Sunday Quotes!

Last Sunday we looked at the "Magnificat" - Mary's Song - from Luke 1:46-55. Here it is, and (as a bonus) I've also tossed in John Piper's thoughts about this amazing song.

Mary's Song of Praise: The Magnificat
“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;

for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name.
And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.
He has shown strength with his arm;

he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;

he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy,

as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.”

Piper said, “[Mary] sees clearly a most remarkable thing about God: He is about to change the course of all human history; the most important three decades in all of time are about to begin. And where is God? Occupying himself with two obscure, humble women—one old and barren, one young and virginal. And Mary is so moved by this vision of God, the lover of the lowly, that she breaks out in song—a song that has come to be known as the Magnificat.”

The Santa Claus Slap!

I know most people don't read long posts, but this is by far my absolute favorite article that I have ever read about Santa Claus. Seriously, it is that good. So go ahead and read the whole thing... you'll love it too!

Slappy holiday
Why not take the Santa Claus tradition a little further?
Gene Edward Veith

Santa Claus had his origins in St. Nicholas, the fourth-century bishop of Myra in present-day Turkey. Known for his generosity and his love of children, Nicholas is said to have saved a poor family's daughters from slavery by tossing into their window enough gold for a rich dowry, a present that landed in some shoes or, in some accounts, stockings that were hung up to dry. Thus arose the custom of hanging up stockings for St. Nicholas to fill. And somehow he transmogrified into Santa Claus, who has become for many people the secular Christmas alternative to Jesus Christ.

But there is more to the story of Nicholas of Myra. He was also a delegate to the Council of Nicea in a.d. 325, which battled the heretics who denied the deity of Christ. He was thus one of the authors of the Nicene Creed, which affirms that Jesus Christ is both true God and true man. And unlike his later manifestation, Nicholas was particularly zealous in standing up for Christ.

During the Council of Nicea, jolly old St. Nicholas got so fed up with Arius, who taught that Jesus was just a man, that he walked up and slapped him! That unbishoplike behavior got him in trouble. The council almost stripped him of his office, but Nicholas said he was sorry, so he was forgiven.

The point is, the original Santa Claus was someone who flew off the handle when he heard someone minimizing Christ. Perhaps we can battle our culture's increasingly Christ-less Christmas by enlisting Santa in his original cause. The poor girls' stockings have become part of our Christmas imagery. So should the St. Nicholas slap.

Not a violent hit of the kind that got the good bishop in trouble, just a gentle, admonitory tap on the cheek. This should be reserved not for out-and-out nonbelievers, but for heretics (that is, people in the church who deny its teachings), Christians who forget about Jesus, and people who try to take Christ out of Christmas.

This will take a little tweaking of the mythology. Santa and his elves live at the North Pole where they compile a list of who is naughty, who is nice, and who is Nicean. On Christmas Eve, flying reindeer pull his sleigh full of gifts. And after he comes down the chimney, he will steal into the rooms of people dreaming of sugarplums who think they can do without Christ and slap them awake.

And we'll need new songs and TV specials ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Slap," "Deck the Apollinarian with Bats of Holly," "Frosty the Gnostic," "How the Arian Stole Christmas," "Rudolph the Red Knows Jesus").

Department store Santas should ask the children on their laps if they have been good, what they want for Christmas, and whether they understand the Two Natures of Christ. The Santas should also roam the shopping aisles, and if they hear any clerks wish their customers a mere "Happy Holiday," give them a slap.

This addition to his job description will keep Santa busy. Teachers who forbid the singing of religious Christmas carols—SLAP! Office managers who erect Holiday Trees—SLAP! Judges who outlaw manger displays—SLAP! People who give The Da Vinci Code as a Christmas present—SLAP! Ministers who cancel Sunday church services that fall on Christmas day—SLAP! SLAP!

Perhaps Santa Claus in his original role as a theological enforcer may not go over very well in our contemporary culture. People may then try to take both Christ and Santa Claus out of Christmas. And with that economic heresy, the retailers would start to do the slapping.

Copyright © 2009 WORLD Magazine
December 24, 2005, Vol. 20, No. 50

Sunday Quotes!

On the third Sunday of Advent we looked at Zephaniah 3:17, "The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing."

Here are some quotes from the sermon:

"The Bible has been called the greatest story ever told. It could also be called the greatest song ever sung. It’s a song of a Warrior-King who is intent on winning back his beloved from her false suitors and exulting over her with loud singing.” Reggie Kidd

“Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that God is a Singer… God composes a song with us in mind, and sings it to us.” Randy Alcorn

One last quote by John Piper - it's a bit long, but well worth reading!

