I want to begin by thanking John for telling me I had to get this book and read it. Once again John was right. This is certainly one the most insightful and biblical books that I have ever read. As I was reading, it felt as if a curtain had been pulled back and I was now seeing the Old Testament (OT) in a clearer way than ever before. So thank you John and I am now genuinely sorry that it took me so long to get to it.
I don't really want to attempt a book review, the scope of this book makes it hard to review here but I want to share some reflections from the reading of this book, and hopefully encourage you read it as well.
1) I am often wrong and don't know everything. To those who know me this would seem to go without saying. How could I ever come under the delusion that I know everything or that I have achieved some deep wisdom. Christopher Wright showed me this because every time that my presuppositions clashed with his explanations I was forced to admit by the end of contest that he was right and I was wrong. I need to be reminded that I haven't arrived, that I am not quite as brilliant as I might daydream that I am. Thank you Christopher Wright for bringing a humbling measure into this book.
2) My understanding of the OT as demanding a primarily external obedience was wrong. Dr. Wright proved conclusively that the OT demanded both external obedience and internal obedience. Love and commitment were essential under the Old Covenant. He focuses on Deuteronomy 4-11, where Moses is preaching to the people, challenging them to follow and obey God whole-heartedly not just outwardly.
3) My understanding of prophecy was sharpened by Christopher Wright. He has a brilliant section where he compares and contrasts promise and prediction (this is all in chapter 2). He shows how prophecy is based on relationship and demands a response whereas prediction is not relational, it is simply an announcement of an event. A promise demands action from the promiser, not just announcement.
Wright also showed the ongoing cycle in the OT of promise, fulfillment, and fresh promise. Jesus fulfills all the promises of the OT by being all that the promises pointed to. He is the last stop on this cycle. This does not deny the reality of meaning in OT context promises meant something to the people they were directly given to. It was not like some code book that was gobbledygook to them. It had meaning for them, but Jesus as the final stop on the cycle of promise, fulfillment, and fresh promise, was the ultimate answer to all the promises of God. Jesus is all that those promises were pointing to.
4) The last thing that I want to mention is the mission of Israel, that we in our sad ignorance of the OT so often overlook. We think that the Great Commission was a new thing that God was doing. This is insane for us to think. We know better, look with me at Genesis 12:1-3
Now the Lord said to Abram, "Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."
God is blessing Abraham and Israel for the purpose of blessing all the nations. This is a theme that as Wright so powerfully shows runs through the OT. We are part of that blessing, I as a gentile benefited from the fulfillment of this promise to Abraham fulfilled in Christ, through His atoning work I now am blessed of God. But the only difference that I can discern is a subtle shift in the NT. In the NT we are commanded to go to the nations, whereas in the OT the nations are describes as coming to Israel.
My only complaint was that he left some avenues untraveled. I would have liked an appendix of his view of the OT was a shadow of Christ (see Hebrews 8:5 and 10:1 for example). His brief section on Typology did not satisfactorily answer this question. A small complaint, I know.
Thank you Dr.Wright, your book is a gift and I have become an unabashed fan. I will be adding Wright's books to my reading diet as long as their are Wright books and as long as he doesn't lose his mind or fall off the deep end.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Praying to the Real God
Prayer, if it is in any sense to be "meaningful", must be an encounter with the "real" God. The real God can be frightening. If you have never stood before God and been terribly afraid, then you have never stood before God. He isn't safe, He isn't always nice, He isn't accommodating, and He isn't in the business of making us feel comfortable with our rebellion.
Steve Brown, Approaching God: How to Pray, 21.
