Grace Blog
Preparing for Grace Gathered :: March 14, 2010
Over the past couple of months, God has continued to use the Sunday gatherings to minister to more and more people from our community. Because of God’s blessing, we are seeing more people attending our gathered services now than at any other time in our church’s history. It is exciting to see how God is working in our community and with that comes a stewardship of and sensitivity to the needs that accompany these people. The elders continue to ask those of you in the Grace family that can the early service to please consider doing so to allow for more seating in our 10:45 service.
If you are new to the area or are looking to attend one of our services this Sunday, visit our “New to Grace” menu on our website where you will find information such as directions, what to expect, the latest at Grace, and other frequently asked questions. We look forward to meeting you and have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus and how He has changed our lives!
Bible Study: The Gospel Centered Life: An Addendum
For the past three of Sunday’s, Pastor Tim has been addressing the social implications of the gospel as it relates to the poor, needy, and marginalized. Last week, we discussed the implications of the gospel as from the life of Christ, namely righteous living includes an incarnational presence, neighboring community, and generous welcoming of the poor and marginalized. This week, we will examine the implications from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, focusing on stewarding the mission through sacrificial giving.
Grace Gathered (Worship Services)
In our gathered worship services (8:00am and 10:45am), we will renew our hearts through the means of grace as God reveals Himself to us through His Word and by His Spirit. Pastor Tom Ascol will continue his series on “The Gospel-Driven Church”–an exposition on the book of 1 Corinthians. The text will be 1 Cor. 2:1-5 which focuses on the true nature of gospel-driven preaching. How did the Apostle Paul approach the Corinthian church? What was his message? How did he present it? Why did he deliver in this manner? These questions strike at the very heart and character of what biblical, gospel preaching is all about.
During our time of singing, we will seek to humble ourselves before our Sovereign King and recognize that apart from Him we are nothing. Below is YouTube video of “Let Us Adore”–one of the gathering songs we will be singing this Sunday. Let us anticipate the gathering of God’s people in corporate praise with hearts adoring our Savior Jesus Christ!
Reminders
1. Those who are look to visit with us or are coming down as Snowbirds, please note the schedule change for Sunday morning. We have two morning services (8:00 and 10:45) with Sunday School in the middle at 9:30am.
2. Don’t forget to spring FORWARD this Saturday night by turning your clocks ahead one hour!!!
3. The annual GBC Picnic is schedule for this Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Lakes Park in Ft. Myers. Festivities will begin around 11:00am at pavillion C1, so come early and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of fellowship and fun with the entire Grace family!
4. Our next Grace Community Group meets this Sunday, April 4. If you are not part of one of our groups and would like to be, please see Pastor Tim who will assist you in getting connected with a group in your area. For more information, click here.
– Words and Music to “Let Us Adore” by Reuben Morgan. Copyright © 2005 Hillsong United Music
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Grace Gathered | posted by TimBrister at 4:30 pm | Categories: Grace Gathered |
Events vs. Family - Giving Appropriate Emphasis
Tim Chester, author of several books include Total Church, recently wrote a thought-provoking blogpost about performance-based ministry and real-life ministry as it relates to the “store-front” image of the church. His desire is that people not ask about their meetings (events) but rather ask about how the church lives their lives together with gospel intentionality.
Chester writes:
For many Christians church is an event. It is a meeting you attend or a place you enter. Churches may talk about being a family, but most of their resources go into the Sunday morning event. Acquiring a building. Preparing the sermon. Producing the bulletin. Equipping a venue with sound and light. Planning the show. Practicing the band. That’s were their money and their staff time go. We talk about being family and community, but when you look at how we spend our time and money it becomes clear that in practice we view church as an event.
People often ask me about our meetings. ‘When do you meet? Where? What do you do when you meet together?’ But if you ask those questions then you have completely missed the point! We’re not advocating a new way of doing meetings. Actually our meetings are not good! The music is poor and the teaching is nothing you’d go out of your way to hear. What matters to us is our shared life: sharing our lives, doing ordinary life with gospel intentionality.
