Monthly Archives: September 2011

Weekly Links (9/30/2011)

When those who claim to be God’s people turn aside from the Word of God and from the Christ of history, this is more heinous in the sight of God than the worst case of infidelity in marriage, for it destroys the reality, the great central bridegroom-bride relationship. I have taken care to emphasize that God does not minimize promiscuity in sexual relationships, but apostasy – spiritual adultery – is worse. And the modern liberal theologian is in that place. How do we look at it? I would suggest we must be careful to look at it no less clearly than God does. Consider the liberal theology of our day. It denies the personal God who is there. It denies the divine historic Christ. It denies the Bible as God’s verbalized Word. It denies God’s way of salvation. The liberals elevate their own humanistic theories to a position above the Word of God, the revealed communication of God to men. They make gods which are no gods, but are merely the projection of their own minds. (Francis Schaeffer, The Church Before the Watching World)

by Stephen Rodgers

Apologies if my indroductions to these articles are a bit briefer than usual.  Don’t let that dissuade you from checking them out though!

Enjoy, and don’t forget that it’s Flocks week!

And don’t forget that this Sunday is communion.  See you at church!

Pro Rege

BOB – The Old Testament

by Stephen Rodgers

Last week’s post went a little bit long and touched on a few issues that were a bit technical.  This week’s post will probably be a bit shorter, and nowhere near as technical.  In fact, I spent part of the day contemplating if I wanted to just make a post with the title What is the OT About? and then write Jesus in the post.

Nothing more.  Just Jesus.

I thought it would make a point…and it would.  But even though that would have definitively gotten the point across, let’s elaborate on it just a bit.

First though, let me point out a couple of articles that deal with other aspects of the OT:  I’ve previously mentioned Vern Polythress’ “Overview of the Bible: A Survey of the History of Salvation” but I’d also like to recommend C. John Collins’ “The Theology of the Old Testament” which takes a broader view.  They’re only a couple pages each, and there’s some great material in there (and if you own an ESV Study Bible, you have those articles already).  But for the purposes of this article, I want to make the point that the central character of the Old Testament is indeed Jesus…even if He never quite directly steps into the spotlight.

It was Mark Dever who once summed up the message of the OT and NT as “Promises Made” and “Promises Kept,” respectively (with Jesus as the primary object of both).  But as much as I respect Pastor Mark, I wouldn’t be comfortable making a claim and then falling back on “well, Mark Dever said so” as my primary justification.  On the other hand, “Jesus said so” carries a little more weight.

You see, it was Jesus who made it absolutely clear that the OT was all about Him! He said it more than once, and in a number of different contexts as well.  He said it before His resurrection (John 5:39-40) and He said it after His resurrection (Luke 24:27). He said it to His disciples (Luke 24:44-45) and He said it to large crowds of strangers (Matt. 5:17-18).  He said it at the beginning of His ministry (Luke 4:20-21) and He said it at the end of His ministry (Luke 22:37; Matt 26:56).

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got this crazy notion that being a “Christian” involves paying attention to Christ.

“Alright Stephen,” you might be saying.  “I believe you that the OT is about Jesus.  I even accept that Jesus said the OT was about Himself.  But can you give me examples of how it’s about Him?”

Yes.  Yes I can.

Prophetic Promises

The OT contains hundreds of prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.  And despite what some skeptics say, there are strong reasons to believe in their validity.  Here are just a few of them:

  • 1,000 BC: David prophesied that lots would be cast for Jesus’ clothes (Ps 22:18; John 19:23-24), that Jesus would be crucified (500 years before the first recorded instance of crucifixion) (Ps 22:16; Luke 23:33), and that Jesus would resurrect from Death (Ps 16:10)
  • 700 BC: Isaiah prophesied that Jesus would be born of a virgin who would conceive by a miracle (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:18-23), that Jesus would die and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isa 53:8-9; Matt 27:57-60; Luke 23:46), and that Jesus would resurrect from death (Isa 53:10-12; Acts 2:25-32)
  • 700 BC: Micah prophesied that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem (Mic 5:2; Luke 2:1-7)
  • 700 BC: Hosea prophesied that Jesus’ family would flee to Egypt (Hos 11:1; Matt 2:13-15)
  • 500 BC: Zechariah prophesied that Jesus would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver (Zech 11:12-13; Matt 26:14-15)
  • 400 BC: Malachi prophesied that Jesus would enter the temple (which was destroyed in 70 AD) (Mal 3:1; Luke 2:25-27)

Christophonies

A “Christophony” is the theological term for an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.  You can think of these almost as “cameos” of Jesus, before we fully learn about who He is.  These include:

  • Walking with Abraham (Gen 18; John 8:56)
  • Wrestling with Jacob (Gen 32:30)
  • Appearing to Moses (Ex 3:2-6; John 8:58)
  • Joining Daniel in the fiery furnace (Dan 3:24-25)
  • Calling Isaiah into ministry (Isa 6:1-5; John 12:41)
One special Christophony that can be a little confusing is the appearance of “the angel of the LORD.”  I say “confusing” because not all angels are Jesus, but occasionally one shows up who is explicitly identified as God (Judg 6:11-14; 13:22).  Unlike other occasions, when people try to worship this “angel” (remember that “angel” just means “messenger) they are encouraged instead of corrected.  This is the same “angel” that provided the sacrifice in place of Isaac (Gen 22:1-19) and journeyed with Moses (Ex 3:14; 23:20-21; John 8:56-59)

Types

The aforementioned Vern Polythress defines a “type” as a special example, symbol, or picture that God designed beforehand, and that he placed in history at an earlier point in time in order to point forward to a later, larger fulfillment.  Sometimes a “type” is also called a “prefigure” or a “shadow.” These can be shown through individuals and institutions, services, and events.

