Now suppose both death and hell were utterly defeated.  Suppose the fight was fixed.  Suppose God took you on a crystal ball trip into your future and you saw with indubitable certainty that despite everything — your sin, your smallness, your stupidity — you could have free for the asking your whole crazy heart’s deepest desire: heaven, eternal joy.  Would you not return fearless and singing?  What can earth do to you, if you are guaranteed heaven?  To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny — less, a scratch on a penny. (Peter Kreeft, Heaven)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome to Friday!  Hopefully you’ve arrived not too much the worse for wear.  Regardless, here’s a few links to give you something to sink your teeth into…

• The most recent BOB post was on the subject of Leviticus.  Only after I published it did I realize that the folks at Crossway generously make the book introductions from the ESV Study Bible available online.  For those of you who are interested, here is the introduction to Leviticus, and I’ve updated the Genesis and Exodus articles as well.  Also, you might be interested in a recent JT article on the rituals/ceremonies/sacrifices of Leviticus, as well as this TGC article on preaching Christ in Leviticus.
• Given the conversations that occasionally circle over the whole Halloween/Reformation Day issue, this post on the historical roots of the reformation and evangelicalism might give you quite a bit of food for thought.
• Speaking of the Reformation, Steve Lawson has recently been writing a series on the Reformation and the men behind it. So far he’s discussed Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, William Tyndale, and Heinrich Bullinger.
• And last but not least, Russell Moore has written a helpful post which puts one’s awareness/knowledge of the date of their salvation in proper perspective.

See you Sunday! (Or tonight, if you’re in my flock!)

Pro Rege

The amount which you understand the gospel is measured by your ability to be joyful in all circumstances. If you grasp what a treasure the presence and acceptance of God are, then even when life goes really wrong you will have a joy that sustains you, because you’ll recognize the value of what you have in Him. When life punches you in the face, you’ll say, ‘But I still have the love and acceptance of God, a treasure I don’t deserve.’ And the joy you find in that treasure can make you rejoice even when you have a bloody nose. You have a joy that death and depravation cannot touch. (J.D. Greear, Gospel: Recovering that Made Christianity Revolutionary)

by Richard Shin

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

• Albert Mohler has published an article in the CNN Belief blog. In it, he talks about what issues are important to evangelicals and to whom we are dangerous.
• Tim Challies continues his series on God’s will for your life. He explains to us how freeing God’s Word is when it speaks about His will for us. Confused? Read on.
• Over at the Ordinary Pastor blog, Erik Raymond has an article on expressing emotions. He walks us through a familiar passage in Luke 7:11-17 and magnifies Jesus’ compassion and sovereignty.
• Kevin DeYoung has a simple, yet very effective way in explaining the Christian worldview in four easy steps.
• Ray Ortlund has some fantastic articles here, here, here, and here. They’re all short, but very awesome. Be sure to check them out.
• C Michael Patton has an article on the difference between believing in God and believing God. And he draws a fitting analogy of where people place God in their lives.

To be skeptical of the resultant text of the New Testament books is to allow all of classical antiquity to slip into obscurity, for no documents of the ancient period are as well attested bibliographically as the New Testament. (John Warwick Montgomery, History and Christianity)

by Stephen Rodgers

Happy Friday everyone!  To celebrate the end of the work week, we’ve got a new batch of links for you…

• There’s a new edition of Tabletalk available for the month of October.  This one grapples with the subject of death and disease.  If you haven’t familiarized yourself with Tabletalk, you might want to check out our index of available issues.
• There’s also a new free audio book available from christianaudio.com.  This month they’re offering a real gem: Think! by John Piper. I’d strongly encourage you to swing over there and download your copy.
• The Parchment & Pen blog made a case for why bloggers should have open comments, which prompted at least one person to ask why we don’t have open comments.  I believe that I’ve addressed that before, but if there’s interest, I can address it further in a future article.
• Apparently there’s now another free digital magazine I need to read: Credo. The first issue deals with the subject of “The Living Word,” and their next issue is apparently going to appear in early 2012.  I haven’t had a chance to read it cover-to-cover yet, but since it’s sporting articles by both Thomas Schreiner and Fred Zaspel, it’s jumped to the top of the pile.

