The Care of God’s Children

by Carol Lim

I am extremely blessed to be a part of Fireflies Nursery ministry.  This is where I get to serve the children and the parents, but more than that, this is a ministry that God has used and continues to use to teach me truth about Himself.

I was recently reading a passage in Matthew 18 where Jesus’ disciples are debating about being the greatest in the Kingdom.  As they are arguing, Jesus brings a child in the midst to exhort those listening to have a childlike faith (v.1-3) and to be humble like a child (v.4) – completely lacking in sophistication and power, yet filled with simplicity and totally dependent on others to care for them.  I saw from this passage how Jesus used a child to teach His disciples, children of God, a lesson about His love and affection for His own, and His desire in wanting to protect His children from falling into sin.  He even lays out a harsh statement that “whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” (v.6)  How terrified those disciples must have been, when they realized that by bickering and arguing about being the greatest in the Kingdom they were in fact provoking each other to bitterness, pride, envy, jealousy and thus mutually causing each other to sin.

The passage helped me to think through how our Heavenly Father feels about wanting to make sure that His children are being cared for.  Having raised two children and now watching my older child raise a daughter of her own there is no doubt in my mind how far I would go to protect my children from anyone trying to harm them.  If you attempt to harm my child (or my grandchild) I would probably come after you.  There’s no question that I’m committed to care for them, to protect them from any harm and danger.  This kind of love and care is what I regularly witness as I see moms and dads bring in their child into nursery week after week.  I see how the parents want to make sure that their child is safe and is being cared for (I see some nervous first-time moms peeking in through the window from time to time).  Likewise I am reminded to be cautious about how I treat another believer, who is a child of God.  How I treat God’s people has always been of great concern to God.  My attitude, speech, and actions all have a huge implication on whether I’m causing another believer to love God or to sin.  It is no longer just about my spiritual well-being, but also looking out for another believer, encouraging him/her to grow in their knowledge and understanding of Him who constantly desires to love, care and protect us.

Let Us Go Forth Therefore Unto Him Without The Camp

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Hebrews 13:13

Jesus, bearing His cross, went forth to suffer without the gate. The Christian’s reason for leaving the camp of the world’s sin and religion is not because he loves to be singular, but because Jesus did so; and the disciple must follow his Master. Christ was ‘not of the world:’ His life and His testimony were a constant protest against conformity with the world. Never was such overflowing affection for men as you find in Him; but still He was separate from sinners. In like manner Christ’s people must ‘go forth unto Him.’ They must take their position ‘without the camp,’ as witness-bearers for the truth. They must be prepared to tread the straight and narrow path. They must have bold, unflinching, lion-like hearts, loving Christ first, and His truth next, and Christ and His truth beyond all the world.

Jesus would have His people ‘go forth without the camp’ for their own sanctification. You cannot grow in grace to any high degree while you are conformed to the world. The life of separation may be a path of sorrow, but it is the highway of safety; and though the separated life may cost you many pangs, and make every day a battle, yet it is a happy life after all. No joy can excel that of the soldier of Christ: Jesus reveals Himself so graciously, and gives such sweet refreshment, that the warrior feels more calm and peace in his daily strife than others in their hours of rest.

The highway of holiness is the highway of communion. It is thus we shall hope to win the crown if we are enabled by divine grace faithfully to follow Christ ‘without the camp.’ The crown of glory will follow the cross of separation. A moment’s shame will be well recompensed by eternal honour; a little while of witness-bearing will seem nothing when we are ‘for ever with the Lord.’

4.6a

Weekly Links (5/2/2014)

“I used to tell young preachers, in order to preach you’ve got to have the power of God on your life. Now I tell them, in order to tie your shoes you’ve got to have the power of God on your life.” (Paul Washer)

by Stephen Rodgers

Alright, it’s the first WL of the month, which means that we’re loaded for bear when it comes to free resources.  Since it’s only the second day of the month, we may need to do a follow-up post to highlight any resources that aren’t available yet, but meanwhile, here’s what is available.

There are a few other resources that aren’t new per se, but should be of interest to many of the folks at LBC:

If you’re in San Diego, don’t forget that this is the 15th anniversary celebration of LBC! See you there!

Pro Rege

Before Honour Is Humility

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Proverbs 15:33

Humiliation of soul always brings a positive blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self God will fill them with His love. He who desires close communion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord, ‘To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word.’ Stoop if you would climb to heaven. Do we not say of Jesus, ‘He descended that He might ascend’? so must you. You must grow downwards, that you may grow upwards; for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone.

