Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Weekly Links (7/1/2011)

The worst thing about idols, as the Hebrew scriptures so tirelessly point out, is that they are utterly useless when you need them most (Jer. 2:28).” (Christopher J. H. Wright, “Editorial: ‘All Our Gods Have Failed,’ Themelios 18, no. 3 (1993)). HT: Andy Naselli

by Stephen Rodgers

I suppose this would be a good time to mention that you can find past issues of Themelios here.

Actually, this is a great week for journals in general:

  • The 9Marks eJournal has a new issue out, entitled The Pastor and his Staff.  I’ve also updated our 9Marks eJournal topical index.
  • The July edition of Tabletalk is out, and it focuses on Fraternity: The Bonds of Brotherhood.  Again, you can peruse the archive here. I really should create a topical index for that as well, one of these days.
  • Also, I recently discovered the that The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) has a Journal of Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (JBMW). And you can view the archive of those issues here.  I’ve also added it to the list of journals on the Recommended Resources page.

And that brings us to the links this week; I tried to select a few from some sources we don’t see as often.

  • From CREDENDAagenda we have a great article on family worship.  My favorite quote: “There is a reason kids loved to be around Jesus, and it wasn’t because he was lecturing at length about the Torah or the Five Points of Calvinism.”
  • Frontline Missions International has an article about the dangers of a missionary not raising up or supporting local leadership.
  • Ray Ortland reproduces five vows that his father made before God.
  • Skye Jethani has some words of caution regarding the current trend of investing a church too heavily into a single celebrity pastor in his article Blessed Redundancy.

That’s it for this week.  See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Single Life Update

by Chris Tang

Time for another Single Life update! Pastor Patrick has been continuing to teach through Colossians with a particular focus on how false gospels fall short of the one true Gospel. Living and thinking in Gospel-centered way sounds like such a simple thing to do, yet our sinful hearts can so easily corrupt the Gospel in very subtle ways. One recent message preached from Colossians 2:16-17 dealt legalism, and how it is grows out of our hearts.

In Colossians 2:16 Paul admonishes the Colossians not to subject themselves to the judgment of man regarding “food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.” Obviously there were some people (legalistic people) who were denying that others were saved because how they ate, drank, or treated certain days. In hindsight this seems completely absurd. We know that food and drink do not corrupt (Mark 7:15, 1 Corinthians 6:13) and we would never bat an eye at dressing up on Halloween (would we?). Unfortunately, knowledge can only take you so far. Despite our knowledge, the remnants of sin within our hearts make it easy to fall into the trap of legalism.

In Pastor Patrick’s sermon he spent some time on the differences between convictions and legalism. It may not be immediately obvious where the line is drawn. The two are both extra-Biblical precepts which a person thinks are necessary to follow in order to live in a God-glorifying manner (black and white issues which have explicit instruction, such as not committing adultery, fall under the category of obedience). Convictions vary from person to person and issue to issue. This includes things such as exactly how and how much time is spent in God’s word, trick-or-treating on Halloween, and even what food is acceptable to eat. Living out these convictions is fine (Romans 14:5-6). Where it crosses the line, however, is when we impose our own convictions on others in a way judgmental way. Legalism elevates the weaknesses (or strengths) of our consciences to the level of something which can make God love them more, or affirm His choice in saving them. As if, for example, praying before every single meal could somehow make you worth saving! For me such a habit is a good way to stay mindful of God’s abundant provision, but I haven’t yet seen the passage where Jesus says, “It is finished. . .as long as you remember to say grace.”

Ultimately, we succumb to legalism due to the sin which remains in our hearts. Pastor Patrick made several great points about the heart behind legalism. They all come down to having a high view of self and a low view of God. It has roots in pride, elevating our own man-made rules over the commandments of God. It comes from lack of love, placing personal convictions over the care for others (Matthew 12:1-2, 7). Legalism can also come from guilt, where we doubt the work of the cross and try atone for our own shortcomings, making little the great cost of God’s grace (Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 2:24).

