A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Lord's Day January 27 2013
150 Sermons
I've just uploaded my 150th sermon to my sermon blog Preached Sermons here. There are plenty of audio sermons available on the Internet but nit so many sermon scripts. I began the blog about four years ago and since then there have been over 30,000 hits. Some sermons have had more than a thousand hits. Check it out.
Library Lecture on Richard Bernard
Ray Davies on The Sixties
I watched an old documentary on Ray Davies of the Kinks last night. On the sixties he said, quite astutely I think,
"The sixties to me were kind of not as fun politically, sometimes style and fashion and pop culture camouflages what's really happening ... the music culture was great, the fashion was great .... it was a liberating time, there's no doubt, but, but I think it was a facade, a cover up for a lot of nasty things that were happening in the world ..."
Greatest Try of All Time?
Even if your interest in rugby is only mild you have to admire this try scored 40 years ago today. (I must admit that the involvement of so many Welsh men adds to it for me, including the commentary from Cliff Morgan) PS Thanks Martin Downes for reminding me.
Preaching and Preachers
I missed the fact that last year was the fortieth anniversary of Dr Lloyd-Jones' brilliant book.
This is from the Amazon site:
For over 30 years, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones ministered at Westminster Chapel in London. Today, he is widely considered one of the greatest preachers of the 20th century. Based on a series of lectures originally given by Lloyd-Jones to the students of Westminster Theological Seminary in the spring of 1969, this collection of essays on the essence of powerful preaching has become a modern classic. Lloyd-Jones defends the primacy of preaching, showing that there is no substitute, and he challenges preachers to take their calling seriously: 'The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching.' He also provides practical direction on the task of preparing a sermon, sharing insights on the shape and form of a message as well as covering such topics as the use of humor, giving invitations in a message and the preacher's relationship to the congregation. If you can own only one book on preaching, make this the one you read. This 40th anniversary edition includes the original text of Preaching and Preachers along with essays by Bryan Chapell, Mark Dever, Kevin DeYoung, Ligon Duncan, Timothy Keller and John Piper reflecting on the impact this book and the ministry of Lloyd-Jones had on their preaching. This is a book that will continue to speak to a new generation of preachers and teachers for years to come.
Life of Pi
This review of the movie is in the February ET along with lots of interesting articles on Anne Bronte, etc.
At the end of 2012 the
feature film Life of Pi hit the cinema screens. The film is
based on the prize winning 2001 book by Yann Martel first published
in Canada in 2001, after a series of rejections. The film and the
book tell the unlikely story of Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel,
an Indian boy who suffers shipwreck and survives 227 days on a
lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean with a Bengal tiger. The film's
director is Ang Lee. It is beautifully shot and a cinematic triumph.
In 2010 Barack Obama
wrote to the author of the novel calling his book “an elegant proof
of God, and the power of storytelling”. On one level the book is
very positive. In one place for example the question is asked quite
reasonably “If you stumble about believability, what are you living
for? Love is hard to believe, ask any lover. Life is hard to believe,
ask any scientist. God is hard to believe, ask any believer. What is
your problem with hard to believe?” There is a recognition that as
attractive as doubt may seem “to choose doubt as a philosophy of
life is akin to choosing immobility as a means of transportation.”
The film creates interest on several levels and evangelical
Christians will find many topics to discuss among themselves or with
unbelievers who have read the book or seen the film.
The narrative itself can
be divided into three parts. The central and dominating part of the
film is the shipwreck and Pi's experiences at sea. This is in turns
gripping, shocking and thought provoking. Man's instinct for survival
and our utter dependence on God come to the fore here. It is to God
that Pi apparently cries in the midst of his desperate need and where
else could he have turned?
At the beginning, Pi
describes his early life, growing up in Pondicherry, French India,
where his father owned a zoo. Of particular interest is the way he is
raised as a Hindu by his mother, while constantly being challenged by
his agnostic father. In his teens he is introduced first to Catholic
Christianity and then Islam. Despite his father's scepticism, he
claims to follow all three religions as he “just wants to love
God”. Typical of many today, he wants to accept all the religions
and reject none, an utter impossibility in reality.
In the closing part of
the film, officials speak to Pi about why the ship sank. They are
sceptical about his story so he gives them an alternative, an
altogether more prosaic and much less attractive version of events.
He asks which of the stories they prefer and claims that the truth
does not matter, given that he was clearly been shipwrecked and
survived. Thinking Christians will immediately baulk at his statement
“and so it goes with God”.
Crafting stories is a
difficult and serious business. Authors are always trying to push the
envelope. However, to have any credibility they have to deal with
reality and that is, perhaps, what makes the film most interesting.
