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Page 2 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version Table of Contents: Legalism vs. Authentic Faith: A Contrast - - - - -1 Counselor’s Corner ------14 Enjoying Life Is Not a Sin ------3 The Story behind the Song ------15 How to Love Your Mother ------4 Church Builders ------16 Exegetically Speaking------5 Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel - - - - 16 Words to Stand You on Your Feet ------7 Marks of the Master ------18 Living out the Living Word------8 Book Reviews------18 Following God ------10 News Update------19 Points to Ponder ------11 Sermon Helps ------21 Jewels from Past Giants ------12 Puzzles and ‘Toons ------23 ______Legalism vs. Authentic Faith: A Contrast By John Meador

Originally published in Pulpit Helps in two parts, on the basis of Scripture: “Have you never read what David May and June 2002. did…?” Then in verse 27, He appeals to them on the basis The Gospels record a number of confrontations of moral reasoning: “The Sabbath was made for man, and between Jesus and the Pharisees. These altercations were not man for the Sabbath. Consequently, the Son of Man is rooted in the conflict between their “kingdom of legalism” Lord even of the Sabbath.” and the true Kingdom of God. As self-proclaimed guardians Incredibly, they were unmoved by either appeal. and keepers of the Law, the Pharisees wrongly believed Legalism is always like that. These Pharisees exemplified they had a corner on the Kingdom of God. They were so the mindset that says, “When I get my rules all in an order, presumptuous that they added 619 different commandments when I get my thinking all figured out, I’m not going to be to the Ten Commandments. In addition, they added 358 moved by anything else, whether it’s Scripture or moral prohibitions regarding the Law, including 39 different reasoning.” In the case of the man with the withered hand, additions to just the Sabbath law. Jesus found that they have not changed one bit as a result of From the time Jesus began His earthly ministry, the His words. Pharisees were opposed to Him. In Mark 2:7, they ask, There’s something symptomatic of spiritual death “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” In Mark 2:16 you when we are unmoved by Scripture. I’ve heard people say, find them criticizing Jesus for eating with the tax-gatherers “Well, I know that’s what it says, but this is what I really and sinners. In verse 18 they ask. “Why do John’s disciples believe.” That’s a dangerous place to be, where you’re not and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples even moved by the Word of God or the moral reasoning of do not fast?” In verse 24 the Pharisees say, “See here! Why Jesus Christ. Yet that’s where these men were. They were are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” In Mark so set in their ways that even the Son of God could not gain 3 we find the worst of the confrontations, when Jesus a hearing. They were determined, resolute, and confident comes into the synagogue again. In these verses we will that they had all the answers. Legalism is unmoved by discover the distinctions between the counterfeit and the Scripture. genuine Kingdom of God. Second, legalism has its eyes on man and has The story of the man with the withered hand in forgotten about God. Mark 3:2 says, “And they were Mark 3:1-6 is, in reality, about legalism. The real story is watching Him to see if He would heal him on the the conflict between the Pharisees with their legalism and Sabbath….” I’ve always thought that when you come into a Jesus Christ with the new kingdom principles. Legalism is house of worship, you come to look for God. We come to all about what is on the outside, while Jesus was concerned praise the Lord, to lift His name up, to worship Him, and to about what was on the inside. The Pharisees were about engage in a relationship with Him. The Pharisees, who were ritual; Jesus cared about relationships. You find those the experts of religion in their day, came not to look at God opposite extremes whenever you see conversations between but man. In their eyes, Jesus was a mere man and they came the Pharisees and Jesus, but this is the clearest scriptural to watch what He would do. Their purpose in the house of example I have found which explains what authentic worship had nothing to do with God, but to condemn the Christian living is—what we are to be about. One that wasn’t like them. That is what legalism does. Let’s make the contrast clear. First, legalism is Legalism sets up a complex, outward system of laws that is unmoved by Scripture and moral reasoning. At the end used to judge others. You end up evaluating all others of chapter 2, Jesus begins to reason with the Pharisees around you instead of looking to God. about the Sabbath. Notice, in verse 25, He appeals to them Page 3 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

There’s a third principle here: legalism is eager to Do you have any enemies like Jesus did? Jesus calculate and condemn. Mark 3:2b says, “…in order that didn’t call them His enemies, but they certainly considered they might accuse Him.” The Greek word “accuse” is where Him their enemy. Do you know anybody that constantly we get our English word “categorize.” They were criticizes you, condemns you, and accuses you? You can categorizing Jesus, stereotyping Him in a negative way. never seem to live up to his or her standards. Is there They were saying, “We have our set of rules about religion, anybody in your life who hates you with a passion and and Jesus doesn’t fit the mold. He’s not keeping the Law in desires to see you hurt? What do you do with people like the way we want Him to.” We often do that kind of thing that? If you’re letting Christ live through your life, you love with people, even when we don’t mean to. We categorize them! Why? So Matthew 5:45 can be fulfilled: “...in order them because they don’t look like us, or because they don’t that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven....” do everything exactly like us. There’s no freedom in The second principle is in Mark 3:4. Jesus calls the legalism. Legalism is calculating and condemning, putting man with the withered hand up in front of them all. “And down even God’s Son! He said to them, ‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or Notice another glaring problem: legalism has no to do harm, to save a life or to kill?’ But they kept silent.” answers for serious questions. In verse 4, Jesus reasons with Put that in principle form and here’s what you’ll find: them: “‘Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do Kingdom living involves finding and doing what is right. harm, to save a life or to kill?’ But they kept silent.” Make God has given us so many different avenues by which to note of this! It’s the first time on record that the Pharisees find right. For instance, the Christian has a moral map kept silent. The verb here expresses the thought that they called Scripture. The Christian has a moral compass called “kept on being silent.” They couldn’t come up with an the conscience, which enables us to know what is right or answer. These men, who added 39 laws to the keeping of wrong. Finally, the Christian has a moral guide, called the the Sabbath and considered themselves the keepers of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit comes into our lives and He Sabbath, couldn’t even answer a question about whether to leads us. He shows us what is right and what is wrong. We do good, or to do evil, on the Sabbath! That’s a picture of can know the right thing to do and we can do it. legalism. Legalism doesn’t think through what’s behind the Verse 5 contains an example that illustrates a law, but simply takes the letter of the law and does not principle: “And after looking around at them with anger, discern the spirit of the law! The Pharisees were so busy grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, defending their system that they would not even reason ‘Stretch out your hand.’” Here we see a picture of Jesus’ with someone concerning the purpose behind that very law. anger, and in that that picture we understand that we must One final thought on legalism. Legalism be angry over wrong. Some would say you’re not condemns its own deceived followers. Verse 6 says, “And supposed to be angry about anything, but there are many the Pharisees went out and immediately began taking different kinds of anger. When you look at the anger of counsel with the Herodians against Him, as to how they Jesus Christ, you notice it was never anger in retaliation. might destroy Him.” The very guardians of the Sabbath law Jesus’ anger was always directed toward moral wrong. He were breaking the Sabbath worse than anyone else could exhibited anger when others were hurt as a result of some possibly have done! They were so worried about all their action. The Pharisees were a classic example of those precious interpretations of Sabbath laws—yet, on the hurting people by their rigid legalism, and the Bible says Sabbath, they were plotting to murder the Son of God. that Jesus was angry with them: “…After looking around at That’s how deceptive legalism is. them with anger, He was grieved at their hardness of It’s a great paradox, but it’s easier to keep law than heart.” Anger is what a good man feels in the presence of it is to maintain a relationship. It is into that legalistic stark evil. environment that Jesus came. And here, perhaps more than There’s something wrong if stark evil is in our in any other passage of Scripture, we find Jesus presence and we’re not angry. Ephesians 4 is Paul’s account demonstrating the principles of authentic Christian living— of what we are to do with anger. In verse 26 he says: “Be what believers are to be about. The Pharisees were focused angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on on ritual, while Jesus came talking about relationships. your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity.” First of all, He shows that we are to love our There’s a difference between being angry and acting angry. enemies. Mark 3 says, “…He entered again into the Someone said, “Anger against wrong is a sign of moral synagogue….” Jesus knew the Pharisees were waiting on health.” If we are able to see a horrible crime against Him everywhere He went, and every time He had another and not be moved, there’s something spiritually something to say. Yet Jesus persevered, even going to the unhealthy about our lives. Jesus’ anger burned for the people who hated Him the most. Matthew 5:44 tells us what moment, but grief over their hearts was what He carried to do about our enemies: “But I say to you, love your away. enemies...and pray for those who persecute you.” Also, we should show mercy in the face of hostility. Mark 3:5b says: “…He said to the man, ‘Stretch Page 4 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version out your hand.’ And he stretched it out, and his hand was doing and came to Him.” People walked more than 100 restored.” Ministry costs something. It cost Jesus. Verse 6 miles just to be in the presence of Jesus. says that as a direct consequence of what Jesus did in verse I look at that and think, “Where has the church 5, the Pharisees began to conspire to put Him to death. erred?” Why neglect the powerful ministry principle here? Ministry cost Him His life. It will cost us. It may cost us The power of Christ’s ministry is a pattern for the body of popularity, or how people receive us at our workplace, or in Christ. Today there are churches taking their ministry our family. It’s always right to minister, no matter what it pattern from everywhere except Jesus Christ. They’re might cost us. There are those in other parts of the world taking it from modern-day business practices or from who will tell you that to open their mouths with the name of churches that seem successful. Yet here we have a Jesus Christ is to put a death sentence over their heads. But tremendous example showing that when we minister in they do it anyway. Why? Because it is what God wants authentic Christian living, God draws people from all them to do. They recognize that ministry costs and yet it’s around. worth it. How must we live in order to captivate the hearts of Finally, authentic kingdom living attracts people people so that they would go any distance to be near? We in need. Mark 3:7 says, “And Jesus withdrew to the sea must live and teach as Christ did! with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and John Meador is senior pastor of First Baptist Church of from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Euless, Texas. Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude heard of all that He was

