Our life!!!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-30T21:00:00.005-06:00

Thanksgiving

2010-12-30T20:48:00.003-06:00

4-5 months

2010-12-30T20:42:00.003-06:00

Introducing.... SUPER LUCY!!! and her loyal sidekick :)

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phone pics i've been meaning to upload

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playing :)

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snow white.

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sweet girl

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we got Lucy the softest, sweetest bunny
and she loves her!
so cute :)

wake up and smile!

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happy wednesday!

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i LOVE this little lady

happy halloween!!

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books and flowers

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Joseph brought Lucy flowers after her doc appointment...she loves them!!!

they are so cute together!!

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bath time with daddy!!

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I am really thankful for Joseph...he's a great dad!
He always lets Lucy spend extra time in the bath so that she can play...they are so cute :)

getting ready :)

2010-10-20T09:26:00.000-05:00

WAR EAGLE!!

2010-10-17T11:04:00.003-05:00

Lucy loves Auburn football!
Thanks uncle Matt for the little Tiger onsie :)

The Leaves are CHANGING!!

2010-10-15T18:42:00.002-05:00

We went on a nice walk today at Radnor Lake. It was so beautiful outside with all the fall colors! Lucy really likes being outside especially now with so much to look at! Jack likes being outside too...I can't leave him out. He gets his feelings hurt easily. Anyway, happy fall weather!

playing with Chanhassen

2010-10-08T16:54:00.003-05:00

Lucy and I had such a great day today with Stephie and Chanhassen! We played and ate and went on a walk and prayed together. It was such a beautiful day to spend with friends :)

Lucy Talking Away...

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serious...seriously happy!!!

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toys!!

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it was chilly this morning!

2010-09-28T21:33:00.004-05:00

Joseph and I took Lucy and Jack on a walk this morning. We stopped dead in our tracks as soon as we stepped outside...it was way too cold for Lucy to be in a little onesie! So, in an effort to keep from taking her out of the baby bjorn, I put her in leg warmers, socks, a hoddie, and the beanie Joseph bought for her in Germany. She was needless to say, precious in all of her layers! I'm looking forward to fall!

Daddy time!!

2010-09-28T21:30:00.002-05:00

playing

2010-09-27T19:01:00.005-05:00

Lucy is starting to grab things! Its so much fun watching her grow and learn! I love this little girl

visiting family :)

2010-09-25T08:55:00.008-05:00

Thanks for the Prayers!!

2010-09-21T11:41:00.005-05:00

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who has been praying for Lucy. After extensive testing we are so happy to say that the jaundice is not the result of any major problems with her organs or blood! Praise Jesus! The next step after the testing was to switch to formula for 2 days...this was not fun at all, but we got through it and Lucy's jaundice has greatly improved!! She is back on breast milk and we are getting her out in the sun every day. There is still a little yellow lingering in the corners of her eyes, but we are hopeful that this will be resolved soon. Thank you for your prayers, and please, keep praying!

from my phone:

2010-09-10T20:11:00.006-05:00

how adorable!!!

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Do you ever feel like Ed?

2010-07-28T19:12:00.001-05:00

Marilyn

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Please welcome Marilyn Brooks Glass. Birthed to Russell, Sarah and Preston Glass. 7 lbs. 1 oz., 19 inches.

We LOVE sleeping with our little LUCY!

2010-06-30T14:29:00.005-05:00

We Don't Just Do Sins, We Are Sinners

2010-06-24T10:58:00.002-05:00

"The ordinary man may feel ashamed of doing wrongs: but the saint, endowed with a superior refinement of moral sensibility, and keener powers of introspection, is ashamed of being the kind of man who is liable to do wrong." N.P. Williams, The Ideas of the Fall and of Original Sin (1926)

Sin is not just something we do; it is a power deeply rooted in our nature.

This is why we all need a new nature...something outside of ourselves that applies to us...someone who takes away all condemnation...someone who gives new life.

Lucy means "light"

2010-06-21T11:54:00.001-05:00

Click here to download these pictures, http://www.sendspace.com/file/71dnwr

Lucy Harper Prielozny

2010-06-19T12:41:00.003-05:00

To download pictures click on this link:http://www.sendspace.com/file/qvlyo3

Our sufficiency is from God!

2010-06-15T11:26:00.004-05:00

"Objection. But if salvation from first to last is the sovereign work of the Holy Spirit, then we can do nothing effectively to bring about our salvation. Of what use then are all the commandments, threats, promises, and exhortations in Scripture?

Answer. We must never let go of this truth, that is it indeed the Holy Spirit who works all spiritual good in us. In the Bible we are taught that 'in me, that is, in my flesh, dwells no good thing' (Rom. 7:18). We are taught that we are not 'sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God' (2 Cor. 3:5. See also 2 Cor. 9:8; John 15:5; Phil. 2:13). To say that there is some good in us which is not the work the Holy Spirit destroys the gospel and denies both that God is the only good and that he alone can make us good.

To use this argument as an excuse for doing nothing is to resist God's will. God promises to work in us what he requires from us. There are many examples in Scripture of people being commanded to do what was impossible for them to do. Yet when they attempted to obey, they found the healing power of God enabling them to do what previously they had found to be impossible: for example, the man with the withered hand, Lazarus being raised from the dead and the widow's son at Nain.

Our duty is to attempt to obey God's command, and his work is to enable us to obey them. So those who sit back and do nothing - because they say they can do nothing until God works grace in them - show that they have no interest or concern for the things of God. Where a person does nothing, the Holy Spirit does nothing also.

Although there is no grace in a believer except by the Holy Spirit, yet to grow in grace, to thrive in holiness and righteousness, depends on the believer using the grace he has received. We have been given arms and legs. If they are to grow strong and healthy, they must be used. Not to use them will be the most effective way of losing them. Therefore to be lazy and negligent in those things on which our spiritual growth depends, and which concern the eternal welfare of the soul, on the pretext that without the Spirit we can do nothing, is both unreasonable and stupid, as well as dangerous."

John Owen, The Holy Spirit, pages 40-41

The gift of rain, the gift of grace.

2010-03-25T09:39:00.003-05:00

A great reminder on a rainy day like today:

"Just as the earth does not generate rain and cannot of itself work to produce it, but receives it by the mere gift of God from above, so this heavenly righteousness is given us by God without our working for or deserving it. See, then, how much the earth is able by itself to do in getting showers of rain to make it fruitful; that much, and no more, are we able to do by our own strength and works in winning this heavenly and eternal [passive] righteousness. We shall never be able to attain it unless God himself bestows it on us, imputing it to us by his gift beyond words. The greatest wisdom of Christians, then, is to have nothing to do with the law and works and the whole of active righteousness, especially when the conscience wrestles with God's judgment. On the other hand, the quintessence of wisdom among those who are not among God's people is to know and earnestly follow the law and active righteousness."

- Luther, "Galatians"

Why is it right for God to kill?

2010-02-28T10:40:00.001-06:00

Apple core? Baltimore! Who's Your Best Friend?