  • Some individuals and institutions would be how Adam points to Christ as the second Adam, how the priesthood points to Christ as the High Priest, how David and the other kings point to Christ as the King of Kings, how Moses and the prophets point to Christ as the ultimate Prophet, animal sacrifices which point to Christ as the Lamb of God, the temple which points to Christ as God dwelling among us bodily in Jesus, shepherds who point to Christ as the Great Shepherd and many more.
  • Some services would be how Christ was the better Adam, the better Abel, the better Abraham, the better Jacob, the better Joseph, the better Moses, the better Job, the better David, the better Jonah, the better Boaz, the better Nehemiah, the better Hosea, and many more.  For more explanation of that, you might want to start with a short youtube video of an excerpt from a sermon by Tim Keller.
  • Some events would be the exodus as a pattern for salvation, and Yom Kippur as a pattern for the crucifixion.

Titles

Last but not least, Jesus is identified by a number of OT titles that are used to identify and describe God.  The most prevalent is the title “son of man” from Daniel 7:13-14, which Jesus uses more than 80 times in the four gospels.  Other titles include:

  • Suffering Servant (Isa 42: 1-4; 49:1-7; 52:13-53:12; Phil 2:1-11)
  • First and Last (Isa 41:4; 44:6; 48:12; Rev 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)
  • Light (Ps 27:1; John 1:9)
  • Rock (Ps 18:2; 95:1; 1 Cor 10:4; 1 Pet 2:6-8)
  • Husband/Bridegroom (Hos 2:16; Isa 62:5; Eph 5:28-33; Rev 21:2)
  • Shepherd (Ps 23:1; Heb 13:20)
  • Redeemer (Hos 13:14; Ps 130:7; Titus 2:13; Rev 5:9)
  • Savior (Isa 43:3; John 4:42)
  • Lord of Glory (Isa 42:8; 1 Cor 2:8)

At the beginning of the article I said it would be shorter and less technical than last week.  Well…now it’s longer, and I’ve quoted Polythress, so I probably failed on both counts.  But despite that, I hope you’re beginning to see that the OT is really all about Jesus. Until you understand that, you’re missing the entire point.

Next week we’ll dig deeper into a specific section of the OT as we explore the Pentateuch.  And after that…we’ll dive into an actual book of the Bible: Genesis.

Other Works Referenced

  • ESV Study Bible
  • Dever, The Message of the Old Testament
  • Dever, The Message of the New Testament
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On The Old Testament

Gray Issues Part 6 – Example: Clothing Standards

by Elder Peter Lim

In my last article, I briefly explained the difference between legalism and standards. There were some statements in that article that I felt would be more clearly understood with an example. Today’s article will make no sense unless you have first read that article. Assuming that you’ve read it, let’s move on to the example.

Clothing is a good example of applying legalism or standards in the life of a church. Every church has a dress code. Even the ones who say that they don’t have a dress code have some standard of a dress code. If a man walked into church service with no shirt on, wouldn’t he be asked to put a shirt on so that he would not be distracting to other people? Maybe not, you say? What if it was a woman? Of course they would. So every church has a standard that people be clothed in a particular way. Is this church being legalistic? No, they are simply making the judgment that people ought to wear shirts. There is no verse in the Bible to support this but it is derived from passages that speak of not causing others to stumble, considering one another more important than ourselves, etc.

Each person also has an opinion of how people ought to dress to church. The more conservative ones may even think it to be inappropriate to wear anything less than the “Sunday Best” coat and ties for men and flowery dresses for women. Others in places such as Hawaii and other tropical climates may think that it would be inappropriate to wear suits but rather that people ought to wear shorts and aloha shirts. It’s also interesting to note that sometimes people who would advocate having no dress code for the “normal people” shamelessly endorse a double standard when it comes to how clergy ought to dress.

The leaders also have an idea of what the dress code should be. The difference is, the leaders set the pace for the rest of the church in terms of how the church ought to be represented in their community. They have the responsibility of determining the level of appropriateness of dress. It may not be clearly communicated to the congregation what that level is. If the leaders come up with some sort of a written policy, it may be construed by some to be legalistic.

