Two weeks of full-on bible teaching for students at Canon Theological College, Yangon. This semester we’ll be looking at the Pastoral Epistles. These letters are all about how the gospel shapes ministry and fuels Christian ethics. Please pray that this trip will yield gospel fruit.
“To worship God ‘in spirit and in truth’ is first and foremost a way of saying that we must worship God by means of Christ. In him the reality has dawned and the shadows are being swept away (Hebrews 8:13). Christian worship is new covenant worship; it is gospel-inspired worship; it is Christ-centered worship; it is cross-focused worship.”
- D.A. Carson, Worship by the Book (Grand Rapids, Mi.: Zondervan, 2002), 37.
(HT: Of First Importance)
From The Gospel Coalition:
Not all that looks like humility is actually humility. And sometimes what looks like pride to the world is actually loving concern. True Christian fellowship means that we must correct friends and family in their sin. So how do we offer such guidance to loved ones in a way that they can receive? And how do we make sure we serve them out of godly motives? Council members James MacDonald and C.J. Mahaney hash out these difficult questions in the latest video in TGC’s roundtable series.
Here are some tremendous words from Calvin on the sheer grace of God lavished upon Abram the pagan idolater from Ur of the Chaldeans:
This calling of Abram is a signal instance of the gratuitous mercy of God. Had Abram been beforehand with God by any merit of works? Had Abram come to him, or conciliated his favour? Nay, we must ever recall to mind that he was plunged in the filth of idolatry; and God freely stretches forth his hand to bring back the wanderer. He deigns to open his sacred mouth, that he may show to one, deceived by Satan’s wiles, the way of salvation.
But this is done designedly, in order that the manifestation of the grace of God might become the more conspicuous in his person. For he is an example of the vocation of us all; for in him we perceive, that, by the mere mercy of God, those things that are not are raised from nothing, in order that they may begin to be something.
John Calvin, Genesis, (Banner of Truth), p. 343
(HT: Martin Downes)
From Brian Croft:
What is a common, yet unbiblical way a pastor evaluates his ministry?
There are numerous ideas that could qualify for an answer, but the one I have in mind proves to be a most harmful one. I recently received word of a Senior Pastor who was questioning his own faithfulness as a shepherd, evangelist, preacher, and even his faithfulness to the gospel because of this common, yet unbiblical method of evaluation. A common, yet flawed, harmful, and unbiblical way for a pastor to evaluate his ministry is when it is based on…
“Numbers”
It is amazing how much we have succumbed to evaluating our ministries and our effectiveness as pastors on the basis of a numbers game. I would hope we all want to see more and more people hear the gospel, follow Jesus, and be baptized. I would hope we all want to see more people come to our churches and hear God’s Word preached and to experience the loving fellowship of our people. If you don’t desire those things, please do not continue in pastoral ministry. Yet, I am concerned that a preoccupation with numbers will caused us to miss what our primary task biblically as pastors is—to shepherd the eternal souls of God’s people.
The 19th century Scottish pastor and trainer of pastors, John Brown, wrote a letter to one of his students newly ordained over a small congregation and extended this word to him:
I know the vanity of your heart, and that you will feel mortified that your congregation is very small, in comparison with those of your brethren around you; but assure yourself on the word of an old man, that when you come to give an account of them to the Lord Christ at his judgment seat, you will think you have had enough.
Dear brothers, we will give an account for our ministries, thus, they need to be evaluated regularly by us and others. Yet, a wrongful and unbiblical method of evaluation will lead to a distracted vision of where and what our ministries should be focused on. We are to “keep watch over souls as those who will give an account” (Heb. 13:17).
Fellow pastors, we will most certainly give an account, but it will not be based on attendance records, but how faithfully and sacrifically we have watched over the souls of the people the Chief Shepherd has placed in our care until He returns (1 Peter 5:4).
(HT: Justin Childers)
(HT: Allsufficientgrace)
A gospel quote from James Buchanan in R.C. Sproul’s Justified by Faith Alone…
… the righteousness of Christ considered as the merit of his mediatorial work must ever continue, even when it is imputed to us, to belong primarily, and, in one important respect, exclusively to him by whom alone that work was accomplished. It is his righteousness in a sense in which it can never be ours. It is his, as having been wrought out by him; and it is ours, only as it is imputed to us.
