Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Theological Reflections on Death and Dying

Introduction

It has been said that all we have to do is live long enough as we will be bereaved by death, and ultimately we ourselves will die. In a fallen world this is part of the framework of our existence, and yet when death comes it is, for the most part unexpected. We are often unprepared.

More so, in the modern western world death is something we rarely square up and face. D.A. Carson argues that “death has become the last taboo” (How Long, O Lord?, 103). We usually dont see the deceased until they have been “prepared”. Only in rare circumstances is it ok to express ones grief transparently. Again, “we find it exceedingly difficult to look death squarely in the face and talk about it.” (How Long, O Lord?, 104) But I propose that it would be helpful to look at death as preventative medicine in trying to establish some firm biblical theological structures to help us, as Christians, think about death. This is true not only for Christian thinkers but even for the secular. In fact,

“From Plato to Hegel and beyond, some of the greatest philosophers declared that what you think about death…is the key to thinking seriously about anything else – and, indeed, that it provides one of the main reasons for thinking seriously about anything at all. (Surprised by Hope, 6)”

A Theology of Death

The bible teaches that death, in a general sense, is ultimately the result of sin. (Gen. 2:17) The apostle Paul makes this explicitly clear in his letter to the Roman church by writing that “the wages of sin is death. (Rom. 6:23)” What does death entail? Traditionally theologians have viewed death in three categories.

Physical Death. In Genesis 3:19 the judgment for sin pronounced by God is physical death. God tells man that he will return to the dust of the ground from which he has come (Gen. 2:7) Paul also picks up on this connection in 1 Corinthians 15:55-56. Furthermore, several passages referring to Jesus physical death show that it was a direct consequence to human sin. (Rom. 4:25; 6:10; Gal. 3:13) To put it simply, post fall physical death is an inevitable reality for all of humanity. As Augustine argued, humanity moved from a state of being “able not to die” to “not able to not die.” (On Rebuke and Grace, 33) Furthermore, God’s common grace is seen in the sense that humanity continues to experience life, though fallen, is nonetheless still life.

Spiritual Death. The bible also talks about man being spiritually dead while physically living. The immediate consequence to the sin of Adam and Eve was spiritual death (Gen. 2:17). The language of this verse is often misunderstood. One might ask, why did Adam and Eve not drop dead at the moment their teeth broke the skin of the fruit? I believe the expression “in the day that you eat of it” is best understood as a Hebrew idiom meaning “as surly as you eat of it.” (See Geerhardus Vos, Biblical Theology, pp. 48-49) No longer did Adam and Eve enjoy the life giving presence of God, they were banished from the garden. This is, in many ways, the deepest loss of death – since the deepest meaning of life is fellowship with God. Similarly, Paul reminds the Ephesians that they were once dead apart from Christ but now have been made alive (Eph. 2:1-3).

Eschatological Death. This final death is often seen as the extension or finalization of spiritual death. This final death is the culmination of the spiritual death in which the individual is banished from the presence of God forever (Rev. 20:14-15) Eschatological death is the permanent abode following physical death.

Implications from a Theology of Death

First, death must not be seen as a supreme instance of cosmic lack of fairness, but as God’s just sentence against our sin. We are responsible participants in our own death, in that it is not simply something that happens to us, but we cause death by our sinfulness.

Second, One may ask ‘why death?’ Death is God’s limit on creatures whose sin is that they want to be gods (Gen. 3:4-5; Rom. 1:18-23). We are not gods; and by death we are reminded that we are only human.

Lastly, with 1 and 2 in mind, there is also another sense in which we cry out against this limitation because we have been made in the image of God and we want to live. Often people will rage against God because of death, but this assumes that He was unfair in passing the sentence that our sin deserved. Our rage is better directed at the ugliness of death and the wretchedness of sin.

The Christian’s Hope in Death

The Bible does not encourage us to suppress our grief when loved ones die, but it does insist that we do not “grieve like the rest, who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13) Where is our hope then? This may be, perhaps, one of the most underdeveloped aspects of evangelical practical theology. Our hope rests in Christ, more specifically, in his own defeat of death and bodily resurrection from death (John 11:25) N.T. Wright makes an important observation on this point.

“God’s intention is not to let death have its way with us. If the promised final future is simply that immortal souls leave behind their mortal bodies, then death still rules – since that is a description not of the defeat of death but simply death itself. (Surprised by Hope, 15)”

Christ’s bodily resurrection is the seal that sin and death have been defeated. Christ’s resurrection is also the first taste of what is to come, the physical reality,  for those of us who are in Christ. In a very true sense, God is going to do for us what he had done for Christ at Easter.

Therefore, believing the resurrection must cease to be a matter of inquiring to an event in the first century, but is a matter of hope here and now. The resurrection is ‘the’ defining event of the new creation, the new world that is coming through Jesus Christ. See, Jesus comes out of the tomb and inaugurates God’s new creation right in the middle of the old one, the world we occupy. This is our grounds for hope, and the down payment for our future lives.

