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On April 16, 2022 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

Holy Saturday: The Body Waiting

Holy Week, like the rest of the church calendar, gives us a multi-dimensional perspective on our present lives. We exist in tensions; tensions between what is already accomplished and what is yet to be accomplished, what is true but remains in a condition of relative immaturity and what will be true when God’s promises come to complete maturity in and for us. There is, for instance, one sense in which we live in a perpetual Easter. Christ is risen and ever lives to make intercession for us. He will never die again and, therefore, be raised again. Our bodies are in union with his body, so we have died and been resurrected with him (Rom 6.1-11). But there is another reality at work at the same time. Because Christ is the head of a body, the church, there is a sense in which he still suffers (Ac 9.4; Col 1.24) and waits for resurrection on the last day (1Cor 15). He moves with us through history until we come to have bodies like his glorious body (Phil 3.20-21). In union with Christ, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday are all present and continuing realities for the church as she moves through history, anticipating the resurrection of our bodies when union with our head will reach its fullest expression.

Holy Saturday is one perspective on our existence as the church in which we follow our head throughout history anticipating the resurrection. There is much to learn in the quiet stillness of Holy Saturday.

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On April 14, 2022 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

Maundy Thursday: The Body Given

Jesus washed the feet of his disciples on the night he instituted the Lord’s Supper and gave his new commandment to love one another as he loved us. He served us, ultimately giving his body and blood so that we might be healed, which is the result of our sins forgiven, being reconciled to God, reconciled with one another, and reconciled with the non-human creation. He gave his body to be broken in death so that as we partake of the bread he proclaims to be his body, we are united with one another in his body as his body. This union created in Christ Jesus demands of each one of us that we love one another in the same way that Christ Jesus loved us. That is what it means to be a part of the body of Christ. We share his own life, which is not only the gift of individually passing from death to life and having life after this present life is over, but it is also having life with one another.

As a body we are to share a mutual love, a love that is the opposite of everything described in Prov 6.16-19. The command to love one another assumes our union with one another because the “one another” is a certain group of people, namely, the other disciples of Christ. Love nourishes and enhances the unity and health of the body, which is just the opposite of what the seven abominations do.

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On March 10, 2022 By In Theology, Worship

Holy Worship: Psalm 99

Contemplation of God’s holiness can be terrifying. When we meditate on the blazing purity, the uncompromised integrity, the sinlessness of an all-powerful God who is also the judge of the earth, seeing our impure selves in the light of his presence is frightening. We read and, in some small measure, can identify with the story of Isaiah in the Temple, who, seeing YHWH enthroned and hearing the seraphim crying, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” proclaimed his desperate grief at his undone-ness because of his impurity (Isa 6.1-7).

God’s holiness is dangerous; so dangerous that during the time before Christ, he kept his people from it through distance and a veil. His purity destroys all impurity. It would seem that his holiness would not be an encouragement to worship, to draw near to him, but rather a reason not to do so. Who wants to be shamed and then destroyed? Yet there is something attractive to us about God’s holiness; something that draws us in like a moth to a flame; something so beautiful about it that, despite the pain we experience through seeing our deep impurities and dissatisfactions it reveals about us, we are drawn to it.

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On October 23, 2021 By In Politics, Wisdom, Worship

10 Theses on Ecclesiastical Conservatism

What I wish to do is to establish some principles for thinking rightly about politics. I have done my very best to reflect these principles over the years with a certain level of success, and am also fully aware of the temptations that come with easily deviating into one side of the aisle over the other.
I want to first begin with a legitimate concern in our evangelical ethos. And again, for the 400th time, I am addressing evangelicals, because I am one. I am not addressing my family members out of spite, but because God has given me some ability to see things. Now, whether my sight of the current issues is a gift from God or an incredibly astute self-deception is for you to decide. I speak only for myself and my three-old who still believes my flaws are merely superficial.

Back to the concern: there is a legitimacy among my friends who have sent me private notes about the dangers of over-politicizing things and how evangelicals are very susceptible to accepting bribes from politicians. And there is also a danger in making the Church so political, so trumpian, and so americana that we become a wing of the GOP receiving special favors from Donny Jr.

