Stuff @ the Resource Desk

The RESOURCE DESK is in our new building.  On the left when you walk in the foyer.

Today we have these things there, in hard copy:

1. Everything is Interesting: an article on parenting by J. Barrs
2. Original Sin, a half-sheet primer, by JI Packer
3. Weight of Glory, by CS Lewis

Verifiable & Validated

G. K. Chesterton <http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/G._K._Chesterton>  once noted that "Certain new theologians dispute original sin, which is the only part of Christian theology which can really be proved," (Orthodoxy, chap. 2). He saw original sin as the one Christian doctrine that is empirically verifiable and validated by 3500 years of human history.

Not no more

"A good man is hard to find," Red Sammy said, "Everything is getting terrible.  I remember the day you could go off and leave your screen door unlatched.  Not no more."

--Miss Flannery O'Connor

What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?

 

--U2, City of Blinding Lights

 

 

 

 

(topic: mankind dignity & depravity)

Jerram Barrs

As we teach our children about human beings, we must not only teach that we are sinners. In fact before we say we are sinners, we must first say that God has crowned us with glory and honor and set all things under our feet. We must work at helping our children enjoy the glory of their humanity and of the humanity of the people around them. To fail to do so is, in effect, to blaspheme against God. Help children see the glory of what different cultures have created. Help them see the creativity, the wonderful music and painting and literature that flows out of humanity. The book of James puts it this way, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness…this should not be!" (James 3:9,10).

 

 

Excerpted from a tremendous article entitled Everything is Interesting

 

 

What kind of grace do you seek?

PaulTripp: Grace this side of eternity is often uncomfortable grace; you want grace of relief/release, you need the grace of refinement.

thinking of humans as glorious and broken always leads to U2, and Johnny Cash

I went out there in search of experience
To taste and to touch and to feel as much
As a man can before he repents.

 

--U2, The Wanderer, written by Bono for Johnny Cash—who sings it

 

I also love this image:

I went out walking with a bible and a gun

Human Nature's Four-Fold State, by Augustine

 

Pre-Fall Humanity

able to sin; able not to sin 
(posse peccare, posse non peccare)

 

Post-Fallen (i.e. Fallen) Humanity

not able not to sin 
(non posse non peccare)

 

Regenerated (Reborn) Humanity

able not to sin 
(posse non peccare)

 

Glorified Humanity

unable to sin 
(non posse peccare)

 

Calvin, again

Every person, on coming to the knowledge of himself, is not only urged to seek God, but is also led as by the hand to find him.

getting pumped about preaching on Humanity on May 30

Our wisdom, in so far as it ought to be deemed true and solid Wisdom, consists almost entirely of two parts:

 

 the knowledge of God and of ourselves. 

 

--John Calvin

People, by CS Lewis

Caspian, who is now king, is listening to Aslan describe the not-always-noble history of the Telmarines, of whom Caspian is one. He laments, "I was wishing that I came of a more honourable lineage." Aslan replies:

 

You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,

and that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar,

and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor in earth.

 

Congregational Meeting

There will be a brief congregational meeting for the purpose of voting on Richard White as a potential new elder for our church.

Will convene 10 minutes after the benediction and will last 5-10 minutes.

Waiting

Waiting = living through those moments when you don't understand what God's doing & have no power to change them for the better.

Paul Tripp

The world becomes a strange place

“Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives. As it would be cruel to an Amazonian tribesman to fly him to London, put him down without explanation in Trafalgar Square and leave him, as one who knew nothing of English or England, to fend for himself, so we are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it. The world becomes a strange, mad, painful place, and life in it a disappointing and unpleasant business, for those who do not know about God. Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul.”   –J.I. Packer

Knowing God

Sunday we begin what should be a great study
Who is God?

On January 7, 1855, the minister of New Park Street Chapel, Southwark, England, opened his morning sermon as follows:

It has been said by someone that "the proper study of mankind is man." I will not oppose the idea, but I believe it is equally true that the proper study of God's elect is God; the proper study of a Christian is the Godhead. The highest science, the loftiest speculation, the mightiest philosophy, which can ever engage the attention of a child of God, is the name, the nature, the person, the work, the doings, and the existence of the great God whom he calls his Father.