Despite the author's postmodern outlook, which he projects on to the
protagonist, he has to deal with reality. Bananas do float, for
example, but a carnivorous island seems less likely. The role of the
tiger is particularly interesting in this respect. He is utterly
realistic and so is both a great help and a disappointment to Pi in
the end. At the same time there is a measure of sleight of hand at
play and we must be alert to that. In the book Martel actually
confesses that he believes that fiction is “the selective
transforming of reality” and “the twisting of it to bring out its
essence”. So when he says, “I challenge anyone to understand
Islam, its spirit, and not to love it. It is a beautiful religion of
brotherhood and devotion” we know that as well structured statement
as it may be, it is simply false.
Lord's Day January 20 2013
A busy two days means I've not been able to report on last Sunday until now. I preached on 2 Peter in the morning, having looked at the first three verses on false teachers the week before. I began by remarking that if anyone was unsure whether we needed to be warned about false teachers they have only to consider what has been reported about Steve Chalke, a professedly Evangelical Baptist, saying that in certain cases homosexual relationships are perfectly biblical. It would be unfair to label Chalke a heretic quite at this point (even though he has already given cause for concern with his denial of penal substitutionary atonement) but one begins to wonder where this will all end. The morning message was a wide ranging but solemn one on judgement and salvation. In the evening I preached on secret sins, leaning heavily on the work of Puritan Obadiah Sedgwick, I trust, dealing with the people before me. Numbers were down rather, especially in the morning, as the older folk weren't out due to the snow on the ground. We hope to have baptisms next Sunday evening.
Affinity 2013 Paper 6
The snow has begun to fall and so we are going to finish our conference here in High Leigh slightly early by dropping the final plenary session and ending with the presentation of the last paper. Once again the written paper was summarised and we then went to our groups to discuss before coming together again for a plenary session.
This was the most controversial of the papers, pleading as it did for a new approach to the subject of abortion.
The
New Bioethical Wine in the Old Moral Wineskins?
Exploring
the Issues When Human Life Begins:
Dr
Leonardo De Chirico, Istituto di Formazione Evangelica e
Documentazione
Outline
1.
A polarized field
2.
The Dead-Ends of Biolatry and Egolatry
ie
the pro-life absolutising of the sacredness of an aspect of life life
and the pro-choice absolutising of the individual and his or her
choice
3.
The shortcomings of evangelical bioethics
4.
The anthropology of the womb
Arguing
that the beginnings of life are always linked with the womb in
Scripture
5.
The beginning of life of the first and last Adam
6.
The bioethical implications of being created in the image of God
7.
A relational bioethics of the beginning of life
Questions
1)
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the pro-life position?
2)
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the pro-choice position?
3)
How can life become an idol in the biblical sense? Find examples.
4)
How can individual choice can become an idol in the biblical sense?
Find examples.
5)
What does Psalm 139 say about the beginning of life? What does it not
say?
6)
What does the typology of the first and last Adam say about the
beginning of life?
7)
In what sense the ‘relational’ aspect of the Trinity has a
bearing on the bioethics of the beginning of life?
8)
What can be done in society in order to overcome the polarized debate
between pro-life and pro-choice?
Affinity 2013 Paper 5
War
and
New
Testament
Ethics
Prof
Paul
Helm
Teaching
Fellow,
Regent
College,
Canada
Introduction
I
have
been
invited
to
say
something
about
how
Scripture
is
to
be
interpreted
in
respect
of
war,
and
especially
aspects
of
warfare
that
are
not
new,
but
have
come
to
prominence
in
our
current
situation,
particularly
torture
and
the
various
terms,
perhaps
in
some
cases
euphemistic
terms,
that
are
used
for
it.
We
shall
come
to
that,
but
not
before
we
say
something
about
what
I
shall
offer
as
a
framework
for
interpretation,
a
variant
of
the
Reformers’
doctrine
of
the
two
kingdoms.
And
then,
secondly,
to
look
at
how
the
Apostolic
writings
view
moral
reasoning
and
some
peculiarities
of
our
present
political
situation.
It
is
not
my
intention,
nor
is
it
my
brief,
to
offer
a
set
of
first-order
rules
to
guide
conduct
under
the
matters
to
be
discussed,
but
rather
to
look
at
the
methods
and
approaches
that
Christians
who
take
the
authority
of
the
Bible
seriously
ought
to
adopt.
The Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms
(Scripture)
The Two
Kingdoms (Luther and Calvin)
The Two Kingdoms and Waging of War
The Two Kingdoms and the Lordship of Christ
Differences Between our Situation and that of the Reformers
Reasoning About Morality, According to the New Testament
A Case Study–Torture (Looking at Grudem, Mohler, etc)
Conclusion
I have attempted to argue that in important respects New Testament ethics for Christians is different from Old Testament ethics for Israelites. Its governing question is not‘What commands or rules should we obey or follow?’but‘What sort of people ought we to be?’The centre of gravity of New Testament ethics lies in virtue, gift, grace, just as regeneration issues in a new“man”,a new person, a new nature. The ethics is from the inside out. I also suggest that such an ethic is congruent with the internationalising of the people of God in the New Testament era. Congregations of Christians may well find themselves in a wide variety of circumstances which call for different applications or emphases of the virtues of the Spirit. Christians in a time of just war may be called to act differently from when their country is engaged in what is widely regarded as an unjust war, or during a time of peace. In a similar way a Christians congregation which is socially deprived and low in attainment will need to have certain emphases made in the character of their Christian graces, while another which is affluent and fairly insulated will need others. Or, to bring this Conclusion nearer to what we have just been discussing, congregations in garrison towns may be under different pressures from run of the mill‘civilian’local churches. Finally, recognising the legitimacy of such differences among churches is one way in which Christian liberty and diversity may legitimately be expressed.
Questions
1) Is an evangelical church that held to conscientious objection/pacifism consistent with the New Testament?
2) Given the absence of teaching about war and peace, bearing arms etc. in the NT, are views about such matters simply a matter of Christian freedom?
3) Could a Christian consistently have a career as a spy, in MI6 say?
4) Is the decision to torture prisoners for a possible greater good just one more of the many hard choices that Christians may face, or is it in some way ‘special’?
5) ‘It is difficult to exaggerate the difference between OT Israel and the NT church on the question of the connection between the commands of God and waging war’. How fair is this?
6) ‘Christian churches which disavow the establishment principle are often as captive to the culture as an established church’. How far would you agree?
7) ‘The NT endorses/connives at slavery but is silent about issues of war and peace’. Is this true? If so, what is the significance of this?
8) Should churches pray corporately for e.g. the solution of the ‘Middle East crisis’? Is there NT warrant for this?
9) ‘The armed forces, the police and the prison service – they’re all in the same boat together’. Is this fair? If not, why not?
10)What bearing, if any, does 1 Cor 5:10 (‘then you would need to go out of the world’) have on whether a Christian should take up a career in the armed force?
Affinity 2013 Paper 4
The third paper “It’s a Rich Man’s World?”Exploring the Biblical Material on Money, Wealth and Economic Justice was given by Revd Dr Andy Hartropp Research Tutor, Oxford Centre for Mission Studies.
Outline
Introduction
1.
A
Framework
for
Using
the
Bible
Ethically
–
With
Economics
in
Mind
Creation
–
Fall
–
Redemption
–
Eschatology
Eight
biblical
principles
for
economic
life:
human
beings
as
stewards
of
God’s
world
Principle
1
:
Human
beings
must
use
the
resources
of
creation
to
provide
for
their
existence,
but
they
must
not
waste
or
destroy
the
created
order
(e.g.
Gen.
1:26‐30;
2:15).
Principle
2
:
Every
person
has
a
calling
to
exercise
stewardship
of
resources
and
talents
(e.g.
Num.
26:52‐56;
Lev.
25:8‐10).
Principle
3
:
Stewardship
implies
responsibility
to
determine
the
disposition
of
resources.
Each
person
is
accountable
to
God
for
his/her
stewardship
(e.g.
Lev.
25:23--‐24).
Principle
4
:
People
have
a
right
and
an
obligation
to
work
(Gen.
2:15;
Ps.
104:23;
2
Th.
3:6‐13).
Note
that
work
existed
before
the
Fall!
(Gen.
3:17
cf.
2:15):
work
is
a
creation
principle.
Principle
5
:
Work
is
the
means
of
exercising
stewardship.
In
their
work
people
should
have
access
to
resources
and
control
over
them
(Deut.
24:14‐15).
Principle
6
:
Work
is
a
social
activity
in
which
people
cooperate
as
stewards
of
their
individual
talents,
and
as
joint
stewards
of
resources
(e.g.
Neh.
2:17‐18;
1
Cor.
12:12‐31).
Principle
7
:
Every
person
has
a
right
to
share
in
God’s
provision
for
human
beings
for
their
basic
needs
of
food,
clothing
and
shelter.
These
needs
are
to
be
met
primarily
by
productive
work.
See
Leviticus
chapter
25,
especially
the
sections
beginning
at
v 25,
v 35
and
v 39.
See
also
Lev.
19:9‐10/Deut.
24:19‐22.
Principle
8
:
Personal
stewardship
of
resources
does
not
imply
the
right
to
consume
the
entire
product
of
those
resources.
The
rich
have
an
obligation
to
help
the
poor
who
cannot
provide
for
themselves
by
work,
e.g.
Deut
26:1‐12.
This
was
partly
by
means
of
loans
,
at
zero
interest:
see
Deut
15:1‐11.