Steve Brown, Approaching God: How to Pray, 21.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
FURTHER THOUGHTS ON COMMUNION
In my last post I briefly discussed the issue of communion (i.e. The Lord's Supper), and in what contexts it should be offered and recieved. This has led to a bit of dialogue among the bloggers here at B&B, and I am hoping we flesh out this subject further. I want to direct your attention to a short but helpful discussion on this issue (in a a broader context though) found at the wonderful blog, Standing on Shoulders. Take a look at this, and then give us your views! (NOTE: For some reason I cannot get this link to work so that you can click on it and go directly there. I am computer illiterate. So copy paste the link to your address bar and I will try to fix this in the future).
http://standingonshoulders.net/2008/08/28/strict-communion-less-exclusive-than-paedobaptists-or-should-the-water-divide-us/
http://standingonshoulders.net/2008/08/28/strict-communion-less-exclusive-than-paedobaptists-or-should-the-water-divide-us/
Keller on Setting Priorities
This short video is directed at Pastor's but it is well worth the listen of all Christians, especially as we try to live lives that are correctly prioritized so that we can best honor and enjoy God.
http://seminarysurvivalguide.com/2008/09/01/tim-keller-on-time-priorities/
http://seminarysurvivalguide.com/2008/09/01/tim-keller-on-time-priorities/
Monday, September 1, 2008
LESSONS FROM SOUTH BEND (PART 2)
If you read the first post of reflections from my trip this weekend, here are the rest of the lessons I gleaned:
5.Man was not meant to fly! OK this is has no theological or practical significance, but I hate to fly on planes and felt it necessary to emphasize that there is a reason we do not have wings. The Seraphim of Isaiah 6 I imagine are a glorious sight to behold before the throne of God, but me in a flying Tylenol at three thousand feet is not!
6.Family is a gift from God. This weekend afforded me the opportunity to spend extended time with my wife’s side of the family. This was a unique opportunity because usually they only interact with me around Emily, thus discomfort was a real possibility for us all. Yet the entire trip provided sweet fellowship and fruitful conversations. They have accepted me as part of the family from day one and demonstrated genuine hospitality with such love. For that I praise God.
7.Jesus is a Notre Dame fan, and Moses must be an alumni. Saturday morning allowed an opportunity for a guided tour of the campus of the University of Notre Dame. I have been to many college campuses, but Notre Dame is truly in a league of their own. But one of the striking things about the campus is that on one of main buildings facing the football stadium is a mural of Jesus with His arms extended as in a receiving gesture. But in front of a football stadium I swear he looks like he is holding up his arms as motioning “touchdown!” So the fans have affectionately labeled that painting “touchdown Jesus,” and quite honestly that may be why they are such a dominant football program! Also on campus is a stone statue of Moses with his finger pointing toward heaven; however most fans believe he is saying “We’re number one!”
8.There is much to learn from our “high church” brothers and sisters in Christ. The wedding I attended was in an Episcopal church, and it was my first exposure to that protestant tradition. A few aspects took me aback (such as the icons of Jesus and Priests wearing bathrobes), but for the most part I learned a great deal. The architecture is breathtaking in displaying the majesty of God and glory of His presence. Stepping into the building reminded me I am in the presence of the King of Kings. I was also struck by the reverence given to the Word of God. I asked one of the clergy if there were any traditions I needed to be aware of to observe, and he mentioned bowing at the front of the alter before a cross. Doing that reminded me as I walked to recite Scripture that I am coming on the basis of what Jesus did for me on that Cross. And after I read the text, I was to say “The Word of the Lord,” and the congregation responded, “Thanks be to God.” When this is done not out of ritual but out of genuine love and reverence, it is a tradition my Baptist roots would benefit from immensely.
9.Marriage should always remind us of the mysterious, profound and glorious union we have been called into with Christ. I am so grateful for my cousin Kevin and his new bride Sara because they preached the Gospel to my heart by their union. Ephesians 5 played in my head as they committed their lives to one another. Paul told us that marriage is an illustration of Christ and the church, and not the other way around. I pray I never see two people joined together in marriage without seeing behind the curtain the greater reality that union is pointing to, namely that I have been united to my bridegroom by grace through faith in His blood atonement.