The church will never out perform TV shows and music videos. But there is nothing like the community life of the church. There is nowhere else where diverse people come together. There is nowhere else were broken people find a home. There is nowhere else when grace is experienced. There is nowhere else where God is present by his Spirit.
Although our corporate times of gathered worship are very important in the life of our church, relatively speaking if we are a healthy church, we would view church life much more than an “event” but a shared journey where we live life together on mission in our community with a gospel-driven passion. While the de-churched in our community will perhaps find their way to one of our corporate gatherings, the unchurched and unreached people will not exposed to the glorious realities of the gospel without the community apologetic and everyday witness of kingdom living through word (proclamation) and deed (service).
While we do not want diminish the significance of our times of gathered corporate worship, we ought to raise the significance of everyday life in between these gatherings to authentically and intentionality demonstrate how the gospel continues to transform our lives where the Spirit of God makes ordinary moments extraordinary opportunities for glorying in Jesus Christ!
Labels: Cape Coral, Community, Family Life, Grace Baptist Church, Tim Chester | posted by TimBrister at 8:28 am | Categories: Community, Gospel, Small Groups |
What the Gospel Is Saying
Of First Importance is a blog that is dedicated to giving you daily gospel gold. If you have not bookmarked or subscribed to their feed, I encourage you to do so. Here is an entry from last week:
“The gospel is saying that, what man cannot do in order to be accepted with God, this God Himself has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ. To be acceptable to God we must present to God a life of perfect and unceasing obedience to his will. The gospel declares that Jesus has done this for us. For God to be righteous he must deal with our sin. This also he has done for us in Jesus. The holy law of God was lived out perfectly for us by Christ, and its penalty was paid perfectly for us by Christ. The living and dying of Christ for us, and this alone is the basis of our acceptance with God.”
- Graeme Goldsworthy, Gospel and Kingdom, p. 86
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, Graeme Goldsworthy, Of First Importance | posted by TimBrister at 10:58 am | Categories: Gospel, Jesus |
Grace in 60 Seconds: The Gospel
A couple of weeks ago, I shared on our blog that I was starting a series called “Grace in 60 Seconds.” This is a series that seeks to distill the very essence of Grace Baptist Church in six words in order to answer the question, “In sixty seconds or less, what distinctly defines Grace Baptist Church?”
This evening, I addressed the first word - gospel. It is the first word because it is “of first importance.” Looking at 1 Cor. 15:1-3 alone, we see just how crucial it is. It is preached, believed, held fast, stood upon, delivered, and received. If we want to get at the heart of God and the Christian faith, we need to look nowhere else than His gospel. I want to elaborate on the gospel through five aspects: fluency, centrality, intentionality, sufficiency, intensity.
Gospel Fluency (Definition)
The first element of the gospel is fluency–that is, how well one understands the gospel. We never want to assume the gospel in any context nor do we want to find ourselves in a context where a clear understanding of the gospel is not necessary. Our familiarity with the gospel should not breed contempt but contemplation and competency in grasping the most important news in the whole world. Every member should be able to explain who Jesus is, what He has done, and what that matters to every single person on the face of the planet. They ought to be able to speak of the gospel as it relates to God, man and sin, Jesus Christ, and the response it invokes. Christians ought to be able to tell the gospel story as the overarching theme of all of Scripture beginning with creation to the Fall to redemption and ending in consummation. For there to be fluency in the gospel, there must be a commitment to meditate, rehearse and pray the gospel into our lives on a daily basis. Those who are most fluent in the gospel are most prepared to speak much of Jesus, and because we are prone to forget the gospel, we like Martin Luther ought to “beat it continually in our heads.”
