Listen Better - Part 7 of 7 - Apply the Sermon

Part 1 - Introduction
Part 6 - Revisit the Sermon

We have not come to the preaching merely to hear what we do not know, but to be incited to do our duty. ~ John Calvin

Leaving a sermon you should be motivated to love God more, hate sin more, help people more, and obey God’s Word more. This is why it is a poor sermon that puffs up the audience to think they have somehow reached the pinnacle of sanctification or that their community has all of its needs met. Many sermons will declare "Peace, peace!" when there is no peace, and in so doing will lull their hearers into a sense of security and comfort when no-such luxury exists in the world.

The sermon should always exalt Christ and humble men. It was to this effect that Benjamin Franklin wrote of the preaching of George Whitefield, “The multitudes of all sects and denominations that attended his sermons were enormous…and how much they admired and respected him, notwithstanding his common abuse of them, by assuring them they were naturally ‘half beasts and half devils.’” Whitefield said of preaching, “It is a poor sermon that gives no offense, that neither makes the hearer displeased with himself nor with the preacher.”

Therefore, this is one of the harder articles to write, I could sink to moralism to tell you how to respond in every case. But, dear reader, the point is not in the act, but in the impetus to respond to how you are convicted. Haddon Robinson went so far as to call a direct application heresy, because in telling a congregation exactly what to do, the preacher denies the work of the Holy Spirit. Robinson instead recommends something to the effect, “This is the principle, and the principle is clear. How this principle applies in our lives may differ with different people in different situations.”

One thing is clear and concrete: If you sit under the most wonderful preaching but fail to act on it, you will at once forget what you heard. James writes that, 

If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. ~ James 1:23-25

Charles Spurgeon, a man with a vocabulary that could make a dictionary blush for inadequacy, once gave the application thusly,

Dear reader, after you sit under the Word of God next, I implore you, do something with that sermon once you’ve heard it!

Listen Better - Part 6 of 7 - Revisit the Sermon

Part 1 - Introduction
Part 5 - Take Notes

The last installment dealt with taking notes DURING the sermon. Taking notes is a great way to ensure you are engaging your brain to focus on main points and record them. But the best notes, mental or physical, are meant to be revisited.

Therefore, after you leave the meeting house, revisit the sermon and consider what you learned. The prime time for Satan to snatch the Word from you is after it is sown (cf. Matthew 13:19). Consider what you learned, what you were convicted about, and what the application was.

It helps to discuss it with someone, this has the added benefit that they may have been convicted by something you weren’t, or in a different way than you were. If something was unclear the two of you may be able to clarify it to one another or discover that it requires clarification from the pastor or further research.

Further, you may be just the person to encourage your companion, or he may be able to encourage you, to respond to the command of the passage. History is replete with men and women who resolved to give their lives to foreign missions but who did not immediately have opportunity to do so, only afterward when someone provided an opportunity did they revisit their call and then go on to attempt great things for God while expecting great things from God. The biography of Nate Saint offers one such example.

Then, reread the sermon passage at least once; the Bereans are called noble, and their response to hearing great preaching was to examine the scriptures (Acts 17:11). We are fools to think that we can reach the full potential God has called us to if we live in a vacuum. Our pastor, our teachers, our fellow-workers are gifts from God to shine light on the scriptures so that in revisiting their thoughts—and the things the Holy Spirit has revealed to them—as we read the scriptures we are growing in our resolve and understanding to know the Word of God, and in knowing it, to obey it.

So: what did you hear preached last? Open that passage and consider what you heard, and see if God does not grow your faith through the endeavor.

Part 7 - Apply the Sermon

Listen Better – Part 5 of 7 – Take Notes

Part 1 - Introduction
Part 4 - Take Every Thought Captive

Part of being a good listener is understanding that much of what you are receiving will require recall in the future. Sometimes someone may yell, “Duck!” or “Watch Out!” and your instantaneous action (or inaction) will suffice to show whether you were listening. But most of our listening requires some sort of memory creation and recollection.

For this reason we must make every effort to remember what were are hearing so we can revisit and use the information we’ve received. We see this is multiple places in scripture, we see Mary treasuring up the events of Christ’s birth in her heart (Luke 2:19), we see the disciples remembering things that Christ had said and did after his resurrection (John 2:22), and Paul requests Timothy to bring his notes and scripture to him in prison (2 Timothy 4:13). There are myriad other places that this occurs, and also places where forgetfulness leads to disaster (Consider at minimum Genesis 40:23, Hosea 4:6, & Mark 8:14,17).

These notes can be taken mentally or physically. They can be simple or comprehensive. They can be a jot or a paragraph. I have in my Bible a line through the 10 at the beginning of John 10, that simple line reminds me that there is no time that passes between the end of John 9 and the beginning of John 10 and that they are meant to be understood together. Other times I have extensive notes, for example Jonah Chapter 1.5 is my consolidated notes on most (not quite everything) of what I know about the Book of Jonah that isn’t directly contained in the text. The amount of notes may vary and even the quality, but the important thing is something that reminds and helps you to recollect.

This article is not meant to teach you how to best recall, there are a nearly infinite number of resources available that will teach you how to best take notes, the important thing is that you are taking notes about what you’re reading and hearing from God. A couple of things I recommend in my “Simple Listening Handout” are to ask yourself, “How would I teach this?”, “What should I ask the pastor to clarify?” & “What should I further research?”

As I’ve grown older I’ve realized that what I put into my brain is not incorruptible or perpetual. Things I thought I would remember forever have faded into obscurity. I’ve learnt not to trust myself to simply remember a Bible verse, but that it’s good to have a Bible readily available when I think I can simply recall a verse. It reminded me of this verse from Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

One final aside, some of the great men of history were known to either be men of one 
singular focus, or to keep extensive lists. May we do both! May our singular focus be the glory of Christ proclaimed, but may we also have a reminder of how we intend to do it! I have seen my productivity soar in keeping notes, lists, and utilizing the “task organizers” within Microsoft Outlook and Gmail. I no longer trust myself to “remember to do that later”, now I write it down, whether it is a clear command from God from scripture, a needed conversation, or simply an encouraging word. I was at a recent conference (Refuel 2019) and the notebook they handed out said it so well,

Inspiration Unrecorded Is Quickly Forgotten.

May we heed that warning in our lives!