God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,’ with all its riches and treasures. The whole exchequer of God shall be made over by deed of gift to the soul which is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it. God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity of what it is safe for Him to do. If you do not get a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. If our heavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in His holy war, you would pilfer the crown for yourself, and meeting with a fresh enemy you would fall a victim; so that you are kept low for your own safety.

When a man is sincerely humble, and never ventures to touch so much as agrain of the praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace, and fits us to deal efficiently with our fellow men. True humility is a flower which will adorn any garden. This is a sauce with which you may season every dish of life, and you will find an improvement in every case. Whether it be prayer or praise, whether it be work or suffering, the genuine salt of humility cannot be used in excess.

4.5p

Weekly Links (4/25/2014)

Tolerance has become such a god in our culture that not to have it is heresy. The effect is that tolerance swallows up truth, negating any need to search for things that might offend or challenge our preferences. (Andreas Köstenberger, Darrell Bock, and Josh Chatraw from Truth Matters)

By Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Friday! The week is nearly over, but not without your links! Here they are!

  • Have you ever wondered what questions need to be asked in order to make an informed decision about joining a local church? Sure, seeking a fellowship of believers to entrust your life can be daunting, but have you been asking the right questions? Here are some wise questions that I think all of us should adopt when in this stage of life. These questions would also be helpful to ask yourself even if you are already committed to a church.
  • As the culture is continuing to decline in moral ambiguity, some in the church are beginning to follow the drumbeat of compromise along with it. Case in point: Dan Haseltine, lead singer of Jars of Clay, recently came out in support of same-sex marriage. I’m sure many responses have already been written, but one I have found to get at the heart of the matter is an open letter written to Dan by Christian philosopher C.L. Bolt. It is a little lengthy, but definitely worth a read.
  • In a recent debate, Intelligent Design advocate Stephen Meyer went up against theistic evolutionist Karl Giberson to argue their case for the following: “Should Christians Embrace Evolution?” If you are scientifically inclined, you might find this to be very stimulating. If you are looking for a primer on Intelligent Design (especially for parents), look no further.
  • What is the future of the church? Biblical scholar Peter Williams (a Christian, no doubt) gives his two cents in answering this question, and others related to it. Food for thought.
  • This week brought the publication of a long-awaited book written by a professing believer arguing the case for same-sex relationships. Matthew Vines gave a lecture a couple years ago at a church concerning the same issue, leading to a detailed response from apologist and pastor James White. With the publication of Vines’ book, responses have already been forthcoming. James White did a radio interview, and then followed up with comments on his own show. Al Mohler and faculty at Boyce College and SBTS have collaborated on a book that is available to download online concerning specific areas that Vines addressed in his book. We live in a time when this issue is causing much heat with little light. May we be grateful to God that He has raised up leaders who are shining the light of God’s Word on this divisive issue. May the church proclaim with one voice the glory of God in marriage that reflects the mystery of Christ and His bride, and the salvation of sinners, both heterosexual and homosexual.
  • Pastor David Murray has been posting a series of his top 10 books on certain areas. This time around, he wrote his top 10 biographies of Christian women. If you’re looking for some good reads about godly women in church history, this is the place to look!
  • News has come that the first married throuple (three women, not two) in Massachusetts are expecting their first child. Although predicted by writers defending the traditional (and biblical) view, advocates for same-sex marriage didn’t think their logic would lead our culture down this road. Robert George gives some commentary that reveals the consequences of thinking unbiblically in this area.

That’s all for this week! I hope you enjoy the rest of this week at flocks, and meet with us for corporate worship and fellowship this Sunday!

Soli Deo Gloria

LBC Weekly SPARK – April 24, 2014

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC family and friends!

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord! As a church family, let’s continue to point each other forward towards the amazing hope we have in the grace of God. We worship a risen Lord and Savior who made it possible for us to be right with God! As you reflect this week at flocks on the implications of the resurrection of Christ, I hope you enjoy wonderful discussions and fellowship!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are the announcements for this week:

