“Ruminations”
The Gospel
January 20, 2011 | 
Author
Christianity is not one of many world religions – it’s reality . . . only because Jesus/God is reality. That is where it must always begin.
God really Is. (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14; Daniel 4:34)
The Godhead is made of of Three Persons, yet Triune as God (Deut. 6:4; Isaiah 45:5; 1 Cor.8:4; Matt. 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:18, 10:30, 14:9; Col. 1:15-20) unique in Roles and Personhood, but not essence nor being.
This means the Father is God (John 6:27)
Jesus is God (John 20:28-29)
The Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4) {At this point let me mention the obvious that these are but granular sample-texts within a Sahara of truth the Scriptures teach on the subject}
So, there is God and He is before all things, made all things, holds all things together and will bring to account all things – AND He made it all for Himself. (Romans 11:33-36)
That is what is really going on. That is where it must always begin.
Posted in "Ruminations", DailyTheocentrisms | 
Tags: Gospel, Jesus Christ, salvation, Sin, The Gospel | 
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An analogy of sin and Christ
When I was a boy, we lived in a rural part of Alabama. We had a creek behind our home and it had countless joys for young boys in it: crawdads (crawfish), cool rocks, snakes, water and mud – lot’s of mud. We spent a many a summer day in that creek and in the evening, as we were being called in for dinner a common scene took place:
Rob approaches the sliding-glass door at the rear of the house bearing the filthy joy of creek-playing hedonism
Dad: “Stop right there! You are not setting foot in this house until you clean up.”
Rob starts to attempt wiping off the mud – only there is mud on his hands and on every part of his body. Only smearing and deeper staining is occurring.
Dad: furrowed-brow looks
Rob: “This isn’t working.”
What Rob needs is an outside source – something clean that can take the filth from him. Rob needs a clean towel and his brother to spray him with a water hose. Without a clean source to take the stains away, there is no hope.
Truly on this side of the analogy AND the sliding glass doors, the fried chicken has never tasted so good.
Thank you, Jesus.
Posted in "Ruminations", One as Another | Tags: analogy, Atonement, Jesus Christ, salvation, The Gospel | No Comments »
Rich churches, camels and such (redux)
I have been thinking a lot lately how grossly rich our churches are here in America – and how we are ok with that. We are driven to the next novelty and the next programmatic push, simply because we can. We have redeemed our tickets at Pleasure Island and we do not even know what we have made of ourselves – mainly because most everyone else looks just like us.
We want.
That is the nature of us – we want.
more lights
more electronics
more leather
more space
more numbers
more control
more praise
more me
I am reminded that Jesus said, “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
Then, I wonder about a whole caravan of them . . . Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in "Ruminations", Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | Tags: Chief End, Christianity, Churchianity, God, Humility, Pride, salvation, Worship | 4 Comments »
It has officially begun . . .
The Church plant that is to take place this year, Lord willing, on the East side of Raleigh (likely the Knightdale area) has officially begun. Well, it had officially begun along time ago, but now we have filed. The name that is registered with the NC Secretary of State for the church plant is Sovereign Christ Church.
We pray that even the name begins to communicate what we are about. We are called to make disciples of Jesus, our Sovereign Lord. He is the Head of the Church – no man. There is no pyramid-like hierarchy where one man presides over another. Rather, whereas some are further down the road of maturity, all are on the same path; all men and women in the fold of Christ are sheep – there is no division of class between leaders and laymen, no more than there is a division of class within the Trinity, since the images of roles, yet equality of the Triune Godhead are imprinted on the Church, as in the family; there is only One Good Shepherd, the rest are hirelings, who themselves depend on the Good Shepherd and will give account to.
We are Christ’s, not our own. We are dependent on grace. We are unworthy, but chosen. We are seeking satisfaction in Christ, in God – not in ourselves.
We are broken that this has begun. Might He be pleased in all we do, for it is unto Him that it is all done.
Pray for us, pray with us and celebrate the sovereign majesty of our Lord – may He come soon.
More to come . . .
Posted in One as Another, Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | Tags: Church, Ecclesiology, Jesus Christ, Paradigm Shift, Sovereign Christ Church | 7 Comments »