(HT: Dan Orr)
“We have only to track the divine footsteps of the Redeemer on earth, there to behold ‘as in a mirror the glory of the Lord.’ What do we see?
A Being, indeed, of infinite holiness—unsparing and uncompromising in His rebuke of iniquity, sternly denouncing sin in all its forms, driving with a scourge the sacrilegious traffickers from His Father’s house, proclaiming the impending and certain doom awaiting incorrigible sinners, the workers of iniquity; even predicting by discourse and parable the dreadful verities of a judgment-day, and pronouncing everlasting doom on the impenitent and unbelieving; on all traitors to their trust, on all neglectors and squanderers of committed talents; thus repeating, in words not to be misunderstood, the very truth which fell on the ears of Moses in his Rock-cleft, as the sublime voice and vision were dying away—’And that will by no means clear the guilty.’
But yet, in combination with this, we are called to contemplate one of infinite purity, beneficence, tenderness; whose delight was to feed the hungry, to heal the diseased, to help the helpless, to comfort the bereaved; feeling for them; weeping for them-—in His parables, giving a welcome to the Prodigal; in His daily communion, never scorning a suppliant’s request, or a penitent’s tears; listening, even in His expiring agonies, to a cry for mercy from a felon at His side; accepting the widow’s mite; making generous allowance for the lack of watchfulness at His own greatest crisis-hour on the part of trusted disciples; pardoning, with the tenderest of rebukes, the aggravated sin of a faithless follower; the prayer, trembling on His dying lips, of forgiveness for His murderers.
Reader! take in, at a glance, this wide comprehensive view of the Savior’s life and ministry, and in it you have a picture and impersonation of the character of God. ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men.’ ‘From henceforth,’ says Christ, pointing to Himself, ‘You know the Father, and have seen Him.’”
—John MacDuff, Clefts of the Rock
(HT: Of First Importance)
On October 19, 2008, Tim Keller presented two lectures at Oak Hill College on “Preaching to the Heart”:
Here’s how Oak Hill College describes them:
Jonathan Edwards believed that the ultimate purpose of preaching is not only to make the truth clear, but also to make it real—affecting and life-changing. This is usually covered under the topic of “application”, though framing the subject in that way often results in a “tack-on” of practical advice after a dry, academic exposition.
How can we preach the text from first to last in a way that exalts Christ, changes heart motivations, produces wisdom and wonder, persuades the sceptical and results in real life change? In his two lectures, Tim Keller explores these challenges to the preacher.
(HT: Andy Naselli)
Love it, love it, love it! My thanks to Dane Ortlund for this:
“One way I reinforce my inveterate functional Pelagianism is by allowing remembrance of a past sin to bring me back into despondency and a renewed plea for forgiveness every time it comes to mind.
The trouble is that (normally) I’ve asked the Lord to forgive me in the wake of the sin, yet when it comes to mind again I find myself crumpling internally into yet another anguished prayer for forgiveness.
The enemy loves it. He sees I’m not letting a decisive placing of that sin under the blood of Christ settle the issue once and for all. Somehow I allow myself to feel that the more often I ask for forgiveness, and the greater the anguish, the more effectual the blood of Christ on my behalf.
Which is itself works-righteousness. It’s a denial that the blood of Christ is enough. It’s thinking: I need to help out Christ’s work by a super intense, repeated, pleading for that blood. The very gospel application is a gospel denial. My mind pleads grace while my heart self-atones.
Place it under the blood. Once. Then quit asking for forgiveness.”
‘. . . and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.’ –Isaiah 53:6
Writes Eckhard J. Schnabel in his chef-d’œuvre, Early Christian Mission, Volume 2: Paul and the Early Church (IVP, 2004), pages 1574-1575:
“I submit that the use of the term ‘incarnational’ is not very helpful to describe the task of authentic Christian missionary work. The event of the coming of Jesus into the world is unique, unrepeatable and incomparable, making it preferable to use other terminology to express the attitudes and behavior that Paul describes in 1 Cor 9:19-23. The Johannine missionary commission in Jn 20:21 does not demand an ‘incarnation’ of Jesus’ disciples but rather their obedience, unconditional commitment and robust activity in the service of God and in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is precisely John who describes the mission of Jesus as unique: Jesus is the ‘only’ Son (Jn 1:14, 18; 3:14, 18), he is preexistent (Jn 1:1, 14), his relationship to the Father is unparalleled (Jn 1:14, 18). For John, it is not the manner of Jesus’ coming into the world, the Word becoming flesh, the incarnation, that is a ‘model’ for believers; rather, it is the nature of Jesus’ relationship to the Father who sent him into the world, which is one of obedience to and dependence upon the Father. … The terms ‘contextualization’ or ‘inculturation’ certainly are more helpful.”