“Can you imagine what it would be like to hear God singing? A mere spoken word from his mouth brought the universe into existence. What would happen if God lifted up his voice and not only spoke but sang! Perhaps a new heaven and a new earth would be created. What do you hear when you imagine the voice of God singing? I hear the booming of Niagara Falls mingled with the trickle of a mossy mountain stream. I hear the blast of Mt. St. Helens mingled with a kitten's purr. I hear the power of an East Coast hurricane and the barely audible puff of a night snow in the woods. And I hear the unimaginable roar of the sun 865,000 miles thick, 1,300,000 times bigger than the earth, and nothing but fire, 1,000,000 degrees centigrade, on the cooler surface of the corona. But I hear this unimaginable roar mingled with the tender, warm crackling of the living room logs on a cozy winter's night. And when I hear this singing I stand dumbfounded, staggered, speechless that he is singing over me – one who has dishonored him so many times and in so many ways. It is almost too good to be true.” John Piper

A "Holiday" Post You Should Read...

Father Paul Edgerton (pictured with his wife, Christie, and son, Isaac) is a priest in the Reformed Episcopal Church and is currently planting The Church of the Redeemer in Wilson, NC. He also happens to be a friend of mine. He recently wrote a blog post about Advent and Christmas, and clearly he is no fan of what he calls "ambiguous holiday stuff". It was so intense that I had to read it twice just to let it sink in. Here's a sample:

"And, well, blame it all, it ain’t Christmas yet. It’s Advent. Yes, Advent. Purple doesn’t look good with red, folks. And the clash between Advent and the culture’s preemptive Christmas melee is more than just a clash of colors. While the world dreams up or sneers about the possibility of Peace and Joy and Hope and Family, we Christians are taking some time out instead for recognition that not a stinkin’ bit of it is at all even remotely possible for us on our own terms and in our own power or certainly by our own gift-giving."

Click here to read the whole thing.

JI Packer, "I am no Gandalf"

I'm a huge JRR Tolkien fan. If you don't believe me just drop by my office and have a look at the huge Middle-Earth map hanging on my wall (a gift from Autumn!). His books are in my all-time favorite category. I'm also a JI Packer fan. His writings have shaped my theology deeply. I still remember reading Knowing God for the first time. This is why when I came across an article from World Magazine that mentioned both Tolkien and Packer - I just had to share it:

When theologian, teacher, and writer Dr. J.I. Packer reached his 80th birthday on July 22, 2006, his home church in Vancouver, British Columbia—St. John's Shaughnessy Anglican Church—honored him with a special celebration.

One after the other, friends from church and colleagues from nearby Regent College, where he has taught for three decades, spoke of Packer's impact on the evangelical movement and themselves. Several, referring to the great mentor in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, called Packer their own Gandalf.

But Packer, when it came his time to speak, gently protested. "I am no Gandalf," he said, his normally strong and clear voice choked with emotion. "I'm much closer to the lowly Sam."

This is just one more reason why I appreciate Packer - he is brilliant and very humble.

An Advent Call to Worship

"God of power and mercy, You call us once again to celebrate the coming of your Son. Remove those things that hinder our love of You, that when He comes, He may find us waiting in awe and wonder for Him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen!" -Advent Call to Worship, The Worship Sourcebook

This Advent prayer is an excellent reminder (for all seasons!) of our desire to be "waiting in awe and wonder" for our Savior's return!

A Great (And Uncomfortable) Reminder...

Erik Kowalker over at www.jcrylequotes.com shared this power-packed Ryle quote today:

"Men entertain thoughts in private, and say words in private, and do acts in private, which they would be ashamed and blush to have exposed before the world. There is an all-seeing Witness with us wherever we go. Lock the door, draw down the blind, shut the shutters, put out the candle; it matters not, it makes no difference; God is everywhere, you cannot shut Him out and prevent His seeing."

And just think... this was long before the Internet!

Jason & Beth Sessoms Share About Rosa

Dan asked Beth and I to write a little bit about Rosa Porter. This has created two dilemmas for us. On the one hand, it is almost impossible to put into words how great of a lady she is. So no matter how hard we try, we will fall short at expressing to you how wonderful she is. The other dilemma is that in trying to be honest about how special she is, we will most certainly come across as making her out to be perfect. But the truth is, she is as near perfect as anyone we have ever met. No, really.

Some background for you, she is the wife of our former pastor, Roy Porter. And to say he is our former pastor is not an adequate description of our relationship with him. Our family spends birthdays, holidays and other special events with the Porters throughout the year. And although we are no longer members of the church he pastors, he will always be a spiritual father to us and we grow closer as friends with each new day.

Now about Miss Rosa. If she has ever had a negative word to say to or about someone, then we have not heard it or heard about it. She is probably the only person we can say that about, and she certainly is the only redhead we can say that about. Though she must have flaws, we have never seen them or heard anyone else point them out to us. She has the rare ability to make everyone feel like they are the most important person in the room. She speaks with a soft voice but people listen. She gives wise counsel. she invests in people's lives. She is precious, simply precious. You must meet her to know.

