Over the next few weeks leading up to Easter I’ll be reviewing 3 new books that are all about the Resurrection which seems appropriate given the time of year…

• Raised with Christ, by Adrian Warnock (Crossway)
• Scandalous, by Don Carson (IVP)
• Lifted, by Sam Allberry (IVP)

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.

My present plan calls for four hours study on my preaching and teaching ministry in the mornings, at least two and a half hours visitation in the afternoons, plus the extra time either for more such study or work relating to visitation. The evenings may be answering all correspondence, preparing the magazine, reading books, articles, building around the property – in other words, anything, including study and visitation which could be helpful, relaxing…

On prayer…

Prayer, the main source of strength of all,must find its necessary time in the early hours of the day, in the evening, around meal hours, without intruding on this ministry of teaching, preaching and visitation. Yet it must undergird all the ministry.

Being honest…

“Not much accomplished”

“This was a poor day… wasted in many respects”

“Preached (poorly)”

A new website has been launched with all the info on.

First, a correction on what I said a few weeks ago, New Word Alive 2009 will be in Pwhelli, NOT Prestatyn, as far as I know the Pwhelli site wanted us back and made a better offer than Prestatyn, which is annoying because Pwhelli is sooo far away!

There are still two weeks:

30th March – 4th April… mainly for students and adults without children (there is a crèche I believe)

4th April – 9th April… mainly for adults, families, young people

In week 1, the main speaker will be Vaughan Roberts. In week 2 it will be Liam Golligher.

Also, because they obviously loved it so much Don Carson and Terry Virgo will be back, proving the rumour that Richard Cunningham has a crush on Terry Virgo… or not.

Booking lines open on the 16th June for week 1, and on the 23rd June for week 2.

See you there!!

Carson began by saying that removing a small piece of the gospel will distort it (making subtle allusions, more subtle than Piper, about why NWA exists), it was the distortions of Gnosticism which John was facing. DC then went into a 25 minute, unscripted critique of Gnostic beliefs and how they had subtly distorted the gospel. In the first section (1 John 1 – 2:2) he has 3 points; What John longs for, what gets in the way of that, and what brings it about… John longs for fellowship, a partnership with God, and a joy in knowing Him… Sin gets in the way, it breaks the fellowship, we can’t face God’s justice… ultimately fellowship and joy in that is brought by the cross, by Jesus our propitiation.

The big Don dodged 1 John 2:2 on the first day and set out to explain it the next, he basically just said that the atonement is sufficient for all, but not effective for all… John says it in this way to say there are no barriers to atonement, unlike in gnosticism where hierarchical barriers were erected. Carson then took us though 1 John 2:3-27, he exposited the various antitheses throughout the passage – obedience vs. disobedience, love vs. hate, God-centredness vs. world-centredness, and Christians vs. antichrists.

Third talk… I’d stopped making notes by this point… was a bit tired and just needed to listen… got a Coke and a muffin to help! I think it was this talk where he said – “Christians don’t sin” (1 John 3:6)… so I start to wonder if I’m actually a Christian, after all this is coming from the big DC! Helpfully and amusingly he told a story of his rebellious school days chewing gum… the point was the although Christians do things they mustn’t, they can’t in the sense that they shouldn’t… what a strong call to resist temptation and submit to God’s will.

On the final morning he spoke (via video link, we couldn’t get in to the main venue) on perseverance and assurance. DC was a great choice of speaker, you know he’s got a massive brain and could destroy you in any debate, theological or otherwise, but he made things easy, he still made a few jokes, was genuinely funny (not just cause of his weird accent). The thing I love most is humility… I heard that he went to the 14-18′s meeting to be interviewed, when asked “What’s the hardest thing about being a Christian?” he said something along the lines of… I always mess up, I don’t do what God wants me to do… that’s not a quote, but it was something like that, but it’s reassuring to know that a godly man who has been used mightily by God gives the same answer as me!

First night we kicked off with Terry Virgo speaking on God’s Grace from Romans 5. It was a great start to the week to be reminded of our status before God based on his Grace mediated through Christ’s work on the cross. At the same time some of us felt he didn’t really give a balanced picture, yes we are under grace, but what about disciple, how does sanctification work? Terry Virgo did mention these things but had no time to explain – a shame. Nevertheless it was great to glory at God’s lavish grace.

Don Carson spoke in the morning Bible readings from 1 John, and the next two evenings formed a two-part message from John Piper – Treasuring Christ and a call to suffer… these two features deserve separate posts.

What else was there to do… Chronological Bible overview with Jason Clarke, a guide to understanding, interpreting and applying the whole Bible (using Daniel) with Vaughan Roberts, Trinity with Mike Reeves (mind blowing as ever), Humanity and Creation, 3 studies with Mike Ovey… Giving a Bible talk with Richard Coekin, Good News to the poor with Tim Chester… and loads of other practical seminars with great speakers like; Graham Daniels, Mark Ashton, Wallace Benn, Dave Bish, Andrew Sach, Jim Paul, Melvin Tinker, Jon Hobbs, John Benton, Roger Carswell… and loads more!

And if that’s too much for you then there’s go karts, crazy golf, swimming, peddlos, and a nice beach to walk on. In fact that usually is too much, I went to the main meetings and Mike Reeves on the Triune God… that’s more than enough! The rest of the time it’s good to just chillax, enjoy people’s company, think about what we’re learning, and to enjoy the beauty of Wales (and Sarah), more thoughts to come…

Picked this up on Justin Taylor’s blog who quoted CJ Mahaney on this book. Here’s a few quotes from CJ…

“For pastors like myself with average gifts…” <- CJ is a humble guy

“this book will provide us with an eternal perspective of pastoral ministry”

“May every pastor and Christian who reads this book aspire to pass on such an ‘ordinary’ legacy.”

…and here’s a quote from the end of the book

When he died, there were no crowds outside the hospital, no editorial comments in the papers, no announcements on television, no mention in Parliament, no attention paid by the nation. In his hospital room there was no one by his bedside. There was only the quiet hiss of oxygen, vainly venting because he has stopped breathing and would never need it again.

But on the other side all the trumpets sounded. Dad won entrance to the only throne room that matters, not because he was a good man or a great man—he was, after all, a most ordinary pastor—but because he was a forgiven man. And he heard the voice of him whom he longed to hear saying, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your Lord.’

If I’m ever one of the finest Biblical scholars of my day, or have enough skill and credibility to get a book published maybe I’ll write a book about my dad… think he’s probably safe from that dubious honour of me writing a book about him!