Loved by God.

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Chicago, IL, United States
* It's good to suffer loss, for it draws me to the Cross where God's loss is more than what anyone ever lost. * We cannot hear what the stories of the Bible are saying until we hear them as stories about ourselves. * Let go of control. * Trust God. Thank God. Think about God. Talk to God. Talk about God.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

26 Sermons/Bible studies in 19 Days


Based on my imprecise recollection, these are the 20 Bible studies and Daily Bread I oversaw and the 6 sermons I preached on 3 consecutive Sundays during the 19 days that I was in Manila in March 2014.

  1. How I Met God (My Mystical Conversion): How God Worked Mysteriously in My Heart (Gen 2:16-17); Come to Jesus (Mt 11:28-30); How one is changed (Jn 1:12-13; 6:37,44). My first meeting at Fatima in Antipolo with about 30 students in Antipolo.

  2. Critical Thinking (2 Tim 2:7; Phil 4:8). Without critical thinking one does not make progress and grow to maturity, but remains predictably robotic. My first daily bread with a few men.

  3. Living the Christian Life: Fan Into Flame the Gift of God by the Power of God (2 Ti 1:8-9). Ignite day.

  4. Love The God Who Loves You By Loving Others (Dt 6:5). Sermon at Valenzuela.

  5. Sin (Dt 1:1-46). Sermon at Antipolo.

  6. Sin is Crouching (Gen 4:7). My first meeting at Fatima at Valenzuela.

  7. Follow Me (Mk 1:17); Repent (Mk 1:15); Fruit (Mt 7:17-18); You Sow What You Reap (Gal 6:7); Critical thinking. Daily bread

  8. Syrophoenician Woman (Mt 15:21-28). Daily bread.

  9. Repentance Is To Come To Jesus (Mt 11:28-30).

  10. Finding An Identity Other Than In Christ. At University of the Philippines at Manila (UPM).

  11. Sanctification by the Gospel (Phil 2:12-13).

  12. Bible Study.

  13. Gentle and Humble (Mt 11:28-30).

  14. Obedience (Dt 4:1-40). Sermon at Valenzuela.

  15. ABCs of Christian Living (Phil 2:12-13) Sermon at Antipolo.

  16. Trials (Isa 43:2).

  17. Monotheism (Dt 6:4).

  18. One True Love (Gen 29:15-35). Fatima at Valenzuela.

  19. How to Discern God’s Will (George Mueller). UPM.

  20. The Hidden God (Gen 37:2-36). Fatima at Valenzuela.

  21. Man and Woman - The ABCs (1 Ki 2:2; 1 Pet 3:3-4). Fatima at Antipolo.

  22. Testing (Dt 8:1-20). Sermon at Valenzuela.

  23. Freedom (Gal 5:1; 2 Cor 3:17; Jn 8:32; Gen 2:16). Sermon at Antipolo.

  24. ABC of Sin.

  25. The Grace of God (Ac 20:24). Grace is a major theme throughout the OT and the NT.

  26. Identity In Christ/Grace (1 Cor 15:10; 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 2:20).


Friday, March 28, 2014

Freedom

Freedom is the unique distinctive of Christianity. If one is not free or does not proclaim and exemplify freedom through Christ, then they are either not a Christian, or they very badly misunderstand and miscommunicate Christianity. I shared this as a sermon in the Philippines based on these verses.
  • "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" (Gal 5:1).
  • "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Cor 3:17).
  • And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden” (Gen 2:16).
  • Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:31-32).


Sunday, March 23, 2014

What Does God Require Of You? (Dt 10:12-22)


Dt 10:12-11:32 resembles Dt 4:1-40 (similar structure, vocabulary and application following history), moving on to the practical implication and outworking of Dt 9:7-10:11, and which resonates with language from chap.5-7. It builds up to a grand climax, completing the first part of Deuteronomy like a grand theological symphony, with Dt 10:12 resembling Dt 4:1 after the first recital of Israel's history in chap. 1-3.

