Jesus - Chief Joy or Kill Joy?

In Sunday's message, Pastor Mullen asked whether Jesus Christ is for us our chief joy or a killjoy. Whether he is an "ornament" in our life, or whether he is our life.

As a teenager, I often viewed Jesus as a killjoy -- someone whose rules would prevent me from access to, and success in, the intellectual and artistic world I desired to inhabit. However, when God changed my heart just prior to my 18th birthday, Jesus became my chief joy: All else faded in importance compared to knowing him. Over time, I came to realize that Jesus even breathed new life into the intellectual and artistic endeavors that I had once pursued, but pursued in blindness.

Enjoying God should characterize the Christian's life. It is our loving relationship with the living God, based on costly forgiveness and grace, that separates Christianity from a religious system like all the others.

I've lately been reading, with a friend, John Owen's "Communion with the Triune God." In this dense book, he unpacks the theology of enjoying God. He writes:

Unacquaintedness with our mercies, our privileges, is our sin as well as our trouble. ... This makes us go heavily, when we might rejoice; and to be weak, where we might be strong in the Lord. (Part 1, Chapter 3)

In other words, we rob both God and ourselves when we fail to commune with him. When we fail to take to heart his mercies to us, his love to us, and his gifts to us.

Christmas is a great time to enjoy God's gifts, and in particular the greatest gift of all -- his Son, Jesus Christ. Is Jesus an ornament? Will he be packed away again after the holiday? Or is he reason to celebrate Christmas and, in fact, all 365 days of the year?

Yes, and even the 366th day in 2008!

Matthew Murray, Christopher Hitchens, and the Apostle Peter

"All I want to do is kill and injure as many of you ... as I can especially Christians who are to blame for most of the problems in the world."

These were the words of Matthew Murray, the 24 year-old who killed four Christians in Colorado this weekend. He was clearly driven by revenge, and by his own issues with his former church, as biographical details reveal.

Yet when I read the words quoted above, I couldn't help but think of books such as Christopher Hitchens' God is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Such books by the New Atheists, as they are termed, have lent legitimacy to the notion that all religion, if taken seriously, leads society down a destructive path. (Murray's actions seem to lead to a different conclusion, actually; his motives were clearly not religious but anti-religious in nature!)

In the days of the early church, similar accusations were propagated. The Christians saw this as slander, for it's clear from reading the New Testament that the Christian is to be the most conscientious citizen of all. The Christian who is motivated by devotion to God, and understands the Savior's sacrifice, seeks the well being of all -- not because he is enslaved to the state, but precisely because he is not.

Sadly, Christians have become easy targets. But it's not just because the world loves a scapegoat - it's because Christians have too often not been the citizens God calls us to be. "Nature abhors a vacuum" -- and when Christians are not readily known by their love, the accusations of outsiders appear more plausible.

Therefore let's consider the words of 1 Peter:

Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as those sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. (1 Peter 2:12-14)

And let's pray that the following words of that same epistle will not be true of us:

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. (1 Peter 4:15)

And most importantly, let's remember what Peter says next!

Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God... For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:16-17)

Christ the Lord!

On Sunday, I read a quotation from Anne Rice concerning her perspective on Jesus. It is fascinating that this former atheist was able to see so much bias in the way many scholars handle the historicity of the gospel accounts.

Below is something I wrote about this last year, with some additional quotations.

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Christ the Lord?


Anne Rice, whose previous books include Interview with a Vampire and Queen of the Damned, recently converted to Christianity. Hers is the Roman Catholic variety, and she retains some questionable beliefs. Her recent novel is entitled Christ the Lord. In an afterward, she tells the fascinating story of her research into the historical reliability of the gospels.

As you hopefully recognize, “Jesus scholars” come in many varieties. There are those who embrace Jesus as Lord, and those who do not. Those who do not often appear on television speaking about the “historical Jesus,” who surprisingly seems far removed from what we read in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It is a radical branch of this type of “scholarship” that undergirds the radically popular Da Vinci Code novel.