Praying For Rosa Porter

Here is Pastor Roy Porter's link to stay updated about his wife Rosa's surgery: http://www.rnporter.wordpress.com/

Let's continue to pray for them.

O Almighty God, who art the giver of all health,
and the aid of them that turn to thee for succour;
We entreat thy strength and goodness in behalf of thy servant,
that she may be healed of her infirmities, to thine honour and glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

-A Prayer for Healing
The Book of Common Prayer, 1789 AD

All Saints Day Celebration

This Sunday, Nov. 1, is All Saints Day. I know, your first thought might be, "What in the world is All Saints Day... isn't that just some Roman Catholic thing?"

You might be a bit surprised, but many Protestants celebrate this holy day including Anglicans, Methodists, Lutherans, and other "liturgical" churches. But admittedly, it hasn't been very popular among most "non-liturgical" evangelicals, such as Baptists or Pentecostals. I'll be honest, I didn't think much of this holy day until a few years ago. That has changed.

Some of my beloved friends (many of whom are listed as links on this blog) may think I've gone completely (and liturgically) nuts, but I'm going all out for this little holy day in 2009! So this Sunday at Servant's Heart Fellowship we will explore the value of All Saints Day, celebrate the redemptive work of Christ in the whole church, and even sing a new song, specifically written by Jason for our celebration of All Saints Day.

See you all Sunday! I'll be wearing robes. Not really.

Sunday Quotes!

Last Sunday we celebrated one of the most important verses in Mark's gospel: "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." -Mark 10:45.

As usual, my old friend JC Ryle was helpful:

"By that death Jesus made a full and complete satisfaction for man's countless transgressions. He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. The Lord laid on Him the iniquity of us all. When He died, He died for us. When He suffered, He suffered in our stead. When He hung on the cross, He hung there as our Substitute. When His blood flowed, it was the price of our souls."

"It is true that we are sinners, but Christ has borne our sins. It is true that we are poor helpless debtors, but Christ has paid our debts. It is true that we deserve to be shut up forever in the prison of hell. But thanks be to God, Christ has paid a full and complete ransom for us. The door is wide open. The prisoners may go free. May we all know this privilege by heartfelt experience, and walk in the blessed liberty of the children of God."

Maybe I need to add Ryle's name as co-pastor of SHF...?

"With Man It Is Impossible, But Not With God."

The late great CS Lewis once said, "It was not until I tried to clean up my life that I finally realized how truly sinful I was."

Too bad this was not the experience of the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-27. Instead of realizing his own sinfulness, he actually thinks he is good enough to save himself. Even after Jesus lovingly exposes this young man's sinful heart, he still ends up walking away unchanged... and still unable to save himself. This encounter prompts our Lord to inform his disciples that it is impossible for people to save themselves. Only God can do this.

This Sunday we will apply this passage and celebrate His saving grace!

Youth Lesson: "Substitution of Christ on the Cross"

Last night Jason Sessoms taught our youth about the substitution of Christ on the cross. I firmly believe that there is no topic more important than this one. He has made his lesson available here. I urge all of you to download the lesson, read it over carefully, and then once again be utterly amazed by God's incredible and generous mercy.

"Sermons You Need To Hear"

No surprise to those who know me well, but I listen to a lot of sermons. So I decided that one new way I could serve you better is to pass some of these along to you! I'll call it "Sermons You Need To Hear" (creative, huh?).

Just finished listening to my friend Jim Upchurch's sermon about serving. In it he mentions that he uses the word "great" way too much and subsequently, if everything is great... then nothing really is. His point was obvious: Jesus defines "greatness" very different than our culture does. It is an excellent sermon and I recommend you go listen to it. He has a one-two punch combo near the end that should cause you to repent of serving out of selfishness... I know I did.

You can find this sermon here.

Sunday Quotes!

Yesterday we examined and reaffirmed our belief that our great Savior is "fully man" and "fully God." This truth is beautifully laid out for us in Mark 4:35-41. This is where we find Jesus, fully man, resting sound asleep in a boat during a raging storm. Next we see him, fully God, commanding the storm to stop... and the wind and waves obey the voice of the Creator. These quotes were helpful:

"We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary, and was made man." -Nicene Creed

"As Man he had slept. As God He stilled the storm." -JC Ryle

"Who is this man? He is the Lord of the storm. He is Lord of death and the grave. He is Lord of the seas, indeed of all creation. And since he love us and has purchased us with his own blood, he will never leave us nor forsake us, even when things look bleak and no hope is to be found. The wind and the waves obey this man because he is Lord. He is our Lord. For he is our God and we are his people." -Kim Riddlebarger

Sunday Quotes!

