If possible, every Christian should have a biography section in their personal library. The workings of God in the lives of others are meant to be encouraging and challenging to us. Here are some of my top biography recommendations:
-John G. Paton: An Autobiography
-Through Gates of Splendor and The Shadow of the Almighty by Elizabeth Elliot (about Jim Elliot)
-The Autobiography of George Muller
-Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore
-George Whitfield by Arnold Dallimore
-The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
-Here I Stand by Roland Bainton (about Martin Luther)
-Jonathan Edwards: A New Biography by Ian Murray
-All of John Piper’s “The Swans Are Not Silent” series.
-Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan
-Augustine’s Confessions
Sunday, May 31, 2009
A Few Recommended Biographies
Faithfulness to God is Better than Life!
Daniel 3 is relevant because it tells us that there is something worth living and dying for. When you get beyond the courage and bravery of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you realize that their actions were a result of the fact that their God was worth more to them than their own lives.
They were so captivated by the glory of this great God that they believed faithfulness to Him is better than life. Faithfulness to God is better than life!
What is so precious to you that you are willing to die for it?
Let me ask that question in another way, because most of us will never have to face death for our values (although some of us will).
What is so precious to you that you are willing to lose your job over?
What would you be willing to go to jail for?
What would you be willing to give up your financial security for?
What would you be willing to put your family at risk for?
What would you be willing to tarnish your reputation and good name over?
What is so valuable to you that you are willing to give up the comforts of this life for?
If you have never been gripped by anything worthy enough to die for, you are not really living.
If all you do is conform to the world around you in order to keep your job, your reputation, and your comfort, you are not really living.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had something worth living and dying for. They were so gripped by the majesty of God that they remained faithful to Him in spite of the pressure to conform with everyone else.
Daniel chapter 3 exists to shake us from our sleepy conformity and point us to the God who deserves our complete allegiance.
I brought out 3 truths from Daniel 3 in my sermon Sunday:
1. Faithfulness to God is rooted in knowlege of God.
2. We are to be faithful to God regardless of the consequences.
3. God is with His people in their trials.
They were so captivated by the glory of this great God that they believed faithfulness to Him is better than life. Faithfulness to God is better than life!
What is so precious to you that you are willing to die for it?
Let me ask that question in another way, because most of us will never have to face death for our values (although some of us will).
What is so precious to you that you are willing to lose your job over?
What would you be willing to go to jail for?
What would you be willing to give up your financial security for?
What would you be willing to put your family at risk for?
What would you be willing to tarnish your reputation and good name over?
What is so valuable to you that you are willing to give up the comforts of this life for?
If you have never been gripped by anything worthy enough to die for, you are not really living.
If all you do is conform to the world around you in order to keep your job, your reputation, and your comfort, you are not really living.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had something worth living and dying for. They were so gripped by the majesty of God that they remained faithful to Him in spite of the pressure to conform with everyone else.
Daniel chapter 3 exists to shake us from our sleepy conformity and point us to the God who deserves our complete allegiance.
I brought out 3 truths from Daniel 3 in my sermon Sunday:
1. Faithfulness to God is rooted in knowlege of God.
2. We are to be faithful to God regardless of the consequences.
3. God is with His people in their trials.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Burn Us Up!
"But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.'"
Isaiah 43:1-3
Isaiah 43:1-3
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Respectable Sins
My excellent wife just got finished reading Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. She posted a review on her blog.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Highest Rated
The WTS books site now has a new feature: Highest Rated books. They are allowing certain pastor/elders to submit reviews of books. So, now you can read what others think of certain books before you buy them. I appreciate the fact that they are encouraging negative reviews. If a book is unhelpful, there is a way to warn us now.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Preaching the Gospel to Yourself
In The Bookends of the Christian Life, Bridges and Bevington give some very practical advice about how to preach the gospel to yourself. This is how they do it: They take a different gospel promise each day of the week and apply it to their own sins.
Here are some examples (Notice the personal pronouns):
Sunday: But he was wounded for my transgressions of ____________; he was crushed for my iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace, and with his stripes I am healed. Like a sheep, I have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; and the Lord has laid on him my iniquity (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Tuesday: Blessed am I, whose lawless deeds of ___________ are forgiven, and my sins are covered; blessed am I against whom the Lord will not count my sin (Rom. 4:7-8).
Friday: As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove my transgressions of ________ from me (Psalm 103:12).
