Grace Blog
King Jesus!
Labels: Cape Coral, Grace Baptist Church, Jesus | posted by TimBrister at 1:36 pm | Categories: Jesus |
God’s Wonderful Surpise: The Resurrection Story
Below is the video account of the resurrection from The Jesus Storybook Bible - a fantastic resource for walking your children through the Bible while at the same time always pointing them to Jesus. Take a moment to share this video with your children this Easter season!
Labels: Cape Coral, Easter, Grace Baptist Church, Jesus, Resurrection, The Jesus Storybook Bible | posted by TimBrister at 2:36 pm | Categories: Jesus, Parenting/Family, Resources |
Gospel and Poor: Implications from the Resurrection of Christ
To date, I have addressed the gospel implications related to the poor from the life and death of Jesus Christ. The third reality of the gospel that I want to bring to our attention is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The seven implications I have touched on are intended to show how the vertical realities of the gospel bring forth horizontal implications as it relates specifically to the poor.
Gospel and Poor: Resurrection of Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the vindication of God’s character and fulfillment of all God’s promises through the life and death of His Son. A quick glance at the early church and you will find that the fundamental doctrine and reality that irritated crowds and caused others to retaliate was the faithful preaching of Jesus Christ risen from the dead (e.g. Acts 4:2, 33; 17:18, 32; 23:6; 24:21). In his powerful argumentation in 1 Corinthians 15, Paul explains that without the resurrection of Jesus, all preaching is in vain and all faith is in vain (1 Cor. 15:14). Furthermore, everyone who has testified about Jesus Christ is a liar and has misrepresented God (1 Cor. 15:15). The outcome of a Christ crucified but not risen is a world remaining in their sins, without hope or rescue (1 Cor. 15:17).
Labels: Cape Coral, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, Jesus, Poor, Resurrection | posted by TimBrister at 12:20 am | Categories: Gospel, Jesus, Poor |
Gospel and Poor: Implications from the Death of Christ
Picking up where I left off on the horizontal gospel implications regarding the poor, I want pick up on the death of Jesus Christ. I mentioned that the gospel realities from the life of Jesus should horizontally cause us to work out His righteousness in us through dwelling with the poor (presence), intentionally pursuing relationships with the poor (community), and demonstrating personal hospitality towards the poor (welcoming).
Gospel and Poor: Death of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ lived the life we could never live (righteousness) and died the death we all deserve to die (substitute). Jesus was motivated to give Himself on the cross “for the joy that was set before Him” (Heb. 12:1)–a joy to please the Father by completing His earthly mission. At the very heart of the gospel message is the reality of substitution (e.g., 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18): His death that we might experience everlasting life; His righteousness for our sinfulness; His condemnation for our acceptance: His taking the wrath of God that we might know the love of God; His bearing God’s judgment for sin that we might know God’s infinite mercies; His becoming cursed that we might experience God’s blessing, etc.
Labels: Cape Coral, Cross, Gospel, Grace Baptist Church, Jesus, Poor | posted by TimBrister at 10:04 pm | Categories: Gospel, Jesus, Poor |
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 |
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: Gospel, Jesus, Poor, Social Renewal |
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 |
2010: A Clear, Close, and Continual Looking to Jesus
I had the privilege of preaching on the first two Sunday’s of 2010, and during preparation the Lord led me to a familiar passage–Hebrews 12:1-3. Although familiar, this passage proved to be very fruitful and engaging to my own heart, and I pray that you were encouraged as well. It is my hope that this year we will have a clearer, closer, and more continual looking to Jesus. The kind of endurance we need this year is nourished in the gospel, and the danger we face each day is to allow weights to distract us or unbelief to blind us from beholding the author and finisher of our faith.
For your benefit, I am making my sermon manuscripts available here for you to download. If you would like to listen or download the audio, go here for the first sermon and go here for the second sermon.
To download my two manuscripts put into one (PDF), simply click here.
Labels: Gospel, Hebrews 12:1-3, Jesus, New Year | posted by TimBrister at 12:02 am | Categories: Jesus, Resources, Sermons |
He’s Here - The Jesus Storybook Bible
The Jesus Storybook Bible has been a great gift to our family for our family worship. We are close to completing it for the second time, and our boys are increasingly loving their Bible with each time of learning about Jesus. Below is a video narration of the birth of Christ. I encourage you to share this with your children sometime during this advent season. You can pick up a copy at Westminster Bookstore for just $11 and change.
Labels: Advent, Jesus, Sally Lloyd-Jones, The Jesus Storybook Bible | posted by TimBrister at 12:17 pm | Categories: Advent, Jesus, Parenting/Family |
Power of the Cross
Lest we forget, the power of the cross changes everything.
Labels: Forgiveness, Jesus, Power of the Cross, Salvation | posted by TimBrister at 3:33 pm | Categories: Jesus, Worship |
Encouragement from Leisa
On Thursday, September 15, Leisa Goodall did something she had never done before. Having been a Christian for only a couple of years, she has developed increasing desires to share Jesus with strangers but had not followed through - until recently. At the conclusion of the previous Sunday night’s message by Pastor Tom Ascol about the relationship of the mission and the church, God had convicted Mike and Leisa in the area of evangelism. With tears in their eyes, they told me, “We will be there Thursday night. You can count on us.”