In
the
NT
we
find
similar
principles
at
work:
Lk
12:32‐34;
Acts
4:32‐35;
5:1‐11;
1
Tim
6:6‐10,
17‐19.
2. Righteousness and Justice - With Economic Life in Mind
Two main aspects of righteousness: (a) there is a relational context/meaning; and (b) conforming to a norm/standard
“Righteousness”and“justice”in the OT
Righteousness and the GospelThe righteousness of believers in response to God’s righteousnessJustice is part of the outworking of righteousness
3. A Biblical Understanding of Economic Justice
(a) Economic justice means appropriate treatment, according to the norms commanded by God
(b) God’s justice involves justice to the needy
(c) Justice is not only about allocation, but also concerns the quality of relationships
(d) Justice in the allocation of resources means that everyone participates in God’s blessing
4. Meeting Challenges to Biblical Economic Justice in Today’s World
Rights, need or desert?
Justice in production and justice in distribution
Global challenges
Justice in production and distribution: the contribution enterprise can make to help overcome poverty
We need a fuller conception of “social justice”
Challenges posed by the recent financial and economic crisis
Conclusion
This paper has presented a biblical understanding of economic justice, and it has shown that the Bible has much to say about economic justice in today’s world. Clearly this is not, ultimately, a matter for academic analysis only. Justice and righteousness involve action. God’s own example demonstrates this plainly. Christian believers–both as individuals and as church communities–should be demonstrating economic justice in their lives and relationships, from Sunday through to Saturday.
Questions
1) Can you think of ways in which Christians in the UK underplay the importance of Creation and New Creation? (See my paper on this point.)
2) The paper claims that the impact of Christians in the City of London has - in terms of the City’s values, culture and ’greed’ - been close to zero. To what extent do you agree? If you do agree, why do you think the impact has been so small?
3) In your church(es), how big a problem is the ‘love of money’?
4) What more help do your congregations need in living as disciples of Christ in the workplace?
5) ‘The righteousness of God clearly does have a relational meaning” (my paper). To what extent are you familiar with this idea, and do you agree?
6) The paper says: “Thus we have the following definition: justice is appropriate treatment, especially of human beings, and usually in a relational setting, according to the norms commanded and set by God in each particular case.” To what extent is this different from how you think of justice?
7) What are your reactions to the paper’s claims about four main aspects of a biblical understanding of economic justice?
8) The paper criticises the currently-prevailing sense of ‘social justice’. What do you think about this?
9) What can Christians say, from the Bible, about bankers’ bonuses?
Athanasius on Psalms
Writing to Marcellus Athansius wrote
Let each one, therefore, who recites the Psalms have a sure hope that through
them God will speedily give ear to those who are in need. For if a man be in
trouble when he says them, great comfort will he find in them; if he be tempted
or persecuted, he will find himself abler to stand the test and will experience
the protection of the Lord, Who always defends those who say these words. By
them too a man will overthrow the devil and put the fiends to flight. If he have
sinned, when he uses them he will repent; if he have not sinned, he will find
himself rejoicing that he is stretching out towards the things that are before
and, so wrestling, in the power of the Psalms he will prevail. Never will such a
man be shaken from the truth, but those who try to trick and lead him into error
he will refute; and it is no human teacher who promises us this, but the Divine
Scripture itself.
Affinity 2013 Paper 3
The third paper on the Psalms was given by Gordon Wenham (Old Testament Tutor, Trinity College,
Bristol). He used no headings so here is his conclusion and the questions we discussed.
Conclusion
In
this
paper
I
have
tried
to
sum
up
some
of
the
key
arguments
in
my
book
Psalms
as
Torah.
I
have
drawn
attention
to
the
power
of
song
to
imprint
on
the
mind
and
be
memorable.
This
in
itself
would
give
the
Psalms
great
influence
in
moulding
the
ethic
of
those
who
pray
and
sing
them.
But
I
applied
the
insights
of
Donald
Evans
on
the
performative
power
of
liturgical
texts
to
the
Psalter
to
develop
this
argument.
In
that
most
scholars
agree
that
the
Psalms
originate
as
texts
for
worship,
and
were
certainly
used
later
by
Jews
and
Christians
in
their
worship,
this
use
gives
them
peculiar
potency.
Reciters
of
the
psalms
are
making
both
a
public
commitment
to their
sentiments
and
affirming
to
God
these
same
truths.
If
the
worshipper
does
not
assent
to
the
ideology
of
the
psalm,
he
has
the
choice
of
offending
his
fellow
worshippers
by
his
silence,
or
insulting
God
by
his
hypocrisy
by
mouthing
words
he
does
not
mean.
Thus
liturgy
compels
assent
more
powerfully
than
sermons
or
laws,
stories
or
proverbs.
