Sunday, July 31, 2011

All things for good!

This morning I began to preach through Romans 8:28-30, and I will be finishing that message tonight.

It is part 5 in a series entitled (within the larger epistle) 'Assurance of Glorification'. This particular message received the subtitle 'All things for good' - my points being 1. What bold statement does Paul here make? (V 28) 2. What evidence does he bring to the table? (V 29) 3. What practacle help does this give me? (Matt 6:19ff, Jas 5:10-11).

We saw that the definite group that the apostle has in mind have primarily two descriptions, namely, 'those who love God,' firstly, and then, 'those who are called according to His purpose'.

The latter objective truth is the reason and cause for the former subjective experience. We love Him because He first loved us! This love for God is, again, the subjective aspect that we must seek to either identify within ourselves or discover to be absent. Not to say that we love Him well or sufficiently, far from it, but that we are, with Paul, grieved and groaning and mournful about the fact that we don't as we ought!

Such is a manifestation of this love for God that all true saints should be able to identify within them!

These, as already stated, do so because they are called according to His purpose (eternal decree) and that has, implicitly, its basis as just that - His purpose alone!!!

We are not called according to His prescience (foreknowledge) of what we would do etc. But according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will always and without exception!

This then brings us to ask and so answer the question what does this ‘all things’ entail?

The context makes plain that it refers, firstly, to the sufferings of this life. Whether internal (7:24) or external (8:18, 35ff) - however you slice it - sufferings in every conceivable sense are meant.

This however does not limit the intent of 'all things' as some minimalist exegetes may assume. Each and every action, thought, word or aspiration of each and every creature, animate and inanimate, physical or spiritual, visible or invisible must be seen as included in this all-encompassing statement!

The occasion doesn’t limit the ‘clout’ of the theological truth drawn on to meet its specific end!

The all things then are just that 'ALL THINGS'!

God providentially oversees the unfolding of His eternal decree right down to the most evil aspects, and the most seemingly mundane as well. All this without being Himself contaminated in any way whatsoever by the evil therein or, in any sense, taking away the fact that the creature is fully culpable and accountable for his actions that He, the just Judge will hold him to, and call him to give an account for.

So all things work together for good! What is here meant by good? Simply Christlikeness as verse 29 expounds clearly!

Conformity to the image of Christ is the overarching and supreme goal of glorification and that all to God's glory alone! See Job!

By way of an explanation or so as to prove or provide evidence for the bold assertion above the apostle presents the ‘ordo solutis’ (order of salvation) which stretches all the way back to the eternal, intrinsic, free and sovereign love of God for some of Adams fallen race.

This is what the phrase 'those whom He foreknew' means. Not 'that which He foreknew' or 'those whom He foreknew would do this or that (believe/love Him etc.),' but those (themselves) whom He foreknew.

These He also predestined (all of them without exception) and that to be conformed to complete Christ-like-perfection. And incidentally, He will accomplish all His eternal will! (Dan 4:34-35). He gets what He sovereignly decrees!

These same foreknown individuals who have all been predestined by God unto complete Christlikeness He also (without dropping so much as one of them) effectually called…savingly granting faith, repentance, eyes to see, ears to hear and hearts to respond favourably to His gospel call.

Every one of those foreknown, predestined to Christlikeness, and called ones say 'yes Lord' to His compelling call and are so (without exception) Justified on the basis of the true atonement of Christ. His righteousness is eternally and so irreversibly traded for their wretchedness by the ‘imputational’ swap that occurs the moment they, by grace, believe.

These foreknown, predestined to be fully Christ like, effectually called, and irreversibly justified ones - each of them, without any falling through the proverbial ‘cracks’, are also, from God's perspective already glorified. This has not yet happened in our lives and even in the case of our departed loved ones, who’s spirits are made perfect, this ultimate hope of glorification will only reach its apex at the second advent of our Saviour and Lord. Suffice it to say that this, as God has eternally planned/decreed/purposed it is as good as done!

All things work together to this ultimate and un-derail-able end of perfect Christ like holiness and glorification. This is progressively realized in the season of sanctification that precedes its fulfilment, but is only fully realized when we enter the judgment through the resurrection, that which itself presents, in our case, the favourable verdict of ‘not guilty’!

This is a tremendous basis and precious hope kindling promise for our glorification to come!

