and walk in our shoes. The Creator became the created. The Infinite tasted the finite. The Powerful became the powerless. And that is how he used his power, might, and greatness - to come to us. And in the greatest display of power, might, and greatness, he chose to humble himself, become obedient, even to the point of death - death on a cross! (Philippians 2:5-11). Jesus came to say that there is One, True God who is worthy of all worship. He came to point us back to this one, true God. And rather than allowing this power and might to intimidate us, the God-Man used his power, might, and greatness in service - by dying on a cross, being a substitute for rebels who would admit that they use their power and might to serve themselves rather than God.

This is how we find refuge from God’s greatness and power and might: we find refuge from God in Christ. Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy burdened, and I will give you rest.” The requirement for coming to God is by approaching Jesus with our weariness and heavy burdens. And in the great exchange, He takes your weariness of soul and gives you rest (Matthew 11:28-30).

Death was not God’s original plan. Death has come into the world because we rebelled against God’s good ways. But now in Jesus, the mighty, powerful, great God invites us to dwell with him, and when we trust him, he makes our hardships serve his purposes and works for our good. No longer is he the God who intimidates - he is the God who draws near and dwells with us so that we might dwell with him. Forever.

"The Christian life is a great paradox. Those who die to self, find self. Those who die to their..."

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 09:41:46 -0500

““The Christian life is a great paradox. Those who die to self, find self. Those who die to their cravings will receive many times as much in this age, and, in the age to come, eternal life (Luke 18:29). They will find new passions worth living for and dying for. If I crave happiness, I will receive misery. If I crave to be loved, I will receive rejection. If I crave significance, I will receive futility. If I crave control, I will receive chaos. If I crave reputation, I will receive humiliation. But if I long for God and His wisdom and mercy, I will receive God and wisdom and mercy. Along the way, sooner or later, I will also receive happiness, love, meaning, order, and glory.””

- Excerpt from David Powlison, Seeing With New Eyes (P&R Publishers, 2003), 161.

Favourite Book of 2012

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 06:30:33 -0500

I received a free eBook this year, and it caught me off-guard. It’s not the book I expected it to be. And has it has marinated in my soul, I’ve found it has resonated with me deeply. Sensing Jesus by Zach Eswine was my favourite read in 2012.

What I thought I would find was a pastoral theology of Jesus’ ministry. Instead, I found the honest reflections of a man who has struggled with limitations of finitude, place, and knowledge. And in a refreshing way, Zach Eswine shares about his failures, burnout, family challenges, and leadership challenges that this ordinary pastor faced. Pastoral theology and personal autobiography are rarely intertwined; Eswine does it all here.

This book won’t give you a punch in the gut, but it will cause you to have a sober reflection on life, limitations, and the call of God.

Favourite Reads in 2012

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 06:30:33 -0500

This year allowed me the opportunity to dive back into books in ways that I haven’t done in years. Let me give you a few of my highlights (in no particular order). I’ll save my favourite read for tomorrow.

Pierre Berton’s War of 1812

Since 2012 was the bicentennial of this famous war, and since we live close to many of the battlesights, I picked up this book. Berton’s writing is vivid and his recounting of history is clear.

Tim Chester & Steve Timmis, Total Church

This book was my favourite read in 2007. I returned to it this year as our church staff read through this book. One of two books I read cover-to-cover on the plane this year, Total Church is a call to reshape ministry around the Gospel (through Word and Mission) and Community. The two introductory chapters are some of my favourite for framing up a philosophy of ministry.

Tim Chester, A Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness

Rather than giving you a system to deal with your busyness or secrets to a slower life, Chester explores the inner drive of the soul. Lots to chew on in this book.

Timothy Keller, Every Good Endeavor

Work makes up a large portion of our lives, and Keller’s work addresses how our vocation and faith are to intersect. Some of the early chapters are profound as they integrate different theologies of vocation. Later chapters help think through issues of work and the fall and living for the common good.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Preaching & Preachers

I had read sections of this book before, but this year I worked through it with our pastoral staff. ”Logic on fire! Eloquent reason!” Having your head full and your heart hot, Lloyd-Jones may be controversial and opinionated, but he must be read.

