Ministry and Presenting Church to Christ for Betrothal

Sometimes in preaching there’s so much to cut out because of time and a preacher should focus on the main point.  Yesterday’s sermon got me going on a rabbit trail: Can we think of ministry as preparing a bride to meet her husband?

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This Sunday at Church: Praise God for those healed that had Omicron

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Praise God for those healed that had Omicron.

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Those Who Reside As Aliens Series

As our world seems to be get more dark 1 Peter seems like a relevant book to study.

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Quick Thoughts on the authority of Christ in book of Matthew

 

I thought I do a quick look at the authority of Jesus as taught within the book of Matthew.  A good friend pointed out that in Matthew 28:18 when Jesus stated “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me” it was done in the context where some doubted given that was what was stated in the previous verse.  Yet this doubt doesn’t seem to be a global “atheistic” doubt as Matthew 28:17 said “they worshiped Him.”  Dealing with this doubt it is interesting Jesus emphasize that all authority in heaven has been given to Jesus.  So what do we understand about Jesus’ authority or even the concept of authority according to, and within the book of Matthew?

Here’s my thoughts and observation:

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Free Audiobook: By What Standard? An Analysis of the Philosophy of Cornelius Van Til

Last year I read and wrote a review of one of the early apologetics books that popularized the method of Presuppositional Apologetics that was taught by Cornelius Van Til here: Review: By What Standard? An Analysis of the Philosophy of Cornelius Van Til

Apparently the book is now available as an audiobook online! And its available for free!

It is divided by chapters too!  That’s helpful for listeners.

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Exposition of Nahum Part 3: Nahum in a Nutshell Part 1

Last installment: Part 2: God has the power to Judge and Save

Nahum 1:9-15

Establish the need: If you were to have a summary nutshell of the book of Nahum this would be the passage; do you know its message?

Whatever you devise against the Lord, He will make a complete end of it. Distress will not rise up twice. 10 Like tangled thorns, And like those who are drunken with their drink, They are consumed Like stubble completely dried up. 11 From you has gone out One who plotted evil against the Lord, A [a]wicked counselor. 12 This is what the Lord says: “Though they are at full strength and so they are many, So also they will be cut off and pass away. Though I have afflicted you, I will afflict you no longer. 13 So now, I will break his yoke from upon you, And I will tear your shackles to pieces.” 14 The Lord has issued a command concerning you: “Your name will no longer be perpetuated. I will eliminate the carved image and the cast metal image From the house of your gods. I will prepare your grave, For you are contemptible.” 15 Behold, on the mountains, the feet of him who brings good news, Who announces peace! Celebrate your feasts, Judah, Pay your vows. For never again will the wicked one pass through you; He is eliminated completely.

Structure: The 4 address structure of this passage

• First address to Assyria (v.9-10)
• First address to Judah (v.11-13)
• Second address to Assyria (v.14)
• Second address to Judah (v.15)

Purpose: For this session we will focus only with the two addresses from God towards Assyria that summarize the “bad news” found in book of Nahum so that we be move to trust in Jesus for saving grace and avoid His wrath.

• First address to Assyria (v.9-10)
• Second address to Assyria (v.14)

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Bible Contradiction? When was Eve created?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: When was Eve created?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

At the same time as Adam.

“So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:27)

After Adam and all the animals were created.

“The man gave names to all the livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field, but for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. 22 And the Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.” (Genesis 2:20-22)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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Free PDF and Review: Reforming a Local Church

Ernest Resinger. Reforming a Local Church.  Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library, June 4, 2015. 40 pp.

4 out of 5

Free: Chapel Library

Purchase: Amazon

This is a famous essay by Pastor Ernest Resinger who is an important leader with the conservative resurgence in the Southern Baptist Convention.  This essay is about reforming a local church and while his original address was many decades ago for the context of the SBC denomination the applications and principles here applies for those in other denominations as well.  This booklet is both edifying and challenging.

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This Sunday at Church: Email Sermon Notes to those who can’t make it to Service

For this Sunday here’s what you can do: Email Sermon Notes to those who can’t make it to Service.

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Presuppositional Apologetics’ Links: Third Week of January 2022

Here are the links related to Presuppositional apologetics gathered between January 15th-21st, 2022.

1.) Cave to the Cross’ God Is Free Of Evil – Ep.159 – What About Evil? – The Challenge Of Moral Responsibility – Part 1

2.) Bible Contradiction? What’s new?

3.) The Altruism Exchange 1

4.) Throwing Stones at Barking Distractions By Piltdown Superman 

5.) Quick Thoughts on the Book of Enoch and Biblical Canon

6.) A Dilemma for Unitarianism

7.) Van Til’s Trinitarian Theology: Reformed or Revisionist? Lectures by Lane Tipton

8.) Veritas Domain’s Facebook page meme

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend

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Review: Captain America: White

Pastors also need a break from heavy theological reading!  So here’s a comic book review!

Jeph Loeb. Captain America: White. New York, NY: DC Comics, November 15, 2016. 160 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Want to read the story of Captain America and his partner Bucky?  This is a story of World War Two, fighting fascism, camaraderie and memories of those who died.  I picked up this graphic novel because whenever the writer Jeph Loeb and the artist Tim Sale team up they typically give readers a great story and wonderful nostalgic artwork that gives a historical mood.  I thought this book is really good and in the same vein as Loeb and Sale’s previous titles that I enjoyed: Batman: The Long Halloween, Superman for All Seasons and Daredevil Legends, Vol. 1: Yellow.

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Van Til’s Trinitarian Theology: Reformed or Revisionist? Lectures by Lane Tipton

There has been a lot of recent heated discussions on social media by Thomists (followers of Thomas Aquinas) that those who are into Presuppositional Apologetics as taught by Cornelius Van Til do not understand the Trinity or worst hold to a heretical view of the Trinity.  These discussions touch on Divine Simplicity and the operation of the Holy Trinity.

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Exposition of Nahum Part 2: God has the power to Judge and Save

Last installment: Part 1: Why God Judges Nations 

Nahum 1:3b-8

And the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished. 4 In the gale and the storm is His way, And clouds are the dust beneath His feet. 4 He rebukes the sea and dries it up; He dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, The blossoms of Lebanon wither. 5 Mountains quake because of Him, And the hills come apart; Indeed the earth is upheaved by His presence, The world and all the inhabitants in it.  6 Who can stand before His indignation? Who can endure the burning of His anger? His wrath gushes forth like fire, And the rocks are broken up by Him. 7 The Lord is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble, And He knows those who take refuge in Him. 8 But with an overflowing flood He will make a complete end of [b]its site, And will pursue His enemies into darkness.

Establish the need: We saw last time God has the attributes that will make Him judge the wicked; but does He have the power to do so?

Purpose: We need to know God will one day come down to earth to give a global Judgment and still God will graciously save those who trust in Him.

• We need to know God has the power to judge with His power over nature (v.3b-5)
• We need to know God has the power to judge with His power over humans (v.6-8)

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Bible Contradiction? What’s new?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: What’s new?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Nothing is, or ever will be, new.

“What has been, it is what will be, And what has been done, it is what will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9)

Some things are new.

“Behold, I am going to do something new, Now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19)

“For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; And the former things will not be remembered or come to mind.” (Isaiah 65:17)

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, this person is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” (2 Peter 3:13)

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.” (Revelation 21:1)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

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Quick Thoughts on the Book of Enoch and Biblical Canon

Someone asked me about the book of Enoch and the issue of whether it should be in the in Canon of the Bible.

Here’s my quick thoughts:

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