Putting on the New Man

The New Year – the time that we typically talk about resolutions and turning over new leaves. We set goals for weight loss, exercise, spiritual disciplines, and spending time with family and friends. Setting goals is always good, even if many resolutions are dropped by February.
For our next worship service, we’re going to have a slightly different focus to bring in the New Year. Instead of focusing on turning a new leave, we’re going to focus on putting on the new man. And we’re going to hear a lot from our church family during this time.
Please plan on joining us promptly at 10:30. Instead of our normal praise and worship and time, we will have an opportunity to discuss in small groups ideas about putting on the new man. Then at 11, we’ll enjoy the benefit of each group’s discussion as we worship God together.

Christmas Through the Eyes of Little Munchkins

In our sermon series, we've been looking at Christmas through the eyes of various characters in the original Christmas story. We ended the series as a church on Christmas Eve with "Christmas Through the Eyes of Dublin Bible Church." Although we were out of town for this event, all reports I've had are that it was a great way to cap off our series.

Instead of being with my church family, Lynne and I were with her family in Kansas City (I'm in the KC airport as I write, waiting for my flight to Atlanta so that I can then drive to Dallas for a week of class). We brought Lynne's parents from St. Louis to her brother's family north of KC. We even got the treat of the most snow on Christmas Day in KC since before I was born.

The delight of our trip was being with our nieces, Elise (6) and Megan (4). We got to see Christmas through the eyes of these two munchkin bundles of fun. Of course they were excited about the presents (happily, they enjoyed giving as much as receiving). But at several turns throughout the week, we asked them in different ways what Christmas means. Without fail, they responded that we're celebrating the birth of Jesus, who came in order to pay for our sins on the Cross.

We thought we were teaching them.

After a wonderful Christmas dinner of prime rib, Elise asked if we were going to have some sort of party for Jesus' birthday. Quickly, their mother (Talli) said, "Sure!" I could tell that nothing was already planned, but that we couldn't miss this opportunity. So, we took the Christmas cake, put candles in it, and the girls led us in singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

How simply logical. If the holiday is really about celebrating His birth, we should do what we do for birthdays. You can't help but appreciate how their way of "Jesus is the Reason for the Season" is more immediate and rational than all the theologically didactic ways we can construct. We absolutely must teach them, and their request was born out of the more didactic moments. But Christmas through their eyes also means we should sing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.

They were teaching us.

May this be a wonderful birthday party for Jesus in your home this year.

Q of the Day: Which OT event is very similar to the exchange between the angel and Mary, including dialog?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:9-21.

Third, answer the following question: Let's see who has OT chops - which Old Testament event is very similar to the exchange between the angel and Mary, including dialog?

Q of the Day: Considering all the prophecies, what kinds of emotions would angels likely be having as the birth of Christ approaches?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:11-38; 2:9-21. Then read Matthew 1:20-24; 2:13-19.

Third, answer the following question: Considering all the prophecies already given in the Old Testament about the Christ, what kinds of emotions would angels likely be having as the birth of Christ approaches?

Q of the Day: How do Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph respond differently to the angel?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1. Then read Matthew 1.

Third, answer the following question: How do Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph respond differently to the angel?

Q of the Day: What is the significance of the angels "leaving" when they did in Luke 2 v 15?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-15.

Third, answer the following question: What is the significance of the angels "leaving" when they did in 2:15?

Q of the Day: How do we oppose Jesus like his enemies did?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 1 - click here.

Second, read John 1:1-18.

Third, answer the following question: Herod opposed Jesus politically. The Pharisees opposed him religiously. Satan opposed him spiritually. The world opposed him personally. Are there ways that we do each of these, too?

A Silent Ministry Within the Church

For those in the DBC family, I want to make sure you're aware of something that our youth and children are doing this Christmas season.

You are aware that church-wide, we are "reverse decorating" our Christmas tree to raise funds for the Friends of Christ orphanage in Kenya. This has been a successful project every year to raise much-needed support for the many needs for our Kenyan orphans.

The youth and children have a project of their own this year. They have selected a family in Dublin (a mother with four young children) to help with their financial needs. They are collecting food items and small Christmas gifts to wrap and present to this family after the youth and children's Christmas party on Dec 20.

They want to be careful to not interfere with the Angel Tree project, but I'm sure they would also appreciate any help you can provide - some canned goods, a small toy, anything that a young family might need.

Mainly, though, I want to make sure that you are aware of one of the "silent" projects that the youth and children's ministries have taken on.