I see that concern and raise the bets. It’s real and if you have been reading me long enough, you know that I have attacked 4th of July celebrations in the Church and the exaltation of the Pledge of Allegiance over the Nicene Creed, etc. I have attacked these so much that as the great prophet says, “If you don’t know me by now, You will never never never know me.”

I am a Reformed, Evangelical, Christian with the bona fides to prove it and the letter of recommendations as well. I preface that to ensure that no one thinks I am some ecclesiocrat. I am not, but I do love the Church, like, a lot. She is my mother and I honor her as the bride of my only Lord. The result of this happy marriage and what ought to be our interest in the political sphere makes me an “ecclesiastical conservative.” And since those two words according to a google search have never been put together into a sentence, I’d like to define some of it in ten theses. Whether you find it fruitful or silly is up to you, but here I stand and I can do other things, but I want to park here for the moment at least to begin formalizing some thoughts:

Thesis I: Ecclesiastical Conservatism begins thinking about politics first as a churchman and then as a citizen of the body politic. His loyalty is first as a worshiper and then to his responsibilities to think about the politics of the day. The first must flow into the other and not the reverse. Our temptation to view government as the answer is a sign that we are eager to give up the role of the Church in society. Conservatism observes the expansion of the state and the overreach of the government in areas where the Church should be independent. We, therefore, oppose such actions and accept that our fundamental duty is to obey God rather than man.

Thesis II: Ecclesiastical Conservatism affirms that the Church is central to the purposes of God in the kingdom and that from her flows the wisdom of God to the world (Eph. 3:10). Wisdom comes from above through the lips of ministers and the gifts of bread and wine. The lessons or rituals from D.C. should never take precedence over the Church.

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On October 14, 2021 By In Church, Worship

Ecclesiology 101: The assembly must confront and forgive one another

In this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The fifth duty of the assembly toward one another is to confront and forgive sin. No doubt, this is the requirement that causes the most consternation for Christians. Of all the duties listed in this series, this is the command that many churches neglect altogether. That shouldn’t be the case. Confronting sin is never fun or easy, but it is a command from God. We must obey it, and he will give us the strength to do so.

Step one: Keep it private

Consider the instruction from Jesus himself in Matthew 18.

If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother (Matthew 18:15)

Jesus establishes that you are deputized to confront those who sin against you. If someone sins against you, you have the authority to go to them privately and try to make amends. The goal is for the offender to repent and for you to forgive him. The intent of this process is not to humiliate the offender, but to bring about reconciliation.

Popular belief would have you think that confronting sin is unloving and vindictive. But does that sound like something Jesus would approve of? No. Confronting sin is actually based on love. It is a good and gracious thing, and your demeanor must reflect that. You do not confront someone with anger and disrespect. You approach them with kindness and gentleness.

How should Matthew 18 work in practice? If a fellow assembly-member sins against you, you start by keeping it as quiet as possible. You’re supposed to deal with it privately, with that person alone. You should clearly explain your grievance, citing Bible verses as necessary. Ideally, the person will confess his fault and ask for your forgiveness. You must then forgive him (Matthew 18:22, Colossians 3:13).

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On August 4, 2021 By In Church, Worship

Ecclesiology 101: The assembly must share gifts with one another

In this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6

The fourth duty that assembly-members have toward one another is the giving and receiving of gifts.

All members of the assembly have gifts that God has given them, and those gifts are to be shared with others. Whatever skills, expertise, or knowledge you have is for the benefit of all. Each person is a unique image of God with unique traits and perspectives. Each person has interests and abilities that are not identical to anyone else. You are to share your gifts with others, and they are to share their gifts with you.

Consider the following passages:

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit…given to each one for the profit of all…the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 21)

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10)

Peter says that we are to “minister” our gifts to one another. That’s a profound command that should not be dismissed easily. It’s a ministry of yours to share your gifts. Maybe you’re a musician, a mechanic, a doctor, a math genius, or a babysitter. Maybe you’ve learned wisdom from life experiences. Whatever the case may be, the Bible views your gift as a benefit to the whole assembly. Don’t think that you have nothing valuable to offer! You do. Each member — clergy and layperson alike — plays a vital role in the life of the assembly.