This message was very convicting for me, as I have seen legalism pop up in the most surprising and unexpected places in my own life. I hope that, as God continues to reveal the depth of our depravity, we would all grow in our love for Him, knowing that the Gospel is not just sufficient, but powerful to save. Cleaning toilets does not save. Being a parent does not save. Doing ministry to all hours of the night does not save. Counseling others does not save. We receive grace not because of what we do, but in spite of it. Our own standards should be set aside for God’s so that we may grow together as followers of Christ in love (2 Corinthians 12:19).

Doing Church Somewhere Else

by Pastor Patrick Cho

There are many reasons why people go on summer missions trips – some good and some not so good. There are those whose mentality is that summer missions provide an opportunity to see the world. For these, it is not so different from a vacation to another country. There are others who go on summer missions in order to get the boost they need for their spiritual growth. They might not be doing well spiritually and so they treat summer missions as a spiritual catalyst to a closer walk with God. For these, it is not so different from the experiences they had growing up going to Bible camp each summer.

The reason why Lighthouse has been committed to missions each summer is out of a desire to be obedient to what the Lord has called all believers to do. In the Great Commission, Jesus told His disciples to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:18-20). This is more than just helping people come to an understanding of the gospel (though that is certainly a vital part of fulfilling the Great Commission!). It also involves teaching them the whole counsel of God’s Word and helping them grow in their faith to maturity, and being committed to this until Christ returns.

This is why when we go on the summer trips, it is important for us to have likeminded churches to work with. This way when God is gracious to save an individual on one of our trips, they are not completely abandoned to fend for themselves when our teams return home. Instead, we can help get them plugged into a local church where they can continue to grow in grace. Summer missions are not a replacement for church planting, and it is not fulfilling the Great Commission to simply go to another country to share the gospel only to return home a few weeks later without giving new believers a place where their faith can be nurtured.

The goal of missions is to have people understand God’s truth and then have a church home where they can grow more and more each week as their understanding of His truth deepens. Some might ask, “But isn’t that what we try to do here in San Diego?” The answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” This is because the mission call to make disciples is something all believers should be committed to regardless of where they are in the world. It does not matter whether you are in the Czech Republic, Argentina, San Jose, or San Diego. The mission is the same. Several years ago, Pastor John helped our summer teams understand this concept when he defined missions as “doing church somewhere else.” It is all about being committed somewhere else to the things we are committed to here at home.

We certainly keep this in mind when deciding on who should go on our summer trips. We want those to go to represent the Lord and Lighthouse well, but we also want them to consistently represent themselves. This means that if they are going to another country to preach the gospel, they should be showing a commitment to evangelism here. If they are going to help equip and serve the churches in these other countries, they should be the kinds of people who are committed to doing that here as well. Missions is about doing church somewhere else and that is a great reason to go on our summer trips – to demonstrate for others the love you have for Christ and your commitment to living for Him day to day through your faithfulness to His truth and His church in the hopes that others will be drawn to Christ by your loving example and proclamation of the gospel.

LBC Missions Send-Off

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Hello LBC family!

I wanted to send a quick reminder email for those who wanted to see the Czech Missions team off this week. You’ll have three opportunities to do so.

  1. You could swing by the church on Monday evening (June 27) between 6:30-8:00 PM. The missions teams will be having dinner together, but you’re welcome to come by and see the Czech team off.
  2. You could come by the church between 7:00-8:00 AM on Tuesday morning (June 28). The team will be leaving around 8:00 AM for LAX.
  3. You could see the team at LAX. We hope to get to the airport by 11:00 AM and the team will probably go through security around 12:30 PM. If you need flight information, please contact me.

Let’s all be praying for our Czech team as they head off to minister in Ostrava. And please don’t forget to also pray for Stephen Rodgers as he also travels to the Czech Republic (apart from the team) to pick up his bride-to-be! =) It certainly already sounds like it will be a very special trip for our team!

