February 29th, 2008 Jeff
O, for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise
The glories of my God and King
The triumphs of His grace
My gracious Master and my God
Assist me to proclaim
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name
So come on and sing out
Let our anthem grow loud
There is one great love
Jesus
Jesus, the name that charms [calms] our fears
That bids our sorrows cease
‘Tis music in the sinner’s ears
‘Tis life and health and peace
He breaks the power of cancelled sin
He sets the prisoners free
His blood can make the foulest clean
His blood availed for me
He speaks and listening to His voice
New life and dead receive
The mournful broken hearts rejoice
The humble poor believe
Glory to God and praise and love
Be ever, ever giv’n
By saints below and saints above
The church in earth and Heav’n
There are so few words
That never grow old
There are so few words
That never grow old
JESUS
—
Original hymn penned by Charles Wesley
Adapted and arranged by the David Crowder Band
Posted in Blog, Music, Theology | 5 Comments »
February 29th, 2008 Jeff
And so pride, or the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil! It was when the now-fallen angels began to look upon themselves with self-complacency that they were led to disobedience, and were cast down from the light of heaven into outer darkness. Even so it was, when the Serpent breathed the poison of his pride–the desire to be as God–into the hearts of our first parents, they too fell from their high estate into all the wretchedness into which man is sunk. In heaven and earth, pride–self-exaltation–is the gate and the birth, and the curse, of hell.
Hence it follows that nothing can be our redemption but the restoration of the lost humility, the original and only true relation of the creature to its God. And so Jesus came to bring humility back to earth, to make us partakers of it, and by it to save us. In heaven He humbled Himself to become man. The humility we see in Him possessed Him in heaven; it brought Him, He brought it, from there. Here on earth “He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death”; His humility gave His death its value, and so became our redemption. And now the salvation He imparts is nothing less and nothing else than a communication of His own life and death, His own disposition and spirit–His own humility–as the ground and root of His relation to God and His redeeming work. Jesus Christ took the place and fulfilled the destiny of man, as a creature, by His life of perfect humility. His humility is our salvation. His salvation is our humility.
And so the life of the saved ones, of the saints, must needs bear this stamp of deliverance from sin and full restoration to their original state–their whole relation to God and man marked by an all-pervading humility. Without this there can be no true abiding in God’s presence, or experience of His favor and the power of His Spirit; without this, no abiding faith, or love or joy or strength. Humility is the only soil in which the graces root; the lack of humility is the sufficient explanation of every defect and failure. Humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others as it is the root of all, because it alone takes the right attitude before God and allows Him as God to do all.
Andrew Murray, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness (Fort Washington, PA: CLC Publications, reprinted 1997)
Posted in Blog, Quotes, Sanctification, godly trajectory | No Comments »
February 27th, 2008 Jeff
Dutch now has a little red Tonka truck sort of like the one his dad had as a kid. He’s enjoying it to the fullest!
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February 27th, 2008 Jeff
Prophet, Priest + King of the New Covenant
Jesus is the great Prophet who reveals God’s nature, will and ways (Heb. 1:1-4; Deut. 18:18), for He speaks with greater authority than all other revelators of God (Heb. 1:1-4; John 1:18). Jesus initiated God’s New Covenant, sealed in His blood (Luke 22:20), and fulfilled all the covenant promises of God’s dealings with humankind (2 Cor. 1:22; see above). As High Priest over His chosen people He is the one Mediator able to bring humankind to God (1 Tim. 2:5), mediating the best of all covenants based on God’s sure promises (Heb. 8:6). He has sanctified and is making perfect forever His specially chosen people (Heb. 10:14). He is the supreme King of all (Luke 19:38; John 12:15; 1 Tim. 1:17; 6:15; Rev. 17:14), reigning and ruling from the right hand of the Majesty on High, and will coming again to establish His everlasting kingdom here on earth (Luke 11:2; Dan. 2:44; 4:3; 7:14)
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February 26th, 2008 Jeff
Savior, Redeemer, Lord
Jesus Christ came as the great God and Savior of the Old Testament (Isa. 6:1:1-2; Luke 4:18-19; Titus 2:13) and died to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). The Good News (Gospel) of Jesus is that in Him believing sinners, and the rest of the created universe outside humanity, are brought back to a right relationship with God and can enjoy Him as the fountain and aim of all pleasures. He has become their everlasting joy, and Lord (Master; Rom. 10:9-13). Jesus is our Savior, making propitiation for our sins, and justifying us to a just and holy God (Romans 3:21-26). He demonstrates God’s perfect, unconditional love (Romans 5:6-8), is the basis of all forgiveness (1 John 1:9), and has come to save and redeem all those He in love foreknew (Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:7; John 3:16).
