Archives for 2009

Heir of the World [Romans]

Rm 4.13

We pause today for a look at one phrase, ‘heir of the world’. The phrase defines the content of the promise made to Abraham and his seed. But what exactly is this inheritance of the world? No explicit promise like this was ever given to Abraham. We trace through the Scriptures the development of the Abrahamic covenant in order to discover the nature of our inheritance and the motive of our current life in this world, where we eschew the world for reasons of a better world we will inherit by and by.

The Fall of Man (2) [Basic Theology]

In this session we discuss the process of man’s fall from his original state into sin and death.We consider the craftiness of the serpent, the deception of Eve, and the rebellion of Adam.

The Commandments Expanded [Communion, Leviticus]

Lev 19

Our chapter has four notable features including the theme verse of Leviticus, “Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” The other features are a repetition or allusion to each of the ten commandments, the revelation of the second great commandment and the constant repetition of the phrase “I am the Lord (your God).” All of this emphasizes a deeper understanding of God’s law and nature and the demands it places on us in all of life for absolute holiness in imitation of our God.

We are conscious, still, of our inadequacy in this chapter. We need more. We can’t meet the standard. Thus, such a chapter about the holiness of God applied to life calls forth a memory of the holy condescension of our holy God in becoming a man, keeping the law even unto death on our behalf.

Yesterday, it fell my lot to be driving teens back from camp in Alberta. I started out from my parents’ home at 3:15 am our time and arrived at my house at 9:15 pm. That’s 18 hours of almost continuous travel, just a few stops along the way. (And no speeding tickets, as one of my folks at church was quick to check.)

This seems to be part of the work in a small ministry – sometimes you put yourself into very demanding seasons of work for the sake of being a help to your people, especially when it comes to encouraging your teens.

And I offer the note as a bit of background for my ebbing energy level as the day progressed… Now for the summaries:

What Means This Sign? [Romans]

Rm 4.11-12

Our verses today are quite complicated – a sentence explaining the significance of Abraham’s circumcision and its blessing and example for those of us who follow him today.

The Fall of Man (1) [Basic Theology]

We begin a new topic of Bible Study today by introducing various views of the fall of man and by considering the state of man before the fall.

Add to your Faith [Growth]

2 Pt 1.5

A look at the idea of adding or supplying additional spiritual qualities in your life to that which brings spiritual life into existence, saving faith.

Faith before Ritual [Romans]

Rm 4.9-10

Paul’s exposition of Gen 15.6 turns from justification by faith without works to justification by faith without circumcision. This argument is particularly devastating to the ritual-dependent nature of Judaism (and of Judaizers, see Galatians). The argument devastates the ritual-dependent misunderstanding of the Gospel by churches and Christians that practice infant baptism or even such things as ‘delayed infant baptism’ or the confidence placed in ‘go-forward invitations’. Salvation is by faith without works, especially religious works of ritual.

Facets of Man (4) [Basic Theology]

Today we finish this chapter of Ryrie’s Basic Theology. The lesson today is on the Mind and the Flesh, two aspects of our inner nature. As we bring the lesson to a conclusion, we get a mini-sermon on the new life in the Spirit vs. the old life of the flesh. A victorious inner life comes by a life walking ‘in the Spirit’. By this life we overcome the flesh.

Beloved Beware [Christian Growth]

2 Pt 3.17-18

Beloved, beware lest you be led away … Beloved beware for yourself. As we consider our Christian growth, we have to be aware and beware that the truth can be ‘put on the rack, and twisted’. Since this is true, we need to be aware and beware of movements in the church that would drag us away from truth and make us spiritually unstable. Instead, may we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. If that is our focus, we will be stable and unmoved by the winds of change that always threaten the Christian church.

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I have to relate a little story from the end of our services today. We have two little fellows in the church about 6 years old. As they left the last service, one of them said to the other, “Man, we sat through the whole thing!” The other sagely replied, “Yep, we’re growing up.”

We all got quite a laugh out of that one.

Why would they think it is such an accomplishment to sit through ‘the whole thing’ when I am preaching? We wonders…

How ‘No Works’ Works for You [Romans]

Rom 3.21-4.8

Our message is a summary of the section of Romans we have most recently covered in great detail. The one great theme of this passage is justification by faith alone, no works added. The purpose of this message is to tie all this teaching together with a particular emphasis on what faith without works means. All belief systems justify self on some basis – all but true Christianity do so on the basis of faith in works. Christianity is based on faith without works, or, perhaps better, faith in the works of Someone Else.

The Facets of Man (3) [Basic Theology]

We continue our discussion of the nature of man with a look today at the ‘heart’ and the ‘conscience’. What we are after is getting a grasp of how the Bible describes the inner man.

Beloved Be Diligent [Christian Growth]

2 Pt 3.14

“Beloved be diligent … of your Christian walk” – that is the theme of our message today. As we have been considering the ‘beloved be’s of 2 Peter 3’ we have seen the call to be mindful of the word so that we will not be ignorant of God, with the result that we will be diligent in our Christian walk, energetically pursuing holiness and godliness because the day of the Lord is approaching.