Treading on MY High Places

    Though the fig tree should not blossom,
        nor fruit be on the vines,
    the produce of the olive fail
        and the fields yield no food,
    the flock be cut off from the fold
        and there be no herd in the stalls,
    yet I will rejoice in the LORD;
        I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
    GOD, the Lord, is my strength;
        he makes my feet like the deer's;
        he makes me tread on my high places.
    To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.
(Habakkuk 3:17-19 ESV, emphasis mine)

There are few better examples of faith in all of Scripture.  Though his eyes do not see victory Habakkuk is going to keep hanging on.  And I don’t think this should necessarily be interpreted through our 21st century-everything-is-gonna-work-out-in-this-life lenses either. I think the redemption that Habakkuk is looking for is one that he will not see fully in his own lifetime.  Just like us real redemption will be found another day.

In reading through this passage earlier today I noticed something about the text that I have never noticed before.  I have not found any commentaries or any other places that have really commented on this and so I’m a tad fearful of throwing out something new fangled that is nothing close to Habakkuk’s meaning.  Yet, I will venture on because even if it was clearly shown that this cannot be proven from this verse I believe it’s sound theologically. 

Notice in the bold section that Habakkuk says he makes me tread on “my” high places.  The use of the possessive there is what caught my attention.  Habakkuk did not simply say “high places” but my high places.  Habakkuk’s high places may be different than my high places.  For some merely lifting your head in the morning and being able to go the grocery store is a great victory and “treading on my high places”.  For others their “high place” is far more lofty.

This reminds me of some very wise words by Jared Wilson in his book Gospel Wakefulness:

No two people feel the same way.  Some of us are more emotive than others; some are naturally more reserved; some are naturally more excitable…What gospel wakefulness presupposes is that wherever a person tops out emotionally, they do so at the gospel…what should move you most is the reality that Christ died and rose for you.  (147-48)

Habakkuk isn’t called to tread on my high places.  Gospel-infused faith causes him to tread on his high places not necessarily mine. 

We have to minister to people where they are and not necessarily where they ought to be.  For some people growth in grace might mean working up enough nerve to make a phone call to order a pizza.  For others such a task is nothing close to a definition of treading on high places.  Both ought to be celebrated as blood-bought faith! 

The King Will Rescue Thee

It is National Poetry Month. I love to read poetry and I love to write it. I'm not sure I am all that good at either but it's still a joy that I have.

John Newton used to write a hymn/poem after many of his sermons. It has been a desire to do that myself. I've done it twice. You can read Newton's here: Olney Hymns. Here is a poem I wrote in response to a sermon on Zechariah that I preached.

The King Will Rescue Thee
Based on Zechariah 9:9-13

Prisoners held by foreign hand
with chains of oppression
We drown in the pit of strange land
another’s possession

Come, O King, set us free
keep us out of wars dread
No rescue in sight do we see
we will wait on deaths bed

In the distance barely to see
the King is forth coming
Prisoners of hope shout for glee
his beauty is numbing

Rescued we are from foreign rule
yet still we are not free
Bitter irony that tastes cruel
the slave master was me.

Prisoners captive by laws writ,
with chains of mock freedom
We drown in the waterless pit
kings of our own kingdom

Come, O King, set us free
break the chains of sins sway
No rescue in sight do we see
we sink in miry clay.

In the distance barely to see,
the King to come for us
but this time on Calvary’s tree
where he will pardon thus

Blood of freedom flows from his vein
doth cover the sin of thee
King forever always to reign
has cleansed you and me

Jesus, the King, ever to be
Will ye ask Him to rescue thee?

The Promised King

Last night we completed our series on the Minor Prophets. As we reviewed each one of these prophets we saw that each is looking to something greater. Every book leaves us with nagging questions. It is almost impossible to paint a compelling enough picture for you of the heart and longing the Jewish people had for their coming Messiah. Therefore, when we look at the baby in the manger we are not filled with relief, excitement, wonder, and thankfulness at the long-awaited King.

The sermon is in only a little better than outline form, but you can find it here. Simeon knew that he held in his arms the Promised King. As the holiday season approaches we too must see Jesus as the Promised King.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, “Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”
And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:25-35)

The Message of Zechariah I

Last night was rough! We were down in attendance, we were not able to do music, and it seemed as if half our listeners were going to sleep. What is the most disappointing about all of that is that this is one of the most important messages that you will ever hear. Not that my delivery of it or really even the sermon itself is the most important but the topic is vital to everything that we do. Perhaps our lack of feeling a deep burden like John Bunyan keeps us from clinging to the gospel of grace with as much passion as we need to. It is my hope that you will read over this sermon and that the Holy Spirit might use it to preach the gospel to your heart--that's our only hope! The full text of the sermon can be found here.

The Message of Malachi

Last night we finished our next to last book on the Minor Prophets--Malachi. We will be doing two messages on Zechariah and then sum it all up with a Christmas message on the Promised King. Then we will kick the New Year off by starting a series on "Being Godly Men and Women". But until then lets take a look back at Malachi.

We listed six different marks of indifference and then gave suggestions on how to battle them.

1. When you are questioning God’s love for you focus on His electing love in redemption.
2. When you are engaging in half-hearted worship focus on God’s awesome character.
3. When you are struggling with infidelity guard yourselves and do not be faithless
4. When you are questioning God’s justice focus on His past fulfillments and future promises
5. When you are selfishly giving half-hearted devotion focus on the storehouse of God’s pleasures.
6. When you lose hope and feel like giving up look to your future redemption or judgment

For all of the details you can find the sermon here: Battling Indifference While We Wait

The Message of Nahum

Our attendance was down on Wednesday. It's really sad that people had to miss, some where sick, some had birthdays, some had other affections, some had things they had to do that could not be rescheduled. Nonetheless, our attendance was down and many missed a good service. For those of you who want updated and to know what was preached here is the sermon notes. You missed out on a little bit though because there were a few sections that were preached a little different than originally written.
I love how Nahum starts with the character. He is going to talk about the judgment of God upon Nineveh but he wants Judah to know, and probably Nineveh as well, that everything is happening because of the character of God. So that is what our sermon was about the character of God and the reason for our salvation. You can read the sermon here. Enjoy!

Jonah and the Gospel

Wednesday night we were challenged to allow the gospel to go deeper. In fact we were challenged to do everything we can to drive the gospel deeper by pursuing some of the classic spiritual disciplines. We noted that these disciplines are not the goal. The best way to honor a water pipe (if that were your desire) would be to enjoy the water it brings. The same way with the disciplines the best way to honor the disciplines is to enjoy the water (Jesus) that it brings. But again all of these must be clothed in grace. If you really want to here a solid sermon about this I would suggest listening to this sermon by Jonathan McIntosh: How Change Works
I also am a little reluctant to use the phrase "allow the gospel" or "allow God". Perhaps if you have that same aversion what a dear pastor friend said to me might help. After asking him in what way is it appropriate to use the phrase "allow the gospel" he responded thus:

"I'll try a quick, 2-part answer.
#1. As often happens, part of answer comes down to semantics. Just how exteme are we defining "allow"? Which seques into second part.
#2. Colossians 3:15-16 tell us to "let the peace of Christ rule....let the word of Christ
dwell...." Obviously we cannot stop these things if God chooses to force them on us -nor- can we make them happen if chooses to deny. We let these thing happen in our lives by a). Not doing things which impede or hamper and by b). doing things which promote them.

Illustration.....I plant corn in my garden and 'let' it grow.I let it grow in several ways. I fertilize, weed, and water. I also let it grow by not tromping it down or uprooting it. I don't cause the growth, but I can have a part in letting (allowing) it to grow in healthier, more productive way."

This illustration and statement really helped me. We "let the word of Christ dwell" by not hampering it's growth and by doing things which promote them. Such as the disciplines we talked about Wednesday night.

You can view the sermon from Wednesday night here: The Gospel According to Jonah

This one is a little rough and could probably use a better title. When actually delivering it keep in mind that I changed much of the introduction and the conclusion was a little more full. Also I realize that this sermon could probably be adapted to many stories in Scripture. We could look at the story of David and Bathsheba, Peter denying Jesus, Simon in Acts 8; pretty much anywhere that you find a sin narrative you could adapt this sermon. If you feel a little cheated (since I did not do my typical expository style) on studying Jonah perhaps some of our Sunday School lessons from the summer on Jonah would help: The Consequence of Defiance; Jonah: The Reluctant Prophet. Sadly, those are the only two out of the four that have been preserved, and they are a little rough still. If you are still having a Jonah itch that needs scratched I would suggest listening to Arturo Azurdia's series--the best preaching on Jonah I have ever heard. The Jonah sermons are about a third of the way down.