Part 6 - Revisit the Sermon

Biblical Marriage Counseling

Years ago, completely inundated and flustered and frustrated with the ridiculousness that passes for “Christian” and “Biblical” Marriage counseling, I wrote the following on the simplest form of biblical marriage counseling:

Husband: Love your wife.
Wife: Respect your husband.
Which of you is not doing that?
Repent and start doing that.
End of counseling session.
No charge.

Many people were irate when I first wrote that and many undoubtedly will be irate today. It defies human wisdom and the vast majority of academia. Spurgeon said, “Men think themselves wiser than the Word of the Lord, and sit in judgment upon it.” Denying the simplicity of the godly wisdom of Ephesians 5:33 gives an excuse for those who have been to “biblical counseling” who are no better today than when they started, and often are worse. They think it’s not their fault, it’s not their counselor’s fault, but it is the failure of God’s Word.

And that’s a symptom of the current culture because most of what passes as biblical counseling is not biblical. One counselee described it, “it felt like those sessions were just scheduled times for my wife to blame me for all my faults.” Counselors get mired in symptoms and definitions and techniques and fail to teach the most basic tenets of biblical marriage. The feminization of pastoral counseling and chasing after the wind of secular counseling has resulted in a plethora of excuses and finger pointing.

Dan Phillips recently put it this way,

Q: What should be the consequences of a husband not loving his wife?
A: Fry his hind end, because it's all his fault.
Q: What should be the consequences of a wife not respecting her husband?
A: Fry his hind end, because it's all his fault.
#TheDiscussionThusFar

The Bible does not give the wife an option to stop respecting her husband because he is not respectable (see 1 Peter 3:1-2), nor does the husband have the option to stop loving his wife because she is unlovable (see Eph 5:25, Rom 5:8). And, despite what so many feminized counselors would say, don’t think that love means nice. Love means sacrifice and sanctification (see Rev 3:19).

It reminds me of one of my favorite parables which I have retold many times and expanded upon,

A wife, completely embittered and exasperated by her marriage, visits a divorce lawyer to explore her options. She spends the session explaining to the lawyer everything her husband has done wrong and why he has made her so miserable for so many years. She concludes by stating, “I want this divorce to hurt him as much as he has hurt me.” 

The lawyer, a devout feminist, with malice in her eyes responds, “Here’s what you need to do. Don’t tell your husband about the divorce for the next month. Over the next month we’re going to show him how great a woman he is losing, and we’ll really make his head spin when we take not just the kids, the house, and his pension, but his excellent wife as well. Here’s what you need to do:

• Everytime he does something hurtful don’t respond in kind.
• Everytime he does something thoughtful make sure you show your appreciation.
• Everytime he is a bad father hold your tongue and take that opportunity to love your kids.
• Everytime he is a good father make sure to notice and verbalize your approval to the kids.
• Everytime he misses an appointment or a dinner because of work, thank him for providing.
• Everytime he makes an appointment or a dinner, thank him for making time for the family.
• Everytime he fails to help around the house, step up and be his helper.
• Everytime he helps around the house notice it and thank him for his aid.
• Everytime he kisses you goodbye, kiss him back.
• Everytime he doesn’t kiss you goodbye, kiss him hello when he comes back.
• Everytime he forgets to pray for you, pray for him.
• Everytime he prays for you, thank him for his spiritual leadership.
• Everytime he says something stupid, discuss the topic with him.
• Everytime he says something profound, commend his wisdom.
• Etcetera: You get the point. 

The month goes by, then another month, and the lawyer starts to wonder. She calls her client and asks, “When are you going to come in to start the divorce?”

“Divorce?! I’m not divorcing him! Why would I divorce him? He’s the greatest husband and father in the world!”

Love begets respect and respect begets love. A lack of the one does not justify withholding the other.

Husband: love your wife. She doesn’t respect you? Love her anyways.

Wife: respect your husband. He doesn’t love you? Respect him anyways.

End of article.

No charge.

Listen Better - Part 3 of 7 - Read the Word

Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 - Pray Before the Sermon

Speaking to a rebellious people who were inquiring why God had not blessed their rituals and their efforts, Zechariah identifies their problem:

“They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets.” ~ Zechariah 7:12

(Zechariah doesn’t identify exactly which prophets they were ignoring, but definitely Isaiah’s chapter 58 is one of them)

As you attend church on Sunday morning hopefully you will hear a pastor open the Word of God and proclaim the excellencies of the King to you. But how will you know? For the last 70 years the people of Bethel had been listening to tradition tell them to fast in remembrance of the destruction of the temple and for God’s blessing. For the entire time they had been in sin; the sin of elevating man’s tradition to God’s commands, and in refusing to listen to the former prophets.

How could they possibly know that they were following tradition and rejecting God’s Word? If only God had sent prophets beforehand to declare God’s statutes…

Are you following tradition? Is your pastor preaching his own opinions or the opinions of those who came before him? I recently read a Warren Wiersbe book called 50 People Every Christian Should Know, and, while I like Wiersbe (especially his biographical works), many of the 50 on the list were famous people of his early life who preached their own opinions and traditions. Were they good communicators and visionaries in their fields? Absolutely, but should we emulate them? By no means. A disciple of Phillips Brooks would be astonished today that you don’t know who Phillips Brooks is, but I guarantee you’ve been influenced by his tradition of emphasizing the preacher’s personality over the preaching.

So, how do you know if you’re listening to tradition or God’s Word?

You have to know God’s Word, you have to interact with it, wrestle with it, digest it, and apply it.

Before you head to church next time, find out which passage your pastor is going to be preaching on, and read it at least a few hours before (or better, if you're not reading this article on Sunday morning, every day until the sermon). God’s Spirit will use the former prophets (in the case of my church, Mark’s Gospel) to speak to you and in reading the passage before you hear it preached you will be more prepared to understand and respond to what you hear.

Mayhaps God will show you something he does not show your pastor, or maybe your pastor will reinforce conviction that you received from the Word, or perhaps he will answer questions you had in reading. Maybe you’ll see a connection in God’s Word that helps to reinforce what you believe and what you’re learning. Scripture is full of cross-references and quotations, for example, reread Zechariah 7:11-12 and then go read Hebrews 1:1-2 and Romans 15:4 and see if you don’t see some parallels and some amazing grace as you see the continuing theme of Christ in all of scripture (by the way, read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as well!)

Regardless of how the Spirit is going to use it in your life, you will be better for knowing God’s Word and you are sure to understand it better from your pastor if you read it before you hear him preach it.