I'm grateful for that entire team. I pray that their leadership will instill a habit of giving and generosity in our young people, so that they learn these habits from the start (rather than having to "unlearn" them as adults in order to be generous).

Q of the Day: How did the "world" react to the event of Christmas? Why?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 1 - click here.

Second, read John 1:1-18.

Third, answer the following question: How did the "world" react to the event of Christmas? Why?

Q of the Day: If Satan knows he's defeated, why does he keep trying?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 4 - click here.

Second, read Luke 4:1-13.

Third, answer the following question: If Satan knows he's defeated, why does he keep trying?

Q of the Day: It's easy to bash Herod, but in what ways do you identify with him?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: It's easy to bash Herod, but in what ways do you identify with him?

Q of the Day: How do the magi and the shepherds both specifically represent what Jesus will become?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here, and

Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12 and Luke 1:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: How do the magi and the shepherds both specifically represent what Jesus will become?

Q of the Day: What elements does the account of the Magi add to the Christmas story?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12.

Third, answer the following question: What elements does the account of the Magi add to the Christmas story?

Q of the Day: Does it bother you that pagan spiritists are so prominent in Christ's birth narrative?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 2 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 2:1-12.

Third, answer the following question: Does it bother you that pagan spiritists are so prominent in Christ's birth narrative?

Q of the Day: What the particular value of including the shepherds?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:1-20.

Third, answer the following question: In God's complex scheme of how the Christ child was announced, what's the particular value of including these shepherds?

Can we witness to someone we're boycotting?

Ahhh, the Christmas season - the lights, the sounds, the songs, ..., and the bickering about whether businesses are or are not using the word "Christmas" in their advertising.

Many Christians are moved to boycott businesses that avoid the word "Christmas" when advertising for their biggest selling season of the year. (Indeed, many businesses get half of their annual revenue during this season.) The point the boycotters make is that there are still plenty of people in this country who are not ashamed of the Christian angle to Christmas. There have been several advertising reversals lately because of these boycotts.

If that's your reaction, you are free to do so. But please consider two things:

1. How can we witness to someone we're boycotting? Or, perhaps I should say, "What kind of witness do we have to those we boycott?" Clearly, the boycotts pressure companies into a response, and a response they don't make willingly. So, their interaction with Christians is adversarial. How receptive would they then be to the real message of Christmas?
2. By boycotting, aren't we just reinforcing the false idea that Christmas is all about money? Boycotting "works" because it hits businesses in the pocketbooks. A boycott says that one party will financially pressure another party until they take the desired action - using money to coerce a response. Suddenly, the debate over Christmas is about revenue, not Christ. And the boycott helped make it that way. A boycott threatens to "take away" Christmas (financially) from a business, and in the process takes away Christmas spiritually.

There are times for boycotts - I'm not against them in principle. However, I question the overall effect of these particular boycotts. They may "work" in the short-term, but do they really advance the Kingdom of God?

For me, Christmas will be Christmas whether or not Acme Clothing Company uses the word "Christmas" in their commercials. I don't think forcing them to use the word will draw anyone closer to Christ. In fact, it may only help to promote the idea that Christmas is just about shopping. Maybe it's better they don't use the word Christmas for luring shoppers in.

Jesus condemned false religion, where people worshiped Him with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. When an advertiser is forced to use the word "Christmas" (not even the word "Christ"!), he has "honored" Christmas with his lips, not his heart. We're promoting false homage (and not even to a Person, but to a holiday).

The message of Christmas is our responsibility to get out - not the advertisers.

Q of the Day: What is the temple experiencing in Luke 2 that it hasn't experienced since Ezekiel 10?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40.

Third, answer the following question: What is the temple experiencing that it hasn't experienced since Ezekiel 10?

Q of the Day: What is ironic about "presenting" the baby Jesus to the Lord?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40

Third, answer the following question: What is ironic about "presenting" the baby Jesus to the Lord?

Q of the Day: What other episodes do you remember that involve Jesus and the temple?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 2:22-40

Third, answer the following question: What other episodes do you remember that involve Jesus and the temple?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Joseph?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 1:18-25 - click here.

Second, read Matthew 1:18-25.

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Joseph?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Mary?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1-2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:26-2:52

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Mary?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Elizabeth?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1-2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:5-17, 39-45.

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Elizabeth?

Q of the Day: What do you think it must have been like to be Zechariah?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 1-2 - click here.

Second, read Luke 1:5-25.

Third, answer the following question: What do you think it must have been like to be Zechariah?

Q of the Day: How is Psalm 67 Messianic?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Psalm 67- click here.

Second, read Psalm 67.