2010-02-25T17:20:00.000-06:00

Bible study in a bar?

2010-02-23T19:45:00.002-06:00

Check out that pic...and why do we have that much beer...we never drink that much beer

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100213/NEWS01/2130346/Bible-study-in-a-bar?-Church-planters-draw-followers--criticism

If You Love Jesus, You Love the Church. If You Don't Love the Church, You Don't Love Jesus.

2010-01-26T21:07:00.001-06:00

Mercy Is For the Weak

2010-01-15T12:29:00.004-06:00

You gotta love the original "Karate Kid" movie (although, I'm not so sure about the new one that is coming out this year.) Pretty cool picture from one of it's scenes, huh? There is a profound truth to be learned from this sketch about Jesus' relationship with sinners. It's one that we all desparately need to believe and adore. Unlike this picture, Jesus Christ did not come pointing fingers at us sinners saying, "No mercy!" like Sensei John Kreese is doing here to Mr. Miyagi. (Even though Jesus could have done that and been just in doing so.) Rather, Jesus came and undeservingly took our sins on himself. He was hung on a cross and became sin on our behalf. This is where God the Father pointed a finger at His only perfect son as if to say "Guilty. No Mercy!" and condemned Him to death. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave. Sin and eternal death were forever defeated. But why would Jesus willingly lay down his life for a bunch of sinners who deserve nothing but hell? He did so in order that He could come and say "Mercy!" to all who see that their lives are deeply in need of it. If he wouldn't of died for us, all he could have come saying was "No mercy!" There was no other way. He took our sin to give us His righteousness, and God's wrath is no longer upon those who trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

There is another line in the picture I believe Jesus and Sensei John Kreese would agree on: "Mercy is for the weak." I love Paul's account of his testimony in 1 Timothy: "I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen." - 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Jesus Christ came to save me.

Jesus Christ came to bring mercy to the weak. Jesus Christ came to bring mercy to me.

Jesus Christ is available to all who realize they are sinners in need of mercy.

You Need To Give Glory to God!

2010-01-08T11:43:00.001-06:00

Music can become boring—Jesus can’t.

2010-01-07T14:46:00.001-06:00

"It’s not the latest songs, creative arrangements, or unique sounds that make corporate worship amazing and awe-inspiring. It’s a clear and compelling picture of Jesus Christ, the only Savior of the world. As long as I have that understanding, leading songs will never become routine or banal, and my worship of God will never be dependent on musical innovation. So I value truth over tunes." - Bob Kauflin

http://www.worshipmatters.com/2010/01/07/reflections-on-turning-55/

We Repent, Nashville

2010-01-02T11:06:00.005-06:00

“O people of Nashville, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the false truths of Bible-belt religion. Do not be like your fathers and your brothers, who were faithless to the Lord God of their fathers, so that he made them a joyless people, as you see. Do not now be stiff-necked as your fathers were, but yield yourselves to the Lord and come to Jesus, whom he has consecrated forever, and serve the Lord your God, that his fierce anger may turn away from you. For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their religious captors and return to the grace and love found only in Christ and His Church. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”
- based on 2 Chronicles 30:6-9

No Small Task

2009-12-31T18:13:00.005-06:00

Jesus said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one.” - John 10:27-30.

"When I deposit my life or my soul in faith into Christ's care as I trust Him for salvation, where does my soul go? The text tells us first that it goes into Christ's hand. Then it tells us that the hand of God the Father is also involved. So my soul is held in the two-fisted grip of the Father and the Son! Good security, wouldn't you say? And the Bible tells me that the Holy Spirit plays a part, also. The Holy Spirit immediately seals me in Christ the very moment I trust Him for salvation (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). I am sealed in this total arrangement - in Christ's hand and in the Father's hand (in eternal salvation) - by the Holy Spirit.

Now, if the devil is to get me out of this position, what must he do? First, he must break the Spirit's seal. No small task, because the Spirit is fully and totally Almighty as God. But if Satan could break the seal of the Spirit, he then would have to break the grip by which God the Father holds me. No small task! You may be sure that Satan does not have the power to accomplish it. But if he could break the seal of the Spirit and the grip of God the Father, then he would have to break the powerful grip of Jesus the Son. No small task! If Satan accomplished all this, he would have totally overcome God Himself in all of His Personhood and Power. Of course, this is totally impossible. However! If Satan can break the seal and the hold of God on even one of His children, Satan can do it with any and all of God's children!! If Satan can get one saint out of his position of security, he can get all saints out-because no single saint has any more or any less security than any other saint. All born-again people are equally secure in Christ...Thus, if Satan can get one Christian out of his position of security in Christ, and he does not get all Christians out, the only possible reason is that he must not want to (because if he can get one out, he can get all out.) Therefore, if that were true, any person who gets to heaven finally GETS THERE ONLY BY THE GRACE OF THE DEVIL!!! What kind of salvation is that, anyway? No, once the salvation deposit is made, it is secure forever!"
- Herb Hodges, "Fox Fever" pp. 24-25.

Bad News: Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.

2009-12-17T14:48:00.000-06:00

Joseph's FIRST 3D movie experience!

2009-12-15T21:55:00.003-06:00

"A Christmas Carol"

Christmas cookies!!!

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Glory to God in the highest.

2009-12-13T15:19:00.005-06:00

Something we learned this morning in church from Pastor Ray Ortlund, Jr...

There was a celebration the day Jesus was born. So much so that the heavens opened up. Luke 2:14 tells us the words the angel and the multitude of the heavenly army were using to praise God that day. They said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!" Notice the order. God first, then peace. Not peace, then God whenever you get to work Him in. It's all about the glory of God! If you don't put Him first or leave Him out of the picture all together, then there is no peace. But who is the peace for? The peace is for "those with whom he is pleased!" Fast forward 30 years or so from this day, and flip one chapter to Luke 3:22. This is right after Jesus had been baptized, and the heavens opened up again. But this time, we see that it was God who was doing the talking. Hear His words to Jesus. "You are my beloved son, with you I am well pleased." God is pleased with Christ, and if you're in Christ, He's pleased with you too.

His glory ("Glory to God in the highest...") and our peace/happiness ("...and on earth peace...") go together in Christ (among those with whom he is pleased!).

God is greater than our heart.

2009-12-11T22:59:00.009-06:00

Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Hear what Martin Luther has to say about speaking to one's own heart...

"From our own (guilty) conscience certainly only accusing thoughts can come, because our works are vain before God, unless He himself is [effective] in us by His grace. We, of course, may easily excuse ourselves. But that does not mean that we have satisfied God or fully kept His Law. But from whom, then, do we obtain the thoughts that (truly) excuse us? Only from Christ and in Christ; for if the conscience of a believer in Christ reproves, accuses and condemns him as an evil-doer, he quickly turns from himself to Christ and says: 'He has atoned my sins. He is just and my Justifier, who died for me. He has made His righteousness my own and my sins His own. But if He has made my sins His own, then I no longer have them but am free from them. And if He has made His righteousness my own, then I am righteous because of His righteousness, for He is God, blessed forever.'

