Jesus often introduced Himself using figures of speech. In the Gospel of John alone, He introduced Himself as the bread of life, the light of the world, the resurrection and the life, the door, the good shepherd, and more. What a rich display of various aspects of the person of Christ!
Each of these pictures was meant to cast upon the backdrop of the human mind a sense of who Jesus is relative to our spiritual need. All you need is to understand what the need is in natural life, and you can draw a line to what the equivalent is in spiritual life.
In order to illustrate this, I want us to consider the first one - "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). What do you think Jesus was teaching us about Himself by using this picture? I think that he was teaching us that He alone truly satisfies us at our most basic level.
The context in which Jesus spoke these words was the feeding of the five thousand from a few loaves of bread. It was a miracle. The result of this was that the crowd He fed followed after Him when he crossed the sea, walking on the water. They wanted more bread.
"I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst," Jesus said. Surely, there had to be some similarity between their earlier experience of eating ordinary bread and their potential spiritual experience of Jesus.
It must be the fact of satisfaction at a most basic level. Bread is basic to our human existence. It is not like our hunger for acceptance by others, for education, cell phones and tablet computers, and so on. Hunger for food is something you must satisfy or die. It is basic. So it is with Christ. Once we have Him, we go to heaven. Without Him we all go to hell.
Bread is also very fufilling. When you are really hungry, you can be tempted to eat a live frog. But once you are satisfied, you can turn down your favorite food. This is what Jesus means by the phrase "Whoever believes in me shall never thirst."
Once you have found Christ - or better still, once Christ has found you - you will never seek spiritual fulfilment anywhere else. He becomes your all in all. He satisfies your mind, your heart, and your conscience. Jesus really satisfies.
Even when you are surrounded by poverty, failure, sickness, and death, you will not go elsewhere in order to bear such trying times. You will find your aspirations fully met in Christ. As the hymn writer says, "With Christ in the vessel, I can smile at the storm."
Another reason why bread is an apt illustration of Jesus is that just as you can only profit from bread by eating it, so also you can only benefit from Christ's death and resurrection by trusting in Him. Knowledge is not good enough. You must trust in Him.
(Rev. Conrad Mbewe, pastor at Kabwata Baptist church, Lusaka, Zambia -Tabletalk, August 2013)
From John Piper - "If you don't see the greatness of God then all the things that money can buy become very exciting. If you can't see the sun you will be impressed with a street light. If you've never felt thunder and lightning you'll be impressed with fireworks. And if you turn your back on the greatness and majesty of God you'll fall in love with a world of shadows and short-lived pleasures."
Friday, August 30, 2013
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Several Articles of Interest
Egyptian Christians: Islamists Threatening "Slaughter"
Sixteen human rights groups are warning that more violence is about to erupt against Egypt's Christians, CBN News reports. Islamists in the southern part of the country are stirring up anger against the Christian community with charges that its leaders helped engineer President Mohammed Morsi's downfall. On Tuesday (Aug 13), 10,000 Muslims in the city of Assiut marched through a Christian neighborhood chanting pro-Islamist slogans. They also defaced churches with spray-painted messages, including one calling Coptic Pope Tawadros "a dog." Hossam Nabil, who owns a jewelry store on the street where the demonstration took place, said: "The Islamists will not stop as long as they are left to do as they please without fear of accountability. They are many and one day they will trash our stores.....The marchers run their index finger across their throats to suggest they will slaughter us, or scream Morsi's name in our faces." The human rights groups are calling on Egyptian authorities to protect the country's Christian minority.
Top Pastor's Arrest Adds to Christians' Concern in Central African Republic
The already fragile situation for Christians in the Central African Republic (CAR) may be worsening. On August 6, the leader of the country's evangelical churches, Rev. Nicolas Guerekoyame, was arrested for comments about the government. He ws released a few hours later.
Local media reported that Guerekoyame, who is president of the CAR's Evangelical Alliance, was questioned about remarks during a sermon in Bangui, the capital, on August 4. His comments were reportedly considered "excessive and extremist... striking a blow at the dignity of the Head of State and at the Institutions of the Transition."
However local sources, which remain anonymous for security reasons, said his arrest was linked to the pubication of an article in which he inferred that the citizens of the CAR are being treated like slaves. In the July edition of Le Democrate, the pastor called the CAR "another island of Goree," an island off the coast of Senegal which was a hub during the slave trade of the 19th century. The pastor added that he blamed the present government for the continued prevalence of theft, rape and murder, despite a recent plea by religious leaders and assurances by the president that security and stability was improving.
Guerekoyame is a member of the National Transitional Council (NTC), an acting parliament set up following the March military coup in which the Seleka group overthrew the regime of Francois Bozize. Local media said Guerekoyame's immunity as a member of the NTC had not been respected.
"Egypt is Bleeding": Christian Leader Pleads for Prayers
The following analysis about the horrific violence across Egypt was written by a Christian leader in Egypt. He is unnamed due to security concerns.
