The Long Train of Clauses

Have you ever noticed the length of some of the sentences in the Epistles? Some of them are packed with commas and clauses.  What's going on?  Is there an easy way to make it clear? 

To get our head around this, lets look at the benediction of Hebrews 13:20-21. Take a moment and open your Bible to Hebrews 13:20-12.  Read it a couple times. It will take less than a minute. 

What's the main point?  Among all those clauses we might be tempted to gravitate to our favorite parts.  Our pet theology and doctrines might not make it easy for us to see anything else. Some may love that it says God is the God of peace.  Some might like that Jesus is Lord and he's the great Shepherd of the sheep. Or maybe you're all about the blood of the eternal covenant and that all glory belongs to Jesus.  Or maybe you like that this benediction is to Jesus (which is kind of rare) and that the author is praying that you might be equipped to do God's will.  It might make you smile that doing God's will is pleasing to God.  But what is the main point of this little unit of thought?  

The epistles tend to get really packed with thoughts and most of the sentences end up crashing together in such a way that we might miss the main point.  Diagramming or mapping the paragraph helps.  If you can, diagramming in the original language might make it even clearer.  But you don't often need to go that far to get to the main point.  

Phrase diagramming is a tool that helps you map out the clauses.  And once you map them out, you get a better idea what each phrase and word is modifying.  After doing some phrase diagramming, you can walk through Hebrews 13:20-21 and get a better idea of what the author is getting at. 

What is the main point?  If I boiled all the modifying clauses off, what would I have left? 

"May the God of Peace equip you to do his will. Amen."

Now, what if I started adding the modifiers back into the thought.  To do this, the thought still has to remain complete.

Here's what's next.  

"May the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus equip you with everything good that you may to do his will. Amen."

As we can see, the God of Peace brought Jesus back from the dead.  We also see that what God equips us with do do his will is good, not bad, and by saying 'everything' we get the idea that it's complete. 

But now it's going to get a little more tricky.  Is the next clause modifying the original statement or the newest clause?  (Paul loves to continue modifying the modifiers! It's not so tough in Hebrews.) There is where lines and maps might help, but we can probably see it in this paragraph without lines and a map.  

 "May the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good that you may to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight. Amen."

The 'great Shepherd of the sheep' is not pointing to the God of Peace but to Jesus, who is mentioned in the previous modifying clause.  It's a way of bringing even more clarity or praise.  The 'working in us that which is pleasing in his sight' clause is a description of how we will do God's will --Jesus or the God of Peace working in and through us.  

"May the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ. Amen."

The next clause, 'by the blood of the eternal covenant,' gives us a means.  How and maybe even a little why.  This clause points back to a great deal previously discussed in the book as a reminder, but it also is clarifying what is being said and connects it to the next part of the idea.  This is the final modifying clause before we move into the next part of the main idea (which you saw in the first pass above).  Interestingly, the modifying clause in the second part of the statement, 'through Jesus Christ,' is also an explanation of means.  This clause tells us how we are about do do God's will and why it is pleasing to God--because it is through Christ. 

Now the final modifier. 

"May the God of Peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may to do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen."

This last clause is a form of worship that brings the benediction into a form of a prayer and worship of Jesus and it is attached to the mention of Jesus in the previous modifying clause.  It's saying, this entire paragraph prayer is meant to glorify God forever.  

Now, I'll ask again. . . what is the main point?  Go back up to the first pass.

"May the God of Peace equip you to do his will. Amen."

This is an important prayer and statement.  As you start to ask questions such as who's will, why, how, and so-on, the modifying clauses help to provide you with more answers. However, those answers all must work within the confines of God equipping you to do his will. 

I hope you found this helpful.  And I pray that the God of Peace equips you to do his will!  

Asking the Right Questions of my Sermons

What exactly is a sermon?  How does a sermon differ from a lecture?  A motivational speech?  Answers vary.  

What is the point of the sermon?  Is it to teach people what the Bible says?  Is it change lives?  Or maybe it's just to give people a morning to feel better about themselves?  Yes?  No?  Again, answers land all over the board. 

Answers are a dime a dozen, but asking the right questions can be invaluable.  

I'm on a quest to improve my preaching.  This includes how I study, delivery, passion, and many other aspects of preaching.  It also includes regular evaluation.  And it includes some questions I've started asking of all my sermons.  

Some of these questions come from other preachers, although I can't remember who asked what question.  In any case, I ask the following questions of all my sermons.  If I can't answer any of them to a satisfactory level, sermon prep is not finished. 

Here's my list: 

1.  Where is Jesus in this text? 
2.  What is the "gospel turn," that is, the tight, wheel-squealing corner that jars us back to our need for the gospel. 
3.  What do the hearers presently think (before the sermon). 
4.  What does the text dictate they should think?  How does this impact their world view? 
5.  What is the single biggest idea of this text? 
6.  What does this text dictate that a believe do?
7.  Can my biggest point (or all my points for that matter) be stated in a single sentence? 
8.  Is the point(s) stated in such a way that it is memorable? 
9.  What should I see if this sermon is "effective" or "hits the mark"? 
10.  When should I expect to see the "results" of this sermon?  

I'm always on the hunt for good questions, so if have good questions you ask yourself before you preach a sermon or teach a class, I'd love to hear from you.  

Serendipity Bible: For Personal and Small Group Study

Why do Bible teachers regularly try to reinvent the wheel?  Is it our ego?  Do we hold an idea of the teacher that he or she must be the creator of every idea we teach?  I wrestled with these questions when I was turned on to the Serendipity Bible: For Personal and Small Group Study. 

Zondervan publishes the Serendipity Bible using the NIV84 or the KJV translation.  Basically, it’s a book with lots of pre-made group discussion outlines.  Every chapter (and sometimes there are more than a outline per chapter), has icebreaker questions, text study questions, and application questions. Most of the time they’re great.  If you want to lead a small group study or just study with your family, this is a great resource that can save you some time.

In addition to questions for every chapter, the Serendipity Bible also contains 60 small group study plans on various topics.  These plans each include 6 lessons and each lesson points the teacher to a chapter or section of text.  Once there, the teacher or group discussion leader simply needs to use the chapter questions.  

Teachers and preachers might ask why they would want to use this book.  "I've been to seminary;" they might say, "I know how to write my own lesson plans."  The teacher may be concerned that the class will think less of him or her because of this book.  First, the teacher or preacher who asks these questions needs to examine the purpose of teaching.  Is it for the teacher to look smart or for the class to learn something and grow closer to Christ?  Second, if there is a helpful resource that may improve the quality of learning, why would a teacher opt not to use such a tool?  If nothing else, why not consult the questions and at least see if there's something helpful?

