Upcoming Series: Putting it all Together

I took this photo with my cell phone so the image isn't the greatest... But, we are about to walk through the book of Hebrews in our next series at CSM titled, "Putting it all Together."

I am super excited about this because I feel like it is going to help us to understand how the whole bible fits together and how Christ is the focus of all of biblical revelation and all of creation.

The series starts January 6, 2010 and we will probably at it for several weeks at least.

Be there or be square.

Dwight Schrute- Killing Sin

I was thinking about my childhood on the farm. As is normal in farm life, there were a couple times when we had to put an animal down. Seriously, we had to take an animal out back and put its life to rest. I know it sounds terrible but the circumstances always left us with no other options. Whether it was a rabid dog or a dying horse, my dad would calmly handle the situation. That is what made me think of Dwight Schrute, the character from The Office. Dwight owns a beet farm and the banter of the show regularly references his cold-hearted antics. In one episode he kills his girlfriend's cat, purposefully, and places it in the freezer. He doesn't even bat an eye. Now that is funny!

So there is a concept in the Bible about putting sin to death. The authorized version of the bible translates the Greek word "thanatoo" into the English word "mortify." Literally, it means put to death. The word mortify is found in a couple places in the New Testament, and the most notable is probably Romans 8:13 where it says, "For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death [mortify] the deeds of the body, you will live" (ESV).

Here is my insight: Pull the trigger. Too often I think we manage our sin. I think we take a rabid dog (metaphor for our sin) out back with the intentions of shooting it. Then we remember all the fond memories with our pet and we bring it back home with us. We try to set up some healthy boundaries and even medicate the dog with the hopes of cure. But, the dog eventually turns on us. That is how sin works. If we are unwilling to kill it, the sin eventually turns on us. The situation grows much worse then if we would have dealt with it swiftly.

With sin you need to mortify it immediately. When sin crops up you starve, kill, shoot, dismember, and eradicate it. Do not simply repress sin by hiding it or managing it. Kill it. Do not let it live. Cut off its life source. Change your habits and patterns of life to give it no hope of living. If you are unwilling to totally put to death your sin, then do not be surprised when that sin dominates you. Sin will turn on you and, like a rabid dog, it will sink its ugly teeth in you to destroy you.

Look to Schrute for motivation and kill that thing.

Quote for the Day

This is my goal in life:

"preach the gospel, die and be forgotten" -Count Zinzendorf

A Word about Family Tensions and the Holidays

Anytime an article can make you giggle, challenge the way you think, convict you of present sin, and draw you closer to the gospel all at the same time, it is worth sharing. Dr. Russel Moore accomplished that with this article:

A Word about Family Tensions and the Holidays

Posted using ShareThis

Message from Matt

Here is a video from Matt Chandler reflecting on surgery, pastoring, and life filmed Dec. 18th.

Message from Matt

Video from Matt

A pastor from Texas, Matt Chandler, has recently been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on the right frontal lobe of his brain. He has undergone surgery and is now recovering. Chandler has posted a couple of video reflections about receiving this news. Here is the first video prior to surgery from December 6th. It is encouraging to see such a faithful servant of God walk through this difficult trial. Please watch this video and the follow up video will be posted shortly.

Video from Matt

Repentance by Whitefield

On Ray Ortlund's blog, Christ is Deeper Still, he posted a wonderful piece on repentance by George Whitefield. I didn't want to lose this post in a sea of information on the web so I figured I would link to it from here so I might find it again later. It is worth reading a couple times at least....

The Archaeology of Repentance

Don't Just Read, Reread and Think

A couple things happened over the past couple days... I posted the majority of the books that I have read in the past few years (which seems like quite a few! I am a big book-reading nerd) Secondly, I realized that I don't have a lot of money.

So, I went back to my favorite book. Lectures to My Students by C.H. Spurgeon. This is what he says in his chapter, "To Workers With Slender Apparatus" (few books or means to get them):

The next rule I shall lay down is, master those books you have. Read them thoroughly. Bathe in them until they saturate you. Read and re-read them, masticate them, and digest them. Let them go into your very self. Peruse a good book several times, and make notes and analyses of it. A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books which he has merely skimmed, lapping at them, as the classic proverb puts it “As a dog drink of Nilus.” Little learning and much pride come of hasty reading. Books may be piled on the brain till it cannot work. Some men are disabled from thinking by their putting meditation away for the sake of reading. They gorge themselves with book-matter, and become mentally dyspeptic. (Lectures pg. 177)

“Why do you buy so many books? You have no hair, and you purchase a comb; you are blind, and you must need buy a fine mirror; you are deaf, and you will have the best musical instrument!”—a very well-deserved rebuke to those who think that the possession of books will secure them learning… In reading books let your motto be, “Much, not many.” Think as well as read, and keep the thinking always proportionate to the reading, and your small library will not be a great misfortune. (Lectures pg. 178)

So my aim for the first portion of the upcoming year is to not buy more books. I want to reread a few before looking to get new ones. I even have some books that I have already purchased or been given that I have yet to read. This post is an attempt to put these thoughts to paper (digital) and to keep me accountable;)

Acts 20- Troas to Assos

"We went on ahead to the ship and sailed for Assos, where we were going to take Paul aboard. He made this arrangement because he was going there on foot." Acts 20:13

Much speculation has been made about this little verse and the reason why Paul might have chosen to go it by foot while the rest of the gang sailed around... I tend to favor the idea of solitude. Maybe, because I can relate most easily to this idea.