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February 26th, 2008 Jeff
Death, Burial + Resurrection
I believe that Jesus Christ suffered voluntarily (John 10:18) in fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan (Acts 2:23), that He was crucified under Pontius Pilate (Acts 4:27-28) that He died (John 19:30; 1 Cor. 15:3) was buried (John 19:40-41; 1 Cor. 15:4), and on the third day rose bodily from the dead (Matt. 28:6; 1 Cor. 15:4) to vindicate the saving work of His life and death (Romans 4:25) and to take His place as the invincible, everlasting Lord of glory (Phil. 2:9-11; Acts 17:31). During forty days after His resurrection, He gave many compelling evidences of His bodily resurrection (Acts 1:3; 1 Cor. 15:5-8) and then ascended bodily into heaven (Acts 1:9-11), where He is seated at the right hand of the Father (Luke 22:69; Acts 2:33; 5:31; Col. 3:1).
The resurrection of Jesus affirms His deity (Romans 1:4), proves His victory over death (Acts 2:22-28), gives the Father’s stamp of approval over His sacrificial death (Phil. 2:5-11), and establishes credibility to the Christian faith (1 Cor. 15:12-20). Jesus’ resurrection also declares the sovereignty of Christ (He is Yahweh - the eternally self-existent God - Romans 10:9; 14:9). It is essential to the Gospel (1 Cor. 15:1-8), secures our justification (Romans 4:25; 10:10), is our pathway from the guilt and penalty of sin, and makes the new birth possible (1 Peter 1:3). The resurrection of Jesus allows us to serve God & live for Him in righteousness (Romans 6), for it is our pathway from the power of sin. The resurrection of Jesus assures His redeemed of a future bodily resurrection (Romans 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:20), when one day we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2).
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February 25th, 2008 Jeff
Message + Miracles
Jesus preached and taught with truth and authority unparalleled in human history (Matt. 7:28-29; Mark 1:27). He performed miracles (signs), each revealing His character and being in the course of His divine mission, while demonstrating His divine power and rule over all creation, such as: healing the sick and raising the dead (Matt. 11:4-6), casting out demons (Mark 1:27), calming the wind and waves (Mark 4:39), walking on water (Matt. 14:25), multiplying food (Matt. 14:19-20), and foreknowing all that would take place with His disciples and Himself (John 13:19). He foretold His coming rejection and death by crucifixion (Matt. 16:21ff) in fulfillment of the eternal plan of redemption (Eph. 1:3-14). He is and has done so much more (John 20:30)!
Jesus completed perfectly the earthly mission of God (John 17:4), being the Triune God’s representative to bear witness to His truth and worth (John 17:6). He is the image of the eternal God, the radiance of His beauty and glory (2 Cor. 4:4, 6). He is the exact representation and likeness of God’s nature (Heb. 1:3), and delivers the perfect message of the perfect God; no one is able to extinguish His message and life (John 1:4). He is the Word of God, explaining and communicating God’s message to us (John 1:1-2, 18; Rev. 19:13).
Posted in Blog, Jesus, Theology | No Comments »
February 25th, 2008 Jeff
Kari and I wanted to head to Seattle this week so I could attend the National Resurgence Conference 2008: Text & Context. But God has other plans. In the meantime, we hope to catch some of the sessions live @ http://www.theresurgence.com/live
(All of the audio, video, and perhaps notes, will be available after the conference sometime.)
Monday, February 25, 2008
- 2:00 pm Session 1 – Mark Driscoll – Text & Context: Humble Incarnational Ministry
- 4:00 pm Session 2 – CJ Mahaney – Text & Context: Pastoral Character & Loving People
- 7:00 pm Session 3 – John Piper - Text: Why I Trust the Scriptures
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
- 9:00 am Session 4 – Jim Gilmore – Context: Fear and Trembling in the Experience Economy
- 10:45 am Session 5 – Matt Chandler - Text & Context: Preaching the Gospel in the Center of the Evangelical World
- 1:00 pm Session 6 – John Piper - Text & Context: How My Pastoral Ministry Shapes my Pulpit Ministry
- 7:00 pm Session 9 – John Piper - Text: How Do I Distinguish Between Gospel and False Gospel?
- 9:00 pm Q & A with John Piper
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
- 10:00 am Session 10 – Jim Gilmore – Context: Decoding the Future, the Phoniness, and the Shifting Sands
- 11:20 am Q& A with Jim Gilmore
- 1:00 pm Session 11 – Mark Driscoll – Text & Context: Preaching Jesus Christ To Pagan Culture
- 2:15 pm Q & A with Mark Driscoll
Posted in Blog, Church Planting, Ministry, Theology, missional | No Comments »
February 24th, 2008 Jeff
I caught on fire the morning I asked Kari to marry me. Literally.
