Jesus: Our Superior, All-Sufficient Savior

Last Sunday I preached on Matthew 5:4, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." I mentioned that mourning is not a dead-end street, it's the road of redemption that leads us straight to Jesus Christ. He is the One who has come "to heal the brokenhearted" and "to comfort all who mourn" (Isa. 61:1-2). In Christ we have all the comfort - and everything else - we need. Jesus is the all-sufficient Savior who meets the deepest needs and longings of the human soul.

Several days ago we received a mailing from our former church in Richmond, Virginia, that included the pastor's summary of a recent article by Revive magazine (Winter 2010, Volume 40, Issue 4), which offered a significant look at the superiority and sufficiency of Christ:

• Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.
• Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.
• Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void to create a new people of God.
• Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by His Father on the mount, but was truly sacrificed for us.
• Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the King, forgives those who betrayed and sold Him, and uses His new power to save them.
• Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and God, and who mediates a new covenant.
• Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of God's justice, now gives us water in the desert.
• Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves His foolish friends.
• Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes His people's victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
• Jesus is the true and better Esther who left His ultimate and heavenly palace, and who didn't just risk His life but gave it to save His people.
• Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
• Jesus is the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us.
• Jesus is the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

All these marvelous identities and realities we find in our Lord. Can you think of some others? Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Strengthening Relationships

What's the most important commandment? We don't have to guess, because Jesus already answered that question when it was put to Him.

Jesus replied, "the most important commandment is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.' The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these."

- Mark 12:29-31

A lot could be said about these two commandments; indeed, a lot has been said about them! So much so that perhaps you didn't read the above text carefully. Maybe you just glanced over it or skipped it altogether because it is so familiar to you.

But despite our familiarity with this text, we still don't "get" it. Marriages are still in turmoil; teens are alienating their parents; siblings continue to quarrel; congregations are rife with contention. - And all this among professing Christians!

What's the problem? One well-known pastor put the answer in a nutshell when he was asked "What's the number one need of the evangelical church today?" His response: "Spiritual growth."

Sounds simple, but that really is the truth. Grow in your relationship with God, and you will most certainly improve your relationships with others.

One way that you can do this as a Christian is to be committed to corporate worship. In his helpful book, Basics for Believers, William Thrasher writes:

Each Sunday brings with it the wonderful opportunity for ever believer to celebrate and deepen his relationship with God and other believers through the act of worship in a corporate setting. It is in participating in this important act that we learn to fulfill the two greatest commandments as spoken by our Lord....

Proper worship should usher the believer into a special time in the presence of God and guide him in direction of thanksgiving, repentance, and holy living. It is a time to listen to God and what He has said to us through His Word. It is a time to look at ourselves in light of that Word and to confront and confess our sins. This is a time when we can sing praises to Him and thank Him for what He has done for us. And it is this vital time that marks just how we will live and conduct ourselves in the coming week.

Another blessing of strengthening our intimacy with God is the effect it has on the entire family. As husband and wife become closer to the Lord, they become closer to each other. as families worship together, they are nourished by the experience and their foundation as a unit is made firm. Their relationship to each other is fortified and they learn how to live godly lives together in acceptance and love. They hear God's commandments and seek to apply these truths with one another.

As we grow in the Lord and mature in our understanding of his Word, we become better neighbors to those around us. And as we become better neighbors, people God has placed in our lives are drawn to Christ. This is one of the main channels God has been pleased to use to expand His kingdom.

... It's one's proper relationship with God that has the greatest impact on all other relationships in life. Failure at this juncture is where many believers begin the gradual decline that affects every other area of their lives. This is why many Christian marriages end in divorce and why their families sometimes mirror the troubled and unsaved families around them. The Bible makes it clear: Apart from Christ, we can do nothing positive for the kingdom. But through Christ, we can have relationships with our mates that glorify and bring pleasure to God. We can have solid relationships with our children, and we can effectively reach out to our neighbors and serve those around us.

Don't underestimate the importance of corporate worship and your involvement in the life of the local church. It is a lifeline to your relationship with God and others.

The 9/11 Terror Trials

It appears the 9/11 terror trials won't be held in NYC after all. Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he would be "very happy" if the White House held conducted them at another location. Rep. Peter King of New York, ranking Republican on the Homeland Security Committee, has introduced legislation to block funds for a 9/11 trial in NYC. The fact is, a large number of both Democrats and Republicans believe strongly that the 9/11 hijackers should be tried, not in a civilian court, but a military tribunal. Not in NYC, but in Guantamano Bay or some other military base.

As I thought of all this debate and opinions regarding what is sure to be "the trial of the century" - how it's going to be conducted, where it's going to take place, who's going to prosecute, what's going to be the outcome, etc. - I couldn't help but think of the Great White Throne Judgment described by the apostle John in sobering detail in Revelation 20:11-15:

And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The Judge: God Almighty

The Prosecutor: Jesus Christ

The Accused: Unrepentant Man

The Verdict: Guilty

The Sentence: The Lake of Fire

There will be no debate, no change of plans, no lapse in the prosecution, no negotiation, no leniency, no possibility of parole. "For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising Him from the dead" (Acts 17:31).