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

This biography was a delight to read while being a bit of an enigma. This 600 page book took no time to read. However, I’m not convinced Metaxas has rightly understood Bonhoeffer. Painting him as more evangelical than neo-orthodox is confusing, and the handling of Bonhoeffer’s ‘Religionless Christianity’ was off. That aside, Metaxas paints a picture of a man who rightfully stood against evil as a prophetic pastor who died for his faith.

Tullian Tchividjian, Glorious Ruin

A surprisingly delightful read (which I also read cover-to-cover on a plane ride this year). Tchividjian contrasts those who suffer as theologians of glory or as theologians of the cross. How we view suffering reveals our hearts - as those who want to moralize or instrumentalize suffering (theologians of glory) or as those who win by losing, are strong through weakness. Anyone familiar with Luther will find this a delightful read.

Douglas Wilson, God Rest Ye Merry

Wilson’s whinsome style provokes you to think about the Incarnation in ways that you haven’t before. While some may be put off by his postmillenialism and reconstructionism, this book resonated with me in its attacks on the sentimentalism, moralism, and dualism over Christmas. To paraphrase Wilson: the greatest threat to Christmas isn’t 50” plasma TVs or big turkey dinners, but sin. And Christ has come to deal with sin. Read this book at your own risk.

Tomorrow I’ll post my favourite book for 2012.

"How suddenly a baby cries and all forever change As shepherds leave the angel song to find this holy..."

Tue, 25 Dec 2012 06:30:37 -0500

“

How suddenly a baby cries and all forever change
As shepherds leave the angel song to find this holy place,
Where in her young and trembling arms a virgin holds her Son
And in this Child of breath divine our Light has finally come.

She ponders how the Magi kneel before Emmanuel.
With gold and frankincense and myrrh Christ’s sacrifice they tell.
A dream would help them flee a king whose pride would cruelly destroy.
As mothers weep God’s mercy meets the hunger for His joy.

What wonder still that Anna filled with praise should bless the Lord;
Her aging eyes now looking on the Savior of the world.
For night and day her prayers had filled the temple of our God.
Her heart could tell His saving hand within this gift of love.

Hear Simeon who had waited long draw near to hold the child
To speak of Him who would reveal the many thoughts we hide:
That hearts would rise to know His grace but many fall away;
A sword would pierce His mother’s soul upon redemption day.

How suddenly a baby cried and all forever changed.
Through history soul by soul have come to find His healing grace.
He filled my troubled heart with peace, with hope of endless worth.
My voice will join the song of praise that tells Messiah’s birth.

”

- Music by Keith Getty, Kristyn Getty and Fionán de Barra. Lyrics by Kristyn Getty.

Copyright © 2011 Gettymusic and Fionán de Barra; admin by Music Services.

Narnian Reel; Keith Getty and Fionán de Barra.

Copyright © 2011 Gettymusic and Fionán de Barra; Admin by Music Services

Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas. Notice his...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:09:41 -0500

Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas. Notice his blanket!!!

Waiting No More...

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 17:01:25 -0500

The achiness of his bones awakened him. It was still dark, but his body’s groaning left him restless. The darkness seemed so much darker, but morning would soon break. Rolling over to get up took so much more energy now – age hadn’t been so kind. In the past few years, his health had been poor.

At one point, he wasn’t sure that he’d make it. For weeks, the pain had made him delirious. He thought he was going to die. He wanted to…except the echo of the promise of the voice. The whisper had kept him going.

He groaned as he got up. Oy vey! Quiet and dark, he went to his familiar place and faced toward the temple and bowed down to pray. This had been his morning practice now for decades. It was no mere ritual. It was his practice, fuelled by a longing, a hunger. The familiar refrain “Blessed are you, Adonai, King of the Universe, for you will redeem all things…” – this was no old prayer. In fact, every time he prayed these words, he couldn’t help but remember that day when his prayer had been interrupted.

And as he bowed and prayed those familiar, yet oh so precious words, his prayer was interrupted: “Stop. Go.” Like decades ago, he recognized that voice. That voice – gentle and firm, urging and commanding – that same voice that had revealed to him so long ago that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Christ, now was compelling him to go to the temple.

Could it be? Was today that day?

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…

As he opened his eyes, the dawn was breaking in. Somehow, the colors of the morning seemed more vivid, the daylight more radiant, the morning more hopeful than it had in ages.