Gospel Centrality (Formation)
The second element of the gospel is centrality. The gospel is not the introduction to Christianity; it is the essence of Christianity. It is not the A-B-C but the A-Z of the Christian faith. When the gospel is central, humble repentance and renewed faith will regular because they are the biblical responses and requirements for those whose lives are seen through the grid of God’s holiness, man’s sinfulness, and Jesus’ glorious substitution. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16), and it is in the gospel where we take our stand (1 Cor. 15:1-2). We have been saved by the gospel (justification), are being saved by the gospel (sanctification), and will be saved by the gospel (glorification). Therefore, the God-appointed means by which we grow in the Christian faith is through beholding Jesus Christ in the light of the gospel (2 Cor. 3:18-4:6). Because of this, everything we are is grounding in the gospel indicative (who we are in Christ) and everything we do flows out of the gospel imperative (repent and believe).
Gospel Intentionality (Direction)
The third element is gospel intentionality. We believe that the Christian life consists of ordinary people in ordinary settings living with gospel intentionality. This means that our lives are prioritized by the gospel. It is a matter of first importance (1 Cor. 15:3). Our lives should be patterned because of gospel, that our conduct might be worthy of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:27). When our lives are purposed in the gospel (1 Cor. 9:19-23), it reveals that we sense the weight and all-encompassing significance of it so that we can say “I do all things for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings.” And when our lives have the intentionality of the gospel brought to bear, we will have a new perspective through the gospel in which we see all of life through the lens of God’s glorious message. Simply put, gospel intentionality fosters a conscious desire to make the gospel our primary agenda in every sphere of life.
Gospel Sufficiency (Solution)
The fourth element is gospel sufficiency. On a most basic level, the source of our problems is sin and the only answer to those problems is Christ and Him crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). The gospel implications encompass everything from how we love our spouses, raise our kids, relate to our neighbors, or work on the job (and more). The problems we face can be traced back to a lack of orientation to the gospel–to grasp it and believe it thoroughly. To think that mere behavioral modification or self-improvement techniques can adequately address the human denies that what we need is renewal and transformation that begins within–in the heart. And only the gospel of Jesus Christ can change us from within, to expose our idols, confront our unbelief, and draw us to brokenness, humility and repentance. Gospel sufficiency says that the key to renewal and wholeness in the Christian life comes from a continual rediscovery of the gospel–seeing more of its truth and experiencing more of its transforming power to renew our minds, revive our hearts, and reinvigorate our wills. Only through recognizing the sufficiency of the gospel can we truly be helped in the most practical ways to pursue peace with men, purity in the church, and passion for the glory of God in all things.
Gospel Intensity (Inflammation)
The last element is gospel intensity. God desires His people to dwell deep in the gospel. As Paul exhorts, we desire to see the “word of Christ dwell richly” in us (Col. 3:16). In the gospel, we are invited to inquire of the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:8), and the more we mine the depths of God’s glorious gospel, the richer (spiritually) we will become in our communion with God and usefulness in this world. God has laid before us a banqueting table to feast in the manna of the gospel and be utterly satisfied in all He is for us in Jesus Christ. It is a tragedy to be satisfied with crumbs on the floor when Jesus has given us a seat at the table can welcomed us to feast. The result of such intense commitment to the gospel is that our hearts would be inflamed with greater love and devotion for the one who has set us free. To the degree we are intense with the gospel will be the degree our lives will be oriented to and owned by the glory of Jesus Christ.
So the first word of Grace in 60 seconds is the gospel. May it be the first and final word of our lives and our church!
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church | posted by TimBrister at 5:15 am | Categories: Core Values/Practices, Gospel |
Preparing for Grace Gathered :: March 7, 2010
Over the past couple of months, God has continued to use the Sunday gatherings to minister to more and more people from our community. Because of God’s blessing, we are seeing more people attending our gathered services now than at any other time in our church’s history. It is exciting to see how God is working in our community and with that comes a stewardship of and sensitivity to the needs that accompany these people. The elders continue to ask those of you in the Grace family that can the early service to please consider doing so to allow for more seating in our 10:45 service.
If you are new to the area or are looking to attend one of our services this Sunday, visit our “New to Grace” menu on our website where you will find information such as directions, what to expect, the latest at Grace, and other frequently asked questions. We look forward to meeting you and have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus and how He has changed our lives!
