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New Index for NSBT…

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I love the New Studies in Biblical Theology (NSBT) series. I was overjoyed this morning to ready of Andy Naselli compiling a master Scripture index for the entire series. What a helpful thing!

You see, this series explores different themes related to Biblical theology (which takes a doctrinal emphasis and seeks to explore what the Bible, or a particular Bible book or Biblical author, says about it, contrasted with systematic theology, which takes doctrines and tries to summarize the Biblical content into cohesive statements). I have benefited from many of the books in this series and this will be a helpful reference to have at one’s fingertips. For a summary of all the books in the series, visit Andy’s post. To start out with one of these books, I began reading Murray Harris’ Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ, printed in 1999. Enjoy!

Sunday Recap – Embrace Suffering & Relationship

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I thought we had a great Lord’s day and was thoroughly encouraged being with God’s people. In the morning, my sermon was from Mark 15:16-32 and focused on how Jesus’ suffering gives us hope. What was driving a lot of my thoughts on this text was how comfortable we have it and how Mark’s readers were those facing suffering. No doubt reading of the sufferings of Christ would have given them great grace. Hopefully it accomplished this for us as well.

In the evening, the sermon was entitled Return and Repent from Hosea 6:1-6. I think the amazing picture God provides us for renewal in this section encourage us to pursue a relationship with God Himself. He desires love, not sacrifice. Good word to consider, especially when we so often substitute religious practice for relationship. H

Hopefully, the saints were built up and encouraged today, as well.

Preeminence…

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I finished Joshua Harris’ sermon from Next yesterday. It is entitled Preeminence. The part that was really driven home to me was in Josh’s application of how so many in the room (and probably listening) would affirm the preeminence of Christ with their lips but not necessarily with their lives. Using Luke 6:46 as a springboard, his application was used by the Holy Spirit to bring fresh conviction to me. I highly recommend this sermon.

Quest for More (Again)

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I’m rereading Paul Tripp’s excellent book, A Quest for More. Chapter 1 is available online for all to read. Tripp does an excellent job highlighting how we tend to live for transcendent, kingdom building activity. Slowly we all naturally drift toward living for something. This book is a must read for us in our contemporary individualism. I would highly recommend it.

Another good tool just became available online, thanks to Justin Buzzard. He has a post highlighting the big truth and big question of each of the 17 chapters. This tool alone would be worth your time as a means to exposing your heart. Enjoy.

VBS is here…

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Well, it’s here. This year, we are using the curriculum entitled Boomerang Express, featuring an Aussie theme (anyone else thinking OUTBACK?) Seriously, though, this week should be a great week as God’s Word is opened to children. The stories center in the life of Peter and include calls for children to center all of their lives on Jesus (Following Him, Worshipping Him, Confessing Him, Serving Him and Obeying Him). Last night, our church did a service devoted to praying and serving to ensure that this week happens to God’s glory. Will you join me in praying to that end. That we would serve in the strength that God supplies so He is glorified. Also, pray that children would see the light of the glorious Gospel in the face of Christ.

Commentary on Tiller’s Death…

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Albert Mohler, my favorite cultural commentator, has weighed in on the unfortunate death of George Tiller, Abortion Provider, yesterday. His commentary is excellent. Here’s an excerpt:

Proponents of abortion rights often charge that the rhetoric of the pro-life movement leads to violence. After all, we describe abortion as murder and point to the business of abortion as the murder of the unborn. We make clear that abortion is the taking of innocent human life and that what goes on in abortion clinics is the business of death.

We make these arguments because we know they are true. Abortion is murder. What goes on in those clinics is institutionalized homicide, often for financial profit. Abortion is a moral scandal and a national tragedy and a blight upon the American conscience.

But violence in the name of protesting abortion is immoral, unjustified, and horribly harmful to the pro-life cause. Now, the premeditated murder of Dr. George Tiller in the foyer of his church is the headline scandal — not the abortions he performed and the cause he represented.

We have no right to take the law into our own hands in an act of criminal violence. We are not given the right to take this power into our own hands, for God has granted this power to governing authorities. The horror of abortion cannot be rightly confronted, much less corrected, by means of violence and acts outside the law and lawful means of remedy. This is not merely a legal technicality — it is a vital test of the morality of the pro-life movement.

And as he concludes, he says:

Murder is murder. The law rightly affirms that the killing of Dr. George Tiller is murder. In this we must agree. We cannot rest until the law also recognizes the killing of the unborn as murder. The killing of Dr. George Tiller makes that challenge all the more difficult.

Mohler’s commentary is excellent and spot on.

Short Term Mission Trips…

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Over at Desiring God, Bill Walsh, who helps oversee International Outreach, has been doing a series of posts all week on short term mission trips. Very good stuff to consider if you have something planned this summer or are wondering about the long term vision of these short trips…

Rethinking Short Term Missions (Day 1)
Effect of Short Term Missions on Poverty (Day 2)
Our Needs & Their Needs (Day 3)
Teaching as a Short Term Missions Strategy (Day 4)
Doing Missions As Servants (Day 5)