Dt 10:12-22 are a reinstatement and filling out of the Shema (Dt 6:4-5), to enable Israel to begin again after the golden calf episode (Dt 9:7-10:11). They are a stiff-necked people (Dt 9:13). Thus, the central command of Dt 10:12-22 is Dt 10:16: "Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer."

In Dt 10:12-13, the Lord asks for five things which are frequently addressed throughout Deuteronomy:
  1. Fear God (reverence [Dt 4:10; 5:29]).
  2. Walk in "all his ways" (ESV, HCSB, NKJV) (Dt 5:33; 10:12; 11:22; 19:9; 26:17; 28:9; 30:16), in contrast to turning aside from the way (Dt 2:27; 5:32-33; 11:16, 28; 17:11, 17; 28:14), which is especially illustrated in the golden calf incident (Dt 9:12, 16).
  3. Love God, illustrating the importance of the Shema (Dt 6:4-5) with its anchor in God's election and choice of Israel, to which Israel must respond in kind. Israel was to love God because God first loved her (Dt 10:15-16; cf. Dt 30:6).
  4. Serve God with "all your heart and with all your soul," using language in Dt 6:5 for some attitude other than love.
  5. Keeping (obeying) God's commands is for their own good (Dt 10:13), indicating that the law was not a burden to be borne, but was Israel's life in all its fullness (Dt 32:47).

Basic to all obedience is fear (reverence) of God (Dt 5:29) and love of God (Dt 6:4-5).

Saturday, March 22, 2014

Unrighteousness (Dt 9:1-29; 10:1-22) [Review chap. 7-9]

Deuteronomy 9:1-10:22; Key Verse: Dt 10:12

"And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Along with Dt 6:5, 10:12 could be a key verse to the book of Deuteronomy. It contains four verbs that describes what God expects of his people who have been delivered from bondage to slavery in Egypt:
  1. Fear God.
  2. Obey God.
  3. Love God.
  4. Serve God.

Deuteronomy 7-9 have been said to address the gods of militarism (chap. 7), materialism (chap. 8) and moralism (chap. 9). These are testings and trials that the people of God can expect to encounter:

  1. Power (Dt 7:1-26).
  2. Pleasure (Dt 7:3-6).
  3. Poverty (Dt 8:1-10).
  4. Prosperity (Dt 8:11-20).
  5. Purity [moral superiority] (Dt 9:1-6).

Deuteronomy 10-11 can be considered in the following parts:

  1. (Self-)Righteousness (Dt 9:1-6).
  2. Rebellion (Dt 9:7-29).
  3. Renewal (Dt 10:1-11).
  4. Requirement (Dt 10:12-22).

Sunday, March 16, 2014

Study The Bible


  1. Read the Bible.
  2. Read commentaries.
  3. Read books.
  4. Read blogs.
  5. #1: Read relationally.
  6. Read and sense that there is one who is reading you.
  7. Read, discuss and share with others in community, not in isolation.
  8. Read with meditation, reflection and contemplation because you love God with all your mind, thoughts, feelings and emotion.

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Man and Woman: ABCs


Man
  1. Assertive
  2. Bold
  3. Courageous
  4. Diligent
  5. Energetic
  6. Friendly
  7. Gentle

Woman

  1. Affectionate (unAvailable)
  2. Beautiful
  3. Courteous
  4. Demure
  5. Elegant
  6. Fidelity
  7. Gracious

The Girl Nobody Wanted (Genesis 29:15-35): Questions (3/11/14)

The Search for One True Love (Gen 29:15-35) [An alternate title (by Tim Keller): The Girl Nobody Wanted.]

