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Weekend Recap 1/17 – OT Story

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Last night, we began a series of sermons highlighting the Old Testament story. The first sermon, using various references but springing from John 5:39-40, entitled Jesus: The Point of the OT is now online.

One application I pressed toward the end, of which I have been guilty in the passed is to avoid moralizing. What is moralizing? “reading the Old Testament not to learn about Jesus, but only to learn principles for how to live my life as a good person by following the good examples of some people and avoiding the bad examples of others” (as defined by Driscoll in A Book You’ll Actually Read on the Old Testament).

Another application I pressed was to look for Jesus in the OT. An interview with John Sailhamer on his latest book, the Meaning of the Pentateuch, was very helpful is seeing a balance and avoiding overspiritualizing.

At any rate, I hope you are encouraged to see how every page of the Bible “whispers His name” and ask God that through this series, we would have spiritual eyes to behold Jesus in the Old Testament.

AM Recap from 1/17 – Reconciled!

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Today’s sermon, Before and After, from Colossians 1:21-22 is now online. The sermon sought to highlight snapshots of God’s reconciling work for us. Before Christ, we were in need of reconciliation. We are reconciled through Jesus’ death on the cross and the result of this is positive – we are presented holy, blameless and above reproach before Him. I thought the sermon got to some good truth for me. I need to be humble and patient with unbelievers who don’t necessarily understand the truth of the Gospel. And, I can have confidence for the future only because of Christ, not my performance.

Any thoughts from anyone else?

Weekend Prep — Reconciled & Jesus

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Here’s the scoop for where we’re headed this weekend as we look gather corporately.

On Sunday AM, we will be focusing in on Colossians 1:21-22 and seeing 3 snapshots of our reconciliation, a before Christ element, the element Christ accomplished in His death and an “after” element looking forward into eternity. Pray for the Gospel to be clear to unbelievers who might be present and for God’s Word to richly build us up.

In the PM service, we will be starting a new series overviewing the big storyline of the Bible. The sermon is entitled “Jesus: The Point of the Old Testament.” I hope to give reasons we know the OT is about Jesus in this message, which will be an important framework for the sermons that will follow.

I am looking forward to seeing each of you this weekend.

Piper on God’s Word…

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Each year, Piper begins the year with a sermon on prayer followed up by a sermon encouraging Bethlehem to be passionate for God’s Word. I had a chance to listen to last Sunday’s sermon, Holding Fast The Word of Life in 2010, and was encouraged and challenged to be passionate for God’s Word.

One part was when Piper was showing how the world influences believers so that they think God’s Word is boring. Piper’s response “Avatar is boring.” His point was that when the Almighty God of the universe speaks, it is never a boring thing. Great point and really used by God to awaken me to the sinful reality of my own heart. Listen, watch, or read and be encouraged.

9 Marks E Journal – Jan/Feb 2010

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The Jan/Feb 2010 9Marks EJournal is now online (on Evangelical Liberalism).

This month’s 9Marks Interview is with Matt Chandler. Here’s a special appeal from Mark Dever:

This past August, Matt shared an hour with us to talk about his ministry. In light of what has happened to Matt in recent days, we contacted him about publishing this interview. He said he was very happy for us to present it, and that he was continuing to trust in God for the future. As you listen to this interview, thank God for our brother and pray for him.

As always, please take advantage of these amazing free resources.

Planning…

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Jeremy Carr has an excellent post over at the Resurgence entitled Make Plans, Not Resolutions. He highlights three types of people: the Non-Planner, the Solo Planner and the Proverbs 16:1 Planner. The Proverbs 16 Planner is:

The Proverbs 16 planner understands that God-centered and God-motivated plans honor the Lord, bless the planner, and benefit others.

This short post would be a helpful read for you. We all can plan better. Some of us need to lighten up and center on God. Others need to plan because their lives are jumbled messes. Either way, we can plan effectively because God is a planning God, trusting Him to direct us.

Weekend Wrap Up – Small Groups…

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Our Sunday PM message, In One Body, from Colossians 3:12-15 is also online. This sermon was my attempt to answer the question, Why do we do small groups? This extraordinary passage calls us to put on Godly characteristics, Godly actions and to pursue Godly unity. To have a context to do these things with other believers, we have small groups. We had a great response of people getting plugged in to relationship with one another. This winter/spring, we will be studying the Gospel Centered Life curriculum from Serge. I am very excited about this curriculum which deals with three questions:
1) What is the Gospel?
2) What does the Gospel do in us?
3) How does the Gospel work through us?

I hope you can be plugged into a small group and grow in grace.