The Way of the Cross

Yesterday I preached 1 Corinthians 4:9-21.  In verses 9-13, the Apostle Paul addresses the lavish lifestyles of the Corinthian believers.  He tells them that they are living in accord with the world around them rather than the way of the cross.  In making this point, he contrasts the way the Corinthians are living with the way that he and the other apostles conduct their lives.

The Corinthians were living like royalty.  They viewed themselves as wise, strong, and honorable.  Paul says that he and the other apostles, however, were foolish, weak, and dishonored for the sake of Christ.  Their suffering had become a spectacle to the world.  But in the face of this maltreatment, the apostles responded with blessing, endurance, and Christlikeness.  Paul holds us up his own life, along with the lives of the other apostles, as an example to the Corinthians of what it looks like to live the Christian life.

The apostles did not make up this way of living.  In fact, they got it from the mouth and example of Jesus Himself.

Matthew 5:38-40
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. 40 And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well."

Luke 9:58
And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”

Luke 23:33-34a
And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The Corinthians thought that they could simply add Jesus to their already abundant lives.  Sadly, this is so often true of American believers as well.  Even sadder is the fact that it is so often true of me.  I often treat Jesus as if He exists for the purpose of making me healthy, wealthy, and wise.  I come to God with my plans for my life already laid out, and ask Him to bless them.

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 4, "Hold on just a minute."  The call to follow Christ is a call to come and die.  The call to follow Christ is one of denying self.  Paul didn't make this up.  He got it from Jesus.

Matthew 16:24-26
Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

I have so far to go.  I can't help but think that my life looks a lot more like that of the Corinthians than Paul and the other apostles.  Sanctification is a process.  I must decide today what I will do to deny myself and take up my cross and follow Jesus.  The way of the cross is hard, but the way of the cross leads home.

Sermons At Drakes Branch Baptist Church

I am including below the sermon player for all sermons preached at Drakes Branch Baptist Church where I pastor.

You can also find the sermon player on our website at www.drakesbranchbc.com.

A Book Review: Worshipping with Calvin

Worshipping with Calvin is a timely work in the wake of the American Church's "worship wars."  Terry Johnson has done us all a great service with this important book.  While I found myself mostly disagreeing with Johnson's solution, I found his diagnosis of the problem with modern worship to be very accurate.

Johnson states in the preface, "The new Calvinism must take seriously the liturgical reforms of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, not just the theological, if today's dynamism is to endure."  He then goes on throughout the book to describe the kind of worship to which he is referring.  While the description given is certainly characteristic of the reformed tradition of worship, I would argue that much of it is not unique to the reformed tradition.  This point seems to be lost on Johnson throughout the book.  His conclusion and solution do not necessarily follow from his arguments.

The book is divided into three major sections.  The introduction accurately describes the problem with much of what passes for worship in many churches today.  The overview presents the exegetical, historical, and theological case for Reformed worship.  The exegetical case is extremely weak in my estimation and seems to be more of a call back to the worship of the first century (as is appropriate) than to the time of the Protestant Reformation.

The most beneficial section and the bulk of the book is devoted to the strengths of reformed worship and ministry.  My only problem with this section as noted earlier is the fact that much of what is described here is not unique to the "Reformed" tradition and denominations.  Regardless, it is a helpful summary of what the worship of God's church ought to look like.

As a Baptist, I obviously took issue with the section on baptism, but that is only a small and expected issue with the book.  Overall I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to think more about what the worship of God's church should look like in the 21^st century.  Undoubtedly, it should look more like the worship of the 1^st century than today's culture of pithy choruses, rock bands, and strobe lights. 

Disclaimer: I received this book as a part of the Cross Focused Reviews book review program.

Liberty University and Glenn Beck: Part 4

At this point, I am tired of writing about the Beck at Liberty situation.  I expect you are tired of reading about it as well.  This will be the last post.  You can read the three previous entries on this topic here, here, and here.

I am devoting this entry to Beck's response to those who were upset about his sermon at Liberty University.  One thing about his response makes me happy: Liberty must have heard enough from people who were upset for Beck to get wind of it.  That is a good thing.  Liberty responds to pressure.  We saw that with the Benny Hinn situation.  It saddens me though that the outrage over Beck's sermon did not equal that of the reported Benny Hinn partnership.