  1. FLOCKS. Don’t forget that it’s flocks week so our regularly scheduled midweek Bible studies will be taking a break this week. For more information about flocks, please visit the church website (http://lighthousebc.com/welcome/flocks/).
  2. MEMBERSHIP CLASS. We will be having a membership class this coming weekend! The class will meet on Saturday, April 26, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, and on Sunday, April 27, from 2:00-5:00 PM. Attendance at both sessions is mandatory. If you are interested in membership, please contact Pastor Patrick for an application (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).
  3. SUNDAY SCHOOL. Our regular Sunday School classes will be meeting again this weekend. Eschatology meets in the main auditorium and FOF will be in Room 107.
  4. MEMBERS MEETING. There is a members meeting this Sunday, April 27, at 4:45 PM. All members of LBCSD are highly encouraged to attend. As always dinner will be served. If you are a ministry coordinator and would like to give a ministry update, please contact Pastor Patrick with details about your update.
  5. MNV. Don’t forget about Monday Night Volleyball at La Jolla Shores. It’ll run through the summer on Monday nights at 5:00 PM. Meet at the north side of Shores by the volleyball courts!
  6. ANNIVERSARY BANQUET. This year’s banquet will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott in Liberty Station on Saturday, May 3, at 5:00 PM. The dress for the banquet is semi-formal (i.e. coat and tie). If you have any questions about the banquet, please contact Randy Sarmiento (dizzyd101@gmail.com).
  7. ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND. LBCSD will be celebrating 15 years of God’s faithfulness to this ministry on the weekend of May 2-4. It’s going to be a packed weekend but one which I’m sure will be a tremendous blessing!

Friday, May 2
7:00 PM Session 1 – The Mission of LBC (Patrick Cho)

Saturday, May 3
9:00 AM Session 2 – The Vision of LBC (Jim Kang)
12:00 PM Lunch
2:00 PM Break
5:00 PM Session 3 – The Passion of LBC (Chris Mueller)
This will be at the anniversary banquet.

Sunday, May 4
9:00 AM Session 4 – Reflections on 15 Years of Ministry (John Kim)
11:00 AM Refreshments and Fellowship

Singles’ Retreat Recap

by Randy Tsuchiyama

This year’s Single’s Retreat was titled, “Living Sacrifices” and was centered on the theme of worship. Through the four messages that Dr. Andy Snider gave during the retreat, the importance of worship was clearly portrayed. Thinking about what worship ought to look like and seeing how I approach worship brought a lot of conviction about changes that I need to make in my life

The first two sermons of the retreat were used to exposit the story of worship in the Bible. During the first sermon, Dr. Snider explained what worship in the Old Testament looked like. During the second sermon, he explained what worship looked like in the New Testament. One key point that hit home for me was that worship is something that needs to be done every moment of my life and is not relegated to certain events throughout the week (namely, Sunday worship service). Though this point was not a new one, being reminded of the importance of worship in EVERY THING that I do was a very sobering one. I was challenged to think through worshipping God in how I work, how I serve at church, and even how I choose to relax. As a worshipper of Christ, I am called to revere, love, and submit to God in everything that I do

The last two sermons of the retreat were about the worshipping church’s identity. Dr. Snider discussed what our identity as a church ought to be based on the fact that we are Christians and that we are all worshippers of Christ. As a church that is worshipping God, we are all redeemed, separated, devoted, and related (like a family). Thinking about how to love one another like family is a huge challenge. The way that we love is the way that we make the love of God visible to this lost and dying world around us. The way that we ought to be showing love to one another should look drastically different than what the world expects love to look like. This is one aspect of worship that I was particularly challenged by and am looking to grow in more and more.

The topic of worship is such an important one for the Christian. Worship is what we do every moment of our lives. Sometimes we choose to worship ourselves and other times we choose to worship God. After being blessed by the preaching of Dr. Snider, I am praying that God graciously helps me to choose to worship Him more and more everyday.

Reflections on the Resurrection

by Pastor Patrick Cho

It was such an encouragement seeing so many this past weekend come together for our Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday services. What an amazing time to think upon the cross and reflect on the grace of God to save! The significance to the believer of the resurrection of Jesus Christ cannot be overstated. Here are just some ways the Jesus’ rising from the dead proved to be infinitely important and absolutely vital to the Christian faith.

1. The resurrection of Jesus was perhaps the single greatest demonstration of His deity to man.

Jesus spoke of His divine authority in John 10:18. By His authority He laid down His life for sinners and by His authority He took it up again. In history, more than a few people have claimed they would find a way to return from the dead. Man probably has been seeking to cheat death since death entered into the world. Jesus proved His divinity not only by paying for the sins of God’s people (past, present, and future) in a single immeasurably powerful act, but also by demonstrating His authority over sin and the grave by coming back from the dead.

2. Jesus’ resurrection was God’s validation of His work on the cross to save sinners.

One way that the resurrection validated Jesus’ work was that if He was an imposter and a fraud, God would not have raised Him from the dead. Only God has both the power and authority to raise someone from the dead. Here was someone who came claiming to be the Son of God. He spoke about many prophecies that were fulfilled in Him. He even taught that in Him God’s people would find the fulfillment of the Law! All God had to do to completely silence these outrageous claims was to keep Jesus in the tomb. But Jesus rose again, which was in a sense God’s way of saying, “He is who He says He is, and He accomplished what He said He would accomplish.”

