Lamentations and Haiti
January 21, 2010
Friday, January 29, First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, Mississippi, will host the annual Mid-South Men’s Rally. This year’s speaker will be Dr. Michael A. Milton, president of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Milton has posted an essay in which he applies the form and theology of the Old Testament book of Lamentations to the devastation of Haiti. Take the the time to read it.
Here’s an excerpt:
The earthquake that hit Haiti last about 30 seconds. And in that time hundreds of thousands of souls left this planet. But even as I write, even more, all over the world, will suddenly pass from this world into the presence of the Creator. Are we ready to go? For the brevity of life is ever before us, beckoning, calling, crying that we turn to the Lord while there is time. Jesus also calls for us to repent, to examine ourselves and to turn to Him. For God will punish unrepentant sin.
Again, it is not a time to point fingers in judgment at people Haiti. It is not time to think we can explain it all. That is not only unbiblical but inhumane and just plain dumb. But it is a time to pray for them, and to weep for them, but also to realize again the brevity of life and that I will soon stand before God myself. It is a time to recall that every horror here reminds us of the horror of being separated forever from God. It is a time for me to turn again to God and repent.
Happy birthday, Heidelberg Catechism
January 19, 2010
The Heidelberg Catechism has something of a birthday today. It was composed in Heidelberg, Germany at the request of Elector Frederick III, who ruled the Palatinate, an influential German province, from 1559 to 1576. An old tradition credits Zacharius Ursinus and Caspar Olevianus as co-authors. Both were certainly involved in its composition, although one of them may have had primary responsibility. All we know for sure is reported by the Elector in his preface of January 19, 1563. It was, he writes, “with the advice and cooperation of our entire theological faculty in this place, and of all superintendents and distinguished servants of the church” that he secured the preparation of the Heidelberg Catechism. The catechism was approved by a synod in Heidelberg in January 1563. A second and third German edition, each with small additions, as well as a Latin translation were published the same year in Heidelberg. Soon the catechism was divided into fifty-two sections so that one Lord’s Day could be explained in preaching each Sunday of the year.
A long-standing tradition at FPC Kosciusko has been for the minister to read the first question and answer from the Heidelberg Catechism at the graveside service of a church member. A local funeral home director told me that he has heard it so many times through the years he has memorized it, even though he is a Methodist and never heard it in church. In case you don’t know it yet, here it is…
1. What is thy only comfort in life and in death?
That I, with body and soul, both in life and in death, am not my own, but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who with His precious blood has fully satisfied for all my sins, and redeemed me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me, that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must work together for my salvation. Wherefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me heartily willing and ready henceforth to live unto Him.
Also, the questions and answers explaining the phrases of the Apostles’ Creed are very helpful aids for public, gathered worship. I recommend using them occasionally after your congregation recites the Apostles’ Creed. You can find the entire Heidelberg Catechism online from Ligonier Ministries.
Mission to North America disaster response in Haiti
January 16, 2010
You can find out what you can do to assist MNA with disaster relief efforts in Haiti following this week’s massive earthquake by clicking here.
Cream of blog 01.14.10
January 14, 2010
Some blog posts worthy of your time…
- Kevin DeYoung (Gospel Coalition) on the easily-offended spirit (a must-read!).
- Allen Yeh (Scriptorium Daily) with a theory on how Mao inadvertently paved the way for the gospel to travel swiftly through China.
- Winford Bevins (Resurgence) gives a concise summary of what intercessory prayer is all about.
- Fred Sanders (Scriptorium Daily) shares a Charles Wesley hymn about earthquakes. Wesley’s entire collection of hymns about earthquakes can be found here.
Bach, hope, gospel, and Japan
January 14, 2010
Many of us at FPC Kosciusko were moved by the concert and presentation by Roger Lowther last September. I recently found this 2000 article in First Things about the popularity of Johann Sebastian Bach in Japan, and how that popularity has created surprising opportunities to connect gospel truth and hope with a hard-to-reach people group.