In His grace,

Patrick

The Tops of the Mulberry Trees

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From 2 Samuel 5:24

The members of Christ’s Church should be very prayerful, always seeking the unction of the Holy One to rest upon their hearts, that the kingdom of Christ may come, and that His ‘will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven;’ but there are times when God seems especially to favour Zion, such seasons ought to be to them like ‘the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.’ We ought then to be doubly prayerful, doubly earnest, wrestling more at the throne than we have been wont to do. Action should then be prompt and vigorous. The tide is flowing-now let us pull manfully for the shore. O for Pentecostal outpourings and Pentecostal labours. Christian, in yourself there are times ‘when thou hearest the sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees.’ You have a peculiar power in prayer; the Spirit of God gives you joy and gladness; the Scripture is open to you; the promises are applied; you walk in the light of God’s countenance; you have peculiar freedom and liberty in devotion, and more closeness of communion with Christ than was your wont. Now, at such joyous periods when you hear the ‘sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees,’ is the time to bestir yourself; now is the time to get rid of any evil habit, while God the Spirit helpeth your infirmities. Spread your sail; but remember what you sometimes sing-

‘I can only spread the sail;
Thou! Thou! must breathe the auspicious gale.’

Only be sure you have the sail up. Do not miss the gale for want of preparation for it. Seek help of God, that you may be more earnest in duty when made more strong in faith; that you may be more constant in prayer when you have more liberty at the throne; that you may be more holy in your conversation whilst you live more closely with Christ.

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Weekly Links (6/24/2011)

On Good Friday, at about noon, all of those whom God had chosen from every tribe and nation across the millennia of human history became legal beneficiaries of heaven, coheirs with Christ. (Michael Horton, The Gospel-Driven Life. HT: Matt Perman)

by Stephen Rodgers

Today’s Weekly Links will be a bit briefer than usual, but the potential benefit to you is larger than anything I’ve done.

The Recommended Resources page has been updated with Sermons.

That is all.

Pro Rege

Interview with Keilah (Youth)

By Grace Wu

This month’s youth ministry highlight is an interview with Keilah, who recently graduated from her K-6 elementary school. She will finally be entering middle school as a 7th grader in the fall. She is one of the younger members of Lumos, having only been in youth for the past year.
Keilah loves to dance and enjoys spending time with her friends.

How long have you been in youth ministry?

For about a year.

How is youth ministry different from the Sonlight children’s ministry?

In youth group, we have small group and we meet twice a week for Friday Night Bible Study. There are also more activities than when I was in Sonlight. We also learned things that I didn’t learn in Sonlight.

Was it intimidating at first entering Lumos being taught so much theology?

Yeah, but after a while it made sense. Some of it was hard to understand at first but the teachers and small group leaders tried to make it as clear as possible and answered any questions I had.

What do you enjoy most about Youth Group?

I like that it’s not such a big group so I can get more individual attention. I also like the activities and the small groups.

How have the small group times helped you?

I’ve been able to share with my small group leader, and they make the sermons relevant to me for what I should do. The sermons are about the Bible and small groups help me apply the sermons to my own life.

What’s something you learned this year from youth group?

I learned about the Lord ’s Prayer and how we should pray. Sometimes when I pray I take it really lightly and I make it really brief so I can start eating. But in Lumos I learned what it really means to pray and how to understand it. I pray differently because of it. At school it’s hard to pray in front of other people, but when I think about why I’m praying it makes me unashamed of doing it.

What’s it like being one of the youngest in youth group?

I’m the only one in elementary school and everyone’s older. For the ones in high school, they have more experiences and more opportunities to apply what you learn. In elementary school, most people just tell on you the teacher and you get in trouble.

Are you nervous about starting middle school?

Yes, because there will be homeroom and some teachers might not care too much about what goes on outside the classroom.

What do you like to do for fun?

I do a lot of dance. I’m in Girl Scouts, and I like hanging out with friends. On school nights when I have lots of homework I feel really busy.

