Note: This is an edited manuscript from the sermon I preached at Calvary Baptist Church on June 6th, 2010.
Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
be not envious of wrongdoers!For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act.
He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices! – Psalm 37:1-7
Opening Thought
While I was in college I worked at an after-school program at my home church. I was one of the counselors over the 5 year-old boys and girls. We had about 20 kids. At about 3:15 everyday there would be a knock on our class room door. And all the kids knew what it was. The excitement was unbearable for some of them. They knew that the snack cart had arrived. On this snack cart was every candy[1] you can imagine. Every day, this was the most anticipated moment – all the kids had their change ready to purchase their hearts desires!
There was always one kid who did not have money when the snack cart arrived. Most of the time it was because this kid’s parents would send him to after-school with a zip lock bag that had a small snack in it. It was always something that no other kid, in the class, possibly in the world, wanted – like ‘wheat oat bran flakes.’ You need to imagine this kid trying to trade his ‘cardboard’ flavored cereal for his favorite flavored skittle. – Not going to happen.
Well, on one of these particular days this poor kid’s emotions were running high. Here he was eating cereal that tasted like cardboard when everyone else was enjoying the sweetest of candies. So, logical response for a 5 year old – he broke out crying – declaring that he ‘hated his snack’, and that ‘it wasn’t fair that everyone else could have candy.’ Me being the wise and compassionate counselor I was, leaned over and looked him in the eyes and as lovingly as I could said – kid, “life is not fair.” Like that was going to make his cardboard taste like skittles. Even though the words “life is not fair” are true – they don’t always taste good. Especially when life is hard and everyone around you seems to be doing wonderful.
Three Hypothetical Situations
I am going to give you three hypothetical situations – three situations that I want you to place yourself in. I think this will help us draw out the emotions we need to deal with this morning, the emotions that King David is dealing with in Psalm 37.
When things like this happen it stirs up emotions within us. These emotions are often stronger[2] when the people who stir them up within us are people we don’t like. I believe the Psalmist is dealing with in Psalm 37. I believe we can learn a lot about ourselves – what makes us do what we do? What drives us? I would argue that our emotional struggles reflect is our deepest desires. More importantly, they reveal our deepest questions about God.[3]
Intro to Psalm 37
Psalm 37 is a wisdom psalm. So, what we have in this Psalm is instruction, ‘ancient curriculum’[4] for the development of wisdom for everyday living. To help your imagination here, glance at verse 25 where the psalmist King David says, “I have been young, and now am old.”
The picture being painted here is that we are sitting under the teaching of an older, wiser man, much more than that, a King. Wisdom Psalms are simply a series of observations about life[5] – this Psalm is not a tightly outlined argument, but a poem that imparts wisdom. David wrote this Psalm in such a way that the Israelites could learn its contents by heart – in the Hebrew it follows a certain rhythmic pattern that makes it easily remembered.[6] This allows for easy recall when needed in day to day living. In this Psalm David deals with some of the deepest issues wrestled with in the human heart – mortal life and eternity, wisdom and folly, and reward and punishment.[7] The treasure of wisdom found in this Psalm is well worth plunging into the depths of God’s Word and letting it expose our hearts and actions.[8]
Psalm 37:1-7
In verses 1-2 David is saying ‘do not allow yourself to become heated, to boil inside because of others’ – namely others who get what you want, or what you think you deserve.[9] So, the warning in verse 1, not to “fret yourselves”, is in the context of ‘envy.’ Do not burn with envy!
Let’s explore this for a moment. What is envy? What causes it? What does it reveal? Well, envy is somewhat complex. John Piper helped me understand the different layers of envy by unpacking it like this:[10]
So, the underlying reason we develop resentful envy is desire, desire mixed with resentment towards someone else. Back to my illustration “three situations” – why would you desire that job, a spouse, better looks?
I believe we desire to obtain certain things because we believe they will give us fulfillment or satisfaction, we need them to obtain our idea of ‘the good life.’ We are all on this quest, this quest to obtain satisfaction and fulfillment, ‘the good life’, and we pursue it without ceasing.[11]
Now, here is where we are faced with the terrible reality of human sinfulness. This is where it gets ugly – where our sinful hearts are most revealed. Envy reveals that deep down; ultimately, we are at war against each other to obtain these things. We are in a never-ending competition with one another. See, when we burn with envy we are enraged in battle against others who are keeping us from getting what we want – keeping us from obtaining the ‘good life.’
With our attention on the ‘three scenarios’, lets explore them on a deeper level: Work, Relationships, and Self Image. When it came to the hypothetical work situation, let me propose to you that ultimately it was not the job you wanted, it is what the job represented, what the job promised. That could be security, recognition, and value. In the same way, when it came to the relationship situation you were envious of the person who married your friend on a deeper level because of what that relationship represented for you, what the idea of a relationship promises. For many of us relationships promise intimacy, love, and belonging. And finally, when it came to self-image you are envious of others good looks and achievements because their lives, to you, represent and promise worth, acceptance, and happiness.
