Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Culture, Faith, Media and Technology, Personal, Philosophy, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Uncovering Idols (Part 1): Meteorology and the Idol of Future Control

Note: Over the next few weeks I will be posting the manuscripts from a series I am preaching titled “Uncovering Idols.”

Introduction

Last week Laura and left for Nashville, Tennessee late afternoon for a conference that was beginning the next day. It was about dinner time so we stopped in a small town in Western North Carolina named Canton. We began to notice a strange stench; to us it was a horrible smell- a smell we could not get away from (in other words it wasn’t inside coming from insider the car)

For those of you who know the area, Canton is the home of Blue Ridge Paper Products- a paper mill, and paper mills smell. Anyway, we ate and as we got back on the highway I began thinking to myself. “I wonder of the people of Canton are even aware of that smell? They live and breathe that air. I tell you this story becuase in many ways this is the way idolatry functions in our culture. It’s the air we breath.

An Important Distinction in Idols: The Overt and Covert[1]

For most people, the subject of idolatry conjures up pictures of a “primitive people bowing down before statures.”[2] We would be pretty safe to say that when most people think of “idols” they picture literal statues- which is what we might call “overt idolatry.” An example of overt idols would be “the golden calf” that the people of Israel worshiped in Exodus 32. It was a literal statue, an “overt idol.” Even today, there are people across our world who worship “overt” idols- consider Hinduisms many god’s.

Tonight we are going to focus on a different type of idolatry, one that runs rampant in our culture, a type of idolatry that may be the most dangerous because it is so elusive, so obscure, so concealed, so “covert.” See, our idols are not the “overt” idols seen in Hindu temples, but the covert idolatry of the human heart. Actually, I would argue that it’s better to understand idolatry as a posture of the heart, rather than a religious practice. Therefore idolatry is not constrained to false religions; an idol can be anything, literally.

The human heart has a powerful way of taking anything and turning it into the ultimate thing. We have this uncanny ability to take anything that gives us significance, security, comfort, safety, and fulfillment, and place it as the center of our lives. “An idol is anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”[3]

How Does Meteorology reveal idolatry?

Some of you are still trying to figure out the point of my title for this post. What does meteorology have to do with idolatry? Nothing in and of itself; but meteorology (weather reports and forecasts) reveal something that we as a people value, something we are concerned about. See, the weather report and forecast are permanent fixtures in the news. They are very practical and convenient as a reference point for “future planning.”

Let me clarify something, we are not exploring the scientific discipline of meteorology, we are examining meteorology as “cultural phenomenon.” In other words, “what does our cultures [reliance, maybe even] fascination with weather reports [and forecasts] say about who we are and what concerns us?”[4]

I thought it would be interesting to test this concept with an actual meteorologist. I had the privilege of interviewing WXII’s meteorologist Austin Caviness this past week, we talked a few minutes about “weather reports” and “forecasts.”

See, forecasting is simply, the process of estimation in unknown situations. Austin’s job is really to “prepare people for what lies ahead.” This is not wrong in and of itself. But, he quickly pointed out that “people want to it to be right, they get upset when its not.” That’s the key- how we respond when things don’t go as expected.- What does this reveal about us? I think Austin nailed it when he said; “we want to fill like we can control the things we can’t. It takes us out of our comfort zone when we can’t control our expectations for a situation. It’s a way we protect ourselves.” When our future expectations are not met, how we respond reveals what’s truly in our hearts.

See, on a much deeper level I believe that our concern with the weather reveals a deeper anxiety over the future – here is the reality of our situation;

  1. Because we cannot fully see the immediate future. We don’t know exactly what will happen in the years, months, weeks, even moments to come. We can estimate.
  2. But, without being able to fully see all the things ahead, we cannot control certain situations our specific outcomes in our future.

‘Meteorology’ is just one (maybe even trivial) cultural expression of an attempt to find security in the unknowns of the future. Think about insurance (being covered for the future), financial planning (making sure you have your assets alighted for the future), there are 10,000 examples of good things that we do to prepare for the unknown.

When facing the unknown – we can feel somewhat helpless. So we forecast, because the illusion of control helps us “deal with that uncertainty”. Remember, and idol is anything that we find our security, comfort, safety, and fulfillment in other than God, “anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.”[5]

For many people, the illusion of “future control” can be a very covert idolatrous posture of the heart. If we are not careful our concern over the future can absorb our lives. In fact, we can begin to act as if “control” over the future gives us only what God can- security, comfort, and safety.

“Hold your future with open hands.”

The Attitude and Action of Unbelief revealing the “Idol of Future Control.”

Idolatry deeply affects the way one thinks, behaves, and lives. Idolatry always produces attitudes and actions that reveal what the heart reveres.

