by Stephen Rodgers

Astute readers will remember that last year I did an extended edition of the Weekly Links that focused on Christmas. I’ll refer you to that resource to begin with, but I wanted to add to it this year as well with some additional resources. I’ve retained the headings from last year in case you’d like to keep a running list.

The Story of Christmas

• The Cripplegate brings us an excellent article orienting the incarnation within the greater context of Biblical Theology
• Nathan Bingham has written an article examining the links between Santa Claus and liberal Christology
• Russell Moore pens a post calling us to seriously examine the (often overlooked) role of Joseph in the Christmas story
• And finally, Jonathan Parnell uses Scripture to list 12 reasons for Christmas

Christmas Apologetics

• For an initial orientation of how apologetics and Christmas relate to one another, I’d commend to you Ken Samples positive article and Jason Engwer’s corresponding negative article
• Apologetics and Christmas – The inimitable Triablogue recaps their resources from previous years and points to some new articles and series
• The Relatives of Jesus in the Bible and Church History – Since Christmas often raises questions specifically related to the family of Jesus, here’s a helpful list of articles on the subject
• Why Isn’t Messianic Prophecy More Detailed? – And in the same vein, here’s a collection of articles related to the subject of Messianic prophecy
• Last but not least, here’s one more article that briefly collects and addresses numerous questions regarding Christmas

Santa Claus, Christmas Trees, and Other Holiday Cheer

• JP Holding brings his blend of scholarship and sardonic wit to the claim that Christmas and Christianity are replete with pagan imagery
• The Cripplegate blog (which has become a favorite among the Beacon staff this year), recently did a series of posts reflecting on cultural aspects of Christmas and how to think Biblically about them: The Controversy of Christmas, Why Lie to Your Kids About Santa?, and 7 Questions from Christmas Haters

Merry Christmas

Pro Rege

Gratitude is not set forth in the Bible as a primary motive for Christian living. Gratitude is a beautiful thing. There is no Christianity without it. It is at the heart of worship. It should fill the heart of every believer. But when it comes to spelling out the spiritual dynamics of how practical Christian obedience happens, the Bible does not say that it comes from the backward gaze of gratitude, but that it comes from the forward gaze of faith. (John Piper, Future Grace)

by Richard Shin

We’re back with weekly links. Hope you enjoy!

• Kevin DeYoung asks why we must do good even if we are saved.
• Does the virgin birth matter? Does it make us less intellectual? Albert Mohler explores the importance of the virgin birth to the Gospel message as a response to an article published from The New York Times.
• Ray Ortlund writes about advocacy for those who need it. We don’t think of advocacy as a medium for mercy, but Ortlund (with Matt Perman) explains how it truly is.
• “Why do Christians die?… Why do some churches grow loveless and cold?…” These are a couple questions Kevin DeYoung answers in his blog post titled “Hell Bent.”
• Russel Moore encourages women to stop submitting to men. Catch that? Well, go on.
• Matt Perman from What’s Best Next blogs about the meaning of justice in the workplace.

That should keep you busy until next week. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Coram Deo

There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry ‘Mine!’ (Abraham Kuyper, 1837-1920)

by Stephen Rodgers

My apologies that this is going up late. I wanted to make you aware of a number of resources before they are no longer available (in some cases):

• The new edition of Tabletalk is out, focusing on the theme of “Hope for Broken Homes.” I have also updated our Tabletalk index, which is a great resource if you need a place to start.
• Also, for a limited time, RC Sproul’s The Holiness of God is available free on Kindle. You don’t actually have to have a Kindle device to download and enjoy Kindle resources…they have clients for phones, computers, and even browsers.
• Speaking of free e-books, Monergism has a list of free resources that you should check out…there are some real gems in there.
• And last but not least, christianaudio.com is giving away two free resources this month: From Pearl Harbor to Calvary by Mitsuo Fuchida and A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Don’t forget that the LBC Christmas concert is tomorrow!  This is a great opportunity to invite your friends!

See you there!

Pro Rege

There is no other object of knowledge in the universe that exposes proud, man-exalting thinking like the cross does. Only humble, Christ-exalting thinking can survive in the presence of the cross. The effect of the cross on our thinking is not to cut off thinking about God, but to confound boasting in the presence of God. The cross does not nullify thinking; it purifies thinking. (John Piper, Thinking, Loving, Doing.)

Alright, folks. We have another set of weekly links. Enjoy!

• Michael Patton writes about heretics and whether they can be saved. What would you call a heresy? And were you once a heretic, but no longer?
• Jesse Johnson gives us four reasons to be thankful when hurt by sin. It’s a Thanksgiving post I tucked away until after the fact, but it’s application is timeless (within this lifetime, at least).
• Jonathan Leeman, who came to speak at our retreat last year, has a great article on how we ought to respond to those who express desire of leaving the church.
• Ray Ortlund gives us an inside look at how the devil conjures his plays.
• Elisabeth Elliot (through Ray Ortlund’s blog) shares six ways that helped her in the midst of suffering. These are well-worth reading.

That’s it, y’all. Hope you guys have a great time at Flocks. Catch you on Sunday.

Coram Deo

When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs? (GK Chesterton)

by Stephen Rodgers

Since people are doubtless still recovering from yesterday, we’ll keep things…light…today.