But maybe the best reason for using the Serendipity Bible is that it's extremely reproducible.  Nearly any believer could take this material and lead a Bible study or discussion around the text.  The teacher could easily hand the Bible to someone else and encourage him or her to lead.  In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul encourages Timothy to teach men who can teach others.  If this instruction also applies to us--and I think it does--than the Serendipity Bible is a useful tool for teaching others to teach future teachers.  

Here is a sample taken from Psalm 51: 

Icebreaker Questions: 
1.  Do you recall getting caught with your “hand in the cookie jar” as a child?  As an adult?  What happened each time?  
2.  Read aloud Psalm 51. 

Getting Into the Text:
1.  In how many ways did David sin (see 2 Samuel 11:1-27)? 
2.  In light of his arrogance, adultery, deception, and murder, how does he dare approach God?  What does he feel? 
3. Murder is a capital crime under Jewish law.  Why also adultery (see Deuteronomy 22:22)?  
4. Since such sins involve others, what is the meaning of verse 4? What does this show about the nature of sin? 
5.  How can an unborn child be considered “sinful” (v. 5)?  If God created all things “good,” why does mankind tend to sin (See Romans 5:12-14)?  
6.  In light of all this, what does David ask God to do (vv.7-12)?  What is “cleansing with hyssop” (see Leviticus 14:4-7)? Why does David request this? 
7.  How does David hope to escape God’s wrath (vv. 13-17)? On what basis does he hope for a restored relationship? 
8. Why does David generalize his prayer to include the whole nation (vv. 18-19)?  What does this say about the nature of sin? 
9.  What kinds of sacrifices does the Lord desire in verses 16-17? In verse 19? When is a broken spirit or contrite heart enough?  When are acts of sacrifice due? 

Application Questions:
1.  Has covering up sin backfired in your life?  How have you seen God’s mercy when you owned up to your sin?  
2.  Are there really any victimless crimes?  How do personal failings affect God? Others? Self? Society?  
3. Are you more sensitive to sin and brokenness in yourself as a Christian then beforehand?  Why?

You can purchase the Serendipity Bible: For Personal and Small Group Study here. 

Behind the Man, Jonah

Jonah is an interesting book.  While it's probably the most well known, it's not likely the most contemplated of the Old Testament prophets.  Most people know the story because of the great fish.  They've either rejected the narrative on account that they simply won't accept that God is a God of miracles, or they love the story because of the fish.  But Johan is not a story about a fish.  It's a story about a prophet of God and a great number of people who do not know God.  Jonah is a story about a complex man who struggles with his service to God, especially as it relates to his enemies.  At times Jonah is angry and in rebellion.  At other times he praises the God of his salvation.  He struggles to serve God who desires to save Israel's enemies.  Jonah, it seems, has forgotten that all the world will be blessed through God's people. (Genesis 12:1-3).  

Take a few moments and read the four chapters of the Book of Jonah.  Here are some points to consider.  

1.  Many people argue whether Jonah was a real guy.  They see this as a fictional narrative.  Maybe it's the story of the fish or maybe it's due to the literary quality.  In any case, we do find biblical evidence to believe that Jonah was a real guy and this was a real account.  We see that Jonah was serving as God's mouthpiece in the land of Israel (2 Kings 14:25).  Unlike the other prophets in the Bible, we don't have those sermons recorded.  The only sermon we have was preached in Nineveh.  Jonah said, "yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown!"  We also find that Jesus treated the story and the sign of Jonah has a real thing.  (See Matthew 12, Matthew 16, and Luke 11).  In fairness, some argue that Jesus could be arguing the point of a parable like we might say a person is a prodigal son.  However, I don't agree with this argument given the context in which Jesus uses the sign of Jonah.  

2.  There is a remarkable literary quality found within the book of Jonah.  Look how word "arise" is used throughout the narrative. (Sometimes it's only translated as go, but notice the "get up and take action" feel.  Even as the sailors yell at Jonah, we are reminded of Jonah's initial call.).  Look at the places were God "appointed" a storm and a fish.  Look at the word "great."  A great city, a great storm, a great fish, but God is greater than these great things.  How about "to provide"?  That proves interesting too.  Or notice how Jonah "went down" into the belly of the boat before being carried back to his mission in the belly of a great fish.  This is a rich book with a tremendous literary quality.  

3.  Also amazing is the complexity of Jonah. He is filled with a range of emotions.  He flees.  He's angry.  He's thankful God saved him from drowning.  Jonah says he'll be faithful in chapter 2 only to be reluctant and a grumbler in chapter 3.  Then he's downright angry in chapter 4.  He is a complex man. 

4.  And finally, notice how this book brings the reader in.  It's a story that demands the audience respond.  The twists and turns shock us.  Jonah is called to go to Nineveh and he gets up and runs.  The city repents after a call that doesn't even include the word 'repent' or God.  It's simply a fact that the city will be destroyed and the people respond in amazing ways.  And then Jonah is angry at God.  When the book leaves us hanging on a question, it is really a question for the reader.  At the time, that reader may have seen Nineveh as his or her mortal enemy.  Today, we probably ought to think about this question in that context.  When Jesus says "love your enemy" we should think about who that person is.  Then we should realize that God cares about this enemy and may call us to be his agent to take a message of salvation to said enemy. 

Jonah can be read in no time and should be read a few times.  It's rich and has a transformative quality it we take it to heart.  I highly encourage you read and enjoy the book of Jonah. 

Philippians and Gordon Fee

Commentaries are an interesting thing.  Preacher's offices are full of old commentaries like Calvin's many volumes, Matthew Henry, and any number of sets from the 1970's, 80's, and 90's.  They are expensive until they're outdated, which is probably why preachers have older sets. But in the academic world (and probably the world of the preacher too) the better commentaries are ten years old or less.

"Wait just a minute!" you might shout, "aren't some of the classics still the leading thoughts on the matter?"  Yes, don't panic.  Those older commentaries aren't bad because they're older any more than newer ones better because they're new.   However, good commentary writers will have consulted a slew of older commentaries and affirmed or refuted the older work with additional material.  Maybe even quoted the older stuff.

It's also helpful to understand how different commentaries work.  Some commentaries are extremely technical.  They dive into the languages (and assume the reader reads Greek and/or Hebrew).  Some commentary writers deal with the historical context.  Some deal with application.  Some examine more theology while others are focused on the transmission of the text.  There are commentaries that approach the biblical material from a preacher's perspective.  And there are devotional commentaries. So it's helpful to know what kind of commentary you are consulting because the specific type of commentary was written for a specific purpose.

