Expository Preaching and Redemptive-Historical Models
One of the most crying needs in our day and age is to put the Bible together for the person in the pew.
If, however, we mean that every sermon on an Old Testament text takes into account the fact that the entire Old Testament is about Jesus Christ, and gives us a history that culminates in the person and work of Jesus Christ, then all Old Testament preaching (and NT too, for that matter!) must be redemptive-historical.... Continue Reading
Navigating the Christian Sabbath Day
Those worshiping in confessionally Reformed churches frequently struggle with how to observe the Sabbath.
“When Christians ask: ‘Is it ok for me to do X on Sundays?’ the first response should normally be not ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but ‘Why would you be doing it?’ The most common answer to that question is probably ‘Because I don’t have time for it in the rest of the week.’ This highlights the... Continue Reading
Silent Suffering in an Instagram World
Sometimes, we suffer in silence unnecessarily.
We’re too embarrassed, ashamed, or prideful to admit what’s really going on. We shudder to think about anyone finding out, afraid they’ll reject us if they know, so we refuse to tell the truth, put on a mask, and pretend everything is fine. These are the times when we rob ourselves of the comfort and... Continue Reading
The Antidote to Anemic Worship
Expository preaching is central, irreducible, and nonnegotiable to the Bible’s mission of authentic worship that pleases God.
In far too many churches, the Bible is nearly silent. The public reading of Scripture has been dropped from many services and the sermon has been sidelined, reduced to a brief devotional appended to the music. Many preachers accept this as a necessary concession to the age of entertainment. Some hope to put in a... Continue Reading
Hijacking ‘Evangelicalism’
There are myriad grievances being lodged under the guise of white evangelicalism, but I have yet to find an objective definition of what white evangelicalism is.
To assert, imply, or infer that all white evangelical Christian supporters of Donald Trump and Roy Moore are racists and white supremacists, while excusing black evangelical Christians who supported Barack Obama, a man who openly advocated for such unbiblical policies as homosexual marriage and partial-birth abortion, is tantamount to hijacking what evangelicalism truly is by uprooting it... Continue Reading
To Turn the Hearts of the Fathers
In order to “make ready for the Lord a people,” John was sent to build strong families.
A sign of the work of the Spirit in anyone’s life is that they will mirror the love of God. It should be no surprise then, that one of the ways John prepared God’s people for the coming of Christ, was to draw the fathers to mirror The Father. Just so, we as the body... Continue Reading
Another Proverb for Social Media (Meddling in a Quarrel)
"Like one who takes a dog by the ears is he who passes by and meddles with strife not belonging to him" (NASB).
“Even with Christian intentions, many of us are too fond of meddling in other peoples’ affairs. Uninvited interference seldom avails with the contending parties. The true peacemaker, while he deplores quarrels, knows that interference at the moment of irritation will kindle rather than extinguish the fire. So his self-control is not indifference. He commits the... Continue Reading
Rejoice Always! Really?? Yes. And Here’s Why
To rejoice means to be glad for God’s grace
We rejoice in THE LORD because he is in control of all circumstances all the time. We rejoice in THE LORD because he is good and loving – he only does what is loving for us, tho we don’t always understand how. Because he is infinitely wise – he always does what is most wise... Continue Reading
Jesus knows! Yes He really does know!
Come to Him, cry to Him, pray to Him, but above all trust Him, and when you obtain mercy, rejoice to go away in peace, for this gift of faith has made you whole in Christ!
Nobody else may know of your inner conversations, or of your sense of desperation when you have nowhere else to turn; but Jesus knows, He really fully knows, and your Savior takes great delight in seeing you think, watching you act, putting out a trembling hand, to lay hold of Him, the mighty glorious Christ,... Continue Reading
Theft, Envy, And Private Property
Socialism is institutionalized envy.
In the 20th century alone, class envy led to the slaughter of millions of people. Today, American school children are catechized in class envy in their textbooks and few parents seem to care. Christians are influenced by the ethos of the French Revolution. I was. In university, I was taught by some of my professors... Continue Reading