From Every Tribe and People and Nation

What is the purpose of diversity in the church, and why is the church called to call diverse people to repentance and faith in Jesus? Here are some helpful thoughts from John Piper:

The reason God decreed that the gospel would obtain people from every tribe and people and nation is that the aim of the gospel is the glorification of his grace and this ingathering of diverse peoples into one Christ-exalting, unified people who would glorify the power and beauty of his grace more than if he had done things another way. There is a strong confirmation of this in noticing that several texts which command the pursuit of all ethnic groups are explicit that this pursuit is for the glory of Christ.

For example, in Romans 1:5, Paul says that his apostleship was given "to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of [Christ's] name among all the nations." In other words, the pursuit of "all nations" (all ethnic groups) is for the glory of Christ. Similarly in Romans 15:9, Paul says that Christ did his own missionary work in coming into the world "in order that the Gentiles [or nations] might glorify God for his mercy." The aim of Christ's pursuit of the Gentiles (the ethnically different ones) is for the glory of God's mercy, which was shown supremely in the death of Christ.

Accordingly, the consummation of the missionary mandate to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19) is described in Revelation 5:9 as persons from "every tribe and language and people and nation" worshiping the Lamb and declaring the infinite worth of his glory. So the apostolic vocation (Romans 1:5) and the messianic example of Christ (Romans 15:9) and the consummation of all missions (Revelation 5:9) have one explicit aim: to display the glory of Christ through the ingathering of a hugely diverse and unified redeemed people.

Tuesday Teaching| Hosea 2 - 'True Love and False Lovers'

Last week we began a new series in the book of Hosea with Philip Jensen. We continue this week with Hosea chapter 2 - True Love and False Lovers.

Why do you do what you do?

What is it that makes us do what we do? Jonathan Edwards has some very helpful insights on the nature of our affections and how they affect our actions. The languge here may be at first hard to read, but bear with Edwards because he is well worth working at and understanding:

Such is man’s nature, that he is very inactive, any otherwise than he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. These affections we see to be the springs that set men agoing, in all the affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are the things that put men forward, and carry them along, in all their worldly business; and especially are men excited and animated by these, in all affairs wherein they are earnestly engaged, and which they pursue with vigor. We see the world of mankind to be exceeding busy and active; and the affections of men are the springs of the motion: take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all anger, zeal, and affectionate desire, and the world would be, in a great measure motionless and dead; there would be no such thing as activity amongst mankind, or any earnest pursuit whatsoever. It is affection that engages the covetous man, and him that is greedy of worldly profits, in his pursuits; and it is by the affections, that the ambitious man is put forward in pursuit of worldly glory; and it is the affections also that actuate the voluptuous man, in his pursuit of pleasure and sensual delights: the world continues, from age to age, in a continual commotion and agitation, in a pursuit of these things, but take away all affection, and the spring of all this motion would be gone, and the motion itself would cease. And as in worldly things, worldly affections are very much the spring of men’s motion and action; so in religious matters, the spring of their actions is very much religious affection: he that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, never is engaged in the business of religion.

The Offense of Grace

God's grace is offensive. By nature we do not want God to be gracious to us because it offends us.

Now, it might sound a bit odd to say that, so let me explain. We are by nature proud. Because of this we do not naturally delight in the idea that salvation must be by grace alone. Why? Because that means that all the glory goes to God alone, and we want to take some of that glory for ourselves. We want to be able to contribute something to our salvation, so that we can be honoured. In effect we want to rob God of the praise that is rightfully His. Charles Spurgeon in a sermon from Isaiah 55:1 says:

Pride is woven into man’s nature. The prodigal became a prodigal through his love of independence, he desired his own portion of goods to do as he liked with. After he became a prodigal his time was occupied with spending — he spent his money riotously; he loved to play the fine gentleman and spend. Even when the prodigal came to himself the old idea of paying was still to him, and he desired to be a hired servant, so that if he could not pay in money he would pay in labor.

We do not like to be saved by charity, and so to have no corner in which to sit and boast. We long to make provision for a little self-congratulation. You insult a moral man if you tell him that he must be saved in the same way as a thief or a murderer, yet this is no more than the truth. For a woman of purity to be told that the same grace which saved a Magdalene is necessary for her salvation is so humbling, that her indignation is roused, and yet it is the fact, for in every case salvation is “without money and without price."