There is something exceedingly improving to the mind in a contemplation of the Divinity. It is a subject so vast, that all our thoughts are lost in its immensity; so deep, that our pride is drowned in its infinity. Other subjects we can compass and grapple with; in them we feel a kind of self-content, and go our way with the thought, "Behold I am wise." But when we come to this master science, finding that our plumbline cannot sound its depth, and that our eagle eye cannot see its height, we turn away with the thought that vain man would be wise, but he is like a wild ass's colt; and with solemn exclamation, "I am but of yesterday, and know nothing." No subject of contemplation will tend more to humble the mind, than thoughts of God....

But while the subject humbles the mind, it also expands it. He who often thinks of God, will have a larger mind than the man who simply plods around this narrow globe.... The most excellent study for expanding the soul, is the science of Christ, and Him crucified, and the knowledge of the Godhead in the glorious Trinity. Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity.

And, whilst humbling and expanding, this subject is eminently consolatory. Oh, there is, in contemplating Christ, a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's deepest sea; be lost in his immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated. I know nothing which can so comfort the soul; so calm the swelling billows of sorrow and grief; so speak peace to the winds of trial, as a devout musing upon the subject of the Godhead. It is to that subject that I invite you this morning.

These words, spoken over a century ago by C. H. Spurgeon (at that time, incredibly, only twenty years old) were true then, and they are true now. 

John Calvin on Colossians 1:15

"For Christ is the image of God because He makes God in a manner visible

to us….For in Christ He shows us His righteousness, goodness, wisdom, power, in short,

His entire self. We must, therefore, take care not to seek Him elsewhere; for outside of

Christ, everything that claims to represent God will be an idol."

 

 

--John Calvin

Busy street is Parker Road

140 cars drove past our building in a 10 minute period.

Counted by Olivia @ 5PM

We dance, but not like this

The universe we observe has precisely the properties we should expect if there is at the bottom, no design, no purpose, no evil and no good.  Nothing but blind pitiless indifference.  DNA neither knows nor cares.  DNA just is, and we dance to its music.    

                                      --Richard Dawkins, Out of Eden

looking at Colossians 1:15-20 laid out as the hymn it probably is

He who is the image of the invisible God,

Firstborn before all creation,

because in Him all things were created —

things in heaven and things on earth,

things visible and invisible,

whether thrones or dominions,

whether principalities or powers —

they have all been created through Him and for Him

He indeed is before all things,

                        and they all cohere in Him;

            He is also the head of the body, the church

He is the beginning,

            Firstborn from the dead,

                        that He might be preeminent in all things,

            because in Him it was decreed that all the fullness should

                        take up residence

            and that through Him, [God] should reconcile all things

                                    to Himself,

                        having made peace through the blood of His cross — [through

                        Him], whether those on earth or those in heaven

translation by FF Bruce

In obedience, in keeping, and in expectation

Final paragraph of Bryan Chapell's helpful booklet "Why Do We Baptize Infants"

"Yes, it is sweet to savor God's goodness to families, but sentiment is not what leads a church or parent to this holy ordinance.  We baptize children in obedience to biblical teaching, in keeping with the precedent of centuries of faithful families, and in expectation of God's presence and blessing.  God now uses this sacrament to pledge us to His faithfulness as we, in faith, devote this child of the covenant to Him."

Also, fyi, if you search this blog for baptism you'll find scores of resources (look in upper left hand corner to search)

Fixed & Fit Together

All the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—
       people and things,
           animals and atoms—
get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies,
all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.


--The Message on Colossians 1

reflections

"Every time we sing praise to the triune God, we are asserting our opposition to anything that would attempt to stand in God’s place. Every hymn of praise is a little anti-idolatry campaign."


--John D. Witvliet


No gloomy uncertainty as to God’s favor can subdue one lust, or correct our crookedness of will. But the free pardon of the cross uproots sin, and withers all its branches. Only the certainty of love, forgiving love, can do this.” --Horatius Bonar


Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing!




