Make All Things New

This week’s post is an article that points us to life in the Kingdom…

In a recent article in Christianity Today, Al Hsu discusses the Apostle Paul’s greeting of “Grace and peace” and how a simple salutation points us toward a new society.

I liked this quote in particular:

So Paul said, “Grace and peace to you.” Paul addressed Gentile and Jewish believers together, as members of one body. He wrote in continuity with their cultural and ethnic backgrounds, yet pointed to a new, countercultural reality. He combined a Greek greeting and a Hebrew greeting to create a distinctively Christian greeting.

(H.T. Tullian)

There are three books sitting in my wish list at Amazon, just waiting for me to be able to order and read. I’ll just share with you (briefly) why I am looking forward to these three books (listed in order of release date).

1.Culture Making by Andy Crouch. This one is apparently now available at WTS. The title intrigued me but I will have to admit, the recommendation from Keller put it on this list for me.

2. Death By Love by Mark Driscoll. I read Vintage Jesus earlier this year and while it wasn’t anything stunning, it was (in my opinion) solid and worth reading. This next book in the series sounds extremely helpful and practical. Driscoll explains the book like this: It “is a series of pastoral letters to people I know and love explaining how twelve aspects of the atonement apply to them. So, for example, the expiation chapter is a letter to a dear female friend who was raped. The propitiation chapter is written to a suicidal non-Christian who molested a child and was convicted in court. My guess is that the style and stories will provide a glimpse into the pain of pastoral ministry…” I look forward to reading how Driscoll shows the practicality and importance of solid doctrine.

3. The Prodigal God by Tim Keller. Seriously? Do I need to explain why? Read this. Oh yeah, one other thing. Perhaps a new book means a new book tour. So this book makes the list because I may get to hang out with my good friend Larry (Westminster and UPenn in one day again?)

I want to start a new routine here on “Make All Things New” of posting each Saturday (Lord willing) on the topic of shalom (peace; universal flourishing). The plan is, starting today, to post a link, article, quote, idea, pictures, something that points us to the way things ought to be (and one day will be!).

This week, we have two blog posts on heaven and the new earth.

Randy Alcorn shares some excellent thoughts on the new earth. (HT Seeking Him)
Here’s an excerpt I particularly enjoyed:

Ironically, sometimes people who are the most determined to avoid the sacrilege of putting things before God miss a thousand daily opportunities to thank him, praise him, and draw near to him because they imagine they ­shouldn’t enjoy the very things that God has made to help us know him and love him.

Russell D. Moore briefly explains the difference between going to heaven and going to the new earth in his post “When We All Get To Heaven?”
I really appreciate the wording in this excerpt:

For believers, the intermediate state is blessedness, to be sure. But in heaven there is yet eschatology. The ultimate purpose of God is not just the ongoing life of believers but that his kingdom would come, his will would be done “on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10). That awaits the end of all ends, the return of Jesus and the final overthrow of death.

Lately I’ve been giving a lot of thought and time to the study of biblically engaging my culture.
I appreciated this post from Ray Ortlund via Justin Taylor. While it doesn’t dell with engaging the culture per se, it is reminder for to check if my theology is keeping me from engaging with believers of different doctrinal persuasions.

The Lightlings
By RC Sproul

Now I know that I haven’t spent much time on this blog discussing books about or for children but I have to tell you, I found one I think is worth talking about.

The Lightlings is a simple tale with a profound message. Sproul weaves a short allegorical tale together that is engaging enough for kids to listen and weighty enough for them to profit from it. The story is a brilliant answer to the common childhood concern of fearing the dark. This book has really encouraged me as a father because I now realize what an opportunity I have when my children tell me they’re afraid of the dark. Never before (much to my shame) had I considered their fear as an opportunity to share the redemptive story of the Bible with them. This book, in my opinion, is a wonderful contextualization of the Gospel for young people. Written in way that they will understand and with illustrations they will want to see, The Lightlings is an engaging story of creation, fall, and redemption, that kids will enjoy. The story that is written on their little hearts, is presented in a way that will engage their little eyes and imaginations as well. I am really looking forward to sharing this book with my children and telling other parents about it as well.

Also of note, the book includes 13 questions (with biblical references) to spark conversations and further growth for children. Frankly, this is one of the best short children’s books I have read and I think it is a must-have for kids (and their parents!).

That’s about the extent of my playing time in high school basketball. Now I would contend that this was not due to a lack of ability on my part but more a flawed program at the private high school I attended. Regardless of my sinful desire to justify myself, that isn’t the point here.

My senior year, I basically saw playing time exclusively when the game was well in hand. During what many refer to as “garbage time.” While I often felt humiliated (like the time coach let me in with 15 seconds left), my deep affections for the game of basketball compelled me to carry on. I enjoyed being a part of a team and practicing hard and giving everything I had even if the actual game time I’d usually see didn’t effect the outcome. I was just pleased to be play basketball.

Similarly, God calls us into a “game” where the outcome is already determined. The Kingdom is here and not yet. Jesus has declared victory but has not yet set things right, not yet made all things new. Living in the time in between Jesus’ ascension and glorious return, we could just reject the importance of what we do in this world and rest on the fact that God has already declared victory. We could just think of this existence as “garbage time”; time that has no bearing on the final outcome at all. But I think that would be wrong. While we are not the cause of victory, we are a conduit for God’s victory. The truth that God wins is encouraging as we struggle through a time when things aren’t as they should be. Furthermore, that God allows us to join him in his work toward victory shows his great love and mercy.

When I would check into a game with only a couple of minutes left and the outcome long since decided, I still played hard. How well I played never changed the outcome but how I played displayed the value and worth I placed on the game. I like to think that in my short runs during garbage time, the game of basketball was played in a way that pointed toward hard but gracious competition, sound fundamentals, teamwork, and a high regard for the game — in short, how the game ought to be played. Similarly, but of much greater importance, I think we should live this life in a way that points to the Kingdom; to Jesus; to the way things ought to be. Though the final outcome is determined, this life is not garbage time!

Steve McCoy and Joe Thorn have announced today the launch of their new blog and ministry called sub•text, on preaching and practicing the gospel in the suburban context.

This blog looks like a welcomed addition to my feedreader! While I most recently have been quite gripped with a passion for urban contexts, the truth is, I currently minister in a suburban one. I have profited greatly from both of Steve and Joe’s individual blogs and look forward to learning from their joint venture.

Be sure to check it out yourself. sub•text

Patience and Long-suffering

In this brief chapter, Marshall discusses not only the perfect long-suffering our Lord but the endurance need for the saints.  The chapter begins with a brief discussion of the “already-not yet” aspect of the kingdom of God.  Marshall quotes several passages which speak of the kingdom being here now (Lk. 17:20-21, Mt. 12:26-28, Mk. 1:15, Mk 12:2 and Mk 9:1) but the kingdom has not yet arrived in its fullness because the King is not here… yet.  For us who live in between “already” and “not yet”, “our hope, our joy, our expectation is from heaven; our resurrection, our renewal, our rejoicing will surely come from there.”  We are to patiently endure this long in between.  Marshall explains:

Being patient in the face of sin doesn’t mean we believe that sinful ways of life are good or that it doesn’t matter what anyone does.  It simply means that not all things can be fixed right now.  We cannot right all wrongs; we cannot stop all evil; we cannot compel all to follow God’s ways.  We have to endure these things, often with long-suffering.  We are not to in a sprint; we are in a marathon, we have miles to go, and we will not quickly cross the finish line.  We must run on in a world of intermingled healing and pain, good and evil. (p 227)