The True Parable of Clergy With Sticks: A Warning Against Superficial Christianity

I'm not sure if you've seen this video or read about this in the news, but this is both priceless (the SNL skit writes itself) and tragic.  Recently Areminian clergy and Greek Orthodox clergy fought with brooms in the middle of the Church of the Nativity which is believed to be built over the birthplace of Jesus.  So here we are in the Christmas season in which we celebrate the incarnation of our Lord and the clergy of these two Christian traditions are fighting over jurisdiction issues inside the church.

At first I thought this was a parody, only to find out that its true.





I post this because this Sunday we will be discussing the Parable of the Soils in which Jesus describes the superficial Christian and I couldn't help but think about church hoppers, those who are easily offended, high maintenance believers, and those who cause divisions in the church. This is what we look like.  Unfortunately, Christians seem to have a habit of devouring and destroying one another.

Superficial Christians, as we'll discuss Sunday, care about their wants, demands, and desires instead of caring about the others around them.  Superficiality is a cancer in our churches and it leads to complacency, complaining, and divisiveness.   But the gospel is better than that.  The gospel calls us to crucify our pride and our superficiality and to pick up our cross and to follow Christ outside the camp.

We need more Christians who are willing to die to themselves and live to Christ rather than continue to crucify Christ so we can live for ourselves.


Telegraph - Clergymen fight with brooms at Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem 


For more:
GBC - MacArthur on the Lessons of the Parable of the Soils
GBC - Things of This World - dc Talk
Sermon - November 8, 2009 - "God Be Merciful To Me a Sinner": The Gospel in 7 Words
GBC - Matthew Thus Far: Matthew 1-5
GBC - The Sermon on The Mount Series
GBC - Matthew 8-12 - The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
GBC - The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
GBC - Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series

MacArthur on the Lessons of the Parable of the Soils

From John MacArthur's sermon, The Responses to the Gospel:



The first lesson in the parable is to look at your own life to see what kind of ground you are. Here's the second lesson, and I love this. The second lesson is this, the issue in the parable is not the talent of the sower, did you get that? It is not the talent of the sower. You take a little kid, barefoot, five-years-old, wants to go out and sow a field with his daddy. His father knows how to do it beautifully, boy, he throws that seed just mechan ... and the little kid's going along throwing seed all over the place. And you know something? It may not be as much seed hit the good soil when the little guy throws it as when his dad does, but when the seed hits the good soil, it doesn't matter who threw it, right? It's going to grow. It does not depend on the talent of the sower. And that's so important to know.

Some people say - We'll I'd like to preach the gospel, I'd like to witness for the Lord, but I'm... I'm not very talented. That isn't the issue. You got the seed, the Word of God? Throw it! The issue is the condition of the soil, not the talent of the sower. I...I'm always amazed to hear people say - Oh, you know, if we could ever get so-and-so saved, oh howmany they could win to the Lord. No, no, no, no. Or, - If so-and-so ever got turned on, wow could they be a great soul winner. No, no, no, no. No, it is not the talent of the sower; it's the nature of the soil. But let me tell you something, folks, the more you throw the better the opportunity you're going to hit some good soil. I mean, some people are letting out a seed or two every year, and it is really tough. You just keep slinging it and you'll be amazed how much good soils lying around... no matter how incapable you may be as a sower.

And then, remember this. That sometimes the Lord plows up the stuff that doesn't receive the seed the first time, so don't give up. In fact, you know, they had a way of sowing sometimes in Palestine that was quite interesting. They would throw the seed first, and then plow it under afterwards. Sometimes you've just thrown the seed; you throw it there and before the birds can hit it, comes the Holy Spirit with the plow... and plows it under. So, be faithful ... hard soil, shallow soil, weedy soil, may not always stay that way, by God's grace He may do some tilling in that soil ... so keep throwing the seed in that same field over and over, over and over, over and over and see if the Lord won't break up the soil.


For more:
GBC - Things of This World - dc Talk
Sermon - November 8, 2009 - "God Be Merciful To Me a Sinner": The Gospel in 7 Words
GBC - Matthew Thus Far: Matthew 1-5
GBC - The Sermon on The Mount Series
GBC - Matthew 8-12 - The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
GBC - The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
GBC - Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series

Things of This World - dc Talk

My all time favorite band is without a doubt dc Talk. The three singers are now exploring their own solo projects and have been doing so for about a decade. Nonetheless, I still listen to a lot of their newer solo stuff and their older stuff. One song that has resonated with him because of its power is their great song "Things of This World."

The reason I bring this up is that this upcoming Sunday we will be discussing Matthew 13:1-23 and the Parable of the Soils.*  As you may know, in the parable some of the seed fell upon the path (which gets eaten by birds) rocky soil (which springs up but then withers because it has no deep roots), thorny soil (which gets choked by "the things of this world"), and the good soil (which grows and bears a lot of fruit).

That third soil - the thorny soil - is what reminded me of this song.  Jesus says, And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.  That is exactly what this song is about.






70 years is all we got
To accumulate goods that seem to mean a lot
For the first 20 years, you're off to school
Learnin' principles and learnin' the tools
To make lots of money, the ultimate goal
Gain the whole world and yet lose ya soul
Huh, humanism is on a roll
20 gets the the knowledge, 30 years to apply
and just 20 years left for askin' why
I didn't realize what it was all about
And, was there any use in this rigorous route because

[chorus:]
Things of this world are passin' away
Here tomorrow, but they're sure not here to stay
Things of this world are passin' away
So lay your treasure above
And start to live for Him today

All done for self in this world will pass
And all done for Christ in this world will last
Sounds like a simple task...
But everyday life seems to get in the way
No time to serve, barely time to pray
Our focal points lost and we get tossed
In the wind, cold facing the cost
Of fallin' without stallin' or even callin' the Lord
While you were blackballin'
He was waitin' for you to see the light
And find for yourself, these things are trite

[chorus]

[vamp:]
Our mind transforms a want to a need
A simple process that we call greed
Ya say ya like to have money, well I do too
The problem starts when the money has you
Workin' overtime to keep up with the pace
A lifestyle that you want to embrace
But it's 2 steps from where your needs are met
You're keepin' up with the Joneses, but your all in debt
Which will lead to stress, not meeting the bills
While ya sportin' a Benz with all the thrills
The domino effect's gotcha life in check
A temporary stitch and ya livin' a wreck

[chorus x2]

Don't lay up your treasures upon this Earth
They'll soon pass away
And all return to dirt [x4]

Things of this world are passin' away
Here tomorrow, but they're sure not here to stay
Things of this world, things of this world
The things, the things, the things of this world

Don't lay up your treasures upon this Earth
They'll soon pass away
And all return to dirt [x2]


*  The parable is sometimes known as the Parable of the Sower, but in my estimation, this is a parable more about the soils than the sower.  


