ResponsiveReiding

My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? (Matt. 27:46) – Dr. Michael Canham preaching.

April 10th, 2016

Today we had the privilege of Dr. Michael Canham preaching for us. It is always a joy and a blessing to have him here, and today was no exception. He was in town for his sister Maria’s memorial service which I had the great honor of preaching at. Sit back and prepare for a real feast in God’s Word.

Mike is a longtime friend, holds a PhD from Westminster Seminary and serves as one of the professors at Cornerstone Seminary in Vallejo California.

THE AUDIO FOR THIS SERMON CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING HERE

The Notes can be seen by clicking on the following link CanhamMatt27
A Brief Meditation for the Lord’s Supper

April 4th, 2016
1 Corinthians 11:23–34 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. ²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. ²⁹ For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. ³⁰ That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. ³¹ But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. ³² But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. ³³ So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— ³⁴ if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

There is an old cultural maxim for “good luck” that has survived the years, although not nearly as popular as it once was. It was addressed to brides and went like this:

Something old

Something new

Something borrowed

Something blue

Most of however may not know that there is a closing line that almost never gets mentioned and it is:

And a silver six-pence in her shoe

Borrowing from that simple framework, I would like to modify it as we come to the Lord’s Table this evening. And my version goes like this:

Something blended

Something New

Something Missing

Something True

And all things by Jesus, made brand new.

As is clear from Mark’s Gospel (at least) the Last Supper was in fact a Passover meal. At the end of it however, Jesus co-opts the meal and transforms it in something entirely different than the original, and leaves it for His Church to continue until He returns. It still has ties to the Passover meal, but by virtue of Christ’s fulfilling all that the Passover foreshadowed, it must, by necessity undergo change.

You will remember that the Passover meal was quite specific. An entire roasted lamb, which could have no blemish and no broken bones, to be consumed in its entirety. Unleavened bread – to signify the haste with which the Jews would need to leave Egypt. Naturally there would be wine. And there were to be bitter herbs, to remind them of the bitterness of their captivity. The lamb was slain at twilight, and the blood of the lamb was to be applied to the doorposts and the lintel of each household – so that when the Death Angel visited Egypt that night, those who had complied with these directives would be spared the loss of their firstborn sons. Where as all those not complying – certainly virtually ALL of the Egyptians, would suffer that loss.

But now we come to the Last Supper. The meal ended, Jesus broke bread (the word for common bread is used in the text, not unleavened bread – something to be discussed at a later date) and took the cup and established the pattern the Church was to follow until He comes back.

So let us notice 4 things:
1. Something blended / In the Communion meal, there is no lamb to be consumed by us, because on the Cross, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world was completely consumed. The type had been fulfilled. And, Jesus, as the very Bread of Life come down from the Father, not for the Jews only, but for all who would believe in Him – was broken for us. The Lamb and the Bread combine in the person of Christ who fulfills both. It is a magnificent transition signifying all fulfillment in Christ Jesus.
But then too – there is –
1. Something New / In vs. 25 Jesus says, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood”. He inaugurates the New Covenant at this moment. The Old Covenant is no longer the one which the Believer is under – and hence the removal of the Passover meal, and the installation of the Lord’s Supper – perpetuated until His return. A more stunning display of the total transition from one covenant to the other cannot be imagined. No Lamb, for THE lamb has died. And now the cup – not a prospective of an atonement to come – but a retrospective on an atonement accomplished! A, THE, New Covenant indeed.
And then there is something truly astonishing. For sometimes, great truth emerges from what is NOT there, as much (if not more) from what is. IN this case:
1. Something Missing / Utterly missing now, are the bitter herbs. Bitter herbs (as we know) symbolized the bitterness of the Israelites’ struggles in Egypt. God instituted that as part of this Passover meal. But in the Lord’s Supper, there is no place found for bitter herbs any more. For the Jews, the Passover meal was all retrospective – and that in remembering former bitterness. We’ll come back to this in a moment. But hear this now – in Christ, all bitterness is taken away in Him! It has no place in our remembrance at the table any more.
Lastly, there is:
1. Something True / The death of Christ and the New Covenant He established is a PRO-spective. It looks forward. So when Jesus established is He says: “And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Luke 22:14–16
This then is the truth of our final state: Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:1-4

NO BITTERNESS there! No crying. No mourning. Christ Himself wiping the tears from our eyes. And the Table bids us look there and taste something of that glory in the taking of the elements even now.