A.) Attitude of Unbelief: “The Idol of Future Control” is rooted in Anxious Fearfulness- Matthew 6:34

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

In this passage Jesus is addressing the disciples. He is basically saying, worrying about tomorrow is nonsensical, because today has enough to occupy our attention and it does no good to dwell on the situations of tomorrow (the inevitable, possible, or hypothetical) Honestly, we all worry about many things, but we often get obsessed with the wrong things. Almost any of your worry’s can hijack the controls of your mind. So we need to start by asking “what do I worry about”, but that will get you nothing but a big list.

  1. I am worried that I won’t get that job, or job promotion.
  2. I am worried because I won’t have enough saved for retirement.
  3. I am worried because I have a family history of cancer.
  4. I am worried because my older child has strayed away from the faith.
  5. I am worried because I am getting older and don’t know if I’ll ever get married.
  6. I am worried because we have been trying to have children for 3 years, and it’s not working.[6]

The list goes on and on. While these things are good to identify, we need to learn to pull the roots up on these problems. The deeper and more important question is “why do I worry about these things?” What is it in these things that you are trying to obtain? Worry assumes the possibility of control over the un-controllable. So the attitude of unbelief often leads to actions aimed at “controlling the future.” So the attitude or root of the “Idol of Future Control” is usually anxious fearfulness.

B.) Acting on Unbelief: “The Idol of Future Control” is often revealed in Arrogant Confidence- James 4:13-14

What do I mean by arrogant confidence? I mean the illusion that we know how the future ought to be, therefore we are going to bring it about ourselves. To this mindset we should be reminded of the words of James; (James 4:13-14)

“Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”—  yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”

In this particular passage James is writing to combat boastful arrogance in his readers. James is not forbidding any type of planning here, or even forbidding concern for the future altogether. But, James is warning from “any type of planning for the future that stems from human arrogance in our ability to determine the course of future events.”[7] Worriers act as if they might be able to control the un-controllable. Central to worry is the illusion that we can control things. “I am going to this town or that”, I am “going to spend a year there” and make much profit.

  1. If only I could get that job, or job promotion everything would be secure.
  2. If only I had enough saved for retirement we could be comfortable.
  3. If only I get my diet and exercise right I can overcome our family history of cancer.
  4. If only I can get my child rearing techniques right, my other kids wont turn out like my prodigal son.
  5. If only I can find someone to marry I will be complete.
  6. If God would give us children, we would be happy.

See, worry assumes the possibility of control over the uncontrollable. Sure you can take preventative measures to set yourself in a better place, but you cannot completely control the future. This is essentially what James is asking here, “how do you finite creatures presume to dictate the course of future events” as if you know better than God almighty. The obvious sin in this approach to this approach is having no regard for God as you plan for the future. And it’s not just that forgetting God is evil (of course it is), it’s not just that this attitude boastful, arrogant, and proud. The greater evil is that when your forget God, you assume God’s place. We were created in the image of God, in other words God built us to reflect him.

But, our sin has distorted us and how we reflect God. In other words, in our sin we even seek to reflect God in sinful ways.- What do I mean?- Let’s work this out a second. When talking about God we describe Him according to his attributes. His attributes being the characteristics or qualities that express His nature. Typically we classify God’s attributes into his moral and non-moral attributes. This is important;

  1. Moral attributes: The attributes that humans share with God. (Patient, holy, truth, love, etc.)
  2. Non-moral attributes: The attributes that humans do not share with God. (Self-existent, all-powerful, all-knowing, and sovereign, etc.)

Here is the point: Under the influence of sin, we tend to care less about reflecting God moral attributes (love, patience, holiness), but what we want more than anything else is to reflect him in his non-moral attributes (self-existence, all-knowing, all-powerful) When facing our uncertain, and often scary future; (think about this)

  1. We would rather be All-knowing, than patient.
  2. We would rather be All-powerful, than loving…

Sinfully we desire God’s non-moral attributes, because we think “control = comfort and security.[8] (This is an illusion)

Why is this devastating?

“We are but images of God, not the real thing. We are shadows and echoes. So there will always be an emptiness of in the soul that struggles to be satisfied with the resources of self.”[9] Sure, you can take preventative measures to prepare for the future, but ultimately you cannot control the future. This is always revealed when our expectations or desires for future circumstances or outcomes are not obtained. We become angry and confused, because things are not the way we wanted them. You assumed the place of God without considering that God may have other plans. Ultimately you bow down to the idol of future control rather than the only God of the universe who knows eternity in its entirety.

Let me propose to you that “the root of worry/anxiety is unbelief.”[10] Even more so, unbelief is the reason we act in arrogant confidence.