We thank God that through the work of Christ we may also be delivered form this body of death and may look forward to receiving from Christ at the final resurrection a new body that will be conformed to “the body of his glory” (Phil. 3:21). And we, who are in Christ, also hope in the life to come, eating from the tree of life from which our first parents were driven away (Rev. 22:2). Our ultimate hope is found in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:3-4).

Ministering to the Grieving

D.A. Carson writes:

“Anyone who has suffered devastating grief or dehumanizing pain has at some point been comforted by near relatives of Job’s miserable comforters. They come with their cliches and tired, pious mouthings. They engender guilt when they should be administering balm. They utter solemn truths where compassion is needed. They exhibit strength and exhort to courage where they would be more comforting if they simply wept. (How Long, O Lord?, 221)”

First, we must recognize that grief normally passes through different stages and is expressed by a variety of emotions, which is all dependent on the person mourning and the circumstances of their loss. Be sensitive and wise with how you comfort.

Second, sometimes it takes longer for a person to heal than you might expect. There needs to be a balance of patience and encouragement. It might take months or even years until one has completely moved through the grieving process, perhaps before they are ready to move on or even talk about it.

Third, in the midst of suffering the most comforting thing is simply presence, help, silence, and tears. Intellectual answers do not readily satisfy. There is much wisdom in the word “mourn with those who mourn” (Rom. 12:15).

Fourth, keep in mind that once the initial shock lifts the questions will come. Sometimes questions simply reveal that the grieving is seeking comfort. Carson notes that sometimes the questions reveal that the grieving do want an answer, even if brief. Perhaps a brief answer is all they can bear.

Lastly, above all, our aim must be to help the grieving know God better. To this end we must aim and pray, that “God himself is the one who comforts the downcast; He is the  God of all comfort” (2 Cor. 7:6; 2 Cor. 1:3)

Continue reading “Theological Reflections on Death and Dying” →

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on Gospel Preaching

When one preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ there are usually religious legalists who claim that it produces antinomianism. Lloyd-Jones said this is a good sign:

There is no better test as to whether a man is really preaching the New Testament gospel of salvation than this, that some people might misunderstand it and misinterpret it to mean that it really amounts to this, that because you are saved by grace alone it does not matter at all what you do; you can go on sinning as much as you like because it will redound all the more to the glory of grace. That is a very good test of gospel preaching. If my preaching and presentation of the gospel of salvation does not expose it to that misunderstanding, then it is not the gospel.

From Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: A New Man, 8-9. Quoted in Jared Wilson, Gospel Wakefulness, 114.

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Saturday Seminar on Luke with Dr. Steve McKinion

To sign up click here

On February 25th we will have another Saturday Seminar in Biblical Interpretation on the Gospel of Luke with Dr. Steve McKinion from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he serves as a Associate Professor of Theology and Patristic Studies. Here is a little background information on Dr. McKinion from his personal website.

He finished his BA at Mississippi College, his MA at the University of Mobile, and his PhD at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, where he studied patristics with Iain Torrance. At age 27, after completing his PhD, he became a professor at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he has taught since. He has also been a Visiting Professor at the University of Mobile, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Steve has also helped lead several church launches, and is currently leading a new church startup in Raleigh called New Covenant Fellowship. Writing has been a big part of his life.  In addition to the articles, dictionary entries, and books he has in print, he is currently completing two major projects: the Isaiah volume in the Reformation Commentary on Scripture with IVP, and Invitation to Historical Theology with Kregel.

Dr. McKinion has already published the books Life and Practice in the Early Church, A Commentary on Isaiah 1-39 in the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture Series, and Words, Imagery, and the Mystery of Christ: A Reconstruction of Cyril of Alexandria’s Christology.

See his personal website at – http://www.stevemckinion.com/

To sign up for this free training event please click on this link

Matt Capps Adoption, Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

Together for Adoption Regional Conference in N.C.

I am looking forward to being a part of this conference on adoption! If you are considering adoption, in the process of adoption, or have already adopted, I strongly encourage you to make attending the Together for Adoption regional conference a priority. Laura and I attended the Together for Adoption National Conference in 2009 where we were greatly encouraged and equipped for the unique blessings and challenges of adoption. Here is a blurb from the T4A website:

“The Together for Adoption regional conference will be held at Calvary (West Campus) near Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Saturday, April 28th. The primary objective for all of our conferences (both regional & national) is to magnify the adopting grace of God the Father in Christ Jesus and to mobilize the church for global orphan care. If you live in the Southeast, we hope you will join us and a great group of exhibitors for our first regional conference.

Registration is $39 per person. Online registration will in February.

Worship will be led by Kaleb Scharmahorn (listen to Kaleb’s worship band’s new CD).