Many of you here have drunk a full cup of bitterness in this life. Death of a loved one. Betrayal. Unwanted divorce. Chronic illness. Disappointment. Abuse. Loneliness. Failure. All the effects of sin, of the Fall in the Garden – not to mention the failures and lost battles against sin itself in our own lives. Some have suffered extremes of bitter things in this life, so as to make it a wonder that you still stand today.

But! SO great is our redemption in Christ, that in the New Kingdom when it comes in full – even our memories of all which transpired in this life – will be purged of all of its bitterness. There will be none left even in our most prefect recollections. For looking back we will see His glorious hand in every trial. His divine purposes in perfect wisdom. How He led and kept and sustained and used every bitter sip as part and parcel of preparing our eventual blessedness. So we will not look back on a one with sorrow any more – but only with understanding, joy and grateful worship.

No, that may not be possible now – but it WILL be reality then. This is the redemptive work of Christ. And in these elements tonight, we get to taste it in advance.

So Revelation 21:5 “And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Worshiping Like a Puritan

April 3rd, 2016

It is quite common that Puritans get a bad rap. Mencken’s quip above expresses the sentiments of many a poorly informed soul in that regard.

Were there self-righteous, overly pietistic, religionistic blowhards filled with quasi-spiritual smuggery among the Puritans? Yup. Just like there are today (and always have been) in every branch of the Church. But is that a legitimate broad brush with which to paint the entire crowd? Nope. Not even close.

In fact, if you can read the following excerpt from my favorite of the Puritan preachers – John Flavel, and still come away with such a dim view – then I guess I have no means whatever to change your mind. No evidence will suffice.

But for me – God give me the heart that can pour out this kind of worship, whether in public or in private, in preaching or in prayer, and I will die a blessed man. This is what Puritan worship sounds like in the midst of a sermon. And this, is high stuff indeed.

Of Jesus Christ, our Puritan Preacher waxed:

“He is a sun of righteousness; a fountain of life; a bundle of love. Of him it might be said in that day, Here lies lovely Jesus, in whom is treasured up whatsoever an angry God can require for his satisfaction, or an empty creature for his perfection; before him was none like him, and after shall none arise comparable to him. “If every leaf and spire of grass,” (saith* one,) “nay, all the stars, sands and atoms, were so many souls and seraphims, whose love should double in them every moment to all eternity, yet would it fall infinitely short of what is due to his worth and excellency. Suppose a creature composed of all the choice endowments that ever dwelt in the best of men since the creation of the world, in whom you find a meek Moses, a strong Sampson, a faithful Jonathan, a beautiful Absalom, a rich and wise Solomon; nay, and add to this, the understanding, strength, agility, splendour, and holiness of all the angels, it would all amount but to a dark shadow of this incomparable Jesus.”

“Who ever weighed Christ in a pair of balances?” saith another. “Who hath seen the foldings and plaits, the heights and depths of that glory that is in him! O for such a heaven, as but to stand afar off and see, and love, and long for him, while time’s thread be cut, and this great work of creation dissolved!—O, if I could yoke in among the throng of angels and seraphims, and now glorified saints, and could raise a new love-song of Christ before all the world! I am pained with wondering at new opened treasures in Christ. If every finger, member, bone and joint, were a torch burning in the hottest fire in hell, I would they could all send out love-praises, high songs of praise for evermore, to that plant of renown, to that royal and high Prince, Jesus my Lord. But, alas! his love swelleth in me, and finds no vent.—I mar his praises, nay, I know no comparison of what Christ is, and what he is worth. All the angels, and all the glorified, praise him not so much as in halves. Who can advance him, or utter all his praise?—O, if I could praise him, I would rest content to die of love for him. O, I would to God I could send in my praises to my incomparable Well-beloved, or cast my love-songs of that matchless Lord Jesus over the walls, that they might light in his lap before men and angels!—But when I have spoken of him till my head rive, I have said just nothing; I may begin again. A Godhead, a Godhead, is a world’s wonder! Set ten thousand thousand new-made worlds of angels and elect men, and double them in number ten thousand thousand thousand times: let their hearts and tongues be ten thousand times more agile and large than the hearts and tongues of the seraphims, that stand with six wings before him; when they have said all for the glorifying and praising of the Lord Jesus, they have spoken little or nothing. O that I could even wear out this tongue in extolling his highness! But it is my daily admiration, and I am confounded with his incomparable love.”^{^[1]}

Search out this wonderful God until you can stand no more visions of His beauty, glory and grace.