Part 4 - Take Every Thought Captive

An American and a Lebanese man go to a Mexican Restaurant in Germany

I continue to not believe in coincidences, I believe God puts us exactly where he intends when he intends. I recently missed a connecting flight due to weather and was the recipient of a nine hour lay-over. I knew that God would somehow use that layover to his glory and so I prayed fervently to be an obedient servant.

I recently read the biography of Brother Andrew, and while I admire his boldness, his “derry-doo”, and his consistency, the constant mysticism of the book wore on me. Simply defined, Andrew’s mysticism frequently told him to go to embassies for visas, call a certain young lady, and visit specific people. That is not the way we hear from God and, while I don’t doubt Andrew’s veracity for a moment, I think such writing leads others to wonder why God is not speaking so specifically and accurately to them. That said, on my rescheduled connecting flight just after takeoff I had the very definite mystical feeling that I would not survive the flight. It was creepy to say the least, and it led to an excellent time of prayer including confession, commitment of my family to God’s sovereign care, and an inventory of my ministry and affections.

Needless to say, I survived the flight and my feeling was not a premonition from God. But I determined to redeem my layover, and indeed my entire trip for the glory of God. Landing in Frankfurt I purchased a train ticket to the city centre, I missed the first train by seconds and had to wait twelve minutes for the next. It is nice to know when the end of a public sermon is coming for the sake of time and brevity and clarity, and so I waited until a crowd formed on the platform for the next train and, using a tactic of Brother Andrew, I gave them greetings from the United States and from the Kingdom of Heaven. When the train arrived I was less than thrilled with the response, but several dozen people heard the gospel and then boarded the train.

Arriving at the city centre I was impressed with the city planning and the beautiful small parks throughout, but there were no crowds, so I made my way towards a Frankfurt landmark I recognized from somewhere, a beautiful round glass building. To my surprise and happiness I also found the river, which has a long meandering park on either side of its bank. I walked a few hundred yards until I found people lounging on the grass in any direction, and I preached on the authority of the Christian to preach and the imperative of the hearer to be reconciled to God from 2 Corinthians 5. While many listened, I was again disappointed with the response.

I knew I could spend the entire day on this expanse of river so I walked down about a half mile until I found a large crew unloading trucks into a large pleasure yacht for what looked like a sizeable and expensive party. I set up facing the yacht in hopes that my voice would echo from the yacht for greater distance. As I preached many stopped to listen, and as I finished my new friend Thorsten Winters approached from the newspaper and asked if he could ask me some questions. On the plane I literally had just read Albert Mohler’s wisdom on the broadcast power of the news media. Not only had my voice echoed off the yacht, but it was also going to reverberate from a newspaper! See Thorsten's Article Here. After a quite pleasant conversation I decided I would find something to eat then continue my circuit down the river.

But as I came up into the city centre again I found a beautiful park that has the largest metal EU (European Union) logo I’ve ever seen firmly posted on stilts at the entrance. There were Japanese tourists, Chinese tourists, Arabic tourists, and many locals drawn to that giant logo. The park was crowded so I started to look for my best location, when I noticed a beautiful little hill almost directly at the center. As I ascended the mount I was pleased to note that the wind would at my back if I was facing the largest concentration of people and thus carry my voice over the crowd.

As I preached the response was what every open-air preacher hopes for. Everyone turned their attention towards me, passers by stopped walking and sat on benches or in the grass. At least three listeners started to record the sermon. I preached on peace with the Kingdom of Heaven, and after I called for repentance and faith I thanked the recorders for recording the sermon and encouraged them to watch it again later and post it to the internet. I concluded that I would love to have a reasoned conversation with anyone who would like to and that I had approximately four hours to catch my flight. A group of four middle-eastern college aged young men who I thought at first were hostile to the preaching all gave me enthusiastic thumbs ups.

I considered heading over to them when a young man named Eddins waved and called me to speak with him. Eddins was in his mid-20s and spoke English quite well, I expected him to be hostile because his first question was what I thought of the United States Army. But he was ready for a reasoned conversation and we both agreed that the lack of faith in the United States Army has led to terrible outcomes. A young Christian jumped into the conversation and encouraged me for the sermon but also rebuked me to spend more time forming relationships. I half laughed and said, “Brother, I have nine hours to preach to this whole city.” He saw my point and I encouraged him to keep building relationships and preaching the gospel and that faith comes through hearing and hearing the Word of Christ.

Eddins professed to be a Muslim, but admitted that he had not found time to read the Koran. We spent quite a bit of time on textual criticism of both the Bible and the Koran. He said he found the Koran too hard and deep to understand, to which I responded that the Koran itself claims to be a light and perspicuous book. We both agreed that it is not. I helped him to understand that the Bible we are reading today is the Bible that was originally written thousands of years ago. He seemed pleased but didn’t want to let the conversation go, so I invited him to lunch (it was now dinner time).

As we were eating I did form a relationship with him, talking about his upbringing and his career and his aspirations, all the while answering and discussing the things of God. He told me that the name Eddins is a variation of Adam, but that he did not know why his parents had named him that because he had no family members named Eddins. I took him to the story of Zechariah naming his son Johannes despite having no ancestral precedent for it, but that God would be gracious to John in the future. I asked Eddins what he knew about Adam and he knew the story of the fall, then I asked him about the Second Adam, of whom he did not know that was a title of Isa, the Christ. I implied that perhaps his parents had named him Eddins on God’s promptings so that someday he would put his hope in the Second Eddins.

It was then that Eddins told me he was supposed to leave Frankfurt the day prior but his bus had broken down, and that he had been sitting in the park wondering how he would spend his afternoon before his bus left at the same time I needed to get on a train for the airport. He was very pleased that we had met and he told me he didn’t think it was a coincidence.

I don’t think it was a coincidence either. Pray for my friend Eddins!

The World Without Easter

Behold: my people have acted foolishly,

            and shall be cast down.

The nations are without a witness,

            the Kings speak boastful and unrestrained words.

            The Word of God which we have not heard is forgotten and lost.

We are despised and rejected by men;

            men of sorrows and forever acquainted with grief.

Surely we will bear our griefs, even to Hell;

            our sorrow is our faithful companion all the days of our lives.

We are stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.

            We are cursed for our transgressions;

            We are crushed for our iniquities;

            We are without peace and without hope in the World.

            Our sores are gangrenous and licked by the wild dogs; without remedy.

We like sheep have gone astray,

            and no shepherd leaves the flock to search for us.

Our iniquities fester and multiply.

We are oppressed, afflicted,

            we cry out in agony, torn asunder like lost lambs amongst the wolves.

By injustice and oppression we find no reprieve in the lawless courts of men;

            my generation is lost, stricken for my transgression and theirs.

Our graves are hewn for the wicked;

            rich and poor alike; we shall perish and shall see corruption in them.

Our violence has taken us away,

            and our deceit has sealed our fate.

And it was the will of the Lord to punish us,

            He has put us to grief,

            There is no guilt offering, no substitute;

            We and our children are lost forever.

Of the anguish of our soul! We shall never be free;

            I could not save myself, I can neither save others;

            I cannot bear even the weight of mine own iniquities.

My portion is lost, my spoil is wasted on those who will fall after me;

            My lifeblood is splattered on the ground,

            amongst the blood of a multitude of transgressors.

            Each bearing the immeasurable weight of his sins.

            There is no intercession for the transgressors.

But…Jesus… (Isaiah 52:13-53:12)

Portuguese Gospel Tract

We have recently moved, the hardest part was leaving our wonderful church and the work they were doing in Brazil. We went through much translation effort and design to make sure the following tract was biblical and accurate. Now that our new church is going to Haiti instead of Brazil, we want to make sure that this Portuguese tract is preserved and made available to others doing work in Portuguese speaking nations.

This tract is based on the American English "Pop Quiz" tract. Either tract is free to use in its entirety without permission. Any edits must be approved prior to printing/distribution.

Front

Pop Quiz

Verdadeiro ou Falso
1. Eu mantenho Deus em primeiro lugar no meu coração.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
2. Eu não tenho adorado (venerado) Dinheiro, Natureza, ou Imagens.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
3. Eu nunca usei o nome do Senhor em vão.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
4. Eu sempre honrei o domingo - dia para descansar.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
5. Eu sempre escutei meus pais, sem falhar.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
6. Eu nunca senti ódio em meu coração.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
7. Eu tive apenas pensamentos puros sobre pessoas bonitas.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
8. Eu nunca roubei nada.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
9. Eu sou verdadeiro em toda declaração que eu faço.

Verdadeiro ou Falso
10. Eu nunca desejei as coisas dos outros.

Back

Instruções

(Por favor, leia o outro lado primeiro)

Conte cada afirmação “verdadeira”.
Cada “verdadeira” recebe 1 ponto.

Converta sua pontuação em porcentagem dividindo por dez.
100% = Passou            90% ou Menos = Falhou

Se você não conseguiu, não vai impedi-lo de se formar para a série seguinte, ou de ganhar seu certificcado; este é o exame de admissão para o céu, uma nota negativa é a sua condenação ao inferno.  Estas perguntas são baseadas nos 10 Mandamentos, o fundamento do julgamento da justiça de Deus.

Seu destino está escrito na Bíblia quando diz; “Não sabeis que os injustos não herdarão o reino de Deus?  Não se deixe enganar ; nem os devassos, nem os idólatras, nem os adúlteros, nem homens que praticam a homossexualidade, nem os ladrões, nem os avarentos, nem bêbados, nem maldizentes, nem roubadores herdarão o reino de Deus.”

Pergunta Crédito Extra

Verdadeiro ou Falso
Deus enviou o Seu único Filho para morrer na cruz por meus pecados, para que eu possa ser perdoado. O que é exigido de mim para receber esse perdão é se arrepender de ( por sua vez, a partir de ) meus pecados e confiam em Jesus Cristo para foi os meus pecados e entregar-me ao Céu.

Resposta: Verdadeiro

Se você se Arrepender de seus pecados e Confiar em Jesus Cristo ressuscitado, o verso seguinte será verdade para você : “Mas vocês foram lavados, mas fostes santificados, mas fostes justificados em o nome do Senhor Jesus Cristo e pelo Espírito do nosso Deus .”

The Daughter of Mordecai

In the wonderful biblical book of Esther are many godly lessons to be learned. As a father of three boys and two girls and having a third girl stay with us temporarily, I noticed something in Esther that I had never seen before: I noticed the fatherly role of Mordecai and the things he taught Esther in her youth that blessed her and her people when she became an adult.

In Mordecai we have not only a righteous man who stands for the truth, stands against (in refusing to physically stand) evil, and who rests on the providence of God, but we also have a great example of a biblical father. We see him teaching Esther obedience, compassion, prayer, and courage, among other things.

Mordecai Stepped up to Raise Esther

"Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world (James 2:27).” We see Mordecai stepping up to raise the orphaned Hadassah (later called Esther) in the death of her parents, who are Mordecai’s uncle and aunt.

He was bringing up Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother…Mordecai took her as his own daughter. ~Esther 2:7

Mordecai Cared for Esther

Mordecai not only stepped up to take care of Hadassah, but he stepped into the biblical role of father, “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6).” He was much older than Hadassah, and so perhaps he might have thought that it would have been better to turn her over to a younger Hebrew family, but as we see later in the book, he trusted in the divine providence of God, and perhaps, he thought, she had come into his house for a reason.

Mordecai loved and cherished and cared for Hadassah. When the king of Persia sought out a new beautiful young queen, Hadassah was gathered into the citadel. During her time of preparation, one year, to meet the king, the Bible tells us, “Every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her (Esther 2:11).”

In his love for her, he looked after her safety and made sure she was being taken care of. Mordecai had raised Hadassah to walk in the way she should, and he had done a good job.

Let’s look at some things that Mordecai had taught his daughter.

A Meek and Obedient Heart

The time in which Mordecai and Hadassah lived in Persia was a very dangerous one. And to make matters worse, Haman the Agagite held onto a 550 year old family feud with the family of Kish, which just so happened to be Mordecai and Hadassah’s great-grandfather many times removed. Haman greatly desired to put an end to the Jewish people. For this reason Mordecai felt it wise for Hadassah to conceal her genealogy.

Mordecai commanded Hadassah to keep quiet in this matter (Esther 2:10), and she did. This was not the first or only time that Hadassah had obeyed Mordecai, she was obedient in this very important matter because she had been brought up in obedience.

Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him.
~ Esther 2:20

Obedience in the small things will be translated to obedience in the large things. Beloved, it is not a stretch of the imagination to see that if your child listens to you in your living room when you command them to put their shoes away, that it might save their life in a busy parking lot when you command them not to step off the curb, and it certainly will save their soul when they hear the command of God to obey the gospel of grace (cf 1 Peter 4:17).