Conference Schedule:

8:00am – Doors Open (Check-in & Registration)
9:00am – Main Session 1
The God Who is a Father to the Fatherless | Dan Cruver
10:30 am – Breakout Session 1
11:30 am – Lunch & Networking
1:00 pm – Main Session 2
The Church that Cares for the Fatherless | Jason Cornwell
2:00 pm – Breakout Session 2
3:15 pm – Main Session 3
Eating at the King’s Table | Burke Parsons
4:15pm – Close & Networking

More details are forthcoming.”

Don’t miss out on this opportunity!

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

“The Fullness of Time” – A Christmas Meditation

 “When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son.”[1]

The good news of Christmas did not begin with the birth of Jesus. As Paul says in Galatians 4, God sent his Son when the time was complete. As if God was waiting for a specific time to unveil the most important part of redemptive history. What this verse affirms is that there had always been a plan. This story, this story that culminated in the life and work of Jesus began in the begining. As the Apostle John writes in opening words of his gospel account;

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.”[2]

Throughout human history we have had small tastes, small glimpses into this plan. See, In the beginning man and woman were created to live in the presence of God. To reflect his beauty and enjoy his presence and blessings. Yet, our first parents followed the lies of a serpent and turned their backs on God’s fatherly provision and tried to establish their own dominion, breaking the harmony of created order. As a result of the fall,  sin entered our world – with it came pain, suffering, disease, disaster, and death. Since then, the majority of human history has been a record of wars, conflict, and longings. But even in the hardest times, there have been small tastes of the redemption that was to come. Take a few examples from the story of humanity:

  • Immediately following the fall of mankind God covers Adam and Eve’s shame with the skin of a sacrifice. God also promises that from Eve, in her descendants, one would come to crush the head of the evil one, destroying his power.
  • Later God chooses a man by the name of Abraham, tells him to leave all he has known, and promises that he will Father a new, people, a people from many nations.
  • After Abraham, a man by the name of Moses is raised up to deliver God’s people out of slavery under Pharaoh in Egypt. Beyond this, Moses is also appointed to mediate between his people, all two million of them, and God almighty.
  • Consider the young Shepherd boy named David who stepped out against his people’s enemy Goliath in war. There he was, a young untrained boy representing his people against a fierce and decorated warrior. David won and was anointed King of Israel

Human history is a story of longing. A story of a people longing to see the end of pain, suffering, disease, disaster, and death. A story of an exiled people trying to get home in the presence and care of their loving Father. A people who have carried the burden of sin. A people who have cried out for deliverance. A people who long to have a good King who rules with perfect justice and mercy.

 And God delivered.

At just the right time. In the fullness of time. When longings of humanity had reached their fullness. When God’s plan of redemption was ready for its culmination, He sent Jesus. And in the birth of Jesus we find our answer. We find in his fullness, what the heroes of the Old Testament gave us a brief taste of.

  • We find in Jesus the true and greater Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is accredited to us. Jesus is the descendant of Eve who destroys the curse of sin and death.
  • Jesus is the true and greater Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into wilderness not knowing where he went to create a new people of God gathered from every tribe, tongue, and nation.
  • Jesus is the true and greater Moses who delivers his people from slavery of sin, and from the hands of a tyrant named death. Jesus, like Moses, stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.
  • Jesus is the true and greater David whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves. Jesus is also the eternal king from the line of David who’s perfect rein will never end.

This is why we sing, “glory to the new born King, peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Jesus is our long awaited answer to our deepest longings. At his birth God announced that his kingdom was here, and now we as followers of Christ wait for the day for it to be consummated.

Continue reading ““The Fullness of Time” – A Christmas Meditation” →

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

The Gospel and Pastoral Burden

I have not been in full time ministry too long. But from what I can tell, pastoral ministry is one of the most unique vocations on earth. It is paradoxically one of the most rewarding and yet the heaviest things I have ever dedicated my life to. I reading a fellow pastor’s blog in which he described the “burden of pastoral ministry” as follows:

  • The leadership and financial stress and uncertainty of a high level entrepreneur.
  • The responsibilities teacher to clearly communicate the truth.
  • The weight of a counselor as everyone shares their deepest, darkest secrets, and problems expecting meaningful help.
  • The burden of an artist that weekly crafts and presents a message for all to see, hear, and critique.
  • The heart of a parent to make sure others experience the needed love and care.

If you are a pastor you can probably resonate with the general idea of these descriptions. What pastors can easily fail to recognize is that the desire to do well ministry can sometimes become elusively sinful. It’s very easy for pastors to take something good like ministry and allow it to become an idol (we place all of our hope in performing these expectations well) or a crushing self-righteous burden (we think we can and try and carry these expectations alone).

When we give in to performance idolatry or self-righteous burden carrying we have failed to believe the claims of the gospel itself. This is where I have found Tim Chester’s “four truths” so helpful. In the book You Can Change Chester argues that most of our sinful behavior and negative emotions arise because we are not believing one of these four truths as we should.