So, then, 'God is greater than our heart' (1 John 3:20). Far greater is He who defends me than that which accuses me, indeed, infinitely greater. God is my Defender, while my heart is my accuser. Oh, what a blessed relation! But so it is, just so! 'Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect?' (Romans 8:33) No one! Why? 'It is God that justifies! Who is he that condemns?' No one! Why? 'It is Christ (and He is God!) that died, yes rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.' In short, "If God be for us, who can be against us?''' - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans"

I Don't Need No Booze Or Drugs...

2009-12-11T11:37:00.000-06:00

Who's To Blame?

2009-12-06T17:43:00.004-06:00

"The mistake (of condemning others though guilty themselves) is committed by all who are outside of Christ; for, while the righteous (true believers) make it a point to accuse themselves in thought, word and deed, the unrighteous (unbelievers) make it a point always to accuse and judge others, at least in their hearts. For this (fact) there is an explanation. The righteous (always) try to see their own faults and overlook those of others. Again, they are eager to recognize the good things in others and to disregard those of their own. On the other hand, the unrighteous look for good in themselves and for evil in others." - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans," pg. 52.

Christians should not be finger pointers. A Christian should not say, "It's your fault, Mr. President, that our nation's economy is plunging," rather, "I'm the reason for this recession. Oh Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner. Forgive me of my greed and my unbelief, in which I trust in things rather than You, Jesus. Forgive me. Save me from myself."

"Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness..." - Isaiah 58:9.

Can't Fight The Fuzz

2009-12-03T16:34:00.002-06:00

Rhinoceros... http://www.myspace.com/fuzzmcduff

If only...

2009-12-03T12:41:00.000-06:00

"Why are we not more fruitful? Is it God's fault? We tell ourselves, 'If only I had more time, if only I had a better wife/husband, if only I were married, if only my job weren't so demanding, if only I had more money, I'd really live for the Lord.' We tell ourselves, 'If only we had contemporary music in our church, if only we'd keep that contemporary music out of our church, we'd be the church we ought to be.' 'If only this, if only that...' These are all excuses. At bottom each one implies a criticism of God, as if he hasn't already given us all we need to live well for him. 'His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence...' (2 Peter 1:3)." - Isaiah: God Saves Sinners, Ray Ortlund Jr., pg 67.

If we come, it was God who drew. We come because we want to.

2009-12-01T22:08:00.003-06:00

"To Live Is Christ: Philippians" by Trip Lee

2009-11-24T17:49:00.001-06:00

You can find more at www.13Letters.com or www.reachlife.org

Benevolence and Malevolence

2009-11-17T12:01:00.003-06:00

"Benevolence is the hearfelt desire to be obliging and to do good to others. It is of two kinds. Christian, or perfect, benevolence always remains the same, no matter whether it encounters gratitude or ingratitude. The imperfect human, or earthly benevolence continues only so long as it meets with appreciation, but ceases when it encounters ingratitude or any other evil. In Matthew 5:48 we read: You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.' and in Luke 6:35: 'But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil..' Malevolence, on the contrary, is the perverse, hateful tendency to hurt or harm others. In his total depravity man does injury even to those who are grateful and good, and not merely to the evil. That truly is bestial malevolence. With regard to Christian benevolence it is written in Galatians 5:22: The fruit of the Spirit is...gentleness, goodness." - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans," pg. 50.

Maliciousness and Goodness

2009-11-16T13:39:00.004-06:00

"'Being filled with...maliciousness' (Romans 1:29). Maliciousness is the perverse tendency in man to do evil despite the good which he has received; indeed he abuses even the good things which God gives him in the service of evil. Conversely, goodness is the right disposition in man to do good even when his effort is hindered or checked by some wrong done to him; goodness even makes evil serve that which is good. A person is not good in the Christian sense of the term who does only good so long as he fares well and no resistance is offered to him in any way. Of being good in this Christian sesnse, those who are good only in a worldly sense are not capable, as we read in Matthew 7:18; 'A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.'" - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans," pg. 49.

Unrighteousness and Iniquity

2009-11-15T09:17:00.004-06:00

"In Scripture...there is a difference between unrighteousness and iniquity. Unrighteousness - (lack of conformity with what is right) - is the sin of unbelief, or the lack of the righteousness which flows from faith, just as, for example, he is righteous who believes; and he is unrighteous who does not believe (cf Romans 1:17; Mark 16:16). He who does not believe is disobedient; and he who is disobedient is unrighteous. Iniquity - (violation of what is right) - is the sin of self-righteousness which men choose for themselves in their own foolish zeal for piety. We might also say: Iniquity consists in this, that man neglects the duty which he is bound to do, and that he does that which, (contrary to the divine Word), seems good in his sight. The right conduct, however, shows itself in this, that man puts aside what seems good to him, (but is contrary to the divine Word), and does what he should do." - Martin Luther, "Commentary on Romans," pg. 49.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." - Romans 1:18, God's view towards man

"Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. " - Isaiah 1:4, God's view towards His people

"And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness," - Romans 4:5, God's gift to all

Justification by faith alone means that righteousness is obtained for us by Jesus' death and resurrection. It's not acquired not by us. Since there is no righteousness in us (Romans 3), we must go outside ourselves to find a righteousness that will be acceptable to God. Thanks be to God for His free gift of grace, an overabundant supply of righteousness for the unrighteous and the people laden with iniquity.

Surprise!!! It's Baby Prielozny!

2009-11-13T10:52:00.014-06:00

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb." - Psalm 139:13

This is the first sonogram of our baby, thanks to our friend from church, Christ Bathurst. He said everything looks great and healthy! He showed us a little flickering light and told us that it was the baby's heart. It was amazing - brought about a whole new perspective for us. We're so excited!

The Prosperity Gospel Exported to Africa

2009-11-06T09:31:00.001-06:00

The Prosperity Gospel from The Global Conversation on Vimeo.

I've got some big news......

2009-10-25T08:33:00.004-05:00

Rachelle is pregnant!! I'm saying its a girl. No, I don't have any reason, but that's just what I think. Any suggestions for names girl or boy?

2009-10-25T08:29:00.002-05:00

We went to visit my sister last weekend in Alabama and had so much fun! The bad news is that I forgot my camera!! Nevertheless, I did capture this adorable shot with my phone of little Luke eating his black beans....he's SO CUTE!!!

by the way, if you didn't know...I'm a brunette...with bangs!

2009-10-24T19:20:00.003-05:00

Ideal Husband

2009-10-24T19:11:00.006-05:00

After my first full day at work, I came home to Joseph cooking dinner and a beautiful red rose! For those of you who don't know...Joseph doesn't cook...unless its spaghetti of course. I was so surprised to have such a delicious meal prepared for me! What a thoughtful man.

Every knee will bow...

