In a fallen world like ours, every community must have defenses. Every flock of sheep must have shepherds willing to fight. Every nation must have an army and navy. Every town needs a police force. A church that never disciplines has AIDS. It has no functioning immune system. Churches without discipline cannot fight off the …
Where Suffering Makes Sense
This is the Table where suffering makes sense. We are not just being nourished—we are also being nourished through a broken body and shed blood. This sacrifice, which we are privileged to partake of here, was not pointless. If it had been pointless, it could not have been a sacrifice. This whole gospel endeavor is …
The Size of Baseballs
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, …
Surveying the Text: Isaiah
Introduction: Isaiah is one of the great prophetic works of the Old Testament. Majestic in scope, lofty in vision, tenderhearted with regard to sinners, and powerful in application, the prophet Isaiah is frequently cited by New Testament authors. With the exception of the Psalter, no book had more influence on the New Testament than this …
The Covenant Home #7: Sketch of Godly Parents
Introduction: When we consider what parents should look like, what first comes to our mind’s eye? Our tendency is to rush to some sort of a “works orientation,” and not to rest in faith. The Texts: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation …
The Stalwarts of Asia
In order to understand the kind of community that is developing here, we have to see it like the tide coming in and filling up separate tide pools. They look distinct and separate, but they are all part of the same phenomenon. There may be distinct tide pools, but there is only one tide. The …
Provisions
The doctrine of God’s providence is a doctrine of a Father’s love, care, mercy, and protection. God looks down the course of our journey and anticipates on our behalf. At every stop along that journey we find provisions waiting for us. This is one of the stops, and here are the provisions. We are cared …
May God Damn That Guy
“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11) The Basket Case Chronicles #202 “The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house. All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss. The salutation …
Surveying the Text: Colossians
Introduction: Colossae was a bit more than 100 miles from Ephesus, and the two letters to the respective churches were written about the same time—which would be approximately 60 or 61 A.D. The apostle Paul had heard a number of good things about the church there, but there was also a troubling problem with some …
If We Walk in the Light
One of the things we are seeking to do is build a true community. Not a tight little cult with everyone in lockstep, and not a disparate and loose collection of people who happen to share latitude and longitude markers. In this fallen world, true community can only happen in and through Christ, and not …