Third, answer the following question: How is Psalm 67 Messianic?

Q of the Day: What is the expected result of being blessed (Psa 67)?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Psalm 67- click here.

Second, read Psalm 67.

Third, answer the following question: What is the expected result of being blessed?

Q of the Day: What does the Psalmist request from God in Psalm 67?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Psalm 67- click here.

Second, read Psalm 67.

Third, answer the following question: What does the Psalmist request from God?

Q of the Day: Who else is blessed in Eph 1:3-14?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Ephesians 1- click here.

Second, read Ephesians 1:3-14.

Third, answer the following question: Who else is blessed in this passage?

Q of the Day: What is the one main thing Paul prays for in Eph 1:15-23?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Ephesians 1- click here.

Second, read Ephesians 1:15-23.

Third, answer the following question: What is the one main thing Paul prays for? Why is that significant?

Q of the Day: What is the significance of the verb tense for "blessed" in Eph 1:3?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Ephesians 1 - click here.

Second, read Ephesians 1:3-14.

Third, answer the following question: What is the significance of the verb tense for "blessed" in verse 3?

Q of the Day: Find the Trinity in Eph 1:3-14. What is said about each Member?

irst, open the following link in a new window to get to Ephesians 1 - click here.

Second, read Ephesians 1:3-14.

Third, answer the following question: Find the Trinity in this passage. What is said about each Member?

Q of the Day: Is Luke 12:35-48 talking about unready Christians or non-Christians?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 12 - click here.

Second, read Luke 12:35-48.

Third, answer the following question: Is Jesus talking about unready Christians or non-Christians?

Soup Kitchen??? Me???

It's coming up on DBC's turn to serve the Soup Kitchen this weekend. We do this every month that has 5 Saturdays, and we take that last Saturday. Other churches are helping out on the other Saturdays.

I'm grateful for those who are involved in the Soup Kitchen frequently, including our youth, who do a great job of ministering to the kids at the Soup Kitchen. I want to especially thank Cynthia Mickler and Janice Stevens for the leadership they have provided over the last few years we've been involved.

I also want to encourage those of you who have not helped with the Soup Kitchen to help out. There are many ways to get involved, depending on your giftedness and availability. None of the jobs are all that demanding. We need shoppers to buy the groceries (at the church's expense), sandwich makers, food servers, people to play with the kids, and people willing to share Christ. The sandwich making is something that can happen in your own home or at DBC.

If you can help, please contact Cynthia.

I encourage participation in the Soup Kitchen for several reasons:

• There is a clear need in our community.
• Christ instructs us to help those in need.
• We have a sinful racial barrier in our town, and serving the Soup Kitchen is a chance for DBC to help break down that barrier. The Soup Kitchen happens in a part of town that's primarily African American, hosted by a predominantly African American church. By crossing this bridge, we are doing a part to tear down sinful walls in our city.
• Helping those in need, some of whom never thank us, helps us to get outside of ourselves and our self-serving pursuits. It requires us to take on Christ's humility (Philippians 2:1-11).
• We have seen spiritual ministry opportunities open up to young and old. Because someone made a sandwich and someone else served it, another person got to share Christ with someone who didn't know Him. That's happened several times.
• People know DBC as a teaching church. I want us to also be known as a doing church.

If you have never been involved, would you please make it your goal to be involved at least one time in the next 3 opportunities we have (Oct 31, Jan 30, May 29)?

# # #

I want to thank all those who have prayed and contributed to help Calvin from the youth group get the help he needs at Teen Challenge. All of the money has been raised, and he should enter this week. Now that his faith is in Christ, he has access to the power he needs to be freed from the bondage he's had in his life. I'm grateful he has been so willing to share his needs with us. The Youth Group will visit Calvin on visitation day on occasion.

Q of the Day: How can we be blessed if we're being mistreated?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 6 - click here.

Second, read Luke 6:22-23.

Third, answer the following question: How can we be blessed if we're being mistreated?

Q of the Day: What is the blessing for those who remain alert?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 12:35-40 - click here.

Second, read Luke 12:35-40.

Third, answer the following question: What is the awesome blessing for those who remain alert? What does it mean?

Q of the Day: What can we do specifically to "be alert"?

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 12:35-40 - click here.

Second, read Luke 12:35-40.

Third, answer the following question: What can we do specifically to "be alert"?

Q of the Day: "Am I avoiding or embracing God's discipline?"

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Hebrews 12- click here.

Second, read Hebrews 12:4-13.

Third, answer the following question: Are there ways I'm avoiding God's discipline? How can I embrace it more?