I. The Desire of Love

  1. What might Laban know about Jacob (Gen 29:10-14)? What was the motivation of Laban and Jacob (Gen 29:15-20)? How is Laban's scheme ingenious, though cruel (Gen 29:21-26)? What did Laban gain?
II. The Devastation of Love
  1. Do you understand that "in the morning, it's always Leah...not Rachel" (Gen 29:25)? Though Jacob was shocked and furious (Gen 29:25), why did he agree so compliantly to Laban's explanation and further unreasonable offer (Gen 29:26-30)? How was Laban's deceit with Jacob parallel to Jacob's deceit with his old blind father? How might Leah feel through all of this?
  1. How does the affirmation of Gen 28:13-15 and the discipline of Gen 29:15-30 work together for Jacob's good (Heb 12:5-6; Prov 3:12; Amos 3:2; Gen 50:20)?

III. The Deconstruction of Love

  1. Identify the idols of Jacob (Gen 29:18,20,30), Leah (Gen 29:32-34), Rachel (Gen 30:1,8). How does God deal with the lovelessness of Leah (Gen 29:31)? The barrenness of Rachel (Gen 30:22-24)? What does this tell us about God's salvation (Isa 53:2; Jn 1:11; Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34; 1 Cor 1: 27-29)?
Reference: The Search For One True Love (Gen 29:15-35)

Friday, March 7, 2014

Consider Both Sides When You Express Yourself


I asked a friend why some UBFers are upset with this post that I wrote: Sin is having an identity other than in God. He explained it so well in an email to me:

"It was a good article, Dr. Ben. I think with any critical self reflection, we can inadvertently dismiss the heart of an entire community's efforts, which is ironically the antithesis of your article. It's not necessarily your duty to always cover all grounds, but I can see why people would feel dismissed by what you wrote since you didn't counter it with any mention of people's good underlying, heart's intention. It is probably true that not all people have the right heart's motive, but some, even many do. Though they may have been misled to think that using social pressures is okay, I find many people just want to be used by God for the salvation of souls and the development of Jesus' disciples."

Very useful points for me to always consider are:
  1. "Dismissing an entire community's efforts." I failed to realize this.
  2. "It's not necessarily your duty to always cover all grounds." Yet, I should always attempt to do so.
  3. "Not countering what I write with any mention of people's good underlying, heart's intention." I've done this occasionally, but not often enough.
  4. "Some, even many do have a right heart's motive." I believe that this is true, and that they would be hurt by the dismissive way I write.
  5. "They may have been misled to think that using social pressure is okay." I keep pounding this point, but I perhaps should back off on this, or write about this very tenderly and gingerly (which I may not know how to do!).
  6. "Many people just want to be used by God for the salvation of souls and the development of Jesus' disciples." Without a doubt I know that this is true. I should remember Phil 1:18.
I thought this is so useful for me to remember and consider every time I need to express myself or write something, anything. (Here is David Weed's very useful comment on (abusing one's) freedom.)

Monday, March 3, 2014

ABCs of Christian Living

  1. Accountability (Heb 3:13; 2 Sam 12:1-14).
  2. Bless others (Jn 13:34; Jas 1:19; Phil 2:3; Rom 12:3).
  3. Constancy (Mk 1:15, 35; Ps 1:2; 1 Th 5:17; Gal 2:20). Community (Ps 133:1). Church (1 Tim 3:15).
  4. DO IT! (Jn 13:17; 2 Tim 2:1-10)

Friday, February 28, 2014

Living The Christian Life


2 Timothy 1:6a

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God..."

Jn 10:10b - The life God promised us and called us to live through Christ and in Christ is a full and abundant life.

Consider the what, why and how of the Christian life:

Monday, February 24, 2014

Love (Dt 6:5)


Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (The Shema)

"Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."
  1. What love is
  2. Why we love
  3. How to love
I. What love is
  • God is love (1 Jn 4:8, 16).
  • Not words or feelings, but a practical demonstration (Rom 5:8; Jn 3:16).
II. Why we love
  • God first loved us (1 Jn 4:19).
  • God redeemed us from slavery (Dt 5:15; 15:15).

Friday, January 31, 2014

Deuteronomy, a book worthy to be read day and night


In his prologue to Deuteronomy, William Tyndale writes, "This is a book worthy to be read day and night and never to be out of hands. For it is the most excellent of all the books of Moses. It is easy also and light and a very pure gospel..., a preaching of faith and love: deducing the love to God out of faith, and the love of a man's neighbor out of the love of God."

