Sunday Leftovers (5/25/08)

Sunday afternoon I began reading a book I bought about a month ago — Jesus Made in America: A Cultural History from the Puritans to the Passion of the Christ. The author, Stephen Nichols, is attempting to trace the history of American thought towards Jesus Christ and how that thinking was heavily influenced by contemporary cultural values. It has not made for a healthy understanding of Christ at the end of the first decade in the 21st century. It is that unhealthy and unbiblical thinking about Christ that has motivated my current sermon series, seeking to give us a more complete view of the magnitude of Christ's atoning work on the cross.

The last paragraph of his introduction sounded the warning for today's American church particularly well:

The history of the American evangelical Jesus reveals that such complexities as the two natures of Christ have often been brushed aside, either on purpose or out of expediency. Too often his deity has been eclipsed by his humanity, and occasionally the reverse is true. Too often American evangelicals have settled for a Christology that can be reduced to a bumper sticker. Too often devotion to Jesus has eclipsed theologizing about Jesus. Today's American evangelicals may be quick to speak of their love for Jesus, even wearing their devotion on their sleeve, literally in the case of WWJD bracelets. But they may not be so quick to articulate an orthodox view of the object of their devotion. Their devotion is commendable, but the lack of a rigorous theology behind it means that a generation of contemporary evangelicals is living off of borrowed capital. This quest for the historical Jesus of American evangelicalism is not just a story of the past; it perhaps will help us understand the present, and it might even be a parable for the future. This parable teaches us that Jesus is not actually made in America. He is made and remade and remade again. What will next year's model look like?

Sunday Leftovers (5/18/08)

What does it mean that God is a righteous judge? John Piper offers this explanation:

God’s righteousness is essentially his unswerving allegiance to his own name and his own glory. God is righteous to the degree that he upholds and displays the honor of his name. He is righteous when he values most what is most valuable, and what is most valuable is his own glory. Therefore God’s justice, his righteousness, consists most fundamentally in doing what is consistent with the esteem and demonstration of his name, his glory. God would be unrighteous if he did not uphold and display his glory as infinitely valuable.

That righteousness to uphold and defend and honor His name and person as the most glorious treasure also necessitates the judgment of God — that is, His judgment of sin and unrighteousness (or "undelight" in Him — treasuring other possessions or people above Him) is right for Him.

So He pours out His wrath on unbelieving people.

And He pours out His wrath on Christ so that all who believe in Christ are spared His wrath and given His righteousness.

Do not miss this: there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). No condemnation. No disparaging looks. No regrets for His saving work. No further judgment. The lexicon for the Greek New Testament says that the word condemnation "does not denote merely a pronouncement of guilt, but the adjudication of punishment." This is Paul's very point in Rom. 8 — there is no longer any punishment to be passed down by the Judge. Judgment is done. We are free.

This is why we can say in response to the Biblical truth of the gospel — be joyful!


--------------------------------

In one of my illustrations Sunday morning, I made passing reference to the number of believers now in China. Later in the day, I picked up my latest copy of Christian History & Biography and found that the entire issue was devoted to China and the influence of Christianity in that country, particularly over the past 100 years. I am a long way from finishing it, but it looks to be very interesting (at the moment, none of the articles are yet posted online, but over the next few weeks, they will post them).

Sunday Leftovers (5/11/08)

A few thoughts about various items in Sunday's sermon —

Ransom is release from sin. And I need release from sin (though you and I are both want to admit it). In a recent blog post on Desiring God, Abraham Piper helped me think clearly about this issue. We usually think ourselves to be more righteous than others who have more obvious demonstrations of inherent unrighteousness. But, reflecting on the story of the woman caught in adultery, Piper notes,

[Jesus] seems to have two categories in this story: perfect and not perfect. So what Jesus really suggests is, if you are in the latter category, what in the world do you think you’re doing judging other people who are also imperfect just like you?

The fact that I’m imperfect in a different way—that I don’t sin the same as the guy who gave me the old highway salute—is totally irrelevant to Jesus. As long as I’m any kind of sinner, no matter how benign my faults might seem, I am still just that—a sinner, the same as an adulteress or a gesticulatively angry driver.

There is only one place I belong, and it’s not standing with stones in my fists, threatening someone else in the “not perfect” category. No, the only place I belong is crouching in hope at the feet of Jesus with the adulteress, and hopefully, with that other guy on the interstate, too.

