Grace on Display

Piper and issues

I'm having problems getting the John Piper video on here, and can't figure out how to fit it to the size of my blog, either.  So, here's the link.  You can go and enjoy it on youtube.com if you so feel the need: http://youtube.com/watch?v=ukcV-xtU3hc

Here is another video by John Piper on suffering and the sovereignty of God:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=7kVQWOsl-t0

Only Jesus

Robert Webber, a renowned author and speaker on worship (in the biblical sense, not musical), went to be with the Lord on April 27 of this year.  I've read his works and heard him speak on various occasions, sometimes disagreeing, but always appreciating the humility with which he spoke and his desire to draw attention to Christ.  While able to write volumes and speak for days he still came across with a gentleness and understanding that he did not have all the answers. 

One particular example of this happened two or three years ago at a conference.  Several of the speakers (many notable names) were answering questions at the end of the conference.  The question was asked, "How do you define worship?"  Five different one sentence answers were given, and then it was Dr. Webber's turn.  He said that he wished he could package worship as succinctly as the previous speakers had done, but that he didn't think he could narrow it down so well, and proceeded to fumble through an answer (a good answer).  What struck me about his response was not that he seemed unable to give an acceptable answer to the question, but that we shouldn't be so quick to minimize thoughts of God into pithy sayings that sound nice (tickle the ears...) but don't covey the true depth and breadth of what God has said worship (fill in the blank) is.

I realize that blogs are supposed to be short, but I'm going to include a lengthy quote from "Exploring the Worship Spectrum" from Robert Webber.  I don't agree with his assessment of the Contemporary Christian music scene (as you'll see), but his desire to focus on Jesus is most admirable.  He is responding to the article on Contemporary Worship, appreciating the focus on a person's heart when worshiping God.  He says:

Who can do it?
Who can love God with all his heart, mind, and soul?
Who can achieve perfect union with God?
Who can worship God with a pure and unstained heart?
Not me!
Not you.  Not Billy Graham.  Not Bill Hybels.  Not Matt Redman.
Not anybody I know or you know.
Only Jesus can.  And he does for me and for you what neither of us can do for ourselves.

This is the message that is missing in the literature of contemporary worship (incidentally I don't agree with this blanket statement.  There are a number of groups, such as Sovereign Grace Ministries, that are writing songs focusing on the exclusive work of Jesus Christ in bearing our sin and the wrath we deserve from God, but there is also a great deal of Contemporary Christian Music that only deals with what I bring to God, not what God has done for us.  Back to Robert Webber.)  It is too much about what I ought to do and too little about what God has done for me.  God has done for me what I cannot do for myself.  He did it in Jesus Christ.  Therefore my worship is offered in a broken vessel that is in the process of being healed, but is not yet capable of fullness of joy, endless intense passion, absolute exaltation, and celebration.  But Jesus, who shares in my humanity yet without sin, is not only my Savior- he is also my complete and eternal worship, doing for me, in my place, what I cannot do.

Thanks for Jesus Christ, who is my worship.  We are free!  And in gratitude, we offer our stumbling worship in the name of Jesus with thanksgiving.

(Taken from Exploring the Worship Spectrum, Paul Basden, ed., page 130.)

May our focus be on Jesus Christ, the one who has done what we could never do, who has reconciled us to God, who became a curse so that we could be redeemed.

International Missions in Mobile

Long time, no blog.  It is summertime.  The problem during the summer is that the normal becomes secondary during and the extracurricular becomes primary.  I long for the normal during these times, but long for the irregular during the normal times.  "But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment." I Timothy 6:6.  Yes, yes... Learn to be content in every situation...

Now to the meat of this post.  Last week I had the priviledge of leading a team from our church to "proclaim the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness" (I Peter 2:9) to the people of Alabama.  On Thursday evening we had the opportunity to spend time at the International Seaman's Center in Mobile.  We took time to introduce ourselves to various cargo ship workers from the Philippines and Lithuania, play basketball, ping pong, volleyball, pool, etc... and then invited them to come and hear us sing (and share the Gospel with them).  Every night was an incredible chance to declare what Jesus has done, and to show our love for Him, but this particular night was especially memorable for me.  One line we sang requested, "Fill us, fill us with Your Holy Spirit.  Set us aflame with Your love til nations all know Your glory."  What was so unique that night was that the Lord was answering our prayer- in Moble Alabame we were sharing the Gospel with the world, declaring to the nations the goodness of God.  I was struck by the enormity of the opportunity and the graciousness of God to use such an unworthy vessel to declare His worth.

Thank you to MRBC for your support and prayers as we traveled and thanks be to God for the joy of "proclaiming the excellencies of Him who called us out of darkness" to the world!