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

An Example of How To Read Scripture Before The Congregation


Please watch and listen to the reading of 1 Kings 19:1-19 (in the ESV) from the 9 min to the 15 min point here. I blogged about this sermon with the title Elijah Blew It. It is about the lowest point of Elijah's life and ministry as a prophet of God. See what you might learn about how to read Scripture meaningfully in church. It took 6 minutes to read these 19 verses:

Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” Then he was afraid, and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

There he came to a cave and lodged in it. And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 10 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 11 And he said, “Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.12 And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper.[a]13 And when Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And behold, there came a voice to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” 14 He said, “I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of hosts. For the people of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword, and I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life, to take it away.” 15 And the Lordsaid to him, “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. And when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael to be king over Syria. 16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi you shall anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah you shall anoint to be prophet in your place. 17 And the one who escapes from the sword of Hazael shall Jehu put to death, and the one who escapes from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha put to death. 18 Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.”

19 So he departed from there and found Elisha the son of Shaphat...

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Learn Leadership From a Pagan King (Jonah 3:5-9)


It is interesting that Nineveh’s king, a pagan ruler, exemplified godly leadership, by humbling himself before God and his people (Jon 3:6-9). The king did not think of himself, his dignity or his privileges. He approached God with a deep sense of sinfulness, in shame and sorrow for sin.

“This is how things should be. Leaders are supposed to lead in spiritual and moral matters, although it is precisely those who lead that often find it most difficult to accept responsibility. It is hard to stand at the peak of the pyramid and admit your weaknesses. It is tough, when everyone’s eyes are on you, not to hide your sins. But in Nineveh, repentance began ‘from the greatest’ and proceeded ‘to the least of them’” (Jon 3:5b). “This should be the process in every context. Leaders and all who are looked up to need to set an example by leading others in the ways of God. (1) They should be the first to accept criticism, (2) the first to examine their ways, (3) the first to admit their own faults and (4) to correct them. A people, a church or a family will seldom be better than its leaders. Good leaders will strive for spiritual and moral perfection, and will seek purity of motive and action.” (Numerals mine.)

This quote about leadership is an excerpt from Prophet on the Run by Baruch Maoz. It is my favorite quote of the book, though it is not the main theme of Jonah. - See more at: Aren't We Christians All Jonahs?

Monday, January 6, 2014

Questions For The New Year


A new year just seems like a good time for reflection, for self-evaluation, for New Year's Resolutions, for change and for looking and planning ahead.

Here are some "tough probing" questions (from Don Whitney) to ask prayerfully in the presence of God.
  1. What's one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
  2. What's the most humanly impossible thing you will ask God to do this year?
  3. What's the single most important thing you could do to improve the quality of your family life this year?
  4. In which spiritual discipline do you most want to make progress this year, and what will you do about it?
  5. What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
  6. What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
  7. For whose salvation will you pray most fervently this year?
  8. What's the most important way you will, by God's grace, try to make this year different from last year?
  9. What one thing could you do to improve your prayer life this year?
  10. What single thing that you plan to do this year will matter most in ten years? In eternity?
Paul Tripp says that we often need to commit to live in the small moments of our daily lives. We need 10,000 little moments to bring forth significant change (rather than expecting one big dramatic personal decision to bring forth change):
  • 10,000 moments of sin confessed and sin forsaken

  • 10,000 moments of humble submission
  • 10,000 choice points of obedience

  • 10,000 times of forsaking the kingdom of self and running toward the kingdom of God

  • 10,000 moments of foolishness exposed and wisdom gained

  • 10,000 moments of personal insight and conviction

  • 10,000 moments where we abandon worship of the creation and give ourselves to worship of the Creator.