In Anne Rice’s pursuit to learn the truth about the one who called himself the “Son of God,” she ran across different approaches to him. Here is what she has to say:

Many of these scholars, scholars who apparently devoted their life to New Testament scholarship, disliked Jesus Christ. Some pitied him as a hopeless failure. Others sneered at him, and some felt an outright contempt. This came between the lines of the books. …

I’d never come across this kind of emotion in any other field of research, at least not to this extent. It was puzzling.

The people who go into Elizabethan studies don’t set out to prove that Queen Elizabeth I was a fool. They don’t personally dislike her. They don’t make snickering remarks about her, or spend their careers trying to pick apart her historical reputation. … Occasionally a scholar studies a villain, yes. But even then, the author generally ends up arguing for the good points of a villain or for his or her place in history, or for some mitigating circumstance, that redeems the study itself. … [I]n general, scholars don’t spend their lives in the company of historical figures they openly despise. (Christ the Lord, p.314)

Her studies led her to the following conclusion:

In sum, the whole case for the nondivine Jesus who stumbled into Jerusalem and somehow got crucified by nobody and and had nothing to do with the founding of Christianity and would be horrified if he knew about it -- that whole picture which floated in the liberal circles I frequented as an atheist for thirty years -- that case was not made. Not only was it not made, I discovered in this field some of the worst and most biased scholarship I'd ever read.(pp.313-314)

It is important for believers and unbelievers alike to recognize that scholarship is not free from bias. How much more is this true when dealing with the one who called himself "the way, the truth, and the life"!

Is it even possible to be unbiased concerning a historical figure who demanded an answer to the question, “Who do you say that I am?”

After all, the answer to that question demands a changed life!

Heaven Forbid

While on vacation this past week, I had the opportunity to engage in simple pleasures like browsing Borders and reading USA Today. Last Friday, a little graphic on the lower front page of USA Today showed the results of a poll:


Results of people age 50 or older who say they believe in heaven, by household income:
Less than $25,000 - 90%

$25K - $49,999 - 88%
$50K - $74,999 - 84%
$75,000 or more - 78%


The trend seems to be that the more money you have, the less likely it is that you'll believe in heaven.


Any poll like this has questionable reliability, but it's hard not to think of the reliable words of Jesus Christ: "It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." (ESV: "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!")


God has saved many rich people - the patriarchs weren't so bad off, Job was doing well there for a while, and both David and Solomon had every conceivable advantage. Of course, David and Solomon saw injury to their souls based on those advantages. But in any case, God does not say you have to be poor to be a Christian.


However.


The Bible does make it clear that we must expect wealth to pull at our souls. And in many other ways, our physical and outward life will affect our spiritual and inward life. We must guard against anything that "wages war against the soul" as Peter says, and for every American the issue of wealth is one of the biggest.

The Best of Times

My friends and I used to discuss what time period we wish we'd been born into. The formative 1500s? The puritanical 1600s? The revolutionary 1700s? The dapper 1800s?

As for me, I always felt like I was best off right where I am. Not only because I can't imagine a childhood without Star Wars and Atari, but because as a Christian I believe we live in exciting, pivotal times. In spite of this, we don't always count our blessings - or spend our treasure wisely. Those who are born into royalty know from their earliest days that they must be wise stewards of their privileges. Don't they? Well, maybe they don't... but should!

What about us? As a Christian, do you recognize the times you live in? Consider the following:

1. We have the advantage of living on this side of the cross and resurrection. Our understanding of God's redemption and care for his people is exponentially greater than even that of John the Baptist.

2. We have the advantage of living on this side of the church's formative years. We have the example of the martyrs and the heritage of the creeds. We have the entire New Testament.

3. We have the advantage of living on this side of the Reformation. While not perfect or complete, the Reformation was a great recovery of biblical doctrine, preaching, and living.

4. We have the advantage of living in the information age, with the wisdom of the ages at our disposal. With a few clicks, you have access to libraries of writings by church fathers of all kinds. You can read Augustine, Luther, Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, and listen to sermons spanning the globe, all for the cost of an internet connection - or for free, if you use the library's computers.

5. We live in an age when the church is growing all around the globe.

6. We live at a time when all kinds of gifts are welcomed in the church. I don't think they had "spiritual gift inventories" in the good old days - and it seems that in many eras of church history, a variety of gifts went without recognition or proper appreciation.