^{^[1]} Flavel, John. 1820. The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel. . Vol. 1. London; Edinburgh; Dublin: W. Baynes and Son; Waugh and Innes; M. Keene.
A good word from George MacDonald

March 29th, 2016

From his “Unspoken Sermons” – This, on Luke 23:46 “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”.

How the earthly father would love a child who would creep into his room with angry, troubled face, and sit down at his feet, saying when asked what he wanted: “I feel so naughty, papa, and I want to get good”! Would he say to his child: “How dare you! Go away, and be good, and then come to me?” And shall we dare to think God would send us away if we came thus, and would not be pleased that we came, even if we were angry as Jonah? Would we not let all the tenderness of our nature flow forth upon such a child? And shall we dare to think that if we being evil know how to give good gifts to our children, God will not give us his own spirit when we come to ask him? Will not some heavenly dew descend cool upon the hot anger? some genial rain-drop on the dry selfishness? some glance of sunlight on the cloudy hopelessness? Bread, at least, will be given, and not a stone; water, at least, will be sure, and not vinegar mingled with gall.
Sermon Notes for Easter Sunday 2016 – “Fear Not!”

March 27th, 2016

The Risen Christ

Revelation 1:9-20

John, as we just read, was in prison when he received this revelation.

He personally was exiled on this small, barren, volcanic island in the Aegean Sea called Patmos.

He was not a young man, probably in his late 80’s or perhaps early 90’s.

Aged. Oppressed. Exiled. Alone and probably not a little concerned for the state of the Church – as the last living Apostle, he has much to wrestle with.

He has seen astounding things over his lifetime.

His 3+ years with Jesus.

The Crucifixion.

The Resurrection.

Pentecost.

The birth of the New Covenant Church.

Much persecution. His own escape from being boiled in oil.

And the deaths of all his fellow Apostles.

And our text finds him on this prison island – as it says in vs. 10 – “In the Spirit, on the Lord’s Day.” i.e. – In prayer.

And it is while he is deep in prayer, that he receives this divine visitation from the resurrected Christ.

One would think it no big deal for Jesus to appear to the one Apostle who was called “The Beloved” – but the vision is so overpowering that John says: “When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead^{^[1]}”

Nevertheless, Jesus tells John not to be afraid – and to record all that He will reveal to him next.

But for this morning, I want to fix our attention on the reasons Jesus gives John in this text – for why he ought not to be afraid – tho the present circumstances are dire, and the Church – as Jesus reveals in letters to each of those in Asia Minor, was in a very mixed condition of spiritual health.

Jesus’ 4 Reasons for John to “fear not”.

1. “I am the first and the last”:

He is the first and the Last.

If there were ever any doubt in John’s mind, or that of anyone else – as to precisely who this Jesus is – this declaration was designed to wipe those doubts away forever.

The words used here: “I am the first and the last” are not just a casual way of speaking.

In Isa. 41:4 / Isa. 44:6 / Isa. 48:12 this title is used by God as an exclusive title regarding Himself!

No mere human being, and no angel had a right to take this name to themselves. This is God’s title for Himself.

Isaiah 41:1–4 Listen to me in silence, O coastlands; let the peoples renew their strength; let them approach, then let them speak; let us together draw near for judgment. Who stirred up one from the east whom victory meets at every step? He gives up nations before him, so that he tramples kings underfoot; he makes them like dust with his sword, like driven stubble with his bow. He pursues them and passes on safely, by paths his feet have not trod. Who has performed and done this, calling the generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

In all three of these instances, the use of the title is to show that He is sovereign over all creation as its maker, and even over Pagan nations!

No doubt an incredible comfort to John and His fellow Christians suffering unspeakable persecution by the Roman government.

He is the God who made Patmos.

He is the God who made John himself.

He is the God who superintends the Roman government that exiled him.

