We are going through the Gospel of John on Sunday evenings and have dealt with the doctrine of the Trinity. For those who would like to do further study, you are welcome to borrow any of the books I have:
The Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History, Theology and Worship. Robert Letham (P&R, 2004; ISBN#: 0-8755-2000-6).
The Forgotten Trinity: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Belief. James White (Bethany House, 1998; ISBN#: 1-5566-1725-9).
Our Triune God: A Biblical Portrayal of the Trinity. Peter Toon (Victor/Bridgepoint, 1996; ISBN#: 1-5647-6553-9).
Understanding the Trinity. Alister E. McGrath (Zondervan, 1990; ISBN#: 0-3102-9681-1).
Why You Should Believe in the Trinity: An Answer to Jehovah's Witnesses. Robert M. Bowman (Baker, 1989; ISBN#: 0-8010-0981-2).
God in Three Persons. E. Calvin Beisner (Tyndale, 1984; ISBN#: 0-8423-1073-8).
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
The Risen Messiah
LUKE 24:33-48
And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34 saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."
35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be to you."
37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.
38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;
43 and He took it and ate it before them.
44 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 "You are witnesses of these things.
And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them,
34 saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."
35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be to you."
37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit.
38 And He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 "See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have."
40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"
42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;
43 and He took it and ate it before them.
44 Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled."
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
46 and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
48 "You are witnesses of these things.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Praise to our Redeemer
Worship of the Redeemer is only for those who boast and glory in Jesus Christ alone.
Scripture:
Phil 3:3 for we are the {true} circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh [self-vidication], (3:4) although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:(3:5) circumcised the eighth day, of the nation ofIsrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; (3:6) as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. (3:7) But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (3:8) More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (3:9) and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith,
Click on the following and worship the Lord:
(You can listen and sing along on the cyberhymnal website)
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/f/tfountfb.htm
THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD
(William Cowper)
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,Redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die.And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.
ROCK OF AGES
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/r/o/rockages.htm
Augustus Toplady
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Scripture:
Phil 3:3 for we are the {true} circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh [self-vidication], (3:4) although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:(3:5) circumcised the eighth day, of the nation ofIsrael, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; (3:6) as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless. (3:7) But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. (3:8) More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, (3:9) and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from {the} Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which {comes} from God on the basis of faith,
Click on the following and worship the Lord:
(You can listen and sing along on the cyberhymnal website)
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/t/f/tfountfb.htm
THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD
(William Cowper)
There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream
Thy flowing wounds supply,Redeeming love has been my theme,
and shall be till I die.And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.
ROCK OF AGES
http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/r/o/rockages.htm
Augustus Toplady
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy wounded side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
Not the labor of my hands
Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow,
All for sin could not atone;
Thou must save, and Thou alone.
Nothing in my hand I bring,
Simply to the cross I cling;
Naked, come to Thee for dress;
Helpless look to Thee for grace;
Foul, I to the fountain fly;
Wash me, Savior, or I die.
While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
[originally When my eye-strings break in death]
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Friday, April 6, 2007
Good Friday: Our Only Hope
Your Own Righteousness OR Christ's Righteousness
[This is a sermon outline from my Roman's series at Burlington Baptist Church ]
I. We are all sinners in need of forgiveness and a righteousness which we do not have (Romans 1:18-3:20). A person cannot be justified (declared righteous) by good works because no one can do them perfectly (Romans 3:20-21; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11).
So if you have sinned and fall short of glorifying (Romans 3:9, 23), then how can you be saved?
Horatius Bonar: How may I, a sinner, draw near to Him in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? (see The Everlasting Righteous, http://www.jude3.net/bertoc.htm)
II. There is a righteousness provided by God that is not based on your performance (“apart from law”) (Romans 3:21; Gal. 2:21).
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Gal 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
III. God’s judicial act to declare righteous (justify) is graciously given for those who have faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:22-26)
This righteousness from God is for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ alone (Romans 3:22)
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even {the} righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
The reason we need God’s righteousness is because all have sinned and fall short of glorifying God (Romans 3:23 and see point I and II)
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Being justified is freely given by God’s grace (3:24).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Definitions of "justification":
"Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight." –Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 723
“To be justified means to be declared right with God by virtue of the remission of sins accomplished by Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer’s sins are imputed to Christ, who bears them in His body on the tree. Justification is from beginning to end a divine action, based upon the mercy of God the Father and the work of Jesus Christ the Son.” James White, The God Who Justifies (Bloomington, Minn: Bethany House, 2001), 73.
This gift of righteousness / being justified is through the redemptive death of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-25).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
God publicly displayed the Lord Jesus as a atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25)
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
This great act of God demonstrates that he is righteous (Romans 3:26)
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This great act of God shows that he alone is the one who justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Being justified is by faith and not by works (3:27-28) *Explained in—4:1-8
Rom 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Justification by faith alone (in Christ alone) is for Jews and Gentiles (3:29-30) *Explained in—4:9-16
Rom 3:29 Or is God {the God} of Jews only? Is He not {the God} of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom 3:30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Conclusion:
Do you understand your problem?
Do you understand that one cannot and will not be acceptable to God based on “good works” but only in the one work of Jesus Christ?
What are you trusting in to commend yourself before a holy God?
[This is a sermon outline from my Roman's series at Burlington Baptist Church ]
I. We are all sinners in need of forgiveness and a righteousness which we do not have (Romans 1:18-3:20). A person cannot be justified (declared righteous) by good works because no one can do them perfectly (Romans 3:20-21; Gal. 2:16; 3:10-11).