Take for example, Dr. Gordon Fee.  Fee is an expert on the book of Philippians.  If you consult  BestCommentaries.com, you'll see that Fee has two commentaries on the list.   Fee's commentaries on Philippians are:

Fee, Gordon D. Paul's Letter to the Philippians (The New International Commentary on the New Testament). Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co, 1995. 

Fee, Gordon D. Philippians(The IVP New Testament Commentary Series). Downers Grove, Ill: InterVarsity Press, 1999.

You might also see that the better Philippians commentaries are more than 10 years old.  (Oops! This one is an exception.)  A couple publishers have produced something in the past few years, but it's hard to outsell Fee, especially when he has two commentaries on the list!

Now, you might be asking how the same guy could have two commentaries on the same book.  Why would anybody own both copies?

In Fee's case, he was first asked by IVP to write a commentary for their series and agreed to write Philippians when he had time.  Shortly thereafter, Eerdmans asked him to write for the New International Commentary on the New Testament.  Understanding the different focus, both publishers agreed to allow Fee to write Philippines in their series.  But why own both copies?  Fee answers that question in the introduction of the IVP publication, writing,

"The reader, however, should not assume by these acknowledgments of indebtedness that this is simply a small version of the larger one.  In many ways, of course, it is that, since I changed my mind only a couple times in the course of this writing.  But I have had the reader of this series in view at every turn, which has meant that the exposition has 'lightened up' a bit and the many footnotes of 'Big Phil' have been all but eliminated.  What remain are those few that are necessary to help the reader know where to go for alternative views on many tests" (Fee, 1999, 10).  

I own both copies.  I love both copies for entirely different reasons.  The IVP version is quicker, punchier, and easier to get right into the points.  It can be read devotionally and is less distracting.  If I'm looking for the background on something for a sermon and don't need to spend an hour reading, I pick up the IVP version.  It's 200 pages; whereas, the Eerdmans print is 500.

On the other hand, when I was studying for a preaching series in Philippians, I enjoyed the heavier material and language notes of the Eerdmans' version. It is rather academic and a little stuffy, but very helpful in the technical matters.

If someone were wanting to learn more about the book of Philippians but have no need to write academic papers, I would recommend the IVP copy.  Why not?  It's full of illustrations, easy reading, and it's backed by the amazing mind of Gordon Fee.  And for the ambitious types, the Eerdmans copy is outstanding too!

*If you're interested in either of these commentaries, purchasing them with the links above helps support this ministry. 

Seasons of a Leader's Life by Jeff Iorg

 Iorg, Jeff. Seasons of a Leader's Life: Learning, Leading, and Leaving Your Legacy. Nashville, Tenn: B&H Publishing, 2013.

In his book, Seasons of a Leader's Life, Dr. Jeff Iorg sets out to examine three seasons of leadership through the lens of the Apostle Peter.  In the Gospels we see Peter as a learner.  In the books of Acts he's a leader.  And by the time we read the two Epistles from Peter, he's leaving his legacy.

Iorg, a proven leader, has planted a successful church, served as the executive director of the Northwest Baptist Convention, and is the president of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. Some of his other books include Live Like a Missionary, The Painful Side of Leadership, The Character of Leadership, Is God Calling Me?, The Case for Antioch: A Biblical Model for a Transformational Church, and Unscripted.

In the opening pages of Seasons of a Leader's Life, Iorg writes, "This book surveys the overarching story of Peter's ministry in Scripture, and examines leadership principles underlying the biblical narrative of Peter's life" (5).  But this book is not the definitive leadership 'how-to.' A few paragraphs later he says, "This book is organized to help you think through leadership issues; it is not intended to be a step-by-step formula for your life.  The book is also organized to stimulate further consideration of each topic" (5).

Here's a video of Iorg discussing Season of a Leader's Life with Ed Stetzer:

Jeff Iorg has hit a home run with this book.  I loved it and have recommend it to countless leaders and soon-to-be leaders. 

The chapters are short and easy.  The content is serious but peppered with stories and illustrations that make the book fun to read.  And at any point if it seems Iorg is off, he has provided the Scripture so the reader can open his or her Bible and personally examine Peter's life.

"Hopefully," writes Iorg, "this book will be an ideal resource for mentoring groups, reading groups, self-directed leadership development groups, staff improvement exercises, classroom readings, and organizational development for emerging leaders" (6).  I believe Iorg is correct.  I encouraged members of my church staff as well as some lay leaders in the congregation to pick up this book.  My intention was to allow them to move through it how they saw fit. (It's always nice to see how staff members address book recommendations from the boss!)  One staffer grabbed hold of the book and it really seemed to be helpful to him.  (He has since applied to go to seminary.)  An intern (from a seminary where Iorg is not the president) thumbed through the book and read chapters occasionally as he had time.  I suspect it will help him has he thinks through the material and eventually enters the leadership phase of his ministry.  A few of our lay leaders also found the book extremely helpful.  It has prompted some really good conversations with quite a few leaders and future leaders.

I personally loved this book.  I found it informative and extremely helpful in shaping my thinking about my own leadership.  It also helped me realize that leadership comes in seasons.  I've entered the season of the leader but my staff are in the learner season.  Those mentoring me are entering the legacy leaving season.  Understanding these seasons has greatly helped me relate to those in different seasons.

I highly recommend this book to anybody thinking about leading, presently in leadership, or trying to understand how to leave a lasting impact as he or she exits leadership.

In addition, Salty Believer Unscripted has conducted two interviews with Jeff Irog in a series on church planting and this book comes up in that conversation.

-- An Interview with Dr. Jeff Iorg audio-- Another Interview with Dr. Jeff Iorg audio

Purchase  Seasons of a Leader's Life here.

*I am a doctoral candidate at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary where Dr. Jeff Iorg is the president; however, I initiated this interview.  In addition, purchasing Seasons of a Leader's Life through the links on this website help support this website ministry. 

Early Mark Manuscript Closer to Validation

1/19/2015

On May 22, 2012 I published a post on this website about the potential of a First Century manuscript fragment of the Book of Mark.  (You can find that post here).  Now it seems that we are getting closer to validating that find.  These things take peer-review and that takes lots of time, but LiveScience.com posted an article with more details about this discovery.  (You can find that article here.)

