Archive for the Sermon Follow-Up Category
Sep 10
Families Together with the Family of God on Sunday
In Sunday’s sermon, “God’s People in God’s Presence,” Ryan addressed at some length the role of children in our corporate gatherings.
It is easy to assume that these gatherings are for adults, and that children’s programs are a substitute for children. But as a general principle, it seems consistent with the Bible’s description of the family and of the church for children to join us as soon as they are able. The question of when they are ready depends largely on our role as parents in training them and preparing them. Each family will need to work through how to get from here to there with their young ones.
Here are some articles to help you work this out in the context of your family.
Articles on families together in corporate worship
- “The Family: Together in God’s Presence,” by John and Noel Piper
- “Children in Worship—Let’s Bring it Back,” by Jason Helopoulos
- “Children in Worship—Mom Tested Tips,” by Jason Helopoulos
Statements from other churches families together in corporate worship
- “Practical Suggestions on Your Role in Worship,” Â by David Eby, North City Presbyterian Church
- “On the Family Pew: Children in Corporate Worship,” by Michael Brown, Christ United Reformed Church
- “Teaching Your Children to Worship,” by Mark Kuykendall, Bethel Bible Church
- “Children and Corporate Worship,” Holy Trinity Presbyterian Church
- “Ten Reasons Why Your Children Should Sit with You in Worship,” by Reggie Weems, Heritage Baptist Church
- “Worshiping with Your Children,” by Matthew Fletcher, Webster Bible Church
If you had to read one article on this subject, we’d recommend the piece written by John and Noel Piper, “The Family: Together in God’s Presence.” In fact, we’re making this available for you in print this coming Sunday and around the church on an ongoing basis.
It is good for families to worship together with the family of God. Everything else that goes on around here on Sunday is second to that.
Aug 29
D.A. Carson on the Question of Tithing
In Sunday’s sermon, “Relieving Suffering with the Grace of Giving,” we explored one of the New Testament’s most beautiful passages on the supernatural joy of the gospel that overflows in generosity. With the subject of giving often comes the question of the tithe. What is the Old Testament background to the idea of a tithe and should New Testament Christians practice it?
Originally published in Christianity today, here’s a simple Q&A on the question of the tithe with D.A. Carson.
Question: The tithe is clearly taught in the Old Testament, but in the New Testament it seems to be downplayed. Are those of us who give 10 percent of our income doing something not required?
–K. Dale Miller, Wilmore, KentuckyAnswer: A simple yes or no to this question would be horribly misleading.
We know that the law of Moses mandated the tithe (see Lev. 27:30–33), at least in part to support the ministry of the Levites (Num. 18:21–24). Like many other laws, however, it was frequently observed in the breach, although the prophets insisted that failure to pay the tithe was nothing less than robbing God (Mal. 3:6–12).
There were also offerings to be paid. Moreover, faithful Israelites were to be generous with their alms, so that the poor of the land were supported.
In practice, the prophets found themselves inveighing against greed and social injustice (e.g., Amos) and against a raw form of capitalism that squeezed out the poor (Isa. 5:8–10). In other words, even within the Old Testament we should be careful not to isolate the tithe from broader demands of generosity and social justice.
The only passage in the New Testament that explicitly authorizes the tithe does so in a rather backhanded way: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices . . . . But you have neglected the more important matters of the law–justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former” (Matt. 23:23, NIV).
Jesus’ primary point, of course, is to criticize the scrupulous tithing of even a few herbs grown in the back garden if it is at the expense of fundamental issues of justice, integrity, and mercy. But one might have expected Jesus to say, “You should have practiced the latter, and let the herbs take care of themselves”–or some thing equally dismissive. Instead, he says, “You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.”
After the Cross and the Resurrection, the New Testament provides no passage with the same explicit conclusion. That raw fact leads to all the usual debates about the nature of the continuity and discontinuity between the old and new covenants.
Does the tithe continue as a divine mandate because it has not been explicitly abrogated? Or is it part of the “old order” that is passing away?
However we resolve that broad question, all sides agree that some New Testament writers insist that Christians be a giving, generous people (1 Tim. 6:18). So, at very least, we must insist that believers under both covenants are expected to give generously.
