The Gospel and The Kingdom

Dr. Dever had the task of speaking to us in the opening session concerning the “Pastor’s Understanding of His Own Role.”  Immediately, when I heard his topic, I anticipated what he would have to say to us concerning this topic because of his love for church history and his conviction for solid, expository preaching. 

Again, what is below are my notes.  My prayer is that in some small way, you may benefit as did I.

Together for the Gospel
4-26-06 Session #1
Dr. Mark DeverThe Pastor’s Understanding of His Own Role
1 Corinthians 4

There is a striking contrast between real pastors and fake ones.  There are three marks of a real minister:

The minster has a cross centered message (v. 1-7).  We are called as ministers only so long as we give His message to the people.  God’s people have never made God’s Word.  Rather, God’s Word has made God’s people.  In Genesis, God spoke the world into existence out of nothing.  In Genesis as well, God spoke His covenant with Abraham.  In Exodus, God spoke to Moses His commandments.  In Ezekiel, god told his prophet to preach to the dry bones in order to give them life.  In John 1, we are told the the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  In Romans 10, we are told that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.  Pastor - preach the Word. 

We are mere stewards of His message and a steward, above all, is faithful.  Our conscience being clear is not enough….the Word is the Judge.  No mere human can judge, Chrsit and His Word are our judgement.

Paul tell’s us in verse 5 that we preach God’s Word to be commended by God.  As messengers of God, we are to be esteemed as messengers pointing to Christ and Christ alone. 

What do you have that you did not receive???

The minister has a cross centered life (v. 8-13).  C.J. will discuss much of this in his address on “Watching Your Life and Doctrine.” 

Paul’s life was a bit more humble than the wise Corinthians.  They reigned, he was last.  They were wise, he was a fool for Christ.  They were honored, he was dishonored for Christ.  They were strong, he was weak.  As a pastor, what do I think of myself?

The only way to truly follow Christ is to die, daily, to self-interest.  Real minsters live cross centered lives.

The minister is a cross centered follower (v. 14-21).  Ministers are examples….don’t forget this!   Paul tells the Corinthians in v. 14 that he was writing to warn, not shame them.  This is all on the basis of Acts 18 where he becomes their spiritual father.  The implication that we want to emulate to our churches is, “Trust your leader to live a cross centered life!”

We must lead by example.  We must humble ourselves…it is our duty.  Our congregation is proof of our minsitry because we are their example!

Over the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 4, Paul displays both humility and confidence.  Humility before God and His throne and confidence in Christ to provide the necessary strength, boldness, mercy, grace, and love to live as an example before his people. 

The cross is the center but praise God it is not the end!  Praise God that Christ lives again!

T4G:  The Together for the Gospel conference was incredible!  I will be posting my notes over the coming days.  Until then, check out Tim Challies’ website for the liveblog posts that he did. 

Discipleship:  My fried Joe has begun a new website, Christocentric.org.  This is will be a powerful tool to direct new believers to aide in their discipleship.  Check this site often.  By the grace of God, I will be writing some things for the Christocentric site.  This, for me, is a very humbling opportunity - thanks Joe.

T4G BoB:  Timmy Brister has set up a Flicker group for the Together for the Gospel conference.  Included are some pictures from the Band of Bloggers Fellowship.

National Soul?  President Bush has declared that the National Anthem of the United States of America should be sung in English only.  The story, here by CNN, reports President Bush as stating that we must not lose our national soul.  Quick question, as a believer in Jesus Christ, where does you citizenship reside?  As a believer in Christ, surrounding the throne of God above with all saints, with what language will we sing?

Well, here is the beginning of the much awaited posts from the T4G conference.  The first event I attended during these days was the Band of Bloggers Fellowship.  It was an incredible time of learning and fellowship.  I was able to meet both Tim Challies and Justin Taylor.  I was able to attend with my good friend Joe.  And I had the pleasure of meeting Steve Weaver and James Thompson. 