  1. The Root of Unbelief: Anxious Fearfulness
  2. The Fruit of Unbelief: Arrogant Confidence

Idolatry is always connected to unbelief. It is turning to anything other than God for a sense of security and comfort because we don’t trust God. Now, since the Idol of Future control is rooted in unbelief, we need to learn to fight for faith. Let’s apply some biblical doctrine as armor for the fight of faith.

Truth to Destroy the “Idol of Future Control”

1. God is in control of all things, therefore we don’t need to control the future.

Often times, “We don’t just want His word that he will be with us; we want Him to show us the end from the beginning, and prove to us that He can be trusted. We want to know what tomorrow will bring instead of being content with simple obedience on the journey.”[11] Let me be clear here. You don’t need to know the future, and most likely God is not going to show you the future. When we obsess about the future we get anxious. Anxiety is simple “living out the future before it get’s here.” This is why James says in 4:

“you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”

“If the Lord wills.” This is one of the clearest texts on God sovereignty in the Bible. James is confronting his readers and arguing that we must live our lives believing that all of our plans are subject to the sovereign will of God. God is all-knowing, God is all-powerful and what God wills will be. Period. Trust that, and trust him. We are humbled when looking to the future because we don’t control it; God does. God is our hope, the future is not our hope- therefore we don’t need to control the future, we need to be content with knowing that God is in control. We must repent of our sinful desire to control the future, and walk into the future with our confidence in God, “not because the future is known to us, but because it is known to God.” We trust Him fully.

2. God will supply all of our needs, therefore we should not obsessively worry about the future.

Matthew 6:25-26 “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

God provides you with life itself, we He not sustain you, provide for you? Look at the birds, they are more helpless than you…they cannot grow their own food, they cant even make a sandwich, and God provides for them. God knows what we need for life. God knows when we will die, we will die. As long as He wants us to live- will he not provide us with the necessities of life? Plus, worrying and fretting about the future will not “add one single hour to our lives, “and it will certainly not add any happiness or holiness either.”[12]

Listen to Jesus question, “and which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27)

This is almost funny when you process what he is saying. You worry and fret about “how you will continue living”, and it will not add anymore time to your lifespan. Worry is a spiritual issue that must be fought with faith. We must believe that God has mercy for today’s troubles, and no matter what comes tomorrow we will have fresh mercy every morning. I think there is much wisdom in the words of C.S. Lewis on this point. He argues that we should be “living each day as though it were our last, but planning as though our world might last a hundred years.”[13] We need to learn how to hold our future with open hands. If we don’t we will continually act like the school girl who got angry at the weather man because he got the forecast wrong.

– “Hold your future with open hands.” –

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Reflections on ‘Together for Adoption 09’

This past weekend Laura and I traveled to the “Together for Adoption” conference at Christ Community Church in Tennessee. We joined 600 others in a weekend of reflecting on the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it empowers the church for orphan care.

Looking back over the weekend I am thoroughly refreshed and encouraged that the central theme of the weekend was the gospel of Jesus Christ- not that I expected anything less, but often times the gospel message is assumed at Christian conferences. The gospel was proclaimed and applied to orphan care in a way that glorified God.

Laura and I are in the process of adopting a baby from Ethiopia. (You can read about it here or here.) While listening to the speakers I wrote down some key thoughts, things to process and develop. Below I will try to summarize the truths that impacted me most. Obviously I cannot cover everything that was helpful…

1. Theological Foundation: Adoption brings to light the reality of a fallen world, and proclaims our hope in Christ.

Scotty Smith spoke about “The Freedom of Adoption” where he reflected on the doctrine of adoption and its implications on the Christian life.  His main points were very helpful, 1.) The Freedom of Legal Rights: Adoption secures us in a state of objective blessings, 2.) The Freedom of Personal Delights: Adoption calls us into the realm of subjective wonder, 3.) The Freedom of a Missional Life: Adoption propels into the world with sacrificial hope.

At one point Smith developed the idea that ‘the very existence of orphans shows us that something has truly gone wrong in creation order.’ Exploring that thought he gave a powerful quote that is enough to drive one to worship;

“There is a day coming when the very word orphan will be eliminated from the human vocabulary.”

Is this not the point of Romans 8:18-25? That creation groans with the pains of childbirth. All of creation is, as Smith said, “pregnant with glory, and there is no possibility of miscarriage.”

2. Individual Implication: As a Christian, be careful not to find your identity or assurance in the ‘good work’ of orphan care, but in Christ alone.

Dan Cruver spoke from James 1:26-27 on the “3 Aspects of True Religion.” Those things being- 1.) Controlling the Tongue, 2.) Visiting Orphans and Widows, 3.) Being Unstained from the World. Dan did a great job of uncovering the heart issues of these three aspects, rather than focusing on the behavior that exposes them. He argued; “If the church is to be truly mobilized to care for orphans, the other two aspects cannot be neglected.”