The words are heavy to put together this morning. The sad day of yesterday (Aug. 14) resulted in a sleepless night not only for me, but also for millions of Christian and Musim Egyptians who love this country and genuinely seek its good and welfare. It was a day of many tears, pain and agony for what Egypt witnessed for the violence that resulted. According to the officail report of the Egyptian Ministry of Health, there were 235 deaths and 2001 injuries. The number of casualties and injuries reported by the Muslim Brotherhood and promoted by Al-Jazeera and other Muslim Brotherhood-supporting media channels are of course much higher.
Sixteen human rights groups are warning that more violence is about to erupt against Egypt's Christians, CBN News reports. Islamists in the southern part of the country are stirring up anger against the Christian community with charges that its leaders helped engineer President Mohammed Morsi's downfall. On Tuesday (Aug 13), 10,000 Muslims in the city of Assiut marched through a Christian neighborhood chanting pro-Islamist slogans. They also defaced churches with spray-painted messages, including one calling Coptic Pope Tawadros "a dog." Hossam Nabil, who owns a jewelry store on the street where the demonstration took place, said: "The Islamists will not stop as long as they are left to do as they please without fear of accountability. They are many and one day they will trash our stores.....The marchers run their index finger across their throats to suggest they will slaughter us, or scream Morsi's name in our faces." The human rights groups are calling on Egyptian authorities to protect the country's Christian minority.
Top Pastor's Arrest Adds to Christians' Concern in Central African Republic
The already fragile situation for Christians in the Central African Republic (CAR) may be worsening. On August 6, the leader of the country's evangelical churches, Rev. Nicolas Guerekoyame, was arrested for comments about the government. He ws released a few hours later.
Local media reported that Guerekoyame, who is president of the CAR's Evangelical Alliance, was questioned about remarks during a sermon in Bangui, the capital, on August 4. His comments were reportedly considered "excessive and extremist... striking a blow at the dignity of the Head of State and at the Institutions of the Transition."
However local sources, which remain anonymous for security reasons, said his arrest was linked to the pubication of an article in which he inferred that the citizens of the CAR are being treated like slaves. In the July edition of Le Democrate, the pastor called the CAR "another island of Goree," an island off the coast of Senegal which was a hub during the slave trade of the 19th century. The pastor added that he blamed the present government for the continued prevalence of theft, rape and murder, despite a recent plea by religious leaders and assurances by the president that security and stability was improving.
Guerekoyame is a member of the National Transitional Council (NTC), an acting parliament set up following the March military coup in which the Seleka group overthrew the regime of Francois Bozize. Local media said Guerekoyame's immunity as a member of the NTC had not been respected.
"Egypt is Bleeding": Christian Leader Pleads for Prayers
The following analysis about the horrific violence across Egypt was written by a Christian leader in Egypt. He is unnamed due to security concerns.
The words are heavy to put together this morning. The sad day of yesterday (Aug. 14) resulted in a sleepless night not only for me, but also for millions of Christian and Musim Egyptians who love this country and genuinely seek its good and welfare. It was a day of many tears, pain and agony for what Egypt witnessed for the violence that resulted. According to the officail report of the Egyptian Ministry of Health, there were 235 deaths and 2001 injuries. The number of casualties and injuries reported by the Muslim Brotherhood and promoted by Al-Jazeera and other Muslim Brotherhood-supporting media channels are of course much higher.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Christian Churches Warned of Boy Scout Legal Risks
Christian Churches Warned of Boy Scout Legal Risks
Christian churches are being warned that if they continue to sponsor Boy Scout troops, they are opening themselves to multiple legal challenges that could affect whether they can "freely preach the Gospel." The Boy Scouts of America's newly adopted membership policy - in which youths no longer will be blocked from joining the Scouts based on "sexual orientation or preference alone" - is "a sweeping change to its core values," said Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal defense organization.
The policy change has legal ramifications for religious chartering groups, potentially exposing them to lawsuits if they continue to sponsor troops while seeking to maintain the traditional Christian teaching that homosexual behavior is immoral.
"That's our basic concern - that it weakens the church's freedom of religion and freedom of association arguments on that point," he said, adding that churches may need to separate from the Boy Scouts of America to "protect their right to freely preach the Gospel" and "be a witness to our nations' youth." In response, Deron Smith, a Boy Scouts spokesman, said most of this kind of commentary "is based on speculation" and inaccurately states that the Boy Scouts organization has made a fundamental shift in vaues or is attempting to cause division within Scouting.
"We believe most people have grown tired of those who seek to use Scouting, an organization whose mission is to serve young people to advance their own agendas," Mr. Smith said.
(www.presidentialprayerteam.com)
Christian churches are being warned that if they continue to sponsor Boy Scout troops, they are opening themselves to multiple legal challenges that could affect whether they can "freely preach the Gospel." The Boy Scouts of America's newly adopted membership policy - in which youths no longer will be blocked from joining the Scouts based on "sexual orientation or preference alone" - is "a sweeping change to its core values," said Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal defense organization.
The policy change has legal ramifications for religious chartering groups, potentially exposing them to lawsuits if they continue to sponsor troops while seeking to maintain the traditional Christian teaching that homosexual behavior is immoral.
"That's our basic concern - that it weakens the church's freedom of religion and freedom of association arguments on that point," he said, adding that churches may need to separate from the Boy Scouts of America to "protect their right to freely preach the Gospel" and "be a witness to our nations' youth." In response, Deron Smith, a Boy Scouts spokesman, said most of this kind of commentary "is based on speculation" and inaccurately states that the Boy Scouts organization has made a fundamental shift in vaues or is attempting to cause division within Scouting.