For more:
Sermon - November 8, 2009 - "God Be Merciful To Me a Sinner": The Gosple in 7 Words
GBC - Matthew Thus Far: Matthew 1-5
GBC - The Sermon on The Mount Series
GBC - Matthew 8-12 - The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
GBC - The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series   
GBC - Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series  

November 27, 2011 | Psalm 22: The Lord is My Deliverer

Last Sunday we looked at another Psalm of David.  This one is both a Psalm of Lament and a Messianic Psalm.  Next to Isaiah 53, no other text in the Old Testament offer us such vivid and accurate descriptions of the cross than this.  Yet in all of it, we not only see Christ hanging on the cross for our sins, but we hear the cries of a desperate man pleading for help trusting his God will deliver him.





Audio
Notes


For more:

Repost | Advent: God With Us

Wow!  Simply Wow.  Here is the gospel with emphasis on the prophecy, birth, death, resurrection, and return of Christ.  Thanks to the Village Church and Isaac Wimberley for writing this and producing this video.

If the video doesn't work, you can view it here.



Advent: God With Us from The Village Church on Vimeo.


HT: Justin Taylor


Here are the lyrics to this song/poem.

The people had read of this rescue that was coming through the bloodline of Abraham
They had seen where Micah proclaimed about a ruler to be born in Bethlehem
Daniel prophesy about the restoration of Jerusalem
Isaiah’s cry about the Son of God coming to them
So for them—it was anticipation
This groaning was growing, generation after generation
Knowing He was holy, no matter what the situation
But they longed for Him
They yearned for Him
They waited for Him on the edge of their seat
On the edge of where excitement and containment meet
They waited
Like a child watches out the window for their father to return from work—they waited
Like a groom stares at the double doors at the back of the church—they waited
And in their waiting, they had hope
Hope that was fully pledged to a God they had not seen
To a God who had promised a King
A King who would reign over the enemy
Over Satan’s tyranny
They waited
So it was
Centuries of expectations, with various combinations of differing schools of thought
Some people expecting a political king who would rise to the throne through the wars that he fought
While others expecting a priest who would restore peace through the penetration of the Pharisee’s façade
Yet a baby—100% human, 100% God
So the Word became flesh and was here to dwell among us
In His fullness, grace upon grace, Jesus
Through Him and for Him, all things were created
And in Him all things are sustained
God had made Himself known for the glory of His name
And this child would one day rise as King
But it would not be by the sword or an insurgent regime
It would be by His life
A life that would revolutionize everything the world knew
He would endure temptation and persecution, all while staying true
Humbly healing the broken, the sick and hurting too
Ministering reconciliation, turning the old to new
A life that would be the very definition of what life really costs
Saying—if you desire life, then your current one must be lost
And He would portray that with His own life as His Father would pour out and exhaust
And Jesus would be obedient to the point of death, even death upon the cross
So just 33 years after the day that He laid swaddled in the hay
He hung on a tree suffocating, dying in our place
Absorbing wrath that is rightly ours, but we could never bear the weight
So He took that punishment and he put it in the grave
And He died
And when I say that He died, what I mean is that He died
No breath, noheartbeat, no sign of life
God is a God of justice, and the penalty for our sin equals death
That’s what Christ did on that cross
Then… On the third day, in accordance with scriptures, He was raised from the grave
And when I say that He was raised, what I mean is that He was raised
Lungs breathing, heart pumping, blood pulsing through His veins
The things that He promised were true
He is the risen Son of God, offering life to me and you
Turning our mourning into dancing
Our weeping into laughing
Our sadness into joy
By His mercy, we are called His own
By His grace, we will never be left alone
By His love, He is preparing our home
By His blood, we can sing before His throne
Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow
So now we, as His bride, are the ones waiting
Like the saints that came before, we’re anticipating
He has shown us that this world is fading
And He has caused our desire to be for Him
So church, stay ready
Keep your heart focused and your eyes steady
Worship Him freely, never forgetting
His great love for you
Immanuel, God with us

HT:  Folk Angel

December 18, 2011 | Psalm 137 - The Lord is My Refuge

This past Sunday we concluded our series looking at the various genres of Psalms called The Songs of Psalms.  I hope it has been helpful to you as it has been to me.  Each week I had the joy to dive deeply into these great writers and their songs and was encouraged, challenged, and exhorted each week.  Preaching and studying the Psalms isn't always easy, but it is always worth the work.  Here is the last sermon in our series from the Imprecatory Psalm, 137.





Audio
Notes


For more:
GBC - Spurgeon on Psalm 137
GBC - Repost | Justice and the Implications of Atheism: Doug Wilson Hits the Nail on Its Head
Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord
Sermon - November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight
Sermon - November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51:  The Lord is My Salvation
Sermon - November 20, 2011 | Psalm 136: The Lord is My God

Repost | The Gospel and the Story of Everything

I love videos like this and there are tons of them on YouTube.   I may not like every little thing in this video, but its overall message needs to be embraced and articulated by Christians everywhere.  I have found that telling the whole story of Scripture is a powerful tool.  Whether one is talking about salvation, the church, God's providence, or whatever, telling the whole story is helpful.

Also, avoiding the many problems of short changing the gospel can be prevented if we approach evangelism and Christian mission in this way.  The gospel is individual, communal, and cosmic and this approach reveals all three.  It also places us in the story of God. Thus we matter on account of our creation by the Creator, and by participating in the grand story that God is writing.  The church matters.  Sanctification matters.  Prayer matters.  Spiritual growth matters.

Finally, this approach presents a more balanced approach to the various aspects of the gospel such as redemption, deliverance, justification, ransom, etc.  Redemption, for example, is tied clearly to God's work in delivering the Jews from slavery in Egypt.  God as redeemer/deliverer is a powerful message that the New Testament writers pick up on.  We, like they, are in bondage to sin.  Only God can deliver us.