But in the end, these things will not deliver on their promises. There is always more. We are always left empty searching for fulfillment in the things of this world. I have always loved these words of C.S. Lewis, and they ring true here:
“If I find myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”[12]
Now, you may be thinking well what now? I feel like a child with a bag full of corn flakes in the middle of a candy store. If all these things ultimately don’t deliver on their promises. And if we are all at war with each other[13] to obtain these empty things. Where is the hope? The picture here is depravity, war against each other, envy. This is the state of the world, the strategy and aim of every human beings life? If that is the case then the human race is one massive tragedy!
The Beauty of the Gospel
But, there is a God and He came into this fallen world amongst warring men. And He surrendered His own life, instead of warring with us, instead of joining the battle for the things that will not satisfy, he surrendered His life in order to freely give us that which will satisfy the deepest desires of our souls.
The other things we try to find our fulfillment in fade in light of this glorious truth. Jesus gave his life so that we could have the deepest desires of our hearts satisfied – in Him forever. That is the beauty of the gospel.
If you are not a believer I call you to believe the gospel – the good news of Jesus. Place your faith in Jesus as the only one who can satisfy the deepest desires of your heart. Repent of your sinfulness and turn to delight in Christ and the Savior of your soul! For those of you who are already believers – let’s take off the Sunday morning mask for a second. It is quite possible that there are some of you in here who are:
This is why we as Christians need to learn to preach the gospel to ourselves. In other words I am calling you to wage war – not against each other, but against your own deceitful heart. I want to offer you a few strategies for war against unbelief.”
Truths for the Fight to Desire God
1. The things of this world will never satisfy the deepest desires of your heart.
According to verse 2, the things of this world are passing away. So, regardless of how well-off some people seem, they – themselves – are fading.
(2) For they will soon fade like the grass
and wither like the green herb.
This is powerful imagery here. For some in King David’s region of the world this would be a very concrete example – in the Middle East “after the rainy season ends in the late spring, there is a great heat and no precipitation, so that everything green becomes parched and quickly withers.”[14] Therefore, the reasons you might burn with envy against others are fading. Plus, these things they delight in are not lasting, they are superficial and not to be envied, they will one day wither in the blazing heat of God’s glory.
Believe that the eternal delights of God will never end. While the temporary delights of this world will wither like parched plants in the blazing heat of the dessert. So “do not burn inside with envy”, in makes no sense. If we believe this it calls us to continually search our hearts to see which desires rule us – cravings for affection, attention, power, love, security, comfort – and enables us to repent and find God’s grace to change.[15]
2. Only God can satisfy the deepest desires of your heart in the gospel.
(4) Delight yourself in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
One of the most devastating realities about resentful envy, in the case of a believer, is that it reveals that you don’t truly believe this verse. Again, our emotional struggles don’t just reflect our deepest desires – they reveal our deepest questions about God.[16] Is God really good? Can God truly satisfy the deepest desires of my heart?
There are going to be times in your life when it does not seem like God is good – when life in not fair. And this is where resentful envy, if we allow it to become a ‘controlling emotion’[17] will lead us to despair. There is no therapeutic technique that can change hearts. Only God’s Spirit can change hearts. But the Bible tells us that we can describe what rules the heart and speak the truth that convicts and liberates.
Verse 4 tells us that when we “delight ourselves in the Lord, he will give us the desires of our heart.”
I beg you – taste and see that God is good – you will delight in Him. When you delight in Him, He will become the desire of our heart. This is much like conversion. When your eyes are first opened to the beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ – it’s like tasting pure water from the fountain of delight in a dry and parched land. But this is also our means for Christian growth. Continue to drink from that fountain. Return to that fountain of ‘living water’ over and over, because it is the only source of delight that will fulfill your deepest desires. When we delight in God, God redirects our desires back to Himself as the only one who can fulfill our deepest longings. If you ever doubt this, remember the words of Saint Paul in Romans 8:32:
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things..”
With this as your motivation I call you to, as verse 3 says, “trust in the Lord, and do good.” In order to, as verse 5 says, commit your way to the Lord [‘way’ literally means all of your life, every area of it] – you must fight to believe verse 4 – that in God the desire of your heart will be fulfilled. This shows you why you are not to envy, and how to think to fight envy in this fallen world, through the power of the Holy Spirit, as we wait until Christ makes all things new.
3. Because of God’s grace, one day we will fully experience fulfillment.
Why do I say ‘because of God’s grace?’ Well, look at verse 6.
(6) He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
and your justice as the noonday.
So, David says commit your way to the Lord, trust Him, He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness, your justice as noonday. The image here is, again, that of bright light, a consuming blaze of sun. God will bring forth His glory to be revealed like the blazing sun at noon, which breaks into the darkness. All sin will be exposed, all evil, all the temporary things of this world will wither like grass.
Now, in Romans 3 – Paul says of the every human: “None is righteous, no, not one…no one seeks for God. no one does good..not even one.” So what is David talking about here in verse 6?