"We believe most people have grown tired of those who seek to use Scouting, an organization whose mission is to serve young people to advance their own agendas," Mr. Smith said.
(www.presidentialprayerteam.com)
Monday, August 19, 2013
Several Items of Interest
Every great movement in the Church from Paul down to modern times has been criticized on the ground that it promoted censoriousness and intolerance and disputing. Of course the gospel of Christ, in a world of sin and doubt, will cause disputing; and if it does not cause disputing and arouse bitter opposition, that is a sure sign that it is not being faithfully proclaimed.
J. Gresham Machen
Egyptian Christians Allege Torture Under Morsi Regime
Roughly a year after revelations the Muslim Brotherhood had tortured Christian demonstrators at a Cairo mosque, more Egyptians are coming forward, detailing abuse they endured during Mohammed Morsi's presidency, CBN News reports. The torture allegations come as no surprise to Egyptians demonstrators brutally beaten by pro-Morsi Islamists. Egypt's El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of victims of violence recorded 359 torture cases during President Mohammed Morsi's one year in office, compared to 357 during the last 10 years of Hosni Mubarak's rule. However, arresting and prosecuting the abusers may not be a top priority of Egypt's interim government at this time. Pro-Morsi supporters and other Islamists still blame Christians for the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood leader from the Egyptian presidency, and attacks against Christians, especially in upper Egypt, continue unabated. In the latest wave of attacks on August 3, militant Muslims attacked homes and businesses in three Christian villages near al Minya, where rioting Islamists planted a black al qaeda flag at a Coptic Orthodox church in Sohag.
Chinese Underground Church Hero of Faith Samuel Lamb Dies at 88
Every Sunday after the service,Chinese pastor Samuel Lamb (also known as Samuel Lam) invited foreign guests into his office and immediately began to tell the story of his life, which he summarized in the one "holy principle" of "more persecution, more growth."
He experienced Communist oppression and spent more than 20 years in prison. He also experienced God's response: an amazing growth of the Church in China, now estimated at 80 million. Lamb became a hero of the Christian faith for millions of believers inside and outside of China. He passed away on Saturday,Aug. 3 at the age of 88.
Samuel Lamb (Lin Xingiao in Chinese) was born in a mountainous area overlooking Macau. His father pastored a small Baptist church and he was raised as a Christian. Lam was arrested during one of the first big waves of persecution in Mao's China and was held in prison from 1955 to 1957. The Chinese authorities sentenced him a second time in 1958. He spent 20 gruesome years in labor camps, where he mostly worked in coal mines. Despite the harsh punishments, Lam continued to teach.
The main reason why Lam was targeted by the government was his refusal to merge his illegal house church into the Three self Patriotic Movement, the state-led Protestant Church. The government used to forbid Christian leaders to preach about the second coming of Christ and to teach minors uner 18 years old. China basically made the state church evolve around the state and not around God.
(ReligionToday@crosswalkmail.com)
J. Gresham Machen
Egyptian Christians Allege Torture Under Morsi Regime
Roughly a year after revelations the Muslim Brotherhood had tortured Christian demonstrators at a Cairo mosque, more Egyptians are coming forward, detailing abuse they endured during Mohammed Morsi's presidency, CBN News reports. The torture allegations come as no surprise to Egyptians demonstrators brutally beaten by pro-Morsi Islamists. Egypt's El Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of victims of violence recorded 359 torture cases during President Mohammed Morsi's one year in office, compared to 357 during the last 10 years of Hosni Mubarak's rule. However, arresting and prosecuting the abusers may not be a top priority of Egypt's interim government at this time. Pro-Morsi supporters and other Islamists still blame Christians for the ouster of the Muslim Brotherhood leader from the Egyptian presidency, and attacks against Christians, especially in upper Egypt, continue unabated. In the latest wave of attacks on August 3, militant Muslims attacked homes and businesses in three Christian villages near al Minya, where rioting Islamists planted a black al qaeda flag at a Coptic Orthodox church in Sohag.
Chinese Underground Church Hero of Faith Samuel Lamb Dies at 88
Every Sunday after the service,Chinese pastor Samuel Lamb (also known as Samuel Lam) invited foreign guests into his office and immediately began to tell the story of his life, which he summarized in the one "holy principle" of "more persecution, more growth."
He experienced Communist oppression and spent more than 20 years in prison. He also experienced God's response: an amazing growth of the Church in China, now estimated at 80 million. Lamb became a hero of the Christian faith for millions of believers inside and outside of China. He passed away on Saturday,Aug. 3 at the age of 88.
Samuel Lamb (Lin Xingiao in Chinese) was born in a mountainous area overlooking Macau. His father pastored a small Baptist church and he was raised as a Christian. Lam was arrested during one of the first big waves of persecution in Mao's China and was held in prison from 1955 to 1957. The Chinese authorities sentenced him a second time in 1958. He spent 20 gruesome years in labor camps, where he mostly worked in coal mines. Despite the harsh punishments, Lam continued to teach.
