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Weekend Recap – Haggler / Prayer

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We enjoyed an amazing Lord’s Day yesterday.  My sermon from Hebrews 9:15-22 entitled The Haggler (New Covenant Mediator) is online.  The sermon sought to show the amazing nature of Jesus’ help for those who stand to inherit promises under the new covenant and how this was only obtained through His spilling blood in death.  We also celebrated the Lord’s Supper in the AM.  What a rich time of fellowship.

In the evening, as it was a 5th Sunday, we gathered for corporate prayer.  We realize that nothing happens of eternal consequence without God moving.  We prayed for needs and upcoming events in our church’s life.  What a blessed Lord’s day.  I’m still full from it.

Gospel and Nothing Else…

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Have you ever heard anyone talking about the good news of salvation found in Jesus alone, how God has done everything to save us and gotten nervous.  Maybe you’re a believer and think, yeah, but I still have to do this or that and it’s all about my life, now right?  This objection comes often in circles where grace exists.  A few years ago, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones predicted as much:

There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. That is very good test of gospel preaching. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel. (from his exposition of Romans 6)

Undoubtedly, we are not to continue in sin that grace may abound.  However, this underestimates the power of the Gospel to change.  You are not the person you once were.  You are a new creation.  The old has passed away, the new has come.  Today, rest in the amazing Gospel of grace.  God has chosen to save you apart from anything you do.  Faith is merely tapping into that reality.

Weekend Preview – Hebrews 9:15-22

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This coming Sunday, we hope to return to Hebrews 9:15-22 and look at our New Covenant Mediator Jesus.  There are lots of tremendous truths in this passage.  We’ll see what Jesus did as our Mediator, why death was necessary and (closely) related why all this blood?  Oh, there will be blood.  Just read the text and see.  Blood cleanses and without the shedding of blood there’s no forgiveness of sins.

As I thought about this text and what Jesus has done to reconcile to God, I’ve realize how futile my own efforts at achieving righteousness fall short.  I need a Savior like this.  Come and see God’s plan through Jesus, our Mediator this Sunday.

We plan to gather back in the evening for corporate prayer.

Weekend Recap – 10/23/11 with Dan Dumas

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We had a great weekend at Crestview with Dan Dumas visiting. I was really impacted by the book he co-wrote with Randy Stinson entitled Guide to Biblical Manhood. Having heard Dan unpack what the purpose of the book was a few times this weekend, I would say it is a tremendously helpful, practical book on fleshing out what manhood looks like according to the Bible. Upon reading that, I knew I needed to get Dan here around our men and yesterday was our day.

During the SS hour, Dan preached from James 1:19-25 a message entitled God’s Mudroom for Worship. God has given us His Word as basic functioning for life. Specifically, this passage calls us to hear and heed God’s Word by application.

In the AM Worship Service, Dan preached from Job 1 a message entitled Spiritual Ruggedness. This message really unpacked how Job could be a point where he worshipped after suffering hit and his anchor proved to be a Sovereign, Immovable God.

Finally, in the PM, Dan preached from 1 Kings 2:1-9 on the DNA of Biblical Manhood. Seizing upon David’s deathbed charge to Solomon, Dan gave rich application to the men to Fear God, Tremble His Word, Be Tough As Nails, Do Hard Things First, and simply Act Like Men.

All is all, my soul was very nourished and refreshed. Weaknesses were exposed in both my life and leadership. Many applications need to be pursued as a result of this weekend. I hope your Lord’s Day was profitable as well.

Relationships & Eternity…

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I’m reading Paul Tripp’s latest book, Forever, and today was privileged to read a chapter entitled Forever and Your Relationships.  Read this amazing excerpt unpacking how forever reminds us of where we are living:

Most if not all relationships will go through times of difficulty and stress. A good relationship, then, is a humble and needy relationship in which both parties admit that they haven’t arrived and are not perfect. They are approachable, willing to listen to the concerns of the other, willing to admit and face their shortcomings. They do not give way to thinking that they are mature and the other person is not. A good relationship doesn’t get stuck in a cycle of expectation, disappointment, criticism, and punishment. It doesn’t give way to the hopelessness that often grips relationships when change doesn’t seem to be happening. A good relationship is good because each person is patient and understanding. Each seeks to encourage the other to grow while resisting laying unrealistic burdens on the shoulders of the other person.

And Tripp’s point of pursuing this is that

“Forever tells us that all relationships exist in a world that is broken in need of redemption.”

