The Life Word

A Better Messenger than John the Baptist

2009-06-18T11:06:00.002+01:00

To the crowds gathered in the wilderness, John cried, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” His whole life’s work culminated in that phrase. After Jesus came and John fulfilled his duty of pointing others to Him, the Baptiser happily announced his retirement—“He must increase, and I must decrease.” The forerunner had faithfully prepared the way for the Messiah; the time had arrived for the attention to fall on Jesus.

We live on the other side of Christ’s life, yet our message and determinations are quite similar, though better informed, than those of John the Baptist. Our message still points out the glorious truth that God has provided for Himself a sacrifice for sin, Jesus, the one and only Son. Whereas mankind could in no way save themselves, God sent His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, and condemned sin in the flesh.

Our testimony is both factual and personal. We testify to the truth that God judged Jesus, Who had no sin, as a sinner so that in Him believers might be covered by His righteousness. And we testify of the power of God’s salvation happening within us; a message of personal forgiveness, personal reconciliation, personal transformation and personal glorification. Our words and changed lives bear witness to what Christ has done, is doing and will do for us. John the Baptist could only point with the finger toward Jesus; we direct people with the whole person. Each part of us bears witness, not one area of our lives misses Christ’s mark.

John contented himself in the knowledge that Jesus received the focus. We can and should too. A believer’s witness is about Jesus; not about how bad we were, or how good we are, but about how great and good God is to save us. The world will naturally seek to explain things in human terms, but one gripped by heaven’s hand of deliverance knows Who it is that saves and Who deserves the credit; Jesus the Lamb of God.

Our Lord Jesus told us who we are when He declared that we are His witnesses. We are world changers, left on earth to testify among our generation and in our neighbourhood the message of grace. One man, gripped by that truth, changed his generation when he cried out, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.”

And we can change ours by doing the same. In fact, we can do it better.

Interviewing John Calvin

2009-05-27T23:38:00.003+01:00

My evenings of late have been occupied with preparation work for a church history class I'll be teaching in Sicily at the end of June. While looking through some old files, I came across a paper my son, Matt, wrote for his high school history class. I thought you might enjoy reading it--a mock interview with John Calvin:

Interview with John Calvin

Q1. I’m here now with John Calvin in Geneva, Switzerland. Mr. Calvin, I have several questions to ask you. Perhaps we can start by asking who taught you Greek. Why was that important to you?

Well, before I learned Greek I was taught that the Greek language was dangerous. One guy even said, “We are finding a new language called Greek. We must avoid it at all costs, for this languages gives birth to heresies. Especially beware of the New Testament in Greek; it is a book full of thorns and prickles.” With that “pricking” my interest, I just had to know why Greek was supposed to be so dangerous.

When my dad made me change schools to study law, I ran into a teacher named Wolmar who taught me Greek and law at the same time. Later in life I dedicated one of my commentaries to him. In my dedication to him in my 2 Corinthians commentary, I wrote, “One of the most important things that happened to me was in those early days when I was sent by my father to learn civil law but, under your instigation and teaching, with the study of laws mixed Greek, of which you were then professor summa cum laude. . . . To you it is, however, that I not a little owe it that I was at least taught the rudiments; and this was afterwards a great help to me.”

Q2. What happened when you heard that your close friend, Etienne de la Forge had been burned as a seditious man?

I had already left the country of France for Basil after the affair of the placards. The king of France, Francis I, was very angry over the many handbills denouncing the Roman Mass that had been placed all around France. He arrested over 200 people and burned my friend, Etienne. I had stayed in his house often and it really bothered me. I realized when he died that I could not be silent. And so I wrote my Institutes with greater passion.

Q3. Wow, that leads right into what I was going to ask next. Calvin, why did you write your Institutes?

