I don’t know whether to find this humorous or slightly blasphemous. It catches some of the more obscure facts of the crucifixion, like the wife of Pilate’s dream. Here is Passion week according to facebook.

click >> here <<

HT: Winfred Luong

Okay, honestly I thought this was a bit of a joke because Winfred opened up our conversation like this (Winfred, I apologize for publishing this without your permission),

aznwinterfresh05:http://www.sbts.edu/resources/chapel/chapel-fall-2009/hebrews-11/

aznwinterfresh05: 1:45-1:54

aznwinterfresh05: if you want to see greg ginn again

aznwinterfresh05: xD

aunttonyx3: wow.

aunttonyx3: -_- you would

aznwinterfresh05: haha it was on accident

aznwinterfresh05: it came through a blog

aznwinterfresh05: and then

aznwinterfresh05: what do you know

aznwinterfresh05: >.<

aznwinterfresh05: AND

aznwinterfresh05: it’s a good sermon

aunttonyx3: haha greg’s blog?

aznwinterfresh05: haha google reader

aznwinterfresh05: i emailed greg

aznwinterfresh05: to let him know he was in there

aznwinterfresh05: xD

aznwinterfresh05: (i would >.<)

aznwinterfresh05: because there’s no reason for him to watch it if he was present

aunttonyx3: haha

aunttonyx3: that’s so random.

aznwinterfresh05: haha why do i even IM you and josh

aznwinterfresh05: if i’m going to get laughed at xD

aznwinterfresh05: (i’m not really offended xD)

aunttonyx3: i’m kidding

aunttonyx3: do you listen to all the chapel messages?

aznwinterfresh05: that’s the first one i’ve ever listened to haha

aunttonyx3: ohh

aznwinterfresh05: yeah haha

aznwinterfresh05: but it’s good so i encourage you to listen to it (not only because i spotted greg ginn >.<)

This Sunday our head pastor at Berean revealed that we would be going through Philippians for the next few months. It’s pretty exciting to get a taste of the book, a message of building a biblical unity through the power and joy found in Christ.

So why is this post called “Philippians Galore”? Recently Soldiers, the male fellowship for high schoolers back in Sacramento, went through the book. I think I still have my notes from when I gave the study in a really old notebook somewhere. More recently, Pastor Joe at my church back home (Chinese Grace Bible Church), is going through Philippians right now. After 9 months with a couple of breaks, he’s midway through chapter 2. Though I wasn’t there to hear all of them, his messages on being of one mind and the church unity were very encouraging to me. I just listened to his four-part series on Philippians 2:5-11 titled “The Supreme Servant” which was incredible to say the least. Anyone with a bit of time and a computer that works Real Player should listen. To hear about the miracle of the incarnation and the power behind the Ascension helped me understand the absurdity and humility of Christ to become a servant. Based on this premise, Pastor Joe declared, “We cannot repeat His death but we can imitate His life.” Christ’s service to others reached it’s apex on the cross; “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Romans 5:7 says that one would hardly die for a righteous or good man and yet Christ died for those who are the polar opposite of His nature. No wonder Christ is the supreme servant to whose image we must conform!

When I think of biblical unity as Pastor Peter described this past Sunday, I can’t help but remember this conversation. Pastor Peter made it a point to say that the unity of the church extends beyond the buildings of UT but to the scope of the universal church. This is a conversation between Charles Simeon and John Wesley, though I’m not entirely sure whether this is fact or fictitious in nature.