Resolutions? No!  Spiritual Depression by Martyn-Lloyd Jones is a book for all Christians—for the daily spiritual depressions we all face this side of heaven. He ends his second chapter with these challenging and refreshing words:

Would you like to be rid of this spiritual depression? The first thing you have to do is to say farewell now once and forever to your past. Realize that it has been covered and blotted out in Christ. Never look back at your sins again. Say: 'It is finished, it is covered by the Blood of Christ.' That is your first step. Take that and finish with yourself and all this talk about goodness, and look to the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only then that true happiness and joy are possible for you. What you need is not to make resolutions to live a better life, to start fasting and sweating and praying. No! You just begin to say:

I rest my faith on Him alone
Who died for my transgressions to atone.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Idolatry (Dt 4:15-31)


Deuteronomy 4:16-31; Key Verse: Dt 4:24

"For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God."

Tertullian (160-220 AD) says, "The principal crime of the human race, the highest guilt charged upon the world, the whole procuring cause of judgment, is idolatry." Paraphrased: “The principal charge against the human race, the world’s deepest guilt, the all-inclusive cause of judgement is idolatry.”

In Deuteronomy, the themes studied so far are Sin (Dt 1:1-46), Leadership (Dt 1:9-18), Faith (Dt 2:1-3:29) and Obedience (Dt 4:1-14). In Dt 4:15-31, Moses warns the Israelites about how grievous the sin of idolatry is.
  1. What it does - How enticing it is (Dt 4:15-19).
  2. What it results in - How devastating are its consequences (Dt 4:25-28).
  3. What to do; what to remember - How to overcome it (Dt 4:20-24, 29-31).

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

2014 Key Verse Testimony (Dt 15:15)


2014 Key Verse: Dt 15:15a

"Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you."

Remembrance. I am tentatively choosing this key verse as as I prepare to preach through Deuteronomy. The three key imperatives of Deuteronomy are love (Dt 6:5), obey (Dt 10:12-13) and choose (Dt 30:19-20). But no one, however godly and holy, can long sustain such imperatives by their sheer resolve and will power with beauty and mystery. (They might do it grumpily, angrily or legalistically!) They need to remember the grace of God, which Moses scatters throughout his three farewell speeches in Deuteronomy in order to help God's people to live with God's blessing in the promised land. I pray that 2014 may be a year of remembrance so that the grace of God may compel us to love God (Dt 6:5) and to obey God (Dt 10:12-13) and to choose life (Dt 30:19-20).

Review. Each year over the last few years, a theme for West Loop UBF was chosen.

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Confounding Paradoxes That Are True To Life


Paradoxes that are common in Christianity (and in life):
  • If you die, you live (1 Cor 15:36). If you try to live, you die.
  • If you work hard (Prov 14:23), you will live easy. If you live easy, your life will be hard (Prov 20:4).
  • If you live poorly (Mt 5:3; Lk 6:20), you're rich. If you try to be rich, you're poor, no matter how much you have.
  • If you limit yourself, you're free (Gen 2:16-17). But if you live without limits, you're a slave.
  • If you listen (Jas 1:19), you're heard. If you demand to be heard, no one listens to you.

How To Be Productive Infographic


Take a minute to browse through the infographic: Get It Done: 35 Habits of the Most Productive People (Infographic). As a cerebral "heady" person, the habits regarding the MIND (right side of the infographic) resonates with me:
  • 80/20 rule: Which 20% of your work produces 80% of the result? (Not sports, movies and facebook!)
  • Focus on the important (Reading, preparing, planning, reflecting, exercising). Suppress the urgent (Checking sports stats daily, internet cruising, celebrity trivia).
  • Idea dumping tips: Always carry paper (or note book). Be descriptive when writing it down. Ask why; think big picture. Don't force it. (First time I heard of "Idea Dump.")
  • Learn to ignore. (But, but, this article was good!) No need to respond to everything.
  • DO a bad FIRST DRAFT. You can't edit a blank page.
HACKS is pretty good too (third from left):

