Sabbath Rest in Jesus Part II

In Part 1 of this series, we asked the question: How do Christians, the new covenant people of God, obey the Sabbath command today? We answered that question by pointing to the glorious reality that Jesus fulfills the Sabbath. Indeed, the old covenant sign and command of the Sabbath actually pointed to Jesus and the greater rest he would offer all along. The old covenant Sabbath command was but a shadow, Jesus is the substance (Colossians 2:16–17). In short, Jesus is our Sabbath rest. Therefore, we fulfill the heart of the old covenant Sabbath command by entering into and embracing the salvation we have through him. Ultimately, belief in Christ and our union with Christ is what it looks like to enter into God’s rest exemplified in Gen 2:2–3. So if we ‘obey’ the Sabbath command by believing in Jesus, what then do we do with the Sabbath Day?

Two specific questions generally come up when we think about how Christians relate to the Sabbath Day: (1) Is Sunday the new Sabbath Day for Christians? and (2) How should Christians practice Sabbath wisdom today? In this article, I will address the first question. In a forthcoming article, we will look at how Christians should practice Sabbath wisdom today. But before seeking to answer either of these questions, I think it benefits us to refresh ourselves on how to approach matters of Christian conscience.

 

A Word Regarding Conscience

It is helpful to acknowledge at the outset that the Sabbath Day question can be a tricky and touchy one. Indeed, faithful Christians who joyfully walk hand-in-hand on a number of different theological points might find themselves staring at each other across the proverbial fence when it comes to the question of the Sabbath Day. But disagreement regarding what the Sabbath Day looks like for the Christian does not mean that happy unity need be torn asunder! Rather, Christians recognize that their common salvation hinges on Christ alone. This is what unifies them. Therefore, the guiding principle for Christians of different stripes on this matter is this: Seek to honor the Lord. Then, let that desire to honor the Lord inform conscience with regard to implementing Sabbath wisdom. And, finally, refrain from seeking to force others to adopt specific practices that might be against their conscience. Do this for the sake of Christian unity and Christian freedom. Paul addresses such issues of conscience in Romans.

Romans 14:5–6 — One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord.

Even given that new covenant believers perpetually abide in Sabbath rest in Christ, there emerges an apparent issue among the Roman Christians. In light of this new covenant reality, some Christians, still approach certain days with unique regard. This could very likely refer to Sabbath practices perhaps held by some Jewish Christians in the Roman church. Others, though, consider all of equal significance. Piper makes the important clarifying point here that this considering “all days alike” does not necessarily mean that they are all considered common. Rather, what is most likely meant, given the new age of Sabbath rest in Christ, is that all days are considered alike in that they are all holy. The new covenant age brings escalation. Every day is holy. So each side would recognize every day as holy, but they took different approaches as to how they regarded those holy days.

Interestingly, Paul does not take sides in the debate. Rather, Paul recognizes varying degrees of faith regarding less clearly defined issues (Romans 14:1). He then points out what is really at stake in such cases: the conscience of the believer and the Lord’s due honor. Paul says, “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind” (Romans 14:5). Resolved in conscience, one should then do what they do for the purpose of honoring the Lord (Romans 14:6). Indeed, seeking to honor the Lord should inform consciences on such matters like the Sabbath. For, according to Paul, Christians are ultimately all in the same boat. “For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God” (Romans 14:10). All will stand before the Lord to give account for their thoughts and actions. Therefore, Paul asks the piercing question, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother” (Romans 14:10). Even in light of this disagreement, Paul reminds his readers of their unity in Christ. They are brothers still. Their common foundation is the gospel of Jesus. Matters of conscience like this should not lead to disunity. Rather, we should each encourage one another to seek to honor God.

So, disagreements of conscience on non-foundational gospel issues do not need to lead to discord or the hurling of stones. This in mind, let us consider what the Sabbath Day looks like for Christians.

 

Is Sunday the New Sabbath Day for Christians?

Is the Sunday the Sabbath Day for Christians? Not necessarily. The Sabbath Day was the seventh day, Saturday, under the old covenant. And, there is no explicit command in the New Testament for Christians to keep the old covenant Sabbath Day or to consider Sunday the new Sabbath. I say not necessarily, though, because in another sense Sunday could be understood as the Sabbath in the same way that Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday could all be understood as the Sabbath. You see, for the Christian, every day is the Sabbath because we rest in Christ. Hubbard captures this idea well in his article on Desiring God, saying pithily, “Faith in Jesus Christ brings the rest of the seventh day into every day.”[1] So Sunday is not the Sabbath Day for Christians in the old covenant command sense. Scripture (and Church history) reveals that Sunday is something else.

The first day, Sunday, is the normative day for gathering of the local church for corporate worship. This pattern of gathering together for worship on the first day emerges in Scripture (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2). It’s commonly accepted that John identifies what the first Christians referred to this day as when he writes, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” (Revelation 1:10). Why did John refer to it as the Lord’s Day? Because Sunday was the day Christ rose from the tomb! (Luke 24:1). It is into this context of corporate worship on the Lord’s Day that the author of Hebrews issues this command: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some” (Hebrews 10:24–25). Thus, this passage shouldn’t be misconstrued as merely two Christians getting together for coffee. Rather, the established pattern of formal fellowship on the Lord’s Day in Scripture implies a normative practice. Christians should gather together for corporate worship, and, in normative circumstances, they do this on the Lord’s Day. Church history affirms this.

Bauckham observes, “we have seen reasons for holding that Sunday worship began at an early stage of Christian history and was from an early stage understood as commemorative of the Lord’s resurrection on the first day of the week.”[2] The Lord’s Day, then, is inherently different from the old covenant Sabbath command. Baukham goes on to observe, “for the earliest Christians it [the Lord’s Day] was not a substitute for the Sabbath nor a day of rest nor related in any way to the fourth commandment.”[3] In fact, for many early Christians, Sunday was a typical day of work. Therefore, they would worship early before going to work and then perhaps gather again in the evening after work. The Lord’s Day is a day of corporate worship rooted in the new covenant work of Jesus and the new age of salvation he secured by his resurrection.

So Scripture and history do not suggest that Christians must adopt an old covenant Sabbath approach to the Lord’s Day. Rather, Sunday, the Lord’s Day, is the normative corporate day of worship for Christians. And the Bible makes clear that Christians should not neglect gathering together in such corporate ways. And, as far as possible given varying contexts that Christians find themselves in, gathering on the Lord’s Day would follow the pattern of Scripture and Church History. In light of these things, consider this amazing reality. From the time of Christ’s resurrection and up through the centuries to today Christians throughout the world have gathered together and continue to gather together to open the Word, pray, herald the gospel, sing praises, break bread, pass the cup, and baptize new believers on the Lord’s Day, Sunday. In short, Christians gather together to worship the Triune God for the salvation, the new creation—the true Sabbath rest!—that he inaugurated and secured through the risen king, Jesus.[4] What a privilege it is to be a part of this great fellowship of the saints. And, what a privilege and joy it is to look forward to gathering with you, DGCC, on Sunday, the Lord’s Day.

In light of this, there still remains much wisdom to draw from the Sabbath pattern established by God at creation. In a forthcoming article, I will explore answers to our second question: How should Christians practice Sabbath wisdom today?

[1] Scott Hubbard, “Should Christians Keep the Sabbath?,” Desiring God, 20 April 2021, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/should-christians-keep-the-sabbath.

