Obama Does Not Believe Faith in Christ Necessary for Heaven

Read more about this here.

R.C. Sproul Interviews Ben Stein about Intelligent Design

Click here to view. Approx. 27 minutes in length.

A One-Size Fits All God Doesn’t Help When It’s Time To Die

(HT: Heidelblog)

A One-Size Fits All God Doesn’t Help When It’s Time To Die

(HT: Heidelblog)

Tim Keller Interview (Monergism.com)

A really good interview of Tim Keller by Monergism.com.

Would We Rather Have Comfort of Soul, or Know God?

In reading “Outgrowing the Ingrown Church” by C. John Miller, I came across a quote that just struck me. In the book, Miller notes that many churches have neglected God’s clear will of “going and making disciples” as outlined by Christ’s Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). But many of our churches have grown inward for fear of extinction. It was at this point, I came across this quote on pp. 19-20:

“We have surrendered our hearts to the familiar forms of our religious life and found comfort of soul, not in knowing God, but in knowing that our worship practices are firmly settled and nothing unpredictable will happen Sunday morning. Thus, we have lost contact with the risen Lord as the source of our spiritual life, and what is worse we are often so enfeebled that we hardly know that we are out of touch with the King.”

Would we rather have comfort of soul, or know God? One thing about going through the Gospel of Luke is that Jesus is not comfortable nor safe. In fact, Jesus said in Matthew 5:11-12:

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. [12] Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

But how sad it would be for us to be out of touch with the risen Lord, and not know it — but think we are because we are maintaining worship practices that may be taking precedence over the leadership of the Holy Spirit of Christ?!?

Joe Thorn commented on another aspect of Miller’s book dealing with seven characteristics of an ingrown churches. May we read and head as we evaluate exactly what God would have us to be as a New Testament church.

The Gospel in Six Minutes (John Piper)

Tim Keller at UC-Berkeley: Reason for God in an Age of Skepticism?

A number of college students are now facing arguments from the “New Atheism” trying (unsuccessfully so)to undermine the rationality and validity of a Supreme Being of any guide, and a God as described in the Bible. Tim Keller in this and through his book “The Reason for God” is an introduction to engaging those struggling with God’s work in the world. This took place at the Veritas Forum at the University of California at Berkeley.

Does Good Friday Celebrate Suffering?

Sadly, I am finding more and more college students and young adults influenced by secularism and humanitarian efforts who reject the God of the Bible because they cannot reconcile a loving God who allows suffering in the world. I did address this in a previous sermon which brought a great deal of help to many people who were struggling with various issues but could seemingly find no answers.

I always encourage people to look to the cross. While we do understand that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, to those who are being saved it is the power of God unto salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). The majority of people in the world will see the cross as scandalous and a stumbling block on many levels:

• Why couldn’t God just forgive? Why did He need to sacrifice His Son?
• Some say, as Steven Chalke and Alan Mann did in a recent book, that the cross is simply “cosmic child abuse” of a Father to His Son;
• How could one man take on the sin of everyone? Isn’t there something more that could be done?
• How could the King of Kings and creator of the universe ever truly subject himself to death? That is beneath the dignity of a King.

It comes down to the penal substitution of Christ in placating the divine wrath of a holy God. This is not a “fly off the handle” type of wrath, but a wrath in which God is decidedly against the very thing that separates His beloved image-bearers from Himself — sin.

As God, Christ came to fulfill God’s Law (something we could not accomplish). As a man, He stood in our place as a substitute for our sin.

But to answer the question, I would like to echo Tim Keller’s comments from his most recent book, The Reason for God: to the human perspective, the cross seemed like the greatest injustice in history (which it was) but there was a tremendous cosmic purpose behind it. So when we look to the cross, we see that behind all the suffering (which came in due to the curse of sin) God is orchestrating a glorious plan to reconcile all things to Himself.

I have been reading through some really good books on the subject over the past few weeks:

• The Truth of the Cross by R.C. Sproul
• The Cross of Christ by John R.W. Stott
• Pierced for our Transgressions by Steve Jeffery, Michael Ovey, and Andrew Sach
• Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan
• The Cross He Bore by Frederick Leahy

Also, some good articles are posted on the subject of Good Friday:

• Good Friday Meditation:Christ and the Meaning of the Universe (Desiring God)
  
• Good Friday Prayer (Jesus Creed)
• Good Friday — “Father, Into Your Hands” (Riddleblog)
• Chuck Colson: The Truth About Everything (Townhall.com)
• It Is Finished (Trevin Wax)

O Grace Abounding, Full and Free (An Original Hymn)

O Grace Abounding, Full and Free
Based on Romans 5:12-21

O grace abounding, full and free;
The gift secured by Christ for me.
Through Adam’s sin our world was cursed,
Through Christ that curse is now reversed.