Are you prepared to meet your God? Have you made peace with Him through faith in Jesus Christ? He bore God's wrath on the cross so that you wouldn't have to bear it for all eternity in the lake of fire. Having been raised from the dead, Jesus now sits enthroned at God's right hand. He is the righteous Advocate of all who turn from their sin and trust Him to save them. He will be the righteous Judge of those who don't.

"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him" (Psalm 2:12).

Rock-Solid Faith Beneath the Rubble

Late Sunday night, a friend shared a link to CNN, which featured a video of a woman being interviewed in a hospital after she had spent five days in the rubble of a crumbled building in Haiti on her knees! Watch and be blessed by her testimony.

Because of His sanctifying love, often times our Lord will bring about various crises, the purpose of which is to drive us to our knees - maybe not literally as was the case with this precious believer, but nevertheless just as important. May our own faith in the Lord be strengthened as we continue to hear testimonies of our brothers and sisters in Christ looking to the Lord in the aftermath of the quake.

On a side note, I praise God for the prayers and financial contributions offered by our congregation this past Sunday for evangelical churches in Haiti. The initial offering was quite generous, and more is sure to come in. Some in our fellowship may even go on site to help. However and wherever our Lord may lead us to help, let us do so with all our hearts. For Jesus Himself said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35).

10 Ways to Encourage a Missionary

Last week a colleague sent me some helpful suggestions on how to encourage missionaries, written by Mark Rogers, a Ph.D. student in historical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. I thought they were worth passing on.

In an effort to learn how we can best encourage missionaries, I emailed some and asked how they would most like to be served and encouraged. This list is drawn from their responses, including many direct quotes.

1. Pray for them and let them know that you are doing so frequently.

“One of the most encouraging/inspiring things we receive from people is a quick note via email to say that they are ‘thinking’ of us.”

2. Send “real mail.”

“Send a small care package. Some little fun food items that we can’t get where we serve is a good idea.”

“One idea is to send a special package before an American holiday (like Thanksgiving) filled with things that we can use to decorate for that holiday.”

“Send us a birthday card. This doesn’t have to be some long handwritten note, just a little card – maybe even printed at home.”

“Real mail is always special. Really, the thing with real mail is more than just getting some nice stuff from home (which is nice), but it seems a more tangible reminder that the people I love and miss love and miss me too and are thinking of me.”

3. Pray for the people the missionaries serve and not only for the missionaries and their families.

4. Recruit others to pray for the missionary’s area of service (city, people group, etc.) or for the missionaries themselves.

“This can be an amazing thing to have a person or group of people actively supporting the work that we are doing overseas – becoming an advocate for our city/work. It really encourages us to know that there are people going to bat for us and raising more prayer support for the work.”

“Become an arm of our work in the United States. Some ideas include handling our newsletter distribution, website hosting (i.e., hosting a virtual website for the city), logistical arrangements, or short term team orientation.”

5. Go visit them with the purpose of serving and encouraging them in their work.

“Have a group of your people come to minister to us as we are seeking to pour out our lives to others. This could be hosting a small retreat in country for our team or something similar, or coming to prayer walk the city we live in.”

6. Send them updates and pictures of you and your family (by mail or email).

“It would especially be nice to receive end of the year updates or Christmas card pics. We want to stay connected to you! We love hearing from friends and family and enjoy keeping up to date on what’s happening in your life!”

“If you have a friend overseas, stay in touch with them. Don’t let cautions about being careful with spiritual language keep you from talking about the day to day “un-spiritual” things you would talk about if you met up for lunch one day. Sometimes the least spiritual emails are the most helpful, because somehow I feel less distant when friends talk to me like they always did before I left. Share updates on family, school, work, life, sports—whatever it is that you used to talk about with them.”

7. Ask questions about their work.

“Ask not only how we are doing, but ask about our work and try to learn all you can about the people or city where we are serving.”

“I know that this has been said, but truly CARING about the work is the best way to encourage us.”

8. Continue to be a Christian friend and continue to minister to them.

“Don’t stop being the church to us when we leave. Whenever security allows, spiritual conversations are good for our hearts. Missionaries struggle with the same sinful attitudes that plague Christians everywhere. Leaving home to live among unreached peoples, may be a step of faith in the process of sanctification, but it is not a step that roots out all sin. It is likely to lead to and expose all kinds of previously unnoticed and unexpected sin. Having friends that know me, are patient with me, and expect me to be the same struggling sinner I was when I left helps me stay humble when tempted toward arrogance, and hopeful when tempted toward despair.”

“Even for us with strong member care, it is helpful to receive pastoral care from the stateside church’s pastor who many times will know the missionary personally and have the history with them to be able to invest and mentor them and their family and marriage.”