If a member disagrees what that level should be, how should he deal with this conflict? The Godly man would recall Scripture which reminds him that he is to obey the leaders and let them lead with joy. He wouldn’t make a big deal of his disagreement and try to subvert the leaders’ authority by spreading his poison to other people by “sharing” with them. In fact, a Godly man would halt any such talk if he hears them from others although he may also disagree with the leaders. He does this because he is more concerned with the unity of the body and obedience to Scripture than the furtherance of his own agenda. The assumption here of course is that the leaders have developed such a trust and love of the congregation that they ought to be able to overlook minor disagreements with the leadership.

Now let’s take this example and relate it to other “gray area” topics such as smoking, drinking, gambling, certain kinds of entertainment, etc. While each of these will definitely lead to sin in excess, the true danger of them will actually be felt and experienced long before you get to the “definite sin” stage. This is because sin engages the heart first before anyone (even oneself) can see it. We can see some indications of this when we start justifying our actions by reasoning that there’s no chapter and verse of an explicit prohibition against it instead of considering whether this is truly the best use of one’s time and money in order to maximize God’s glory. Another indicator is when a friend expresses concern about it and we start getting defensive and offended rather than being thankful for their concern. That’s why in the church, we leaders endeavor to stay far away from the “sin cliff” and set standards that are helpful and healthy for the members, and not because we are so concerned with imposing our own standards upon the members. This sometimes presents a dilemma for some members because it seems like the leaders are elevating their own standards into a degree of legalism and making those with “lower” standards feel bad. They misunderstand the leaders’ intentions and lose their focus and turn it into an issue about themselves instead of the bigger picture that the leaders have the responsibility of maintaining for the overall witness of the local church.

The topic of gray issues is clearly not a simple matter that can be settled by precisely defining which activities are sinful and which are not. Such simple thinking reveals the immaturity of one’s thinking. Let’s wrap it up today by concluding that we are to pursue excellence and maturity in our thinking instead of testing how close we can get to the sin border without sinning.

1 Cor. 14:20
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.

Tell Me…Where Thou Feedest…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Song of Solomon 1:7

These words express the desire of the believer after Christ, and his longing for present communion with Him. Where doest Thou feed Thy flock? In Thy house? I will go, if I may find Thee there. In private prayer? Then I will pray without ceasing. In the Word? Then I will read it diligently. In Thine ordinances? Then I will walk in them with all my heart. Tell me where Thou feedest, for wherever Thou standest as the Shepherd, there will I lie down as a sheep; for none but Thyself can supply my need. I cannot be satisfied to be apart from Thee. My soul hungers and thirsts for the refreshment of Thy presence.

‘Where dost Thou make Thy flock to rest at noon?’ for whether at dawn or at noon, my only rest must be where Thou art and Thy beloved flock. My soul’s rest must be a grace-given rest, and can only be found in Thee. Where is the shadow of that rock? Why should I not repose beneath it? ‘Why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?’ Thou hast companions-why should I not be one? Satan tells me I am unworthy; but I always was unworthy, and yet Thou hast long loved me; and therefore my unworthiness cannot be a bar to my having fellowship with Thee now. It is true I am weak in faith, and prone to fall, but my very feebleness is the reason why I should always be where Thou feedest Thy flock, that I may be strengthened, and preserved in safety beside the still waters. Why should I turn aside? There is no reason why I should, but there are a thousand reasons why I should not, for Jesus beckons me to come. If He withdrew Himself a little, it is but to make me prize His presence more. Now that I am grieved and distressed at being away from Him, He will lead me yet again to that sheltered nook where the lambs of His fold are sheltered from the burning sun.

2.3p

Weekly Links (9/23/2011)

Therefore our fight and our race and endurance is a radically God-centered, Christ-exalting, Spirit-dependent, promise-supported life. It is not a ‘just do it’ ethic. It is not a moral self-improvement program. It is not a ‘Judeo-Christian ethic’ shared by a vaguely spiritual culture with a fading biblical memory. It is a deeply cross-embracing life that knows the Christ of the Bible as the Son of God who was crucified first as our substitute and then as our model of endurance. (John Piper, The Roots of Endurance)

by Richard Shin

We are back with another set of weekly links. Some are long and some are not as much. But it is my prayer that they would all help you gain a deeper understanding of our Maker and strive to live for an audience of one.

  • At the Ordinary Pastor blog, Erik Raymond has an article on the most dangerous guy at church. You may find his basic criterion rather surprising. But read on and you’ll find his points make much sense. And towards the end, he gives practical suggestions on how to encourage this person.
  • Tim Challies has a fantastic quote on contentment for things. The quote is actually a prayer that Scotty Smith, a member of the Gospel Coalition, shared on his blog. It properly captures the idea that we are not entitled to anything that we have, but we are wholly God’s, and we should live in contentment because we are His.
  • Douglas Wilson has a helpful article in understanding the difference between tradition and traditionalism. As he so aptly states, “Handing faith across generations is tradition. Handing sin across generations is traditionalism.” We must understand that what we do must always align with what the Scriptures say.
  • Jared Wilson (of no relations to the guy above, I think) shares an article on laziness. I find it particularly awakening as I am prone to be lazy when I do not desire to glorify God.
  • Ray Ortlund has an amazing article/biography/anecdote/tribute of a man who suffered and was persecuted by communists. You see, they’re all linked: Christianity, suffering, glory, obedience, joy. “The concept of ‘commitment’ has replaced the higher call of ‘total surrender’ to Christ.  If we are ‘committed’ to him, we might still define for ourselves how far we will go in obeying him.  But if we are totally surrendered, there are no limits, no preconditions.  We are his.  Period.”
  • In the Gospel Coalition blog, there is an article by Courtney Reissig on the late Jacqueline Kennedy, President Kennedy’s wife. She recounts the unwavering support Jackie O gave her husband during his presidency and helps us understand complementarianism. Yet it misses the most fundamental unifying concept: the gospel.
  • Because I believe we learn tremendously well by watching and listening, I leave you with a couple videos found here and here. They consist of an interview John Piper conducted with Kevin DeYoung on the pursuit of holiness, which should be the pursuit of every one of us reading this.

