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.

2.3a

Weekly Links (9/16/2011) – 9/11 Edition

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)

by Stephen Rodgers

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

Practicing Patience in Parenting

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Being a parent of a three-year-old girl is one of the greatest joys of my life. At one point, I only wanted to have boys, but now I would be perfectly content only having girls. There is something irreplaceably sweet about the father/daughter relationship and I cherish it and praise God that I can enjoy it as a dad.

As sweet as having a daughter is, it still is obviously not always easy. At three, our little girl has developed quite a personality and oftentimes battles with Mom and Dad over who is in charge. She admits her dependence on us less, and insists on doing things on her own more. Still, she is a bit clumsy so whenever she wants to do things on her own, it results in more and more messes. At times she gets herself into trouble because she tries things that are too big for her, but there are also times when she is blatantly rebellious and disobedient.

One time, she insisted on using a “big girl” cup because she did not want to drink her milk from a straw. Reluctantly I agreed and instructed her to be very careful because she could spill the milk if she tipped the cup too far. And as most parents who have been in this situation have discovered, that spilled milk was inevitable.

I have heard that patience is a virtue. I have also heard that one should not pray for patience because God will only make you wait for it. It is certainly vastly more important to see what the Bible says about patience, and it is important always to remember and turn to what the Bible says instead of human wisdom. Scripture teaches that patience is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), and so as a believer it should be a mark of who I am. Instead of putting on a sinful attitude, I am called to put on patience amongst other things (Col. 3:12). Paul told Timothy to preach the Word with patience, so I know when I teach my little girl the truths of Scripture it will likewise require patience (cf. 2 Tim. 4:2).

When you study patience in Scripture, you come to realize that God shows us incredible patience as sinners. Speaking out against condemning the sins of others, Paul writes in Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” The Apostle refers to himself as the foremost of all sinners, but explains that this was so that Jesus could demonstrate His perfect patience to him as an example (1 Tim. 1:15-16). The fact is when I mess up, God is patient with me. He was patient in enduring all my wickedness for the first twenty something years of my unbelieving life, and He continues to show His perfect patience with me even now as a believer.

This really helps to put things into perspective when I struggle to be patient with Eden. She is only three and has a sweet demeanor and oftentimes loves to make Papa happy. During the times when it is more difficult and her sinful heart shows itself, I can remember to be patient as God has been patient to me. I have been shown tremendous patience, so I should not raise my daughter as if I had not been shown any. Of course it is easier to know this in principle than to put it into practice, but being reminded again and again of the principle is part of the growing process that hopefully will lead to greater faithfulness in the practice.

BOB – The Bible

by Stephen Rodgers

Before we get into a more specific examination of the Bible by breaking it into parts (which we will later do along the lines of books, genres, and testaments), we should probably begin with an explanation of how those particular collections came to be. And before we do that, we should probably begin with an even broader subject: Scripture as a whole.

You may already know this, but the Bible is actually a collection of 66 documents (typically called “books”). It is divided into two sections: the Old Testament (which contains 39 books), and the New Testament (which contains 27 books).  Those books are further divided into chapters, and those chapters are further sub-divided into verses. (It is worth saying at this point that the chapters and verses are not part of the original text; they were added later to make it easier to find things.  While that is very convenient, it also means that sometimes people treat the Bible as if it were nothing more than a collection of quotes, which is an enormous mistake).

The Old Testament (OT) primarily concerns itself with a people (ancient Israel), was written over the course of approximately 1,000 years, and was predominantly written in the language of that people (Hebrew, although two sections are in Aramaic).

The New Testament (NT) primarily concerns itself with a person (Jesus Christ), was written over the course of approximately 50 years, and was predominantly written in the common trade language of that time (Greek, although several quotes were translated from Hebrew by the authors).

Despite these differences, the Bible has remarkable unity, unsurpassed by any other literary work written by such disparate men over approximately 1,500 years. When one considers the differences in language, culture, history, education, background, and profession of the various authors, it is easy to see why the two most-proposed explanations are a conspiracy of brilliant con-men and editors on one hand and the personal interference of a sovereign God on the other.

This unity can be expressed in several different ways. For the sake of time, we’ll only look at three of them briefly.

John MacArthur in the MacArthur Study Bible notes that the Bible has a single unifying theme (the story of God redeeming His chosen people for the praise of His glory) with five recurring motifs. They are:

  1. the character of God
  2. the judgment for sin and disobedience
  3. the blessing for faith and obedience
  4. the Lord Savior and Sacrifice for sin
  5. the coming kingdom and glory

And for what it’s worth, any of those motifs would be fertile ground for further study…Stephen Charnock’s works on the attributes of God alone runs over 500 pages…Vaughn Roberts has an entire book devoted to the theme of the kingdom (God’s Big Picture), which is nonetheless downright introductory compared to Dr. Alva J. McClain’s seminal work on the subject (The Greatness of the Kingdom). (And if you need something online, there’s always Dane Ortlund’s overview of The Grace of God in the Bible).

On the other hand, in his miniscule but masterful book How We Got Our Bible, W.H. Griffith Thomas notes the Christocentric theme of Scripture, and suggests that the sections of the Bible can be understood progressively:

  • Genesis to Deuteronomy – Revelation
  • Joshua to Esther – Preparation
  • Job to Song of Solomon – Aspiration
  • Isaiah to Malachi – Expectation
  • Matthew to John – Manifestation
  • Acts to Epistles – Realization
  • Revelation – Culmination

He also notes that the unity of Scripture can be seen in the symmetry of it structure as well:

  • The OT begins with revelation (the Pentateuch), and proceeds to realization (the remainder of the OT). This realization is seen in outward expression (the historical books), inward experience (the poetical books), and onward expectation (prophetical books).
  • The NT begins with revelation (the Gospels), and proceeds to realization (the remainder of the NT). This realization is seen in outward expression (History/Acts), inward experience (Doctrine/epistles), and onward expectation (Prophecy/Revelation).

