Raised with Christ

Check out below Adrian Warnock's video of him talking about his new book, Raised with Christ.

I remember distinctly when growing up understanding very little of why Jesus rose from the dead. It was obvious to me that it was better for Jesus to be alive than dead(!), but whilst I felt I had a grasp of some of the theological implications of the cross and how that impacted my life, it would have been much harder for me to articulate this for the resurrection.

The reasons for this are probably not necessarily all bad. The drive to keep the cross at the centre of church life is good, I think, but to have the cross without the resurrection is like having a cheque without a signature - ultimately it's worthless. It's the resurrection that makes the cross effective and shows God's acceptance of it, it's because Jesus is alive that he is Lord today and his Lordship today is what our hopes are pinned on for the present and the future.

1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures...

So, I look forward to reading this book and getting a deeper understanding of the reasons for and the implications of the resurrection! You can pre-order it now.

Raised With Christ: How The Resurrection Changes Everything from Adrian Warnock on Vimeo.

Desiring God Audio Book

The audio book of 'Desiring God' by John Piper can be downloaded from christianaudio.com for free this month!

Sleep

Why did God create sleeping?

Dealing with guilt

At housegroup on Tuesday evening we were looking together at Colossians 1, and the conversation came round to how we deal with guilt. We'd talked much of how amazing God's grace is, and how we need to be reminding ourselves constantly that it is solely and completely through Jesus' death in our place that we can be forgiven and come before God, and how we must avoid the temptation to feel the need to top up what Jesus has done for us with other things.

Many said though, that despite knowing that our forgiveness is only because of what Jesus is done, and that when we are forgiven it is full and we are given the righteousness of Christ, we still can struggle with feelings of guilt. I read these quotes from Jerry Bridge's book 'The Discipline of Grace' and thought them worth repeating:

"The satisfaction of Christ is more than a mere theological expression. It is a concept we need to become acquainted with in our daily lives. When our consciences are smiting us because of our sin, it is important to reflect upon the fact that, though our sins are real and inexcusable, nevertheless God's justice has already been satisfied through the "satisfaction of Christ" that the penalty has been fully paid by Him."

"... when we are smarting under the conviction of sin, when we realize we've failed God one more time, perhaps even in the same sin, we must resort to the cleansing blood of Jesus... It is not our contrition or sorrow for our sin, it is not our repentance, it is not even the passing of a certain number of hours during which we feel we are on some kind of probation that cleanses us. It is the blood of Christ, shed once for all on Calvary two thousand tears ago but appropriated daily or even many times a day, that cleanses our consciences and gives us a renewed sense of peace with God."

"Justification is a completed work as far as God is concerned. The penalty has been paid and His justice has been satisfied. But it must be received through faith and must be continually renewed in our souls and applied to our consciences every day through faith. There are two "courts" we must deal with: the court of God in Heaven and the court of conscience in our souls. When we trust in Christ for salvation, God's court is forever satisfied. Never again will a charge f guilt be brought against us in heaven. Our consciences, however, are continually pronouncing us guilty. That is the function of the conscience. Therefore, we must by faith bring the verdict of conscience into line with the verdict of heaven. We do this by agreeing with our conscience about our guilt, but then reminding it that our guilt has already been borne by Jesus."

We are no longer guilty; our horrific, wrath-deserving, putrid sin has been paid for by Jesus, and we must fix our eyes on that fact and rejoice in it! To not feel guilt can be very hard, but we are no longer guilty but are in fact clothed in the righteousness of Christ

Laziness

Laziness is a big problem for so many people (I place myself firmly within this category!).

Laziness has a very odd attraction. Why is it that we'd rather do something that culminates in nothing good - whether that be extra sleep (that we don't need!), a wasted half an hour on the internet or whatever it is you do to procrastinate - why do these things ever seem more appealing? We do them, then look back and are annoyed at ourselves that we haven't got the things done that we needed to get done. Looking back over these last few weeks I can see so many occasions when I have just wasted my time when I had so much more profitable things to do. It almost always ends in a feeling of guilt, or at least of disappointment. Not only that, but they rob true times of relaxation and leisure of enjoyment, as you don't feel you deserve them as you've not used the rest of your time properly.

There are some days when we feel really motivated - we make a list, do the list and feel good about it at the end of the day. To see that completely crossed out 'To Do' list is just bliss! You can sit down to a film and a glass of wine at the end of the day and enjoy it knowing that you've glorified God at least in part through living for him through your attitude to work that day. I started this paragraph with the intention of finishing it by saying how this is wrong as it's just self-righteousness, but I've changed my mind over three lines! How fickle! God made us to be people who work, and who to some extent are to find enjoyment and reward from work (in the context of that work coming from and being to the glory of its creator).

How is it that laziness traps us so often? You can look back and be annoyed at all those times you've fallen into the trap, and yet when the temptation comes along again, you fall right back into it. Why is laziness so appealing?