He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love!

                  --Charles Wesley

Owen Best

todd, holli, and marin welcomed Owen Best (no middle name yet) last night, May 11th.  he was born, safely, in their home around 3:00am.  he weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces.  he seems to be healthy and strong.  mom is doing well.  todd is keeping everyone fed and well cared for.  marin is a big help as well.

if you are interested and able to cook a meal for this family, please contact rebecca schackow by phone or email.  She is setting up the schedule.

prasie God for this new member of our church family!  he is adorable!

Owen Best

Todd and Holli had their baby!

I'm looking forward to posting more when I know.

Dedication Service, 6pm May 16---- Prep for your part!

The minister shall say:
Beloved in the lord, we are gathered to consecrate and set
apart this house for the worship of the one living and true God.
Let us therefore dedicate this place to its proper and sacred uses.
Then the minister and the people shall say responsively:
To You, God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord:
We dedicate this house.
To You, eternal Son of God, Redeemer of Your people
and Head of they church:
We dedicate this house.
To You, Spirit of God, lord and giver of life, our teacher,
sanctifier and comforter:
We dedicate this house.
For the worship of God in praise and prayer;
For the preaching of the gospel of the grace of God;
For the celebration of the holy Sacraments:
We dedicate this house.
For the diffusion of sacred knowledge;
For the promotion of righteousness;
For the extension of the kingdom of God:
We dedicate this house.
For release of the captives;
For recovering of sight to the blind;
For rest to the heavy laden:
We dedicate this house.
For comfort to those who mourn;
For strength to those who are tempted;
For assurance to those of little faith:
We dedicate this house.
For the sanctifying of the family;
For the nurture of the young;
For the perfection of believers:
We dedicate this house.
In gratitude for the gracious keeping of the divine
covenant throughout past generations;
In reliance upon the promise that the gates of hell shall
not prevail against the church;
In the hope of the eternal glory of the Church Triumphant:
We dedicate this house.

Sanctuary Info

Sanctuary Information, available @ resource desk in lobby today

After many years of meeting in facilities that did not belong to us, we are excited about creating our own space for worship. Everything in the sanctuary has been so placed for a Biblical purpose. Here, you will find a brief explanation of what you’ll find in our sanctuary and why it’s here.

Kneelers:

In the thirty-five appearances of the image in Scripture, knees are most often used to signify the state of one person before another, usually in submission or humility.  We offer kneelers so that those desiring to physically bow in prayer may do so.  Different people worship God differently. Consequently, some people desire to be more physically expressive in worship. If you wish to outwardly demonstrate your submission to God during prayer, please make use of the kneelers in the sanctuary whenever you feel so led.

Pulpit: (coming this week)

The pulpit—centered on the platform to represent the centrality of the preached Word of God—includes a carving of the cross upon which Jesus was crucified. The cross has come to represent many things, including the sacrifice that God made by sending His unblemished Son to suffer and die for our sins. It is also a symbol of God’s power of all things—death included—and is included on the pulpit as a reminder that Christ is our only Redeemer.

Communion Table: (coming this week)

Used to prepare and serve the Lord’s Supper, the communion table has a baptism bowl placed upon it. The baptism bowl represents the commitment of Christ Community Church to the sacrament of baptism and the outward demonstration of God’s covenant with us, His people, and that we need, accept and desire His grace.

The table carries the inscription “This, do, in remembrance of Me,” as a reminder that we are to take the Lord’s Supper—also called holy communion and the Eucharist—as an outward demonstration of our redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Through Him, we have been redeemed.

Signs

It was in downtown Sacramento

Kim and I went to a tremendous restaurant with 2 friends. After being seated and starting to peruse the menu, my friend said--"Put your menu down. The chef here is brilliant. Let's tell him we trust him and need 4 entrees and a bottle of wine. If he wants to do something off menu and/or experimental--go for it.". So we did.