Yesterday I preached from Mark 3:20-35 and we examined two false accusations about our Savior: (1) He was out of his mind (verse 21), and (2) He was possessed by the devil (verse 22). These three quotes were helpful to us as we looked more closely at this text:

"A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things that Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the devil of hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." -CS Lewis

"It is a strange paradox that in any times of religious revival or obvious working of God's Spirit, it is often the religious leaders who oppose the work of God most strenuously, and seem to misunderstand it most willfully." -Alan Cole

"It is interesting to mark the quiet, firm perseverance of our Lord, in the face of all discouragements. None of these things moved Him. The slanderous suggestions of enemies, and the well-meant remonstrances of ignorant friends, were alike powerless to turn Him from His course. He had set His face as a flint towards the cross and the crown. He knew the work He had come into the world to do." -JC Ryle

JC Ryle Quotes

It's no secret at our church that one of my favorite dead guys is JC Ryle. He is probably the (deceased) author that I quote the most in my sermons. His writings have had a large influence on me and I appreciate his theologically sound insights - especially in the area of the doctrine of sin. This is why I was very excited when Jason Sessoms shared a new JC Ryle website with me. It's a site that offers a new Ryle quote each day (I've added these quotes to the bottom of this blog). Check it out for yourself: www.jcrylequotes.com

"What Is This?"

Today's title is taken right out of Mark 1:27. It's the question that people ask after their (otherwise) ordinary worship service is turned upside down by two unusual events, of which Jesus is responsible for both. First, he teaches with such authority that the people are blown away. They obviously weren't prepared for this kind of teaching when they arrived at the synagogue that morning. And second, he casts a demon out of one of the people who was actually there attending the service - and it doesn't go out quietly! I doubt that the Order of Service included that. Imagine how that would look in a bulletin...

Opening Prayer
Psalm Reading
Hymn of Praise
Welcoming Guests
Sermon
Demonic Interruption
Loud Exorcism, complete with convulsions and screams
Benediction

No, I think it is pretty accurate to say that the members of that synagogue had a service that they would not soon forget. This is what we will look at this Sunday as we continue our walk with the Savior through the gospel according to Mark.

"Stretch Out Your Hand To Heal..."

This Sunday we will wrap up our series "We Believe In The Holy Spirit" by looking at an early church prayer meeting and asking some very important questions: What did they pray for (big hint - the title of this post!)? What was their expectation that God would really hear their prayer and act? Did they believe that God moved in mighty power? How does this compare with our prayers? Do we believe that God not only did great things, but that he still does amazing things?

We will consider all of these questions as we examine Acts 4:23-31 together.

"Informed Passion"

I admit it, I cruise ministry blogs often. It's one way that I keep up with what's happening in the "church catholic" (the universal Christian church around the world), make new ministry connections, and also how I gather resources for our own local church. While on one such "cruise" I bumped into this little phrase used to describe a worship resource: "Informed Passion". (you can visit this resource here)

It jumped off the screen at me and made me immediately think of what we are trying to do here at SHF. We don't want "uninformed passion" where a worship service is "red hot" but nobody really knows why. And we certainly don't want "informed non passion", where the worship content is all proper and orthodox but nobody seems to care (think - yawning through Amazing Grace).

No, we strive for informed passion. We want to be increasingly informed about the gospel so that we will respond with much passion for the Savior!

Wisdom From Dead Guys...

As I study about the Holy Spirit I come across many wise words from beloved pastors or theologians who are long dead (physically speaking, of course). Here's a sample:

"We must have the Holy Spirit's power and presence, otherwise our religion will become a mockery before God, and a misery to ourselves." -Charles Spurgeon

"We need more of the presence of the Holy Spirit – more in the pulpit, and more in the congregation. Where He is, there will be life, health, growth, and fruitfulness. Where He is not, all will be dead, tame, formal, sleepy, and cold." -J.C. Ryle

Amen. I couldn't have said it any better myself. No, really, I couldn't!

Sunday Quotes!

This past Sunday we considered what it means to be "filled with the Spirit". These quotes were very helpful:

“We are not only to come to Jesus once, in penitence and faith, but also thereafter to keep coming and keep drinking, because we keep thirsting. We do this physically. Whenever we are thirsty, we get a drink. We must learn to do it spiritually also. The Christian is a spiritual dipsomaniac, always thirsting, always drinking. And drinking is not asking for water, but actually taking it. It is extremely simple. Drinking is one of the first activities that babies learn; indeed they do it by instinct.” -John Stott

“What we should seek (and this applies to all Christians) is that God pour his Spirit out upon us so completely that we are filled with joy, victorious over sin, and bold to witness. And the ways he brings us to that fullness are probably as varied as people are. It may come in a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and tongues. It may come through a tumultuous experience of ecstasy and no tongues. It may come through a crisis of suffering when you abandon yourself totally to God. Or it may come gradually through a steady diet of God's Word and prayer and fellowship and worship and service. However it comes, our first experience of the fullness of the Spirit is only the beginning of a life-long battle to stay filled with the Spirit.” -John Piper

Sunday Quotes!

