God Save the Queen

Yesterday in the city of Armagh Queen Elizabeth II took part in a service known as the Maundy service. The word Maundy comes from the latin word for command and is linked to the command of the Lord Jesus Christ to love one another. Sadly the service in Armagh Church of Ireland cathedral couldn't have been further from a statement of love. To truly love others truth is to the fore and sadly truth was missing yesterday in Armagh.

While many hailed the joy of having all the main churches wonderfully united with a hint of Islam and Buddhism thrown in for good measure this was nothing more than an emblem of the great tragedy of our day. This was simply another cunning chapter in the devil's hand book on how to hoodwink people into thinking that you can have your truth and I can have mine.

Roman Catholisim, modern day Judaism, Islam and Buddhism all teach that men and women are saved by good works. Protestantism teaches that sinners are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

The Maundy service in Armagh was no act of love but the most despicable act of hatred that said to men and women, you know all is well, truth can be of your kind or mine. The publicity that this service received ought to send the evangelical population of the Province to our knees to cry out that God would save the Queen, and that in wrath He would remember mercy.

Parable of the olly bolly dob dob flower

Just in case there are an Night Garden bloggers out there aged between 0 and 3 this post is for you.

In an attempt to distract my two year old when her mum was heading out for the the evening I thought why not treat her to an episode of her favourite Night Garden on BBC iplayer. So we logged on and sat back to watch the show. The story line of the episode was quite easy to follow, the Pinkyponk had landed in the Night Garden and Upsy Daisy, Iggle Piggle, the Tombliboos and the Pontipines clambered aboard. The Pinkyponk eased up off the ground to it's usual flatulant like noises. Soon it was weaving its way through the branches, over some and under others. How excited all the little passengers were as they headed off on the mystery tour.

Repeatedlly someone asked, Do you know where the Pinkponk is going? No one on board seemed to have the foggiest notion. Where was this wonderful machine carrying its occupants off too? Higher and higher it rose through the trees until it was out above the tree canopy. Then with great excitement in the air the Pinkyponk let out a few of its usual noises and came to a standstill in mid air. The big moment had arrived, the secret at the end of the journey, the reason for all the huffing and puffing - the olly bolly dob dob flower was opening up!

Now I don't know about you but if I had been Upsy Daisy, Iggle Piggle, the Tombilboos or the Pontipines I would have been rather peeved that that was it - an olly bolly dod dob flower.

My two year old didn't seem to notice that I was watching more attentively than usual and had pen in hand jotting down some thoughts.

All I could think of was - how like the lives of so many people - full of excitement, a lot of noise and commotion, and at the end nothing at all to show for the journey. How like so many just wasting away their lives journeying aimlessly with nothing at the end but disappointment. And that is what life is like without Jesus Christ - a journey on the Pinkyponk achieving nothing.

To journey with the Lord Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour is an entirely different situation. With Him there is real purpose, glorifying God and enjoying Him for ever, journeying onwards and upwards in our heavenly calling to the city that has no foundation. No disappointment there - but life everlasting.

Just as my two year old was hoping for another episode someone from the Night Garden said, Go to sleep Tombilboos and I thought - that is what the devil is saying to men and women the world over - go to sleep everything is all right, when everything is all wrong.

So take a long look at your life on your Pinkyponk - are you on a meaningless journey with nothing but Olly bolly dob dob flowers at the end or by grace have you come to the only one who can deal with sin and give real purpose. He is ready and willing to have you come aboard.

Why Join the Local Church

Every Christian should be a church member, however, not all seem to be persuaded of this. Some with hurts from the past feel that the step of membership is hard to take again. Others are on the search for the perfect church and are reluctant put down their roots. Still others seem to have a pride in their supposed flexibility saying, “we belong to a global church.” Some may even out of a wrong sense of responsibility say, “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.” The purpose of this short article is to show clearly the Biblical principle that every Christian should belong to a visible body of believers.
It goes without saying that not any church will do. The Reformers of the 16th century rightly spoke of the three marks of the church: true preaching of the Word of God, faithful administering of the sacraments and the exercising of Biblical Church discipline. A church that has these three marks evident in its life is the sort of church a Christian should belong to and be visibly committed to.
It is also true that every saved sinner belongs to the wider Church of God. Revelation 7:9 speaks of a great multitude which no one can number. Our membership of this world wide, century bridging company is to be expressed in our membership of the local church. By local this does not necessarily mean the church nearest to where you live. Sometimes this is simply not possible.
We believe also that the children of believers are already members of the church. That is how it was in the OT & NT. For them we look forward to seeing God’s grace apparent in their lives and them professing faith in Christ when they come to the years of discernment. At that stage they will enter in to all of the responsibilities and privileges of being a member of the church.
So why should every follower of Jesus Christ belong formally to a local gathering of believers?