I believe this is God speaking through David and talking about Christ! Later on in Romans 4-6 Paul argues that “the one who places their faith in Christ is justified and counted as righteous.” There will be one day when God eradicates evil. When Jesus divides the clouds and the bright radiance of His glory is going to pierce this dark world. In that moment you will rejoice because you will see God bringing forth – Christ your righteousness, Christ and your justice in all His glory. See, justice prevailed when Christ offered himself as a sacrifice to be slaughtered on the cross for you and I, and when you repent and place your faith in Him, Christ becomes your righteousness. In light of this truth, hold fast to verses 3:
(3) Trust in the Lord, and do good;
dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
This idea of dwelling in the land was very important for David’s people. Remember that part of their collected experience involved wandering in the dessert – longing for the Promised Land. And once they got their, they were able to dwell – settle – and rest.
Again, there will be times when you feel like a kid with a bag of wheat oat bran in the middle of a world where everyone is enjoying the sweetest of candies. But you need to remember that your Father has provided a feast of salvation that will satisfy your deepest desires – fulfill your deepest longings. We need to continually dwell in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and rest.
(7) Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him;
fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
over the man who carries out evil devices!
Derek Radney and I gathered/wrote this material for the teachers in our church as we begin studying 1 & 2 Corinthians.
The Letters to the Corinthians and Us
Paul’s pastoral method in writing letters is extremely clear when one ponders the riches of these two letters. While Paul was writing to deal with specific immediate issues in the Corinthian church, which could have been addressed in a few pages, he allows these issues to form a theological agenda for writing. In other words, the issues prompting Paul’s writing provide a platform to discuss certain things in a larger context.
So while these letters were written for a specific church in a specific context, to be circled to a group of churches in the surrounding region[1], its application transcends the immediate and is directly applicable to us today. Just a general overview of the key themes illustrates this:
Corinth in the Time of Paul
The City of Corinth
Corinth was an ancient Greek city, dating back to beginning of the first millennium B.C. However, in 146 BC, the Romans totally destroyed it and burned it to the ground because the citizens there led a coalition of city states in rebellion against Rome. The city was gone for 100 years until Julius Caesar built a new Roman colony there in 44 BC. Thus, Corinth was established again as a very Roman city.
The architecture, political organization, and the very ethos of Corinth was Roman. Therefore, in the time Paul wrote to the church in Corinth “it was geographically in Greece but culturally in Rome.”[3]
The Population in Corinth
The population was primarily made up of Romans, “Caesar colonized the city with persons belonging predominately to the ‘freedman class’[4] and with some soldiers.”[5] As a result the city had a mixed ethnic population that included descendants of the original Greek population as well as former slaves from everywhere in the world – Egypt, Syria, Judea – all who had some familiarity with koine Greek. Furthermore, during the time this letter was composed approximately ‘one third’ of the population consisted of slaves, and Corinth was a main slave trade depot in that part of the world
The Social Culture in Corinth
In Corinth society was hierarchical and elitist. Wealth, status, and power were the dominant values. “Many inhabitants of Corinth were prosperous, and wealth and ostentatious display became a hallmark of Corinth.”[6] The wealth of Corinth was largely owed to its location, which was of great commercial importance. Corinth had two large gulf harbors which made it a hub of commerce in that part of the world.[7] In fact, wealthy Corinth became one of the most notable centers for banking and finance in the world.[8]
At the same time, many of Corinth’s inhabitants were impoverished. One ancient traveler declined to enter Corinth once he learned of the “repulsiveness of the rich and the misery of the poor” in the city.[9] But Garland notes that since it was largely a freeman’s city, “upward social mobility was more attainable than in other more established cities in the empire with their entranced aristocracies. Socially ambitious Corinthians could seize the opportunity to advance themselves.”[10] Individual advancement and the pursuit of success were very possible in Corinth for everyone, and it was thus a high value.
The society revolved around displays of wealth and honor. People sought status by attaining patronage from the powerful through excellence in philosophical eloquence, business ventures, and political connections. It was a highly individualist, egocentric, competitive society dominated by leaders who consistently showed their power, honor, and status. This environment is most obvious in the writings of the ancient philosopher Diogenes, who wrote of his experience while in Corinth:
“That was the time, too, when one could hear crowds of wretched sophists around Poseidon’s temple shouting and reviling one another, and their disciples, as they were called, fighting with one another, many writers reading aloud their stupid works, many poets reciting their poems while others applauded, many jugglers showing their tricks, many fortune tellers interpreting fortunes, lawyers innumerable perverting judgment, and peddlers selling what ever they had.”[11]
The Religious and Philosophical Influences in Corinth
It was a melting pot of old and new religions flourishing together. There was worship of all the Greek/Roman gods, Egyptian mystery cults, magic, the imperial worship of Roman emperors, and Judaism. Aside from Judaism, most people worshiped gods from all sorts of religious backgrounds thinking that the more one worshiped the better. Therefore, the religious climate was strongly pluralistic and nationalistic. Among the many shrines and temples of Corinth the most prominent in the religious and architectural atmosphere was the Temple of Aphrodite.[12]
The Church in Corinth
The Church at Corinth was in a mess:
But, notice how Paul starts the first letter:[13]
To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Cor. 1:2-3
The Church hardly looked like a sanctified bunch, and yet Paul greeted them as “those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together.” Paul called them sanctified despite their sinfulness because they had been set apart by God to be holy because of the blood of Jesus Christ. They had been made holy through the washing of Christ’s blood. So, Paul reminded them that they were to live like saints since God had made them holy. And, Paul reminded them that they were to live like saints together.
