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On February 18, 2021 By In Church, Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom

What Is Forgiveness?

Central to the Christian faith stands the images of the cross and an empty tomb, which is the end of our journey during this Lenten season. The breach between God and man created by the sin of the first Adam is remedied through the last Adam taking upon himself the burden of the consequences of sin so that all of creation and especially man himself might be released from sin’s penalty and power. In short, in the cross and resurrection, Jesus accomplished the forgiveness of sins. The message of the apostles was consistent that the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed in Christ because he secured it through his shed blood and resurrection (cf. Ac 5.31; 13.38; 26.18; Rom 4.25; Eph 1.7; Col 1.14). Now, as we are baptized into Christ, Peter says, we are baptized for the forgiveness of our sins (Ac 2.38). Forgiveness of sins is central to the gospel of Christ.

Forgiveness is not only a privilege to enjoy, but, once received, it becomes a calling to be lived. As renewed images of God in Christ, we are to consciously take on the character of our forgiving God, learning how to practice the craft of forgiveness. Only as we live this way will we be able to live together as faithful people of God. In our present cultural climate where there is no forgiveness because of skin color, social status, or a myriad of other things, only perpetual guilt and division, it is incumbent upon Christians to learn of and practice the grace of forgiveness.

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On February 17, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom

Wisdom and the Craft of Forgiveness

Wisdom is the knowledge of how various things ought to fit together properly and the skill to make them so. Whether you are looking at Bezalel, an artist and master craftsman, who is given the Spirit of wisdom to construct the tabernacle (Ex 31.2-5), or the wise king, Solomon, who knows how to put people back in right relationship with one another–justice–wisdom sees how different parts of the world are to fit properly with one another and has the skill to make them so. Paul himself is a “wise master builder” who is constructing the church upon the foundation of Christ Jesus (1Cor 3.10). He knows how to put people together so that they can live the way that they ought to live. Wisdom takes all the tools of knowledge and logic and artistically works with different materials in diverse situations to make something beautiful even when there are no step-by-step, paint-by-numbers instructions. Life and relationships are not always that simple.

That is why we must become artists; craftsmen who have been trained thoroughly in the fundamentals who can then beautifully riff off of those fundamentals, staying true to them, while also dealing with situations for which there are no sets of rules. Like musicians who have learned scales and harmonies who grow into composers of beautiful music or engineers who have learned the science of structures who grow into designers of beautiful buildings, so all of us as Christians must get down the basics so that we may grow to be skilled craftsman, wise master builders, in relationships.

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On January 29, 2021 By In Counseling/Piety, Discipleship, Theology, Worship

The Prayer of Faith

Times may be about to become rough for those in the USA who are loyal to Jesus. The rate at which blatant, unapologetic wickedness and pure insanity have ramped up over the past four years is quite staggering. While rancor and disputes have always been a part of the political landscape in our country, there was a certain restraint of tolerance on all sides. Those somewhat congenial differences are turning into hardened conflict and a call for total allegiance or cancellation. Tensions are high. The battle lines are becoming clearer and more intense. Now, more than ever, we need to know how to equip ourselves so that our faith will not fail in the trials to come.

There are a number of good men today teaching Christians how to make their households anti-fragile economically. There are Christians who are developing new technological infrastructures that will give Christians a place in cultural conversations without being canceled by big tech. These and other efforts are all necessary for Christians to equip themselves for upcoming trials. But there is something much more basic that we all must do if we are to face trials big or small so that our faith does not fail: pray. The fundamental battle is prayer. If we make all of the other preparations but fail to pray, we will fail.

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On January 22, 2021 By In Culture, Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom

Not My President?

This past week the United States of America inaugurated a new president. I don’t like him. I believe he is, as my grandpa used to say, “crooked as a barrel o’ snakes.” I don’t like his vice president. I despise his baby-killing-gender-bending-Marxist-promoting-communist-China-loving-LGBTQ-racist-Orwellian agenda. The Biden administration is an unapologetic enemy to the kingdom of God, no matter all of the “God-talk” they employ. I am one of those kooks who believes the election fraud was so evident that it was hard to believe. No one will ever be able to convince me that Joe Biden was elected legitimately. However, none of that means that I can say that he is “not my president.” He is a legitimate president because the powers-that-be under our Constitution certified him as president.

