Knowing Christ 2:10 PM

 

When I was in grade school I collected baseball cards.  My favorite baseball player was Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers. I knew very well that he was the 1988 World Series MVP, earned the 1988 Cy Young Award, received the 1988 Golden Glove award, had 59 consecutive scoreless innings and was known as the 'bulldog.'  I had over 100 different baseball cards of Orel, a book and pictures.  I knew a lot about Orel but ultimately did not know Orel.  He had never met me, he never approached me, called me or wrote me.

The reason why I share this story is that I had a conversation a while back with an individual who was reflecting on their Christian walk.  They said to me, "Pastor Matt, it seems to me that I knew a lot about Christ but I really didn't know Christ."  How can it be possible to know a lot about someone and simply not know them?

In C.F.W. Walther's book, Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible, we read, "What good is it if someone tells me: 'There is a great treasure.  Go get it!  All you have to do is haul it off,' yet he does not tell me where the treasure is, how to get there, what methods to use to get it.  Then I would say, 'Enough of your foolish talk about your treasure!'" Walther goes on to comment about some preachers that employ this, “…a preacher might say, ’Here I have a treasure,’ yet he does not put the treasure plainly before them or give them the key to unlock it.  Then what good would this treasure be to them?  They lock up the treasure in front of us that they ought to lay plainly before us…  They preach the existence of a treasure in fine terms and then take away the key and bridge that would put me in possession of the treasure.”[1]

What Walther is expounding on is the grave error in renouncing or withholding the means by which we obtain Christ.  In other words, Walther is pointing out that many in the church over the ages have spoken a lot about Christ but failed in delivering the Christ.  Christ and the Gospel are pointed out, explained, but then the recipient is essentially told, “now go get Him.” 

What are the ramifications of denying the means by which one obtains Christ and His benefits?  What are the consequences of confessing Christ crucified but then telling one, “good luck finding Christ; good luck acquiring this salvation.”  Essentially, this results in a person knowing a lot about Christ and in effect not knowing Him.  Furthermore and tragically, the Gospel is placed within a framework of Law.  “Here is the glorious treasure.  Now, all you have to do is find it, then go get it and figure out how to haul it off.”  All of a sudden the good news isn’t so good anymore.

In the CLBA statement of faith it states, “The knowledge and benefit of Christ’s redemption from sin is brought to the human race through the means of grace, namely the Word and sacraments.”  
  
What grand news that our God and Savior not only accomplished salvation for us but also delivers it to us!  Salvation has been accomplished (past tense) and is continually delivered to us (present tense).  No having to look!  No having to ascend to God to acquire it!  No having to concoct a strategy to harness and haul off this salvation!  Simply delivered to us!  Simply brought to us!  Simply received by us through faith!  This is my body and blood given for you for the remission of your sins.[2]  Your sins have been washed away.[3]  God has reconciled you to Himself through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.[4]  As a close friend of mine once said, “salvation was achieved by Christ, delivered to us by the means and received through faith.  Achieved, Delivered, Received!”  Now this is good news!

We personally possess Christ and all the benefits of Calvary through the Word and sacraments; therefore, we not only know about Christ but also get to know Christ personally.  We know about the treasure of salvation and we also get to personally enjoy it. 

I am still waiting for my personal visit or maybe that phone call from Orel Hershiser, but in the mean time, I get to enjoy Christ and the benefits of His redemption as they are continually brought to me.

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[1] C.F.W. Walther, Law and Gospel: How to Read and Apply the Bible (Concordia Publishing, 2010), 179-180.

[2] See Matthew 26:27-28

[3] See Titus 3:5; Acts 22:16

[4] See Romans 1:16, 10:17

The Gospel Coalition 2011 2:33 PM

Last year me and my buddy Tony got to go to The Gospel Coalition biennial conference in Chicago. Tim Keller, D.A. Carson, John Piper and a whole host of others preached through 2 Timothy, and needless to say, it was quite remarkable. So I was thrilled this morning when I saw that they have just announced their next conference in 2011!