Hadassah was quite possibly the most beautiful woman in Persia, she was well liked by everyone she met, she had her own entourage; she most certainly could have chosen to disobey Mordecai seeing as her political position was higher than his, but her strength bowed to Mordecai’s will, and it saved not only her life, but the lives of countless others.

Hadassah loved, obeyed, and respected her father.

A Respectful Demeanor

When Hadassah meets the eunuch who has charge over her, she wins his favor. We see in Esther 2:15 that the would-be-queens who go to meet the king are allowed to bring something with them, but Esther, in her trust in God, chooses to bring nothing special with her, except that which her Eunuch, Hegai, instructs her to bring. She respects his wisdom and position, and though she knows she has God’s favor and needs to bring nothing to meet the king, she respects Hegai and takes what he advised.

Because of this, she not only won the respect of Hegai, but also that of everyone who saw her (Esther 2:15). This was in no small part because of her respectful heart and demeanor. And where did she learn these things? From her father, Mordecai. Esther was kind to everyone, not just those that could benefit her, this was not something that could be taught with words, undoubtedly Esther learned this through watching her father interact with others.

It ought to be every Christian’s goal to be “well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace, into a snare of the devil (1 Timothy 3:7).” The Christian ought to live a life of kindness, generosity, respect, and love. Surely the message of the cross is offensive and the Christian will be hated for it, but the only offense of the Christian ought to be message of the cross, not of a failed and offensive character (cf also 1 Peter 2:11-12).

Hadassah, just as all Christians, could show grace to a lost and worldly people because of a complete trust in God to grant mercy or mete out justice according to his infinite wisdom.

Trust in God

The maidens who appeared before the king of Persia had the option of asking for accompaniment into the king’s court. Some have speculated that this may have been music to show their prowess in dancing, or an expensive wine or perfume to seek to sway the king’s heart, or an important escort such as a prince or politician to show the king their importance. But Hadassah chose none of these things, she trusted in God that he would go before her and grant her favor in the eyes of the king. While Hadassah was very beautiful, she knew the Proverb, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:30).” Hadassah knew that if she won the king’s favor with her beauty, then in time when the years had eroded away at her beauty and figure, the king might replace her for a younger woman. Instead, Hadassah trusted God and met the king with her true and lasting beauty, the beauty of her spirit. Peter would write five hundred years later, “Do not let your adorning be external-the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quite spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious (1 Peter 3:3-4).”

Hadassah undoubtedly won the heart of the king through her respectful and pure conduct (Esther 2:17).

Purity

As we sit in the 21st century it is easy to think that sin is easier to find than it ever has been. We have television that brings wanton immorality straight into our homes, we have the internet that with just a keystroke can open up destructive things that will scar our souls for a lifetime, we have sexualized culture in every facet. But beloved, things were no easier for Mordecai and Esther. Sin has always been treacherous and abundant, and no temptation has appeared in the 21st century that has not always been common to man.

This is abundantly clear in the twelve month waiting period before a maiden would meet the king. These girls were locked away in the citadel with no men but eunuchs to guard them. It has been accurately surmised that the yearlong wait was partly meant to filter out the girls who were pregnant when the king’s decree was made. And while the Bible does not say so, I suspect at least a few girls were disqualified from meeting the king because of the wait.

Mordecai had trained up his daughter in such a way that she was chaste, pure, and worthy to marry a king.

Graceful and Submissive

One of the reasons that the king was in search of a new wife was because his previous wife had been contentious and disobedient. It must have been a tremendous relief to him to meet Esther in her submissive and graceful demeanor. “An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels (Proverbs 31:10),” and “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all (Proverbs 31:29).”

Fathers, did you know, or more importantly does your son know, that Proverbs 31 is not written to teach women how to act? It is written to a son to instruct him on the value of a virtuous wife. I pray that I will raise my daughters to be a blessing to their husbands as they exhibit grace and embrace submissiveness and that my sons will not be destroyed (Proverbs 31:3) by worldly women.

I pray that they will reach out to the poor, speak for the mute, and open their hands to lift the downcast up to see Jesus, to love mercy, seek justice, and walk humbly with their God (Proverbs 31:9,20, Micah 6:8).

How to Read People

When Haman gains the ear of the king he devises a plot to wipe out all of the Jews in the Mede-Persian Empire, which for all intents and purposes included every Jew alive at the time. When Mordecai learns of the plot, he is obviously driven to despair and tears his clothes, dresses in sackcloth, and heaps ashes upon his head. Hadassah, oblivious to the danger, sought to comfort her father by sending him new clothing to wear. When Mordecai refuses, Esther realizes that something important is happening. She did not press him to change clothes, or cheer up, but instead listens to him and hears his distress.

From her position, it would have been very easy for Hadassah to have assumed Mordecai was overreacting or being ungrateful to her husband the king or sought to press him to end his lamentations (cf Nehemiah 2:2). Mordecai had probably taught her the proverb, “Whoever sings songs to a heavy heart is like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, and like vinegar on soda (Proverbs 25:20).” So instead of fighting Mordecai, she empathized with him, and accurately identified that she needed to invest more time and effort into his current situation.

Hadassah knew how to read Mordecai, and knew that his distress was important to him, so she made it important to her, and in so doing she saved many lives, including her own.

Compassion

When Hadassah learns of the plot to exterminate the Jews she acts and in so doing saves not only the lives of her people, but also her own life. A case could be made that she acted only out of self preservation and not a compassionate heart. But that does not stand up to scrutiny, for by Esther 8:3 Hadassah is safe from harm, but she once against entreats the favor of the king to save her people. She puts her own life in danger (Esther 4:11, 8:3) to intercede for her people, even when her life is quite secure.

Mordecai had taught her well to love God and love people, and to make sacrifices in order to help, protect, and even save others. May we, like the Messiah Jesus, be teaching our children that it is “More blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).” May we, like the Apostle Paul, be willing to sacrifice everything for others (Romans 9:3). May we, like Christ, do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than ourselves, looking not only to our own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 4:3-4).

Let us set the example for our children, as Mordecai did in adopting Hadassah and raising her, and then pray for them that they would be imitators of us as we are of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).

Prayer

The most important lesson that Mordecai taught Hadassah was how to pray and seek God. When the disciples approached Christ they did not ask him to teach them how to walk on water, or turn water into wine, or multiply fishes, or heal the sick, or even to raise the dead, they asked him to teach them to pray (Luke 11:1). Beloved, if you teach your children only one thing, teach them how to come to God (John 14:6) and know the one true God and Jesus Christ whom he has sent (John 17:3).