Through the years, he had felt the gloom. His beloved Israel faced oppression. And the more she fought against it, the more she was crushed. Rome had grown in power, authority, contemptuousness, and fury. Jewish fanatics had risen up, zealots fighting for a purer religion in the midst of corrupt, politically driven, and splintered religion, only to be snuffed out with Rome’s military machinery piercing insurrectionists to crosses, hung along the roadways as a public demonstration of Rome’s great might.

And he had battled despair and despondency seeing the righteous faith be watered down and compromised. Children who had been brought to the temple by their parents, presented as the Law required, now brought their children. But not all came back. Some had fallen away. Others had been killed in the riots. It was hard to carry on.

But the voice compelled him. He had cherished this promise. In the most tenuous of days, in the gloomiest moments, in the darkest of doubts, he remembered the voice as if it had spoken to him yesterday – you will not die until you’ve seen the Lord’s Christ. It had kept him going.

So up he got, scurrying off to the temple, agile and nimble, sprightly and vigorous, this old man rushed, feeling no twinge of pain. A youthfulness had come over him. He must hurry and believe and obey the voice.

He stood there in the temple court, looking, wondering. Confusion was settling in. How would he know? Who was he looking for? Had he heard correctly? Had he heard things? His mind wasn’t as sharp as it once was, for he often found himself wondering why he had gotten up, forgetting what it was that had compelled him in the first place to go. But the whisper of the voice had certainly revealed it to him – you will not see death until you see the Lord’s Christ.

Standing, waiting, looking, he sees them: a young couple enters the courts. The child is only a few weeks old. Watching, waiting, he notices them buy a pair of pigeons – obviously poor. His hands look worn and splintered. She looks young and timid. Certainly they don’t have much – not even enough to buy a lamb for the child’s consecration. But they are righteous, devout, holy. They have come, and the child must be 40 days old – they’re doing what the Law demands, following its rites and practices. Hard pressed, yet obedient, they come. With the bundled child, they move forward.

Today, he has heard the voice. His heart has not been hard. HiHisHe has waited all these years. That day is this day. The Spirit had compelled him, and he wasn’t mistaken. Obedient, the young couple comes following the Law; obedient, the old man comes, compelled by the Spirit. A new age has dawned. A new light has shone.

Stretching out his frail, weak hands, he nods for the child. “Mary, it’s okay,” says her husband. And as she places the child into the frail man’s hands, the weight of the cosmos feels so light, yet this child feels so heavy. A song, a prophecy cry out of this old man’s mouth with a sudden burst of energy coursing through his veins. Simeon has waited for this day! Many will rise and fall at the birth of this dangerous boy! Some will stumble on this stone; but many will hear, believe in fear and hope in this dangerous King!

This child is a threat, but he is also a promise. Many will rise and fall. He will pierce his mother’s heart. Yet he will redeem those who call out to him. The voice has spoken. Simeon has heard. He has waited. He has believed.

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart…No, that day is this day. The mother – she is pensive. But Simeon smiles. I have seen it all – the salvation promised the deliverer who has come to rescue humanity and bring them back to God, a revelation to those who would hear, and glory for those who have believed.

“I have heard your voice. I have believed. And now my eyes have seen that for which I have longed and waited. Now let your servant depart in peace, just as you have said.”

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. He has made purification for sins. (Hebrews 1:1-3 ESV)

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. Come, let us sing to the LORD, let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Come into his presence with thanksgiving, make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Today, if you hear his voice, let every heart prepare him room and may heaven and nature sing. (Psalm 95 Adapted from the ESV)

Many will rise and fall at the birth of this dangerous boy

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 06:30:36 -0500

“Rise and Fall”
By Daniel Renstrom, 2009

The dawn of the light
Is breaking tonight
At the birth of this dangerous boy.

And shepherds and kings
Bow down and sing
At the birth of this dangerous boy.

Many will rise and fall
At the birth of this King, the birth of this King.
Many will rise and fall
At the birth of this King, the birth of this King.

Those who oppose
Stumble on this Stone
At the birth of this dangerous King

But many will hear
Believing in fear
Will hope in this dangerous King.

–Daniel Renstrom, “Rise and Fall,” On The Incarnation. Catapult, 2009.

"From the depths of woe i raise to Thee the voice of lamentation. Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and..."

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 06:33:31 -0500

“

From the depths of woe i raise to Thee the voice of lamentation.
Lord, turn a gracious ear to me and hear my supplication.
If Thou iniquity dost mark, our secret sins and misdeeds dark,
O, who shall stand before Thee?
O, who shall stand before Thee?

