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Weekend Preview – Parenting/Prayer

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This weekend, on top of New Years, we are launching some new things at Crestview. During SS, I will be teaching through Paul Tripp’s Getting To The Heart of Parenting curriculum (the other adult class features Tom Dixon teaching Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living and Speaking the Gospel by Mack Stiles).

To introduce Tripp and my class, I will be showing about the first 45 minutes of an interview that Desiring God did with Tripp (called Ask Paul Tripp Live). Here’s the video:

In the AM Worship Service, we will also begin looking at Jesus’ words on prayer from the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:5ff). This will be our kickoff for the Week of Prayer and include a prayer time after a Noon Meal. Look forward to seeing you tomorrow.

Weekend Preview – Peace

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Tomorrow, Lord willing, we will look at Luke 2:13-14 and the announcement by a group of the heavenly host giving glory to God and proclaiming peace through the birth of Jesus Christ. So…peace will be our theme.

Here’s a great quote on peace to prep you:

Graeme Goldsworthy in Prayer and the Knowledge of God:

Peace is not an inner calm and serenity (although it may from time to time produce this effect), but our reconciliation with the God we have offended by our rebellion against him. (p.166)

Our issues with lacking peace aren’t so much about others as the vertical relationship we have with God. Therefore, come Sunday, planning to see the reconciliation offered you through Jesus.

Weekend Preview – Christ Alone! / Give Thanks

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As we prep for another Lord’s Day, tomorrow we plan to dive into the book of Colossians one more time. Colossians beats the drum pretty loudly of gratitude. This is because gratitude is closely tied to the Gospel. In Colossians 2:6-7, we hear a call that living a Gospel-centered life is the path to being thankful and, deeper, living a life that honors Jesus as Lord. In the AM sermon, I plan to overview the Gospel that comes through Christ alone.

In the PM, we will have a special time as a church at our Annual Church-Wide Thanksgiving Dinner. This is such a special time every year. I have many great memories of this. We will also be collecting a special offering to advance the Gospel in Australia. So, plan for a great, Christ-exalting Lord’s Day at Crestview.

How To Make Your Kids Spirtually Apathetic:

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Apathy is defined as a “complete lack of emotion or motivation about a person, activity, or object; depression; lack of interest or enthusiasm; disinterest.” This weekend, we will be looking at Colossians 3:21 and how we are called to parent our children under the Lordship of Christ. I found this post by the Life Together blog on how to breed spiritual apathy in your kids so helpful.

Here are Scott Linscott’s 5 Keys to Making Your Kids Apathetic About Faith:

1. Put academic pursuits above faith-building activities.
2. Chase the gold ball first and foremost.
3. Teach your kid that the dollar is almighty.
4. Refuse to acknowledge that the primary motivating force in kids’ lives is relationship.
5. Model apathy in your own life.

You might check out the full article for more info on how each of these can be pursued. The upshot of all this is that God has greater desires for our children than mere worldly achievements. They were made in by Him and for Him. Let’s allow this vision to compel us to parent in a way that pleases the Lord.

Weekend Prep – On the Rebuke

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This week, d.v., we get to look at Colossians 3:16 and the call to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly, TEACHING AND ADMONISHING ONE ANOTHER IN ALL WISDOM…(emphasis mine). I’ve been thinking a lot in prepping this sermon what it looks like to teach in all wisdom or admonish in all wisdom (since the phrase “in all wisdom” modifies both the teaching and admonishing). You would be greatly helped, as you consider these things to check out Kevin DeYoung‘s 3 Part Series on the Ministry of Rebuke, which just finished today. We all have tendencies and I think reading words in Scripture to admonish one another sends some out with excitement and some out with fear and trembling. DeYoung’s posts have 20 points under 4 headings: why we rebuke, when to rebuke, how to rebuke, and how to receive rebuke. Hope this helps you think and prepare for this weekend.

Weekend Preview – Kill Sin!

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This coming Lord’s Day, we hope to gather and look at Colossians 3:5-7. The call is to put to death what is earthly among you. Here’s a quote for Sinclair Ferguson in his excellent book, The Christian Life:

“What then is the killing of sin? It is the constant battle against sin which we fight daily – the refusal to allow the eye to wander, the mind to contemplate, the affections to run after anything which will draw us from Christ. It is the deliberate rejection of any sinful thought, suggestion, desire, aspiration, deed, circumstance or provocation at the moment we become conscious of its existence. It is the consistent endeavor to do all in our powers to weaken the grip which sin in general, and its manifestations in our lives in particular, has. It is not accomplished only by saying ‘no’ to what is wrong, but by a determined acceptance of all the good and spiritually-nourishing disciplines of the gospel. It is by resolutely weeding the garden of the heart, and also by planting, watering and nurturing Christian graces there, that putting sin to death will take place. Not only must we slay the noxious weeds of sin, but we must see that the flowers of grace are sucking up the nourishment of the Spirit’s presence in our hearts. Only when those hearts are so full of grace will less room exist for sin to breathe and flourish.”

Let’s come this Lord’s Day anticipating God’s movement among us to glorify Himself in our killing sin.

Weekend Prep – Put to Death/Put On

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In thinking about the coming Lord’s Day (July 4), I found this post from Ray Van Neste helpful on following the Trinity Psalter’s recommendation to sing Psalm 46 to the tune of America the Beautiful. Maybe you could use this in your own preparation for worship this weekend.

Psalm 46

1 God is our refuge and our strength,
In straits a present aid;
2 and, therefore, tho’ the Earth remove
We will not be afraid;
Tho’ hills amidst the seas be cast,
3 tho’ troubled waters roar,
Yea, tho’ the swelling Billows shake
The mountains on the shore.

4 A river is whose streams make glad
The city of our God,
The holy place wherein the Lord
Most High has His abode.
5 Yea, God is in the midst of her;
Unmoved she stands alway;
And God will surely grant her help
Before the break of day.

6 The nations raged; the
Kingdoms moved;
And when the earth had heard
The mighty voice He sent abroad
It melted at His word.
7 The LORD of hosts is on our side
Our safety to secure;
The God of Jacob is for us
A refuge strong and sure.

8 O come, behold what Wondrous works
Have by the LORD been wrought;
Come, see what desolations great
He on the earth has brought.
9 To utmost ends of all the earth
Wars unto peace He turns;
The bow He breaks, the spear He cuts,
In fire the char-iot burns.

10 Be still and know that I am God;
Among the nations I
Will be exalted; I on earth
Will be exalted high.
11 The LORD of hosts is on our side.
Our safety to secure;
The God of Jacob is for us
A refuge strong and sure.

As for us, our morning service will direct us into Colossians 3:5-17, where I intend to survey these verses for practical ways to seek the things that are above.

We will have no service in the evening in light of the holiday.

Looking heavenward because our future is so bright…

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As we prep for Sunday morning, there is great grace for us in Colossians 3:3-4. We will be thinking about the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ someday. I am anticipating a great Lord’s day. I hope there is much encouragement to be had for us as a people in light of the great truths we will see if God’s Word. In preparation, read back over Colossians 1 and 2 and then these first verses of chapter 3 and have your heart ready to receive from Him.

Ask Pastor John – Creation

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As we begin to prepare for the weekend (specifically, Pat Nurre’s speaking to us on creation this Lord’s Day), I thought this discussion online from the past week would be helpful.

A follow up post centered on Sailhamer’s view of creation.

Matt Perman wrote an analysis of this view in an article entitled Science, the Bible and the Promised Land.

A critique of Sailhamer’s view is found in this article: Unbinding the Rules.

And a helpful summary of all the issues involved was penned by Mark Driscoll.