Anyways, here is the video.





HT:  Evangel  

Spurgeon on Psalm 137

The mother of all Imprecatory Psalms, 137, is a real challenge especially verse 9 which calls for the infaticide of the children of Babylon in violent language:  How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones Against the rock. The apparent barbarism of this verse is immediately apparent and how do we reconcile a verse like this (and others could be used here) with the message of Scripture of grace, forgiveness, and mercy?

Well, the Prince of Preachers, Charles H. Spurgeon, warned us of viewing this in the wrong light.  He writes:

Let those find fault with it who have never seen their temple burned, their city ruined, their wives ravished, and after children slain; they might not, perhaps, be quite so velvet mouthed if they had suffered after this fashion. It is one thing to talk of the bitter feeling which moved captive Israelites in Babylon, and quite another thing to be captives ourselves under a savage and remorseless power, which knew not how to show mercy, but delighted in barbarities to the defenceless. -Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Psalm 137.

Spurgeon, as always, is right.  It is easy for us to judge the Psalmist for his strong language, but just listen to the voice of the mother who pleads for the death penalty against the man who murdered her child. Is it barbarism or a cry for justice and vengeance?  This Psalm is echoed in the voice of the angry father who’s daughter was raped. This Psalm is echoed in the voice of the child who watches his parents destroy each other in anger and abuse.  This Psalm is echoed in the voice of a nation who at the rubble of two buildings scream, “Go get them George!” Who then replies, “I hear you, the whole world hears you, and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon!”

Before we speak in outrage over this text, let us realize that we have uttered similar things and it is right to beg God to defend the righteous and to judge the wicked.


For more:
Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord
Sermon - November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight
Sermon - November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51:  The Lord is My Salvation
Sermon - November 20, 2011 | Psalm 136: The Lord is My God

Repost | Justice and the Implications of Atheism: Doug Wilson Hits the Nail on Its Head

Sunday we will be discussing Psalm 137 - the mother of all Imprecatory Psalms.  As I sit here and prepare, I can't help but think about how the dangerous implications of the church's effort to wussify God.  By watering down what it means to love and defining God as love with that weak definition can lead to only 2 logical conclusions about God and evil:

If wrongs will not be made right, if judgment will not reign down, if wickedness will not be destroyed either (1) God is either Wicked or a Wimp or (2) Wickedness & evil are relative & illusions.

I came across this realization from a brief quote from Douglas Wilson.  Consider the following:

The following quote was just published by Doug Wilson at his blog Blog and Mablog regarding the difference between Christianity and atheism regarding justice and the problem of theodicy.  It is simply too good to not to pass along.  The quote is taken from Wilson's book Letter From a Christian Citizen:  A Response to "Letter to a Christian Nation" by Sam Harris.

If the two of us [an atheist and Christian] were looking at a new report of the latest atrocity, I would say that at some point in the future, in some fundamental way, that will be put right. You want to say, as an atheist, that it will not ever be put right. But you refuse, for some reason, to take the next logical step and admit that there is therefore nothing wrong with it now. (54).

I can't think of a better way of confronting the issue of theodicy with an atheist then that.  Great post from Wilson.


HT:  Doug Wilson 


For more:
Blogizomai - Collision:  An Important Documentary About Faith and Atheism  
Blogizomai - Atheism and Moral Relativistic Parenting: Touchstone Takes on Harris
Blogizomai - Harris on the Science of Morality:  Nice Try But No Cigar  
Blogizomai - Natural Morality:  The Disconnect Between Darwinism and Morality
Blogizomai -Freud's Wish Fulfillment: Why Atheism Can't Explain Atheism
Blogizomai -The Atheist Debates
Blogizomai -Atheism Is Not Great - The D'Souza and Hitchens Debate
Blogizomai -John Lennox: The New Atheism and the Gospel  Blogizomai -D'Souza: Are Atheists Cultural Christians
Blogizomai -Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Blogizomai - Re: Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Review -"Atheism Remix" by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Review -"The Delusion of Disbelief" by David Aikman
Review -"The End of Reason" by Ravi Zacharias
Review -What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza

Review - "Life After Death" by Dinesh D'Souza 

Reviews -D'Souza - Letters To A Young Conservative 

Reviews -  D'Souza - Ronald Reagan 

Reviews - Mohler:  An Argument Against Atheists - Dinesh D'Souza on Christianity

Repost | "Jesus + Nothing = Everything" by Tullian Tchividjian

I have read a lot of good books this year, but without a doubt, the best book I have read all year is Tullian Tchividjian's new book Jesus + Nothing + Everything.  The context of the book is Tchividjian's struggle as a pastor to wade through the storms of ministry.  After merging his church with the late Dr. D. James Kennedy's church, Tchividjian ran into serious struggles and hardships that almost led to his firing.  Once he went on vacation one summer, he was ready to quit until he started to read Paul's letter to the Colossians and was gripped by the gospel.  He writes:

His good news met me in my dark place, at my deepest need.  Through his liberating word, I was being transformed, freed, refreshed.


I started learning to see the many-faceted dimensions of the gospel in a more dazzling way.  it's almost as if, for me, the gospel changed from something hazy and monochromatic to something richly multicolored, vivid, and vibrant.  I was realizing in a fresh way the now-power of the gospel - that the gospel doesn't simply rescue us from the past and rescue us for the future; it also rescues us in the present from being enslaved to things like fear, insecurity, anger, self-reliance, bitterness, entitlement, and insignificance . . . Through my pain, I was being convinced all over again that the power of the gospel is just as necessary and relevant after you become a Christian as it is before.

Tchividjian sings my tune.  This is a book about the gospel, pure and simple.  The title summarizes it all.  Wherever we may be, whatever we may be struggling with, Jesus is enough.  Jesus equals everything.  We need nothing else.  The gospel is just as much for the redeemed as it is for the lost.  The gospel not only tackles our past and assures us of our future, but meets us where we are in the present.

Yet the problem in all of us is idolatry and legalism.  All of us have idols that we worship and through is experience at his church, the author came to realize this.  What mattered most to him was being loved by his congregation and followed by his church.  Thus when he was attacked and challenged, his world was falling apart.  Yet he learned, through the power of the gospel, that Jesus was enough.