In my law lessons, we had to become very familiar with the Corpus iuris civilis; the Body of Civil Law in your tongue. This was made of three parts: Codex, Digesta, and Institutiones. The Codex contained the authoritative statement of Roman law. The Digesta contained the legal opinion of ancient lawyers and the historical commentary on the Codex. The Institutiones was a basic but authoritative textbook of law students. I used this as a model for writing a basic textbook of the Christian faith. I even called it the Institutes of Christian Religion. Even right after I became a follower of the truth proclaimed by the Reformers and felt like a learner myself; many sought me out for answers to their Bible questions. And so I wrote the Institutes for these who loved and wanted to know more about the truth, but something else happened that added to the reasons why I wrote the Institutes.

Q4. What was that?

Well, it goes back to your earlier question about my friend, Etienne. He and many others were burnt to death. As new Protestants, we expected persecution from the Roman Church. But people in the King’s court had persuaded the King that these people were seditious men who wanted to do no more than destroy the government. If I could explain who these people really were, then maybe the king would stop his burnings. But even if he didn’t, then the rest of the surrounding nations would know the truth about these people and what they actually believed. I was really disturbed about the lies I heard when I lived in Germany. The French court was telling the Protestant Germans that the executed men were political prisoners. But I knew the truth and so made that public in my letter to Francis I in my prefatory address of the Institutes.

Q5. This is fascinating stuff! But tell me, why did you continue to include your letter to Francis I in your Institutes even after he had died?

My first title to the book explains that I had two reasons for writing. First, I wanted to give an instruction of the basic beliefs necessary for knowledge of the doctrine of salvation. But I also wanted the writing to be a defense to the King on behalf of my persecuted friends and fellow believers. My address to the king explains both these purposes very clearly. Since many Christians continued to struggle after Francis I was dead, I thought keeping the prefatory address to him in my book would help people to use the Institutes for both of the purposes for which it was written.

Q6. The Renaissance was a rediscovery of Greek and Roman literature. How were you affected by it?

In many ways, in fact I would have a hard time telling you where the Renaissance did not influence me. If I had to pick one area to talk about, I would say my learning Greek was a prime example of how the Renaissance influenced me. The learning of Greek under Wolmar was most important to me. In my debates years later, many people were amazed at my ability to quote Greek and Italian writers.

Q7. Calvin, you may be surprised to know that in the country where I live, United States, we have complete freedom of religion and a separation of church and state. How does that compare with your time?

Wow! That is amazing! In my day, the king of France controlled the religious affairs and the Pope of the Romanist Church controlled the king. In fact, the Pope freed the king, Francis I, from prison and secured his allegiance, to be sure. Even in Geneva where I ministered, we had no concept of a church entirely divorced from the state and the state removed from church matters. I would be most interested to know how that works.

Q8. What caused you and your associate Farel to be banished from Geneva?

Ah yes, I was wondering when that would come up. And it ties with what we were just talking about. You see, the city council was trying to tell the church leaders what to do in their churches—including Farel and me. They told us to use unleavened bread in our communion service, but Farel and I ignored them. The next day they ordered us to use unleavened bread and threatened to banish us if we refused to comply. That next Lord’s Day, we didn’t have a communion service, and that infuriated the city council. They told us that as soon as they found our replacements, we would face banishment from the city. They tried unsuccessfully to find replacements for two days, but their anger overtook them and they banished us anyway. Farel and I went to different cities and told people we had been mistreated by the Geneva city council, but Geneva denied our charges. One of the cities came to our defense, but by that time we had already packed and left.

Q9. I notice Reformers Luther, Bucer and Melanchthon influenced you. Did you have any direct influence on any other Reformers I might know about?

Yes, there is one other Reformer I had contact with that I haven’t mentioned yet. His name was John Knox from Scotland. We met when I was in Geneva. Around that time many English puritans were dissatisfied with the Great Bible forced on them by the Church of England. And so when they fled to Geneva from persecution in England under Mary, they began a translation of the Scriptures into English with a series of study notes and helps. John Knox, others and I all contributed to the Geneva Bible. I tried hard to help these struggling English believers to see what a truly reformed church looked like.

Q10. Tell me more about your schooling. Where I live, we have levels of advancement called grades. We go through grades 1-12 before we head off to college or into a trade. What was your education like?