The Conference will be held again in Chicago (Downtown), and this time their will be over 50 speakers from all different denominations being brought in to talk about how to preach Christ from the Old Testament (Professor Soenksen are you interested yet?). The title of the conference is, "They testify about me: Preaching Christ and the Gospel from the Old Testament," and the dates are April 12-14.

Check out the video below as Tim Keller and D.A. Carson talk about what to expect at this year's event:

What's Wrong With The World? 1:56 PM

When a newspaper posed the question "What's Wrong with the World?" G.K. Chesterton wrote a brief letter in response:

"Dear Sirs: I am. Sincerely Yours, G.K. Chesterton."

- from Tim Keller's "The Prodigal God"

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

-Paul (1 Timothy 1:15)

Online Audio Bible Commentary 4:03 PM

Here is a great online audio commentary on the Bible from KFUO Radio.

It was recommended to me by a fellow colleague.

The Address and Link is:

http://kfuoam.org/BS_Main.htm
 

This resource is now my new best friend!  I can download the 50 minute MP3 for the upcoming sermon and listen to it while driving or on my MP3 player. One can spend time preparing for a sermon, bible study or simple receive from the word when he/she is on the go.  

Simply look to the bottom right side to the archive section to find the text that you would like.

Yes, I Am A Lazy Christian... 3:49 PM

Several years ago I received the criticism from a parishioner that I was a ‘Lazy Christian.’  They gave me this label in regards to my views on the doctrine of sanctification, the living out of this Christian life.  At first this stung my deeply rooted ambition of workaholism, however, as I gave it some thought I can recall sitting back in my chair and a small smile came over me as I said to myself, “Thank you for the compliment!”

Lutherans are often accused of being weak on sanctification, being weak on their focus of living out the Christian life.  Lutherans have also been accused throughout the ages of not even having a doctrine of sanctification.  I believe the reason for these criticisms is pretty simple.  Lutheran Christians tend to center robustly on justification, what God has done for us in Christ.  As continually struggling sinners, Lutherans constantly focus on the need to hear the external Word of God’s justifying grace in Christ; that we are declared righteous for Christ’s sake.

The sad reality is that all too often we would rather put the spotlight on what we do rather than what Christ has already done, which results in putting the cart before the horse.  Many fail to realize that sanctification is a fruit that flows out of justification.  Good works always flow out of what Christ has done for us and are never a cause of Christ’s accomplishment at Calvary.  Anytime we overemphasize sanctification and deemphasize justification we put the focus back onto self.  Furthermore, when we speak of sanctification before or apart from the context of justification we also put the focus back onto self.  Both of these previous scenarios lead to spiritual bondage and promote an environment of man-centered theology.    

Because sanctification and good works are the fruit of Christ’s justifying grace and forgiveness, we get to look to Christ rather than ourselves and what we are doing.  The reason being, if we look to our good works to spur on more good works, our endeavor will prove to be futile at best and frankly downright foolish.  It is foolish because Jesus, not us, is the author and the perfecter of faith; may we run this race by fixing our eyes on Jesus and His power. (Hebrews 12:1b-2a) 

Mike Mercer commenting on the perception of Lutherans being weak on sanctification says, “I prefer to say we are strong on Jesus, whose sanctifying work in our lives is the fruit of the gospel all along our lifelong journey. I would much rather focus on what he has done than on anything I might do.[1]” 

If being a Lazy Christian means that we are weak or place a secondary focus on ‘what we should do’ and primarily strong on ‘what Jesus has already done,’ then by all means let us acknowledge and embrace the label that we are lazy Christians!  If being a Lazy Christian means that we trust Jesus to do the sanctifying work in our lives as a fruit of the gospel then by all means let us wear this stigma with honor!

Yes, I am a Lazy Christian for in the words of Martin Luther, "He is not righteous who does much, but he who, without work, believes much in Christ.[2]” 

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[1] http://chaplainmmercer.blogspot.com/ (March 28, 2010)

[2] Thesis 25 of the 1518 Heidelberg Disputation