Today we celebrate Good Friday. What happened?
In the early hours of the morning, just after midnight, Jesus and his disciples would have been in the garden where the Lord went to pray. There Jesus was arrested by a group of soldiers and temple police led by the treacherous Judas Iscariot. Over the next several hours, Jesus went through no fewer than six trials, all of which were illegal, none of which produced any actual evidence of wrong doing. Three times, Jesus would be pronounced innocent by Pilate before the Roman governor gave in to mob mentality and sentenced Jesus to death.
Yet, what was most important happened mid-morning. After being abused by soldiers, Jesus was led out to a hill where he was crucified. So many of us are tempted to dwell on the physical details of this brutal form of execution, but these are not the focus of this day. The central focus of this day is the drama going on in the spiritual realm.
As Jesus was dying on the Roman cross, God the Father and Jesus, God the Son, were involved in the most important exchange in history. The Father looked at his Son, and he counted Jesus guilty of all of the sins that he would ever forgive. Then over the period of those six hours one Friday nearly two thousand years ago, the Father punished Jesus with his full and just wrath for the sins of all of his children.
As Jesus died, he declared, “It is finished.” In that declaration, the Lord told all who would hear those words that the price for sin had been fully paid. The Father’s wrath had been fully satisfied. Jesus’ mission of living a perfect life and dying a sacrificial death was accomplished. And then, the Savior died, willingly giving up his spirit in order to complete the transaction.
When Jesus died, the curtain in the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two from top to bottom. God was clearly telling the world that no longer would the sacrificial system be the way that people would approach him for forgiveness. Afterward, Jesus was buried in a borrowed tomb, and many wondered what had happened.
How does all of this work? God is perfect, infinitely so. Our rebellion against God is, therefore, an infinite offense. The just punishment for the crime of offending the God of the universe is rightly one of infinite consequence. Jesus, the infinitely perfect Son of God, willingly took upon himself the judgment of God for all of the sins that God would ever forgive. This means that, in the end, all sins will be justly punished by God. Those of us who find ourselves under God’s grace because of faith in Christ have our sins paid for because the Father poured out the judgment that we deserve on Jesus. Those who refuse this offer of God’s grace will personally face the right wrath of God for their sins.
Why is today Good? It is Good Friday because, in the most loving act of human history, the Son of God suffered the wrath of God that we deserved in order that we might be forgiven. None of us could survive the punishment we deserve. Jesus took that punishment for all who will come to him, reject their sin, and embrace him as Savior and Lord.
Personal Testimony and Evangelism
Can I use my personal testimony as a way to share the gospel with others? This is a difficult question, because it totally depends on what kind of testimony you give. There are some testimonies that only focus on the person and their experience. Other testimonies interweave my story with the biblical truth claims of the gospel. Only those which make clear the truth claims of Scripture—the universal need of all people to repent and turn to Jesus—are truly evangelistic testimonies.
Consider the following 2 paragraphs from Mark Dever, 9 Marks of a Healthy Church (Wheaton: Crossway, 2004), 133:
Some think of a personal testimony as evangelism. Certainly a testimony of what God has done in our lives may include the Good News, but it also may not include it. In telling other people how much Jesus means to you, you may not have told them the Gospel at all. Have you explained what Christ did by dying on the Cross? It is good to share your own testimony of what God has done in your life, but in your testimony, you may not actually make clear what Christ’s claims are on other people.
Testimony is, of course, very popular in our postmodern, “that’s good-for-you” age. Who would object to your thinking you’ve gotten something good from Christ? But wait and see what happens when you try to move the conversation from what Jesus has done for you to the facts of the life, death, and resurrection of Christ and how that all applies to your nonbelieving friend. That’s when you discover that testimony is not necessarily evangelism.
Simply put, if all I do is tell a person that trusting Jesus made my life better, all I have done is made an experiential claim with no demands on the life or beliefs of another. It is little different than telling someone that, since I began taking a certain kind of vitamin, I have a great deal more energy. My conversation partner is likely to say to me that they are glad that my experiment with religion worked for me, even though they have no intention of trying that. They may walk away from that conversation assuming that they are free to try their own way and it be just as valid as my experience.