“Ask us those hard questions. Do a little pastoral counseling with us.”

“Please don’t elevate us onto some false pedestal. We are normal people too who have been forgiven much and for some reason God called to live and minister overseas.”

9. Support them financially.

“Finding out if we have any specific needs and meeting those needs is great.”

10. Seek to encourage them when they are on stateside assignment.

“Let us talk to you and your congregations, and small groups. We want to share what God has been doing and would love the opportunity to talk about it, raise awareness and hopefully gain more prayer support.”

“Invite us out to lunch or dinner. Nothing fancy is needed. Remember we’ve just been in places where we may not have been able to even enjoy a little Mexican food.”

No missionary mentioned this to me in emails, but I know it is a blessing when someone shares their summer home or cabin for a missionary family to get away and relax for a few days.

“Let us know about any good books that are must reads. Tell us about any good resources that may benefit our personal growth or ministry work: things like conferences, training for ministry/leadership, and so forth.”

10 Tips for Intimacy with Jesus

In our bedroom the other day, I saw on my wife's dresser a little clipping she had taken from Revive magazine, a publication by Life Action Revival Ministries. I thought it conveyed ten simple, yet very helpful suggestions in strengthening one's relationship with the Lord. Some of these you may have already incorporated into your devotional life, and there might be others that you have not considered that may enrich your walk with God.

1. Value relationship. Recognize the importance of intimacy with Jesus every moment of the day.
2. Practice continuous communion. See the entire day as a running conversation with Jesus.
3. Invite His presence. Enter every conversation and meeting with a silent (or spoken) prayer.
4. Clear your conscience. Quickly deal with everything that is quenching or grieving the Holy Spirit.
5. Set daily appointments. Set a specific time for concentrated reading of the Word and prayer.
6. Embrace spontaneous conversations. If you wake up at an odd hour, or a thought or person comes to your mind, view it as Jesus' invitation for fellowship.
7. Cultivate true devotion. Approach devotional times as a conversation with Jesus, not a duty.
8. Journal. Record your thoughts during times of prayer, meditation, or Bible reading.
9. Exercise your soul. Take one day a month away with God. Get into nature with your Bible, and read whole books of the Bible in one sitting.
10. Focus through fasting. Practice regular fasting for the sole purpose of giving focused attention to Jesus.

Which of these do you already practice? What others could be of help to you?

Make Believe

Below is an article and poem that I posted a couple of years ago. It has come to mind more than once over the holidays as I saw my younger kids, as well as other children, playing with their toys.

One of a parents’ greatest joys on Christmas morning is watching their children open up their presents. The most “excited” age group tends to be that which lies between the toddler and teen years, when a child's glee over gifts seems to be at its zenith. The air is filled with laughter as girls play with their new dolls and boys conquer the universe with their action figures. Many games and adventures are enjoyed by our children as they utilize one of God’s greatest gifts: imagination.

About thirty years ago, when my siblings and I were caught up in our own imaginary world, my father took notice of our fanciful fun and wrote a poem about it. In essence, Dad's poem reminds us of the role that imagination plays and the importance of keeping it in its proper place. The poem is entitled "Make Believe." I've thought of this poem many times over the years while watching my own kids play in their little world of "let's pretend." I hope that you, too, will enjoy the poem and take its message to heart.

I often watch my children play,

And how amazed am I that they

Are occupied for hours on end

With games that start with “Let’s pretend.”

They play at “house”, they play at “store”;

They play at “school”, they play at “war”.

They play at “cops and robbers”, too;

There’s nothing little minds can’t do.

Yes, “let’s pretend” contributes joy

To every little girl and boy;

And drab and dull would childhood be,

If it were not for fantasy.

The thought that weighs upon my mind

Is: Some don’t leave those years behind.

Concerning things “beyond the veil”,

They still let fantasy prevail.

They make believe there is no hell;

They make believe their souls are well;

They reason, under false pretense,

That works will be their sure defense.

Behold, the final, fearful end

Of those, like babes, who still pretend!

For in eternal things, you see,

There is no room for fantasy.

For fantasy oft times conflicts

With that which God on high edicts;

And fiction from the days of youth

Must not displace the written truth.

Because the Bible doth reveal

That mankind’s need for Christ is real.

Imagination has a role,

But not in matters of the soul.

And what of you, good Christian friend?

Do you serve God, or just pretend?

Do you the Holy Spirit grieve,

By service only “make believe”?

Reading Through the Bible

This morning I finished reading through the Bible in a year's time (I finished a day early). If you've never done this but would like to try, I would recommend using The One Year Chronological Bible NLT (New Living Translation). It is a very readable, yet accurate, version of the Bible, and it helps the reader to understand the events and writings in the order that they actually occurred. To show you what I mean, here's an excerpt of the description that appears on the back cover:

In The One Year Chronological Bible, prophetic books are interwoven with the historical accounts they accompanied. Psalms follow the events about which they were written. Proverbs are placed in the time frame in which they were compiled. The life of Christ is woven into one moving story. And Paul's letters to the young churches in the first century are integrated into the book of Acts.