Cruver’s message was very timely, and on point. I will not regurgitate the whole thing, but I did want to point out a very helpful warning that he gave to those of us who are adopting. From James 1 Dan argued that ‘worldliness’ is “performance based living.” This is key to understanding true religion. Because the religions of the world are based off performance. It is very easy for those who are adopting to find their identity in the great social cause of orphan care, which is very dangerous. So here is the question “where does your primary sense of identity come from?”

In many ways Kevin Twit’s (from Indelible Grace) breakout session on “Adoption and Assurance” built upon the main idea of Cruvers message. Too often Christians find their worth in what “they do.” He said, “the biggest problem Christians have with assurance comes from looking at your faith rather than looking at Jesus.” If you are always assessing what you “should do”, then you are condemned by your very definition of Christianity. Don’t get it twisted. God does not love you because you do ‘X’, you do ‘X’ because God loves you. This is something we must always fight as Christians.

3. Corporate Implication: As the body of Christ, the gospel calls us to be involved in social issues like adoption.

Scott Roley said “we holler loud against abortion,” so why aren’t we “standing up for orphan care.” In other words, how does the gospel inform our involvement in issues of social justice? Ed Stetzer pointed out that “even the un-churched know that Jesus was involved in social justice, and they often wonder why the church is not.” We cannot separate the great commission from the great commandment, these two help define the mission of the church- to proclaim Christ for salvation and to serve.

We must be careful not to separate the two. Many churches become renowned for their service, but never proclaim the message of salvation. Stetzer said, “if we loose the gospel we loose our mission.” We need to be careful because the outside world will resist one (gospel) and praise the other (social causes).

This will not be easy, as Russell Moore reminded us in the last session. “We can love the idea, but when it comes down to it” we need to follow through. He made an interesting point in closing, “we could learn much in the laboratory of orphan care how we ought to operate as the body of Christ.” There is a strong element of dying to self involved. Which will be hard for the American church because it means we must “love people more than we love stuff.”

Again, these are just some brief overarching thoughts, I would encourage you to go back and listen to these talks. The main sessions are now available from Together for Adoption;

Thank you Dan Cruver and Jason Kovacs for putting this conference together. To God be the glory.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention

Expository Thoughts: Titus 1:1-5

Titus 1:1-5

“Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;

To Titus, my true child in a common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.”

Expository Thoughts

Paul identifies himself as a slave of God. This introduction takes the word ‘slave’ in a positive sense, that may seem strange, but to understand this you must consider the power of sin. All people are depraved- slaves to sin. This is the devastating reality of the human situation. (Romans 6:16; Galatians 4:3, 8-9; Titus 3:3; John 8:34)

Yet, God offers to rescue us out of slavery to sin through Jesus Christ. This is something we do not have the power to do. In other words, we are hopeless servants of sin without the Holy Spirit drawing us to faith in Christ. Paul labors to see this happen when he proclaims the gospel. Being a slave to sin brings destruction and death, being rescued by God is a gift of grace.

It is interesting to consider that Paul is a slave of God “for the sake of” the elect. What does this mean?

Paul labors as a servant so that God’s elect may place their faith in Jesus Christ. Many people are uncomfortable with the word “elect.” In my opinion, the doctrine of election is essential to a correct understanding of the gospel, and the central message of scripture. (Matthew 22:14; 24:22,31; Acts 13:48; 1 Peter 1:1-5, 2:9; Revelation 17:14)

“The doctrine of election firmly establishes the believers eternal security.” (Griffin) The good news is that our assurance is not based on our own performance. Evan as Christians we have changing feelings, faltering faith, and often lack obedience. If our security was based on our own faculties, we would have no secure hope.

This “faith” happens when they are presented the truth of the gospel message, and God opens their eyes to see it’s beauty. This is Paul’s purpose in life- to proclaim the truth of the gospel so that God’s people will be reconciled to Him through faith.

“Faith” is not wishful thinking, faith has content. So, faith is ultimately not a matter of psychological certainty, but a matter of commitment to the right object- namely, Jesus Christ. Faith is exercised as we commit ourselves and act upon our “knowledge of the truth.”

The “knowledge of the truth” is a technical term for the gospel, “emphasizing the need to understand the content of the preached message.” (Mounce) In other words, Paul labors so that people hear and move towards a fuller understanding of the gospel.

When people grow in their understanding of the gospel and how it applies to every area of their lives, godliness begins to take form in them. Becoming Christ-like is directly tied to growing in your understanding of the gospel. The deeper you go in your understanding of the gospel the more you grasp how the gospel transforms every aspect of your life. This process produces godliness.

“Godliness” is the practical outworking of faith based on the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

What’s amazing is that this gospel is part of God’s plan from “times eternal.” So our hope rests in God, knowing that God will keep his promise of granting eternal life to those who believe his word. This is what Paul has been entrusted with, proclaiming the truth. God works through the proclamation of the gospel by bringing his elect to faith, and continues to work through this truth to produce godliness in them.