Monday, December 23, 2013

2014--A Year Of Remembrance; Preaching Schedule


For West Loop UBF, we chose a theme each year over the last few years:
  • 2010 was a year of the gospel--the matters of first importance (1 Cor 15:1-4).
  • 2011 was a year of grace (Acts 20:24)--the primary experience of the gospel.
  • 2012 was a year of sanctification (Phil 2:12-13)--the scary/painful part of the gospel.
  • 2013 was a year of considering the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27, ESV) or the whole will of God (NIV), or the whole plan of God (HCSB), or the whole purpose of God (NASB). This prompted me to study and preach through Revelation, the last book I wanted to study.
  • For 2013, it may be a year of remembrance (Dt 5:15; 15:15), as I prepare to preach through Deuteronomy.
Preliminary schedule with the title of each sermon, the text and a short summation.
  • Jan 12: Lesson 1 - Sin (Dt 1:1-46) (Read Dt 1:25-40). Sin brings God's severity.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Obedience (Dt 4:1-15)


Deuteronomy 4:1-15; Key Verse: Dt 4:1

"Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live..."

Theme: Obedience requires one to first hear (Hebrew: shamar).

Hear. In Deuteronomy 1-3, the themes discussed are Sin (Dt 1:1-46), Leadership (Dt 1:9-18) and Faith (Dt 2:1-3:29). In chap. 4, the theme of obedience is best understood by comprehending the word shamar (Hebrew), which is repeated 11 times in this chapter (Dt 4:1, 6, 10, 12, 28, 30, 32, 33, 36; twice in verse 33 and 36). In the 2011 NIV shamar is translated hear, heard and obey (Dt 4:30). [Strong's concordance: "to hear, listen to, obey."] The most famous use is in Dt 6:4: "Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one." This verse is known to all Jews by the first two words "Sh'ma Yisrael" or simply as "Shema." It encapsulates the monotheistic essence of Judaism (and Islam and Christianity). The Shema is considered the most important part of the prayer service in Judaism and its twice daily recitation as a religious commandment (mitzvah, which means commandment).

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Obedience (Deuteronomy 4)


Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Key Verse: Dt 4:1

"Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you."

Obedience. The themes covered so far are Sin (Dt 1), Leadership (Dt 1a) and Faith (Dt 2-3). The theme of Dt 4 is on obedience to the law (Torah). Generally, people think or act as though obedience is needed for their salvation. But biblical obedience is the fruit of salvation, not the means of salvation. Biblical obedience is not commanded of non-believers or non-Christians, but of the people of God--those who have experienced God's saving grace (Dt 1:30-31; 4:37; 5:6, 15; 15:15; 24:18). This is similar to Jesus saying to his disciples that their obedience should be because of their love (Jn 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10).

Friday, December 13, 2013

5 Things To Know About God (J.I. Packer)


To know God, what are some basic foundational principles we need to know?

In Knowing God (1973), J.I. Packer lists five basic truths we need to know:
  1. God has spoken.
  2. God is Lord and King who rules all things.
  3. God is Savior.
  4. God is triune.
  5. Godliness means responding to God's revelation.
For reflection and discussion:
  1. Are any of these beginning assumptions a problem or difficult for you? Do you lack a basic understanding of any of them? Which ones and why?

Sin (Dt 1), Leadership (Dt 1b), Faith (Dt 2-3), Obedience (Dt 4)

  1. Sin (Dt 1:1-46):
    • What sin does - Destroys
    • Why sin happens - Unbelief
    • What the solution is - Remember God's grace/Believe God's promise
  2. Leadership (Dt 1:9-18):
    • The burden of leadership - Stress
    • The solution of leadership - Delegation
    • The practice of leadership - Fairness
  3. Faith (Dt 2:1-3:29). Faith was expressed when God said:
    • Pass
    • Strike
    • Allocate
    • No
    • Yes 
  4. Obedience (Dt 4:1-30):
    • What to obey: The Law (Torah)
    • How to obey: The Covenant
    • Why we obey: The Redemption

Monday, December 9, 2013

Leadership (Dt 1:9-18)


Deuteronomy 1:9-18; Key Verse: Dt 1:13

"Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you."