In one simple greeting, Paul got to the heart of their problem and reminded them of the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were living immoral lives, but God had made them holy to live holy lives! They were living divided as a church, but God had called them into fellowship with himself and with one another.
Paul’s Ministry in Corinth
On Paul’s second missionary journey, he left Antioch, traveled through Asia Minor by passing through Cilicia, Galatia, and Asia before sailing to Macedonia where he planted churches in Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea. After planting these three churches in Macedonia, he turned south into Achaia and spent time in Athens. After planting three churches in Macedonia and experiencing persecution there, only a few people believe the gospel in Athens, and so he left Athens in peace without a dramatically effective ministry there.
It was no accident that Paul positioned himself in strategic cities during his ministry. The places where Paul focused his ministry were lively cities and formed a strategic triangle enabling the gospel to be spread among the busiest trade routs in the world. He had good reason to spend much time there. Corinth was specifically profitable for a few reasons:
Key Leaders in Corinth
Priscilla and Aquila
Upon arriving in Corinth, Paul linked up with Priscilla and Aquila. Aquila was a Jew originally from Pontus (the northern part of Asia Minor). But, he had been living and doing business in Rome. His wife Priscilla was a Gentile, possibly from Rome. The two had been expelled from Rome because Emperor Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome in about 49 AD. The Roman historian Suetonius, writing 70 years after the event, said that Claudius expelled the Jews because there was consistent rioting ‘at the instigation of Chrestus.’ This is probably a reference to Jesus Christ. Thus, it appears that Christianity had reached Rome, and that it had caused a stir in the Jewish community to such a degree that all Jews were expelled. Aquila and Priscilla were Christians who had a tent-making business that most likely took them from Rome, to Corinth, to Ephesus. Paul worked for them as he also began his ministry preaching in the synagogue every Sabbath to persuade the Jews and Greeks that Jesus was the Messiah. We learn from the rest of Scripture that these two became great friends and ministry partners with Paul. They helped Apollos get his theology straight (Acts 18.24-26) and they were a tremendous help to all the churches that Paul ministered too (Rom. 16.4).
Apollos
While Paul traveled to Jerusalem and Antioch at the end of his 2nd missionary journey, a Greek Christian from Alexandria came to Ephesus. He was very eloquent, but his theology needed some updating since he had not heard of any baptism but that of John the Baptist. Priscilla and Aquila had stayed in Ephesus to run their business after Paul stopped briefly there on his way to Jerusalem, and they pulled Apollos aside to explain to him what he lacked (Acts 18.24-26). After this, Apollos left and went to Corinth to minister there (Acts 19.1, I Cor. 3.6).
Peter
Several things suggest that Peter ministered in Corinth after Paul planted the church and before he wrote I Corinthians. First, Peter is mentioned in chapter 1 as one of the person’s that people in Corinth were claiming to belong to. Apollos and Paul were the others, and this suggests that people were dividing up along the various leaders that had ministered in Corinth. Second, Paul alludes to the fact that Peter had the right to minister with a wife. This lends support to, though it is not strong, the idea that Peter and his wife traveled to Corinth.
The First Epistle to the Corinthians from Paul
Major Themes:
The Second Epistle to the Corinthians from Paul
Major Themes:
A ‘time-line’ of the letters to the Corinthians:
Continue reading “First and Second Corinthians – An Introduction”
I have noticed a strange phenomenon in the local church. There is a fear among Christians of being open and honest about their struggles – their sin – with other members of the church body. I think this phenomenon is the result of the dangerous combination of teaching focused on moralism and the desire to be seen as ‘a good person’ without a healthy understanding of our sinful nature.
We all want a good reputation. We would rather avoid exposure of who we really are, so we pretend and don’t seek help from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. But the strange paradox is that our “good reputation” can become an idol. When our reputation becomes our chief concern, where we find security in how others think of us, we often hide sin from our church family and undermine one of the primary purposes of the church. This type of attitude is proof of a deep seeded pride and self reliance, and does not allow true repentance to take place. Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes this mentality in what he calls the ‘pious church.’
The pious fellowship permits no one to be a sinner. So everybody must conceal his sin from himself and from the fellowship. We are not allowed to be sinners. Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy. But the fact is, we are sinners.
If you feel trapped in this mentality I want you to think about the Samaritan woman that met Jesus at Jacobs well in John 4. She was a Samaritan, which was a racially mixed group, partly Jewish and partly Gentile. In that time the Samaritans were disdained by other ethnicities because they did not ‘purely’ belong to any ethnic group. Beyond that, this particular woman was seen as highly immoral. She had many marital relationships and was highly frowned upon because of her sexual promiscuousness. Think about the social implications of this.