Recall that Paul had just preached possibly a 10+ hour sermon. He preached from after dinner until midnight. Then after Eutychus fell and was raised, he preached until daybreak. Also, take note that Paul is in a hurry to reach Jerusalem by Pentecost(vs 16). Furthermore, he was about to give a farewell address to the elders of Ephesus. In his commentary on Acts, J.W. McGarvey lists some additional stresses that might have caused the apostle to desire solitude:

"the deep gloom which shrouded his feelings, caused by prophetic warnings of great dangers ahead; by the critical state of the Churches everywhere; and by the final farewell which he was giving to Churches which he had planted and nourished, naturally prompted him to seek solitude for a time."

So, Paul chose to walk by himself. In the ship there would hardly be a place or time that Paul could retreat to. The small quarters, and demands of his travelling companions, would likely hinder his ability quietly reflect and pray. Here is my question for you: do you seek opportunities for God to refresh you and meet with you alone? Are you so busy that God doesn't have your ear unless He divinely invades your to do list? When is the last time that you got alone with God? He desires it and your soul should too! Even if there are many things on the horizon, like Pentecost, pressures of the churches, farewell addresses and the like, the most important thing for you to do would be to meet with God alone. It will strengthen you for the task.

Acts 20- Falling Asleep

Hmmm... How can we sanely navigate this text?

While Paul is giving his long-winded farewell address, Eutychus, falls asleep and falls from the third story window.

Let's explore this from a couple angles:

First, it is a reminder of our physical limitations. We need to humble ourselves enough to get the rest we need. This is an important lesson for our western culture. Slow down. Get some sleep. Trust that when you are sleeping God is able to take care of the world. Perhaps, if Eutychus had been well rested he would not have dozed. Additionally, the many candles in a crowded third story room would create very sleepy conditions. Between the smoke and the warmth, mixed with a cool breeze from the outside, it must have been rather easy to nod off. We must be careful that we are aware of how the physical effects the spiritual. Spurgeon says, "A mouthful of sea air, or a stiff walk in the wind's face would not give grace to the soul, but it would yield oxygen to the body, which is next best" (Lectures to My Students, page 158). Take care of your physical body. This will help to prepare you to train your spiritual body. Therefore, position yourself in a place where you can be most attentive to the Spirit.

Second, this story reminds me of a post from a couple days ago, In Need of Grace. Each of us can become so familiar with truth that it lulls us to sleep. Think about how this is quite possibly the last time that Paul was able to address this church in Troas. This final address is the occasion of the preaching. He obviously had much to say. And you can imagine there must have been weight to what he was saying. It doesn't seem to make sense that he would casually address this group for six hours, as if he was just rambling and shooting the breeze. And, even after raising Eutychus from the dead he continues till morning!?! No, Paul was standing on the brink of eternity preaching with all his soul for the progress and joy in the faith! To fall asleep during a sermon from the apostle Paul is, in a sense, a disregard of your own soul. A flippancy toward eternal things. When we grow casual to the ways of God we are in jeopardy of allow ourselves to spiritually fall asleep. Let this serve as a warning.

1) Position yourself physically to not hinder yourself spiritually

2) Do not grow casual to God's ways

Maybe the text doesn't allow for these conclusions, but doesn't your soul tell you they are true?

Books of 07'

Theology:

Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer

Ministry Theology:

Lectures To My Students by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Christian Living:

Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

When I don't Desire God by John Piper

Books of 08'

Theology:

God's Pursuit of Man by A.W. Tozer

Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan

Best of Tozer v.1 by A.W. Tozer

Ministry:

Brothers We Are Not Professionals by John Piper

The Living Church by John Stott

Your First Two Years in Youth Ministry by Doug Fields [p]

The Christian Ministry by Charles Bridges [p]

Preaching:

Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Between Two Worlds by John Stott

Communicating For a Change by Andy Stanley

How to Speak to Youth and Keep Them Awake at the Same Time by Ken Davis

Christian Living:

For Men Only by Jeff Feldhahn

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

Sex God: Exploring the Endless Connections Between Sexuality and Spirituality by Rob Bell

Student Interest:

Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

Battlecry For My Generation by Ron Luce

Biography:

