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"Amillennialism 101" -- Audio and On-Line Resources

 

Living in Light of Two Ages

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Thursday
Jan242008

On Sermon Subscription Series (Part 5)

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As you may know, I have written several posts on this blog criticizing the use by pastors of sermon subscription series, in which a pastor receives (for a fee, of course) a weekly sermon (or an outline) prepared by others (or taken from other ministers).  You can read my prior rants on this topic here; Click here: Riddleblog - The Latest Post - On Subscription Sermon Series (Part 4)

Yes, I know I have said that I would post on this no more, and I had the best of intentions not to do so.  Then, I received the latest offering from ________ and the temptation to post again was just too much.  I think you'll see why.

Apparently, the subscription company has received some criticism for what they do, so the latest email sets forth their case for the use of such sermons by willing pastors.  I thought it was worth reprinting here, so that you might see what constitutes in their mind  the rationale (sales pitch) for doing such a thing.

The latest email begins with the following question and answer:  "Can we preach sermons borrowed from other pastors with integrity? Yes, if we do it for the right reasons."

There is no justification for using someone else's sermons, period.  A minister's calling is to do the difficult work of preparing to preach God's word to his congregation.  This involves a number of difficult things:  prayer, more prayer, study, translation, writing (and re-writing), more prayer, and preparation for delivery.  This is why ministers must be sufficiently trained and then supported by their churches to do what it is that God has called them to do--preach the fruits of their own labor!

But according to the folks at __________ there are actually "right reasons" for using the work of others.  These reasons include:

(1)   Many weeks pastors have more emergencies than others. We may need to borrow from another pastor the same way a housewife may feel the need to borrow some flour or sugar from her neighbor when an emergency arrives.

(2)   Many pastors are responsible for delivering multiple sermons every week. The study time required to produce such sermons may be hard to find. This is a tremendous load placed on pastors if they are going to be able to provide good fresh materials, so they borrow from another pastor the same way a house wife might take her family to a restaurant rather than feeding her family left-overs that thy have had over and over again.

(3)   Many pastors borrow from other pastors because they recognize if a good Bible-centered sermon is good for one congregation it may also be good for another congregation.

(4)   Many pastors are better at delivering a good sermon than they are preparing a good sermon. That is not difficult to prove. Have you ever gone on the internet and read some of the sermons! Many times you see paragraph after paragraph lacking continuity, having no outline to direct the sermon, and no illustrations to drive the points home to the listeners. When you get through reading those sermons you feel it was a waste of time because you could not get the intended message.

As far as I see it, the stated reasons are not "reasons" at all.  They are excuses.  The ministry is not a 9 to 5 job, it is a calling (sometimes 24/7).  Yes, we have emergencies, but we still must prepare to preach.  If we are asked to teach and preach multiple times, then the elders who supervise our work must give us sufficient time to prepare.  But even if they don't, we still must prepare our own material.  The restaurant example (the fresh food v. left-overs) is ridiculous.  Furthermore, how is preaching someone else's material not a violation of the eighth commandment?  This is plagiarism and the sin of sloth.  If you are not capable of preaching a coherent sermon, then maybe you should seek additional training or seek to evaluate your calling.  And that round of golf is not an "emergency" and God's word is not to be equated with a cup of sugar.

Anticipating my objections, the good folks at ___________ go on to say,

"We understand that borrowing a sermon from another pastor does not relieve any pastor of the responsibility to meditate over the Scripture text until they understand it and feel the heartbeat of God in the text.

We must meditate prayerfully over the sermon until we can own it. Only when a pastor has spent sufficient time in prayer and meditation can he preach the sermon with clarity.

For example, when a professor goes to class to teach others, if he has not spent sufficient time with the curriculum he cannot teach it to others.

It is when a pastor has spent sufficient time in prayer and study on a sermon that the pastor owns the message and can preach it with integrity and passion because then it is that pastor's message.
"

How does praying over someone else's work make it your own sermon to preach?  The sellers of these sermons are correct when they state that a pastor must spend sufficient time in prayer and study.  So how does their product fit with that rather important truth?  It doesn't.  Ministers are called to teach and preach the gold that they have mined from God's word.  There's nothing wrong with a minister re-using his own materials (when there are time crunches, etc.).  But even then, the material should be tweaked and developed further.

Finally, the sermon-sellers close with this gem:

"You can use these materials from _________with integrity because you are not stealing from another pastor.  We give you permission to use them as long as you do not use them to make a financial profit. (We only ask when illustrations are used in these materials that you give credit to those we have borrowed them from.)"

How can you preach someone else's stuff "with integrity?"  I quote from commentators and theologians (occasionally), and that's why I always give attribution (you've seen my footnotes in my sermons).  Yes, I understand that it is not stealing (in a legal sense) if you've purchased a product and have been granted its use. 

But God's word is not a product, and a preacher is not being faithful to his calling if he allows anything (including "emergencies") to detract from his study and preparation to preach his own material to his congregation. That's not integrity, it is an excuse for sloth, poor stewardship of time, or the desire to preach someone else's sermon because we think he did a better job with a text than we did. 