The main reason why Lam was targeted by the government was his refusal to merge his illegal house church into the Three self Patriotic Movement, the state-led Protestant Church. The government used to forbid Christian leaders to preach about the second coming of Christ and to teach minors uner 18 years old. China basically made the state church evolve around the state and not around God.
(ReligionToday@crosswalkmail.com)
Monday, August 12, 2013
Delight thyself also in the Lord
"Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desire of thine heart."
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."
Psalm 37:4,5
Everyone wants to be successful, make the right choices that lead to "fulfillment" and be prosperous. Our generation is well supplied with "How To" books and "Self Help" seminars guaranteed to enable you to realize all of your greatest desires.
Those things may be helpful but to find true happiness there is nothing that can compare with the injunctions of the two verses of Scripture above. Someone said that the greatest hindrances to finding true and lasting happiness are three; (1) People regard self too highly; (2) People regard sin too lightly; (3) People regard God not at all. That is a recipe for failure and disaster not success and happiness.
According to the Scripture above, the first step to true happiness is the "commitment part." Without the commitment we are not even in the program. Once we are completely committed then our desires and delights are synchronized with God's plan and provisions and we are content.
Paul maintians that full commitment is entirely reasonable. "I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of (all) the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies - presenting all your members and faculties - as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God,which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1 Amp. N.T.)
It is a choice between the temporary and the permanent. Those who take delight in what God disapproves will find their pleasures short-lived. Moses understood this and made the good choice for it is written that "By faith Moses....Choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" (Hebrews 11:25).
The Psalmist wrote,"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11) It is a choice of "for a season" or "for evermore".
The afflictions for the cause of Christ are temporary and the pleasures are eternal. The devil's promised pleasures are very temporary and the resuting misery is permanent. The world advertises its pleasures but don't believe everything you hear and read. The bill will arrive later. Someone once said, "The morning after takes the joy out of the night before."
A commitment to God will result in true pleasure in this life, even with the afflictions, and there will be no regrets.
(Pastor Bill Cummins, drbc@bresnan.net)
"Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."
Psalm 37:4,5
Everyone wants to be successful, make the right choices that lead to "fulfillment" and be prosperous. Our generation is well supplied with "How To" books and "Self Help" seminars guaranteed to enable you to realize all of your greatest desires.
Those things may be helpful but to find true happiness there is nothing that can compare with the injunctions of the two verses of Scripture above. Someone said that the greatest hindrances to finding true and lasting happiness are three; (1) People regard self too highly; (2) People regard sin too lightly; (3) People regard God not at all. That is a recipe for failure and disaster not success and happiness.
According to the Scripture above, the first step to true happiness is the "commitment part." Without the commitment we are not even in the program. Once we are completely committed then our desires and delights are synchronized with God's plan and provisions and we are content.
Paul maintians that full commitment is entirely reasonable. "I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of (all) the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies - presenting all your members and faculties - as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God,which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship." (Romans 12:1 Amp. N.T.)
It is a choice between the temporary and the permanent. Those who take delight in what God disapproves will find their pleasures short-lived. Moses understood this and made the good choice for it is written that "By faith Moses....Choosing to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;" (Hebrews 11:25).
The Psalmist wrote,"Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore." (Psalm 16:11) It is a choice of "for a season" or "for evermore".
The afflictions for the cause of Christ are temporary and the pleasures are eternal. The devil's promised pleasures are very temporary and the resuting misery is permanent. The world advertises its pleasures but don't believe everything you hear and read. The bill will arrive later. Someone once said, "The morning after takes the joy out of the night before."
A commitment to God will result in true pleasure in this life, even with the afflictions, and there will be no regrets.
(Pastor Bill Cummins, drbc@bresnan.net)
Friday, August 9, 2013
The Gospel In A Hostile Culture
The Gospel In A Hostile Culture
"I intentionally don't preach difficult truths or repeat the hard things Jesus said." This is a despondent and prevalent attitude among preachers who minister to cultures that are openly hostile to the gospel. Such preaching is less than faithful to God'sWord, corresponding in ministry results that tend to be indiscernaibly Christian. The desire to not offend hearers in a hostile culture is misdirected toward God's inspired word and His glorious gospel.
As a pastor who ministers in a hostile culture, I am convinced that preaching must boldly proclaim the one-and-only gospel and theologically rich doctrine.
Preach the One-And-Only Gospel
As His ambassadors,God forbid that we would presume authority to change His message. Ambassadors of Christ share the unadulterated gospel and take pains to accurately communicate the good news. We confidently preach "the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:2-4).
When ministering in a hostile context, it is tempting to hold back parts of God's gospel that we feel are difficult for people to believe. Perhaps in attempts to be sensitive to our hearers and their culture, we may distort or adjust the gospel and unwittingly deceive people. However, holding back truth or being vague regarding what God has made clear is not being sensitive - it is arrogant and unloving. Even under threat of suffering and death, we preach Christ crucified, for the Lamb of God is worthy to receive the reward of His suffering (Rev. 5:12). God has ordained the message that lost people need to hear, and people in a culture that is hostile to the gospel are no exception The gospel is God's power for salvation (Rom. 1:16); we must preach this gospel in its entirety and with skillful clarity. Our confidence in preaching the gospel of God is God Himself.
