Grace on Display

A Hymn for those who Long for more of God

Have you ever longed for more of God?  You've been in church at every opportunity and yet you find that your faith is weak and that you know nothing of God's Word.  Here's a hymn by Isaac Watts just for you. Make it your prayer today- that God would strengthen your faith, increase your joy in Him and make His Word effectual in you.

LONG HAVE I SAT BENEATH THE SOUND
by Isaac Watts

Long have I sat beneath the sound
Of Thy salvation, Lord;
But still how weak my faith is found,
And knowledge of Thy Word!

Oft I frequent Thy holy place
And hear almost in vain;
How small a portion of Thy grace
My memory can retain!

My dear Almighty, and my God,
How little art Thou known
By all the judgments of Thy rod,
And blessings of Thy throne!

How cold and feeble is my love!
How negligent my fear!
How low my hope of joys above!
How few affections there!

Great God! Thy sovereign power impart
To give Thy Word success;
Write Thy salvation in my heart,
And make me learn Thy grace.

Show my forgetful feet the way
That leads to joys on high;
There knowledge grows without decay,
And love shall never die.

Calvin on the Form of Worship- "Let Love Be Our Guide"

From the pen of John Calvin when discussing worship and its form:

[The Master] did not will in outward discipline and ceremonies to prescribe in detail what we ought to do (because he foresaw that his depended on the state of the times, and he did not deem one form suitabole for all ages)... Because he has taught nothing specifically, and because these things are not necessary to salvation, and for the upbuilding of the church ought to be variously accommodated o the customs of each noation and age, it will be fitting (as the advatage of the church will require) to change and abrogate traditional practices and to establish new ones.  Indeed, I admit that we ought not to charge into innovation rashly, suddenly, for insufficient cause.  But love will best judge what may hurt or edify; and if we let love be our guide, all will be safe.

The words of Jesus in John 13:35 echo in the statement above, "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Love can seem like a very nebulous term.  So, let's put feet on it.  Let's assume that the music guy has faithfully prepared the songs for the morning (prayed, employed Godly wisdom, prayed, chosen theologically rich songs, prayed, consulted the pastor, prayed, rehearsed with the band, prayed, prepared the tech team, prayed, considered the needs of the congregation, prayed, etc...)  What does it look like to have love for one another Sunday morning at 8:45 and the band begins playing your favorite or most hated song ever (AT LEAST two songs just popped into your head- hopefully more that you love than hate):

1. Remember that you are not the only one with preferences.  Don't assume that your feelings and the feelings of the guy next to you are the same.  They may be, but you may be the only two.  The song that you hate is one that someone else loves.  God can be glorified even in the midst of your discomfort (and mine).  On the other hand, the song that you love causes another to grit their teeth.  For the sake of a fellow brother or sister, defer to them in love.
2.  Thank God that He is at work, and that He works in ways that are different from you and me (ultimately, I have the Gospel in mind).  In His wisdom, He has brought someone other than you to choose songs and lead in worship.  At times this is a blessing, at other times it is a curse.  Pray for the one leading as he is leading and as he prepares.  This may seem self-serving for me to write it, but I believe that it is a Godly request.

 What are some other ways to "let love be our guide" as we approach the sensitive topic of form in the 21st century American church?  I'd love to hear from you. 

Thoughts on Pentecost, part II

What does a Spirit-filled life look like?  What type of behaviors are signs that the Holy Spirit is filling and guiding a believer in Jesus Christ?  Different denominations, churches, pastors and theologians answer this differently: speaking in tongues, prophesying, exegetical preaching, signs and wonders, raising hands while singing, avoiding sin, etc...  I don't plan on solving any theological debates here.  Instead, I'd like to look at the first act committed by Peter when he was filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.

Acts 2:14 says, "But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them."  Divided tongues, mighty sound, speaking in other tongues, mocking by some, and Peter stands up to make a speech.  This is an extremely noteworthy moment.  Prior to this event was several history-altering years of Jesus' ministry on earth.  Prior to Jesus there had been centuries of perceived silence from God.  In a relatively short amount of time- just a few years- we have the coming of Messiah and then the pouring out of the Comforter.  This is monumental to say the least.  So, what needs to be communicated right out of the gate?  What is of first importance to say when Peter is first filled with the Holy Spirit?

