tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201321532024-03-07T02:59:23.926-06:00Sean Michael LucasSean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.comBlogger611125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-78262322785724178842010-02-05T11:05:00.003-06:002010-02-05T11:11:13.358-06:00On watching the big game<a href="http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/post/Thoughts-on-Super-Bowl-XLIV.aspx">Great stuff from C. J. Mahaney</a> on how to watch the big game. I particularly loved his Tom Brady quote (FPC Hattiesburg people will hear it again): <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 255); line-height: 15px; font-family:georgia, serif;font-size:small;">"Why do I have three Super Bowl rings and still think there’s something greater out there for me? I mean, maybe a lot of people would say, “Hey man, this is what is.” I reached my goal, my dream, my life. I think, “God, it’s got to be more than this.” I mean this isn’t, this can’t be what it’s all cracked up to be."</span><div><br /></div><div>Also, t<a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2010/february/3.20.html">his was a great piece</a> in <i>Christianity Today</i> on thinking Christianly about sports. It is a bit depressing the way that our culture's approach to professional sports trickles down to how we treat our children and sports. Perhaps we've misplaced the general sense that these are "games" meant to lighten our hearts and strengthen our bodies. Our games cannot really and fully satisfy our hearts.</div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-73022069912577025642010-01-22T11:28:00.003-06:002010-01-22T11:34:37.211-06:00A new liberalism?<a href="http://www.9marks.org/CC/ejournal/2010v7-1/article_wills.htm">Good historical and pastoral observations</a> from my friend Greg Wills, professor of church history at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.<div><br /></div><div>I would simply observe that the issues may be deeper than Greg suggests. I've long been convinced (and taught) that underneath the desire to meditate between scientific naturalism and theological orthodoxy is the fundamental epistemological dualism of the Kantian worldview. That is to say, the division between phenomena and noumena which has led to a distinction between knowledge and understanding, between scientific method and sentimental intuition. </div><div><br /></div><div>That's why as long as evangelicalism emphasizes Christianity as <i>simply</i> a religion of the heart without any reference to the orthodoxy of the mind, she will always struggle with liberalism. And that's because anti-intellectual pietism buys into this Kantian/modernist epistemology that separates mind from heart, knowledge from intuition, science from religion, phenomena from noumena. </div><div><br /></div><div>At its best, Christianity has emphasized knowledge, affections, and volition together; piety and learning united. Until we debunk the modernist epistemological presumptions that underlie theological liberalism (and much of conservative evangelicalism) we will continue to wrestle and fight against her.</div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-53218152959638661022010-01-22T11:23:00.001-06:002010-01-22T11:27:26.442-06:00Gospel-cenetered livingA <a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/articles/genuine-life/">great word</a> on what that looks like from Scotty Smith.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-47105037163702897532010-01-20T15:00:00.000-06:002010-01-20T15:01:41.061-06:00What difference would it make?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Trebuchet MS', serif; font-size: 14px; color: rgb(64, 70, 75); line-height: 18px; "><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">From </span><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/01/19/how-much-difference-would-it-make/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Justin Taylor</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">:</span></p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Francis Schaeffer once asked his wife:</span></p><blockquote style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 50px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 50px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">“Edith, I wonder what would happen to most churches and Christian work if we awakened tomorrow, and everything concerning the reality and work of the Holy Spirit, and everything concerning prayer, were removed from the Bible. I don’t mean just ignored, but actually cut out—disappeared. I wonder how much difference it would make?” We concluded it would not make much difference in many board meetings, committee meetings, decisions and activities.</span></p></blockquote><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">—Edith Schaeffer, </span><em style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; "><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0849930162/bettwowor-20" style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; text-decoration: underline; cursor: pointer; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">The Tapestry: The Life and Times of Francis and Edith Schaeffer</span></a></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">(Waco: Word, 1981), 356.</span></p></span>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-55156542734862412102010-01-20T14:56:00.000-06:002010-01-20T14:57:11.539-06:00Why Do Multi-Site?<a href="http://www.redeemercitytocity.com/blog/view.jsp?Blog_param=99">These are Tim Keller's reasons</a>.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-38791906091853424232010-01-04T10:21:00.003-06:002010-01-04T10:22:42.843-06:00New Year's Day...reflections from the guy who once wrote a song called "New Year's Day": <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/opinion/03bono.html?scp=2&sq=bono&st=cse">Bono, lead singer for the rock band U2, in the <i>NY Times</i></a>. As always, provocative and fascinating.