We want people to hear the one-and-only gospel of God concerning His Son, resulting in repentance and faith. There is not a better gospel that we can preach. In a culture that is hostile to the gospel,why would we want to proclaim news that has no power unto salvation?
Preach Theologically Rich Doctrine
There is a growing trend in world missions that says church planters must restrict their preaching to the "lowest common denominator" in theology. This idea stems from a desire to minimize division among the body of Christ, and to reduce the likelihood of preaching controversial doctrine. Such preachers and church planters avoid expositing passages that teach joy-satisfying, worship-fueling truths like election, total depravity, substitutionary atonement, the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and the confidence we have in Christ's bodily return to judge the living and the dead. In so doing, as a pastor resists feeding his flock with this rich doctrine, the gospel is assumed and ultimately lost.
We must preach theologically rich doctrine, allowing the meaning of the text to be the meaning of our sermons. The cultural context we minister in must not shape the doctrine we preach; rather, our doctrine must inform and shape the culture. Expositional preaching that makes the point of the passage the point of the sermon serves the church best. It lets the Bible, not the preacher, drive the agenda for the church. Even in the most hostile cultures, we want to be sure to preach through the different genres of Scripture, demonstrating that God's authority over their lives comes from God's Word, and not the teacher of God's Word. Expositional preaching allows people to hear the whole counsel of God, and it is an avenue for teaching them to study the Bible for themselves.
The morning I introduced a new sermon series on 1 Peter, I was approached by a group of newcomers who were ecstatic over the truths in 1 Peter 1:1-2. They told me, "We were jumping up and down in our seats, Pastor. That God would elect undeserving sinners for salvation in His Son - this is very good news!" These people experienced firsthand how theologically rich doctrine is food for their souls and fuel for worship.
Shaving off the edges of the brilliant diamonds of God's truths regarding Himself, His Son, and His plan to save hopelessly lost sinners does not make a more brilliant and beautiful jewel. The glorious summits of God's holiness are flattened into a wide plain of nebulous spiritual notions that are no longer recognizable as distinctly Christian truths, and they lack the power to rescue souls from hell. When we preach theologically rich doctrine in the power of the Holy Spirit, we guard the gospel and God receives all the glory for saving sinners.
Conclusion
Preachers who minister in a culture that is hostile to the gospel must take pains to proclaim the gospel of God concerning His Son as we teach the whole counsel of Scripture. We do so with boldness, clarity, and joy, for there is no other message that contains God's power unto salvation.
(by Rev.Dave Furman, senior pastor at Redeemer Church of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, printed in TABLETALK, July 2013, www.ligonier.org)
"I intentionally don't preach difficult truths or repeat the hard things Jesus said." This is a despondent and prevalent attitude among preachers who minister to cultures that are openly hostile to the gospel. Such preaching is less than faithful to God'sWord, corresponding in ministry results that tend to be indiscernaibly Christian. The desire to not offend hearers in a hostile culture is misdirected toward God's inspired word and His glorious gospel.
As a pastor who ministers in a hostile culture, I am convinced that preaching must boldly proclaim the one-and-only gospel and theologically rich doctrine.
Preach the One-And-Only Gospel
As His ambassadors,God forbid that we would presume authority to change His message. Ambassadors of Christ share the unadulterated gospel and take pains to accurately communicate the good news. We confidently preach "the gospel of God, which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead" (Rom. 1:2-4).
When ministering in a hostile context, it is tempting to hold back parts of God's gospel that we feel are difficult for people to believe. Perhaps in attempts to be sensitive to our hearers and their culture, we may distort or adjust the gospel and unwittingly deceive people. However, holding back truth or being vague regarding what God has made clear is not being sensitive - it is arrogant and unloving. Even under threat of suffering and death, we preach Christ crucified, for the Lamb of God is worthy to receive the reward of His suffering (Rev. 5:12). God has ordained the message that lost people need to hear, and people in a culture that is hostile to the gospel are no exception The gospel is God's power for salvation (Rom. 1:16); we must preach this gospel in its entirety and with skillful clarity. Our confidence in preaching the gospel of God is God Himself.
We want people to hear the one-and-only gospel of God concerning His Son, resulting in repentance and faith. There is not a better gospel that we can preach. In a culture that is hostile to the gospel,why would we want to proclaim news that has no power unto salvation?
Preach Theologically Rich Doctrine
There is a growing trend in world missions that says church planters must restrict their preaching to the "lowest common denominator" in theology. This idea stems from a desire to minimize division among the body of Christ, and to reduce the likelihood of preaching controversial doctrine. Such preachers and church planters avoid expositing passages that teach joy-satisfying, worship-fueling truths like election, total depravity, substitutionary atonement, the sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and the confidence we have in Christ's bodily return to judge the living and the dead. In so doing, as a pastor resists feeding his flock with this rich doctrine, the gospel is assumed and ultimately lost.
We must preach theologically rich doctrine, allowing the meaning of the text to be the meaning of our sermons. The cultural context we minister in must not shape the doctrine we preach; rather, our doctrine must inform and shape the culture. Expositional preaching that makes the point of the passage the point of the sermon serves the church best. It lets the Bible, not the preacher, drive the agenda for the church. Even in the most hostile cultures, we want to be sure to preach through the different genres of Scripture, demonstrating that God's authority over their lives comes from God's Word, and not the teacher of God's Word. Expositional preaching allows people to hear the whole counsel of God, and it is an avenue for teaching them to study the Bible for themselves.
