Thursday, April 26, 2012

background

I unashamedly acknowledge my affinity for the rap and/or R&B genres of music. It began in middle school where my brother and I would listen to 2pac, Notorious B.I.G., and Puff Daddy on the radio or on a CD we probably were not authorized to own. While I never particularly enjoy the excessive language and vulgar content of some songs, I did appreciate the transparency of the artists. The songs were not merely for selling records, but telling stories about a variety of subjects. And these stories, while different from my own, were not so foreign that I was unable to connect with them. Plus, I always enjoy a good beat to move (and maybe dance) to.

Nowadays, I am not as big of a fan of the rap and/or R&B genres of music. While the beats are definitely more than "toe tap-able," the lyrics are typically meaningless rantings above nothing. But this is not the case with one of my most recent Twitter "friends," Lecrae. If you are not familiar with Lecrae he is a Christian rap artist, and a pretty good one at that. His lyrics tell stories which just about everyone can relate to. They are honest and filled with passion. They represent what most people find enjoyable in music. And, he keeps a good beat which I can jump on board with.

I listened to his song, Background, while I was studying this evening. I went back to read the lyrics because I thought it spoke volumes to my aspirations for ministry. My tendency is to let my flesh get the best of me. I wrestle over the desire of hearing God's name praised and the desire of hearing my name praised. This requires humility so that I might declare with John the Baptist, he must increase, but I must decrease (John 3:30).


And for those who are not fond of this particular genre of music here are the lyrics for your reading pleasure (though they are not the same without that beat).

**I was going to post the lyrics, but it would make this post entirely too long. Therefore you have the choice to either listen to the song, mute the song to read the lyrics, or just disregard it altogether. Either way I will continue moving (in whatever way works best) to the rhythm and grappling with the lyrics. 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

explicit

This evening I had the wonderful privilege of partaking in The Resurgence's Explicit Gospel Tour in Philadelphia. It was an evening of worship with Shane and Shane and teaching by Matt Chandler. The purpose of the event is to promote Chandler's new book The Explicit Gospel, which I fully plan on reading once the semester ends and my schedule opens up.

One of the unexpected pleasantries of the night was the wonderful make-up of the audience. It was a blessing to worship with brothers and sisters from all different races and backgrounds. The beautiful blending of differences came through in song and hearing the Word preached. It was a small glimpse into eternity.

But the purpose of the night was in the title. The gospel was made explicit as Chandler preached from Colossians 1:13-21. It's a beautiful text laying out the particulars of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It's nothing new, but still amazing. And it was exactly what my weary, doubt-filled, and weak soul needed. I left feeling challenged, rebuked, and encouraged all at the same time. And it was all because of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son

The domain darkness includes the lie that redemption and satisfaction is found within myself and the things of this world. Instead of clawing my way through failed attempts at redemption, God has freed me from this pursuit through the redemption found in Christ. I am free from trying to save myself because Christ has done it for me.

and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Not only had Christ redeemed me, but all things through His death and resurrection. Everything that is wrong in this broken and corrupt world will one day be made new, forever free from the curse of sin and death.

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him

In addition to being redeemed, I am declared righteous before God. Prior to my salvation I was hostile towards God and corrupt. And yet He saved me. What is more He gave me Christ's righteousness and called me blameless when I was far from it. Even now their are times when I wrestle with thoughts, words, and actions that are evil and hostile toward God. And when I fail by giving into them, God still sees me as righteous because of Christ. What is impossible and contradictory within myself is freely imputed upon me because of God's amazing grace through Christ.

I need this reminder every day. I should be bringing myself back to this reality. But thankfully God continues to draw me to Himself through evenings like tonight.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

soli Deo gloria

If God alone is to receive the glory in salvation, then it has to be his work alone, not his work plus our work, that accomplishes it. ~K. Scott Oliphint, God with Us, p.107

My prides hates the truth of this statement. I want to play an integral role in my salvation. I want to receive some credit. I want to be an active participant. It is far too humiliating for me to accept that I can do nothing in order to save myself. It is far too humiliating for me admit that my salvation does not have me as the focus. And this pride leads to much of my stumbling. The more I give credit to myself for my salvation the more I fail. The harder I try to add to it the less I feel its affect. No matter what I do, I cannot escape the loud reality the salvation is the work of God alone for the purpose of His glory.

But this truth is not merely a much-needed point of humiliation. It is also a source of great comfort. I fail daily. The more days I spend on earth the more I realize how unfit I will always be for salvation. And yet my failings have no effect on my salvation. Since it is the work of God (ordained by the Father, accomplished through Christ, and applied by the Spirit) my faithfulness to its calling is not where it rests. My salvation rests with God. Sure, my salvation means my sanctification. I should be growing more and more into the image of Christ. But when I fail, I have not forfeited my salvation. Instead, I am reminded how much I still need it and how thankful I am that it doesn't depend upon me.

For as Jonah cried in the belly of fish, Salvation belongs to the LORD. 

Sunday, April 8, 2012

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead  are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.


But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power.


~1 Corinthians 15:14-24

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Friday, April 6, 2012

forsaken

My God, my God, why have your forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?


All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 'He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!'


For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet-I can count all my bones-they stare and gloat over me; they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.


~Psalm 22:1, 7-8, 16-18

And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they say down and kept watch over him there.


So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him saying, 'He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him.'


And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice saying, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'


And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.


~Matthew 27: 35-36, 41-42, 46, 50

The cry of Jesus, prophesied by David in Psalm 22, resounds through all of history. Christ was cursed by God on our behalf. He took on the full weight of being forsaken, so that we never would.

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

desire

May my desires be enlarged and my hopes emboldened, 
that I may honor thee by my entire dependency
and the greatness of my expectation.
~The Valley of Vision

When I read this prayer earlier in the morning, I found myself lingering on the line above. I never ask for my desires to become stronger. If my struggle with them is already constant, why would I ask for them to be enlarged? Clearly that would lead to my destruction. And maybe that is just what I need.

The desires I fear center around me. They focus on my satisfaction, pleasure, renown, and well-being. I am right not to pray for these to be enlarged. In fact, my prayer should be for these to continually shrink and weaken. And this becomes a reality as my deepest desires take over.


What are my deepest desires? I could write on this for days, but I will whittle it down to this command given by Christ, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. (Matthew 22:37). With a new heart and the Spirit of God dwelling in me, this is my deepest desire. By loving God I will seek to bring Him glory and declare His praise to the nations. I will love others well and see my own selfish desires decrease. And as all this happens, even my joy will increase (John 15:10-11).

I am right not to pray for my desires to increase. However, I am wrong to forget that because of Christ the desires of my broken self are not the things I desire most. They fail to offer what they promise, while our God never does.

I think C.S. Lewis put it correctly when talking about the failures of human desires. It is the plight of all human beings, and a reminder that in Christ it has found its solution.

It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased. ~The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses