C.S. Lewis On External Religion

"A cold, self-righteous prig who goes regularly to church may be far nearer to hell than a prostitute. But, of course, it is better to be neither." Mere Christianity, 95.

(HT: Ray Van Neste)

11 Days

The Grace Church Interest Meetings are just 11 days away. Thank you for your prayers.

A Motive of Jesus To Return To The Father's Side Was...

Shared glory with the Father.

A Motive Of Jesus To Die On The Cross Was...

Joy.

Do, Love, Walk

Micah 6:6-8:

With what shall I come to the LORD
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
Does the LORD take delight in thousands of rams,
In ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I present my firstborn for my rebellious acts,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He has told you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justice, to love kindness,
And to walk humbly with your God?

The Gospel Jesus Preached

What did Jesus actually say when he "preached the gospel?"

Luke 20:1

And it came about on one of the days while He was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, that the chief priests and the scribes with the elders confronted Him.

The gospel, according to I Corinthians 15:3, is the good news that God has reconciled sinners to Himself through the Scripture-fulfilling death of His Son, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day according to the Scriptures.

While in the temple (account of Luke 20) what do you imagine Jesus said when He "preached the gospel" (Euaggelizomenou can also be translated "good news")? Did He tell them He would die for their sin, be buried, rise the third day?

Thoughts?

Pastors Pray & Plan

Spending a year soaking in God while participating in the Church Planter's Residency Program at Bethlehem was a blessing I intend to thank Him for until my dying day. One special blessing was being invited to join the BBC pastoral staff on their quarterly "Pray & Plan" weekend getaways. The pastors would go away together and spend time seeking the Lord, planning part of the year, and trying not to become the next pastor rushed to the hospital during the second day's traditional sporting event (During the trips I attended we played softball, kickball, and floor hockey. No one was hurt...too badly). One pastor broke an arm on the Pray & Plan that preceded my arrival.

Being part of a new church plant in downtown Memphis is also a blessing I intend to thank God for until my dying day. Though we've not even begun the Interest Meetings of Grace Church, our pastors, along with spouses and children, returned last evening from our very first GC Pastors Pray & Plan. I am truly blessed to walk beside men who treasure Jesus Christ above all else! Thank you for continuing to pray for us to glorify God by treasuring Jesus Christ and spreading His eternal joy. No one was hurt either - unless you count Bryan's feelings for getting slung off tube into Pickwick lake.

Favorite Worship Songs?

Hymns or choruses, fine or folk, gospel or high-church. Let us know the songs that most capture your passion for Jesus. Why this song(s)?

Quotable Godward Influencer - Thomas Vincent

Thomas Vincent was born in May, 1634. Both his father and brother were prominent ministers. He graduated from Christ's Church, Oxford, and appears to have entered into the ministry very early. It was said of him that he had memorized the entire New Testament as well as the Psalms. (He died when he was 44 years old!) - Jacket Cover, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ.

One of the best 24-hour time periods of my life was spent on a church bus on the way to CO to go snowboarding. It was March 2004. I would read a little, then stare out the window and think and pray about wanting to love Jesus like Thomas Vincent loved (loves) Him. Then I would read some more and continue the pattern. Few books have left the sort of imprint on me as Vincent's, The True Christian's Love to the Unseen Christ.

A Few Excerpts:

The life of Christianity consists very much in our love to Christ. Without love to Christ, we are as much without spiritual life as a carcass when the soul is fled from it is without natural life. Faith without love to Christ is a dead faith, and a Christian without love to Christ is a dead Christian, dead in sins and trespasses. Without love to Christ we may have the name of Christians, but we are wholly withhout the nature. Vincent, 1.

[Now] to show why true Christians love Christ, whom they have never seen.
Reason 1. True Christians love Christ because of the need which they have of Him. Men love their necessary food, without which their bodies would starve with hunger; men love theiry necessary raiment and habitations, without which, in winter seasons, their bodies would starve with cold. Men love their necessary friends, upon whom (under God) they have their dependence, and from whom they have all their subsistence. But nothing in the world, no friend in the world, is as needful to the body as the Lord Jesus Christ is unto the soul. And, as the excellencies of the soul are far beyond the excellencies of the body, so the necessities of the soul are far beyond the necessities of the body; which necessities can be answered by non but Jesus Christ, and, therefore, true Christians love Him. Vincent, 14-15.