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-47608855636217280002010-01-02T12:05:00.002-06:002010-01-02T12:15:11.987-06:00Change of PlansI had hoped to preach at First Presbyterian Church, Hattiesburg, through the Ten Commandments in the morning and Colossians in the evening. As I continued to pray and wrestle over these texts, how to preach them, and what God might be doing with us, I've decided to flip-flop. Tomorrow morning, I'll begin preaching through Colossians; and, dv, next Sunday evening (January 10), I'll begin preaching on "Using the Law."<div><br /></div><div>As I've wrestled with all this, I want as many people as possible to hear the message of Colossians: the sufficiency of Christ and his Gospel for every aspect of our lives. That happens best on Sunday mornings. And in particular, I've had a growing burden for us to become a praying congregation--not only for the prayer needs that come to us from the sickness and suffering we endure, although that is important, but also and mainly for the advancement of the Gospel in our midst. If God does not come to us by the power of his Spirit and strengthen us to live the Gospel life, nothing we do will make any spiritual impact at all.</div><div><br /></div><div>And so, tomorrow morning, we'll be looking at what it means to pray in the light of the Gospel (Colossians 1:1-14). This will link together with articles that I'm sending to the officers as pre-reading for our retreat in a couple of weeks, including one by Tim Keller on <a href="http://www.redeemer.com/connect/prayer/kingdom_prayer.html">"Kingdom-Centered Prayer."</a> My longing is for us to get to the place where we might be able to have <a href="http://www.hopeingod.org/CalendarDetail.aspx?ID=105842">an entire week </a>dedicated to praying specifically for the Gospel to "bear fruit in every good work" in and through us.</div><div><br /></div><div>But above all, I want us as a people--and me specifically and individually--to fall deeper in love with Jesus. He alone is sufficient for every spiritual need we have; he alone can satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts; and he alone is worthy of our best efforts and thoughts.</div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-50598934286674643902010-01-02T09:20:00.004-06:002010-01-02T09:31:39.326-06:00Irony of Joseph Fletcher<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Fletcher">Joseph Fletcher</a>, an Episcopal priest who published the classic textbook on relativistic ethics called <i>Situational Ethics</i>, argued that love was the norm for Christian decision-making. In fact, his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Situational_ethics">six principles</a> were: "only one thing is intrinsically good, namely love: nothing else at all"; "the ruling norm of Christian decision is love: nothing else"; "love and justice are the same, for justice is love distributed nothing else"; "love wills the neighbor's good, whether we like him or not"; "only the end justifies the means, nothing else"; and "love's decisions are made situationally, not prescriptively."<div><br /></div><div>Yet, Fletcher served as president of the Euthanasia Society of America and a member of the American Eugenics Society and the Association for Voluntary Sterilization. He later identified himself as an atheist and was honored as "Humanist of the Year" by the American Humanist Association. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, here's the irony. Love wills the neighbor's good and yet only God (or some supreme intelligence, for the sake of argument) knows the true end of our decisions and how those decisions may or may not serve that individual's good. According to Fletcher, love would lead one to end one's life so as not to be a burden to others, sterilize themselves, or procreate only those who would serve humanity's highest good. </div><div><br /></div><div>And yet, who has that kind of intelligence? Who is able to see the end from the beginning? How would it be loving to sterilize oneself and so cut off the possibility of bringing a child into the world who may serve humanity's greater good? The irony is that Fletcher's own principles are inadequate because they can only work with God-like knowledge. By cutting off from biblical prescription--found in the moral law, for example--as the picture of what love is, relativism cannot provide a sure basis for acting rightly in any situation.</div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-73917794351982750212009-12-19T10:22:00.002-06:002009-12-19T10:25:38.936-06:00What's scary......is that I've <a href="http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/39713/6-worst-fast-food-burgers-and-what-you-should-eat-instead/">eaten most of these burgers</a>. No wonder I feel the need to go on a diet. I wonder whether these burgers are like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbgyppGqBgg">"The Machine"</a> from the movie, <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093779/">The Princess Bride</a></i>: each burger sucks a year of your life away.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-41213712845364985732009-12-18T09:42:00.003-06:002009-12-18T09:44:37.309-06:00Who knew?That <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20091217/sc_livescience/happieststatesrevealedbynewresearch">Mississippi is the 6th happiest state</a> in the United States? Of the top ten, it is interesting that six are in the South (Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi, South Carolina and Alabama). All we need is Georgia and Arkansas and you'd have the entire SEC in the list!Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-36507759424704170672009-12-17T09:31:00.002-06:002009-12-17T09:32:22.319-06:00Good words from Tim Keller......on <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2009/12/16/how-do-you-take-criticism-of-your-views/">dealing with controversy</a>. I especially appreciated this line: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">"</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">The biggest danger of receiving criticism is not to your reputation, but to your heart." </span></span></span></span>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-16692803434562744002009-12-15T16:52:00.004-06:002009-12-15T16:57:33.020-06:00D. G. Hart on the Manhattan DeclarationAside from the fact that Darryl Hart stole some of my best lines (I had tweeted on December 9, "I didn't sign the Manhattan Declaration because I don't like the Yankees or the Mets"), he has written <a href="http://www.frontporchrepublic.com/?p=7488">perhaps the best response</a> to the recent <a href="http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/">ecumenical statement</a>.