How then do you use your testimony and actually include enough Scripture to follow it up with a call for another person to respond? I would recommend using Ephesians 2:1-10 as a base text that you can pattern your testimony around. If you have a Bible available, you can actually use the text to help a person see your testimony and their condition before God. If you use Ephesians 2:1-10, you can share your testimony in 4 steps:
1. Who I was (v1-3) – Begin your testimony with what God says about all of us before our salvation. We were dead in sins and trespasses (v1). WE all followed our own desires, the pattern of the world around us, and the tricks of Satan himself (v2-3). Because of your sin, you were under the curse of God’s wrath, and rightfully so (v3). Had nothing changed, hell would have been your ultimate destination, as it is the ultimate destination for all who are not forgiven by God.
2. what God did to make you alive. God, the perfectly holy Creator, sent his Son to earth to pay the price for our sins. Jesus died and then rose from the grave to grant forgiveness to all who will come to him. For all who become God’s child, God will grant eternal life and forever kindness.
3. How you responded (v8-9) – Jesus did all the work, but he requires us all to respond to him in faith. We are saved by God’s grace through trusting in Jesus Christ. You did not do anything good to be saved. God graciously allowed you to place your trust for your eternity in the finished work of Jesus. This is how any will be saved.
4. What is different (v10) – God not only forgave your sin if you are a Christian, he also changed your life. Now you live to do the good works for which God created you. These works do not contribute to your salvation at all. Instead, the good things that you do now give you joy as you give glory to your God.
It would be wise to construct your testimony, your true story, around the points above and Ephesians 2:1-10. Don’t spend a great deal of time dwelling on the gory details of your sinful past—this tends to glorify your sin rather than God. Instead, get to the cross and help them to know how you trusted Christ, received forgiveness, and now have joy in following him. Don’t make yourself look perfect; be honest. Simply tell the truth and use the Scripture as your authority for the truth of the change in your life.
Then, as you wrap up your testimony, point out to your friend that Ephesians 2:1-3 says that all of us are in need of God’s grace. Verses 4-7 tell us that Jesus has done the work for all who will trust him to be forgiven. Then let them know that, if they wish to become God’s child and be forgiven of their sin, they too must come by God’s grace through faith in Jesus as verses 8-9 say. If they will come, they will be able to live out their ultimate purpose that God planned for them from before the dawn of time as we read in verse 10.
The Heart of Revelation – A Review
J. Scott Duvall. The Heart of Revelation: Understanding the 10 Essential Themes of the Bible’s Final Book. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2016. 224 pp. $12.44.
It is a joy to read a book on Revelation that is neither a commentary nor a fantastical fiction but actually a helpful and thoughtful volume. J. Scott Duvall has given us such a work in the recently released The Heart of Revelation.
Unlike many books on the Bible’s final book, The Heart of Revelation is a thematic study. The author works through ten key themes that are prominent in the book. These themes include God, worship, the people of God, the Holy Spirit, our enemies, the mission, Jesus Christ, judgment, the new creation, and perseverance.
What is lovely in this book is the author’s simple presentation of difficult topics. Duvall offers clear and sensible explanations for themes and characters that could both have been present in the first century and which could be still to come.
What is even more helpful in this book is the author’s ability to demonstrate how the themes and promises in the book of Revelation are helpful to the present-day church. Duvall shows the church how God’s word in Revelation applied to the persecuted first century church, the church throughout history, and the present and future church. This is no study stuck in AD 70 or in a possible future; it is a study of a helpful and beautiful book of the Bible that shows us Jesus and encourages us to live for his glory regardless of the age in which we read it.
I would happily recommend this book to pastors and church members. It would work well for a thematic group Bible study or for personal encouragement. I especially would hold this book up to those who are frustrated and tired of eschatological wrangling. This book is going to be helpful as it shows us how the book of Revelation offers strength and courage to a church living in an age when Christianity’s popularity is waning.
I received a free copy of this book from Baker Books in exchange for an honest review.
Genuine Christian Confidence (Psalm 27:3-5)
Psalm 27:3-5
3 Though an army encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
yet I will be confident.
4 One thing have I asked of the Lord,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
and to inquire in his temple.
Where does David get the confidence that will allow him to stand before an enemy army without fear? Is it foolish self-confidence? Is it unfounded? Is he giving into an Old Testament version of prosperity preaching?
I think that David’s ability to speak the confidence that we see in verses 3-4 is found in his perspective in verse 5. David believes that God will care for him and make things work out OK. This is not because David thinks that every season of his life will be easy. But, David is confident in the ultimate desire of his heart. David desires to dwell with the Lord forever. He desires to be in the presence of God ultimately. He has, to put it simply, an eternal perspective.