Coram Deo

It’s Thanksgiving Already in Sonlight!

by Ryan and Stephanie McAdams

Don’t worry; we don’t have our months confused. The American Thanksgiving holiday is still a while away. But for us, there is always much to be thankful to God for – in particular, the Sonlight Ministry! The 2011-2012 school year started off a few weeks ago, and we love being back in our “second home” – the Sonlight room – once again. We wanted to share specifically what it is about this elementary school ministry that we appreciate so much!

We are thankful to God for…

The Sonlight Kiddos

There is so much we could share about these precious children. First of all, these five to eleven year olds have quite the imagination; they can and will play with anything they find in our room! A few chairs become a castle. Swimming pool noodles become swords. Also, we value the conversations we get to have with them, not only during official Sunday school time but anytime we see them. Already this year, one kid has admitted he does not think he’s a Christian, allowing for further conversation about what makes a true believer. Another kid answered the question “What is God’s gift to those who believe in Jesus?” with “ruternal life!”, revealing her lack of understanding of “eternal life” and providing an opportunity to explain what “eternal life” means. Even the inappropriate and flippant things they say about God, the gospel, and each other we can use those moments to talk with them and help them see their depravity.

Fireflies Nursery and Sparklers Preschool Ministries

We see the fruit of these two ministries as they have helped lay a good foundation of God and His Word. Though they’ve only been with us for no more than a month, the youngest batch of kids (kindergarteners) are quite knowledgeable and show an enthusiasm for learning and listening to God’s Word.

Newer Families and Visiting Families

In the past year or so, we have seen a significant number of families check out Lighthouse, and quite a few end up staying! It’s encouraging to see their desire for a church that will love and teach God’s Word accurately and with care to their children.

The Parents

They allow us to come alongside them as they strive to teach, train, discipline, and love their children with the gospel and God’s Word. They are exemplary role models for us as we look forward to having our own little disciple soon!

The Staffers

Though only eight of us currently (but many prospective staff!), we see such love and investment these staffers have for the kids. The male staff is required to teach on a rotating schedule. It is neat to watch these men grow in their abilities to clearly and accurately speak God’s Truth to the kids in a way that they will understand. Something new implemented this school year is a weekly staff meeting at 8:30am before service starts to hear an overview of that day’s lesson and to pray together for the Sunday school time. We enjoy this time to physically see all the staff around one table and entrust this ministry to God.

The Curriculum

As two people who grew up in the church and became very familiar with the gospel and Bible stories, we know the danger of claiming to be a Christian without having true faith with a life that backs it up. We constantly pray that this curriculum, To Be Like Jesus, will challenge the kids’ minds and hearts to consider God’s Truths and see if their lives reflect a genuine love for Him or not.

A Classroom

They all fit in there (for now)! We love that they love and feel so comfortable in this room – it’s like their “second home” as well. Come peek in our neck of the woods after service sometime, though you may not be noticed since the kids are so engrossed in playing. Many times, they don’t even see their parents, who have to literally drag them out of the room to go home or eat lunch!

Serving as a Married Couple

Sonlight was the first ministry we starting serving in together after marriage. These children and this ministry are a big part of our lives. We talk about the kids constantly – trading funny stories/moments from Sunday school since we lead different small groups within Sonlight, praying for them, and tossing ideas back and forth of how to better talk to and shepherd each child’s heart.

We hope our short list provides encouragement and thankfulness in your heart this day for God’s love and care for LBC’s next generation!

BOB – The OT Canon

by Stephen Rodgers

As I mentioned in last week’s article, before we delve too deeply into the various parts of the OT, we should probably briefly touch on the issue of how those various parts came to be thought of as the OT.  And that brings us to what is typically known as “canonology,” or the study of the “canon” (the collection and list of inspired books contained in the Bible).

Now, I’m going to summarize and add to this a little bit, but honestly, I probably can’t do a better job to start with than directing you to read the freely-available essay from the ESV Study Bible “The Canon of Scripture.”  For now, you only need to read the OT part.  Although you’re welcome to read the NT section as well, we’re going to get into that in more detail when we get to the NT.

First, let’s start with what the OT is.