It is one of the top 10 meal experiences of my life. The chef responded generously to being trusted. He sent 5 killer entrees and 2 bottles de vino--all the extra was complimentary.

As we come to the Communion Table, I ask you to put down your menus. Where you are trying to plan out your lives for what you'd prefer God do for you--drop it. Trust Him.

God loves to be trusted. His generous response will suprise you.

Note to self, read this sometime

Believing in Adam and Eve: Reformation21 reprints an essay by Michael Reeves. http://bit.ly/aTaH9n

kneelers

Below I add to an excerpt from the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, on Knee, Kneel

In the thirty-five appearances of the image in Scripture, knees are most often used to signify the state of one person before another, usually in submission or humility.  We offer kneelers so that those desiring to physically bow in prayer may do so.

(put the Sanctuary Primer here)

Spurgeon AM today

"Great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all."
- Matthew 12:15



What a mass of hideous sickness must have thrust itself under the eye of
Jesus! Yet we read not that he was disgusted, but patiently waited on
every case. What a singular variety of evils must have met at his feet!
What sickening ulcers and putrefying sores! Yet he was ready for every new
shape of the monster evil, and was victor over it in every form. Let the
arrow fly from what quarter it might, he quenched its fiery power. The
heat of fever, or the cold of dropsy; the lethargy of palsy, or the rage
of madness; the filth of leprosy, or the darkness of ophthalmia-all knew
the power of his word, and fled at his command. In every corner of the
field he was triumphant over evil, and received the homage of delivered
captives. He came, he saw, he conquered everywhere. It is even so this
morning. Whatever my own case may be, the beloved Physician can heal me;
and whatever may be the state of others whom I may remember at this moment
in prayer, I may have hope in Jesus that he will be able to heal them of
their sins.
My child, my friend, my dearest one, I can have hope for each, for all,
when I remember the healing power of my Lord; and on my own account,
however severe my struggle with sins and infirmities, I may yet be of good
cheer.
He who on earth walked the hospitals, still dispenses his grace, and
works wonders among the sons of men: let me go to him at once in right
earnest.


Let me praise him, this morning, as I remember how he wrought his
spiritual cures, which bring him most renown. It was by taking upon
himself our sicknesses. "By his stripes we are healed.
" The Church on earth is full of souls healed by our beloved Physician;
and the inhabitants of heaven itself confess that "He healed them all.
" Come, then, my soul, publish abroad the virtue of his grace, and let it
be "to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign which shall not be cut
off."

Light it up

Where do I go?

Sunday we celebrate holy communion

Prepare yourself.

You are a sinner. You need a saviour. You have a saviour. He has rescued you:

A.) From the guilt of your sin. You have a clean record.
B.) From depending on your own wisdom. You have a commanding King.

We have a future. Our story shall end very very well. There is a feast waiting. Sunday is a foretaste.

Good Times Sunday

Wow, we've been waiting awhile to enjoy Sunday. This is June 2009

Our Sanctuary and our unfinishedness

The room in which we worship is referred to as a Sanctuary. (more on this later)

3 key pieces of furniture for the sanctuary are set to arrive on Wednesday May 12--which is after this Sunday.  So, the chancel/platform/stage portion of the room may look a sparse.  This will be helped when the furniture arrives.


But it brings up a helpful idea:
We are NOT seeking to "finish" the building without thought and reflection.  For a couple of months you may see things that make you say, "That oughta be done."
What do you do when you think that thought?

1.) Pray for the Building Committee.  "Thank you Jesus for the 10,000 things they thought of.  Give them wisdom on this one thing that might have been overlooked."
2.) Wait.
3.) If after a week, or a fortnight, you think you might be of some help in that area-- email the church office at infoATchristcommunitychurch DOT com
and your desire to serve will be passed on to the proper folks.


Thanks for caring about our church and about our building.

Ulysses, James Joyce, Andrew Pendley, and the Addcox Stephen and Anna

The other day Andrew said, "Will you buy me a book?"  I gave my standard, "As long as it wasn't written in the last 50 years."


Ulysses.