1. Because God Says So
As with many aspects of the Christian life there is no direct command, “You shall belong to the local church.” However membership of a congregation is clearly implied and is what God expects. For example: in Acts 20:28 the elders of Ephesus were told to take care of the flock. How could they take care of the flock unless there was a flock to which the sheep belonged and the shepherds knew which sheep belonged to them. Or take the situation in Jerusalem, Those who accepted the message were baptised and added to their number that day. (Acts 2:41) That addition was not just that there were more of them, but that they were officially incorporated into the developing congregations of Jerusalem. That official belonging is emphasised later in Acts when Luke records, after the incident with Annanias and Saphira, that none of the rest dared join them. The word that is translated join means, “to glue or cement together, to unite, to join firmly.” Use of the word elsewhere shows that this was no casual superficial thing but the cohesive bonded relationship of church membership.
Think also of the implication for membership that there is with regards to leaders in the church. In I Timothy 3:5 speaking of the qualifications for the eldership Paul writes, If a man does not know how to rule his own house how will he take care of the church of God. The implication is clear that there will be a clearly defined church for him to care for. The NT believers officially belonged to a church.
When we take on membership we are obeying the Lord Jesus Christ and that is a sign of our salvation.
2. Because We Need the Care of the Church
The Lord does not call us to live our lives on our own. He expects us to belong to a congregation of God’s people where we will be cared for and can be involved in making and caring for new disciples. The NT is full of instruction on how the flock of God is to be cared for. Matthew 18:15-17 tells us how the church should respond when someone in the church starts to live like an unbeliever - tell it to the church...treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.
This has practical implication for our lives. God has designed church discipline to be a blessing in our lives - His means for calling us back when we wander. Someone not in membership of a local congregation does not have this privilege and that is a very dangerous position to be in.
3. Because We Have Responsibilities for Others
In Hebrews 10:24&25 we are commanded to consider one another. Not joining the church sends out a wrong and unbiblical message to other believers and also to the world. Not joining is modelling a sinful pattern to others. This is a serious thing to do. Not joining sends the message - this church and her teaching is not worthwhile being committed to; the work of God doesn’t deserve all of our lives.
Of course the opposite is also true. When we join a Biblical church we are making a massive statement to the unbelieving world and rightly considering others.
We should also remember that every Christian has been entrusted with gifts to be used in the context of a local church. These gifts are given for the common good (I Corinthians 12:7). Yes it is true that someone can use their gifts outside of the church but many of the ministry opportunities are available for church members only. A famous American preacher once said, Not joining the church is saying I don’t want to serve the only institution that Christ ever built.
4. Because we Have a Lost World to Reach
We should join a local church for the sake of reaching the lost. When we work together we can better spread the Gospel at home and overseas. A local church which is Biblical is a lighthouse to the world. When we take on membership we back up the missionary endeavours of the church. Together in the church we can reach our towns and community and combine our efforts to further the gospel across the world.
5. Because we want to Bring Glory to God
How we live our lives can bring glory to God. Peter writing to the early NT believers wrote, Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us. (I Peter 2:12) That is not only true for us as individuals but also in our lives together. Our lives together are to show that we belong to Christ and to bring Him glory. When you join the church you are being adopted into the family of God’s people and in that family the relationships lived out and the service given one for the other will bring glory to God. Bringing glory to God is the reason above all that Christians should belong to a church.
Obviously anyone can come along to the services and benefit from the preaching and the warmth of the fellowship. But there are many more privileges in belonging to the church. You will receive the official care and oversight of the minister and elders; you will have the opportunity to come to the Lord’s Table without being welcomed as a visitor. You will have the privilege of your children being able to receive the sign of baptism. You will have the privilege of being able to stand alongside a group of believers knowing that this is your church where you will be cared for, prayed for and your gifts utilised to God’s glory.
So do not merely attend a church - join. Join because God says so, because you need to, because others will be blessed and most of all because God will be glorified.

All that glistens isn't Gold

BBC world news revealed this week that Ethiopa are in the process of testing all the gold in their vaults to determine if they are really as wealthy as they have been imagining. In a recent transaction with South Africa it was uncovered that some of Ethiopia's gold was no more that gold plated steel.

What a marvellous illustration of many in the world today imagining that they are rich when the reality is that they are terribly poor, that all the time when they imagined that they had wealth they had nothing. So many imagine that their good works are some sort of bullion that they can barter with God with. But time will tell that all that they have is as worthless as plated steel.

The wonderful good news of the gospel is that we can become truly rich. Paul speaks of the Lord Jesus as the one who was rich and yet for our sakes became poor, that we through is poverty might become rich.

Here is how the deal works. When God made man he was really rich, he knew God and was in fellowship with God. Adam and Even decided that real wealth was in doing their own thing. In an instant they were bankrupt before God. God in His love and mercy had a wonderful plan. His Eternal Son came to earth, leaving behind the wealth of heaven. He took upon himself our form, yet without sin, lived in this sinful world as the only perfect man, keeping God's law perfectly. His life was one of utter poverty - rejected by all but a few of the lowest of society. Things hit rock bottom for Him when He was nailed to a cross. In those hours hanging between heaven and earth He was forsaken of His Father as He bore the ultimate price for the sin of many. When He had finished paying the price for the salvation of many He was raise from the dead and declared with power to be the Son of God. His resurrection was God's stamp - PAID IN FULL. Now in heaven as the God Man He rules the nations making men and women really rich as they receive Him in repentance and faith.

To be really rich the currency of heaven - declare your total poverty before God, that you are a sinner deserving of His holy wrath, and cry out to Him to save you on the basis of Christ's finished work. In an instant you will have wealth that will never perish, spoil or fade - forgiveness of sin, a new standing with God, a place in the family of God and the sure and certain hope of heaven.

It is time to stop imagining that you have wealth in and of yourself and receive the riches of Christ. Remember only hands that are empty can receive the gift.

Contending for the Faith Robert L. Reymond

This 400 plus page book published by Mentor is a collection of twenty five theological papers. The subects covered in the book range from creation to hell. Some of the chapters are quite heavy and eg Brunner's dialectal encounter. I have to confess that the one on Brunner and two others (Bultman and Barth) were beyond my mind. The other 22 chapters are all an excellent read. Reymond's clear Biblical approach mixed with a warmth and graciousness make the comments of the author good food for the soul. Reymond is never afraid to point out error as in his debunking of Stott's view on hell. But it is always done in the most gracious manner. That alone makes me want to read more. It is hard to pick out a best chapter. I think if I am pushed the best is saved to the end when he writes on the topic "What's wrong with Islam." I thoroughly recommend this volume to all blog readers. not only will you find clear Scriptural teaching but it will also furnish you with a style of writing that is warm and winsome yet straight to the point.

Contents

1. The Justification of Theology with Special Application to Contemporary Christology
2. The Historical Integrity of Genesis 1-11
3. “In The Space of Six Days”
4. The Theological Significance of The Biblical Doctrine of Creation.
5. The Angels of God
6. The Contributions of Ugaritic Study to Old Testament Study
7. Salvation Principles Governing The Genesis Patriarchs and The Exodus Redemption
8. An Amicus Brief for Unconditional Election
9. My Vision of the Department of Systematic Theology in a Reformed Seminary
10. Revisiting How We Should Support The Doctrine of The Trinity
11. The Trinitarianism of the Westminster Confession of Faith: Nicene or Reformed?
12. Why Must Jesus Be God and Man?
13. The Sanders/Dunn “Fork in the Road” in the Current Controversy Over the Pauline Doctrine of Justification by Faith.
14. Lord’s Day Observance: Mankind’s Proper Response to the Fourth Commandment.
15. Children in the Covenant
16. Brunner’s Dialectical Encounter
17. Barth’s Doctrine of Election and Reconciliation
18. Bultmann’s Demythologized Kerygma
19. Dr. John H. Gerstner on Thomas Aquinas as a Protestant
20. Dr. Robert H. Schuller’s Self-Esteem: The New Reformation
21. Dr. John Stott on Hel
22. Review of Walter C. Kaiser’s Toward an Exegetical Theology: Biblical Exegesis for Preaching and Teaching
23. The “Very Pernicious and Detestable” Doctrine of Inclusivism
24. Why The Roman Catholic Church Is a Threat Only to Roman Catholics and a Non-Threat to Everyone Else
25. What’s Wrong With Islam?

Render to Caesar...Render to God

Spoke the other evening on Mark's account of how the Lord Jesus responded to the hypocritical questioning of the Herodians and Pharisees. What an off the map response - even His enemies were bowled over by His wonderful wisdom. Not for the Lord the Newsnight politicans side stepping answering. He gives them an answer that shows them the real and greatest need.

13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, "Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone’s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not?" 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, "Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 16And they brought one. And he said to them, "Whose likeness and inscription is this?" They said to him, "Caesar’s." 17Jesus said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s." And they marveled at him.

Now what was this all about? There seem to be a few opinions doing the rounds. I like how Tim Keller ties it in with a revolt by Judas the Galilean in AD6, the year that this Poll tax was introduced. Judas the Galilean had called on all Jews not to pay, he was speaking about the kingdom of God and had on one occasion cleared the temple. Obviously the Romans were a bit annoyed with him and took him out of circulation. Revolutionaries were not that popular to say the least. And now comes this Jesus person, He too has been speaking about the kingdom of God, He too has just cleared the temple and now they come and ask - so what do you think about the poll tax? What they are basically asking is - are you a revolutionary too?

In light of that the Lord's answer is so amazing. If He answers yes they will take Him out of circulation too. If He says no the many Galilean supporters that He has will become rather non plussed by His teaching.

So when the Lord answers as He does with neither a yes or no, yet really answering the question, what He is saying is - Yes I am a revolutionary but not the sort of revolutionary that you are thinking about. His revolution is of an entirely different order.

Look at how He answers. Bring me a coin (he doesn't have one of His own!) Whose image (icon) is this? And when they answer Caeasar they have answered their own question. Of course they should pay the tax - the coin for paying it has his image on it - so give him what he deserves (render). Indeed since they already have a denarius and are using it they are already showing that they are under Roman rule. So give him what he deserves, but not what he really wants. That is why the Lord speaks about the inscription. Every coin in Roman usage had an insription about Caesar being God and being a high priest. So they could give him His tax but not what he wanted - worship and total allegiance.

But the Lord was saying something much more - render to God the things that are God's. Just as the image of Caesar is on his coin and you are to give him what he deserves, so by implication every human being who is stamped with the image of God is to give to God what He deserves - every part of our lives.

There is only one revolution that is worth signing up for. That is the one that the Lord Jesus Christ has - one of knowing and serving the Lord of the nations. And how could we ever in our sin be His servants? That is the gospel - He who was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, so that we through His poverty could become rich. His death on the cross sorts out the horror of our rebellion, He bore the punishment for the sins of many, so that sinners like you and me would not have to pay the penalty for our rebellion. He alone is the true high priest, the Pontifex Maximus, great bridge builder. This great King calls you to fall before Him and trust Him alone for salvation and to become a servant in the revolution that is really changing the world.

That is just a quick summary. I will preach the passage soon. For all young RPs if you didn't get the full version you would have if you had gone along to the CY conference!

No Turning Back - J. Philip Arthur

Yet another devotional commentary on Hebrews. This one is published by Grace publications and is about 240 pages in length. There are 30 short chapters full of material useful for a time of personal daily devotion. Not much here for sermon preparation. That is no criticism of a very well written book that will benefit all who read. Phil Arthur is a good communicator both in spoken and written word. He manages to do what many writers of devotional commentaries fail to do, that is, tie the whole book together. Using this in your daily devotions will give you a good handle on Hebrews and provide you with clear and revelevant application that is very challenging. Comparing it to the other four short devotional studies I have read on Hebrews recently, this one comes in a close second place after the Welwyn commentary. All in all a good buy and useful book to have on any family bookshelf. Costs about £9.00.