Many men are better preachers than I, but I would be denying my calling if I were to get into the pulpit and preach using someone else's work.  Furthermore, if we ever rely upon our own rhetorical skills or cleverness, we need to be slapped upside the head.  God speaks to his people through the weakest of vessels, especially those who know they are weak so they rely solely upon the power of the Holy Spirit, who lives life to dead bones--something no minister can ever do no matter how "good" his material. It is the minister's calling to preach God's word and then get out of the way of God's work and power.  To try and emulate someone else, or to covet better material, is to get in the way. 

And we wonder why we live in an age characterized by a famine of God's word?

 

Thursday
Jan242008

The Canons of Dort, First Head of Doctrine, Article Eight

Synod%20of%20Dort.jpgArticle 8: A Single Decision of Election

This election is not of many kinds; it is one and the same election for all who were to be saved in the Old and the New Testament. For Scripture declares that there is a single good pleasure, purpose, and plan of God's will, by which he chose us from eternity both to grace and to glory, both to salvation and to the way of salvation, which he prepared in advance for us to walk in.

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Scripture clearly teaches that election is based upon God’s eternal counsel and purpose, and is a mystery to us unless revealed by God in his word or through the passage of time (cf. Ephesians 1:3-i4). 

As we have seen, election is not based upon anything God foresees in the creature.  We now learn that God’s decree is one.  God does not have multiple wills or purposes, as for example, when our Lutheran friends contend that God has an antecedent will to save all men and women but a consequent will to save those who believe and do not resist grace [the elect].  This may be a sincere attempt to solve the problem of reprobation [God not choosing some to be saved, thereby rendering them objects of his wrath], but ends up creating a bigger problem–two apparently contradictory wills within God.  These two wills include God’s will to save all, and his will to save the elect only (those who do not resist God’s grace and who believe the gospel.  

Therefore, it is important for the authors of the Canons to point out that God has a single eternal purpose based upon his own eternal counsel.  While this is beyond our full comprehension, it is nevertheless a fundamental fact of the teaching of Holy Scripture (cf. Ephesians 1:11— “In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will”).  
    
It is also clear from Scripture that God’s elect, who would otherwise remain dead in sin, are expressly called from their former condition unto holiness of life.  As Paul says in Ephesians 1:4, “we were chosen in Christ before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless.”  And as the apostle says in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”  From this it is clear that we have been called from our bondage and slavery to sin and its wage (death), and are given faith and are thereby united to Christ.  As an inevitable result of this union with our savior, we will now walk in the good works which God has prepared in advance for us to walk.  

Far from making us indifferent to holy living and cold toward God and neighbor, election is in reality the only biblical basis for a life of obedience, lived in gratitude as a response to God’s grace bestowed to us in Christ!  The only way a bad tree will ever bear good fruit is if the nature of the tree itself is changed.  This is, of course, exactly what happens in election and regeneration which flows from God decision in eternity past.  This is what Jesus is getting at when he says in John 15:16, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”

Monday
Jan212008

Classis Southwest US Convenes at Christ Reformed

Christ%20Reformed%20Church.jpgChrist Reformed Church is hosting Classis Southwest US (of the URCNA) this Tuesday and Wednesday (January 22-23).  I'm not a delegate this time (my compatriot, Guy De Brasil is our minister delegate), but I'm participating in three ordination exams, including that of Mr. Andrew Compton, who is a member of our church and a recent graduate of Westminster Seminary California.  Andrew has a great blog, which can be found here:  Click here: Confessional Reformed Contemplations

So, I'll be tied up Tuesday and Wednesday with church duties and won't be able to blog.  Lord willing, I'll be back on Thursday.  If you are interested in attending classis (visitors are welcome) or just curious as to what goes on, Click here: Christ Reformed Info - Location and Agenda.  We will not be able to show you the secret handshake, however.

Please pray for those men taking their exams, and for wisdom for our churches as we meet to conduct the business of our classis. 

Monday
Jan212008

Some Interesting Links . . .

Links.jpgA number of you (who know that I am an avid Yankees fan who can't wait for opening day) have asked me about the possibility of the Yanks getting Johan Santana in a trade.  It won't happen.  It makes no fiscal sense for the Yanks.  Santana will either stay a Twin this year, or will be traded to the Mets--not the Yanks or the Red Sox.  Click here: Santana not worth the tariff - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

Some dunderhead in the Solicitor General's office thinks "unrestricted" gun-ownership constitutes a "threat" to public safety and that it is "reasonable" to restrict such private ownership at the government's pleasure.  Here's yet another reason for me to hate the nanny state.  As long as I can own a gun (or two) I am a free man.  Click here: WorldNetDaily: National firearms ban 'reasonable'?

This will come as no surprise.  The Episcopal Church is making a concerted effort to remove any remaining conservative bishops.  We all know how tolerant theological liberals can be!  Click here: Episcopal Headquarters Takes Steps to Remove Conservative Bishops | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical

I see I'm not the only one who is still nervous about Mike Huckabee's confusion of the two kingdoms (using the pulpit to promote his presidential candidacy).  His use of identity politics to carve out an evangelical voting block unto himself is pretty cynical.  Oh well, looks like his candidacy will be over soon enough.  Click here: Between Pulpit and Podium, Huckabee Straddles Fine Line - New York Times

 

Monday
Jan212008

In Honor of Bureaucrats Everywhere . . .

martinlutherflyerbig.jpgI posted this a couple of years ago, but for some reason, it cries out to be re-posted today.