This
is
the
reason
why
the
ethic
taught
by
the
psalms
has
been
so
influential
and
why
biblical
scholars
should
have
paid
more
attention
to
it.
In
the
rest
of
the
paper
I
have
tried
to
pick
out
some
of
the
distinctive
emphases
of
the
psalms’
ethical
teaching.
Of
course
most
of
the
fundamentals
are
shared
with
the
rest
of
Scripture,
but
a
comparison
with
the
Ten
Commandments
proved
instructive.
We
noted
the
very
strong
emphasis
on
the
misuse
of
the
tongue
on
the
one
hand
and
on
the
other
the
absence
of
commands
to
observe
the
Sabbath
or
other
great
festivals
despite
the
fact
that
a
goodly
number
of
psalms
would
be
suited
to
such
occasions.
Other
leading
emphases
include
the
appeal
to
justice,
especially
its
formulation
in
the
lex
talionis.
Worshippers
pray
that
God
will
prove
his
just
sovereignty
by
punishing
the
guilty
in
a
way
that
matches
their
crime.
Those
who
suffer
at
the
hands
of
the
mighty
and
find
no
redress
are
often
the
poorer
and
weaker
members
of
society,
so
like
the
Pentateuch
the
Psalter
especially
advocates
care
for
the
poor
as
well
as
praying
for
divine
intervention
on
their
behalf.
In
this
way
the
righteous
are
taught
to
imitate
their
creator
in
his
concern
for
the
oppressed
and
their
plight.
Questions
- Does your church use the Psalms in worship? Why?
- Have you considered the power of liturgical texts as a means of teaching?
- Do you agree with Griffiths about the performative value of the Psalms?
- What do you see as distinctive about the Psalter’s ethical teaching?
- Is the principle of the lex talionis, exact retribution, defensible today?
- Should the imprecatory psalms be used in Christian worship?
- Do we highlight the last judgment in preaching? Can it be made palatable and believable?
The format was again for the writer to presnet his paper which Gorodn Wenham did firstly drily adn then with some emotion as he came to the imprecatory psalms.
Strange Dream
I seldom have strange dreams or I seldom remember them anyway. Last night, among other things, I dreamt I was in a church that had the sword that was used to behead the apostle Paul. No idea where that came from or even if such an item is claimed to exist.
Affinity 2013 Paper 2
Using
the Bible Ethically
Paper
2 The
Ethical Teaching of Jesus and the New Testament
Continuity,
discontinuity and context in the moral theology of the New Testament
Dr
Joshua Hordern, University Lecturer in Christian Ethics, Harris
Manchester College, University of Oxford
...
Affinity 2013 Paper 1
The opening paper should have been given by Jonathan Burndside. In his absence Stephen Clark prepared a paper outlined below with the question s that were discussed in the six discussion groups. I am sorry I can't give any more than that.
Using
the Bible Ethically: An Introduction to Contemporary Challenges
Stephen
Clark, Minister, Freeschool Court Evangelical Church, Bridgend
I
Using the Bible ethically in a multicultural world: identifying the
issues
Definitions
1.
Evangelism
2.
Christian
living in the world
3.
Matters of public and/or government policy
4.
The ethical use of the Bible
II
General principles
1.
The importance of general revelation
2.
The
purposes and ends of government or ‘the powers that be’
3.
On ‘reading the Bible 'ethically’
III
Application of general principles
1.
Evangelism
2.
Christian living in the world
(i)
Freedom of moral choice
(ii)
Work and issues of conscience
(iii)
Law
and public policy
3.
The ethical use of the Bible
Conclusion
Questions
1)
How does one give a biblical account and explanation of the
following:
a)
that most people have a sense of good and evil, of right and wrong;
b)
that people’s ideas of right and wrong, and good and evil, may
differ so widely,
c)
that some people appear to be devoid of all moral sense?
2)
Is it the task of the church to pronounce upon moral issues to the
world without reference to the gospel? Support your answer from
Scripture and explain the implications of your view.
3)
Can you identify any issues which some Christians regard as moral but
upon which Scripture is either silent or says less than some claim? [Stephen has in mind post-1967 understandings of when life begins according to the Bible - not sure about this]
4)
Some Christians believe remarriage after divorce is not permissible;
other Christians believe that in certain circumstances scripture does
allow remarriage.
a)
What issues might arise, and how can they be resolved, where those in
pastoral oversight in a church take differing views on this?
b)
What issues might arise and how should they be resolved where
neighbouring churches take a different view?
5)
Is there a ‘one size fits all’ approach to evangelising those who
espouse moral relativism? (i.e. Is the Tim Keller approach referred
to in the paper the only approach to such people?) Support your
answer from Scripture.
6)
How should pastors approach the subject of preaching on passages
which raise profound ethical questions and dilemmas? (e.g. Abraham
offering Isaac; the wiping out of the Canaanites)?