Nothing like that! I was twelve when I entered college. Due to my father’s career and connections, I attended school with the sons of noblemen. Many of them were my friends. When I was twelve I attended the College de la Marche. There I had to study Latin since all my lectures and reading at university would be in that language. After that, I went to the College de Montaigu for my Bachelor of Arts degree. The studies there were divided. I studied what we called the trivium: grammar, logic and rhetoric. I also studied the quadrivium: arithmetic, music, geometry and astronomy. One thing I found helpful in my studies was to repeat everything I had learned that day before going to sleep that night. And to call to my mind the previous day’s lectures when I awoke the next morning.

That sounds helpful; I should try doing that. Well, Calvin, we seem to be out of time. Thank you for giving me your time and telling me so much about your life and the time in which you lived.

Books consulted:

Estep, William R. Renaissance & Reformation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986.

Hillerbrand, Hans. Ed. The Reformation. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1972.

Lindner, William. John Calvin. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1998.

Editorial comments and research assistance provided by Douglas and Royale McMasters

© 2001 Matthew McMasters

More on The Art of Billy

2009-03-24T11:57:00.004Z

Billy posted a report of the exhibition we held at Trinity Road Chapel featuring his art. What an encouraging time it was, as you will discover in his article.

The Art of Billy

2009-03-14T22:03:00.004Z

A few weeks ago, Trinity Road Chapel welcomed artist David "Billy" Bill to assist us with an art exhibition. He brought several pieces of original art and gave an excellent talk on Saturday which we titled "My Failures in Art."

Today, upon returning from an open house at London Theological Seminary, I found an envelope containing the original pencil drawing of Charles H. Spurgeon--a preacher special to both me and Trinity Road Chapel. I am delighted to welcome this special gift to our home. It will always remind me of a special artist and a special preacher--both committed to making Jesus Christ known.

Filling the Mind and Heart

2009-03-13T19:14:00.004Z

The Lord has blessed our church with the ability to take on two full-time pastoral trainees for a period of two years: Barney Jones and Gareth Russell. In addition to being stuck into the work of the ministry in very practical and helpful ways, these two, along with our assistant pastor Stuart Davis, are meeting with me on Fridays at the manse for theological and ministerial reading and reflection. Below is a sample of our theological reading, which we are doing alongside other works we are reading and discussing:

Reading Schedule for Bavinck Reformed Dogmatics
Volume One, Prolegomena

Part I Introduction to Dogmatics

Chapter 1 - Completed
The Science of Dogmatics
Chapter 2 - Completed
The Method and Organization of Dogmatic Theology

Part II The History and Literature of Dogmatic Theology

Chapter 3 – Completed
The Formation of Dogma: East and West

Chapter 4 - Completed
Roman Catholic Dogmatics

Chapter 5 - Completed
Lutheran Dogmatics

Chapter 6 - March 13
Reformed Dogmatics

Part III Foundations of Dogmatic Theology (Principia)

Chapter 7 - March 20
Scientific Foundations

Chapter 8 – March 27
Religious Foundations

Part IV Revelation (Principium Externum)

Chapter 9 - April 3
The Idea of Revelation

Chapter 10 - April 17
General Revelation

Chapter 11 - April 24
Special Revelation

Chapter 12 - May 1
Revelation in Nature and Holy Scripture

Chapter 13 - May 8
The Inspiration of Scripture

Chapter 14 - May 15
The Attributes of Scripture

Part V (Principium Internum)

Chapter 15 - May 22
Faith and Theological Method

Chapter 16 - May 29
Faith and Its Ground

Chapter 17 - June 5
Faith and Theology

The Day of the “No More”

2009-02-28T23:24:00.001Z

Today, we have sorrow.

Psalm 31:9-10 “Be merciful to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.”

Today, we grow frail.

2 Corinthians 4:16 “....outwardly we are wasting away....”

Today, we have pain.

1 Peter 2:19 “For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God.”

Today, we have hardships.

2 Corinthians 1:8 “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life.”

Today, we struggle with sin.