Jesus is right: worldly leadership is proud, authoritative and "tyrannical," and not servant-hearted. I thought much about verse 42 in this passage, and thought about numerous secular books on leadership that often tout something akin to what we would recognize as servant leadership. Is Jesus' statement accurate?, I wondered. Then I thought of the implications of the words are recognized and lord it over them and great men and exercise authority. What Jesus is pointing to is the issue of pride and self-exaltation (and not Christ-exaltation) and self-dependence (and not Christ-dependence).

And then I thought of a book written 20 years ago by historian Paul Johnson, in which he sought to examine the personal lives of those who have significantly influenced intellectual thought in Western culture. He examined the lives of men like Rousseau, Shelley, Marx, Tolstoy, Hemingway and Sartre, asking the question, "How did they run their own lives? With what degree of rectitude did they behave to family, friends, and associates? Were they just in their sexual and financial dealings? Did they tell, and write, the truth? And how have their systems stood up to the test of time and praxis?"

This is how he concludes The Intellectuals:

What conclusions should be drawn? Readers will judge for themselves. But I think I detect today a certain public scepticism when intellectuals stand up to preach to us…The belief seems to be spreading that intellectuals are no wiser as mentors, or worthier as exemplars, than the witch doctors or priests of old. I share that scepticism. A dozen people picked at random on the street are at least as likely to offer sensible views on moral and political matters as a cross-section of the intelligentsia. But I would go further. One of the principal lessons of our tragic century, which has seen so many millions of innocent lives sacrificed in schemes to improve the lot of humanity, is — beware intellectuals. Not merely should they be kept well away from the levers of power, they should also be objects of particular suspicion when they seek to offer collective advice. Beware committees conferences and leagues of intellectuals. Distrust public statements issued from their serried ranks. Discount their verdicts on political leaders and important events. For intellectuals, far from being highly individualistic and non-conformist people, follow certain regular patterns of behaviour. Taken as a group, they are often ultra-conformist within the circles formed by those whose approval they seek and value. That is what makes them, en masse, so dangerous, for it enables them to create climates of opinion and prevailing orthodoxies, which themselves often generate irrational and destructive courses of action. Above all, we must at all times remember what intellectuals habitually forget: that people matter more than concepts and must come first. The worst of all despotisms is the heartless tyranny of ideas. [my emphasis]

Those who serve as worldly leaders — those who are esteemed as "great men" — are, in fact, unworthy as leaders because they are unworthy servants. Just as Jesus said.

Because Christ paid such a great price to redeem us from sin, our hearts should abhor that sin. Yet so often we are inclined to and even love the very thing Christ has redeemed us from. Spurgeon said it well —

Do you roll sin under your tongue as a sweet morsel and then come to God's house on Sunday morning and think to worship Him? Worship Him! Worship Him, with sin indulged in your life! If I had a dear brother who had been murdered, what would you think of me if I valued the knife that had been crimsoned with his blood?...Sin murdered Christ; will you be a friend to it? Sin pierced the heart of the incarnate God; can you love it? Oh, that there was an abyss as deep as Christ's misery, that I might at once hurl this dagger of sin into its depths, whence it might never be brought to light again! Begone, 0 sin! You are banished from the heart where Jesus reigns!

A few verses on the sacrifice of Christ

Here is the list of verses that I came up with from the Gospels that either directly stated or implied the sacrificial work of Christ (these are the verses that were the foundation for yesterday's message):

• Matthew 16:21ff
• Matthew 17:9-12
• Matthew 26:26-29
• Luke 2:34-35
• Luke 17:31
• Luke 22:37
• Luke 23:15
• Luke 23:28
• Luke 24:6ff, 26ff
• John 1:29, 36
  
• John 1:39
• John 2:19ff
• John 10:11-18
• John 16:17ff
• John 18:32
• John 19:11
  
• John 12:7
  
• John 19:30

Sunday Leftovers (5/4/08)

Since I didn't quite finish my sermon, here are a couple of thoughts that remain in my mind from this great passage:

What is interesting to note is that not only does the NT picture Christ as the lamb sacrificed, but also as the priest who offers Himself as that sacrifice (Heb. 9:10ff). It is a reminder that Scripture uses as many different pictures as possible for us to understand the depth of Christ’s work. There is no one image that is adequate for portraying the infinite wonder of Christ's atoning work (in fact, Eph. 2:7 suggests that it will be our eternal preoccupation and that the Lord will eternally unfold the riches of His grace extended through the cross).