7)
Advise a church member in the following situations:
a)
the member is a Sunday School teacher who works in a law firm in your
town. His boss has told him to do the necessary legal work to apply
for a licence for an ‘adult shop’. What principles will guide you
in your
counsel? [In answering this Stephen saw no problem with the work but continuing as a Sunday School teacher may be an issue]
b)
A member as an employment lawyer who is instructed by a longstanding
client of the firm, who is gay, to represent him in a ‘gay rights’
case against a Christian charity. What principles will guide you in
your counsel?
c)
A member is a tax lawyer who had been instructed by someone in the
entertainment industry wither respect to a claim by HMRC for
considerable underpayment of income tax. During the consultation with
the client the member discovers that her ‘profession’ is the
oldest one in the world – prostitution. What principles should
guide the church member in this situation?
Conferences, conferences
I have ended up attending two conferences in two weeks which has put some pressure on and I didn't really round off what I had to say about the Carey Conference last week. The numbers were down a little from last year but over a hundred were present (about 30 women I think). Hugh Collier who hosts with his wife Lois had to go home sick. I hope he's well again soon. Bill James was his usual efficient and enthusiastic self and a real asset. It was good to renew fellowship with Ed Collier, Steven and Gail Curry, Steve Ruegg and Steve Nowak from Stowmarket, etc, etc. We had an excellent question session on the second evening. Some 14 questions were asked but there is no time or space to describe what was covered. A highlight for me was to hear Mike Reeves defend the traditional view of the interpretation of Song of Solomon. Indeed Mike Reeves contributions were a highlight of the whole conference.
Lookalikes 2
It was while being miserable at Les Miserables that thoughts I've nearly had before came together. It was good to see Paul Gamston at the Carey last week. I'm sure others have noticed the Russell Crowe similarity.
Lookalikes 1
My friend John Kilpatrick has recently pointed out my likeness to the outdoors man Cameron McNeish. Difficult to demonstrate but I think he is on to something.
Cinema Trips
I've been in the cinema twice recently. First I went to see Life of Pi in 3D on my own then I went to see Les Miserables with my wife.
I enjoyed the first but not the second (apart from the presence of my wife).
I began reading Life of Pi some years ago but abandoned it half way through not that gripped. The film was a much better experience. It's much more concise and brilliantly presented, the 3D only enhancing the experience. I liked the fact it is very different, thought provoking and positive. I ahve written a review which I hope will appear in ET next month.
As for the appropriately named Les Miserables, well that's another book I never finsihed for starters. It is again filmed well and is an amazing effort but it was mostly lost on me I'm afraid. We were so close to the imax screen that it hindered rather than helped and I'm not a fan of musicals anyway. After Anne Hathaway's demise I grew increasingly bored with this film and it took all my effort not to urge Jean Valjean to get on with it as hids final demise approached. I went in a very positive frame but just didn't get it. Everyone else was clearly moved by the sad bits and laughed at the funny bits (take it from me Sacha Baron Cohen was not funny and Helena B-C can't sing). Some even clapped at the end. At least I won't have to sit through the stageplay.
Lord's Day January 13 2013
I
preached yesterday in the morning on false teachers from 2 Peter 2:1-3. This was a return to the series that I began towards the end of last year. I had thought of returning to Numbers in the evening but the point we have come to covers too simialr ground to the morning sermon and so we had a one off from a text I found in 2
Kings 18:3, 4 which is really about dealing with idols. We had tea
together before the evening service, which is always a nice time. Numbers were quite good even though most of the students are back in college. A number of others were away for various reasons. Last Sunday I was preaching Aberystwyth. I'd meant to write p some sort of report but with the Carey Conference I was too busy.
Carey Conference 2013 08
The final session was a conference sermon from Steven Curry. He spoke from 2 Corinthians 12 and made the following points.
1. The Reluctance in Paul's boasting
Paul recognises that boasting is foolish, unspiritual and worldly but still boasts.
2. The Necessity of Paul's boasting
It was prompted by the Super apostles abuse of the Corinthians who were so drawn to them and so were in danger.
3.
The Content of Paul's boasting
1 Effort he made 2
Persecutions he experienced 3 Hardships he faced 4 Burden he carried
4. The irony of Paul's
boasting
5. The experience that
shaped Paul's boasting
From the beginning his
experience in the fish basket at Damascus convinced him that weakness
was vital.
6. The conviction behind
Paul's boasting
When
the Christian is weak then he is strong. Our weaknesses are an
advantage. God's power is made perfect in weakness.
Carey Conference 2013 07
Mike
Reeves took us finally to that towering figure Jonathan Edwards.