Charles Simeon: Sir, I understand that you are called an Arminian; and I have been sometimes called a Calvinist; and therefore I suppose we are to draw daggers. But before I consent to begin the combat, with your permission I will ask you a few questions. Pray, Sir, do you feel yourself a depraved creature, so depraved that you would never have thought of turning to God, if God had not first put it into your heart?
John Wesley: Yes, I do indeed.
Charles Simeon: And do you utterly despair of recommending yourself to God by anything you can do; and look for salvation solely through the blood and righteousness of Christ?
John Wesley: Yes, solely through Christ.
Charles Simeon: But, Sir, supposing you were at first saved by Christ, are you not somehow or other to save yourself afterwards by your own works?
John Wesley: No, I must be saved by Christ from first to last.
Charles Simeon: Allowing, then, that you were first turned by the grace of God, are you not in some way or other to keep yourself by your own power?
John Wesley: No.
Charles Simeon: What then, are you to be upheld every hour and every moment by God, as much as an infant in its mother’s arms?
John Wesley: Yes, altogether.
Charles Simeon: And is all your hope in the grace and mercy of God to preserve you unto His heavenly kingdom?
John Wesley: Yes, I have no hope but in Him.
Charles Simeon: Then, Sir, with your leave I will put up my dagger again; for this is all my Calvinism; this is my election, my justification by faith, my final perseverance: it is in substance all that I hold, and as I hold it; and therefore, if you please, instead of searching out terms and phrases to be a ground of contention between us, we will cordially unite in those things wherein we agree.

Unfortunately for me, the preaching on a book that calls us to be unified might end up challenging my somewhat analytical character. I will admittedly confess that it will be difficult to not compare messages from Pastor Peter and Pastor Joe. The preaching style is similar by declared method but carried out very differently while assuming the pulpit. I need to assume a posture that recognizes that both men are servants in the house of the Son and are divinely supplementing my understanding of His Word. I am looking forward to how God will use the preaching at Berean to move us to greater unity while I always love hearing how people are responding to it back home.

Oh yeah.

Yesterday at bible study, Pastor Aaron went over Hebrews 3:1-6, which makes a bold declaration that Jesus Christ is better than Moses. The theme of Hebrews is the preeminence of Christ, and we’ve addressed a number of topics: the attributes of the Son, Christ as superior to angels, Christ as the man who perfectly reigns, and Christ as the perfect high priest.

The best part of this study if finding your own application of the preeminence of Christ because my struggles are seemingly much different from the Hebrew people. I do not struggle with loyalty to a tradition of priests and shedding of blood, but rather an unfortunate complacency and ignorance to the law of God. I’m almost the opposite of the intended audience, the Jew. I do not lay claim to my self-righteousness nearly as much as I try to justify sin (well, in my opinion anyway).

The first question posed for discussion yesterday asked how we have considered Christ (to think deeply upon) in light of what we have learned up to now. This was uncomfortably shameful because I realized how little I’ve been meditating and applying the messages. Messages about how Christ reigns supreme over angels and how Christ has restored our privilege to subdue the Earth have been encouraging but not life altering. I need to be less selective on what I choose to apply; it seems to be a pride issue. Regardless in light of the supremacy of Christ over Moses, one point of application became clear.

The problem the Jews had been that they held Moses, both a faithful servant and a competent mediator, in too high a regard when compared to Christ. Moses has great value to the Jew: he brought forth the ten commandments and introduced a set of laws that would represent the standard of righteousness (through faith)  until Christ ascended. At first glance the parallels and application to the 21st century seem obsolete but upon closer examination, I can see many potential idols developing in my own life.

Here’s what I mean: the Jews had great respect for Moses because he was an appointed lawgiver, a mediator between the will of God and the passion of the people. While it is true that we no longer need sinful men to intercede on our behalf and petition God because of Christ’s work (Hebrews 2:17-18), in a sense there still is a need for a mediator between God’s specific revelation and His people. There is a dire need for shepherds and mentors to feed, protect, and provide for their congregation and for individuals. This is where it becomes a little dangerous.

When I look at the Jews in this light, I see my stumble as well. It’s much easier for people to look to men (whether past or present), because they are tangible and visible evidences of the glory of God. The common Jew has never heard the voice or seen the light of the Almighty. While they have faith in the law and what it prescribes, surely their respect for their teacher sometimes was dangerously high. The mediator can steal the honor and praise that deservedly belongs to the Lord.

I undoubtedly struggle with the same things. I have a great appreciation for good preaching, and even more respect for those who are sound and have time to meet up and talk to me. While they may not have been foundational for any biblical covenants, certain men and women have profoundly encouraged me and have been instrumental in my growth. Sometimes these men loom as large as Moses to the Jew in terms of their importance. In a sense, the pastor and mentors can steal reverence from God for merely being faithful to the One they serve. I’m sure Moses never considered that centuries later, people would be idolizing Him more than the eventual Savior and the same goes to faithful teachers today.

