Archive for April, 2009

He rose to Rule – Keller

by Hugh on April 18, 2009 in Faith with No comments

John 20:1-3, 10-18
So from an ex-drugdealer to an MP who loves Jesus – he’s gonna read the passage.

The connection between the death and resurrection of Jesus is faith. The cross wasn’t enough to bring people to faith, because the people don’t get this act of love, but the resurrection triggered saving faith.

1. Faith rests in truth
Jesus said he would rise from death (that’s why they put guards on the tomb), but the disciples didn’t get it, it was the 3rd day! This defeats the chronological snobbery of modernists – these people didn’t believe in resurrections either! But they did believe, he convinced them by showing himself – at least 11 times, to over 500 people. The first witnesses are women! The evidence is powerful to break through any worldview. Christianity is true for everyone, and therefore fulfilling and relevant.

2. Faith comes by grace
Mary thinks she is utterly alone, but angels are in front of her, and Jesus behind her – if the resurrection happened then the Lord is close, even if it doesn’t feel like it. Who does Jesus choose? Mary is the first messenger – a woman with a dark past – it has to be about grace!

3. Faith works through love
Let the resurrection convince your mind and your heart. Do not hold onto me – Christ will ascend but he will dwell intimately with his people.

Keller: He died for sins

by Hugh on April 18, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Tim Keller Started with a quick lookalike game if famous bald people who look like TK. Tim was interviewed and shared some stuff about Redeemer; how they started by simply preaching about who Jesus is, and aimed to be a church where Christians were edified and non-Christians could learn too. He spoke about the church growth post 9/11 and the significance of churches in cities and the importance of people comitting to being community in the city. He spoke too of his personal suffering and how that has changed and shaped him – suffering enables you to preach to change and to be a good witness.

Then we got to hear from an ex-drug dealer who loves Jesus – awesome! John 19:23-37, I spoke on this at Global Cafe last night… I think TK might do a better job!

1. How he died – in accordance with the Scriptures
Easy to over look, but John makes a point of reminding us. v.28 Jesus does what he does to fulfill the Scriptures. Jesus throughout his life relies on God’s word and does what he does so that it may be fulfilled. When you’re under stress the real, instinctive you comes out – his instinct is to go to the Scriptures for strength and direction. Bathe yourself in the word of God.

2. Why he died – to be our substitute
v.29 Why a hyssop? It’s how they spread the Passover blood. v.36 Not a bone broken – like a perfect lamb.
In the wilderness the Rock is struck and water comes out – like Jesus.
Jesus is the ransom – it is finished. The common theme is substitution!
All love is a substitutionary sacrifice – if you don’t have atonement you don’t have love. You can’t love hurting people without you giving them strength and you hurting yourself. What about the Fugitive? If you take them in you loose your safety and security. All love is substitutionary sacrifice. Refers to a sermon, Christ’s agony – Jonathan Edwards, the garden is where you see Christ’s love – this is the point he could have walked away, it’s them or you.

3. What he offers – the Water of Life
Thirst is a metaphor for agonizing spiritual emptiness. Everyone craves something at the centre of their soul, but anything other than God will leave you spiritually dry. Dying of dehydration is a little picture of hell, and Jesus takes that spiritual thirst on the cross (v.28). You know and experience this water, it changes you, it becomes the centre of everything.

4. How it changes
It is finished. Take Jesus’ pardon then move on, don’t add to his finished work. You’re welcome now! Let the cross change your attitude to yourself.You’ve been at the cross, that’s what you have in common, let he cross change your attitude to others v.26-27. Tale of two cities: Are you dying for him? Sidney is a sacrifice and gives courage to others.

McNabb: He came as King

by Hugh on April 18, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Just seen a video about Slade Evangelical Church where Wes McNabb is pastor who is ‘dynamic and young’. He’s telling a few jokes about how unqualified he feels to be speaking… a bad joke sadly about baloons.

We’re looking at Matthew 14:22-33, Jesus walking on water. Key verse 33 – we need to be worshippers of King Jesus – Christian men, do you love Jesus, has he captivated your heart? Does your wife, kids, friends know that you love Jesus? Your community needs you to be caught up with Jesus.

1. King of Authority v.22-23
Jesus’ authority is staggering, thousands are ready to crown Jesus king, he’s just fed all of them, but he dismisses them. Authority of Satan and demons, authority over my life and on the last day authority over everyone.

2. King of Knowledge v.24-25
Jesus knows exactly where the disciples are, he knows where you are! We are his children, so it’s his business to know where we are, the storm may be bad, but never beyond his care. Jesus steps in to work powerfully. King Jesus knows!

3. King of Love v.26-31
The disciples are scared, but Jesus says take courage, don’t be afraid, it’s me king Jesus! Jesus says come, he knows Peter’s gonna fail but he still says come – he invites us to come and receive his love, to be saved. Do you remember when you cried ‘Lord save me’? Cry out again, take heart, he’ll catch you.

