Make All Things New

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Yesterday, my friend and pastor, Rob Burns, and I took our older kids (five in all) to the Franklin Institute so our wives could spend some time getting to know each other better. We had a great time (really we did). The experience brought to mind some things for which I thank Jesus. So in no particular order, here some things I was reminded of yesterday:

1. Gigantic, realistic hearts, bring my two girls to tears. Their fear is healthy, yet misplaced. (Matthew 10:28)
2. You can really spend hours with a good friend, have a good time, glorify God and not speak but a couple of sentences to each other. (1 Corinthians 10:31)
3. The creation which God spoke into existence is truly fascinating (Genesis 1). So fascinating in fact, that it is easy to worship the creation more than the Creator (Romans 1:25) so be on guard.
4. Complementarian gender roles in the home are a huge blessing from God! I really love and appreciate my wife for how she cares for our children while I am at work.

We recently finished working through Genesis 1-4 on Sunday mornings at ReaLife. I’ve been thinking a lot about seeing Jesus in Genesis 3 (The Fall). I had some thoughts I was hoping to blog but frankly, mi buen hermano has written an excellent post on the subject. I believe Anthony is right to see Jesus through contrast and his insights are a blessing and an encouragement. You should check it out!

Mark Gali recently wrote in Christianity Today:

Francis of Assisi is said to have said, “Preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.”

This saying is carted out whenever someone wants to suggest that Christians talk about the gospel too much, and live the gospel too little. Fair enough—that can be a problem. Much of the rhetorical power of the quotation comes from the assumption that Francis not only said it but lived it.

The problem is that he did not say it. Nor did he live it. And those two contra-facts tell us something about the spirit of our age.

I have to admit, I’ve never liked that quote so it was encouraging to read this article.

All too often I like to think that there is truth in it (but that is just sin creeping in). The gospel is a message proclaimed not a deed done. Acts of mercy can point people to the gospel but they will never save anyone. O that I would have more boldness in heralding the Good News and not trying to hide behind my good works.

Earlier this week, our small backyard shed was broken into and the lawn mower and power edger were stolen. It seems we are having a bit of a crime wave in our small, suburban town. A number houses have been broken into and now a few lawn mowers have been stolen as well.

While I don’t mean to minimize these crimes (the police told me they suspect it is all drug related so that’s no good anywhere), I do find it highly ironic that – for all the warnings we have received about the dangers of moving to the city of Philadelphia – we’ve been victims of crime on more than one occasion here in the suburbs. I jokingly tell people, “We need to move to Philly quick, because the suburbs are dangerous!”

I am not writing this to try to demonize the suburbs or even making fun of them. My point is that sin is sinful and all around, no matter where you live. Crime occurs as a result of our lineage in Adam, not our place on a map.

Perhaps the most dangerous place to be has little to do with where we live but what we believe. Thinking that people are safer in the suburbs simply because the crime rate may be lower is one of the dangers of the suburbs. If we think we are safer because the crime is lower, could we not be lulled into complacency about the real problem? The real problem is sin. And the real danger is missing sin’s presence because of crime’s absence. I’m not suggesting that all suburbanities are disillusioned, simply sounding a warning to consider.

We must not be forgetful or ignorant of the sin and around us and most importantly, the sin within us. If comfort and security comes from where we live, we must fight it. Our battle is not merely with the crime and criminals of this world but with the evil powers that blind the minds and hearts of people (Ephesians 6:12. 2 Corinthians 4:4). Therefore, our only hope, our true security and comfort comes from Jesus, the One who has already defeated and overcome these evil powers.

About a month ago, I picked up this new CD by Page CXVI entitled “Hymns”. It could be described as old hymns for modern ears. The name, as it says on the website, comes from:

a reference to page 116 in our copy of The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. It is a poignant passage where Aslan begins to sing Narnia into creation out of a black void.

It starts, ‘In the darkness something was happening at last. A voice had begun to sing. It was very far away and Digory found it hard to decide from what direction is was coming. Sometimes it seemed to come from all directions at once. Sometimes he almost thought it was coming out of the earth beneath them. Its lower notes were deep enough to be the voice of the earth herself. There were no words. There was hardly even a tune. But it was, beyond comparison, the most beautiful noise he had ever heard. It was so beautiful he could hardly bear it.’
~ C.S. Lewis

I would recommend supporting this project and getting a copy. While I claim no musical ability or gifting, I do love music. But more than my love for music is my love for solid theology. This is why I am so blessed by hymns. A good hymn, to me is the place where the grandeur of artistic beauty (music) meets the wonder of Christ-exalting study (theology).

So while I was excited to listen to the Page CXVI album, when I first heard their arrangement of “Joy”, I was initially quite disappointed. The song has a mood that is more severe than just melancholy. In a somewhat depressing tone, the vocalist sings, “I have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” And I was thinking, “yeah right!” Truthfully, I just skipped over it and listen to the other six tracks again.

A few days later, I was listening to the album in my car and let the song “Joy” play all the way through. Now, I know that the track didn’t change, but my view of it did as I listened to it. The vocals aren’t depressing, they are haunting. They are a reminder of what it truly is to be a Christian in this sin-soaked world. Truly, you would have to hear the song to get a deeper understanding of its irony. I started asking myself, “What does joy sound like to a Christian?”