The Gospel of Ruth Carolyn Custis James

On my second preaching tour of Ruth I thought I would get a few new commentaries to spark my thinking. Bought David Jackman in the Preacher's Commentary series, Lawson Younger in the NIV Application Commentary series and Ian Duigid in the Reformed Expository Commentary series. All quite useful and have helped in putting together an entirely new series of sermons. But one surpasses them all, namely, "The Gospel According to Ruth" by Carolyn Custis James. Tremper Longman III's note on the cover assured me I had bought at least reasonably wisely. He writes, "a compelling and rivitting read." And that is exactly what it is. The author relies heavily on Hubbard's useful and detailed commentary but then writes in the most spell bounding manner. I honestly couldn't put it down. It is just over 200 pages in length, so it is not a doorstoper in size but in application and in giving new insights it is unsurpassable. I wish I had come across this before I preached on Ruth the last time - but since it has only appeared this year from Zondervan and I last preached on Ruth over five years ago I am excused. Having said that, in light of things I have gleaned from this book I think I will have to apologise to Naomi when I meet here. She was not the backslidder I previously labelled her as. I see her now through new eyes as a woman of faith, a female Job with much to teach us even in her shakier moments. Every man intending to preach through Ruth needs to read this. If you have a wife give it to her when you have finished. Carolyn Custis James is an expert in getting to the heart of the gospel from this fascinating OT narrative. All you young fellas who read this blog should get this and read it thoroughly. If you are not married and praying that the Lord will give you a spouse then you need to know how to recognise a stunner like Ruth.

I'm off now to order on line Carolyn Custis James two other books "The women we thought we knew" and "When Life and Beliefs Collide." I will turn the pages carefully and then be able to give them to my Ruth life wife as a gift. Don't tell her!

Even a Little Light

Preaching through Ruth over these past weeks. Purchased a very insightful little book by Carolyn Custis James (I will review it in total when I am finished it) which has stirred up some thoughts on witnessing. I have been thinking of Ruth's wonderful conversion. What was it that the Lord used to bring this woman to faith in the God of the Covenant? She had no Guest Service to be invited to, no Bible to read, no tract to crumple and stuff in her pocket, no on line message to tap into. So what was the tool in the hands of the God of salvation? Quite simple really - a Christian family that came to town - a man and wife and two sons. They were far from the perfect family. No doubt their pastor, if they had had one, would have been really dispondent about their sojourning in Moab. But Ruth saw in them something that she had never witnessed in Moab before. She saw a distinct difference when she entered that family of believing Israelites. When she heard their history, watched them interact with one another and their new neighbours and most of all observed them in the face of death she knew that there was something that they had and that she needed.
Yes they were far from perfect. But when you are living in deep darkness as was Ruth's situation even a little light can be a great light and a powerful tool in the hand of the Lord who delights in the rescuing of sinners and who takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked.
This thought is not to make us sloppy Christians, but to cause us to take heart in our stumbling along and indeed in our failures. Perhaps there is a Ruth observing you and your family just now. Oh that soon you would here them say - Your God will be my God.

"Nothing is Predestined in Politics"???

BBC correspondent Jim Fitzpatrick commenting recently on the ogoing saga of the Paisley dynasty made an interesting passing comment that most will simply nod in agreement to. "Yet - apologies here to Calvinists for I don't mean this in the theological sense - nothing is predestined in politics."
Obviously Mr Fitzpatrick has spoken with a few Calvinists in his day but he has not been listening correctly or they have been rather feeble Calvinists. Of course we understand the sentiment behind the comment, namely that things are so unpredicable in the political arena. But what every man, woman and child and indeed every politician needs to know, including the Paisley dynasty is that they only hold power so long as they serve the purposes of the sovereign Lord, King Jesus.
Who knows what purposes the Lord has in the sham of Stormont, but one thing is for sure, everything is predestined in politics. A simple reading of the latter part of Daniel proves that beyond all doubt - that the Lord sets in place whoever He wills and when they have served His purposes they pass from the scene. In fact one of the primary emphasies of Daniel is that every system that sets itself up in opposition to the ways of the King of kings will in due course w crumble and come tumbling down. Mr. Fitzpattrick like all of us needs to know that everything is predestined in politics, we can rest in peace knowing that He has purposes even in shambolic situation of Stormont. So often the work of God is a mingling of judgement and mercy. And in our political situation perhaps the judgement is - this is just the sort of governing mess that we deserve - while in mercy and grace we have a measure of peace when the gospel can flow freely.

Are you Keeping the Sabbath - are you Reaching out?