When Hadassah was faced with impossible circumstances she did not despair for her life, but turned to God in prayer and fasting, and entreated all of the Jews in town to likewise fast and pray for her (Esther 4:16). Hadassah did not suggest a menial prayer at mealtime, she called for a three day fast of food AND water. Three days without water is nearly fatal, but without God’s favor the Jews would surely die. Hadassah took her entreaty to God very seriously, and found faith, favor, and courage in God’s providence. For after all, if God is for us, who can be against us (Romans 8:31)?

Courage

Finally, in Hadassah’s life we see a tremendous amount of courage. She takes her life in her hands when she walks uninvited into the presence of the king, not once but twice (Esther 5:1, 8:3-5). She had replaced an unsubmissive wife and so contextually she was in far more danger than most in stepping into the king’s court without being summoned, but the necessity outweighed the risk and she put on strength (Proverbs 31:25) and accepted the danger. She told her father, “If I perish, I perish (Esther 4:16).”

I imagine a five year old Hadassah sitting on her grey-haired father's lap and him telling her, “Fear not those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear God who can destroy both soul and body in Hell (Matthew 10:28)." Esther put away her fear of man and kings, she took courage in the providence of God, and knew that God does not believe in coincidences and had not put her in the palace for no reason (Esther 4:14), but that she was to, as William Carey put it 2300 years later, “Expect great things from God, and attempt great things for God.”

Courage is something that God can muster out of nothing, but more often it is a character trait trained through years of practice. Young David did not rush out to meet Goliath without a character of courage that had risked life and limb earlier in his life (1 Samuel 17:34-36). Certainly Hadassah had not decided to be courageous for the first time in the king's palace, but Mordecai had raised her up to walk in courage and know that it was God who walked before her, and who commanded angels to guard her in all her ways (Psalm 91, especially Psalm 91:11). Hadassah was trained in courage, so when great courage was required of her, she was prepared to rise and meet the challenge.

Conclusion

Mordecai was undoubtedly proud of the things his daughter accomplished through the sovereignty and working of God. But beloved, I doubt he was surprised by them. He had ingrained these things in his little girl from the time she could understand his words, and probably even before that. He had trained up his child in the way she should go, and when she was older and a queen in a hostile and strange land, she did not depart from the statutes of God.

Take Mordecai’s example, step up to be the father your children or the children in your house (church, community, etc) need. Care for their needs, see that they are safe, and bring them up to fear God and be used by him in the way in which he has prepared (Ephesians 2:10). Teach them to respect others, to show empathy and compassion, to obey your commands so they will obey God’s commands, to submit and trust to God’s will, how to pray, and how to be strong and courageous. Teach your boys, and even your girls, to laugh in the face of danger (Proverbs 31:25).

You have come into your childrens’ lives for just such a task as this. And who knows, perhaps you and God are preparing them to see nations saved and the name of Jesus lifted high as his peace is published throughout a foreign and hostile land.

In closing, Esther means “Star” and I believe it refers to God shining his righteousness and steadfast love through her. I am also apt to say that it is a partial fulfillment of the prophecy of Daniel, “Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever (Daniel 12:3).”

May it be, and may your name and the names of your children be forever remembered in regards to your faith in the living God who loved us and gave himself for us, and by the many that you and your family turn to righteousness, just as Mordecai and Hadassah are remembered and immortalized in the Book of Esther and in the hearts of millions of Persian Jews who were saved from the snare of the evil one. May your family be a starry cluster trained up in the way in which they should go.

New Versus Obsolete: Thoughts on the Covenants

Introduction

Historically, the doctrine of the covenants has sent many Baptists to their death (drowning, burning, beating) and it has sent many Presbyterians to Hell. It is not something to be taken lightly, and we must admit that there is a vast difference between the belief that there is one Covenant (Covenantalism) and at least two major Covenants (Dispensationalism). This article will seek to define and repudiate the heresy of Covenantalism, drawing all readers to a firm belief in the New Covenant of Grace.

Definition

According to the Covenantal document, the Westminster Confession of Faith (hereafter WCF), the singular Covenant is expressed in two dispensations, "This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the Gospel (WCF Chapter VII, Para V)..." The covenant was administered through sacrifices, circumcision, and the like under the law, but under the gospel, they are administered through the preaching of the Word, and in Baptism and the Lord's Supper (WCF Chapter VII, Para VI).

The result of the law and the gospel, according to this anathema religion, is "full remission of sins, and eternal salvation (WCF Chapter VII Para V)..." They conclude by saying, "There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations (WCF Chapter VII Para VI)."

The simplest definition of Covenantalism is that the covenant is between God and men, under works it was circumcision, and under grace it is baptism.

The Dispensational document, the Bible, utterly refutes this Papist heresy by clearly differentiating between two Covenants, a covenant of works, and a covenant of grace. The primary places to find these are John 10, Hebrews 7-8, 2 Corinthians 3, Jeremiah 31, and Ezekiel 36; discussion of the covenants is not at all limited to these chapters, but is best expressed in them. Portions of each chapter will be quoted in this article, and I encourage you to read each in its context and entirety.

The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews puts it this way,

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord,
__when I will establish a new covenant with the house of Israel
__and with the house of Judah,
not like the covenant that I made with their fathers
__on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
For they did not continue in my covenant,
__and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel
__after those days, declares the Lord:
I will put my laws into their minds,
__and write them on their hearts,
and I will be their God,
__and they shall be my people. - Hebrews 8:8-10

Note that there are two primary things happening, that two covenants are clearly expressed, and that the First is unable to save, and the Second makes a perfect salvation between God and his people. This is a direct quote of Jeremiah 31:31-34, but I quoted it from Hebrews in order to point out that the author here calls the first Covenant faulty (Hebrews 8:7) and obsolete (Hebrews 8:13), and the new covenant better (Hebrews 8:6).

The Old Covenant was conditional between men and God, but the New Covenant is conditional between the Father and the Son, for Christ says "I give [my sheep] eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand (John 10:28-29)."

Dispensationalism, defined most simply, is that the Old Covenant was a covenant between God and man, which man always fails, and the New Covenant is a covenant between the Father and the Son, which the Son fulfills perfectly.

