theologer

While I'm still discussing Bryan Chapell's book "Redeeming the Expository Sermon" (see post two days ago for details) I wanted to mention one other thing he wrote about that struck a chord with me.

He presses for a bit about the importance grace in preaching; and again how easy it is to fall into a pattern of teaching works-based salvation without realizing it. Then he has a list of the things an expository sermon should teach. Among which is "Grace compelling holiness."

The quote that really gets my attention is this, "In Christ-centered preaching, the rules of Christian obedience do not change; the reasons do."

Think about that.

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. . ." - 1 Peter 8-10

A person motivated by grace loves his neighbor because he is loved no matter what he does, he knows it is impossible to lose the love of the Lord. Therefore he does not love his neighbor out of fear that the Lord will take away His hand of blessing (as I often do), but rather, out of love.

If I understand grace I will not go pray for that dirty beggar because I must, but because I can. Because God loved me, I will choose to love him, rather than doing it out of guilt.

Gosh I want to understand this, and it will likely be a life-long struggle, but I just cant get it deeper than my skin. I know it in my head, but it doesn't ever sink in. I want to be a good steward of your grace, but in order to really do that, I need to really believe it.

Lord help me to be compelled to love; compelled to obedience, not out of guilt, but out of my understanding of your love and grace for me. Help me to understand.

Yesterday I mentioned about my inability to live like I'm under grace. Part of what reminded me about my ineptitude is a book I'm reading for a preaching class I have.

Christ Centered Preaching: Redeeming the Expository Sermon (second edition), by Bryan Chapell.*

First I have to say this book started out boring as dirt and I wasn't sure if I was going to make it through. About half-way through I started to think it was a bit more interesting and then the entire last section is absolutely gripping. I would suggest it to any preacher.

Anyhow, on page 293 Chapell is talking about how we need to bring themes of redemption into our preaching. He mentions at one point about how he realized he had been teaching works/guilt based theology without even knowing it for months on end. Then this is what he says,

"The warping of faith and preaching occurs, however, with the belief that disciplines ward off God's ire or buy his favor. In such a case, the problem is not the biblical discipline we practice but the type of God we perceive."

And then my favorite line,

"He becomes the ogre in the sky who requires the daily satisfaction of our toil to dispense his favor or restrain his displeasure"

This is so who I am. Walking around everyday believing God to be a God of grace, but living like he is an ogre in the sky and will not continue to give his grace unless I have a longer quiet time every morning, or pray better.

That said, I need to go have a decent time of prayer this morning. But I just want you to think about the kind of God you perceive.

*ISBN: 978-0-8010-2798-7

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." - Hebrews 4:16

I realized today how much I live my life without this grace. I know about grace. I believe in grace. But I live like I am the creator of my own salvation. I live like I alone can bail myself out of my sin.

But the Lord offers mercy; grace in my time of need. Instead I look to my own strength to solve my problems, and determine to "do better next time." I awake and think these things would go away if my quiet times were longer. If only I focused more on the scripture.

I've forgotten Hudson Taylor's reminders of constant abiding in the Lord. I don't have to work at it to be a citizen of the Kingdom, loved and looked out for by the King. I am a citizen, and now nothing I can do will change that.

I do have the opportunity to fight for the King (see this morning's post about being a violent man). And I should see it as a privilege in the same way I would love to play for the Denver Broncos. Except I'm already on this team. Fighting for this side. And I just keep running to the corner, thinking the Lord wont let me on the starting team unless I kiss up. But he's counted me worthy.

Lord I desire grace, to recognize your grace, to live your grace, to accept your grace, to rejoice in your grace.

"Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.  You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you." - Malachi 3:8-9

I think I may have blogged about this perhaps a year or two ago, but in continuation of yesterday I'm remembering learning about tithing in a Sunday school at church. The man who was teaching was quite compelling, and a successful businessman. As I recall he was taking his team of salesmen to Las Vegas to celebrate a particularly profitable quarter.

Then after he was almost done sharing about tithing and the value for it, he mentioned, "I think it's a really good idea to tithe 10%, I don't tithe 10%, but I'd like to. 10% is a goal my wife and I have."

I was mortified, why was this the person chosen to teaching on giving if he wasn't giving? Are you stealing from God? "Will man rob God?"

"Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." - 3:10

And in all our stupidity we presume to rob the Lord when He promises to open up heaven and pour down blessing. "Put me to the test," He says, and see if He won't fulfill His promise to give back.

Choosing not give generously is a financially and personally stupid choice.

Put the Lord to the test, and allow Him to give back. Watch as heaven rains down blessing.

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

This is in Philippians immediately after Paul is thanking them for their gift (assumedly financial). I'm not sure why people are opposed to giving financially to churches or others (especially missionaries). Sometimes I suppose they have a disagreement with that person's employer, a theological difference perhaps. But giving is such a blessing, and it's a real shame to miss out on that for almost any reason at all.

Sometimes I wonder about this verse. It does seem to be saying we'll receive financial provision in exchange for giving financially doesn't it? Although most people would almost always argue against this idea. While I do think our motivation in giving should not be financial security, there seems to me to be a correlation.

Every time I have given, be it out of much or of little, the Lord has returned the favor. Not in a 1-1 sort of deal. And it's not always immediately obvious (sometimes I don't realize it for years). But I definitely find when I'm not giving, I never seem to have enough, and when I give and give I always have as much as I need.

The Lord provides.If you're giving generously, I think its acceptable to assume the Lord will be giving back, even if its not always how you'd think or want. The Lord has WAY more money than you'll ever understand, and just as much grace to back it up.

Thank you Lord for meeting every need of ours, and even occasionally our wants.

Okay I just wanted to update my thoughts on this whole wife becoming Roman Catholic deal. I posted briefly here.

And want to say after further reading it was much less one-sided than I originally read. My new view of what went down is available in the forums.

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." - Hebrews 11:6

I love that he rewards those who seek Him. I cant always pull it together, but I always hope He has grace for those who are earnestly seeking. I want to seek God. To seek Him more than comfort, wisdom, even knowledge, fame, peace, health. All things I've worshipped.

Help me Father, to seek you.

"Even youths shall faint and be weary,
and young men shall fall exhausted;
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint." - Isaiah 40:30-31

I swim almost every day. I also like to run. I also play rugby and mountain -bike semi-regularly. The thought of the Lord renewing my strength and being better off waiting on Him than relying on my own strength seems difficult to me.

But I love this picture, we will mount up with wings! Just like eagles. This is a big deal. How many times in your life have you wished that you could fly? And this is saying with the Lord we will fly. Our strength will be renewed when we are wait on the lord. You know the song "Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord, as we wait upon the Lord."

I want to run and not be weary. C.S. Lewis once said "“If one could run without getting tired I don’t think one would often want to do anything else.” And I agree. I want to wait on the Lord and learn to run and not be weary. Walk and not be faint.

Lord my prayer to today is for the will to wait on you, not depend on myself. I want to mount up with wings like eagles. I want to run and not be weary. I want to walk and not be faint. Be my strength.