(HT: Tony Reinke)
A Gospel Coalition roundtable discussion on preaching with Mike Bullmore, Bryan Chapell, and David Helm:
More details here.
(HT: Justin Taylor)
From Kevin DeYoung:
Here is Martyn Lloyd-Jones, the great Welsh preacher and longtime pastor at Westminster Chapel in London, explaining what Acts 6 can teach us about the mission of the church and the pastor:
But, and in many ways the most interesting statement of all, I sometimes think in this connection, is one that is found in the sixth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles where we are told that a great crisis arose in the life of the early Church. I know of nothing that speaks more directly upon the present state and condition of the Church, and what is her primary task, than this sixth chapter of the book of the Acts of the Apostles. The essential message is in the first two verses: ‘And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables.’
This is surely a most interesting and important statement, a crucial one. What was the Church to do? Here is a problem, here are these widows of the Grecians, and they are not only widows but they are in need and in need of food. It was a social problem, perhaps partly a political problem, but certainly a very acute and urgent social problem. Surely the business of the Christian Church, and the leaders particularly, is to deal with this crying need: Why go on preaching when people are starving and in need and are suffering? That was the great temptation that came to the Church immediately; but the Apostles under the leading and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the teaching they had already received, and the commission they had had from their Master, saw the danger and they said, ‘It is not reason that we should leave the Word of God, and serve tables’. This is wrong. We shall be failing in our commission if we do this. We are here to preach this Word, this is the first thing, ‘We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.’
Now there the priorities are laid down once and for ever. This is the primary task of the Church, the primary task of the leaders of the Church, the people who are set in this position of authority; and we must not allow anything to deflect us from this, however good the cause, however great the need. This is surely the direct answer to much of the false thinking and reasoning concerning these matters at the present time. (Preaching and Preachers, 22-23)
It’s important to note that the Apostles didn’t ignore the physical need in the church (it’s also important to note these were needs in the church). So saying proclamation is primary does not mean everything else is rubbish. In fact, Acts 6 shows that attending to the physical needs of the church is positively necessary.
But this does not undermine the good Doctor’s good point: the primary task of the church is to minister the word, and nothing should supplant or turn us from this essential and indispensable mission.
From Voices from the Past: Puritan Devotional Readings (p. 251) by Thomas Watson:
We know the kingdom of grace has been set up in our hearts by the change wrought in the soul. There is a new nature, light in the mind, order in the affections, a pliable will, and tenderness in the conscience. If there is no change of heart there is no sign of grace. God’s children desire God, like the beating of the pulse indicates life. Saints love him, not only for what he has, but for what he is; not only for his rewards, but for his holiness. Hypocrites may desire him for his jewels, but not for his beauty. A believer cannot be satisfied without God; let the world heap her honours and riches, it will not satisfy. No flower will satisfy the thirsty. The Christian says, “I must have Christ, grace, and heaven, though I take it by storm.” We desire Christ more than the world, and more than heaven itself, “Whom have I in heaven but you?” (Psa. 73:25). Heaven itself would not satisfy without Christ. He is the diamond in the ring. If God were to say, “I will put you into heaven, but I will hide my face from you,” that would not satisfy. A little of God will not satisfy. The pious desires still more. A drop of water is not enough for thirsty travellers. We are thankful for grace received, but desire more: more knowledge, purity, and more of Christ’s presence. We long to see him face to face, and be perfected in glory; to plunge into his sweetness and be swallowed up in him; and to bathe ourselves in the perfumed waters of his pleasures.
For those interested in more Watson, you might try the Thomas Watson Reading Room.
(HT: Thabiti Anyabwile)
“You must be born again.” John 3:7
You. This is personal. If I resent it as threatening, that could be evidence I have not been born again. If my heart welcomes the approach of this truth and waves the white flag of surrender, that could be evidence I have been born again.