Matt Capps Christianity, Personal, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Calvary Baptist Church, Winston-Salem N.C.- 90th Anniversary

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Philosophy, Religion, The Southern Baptist Convention

Dr. Bruce Ware on The Providence of God: Lectures on God’s Sovereignty and Human Freedom

Bruce Ware (Ph.D., Fuller Theological Seminary) is professor of Christian Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He recently lectured on God’s providence as Mars Hill Church in Seattle. These are very insightful lectures on an issue that is very prevalent for the church today. I encourage you to make time to listen to what he has to say.

Below are the MP3s, PDFs of the handouts, and video’s of the lectures;

Session 1: Uncertain Hands of God and Men: Providence in Process Thought and Open Theism

Session 2: Independent Hands of God and Men: Providence in Classic Arminianism

Session 3: Coordinated Hands of God and Men: Providence in the Reformed Tradition

Thanks to Justin Taylor for posting this resource.

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Examining Denominational Structures

Recently I was reading through Alister E. McGrath’s “Christianity’s Dangerous Idea.” McGrath is a historian, and in this work he traces the impact and implications of the protestant revolution on Christianity. I would highly recommend this book because we can always learn from history, history echoes.

I found one paragraph really interesting. McGrath is examining denominational structures;

“One pattern that emerges from the development of Protestantism is what seems to be an endless cycle of birth, maturing, aging, and death, leading to renewal and reformulation. The relentless energy and creativity of one generation gives rise to a new movement; a later generation, anxious because the original dynamism and energy of the movement appears to be dissipating, tries to preserve it by petrification- that is, by freezing the original vision in the hope that it’s energy will thus be preserved. Yet all too often, petrification leads to the conservation of only a structure, not the life giving vision itself. However perfectly preserved in the entomologist’s specimen room, the butterfly is still dead.”

Think about it…

Most historians would agree that review and renewal are integral aspects of a true Protestant identity. In fact Protestantism was birthed out of religious self-examination in light of the Bible, and should be willing to correct itself when found untrue to theology proper or culturally irrelevant.

To use a distinction made by McGrath, we should look at our Protestantism “as a method”, and not “as any one specific historical outcome of the application of that method.” In other words, we should seek to apply our Biblical mandate to our new situation, and while learning from our past application of that mandate, we should not feel obliged to repeat it.

Denominations are good things for obvious reasons, but many in my generation no longer regard denominational affiliation as something that makes significant statements about their historical origins and social identity. In fact, it seems that most Christians prefer to affiliate themselves with solid theological schools and the most efficient missional movements. In fact, I would go as far to say that many in my generation do not seek their Christian identity badge through denominational affiliation. This is why many have redirected their ministry involvement outside, rather than within, the traditional denominational structures.

It seems that the younger generations are finding a strong sense of belonging and commitment to their local congregations, a loyalty which is rarely extended to the denomination as a whole. In fact, denominational structures are often looked upon as “inefficient and redundant bureaucracies that make serious financial demands of local congregations while giving little in return.” Mcgrath continues, “many denominations are facing up to the fact that centralized downsizing and rationalization may be the only way ahead.” As church leaders we need to consider these trends as we look toward the future.

If I were to take an ignorant stab at assessing my generation of church leaders I would say;

  • We will primarily be branded by dynamic movements rather than denominational involvement.
  • We will primarily champion the centrality of the local church rather than a centralized denominational structure.
  • We will primarily measure success by theological integration rather than pragmatic implementation.
  • We will primarily be identified with the centrality of the gospel and not captivity to cultural traditions.

Any thoughts? Anything to add? What can we do?

Matt Capps Books, Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Understanding the Psalms

Introduction

Why is it that we connect with the Psalms so easily? What is it about the Psalms that attracts us? “Is it because this book leads us into a deeper worship of God? Is it the wonderful imagery and powerful figures of speech? Perhaps it’s because the Psalms have a way of connecting to real life situations and of reflecting a refreshing honestly that we in real-life situations can relate to”(Duvall and Hays). The Psalms resound in our hearts; they stir us up spiritually and emotionally by ‘painting theological pictures.’

It’s important to keep in mind that the predominant emotion expressed in the Psalms is joy; in fact, the Hebrew title for the book is Tehillim, or “Songs of Joy.”

What is the purpose of the Psalms?

The Psalms are a collection of prayers and hymns. The Psalms consist of words spoken to God or about God. By their very nature (as prayers and hymns) Psalms are addressed to God and express truth about God. In other words, one of the primary functions of the Psalms is “to give us inspired models of how to talk and sing to God (Fee and Stuart).