Yet the answer remains, as ever, the same. Jesus died for my laziness. He suffered the physical pain of the cross and the pain of the Father's wrath for my laziness. And so simply a feeling of guilt about it isn't the answer. That won't satisfy, that doesn't deal with the problem. The answer is to turn to Jesus, thank him for taking my laziness in his body on the cross and in gratitude come to tomorrow and live for him. Recognise his grace, recognise his Lordship and live for him, who wants my good.



I started this post after watching the first minute or two of this video of Joshua Harris and feeling very convicted. I've now watched it all and it is well worth a watch! Very challenging, as well as hilarious!

Acts 2 Sermon

So the sermon that I posted a little while ago that I did at church was actually only the second half, haha... watch this space!

Jesus vs Father Christmas

I was on the way to a meeting after work this evening in a car with a couple of my colleagues.

Conversation somehow got turned to discussion of whether Jesus was a real person in history. Consensus was that he was, you'll be pleased to hear. I think it was on the back of conversation about how prayer is just an illustration of the power of positive thinking. (I think there's more to it than that, somehow...) However, what was alarming was how easily and apathetically they switched back and forth between whether Jesus is real compared to if Father Christmas is real.

How did it come to pass that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that God the Son, the one who blamelessly gave his life and suffered the wrath of the Father in the most shameful, painful way could become such an object of ridicule? How could he be compared to Father Christmas?

I didn't react to this at the time. And thinking about it, I don't think in this situation it would have really been appropriate to react. They were only joking, but on reflection I've realised just how offensive and wrong it is to even joke about it. It should make me feel sick with grief and perhaps even anger that my Saviour should be thought about in such an irreverant way. It's not always appropriate to show this reaction, but it is right to feel it, and remember who this is! Jesus, who:

" ...being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father."

Acts 2:22-47

Been a while since I posted here!

I preached at church a couple of weeks ago on Acts 2:22-47. You can listen to it here. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Study

This year I'm working 3 days a week as an Optometrist, then the other days I'm hoping to do some stuff with CUs, some stuff with church and then some studying. I've been looking into what I should study and there's an awful lot of stuff out there! So, I'm going to try to compile a list here (I feel I'm setting myself up for a lot of research in starting this post) of what I aim to look at over this year. I want to get a good balance so if there's anything you think I'm missing, or if you know of something better than what I've suggested, then do let me know! I don't fully understand the categories, so if I've got something in the wrong category, try not to judge me, and feel free to correct!

Biblical Theology

'According to Plan' by Graeme Goldsworthy
The Romans module from the Moore Correspondence course
'How to read the Bible for all it's worth' by Fee and Stuart (don't know where else to put this book!)

Systematic Theology

Grudem chapters:
4. The Authority of Scripture
5. The Inerrancy of Scripture
10. The Knowability of God
11. The Character of God: "Incommunicable" Attributes
16. God's Providence
18. Prayer
24. Sin
26. The Person of Christ
27. The Atonement
35. Conversion (Faith and Repentance)
36. Justification (Right Legal Standing Before God)
38. Growth In Likeness to Christ
41. Death and the Intermediate State
44. The Church: Its Nature, Its Marks and Its Purposes

'Knowing God' by JI Packer (read this when I was younger and loved it - I think I could do with another go!)
'A Call to Spiritual Reformation' by Don Carson

Church History

I've just read 'The Unquenchable Flame' by Mike Reeves
'The Story of the Church' by A.M.Renwick & A.M.Harman

plus one or two classics:
'The Bruised Reed' by Richard Sibbes
'The Mortification of Sin' by John Owen
'The Bondage of the Will' by Martin Luther

Apologetics

'The Case for Faith' by Lee Strobel
Not sure what else I'm going to do for this!

Christian Issues:

Grudem chapters:
32. Election and Reprobation
39. Baptism in and Filling With the Holy Spirit
47. Church Government
49. Baptism
50. The Lord's Supper

'Are miraculous gifts for today?' by Wayne Grudem (editor)
'Understanding Four Views on Baptism' by John H. Armstrong (I don't know anyone who has read this - have you? Any good?)


Alongside these I intend to attend (haha) the Teesocs course which is one saturday morning a month, ran by my pastor and a few other ministers in the Teesside area.

I know myself, and so I know how easy it will be to just be puffed up with knowledge, so my prayer is that this study will be a way to help me to know and love God and his people more.

This is an ambitious list I realise!

Nought concealed

Great God! from Thee there's nought concealed,
Thou seest my inward frame;
To Thee I always stand revealed
Exactly as I am!

Since I can hardly, therefore, bear
What in myself I see;
How vile and black must I appear,
Most holy God, to Thee!

But since my Saviour stands between
In garments dyed in blood,
'Tis He, instead of me is seen,
When I approach to God.

Thus, though a sinner, I am safe;
He pleads, before the throne,
His life and death on my behalf,
And calls my sins His own.

What wondrous love, what mysteries,
In this appointment shine!
My breaches of the law are His,
And His obedience mine.

John Newton