The morning I introduced a new sermon series on 1 Peter, I was approached by a group of newcomers who were ecstatic over the truths in 1 Peter 1:1-2. They told me, "We were jumping up and down in our seats, Pastor. That God would elect undeserving sinners for salvation in His Son - this is very good news!" These people experienced firsthand how theologically rich doctrine is food for their souls and fuel for worship.
Shaving off the edges of the brilliant diamonds of God's truths regarding Himself, His Son, and His plan to save hopelessly lost sinners does not make a more brilliant and beautiful jewel. The glorious summits of God's holiness are flattened into a wide plain of nebulous spiritual notions that are no longer recognizable as distinctly Christian truths, and they lack the power to rescue souls from hell. When we preach theologically rich doctrine in the power of the Holy Spirit, we guard the gospel and God receives all the glory for saving sinners.
Conclusion
Preachers who minister in a culture that is hostile to the gospel must take pains to proclaim the gospel of God concerning His Son as we teach the whole counsel of Scripture. We do so with boldness, clarity, and joy, for there is no other message that contains God's power unto salvation.
(by Rev.Dave Furman, senior pastor at Redeemer Church of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, printed in TABLETALK, July 2013, www.ligonier.org)
What Must Be Done for the Future of Marriage
What Must Be Done for the Future of Marriage
In the wake of last month's Supreme Court rulings, where does the marriage movement go from here?
Many have been keen to point out that the U.S. supreme Cout refused to redefine marriage for the entire nation. The Court refused to manufacture a constitutional "right" to same-sex marriage.
Citizens and their elected representatives remain free to discuss, debate and vote on marriage policy in all 50 states. They still have the right to define marriage in civil law as the union of one man and one woman. Justice Antonin Scalia's dissent, however, tells us to be clear-eyed: "I promise you this: The only thing that will 'confine' the court's holding is its sense of what it can get away with."
If it is clear that Americans are engaged in this democratic debate and care about the future of marriage, then the Court will be less likely to rule in an overreaching way again to remove the authority to take marriage policy from the people and their elected representatives. First and foremost, defenders of marriage as the union of a man and a woman need to start living out that truth.
Long before we had a debate about same-sex anything, far too many heterosexuals bought into a liberal ideology about sexuality that makes a mess of marriage - with cohabitiation, no-fault divorce, extra-marital sex, non-marital childbearing, pornography and the hook-up culture all contributing to the breakdown of our marriage culture. Husbands and wives should be faithful through thick and thin, till death parts them.
At one point in American life, virtually every child was given the great gift of being raised to adulthood by the man and the woman who gave them life. Today, that number is under 50 percent in some communities. Same-sex marriage didn't cause this sad situation, but it does nothing to help and will only make things worse. After all, redefining marriage to make it simply about emotional companionship sends the signal that moms and dads are interchangeable.
Second, insist that the government respect those who continue to stand for marriage as the union of a man and a woman - and to insist that government not discriminate against them. Policy should prohibit the government or anyone who receives taxpayers' money from discriminating against them in empoloyment, licensing, accreditation or contracting.
But sadly, we already have seen that many of those who favor redifining marriage are willing to use the coercive force of law to marginalize and penalize those who hold the historic view - even if it means trampling First Amendment protections of religious liberty.
Third and finally, we need to redouble our efforts to explain what marriage is, why marriage matters and what the consequences are of redefining marriage. The Left wants to insist that the redefinition of marriage is "inevitable." The only way to guarantee a political loss, however, is to sit idly by.
We must develop and multiply our artistic, pastoral and reasoned defenses of the conjugal view as the truth about marriage, and to make ever plainer our policy reasons for enacting it.
(by Ryan T.Anderson, Heritage Foundation, newsletters@heritage.org)
In the wake of last month's Supreme Court rulings, where does the marriage movement go from here?
Many have been keen to point out that the U.S. supreme Cout refused to redefine marriage for the entire nation. The Court refused to manufacture a constitutional "right" to same-sex marriage.
Citizens and their elected representatives remain free to discuss, debate and vote on marriage policy in all 50 states. They still have the right to define marriage in civil law as the union of one man and one woman. Justice Antonin Scalia's dissent, however, tells us to be clear-eyed: "I promise you this: The only thing that will 'confine' the court's holding is its sense of what it can get away with."
If it is clear that Americans are engaged in this democratic debate and care about the future of marriage, then the Court will be less likely to rule in an overreaching way again to remove the authority to take marriage policy from the people and their elected representatives. First and foremost, defenders of marriage as the union of a man and a woman need to start living out that truth.
Long before we had a debate about same-sex anything, far too many heterosexuals bought into a liberal ideology about sexuality that makes a mess of marriage - with cohabitiation, no-fault divorce, extra-marital sex, non-marital childbearing, pornography and the hook-up culture all contributing to the breakdown of our marriage culture. Husbands and wives should be faithful through thick and thin, till death parts them.