But maybe our idol is very different.  The author walks the reader through various idols and how the gospel is better than them.  The problem with idolatry is that it implies that we need Jesus and something else in order to be happy, contentment, and at peace.  Legalism does the same thing.  Tchividjian offers some sharp critique of these two demons.  He writes, for example:

So if we aren't naturally prone to look to the finished work of Jesus for us as it's presented in the gospel for the 'everything' - where are we looking?


Typically, it's not that Christians seek to blatantly replaced the gospel.  What we try to do is simply add to it.

He then goes on to elaborate CS Lewis' argument in Screwtape Letters that a Satanic strategy against the Christian is "Christianity And."  It is the opposite of what Tchividjian argues in this book.  Christianity And Vegetarianism.  Christianity and Faith Healing.  Christianity And the New Psychology.  Christianity And . . . Such a mindset, which haunts us all, destroys the gospel and prevents the gospel from truly ministering to us. This is all idol worship.  Jesus + X is idolatry and not the gospel.

In fact, idolatry and legalism hold us in bondage.  They make us slaves.  Finally someone of prominence other than John MacArthur is speaking the language of slavery when describing sin and its hold on us.  The gospel frees us from the bondage of sin, idolatry, and religion.  Such things convince us that without them and their control on us, we will not be content or happy.  But the gospel says otherwise. All we need is Christ and nothing else.  That is true freedom.  No need to satisfy these false gods anymore.  He writes:

For each of us, the "everything" that Jesus can represent in our lives is always linked, directly and inescapably, to our most basic need - a rescuer to free us form our slavery to sin, from our bondage to self-reliance, and from the burden of our idols.  It's a need we never grow out of.

He's right.  The gospel is constantly freeing us from slavery when we see our redemption and hope in Jesus Christ - past, future, and yes, present.

I could say more about this book, but you get the point.  It is a book about the gospel.  The sweet, liberating gospel.  A gospel that meets us where we are, brings us to the Savior, and calls us to leave everything behind because we need nothing else but Him.  No more chasing after the wind, worshiping non-existent, false idols.  No more religion.  No more legalism.  No more hypocrisy. Just Jesus.

I cannot recommend this book enough.  Every pastor ought to read it and shape their ministry around the gospel.  Not religion, ritual, or church politics, but on the gospel.  Every struggle needs the gospel.  Every moment of bliss and rejoicing needs the gospel.  Every sermon needs the gospel.  Every prayer needs the gospel.  And every book - and here we have one - needs the gospel.



Jesus + Nothing = Everything: Intro from Crossway on Vimeo.


This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.



For more:
Reviews - "Life's Biggest Questions" by Erik Thoennes
Reviews - "Welcome to the Story: Reading, Loving, and Living God's Word" by Stephen J Nichols  
Reviews - "King Solomon" by Philip Graham Ryken 
Reviews - "Am I Really a Christian?" by Mike McKinley
Reviews - The Beginning and End of Wisdom" by Douglas Sean O'Donnell
Reviews - "Thinking. Loving. Doing." by John Piper & David Mathis

November 20, 2011 | Psalm 136: The Lord is My God

The Sunday before Thanksgiving we studied Psalm 136; a great congregational Psalm that calls on us to affirm the everlasting love of our God.  A great text.  A great Psalm.





Audio
Notes


For more:
GBC - FLAME - Power [with Rap-Along lyrics]
GBC - The Most Terrifying Truth of God: He is Good
Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord
Sermon - November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight
Sermon - November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51:  The Lord is My Salvation

November 22, 2011 | Mark 15:16-39 - Thanksgiving Service

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving, I had the high honor of speaking at the community-wide Thanksgiving service at Hardinsburg Baptist Church.  My wife and I agree that it was one of the best services we have attended in recent memory (and not just because I was the speaker).  The music was amazing.  The choice of songs was dead on.  Christ was exalted.  People worshiped.  Unity was clear.  And the gospel drove the service.

Thanks to the Breckinridge County Ministerial Association for inviting me to speak.  I hope the gospel was proclaimed and God was glorified.





Audio
Notes

November 20, 2011 | Psalm 23:1 - The Peace of Contentment

A few weeks ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to preach at Friendship Baptist Church just north of Hardinsburg.  I preached an old sermon from our series on Psalm 23 and the Fruit of the Spirit.  Below is the audio and notes from that night.





Audio
Notes

November 13, 2011 | Psalm 51: The Lord is My Salvation

I had some computer problems and am finally back up and running.  Here is the audio and the notes from the sermon from November 13 from Psalm 51 written after David was confronted by Nathan the Prophet regarding his sexual sin with Bathsheba and his act of murder against her husband Uriah.





Audio
Notes


For more:

Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord
Sermon - November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight

The Most Terrifying Truth of God: He is Good

If you want to understand the gospel, consider the following video of Paul Washer, a well-known evangelists who is best known for his approach of telling it like it is.  His point that the most terrifying attribute of God is His goodness is dead on.  What does a good God do to people like us?  Watch His answer:





HT: Reformation Theology

FLAME - Power [with Rap-Along lyrics]

As I prepare for Sunday morning, I couldn't help but sing the following song "Power" by Christian rapper Flame. The second verse is particularly similar to our text (Psalm 136). Flame point is that remembering and reflecting on what God has done assures us that God is active and has power today. This is why the Jews repeatedly referred back to the Exodus and other mighty acts of God.

And before you hit play, remember that the following is rap. You can't say that I didn't warn you :o)




Here are the lyrics:

[Chorus:]
He got power man, You ain't never seen it like this
He got power man, His words make the world exist
He got power man, He can turn your situation 'round
I've seen Him do it, do it, do it, do it, do it

[Verse 1:]
I've seen the Lord do a lot of things in my day
Time after time, He blows my mind and He blows my faith
I like to read, and see what He's done in the past
He can do in the present, if His people would ask
I've seen Him shut a whole strip down
Full of strip clubs, now the dude's a Christian now
Wow, now that's power like you've never seen
How He dug in the man, and made his soul clean
Oh, I've even seen Him heal a broken home
Couple couldn't get along, now you be like, get a room
Man, I'm so impressed with His slate
I want to trust Him more and more, and strengthen my faith
Yes, I hope you know it's true, all power's in God's hands
What can't you make it through, the proof is the Godman
Nobody took His life, but Jesus He laid it down
And three days later, yes, He popped outta the ground