  1. God is great so we do not have to be in control.
  2. God is glorious so we do not have to fear others.
  3. God is good so we do not have to look elsewhere.
  4. God is gracious so we do not have to prove ourselves.

In another book, Everyday Church, he writes that “for the most part, our pastoral interventions go wrong not because we lack technique or knowledge or experience but because we as pastors have failed truly to believe one of these four truths about God.” (91) He then applies the four truths to pastoral ministry:

  1. If we don’t believe these truths we will think people need us to save them.
  2. If we don’t believe these truths we will fear how people will respond to us.
  3. If we don’t believe truths we will avoid difficult situations.
  4. If we don’t believe these truths we will try to impress others constantly.

If these claims are true, then we can deduce that most poor pastoral care comes down to not believing in the sufficiency of the gospel for every aspect of ministry. Pastor, you need to believe these truths. You need to feel these truths deep down in your heart. These gospel truths will set you. The first step in the process is to identify the sin. Think through these questions based on Chester’s list in Everyday Church (95).

  • Are you overbearing?
  • Are you inflexible or risk-averse?
  • Are you impatient with people?
  • Do you avoid responsibility?
  • Do you avoid confrontation?
  • Do you crave approval?
  • Do you behave differently around certain people?
  • Do you pretend or hide your true self?
  • Do you feel that ministry is a burden?
  • Do you crave approval?
  • Do you often complain?
  • Do you make people feel a burden of duty?
  • Do you have trouble sticking at things?
  • Do you take criticism and failure badly?
  • Do you find it hard to relax?
  • Are you proud, do you envy the success of others?
  • Do you make people feel guilty?

Pastor, do you see yourself in any of these descriptions? Remind yourself of the “four truths” and remember the words of Jesus:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

CORE Classes – Training the Local Church in Theology and Mission

We are about to begin another semester of CORE Classes at Calvary West. I am very excited about the vision of CORE and its potential to train our people in theology and mission. Here is what we are doing.

Vision

The Apostle Paul charged the leaders in the Ephesian church to “equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood.” The church is to be a learning-and-teaching fellowship in which the passing on of the faith is central. These COREclasses are designed to ground and grow you in the gospel and its implications for doctrine, devotion, duty, and delight. Each course will give you a comprehensive exposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ, will explain it in the context of the whole counsel of God, and apply it to the life of the people of God.

We believe that the call to teach what is CORE to the faith in the church is a biblical imperative.Beyond that, throughout the two millennia of Christian history, the health of Christian communities has often been linked to the presence of theological training ministries.

The Five Courses

To continue in this rich history the five core classes listed below follow the catechetical structure designed by the church fathers and the reformers.These five classes will be offered continually in rotation.

  •  Gospel: The gospel in its simplicity and depth.
  • Story: The story of redemption of which the gospel is the climax.
  • Doctrine: The doctrines of the faith that conform to the gospel.
  • Community: The power in the gospel that flows from our relationship with God.
  • Mission: The manner of living that conforms to the truth of the gospel.

 Note: We will also offer occasional CORE ELECTIVES that supplement these ongoing core classes such as Church History, Apologetics and Evangelism, Marriage and the Family, Book Studies, and other courses that focus on specific theological issues or trace major themes throughout the bible.

Gospel Centrality

We hold that the gospel of Jesus Christ is central not only for conversion but also for sanctification. We believe that one never moves away from the gospel, but moves forward in the gospel. Therefore, in CORE we proclaim Christ by teaching the glorious gospeland seek to show how He is not only the center of redemptive history but is also the way, the truth, and the life for you and I now. Jesus is the great prophet who proclaims truth and gives us faith. Jesus is the perfect priest who mediates eternal life and brings us hope. Jesus is the true king who declares the way and empowers us to love God and our neighbors.

Our prayer is that as you move through CORE, you would be shaped by the truth, liberated by the life, and will find joy in walking in the way. Once you have completed these CORE courses we will come alongside of you to develop a vision for your own ministry. Again, the purpose of these courses is to equip the saints for the work of ministry.

Class Environment

Each class will last for 10 weeks and will be 1 hour and 30 minutes, from 6:30-8:00pm. The chairs will be set up like 3 sides of a square. This allows the participants to see each other and interact directly much easier. Each class will begin with fellowship, prayer requests, and guided prayer. The teacher will seek to maintain balance between clear information communication and discussion facilitator (group interaction/problem-solving).

End Goal

Each course will involve elements that contribute to the development of the participants head, hearts, and hands.

  • Head: Clear teaching that aims at forming a clear theological understanding and framework in the participants.
  • Heart: Active group discussion that will aim at the participants to applying the truths to their own lives and each other.
  • Hands: Accountability within the group to see that each participant is either actively involved or is developing personal ministry .

We take Paul’s charge to “equip the saints for the work of ministry” very seriously. Our goal is just that. In America we have too many people who come to ongoing classes at the church house as perpetual consumers. After one is finished with these five classes we feel that they have a solid foundation for personal ministry – and that is what we are going to encourage. When you have completed the five courses you have graduated from CORE. Along with Worship and Bible Fellowship Groups, we feel that CORE is essential to the spiritual development of our people.