He is the God of His people – The Church.

Don’t be afraid John, the one on whose bosom you laid your head at the last supper, is Lord and God over ALL!

TRUST ME!

The full force of those passages from Isaiah are meant to crash in on the suffering Saint’s soul and bolster him for whatever lies ahead.

Isaiah 44:6–8 Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.”

This risen Christ is Lord and God of all.

And if He gave His life to cleanse those who believe in Him from all of their sins – if we have nothing left to fear from Him in the burning presence of perfection and holiness and judgment – then surely we have nothing to fear from this life and its challenges.

Fear not! He proclaims to John. And to all those who are in Christ.

God has a purpose in it all.

The beginning of God’s ways are located in Christ Jesus, and the end of His ways are located in Him.

His eternal purpose to reveal the depths and wonder of His mercy and grace – culminating in the blessedness of the saints WITH Him forever.

2. “The Living One”.

He is the Living One. He is RISEN!

Once again, ties to the OT come to the fore, and in this case, with a saying that most often finds its use in how it is God swears, makes binding promises or takes oaths: “Deut. 32:39-42 ‘See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to heaven and swear, As I live forever, if I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand takes hold on judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and will repay those who hate me. I will make my arrows drunk with blood, and my sword shall devour flesh— with the blood of the slain and the captives, from the long-haired heads of the enemy.’

He is the One who swears upon His own immortality that all that He has promised will come to pass – and ESPECIALLY the final overthrow of all that opposes His Kingdom and His people.

Secondly, He is alive among His churches and His people – regardless of their condition.

This is the meaning of John seeing Jesus in vss. 12-13 as “in the midst of the golden lampstands” – which vs. 20 says are the Churches.

He is alive here among us. Knowing our every plus, and our every failing.

Our challenges, our strengths, our weaknesses and our needs given our circumstances.

As you progress through this passage and see how intimately He knows the circumstances and the spiritual condition of all His Churches, so He has not stopped dealing with them – with us.

He has not left us on our own in this hostile world – but is the One who is Living, and living right in our midst.

He is not some far off mythical deity, but the Living God who dwells in the midst of His people.

He is here today Believer.

He is in your home with you.

In your car.

In your workplace.

In the emergency room, and in the ambulance and in the Dr.s office.

In your loneliness.

In your sorrow.

In your doubt and fear.

He is WITH His people at all times as the Living One.

FEAR NOT!

3. “I died, and behold I am alive forever more.”

Sin has its remedy in Him.

Wrath is swallowed up in Him.

He died in our place, and was raised for our justification and will never cease to be our living Savior and intercessor.

He has conquered the unconquerable – DEATH – on our behalf.

We do not worship a dead man – we worship the Living Christ!

Who – as Isaiah 53 so fully demonstrates:

had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.

Who was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

It is he who has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

He died – and is alive forever more.

And that too – as our ever living Intercessor before the throne of the Father. Watching and caring and pleading and seeing that our every need is attended to.

4. I have the keys of death and Hades.

To “have the keys of Death and of Hades” is to possess authority over their domain…According to Rabbinical teaching, this is the sole prerogative of God;^{^[2]}

For John – this was a most comforting reality, and one he was supposed to write down and share with all the Churches of Christ – He is Lord over our living, and Lord over our dying.

Lord over our living in when and where and how we live.

Lord over our dying as to when and where and how – and especially able to raise us up from it, since He has absolute dominion over it!

He is the One who can raise us from the dead to our everlasting inheritance in Him.

Nothing can hinder His salvation – for He conquered death and the grave for us.

Nothing, not even the grave can prevent us from receiving everything He has promised to us in our union with Him.

As John recorded what Jesus said in John 5:25–29 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

And here stands before John, the risen Christ Jesus to reaffirm His claim in undeniable glory.

Because He is the First and the Last, the Living one, the One who died and yet is alive forevermore – all that He has said will come to pass in perfect measure and in His perfect time.

FEAR NOT!

Glory!

Now, as we said to the audience over at White Haven earlier this morning –

So I ask you today – do YOU know Him?

Not merely the material facts about Him – do you KNOW Him?

Have you met Him?

This, is THE great question isn’t it?

Do YOU know Him?

Not simply – do you know God exists? – everyone knows that, even those who deny it (Rom. 1:18-23).

And not – do you merely have some acquaintance with Him? Nicodemus, the Rich Young Ruler and a thousand others could claim that.

Not – do you have some true relationship to Him? Jesus’ unbelieving brothers were no different.

Not – do you consider yourself His disciple? Judas was truly a disciple and one of His chosen apostles.

Not – do you know Christ as divine? For the devils themselves know that much.

To KNOW God in that it is eternal life, is to know Him such that the wretchedness of this world’s and your own sin are shameful, rebellious and completely “other”, and that He is so perfect and infinitely lovely in every way, that your heart longs after Him and seeks Him and delights in Him.

Do you love Him so as to love nothing else as much?

Do you know Him so that He captivates your heart and mind?

Do you love Him with a constant longing to love Him more and to have others see Him and love Him too?

Do you love Him so as to want to make His glories known?

Do you know His glories such that every glimpse makes you want more?

Do you know Him so that Heaven is to be with Him and to know Him fully?

Do you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent – in mercy and grace to be the propitiation for your sins?

Do you know Him?

Have you believed upon Him and been joined to Him by faith so that you are included in His death, burial and resurrection?

You can today. That is the glory of the Gospel. Moving from mere facts to genuine, saving faith.

Forsaking all other hope or means of being good enough for God – and having Christ’s own goodness put on your account, by trusting Him and Him alone. Coming to know Him by faith.

He is RISEN! And all those in Him – will rise again too – to the eternal life that is in Him.

Those that DO know Him, can FEAR NOT – indeed!

^{^[1]} 2001. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

^{^[2]} Swete, Henry Barclay (ed.). 1906. The apocalypse of St. John. 2d. ed. (Classic Commentaries on the Greek New Testament). New York: The Macmillan Company.
Sunrise Service at White Haven Memorial Park – Sermon notes

March 27th, 2016
It has been our privilege at ECF to preside at a 7am Sunrise Service each year at White Haven Memorial Park – for over 30 years. We are always grateful for this opportunity which is advertised locally, as we always get many visitors in this public venue. It is a wonderful opportunity to preach the Gospel to a crowd outside our normal circle. The picture below is from their brochure, showing the chapel they supply for community event. The Chapel entrance faces east, and when the sun rises and streams through the windows and the stained glass, it is magnificent to see while preaching and worshiping with so many.

Below are the notes I preached from for this service.

DO YOU KNOW HIM?

Easter Sunday

White Haven Memorial Park

Philippians 3:8-11

The material facts surrounding Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection are not hard to establish.

A number of books have been written by legal experts demonstrating that those facts would be conclusive even in a court of law.

We have the eye witness accounts of Matthew in his Gospel, and that of John in his.

The Gospel of Mark we now know was Peter’s account of the facts, written down by Mark.

Luke’s Gospel goes even further, as he writes at the beginning of his Gospel: Luke 1:1–4 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

These positive eye witnesses on the one side, and the absence of contrary witnesses on the other – come together to form a powerful basis upon which to establish the historical veracity of it all.

This is so compelling, that the Apostle Paul, nearly 30 years later, when on trial himself, can say before Agrippa the King – Acts 26:26 “For the king knows about these things, and to him I speak boldly. For I am persuaded that none of these things has escaped his notice, for this has not been done in a corner.”

But merely knowing the material facts about things, does not guarantee that we have the benefit of them.

If someone is ravaged by a life threatening disease, they are not made well simply by knowing the material facts about a medicine that can cure them.

They may believe with all their heart that this medicine is real, and is a proven cure and would in fact cure them – but until they actually have the medicine administered to them – unless they take personal advantage of it – the facts mean nothing at all.

And so it is with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We may be fully acquainted with all of the material facts surrounding Jesus’ life, death, burial and resurrection – and still be none the better for it.

We may believe the facts as given, of His virgin birth, of His being both fully God and fully man – of His substitutionary death on the cross and especially of His resurrection and ascension which we are gathered here today to celebrate – and still be lost in our sins.

Merely knowing the facts doesn’t mean we have truly trusted in Christ and His saving work, personally.

This is the issue behind the Apostle Paul’s words in his letter to the Church at the city of Philippi: 3:8–11 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Now here, the Apostle makes very clear what it is he is after, and how it is to be obtained.