In the first lesson, Sin (Dt 1:1-46), Moses explained how sin set them back 38 years of going around in circles in the wilderness. It is sobering and wise to always consider what sin does (rebellion), why sin happens (unbelief), and how sin is solved (remember God's grace and believe God's promise).

In this second lesson, Moses shares the secrets of successful leadership. Leadership is always a hot topic because it affects everyone and is what everyone experiences. Leadership guru John Maxwell says, "He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk." Here are a few other memorable and relatable quotes:

Thursday, December 5, 2013

The Gospel in 1-2 Kings


God's faithfulness and man's unfaithfulness. 1-2 Kings belongs to a larger group of books in the OT, Joshua through Kings (the Former Prophets). Together, they record the faithfulness of God to keep all his covenant promises with regard to establishing his people in the promised land. There are two important texts that summarize this:
  1. Josh 21:44-45: "The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as he had sworn to their ancestors. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord gave all their enemies into their hands. Not one of all the Lord's good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."
  2. 1 Ki 8:56: "Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses."
These two texts provide the two theological lenses through which we are invited to read Kings. The Lord was faithful to give his people rest and to keep all of his covenant promises. In contrast, the history of God's people was one of covenant breaking and ever increasing infidelity.

Monday, December 2, 2013

The Daniel Plan


Rick Warren's new book, The Daniel Plan, encourages healthy living based on the following essentials (Tim Challies' review.):
  1. Faith (Phil 4:13).
  2. Food (1 Cor 10:31).
  3. Fitness (1 Cor 6:19a, 20b).
  4. Focus (Rom 12:2).
  5. Friends (Eccl 4:9).
I. FAITH
  1. God Wants Us to Chew On His Word (Josh 1:8).
  2. For Good Health, Confess Your Sin (Ps 32:3-5).
  3. Eliminate Negative Self-Talk (Prov 4:23; Phil 4:8).
  4. Be Grateful, Not Regretful (Eccl 6:9b; 1 Cor 4:7-8).
  5. Your Life is Shaped by Your Thoughts (Rom 12:2).
  6. You Need God's Power to Change (Rom 7:24-25).
  7. You Need a Battle Buddy (Jas 5:16).
  8. Trusting God is Good For Your Health (Ps 116:7; cf. Prov 14:30).
  9. Stop Procrastinating (Phil 4:13; Prov 13:16; 27:1).

Faith (Deuteronomy 2 - 3)


The Theology of Remembrance. This may be a major theme of Deuteronomy: When the people of God remember the grace of God that redeemed them from slavery, they will want to obey him wholeheartedly. Ajith Fernando titles his sermons of Dueteronomy as "Loving Obedience to a Loving God." When we remember how much God loves us in saving us, we will thus want to lovingly (rather than grudgingly) obey him.

The theme of each chapter. Though there is much overlap and repetition throughout the book of Deuteronomy, the following may be identified as the single predominant theme of the initial chapters (in brackets):
  1. Sin (1)
  2. Faith (2-3)

Sunday, December 1, 2013

What Sin Does (Dt 1:19-46)


Few passages in Scripture provide a fully study of what sin does than Dt 1:19-46.
  1. Blinds: Sin blinds people to God's gracious providences. Moses highlights frequently the motif of "seeing" (Dt 1:19, 22-23, 25, 28, 30, 31, 33). But sin or "faithless eyes" are selective in what they allow to register in their hearts and minds. They only saw the obstacles and difficulties. Because they were blind to the greater One among them (1 Jn 4:4), they could not and would not see the prize (Dt 1:35-36). They had no "theology of remembrance." They could not remember God's many interventions on their behalf (Dt 6:20-25; 26:5-11).

Why Sin is Inexcusable (Dt 1:1-46)


Key Verses: Dt 1:8, 21, 30-31

"See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land..." "See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it..." "The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place."

