"A loving, doe a graceful deer..." I rejoice in the wife of my youth.
Happy Birthday, Love!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
35 Candles for Heather Joy
"A loving, doe a graceful deer..." I rejoice in the wife of my youth.
Happy Birthday, Love!
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
Richard Sibbes on Hot Orthodoxy
"Light in the understanding produces heat of love in the affections."
[From the Bruised Reed, section 6]
[HT: Dennis Wadsworth.]
[From the Bruised Reed, section 6]
[HT: Dennis Wadsworth.]
Monday, July 07, 2008
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Matt's Messages - "To Titus"
“To Titus”
July 6, 2008
Titus 1:1-4
I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Paul’s epistle to Titus. “To Titus.” Paul’s epistle, those of you who were in my adult class at Family Bible Week know that and an epistle is not a female apostle. An epistle is a “letter” and this one is “To Titus,” one of Paul’s missionary ministry associates who had been left behind on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean to straighten out things in the church there.
These first four verses are the greeting section of the letter. Those of you who were in my adult class at Family Bible Week hopefully remember that New Testament letters generally start with the author, then the recipient, and then a greeting or a blessing.
Guess what we’ve got here?
The author in verses 1-3, the recipient and the blessing in verse 4.
Let’s read it, pray, and then mine it for gold about God.
I don’t know about you, but I normally start a letter with, “Hi, hope everything is good with you and yours.” or something like that.
But not Paul. He loads it on from the get-go!
He starts with a description of himself and his call. But notice that his description of himself says more about his God than himself! V.1
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...”
Paul is a servant. Literally, a slave. He sees himself as owned by God. That’s an awesome way to get a perspective on yourself.
And not only that, but He is an apostle. An authoritative representative of His God, of His Lord, Jesus Christ.
And his apostleship has a purpose. He wasn’t an apostle for no reason.
He was an apostle for (v.1) “for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness...”
He had a specific calling on his life to promote and build up and lead God’s people into faith and into knowledge. And not just any knowledge–but the knowledge that leads to godliness.
That’s going to be a major theme in this book over the next month or so–knowledge of God that leads to godliness.
If we know God, if we know the truth, then that will change our lives.
And this faith and knowledge that Paul was promoting (v.2) rests “on the hope of eternal life...”
And that’s biblical hope. That’s not wishful thinking. That’s a sure thing. The hope of eternal life. This faith and this knowledge that Paul delivers as an apostle rests on the sure foundation of the sure thing of a life that goes on forever with God.
How do we know that it’s sure? V.2 “...the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, [and then we were told!] and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior...”
Paul says that this truth, this gospel, was promised before the beginning of time and then delivered to us through Paul and the other apostles and their preaching, so that we can know it and base our lives on it today. Awesome!
And that’s just Paul’s introduction to himself! Verse 4.
“To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
We don’t know that much about Titus. There is a little about him in the book of Acts, maybe we’ll look at that as we go. But we do know that he was a Gentile convert to Christ, perhaps led to Christ by Paul Himself, that’s why he calls him “my true son in our common faith.”
And he was left behind on the island of Crete to straighten out some things in the church that had been left undone.
This letter is “To Titus,” but it is about the local church and about Christians everywhere, so there is going to be something for each of us each week as we go through it.
I’d like to point out 4 brief things in these 4 verses that we can know about God.
Because even though they’re about Paul and Titus, Paul and Titus aren’t the Main Characters in the Book of Titus! God is.
Here’s the first one: #1. GOD CHOOSES. Look again at verse 1.
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect...”
That word “elect;” it means “to choose.”
God chooses people to be His own.
Some people think that that’s a terrible thing, but I’m so grateful for it!
I know that I wouldn’t have chosen Him, if He didn’t choose me!
So I’m eternally grateful that He did.
Notice that His choice leads to our faith. Paul was chosen (v.1) as an apostle of Jesus Christ “for the faith of God’s elect.” Paul was sent to build up God’s chosen people in faith.
If you have faith today, it’s because of God’s sovereign choice to make you His by trusting in Christ Jesus.
He is the initiator. Praise God!
And His initiation started long before we were even born. Before time!
#2. GOD PROMISES.
Look at verse 2, where he talks about “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time...”
Now, we’re going to find out that many of the folks at Crete were liars. They said one thing but did another. They said what was not true.
But God does not lie!
Never. Not once. Not ever!
We sang at Family Bible Week, “Only you are never sinning. Only you have never lied. Only you can not be tempted. Only you can never die.”
And then, a God like that promises something like the hope of eternal life!
Why wouldn’t we trust Him?
Do you know what God has promised? Do you know the promises in this book?
God promises and never lies!
Why wouldn’t we know what’s here and stand on the promises?
Of course, He doesn’t just promise. He also commands.