In order to deal with this situation the Samaritan woman would draw water from the town well each day at a time when no one else was there, this would allow her to avoid facing other people. She was ashamed. She was an outcast and a sinner. What is funny about this narrative is that in her attempt to avoid other people she ends up standing in front of Jesus Christ, God in flesh. It is absolutely beautiful what Jesus does.
Jesus told her everything she had ever done and still offered her living water.
Now, think about that – and its implications on us as Christians in the body of Christ, the church. As members of the church, we are brought into the family of God through salvation in Jesus Christ alone. This is our common bond, the core of our fellowship. We are no longer outcasts; we belong in the family of God through Christ. We have been forgiven of our sin, and are able to fellowship with God through Christ. The church is a community of people who have been saved by grace through trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation – this is where we find our security.
So when we gather there should be no fear in being who we actually are. When we gather we should not have to worry about wearing a masks to fit in. We belong because of Christ and what He has done – not because of who we are.
Now, this does not mean that we ignore sin. We take sin seriously and walk with each other through struggles by the grace of God, and at the same time we are a community of repentance – this is our reputation.
Consider one last point about Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman. When Jesus offers her living water she runs back into the town, to the people she was ashamed to fellowship with, and proclaims the good news openly.
Jesus knows all of her sin and still offers her living water.
This is the testimony that brings people to God. So why is it that so many people hide who they really are from their brothers and sisters in Christ? I would argue that too often we find our security and significance in our ‘reputation’, or outward conformity to social and moral norms. We need to recognize that in the church we are all saved, and we are all sinners. Tim Chester writes:
We will never be perfect in this life, but we can always be and should always be changing…sin is never the last word for the children of God. Grace is always the last word. If we confess our sins to God, He is faithful. He’ll keep His promise to forgive.
The good news is that Jesus sees all of our sin – and still offers us salvation.
The Gospel in Life is an intensive 8 week course on the gospel and how it is lived out in all of life – First in your heart, then in your community, and then out into the world.
I am excited about going through this material on Wednesday nights at our West Campus starting May 12th, we will be meeting in room 3207 from 6:30-8:00pm. I encourage you to participate in this study. Each week we will read scripture together, watch a 10 minute DVD teaching by Dr. Tim Keller, and have discussion. Here is the calendar with a list of the topics:
May 12 – City: The World That Is
May 19 – Heart: Three Ways To Live
May 26 – Idolatry: The Sin Beneath The Sin
June 2 – Community: The Context For Change
June 9 – Witness: An Alternative City
June 16 – Work: Cultivating The Garden
June 23 – Justice: A People For Others
June 30 – Eternity: The World That Is To Come
For more information on the material see gospelinlife.com. I hope you will join us as we seek to further our understanding of how the gospel applies to all areas of life, personally and in the community.
I recently finished teaching a class on Biblical Theology at Calvary Baptist Church where I serve as an associate pastor. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, Biblical Theology is a redemptive-historical approach to teaching the Bible.
Below you will find a PDF file of the first draft of notes, with page numbers and an index. I hope you find these notes beneficial in your studies as you seek to see how the gospel of Jesus Christ is central to the whole Bible.
An Introduction to Biblical Theology: Seeing Christ in the Old Testament
Jared Wilson, pastor and author of Your Jesus Is Too Safe, recently posted a thoughtful and challenging blog titled “10 Reasons to Under-Program Your Church.” I have re-posted them (with permission from Jared) below:
1. You can do a lot of things in a mediocre (or poor) way, or you can do a few things extremely well. Craig Groeschel has some great things to say about this subject. Also check out Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger’s Simple Church.
2. Over-programming creates an illusion of fruitfulness that may just be busy-ness. A bustling crowd may not be spiritually changed or engaged in mission at all. And as our flesh cries out for works, many times filling our programs with eager, even servant-minded people is a way to appeal to self-righteousness.
3. Over-programming is a detriment to single-mindedness in a community. If we’re all busy engaging our interests in and pursuits of different things, we will have a harder time enjoying the “one accord” prescribed by the New Testament.
4. Over-programming runs the risk of turning a church into a host of extracurricular activities, mirroring the “Type-A family” mode of suburban achievers. The church can become a grocery store or more spiritual YMCA, then, perfect for people who want religious activities on their calendar.
5. Over-programming dilutes actual ministry effectiveness. Because it can overextend leaders, increase administration, tax the time of church members, and sap financial and material resources from churches.
6. Over-programming leads to segmentation among ages, life stages, and affinities, which can create divisions in a church body. Certainly there are legitimate reasons for gathering according to “likenesses,” but many times increasing the number of programs means increasing the ways and frequencies of these separations. Pervasive segmentation is not good for church unity or spiritual growth.7. Over-programming creates satisfaction in an illusion of success; meanwhile mission suffers. If a church looks like it’s doing lots of things, we tend to think it’s doing great things for God. When really it may just be providing lots of religious goods and services. This is an unacceptable substitute for a community on mission, but it’s one we accept all the time. And the more we are engaged within the four walls of the church, whether those walls are literal or metaphorical, the less we are engaged in being salt and light. Over-programming reduces the access to and opportunities with my neighbors.