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On June 10, 2021 By In Church, Worship

Singing Like Men

Why are men not singing in Church?

Various articles have attempted to answer that question recently. But before we can try to offer a rationale for such a spectacular question, we need to observe that some are entirely comfortable allowing this trend to continue. After all, music plays a minimal role in their worship expressions. Others find the issue of congregational singing irrelevant due to the trained praise bands that lead worship each Sunday. “Let the professionals lead.”Certain environments encourage people to hear and feel the music rather than sing it. And some groups have placed such high priority on the preached word that the very idea of a singing congregation seems secondary, if not tertiary in the priority list. But on to better things.

Fortunately, there are a vast amount of churches and leaders that still treasure congregational singing and long for a time when men return to the old-fashioned task of singing God’s melodies. The cruel reality is that we are far from the mark. In my many visits to evangelical churches over the years, the few men who opened their mouths timidly read the words like a child attempting to spell out his phonics assignment.

Timid singers make for timid Christians.

Let’s Begin with Singing Anything in Church, Shall We?

I am not arguing for a particular style of music. That would be to ask for too much. I think we need an incremental strategy. I am arguing for men to sing whether through projected song lyrics, Fanny Crosby classics, or Scottish Psalter. I am imploring for men to take up their holy charge and lead by example. Set the tone and watch the little lions roar.

There is a more insidious reason why men do not sing. One author boldly observed:

“Look around your average Evangelical church and you’ll likely see a 3 to 1 ratio of women to men. And of the men who actually do attend, you can see on about half of their faces that they’re only there because their wives want them to be there. The other half are there because they genuinely want to be there.”

We have succumbed to a kind of cowardly environment where instead of men leading the women with their voices and character and fervor, the women are attempting to make up for the lack of interest in their own husbands. How often have I encountered the scenario where women hunger to learn and grow in their Christian walk, but husbands are content with the slobberiness of impious entertainment.

Evangelical men are wanted. But they are lacking. They lack leadership and the ones who make it to church after their wives’ brave attempt to persuade them the night before, sit still in a silence resembling a preserved ritualized mummy.

Yes, there is certainly much to blame for the weakness of the evangelical man. And there is much to commend in female saints who tirelessly bring their children to church on Sunday morning while their husbands engage in their rock-n-roll fantasies. May God curse their dreams.

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On June 10, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

A Heart For Wisdom

Approaching the book of Proverbs as a superficial “how-to” manual for relationships can be tempting. The practical wisdom saturates the pages. Those in the field of behavioral psychology could benefit greatly from reading Proverbs. Solomon gives us disciplines to employ that lead to productivity and long-term happiness. We are also given behaviors to avoid that are destructive. So, if we are not careful, we can read Proverbs like one might read Atomic Habits by James Clear, 12 Rules for Life by Jordan Peterson, or Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin. These books (and other books like them) have much to commend them, but they aren’t Proverbs.

Proverbs is not merely a manual for superficial techniques. At the heart of the wisdom of Proverbs is the matter of the human heart. The wisdom that God requires of us runs deeper than a mere manipulation of our situations to turn things to our benefit. The wisdom that God calls for is wisdom that captivates the heart.

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On June 3, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

The Fear of the Lord

No other subject in Scripture is so fundamental and pervasive yet so misunderstood and confusing as the fear of the Lord. Throughout Scripture, we are encouraged and commanded on numerous occasions to fear God. Ecclesiastes 12.13 says that fearing God and keeping his commandments is the whole duty of man. The opening and possibly the controlling theme of Proverbs is, “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Pr 1.7). But then we hear in 1John 4.18 that “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” The one command we hear possibly more often than any other is “Fear not.” We need not even go across the Scriptures to see this paradox. Exodus 20 has it all in one passage:

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” (Ex 20.18-20)

 “Do not fear” because God has come to test you “that the fear of him may be before you.” Do not fear because God wants you to fear. Any first-time reader is confused. So, are we to fear, or are we not to fear? Yes. Just as with anything else in Scripture (or in any other literature for that matter) we must understand the different senses and contexts in which “fear” is used.