The Psalms are not didactic like the New Testament letters, but teach through expression. As Longman notes, “we must keep in mind that theology in the Psalms is extensive but not systematic, that it is confessional and doxological, not abstract.”

The Psalms reflect a theology based on many different reactions to life: joy, sadness, thanks, and calm meditation. In other words, “the Israelite worshiper had a ready-made prayer and songbook for all of life’s” variable changes (Longman and Dillard).

a. The Psalms are a guide for worship: When one desires to praise God, cry out to God, or reflect on God’s character the Psalms serve as a wonderful means of expression to guide thoughts and emotions.

b. The Psalms demonstrate how we can express honesty to God: While the Psalms are not ‘didactic’ in a sense they do teach us by serving as an example of expressing thoughts to God. So, while the Psalms are not necessarily strict doctrinal teaching or behavioral imperatives- the Psalms do instruct by example/pattern.

c. The Psalms highlight the importance of theological reflection and meditation: The Psalms call us to reflect on the goodness and wisdom of God. “They invite us to prayer, to controlled thinking upon God’s word (meditation), and reflective fellowship with other believers” (Fee and Stuart).

Is there an overall structure to the Psalms?

It is important that we look at the Psalms as a canonical whole, not just as individual works gathered in a haphazard fashion. The structure of the Psalms plays an important role in exegesis. There are overarching patterns and themes in the groupings of the Psalms. Here is a general guide to the overall flow of the Psalms; (Osborne)

Introduction (1-2): The first invites the righteous to meditate on the psalms, and the second centers on the anointed king on Mt. Zion.

Book 1 (3-41): These Psalms center on David’s conflict with Saul, and ask for divine protection in light of his enemies.

Book 2 (42-72): These Psalms were written during David’s kingship. Many of these Psalms were written as temple music.

Book 3 (73-89): These Psalms are mainly attributed to Asaph and form a series of laments centering on the breaking of the old covenant and the sad state of the nation during the Assyrian crisis.

Book 4 (90-106): These Psalms are introspective, considering the destruction of the temple and the exile. A new hope is presented- Yahweh as king (93; 95-99) performing mighty acts on behalf of his people.

Book 5 (107-145): These Psalms are of praise and reflection on a new era. God has indeed brought them out of their troubles, many of these Psalms consider the model of David (108-11-; 138-45). Psalms 120-143 are songs of ascent centering on worship.

Conclusion (146-50)

What are the different Types of Psalms?

The genre of each Psalm is important to consider when teaching through the whole book. Since many of the Psalms do not have a clear situational literary context, so it is important to examine a Psalm in light of the other Psalms that are generically similar to it.

1. Psalms of Hymn/Praise: These Psalms are defined and recognized by their tone of exuberant praise to the Lord. In fact, the Psalmist usually gives general (even vague) reasons for praise- this allows the Psalm to speak to many generations in different contexts. These Psalms focus on an aspect of God’s character or His actions as to elicit praise from his people;

a. God as creator: 8, 19, 104, 148

b. God as protector and benefactor: 66, 100, 111, 114, 149

c. God as Lord of history: 33, 103, 113, 117, 145-147

2. Psalms of Lament: In these Psalms to focus is on turning to the Lord in the midst of sorrow or suffering (70). This ‘trouble’ usually comes from three different sources.

a. Enemies: The enemy is human and seeks to harm or kill the psalmist. (57:4)

b. The psalmist himself: He may struggle in the midst of his situation. (13:2)

c. God: He may feel that God has abandoned him in light of his persecution, doubt, and pain. (102:9-10)

Psalms of lament usually have a distinctive structure;

1. Invocation

2. Plea to God for help

3. Complaints

4. Confession of sin or an assertion of innocence

5. Curse of enemies (imprecation)

6. Confidence in God’s response

7. Hymn or blessing

See Psalm 28 for an example of this structure. For individual laments see 3, 22, 31, 39, 42, 57, 71, 120, 139, and 142. For corporate laments see 12, 44, 80, 94, and 137.

3. Psalms of Thanksgiving: The best way to describe these Psalms are “songs of re-orientation.” While Psalms of thanksgiving are closely related to hymns, they are distinct in that they have a “specific focus of praise.” Often times these Psalms are found after a Psalm of lament. These Psalms reflect on specific instances of God’s provision rather than general truths.

There are corporate Psalms of thanksgiving, see 65, 67, 75, 107, 124, and 136. There is also individual thanksgiving Psalms, like 18, 30, 32, 34, 40, 66, 92, 116, 118, and 138.