10.Receiving Communion must not be entered into lightly with little thought. I faced a difficult dilemma in that communion was offered to all at the wedding as an act of worship. I love coming to the Lord’s Table, as it celebrates His work on my behalf. Yet I wrestled with whether not I should participate. On one hand it was a time of worship and afforded the opportunity to glorify Christ and enjoy fellowship with a community of believers outside my denomination. But on the other hand, I have serious doctrinal differences with the church in which I was a guest. I believe that the church is “disorderly,” by which I mean that the ordering of the body in both government and practice does not match what the New Testament teaches about the local church. Issues such as what do the bread and wine represent, baptizing infants, the priestly role of clergy, and others are serious issues that hinder me from ever becoming a member of that community. So I decided because of my conscious to refrain and respectfully and prayerfully observe the act of worship. I think this topic may open a good discussion on the blog: what would you have done in my shoes, and is it appropriate to receive communion when serious doctrinal differences are present among a believer and the local church. Let’s hear your thoughts!
5.Man was not meant to fly! OK this is has no theological or practical significance, but I hate to fly on planes and felt it necessary to emphasize that there is a reason we do not have wings. The Seraphim of Isaiah 6 I imagine are a glorious sight to behold before the throne of God, but me in a flying Tylenol at three thousand feet is not!
6.Family is a gift from God. This weekend afforded me the opportunity to spend extended time with my wife’s side of the family. This was a unique opportunity because usually they only interact with me around Emily, thus discomfort was a real possibility for us all. Yet the entire trip provided sweet fellowship and fruitful conversations. They have accepted me as part of the family from day one and demonstrated genuine hospitality with such love. For that I praise God.
7.Jesus is a Notre Dame fan, and Moses must be an alumni. Saturday morning allowed an opportunity for a guided tour of the campus of the University of Notre Dame. I have been to many college campuses, but Notre Dame is truly in a league of their own. But one of the striking things about the campus is that on one of main buildings facing the football stadium is a mural of Jesus with His arms extended as in a receiving gesture. But in front of a football stadium I swear he looks like he is holding up his arms as motioning “touchdown!” So the fans have affectionately labeled that painting “touchdown Jesus,” and quite honestly that may be why they are such a dominant football program! Also on campus is a stone statue of Moses with his finger pointing toward heaven; however most fans believe he is saying “We’re number one!”
8.There is much to learn from our “high church” brothers and sisters in Christ. The wedding I attended was in an Episcopal church, and it was my first exposure to that protestant tradition. A few aspects took me aback (such as the icons of Jesus and Priests wearing bathrobes), but for the most part I learned a great deal. The architecture is breathtaking in displaying the majesty of God and glory of His presence. Stepping into the building reminded me I am in the presence of the King of Kings. I was also struck by the reverence given to the Word of God. I asked one of the clergy if there were any traditions I needed to be aware of to observe, and he mentioned bowing at the front of the alter before a cross. Doing that reminded me as I walked to recite Scripture that I am coming on the basis of what Jesus did for me on that Cross. And after I read the text, I was to say “The Word of the Lord,” and the congregation responded, “Thanks be to God.” When this is done not out of ritual but out of genuine love and reverence, it is a tradition my Baptist roots would benefit from immensely.
9.Marriage should always remind us of the mysterious, profound and glorious union we have been called into with Christ. I am so grateful for my cousin Kevin and his new bride Sara because they preached the Gospel to my heart by their union. Ephesians 5 played in my head as they committed their lives to one another. Paul told us that marriage is an illustration of Christ and the church, and not the other way around. I pray I never see two people joined together in marriage without seeing behind the curtain the greater reality that union is pointing to, namely that I have been united to my bridegroom by grace through faith in His blood atonement.