Sure enough, Mike and Leisa were the first ones to show up. I had not realized this was Leisa’s first time going out (and Mike’s second) in the neighborhoods to share Jesus and invite people to come to our “Worship @ the Park,” so I asked Mike if it would be okay to take Leisa with me. Of course, the devil would have you believe the worst when you are entering “enemy territory” and desiring to take the light of the gospel into the darkened hearts whom he is seeking to keep in ignorance and rebellion against God. And, frankly, I was a little concerned that the potential rejection and angst we could receive would discourage Leisa. Nevertheless, we went out and ended up visiting roughly 40 homes, only to be stopped by a torrential rainstorm.
In all, we talked to 19 different families and individuals, and to my surprise and shameful unbelief, all 19 people warmly received our invitations and a couple of them even assisted us in who to visit next! I asked Leisa to briefly describe her first experience, and here is what she sent me:
I do have to say being this was my first time going door to door reaching out to the community that I was a bit nervous. Pastor Timmy and I teamed up and after about the 5th house I felt better about talking with people, especially when the first lady I talked to worked at Publix. After we finished our 25 houses I was ready to do more. I didn’t know what to expect or how people would react to us, but out of all 19 people we talked with all of them seemed to be thankful that we had invited them to the picnic. This is really out of my comfort zone, but I know in my heart that this is something that I have a desire to do, so I’m thankful that I went and hope in the future to do more for the community, and if the Lords wills doing short term mission trips.
The encouragement from Leisa did not end there. What she did not say was that the next morning, Leisa went by herself in her neighborhood inviting them to the outdoor worship gathering and desiring to talk to them about Jesus! How cool is that? Evangelism and witnessing is one of those things that is better caught than taught. Two hours of going with Leisa and doing the work of evangelism brings more fruit than twenty hours of talking about evangelism in a Bible Study. The fear, intimidation, and anxiousness that precedes the obedience of God’s people almost inevitably changes to joy, passion, and earnestness afterward.
I pray that the encouragement from and example of Mike and Leisa as new Christians getting out of their comfort zone to share Jesus will inspire and challenge you to do the same. God has so designed the church to be the vehicle through which He accomplishes His saving purposes, and you play an important part of that–yes, you! As good stewards of the Great Commission, let us all follow Jesus to His harvest field with the confidence in His promise to make us fishers of men.
Labels: Encouragement, Evangelism, Great Commission, Witnessing | posted by TimBrister at 2:08 am | Categories: Encouragement, Evangelism, Gospel, Jesus, Testimonies of Grace |
Resources on Union with Christ
In my last post, I mentioned a great little resource on union with Christ from the writings of John Flavel. There are a couple of other books worth checking out, though they are a little more academic in nature (and more costly!). In any case, the place where you can find nearly every resource related to the doctrine of union with Christ is on this blogpost by Phil Gons. There you will find everything from books, articles, essays, chapters, and even conference papers! Be sure to check it out.
A couple of other books that I recently picked up that might be of some interest to you are:
Mark A. Garcia, Life in Christ: Union with Christ and Twofold Grace in Calvin’s Theology (Carlisle, UK: Paternoster Press), 2008.
Maurice Roberts, Union and Communion with Christ (Grand Rapids: Reformation Heritage Books), 2008.
Labels: Resources, Theology, Union with Christ | posted by TimBrister at 1:59 pm | Categories: Jesus, Resources, Theology |
Book Recommendation: The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety
During the “Ask the Pastor” time of discussion during Bible Study, the question of union with Christ was raised, at which time I mentioned a helpful little book called The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety: John Flavel’s Doctrine of Mystical Union with Christ by J. Stephen Yuille. Dr. Yuille has mined the woks of John Flavel and presented a powerful summary of this fundamental doctrine from one of the most eminent Puritans of the 17th century, John Flavel.
Here’s the Table of Contents:
1. The Covenant of Redemption
2. The Basis of Union with Christ
3. The Nature of Union with Christ
4. The Act of Union with Christ
5. The Blessings of Union with Christ
6. The Fruit of Union with Christ
7. The Evidence of Union with Christ
8. The Suffering of Union with Christ
9. The Joy of Union with Christ
10. The Practice of Union with Christ
11. The Hope of Union with Christ
Union with Christ was a central theological motif for John Calvin and many who followed in his train, not the least was such men as John Flavel and James P. Boyce. In the introduction, Yuille provides a probing quote by Flavel in which he asks:
How transcendently glorious is the advancement of believers, by their union with the Lord of glory? This also is an admirable and astonishing mystery; it is the highest dignity of which our nature is capable, to be hypostatically united; and the greatest glory of which our persons are capable is to be mystically united to this Lord of glory; to be bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh. O what is this! Christian, dost thou know and believe all this, and thy heart not burn within thee in love to Christ? (4, emphasis original)
In a follow-up post, I refer to the research compiling a comprehensive listing of books and articles related to “union with Christ.”