I have found this to be a helpful way to read through the whole Bible in a year. Another way is to read Scripture straight through in its usual lay-out, book by book, from Genesis through Revelation. This can be done by reading 3 chapters a day for Monday through Saturday, and then 5 chapters on Sunday. Do this, and you'll be done about a week before the year is over (which allows a little time for catch-up, in case you need it).

I only read the Bible through every other year. I like to use the alternate years to read smaller portions of Scripture in greater detail. Sometimes a single verse impacts me more than several chapters. Nevertheless, I always find myself at the end of that alternate year itching to get back to reading the whole Bible through once again.

As I finished up my year's reading this morning, I was deeply touched by the power of God's Word, and its ability to break and build up this fickle heart of mine. Also as a preacher, I realized afresh how powerless I am to change lives by my own words. No wonder Paul told Timothy, "Preach the Word!" That's where the power is. And God has chosen to use the foolishness of preaching (weak man proclaiming God's Truth) to save those who believe (1 Cor. 1:21).

Our Savior reminded us in the midst of His own temptation, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4; cf. Deut. 8:3). May we, like Job, treasure the words of God's mouth more than our necessary food (Job 23:12).

Blessed Be the Name: Part 4

"A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold" (Prov. 22:1). The greatest name in all of earth and heaven is Jesus, the Son of God. Scripture affirms that God "has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name" (Phil. 2:9).

The name of God's Son is marvelous in all its dimensions. Each designation is like a cut in a multi-faceted diamond that only further reveals its brilliance. We have been considering four such designations in Isaiah 9:6:

Wonderful Counselor

Mighty God

Everlasting Father

Prince of Peace

We have already examined the first two; now we want to turn our attention to the last two titles.

Everlasting Father: Literally, this reads "Father of eternity." This describes One who is Lord over the ages. Moses worshiped the LORD saying, "Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God" (Psalm 90:2).

What's striking - and potentially confusing - about this designation is that it not only reminds us of God's eternality, but it also refers to the Son as the Father! Kind of reminds me of that song I'm My Own Grandpa (if you know the song, you'll get what I mean; if not, don't worry about it!). Yet Jesus the Messiah clarified the essence of this revelation in His own words when He said, "I am not of this world" (John 8:23), "I came in My Father's name" (John 5:43), and "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30). Jesus is the "brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of His person" (Heb. 1:3; cf. John 1:14). As Allen Ross points out in his commentary on this verse, "By taking this title, Everlasting Father, the Messiah is to be known as the One who is the sovereign Lord over the ever changing years--he produces and directs eternity."

Prince of Peace: This designation identifies the Messiah as One who blesses His people with peace. The Hebrew concept of peace (shalom) goes beyond the absence of conflict or war. It is a positive term that connotes the presence of security, prosperity, and well-being. Elsewhere Isaiah the seer envisions Messiah's kingdom as a realm in which the wolf lies down with the lamb, and a toddler plays next to a snake pit. How so? Because "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isa. 11:6-9). Eventually Messiah will usher in a new heaven and a new earth; indeed, He makes "all things new" (Rev. 21:5)!

Though this ultimate state of peace is yet to come, even now God's people have a "peace that passes all comprehension" (Phil. 4:7) as we rejoice in our Savior and abide in His love.

Yet this peace did not come without a price. It was purchased for us by the Prince's own blood. It was because of the joy set before Him that Jesus endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and is now seated at the right hand of God. The Prince reigns! He is King of kings and Lord of lords! And the wonder of wonders is that He uses His exalted position to bless us with His peace!

It is ours through faith. Through faith we are at peace with God (Rom. 5:1) and experience the peace of God (Phil. 4:7). Thus we can sing,

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Blessed Be the Name: Part 3

We've been studying the four designations for the Messiah that appear in the latter half of Isaiah 9:6. Today's Messianic title for consideration is "Mighty God." Though the Hebrew word for "God" ('el) is sometimes used in the Old Testament to refer to human kings and judges (cf. Exodus 7:1; Psalm 82), Isaiah does not use it that way here - or anywhere else in his prophecy, for that matter. Every time Isaiah uses term "God" he means deity. In fact, Isaiah has just declared in chapters 7 and 8 that this king would be known as Immanu-'el, "God with us." To have a human king among us is one thing; to have God Himself with us is something else!

This Messiah is the "mighty God." There's another reference in the Old Testament where these two words appear together: Psalm 45:3, which says, "Gird your sword, O Mighty One . . . Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." In the New Testament, the author of Hebrews uses this very passage to refer Jesus Christ (see Hebrews 1:8)!

