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

 

Living in Light of Two Ages

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Monday
Apr202020

This Week's Plan at Christ Reformed Church (April 20-26)

Week Seven of the Covid-19 Exile

At the direction of the Governor of California, the County of Orange, and City of Anaheim, and in light of the CDC's recommendation to avoid groups and assemblies, and the on-going need for social distancing, all Lord's Day services and classes are cancelled for Sunday, April 26.

We are continuing our series on Romans and will take up Paul's discussion of Abraham and circumcision in Romans 4:13-25.

Thankfully, we continue to see light at the end of the tunnel, but until our services resume, please continue to pray that the spread of the Covid-19 virus is contained by staying at home, social distancing, and the regular washing of hands.  Pray for your fellow church members.  Be sure to check-up on your neighbors who may be in need.  More importantly, may Jesus Christ be glorified in all that we say and do during this unprecedented public health crisis.

Check here for regular updates:  Christ Reformed Church, or Christ Reformed on Facebook.

Sunday
Apr192020

"Blessed Are Those" -- Romans 4:1-12

Tuesday
Apr142020

This Week's Plan at Christ Reformed Church (April 13-19)

Week Six of the Covid-19 Exile

At the direction of the Governor of California, the County of Orange, and City of Anaheim, and in light of the CDC's recommendation to avoid groups and assemblies, and the on-going need for social distancing, all Lord's Day services and classes are cancelled the next two Sundays (April 19 and 26).

Next Sunday, we will return to our series on Romans and consider Paul's amazing assertion that God justified the wicked (Romans 4:1-12).

Thankfully, we do see some light at the end of the tunnel, but in the meantime continue to pray that the spread of the Covid-19 virus is contained by such measures as staying at home, social distancing, and the regular washing of hands.  Pray for your fellow church members.  Be sure to check-up on your neighbors who may be in need.  More importantly, may Jesus Christ be glorified in all that we say and do during this unprecedented public health crisis.

Check here for regular updates:  Christ Reformed Church, or Christ Reformed on Facebook.

Saturday
Apr112020

"He Has Risen! He Is Not Here" -- Mark 16:1-8 A Sermon for Easter 2020

Friday
Apr102020

"They Crucified Him" -- Mark 15:21-41 A Sermon for Good Friday

Monday
Apr062020

Easter Week Plan at Christ Reformed Church (April 12)

Week Five of the Covid-19 Exile

At the direction of the Governor of California, the County of Orange, and City of Anaheim, and in light of the CDC's recommendation about avoiding groups and assemblies, and the need for social distancing, all Lord's Day services and week classes are cancelled for Easter Sunday, April 12.

This Easter Week (Good Friday, and Easter Sunday) we will focus upon Mark's gospel and his account of the climax of Jesus' messianic mission.

On Good Friday (April 10), we will consider Mark's account of Jesus' crucifixion and its meaning for us (Texts:  Mark 15:21-41; Psalm 22:1-31)

On Easter Sunday (April 12), we will take up Mark's account of our Lord's resurrection in light of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the defeat of death (Texts:  Mark 16:1-8, and Isaiah 25:1-12).

Please pray that the spread of the Covid-19 virus is contained by such measures staying at home, social distancing, and the regular washing of hands.  Pray for your fellow church members.  Be sure to check-up on any of your neighbors who may be in need.  More importantly, pray that Jesus Christ be glorified in all that we say and do during this unprecedented public health crisis.

Check here for regular updates:  Christ Reformed Church, or Christ Reformed on Facebook.

Sunday
Apr052020

Palm Sunday -- "Blessed Is the Coming Kingdom of Our Father David" (Mark 11:1-11)

Friday
Apr032020

What to Read During the Covid-19 Exile 2020 -- Biographies of the Infamous

Biographies of the infamous figures of history are often more interesting than biographies of acclaimed men and women.  Yes, biographies of infamous historical figures can degenerate into a sort of historical rubber-necking at the scene of havoc to which they contributed.  But there is much to learn from the lives of those who have gone down in history with less then stellar reputations.

Had he lived fifty years later, Grigori Rasputin would have been the world's most famous televangelist.  A theological mystic and a sexual predator, Rasputin wormed his way into the Romanov household and did much to turn the Russian public against the weak Czar, Nicholas II, and his unpopular German wife, Alexandra.  Smith's fascinating biography clears up many of the myths and legends surrounding Rasputin.  But the Rasputin who emerges from myth and legend is every bit as creepy and destructive as the man of legend.  Smith: Rasputin

Richard Bushman is a Mormon historian and sympathetic biographer of Joseph Smith.  Bushman's account of Smith's production of the Book of Mormon is worth the price of the book.  Smith's odd and unorthdox beliefs, the militarism of the sect, and the effort to establish autonomous self-government, provoked the locals wherever the sect attempted to establish itself.  Bushman establishes a link (which I've long suspected) between the LDS leadership and the Masons.  Highly recommended--fascinating.  Bushman: Joseph Smith

 

John Brown (whose body "lies a moulderin' in the grave") is a tragic figure.  A man who thought his own judgments to be infallible, Brown's on the side of the angels when it comes to his cause--the end of slavery.  But his methods (hacking people to death with broadswords and seeking to create a slave insurrection) were the work of the Devil.  A civil war between the northern states and the slave holding states of the south was inevitable.  But Smith's capture of the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, along with the election of Abraham Lincoln heightened tensions to the breaking point.  This is a well-written book and certainly worth a read.  Horwitz: John Brown


Benedict Arnold was possibly the Continental Army's best general.  If he had 200 more able-bodied men, and if the temperature had been above freezing, Quebec would have fallen to the Americans and Canada might have had an entirely different (and American) history.  Arnold was also instrumental in the defeat of the British at the Battle of Saratoga--possibly the turning point of the Revolutionary War.  How Arnold became the traitor who sought to ensure that Washington was captured by the British is an important story.  Arnold was a bitter glory-seeker, and a lonely widower seduced by the beautiful loyalist Peggy Shippen.  But the way Arnold was treated by the Continental Congress explains much about his defection to the enemy.  A very compelling story of a complex man, a badly mistreated, and much unappreciated general.  Martin: Benedict Arnold

I recommend Champlin's book with mild reservation.  He clearly knows the primary sources and has produced a well-written and researched biography of a man of unspeakable evil.  As one reviewer points out, Champlin's tad sympathetic biography portrays Nero as a sort of Roman Oscar Wilde, a man who lived life on the edge and who's bad deeds were exaggerated by later Christian moralists (the victors write the history, as the saying goes).  Despite Champlin's efforts to downplay Nero's brutality toward Christians, Champlin does succeed in giving us an interesting account of the life and times of Mr. 666 (as I call him).  Even a slightly sympathetic account reveals a very sick and twisted man.  There is a reason why Nero lurks in the background of the Book of Revelation and in Christian eschatology.  Champlin: Nero 

Tuesday
Mar312020

This Week's Plan at Christ Reformed Church (April 5)

Week Four of the Covid-19 Exile

At the direction of the Governor of California, the County of Orange, and City of Anaheim, and in light of the CDC's recommendation about avoiding groups and assemblies, and the need for social distancing, all Lord's Day services and week classes are cancelled the next two Sundays (Palm Sunday, April 5, and Easter Sunday, April 12).

This Easter Week (Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday) we will focus upon Mark's gospel and his account of the climax of Jesus' messianic mission.

On Palm Sunday (April 5), we will consider Jesus' kingly office in connection with his entrance into Jerusalem (Texts:  2 Samuel 7:4-17; Mark 11:1-11)

On Good Friday (April 10), we will consider Mark's account of Jesus' crucifixion and its meaning for us (Texts:  Mark 15:21-41; Psalm 22:1-31)

On Easter Sunday (April 12), we will take up Mark's account of our Lord's resurrection in light of Isaiah's prophecy concerning the defeat of death (Texts:  Mark 16:1-8, and Isaiah 25:1-12).

We are asking you to pray that the spread of the Covid-19 virus is contained by such measures staying at home, social distancing, and the regular washing of hands.  Pray for your fellow church members.  Be sure to check-up on your neighbors who may be in need.  More importantly, may Jesus Christ be glorified in all that we say and do during this unprecedented public health crisis.

Check here for regular updates:  Christ Reformed Church, or Christ Reformed on Facebook.

Saturday
Mar282020

"One Is Justified By Faith Apart from Works" -- Romans 3:21-31