Visit our website – http://www.calvarynow.com/corewest

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

The Parable of the Soils – Matthew 13:1-23

To watch the sermon video click here, for the audio click here.

The Gospel and the Heart

The prayer is simple, that you would ‘hear’. By hear, I am not speaking of the ability to perceive sound by detecting vibrations through your ears. I am talking about spiritual hearing. On the surface, this prayer ‘to hear’ seems simple. This is not as easy as it sounds. In a culture over-saturated with messages it seems that the art of hearing has been lost. We have forgotten how to hear. See, when we want to truly hear, when we want to understand a story, we cannot just passively observe it. We have to enter deeply into it, wrestle with it. This is the only way in to really understand. Ernest Hemingway once advised, “when people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” In this passage Jesus is talking. I ask you to hear his words here in the gospel of Matthew. When Jesus talks, you need to hear, you need to understand. If you are not really hearing it is very easy to miss the obvious.

The introductory words “on that day” tells us that we are to connect this parable with that which has preceded it, namely Jesus’ encounter with the religious leaders. In the gospel of Matthew it was the religious that had the hardest hearts, and in turn will not hear nor understand Jesus. This brings the question; Why is it that people, not only religious people, but many people reject – don’t ‘hear’ Jesus? I think this parable provides an explanation as to why so many do not respond to his gospel.[1] As we step into this encounter, this scene, we note that;

  1. Specifically, this parable is addressed to all people: This is the only one of the five major sermons in Matthew’s gospel that we find Jesus addressing, not to the disciples (in the broad sense[2]), but to the crowds. Here, Jesus is broadcasting the truth to all. But,
  2. Generally, we see that parables are not meant to be understood by all people: Parables[3] are proverbs, they are allegory used by a teacher to deliver deep truths. Now, obviously parables do not carry their meaning on the surface. Parables require that the hearer dive deep into an interactive process of understanding. When it comes to a parable, you can’t just passively listen, you need to hear and understand.

You do not need to be a farmer to understand the illustration used in this parable. Obviously this parable, the parable of the sower, is not advice on how to plant seed.[4] There is always a deeper meaning in the parables. For those who hear, parables are explosive – they have the power to make people angry, and yet give others incredible hope.[5] In order to really hear what Jesus is saying, we must allow the parable to question us.[6] We must examine our own hearts and wrestle with the central question that is veiled within this parable. The question that challenges us as hearers to ask ourselves: What kind of soil are you?[7]

The 3 Unfruitful Soils

Hard Heart (4, 19)

4 And as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured them.

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.

In ancient times when people traveled mostly by foot, paths ran around and through unfenced fields.[8] Over time the foot trodden paths would become too hard to receive seed. And this seed that sat on the surface of the path became easy food for scavengers. In verse 19, Jesus explains that the imagery of a bird snatching the seed is an allegory for the work of the evil one. But let’s make sure we are clear. The activity of the enemy here works together with, but does not excuse, those who have rejected the message.

In other words, the evil one is able to snatch away the seed because it has been rejected by the hearer. What Jesus is saying is that some people hear the gospel, but like hardened paths, they do not let the gospel penetrate their hearts, and as they ignore it, the devil comes and snatches it away. It’s almost like the “hearer knows that there is some spiritual truth here intended for his profit, but does not find out what it means, does not act on it, and soon finds that what he heard is lost.[9]

In the parable it is clear that the seed cannot germinate unless it goes deep, unless it lodges underneath the surface. My fear is that there are many people in American Christianity that have contact with God’s word on a regular basis – you come to church, maybe you have read some Christian books – but the gospel has never made a personal penetration into your heart.

Let me ask a question – have you ever come under the power of the gospel deep in your heart? Has there ever been a time in your life when the word of God began to dawn on you and you began to see things as you have never seen them before? Has there ever been a time when hearing God’s word, you felt that you finally woke up from a deep sleep? Has there ever been a time when you suddenly realized that the gospel shows you your deepest needs and at the same time meets them. Perhaps, you are not allowing the gospel to move beyond the surface. It is one thing to mentally grasp the gospel, but it is quite another thing to experience the gospel in such a way that it fundamentally changes us and becomes our source of identity and security. We need to let the gospel master us by opening ourselves up to its changing power through a relationship with the risen Christ. When the gospel spreads its roots in our hearts we are truly transformed. Perhaps you have a hard heart.

Shallow Heart (5-6, 20-21)

5 Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and immediately they sprang up, since they had no depth of soil, 6 but when the sun rose they were scorched. And since they had no root, they withered away.

20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.