The Sign and Seal of the Covenants

Covenantalism and Dispensationalism take another radical departure when the sign and seal of the covenants is discussed. The WCF states, "Baptism is a sacrament of the New Testament, ordained by Jesus Christ...to be unto him a sign and seal of the covenant of grace, of his ingrafting into Christ, of regeneration, of remission of sins, and of his giving up unto God, through Jesus Christ, to walk in the newness of life (WCF Chapter XXVIII Para I)."

The Bible refutes this by saying "when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13)..." and "the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30)." and "circumcision is not outward and physical...circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit (Romans 2:28-29)." and "And I will give you a new heart, and a new Spirit I will put within you (Ezekiel 36:26)."

The sign and seal of the Old Covenant was circumcision, the seal of the New Covenant is the Holy Spirit and the sign is a new heart. The Covenantal view of an outward and physical sign is modern day Judaising, placing people under bondage and works by requiring adherance to the (misrepresented) law in order to be saved. Furthermore, the unforgiveable sin is Blasphemy of the Spirit, of attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to unclean spirits. Covenantalism seems to commit this sin unashamedly, by claiming that men seal themselves into salvation with a mere ritual.

The Application

Covenantalism is called, "The ministry of death" in 2 Corinthians 3. The Apostle Paul expands stating, "the very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me (Romans 7:10)." The Covenant between God and men is perfectly upheld by God, who cannot break a Covenant. If men do good, they will be blessed, but a single sin results in their cursing. This Covenant is therefore weak and useless, for the law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:18-19). It is obsolete, and its only use is to show men their need for a better hope (Hebrews 7:19): the guarantor of a better Covenant (Hebrews 7:22).

Jesus Christ has made us sufficient to be ministers of a New Covenant, the ministry of the Spirit, not the ministry of condemnation, but the ministry of righteousness (2 Cor 3:6-9). Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17, Hebrews 4:15), suffering completely for our sin, that he might bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). For the Old Covenant brings curses to cursed humanity, but Christ brings blessing to an unconditional covenant for men, because he fulfilled all of the conditions.

For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith." But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith. - Galatians 3:10-14

Invitation

Dear reader, if you are bewitched into the soul damning doctrine of Covenantalism, then I implore you to come out of her, to flee from the terror of Sinai to the glory of Zion and the city of the living God, to look not to your own works or covenant making, but to the perfect obedience of Christ who saved a people from every nation, tribe, and tongue because of the Covenant he made with his Father, which is partaken of by faith, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and expressed in the power of reborn life.

If you stay, then heed this terrifying warning and be sure that your end is eternal damnation, "How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace (Hebrews 10:29)?" There is no salvation in the Obsolete Covenant, in fact it has passed away, so seek the Son while he may be found, place your faith in his faithfulness, not your own, and receive his blessings as he received your curse.

Dispensationalists, stand against this resurging Presbyterian heresy, your forefathers did and tasted death for it, their light momentary affliction preparing for them an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Cor 4:17). Obadiah Holmes, Baptist minister in 1651, received 30 lashes and nearly died at the hands of Covenantalists, yet his words to his persecutors are left to encourage us, "You have struck me as with roses. Although the Lord hath made it easy to me, yet I pray God it may not be laid to your charge." Do not consider Covenantalists your brothers, or be surprised when they show no fruit of the Spirit, for they have embraced a law that has cursed them and a veil lies over their hearts that only Christ can raise.

Above all, look to the perfection of the New Covenant which has made the Old Covenant obsolete and shown its weakness and uselessness. Look to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Ending Abortion With the Law of Love

There is a massive movement of evangelists at current to Abolish Human Abortion, not just to outlaw it, but to criminalize it. I agree completely that abortion is murder: those who perform abortions, get abortions, and are accessories to abortion are guilty of murder and should be prosecuted. In fact I wrote a position paper in 2006 anathematizing the USAF's consideration to fund abortions through Tri-Care, and I went so far (to start conversation within the class) as to call for the UCMJ to make abortion a punishable offense under Articles 118, 119, and 133.

But, the legality of abortion is only a symptom of a much greater problem. If abortion were 100% illegal and punishable by death tomorrow, as it should be, the world would only be a little cleaner on the outside, but inside, it would still be filled with every manner of filth and sin. A symptom would be gone, but the root cause, the root corruption would be un-phased.

Consider the abolition of slavery in the United States starting in the early 1800s and culminating in 1863. Now, I am completely against racial slavery (compare: The Doctrine of Slavery), but the abolition movement is not the godsend which it is so often credited with. In fact, I would rather say it has made some things worse, and the abolition of slavery, and the continued farce of the "End-It" movement, do what Peter said of false teachers, "They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption (2 Peter 2:19)."

The abolition of slavery was done by law, it ought to have been perfected with the gospel. I will explain this in a moment. First though, the Bible does not use the word "slave" only for the first century or to be thrown out when our superstitious secularism warrants, "Slaves, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust (1 Peter 2:18)." "Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord (Colossians 3:22)." "Masters, treat your slaves justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven (Colossians 4:1)." "Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it (1 Corinthians 7:21)." Slavery exists today throughout the world, and nonetheless in America, and will until Christ returns. Slavery was not wrong because it is slavery, but because it was abused, it was racial, it required kidnapping, and many masters were unjust.

Had slavery been perfected by the gospel, then the nation and the world would be in much less bondage than they are today. In a perfect postmillenial world (one that does not exist and will never exist), where the gospel had been preached and believed and obeyed in America, slavery would have ceased to be the stain on the humanitarian history of these United States. Had the gospel been preached, fair treatment of slaves exhorted, and the refusal to partake in purchasing slaves who had been kidnapped or treated like cattle, then the manselling trade and the Middle Passage would have ceased to function. Imagine this, the Hannibal, a slave ship, deemed a pirate ship by an 1808 law prohibiting the importation of slaves, anchors in Mobile Bay with 692 slaves aboard. The average price per slave is $10.50; but Christian slave-owners, seeing the abysmal conditions on board, and finding that not a single slave was willingly indentured, refuse to pay $10.50 else they be in support of this illegal and immoral practice (Similarly, and a complete aside, supporting pornography, even only through your cable-internet bill, enslaves and destroys thousands of young people each year). What would happen next? At the very least the Hannibal would not carry any more slaves to the New World, for there is no profit in it, nor would any other ship. Perhaps the captain of this ship, in order to recoup some cost, would drastically reduce the price of slaves, in which case Christians desiring to show the grace of Christ might buy them to set them free (Compare This Story), or to act as just and fair masters. In either case, the gospel would rectify the slave trade without prohibition and without promising freedom only to deliver greater slavery.

For there are two sets of laws in the world, the worldly prohibiting kind which are rarely obeyed and frequently broken (do not steal, do not drink and drive, do not murder babies), and the heavenly law of love (love your neighbor as yourself). The law of love is so encompassing and perfect that it need not prohibit violence or racism, because if you love someone, you will seek their highest good and ignore superficialities. The law of love demonstrated in slavery would have benefited everyone far more than the Emancipation Proclamation. The law of love is infinitely more capable of ending abortion than any legislation. A mommy who loves God and their baby will not destroy that baby or the image of God being knit together inside of them. A daddy who loves his child will stand up and be a man and honor Christ in protecting life and raising that child in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

An evangelist preaching the gospel indiscriminately to a crowd will (Lord willing) impact the lives of far more people than preaching focused messages at the abortion minded. Instead of fighting the symptom at a murder clinic, gospel preaching ought to start by addressing the root cause, a sinful heart which leads to fornication, disregard for life, and murder. In my ministry towards youth, allow me to boast for a moment, I know that it is more productive to ensure that little girls never need to consider an abortion and to teach them to love and obey Jesus and give them a hope in the Living God, than to try to ward them off at a moment of great despair and hopelessness.

A famous evangelist once compared addiction ministry to a playground near a dangerous cliff. Children regularly fell down the cliff, some were killed and others gravely injured. One response, the addiction ministry response, was to build a hospital at the bottom of the cliff in order to minister to those who had fallen. The other response, the gospel ministry response, was to put a fence and warning signs up to warn of impending danger. Beloved, which works better? The one that ministers to the effect, or the one that ministers to the cause.

The current abortion ministry and abolition movement are treating symptoms of sin, and while they are doing some good, the greatest good is to be done in full time gospel ministry, in treating the wicked heart which brings forth sexual immorality and murder. A girl converted to Christ in middle-school will never consider an abortion. A high-school boy who determines to honor Christ by waiting for his future wife will never pressure someone into taking RU-486 or be an accomplice to the murder of a baby. An abortion doctor who has no patients will have to resort to finding a second job.

It is a commendable thing to be against abortion, and to call it what it is: cold blooded murder. But beloved, just as the abolition of slavery did not abolish slavery, neither will the outlawing of abortion end abortion. The law has a way of awakening our nature to break that law, but Christ is the cure for the rebellion and fallenness of humanity, he alone has the ability to replace a wicked heart with a sanctified heart.

And finally, and probably most harshly, the abolition of slavery has done innumerable damage to the nation, not just to one people-group, but all who are enslaved without knowing their captivity to the devil. Christ came to set the captives free. A person who does not recognize their enslavement does not seek an Emancipator. The outlawing of abortion without a strong gospel presence will condemn many more people than are currently condemned. As harsh as it is to say, a child murdered is guaranteed instant Heaven by their faith in God (Matthew 18:3) and the faithfulness of God (Matthew 18:14). A child who grows up in a pagan culture is condemned by the sins of their fathers. Adrian Rogers once made the excellent point that fixing atrocities without the preaching of the gospel is only, "making the world a nicer place to go to Hell from."

Preaching the gospel faithfully to all men will result in fewer abortions and make famous the name of the One who is able to save to the uttermost all of those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. So beloved, I implore you to focus on the cause of abortion, and not the symptom of abortion, that you minister to lost sinners in your church, in their schools and universities, in the park, at the mall, at festivals. Wherever people may be found, preempt the need for abortion ministry by proclaiming Christ and him crucified.

1 Samuel - The King Chosen by God

This entry is in the series of Thirty-Nine Reasons Jesus Came to Die, concerning the Book of First Samuel.

First Samuel records the prophetic ministry of Samuel, the transition from the time of judges to the time of kings, the calling and rejection of Saul as king, and the enmity which Saul has towards David. Within this book are many beautiful pictures of Christ; he is seen when David defeated Goliath with his own sword when Christ defeated death with death (1 Samuel 17:51). He is seen when Abigail (joy of the father) becomes the bride of David after her husband, a boorish, foolhardy, worldly man dies (1 Samuel 25:36-39); the church is seen in Abigail striving to see her family reconciled to the Messiah. Christ is evident when David goes out in order to rescue his bride and family who have been taken captive by the world (1 Samuel 30:18), and the grace of his victory is overflowing when all of David’s fellows partake in the spoils of the battle even if they weren’t involved in the battle (1 Samuel 30:24).

But the main point of First Samuel is that a king chosen by men will fall, but that a king chosen by God will stand, and that God is the true King of Israel (1 Samuel 12:12). Christ is that established and chosen king, of his kingdom there is no end.

Now behold the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; behold, the LORD has set a king over you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king. – 1 Samuel 12:13,25

Grace to you and peace…from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. – Revelation 1:4-6

Ruth - A Nearer Kinsmen Redeemer

This entry is in the series of Thirty-Nine Reasons Jesus Came to Die, concerning the Book of Ruth.

Set in the middle of Judges, most likely around the beginning of Judges 10, the Book of Ruth contains amazing prophecies for Christ and that his church would be larger than just Israel. The most obvious link to Jesus in this book is that Ruth is Jesus' great-grandmother several generations removed, and also a Gentile (Matthew 1:5). Her assimilation into not just Israel, but the salvation of God, looks forward to a time when Jesus would say, "And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd." (John 10:16)

Other important themes are the rigidness to the law (Ruth 4:4), the caring for the poor (Ruth 2:7), and the price paid for a bride who was in servitude (Ruth 4:10, 1 Corinthians 7:23).

But the main prophecy of Jesus in the book of Ruth is that of Kinsmen Redeemer. This person was able and compelled to purchase a family member out of slavery (Leviticus 25:47-49), to purchase land sold (Leviticus 25:25), and to perpetuate a lineage of a dead brother (Deuteronomy 25:5-6, Ruth 2:20). Boaz is a kinsmen redeemer of Naomi (Ruth's mother-in-law), and also Naomi's dead husband and dead sons, but he is honest that there is a nearer redeemer. In the book, the nearer redeemer waves his right in order for Boaz to be able to be both redeemer and husband to Ruth.

Jesus Christ is our Nearer Kinsmen Redeemer, a brother by our adoption (Romans 8:14-15,29), the God who created us (Colossians 1:15-16), and the one who paid the price for our ransom from slavery (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Into your hand I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. – Psalm 31:5

For I know that my Redeemer lives and at the last he will stand upon the earth. – Job 19:25