It turns out that the manuscript pages of the book of Mark were used as something like a paper mache (or more appropriately a papyri mache) Egyptian mask.  The mask, like the one pictured in this post, was much like the more popular gold masks only for those of a lower income.  Even then, papyri was expensive so it made sense to use recycle papyri.  It's just going to be painted anyway, right?  Dr. Craig Evans has reported that he has found numerous documents contained in the recycled papyri in these masks, including business documents, classical greek works, and this very special manuscript of Mark.

Why is this a big deal?

Here's why.  It's a document of Mark that's much closer to the original.  Critical scholars will often argue that the Gospels were written hundreds of years after the event.  This manuscript disputes those claims.  It's also fascinating where it was found.  It would seem that in order for the document to turn up in Egypt, it had to have been copied from another source (or the original) sometime earlier.

This is a remarkable find and will likely shake up the academic world as this makes its way through peer review.  Keep your eyes open and on the lookout for more information to come.

*The mask pictured in this post is an Egyptian funerary mask located in a museum in Vienna, Austria. The photo is in the public domain.

Reading All of Your Bible in 2015

It's that time of year when people resolve to read the Bible, which is great.  It's also the time when One-Year-Bibles go on sale.

Reading more of God's Word or reading the entirety of the Bible for the first time is is a good resolution.  We should have a desire to read and know the Bible, especially considering that it's God's message to us.  Want to know God better?  One good place to start is in his Word.  But for those not too familiar with the Bible, this is a huge task.

Many people who are new to the Bible will start in Genesis and read page by page until they reach the end of Revelation.  This is a canonical reading, meaning that the Bible is read in the order of the arranged books of the cannon.  Reading this way is certainly not bad, but it can be confusing for someone who doesn't know the story of the Bible in chronological order.

Most Bibles are arranged and bound like a big bookshelf.  One entire section is for the books of the Old Testament and one section is for books of the New Testament.  Bound together within the Old Testament section, you have five books of the Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).  Then you find 12 books of history (Joshua through Esther), followed by the poetry or artistic books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon).  The five books of the major prophets open the section on the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel), followed by the 12 books of the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi).

In the New Testament section opens with the four gospels (Matthew Mark, Luke, and John) which all cover the earthly ministry of Jesus but from different perspectives.  Acts is the only book in the New Testament history section, followed by nine of Paul's letters to the churches (Romans through 2 Thessalonians).  Paul also wrote letters to individuals and they get a section (1 and 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon).  Then there are nine general letters to the churches (Hebrews through Revelation).

If you're wanting to follow the historical timeline of God's redemptive history and get a good grasp of the biblical story, then you will actually do better to read in chronological order.  This will mean you'll be in the books of history, artistic books, and the prophets at the same time as you move through the Old Testament.  As you read Jonah for example, you'll have a better understanding of the context.  You'll know that the kingdom was divided, who the kings where, what political problems were playing out, and who the Ninevites were.  The narrative will be rich and far more informative.  In addition, this will make your reading more enjoyable.  The same will be true of the New Testament.

If you've never read the Bible in chronological order, I highly recommend it.  You can download an easy chronological reading plan here.

Another way to read is with a devotional plan.  These tend to have some reading in the Old Testament, Psalms, and New Testament.  There are many of these plans out there or you can simply put a bookmark in each section.  You don't even need to start at the beginning.  Pick the books and start there.  Read 3 or 4 chapters from the Old Testament, a psalm, and a chapter or two from the New Testament.  The amazing thing about this kind of reading plan is how interconnected the Bible is and how much God will use each reading from these three sections to speak into your life.

Or maybe if you've already read the Bible cover to cover or in chronological order, you can jettison the idea of reading your entire Bible in a year and start reading smaller sections or single books more deeply.  For example, you could read one book of the Bible over and over again for a couple months.  Or read Titus or one of the minor prophets every day for a month.  Or you could read a book with a commentary reading book club, which I also highly recommend.  (Here's more on that.)

No matter how you read, getting into God's Word is a good thing.  If you've resolved to reading more of the Bible this year, I can't help but believe it will be good for you.  Stick to it.  Enjoy it.  Savor it.  It's not about getting a task done in a year; but rather, hearing from God.


* Photo by Flickr.com user, Ryk Neethling is registered under a Creative Commons License.
** Much of this post was taken from a previous SaltyBeliever.com post that published January 7, 2014.

Bible Study Tools That Fit in One Box or are Under $200

What if you had to put your Bible study tools in one copy paper-sized box? What books would you put in there?

What Bible study tools would you have if you could only spend $200?

Looking for some tools to dig deeper into your Bible study?  Jared Jenkins and I recorded a podcast for Salty Believer Unscripted to try to answer these questions.

You can listen to that podcast here.

We discuss a number of resource tools, both digital and paper.  A couple extremely helpful items made it to the top both of our lists.  One was is ESV Study Bible.  If you don't have one of these, this is the place to start.  The other is Accordance Bible Software.  We both use and love Accordance. And here's a bonus: you can get this really amazing resource for less than $200.

Here's a teaser for Accordance Bible Software if you're interested:

*Photo by flickr.com user Alvin Chua.
** Neither Jared Jenkins or I work for or financially represent Crossway or Accordance Bible Software.  

A Look at End Times, AKA: "An Overview of Eschatology"

A part of the ministry of SaltyBeliever.com is a podcast called Salty Believer Unscripted.  You can find our podcasts on our Resources Page or subscribe to it on iTunes.  (A selection of them are also available at EntrustedWithTheGospel.com.)

If you've never listened to "Salty Believer Unscripted," it's basically an unscripted, unedited 20 to 30 minute conversation between pastors that's recorded so you can join in.  We typically select a series topic (but not always) and chat over coffee.  We just finished a series called "An Overview of Eschatology" which takes a look at what the Bible has to say about the end times.  (At the time of this post, we're recording a series of podcast with other church planters and pastors, getting a feel for what's happening in the ministry of church planting across the country.)

Eschatology is kind of a funny thing. Either people are excessively into it and it dictates how they think about everything or they really don't have an opinion or thought about it at all.  This, I think, is primarily because people are so influenced by how they've seen others behave rather than what the Bible says.  So Jared Jenkins, Benjamin Pierce, Brett Ricely, and I set out to introduce and discuss some of the ideas contained in the study of Eschatology.  And in case you're wondering, we start with "What does Eschatology mean?"

Through this discussion, we cover topics like how we should interpret prophecy, where to find end times stuff in the Bible, why is studying eschatology important, the millenium, the tribulation, and the state of both heaven and hell.  Hopefully this will help you on your journey to better understand eschatology.  Are you a premillennialist, amillennialist, or postmillennialist?  How do you understand books like Revelation, Matthew, Daniel, and Isaiah; and what are they saying about the end?  What's your view on the tribulation and rapture?  Are you a litterlisist, historicists, or something else?  What is the New Heavens and New Earth like?  What's going to happen to this earth?  Why should we care?  We hope to help you answer these and many other questions.  However, we only offer a brief overview.  We don't get too bogged down.