When Jesus came to earth the first time, He appeared as the Babe in Bethlehem, the Suffering Servant, as One who was "despised and rejected of men" (Isa. 53:3). But we must never mistake Jesus' meekness for a lack of might! He was and is the "mighty God"! Just before His ascension back to heaven, Jesus declared, "All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth" (Matt. 28:18). To catch a glimpse of Jesus' present and eternal glory, read the apostle John's description of the glorified Christ in Revelation 1.

As I meditate on the might of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, my thoughts go to a chorus I learned years ago by Marlene Bigley:

Great and mighty is the Lord our God, -

Great and mighty is He!

Great and mighty is the Lord our God, -

Great and mighty is He!

Lift up your banner, let the anthems ring -

Praises to our King;

Great and mighty is the Lord our God, -

Great and mighty is He!

Our God is mighty to save! And He is worthy of all our praise! Let us bow before Him humbly in worship, thanking Him for rescuing us from our sin and leading us into His heavenly kingdom!

Blessed Be the Name: Part 2

Throughout the rest of December, I'm blogging about the beautiful name of Jesus. The verse we're considering this Advent season is the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 9:6, written 700 years before Jesus birth:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;

and the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

The Messiah's "name" consists of a four-fold designation, the first of which is "Wonderful Counselor." This name literally translates “a wonder of a counselor.” But what does it mean? Let’s break it down into its two parts.

“Wonderful.” The first is the word “wonderful.” The Hebrew word pala indicates “something uncommon or out of the ordinary.” It reflects “a phenomenon lying outside the realm of human explanation; that which is separated from the normal course of events; some-things which cannot be explained.”

The same Hebrew word is used in Psalm 139:6, which reads, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.” It is something miraculous. The problem is, we tend to have a low view of the miraculous. A high-school student comes out of a classroom holding her exam paper which bears a mark in the nineties--and so she exclaims to her friend, “This is a miracle! I didn’t think I was anywhere near ready for that test.” Or a guy asks a girl out on a date, and when she responds in the affirmative, he thinks to himself, “She actually said `Yes’ -- it’s a miracle!”

In reality, however, these things are not miracles. They can all be explained, though some may take a little more effort to explain than others.

A real wonder is something beyond human explanation. And the prophet Isaiah declared that the coming Child and Son would be a wonder. This not only describes what He does, but who He is. He is wonderful! A wonderful what?

“Counselor.” The second part of this compound description of the coming Messiah is “Counselor.” In its historical Hebrew usage, the word is used to picture a king giving counsel to his people. For instance, the prophet Micah declared the dilemma of the captives in Babylon this way: “Now why do you cry aloud? Is there no king in your midst? Has your counselor perished?” (4:9).

Long before the Christ-child was born, Isaiah foretold that God was planning to send a Counselor for the broken-hearted of the world. In our study of First Corinthians, we read in 1 Corinthians 1:30 that Christ “became for us wisdom from God.” When you take all that we know about Christ, it adds up to a marvelous truth--He is the God who is, and who is called, a “Wonder of a Counselor.”

What is the significance of “Wonderful Counselor” to believers today? How does this “Wonder of a Counselor” give us help? How does He impart unto us His wisdom, and how should we seek it? Through the Word of God. The Old Testament is His story. The New Testament Gospels are the record of His conversations with the people of His day, who had needs not altogether different from ours. The letters of the rest of the New Testament represent the practical application of His teaching to life. The Lord guides us through His written Word. “Thy Word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). “Thy testimonies are my delight; They are my counselors” (Ps. 119:24).

• God guides us through prayer. “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Jam. 1:5).
• God guides us through people. Proverbs 11:14 says there is safety in a multitude of good counselors. The wise person listens to the advice of other godly, mature Christians.
• God guides us through our circumstances. C. S. Lewis is the one who perceptively wrote: “God speaks to us in our pleasures and shouts to us in our pain.”

Psalm 32:8 says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” God sees what you’re going through, and He uses life’s circumstances to lead you along the path of righteousness for His name’s sake.

Christ, however, is able to give us the needed direction for life. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on yur own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” How thankful we should be that Isaiah spoke of a “Wonderful Counselor.”

Do you regard Jesus as such? Is He your Counselor?

Blessed Be the Name: Part 1

“What’s in a name?” Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet made this question famous. These two teenagers fall in love before learning that they bear the names of rival families. Romeo and Juliet would sooner deny their own family name than abandon their love for one another.

In other settings, the family name would be more important. Several years ago, business deals were conducted and agreed upon by a gentleman’s word and a handshake. As a man was faithful in keeping his promises and paying his creditors, he furthered his credibility and testimony of integrity in the community. Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be more desired than great riches.”

Yes, names are important, particularly in Scripture. Nowhere is this more significant than in Matthew 1:21, where we read words attributed to an angelic messenger speaking to Joseph in regard to Mary: “And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for it is He who will save His people from their sins.” The name Jesus means “Jehovah our Savior.” It is the New Testament equivalent of the Hebrew name Joshua, Yeshua, or Hoshea. While others wore these names in honor to God, Jesus bore His name as an expression of the Savior-God that the New Testament says He was.