10.Receiving Communion must not be entered into lightly with little thought. I faced a difficult dilemma in that communion was offered to all at the wedding as an act of worship. I love coming to the Lord’s Table, as it celebrates His work on my behalf. Yet I wrestled with whether not I should participate. On one hand it was a time of worship and afforded the opportunity to glorify Christ and enjoy fellowship with a community of believers outside my denomination. But on the other hand, I have serious doctrinal differences with the church in which I was a guest. I believe that the church is “disorderly,” by which I mean that the ordering of the body in both government and practice does not match what the New Testament teaches about the local church. Issues such as what do the bread and wine represent, baptizing infants, the priestly role of clergy, and others are serious issues that hinder me from ever becoming a member of that community. So I decided because of my conscious to refrain and respectfully and prayerfully observe the act of worship. I think this topic may open a good discussion on the blog: what would you have done in my shoes, and is it appropriate to receive communion when serious doctrinal differences are present among a believer and the local church. Let’s hear your thoughts!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
LESSONS FROM SOUTH BEND (PART 1)
This weekend I traveled to South Bend, IN to celebrate the wedding of my wife’s cousin as he married his college sweetheart. I have known Kevin since we were both boys, and it has been a joy to watch him grow both physically and spiritually these many years. The trip itself was VERY quick! I flew up there Friday afternoon and flew back to West Virginia Saturday night, so as you can imagine it was a hurried weekend. Yet in the midst of all the excitement, God taught me some valuable lessons that will stick with me for a long time. I am learning that every event in life is a learning opportunity; and so here, in no particular order, are the 10 lessons I learned this weekend:
1.Telling others the Good News about Jesus is more important than anything else. This is a no brainer right? Yet this is often easier to preach than to practice. I boarded my flight Friday with every intention of burying my head in a book for two hours straight. I had brought books I was determined to read on the trip so that I could tell myself I had been “productive.” I had the window seat and a woman named Tina joined me shortly after. After exchanging a few pleasantries we struck up a conversation and I began to learn about her life. Now I had a choice at this point, namely to politely drop the conversation and pick up my book, or learn more about her life and family. I chose the latter and it afforded me the opportunity to learn about her understanding the gospel and share with her the truth of Scripture. I could have easily missed that wonderful encounter with Tina had I put reading above people.
2.There are such things as “Scrabble Tournaments.” My new friend on the plane was flying to play the board game “Scrabble.” Now believe it or not, there is an immense amount of skill and strategy required for such an event. I assumed a large vocabulary would be sufficient, but hard-core “Scrabblers” will memorize words that contain letters that score more points, such as “X” or “Z.” And they know how many spaces separate every double word score and triple word scores and have words memorized that will maximize point values. All I can say is WOW!
3.There are more hurting pastors out there than any of us realize. At the wedding I met a pastor and his wife who have just left a ministry under painful circumstances. They knew of my recent departure from the church I served, and told me their story of being asked to resign with forty plus years of ministry experience. I do not know anything about the circumstances, whether such a thing was justified or not. All I know is that I met a man and his wife who have given their lives to the gospel ministry and are broken right now. And there are many more besides them.
4.Humility is a grace that does not come easily to my heart. I had originally been asked to officiate this wedding, but in the course of events the parish priest of the bride’s church was given the privilege and I served in a smaller capacity. This was a hard pill to swallow. I felt slighted and disrespected because communication was never clearly given to me about this until the last minute. I know that this was not done to hurt me in any way, but my ego got bruised a little bit. My pride said, “you deserve better than this; you were supposed to preach, but now all you are doing is reading Scripture and sitting down.” Yet I am convinced the greatest role I will ever have is a servant to Christ and others. I thank God I had the honor of reading His word publicly to men and women who do not know the Christ pointed to in Scripture. So I put my pride to death and praised God for the opportunity afforded to me, and my heart rejoiced in reading 1 John 4 publicly this past weekend. I will share more lessons tomorrow.
1.Telling others the Good News about Jesus is more important than anything else. This is a no brainer right? Yet this is often easier to preach than to practice. I boarded my flight Friday with every intention of burying my head in a book for two hours straight. I had brought books I was determined to read on the trip so that I could tell myself I had been “productive.” I had the window seat and a woman named Tina joined me shortly after. After exchanging a few pleasantries we struck up a conversation and I began to learn about her life. Now I had a choice at this point, namely to politely drop the conversation and pick up my book, or learn more about her life and family. I chose the latter and it afforded me the opportunity to learn about her understanding the gospel and share with her the truth of Scripture. I could have easily missed that wonderful encounter with Tina had I put reading above people.
2.There are such things as “Scrabble Tournaments.” My new friend on the plane was flying to play the board game “Scrabble.” Now believe it or not, there is an immense amount of skill and strategy required for such an event. I assumed a large vocabulary would be sufficient, but hard-core “Scrabblers” will memorize words that contain letters that score more points, such as “X” or “Z.” And they know how many spaces separate every double word score and triple word scores and have words memorized that will maximize point values. All I can say is WOW!