So if you have sinned and fall short of glorifying (Romans 3:9, 23), then how can you be saved?
Horatius Bonar: How may I, a sinner, draw near to Him in whom there is no sin, and look upon His face in peace? (see The Everlasting Righteous, http://www.jude3.net/bertoc.htm)
II. There is a righteousness provided by God that is not based on your performance (“apart from law”) (Romans 3:21; Gal. 2:21).
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Gal 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness {comes} through the Law, then Christ died needlessly."
III. God’s judicial act to declare righteous (justify) is graciously given for those who have faith in Christ’s atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:22-26)
This righteousness from God is for all those who are trusting in Jesus Christ alone (Romans 3:22)
Rom 3:21 But now apart from the Law {the} righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
Rom 3:22 even {the} righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;
The reason we need God’s righteousness is because all have sinned and fall short of glorifying God (Romans 3:23 and see point I and II)
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Being justified is freely given by God’s grace (3:24).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Definitions of "justification":
"Justification is an instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ's righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight." –Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1994), 723
“To be justified means to be declared right with God by virtue of the remission of sins accomplished by Jesus: Christ’s righteousness is imputed to the believer, and the believer’s sins are imputed to Christ, who bears them in His body on the tree. Justification is from beginning to end a divine action, based upon the mercy of God the Father and the work of Jesus Christ the Son.” James White, The God Who Justifies (Bloomington, Minn: Bethany House, 2001), 73.
This gift of righteousness / being justified is through the redemptive death of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24-25).
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
God publicly displayed the Lord Jesus as a atoning sacrifice (Romans 3:25)
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
This great act of God demonstrates that he is righteous (Romans 3:26)
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. {This was} to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
This great act of God shows that he alone is the one who justifies the one who has faith in Jesus (Romans 3:26).
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, {I say,} of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Being justified is by faith and not by works (3:27-28) *Explained in—4:1-8
Rom 3:27 Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.
Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.
Justification by faith alone (in Christ alone) is for Jews and Gentiles (3:29-30) *Explained in—4:9-16
Rom 3:29 Or is God {the God} of Jews only? Is He not {the God} of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also,
Rom 3:30 since indeed God who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith is one.
Conclusion:
Do you understand your problem?
Do you understand that one cannot and will not be acceptable to God based on “good works” but only in the one work of Jesus Christ?
What are you trusting in to commend yourself before a holy God?
Monday, April 2, 2007
Indicted, Now What?
I have never met a person who claimed that they have not sinned. So a person may say, that yes I am indicted in that I have sinned, but they reason that they have done many good things in their life that will hopefully outweigh the bad. The dangerous reality is that is wishfully thinking without support. You need a savior. You need to be rescued from your plight. But pride says, no. My prayer to God is that you see your need for Jesus Christ and find life in him.
Below is a great response to the good deeds and bad deeds view.
I higly recommed John Piper's, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to DieHere is chapter seven:
Jesus Suffered and Died--
To Cancel the
Legal Demands of
the Law Against Us
And you, who were dead in your trespasses . . .
God made alive together with him,
having forgiven us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood
against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
C o l o s s i a n s 2 : 1 3
What a folly it is to think that our good deeds may one day outweigh our bad deeds. It is folly for two reasons.
Legal Demands of
the Law Against Us
And you, who were dead in your trespasses . . .
God made alive together with him,
having forgiven us all our trespasses,
by canceling the record of debt that stood
against us with its legal demands.
This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
C o l o s s i a n s 2 : 1 3
What a folly it is to think that our good deeds may one day outweigh our bad deeds. It is folly for two reasons.
First, it is not true. Even our good deeds are defective, because we don’t honor God in the way we do them. Do we do our good deeds in joyful dependence on God with a view to making known his supreme worth? Do we fulfill the overarching command to serve people “by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11)?
What then shall we say in response to God’s word, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23)? I think we shall say nothing. “Whatever the law says it speaks . . . so that
every mouth may be stopped” (Romans 3:19). We will say nothing. It is folly to think that our good deeds will outweigh our bad deeds before God. Without Christ-exalting faith, our deeds will signify nothing but rebellion.
The second reason it is folly to hope in good deeds is that this is not the way God saves. If we are saved from the consequences of our bad deeds, it will not be because they weighed less than our good deeds. It will be because the “record of [our] debt” in heaven has been nailed to the cross of Christ. God has a totally different way of saving sinners than by weighing their deeds. There is no hope in our deeds. There is only hope in the suffering and death of Christ.
every mouth may be stopped” (Romans 3:19). We will say nothing. It is folly to think that our good deeds will outweigh our bad deeds before God. Without Christ-exalting faith, our deeds will signify nothing but rebellion.
The second reason it is folly to hope in good deeds is that this is not the way God saves. If we are saved from the consequences of our bad deeds, it will not be because they weighed less than our good deeds. It will be because the “record of [our] debt” in heaven has been nailed to the cross of Christ. God has a totally different way of saving sinners than by weighing their deeds. There is no hope in our deeds. There is only hope in the suffering and death of Christ.
There is no salvation by balancing the records. There is only salvation by canceling records. The record of our bad deeds (including our defective good deeds), along with the just penalties
that each deserves, must be blotted out—not balanced. This is what Christ suffered and died to accomplish.
The cancellation happened when the record of our deeds was “nailed to the cross” (Colossians 2:13). How was this damning record nailed to the cross? Parchment was not nailed to the cross.
Christ was. So Christ became my damning record of bad (and good) deeds. He endured my damnation. He put my salvation on a totally different footing. He is my only hope. And faith in him is my only way to God.
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