It was Monday morning, February 24th, 2003 — five years ago today.
(I encourage all to read Kari’s rendition of it, as she’s a much better story teller than I am!)
Monday was our weekly day off, so the regular plan was to drive over to Kari’s apartment in the morning, picking her up at about 8 o’clock and then head to the gym to work out.
That morning when I picked her up she was uncharacteristically late and slow — she obviously had no idea of the imminent plans I had for us. I told her that some friends needed our help that morning, and since we were dressed in our grubby clothes that would be a good time to do some dirty work.
There was an old fraternity our ministry had begun to use, which was being renovated. Friends of ours, a married couple, lived there during the remodeling, and I told Kari that they needed our help.
The night before I had been so anxious I couldn’t sleep. Had even locked my keys in my car, and that morning my car ran out of gas on the way to pick Kari up. I ran to the gas station and then to the old fraternity to prepare a memorable scene. Lots of candles, an open Bible, some communion elements, a stereo playing some of our favorite songs, and a Lite-Brite. Yep, A Lite-Brite.
With the ring in pocket hidden in my pocket, we arrived at the old fraternity and walked downstairs. Kari was a little curious as to why music was playing in the basement, and then we walked around the corner. She was stunned. A plethora of candles (now she realized why I was in such a hurry earlier), our favorite songs, and the elements of communion. We walked over to the makeshift altar and then I diverted her attention, “What’s that over there?…” She looked over to the previously hidden corner and say the Lite-Brite emblazoned in the darkness, “WILL YOU MARRY ME?”
She turned around and I was on bended knee, ring in hand. She didn’t say a word, but then shrieked Yes! and we hugged (our first kiss would wait until our wedding day). It was a joyous time. We danced to the music, then I read some Scriptures to her about marriage and read the framed letter I had written:
My dearest Karina,
I love and adore you. God has sovereignly placed you in my life. May I ever live to serve you, love you, and put you before myself. You bring the sweetest of all joys into my life, and have caused my personal devotion to our Creator Jesus Christ to be multiplied. God’s amazing grace is so obviously upon you life — it’s contatgios and I desire to be a part of it. He shows me mercy, grace and abundant kindness in you; His favor is make obvious by your abiding presence in my life. May His Holy Spirit always lead us. I would be honored above all other honors to by your loving husband, your servant, and your constant companion. In sickness and in health, for richer for poorer, for all times.
Will you marry me?
(That frame still sits in our bathroom as a reminder of the covenant of marriage and the enabling of God.)
And then the scened heated up. We sat there on the concrete floor leaning against the fireplace mantle, the candles behind us. We were bowed in prayer and then I stopped and yelled, “I’m on fire! I’m on fire!” Indeed I was. My long-sleeve shirt had caught fire from one of the candles and Kari was able to pat the flames out. A nice welt was on my shoulder blade and a 3-inch diameter hole in my shirt. I was on fire for my fiancee!
Why at 8:00am on a Monday morning?
Well, first of all Monday was our day off from college ministry, so I wanted as much time with her that day, especially with her ring on and rejoicing in one another and God’s goodness.
But the better reason is that I wanted Kari to know that I love the real her … no make-up, wearing grubby clothes, and purely herself. She is the one woman I desire and long to share the rest of my life with.
The last five years have been the best of my life!
Posted in Adventures, Blog, Family, Kari, Love, deTheos moments | No Comments »
February 21st, 2008 Jeff
I believe that in the fullness of time (Gal. 4:4) God sent forth His eternal Son as Jesus the Savior (Christ/Messiah; John 3:16-18; Matt. 16:16) conceived by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-35), born of the virgin Mary (Matt. 1:23). When the eternal Son became flesh (incarnate; John 1:14) He took on a fully human nature (Heb. 2:14-17), such that two whole, perfect, and distinct natures - divine and human - were inseparably joined together in one Person.[n2] Jesus who is the Christ was and is truly God (John 1:1) and truly man (Phil. 2:5-8), yet one Christ and the only Mediator between God and man (1 Tim. 2:5). The reason He took on the second nature was for us and for our salvation.
I believe that Jesus Christ lived without sin (1 Pet. 1:19; 2:22-23), though He endured the common limitations and temptations of human life (Heb. 4:15), while veiling some of His divine attributes (Phil. 2:6-8).
[n2] The
Hypostatic Union, as derived from Scripture at the Council of Chalcedon, AD 451.
Posted in Blog, Jesus, Theology | 4 Comments »