Bible Study: The Gospel Centered Life: An Addendum
For the past couple of Sunday’s, Pastor Tim has been addressing the social implications of the gospel as it relates to the poor, needy, and marginalized. Numerous questions were generated from last Sunday’s discussions on the 12 observations made from the New Testament regarding the poor. We hope to pick up where we left off by answering those questions and looking at the horizontal implications regarding to the poor in relation to the vertical gospel realities as experienced in the gospel.
Grace Gathered (Worship Services)
In our gathered worship services (8:00am and 10:45am), we will renew our hearts through the means of grace as God reveals Himself to us through His Word and by His Spirit. Pastor Tom Ascol will continue his series on “The Gospel-Driven Church”–an exposition on the book of 1 Corinthians. The text will be 1 Cor. 1:26-31 where the apostle Paul exhorts us to “consider our calling.” When we look at what we were when God called us and saved us, it is a constant reminder that all that we are is because of the grace of God, and all that we would ever become is to boast in the cross and glorify God.
During our time of singing, we will seek to humble ourselves before our Sovereign King and recognize that apart from Him we are nothing. Below are the lyrics to “I Will Glory in My Redeemer”–one of the modern hymns we will be singing this Sunday. Consider the lyrics and allow it to prepare your heart and mind for this coming Lord’s Day.
I Will Glory in My Redeemer
I will glory in my Redeemer
Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the Holy Judge
The Lamb Who is my righteousness
The Lamb Who is my righteousness
I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I’m satisfied in Him alone
I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagle’s wings
He crowns my life with lovingkindness
His triumph song I’ll ever sing
I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me it will be paradise
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
Reminders
1. Those who are look to visit with us or are coming down as Snowbirds, please note the schedule change for Sunday morning. We have two morning services (8:00 and 10:45) with Sunday School in the middle at 9:30am.
2. Our next Grace Community Group meets this Sunday night, beginning at 6:00pm. If you are not part of one of our groups and would like to be, please see Pastor Tim who will assist you in getting connected with a group in your area. For more information, click here.
3. The annual GBC Picnic is schedule for Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Lakes Park in Ft. Myers. Festivities will begin around 11:00am, so come early and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of fellowship and fun with the entire Grace family!
– Words and Music to “I Will Glory in My Redeemer” by Steve & Vicki Cook. Copyright © 2001 Sovereign Grace Music
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Grace Gathered | posted by TimBrister at 10:04 pm | Categories: Grace Gathered |
The Biblical Gospel and It’s Social Implications
Here’s a short video clip from James MacDonald of Harvest Bible Chapel in which he rejects the substitution of the social gospel for the biblical gospel and yet affirms the social implications which result from a right understanding of the gospel.
Social Gospel vs. Proclamation Gospel from Harvest Bible Chapel on Vimeo.
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, James MacDonald, Social Responsibility | posted by TimBrister at 7:29 pm | Categories: Gospel, Social Renewal |
Gospel and Poor: Implications from the Life of Christ
Continuing the commentary on what the Scriptures say about the poor, I want to turn to the heart of biblical revelation–the gospel of Jesus Christ–and see what implications we can draw as it relates to the poor. In other words, when we understand what God has given us in His Son from a vertical perspective, what kind of implications does that have from a horizontal perspective as it relates to the poor? What difference does being recipients of the gospel mean for us? Do the vertical (spiritual) realities bear any consequence on the horizontal (physical) application of such realities in the way in which we treat the poor and needy? I want to begin first with the life of Jesus Christ.
Gospel and Poor: Life of Jesus Christ
Why is the life of Jesus so important to us? God sent His Son into the world that we might behold Him and believe in Him. We behold Him because he dwelt (tabernacled) among us, and we have come to see Him who is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The life of Jesus is essential to the gospel because he accomplished for us what we could never do for ourselves–live a perfectly righteous, sinless life before a holy God. Every Christian is saved by good works–the works of Jesus Christ.