8. Over-programming reduces margin in the lives of church members. It’s a fast track to burnout for both volunteers and attendees, and it implicitly stifles sabbath.
9. Over-programming gets a church further away from the New Testament vision of the local church. Here’s a good test, I think: take a look at a typical over-programmed church’s calendar and see how many of the activities resemble things seen in the New Testament.
10. Over-programming is usually the result of un-self-reflective reflex reactions to perceived needs and and an inability to kill sacred cows that are actually already dead. Always ask “Should we?” before you ask “Can we?” Always ask “Will this please God?” before you ask “Will this please our people?” Always ask “Will this meet a need?” before you ask “Will this meet a demand?”
These are some tough observations that need some thought as the ‘local church’ seeks to minister the unchanging gospel in a changing culture. Pastors and ministry leaders – think about all the things you are doing in the context of your ministry and ask yourself a few questions when planning activities:
We need to use wisdom when planning and promoting things within the church. Think about the message ‘underneath’ the program you lead or support.
The Strategic Planning Process
Our church is currently in the strategic process of looking ahead to the future, you can read about the 20/20 process here. As our church looks back, “we can see that we are the heirs of a great legacy. Yet it is our privilege and responsibility to look forward and ensure that God’s work through this ministry is passed on, even stronger, to the next generation.”
Part of this process involves assessing and clarifying the mission and core values of the church. While the gospel will never change – the environment in which the church communicates the gospel and reflects the kingdom of Christ will. I believe that the mission and core values should be timeless truths that navigate how the church operates within its local context. These things are very important because they will form the ministry strategy. In other words, the mission and core values of a local church clarify much about the aim, focus, and implementation of all ministry endeavors.
Now, I need to be honest here, ‘strategic planning’ is something that I am growing to appreciate and value. When it comes to reading and study I am more oriented towards theology and ecclesiology. Most resources on strategic planning are business oriented. Now, there are a few ‘common grace’ applications we can take from business wisdom, but with caution. Focusing most of my energy in theology and ecclesiology has made it pretty obvious that the church is a completely different institution than a business.
With that in mind, I have attempted to compile something that might help you think through the strategic planning process – which should always begin with the mission and core values. From these foundational convictions all other things are put in their proper place. So here is one concise attempt to provide guidance in developing the mission and core values of a local church.
Ministry Mission or Purpose
The mission of a church broadly dictates the ministry’s direction. If someone were to ask ‘why does the church exist’, the mission statement should provide a good theologically sound answer. I think the mission or purpose of a church should be a broad Biblical statement of what the church is about, again, why does it exist?[1]
Core Ministry Values
Core values shape the ministry of your local church. Core values are the constant, passionate, biblical core beliefs that drive the overall ministry of a church. In other words, core values determine ministry distinctives, communicate what is important, and guide ministry decisions.
Conclusion
The central questions addressed here are simple: Why does your church exist? How will the people know what your church holds in high value unless it is stated? I think there is much wisdom in Larry Osborne’s statement:
“If [a church body] is going to work together effectively, we have to be reading off the same sheet music. Otherwise, we’ll be a small ensemble to which everyone brings his own favorite arrangement. The resulting sound will be chaos, not music.”
If you are a pastor or ministry leader I would challenge you to take the time and think through these issues. Without a clear picture, things will be blurry, the people will be confused, and everyone will be running in their own direction. I believe that once the mission and core values are established in your church, you are more able to develop the clear strategic objectives that will enable the implementation of a unified ministry.
Last week I completed teaching an 11 part course in Biblical Theology at Calvary Baptist Church, where I serve as an Associate Pastor. In preparation I found that Graeme Goldsworthy’s book “According to Plan” was an excellent introduction to the discipline of Biblical Theology. So I organized the material after ‘Part Three’ of that book, while supplementing the notes with other resources. I hope to continue teaching this class throughout ministry. This is the first draft of the notes, which I will revise continually.
Here are the notes that I taught from, and handed out each week in the class.
For further study I would also recommend the following books:
If you are a Bible Teacher or Preacher I would also recommend these books:
I would also encourage you to visit the website “Beginning with Moses” for some excellent resources.
Note: This series comes from the notes of a course I am teaching on Biblical Theology at Calvary Baptist Church. This material is organized similar to Graeme Goldsworthy’s book According to Plan.