I come now to give directions how you may attain much of this love to Christ where you have it but in a low degree and weak measure. Would you attain much love to Christ? Direction 1. Be much in contemplation of Christ. Get often into the mount of divine contemplation, and there look upwards unto heaven and think with yourselves, "Yonder, yonder, above the shining sun, is the more glorious Sun of righteousness. There, at the righht hand of the throne of God, seated and, though He is so high above me, both in place and dignity, yet He thinks upon me, and pleads for me, and many a gift has He sent and, by His Spirit, conveyed unto me; and I can ask nothing of the Father in His name but, if it is really for my good, I have it by His means." O dear Jesus, how lovely are Thou in Thyself! The darling of heaven! The delight of the Father! The admiration of angels! O what brightness of glory, what shining luster are Thou arrayed with! Thou art clothed with most excellent majesty and honor! Thou art girded with infinite might and power! The beauty of Thy face is most wonderful! The smiles of Thy countenance are most sweet and delightful! And does this lovely fair one, this fairest of ten thousand, this most excellent and altogether lovely person bear a particular love to me? To such a vile worm as me? To such a dead dog as me? To such an undeserving, ill-deserving, hell-deserving sinner as me? O what marvelous kindness in this! What infinite riches of free grace! Vincent, 88-89.

Back from Vacation

Our family returned last evening from a short vacation in Branson, MO. We're pretty sure there is at least a 40-year gap between us and the next youngest people we saw at our hotel. Needless to say, it was a very laid back trip. Great times, wonderful memories!

The Lord Reigns

Tell of His glory among the nations,
His wonderful deeds among all the peoples.
For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;
He also is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before Him,
Strength and joy are in His place.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,
Ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.
Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him;
Worship the LORD in holy array.
Tremble before Him, all the earth;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
And let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns."
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it.
Then the trees of the forest will sing for joy before the LORD;
For He is coming to judge the earth.
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Then say, "Save us, O God of our salvation,
And gather us and deliver us from the nations,
To give thanks to Your holy name,
And glory in Your praise."
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
From everlasting even to everlasting
Then all the people said, "Amen," and praised the LORD.
- I Chronicles 16:24-31

Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity."
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
Let the sea roar, and all it contains;
Let the field exult, and all that is in it
Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy
Before the LORD, for He is coming,
For He is coming to judge the earth
He will judge the world in righteousness
And the peoples in His faithfulness.
- Psalm 96:10-13

Pure and Undefiled Religion

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

Proverbs in the Closet

I had the challenge of removing a wall from a closet in our home today, in order to make room for our freezer. Before working, I read a text of Proverbs that festered in me all day, and spurred me to pray for my crime-ridden city.

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unelss they make someone stumble. - Proverbs 4:14-16

Like a drug fiend, a wicked man can't sleep without his daily fix of evil! Sleep is stolen from the wicked unless they cause another to stumble! Can you imagine it? A guy or girl, around the corner from my house (and yours), is calculating the steps of wickedness he will inflict on someone else. Until the evil is perpetrated, he will not sleep. He can't. But does he realize his ways are "only evil always." Probably not. At least not beyond a convoluted rationale that eases his conscience in light of what he's about to do. "You see," he mutters, "I've been forced into this situation." "I'm a victim." "If you had it as bad has me, you'd do the same thing" is what he purports to ohers. "The kids have to eat." "The bills have to be paid." "The gang leader has to be appeased." "The heroine fit has to be satiated." "I've got to keep up appearances." "The guys at the office will understand." "Those folks will get along just fine without _______, but I won't." "This is OK."

Whew. At least you weren't his victim last night. Or were you? Perhaps it's worse than you think! Maybe you were the culprit? Any path, other the narrow, is wicked. You walk it, and you're wicked. "But I'd never do anything like that" is only a smoke screen. A false sense of security. Yes you will. You are a sinner. The inclinations of your heart are hellish and against God and others - unless...

What's our only hope for not letting our wicked heart (Jeremiah 17:9) lead us down the broad road of destruction? Only heeding the admonition at the beginning of the verse!

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not proceed in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; and they are robbed of sleep unelss they make someone stumble. - Proverbs 4:14-16

Walking the path of evil begins with one step. Don't go there! Cling to Jesus! Don't trust past experiences. Trust Him now. His atoning death on the cross, His resurrection, His reigning and ruling over the universe (even the wicked who lose sleep) is real! Trust Him. Hold to Him. Walk with Him. Rest in Jesus (That's the best sleep) now, and you'll rest forevermore. Until then, snatch others from the path of destruction!

The former closet is coming along nicely.

Christ The Desire Of All Nations

A great sermon by John Flavel.

Excerpt:

Secondly, Christ is called the desire of all nations, plainly because of the sufficiency that is in him to supply the needs of the whole world. As the sun in the heavens suffices all nations for light and influence, so does the Sun of righteousness suffice for the redemption, justification, sanctification and salvation of the people of God all over the world; Isa 45:22, "Look to me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth."

Plexiglas Preaching

A word from John MacArthur on preaching: (Read it all here)

Some time ago I hosted a discussion at the Expositors’ Institute, an annual small-group colloquium on preaching held at our church. In preparation for that seminar, I took a yellow legal pad and a pen and began listing the negative effects of the superficial brand of preaching that is so rife in modern evangelicalism.

I initially thought I might be able to identify about ten, but in the end I had jotted down a list of sixty-one devastating consequences. I’ve distilled them to fifteen by combining and eliminating all but the most crucial ones. I offer them as a warning against superficial, marginally-biblical preaching—both to those who stand behind the pulpit and to those who sit in the pew.