______Enjoying Life Is Not a Sin By Shea Oakley

Intensely enjoying something does not necessarily find it quite enjoyable to declare their superiority over make it into an idol. anyone who is not an ascetic! If the ability to experience a particular pleasure is In 1 Timothy 6:17 Paul tells us that it is God “… God-given, and the way and time it is enjoyed is God- who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” approved, then it is safe to say that a Christian’s enjoyment The people in our churches who attack “enjoyment” as of it is God-ordained. Unfortunately, throughout 2,000 some kind of synonym for sin would do well to meditate on years of Church history, there have always been a number this verse before they declare the simple experience of of baleful voices calling for the demonization of any delight innocent pleasures in life to be tantamount to hedonism. but that which comes from the direct worship of God. In God made His finest creation with the ability to feel delight. fact, today, some would attack even that most supreme of This should be no surprise as we are made in the image of a pleasures, labeling it all “emotionalism.” Is it overstepping God who Himself takes pleasure in all the good things He to suggest that many of these voices come from people who has created. cannot or will not allow themselves to enjoy the good gifts There is clearly such a thing as an inordinate love God gives us in this life and who envy other’s ability to for pleasure, even pleasure that God does not call inherently enjoy them? sinful. This is where the specter of idolatry does rear its We are often told by such individuals that head. Some years ago I heard a radio pastor give a sermon Christianity is a religion of self-denial. This is certainly true on what he called “the lust for bliss.” What he referred to is in the sense that we are called to die to the selfish aspects of the fallen human desire to avoid pain and maximize good our old nature. It is also true that we are called to be self- feelings at any cost. When we make the enjoyment of controlled, not chasing very opportunity for gratification anything more important in our lives than loving and that the world we now live in offers us. obeying our Lord, we make for ourselves an idol. It is no What this does not mean is that we are to deny doubt wise to examine our hearts on a regular basis to make ourselves pleasurable experiences for the mere reason that sure we have not let some pleasure crowd out and replace they are pleasurable. Such an extreme rejection of all such our devotion to Jesus Christ. It should also go without experiences has a name, extreme asceticism, and as the saying that any activity that is specifically condemned in apostle Paul tells us, its practice does nothing to restrain the Scripture is never right to enjoy. sinful sensuality. In fact such asceticism can easily lead to Even with these caveats, many of us still need to that particularly satanic sin, spiritual pride. Many ascetics allow ourselves to experience more of what God has made for us to enjoy on this side of Heaven. Whether it is riding a Page 5 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version beautiful horse or listening to a good piece of music, a swim in the ocean or reading exquisitely written literature, Converted from atheism in 1990, Shea Oakley has written we (as children of the Creator of all good things) have the over 350 articles for electronic and print publications since privilege to intensely enjoy, these things in the right way. 2002, including Disciple Magazine (and Pulpit Once God Himself is first in our hearts He bids us to live an Helps Magazine), The Christian Herald, The Christian abundant life that embraces the legitimate pleasures He has Post, Christian Network and Crosshome.com. In 2003 he made for us to enjoy. graduated from Alliance Theological Seminary with a Certificate of Theological Studies. Shea and his wife © Shea Oakley. All Rights Reserved. Kathleen make their home in West Milford, New Jersey. ______How to Love Your Mother By Tonya Stoneman

Published in Pulpit Helps, May 2003. we don’t like, or don’t follow through in the way we expect Mary, the mother of Jesus, stood by the cross at them to. In these times we must exercise patience. It is Calvary and witnessed as history’s greatest tragedy was important to remember that our mothers aren’t bottomless inflicted upon her Son. “When Jesus then saw His mother, wells from which we draw each time we have a need. Our and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said mothers have their own schedules and needs. It is unfair to to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to expect them to always align their lives to accommodate the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the ours. disciple took her into his own household” (John 19:26-27). 4) Listen to her. Can you remember a time when John the Beloved lived to be an old man—long your mother stopped what she was doing to listen to you enough to take good care of Mary all the days of her life. pour out your burdens? Maybe somebody you were dating Even as He hung dying on the cross, Jesus demonstrated stood you up, a friend didn’t invite you to a party, or you His love toward His mother, making provision for her care didn’t make the basketball team. What did your mother do? in His absence. The older a mother gets, the more she needs She put her arm around you and encouraged you. She to know that her children still love her. How can you show listened. Sometimes our mothers long for someone to talk love to your mother? to. One of the sweetest ways you can express love toward 1) Love her verbally. When you tell your mother your mother is to listen to her. A lot of mothers suppress that you love her, it is important to be specific. Tell her why fears, anxieties, frustrations, and inner torments because and how you love her. Express some of the qualities for they don’t want to worry their children. In fact, there are no which you love her, like the fact that you enjoy the meals parents who never have fears, heartaches, or burdens. In her she prepares or you appreciate how dependable she is. later years, she may face troubles more intense than When you stop and think about all the things your mother anything she has helped you overcome in your own life. It does to serve her household, you will find plenty of is important to keep the door of communication open so examples. that our mothers can express their fears when necessary. 2) Love her physically. Your mother was the first 5) Love her gratefully. Think for a moment about person to touch you. Before you were born, she wrapped all the things that your mother has done for you over the you in her womb. After you came into the world, she years. How many meals did she prepare for you while you tickled the bottoms of your feet and made you laugh. She lived at home? How many boxes of cereal did she buy? You kissed your cheeks in the middle of the night and held your wanted Corn Flakes, so she bought that. You switched to little hands when they were soft and tender. She also Lucky Charms, so she bought that. She asked you how you changed your diapers, tied your shoelaces, combed your liked your eggs—fried, scrambled, or poached. Mothers hair, and buttoned your shirts. She touched you constantly never bring these things to our attention. They just make during all those years when you needed the security of her their trips to the grocery store and stand in line with their touch. When her primary duties as a mother have expired, carts full of food because they love us. If we begin to she will need to know that she is still needed. She will need enumerate all the little things that our mothers have done your touch. throughout the years, we will realize that we owe them an 3) Love her patiently. Moms have big jobs. There enormous debt of gratitude. likely is no corporate responsibility that rivals motherhood 6) Love her tenderly. A mother sometimes needs when it comes to physical, emotional, and spiritual acceptance and understanding rather than a lot of advice. commitment. It is easy to become impatient with our Her actions may seem strange, but when you love mothers when they don’t do things the way we want them somebody, you accept her just as she is. Maybe it’s to. Sometimes they are late to appointments, prepare meals something she can’t help. Maybe she doesn’t understand Page 6 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version her own emotions. Don’t judge your mother—just tenderly love. If He can forgive us despite our failures, surely we can love her, and accept that she’s going through a difficult do the same for our mothers. time. The best mark of what kind of kids we are is how we 9) Love her cheerfully. What comes to your respond to our moms when they are going through mother’s mind when she thinks about you? Does she smile hardship. or frown? Is she encouraged or burdened? The next time 7) Love her generously. Is anything too good for you visit your mother, encourage her, laugh with her, and your mother? When you think about all the things she has do your best to make her happy. In doing so, you will show done for you, could you ever do enough to repay her? More her how you genuinely feel toward her. than likely your mother sacrificed so that you could wear 10) Love her honorably. “Honor your father and the clothes you wore. When she went to the store to buy your mother that your days may be long upon the earth” herself a dress, she made sure that you had the best she (Ex. 20:12). It is the only one of the 10 Commandments could afford first. What was left over, she spent on herself. with a built-in promise for blessing. It doesn’t matter what Mothers do this every day with their time and energy, your vocation is in life, how many people know you, or the canceling appointments or forfeiting opportunities to take amount of money you earn. When you live the kind of life their children to sports practice or friends’ houses. How can that honors your mother, she will be proud of you. we be stingy toward our mothers when they have been so How do you love your mother? You love her with unselfish, loving, and generous toward us? all of your heart. You demonstrate your love to her in a way 8) Love her forgivingly. Perhaps you do not have a that makes her grateful for every moment of time she harmonious relationship with your mother. You may be invested in you, every penny she sacrificed for you, and resentful and bitter toward her. Whatever has happened every experience she provided that helped you become the between you, you have a responsibility before God to person you are. Whoever you are, you owe a great deal to forgive her. Maybe there is no excuse for her sins; however, your mother. when we do not forgive we cannot love. And God tells us to In Touch Magazine, May 2002 issue. Used with permission.