Prayerlessness

Almost every believer I've spoken to admits that they find prayer a struggle. Many of us struggle to set aside more time to pray, and when we do pray we struggle with the fact that we find our prayers to be cold, and distracted. Why is this? J. C. Ryle puts his finger on one of the reasons when he says:

How is it that many true believers often pray so coldly? What is the reason that their prayers are so feeble, wandering and lukewarm, as they frequently are? The answer is very plain: their sense of need is not so deep as it ought to be. They are not truly alive to their own weakness and helplessness, and so they do not cry fervently for mercy and grace. Let us remember these things. Let us seek to have a constant and abiding sense of our real necessities. If saints could only see their souls as the ten afflicted lepers saw their bodies, they would pray far better than they do.

Therefore, let us work hard at recognising the reality about ourselves, that we are creatures who are utterly dependent upon our Creator, sinners utterly dependent upon a gracious Saviour. The more we recognise our weakness and helplessness, the quicker and more urgently we will run to our Father's throne of grace in prayer.

How Could God Allow Suffering?

Tuesday Teaching| Hosea 1 - A Hellish Marriage

This week we begin a new series of Tuesday Teaching posts. Over the next few weeks we're going to be working through the book of Hosea with Philip Jensen. This week we begin at the beginning, in Hosea 1.

Are We Really Concerned About Justice?

I'm sure many of us will be familiar with people accusing God of wrongdoing. When they look out on a world that is filled with evil, whether it be the latest murder investigation saga on the news or the feeling that they have been personally mistreated, many people question whther a just and good God can exist.

However, we have no right to put God in the dock. For one thing, we are the creature and He the Creator, so we are in no position to exalt ourselves to become His judge. What is more, if we were really concerned about justice we would be be questioning why God is treating me so well. Yet no one complains about that. I've never heard anyone get worked up over the fact that God is treating them far better than they deserve. How can God allow me, a sinner who has dragged His glory through the dirt and rejected the rule of the Lord of the universe, to still live? What is more, how can God forgive and welcome such sinners to be part of His people? Nobody asks these questions, yet this is what we ought to be concerned about. How can God be right and say that I am right when I'm wrong?

The answer to this is found in the cross of Christ. John Stott writes:

No one can now accuse God of condoning evil and so of moral indifference or injustice. The cross demonstrates with equal vividness both his justice in judging sin and his mercy in justifying the sinner. For now, as a result of the propitatory death of his Son, God can be ‘just and the justifier’ of those who believe in him. He is able to bestow a righteous status on the unrighteous, without compromising his own righteousness.

Steve Jobs

Media all across the world has been abuzz with tributes to Steve Jobs, the former head of Apple, who died on Wednesday. Jobs' work has significantly shaped the technology that many use, and the way we use it.

A number of helpful Christian articles have been written in light of this about Jobs, his legacy and the implicit message behind his life and work with Apple. Here's a roundup of just a few such articles for your thinking and reading pleasure:

• Steve Jobs, the Allure of Technology, and The Image of God - John Dyer
• Dear Steve - Mike Anderson
• The Gospel According to Steve Jobs - Andy Crouch (via Justin Taylor)

Thrilled by the Depths

Are you bored of the gospel? The Christian faces a huge temptation to grow weary of the gospel and move on to something new and exciting. That is why many make a shipwreck of their faith (1 Timothy 1:19)and move on to other gospels (which are no gospels at all - Galatians 1:6-7). They think that they know the gospel, have seen all that there is to see in it, and are now looking for the next exciting thrill.

But such thoughts betray a wrong understanding of the gospel. The gospel is not like a child's Christmas present, which is exciting at first but, after a few months, the novelty wears off. We might better think of the gospel like we think of the depths of the ocean. There is always more to explore, we can always go deeper and see new depths. Thus, excitement is not found in looking to move on from the gospel to something new, rather real excitement will be found in diving deeper into its inexhaustable depths. A true diver never grows bored of exploring the depths of the sea, neither should the Christian grow weary of the infinite riches of the gospel.