Much more could be said, but let me conclude with the most important advantage of all:

7. We live on this side of Pentecost. Jesus said "greater works than these shall you do" for a reason. Jesus said "you shall receive power to be my witnesses" for a reason. Jesus said "your joy will be complete" for a reason. Jesus said "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached to all nations" for a reason. The reason is the Holy Spirit. In this sense it doesn't matter if you were born in 70 AD or 2007 AD.

Some might say that we also live in an age of unparalleled temptation or distraction. I would argue the advantages far outweigh the challenges, at least when compared to other historical moments. But ultimately, the difference does not lie outside but inside - God has given us unending resources to know Him, grow in Him, and serve Him, and what matters most is recognizing these vast privileges.

Assurance

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:11-12

"I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

Christians can be assured of their salvation through a true knowledge of God, confidence in the gospel, and experience of His work in our lives. This assurance cuts against modern and postmodern skepticism, and also the insecurity and uncertainty found in so many other world religions (including Islam, from what I've read).

I happened to read a chapter on this subject in J.C. Ryle's book Holiness this past week. It is a chapter worth reading and it may be found here. The main point: believers who have assurance of God's acceptance will be those who are the least distracted, and most dedicated, in their service to Christ. Furthermore, assurance is not arrogance - the humblest men of the New Testament were also the most assured, because their confidence was not in themselves but in the gospel.

If we are to be most effective in the kingdom, let's do exactly what the Bible says: make our calling and election sure.

Access Denied

The Lord God "drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life." (Genesis 3:24)

"We've got to get ourselves back to the garden." (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

The fall of mankind into sin (Genesis 3) brought with it many consequences: internal and external, physical and spiritual, individual and relational. But this verse highlights the most fundamental - ejection from the presence of God, from the sphere of his blessing.

I found these thoughts from John Walton's commentary on Genesis very helpful, and I think you will too: "The overwhelming loss was not paradise; it was God. Throughout all the rest of the Old Testament one never hears talk of regaining the comfort of Eden, but regaining access to God."

Sometimes hell as described as "separation from God," and this is indeed one of the chief biblical categories used to explain eternal judgment (another biggie is affliction and pain). We are actually born into this separation as sons of Adam and daughters of Eve.

The way back has been made for us, however: and the name of the Way is Jesus of Nazareth.

A Consolation with Kick

A famous promise of Scripture reads,

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

I was recently reading over 1 Corinthians 10, and it struck me that in context this is more than a promise. It is also a call to arms - a challenge, an exhortation. Perhaps even an "or else"!

1 Corinthians 10 warns against apostasy, disobedience, idolatry, grumbling... and more. It speaks of those described in the Old Testament who were so close, and yet so far - and urges that we not imitate their disbelief and so "put Christ to the test" (v.9).

The words immediately preceding the famous words above are, "Therefore let anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall" (v.12). The words immediately following? "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (v.14).

1 Corinthians 10:13 is a promise worth memorizing. But as you do, make sure you don't declaw this verse - like all truly loving fathers, our heavenly Father wants to give us both a pat on the back and a kick in the pants.

The Problem of Pride

Our sermons lately have been centered on Genesis 3 and the first sin(s) of mankind. There certainly have been many since! But what is at root?

Here's what Jonathan Edwards had to say:

"Alas, how much pride have the best of us in our hearts! It is the worst part of the body of sin and death; the first sin that ever entered into the universe, and the last that is rooted out: it is God's most stubborn enemy!"

The above quotation is from a discussion on spiritual pride in particular, which Edwards calls "the door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of religion." He is not speaking of a true zeal that weeps for the lost; he is speaking of a counterfeit zeal that tears down one's Christian brothers and sisters.

"The spiritually proud person is apt to find fault with other saints, that they are low in grace; and to be much in observing how cold and dead they are; and being quick to discern and take notice of their deficiencies. But the eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts..."

Not a whole lot different from the sin of gossip, is it?

Lord, protect us from pride - worldly pride and spiritual pride!

Evaluating Your Ministry

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

How important it is to our spiritual growth to serve in the body of Christ! This is important no matter what stage of life we are in – circumstances vary, but the basic principle remains true.