What is he after? He enumerates it like this:
1. (8-9a) That I may gain Christ and be found IN Him.
2. (9b) Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
3. (10) That I may KNOW Him. (Experientially)
4. (10) And the power of His resurrection. (Justification) Romans 4:25 [Jesus] was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. That we might be counted righteous in God’s eyes.
5. (10) And may share in His sufferings.
6. Persecution for His name
7. Struggle against sin
8. Crucified WITH Him
9. (10) Becoming like Him in His death (dying to the power of sin)
10. (11) That by any means possible, I may attain the resurrection of the dead. (I want to be raised up to dwell with God as Jesus did).
And how did Paul hope to have all of this?

He answers that in vs. 8 “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.”

I count everything else that I once invested my life in as nothing but rubbish, so that I can KNOW HIM – that I might gain Christ.

What exactly did that mean for the Apostle?

I forget all about my Jewish heritage – that buys me nothing.

I forget all about my religious heritage – that buys me nothing either.

I forget all about any thoughts of being a good person in myself – righteousness had “by the law” through being a good man. For that I have to see as worthless too.

In order that in giving up any other hope of finding right standing with God – I give myself completely to knowing Jesus Christ experientially.

And having faith in His death, burial and resurrection as having taken the penalty due to me on the Cross, and becoming so one with Him by faith, that in His death for sin, I was crucified too, and that in His resurrection, I am justified before God.

I put all of my eggs in this one basket – being joined to Christ Jesus by faith.

And in that alone – in HIM alone is my salvation – and the hope of being raised up to eternal life on the final day.

All of this – every spiritual good – is found only IN Christ Jesus – and I will give up trust in any and every other thing – so that I may have Him and Him alone. For as Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost: Acts 4:12 “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

This is the glory of Easter – Beholding the Lamb of God, slain for our sins – and raised for our justification. Raised up to prove the sacrifice was accepted and those in Jesus have full forgiveness of sin, and His own everlasting life.

So as Jesus Himself prayed in John 17: John 17:1–3 “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”

So I ask you today – do YOU know Him?

Not merely the material facts about Him – do you KNOW Him?

Have you met Him?

This, is THE great question isn’t it?

Do YOU know Him?

Not simply – do you know God exists? – everyone knows that, even those who deny it (Rom. 1:18-23).

And not – do you merely have some acquaintance with Him? Nicodemus, the Rich Young Ruler and a thousand others could claim that.

Not – do you have some true relationship to Him? Jesus’ unbelieving brothers were no different.

Not – do you consider yourself His disciple? Judas was truly a disciple and one of His chosen apostles.

Not – do you know Christ as God in human flesh? For the devils themselves know that much.

To KNOW God in that it is eternal life, is to know Him such that the wretchedness of this world’s and your own sin are shameful, rebellious and completely “other”, and that He is so perfect and infinitely lovely in every way, that your heart longs after Him and seeks Him and delights in Him.

Do you love Him so as to love nothing else as much?

Do you know Him so that He captivates your heart and mind?

Do you love Him with a constant longing to love Him more and to have others see Him and love Him too?

Do you love Him so as to want to make His glories known?

Do you know His glories such that every glimpse makes you want more?

Do you know Him so that Heaven is to be with Him and to know Him fully?

Do you know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent – in mercy and grace to be the propitiation for your sins?

Do you know Him?

Have you believed upon Him and been joined to Him by faith so that you are included in His death, burial and resurrection?

You can today. That is the glory of the Gospel. Moving from mere facts to genuine, saving faith.

Forsaking all other hope or means of being good enough for God – and having Christ’s own goodness put on your account, by trusting Him and Him alone. Coming to know Him by faith.

He is RISEN! And all those in Him – will rise again too – to the eternal life that is in Him. HE IS RISEN!
A Good Friday Meditation

March 25th, 2016

As some mocked in shame

Others cursed His name

Priests satisfied

Were glad He died

The Son of Man was Crucified

As the sun withdrew

And the shadows grew

Disciples fled

In fear and dread

The Son of Man was Crucified

As the Priests went home

Hardly sun still shone

The clouded sky

Dimmed every eye

The Son of Man was Crucified

As the Marys wept

And the demons crept

The darkest night

Can’t blot the sight

The Son of Man was Crucified

Judas hurls his hire

Silver burns like fire

Priests bat no eye

He had to die

The Son of Man was Crucified

Hid and locked away

Elev’n hearts give way

All hope is lost

Souls, rent and tossed

The Son of Man was Crucified

As the Sabbath dawned

No new joy it spawned

He’s in the grave

There’s none to save

The Son of Man was Crucified

How the day dragged sore

Was there nothing more?