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, Poor, Social Responsibility | posted by TimBrister at 10:48 pm | Categories: Uncategorized |
Clarifying the Gospel and Its Implications
Matt Chandler is a dear brother whom we have been praying for in recent months, joining with him in his fight against brain cancer. I was able to attend the 20/20 Collegiate Conference at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary where Matt was scheduled to speak. Due to his chemo and radiation treatments, he was unable to attend. However, he was able to pre-record his session in which he deals with clarifying the gospel and its implications. Check it out.
Matt Chandler - 20/20 2010 Session 1 from Southeastern Seminary on Vimeo.
Labels: 20/20 Collegiate Conference, Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, Matt Chandler | posted by TimBrister at 1:05 pm | Categories: Gospel, Poor |
12 Observations about the Poor from the New Testament
Why should we take up the subject of the poor in our studies of the gospel-centered life? From the New Testament alone, let me provide you with twelve observations for your consideration.
Jesus and the Poor
1. Jesus began his earthly ministry by defining it according to prophecy fulfilled regarding the preaching of the gospel to the poor (Luke 4:16-21).
2. The proof that Jesus chose to give to John the Baptist that he indeed was the Messiah was ministry to the poor (Matthew 11:1-6).
3. Jesus lived on earth as a poor man (Luke 9:58) and enjoyed community among the poor and needy.
4. Jesus links the fulfillment of the second table of the Law in reference to having mercy and compassion upon the poor and needy (Luke 10:25-37).
5. Jesus indicates that our confidence in the resurrection should lead us to welcome the poor to the banqueting table of our lives (Luke 14:12-14).
6. The basis of Jesus’ judgment upon his return is grounded in how we cared for “the least of these my brothers” (i.e., the poor) (Matthew 25:31-46).
Early Church and the Poor
7. The early church believed (and practiced) that caring for the poor was fundamental to their identity such that there was “not a needy person among them” (Acts 2:45; 4:34-35).
8. When Paul was received by the apostolic leadership in Jerusalem, they left him with a simple charge: remember the poor, something that Paul was eager to do (Galatians 2:10). Of all things they could have said, apparently this was very important to leaders of the early church.
9. It was a common practice for the early church to take up contributions/offerings to help meet the needs of the poor (Romans 15:25-26; 2 Corinthians 8-9).
10. When Paul exhorts the Corinthians believers, he reminds them that God has chosen the weak, the lowly, the despised in the world (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). As history reveals, not many of the early church were rich or of noble birth.
11. James declares that justifying faith is authenticated by good works in reference to the poor (James 2:1-26). Ignoring the poor is an indication that you may not rightly understand what it means to be justified by faith in God.
12. John questions whether or not we have come to know the love of God through the sacrifice of His Son if our hearts are closed to the poor and needy (1 John 3:16-18). The love we have received vertically ought to be demonstrated horizontally in deeds to the poor.
These observations strike at the heart of the New Testament community of believers–what they believed, how they lived, and why they embraced the poor and needy in their community. May God grant us an understanding of the gospel that fuels a passion to love, serve, and bless the poor in our city!
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Jesus, New Testament, Poor | posted by TimBrister at 8:42 am | Categories: Jesus, Poor |
Preparing for Grace Gathered :: February 28, 2010
Over the past couple of months, God has continued to use the Sunday gatherings to minister to more and more people from our community. It is exciting to see how God is working in our community and with that comes a stewardship of and sensitivity to the needs that accompany these people. The elders continue to ask those of you in the Grace family that can the early service to please consider doing so to allow for more seating in our 10:45 service.
If you are new to the area or are looking to attend one of our services this Sunday, visit our “New to Grace” menu on our website where you will find information such as directions, what to expect, the latest at Grace, and other frequently asked questions. We look forward to meeting you and have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus and how He has changed our lives!
Bible Study: The Gospel Centered Life: An Addendum
Last Sunday, Pastor Tim walked us through what Scripture says about the “poor” in order to build a biblical/theological foundation and framework for our thinking and living. During our adult Bible Study time (9:30am), he will pick up the issue of the poor as it relates to the gospel and lead a discussion on what the implications are for us today. Should we care for the poor? If so, are we only to care for the poor in our congregation? If not, what are some specific ways Scripture shows us how we can care for the poor in our community? These questions and others we hope to address from Scripture with the intention of bringing it home to our church and our social responsibility in our communities.