Me: "Ok, yeh, that was written in year 300 so i'll get it.  Oh, it was written by James Joyce?
Well, I (think I) know all about him because, you know, I saw the movie "Notting Hill".  He was British in the 1700's."


This led me to telling him he should talk to an Addcox because they are (like me) experts on English Literature.  Well, turns out James Joyce was Irish and the book was first published in 1922.  I'm an idiot.  But still glad my son wants to read this and still very grateful to be in a church family with folks like Stephen and Anna.


(Ah yes, I haven't read Ulysses.  So if there is a sinful act or a curse word in it---please don't tell me.  Thanks.)

John 13

so---we meet in our new building sunday

In many ways a new day for CCC, in many ways  it offers an opportunity for us to express our loyalty to our mission in new ways.  We are here to experience and extend the grace of Jesus Christ.  So, John 13:3-5




Jesus,
knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands,
and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 
rose from supper.


He laid aside his outer garments,
and taking a towel,
tied it around his waist.




Something very important here about motivation to serve:
--flows from knowing
--flows from knowing who you are (identity)   "He as from God and all things given to him."
Eugene Peterson quote @ meyers-briggs not defining me
--flows from hope/destiny ("he was going back to God")

Grace

"Grace" is the most transformational word in Scripture. The entire Bible is a narrative of God's story of undeserved redemption

Paul Tripp

Invite

Guys B'fast Thursday (tomorrow)

6:30am Perkins

Bummer

I was really hoping these young turks could play at the Building Dedication on May 16.
Just got word that they are busy.

Another invite you can download into an email to friend and foe alike

all of these invites are also available on front page of www.cccgainesville.com

a downloadable invitation to May 16 Grand Opening

Artwork in Children's Rooms

Cleaning the Kitchen, getting things ready!

Lynn Livers works the dry-vac!

What a CO look likes

Building dedication service May 16

On May 16 at six o' clock in the evening we will gather to worship God through the dedication of our church building.  This is a "don't miss" event.  Here is an excerpt from that night.

The minister shall say:

Beloved in the lord, we are gathered to consecrate and set apart this house for the worship of the one living and true God. Let us therefore dedicate this place to its proper and sacred uses.

Then the minister and the people shall say responsively:

To You, God and Father of Jesus Christ, our Lord:

We dedicate this house.

To You, eternal Son of God, Redeemer of Your people

and Head of they church:

We dedicate this house.

To You, Spirit of God, lord and giver of life, our teacher,

sanctifier and comforter:

We dedicate this house.

continued..

After service move!!

After tomorrow's service (10:30, last one @ OHS) we NEED HELP moving children's and music equipment to our new building. After we finish, there will be pizza served at the conclusion of our move.

Plan to help!

Our temporary sign announcing Grand Opening

Update on Lord's Supper schedule

-May 2 @ Oak Hall
We will not be taking the Lord's Supper.

--May 9
We will "break in" our new building by celebrating Communion together.

We passed!

This Sunday is last at oak hall

Memories of Oak Hall

Hoping this Sunday is our last.  We should know this afternoon after inspection!

Starting to reflect a bit.

I remember Sid, you man from Bombay/Mumbai-- came to our church because he worked with one of our people.  Very quickly got into a Christianity Explored group that our intern, Ray Treadwell was running.  A few months later he was professing his personal faith in Jesus Christ and being baptized into our church.  An amazing account of God reaching in and showing His love to someone--and then enriching our church fellowship mightily by Sid's work with youth ministry.

I agree

With all the good there is to exhorting myself and the peeps of Christ Community to maximize the opportunity that moving into the building offers--STILL

" People need to hear less about all we need to do for God and hear more about all that God has already done for us." Tullian T.

So--CCC (and Rob)-- have you thought today on what God has ALREADY done for you?

Redemption, acceptance, imparted His Spirit, given Jesus, et al

Hey Hey, Pray!

Tomorrow we give this Certificate of Occupancy (CO) thang another go!

We'll update you here as soon as we know.

We got our piano!

Baldwin Model L

The piano is 6' 3" and was retired from the University of Florida.