#3. GOD COMMANDS. You see it in verse 3.
“...at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior...”
God commands.
He is Lord. He calls the shots.
In Paul’s case, it was to preach the Word. Paul was to preach the gospel and the hope of eternal life for all to believe–that was the command of God.
But He commands other things, as well, just like we should know what He’s promised, we should know what He commands.
For example, could you name the 10 Commandments? Not everybody can.
Can you name the commands in the epistle to Titus? We’re going to read all about them this month.
But the real question is, are we ready to obey them?
This God who chooses and promises and never lies, wants us to live for Him. Are we ready to do it?
The Challenge Girls have indicated a desire to obey God’s command.
Let’s all get on board!
God Chooses
God Promises
God Commands
And...#4. GOD SAVES. Look again at verse 3 and 4.
“...by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
Our Savior!
Now, which is it? God our Savior (in verse 3), the Father. Or Christ Jesus, our Savior, verse 4?
It’s both, of course!
That’s what this Table is all about.
God the Father sent His Son to die on the Cross for our sins.
God the Son obeyed His Father and came to Earth to die on the Cross for our sins.
This bread stands for His body pierced and broken for us.
This cup stands for His blood poured out for us.
GOD SAVES!
So that we are brought into a love relationship with Him that is eternal.
As we eat and drink together, let us meditate on God:
A God Who Chooses Us Before the Foundation of the World to Believe in His Son.
A God Who Promises Us the Hope of Eternal Life.
If you have not yet believed His promise, don’t eat and drink this memorial meal–instead, cry out to God to save you and give you the hope of eternal life–the faith and knowledge of Jesus that leads to godliness.
Trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior.
If you are trusting Him, then ask Him today to reveal any areas of disobedience in your life and commit to obeying Him in those areas in which He is commanding you to. Because He’s a God Who Commands.
He is a God who Saves!
July 6, 2008
Titus 1:1-4
I invite you to turn in your Bibles to Paul’s epistle to Titus. “To Titus.” Paul’s epistle, those of you who were in my adult class at Family Bible Week know that and an epistle is not a female apostle. An epistle is a “letter” and this one is “To Titus,” one of Paul’s missionary ministry associates who had been left behind on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean to straighten out things in the church there.
These first four verses are the greeting section of the letter. Those of you who were in my adult class at Family Bible Week hopefully remember that New Testament letters generally start with the author, then the recipient, and then a greeting or a blessing.
Guess what we’ve got here?
The author in verses 1-3, the recipient and the blessing in verse 4.
Let’s read it, pray, and then mine it for gold about God.
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness–a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.That’s a meaty greeting, isn’t it?!
I don’t know about you, but I normally start a letter with, “Hi, hope everything is good with you and yours.” or something like that.
But not Paul. He loads it on from the get-go!
He starts with a description of himself and his call. But notice that his description of himself says more about his God than himself! V.1
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ...”
Paul is a servant. Literally, a slave. He sees himself as owned by God. That’s an awesome way to get a perspective on yourself.
And not only that, but He is an apostle. An authoritative representative of His God, of His Lord, Jesus Christ.
And his apostleship has a purpose. He wasn’t an apostle for no reason.
He was an apostle for (v.1) “for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness...”
He had a specific calling on his life to promote and build up and lead God’s people into faith and into knowledge. And not just any knowledge–but the knowledge that leads to godliness.
That’s going to be a major theme in this book over the next month or so–knowledge of God that leads to godliness.
If we know God, if we know the truth, then that will change our lives.
And this faith and knowledge that Paul was promoting (v.2) rests “on the hope of eternal life...”
And that’s biblical hope. That’s not wishful thinking. That’s a sure thing. The hope of eternal life. This faith and this knowledge that Paul delivers as an apostle rests on the sure foundation of the sure thing of a life that goes on forever with God.
How do we know that it’s sure? V.2 “...the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, [and then we were told!] and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior...”
Paul says that this truth, this gospel, was promised before the beginning of time and then delivered to us through Paul and the other apostles and their preaching, so that we can know it and base our lives on it today. Awesome!
And that’s just Paul’s introduction to himself! Verse 4.
“To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
We don’t know that much about Titus. There is a little about him in the book of Acts, maybe we’ll look at that as we go. But we do know that he was a Gentile convert to Christ, perhaps led to Christ by Paul Himself, that’s why he calls him “my true son in our common faith.”
And he was left behind on the island of Crete to straighten out some things in the church that had been left undone.
This letter is “To Titus,” but it is about the local church and about Christians everywhere, so there is going to be something for each of us each week as we go through it.
I’d like to point out 4 brief things in these 4 verses that we can know about God.
Because even though they’re about Paul and Titus, Paul and Titus aren’t the Main Characters in the Book of Titus! God is.