Not only is Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, but He is the eternal Lamb. Revelation 13:8 tells us that there are names that have been written in the Lamb's book of life from the foundation of the earth. That is, already in the eternal past, God had ordained the coming of Christ and the sacrifice of Christ and the salvation of those who would trust in Christ — the Lamb of God. The sacrifice of Christ was not an afterthought on God's part, nor was it a secondary plan after the intrusion of sin "messed up" His plan. That Christ would be the sacrificed Lamb has always been God's eternal plan and purpose. John Piper said it this way:

…before the world was created there was a book called the “book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” The Lamb is Jesus Christ crucified. The book is the book of Jesus Christ crucified. Therefore, before God made the world he had in view Jesus Christ slain, and he had in view a people purchased by his blood written in the book. Therefore, the suffering of Jesus was not an afterthought, as though the work of creation did not go the way God planned. Before the foundation of the world God had a book called “the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.” The slaying of the Lamb was in view before the work of creation began.

And one final implication of Christ's sacrifice: If I am in conflict with another believer, or if I do not "like" (or love!) another believer, or if I am harboring unkind thoughts and judgmental attitudes toward another believer, I must recognize that the person I dislike is the person that was loved by the Triune Godhead in eternity past to the point that Christ joyfully and willingly endured the sacrifice on the cross to redeem and save that person for His glory! So on what basis might I say that it is acceptable to be purposefully out of fellowship with such a person. Yes, that person may think and act very differently than me, may have different priorities and desires than me, and may even be difficult to engage in conversation, but that is the very person that is the object of God's eternal and divine affections. How can I remain out of fellowship with Him and in fellowship with Christ?

Sunday Leftovers (4/27/08)

As I mentioned in my message, I have long been struck by the repeated emphasis on the necessity of Christ's death.

He had to go to the cross. It was not optional.

Why is it important to stress the necessity of the cross? Because there is a connection between what we believe about the cross and the way we live. And if we preach the necessity of the cross as, well — necessary, then we will be dependent on Christ for everything.

But if we do not recognize His necessary death, then we will be prone to two different kinds of temptations: 1) the assumption that we are satisfactory in our spiritual state and not dependent on God. He is good and helpful, but we do not need Him or His work. And, 2) in opposition to that idea, we might be subject to legalism as a means of spiritual life, with the resultant joylessness of a life that is completely dependent on our own work and merit, knowing that in no way do we measure up to the divine standard of holiness.

Interestingly, as I was preparing for this sermon on Sunday evening, I did a little surfing on the internet and found a series of five sermons on the necessity of Christ's death, preached by S. Lewis Johnson. His concluding statement to the series reflects what I have just noted: "Come to Christ, trust him, and rest on what he’s done. And know, by virtue of the fact, that he’s paid that penalty in full. Your debts paid. You’re free. Enjoy your forgiveness of sins."

Christ had to go to the cross. And now we live in liberty!

Solus Christus Audio

The audio from the Solus Christus conference held at Countryside Bible Church last weekend is now online. Here are the links to the various sermons:

• Christ: Our Only Mediator (Al Mohler)
• Christ: Our Only Righteousness (Tom Pennington)
• Christ: Our Only Advocate (Phil Johnson)
• A Tale of Two Covenants (Phil Johnson)
• Christ Alone: The Heart of Our Evangelism (Mike Gendron)
• Our Daily Bread: Applying "In Christ Alone" to Life (Rocky Wyatt)
• Christ: The Only Remedy for Original Sin (Phil Johnson)
• Christ: Our Only Master (John MacArthur)
• Christ: The Only Sovereign of His Church (John MacArthur)

As I have been spending some time on my sabbatical reading and thinking about issues related to the atonement, I particularly appreciated Tom Pennington's message on Friday evening, though all the messages were thought-provoking and helpful.

Book Review: The Cross He Bore

I regularly look for and purchase and read books about Jesus Christ — and particularly Christ and the cross.

The cross is of first importance for the believer. We cannot think about it too much. We often think about it too little.

So when I read an encouragement by Tim Challies to purchase The Cross He Bore, I was intrigued. When he wrote about it again, I got online and ordered a copy.

I finished reading it yesterday. I will look to it and read it again.

The size of the book is unimpressive (exactly 100 pages, divided into 13 chapters that each stand alone in their content).

But the writing is superb. In each chapter, Leahy contemplates a single verse, focusing on some aspect of the preparation for or the crucifixion of Christ itself. The texts are all familiar, but his insights are almost always unique, sobering, and helpful for worship and communion preparation.

An example. In the chapter, "The Butt of Mockery," considering Matthew 26:67-68, he writes this:

Many hands were raised against him, both human and demonic, but Christ knew that there was one hand above all others that smote him. And as he bore our sins that hand did not spare him. 'It was the will of the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief…' (Isa. 53:10).