4. King of Power v.32-33
The wind died down. He made the sea! We’re weak and helpless, but King Jesus has the power, power that brings us to our knees to worship. Time to get back to our first love, to be taken up with Jesus, to worship him. I’m passionate about the power of Jesus to change peoples lives, to transform people into worship. Get music, get books, read the word, spend time with God, get friends who love Jesus and ask tough questions. Go and worship him like never before and share him with a dying world. Have we forgotten how great King Jesus is? There’s no one who comes close to Jesus!

This guy is good – Jesus – but also Wes McNabb. He’s from Lancashire and sounds a little bit like Les Dennis. Jesus is the King!

Coekin: be Men of Jesus

by Hugh on April 18, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Richard Coekin introduced the 2009 convention with a word from Revelation about the risen Lord Jesus, and a joke about scrotums and sternums – just to break the ice as he talks about the eithiopian eunuch…

“Then Philip began with that very passage of SCRIPTURE and told him the GOOD NEWS about JESUS” – Acts 8:35

Richard Coekin called us to be like the eunuch in 3 ways:

1. We are men who want to learn from Scripture
2. We are men who want to understand the gospel
3. We are men who want to worship Jesus

Interesting little quote from Andrew Fuller about the objectivity and subjectivity of faith in refuting the Sandemanian heresy.

Today we are here, because we want to be men of Jesus – would we understand it and would our hearts be changed.

I think I’ve woken up. This excel place is massive. Stuart Townend is doing the music, a guy called Wes McNabb is about to speak…

BBTB Book Now

by Hugh on April 12, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Bible by the Beach is just 3 weeks away. If you live anywhere near Eastbourne why not come along for the May bank holiday weekend – 1st-4th May. There’s still places so book in now… just £50 for an adult, £15 for youths and students, and £1 for kids. You can also get day tickets.

Music from Stuart Townend and Phatfish, talks from Wallace & Lindsay Benn, Paul Williams, Bishop Ben Kwashi, Bishop Ken Clarke, Mike Ovey, Terry Virgo, Simon Vibert and Andrew Baughen.

There’s a youth programme running all weekend, and on the Sunday night there’s a special evangelistic youth event featuring Simon Brading and Stef Liston.

Would be silly to miss this! Watch this space for live blogs and details for 2010.

Book Online now!

Jesus wants the rose

by Hugh on April 8, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Coming Up

by Hugh on April 7, 2009 in Faith, Life with No comments

Well I’m back from NWA! I’m not sure it was quite the holiday I needed – didn’t get much sleep, and the 8 hour journey doesn’t help, but at least it was sunny. Anway… I suspect I shall produce some concluding thoughts in the near future post Word Alive.

Also, I’ve started looking into the process of Ordination in the Church of England, so before anything official happens I need to do some reading on Christian leadership, on Anglicanism and on some issues, particularly on Infant Baptism… so it seems my blog would be a good place to record stuff that I learn from this.

At the end of the month, we’ll be gearing up for Bible by the Beach – I’ll be blogging all about what goes on and probably posting some videos about what’s happening.

So… you don’t really care about this, but I figure if I write down the stuff which I propose to blog about then I might actually get off my bum and do it.

Carson: Luke 16

by Hugh on April 3, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Don Carson at New Word Alive

So Don Carson has arrived having got a taxi from Manchester! He’s gonna speak about Lazarus and the rich man. How should we understand this parable? A simple reversal of status’ – rich to poor, poor to rich? How does this parable fit into Luke, into the flow of the gospels?

Context: no one can serve two masters. If you can’t be faithful with earthly riches you won’t be entrusted with heavenly riches. What people highly value is detestable in God’s sight – we become what we worship. Comes in a series of 3 parables of people who waste the good things they’ve been given.

Purple, fine linen, first class underwear – a rich man. Then Lazarus (he has a name – ‘the one who God helps’), a certain irony when we see his situation. He’s a beggar, too Ill to move, licked by dogs, and he wants the food of the dogs. The dogs seem to care more than the rich man!

Lazarus is in glory, resting his head on the bosom of Abraham – like John resting his head on Jesus’ breast. The rich man is dead and in hell – he recognizes Lazarus, he knew his name.

Comparison turns to dialogue – there’s 3 cycles. Cycle 1 v.24 – the rich man goes straight to Abraham asking Lazarus to serve him, he plays the race card, ‘Father’. Even in hell the rich man can’t give up his self-importance.
Cycle 2 v.26-28 – there’s a great chasm – Lazarus can’t leave heaven, although he still has the compassion that would help the rich man – ok so Lazarus can’t help him, but maybe they could help his family!
Cycle 3 v.29-31 – the rich man tries to correct Abraham’s theology – the law and the prophets aren’t good enough, they need a sign. But even when the other Lazarus was raised frok death people still refused to believe, and of course Jesus rose but many reject him too.