Every day: God, be merciful to me, the sinner! (Luke 18:13).
Every day: Christ's work for me is finished! (John 19:30).
Here are some examples (Notice the personal pronouns):
Sunday: But he was wounded for my transgressions of ____________; he was crushed for my iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought me peace, and with his stripes I am healed. Like a sheep, I have gone astray; I have turned to my own way; and the Lord has laid on him my iniquity (Isaiah 53:5-6).
Tuesday: Blessed am I, whose lawless deeds of ___________ are forgiven, and my sins are covered; blessed am I against whom the Lord will not count my sin (Rom. 4:7-8).
Friday: As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove my transgressions of ________ from me (Psalm 103:12).
Every day: God, be merciful to me, the sinner! (Luke 18:13).
Every day: Christ's work for me is finished! (John 19:30).
Thursday, May 21, 2009
The Importance of Unity
John Calvin commenting on Ephesians 4:
"We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For here he puts down the unity of the Spirit as a mark that is required in the church and flock of God, insomuch that if we are divided among ourselves, we are estranged from God. And with this, he shows us what we have seen briefly before, which is that if we are not at one among ourselves, God disclaims us and tells us we do not belong to Him. This unity therefore is something which ought to be valued nowadays seeing it is the way in respect of which we are acknowledged as God's children."
Quoted in John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, p. 127.
"We must keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. For here he puts down the unity of the Spirit as a mark that is required in the church and flock of God, insomuch that if we are divided among ourselves, we are estranged from God. And with this, he shows us what we have seen briefly before, which is that if we are not at one among ourselves, God disclaims us and tells us we do not belong to Him. This unity therefore is something which ought to be valued nowadays seeing it is the way in respect of which we are acknowledged as God's children."
Quoted in John Calvin: A Heart for Devotion, Doctrine, and Doxology, p. 127.
Breaking News: American Dream and God's Dream Can't Fit Together!
I'm massively challenged by this one question interview with Paul Tripp.
Here is an excerpt:
You can't fit God's dream (if I can use that language) for his church inside of the American dream and have it work. It's a radically different lifestyle. It just won't squeeze into the available spaces of the time and energy that's left over.
And I'm as much seduced by that as anybody. We have sold our four-bedroom house because our kids are gone, and we've bought a loft in Chinatown, Philadelphia. And we're amazed at how simple our life has become. We're grieving over how we let our life get so complicated.
Last year, for example, I put almost $2,500 worth of gas in my car. This year, I've put $159 in the first quarter. It's because we're walking places, and that slows our life down, and we're near the people in our church because we're within walking distance of the church. And we've had so many natural encounters with people because of that.
We're living in a much smaller place. We got rid of most of our stuff. As we went through it, we laughed about how we just collected stuff. All that stuff has to be maintained. It grabs your heart, it grabs your schedule, it grabs your time. It becomes a source of worry and concern and need to pay.
So we've just been confronted with how all of those things that aren't evil in themselves become the complications of life that keep us away from the kind of community that we need in order to hold on to our identity.
Here is an excerpt:
You can't fit God's dream (if I can use that language) for his church inside of the American dream and have it work. It's a radically different lifestyle. It just won't squeeze into the available spaces of the time and energy that's left over.
And I'm as much seduced by that as anybody. We have sold our four-bedroom house because our kids are gone, and we've bought a loft in Chinatown, Philadelphia. And we're amazed at how simple our life has become. We're grieving over how we let our life get so complicated.
Last year, for example, I put almost $2,500 worth of gas in my car. This year, I've put $159 in the first quarter. It's because we're walking places, and that slows our life down, and we're near the people in our church because we're within walking distance of the church. And we've had so many natural encounters with people because of that.
We're living in a much smaller place. We got rid of most of our stuff. As we went through it, we laughed about how we just collected stuff. All that stuff has to be maintained. It grabs your heart, it grabs your schedule, it grabs your time. It becomes a source of worry and concern and need to pay.
So we've just been confronted with how all of those things that aren't evil in themselves become the complications of life that keep us away from the kind of community that we need in order to hold on to our identity.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Luke Reformed Expository Commentary
The newest Reformed Expository Commentary is now available: Luke by Philip Graham Ryken (2 vols). Until May 31, you can get it 45% off retail price.
