Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The Two Best Books I Read in 2009

The two best books I read in 2009, I read in the last week of 2009. I'd highly recommend that every Christian read them, particularly the Christian who is called to minister to other believers (email me if that excludes you).

Here they are:



The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne


CrossTalk by Michael R. Emlet



Monday, January 4, 2010

My copy of R.C. Spoul's expositional commentary on John just arrived in the mail. I'm excited to begin using it along with Carson, Kostenberger, and others in my preaching through John's Gospel.

This is Sproul's second commentary in the series, joined also by his volume on Romans.


Friday, December 25, 2009

What St. Nick Did at Nicea



In "Slappy Holiday," Gene Edward Veith reports an incident involving St. Nicholas at the Council of Nicea:
But there is more to the story of Nicholas of Myra. He was also a delegate to the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325, which battled the heretics who denied the deity of Christ. He was thus one of the authors of the Nicene Creed, which affirms that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man. And unlike his later manifestation, Nicholas was particularly zealous in standing up for Christ.

During the Council of Nicea, jolly old St. Nicholas got so fed up with Arius, who taught that Jesus was just a man, that he walked up and slapped him! That unbishoplike behavior got him in trouble. The council almost stripped him of his office, but Nicholas said he was sorry, so he was forgiven.
Read the whole thing, including why Veith believes we should revive "the St. Nicholas slap."

Thursday, December 24, 2009

He Is Altogether Lovely


He is altogether lovely,
Jesus Christ, the Risen Lord.
We delight to see His glory
As unfolded in His Word.
In one person are conjoining
Attributes diverse and grand.
The eternal God and Maker,
In the flesh and form of man.

High, we see the Lion of Judah
Coming in His might to reign.
Low, we see Him condescending
As the Lamb who would be slain.
Perfect justice, endless glory,
And unrivaled majesty
Meet transcendent grace and meekness,
Perfect in humility.

One and equal with the Father,
Absolute in sov’reignty,
He resigns in full submission;
Deepest rev’rence bends His knee.
He, whose is supreme dominion,
Does obey His Father’s will.
He, the self-sufficient fountain,
Trusts in God His needs to fill.

He is worthy of all honor.
He is worthy of all praise.
Yet with patience in His suff’rings,
No complaint do His lips raise.
He, our Judge, the Lion of Judah,
Is our Savior and God’s Lamb.
He is altogether lovely,
Jesus Christ, the great I AM!

Songwriter: Eric Schumacher
Tune: HYFRYDOL (Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus)




Wednesday, December 23, 2009

ENTRUST : Men : Gospel : Tuesdays : 2010


Friday, December 18, 2009

Sermons on "The Magnificat" and "The Benedictus"

One of things that I am very grateful to the Lord for is brothers in our church who can preach the Word of God.

The past two Sunday mornings, our church was treated to a two-week Advent series on the songs of Mary and Zechariah from Luke 1. Enjoy!



2010 Church Vision Sermon

My church graciously gave me a couple of weeks of sabbatical to, in part, focus on developing a vision for 2010 church priorities.

I delivered a vision address at our December business meeting. In it, I emphasized developing a Gospel-centered culture of discipleship that revolves around three areas:
  • A culture of Gospel-centered Mission. 
  • A culture of Gospel-centered Membership.
  • A culture of Gospel-centered Multiplication.

You can listen to it here.


Thursday, December 10, 2009

A Christmas Hymn

It has been several years since I posted this, so I thought a re-post was in order.

This was my Christmas hymn for 2000, which we used as the text for our Christmas cards. Verses two and three are intended to draw parallel’s between Jesus’ infancy/childhood and his adult ministry and death.

It is set to MANOAH, one of my favorite tunes. (MANOAH is also the tune setting for one of my favorite hymns, “O Christ, Our Hope, Our Heart’s Desire.”)

How Beautiful the Mystery

How beautiful the mystery:
Th’Eternal Word comes down
To live and love and die and rise,
To claim His victor’s crown.

Content we find Him cradled there
Amongst the filth and beasts.
Who would believe that He will be
Our guide from death to peace!

By angry swords and dark decree
He’s driven from His land.
But still He humbly bows His head
To trust His Father’s hand.

The spotless Lamb lays down His life,
A curse upon a cross.
Then lives that He might guarantee
That no sheep will be lost.

O! May our hearts grow ever fond
Of Mary’s precious boy:
Our Christ, our hope, our heart’s desire,
Our King and Sov’reign Joy!

Text: © Eric Schumacher
Tune: MANOAH, Henry W. Greatorex’s Collection, 1851