Another way Jesus’ resurrection was God’s validation of His work on the cross was through the fulfillment of prophecy. The OT writers wrote about how the Christ would suffer and be raised again. This is probably nowhere clearer than in Isaiah 53:10-11, “. . . He shall see His offspring; He shall prolong His days . . . Out of the anguish of His soul, He shall see and be satisfied.” All this is written after God’s servant is crushed by the Lord and offered as a guilt offering. The OT prophets foretold that the Messiah would come back from the dead, and Jesus rose again in fulfillment of those prophecies.

3. Jesus’ resurrection secured the believer’s hope for future grace.

Paul wrote to the Corinthians that Jesus rose from the dead as a firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20-23). In other words, if Jesus rose from the dead, it is certain that His people will follow. The great foundation to our hope as believers is that Jesus is not lying in some tomb in Israel. In fact, Paul concedes that if there is no resurrection, all Christians have no reason to hope and are of all men most to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:19). Those who seek to completely destroy the Christian faith need only prove that Jesus did not rise from the dead. This is how much the Christian faith and hope rest on the resurrection. We live in the knowledge that this life is not the end. This world is not our home because we have been made citizens of a heavenly kingdom. We are aliens and sojourners in this life. There is a glorious inheritance awaiting us when Jesus comes again and is fully revealed to us. All this hope rests on His resurrection.

There are many more reasons the resurrection is significant for the believer, but these are the ones we focused on this past weekend. May the hope you have in Christ motivate you to live holy lives for His glory. Let’s seek to put aside sin and any encumbrances and run undistracted towards Him. And may our understanding that Jesus not only rose from the dead but is also coming again compel us to take risks for the faith because there is more to life than what we see here. As believers in the risen Lord, let us preach the gospel of His resurrection with greater faithfulness in light of these reflections from God’s truth.

Weekly Links (4/21/2014)

Let us embrace this truth reverently, and cling to it firmly. Christ is He who has the keys of death and hell. Christ is the anointed Priest, who alone can absolve sinners. Christ is the fountain of living waters, in whom alone we can be cleansed. Christ is the Prince and Savior, who alone can give repentance and remission of sins. In Him all fullness dwells. He is the way, the door, the light, the life, the Shepherd, the altar of refuge. He that has the Son has life—and he that has not the Son has not life. May we all strive to understand this. No doubt men may easily think too little of God the Father, and God the Spirit, but no man ever thought too much of Christ. (J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels)

By Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Feliz Monday!

  • Crossway posted every day last week in anticipation of Easter Sunday. Each post has a video clip describing the events that took place leading up to the resurrection, with valuable information that should guide you through meditation and worship of our Risen Lord. Make sure to check them out: Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
  • As is a custom around Easter, the mass media has something to say about the ‘false beliefs’ of Christianity by injecting a different narrative into the culture. This time around, it’s a papyrus fragment some scholars have called, ‘The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife.’ Ever the valiant soldier in defense of truth, Al Mohler gives his comments on the fragment and the controversy surrounding it. Don’t be surprised if this comes up among non-Christian family, coworkers and friends, and don’t be tongue-tied when asked for your thoughts. Be informed.
  • How do you deal with discontentment in your life? This is a theme that has been addressed at our church in the past, and will probably continue to be in the future. And yet, are we aware of the rich resources we have at our disposal to deal with discontentment? Recently, Thabiti Anyabwile and Richard Phillips spoke at a conference in New Mexico addressing this very theme. You would be wise to listen to some of the messages that were preached there.
  • CBMW has begun a new series addressing the marring of manhood. The organization plans on writing about the passive/aggressive tendencies found in men today and how Scripture holds up an ideal far surpassing the natural inclinations of our hearts. The first post lays out the goals, and the second post gets into overcoming passivity. Men, let us grow to become loving and humble leaders for the sake of Christ. Let us learn to lead the sisters He has placed in our lives.
  • What does the death of Christ mean? Paul Tautges explains five truths from 1 Peter 3:18 that answer this vital question.
  • To cover all bases, Stand to Reason has provided a helpful guide in understanding what happened during the final week leading up to Christ’s death and resurrection, why they happened, and why we can trust they actually took place. Easter has come and gone, but don’t let this opportunity to worship Christ go by without proper reflection and response as His followers.

That’s all for today! I hope you all continue to reflect on the cross and resurrection of our Lord, drawing you to worship Him throughout the week, and also the rest of your life!

Soli Deo Gloria