Folks, we got an amazing bargain on a tremendous piano.  We did all our due diligence with piano experts and even had our own pianists drive to Orlando to test it out.  This tremendous instrument is scheduled to arrive before our first service in building.  Thanks to the generous gifts of some folks in CCC and some friends  of CCC, we have a great piano to use to the glory of God!

Mysterious Ways

Amy Julia Becker on how having a child with Down Syndrome has opened her eyes http://ow.ly/1D8Ef

From don miller

I remember Duane

Thinking back on the years-- gonna try to write some of these stories.

Duane came to us as a friend of one of our members. He was battling getting free from prescription meds. The drugs had wreaked havoc on his body and his soul. But he listened to the gospel and he put himself in the gospel community.

I sincerely believe that Duane trusted Christ prior to his sudden and tragic death. The funeral was on the campus of UF.

Only God knows how he has used Duane's brief life in Christ and his funeral service?

Getting ready for children @ our new building, just weeks away!

We have a shelter

Our final song tomorrow:

I have a shelter in the storm

When troubles pour upon me.

Though fears are rising like a flood,

My soul can rest securely.

O Jesus, I will hide in You,

My place of peace and solace.

No trial is deeper than Your love,

That comforts all my sorrows.

We are sincerely closer than we've ever been, seriously.

Hey folks,

Thanks so much for praying for the building process in general and
especially about our inspection yesterday. I'm sorry to say that we
did not pass this inspection, but another one is scheduled for next
week. I just bumped into our construction supervisor Gary and got the
run-down on our failed CO inspection:

I. Signage
There are some interior signs that need to be placed.

II. Sprinkler
There are some back flow valves and other equipment that need to be installed.

III. Kitchen
The ceiling needs to be finished.

Gary is very confident that these issues will be resolved by Tuesday
and that we will be "more than ready" for the inspector's next visit
on Wednesday afternoon. Keep praying!

Rob

try again next week, for Certificate of Occupancy

Dear folks of Christ Community,

We narrowly missed out on passing our inspection by the county.  Our treasured CO (Certificate of Occupancy) will be sought again next week.  Thank you for your prayers.  Keep them up!  God's timing is perfect.

And if you want---come to the covered porch at 6:30 am Saturday.  I will be meeting some people there to pray for a half hour.

Spirit, grant the gift of a clear, distinct, well-defined knowledge of Jesus Christ!

“Half our doubts and fears arise from dim perceptions of the real nature of Christ’s gospel. . . . The root of a happy religion is clear, distinct, well-defined knowledge of Jesus Christ.”

- J. C. Ryle

He paid it so we did not have to

“On the Cross we see God doing at the cosmic level what we all have to do when we forgive. There God absorbed the punishment and debt for sin himself. He paid it so we did not have to.”

- Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods (New York, NY: Dutton, 2009), 92.

No more, "Please move to the center."

Chairs in the House!

Serious help from RUF dudes

8:30 AM

Today the chairs arrive!

Big Day!

Pray for us to pass inspection and get a CO-Certificate of Occupancy

Reminder of Congregational Meeting

May 23

For the pupose of voting on elder candidate Richard White.

Spurgeon

"We are come to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than
that of Abel."
- Hebrews 12:24

Reader, have you come to the blood of sprinkling? The question is not
whether you have come to a knowledge of doctrine, or an observance of
ceremonies, or to a certain form of experience, but have you come to the
blood of Jesus? The blood of Jesus is the life of all vital godliness. If
you have truly come to Jesus, we know how you came-the Holy Spirit sweetly
brought you there. You came to the blood of sprinkling with no merits of
your own. Guilty, lost, and helpless, you came to take that blood, and
that blood alone, as your everlasting hope.

This Sunday when Christ Community gathers!

Promises to be a great day:

1.) We are at Oak Hall. Get that right 1st.
2.) 9am classes for all ages
ADULTS: Frank Matthews starts a new 6 week class on "Being a Servant".
(In the Media Center)

3.) 10:30am Worship Service
Our last Sunday with all our college students, as they near final exams.
Looking at Psalm 127
Unless the Lord builds the house, you labor in vain

4.) After service, lunch!--For College Students: whip around the corner to our new facility for some pizza on the awesome covered porch. Tours shall be given as well.

Ladders to Nowhere

The first great fact which emerges from our civilization is that today everything has become 'means'. There is no longer an 'end'; we do not know whither we are going. We have forgotten our collective ends, and we possess great means: we set huge machines in motion in order to arrive nowhere.

--Jacques Ellul

calvin on psalm 127

It behooves us to remember what I have just now touched upon, that since the minds of men are commonly possessed with such headstrong arrogance as leads them to despise God, and to magnify beyond measure their own means and advantages, nothing is of more importance than to humble them, in order to their being made to perceive that whatever they undertake it shall dissolve into smoke, unless God in the exercise of pure grace cause it to prosper.

oh, so close

Nisi Dominus Frusta

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.    --Psalm 127:1
The coat of arms for Edinburgh, Scotland.

Above the anchor is the motto ‘NISI DOMINUS FRUSTRA’ associated with Edinburgh since 1647. The interpretation is ‘Except the Lord in Vain’ and is a normal heraldic contraction of a verse from the 127th Psalm.

The Greatest Work of the Holy Spirit

“Getting the glory of Christ before your eyes and keeping it there —
 is the greatest work of the Spirit that I can imagine.” 


- C. John Miller

Placing our affections on Christ

“The good news of the Kingdom is that our King has won a marvelous

victory for us. Through his sinless life, sacrificial death as our substitute,

resurrection, and ascension, he has not only conquered death for us,

removing its penalty, but he has also conquered sin’s power over us . . .

through faith, God means for us to tap into the powerful victory of our

King, so that we might be transformed into true worshippers of God and

more authentic lovers of people . . . through faith we are always to be

placing our affections on Christ”. 

--Dr. Steve Childers, Professor RTS, Orlando.

South Carolina Team

Life on the porch

Spurgeon AM

By thy power, O blessed Spirit,
my heart shall be exceeding glad,
though all things should fail me here below.

.

Big Thanks!

Thanks to the Plant Shoppe Florist, for the Peace Lillies they loaned us for Easter services.

Day 1 in Scarolina

Digging trenches, hangin sheetrock, lovin kids

Cross installed

Resurrection

(This is crazy good)

Jesus Christ was raised from the dead
by J.I. Packer
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (LUKE 24:1-3)
Jesus' resurrection, which was a divine act involving all three Persons of the Godhead (John 10:17-18; Acts 13:30-35; Rom. 1:4), was not just a resuscitation of the ruined physical frame that was taken down from the cross for burial. It was, rather, a transformation of Jesus' humanity that enabled him to appear, vanish, and move unseen from one location to another (Luke 24:31, 36). It was the creative renewing of his original body, the body that is now fully glorified and deathless (Phil. 3:21; Heb. 7:16, 24). The Son of God in heaven still lives in and through that body, and will do so forever. In 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, Paul envisages that Christians who are alive on earth at the moment of Christ's return will undergo a similar transformation, though in 2 Corinthians 5:1-5 he shows himself aware that Christians who die before the Second Coming will be "clothed" with their new body (the "eternal house in heaven") as a distinct event, at or after the time of the old body's return to dust (Gen. 3:19).
Christianity rests on the certainty of Jesus' resurrection as a space-time occurrence in history. All four Gospels highlight it, focusing on the empty tomb and resurrection appearances, and Acts insists on it (Acts 1:3; 2:24-35; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30-32; 13:33-37). Paul regarded the Resurrection as indisputable proof that the message about Jesus as Judge and Saviour is true (Acts 17:31; 1 Cor. 15:1-11, 20).
Jesus' resurrection demonstrated his victory over death (Acts 2:24; 1 Cor. 15:54-57), vindicated him as righteous (John 16:10), and indicated his divine identity (Rom. 1:4). It led on to his ascension and enthronement (Acts 1:9-11; 2:34; Phil. 2:9-11; cf. Isa. 53:10-12) and his present heavenly reign. It guarantees the believer's present forgiveness and justification (Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:17) and is the basis of resurrection life in Christ for the believer here and now (John 11:25-26; Rom. 6; Eph. 1:18-2:10; Col. 2:9-15; 3:1-4).