Deuteronomy 1 begins with a tragic negative story of failure by the people of God who were miraculously redeemed from slavery in Egypt. The recent sequence of events is as follows (See also An Overview of the Pentateuch):

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Set Back by Sin for 38 Years (Dt 1:1-46)


Deuteronomy 1:1-46; Key Verses: Dt 1:21, 26 (Read Dt 1:26-43)

"See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it..." "But you were unwilling to go up; you rebelled against the command of the Lord your God."

Introduction: Deuteronomy consists of three speeches (sermons) Moses gave to his people before handing leadership to Joshua and before their entrance to the promised land. Key Verses may be:

Monday, November 25, 2013

Take this 22 Question Quiz on Deuteronomy 1-13


Deuteronomy Quiz on Chapter 1 - 13. On my first take, I had 15 correct and 7 incorrect in 6 min and received a score of 70% (without cheating by looking up the references).

Saturday, November 23, 2013

An Overview of the Pentateuch in Preparation for Studying Deuteronomy


Genesis, the first book of the Pentateuch, presents the stories of Creation (Gen 1:1-2:25), the Fall (Gen 3:1-24), and the beginning of God's plan of redemption through Abraham (Gen 12:1ff), his son Isaac (Gen 24:1ff), and Isaac's son Jacob (Gen 27:1ff), who is also called Israel. In the later chapters of Genesis, Jacob's son Joseph is taken down to Egypt (Gen 37:1ff), eventually to be followed by his brothers and father.

Exodus, which is next, records the greatest redemption event in the Bible prior to Christ's incarnation. The first chapter summarizes four hundred years in the life and slavery of the children of Israel in Egypt (Ex 1:1-22). The first eighty years of Moses' life follow in the second chapter (Ex 2:1-25). Then, the story line from Exodus 3 on through Leviticus and up to the middle of Numbers covers the span of only one year. It is a great year, for the Lord calls Moses as an eighty-year-old man to return to Egypt and lead the children of Israel out of slavery. Having redeemed his people, God guides them through the wilderness to Mount Sinai, where God gives the peo­ple his law (Ex 20:1-17), and instructs them in his ways, even though they sin repeatedly. This is always the order of the Bible: redemption first, then response; grace then law.

Deuteronomy: Outline/Overview


Analysis (Edward Woods, 2011):
  1. First Address of Moses: Retrospect - What God Has Done (1:1-4:43).
  2. Second Address of Moses: What God Commands for the Future (4:44-28:68).
  3. Third Address of Moses: Recapitulation of the Covenant Demand and the Call to Choose God and Obey (29:1-30:20).
  4. The Transition from Moses to Joshua (31:1-34:12).
The major sections (Christopher Wright, 1996; Edward Woods, 2011):

Friday, November 22, 2013

The Gospel in 1-2 Samuel


The message of 1-2 Samuel is NOT "be like David" and "don't be like Saul."

God is David's ultimate concern. 1-2 Samuel are about Israel's first kings, Saul and David. Ultimately, they look to the great King, God himself. These are gospel-filled stories, unflinchingly honest about sin and society, but saturated with hope of salvation. The two key characters (apart from Samuel) are both royal sinners. But Saul and David are as different from one another as darkness is from light. For Saul, God does not appear to be a major concern, perhaps not a reality at all. For David, God is his ultimate concern, the ultimate reality, and carries ultimate weight. This is what it means to "honor" God. Therefore, "those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam 2:30). Saul is destined to fall and David to rise.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

The Gospel in Ruth


God cares for his own with great loving kindness. Ruth is the story of a young Moabite widow who comes to know the covenant love the one true God and the joy of belonging to his people through her Jewish mother-in-law, Naomi. Through these two women God's sovereign hand is at work to redeem a people for himself. God, the hero of the story, is the faithful God who cares for his own and provides what they need with great loving kindness (hesed). Like Ruth, we too "were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world" (Eph 2:12). Like Ruth, we too need a Kinsman-Redeemer who will do all that is necessary to remedy our helpless condition.