Grace Gathered (Worship Services)
In our gathered worship services (8:00am and 10:45am), we will renew our hearts through the means of grace as God reveals Himself to us through His Word and by His Spirit. Pastor Tom Ascol will continue his series on “The Gospel-Driven Church”–an exposition on the book of 1 Corinthians. The text will be 1 Cor. 1:18-25 where the apostle Paul brings up a very powerful argument on “the foolishness of preaching.” Of all the ways God has determined his purposes of salvation to be accomplished, the plain preaching of the Gospel in the power of the Holy Spirit is chief among them.
During our time of singing, we will focus our attention on the cross and the glories of Calvary. Below are the lyrics to “The Power of the Cross”–one of the modern hymns we will be singing this Sunday. Consider the lyrics and allow it to prepare your heart and mind for this coming Lord’s Day.
The Power of the Cross
Oh to see the dawn of the darkest day
Christ on the road to calvary
Tried by sinful men, torn and beaten then
Nailed to a cross of wood
This the pow’r of the cross
Christ became sin for us
Took the blame, bore the wrath
We stand forgiven at the cross
Oh to see the pain written on Your face
Bearing the awesome weight of sin
Ev’ry bitter thought, ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow
Now the daylight flees, now the ground beneath
Quakes as its maker bows his head
Curtain torn in two, dead are raised to life
‘Finished!’ the vict’ry cry.
Oh to see my name written in the wound
For through Your suf‘fring I am free
Death is crushed to death, life is mine to live
Won through Your selfless love
This the pow’r of the cross
Son of God slain for us
What a life, what a cost
We stand forgiven at the cross
Reminders
1. Those who are look to visit with us or are coming down as Snowbirds, please note the schedule change for Sunday morning. We have two morning services (8:00 and 10:45) with Sunday School in the middle at 9:30am.
2. Attention men: On Monday, March 1st, you will have the opportunity to hear from one of the top leadership experts, Chris Brady, on leading well through adversity and suffering. This meeting will take place at GBC from 7:00-9:00PM. You will not want to miss this challenging time together!
3. Our next Grace Community Group meeting will be on March 7, beginning at 6:00pm. If you are not part of one of our groups and would like to be, please see Pastor Tim who will assist you in getting connected with a group in your area. For more information, click here.
4. The annual GBC Picnic is schedule for Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Lakes Park in Ft. Myers. Festivities will begin around 11:00am, so come early and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of fellowship and fun with the entire Grace family!
– Words and Music to “Every Promise” by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend. Copyright © 2005 Thank You Music
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Grace Gathered | posted by TimBrister at 4:04 am | Categories: Grace Gathered |
Tchividjian on the Everyday Gospel
Tullian Tchividjian, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, recently wrote a helpful summary article in Christianity Today on what “The Gospel-Centered Life” is all about. In this article, he presents two challenges to preachers of the gospel. Let me encourage you to think that this not only applies to those who preach behind a pulpit, but to every Christian who preaches the gospel to themselves and to others.
An excerpt:
There are two challenges for preachers, those of us called to announce this good news. First is to help people understand theologically that the gospel doesn’t just ignite the Christian life but it’s also the fuel that keeps Christians going and growing every day. The second challenge, which is much harder for me than the first, is to help people understand how this works functionally.
I address the second challenge by regularly asking myself this question: Since Jesus secured my pardon and absorbed the Father’s wrath on my behalf so that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” how does that impact my longing for approval, my tendency to be controlling, and my fear of the unknown?
In other words, how does the finished work of Christ satisfy my deepest daily needs so that I can experience the liberating power of the gospel every day and in every way?
If you’re a preacher, then God has called you to help others make the connection between Christ’s finished work and their daily life. To do this, we must unveil and unpack the truth of the gospel from every biblical text we preach in such a way that it exposes both the idols of our culture and the idols of our hearts.