Some may wonder, Is the dispute about nothing more than the amount? Is there something about 10 percent that is entrenched in moral law?
The following two points will help focus the issue.
1. Beware of pride. There is always a great spiritual danger in thinking that if in some area we have satisfied a specific, concrete demand we have done everything that God requires. Ten percent is a lot of money to some folks; to others it’s not very much. Isn’t that one of the lessons to be learned from Jesus’ comments about the widow’s mite? To suppose that God demands 10 percent–and nothing more–can itself foster a remarkably independent and idolatrous attitude: “This bit is for God, and the rest is mine by right.” Likewise, if you choose to give more than 10 percent, you may become inebriated from the contemplation of your own generosity.
2. Remember why you’re giving. A strictly legal perspective on giving soon runs into a plethora of complicated debates. Is this 10 percent of gross income or of net? How does this play out in a country where a progressive income-tax system rises to 90 percent of in come? If we choose to tithe from our net income, are we talking “take-home pay” only, or does it include what is withheld for medical insurance and retirement benefits?
It would be easy to list such questions for a page or two without ever asking, “How can I manage my affairs so that I can give more?” That is surely a better question than “What’s the correct interpretation so that I can do whatever’s required and then get on with my life?” Christians will want to acknowledge with gratitude that they are mere stewards of all that they “possess.” Moreover, New Testament ethics turn not so much on legal prescription as on lives joyfully submitted to God.
This is why the most penetrating New Testament passage on giving is 2 Cor. 8–9. Under severe trial, the Corinthians’ “overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity” (8:2). Even so, they first gave themselves to the Lord (2 Cor. 8:5).
So, why not aim for 20 percent in your giving? Or 30? Or more, depending on your circumstances (2 Cor. 8:12)? “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that . . . for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).
Aug 14
Redemptive Suffering and Church Discipline
Sunday’s message, “Redemptive Suffering,” raised the crucial though delicate subject of church discipline. Church discipline is that loving process whereby God, through his people, addresses us in our sin for our restoration to him, to his people, and for his glory. This is a profoundly biblical subject, it’s as serious as eternity, but it’s a topic that usually raises questions and needs some attention to provide a truly clear biblical picture.
We cover this subject in some depth in our membership class, Knowing Christ, Knowing the Church, and our commitment to one another is expressed in our Covenant of Fellowship. We’ve also touched on it on the blog here over the past few years (see here and here). But now is a good time to hit the topic here again since in Ryan just preached on discipline.
This time, we’re going to point you to a few helpful resources on the topic. If you had to read one article and one book, follow the first two links on this list.
- “A Church Discipline Primer,” an article by Jonathan Leeman
- Church Discipline: How the Church Protects the Name of Jesus, a book by Jonathan Leeman (an excellent, short, and accessible introduction also available at the Book Nook)
- The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love: Reintroducing the Doctrines of Church Membership and Discipline, a book by Jonathan Leeman (a long, thorough, and even scholarly treatment of the whole Bible’s teaching)
- “What is Church Discipline?” A short video and one page summary of the main Scriptures on the topic from 9Marks.
- “A Redemptive Judgment,” a sermon by Ryan Kelly
- “What are the benefits of practicing church discipline?,” an article by Mark Dever
- “Why is “discipline†not a negative but a positive thing?,”  an article by Mark Dever
- “When Should a church practice church discipline?,” an article by Mark Dever
- “Can church members simply resign their membership in order to avoid church discipline?,” an article by Jonathan Leeman
- “Is a Church in Sin If They Do NOT Practice Discipline?” an article by Thabiti Anyabwile
- “What to Say to Non-Committal Church Attenders,” an article by Jonathan Leeman
- “More Than Worth It: Costs and Benefits of Church Discipline,” an article by Wyman Richardson
If you haven’t taken the membership class yet, you should consider joining us for this class. Knowing Christ, Knowing the Church runs for eight Wednesday nights from 6:30-8:30 PM starting on September 3. Check the bulletin for details and register on Sunday morning at the Welcome Center. Childcare is available. And, by the way, this class doubles as a general introduction to Christianity, Christian doctrine and practice, and the Bible. So, if you’ve taken it before or if are uncertain about membership here yet, you are still welcome to join.
