Why in the world would I take the "Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands" Class?

So you're might be asking yourself, "Why should I take this class called Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands when it cost money and will take more time and effort?" Well, my first reaction would be to tell you that harder things often yield great fruit to those who embrace them. And that might be enough for some of you. For others you may need more convincing.

Over the next few weeks I want to present to you quotes from the book this class is built upon in hopes that you see the great benefit that would come to you by taking this class. The point of the class is to be the kind of instruments that God can use to minister to others. Trying to learn how to help others deal with sin and live godly lives tend to reveal our own sin and call us to deal with it and in turn live godly lives.

This first set of quotes may not seem to some of you like a good reason to take a class since it deals with our sin. but we have to know what sin is in order to deal with it correctly. One problem though is that we all are often tempted to hide our sins. But sin rightly identified gives great hope to those ready to fight and kill it. It's good to know our enemy so we know what and how to defeat it. This class will help you see sin rightly and be better prepared to fight and kill it.

Sin is the ultimate disease, the grand psychosis. You cannot escape it or defeat it on your own ... Our deepest problem is not experiential, biological, or relational; it is moral, and it alters everything. It distorts our identity, alters our perspective, details our behavior, and kidnaps our hope. (12)

Sin is rebellion:

more than breaking a few rules; it is a fundamental flaw in my character. ... Rebellion is the inborn tendency to give in to the lies of autonomy, self-sufficiency, and self-focus. It results in a habitual violation of God-given boundaries. (13)

Autonomy says, "I have the right to do what I want when I want to do it." Self-sufficiency says, "I have everything I need in myself, so I don't need to depend on or submit to anyone." Self-focus says, "I am the center of my world. It is right to live for myself and to do only what brings me happiness." (14)

Do you often live an autonomy, self-sufficiency, and self-focus life? I do, whether I want to admit it or not. In fact, knowing it and admitting it does not make us rebellious - we already are rebellious. The sooner we face the truth the sooner we seek change. God gives hope to rebels.

What makes knowing and admitting we are rebellious difficult is the foolishness of sinfulness:

Foolishness believes that there is no perspective, insight, theory, or "truth" more reliable than my own. It buys into the lie that we know better. It causes us to distort reality and live in worlds of our own making. It is as if we look at life through a carnival mirror, convinced that we see clearly (14).

Foolishness is a rejection of our basic nature as human beings. We were never created to be our own source of wisdom. We were designed to be revelation receivers, dependent on the truths God would teach us, and applying those truths to our lives. (15)

Does foolishness describe you? It does me. At times, when I reject God's truth, I live in this state of foolishness. Without help in seeing my foolishness I might remain in this state of deception for long periods of time. Who of us enjoys being deceived or living a lie? How many of us what to be duped? Not me. The sooner we see our foolishness the sooner we can flee from it.

But far more devastating than our rebellion and foolishness is that fact that in our sinfulness we are in a state of complete inability to do what God ordained us to do:

This inability colors every situation and relationship in our lives. It is not just that I don’t want to do God’s will, or that I think my way is better, it’s that even when I have the right intentions, I can’t pull it off. (15)

But there is hope ... Jesus Christ has conquered sin on the cross and rose again to give life. The life that Jesus gives enables to do what God ordained us to do. Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. That's good news.

Friends, this is a class you don't want to miss.

Worship Focus for 04/01/12

bringing the week into focus

Sunday's worship focus is Justified by Christ
The sermon series is Empty Cross, Empty Tomb
The sermon text is Romans 4:23-25

[23] But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, [24] but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, [25] who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

Justification. It can be seen as a nasty word. Someone acts badly and tries to "justify" himself. We see this all the time, in others, in ourselves. But justification is just a word meaning "to be made or proven right." Sure it is sometimes describing my desire to prove my ungodly responses as appropriate and right, but the word is also used throughout Scripture to describe a person being made to have a right standing with God. This use of the word is glorious for with comes the hope that God can and will be pleased with all those made to have a right standing him. Justification is a major topic in Paul's letter to the Romans and specifically the main subject of 4:23-25. Yet 4:23-25 is only a piece of Paul's presentation of justification. To understand the context that this section is found in Witmer gives a very simple summary:

In chapter 4, Paul presented several irrefutable reasons why justification is by faith: (1) Since justification is a gift, it cannot be earned by works (vv. 1-8). (2) Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (vv. 9-12). (3) Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law, justification is not based on the Law (vv. 13-17). (4) Abraham was justified because of his faith in God, not because of his works (vv. 18-25). John A. Witmer, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, p. 455.