Here’s the first one: #1. GOD CHOOSES. Look again at verse 1.
“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect...”
That word “elect;” it means “to choose.”
God chooses people to be His own.
Some people think that that’s a terrible thing, but I’m so grateful for it!
I know that I wouldn’t have chosen Him, if He didn’t choose me!
So I’m eternally grateful that He did.
Notice that His choice leads to our faith. Paul was chosen (v.1) as an apostle of Jesus Christ “for the faith of God’s elect.” Paul was sent to build up God’s chosen people in faith.
If you have faith today, it’s because of God’s sovereign choice to make you His by trusting in Christ Jesus.
He is the initiator. Praise God!
And His initiation started long before we were even born. Before time!
#2. GOD PROMISES.
Look at verse 2, where he talks about “the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time...”
Now, we’re going to find out that many of the folks at Crete were liars. They said one thing but did another. They said what was not true.
But God does not lie!
Never. Not once. Not ever!
We sang at Family Bible Week, “Only you are never sinning. Only you have never lied. Only you can not be tempted. Only you can never die.”
And then, a God like that promises something like the hope of eternal life!
Why wouldn’t we trust Him?
Do you know what God has promised? Do you know the promises in this book?
God promises and never lies!
Why wouldn’t we know what’s here and stand on the promises?
Of course, He doesn’t just promise. He also commands.
#3. GOD COMMANDS. You see it in verse 3.
“...at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior...”
God commands.
He is Lord. He calls the shots.
In Paul’s case, it was to preach the Word. Paul was to preach the gospel and the hope of eternal life for all to believe–that was the command of God.
But He commands other things, as well, just like we should know what He’s promised, we should know what He commands.
For example, could you name the 10 Commandments? Not everybody can.
Can you name the commands in the epistle to Titus? We’re going to read all about them this month.
But the real question is, are we ready to obey them?
This God who chooses and promises and never lies, wants us to live for Him. Are we ready to do it?
The Challenge Girls have indicated a desire to obey God’s command.
Let’s all get on board!
God Chooses
God Promises
God Commands
And...#4. GOD SAVES. Look again at verse 3 and 4.
“...by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”
Our Savior!
Now, which is it? God our Savior (in verse 3), the Father. Or Christ Jesus, our Savior, verse 4?
It’s both, of course!
That’s what this Table is all about.
God the Father sent His Son to die on the Cross for our sins.
God the Son obeyed His Father and came to Earth to die on the Cross for our sins.
This bread stands for His body pierced and broken for us.
This cup stands for His blood poured out for us.
GOD SAVES!
So that we are brought into a love relationship with Him that is eternal.
As we eat and drink together, let us meditate on God:
A God Who Chooses Us Before the Foundation of the World to Believe in His Son.
A God Who Promises Us the Hope of Eternal Life.
If you have not yet believed His promise, don’t eat and drink this memorial meal–instead, cry out to God to save you and give you the hope of eternal life–the faith and knowledge of Jesus that leads to godliness.
Trust in Jesus Christ as your Lord and your Savior.
If you are trusting Him, then ask Him today to reveal any areas of disobedience in your life and commit to obeying Him in those areas in which He is commanding you to. Because He’s a God Who Commands.
He is a God who Saves!
Saturday, July 05, 2008
The 2008 EFCA Statement of Faith
EFCA Statement of Faith
Adopted by the Conference on June 26, 2008
The Evangelical Free Church of America is an association of autonomous churches united around these theological convictions:
God
1. We believe in one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory.
The Bible
2. We believe that God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises.
The Human Condition
3. We believe that God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed.
Jesus Christ
4. We believe that Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus—Israel's promised Messiah—was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate.
The Work of Christ
5. We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation.
The Holy Spirit
6. We believe that the Holy Spirit, in all that He does, glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service.
The Church
7. We believe that the true church comprises all who have been justified by God's grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer.
Christian Living
8. We believe that God's justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed.
Christ’s Return
9. We believe in the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission.
Response and Eternal Destiny
10. We believe that God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. Amen.
Thursday, July 03, 2008
A New Blanket
Peter David's "wank" (our term for most-beloved blanket) has been falling apart for the last year or so due to the habits of its owner. Yesterday, he handed it over to his mom--who took pictures of it for posterity (and the many family-picture fans of this blog) and then promptly put it in the trash.
But don't worry! Peter has picked out a sheep-themed blanket to replace 'ole Curious George.
And he's quite happy about it.
Thanks to Nana for making both the original and the new blankets for our boy!
But don't worry! Peter has picked out a sheep-themed blanket to replace 'ole Curious George.
And he's quite happy about it.
Thanks to Nana for making both the original and the new blankets for our boy!