Q of the Day: "Which errors to avoid in Heb 12:5-6?"

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Hebrews 12- click here.

Second, read Hebrews 12:4-13.

Third, answer the following question: What two errors does the proverb in vv. 5-6 seek to avoid?

Feel free to leave comments to discuss this question with others.

Q of the Day: "What is 'discipline'?"

(The video portion of the Question of the Day is being laid aside for a while.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Hebrews 12- click here.

Second, read Hebrews 12:4-13.

Third, answer the following question: What does "discipline" refer to in this passage?

Feel free to leave comments to discuss this question with others.

Q of the Day: "Which battle?"

(The video portion of the Question of the Day is being laid aside for a while.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Hebrews 12 - click here.

Second, read Hebrews 12:4-13.

Third, answer the following question: This entire passage is designed to help believers fight which particular battle? (And which verse reveals this?)

Feel free to leave comments to discuss this question with others.

Video Question of the Day, 10/15/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Psalm 1 - click here.

Second, read Psalm 1.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What are the three blessings for those who walk in God's wisdom?"

God Will Get Holiness

The Christian life would have quite a few less bumps and bruises if we would realize just one simple truth: God will get holiness from us. It is an undeniable biblical truth. He will get it, and He will get it from us.

When we are born from above into new life, God commits Himself to the process of making us perfectly holy (as C.S. Lewis points out in Mere Christianity). Whether we bargain for it or now, whether we are aware of it or not, whether we want it or not, God obligates Himself to the task of making us perfectly holy. We are declared holy when we are born from above, but we are made holy through this process over the rest of our lives on earth. (This is the classic distinction between justification and sanctification.)

That means that God, being God, will get what He wants. And what He wants from us is perfect holiness. So, that's exactly what He's going to get. Since He commits Himself to the process, we know it will not fail.

When we work against this process, we get the bumps and bruises. When we make decisions that are contrary to the process God has unfailingly committed Himself to, we are going to get bruised up, because we will be constantly banging into the unshakable process of God.

It's not a question of if God will get holiness from you, but how. He gives us choices on the how part of the process. If we welcome God's work in our lives to identify, raise, expose, and make us face our sin so that He can work it out of us, then we are cooperating with His process. If we deny our sin, or resist God's process of showing us our sin, or refuse to let Him work freely to work that sin out of us, we are working against the process. But the process will succeed, with our without our help.

Whenever someone discovers something ugly about themselves that they want to ignore, I say that they are blessed, because God has chosen this particular time to bring up this issue that has been part of that sinful mess for years. Right then is the time that God wants to work that out of us. God is at work! It may be uncomfortable, but it's more comfortable than constantly banging up against God's unstoppable process!

Give God free reign. When He exposes your sin, don't try to hide or pretend it's not there. Thank God for showing it to you so that it can be dealt with. And then work alongside God in dealing with it.

You'll have a whole lot fewer bruises that way.

Video Question of the Day, 10/14/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 11 - click here.

Second, read Luke 11:27-28.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How is it that Mary is truly blessed?"

Video Question of the Day, 10/13/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Ecclesiastes 10 - click here.

Second, read Ecclesiastes 10:8-20.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What does verse 17 tells us about how we should vote?"

Question of the Day, 10/12/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 11.

Matthew 11.

Second, read Matthew 11:2-6.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What does it mean to be blessed for not stumbling over Christ (sometimes translated, "takes no offense at Me")?"

Question of the Day, 10/8/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Isaiah 30.

Isaiah 30.

Second, read Isaiah 30:18-23.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Those who wait on the Lord will be blessed. But who else in this passage is waiting for something? For what?"

The YGRV

What is the YGRV? The "Youth Group Revised Version." Heretical? Not at all.

The youth were studying Romans 2:17-29, which was is written to Jews who treat the externals of their religion as if they were sufficient for true faith. Paul soundly criticizes an "externals only" attitude. But how they studied it is actually a great technique to understand Scripture for anyone at any age.

The youth broke off into two teams and rewrote this passage to an audience of modern-day teenage Christians. It was a difficult exercise, but the results were excellent. Both teams clearly understood the passage because they so clearly reiterated the main ideas in modern language and circumstances. (You might even ask one of them about what they wrote.)

Here's the best part - I didn't have to teach a thing! They taught the passage to themselves. That's exactly what we want to create in all believers - the ability to study and understand Scripture on your own. Without it being an exercise "to learn how to study Scripture on your own," that's exactly what they did.

The lesson for us: One way to understand a passage is to try to rewrite it with modern trappings and language, without losing the meaning. If you can do with some level of accuracy, then you're obviously understanding the passage.