[2] R.J. Baukham, “The Lord’s Day,” in From Sabbath to Lord’s Day: A Biblical, Historical and Theological Investigation, ed. D. A. Carson (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1999), 240.

[3] Baukham, “The Lord’s Day,” 240.

[4] For a very helpful biblical, historical, and theological deep dive into the relationship of the Sabbath Day and the Lord’s Day, look to D.A. Carson’s From Sabbath to the Lord’s Day.

Life in God’s Family: The Basis and Nature of the Ten Commandments

How would you describe an ideal family?

Is it a family in which the children always obey every rule the parents make?

We know that is not the case. Indeed, outward obedience to parents can co-exist with deep anger and resentment, as displayed by the older son in Luke 15.

Instead, love and trust characterize the ideal family. There is obedience to parents, yes – but that obedience flows out of love, out of trust, out of a feeling of security and acceptance.

Just so in the family of God. God’s family members surely obey – but not with the outward, formal obedience of the Pharisees. Their obedience instead is joyful and willing, flowing from confidence in the loving character of God.

Consider the Ten Commandments in this regard. These commandments summarize God’s torah, His instructions to His people. Many misunderstand both the nature and implications of these commandments. So let’s examine, first of all, the basis and nature of the Ten Commandments. From these we’ll draw out four implications for all the Commandments. In future devotions we’ll consider the Commandments one by one.

The Basis of the Ten Commandments: Relationship with God

The people of Israel do not come into a relationship with God by obeying the Ten Commandments; they are already in a relationship with Him when He speaks the Commandments.

  • When Moses first approaches Pharaoh, God says, “Israel is my firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).
  • God told Moses at the burning bush that the people would worship Him at Sinai (Exodus 3:12).
  • God reiterates that plan multiple times in words spoken to Pharaoh (Exodus 4:23, 5:1, 5:3, 8:1, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, 10:3).
  • When they first arrive at Sinai, God says, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exodus 19:4, emphasis added).
  • Immediately prior to speaking the Commandments, God says, “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2, emphasis added).

So the Israelites’ relationship with God precedes the giving of the Law. They enter into a relationship with God through His love, by His grace (Deuteronomy 7:6-8).

Furthermore, they do not remain in relationship with God through keeping the Law. In Exodus 32, they explicitly break the Commandments. God’s judgment falls on a small percentage, but He reveals Himself as “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin” (Exodus 34:6-7).

Now, He goes on to say He “will by no means leave the guilty unpunished” (Exodus 34:7 NIV) – He is the God of both grace and justice. We only understand fully how God’s grace and justice both hold when we see Jesus’ death on the cross.

But our point for today is this: Neither the Israelites nor we today enter into a relationship with God through obedience to the Law. Neither the Israelites nor we today remain in a relationship with God through obedience to the Law. We enter into a relationship with Him by grace through faith. We remain in that relationship by grace through faith.

 

The Nature of the Ten Commandments: Life in God’s Family

When we hear the word “law,” we normally think of some set of restrictions on our behavior. A sign on I-485 says that there is a law prohibiting you from driving faster than 70mph. If you see a police car in your rearview mirror, you will restrict your driving speed. You will not drive 80mph.

But God’s Law is not fundamentally a set of restrictions on our behavior. Instead, God’s Law fundamentally is a revelation of His character. Through the Law, He tells us what He loves and what He hates: “I the LORD love justice; I hate robbery and wrong” (Isaiah 61:8). God in His holy essence hates and despises sin, He despises evil; in His essence, he loves righteousness and justice.

 

Now, connect this with the idea of God’s people being His family. When we had six little children running around the house needing correction, we would sometimes say, “We’re Pinckneys – we don’t act that way.” We then explained how we behave.

That’s similar to what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Thus, when God tells us to obey His Law, He is saying, “Become like Me! I have brought you to Myself! You are part of my intimate family! This is your identity; this is who you are. So act like it’s true! Act like Me!”

So God does not give us the Ten Commandments, saying, “Obey these and you will be in My family.” Nor does He say, “Obey these in order to remain in My family.” Instead, He says to the Israelites – and to us! – “You are in the family. And this is how those in my family live. This is how they reflect my character.”

 

Four Implications for Understanding the Ten Commandments

a) The Ten Commandments are positive, not only negative

We don’t become like God simply by avoiding certain actions – we must change positively!

For example, consider the seventh commandment: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Many never commit the physical act of adultery, but lust after others. Jesus tells us these too break the commandment (Matthew 5:28). But we can’t just modify the commandment to include a prohibition of lust! Rather, the Commandment exhorts us to take on the character of God. We positively are to honor marriage, to build up own, to assist others to strengthen their marriages, all to the glory of God.

So, in general, each commandment forbids some attitudes and behaviors while commending others.

b) No one will succeed in fully taking on the character of God

Those at the moment outside God’s family are “dead in trespasses and sin” (Ephesians 2:1). God graciously brings the redeemed into His family, making us “alive together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:5). He grants us His Spirit, enabling us to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13), providing a way of escape from temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13) and producing in us Christlike character (Galatians 5:22-23). Yet we all fail; “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8).

The Day is coming after Jesus returns when He does away with sin forever. We will be like Him, seeing Him as He is (1 John 3:2). But until that Day, we will stumble and fall. However much we grow – and we should grow! – we will never be perfect as our heavenly Father.

c) Jesus fully displayed the character of God

Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law (Matthew 5:17) – and He did. He showed us what God is like: “Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). He loved God with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength every minute of every day. He loved every person He encountered as He loved Himself.

d) How then can we be like God? Though union with Jesus!

When we come to God by grace through faith in Jesus, God not only saves us from our sins, wiping out the negatives from our accounts; He also credits us with the righteousness of Jesus – in Him we become “the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). His active obedience to the entirety of the Law is credited to us.

 

Thus, the Ten Commandments do not constitute a law code for ancient Israel (in our contemporary sense of law code). Rather they are a revelation of the character of God, so that those in His family might know Him better and become like Him by His grace. And that happens only via Jesus.

So salvation is not primarily about saving us from hell – it is that, but also much more. Salvation is primarily about being in God’s family, credited with Jesus’ righteousness, transformed to become like Him – partially in this life, completely in the next.

(This devotion is based on the first half of a sermon on Exodus 20:1-3 preached May 9, 2010, “Having Been Saved By Grace, Do You Put God First?” The audio is available here. An earlier blog post covering some of the same material is here.)

Sabbath Rest in Jesus Part I

How do we as the new covenant people of God, obey the Sabbath command today? Well, before we can even begin to answer this, we must first recognize the one who has already fulfilled it. In my sermon on Mark 2:23–28, I observed that Jesus fulfills the old covenant Sabbath command. Paul describes sabbaths, along with other ritual observances, as “a shadow of the things to come” but, Paul continues, “the substance belongs to Christ” (Col 2:16–17). The Sabbath command was the shadow. The person of Jesus makes up the substance of Sabbath rest. Jesus heralds this reality when he issues a clarion call in Matthew 12:28 to come to him for rest.

Matthew 11:28 — Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

The old covenant Sabbath command in its redemptive historical context points to Jesus, who fulfills the Sabbath through the “greater salvation rest”[1] he offers. Let’s briefly trace this remarkable reality in Scripture.