What is now referred to as the “Old Testament” of the Bible is actually known to the Jews as the “Tanakh,” which is an acronym (TNK) based on the three distinct parts of the Hebrew scriptures: the “Torah” (Law), the “Nevi’im” (Prophets), and the “Kethuvim” (Writings).  In fact, the Old Testament is identical to the Hebrew scriptures, except that it is numbered and organized differently.  The Old Testament is also sometimes also referred to as the “Torah” or “the Law” (Psalm 1:2; John 10:34).

I mentioned that our OT is identical to the Hebrew scriptures except that it is numbered and organized differently.  Typically there will be either 22 or 24 books; if there’s 22, that doesn’t mean that there’s anything missing, it just means that some of the books were combined with each other.  The 22-book version, the 24-book version, and the 39-book version all have the same content.

If you’re curious, the common 24-book version (including the Hebrew names for them) is often organized as follows:

The Law (Torah)

·        Genesis (Bereishit)

·        Exodus (Shemot)

·        Leviticus (Vayikra)

·        Numbers (Bemidbar)

·        Deuteronomy (Devarim)

The Prophets (Nevi’im)

·        Former Prophets

o  Joshua (Yehoshua)

o  Judges (Shoftim)

o  (1 & 2) Samuel (Shmu’el)

o  (1 & 2) Kings (Melakhim)

·        Latter Prophets

o  Isaiah (Yeshayaho)

o  Jeremiah (Yirmiyahu)

o  Ezekiel (Yehezqu‘el)

o  The Twelve ( Trei Asar )

§ Hosea (Hoshea)

§ Joel (Yo‘el)

§ Amos

§ Obadiah (Ovadyah)

§ Jonah (Yonah)

§ Micah (Mikhah)

§ Nahum (Nachum)

§ Habakkuk (Habaquq)

§ Zephaniah (Tsefania)

§ Haggai

§ Zechariah (Zekharia)

§ Malachi (Malakhi)

The Writings (Kethuvim)

·        Poetical Books

o  Psalms (Tehillim)

o  Proverbs (Mishlei)

o  Job (’Iyyov)

·        Five Rolls (Megilloth)

o  Song of Songs (Shir ha-Shirim)

o  Ruth

o  Lamentations (Eikhah)

o  Ecclesiastes (Kohelet)

o  Esther

·        Historical Books

o  Daniel

o  Ezra

o  Nehemiah

o  (1 & 2) Chronicles (Divrei ha-Yamim)

In 90 AD, this collection of books was formally affirmed by a collection of Jewish elders at the Council of Jamnia.  (They also rejected the Apocrypha at the same time, but that too, is a lesson for another time).  Keep in mind though that this wasn’t the first time these books were recognized; they had been collected and regarded as Scripture for centuries by that point.

Next, let’s talk about how we know that it hasn’t changed.

Now perhaps you’re saying, “it’s great that the Christian OT and the Jewish Tanakh are the same now, but how do we know that they haven’t been altered? What if the Christians (or the Jews) changed them somehow.”  That’s a fair question; consider the following:

  • The oldest complete Hebrew copy we have is the Masoretic text.  It dates back to the 10th century (1,000 years ago).  When we compare that text with our current version, aside from the occasional typo or spelling mistake, they are the same.
  • The oldest complete Greek copy we have is the Septuagint.  It dates back to the 3rd century (1,700 years ago).  When we compare that text with the Masoretic text, aside from the occasional typo or spelling mistake, they are the same.
  • The oldest collection of fragments we have is the Dead Sea Scrolls.  It dates back to the 2nd century BC (2,500 years ago). When we compare those fragments with the Masoretic text, aside from the occasional typo or spelling mistake, they are the same.  And by this point, we’re looking at versions of the Tanakh that were around 200 years after the OT finished, and around 200 years before there were Christians!
Even though the Old Testament has been translated and copied for centuries, the latest version is essentially the same as the earliest ones.  That’s not terribly surprising when you consider the process that the Jews used to make copies of the scriptures, but that’s a lesson for another time.

Finally, let’s talk about why we believe it is inspired.

“Alright Stephen,” you might be saying.  “I can see that the Christian OT and the Hebrew scriptures are the same, and I’m convinced that they always were the same.  But why should I believe that they’re from God?”

Well, when it comes to the OT books, there are five traits that we look for.  And we derive those traits from the teaching of the Bible itself:

