Archive for July, 2009

The Word 7.19.09

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Comments Posted on Jul 19, 2009 Last Updated Jul 20, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

Jesus calls unlikely people and uses the foolish things of this world to glorify himself. Why? In choosing unlikely people and foolish things, Jesus ensures that God’s glory is not given to man. The wise and talented would be tempted to claim honor for himself based on his good works or abilities. But Jesus makes that impossible by choosing people and things that the world scoffs at. He sits with tax collectors and sinners because they are sick and perceive the need for healing. Once again, the Pharisees miss the point. They do not think of themselves as sick and thus do not perceive an illness. They have little use for a doctor or a man who keeps company with sinnners.

God cares little for our religious speeches and habits if we do not show mercy to sinners. I believe this is an area in all of us that may need a bit of refining. I would certainly count myself in that group.

Matthew 9:9-13 (ESV)

9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Jimmy Needham for $1.99

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Comments Posted on Jul 16, 2009 Last Updated Jul 16, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

Not Without Love by Jimmy NeedhamIf you didn’t know…Amazon chooses one album every day to offer as a download at a steep discount. The price usually varies from $1.99 to $3.99. It’s a great deal regardless and it’s an inexpensive way to expand your musical horizons beyond those NKOTB albums you’ve been jamming to for years (don’t front…you know all the lyrics and moves).

With that being said, I just picked up Jimmy Needham’s new album Not Without Love for $1.99 as a gift for my wife. New music is a great pick me up when you’re having a tough day. Plus, she is a big Jimmy Needham fan. If you like Jason Mraz’s style then you will like this. But hurry…they usually keep these prices up a day or two past the initial sale but then it’s gone.

When Helping Hurts

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Comments Posted on Jul 16, 2009 Last Updated Jul 16, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

when helping hurtsWestminster Bookstore is running a two-day special on the book When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor…and Yourself. You can pick it up for $4.98 until 5 pm on Saturday. It looks like a thought provoking read. It could be a good book for a discussion group.

Here’s a blurb:

“I confess to becoming irritated when I read something—such as When Helping Hurts—that makes me reconsider my methods and ministry, but am usually thankful when it helps me be more effective in serving the Lord. The authors struggle with an ambivalence that arises from the desperation of poor people around the world and the often stumbling efforts of those of us who try to help them. Poor people need help, but what is the best way to help them, and how do we keep from hurting them? These are the issues at stake.
  This book has wonderful stories that illustrate the dilemma faced by those who would do good. It may be a bitter pill to swallow that, having invested in a worthy cause, you hear that the results have caused damage to the very people you meant to bless. Please see this book as an encouragement to do things right and not as a condemnation of anyone’s sincere motive to help the needy.
  Though the authors are men of education, knowledge, and experience, they confess their own struggles in the application of these principles. As someone who has once been poor, and has worked all of his years in ministry to help the poor, I encourage you to read and ponder the principles in When Helping Hurts”
 
– Randy Nabors, Pastor of New City Fellowship, TN (PCA)

The Monday Muse: Sin to Break Church Unity Over Millennium?

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Comments Posted on Jul 13, 2009 Last Updated Jul 14, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

A recent sermon by Mark Dever has been buzzing around the blogosphere. In his sermon on Revelation 20 and millennial views, Dever makes the bold statement that to break church unity over a difference in millennial view is sin. As transcripted by A.J. Gibson:

I think that millennial views need not be among those doctrines that divide us. . . . I am suggesting that what you believe about the millennium—how you interpret these thousand years—is not something that it is necessary for us to agree upon in order to have a congregation together. The Lord Jesus Christ prayed in John 17:21 that we Christians might be one. Of course all true Christians are one in that we have his Spirit, we share his Spirit, we desire to live out that unity. But that unity is supposed to be evident as a testimony to the world around us. Therefore, I conclude that we should end our cooperations together with other Christians (whether near-ly in a congregation, or more at length in working together in missions and church planting and evangelism and building up the ministry) only with the greatest of care, lest we rend the body of Christ for whose unity he’s prayed and given himself. Therefore, I conclude that it is sin to divide the body of Christ—to divide the body that he prayed would be united. Therefore for us to conclude that we must agree upon a certain view of alcohol, or a certain view of schooling, or a certain view of meat sacrificed to idols, or a certain view of the millennium in order to have fellowship together is, I think, not only unnecessary for the body of Christ, but it is therefore both unwarranted and therefore condemned by scripture. So if you’re a pastor and you’re listening to me, you understand me correctly if you think I’m saying you are in sin if you lead your congregation to have a statement of faith that requires a particular millennial view. I do not understand why that has to be a matter of uniformity in order to have Christian unity in a local congregation.

So let’s get right to the point. Do you agree with Dever? Is it a sin to break church unity over the issue of the millennium?

(HT: Justin Taylor)

The Word 7.12.09

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Comments Posted on Jul 12, 2009 Last Updated Jul 14, 2009 Posted by Jeff Lash

We have access to God. It is an awesome thought. As Christians, we are able to approach God and call Him our Father based on the shed blood of Jesus. He is our great high priest who sits at the right hand of God and intercedes on our behalf. Since Jesus shed his blood and died, we have been justified before God. Since Jesus rose from the grave, we can have eternal life with God. And since Jesus sits at the Father’s right hand, we can have access to God and relationship with Him. But only Jesus makes this possible. The rest of the passage gives a believer’s response to this glorious truth. I hope that you will be drawn to greater affection for God through this passage.

Hebrews 10:19-25 (ESV)

19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

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