Prophecy is the most common means though which God has communicated with people throughout history. In fact, you could summarize the story of prophecy as ‘the story of God speaking to His people through human messengers.’ This was how God guided His people, informed them how to act in certain situations, and warned them of things to come. Now, when most people think about prophecy they think about ‘foretelling’, but in most cases it is ‘forth-telling’. Simply, proclaiming the truth. Now, when prophets are ‘foretelling’ events it is important to remember:
“The Old Testament prophets’ words are the very words of God. When a true prophet predicts events, those events surly come to pass according to the word of the Lord which he spoke to the prophet.”[1]
Since the prophets words are the very words of God[2], God’s people are obligated to believe and obey them. When Israel disbelieved or disobeyed the prophet they were held responsible as unto God.[3] The prophets were the very ‘mouth pieces’ of God.
It is also important to understand that all prophecy is grounded in God’s covenant faithfulness. All of God’s actions in the Old Testament are related to His covenant promises. In fact, the principle expression of His relationship to His people is covenant. “The existence of prophecy among [His] people was a great blessing, for it indicated that God cared about them enough, even in their sins, to speak personally to them.”[4]
God’s covenant promises stand behind the prophets, in fact, the covenant promises are the foundation for the whole process of redemption. This is important to understand as we read the prophets. The prophets pick up on themes from Israel’s past and thus imply the continuation of God’s [covenant] faithfulness.”[5] Within this context the prophets speak of the future fulfillment of all God’s purposes.
Thus, in the Old Testament God speaks through prophets in order to communicate His ruling word, governing history for His purposes. Now, there are different audiences relating to the message that God delivers through these prophets, His ‘mouth pieces.’[6] Sometimes the focus of the message is on a remnant or few[7], other times the message is directed at the whole nation. Either way, the prophetic message could be summed up in three parts:
1. Prophets identify specific ways in which God’s people have broken the covenant.
Throughout the prophets this message is delivered in several contexts. These include social injustice and oppression, insincere worship, mixing pagan religion with the true faith revealed by God, and false worship of idols.[8]
2. Prophets warn and pronounce the judgment of God on those who are unfaithful to the covenant.
The prophets call for repentance among the people or else they will experience the judgment of God.[9] Sometimes this is issued in the destruction of specific important cities.[10] Whether it’s the end of the nation or the end of the world[11] the judgment of God is immanent because Israel continually rejects God’s grace.
3. Prophets speak a message of comfort and grace to the faithful.
The comfort and grace of God was offered to those who rested in trusting that God would bring about His promises. This would have been hard for them to see in their context, but God had greater plans for redemption:
“From our perspective we can see that nothing has gone wrong with God’s plan. The problem is human sin, and it becomes even clearer that this problem cannot be dealt with by those things that God had done [thus far] for Israel in her history. [But God]…in His wisdom led His people in a series of distinct stages of revelation towards the fullness of time when salvation would come in power.”[12]
A Prophetic Warning to God’s Covenant People
“From the time God establishes Israel as His chosen people under the terms of the covenant, there exists the warning against covenant-breaking disloyalty. It was largely the prophets’ responsibility to make this warning clear…As the mouth piece of God, the human mediator of the Word of God, the prophet reveals God’s plan for salvation.”[13]
All of this should be viewed in the context of a covenant relationship. We must remember that Israel did not deserve the good favor granted to them by God. God chooses absolutely without any condition, and chooses a people who are undeserving. What we come to see as redemptive history unfolds is that God’s plan of salvation not only applies to the Israelites, but will one day in its fullness have significance for all the nations of the earth.
“From the beginning there can be no dispute that the grace of God means that election is unconditioned by any virtue in those who are chosen, and that salvation is a free gift received by faith alone.”[14] Yet, at the same time people are responsible for their actions. Therefore we cannot let unconditional election or free grace undermine God’s judgment. In redemptive history we can see God’s deserving judgment against wickedness revealed in the days of Noah, against Babel, against Sodom, against Pharaoh, and against the pagan Canaanites.
Modern skeptics often point to these events in anger in order to wage emotional war against, what they see to be, the barbaric God of Christianity. But such judgments must be understood in light of the complete biblical picture of man’s rebellion against God. As for God’s elect, all of God’s judgment must be seen in context of the covenants God had made with them. There are firm warnings against turning away from the covenants.
“Israel is saved by grace alone, but to be saved is not merely to be acquitted of guilt. It is a positive restoration to fellowship with the living God. There is always a real choice in front of the people of God: the way of life or the way of death, covenant blessings or covenant curses.”[15][16]
Basically, God makes it clear through the prophets that Israel cannot go on enjoying the blessing of the covenant while it rebels against the responsibilities of life in covenant with God. Over and over again God sends prophets to warn the people and call them back to Himself. The prophetic office from Moses to Elisha must be understood in light of God’s salvation, instructing His people how, and calling them back, to live in fellowship with Him. Here are a few examples:
- Samuel has the role of helping the Israelites understand life under kingship.
- Gad and Nathan function to minister to David as the kingdom develops.