  1. They were written by a prophet of God (Deut 18:18-22; 1 Pet 1:20-21)
  2. That prophet’s authority was confirmed by an act of God (Heb 2:3-4)
  3. The prophetic writings told the truth about God in harmony with God’s other prophets (Deut 13:1-5; 18:22; Gal 1:8)
  4. The prophetic writings were accompanied with the power of God to change people’s lives (Heb 4:12)
  5. The prophetic writings were accepted by the people of God as true (Deut 31:24-26; Josh 24:26; 1 Sam 10:25; Dan 9:2; Col 4:16; 1 Thess 2:13; 5:27; 1 Tim 5:18; 2 Pet 3:16)
There is pretty much zero disagreement about what books belong in the OT.  Consider some other supplemental evidence:
  • When a prophet spoke in the OT, there was no mistaking it.  The tablets of the Law were preserved in the Ark, illustrating their sanctity. (Ex 25:16-21; 40:20; Deut 10:5; 1 Kings 8:9)
  • The Pentateuch was placed in there as well right after Moses wrote it. (Deut 31:24-26)
  • The writings of the other prophets were added. (Josh 24:25-26; 1 Sam 10:25; Isa 8:20; 29:18; 34:16)
  • The collection of Scriptures were moved to the temple to be cared for by the priests in the days of Solomon. (1 Kings 8:6-9; 2 Kings 22:8)
  • OT writings refer to one another as Scripture (Joshua 1:8 refers to the Pentateuch; Daniel 9:2 refers to Jeremiah; Ezekiel 14:14 refers to Noah, Daniel, and Job)
  • Jesus summarized the Bible as existing in three parts. (Luke 24:44)
  • Jesus spoke of the OT as existing from Abel (Genesis) to Zechariah (a chronological contemporary of Malachi) (Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51)
  • Malachi concludes with the promise that the next prophet would be John the Baptist, who would prepare the way for Jesus, who would come to the temple. (Mal 3:1; 4:5-6; Matt 3:1-17; 17:9-13; Luke 1:16-17; 3:1-18)
  • The temple was destroyed in 70 AD.
Whew!  I got a little carried away there at the end and started referring to the NT in my excitement, but hopefully you’ll forgive me. And I trust you see why Christians believe that their OT is a match to the Hebrew scriptures, has always been a match, and contains the very words of God.
Other Works Referenced:
  • ESV Study Bible
  • MacArthur Study Bible
  • Driscoll, A Book You’ll Actually Read On The Old Testament
  • Sumner, How Did We Get the Bible?
  • Thomas, How We Got Our Bible
  • Theopedia.com, “Development of the OT Canon”

LBC Weekly SPARK – September 20, 2011

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC family and friends!

I trust that you are doing well and walking in the Lord! Fall is upon us, which means that things are going to start getting busy! It is also the season where we typically see many new faces. As such, it is certainly an exciting time of the year. It is important to remember that part of being a healthy Christian means that you are actively involved in the life of the church. This not only contributes to your own personal spiritual health, but also to the general wellbeing of the body as well.

Paul speaks of our dependence on the other members of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27. No Christian was meant to go through life’s struggles alone. There is a reason why God has placed us in a body. I want to encourage you to get into each other’s lives in such a way that you are mutually supporting each other and caring for one another. This is a church where members should be sharpening each other as iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17).

The activities of the church are intended to promote this kind of healthy interaction. We do not plan activities for the sake of having activities, but seek to be purposeful in what we plan to strengthen the relationships that are established by Christ in the church. So, get involved and be an active part of all that’s going on!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are the announcements for this week:

GENERAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • Sunday Morning Prayer. The church that does not pray does not rely on the Lord, and so cannot achieve godly success. Please don’t forget that there is a group that meets for prayer every Sunday morning at 8:00am in Room 107. Come out to morning prayer and pray for your fellow members of LBC! For more information, please contact Joshua Lee (joshuaglee@gmail.com). Also, each Sunday at 8:45am, the sanctuary is opened and the church’s prayer requests are projected so you can come and pray for our various needs.
  • Sunday School. Adult Sunday School will begin again on Sunday, October 2, during the Sunday School hour. These classes are provided to help equip the saints and promote godliness and greater understanding of God’s truth. Sunday School is also a great way to spend time with fellow church members and develop relationships. The classes that will be offered this term are: Fundamentals of the Faith (FOF) – Instructors: Min Kim and Steve Preslar, GraceLife Family Ministry – Instructor: Patrick Cho, Men’s and Women’s Roles – Instructors: Peter Lim and Mike Chon
  • Newsletter. Don’t forget to check out the Beacon newsletter for helpful articles on a wide array of topics. A new series that recently began is a Books of the Bible (BOB) study by Stephen Rodgers. If you want to get more familiar with the general themes of the Bible, this will be a helpful series for you.
  • Flocks. Flocks signups are taking place in the foyer each Sunday after service by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz. Our regional flocks meet once a month and are a wonderful way to get to know others in the church and enjoy good fellowship. The first flocks will meet on September 28 through October 1.

