Who Said That?

"In the end, I'll put my good acts up against those of anybody in this country. Anybody."

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.  Answer to follow in one week.

Update on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 08:37AM by Kim Riddlebarger

This one is for Richard, who dutifully guesses "George Steinbrenner" (or A-Rod, or someone else associated with the Yankees) virtually every time I post a new "Who Said That?"

This is indeed a quote from George Steinbrenner!

My Take on Congress' Performance During the Health Care Debate?

Several readers of this blog have asked me about my take on the on-going debate over health care.  My take on Congress' performance is very simple.  Where are the Martians when you need them?

Regardless of the despicable methods being used to secure passage of this monstrosity, and even on conservative CBO estimates, the bottom line is that this federal takeover of health care amounts to the creation of a new federal entitlement program which adds at least one trillion dollars to the already hemorrhaging federal deficit.  That means we are running at least a 10-12 trillion dollar deficit over the next ten years.

How long could you pay your monthly expenses with new credit cards--because all your current credit cards are maxed out and you can't even make the minimum payments?  Not long. Yet, this is what our Congress is doing on a grand scale.  We either borrow the money from countries like China or Japan, or print it and begin the inflationary cycle--the cruelest tax of all.  Add to this the fact that 40 states are running deficits and states like California are close to bankruptcy.

But then what would you expect from a generation like mine which once sang "Hope I Die Before I Get Old," and which now demands cradle to grave government services, and is all too willing to let future generations pay the tab and suffer the consequences.

Tonight's Academy Lecture -- "The Rapture"

Join us at Christ Reformed Church tonight at 7:30 PM when Dr. Kim Riddlebarger continues his series "Amillennialism 101."

Lecture Title: "The Rapture"

Lecture Contents:  The most important eschatological event in the New Testament is the second advent of Jesus Christ, our blessed hope.  Does Jesus return two times?  One coming "in the clouds" (the secret Rapture) with Christ's bodily return seven years later (at the end of the tribulation?)

Instructor:  Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Textbooks:  A Case for Amillennialism (Baker 2003), The Man of Sin (Baker, 2006)

About the Academy:  The Academy meets at Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim.  The lectures begin at 7:30 p.m., are free of charge, and are followed by a time for questions and answers, as well as a time for fellowship and refreshments.

For more information, click here:  http://www.christreformed.org/



"The Mystery of Christ" -- Ephesians 3:1-13

The Sixth in a Series of Sermons on Ephesians

In many ways, Christianity is like a good novel–redemptive history is an unfolding and compelling drama played out on the stage of human history.  Throughout the first half of the redemptive story (the Old Testament), the central character (Jesus) remains hidden deep in the shadows.  Early on in the story, God called a people unto himself (the nation of Israel), but as the story continues to unfold, God sends a series of prophets who declare that the good things God has promised to Israel, will one day extend far beyond the narrow confines of Israel’s borders.  The great turning point in the redemptive story comes about when Jesus leaves the shadows and takes his place on center-stage, fulfilling all of the promises made about him centuries in advance.  In his letter to the Galatians (chapter 4:4-5) the Apostle Paul speaks of this coming of Jesus as follows: “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.”  But in the third chapter of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle tells us that the mystery of Christ has been revealed to him, enabling Paul to fulfill his calling as Apostle to the Gentiles.  The mystery of Jesus Christ is tied directly to God’s saving purposes, which do indeed extend well beyond the borders of Israel, just as Israel’s own prophets had promised.  In fact, the gospel which Paul preaches will go to the very ends of the earth, and God will save each and every one of his elect (Jew and Gentile) and unite them together into one body, the church of Jesus Christ.  What had been hidden is now revealed.  What had been a mystery is brought out into the open.

We have been working our way through Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians, and we now come to the third chapter of this profound and remarkable letter.  Before we turn to our passage (vv. 1-13 of Ephesians 3), we need to develop the context for the key points Paul will make in this chapter, because his points flow directly out of those important themes Paul has already developed in the first two chapters.  