2009-10-06T07:08:00.003-05:00

"The whole point of creation and history is for God to glorify himself by saving us. Your salvation is not ultimately about you; it's about God. He is both perplexing and faithful because he is God, and we should accept that.

'By myself I have sworn; from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return; 'To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance.' Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him. In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall glory." - Isaiah 45:23-25

Don't be incensed against God. He is glorifying himself by being himself. And his being God is our salvation - if we'll have him. Someday each one of us will bow before Jesus Christ crucified as God's Ultimate Surprise (Phil. 2:9-11). If you'll look past his unimpressive followers now, if you'll trust him enough to join him in the way of his cross, you will bow then in the deepest joy forever. But if you cling to your hurt feelings and dashed expectations and broken dreams and stubborn pride, and if you insist on sulking and having things your own way, you will bow unwillingly then, to your eternal exclusion and regret. And the saddest part will be, you will deserve it. This is his ultimatum, and the moment to decide is now."

- Ray Ortlund Jr., "Isaiah: God Saves Sinners" pgs. 303-304

Jesus, let us have you today.

Deep Fried Oreos in Funnel Cake Batter

2009-10-04T19:30:00.000-05:00

At "The Dog" in Nashville

What the doctor prescribed...

2009-09-26T23:11:00.000-05:00

Sore throat got your swagger down? Sip some "magic swizzle" and
you'll be back on your game in no time. Playaz, play on. Fo shizzle!

Snake at Sevier Park

2009-09-26T14:13:00.000-05:00

Filthy Roman Sponge

2009-09-24T22:07:00.000-05:00

Jess workin' on the washer

2009-09-21T15:59:00.004-05:00

She's so cute!

War Eagle!!!

2009-09-20T10:23:00.000-05:00

Auburn: 41. West Virginia: 30.

Don't Waste Your Life

2009-09-07T12:15:00.003-05:00

Labor Day

2009-09-07T11:33:00.003-05:00

"When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, 'Rabbi, when did you come here?' Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.' Then they said to him, 'What must we do, to be doing the works of God?' Jesus answered them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.'"- John 6:25-29

The crowds heard one word. Labor. This lead them to ask Jesus, "What must we do?"

Jesus brilliantly explains to them what this work or labor is...that we believe in Him. This is the work of God, not man.

Lord, help our unbelief.

My Jesus

2009-09-07T11:32:00.000-05:00

The Bible's message in 3 words...

2009-08-29T14:47:00.001-05:00

"God saves sinners." - Jessica Prielozny

"It is finished." - Ray Ortlund, Jr.

What would you say?

Hilarious

2009-08-28T16:46:00.000-05:00

Ray Ortlund on Contextualizing the Gospel

2009-08-26T19:03:00.007-05:00

He said, "It's a moving target...think of it this way"

The vertical line is "message" - at the top is "law" and at the bottom is "grace."

The horizontal line is "communication" - to the left is "under-adapt" and to the right is "over-adapt"

Just like a target, you want to hit it dead in the center: the message should be one of grace and law, and the communication should be neither under-adapted nor over-adapted, but right between the two.

It's improbable for churches to teach/preach in the following two manners:
1) More law than grace in the message while over-adapting in communication (Hence the "X" in the top right quadrant)
and...
2) More grace than law in the message while under-adapting in communication (Hence the "X" in the bottom left quadrant)

Here is where the problem does lie...
1) More law than grace in the message while under-adapting in communication (Hence the circled "X" in the top left quadrant)- Do you know any churches like this?
and...
2) More grace than law in the message while over-adapting in communication (Hence the circled "X" in the bottom right quadrant) - Do you know any churches like this?

Pray for the Church to hit the bulls eye.

Provoking

2009-08-25T10:59:00.001-05:00

Happy Anniversary!!!

2009-08-24T23:04:00.002-05:00

One year down...

Thank you, Jani Ortlund!

2009-08-24T09:53:00.001-05:00

The what, when, where, why, how, and who of the Great Commission

2009-08-04T18:19:00.005-05:00

Introduction illustration: The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk

After the success of their first flight on December 17, 1903 on the outer banks of North Carolina, the Wright brothers immediately sent a telegram to their father, who was a Methodist Bishop. The telegram read “Success (stop) Four flights Thursday morning, all against a 21 mile an hour wind (stop) Started from level with engine power alone (stop) Average speed through air thirty one miles {per hour} (stop) Longest 59 seconds (stop) Inform Press (stop) home Christmas - Orevelle Wright”

When Bishop Wright received the telegram, he excitedly rushed down to the local newspaper to give this good news to the editor. He asked if he could print the information from this telegram. The editor read it and replied “Certainly.” The following day’s headline of the local newspaper read “Sons of prominent local bishop home for the holidays.”

A person employed to spot news missed the setting in motion of one of the most epic events that has ever taken place in man’s history. What does that say to us? Danger: be careful! It’s the easiest thing possible to have the greatest message of truth or strategy and presume it out of business and end up printing the wrong thing. George Peters said, “The greatest need in the worldwide church today is a meticulous, word by word, serious reexamination of the Great Commission of Jesus.” This is big, and it’s a whole lot bigger than we’ve given it credit. There is no way we can squeeze and exhaust this text. A veteran missionary to Nigeria once said, “There is more in the Great Commission than you can see, think, or do even if you had 10 lifetimes.” I wholeheartedly agree.

Let’s use Kipling’s editorial friends to break down and understand the last words recorded in the book of Matthew of our best friend and leader, Jesus Christ! Rudyard Kipling: “I have 6 honest, serving men, who taught me all I knew; their names are what, when, where, why, how, and who.”

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20

1. WHO?

“Who” is to carry out the Great Commission?

v.19 – “Go ye…”

The word “ye” in the original language and implied in most modern translations is plural and literally translated “every single one of you.” This meaning has not changed and will not change until every person of all nations is reached or Christ comes again.

The text is often misapplied as a corporate commission, given to the local body to carry out as a whole, without giving individual responsibility to each follower of Christ. While I absolutely believe any and every local body should take responsibility for the Commission, it is also the personal responsibility of every believer. In fact, the local church is supposed to prepare and equip each and every believer to do the work of the Great Commission (Eph.4). Instead, in most local churches in western evangelicalism today, the commission is portrayed as a “missionary” text, given to the pastors, ministers, and missionaries with the job of the laity to pray and financially support.

The Commission is given to every single follower of Christ, and what is everyone’s responsibility becomes no one’s responsibility, and so it has in today’s church, as millions of believers sit faithfully in the pews every Sunday but are yet to take their first step in fulfilling the Great Commission.

Further evidence that Christ did not intend for the Great Commission to be applied to a local body versus each individual follower is that the local NT church was not even established yet when Christ gave the command specifically to His followers. The NT Church is birthed in Acts 2 at Pentecost. Here we are in Matthew 28, and Christ is commanding His followers to individually carry out the commission.

