Update on Sermon Posting

I'm finding it hard to upload my sermon manuscripts onto this blog. (Oy vey!) If your interested in hearing them, I recommend our podcast at somanorth.com.

Crackdown on Russian Protestants

Here's a New York Times aricle/video on the crackdown on russian protestantism.

This is exactly what the early church was experiencing under the Roman Empire. Early Romans saw the church as a mysterious religious sect known for their odd displays of religious affections. For instance, the Lord's Supper was misunderstood as cannibalism.

How did the early church overcome these stereotypes?

Answer: Good behavior.

This is the reason Paul and Peter continuously plead with early Christians to make a good name for themselves. (For instance,See Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:12-18) They knew that in order to overcome these crazy stereotypes Christians must prove to outsiders that they are actually model citizens.

Application: 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "...aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one."

in other news...

Elderly woman leads her car-jacker to Christ....



"For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." (1 Peter 2:21-25)

Piper on the Prosperity Gospel

A powerful video from our nations most powerful prophet... (runtime is less than 3 minutes)

Reformed Rap?

Shai Linne just dropped a new album called "Atonement" that's worth checking out at Amazon or iTunes. It's a jazz flavored rap with sermon excerpts weaved into his lyrics. If that's not novel enough, Shai's lyrics were greatly influenced by John Piper and C.J. Mahaney; thus, making his album as Christ-centered as they come. It's good listening for tea houses and the like.

Here's an excerpt of some of his lyrics from the track "The Gospel":

"...I get on the mic and speak of man's inability/
to get up to god on his own and cats aint feelin me/
man cheated on God like Bill did to Hillary..."

WHOA!

Ben Stein versus Evolution

I hope beyond hope this ends up in my local theater....

back in the saddle

I'm sorry that I've been absent from my blog for awhile. I broke the #1 rule to successful blog publishing - Don't stop blogging!

Anyway, these last two months have been crazy. (See engagement picture below.)

From here on out I will be blogging my sermon manuscripts as well as links to the audio. I hope that proves edifying to the people at somanorth.

Reactions to "60 Minutes" Joel Osteen Piece

Michael Spencer wrote a few thoughts on "60 Minutes" Joel Osteen piece. I found it insightful and humorous. (Note point #4: "Osteen is a Gospel preacher like Col. Sanders is an army officer.")

You can watch the actual interview here.

Has the Church replaced Israel?

Generally, there are two main theories regarding the Church's relationship to Israel. In replacement theology, the Church replaces Israel such that Israel will not be redeemed in the future. In dispensational theology, while God has a future for Israel, there is a distinction between Israel and the Church with no overlap.

From a survey of the Book of Romans we can learn that the truth lies in between these two theories.

Paul argues in chapters 5 - 8 of Romans that the blessings that belonged to Israel in the Old Testament are credited to the church. Through Jesus we have all the prerogatives of Israel: we are children of God, inheritors of the promise, God's elect people, imputed righteousness, and assured glorification.

It should be noted that the church at this time was made up of mostly gentiles, such that Christian Jews became a marginalized minority. Hence the following questions.

Have the promises simply been transferred to the church and is ethnic Israel left in the dark? And if God's promises to Israel have not come to fruition, then how can one be sure that the great promises made to the church will be fulfilled?

Ergo, the primary thrust of Romans 9 - 11. Here, Paul emphasizes God's faithfulness to Israel and to the gentiles, demonstrating that God's plan in history fulfills his promises.

He begins by arguing that salvation was never promised to every ethnic Israelite (Romans 9:6-29). God has decreed that a remnant of Israel will be saved and that Gentiles will enter into the church. Gentiles were adopted because they exercised faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah, whereas the Jews did not because they failed to see that he was the fulfillment to which the Old Testament pointed and because they attempted to establish their own righteousness based on their obedience to the Law (Romans 9:30-11:10).

Even though God has always worked with a remnant (Romans 11:1-10), the idea that the majority of Israel standing outside of God's promises can not be the last word since the Old Testament pledges a glorious future for Israel, and this is not fulfilled in a small remnant. Thus when Paul wrote Romans he affirms that the present state of Israel is not permanent, for the majority of them will not resist the gospel (Romans 11:11-26). Israel has only been set aside to let the fullness of the Gentiles into the Church, and the inclusion of the Gentiles will eventually provoke Israel to jealously leading to their salvation.

In sum, the Church, which is made of up mostly gentiles and a remnant of Jews, has been ascribed the promises to Israel, but one day the promises made to ethnic Israel will be fulfilled.

wealth & the Gospel

If you haven't read Ben Witherington, you should!

Here is an excerpt from his blog.

Memo to Mr. Osteen from John Wesley
"I fear, wherever riches have increased, the essence of religion has decreased in the same proportion. Therefore, I do not see how it is possible, in the nature of things, for any revival of religion to continue long. For religion must necessarily produce both industry and frugality, and these cannot but produce riches. But as riches increase, so will pride, anger, and love of the world in all its branches."

--- John Wesley (1703-1791).