[Verse 2:]
Now for the record, we're talking about Almighty God
Please don't forget, what He did with Moses' rod
Please don't forget, when He split the Red Sea
What is a light bill, or a deadly disease
What is a marriage problem, or one that's on the rocks
To the One who speaks to storms, and storms stop
To the One who got Lazarus outta the grave,
Not after one, but two, three, four days
He is the Life, and the Resurrection
You give Him your filth, and get His perfection
I'm trying to get you to see, if He can save a soul
Defeat Satan and sin, all else is micro
And if He chooses to not grant a request
It's not because He lacks power, but He's seeking our best
It's not because He lacks strength, but He's seeking our good
Now go and walk through that trial, like Jesus would

[Verse 3:]
I know some people in my hood, that's been struggling with some things
They've been addicted for so long, they don't think that they can change
Then I tell them about Jesus, and how He can set them free
But they choose to stay away, man now that's just unbelief
But He's worthy to be trusted, He's a keeper of His word
But it's either you don't believe in Jesus, or that's just scared
Now what you're scared of, you shouldn't be scared of your sin
And not trusting in His name, that's the danger you're in
But you ain't gotta stay that way, you can pray and confess
Live a, life of repentance, receive Jesus' best
Himself, His love, His grace, His power
Give you strength in the darkest hour, so you won't be devoured
Give you strength against temptation, because He's stronger than sin
He's much stronger, than your corruption, erupting within
He's much strong, than your addiction to sex or a drug
To alcohol, or a club
Homie, that's what He does

[Verse 3:]
I know some people in my hood, that's been struggling with some things
They've been addicted for so long, they don't think that they can change
Then I tell them about Jesus, and how He can set them free
But they choose to stay away, man now that's just unbelief
But He's worthy to be trusted, He's a keeper of His word
But it's either you don't believe in Jesus, or that's just scared
Now what you're scared of, you shouldn't be scared of your sin
And not trusting in His name, that's the danger you're in
But you ain't gotta stay that way, you can pray and confess
Live a, life of repentance, receive Jesus' best
Himself, His love, His grace, His power
Give you strength in the darkest hour, so you won't be devoured
Give you strength against temptation, because He's stronger than sin
He's much stronger, than your corruption, erupting within
He's much strong, than your addiction to sex or a drug
To alcohol, or a club
Homie, that's what He does

November 6, 2011 | Psalm 1: The Lord is My Delight

Here is Sunday's message.  So far in our series on the Psalms, we have discovered the the Lord is my Shepherd, my King, my Lord, and now, my Delight.


Audio
Notes 





For more:
GBC - Everything is Awesome But Nobody is Happy: A Late Night Sermon on Psalm 1
Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord
Sermon - January 17, 2010 - Matthew 5:1-12: If Your Joyful and You Know It . . .
Sermon - Matthew 5:1-4 - The Joy of Spiritual Humility - Audio
Sermon - Matthew 5:5 - Starving? Why Wait? - Audio
Sermon - Matthew 5:6-9 - The Joy of Holiness - Audio
Sermon - Matthew 5:10-12 - The Joy of Being Hated - Audio

Everything is Awesome But Nobody is Happy: A Late Night Sermon on Psalm 1

Sunday we'll be looking at the Wisdom psalm found in Psalm 1.  The Psalm begins with How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked . . .  The word blessed carries the idea of joy and happiness and as I continue to prepare for worship Sunday, the following video keeps coming to my mind.  I know nothing of the comedian in the video (I know a little about Conan O'Brien), but even the secular world hits the nail on the head.

Everything is awesome, but nobody is happy.  So true.  This out to be a reminder of our tail-chasing ways.  We keep looking for lasting joy and happiness but few of us ever find it.  But as Psalm 1;1-2 suggests, How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.





For more:
Sermon - October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms  
Sermon - October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King
Sermon - October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord 
Sermon - August 2, 2009 - Psalm 23:2: Peace of Rest
Sermon - August 9, 2009 - Psalm 23:3: The Peace of Restoration (notes only)
Sermon - August 16, 2009 - Psalm 23:4: "The Peace of Comfort"
Sermon - August 23, 2009 - Psalm 23:5: The Peace of the Shepherd's Sovereignty
Sermon - August 30, 2009 - Psalm 23:6: The Peace of the Shepherd's Providence 
GBC - Weekly Recommendation - "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23"
GBC - Weekly Recommendation: "Traveling Light"
GBC - Weekly Recommendation - "Restore My Soul" 
GBC - In More Detail: Repost of the Beatitudes
GBC - Bonhoeffer: The Meaning of Poor In Spirit and the Joy of Being Spiritual Bankrupt  

October 30, 2011 | Psalm 8 - The Lord is My Lord

The third sermon in our series entitled, "The Songs of Psalms" looks at the great Hymn Psalm 8 which extols God as Creator who is majestic. The Psalm opens and concludes with the simple truth that Yahweh is our Lord. Psalm 8 is one of the more popular Psalm and rightfully so. God is majestic and even in the expanse of the cosmos, He knows our names.





Audio
Notes


For more:

October 23, 2011 | Psalm 99 - The Lord is My King

The second sermon in our series, "The Song of Psalms" is an Enthronement Psalm that glorifies our God as King. Psalm 99 is a great Psalm though it is oftentimes overlooked. God's Sovereignty - His rule as King - is an important doctrine with very practical truths.





Audio
Notes


For more:
Sermon - October 10, 2010 - God is Sovereign
GBC - MacDonald on Divine Sovereignty
GBC - Charles Hodge on Sovereignty
GBC - God's Sovereignty Defined: A. W. Pink on The Doctrine of Divine Sovereignty
Sermon - April 18, 2010 - Haggai 2:1-9: And the Lord Said, "Get-r-Done"
Sermon - August 23, 2009 - Psalm 23:5: The Peace of the Shepherd's Sovereignty
Sermon - Sunday Night - "The Agony of Job and the Sovereingnty of God
GBC - Tony Evans on God and Purpose

October 16, 2011 | Psalm 23 - The Lord is My Shepherd: Peace in the Shepherd's Arms

We have begun a new sermon series looking at the book of Psalms highlighting a number of its various genres. The series is being titled "The Song of Psalms" and we will be in the book each week until Christmas. The book of Psalms has been a source of comfort and peace for countless believers throughout the centuries.