Tim Keller has some helpful words to say on this, and what implications it has for us. He says:

The angels never get tired of looking into the gospel. This means there is no end to gospel exploration. There are depths in the gospel that are always there to be discovered and applied, not only to our ministry and daily Christian life, but above all, to the worship of the God of the gospel with renewed vision and humility.

The underlying conviction in my preaching, pastoring, and writing is that the gospel—this eternally fascinating message craved by the angels—can change a heart, a community, and the world when it is recovered and applied.

It is one thing to understand the gospel but is quite another to experience the gospel in such a way that it fundamentally changes us and becomes the source of our identity and security. It is one thing to grasp the essence of the gospel but it quite another to think out its implications for all of life. We all struggle to explore the mysteries of the gospel on a regular basis, but we should strive to immerse ourselves in it and allow its message to influence our life daily.

Write On!

A while ago I wrote a couple of posts on the idea of preaching to ourselves (see below for links). This is where we seek to get into the habit of speaking to ourselves rather than listening to oursleves. It is cultivating the practice of reminding ourselves of and exhorting ourselves with the truths of the Bible. In this post I want to think about one practical way that we can help ourselves to become better self-preachers. One simple way I have come to find invaluable in this battle is to get into the habit of writing.

What do I mean by writing? What I especially have in mind is using pen and paper as we study the Bible, meditate on it and seek to apply its truth to ourselves. In this post I want to commend to you the practice of writing as you read the Bible, as you meditate on and think through the implications of the Bible. I want to encourage you to keep a notebook with your Bible and to take notes as you read.

I want also to suggest that writing is better than typing. I know that many people use laptops  iphones, ipad and many more gadgets and these, used rightly, can be extremely valuable tools. However, in my experience I find that writing better serves preaching to ourselves. There is something about the physical action of forming the words with a pen on paper that helps us in a way that typing words into a screen cannot (However, I'm well aware of the irony that I'm currently typing this on my laptop instead of jotting it down on a piece of paper!).

Getting into the habit of studying and thinking with a pen can greatly help us as we seek to preach to ourselves. There are a number of reasons why this is the case. Here are some of the great benefits that we gain from using the pen and paper in our Christian life:

1) Writing Helps us to Think Clearly
As we write we force ourselves to articulate clearly the thoughts that have been buzzing around in our heads. Thoughts that are not articulated can have the tendancy of being vague. Frequently I find when I come to write down thoughts, which seem clear in my head, I find that my thinking is not as clear as I think it is. Making ourselves write down the thoughts that are roaming around in our heads, as clear and simple as they may seem, greatly helps us to become clear thinkers.

Any preacher will tell you that one of the things that makes for a good sermon is the fact that it's clear and easy for the listener to follow. When it comes to preaching to ourselves, surely we want to be clear about what we are telling ourselves as we seek to press home Bible truths to ourselves. The discipline of writing will help us to do that. It will help us to think clearly about the Bible passage we're studying, and to think clearly as we seek to apply it to ourselves.

2) Writing Helps us Understand
This point is closely related to the previous one. The more clearly we are able to think about and express something, the better we understand it. I have heard it said that you don't really understand something, unless you are able to explain it to a small child. The more clearly we think about and seek to articulate something, the deeper we grow in understanding it.

If writing helps us to think more clearly about the truths of the Bible as we study it, it follows that it will also help us to deepen in our understanding of those truths because we are forcing ourselves to articulate as clearly and concisely as possible what we are seeing as we seek to mine the riches of Scripture in dependance upon the God who has given it to us.

3) Writing Deepens Impressions
It has often been said that "expression deepens impression". When we express the truths that we've heard to others, or simply on a page, it deepens the impression that the truth leaves on us.

Again and again I find that when I preach and teach the Bible I become more sure of those truths, treasure them more deeply and cling to them more tightly. This is because, in making myself think through how I might best and most clearly express those truths, they make a deeper and more lasting impression on me. I become more aware of the reality of those truths, and therefore I love them all the more.

The same is true when we make oursleves express on paper the great riches we are mining from the Bible as we study it. The more we seek to express the truths of the gospel using pen and paper, the depper the impression they will make on us. The more we express clearly the magnificence of Jesus as He is revealed in the pages of Scripture, the more precious He becomes to us.