Three questions to ask yourself as you evaluate your service to others:

First, are you serving? Most likely you are serving others in some capacity. Prayer, reaching out behind the scenes to others, raising children – these are all significant areas of service. But if you feel as if you are primarily concerned with “self” rather than God and others, pray for wisdom and begin planning to reverse this trend. Don’t see this as a burdensome duty but as a proper and natural expression of love to God.

Second, where are you serving? We should seek ways to serve Jesus Christ in our families, church, and in our communities. There is often overlap, but these are biblical categories to consider. Also, the verse above reminds us that God wants “faithful” servants. This means we cannot serve in so many areas that none of them truly receive the attention they deserve.

Third, how are you serving? Space does not permit a lengthy discussion of spiritual gifts (see Romans 12 or 1 Corinthians 12). But hopefully you are serving in ways that are compatible with the gifts and talents given to you by God. It’s great to stretch yourself beyond these, but if you stretch too far (or for too long) you just may snap! Do you need to reevaluate?

Fourth, are you ministering the grace of God? Notice in the verse quoted above that we are called to “faithfully administer God’s grace.” God’s grace is seen in the manner in which we serve – humbly, lovingly, generously. God’s grace should also be communicated explicitly, by helping people to see Jesus Christ for who he is. We must all be ready to speak the gospel (1 Peter 3:15), and you never know when this may be!

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NOTE: This was written for the New Covenant newsletter, but I thought it would fit well here on the blog as well.

Diminishing Returns

In the Fall, leaves change colors and eventually fall to the ground. Removed from the life of the tree, the leaves die, dry, crumble, and are forgotten. But the trees remain alive, and new leaves appear in time.

When we speak of the Fall of Mankind, we refer to a time when mankind changed their allegiance, from God to self and Satan. Severed from relationship to God, which is spiritual death, mankind was also doomed to physical death. Yet by God's grace, renewed life is possible through the Savior Jesus Christ.

In Joe's sermon concerning the Fall, he mentioned how that first transgression (recorded in Genesis 3) resulted from diminishing the truthfulness of God's word. God graciously gave his world and his word to our first parents, Adam and Eve, and yet they devalued it. And at that moment, their relationship with God was altered - they had not only disobeyed, but had called into question his knowledge and honor and reliability.

It occurred to me that at this moment, they were likewise diminished. Sin corrupted them, as it does us. Our original purpose and value is diminished, revealed in broken relationships to God and others. Where there should be harmony, there is friction and even warfare.

Redemption is a reversal of this corrosive nature of sin. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we are given new life -- the life of God from which we have been severed. This isn't magical as much as it is the fulfillment of a promise that God makes to us: As surely as he promised death for disobedience, he promises life for repentance and faith in his promises - and these promises are centered around Jesus Christ.

To believe these promises is to believe that what has been diminished in value will be restored, to the praise of God's mercy.

Formed for Relationships

The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. ... The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:7, 18)

"It's not a religion, it's a relationship." This was a slogan that Christian hippies used to use, and I heard it frequently when I lived in California. Those hippies were onto something. Few words summarize the beginning-to-end concern of the Bible as well as the word relationships.

You could say the Bible is about God, but that cuts us out; and clearly, God occupies himself with humanity. You could say the Bible is about spirituality, but that ignores the concrete applications of Scripture which are primarily concerned with how we live together as families, churches, and within society. Ultimately, God's word guides us concerning a privileged, joyful relationship to our creator and, likewise, to loving and joyful relationships with one another. Jesus' summary of the law, for example, is love to God and love to others.

Think of the ways we get this wrong:

Those outside the Christian faith will sometimes define morality in individualistic terms. "I should be able to swing my arm in any direction as long as I don't hit anyone else" - in other words, do what you want but don't harm others. That's ultimately individualistic coexistence and not much more.

Likewise, the philosophy of Ayn Rand (objectivism) - embodied in books such as The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged - urges a kind of "high brow individualism" that is indirectly (rather than directly) beneficial to society. You may have never heard of her, but this philosophy is popular on Wall Street and among cultural elites.

And then there's us. Are Christians free from thinking in overly individualistic terms?