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-66951109830574428152009-12-15T16:40:00.002-06:002009-12-15T16:41:40.565-06:00Santa Claus?Some <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2141_thinking_about_santa/">interesting thoughts</a> from Noel Piper on why she and John did not talk about Santa with their kids.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-85418031617550761312009-11-28T10:35:00.001-06:002009-11-28T10:36:53.062-06:00Introverts in the ChurchJust wrote a <a href="http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2009/11/introverts-in-the-church.php">book review at Ref21</a> on a new book by Adam McHugh called <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Introverts-Church-Finding-Extroverted-Culture/dp/0830837027/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259424745&sr=8-1">Introverts in the Church: Finding our Place in an Extroverted Culture</a></i>.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-18620692677885290322009-11-13T14:55:00.002-06:002009-11-13T14:57:09.568-06:00I like the E Street band and all, but......I don't know if I'd go <a href="http://www.backstreets.com/news.html">this far</a>. From the Big Man himself on being in the E Street Band and playing in concert: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; ">"For me, it <i>is</i> a church. It <i>is</i> my religion. It is my belief. To bring joy and light to the world is my purpose in life, so my spiritual teacher tells me. So when I go out on that stage, I'm bringing that spirit of joy to a lot of people, and it's just wonderful." </span>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-72686230074057240452009-11-12T20:05:00.002-06:002009-11-12T20:06:48.356-06:00Athanasius on Praying the Psalms<a href="http://www.prayerfoundation.org/athanasius_praying_the_psalms.htm">Read the whole piece here</a>. The part that struck me was this:<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, fantasy; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 0, 128); font-weight: bold; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; ">In the <i>Psalter</i> you learn about yourself. You find depicted in it all the movements of your soul, all its changes, its ups and downs, its failures and recoveries. Moreover, whatever your particular need or trouble, from this same book you can select a form of words to fit it, so that you do not merely hear and then pass on, but learn the way to remedy your ill. Prohibitions of evildoing are plentiful in Scripture, but only the<i>Psalter</i> tells you how to obey these orders and refrain from sin.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; color: rgb(0, 153, 0); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 8px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 8px; "><p><b><span style="color:#000080;">But the marvel with the <i>Psalter</i> is that, barring those prophecies about the Savior and some about the Gentiles, the reader takes all its words upon his lips as though they were his own, written for his special benefit, and takes them and recites them, not as though someone else were speaking or another person’s feelings being described, but as himself speaking of himself, offering the words to God as his own heart’s utterance, just as though he himself had made them up.</span></b></p></span></div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-85578622087221419812009-11-12T10:13:00.001-06:002009-11-12T10:15:07.599-06:00Lost twins?<a href="http://www.skyejethani.com/church-leader-look-alikes/490/">This was funny</a>. I particularly like the comparisons to Bob's Big Boy and Tim Allen.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-18310037232483821172009-11-11T16:18:00.002-06:002009-11-11T16:23:37.087-06:00Walking in Memphis (this weekend)I'm looking forward to preaching and teaching at <a href="http://www.riveroakspca.org/">Riveroaks Reformed Presbyterian Church</a> (PCA) in Memphis (Germantown, TN) this coming weekend. I'll be doing two sessions from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Being-Presbyterian-Beliefs-Practices-Stories/dp/1596380195/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257978132&sr=8-1">On Being Presbyterian</a></i> on Saturday and a third for Sunday school. Plus, I'll be preaching on grace from Ephesians 2:1-10 in the morning and evening. Should be a good weekend although I'll miss being at FPC H'burg, listening to <a href="http://www.reformation21.org/derek-thomas.php">Derek Thomas</a> who will be filling the pulpit for me.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-66324852280063911562009-11-11T10:38:00.003-06:002009-11-11T10:39:47.766-06:00Post 600: Review of Counsel from the CrossOn these hundredth anniversary posts, I typically write on Wendell Berry. Instead, I offer you a <a href="http://www.reformation21.org/blog/2009/11/counsel-from-the-cross.php">review</a> of Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson's book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Counsel-Cross-Connecting-Broken-People/dp/1433503174/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257957371&sr=1-1">Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ</a></i>.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-62866734370976205702009-11-06T15:26:00.002-06:002009-11-06T15:30:11.661-06:00George Robertson in the blogosphereOur FPC folks got to know Dr. George Robertson, senior minister at <a href="http://www.firstpresaugusta.org">FPC Augusta, Georgia</a>, at my installation back in August when he preached a <a href="http://www.fpcpca.net/sermons">stirring message from Hebrews 13</a>. Now it appears that <a href="http://www.pastorrobertson.net/">George is in the blogosphere</a> at the appropriately named "Pastor Robertson's Occasional Blog Entries." Looking forward to following my friend week by week as he posts.Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-31643900842721491892009-11-06T14:25:00.002-06:002009-11-06T14:27:44.461-06:00Why do we use our words?An <a href="http://rcpc.com/blog/view.jsp?Blog_param=69">insightful post</a> from Tim Keller. The key part:<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There are two very different motivations for adapting and accommodating our message to the sensibilities of a group of people. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The first motive is 'ambition' -- we do it for our sake, for our own glory and approval. The other reason we may accommodate people is for their sake, so that we can gradually win their trust until they become open to the truth they need so much. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The first motive will so control us that we will never offend people. The second motive will help us choose our battles and not offend people unnecessarily. </span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Farels of the world cannot see any such distinction -- they believe any effort to be judicious and prudent is a cowardly 'sell-out'. But Calvin wisely recognized that his friend's constant, intemperate denunciations often stemmed not from a selfless courage, but rather from the opposite -- pride.</span></span></span></span></div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-3042692152119009412009-11-04T15:20:00.003-06:002009-11-04T15:24:00.005-06:00Counterfeit Gods<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(93, 93, 93); line-height: 21px; font-family:lucida, 'lucida sans', 'microsoft sans serif', arial, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">As I've grown in my knowledge of the Reformed faith, I've come increasingly to appreciate the </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.crcna.org/pages/heidelberg_main.cfm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Heidelberg Catechism</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. In </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.crcna.org/pages/heidelberg_commandments.cfm#Day%2034"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">its exposition of the Ten Commandments</span></span></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, the Catechism wisely notes that the first commandment requires shunning "all idolatry" (Q94). When it defines idolatry, the Catechism states that it "is having or inventing something in which one trusts in place of or alongside of the only true God, who has revealed himself in his Word" (Q95). Such an understanding has not only served to make Old Testament texts understandable, it actually reveals the basic problem in the human heart: our tendency to trust in other things alongside or in place of the God who has come near to us in Jesus.</span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: -0.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><o:p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Not only has the Heidelberg Catechism proven useful for me in this regard, but Tim Keller's new book </span></span></span><i style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- font-style: italic; color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Counterfeit-Gods-Empty-Promises-Matters/dp/0525951369/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257369458&sr=8-1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Counterfeit Gods</span></span></a></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> has also served as an excellent resource in thinking about idolatry and how it remains the basic problem of the human heart. In less than two hundred pages, Keller helpfully unpacks heart-idols, especially our fundamental trust in money, success, power, and love. He also deals with cultural idols such as racial superiority, national excellence, or religious accomplishment.</span></span></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: -0.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><o:p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The book concludes with a discussion of how to deal with idolatry. Keller pastorally gives suggestions for how to identify heart idols; but he especially assists in recommending how to deal with this most basic human problem: by falling more in love with Jesus which, in turns, leads to deeper and more thorough repentance. "Rejoicing and repentance must go together," Keller observes. "Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration instead of deep change. Indeed, it is when we rejoice over Jesus's sacrificial love for us most fully that, paradoxically, we are most truly convicted of our sin" (p. 172).</span></span></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: -0.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><o:p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Obviously, no book is perfect. I wish that Keller had spent two or three chapters expanding the gold found in the concluding epilogue on "finding and replacing idols." I found myself longing to hear how God's grace triumphs even if the face of my persistent idolatry. (Maybe there is a future Keller book that will do this.) And yet, I found this book to be wonderful companion this past week in my morning worship. I will use this in my ministry, read and re-read it for my own benefit, and recommend it highly to others.</span></span></span></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: -0.8em; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 1.6em; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><o:p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; text-decoration: none; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline- color:initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Above all, Keller's book helped me in keeping the first commandment in the way the Heidelberg Catechism suggests: shunning all idolatry and "sincerely acknowledge the only true God, trust him alone, look to him for every good thing, humbly and patiently, love him, fear, him, and honor him with all my heart." I'm very thankful for this book and its contribution in helping me understand my basic problem and the real solution.