Romans 7:18 “I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”

Today, we face death.

1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die....”

But one day, these things will be no more.

One day, there will be no more sorrow.

Jeremiah 31:12 They will come and shout for joy on the heights of Zion; they will rejoice in the bounty of the Lord— the grain, the new wine and the oil, the young of the flocks and herds. They will be like a well-watered garden, and they will sorrow no more.

One day, we will possess a new body.

Romans 8:23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

One day, we will never suffer pain again.

Revelation 21:4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

One day, there will be no more hardships.

Revelation 22:2-3 On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.

One day, we will have no sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

One day, we will never die.

1 Corinthians 15:26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Today will close, and become tomorrow. But one day, there will be no more today or tomorrow, but only the day that lasts forever—the day of the no more.

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?” I answered, “Sir, you know.” And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, “they are before the throne of God....Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:13-17)

Blessed are…

2009-01-20T09:56:00.001Z

Who are the most favoured people on earth? Jesus answered that question in His first recorded sermon in Matthew. He said that it is:

Those who go to heaven, who live under the reign of God, who are not the great ones, but rather the humble, who are broken before God, who are poor in spirit.

They are the ones that understand they are sinners who have received mercy and who demonstrate mercy to all others.

They are those who don’t play at religion, they are not those who need tickled or teased to come to church, because they are the ones who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

They take advantage of opportunities to make peace.

They are concerned about the purity of their hearts.

They are ones who find themselves at odds with the ways of the world, often to such an extent that the world turns against them.

These are the ones upon whom God’s favour rests. They aren’t great—and they aren’t asked to be great—they are humble, meek and seek heavenly things. They are people concerned primarily with the condition of their own heart.

In Jesus’ kingdom the least are greater even than John the Baptist (Matt. 11:11). They are characterized in Jesus’ sermon as being humble, compassionate, meek, yearning for righteousness, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers and persecuted for the sake of the very righteousness they practice.

In the world’s eyes those characteristics are the marks of losers. The world says, “Assert yourself, stand up for yourself, be proud of yourself, elevate yourself, defend yourself, avenge yourself, serve yourself.” Those are the treasured traits of the world’s people and the world’s kingdoms.

But the blessedness Christ offers is not dependent on self-effort or self-righteousness, but on the new nature God gives. In God’s Son, humanity comes to share God’s very nature, which is characterized by true righteousness and joy. That is the kind and the extent of the contentment God wants His children to have—His very own peace and happiness. The good news is that of blessing.

May God grant you His blessing and that blessedness and joy.

The Reason for the Season

2008-12-07T14:30:00.002Z

In December 1903, after many attempts, the Wright brothers were successful in getting their “flying machine” off the ground. Thrilled, they telegraphed this message to their sister Katherine: “We have actually flown 120 feet. Will be home for Christmas.” Katherine hurried to the editor of the local newspaper and showed him the message. He glanced at it and said, “How nice. The boys will be home for Christmas.”

He totally missed the big news—man had flown!

Though many, much like the newspaper editor, miss the point of Christmas, the reason for it was declared clearly by the angel: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:10-11).

A Saviour has been born. That’s the reason for the season.
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator;
If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist;
If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist;
If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer;
But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Saviour.

It was to save sinners that Christ Jesus came into the world. He did not come to help them save themselves, nor to induce them to save themselves, nor even to enable them to save themselves. He came to save them!

Augustine relates what that saving work meant for Jesus:

“The Word of the Father, by whom all time was created, was made flesh and was born in time for us. He, without whose divine permission no day completes its course, wished to have one day for His human birth. In the bosom of His Father He existed before all the cycles of ages; born of an earthly mother, He entered upon the course of the years on this day.

“The Maker of man became man that He, Ruler of the stars, might be nourished at the breast; that He, the Bread, might be hungry; that He, the Fountain, might thirst; that He, the Light, might sleep; that He, the Way, might be wearied by the journey; that He, the Truth, might be accused by false witnesses; that He, the Judge of the living and the dead, might be brought to trial by a mortal judge; that He, Justice, might be condemned by the unjust; that He, Discipline, might be scourged with whips; that He, the Foundation, might be suspended upon a cross; that Courage might be weakened; that Security might be wounded; that Life might die.