In the rocky ground of Palestine, limestone bedrock rested close to the surface, right under the soil, and prevented plants from digging their roots deep enough to reach the water sources. The results could be deceiving because such soil would warm rapidly with the rock, and the seed would sprout quickly. But, because the plant had no deep root system to pull in moisture, the unrelenting heat would cause the plant to dry and wilt away.[10] In rocky soil the plants wither before they can grow.[11] When Jesus explains the parable in verses 20 and 21 it is interesting to note the hearer immediately responds with joy, and then immediately falls away when things get tough. So, the initial response is not deep or lasting. The external pressures, troubles, and persecution are like the harsh conditions beating on a rootless plant.

Maybe there are times when you receive the word with joy! Your spiritual and emotional vigor springs up. But soon fades away. Perhaps you get this feeling from attending a conference, a concert, or a retreat. It’s what we might call the “church camp experience.” There is nothing necessarily wrong with these experiences – but the problem is that the experience itself is never the source of true spiritual life, the gospel is. We meet God as we encounter the beauty of what Christ has done for us, in becoming the forsaken man of sorrows so that we could have a joy unmitigated by our circumstances. Some really struggle with this. You move from experience to experience. You have been on top of the mountain, and when you come down to the valley the emotion fades away. As in the parable, the roots are not deep enough to stand the circumstances of life. You can’t take the heat. As soon as trouble comes in your life, as soon as you experience suffering, as soon as the emotional high fades away, as soon as you begin to loose important things – your faithfulness withers. In other words, you want the gifts and not the giver. You want immediate help not a savior. Functionally, “Christ is a service provider”[12], and as soon as he no longer provides what you want, or you think you need, he is no longer important. You truly never worship Christ, only the things he provided. How do you know this is you? Let me ask you a question, as soon as you lose the things you love, the real things you worship, does your faith wither?

Does your faith wither when you get outside of your Christian bubble? Would your faith wither if your high paying job is taken away? Would your trust in God wither if your house burnt down? Does your trust in God wither when you and your spouse and you are going through a rough patch? Perhaps you have a shallow heart.

Occupied Heart (7, 22)

7 Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them.

22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

This soil right here is the hardest  to recognize. There is nothing wrong with the soil here. You could even argue that there is nothing wrong with the plant, “the problem is that [the soil] is already occupied and there is no room for a new”[13] growth. This is why Jesus uses the word “choke” in his explanation of the parable. The picture is of plants crowding together. In occupied soil “seeds find intense competition for nourishment. The thorny plants are much stronger than the tender seedling. They choked out and prevent them from getting the nourishment they need.[14]

Jesus explains that both anxiety and wealth[15], “the cares of this world” are the thorns that choke out genuine gospel faith. Ultimately, this person never permits the message of the gospel to dig in deep and conform their lives: life has too many other commitments that slowly choke it out. Now I want you to notice something particularly dangerous concerning this soil.  In this third soil it is hard to tell what is really going on. In this soil the plants have roots, right? They stick around. Notice that Jesus uses the word “deceit” in verse 22. This seems to imply an added warning that these “thorns” are so subtle that one may not be aware of the choking that is going on.

When you examine your life do you see much fruit? If you were honest with your church family, would you would say that Christ shares control with other things in your life. Friends, this is where I feel that many of us can be. Some of you feel choked by other desires. You have a divided heart. Other things are choking the work of the gospel out of your heart. You don’t see yourself progressing in your faith. You don’t see yourself growing in unusual ways. You don’t see others being changed through you. Perhaps, you have an occupied heart.

Consider the First Three Soils

“The first seed never started, the second seed started well but did not survive, and the third seed may have survived but produced nothing. The main point is this; none of them are of any use to the farmer.”[16] The parable of the soils is a warning – to all who hear. There are many people ‘in church’ who think they understand, who think they ‘hear’, but don’t. This is very disconcerting. Make sure you hear. The point of the parable of the soil is to deliver the truth that while the gospel is broadcast to all, different people will respond in different ways; “not all seed that is sown is productive.”[17] Essentially, the fate of the seed, is dependent on the type of soil it lands on. This is why in different people, “the same seed produces no crop, some crop, or much crop according to the soils character.”[18] Before we get to the last soil, I want to ponder why you might be one of the first three soils.

What is the Problem with the First Three Soils?

In verse 9 Jesus proclaims to the crowds, “he who has ears let him hear.” You know, it is easy to nod at Jesus words. Acknowledge what he has said. But he is calling for something much greater. He is calling for incredible perception. In the parable, Jesus has essentially shown us two hearers.[19]

  1.  Those who have truly heard, and understood: This is the person who has welcomed the gospel message and has responded – is being transformed and is continually producing fruit. There is also,
  2.  Those who have not truly heard, nor understood: some people respond to the gospel with rejection, some respond with superficial interest, and some respond with mixed motivations.

