I recently read "The Centrality of the Gospel" by Tim Keller. I must admit, I've been doing a lot of repenting over the last few months/year. I am pretty sure that I allowed unhealthy, un-Biblical teachings and thoughts, creep into life and influence my teaching. I am not about to give a list of people, things, or methods here...so too bad if you are pridefully wishing for a list to boost your ego. Here is where I got way off.
I thought that the Gospel was only for Non-Christians.
I repent.
No program changes people. God changes people through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. End of discussion. This is God-centered, Bible-centered, Jesus-centered, and of course Gospel centered.
I had never thought about the Gospel being used as intense discipleship. Basically, I was taught that to be a disciple you had to "do better, try harder" to meet the expectations of Church. I really think that I had a blaring idol in my heart that was anything but Jesus Christ. It was religion and etc... I mean, I had heard people quote that line "no program changes people" over and over again.. but still didn't get it! BTW - I think most who say that still don't get it. They just say it for show and pretense... um.. to get amens.
Check out these excerpts from Keller on "The Centrality of the Gospel."
We are not justified by the gospel and then sanctified by obedience, but the gospel is the way we grow (Gal.3:1-3) and are renewed (Col.1:6). It is the solution to each problem, the key to each closed door, the power through every barrier (Rom.1:16-17). It is very common in the church to think as follows. "The gospel is for non-Christians. One needs it to be saved. But once saved, you grow through hard work and obedience." But Col.1:6 shows that this is a mistake. Both confession and "hard work" that is not arising from and "in line" with the gospel will not sanctify you--it will strangle you. All our problems come from a failure to apply the gospel. Thus when Paul left the Ephesians he committed them "to the word of his grace, which can build you up" (Acts 20:32)
then later on...
A whole new way of seeing life
Paul shows us, then, that we must not just simply ask in every area of life: “what is the moral way to act?” but “what is the way that is in-line with the gospel?” The gospel must be continually “thought out” to keep us from moving into our habitual moralistic or individualistic directions. We must bring everything into line with the gospel.
All of life is repentance and exposing darkness to the light. All of life is repenting and becoming in line with the Gospel.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
The Gospel and Discipleship
We are called to make disciples; not members of our church, denomination, theological perspective, cause, or movement.
This comment is probably driven by my context. I live in a Bible belt area where the gospel has been drowned out by legalism and false gospel living and teaching. That is a strong statement, but I believe is true.
I see people that all they know about the gospel is do better, try harder. The problem is, that's not the Gospel. Understanding this fundamental concept, and being gospel centered in everything that we do, is key to our discipleship at The Bridge. Everything springs forth from the fact that the gospel is not do better, try harder. You can't save yourself...
Sometimes I wonder what we are trying to convert people to, being a disciple of Jesus or some false god? I think churches are full of people trying to do "discipleship" that don't know the Gospel, and thus fail because they have an inability to be a disciple.
So you want to talk about discipleship? First, make sure you know what you are asking people to be a disciple of.
Below are some interesting insights from Keller and others I have collected.
* Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.
* Religion has good people & bad people. Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.
* Religion values a birth family. Gospel values a new birth.
* Religion depends on what I do. Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.
* Religion has the goal to get something from God. Gospel has the goal to get God.
* Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. Gospel sees hardship and giants as a chance to grow in our hope - JESUS.
* Religion is about me. Gospel is about Jesus.
* Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. Gospel believes that being honest is the key.
* Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus' work.
* Religion sees Jesus as the means. Gospel sees Jesus as the end.
* Religion ends in pride or despair. Gospel ends in humble joy.
More on Religion Vs. The Gospel can be found here.
"Grace as a gift"
Romans 3:10-28
10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. 14 Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
This comment is probably driven by my context. I live in a Bible belt area where the gospel has been drowned out by legalism and false gospel living and teaching. That is a strong statement, but I believe is true.
I see people that all they know about the gospel is do better, try harder. The problem is, that's not the Gospel. Understanding this fundamental concept, and being gospel centered in everything that we do, is key to our discipleship at The Bridge. Everything springs forth from the fact that the gospel is not do better, try harder. You can't save yourself...
Sometimes I wonder what we are trying to convert people to, being a disciple of Jesus or some false god? I think churches are full of people trying to do "discipleship" that don't know the Gospel, and thus fail because they have an inability to be a disciple.
So you want to talk about discipleship? First, make sure you know what you are asking people to be a disciple of.
Below are some interesting insights from Keller and others I have collected.
* Religion says, if I obey, God will love me. Gospel says, because God loves me, I can obey.
* Religion has good people & bad people. Gospel has only repentant and unrepentant people.
* Religion values a birth family. Gospel values a new birth.
* Religion depends on what I do. Gospel depends on what Jesus has done.