Was nothing gained

From all the pain?

The Son of Man was Crucified

Then another night

No relief in sight

Soul-sick, thoughts churn

Griefs stab and burn

The Son of Man was Crucified

Then the new week breaks

And the cold earth quakes

The Marys come

The grave’s undone!

Where is the One they Crucified?

Mary tells the few

John and Peter too

The stone’s away

There’s where He lay

Where is the One they Crucified?

Mary sobbed her tears

Wracked by doubts and fears

The angels say

He’s gone away

The Son of Man they Crucified

Jesus stands behind

Tears have made her blind

He speaks her name

Is He the same?

The Son of Man they Crucified?

Clinging to His feet

She can only weep

Go tell. Don’t stay!

I live! Today!

The Son of Man they Crucified.

Demons scream in Hell

Broken – Satan’s spell

Death just died. Done!

Christ lives! He’s won!

He reigns, the Risen Crucified!

Sin’s debt, satisfied

For my sin, He died

Alive in Him

Cleansed every sin

The Son of Man they Crucified

Oh sing, Beloved, sing!

Of this your Christ and King

Who reigns on high

Whose Day draws nigh –

The Son of Man they Crucified
Peace of God

March 25th, 2016

Philippians 4:4–7 (ESV) Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Andrew Fuller notes that verse 7 must be understood in connection with 4-6 as well. i.e That the peace mentioned here requires the previous elements. Prayer is not the lone agent in obtaining the “peace of God.”

SO, if we were to list these in order it would look like this:

a. A continually rejoicing heart in the Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” A heart that enjoys the peace of God is one which purposely rejoices in Christ our Savior. And this is not a one time act, but a purposeful choice of habitual behavior. I will add only briefly that if one is not regularly interacting with the Scriptures and books and other resources which reiterate and reinforce Biblical themes – this will be equivalent to materializing gold out of thin air. The stuff, the base material of a rejoicing heart is the truth of God’s Word to God’s People – with special focus upon the person and work of Jesus Christ.

b. A discernable soberness of mind shared with others. “Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand” One lexicon notes that this word “reasonableness” consists in: “not insisting on every right of letter of law or custom, yielding, gentle, kind, courteous, tolerant.” (BDAG). In other words, one who refuses to live in agitation over the lack of others doing things our way, thinking like us or even having contrary views. This attitude is to be publicly manifest, because it is privately lived. It does not let others push our buttons. We cannot have God’s peace and live in constant irritation and agitation over others. God does not live in such a way, and He calls us to abandon it too. At this moment in time – think – Presidential politics. Is the Lord not at hand even here and now in THIS chaotic mess? Indeed He is.

c. A refusal to be anxious. “do not be anxious about anything.” It is to see the seriousness of serious things, but not to let that concern run away with the heart and mind. It is not a total lack of care, but a proportional one which keeps in mind who the Believer is in The Father’s eyes, and that in His sovereign power and limitless wisdom, He is at work for our good and His glory. It is a frame of mind which refuses to give into either panic, or despair, or the two together in a white hot combustion.

d. A prayerful heart and habit. “but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” This is the habit of bringing all of our cares and requests before Him, believing He hears us and will answer in perfect time, wisdom and manner. To approach prayer not as some way of either buttering God up, nor of trying to engage in cosmic arm bending, but supplicating a Father we know full well loves us and knows what is best. To hide nothing of our desire, and to trust He knows what is most loving both to withhold and to grant. This being our normal course.

e. A thankful heart. “with thanksgiving”. Reminding ourselves of His past care and track record of bringing us through the various trials and temptations of life already. And above all, thankfulness for our salvation and the privileges and hope we have in Jesus Christ.

When these things are taken as whole, in all of its parts – the blessed result is the peace of God reigning in the soul. A peace that truly passes all understanding in the very worst of times.
The Gift of Repentance

March 24th, 2016

The gift or grant of repentance.