Peter sets the context for what he is about to say.  It is found in Joel, it references the pouring out of the Spirit, and the result is "that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  Peter lets them know that what is happening is not a surprise, but is something that God has had in mind from the very beginning.  He already planned the event they are partaking in, and yet some are missing it and mocking God's hand at work.  Next, Peter reveals how it is "that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."  He doesn't pull any punches as he describes exactly how God has orchestrated events to bring about this salvation.  He says, "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."  He reveals their own guilt in the murdering of Messiah.  Their reaction is not to stone him or leave, but they were pierced to the heart and began asking "What shall we do?"

 Acts 2:38-39:

"Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

It is not a political message, a call for human reconciliation, a call to "go green," or a quote from Oprah.  He communicates that Jesus was killed by them because of their sin, and that they need to repent and have faith (baptism in the NT is often equated with obedience and faith- for more listen to my message on Baptism).

So, what does a life sealed by the Holy Spirit look like?  Again and again the book of Acts reveals that someone who is filled with the Spirit will proclaim the Gospel with boldness.  They will preach what Peter preached in Acts 2:23-24, that "Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it."  Amen!

Let's go and do likewise.

Thoughts on Pentecost, part I

Pentecost has been on my brain as of late.  We've never observed Pentecost at MRBC as a specific day.  I've jokingly wondered about creative ways to remember the "divided tongues as of fire" and "a sound like a mighty rushing wind."  All of my solutions would most likely result in bodily harm to members of the congregation.  There is a fine line between creativity and stupidity, and it's important to know your limits.

This pondering has lead me to ask a couple of questions:

1. Do I take advantage of the presence of the Holy Spirit (both in a a positive and negative sense)?  Positively, do I rely regularly on the power of the Holy Spirit to bring about Godly fruit, empowering for equipping believers, or for daily faith?  Negatively, do I assume that since I have placed saving faith in Christ that I'm walking according to the Spirit (do I assume His presence)?
2. What does a life that has been filled and guided by the Holy Spirit look like? 

It is certainly more important to develop a daily habit of reliance upon the Holy Spirit than to yearly commemorate a specific day.  I'm certain that if asked my wife would rather have me demonstrate my love for her every day of the year rather than only on Valentine's Day (in truth, she would like both).  Personal holiness is only develped through this type of regular, ongoing dependance upon the Spirit.  In the life of the congregation the same is true.  There is a list of "always" that we rehearse every time that we gather as the body of Christ (proclaim the Gospel, pray, read Scripture, confess dependence on God, etc...).  On the one hand, we'll never know what it was like to not have the presence of the Holy Spirit as a true believer in Jesus Christ.  On the other, we should never assume that our ticket has been punched and there is nothing else required of us as Christians.  Prayer for a daily filling of the Spirit is vital, and sin will always be lurking nearby when we fail to excercise this discipline.

More on the second question of what a Spirit-filled life looks like tomorrow.

Worship the King, Part I

At long last, the first four songs from our Hymns project, Worship the King: 12 Hymns of Faith and Hope is ready!  I'm so thankful for the band for all of their hard work.

You can listen to the songs with the mp3 player below or email me and I'll send you a link to the download page.

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You can find out more about this project by visiting my church's website.

Hide the Word...

Bible memorization is a struggle for me.  It's not a struggle when I apply myself to engage in the activity, but getting into a regular regiment of memorization is difficult.  The benefits are innumerable.  If the most important thing about is what we believe about God, and if one of the primary keys for knowing God is to know His Word then Bible memorization can open up broad paths to knowing God more intimately and biblically.  Do you have a regiment that you follow?  I'd love to know what your practice is.

I would like to know the Word like this gentleman, Ryan Ferguson, knows the Word.  He recited Hebrews 9 and 10 at Worship God '06 in Gaithersburg, MD.  He actually memorized the entire book.  The whole book of Hebrews in his brain.  It's available at any given moment.  What a tremendous blessing. 

May this inspire us to begin hiding the Word in our hearts.