I think that often, as Christians, we disconnect major aspects of our faith from our relationships to God and others. We view holiness as something abstract, and thus Christian growth as something entirely cerebral. Or, we think that God expects us to grow in faith "on our own," so to speak, apart from ongoing communion with Him, grace from him, and the encouragement of others.

Some people are more relational than others. To see the primacy of relationships in God's word does not mean that we all become social - or party - animals. But even the most thoughtful among us, those who speak up less often (but often with greater wisdom), ultimately are called by God into meaningful relationships. With Him, with others, and within the church, the body of Christ.

Purpose Driven Praise and Proclamation

One of the classes currently being offered on Sunday mornings is "Holiness by Grace." The title for this class is lifted from Bryan Chapell's book, though I'm trying to draw the material primarily from 1 Peter - a portion of Scripture that well summarizes the motives for, nature of, and results of true holiness:

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for [God's] own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Notice how much is tightly packed into these verses! Drawn from phrases in the Old(er) Testament, we are given a rich statement of identity and purpose. Our daily purpose is to "proclaim the excellencies of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light." We do this through praise, offered to God, and through witnessing to others through evangelism and mercy.

But our purpose cannot be separated from its root: our identity in Christ. Without grasping what it means to be God's chosen, royal, holy, purchased, forgiven people, we cannot live out the glorious purpose described here. We cannot proclaim joyfully what we feel only faintly.

This is another way of saying that our holiness is indeed "by grace"!

Getting Humanity Under Control

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

- Genesis 1:27-28

When we think of "subduing the earth" or "having dominion," we tend to think in aggressive terms. We think in terms of domination rather than dominion, as one writer puts it. After all, sinful human beings become very domineering, using what authority they are given to self-promote and self-gratify. This relates to how we care for creation (or not), how we care for our relationships (or not), even how we care for ourselves (or not).

Many people today believe that humans have done a lousy job of caring for the planet. A recent book entitled The World Without Us speculates on what life would be like if humanity was diminished on the planet. Would the planet be better off? The author thinks so! Others, such those associated with the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement go further... much further! (Check here and here for more.)


It is interesting that the website for the Voluntary Human Extinction Movement makes this point about the origins of its ideas that humans stop breeding: "The true origins of The Movement can be found in the natural abundance of love and logic within each one of us. Our in-born sense of justice guides us to make the responsible choice."

Based on this statement, human beings are born with "an abundance of love and logic." Perhaps this is what it means to be made in God's image? Yet wait a minute... the same website also uses adjectives like these to describe humanity: greedy, amoral (!), and callous.

The truth is, "Voluntary" gets it more right than we may realize. On the one hand, we human beings are born glorious -- with "love and logic." On the other hand, we are a fairly destructive lot. If we're not cutting down the trees, we're busy cutting down one another. This paradox makes sense according to Genesis: we were made in God's image (Genesis 1-2), and yet fell into sin (Genesis 3). We are made in God's glorious image, yet we think and act all too often like animals.

If we stop at Genesis 3, voluntary extinction is not a bad solution to the problem we've caused the planet - except that it would be adding further disobedience to God, who said "be fruitful and multiply"! Yet God has given us much more than Genesis 1-3. God so loved the world that he gave us his Son, Jesus Christ, in order that the image of God in mankind might be properly understood and lived once again. God's creation of the world is actually confirmed by His insistence that it be redeemed; but he doesn't start by trying to save "the planet" as by saving human beings, the caretakers of the planet and his prized creation.

Apart from Jesus, getting humanity under control is an impossible task. Every generation learns through fresh disillusionments that there is an explosive arsenal of evil in humanity - and those who are most wise realize it's not just "out there" but "in here."

Yet through Jesus Christ, men and women can once again be subdued by their Creator, even learn to love their Creator. And then we will learn what it means to rightly "subdue" the earth - not in self-interest but in service to others.

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NOTE: Does any of what is said above lead you to think that humans should NOT be concerned about the environment? I hope not.

