Restitutio

What is true freedom?  We tend to think of freedom as the lack of restrictions so that we can do whatever we want.  However, I want to make the case that freedoms is not the lack of boundaries, but finding the right ones to enable us to be our best for God.  After God liberated the ancient Israelites form Egypt, they were free: politically, religiously, economically, etc.  However, they continued to distrust God and hold to an enslaved mindset.  We have much to learn from their example.

Notes:

Freedom: autonomy, independence, liberty, license, self-determination, self-governance, sovereignty

Exodus 3:7-8 God tells Moses His plans to deliver His people from slavery.

Exodus 6:5-8 God plans to rescue them so they can become His people and He can become their God.

Exodus 12:30-32 After the ten plagues, the Egyptians released the Israelites.

Exodus 14:27-31 God splits the Red Sea and then destroys the Egyptian army, freeing His people once and for all.

Exodus 16:2-4 Remember sitting by the meat pots and eating bread to the full?

Numbers 11:4-6 Remember the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic of Egypt?

Numbers 14:1-4 Let’s choose a leader and go back to Egypt!

Numbers 20:4-5 Why have you made us come up out of Egypt?

1 Corinthians 10:1-14 Let’s learn from their example and not desire evil or give ourselves to idolatry.

Hebrews 3:7-4:2 Do you trust God? The issue comes down to belief.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” —Jesus (Mt 11:28-30)

What do you believe about baptism?  In this interview, I ask Ken LaPrade, a house church pastor in El Paso, Texas and Juarez, Mexico, to share his baptism journey.  Coming from a Way International background, LaPrade learned that spirit baptism had replaced water.  As a result he had interpreted the water baptisms in Acts to be incidents where the apostles held to an outdated methodology.  Apparently, they had not realized that spirit baptism had replaced water.  However, when LaPrade went back through the book of Acts, he failed to detect any negative remarks about baptism in water.  He started to see how baptism in water and spirit actually went together in several conversion narratives in Acts.  After careful study and much prayer, LaPrade decided to take the plunge himself and was surprised when he received significant physical healing as well.  Whether you accept baptism or not, please take the time to consider LaPrade’s humble and honest-hearted approach to this important issue.

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In this vintage message, Sir Anthony Buzzard makes the case that the gospel Jesus preached was about the kingdom. Although Jesus remains incredibly popular all around the world today, his message remains obscured even among many sincere followers. How can we call ourselves Christians if we are ignorant of Christ’s proclamation?  The kingdom is not living in heaven nor is it a clever way of talking about the church or Jesus reigning in your heart. Rather, it refers to the age when Jesus returns to fulfill all the prophecies of the Hebrew bible, bringing wholeness, judgement, and God’s reign to our world. We’ve substituted the gospel of Jesus for a gospel about Jesus. Of course, we don’t want to lose out the magnificent truths of his death and resurrection, but we dare not re-contextualize these within an overall scheme that defies Jesus’ kingdom announcement. According to Jesus, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Mt 24.14).  How can we hope to be faithful to Jesus’ commissioning here, unless we recover and proclaim “this gospel of the kingdom” that Jesus preached?

How are you at handling conflict?  Do you withdraw and avoid conflict at any cost?  Do you rush in headlong, eager to set the other person straight?  Are you a compromiser who looks at everything like a contract where both parties inevitably have to make trade-offs to get some advantage?  As with so many really important aspects of life, we rarely receive any instruction on how to confront one another or deal with conflict in a constructive manner.  In this episode, Dr. Jerry Wierwille reviews David Augsburger’s book Caring Enough To Confront, which will help you learn which of the four main postures towards conflict you hold as well five helpful strategies to help you improve your skills.

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The gospel is the message we believe in that results in immortality (2 Tim 1.7-10).  If I were the devil, I would target the gospel message so that even if some Christians rustled up the courage to actually share it with others, they’d have a distorted or partial message.  In fact, scripture tells us that the god of this world blinds the minds of unbeliever to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel (2 Cor 4.4)!  We cannot just go along with the flow of evangelical or Catholic Christianity.  We need to examine the scriptures to see what the original gospel was.  When we do this, we discover a radically different message from what we hear on radio, TV, and in most churches today.  In this message I make the case for a gospel with a minimum of three elements: the kingdom, the cross, and the resurrection.  Take away or alter one of these and you no longer have the whole gospel.

Notes and Links:

Does Amos 9.11-15 seem strange to you?

Two Major Problems

Importance of Getting the Gospel Right

Three Elements

Four Reasons the Kingdom Matters

Satan attacks the believing of the gospel (2 Corinthians 4.3-4; Matthew 13.19; Luke 8.12)

But just knowing isn’t enough!