• As usual, Kevin DeYoung nails it.
• And for something a little more literary, Jesse Johnson has an article on 4 Reasons to Give Thanks When Hurt by Sin. (And on a side note, at Thanksgiving dinner this year I found out that my cousin-in-law occasionally helps keep that blog running…I did not know that).
• For something a lot more literary, issue 36.3 of Themelios is available. While each issue of that journal is worth your time, this one is noteworthy in that it marks the end of Carl Trueman’s long association with the journal, initially as an editor, and then as a longtime contributor.
• Looking to buy something this Black Friday? Tim Challies has a post detailing where a lot of deals on Christian merchandise can be found.

I hope your Thanksgiving holiday was an opportunity for you to reflect on what you’re thankful for.  See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Contrary to what some might think, discipleship is not the engine of the church. The gospel is. Without the gospel, both discipleship and church fail. Without the driving force of the gospel, discipleship devolves into self-help religiosity motivated by conservative pietism. The church is reduced to a glorified non-profit in which people lose interest. But the gospel reactivates both church and discipleship!

The good news that Jesus has defeated sin, death, and evil through his own death and resurrection and is making all things new, even us, changes everything! In the gospel, God in Christ welcomes sinners and sends out disciples. The gospel, not discipleship, is central to the church. If we make discipleship the engine of the church, we’ll run quickly out of gas. But when the gospel is central, the church gets traction and disciples get depth. (Jonathan Dodson, “There’s a Discipleship Crisis in the Church Today”)

by Richard Shin

Happy Friday! Here are some awesomely possum links:

• C Michael Patton has a fantastic article on the difference of our opinions for C.S. Lewis and Rob Bell.
• Tim Challies has an article on putting unity first based on theology.
• Kevin DeYoung shares an example of missional renaissance. Don’t know what that is? I guess you should go and find out.
• Michael Horton responds to an Arminian who says Calvinism is a “moral monster.”
• Ray Ortlund shares with us his thoughts on possibly the most under-obeyed command in Scripture: Romans 12:10.
• Sam Storms explains what Christian Hedonism is. If you flinch when you hear that term, you have to read it.
• We conclude this set with a positive one from Brian Croft: why local churches need to practice church discipline.

There is more mercy in Christ than sin in us. (Richard Sibbes, Works)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome to Friday!  We’ve got another batch of links for you this week, full of great resources, articles, and free stuff!

• First of all, it’s a new month, and that means that christianaudio.com has a new free audiobook.  This month’s offering is The Heavenly Man, and despite the odd title, seems to be about a Chinese missionary/evangelist serving in a closed country.  I can’t recommend this one way or another (I haven’t heard it), but now you know it’s there.
• Also, since it’s a new month, there’s a new edition of Tabletalk out!  This one deals with the subject of “Defining Our Terms.”  And in case you were wondering, I also updated our chronological index of Tabletalk issues.
• Did I mention it’s a new month?  There’s also a new 9Marks eJournal out, dealing with the topic of “Church Revitalization.”  And in case you were wondering, I also updated our topical index of 9Marks eJournal issues.
• And since you’ve already got a lot of reading to do, here’s just one more article: over at DesiringGod, Carolyn McCulley writes on “How to Serve the Singles Ministry.”  She puts her finger on a number of great points.

Well, that’s all for this week.  See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

The blessedness of God’s inner life is the only thing that is even better than the good news. The life of God in itself is the source of all the riches that fund the economy of salvation. It is also the guarantee that God’s grace is based on his character rather than on anything outside himself.” (Fred Sanders, The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything)

And we’re back with another set of weekly links. Here we go!

• We start with a short lesson Ray Ortlund learned from his dad.
• Desiring God has a few short videos and articles advertising the 2012 Conference for Pastors. They are targeting fathers. So, if you are one, or desire to be one some day, it would be good to look here, here, here, and here.
• At the Gospel Coalition blog, Matthew Lee Anderson wrote a review of the debate between Al Mohler and Jim Wallis on the question “Is Social Justice an Essential Part of the Mission of the Church?” Wallis took affirmative position and Mohler took the negative. The recording will be posted within a couple weeks here.
• In case you didn’t know, the Pyromaniacs blog also has a weekly Spurgeon thing going on. To their credit, they started it first. While theirs mainly revolve around Spurgeon’s past sermons, ours focus on his devotions from Morning and Evening. In any case, a couple weeks ago they posted on the Benefits of Trying Times in Our Churches. It’s quite encouraging to witness God’s sovereignty at work even in persecution, is it not?
• Eric Davis from the Cripplegate has a sound article on the false dichotomy people place between preaching from the pulpit and church-planting.
• In light of all the church-hopping happening (haha), I thought this article by Brian Croft on how long to check out a church was helpful.
• Frank Turk from Pyromaniacs wrote a letter to the 7 billionth person (alive currently). While it’s kind of a hodgepodge of information, you’ll find that it strangely and appropriately applies to you as well.

by Stephen Rodgers

Normally I would just save these for next week, but a couple of them are time-sensitive, so I’ll make an special update.

• Until October 31st, christianaudio.com is giving away free copies of Martin Luther: In His Own Words.
• Until October, 31st, Ligonier Ministries is giving away free copies of The Barber Who Wanted to Pray.
• Steve Lawson has updated his series with an article on John Calvin.

That is all.

Pro Rege