Finally, the Great Commission starts in the home for every believer. According to Deut.6 and Eph.6, parents are called to disciple their children in the Lord. It is not the responsibility of the local church to parent the young people, but the responsibility is the parents. Therefore, each individual believer MUST be able to carry out the terms of the Great Commission.

The Commission applies today to every born again follower of Jesus Christ. “Who” is to carry out the last words of Jesus Christ in His Great Commission? I am!

2. WHAT?

Well, if it’s given to each and every one of us to fulfill, we must know what EXACTLY the Great Commission of Christ is calling each one of us to do.

Audience Exercise: Count the verb forms used in these words of Christ, from v.19-20. (Answer: 7) Now count how many of those are action verbs. (Answer: 4) Now I want you to hold up fingers for how many of those 4 action verbs you think are a command. (They hold up fingers.)

The answer is ONE!! There is only ONE command in the Great Commission of Jesus Christ. Now that you know this, tell me in unison what that one command is: 1…2…3…

Audience: “GO”

You: “NO”

The one command of the Great Commission of Jesus Christ is not “Go” but “Make Disciples.” If you’ve been told that it’s “go,” you’ve been misled. Often the G.C. has been taught as a missionary text with the emphasis put on the “Go” when that was never the intention of Christ. The command is not that we “Go” to all nations physically, nor that our job is merely to either go, support, or pray for someone who is “going”. That you go, support, and pray are Biblically supported elsewhere, but not here. The ONE command of the Great Commission of Jesus Christ is “TO MAKE DISCIPLES!!”

So what’s a “Disciple?”

A disciple is simply a “follower” or “learner.” So a disciple of Christ is simply a follower of Jesus Christ. The picture is of an apprentice. Luke 6:40 says, “A student will become like his teacher,” which is the goal of discipleship.

A definition of a true follower of Christ should necessarily entail certain qualities, and therefore could read something along the lines of: “A world-visionary, world-impacting, radically committed, follower and learner, and reproducer of Jesus Christ.” I heard Tim Keller once say that everyone is converted to something. Either it’s God or something else. Same with building disciples, you are shaping those around you to something. It’s either to the image of Christ or the image of something else, most likely you.

So “what” is the one command of the Great Commission? To Make Disciples.

What is a disciple of Christ? A “follower” or “learner.”

3. WHEN?

When are we to “make disciples” of Jesus?

Back to the word “Go” that we all thought was a command.

It is actually an aorist tense circumstantial participle literally meaning “Having gone” which can be translated in the present tense, “As you are going” or “While you are going” or “Since you are going.”

So the Commission literally begs the question, “Having gone, did you MAKE DISCIPLES?” At any chapter in our lives, we should be able to look back over our shoulder and see a “down line” of believers/disciples built for world impact for the glory of God and by the command of Christ.

The command therefore reads, “As you are going…MAKE DISCIPLES!” Understanding the verb structure helps us to understand the flow of the Commission. The “Go” is simply a lead in to the command. It is a set up. “As you are going,” there is something you must always be doing, and that something is “to make disciples!”

4. WHERE?

“Ta ethnae” = “All nations” That’s right; you are “to make disciples of all nations.”

How is this possible? By being faithful RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!! In other words, if you will simply take part in the Great Commission according to the strategy Christ has given us, Christ will reach the ends of the Earth through your life in due time through the multiplying of His influence through you into future generations.

The word for “disciple-making” is “mathetusate” which is where we get our word for “mathematics.” God has rigged multiplication into the process so that we must simply be faithful where we are and allow Him to reach the ends of the Earth through our lives.

Illustrate:

· Jesus’ Life

o Never left more than 200 miles from His hometown, and yet 20 years after his ascension into heaven, the Gospel had been made known “everywhere” – literally, all over the world. How? He built reproducing disciples who built others, who built others, and His influence and the Gospel message multiplied.

· The Thessalonica Church

o In Acts 17:1-10, we see Paul training the Jews in this church for about 3 weeks and the Greeks a bit longer. A year after being driven out of the city from this church, Paul writes “For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything.” – 1 Thessalonians 1:8.

5. HOW?

By “GOING,” “BAPTIZING,” and “TEACHING!” God has surrounded the central command of the text with specific instructions for carrying it out through these 3 supporting participles.

First we must “Go.” This means we must get up off the sidelines and engage in the war at hand. We must put on our Great Commission goggles and get out of bed each morning with our antenna up, ready to make a disciple out of whomever God decides to sovereignly drop in our path. By “going” we take on the Great Commission as a lifestyle.

“Baptizing” is the evangelism step of disciple-making. Disciple-making begins with evangelism (though many times you will adopt a spiritual infant who has been evangelized already but has never been matured past spiritual infancy - due to the lack of disciple-making over the past two decades, we have spiritual infants running rampant in our church today, so this is largely the case).

Baptizing does not represent the dunking or sprinkling that we see up front on Sunday mornings; rather, what we see up front on Sunday mornings represents the baptism that has taken place in one’s life. The Holy Spirit has baptized a new believer into the Body of Christ, and we simply symbolize in front of a local body with a public, outward profession/expression of what has gone on personally with an inward confession.

But the Commission is referring to more than just the public water baptism, but the work of leading someone to an inward confession, leading them to Christ. “Baptism” literally referred in the first century to association, or re-association, into a group of people. A Jew had to be now associated with Christ in order to be a disciple. So “baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Spirit” is the introducing of someone to the tri-une God of the Bible. In that moment they are now associated publicly and permanently as a member of the Body of Christ, with Christ Jesus Himself as the Head. The ceremony that then follows is simply an outward expression on an inward confession that has taken place.

Now that one has been introduced to Christ, or evangelized and is now a functioning member of the Body, they must be taught in order to be matured in the Lord.

“Teaching” is not simply formal classroom teaching. In fact, this is not even the primary source of teaching. The primary source of teaching must be in the classroom of life, where disciples are built in context. Jesus used every possible circumstance over 3 years as a teaching lesson for building the twelve. We must do the same. We must teach both “sound doctrine” (as Paul commands Timothy) as well as practical living (Manhood, Spiritual Life, etc) but most important is to remember that making disciples at its core is life and truth transference in the context of relationship. More than any great knowledge of theology, this takes time and love. You must sacrificially carve out time and give of yourself in order to ever build a disciple. It is not enough to simply teach the Word of God in a Bible study setting. This simply builds Pharisees if not done with the proper paradigm and through the proper grid of disciple-making.

It's as if, you were to lay aside the one command in the Commission ("Make disciples"), the other three action words (participles) would become progressive. They reveal a sequence. The "going" is automatic, the "baptizing" occurs for each convert only once, but the "teaching is to be a lifetime process from the beginning of the Christian life. They seem to be the activities that purposefully "make disciples."

6. WHY?

Jesus said to!!! The Commission begins with v.18, where Jesus states emphatically that “ALL” authority has been given to Me,” and He therefore, having ALL authority, commands us (His followers) to MAKE DISCIPLES. Therefore, if one has a problem with the Great Commission, then they have a problem with the Lordship of Christ in your life.