Last Sunday we examined the gracious work of the Holy Spirit called "regeneration" - aka: "born of the Spirit", "born again", or "new birth". Whichever name you prefer, it is still an incredible and mysterious work of God that causes our dead spirits to become alive so that we may see our need for the Savior.

"Exactly what happens in regeneration is mysterious to us. We know that somehow we who were spiritually dead have been made alive to God and in a very real sense we have been born again. But we don’t understand how this happens or what exactly God does to us to give us spiritual life." -Wayne Grudem

"One thing is very clear—we cannot work this mighty change ourselves. It is not in us. We have no strength or power to do it. We may change our sins—but we cannot change our hearts. We may take up a new way—but not a new nature. We may make considerable reforms and alterations. We may lay aside many outward bad habits, and begin to do many outward duties. But we cannot create a new principle within us. We cannot bring something out of nothing… Who then can make a dead soul alive? No one can do it but God." -JC Ryle

Recommended Reading on the Holy Spirit

Thought these might be useful for those who want to go deeper in a study on the Holy Spirit.

1. I Believe in the Holy Spirit, by Michael Green

2. Keep in Step with the Spirit, by JI Packer

3. Baptism and Fullness, by John Stott

4. Follow the Wind, by Steve Brown

5. The Beginners Guide to Spiritual Gifts, by Sam Storms

There are, of course, other great books about the Holy Spirit, but these five are a good place to begin.

Sunday Quotes!

We began our series "We believe in the Holy Spirit" by reading Acts 2:1-13 and considering this question, "What does this mean?" (verse 12). This was especially fitting as it was Pentecost Sunday. I preached on (1) the Promise of the Spirit, (2) the Presence of the Spirit, and (3) the Purpose of the Spirit.
These quotes were helpful:

"We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son together is worshiped and glorified." (Nicene Creed)

"This is the caution: whenever revival comes—whenever the Holy Spirit is poured out in extraordinary power—this division happens in the Christian community. Some genuinely inquire as to what this is, and test all things, and hold fast to what is good. Others stand outside and mock and write off the enthusiasm as merely human, "They are filled with new wine." -John Piper

"When floodlighting is done well, the floodlights are so placed that you do not see them; you are not in fact supposed to see where the light is coming from; what you are meant to see is just the building on which the floodlights are trained. This perfectly illustrates the Spirit’s new covenant role. He is, so to speak, the hidden floodlight shining on the Savior." -JI Packer

Sunday Quotes!

We finished our series on 1 Peter by focusing upon the last portion of 5:12 "...I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it."

These two quotes were helpful as we considered how to stand in the true grace of God.

“At the end of this letter, Peter is concerned that his readers hold fast to the truth. They have received the gospel of God’s grace. Let them stand fast in it. They cling, not to an impersonal moral code, nor to philosophical abstractions. They cling to the grace of God; not what they have done for God, but what God has done for them in Christ.” -Edmund Clowney

“Forgiven souls are humble. They cannot forget that they owe all they have and hope for to free grace, and this keeps them lowly. They are brands plucked from the fire – debtors who could not pay for themselves – captives who must have remained in prison for ever, but for underserved mercy – wandering sheep who were ready to perish when the Shepherd found them; and what right then have they to be proud? I do not deny that they are proud saints. But this I do say – they are of all God’s creatures the most inconsistent, and of all God’s children the most likely to stumble and pierce themselves with many sorrows.” –JC Ryle

Coming Soon

"WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT..."

Beginning on Pentecost Sunday, May 31, Servant's Heart Fellowship will take several weeks to look much closer at the ongoing ministry of the Holy Spirit. Some of the questions we will consider include: Who is the Holy Spirit? What does the Holy Spirit do? What does it mean to be filled with the Spirit? What about Spiritual Gifts?

Join us as we explore the ministry of the Holy Spirit together as a church.

Sunday Quotes!

“It matters nothing what a man is called. He may be a Preacher, Minister, or Deacon. He is still a fallible man! Neither the education, nor the anointing oil, nor the laying on of hands, can prevent a man from making mistakes.” -JC Ryle The Fallibility of Ministers

I quoted Ryle to reinforce the point that leaders should always be pursuing humility as they set an example for the church to follow. I actually could have quoted much more from him because JC Ryle has so much to say to leaders. His two little sermon booklets The Fallibility of Ministers and Simplicity in Preaching are "must reads" for anyone in pastoral ministry.

Things We Hold Dear: Humble Leadership

I sat at a recent conference and listened as CJ Mahaney preached about leadership. During the message he said, "We should be both amazed and humbled that God has called us to shepherd His flock." We should be amazed because, to be quite frank about it, we aren't much to look at. And we should be humbled for the exact same reason. It was very good for me to be reminded of this and it made me even more grateful for our church's leadership.