If we love God - as we all do who are truly His - then this is only because He first loved (knew) us! And if this be the case it is absolutely certain that He will perfect the good work He has unilaterally and Omni-potently begun in us (glorification)!

Salvation is all of God and all of grace!

What practacle lessons may now be gleaned?

Simply that if this is God's bent...His passion...His driving interest, namely our sanctification to the ultimate goal of our glorification (complete Christlikeness), then surely we ought to 'join' Him in His purpose to make us like Christ.

So let us not gather treasures on earth - at all! Even our families can be treasures in the wrong sense! Job's weren’t. He, while he had them, offered sacrifices faithfully on their behalf. He was a good dad! When God, through Satan, took them Job responded in a proper manner - the only proper manner! (I have no harshness in my tone as I write these sobering truths).

When we read James' account of Jobs life we may be surprised to find that his narrative may be used as an opportunity to show off the gracious dealings of God in the lives of His children! But if Christlikeness is in view...this apparent problem is quickly resolved.

God is more concerned about our character (Christlikeness) than our comfort (immediate), and more concerned about our holiness (Christlikeness, again) than our happiness (immediate). I add ‘immediate’ for the fact that ultimate comfort and happiness will be synonymous with the former virtues and even now, in part, somewhat coincide!

Let us set our minds on the things that God is after!

Let us give ourselves completely to this end alone!

And let us long for His coming and as it is written in the Revelation of our Lord Jesus say with the Spirit (who is constantly saying, even praying [Rom 8:26-27] to this end), "Come Lord Jesus!"

Praise God forever!!! He alone is worthy!!!

Monday, July 25, 2011

The Indwelling Intercessor/Hear what the Spirit says to the Churches!

What a Saviour! What a God! Father, Son and Holy Spirit! I'm so glad He came to save me!

Yesterday morning I preached on Romans 8:26-27 which I gave the ongoing title, 'Assurance of Glorification' (part4 - this time) - subtitled, 'The Indwelling Intercessor'.

We looked at the fact that 1. We are weak and need help! 2. God the Holy Spirit comes to our aid! 3. God the Father always says 'yes' to the Holy Spirit's perfect prayers!

What blessed me was the fact that Paul includes himself in this honest acknowledgment of human weakness and all round frailty (Rom 7:24 continued really) and that even down to his prayers – the vehicle of expression with regard to all of life’s concerns.

If Paul was weak, as he was, and if this was okay, as it is (not an excuse to be lazy and passive – but perspective that ‘oozes’ comfort for the fact of its universal truth!) then little old 'I' am in good company for being weak too! Paul needed the prayers of his brethren, so do I etc.

Especially, and more honoring to the immediate context, however, Paul, the church in Rome, and all saints in all ages with them need the intercessory (prayer) aid of the almighty Holy Spirit.

Good news...He comes to meet that very need in our lives!

The very groaning’s that we experience, the aches and cravings - those heavenly aspirations for holiness and to be all that Christ has called us to be for Him and His glory - is proof positive of the Holy Spirits presence in our hearts!

But it goes further!

These self-same groaning’s are caused within our hearts (the arena of activity) by Him and ought to bring to the forefront of our minds the fact that He is about His holy business of ‘inter-Trinitarian-communion’ on our behalf.

He is praying to the Father for us!

Now these prayers, are they of a positive or a negative nature? Seriously the question is even silly because of the obvious answer - yet worth the time to highlight the obvious and so perhaps therefore taken for granted.

Let’s see, we are weak and need help. Otherwise stated we are insufficient, broken, leaking, flat (something less than sufficient) - He (God the Holy Spirit) comes to help (not harm) us!

It's positive!

More so, He intercedes for the saints (whom He has come to help!) according to the will of the Father (entire Godhead really) who is - by the way - "for us" (see verse 31)!

So what have we seen?

God the Father, obviously, says 'yes' to the very things He Himself wants (‘will of God’ prayers articulated to Him by God the Holy Spirit who is praying the Fathers will).

God the Holy Spirit cannot pray amiss! He never errs! He utters perfect prayers that the Father always answers in the absolute affirmative!

And now ‘connect the holy dots’...which are all ‘for’ and not against us!

These Holy Spirit prayed prayers are all for our good, help and, in short, becoming all that God wants of us - absolute conformity to the image of His Son!