We begin with the most beloved Psalm - Psalm 23.






Audio
Notes


For more:
Sermon - August 2, 2009 - Psalm 23:2: Peace of Rest
Sermon - August 9, 2009 - Psalm 23:3: The Peace of Restoration (notes only)
Sermon - August 16, 2009 - Psalm 23:4: "The Peace of Comfort"
Sermon - August 23, 2009 - Psalm 23:5: The Peace of the Shepherd's Sovereignty
Sermon - August 30, 2009 - Psalm 23:6: The Peace of the Shepherd's Providence
GBC - Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit Series  
GBC - Weekly Recommendation - "Finding Peace"
GBC - Weekly Recommendation - "A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23"
GBC - Weekly Recommendation: "Traveling Light"
GBC - Weekly Recommendation - "Restore My Soul" 

Mere Churchianity Sermon Series

This summer we spent some time discussing the doctrine of the church.  Instead of focusing on issues of polity, church government, or even Baptist distinctives, we focused on the local community.  This is a very important series that I hope was and remains helpful.  We need to reevaluate why we go to church, what we think the church is and for, and how we, as individual members, contribute to and participate in the local community.

We need to break out of the evil hold of complacency, apathy, and indifference.  The church of Christ has sat on its tail for far too long.  It is sad that Christians will get active in politics and moral causes, but heaven forbid if God expects us to share the gospel, grow in Christ, or participate in the local community.  Our priorities are out of whack and we need to return to a more biblical and gospel centered ecclesiology.


Sermons:

July 24, 2011 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 - I Pray, Therefore I Am: The Emptiness of a Privatized Faith & Why Comfort Is Meant to Be Shared
July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
August 7, 2011 | The Story of the Church  
August 21, 2011 | The Trinity and the Church: Unified Diversity
September 18, 2011 | Ephesians 4:11-25 - The Training of the Church    

October 2, 2011 | John 2:13-22 - The Worshipping Church  
October 9, 2011 | Galatians 6:1-5 - The Growing Church  

Articles:

GBC - Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers
GBC - The Church that is Holy  
GBC - Tim Hawkins on Worship Styles  
GBC - This is Who We Are: What a Baptist Is and Believes - The Church
GBC - The Church As Family
GBC - Ware on the Trinity & Relationships
GBC - Unified Diversity - The Church & Flyleaf's Beautiful Bride  
GBC - The Holy Church: The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed 
GBC - Do We Want a Museum or a Movement?
GBC - Cool Churches Are Empty Churches: The Wall Street Journal Wakes Us Up
GBC - Are We Contemporvant? 
GBC - "Christ, Christ Baby!":  Why I Do Not Seek to Be Relevant 
GBC - How To Grow a Church and Fill It With Unconverted Believers: A Humorous But Sad Video
GBC - Will They Stay?: Rainer on Returning Guests
GBC - Me Church  
GBC - A Divine Kick in the Pants: Jim Elliot and the Call to Go Out  
Blogizomai - Accomodationism Breed Irrelevancy:  Why Liberalism Fails and the Transcendent Gospel Triumphs 


Other Links:
Sermon - September 27, 2009 - Matthew 16:13-21: Don't Just Stand There. Do Something!
Sermon - Ephesians 4:12: How God Grows His Church
 


Other Series:
God: Proper Theology Proper Sermon Series
Faith in the Midst of God-Ordained Storms Sermon Series
The Sermon on the Mount Series
Matthew Thus Far:  Matthew 1-5
The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit
Basic Christianity Series
Revelation Study

Psalm 8, the Majesty of God, & that Pale Blue Dot

Sunday morning we will be studying Psalm 8 - a Psalm about the majesty of God.  One of the famous verses in that passage is vs. 4 which says, What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him? As I study this text, I can't help but think about the difference between atheism and Christianity as we both look up at the skies.  Atheism studies the cosmos and sees our small, seemingly insignificant planet of existence and finds purposelessness.  In other words, atheism sees the cosmos and all they can see is our insignificance.  Christianity, on the other hand, looks up at the skies and is overwhelmed by God's majesty.  In atheism, we are small.  In Christianity, God is majestic. This makes that question in verse 4 all the more relevant, What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

This is the point raised in world renown astronomer and agnostic (atheist?) Carl Sagan.  The picture above, known as the Pale Blue Dot, portrays the earth taken from 3.7 billion miles away in space.  The earth, in the vastness of the cosmos, is nothing more than a pale blue dot.  Sagan, who encouraged NASA to take the picture, was inspired by the picture to write a book by the same title.  Below is the famous section of the book where Sagan offers the emptiness of atheism/agnosticism.  He sees our insignificance, but Christians see the amazing fact of our worth and the power of our God.





Here is the quote written out:

Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every "superstar," every "supreme leader," every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there--on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.

The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds.

Our posturings, our imagined self-importance, the delusion that we have some privileged position in the Universe, are challenged by this point of pale light. Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves.

The Earth is the only world known so far to harbor life. There is nowhere else, at least in the near future, to which our species could migrate. Visit, yes. Settle, not yet. Like it or not, for the moment the Earth is where we make our stand.

It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known.


For More:
Blogizomai - There Is No Such Thing As Atheists: Hawking's Curious Theism
Blogizomai - Before There Was Time: Hawking on the Origina of Everything
Blogizomai - Causation and the Existence of God:  How Scientists Continue to Prove Aquinas's Point
Blogizomai - Just Add Universes: The Foolishness and Motivation Behind Atheism's Leap of Faith
Blogizomai - Creation or Manipulation:  The Limits of Man and the Evidence for God
Blogizomai - Evolution Animated & Refuted 
Blogizomai - Justice and the Implications of Atheism: Doug Wilson Hits the Nail on Its Head
Blogizomai - On Why Darwin Still Matters
Blogizomai - Expelled: A Film About Freedom, Evolution, and Intelligent Design
Blogizomai - Expelled:  A Movie We Must Take Seriously 
Blogiozmai - D'Souza:  Ben Stein Exposes Richard Dawkins
Blogizomai - Collision:  An Important Documentary About Faith and Atheism  
Blogizomai -The Atheist Debates
Blogizomai -Atheism Is Not Great - The D'Souza and Hitchens Debate
Blogizomai -John Lennox: The New Atheism and the Gospel 
Blogizomai - Natural Morality:  The Disconnect Between Darwinism and Morality  
Blogizomai -D'Souza: Are Atheists Cultural Christians
Blogizomai -Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Blogizomai - Re: Survival of the Moral: Can Man Be Moral Without God?
Blogizomai -Freud's Wish Fulfillment: Why Atheism Can't Explain Atheism
Blogizmai - "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath
Review - "Why God Won't Go Away" by Alister McGrath  
Review -"Atheism Remix" by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Review -"The Delusion of Disbelief" by David Aikman
Review -"The End of Reason" by Ravi Zacharias
Review -What's So Great About Christianity? by Dinesh D'Souza