______Exegetically Speaking—by Spiros Zodhiates

God, the Source of Good James 1:17a

From Faith, Love & Hope: An Exposition of the Epistle of James, AMG Publishers, 1997.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from There is a legend told of an ancient kingdom whose above” (James 1:17a). sovereign had just died, and whose ambassadors were sent After James clears God of all responsibility as far to choose a successor from twin infants. They found the as the desire to do evil in man is concerned, he makes a little fellows fast asleep, and looking at them carefully very significant statement regarding the counterpart of evil agreed that it was difficult to decide, until they happened to —good. He says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is notice one curious small difference between them. As they from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, lay, one infant had his tiny fists closed tight, the other slept with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” with his little hands wide open. Instantly they made their The words translated “gift” are not the same in selection of the latter; and sure enough, the legend very Greek. There is a definite distinction between the two properly concludes with the record that, as he grew up in Greek words. The first one, dósis, means “the act of his station, he came to be known as the King with the Open giving,” and the second one, dōrēma, the “result of that act, Hand. We could say the same thing of our God. His hand is the gift itself.” Dósis comes from the verb dídomi, which in always open to give. its original sense means “to give, to present,” with the There is, however, a characterization of His giving. implied idea of giving freely. It is “good,” James says. The word in the original Greek is James wants us here to have a glimpse into the agathē. The word “good,” of course, has such a wide character of God. Before we fix our attention on the gift, he meaning that we are likely to misunderstand God’s activity wants us to look at the Giver and know His nature and His in our lives. What is good giving? The Greek word in early action toward us. Why does the sun shine? Because it is its times, when referring to persons, meant “gentle, noble,” nature to do so. Why does God give and so freely at that? with special application to birth and rank. This gives us to Because it is His nature to do so. Page 7 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version understand that God’s giving is good, is noble, is gentle in of better ways in which God could enrich us with His its generation, in its origin, in its birth. benefits. But James, by virtue of this word he uses, declares All things that God created are good in themselves. that we are mistaken, that we are not capable of improving Good can, however, become evil, as it reaches the hands of on God’s manner of giving. Is this not a meaningful lesson sinful man and is misused. That, nevertheless, does not rob and one that should induce complete satisfaction with His it of its goodness of origin. What would we do without a dealings with us? knife at home? It is a most useful instrument. But it can After James has spoken of God’s way of giving, he become deadly if it is misused, if instead of peeling proceeds to tell us something of the gift itself. He says that potatoes it takes the life of an innocent child. We do not the result, the gift, the dōrēma that comes from God, is arrest the maker of the knife, or imprison the knife itself, perfect. The word “perfect” in the original Greek is téleion but we punish the user of it who used it in an evil, sinful which, as I mentioned in a previous study, comes from the manner. And sin, as you may know, means nothing more root word télos, meaning “the end, the purpose, the result, than missing the mark, the goal, its intended use. Thus the fulfillment, the completion, the consummation.” That good, noble giving may prove to be evil when handled which God gives has a purpose, has a goal. wrongly by the recipient. Now remember what James said in verse 4 of this The first trick which Satan used against God was an chapter, that we should be made perfect. In other words, all insinuation against God’s goodness and generosity. “Can it of God’s gifts have as their end the accomplishment of be possible,” said the serpent in substance, “that your God God’s purpose in our lives, and that is perfection. God is has shut off a part of the garden from you and commanded not interested so much in what we think of the gifts that that you shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” In other reach us, but what they will accomplish in us. words, God could not have created anything that is not for I like spaghetti very much, but I have a tendency to the enjoyment of man, for if that were so, then He could be put on weight easily, and that is not the best thing for me. accused of having created evil. Unfortunately, Eve fell for But spaghetti is good for a thin person who needs to add a Satan’s lie, as so many of us do. James in verse 17 gives the few pounds to his weight. Spaghetti is God’s gift, and for answer, a most important theological statement, that God my thin brother it proves the perfect food, but for me it does has created nothing that is evil in itself; all of God’s not. creation is good and noble, but He has at the same time Similarly the perfection of God’s gifts ought to be created certain restrictions as to the use of His good giving. judged by what they accomplish in us. Are affliction, Once you get out of those boundaries of God’s prescribed illness, adverse circumstances, financial straits, God’s use, you are likely to harm yourself instead of benefiting perfect gifts for us, His children? Of course they are, from God’s giving. I wonder whether there is anything because of the net results that they will produce in us. Is it which God made which does not have some useful purpose. not wonderful to know that God never makes a mistake in I doubt it very much. That is the declaration given by His giving? He gives you just as much money as you need James: “Every act of God’s giving is noble in its origin.” for the perfection of your character, no more and no less. That adjective, agathē, describing God’s giving, You remember how the Apostle Paul was caught up also implies a blessing, a benefit. The axiom enunciated is to the third heaven and heard unutterable things. This was a that not only is every creation of God noble in itself, but it gift of God. But God, knowing that there might be a little is beneficial for the recipient, as long as that creation is puffing up of Paul’s ego as a result of this, gave him a within the boundary of his enjoyment. Do not forget that counterbalancing gift, “a thorn in the flesh.” Paul doubted God did not merely create things, but He also created laws the goodness of God in the second gift and asked Him to regulating things both physical and spiritual, things material take it away. God, however, answered saying: “My grace is and immaterial. He made the grass for certain animals and sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in flesh for other animals. Those laws must be obeyed if weakness” (the same Greek word). God’s creation is to benefit from His creation. What is a perfect gift, then? That which makes you I want to call your attention further to a very and me perfect, even as He is perfect; and remember that significant observation concerning this word agathē, the Captain of our salvation was made “perfect through “good,” characterizing God’s giving. The word has no sufferings” (Heb. 2:10). regular degrees of comparison. There is no “gooder” and We have spoken of God’s giving, that it is good, “goodest,” as my little daughter used to say. This might and of the result, the gift, and its consummation in us, imply that there is no possible improvement on God’s which is perfection. What a debt we owe to God. giving. What He gives is the highest and the best, the most Everything we touch, or feel, or see, or hear—everything is profitable for man. The way He gives is also the very best. a gift. We did not make it; we did not buy it; we did not Do not think for one moment, child of God, that you can deserve it. So you and I should gratefully say, “Thank You, ever improve on it. So many times we seem to indicate by Lord.” our actions and our reception of God’s gifts that we know Page 8 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Spiros Zodhiates (1922-2009) served as president of AMG of Pulpit Helps Magazine (Disciple’s predecessor), and International for over 40 years, was the founding editor authored dozens of exegetical books.

______Words to Stand You on Your Feet—by Joe McKeever

When to Submit, When to Insist

“Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ” Pastor Dan has simply loved the people, he said, (Eph. 5:21). and he has stayed by the changes that needed to be made. I leaned over to my grandson in church the other What changes? They reverted to mission status and put day and whispered, “I remember when Brother Ken brought themselves under the authority of a larger healthy church in the drum set into the church. Some almost died. Now look.” the area. They changed the name of the church in an On the platform was the usual dozen or so musicians— attempt to shed the old image and dysfunctional reputation. pianist, keyboard, several guitars, two or three drummers, As these and other changes were brought in, the old-timers one violin, a couple of horns, and this time, for a special quietly slipped away. emphasis, a mandolin and banjo. The music was great. “I’ve tried to honor them,” Dan said. “For one, I What I thought was, “What if we had given in to bought a plaque of appreciation and took to his house. the critics? What if Dr. Ken Gabrielse—now the dean of the Bought it out of my own pocket.” Someone who knew that Warren Angell School of Fine Arts at Oklahoma Baptist fellow said, “Pastor, you sure go to a lot of trouble to honor University—and I had feared the criticism and buckled?” a guy who hates you.” There are times when church leaders need to pay I said, “Don’t weep over those who left. It appears attention to the criticism, and times to ignore it. Knowing they’re the ones who kept the church back all those years. “what time it is” is the hard part. For God’s children, that’s Keep your focus on the Lord.” Knowing when to pursue a a function of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is the Great departing church member and when to let them go—that’s a Time-Teller. toughie. Only the Holy Spirit can show you. Ask Him. Note: I am not saying that having more musical Some years ago a local pastor called to say three of instruments in church is necessarily better or godlier than my members had been in his services the day before. limiting the accompaniment to a piano and organ. But for “These are your people, Joe,” he said. “I don’t want to take us at that time, it was a giant step forward. We could have your members.” I said, “My friend, they have been unhappy submitted before the fears of the naysayers, but where’s the from the first day I arrived. If they can worship God at your faith in that? By putting the welfare of the greater church church, I wish them well.” To this day, those three are ahead of the criticism of the few, we blessed everyone, happily serving the Lord in that church. On those rare including those who griped (which is to say, they managed occasions we bump into each other in town, we greet each to get past their complaining and to love the full other warmly. It’s all good. instrumentation). Sometimes we submit to the person with a gripe A young pastor sat in my office recently to bring and a complaint; at other times we insist that the course me “up to speed” about his ministry. He reminded me that we’re on is right and we will go forward. If there is a set of “two and a half years ago I sat in this room with you rules to know when to do either, I’ve never heard of it. This wondering whether I could pastor a church.” That is one of many reasons the Lord indwells us with the Spirit. congregation had dwindled to 16 by the time Dan took the We will be needing guidance in situations that do not fit leadership. These days, he says, they’re running 50. any rule book. When does a pastor submit to the complaints “However,” he said, “not a single one of the original 16 of some in the congregation? Here are just a few of my have remained. They’ve all left.” observations from experience. That happens. Knowing the background of that 1) When the complainers are among your most church, I assured him that their leaving was not a bad thing. faithful members. They have earned the right to be heard. A Over the last quarter of a century, I’ve seen a succession of wise leader will listen to them and take their concerns to pastors eventually throw up their hands and leave. The heart. 2) When the Spirit within him is making it clear that building and grounds are attractive and the neighborhood everything is not as it should be. The wise leader will stop appears prosperous. Originally, I thought that if the right and bring in his best advisors and reconsider what is pastor came, that church would do well. What I had not happening. 3) When he’s outvoted. Seriously, if the known, however, was the tight control a few people were congregation has shown by an actual vote that the pastor’s exercising on their pastors—a death grip. plan is not acceptable, he needs to recognize that something is amiss. Either he has a bad plan or has sold it poorly or the Page 9 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version congregation is rebelling. In any case, if the pastor within the congregation. A wise leader—a faithful, loving proceeds, he’s going to get mighty lonely. It’s time to shepherd—is always aware of the mood of the flock. regroup with his best counselors and godliest leadership and Otherwise, how can he lead them? decide where to go next. Sometimes people rebel because the plan is Joe McKeever is a retired Southern Baptist pastor from unacceptable. At other times, they are registering a general New Orleans, Louisiana. He blogs regularly at unhappiness with either the leadership or the state of affairs www.joemckeever.com.