 

Jesus Fulfills the Sabbath

Jesus’ fulfillment of the Sabbath fits naturally with the reasons for the Sabbath command in the Law. Exodus 20:8–11 roots the Sabbath command in God’s example of resting and enjoying his very good creation work in Genesis 2:1–3.

Exodus 20:8, 11 — “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy…For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

God rests after all his creation work is done, the culmination of which was man. Therefore, God’s rest nestles neatly into the context of covenant relationship. But man broke his joyful, covenant communion with God, and forfeited his right to join God in his rest. Therefore, God moves to rescue and restore man back into covenant relationship with him. For this reason, we also see God’s redemption of Israel out of Egyptian slavery as the reason for the Sabbath command in Deuteronomy.

Deuteronomy 5:15 — You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore the Lord your God commanded you to keep the Sabbath day.

The common denominator in both of these variations of the same command (Exodus 20:8–11 and Deuteronomy 5:15) is this — God’s people will have rest because God brought them into covenant relationship with him. We experience this covenant rest by God’s grace and mercy, not because we have somehow worked hard enough to earn it. And, what the old covenant Sabbath command prefigured, Christ fulfills.

Jesus, declares that he alone provides rest (Matthew 11:28), for he is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28; Matthew 12:8). In and through Jesus, God redeems us to bring us into his rest that he modeled and intended for us at creation. Therefore, we are to eagerly desire and embrace the rest that God has graciously given. This is the point of Hebrews 4:9–11.

Hebrews 4:9–11 — So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

In its larger context in Hebrews, this passage recalls Psalm 95, which points back to the rebellion and “disobedience” of the Israelites on multiple occasions. However, the most striking act of rebellion and the reason they are cursed to wander the wilderness for forty years is their refusal to enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14). The freshly redeemed Israelites stand on the doorstep of the Promised Land. Yet, rather than believe that God will deliver them from their enemies and give them the land, they give in to unbelief. Moreover, they desire to return to Egypt — to slave labor. The call of Hebrews 4:9–11, then, is to not be like that generation. We must believe in God’s salvation through Jesus, and enter into the salvation rest he offers.

So back to our original question. How do Christians obey the Sabbath command? Well, Jesus fulfills the Sabbath. Therefore, we rightly fulfill the Sabbath command by virtue of our union with Jesus. Stephen Wellum very helpfully works through Scripture to fit the Sabbath command in its biblical theological context. After doing so, he offers this: “Christians ‘obey’ the Sabbath by entering into the rest it typified and predicted—salvation rest in Christ.”[2] In Christ, we experience Sabbath rest continually. What does this look like?

 

What Does it Look Like to Rest in Jesus?

What does resting in Jesus look like? Well, taking our cues from Matthew 11:28 and Hebrews 4:9–11, we are to come to Jesus, and we are to strive to enter the rest and salvation offered by Jesus. It is often easier for us to conceptualize tangible, physical ideas of rest rather than these rich spiritual realities of redemptive rest no matter how wonderful they may be. But here I offer three ways to rest in the salvation we have through Jesus.

 

Cease Toiling!

Resting in Jesus means we stop toiling to earn our salvation. First, Matthew 11:28 commands those who labor to come to Jesus for rest. This word, labor, pops up throughout Scripture. Often, it occurs in the context of wearisome toil. Here in our passage, it communicates the idea of wearily toiling to earn right relationship with God. But we do not earn the affections of God, rather the knowledge of God and our relationship with him are granted to us by grace through Jesus. Jesus says, “no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). This immediately precedes Jesus’ open invitation to come unto him and receive salvation rest. Taken together, this means cease your toilsome working to earn your way to God, and come to Jesus who graciously reveals him to you!

The Pharisees personify this toilsome, futile, self-righteous labor. Immediately following Jesus’ call to rest in him, we see the Pharisees attempting to heap the toilsome burdens of legalism upon the disciples with regard to Sabbath keeping (Matthew 12:1–8). Jesus responds by making clear that true Sabbath rest comes through him and the mercy he offers as Lord of the Sabbath (Matthew 12:7–8). Therefore, do not toil for salvation. Just receive it through Jesus.

 

Don’t Fear! Believe!

Resting in Jesus means we do not fear, but trust God to keep us secure. Similarly to Matthew 11:28, Hebrews 4:9–11 exhorts: “strive to enter that rest” which Jesus offers. Yet there is an added dimension. Recall, this passage points us back to the Psalm 95 and the rebellion of the Israelites in Numbers 14. The Israelites feared the Canaanites who occupied the promised land. They did not trust God to deliver them from their enemies. Therefore, the Israelites desired to return to Egypt. They thought it offered greater security, even if it meant slavery. If they would have returned, they would certainly have died in bondage. Furthermore, they would have missed out on all the riches and life God had promised them. Psalm 95 contrasts this fearful disobedience due to unbelief with the dual reality that God “is the rock of our salvation!” and “we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand” (Ps 95:1, 7). Translation: God will deliver us from our enemies and provide for our every need as a shepherd. David heralds this glorious reality in Psalm 27:1.

Psalm 27:1 — “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

This is Hebrews 4:9–11’s exhortation to us: Don’t fear for your eternal security! Don’t return to the slavery of seeking to secure your own rest. It may provide a sense of security but it is a false security. Your attempts to preserve your own life will lead to death! Rather, believe in God who delivers you from all your enemies. Enter into the rest that he freely gives through Jesus. Trust that God will provide for your ever need. He will keep you secure. He will give you life!

 

Sing!

Finally, resting in Jesus means rejoicing in God. Psalm 95 contrasts the disobedient refusal of the Israelites to enter God’s rest with joyful worship of God.

Psalm 95:1–2: “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!”

Did you know you can rest in the salvation of Jesus by singing praises to God? In fact this is the perfect response! God saves you and gives you rest in Jesus; therefore, sing praise to God. It will be rest and refreshment for your soul.

 

Christ’s Fulfillment Means Our Rest

So with our new covenant reading glasses on, we joyfully gaze into Old Testament with the old covenant command of Sabbath. And, as we trace the biblical theological contours of Scripture, we see the beauty of the person and work of Jesus — to whom the Sabbath along with all the Law and the Prophets point (Luke 24:27). Now, in the spirit of Matthew 11:28 and Hebrews 4:11, let us come to Jesus. Let us strive to enter the rest he offers. Let us cease from toil, let us not fear, and let us sing. And let us keep our eyes peeled to that eastern sky, because we still await the new city where we will rest with God in eternity. For we have no lasting city here (Hebrews 4:11; 13:14).[3] Come, Lord Jesus!

 

Coming Soon, Part II and Part III

Even as we embrace the wonderful rest we have in Christ spiritually, we might still wonder how we practically implement the wisdom of Sabbath Day rest in our weekly rhythms of life. Two specific questions generally come up when think about how Christians relate to the Sabbath Day: (1) Is Sunday the new Sabbath Day for Christians? and (2) How should Christians practice Sabbath wisdom today? In Part II of this three-part series, we will address if Christians should consider Sunday the new Sabbath Day. Then, in Part III I hope to explore some of the ways we can practically implement the wonderful wisdom of Sabbath rest exemplified in creation and throughout Scripture in light of our true rest in Jesus now.

 

[1] Stephen Wellum, “3 Reasons Sunday Is Not the Christian Sabbath” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sunday-not-christian-sabbath/ . See also Thomas R. Schreiner, “Question 37: Is the Sabbath Still Required for Christians?,” in 40 Questions about Christians and Biblical Law (Kregel Publications, 2010).