Recall that Paul opens the epistle by setting out the big picture of God’s redemptive purpose.  As we have seen, the Apostle takes us from eternity past unto the resurrection of our bodies at the end of the age.  The Father has chosen us “in Christ.”  The Father sends Jesus Christ to save all those whom the Father has chosen.  The Spirit then applies the work of Christ to God’s elect, ensuring that we came to faith when the gospel was first preached to us.  In the final verses of the first chapter, Paul prays that struggling Christians would be able to live confidently in the knowledge that God has chosen them “in Christ.”  He also prays that in the midst of our struggles, we might see God’s love for sinners when we look to the cross, where our Savior suffered for us, in our place.

To read the rest of this sermon, Click here

Marching Orders

From the June 1, 2009 edition of Tabletalk

Q. What are the outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption?

A. The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption are, his ordinances, especially the Word, sacraments, and prayer; all of which are made effectual to the elect for salvation. (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Q&A 88)

Presbyterian and Reformed churches are ruled by elders. In fact, the term Presbyterian comes to us from the Greek word presbyteros, meaning “elder.” It is closely related to the term episkopos, often translated “overseer” (as in the ESV). Both Presbyterian and Reformed churches are churches ruled by men (elders or overseers, and ministers) whose duties are spelled out throughout the New Testament — especially in the so-called Pastoral Epistles (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus) but also in James and 1 Peter.

While many people’s eyes wax over with disinterest when the subject of church government comes up, how churches are to organize and govern themselves is a major theme throughout the New Testament. Church government is an important topic in virtually all the Protestant confessions and in most of our major systems of theology. Whether the subject piques our interest, the biblical writers thought it very important and devoted much time and attention to direct those who would come after them as to how to organize and govern their congregations. Remember that all those who trust in Jesus Christ are part of His body and are to be members of a local church. Christ’s church must ensure that the souls of God’s people are cared for, that they are protected from heresy as well as from those who confess their faith in Christ but who still behave like pagans.

To read the rest of this article, Click here



Who Said That?

"I think it was true it was people like you that crucified Christ

I think it is sad the opinion you had was the only one voiced

Will you be so sure when your day is near, say you don't believe?

You had the chance but you turned it down, now you can't retrieve

Perhaps you'll think before you say that God is dead and gone

Open your eyes, just realize that he's the one

The only one who can save you now from all this sin and hate

Or will you still jeer at all you hear? Yes! I think it's too late. "

Leave your guess in the comments section below.  Please, no google searches or cheating.  Answer to follow next week.

Update on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 08:53AM by Kim Riddlebarger

This is from Black Sabbath's song After Forever on the Master of Reality Album (their third).  As a kid, I remember being told they were satanic devil worshipers.  Turns out they were poor rhyming Arminians.

Academy Audio Posted -- "The Blessed Hope" (Part Two)

Here's the audio from Friday night's Academy lecture.

Click here

"God Judges Those Outside" -- 1 Corinthians 5:1-13

Here's the audio from this morning's sermon, the ninth in a series on 1 Corinthians.

Click here

This Week's White Horse Inn

Natural Law & The Two Kingdoms

What is natural law? Is it consistent with Reformed theology? How about the Two Kingdoms approach to the relationship between Christianity and culture? Is this a Lutheran position, or has it also been held by advocates of the Reformed tradition as well? On this edition of the White Horse Inn, Dr. David VanDrunen joins the panel for a discussion of his new book, Natural Law & The Two Kingdoms: A Study in the Development of Reformed Social Thought.

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/



Tonight's Academy Lecture -- "The Blessed Hope" (Part II)

Lecture Title:  "The Blessed Hope -- Part Two"

Lecture Contents:  The most important eschatological event in the New Testament is the second advent of Jesus Christ, our blessed hope.  In this lecture we will discuss those events associated with Christ's return:  The resurrection, the judgment, and cosmic renewal.

Instructor:  Dr. Kim Riddlebarger

Textbooks:  A Case for Amillennialism (Baker 2003), The Man of Sin (Baker, 2006)

About the Academy:  The Academy meets at Christ Reformed Church in Anaheim.  The lectures begin at 7:30 p.m., are free of charge, and are followed by a time for questions and answers, as well as a time for fellowship and refreshments.

For more information, click here