In the same chapter, he later he adds,

…in many ways all Christians fail to be as sensitive to the presence of evil as they should be. But the sinless one was totally sensitive to the presence of evil. We must not, therefore, limit his redemptive sufferings to the last few days of his life before the crucifixion and to his actual agony on the cross. William Symington rightly affirms, 'In every case He suffered for us, never for Himself'; and he adds, 'Not one throb of pain did He feel, not one pang of sorrow did He experience , not one sigh of anguish did He heave, not one tear of grief did He shed for Himself. If not one of His sufferings was personal, it follows that they were all substitutionary…'. During the whole period of his [earthly] life the Saviour 'was a-slaying'.

And writing about the cup of judgment given to Him by the Father, Leahy says this:

The cup that the Father placed in the Son's hands was brimful of wrath and judgment. Its every drop brought torment. Yet this cup he would drink to the glory of God! This cup he would drink in honour of God's holiness and righteousness. This cup of death he would drink in order that not one of his people might ever taste a single drop of it. 'Shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?' (John 18:11). Yes, indeed! He would drink it to its dregs. He would drain that cup. Not one drop would be left.

Similar insights abound throughout the book. Not only does Leahy instruct the mind, but he stimulated my heart into deeper gratitude and affection for Christ — the very thing a book about the cross should do!

What are you giving up for Lent?

As today is Ash Wednesday, this is a common question — “what are you giving up for Lent?”

I’ve heard a variety of answers — from the sublime to the ridiculous (but mostly ridiculous) — cole slaw, eye-liner, premarital sex with a fiancé, running yellow lights among them. Even giving up Lent. Hmmm.

I am no expert of liturgical faith that emphasizes a significant personal sacrifice in order to prepare for Easter — and ostensibly to merit the favor of God.

But as I think about righteousness and the relationship between faith in Christ and works, the connection between what we do and what we have from God, two Biblical passages come to mind:

If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) — in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. [Col. 2:20-23; NASB]

He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit… [Titus 3:5; NASB]

In the former, God says that while there are those who suggest that there is merit to be found in self-denial, in fact, such things are headed for an eternal deterioration and dissolution. They have the appearance of wisdom and commendation from God, but they will not survive, nor are they any help in producing righteousness or the mortification of the flesh (Col. 3:5; Rom. 8:13). Jesus said that the force of the Law was to bring people to the place that they understood that they could not be as perfect as God (Mt. 5:48) — nothing they could do would produce an ability to stand before the One with whom we all have to do (Heb. 4:13).

And the latter verse also affirms that there is no deed — nor any amount of deeds — done even as an act of our very greatest righteousness which will produce eternal righteousness, new birth, or regeneration before God. We cannot change ourselves. We can only be — we must only be — changed by Christ. [Piper makes this point exceedingly well in this week’s sermon, “Through the Washing of Regeneration.”]

Giving up eye-liner — or even pre-marital sex— for 6 weeks — or even for a lifetime, is not enough to assuage the wrath of God against the sin our hearts. For our affront against God is not a single sin that a single external act for a brief amount of time can warrant His decree of “RIGHTEOUS” over our lives. Our sin against Him is massive, not minor, and internal, not external (Mk. 7:20-23) — such that nothing we do will ever atone for our own sin. In fact our very attempts to achieve righteousness apart from the only One who is righteous is further sin against Him and leaves us in even greater debt to Him and in further merit of His wrath.

This is not to say, “Don’t worry about sin in your life,” but it is to say, “Address (attack! kill!) sin in your life by the means God has provided:”

…make sure that you attack the flesh with God’s weapons and not your own. You’ll find lots of teachers in churches who offer remedies that don’t come from God. When we try to offer them to God he says to us, ‘Who has asked this of you?’ (Isaiah 1:12). The Pharisees, for example, were notorious for piling high the works and duties that would win God’s pleasure, yet few of those works came from God. And the church has added its share of fastings, pilgrimages, abstinence, prayers, and rituals that have little or no basis in God’s Word.…

But what does God require of us for our spiritual recovery? Simple: renewed obedience in his means of killing the flesh. His means are those outlined throughout his Word and they’re familiar: constantly reading his Word, hearing it preached, and reflecting on it; fervent prayer; careful watching against temptation; and fixing the mind always on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.…

And when we attach the flesh in our own strength, the worst thing that can happen is anything that might smell of success — because our pride will jump to make a merit badge out of it. We’ll begin to justify ourselves before God, and that will lead us away from sincere faith, away from the gospel, away from Christ. But faith clings to Chris tin everything and won’t move an inch without his help. Faith won’t read a chapter, sing a hymn, say a prayer, or offer a gift, without calling on the strength of Christ by the Spirit. This is what it means to live by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20). And when we live this way, God always revives us. [Lundgaard, Through the Looking Glass]

What are you giving up for Lent? Maybe the better question to ask is, What are you taking up and who are you following?