The Cup

Talking and thinking about sin should lead us to two conclusions.  One is how dark, black and ugly sin is.  However, to remain there is detrimental.  It ought to remind us also of the love and grace of a God willing to sacrifice His own Son to save us from His wrath because of our sin.  With Good Friday and Easter around the corner, I encourage you to "ponder anew what the Almighty can do" and what He has done in your life.  If you need a little jump start, I reccommend the following video and message. I'll include a link to the entire audio file at the bottom of this post.

You can find the audio for CJ Mahaney's The Cup for free here.

Nothing New Under the Sun

I've been trying to take C.S. Lewis' advice and read an old book for every one or two new books that I read.  For my purposes, an old book is one written over 100 years ago.  In doing so, I've been amazed at the insight and the relevance to the current state of the church.  As of late I've been enjoying J.C. Ryle's Holiness.  It is amazing that a 130 year old book can speak so clearly to the issues drawn out by the Emergent Church (who are now calling themselves "missional" I believe) and other current issues on the table in 2009.

For your reading enjoyment and edification, here are a few passages that jumped out at me:

No proof of the fulness of sin, after all, is so overwhelming and unanswerable as the cross and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and the whole doctrine of His substitution and atonement.  Terribly black must that guilt be for which nothing but the blood of the Son of God could make satisfaction.  Heavy must that weight of human sin be which made Jesus groan and sweat drops of blood in agony at Gethsemane and cry at Golgotha, "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsake Me?"  Nothing, I am convinced, will astonish us so much, when we awake in the resurrection day, as the view we shall have of sin and the retrospect we shall take of our own countless shortcomings and defects.  Never till the our when Christ comes the second time shall we fully realize the "sinfulness of sin." (pg. 6)

A scriptural view of sin is one of the best antidotes to that vague, dim, misty, hazy kind of theology which is so painfully current in the present age.  It is vain to shut our eyes to the fact that there is a vast quantity of so-called Christianity nowadays which you cannot declare positively unsound, but which, nevertheless, is not full measure, good weight and sixteen  ounces to the pound.  It is Christianity in which there is undeniably "something about Christ and something about grace and something about faith and something about repentance and something about holiness," but it is not the real "thing as it is" in the Bible.  Things are out of place and out of proportion. (pg. 10)

If you are looking for some practical thoughts on holiness and how it works, I strongly urge you to pick up a copy of this book!

John Charles Ryle. Holiness. New York: Evangelical Press, 2007.

You can find it on Amazon.com here.

Calvinism in the News

It always frightens me when the church is in the news.  As often as sincere journalists get it right, the need for sensationalism drives many to misrepresent and cause division in the name of ratings.  Don't get me wrong- I'm a fan of discussing theology, debating theology, learning theology, etc...  However, it's dangerous for those who have no care for theology to represent it (and misrepresent it) to those who need right theology.  Time magazine didn't ask my opinion on it, though.  In a recent list of 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now, Calvinism came in third (behind 1. Jobs are the new assets and 2. Recycling the Suburbs).  Love it, hate it, don't understand it, Calvinism is not something for a weekly secular news publication if you're looking for a firm grasp of it.  However, it has spawned some interesting discussions and I'd like to highlight those discussions here:

You can find the original Time article here.

Thabiti Anyabwile discusses the pros and cons of such an article here.

Mark Driscoll wrote an explosive little post on New Calvinism in light of the Time article here.

Driscoll's article generated several responses:

• From the blog In Light of the Gospel.
• From Paul Grimmond of the Sola Panel. 

Driscoll wrote further thoughts on New vs. Old Calvinism here.

 So, what are your thoughts on Calvinism?  What about an aspect of the church being highlighted in a major secular news publication?  

Back in the Saddle Again and a new CD

After a much too long hiatus, Grace on Display is back in the saddle again.  Once again you'll be able to find all pertinent info regarding music ministry at my church and other miscellanea that strikes my fancy here.  For now, keep a close watch here and on the church's webpage for the release of the first four songs of our hymns cd, Worship the King.  You can find out more by clicking here.  The first four tracks are:

1. O Worship the King
2. Glorious is Thy Name 
3. Praise Him, Praise Him 
4. Blessed Assurance, Jesus is Mine 

More to come soon!