O grace abounding, right and true;
Christ offers righteousness to you!
Removing judgment, death, and strife
He justifies, and grants new life.

O grace abounding — reigning strong;
Atonement paid, the vict’ry won.
Where sin increased, grace all the more
Through Christ, abundant life’s in store.

O grace abounding, all is right
His Word brought all my sin to light;
His Spirit cleansed me, made me whole,
In heart, in strength, in mind, in soul.

Copyright (c) 2009, Matthew R. Perry. All rights reserved.

Do Church Attendees Want to Blend In or Dig In?

Recently, we had a couple visiting our church who truly love the church and loved the people. They had even expressed interest in joining. They had left their former church because of some turmoil and felt God was calling them to move on. Over a two-hour lunch one Tuesday, I explained to them the vision of our church and the direction I felt God was calling us to go. They seemed very interested — but ended up not joining. I was told later by someone else that they wanted a place where they didn’t feel they were expected to actively contribute at this point.

Others have left our church in order to attend bigger churches that have a more “dynamic” worship time and more activities for the children. As a church, we are considered small (160-180, depending on the time of year) which means our budget is limited in certain areas and our workers are limited as well. The bigger churches offer more — in some aspects.

In a conversation with a Sunday School teacher this past Sunday, she mentioned that some go to these bigger ones because they just want to “blend in.” Bigger churches, for all their pluses, are places where people may be able to attend, but where there is more of an opportunity to “hide.”

In smaller churches that seek to be a true “family of God” guided by the New Testament distinctives and geared by the faithful proclamation of the Word of God; in smaller churches that seek to provide a greater amount of accountability because we are, like the theme song to that old show from the 1980’s, a place “where everybody knows your name.” Once we get too close and the biblical church starts getting to “personal” or even deemed “intrusive,” the temptation is to move on.

My question is “Do church attendees want to blend in or dig in?” Over the next few days, I will be posting on the temptations and trends of too many in evangelical church attendees. But do any of you smaller church pastors struggle with this? What are you doing to address this issue?

I look forward to hearing from you!

Is Being Good Ever a Bad Thing? (Part I)

(This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, Lexington, KY. You can read the Introduction or listen to the full audio of the sermon, click here.)

Lesson:  Being good does not require a personal relationship  with God!

Read with me again Luke 5:27-29:

After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” [28] And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. [29] And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them (Luke 5:27-29, ESV).

As you read through Luke, I am sure you will begin to notice a particular pattern. First of all, Jesus clearly has in mind reaching the outcasts. There were certain types of outcasts: there were spiritual outcasts, such as those with unclean demons who possessed poor souls (Luke 4:31-37). There were physical outcasts — that is, those with leprosy and paralysis and other life-threatening illnesses (Luke 4:38-39; 5:12-26).

One other type of outcasts is an occupational outcast: people who were looked down upon based on their low-level jobs. Peter, James, and John worked as fishermen — they were not invited to the high end society gatherings. But even with them, they were Jews who stayed true to the faith and culture, per se. Yet, Levi was an occupational outcast because he was a traitor to Israel — he was a tax collector who in the name of the Roman Empire extorted his own people for personal profit. He would have been so reviled, that even Peter, James, and John would have looked down on him!

But notice that Jesus’ pattern was not just reaching them in a spiritual sense — He went to where they were! While many of those who were under demonic possession or had physical infirmities, they would come to Him — but at least he was accessible and approachable. But when Jesus comes to call for salvation and discipleship, He does it on their turf and works personally.

Has Christ come to you personally? When you talk to people who live in the Northeast or the Northwest — or really anyone who lives outside the Bible Belt — you will find them almost shocked at how cultural Christianity is. Churches dot the landscape and people find it part of the routine to just go to church on Sunday — because that’s what we do. But the New Testament in general and Jesus specifically never ever calls for a cultural Christianity (in fact, Christianity was seem as countercultural, almost subversive). Christianity is not even institutional — where we can brag about belonging to a particular institution (like Boone’s Creek).

