We called the night ‘The Grace of Law’, a title pinched off Tim Keller, although unusually none of the content was. We didn’t have time to go through all the commandments, and think exactly how we apply them today. We just wanted to do one thing… to see the God’s Law is good!

Here’s three reasons that we looked at why God’s Law is good:

1. It’s Giver is good – the God who gives these laws is the God of covenant relationship (v.2), the God who speaks to his people (v.4), and the God who rescues his people (v.6) – God is presented as fundamentally good!
2. It’s Purpose is good – one of the refrains throughout the law given here is it’s purpose for good, so that “it may go well with you in the land” (v.16), and “so that you may live and prosper” (v.33).
3. It Protects what is good – the 10 Commandments acts like a fence, seeking to protect the good things that God gives – eg. the law against adultery is designed to protect the gift of marriage, and the law against idols is designed to protect the gift of God himself.

This business about not having experience is a myth! We are not experts we are teachers. If we waited until we had experience or knowledge we’d never teach anything. Just teach that is what we are called to do.

So anyway, a few of us spent the evening thinking about this subject… looking at the Bible, Puritan thinking, idolatry, sacred/secular and how we can be Christians in work in practical ways.

Reading List… some books I found helpful:

• Work & Leisure – Leland Ryken
• Glory Days – Julian Hardyman
• Don’t Waste Your Life – John Piper
• The Busy Christian’s Guide to Busyness – Tim Chester
• Counterfeit Gods – Tim Keller

Julian Hardyman’s Glory Days is well worth a read… very helpful on the myth of the sacred / secular divide, and how we should seek to give every part of life to be used for God’s Glory.

Something I dislike which is a common feature of ‘Work Talks’ is this myth that the workplace is a great place to evangelise… those of you who work, in any context will know this is not really the case. But something which EVERYONE can do is let their colleagues know that they are a Christian – John Piper is helpful here:

Thinking that our work will glorify God when people do not know we are Christians is like admiring an effective ad on TV that never mentions the product.

Genesis 1-3 was helpful, along with Ecclesiastes 2, as well as many parts of the epistles. Outside the Bible, Martin Luther is as helpful and relevant as anyone.

I got the topic of Repairing Relationships… which is ironic at best. But it was good to use lots of resources collected on the topic of Forgiveness, lots of Keller influence who’s just very helpful at explaining and applying the Proverbs…

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Talk Notes (doc)

Fortunately, I’ve already preached on this, earlier in the year, so have most of the talk ready. But I’ve been listening to some Tim Keller to help stimulate my thoughts afresh… by well of illustration he uses the story of Corrie Ten Boom, put in a concentration camp by the Nazis for sheltering Jewish refugees. She tells this story about forgiveness in her book ‘The Hiding Place‘:

It was at a church service in Munich that I saw him, the former S.S. man who had stood guard at the shower room door in the processing center at Ravensbruck. He was the first of our actual jailers that I had seen since that time. And suddenly it was all there the roomful of mocking men, the heaps of clothing, Betsie’s pain-blanched face.

He came up to me as the church was emptying, beaming and bowing. How grateful I am for your message, Fraulein. He said. To think that, as you say, He has washed my sins away!

His hand was thrust out to shake mine. And I, who had preached so often to the people in Bloemendaal the need to forgive, kept my hand at my side.

Even as the angry, vengeful thoughts boiled through me, I saw the sin of them. Jesus Christ had died for this man; was I going to ask for more? Lord Jesus, I prayed, forgive me and help me to forgive him.

I tried to smile, I struggled to raise my hand. I could not. I felt nothing, not the slightest spark of warmth or charity. And so again I breathed a silent prayer. Jesus, I cannot forgive him. Give me Your forgiveness.

As I took his hand the most incredible thing happened. From my shoulder along my arm and through my hand a current seemed to pass from me to him, while into my heart sprang a love for this stranger that almost overwhelmed me.

And so I discovered that it is not on our forgiveness any more than on our goodness that the world’s healing hinges, but on His. When He tells us to love our enemies, He gives, along with the command, the love itself.

Here’s a little video about his latest book:

The good news is that this teaching is also going to be made available in book form as the guys at Cornhill get going on some editing for it. I’ll let you know if and when this book comes to be published, should be a good resource.

Also, there’s another Tim Keller book coming out now called ‘Counterfeit Gods’ all about the false promises of idols. It’s available from Amazon, hardback for less than £9 – pretty good deal me thinks.

John 20:1-3, 10-18

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.

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.