This situation is nothing new to world history or even to God’s people in particular. For example, God made it clear in Israel who were to be the priests and high priests: the sons of Aaron. As history progressed, the sons of Aaron were even narrowed down in the time of David to the line of Zadok. Only Aaron’s sons through Zadok were to be high priests. Upon the Jews’ return to the land after captivity and exile, the Zadokian line had to be restored when the temple was rebuilt. However, between the rebuilding of the temple and the birth of Jesus, the high priesthood became a position that could be bought and sold or given as a gift by rulers. During the lifetimes of Jesus and his apostles, the high priests were not “constitutionally legitimate.” Nevertheless, neither Jesus nor the apostles refused their authority.

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On January 16, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology

Treason

“Behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table” (Lk 22.21). One of the twelve apostles, hand-picked by Jesus to be the foundation of the new holy nation, who walked with Jesus for three years, eating this transformed Passover meal with Jesus in which he is giving them his body and blood, is about to commit high treason. How could it come to this?

Before that question can be answered, we must first answer, “Who is it?” Eleven of the apostles don’t know. There is no finger-pointing. The traitor is not obvious. Each of the apostles, while appalled at the prospect, understands that it could be any one of them. Each one knows his capabilities. Each one knows the capabilities of the others. This heinous act of apostasy is not beyond the possibility of any of Jesus’ disciples.

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On January 12, 2021 By In Church, Culture, Discipleship, Politics, Theology, Worship

Crossing the Rubicon

(Sermon preached at Providence Church in Caro, MI on January 10th, 2021, Feast of the Baptism of Christ Light modifications have been made.)

On this day, January 10, in 49BC, Julius Caesar set in motion the Roman Civil War. He had been governor over a region of Gaul and, when his term had ended, was to return to Rome. Instead, he lead his army across the shallow Rubicon River, a clear declaration of war on the Roman Senate. “Crossing the Rubicon” has, ever since, meant crossing a point of no return, taking a definitive and clear step of war, whether literal or metaphorical. 

In our text this morning (Mark 1:4-11,) we see Jesus, in His Baptism, at a river-crossing event. Jesus is at the Jordan River, not the Rubicon, but the symbolism is just as powerful. And in fact Jesus’ “Rubicon crossing” in the Jordan is no less  a declaration of war.a

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  1. Thanks for Chad Bird for pointing out, in a recent video, the historical and thematic connection of Jesus’ Baptism and the Rubicon Crossing.  (back)

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On January 9, 2021 By In Culture, Discipleship, Wisdom

Apocalyptic Patience

Tensions are running high. For the past nine months, we have been living with a novel virus, politicians playing power games with the virus, people losing their livelihoods, social unrest because of police actions resulting in deaths, and, now, political unrest because of the questions about the legitimacy of the recent election. Societal anxiety is high. Whether or not you have felt the pinch directly from any of these things, you are affected. The anxiety is in the air. Our leaders, who have the power to allay societal anxiety, have not only refused to do so but rather they have exacerbated it by their blatant hypocrisies as well as using it as an opportunity to enrich themselves and increase their power. We are sitting on a powder keg with a bunch of hysterical toddlers playing with matches. We know the explosion is coming. The anticipation of disaster creates anxiety.

Whenever these sorts of things happen in a society, people look for relief. We need rest. We can’t live like this. We’re going to pop. All of this sets us up for some type of messianic figure who will lead a revolution. It may or may not be bloody, but it will be revolutionary and promise peace. With the potential for rest, we will give up our heritage of liberty and just about anything else. If we believe in his cause, we may even fight. Tensions must find resolution.