The Message of Obadiah

I am not sure that I will be posting the sermon from last night. I might in the future whenever I am able to work out a few of the kinks. To be honest after I went home I felt really sour about the sermon. I was afraid that I communicated the wrong thing. My hope in asking, "Does God have enemies" was to cause us to think about what it was like when we were God's enemy or for those who do not know Him to realize they are in a dangerous spot. I hope that was conveyed and perhaps it was--but I went home thinking I could have communicated that truth more effectively. I understand that one of the things that I said might be confusing but I still stick beside it. I really do believe that the Word of God reveals that God not only hates sin (as an outward expression) but also the sinner (an inward condition), but on top of this we can also say at the same time that God loves the sinner. I do not understand all of the complexities of God.
If you are curious as to my stance here are a few other places you can look:

Does God Hate Anyone?--CARM
Does God Love the Sinner and Hate the Sin?--John H. Gerstner (Excellent)
If you are absolutely distraught on this I would suggest buying and reading D.A. Carson's excellent work: The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God

Another one of the reasons I felt uneasy has to deal with a website I visited the day before preaching this sermon. I stumbled upon the site of Westboro Baptist Church of whom maybe you have heard about on the news. These are the "Christians" who picket funerals and hold up signs such as "God hates fags" and "Thank God for (insert present disaster here)". The site made me weep because they are proclaiming a half truth. They too believe that God hates the sinner...but where they falter is that they hate the sinner. Not realizing that they are incapable of the righteous and holy anger of God. They are ungentle and unloving and feel that they are being biblical in doing so. Therefore, I had a fear that what I was preaching could potentially convey that. We should take the path that Jesus Christ took and love our enemies. We should love sinners. John Piper wrote an excellent article that I think you should view: Do I Not Hate Those who Hate You?

Also there has been a request for the full text of Jonathan Edwards' sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, just click on the link and you will find it.

The Message of Haggai

Wednesday you were challenged to not waste your life. I sincerely hope that the Lord spoke to you in this. One of the great tragedies of our day is that we are plauged by "good things". Especially in Christendom. We have our Christian CD's, our Christian movies, our Christian books, etc., and the whole while we waste our lives spent on these "good things" and are never missional nor more importantly do we have deep vibrant relationships with Jesus. My hope and prayer for not only you, but also myself, is that we might have a single passion to live by. Let us not throw away our lives! Here is the full text to the sermon on Haggai: Consider Your Ways

The Message of Habbakuk

I realize that I did it again...waited about a week or two to post. I apologize! It is a bad spiral that I would love to climb out of. I want many of you to come to our website--I put lots of work into it then very few show up. So, I get discouraged and do not update it. But, how can I expect it to grow if those of you who do come are not filled with the Word? Why would you come back. Therefore, I am going to make it a discipline to try to post at least something every week day. Here is the message from two Wednesday's ago on Habakkuk--When God Doesn't Make Sense

The Message of Zephaniah

I just realized it has been an entire week since I have written anything! Sorry. I guess if I expect people to visit then I need to update more. Last night we spoke on the Prophet Zephaniah and talked about God dancing over us because of what He has done in our lives through His Son. To be honest with you I do not think I feel the full weight of this message--I feel as if I did an insufficient job of presenting the message of Zephaniah. However, I trust in the fact that the Lord is sovereign and that He uses His word to accomplish His set purposes. With that being said here is the link to the sermon, The Dancing Surgeon.

The Message of Hosea

It astounds me how often the Lord works most in sermons that I feel went the worst. Last night I felt really flat and as if I were not preaching with the passion that I needed to. It is amazing the power that God has in his Word. I have had a fair amount of people say that the Lord spoke to them last night and that they were really blessed. The message of the prophet Hosea is very powerful!

Here is the sermon from last night: Loving Prostitutes

Keep looking on the page to find a link to your blogs...those should be updated. Also, if you read this before tonight don't forget that you are invited to the Office Party at my house!

Sin Boldly?!?!?!

Last night we gave you an interesting challenge: to sin boldly. Ripped from it's context saying such a thing can be outright heresy. But if you really grasp what it means to sin boldly in it's context then the gospel will be magnified in your life. If you view the uncut sermon, What if I stumble?, then you will not find the illustration of the father who spanked his child (ex. our bearing the Father's indignation) and then moments later hugged the crying child (ex. our Father's picking us up in our chastisement). I also would like to point your attention to two John Piper sermon's based on Micah 7:7-9: When I Fall, I Will Rise and Piper's controversial Passion07 message on Dealing with the Guilt of Sexual Failure for the Glory of Christ and His Global Cause.

But just in case you don't feel like reading all of that...you can catch a glimpse of what we mean by sin boldly by reading Luther's quote:

“If you are a preacher of grace, then preach a true and not a fictitious grace; if grace is true, you must bear a true and not a fictitious sin. God does not save people who are only fictitious sinners. Be a sinner and sin boldly,  but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for he is victorious over sin, death, and the world. As long as we are here [in this world]  we have to sin. This life is not the dwelling place of righteousness,  but, as Peter says,  we look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. It is enough that by the riches of God’s glory we have come to know the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world.  No sin will separate us from the Lamb, even though we commit fornication and murder a thousand times a day. Do you think that the purchase price that was paid for the redemption of our sins by so great a Lamb is too small? Pray boldly—you too are a mighty sinner.”[1]

Hopefully we will have a new Who Am Eye sometime either tonight or tomorrow, a new poll, and a new devotion on Jude. Also, do not forget to memorize the verse of the week!