At SHF, we're not just looking to train and raise up leaders who are talented or gifted. These things are important, but they are not adequate in themselves. We also want leaders who are obviously and openly pursuing humility. Leaders who are growing in love for the Savior and for the local church. Leaders who are grateful for the gospel and eager to serve. Leaders who are still amazed by grace. As part of our 1 Peter series I'll be preaching this Sunday about humble leadership... something we hold dear.

Sunday Quotes!

I preached from 1 Peter 4:12-19. Here's a helpful quote I shared from John Piper:

“The degrees of suffering and the forms of affliction will differ for every one of us. But one thing we will all have in common till Jesus comes: we will all die. We will come to that awesome moment of reckoning. If you have time, you will see your whole life played before you as you ponder if it has been well-spent. You will tremble at the unspeakable reality that in just moments you will face God. And the destiny of your soul will be irrevocable. Will you rejoice in that hour? You will if you entrust your soul to a faithful Creator.”

These "Sunday Quotes" posts also seem to give me an opportunity to clarify things I say in my sermons. So just in case you are not familiar with my (poor?) sense of humor... I confess it publicly -I got the speeding ticket in Maryland, not Autumn.

Sunday Quotes!

I preached out of 1 Peter 4:7-11, which includes these verses: "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." (verses 8-9). Here are two quotes:

“Where love abounds in a fellowship of Christians, many small offenses, and even some large ones, are readily overlooked and forgotten. But where love is lacking, every word is viewed with suspicion, every action is liable to misunderstanding, and conflicts abound – to Satan’s perverse delight.” -Wayne Grudem

“Christians are to provide hospitality without complaining or whining about the time and expense involved. This is an expression of agape love.” -David Walls

The second quote prompted people to go out to eat after the service for immediate application. As a side note - I promise to never use an illustration in a sermon that involves pregnant women and stretchy pants ever again. I'm an experienced enough preacher to know when an illustration bombs big time!

Without Grumbling!

I've heard Christians say that 1 Peter 4:9 is one of the hardest verses to put into practice. Here it is: "Show hospitality to one another without grumbling." The hospitality part isn't so difficult, after all, many of us are willing to at least spend some time with other believers. It is the last two words of the verse that we struggle with - "without grumbling."

What's the problem here? I'll say it as clear as I can. Hospitality is often very inconvenient. To genuinely offer hospitality we must be willing to spend extended periods of time with other Christians. The problem is our sinful hearts. Sometimes we can be too selfish with our time, and when we do spend it with other believers... we end up grumbling about it.

Is there hope for us? Absolutely! We will be looking at this on Sunday as we once again gaze upon the Savior and apply His Holy Word. To get prepared go ahead and read 1 Peter 4:7-11.

Sunday Quotes!

I rarely preach a sermon without including at least one quote from a theologian or a pastor (dead or alive) who has already said something much better than I can. So, as a new "blog feature", I'm going to start giving out these quotes on Mondays as a way to encourage us all at the beginning of each week. Enjoy!

"We are shown first, in this passage, what true Christians must expect to meet in this world--hatred and persecution. If the disciples looked for kindness and gratitude from man they would be painfully disappointed... Persecution is the lot of all really godly people at this very day. Ridicule, mockery, slander, misrepresentations still show the feeling of unconverted people against the true Christian... In public and in private, at school and at college, at home and abroad, "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3:12.) Mere churchmanship and outward profession are a cheap religion, of course, and cost a man nothing. But real vital Christianity will always bring with it a cross." -JC Ryle

"Though we say this world is vain and sinful, we are too fond of it; and though we hope for true happiness only in Heaven, we are often well content to stay longer here on earth. But the Lord sends afflictions one after another to quicken our desires, and to convince us that this world cannot be our rest. Sometimes if you drive a bird from one branch of a tree he will hop to another a little higher, and from thence to a third; but if you continue to disturb him, he will at last take wing, and fly quite away. Thus we, when forced from one creature-comfort, perch upon another, and so on. But the Lord mercifully follows us with trials, and will not let us rest upon any; by degrees our desires take a nobler flight, and can be satisfied with nothing short of Himself; and we say, 'To depart and be with Jesus is best of all!'" -John Newton

Things We Hold Dear: God-Centered Worship

Not all "worship songs" are created equal. Some popular ones seem to focus more upon the people who have gathered than upon the Glorious Savior. We think this is a serious mistake of priorities. At Servant's Heart Fellowship we are committed to singing God-centered songs. This doesn't mean we never sing songs that mention people in them, but it does mean that we purposefully place all our attention upon God and His amazing salvation.

We are careful to select songs that are centered on God. The reason? Well, in the words of David: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable." (Psalm 145:3)

There is no one else that this can be said about. Only God is greatly to be praised. Only His greatness is unsearchable! Remembering this incredible truth produces passionate, God-centered worship - something we hold dear.