At one point in American life, virtually every child was given the great gift of being raised to adulthood by the man and the woman who gave them life. Today, that number is under 50 percent in some communities. Same-sex marriage didn't cause this sad situation, but it does nothing to help and will only make things worse. After all, redefining marriage to make it simply about emotional companionship sends the signal that moms and dads are interchangeable.
Second, insist that the government respect those who continue to stand for marriage as the union of a man and a woman - and to insist that government not discriminate against them. Policy should prohibit the government or anyone who receives taxpayers' money from discriminating against them in empoloyment, licensing, accreditation or contracting.
But sadly, we already have seen that many of those who favor redifining marriage are willing to use the coercive force of law to marginalize and penalize those who hold the historic view - even if it means trampling First Amendment protections of religious liberty.
Third and finally, we need to redouble our efforts to explain what marriage is, why marriage matters and what the consequences are of redefining marriage. The Left wants to insist that the redefinition of marriage is "inevitable." The only way to guarantee a political loss, however, is to sit idly by.
We must develop and multiply our artistic, pastoral and reasoned defenses of the conjugal view as the truth about marriage, and to make ever plainer our policy reasons for enacting it.
(by Ryan T.Anderson, Heritage Foundation, newsletters@heritage.org)
Thursday, August 1, 2013
Report: Americans Hold Different Views of What "Religious" Means
There is a lopsided divide in America about what it means to be a religious person, with a majority believing that it's about acting morally but a strong minority equating it with faith.
Nearly six out of 10 Americans (59 percent) say that bein a religious person "is primarily about living a good life and doing the right thing," as opposed to the more than one-third (36 percent) who hold that being religious "is primarily about having faith and the right beliefs."
The findings, released July 18, are part of a report by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution that aims to paint a more nuanced picture of the American religious landscape, and the religious left in particular.
Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, said that Americans' two views of what makes a person religious harken back to the Protestant Reformation and to the Bible itself. " This has been a perennial debate through the ages in Christianity," said Jones. "The Pauine literature, especially in the Book of Romans, makes the case for religious justification by faith alone, while the book of James seems to state the very opposite - 'faith without works is dead.'"
Martin Luther, who sparked the ProtestantReformation in 1517, taught that faith alone - not "good works" - brings salvation. "We were curious to see whether this theological debate still has any traction in American religion," Jons said. "And, lo and behold, it's still with us todayh." But he noted that oneside prevails, with those who believe that action defines religiousness outnumbering by nearly 2-1 those who think the key element is faith.
Busiest Abortion Clinic in Virginia Closes Thanks to Pro-Life Law
The busiest abortion business in Virginia is closing, thanks to pro-life laws requiring abotion facilities to meet stricter health and safety standards, LifeNews.com reports. Nova Women's Healthcare in Fairfax, a clinic with a history of botched abortions and at least one patient death, was forced to close after state lawmakers adopted new pro-life laws holding abortion clinics accountable for putting women's health at risk. Nova's lease in its current location was terminated via a lawsuit by the property owners on the grounds that the abortion clinic created a nuisance. Nova had previously applied for a building permit but was denied because it was one parking space short of compliance with city ordinances. It attempted to reapply as a "health spa" to circumvent the need for the additional space, but the city manager saw through the ruse and again denied the application.
Alena Yarmosky, a spokeswoman for NARL Pro-Choice Virginia, said Nova "was trying to relocate because they couldn't stay where they were, because of the new regulations.....The fact they were forced to move, that's a testament to the barriers these providers face." Nova did 3,066 abortions in 2012 and 3,567 in 2011 - making it so the pro-life law putting stricter abortion regulations in place is already saving the lives of thousands of unborn children. This closure is one of 30 abortion clinics to close in 2013 alone, more than doubling the number of closures over all of last year.
Pastor Saeed Marks 300 Days in Iranian Prison
July 25 marked the 300th day that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran for his faith,CBN News reports. The 33-year-old pastor finally received medical treatment Saturday after suffering for months from injuries inflicted by prison guards. He was taken to a private hospital where he was examined and prescribed medication. Pastor Saeed was convicted and sentenced to eight years in Iran's brutal Evin prison because of his Christian faith, and has been beaten,subjected to intense interrogations and threatened with death. His wife, Naghmeh Abedini, said she was thankful for the support and prayers for her husband's release. The American Center for Law and Justice is representing Pastor Saeed's wife and two young children, who live in the United States.
House Rejects Call to Allow Nonreligious Military Chaplains
House lawmakers late July 23 approved an amendment to a Pentagon spending bill to prevent the appointment of nonreligious military chaplains. The amendment,sponsored by Rep. John C.Fleming,R-La., requires that only religious organizations be permitted to endorse chaplains for the military. "The amendment holds the military to its current standards on endorsing agencies, which must be recognized religious and faith-based organizations," said Fleming's spokesman, Doug Saachtieben.
Currently,the Department of Defense recognizes more than 200 endorsing agents, all of them based on a belief in God But there has been a recent push by Humanists, who do not recognize a supernatural divinity, to endorse their own military chaplains. It is unclear if the amendment will affect the application of Jason Heap to become the Navy's first Humanist chaplain. Heap, a 38-year-old graduate of Brite Divinity School and Oxford University, has the endorsement of the Humanist Society. His supporters are asking the Navy to add the society to its list of endorsers and appoint Heap a chaplain.