[1] Did Luther really say, Be a sinner and sin boldly? Cited from an Article written by James Swan.

Does God Care?

Sorry it has taken a few days to get the latest sermon online, i have actually been quite sick. Wednesday we asked the question, "does God care?" The answer is a resounding yes! That is both a comforting and terrifying thing. It is comforting because it means God cares about all of our hurts, needs, struggles, etc. It is terrifying because it also means that God cares about our sin. I hope that you walked out of Wednesday night with the realization of how deep and wide the love of God is for us. He truly does care about you. I also hope that you have a deep burden for your own sin and are struck with a fear of the God who judges. Ultimately we know that our sin was judged and the wrath of God was poured out on the Cross. As always our only hope is Christ--let us run fervently to Him.

The sermon in a very uncut form can be found at Does God Care? The Message of the Prophet Amos

I hope to post another Jude devotion on Monday.

Is God in control of evil?--The God of Amos

This is an incredibly fitting time for this sermon (the 6 year anniversary of 9/11). Wednesday night we are going to ask the question, "Does God care"? The resounding answer, of course, will be yes. But, there is something fundamental behind this that we must deal with. If you read the blog you will have a benefit over those who do not. Amos 3:6 says, "Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?"

The answer that Amos is looking for is "NO". It is in the midst of many questions of such that are obvious "NO" answers. So what Amos is saying is this, "If disaster comes to a city the Lord has done it". This flies in the face of much contemporary evangelicalism explanations for the "problem of evil", or explanations for "why do bad things happen". It is quite eye-opening to see different approaches to this. I challenge you to read this article from a theolgoy professor at Baylor University: Greg Olson and one by author and pastor of Bethlehem Baptist: John Piper. Ask yourself, "which of these offers more hope"? Piper, I believe, also does an effective job of displaying the biblical position in his Response to Rabbi Kushner.

How then does Amos' statement offer us hope and answer the question, "Does God care"? If we neuter God and say things like, "maybe God is in charge but not in control" as Olson does, then we are stripped of our hope. If God is not big enough to stop a bridge collapse then what hope do I have? How can I have any security? If God is not big enough to keep a bridge up then is He big enough to keep me until the end? If God is not "in control" then who is? Does it really comfort me to know that "it's because of my sin and free will" that bad stuff happens and that God would really like to overcome it but He has limited himself? Or is it more comforting (and more importantly more biblical) to say along with Job, "though He slay me yet will I trust Him". Is it comforting to cry out to God along with Hosea, "Come let us return to the Lord; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up".

Our only hope is in a big sovereign God that is both good and in control...even of evil. I understand this might make it sound like we are saying God is evil. It is difficult to discern and understand how God can be "in control" of evil and yet not be evil. But that is what the Bible has left us with--these are the cards we have been dealth--this is who God is and what He has revealed let us rejoice that God is good and that God is powerful and in control. He is able to save, He is able to keep us!

Will You Be Saved?

I hate when I do this. One paragraph, but I wish I hadn't left it out of the sermon Wednesday night. I think that perhaps it would have made it a little more practical and inspiring. Here is the paragraph:

So what do you do, when you find yourself in the midst of despair? Repent and cry to God for mercy. Call on Him to help you in times of trouble. Repent and turn to the Lord. I love the great mercy of the Lord. Listen to 2:12-14, “Yet even now [that means in the midst of this judgment] return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him…?”

As I read this, I am wondering how long has it been since we at FBC New London have turned to God with all of our heart? How long has it been since we fasted, since we deprived ourselves of material blessings because God is sweeter than anything? How long has it been since we really mourned? How long has it been since we have been absolutely broken for our sin? How long has it been since we have actually shed a tear for our sin and lack of love for the Lord? What does it mean to rend our hearts and not our garments? It means to not just pretend like we are broken but that we are actually broken, and repentance and obedience follow!

How hungry are you for God today? The locust invasion made Joel hungry, but not just for food, it made him hungry for the living God. May the Lord have grace on us to make us hungry!
Furthermore, I also want you to think about the closing words I gave you. "What would it be like if rather than expending all of our energy on trying to be accepted by God (which we already are in Christ) we would expend all of our energies on worship?" Oh! That we might be broken and thankful today!

In case you want to read the full text of the sermon you can find it here:
http://uncutsermons.blogspot.com/2007/09/will-you-be-saved-message-of-prophet.html