Answer? I am taking up my cross to follow Christ and ask for His righteousness to be both given to me and formed in me.

The sacrifice of Christ

I was introduced to the poetry of George Herbert 25 years ago in a college literature class. In fact, I had to purchase a textbook comprised almost entirely of his poetry. I didn’t have an appreciation for his writing at the time — even after reading a significant amount from that book.

Now I do.

In Through the Looking Glass, Kris Lundgaard quotes one of Herbert’s poems at length. It’s worth reading.

The great "I am" and a correction

Tozer said it well when he wrote the following in The Pursuit of God:

There must be somewhere a fixed center against which everything else is measured, where the law of relativity does not enter and we can say "IS" and make no allowances. Such a center is God. When God would make His Name known to mankind, He could find no better word than "I AM".…Everyone and everything else measures from that fixed point. "I am that I am," says God, "I change not."

As the sailor locates his position on the sea by "shooting" the sun, so we may get our moral bearings by looking at God. We must begin with God. We are right when and only when we stand in a right position relative to God, and we are wrong so far and so long as we stand in any other position.

Much of our difficulty as seeking Christians stems from our unwillingness to take God as He is and adjust our lives accordingly. We insist upon trying to modify Him and bring Him nearer to our own image.…It is no use. We can get a right start only by accepting Goad as he is. As we go on to know Him better we shall find it a source of unspeakable joy that God is just what He
is.

And, the quote in Sunday's outline should have read as follows: "Not only do we now know God except through Jesus Christ; we do not even know ourselves except through Jesus Christ." [Blaise Pascal; it's amazing the difference in meaning one small word makes!]

Sunday Leftovers (1/27/08)

The gospel of John was written to introduce the readers to Christ in such a way that they would be stimulated to believe Him. John accomplishes this through the seven-fold declaration of Christ's "I am's," through the seven miracles of Christ, and even through the very names that John uses to refer to Christ. Each distinct name and usage reveals something about John's theology, but even more about the glory and character of Christ and God.

What names does he use?

Word. This title is used only 4 times (1:1, 14), but it is significant, nonetheless. The emphasis is obviously on His deity: He is eternally pre-existent, lives in "co-ordination" with God, and yet possessing His own identity, and in fact being God Himself.

Christ is used 16 times in the first 12 chapters of the book, and only twice after that. The word is designed to point to the truth that Jesus is the promised Messiah of God. After His ministry becomes private (beginning in chapter 13), that is not nearly as important. That this name refers to His Messianic work is clear from 1:41; 10:24; 11:27; 17:3. Moreover, those who rejected Jesus as the Messiah understood the implication that He claimed to be Messiah (e.g., 3:28; 7:26-27).

Jesus. This is the most common name, being used more than 200 times. It is a reference to His genuine manhood.

Jesus Christ. Used only 2 times in the book (1:17; 17:3), both times it emphasizes the divine nature of Jesus, emphasizing in 17:3 that he came from "the only true God." One of the favorite titles of the epistles "Christ Jesus" appears in none of the Gospels.

Son of God. The title is used 9 times in John, several times in conjunction with "Christ" (1:49; 11:27; 20:31), and once with "only begotten" (3:18). These alone suggest that the title is designed to emphasize the divine nature of Jesus. He is not merely a man, but God Himself.

Son of Man (1:51; 3:13-14; 5:27; 6:27, 53, 62; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23, 34) and "the Son" (3:17, 35-36; 5:19-23, 25-26; 6:40; 8:36; 14:13; 17:1). These two terms are used interchangeably, and likely are a reference to Daniel 11. Interestingly, they are used almost exclusively of Jesus during His public ministry (chs. 1-12), and only twice during His private ministry (chs. 13-21). They refer to His purpose and mission as the Redeemer.

Lord is used of Jesus 53 times in this gospel, with nearly an even split between the public and private ministries of Jesus (25 times in chs. 1-12; 28 times in chs. 13-21). However, 12 of the references in chs. 1-12 are in chs. 11-12! This title was often used generically to demonstrate respect for another human, being translated more simply as "sir" or "master" (e.g., 4:11, 15, 19). However, Christ used this title to refer to Himself (e.g., 13:14), and it is used also with a sense of the recognition of Christ's deity or power (e.g., 6:68; 9:38; 13:37; 14:5, 8; 20:28; 21:17). It is after the resurrection that this name gets to be used more commonly of Christ.