Do you have a favorite subject in school?

I like language arts and writing.

Caution: Humility – Bumpy Road Ahead (Part 2)

by Elder Mike Chon

There are many ways to decrease pride and cultivate humility in our lives. I want to highlight a few that may help in cultivating humility. Of course this is a lifelong pursuit since pride is something that we will have to continue to battle until God calls us home.

1) Love one another (Matt. 22:39; Phil. 2:3-4)

Loving someone else first means that you love yourself at least second. Find ways to encourage others by using your words, writing a letter, praying for them, and/or meeting their needs. If you know of a particular need someone has, use your time and resources to meet those needs. When we begin looking for others to love and take care of, the less time and energy we will use to think about our own wants and desires that we think we deserve. We will usually find ourselves in situations that are not convenient to our schedules or lives when we put others before ourselves, love is not about convenience. What better way to cultivate humility than to trust and love our Sovereign God and at the same time loving others.

2) Confess sins to each other (James 5:16)

Our sins bring us back to the cross of Jesus Christ. It is a great reminder of our frailty and propensity to fail. To be able to confess those failures to each other requires us to humble ourselves and be willing to admit to someone else our weaknesses. One of the signs of a prideful heart is the unwillingness to admit to any wrongdoing. Confessing our sins to each other will help our hearts from becoming prideful as well not allowing us to become familiar with sin.

3) Evangelize

Evangelism is helpful in cultivating humility by keeping us totally and completely dependent upon our Lord. When we share the gospel with someone we realize that it is the work of God that helps the person understand and accept what they hear. We are also dependent upon our Lord in what we say and helping us answer questions that those we are evangelizing to may have. If you want to cultivate humility by being completely dependent on our Lord, go evangelize.

4) Follow Christ, not others (Luke 9:23)

Following Christ means death to ourselves. We are called to deny ourselves and take up the cross and follow Him. When we start to follow man or someone in particular, we lower that calling to a person. We begin to compare ourselves to others and our lives begin to look better than they really are. Following Christ humbles us because it causes us to deny our desires, our dreams, our goals and replaces them with Christ’s.

The pursuit of humility is not something that comes easily, but hopefully as believers we see the reason why it is so important that we never grow weary in pursuing humility in our lives. May we continue to decrease so that Christ would increase in our lives.

The Dove Came in to Him in the Evening

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Genesis 8:11

Blessed be the Lord for another day of mercy, even though I am now weary with its toils. Unto the preserver of men lift I my song of gratitude. The dove found no rest out of the ark, and therefore returned to it; and my soul has learned yet more fully than ever, this day, that there is no satisfaction to be found in earthly things-God alone can give rest to my spirit. As to my business, my possessions, my family, my attainments, these are all well enough in their way, but they cannot fulfil the desires of my immortal nature. ‘Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.’

It was at the still hour, when the gates of the day were closing, that with weary wing the dove came back to the master: O Lord, enable me this evening thus to return to Jesus. She could not endure to spend a night hovering over the restless waste, not can I bear to be even for another hour away from Jesus, the rest of my heart, the home of my spirit. She did not merely alight upon the roof of the ark, she ‘came in to him;’ even so would my longing spirit look into the secret of the Lord, pierce to the interior of truth, enter into that which is within the veil, and reach to my Beloved in very deed. To Jesus must I come: short of the nearest and dearest intercourse with Him my panting spirit cannot stay. Blessed Lord Jesus, be with me, reveal Thyself, and abide with me all night, so that when I awake I may be still with thee. I note that the dove brought in her mouth an olive branch plucked off, the memorial of the past day, and a prophecy of the future. Have I no pleasing record to bring home? No pledge and earnest of lovingkindness yet to come? Yes, my Lord, I present Thee my grateful acknowledgments for tender mercies which have been new every morning and fresh every evening; and now, I pray Thee, put forth Thy hand and take Thy dove into Thy bosom.

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