Whether you have an interest in the end times or if you've never thought about it, I hope you'll consider checking out our Salty Believer Unscripted series, "An Overview of Eschatology."


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Or listen here:

An Overview of Eschatology
-- An Intro of the Terms audio
-- Prophecy: A Difficult Task audio
-- The Near-Far Views of Prophecy audio
-- Scripture, Not Man's Ideas audio
-- Definitions: How We See Prophecy audio
-- Understanding the Millennium audio
-- Why We Should Study for Ourselves audio
-- The Tribulation and Rapture audio
-- The The Glory and Wonder of Heaven audio
-- Hell is for Real audio


*Artwork by flickr.com user, "Rich" is registered under a creative commons license and used by permission. 

Overview of Eschatology

Salt Believer Unscripted has embarked into the future, that is, we've started a series that looks at eschatology.  This is not to say that we're going to start wearing sandwich boards that read, "The end is near."  We're not going to scream through a bullhorn.  And we don't need to identify The Anti-Christ because the Apostle John already has (in 1 John 2:22 he says he's anybody who denies the Father and the Son).  No, we're simply walking through an overview of eschatology.

If we're not going to get over-excited about end times symbolism and preach every sermon about our view of the end, why are we doing it?  Well, because we want to do our best to understand Scripture.  Avoiding specific Scriptural teaching just because people get crazy about it and it's kind of strange is not a sound practice for a student of the Bible.  Also, because Revelation 1:3 says, "Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near."  If people are blessed to read the book of Revelation, that is stands to reason that we probably ought to study it.  I suspect the same is true of Isaiah, Matthew, Daniel, the letters of the Paul, and all the other books of the Canon.  And finally, because a listener asked after seeing a trailer for a Hollywood's attempt to explain it.

If you'd like to join us for this series, subscribe to our podcast or find the series on the resource page of Saltybeliever.com.

Subscribe to the Salty Believer Unscripted Podcasts:
iTunes  | Non iTunes

*Artwork by Phillip Medhurst is registered under a Creative Commons Licence. 

When a Sermon Speaks

September 23, 2014

When I was in seminary I would often tune into the Liberty University convocations as well as the Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary convocations.  (There's a difference.  Liberty is the undergraduate school which also includes a number of secular-type masters and doctorate degrees and LBTS is a seminary with masters and doctorate degrees of a biblical, theological, or spiritual nature.)  There were some memorable sermons, but one in particular changed my entire approach to seminary, ministry, and even life.

God used the following sermon by Francis Chan in November of 2011 to really get inside my soul:

Jump ahead to September 2014.  I am serving in full-time ministry as well as planting a church. Ironically, I'm teaching a preaching class for the Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary CLD program in an effort to improve my ability to preach.  I selected some sermons that we're viewing and critiquing as a group.  Chan's sermon at Liberty was one of them.  

In preparation for the class, I watched the sermon again with the critique form in mind.  Based on the form, Chan's sermon doesn't cover all the 'correct' bases; but then, neither would Piper, Chandler, DeYoung, or even Billy Graham's sermons.  (My certainly don't and I'm starting to feel okay with that.)  This should probably cause us to re-think the seminary and 'textbook' approach to building sermons with an effort to keep the Holy Spirit at the forefront of our mind as well as an understanding that God uses different preachers how God will use different preachers. 

When I watched the Chan sermon a second time, it really didn't strike the same chord like it did when I first heard it.  I wondered what effect the sermon might have on the class, especially as they would be viewing it with the form in front of them.  I started to wonder if I was losing the passion I had in seminary after seeing the sermon the first time.  Had a few years of ministry and a handful hard critiques from others snuffed out the fire?  What happened? 

But then I watched the Chan sermon a third time in the class, without the form.  Again, God used this sermon to dig inside my soul.  I felt fired up once more.  Again, I have this passion to "look like a guy who walked out of the Bible, not the Bible Belt," as Chan says.  

Francis Chan's passion is moving.  It should liberate preachers who get a little fired up.  His excitement to preach and his joy doing it reminded me how blessed I am to have the opportunity to serve the Lord.  I'm blessed to have the opportunity to preaching God's Word, even if my style and approach doesn't stack up against the textbooks or professors or pastors who do it differently.  And I hope I can love Jesus and his Word and let that overflow out of me all over the place, even in my preaching.  

A guy once challenged me about what the sermon is and what it's for.  He saw the sermon like the breakfast meal--it's something you need regularly but it's not something that is really life changing in a single moment.  His argument was that it's sermon after sermon after sermon over many years that brings about change.  And this is true for some, but certainly God can use a single sermon to speak and move a person.  And maybe you'll hear this sermon and it won't speak to you at all.  But for me, at two different times, God has used this sermon to speak to me in ways I pray are life changing.  (It's unlikely that you'll ever see this Francis, that's for faithfully preaching the message God gave you to preach and to it with passion.) 

Soli Deo gloria!

Bryan 

Salty Believer

Training for Ministry: Utah School of Theology

Not too long ago, I wrote about the good work that denominations and associations might be a part of.  One of those examples was the Utah School of Theology.  It's an Contextualized Learning Development site through Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary that affords people the opportunity for ministry training. 

You can earn a diploma and receive an excellent education by taking 8 high-quality classes (see more here). Or you can take four classes and earn a certificate (Communicating the Gospel, Old Testament Survey, New Testament Survey, and Introduction to Christian Theology). Both the diploma and the certificate are backed and accredited by GGBTS and you can even travel to the Golden Gate Mill Valley campus and walk in the graduation ceremony, if you graduate that is.

I am teaching Communicating the Gospel (CLP 1411) this semester and it will be hosted at Risen Life Church on Thursday nights.  We'll be looking at preaching and teaching and hopefully become better preachers and teachers of the gospel. 

Aug 21 - Dec 4
6:30pm - 9:30pm
RLC Class Room 106

I'd be happy to send you a copy of the syllabus if you'd like more information.  You can contact me here.

Live in the Salt Lake area? I hope you'll join us.  If you have never enrolled with GGBTS's Contextualized Learning Development program, you will need to complete this application: https://www.ggbts.edu/cld/english/admissionForm.aspx.  (BE SURE TO SELECT UTAH SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY -- DRAPER, UTAH IN THE DROP DOWN MENU.) There is a one-time application fee of $30 that can be paid on the first day of class.