______Living out the Living Word—by Justin Lonas

The Example of Jonah Jonah 4

At last we come to the great “showdown” of this does not understand God on His own terms. How often, if story—when Jonah finally speaks honestly with God and, we are frank, do we act as though we have earned His favor in spite of his rage and despair, the Lord teaches him by our righteousness, and long for His justice to be done to graciously yet again who is sovereign and just. others who fail to meet our standard? Jonah, in spite of Jonah (after taking a rather, shall we say, circuitous what he has been given just in this small slice of his life route) obeyed God, delivering a fiery warning of coming recorded here, still failed (as we all so often do) to see that judgment to the people of Nineveh. To his surprise, they God’s mercy and lovingkindness are His free gifts—that listened and repented, and, “When God saw their deeds, none of us is deserving of anything but His wrath. We love that they turned from their wicked way, then God relented the idea of a just and all-powerful God more than we love concerning the calamity which He had declared He would God Himself. bring upon them. And He did not do it” (3:10). In his prayer, we also see that God indeed desires Far from the reaction you might expect after what that we cast our cares on Him. To paraphrase Calvin’s looks like a “successful” delivery of his prophetic message, commentary on this passage, a bad prayer is still a prayer. Jonah reflected bitterly on Nineveh’s repentance: “But it Jonah is whining and grumbling against the Lord, but he is greatly displeased Jonah and he became angry” (4:1). In at least complaining in the right direction. When we do not his grief and anger, Jonah cried out to the Lord: “He prayed understand the Lord’s ways, or when we are wrestling with to the Lord and said, ‘Please Lord, was not this what I said how His plan differs from ours, it is by far the better part to while I was still in my own country? Therefore in order to cry out to Him in our anxiety than to attempt to solve things forestall this I fled to Tarshish, for I knew that You are a on our own. Jonah’s second choice (to pour out his anger gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and toward God after obedience) is to be preferred to his first abundant in lovingkindness, and one who relents choice (to flee from God altogether). As the rest of the concerning calamity. Therefore now, O Lord, please take chapter shows, God deals patiently with Jonah, not my life from me, for death is better to me than life’” (4:2-3). answering him according to his folly, but orchestrating a Here he reveals his motives for fleeing the Lord in chastising illustration to correct him. the first place. Because he knew the Lord’s character (the First, God challenges Jonah: “The Lord said, ‘Do phrase, “compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant you have good reason to be angry?’” (4:4). One thing is in lovingkindness,” appears numerous times in the Old always certain when the Lord begins questioning you—you Testament), Jonah did not want to obey. He knew that God are about to be disabused of any notions of self- was sending him to proclaim judgment on Nineveh so the righteousness and are well on your way to humiliation (see city would have opportunity to repent and be spared His Job 38-41). Jonah, it seems, was still not in a position to wrath, and he wanted no part in it. He had wished for recognize this, for, after the Lord so quickly answers his judgment, for God’s righteousness and power to be prayer by returning this question, Jonah is silent. He doesn’t displayed and Israel’s unique enjoyment of His favor to be engage with the Lord, choosing instead to avoid the preserved by a blast from heaven. Instead, the Lord had question and insisting (by his actions) that the Lord see mercy, protecting idolatrous, uncircumcised pagans from things his way instead: “Then Jonah went out from the city receiving the due reward of their sin at that time. and sat east of it. There he made a shelter for himself and His sinful yet authentic prayer has much to tell us sat under it in the shade until he could see what would about our own hearts and our own views of God’s ways. happen in the city” (4:5). That Jonah would rather die than to witness this result is Knowing that Jonah was still not willing to learn, telling—he claims to know the Lord’s nature, but clearly God played on his pouting to build to the lesson: “So the Page 10 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Lord God appointed a plant and it grew up over Jonah to His plan to redeem men from every tribe, tongue, and be a shade over his head to deliver him from his nation through Christ’s coming sacrifice. As God discomfort. And Jonah was extremely happy about the proclaimed to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I will plant” (4:6). Even in light of Jonah’s decision to wait out have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will the forty days to “see what would happen in the city,” God have compassion” (Ex. 33:19). Jonah is an excellent case in provides a comfort for him—showing him the unmerited point, brought to piercing climax in chapter four—all of us provision he provides so freely to all of sinful humanity, have received His unmerited favor simply in remaining causing “His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and alive and able to repent, as God in His infinite holiness send[ing] rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matt. owes us nothing. 5:45). As we’ve also alluded to, it seems that Jonah did The stage now set, the Lord finishes the illustration: finally comprehend the lessons of this story—the very “But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day existence of the text (which, given the level of detail and and it attacked the plant and it withered. When the sun understanding of inner motives, Jonah must have recorded came up God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun himself) is the best argument for this. Of course, as Paul beat down on Jonah’s head so that he became faint and wrote of the Israelites, “these things happened to them as begged with all his soul to die, saying, ‘Death is better to an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon me than life’” (4:7-8). The Lord gave Jonah’s comfort and whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Cor. 10:11). So the Lord took it away. In yet another exercise in missing the we would do well to study this story and to prayerfully seek point, Jonah wallows in sun-baked agony and reiterates his the Lord’s wisdom in applying its truths to our lives as well. plea for death. “Then God said to Jonah, ‘Do you have If we learn nothing else, let it be that we ought always to good reason to be angry about the plant?’ And he said, ‘I listen to and obey the Lord, even (perhaps especially) when have good reason to be angry, even to death.’” (4:9). Jonah to do so grates against our deepest desires. still bitterly clings to entitlement, writhing with fury at the Like Jonah, we too often look on those outside the Lord’s action. faith as our enemies, forgetting a) that they have been Finally, the Lord moves to bring the lesson home to deceived just as we once were and b) that the Lord’s favor Jonah: “Then the Lord said, ‘You had compassion on the is a gift to both them and us. We ought to grieve with the plant for which you did not work and which you did not Lord that blasphemy against His name endures and cause to grow, which came up overnight and perished flourishes in the world, and pray and work fervently to overnight. Should I not have compassion on Nineveh, the “proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out great city in which there are more than 120,000 persons of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). Instead who do not know the difference between their right and left we rush to appoint ourselves judges over the nations, hand, as well as many animals?’” (4:10-11). Just as Nathan upholding God’s lawful standards and forgetting the Gospel confronted David about his sin with Bathsheba against message of His grace and mercy. The world absolutely Uriah by telling a story, so God acted out a parable for needs to repent from its evil ways, but we must remember Jonah. Here, He interprets it, and the message is clear that with repentance comes forgiveness: “He has not dealt —“you cared more for this plant than for those I’ve created with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according of infinitely greater worth who bear My image.” to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the Though they were vile sinners, the people of earth, so great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Nineveh, who lived in ignorance of God’s truth and His Him” (Ps. 103:10-11). ways (the 120,000 figure seems, according to To close, it would be difficult to sum up this story archaeological records, to point to the entire population of better than John Calvin did in his commentary some 450 the city, not a subset of children or mentally incapacitated years ago: “Let us learn by the example of Jonah not to people), yet He had mercy on them. The Lord even measure God’s judgments by our own wisdom, but to wait mentions the city’s livestock as objects of mercy, as a way until he turns darkness into light. And at the same time, let of pointing out Jonah’s folly in weeping over something as us learn to obey his commands, to follow his call without lowly as a plant. If the times and seasons of a gourd vine any disputing: though heaven and earth oppose us, though are appointed by the Lord, how much more the nations? many things occur which may tend to avert us from the Here ends the story. The book itself offers no right course, let us yet continue in this resolution—that interpretation of the events and no further narration about nothing is better for us than to obey God, and to go on in what happened to Jonah next. What was the message, and the way which he points out to us.” did he get it? As we’ve endeavored to show in these few columns, the point of God’s work in this story is to Justin Lonas is editor of Disciple Magazine for AMG showcase His sovereignty and His mercy, and to prefigure International in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Page 11 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

______Following God—by Erik Christensen

Grace According to the Measure Ephesians 4:7-10

Starting in chapter four, Paul has transitioned his quoting from Psalm 68 concerning a King’s victory. The focus for the Ephesian believers from being “in Christ” to key here is that Christ gives gifts because He is the now “walk[ing] in a manner worthy of the calling with Conquering Victor. The Lord has the right to give gifts of which you have been called.” In this first part of chapter grace because He is victorious. four, Paul deals directly with the all-important issues of Paul introduces a very vivid description of the unity and love. As believers we are to walk in a manner ascension of the Lord in victory. After the crucifixion of worthy which, according to Paul’s focus, is based first and Christ, the Lord is said to have descended into the “lower foremost upon our walk with Christ. As a result, the unity parts of the earth.” Clearly the Lord after his physical death and love we have with one another are preserved. did several things. First of all, He proclaimed victory to In verse 7, Paul declares: “But to each one of us those who did not believe in Him and are presently in grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” waiting for the final judgment. Peter tell us in 1 Peter 3:18- He has declared that we are one, emphasizing the unity of 20 that the Lord “made proclamation,” meaning to proclaim the Body of Christ and our oneness together. Now Paul victory, to the “spirits now in prison.” Many see this prison emphasizes our individuality within the Body of Christ. As as the section of Hades where unbelievers are being held believers we do not lose our personalities or the uniqueness awaiting the final judgment. The story of the rich man and of who we are. In fact, we are each given grace according to Lazarus in Luke 16 gives us insight into this. the “measure”, the weighing out, “of Christ’s gift.” There is Secondly, the Lord brought those who had believed a “Body life” experience as we are one in Christ, while at in the salvation He would provide as the Lamb (and who the same time we are unique individuals within the Body. were waiting for His coming), into the heavens, taking them We are one Body, having one Spirit, one hope, one out of Paradise. Paradise, we think, is the part of Hades that Lord, and faith, etc. (4:4-6). Our foundation is Christ and was not a place of suffering—sometimes referred to in the salvation He provides by grace through faith. Paul now Scripture as “Abraham’s bosom”. takes a step into that grace and speaks on the issue of the Thirdly, the Lord, in ascending into heaven passed grace which the Lord gives in measure on an individual through the “heavens” making a public display of the basis regarding Christian living. “rulers and authorities,” the satanic forces, having The context here is verse 12 and following, where triumphed over them. (Heb. 4:14 and Col. 2:13-15). Paul writes about apostles, prophets and other “graced”, In referring to this, Paul emphasizes the great gifted men, given to the Church. Paul begins to speak on victory that the Lord has accomplished through His death the issue of gifts which are a direct result of grace. God’s on the cross and His right to give gifts of grace to men grace is clearly salvific—all of us as believers come out of because of His triumph over death and the satanic forces of the same well of grace. Yet grace is also transformative, as evil. each individual one of us has a unique experience of Grace. As believers each one of us has been given a W. Robertson Nicoll, in the Expositor’s Greek measure of grace by the Lord. The grace that has been Testament, explains as follows: “Each gets the grace which given us is for the purpose of serving the Body of Christ, Christ has to give, and each gets it in the proportion in the church, preserving the unity that we have with one which the Giver is pleased to bestow it; one having it in another, and ultimately for the building up of the Body of larger measure and another in smaller, but each getting it Christ in love. God’s ways are higher than ours, and His from the same Hand and with the same purpose.” grace to each one of us is sufficient in the midst of our Why this gifting of each individual with a special lives. As we follow Him, are we walking in His measure of God’s grace? Contextually, we see that it is for empowering grace enjoying the fellowship we have with the unity of the Body of Christ and the building up of that the Lord and with each other? Body in love. Does Christ have the authority to give gifts of Erik Christensen is senior pastor of Hoffmantown Church grace? Paul takes an interesting turn in verses 8 and 9, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. ______Points to Ponder—by David L. Olford Page 12 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