[2] Stephen Wellum, “3 Reasons Sunday Is Not the Christian Sabbath” https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/sunday-not-christian-sabbath/

[3] Stephen Wellum, “3 Reasons Sunday Is Not the Christian Sabbath.”

Gospel Resolutions for the New Year

The year 2022 will soon exit stage right, and the year 2023 will make its grand entrance and take center stage. Time indeed marches on. And with this inevitable transition also comes the equally inevitable, and infamous, “New Year’s resolution.” Undoubtedly, we will soon be inundated with a deluge of suggested New Year’s resolutions whether we like it or not. In fact, just a quick Google search has already revealed the likes of “40+ New Year’s resolution ideas to help you achieve…”; “23 New Year’s Resolutions for 2023”; “55 Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas for 2023”; “50 Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas to Start 2023 off Right”; “27 New Year’s Resolutions…”; “72 Ultimate Best List…” — the lists go on and on. And apparently there is no consensus as to how many “resolutions” should be suggested. With all the noise, we as Christians might wonder what we should think about making resolutions.

In one of his “Look at the Book” passage studies at DesiringGod.org, John Piper digs into 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 to ask this question, “Should Christians make resolutions?” I’ll sum up his study here. But first, the passage reads:

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 — 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Based on 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, Piper answers the question of whether or not we as Christians should make resolutions with a resounding “YES!” And, Piper unpacks this passage in order to show how Christians should go about making those resolutions. First, when we make (what I will call) gospel resolutions to do good, we do so from a posture of faith. We recognize, as Piper points out, that we are fully and prayerfully dependent on God to fulfill our gospel resolves by turning them into works of faith. This is what Paul prays here. Paul prays that God would “make” the Thessalonians “worthy” of God’s calling. Piper equates “make worthy” to “walk(ing) in a manner worthy of the calling” in Ephesians 4:1. Piper helps us avoid a legalistic landmine here by observing that “worth,” is not a testament to our worthiness based on performance. Rather, it is a testament to the worth of the calling. In Piper’s words, “To be worthy of a high calling is to walk in a way that calls attention to the worth of the calling.”[1] So, when God ultimately does fulfill our gospel resolve for good and produces a work of faith, Christ is glorified in us, and we are glorified in him (v. 12). In short, Piper distills the how of making gospel resolutions in this way:

When we make resolutions, we make them (1) “by God’s grace”; (2) “through faith in God’s power”; and (3) “for God’s glory”.[2]

Amen! Now, I would like to dig a little deeper. As Piper points out, at the bottom of all of our gospel resolve for good is the grace of God. And this grace is yours because of God’s resolve. That is, ultimately, our gospel resolves to do good and our works of faith can be traced back to God. All of our gospel resolves to do good and all of our good works do not originate with us. Rather, they were first forged in furnace of God’s gracious resolve to do good to us. But don’t take my word for it.

One of richest passages of Scripture regarding our salvation is Ephesians 1:3–14. Here, Paul sweeps the reader up into his worship of God by heralding the glories of God’s sovereign plan of salvation. The passage is dense. Indeed, in the original Greek, it’s actually one long sentence. Paul waxes eloquent the glories of God and riches of salvation in Christ. There’s certainly much to tease out. But, if you were to put your finger on the pulse of Paul’s praise, it would likely beat to the rhythm of this declaration:

“4…In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us…” (Ephesians 1:4–5, 7–8).

Notice, I left out a portion of v. 5. What does that bit read? Do you recall? Verse 5 in full states, “5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will”. Consider the word “purpose”. This is the same word that Paul uses in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 that we translate “resolve”. It’s the Greek noun εὐδοκία (eudokia). It conveys the idea of good will, good pleasure, desire, and/or satisfaction. That is, it was God’s good pleasure, his desire, to do good to you by making you his son or daughter through Jesus Christ. Or, to say it another way — taking our cue from 2 Thessalonians 1:11 —, it was God’s resolve to save you. And what did God save you for? Well according to Scripture, he saved you in part for good works.

Paul declares in Ephesians 2:10,

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

Gospel salvation translates into gospel works. And just like our salvation, God has prepared — before the foundations of the world —good works for each of us to walk in. Remember Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12. His prayer was that God would make the Thessalonians worthy of their calling. That is, Paul prayed that Christians would walk in a manner worthy of the gospel (Ephesians 4:1). God does this by fulfilling our every resolve for good by turning them into good works of faith that he prepared beforehand. Christians make gospel resolutions to do works of faith because this is what God predestined us to do. To not resolve to do good is to go against our very nature. God resolved to save us for good works; therefore, we in faith resolve to do those good works with full confidence that he will bring those good works to fruition.

So, 2023 approaches steadily and somewhat rapidly, whether we are ready for it or not. New Year’s resolutions abound, and as Christians, yes, we can and should make resolutions as well — and not just in honor of the new year. We should always be making resolutions. But let us make gospel resolutions. So, as we step into this new year, let us resolve to do good works of faith. And rest assured, Christian, that God already has good works for you to do. Thus, through your faith in Christ, God will birth gospel resolves in your heart this year. And, God will fulfill those gospel resolutions, by turning them into those works of faith he has prepared in advance. So enter 2023 full of confidence not in your ability to do good works, but in his power to fulfill your every resolve. Resolve to do good works because he first resolved to save you for good works.

[1] John Piper, “New Year’s Resolutions: 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12,” Look at the Book, https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/new-years-resolutions.

[2] John Piper, “New Year’s Resolutions.”

Christmas in Cameroon, 2001

[The Pinckney family spent the 2001/2002 academic year in Ndu, Cameroon at the Cameroon Baptist Theological Seminary. Though near the equator, Ndu is at 6600′ of elevation, so is temperate and, at this season, quite dry. This is a lightly edited version of the letter we sent to our supporters on Christmas Eve, 2001. Near the close of the letter, I wrote: “We don’t know where we might be next Christmas.” By God’s providence, we ended up here – though on Christmas Day 2002 DGCC did not yet have a name – Coty]

Dear Friends and supporters:

Merry Christmas from Ndu! Though we know you won’t receive this until after Christmas, we want to share with you some new Christmas lyrics, along with some events from yesterday.

First of all, you must understand that for the last few weeks, when the power has been on we’ve heard Christmas songs blaring from some of the shops in town, including ones that seem singularly inappropriate to Cameroon, such as “Jingle Bells” and “Silver Bells.” To the tune of the latter, Beth, Erin, and Jonathan have written lyrics that fit our situation perfectly (note that we have had no measurable rainfall for 47 days; also note that any of the eight of us can be referred to as “white man”):

Dusty footpaths, busy market, full of holiday cheer,
In the air there’s a big cloud of red dust,
People shouting to the white man, “Come and greet me, my friend!”
And on every street corner you see:
Clouds of Dust, clouds of dust,
It’s Christmastime in Ndu!
Cough and sneeze in the breeze,
Soon it will be Christmas Day.

Sunday, December 23, 2001, 5:30 AM. The alarm goes off. I pry open my eyes, to little effect, having been awake for much of the time between 3:00 and 4:30, trying to get comfortable on our old foam mattress. The air feels chilly. “Maybe I can pray in bed instead,” I think, and begin to ask God to open my mouth later in the morning at Mbipgo, a church about 5 miles away. I pray through the Scripture passages that will be used, and the sermon outline . . . Beep-beep-beep-beep! The 5:45 alarm goes off, waking me again. “Up this time; no more lounging in bed,” I tell myself. I need a shower, but we have had no running water since Saturday afternoon; apparently there is an electrical problem with the school’s water pump. So, using water our younger boys carried up from the spring yesterday evening, I fill two tea kettles and put them on the stove. While they heat up, I return to my neglected prayers.