Suffering, Who Needs It?

Let me be very honest. I don't like suffering. Not in any of its various forms - illness, persecution, or pain. I don't like sickness (I'm not a quiet patient - just ask my wife). Or suffering for making poor decisions. And I certainly don't like suffering of any kind that involves pain. Why is this, you ask? The answer is selfishly simple: I am a person who struggles with being in control. I know it's sinful, but it is true. I love "ordering my day" around those things that I want to accomplish, and when suffering (in any form) bumps into my neat schedule and disrupts it I can get _______________. (You fill in the blank)

Suffering reminds me that I am not in control. Suffering has a way of smashing my "I'm in control" illusion like nothing else can. How do we correctly respond to suffering - regardless of how it arrives? What is a biblical perspective for suffering? And how can we prepare ourselves in advance for suffering?

We'll answer these questions this Sunday as we continue our 1 Peter study. We're back in chapter 3, verses 13-22. See you Sunday!

Celebrating Palm Sunday

I just started reading Jesus, Keep Me Near The Cross, a collection of sermons by twenty-five theologians and pastors, some contemporary and some over 500 years old. In the introduction, editor Nancy Guthrie writes the following:

"I've often found myself in churches that made more of Mother's Day than Palm Sunday, with little focus given to entering into the passion of Jesus in an intentional and meaningful way as Easter approached. Too many years I've found that I have rushed from Palm Sunday into Easter morning, from palm branches to the empty tomb, without giving my mind and my heart over to thoughtful contemplation of the cross."

I can totally relate to what she writes. I'm not sure why, but Palm Sunday is sadly overlooked in some churches. We're doing our part to try to correct this. At Servant's Heart Fellowship we worship with very large palm branches on Palm Sunday. We hand them out to everyone (yes, even to children!) and wave them around during our singing. It's quite a sight. Some even hold a branch in each hand and end up looking like they are directing traffic at an airport. Why do we do this? The answer is really simple: We always want to make much of Jesus Christ and Palm Sunday gives us yet another opportunity to draw our attention toward our Crucified, Risen, and Glorious Savior!

Parenting Conference: Raising Great Kids

It's no great secret that I have five children (one of which is taller than I am -shown above). I love my kids and want to be the best father I can possibly be with God's grace. And, because I'm a sinner, I need much grace and much help. This is why I'm very honored to be a part of the Reformation & Revival parenting conference: Raising Great Kids! Click here for details.

Things We Hold Dear: Cross-Centered Preaching

Over the next week or two I am going to post about some "things we hold dear" here at Servant's Heart Fellowship. The first one is cross-centered preaching. I recently hung a quote from Bishop J.C. Ryle over my desk in my office. This is what it says:

“All the simplicity in the world can do no good, unless you preach the simple gospel of Jesus Christ so fully and clearly that everybody can understand it. If Christ crucified has not his rightful place in your sermons, and sin is not exposed as it should be, and your people are not plainly told what they ought to believe, and be, and do, your preaching is of no use.”

This man's strong exhortation hangs (literally) over my head as I prepare sermons. This is what he is saying to me: "Dan, if Christ crucified doesn't have his rightful place in this week's sermon... then your preaching will be useless!"

At Servant's Heart Fellowship, we take preaching cross-centered sermons very serious - it is something we hold dear.

Biblical Marriage On Display

I'm convinced that our culture doesn't have a clue when it comes to marriage. So many people today view it as a temporary arrangement, easily broken when it is no longer convenient. Additionally, people clearly do not understand the divine purpose of marriage, or the roles of husbands and wives in marriage. And yet, the Bible is pretty clear about this. It really is not as complicated as some would try to make it.

We will explore a variety of issues this Sunday - including hairstyles, clothes, attitudes of wives, priorities of husbands, and prayer - but with one goal in mind: At Servant's Heart Fellowship we want passionate and biblical marriages that glorify God! Join us in this pursuit as we examine 1 Peter 3:1-7.

Phil Sasser Preaching At Servant's Heart Fellowship

This Sunday Phil Sasser (pastor of Sovereign Grace Church in Apex, NC) will again be our guest speaker. Phil is a good friend of mine and a constant source of encouragement. He is always willing to spend time with me talking about ministry, and I'm sure that his influence is evident in the way I pastor our church . I'm grateful for his friendship and certain that Servant's Heart Fellowship will benefit from his time spent with us. Phil has an obvious passion for Jesus Christ, his wife Cassie, the local church, good books written by dead people, and The Ohio State University.

Join us this Sunday as we welcome Phil Sasser back to Servant's Heart Fellowship!

"Take This Job And..."