After a passing reference to Edwards History
of the work of redemption he
focused on two books by Edwards The
Religious Affections and
The
End for which the world was created. This
paper was again full of rich nuggets. I especially liked his
reference to God's grace, which too often is thought as a thing (as
when Romanists think of Mary as Full
of grace in
the sense that she is topped up with it and can dispense it rather
than as the recipient of God's love and favour). He also recommended
skipping over the first part of The
End for which and
going straight to the second part. The whole presentation was again
marked by a mastery of the subject, infectious enthusiasm and
attractive presentation.
Some
sample quotations from Edwards
“The
Devil once seemed to be religious from fear of torment: Luke 8:28 -
"When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell down before him, and
with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son
of God most high? I beseech Thee, torment me not." Here is
external worship. The Devil is religious; he prays - he prays in a
humble posture; he falls down before Christ, he lies prostrate; he
prays earnestly, he cries with a loud voice; he uses humble
expressions - "I beseech Thee, torment me not;" he uses
respectful, honourable, adoring expressions - "Jesus, Thou Son
of God most high." Nothing was wanting but LOVE.”
“True
religion, in great part, consists in holy affections, love for Christ
and joy in him.”
“He
that is once brought to see, or rather to taste, the superlative
loveliness of the Divine Being, will need no more to make him long
after the enjoyment of God, to make him rejoice in the happiness of
God, and to desire that this supremely excellent Being may be pleased
and glorified And if this be true, then the main ground of true love
to God is the excellency of His own nature, and not any benefit we
have received, or hope to receive, by His goodness to us.”
Carey Conference 2013 06
“There is more grace in Christ, than there is sin in us!”
“When we are drawn therefore to duties … with foreign motives, for fear, or out of custom, with extrinsic motives, and not from a new nature, this is not from the Spirit. This performance is not from the true liberty of the Spirit. For the liberty of the Spirit is, when actions come off naturally without force of fear or hope, or any extrinsic motive. A child needs not extrinsic motives to please his father. When he knows he is the child of a loving father, it is natural.”
“Many say that an adamant cannot be melted with fire, but by blood. I cannot tell whether this be true or no; but I am sure nothing will melt the hard heart of man but the blood of Christ.”
“As when things are cold we bring them to the fire to heat and melt, so bring we our cold hearts to the fire of the love of Christ; consider we of our sins against Christ, and of Christ’s love towards us; dwell upon this meditation. Think what great love Christ hath shown unto us, and how little we have deserved, and this will make our hearts to melt, and be as pliable as wax before the sun … If thou wilt have this tender and melting heart, then … be always under the sunshine of the gospel.”
“The papists, after they have been at their superstitious devotion, are fittest for powder-plots and treasons, because their hearts are so much more hardened.”
“What will come of it if Christ be set in the highest place in our heart? If we crown him there, and make him 'King of kings and Lord of lords,' in a hearty submitting of all the affections of the soul to him? While the soul continues in that frame it cannot be drawn to sin, discomfort, and despair. The honours, pleasures, and profits that are got by base engagements to the humours of men, what are these to Christ? When the soul is rightly possessed of Christ and of his excellency, it disdains that anything should come in competition with him.”
Carey Conference 2013 05
Our second session today was led by David Skull and was on The call to holiness in a hostile society. Focusing on 1 Peter 1:14-16 but drawing on verses throughout the letter, he gave a clear well thought through call to progressive sanctification.
Carey Conference 2013 04
1. The spiritual state of our nation
formally Christian but functionally atheist
- Decline of Christian belief
- Collective failure of church to stand firm for the gospel
- Irrelevance of the historical Constitutional Settlement
- Impact of empirical pluralism
- Implausibility of Christian sexual immorality
- Lack of belief in eternal judgement
- Influence of the media
- Collapse of Christian cultural influence
- Rise of secularism as an ideology
- Marginalisation and privatisation of the church
- Subtle persecution of Christians and the church
2. Theological Models for the Mission of the Church in Relation to the State
Tim Keller (Centre Church) common approaches
- Transformationist (Presbyterian)
- Relevance (Anglican)
- Counterculturalist (Baptist)
- Two Kingdoms (Stevens – in modified form)
3. How is God at work in his World?
- Purpose in creation (Gn 1:28)
- Two kingdoms (Ac 26:18, Ep 2:2, 6:10-20, Col 1:13)
- Absolutely sovereign over government and rulers (Dan 4:25, Jn 19:11, Ex 9:16, Isa 45:13)
- Judges people by handing them over to sin (Rom 1:24-28)
- Jesus victorious over sin, Satan and death
- Jesus establishing his kingdom as he reigns in glory (1 Cor 15:25)
- Entrance into Kingdom by redemption/regeneration (Jn 3:5-8, Col 1:12-14, 1 Co 15:50)
- Kingdom not present simply because justice is practised
- Attitude of government to God's people varies (supportive, benign, hostile, oppressive)
- What is the place of our work in the world? (Gn 1:28, Mt 28:16-20, 1 Cor 15:58)
4. What is the Purpose of Civil Government in the Plan of God?
- Maximalist, minimalist views of the state
- Government to maintain civil peace and permit gospel freedom (1 Tim 2:1-7)
- Government to restrain evil and do good (Rom 13:1-7)
- Government to enforce justice/Shalom in all dimensions
- Relationship between state and church
- Is the state the kingdom or the place of exile?