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On January 8, 2021 By In Culture, Discipleship

Should Churches Meet During COVID-19?”, Part 2

By Joel Nelson, Guest Series

Read Part 1

Purpose of Weekly Church Gatherings

The Body of Christ is called not to imitate the practices of the world, including its darkness and fears, but rather to walk as children of light to try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord, and to take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness but instead expose them (Eph. 5:9-11). The cultural contrast necessitated by walking in the light, and exposing the works of darkness, may be uncomfortable. It may be foreign, even shocking to the sensibilities of those outside the church. This should be expected when two cultures collide. But even so, some may question whether it is prudent or appropriate for this contrast to be exhibited during a time of societal upheaval. Specifically, when the rest of society comes to a standstill and goes indoors out of fear of contagion, should the church situated in today’s world follow society’s lead and also retreat, or should it continue to meet to worship, sing and pray? We will now focus on this question.

For context, the arguments in this essay are predicated upon specific assumptions regarding the church, its union with Christ, and its position in the world.[i] It is assumed throughout this essay that the primary purpose of weekly assembled gatherings of the covenant people of God is worship, not evangelism to nonchristians. Within this context, evangelism takes the form of members of the church body going out from the weekly assembly to the world to witness and evangelize. Thus, the purpose of the assembled gathering is not primarily that of outreach, or attracting those outside to come in. Rather, as Jeff Meyers wrote in The Lord’s Service, it is a family gathering for access to the sanctuary.

In fact, within this assembly of the baptized covenant community, the assembled saints before YHWH’s throne may be so counter-cultural, so unique compared to ordinary society and civic gatherings, that the unbeliever who enters may be “convicted by all, called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you” (1 Cor. 14:24-25). The nature, format, even style of the corporate assembly is modeled on heavenly patterns, not on the whims and styles of contemporary cultural practices (whether legislative assemblies or modes of entertainment such as “TED Talks” or music concerts). It follows, then, that the culture of that assembly will not be congruous to outside cultural practices as well. Peter Leithart notes in The Baptized Body that “the church, as the body of Christ made up of baptized believers, is a separate culture, a separated and holy people” from that of the surrounding world. And as a separate culture, rather than a religious organization within an existing culture, “it has its own internal political and social configuration, its own language, rites, and disciplines.” As such, “what will outsiders think of our worship practices” ought not to be the deciding factor or overarching concern of the local church body.

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On January 2, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology

Incarnation: The Glorification of Man

What is God’s chief end for man? To glorify man and enjoy him forever. This is not quite the catechism question we are used to hearing, but it is just as true as the one with which we are familiar. God created man for glory, and he himself would bestow that glory on the man. In the incarnation of the eternal Word, we see God’s intention for man realized: glorified flesh. John tells us that “the Word was made flesh and tabernacled among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten, full of grace and truth.” (Jn 1.14) We behold the glory of God in flesh, the flesh of man.

The Hebrew word for “glory” speaks about something weighty. Glory is heavy. Glory is the regal robe and crown of the king that sits heavy on his body making him a sight to behold while also reminding him of the weightiness of his responsibility. Glory is the vestments of the high priest in Israel by which he reflects the beauty of God and his people while also carrying the tremendous responsibility to God and for his people. Wherever God adds weight to our lives through privilege and responsibility, he is glorifying us.

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On December 19, 2020 By In Discipleship, Theology, Worship

A Baptism Exhortation

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. ~Galatians 3.27

Prayer: Almighty God, who formed the earth out of water and through water by your word, who saved Noah and his family through water while destroying the wicked, who delivered your people Israel through the Sea while defeating Pharaoh and his armies, all of which are types of baptism into Christ Jesus, we pray that you will look mercifully upon Leah, saving her with your people while destroying sin and death. May she, throughout her life, relying upon the grace you give to her this day, continue to mortify sin so that at the last day she may participate in the resurrection of the just and reign with Christ Jesus eternally. Amen

Clothing is important in Scripture, not merely to cover our infantile nakedness but to glorify us. God never intended the man and woman to remain in their primal condition of nudity. He always intended to clothe them as they grew into the exalted royal rule God destined for them. We see this in the fact that Jesus, when seen after his ascension in Revelation, is clothed in garments of glory and beauty. He did not return to the original condition of nakedness–that occurred on the cross–but is crowned and clothed with glory to rule.

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