You will also need to go to the Utah School of Theology's site and register for the class here: http://www.utahschooloftheology.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=270257. It's $50 per credit and this course is a 3 credit class, for a total of $150. Shortly after applying at GGBTS and registering at the Utah School of Theology, you should receive some emails with additional information and payment and class instructions.

Don't hesitate to contact me with any questions. I hope to see you in my class!


* Photo taken by Paul Kelly and is registered under a creative commons license.

J.D. Payne -- Sharing Christ and Start Churches

Not too long ago, I was fortunate to sit down with Dr. J.D. Payne and others to discuss reproducible church planting.  If you listen to Salty Believer Unscripted, you may have heard our conversation.  Dr. Payne was in Salt Lake, consulting with some pastors and on March 13, 2014 he lectured at a small conference called Strengthening Churches to Share Christ and Start Churches.  Not only was it a great pleasure to meet Dr. Payne, but I was blessed to hear some very good information that has really helped shape some of my thinking on making disciples and church planting.

Dr. Payne serves as the Pastor of Multiplication at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama.  He also served on staff with the North American Mission Board and was an Associate Professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.  He's been an editor of missional magazines and journals, served on missional boards and associations, served as a pastor of five churches, worked to plant four churches, and has written books to include Missional House Churches: Reaching Our Communities with the Gospel, The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members, Discovering Church Planting: An Introduction to the Whats, Whys, and Hows of Global Church Planting, Evangelism: A Biblical Response to Today’s Questions, Strangers Next Door: Immigration, Migration, and Mission, Roland Allen: Pioneer of Spontaneous Expansion, Kingdom Expressions: Trends Influencing the Advancement of the Gospel, and Pressure Points: Twelve Global Issues Shaping the Face of the Church.  

I was pleased to learn that someone filmed Dr. Payne's lectures and was able to acquire the footage.  Unfortunately, there were some technical difficulties with the video.  I was able to extract the sound from the file with only some occasional minor interruptions.  If you're thinking about church planting or sharing Christ to start churches, I highly encourage you to check out the Salty Believer Unscripted podcast with Dr. Payne (above) and consider listening to his Salt Lake lectures by following the link below.

J.D. Payne, Strengthening Churches to Share Christ and Start Churches

Train Yourself for Godliness: a Discussion in the Spiritual Disciplines

Walking with God is to walk in a relationship with the Creator and Savior of the World.  Like any relationship, there are ways to enhance and strengthen this relationship.  This is where the spiritual disciplines come in.

I remember an angry man who approached me after I suggested that reading the Bible and praying more would likely help one to know God better and love him more.  "This is legalism!" he cried, not really understanding the meaning of legalism.  "It's works and I believe in a God of grace," he continued.  (I guess he probably wouldn't agree with me that the Bible tells us we are saved by grace not works, but the same Bible does include instruction and commands for how we are to live after we are saved.  You can read more on that here.)

I asked this man if he was in a relationship with his wife.  "Of course!" he barked.  I then asked him if his relationship with his wife would be better or worse if they went on dates, talked, and he learned things about her.  "Are there things that may take a little effort on your part but greatly grow your love for you wife?" I questioned.  So it is in our relationship with God.

Benjamin Pierce, Jared Jenkins, and I recently discussed some disciplines that help us grow in our relationship with our Lord.  Many call these practices the spiritual disciplines.  We certainly didn't discuss all of the various disciplines but we did talk about some of the more common spiritual practices that help foster a stronger relationship with God.  Practicing these disciplines may help us know God better and love him more. And they may also help us understand ourselves better as we seek to grow and mature in our walk with Jesus.

Train Yourself For Godliness: A Journey in the Spiritual Disciplines
-- Why the Disciplines are Important audio
-- Reading and Studying Scripture audio
-- Meditating on the Word, Silence, and Solitude audio
-- Journaling and Confession audio
-- Praying Through Scripture audio
-- Hearing from God and Tools for Prayer audio
-- Fasting audio
-- Time Management and Margin auido
-- Sabbath and Rest audio  
-- Worship, Family Worship, and Tithing audio
-- Service and Evangelism audio 

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* Photo by flickr.user, Ibia is registered under a creative commons license and used by permission.

Resolved to Read the Bible

January 7, 2014

We're a week into the new year and I've already spoke with a few people who have resolved to read the Bible more this year, which is great.  Surely on the last Sunday of December many pastors preached something to encourage people to read and know their Bibles.  And I wouldn't be surprised if the One-Year-Bibles go on sale at this time of year. 

Reading more of God's Word is a good resolution.  We should have a desire to read and know the Bible, especially considering that it's God's message to us.  Want to know God better?  One good place to start is in his Word.  But for those not too familiar with the Bible, this is a huge task.

Many people who are new to the Bible will start in Genesis and read page by page until they reach the end of Revelation.  This is a canonical reading, meaning that the Bible is read in the order of the arranged books of the cannon.  Reading this way is certainly not bad, but it can be confusing for someone who doesn't know the story of the Bible in chronological order. 

Most Bibles are arranged and bound like a big bookshelf.  One entire section is for the books of the Old Testament and one section is for books of the New Testament.  Bound together within the Old Testament section, you have five books of the Law (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy).  Then you find 12 books of history (Joshua through Esther), followed by the poetry or artistic books (Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon).  The five books of the major prophets open the section on the prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and Daniel), followed by the 12 books of the minor prophets (Hosea through Malachi).

In the New Testament section opens with the four gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John) which all cover the earthly ministry of Jesus but from different perspectives.  Acts is the only book in the New Testament history section, followed by nine of Paul's letters to the churches (Romans through 2 Thessalonians).  Paul also wrote letters to individuals and they get a section (1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Philemon).  Then there are nine general letters to the churches (Hebrews through Revelation).

If you're wanting to follow the historical time-line of God's redemptive history and get a good grasp of the biblical story, then you will actually do better to read in chronological order.  This will mean you'll be in the books of history, artistic books, and the prophets at the same time as you move through the Old Testament.  As you read Jonah for example, you'll have a better understanding of the context.  You'll know that the kingdom was divided, who the kings where, what political problems were playing out, and who the Ninevites were.  The narrative will be rich and far more informative.  In addition, this will make your reading more enjoyable.  The same will be true of the New Testament.

If you've never read the Bible in chronological order, I highly recommend it.  You can download an easy chronological reading plan here.