As we see from this simple outline, section 4:23-25 fall into Paul's presentation of justification resulting from faith and not works. Verse 22 is clear in presenting the truth that Abraham's faith is what was "counted to him as righteousness" and not his works. It is the conclusion of the presentation his argument in chapter 4 that Abraham (and subsequently everyone who is justified) was justified by faith alone. Paul's restatement of the Scriptures (Genesis 15:6) which he quoted in verse 3 helps us in determining that this is his conclusion statement of his argument. But a conclusion of an argument does not equate to the conclusion of a thought. Paul still has something left to say on the matter and so takes what he has said regarding Abraham and applies it to us. The faith of Abraham and our believing described in verse 24 are parallel ideas (see verses 3-5).
What is this faith? Well, we know from the preceding verses it is not considered a work (verses 2-5) and yet it is a response of placing ones belief in an object (verse 20-21). We'd have to go elsewhere, such as Ephesians 2:8-9, to gain a clearer picture of faith. Faith is presented there as a gift from God. And grace is received through the gift of faith, through the gift of responding with belief.
That faith always has an object which in clearly delineated in verse 24, "who believe in him." We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. God is the object of saving faith. We believe in his means of dealing with our sins (the cross) and providing justification (the resurrection). We believe in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The value of our faith is determined by the object of our faith, just as in the example of Abraham, who was "fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised."

The link Paul makes between the resurrection and justification is interesting as Carson comments:

Jesus was raised from the dead for the purpose of providing for our justification. While Paul usually connects our justification with Christ’s death, this verse shows that Christ’s resurrection also plays a role in our being made right with God. D. A. Carson, New Bible Commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed.), Ro 4:1–25.

While Jesus' death has a connection to our justification, without the resurrection there would be no life. Without life there would be no regeneration. Without regeneration there is no response of faith. Without faith there is no justification. We instead remain dead in our trespasses and sin.

Christ being raised up, God announces to me, 'Not only were your sins put away by Christ's blood, so that you are justified from all things; but I have also raised up Christ; and you shall have your standing in Him. I have given you this faith in a Risen Christ, and announce to you that in Him alone now is your place and standing. Judgment is forever past for you, both as concerns your sin, and as concerns My demand that you have a standing of holiness and righteousness of your own before Me. All this is past. Christ is now your standing! He is your life and your righteousness; and you need nothing of your own forever. I made Christ to become sin on your behalf, identified Him with all that you were, in order that you might become the righteousness of God in Him.' William R. Newell, Romans Verse by Verse, pp. 157-58.

Praise to our Risen Savior and the Justification that comes from Him by Faith! See you Sunday.

Songs:
Uncreated One
Mighty to Save
In Christ Alone
The Solid Rock
Closing Response: Before the Throne of God Above 

Worship Focus for 03/25/12

bringing the week into focus

Sunday's worship focus is The Risen Lord
The sermon series is Empty Cross, Empty Tomb
The sermon text is A Survey of Acts


Regarding the book of Acts, found in the Bible as the fifth part of the New Testament, John Calvin wrote:

Now, here is most lively painted out the beginning of Christ’s kingdom, and as it were the renewing of the world; for although the Son of God had gathered together, by his preaching, a certain Church, before such time as he departed out of the world, yet, nevertheless, that was the best form of the Church which began then, when as the apostles, having new power given them from above, began to preach that that only Shepherd did both die and also rise again, that through his conduct all those which were dispersed, far and wide, (upon the face of the whole earth,) might be gathered unto one sheepfold. Here is, therefore, set down both the beginning and also the increasing of the Church of Christ after his ascension, whereby he was declared to be King both of heaven and earth. Commentary on Acts, Volume One 

Rightly has Calvin said that Acts portrays the beginning of Christ's kingdom and it began with the preaching of the gospel, that Jesus Christ died and rose again. As Calvin continues in his commentary, Acts is a demonstration that the gospel is truly power, that Christ is truly powerful. What else without arms or force, eloquence or manipulation could change the world in such a way?

therein appeareth, as well the marvelous power of Christ, as the great force and efficacy of the gospel itself; for in that Christ, by a sort of simple souls, (and of no reputation amongst men,) being indued also with no eloquence at all, hath subdued the whole world so easily, by the only voice of the gospel. Commentary on Acts, Volume One

And if we had no book of Acts?

For we see that Satan used all his engines, that he might so bring to pass, that never any of the acts of the apostles might come to light, but such only as were mixed with lies; to the end he might bring into suspicion what thing soever was spoken of them, and so by that means might pluck out of the minds of the godly all the remembrance of that age.