</span></span></span></o:p></p></span>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-5896867456524744262009-11-03T12:11:00.003-06:002009-11-03T12:15:55.257-06:00Walking through the ValleyThis is an <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/music/interviews/2009/stevencurtischapman-nov09.html">amazing interview</a> with Steven Curtis Chapman about his <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Will-Steven-Curtis-Chapman/dp/B002O5Y25I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1257272008&sr=8-1">new album</a>, written in the aftermath of the tragic death of his adopted daughter, Maria.<div><br /></div><div>I especially appreciated this:</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 20px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I'll refer again to the Psalms, specifically those where David is crying out, </span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">God, how long before you take away this pain, before you right these wrongs?</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> And then almost in mid-despair, you get this sense of David literally making the choice, again, in saying to his own soul,</span></span><em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Why are you so downcast within me? Remember this. Hope in God. Trust in God. This is your anchor</span></span></em><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. I've used that analogy, too, so many times—having this hope as an anchor.</span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" border-collapse: collapse; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:11px;"><p class="text" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-bottom: 14px; font: normal normal normal 11pt/normal Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 15pt; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br />We have absolutely questioned God and had our doubts and said, "Is this whole thing true? Is this real?" I sat on our tour bus last summer and called Scotty Smith</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, my pastor, after spending a very difficult night of wrestling with God. We were getting ready to go do an interview with </span></span><span class="citation" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">People</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> magazine or Larry King or somebody, and I was just in tears. We've come to realize dropping that anchor has been, and will continue to be, a daily, sometimes an hourly, process. It's not a one time thing: I've dropped that anchor. It's, man, wait a minute, I'm getting blown away here by the hurricane of grief and questions and doubt. What am I going to do? Am I just going to drift out to sea? Or am I going to drop the anchor again?</span></span></p></span></div>Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-25682994084441591222009-10-31T11:37:00.002-05:002009-10-31T11:40:25.017-05:00How should Christians think about Halloween?<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Halloween has its roots in ancient Roman and Celtic harvest festivals that also celebrated the end of the life cycle and so produced celebrations for the dead. As Christianity moved through the west, the church sought to reorient the basic identity markers of western culture from paganism toward Christianity. As part of this, in the eighth century, the church moved its “All Saints Day” festival from May 13 to November 1. </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">However, the older ideals held on for Europeans and the evening before All Saints Day came to be celebrated on October 31: Hallow’s even (which has come to be shortened as Halloween). Some of the practices associated with the older Roman and Celtic festivals continued on: lighting of candles to honor the spirits of the departed; the carving of lanterns from fall season vegetables; and harvest foods that reminded of the bounty provided by God (or the gods).</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">While through much of the past thousand years, the church has tried to pursue a strategy of accommodation when it has come to such festivals, many Christians find Halloween incompatible with the Christian faith. Others simply view it as a secular or community holiday that has no real religious overtones or meaning. Still others seek to replace Halloween with Harvest Festivals or, for some Protestants, Reformation Day, remembering the day the German Reformer Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door in 1517 and so began the Reformation.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">What is the right approach? It strikes me that there are two sets of biblical texts that could guide Christian thinking on how to deal with Halloween. One set of texts has to do with the freedom that first-century Christians have to eat meat offered to idols. In Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8-10, the Apostle Paul observes that Christians know that idols are nothing—there is only one true God who has come near to his people in Jesus Christ. And so, strictly speaking, nothing happens when food offerings are presented to idols. As a result, if one’s conscience does not object to eating that meat, then eat it.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And yet, there are two big “howevers” in these texts. The first has to do with an actual participation in the sacrificial system itself. 