the beautiful Christ

Reading Hebrews 1:1-4 last night with friends, and one remarked, "It doesn't get bigger than this!"

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.  He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.

Meditate on the intricacies of this word about the Final Word who was spoken.

the Image

  One of the most important theological truths in my life for the past year has been "...God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27 ESV)  This is by no means a new concept; I was thoroughly taught the theological implications of it in my formal biblical studies. Plus, I have been familiar with the truth and its basic implications since I was a child.  God made us to be correspond to Him in many of His perfections.  Consider two current personal illustrations:

1.  I have not practically lived out the implications of the image of God very well personally.  In other words, I have often doubted who God made me: I didn't necessarily fight who I was, I just didn't believe in His image in me enough to pursue the design He had placed in me.  I do not have the normal abilities for what I plan to do in my life. Yet, if I am following the direction that God has led and if He truly designed me to reflect certain aspects of Himself (however imperfect that reflection actually is), then I will find that the direction, the abilities and the desires which He has and is giving me will match.  This has helped to direct our path as we leave our home and trek towards a new home and the journey that awaits there.  We were designed for this!

2.  A second area has emerged from what was originally a community Bible study but continued in my personal study... thoughts from Ephesians 5: what would it look like if we as husbands really sought to build up our wives as Jesus builds the Church.  It would be thorough; it would be for their benefit; it would be beautiful; it would be in the same way Christ loved.  But the Image of God... what if I learn to love the reflections of Himself that God had designed in Bethany as well as those in me?  What if the image of God were evenly and equally displayed in our home and marriage? 

The Future of America and the Globe

  "The myth of America's decline" on cnn.com today brought to mind various readings I have done in the last year.  The article expresses well the basic reasons why America will continue to be in a commanding central position as a global leader for the foreseeable future, barring a disruptive act of God.  George Friedman's excellent book The Next 100 Years is a more detailed argument for the same basic thought.

In my opinion (though some would disagree), there is little contradiction between those who see a dominant America and those who would argue that globalism will soon overpower the unilateralism of the present.  Fareed Zakaria's The Post-American World (now in its second edition) makes compelling arguments for why the world will become less dominated by America, but he does not make a strong case for another nation becoming more dominant.  In other words, as we look to the future, I see no reason that the USA will not be the world's primary shaker-and-mover indefinitely: only America will have the power to move the world to action and lead such action.  However, Zakaria's basic point that America will no longer be able simply to do as it likes also carries weight.  The balance may well be that a tandem will be created by which America must dance with (much of) the rest of the world while also being the only force large enough to chose the tune for dancing.

For the redemption of Joy

As sin, shame and sorrow rocked through Adam and Eve's souls, it was only an echo of the heart breaking sorrow that pierced the Son and the Father. For with one look, they both knew the Son would go Fatherless and the Father go Sonless for the sake of the redemption of joy.
 ...
But now that the only begotten Son has been joined to me in inseparable union, I now live out my sanctification out of the extravagant overflow of this grace from the Son's relationship to the Father and the Father to the Son. I am now the most favored and blessed man on the face of the earth. There can be no greater favor than what the Father shows to the Son and we receive all that favor because we are now Christ's body. 

- Jerome Grosskopf

a nugget of golden Scripture

Psalm 119:132 

Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.

my paraphrase:

God's constant habit is to approach and show favor to everyone who loves Him.

The Dinner Table

"Something holy happens around a dinner table that doesn't happen in a sanctuary."

A plea for deep fellowship from today's sermon...

The Gospel at work in Marriage

The quote below is from a helpful article about the Gospel in marriage relationship:

When your spouse disappoints you for the umpteenth time, what is the ruling motive of your heart? Can you rest in God the Judge, or are you compelled to be your spouse’s judge?

When you sin…again…are you tempted to punish yourself through a stringent moralism, or do you appropriate the releasing forgiveness that is found in Christ’s work on the cross?

If our Gospel means anything, then it must be real in the moment of our sin, whether it is yours or mine. Otherwise, there is no redemptive purpose in His sacrifice.

Sonship leads to natural living

We should be so one with God that we don’t need to ask continually for guidance. Sanctification means that we are made the children of God. A child’s life is normally obedient, until he chooses disobedience. - Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (Nov 14th)

This is a rather gripping thought which is elaborated on throughout the rest of the November 14th devotional.  There are also a number of other helpful thoughts in that essay.

D. A. Carson's Commentary on John, with sample

  As I've been studying for my sermon tomorrow from John, I have referenced D. A. Carson's The Gospel According to John which is part of the Pillar commentary series.  It is one of the most helpful commentaries I remember reading in (right there with Spurgeon's Treasury of David and Hoehner's Ephesians).  The background and study which went into it is quietly apparent, while the content is insightful in a way that shows meditation and Christian sensitivity to what the text is saying.  (The fact that I am reading it as a Kindle book on my computer makes me like the whole experience even better.)

  Anyways, a sample or two from the section on John 20:21-22 which will be a major portion of the sermon tomorrow.

There is sufficient comprehensiveness both here and elsewhere to make Christians aware that they never have an excuse to rest on their laurels, or to define their task too narrowly; perfect obedience to the Son, modelled on Jesus’ perfect obedience, is as daunting a challenge as the command to teach others to obey all that Jesus has commanded (Mt. 28:20). 

[...]

Just because he ascends to his Father does not mean he is no longer the ‘sent one’ par excellence (cf. 9:7). Thus Christ’s disciples do not take over Jesus’ mission; his mission continues and is effective in their ministry (14:12–14). ‘The apostles were commissioned to carry on Christ’s work, and not to begin a new one’ (Westcott, 2. 349–350; cf. Schnackenburg, 3. 324).

Carson, D. A. (1991-01-01). The Gospel According to John (Pillar New Testament Commentary) (p. 649). William B Eerdman Co. Kindle Edition.

in a moment of lunacy

An Address about Me

One score and seven years ago, my mother brought forth upon this continent a new baby conceived in misery and dedicated to the proposition that all men have inflated egos. Now we are involved in a great inner war testing whether that baby, or any baby so conceived ad so dedicated, can long endure.

Seems unlikely...