So Jesus recognizes that there are different kinds of hearts as there are different types of soil. And the gospel is sown though not everyone will believe. Perhaps this helps us understand the motive behind the disciples question in verse 10. They come to Jesus and ask, “Why do you speak to them [the crowds] in parables?” Jesus, you missed your chance! Jesus simply responds that understanding “has been given” to you. In other words, God is the acting subject in granting, giving the hearers understanding.[20] Remember, right before we reach this parable in Matthew 11:25 and following, Jesus declares that God has:

“Hidden…things from the wise and revealed them to little children…All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

But this does not release the responsibility of the hearers. As Jesus assumes with the crowd, we must acknowledge that all hear with different levels of interest and commitment. In order to hear, we need to hear in faith – trusting in Jesus as a child would trust the words of his earthly father. My guess is that you are like me. At different times and in different situations you find that you have a different level of interest, commitment, and receptivity to the gospel. The allusion Jesus makes to Isaiah 6:9-10 furthers the point.[21]

“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.”

The people will not hear, they will not perceive, unless they turn and repent. In this Isaiah passage the people have willingly rejected God’s word over and over. As judgment God gave them over to their own hard hearts – therefore, they could no longer understand or perceive.[22] The root problem in Israel, and in many of us, is an unwillingness to receive and apply the gospel message to the heart.[23] The result is that every time we reject God’s word, we in a sense harden ourselves to its goodness. “When anyone uses the spiritual truth he has, that truth grows. By contrast, if he does not use it, he finds that it vanishes away little by little.”[24] As in verse 15, ignoring god’s word results in one becoming dull or sluggish.

The good news it that this is a message for all people – the crowd, the Christian and non-Christian. It’s a message we need to hear over and over. And like a persistent sower, God will continually broadcast the gospel. So, what type of soil are you? See, there will never come a time when our hearts will be completely conformed to loving and worshiping God – at least on this side of heaven. Even though we as believers have been given a new heart, and our thoughts and desires have changed, we will still struggle with the remnants of our old nature, just as Paul confessed in Romans 7. For now we see in a mirror dimly.[25] There is a deep battle going on in every one of us – “the battle for the motives of the heart.”[26] In biblical language the heart is the real or essential you. Your heart is the core of everything you are.[27]

  1. Your understanding and beliefs
  2. Your longings and desires
  3. Your determination to take action

So the heart is the root of every human being. Everything we do is shaped and controlled by what our hearts desire. The bible tells us that the heart is deceitful above all things. So, our greatest problem is not our circumstances or others, but our own hearts. In other words, we should never think that we have “spiritually arrived”. Rather, God calls us to a life of constant working the soil, constant growth, and constant confession and repentance – tilling the soil of the heart. Keeping your heart receptive to the gospel is a lot like gardening. How do we do this?

  1. Allow God’s Word to Diagnose Your Hard Heart. God has given us a tool to use as we seek to understand our hearts, namely, his word. Remember Hebrews 4:12-13; The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. As we read, pray, meditate on, study, and hear preaching of the word we will continue to get glimpses of our true selves.
  2. Pull the Weeds of Sin Immediately from Your Heart. We need to make a conscious effort to weed the sin out in our lives. Removing sin is hard work – and the work is never done. Every day of neglect makes the task harder. I am not talking about simply changing behavior. Jesus often uses the imagery of “tree’s and their fruit.”[28] The point is that the type of fruit that emerges tells you the type of tree. You discover that a desire is sinful when it produces bad fruit in your life.

Now, let me change focus here for a second. It is possible that some of you might be thinking, “if I could just direct my thinking toward God, learn to desire him, and then choose him, I’d be okay…right? Well, yes and no.”[29] Certainly, you and I can take pragmatic steps like the ones I have just talked about. But there is a deeper truth that is revealed in this parable. We cannot accomplish heart change on our own. Consider again the imagery of the parable.

The productivity of the seed is the primary concern of the farmer. The fruit produced is for the farmer. It’s the farmer’s fruit to use as he sees fit. Famers sow seed only in order for it to bear fruit; without this result there is no use for the plant.[30] Before sowing the seed, the preparation of the soil is considered the major determining factor in the success of the harvest.”[31] When it comes to soil, the sowers[32] till it, water it, fertilize it, and do all in their power to increase its potential for productivity. This, friends, is the good news of the gospel.

  1. If you heart is hard and you feel that you have no hope. God is the good farmer who can till the soil and soften the hardness of your heart.
  2. If your heart is shallow and you wonder why you don’t care. God is the farmer who can break through the bedrock of your heart so that the roots of the gospel can begin to grow deep.
  3. If your heart is occupied, crowded by the things of this world, God is the good farmer who can come and find the weeds that are choking out the gospel – and pull them out.

Only God can grant you to hear and perceive. Only God can open your heart to receive the word of the gospel. Only God can work in and through you for fruitful soil.