It is the name by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 says, “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

It is the name that sets the tone for everything a Christian does. “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Col. 3:17).

It is the name at which every knee shall bow. The apostle Paul wrote: “Therefore also God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11).

It is quite clear, however, that many people have ignored or dismissed altogether the tremendous significance of Jesus’ name. In the days of His childhood, Jesus’ neighbors knew Him as nothing more than the son of Joseph the carpenter. In our generation, many of our neighbors know Jesus only as an expression of anger, alar, or profanity. Many more have only a casual understanding of the scores of additional names given to Him in the Bible.

Throughout this Christmas season, I'll be blogging about the beautiful name of Jesus. Specifically, I want to consider the four designations that appear in Isaiah's prophecy nearly 700 years before Jesus' birth:

Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given;

and the government will be upon His shoulder.

And His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.

- Isaiah 9:6 -

As we consider these divine designations over the next few weeks, keep in mind that while others use aliases to veil their true identity, the Scriptures use many names for the Son of God in order to display His glory to the world He came to save!

Next week we'll look at this verse in more depth. In the meantime, why not commit it to memory?

Bringing Christ into the Conversation

God has called each of His children to be an ambassador for Christ (2 Cor. 5:20). As believers, we are to "do the work of an evangelist" (2 Tim. 4:5). Jesus Himself said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses. . ." (Acts 1:8).

In light of Jesus' instructions and the promise of spiritual empower-ment, the apostle Paul prayed for two things: opportunities to speak, and the boldness to speak as he ought to speak (Eph. 6:19-20). If God answers the first request, He will most certainly answer the second as well. But this requires walking by faith and not by sight. For instance, my guess is that you have often been aware when opportunities have arisen, yet you have lacked the boldness to share the gospel. So you don't say anything. Am I right?

I know I am, because I've been there myself! Yet I've discovered something else, too. If I see a witnessing opportunity as an answer to prayer, and then I begin to speak believing in the power and promises of God, I actually get the boldness once I start to speak - but rarely before then!

I wonder how many times we have missed golden opportunities because upon recognizing them, we have not acted on them in faith, trusting God to overcome our fears by His Spirit. If you have been guilty of this (and I think we all have at times), why not make a fresh start right now to be a faithful witness for Jesus Christ. The Christmas season especially presents many opportunities to witness for our Lord.

"How do I do that?" you may be wondering. Well certainly you want to rely on the Holy Spirit, trusting Him to give you the words to say in any given moment. Keeping that principle in mind, there are some practical ways we can bring Christ into a conversation. Christian author Don Whitney shares ten questions that can help us move from small talk to "big" talk, the biggest subject of all - the Gospel. All of these questions are not original with Whitney but he has found them to be wonderful segways to sharing the Gospel:

1. When you die, if God says to you, 'Why should I let you into Heaven?', what would you say? Are you interested in what the Bible says about your answer?
2. If you were to die tonight, where do you think you would spend eternity? Why? Are you interested in what the Bible says about this?
3. Do you ever thing much about spiritual things?
4. How is God involved in your life?
5. How important is your faith to you?
6. What has been your most meaningful spiritual experience?
7. Do you find that your religious heritage adequately answers your questions about life?
8. Do you have any kind of spiritual beliefs? If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it? Well, the Bible says....
9. To you, who is Jesus?
10. I often like to pray for people I meet; how can I pray for you?

How about giving one or more of these questions a try? Remember: ask God for opportunities to share the Gospel and the boldness to share as you ought, then step forward in faith by bringing Christ into the conversation! Who knows? Maybe in days and weeks to come, you'll be able to add a few of your own additional questions to this list!

(For more useful articles on evangelism and other matters related to the Christian life, visit Don Whitney's website at www.spiritualdisciplines.org.)

Put Away the Plastic Forks!

Where have all the biblical preachers gone - those with a true prophetic tone to their preaching? For the last couple of weeks I've been immersed in the first twelve verses of Matthew 3, which present a snapshot of the ministry and message of John the Baptist. In our day of syrupy, sentimental, superficial, "Chicken Soup for the Soul" kind of sermons (oh, and short, too - excuse the alliteration), hard-hitting Gospel preaching is hard to find.

Oh, sure, occasionally you'll come across the stereotypical "hell, fire, and brimstone" preacher who belittles his hearers to build up his own ego and uses his pulpit as a whipping post. I'm not referring to that sort of preaching - a sermon that's "all heat and no light." I'm talking about real Gospel-oriented, Christ-centered, soul-stirring, heart-convicting preaching in the power of the Holy Spirit.