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On April 4, 2021 By In Discipleship, Theology, Wisdom, Worship

Easter: The Garden Feast

In the beginning, God gave man a project; he was to be fruitful and multiply, filling the earth and subduing it (Gen 1.28). To complete this project, man would be dependent upon God to give him gifts along the way. One of the first gifts God gave the man was the woman. She was his helper. His other gifts involved food. There was a multitude of trees that would provide food for man, but there were two special gifts of food in the middle of the Garden: the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. The man and his wife were invited to the Tree of Life to eat freely. There God would grant them the gift of life, confirming them in their relationship with him forever. The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was forbidden at first but would be granted at a later time. They needed to grow up for a while before they could handle this “strong food” (see Heb 5.11ff.). This food would grant them wisdom and authority to move the dominion project forward. They weren’t ready for this food in the beginning. (For details on this, see Two Trees & A King.)

The man and woman disobeyed, ate from the wrong tree first. Their eyes were opened. God came in the “spirit of the day” to commune with them at the trees and uncovered their sin, pronouncing curse and promise. They were then graciously exiled so that they would not have access to the Tree of Life. Cherubim with flaming swords were stationed at the east entrance of the Garden to guard the Garden (the responsibility originally given to Adam).

God’s intention was not to keep man barred from the Garden forever. He wanted man to draw near to him, to live forever, and grow up to have authority over the creation so as to make it what God intended it to be. The only way for this to happen was for another Adam, a sinless Adam, to endure the flaming swords of the cherubim, eat of the Tree of Life, and then be granted the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil by the Father so that he might have all authority over creation to move it to goal.

Luke’s recording of that first Easter Sunday shows us how Jesus remedied Adam’s sin.

The scene opens with women, helpers, coming to the garden tomb. Jesus isn’t there. He is risen. Two men, whom we later learn are angels (Lk 24.23), are there with “lightning clothes.” They are the cherubim who guard the Garden. Even though they are terrifying to look upon, they are welcoming of the ladies. There is no reason to fear. The faithful Adam has passed through their fire, protecting the woman. Having endured the flame, he was granted the fruit of the Tree of Life. He is risen. He lives. He will live forever, confirmed in his righteous standing with the Father. In his one act of obedience in submitting to death, he secures the forgiveness of sins and access for his bride to the fruit of the Tree of Life.

But the story is not over.

On the same day, two disciples take a trip to Emmaus. One’s name is Cleopas, who may be the Clopas mentioned in John 19.25, the husband of Mary. It is quite possible that this may be a man and his wife on this road. Jesus joins them to walk and talk with them. Their eyes are closed. They don’t know who he is, neither do they understand what has happened over the past few days. Jesus leads them through a Scripture study concerning how Messiah must suffer to enter his glory, his reign as king. Their eyes are still closed. When they arrive at the house, Jesus sits down with them and, with an unmistakable connection to the events of the night of his betrayal, he takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. When they receive the food, their eyes are open, not to see their nakedness and be ashamed, but to see and understand Jesus and his work. Jesus gave them the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It was time.

But that’s not the end.

Their eyes are opened for a purpose. Jesus has received all authority over creation so that God’s original plan for creation can move forward. The dominion project will move forward now through the proclamation of the gospel that Christ died, was buried, and rose again. They must proclaim repentance and the forgiveness of sins to all the nations. Because sins have been forgiven, because sin’s power has been broken through the resurrection, we can now complete what God called us to in the beginning.

From the Garden man was cast

Kept from the Tree of Life;

The flaming swords he shall not pass

Because of his dark vice.

He grasped at wisdom’s vesture

So like God he could be;

Now subject to the serpent

He lives on beastly.

Creation over which he ruled

Is now bowed beneath the curse;

In hope it is subjected,

‘Til God assuage its hurt.

A faithful man takes up the task

To be creation’s king;

He passes through the flaming swords

Enduring sinlessly.

In death he conquers death

Forgiving Adam’s sin;

And eating from the Tree of Life

The world shall live in him.

The Father gives him wisdom’s fruit

He eats it for to reign;

Creation’s King is now enthroned

To free creation’s pain.

In bread and wine he shares

The fruit of both the Trees;

That we may live and reign with him

To see creation free.

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