Just this one text alone, if all Scripture besides were lost to us, would suffice for the thinking Christian to have absolute assurance of salvation!

We cannot ever lose our salvation!

We must rejoice in the assurance of Glorification that this Indwelling Intercessor doctrine brings in its wake!

Praise God forever!

Last night we summed up the seven letters to the seven churches of the Revelation (Ch. 2-3) and my message was entitled, 'To all pastors of all churches in all ages', subtitled, 'Hear what the Spirit says to the churches'.

The end of the matter came to us in the following questions being answered. 1. How does Christ want us to think of Him? 2. What pleases Christ? 3. What displeases Him? 4. What will be the outcome for those who refuse to heed His warnings? 5. What will be the outcome for those who overcome?

We had a heart searching time together and recommitted our lives individually and as a church family to His cause and glory alone.

The gist – worship Him in spirit and truth! Love God with all you are and have and your neighbour as yourself!

However you ‘slice it’ - authentic inside-out heart religion along with sound doctrine is absolutely vital. No compromise with sin ever! We need to learn to be righteously intolerant of sin in our own lives as well as the lives of others…patient, indeed, with penitent, failing brethren but disciplining impenitent pretenders promptly so as to guard the purity and holiness of the church of our precious Saviour.

We need a new fear of Christ in our churches!

“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Eccl 12:13-14)

All glory to Him and Him alone!

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Come to Me...I will give you REST!!!

I have felt sick all week!

Since last Lord's Day I have been down with the flue, with the rest of my family. Our house has been a den of sniffles, groaning’s and short tempers.

My regular wake up times have gone for a loop and I have literally slept for about 9 hours each night...that is crazy long for me.

What’s the point in saying that?

Simply to lay a foundation for the fact that with this occasion of sickness and the excuse (legitimate or not) of sleeping in, my personal devotions have taken a back seat.

Sure I live in the 'guilt' charged 'forgive me' zone throughout the day due to this folly, but the fact still stands that I am not where I want to be in my fellowship with my Saviour and Lord. I find myself having little to say in times of ministry and counselling, I find myself detached in my studies and my wrestling with the texts at hand clinical and somewhat removed from a real investigation of the soul that I long for.

This is understandable of course and that for the simple reason that sickness does bring with it times of needed recuperation...but my mind also highlights the fact that many godly saints live, labour and die in a constant condition of pain and suffering.

What do we tell them?

“Never mind meeting with God!”

“He is difficult to fellowship with!”

“Just know He understands your struggles!”

And

“Sit back, suck up another DVD and seer your conscience!?”

Since when did praying, reading the Bible, listening to sermons, watching Christian DVD's etc. become such a challenge? At least the last illustration can compare to watching TV or a movie of a secular nature! But why is God not ‘fun enough’ (I mean this reverently) to merit a place in my ‘entertainment’ and relaxation and rest?

This is strange to put it mildly, wicked to say it straight!

I recall someone quoting someone else with these haunting yet extremely accurate words, "our congregations need our holiness!"

If this is so as it obviously is then when do we as ministers, as Christians irrespective, ever have a licence to play truant from deep intimacy and heart impassioned fellowship with the all sufficient, infinitely comforting, utterly rest causing Sovereign of glory?

I must come to the place, as it once was (first love stuff!!!), where God is my whole portion, my all in all, my hiding place and treasure and true relief from all of life’s storms!

May this challenge stir your hearts as it has reminded me of the things that really count!

God be our sustenance and our solace!

Amen!!!

Monday, July 11, 2011

Incarnate Deity - Full of Grace and Truth

This morning, really yesterday morning by now, we had a baptism service at KBC and I have decided to preach the gospel of John at baptism services...focussing, as my overarching title has it, on 'Life in His Name' from the purpose statement found in verses 30-31 of chapter 20.

Lifting up Christ and seeking to demonstrate something of His resplendent glory is my desire.

We examined the first 18 verses of chapter 1 under the title, 'Incarnate Deity', and subtitled, 'Full of Grace and Truth.'

The gist was utterly redemptive and sought to highlight the fact that creation is something of a parable, albeit entirely real and actual occurrence based, of redemption! Christ, being the Light who enlightens, gives light etc. is to be seen as so doing in a general sense as far as it involved the first creation...but more so with respect to the new creation as in salvation from the darkness of the world system under Satan’s rule and so from sin and hell!