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Fun in the Sun Day. Our last FITS of the summer will be on Sunday, September 25, from 11:30-4:00pm at Torrey Hills Community Park. Lunch will be served for $5/person (children 0-12 eat free!). Be sure to mark your calendars!
  • Baptism Class. We will have our next baptism class on Tuesday, October 4, at 8:00pm, at the church. If you have not yet been baptized as a believer in obedience to God’s Word, please come out to the next baptism class. The baptism service will be on Sunday, October 9, at 6:30pm.
  • Women’s Ministry Seminar. The Women’s Ministry will be having a Women’s Seminar entitled “Pursuing Holiness in a Fallen World” on Saturday, October 15 from 9:00am-12:30pm at the church. There is no cost for attending, and breakfast will be provided! This event is open to all ladies from high school age and up. Come on out (with a Bible, pen, and open heart) to receive teaching from some of our very own LBC women! If you are interested in attending, please sign up with Christine Cho (christinescho@gmail.com).
  • All-Church Retreat. This year, we are pleased to have Dr. Ernie Baker, of The Master’s College, as our speaker for our annual All-Church Retreat. The theme for this year is “Being a Peacemaking Church.” The retreat will be on the weekend of November 4-6. The cost is only $150/person, which includes two nights lodging and five meals ($75/child, ages 3-12; $450 max per family). Signups begin today in the foyer with Joshua Liu and Ryan Short. Please note that prorated rates will not be available this year, but financial aid is available for those in need. Also, keep in mind that space is limited so you should really, really sign up early. Be sure to bring a $50 check or cash to reserve your spot ($100/family)!

AFFINITY GROUPS

  • Lighthouse Kids’ Club. Our mid-week Bible study for children is gearing up for another exciting year! We will have our first meeting on Wednesday, October 5. LKC will continue to meet on Wednesdays from 6:30-8:00pm at the church. Join us as we walk through this year’s theme: “Peacemakers.” Registration is open to children in preschool to fifth grade. The cost is just $30 for the first child, and $20 for each subsequent child of the same household! For more information, or to receive an application form, please contact Josh Liu (liu.joshuac@gmail.com). For planning purposes, it would be helpful to have children registered by Sunday, October 2.
  • Lumos Youth Ministry. Lumos meets for Bible study on Friday evenings at 7:00pm at the church. On Sunday mornings, the youth meet in Room 101 during the Sunday School hour. Please contact Roger Alcaraz with questions about Lumos youth group or to arrange rides to youth events (rogeralcaraz@gmail.com).
  • College/Singles Bible Study. The college and singles Bible study has concluded for the summer, but college and singles Bible studies will begin again in October. More information about the college and singles ministries can be found at the church website.
  • College Life Luau. Aloha! The college ministry will be having its annual luau this Saturday, September 24, from 11:00am-2:00pm, at Mission Bay. This will be a great time to get to meet the new collegians while enjoying a day at the beach! Contact Ryan Short for more information (are.short@gmail.com).
  • Single Life Bonfire. Want s’more fellowship? On Saturday, October 8, from 4:00-9:30pm, Single Life will be having a bonfire at Mission Bay to kick off the year! The cost is $5/person. You can sign up with Janet Shih.
  • Parenting Class. We will be offering another weekly parenting class beginning on October 5. This will be a fifteen week course on Wednesday evenings from 6:30-8:00pm. LKC and nursery care will be available to help watch the kids and to free up parents to enjoy this helpful series.
  • Wednesday Evening Childcare. We are currently looking for volunteers to care for nursery-age children on Wednesday evenings during LKC and the parenting class. You must be a member of LBC in order to apply. If you are interested, please contact Jenny Chu as soon as possible (friendseternity@gmail.com).
  • Mommy and Me. If you are a LBC mom who is a regular attender/member and are interested in participating in a structured play/learning time for your 0-4 year old child(ren), please contact Jane Kim (janeminkim@gmail.com). Mommy and Me will be starting up again on Fridays from 9:45am-12:30pm, beginning on September 30.

The Glorious Gospel (Part 4)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Sadly, borrowing the analogy from 1 Corinthians 3:2, the gospel is sometimes dismissed as the milky, elemental doctrine of the Bible. What many people fail to realize is that God’s plan to atone for man’s sin is one of the chief themes of His Word and makes up most of its contents. If you think the gospel is milky, you sort of have to conclude the same about the Bible. In truth, the gospel is the meat of the Bible. There are few meatier themes, and the argument could be made that it is the meatiest.

Understandably, Hebrews 6:1 speaks about elementary doctrine and lists “repentance from dead works and faith toward God” as part of that elementary doctrine. But the author of Hebrews seems to be concerned more with the lack of progression in theological understanding rather than downplaying the content of the gospel. Regardless, there is much more to the doctrine of salvation than “repentance from dead works and faith toward God.” The gospel also encompasses awesome truths like the incomparable holiness of God, the amazing grace of God, the radical depravity of man, the absolute necessity of the atonement, and the undeniable resurrection.

The gospel is a sweet study for those seeking to understand more about Christianity as well as those who already know Christ as Savior. As Sinclair Ferguson once stated, every time you hear the message of the cross, it should be like you want to receive God’s salvation all over again. There is sweetness in the gospel message to the soul.

If one recognizes the righteous character of God, the seriousness of sin, and the necessity of judgment for that sin, he realizes that things look pretty bleak for men. We have offended a holy God by our rebellion and wickedness. We have turned to other things that are not God and have treated them as God. Certainly our idolatry makes us guilty, but we not only elevate other things as gods (i.e. wealth, comfort, pleasure, etc.), we too desire to be God and to have total authority over our lives. Because of our sin, God promises to bring judgment.