Every sermon ought to disclose the ways in which we depend on lesser things to provide the security, acceptance, protection, affection, meaning, and satisfaction that only Christ can supply.
I pray that as you come to a better understanding of the length and breadth of the gospel, you will be recaptured every day by the “God of great expenditure” who gave everything that we might possess all.
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Gospel-Centered, Grace Baptist Church, Tullian Tchividjian | posted by TimBrister at 2:14 pm | Categories: Gospel |
Two Ways to Live - Regarding the Poor
This past Sunday during our Bible Study time, I did a quick overview of what the Bible says about the poor from a redemptive-historical perspective (creation, fall, early Israel, later Israel, Jesus, early church, consummation). One particular book I did not mention which speaks much about the poor is the book of Proverbs. Consider these texts and notice the relationship between one’s attitude and actions regarding the poor and how God responds to it.
Negative Approach to the Poor
Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him.
Proverbs 14:31
Whoever mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who is glad at calamity will not go unpunished.
Proverbs 17:5
Whoever closes his ear to the cry of the poor will himself call out and not be answered.
Proverbs 21:13
Positive Approach to the Poor
Whoever despises his neighbor is a sinner, but blessed is he who is generous to the poor.
Proverbs 14:21
Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever gives to the poor will not want, but he who hides his eyes will get many a curse.
Proverbs 28:27
A righteous man knows the rights of the poor; a wicked man does not understand such knowledge.
Proverbs 29:7
On the one hand, you can oppress the poor, mock the poor, despise the poor, and close your ear the poor. God’s response? You are in insult to him, and he will not hear and answer your prayers.
On the other hand, you can be generous to the poor, honor him, and know his rights. God’s response? You will be blessed, not be in want, and will be repaid by God himself.
Two ways to live regarding the poor . . . which way will we choose?
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Poor, Social Action | posted by TimBrister at 8:42 am | Categories: Poor, Social Renewal |
The Gospel: The Key to a Unified Church
This past Sunday, Pastor Tom preached from 1 Corinthians 1:10-17 as a continuation in his series, “The Gospel-Driven Church” (an exposition of 1 Corinthians). His main point? “Where the gospel is properly prized, Christian unity will be persistently pursued.”
We live in a day where it is easy to follow popular preachers or get caught up in various forms of Christian “groupies.” The Corinthian believers knew something of this. Peter was used by God in preaching at Pentecost where thousands were converted. He was close to Jesus in his earthly ministry. Paul, on the other hand, was setting the world ablaze with the gospel and planting churches in some of the most influential cities in the world. Apollos was perhaps the most eloquent of them all, able to persuade and convince people of the gospel from the religious elite to the man in the marketplace. It is easy to see, then, that with such towering personalities who were known for accomplishing so much for the Lord, these believers could begin to be aligned to them, resulting in division.
As he wrote to the Corinthians, Paul did not have his ego stroked because some had regarded them as their leader. Instead, he was broken-hearted. He knew that it was not about him. His entire life was about Jesus. His passion was the gospel. So the solution for this division was not to part ways by preferences and personalities, but a strong personal exhortation to get back to the gospel which has made them the community of faith.
As God continues to bless the ministry here at Grace, we would be foolish to think that we are not faced with the same temptations and problems. We can allow ourselves to be divided over any number of things, including:
–> geographical boundaries (I’m from Ft. Myers; I’m from Punta Gorda; I’m from the Cape).
–> ethnic boundaries (I’m Hispanic; I’m African-American; I’m White)
–> socio-economic boundaries (I’m upper-class; I’m middle class; I’m lower class)
–> educational preferences (Our kids are home-schooled; our kids go to private school; our kids go to public schools)
The list could be endless because our hearts are idol factories. In the case of Corinth, it was preacher personalities. In our context with plurality of pastors/elders, that temptation for us might lead you to have preferential treatment of one leader against another. We must be on guard not to inflate the gifts of the church as though God’s work among us entirely dependent upon them.