3.There are more hurting pastors out there than any of us realize. At the wedding I met a pastor and his wife who have just left a ministry under painful circumstances. They knew of my recent departure from the church I served, and told me their story of being asked to resign with forty plus years of ministry experience. I do not know anything about the circumstances, whether such a thing was justified or not. All I know is that I met a man and his wife who have given their lives to the gospel ministry and are broken right now. And there are many more besides them.
4.Humility is a grace that does not come easily to my heart. I had originally been asked to officiate this wedding, but in the course of events the parish priest of the bride’s church was given the privilege and I served in a smaller capacity. This was a hard pill to swallow. I felt slighted and disrespected because communication was never clearly given to me about this until the last minute. I know that this was not done to hurt me in any way, but my ego got bruised a little bit. My pride said, “you deserve better than this; you were supposed to preach, but now all you are doing is reading Scripture and sitting down.” Yet I am convinced the greatest role I will ever have is a servant to Christ and others. I thank God I had the honor of reading His word publicly to men and women who do not know the Christ pointed to in Scripture. So I put my pride to death and praised God for the opportunity afforded to me, and my heart rejoiced in reading 1 John 4 publicly this past weekend. I will share more lessons tomorrow.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Movie Review - Amazing Grace
I know I'm late to the party on this one but I feel the need to express some appreciation and some frustration with this movie.
This movie is a depiction of William Wilberforce's fight to end the slave trade in England. His fight was eventually successful. I am not a Wilberforce expert but it appears to be accurate in most respects, with some exceptions for dramatic effect.
I appreciate the movie's portrayal of Wilberforce, from my understanding of his character the portrayal was accurate and honored the man. It also showed that Wilberforce's passion for abolition flowed from his Christian faith, I feared that this would not be the case. I found the movie to be quite compelling in this regard, but I do have some issues on this area that I will mention shortly.
I was also intrigued by his relationship with William Pitt, it is amazing to me how complicated friendship can sometimes be, I think this reflects as much on me as this movie, but Pitt and Wilberforce were close but issues drove them apart and then reunited them.
My one big objection was the portrayal of John Newton, Newton's role was downplayed and Newton himself was, without clarity, portrayed as a Catholic priest. They never identified him as such, but they never identified him as anything. But they referred to him as hearing confession and once as a monk. Newton was a Baptist I am proud to say and I am really confused as to this change in character. I don't understand why they made this change, I don't see that it adds any drama to the movie.
That last gripe aside, I recommend this movie highly. I think it would be an enjoyable movie for all. It could lead to some meaningful conversation with a lost friend or a young Christian being discipled. Like everything else in our fallen world it is a flawed movie, but worth the watch.
This movie is a depiction of William Wilberforce's fight to end the slave trade in England. His fight was eventually successful. I am not a Wilberforce expert but it appears to be accurate in most respects, with some exceptions for dramatic effect.
I appreciate the movie's portrayal of Wilberforce, from my understanding of his character the portrayal was accurate and honored the man. It also showed that Wilberforce's passion for abolition flowed from his Christian faith, I feared that this would not be the case. I found the movie to be quite compelling in this regard, but I do have some issues on this area that I will mention shortly.
I was also intrigued by his relationship with William Pitt, it is amazing to me how complicated friendship can sometimes be, I think this reflects as much on me as this movie, but Pitt and Wilberforce were close but issues drove them apart and then reunited them.
My one big objection was the portrayal of John Newton, Newton's role was downplayed and Newton himself was, without clarity, portrayed as a Catholic priest. They never identified him as such, but they never identified him as anything. But they referred to him as hearing confession and once as a monk. Newton was a Baptist I am proud to say and I am really confused as to this change in character. I don't understand why they made this change, I don't see that it adds any drama to the movie.
That last gripe aside, I recommend this movie highly. I think it would be an enjoyable movie for all. It could lead to some meaningful conversation with a lost friend or a young Christian being discipled. Like everything else in our fallen world it is a flawed movie, but worth the watch.
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