4) Writing Helps us Remember
I suspect that I'm not the only one who finds that the physical action of writing helps me to remember things better. There is something about the action of going throught the actions of forming words on the page that burns them into my brain for longer. I'm in the habit of always carrying a notebook around with me. This is because I'm in the habit of constantly forgetting things. It has been my experience that I remember things much better if I jot it down in a notebook. Even if I don't come back to that page, I find that I'm more likely to remember because I've gone through the motions of writing it down which has burned it a little deeper into my memory.

5) Writing Endures Longer Than Thoughts in Our Head
It is a simple fact that something written down can have a far longer lifespan than a thought in our head does. A trip to the local library reminds us of this. There are libraryloads of books that have outlived their authors by hundreds of years.

Now I'm not suggesting that our aim in taking notes as we study the Bible is to create a Christian classic that will last for hundreds of years. What I simply want to point out is that getting into the habit of writing will serve us greatly as we seek to cultivate a lifetime of preaching to ourselves. I have no idea what I was thinking (or even what passage of the Bible I was reading) on the 23rd February 2008. However, because I've written notes as I read the Bible that day, I am still able to benefit from that morning's study of the Bible years later. The discipline of the pen and paper will serve us in years to come, it will endure in a way that our memories can't.


Now, we need to be clear, none of these five points are here to deny the fact that it is God alone who gives us understanding as we read the Bible. The best and clearest thinking, the most proficient writing and the most dilligently stored notebooks are worth nothing if He does not open our eyes, unstop our ears and  soften our hearts as we come before the Bible. we need constantly to pray with the Psalmist, "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law." (Psalm 119:18).

However, our thinking is not inconsistent with the fact that it is God who gives us understanding. Paul calls Timothy to "Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything." (2 Timothy 2:7). It it precisely because it is God that gives us understanding that allows us to think and work hard as we study the text of Scripture. It is through our hard work, and dilligent sweating over the text of the Bible, in humble dependance on Him that He gives understanding. Getting into the habit of writing can, under God, be a great means to us better grasping and applying the truths of Scripture to ourselves.

So, brothers and sisters, can I commend you to 'Write on'!



Previous Posts:

• Listen Up!
• Are You Talking to Yourself?

Tuesday Teaching| A Name Better Than Sons and Daughters

It's another Tueaday which means another Tueaday Teaching post. Next week, God willing, we shall be starting a new series of sermons. This week we have a one off sermon from John Piper, taken from a series he preached on marriage, looking at the theological significance of the single Christian. Piper gives us a very helpful theology of singleness which is a great encouragement to single men and women in Christ.

The Heart of the Bible

John Flavel helps us to read our Bibles better by pointing our what stands at the heart of Scripture:

The knowledge of Jesus Christ is the very marrow and kernel of all the scriptures; the scope and centre of all divine revelations: both Testaments meet in Christ. The ceremonial law is full of Christ, and all the gospel is full of Christ: the blessed lines of both Testaments meet in him; and how they both harmonise, and sweetly concentre in Jesus Christ, is the chief scope of that excellent epistle to the Hebrews, to discover; for we may call that epistle the sweet harmony of both Testaments. This argues the unspeakable excellency of this doctrine, the knowledge whereof must needs therefore be a key to unlock the greatest part of the sacred scriptures. For it is in the understanding of scripture, much as it is in the knowledge men have in logic and philosophy: if a scholar once come to understand the bottom-principle, upon which, as upon its hinge, the controversy turns the true knowledge of that principle shall carry him through the whole controversy, and furnish him with a solution to every argument. Even so the right knowledge of Jesus Christ, like a clue, leads you through the whole labyrinth of the scriptures.

Should The Risk of Danger Keep Me From Doing Missions?