Might it be that one reason your relationships are so frustrating and not “good” is that you are not viewing them in the light of eternity which is screaming to us that one day God will make all things new. We are in process. Therefore, be patient with your spouse and those you relate to. God’s not finished the work of sanctification in you or them yet.

Weekend Preview for 10/23/11

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We anticipate a great weekend at church this weekend.  First off, on Saturday, October 22nd, our Ladies have a Prayer Retreat.  Always a great time for them.

I’m really excited, though, for Sunday when we have Dan Dumas from Southern Seminary and author of Guide to Biblical Manhood in to speak.  He will preach in the morning and speak, specifically, to our men at the Men & Boys Chili Feed, Sunday night at 6PM.

The Gospel changes everything, especially how you act as a male and female in the unique hardwiring God created for you.  Come this weekend expecting this glorious Gospel to be on full display as we flesh out what being a man and woman is all about.

Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (2)

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My sermon from 10/16/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (2) from Hebrews 9:11-14 is now online.  We don’t like people claiming to be the best.  When it comes to Jesus, as C.S. Lewis famously said, “He’s either a liar (not the best acting as if He is), lunatic (acting like He’s out of His mind) or Lord (He is the best).”  The stakes could be any higher for the writer of Hebrews.  Jesus is the best.  He is the Lord.  And, He’s proven that His work is way better than Old Testament sacrifices and law keeping by giving His own blood to secure freedom from sin and a pure conscience. This sermon unpacks these types of truths.  Hope it’s a blessing to you.

Weekend Preview – More on Jesus

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This coming Lord’s Day, we hope to complete the thought we began in Hebrews 9:1-10 by looking at Hebrews 9:11-14 and how Jesus’ sacrifice is a better sacrifice.  Think of it, under the old covenant, the conscience of the worshipper was never made perfect, but in Christ, we have secured an eternal redemption and have pure consciences from dead works to serve the living God.  There is truly reason to praise.  Hope you can enjoy God’s work for you in the Gospel this week.

You Need Community…Really…You Do…

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I was privileged to get a copy of Brad House’s book Community, the latest in the RE:LIT series.  House serves as a pastor at Mars Hill Church, Seattle, where he oversees community groups for the multi-site church.  For me, a good book is built on the basics of God’s Word and filled with practicality, or what the foundational truth from God’s Word should look like fleshed out.

The tension in a book on a particular facet of ministry is that while a broad cross section of evangelicalism may agree that something is important and even rooted in God’s Word, we may disagree on its practice.  I thought House did a great job of helping us see that what Mars Hill Church has chosen to do, how it has come out of Biblical conviction, but isn’t meant to be replicated by every church.  We are responsible, however, to flesh out community in our midst and this is the real strength of the book.

In Part 1, the foundation (or as he calls them, Building Blocks For Life) is unpacked.  This lays some biblical footings for how the book will flesh itself out in the later chapters.  Why do we need community?  How did God create us for this and other truths.

Part 2, health plan, helps to lead us in a positive direction by helping us see the different facts of community that need to be considered.  How should groups function, how often should they meet, where should they meet, what should they do?  Are you getting a feel for the practical side yet?

Part 3, treatment, gives us ways to effect change in our groups.  In other words, I’m given practical tools in this section to go about changing things from the way we’ve always done them.  This includes not only changing the past, but equipping leaders for the future.

Positives in this book include getting a great feel for what the Bible says about community, how those are fleshed out in a local church taking those commands seriously, humility in communicating what has been pursued, stories of how pursuing this has helped, as well as what I’ve already mentioned: practical things.

Negatives for me were that it is a longer read.  At times I felt the book drag.  This might have been my fatigue or the time of life when I’m reading this (3 kids under 5), but as I pressed through, it proved to be time well spent.

House has definitely thought deeply about this issue.  And if community is something you would like help in applying or tweaking in your particular ministry, then this book would be a book worthy of your time and investment.

Weekend Recap – Better Sacrifice (1)

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My sermon from 10/9/11AM entitled Better Sacrifice (1) from Hebrews 9:1-10 is now online.  The sermon really unpacked the bad news on the limitations that were in place for the OT worshipper.  There wasn’t access to God, but barriers and even the priests work was continual and dealt with outward realities.  We need words like this occasionally to see the brightness of the Gospel.

I saw a good summary of my sermon on Google+ in a quote from John Bunyan:

“Run, John, run, the law commands but gives us neither feet nor hands;
Far better news the Gospel brings: it bids us fly and gives us wings.”

Hope you have a great week standing in awe of what God has provided for you to draw near to Himself through His Son.