Skeúos (σκευος) Gr. 1. a vessel; 2. an implement

T4G 2010

Well, we're here in Louisville, KY for Together for the Gospel 2010!  I am truly looking forward to a blessed time in the Word and the fellowship of my brothers.  The conference kicks off at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday!  Check out http://www.youtube.com/sussexbiblevideo for SCBC's video blog of the conference.

Blessings,

Duane

No, Mr. President: John Piper's Response to President Obama on Abortion

Is Jesus Christ God? "Though He was in the form of God..." Philippians 2:6

Philippians 2:1-11

Verses 1-4 “So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in theSpirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

In verses 1-4 of Philippians 2 Paul exhorts all believers in Jesus Christ to exhibit oneness and unity.  The key to this oneness, Paul says, is humility.   Humility is the key to oneness because where there is no humility there can be no oneness. Apart from humility we are all left seeking our own selfish interests making life within the body a self-centered competition, and unity impossible.

Even an atheist gets it...

Penn Jillette, from the duo Penn & Teller, shares an interesting story about a guest at one of their shows who shared a gift with him. What is important to understand is that Penn is an atheist, a very hostile atheist at that. Penn and Teller host an HBO documentary series entitled "Bulls***t" in which they debunk various myths, one of which they claim to be the Bible and Christianity. If you have seen the show you know how hostile Penn is to the Bible and Christianity which makes his reaction in this video all the more amazing. His words are a sobering reminder of our responsibility as believers.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith." -Romans 1:16-17

The gospel is not what we do but what we say

I have heard many Christians quote the following by St. Francis of Assisi "Preach the gospel and if necessary use words."  I like Michael Horton's take;

"Like many Emergent Church leaders, Kimball invokes a famous line from Francis of Assisi that I also heard growing up in conservative evangelicalism: 'Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary use words.' Kimball goes on to say, 'Our lives will preach better than anything we can say.' If so, then this is just more bad news, not only because of the statistics we have already seen, which evidences no real difference between Christians and non-Christians, but because despite my best intentions, I am not an exemplary creature. . . Find me on my best day--especially if you have access to my hidden motives, thoughts, and attitudes--and I will always provide fodder for the hypocrisy charge and will let down those who would become Christians because they think I and my fellow Christians are the gospel. I am a Christian not because I think I can walk in Jesus's footsteps but because he is the only one who can carry me. I am not the gospel. Jesus Christ alone is the gospel. His story saves me, not only by bringing me justification, but by baptizing me into his resurrection life . . . The good news--not only for ourselves, but for a world [and church] in desperate need of good news--is that what we say preaches better than our lives, at least if what we are saying is Christ's person and work rather than our own. The more we talk about Christ as the Bible's unfolding mystery and less about our own transformation, the more likely we are actually to be transformed rather than either self-righteous or despairing." [Michael Horton; Christless Christianity p. 118]

How Sweet and Awful is This Place

In April of 2008 I attended the Together for the Gospel conference in Louisville, KY.  It was an amazing experience.  The messages from God's Word were powerful and the music was tremendous and was perfectly matched to the messages.  One of the songs we sang was entitled "How Sweet and Awful Is This Place" written by Isaac Watts.  This hymn is amazing because it combines both the sweetness that comes with being in a holy God's presence with the overwhelming sense of awe and fear as we consider our sin placed against the backdrop of God's holiness, mercy, and grace and as we consider just exactly what we have been saved from.  I love the song because I think it gives us a glimpse of what it will be like to stand in God's presence one day.  We will be singing this song Sunday evening as we observe the Lord's Supper as a body.  Below are the lyrics.

How Sweet and Awful Is this Place
Words by Isaac Watts

How sweet and awful is the place
With Christ within the doors,
While everlasting love displays
The choicest of her stores.

While all our hearts and all our songs
Join to admire the feast,
Each of us cry, with thankful tongues,
"Lord, why was I a guest?"

"Why was I made to hear Thy voice,
And enter while there's room,
When thousands make a wretched choice,
And rather starve than come?"

'Twas the same love that spread the feast
That sweetly drew us in;
Else we had still refused to taste,
And perished in our sin.

Pity the nations, O our God,
Constrain the earth to come;
Send Thy victorious Word abroad,
And bring the strangers home.

We long to see Thy churches full,
That all the chosen race
May, with one voice and heart and soul,
Sing Thy redeeming grace.

New Book Study: Philippians

This Sunday, November 30th, we begin a new study of Paul's Epistle to the Philippians.  Don't miss it!

Current Series: The Church

SCBC is committed to the systematic exposition of God's Word but we like to take a short break between book studies (we just finished Romans) and focus on a particular topic that we consider of importance in the life of SCBC.  That is where we are right now in our series "The Church: A Biblical Study of God's Plan and Purpose for HIs Called Out People."  Our goal in this series is to cut through all the trends and programs that are taking the church by storm and take a look at what God has to say about the church He purchased with His own blood.  We are currently midway through the series and it has been a blessing to me and I pray it has been to you as well.

Week 1:  What is the Church? - What is God's plan and purpose for the church throughout the ages.

Week 2:  You and Your Church - What is the individual beleiver's relationship to the church?

Week 3:  AM - Church Membership - Is it Biblical and if so what purpose does it serve?

Week 3:  PM - Church Discipline - What is church discipline and why do we do it?

Week 4:  Christ the Head at the center of His Church - It's His church and it's all about Him

Week 5:  Biblical Authority and the Church - Our final and sole authority

Week 6:  Church Health vs. Church Growth - Are we drawing a crowd or allowing God to build His church?

Week 7: The Future of the Church - The wedding of the ages!

At the end of the series every family will receive a copy of "Stop Dating the Church: Fall in Love with the Family of God" by Joshua Harris!

New book study TBA soon!

See you Sunday
Pastor Duane

To My Brothers in the Ministry

What is the church?

As we begin our short series on the church at SCBC I would like to know how you would define the church and how you arrived at your definition (experience, teaching, Scripture, etc.).  I would like to hear from anyone and everyone on this.  Don't be intimidated by the question, I am not necessarily expecting a theological treatise on this.

God bless,
Duane