Piper on Driscoll and MacArthur
At a recent conference, John Piper specifically addressed the controversy between Mark Driscoll and John MacArthur (audio from Q&A - about 6mins). If you don't know what I'm talking about, Challies has something of a summary with links to MacArthur's posts.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Paul Tripp on Marriage (DVD)
Paul Tripp has a DVD series on marriage called, What Did You Expect? Redeeming the Realities of Marriage. It contains 10 25 minute sessions.Here are a few recommendations for this study:
-Use this in a Sunday School or small group. You can download a discussion guide to go with it.
-Go through it with your spouse. Take a personal marriage retreat and discuss the sessions with your husband or wife.
Seeing and Rejecting our Functional Saviors
Jesus Christ is the only and all-sufficient Savior. However, sometimes (most of the time?) we look to other things to satisfy and fulfill us.
Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington help us identify our functional saviors with these questions (The Bookends of the Christian Life, p. 73):
-I am preoccupied with __________.
-If only _________, then I would be happy.
-I get my sense of significance from ____________.
-I would protect and preserve __________ at any cost.
-I fear losing _________.
-The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is _________.
-When I lose ______ I get angry, resentful, frusturated, anxious, or depressed.
-For me, life depends on ____________.
-The thing I value more than anything in the world is _________.
-When I daydream, my mind goes to ___________.
-The best thing I can think of is __________.
-The thing that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning is ________.
You would be wise to spend some time filling in the blanks and repenting of these idols and false saviors.
Jerry Bridges and Bob Bevington help us identify our functional saviors with these questions (The Bookends of the Christian Life, p. 73):
-I am preoccupied with __________.
-If only _________, then I would be happy.
-I get my sense of significance from ____________.
-I would protect and preserve __________ at any cost.
-I fear losing _________.
-The thing that gives me the greatest pleasure is _________.
-When I lose ______ I get angry, resentful, frusturated, anxious, or depressed.
-For me, life depends on ____________.
-The thing I value more than anything in the world is _________.
-When I daydream, my mind goes to ___________.
-The best thing I can think of is __________.
-The thing that makes me want to get out of bed in the morning is ________.
You would be wise to spend some time filling in the blanks and repenting of these idols and false saviors.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Jesus in each chapter of John
If I had to narrow it down to just one aspect of Jesus in each chapter, I'd go with this:
In chapter 1, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In chapter 2, He is the true temple.
In chapter 3, He is the teacher from God.
In chapter 4, He is the living water.
In chapter 5, He is the authoritative judge.
In chapter 6, He is the bread of life.
In chapter 7, He is the One who abundantly gives the Spirit.
In chapter 8, He is the light of the world.
In chapter 9, He is the One who opens blind eyes.
In chapter 10, He is the good shepherd.
In chapter 11, He is the resurrection and the life.
In chapter 12, He is the promised King.
In chapter 13, He is the humble servant.
In chapter 14, He is the returning Savior.
In chapter 15, He is the true vine.
In chapter 16, He is the One who has overcome the world.
In chapter 17, He is the One who has guarded His own.
In chapter 18, He is the willing sacrifice and sovereign Lord.
In chapter 19, He is the Passover lamb.
In chapter 20, He is the resurrected One.
In chapter 21, He is the restoring Savior.
In chapter 1, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In chapter 2, He is the true temple.
In chapter 3, He is the teacher from God.
In chapter 4, He is the living water.
In chapter 5, He is the authoritative judge.
In chapter 6, He is the bread of life.
In chapter 7, He is the One who abundantly gives the Spirit.
In chapter 8, He is the light of the world.
In chapter 9, He is the One who opens blind eyes.
In chapter 10, He is the good shepherd.
In chapter 11, He is the resurrection and the life.
In chapter 12, He is the promised King.
In chapter 13, He is the humble servant.
In chapter 14, He is the returning Savior.
In chapter 15, He is the true vine.
In chapter 16, He is the One who has overcome the world.
In chapter 17, He is the One who has guarded His own.
In chapter 18, He is the willing sacrifice and sovereign Lord.
In chapter 19, He is the Passover lamb.
In chapter 20, He is the resurrected One.
In chapter 21, He is the restoring Savior.
The Bookends of the Christian Life
Everything by Jerry Bridges is worth reading. His newest book is extremely helpful: The Bookends of the Christian Life.Basically, here is the point of the book:
Bridges and Bevington compare our lives to a book shelf. Each book represents something about us. Our bookshelves are full of activities and roles. In order to keep all these books stable, we need some sturdy bookends to lean our books on. Without bookends, our books will fall.
Bridges proposes that every Christian should have two particular sturdy bookends that we lean everything in our lives against:
Bookend #1: The Righteousness of Jesus Christ
Bookend #2: The Power of the Holy Spirit
The first bookend is the Gospel. We are accepted by God because of what Christ accomplished, not because of what we have done.
The second bookend is dependence on God's power to enable us to live the Christian life.
The second bookend is dependence on God's power to enable us to live the Christian life.
This is a brilliant and Biblical illustration. Indeed, these are the bookends of the Christian life. If we try to lean our lives on anything else, we will fail constantly.
I hope this book gains wide readership and that these two bookends begin to shape our worldview.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Gospel of John Commentaries
Here are my thoughts on Gospel of John commentaries:
The Best:
DA Carson's Pillar NT Commentary
Next to Best:
Leon Morris' New International Commentary
Best Short commentary:
Bruce Milne's Bible Speaks Today Commentary
Best Devotional commentary:
JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts (3 volumes)
Not worth the time or money:
-Kent Hughes' Preaching the Word Commentary
-Kostenberger's Baker Exegetical Commentary (This is a good commentary if it is all you have. However, Kostenberger usually just restates what Carson says. They are almost identical. No need to have both.)
-Beasley-Murray's Word Biblical Commentary (very weak volume; I sold mine.)
The Best:
DA Carson's Pillar NT Commentary
Next to Best:
Leon Morris' New International Commentary
Best Short commentary:
Bruce Milne's Bible Speaks Today Commentary
Best Devotional commentary:
JC Ryle's Expository Thoughts (3 volumes)
Not worth the time or money:
-Kent Hughes' Preaching the Word Commentary
-Kostenberger's Baker Exegetical Commentary (This is a good commentary if it is all you have. However, Kostenberger usually just restates what Carson says. They are almost identical. No need to have both.)
-Beasley-Murray's Word Biblical Commentary (very weak volume; I sold mine.)
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Promises to those who believe
A few of the promises in the Gospel of John to those who believe in Jesus:
John 1:12: “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 3:16: “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 6:35: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
John 14:12: “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
John 1:12: “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
John 3:16: “for God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:36: “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”
John 6:35: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.”
John 11:25-26: “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”
John 14:12: “Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Seeing Jesus
The Gospel of John exists to reveal Jesus. In my sermon on Sunday, I tried to describe some of the reasons why it is important to see Jesus:
1. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him is what transforms us.
2 Cor. 3:18: “And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
2. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him prepares us to suffer well.
Heb. 12:3: “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
3. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him gives us content for sharing the gospel with unbelievers.
4. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him delights the Father’s heart.
The Father wants us to behold the glory of His Son.
1. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him is what transforms us.
2 Cor. 3:18: “And we all with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
2. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him prepares us to suffer well.
Heb. 12:3: “Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”
3. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him gives us content for sharing the gospel with unbelievers.
4. It is important to see Jesus because seeing Him delights the Father’s heart.
The Father wants us to behold the glory of His Son.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Jesus in the Gospel of John
Just a few glories of Jesus in the Gospel of John:
John 1
Jesus is God the Son.
Jesus created all things.
Jesus makes the Father known.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus is the promised Messiah.
Jesus is the king of Israel.
Jesus is completely pure, blameless, sinless.
John 2
Jesus has power over nature.
Jesus is the true temple.
John 3
Jesus is the teacher from God
Jesus has been given all things by the Father.
John 4
Jesus is the living water.
Jesus is the Savior of the world.
John 5
Jesus heals the blind, lame, and paralyzed.
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Jesus is the obedient Son, fulfilling the Father’s plan perfectly.
Jesus has authority to give life to whoever He wants.
Jesus has authority to execute judgment.
Jesus is the content of the Old Testament Scriptures.
John 6
Jesus walks on water.
Jesus is the bread of life.
Jesus will never cast out those who come to Him.
Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.
John 7
Jesus gives the Spirit.
John 8
Jesus is the light of the world.
Jesus is the powerful “I Am.”
Jesus is the Son of Man.
John 9
Jesus opens the eyes of the physically and spiritually blind.
John 10
Jesus is the door of salvation.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life willingly for His sheep.
Jesus is one with the Father.
John 11
Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Jesus raises the dead.
John 12
Jesus is the promised King.
Jesus casts out the ruler of this world.
John 13
Jesus is the compassionate servant.
Jesus knows and predicts the future.
John 14
Jesus is preparing a place for His people.