Question of the Day, 10/7/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Isaiah 30.

Isaiah 30.

Second, read Isaiah 30:18-23.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What are the blessings in this passage for those who wait on the Lord?"

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Isaiah 30.

Isaiah 30.

Second, read Isaiah 30:18-23.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How can the Lord of justice be the one who wants to have compassion on us?"

Question of the Day, 10/5/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Isaiah 30.

Isaiah 30.

Second, read Isaiah 30:18-23.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What does it mean to wait on the Lord?"

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Are the blessings described rewards or the natural consequences of being that kind of person?"

Question of the Day, 9/30/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How do the Beatitudes fit in with the overall purpose of the Sermon on the Mount?"

Question of the Day, 9/29/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5, and another for Luke 6.

Matthew 5.

Luke 6.

Second, Matthew 5:1-12 with Luke 6:17-36.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How are the Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain different?"

Question of the Day, 9/28/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Are these blessings for actions or attributes?"

What about those who have never heard, part 2

Last week, we began discussing the question about those who have never heard the Gospel - do they have any chance to be saved? There were some really good comments and ideas, both on the blog (http://colbykinser.blogspot.com) and the mirror blog on Facebook.

Those discussions mentioned that God is in charge of who is born where and when, that no one (not even Old Testament saints) will be with Christ forever except for His atoning blood, and the fact that God has not left any people group without a witness. God clearly holds people accountable for the amount of revelation that He gives them, but does not hold them accountable for revelation He has not yet given them.

These are all valid points, but don't definitively answer the question. I'm not sure any argument can answer the question once and for all.

However, if God does not hold people accountable for more revelation than He gives them, why then is it so imperative that we bring the Gospel to those who have not heard? Aren't we just making them more accountable for more revelation?

What do you think?

Question of the Day, 9/23/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 13.

Matthew 13.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How is the small group different than the larger group? Than the prophets and saints?"

Question of the Day, 9/24/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 20.

John 20.

Second, read John 20:24-31.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How are the people more blessed than Thomas?"

Question of the Day, 9/22/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Can we do something in order to be blessed?"

Question of the Day, 9/21/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 5.

Matthew 5.

Second, read Matthew 5:1-12.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What does it mean to be blessed?"

What about those who have never heard?

A perennial question, and one that can be a barrier for some to completely embrace Christ. If salvation is through Christ alone, what about those who live in a place and a time where they can't hear about Christ? Are they to be eternally judged because they don't embrace Him, even though there's no news of Him where they are?

This is an enormous question, and we can't answer it all in one blog, obviously. But I'd like to take a few blogs to explore the question.

The first is to consider the following truth: God never reveals too little for us to be able to accomplish His will for us. In other words, God does not expect us to respond to revelation that He has not given us.

Romans 1:18-23 says that God's invisible attributes are made evident through everyone through Creation. Acts 14:17 says that God did not leave any people group without a witness based on His acts of provision. So, God does give a responsible amount of revelation to everyone, and in both of these passages in context, He holds people accountable for how they respond to the amount of revelation they have received.

This does not fully answer this amazing question, but it does lay down one very important principle that we must remember: God never reveals too little for us to be able to respond to Him in a way that He expects.

Question of the Day, 9/17/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 15.

Luke 15

Second, read Luke 15:11-32.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What is the one main point of the parable?"

Question of the Day, 9/16/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 15.

Luke 15

Second, read Luke 15:11-32.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Is the parable in Luke 15.11-32 about the prodigal son, the father, or the older brother?"

Question of the Day, 9/15/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 15.

Luke 15

Second, read Luke 15.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How are the three parables in Luke 15 different?"

Question of the Day, 9/14/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 15.

Luke 15

Second, read Luke 15.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How are the three parables in Luke 15 related?"

Question of the Day, 9/10/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Psalm 7.

Psalm 7

Second, read Psalm 7:6.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Where would we be without God's anger?"

Question of the Day, 9/9/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to James 1.

James 1

Second, read James 1:19-20.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Is anger a choice?"

What is the Gospel?

We have just begun a series with the Youth in Romans, and as we look at chapter 1:1-17, we see that Paul is anxious to preach the Gospel to those in Rome. But wait ... he's writing to Christians. Why would he want to preach the Gospel to Christians?

That depends on what the Gospel is in the first place.

If we take the somewhat common approach that the Gospel is the message of "how to get saved," then Paul isn't making any sense. And based on all that Paul wrote, especially the book of Romans, Paul doesn't seem like the kind of guy who rambles nonsensical platitudes.