People experience tragedy all the time. I’m not trying to minimize this. Pain and suffering hurt, and are real. Perhaps it is from some sin committed against us or maybe it is the results of our own sinfulness. Attempting to dismiss this pain would be, in my opinion, foolish. And as a Christian, I don’t have to try to explain it away or distract myself with platitudes and lies. The pain I feel, the pain you feel, is due to sin and experiencing pain and heartache should drive us to loathe sin all the more.

Sure, lots of people might hate sin but for the believer in Christ, the story does not end there. Through the gospel of grace we can see that no matter how devastating the effect sin has had on us, it is no match for the unfathomable power of the gospel. And through this gospel our sin is atoned for, we are washed clean and Christ’s record is given to us! One of the result is that no matter how badly things are going, sin does not have the power to steal our joy. We can truly be sorrowful yet always rejoicing! That is what I was reminded of while listening to Page CXVI’s version of “Joy”. We can sing of our great joy, even when we don’t feel joyful (or sound it) because the truth is the truth whether we feel it or not! As believers, we can and should set our hope on things above and can be firmly rooted in the truths of the gospel.

So, I think joy sometimes “sounds like” being enabled to stand, and through the tears, proclaim the joy we have in our heart even though it may not look or sound like it. Perhaps joy isn’t just heard in the sound in our voice but in the weight of our words. Jesus, through his glorious gospel, infuses our sorrow with an abiding hope here and now. And even still, promises an eternity without sorrow when he returns to set things right and make all things new!

Joy, sounds a lot like the gospel.

Let’s welcome the shame of the Gospel! For the law can produce pride. While the law was intended to convict us of our sin. if we keep it at all, it can produce pride and arrogance. In my sinfulness, if I keep the law (to any small degree), I often begin to think of myself as better than others. “I didn’t lust today. Those other guys are sorry, porn-addicts.” Or, “I prayed with Jill today, I am such a good husband. Probably better than most”

That is disgusting! Even more so when you recognize that fulfilling the law would never gain me righteousness (as if I could fulfill the law!). Romans 3:20 says: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.” The law was given not so that I could fulfill it and think highly of myself, but so that I would look to the only righteous One who ever did fulfill the law.

How twisted am I that I can find a way to boast in my failure? For even keeping one portion of the law (apart from faith in Christ) would do no eternal good. Yet, I would brag about how good a law-keeper I am? How ridiculous!

You see, as a human, I naturally like the law because I naturally like to make much of myself. If I keep the rules (even in part), I can feel good about myself. The Gospel brings shame because the concept of a savior is shameful and humbling. Needing a savior says at least two things about me. First, it shows that I am broken and in need of help. Second, the need for a savior shows that I am totally incapable of rescuing myself.

So, prior to faith in Christ, my situation is as a broken sinner who needs outside help because I can’t fulfill a law that, even if I could, would never make me righteous. What a wretched situation to be in! In recognizing my need for a rescue, my need for the Savior, the Gospel of Jesus Christ shames my foolish pride showing me His great worth and my great lack. Yet it simultaneously brings great joy because Jesus’ perfect righteousness is credited to me and my sin is taken on by Him.

But as Anthony implied in his post, the Gospel isn’t just shaming at the point of conversion, the Gospel shames our pride throughout the running of the Christian race. Pride builds up because my flesh still wants recognition and esteem! “Look at me! Look at me!” And then I am reminded of the Gospel. The only Perfect One was crushed on account of my sins. I am so “great” that the Spotless Lamb of God had to be murdered to pay for my “greatness”. One glance at the cross of Calvary and I am reminded of the extreme cost of my sin. The Gospel shames me and my pride is crushed anew. I am reminded of the righteousness that I did not earn yet was freely given. But God doesn’t leave us there. While Christ became my sin and atoned for it, I was also given an alien righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). So I am thankful the Gospel brings shame and eternally grateful that it never leaves us there.

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Yesterday, during the morning prayer in church, my friend Anthony prayed through Romans 1:16-17. He prayed something that greatly encouraged me, something that goes well with the class we are taking together through LAMPhilly. He said something like (paraphrasing): “The gospel is something we need not be ashamed of preaching to others because it is the power of God but we don’t have to be ashamed to preach it to ourselves either!” What a great point! So often we think of that passage as merely an encouragement to preach the gospel to all people (and it is!). All people must include ourselves as well! God isn’t just looking for people who will share His gospel message with the world, He is looking for changed people, people who have been and are being transformed by the gospel, to share the gospel with the world. So yes, we should not be ashamed to preach the gospel (to others or ourselves) for it is the power of God onto salvation.

Anthony’s prayer sent me back to looking at Romans 1 this morning. I was thinking of how Paul states, “For” I am not ashamed of the gospel. He is not ashamed “for why?” Indeed, he is not ashamed of the the gospel because (”for”) it is the power of God. Additionally, in verse 15, he states that he is “eager to preach the gospel”. He is eager to preach because he is unashamed, and he is unashamed because the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. So what am I getting at here? I don’t just have to be “unashamed” of preaching the gospel to myself but I should be “eager” to do so as well! Why? Because it has been revealed to me (you, us) that the gospel is the power of God to change us more into Christ and bring us to God.

Preaching the gospel to ourselves and others should not only come without fear but without the feeling of duty either. God has shown us great grace in opening our eyes to see the glory of His gospel. He shows us fresh grace each day as we are able to joyfully rehearse the gospel to ourselves and others. May it never be that we would be ashamed of this great grace shown through the gospel. And equally, may it never be that we would lose our enthusiam for preaching this fresh grace to all!

Note: a great book for understanding how to “preach the gospel to yourself” is right here. I highly recommend it!