* Religion has the goal to get something from God. Gospel has the goal to get God.
* Religion sees hardships as punishment for sin. Gospel sees hardship and giants as a chance to grow in our hope - JESUS.
* Religion is about me. Gospel is about Jesus.
* Religion believes appearing as a good person is the key. Gospel believes that being honest is the key.
* Religion has an uncertainty of standing before God. Gospel has certainty based upon Jesus' work.
* Religion sees Jesus as the means. Gospel sees Jesus as the end.
* Religion ends in pride or despair. Gospel ends in humble joy.
More on Religion Vs. The Gospel can be found here.
"Grace as a gift"
Romans 3:10-28
10 as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. 13 Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. 14 Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known. 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.
19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it-- 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
27 Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. 28 For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Our Heart Disease
Our Heart Disease:
Much of this is adapted from "Idols of the Heart" by Fitzpatrick for our cells. Please buy the book.
Reading:
Yes, it is true that God does call us to learn and embrace the truth with our mind. He calls us to desire and long for Him with our affections. He commands us to choose Him with our will. He does hold us responsible in each of these ways. But we have a problem don't we. Without God's aid, we'll never understand or choose Him. We have a major heart problem against which we have to struggle our entire lives – so says the Bible.
Jeremiah spoke about our heart disease.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” - Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
Our heart is false: it tricks us and decieves us into thinking that our desires are pure. It tells us that what we want is good and that God approves. However, many of our ways seem right in our own eyes but still lead to death and Hell.
Look at what the Bible teaches.
Gen. 6:5, Gen. 8:21
Psalm 51:5
Ecc. 9:3
Matthew 15:19
So you may be thinking: “If my heart is so bad, why should I even bother?”
Please, take refuge in that fact that while your heart may decieve you, it isn't hidden from the Father. Your heavenly father completely understands your heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
1 Chron 28:9
Psalm 44:21
Jeremiah 17:10
John 2:24-25
Acts 1:24
Rev. 2:23
The Father knows everything about you. He knows when you long to love Him, when you want to please Him. He knows when and where you are decieved. He knows when you are faking it and trying to show Him and others that you are OK. Your not okay. Get over it. He knows when you do good works to impress others. He knows YOU through and through.
So what is the diagnosis for your heart condition?
Simply put, the Word.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” - Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)
What does this have to do with last Sunday?
Sunday at church, Tim taught us from Luke 17:1-2 about the temptations that will come. Tim talked to us about how our sin is rooted in idolatory and pride and how are temptations take this form spewing forth from our hearts.
Let's see what the Bible has to say. Do you remember the Ten Commandments? The ten what?????
The first commandment is:
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” - Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV)
How amazing it is that God's primary command is to have no other gods before Him! God commands our absolute devotion. He demands our pride. He demands the idols of our hearts. This first command is preeminent because it is impossible to obey the other nine if we fail to obey this one. God cuts right to our heart.
This begs the question. Do the Ten Commandments still apply today? Yes, they play a very important role in the life of a believer. Reading them intently shows God's unchanging standards. They help us grasp the fact that no mere human has ever pefectly kept the law and can not do so. It makes Romans 3:23 come to life! “for all have sinned and fall short...”
That is important for us to understand! People you work with, go to school with, play golf with, flirt with, drink with, or whatever...trust that they are going to heaven because they are relatively good. They are nothing more than moral diests. The Ten Commandments prove that we are unable to live a life that matches up to God's Holy and perfect standards. We can't even get God's primary command down.
We fail the first commandment on nearly a daily basis due to our heart condition. Don't believe me? Do you not think that you have pride or idols in your heart? Do you not often worship things other than God?
Answer these questions honestly.
Do you think that God's lovingkindness is better than a nice car, house, or retirement plan?
Is God's steadfast love more desirable than good health? What about when you are suffering from cancer on your deathbed?
Is His everlasting love more pleasurable than obedient children?
Is spending time in the word and in prayer more pleasurable than chicken wings and football?
Is declaring His fame at work more desirable than achieving your fame/status at work?
Where is your happiness found? Name your god.
What do you want, desire, or wish for daily? Know your heart.
Who are you trying to please?
What would bring you the greatest happiness, pleasure, delight?
What would bring you the greatest pain and misery? Why?
After answering those questions, what are you tempted to worship more: the God of the Bible, or an idol of your heart that forms due to your pride. Temptations will come.
Paul wrote that he came to know sin through the law in Romans 7:7. What has the law, specifically the ten commandments taught you?
Do you see our heart disease?
Do you know your heart's condition?
If you were at church Sunday Tim challenged all of us to write out the gospel. After this study, would you change what you wrote?
What did you write?
Much of this is adapted from "Idols of the Heart" by Fitzpatrick for our cells. Please buy the book.