The panel was incredible.  Tim Challies, Justin Taylor, Dr. Russell Moore, and Dr. Albert Mohler.  All four of these provided both unique and incredible insight.  I was amazed that most of the questions of fellow bloggers were concerning questions of humility and etiquette.  James Thompson did a wonderful job with some of the shots he was able to get, including the one to the right that you are seeing now. 

The group photo was a neat time; I anticipate that it will be made available to the band of bloggers in the next few days.  Crossway books provided a free copy of Spiritual Birthline: Understanding How We Experince the New Birth by Stephen Smallman.  I will be reviewing this book in the near future, so be sure to check back for my review.  Thanks to Crossway and to Tim Challies, as I understand, for making this possible. 

What I mainly took away from this meeting was that we as Christians have a duty to be where the culture is.  We must not just be present - but present with the gospel of Jesus Christ.  We have a duty to blog with integrity and with Truth.  This sounds simple, but meeting culture where they are at is the task of every believer.  It is suppossed to be simple for this is the gospel!

T4G BoBF:  Today is the Band of Bloggers Fellowship!  Timmy Brister has been hard at work organizing this event.  He announced yesterday that Band of Bloggers will have their own website/group blog.  This will be an interesting event this afternoon - one that I eagerly anticipate.

Personal Note:  I will be attending the Together for the Gospel Conference here in Louisville today through Friday.  I will not be posting much of anything over the next few days, aside from my notes of the conference.  These will be posted as I have a chance.  Tim Challies will be liveblogging from the conference.  As you know, he is about the best for this when it comes to what is trying to be accomplished.  Check his site often for notes from the event.

Worship with the Beatles:  Tom Ascol over at the Founder’s blog has an interesting post regarding a Lutheran church with an overly seeker sensitive bent.

Tim Challies has announced his new project!! He has purchased the old Discerning Reader domain name and opened a new book review website. Please note that this Discerning Reader is NOT affiliated with the old one in any way.

Head on over to the Discerning Reader and check it out! There is already an amazing amount of information there and it will only continue to exponentially grow. Thanks to Tim and his team for this great resource!

The Liberty of Obedience written by Elisabeth Elliot has just now made my Must Reads for Every Christian.  Yes, I know, the book is not up there just yet - but that is a work in progress.  The list on this site is not representative of the list that I actually posses.  When papers are completed and my final examination is over - that will be remedied. 

This book (all 95 pages) is an easy read.  The average reader could read it in just over an hour.  Do not let its size control your thoughts regarding its impact.  It has a simple message - yet it packs a powerful punch for application in everyday Christian life.

This book was first printed in 1968, although the edition that I have was printed in 1978 by Word Books Publishers in Waco, TX.  This book is still available today and you may purchase a copy for yourself at a very reasonable price by clicking here.  Now, to the meat of the message.

This book is about maturity in Christ….obviously a much needed topic of instruction with today’s average Christian.  This maturity in Christ, that Mrs. Elliot instructs each reader, was born out of the time that she spent living among the very people who killed her husband, Jim Elliot.  Both Jim and Elisabeth were missionaries in Ecuador to the Waodoni tribe.  Jim along with four other men were killed in January of 1956 by “savages,” that have since come to know the grace of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

In this book, Mrs. Elliot deals with four statements regarding maturity in Christ:

1. What is meant by the appearance of evil?
2. All things are yours.
3. The highest form of sevice.
4. Maturity: the power to discern.

In the foreward, we are told how this book came to be:

For a whole year I watched and learned and kept my mouth shut. I had to keep my mouth shut most of the time because I did not know the Auca language. For once, I listened and had nothing to say. It was a valuable excercise, and although the language itself was highly complex, the definition of my task was simple: learn it.

What is contained in The Liberty of Obedience is born out of her experience among a people whom she thought she knew, yet had no clue who they actually were.  People whom she was told (and maybe in the back of her mind believed) were savages.  People whom she might had already informed preconceived ideas concerning their sinfulness.  Yet when living among them, she learned that virtues were present and active in their society, maybe much more so than the “Christian” society that she grew up in.  So the question came….”How do I, through Jesus Christ, lead these people to maturity in Christ?” 