“To endure these and similar indignities for us, to free us, unworthy creatures, He who existed as the Son of God before all ages, without a beginning, deigned to become the Son of Man in these recent years. He did this although He who submitted to such great evils for our sake had done no evil and although we, who were the recipients of so much good at His hands, had done nothing to merit these benefits.”

May the Lord bless you this Christmas season as you remember Jesus our Saviour!

The Lord is Good and so are His people

2008-11-19T10:57:00.001Z

If we have tasted the Lord’s goodness, then we can certainly share the Lord’s goodness.
When we recognise that the Lord has given His finest to the undeserving, we learn that our acts of kindness don’t rely on whether or not the recipient deserves our kindness.
God’s goodness is evident.
God’s goodness is super abundant.
Our actions are subsequent to a prior relationship.
Our kindnesses reflect our Father’s behaviour.
Our human responsibilities flow from our God-directed love and obedience.
The foundation for all Christian activity is love for God and Humanity
Love Verses:
Mt 22:37-40 Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Is 53:4-6 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Is 53:12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

Mt 20:28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Mk 10:45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jn 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Jn 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Ro 8:32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

2 Co 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

Ga 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Eph 5:2 and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Ti 1:15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

1 Ti 1:16 But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

1 Pe 2:24-25 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

Thinking Like a Farmer

2008-11-19T10:48:00.004Z

Here's an article written to the folks gathered at Trinity Road Chapel and published in our church magazine, The Witness:

My parents had the opportunity to grow up on small farms. After my father’s mother died, my grandfather closed off a career teaching maths and took up farming. And my mother’s family supplemented their income and food stocks by alternately renting out sections of property or farming it themselves. Though I grew up in a military family and travelled the globe, I had opportunity to summer on the family farms and participated in the labour, planting, weeding, fertilising, harvesting and storing various crops of maize, soybeans, potatoes and tobacco, along with several sessions in the fields and barns baling and putting up hay.

I learned much from those experiences. Three lessons relating to those experiences connect well to the task of reaching the lost and I think are helpful for all of us to keep in mind in our efforts to reach our area with the saving message of Jesus Christ.

Work Tirelessly

I now have fond, almost romantic, memories of my joining in with my relatives on the farm, but the reality was far different. I spent many hot, humid and monotonous days carrying out back-breaking work. In order to ensure a crop at the other end of the season, a lot of work had to happen before the crops were planted. And harvest proved tiring as well. Many summers my cousins and I worked cutting, raking, baling and putting up hay. Stacking 40-80 pound bales of hay in a steamy barn loft at the peak of a summer day made me feel like every ounce of moisture in my body was draining out my pores!

If we desire a harvest of souls for the glory of Christ in our district and throughout London, we must labour. The industrious farmer starts his hard and demanding work early and quits late. He endures the cold, the heat, the rain, and the drought. He plows the soil whether it is hard or loose. He does not wait for his own convenience, because the seasons do not wait for him. When the time comes to plant, he must plant; when weeds appear, he must remove them; and when the crop is mature, he must harvest it. What drives the man to such hard toil is the harvest. And I can think of no better harvest than eternal souls won for God’s glory. Let us labour then!

Wait Patiently

During those long days of effort, day after day, the farmer understands that harvest is still far off and no fruit will be enjoyed for months to come. But the farmer has come to learn that today’s dry efforts are what bring tomorrow’s bounty.

Our days in gospel work are often seemingly fruitless. But that is no reason to quit or to grow weary of the work. We must continue on, working and waiting patiently for God to give the increase to all our efforts, just as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6-8:

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.