Satan did use such liberty to lie, that we might have no certain thing left us after Christ’s ascension. So that unless this work of Luke were extant, it might seem that Christ being taken up into heaven, left no fruit of his death or resurrection upon earth. For all should have vanished away with his body. We should not know that Christ was so received into his celestial glory, that, nevertheless, he beareth rule in all the world; we should not know that the gospel was published by the apostles, and so came from them unto us, though by the means of others; we should not know that they were inspired by the Holy Ghost, lest they should teach anything but that which was divine, to the end our faith might be grounded only upon the infallible verity of God. Commentary on Acts, Volume One

But we have this blessed book, God-inspired and filled with the power and glory of Jesus Christ in the faith and actions of his servants and apostles. And it rings out the truth of such a God and Savior, Jesus Christ, becoming Man, living a perfect life, dying a cruel death and in that death bearing the wrath of God and the penalty of sin for all who would believe in him, rising again on the third day as Conqueror of sin and death and Promiser of life.

Praise to our God and Risen Savior! See you Sunday.

Songs:
Jesus Came to Earth
Worthy Is the Lamb
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

Worship Focus for 03/11/12: Our Riches in Christ

bringing the week into focus

Sunday's worship focus is United in Christ
The sermon series is Our Riches in Christ
The sermon text is Ephesians 3:1-6


What does one convinced of the complete sovereignty of God say while rotting in a Roman prison? How does one respond when their freedoms have been stripped from them and their life seems ultimately to be stolen from them as well?
Paul, sitting in a Roman prison, shackled to Roman guards, without freedom, waiting for the sentence of his life wrote, "Paul, a prisoner for Jesus Christ." This is an amazing statement. For in it Paul displays complete trust and utter confidence in his Savior's sovereign governance over all things, including his life and his imprisonment. For Paul, Jesus is Lord of his life even while rotting in prison.
Now this phrase presents us with two means, two ways Jesus could be seen as Lord in this passage: (1) Paul is saying that he is in prison because of Christ or Christ's gospel. (The ESV translators seemed to have opted for this one since the genitive usually translated "of Christ Jesus" was translated "for Christ Jesus." They did this in 4:1 as well.) Paul has submitted to the Lordship of Jesus and on account of this Paul must seek to fulfill his mission of spreading the gospel. And when Paul's ministry was unpopular it often cost him. He was rejected for Christ, beaten for Christ, imprisoned for Christ, and in the end was martyred for Christ. Here is one way of understanding what Paul meant when he wrote, "Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus." That it was so because of his commitment to Christ and his gospel message. This understanding can be supported by a passage such as Philippians 1:12-14.
But keeping the natural Greek translation (I'm not saying the ESV translators were wrong, they just made the choice for you so that you naturally read the previously stated understanding into the verse) "Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus" allows for a second understanding: (2) Paul is saying that it is actually Christ himself who holds Paul captive. Sam Storms wrote, "Paul claims to be a prisoner, not of the Jews, not of the Romans, not of Nero, but of Jesus! Just as he is Christ's servant, apostle, and minister, so he is his prisoner." This understanding can be supported by a passage such as 2 Timothy 2:8-10.
While attempts have been made to use the following phrase, "on behalf of you Gentiles," to make a case for either understanding, in the end both can be supported by this phrase. Whichever way Paul intends us to understand his prisonership, it is done for the sake of the Gentiles.
In the end, whichever understanding Paul intends to convey is unclear, but both understandings are accurate to Paul's situation. Paul is a prisoner of Christ Jesus and for Christ Jesus. If nothing else, we can conclude that Paul was completely confident in the Lordship of Jesus Christ even in prison. He accepted his state as divinely appointed by the Sovereign One. As an apostle (1:1), a bondservant (6:6), or a prisoner (3:1; 4:1) Paul belonged to Christ Jesus and experienced the effects of belonging to Christ Jesus.
In belonging to Christ Jesus I have been made his pastor and I also have had to face some "hardships" because of Christ Jesus in been house-less (although I am thankful for the apartment he's allowed us to live in this last year). I can say that I am a pastor of Christ Jesus and house-less for Christ Jesus. It is my hope that as I say these with the same completely confident in the Lordship of Jesus Christ that Paul expressed, accepting my state as divinely appointed by the Sovereign One.

Songs:
Come People of the Risen King
Complete In Thee
Before the Throne of God Above
Closing Response: A Debtor to Mercy Alone