As we seek to apply the truths we have learned, let us pray that God would so work among us through the gospel that we would all say the same thing, be of the same mind, and have the same judgment. May it never be said that God who is love is held in contempt because of the lack of love among His people. May it never be argued that the message of reconciliation (the gospel) is unconvincing because of the disagreements and divisions among God’s people who have professed to embrace that message. May the gospel which is “the power of God unto salvation” also be the great unifier that facilitates a radically diverse people to love, serve, and give our lives away for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom!
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Gospel-Centered, Grace Baptist Church | posted by TimBrister at 1:36 pm | Categories: Gospel, Sermons |
The Gospel is for the Christian
Here’s a brief video by Tullian Tchividjian, pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, of the importance of the centrality of the gospel in the life of the believer.
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Gospel-Centered, Grace Baptist Church | posted by TimBrister at 9:20 pm | Categories: Core Values/Practices, Gospel |
Preparing for Grace Gathered :: February 21, 2010
Over the past couple of months, God has continued to use the Sunday gatherings to minister to more and more people from our community. It is exciting to see how God is working in our community and with that comes a stewardship of and sensitivity to the needs that accompany these people. The elders continue to ask those of you in the Grace family that can the early service to please consider doing so to allow for more seating in our 10:45 service.
If you are new to the area or are looking to attend one of our services this Sunday, visit our “New to Grace” menu on our website where you will find information such as directions, what to expect, the latest at Grace, and other frequently asked questions. We look forward to meeting you and have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus and how He has changed our lives!
Bible Study: The Gospel Centered Life: An Addendum
During our Sunday morning Bible Study (beginning at 9:30am), Pastor Tim Brister will be leading us in a two-week study on the relationship of the gospel and the poor as an addendum to the series, The Gospel-Centered Life. This Sunday, we will be doing a biblical-theological overview of what God required of His people in caring for the poor, and next week we will will take up the implications for us today as a gosel-centered people.
Grace Gathered (Worship Services)
In our gathered worship services (8:00am and 10:45am), we will renew our hearts through the means of grace as God reveals Himself to us through His Word and by His Spirit. Pastor Tom Ascol will continue his series on “The Gospel-Driven Church”–an exposition on the book of 1 Corinthians. The text will be 1 Cor. 1:10-17 where the apostle Paul appeals to the Corinthian believers to be united with the same mind and heart, not allowing there to be division among one another. As we will see, the solution to such division is unity not around personalities but around the gospel–Jesus Christ life and work on our behalf.
During our time of singing, we will raise our voices with generations of believers in the familiar hymn “The Solid Rock.” Consider the lyrics and allow it to prepare your heart and mind for this coming Lord’s Day.
The Solid Rock
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly lean on Jesus’ Name
When darkness seems to hide His face
I rest on His unchanging grace
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil
His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my Hope and Stay
When He shall come with trumpet sound
Oh may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne
Reminders
1. Those who are look to visit with us or are coming down as Snowbirds, please note the schedule change for Sunday morning. We have two morning services (8:00 and 10:45) with Sunday School in the middle at 9:30am.
2. Our second “Intro to Grace” membership class will be this Monday, February 22, 2010 from 7-9PM at the Brister home. This class is intended for anyone seeking to learn more about Grace Baptist Church and is required for anyone seeking membership.
3. On Saturday, February 27, we will hosting our next Buddy Break from 10:00-1:00pm. This is a ministry to special-needs children in our community and provides an excellent opportunity to show the love of Christ in very practical ways. For more information, check out our Buddy Break page.
4. Attention men: On Monday, March 1st, you will have the opportunity to hear from one of the top leadership experts, Chris Brady, on leading well through adversity and suffering. This meeting will take place at GBC from 7:00-9:00PM. You will not want to miss this challenging time together!
5. Our next Grace Community Group meeting will be on March 7, beginning at 6:00pm. If you are not part of one of our groups and would like to be, please see Pastor Tim who will assist you in getting connected with a group in your area. For more information, click here.
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Grace Gathered | posted by TimBrister at 10:54 am | Categories: Grace Gathered |