Struck recently by a wonderful little phrase of Charles Hodge (Systematic Theology III:330) "If men wish the knowledge of [Jesus resurrection] to die out, let them neglect to keep holy the first day of the week; if they desire that event to be everywhere known and remembered, let them consecrate that day to the worship of the risen Saviour."
He has got it in one. Look at the mess of our nation and the state of the churches - is Sabbath breaking not at the heart of the issue? The gospel languishes in so many parts of these islands. So many Christians are emaciated and weak with neither energy or desire to share the good news - and all because of a broken Sabbath. When Christians hold this day sacred to the Lord, for His work and worship then this pagan world can't help but notice.
Why do you not play your sports? Why do you not do your shopping? Why do you not do your studying? Why do you not do your usualy work? Why do you not do your visiting and partying? Why do you go to worship at your church morning and evening? The answer is so simple - THE LORD JESUS CHRIST HAS BEEN TO THIS EARTH, HE HAS DIED FOR SINNERS, GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK AND I HAVE NO DESIRE FOR ANYTHING ELSE BUT TO CELEBRATE HIS GREAT AND GLORIOUS NAME AND WORK.
So don't be sucked in by the cunning schemes of the devil to have a day doing your own thing, lying in your pit, recovering from a busy week, it is to be the wonderful rest of change and a day totally for Him. Try it and you will see that a day given to Him. A day given to His worship, publicly and privately, a day given to prayer and study of the Word. Not only will you be well sabbathed but the change in you may well mean that others will be pointed more to the one who gives ultimate rest.

When I Saw Him

Preached yesterday on Revelation 1v9-20, or should I say, tried to preach on Revelation 1v9-20. What an amazing portrait of the Lord Jesus Christ. The general thrust of the "impressionists portrait" John writes down is a majestic, mighty, glorious, Lord who is coming to judge. One who sees all that there is to see in His church, one who has the power to act, one whose actions as Judge will one day be seen by all. What strikes me most in the passage is John's response, When I saw Him I fell down as though dead. No happy clappy dancing in the isles, no swinging hands and swaying bodies, no dour faced praise, no expressionless singing, no stampeed for the carpark, no hypnotic induced collapsing, no pally wally Jesus is my best buddy - but a man overcome by the presence of Him who is Lord of all.
And that is what the church needs more than anything - to see Him. That is what would shake us from our lethargy, that is what would stir our praise and fill our lives with joyful service. No minister would ever again have to encourage attendance at the means of grace, no programmes would have to designed to pretend that something is happening in the church. And how will we see Him? Not in a vision or dream but on the pages of our Bibles and when preachers learn to preach Christ from all the Scripture. Lord make me a Christ focussed preacher should be the daily prayer of every gospel minister. Lord make my minister a man who speaks Christ in every syllable the prayer of every church member. Mighty God send down your Spirit that He might grant us the eye to see what has been forever recorded in the pages of our Bibles, pictures of Him that will traumatise us to praise and live for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Disciplines of a Godly Man by Kent Hughes

I have been working through this book with some of the men from the church over the past year. Most helpful and thoroughly rooted in the Word. One or two of the chapters need a bit of a tweak here and there but aside from that this is a very useful tool to stir up men to flex a bit of spiritual muscle.
One of the dangers of a book like this is that it all becomes a bit of "do, do, do" and it is easy to forget that the gospel is "done, done, done." Hughes tries to balance this in the very last chapter. I think it needs emphasised constantly that all that we do is because of the gospel, and in thanksgiving for the gospel because the gospel of grace has changed our lives. If the reader bears these things in mind this is a useful read for a man on his own or to work through with a few others. Like all "how to books," you can come to the end of it having entirely forgotten what was at the start.