Another way to read is with a devotional plan.  These tend to have some reading in the Old Testament, Psalms, and New Testament.  There are many of these plans out there or you can simply put a book mark in each section.  You don't even need to start at the beginning.  Pick the books and start there.  Read 3 or 4 chapters from the Old Testament, a psalm, and a chapter or two from the New Testament.  The amazing thing about this kind of reading plan is how interconnected the Bible is and how much God will use each reading from these three sections to speak into your life.

Or maybe if you've already read the Bible cover to cover or in chronological order, you can jettison the idea of reading your entire Bible in a year and start reading smaller sections or single books more deeply.  For example, you could read one book of the Bible over and over again for a couple months.  Or read Titus or one of the minor prophets ever day for a month.  Or you could read a book with a commentary reading book club, which I also highly recommend.  (Here's more on that.)

No matter how you read, getting into God's Word is a good thing.  If you've resolved to reading more of the Bible this year, I can't help but believe it will be good for you.  Stick to it.  Enjoy it.  Savor it.  It's not about getting a task done in a year; but rather, hearing from God.


* Photo by Flickr.com user, Ryk Neethling is registered under a Creative Commons License.

Christmas Decoration Theology

Just after Thanksgiving, at least in America, people start putting nativity sets on their coffee tables and fireplace mantels. My neighbor even puts a life-size lighted set in his front yard. The angel stands on the roof of his house. I think the idea is to create a visual story of the birth of Jesus, our Lord.

The set we had when I was growing up was very much like the sets most people have, and they certainly tell a story. In fact, the typical nativity set has shaped the story most Americans know as Jesus' birth story. Like the idea that there were only three wise men, for example. This idea likely comes about because there were three gifts (gold, myrrh, and frankincense) , but it is widely reinforced by the fact that the typical nativity set usually only includes three wise men. (And the one I had growing up had two pasty-white dudes and one very black guy, which seems kind of odd if you think about it.)

Matthew 2:1 simply calls this band of wise men, "Magi from the East." There is nothing that indicates a number other than a plurality. It could have been two or two hundred; we really don't know. And there's nothing that precludes women from this mysterious group.

Another interesting picture we get from our nativity sets is the presence of the Magi while Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were still staying in the stable or animal cave below the living quarters or wherever the manger was. In fact, the birthday story itself is primarily recorded in Luke but the account of the Magi is told in Matthew. The Magi narrative in Matthew suggests a much broader time line. They visit the house where the child was (Matthew 2:9-10), which may not have been an animal stable. And even if that house was in Bethlehem, it could be at the "inn" now that there's room with extended family as some scholars have guessed. Herod set out to kill all the children two years and younger, suggesting that at the point he realized he had been tricked by the Magi, the child Jesus could have been us much as two years old.

When you look at your nativity set this year, think about what shapes your understanding of the Christmas story. Is it your porcelain figurines or the Scripture? If it's not the Scripture, take some time to read through the Christmas story this Christmas season. Read slowly, savor it, let it sink in and become the picture you have in your mind as you celebrate Christmas.

Merry Christmas!


* Photo by Chiot's Run and is registered under a creative commons license.

Churches that Multiply by Elmer Towns and Douglas Porter

Towns, Elmer L., and Douglas Porter. Churches That Multiply: A Bible Study on Church Planting. Kansas City, Mo: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2003. 

Dr. Elmer Towns, president of Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dr. Douglas Porter, pastor of Napanee Baptist Church until his death in 2011, set out to examine church planting through the lessons taught in the books of Acts.  But unlike many other church-planting books, this is not simply a book to encourage people to copy the lessons of Paul's journeys recorded in Acts.  It is not a book that dictates a single model to follow, as some denominations attempt.  Instead, this is a book that sets out to equip and encourage the average church, full of regular people to plant churches through whatever God calls them to do.  Towns and Porter write, "this book suggests a bubble up strategy, which means average Christians get a burden to begin a new church" (7).  They conceded that a top down method (they call trickle down) and the bottom up method (they call bubble up) are both biblical and may get churches planted, "but this book," write Towns and Porter, "is aimed at getting you and many other members in your Bible study group a vision of how your church can start a new church" (7).

The format implemented by Towns and Porter is straight forward.  They simply move through the book of Acts as their chapters progress.  Starting with Jesus' post resurrection ministry, they deal with the education of the disciples and the Great Commission and the disciple's role.  From this point, everything is driven out of what Towns and Porter see in the various churches in Acts.  From the Church in Jerusalem they discuss the importance of saturating a place and a people with the gospel through evangelism.  The Church in Samaria becomes a platform for discussing the ministry of the layperson.  Antioch is about cross-culture planting and evangelism while Galatia is about overcoming great problems.  The Church in Philippi is used to look at relationships, Thessalonica about compassion for people, and the Berean Church is about being rooted in the Scriptures.  Understanding a culture is discussed through the lens of the Athens Church, Corinth becomes the setting to examine spiritual gifts in the church, and the Ephesian Church allows Towns and Porter to close with a chapter on leadership training.

Another aspect of each chapter is the many project options that follow.  After each chapter, the reader will find sections called "Personal Lessons to Take Away" and "Church Lessons to Take Away."  These sections provide additional opportunity for through and discussion, making them ideal for a group study.  In addition, these two sections provide different perspectives for the various readers who may be journeying through this book.  A pastor or prospective church-planter may be thinking about a larger vision and context for an entire church or church-planting team while the individual may just be thinking about planting in general or a specific role on a team.  Having these two sections broke out makes it easy to get to specifics based on personal circumstances.  In addition, there are two more post-chapter sections called "Personal Project" and "Church Project."  These sections provide many ideas and 'assignments' for individuals thinking about planting or joining a plant as well as Bible study group projects and even church-wide projects related to planting.

One would be disappointed if he or she were looking for the complete 'how-to' of church-planting, if such a book even exists.  Churches that Multiply is not written with many specifics, other than what might be extrapolated from the Lessons to Take Away and Project sections.   However, Towns and Porter do not claim this is a how-to book.  They call this book "A Bible Study on Church Planting" (cover).  The set out to ignite a planting vision for a Bible study group, individual, or church.  If a group where to work together through this book and engage in the projects, it is likely that they would indeed gain a vision to plant.  That being said, Towns and Porter achieved what they set out to do.

A weakness of Churches that Multiply might be found in its format.  Using each church in Acts to examine one thing begins to look a bit contrived as the reader moves from chapter to chapter.  It almost seems as if the authors first created a list of things they wanted to cover and then assigned those topics to a single church.  Actually contrasting these churches with one another may have been more informative.  I wonder how relationships differed and what could be learned in the differences and similarities.  How did each church deal with their respective culture (because they all did)?  Instead, Athens is the only example of dealing with culture.  How did the various churches train up leaders, because surely the Ephesians are not the only ones that provide examples?   How did these various churches spread the gospel, do evangelism, and stand in the face of opposition? 