Christianity is personal. When Christ comes in, interfering and interrupting your plans with his plans and purpose and will — and Himself — you then begin to realize that Christ is truly at work in you.

Is Being Good Ever a Bad Thing? (Introduction)

(This sermon was preached on Sunday, March 9, 2008 at Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, Lexington, KY. To listen to the full audio of the sermon, click here.)

I remember growing up in a church that categorically believed that all rock and roll music was bad and inherently evil to listen to. Even Christian music that contained any sort of a rock beat that would make a toe tap would be out of the question. And for the longest time I held to this — avoid rock music! Avoid it!

But it didn’t go so well. I had everything from Aerosmith to ZZ Top. But when I went into the ministry, I discarded all that “bad” music with the questionable and unhelpful lyrics. But the more I got into music, the more I got into other types of music to replace the rock: jazz, reggae, classical — all kinds. I would listen to Christian music a bit as well, but I would listen to those others, not necessarily because it was inherently good, but because it wasn’t bad like that other evil music.

We tend to put ourselves in tight, nice little categories and compartments. In these presidential primaries, we have Republicans and Democrats. In Kentucky, we have Cat fans and Cardinal fans. We tend to break people up into rich and poor, young or old, and yes even good and bad. We tend to think that simply being good is avoiding the stuff that’s bad.

But let me ask you a question: is being good ever a bad thing? You may think, “How can good be bad? Those are polar opposites.” But the answer is, “Spiritually speaking, yes, ‘good’ can be a bad thing.” Why? Because we can take pride in our goodness and our outward righteousness rather than our inward holiness. Being good is not enough. When we believe simply being good outwardly is sufficient, that’s bad.

Let’s stand as we read Luke 5:27-32:

After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, “Follow me.” [28] And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. [29] And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. [30] And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” [31] And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. [32] I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (ESV)

(Tomorrow: Being good does not require a personal relationship
with God.)

American Idol Kisses Off Genuine Manhood (CBMW)

An Americal Idol contestant fires back at some comments made by Randy, Simon, and Seacrest.

Obama Believes the Sermon on the Mount Justifies Homosexual Unions? O-K!

An excerpt:

Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) told a crowd at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, Sunday that he believes the Sermon on the Mount justifies his support for legal recognition of same-sex unions. He also told the crowd that his position in favor of legalized abortion does not make him “less Christian.”

To read the entire article, click here.

For the record, this is a horrible example of biblical exegesis. Bringing one’s worldview into the interpretive process of reading Scripture is dangerous and foolhardy. Beside, if he wants to talk about homosexuality, why did he neglect to address this passage:

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ [28] But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. [29] If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. [30] And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell (Matthew 5:27-30, ESV).

What’s the issue? Lust. Plus, Jesus addressed male-female unions (also known as marriage) in Matthew 19

[3] And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause?” [4] He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, [5] and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh’? [6] So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:3-6, ESV).

While I realize I am not voting for a theologian-in-chief, I just have to say, “Come on! Be consistent! Read all of what Jesus says and put together the pieces.” It honestly makes me wonder how he will read his own worldview into the Constitution.

Wow!

(HT: Derick Dickens)

Seven Characteristics of an Ingrown Church

Thanks to Joe Thorn for providing this very insightful post.  And how easy it is for churches to become such as this.  May we read and heed!

Peacemaker Ministries Has a Blog!

I have long had great respect for Ken Sande’s ministry called “Peacemaker Ministries” . They seek to assist Christians and their churches to respond to conflict biblically. They send out helpful monthly newsletters on a myriad of subjects.

And now they have entered the blogosphere! Route 5:9. This blog’s purpose is to reflect on the peacemaking journey, gospel-centered relationships, and life in the church. Hope you will find this blog quite helpful.

(HT: Challies)

Does the Church Replace Israel? (Azurdia)

Read Arturo Azurdia’s wonderful article on a subject crucial for the church to understand.

Did Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven” Reflect the Biblical Heaven?

Recently, someone let me borrow a book called 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. The premise of the book is that Don Piper, a Baptist minister, was in a horrendous car accident and was dead for 90 minutes. During that time, according to Piper, he was in heaven. He spoke of its beauty, of seeing relatives and loved ones, and how the place almost overwhelmed the senses.