Repost | "It Pleased God": MacArthur on the Darkness and Drama at the Cross

Sunday evening I was on my way to a near-by hospital to make an important visit of one of our members who is suffering severely and who's condition continues to deteriorate. While on the road, I listened to two sermons by John MacArthur I had just received in the mail from his Grace To You ministry titled Darkness and Drama at the Cross, Parts 1 and 2.  The sermons was originally titled Divine Mercy for the Blasphemers and God Visits Calvary and were exposition of Mark 15:22-41.

The first sermon was particularly powerful and I want to pass it along to you.  After surveying the mockings, beatings, and abuse of Jesus on the cross, MacArthur raises the question why doesn’t God come down and kill these sinners?  His answer is important:  because God was pleased to kill His Son for those sinners. That’s Isaiah 53, “It pleased God to crush Him.” It pleased God.

I couldn't help but clap and worship God while on my way to pray with a dear loved one and church member who is suffering as I thought about the cross, my Savior, and my God.  I hope the following sermons are as touching to you as they were to me.


Darkness and Drama at the Cross, Part 1 or Divine Mercy for the Blasphemers:





Darkness and Drama At the Cross, Part 2 or God Visits Calvary:





For more:
Blogizomai - Theology Thursday | MacArthur: A Tale of Two Sons
Blogizomai - Reformed in Grace But Arminian Everywhere Else: MacArthur on the Future of the YRR Movement
Blogizomai - He Turned the Water Into Wine: MacArthur, Alcohol, & Christian Liberty
Blogizomai - Alcohol Today, Marijuana Tomorrow: When Money Changes Our Values   
Blogizomai - Theology Thursday | Theology and Ministry: An Interview With John MacArthur  

Blogizomai - MacArthur:  How to Confront the Culture
Blogizomai - Theology Thursday | MacArthur and the Gospel
Blogizomai - Weekly Recommendation - "Slave" by John MacArthur
Blogizomai - Weekly Recommendation - John MacArthur Study Bible
Reviews - A Tale of Two Sons
Reviews - The Prodigal God

Third Day - King of Glory

Who is this King of glory is the question we'll be answering in tomorrow's sermon.

More on the King James Bible

Tonight we will be studying the history and legacy of the most read and most influential book in English history - the King James Version of the Bible.  Below are some videos and other resources on the translation.


CBN:




More on the King James translation: (a bit over the top)





On William Tyndale:











For more:
GBC - Book Recommendation - "God's Secretaries" 

Book Recommendation - "God's Secretaries"

Tonight we have moved our regular Wednesday night services to Fordsville Baptist Church in order to listen to Dr. Chad Owen Brand talk about the history of the translating of the King James Version.  It is a fascinating story and I strongly encourage everyone to join us tonight in Fordsville for this fascinating conversation.  I preparation of that, I want to repost an old review I wrote on an important book on the translation of the King James Version called "God's Secretaries."  I highly recommend the book.

The review is a little dated, but the point is still made.


My pastor preaches from the King James Bible. Whenever he had open heart surgery and was spending a lot of time recovering unable to do much I gave him a copy of the book, "God's Secretaries: The Making of the King James Bible." I always thought that the book would be interesting to read, and so, once I found it for real cheap at a used bookstore, I thought I might read it. And I am glad that I did.

I am not a KJV-only kind of person. The KJV has a lot of flaws. Perhaps the two biggest flaws it has are first, it's language (my favorite verse coming from John 11:39, "by this time he stinketh") and secondly, it's use of bad manuscripts (it was the best they had at the time, but since then, we have been able to uncover a more accurate Bible). Therefore, I do not teach or preach from the King James. Usually I will teach and preach from the New King James Version because I know my audience. However, my personal favorite is the New American Standard Bible along with the English Standard Version and the Holman Christian Standard Bible.

But with all of that aside, what the King James Bible has done for the English language and for Western culture in general cannot be overlooked. 200 years prior to the 1611 Bible, it would have been unthinkable that a Bible would have been translated into English with the full authority of a protestant king.

The work of men like Tyndale, Wycliffe, Luther, and others had finally come to fruition. These ground breaker's deaths had not been in vain.

The book as a whole is an excellent read. The author looks at many of the translators, the events leading to the translation, and the events surrounding the translation. I was most surprised by the "terrorist" attack that took place by the hands of some Catholics who tried to kill the King and others in his court.

One thing is obvious about the author, he loves the language of the King James Version. Throughout the book, especially at the end, he gives example after example of the richness of the language and translation of the KJV. He does this best whenever he compares the KJV to other versions available at the time and even translations since. One of the advantages of such a study reveals the benefits of having a committee of translators (like the KJV) rather than just one person doing all of the translation (like the Tyndale Bible and Luther's Translation).

One cannot deny the richness and precision of the translation. The only problem today, with most people, is the that the language is a bit outdated. Though I do not use the KJV myself (for reasons mentioned above), I have great respect and even refer to it in my own personal Bible study. Just because the KJV is hard to understand doesn't mean we should abandon it. What it means for Western Christianity, culture, and literature is profound.

Perhaps my favorite part of the book comes at the end where the author looks into some of the printing mistakes of the KJV. One such mistake is a known as the "'Wicked Bible." The Wicked Bible had one one inherent flaw: it was missing a word in the seventh commandment. Instead of saying, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." It said, "Thou shalt commit adultery." Therefore, the Bible was replaced with a more accurate copy.

Overall, if anyone is interested in the history of King James, his translation and the events surrounding it, I highly recommend this book. It is a good read, with excellent research, and is a story that keeps your attention. I have walked away with a better understanding of it's legacy and a greater appreciation of it.