And there is nothing we can do about it. No person is able to change their sinful condition because their sin taints and affects everything that they do. There isn’t enough good a person can do to work their way into heaven or to please God. Left alone, man is completely lost, blind, and dead spiritually (Eph. 2:1). While there is a definite need to be made right with God, there is also a complete inability to anything to bring about that reconciliation (Ps. 14:1-3). Clearly, we need a Savior.

This is why Jesus came. When Jesus came and eventually died on the cross, He accomplished for us what we could not accomplish on our own. He stood in our place, dying on the cross and paying our penalty for our sin. In so doing, He made it possible for us to live. He redeemed us, meaning He purchased us at the cost of His precious blood (Col. 1:13-14; 1 Pet. 1:17-19). The Bible tells us that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), and Jesus purchased our pardon by paying our debt in full on the cross.

Jesus also brought peace with God by reconciling us to the Father (Rom. 5:1-2). We were in need of this peace, because in our sin we were self-proclaimed enemies of God (Rom. 5:10). Through His death on the cross, peace with God was made possible (Col. 1:21-23). We who were far off were brought near by the cross and now can have access to God and enjoy a sweet relationship with Him.

God’s holiness and justice demand that the price for sin be paid. Some wonder why God couldn’t just snap His fingers and make sin go away. He cannot ignore the reality of sin and man’s guilt. He is a just Judge, and when the crime has been committed, the punishment must be executed. God hates sin and those who sin are His enemies. His wrath is clearly aimed against them. But the glorious truth of the gospel is that when Jesus suffered and died on the cross, taking on the sins of the world, He satisfied the righteous demands of God. Not wanting sinful men to bear the punishment for their sin, Jesus died in their place and took the punishment upon Himself.

So through Christ we are declared righteous. This declaration is not based upon our own merits or inherent goodness (we have none!). It is solely based upon the work of Christ on the cross. As believers, our sin was transferred to Him and His righteousness was credited to us (2 Cor. 5:21). Salvation is completely by grace through faith and not by our deeds (Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5-7). Sinners could be declared righteous because the punishment for sin was paid for by Christ on the cross. As a result, no one can bring a charge against God’s elect because Christ stands as our mediator and intercedes for us (Rom. 8:33-34).

In salvation, those who place their faith in Christ receive new life. Jesus told the Pharisee Nicodemus in John 3:3 that a man must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God. When a person places his faith in Jesus, he receives a new birth. The old things pass away and all things are made new (2 Cor. 5:17). This is why the Apostle Paul could say that he no longer lives, but Christ lives through him (Gal. 2:20). Just as the believer identifies with the death of Jesus and dies to himself, so he also identifies with the resurrection of Jesus and is raised in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-5).

The result of this salvation is that we are no longer considered God’s enemies. In fact, we are brought near even closer than friends. In Christ, we receive adoption as God’s children (1 John 3:1-2; Rom. 8:15-17). Because we are His children, the Bible promises that there is an inheritance that awaits us in heaven. This inheritance ensures that our salvation is secure in Christ. God will see our salvation to the end because He does not fail in His promises.

Jesus accomplished all this when He hung on the cross in the place of sinners. He served as our substitute willingly and in accordance with the will of God so that we could be saved. This gospel is man’s only hope to be made right with God. It is the only way to the Father (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). Those who do not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are called to trust in this truth and to place their faith in Jesus. Those who already have experienced the grace of God to save ought to continue to savor these amazing truths. God is gracious to save, and we would be wise to deepen our understanding of the power of the gospel more and more.

Therefore, Brethren, We Are Debtors

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Romans 8:12

As God’s creatures, we are all debtors to Him: to obey Him with all our body, and soul, and strength. Having broken His commandments, as we all have, we are debtors to His justice, and we owe to Him a vast amount which we are not able to pay. But of the Christian it can be said that he does not owe God’s justice anything, for Christ has paid the debt His people owed; for this reason the believer owes the more to love. I am a debtor to God’s grace and forgiving mercy; but I am no debtor to His justice, for He will never accuse me of a debt already paid. Christ said, ‘It is finished!’ and by that He meant, that whatever His people owed was wiped away for ever from the book of remembrance. Christ, to the uttermost, has satisfied divine justice; the account is settled; the handwriting is nailed to the cross; the receipt is given, and we are debtors to God’s justice no longer. But then, because we are not debtors to our Lord in that sense, we become ten times more debtors to God than we should have been otherwise.

Christian, pause and ponder for a moment.

  • What a debtor thou art to divine sovereignty!
  • How much thou owest to His disinterested love, for He gave His own Son that He might die for thee.
  • Consider how much you owe to His forgiving grace, that after ten thousand affronts He loves you as infinitely as ever.
  • Consider what you owe to His power; how He has raised you from your death in sin; how He has preserved your spiritual life; how He has kept you from falling; and how, though a thousand enemies have beset your path, you have been able to hold on your way.
  • Consider what you owe to His immutability. Though you have changed a thousand times, He has not changed once. Thou art as deep in debt as thou canst be to every attribute of God.

To God thou owest thyself, and all thou hast-yield thyself as a living sacrifice, it is but thy reasonable service.

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