Clearly, the Gospel is more than just the message of salvation.

One way to approach the question of "what is the Gospel?" is to just read the entire book of Romans. That's the Gospel! More than just the message of guilt ("for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," 3:23) and justification (being declared righteous before God, 5:1), the Gospel includes sanctification (the lifelong process of being conformed into the image of Christ, 8:29). The Gospel includes walking by the Spirit (8:1-11). The Gospel includes exercising the giftedness God has given us for the purpose of building up His Church (12:3-8). The Gospel includes being transformed by the renewing of our minds (12:1-2).

In other words, the "Gospel" is the message of the entire Christian life. The whole package. Not just "getting in" but also the whole journey that ensues. The Gospel is the message of an entire life yielded to God for His glory.

Paul was anxious to preach the Gospel to people who were already saved because the Gospel includes so much more than just getting saved.

If you claim the Gospel, I encourage you to remember the fullness of the Gospel you are claiming.

Question of the Day, 9/8/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 2.

John 2

Second, read John 2:12-17.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Did Jesus react out of anger?"

Question of the Day, 9/7/09

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Ephesians 4.

Ephesians 4

Second, read Ephesians 4:25-32.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What is Paul telling us to do about anger?"

Question of the Day, 9/3/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to John 2.

John 2

Second, read John 2:23-25.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What do Jesus' doubts teach us about our doubts?"

A good use for Twitter?

For a long time, I've failed to see the value of the microblogging service Twitter (http://twitter.com). People have used it to chronicle their day, but I'm not necessarily interested in what you are buying at the grocery store, thank you very much. Athletes and stars have used it to communicate with their fans, but I don't find what stars are buying at the grocery store particularly interesting, either.

But then I came across a statement from Rick Warren, who was in turn referring to a comment by John Piper. These well-respected pastors have been using Twitter not to record what happens during their day, but the various thoughts they have on Scripture, theology, and good Christian literature. Now that sounded interesting and valuable to me.

My only problem is that my thoughts are usually not all that deep!

What I've decided to do is "tweet" various thoughts that come to mind as I prepare for the upcoming sermon, or prepare for the youth Bible study, or even ideas that come to mind during my Quiet Time. I figure that even if no one else benefits from it, it does me some good to put the thoughts into writing and find a concise way to say it. I've enjoyed some benefit from it already, and hardly anyone is "following" me on Twitter.

If you want to follow, you can do it two ways - with a Twitter account and without. With a Twitter account, just search for "ColbyKinser" and start following. You can then follow those tweets online or on your mobile phone. Without a Twitter account, use a browser to visit http://twitter.com/ColbyKinser.

You can also follow other people, like Piper and Warren. Just search for people that might be tweeting interesting ideas. I'm just beginning to start my collection of interesting tweeters.

The tweeting also relates to what I blogged about last week, creating the video "Question of the Day." See the blog for Aug 26 for information about the QOD.

Question of the Day, 9/2/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 24.

Luke 24

Second, read Luke 24:36-53.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"How does Jesus respond to His disciples when they doubt?"

Question of the Day, 9/1/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Luke 24.

Luke 24

Second, read Luke 24:36-53.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"Why would the disciples assume that Jesus was a ghost rather than the resurrected Christ?"

Question of the Day, 8/31/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Romans 14.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Rom&chapter=14

Second, read Romans 14:13-23.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

"What is the benefit of doubt in Romans 14:23?"

Question of the Day, 8/27/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 4.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=4

Second, do the same thing to also bring up Deuteronomy 6.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Deu&chapter=6

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

Question of the Day, 8/26/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Exodus 20.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Exo&chapter=20

Second, look at verse 20.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

An Experiment for You to be Involved with Sermon Preparation

I'm just toying with an idea, and I welcome your feedback.

The idea is simple. Three or four times a week, I would post a video question on this blog related to passages and topics that have to do with the upcoming sermon. You can click on the passage to get the relevant Scripture handy, then click "Play," and then get a question that will be addressed in the sermon coming up on Sunday.

There is a place for you to add your own comments and thoughts on the blog, and discuss together online what you think the answer to the question might be.

I will not give the answer on the blog! I don't want to pre-empt your discussion.

There are a few questions posted already for you to check out and experiment with along with me. Just look at other recent posts on this blog. (Sadly, the thumbnail picture that the blog randomly chooses from the video feed is not always a flattering shot of me!)

If you are reading this blog through Facebook, the video won't carry over into the Facebook blog mirror. So, just go to http://colbykinser.blogspot.com and help yourself.