Embedded below is the clip from The Blaze TV where Glenn Beck addresses the controversy.  Following the video is my commentary.

Beck starts the segment out by saying that Liberty University is being smeared.  A little later he said that the "so-called Christian right" is hammering Liberty for having him speak.  I have not read the reports where Liberty has been smeared.  I also do not consider myself to have hammered Liberty.  I will have to let you be the judge of whether that is what I have done.

In fact, a quick Google search with the words "liberty university glenn beck" pulls up several stories related to this issue.  Jonathan Merritt asked lots of questions about the situation, but stopped well short of smearing Liberty.  I am not sure Merritt is a part of the "so-called Christian right" that Beck refers to anyway.  My Google search also pulled up a couple stories from the Christian News Network and a blog post by Denny Burk.

Nothing I have read about the situation hammers or smears Liberty.  In fact, I have attempted to express sorrow over the situation rather than anger and hatred.  I love Liberty University.  My degree from LU hangs on the wall behind my head as I type.  While I don't agree with everything Liberty does, and didn't agree with every convocation speaker I heard at Liberty, I love Liberty University.

I am pretty opinionated (understatement of the year).  I even disagree with myself sometimes.  I expressed my concerns to Jerry Falwell Jr. and Johnnie Moore and now on this blog because I love first the precious gospel of Jesus Christ and also Liberty University.

Beck misunderstands the motives behind those of us closest to Liberty.  Unfortunately, in his effort to defend himself and Liberty, he is guilty of the very same thing of which he so passionately accuses us.  He said, "If your kids are so moronic, I guarantee your kids will not even be able to get into Liberty University, if they're that stupid."  He later says, "This is why your churches are dwindling."  Then he refers to those who are opposed to his sermon at Liberty as "monsters."

Besides the fact that Beck knows nothing about the admissions standards of Liberty, he is the one who is guilty of smearing, hammering, and spewing hatred.  His seven and a half minute rant against those of us speaking up about our concerns really is sad.  I wish I could say that this wasn't typical of Glenn Beck.

I am not sure why he addresses it, but Beck states in the beginning of the segment, "I can't find the place [in the Bible] where it says, 'You'll know the tree by its fruit.'"  I assume that someone has quoted or referred to Matthew 7:15-20 in calling Beck's supposed Christianity into question.  I also assume that those referring to this passage are saying that since Beck still identifies with the Mormon faith and Mormonism is not Christianity, then he must not be a Christian.  They make a valid point based on a passage that is clearly found in Scripture.

I'll end with this quotation and my commentary on it: "I encourage you to join me, join others of multiple faiths, never asking anyone to change their faith, asking you to strengthen your faith.  Whatever it is, unless it's telling kill people, burn their books, shut them up, torture them, imprison them, kill them."  He goes on to say, "If your faith says learn about love, learn about goodness, learn about the power of faith, learn about the miracles of God, don't trust in the arm of flesh, but trust in the Spirit, I'd love to meet you."

The religious pluralism of Beck's quotes above is antithetical to the Christian gospel.  The Christian gospel is both inclusive and exclusive.  It is inclusive in the sense that anyone who repents of their sin and places their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved.  It is exclusive in the sense that only those who repent of their sin and place their faith in Jesus Christ will be saved.  Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me" (Jn. 14:6).

While I am not going to waste my time forming Moral Majority coalitions in hope that this country can be turned around through the political system, I am also not going to waste my time railing against those who do.  That is not what this is about.  Glenn Beck preached a Mormon sermon from the stage of Liberty University.  Nothing was said to the students before or after he did so.  No public statement has been issued by the University since.  And when questioned about it, Liberty responded with fluff that fails to address the heart of the matter.

Mormonism is not Christianity.  The gospel of Christ is at stake.  May we all be faithful to "guard the good deposit" that has been entrusted to us, the good news of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sin He offers to all who repent of their sin and believe on the Lord Jesus (2 Tim. 1:14).  Will you heed this call, Liberty University?  Will you do so for the sake of your students' souls?  Will you do so for the sake of the souls of those who may be led astray by this false teaching in convocation?  Will you do so for the sake of Glenn Beck's eternal soul?  Please, I plead with you.  Do the right thing.