When it comes to penetrating people's hearts, there is no substitute for Scripture. "For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires" (Hebrews 4:12). What else in the world can do that? Answer: Nothing! As my good friend Steve Lawson, a passionate expositor himself, likes to say to fellow preachers: "Put away the plastic forks, and unsheath your sword!"

Here is a great example of that. Don't focus so much on the graphics, and certainly disregard the typographical errors. Concentrate instead on the preaching. Listen to the words ... the urgent tone ... the voice of authority ... and the plea for repentance. The preacher whose voice you'll hear just retired after 46 years of faithful preaching and pastoral ministry. May we, too, be unwaveringly committed to the uncompromising truth of God's holy word.

"Truth" Video

Thumbs Way Up for "UP"

On Monday evening before dinner, a friend swung by the house to drop off a video that he thought we'd enjoy seeing. It was the latest Disney-Pixar movie, "Up," an animated comedy adventure about a 78-year-old man who ties balloons to his house and flies away, with an 8-year-old stowaway. My friend's timing was perfect. Our older boys had other commitments for the evening, so I snuggled down on the sofa with my ten-year-old son to watch the 90-minute film. Our family had enjoyed previous Pixar productions, so we were anticipating another good film this time around.

We were not disappointed! Maybe it was the mood I was in, but this seemed to have all the wholesome qualities one would want in a family film. The plot was simple enough for kids to follow, yet enjoyable enough to keep adults engaged. Same case with the humor.

But what I really liked about this movie is that it went beyond humor and cool computer graphics to incorporate the serious and meaningful realities of life. (I want to be careful not to print any spoilers here!) There are some sad moments in the film that touch the hearts of children and adults alike. The characters experience not only adventure, but disappointment; not only fun, but loss. Sentimental ties collide with unexpected circumstances which lead to difficult decisions. These tensions are not only real to each person, but they also create balance in our lives.

What I especially appreciated about the film is its strong affirmation of wholesome family values, i.e. the blessings of lifelong fidelity in marriage, the tragic effects of divorce, the joy and freedom that comes from putting the interests of others above our own. In this film, black is black, and white is white. The lines of morality are not blurred but clear - and, sadly, that seems to be so rare nowadays, even in children's films.

There are few films that, after watching, I can get up off the sofa and say, "Now that was a great movie!" This was one of them. Be sure to get it and watch it with your kids. You'll be glad you did.

Modern-Day Martyr

As most of you know, this past Sunday, November 8, was the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. In my morning sermon on Revelation 2:8-11, I alluded to the martyrdoms of the apostles. Hundreds of other accounts throughout church history are recorded in Foxe's Book of Martyrs, a book that every Christian should read. (You can read it online by clicking here.)

But it occurred to me that despite our religious liberties here in America, every now and then Christians suffer persecution to the point of death. One such incident occurred exactly eight months ago this past Sunday. I blogged on this tragedy back at the time it occurred, and in light of this Sunday's emphasis on the persecuted church, have posted it again today. Here's the original post from March of this year:

Before heading off to prayer meeting last evening, I checked my e-mail and logged on to the Internet. My home page is Fox News, and the cover story was about Fred Winters, a pastor in Illinois who was gunned down in the pulpit while preaching in morning service. You can read all about it here.

I checked out the church website, and from everything I've seen, this pastor was a godly man who was utterly committed to the gospel of Jesus Christ and to the authority of God's Word. He had a great love for the Lord and for people. Supposedly, as the gunman walked down the aisle toward the pastor in the middle of the service, the pastor said to him, "Can I help you?" - something that another pastor on staff did not find surprising at all. Here's the video clip this morning from Fox News:

Yesterday morning started out like just any other Sunday morning for this preacher. He simply got up behind his pulpit and started preaching God's Word to his flock. As a pastor, I am reminded of how important it is for me to "to preach ... as a dying man to dying men" (Richard Baxter). And certainly all of us should pray, as Moses did,

Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

- Psalm 90:12

What are the practical implications of this verse for us as believers? Perhaps they are best stated in the following two resolutions of Jonathan Edwards:

1. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
2. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

By all accounts, Pastor Fred Winters finished well. God help us to do the same.

Here's Lookin' at You, Christians

In the Nov. 7 issue of World magazine, Joel Belz shared some new and rather interesting statistics from the Barna Group on how those in the 16-29 age group perceive evangelicals. Those surveyed were classified as either "Non-Christians" or "Churchgoers." Here's a chart summarizing the results:

What are we to make of these statistics? Well, first of all, we need to define the term "evangelicals." First, Barna considers evangelicals to be "born again Christians" which may be defined as

people who said they have made a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today and who also indicated that they believe that when they die they will go to Heaven because they had confessed their sins and had accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior.

In addition to meeting the born again criteria (described above), evangelicals also meet seven additional conditions, which include:

1. saying that their faith is very important in their life today;
2. believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians;
3. believing that Satan exists;
4. believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works;
5. believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth;
6. asserting that the Bible is accurate in all that it teaches;
7. describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today.