Truly, the sort of confidence that David displays in verses 3 and 4 was easier for me to have early in my Christian journey. True, that confidence was mostly uninformed, but still, I had it. I just knew that anything I tried for the Lord would be met with rousing success. I believed that I could pray about which sidewalk to walk down, and if I listened well, God would lead me to a person who needed to hear the gospel. I believed that a simple preaching of the word would radically sweep over all who heard it in such a way that churches I was in would grow and grow and grow, and do all that growing with passion and joy. I never counted on hardships or failings. I did not understand, at that point, how God would work as much in my failings and weaknesses as in the strengths he had given me.
But the truth is, though my eagerness to expect instant success may not be as strong, there is a sense in which I can live with a greater confidence. I am confident that, in the end, God will work all things for his glory. Whether through my success or my failure in projects on earth, God will be magnified. His kingdom will come. His will shall be done. He will save souls. He will grow churches. He will allow some churches not to grow. He will give health. He will be glorified as we walk through sickness. He will be magnified in his perfections. He will ultimately win. And I will be allowed to be a part of that victory, not because of my great contributions, but because of Jesus and the grace that God has given me through him.
Lord, I ask for the confidence that I see David have in this psalm. I ask for that confidence, not in a foolish, self-confident, rose-colored-glasses sort of way. Rather, I ask for the kind of confidence that you gave David because of his knowledge of your power and his deep desire to see you in your glory. I want to see your glory. I need the eternal perspective that David displayed. I ask that you help me remember that you will be ultimately victorious, that your kingdom will come, and that you will build your church for your glory. I desire to be a part of that victory, not because I think I’m anything anymore, but because I simply long to experience your glory—which is why you made me in the first place. Through the strengths you have given me or the weaknesses I have brought to the table, please shape my life for your honor.
The Whole Christ – A Review
Sinclair B. Ferguson. The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters. Wheaton: Crossway, 2016. 256 pp. $19.32.
How do we balance an understanding of the grace of God with a call to proper obedience to Christ? How do we find genuine assurance of salvation? Who has worked through these questions before and how can their experience help us today? In The Whole Christ, Sinclair Ferguson helps answer these questions and many more with great depth and insight.
It is good for Christians to read books on theology. It is good to read books on church history. In this case, we find both in a very readable and fascinating volume. The Marrow Controversy of the early 18th century is the background for Ferguson’s discussion of issues related to the grace of God, the law of God, legalism, and antinomianism. And, even if none of those words mean a great deal to you, any Christian will find a lot to learn in these pages.
To me, perhaps the greatest points in the book are the balance Ferguson weaves between law and grace. The author does a fine job of demonstrating to his readers how obedience earns us nothing while at the same time declaring that obedience is the heart’s response to grace. The author also shows us how a genuine assurance of salvation is based fully on the truth of the person and work of Christ and is not based on our ability to self-evaluate.
Readers who pick up this book need to be ready to dive deep into gospel, into grace, into theology of law, into issues related to assurance of salvation, and into the history of the Marrow Contraversy. However, those who are willing to work through these heavy topics will find some very encouraging and helpful truths to apply.
I received a free audio copy of this work as part of ChristianAudio’s reviewers program in exchange for an honest review. The audio version is one of the best read books I have received from ChristianAudio, a group which always puts out fine quality.
Daily Reading Notes 2/3/2016
Exodus 8:19 (ESV)
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.
What is your evangelistic methodology? Do you believe that, if your argument is convincing enough, people will come to faith? It won’t happen, not unless God has already changed the heart.
Take as an example the actions of Pharaoh above. He has already seen the clear power of God at work in Egypt. Here, his own best magicians are looking at him and telling him that the events they are witnessing are the “finger of God.” Men whose lives had been devoted to false gods in the land have admitted to the king that the real God is behind what is happening. But, because his heart was hard, Pharaoh does not believe.
Yes, we are called by God to be ready to answer anyone who would have questions for us about the hope in us (1 Peter 3:15). We are to speak graciously and be ready to answer the world around us (Colossians 4:5-6). But we are crazy if we think that our answers are the things that will bring people into the kingdom. Our answers matter, do not get me wrong, but our answers are only tools that God may choose to pick up or lay aside as he chooses to make alive a dead heart or not.