Well, hopefully that’s enough to keep you busy and out of trouble this weekend.  See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

[God] is not in the least worried about His dignity. The point is, He wants you to know Him: wants to give you Himself. And He and you are two things of such a kind that if you really get into any kind of touch with Him you will, in fact, be humble–delightedly humble, feeling the infinite relief of having for once got rid of all the silly nonsense about your own dignity which has made you restless and unhappy all your life. He is trying to make you humble in order to make this moment possible: trying to take off a lot of silly, ugly, fancy-dress in which we have all got ourselves up and are strutting about like the little idiots we are. (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)

As always, there are a lot of great articles this week. So, I’ll stop blabbering so you can get reading. Here you go:

• At the Resurgence blog, Tullian Tchividjian has an article on why we forget we are saved, what we’re prone to do because of the amnesia, and how to go about resolving this issue. This article seems to encompass a lot of aspects of the underlying reasons for the need to remind ourselves of the good news.
• Steve Jobs has passed on. Al Mohler has a sobering article on the life of Steve Jobs. He truly was a man of unparalleled talent and influence, yet one would be sorely mistaken to think his impactful life is any more important than “the mother tending her child, the farmer planting his crops, the father protecting his family, the couple faithfully living out their marital vows, the factory worker laboring to support his family, and the preacher preparing to preach the Word of God.”
• Tim Challies shares some quotes from his study of Overcoming Sin and Temptation by John Owen. It’s a meditation on Romans 8:13, and how Paul speaks of the condition (of sin), the means (of the Spirit), the duty (to kill), and the promise (to live).
• Ray Ortlund writes a set of unBeatitudes that gives us a perspective on the promises this world offers. You’ll have to click through to see what an “unBeatitude” is.
• Since I couldn’t resist, I’m going to share another article of Ray Ortlund’s. He shares a few words on what it means to be tenderhearted, as it says in Ephesians 4:32. One would do well to study this idea, particularly in light of this world’s warped view of manliness.
• Parchment and Pen is another blog I follow rather closely. In this one, C. Michael Patton shares some thoughts on the connection between doubt and disobedience. While doubt definitely does cause disobedience, he shares with us how disobedience can cause us to doubt as well.

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!

• Kevin DeYoung – The Doctrine of the Trinity: No Christianity Without It
• Paul Tautges – 6 Reasons to Be a Faithful Member of a Local Church
• And here is the audio and video of the recent 9Marks @ Southeastern conference

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

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 sometimes easy to think that the Church is a club that meets on Sundays and perhaps once or twice more during the week. We’re all friends so we hang out together and share meals from time to time. It’s sometimes easy to forget that the Church is the invasion of this world by heaven. The Church is the colonization of this planet by its Creator. (Toby Sumpter, We Are Not Here As Tourists)

This past Sunday was the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Pastor Patrick referenced it in his sermon last Sunday, and I’m sure it’s weighed heavily on many of our hearts and minds. Events like that can be challenging for Christians to reflect on…what should our response be?  How should differences in opinion between Christians over this matter be resolved? Some have even asked if Christianity has any “business” interjecting itself into the memories and events of that day.

As a starting point for those questions (and more), I’d like to offer a small collection of articles penned by men far wiser than I.  I hope you will read them carefully.

• Russell Moore compares the events and horror of 9/11 with the events and horror of Good Friday in his article The Gospel at Ground Zero.
• Kevin DeYoung pens a thought-provoking and moving Prayer for 9/11 Ten Years Later.
• John Piper talks about the power of the future…and the difference between a true future and a false future…in his article One Thing the 9/11 Terrorists Got Right.
• Douglas Wilson responds to Christopher Hitchens’ most recent article with his own affirmation and denial in his article Simply Incoherent.
• And finally, if you still would like additional resources on the matter, the Biblical Counseling Coalition dealt with the subject and has links to their own selection of articles here.