By 7:15, after washing my hair in the sink and grabbing a bite to eat, I’m ready to go, along with Beth and the three youngest boys. Victor Ndusho, the student who invited us to this, his home church, arrives, so I walk down the hill to get [fellow missionary] Gary Stephens’ car. Victor and I had planned to walk to Mbipgo, but given that the younger boys wanted to accompany us, and given the knee pain I’ve had the last few days, driving seemed a better option. But Gary’s 12-year-old Pajero has acted up some of late, and it chooses this morning to act up again. At first, turning the key has no impact on the electrical system. I open the hood, jiggle the battery wires, and try again – the starter turns, but then the car dies. No problem, it always acts this way when cold. But 15 minutes later, the engine has never turned over, and the battery is now dead. Furthermore, the car is pointing downhill, up against a fence. To push start it, we’ll have to push it uphill quite a ways.

I return home and declare that Victor and I will have to walk; the boys will have to remain at CBTS. Seven-year-old Joel cries, he is so looking forward to going. Victor also really wants to take the vehicle, so that his wife and 2-week-old baby – who has not yet been to his grandparents’ – can accompany him. Victor asks, “Can we try pushing it?” I answer, rather gruffly, “It will take at least 5 men to push it up the hill.” Victor gathers 7 within 5 minutes – most of whom have walked that way to get water. On our second try, the car starts and we are off.

The road is rough but passable, and we arrive at the church in about 25 minutes. Upon pulling up, I have a sense of déjà vu; but how could I have been here before? Then Beth realizes that this church is in a video we saw in the US, filmed on a short term trip last year; the many steps and strong stone structure make it easily identifiable. I recall that in that video, the missionary states the service lasted 3 hours . . .

I am able to spend some time in prayer before the service, asking God to center my thoughts on Him, and to put the drive and the stresses of the morning behind me. Sitting in front, looking out at the congregation of only 50 as the service opens (it will swell to over 300 an hour later), I begin to prepare to preach using John Piper’s acronym APTAT: Acknowledge my inability to have any impact on these people apart from the work of the Holy Spirit; Pray that God would enable me to fulfill His commands, such as those in 1 Timothy 4:13-15; Trust God to fulfill His promises, particularly this morning the promise found in 1 Timothy 4:16; then Act. Afterwards, I will Thank God for answering my prayers. I feel ready to preach.

The service moves right along for a while, but the third choir number ends up being a youth drama. This lasts almost 25 minutes . . . and, while the heavy pidgin is hard to understand, as far as I can tell the drama is completely moralistic, without spiritual content. “Lord, prepare the hearts of your people despite this drama; do not let me be discouraged or disheartened.”

Finally it’s time to preach, more than 2 hours after the service began. Some are getting sleepy. Victor is not experienced at translating, and it takes a while for us to hit a rhythm. I wonder if illustrations are understood. But by the end, as we realize that the baby in the manger is also the final judge, as the contrast is drawn between those who hope in God and those who, through unbelief, are cast into the lake of fire, there is rapt attention – even from many who had been sleepy-eyed earlier. I finish with prayer, sit, and complete APTAT.

After the service, we are fed a meal and make our way down to Victor’s parents’ compound. Walking through the coffee and bananas, I almost feel like it’s ten years earlier, and I’m on the southern slopes of Kilimanjaro: red coffee berries shining in the light that makes its way through the upper canopy; coffee drying on mats around the houses; fruit – particularly oranges and lemons – in abundance. It’s amazing what a difference of 1500’ in elevation makes! Victor’s parents’ are delighted to see us, and Joel in particular loves this compound, asking “Can we come back and stay a long time?” For me, this compound is moving also, as it’s so much closer than Ndu to what comes to my mind when I think “Africa”.

We drive home, laden with oranges, lemons, sugarcane, and tree tomatoes generously given to us. I barely have time to wash up – with water from the barrel; the pump still is not operating – and finish up a couple of emails just before the 4PM radio time slot. On the way back, a knowledgeable friend says the electricians have looked at the water pump, and the prospects are not hopeful; there is almost no chance of water before the 26th, and we may have to haul it from the spring for weeks. I wonder how long the boys will be able to keep up their enthusiasm for this task . . .

About 6:30, as I try to complete the daily reading from the Greek New Testament necessary to meet my year-end goal, the power goes off. Sigh. No water and no electricity. We light candles, then Beth calls out, “Joel’s bath water is warm – could you please wash him?” “Nine more verses, and I’ll do it!” “Can you do it now? I’m trying to get supper ready.” “Nine more verses, and I’ll do it!” Happily, these last few verses are easy: with “Ἡ χάρις τοῦ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος ὑμῶν” (Philemon 1:25), I’m done. As I’m about to get up from the desk, the computer beeps at me – the power is back on!

Joel is standing naked in the tub, a bucket of warm water next to him. He asks, “Can we set a speed record for washing my hair?” We come close to a record, he looks as clean as he ever gets around here (meaning, not particularly so), and we two finish in time for Joel to get his hands dirty again before dinner.

Beth sends him back to the bathroom to wash his hands; Joel without thinking turns on the faucet. Seeing him do this, Beth begins, “There’s no running water, Joel; you’ll have to get it from the bucket.” But water is coming out of the tap! The pump must be fixed!

We sit down to a dinner of rice and potato curry with renewed thankfulness not only for the food, but also for running water, for electricity, for Mbipgo, indeed, for this whole year in Cameroon which God has worked out so marvelously for us. Afterwards, as we prepare to read a Christmas story and drink hot chocolate, Beth says, “Let’s go caroling!” So for the next hour we make the rounds of faculty houses and the women’s dormitory, introducing many of our Cameroonian friends to this wonderful tradition. All eight of us participate wholeheartedly; one neighbor says, “When I heard you singing, I thought it was a whole choir!” Our friends are greatly blessed, and so are we.

As we’re walking back, preparatory to finally drinking that hot chocolate, Jonathan quotes one of our favorite Christmas stories, “A Full House,” by Madeline L’Engle: “Just a typical Christmas Eve at the Austins’.” So it has been: a “typical” December 23rd with the Pinckneys. Last year at this time we had not even an inkling that we would be here this Christmas; now, we don’t know where we might be next Christmas. But we know that we are and will be in God’s hands, that wherever we are, we will be praising Him in song once again.

Come, Desire of nations come,
Fix in us Thy humble home;
Rise, the Woman’s conquering Seed,
Bruise in us the Serpent’s head.
Adam’s likeness now efface:
Stamp Thine image in its place;
Second Adam, from above,
Reinstate us in thy love.
”Hark!” the herald angels sing,
”Glory to the Newborn King!”

Once again, our love goes out to each one of you. May you continue to rejoice in the God of all comfort this season, and may the New Year bring you deeper and deeper into His love.

