August 18, 2013 | Colossians 1:1-8 - Faith, Hope, and Love: The Greatest of These is Hope?

We recently began a new expositional sermon series on Paul's epistle to the Colossians. Below you will find the first installment.





Audio
Notes



For more:
Faith, Hope, and Love: An Early Christian Confession 
MacArthur on a Faith that Saves 
September 2, 2012 | Philippians 1:1-11 - The Joy of Thanksgiving & Prayer 
September 16, 2012 | Philippians 1:19-30 - The Joy of the Future
September 23, 2012 | Philippians 2:1-4: The Joy of Humility
September 30, 2012 | Philippians 2:5-11: The Joy of Holy Condescension
October 7, 2012 | Philippians 2:12-30: The Joy of Sanctification 
October 21, 2012 | Philippians 3:1-11: The Joy of a Pure Gospel
October 28, 2012 | Jude 1-25 - Is Grace a License to Sin?: Jude & the Antinomians

Heaven Came Down: The Story of the Cross Sermon Series

For eight weeks we discussed in detail the wondrous cross. There is nothing more central than the cross of Jesus Christ. Our focus during this series has been on a number of the motifs commonly used throughout the Bible to explain the meaning and work of the atonement of Christ. Though we did not look at all of them (we failed to discuss the temple and the home), we were able to highlight some that show us the wondrous truths of Christ, His cross, and the gospel. Below you will find the links to all of the sermons (and there notes) along with a number of other articles corresponding to the series. We now move from pure doctrine to a verse-by-verse exegesis of Colossians.


Sermons

May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida
July 14, 2013 | The Slave Quarters: Redemption (notes only)
July 21, 2013 | The Marketplace: Redemption (notes only)
August 4, 2013 | The Orphanage: Adoption
August 11, 2013 | Heaven Came Down: The Story of the Cross


Articles

The Bible Isn't About Us: Matt Chandler on David & Goliath
The Cross an Object or Example of Faith?
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
Archeological & Historical Evidence of the Exodus 
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
Sermon Notes: The Loved of God
"Precious Blood": A Review  
"Death By Love" by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears: A Review
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
"Blood Work" by Anthony Carter: A Review 


Other Series

The Sermon on the Mount Series
Matthew 1-18 | The King Has Come: The Gospel According to Matthew Series
The Last Week of Jesus: From Triumphal Entry to Triumphal Grave Series
The Tempter and the Tempted: Overcoming Temptation With the Gospel of Christ Sermon Series
Jonah: Salvation is From the Lord Sermon Series
Faith in the Midst of God-Ordained Storms Sermon Series
Ruth: Where Providence and Grace Kiss Sermon Series
Haggai: Consider Your Ways Sermon Series
God: Proper Theology Proper Sermon Series
The Song of Psalms Sermon Series
Fruitie-Tales: Living By the Fruit of the Spirit
Basic Christianity Series
Revelation Study

MacArthur on a Faith that Saves

In his sermon on our passage for next Sunday, Colossians 1:1-8, John MacArthur offers the following illustration on how faith in Jesus Christ saves:

Spurgeon use to tell a story about two men in a boat. They were caught in a very, very severe rapids and they were going to a place where there was a waterfall and even worse rapids and there was really no way, if they ever hit those rapids, that they would ever live. And they began to struggle for their lives. And as they were carried swiftly down stream, they were carried toward the perilous rocks and the falls and some men on the shore saw them and tried to save the two men and they threw a rope out. By this time the men had fallen out of the little boat, were struggling in the current. One man caught the rope and was saved. At the same instant, said Spurgeon, the other man who could have seized the rope, in the panic of the moment, grabbed onto a log that was floating by and that was a fatal mistake. One man was drawn to the shore because he had a connection with the people on the land. The other clinging to a log was carried down through the rapids and never found again.

Now, yousee, what faith does is faith gives you a connection with the shore. Faith gives you a connection to Jesus Christ. Good worksis grabbing a log. It doesn't go anywhere but along with you to your doom. And Paul says, first of all, Colossians, I want to thank God that you got the rope, not a log.


John MacArthur - The Gospel Truth

Faith, Hope, and Love: An Early Christian Confession

As I prepare for Sunday's message I have discovered how frequently the triad of faith, hope, and love appear in the New Testament. We are all familiar with Paul's language in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that love is the greatest of these three, but I was unaware how often this triad appear together both in the writers of Paul and in other writings of the New Testament.