9/11 was a horrible tragedy. But as an event of this world, it was subject to the attention and sovereignty of God. That same God sent His Son to save us, His Word to inform us, and His Spirit to empower us. The Christian is not powerless in the face of such events.

Tragedies should not paralyze us; rather, they should provoke us.

Pro Rege

There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and that this relationship guarantees God’s favor to them in life, through death and on for ever. (J. I. Packer, Knowing God)

by Richard Shin

Editor’s Note: In order to give me more time to work on BOB, Richard Shin has kindly agreed to shoulder some of the load of the Weekly Links articles.  Just so you know, we don’t read the same set of blogs, (although if you’re looking, I know some good ones), so this is a chance to discover some material that might otherwise not have come up.  So thank Richard when you see him, and I hope you enjoy!

• It seems we’re making a habit of linking the Cripplegate. Well, that’s not a problem as long as the articles are worthy. And this one on the mission of the church is worthy.
• On that note, Parchment and Pen has a great article on compassion for the lost that goes really well with the one linked above.
• This one’s kind of old and long, but I would be robbing you if I didn’t at least make you aware of it. John Piper interviews John Knight on having a disabled 16 year-old son in part 1, part 2, and part 3. And here are the transcripts.
• Paul Tripp shares his thoughts on the most transformational word in Scripture: grace.
• One of my favorite blogs to follow is Ray Ortlund’s. As long as you see me linking articles on the Beacon, it’ll be rare for me to not link at least one article of his. In case you’re unfamiliar, that’s a quote from a demon to a fellow demon in C.S. Lewis’ book The Screwtape Letters.
• Lastly, I leave you with a video. Justin Taylor reshares an older clip of Ask Pastor John (Piper) on self-promotion and influence that hopefully leads you to promote Jesus in your life.

Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live for ever, and this must be either true or false. Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live for ever. (CS Lewis, Mere Christianity)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome back!  It’s Friday, and that means I’ve got a collection of links and quotes (technically just “quote) for you.  So sit back, relax, and let’s catch up on what happened this week on the internet…

• First of all, it’s a new month, and that means that there’s a new edition of Tabletalk.  This one focuses on the 10-year anniversary of 9/11.  I’ve also updated the chronological index of Tabletalk issues in case you want to look for it there as well.
• There’s also a new edition of the 9Marks eJournal, continuing the topic of the pastor and his staff.  I’ve also updated the topical index of eJournal issues in case you want to look for it there as well.
• Since it’s a new month, that also means that christianaudio.com has a new FREE audio book for you.  I know very little about this one (Prayers: A Personal Selection), but there’s the link if you want to download and check it out.
• In the interesting theological trivia section, Denny Burk argues for the possibility that the apostle Paul was a widower.
• It wasn’t that long ago that Pastor Patrick finished going through 1 Corinthians and came to the same conclusion as Nate Busenitz: we all speak in tongues.  Sort of.
• Craig Blomberg of DTS responds to the claim that none of Jesus’ disciples could have lived long enough to pen the Gospels.  To say that he is simply more coherent in his reasoning than some of the counter-claims would be charitable…to those making the counter-claims.

Well, that’s all I’ve got for you today.  Don’t forget we’ve got the time of fellowship with the Lippas/Mellwigs tonight at 6:30pm.  Bring “California food” and we’ll see you there!

Pro Rege

Sometimes, in trying to come to terms with Jesus command to go and make disciples of all nations, we ask “Well, everybody go?” Does that mean if you’re not a missionary you’re a second-class citizen? How does the church obey the Great Commission? And the way I’ve put it, there are three kinds of people: there are the goers, there are the senders, and there are the disobedient. (John Piper)

by Stephen Rodgers

Since the last two Weekly Links were absolute doozies (doozies: plural of doozy…it’s a technical term), I’d like to give you some extra time to explore and enjoy those resources without overloading you with additional links.  While you’re doing that though, enjoy the quote from John Piper, don’t forget that the Czech team will be giving their missions report this Sunday, and feel free to poke around in the category for missions if you want to review some material from past years.  And while I don’t believe that the pictures from this year are up yet, you can find albums from past years on the SmugMug site quite easily.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege