(If you want to listen to this sermon in its entirety, click here. This sermon was preaching on Sunday, April 13, 2008, at the Boone’s Creek Baptist Church, Lexington, KY. Click here for the archive.)
The introduction continues: “He went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him” (Matthew 5:1b). Jesus didn’t just see the crowds and then give a simple gesture or a nod. He went up to a place where he could be seen, sat down as if he planned on staying a while a communing with them, and the people came to him.
“People are starving for the greatness of God. But most of them would not give this diagnosis of their troubled lives. The majesty of God is an unknown cure. There are far more prescriptions on the market, but the benefit is brief and shallow. Preaching that does not have the aroma of God’s greatness may entertain for a season, but it will not touch the hidden cry of the soul which cries, ‘Show me thy glory!’
Jesus understands this longing — and Jesus is the only one who can satisfy that longing. Over and over, they were stunned by an authority coupled with compassion. The Pharisees wouldn’t give those the time of day! They were more interested in their traditions than in God’s creation!
All of us, dear friends, are looking for something we can count on. And the world is searching and scraping to fill a void that nothing in this world can fill. But for you who are Christians, let me ask you: do you long for God’s kingdom to be a reality within you and within this church and within this community? To put it another way, do you and do I long for God’s rule and will to be done, regardless of the pain or cost?
Art Azurdia in a sermon I heard on the radio this past week that the biggest turnaround in our churches over the past fifty years is that the average person looks at the church and asks, “How can the church serve me?” What has happened? We have fallen into the trap of our selfish flesh in that we desire to be our own kings where everyone around us caters to us.
What has happened? Does this not sound like Jesus’ words? Mark 10:42-45
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. [43] But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. [45] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Do you have a kingdom longing this morning? Do you long for false idols that try to capture your attention to be knocked over by the one True and Living God?
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.
(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.)
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.”
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.
When news came out that Tim Keller was writing another book, excitement shot around the reformed blogosphere. When news came out that Keller’s book would be published by Penguin Books, we were thrilled that his voice would be heard (read) on a wider landscape than just among Christian evangelicals. When we heard that his book would address the secular humanists’ skepticism of all things theistic, we were thankful that such a balanced and well-spoken voice would represent us in such a wonderful way.
Now, his book is out. Westminster Theological Seminary’s online bookstore noted that Keller’s book is the fastest selling book in their storied history (high praise, since they have the best book deals online, bar none). This book, along with his corresponding online site , provide a welcome understanding of the role of Christ, the Gospel, and the Christian church in our culture and world.
This book is a smooth read — as if you were sitting down and having a conversation with Keller himself. Keller starts off by disarming critics and disturbing conservative theists. When the introduction is titled, “The Enemies Are Both Right,” theists looking for an ally may have been taken aback by his apparent concession of room to the atheists. But notice this rather insightful paragraph:
We have an impasse between the strengthening forces of doubt and belief, and this won’t be solved simply by calling for more civility and dialogue. Arguments depend on having commonly held reference points that both side can hold each other to. When fundamental understandings of reality conflict, it is hard to find anything to which to appeal. … I want to make a proposal that I have seen bear much fruit in the lives of young New Yorkers over the years. I recommend that each side look at doubt in a radically new way (xvi).
Keller introduces this radical new way of seeing doubt as a way to educate and explore rather than something to be avoided. Atheists have doubts about Christianity — but they should not avoid it, but honestly explore those doubts to see if they have any credibility. Theists should look at the arguments made by the atheists to strengthen their own understanding of the Scriptures.
The core of the book is for each side to examine their beliefs and the “leaps of faith” to which each side holds. Keller says:
This … book is a distillation of the many conversations I’ve had with doubters over the years. I’ve tried to respectfully help skeptics look at their own faith-foundations while at the same time laying bare my own to their strongest criticisms. … Respectful dialogue between entreached traditional conservative and secular liberal people is a great good, and I hope this book will promote it (xix).
This book does just that! In the next part of this review, I will examine Part One, entitled “The Leap of Doubt.” In this section, Keller fleshes out what he calls “defeater beliefs” that many secular folks levy toward Christians to apparently show why Christianity is not viable in our contemporary age.
Recently, in response to a letter submitted to our Kentucky state Baptist paper’s Baptist Forum section that seemed to say “No creed but the Bible,” I felt the need to respond to this mindset. Given how many Southern Baptists are straying to other cults such as Mormonism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses because of the lack of biblical depth they possess, I wrote the following.
I am saddened and stunned at the outcry of those who lament how Southern Baptists seek to clarify doctrinal issues concerning the Scriptures, God, Christ, the church, and family. And yet all of us show the same type of shock when we see that of all the denominations from which the cults steal their sheep, Southern Baptist are their primary source of growth. Why is this?
It is because we Southern Baptists define ourselves more by what we do than by what we believe. Look back over older Western Recorder editions: they spent more time teaching what the Scriptures say rather than talking about missions and church growth almost to the exclusion of doctrinal beliefs. In fact, when Southern Baptists take a stand, they are derided as uncaring, academic, and divisive.
I am all for loving Jesus, but I believe creeds are just as valuable as the deeds. Both must be present — both the content of Scripture as well as the fruit of obedience to the Scriptures. I am for loving the Jesus of the Bible who has clear attributes and had a clear mission for His people. Until Southern Baptist rigorously study who Jesus is, what He has done, what the implications are for us who claim to be Christ-followers, what he expects from His Church and its individual members, we will continue to be fodder for those who deny the faith as we will cease to grow in any significant and spiritual way. Numbers are not the only way to grow a church — we need to be sure there are enough faithful in the church already as well!
Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) said Americans traveling to the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing next year should defy the Chinese government’s rule that prohibits travelers from taking more than one Bible into the country.
Cybercast News Service asked Salazar Wednesday whether Americans traveling to China should defy this rule. “I think so,” said Salazar. “It’s a trampling on a freedom that we cherish in this country that’s a universal freedom. I don’t think that kind of constriction on something that is such an international global celebration is something that ought to be tolerated.”
The official Chinese policy prohibits anyone from bringing into the country “manuscripts, printed matter, films, photographs, gramophone records, cinematographic films, loaded recording tapes and videotapes, etc., which are detrimental to China’s politics, economy, culture and ethics.”
Wang Hui, executive deputy director of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games, elaborated on this policy, telling the South China Morning Post last week: “Athletes and other individuals can bring with them their own Bibles. But no one can bring in multiple copies for public distribution.”
Click here to read the rest. If you abide by this rule, scroll down: Orrin Hatch (R -Utah) has a good idea (regardless of whether you agree with his Mormon faith or not).
What think ye?
Anyone going to the Olympics?
Should we as Christians abide by the rules or engage in some civil disobedience?