What is the gospel?  Growing up, Jacob Rohrer heard about Jesus dying for his sins so he could go to heaven.  However, he’s come to see that this way of thinking is not only wrong, but goes against what Jesus himself taught.  Listen in to Rohrer as he explains the five elements of the gospel, including (1) repentance, (2) kingdom, (3) Jesus’ death, (4) Jesus’ resurrection, and (5) obedience to Jesus.  You may be surprised to discover that the gospel you received is not the whole message.

Jacob Rohrer is a 2015 graduate of the Atlanta Bible College who is currently interning at Cornerstone in Gatesville, Texas.

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We hear a particular narrative over and over: “Gay teen courageously comes out to Christian parents and faces consequences.” This is the hero’s journey of the early 21st century. From gay pride marches to hit songs to movies and TV shows, this story is ubiquitous in our culture. For example, I used to listen to the Moth podcast and heard story after story championing the gay lifestyle and supporting the choice to live “out and proud.” In the hundreds of stories I listened to, not once did I ever hear a story of someone who came to Christ, even though it is a much more common occurrence. It’s hard not to absorb the impression that LGBTQ folks are courageous and tolerant while Christians, especially bible-believing ones, are repressive and unloving. However, could it be that there’s an alternative narrative that few are hearing?

Caleb Katenbach has an interesting story. He grew up with two moms and learned to hate Christians. However, when he unexpectedly became a Christian in high school, he had to “come out of the closet” to his moms. Were they supportive? Did they embrace his new sense of identity? Did they accept him for following his heart? No! They kicked him out and expressed intolerance. Of course, his story doesn’t end there. Listen to this fine interview between Darrell Bock and Caleb Kaltenbach to learn both how we as Christians need to repent as well a how we can reach the LGBTQ community.

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Dr. Joe Martin has taught at the Atlanta Bible College for over 25 years. He’s worked as an adjunct professor, full-time professor, academic dean, and the president. In this interview he talks about his favorite class to teach, his greatest challenge as a teacher, and his advice to those interested in going into ministry. He shares several stories about God’s mighty provision during his tenure as president, including one incident when he marched the staff around the building for seven days in prayer before a mighty miracle happened. His endearing spirit and passionate heart come through in this conversation along with his bold faith.

“I will live and die by the simplicity of the word of God rather than orthodox credal systems.”  –Joe Martin

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Did you make any new year’s resolutions this year? We are now three weeks into 2017 and I bet many of us have already reverted to our old ways. However, what I want to propose here is not a new habit or a trick to stop an old one. Rather, I want to encourage you to adopt a particular perspective. Whether you gain weight or lose it, whether you go to bed early or stay up late, whether you get consistent with flossing or not, everything you do can and should be done to the glory of God. What’s more, living with this perspective doesn’t mean you have to give up pleasure. In fact, just the opposite is true. When we live for God’s glory, we can enjoy our lives more than ever before.

Notes and Links:

“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty, and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever…4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.” — Jonathan Edwards (c. 1720)

1 Corinthians 10.31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647)

1 Corinthians 10.31 Do all to the glory of God

Judges 6-7 God’s whittling down of Gideon’s army provides us a prime example of how important it is to God that he receives proper glory for what he does. He could have worked with thousands, but then they would have thought they had won the victory because of their own military prowess.

1 Peter 4.11 In everything we should give God glory through Jesus Christ. This is not limited to when we are here on Sundays or at other fellowships, but our whole lives.

Matthew 6.1-18 Jesus teaches us about doing righteous deeds for God not people

Romans 16.27 To God be glory forevermore

Ephesians 3.21 To God be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus

Philippians 1.11 Righteousness comes through Jesus to the glory and praise of God

1 Thessalonians 2.4 We speak not to please people but God who tests our hearts

Jesus made his whole life about glorifying God

How to glorify God in 2017: Love God and Love People!

Joe and Rebekah Martin have labored for twenty years in Africa to bring the gospel and humanitarian aid to some of the poorest people in the world.  They minister primarily in Malawi and Mozambique, though the work in Kenya is now gaining traction as well.  In this interview, you’ll hear how a single tract led to one believing family, which eventually resulted in more than 450 churches, 20 years later!  In addition, the Martins share several stories of what they’ve seen God do in the missionary field.  They’ve run missions trips virtually every summer with other pastors and students.  I went myself (with Ruth) back in 2004.  Now that they’ve reached the age for retirement, they’ve purchased a house in Malawi so they can spend even more time there each year.

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