- Does the state exist to promote true religion? (Contrast Westminster Confession/1689)
- Don't put your hope in civil government to bring salvation
- Function of the state in a plural society (Neutrality between communities? Privilege one and limit freedom for others?)
5. What is our Mission to Our Nation?
- Distinction between mission and effect
- Not to regain former national glory
- Not to impose mere morality or Christian values (1 Cor 5:9-13)
- Not to secure our own comfort
- Not to secure psychological support for our faith
- But to make disciples who acknowledge Jesus as Lord and live in obedience to him
6. How Can We Accomplish Our Mission?
- Plural approaches
- Persistent Prayer
- Plausibility of the gospel
- Prophetic Proclamation
- Persuasive Influence
- Practice Civil Disobedience
- Persevere in the face of Persecution
- Political Activism?
- Prioritisation
- Poportionate Reaction
7. What is The Task of Church Leaders?
- Eph 4:11-13, Tit 2:1-15
- Enable people to understand the times
- Encourage realistic expectations
- Equip to serve God in ordinary vocations
- Empower to be faithful witnesses
- Don't be like Hezekiah!
- Take the klong view
- Take heart from church history
- Is our culture on the cusp of a major shift?
- Beware of a revived Romanism
- Be encouraged that churches are growing
9. Conclusion
Romans 1:16
Further reading:
Keller, Centre Church; Grudem, Politics according to the Bible; De Young & Gilbert, WHat is the Mission of the Church?; VanDrunen, Living in God's Two Kingdoms; J D Hunter, To Change the world; Spencer & Chaplin, God and government; Carson, Christ and CUlture Revisited; Pearcy, Total Truth.
Carey Conference 2013 03
Mike Reeves spoke tonight on the church father Athanasius. His main point was that “Athansius
shows us why we cannot be abstract in our God talk”. Athanasius says “Therefore it is more pious and more accurate to signify God from the Son and call Him Father, than to name Him from His works only and call Him Unoriginate.”
Mike also quoted others
Calvin
Mike also quoted others
Calvin
“We ought in the very order of things [in creation] diligently to
contemplate God’s fatherly love… [for as] a foreseeing and
diligent father of the family he shows his wonderful goodness toward
us…. To conclude once for all, whenever we call God the Creator of
heaven and earth, let us at the same time bear in mind that… we are
indeed his children, whom he has received into his faithful
protection to nourish and educate…. So, invited by the great
sweetness of his beneficence and goodness, let us study to love and
serve him with all our heart.”
Luther
"I
did not love, yes, I hated the righteous God who punishes sinners.
And secretly if not blasphemously, certainly murmuring greatly I was
angry with God". Because not knowing God as a kind and loving
Father, as a God who brings us close, he found he could not love God.
This was an unlovely god. But do you know what he did? Who did he
love instead? He had to love someone, we all do. Mary. The saints. He
turned anywhere but God. He prayed to them, and actually felt real
warm affection for St. Anne and Mary, those were the only ones he
could be close to. They seemed kind, unlike God. That all changed
when he began to see the fatherhood of God. And looking back later in
life he said that as a monk he had not been worshipping the right
God. For he said it is not enough to know God as the Creator and the
Judge, only when God is known as a loving Father is he known aright.
"In these three articles God himself
has revealed and opened to us the most profound depths of his
fatherly heart, his sheer, unutterable love. He created us for this
very purpose, to redeem and sanctify us. Moreover, having bestowed
upon us everything in heaven and on earth, he has given us his Son
and his Holy Spirit, through whom he brings us to himself. As we
explained before, we could never come to recognise the Father’s
favour and grace were it not for the Lord Christ, who is a mirror of
the Father’s heart. Apart from him we see nothing but an angry and
terrible Judge. But neither could we know anything of Christ, had it
not been revealed by the Holy Spirit.”
Sibbes
Sibbes
If God had not a communicative, spreading goodness, he would never have created the world. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost were happy in themselves, and enjoyed one another before the world was. But that God delights to communicate and spread his goodness, there had never boon a creation nor a redemption. God useth his creatures, not for defect of power, that he can do nothing without them, but for the spreading of his goodness; and thereupon comes all the subordination of one creature to another, and all to him.
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