Labels: John Flavel, Stephen Yuille, The Inner Sanctum of Puritan Piety, Union with Christ | posted by TimBrister at 6:24 pm | Categories: Books, Jesus, Recommended Reading, Resources, Theology |
The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 3
This week, I have been writing about a kingdom hermeneutic–a way to interpret and shape life according to Christ who is our King and the kingdom’s advance in and through our lives. In Part 1, I focused on the preeminence of the King and how His kingdom should prioritize our thinking, inflame passionate affections, and pattern our living. In Part 2, I turned our attention to how pursuing the kingdom causes us to embrace a kingdom-ethic where we are considering others more highly than ourselves. Christ-like community takes shape when kingdom-focused disciples are embracing their identity and purpose together to pray and live out, “Your kingdom come.”
In this third and final part, I want to think about us, and in particular some points of application as it pertains to parts 1 and 2. This is crucial because we can have many “amen” moments in affirming theological principles without ever experiencing any “oh me” moments–times when we are confronted with realities requiring repentance. We are always susceptible to reverting back to our own little kingdom’s where we are king and the world revolves around us–our wants, our needs, our perspectives, our priorities, etc. When Jesus said, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand,” we should not forget that this is a present command; in other words, repentance is required regularly not only for the advance of the kingdom but its presence as well.
There are questions we ought continually to ask ourselves, especially when it comes to the direction of our lives or our church. Are we thinking of the kingdom of God first or ourselves? Are we trying to advance our agenda or God’s agenda? When it comes to others, are we looking to take advantage of what they can do for us or taking the advantage of the opportunity to do much in blessing them?
Kingdom confrontations are going to happen. In each of us are preferences, traditions, felt needs, and a sense of entitlement, all of which serve as filters to our worldview and influence the decisions we make. They are not all bad, but we must recognize that there will be times when, if we are humbly submitted to the rule and reign of Jesus in our lives, areas will be exposed where we are rivaling or even rebelling inwardly against the very thing we are praying for!
I am convinced that God has great things in store for Grace Baptist Church, but in order for us to fully embrace all of what He will do through His church, we must cultivate a passion for the kingdom, a priority to serve others, and a daily practice of repentance as we together seek to glorify Him through radically-devoted, gospel-saturated, kingdom-advancing lives. When we have God’s perspective for our church, we think little of ourselves, more of others, and always for the glory of Jesus through the building of His church!
Labels: Community, Kingdom of God, Repentance | posted by TimBrister at 7:51 pm | Categories: Community, Jesus |
The Kingdom, the Community, and You, Part 2
In my last post, I made the case that kingdom of God should have preeminence in our lives and serve as the foundation for all we do in our lives. We should seek first the kingdom of God, pray for His kingdom come, and not look back when we’ve put our hands to the plow in following Christ. Because is pleased the Father to give us the kingdom, it should bring us pleasure to give God our hearts and lives in service to the advancement of His kingdom and glory, for to that we are called to live in a worthily manner.
With a kingdom perspective that prioritizes your life according to the things our King values the most, we should realize how good citizens of the kingdom are to relate to one another in community and to the larger community of unbelievers in the world around us. When Christ is king, we do not consider people for what they can offer us but rather how we can serve them. We are not looking to take advantage of them but rather take advantage of the opportunity to bless them. This approach to community is only possible as we appropriate the example of Christ by His Spirit who came not to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:28). At the moment when Jesus knew the Father had given all things into His hands, you would think such knowledge, power, and greatness would be encapsulated in the recognition of this fact by Himself and others in public praise, adulation, and worship. Yet, such a moment led Jesus to a towel and basin where he performed the most humbling of tasks in washing the feet of disciples (John 13:1-20).
True kingdom community is possible when we have the humble heart of our King who served others by giving His life away in loving sacrifice. Paul exhorted the Philippian believers this very thing when he wrote,
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus . . .” (Phil. 2:3-5)
Outside of Christ, no one is more significant than ourselves. Repentance in the heart where the kingdom of Christ is present deals continual blows against pride and self-centeredness in order to liberate our thinking so that we may have the mind of Christ which humbly considers others more significant than ourselves.
The Christian community is heaven on earth where the mind and heart of Jesus is expressed through His body being knit together in love. The church becomes a more visible sign of the kingdom when those subject to the King are being conformed to His will and pattern their lives according His commands - and do in the context of a broader community outside the kingdom whose attitudes and actions are daily challenged by the reign and rule of Jesus Christ among His people. This is where the presence of the kingdom spreads a passion for the advance of the kingdom. Only in community can we demonstrate the kind of humility, love, and sacrifice for others where our preeminent interest in the kingdom fuels our personal interest in blessing of others in kingdom word (gospel) and kingdom deed (service).
Labels: Community, Gospel, Humility, Jesus, Kingdom, Service | posted by TimBrister at 7:04 am | Categories: Community, Gospel, Humility, Jesus |