This implies that this was a common way Christians spoke from very early on. Scholars debate whether Paul is the inventor or not. Regardless, I want to highlight some of the instances just for your own studies.

Faith, Hope, and Love

•  Romans 15:1-15 - Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; ⁴ and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; ⁵ and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. ⁶ For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. ⁸ But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. ¹⁰ For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. ¹¹ And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.
  ¹² Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned— ¹³ for until the Law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. ¹⁴ Nevertheless death reigned from Adam until Moses, even over those who had not sinned in the likeness of the offense of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.
  ¹⁵ But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many.

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 - But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
• Hebrews 10:22-24 - ²² let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴ and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
• 1 Peter 1:21-22 - who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. ²² Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,

Faith, Love, and Hope

• Colossians 1:4-5 - ⁴ since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints; ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven, of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel
• 1 Thessalonians 1:3 - constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
•  1 Thessalonians 5:8 - But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

Hope, Faith, and Love

• 1 Peter 1:3-8 - ³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, ⁵ who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, ⁷ so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; ⁸ and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,

Love, Hope, and Faith

• Ephesians 4:2-5 - ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, ³ being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
• Hebrews 6:10-12 - ¹⁰ For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

August 11, 2013 | Heaven Came Down: The Story of the Cross

Sunday we concluded our series on the atonement of Christ highlighting a series of motifs, or images, used throughout Scripture. We highlighted the orphanage (adoption), the slave quarters (redemption), the battlefield (Christus Victor), the courtroom (justification), and the marketplace (ransom). Though there are many others in Scripture (including the home and the temple), these give us a good overview of what Christ accomplished at the cross.




Audio
Notes


May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida
July 14, 2013 | The Slave Quarters: Redemption (notes only)
July 21, 2013 | The Marketplace: Redemption (notes only)
August 4, 2013 | The Orphanage: Adoption
August 11, 2013 | Heaven Came Down: The Story of the Cross


For more:
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
Its Not Just a Theory: Stott on Penal Substitution
John Stott on the The Human Enigma 
Allison: A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement
"Salvation Brings Imitation": Piper on Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility
Sanctification Demands It: The Necessity of the Atonement
"Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll
"In My Place, Condemned He Stood"
"It is Well"
"Precious Blood": A Review  

August 4, 2013 | The Orphanage: Adoption

Here is another common motif in the Bible when it comes to the atonement of Christ and that is the orphanage. Simply put, sin leaves us as orphans, but God in Christ adopts us into the family of God.




Audio
Notes


May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida
July 14, 2013 | The Slave Quarters: Redemption (notes only)
July 21, 2013 | The Marketplace: Redemption (notes only)August 4, 2013 | The Orphanage: Adoption


For more:
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
Its Not Just a Theory: Stott on Penal Substitution
John Stott on the The Human Enigma 
Allison: A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement
"Salvation Brings Imitation": Piper on Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility
Sanctification Demands It: The Necessity of the Atonement
"Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll
"In My Place, Condemned He Stood"
"It is Well"
"Precious Blood": A Review  

July 21, 2013 | The Marketplace: Redemption (notes only)

Again, I do not have the audio for this sermon but only the notes. In this sermon we discussed the motif of the marketplace where we are indebted sinners and as enslaved sinners are set free, redeemed, by Christ who pays our ransom. We are, therefore, rich in every way.

Notes


May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida
July 14, 2013 | The Slave Quarters: Redemption (notes only)
July 21, 2013 | The Marketplace: Redemption (notes only)


For more:
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
Its Not Just a Theory: Stott on Penal Substitution
John Stott on the The Human Enigma 
Allison: A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement
"Salvation Brings Imitation": Piper on Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility
Sanctification Demands It: The Necessity of the Atonement
"Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll
"In My Place, Condemned He Stood"
"It is Well"
"Precious Blood": A Review  

July 14, 2013 | The Slave Quarters: Redemption

Though the audio is not available, I want to at least post the notes from last month's sermon on the motif of the slave quarters in our series on the cross.


Notes


May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida


For more:
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From
The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
Its Not Just a Theory: Stott on Penal Substitution
John Stott on the The Human Enigma 
Allison: A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement
"Salvation Brings Imitation": Piper on Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility
Sanctification Demands It: The Necessity of the Atonement
"Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll
"In My Place, Condemned He Stood"
"It is Well"
"Precious Blood": A Review  

The Bible Isn't About Us: Matt Chandler on David & Goliath

Sunday we will be drawing our sermon series on the atonement to an end by highlighting the Bible's story of God coming down. Here is an important video that explains this basic hermeneutic (how we interpret the Bible) from Matt Chandler.



