All posts tagged Alistair Begg

The final Bible reading from Alistair Begg at Bible by the Beach…

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Pastoral ministry – a ministry of reminding, reminding of the Gospel essentials

Paul says remember 3 things…. how I came, what I said, why I said it…

• Came in weakness, in fear, in trembling… it’s gonna be a miracle if anyone believes this guy – Exactly!
• Called to be a herald first, communicator second.

• Preached Christ and him crucified
• A weak message… but demonstrated in power by the work of the Spirit

“The cross has less than it’s proper place in teaching and theology” – James Denney

• So that… your faith my rest on God’s power… not man’s wisdom!

“Telling people the need for the gospel, both their felt need and real need, is plainly important, but it is not the gospel itself. Whenever people’s sense of assurance of salvation is expressed in the first person, something is amiss. When the question ‘How do you know God will accept you?’ is answered by I have Jesus in my heart, I asked Jesus into my life, The Holy Spirit is in me, and so on, the real gospel basis for assurance needs to be reviewed. We rejoice when the answer comes in the third person: God gave his only Son to die on the cross for me, Jesus died, rose, and is in heaven for me. When the focus is on the finished and perfect work of Christ, rather than on the yet unfinished work of the Spirit in me, the grounds for assurance are in place.” – Graeme Goldsworthy

We’re saved as a result of something done for us!

“To preach salvation by good works is to flatter people and so avoid opposition. This may seem to some to pose the alternative too starkly. But I do not think so. All Christian preachers have to face this issue. Either we preach that human beings are rebels against God, under his just judgment and (if left to themselves) lost, and that Christ crucified who bore their sin and curse is the only available Saviour. Or we emphasize human potential and human ability, with Christ brought in only to boost them, and with no necessity for the cross except to exhibit God’s love and so inspire us to greater endeavour.The former is the way to be faithful, the latter the way to be popular. It is not possible to be faithful and popular simultaneously.” – Cross of Christ, John Stott

You’ll be able to buy the full talk from the BBTB shop.

1 Corinthians 1:25-31

Some thoughts from Alistair Begg…

Gideon – you have too many men to defeat Midian… cut down to 300! So that Israel may not boast in their own victory… Pride is a killer!

The wise and the powerful were notable by their absence from the church in Corinth… why? Because the message that Paul proclaimed was foolish! Surely the church needs to win these people to attract people to the gospel? So often we go after the rich, the powerful, the beautiful… don’t forget the words of James 2 about favouritism!

If dependence on God was the objective… wouldn’t weakness be an advantage?

The church is weak, because God designed it that way v.27-28 – “God chose”

Conversation between a fireman and a surgeon… very different in the eyes of the world… nothing in common… but, in Christ… everything in common!

There’s something powerful about seeing the insignificance of ourselves… but seeing to how God works in and through insignificant people, with great intention!  -  2 Kings 5… the unnamed slave girl, the unnamed servants… working for God!

Let the one who boasts… boast only in Jesus!

You’ll be able to buy this talk at the Bible by the Beach online store