There is no doubt that Moses and godly men are important, but they are merely servants within God’s house, stones laid unto the foundation of Christ. In light of “considering Christ”, I need to be more conscious of my tendency to be in awe of preaching style and message delivery and more focused on the Son who reigns over the house the preachers I hear seek to build. I often remind myself when leading worship, “I am a sinful man leading sinful men to a perfect God”, yet I fail to ascribe the same mindset beyond the scope of myself. Moses was called “faithful”, but he was not perfect like Christ. Men are the materials on which God builds His abode. Man does not deserve nor should they claim credit for the growth of His people (I Corinthians 3:7).

Moses was faithful to his calling. Godly men and women around me are striving to persevere. The problem is that their faithfulness is imperfect and thus, they are reduced to servant rather than ruler, stones rather than the foundation. At the same time, we must realize that God is committed to building His house and that each stone is a product of a miraculous regeneration that can only happen through His grace and power. Each piece of the house is a daughter or son of the King that was bought by the blood of the Lamb. This clearly does not render the stone obsolete, but rather calls His children to look to the builder, to the one who uses these stones to fulfill His purpose. This builder is God and Christ is God (Hebrews 3:4, 1:3). I must learn how to behold the builder. I must consider Christ.

This quote resounded strongly with Pastor Peter’s message this past Sunday.

“There are no great men or women of God. There are only tiny, broken, weak, feebled men of a great and a merciful God.”

Paul Washer
Quoted @ Youtube clip

I was listening to this sermon on sin by Tim Conway and he brought up a strong point that reflects society today and how lightly people take sin. It adds another variant to the battle of justification.

Most of us are familiar with the two sides: justification by faith through the grace of God and justification by works. The true Christian builds his foundation on faith while many religions believe that their works partly or fully justify them before God. Regardless of the position, both sides are trying to please God and lead seemingly religious lives. We already know this.

So what is the newest trend? Justification by death.

What in the world is justification by death? It is the idea that justification comes when one dies. That is it. It is the belief that God is so loving and soft that regardless of what they did throughout their lifetime, their death guarantees them a spot in heaven. After all, God is good… all the time… right? Not in this context. These are the people who think they maintain some level of good and deservedly do not belong in the same place as the Hitlers and Stalins of society. This is the religion for the lukewarm, the ones who believe they have enough religiosity to slip into heaven. They are not concerned with holiness, righteousness, obedience, or lordship but are comforted by their impending death and the deception of heaven.

There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. [Proverbs 14:12]

This fad will lead to a certain destruction.

Music has the very unique ability to resound deeply with the soul. While these are three songs that will most likely never make it into church worship, they are compositions that have greatly moved me, even to the point of tears.

You’ll notice that these songs share some common musical themes. There is a powerful crescendo toward the middle of the song leading to a sense of hope. The beginnings paint dark pictures of humanity but the shift focuses to Christ and how He alone is the foundation on which we are to build our lives and depend on.

1. Shattered _ Trading Yesterday

2. Embracing Accusation _ Shane & Shane ft. John Piper

3. Everything _ Lifehouse

Let us receive a warning, first, against the deceivableness of sin, for whoever we may be, we may never reckon that, on account of our position or condition, we shall be free from the assaults of sin, or even certain of not being overcome by it. Notice that these who sinned were angels in heaven, so that there is no necessary security in the most holy position. We know that they were in heavenly places, for it was from that high abode that they were cast down to hell, by the terrible right hand of the Eternal King. These angels, that kept not their first estate, but sinned against God, dwelt with their brethren in the courts of the Most High; they seemed to be, as it were, walled round with fire to keep out all evil from them. Their communications were only with perfect spirits like themselves; but yet, as they were undergoing a probation, they were made capable of choosing evil if they willed so to do, or of cleaving to good if their hearts were steadfast with their God. There were none about them to tempt them to evil; they were, on the contrary, surrounded with every good and holy influence: they saw God, and abode in his courts, they conversed with seraphim and cherubim. Their daily engagements were all of a holy order; worship and service were their duty and delight. Their company was select; there were no lapsed classes among them to render the moral atmosphere impure. They were not only in a paradise, but in the central abode of God himself. Yet evil entered into the breasts of angels—even envy, ambition, pride, rebellion; and they fell, fell never to rise again,

