That a man is a minister is no guarantee that he shall not be cast into hell-fire! The instances of apostasy within our own ranks stare at us, like the skeletons of lost travelers, among the sands of our desert-way. No temptation has befallen them but that which is common to man. The apparitions of clerical drunkards, and the like, should forewarn us. ‘Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall!’
Cultural relevance in preaching is good. I don’t want to preach to yesterday. God has made me responsible to the actual people around me. I like that. I want to get better at it. But there is more. Shouldn’t a message from the King above make people say, “Something altogether unearthly has come to town, something from beyond ourselves, a word from a distant shore. That’s why it’s so helpful”?
“Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom.” Genesis 13:12
Lot moved his tent towards Sodom.
Abraham moved to Hebron and built an altar to the Lord.
From the very outset of their separation, it was clear what kind of future both men were gonna have. Lot pitched his tent toward sin city. He chose the land that was near the place infamous for sin and rebellion against God. It was well known to the people of that region that Sodom and Gomorrah were wicked. Lot intentionally lived there.
Abraham chose what providence gave him. He didn’t quarrel. He didn’t need to fight his way through his destiny. He believed that God was the one who calls the shots. He knew that wherever Lot chose to dwell, he would be living in the opposite direction. He was ready for any possibility. He knew wherever providence would lead him, it would be for the best.
Calm assurance. Faith that rests in the sovereignty of God. Healthy respect for the will of the God of heaven who knew better than his clumsy choices. Abraham knew where his true riches came from. He was willing to let God have His way. Whether he was to live near Sodom or far from it, he knew his security ultimately rests in the spiritual strength of the Almighty. Continue reading Calm Assurance
We must not make the mistake of making evangelism the enemy of theology, discipleship the enemy of edifying scholarship. Robust theology doesn’t hinder the practice of ministry. It actually enriches it, even as the practice of ministry enhances and increases one’s appreciation of theology.. —Owen Strachan
The Resurrection could be defined as the Death of Death in the Death of Christ (a title of John Owen’s book). When Jesus rose from the dead, He delivered a fatal blow on death, the very source of all our fears. For the first time since the creation of the world, death is not to be feared anymore. Jesus killed death so that those who believe in Him will live and never have to die.
Because Jesus is not forever nailed to that cross. He was taken down and was burried and He rose again on the third day. If you worship a Jesus still nailed on a cross, your religion is incomplete. The EMPTY TOMB is the signature of God that declares our hope for deliverance from the clutches of sin. It is the ultimate symbol of the finished work of Christ. Without the resurrection, Calvary is just an ordinary Roman execution site and the cross is just another piece of wood.
Jojo Agot 