Coffee with Lewis: this deplorable walk
January 13, 2010
Who wouldn’t enjoy a walk with C.S. Lewis? That depends on a lot of things. Over at Scriptorium Daily, Fred Sanders shares a letter from C.S. Lewis about a walk that didn’t go very well. I’ll let Sanders take it from here:
In second volume of The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis (Books, broadcasts, and the War, 1931-1949), Lewis tells a story about taking a terrible walk with somebody named Kenchaw, somebody with whom Lewis seemed to have nothing in common and nothing to talk about. “That Kenchaw man,” he calls him, in a letter to his brother Warnie who is serving in the military in Shanghai. Lewis writes the letter (dated March 20, 1932) with obvious relish in sharing a good yarn with his brother, but it really does sound like an awful walk. Lewis had only been a Christian for about a year, and this letter has plenty of the Read the rest of this entry »
Biblical history at a glance
January 5, 2010
Justin Taylor has posted two entries worth clicking: one is a chart outline of biblical history and the other is a brief summary of the main divisions of biblical history. Both are taken from Dr. Graeme Goldsworthy’s excellent book According to Plan: The Unfolding Revelation of God in the Bible. (Joe and I taught a class on that book in 2008-09.) Printing these two entries and sticking them inside the Bible you are reading would be a good idea.
Grace like manna
January 5, 2010
Eight or so years ago I went with an elder to visit an elderly widow on a blistering cold day (much like today). She had recently moved closer to one of her grown children and had been coming to our church with her family. On this get-to-know-you-better kind of visit, I knew what to expect. This elder and I had good teamwork in these situations. He is affable, warm, quick-witted. He sets a good, engaging kind of tone to these visits, and I bring the heavy artillery. I usually asked the question or made the comment that moved things from friendly chit-chat to more serious and spiritual directions. But on this day, I was surprised. The widow gave a clear and credible testimony of her faith in Christ. She said that frequently she thought about death. While she was not afraid to die, she said she was often afraid of dying. “I wonder sometimes if I have the strength and courage to face the process,” she said. 
Before I could formulate a response, the elder (usually the silent partner at this point in the conversation) spoke up and answered better than I could. “O you don’t have to worry about that. When you need that grace, the Lord will give it to you. You feel like you don’t have it right now, but you don’t need it right now. It’s like manna. It’ll be there.”
Reading Edward T. Welch’s Running Scared: Fear, Worry, and the God of Rest reminded me of that cold afternoon. In one chapter Welch teases out our specific fears of death: fears of eternity, fears of the way you might die, fears of hardship for loved ones, fear of the unknown, and fear of judgment. He addresses the second fear, fear of the way you might die, like my friend and fellow elder did that day. Let me share Welch’s version with you. Read the rest of this entry »
That’s Christmas
December 30, 2009
I’m a few days late on this. This is a great 10-minute video from the brethren at St. Helen’s Bishopsgate in London:
New courses from Third Millennium Ministries
December 29, 2009
Third Millennium Ministries has announced the completion of two new courses in their work to provide free seminary-level educational curriculum.
The Apostles’ Creed (click here for download information and list of instructors)
There are many denominations, divisions and theological disputes in the modern church. But despite these types of disunity, there is a common core of belief that all faithful Christians have affirmed throughout history. And for almost two millennia, this core of belief has been summarized in the Apostles’ Creed. This series explains the history and use of the Apostles’ Creed, as well as the details and significance of each of its articles of faith. The Apostles’ Creed is the first series in the Basic Christian Doctrine Course, and it aims to:
- Introduce viewers to the history and value of the Apostles’ Creed.
- Explain each of the doctrines listed in the Apostles’ Creed.
- Demonstrate the relevance of these doctrines to the modern church.
Building Biblical Theology (click here for download information and list of instructors)
Faithful Christians have always recognized the importance of the progress of biblical history, especially as it relates to humanity’s fall into sin and to God’s redemptive work. The discipline of biblical theology arose as a means to study this progress in responsible ways. Much like systematic theology, biblical theology organizes theological ideas in ways that increase our understanding of Scripture. But whereas systematic theology organizes its ideas according topics, biblical theology organizes its findings in historical periods or epochs. Used rightly, biblical theology is a powerful and helpful tool for interpreting and applying the Bible. Building Biblical Theology is the third series in the course Introduction to Theological Studies, and it aims to:
- Explain the history and justification of biblical theology.
- Describe the method and uses of biblical theology.