In her first chapter, “What is meant by the appearance of evil?”, the author takes on this very issue of common good among such a “savage” people.  I can see this chapter having profound implication on many of my thoughts and actions.  This impact may come greatest in the issue of the principle of the weaker brother.  Mrs. Elliot says:

He [God] alone knows, in any given case, whether the individual has honestly considered what others may think, and whether that consideration has affected the action….Decisions must be made in the integrity of the heart before God - with an unselfish attention to our brother’s good and the glory of God.

There are discussions within evangelicalism today that I will not name, but may come to your mind.  These discussions, while they have a high theological content, and may even be correct, theologically, have lost a pragmatic grasp due to theological arrogance.  We as Christians may need to regain a loving understanding of the principle of the weaker brother. 

The second chapter is a wonderful discussion about what is worldly verses what is heavenly and has wonderful application to what makes things sinful.  The third chapter is at the heart of servant leadership, I believe.  The chapter, “The Highest Form of Service,” is a discussion from Scripture regarding spiritual gifting and serving God with the gifts that He gave you.  Sometimes, a believer wants to do what they believe are great things for God while ingnoring what He has equipped and placed them for.  the highest form of sevice that we can do in our worship to God is serving in and with the capacity that He has gifted us for - no other way - just the way He has made us for His purpose.

The last chapter, “Maturity: The Power to Discern,” is a wonderful discussion regarding how we sometimes incorrectly use Scripture to support our own positions.  This is at the heart of the discussion, anyway.  The only negative that I have about the book is that Mrs. Elliot uses several different translations when quoting Scripture.  To me, this provides some discontinuity in the flow of the book.  Yet it does not subtract from its impact.  Remember, the book was first written in 1968.  It is an oldy but a goody.

Happy reading…

Personal Note:  I apologize for the silence over the weekend.  I was away from a constant internet connection.  One does not realize how refreshing that is!!  It is good to be back, though!  I am looking forward to the T4G conference beginning Wednesday. 

Family News:  I want to wish a happy belated birthday to my sister-in-law.  She turned 24 on Sunday the 23rd.  I met her when she was 12, so she is more like a little sister than a sister-in-law.  Too bad she can’t get the free CHILD’S Shoney’s breakfast bar anymore!! 

Encouraging News for Owen County and the “Elk Lickers”:  The Owenton News-Herald ran a story this past week informing of the growth of new homes in Owen County.  The great news is that most of these new home permits are requested by people moving into the county.  Great, encouraging news for the saints who serve the Risen Savior of Elk Lick Baptist Church. 

 

Birthday Greetings:  Happy Birthday to my little neice, Peyton.  She turns three years old today!  Happy Birthday Peyton!

Family News:  My cousin, Marshall, has produced a public service announcement with his classmates for PBS.  His class placed third in the contest - congrats to him!  You can learn more about the project here and you can view the PSA here.

Pastor-Theologian:  Dr. Albert Mohler has been running a commentary this week on the issue of Pastor-Theologian.  It is a wonderful read and I highly recommend it to any and all pastors. 

T4G BofBF:  Make sure to check out Provocations and Pantings for more uppdates concening the Band of Bloggers Fellowship coming up on Wednesday afternoon.  This is going to be a wonderful event.

T4G BofBF:  Timmy Brister has been working hard on the T4G Band of Bloggers Fellowship.  Check out the exciiting announcement this morning from Provocations and Pantings.

News at SBTS: It seems as if Dembski will no longer be heading the new program at SBTS.  Check it out here.  (HT: Steve McCoy)

Humor:  Have you not always wanted one of these?  Not at the cost of being illegal, though!

I was reading some blogs while eating lunch (hey - I love to mult-task!), and ran across this entry over at Missional Baptist. I believe this goes directly with what I just posted about earlier concerning the issue of reformed doctrine in the SBC. Thanks to Steve McCoy for this very important reminder.

Enjoy!