We are called to bear witness to the lost about the saving grace of God in Jesus. And am delighted to hear many of you talk about and pray for the people you are helping to see their need of the Saviour. Keep up the good work, and just like the farmer, bear patiently through the dry harvestless days. Learn that there are no such things as quick results. Work and wait. You must sow the good seed of the word into hearts and minds. John Calvin reminds us:

If husbandmen do not spare their toils, that one day they may obtain fruit, and if they patiently wait for the season of harvest; how much more unreasonable will it be for us to refuse the labors which Christ enjoins upon us, while he holds out so great a reward?

Living Expectantly

Harvest time does come! We may plant and we may water, and not see any visible return on the investment for a long time or perhaps even in our lifetime, but the increase in the field will come from the Lord.

A Night Walk Around London Town

2008-11-18T14:20:00.003Z

London Night Walk_0001, originally uploaded by Doug McMasters.

Visit here for some snaps of my favourite city.

James White finishes his trip to London

2008-11-18T11:44:00.003Z

We had an excellent time with James White from Alpha and Omega Ministries. His debating, preaching and teaching in London stand as highlights to us for 2008. And the serious and fun talks we shared were most enriching and enjoyable.

Trinity Road Chapel, James White teaching on Apologetics

2008-11-17T12:39:00.002Z

Closing Arguments for James White's debate with Sami Zaatari at Trinity Road Chapel

2008-11-17T12:37:00.000Z

James White, Sunday Morning at Trinity Road Chapel

2008-11-17T12:36:00.001Z

James White Preaching at Trinity Road Chapel

2008-11-17T12:35:00.001Z

James White debating at Trinity Road Chapel

2008-11-15T19:44:00.000Z

Give Your All to Jesus by Charles Spurgeon

2008-11-12T15:15:00.001Z

This is, practically, a promise that, by diligent meditation and the giving up of our whole mind to our work for the LORD we shall make a progress which all can see. Not by hasty reading but by deep meditation we profit by the Word of God. Not by doing a great deal of work in a slovenly manner, but by giving our best thought to what we attempt, we shall get real profit. "In all labor there is profit" but not in fuss and hurry without true heart-energy.

If we divide ourselves between God and mammon, or Christ and self, we shall make no progress. We must give ourselves wholly to holy things, or else we shall be poor traders in heavenly business, and at our stocktaking no profit will be shown.

Am I a minister? Let me be a minister wholly and not spend my energies upon secondary concerns. What have I to do with party politics or vain amusements? Am I a Christian? Let me make my service of Jesus my occupation, my lifework, my one pursuit. We must be in-and-in with Jesus, and then out-and-out for Jesus, or else we shall make neither progress nor profit, and neither the church nor the world will feel the forceful influence which the LORD would have us exercise.

We Will Remember Them

2008-11-09T09:11:00.000Z

Pericles’ funeral oration, spoken well over 2,000 years ago at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War, charges us to remember our fallen in war:

Each has won a glorious grave - not that sepulchre of earth wherein they lie, but the living tomb of everlasting remembrance wherein their glory is enshrined. For the whole earth is the sepulchre of heroes. Monuments may rise and tablets be set up to them in their own land, but on far-off shores there is an abiding memorial that no pen or chisel has traced; it is graven not on stone or brass, but on the living hearts of humanity.

Take these men for your example. Like them, remember that prosperity can be only for the free, that freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it.

James White debating in London

2008-11-03T13:53:00.005Z

Trinity Road Chapel is joining other churches in hosting a number of formal debates between James White and various Islamic scholars. The topics chosen for these moderated, formal debates will give opportunity to make known essential areas of difference between Christians and Muslims. And James White, an accomplished apologist and debater, will make those differences known very clearly and in an irenic manner.

Can you help us spread the news of these debates and teaching opportunities? Please distribute this email and the flyers as widely as you can—pass them along to others you think may have an interest.

James White is the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries (visit www.aomin.org), a Christian apologetics organization based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is the author of more than twenty books, a professor, and an elder of the Phoenix Reformed Baptist Church. James has been married to Kelli for more than twenty-five years, and has two children, Joshua and Summer. He is an accomplished debater, having engaged in more than sixty moderated, public debates with leading proponents of Roman Catholicism, Islam, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Mormonism.

