The apostle Paul said, “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:4). Today we celebrate that Christ did indeed overcome death on the cross, enabling and guaranteeing the resurrection of all the saints (1 Corinthians 15:20).

The late bishop J.C. Ryle explains that Christ’s atonement for sinners on the cross is the central truth in the entire Bible,

“This is the truth we begin with when we open Genesis. The seed of the woman bruising the serpent’s head is nothing but a prophecy of Christ crucified.

 This is the truth that shines out, though veiled, all through the law of Moses and the history of the Jews. The daily sacrifice, the Passover lamb, the continual shedding of blood in the tabernacle and temple – all were emblems of Christ crucified.

 This is the truth that we see honored in the vision of heaven before we close the book of Revelation. In the midst of the throne and of the four animals, we are told, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). Even in the midst of heavenly glory we get a view of Christ crucified.

Take away the cross of Christ, and the Bible is a dark book. It is like the Egyptian hieroglyphics without the key that interprets their meaning – curious and wonderful but of no real use.”

Join us in celebrating the centrality of Easter Sunday: “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22).

As we commemorate Good Friday, there is great theological significance contained in often overlooked events of that historical day. Sinclair B Ferguson notes two such incidents in his book To Seek and to Save: Daily Reflections on the Road to the Cross.

First, the three hours of darkness that shrouded the land at noon in which creation itself appeared to be thrown into reverse gear and God said, Let there NOT be light (in contrast to Genesis 1:3). Ferguson explains that nature itself put on the dark clothes of mourning as Christ the Creator was put to death by sinful men, and on the cross came under the curse of God (Galatians 3:13).

Second, the massive curtain of the temple was torn in two (Luke 23:45) as God Himself de-consecrated the Jerusalem temple, removing the barrier between God and man. Ferguson emphasizes that it was not merely the temple veil that was rent, but the flesh of Christ had been torn to create the new and living way into God’s presence (Hebrews 10:20).

Join us in celebrating the fact that “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Take heart….for Sunday is coming!

The book of Jeremiah is an autobiography during the reign of the last five kings of Judah. Jeremiah is known as “the weeping prophet” because of his sorrow over the unrepentant nation, and the impending destruction of Jerusalem and subsequent exile.

This is evidenced in the following key verse:

Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; then the LORD will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. (26:13)

Jeremiah provides two key insights for believers today.

Faithfulness, not apparent fruitfulness, is the basis of the Lord’s evaluation.

Read closely Jim George’s description of Jeremiah:

Most people’s definitions of success would include the acquiring of wealth, popularity, fame, power, or accomplishments. By these standards, Jeremiah was a complete failure. For 40 years he served as God’s spokesman and passionately urged the people to return to God, and no one listened, especially the kings. He was penniless, friendless, and rejected by his family. In the world’s eyes, Jeremiah was not a success. But in God’s eyes, Jeremiah was one of the most successful people in all biblical history. Why? Because success, as seen by God, involves obedience and faithfulness. Jeremiah obeyed God and, regardless of severe opposition and great personal sacrifice, committed himself to fulfilling God’s calling on his life.

The next insight is found in the Lord’s condemnation is Jeremiah 2:13:

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Falsely placed faith proves disastrous.

John MacArthur explains that Israel had abandoned the Lord, the source of their spiritual salvation and sustenance and turned to idolatrous objects of trust. The Lord compared these with underground water storage reservoirs for rainwater, which were broken and allowed water to seep out, rendering them useless.

Likewise, evangelicalism, particularly in America, has overwhelmingly and undiscerningly turned to worldly ideologies that Paul warned us about (Col. 2:8). As we witness evangelicalism’s hermeneutical attempts at catering to culture by marrying secular ideologies to biblical terminology, the warning of commentator Arno Gaebelein reign true:

It is so among the professing people of God in this dispensation; the two evils are present with us also. The result for Israel was enslavement. The young lions came (the Assyrian invasion) and made the land waste. Egypt, did the same. It came as the fruit of having forsaken the fountain of living water.

Pray for American evangelicalism. Ours is quickly becoming an ideological enslavement from which we must be freed .

Sidlow Baxter writes, commenting on Paul’s letter to the church in Colosse, which was suffering from ingestion of heretical teaching that devalued Christ,

“Let no one think that this ‘disease’ which was symptomatic at long-ago Colosse has no meaning for our own days, that there is no fear of our being ‘haunted by the ghosts of dead heresies.’ In every generation one or another reappears in fresh garb and with new deceptiveness.”