4. Psalms of Trust: These Psalms can be recognized by the dominant theme of trust that the worshiper expresses to God as protector. (11, 16, 23, 27, 62, 91, 121, 125, 131) These Psalms are notes for their use of metaphors of God as a compassionate refuge: as shepherd (23), as a loving mother bird who protects her children underneath her wings (91), and a strong-hold and light. (27)

5. Psalms of Remembrance/Salvation History: Memory plays a primary role as a theme in the Psalms. Many of the thanksgiving Psalms recall the prayers that have already been answered. Many of the hymns and laments bring to light God’s past acts of deliverance. These Psalms remind the reader of God’s reliability to His promises, which builds faith. See Psalm 73, 78, 105-106, 135-136.

6. Wisdom Psalms: The wisdom literature in the Bible creates a sharp antithesis between wisdom to folly. In much of this literature the wise are blessed, while the wicked are considered foolish and cursed. There is also a direct correlation between wisdom and obedience to the law. See Psalm 1, 36, 37, 45, 49, 73, 112, 119, 127, 128, and 133.

7. Royal/Kingship Psalms: Many Psalms are closely connected with a king. There are two basic types of Psalms in this category;

a. Psalms that extol God as King. (24:1-2; 95:1-5; 98:1)

b. Psalms that extol the ruler of Israel as King. (3, 21)

God is proclaimed as King, not only over Israel but over the cosmos. This has many implications on earthly life. One obvious theme in the Psalms is military victory, namely, that God wins victory for His people.

In Israel the human king was viewed as God’s son, His servant. When the people requested a king it was out of a lack of trust in God. While the human king was a pale reflection of the divine image, God chose to further his rule through these kings.

There are Psalms that can be tied to, or identified with, specific events in the history of Israel; (Hill and Walton)

45: Crowning Hymn for David

48: Correlation to the conquest of Jerusalem by David

51: Repentance concerning sin with Bathsheba

78: Reflection on the fall of Samaria and the Northern Kingdom

103: Critical discussion of God’s forgiving the sins of the nation

110: The return of victorious kingship with theocentric focus

119: The establishment of law as the focus of the postexilic community

There are also Psalms that contain particularly rich views of Christ;

2, 110: The Conquering King and enthroned Messiah

118: The Rejected Messiah

69, 109: The Betrayed Messiah

22, 16: The Dying and Raised Messiah

40, 45: The Plan and Marriage of the Messiah

68, 72: The Triumph of the Messiah

What are some good tips in applying the Psalms?

1. We need to distinguish between the Old Mosaic Covenant and the New Covenant of grace.

It is extremely important to keep in mind that we are no longer under the old Mosaic covenant of law but under the new covenant of grace. As with any Old Testament text it is important to identify the differences in covenant and culture. Take Psalm 119 for example- this Psalm encourages us to uphold the law. This still applies to us today, but in a different way. In other words, obedience needs to be understood in the context of Christ imputing his righteousness to us, rather than obedience as the means to achieve righteousness.

2. We need to be careful in using direct application without Christ. This could produce superficial obedience and not gospel transformation.

The Psalms are so easily applicable to us in a cursory reading it becomes very easy to simply exhort ‘Christian’ behavior without exalting Jesus Christ. As Goldsworthy aptly reminds us, “if they (the psalms) speak to us of God, they must speak to us of the God who has finally revealed himself in Jesus Christ.” In other words, we should always be asking ‘how do these Psalms testify to the saving and sustaining work of Christ?’

Since many of the Psalms are praises in response to what God has revealed of himself in his great saving acts for Israel their expression is already salvation oriented. This should provide easy transition into the ultimate saving act of God in Jesus Christ. Therefore, we should constantly bring the hearers back to a gospel-centered perspective on God. The only proper way of applying the Psalms is in light of, and through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Promote Gospel empowered expression. Imputed righteousness allows “Psalm-like” expression in fellowship.

If our righteousness is imputed to us and not earned then we do not have to be fearful of admitting our struggles. In other words, we do not want our people to put on dishonest pious masks before each other and to try and act as if everything is fine when in reality they are suffering or struggling. When one has a right understanding of salvation by grace they are not fearful of honesty and crying out for help. This allows our people to hurt and mourn. The Psalms show us a pattern for lamentation and proper expressions of worship.

Also…

See the Introductory Notes on the Psalms from the ESV Study Bible. (Great section on “Key Themes in Psalms)

Listen to Dr. Edmond Clowney lecture on “Expounding Christ: Christ in the Psalms” on Itune’s U.

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention, Thoughts

Resources on ‘God & Money’- Tithe, Stewardship, and Proper Use.

1. Resources on Tithing

a. Extensive

Andreas J. Kostenberger, A Biblical Model for Giving: A Discussion of New Testament Principles (25 pages).

Andreas J. Kostenberger, A Study of Tithing in the Old and New Testaments (26 pages).

b. Concise

Andreas J. Kostenberger, To Tithe or not to Tithe?

D.A. Carson, Are Christians Required to Tithe?