The Doctrine of the Trinity

Many Christians admit to being confused when it comes to understanding the doctrine of the Trinity - that our God is one God in three persons. Kevin DeYoung has written a short piece explaining the doctrine of the Trinity and why it is so significant. He says:

If any doctrine makes Christianity Christian, then surely it is the doctrine of the Trinity. The three great ecumenical creeds—the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, and the Athanasian Creed—are all structured around our three in one God, underlying the essential importance of Trinitarian theology. Augustine once commented about the Trinity that “in no other subject is error more dangerous, or inquiry more laborious, or the discovery of truth more profitable.” More recently, Sinclair Ferguson has reflected on “the rather obvious thought that when his disciples were about to have the world collapse in on them, our Lord spent so much time in the Upper Room speaking to them about the mystery of the Trinity. If anything could underline the necessity of Trinitarianism for practical Christianity, that must surely be it!”


Yet, when it comes to the doctrine of the Trinity, most Christians are poor in their understanding, poorer in their articulation, and poorest of all in seeing any way in which the doctrine matters in real life.

DeYoung goes on to explore the importance of the doctrine of the Trinity under three headings:

• What does the doctrine mean?

• Where is it found in the Bible?

• Why does any of this matter?

You can read the whole article here.

"Behold the Cross of Christ"

Here are some more helpful thoughts from J. C. Ryle on suffering, and how the gospel of Christ crucified comforts the suffering believer:

Are you a distressed believer? Is your heart pressed down with sickness, tried with disappointments, overburdened with cares? To you I say this day, “Behold the cross of Christ.” Think whose hand it is that chastens you; think whose hand is measuring to you the cup of bitterness which you are now drinking. It is the hand of Him who was crucified! It is the same hand which, in love to your soul, was nailed to the accursed tree. Surely that thought should comfort and hearten you. Surely you should say to yourself, “A crucified Savior will never lay upon me anything that is not for my good. There is a needs be. It must be well.

Ministering to the Sick and Dying

Over at the Gospel Coalition Kevin DeYoung has written a few very helpful points on ministering to the sick and dying. This is a very helpful read, whether you're in full time gospel ministry or not. All of us at some time will find ourselves with someone who is sick or dying, whether a family member, friend or a brother or sister in our church. It is worth taking the time to read through DeYoung's few thoughts. You can read it by clicking here.

Tuesday Teaching| Philippians 4:10-23

We come to the final sermon in this Tuesday Teaching Series in the book of Philippians with Mark Driscoll, entitled The Rebel's Guide to Joy. This week we're in Philippians 4:10-23. We'll be back next with a new Tuesday Teaching Series.

 

"For Every Storm"

Getting our expectations right in the Christian life is crucial. This is especially the case when the storm hits. When pain, sickness, loss, bereveament or some other calamity hits, if our expectaions are wonky, then we could be on our way to a shipwreck.

J. C. Ryle has some helpful words to remember when the storm breaks:

If we are true Christians, we must not expect everything smooth in our journey to heaven. We must count it no strange thing, if we have to endure sicknesses, losses, bereavements, and disappointments, just like other people. Free pardon and full forgiveness, grace by the way and glory to the end – all this our Savior has promised to give. But He has never promised that we shall have no afflictions. He loves us too well to promise that.

By affliction He teaches us many precious lessons, which without it we should never learn. By affliction He shows us our emptiness and weakness, draws us to the throne of grace, purifies our affections, weans us from the world and makes us long for heaven. In the resurrection morning we shall all say, ‘it is good for me that I was afflicted.’ [Psalm 119:71] We shall thank God for every storm.

Jesus has not promised us an easy life now. In fact, we are promised exactly the opposite, we are told that "through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22). The Christian can be sure of this that the Christian life is not a straight and easy line to glory, but they shall get there - God makes sure of this. When we stand in glory we shall look back on every storm and we shall praise Him all the more. Not only because God has preserved us in Christ through every overwhelming wave, but also for the unnumberable blessings that He has brought to us by each and every wave. Therefore, even though we may not see it now, let us look by faith and learn to say "it is good for me that I was afflicted."

Gospel Ministry and Physical Exercise

Recently John Piper wrote a helpful short two part series entitled Physical Exercise: What I do and Why. Piper has kept up a life-long commitment to regular physical exercise in the context of a huge amount of other things demanding his time. In this little series he has some very helpful things to say on the purpose of exercise in the Christian life, and especially in the life of those in Christian ministry. I've rethought how and what I do for physical exercise as a result of reading this. You can view the articles by clicking the links below:

• Part 1
• Part 2