To wash away the crimson stain, grace, grace alone availeth.
Our works, alas!, are all in vain; in much the best life faileth.
No man can glory in Thy sight; all must alike confess Thy might
And live alone by mercy,
And live alone by mercy.

Therefore my trust is in the Lord and not it mine own merit.
On Him my soul shall rest; His Word upholds my fainting spirit.
His promised mercy is my fort, my comfort, and my sweet support;
I wait for it with patience.
I wait for it with patience.

What though i wait the live-long night and till the dawn appeareth,
My heart still trusteth in His might; it doubteth not, nor feareth.
Do thus, o ye of israel’s seed, ye of the Spirit born indeed,
And wait till God appeareth,
And wait till God appeareth.

Though great our sins and sore our woes, His grace much more aboundeth.
His helping love no limit knows - our utmost need it soundeth.
Our Shepherd, good and true is He Who will at last His israel free
From all their sin and sorrow,
From all their sin and sorrow.

”

- Martin Luther, From Depths of Woe I Raise To Thee

Indelible Grace has an updated version here.

"Stretch out Thine arm, victorious King, My reigning sins subdue, Drive the old Dragon from his..."

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 18:30:46 -0500

“

Stretch out Thine arm, victorious King,
My reigning sins subdue,
Drive the old Dragon from his seat,
With all his hellish crew.

A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
Into Thy hands I fall;
Be Thou my strength and righteousness,
My Savior, and my all.

”

- Isaac Watts, How Sad Our State by Nature Is

Listen to Indelible Grace’s version, O Help My Unbelief

Waiting in Prayer

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 06:41:44 -0500

There’s a growing trend in year-end sales. “Self-gifting” is the new economic engine. Accelerated by Black Friday and End of Year deals, savvy shoppers have decided that they want to buy now rather than wait.

In a world of no money down, no interest, no payments for 12 months, there is little incentive to wait. “You snooze, you lose,” the saying goes. You can have your 50” LED HDTV and buy somegifts for the others (besides, that’s what the line of credit is for,right?!?). With newer iPhone models released regularly, marketers are now psychologists who sell you a lifestyle, not a product. Creating hunger for the newest,
the latest gadget causes disenchantment for those who wait.

Suddenly, in an instant world, praying to a God who values waiting brings disappointment. The first evidence that waiting is a lost virtue is in diminished prayer.

But it is in prayer that our strength is renewed (Isa 40:29-31), our hope built (Ps 130), and our joy
abounds. In the darkest time of the
year, Advent calls us to wait and cry out for the Light to come again, just as
God’s perfect gift was given in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4). More than watchmen long for the morning (Ps.130:5-6), waiting on God reminds us of His promises, recounts His faithfulness, seeks His forgiveness, and intensifies our longing for Him!

God is not your genie in a bottle (three wishes answered immediately!); He is infinitely better. He knows how to create a hunger in your soul that only he can satisfy with a lasting satisfaction (Ps. 16:11). It is good to wait for God’s deliverance (Lam 3:26). And when you have learned to waitupon him, then light will pierce the dark night of the soul, his healing will cometo you, and the glory of the Lord shall be your defense (Isa. 58:8).

But how can I grow my prayer life when I’m so impatient? Start short and simple, and do what the psalmists do:

1) appeal to the Lord (Ps 130:1-2)

2) pour out your distress (Ps 130:3-4)

3) express your confidence in His Word (Ps 130:5-6); and

4) praise God in the presence of others (Ps 130:7-8).

So call out to Him! Wait upon Him! Pour out your heart to Him! Find renewed strength, guidance, and hope as you wait for the promise of no more tears, sorrow, sadness, or loss, for His Son’s second coming is closer than when you first believed!

"I did not have what was His; He did not have what was mine. He assumed what is mine, that I might..."

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 21:04:12 -0500

““I did not have what was His;
He did not have what was mine.
He assumed what is mine, that I might share in what is His.”
- Ambrose of Milan, 4th century.”

"Spend your time in nothing which you know musy be repented of; in nothing on which you might not..."

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:40:27 -0400

““Spend your time in nothing which you know musy be repented of; in nothing on which you might not pray for the blessing of God; in nothing which you could not review with a quiet conscience on your dying bed; in nothing on which you might not safely and properly be found doing if death should surprise you in the act.””