Must. This is authoritative. If I take evasive action, that could be evidence I have not been born again. If I breathe a sigh of relief that finally Someone is telling me the truth and taking me in hand, that could be evidence I have been born again.
Be born again. This is passive. I need more than self-correction; I need a miracle deep within. I need God to call into existence within me a new aliveness to God, new tastes, new desires, new openness and humility and fears and hopes, such as I have never experienced before and cannot conjure up out of my admirable upbringing and good intentions. I need newness of Genesis 1-magnitude. In fact, my eternal destiny hangs on something only God can do for me.
“It is a noteworthy and striking fact that no doctrine has excited such surprise in every age of the Church and has called forth so much opposition from the great and learned as this very doctrine of the new birth. The men of the present day who sneer at conversions and revivals as fanaticism are no better than Nicodemus. Like him, they expose their own entire ignorance of the work of the Holy Spirit.”
J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John 1:1-10:9 (Grand Rapids, n.d.), page 139. Style updated.
(HT: Ray Ortlund)
From Desiring God.
Two brief summary observations from John Bloom’s post on Mark 8:34 “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.”:
First, the Christian life is hard; sometimes agonizing. We shouldn’t be surprised (1 Peter 4:12). It’s hard because denying our fallen selves is hard. Any death is hard, some much more than others. But it’s designed to be that way. Our lives are our most precious earthly possession. Nothing displays the worth of Jesus more than our willingness to give away our lives (in small and large ways) for his sake.
Second, the only things that Jesus asks us to deny ourselves of are what will rob us of eternal joy. Like Moses in Hebrews 11:25-26, we are called to deny ourselves the passing pleasures of sin and consider the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the world’s treasures. How? By looking to the reward!
We need to ponder the superiority of God as our great reward over all that the world has to offer.
If we don’t, we will love the world like everyone else and live like every one else.
So take the things that drive the world and ponder how much better and more abiding God is: take money or sex or power or popularity. Think about these things.
First think about them in relation to death. Death will take away every one of them: money, sex, power, and popularity. If that is what you live for, you won’t get much, and what you get, you lose. But God’s treasure is “abiding.” It lasts. It goes beyond death.
It’s better than money because God owns all the money and he is our Father. “All things are yours, and you are Christ’s and Christ is God’s” (1 Corinthians 3:22-23).
It’s better than sex. Jesus never had sexual relations, and he was the most full and complete human that ever will exist. Sex is a shadow, an image, of a greater reality—of a relationship and pleasure that will make sex seem like a yawn.
The reward of God is better than power. There is no greater human power than to be a child of the Almighty God. “Do you not know that we shall judge angels” (1 Corinthians 6:3)?
It’s better than popularity. Fame is a pipe dream if you are only known by human nobodies. But if the greatest beings know you, that is a popularity of another kind. The greatest popularity is to be known by God (1 Corinthians 8:3; Galatians 4:9). And when it comes to angels: “Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation” (Hebrews 1:14)?
And so it goes on and on. Everything the world has to offer, God is better and more abiding. There is no comparison. God wins—every time.
The question is: will we have him? Will we wake up from the trance of this stupefying world and see and believe and rejoice and love? And suffer?
(HT: Justin Taylor)
The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is not inadequate technique, insufficient organization, or antiquated music and those who want to squander the church’s resources bandaging these scratches will do nothing to staunch the flow of blood that is spilling from its wounds. The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is that God rests too inconsequentially upon the church. His truth is too distant, his grace too ordinary, his judgment too benign, his gospel too easy, and his Christ is too common.
David Wells from God in the Wasteland, p. 30
(HT: Todd Pruitt)
I like this from Colin Adams:
From Ephesians 3:7-11:
1. Gospel ministers are God-made.
“Of this gospel I was made a minister” (v 7, ESV)
2. Gospel ministers are servants.
“I became a servant [diakonos] of this gospel” (v 7)
3. Gospel ministers serve by God’s grace.
“I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me” (v 7)
“…this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles…” (v 8 )
4. Gospel ministers serve by God’s power.
“…through the working of His power” (v 7)
5. Gospel ministers preach Christ.
“…to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (v 8 )
6. Gospel ministers explain the mystery.
“…and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.” (v 9)
7. Gospel ministers contribute towards God’s greater purposes.
“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (v10-11)