The Fruitful Soil

Receptive Heart (8, 23)

8 Other seeds fell on good soil and produced grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

23 As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

What is beautiful about the Greek language here is that we are told that the seed keeps producing because it is in good soil. It’s said that most crops in Palestine average about a tenfold yield.[33] In other words, a thirty, sixty, and a hundred fold crop is extraordinary. When we get to Jesus explanation of this soil, we see that the word “understanding” is decisive, it implies receptivity, response, transformation. This person not only hears the gospel, but understands it. See, good soil is the heart that receives the seed of the gospel, cultivates it in the heart, which in turn produces fruit in life.[34]

When the seemingly gentle seed lands in fertile soil it spreads and eventually the entire field of the heart has been transformed. In other words, when the gospel is planted in a fertile heart – everything changes. This is the good news of the gospel! As we see in the parable of the sower, there is still hope. This gospel is being broadcast over the fields of the earth, and when the harvest is ripe (just as the very next parable tells us), Christ will come and consummate his kingdom – separating the wheat and the tares. “He who has ears, let him hear.”

Allow me to ask one more question. When a seedling sprouts, the soil being good soil, the roots starting to deepen into the earth, where does that seedling first turn when breaking the surface of the soil? It turns toward the sun. It gathers nourishment from the sun. Even when other plants grow and cast a shadow over the growing seedling, it will turn and seek out the sun, never settling for the darkness. This is the way we respond in faith.

  1. If your heart is hard towards the gospel and you have never really had a time of breakthrough, I warn and encourage you turn towards the Son.
  2. If your heart is shallow and you find yourself unable to endure when things get tough, I warn and encourage you turn towards the Son.
  3. If your heart is occupied by the cares of this world and you see no fruit in your life, I warn and encourage you, turn towards the Son.

Continue reading “The Parable of the Soils – Matthew 13:1-23” →

Matt Capps Biblical Theology, Books, Calvary Baptist Church, Christian Theology, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Theology

The Roots Reading Initiative from PLNTD

I’m excited to be a part of a new project from PLNTD called the Roots Reading Initiative. Tim Brister explains:

Over the past several months, we have been working on the creation of a whole new approach to leadership and networking in church planting through what we are calling the PLNTD ecosystem. We endeavor to create an environment through which church planters and churches flourish in the Great Commission.

The first new project, the Roots Reading Initiative, focuses on providing church planters targeted self-feeding opportunities through an informal structure and accountability. The goal of this initiative is for church planters to “deepen their roots” in their understanding of God, the church, gospel, mission, and the world. In doing so, we believe the RRI will be an effective way of keeping church planters “grounded” and growing as leaders, missionaries, and churchmen.

RRI will consist of bi-monthly installments of thematically-driven self-feeding. By embarking on this challenge with other church leaders, RRI will offer encouragement and accountability that we so often need to press on in growing ourselves in the midst of the daily grind. Each bi-monthly installment will have two books to read–one book for each month, along with discussion questions provided by those in the network.

The first installment of the RRI begins November 1, and the theme is “the mission of the church”.  Here’s the details for the first installment:

November: The Mission of the Church by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert

Nov 6-12             [pages 1-66]
Nov 13-19           [pages 67-140]
Nov 20-26          [pages 141-222]
Nov 27-Dec 3    [pages 223-66]

December: Everyday Church by Steve Timmis and Tim Chester

Dec 4-10            [pages 1-40]
Dec 11-17           [pages 41-96]
Dec 18-24          [pages 97-152]
Dec 25-31          [pages 153-188]

For those who would like to help us get the word out on Twitter, the hashtag is #RRI. More information will be made available in the Training Community of PLNTD, including when the discussions will take place and additional artwork that you can download for your own use.

To get in on the Roots Reading Initiative (and the discussions and book study guides), you will need to join PLNTD on Cobblestone.  You can do here.  This new resource will be helpful for church planters, pastors, and other ministry leaders seeking to grow in their leadership and stewardship of their calling.

Small Group Discussion Guide for “What is the Mission of the Church?”

Matt Capps Adoption, Calvary Baptist Church, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Life, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence

One Year Ago Today Solomon Became Our Son

One year ago today Laura and I pulled up to our adoption agency’s foster home on the side of a hill in Ethiopia. We had come to receive a baby boy named Selamu into our family. I will never forget it. We stood outside the gate of the home while a worker for our agency went inside to bring him out.

So, we just stood there and waited in the street.

I can still hear the sounds of the children playing and talking on the other side of the wall. I can still hear the sound and the women saying goodbye to Selamu. These were the women who had cared for him since he arrived.

When the gate opened our worker stepped out holding Selamu, walked over and handed us our son.

Solomon had nothing with him but the clothing he was wearing. But that was all he needed.

When we got back into the van to leave the orphanage Solomon started crying. He was scared. He did not know where we were going. He did not know who we were. But in his fear, he did one of the most moving things I have ever witnessed.

He reached his little arms around his forever mommy’s neck, placed his head on her chest, stopped crying and held on.

In that moment he experienced the love and assurance of adoption. He was our son, and we became his mommy and daddy. We are so thankful for what God has done. Solly is truly a gift of God. A blessing.

– Happy Gotcha Day –