Look carefully.  What's wrong with this picture?

Bureaucrats and clip art . . . you gotta love 'em. 

Monday
Jan212008

"N. T. Wright's Perspective on Paul" -- Audio File

KR%20lecturing.JPGHere's the link to my Academy lecture (01/18/08) entitled "N. T. Wright's Perspective on Paul." 

It is available in both streaming and downloadable versions.  Click here: Christ Reformed Info - MP3's and Real Audio (of Academy Lectures)

Monday
Jan212008

Who Said That?

question%20mark.jpg"Religion is the outcome neither of the fear of death, nor of the fear of God. It answers a deep need in man. It is neither a metaphysic, nor a morality, but above all and essentially an intuition and a feeling. ... Dogmas are not, properly speaking, part of religion: rather it is that they are derived from it. Religion is the miracle of direct relationship with the infinite; and dogmas are the reflection of this miracle. Similarly belief in God, and in personal immortality, are not necessarily a part of religion; one can conceive of a religion without God, and it would be pure contemplation of the universe; the desire for personal immortality seems rather to show a lack of religion, since religion assumes a desire to lose oneself in the infinite, rather than to preserve one's own finite self."

You know how this works!  Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.   

Friday
Jan182008

Some Interesting Links on a Friday . . .

Links.jpgIf you don't like the local newspaper, usually you just cancel your subscription.  Not Pat Robertson.  He's thinking about buying the very same paper that has given him so much grief.  Pat, you want my blog?  Make me an offer!  Click here: Pat Robertson may bid on paper he ripped - Media- msnbc.com

I saw this on James White's blog.  It reminds me of why I cringe when some evangelical "converts" to Romanism because of aesthetics, ethics, or even because of a love for the church fathers.  Rome has its creepy side that these people just overlook.  Did you know there's a live webcam of Pope John Paul II's grave?  Why?  Click here: Webcam

Yet another reason to hate the nanny state (Kalifornia) and to move to Montana.  The beast now wants to control my thermostat!  No way!!!!!  As for me, I'm safe.  I have a fireplace, and I use it (at least during the three months of the year that its cold enough in the evening to need heat).  Click here: California wants to control home thermostats - International Herald Tribune

If you've been keeping up with the Federal Vision controversy and have been blessed by the warmth and charity coming from many in that camp of late (Click here: The Discussion Phase Is Clearly Over « Green Bagginses), you might be interested in this rather exhaustive (and a tad-biased) history of the movement which gave rise to the current controversy.  Click here: Meet the Theonomists.

Finally, Christianity Today ran an interesting piece on Calvinism in the Southern Baptist seminaries and the negative reaction from many in the SBC to that very positive development.  Click here: TULIP Blooming | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction  

Friday
Jan182008

Tonight's Academy Lecture -- New Perspectives on Paul (Part V)

KR%20lecturing.JPGFor those of you in the So Cal area, the Academy is back tonight!  I'm finishing up my series on the New Perspectives on Paul (the previous lectures in this series can be found here--Click here: Christ Reformed Info - MP3's and Real Audio (of Academy Lectures)

Tonight's lecture is entitled "Wright's Perspective on Paul:  An Introduction to N. T. Wright's Approach to Paul."  For more information, Click here: Christ Reformed Info - Schedule of Academy Classes and Author's Forums

Text books for this series include:  Cornel Venema's two books (which we used for the previous set of lectures);  Getting the Gospel Right (Banner) and The Gospel of Free Acceptance in Christ (Banner).  We will also use two recent books:   Michael Horton,  Covenant and Salvation:  Union With Christ (Westminster John Knox Press, 2007); and John Piper, The Future of Justification:  A Response to N. T. Wright (Crossway, 2007).

The lecture begin @ 7:30 PM.  Academy lectures are free of charge and are followed by a time for discussion and refreshments.  It would be great to meet you!

Thursday
Jan172008

Ken Samples' Academy Lectures on a Christian Worldview Available

World%20of%20Difference%20samples%20cover.jpgKen Samples' Academy lectures on his book, A World of Difference, have been posted on the Christ Reformed Church website. Click here: Christ Reformed Info - MP3's and Real Audio (of Academy Lectures)

There are five lectures in this series (available in both streaming and downloadable versions):

*  A Worldview Model For Christian Theism

*  Christian Theism’s Logical Consistency

*  Christian Theism’s Explanatory Power and Cumulative Support

*  Christian Theism’s Correspondence and Verification

*  Christian Theism’s Practicality and Existential Livability

This is great stuff!  If you haven't checked out Ken's book yet, you can do so here:  Click here: Amazon.com: A World of Difference: Putting Christian Truth-Claims to the Worldview Test: Books: Kenneth Richard Sa