And to stretch this a little further…why would Jesus tell us to do this? John McArthor answers, “God loved a lost world and sought to win it to Himself for His own glory. Christ came into the world out of love and sought to win it for the Father's glory. Believers also are to go to the world in love and to seek to reach it for the glory of God. The church's mission is the same as God's.

Jesus said, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. I have glorified thee on the earth" (John 17:3-4). Reconciling man to God is the greatest way to glorify God. That's the reason Christ came (Luke 19:10). Believers are an extension of the ministry of God the Father and Son in receiving glory by the salvation of lost sinners: " As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world" (John 17:18). "As" conveys intention. As the Father sent the Son into the unredeemed world, so the Son has sent believers. We have no different mission in the world than the incarnate Jesus Christ.”

Conclusion:

1) Who? Every single one of us…

2) What? Make Disciples! (What’s a disciple of Christ? A world-visionary, world-impacting, radically committed, follower and learner, and reproducer of Jesus Christ…)

3) When? As you are going…

4) Where? All nations…

5) How? Going, Baptizing, Teaching…

6) Why? Jesus said to!!! And why would he tell us to do that? To glorify God!

Thank God for the men who have gone before us

2009-07-21T08:02:00.003-05:00

John Wycliffe...

"Those Heretics who pretend that the laity do not need to know God's law, and that the things which priests have told them is enough, do not deserve to be listened to. For the Bible is the faith of the Church, and the more widely it becomes known the better it will be. Therefore since the laity should know the faith, it should be taught in whatever language is most easily understood."

Wycliffe criticized abuses and false teachings in the Church. In 1382 he translated an English Bible -- the first European translation done in over 1,000 years.

An observation on how God works

2009-07-11T10:40:00.006-05:00

"'Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered; And I will turn My hand against the little ones. It will come about in all the land,' Declares the Lord, ' That two parts in it will be cut off and perish; But the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them;' I will say, 'They are My people.' And they will say, 'The Lord is my God." - Zechariah 13:8-9

The "third part" in these verses are Christians - "They are My people," says the Lord. And they say, "The Lord is my God."

God brings them through hardship/suffering - "I will bring the third part (Christians) through the fire..."

Why? So, Christians will call upon the name of the Lord.

"God puts us in the fire to awaken earnest prayer." - John Piper

This verse has been beyond resourceful in many situations. Hope it's just as encouraging to you.

Jesus Walks on the Water – Matthew 14:22-33

2009-07-10T10:37:00.002-05:00

22) Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23) And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24) but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25) And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26) But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

28) And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

This passage won’t leave me alone, nor do I want it to. Here is what the Holy Spirit has shown me in this text:

22) Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

Jesus is sovereign. To say that another way, Jesus has supreme rank, power, and authority over everything. What does everything include? I would argue, anything and everything including the direction of people’s lives.

In these verses, we see two groups: the crowds and the disciples, both whom He commands differently. In the beginning of this section, Jesus dismisses one group, the crowds. He gives them no direction. This group was without a doubt enticed by this man, Jesus. If we were to have read the section previous to this, we would have learned that they were stringing along for the healing and the free food. They were merely using Christ. John’s account of this story tells us that this group eventually “turned back and no longer walked with him.”

We also see a second group, Jesus’ disciples. With them, there was clear direction from Jesus, “get into the boat and go…to the other side.” They were also enticed by this man, Jesus, but not because of the things He did for them. On the contrary, all but one enjoyed Him in this group. This love for Jesus would later compel them to reach all nations to inform the world of this deep affection one could have with the living God through Jesus Christ.

23) And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone…

The writer reiterates that Jesus was sending away the crowds and that now they were gone. The crowds obeyed. Jesus controls the righteous and the unrighteous.

24) …but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them.

Here, we see the 12 disciples were where Jesus told them to go. They were “going before him to the other side.” This verse paints isolation and chaos. They were being obedient yet it wasn’t easy.

25) And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea.

When, where, and by what means you least expect Him, Jesus comes! But, another account puts this a little differently. Mark 6 tells us “He meant to pass by them…” That sounds a little different from what I’ve normally imagined in this story. It’s as if, Jesus is just strolling by them! He wants them to see Him, yet He doesn’t want to ride in the boat with them. Jesus wants to get to the other side by a different means; He was taking the road by which the waves have made (Jesus controls nature – another consideration for the sovereignty of Jesus).

26) But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear.

I can’t image seeing something like this. This was something that no one had ever seen before. Jesus, the one who brings peace, came in the isolation and chaos. To behold the living God is to experience terrifying excitement.

27) But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

Jesus says in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus speaks to those whom He has chosen. He encourages them to take heart and not be afraid with the three little assuring words, “it is I.” He encourages them with Himself! He calms fears and chaos with Himself. Jesus breaks through the isolation and calms their confusion.

28) And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”

Peter saw Jesus passing by Him. Peter didn’t want to risk the chance of being left behind. His life was of no concern, while his soul’s was of the utmost importance. It was Jesus he needed, and for that, he was willing to put his life on the line. But, he didn’t dare make a move without calling upon Jesus. Only Jesus can direct us to Himself, and He’ll use the most radical paths to bring us to Him. For Peter, it was the raging sea.

29) He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus.

Jesus heard his plea and commanded him to “come.” Peter obeyed. If we were to stop here, it would seem like Peter had no trouble in coming to Jesus. But, it doesn’t stop here…

30) But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.”

Peter saw the wind. How crazy does that sound? In relying on his own strength, Peter weakened quickly. The chaos was getting to him. He didn’t see Christ anymore. He saw the wind, and he was afraid. He was in route to Jesus, the one who had just calmed his fears. “Lord, save me.” Peter must have quickly remembered his Old Testament, Jonah 2:9, “Salvation is of the Lord.” (It’s interesting how Jonah had an amazing experience at sea too)

31) Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”

Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Jesus did not turn him away. Jesus did not neglect him. He gave Peter His hand; He gave Peter Himself. In John 10:28, Jesus says “I give (those who follow me) eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” Peter was in the best place anyone could be, wrapped in the hands of Jesus.

Notice also Jesus’ response to Peter. To whom does Jesus give his hand? To whom does Jesus give eternal life? He gives it to those of little faith and doubters. He gives it to the undeserving.

32) And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

Jesus is now in the boat with the others. You are safe with Christ. There is no more isolation or chaos as to whom your life and soul belong to when you are with Jesus. He is sovereign over wind. He is sovereign over hearts.

33) And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

What a beautiful picture of Jesus with His Church. The Church is worshiping their Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the first time the 12 disciples are acknowledging Jesus for who He truly is: the Son of God. Up until this point (in the book of Matthew), we’ve seen Satan acknowledge Him as God’s son (Matthew 4:3) and we’ve seen demons proclaim Jesus as the Son of God (Matthew 8:29). So, here in the boat, everyone including Judas, who would eventually betray Jesus, was confessing that Jesus was the Son of God. Yet, only 11 were truly worshiping Jesus as the Son of God.