What should we learn then? God is in control. His power is sovereign. He is the only one who can break through a dead, hard heart. And so we give him all the glory at anyone’s salvation. We certainly learn to defend the faith and clearly present the gospel. We pray with all our hearts. Yet, we know that, in the end, God is the ultimate decision-maker.
Daily Reading Notes 1/27/2016
Genesis 44:32-33
32 For your servant became a pledge of safety for the boy to my father, saying, ‘If I do not bring him back to you, then I shall bear the blame before my father all my life.’ 33 Now therefore, please let your servant remain instead of the boy as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers.
I think the story of Judah is one of the more fascinating stories in the latter part of Genesis. Of course, from chapters 37-50, Joseph is center-stage. But, as that story develops, we have chapter 38 totally focused on Judah.
Back in chapter 37, Judah shows himself to be a scoundrel. He suggest the sale of Joseph to traders. In chapter 38, we see him even worse in the whole incident with Tamar.
But, at the end of chapter 38, Judah shows genuine repentance. Now, in today’s reading, Judah steps up and pledges that he will be accountable for Benjamin’s safety in Egypt. When things go badly, we see Judah actually go up to Joseph and ask to be taken in Benjamin’s stead.
By the way, is it not interesting that it is the tribe of Judah from which the Messiah would come? Judah’s line will bear the greatest one to ever say to another, “Let me stand in their place; punish me instead.” The Lord Jesus is foreshadowed in the action of his ancient ancestor.
So, should this all be to the praise of Judah? Of course not. God is the one in control here. We have seen too much to think otherwise. What we see is how God uses circumstances, even our most horrible and embarrassing failures to shape in us the character he wants in us for his glory. God allowed Judah to be who he was, and that was sinful and devastating. God worked change in Judah over years, and by God’s hand, Judah became the brother who would carry the Messianic promise and a neat reminder of the coming Christ’s substitutionary atonement.
Daily Reading Reflections 1/22/2016
Today’s Bible reading took me through two of the oddest chapters in the book of Genesis, perhaps in the whole Bible. Genesis 36 shares with us the genealogical record of Esau, Edom. Genesis 38 shares with us the very odd story of Judah and his family. Both chapters are the kinds that preachers skip. Both lead us to ask why they might be in the Scripture. And, I would argue, both demonstrate for us the sovereignty of God.
The Edomite chapter is not one of the more exciting chapters in all of the word. However, it is a chapter that shows us Esau becoming a great nation. There are tribes, leaders, and lots of children. The thought hit me, as I was reading this chapter, that God indeed could have used Esau to carry his promise. Esau fathered a nation just like Jacob fathered a nation. Esau’s character was not actually worse than that of Jacob. Yet, God, by his will, for his glory, out of his plan, chose to place the promise on Jacob and not on Esau. God reversed the natural order, making the younger son carry the promise, in order to remind us that he is the one who chooses, not us.
Then we watch the story of Judah in chapter 38. This story is fascinating, not dull at all. It is, however, also the kind of story that preachers often skip simply for its PG-13 rating. Judah is a scoundrel. Nothing he does is good until the very end. In fact, the only other thing we have seen him do is put forward the suggestion to sell Joseph to slave traders in chapter 37. Yet, we do see repentance in Judah’s life at the end of the chapter, and that will mark a real change of character.
The ending of the story in chapter 38 is where a great deal of the value in the story comes. Tamar is having twins. One of those two twins will carry the covenant promise of God. One of those two will be the one through whom Messiah will come. What happens? One comes to the point of birth and is marked with a thread on his wrist. Then, God reverses the birth order, bringing Perez out first. This is a miracle of God, one where we see that God chose the exact order of those two children. God chose who would carry his covenant promise. God moved those children so that Perez would be the firstborn and would be the covenant carrier.
Lord, I recognize here and now that you are in control. You choose your way. So often we think that our lives are the center of the universe and our decisions are the hinges upon which the world turns. But the truth is, you are far mightier than all that. You are in control. For this reason, along with infinitely more, you are worthy of praise and worship. You are so much greater than any of your creatures. Help me to remember and rest in your sovereignty.
Daily Reading Notes 1/19/2016
Matthew 12:7-8
7 “And if you had known what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”
It’s always lovely to watch Jesus do the things that he does. He reminds us that his grasp of truth and of the desires of God is accurate while ours is often quite lacking.