What interested me was his chapter on heavenly music. Praise was everywhere, he said, filling his heart with the deepest of joy. But what really caught my attention was his remark on p. 35:

Many of the old hymns and choruses I had sung at various times in my life were part of the music — along with hundreds of songs I had never heard before. Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears and brought not only a deep peace but the greatest feeling of joy I’ve ever experienced.

As I stood before the gate, I didn’t think of it, but later realized that I didn’t hear such songs as “The Old Rugged Cross” or “The Nail-Scarred Hand.” None of the hymns that filled the air were about Jesus’ sacrifice or death. I heard no sad songs and instinctively knew that there were no sad songs in heaven. Why would there by? All were praises about Christ’s reign as King of Kings and our joyful worship for all he has done for us and how wonderful he is.[1]

With all due respect to those of you who have read through this book and found it so joyous and hopeful, I found myself not wanting to read another word. Why? Well, if we need to see what heaven is like, the Bible is clearly sufficient for that, so we must look to see if Piper’s vision of heaven matches the Scriptures. And on at least two occasions it clearly does not. Rev. 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

[10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

Let me ask you: do you believe those in heaven realize how they made it there? It is because of Jesus reconciling us as sinners to God who is holy through … what? The Cross! The elders and the whole company were singing about the cross even in heaven! Also in Revelation, the Spirit reveals a Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Why is Jesus called a Lamb? Because Lambs were sacrificed, but Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice and all who partake of this are recipients of Christ’s reconciling and atoning work on the cross!

Let us be very discerning about the things we read — even bestselling Christian books! My dad warned me, “Not everything that’s in print is worth reading.” I shall read through the rest of Piper’s book, I pray that the rest of it is more in tune with the biblical account and will reflect more of the Gospel.

 

[1]Don Piper, 90 Minutes in Heaven (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2004), 35.

Did Don Piper’s “90 Minutes in Heaven” Reflect the Biblical Heaven?

Recently, someone let me borrow a book called 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper. The premise of the book is that Don Piper, a Baptist minister, was in a horrendous car accident and was dead for 90 minutes. During that time, according to Piper, he was in heaven. He spoke of its beauty, of seeing relatives and loved ones, and how the place almost overwhelmed the senses.

What interested me was his chapter on heavenly music. Praise was everywhere, he said, filling his heart with the deepest of joy. But what really caught my attention was his remark on p. 35:

Many of the old hymns and choruses I had sung at various times in my life were part of the music — along with hundreds of songs I had never heard before. Hymns of praise, modern-sounding choruses, and ancient chants filled my ears and brought not only a deep peace but the greatest feeling of joy I’ve ever experienced.

As I stood before the gate, I didn’t think of it, but later realized that I didn’t hear such songs as “The Old Rugged Cross” or “The Nail-Scarred Hand.” None of the hymns that filled the air were about Jesus’ sacrifice or death. I heard no sad songs and instinctively knew that there were no sad songs in heaven. Why would there by? All were praises about Christ’s reign as King of Kings and our joyful worship for all he has done for us and how wonderful he is.[1]

With all due respect to those of you who have read through this book and found it so joyous and hopeful, I found myself not wanting to read another word. Why? Well, if we need to see what heaven is like, the Bible is clearly sufficient for that, so we must look to see if Piper’s vision of heaven matches the Scriptures. And on at least two occasions it clearly does not. Rev. 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll

and to open its seals,

for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God

from every tribe and language and people and nation,

[10] and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,

and they shall reign on the earth.”

Let me ask you: do you believe those in heaven realize how they made it there? It is because of Jesus reconciling us as sinners to God who is holy through … what? The Cross! The elders and the whole company were singing about the cross even in heaven! Also in Revelation, the Spirit reveals a Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Why is Jesus called a Lamb? Because Lambs were sacrificed, but Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice and all who partake of this are recipients of Christ’s reconciling and atoning work on the cross!

Let us be very discerning about the things we read — even bestselling Christian books! My dad warned me, “Not everything that’s in print is worth reading.” I shall read through the rest of Piper’s book, I pray that the rest of it is more in tune with the biblical account and will reflect more of the Gospel.

 

[1]Don Piper, 90 Minutes in Heaven (Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 2004), 35.

Are You an Evangelical Considering Voting for Obama?

If you are, consider reading what Justin Taylor has posted.

I have gone on record from the pulpit here at Boone’s Creek saying that I am a single-issue voter. When it comes to my consideration of a candidate, my first question is, “How do they view the sanctity of life?” From there, everything else falls into place.

May God help our great nation!