1 Corinthians 8:9-10 and 10:19-22 picture a situation in which believers were actually attending pagan sacrifices and then participating in the eating rituals. In those situations, Paul tells us that while the idols are nothing to us, the motivation of the participants is actually demonic: “I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not God. I do not want you to be participants with demons” (10:20). And so, Christians should not participate in activities in which those with whom they participate actually believe that they are engaged in acts of worship to false gods.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">There is a second “however”: and that has to do with the consciences either of a weaker brother or sister or of an unbeliever who is watching you. If a Christian believer struggles with the whole notion of eating meat offered to idols, Paul instructs us not to eat so that we might not cause our brother to stumble: “Let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother…For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died” (Romans 14:13, 15). Love for fellow Christians is far more important than eating meat.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The same goes for an unbeliever. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 10 that if an unbeliever invites you to dinner, eat whatever is put before you. “But if someone says to you, ‘This has been offered in sacrifice,’ then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience—I do not mean your conscience, but his” (10:27-29). At the end of the day, the Gospel and its effect in the life of an unbeliever is far more important than eating meat.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The second set of texts has to do with avoiding and reproving the works of darkness. For example, Paul says in Ephesians 5:11: “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” In Ephesians 5, the context has to do with the practices of the temples of the gods: sexuality immorality and impurity (referring to the sexual practices of idolatry) and greed (referring to the motivation of idolatry). Paul demands that those who bear the name of Christ and so walk in the light reject the practices and people associated with false worship.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Likewise, in 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1, Paul raises the question: “What accord does Christ have with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? What agreement has the temple of God with idols?” Both of these texts appear to urge believers not to participate in activities that are characterized by darkness or idolatry.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">In the light of these two sets of texts, then, how might contemporary Christians think about participating in Halloween? Here are some observations.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">First, Halloween, as practiced in most communities today, is a largely secular and community holiday. It has very little to do with its pagan and co-opted Christian history. As a result, it does not appear to fall under Paul’s strictures regarding participation in idolatrous worship. In this regard, it would be similar to other secular and community celebrations with which Christians do not struggle.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Next, for some people and communities—for example, those with a significant Wiccan community—Halloween does continue to have connections with its older pagan roots. If one lived in such a community, then Christians would do well to avoid participating in Halloween activities in order to avoid practices that are associated in the public’s mind with paganism.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Moreover, for some people and communities, Halloween becomes an excuse to engage in the fruitless works of darkness, even without association with the false worship of ancient gods. Parties that encourage sexuality immorality, impurity, greed, or coarse talking are to be avoided and exposed by believers.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Fourth, if there are believers within the congregation that have significant objections of conscience to participation in Halloween—because of some past association with paganism, memory of past evil practice, or some other reason—Christians should be determined not to participate in Halloween activities in order to preserve our brother or sister’s conscience. The Gospel is more important than anything else.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Likewise, if there are unbelievers in the community for whom Halloween is valued as a pagan activity or who are concerned that a Christian’s participation in Halloween activities in participation in a pagan activity, then Christians should be determined not to participate. Again, the Gospel is more important than anything else.</span></span></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Finally, the general principle of 1 Corinthians 10:31-32 rules all Christian behavior: “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God.” We often think of the first part of this general principle, but not the latter; and yet, they must stay together. If we can participate in Halloween activities to God’s glory </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">and</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> not cause offense to unbelievers or believers, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">then</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> we should participate freely without concern. For we know that Halloween is nothing and that idols are nothing, but that God has triumphed over all things in Christ, granting us freedom as sons and daughters of God.</span></span></o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20132153.post-12844978594605955482009-10-29T16:10:00.001-05:002009-10-29T16:11:55.628-05:00How to identify a reliable preacher<a href="http://www.banneroftruth.org/pages/articles/article_detail.php?1659">According to Tullian Tchividjian</a>, senior minister at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church (PCA).Sean Michael Lucashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06911661966197928859noreply@blogger.com1