Jesus is coming again to take His people to Himself.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus is the only way to the Father.
Jesus answers prayers prayed in His name.
John 15
Jesus is the true vine.
John 16
Jesus has overcome the world.
John 17
Jesus guards His own and glorifies the Father.
John 18
Jesus knocks down a band of soldiers with His words.
Jesus is in complete control of all things.
Jesus’ Kingdom is not of or from this world.
John 19
Jesus is the Passover Lamb.
Jesus fulfills all the Scripture.
John 20
Jesus gloriously and powerfully rises from the dead.
John 21
Jesus forgives, restores, and commissions His own.
John 1
Jesus is God the Son.
Jesus created all things.
Jesus makes the Father known.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus is the promised Messiah.
Jesus is the king of Israel.
Jesus is completely pure, blameless, sinless.
John 2
Jesus has power over nature.
Jesus is the true temple.
John 3
Jesus is the teacher from God
Jesus has been given all things by the Father.
John 4
Jesus is the living water.
Jesus is the Savior of the world.
John 5
Jesus heals the blind, lame, and paralyzed.
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath.
Jesus is the obedient Son, fulfilling the Father’s plan perfectly.
Jesus has authority to give life to whoever He wants.
Jesus has authority to execute judgment.
Jesus is the content of the Old Testament Scriptures.
John 6
Jesus walks on water.
Jesus is the bread of life.
Jesus will never cast out those who come to Him.
Jesus alone has the words of eternal life.
John 7
Jesus gives the Spirit.
John 8
Jesus is the light of the world.
Jesus is the powerful “I Am.”
Jesus is the Son of Man.
John 9
Jesus opens the eyes of the physically and spiritually blind.
John 10
Jesus is the door of salvation.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life willingly for His sheep.
Jesus is one with the Father.
John 11
Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
Jesus raises the dead.
John 12
Jesus is the promised King.
Jesus casts out the ruler of this world.
John 13
Jesus is the compassionate servant.
Jesus knows and predicts the future.
John 14
Jesus is preparing a place for His people.
Jesus is coming again to take His people to Himself.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
Jesus is the only way to the Father.
Jesus answers prayers prayed in His name.
John 15
Jesus is the true vine.
John 16
Jesus has overcome the world.
John 17
Jesus guards His own and glorifies the Father.
John 18
Jesus knocks down a band of soldiers with His words.
Jesus is in complete control of all things.
Jesus’ Kingdom is not of or from this world.
John 19
Jesus is the Passover Lamb.
Jesus fulfills all the Scripture.
John 20
Jesus gloriously and powerfully rises from the dead.
John 21
Jesus forgives, restores, and commissions His own.
Friday, May 08, 2009
The Trinity in John: The Divine Drama of Redemption
I was working on a sermon about the Trinity in John's Gospel and just don't have enough Sundays to preach it. This was going to be my basic outline:
The Trinity in John’s Gospel:
1. The Father gave His people to the Son whom He has sent into the world.
-The Father is the Grand Architect, the Wise Designer of redemption.
-John 6:37-40; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24.
-Jesus as “sent” by the Father about 36 times in John (i.e. John 3:16).
2. The Son obeyed the Father by giving life to those given to Him by the Father.
-People (sheep) were not the only thing given to the Son by the Father (the cup – 18:11).
-Jesus’ relentless passion to please the Father (for more see this post).
-Jesus will continue to obey the Father by protecting His people.
3. The Spirit is given by the Father and Son in order to guide His people into the truth.
-The Spirit serves the church by guiding her to the truth and glorifying Jesus.
-For more on the Sprit in John see this post.
The progression of redemption:
-The Father has chosen a group of people.
-The Father sent the Son and entrusted His people to the Son.
-The Son obeyed the Father by redeeming His people.
-The Son will continue to obey the Father by protecting His people.
-The Father and Son sent the Spirit in order to guide His people into the truth.
-His people are to live fruitful lives awaiting Christ’s return for the glory of God.
The Trinity in John’s Gospel:
1. The Father gave His people to the Son whom He has sent into the world.
-The Father is the Grand Architect, the Wise Designer of redemption.
-John 6:37-40; 10:29; 17:2, 6, 9, 24.
-Jesus as “sent” by the Father about 36 times in John (i.e. John 3:16).
2. The Son obeyed the Father by giving life to those given to Him by the Father.
-People (sheep) were not the only thing given to the Son by the Father (the cup – 18:11).