Coty

Merry Christmas from Psalm 16:11

Our Mission Statement and Psalm 16:11

This advent season, we as a church have sought to actively remember and anticipate Jesus. That is, we have been remembering Jesus’ first advent, the incarnation, when Jesus inaugurated God’s kingdom here on earth through his life, death, and resurrection. And, we have been anticipating his second advent, his bodily return. At that time, Jesus will bring the fullness of God’s kingdom in the new heavens and new earth, and God will dwell with his people forever. Such remembering and anticipating actually go hand-in-hand with our professed mission as a local church. Our mission statement here at Desiring God Community Church reads:

We exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

I want to highlight one particular phrase: for the joy. The pursuit of joy is at the heart of the Christian life. Why? Because as Christians we desire God. And, as our mission statement makes clear, our supreme God is the source of joy. Psalm 16:11 affirms this:

Psalm 16:11 — You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Now, our mission statement implies that we already have a passion for God’s supremacy, since we hope and seek to spread it. Therefore, we already experience this joy that we want others to know. So how did we get to this place of divine joy ourselves? And what does any of this have to do with Christmas? Well, it all comes down to how we “exist” to go about our mission of spreading this passion for God’s supremacy. That is, to understand what our mission statement and Psalm 16:11 have to do with Christmas, we must first answer the following question:

“How did we gain access to the divine joy of Psalm 16:11, the very divine joy we believe comes gift wrapped with a passion for God’s supremacy?”

According to the Apostle Peter, the answer has everything to do with Christmas.

Peter’s Sermon at Pentecost

In his sermon at Pentecost, Acts 2:14–41, Peter quotes Psalm 16:8–11 and applies it to Jesus. There he proclaims:

Acts 2:25–28—25 For David says concerning him (Jesus), “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

Peter then unpacks what he means in Acts 2:29–32. There, Peter doubles down on his assertion that David penned Psalm 16:8–11 about Jesus, not himself. Indeed, it is impossible for it to be about David because, as Peter notes, David is dead and this Psalm speaks of resurrection. Peter first points out the obvious, “I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (Acts 2:29). In light of this, Peter notes that David, being a prophet (Acts 2:30), actually prophesied about Jesus’ future resurrection — “he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption” (Acts 2:31).

What inspired David to prophesy so boldly? We only need to look at Acts 2:30–31 — “knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ,” (Acts 2:30–31). David prophesied by the power of the Holy Spirit because God had promised that one of David’s son’s would sit on his throne. What does this sitting on the throne have to do with the resurrection? Well, the original context of this oath to David (2 Sam 7:12–16; 1 Chr 17:11–14) arrays the promise with eternal implications and divine glory.

Jesus Fulfills God’s Promise to David

2 Samuel 7:12–13—12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

1 Chronicles 17:11–12—11 When your days are fulfilled to walk with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever.

In his covenant to David, God assured David that he (God) would establish the throne and kingdom of one of his sons forever (2 Sam 7:13; 1 Chr 17:12). Moreover, his son’s kingdom will be God’s kingdom. God said to David, “but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom forever and his throne shall be established forever” (1 Chr 17:14). Sure of this promise of an eternal eternal king on an eternal throne, David, under inspiration of Holy Spirit, prophetically penned Psalm 16 about the resurrection of one of his future sons, the promised eternal king. And Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, unveils the mystery by proclaiming that Jesus’ resurrection and ascension to the eternal throne at God’s right hand, fulfilled David’s prophecy.

Acts 2:32–36 — 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Psalm 16:11 in Light of Acts 2:14–41

In light of Peter’s sermon at Pentecost, when we read Psalm 16:11“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” we are reading the prophesied words of Christ, the Son of God, who is risen and reigns on high, joyfully basking in the Father’s glorious presence. And Peter concludes with the promise that those who are united to Jesus Christ by faith “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” as ones “the Lord our God calls to himself.” When we are united to Christ by faith, we receive the Holy Spirit, which means that God has called us to himself. By virtue of our union with Christ, we experience now through the Holy Spirit, and will experience in full at Christ’s return, the same fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore that Jesus experiences now in God’s presence.

DGCC’s Mission Statement, Psalm 16:11, and Christmas

So — to recall our first question — “How did we gain access to the divine joy of Psalm 16:11, the very divine joy we believe comes gift wrapped with a passion for God’s supremacy?” We have access to the divine joy of Psalm 16:11 through Jesus. And, we “exist to spread a passion for God’s supremacy for the joy of all peoples” through Jesus. And — to recall our second question — “What does Psalm 16:11 have to do with Christmas, specifically Jesus’ first and second advent?” Well, consider some New Testament passages.

Matt 1:1 — 1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Luke 2:10–11 — 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Rev 22:16, 20 — 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star”…20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.”

Jesus is the promised son of David (Matt 1:1; Luke 2:11) who is risen and who reigns on God’s throne forever (2 Sam 7:13; 1 Chr 17:12; Acts 2:25–36). His first coming meant “great joy” for God’s people, because he is the “Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10–11). And, those united to him by faith receive forgiveness and the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). As a result, they — “everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (Acts 2:39) — are reconciled to and commune with God. Thus, because of Jesus’ first advent those united to Christ spiritually enter into the joy of God described in Psalm 16:11. And by Jesus’ own testimony, he, “the descendant of David” is “coming soon” to bring us fully into God’s presence (Rev 22:16, 20). So through Jesus’ second advent, we will enter fully into the joy of Psalm 16:11. Therefore, Psalm 16:11 ties directly to Christmas, because through the advents of Jesus God grants us access into his glorious presence where there is “fullness of joy” and “pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). So in light of the reality that Jesus is coming soon, we echo Rev 22:20, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” And until that day, we exist to spread a passion for the supremacy of God for the joy of all peoples through Jesus.

Merry Christmas from Psalm 16:11.

A Time for Peace and Restoration

 

What do Christmas and the book of Judges have in common? At first glance you may not see very much. In the book of Judges we see a people who are now in the land God promised their forefathers, but they are surrounded by their enemies and are worshipping other gods. The people of Israel begin to disobey God by making covenants with their enemies, enslaving the inhabitants, and worshipping false idols (Judges 1:27-2:11). God had commanded them to fully possess the land so they could worship him free from fear or compromise. But, because they do not trust God’s strength, they fall into a cycle of idolatry that frankly makes the book of Judges exhausting to read. The people cycle through disobedience, disapproval, and distress over and over. They disobey; God disapproves; He then shows that disapproval by causing them distress.

On the other hand, Christmas is known for the joy and hope it brings. We sing songs, drink our favorite warm seasonal drink (hot chocolate with marshmallows are our families’ personal favorite). It’s also a time where we spend time with friends and family and exchange gifts to show our love for one another. The season feels so distant from what we read in the book of Judges.

However, the biblical narrative of Christmas has a very important similarity to the book of Judges — God comes to bring peace and restoration to His people. The story of Christmas is of a long awaited Savior coming to save his people in an unexpected way. The child of prophecy is born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14) and is not only the very son of God but the hope for all humanity to be freed from their sin (Isaiah 11:10; 42:1-4). That’s the same pattern we see happen over and over again in the book of Judges. After the people’s disobedience, God’s disapproval brings distress, but He is always faithful to send a savior to restore and bring peace to his people. God transforms their cycle of idolatry into one of peace and restoration. In fact, God gives this peace and restoration to everyone who puts their trust in Jesus Christ.

This is the common thread between a book that can be discouraging and a time of year that feels so joyous and hopeful. We should rejoice with the Psalmist who proclaims God’s great work in Christ in Psalm 85:1-4 and 8:

Lord, you were favorable to your land;
you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

You forgave the iniquity of your people;
you covered all their sin. Selah

You withdrew all your wrath;
you turned from your hot anger.

Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
and put away your indignation toward us!…

Let me hear what God the Lord will speak,
for he will speak peace to his people

Through Christ our sins are forgiven, God’s wrath and hot anger are removed, and He restores us to Himself. This is the reason for the joy we should have in this and every season. Despite our sins and constant disobedience, our God has spoken peace to His people! Let this testimony be in our hearts while we sing, drink, and gather with friends and family. We serve a great and loving God who has sent His Son into the world for peace and restoration.

[This devotion elaborates on points made in the November 6 sermon. The audio of that sermon is available at this link.]

Why We Have Tongues: Carols Across the Centuries

Christmas carols! We hear the tunes and our minds conjure up visions of decorated trees, family gatherings, piles of presents. We recall the eager anticipation of Christmas Day we experienced as children, and try to help the children around us to feel the same.

So carols serve to tie generations together. Many of the songs we’ll sing on Sundays this month were sung in my childhood church fifty years ago; were sung in my mother’s childhood church eighty years ago; were sung in her mother’s church 120 years ago; and on back through the decades and centuries. Music and lyrics bind Christians together across time.

Scripture tells us Christians of every time, from every place, of every culture form one Body – we are members one of another. Music reminds us of that truth.

Thus, we aim at DGCC to include music and lyrics both old and new – and we include the year the lyrics were written in the bulletin. These dates remind us: we are part of that One Church that the Spirit is building and perfecting, from every tribe and tongue and nation, from every decade and century and millennium.

So praise God for familiar carols that have been sung regularly for centuries!

But our unity with believers from earlier eras can also prompt us to discover carols that have dropped out of modern hymnals, that are almost never sung today. By digging into the past, we delight that much more in our common worship with brothers and sisters from earlier eras.

Here is a carol you probably have never heard sung: Shepherds Rejoice, by one of the earliest English hymn writers, Isaac Watts. I came across these three-hundred-year-old lyrics in the late 90s, and then was delighted to find that a tune commonly used for this carol right after the American Revolution was composed by William Billings, perhaps the greatest early American composer.

The lyrics are below. You can listen to the first and last stanzas sung to Billings’ tune via this link.

The first two stanzas are spoken by the angel to the shepherds, proclaiming the coming of the King of kings – but this king sits on a humble throne. So the angel invites these humble shepherds to kiss the Son (echoing Psalm 2:12).

The whole company of angels then gives glory to God in the third stanza.

In the fourth stanza, Isaac Watts addresses us: Angels are praising God in song – shouldn’t we men do the same? He then writes one of the greatest lines in all hymnody:

O may we lose these useless tongues
When they forget to praise!

God created us for His glory. He gave us tongues so that we might praise and glorify Him – including in speech, in song, in counsel, and in comfort.

So do so this season! Join Christians across the centuries by praising Him with old carols! And express our culture’s different forms of praise by singing new carols! And then also: praise Him through this new old carol from centuries past, that reminds us why we have tongues.

‘Shepherds, rejoice! lift up your eyes
And send your fears away;
News from the region of the skies:
Salvation’s born today!
Jesus, the God whom angels fear,
Comes down to dwell with you;
Today he makes his entrance here,
But not as monarchs do.

‘No gold, nor purple swaddling bands,
Nor royal shining things;
A manger for his cradle stands,
And holds the King of kings.
Go, shepherds, where the Infant lies,
And see his humble throne;
With tears of joy in all your eyes,
Go, shepherds, kiss the Son.’

Thus Gabriel sang, and straight around
The heavenly armies throng;
They tune their harps to lofty sound
And thus conclude the song:
‘Glory to God that reigns above,
Let peace surround the earth;
Mortals shall know their Maker’s love
At their Redeemer’s birth.’

Lord! and shall angels have their songs
And men no tunes to raise?
O may we lose these useless tongues
When they forget to praise!
‘Glory to God that reigns above,
That pitied us forlorn!’
We join to sing our Maker’s love,
For there’s a Saviour born.

Draw Near to God Part II

[I derived portions of this post from two past sermons I have preached on Hebrews 4:14–16 and Hebrews 10:11–23 as well as from a past article I wrote. This post is the second in a two-part series. You can read the first article, “Draw Near to God Part I”, here. For context, I have kept a large portion of the introduction to Part I here.]

A few weeks ago I preached on Mark 1:1–13. I pointed out that Mark uses the same language at the beginning of the book at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:10–11) as he does at the end of the book at Jesus’ death on the cross (Mark 15:37–39). They each read:

Mark 1:10–11—10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

Mark 15:37–39—37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

I observed that Mark frames Jesus’ earthly ministry with proclamations of his identity as the Son of God paired with the tearing open of the heavens and the temple curtain. He does this in order to point us to this reality—Jesus secures access to the Father.[1] Here, I hope to take a deeper dive into what exactly that means for you if indeed your life is hidden in Christ. To do that, I turn to the book of Hebrews.

 

Drawing Near to God in Hebrews

The book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to exhort Christians to draw near to God. Along with many great promises, Hebrews highlights two foundational reasons for us to draw near to God: (1) Jesus is our great high priest, and (2) Jesus is the perfect offering for sins. These two realities go hand-in-hand. In Part I of this two-part post, we dived deeply into the reality of Jesus as our great high priest. We noted that in the midst of sin, we are often tempted to unbelief in Jesus’ high priestly ministry; therefore, we often hesitate to draw near to God in repentance. Rather, we linger in a sinful sense of guilt and shame. But Heb 4:14–16 reveals that because of Jesus’ high priestly ministry we are welcomed with open arms into God’s presence and should draw near to him confidently. But Hebrews doesn’t stop there. It continues to pile on the reasons for why we should confidently draw near to God even in the day of our sin. Here in Part II we turn our attention to Jesus, the perfect offering for sins and how that too bolsters our confidence to draw near to God in repentance.

 

Jesus our Offering for Sins

Hebrews 10:19–22—19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Here, Hebrews 10:19 proclaims that “we have confidence to enter the holy places.” Therefore, Heb 10:22 exhorts us to “draw near.” The reason for our confidence is twofold. First, we are confident “since we have a great high priest over the house of God,” which we unpacked in Part I. The other reason for our confidence?—the blood of Jesus: “we have confidence to enter the holy places, by the blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19). The author of Hebrews binds up our confidence to draw near to God with Jesus’ sacrificial offering for sins on the cross. He sharpens his point by comparing Jesus’ offering for sins to the sin offerings under the Old Covenant. In doing so he shows the vast superiority and completeness of Jesus’ offering for sins. Consider a few verses just prior to vv. 19–22.

