Here’s my latest installment for Leadership Reno County alumni…
In this, Bob Bush answers the following questions:
Here’s a post I wrote for our church’s missions blog:
My 9/28/14 sermon, More Merciful from Romans 11:1-10, is now online. In this sermon, I tried to demonstrate how God’s mercy is often more than we could imagine. It’s expressed more widely and shown to more people and probably revealed in ways that surprise us. I hope it was encouraging to those who heard it. Have a great week thinking about God’s mercy.
My 9/21/14AM sermon, Gospel Response from Romans 10:14-21, is now online. In this sermon, I sought to show how neither God’s Word nor His saving intentions had failed, but that the God who is overflowing in mercy demands a response to the good news that He’s made known to others. This sermon helped call for a response from both believers and unbelievers to the message of the Bible.
My 9/7/14AM sermon, Christ The End, from Romans 9:30-10:4 is now online. This sermon was a deep one for me, one that I care about. I think Romans 10:4 is close to what some may call a life verse. It speaks of Christ being the point, the destination, the signpost of everything. He’s the end of righteousness (the destination of what it means to be in a right relationship with God) for those who believe. Having Him is everything. I hope this sermon helps you (should you choose to listen) and encourages you to more deeply glorify the God who made you for Himself.
I’m very grateful for the work and ministry of Elyse Fitzpatrick. Our Elders have been helped as she encourages readers to Counsel From The Cross. As I’m preaching through Romans, her devotional book has brought great Gospel vision to my understanding of God’s heart. Her latest book Good News for Weary Women
1) When you are writing for weary women, who are the women you anticipate serving through this particular project?
“In writing to weary women I primarily anticipate serving women who are serious about their faith and who listen very carefully when they hear messages about what they should be doing to fulfill what they believe is their calling. Of course, women who are not terribly concerned about what God wants them to do are weary also, but they aren’t my primary audience. And yes, of course, they need to know about the good news of God’s love for them in Christ, but they aren’t my principle audience.”
2) How can even good, religious activity slowly drive women into a state of weariness (why do church-going women need the Gospel message)?
“Women who go to church are inundated with the message of “do more, try harder,” and although there are commands they should heed in the Bible, what they are to do is not the foremost message of the Bible. The foremost message of the Bible is what Jesus has already done for them. Unfortunately, many women have been taught (and we all by nature believe) that what we need are the three secret steps to happiness, so we listen carefully hoping to find the secret keys that will unlock a life of contented bliss. We know and acknowledge the gospel, but we think it’s for unsaved folks and beginners. We think we’ve matured past it…and it’s that deception that wears us out.”
3) What is the good news for weary women?
“The good news for weary women is that Jesus, in His incarnation, sinless life, shameful death, bodily resurrection and ascension has done everything that needed to be done for his daughters, and that we can rest in this work He’s done and serve our neighbor out of the love that has already been bestowed on us. The good news is that we can finally stop looking at ourselves, seeing if we measure up, and begin to look at Him, knowing that He measured up in our place.”
So, I hope this post and these questions help to deepen your longing for the message of first importance – the glorious Gospel. And, I hope you’ll take advantage of this amazing resource, Good News for Weary Women
10 Years! This week, Meg and I celebrate 10 years of marriage. Seems like only yesterday, the main application of any teaching I had was how this related to me finding a wife. Now, I’m happily married (still!) and have been blessed with 4 children. It’s been a crazy 10 years with plenty of ups and downs, good times and bad, but it’s been a blast.
Part of what makes the long term direction of marriage so difficult is due to selfishness. So much of life turns on what we want as individuals. God’s graciously wired marriage to be such a thing that selfishness will be exposed rather quickly. Want to veg in front of a TV for long hours? You’ll probably hear about it from your wife. Want to burn every weekend doing what you alone want to do? Gradually distance can be created in your relationship with your spouse. Be on guard against selfishness — it’s actively working to undo what God’s done.
After all, what most of us remember about our wedding days is being so confident that God is the one who’s the great Matchmaker. He’s the one who’s brought us to that spouse. He’s the one who worked this out. And, because this is something God has done, we shouldn’t work to separate it. Yet, it can be so easy to do that. It can be so easy to turn inward and do what I want at the expense of what God wants for me.
So, this week, I, for one, am praising God that He’s continually working in me to help me die to myself. And, one principle way He’s working to do this is through marriage. Meg is a divine tool from a loving God to shape me into His image. It’s because this is true that marriage is a good thing. I’m blessed to continue riding these waves.
My 8/17/14AM sermon, God’s Salvation from Romans 9:6-13, is now online. My aim was to wow everyone with God and His amazingly gracious saving acts towards those who don’t deserve them. We all need God’s salvation, He acts to save and it’s not based on our merit. I’m hoping you had a great Lord’s Day exalting Christ. Have a great week.
My 8/10/14AM sermon, Religious Unbeliever from Romans 9:1-5, is now online. This sermon sought to explain how relating to God by faith in Christ is the greatest pursuit of your life, even over and above any religious privilege. This is also the passage that many in Crestview will be studying as they review this sermon tonight in Small Groups (Romans 9:1-5 Talksheet). I’m hoping this sermon not only helps promote faith in Jesus, who is God over all and blessed forever, but fires your heart of love for unbelievers. Blessings.
I came across this cartoon that relates to the passage we will look at this coming Sunday:
Making assumptions can be a dangerous thing. This is certainly true for religious people. Join us this Sunday as we continue to explore the book of Romans and see some assumptions people made that clouded reality.
And, while you’re at it, maybe read this week’s passage, Romans 9:1-5.