-Jesus’ relentless passion to please the Father (for more see this post).
-Jesus will continue to obey the Father by protecting His people.
3. The Spirit is given by the Father and Son in order to guide His people into the truth.
-The Spirit serves the church by guiding her to the truth and glorifying Jesus.
-For more on the Sprit in John see this post.
The progression of redemption:
-The Father has chosen a group of people.
-The Father sent the Son and entrusted His people to the Son.
-The Son obeyed the Father by redeeming His people.
-The Son will continue to obey the Father by protecting His people.
-The Father and Son sent the Spirit in order to guide His people into the truth.
-His people are to live fruitful lives awaiting Christ’s return for the glory of God.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
The Holy Spirit in John's Gospel
Some of the main teaching about the third Person of the Trinity in John's Gospel:
7:37-52:
-The Spirit is given to all those who believe in Christ.
-The Spirit is given abundantly.
-The Spirit is given as a result of Christ’s glorification.
14:16-17:
-The Spirit is a gift from the Father.
-The Spirit is a “helper”.
-The Spirit is a permanent resident (inside us).
-The Spirit will teach us the truth.
16:4-15:
-The Spirit convicts the world.
-The Spirit serves the church.
...by guiding us to the truth.
...by glorifying Jesus (for more on this role of the Spirit see this post).
7:37-52:
-The Spirit is given to all those who believe in Christ.
-The Spirit is given abundantly.
-The Spirit is given as a result of Christ’s glorification.
14:16-17:
-The Spirit is a gift from the Father.
-The Spirit is a “helper”.
-The Spirit is a permanent resident (inside us).
-The Spirit will teach us the truth.
16:4-15:
-The Spirit convicts the world.
-The Spirit serves the church.
...by guiding us to the truth.
...by glorifying Jesus (for more on this role of the Spirit see this post).
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
New and Notable Books
A few new books that have caught my eye:
1. Heralds of the King (Christ-centered sermons from about 11 preachers)
2. Adopted for Life by Russell Moore (Forward by CJ Mahaney and Al Mohler said this is one of the most compelling books he has ever read. For a guy who reads 10 books a week, that is a significant statement).
3. The Disappearance of God by Al Mohler
4. Acts Pillar Commentary by David Peterson (45% off!)
1. Heralds of the King (Christ-centered sermons from about 11 preachers)
2. Adopted for Life by Russell Moore (Forward by CJ Mahaney and Al Mohler said this is one of the most compelling books he has ever read. For a guy who reads 10 books a week, that is a significant statement).
3. The Disappearance of God by Al Mohler
4. Acts Pillar Commentary by David Peterson (45% off!)
Changed by Looking at Jesus
This Sunday will mark the end of our sermon series through the Gospel of John at Christ Baptist Church. We have spent about 16 months in the fourth Gospel (about 60 sermons). When you spend that kind of time with someone or something, you naturally cultivate ties that are difficult to break. My life will never be the same. I will forever be marked by the truth of John’s Gospel. I’m not ready to move on. We could spend the rest of our lifetime (and eternity) exploring and admiring the person and work of Jesus Christ in the Gospel of John (John ends his Gospel by pointing to Jesus’ inexhaustible greatness – 21:25). However, we must move on to explore the person and work of Jesus Christ from all of Scripture. God’s Word is rich with fresh truth about our Savior.
So, Justin, what particularly has been precious to you from your study and preaching of the Gospel of John? I’m glad you asked. I have been specifically captivated by just how passionate Jesus is to glorify the Father by speaking the words of the Father and accomplishing the will of the Father. John answers the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” in a profoundly simple and majestic way. I counted well over 100 references in the Gospel of John to the relationship of the Father and the Son. The vast majority of these references communicate Jesus’ relentless passion to please His Father. Here are some examples:
4:34 – “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
5:19 – “…the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
6:38 – “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
8:29 – “for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
12:50 – “What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
14:31 – “I do as the Father has commanded me so that the world may know that I love the Father.”
17:4 – “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”
So, what is so significant about this emphasis on Jesus’ desire to please the Father by accomplishing the will of the Father? Here are just 3 of the many life-altering implications:
1. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so in the place of all those who trust in Him. Jesus’ obedience is credited to our account when we embrace Him as our Savior (Rom. 5:19). He not only died in our place; He lived in our place. We have not obeyed the Father and lived for His glory. However, because of what Jesus accomplished, we are treated as if we had obeyed as perfectly as Jesus obeyed. Take some time to ponder the greatness of this gospel!
2. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He left us an example to follow. We are to do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). We are supposed to have a relentless passion to please the Father in everything we do. With Jesus, we should say, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
3. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so to the end. His obedience culminated in His death on the Cross for our sins. When He said, “It is finished” (19:30), He was declaring that He had completed the plan of the Father to bear the sins of His sheep. The Cross was the supreme display of the glory of God because it was there that Jesus proved that His obedience was not half-hearted. He went all the way. The Father was glorified in the sacrifice of the Son and we get to spend eternity enjoying the benefits. And, because of His death, Jesus will continue to obey the Father by guarding those entrusted to Him (6:37-39; 10:28-29). What a Savior!
Friends, as we move on from the gospel of John, let us not forget the glory we have seen and the lessons we have learned. Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (12:26).
So, Justin, what particularly has been precious to you from your study and preaching of the Gospel of John? I’m glad you asked. I have been specifically captivated by just how passionate Jesus is to glorify the Father by speaking the words of the Father and accomplishing the will of the Father. John answers the question, “Who is Jesus Christ?” in a profoundly simple and majestic way. I counted well over 100 references in the Gospel of John to the relationship of the Father and the Son. The vast majority of these references communicate Jesus’ relentless passion to please His Father. Here are some examples:
4:34 – “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
5:19 – “…the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
5:30 – “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
6:38 – “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.”
8:29 – “for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
12:50 – “What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
14:31 – “I do as the Father has commanded me so that the world may know that I love the Father.”
17:4 – “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.”
So, what is so significant about this emphasis on Jesus’ desire to please the Father by accomplishing the will of the Father? Here are just 3 of the many life-altering implications:
1. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so in the place of all those who trust in Him. Jesus’ obedience is credited to our account when we embrace Him as our Savior (Rom. 5:19). He not only died in our place; He lived in our place. We have not obeyed the Father and lived for His glory. However, because of what Jesus accomplished, we are treated as if we had obeyed as perfectly as Jesus obeyed. Take some time to ponder the greatness of this gospel!
2. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He left us an example to follow. We are to do everything for the glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). We are supposed to have a relentless passion to please the Father in everything we do. With Jesus, we should say, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
3. When Jesus obeyed the Father, He did so to the end. His obedience culminated in His death on the Cross for our sins. When He said, “It is finished” (19:30), He was declaring that He had completed the plan of the Father to bear the sins of His sheep. The Cross was the supreme display of the glory of God because it was there that Jesus proved that His obedience was not half-hearted. He went all the way. The Father was glorified in the sacrifice of the Son and we get to spend eternity enjoying the benefits. And, because of His death, Jesus will continue to obey the Father by guarding those entrusted to Him (6:37-39; 10:28-29). What a Savior!
Friends, as we move on from the gospel of John, let us not forget the glory we have seen and the lessons we have learned. Jesus said, “If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (12:26).
Monday, May 04, 2009
Learning to be Unfashionable
Unfashionable: Making a Difference in the World by being Different by Tullian Tchividjian is a book worth reading. I've read several books on how Christians should relate to the culture around them. This is by far the best and most Biblical one.Basically, Tullian argues that we love and care for the world by being distinct from the world. Christians make a difference in this world by being different from this world.
He writes, "When the size of God grips us more than the size of our churches and leadership conferences, and when we become obsessed with surrendering our lives to God's sovereign presence, only then will we be redemptively different and serve as God's cosmic change agents in a world yearning for change" (p. 18).
This book addresses issues such as the relevance and sufficiency of Scripture, the content of the gospel, the call to redeem the culture, vocation, and the church. Part 3 is actually an exposition of the end of Ephesians 4. Tullian lists six defining marks of a church that is distinct from the world. He ends with a passionate call to live against the world for the world.
"Christians who try to convince the world around them that they're really no different at all, hoping they'll be accepted on the world's terms and on the world's turf, should be embarrassed" (p. 167).
Here is my favorite quote:
"Ironically, the more we Christians pursue worldly relevance, the more we'll render ourselves irrelevant to the world around us. There's an irrelevance to pursuing relevance, just as there's a relevance to practicing irrelevance. To be truly relevant, you have to say things that are unfashionably eternal, not trendy. It's the timeless things that are most relevant to most people, and we dare not forget this fact in our pursuit of relevance" (p. 17).