Good Day Theology

"Sanctification...is a thing which depends greatly on a diligent use of Scriptural means. When I speak of "means," I have in view Bible-reading, private prayer, regular attendance on public worship, regular hearing of God's word, and regular reception of the Lord's Supper. ... I can find no record of any eminent saint who ever neglected them."
- J.C. Ryle, "Holiness"

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me."
- Jesus

As a young Christian I used to carefully monitor what made for a "good day" and what made for a "bad day." I quickly concluded that a day begun in God's word and prayer led more directly to what I considered a "good day."

Was this childish thinking?

We should never be legalistic or, as C.S. Lewis would call it, "mercenary" regarding those times we spend in the word and prayer. That is, we should never think we win some points from God because we slogged through a chapter of the Bible and prayed for a few minutes.

However, the longer I walk with the Lord the more I find this truth reinforced: A day begun with my mind on God's truths, and with my cares cast upon him in prayer, is bound to affect my day for the better. More specifically, it's bound to affect my attitude for the better. It's not that things will go "my way," so to speak; rather, that whether things go my way or not, I'll be more prepared. I'll have my mind set more firmly on things above, and therefore able to keep things here below (whether gifts or trials) in the right context.

Earlier this week we reflected on "the word of grace." If God's word indeed draws us close to the Living Word, Jesus Christ, isn't that a great start to any day?

What is your theology of a good day?

The Word of Grace

"And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32)

This past Sunday, Joe spoke about three essentials for biblical ministry:
1. The word of grace
2. Believing prayer
3. The shared ministry of Christ

One point that was especially helpful to me: the reason God's word is called "the word of grace" is because it brings us to the living word, Jesus Christ.

How easy it can be to misuse the Bible! We can reduce it to either a textbook or a storybook. Either gets old after a while, and fails to inspire. But if we understand how the Bible leads us to the Living Word, to the resurrected Jesus, we will not grow bored with this book. Because a relationship with Jesus Christ is the very essence of life - eternal life.

Taking this another step further: We wish to say that God's word is the foundation of every ministry at New Covenant. If this is so, then every ministry should evidence a walk with the living, resurrected Jesus Christ. We should be drawing from his power, enjoying his presence, and conducting ourselves in a way that exhibits his character.

It's not enough to say we are biblical. We need to truly evidence the power and joy of the gospel - the word of grace - in all we do. Lord, may it be so!

Prayer Languages

Matthew Smith & Indelible Grace held a concert at New Covenant last Thursday night. I was very pleased that they not only performed music, but truly led in worship. My soul was brought nearer to Christ and strengthened.

Indelible Grace is known for putting the words of very old hymns to new tunes. Matthew Smith, who led the evening, commented that these old hymns provide words for him when he doesn't know how to pray. I concur. While hymns, at least to older tunes, are sometimes hard to appreciate, they pay large dividends if we are willing to learn a new prayer language: a language written by men and women who lived in an age unlike our own.

My favorite Indelible Grace song, written by John Berridge (1716-1793), begins with these words:

Jesus, cast a look on me
Give me sweet simplicity
Make me poor and keep me low
Seeking only thee to know

All that feeds my busy pride
Cast it evermore aside
Bid my will to thine submit
Lay me humbly at thy feet...

I greatly appreciate contemporary praise, even with its blindspots. I also appreciate hymns, especially as they teach us how to pray in new - or rather, old - ways.

God's Word, Overheard

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." (James 1:12)

Have you thought about these words lately? James says that if we merely hear God's word, but fail to put it into practice, we are self-deceived. What great blot can be on our record than to be not only deceived, but self-deceived! And it's not just James who makes this claim. James' master, Jesus Christ, gave words just as terrifying when he said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

This site is designed to help us reflect on God's word: how the Bible's marvelous and comprehensive message gives meaning to our lives, challenges our behavior, and directs our life together. In many cases we will reflect further on God's word preached or taught in various contexts at New Covenant.

Yet is a blog simply an avenue for more hearing, when we should be doing? I certainly hope not!

What James is condemning is what we may call merely hearing, with our ears. Yet if we are to practice God's word, we need to begin with fully engaged hearing, the kind of thoughtful meditation that causes God's word to sink down deep within us. When God's word makes its way into our lives in this way, we will indeed become doers! And that is the proper motivation to regularly ponder and discuss God's word. It is the reason Jesus said, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear!"

May this site encourage the better hearing, and then the better doing, of God's will.

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