Just like this Sea of Galilee boat experience, one day the Lord says that, “every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess.” But, that doesn’t mean that everyone will go on to enjoy God forever…

If you aren’t in the boat, this is your invitation. Come in. Come to peace. Come to Jesus. Three chapters prior to this story, Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30. The command is to come. The invitation is to all who labor and are heavy laden.

If you are in the boat, don’t just stay in communion with all the others. Everyone in the church will not ultimately end up with the Church with Jesus. Call upon Jesus to save you like Peter did.

If you are in the boat with Jesus, enjoy Him. Worship Jesus for who He is, the Son of God, with all your heart, mind, body and soul.

Matthew 3:1-10: John the Baptist Prepares the Way

2009-06-24T12:34:00.001-05:00

In the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, John the Baptist is introduced as a fully matured man preaching amongst the people. It is as if he abruptly fell from the sky and onto the scene to embark on a mission. Although one can gather information about his family, pre-birth and birth from the book of Luke, Matthew gives us none of those details. There is no genealogy. There is no account of his birth or mother’s pregnancy. There is no record of his upbringing. There is only John the Baptist, the passionate, the undisguised. Until then, there had not been a prophet for more than four hundred years. The church was waiting in silence for “a voice of one crying in the wilderness.”

Matthew focuses on the aspect of John’s life that would help him build his case for his gospel by addressing two questions: Who is the King? And where is His kingdom? The book of Matthew, primarily aimed at the Jewish audience, finds John in the wilderness proclaiming that Jesus is king/Messiah and that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching…” Matthew’s gospel jumps quickly into Jesus’ public ministry from his early childhood, but first there had to be a forerunner with his own ministry. When a King would come to town, there were would typically be a forerunner to make preparations for his coming and he would even go so far as to having roads built and straightened to prepare the way for the king – this was John’s mission. John’s life was to be lived for the glory of another – just like our lives are. The theme verse for John’s life is also very powerful – John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”

It’s important to see here that the text says, “John the Baptist came preaching” rather than “John the Baptist came baptizing” or “teaching” or “prophesying.” Not that those elements of the faith are not important, but rather they are secondary to those who are perishing. All throughout the Bible, we see that God uses the instrument of preaching to channel His truth to a world of sinners. The purpose is to convict a person of the sin of the heart and to show that it is in desperate need of a Savior. This is the message of John the Baptist: repentance and redemption – “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2

Where was John the Baptist preaching? At the end of verse 1, Matthew tells us that he was “preaching in the wilderness of Judea.” The wilderness was important because it was the beginning of the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3, “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” What great imagery! God had done many great things already in the OT in the wilderness: the law of Moses was given there; David’s famous 63rd Psalm, which talks about the pleasurable fellowship he had with the Lord was written there as well. One commentary said, “…no place is so remote as to shut us out from the visits of divine grace; the sweetest intercourse the saints have with Heaven, is when they are withdrawn furthest from the noise of this world.”

The wilderness is also significant because of John’s background. John’s father, Zechariah, and his mother, Elizabeth, were righteous before God and blameless in all His commandments and ordinances. (An interesting side note: Zechariah means “God remembers”; Elizabeth means “oath of God”; and John, who was named by an angel of the Lord in Luke 1:13, means “grace”; if you put them all together, it reads, “God remembers his oath: grace.”) Zechariah was of the priesthood; therefore, John the Baptist was a priest of the order of Aaron as well, yet we never see him officiating in a temple. Nor do we see him show up in religious robes. Rather he lived in the wilderness and dressed as a countryman. Matthew 3:4 says, “Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Yes, a lot of commentaries say that is to provoke imagery of an OT prophet, but I also see it as John counting all of his “rights”, his inheritance as loss in comparison as to what the Lord had in store for him. By no means was John going to waste his life by the clothes he wore or the food he ate. He would not promote any distraction from his message intent on glorifying God. I believe this verse alone can be a message in of itself. How we need to safeguard against the idols of clothing and appearance and the approval of man. John Piper writes in his book, Don’t Waste Your Life, “What a tragedy to see so many…obsessed with what they wear and how they look. Even Christian youth seem powerless to ask greater questions…like: Will these clothes help me magnify Christ? Will they point people to him as the manifest Treasure of my life?” This seemed to be true of John. The verse is in there because people observed not only the message of John the Baptist but also the way he dressed and acted. Application was the heart of his preaching.

To whom was John preaching? In the following verses we see two groups: people from “Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan,” which we will call the “unrighteous” and the “Pharisees and Sadducees,” which we will call the “self-righteous.” (Not that any of the “unrighteous” could have not belonged to the “self-righteous” as well, but this seems to be the way Scripture divided the two. Both groups are sinners in the eyes of God and will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. The only type of righteousness that saves is imputed righteousness – just like with Abraham in Genesis 15:6)

Was he preaching the same message? Well, the answer is both, yes and no. After the unrighteous group heard John preach, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” verse 5 and 6 tells us that they were “going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.” Luke’s account tells us that the crowds asked, “What then shall we do?” which can be seen as an indication of a longing for change. One commentary says, “The Jews had been taught to justify themselves; but John teaches them to accuse themselves, and not to rest, as they used to do, in the general confession of sin made for all Israel, once a year, upon the day of atonement; but to make a particular acknowledgment, every one, of the plague of his own heart.” So, we see God moving people to Himself. People are coming to know the Lord! God is setting up Christ’s kingdom through the God-centeredness preaching of John the Baptist.

But, how does John differ in his message to the self righteous Pharisees and Sadducees who don’t see a need for this sort of repentance? Verse 7 says, “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.’” What a vicious attack on the Pharisees and Sadducees’ idol; the false savior of identity through ancestry. This is exactly what made John’s message so radical – Jews believed they had no need of repentance because they were Jewish! John felt that he had to deal more specifically with the ones who also deemed themselves to be preachers/teachers of God’s scriptures. Rather than preaching before them, he preached directly to them. He addresses them as “vipers,” rather than the customary title of “rabbi.” This sort of imagery would have hopefully taken them back to the fall in Genesis 3, where there were not one but two seeds: one of the great snake, Satan, and one of the woman, from which our redeemer Jesus would come. Obviously, John was telling them that they were of their father, the Devil (1 John 5:19 – they are under the control of the evil). He was addressing the motive of their hearts in hopes of showing them how they desire to do evil, which makes them hostile towards God.

John then warns them of the wrath to come if their hardened hearts do not repent. For the Pharisees, it was the sin of the display of religion and for the Sadducee it was their arguments against religion. Here, we see God’s mercy because not one of them can say that they weren’t warned of the future wrath. God himself is warning them through John’s preaching. John goes on to say that it isn’t enough for them to profess that they know God. They aren’t running towards God yet. They are saying that they are but their feet are not moving. He instructs them to “bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” He wants to see the proof of the assurance of their salvation. He wants for them true repentance, in which they forsake all sin and cleave to that which is good, namely Jesus.