Ever struggle with maintaining a godly attitude while at the workplace? You are not alone. Grumbling about work is probably on most people's "top ten" list of personal sins committed each week. In fact, it is probably so common for us that we no longer even recognize this as a sin, but simply as a part of accepted cultural expressions, like that Johnny Paycheck song. After all, aren't most bosses unfair? Is it really that big of a deal if I complain about my job? Interesting questions... let's find out together this Sunday as we look at 1 Peter 2:18-25.

I think the answers may include something you didn't quite expect!

Finally Back In 1 Peter!

After spending a few weeks reminding ourselves of the importance of both the Church of Christ and the Cross of Christ we are turning our attention back to our study of 1 Peter.

This Sunday we will zero in on this verse: "Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor." (1 Pet. 2:17)

What does this verse mean? And how does this relate to our attitude and behavior towards our fellow citizens... our government... or our president? Come find out - join us this Sunday as we humbly ask God to adjust our lives as we look again intently into His holy Word!

Read ahead to get ready: 1 Peter 2:13-17

Introducing Our Guest Speaker - Justin Childers

This Sunday (February 8th) my friend Justin Childers will be preaching at Servant's Heart Fellowship. Justin is the pastor of Christ Baptist Church in Wilson, NC. You can check out his church here and also find out more about Justin at his blog. Justin and his wife, Jeanna, have two children, Karis and Noah, and live in Wilson. We are excited about having them worship our glorious Savior with us this Sunday!

I had the privilege of speaking at the Surveying The Wondrous Cross conference last October with Justin and am regularly encouraged by his obvious passion for the cross.

Join us this Sunday this Sunday as we gaze upon the cross of Christ with increasing amazement, affection, and appreciation for our Savior.

What Is Marriage?

Last night I had the privilege of speaking at a marriage conference here at Red Oak Baptist Church. During the session, I read this quote from Dave Harvey's excellent book, When Sinner's Say, "I Do":

“We obviously live in a day when the meaning of marriage is up for grabs. Unfettered from any source of authority, marriage follows culture… no matter where the culture goes. After a head-banging night of partying, one pop idol got married, then had the marriage annulled in the morning. To her, marriage may have simply seemed like a fun thing to do for a few hours, not too different from an afternoon at the mall or a visit to Starbucks. Just a spontaneous indulgence. No harm done.”

It is examples like this that make it critical that we get our understanding and definition of marriage from the Bible and make every effort to ensure that our own marriages reflect this understanding and not the culture. This is why I'm eagerly anticipating Jim Upchurch's session this Friday evening on "Acting Out The Gospel In Everyday Married Life". Join us at Red Oak Baptist, 6:30pm. It's free!

Increasing Our Appetite For The Bible

This past Sunday I encouraged our church family to spend more time in the Word. I recommended a one-year Bible reading plan that we had available as a useful resource (both of my daughters are using this - much to my delight!). I also mentioned several online resources. One of these is the website for the English Standard Version (the Bible I use for preaching), where there is a helpful selection of devotional and daily Bible reading tools. It can be found here

I personally use the ESV daily office lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer that is on their site. I've used the prayer book for many years and was very excited to see that the lectionary is available in the ESV. I even added this as a feature at the bottom of this blog. It updates itself daily with new Scripture readings. This is just one option that is available at the ESV online site.

I again urge our church family to get into the Word and to use these (or other) great resources to help foster a daily appetite for the Scriptures! "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

Why Epiphany Is Considering A Strike!

Have you heard? Epiphany is considering a strike! That's right, this tiny little holiday is fed up with being ignored and is considering a full blown strike! This could be huge. Imagine what your year would be like without this holiday. Hard to, isn't it? I'm sure you are very alarmed by this news - and you should be. Here's the "top five" complaints from a list Epiphany has officially issued:

1. Most people have no clue what Epiphany even is and if asked they would probably say they don't really care. How rude is that?
2. Even many Christians have no clue what Epiphany is even though it is a "Christian" holiday. This one really makes Epiphany burn and it is demanding more attention from the Church.
3. Epiphany simply cannot thrive in the shadow of mega-Christmas sales or compete with all the Christmas "buzz" and wants the playing field leveled with a nationwide "Epiphany Sale" and maybe even introduce some "Epiphany candy".
4. Christmas has stolen Epiphany's thunder by including "wise men" in virtually all Christmas programs and by encouraging people to put "stars" on the top of Christmas trees.
5. Epiphany is regularly left off of new calendars and believes this is intentional on the part of Calendar Makers in an effort to further diminish Epiphany's already dwindling reputation. I mean, come on, Epiphany doesn't make it, but Chinese New Year does?

Wow! Well, I just want to go on record saying that this pastor supports Epiphany. I'm glad today is Epiphany and I wish everyone a very Happy Epiphany! (Right now some of you are thinking, "today is Epiphany?" while others are still stuck on #2! Yup, this is why Epiphany is strongly considering a strike.)