The one thing the author emphasized throughout the book was the purpose of King James making this translation: unity. And though it took sometime, unity was reached (though at times strained). How important it is to note that what should bring us together is the Word of God above everything else. Perhaps this is the greatest of legacies of the KJV: unity among the brethren.

"Unforgetful You" by Jars of Clay

Recently, I went back to the music archives and pulled out an old album by Jars of Clay and listened to one of its singles, "Unforgetful You" and was challenged by its message.  I encourage you to give it a listen below followed by the lyrics.






I never minded calling You a King
If that meant that I could count on You
To give me everything
I never thought to ask You
I always thought You knew
It was never my intention to question You
You never minded calling me a child
Well, I guess that's how I acted all the while
But You live through every tantrum, You see through every lie
Though they seem to be more common
I just wanted You to know why oh why

Unforgetful You, unforgetful
Unforgetful You, so unforgetful

You never minded giving us the stars
Then showing us how blind and unaware of You we are
You painted me a picture and showed me how to see
Though I just won't behold it
Unless it pertains to me...


For more:
GBC - It is Well With My Soul: The Story of Horatio Spafford
GBC - Nothing But the Blood
GBC - Third Day: Our God is a "Consuming Fire"
GBC - Unified Diversity: The Church & Flyleaf's Beautiful Bride  

October 9, 2011 | Galatians 6:1-5 - The Growing Church

Last Sunday we completed our series on the church entitled Mere Churchianity.  I hope it has been helpful and below is the final sermon in that series.  Right now I do not have any audio for it, but I pray that the notes will be helpful.  Next week we will begin a new series on the Psalms that should be fascinating. 


Notes 


For more:
Sermon - October 2, 2011 | John 2:13-22 - The Worshipping Church  
Sermon - September 18, 2011 | Ephesians 4:11-25 - The Training of the Church   
Sermon - August 21, 2011 | The Trinity and the Church: Unified Diversity   
Sermon - August 7, 2011 | The Story of the Church  
Sermon - July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
Sermon - July 24, 2011 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 - I Pray, Therefore I Am: The Emptiness of a Privatized Faith & Why Comfort Is Meant to Be Shared
Sermon - September 27, 2009 - Matthew 16:13-21: Don't Just Stand There. Do Something!
Sermon - Ephesians 4:12: How God Grows His Church
GBC - This is Who We Are: What a Baptist Is and Believes - The Church
GBC - The Church As Family  
GBC - Do We Want a Museum or a Movement?
GBC - Cool Churches Are Empty Churches: The Wall Street Journal Wakes Us Up
GBC - Are We Contemporvant? 
GBC - "Christ, Christ Baby!":  Why I Do Not Seek to Be Relevant 
GBC - How To Grow a Church and Fill It With Unconverted Believers: A Humorous But Sad Video
GBC - Will They Stay?: Rainer on Returning Guests
GBC - Me Church  
GBC - A Divine Kick in the Pants: Jim Elliot and the Call to Go Out  
Blogizomai - Accomodationism Breed Irrelevancy:  Why Liberalism Fails and the Transcendent Gospel Triumphs  

October 2, 2011 | John 2:13-22 - The Worshipping Church

A few weeks ago, we looked at John 2:13-22 and the story of Jesus cleansing the temple.  This is an important text and its application is particularly timely and needed.


Notes 
Audio





For more:
GBC - Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers
Sermon - September 18, 2011 | Ephesians 4:11-25 - The Training of the Church   
Sermon - August 21, 2011 | The Trinity and the Church: Unified Diversity   
Sermon - August 7, 2011 | The Story of the Church  
Sermon - July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
Sermon - July 24, 2011 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 - I Pray, Therefore I Am: The Emptiness of a Privatized Faith & Why Comfort Is Meant to Be Shared
Sermon - September 27, 2009 - Matthew 16:13-21: Don't Just Stand There. Do Something!
Sermon - Ephesians 4:12: How God Grows His Church
GBC - This is Who We Are: What a Baptist Is and Believes - The Church
GBC - The Church As Family  
GBC - Do We Want a Museum or a Movement?
GBC - Cool Churches Are Empty Churches: The Wall Street Journal Wakes Us Up
GBC - Are We Contemporvant? 
GBC - "Christ, Christ Baby!":  Why I Do Not Seek to Be Relevant 
GBC - How To Grow a Church and Fill It With Unconverted Believers: A Humorous But Sad Video
GBC - Will They Stay?: Rainer on Returning Guests
GBC - Me Church  
GBC - A Divine Kick in the Pants: Jim Elliot and the Call to Go Out  
Blogizomai - Accomodationism Breed Irrelevancy:  Why Liberalism Fails and the Transcendent Gospel Triumphs  

September 18, 2011 | Ephesians 4:11-25 - The Training of the Church

I am really far behind on posting past sermons, but things have been really busy.  Here are the notes (my battery died on my recorder) on the sermon from Ephesians 4:11-25 regarding the trained church. I hope it is helpful.


Notes


For more:
GBC - Driscoll on Consumers vs. Worshippers  
Sermon - August 21, 2011 | The Trinity and the Church: Unified Diversity   

Sermon - August 7, 2011 | The Story of the Church  
Sermon - July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
Sermon - July 24, 2011 | 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 - I Pray, Therefore I Am: The Emptiness of a Privatized Faith & Why Comfort Is Meant to Be Shared
Sermon - September 27, 2009 - Matthew 16:13-21: Don't Just Stand There. Do Something!
Sermon - Ephesians 4:12: How God Grows His Church   
GBC - This is Who We Are: What a Baptist Is and Believes - The Church
GBC - The Church As Family  
GBC - Do We Want a Museum or a Movement?
GBC - Cool Churches Are Empty Churches: The Wall Street Journal Wakes Us Up
GBC - Are We Contemporvant? 
GBC - "Christ, Christ Baby!":  Why I Do Not Seek to Be Relevant 
GBC - How To Grow a Church and Fill It With Unconverted Believers: A Humorous But Sad Video
GBC - Will They Stay?: Rainer on Returning Guests
GBC - Me Church  
GBC - A Divine Kick in the Pants: Jim Elliot and the Call to Go Out  
Blogizomai - Accomodationism Breed Irrelevancy:  Why Liberalism Fails and the Transcendent Gospel Triumphs