Aug 7
New Series: Treasure in Jars of Clay
The band, Jars of Clay, got their name from the Bible. Perhaps you knew that, but perhaps you haven’t known where in the Bible that name came from or really understood the full meaning of that expression. It comes from 2 Corinthians 4:7. We’re clay jars. The gospel is the treasure on display in our lives.
On Sunday we’ll hear the second message in a four part series, Treasure in Jars of Clay, a complement to our previous series in Job. This series takes us to the New Testament book of 2 Corinthians for some of the Bible’s most important and full teaching on the subject of suffering in Christian life.
One thing that we learn from the book of Job that becomes even more profoundly clear as the Bible unfolds is God’s purpose to make himself known in and through the suffering of his people. Here’s how Ryan put it on Sunday:
Imagine a mother whose baby is never sick, in need, crying, or hurting. Most moms, if given the choice, would probably want that kind of baby, for mom’s own sanity and out of love for her baby, wanting the baby to never have to suffer. But in such an imaginary world, there are certain motherly instincts and characteristics that that un-needy baby would never know; that a watching world would never see. A mother’s soft arms, and gentle-yet-secure embrace, her prayers over an injury, her sweet singing to quiet her baby’s crying — these will never be experienced. The baby might grow up to hear in theory that mom is a tender care-taker, compassionate, but if there are no tears to wipe, if there is no restlessness to console, no booboos to kiss, there is a part of that mom that the baby never experiences.
Now, no mom is glad her baby is hurting so that she can comfort him or her. But let’s not forget that the Bible tells us everywhere that God is intent to show us who he is and what he’s like. There are verses all over the Bible which tell us of God doing this or that for his glory, his fame, his name. Isaiah 48:9-12, for example: “For my name’s sake I defer my anger, for the sake of my praise I restrain it . . . for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another. I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.â€
In other words, as Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
This Sunday’s message, “Redemptive Suffering,” will be from 2 Corinthians 2:1-11. Read ahead, invite a friend, and we’ll see you on Sunday.
Jul 30
Ten Questions to Wrap Up Job
On Sunday we wrapped up our series through Job, Out of the Whirlwind, with a final message, “The Latter Days of Job.†By the end of the book it became clear that God had not and was not going to explain to Job the answer to the question for why he was suffering. He never learned about the heavenly conversation between the Lord and Satan that kicked off the trouble in his life.
God didn’t forget. The “why?†question is not a question God is obligated to answer for us. But in the course of the book of Job, God did answer a number of other questions for us. Here are ten.
1. Is God sovereign over suffering and evil?
Absolutely. In the first two chapters we see that Satan, though allowed to pursue many of his wicked purposes, is yet constrained by what God does or does not allow him to do. The book tells us that Job did not sin when he said things like, “The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD†or “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?†(Job 1:21; 2:10). As Martin Luther famously said, Satan is the Lord’s Satan.
2. Is God therefore evil?
Absolutely not. Remember, Satan had his sinister purpose to defame God and hurt Job, and while God allowed him to pursue Job he did so for a reason of his own. The Lord was vindicating his name and purifying Job’s faith from residual pride. God is sovereign over cruelty, but God is not cruel. Many verses in Scripture speak to this explicitly (James 1:13; 1 John 1:5). The book of Job presents us with a view of God’s sovereignty that is not flat, but complex. The unseen world involves many different players, and yet the Lord is the Lord of them all.
3. Does everyone who claims to speak for God actually speak for God?
Thank God, no. Many people will claim to speak for God and speak falsely about him. This is what Job’s three friends were guilty of, and at the end of the book they are rebuked by the Lord. Sufferers should be patient with those who can’t understand their suffering and say things that are untrue even if from good intentions. And yet where God is spoken for falsely, this should be rejected and corrected.