Please note that while the thematic, progressive, and structural unity of the Bible are three different ways to examine it as a whole, they are certainly not the only ways to look at it. We could come up with many other views, or delve into much greater detail on any of the views described above (for example, for a Christocentric examination of the OT, I would recommend Vern Polythress’ “Overview of the Bible: A Survey of the History of Salvation”). I just wanted to take a moment to state the obvious, especially since it’s a point that could easily get lost as we proceed to break the Bible into smaller and smaller units to examine it more closely:

As previously stated, the Bible is a collection of 66 different documents. However, at it’s core it is a singular entity, with a single Author, and a central message.

Don’t forget that.

Next week, we’ll take a brief look into the subject of the OT canon. Between now and then, if anyone wanted to do some further reading on the Word of God, I would suggest that Garrett’s seven articles on “The Doctrine of the Word of God” would be an excellent start.

Other Works Referenced:

  • ESV Study Bible
  • MacArthur Study Bible
  • Sumner, How Did We Get The Bible?
  • Thomas, How We Got Our Bible

The Ignorance of the Ignorant

by Elder Mike Chon

I remember an incident that happened while playing basketball in high school. I leaped up to dunk the ball (the basket was lower than your typical basket), when I was rudely interrupted by a very tall guy and was pulled down backward onto my hands. Immediately I felt this great pain in my wrists…and as I looked at my forearms I saw them suddenly expand to twice their normal size. As much as I mentally tried to move my wrists, I couldn’t. As my friends watched me attempting to move my wrists to no avail, they encouraged me to go see a doctor. But since I was your typical high school male, I figured I didn’t need to go see a doctor; and with my extensive high school medical background, I self-diagnosed myself with a wrist sprain. But as time went on and I continued to be unable to move my wrists, I realized that my initial diagnosis of a wrist sprain might be wrong…and so I went to the neighborhood urgent care. Thankfully, after x-rays, it was determined that I only fractured my left wrist in three places and my right wrist was fine. For those wondering I have since fully recovered from these injuries.

What if I continued to believe that my wrist was perfectly fine? I would have continued with my life, the fractures would have healed improperly, which likely would have affected my ability to use my left wrist permanently. If no one told me that I needed to go see a doctor I probably would never have gone. Even though I had fractured bones in my wrist, I was in denial of anything wrong. Spiritually speaking there are many people in this world that are ignorant about their sin and their rejection of the one and only God. They don’t see anything wrong with their lives because outwardly they are not criminals.  After all, they’ve never murdered anyone and have tried to do good to others. What could possibly be wrong? The Bible speaks clearly that man’s heart has been darkened and has exchanged the glory of God for images resembling man and beast (Rom. 1:21-23). In the heart of man they worship the creation and not the Creator. The problem is that those that are doing this do not even know that they are doing something that is offensive and worthy of condemnation before our Holy God. Their hearts have been darkened to believe that their lives are good when in reality they are evil (John 3:19). So how should we respond to those that are ignorant of their ignorance?

Instead of turning our back on them we should respond with compassion. Their ignorance is the result of sin which has darkened their hearts and minds to understand the truth, a reality which we all have experienced. The compassion we see in Christ as he hung on the cross and pleaded with God to forgive those that crucified and mocked Him (Luke 23:34) because of their ignorance should be ringing in our hearts as we observe those who do not know what they are doing. That should motivate and stir our hearts to share with them the gospel of Jesus Christ. This isn’t the time to believe that we are smarter, holier, or more important because we know the truth and they don’t. Instead we should humbly step forward and share the only message (Rom. 1:16) that is able to correct them of their ignorance, to bring light to their darkened hearts, and save them from an eternity in hell.

And These Are Ancient Things

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From 1 Chronicles 4:22

Yet not so ancient as those precious things which are the delight of our souls. Let us for a moment recount them, telling them over as misers count their gold.

  • The sovereign choice of the Father, by which He elected us unto eternal life, or ever the earth was, is a matter of vast antiquity, since no date can be conceived for it by the mind of man. We were chosen from before the foundations of the world.
  • Everlasting love went with the choice, for it was not a bare act of divine will by which we were set apart, but the divine affections were concerned. The Father loved us in and from the beginning. Here is a theme for daily contemplation.
  • The eternal purpose to redeem us from our foreseen ruin, to cleanse and sanctify us, and at last to glorify us, was of infinite antiquity, and runs side by side with immutable love and absolute sovereignty.
  • The covenant is always described as being everlasting, and Jesus, the second party in it, had His goings forth of old; He struck hands in sacred suretyship long ere the first of the stars began to shine, and it was in Him that the elect were ordained unto eternal life. Thus in the divine purpose a most blessed covenant union was established between the Son of God and His elect people, which will remain as the foundation of their safety when time shall be no more.

Is it not well to be conversant with these ancient things? Is it not shameful that they should be so much neglected and even rejected by the bulk of professors? If they knew more of their own sin, would they not be more ready to adore distinguishing grace? Let us both admire and adore tonight, as we sing-

‘A monument of grace,
A sinner saved by blood;
The streams of love I trace
Up to the Fountain, God;
And in His sacred bosom see
Eternal thoughts of Love to me.’

2.2p