1. The things in which we take so much pride; wealth, ethnicity, education may blind us to our need of grace. We must reject anything that links the blessing of God to something we desire.

2. The greatest two commandments stand or fall together. The Lord demands a certain way of living, because he is the Lord!

3. We must listen to the witness if scripture or we are dead. So often we can get sidetracked into debates, when there is a dying world out there – this is about heaven and hell. Concern for physical well being must go together with an eternal concern.

4. When we understand hell we will weap for the lost. It is Jesus who speaks so strongly of hell – so I beg you, flee the wrath to come.

Virgo: Luke 15

by Hugh on April 2, 2009 in Faith with No comments

Terry Virgo

I think Adrian has arrived – he’s the guy sitting at the front with the Mac. You should start getting some live blogs from him as well now. Oh and he’s organized a bloggers meet up – 1pm tomorrow at T-Co.

Terry Virgo was interviewed at the start and told us how he came to faith through the conversion of his sister and the preaching of John Stott. He also spoke about the influence of MLJ and others. He also spoke about NWA and his excitement about coming back and Christian unity.

A guy called Lance recited the reading in a dramatic way – nice. Jesus is popular, he spends time with the outcasts – and that upsets the Pharisees. Jesus is bringing God to the people, he’s healing and forgiving. So he tells some stories -something lost, then found, then a celebration!

Terry told a story of losing his daughter on a beach in Spain, his desire to keep looking until he found her, and his joy in finding her safe and bringing her back. Dickens called this parable ‘the greatest story ever told’.

The story is of a father and two sons. The younger son makes an ‘Adam-like’ decision to escape from the father. But he finds the world without his father isn’t great, it’s not realistic and the money, friends and circumstances are here one day and gone the next. So he ends up with the pigs with everything gone, he’s left with the reality of himself, knowing his weakness, his failure, his sin… and he’s given up the hope of being a son – I’ll just be a hired hand.

But Jesus shows us what God is like… The father is looking for him, the fathers love remains for him. Just like the outcasts who Jesus hangs out with – God is compassionate, he has mercy for them. Then he runs, he pulls up his coat, abandons any decorum, hugs him and kisses him. The robe, ring, sandals… the son doesn’t need them or deserve them, it is pure blessing, then they celebrate.

Then we meet the tragic figure of the elder son, the one who doesn’t celebrate, the one who confuses sonship and slavery – the Pharisee. He’s forgotten God’s grace, he exposes his self-righteous, religious heart. The emphasis in on himself, he doesn’t know the fathers heart.

The father says remember who the ‘sinner’ is… they’re your brother. These are the people to whom the fathers heart goes out. The younger son came home, but for the elder son the story is left open, because he’s speaking to the religious people. Jesus came to win the lost, and he’s on his way to Jerusalem to die for sinners. He calls us back and sets us free. Abandon any religion and throw yourself on the mercy of God.

Bentley-Taylor: Luke 14

by Hugh on April 1, 2009 in Faith with 1 Comment

Richard Cunningham told us a little bit about New Word Alive 2010 – one week with Rebecca Manley-Pippet, Wayne Grudem and Jerry Bridges. For 2011, Piper and Driscoll are looking hopeful.

Rupert Bentley-Taylor is Pastor at Widcombe Baptist Church in Bath.

Parable of the Banquet. What does the future look like? Blessed is the man who eats the feast v.15 – prophets, Jesus, Revelation all speak of the feast, the man was right, but… What was in the man’s heart? He was complacent, assumed he’d be at the feast. He was claimless, the belief had no impact on the way he lived. What you believe about the future should affect your living now.

Matters of the heart v.15-20
- the generous heart of God v.16 – God has amazing plans for your future, he prepares a great banquet with many guests.
JC Ryle – ‘the gospel has everything that humans need’
God says ‘come’
- the hard heart of men – lots of excuses, but the problem is in the heart, they knew, but couldn’t be bothered, they were in love with other things. The invitation is rejected. Jesus says come, but they crucified him – men reject the grace of God.

* England 1 – 0 Ukraine (Crouch) *

A matter of others v.21-24
There is one day left, the coming of Christ in judgement, one thing restrains that, the patient, gracious heart of God that longs for men to be saved.
- God wants the sinners, the waifs and strays, the outcasts, no one wants them, but God does! Friendship evangelism is great, but God says go and invite the people that no one wants to be friends with.
- God wants those outside the city – the gentile. Go and invite them, go with a passion, out of your comfort zone to bring Christ to all people everywhere. The heart of God longs for others to come.

Do we share the master’s heart – then invite. Jesus looks beneath the words and looks at our hearts – if you share his heart you will eat at his feast. They will cross every barrier to bring that invite to all.