 

Our Perfect Offering for Sins

Hebrews 10:11–14—11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

For we as Christians, to not draw near to God in repentance because of a particular sin or sins is to effectively say that Jesus’ sacrifice is not enough, whether we realizes it or not. The author of Hebrews recognizes our proneness, even as believers, to unbelief. Therefore he offers us a glorious reminder of the reality of Jesus’ offering for sins so that we might never minimize its effectiveness. Here, Hebrews 10:11–14 compares the sin offerings of priests under the Old Covenant to that of Jesus’ sin offering of himself in order to show the superiority of Jesus’ offering. Notice the details of Old Covenant priests’ sacrificial work:

      • Every priest
      • Every priest has stood daily
      • Every priest repeatedly offers
      • Every priest repeatedly offers the same sacrifices
      • Every priest repeatedly offers the same sacrifices, which can never remove sins

Before Jesus, every priest under the Old Covenant had to repeatedly offer sacrifices for sins every single day, hence their daily standing (Heb 10:11). Furthermore, these sacrifices could not even take away sins! (Heb 10:11). But the one great high priest, Jesus, when he “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb 10:12). After his sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrificial work was done, having sealed his victory (Heb 10:13). Where Old Covenant offerings could not take away sins, Jesus’ offering did away with sins forever and established the New Covenant in his blood (Heb 10:16–17; Jer 31:33–34). Indeed, “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb 10:14). The message is clear,  by his perfect offering for sins, Jesus perfects his people.

 

Access Secured

Hebrews 10:19–22—19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

So we turn our attention back to Hebrews 10:19–22. All of the details regarding Jesus’ perfect offering perfecting his people are packed into this one phrase, “by the blood of Jesus.” It’s Jesus’ blood alone that is our confidence to draw near to God. When the blood and water poured from Jesus’ side (John 19:34), “our hearts [were] sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies [were] washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22). An “evil conscience” is the equivalent of “an evil, unbelieving heart” (Heb 3:12). The very unbelief, then, that would tempt us to not draw near to God is what Jesus struck down when he died on the cross. Thus, because of this perfectly purifying work of Jesus’ perfect offering for sins on the cross, we have “full assurance” (Heb 10:22) to draw near to God, just as the author of Hebrews exhorts. And, by the same sacrifice, Jesus also made the way into God’s presence. Jesus opened what Hebrews 10:20 calls “the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.” This should bring to mind Jesus’ crucifixion in Mark 15:37–39, referenced above. There, at his death on the cross, the curtain of the temple tore—a divine sign that complete access into God’s presence had been granted through Jesus’ bodily death. So, Jesus’ perfect offering for sins perfected us for God’s presence and opened for us a way into God’s presence. This is why you should confidently draw near to God. Even in the day of your sin you should confidently draw near to God. Even in the day of that one particular sin that seems to continually plague and beset you—draw near to God confidently, because your sin and this purpose, your drawing near to God, are the very reasons Jesus offered the perfect sin offering, his life.

 

Jesus our Great High Priest and our Perfect Offering for Sins

Jesus’ dual role as the great high priest of our faith and the perfect offering for our sins clears the path for us as Christians to fly to God in repentance, not away from him in shame. Take encouragement in this, brothers and sisters. And when you find yourself weary in your continuing battle with the flesh, don’t pick up again that old helmet of unbelief. Instead, remember to don your helmet of salvation—salvation won for you by Jesus our great high priest and our perfect sin offering—and continue to fight. And, fly back to the throne of grace, where you are always welcome with open arms, and where Jesus sits ready to pour upon you mercy and grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16).

Giving Thanks: An Example

[What role does giving thanks have in your life? What role should it have? Over 160 verses in Scripture refer to thanks.  Here is a list of most of them, which I commend for your meditation. Consider these few:

  • Psalm 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.
  • Ephesians 5:18, 20: Be filled with the Spirit . . . giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
  • Colossians 2:6-7   Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (audio of 2022 sermon on this text)

Consider also this quip from G.K. Chesterton: “When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time. Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?”

For a period of time, every Monday Beth disciplined herself to record on her former blog items of thanksgiving.  Here is an excerpt from one of those entries from 2010. She reflects on Rachel’s example of a thankful heart, to which we would all do well to pay attention. Consider Beth’s words – and as we celebrate Thanksgiving may we express such thanks! – Coty]

She had major surgery and needed a home in which to recover.  In the beginning, she needed someone to help change incision dressings, prepare healing meals, encourage and comfort through post surgery pain and uncertainty.  She needed an arm to lean on while she slowly climbed the steps and sometimes she needed quiet music, candlelight, and foot rubs.  For three weeks, Rachel stayed here.

While she was in my home, I observed something very special.  Rachel wrote thank you notes. Prodigiously.  From the first week to the last, she wrote them.  In pain and groggy from meds, she wrote them.  In bed, she wrote them.  At the warm, sunny end of the kitchen table, she wrote them.

The EMT’s who arrived in the ambulance and took her to the hospital received notes and cookies.  She was in so much pain when they attended her that night that she had no recollection of who they were, but she called the fire station and got their names from the ambulance log and wrote notes to them.

Her nurses received notes.  She asked at the desk on her hospital floor for all their names and wrote them each a note.

Her doctor and physician’s assistant received notes.  The day of her first follow up appointment, she hand delivered those notes.  The PA smiled broadly, almost dancing upon receiving the envelope, and exclaimed, “This is my first thank you note from a patient!”

When she left our home, everyone here, Coty, Thomas, Joel and I, all received individual handwritten notes.

Her habit of handwritten gratitude puts me to shame and I know I am not alone.  I had a conversation with a friend at church today who admitted that, like me, she often fails to convey her thanks with a handwritten note.

Oh, we mean to do it.  We put “write thank you notes” on our to-do list.  We may even buy thank you cards and stamps.  But we procrastinate, thinking we are too busy at the moment, and time passes.  Finally, so much time passes that we feel embarrassed to write, our failure highlighted by our tardiness.  Perhaps we try to justify our actions by telling ourselves that, well, we said thank you.  They didn’t really expect a note, now, did they?

That EMT certainly didn’t expect a note.  Neither did the PA or the surgeon.  And how often do you think the nurses who measure the urine in the basin or change the colostomy bag get a hand-written note from a grateful patient?

Was that note writing obligatory?  Just the compulsory penning of thanks by a dutiful daughter whose mother taught her well?  Or worse, done because she thought she’d get even better care next time if her care givers got a note this time?  No, no, no!

That note writing was the expression of a heart so filled with thankfulness that it spilled out grateful words across countless little cards.  No detail was forgotten.  No small act of care or kindness done for her was omitted from her written outpouring of thanksgiving.

I am convicted – of my ingratitude, of my procrastination, of the self-centered ways in which I order that aforementioned to-do list to reflect my priorities instead of ordering it according to this admonition….

“in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)

To fail to give thanks is to set myself above the giver as though I was fully deserving of every gift, as though it were my due.  This dishonors, by failing to recognize and appreciate, the sacrifice and attention of the giver.  If I don’t take the time to say thank you, I have forgotten the giver and thought only of the gift and of myself.

I do this to God and I to it to people.  So very often.

My dear friend’s illness and the way in which she has responded to it has touched many lives.  It has touched mine by giving me the opportunity to observe at close range one who excels in thankfulness.  Rachel’s is an example to follow.  I start by thanking you, Father God, for bringing her, for three precious weeks, into my home.

And more gifts…

  • deepened friendship
  • observation of the generosity of the body of Christ
  • little victories (for Rachel) over new daily tasks
  • children’s voices singing the names of God
  • Kristi’s skillful directing
  • potluck tables filled with good food
  • laughter and fellowship
  • people who pitch in, dry dishes, mop floors, clean bathrooms . . .
  • a helpful little book
  • quiet moments in a busy month

This practice of listing thanks early in the week, of publicly logging thanksgiving for abundant gifts is a marker in my week.  There is another practice that needs to become just as regular – writing my thanks on paper and sending it to those whose generosity graces my life.  There are so many I need to thank.  It’s time to get started.