2 Timothy 2:23–26 (ESV) Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. ²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, ²⁵ correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Why is it we have so much trouble overcoming certain sins in our lives? I am convinced that often, it is because we have no sense that repentance is both a command in Scripture, but also a command which is accomplished by virtue of the gifting or grant of God. And that we fail to ask for it.

Current in American Christianity is the idea that repentance, is merely feeling sorry for sins. And at that, for some, merely feeling sorry that they have been caught or suffered ill consequences, and not sorrowful that it is a personal affront to their God. While sorrow over sin is part and parcel of true repentance, it in no wise encompasses it entirely. Paul in his 2^nd letter to the Corinthians teases out no less than 7 constituent elements of true repentance.

Godly grief or sorrow is only the tip of the spear. TRUE sorrow leads to these elements: Earnestness – ceasing to hide or play down the sin, no longer renaming it as something more acceptable; Eagerness to clear oneself – to be rid of it altogether, not just escape its bad effects; Self-indignation – recognizing how incompatible sin is with our identity in Christ and feeling the burn of having stooped so low; Fear at playing around with something that God must judge with perfect, vengeful wrath; Longing to be walking in uprightness and holiness; Zeal at taking whatever steps are necessary to be free; and Punishment – a willingness to receive whatever consequences may be due without complaint, and the willingness to accept whatever hardship is needed in overcoming.

These are the things that comprise a true portrait of genuine, Biblical, Christian repentance. Merely feeling sorry, is but the A in the alphabet, but is by no means the entire catalogue.

But what of the gift or grant aspect of repentance?

This my friend is where I think many of us fail to do well in prosecuting the battle against our sins. In neglecting the reality that God must grant repentance. We pray much for forgiveness, and maybe even freedom – but we fail to pray that God might in fact give us a repentant heart. That He would wound us deeply enough over our sin, to take us off from it. We want to be clear of the guilt and the shame, so we confess, but we fail to seek Him for a willing woundedness over sin that brings us to a new place of obedience. We don’t ask for repentance, only forgiveness. And thus we do not look for a repentant heart, but only for freedom. We do not want to feel the real depths of our sinfulness, that we might be horrified by it and learn to truly hate it.

If you are struggling with some repetitive and besetting sin, might I encourage you to take up the serious task of pleading for repentance? To pray for true, Holy Spirit conviction – which is never condemnation, but leads us to pursue Christ and not flee from Him. Pray to have the catalog of those elements reviewed above wrought afresh in your own soul. Pray to see your sin in such graphic reality that the horror of it sinks deeply into your heart and mind – causing you to flee from it, and to take whatever steps are needed to be clear of it.

Pray that God grant you, in His grace, a truly repentant heart.

Now hear me Christian – it is not a pleasant experience. Repentance isn’t a tip-of-the-hat to having done wrong and merrily going on your way. When God begins to answer such a prayer, sin’s blackness and wretchedness comes home to the soul as never before. And the nature of its true guilt in the personal affront to your God is painful. Sickening.

But gloriously freeing.

Pray for repentance. And do not stop until the Spirit brings it home to your conscience. You do not need to be afraid of His convicting power, while the Cross is still in view. But do not run or hide from the depths of your guilt or shame either. For that ultimately is nothing other than a species of self-justification. And we can only be justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ.

Pray for repentance. It is a gift. It is a grant. And one the Father delights to have His children ask for – for it displays the vibrant work of the Spirit in your soul.

Don’t ask just to stop sinning your problem sin. Pray for a repentant heart. He will meet you in that prayer in ways you never imagined. Oh what a great Redeemer our Christ is!
As I was reading today – In R. L. Dabney

March 24th, 2016

“The object of preaching is the salvation of the soul; and that salvation consists in a redemption from the guilt, love, and practice of iniquity. The instrument of this redemption is God’s truth, as he has revealed it. “Sanctify them through thy truth.” The preacher is most explicitly called a herald; that is, the deliverer of a message. Now, the herald does not make his message, he merely transmits it. He has nothing to do with judging its wisdom or fitness; let him simply proclaim it as it is given to him. This was God’s command to an ancient preacher: “Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee.” (Jonah 3:2.)”