resurrection life

God has a sense of humor. I preached on Mark 5 yesterday and the resurrection life that Jesus provides for the Gerasene Demoniac, woman with a discharge of blood, and Jairus’ daughter who died, but was brought back to life.

And then I opened up Valley of Vision this morning to read a prayer and I came to page 173, called “Crucifixion and Resurrection.” It’s about resurrection life (ironically!):

O LORD, I marvel that though shouldst become incarnate, be crucified, dead, and buried. The sepulcher calls forth my adoring wonder, for it is empty and thou art risen; the four-fold gospel attests it, the living witnesses prove it, my heart’s experience knows it. Give me to die with thee that I may rise to new life, for I wish to be dead and buried to sin, to selfishness, to the world; that I might not hear the voice of the charmer, and might the delivered from his lusts. O Lord, there is much ill about me–crucify it, much flesh within me–mortify it. Purge me from selfishness, the fear of man, the love of approbation, the shame of being thought old-fashioned, the desire to be cultivated or modern. Let me reckon my old life dead because of crucifixion, and never feed it as a living thing. Grand me to stand with my dying Saviour, to be content to be rejected, to be willing to take up unpopular truths, and to hold fast despised teachings until death. Help me to be resolute and Christ-contained. Never let me wander from the path of obedience to thy will. Strengthen me for the battles ahead. Give me courage for all the trials, and grace for all the joys. Help me to be a holy, happy person, free from every wrong desire, from everything contrary to thy m ind. Grant me more and more of the resurrection life: may it rule me, may I walk in its power, and be strengthened through its influence.

King Jesus…now or later?

“Jesus has to return to set up his earthly kingdom,” I was told a week ago by a dispensationalist.

Interesting, I thought. This person is saying that Jesus isn’t really King now and apparently the Bible says he has to return in order to be King.

This assertion goes against the reality that for the writers of the New Testament, Jesus is Lord and King NOW and that there is no future need for him to be established as King because it was established at the cross and vindicated at his resurrection.

Jesus is King now, not later, and here are some verses to ponder:

Matthew 28:18 – “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

King’s have authority…ultimate authority. And look what Jesus says about where that authority is…heaven and earth, now.

Ephesians 1:19-21a – “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe,according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named…”

Being at the right hand means you have ultimate power and authority, so much so, that it is far beyond any other powers!

Jesus claimed to be the son of man (“Human One“) from Daniel 7:13-14 -

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

Seems fairly clear, right? This is fulfilled in Acts 1:10-11 when Jesus “comes” the Ancient of Days. Notice that the coming is not from heaven to earth, but from earth to heaven. Jesus is ruling and reigning as King and Lord over all right now.

Serve him.

Book Review – Acts (St. Andrews Expositional Commentary) by R.C. Sproul

Though I’ve never met Dr. Sproul, I love him. I love his style, his eloquence, and succinct explanation of theology. From what I can ascertain from various sources, his life truly matches his doctrine.

His St. Andrews Expositional Commentary Series is a must have for preachers and teachers alike. The way Dr. Sproul presents the Scriptures in these books is stupendous.

And Acts is no different. I’m writing and researching for my dissertation (on the Luke/Acts Narratives) and I wanted to use this book for its practical insight, yet accessible commentary. It’s not a typical commentary with lots of Greek word parsing and various language discussion–it’s better. Dr. Sproul is historical, yet practical. He uses small anecdotal stories to help bring out the meaning of the text while firmly presenting the context and original meaning of the text. When you are reading the book, it reads more like a story than a commentary that is chopped up with various sections and lengthy pericopes. As you move through the text, Sproul does an incredible job weaving the verses together and providing their overarching themes while simultaneously giving you insight and practical exhortation.

You need to pick up this commentary!

Buy at:

• WTSBooks
• Amazon
• Crossway

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through Crossway.org <http://www.Crossway.org> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

farming and contexts.

Yesterday’s sermon was from Mark 4:1-34, and while a familiar passage to many, still one that should be revisited from time-to-time.

The passage at hand is a lengthy discourse given by Jesus to the crowds and to disciples (in private). Some of it is meant to be hidden (secretive), some of it is meant to be made plain to the disciples, and still all of it is subversive Kingdom talk that purposefully invokes a reaction.

The parables themselves are a part of the Kingdom initiation project that Jesus has been working on. If he were to speak openly and plainly (without parables), then Herod and his faculty would have snuffed Jesus out quicker. But Jesus chooses to speak in parables (stories) in order to subversively interject the Kingdom into the world.

It’s kind of like Ocean’s Eleven… that secretive plot-developing that happens underground.

But I mentioned something yesterday that a pastor friend of mine blatantly disagreed with me on once before. That is, Jesus is a product of his environment. (He’s a product of heaven, don’t get me wrong!) but is certainly no less than a product of the Jewish people in that time, at that place. My pastor friend didn’t believe much (though he didn’t say this specifically) in the background in Jesus’ world and that we only need to look at the story as a simple farming metaphor.

“We’ve de-Jewished Jesus,” I proclaimed yesterday, and to my friend.

Here’s why: This isn’t simply a cute farming metaphor. It certainly is a parable (not an allegory!) and is meant to invoke our thoughts—but don’t forget that there is a deeply Jewish way of thinking about seeds getting planted, something that while Jesus was teaching, the people certainly remembered from their own stories.

It starts in the Old Testament where the Jewish people are in exile and hoping to be planted back in the land. They were waiting for God to move in a great moment of awesomeness. The Kingdom of Israel was virtually synonymous with the Kingdom of God—so they thought. Jesus turns it on his head.

As The Faithful Israelite, Jesus brings the Kingdom of God, not to the land specifically, but to the world as a whole. Rather than Israel receiving a King for their own isolationists endeavors, the world receives the True King, Jesus the Messiah.

He’s planting again, but not just Israel… He’s planting the word, and sowing a people for his Kingdom.

Jesus is a farmer growing his people. Put differently, he’s building his Church.

it’s dangerous.

I’ve spent the past week explaining to Elijah (my 3-year-old) what baptism is.

This morning we are dunking (around here we call it: “doing the oreo”) 18 people who have confessed with their mouths that Jesus is Lord.

So, naturally, having seen the moveable baptistry tank we have here at ourchurch, Eli’s curiosity was tickled and he had several questions. He wondered if I was going to go under water, or if I was going to stand; he wanted to know if I was going to wear a swimsuit or my clothes. He also wanted a rationale answer as to why people get baptized. I purported:

Me: “People get baptized because they love Jesus. Do you love Jesus, Eli?”

Eli: “I do love Jesus.”

Me: “Well, do you want to get baptized?”

Eli: “No, daddy.”

Me: “Why not?”

Eli: “Because it’s dangerous.”

What a striking remark. Without even knowing it, he nailed the entire thing on the head. Baptism is a signpost for the world to see what discipleship truly is: that is, taking up your cross—dying to yourself—and choosing Jesus as the True Lord and Savior of the world. It’s dangerous following the crucified Messiah. Your life will NEVER be the same. Suffering will become your new reality as you are sent on Mission to heal and restore a broken world. Your old self is crucified with Christ, and as you come out of the waters, your new creation-life has begun. It’s dangerous.