Only Begotten. John is the only NT writer to use this word of Jesus (1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 Jn. 4:9). However, Hebrews 11:17 uses the same word to refer to Isaac as the "only begotten" of Abraham, and from that use we gain understanding about its meaning. Hebrews 11 cannot be a reference to Isaac's status as the "only" child of Abraham, as Abraham had other children, both through Hagar and his concubines. "But Isaac was unique: he was the son given to Abraham and Sarah as the result of the promise of God. The people of God were to be descended from him and not any of the other sons of Abraham. That Jesus Christ is God's [only begotten] then means that he is 'Son of God' in a unique way. Others may be called 'sons of God', but the are not 'sons' in the same sense.…[John] is saying that no one else stands in the same relationship to God the Father as does Jesus Christ. Christ is the Son of God not only in the sense that he is the object of God's love, but also in the sense that his being is bound up with the being of the Father." [Morris, pp. 92-3.]


In every passage in John, Jesus Christ is presented in numerous ways — through His own words, through the record of His activity, through the responses of both those who believe and those who do not believe, and through a variety of descriptions of Him. And all these things declare: "believe Me!"

The belief called for is not just an initial saving faith, but the ongoing faith of sanctification that continues in and with Christ. There is no one else like Christ. We can not think too much or too often of Him. This is the message of John's gospel.

A new blog of interest

Bible.org has a wealth of exceedingly helpful Bible study tools. They have also begun posting a number of blogs, and this week initiated another one that looks to be helpful — Primetime Jesus . The intent of the blog is to "," and to that end, they are employing the services of a number of Biblical sholars, including men like Darrell Bock, Craig Blomberg, Mike Wilkins, and Ben Witherington. This should be a helpful resource on the inevitable attacks against the person and work of Christ.

You may also have the most recent articles fed to your favorite blog reader with this link.

(HT: Darrell Bock)

Sunday Leftovers (1/6/08)

The triumphal entry of Christ prior to His crucifixion testifies to His Messiahship and Kingship, and prefigures His victory at the cross. What is not understood by the massive crowds and even the disciples that day was the significance of the triumphant Christ.

He came as Messiah. He came as the One appointed by God in eternity past to rectify man's problem. Not man's problems, but man's problem. He did not come to solve economic depression, social ills, moral failures, physical infirmities, or social injustices (though in His grace He did on occasion minister to people in those ways). He did come to demonstrate His victorious sovereignty over sin. He came as the triumphant victor over sin. William Hendriksen delineated a number of ways in which Christ demonstrated His authority and victory:

• He was victorious over Satan in the wilderness of temptation
• He was victorious in binding the power of Satan
• He was victorious in repeatedly casting demons from people
• He was victorious in preventing Satan from carrying out his plan until it became God's time
• He was victorious by taking away Satan's right to accuse believers
• He was victorious by sealing Satan's fate of death and stripping his power

The effect of this work by Christ is that the believer can hear the words "fear not" and be confident that God has provided everything he needs not to fear. In fact, more than 100 times in Scripture God commands His followers to "fear not." And the reasons why this is possible are rooted in the triumph of Christ — and a host of other reasons:

• We will not die apart from God’s gracious decree for his children.
• Curses and divination do not hold sway against God's people.
• The plans of terrorists and hostile nations do not succeed apart from our gracious God.
• Man cannot harm us beyond God’s gracious will for us.
• God promises to protect His own from all that is not finally good for them.
• God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him forever.
• God is never taken off guard.
• God will be with us, help us, and uphold us in trouble.
• Terrors will come, some of us will die, but not a hair of our heads will perish.
• Nothing befalls God's own but in its appointed hour.
• When God Almighty is your helper, none can harm you beyond what he decrees.
• God’s faithfulness is based on the firm value of his name, not the fickle measure of our obedience.
• The Lord, our protector, is great and awesome.

Christ is victor. Do not fear.