Here are his 15 effects of superficial preaching:

1. It usurps the authority of God over the soul.
2. It removes the lordship of Christ from His church.
3. It hinders the work of the Holy Spirit.
4. It demonstrates appalling pride and a lack of submission.
5. It severs the preacher personally from the regular sanctifying grace of Scripture.
6. It clouds the true depth and transcendence of our message and therefore cripples both corporate and personal worship.
7. It prevents the preacher from fully developing the mind of Christ.
8. It depreciates by example the spiritual duty and priority of personal Bible study.
9. It prevents the preacher from being the voice of God on every issue of his time.
10. It breeds a congregation that is as weak and indifferent to the glory of God as their pastor is.
11. It robs people of their only true source of help.
12. It encourages people to become indifferent to the Word of God and divine authority.
13. It lies to people about what they really need.
14. It strips the pulpit of power.
15. It puts the responsibility on the preacher to change people with his cleverness.

(HT: Benji Marconi)

Grace Church Interest Meetings

Are you planning to join us for the Interest Meetings for Grace Church? If so, please rsvp to help us in our planning purposes. All children are welcome. Childcare will be provided for children four years and younger. Anyone five and older is invited to join the discussion.

"Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Thy name give glory because of Thy lovingkindness, because of Thy truth. Why should the nations say, "Where, now, is their God?" But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases" (Psalm 115:1-3).


WHEN?

Each Sunday evening, September 10 - October 29

5:00 - 7:00 PM

WHERE?

Bridges
477 N. 5th
Memphis, TN 38105
http://www.bridgesusa.org/

WHY?

The Interest Meetings are an eight week series of meetings designed to unfold the vision and values of Grace Church. Attendance at the Interest Meetings will not commit you to Grace Church, but should give you an informed way to pray about linking your life with the vision the Lord has birthed in our hearts.

All children five and older are invited to join the discussion. Please let us know if your child will be in the 4-yrs and under childcare. A reply email with children's names and ages will be sufficient. We want to make sure we have adequate staffing for your children. If you have further questions about the Interest Meetings feel free to contact us.

1. September 10 - Why Plant Grace Church?
2. September 17 - Essentials of a Healthy Church
3. September 24 - Grace Church Core Beliefs
4. October 1 - The Centrality of Christ
5. October 8 - Vision & Mission of Grace Church
6. October 15 - Membership Matters
7. October 22 - Open Discussion & Prayer
8. October 29 - The Church & God's Glory

Looking forward to seeing you on the 10th!

Discipleship

Why has this biblical concept been so ignored in today's evangelicalism? Are you discipling anyone or being discipled by anyone?

Do You Mark In Your Bible?

6,000 times?

$200 is exorbitant for this resource...but I'm saving up.

Ridiculous

My friend Mark Heinrich over at Purgatorio has a knack for coming across this kind of mess.

Then again, is it all that uncommon? Usually the costumes are absent while the frivolity is present. These churches just happened to take it to the next level.

Prayer Update: George Davis & Josephine Duncan

George Davis - Nathan's Grandfather

"Happy Are Those Who Mourn For They Shall Be Comforted."

These are the seemingly paradoxical words of our Master as they are found in Matthew 5:4. But O, are they true!

Many are happily mourning with the Sawyer family as they are responding to the death of George Davis. Davis was a husband, father, grandfather, and a lover of Jesus. His nearness to Jesus is more real than your present nearness to your monitor! The viewing and worship service arrangements are to be held at the Bartlett location of The Memphis Funeral Home. Viewing is today from 5-7p. The service is Thursday at noon. Thank you for praying with the Sawyers.

Nathan's Brother-in-law left the following comment on Nathan's first post about Davis, but I thought it was too perceptive to leave in such an obscure place:

"For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for His
children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled,
beyond the reach of change and decay!" 1 Peter 1:4

What does it really matter where we spend
the few years of our pilgrimage here below?

Life is short, vain, and transitory; and if I live
in comfort and wealth, or in comparative poverty,
it will matter little when I lie in my coffin!

This life is soon passing away, and an eternal state
fast coming on! It will greatly matter whether . . .
our religion was natural or spiritual,
our faith human or divine,
our hope a heavenly gift or a spider's web!

But our blind, foolish hearts are so concerned about
things which are but the dust of the balance, and so
little anxious about our all in all.

There is no greater inheritance than to be a son or
daughter of the Lord Almighty. To have a saving
interest in . . .
the electing love of the Father,
the redeeming blood of the Son,
and the sanctifying operations of the Holy Spirit,
is worth a million of worlds! Without such, we must
be eternally miserable; and with it eternally happy.

JC Philpot

Josephine Duncan - Jordan's Grandmother

"And (GOD) made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation."

The Lord has shown His pleasure to sustain my grandmother's life. After her massive stroke, she is currently in stable condition being closely watchecd in the ICU. The doctors are optimistic that she will soon transition to a normal room where she will begin rehab therapy. Thank you for praying for her.