Called to the Ministry

I have been thinking a lot of recent times about what constitutes a call to the ministry. I have heard many speak on the subject over the years and read bits and pieces. There seems to be a great deal of emphasis on a subjective inner call, feeling, compulsion, and an awaiting for "the call." I have to be honest, at present I find this hard to square with the message of the Bible. Any Scriptural references quoted are for the prophets and all know that they had a unique roll and place in redemptive history.
From Ephesians 4 it appears that the pastor teacher is equipped to equip the people of God. Surely that equipping of God is therefore a huge part of a call to the ministry. The Lord Jesus Christ equips certain men so that they will be able to equip the people of God through the Word. My understanding is that a call to the ministry of the gospel constitutes three main areas: equipping for the job, calling of the church and inward desire. Where these are present surely a man can say that he has been called to the ministry. So what are the gifts for gospel ministry? Many launch straight for - preaching and teaching. Obviously they are central but on their own they are not sufficient. Does a man have wisdom. Has he been equipped to handle the complexities of the life of the church. Too often men have begun in the ministry only to come unstuck in a short period of time or cause great havoc simply because they lacked wisdom. This is where the roll of the church is so vital. The elders of a church ought to be able to discern not only can a man preach - but is he wise. Does he know what the Word says and know how that Word is to be worked out in life.
Another thing on ministry. There seems to a growing influence to wait until a man is older, has experience of life. Granted there may be situations where this is wise, it was so in my own case. But the other side of the matter is - a young man gifted for ministry and growing in grace as he trusts in the Lords strength can have a whole lifetime of ministry if he enters college as soon after university as possible. Of course such advice has huge implications for young men, men in their late teens - be redeeming the time now, grow now, read now, learn to pray now so that you will be ready to go into the ministry at the first possible opportunity.
Just some rambling thoughts. I trust that they might do a little stirring.

Thought of Anything for Your Grave Stone?

Yesterday morning I went to hear Pastor Geoff Thomas giving a guest lecture at the Reformed Theological College. Many of the things that he said about pastoral ministry were most helpful and stimulating. He gave seven points on how to preach and pastor in the 21st century:

1. Humbly thank God that you have been called to the ministry.

2. Love your people.

3. Seeking the Annointing of the Holy Spirit.

4. Don't rest without success in your ministry.

5. Live a holy life.

6. Be a man of prayer.

7. Preach the gospel.

All the points were excellently illustrated from his own experience of the ministry and with accounts from history. But it was the little asides that caught me mind.

At the close of the address he recounted what he would like placed on his grave stone, "God created me, sin ruined me, grace restored me." Just nine words to keep on preaching the glorious gospel of Christ when the preacher has passed from this earth.

If the Lord tarries after we leave this earthly scene some will visit our graves, some may even shed a tear at the parting, some will come to cut the grass, some will come researching a family tree, some just looking for solitude. Wouldn't it be wonderful if someone was pointed to Christ from the place on this earth where our mortal remains were resting in the earth, still joined to Christ and awaiting His coming.

So why not do some thinking so that though you being dead yet still speaketh.

The Salvation of Souls - Jonathan Edwards

This absolutely fantastic little hardback book published by Crossway Books is a series of nine previously unpublished sermons on the call of ministry and the gospel. Each sermon is given a careful and informative introduction setting the scene of where, why and when the sermon was preached. For young men considering the gospel ministry there is a lot of helpful material here. It should be compulsory reading for any man in training for the ministry. For men in ministry there is a lot here to sharpen the focus of your life, particularly the very last sermon entitled, "The work of the ministry is saving sinners." This is also a helpful book for ministers to get ideas from when asked to preach at an ordination and or installation.

As I read again some Edwards I am reminded of one great regret that I have in my mid forties, namely that I didn't read Edwards in my formative years. If you have good eyesight buy the two Banner volumes. If you have excess money buy one of the Yale edition books of sermons. Even if you only buy one a year. They will knock you back about £50-60 a volume. If you can read on line all Edwards material will soon be on line. Personally I think that buying one or two volumes of the Yale version each year would be the best idea. If you haven't read any Edwards before start with Marsden's marvellous biography.

Suicide - When Hope Seems Gone

A recent BBC report gave the tragic information that 900 young men take their lives in the UK every year. For young men between 18-30 it is the second most common way to die. The National Director for mental health noted that we have an "epidemic of young male suicide." Many have presented their opinions concerning these sad statistics. Some say that men are conditioned from childhood not to share their feelings and never come looking for help. While there may be some truth in that it is hardly the underlying reason. Prof Appleby, the National Director for mental health is surely getting closer when he comments "they have lost their ties to society, work, family and friends." But again is this the root reason?

In many of the tragic cases where people take their own lives the cry is one of despair, all hope seems gone. Now why would people think that way? Could it be that the ongoing attempts of society to do away with God has left this haunting vacuum of despair. If there is no God, there is no truth, there is no right and wrong, no purpose, no future. That is where the godless educational system of our day has taken our society.