From: Concise Theology

What is different @ Jesus' Resurrection body?

"Think of the Resurrection as the reanimating, with enhanced powers, of a visible, material, physical organism that was destined for further transformation when the Savior, whose body it was, ascended to His Father's throne."

--J.I. Packer
(No relation to Todd)

Saturday and the Silence of the Lamb

A good meditation here from Scott Clark. An excerpt: The burial of our Lord ... http://bit.ly/baDGbG

Who doesn't like finding eggs?

Watch with the kids, or feed your own soul

Here’s a video telling the resurrection story by using the art from the Jesus Storybook Bible and David Suchet’s narration. This would be great to watch with your kids. The intro is long (45 seconds) so you can just skip ahead.

John PIper explains how Jesus' suffering for 3 hours can pay an eternal debt

Sin-free goods are on the way

Christs resurrection not only guarantees us that brand new, sin-free bodies are on the way but a brand new, sin-free world is on the way too. --Tullian T.

First Century "Lay of the Land" stuff

"The ancient world--with the exception of the Jews--was adament that dead people did not rise again; and the Jews did not believe that anyone HAD done so or that anyone WOULD do so all by themselves in advance of the general resurrection."

--N.T. Wright

God of the scars

 
The other gods were strong;
but Thou wast weak;
They rode,
but Thou didst stumble to a throne;
But to our wounds
only God's wounds can speak,
And not a god has wounds, but Thou alone.


-Edward Shillito

"He answered him to never a word."

He had never been slow of speech when he could bless the sons of men, but
he would not say a single word for himself. "Never man spake like this
man," and never man was silent like him. Was this singular silence the
index of his perfect self- sacrifice? Did it show that he would not utter
a word to stay the slaughter of his sacred person, which he had dedicated
as an offering for us? Had he so entirely surrendered himself that he
would not interfere in his own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be
bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a
type of the defencelessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or
excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, he who bore its whole weight stood
speechless before his judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a
gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more
conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for
Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host
of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God
furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion
for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame
of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long
overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be
quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by his
silence, furnished a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. A long defence of
himself would have been contrary to Isaiah's prediction. "He is led as a
lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he
openeth not his mouth." By his quiet he conclusively proved himself to be
the true Lamb of God.
As such we salute him this morning.
Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice
of thy love.

Hanging the chandelier

Maundy Thursday Communion Service 7pm @ Church Property (parker rd)

No foolin'

John Updike, Seven Stanzas at Easter

Make no mistake: if He rose at all
it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse, the molecules
reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the Church will fall.


It was not as the flowers,
each soft Spring recurrent;
it was not as His Spirit in the mouths and fuddled
eyes of the eleven apostles;
it was as His flesh: ours.


The same hinged thumbs and toes,
the same valved heart
that–pierced–died, withered, paused, and then
regathered out of enduring Might
new strength to enclose.


Let us not mock God with metaphor,
analogy, sidestepping, transcendence;
making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the
faded credulity of earlier ages:
let us walk through the door.


The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché,
not a stone in a story,
but the vast rock of materiality that in the slow
grinding of time will eclipse for each of us
the wide light of day.


And if we will have an angel at the tomb,
make it a real angel,
weighty with Max Planck’s quanta, vivid with hair,
opaque in the dawn light, robed in real linen
spun on a definite loom.


Let us not seek to make it less monstrous,
for our own convenience, our own sense of beauty,
lest, awakened in one unthinkable hour, we are
embarrassed by the miracle,
and crushed by remonstrance.

drive it into our heart, Lord

O Sacred Head, what glory
What bliss till now was Thine!
Yet, though despised and gory,
I joy to call Thee mine.

--1563, Bernard of Clairveux