Jason Torpy, presidnet of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, points out that military regulations already require that chaplains be endorsed - and not necessarily by an organization of believes in a divinity. "The language of the amendment only requires adherenceto the applicable instruction, which in no way restricts chaplains to only those who believe in some higher power," he said. "Their amendment does nothing, so there's nothing to be done in response. It just shows their ignorance about atheists, humanists, and military regulations."
(articles from www.religiontoday@crosswalkmail.com)
There is a lopsided divide in America about what it means to be a religious person, with a majority believing that it's about acting morally but a strong minority equating it with faith.
Nearly six out of 10 Americans (59 percent) say that bein a religious person "is primarily about living a good life and doing the right thing," as opposed to the more than one-third (36 percent) who hold that being religious "is primarily about having faith and the right beliefs."
The findings, released July 18, are part of a report by the Public Religion Research Institute and the Brookings Institution that aims to paint a more nuanced picture of the American religious landscape, and the religious left in particular.
Robert P. Jones, CEO of PRRI, said that Americans' two views of what makes a person religious harken back to the Protestant Reformation and to the Bible itself. " This has been a perennial debate through the ages in Christianity," said Jones. "The Pauine literature, especially in the Book of Romans, makes the case for religious justification by faith alone, while the book of James seems to state the very opposite - 'faith without works is dead.'"
Martin Luther, who sparked the ProtestantReformation in 1517, taught that faith alone - not "good works" - brings salvation. "We were curious to see whether this theological debate still has any traction in American religion," Jons said. "And, lo and behold, it's still with us todayh." But he noted that oneside prevails, with those who believe that action defines religiousness outnumbering by nearly 2-1 those who think the key element is faith.
Busiest Abortion Clinic in Virginia Closes Thanks to Pro-Life Law
The busiest abortion business in Virginia is closing, thanks to pro-life laws requiring abotion facilities to meet stricter health and safety standards, LifeNews.com reports. Nova Women's Healthcare in Fairfax, a clinic with a history of botched abortions and at least one patient death, was forced to close after state lawmakers adopted new pro-life laws holding abortion clinics accountable for putting women's health at risk. Nova's lease in its current location was terminated via a lawsuit by the property owners on the grounds that the abortion clinic created a nuisance. Nova had previously applied for a building permit but was denied because it was one parking space short of compliance with city ordinances. It attempted to reapply as a "health spa" to circumvent the need for the additional space, but the city manager saw through the ruse and again denied the application.
Alena Yarmosky, a spokeswoman for NARL Pro-Choice Virginia, said Nova "was trying to relocate because they couldn't stay where they were, because of the new regulations.....The fact they were forced to move, that's a testament to the barriers these providers face." Nova did 3,066 abortions in 2012 and 3,567 in 2011 - making it so the pro-life law putting stricter abortion regulations in place is already saving the lives of thousands of unborn children. This closure is one of 30 abortion clinics to close in 2013 alone, more than doubling the number of closures over all of last year.
Pastor Saeed Marks 300 Days in Iranian Prison
July 25 marked the 300th day that American pastor Saeed Abedini has been imprisoned in Iran for his faith,CBN News reports. The 33-year-old pastor finally received medical treatment Saturday after suffering for months from injuries inflicted by prison guards. He was taken to a private hospital where he was examined and prescribed medication. Pastor Saeed was convicted and sentenced to eight years in Iran's brutal Evin prison because of his Christian faith, and has been beaten,subjected to intense interrogations and threatened with death. His wife, Naghmeh Abedini, said she was thankful for the support and prayers for her husband's release. The American Center for Law and Justice is representing Pastor Saeed's wife and two young children, who live in the United States.
House Rejects Call to Allow Nonreligious Military Chaplains
House lawmakers late July 23 approved an amendment to a Pentagon spending bill to prevent the appointment of nonreligious military chaplains. The amendment,sponsored by Rep. John C.Fleming,R-La., requires that only religious organizations be permitted to endorse chaplains for the military. "The amendment holds the military to its current standards on endorsing agencies, which must be recognized religious and faith-based organizations," said Fleming's spokesman, Doug Saachtieben.
Currently,the Department of Defense recognizes more than 200 endorsing agents, all of them based on a belief in God But there has been a recent push by Humanists, who do not recognize a supernatural divinity, to endorse their own military chaplains. It is unclear if the amendment will affect the application of Jason Heap to become the Navy's first Humanist chaplain. Heap, a 38-year-old graduate of Brite Divinity School and Oxford University, has the endorsement of the Humanist Society. His supporters are asking the Navy to add the society to its list of endorsers and appoint Heap a chaplain.
Jason Torpy, presidnet of the Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, points out that military regulations already require that chaplains be endorsed - and not necessarily by an organization of believes in a divinity. "The language of the amendment only requires adherenceto the applicable instruction, which in no way restricts chaplains to only those who believe in some higher power," he said. "Their amendment does nothing, so there's nothing to be done in response. It just shows their ignorance about atheists, humanists, and military regulations."
(articles from www.religiontoday@crosswalkmail.com)
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