2. Resources on Stewardship

Tim Keller, Stewardship: Kingdom, Mission, and Money- Part 1.

–         Leaders Guide

–         Participants Guide

Tim Keller, Stewardship: Kingdom, Mission, and Money- Part 2.

–         Leaders Guide

–         Participants Guide

3. Resource on the Proper use of Money

John Piper, Money: The Currency of Christian Hedonism

Mike Bullmore, What We Should Do with Our Money

4. Other Helpful Links

Generous Giving: Online Library

Desiring God: Resources on Money

Matt Capps Christianity, Culture, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Gospel-Centered Resources

Timmy Brister has provided a good collection of articles and documents focusing on a “Gospel-Centered” theme. Here is his list;

1.  Gospel Coalition Foundation Documents
2.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ: An Evangelical Celebration
3.  Together for the Gospel Statement (PDF)
4.  The Centrality of the Gospel by Tim Keller (PDF)
5.  The Biblical Gospel by D.A. Carson (PDF)
6.  Gospel-Driven Sanctification by Jerry Bridges (PDF)
7.  The Transforming Power of the Gospel – Steve Childers (PDF)
8.  The Gospel and the Poor by Tim Keller (PDF)
9.  Fight Clubs: Gospel-Centered Discipleship by Jonathan Dodson (PDF)
10. The Gospel Centered Life by Bob Thune (study)
11.  Gospel-Centered Ministry by Tim Keller (PDF)
12.  How to Preach the Gospel to Yourself by David Fairchild (Sermon MSS)
13.  The Gospel: Key to Change by Tim Keller (PDF)
14.  God Strengthens Us by the Gospel by John Piper
15.  Advancing the Gospel in the 21st Century Part 2 by Tim Keller
16.  Gospel-Centered Preaching by Steve Childers (not online)
17.  Gospel Christianity (1.0) (2.0) (3.0) by Tim Keller (studies)
18.  The Gospel in Its Many Forms by Tim Keller
19.  How Does the Gospel Save Believers? (Part 2) (Part 3) by John Piper
20.  Gospel-Centered by Joe Thorn
21.  Being the Church in Our Culture by Tim Keller (PDF)
22.  Preach the Gospel to Yourself by Tim Challies
23.  What Do I Mean by a Gospel-Driven Life? (Part 2 | Part 3) by John Fonville
24.  The Gospel-Driven Life by Harry Reeder III

Found at timmybrister.com.

Matt Capps Christianity, Faith, Religion, The Great Commission Resurgence, The Southern Baptist Convention

Baptist churches and The Ordinances

When talking about baptism and the Lord’s Supper one must first discuss terminology. Throughout church history the term used most often to describe these two events has been sacrament, which comes from a Latin word used to describe “the oath of loyalty a Roman soldier would make to his commander.”

Typically Baptists do not use the word sacrament because of its use by other denominations that have different understandings of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. For example, some of these denominations understand baptism and the Lord’s Supper as the “vehicles” through which God’s saving grace is applied to each individual.

Baptists practice baptism and the Lord’s Supper without the idea that these acts automatically convey God’s saving grace. Baptists believe that God gives grace through faith in Christ alone. In other words, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are not the active agents that achieve forgiveness in Christ.

Technically speaking there is no biblical warrant to use the word “ordinance” or the word “sacrament”. Because of the connotations carried with the word sacrament, many Baptists have long opted to use the word ordinance. The term ordinance simply signifies that baptism and the Lord’s Supper are acts ordained by Christ for the church.

Why These Two Ordinances?

Biblically speaking there are two criteria by which Baptists have limited the ordinances to baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

  1. They are directly instituted by Jesus
    1. Baptism: Matthew 28:19
    2. The Lord’s Supper: Matthew 26:17-30
  2. They are directly related to the Gospel in that they symbolically depict the central story of Jesus Christ and our union with him.
    1. Baptism: Romans 6:2-5; Colossians 2:12
    2. The Lord’s Supper: 1 Corinthians 5:7; Luke 22:20

How We Understand The Ordinances.

Traditionally Baptist’s have understood the ordinances as acts of obedience and powerful symbols of the gospel message. The ordinances are understood as symbols because they graphically depict the truth of the gospel and the inward change that comes with ones faith in Christ. The ordinances should be practiced with an understanding of the symbolism and the reality portrayed, as gospel dramas where the Word is spoken and made visible.

Conclusion

Baptism and the Lord’s Supper both symbolize the gospel message but in different ways. Baptism symbolizes the transformation effected by the gospel; it is thus the ordinance that proclaims our new birth and justification through Christ. The Lord’s Supper proclaims the gospel message of Christ’s death as the sustenance of the Christian life. The very elements of bread and wine speak of nourishment and refreshment.

For more see my previous posts;

Baptism

The Lord’s Supper