Beloved hearer, this should teach us not to presume upon anything connected with our position here below. You may be the child of godly parents who watch over you with sedulous care, and yet you may grow up to be a man of Belial. You may never enter a haunt of iniquity, your journeys may be only to and from the house of God, and yet you may be a bond-slave of iniquity. The house in which you live may be none other than the house of God and the very gate of heaven through your father’s prayers, and yet you may yourself live to blaspheme. Your reading may be bound up with the Bible; your companions may be of the choicest; your talk may concern holy things; you may be as if you were in the garden of the Lord, shut in to everything that is good, and every evil shut out from you; and yet you may have no part nor lot with the people of God. As there were a Ham and an ungodly Canaan even in Noah’s Ark, so may it turn out that you may be such in the very midst of all that should make you gracious and sanctified. It is unhappy indeed to read the annals of human life, and to meet with men that have gone from their mother’s side—have gone from where their father knelt in prayer—have gone out from brothers and sisters whose piety was not only unquestionable, but even remarkable,—and they have gone to be leaders in every form of wickedness. Many of the enemies of the cross of Christ have been so trained in godliness that we find it hard to believe that they can indeed be so vile; an apostle must declare it with tears ere he is believed. The sons of God they seemed to be, but they turned out to be sons of perdition after all. Let no man, therefore, arise and shake himself, as though no sins could ever bind him, because he feels himself to be a very Samson through his connections and surroundings. Yes, sir, it may be that you shall fall—fall foully, fall desperately, unless the grace of God be in you—fall so as never to come to God, and Christ, and find eternal life. It was so with these angels. The best natural thing that creation can work is not sufficient to preserve the fickle creature from sin: regeneration must come in—the work of the Holy Ghost, a yet higher work than the material creating power of God, or else you may put the creature where you please, and that creature may be perfect, and yet sin will reach and destroy him. You and I are far from perfect. We are not angels unfallen: we are not angels at all; but we have evil hearts within us; therefore let us not imagine for a moment that the most select position can screen us from the worst of sin.

Charles H. Spurgeon on II Peter 2:4
Quoted @ Fallen Angels a Lesson to Fallen Men

This sermon transcript does a thorough job painting a picture of divine justice and undeserving grace. If I was an angel, I’d be seriously confused as to why He sent humanity a savior – it really puts 1 Peter 1:12 into perspective.

Major thanks to Winfred for recognizing my love for this book and directing his tumblr post towards myself. This is an intense remake for one of my all-time favorite books. I want to reread the book, perhaps a letter a night. Does anyone want to join me?

HT: Winfred Luong

Okay, every sermon I listened to this summer was beneficial in one sense or another. At the beginning of summer I heard a great message from John MacArthur on the ministry of Jesus titled “The Scandal of Grace“. There was another good message from Mark Dever titled “The Importance on the Local Church“. At my home church, our interim pastor, Joe Pursch, presented an encouraging series on what it means to not worry in anxious times.

However if I had to play favorites (which I obviously will for the sake of the concept of ‘Top 3′), I would pick a three-part series that Paul Washer gave at MCTS. Most people are familiar with Washer by his hard sayings and his blunt and borderline offensive statements. Surprisingly enough, these three sermons deal much more with teaching and exhortations to aspiring pastors and ministry workers.

I myself am currently not an aspiring seminary student but the teaching here was incredibly beneficial to my soul. These are messages that I will no doubt listen to again. Here they are with the appropriate download link.

1. Training Young Men for Ministry :: Paul Washer
2. The Suffiency of Scripture in Ministry :: Paul Washer
3. Teaching for Young Men Going into Ministry :: Paul Washer

If you choose to listen, my hope is that it will help you as much as it helped me. Tis’ good stuff.

P.S. This was also really encouraging to me.