Matt Chandler - David, Goliath & The Gospel from The Gospel Project | LifeWay on Vimeo.


Another example of this from the same people (the Gospel Project) is this one that covers the whole story of the Bible.

The Cross an Object or Example of Faith?

It is common today to assert that Jesus' death was primarily an example apart from any notion of substitution or propitiation. The origin of this belief can be traced to Faustus Socinus who rooted his belief on 1 Peter 2:21 and 1 John 2:6. Of course neither fully defend his assertion that Jesus died to give us an example of love (a point similar to the moral influence theory of the atonement made popular by Abelard and Horace Bushnell). In 1 Peter 2:24, for example, Peter makes it clear that not only is the cross an example for believers on how to suffer well, but it is also substitutionary. He writes, and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.

There is another reason why Socinus' theory of the atonement falls flat. Consider the following illustration from Dr. Millard Erickson:

Suppose that a house is on fire. The parents have escaped, only to discover that their infant child is still within the burning house. Physically overcome, they are unable to reenter the home. A fireman, however, rushed into the house, saves the child, but in the process is himself overcome and dies. This would certainly be considered a beautiful example of love for one's fellow human at a disregard for his own safety. It would indeed be inspiring to others. But suppose there is no child in the house, and the parents insist that there is no child, and the fireman himself believes that no one is in the house. If he nonetheless rushed into the house and died, would we be impressed by the example, or would we consider it a case of foolhardiness? No one would want to emulate such an example and, indeed, no one ought to. And what of a superior who would order a fireman into the flames just to give an example of how dedicated firemen should be and to what lengths they should be willing to go in the call of duty? Should anyone follow such an order? Yet Christ's death represents this type of situation if the purpose of the atonement was not to pay the penalty for our sins, but simply to give us an example. One the other hand, if there really is a child in the house, not only is the child saved, but we are given an example of bravery and unselfishness. Similarly, if humanity is guilty of sin and condemned to death, and Christ has laid down his life in the place of the human race, not only are we saved, but we are given an example of how to live. The death of Christ is an example, but only if it also is a substitutionary sacrifice. (836-837)

This is a very important point. If the atonement is only about love and God's example of what love looks like, it is empty if it isn't a rescue operation for sinners like you and me.


May 26, 2013 | Why the Cross Matters
June 2, 2013 | Jesus Wins: Christus Victor  
June 9, 2013 | Jesus Won: Christus Victor
June 23, 2013 | The Courtroom: Sola Fida


For more:
We are Slaves: MacArthur on What We Are Redeemed From

The Heart & Soul of Christianity: MacArthur on Redemption
A Victorious People: John Stott on Christus Victor & the Vocabular of the First Christians
"The Cross of Christ" by John Stott: A Review
Its Not Just a Theory: Stott on Penal Substitution
John Stott on the The Human Enigma 
Allison: A History of the Doctrine of the Atonement
"Salvation Brings Imitation": Piper on Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 1 - Introduction
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 2 - Christus Exemplar and the doctrine of sin and depravity
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 3 - The History of Christus Exemplar
Where Theology and Life Intersect: A Theological Case for Christus Exemplar and Why It is Necessary - Part 4 - Christus Exemplar and Humility
Sanctification Demands It: The Necessity of the Atonement
"Death by Love" by Mark Driscoll
"In My Place, Condemned He Stood"
"It is Well"
"Precious Blood": A Review  

July 28, 2013 | Acts 2:1-12 - You Won’t Hear This on TBN: Pentecost, Babel, & the Glorious Gospel of a Kingdom Coming Down - Glen Dean Day 2013

Sunday was our annual Glen Dean Day celebration and as always, the service went well, it was good to see everyone, and of course the food was good. Here is the sermon audio and notes from that morning.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. ² And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

⁵ Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. ⁷ They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? ⁹ Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹ Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” ¹² And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”





Audio
Notes


For more:
July 29, 2012 | Ezekiel 37:1-14 - Can These Bones Live? - Glen Dean Day 2012
July 31, 2011 | Ephesians 2:11-22 - Brown & Black Don't Make Gray: Art, The Gospel, and Church Unity
July 25, 2010 - Revelation 2:1-7 - All You Lack is Love: The Danger of a Cold Faith - Glen Dean Day 2010
Psalm 23:1:  The Peace of Contentment - Glen Dean Day 2009