Again, this is just an idea I'm toying with. I'm curious to see what happens if you have a running dialog with my sermon preparation process.

As always, I'm open to constructive criticism.

Question of the Day, 8/25/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to Matthew 10.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Mat&chapter=10

Second, look at verse 28.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day. (If you're looking at this through Facebook, there will be no video - instead, click here to go to the full blog.)

Question of the Day, 8/24/09

(The following is just an experiment - don't know if I want to commit to doing this, but I'm toying with the idea.)

First, open the following link in a new window to get to 1 John 4.

http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=1Jo&chapter=4

Second, look at verse 14.

Third, click play on the following video to get the question of the day.

Health Plan

I think it's official. I believe I have now received more emails about the healthcare plan that's being debated across the nation than about any other topic. I receive emails for this and against that, fearful of this, reassuring of that - a non-stop parade of emails. What's a person to think about the whole mess?

By no means will I suggest to you how you should feel about the plan itself. I would not take away the responsibility from you to learn about this and think it through for yourself. But there are some thoughts about the manner in which we should consider this whole mess.

• God does not belong to a particular political party. He is not partisan in that regard. He does not reveal to us any directive on whether the government should be big or small, should deal with healthcare or not, hold the power at the federal level or at the state level. There are no biblical directives on these questions per se.
• God does reveal that governments do have specific responsibilities and should operate in certain ways. Governments should promote the good and deter the bad. They should treat citizens with fairness, and especially protect the vulnerable. They should protect civil order. Basic guidelines, but nothing specific along the political spectrum. Theoretically, those basic goals could be achieved by government doing something or getting out of the way (not to suggest that either is better than the other).
• God's people have successfully served under the worse kinds of governments. See Joseph, Daniel, and Paul for prime examples. No matter what government does, Christians can serve faithfully.
• God wants us to be salt and light for our communities and societies.
• God wants us to always act in a Christlike manner as we go about this business. He wants us to always speak in a Christlike manner. Some of the emails I've seen from Christians have been very un-Christlike.
• There is a tremendous amount of misinformation coming out from both sides of this debate. No side is vastly more accurate than the other, based on my observation. Therefore, in order for us to hold Christ-honoring opinions, we must do the best we can to sift through the misinformation, to examine the source of each piece information we get (whether or not it reflects our own opinion), and to hear both sides in order to try to discern where the truth is. You can even read the text of the bill yourself (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h3200/text).
• The Church has a biblical responsibility to help the poor and vulnerable, especially those who are willing to work. Now, this may or may not include providing healthcare insurance through business or government, but it is a truth that we must deal with before forming our opinions. The position that we each hold must in all honesty consider our biblical obligations.
• We should let our congressmen know what we think and why. If a Christian does not communicate his or her views to the ones who are charged with representing them, then he or she is forfeiting one of the best tools available to have the law reflect the will of the people.
• There are other ways to make your views known: letters to the editor, blogs, call-in shows, public meetings, and so on. But, whenever we take these public avenues, our words and actions should reflect Christ in content and in manner. In other words, what we say and how we say it must be Christlike.
• We must separate what parts of our views are based on biblical standards and which are political preferences. It's OK to have political preferences, but they must be consistent with Scripture and they must not be confused with Scripture.
  

I have good, respectable, Christian friends who differ widely on this issue. Each of them has some good reasons for the view that he or she holds. I have my opinions, but I do want to sort through and make sure my views are formed by biblical truth, and I want to sift out the portions of my views that are just political preference.

Errors?

One of the common charges leveled against the Bible is that we don't have the original documents (technically called the "manuscripts" or "autographs"), and therefore many errors from the originals have been introduced through generations of copies of copies. This charge tries to undermine the reliability of the Bibles we hold in our hands, and therefore give an excuse to discount the entire Bible, and therefore all of Christianity.

Believe it or not, the charge got part of it right.

It is true that we have not (yet) uncovered any of the original documents penned by Paul, James, Peter, Matthew, John, and so on. It is also true that what we do have are copies and copies of copies. It is also true that in the process of copying, changes have been introduced. It's not that hard to demonstrate that some copyists did not do a perfect job. Some find that fact unnerving; others claim that this undermines the reliability of our Bibles.

So how can we rely on the Bible at all?