A strength of Churches that Multiply might also be found in its format.  Having simple sections that cover divided sections of the Book of Acts means it is easy to handle a chapter per week or every two weeks.  The projects and lesson take aways provide a simple task for a group leader.  This book might be a great place for a church planting team to journey for a season.  The projects could unite the group around a common theological vision and purpose as well as allow them to learn and grow together.  Spending 6 months in this book would greatly help a team develop a plan for their specific church-plant.

While there are many books on church-planting available, Churches that Multiply is great for a group study.  Although I have not used it with a study group or to develop a vision for planting, I believe it would make a good resource to do so.

Purchase this book at Amazon.com by clicking here.


* This book was recommended to me along with a few other books by a NAMB Send City Church-Planting Coordinator, and for that, I'm thankful. 
** Purchases made through the links on this website help financially support this ministry. 
   

Beloved: A Love Letter From God

Reading the book of 2 Peter--a letter from God, through Peter, to Christians everywhere--one word should pop out.  Beloved.  Agapetos or agapetoi in the Greek are the words that are often translated into the English word, beloved.  In 2 Peter 1:17, Peter uses this word quoting the Father's words at Jesus' transfiguration.  At 2 Peter 3:15, Peter uses beloved to describe our brother Paul.  In the other four uses, it is a term of endearment toward the reader.  But is it Peter who loves reader?  Maybe.  Peter did have a great love for Christians; however, it is God who calls Christians everywhere 'beloved.'

Some may dispute that 2 Peter is a letter to Christians everywhere specifically from God, especially when 2 Peter 1:1 says, "Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ" (ESV).  But in this very letter Peter says,"For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21, ESV).  If 2 Peter is Scripture, than it is prophecy and therefore not written by the will of Peter, but by God as he was carried along by the Holy Spirit."  This is a letter from God and it is written to Christians everywhere.

The use of 'beloved' in 2 Peter 3:14 is especially encouraging.  God (through Peter, carried by the Holy Spirit) says, "Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace" (ESV).  When we look at this verse in light of what the rest of the Bible says, we know it is impossible to be without spot or blemish apart from Christ, the only one who is without spots or blemishes (1 Peter 1:17-21).  We trade our sin for Jesus' righteousness.  We trade our lies and likes of the false prophets for the Truth of the gospel of Jesus.  He takes our sins, dies for them, and gives us a perfection we will one day share with Jesus in his glory.  And the same is true for peace.  Apart from the knowledge that our Lord is coming back and believers will live in eternity with God, it is difficult, if not impossible, to be at true peace.  We trade our waring soul for one that is at peace with Christ.

When we see that we are beloved, we really ought to see that we not only traded our spots and blemishes and our worry, doubt, and rage for salvation, we are now seen with love by the Father.

In the four Gospels, the word beloved is used in some interesting ways.  In Matthew 3 and Luke 3 the word appears at Christ's baptism.  Here there is an audible voice that says "This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."  At the transfiguration recorded in Matthew 17 and Mark 9 an audible voice again introduces Jesus, saying, "This is my beloved son, listen to him."  Matthew quotes Isaiah in Matthew 12 showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the coming messiah and beloved son.  And even Jesus uses this word about himself when he uses a parable in Mark 12 and Luke 12 about a vineyard owner who has bad tenants.  Eventually this owner sends his beloved son.

God's people, that is, those who have repented and accepted Jesus as Lord become children of God, being loved as Jesus is loved.  Romans 9:25-26 is a quotation of Hosea 2:23 and Isaiah 10:22-23.  It reads, "Those who were not my people I will call 'my people,' and her who was not beloved I will call 'beloved.'' And in the very place where it was said to them, 'You are not my people,' there they will be called 'sons of the living God'" (ESV).  In Christ, we become children of God, sharing in Christ's inheritance and we gain entry into the "kingdom of his beloved son" (see Colossians 1:11-14).  By no means did we earn this love because as it is said in Romans 5:8: "God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (ESV).     

If you are a Christian, repentant and calling on Jesus as Savior and Lord, then 2 Peter is a letter to you, from God.  As you read this letter, do not see it as anything other than a message from a loving father to a son or daughter.  Beloved, God loves you! 

 


* Photo by flickr.com user Pimthida is registered under a creative commons license and is used with permission.

Book Review: The Bible's Big Story

James M. Hamilton Jr. and Tessa Janes (Ilistration), The Bible's Big Story: Salvation History for Kids (Christian Focus Publications, Scotland, U.K.), 2013.

During a Salty Believer Unscripted episode, Dr. Jim Hamilton mentioned a children's project he wrote.  Curious, I looked it up after we concluded the interview.  Click.  Purchased.  I have two boys and thought it might be good for them.  Maybe it could serve as family catechism? 

The Bible's Big Story is indeed a children's book, complete with fun, colorful illustrations.  My children took to the pictures immediately.   Each page features a simple couplet or poetic pair of lines that Hamilton wrote to teach the major points of the salvation narrative.  These lines are largely printed in red and there is a biblical verse and some additional suggested Scriptures below.  This format makes it easy for my son to stick to the story when reading at breakfast without taking too long to go through all the verses.  However, this format also makes it really easy for us to discuss the verses too. 

At first I wasn't sure if my 4 and 7-year-old would understand what was being said.  Some of the vocabulary and sentence construction was a bit cumbersome.  (I discuss this elsewhere on this website.)  We read the book everyday at breakfast, explaining it as we read when necessary.  Soon enough the kids were able to recite the entire book and with some explanation, we think some may be sticking.

I realize this post isn't much of a review or critique. (If Dr. Hamilton were my professor today, he'd probably give me an F.)  The book is theologically sound.  It can be read quick enough for the attention span of a child but is robust enough that it is thought provoking and fun for mom and dad.  Hamilton does a nice job selecting the major turning points of the biblical story without overloading the book.  Most of the couplets are fun and memorable.  That being said, one area of criticism I have is with the page on Noah and the flood.  It doesn't rhyme when read aloud (and my seven-year-old often reads to the family at breakfast while we all listen).  "People never did to good," it reads, "But God saved Noah at the flood."  Good.  Flood.  No matter how we read this, it just sounds clunky, almost jarring, which is not the case for every other page.  But this is so minor.  The Bible's Big Story is great and the entire family loves it.  

If you have children and you're looking for a fun, simple way to teach them the major points of God's salvation history, this is a great tool.  I highly recommend it. 

*I have no connection to this book, monetary or otherwise.