Christ, the Word, the true Light is the active agent in both creation and redemption, with the other members of the Holy Trinity.

He is God's perfect revelation of Himself, being eternally and fully God. He takes upon Himself full humanity, exactly like ours, yet without sin, and then as the God Man brings to the fore the new creation and that in His own person and work.

Seeing Christ is everything…for "no one has ever seen God, the only God, who is at the Fathers side, He has made Him known!"

Christ has made Him known! Who but God can reveal God in this full revelatory sense? Who but God can be full of grace and truth? Who but God can be partaken of in an undiminished sense as it is written, "…of His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace"?

The fact of His 'Incarnate Deity' has been, I trust, a source of great joy to us!

God bless all who are needy!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Knowing Your Flock!

I recall Lance Quinn saying at one time that a young man can be an excellent preacher, theologian, apologist, evangelist...you name it...but that a young man cannot be a pastor!

In my case – he was right!

I left my previous ministry chiefly because I came to realise that I wasn't a shepherd. Sure I preached the Word, challenged people to consecrated devotion to Christ and His cause in the world, witnessed to the lost and longed to see sinners saved, saints sanctified, the church purified and God glorified in all the above…but there was something sorely missing from it all.

One lady, albeit that she couldn’t stand me due to my being a Calvinist (she was at best Arminian/probably Pelagian), said to me on one occasion, "you don’t love us"! She was right! I didn’t know how to love a flock yet...something was out of orbit within my personal sanctification that manifested itself when under pressure and opposition. I couldn’t stand some of my congregation and felt as if they happily returned the favour. The one liner, 'God is getting rid of the dead wood' became a source of sickening hope for me within this crippled season of my ‘service’ to Him in the labourers I had embarked upon.

I tried, I prayed, I wept to love the church...but I wasn’t ready. I was too quickly allowed to leap (incidentally against the wise council of my elders in my previous ministry).

I say that to say this, God has done a work of grace in me since then in this particular regard. Not to say I have in anyway arrived, I am far from where I long to be, but He has brought me to the place where I can genuinely say with Paul, "God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ". In fact I would say, without apology, that unless a man can honestly own those words, he has no business in the pastorate/eldership (or diaconate for that matter)!

How can he shepherd those most precious to God without a shepherd’s heart and love for the flock?

Where am I going with this all? I am setting the stage, as it were, so as to share something of practical value with whosoever would find some use or value in it. Recently I put together, in excel, a template that will aid in my pastoral service to the flock under my charge and care. The purpose is to keep a close 'eye' on each and every member of our fellowship and that for the purpose of deliberate discipleship.

The headings include:

1. List of members. 2. Current commitment to this fellowship. 3. Current service in this fellowship. 4. Desires and gifts to be developed. 5. Areas of concern to be addressed. 6. Areas of need to be met.

These are for private (within the eldership) use and, with that, for the purpose of pointed prayer and service. I would sincerely love to have each member of our church family feeling served and loved completely, and that includes developing them to their full potential and usefulness to the body and so the Head.

I long to be a better shepherd and such practical helps, I believe, are the way forward for me.

If this blesses someone else as well - praise God!

Soli Deo Gloria!!!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

That Book in your lap/Let Me in

This morning we looked at that well known and loved passage in the second epistle to Timothy chapter 3 and verses 16 through 17.

My message was entitled 'That Book in your lap' subtitled, 'What Satan doesn't want you to know about the Bible'.

There were essentially 7 points that were gleaned from the text namely: 1. All Scripture is all Scripture. 2. All Scripture is God breathed. 3. All Scripture is authoritative. 4. All Scripture is profitable. 5. All Scripture is accessible. 6. All Scripture is perfect. 7. All Scripture is sufficient.

We ‘landed’ with reference to the 15th verse which highlights the fact that Christ is the Word of God become flesh and that 'all Scripture' is either about Him in a forward looking sense or, from the New Covenant's perspective, looking back to the historical person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The challenge was for us to not take for granted ‘that Book in our laps’ but to marvel, and that ever increasingly so, at the grace and love of God in graciously giving us His holy Word!

The evening's message was preached from Revelation 3:14-22.

As a title, 'The Letter to the Pastor of the Church in Laodicea', subtitled, 'Let Me in'.