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Following Jesus to the End
John ends his Gospel about the glory of Jesus with a call to follow Jesus. I brought out 4 aspects of following Jesus from John 21:15-25 Sunday:
1. Following Jesus involves committment to His people ("Feed my sheep").
2. Following Jesus is costly (Jesus tells Peter it will cost him his life).
3. Following Jesus frees us from comparison ("What is that to you? You follow me").
4. Following Jesus is more than worth it (The greatness of Jesus -v.25).
Verse 25 is John's way of saying, "We haven't even scratched the surface of the greatness of this Savior. He is deeper and wider and longer and greater than I can write."
He is limitless.
He is vast.
He is unending.
He is inexhaustible.
He is incomprehensible.
He is boundless.
He is immeasurable.
He is infinite.
He is incalculable.
He is unfathomable.
He is uncontainable.
He is worth following...
1. Following Jesus involves committment to His people ("Feed my sheep").
2. Following Jesus is costly (Jesus tells Peter it will cost him his life).
3. Following Jesus frees us from comparison ("What is that to you? You follow me").
4. Following Jesus is more than worth it (The greatness of Jesus -v.25).
Verse 25 is John's way of saying, "We haven't even scratched the surface of the greatness of this Savior. He is deeper and wider and longer and greater than I can write."
He is limitless.
He is vast.
He is unending.
He is inexhaustible.
He is incomprehensible.
He is boundless.
He is immeasurable.
He is infinite.
He is incalculable.
He is unfathomable.
He is uncontainable.
He is worth following...
Friday, May 01, 2009
Here is how JC Ryle closes his commentary on John
JC Ryle (Expository Thoughts on John) quoting Bullinger:
“Reader, I have now set before thee thy Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, that very Son of God, who was begotten by the Father by an eternal and ineffable generation, consubstantial and coequal with the Father in all things;--but in these last times, according to prophetical oracles, was incarnate for us, suffered, died, rose again from the dead, and was made King and Lord of all things.—This is He who is appointed and given us by God the Father, as the fullness of all grace and truth, as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, as the ladder and door of heaven, as the serpent lifted up to render the poison of sin harmless, as the water which refreshes the thirsty, as the bread of life, as the light of the world, as the redeemer of God’s children, as the shepherd and door of the sheep, as the resurrection and the life, as the corn of wheat which springs up into much fruit, as the conqueror of the prince of this world, as the way, the truth, and the life, as the true vine, and finally, as the redemption, salvation, satisfaction, and righteousness of all the faithful in all the world, throughout the ages. Let us therefore pray God the Father, that, being taught by His Gospel, we may know Him that is true, and believe in Him in whom alone is salvation; and that, believing, we may feel God living in us in this world, and in the world to come may enjoy His eternal and most blessed fellowship.” Amen and Amen.
“Reader, I have now set before thee thy Savior the Lord Jesus Christ, that very Son of God, who was begotten by the Father by an eternal and ineffable generation, consubstantial and coequal with the Father in all things;--but in these last times, according to prophetical oracles, was incarnate for us, suffered, died, rose again from the dead, and was made King and Lord of all things.—This is He who is appointed and given us by God the Father, as the fullness of all grace and truth, as the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world, as the ladder and door of heaven, as the serpent lifted up to render the poison of sin harmless, as the water which refreshes the thirsty, as the bread of life, as the light of the world, as the redeemer of God’s children, as the shepherd and door of the sheep, as the resurrection and the life, as the corn of wheat which springs up into much fruit, as the conqueror of the prince of this world, as the way, the truth, and the life, as the true vine, and finally, as the redemption, salvation, satisfaction, and righteousness of all the faithful in all the world, throughout the ages. Let us therefore pray God the Father, that, being taught by His Gospel, we may know Him that is true, and believe in Him in whom alone is salvation; and that, believing, we may feel God living in us in this world, and in the world to come may enjoy His eternal and most blessed fellowship.” Amen and Amen.
T4G 2010
The following person has been successfully registered for Together for the Gospel 2010:
Justin Childers
You can register here: T4G.org
Also, after I registered, they sent me a $20 off coupon for a friend. I could auction it off to the highest bidder or I could use it to defer the cost of others from my church going. What would Mark Dever do?
Justin Childers
You can register here: T4G.org
Also, after I registered, they sent me a $20 off coupon for a friend. I could auction it off to the highest bidder or I could use it to defer the cost of others from my church going. What would Mark Dever do?
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