Writing in response to Paul’s justification in verse 4 of “I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments,” J.I. Packer wrote,

“Sad experience shows that bad theology infects the heart with misbelief and unbelief, the spiritual equivalents of multiple sclerosis!

Many who ran well have been progressively paralyzed through ingesting bad theology, and the danger remains.”

Amidst a seemingly ever-increasing scene of “fallen runners of the faith,” our efforts center on anchoring church leaders in sound doctrine, in order that they may run with excellence, and to completion, the race set out before them.

Empowering Action exists to equip the global church for greater biblical fidelity and ministry effectiveness. A logical question then is, “What is the measure of a church?” Is it love, community engagement, cultural relevance, or unity? Sadly, there are many who, this very day, will be enticed to unbiblical cults for those very reasons.

No, it is a church’s doctrine that determines its faithfulness for, as Dr. Steve Lawson notes, “in the Christian life, precept comes before practice and doctrine before duty.”

A lifetime ago in college a last minute schedule change necessitated my enrolling in a Sacred Architecture course. Truthfully, I don’t recall much from the experience other than some basics (and my liberal professor’s displeasure for my project on the Old Testament tabernacle.) However, I did glean that pillars support the roof and walls of a structure, and a buttress supports a pillar, enabling it to stand stronger and higher.

I mention this because Paul makes clear in the passage below that the mission of the Church is to support and uphold the truth of God revealed in Scripture,

I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:14-15)

Writing to an Ephesian church that, after his departure, had begun to implode as a result of abandoning sound doctrine and embracing false teaching, Paul wisely uses an architectural image to inhabitants of a city that contained the pagan Temple of Diana, an architectural wonder of bulwarking foundations supporting a massive roof with 127 pillars.

Fashions come and go.  And often that’s a good thing.  [Think rat-tails and Hammer pants]

 Truth does not.

 Yet objective truth has fallen out of fashion. And that is unquestionably a very bad thing for a society.

 Our world generally views the biblical truths of Christianity to have no bearing on society.  Believers know otherwise. The truth of God’s law, in addition to its role in salvation and sanctification, also benefits societies adhering to its principles. 

 There is a preserving quality for a society to just principles and actions, as defined by Scripture.

 Proverbs 14:34 states, “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people.”

 One biblical scholar defined truth as that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God.

 The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16), and in the New Testament Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6). In doing so, Jesus not only made a profound claim about His own deity, but also made it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God.*

 So, in our current contentious environment, in which societal forces push to segment and isolate us, let me offer up some universal truths from God’s Word:

 All humans are equal in terms of:

• our creation (Genesis 1:28),
• our sin problem (Romans 3:23),
• our impending judgment (Hebrews 9:27),
• God’s love for us (John 3:16),
• God’s provision of salvation (Matthew 28:19),
• God’s providential control of our circumstances (Acts 17:26-28),
• God’s worthiness of our reverential obedience and love (Romans 12:1-2).**

References:

* https://www.gty.org/library/Articles/A379/19031005-19031005

** 90 Days Through the New Testament by Ron Rhodes

If you’re like me, etched in your memory is the scene of Linus reminding Charlie Brown of the true meaning of Christmas, by reciting Luke 2:8-14 describing the birth of Christ.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ’s incarnation: the appearing on earth of God’s eternal Son.

But the issue is not THAT Jesus came, the question is WHY he came.

The Apostle John states emphatically, “The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.” (1 Jn. 3:8)

Like a liberating force, Christ arrived at Christmas to begin his redemptive mission, which entailed a sinless life and sacrificial death, and culminated in his resurrection and ascension to heaven.

The late theologian RC Sproul believed the book of Hebrews provides “the most magnificent portrait of Christ anywhere in Scripture.” The passage below describes why Christ’s incarnation enables “death to be swallowed up in victory” (1 Cor. 15:54) for those who place their faith in Him.

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.” (Heb. 2:14-15)

The Son of God was not by nature “flesh and blood,” yet, willingly, took upon himself humanity for the sake of providing redemption to mankind (Phil. 2:5-8). Christ’s humanity enabled him to represent mankind. His divinity ensured the sufficiency of his sacrifice.

The contemporary hymn In Christ Alone contains the phrase,

No guilt in life, no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me.

We are enabled to confidently proclaim those lyrics, which echo the passage above, because of the rich theological truths that forego them.

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe.
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live.

Amidst the busyness and unsettledness of this season, please take time to contemplate Christ’s incarnation, which preceded his death and resurrection, and provides our salvation.

And, as you are able, we covet your prayers and year-end contributions this holiday season, as we enter our 9^th year of ministry, in equipping the global church for greater biblical fidelity and ministry effectiveness.