Trinity Road Chapel, Upper Tooting, London is hosting the following events:

8 PM Thursday, 13 November 2008 Debate
James White vs. Sami Zaatari: "Jesus: Divine Son of God or Prophet of Allah?"

8 AM Saturday, 15 November 2008 Men's Breakfast
James White will join us at our men's breakfast.

10 AM Saturday, 15 November 2008 Ministry Morning
An open session for all. James White will speak on the topic "Defending the Faith without Apology."

11AM and 6:30PM Sunday, 16 November 2008 Preaching
James White will be preaching at TRC.

Trinity Road Chapel, 205-207 Trinity Road, Upper Tooting, London SW17 7HW. Contact admin@trinityroadchapel.org or visitwww.trinityroadchapel.org for more details.

We also welcome everyone to attend the other debates by James in London:

Tuesday, 11 November 2008
James White vs. Adnan Rashid: "Does Belief in the Trinity Necessitate Shirk?"
Westbourne Park Church, Porchester Rd, London, W2 5DX

Monday, 17 November 2008
James White vs. Shabir Ally: "Is Jesus prophesied in the OT?" and "Is Muhammad prophesied in the Bible?"

7:30pm at Twynholm Baptist Church, Fulham Cross, 324-326 Lillie Road, Fulham, London, SW6 7PP. Contact leigh@twynholm.org or visitwww.twynholm.org for more details.

Do You Love Divine Worship?

2008-10-03T17:10:00.003+01:00

The following quote from John Owen really set my heart to thinking:

That all true believers, whose minds are spiritually renewed, have a singular delight in all the institutions and ordinances of divine worship is fully evident, both in the examples of the saints in the Scripture and their own experience, which they will never forego; for this hath been the greatest cause of their suffering persecution, and martyrdom itself, in all ages. If the primitive Christians under the power of the pagan emperors, or the witnesses for Christ under the antichristian apostasy, would or could have omitted the observance of them (according to the advice and practice of the Gnostics), they might have escaped the rage of their adversaries. But they loved not their lives in comparison unto that delight which they had in the observance of the commands of Christ as unto the duties of evangelical worship.

David gives us frequently an instance hereof in himself:

Ps. 62:1–4, “As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God? When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.”

Ps. 63:1–5, O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary. Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips”

Ps. 84:1–4, “How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.”

John Owen, Vol. 7: The works of John Owen. (W. H. Goold, Ed.) (430).

Look to Jesus

2008-09-04T17:46:00.003+01:00

So then, from this we must gather that to profit much in the holy Scripture we must always resort to our Lord Jesus Christ and cast our eyes upon him, without turning away from him at any time.

You will see a number of people who labor very hard indeed at reading the holy Scriptures -- they do nothing else but turn over the leaves of it, and yet after ten years they have as much knowledge of it as if they had never read a single line. And why? Because they do not have any particular aim in view, they only wander about. And even in worldly learning you will see a great number who take pains enough, and yet all to no purpose, because they kept neither order nor proportion, nor do anything else but gather material from this quarter and from that, by means of which they are always confused and can never bring anything worthwhile. And although they have gathered together a number of sentences of all sorts, yet nothing of value results from them. Even so it is with them that labor in reading the holy Scriptures and do not know which is the point they ought to rest on, namely, the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

John Calvin, Sermon on Ephesians 2:19-22 (1559).

Allyson Felix in The Times of London

2008-08-22T07:00:00.005+01:00

Follow this link to read an encouraging article about Allyson Felix, a competitor for the USA in athletics who is also representing the Lord Jesus. I had the privilege in seminary of sitting under her father's teaching for much of my NT Greek.

(HT to Eckhard Pecher for the photo)

A Published Photograph

2008-08-21T15:03:00.004+01:00

My image of Castle Coombe is now published, my first, at this guide to Bath:

Matterhorn

2008-07-20T12:49:00.001+01:00

Matterhorn, originally uploaded by Doug McMasters.

Royale and I just returned from a week in Switzerland. My photos are being posted to Flickr if you're interested in seeing them.