The gist being that this church, and they were His church in spite of their failing to be all they could and should have been, had come to the point of slowly but surely excommunicating Christ from their fellowship and that due to their economic ‘wealth’ and pseudo ‘success’ causing within them a degree of independence. Their great sin was that they were sinfully self-sufficient and so had no need of Christ really, at least in their evident, albeit unbeknown to them, estimation of it.

He is found outside the church, as it were, knocking. This has nothing to do with the gospel, as in evangelizing the lost (that silly painting!), but everything to do with restoring fellowship with Himself, and that within the context of a wayward backslidden church...His true ‘lampstand’/church nonetheless.

The 'lukewarm' aspect is to be seen not as ‘straddling the line’ or being a half-hearted ‘fence-sitter’, as it were, but as being outright useless and distasteful and so ineffective as light bearers due to their ‘power source’ – Christ Himself – being ‘side-lined’ to the ‘outer courts’.

The hot medicinal springs of Hierapolis were of great value to those who were sick, the cold refreshing drinking water of Colossae was a real source of joy to weary travellers, but the lukewarm, nauseating water (if you could even call it that) of Laodicea was enough to make one vomit on tasting it!

Hence the hot and cold are both of value, contextually speaking, and do good...the lukewarm - no value!

It is, I firmly believe, a grave mistake to take the text to mean that Christ would rather we were complete pagans, as His church, than that we were ‘iffy’, ‘middle of the road’ saints. This is untrue, in and of itself, and not what this particular congregation would have understood.

So the matter is clear...we are to repent of all and any self-sufficiency and let Jesus back into our own lives personally and our church corporately. Not in a salvific sense but in a fellowship/communal sense!

He is ‘the Amen’. (The firm One… trustworthy and true throughout) He is ‘the faithful and true Witness’. (The One who always and only did according to the will of God in obeying His commission - the Laodiceans has lost the plot and were unfaithful and unhelpful either to the sick or weary!) And He is the omnipotent Creator of all things, able to enable those who abide in Him!

Their own assessment of themselves was sorely flawed...Christ lovingly yet firmly sets the record straight diagnosing their plight and proscribing the cure...namely, Himself!

The challenge to us as a church family is to 'let Him in' and that as, not the humble carpenter of Nazareth, in His humiliation that is...but as He has already revealed Himself in that glorious vision of Revelation chapter 1. He is conquering constantly and we are to render Him homage and reverent worship and honour!

The long and short of it...the daily bread from the sacred Volume amounts to this: Take up and read...read of Christ and rejoice in His absolute sufficiency. And, with that, return to an awareness of your wretchedness and acknowledge your acute and, chronically so, need of Him.

No compromise ever!!!

Soli Deo Gloria forever!!!

Friday, July 1, 2011

New song - 'Pretty Face'

Antje and I will have been married for 10 years this coming September 1st.

We were hoping to do something special, something we've never done together...then God gave us Eden Brenna Thompson, our new little princess, and she has over abundantly 'scratched this itch'!

Besides this, I have had it on my heart to write Antje a song but am not very good at writing love songs...I find it easier to write 'daddy daughter' songs, for some weird reason, but this said, and perhaps still a fair diagnosis, I wrote Antje a song last night anyway.

With my voice, which echoes through the night like cats being murdered, it has the potential of becoming a hit...on some uninhabitable planet, that is, where the native plant life feeds on 'out of tune fruit cake husbands trying to impress their wives'!

For what it’s worth here are the words...it's entitled 'Pretty Face':

Pretty Face

Who am I – without you?
I am, well – just a shell
Of a man – without you
Trapped in time – prison cell

Oh but wait & let’s see
You’re mine still!
Pretty Face we will be
Always will
If, in His will
Together until
He comes

Again – I’ll hold you
Closely by – tucked inside
My embrace – I love you
By His grace – in His stride

& those times when we’re we
We’re fine still!
Pretty Face your with me
Always my girl
If, in His will
Together until
He comes

(Musical interlude)

Who am I – without you?
I am, well – just a shell
Of a man – without you
Trapped in time – prison cell

Oh but wait & let’s see
You’re mine still!
Pretty Face we will be
Always will
If, in His will
Together until
He comes

Well and trustworthy is the proverb;

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favour from the LORD" (Prov 18:22)

Praise God for the love of my life!