- Richard Baxter

Provoked by Idols

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 14:08:53 -0400

I remember vividly my first encounter with an idol. It was the first day of second grade, and the Buddha-like figure sat prominently at the front of the carpeted area where we gathered for every activity, story, and lesson. Coming to the carpet, our teacher instructed us to look to the statue and sit quietly in an Eastern meditation posture.

Whenever I read the statement about Paul’s response when he came into Athens and saw the idols, I remember second grade: “his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16). At age seven, I was a deeply troubled and didn’t know how to sit, listen, and read whenever we came to the carpet. What was I to do?

Christians throughout the ages have been faced with the question of how to live faithfully in a pluralistic world. Should we respond vociferously with moral outrage? Protect our Christian roots? Create political parties to advance our cause?

Before we react, we remember the problem is not merely the idol, but what sociologist Peter Berger has called the “plausibility structures” of our age. Plausibility structures are those beliefs that are thought widely and are almost unquestioningly accepted in our culture. People hold these beliefs with great tenacity, as though society’s future was at stake.

So how did Paul respond in Acts 17? While provoked in his spirit, Paul dismantled the Athenians plausibility structures and gave them a new story that was to shape their lives. He did this in several ways:

He saw the points of connection. The “Unknown God”? Paul knew him and could speak of the Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour.
He exposed the folly of idolatry. “You think you serve God? Who gives you life and breath? A statue? God created you and calls you to worship him!
He spoke with civility. Moral outrage would convince no one and would never commend the Lord Jesus Christ to them. He quoted their poets. He saw they were religious in many ways.
He shared the gospel. Of first priority was to win people to Christ, and his testimony gave him opportunity to explain Jesus Christ and the reality of sin.
He was prepared to suffer. Some mocked him. But Christ was worth more, because…
He delighted in the Lord.

The result was some came to trust in Christ while others continued to dialogue. And the church in Athens was born.

The idols of our day ought to provoke us. But may it not be the kind of provoking that paralyzes us into inaction. May the provoking of our spirit be the kind that moves us to love our neighbours, tell them of Christ winsomely and wisely, with civility and gentleness and respect, and pray for God to build his Church!

Courage to Stand by Faith

Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:57:22 -0400

Everyone, it seemed, was on his side: the emperor, the leading churchmen, the politicians. Arius, a popular, well connected theologian made a lot of sense. His songs were catchy and sung in churches across the continent. He had convinced the world through song and sermon that Jesus Christ was divine in nature but not one in substance with the Father. Jesus was “a son of God,” if you like. Almost everyone agreed. Who would oppose a catchy tune and a smooth speaker?

One man did. Athanasius saw through Arius’s teaching. If Jesus was not of the same substance as the Father, he could not truly be God. What was at stake was the Trinity and our salvation. Even though he was one man, Athanasius stood contra mundum - against the world. It would take several years of debating, reasoning, and firmness, but in the end, Athanasius swung the theological tide. The historic Nicean creed was reaffirmed and clarified.

Courage means standing up despite fears, concerns, or pain and a willingness to endure hardship. That endurance comes from conviction - we believe there is something greater or more valuable than the present option.

But courage comes to ordinary people. Elijah was a man like us (Jas 5). An ordinary man who believed in an extraordinary God, believing His Word and holding on to the promises of Scripture. He believed, prayed, stood. In a faithless world of godless worship, he remained faithful and courageous right up to the end.

You and I are not called to be Athanasius or Elijah. We are called to be who God intends us to be. There are places and situations God has strategically placed you and you may be the only one who stands with courage and conviction. In a difficult family situation. A workplace filled with compromise. A school filled with skepticism. You need to be wise and courageous where God has placed you.

You are, however, called to trust in the same God that Elijah and Athanasius trusted. The God who enabled men of old to stand for him is the same God who is eager to strengthen you with resolve and courage today. Courage comes by faith - a faith that believes that what is unseen is of greater worth than what is seen. As Hebrews 11:24-26 says of Moses: “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.”

What will help you to stand? What will cause you to go against the flow? You must know the God of the Bible, be convinced of his superior value and worth, and believe that it is more pleasurable to obey because there is something better than this life now.