- Elijah and Elisha minister to Israel after the division from Judah and call the people back to true faith when infiltrated by foreign gods.[17]
Through the prophets God warns individuals that if they persist in unbelief they will be cut off from the covenant people and by implication their blessings.[18] Furthermore, if the whole nation persists in unbelief it will forfeit its blessings.[19] So, the covenants are both conditional and unconditional. “The condition is that those who reject the covenant in unbelief will find the blessings of the covenant removed from them.” But God’s promises are unconditional in the sense that He will bring about His promises in spite of His peoples unbelief. In other words, God will not allow rebellion to frustrate His purposes in fulfilling His covenant originally made to Abraham.
A Prophetic Cry on Behalf of God’s Covenant People
After the reign of Solomon there is a steady decline in the condition of Israel, which continues for another 400 years. Things continually got worse; the people lived with no regard for their long-term future. “One wonders why the people did not see their condition and do something about it?”[20] But, theologically we understand that the sinful nature of man will resist the call of continual reformation.
Another reason for the national decline is the separation of the northern tribes of Israel, which leads to syncretism with Canaanite people and their religious beliefs.[21] The southern tribes also practice unbelief by accepting some of the pagan practices.[22] “As time goes on it becomes clear that the limit is being reached”[23], and after Solomon the covenant curses become a reality. Yet, God continues to use the prophets[24] to call the people to return to Him and to covenant faithfulness.
As the nation continues to crumble one might wonder what was happening to God’s plan. Looking back from Abraham to Solomon God performed mighty acts of salvation for His people.
- Israel’s denial of God’s kingdom leads to bondage in Egypt, where God mightily delivers them from captivity into freedom.
- God binds them to Himself in a covenant relationship at Mount Sinai. This shows that redemption is more than release from bondage, but also a life in fellowship with God.
- This freedom and fellowship is shown in Israel’s entry into the Promised Land and the establishment of their nation under the rule of God.
But after Solomon one might wonder what happened to the promises of God? The sinful people continue to deny God’s rule, the nation continues to rebel, and the kingdom disintegrates. Seemingly, God’s promises have begun to fade. But in the ministry of Elijah and Elisha there is a shift in the message proclaimed by the prophets.
Thus far, the “Books of Moses” had been the record of God’s covenant, and His acts of salvation for His people. During this time, “the main task of the prophets…is to call Israel to faithfulness to the covenant.”[25] But, as the decline of the nation progresses and the prophets begin to have new posture and a new perspective.
While the prophets continue to remind Israel of their failure to keep the covenant and threaten the judgment of God upon their sins, there is a new aspect to their ministry. What emerges is a recognition and cry for help, because Israel is incapable of true repentance and covenant fidelity. Therefore, they cry to God as the only one who can save them from total destruction. There is no tangible evidence of the promised kingdom of God.
An Unfinished Story?
As we read the message of the prophets we realize that while the Israelites are repetitively warned of God’s judgment, they are largely unrepentant.[26] So as one comes to the end of the Old Testament we find that nothing has been resolved and it becomes clear that it is a “book without an ending.”[27] But the story continues.
Looking back we see that God would ultimately save those who had faith in Him and His promises – completely, finally, and gloriously. So, from our perspective we need to understand that all of God’s dealings with Israel in the Old Testament are expressions of grace that function as ‘shadows’ of something greater to come But as we look back we see that God allows this shadow to fade so that the full light of the gospel may be revealed in its place.
Throughout the whole history of redemption God has been progressively revealing Himself and His plans. In the end we see that He is faithful to His original covenant commitment.[28] He is therefore, the savior God who restores His people and all of creation to His kingdom; He makes “all things new.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
a. Jesus is the true and greater Israel
We understand through the Old Testament that God’s redemption has failed to “come about” in Israel’s history since the relationship between God and man had been lost in the garden.
In the gospel we understand that God’s redemptive plan points to Christ as the only solution – for sin and unrepentant hearts. While the prophets continuously called the people to repentance, there was no covenant faithfulness. Thus the prophets called to God as the only one who can bring about true change – and He answered with Christ.
Where Israel failed, Jesus comes as the true Israel to carry out God’s purposes perfectly and “believers from all periods of history are credited with his perfection and righteousness as a gift.”
b. Jesus is the true and greater prophet.
Jesus is the true prophet heralding God’s kingdom.[29] Not only does Jesus proclaim God’s prophetic word, He is God’s Word.[30] Jesus is greater in than the Old Testament prophets because He is not a mere messenger sent to God’s people, He is God himself, come in the flesh. While Jesus is a prophet, He is more than that, He is the one to whom the Old Testament prophets pointed to. Remember, it was Christ who proclaimed to the disciples:
“And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.”[31]
So, while the Old Testament prophets were messengers who declared ‘thus says the Lord’, Jesus had the authority to declare ‘But I say to you.’[32] The life and work of Jesus in revealing God’s redemptive purposes is the climax to the prophetic office of the Old Testament. Just as we read in the book of Hebrews:
“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”[33]
Let us be thankful that Christ earned all the covenant blessings by living a perfect life. Christ also consumed all the covenant curses on the cross. And by placing our faith in Him we are offered eternal life and the blessings that only He deserved, and are saved from the curses we deserve.
Continue reading “Biblical Theology- Part 11: The Postexilic Prophets”
Matt Capps 