4. Is my suffering because of my sin?
There are several kinds of suffering presented to us in the Bible. There’s fallen world suffering. The creation is groaning and everywhere around us we see the effects of God’s curse on creation because of sin. There’s foolishness and sin suffering illustrated time and again in the book of Proverbs. Sometimes God gives us over to our sinful desires, and our sins bring with them consequences that God has built into the order of the universe. Then, there’s discipline suffering. This is where God graciously steers us toward repentance. If we have been indulging in sin and we think we’ve been found out, perhaps this is it. But much of our suffering is just random and horrible. This the kind that Job is meant to address.
5. Is God using my pain for some good purpose?
Thank God, Yes. He is always doing that for his children. Job was a better man at the end of the book than before. Job knew God better at the end of the book than before. God is doing a thousand things in our suffering, and one of them is bringing about humility and the purification of our faith, a precious gift indeed (Job 42:1-6; Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 1 Peter 1:6-7).
6. Is it okay to grieve deeply for a loss or is that a sign that I’m not trusting in God?
It most certainly is ok to grieve. We should expect any good father to grieve at news of the death of his kids. Job grieved deeply and blessed the Lord through tears. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. Paul pleaded with the Lord to remove his thorn. Deep grief is not incompatible with deep faith.
7. Should I attempt to comfort someone who is suffering incredible loss?
By all means and with much wisdom, Yes: sometimes with silence, sometimes with a hug, and sometimes with space. Sometimes with a note and often with a meal. Always by being available, sometimes with correction if their heart is hardening toward God. But never with a cookie-cutter answer for suffering, or in an academic formulaic uncaring manner. Always with a listening ear, always with a heavy heart, and, always with much patience.
8. Am I alone in my suffering?
No. Job has been there. And many others have gone before you. In fact, suffering seems to be a pretty common theme in Scripture. More than a theme, it is an indispensable part of Scripture’s story of salvation. Ask Joseph, or Moses, or David, or the prophets about suffering. Ask Jesus about suffering. Ask the New Testament Apostles about suffering. You are not alone. You are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, most of whom have suffered greatly (Hebrews 11:1-12:2)
9. Is there hope for the future?
Yes there is. In the story of the Bible there is a pattern of suffering and a pattern of glory to follow. Suffering to glory is the pattern of God’s salvation story. Again, ask Joseph, or Moses, or David, or the prophets. And of course, ask Jesus, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God†(Hebrews 12:2).
On the topic of the future, when James turned to the book of Job for material he did so to make a point about suffering on the way to glory: “Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. . . . You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful†(James 5:7–11). So, how should we apply the book of Job? Wait patiently for Jesus to return. How should we apply the book of Job? Say with Paul, “I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us†(Romans 8:18).
10. Who can separate us from the love of God in Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or danger, or sword, or the loss of our children, or the loss of our jobs, or Behemoth, or Leviathan, or anything else in all creation?
Well, this isn’t exactly a question from Job, but Job’s suffering sure raises the question. The answer? No one can separate us from the love of God in Christ. If God is for us, who can be against us?
The book of Job is about the God who is sovereign and good. It is also about the God who is bursting with compassion and with mercy. This rang out with profound clarity on the final page of the book.
Yes, because of Christ, God will graciously do for us in eternity what he did for Job on earth. The latter days of Job are a parable for the latter days of every Christian. Just read Revelation 21-22, a symbolic picture of the new creation. Job knew a restored relationship to God, and we will be God’s people and he will be with us as our God. He will dwell with us. Job had wealth in his latter days, and the new creation will be lined with streets made of gold. Job knew beauty in his latter days, and we will know beauty in our latter days. Job knew relationships in his latter days we will know the eternal depth of fellowship with one another in God’s presence free from sin. Job knew feasting in his latter days we will feast together at the marriage supper of the Lamb. Job knew comfort in his latter days, and God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Job knew old age in his latter days, and in the new creation there will be a tree of life. In God’s presence we will never die.
In five weeks, we got through the book of Job, but there’s more treasure to find here. For a helpful sermon-like commentary on Job, get Job: The Wisdom of the Cross, by Christopher Ash, and check out Matthew Claridge’s interview with Christipher Ash over at Credo Magazine, published just this week.