Sunday Leftovers (10/28/07)

In today's passage, Jesus refers to two familiar figures of speech to explain who He is —

• I am the door of the sheep (vv, 7, 9)
• I am the good shepherd (vv. 11, 14)

Jesus and the rest of Scripture frequently use such images to help us understand the character of God and His relationship with His people. John MacArthur has accumulated a long list of these images:

He is called the Amen (Rev. 3:14; cf. 2 Cor. 1:20), the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 22:13), the Advocate (1 John 2:1), the Apostle (Heb. 3:1), the Author and Perfecter of faith (Heb. 12:2), the Author of salvation (Heb. 2:10), the Beginning (source, origin) of the creation of God (Rev. 3:14), the Branch (Jer. 23:5), the Bread of Life (John 6:35), the Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20), the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25), the Counselor (Isa. 9:6), the Deliverer (Rom. 11:26), the Door of the sheep (John 10:7), Eternal Father (Isa. 9:6), the Faithful Witness (Rev. 1:5), the First and the Last (Rev. 1:17), the Firstborn (Preeminent One) of the dead (Rev. 1:5) and over all creation (Col. 1:15), the Forerunner (Heb. 6:20), the Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14), God blessed forever (Rom. 9:5), the Guardian of souls (1 Peter 2:25), the Head of the church (Col. 1:18), the Holy One of god (John 6:69), I AM (John 8:58), Immanuel (Isa. 7:14), the King of Israel (John 1:49; cf. Zech. 9:9), King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim. 6:15), the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the Light of the World (John 8:12), the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5), Lord (John 13:13), the Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8), the Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5), the Messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1), the Messiah (John 1:41; 4:25-26), the Mighty God (Isa. 9:6), the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16), the Only Begotten (Unique One) from the Father (John 1:14), our Passover (1 Cor. 5:7), the Prince of life (Acts 3:15), the Prince of peace (Isa. 9:6), the Resurrection and the life (John 11:25), the Righteous One (Acts 7:25), the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4), the Root and Descendant of David (Rev. 22:16), the Root of Jesse (Isa. 11:10), the Ruler in Israel (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:6), the Ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5), Savior (Luke 2:11; Titus 1:4), the Servant (Isa. 42:1), Shiloh (Gen. 49:10), the Son of the Blessed One (Mark 14:61), the Son of David (Matt. 12:23; 21:9), the Son of God (Luke 1:35), the Son of Man (John 5:27), the son of the Most High (Luke 1:32), the Sun of Righteousness (Mal. 4:2), the Sunrise from on high (Luke 1:78), the True God (1 John 5:20), the True Vine (John 15:1), the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6), the Word (John 1:1, 14), the Word of God (Rev. 19:13), and the Word of Life (1 John 1:1).

Sunday Leftovers (9/16/07)

The heart of pride is not only the exaltation of self, but even more tragically, it is the diminishing of God. As Thomas Watson has noted, "pride is the greatest sacrilege; it robs God of his glory."

Every prideful act is a defiant gesture of the inadequacy of God, and the self-exaltation of self. This was at the heart of the Pharisees' obstinate rejection of Christ (exemplified by their questions in John 8). But these particular sins of the Pharisees were not the only ones infected by pride. All sin is the manifestation of a desire that seeks satisfaction in something other than God. All sin is an expression of the heart that says, "I have a better understanding of what is good, satisfying, and God-glorifying than God Himself."

And so it is that not only do the Pharisees succumb to pride in their every sin. So do I.

In every sin I commit, I am admitting that my affections for God are weak and that my yearning for the preeminence of me is supreme.

This is evil.

It's not a character flaw. It's not a deficiency. It's not something I will outgrow. It is evil.

According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil is Pride. Unchastity, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere flea-bites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-God state of mind." [C. S. Lewis]

Pride approaches with its destructive forces every time we question Scripture instead of submit to it with statements like, "I don't think it means that…;" "I know it says ______, but surely that doesn't mean _______;" "I know it says ______, but it only says it one time…;" or "but that is not a sin that is troublesome for me…"

Pride says "I am preeminent in importance and God is subservient to my best interests." One of the better explanations of it ways given by A. W. Tozer a generation ago:

Sin has many manifestations but its essence is one. A moral being, created to worship before the throne of God, sits on the throne of his own selfhood and from that elevated position declares, 'I AM.' That is sin in its concentrated essence." [A Knowledge of the Holy.]

And this is a daily reality for every man everywhere, whether he willingly acknowledges it or not.

Sunday Leftovers (9/9/07)

The story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 7:53 - 8:11) is fundamentally not about the woman, not about her sin, and not about the scribes or Pharisees. It's not even really about judgmentalism. It is about Jesus Christ. And specifically, it is about how Christ is the bridge between the Law (He is the fulfillment of it), and grace (and His abundant offer of it, 1:16).

Misconceptions of grace abound — even after reading texts like this (or maybe, because texts like this are not read carefully). What can be said about grace from this passage? At least nine principles can be stated. [I said these all on Sunday, but was too rushed…]

1. The offer of grace does not preclude justice.

• Jesus was not saying Moses was wrong. There is justice and wrath, but the Pharisees had rigorously applied one part of the Law and missed the intent of it.
• There is wrath and justice, and it would be experienced.
• Grace does not preclude justice and that also means Jesus was not absolving the woman of guilt.

2. The offer of grace does not minimize sin — it doesn’t say we don’t need to address all sin.

• Many NT passages make it clear that dealing with sin is our privileged duty as believers (e.g., Mt. 18:15ff; 2 Tim. 2:24-25; Acts 5:1-11; Rom. 12:9; 15:4; Gal. 6:1; Tt. 3:10-11).
• Grace looks directly at sin, calls it what it is, and says to the sinner, “do you want to pay for that yourself, or do you want Christ to pay for it?” That’s grace. Grace doesn’t overlook sin; grace makes the cross of Christ the provision for the horridness of sin.

3. It is not ungracious to confront sin; it is ungracious to confront sin without self-examination (cf. Mt. 7:1ff; Gal. 6:1) and without desiring repentance (Js. 5:19-20). Self-examination will keep us from approaching a sinner with pride and haughty self-exaltation, and the quest for repentance will keep us attentive to the purpose of confrontation — restoration, not wrath.

4. Sin begets sin and sin hardens hearts. That is evidenced in part with the woman (she engaged in multiple adulteries); it is clear with the religious leaders — they were uncompassionate toward the woman, they hated Christ, and they were hardened against seeing their own sin. The problem with sin is not the individual sin itself, but what happens to our hearts when we continue in sin unrepentant, with eyes unwilling to examine the heart. We become hypocrites (like the Pharisees — whose very name became a synonym for hypocrisy). Cf. 1 Tim. 4:1-2.

5. The offer of grace and forgiveness is broad.

• Jesus brought the woman to a point of conviction and offered forgiveness and freedom. He did the same with the scribes and Pharisees. They too could have repented. But they walked away.
• It may be that you have been convicted recently of your sinfulness. Jesus Christ patiently awaits your response as well. Whatever your sin: adultery, spiritual hypocrisy, or even hatred of God and Christ — He will forgive it if you confess it and ask.

6. A genuine acceptance of grace comes with "requirements.”

• This is the point of Romans 6:1. When offering or accepting grace, don’t misconstrue it to mean, “I can keep doing what I want.”
• Christ died to liberate you from that sin, not to enable you to continue to do it without guilt.
• Note that Jesus does not say “sin no more and I will not condemn” — forgiveness is offered, and then obedience is commanded on the basis of that forgiveness.

7. Beware of three temptations (all learned at the expense of the Pharisees) —

• the temptation to delight in the sins of others.
• the temptation to minimize your own sins — unwillingness to engage in self-examination will produce this.
• the temptation to manipulate God and Scripture for your own purposes — the only reason the Jewish leaders read the Law was to affirm what they wanted to do. Never approach the Word of the living God in that way (cf. 1 Thess. 2:13).

8. Just because grace is offered does not mean it will be accepted.

• We know the Pharisees rejected Christ’s offer of forgiveness.
• Like Jonah, we don’t know about the woman — her response is unrecorded. He extended the offer of mercy and grace; she may have taken it, she may not have.
• The word spoken to Nicodemus is relevant here: "you must be born again" (3:3, 7). There is no life, no hope, no joy, nothing except death and condemnation apart from being given life by God.

9. The grace of Jesus' statement, "I do not condemn you" (v. 11) is rooted in his acceptance of condemnation for us.

• The reason Jesus can say “no condemnation” is not because He overlooked sin. He can’t overlook sin. When God sees sin, His holy, righteous character must condemn it.
• So how can Jesus say “I don’t condemn?” Because He would take the condemnation for her. When Jesus uttered those words, He was anticipating the day approximately six months later when He would absorb the wrath of God for all those who would believe in Him.
  
• And not only did He absorb the horrific wrath of God, but now He stands as intercessor for those who believe in Him (Rom. 8:3-4; 33-34).
  
• This is what grace is about — not that sin is overlooked, but that sin is acknowledged, repented, and Christ is embraced. This is our message — that the impediment to our fellowship with God is removed by God because God's wrath was absorbed by the second person of the Godhead!
  

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This morning I came across a series of articles that relate to the general subject of the authenticity and historicity of the Gospels. Given the consideration we made of this passage and that it was likely not written by John or part of his gospel, these may also be worth reading.