It should also be mentioned that, according to Barna, being classified as an evangelical is not dependent upon church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church attended. Also, respondents were not asked to describe themselves as "evangelical."

So keeping all the above criteria in mind, what do you make of the above chart? How do you read these numbers? Are you surprised, pleased, angered, saddened or confused? As we sift through and try to make sense of these statistics, here are - according to Joel Belz - two related questions that thoughtful evangelicals should consider:

When is it that our own clumsiness and klutziness leaves people alienated from the truth that we think should be so attractive? And when is it that the very essence of God's truth drives people away?

As I think through these questions in light of the above statistics, I am reminded of a quote I heard years ago from C. Sumner Wemp, while I was a Bible college student:

If the Gospel is an offense, praise God.

If I'm an offense, that's sin.

So what, in your opinion, are evangelicals in general doing right? What are we doing wrong? Where do we go from here? Please share your thoughts.

"Good Without God"?

This was the theme of the Tuesday evening broadcast of Chronicle HD on Boston's Channel 5 (ABC). Several atheists were interviewed, including Greg Epstein, who serves as the Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University. Epstein has written a book entitled Good Without God, which Channel 5 obviously borrowed as their label for last night's program. Epstein declares, "God is the greatest literary character we as human beings ever invented."

In describing his own spiritual journey, Epstein says that while he grew up wanting to believe in God, he eventually came to the realization that "what I really wanted was not a God to care for me, but for other people to care for me." Epstein says that miracles and other things pertaining to the supernatural are "no longer helpful." He believes that people have an inclination toward morality because they're aware that they get only one shot at life, and they need to make it count for good.

My son Matthew had urged me and his mother to watch this show with him, because scheduled to appear on it was another atheist named Zachary Bos, whom Matthew had met while doing open-air evangelism at Boston University with his friend Kaleb and two evangelists from our church (along with a few others who joined them). Zachary Bos is the Director of Boston Atheists and refers to himself as the "friendly neighborhood atheist."

"Aggressive atheism" is on the rise. Books denying God's existence have become best-sellers (e.g. The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins, and Letter to a Christian Nation by Sam Harris). "Over the last 20 years," said Alan Wolfe of Boston College, "the number of people willing to tell people in surveys that they don't believe in God have pretty much doubled." Even Congress has its first self-professing atheist, Rep. Pete Stark (D-California).

Celebrity atheist Christopher Hitchens, while a guest on "Good Morning America Weekend Edition," said that American believers should recognize they live in a secular state. Says Hitchens,

It would be better for them if they didn't give themselves false conciliation. My challenge is really to say, "Can you name me a moral action or a statement that has been made by a believer that couldn't have been made by a non-believer?"

To that question the Bible provides a ready answer, a response that more than meets the challenge and gets to the heart of the matter:

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

- Romans 2:14-16 ESV

Far from disproving the existence of God, Hitchen's challenge actually affirms what the Bible teaches about man's sense of morality, how it originates from God, and how it renders man accountable to God.

When confronted by atheists - or any other advocate of false religion - we can respond with confidence, knowing that what we are giving them is not the word of men but the word of God. Atheists resort to mere rational arguments aimed at the head, whereas believers declare God's Truth which penetrates the heart (Heb. 4:12). The sword of the Spirit is infinitely more powerful than the plastic fork of human rhetoric. Therefore, precious believer, remember:

who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

- 1 Peter 3:13-16 ESV

I praise God not only for our open-air evangelists who boldly proclaim the Gospel in the public square, but also for those believers who speak the truth of God in love in their classroom, place of employment, with their neighbors, hair-dresser and whoever else. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17).

People Who Make a Difference

The elders here at First Baptist Church have been reading through the classic missionary book, Hudson Taylor's Spiritual Secret. We have been moved by Taylor's passion for God and his heart for China. That, coupled with this weekend's missions conference - the theme of which is "The Challenge of a World in Crisis" - brought to mind a 7-minute video clip of John Piper that every Christian teenager, senior, and everyone in between should watch. Listen carefully to this passionate plea. Don't waste your life. Be a person who makes a difference in the lives of those that you can impact for God's glory.

Jesus Christ, the Only Way

Pluralism has polluted not only our society, but also the church. As one theologian lamented, there is no place for the truth in this age of tolerance.

Yet if we are to be faithful ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we must proclaim Him as the only way of salvation. "Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).

Now I am committed to this truth and to declaring it unapologetically, regardless of what the world may say. But I confess that there have been times when I have been committed to it volitionally without being moved by it emotionally.

Yesterday a colleague sent me a link to the following video by R. C. Sproul who expounds on the exclusivity of Christ by telling a 7-minute story - the story of redemption and God's offer of salvation. Listen to this message. It could be the most meaningful seven minutes of your day. And you may very well want to pass it on to a loved one who does not know Christ, as this is one of the most tender presentations of the Gospel I've heard in a long time.