Confessions of a Reformissional Reverend by Mark Driscoll

A Passion for God: The Spiritual Journey of A.W. Tozer by Lyle Dorsett

[p] indicates partial read

In Need of Grace

"Of all the people who are most resistant to the gospel it is going to be pastors. It is going to be the elders. It is going to be the church leaders. For what obvious reason would pastors be the most resistant? Why did Jesus say it was difficult for the rich to enter the kingdom, more difficult than passing a camel through an eye of a needle? ...Because to get into the kingdom of God the only thing required is that you acknowledge your spiritual bankruptcy. So it is very obvious that it would be hard for the rich to get into the kingdom of God. Harder than anyone else because it's the hardest for them to see themselves as bankrupt. Right? So who's the hardest person to convict and convert? Who's the hardest person to transform? ...clearly the people that are in religious work. Clearly pastors." -Ray Cortese

My plea is that you would pray for me! Pray for the staff of Central. Pray for anyone you know in a leadership role. We need it.

It is so hard to not become numb to it all. The other day I was sitting in a service at a church in Chicago and watched a man get baptized. My Ashley was crying beside me and I was looking at the layout of the baptismal and listening to the way the pastor prayed. 'Is this prayer biblically sound?' I thought to myself as the man publicly professed Christ as Lord. That is messed up. Pray that God would soften my heart again. Pray that I wouldn't be a Pharisaical hypocrite.

Books of 09'

It's that time of year again.... the time of year when people look back and reflect on what they have experienced over the year. In the blog world people are coming out with their 'best books of 09.' I figured I would follow suit. Here are the majority of the books that I have read this year and are worth mentioning:

Theology:

The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Holiness by R.C. Sproul

The Cross of Christ by John Stott [p]

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God by J.I. Packer

Ministry Theology:

The Cross and Christian Ministry by D.A. Carson

On Being a Pastor by Derek Prime and Alistair Begg

Vintage Church by Mark Driscoll and Gerry Breshears [p]

Total Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester [p]

Simple Church by Rainer & Geiger

Preaching:

Why Johnny Can't Preach by T. David Gordon

Feed My Sheep: A Passionate Plea for Preaching

What is Biblical Preaching by Eric J. Alexander

Expositions:

Basics for Believers: An Exposition of Philippians by D.A. Carson

Let's Study Philippians by Sinclair Ferguson

Christian Living:

The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges

Letters Along the Way by D.A. Carson and John D. Woodbridge

Rediscovering Holiness by J.I. Packer

Thoughts for Young Men by J.C. Ryle

Growing in Grace by Sinclair Ferguson

The Forgotten God by Francis Chan

Porn Again Christian: Online Book by Mark Driscoll

Biography:

Spurgeon by Arnold Dallimore

Memoirs of an Ordinary Pastor by D.A. Carson

Agape Leadership: Lessons on Spiritual Leadership from the Life of RC Chapman by Robert L. Peterson

John Calvin: Pilgrim and Pastor by W. Robert Godfrey

Devotional:

Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett [p]

Language:

Learn to Read New Testament Greek by David Alan Black [p]

Bible Study:

Living by the Book by Howard and William Hendricks

Reference:

Commentary of the New Testament Use of the Old Testament by G.K. Beale and D.A. Carson [p]

[p] indicates partially read.

Hit it Out

For those of you that are fasting today, and in the Wednesdays to come, I want to give you a piece of advice for lunch time.... It is going to be glaringly obvious at lunch time that something is different. Many will say, "where is your lunch?" or, "why are you not eating?" And you can pull a Peter... You can come up with a reason or an excuse so that way you aren't labeled 'one of those people.' That is my default. I don't want to be labeled a "crazy Christian."

Or you can go over the top. You can say too much too fast.... this generally leaves people thinking about you and other Christians, 'don't cram your Jesus down my throat' or 'you think you're so much better than anyone else, you religious twit.' So option 2 is bogus because you may be having a great experience with the fast but you are turning people away from Christ.

There is a third way... When people ask you why you are not eating, you can give them a simple answer about fasting. This might lead them to be interested in why. When they ask more questions imagine that God is lobbing you a softball. So, crank it out of the park. Explain to them why Christians fast. Do it gently and slowly so that they actually understand what you are saying.

Many people fail because they don't have a plan... so pray that you would be ready. "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have. But do this with gentleness and respect" (1 Peter 3:15). So when the questions start coming today... be ready.

Let me give you a couple of thoughts on fasting so that you can meditate on them all day today:

“More than any other discipline, fasting reveals the things that control us. This is a wonderful benefit to the true disciple who longs to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. We cover up what is inside of us with food and other things.” -Richard Foster in The Celebration of Discipline

"I humbled my soul with fasting" (Psalm 31:13)

"It is not the banquet of the wicked that dulls our appetite for heaven, but endless nibbling at the table of the world." -John Piper in A Hunger for God pg. 14