The Reality of Resurrection

Text: “For I delivered to you as of first importance But the error at Corinth was not just the denial of what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in Christ’s resurrection. It was the denial of any resurrection accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he of anyone. So, Paul moves on to indicate that Christ was the was raised on the third day in accordance with the “firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (15:20). This is Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the part of God’s plan of salvation—all die in Adam and all in twelve…” Christ will be made alive. The believer is to be resurrected Thought: The Apostle Paul’s thorough presentation as well “at [Christ’s] coming” (15:23). Paul’s statement that concerning Christ’s resurrection and the resurrection of the “the last enemy to be destroyed is death” (15:26) will be believer was prompted by some in Corinth who denied that celebrated again when he reaches the climax of his defense. there was any resurrection for anyone. The Apostle’s classic After some further discussion, the Apostle answers presentation concerning the reality of the resurrection questions that relate to the resurrection of the believer: proceeds as follows. “‘How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they have” (15:35). Paul answers these questions carefully I. Gospel Declaration of the Resurrection—Affirming giving various descriptions and comparisons to explain the Christ’s Resurrection (15:1-11) nature of the resurrected body. Glorious, imperishable, In 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, the Apostle reminds his immortal, spiritual, and bearing “the image of the man of readers of the Gospel that he preached in Corinth. This heaven” are some of the characteristics of this resurrected Gospel did not originate with Paul. He received it himself body (15:42-49). Paul climaxes his presentation with words and passed it on to the Corinthians. This emphasizes the of celebration and victory (15:50-57). truthfulness and the authority of the Gospel. This is the Yes, the believer will have a resurrection body, but Gospel the Corinthians “received” and the Gospel that it will be transformed because “flesh and blood cannot saves them, and the Gospel they must hold fast to as the inherit the kingdom of God…” (15:50). There will be an Gospel truth they believe. instantaneous transformation for all, whether alive or dead, Paul presents here the core of this Gospel, when the last trumpet sounds. Death is to be totally and indicating that the resurrection of Christ is a fundamental finally conquered in conjunction with sin’s effects and the aspect of this Gospel. The Scriptures provide the condemnation of the law. This speaks of total victory framework for this Gospel of the death, burial, resurrection through Christ’s death and resurrection. And the victory of and appearances of Jesus. Just as the burial confirms the Christ is a victory given to the Christian as well. death (for our sins), the appearances confirm the actual resurrection of Jesus. Verses 5-8 are devoted to various III. The Practical Dynamic of the Resurrection (15:57- appearances of the resurrected Christ, which confirm the 58) reality of the resurrection. The certainty of the resurrection The Christian is to live in the light of the victory of receives special emphasis by Paul here in the light of the Christ. As we have noted, this is a victory that is given to error that Paul is going to address. He then adds personal the believer to experience and enjoy. Paul wants every one remarks concerning his own role as one included in the of his readers to live with the certainty of resurrection, and witnesses to the appearances of Jesus (vs. 9-11). Paul’s the certainty of the complete conquering of the “sting” of restatement of the core of the Gospel provides the death. authoritative basis for believing in Christ’s resurrection. Paul concludes this passage with a clear word of encouragement and exhortation. The Christian’s victory due II. Logical Defense of the Resurrection—Explaining the to the resurrection should lead to tstability. The believer is Christian’s Resurrection (15:12-57) to be “steadfast” and “immovable.” False ideas or Then, Paul carefully and progressively confronts teachings, such as the idea that there is no resurrection, the error circulating in Corinth and answers questions should not cause believers to be shaken in their faith. arising out of his defense of the resurrection. Paul honestly Furthermore, this stability should be matched by abundant admits that it would be a very serious problem if this error ministry. The phrase “always abounding” speaks of a (no resurrection) was true, but the Apostle states consistent overflow of activity in Christian service. And the emphatically, “but in fact Christ has been raised from the call is to be involved in the work “of the Lord,” not just for dead” (15:20). He has already given the evidence for this the Lord. “fact” in his presentation of the core of the Gospel, and Paul The importance of the last clause cannot be wipes away all the possible problems associated with this overemphasized, “knowing that in the Lord your labor is error by simply affirming that Christ’s resurrection took not in vain” (15:58). It is this “knowing” that makes all the place, period. difference. It is the knowledge of victory that leads to Page 13 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version stability and abundant ministry. The practical dynamic of the knowledge of the resurrection is that such knowledge is David L. Olford teaches expository preaching at Union the foundation for Christian belief and service. University’s Stephen Olford Center in Memphis, Thrust: “Thanks be to God, who gives us the Tennessee. victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (15:57). ______Jewels from Past Giants

The Method of Grace—Part 2 of 2 By George Whitefield

Editor’s Note: Originally delivered by Whitefield After we are renewed, yet we are renewed but in as a sermon, this version was published as a selection in part, indwelling sin continues in us, there is a mixture of The World’s Great Sermons in 1908. Edited for length and corruption in every one of our duties, so that after we are modern spellings. converted, were Jesus Christ only to accept us according to our works, our works would damn us, for we cannot put up “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of a prayer but it is far from that perfection which the moral my people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace;’ when there is no law requires. I do not know what you may think, but I can peace” (Jer. 6:14) say that I cannot pray but I sin—I cannot preach to you or Further before you can speak peace to your any others but I sin—I can do nothing without sin; and, as hearts you must not only be troubled for the sins of your one expresses it, my repentance wants to be repented of, life, the sins of your nature, but likewise for the sins of your and my tears to be washed in the precious blood of my dear best duties and performances. Redeemer. When a poor soul is somewhat awakened by the Our best duties are so many splendid sins. Before terrors of the Lord, then the poor creature, being born under you can speak peace to your heart you must not only be sick the covenant of works, flies directly to a covenant of works of your original and actual sin, but you must be made sick again. And as Adam and Eve hid themselves among the of your righteousness, of all your duties and performances. trees of the garden and sewed fig leaves together to cover There must be a deep conviction before you can be brought their nakedness, so the poor sinner when awakened flies to out of your self-righteousness; it is the last idol taken out of his duties and to his performances, to hide himself from our heart. The pride of our heart will not let us submit to the God, and goes to patch up a righteousness of his own. righteousness of Jesus Christ. But if you never felt that you Says he, “I will be mighty good now—I will reform had no righteousness of your own, if you never felt the —I will do all I can; and then certainly Jesus Christ will deficiency of your own righteousness, you cannot come to have mercy on me.” But before you can speak peace to your Jesus Christ. heart you must be brought to see that God may damn you There are a great many now who may say, “Well, for the best prayer you ever put up; you must be brought to we believe all this; but there is a great difference betwixt see that all your duties—all your righteousness—put them talking and feeling.” Did you ever feel the want of a dear all together, are so far from recommending you to God, are Redeemer? Did you ever feel the want of Jesus Christ upon so far from being any motive and inducement to God to the account of the deficiency of your own righteousness? have mercy on your poor soul, that He will see them to be And can you now say from your heart “Lord, you may filthy rags. God hates them, and cannot accept them, if you justly damn me for the best duties that ever I did perform?” bring them to Him in order to recommend you to His favor. If you are not thus brought out of self, you may speak peace My dear friends, what is there in our performance to yourselves, but yet there is no peace. to recommend us unto God? Our persons are in an But then, before you can speak peace to your souls, unjustified state by nature; we deserve to be damned ten there is one particular sin you must be greatly troubled for, thousand times over; and what must our performance be? and yet I fear there are few of you think what it is; it is the We can do no good thing by nature: “They that are in the reigning, the damning sin of the Christian world, and yet flesh cannot please God” (Rom. 8:8). the Christian world seldom or never think of it. And pray You may do things materially good, but you cannot what is that? do a thing formally and rightly good; because nature cannot It is what most of you think you are not guilty of— act above itself. It is impossible that a man who is and that is, the sin of unbelief. Before you can speak peace unconverted can act for the glory of God; he cannot do to your heart; you must be troubled for the unbelief of your anything in faith, and “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” heart. But can it be supposed that any of you are (Rom. 14:23). unbelievers here in this churchyard that are born in Page 14 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Scotland, in a reformed country, that go to church every (John 16:8), of the sin of unbelief because they believe not Sabbath? Can any of you that receive the sacrament once a on Him. year—oh, that it were administered oftener!—can it be Now my dear friends, did God ever show you that supposed that you who had tokens for the sacrament, that you had no faith? Were you ever made to bewail a hard you who keep up family prayer, that any of you do not heart of unbelief? Was it ever the language of your heart, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? “Lord, give me faith; Lord, enable me to lay hold on Thee; I appeal to your own hearts, if you would not think Lord, enable me to call Thee my Lord and my God?” Did me uncharitable, if I doubted whether any of you believed Jesus Christ ever convince you in this manner? Did he ever in Christ: and yet, I fear upon examination we should find convince you of your inability to close with Christ, and that most of you have not so much faith in the Lord Jesus make you to cry out to God to give you faith? If not, do not Christ as the devil himself. I am persuaded that the devil speak peace to your heart. May the Lord awaken you and believes more of the Bible than most of us do. He believes give you true, solid peace before you go hence and be no the divinity of Jesus Christ; that is more than many who call more! themselves Christians do; nay, he believes and trembles, Once more, then: before you can speak peace to and that is more than thousands amongst us do. your heart, you must not only be convinced of your actual My friends, we mistake a historical faith for a true and original sin, the sins of your own righteousness, the sin faith wrought in the heart by the Spirit of God. You fancy of unbelief but you must be enabled to lay hold upon the you believe because you believe there is such a book as we perfect righteousness, the all-sufficient righteousness, of the call the Bible—because you go to church; all this you may Lord Jesus Christ; you must lay hold by faith on the do and have no true faith in Christ. Merely to believe there righteousness of Jesus Christ, and then you shall have was such a person as Christ, merely to believe there is a peace. “Come,” says Jesus, “unto me, all ye that are weary book called the Bible, will do you no good, more than to and heavy laden and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). believe there was such a man as Caesar or Alexander the This speaks encouragement to all that are weary Great. The Bible is a sacred depository. What thanks have and heavy laden; but the promise of rest is made to them we to give to God for these lively oracles! But yet we may only upon their coming and believing, and taking Him to be have these and not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. their God and their all. Before we can ever have peace with My dear friends, there must be a principle wrought God we must be justified by faith through our Lord Jesus in the heart by the Spirit of the living God. Did I ask you Christ we must be enabled to apply Christ to our hearts, we how long it is since you believed in Jesus Christ, I suppose must have Christ brought home to our soul, so as His most of you would tell me you believed in Jesus Christ as righteousness may be made our righteousness, so as His long as ever you remember—you never did misbelieve. merits may be imputed to our souls. My dear friends, were Then, you could not give me a better proof that you never you ever married to Jesus Christ? Did Jesus Christ ever give yet believed in Jesus Christ, unless you were sanctified Himself to you? Did you ever close with Christ by a lively early, as from the womb; for they that otherwise believe in faith, so as to feel Christ in your hearts, so as to hear Him Christ know there was a time when they did not believe in speaking peace to your souls? Did peace ever flow in upon Jesus Christ. your hearts like a river? Did you ever feel that peace that You say you love God with all your heart, soul, and Christ spoke to His disciples? I pray God He may come and strength. If I were to ask you how long it is since you loved speak peace to you. These things you must experience. God, you would say, “As long as you can remember;” you I am now talking of the invisible realities of another never hated God, you know no time when there was enmity world, of inward religion of the work of God upon a poor in your heart against God. Then, unless you were sanctified sinner’s heart. I am now talking of a matter of great very early, you never loved God in your life. importance, my dear hearers; you are all concerned in it, My dear friends, I am more particular in this, your souls are concerned in it, your eternal salvation is because it is a most deceitful delusion, whereby so many concerned in it. You may be all at peace, but perhaps the people are carried away, that they believe already. devil has lulled you asleep into a carnal lethargy and Therefore it is remarked of Mr. Marshall, giving account of security, and will endeavor to keep you there till he gets his experiences, that he had been working for life, and he you to hell, and there you will be awakened; but it will be had ranged all his sins under the Ten Commandments, and dreadful to be awakened and find yourselves so fearfully then, coming to a minister, asked him the reason why he mistaken when the great gulf is fixed, when you will be could not get peace. The minister looked to his catalog. calling to all eternity for a drop of water to cool your tongue “Away,” says he, “I do not find one word of the sin of and shall not obtain it. unbelief in all your catalog.” It is the peculiar work of the Spirit of God to convince us of our unbelief—that we have George Whitefield (1714-1770) was an Anglican minister got no faith. Says Jesus Christ, “I will send the comforter; and evangelist best known for his open-air preaching. It was and when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin” said that he could be heard unamplified by crowds of up to Page 15 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