Suspicion of God

Sun, 23 Sep 2012 09:44:52 -0400

“To doubt the good will of God is an inborn suspicion of God with all of us. Besides, the devil…goes about seeking to devour us by roaring: ‘God is angry at you and is going to destroy you forever.’ In all these difficulties we have only one support, the Gospel of Christ. To hold on to it, that is the trick. Christ cannot be perceived with the senses… The heart does not feel His helpful presence. Especially in times of trials a Christian feels the power of sin, the infirmity of his flesh, the goading darts of the devil…the scowl and judgment of God. All these things cry out against us, death thunders at us, the devil roars at us. In the midst of the clamor the Spirit of Christ cries in our hearts, ‘Abba, Father.’ And this little cry of the Spirit transcends the hullabaloo of the Law, sin, death, and the devil, and finds a hearing with God. The Spirit cries because of our weakness…(and) is sent forth into our hearts…to assure us of the grace of God” (Martin Luther on Galatians 4:6 in his Commentary on Galatians).

Everyday Church

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:39:25 -0400

At the heart of our vision is not a new way of doing events but the creation of word-centered gospel communities in which people are sharing life with one another and with unbelievers, seeking to bless their neighborhoods, “gospeling” one another and sharing the good news with unbelievers. The context for this gospel-centered community and mission is not events but ordinary, everyday life.

Programs are what we create when Christians are not doing what they are supposed to do in everyday life. Because we are not pastoring one another in everyday life, we create accountability groups. Because we are not sharing the gospel in everyday life, we create guest services. Because we are not joining social groups to witness to Jesus, we create our own church social groups. Please do not misunderstand. We are not against meetings or events or programs. The regular meeting of the church around God’s Word is vital for the health of everything else. This is where God’s people are prepared for works of service. But the works of service take place in the context of everyday life.

- Steve Timmis and Tim Chester, Everyday Church

No other gods

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 16:19:11 -0400

I was surprised by the topic on CBC Radio One’s religion program Tapestry: Idolatry for Beginners. It examined our obsession with money, celebrity status, or sex and how they keep us from connecting with the transcendent.

Why the surprise? To contemporary people, idolatry conjures up notions of primitive peoples bowing down before statues. For some, Sunday school stories such as the fiery furnace (Dan. 3) or the golden calf (Exod. 32) come to mind. Others think of the Roman gods like Aphrodite, Ares, or Artemis.

But what Tapestry vividly revealed is the modern reality of idolatry. For eight consecutive seasons, American Idol led TV ratings. Culture was admitting that they do worship celebrity status and money. We, too, have our idols.

Idolatry is a human problem. John Calvin said that the heart is an “idol factory” (cf. Ezek. 14:3). Our affections make goodthings into ultimate things. And when we lose them, we despair and lose hope. We become spiritual addicts, absorbed in heart, imagination, and attention by idols who keep us from God. Their demand for allegiance, sacrifice, and worship never fulfill.

We need the Living God to topple our idols (1 Sam 5:1-7). Delivering us from slavery, God tells us “You shall have no other gods before me” (Exod. 20:2-3). We lose jobs, have family struggles, feel financial pressures - all as gracious reminders that none of these things fulfill or satisfy.

In 1 Kings 17, we see that the gods of any age cannot do what the One True Living God can do. Can Baal create rain? No - only Elohim, the Creator God can (vv. 1-2). Can Baal provide food? No - only Yahweh Yireh, the Providential Sovereign God, can make ravens bring bread and meat, and make oil and flour last (vv. 3-16). Can Baal bring life? No, only the Living Yahweh can redeem people and bring life from death (vv. 17-24).

The only way forward in this life is to discern the idols of the age, see their powerlessness, and return to the Lord. Only One offers true fulfillment and complete forgiveness. Money, work, family, success, significance - all of these things will demand allegiance and that you do more. But only Jesus Christ calls for your allegiance and says in his sacrificial death, “It is done for you” (John 19:30).

So worship the One who says, “You shall have no other gods before me” and who lays down his life for you so that you might enjoy his pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16:11)!!!

The Gospel in 7 Words

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 17:23:14 -0400

Here’s my attempt:

“Christ died and rose for repentant sinners.”

Check out what others have said here.

Needing Correction

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:47:33 -0400

“We often think we have no need of anyone else’s advice or reproof. Always remember, much grace does not imply much enlightenment. We may be wise but have little love, or we may have love with little wisdom. God has wisely joined us all together as the parts of a body so that we cannot say to another, ‘I have no need of you.’ ”

- John Wesley