Reading:
Yes, it is true that God does call us to learn and embrace the truth with our mind. He calls us to desire and long for Him with our affections. He commands us to choose Him with our will. He does hold us responsible in each of these ways. But we have a problem don't we. Without God's aid, we'll never understand or choose Him. We have a major heart problem against which we have to struggle our entire lives – so says the Bible.
Jeremiah spoke about our heart disease.
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” - Jeremiah 17:9 (ESV)
Our heart is false: it tricks us and decieves us into thinking that our desires are pure. It tells us that what we want is good and that God approves. However, many of our ways seem right in our own eyes but still lead to death and Hell.
Look at what the Bible teaches.
Gen. 6:5, Gen. 8:21
Psalm 51:5
Ecc. 9:3
Matthew 15:19
So you may be thinking: “If my heart is so bad, why should I even bother?”
Please, take refuge in that fact that while your heart may decieve you, it isn't hidden from the Father. Your heavenly father completely understands your heart.
1 Samuel 16:7
1 Chron 28:9
Psalm 44:21
Jeremiah 17:10
John 2:24-25
Acts 1:24
Rev. 2:23
The Father knows everything about you. He knows when you long to love Him, when you want to please Him. He knows when and where you are decieved. He knows when you are faking it and trying to show Him and others that you are OK. Your not okay. Get over it. He knows when you do good works to impress others. He knows YOU through and through.
So what is the diagnosis for your heart condition?
Simply put, the Word.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” - Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV)
What does this have to do with last Sunday?
Sunday at church, Tim taught us from Luke 17:1-2 about the temptations that will come. Tim talked to us about how our sin is rooted in idolatory and pride and how are temptations take this form spewing forth from our hearts.
Let's see what the Bible has to say. Do you remember the Ten Commandments? The ten what?????
The first commandment is:
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.” - Exodus 20:2-3 (ESV)
How amazing it is that God's primary command is to have no other gods before Him! God commands our absolute devotion. He demands our pride. He demands the idols of our hearts. This first command is preeminent because it is impossible to obey the other nine if we fail to obey this one. God cuts right to our heart.
This begs the question. Do the Ten Commandments still apply today? Yes, they play a very important role in the life of a believer. Reading them intently shows God's unchanging standards. They help us grasp the fact that no mere human has ever pefectly kept the law and can not do so. It makes Romans 3:23 come to life! “for all have sinned and fall short...”
That is important for us to understand! People you work with, go to school with, play golf with, flirt with, drink with, or whatever...trust that they are going to heaven because they are relatively good. They are nothing more than moral diests. The Ten Commandments prove that we are unable to live a life that matches up to God's Holy and perfect standards. We can't even get God's primary command down.
We fail the first commandment on nearly a daily basis due to our heart condition. Don't believe me? Do you not think that you have pride or idols in your heart? Do you not often worship things other than God?
Answer these questions honestly.
Do you think that God's lovingkindness is better than a nice car, house, or retirement plan?
Is God's steadfast love more desirable than good health? What about when you are suffering from cancer on your deathbed?
Is His everlasting love more pleasurable than obedient children?
Is spending time in the word and in prayer more pleasurable than chicken wings and football?
Is declaring His fame at work more desirable than achieving your fame/status at work?
Where is your happiness found? Name your god.
What do you want, desire, or wish for daily? Know your heart.
Who are you trying to please?
What would bring you the greatest happiness, pleasure, delight?
What would bring you the greatest pain and misery? Why?
After answering those questions, what are you tempted to worship more: the God of the Bible, or an idol of your heart that forms due to your pride. Temptations will come.
Paul wrote that he came to know sin through the law in Romans 7:7. What has the law, specifically the ten commandments taught you?
Do you see our heart disease?
Do you know your heart's condition?
If you were at church Sunday Tim challenged all of us to write out the gospel. After this study, would you change what you wrote?
What did you write?
Friday, January 9, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Fee tickets available to the general public
The general public can now purchase tickets to the FEE concert through itickets.com. Spread the word! Fee will be in concert at our new building March 26th.
Purchase Tickets Online
personal goals
A friend asked me what my "personal" goals were.
I have a few minor ones
1) Finish the two albums I have started
2) Finish seminary
3) Have some form of normal routine
And
I have one major one
1) I want to be a part of something that only God can take credit for. I don't want my faculties to be able to fully comprehend it.
I have a few minor ones
1) Finish the two albums I have started
2) Finish seminary
3) Have some form of normal routine
And
I have one major one
1) I want to be a part of something that only God can take credit for. I don't want my faculties to be able to fully comprehend it.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Top Posts of 2008
Happy New Year! Here comes 2009!
Let's begin 2009 by looking back at the 10 most viewed posts from 2008.
Let's begin 2009 by looking back at the 10 most viewed posts from 2008.
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