Spring Rain

Church & Gospel

*Check the box that highlights the interview with Jeff Vanderstelt (and then check out the rest:)

It seems that we can often have a shortsighted or...perhaps...mis-sighted view of "church" and "gospel".  

That the church is simply a place and not a people.  

With the gospel we tend to confuse identity and performance.  We perform to be accepted rather than see ourselves and accepted and out of that identity we perform or, more appropriately, live and move and have our being.

Ok, so the blog is not my chosen venue to offer (assuming I could in another venue?!) a thorough theological treatise.  I am not trying to oversimplify but, rather, be succinct and allow you to think & chew (and spit back if you choose).

"The central message of the Bible is the gospel, or good news, about the person and work of Jesus Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:1–4, Paul provides the most succinct summary of the gospel: the man Jesus is also God, or Christ, and died on a cross in our place, paying the penalty for our sins; three days later He rose to conquer sin and death and give the gift of salvation to all who believe in Him alone for eternal life.

The great reformer Martin Luther rightly said that, as sinners, we are prone to pursue a relationship with God in one of two ways. The first is religion/spirituality and the second is the gospel. The two are antithetical in every way.

Religion says that if we obey God He will love us. The gospel says that it is because God has loved us through Jesus that we can obey.

Religion says that the world is filled with good people and bad people. The gospel says that the world is filled with bad people who are either repentant or unrepentant.

Religion says that you should trust in what you do as a good moral person. The gospel says that you should trust in the perfectly sinless life of Jesus because He alone is the only good and truly moral person who will ever live.

The goal of religion is to get from God such things as health, wealth, insight, power, and control. The goal of the gospel is not the gifts God gives, but rather God as the gift given to us by grace.

Religion is about what I have to do. The gospel is about what I get to do. Religion sees hardship in life as punishment from God. The gospel sees hardship in life as sanctifying affliction that reminds us of Jesus’ sufferings and is used by God in love to make us more like Jesus. Religion is about me. The gospel is about Jesus.

Religion leads to an uncertainty about my standing before God because I never know if I have done enough to please God. The gospel leads to a certainty about my standing before God because of the finished work of Jesus on my behalf on the cross.

Religion ends in either pride (because I think I am better than other people) or despair (because I continually fall short of God’s commands). The gospel ends in humble and confident joy because of the power of Jesus at work for me, in me, through me, and sometimes in spite of me."   (reference: MH)

If you want more good (really good!) gospel teaching that will help inform and shape your understanding, I recommend the teaching of Tim Keller (Redeemer Presbyterian Church).  Go to Redeemer and check out the Sermon Store...you do need to pay but I GUARANTEE it is well, well worth it. 

Importance of Theology

Dr. Wayne Grudem Addresses the Advance 09 Crowd from The Resurgence on Vimeo.

Found this video posted at The Resurgence and wanted to link in to y'all.  Take a look-see.

Day at the River

On Good Friday, Obed and I trekked to the river with the  futbol-ers.  For some time we had wanted to take the crew to the river for a day of fun, sun, and yummy food (i.e., hot dogs & Kool-Aid).  So, with 60+ hotdogs, corresponding and equally processed white bread, and sugary beverage in hand(s) we made to 1.5 hour trek (really more of a  hearty walk) to the river.  Up through the hills, cross a road, up more hills, through an opening (fyi...great place for a camp..hmmm), through some more winding trails, and to the river we went.  I jokingly asked some of the guys if they were dying to which I got some a few joking "yeses"...except one little dude...he had me wondering....but we all made it.

We set up camp (i.e., dropped everything), had a brief time of sharing, and then played, played, played.  Those that rushed into line to receive hotdogs (and they did rush!) were quickly reminded that the first shall be last and hotdogs were distributed in this kingdom-like manner (i.e., the first were last...sorry guys).  While the playing, playing, playing went on I took a few breaks to catch a chapter in a book, take pictures, lounge on a sun soaked rock, move to a seat shaped rock oh-so-perfectly half-submerged in the running water, and to look to just watch.  As I watched the guys  do river-type-antics that this crew does so well, I smiled inside.  I loved to see them have fun, stuff their faces, and just enjoy God's creation with eachother.  I smiled as I thought of what God is doing in their lives and the five who were recently baptized.  I smiled as I thought of the privilege of having my life intersect with theirs.  I smiled as I thought of the picture we have in Scripture of the river of God---a place of refreshing, teeming with life, and always moving.  I smiled as I roasted my hotdog (which they graciously coached me through....I suppose they don't know we have such delicacies in Canada) and purposely charred it (for which they offered gently mockery...I thought I would just try to kill and weird stuff on the outside and really give the questionable contents  a good cookin')...and then smiled more as I muscled down the suspect meat and not-so-oven-fresh-bleached-white bun.  It was a great day filled with sun, fun, and many tired faced at the end!

It would be great if you could remember this crew in prayer--that they would continue to grow in their faith and knowledge of God's deep, deep love for them.  That their affections and attention would not be robbed by the challenges and temptations they face but that God would continue to draw them into Himself and they would be shaped by Him as young men.  On behalf of this crew I thank you for standing with them in prayer.

The Ooze

Check this fresh video from THEOOZE.TV

Mako Fujimura is a great artist whose work both as an artist and for artists I really admire. Ok, take a look see.