20,000. His preaching in the British American colonies movements of history. He continued to preach and serve in during the 1730s and 40s helped spark the Great churches in both Britain and the colonies until his death. Awakening, one of the most profound evangelical ______Counselor’s Corner—by James Rudy Gray

Choosing a Christian Counselor

Counseling is a word full of many meanings. There counselors. There are several Christian professional are hundreds of counseling theories and at least 250 types organizations a Christian counselor could join: American of psychology. People spend both time and money seeking Association of Christian Counselors (the largest in the help for the issues that affect them. Christian counseling or world), American Association of Pastoral Counselors, Biblical counseling also has a variety of meanings. The Evangelical Pastoral Counselors, the Christian Association sheer number of options, theories, and ministries can be for Psychological Studies, the National Association of very confusing. Nouthetic Counselors, and others. If you need counseling, how do you choose a There are Christian counselors who attempt to Christian counselor? Making a good choice can seem integrate the best in psychology with the Word of God. difficult. Begin with someone who knows Christ as Savior Larry Crabb coined the phrase, “spoiling the Egyptians” and believes God’s Word. Next, find someone who has which means taking what is valuable and using it. Other training in counseling. For example, my professional Christians abhor integrating Christianity with psychology. credential as a counselor is with the National Board for The best approach, I believe, is to find a counselor with Certified Counselors. I am an NCC (National certified strong professional credentials and an even stronger counselor). States license people as counselors as well. An commitment to the authority of Scripture. LPC is a licensed professional counselor. There are several Most Christians will likely turn to a pastor first other designations or specialties for counselors. LPC is a when they need counsel. Pastors often have had one or credential issued by the state (government) and an NCC is a more courses in counseling as part of their seminary credential issued by NBCC (the counseling profession). training. They feel confident to handle some situations but Both require essentially the same preparation and inadequate in others. Wise pastors will refer a counselee to maintenance in order to stay current. In the case of an NCC, someone with more experience and training when the need with which I am familiar, a master’s degree in counseling calls for it. from a regionally accredited institution, 3,000 hours of It is not a sign of weakness to be involved in counseling experience, and 100 hours of supervision over a counseling. In fact, it may be a mark of strength. period of two years after earning a master’s degree are Counseling sessions do not imply that a person is broken required. In addition, an NCC must complete 100 hours of and a counselor can fix them. It does indicate someone continuing education every 5 years in order to maintain needs help and a Bible-believing, trained counselor can be their certification. God’s tool for helping a person see themselves clearer Both an LPC and NCC are secular credentials. That while develop better perspectives toward life. A significant does not mean the credential is evil, but neither does it outcome of Christian counseling is change. To be able to mean it is Christian. I believe a committed Christian with a deal more effectively with personal issues and to walk more growing faith and a recognized credential in counseling is completely as a child of God are hallmarks of Christian the best choice when making a decision on selecting a counseling. counselor. There are other criteria as well. The personality of the counselor and the counselee James Rudy Gray is certified as a professional counselor by may not work well. Any given counselor’s approach to the National Board for Certified Counselors, and is a counseling may not fit a counselee’s needs. For example, a member of the American Association of Christian counselor whose style is brief solution-focused therapy may Counselors. He serves as the editor of The Baptist Courier, not fit a counselee who needs to stay in the counseling the official newspaper of the South Carolina Baptist process longer. Convention. There are numerous Christian counseling organizations, and some offer their own credentials for ______The Story behind the Song—by Lindsay Terry

He Looks out of a Different Window Page 16 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Song: “People Need the Lord”

“For God sent not his Son into the world to restaurant at all of the people. They, too, seemed to have condemn the world; but that the world through him might emptiness in their faces. We sensed a real heaviness in our be saved” (John 3:17). hearts as we watched them. Both Greg Nelson and Phill McHugh grew up in “Suddenly we realized that all of those people the Midwest: Greg is from Bismarck, North Dakota, and needed the Lord. Just as quickly, we both thought, ‘we need Phill from Aberdeen, South Dakota. As a team they have to write that—people need the Lord.’ We finished our meal written scores of songs, some of which have already and went back to my office and sat down to write what was become standards and will be sung by Christians around the in our hearts. The pictures from the restaurant that remained world until the Lord returns. Greg said of Phill, his co- in our minds, coupled with the realization that millions of writer, the master poet, “He is a songwriter who has that people around the world are also groping for some ray of certain something that you can’t put your hand on—a gift light, gave rise to ‘People Need the Lord.’ from God. Wishing and hoping for his ability is fruitless. “God has His own timing, and He orchestrates all You can hone it, but you can’t own it completely, apart things under His control. Consequently, it was three years from God’s endowment. He looks out of a different before the song was recorded. We had tried to interest window.” several people in the song, but they just didn’t ‘get it’. Greg was born in 1948 into the home of musical Finally, the song was presented to Steve Green—he ‘got parents, Corliss and Irene Nelson. Greg learned piano and it’.” theory from his mother. By age twenty-one Greg was Phill agrees that it is the most often used of all of conductor of the Bismarck Civic Orchestra, a position he their songs. I remember that I heard it sung by two maintained for several years. teenagers on New Providence Island, about 150 miles off Phill, born in 1951, to Frank and Beatrice McHugh, the Florida coast, in a small church made up mostly of had very little formal music training outside of a few piano Haitians. As Amy and Tina stood to sing the song that often lessons. As a college-age young man, he became involved seems to missionaries to be the most meaningful song ever with the culture of the late 1960s, traveling and performing written, I remember that I had never “really” heard that in clubs of various kinds. Phill said, “All of this affected me song until that occasion—as I looked into the faces of those a great deal and drove me to look for answers. I began to poor, needy people. read the Bible on my own, which started a process that led The element that makes the song meaningful to to my conversion.” almost every Christian who hears it is the infectious melody In an interview in 1989, Greg told me that he and that carries its lyrics, driving the heart cry of lost humanity Phill, at that point, had written more than fifty songs right into our very souls. together. Greg and Phill gave me the story behind what is I hope you “get it”! You and I don’t have to go to a unquestionably their most popular song to date. foreign land, to Africa, Asia, South America, or China, to “We were trying to write a song one day and spent find people who are without Christ. We need only to go most of the morning talking about ideas. We decided, about across the aisle at work, at school, at the office, or across lunchtime, to go to a restaurant near my office in Nashville. the driveway to the house next door. After we were seated, a waitress came to our table, and as she approached us she smiled. Yet it seemed that her eyes © 2008 by Lindsay Terry. Used by permission. were so empty. She was trying to convey a cheery attitude, but her face seemed to say something else. She took our Lindsay Terry has been a song historian for more than 40 order and walked away. years, and has written widely on the background of great “We looked at each other, and one of us said, ‘She hymns and worship songs including the books I Could Sing needs the Lord.’ We then began looking around the of Your Love Forever (2008), from which this piece is excerpted, and The Sacrifice of Praise (2002). ______Church Builders—by Bernard R. DeRemer

Jonathan Dickinson: Colonial Church Leader

Jonathan Dickinson (1688-1747) was born in minister of the Congregational Church in Elizabethtown, Hatfield, Mass. He studied theology at the Collegiate New Jersey. School of Connecticut (later renamed Yale University), After serving various churches in New Jersey, he graduating in 1706. Three years later, he was ordained as led his congregation to separate formally from the Page 17 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version established Church of England (concerned about growing New Jersey along with a small group of other pastors and pressures on dissenters from the church hierarchy). In 1717, lay leaders. The governor at the time, Lewis Morris, was an the church entered the Presbyterian Church Philadelphia Anglican who opposed the Great Awakening, and he Synod. Dickinson remained in that body for the rest of his rejected the application. Following Morris’ death in 1746, life. they reapplied to the acting governor who granted the He was twice elected moderator of his synod and charter for what became Princeton University. Dickinson became a “dynamic and aggressive leader of his became the college’s first president, hosting the tiny student denomination.” Dickinson was a strong supporter of body for classes in the parsonage of his church in Presbyterianism, earning a reputation as a leading defender Elizabethtown. He served only briefly, however, dying in of Calvinism in America, and doing for the Middle 1747 of complications from smallpox. Colonies much of what Jonathan Edwards was doing for the As an avid public theologian, Dickinson also wrote church in New England. widely. His books, many of which were very influential to Dickinson did much “to encourage revival in the the Church in early America, include: Display of God’s Presbyterian Church during the time of George Whitefield’s Special Grace, Familiar Letters Upon Subjects in Religion, preaching in the period of the Great Awakening,” Vindication of God’s Saving Free Grace, and True welcoming the revivals while opposing excesses of Scripture Doctrine Concerning Some Important Points in emotion. During this time, he also helped to organize the Christian Faith (an able discussion of the five points of New York Synod of his denomination, serving as its first Calvinism). moderator. “…Well done thou good and faithful servant…” David Brainerd and the cause of Indian missions (Matt. 25:21). found a warm friend in Dickinson. A thoroughgoing Calvinist, he had little patience with any other theological Bernard R. DeRemer chronicled the lives of dozens of position. He “did much to effect harmony between the heroes of the faith in more than a decade of writing factions in the Presbyterian Church which resulted from for Pulpit Helps Magazine. He continues to serve in this controversy on the revivals (the “Old Siders” and “New capacity as a volunteer contributor to Disciple. He lives in Siders”), and was largely influential in restoring unity… West Liberty, Ohio. after the short schism.” Dickinson, long interested in starting a new college References: Who Was Who in Church History, by Elgin S. to serve the Middle Colonies as Yale and Harvard served Moyer, excerpts used by permission of Moody Publishers; New England, applied for a charter to open the College of Wikipedia, “Jonathan Dickinson (New Jersey)”. ______Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel

Foolish Wisdom: Media Evangelism By AMG International Staff

“We preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling God is wiser than men,” and so, with your help, we block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the continue in obedience to Him. called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and The world calls us foolish for expecting Muslim the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser villagers in Indonesia to turn to follow Christ because a than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” young man comes to town proclaiming God’s Word, but we (1 Cor. 1:23-25). see that happening all the time through AMG-trained As we at AMG partner with you to fulfill our church planters there. They call us foolish for expecting a mission to evangelize and make disciples around the world, young girl living in the streets of Guatemala City, Kampala, a lot of what we do must look very strange to those outside or Manila to be made whole through Christ and grow up to the Body of Christ. Of course, some of our ministries be a leader among her people, but we often hear stories of among the impoverished and outcast are appreciated even this through our childcare ministries. by non-believers, but even then, many would rather that we dropped the “religious reasons” for doing good The Gospel through Media humanitarian things. As the world sees what we do, nothing looks sillier No, the work of the Gospel to which we have been than media evangelism. It is foolishness to expect a short called will always be “foolishness” and “a stumbling block” Gospel message placed in a newspaper, magazine, website, to the world. We know, however, that “the foolishness of or billboard to catch someone’s eye and prompt them to correspond with a Christian to learn the truth and follow Page 18 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Jesus, yet this is precisely what we see happening all over joy I found and read again the [column]…and wrote to the world through media evangelism. request a free New Testament. In a week’s time the New At AMG, we have always used the media Testament arrived and I started reading it eagerly. As I was technologies available to us to proclaim the Good News as reading, the Evil One came to tempt me. I needed help, so I widely as possible, whether through advertisements, prayed, saying, “My God, show me how [these mysteries] through publishing Bibles, books, and Gospel tracts, or are so.” through radio. Each of these methods is focused on getting “When I got up next morning I remembered that I the Gospel of Christ to those who might never normally had left my N.T. under the tree. During the night, there had approach a Christian and who might otherwise never hear been a big storm and the rain had destroyed the newspaper it, including many in countries that prohibit or restrict and a magazine I had also left outside. But here is the great public Christian ministry activity. miracle—the New Testament was not affected at all. Not Why do we continue pursuing such foolish work, even a drop on it! I gave my heart to Christ and He became spreading the scandalous message of Christ crucified in my Savior, blessed forever.” print, on the web, and over the airwaves? First, because, As Nikos’ testimony shows, God will use any like the Apostle Paul, we desire to “do all things for the means necessary to bring those He calls to repentance and sake of the Gospel,” exploring many ways to proclaim it, so faith. Will you join with us in running after foolishness for that God through us might “by all means save some” (Rom. Christ’s sake? Advertising space, web hosting, printing 9:22-23). Second, we do it because it works and it does so correspondence materials, and maintaining field staff for very cost-effectively. We continually see men, women, and these efforts do have significant costs. Your gifts make the children reached with the truth and lives transformed by work of media evangelism possible—we proclaim the Christ through this ministry. Gospel on your behalf, using what you provide to touch Sometimes that fruit is shown very quickly; at other lives in many nations. Through this “folly”, God’s power is times, we may never know the impact a simple Gospel ad displayed through lives transformed by Christ! or broadcast may have for the Kingdom of God. Recently, we received a powerful testimony from Nikos Papaioannou, To learn more about AMG’s media evangelism around the a Greek-American who encountered Christ through AMG’s world and how you can partner with us, please newspaper evangelism shortly after coming to America as a visit www.amginternational.org or call 1-800-251-7206. young man in the 1960s. “Reading [AMG’s ad column in New York’s Greek Advancing the Ministries of the Gospel (AMG) newspaper], a great revolution started in me. This little International is a non-denominational, international message of the Gospel stirred my soul and instantly caused missions agency based in Chattanooga, Tenn. AMG’s me such guilt in my conscience and such anxiety that I distinctive has always been its reliance on national workers could not rest. to carry the Gospel in their own cultures. Today, they “All week I could not find peace and serenity in my operate ministries in over 30 countries around the world soul until the newspaper came again. This time with great through partnership with national believers.

______Marks of the Master—by the Old Scot

The Beauty of Death

Originally published in Pulpit Helps, November 2009. stored food to the branches and main trunk, to sustain life beneath the woody barricades of bark during the cold and Each autumn, there’s a blaze on the hillsides. No, dark of winter. not fire, but flame-tinged trees, glorious with color in the What triggers this great change? Some combination bright sun. How those masses of bright leaves make our of shorter days and colder temperatures informs the parent hearts sing with the joy of living! broadleaf tree that it is time to make ready for freezing Yet those vivid hues of red and orange and yellow temperatures. The tree responds by sending a mysterious are evidences not of life, but of death. The leaves—which message to each of its thousands of leaves. This command seemingly only yesterday were busy factories, converting not only causes each leaf to empty itself; it also calls for the the energy of sunlight into food for the tree—have shut formation of a special layer of barrier cells at the stem end down. Gone is all the green chlorophyll which worked its of each leaf. This layer of cells acts as a pre-formed “scab” everyday magic. Gone is the rich tree sap, returned with its for the connecting twig. When the leaf tears loose and falls, Page 19 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version the wound will not “bleed,” because the barrier cells will come: “But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised act as a cap. up? And with what body do they come?’ Foolish one, what And with the passing of the season of life and you sow is not made alive unless it dies. And what you sow, purpose for each leaf, a marvel is revealed: gorgeous hues you do not sow that body that shall be, but mere grain— of amber, orange, or crimson, which in many cases were perhaps wheat or some other grain. But God gives it a body present from the leaves’ earliest days, but were masked by as He pleases...” (1 Cor. 15:35-38). the green of the chlorophyll. In some types of trees, While we can see merely with our physical eyes, however, red pigment is created in the leaves by the action we can no more comprehend this than the tree can know of the sun on the plant sugars, as a part of the shutting- that someday spring will again bring blue skies and warm down process. But in every case, the appearance of the sunny days. We simply know that death is a doorway showy color signals the approach of death. through which we must pass, in order to come to that better God created each leaf to make its contribution to life awaiting us, in the presence of our God and Savior. the good of the tree, and during its life everything else was And that is what faith is all about. subordinated to that task. Only at its death does its true beauty appear—and how like that is to the life of many a The Old Scot (Ted Kyle) served as managing editor child of God! for Pulpit Helps magazine (Disciple’s predecessor Christians on earth wear the many workday hues of publication) from 1993-2008. He was always fascinated by ordinary life. They stub their toes, they catch colds, they the natural world, and readily saw God’s hand in every grow weary; their feet hurt (and sometimes their heads); detail. Ted went to be with His Creator and Savior in April they get cranky, they make mistakes; sometimes they feel 2013. useless and unimportant; and they get old. Yet all the while, a transformation is going on inside, which will in its own Sources: time burst forth into a glorious individual made in the Ingenious Kingdom, Henry and Rebecca Northen; image of its Maker and Redeemer. Encyclopedia Britannica. The Apostle Paul long ago set forth all there is to know, here below, about the spiritual body which is to

______Book Review—April 2014

Fallen: A Theology of Sin, Christopher W. Morgan pressing urgency for Churches to understand it well and and Robert A. Peterson, editors, 2013, Crossway, teach on it thoroughly. Wheaton, Ill., ISBN 9781433522123, 291 pages, Paul R. House devotes two chapters to unpacking $19.99, softcover. the Old Testament understanding of sin, first from the Mosaic Law, and then from the histories, prophets, and poetic books. Robert W. Yarborough adds a chapter on the Perhaps the hardest task of evangelism in the understanding of sin (and its critical impact on how we modern West is not in calling men and women to turn understand the Gospel) in the New Testament, and Moo’s to Christ but rather drawing them to recognize their contribution focuses specifically on the subject in Paul’s own sinfulness. The Gospel is only good news if we letters. see the depth of our depravity and, thus, our need for Christopher Morgan gives a thorough overview of forgiveness. Fallen winsomely rises to this task, giving the way man’s sinfulness is threaded through the entire Christians the resources to discuss sin biblically and biblical narrative, and Gerald Bray traces the ways thoughtfully. theologians have wrestled with and defined sin through two Part of the Theology in Community series, Fallen thousand years of Church history. brings together accomplished writers and thinkers, John W. Mahony considers how to bring these including D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, to shed light biblical and theological insights to bear on the on this key (yet too often neglected) area of Scriptural contemporary world and fit today’s twisted morality into teaching. these historical categories. Over 11 chapters, the contributors explore what Sydney H.T. Page gives a philosophical God’s Word teaches about our sin and its consequences and explanation of sin, teasing out the responsibilities of Satan also address contemporary application. and man in bringing evil into the world and the role of sin Carson opens the volume with the rationale for its in coherent theodicy. writing, speaking to the universal nature of sin and the Page 20 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

David B. Calhoun’s chapter on the distinction be an excellent resource for pastors and Bible teachers to between sin and temptation offers a personal application of equip their churches and students to address the most this theology for spiritual growth. Bryan Chappell closes pressing problems of today’s world with biblical accuracy the book with a ringing portrait of the beauty of the Gospel and Gospel compassion. expressed in God’s call for (and miraculous acceptance of) our repentance from sin. Justin Lonas This academic but engaging work is prophetically timely, as our world (and, too often, the Church) Target: Pastors/Teachers continually seeks to assuage its guilt by defining down sin. Type: Theology/Hamartiology Fallen brings mankind’s depravity to the fore, showing Take: Highly Recommended clearly our great need for a Great Savior. It should prove to ______News Update—April 2014