But for the person over come with feelings of all hope being gone they need to know that there is one who brings hope. His name is the Lord Jesus Christ. When He walked this earth often He mingled with the no hopers of this world, the despised and the lonely, the forgotten and the failing. He made a wonderful offer to such people, Come to Me and I will give you rest. With the Lord Jesus Christ men and women are made into new creations, made part of a wonderful new society, given a new family of the church. All who trust in Him to deal with their sin He promises to give hope and a future to. All who come to Him and follow Him He promises never to leave nor forsake. So if you read this and you are feeling that all hope is gone, be assured that it is not - for Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.

The Hand of God - F.S. Leahy, Banner of Truth

For three years between 1991 and 1994 I had the priviledge of having the late F.S. Leahy as my Systematics prof at the Reformed Theological College, Belfast. This, the last book to come from his pen before his sudden home calling is filled with the thoroughness study and devotion for Christ that I remember his lectures to have been. As the title suggests this book traces the workings of the Sovereign God in the world and in the life of His people.

Every chapter is written in the prof's characteristic clear, concise and compassionate style. When I read the chapter on guidance it was just like the day I went to speak with him looking for advice on how to discern the will of God on an important choice that lay before me. "David, do you believe that God guides?" "Yes, Professor." "Then pray that He will guide you, use the mind that the Lord has given you, make your decision and know for sure that He has guided you." I did what he said and found great blessing.

Every chapter is woven together by a man who knew the Word so thoroughly. Each of the clear stacato sentences has been carefully crafted and compassionately set before the reader. Each chapter has a little nugget, a dazzling gem to stir the thoughts, a perceptive comment mined from decades of servant leadership amongst the people of God. As each nugget appeared I could see the Prof in my memory. That critical moment in the lecture. For thirty minutes he wouldn't have wavered from the text printed on the hand out. Then came the pause. The hand slowly raising to that inside pocket of his neat jacket where his shining Parker pen always resided. It was then carefully laid under the line of the text to mark his place and then came the jewel we had been waiting for. If only I had noted them down.

This marvellous book has many of those pen moments that kept his students on the edge of their seats.

This little Banner book of some 207 pages is gold dust from beginning to end. Read it, and take to heart for the blessing of your soul

The Message of Hebrews Raymond Brown BST

A 272 page easy read commentary of Hebrews. The book divides into 27 chapters which are short enough to cover in a time of personal devotion. For the preacher looking for a way to divide up the text Brown is quire good. He teases out well some of the Greek with clear application to the life of the reader. Not that strong on giving the overall thrust of the book and tying the various sections together. Not too many nuggets to note but as far as giving a general handle on the book it does a reasonable job. Useful for a youth leader or home group leader preparing studies. For any wanting to preach on Hebrews you better go for the big boys. I plan to give you a review of some of these in due course.

Facebook and Fellowship

All over the world men and women and young people are in search of community. Within each of us beats a desire to be known and to know others in a deep and satisfying manner. In a past generation this was displayed in meeting at the local corner or in the proliferation of public houses up and down the country. Today the longing for community is displayed in cyberspace. Myspace was at one time signing up 500,000 new users a week. Bebo advertises itself as a social media network where friends share their lives. Friends Reunited uk claims to have 19 million old friends listed. All in the quest for community. Why such a strong desire that displays itself in so many different ways? The answer is simple - we are wired for community. When God created man, though he was perfect, in a perfect world and in contact with God for he had no sin we are given the startling information in Genesis 2v18 It is not good for man to be alone. Made in the image on God we are designed to have meaningful and satisfying contact with others. Sadly our sin has spoiled everything and every effort to connect with others quickly gets marred and does not satisfy.
So where is the answer? In the gospel, in I John 1v3 we read, We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. When we are restored to fellowship with God through faith alone in Christ alone we are linked with other Christians in true fellowship.
The local church is God's visual tract to the world. The world ought to be able to look at your church and mine and be blown away by the unity amidst our diversity. They ought to see in all our local churches where true community is found and how to true community can be experienced. Your congregation is God's facebook for the lost world the one place where people can truly share their lives that God is remaking. Your church is to show that it is possible for enemies to be reunited - that is how it was in the NT church with Jew and Gentile sitting together, lovingly caring and providing for one another.