I think that one of the biggest helps to me in reading this passage in Matthew is to remember where I likely would have stood given my natural bent. I think it likely that, at least for most of my life, I would have stood with the teachers of the law. I am used to having a set of rules that I want others to follow. When somebody brings my understanding of the rules into question, that bothers me.
But here we see two major things from Jesus. On the one hand, we see the deity and supremacy of Christ. Jesus is over the Sabbath. That is a radical claim for anyone to make. No mere man could declare himself to be Lord of the Sabbath, since I think anybody would recognize that only God is Lord of the Sabbath. Thus, we see Jesus claim equal footing with the God who gave the Ten Commandments.
On the other hand, we see a tremendous amount of grace on Jesus’ part. He pointed out that it is not at all unheard of for a general rule to be compromised for the good of the people of God. David ate bread that was not technically lawful for him to eat. But, it seems that God was more concerned about David’s survival than the rules regarding day-old show bread. Similarly, Jesus’ disciples were going to be allowed to pick some grain and sustain themselves while walking across the countryside. Jesus is over such rules anyway.
Jesus tells us that God desires mercy more than sacrifice. That is a mind-blowing statement of grace for me, someone bent toward rules, to hear. God loves mercy. He loves to rescue sinners. He loves to care for his children. He is more concerned with our hearts for him and our love for others than he is for us being sticklers for the rules that we love so much.
Jesus shows me that he is bigger than I tend to realize. And, I do not know exactly what to do with it. Obviously, this statement does not give me the right to compromise the commands of God. I cannot relax the requirements of Scripture that we heard Jesus say will never pass away until all are fulfilled in Matthew 5. I cannot condone intentional rebellion against God and his ways. Yet, I also must understand that God is more interested in me being merciful than he is with me getting everything exactly right. Such balance is impossible for me to figure out. Yet, this is God’s way, and it is full of kindness, love, and grace.
Lord, I thank you for the kindness you have shown in Jesus. I think you that you desire mercy above sacrifice. You desire my kindness and love toward you and others far above my doing everything exactly right. Help me to figure this out and to be as merciful as you desire me to be. Help me also not to confuse being merciful with being lawless. Help me strike the balance that will help me to properly reflect your glory to the world.
Daily Reading Notes 1-142016
Matthew 4:23
And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
Matthew 9:35
And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
It is neat to see clues as to how Matthew arranged the gospel he was writing. He put things together on purpose. The verses above show a set of bookends for this section in which Jesus both teaches the people and heals, he declares truth and displays compassion.
For the truth declaration, we get the Sermon on the Mount, chapters 5-7. We certainly do not see any more densely packed section of teaching from our Lord anywhere else. Think of all the things that are covered in that section: marks of kingdom citizenship and blessing, a call to live so that we make a difference, a high view of Scripture, anger, lust, divorce, vows, kindness, giving, prayer, fasting, devotion to God, anxiety, judging others, exclusivity of the gospel, obedience to the commands of God, and still more. Clearly, teaching the truth of God, the truth of Scripture, was important to Christ.
In chapters 8-9, we see the other side of the ministry of Christ, displaying the compassion and kindness of God. As Jesus traveled around, he did things that only God can do. As he did these things, he showed people that the kingdom of God was at hand, that he personally was bringing it to earth. He was turning back the effects of the fall by the power of a loving God. Think of what we see him do: healing a leper, healing the centurion’s servant with a command, healing Peter’s mother-in-law (I suppose Peter asked?) (And, look, the Pope had a wife!), casting out demons, calming a storm with a word, driving multiple demons out of some men (and causing a bacon shortage—collateral damage?), healing a paralytic, demonstrating his authority to forgive sins, healing a woman with a chronic and long-standing illness, raising a girl from the dead, giving sight to blind men, and restoring speech to a man who could not speak because of a demon.
What do you get when you find a person who speaks with the authority of God, who forgives with the authority of God, and who turns sickness to wellness and death to life? What do you have when you find a person who can declare the kingdom of God and then demonstrate that it is present in him? What do you get when you have a person who does all that the Old Testament promised that the Savior would do? Clearly, you have the Messiah. You have God with us.
Lord Jesus, you are worthy of praise. Your wisdom is beyond compare. You speak the word of God, because you are God in flesh. You do the works of God, because you are God in flesh. You bring the kingdom of God, because you are King of kings and Lord of lords. You are worthy of my life, and I affirm again my commitment to follow you. Please, be my Lord and allow me to be your servant.
Pastor Travis Peterson 