John continues to identify this idol of identity through ancestry by addressing the covenant of Abraham. He cautions them of their hearts inward reply, “We have Abraham as our father.” It’s as if he is saying, “Don’t believe the lie. Salvation has always been by faith, not by lineage. Repent. Confess your sins. Be baptized.” The Pharisees and Sadducees did not see themselves as unsaved, or for the need to be baptized. To them, baptism was used for ceremonial cleansings or a Gentile entering into the Jewish faith. In their minds, they were already spiritually clean and partakers in salvation.

Genealogies are of great importance for a Jew, even to the writer Matthew. So much so, that he starts of his book with one to show the Kingly lineage of Jesus Christ. It is a lineage to the Savior, rather than the lineage itself as a savior. The first verse of the book of Matthew says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” This would be significant for a Jewish audience. This would show a person’s heritage, inheritance, legitimacy, and rights. All throughout Jesus’ genealogy, we see Gentiles, cursed kings, adulterers, murderers, and idolaters, yet Jesus’ descent is never questioned. There is undeniable proof that Jesus is son of Abraham, and the son of David. Again, this is a good thing but all good things can become idols, which John is pointing out. He continues to insult the Pharisees/Sadducees idolatry by saying “for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” They have faith in the blood in their veins that had been passed down from Abraham rather than the blood of the Messiah. John is trying to show them that the genealogy, which is of the utmost importance in the beginning of this book, is of no worth to them in the end. “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” The OT clearly taught in Genesis 15:6 that Abraham, by hearing with faith, believed God and it was counted to him as righteousness. The roots of his family do not bless a man; but the one who is of faith is blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith, in Christ Jesus.

Matthew’s account of John the Baptist is what truly kicks off the gospel of Jesus Christ. His ministry set the tone and prepared the hearts of the people for what was to come: Jesus and his mission to glorify God through the salvation of sinners. We see a preview of compassion, boldness, and good news spread by John the Baptist that is completely lived out in the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There will always be idols to deal with if we are communicating to other human beings; in this text we see the Pharisees/Sadducees answering the two questions posed at the beginning differently from the author: Who is the King? Their functional savior is their identity through ancestry. Where is His kingdom? Their hearts answer, “in Abraham.” But, there is hope because Jesus is King and His kingdom is at hand.

Application – how can we be guilty of the same sin as the Jewish leadership? Do some people believe going to church, having Christian parents/spouse/being American makes them saved? Does our culture have a misunderstanding of salvation? Do we have the same righteous anger, which John had when dealing with the self-righteous and the same compassion with the unrighteous?

Jessica and Elizabeth at Bongo Java

2009-06-24T10:25:00.001-05:00

Genesis 12:1,3 versus Galatians 3:8

2009-06-12T13:13:00.001-05:00

Genesis 12:1,3 - "Now the LORD said to Abram...in you all the families of the earth will be blessed."

Galatians 3:8 - "The Scripture...preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, 'All the nations will be blessed in you.'"

See any similarities in those two verses? See any differences? Here is what I noticed...

Point 1) What the LORD said, the Scripture preached, preaches and will preach forevermore!!! Amen!

Point 2) A new identity: from Abram to Abraham...from death to life...from old creature to new...from no communion to covenant.

Point 3) "All the families/nations will be blessed..." The gospel means "good news." The gospel is for all peoples; Jew or Gentile. It would not be good news if it was not for all nations or else Paul, the writer of Galatians, wouldn't have said, "The Scripture...preached the gospel...saying, All the nations will be blessed in you." He would have left out the words, "preached the gospel" in that verse if that wasn't part of the good news.

Point 4) "...in you". Paul goes on to clear up the meaning of this term in the following verse. Galatians 3:9 says, "So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer." Not so much as "in Abraham" but rather "with Abraham." Abraham is a living OT prophecy of the gospel. Why? Because of this very verse: God saved Abraham by faith. If you were to continue reading the third chapter of Galatians down to verse 14, you would notice very similar wording as in verse 8. See if you can catch it. "...in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." It's only IN CHRIST can Abraham and all the nations be blessed through faith.

Christ is the blessing...God is the good news!

Idols and Jesus.

2009-06-11T20:30:00.003-05:00

Habakkuk 2:18-20...
What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For it's maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver and there is no breath at all in it, But the Lord (good words right there!) is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.

My observations:
Idols are of no profit; Jesus is treasure.
Idols are shaped into creation; Jesus is the Creature.
Idols are metal and rust, therefore lifeless; Jesus is life.
Idols are teachers of lies; Jesus is truth.
Idols are not dependable; Jesus is trustworthy.
Idols are speechless; Jesus is the Word of God.
Idols are unfree and subordinate; Jesus is sovereign.
Idols are wood and stone; Jesus took the cross and broke free from the tomb and is in His holy temple and coming back to get us!

Welcome to the family!

2009-05-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

Birmingham!!!

2009-05-15T18:30:00.002-05:00

Congrats, Ben and Jessica!

The Gospel in Action!!!

2009-05-10T16:31:00.003-05:00

"The reward for information leading to missing New York teenager Brittanee Drexel was increased to $11,000, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle reported.

Pastor Charlie Muller, of Victory Christian Church in Albany, N.Y., added $10,000 to the $1,000 reward Myrtle Beach, S.C. Crime Stoppers offered last week, the newspaper reported." - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519673,00.html

2 Corinthians 8:9
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.

Jess and Zipporah

2009-04-18T20:06:00.000-05:00

Exodus 4:24-26

Red Rev 2009

2009-03-16T10:29:00.019-05:00

My first Streets outing with the girls!!

The girls had so much fun!

Stax Drumline

AT breaking it all down for us

A tribute to last year's Red Rev

Joseph's 26th Birthday!!

2009-03-16T10:08:00.012-05:00

So, I decided to throw Joseph a surprise 80s party for his birthday!!

80s charades was the highlight of the night

the boys were upset that they lost :(

Embarrassing 80s moments anyone?

We ARE Maverick and Charlie!

80s couple of the night!! Thanks for letting us use your house!

lovely ladies :)

One single girl's checklist

2009-03-10T20:45:00.000-05:00

You all know her and you all love her but her name shall remain
anonymous-let us know if you meet any guys who meet these requirements
and we will pass the info along!

Luke!

2009-02-27T21:42:00.000-06:00

Kris and Barbi's Wedding

2009-02-12T22:03:00.001-06:00

Joseph Plays His First Reggae Show

2009-02-08T12:33:00.002-06:00

There was a lot of pot, a lot of up-strokes on the guitar, and a lot of feedback from the PA at this show...BIG UPS YOURSELF!!! (They really said that - I thought it was just an Ali G saying poking fun at that culture!)

Classic Church Rock!

2009-01-26T09:30:00.002-06:00

Love the hair and the unbuttoned shirt...oh, and the band: a dude livin' in the 80's rockin' out with the 50 year olds...CLASSIC CHURCH ROCK!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHoH7Og7tXA