David Cameron Urged to Raise Blasphemy Law In recent years, 800 to 1,000 Baptist churches close Concerns with Pakistan on an annual basis, and the revitalization campaign will Pakistani Christians in Britain have pleaded with move to stop the crisis. The movement not only opens new Prime Minister David Cameron to do more for victims of churches, but also breathes new life into older Pakistan’s stringent blasphemy laws. congregations by changing the leadership. Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British The revitalization process can come in many forms. Pakistani Christian Association, raised his concerns during “In some cases, a simple change in leadership and culture a meeting with the Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street. takes place. Some fully shut down and allow a new church The call is timely as this week an appeal hearing against the to take over their facilities, assets, and people. Others find death sentence of Christian mother Asia Bibi for blasphemy themselves anywhere between those two extremes,” Hedger was delayed by the Pakistani courts for the third time. Mr said. Chowdhry said the Prime Minister had indicated he would Some churches also must deal with past issues raise the issue of the blasphemy laws with Pakistan’s including “problems caused by members who embodied the President Mamnoon Hussein during a forthcoming visit. works of the flesh” said Dr. Rodney Harrison, a former “Mr Cameron’s promised efforts on behalf of the revitalization pastor. Harrison explained that this part of the victims of Pakistan’s blasphemy laws is welcome news,” procedure can be more painful due to churches not said Mr Chowdhry. “However, against this we must not addressing these issues previously. underestimate the deeply entrenched support for the Christian Headlines blasphemy laws.... We look forward to hearing what response Mr Cameron receives.” Judge Orders Ohio to Recognize Out-of-State Pakistan is one of the harshest places on earth for Homosexual “Marriages” Christians, with churches and Christian neighborhoods the U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black ruled that victim of bombings and mob attacks. Christian girls are Ohio must recognize same-sex marriages performed outside often abducted and forced to convert to Islam and marry of state limits, despite a 2004 citizen vote defining marriage their abductors. Many Pakistani Christians work in the as between one man and one woman. The judge was lowest paid jobs because of their faith. appointed to make the decision by President Barack Obama. Christian Today The ruling, which was decided Monday, means that homosexual couples married outside Ohio will be Baptist Church Leaders Spark Revitalization considered legally married, though the state has not Movement in Response to Decline legalized such “marriages”, reports Christian News. The Southern Baptist church leaders are coming ruling does not require the state of Ohio to permit together to organize a revitalization movement in response homosexual “marriages”. to the large numbers of Baptist congregations that are Black’s ruling said, “Ohio’s marriage recognition closing their doors. Joshua Hedger, director of the Center bans are facially unconstitutional and unenforceable under for Church Planting at Midwestern Seminary told the any circumstances. The record before this court...is Christian Post, “Churches are closing in large part because staggeringly devoid of any legitimate justification for the they have either become disconnected from culture and/or state’s ongoing arbitrary discrimination on the basis of disconnected from scripture. When this happens, life leaves sexual orientation.” the church.” “When a state effectively terminates the marriage of a same-sex couple married in another jurisdiction by Page 21 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version refusing to recognize the marriage, that state unlawfully weekends in Raleigh, N.C., when no soup kitchens are intrudes into the realm of private marital, family, and open, were threatened with arrests if they didn’t cease their intimate relations specifically protected by the Supreme service. Court.” Huffington Post Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is planning an appeal to the ruling on account of the public’s 2004 vote Rwandan Genocide Remembered after 20 Years against expanding the definition of marriage in the state. April marks the 20th anniversary of the horrifying Governor John Kasich is in support of the appeal according Rwandan genocide. Over 800,000 Rwandan civilians were to spokesman Rob Nichols. killed, and the country still feels the effects of the terror Christian Headlines today. Civil war between the Hutu-led government and the Pastor Banned from Feeding Homeless because He Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Front, the majority of the country’s Lacks Permit population. After the death of President Juvénal Every other Saturday Rick Wood delivers hundreds Habyarimana on April 6 1994, Hutus broke out in riots, the of hot dogs and bottles of water to homeless people in need. beginning of 100 days of genocide reports Christian Today. But the people who rely on Wood’s generosity may soon be Samaritan’s Purse Vice President of programs and left empty-handed. government relations Ken Isaacs travelled to Rwanda Wood, who is a pastor at the Lord’s House of during the genocide to give aid to survivors and spoke of Prayer in Oneonta, Ala., has been feeding the homeless for his experience. “Death is always a horrible thing, but death the past six years without a glitch. But, last month, the city perpetuated by the unbridled darkness in the heart of man is told Wood that he had to halt his mission because it had something beyond horrible; it’s dark and evil. I’ve never passed an ordinance that regulates food trucks, Think seen anything compared to that kind of atrocity, and I hope Progress reported. Though the ordinance pertains to never again.” specifically to retailers, the city said that it still applies to Samaritan’s Purse ran the refugee camps in Wood and that he has to obtain a $500 permit in order to Tanzania and Rutare during the genocide, giving survivors continue helping the homeless. medical attention, food and water. The organization also But Wood has vowed to continue his service, like reopened the Kigali hospital after its medical personnel many other advocates who have faced similar bureaucratic were either killed or evacuated. measures. Last December, Churches on the Street—a Louis Muvunyi, Bishop of Kigali said that the mobile ministry in St. Louis—was ordered to stop serving nation is still struggling to improve its education, healthcare hot food to the homeless until it secured a permit, an and poverty level with the assistance of Samaritan’s Purse. expense that would cost the small-scale operation $150 to “There is hope: for the future, for survivors, for victims and $300 annually, the Riverfront Times reported. And last for the perpetrators,” Muvunyi said. summer, members of Love Wins Ministries, an organization that feeds breakfast to anyone in need on Christian Headlines

______Sermon Helps—from www.sermonhall.com

Sermon Outlines II. God’s Commandments May Not Make Sense to Man, What Every Mother Wants Her Children to Know but They Don’t Have to! Genesis 2:16-17; 3:6 III. God’s Commandments, When Disobeyed, Carry Grave Consequences! Intro.: Our roles in life, as men and women, fathers and Application: Were Eve here now, she would try to convince mothers, brothers and sisters are dictated by two factors: you she made a horrible mistake. She would try to 1) our federal disobedience in Adam and Eve, and 2) our demonstrate that, every day, Satan is doing to you just what daily disobedience in our daily lives! Man cannot change he did to her—he’s singing the same old song: “Indeed, has this; not with all his resources over all time; nor can society, God said, ’You shall not...?’” (Gen. 3:1). Mothers take race, nationality, law, education, family or wealth! note: Satan, like wolves in the pasture, isn’t after the mature Foundational Inquiry: If Eve could tell us, what would she sheep, those who fight back and wear “the full armor of want all of her children to know? God,” he’s after your little lambs, those who depend on you I. God’s Commandments Are Not Just for Hearing, but for to know better and to teach them! Obeying! J. A. Gillmartin Page 22 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Christian Relationships What we were afraid of was that parents would quit Philippians 1 teaching at home.” Was he right? You announce what you want your child to be Intro.: Many years ago in Korea, I saw a woman place a by the example you set. It is amazing how some parents paper in a crack in the wall. It was a prayer to Buddha. The put the ball games, camping trips, and fishing trips above woman was sincere but there was no personal relationship. attending worship, and then are amazed that their children Later I saw a Christian praying. I saw no written paper or leave the church. Someone wrote, “What you are thunders heard no spoken prayer, but I could understand there was a so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.” relationship between the person praying and God. Personal You announce what you want your child to be relationships make the Christian faith unique. by the plans you make for him. Your children know if I. Christian Believers Enjoy Unique Relationships with One something is really important to you. Have you been saying Another from the time they started school, “Now make good grades A. They have fellowship in the Gospel (v. 7). so that someday you can go to college.” They know how 1. In the common source of their salvation important that is to you. Have you encouraged them to be a (v. 2). preacher, a missionary, Bible school teacher, elder, etc.? By 2. In joyous prayer for one another (vv. 3- your plans, you have told them what you think is important. 4). Anonymous 3. In love for one another (vv. 5-8). B. They have fellowship in their activities. Not Eatin’, Just Holdin’ 1. In growth in sincere spiritual state (vv. 9- 10). Johnny asked his mother, “Can I have some 2. In growth in understanding life (vv. 11- cookies, Mom?” Looking at the clock, she replied, “Not 18). now! It is too close to dinner!” II. Christian Believers Enjoy a Unique Relationship with About ten minutes later, Mother entered the God kitchen. There was Johnny up on the counter with his arm A. The basis of all blessings is in God. in the cookie jar clear up to his elbow. “I thought I just told 1. Grace and peace (v. 2). you, ‘No cookies till dinner!’” Johnny’s mother fumed. 2. Love (v. 8). “Well, Mom, I’m not eaten’ no cookies! I’m just holdin’ 3. Fruits (v. 11). some!” B. The basis of all security is in God. Each of us has some point of vulnerability. It may 1. God begins the work of salvation (v. 6). be a problem with alcohol, or sensuous lusts, or a desire to 2. God will complete the work of salvation gamble even to the point of cheating. We often compound (v. 6). our problems by putting ourselves into untenable positions 3. God uses personal relationships (vv. 12- and precipitous situations. Johnny would have had a much 19). easier time if he had avoided the cookie jar. We would not Conc.: God is offering you a personal relationship. This fail so often if we avoided places where we would be was the desire of Paul (Phil. 3:10) and the promise of Jesus subject to temptations. Let us cease giving the flesh easy (Rev. 3:20). Will you enter into this personal relationship opportunities! and let fellowship deepen? Anonymous R. G. Witty Bulletin Inserts Illustrations On Family What Do You Want Your Child To Be? The family altar would alter many a family. “And all your sons will be taught of the Lord; and the well being of your sons will be great” (Is. 54:13). Every If your children look up to you, you’ve made a success of parent should have a dream for his or her children. Here are life’s biggest job. three things to consider. You announce what you want your child to be In “wedding” the “we” comes before the “I”. by what you teach him. It is not the church’s responsibility to teach your children. It is yours as a mother and father. A mother’'s love is the nearest thing on earth to God’'s love. One man had been in a non-Sunday School congregation. These four anonymous When asked why, he said, “We did not object to classes. Page 23 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

The most important thing a father can do for his children is The main problem in our society is that people are expected to love their mother.” to raise children in their spare time. Theodore M. Hesburgh The Book of Living Quotations

A little explained, a little endured, a little forgiven, and the It is a wise parent who knows his own child. quarrel is cured. Shakespeare

Just about the time a mother thinks her work is done—she Hear, my son, your father’s instruction and do not forsake becomes a grandmother! your mother’s teaching; These two via the Old Union Reminder Proverbs 1:8

______Puzzles and ‘Toons

Church ‘Toons by Joe McKeever Page 24 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

Answers to last issue’s puzzles:

Father Abraham and Hidden Wisdom By Mark Oshman Originally published in Pulpit Helps, April 1998

Hidden Wisdom on next page Page 25 Disciple Magazine, Vol. 6, #4, 4/21/2014—Printer-Friendly Version

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