Here are the facts:

• We have over 5000 ancient copies and fragments of the Bible. This is orders of magnitudes more copies than any other ancient document (which we also consider to be accurate to the originals). Just a few copies are enough to demonstrate authenticity, but we have an embarrassing wealth of manuscript evidence for the Bible.
• The copies we have are much closer in age to the originals than other ancient documents. The earliest copies we have are just a generation or two removed from the original, whereas for most other important ancient documents, the copies we possess are hundreds of years removed from the originals.
• We also have a wealth of ancient Christian writings that allude to or even quote the early copies of the Bible. This means that we have early, separate testimony to the content of the original texts.
• We have early copies in a few different languages. Through backward translation, we get yet another angle on the content of the early manuscripts.
• These copies and fragments can be collected into "families." This means that we can group most texts into categories that help us trace back the history of copying the texts (a process called "transmission").
• Variations ("variants") do exist. When comparing copies and families, there are some differences.
• The differences are minor. Almost all of the differences are so minor as to cause no concern whatsoever. For example, one copy may say "the Lord Jesus Christ" where another copy may say "Jesus Christ our Lord." The differences do not affect the meaning at all, or in a very insignificant way. Another example is "our Lord" compared to "your Lord" (just one letter different in Greek as well as in English). They mean slightly different things, but both options are true, and in context, the difference doesn't change the meaning of the sentence.
• No major doctrine is in question. For those differences that are a little more significant, we still have zero doctrinal issues in question. In other words, the variants don't threaten to undermine any important plank of our belief system.
• The variants are well-documented. No one is trying to hide anything! All the known variants are documented, including which manuscripts contain which variant. All the data is there for everyone who wants to examine.
• There are methods and procedures for determining which variant is most likely original. There are several different considerations that scholars use to make educated conclusions on which variant is most likely to be correct. Scholars often also have a "confidence" rating for their choices, and give reasons why their confidence is high or low on a particular choice.
• The criteria for choosing are not theological, but linguistic. Scholars don't prefer variants just because they favor a particular view. They look at things like context, how the author uses similar phrases in other locations, what explanation best explains how all the variants for a word could have arisen, and other literary markers. The only theological considerations would be comparing a word to the theological points that the same author makes elsewhere, but that's only one of many factors considered.
• Using purely linguistic criteria, scholars conclude that we have more than 99% of the original texts reproduced. As you can see, the impact of the variants is on less than 1% of the texts, and in a majority of those cases, the difference in meaning is negligible or non-existent.
• We have every reason to believe that we have 100% in hand. The preponderance of evidence suggests that somewhere in all our copies, we possess 100% of the originals. The only question is which variant is original in a given case - the question is not whether or not we have a copy of the original.
• For every verse, we know where the variants are. The importance of this is that when we study a particular word or verse, we don't have to wonder whether or not this word is reliable. If there are no variants, we're set. If there is, then we can turn to the scholars to see their reasons for choosing one variant over another, and then see what the other possibilities are. I've yet to see any case where any of the options would affect what I believe or the theology I hold.

So, the critics got part of the facts right, but not all the facts, and therefore they drew the wrong conclusions. The right conclusions are that we can in fact rely on our Bibles that we have today. We do not possess copies of copies that are irretrievably changed from the originals - we have gotten extremely close to the exact originals. On any given word in the Bible, we know if a variant exists and what the possible options are. No doctrine is at risk. We have bankable copies of God's Word!

We need not be afraid of any accusation leveled against God's Word. Rather than pretend like variations don't exist, we just simply need to learn more facts. More truth always leads us to more reliability of God's Word.

So Where Does the Desire to Sin Come From?

We asked this question last week and invited you to respond. There were several brave souls who pondered aloud, with not a few differences in opinions. See last week's post and see the comments (either on my "Notes" in Facebook or on http://colbykinser.blogspot.com).

Many noted that God created us with the freedom to choose. Certainly, without the freedom to choose, then our glorification of God is empty, the praise of mere automatons. But with the freedom to choose also comes the ability to sin - the ability to do something against God's will. Without freedom to choose, sin is impossible. True, but freedom to choose brings the ability to sin, not necessarily the desire to sin. Freedom does not explain the origin of the desire to sin.

Also, many noted that the desire to sin came from the desire to be independent from God or to be equal to God. These are, in fact, root issues with sin. Certainly, if we did not desire to be independent from God, a vast majority of sin would never occur (if not all of it - just playing it cautious, here). But this does not explain the origin of the desire to sin - it merely describes it in more detail. The desire to be independent from God is itself the desire to sin, so we can't explain the origin of something by describing it in better detail. Where did the original desire come from?

One mentioned a lust for power, which is similar to a desire to be independent from God. Likewise, it describes sin, but doesn't describe it's origin.

Another argued that man invented sin - that it does not exist as an objective reality, but is merely culturally defined. However, I have asked this particular contributor a number of times to answer the question, "It is always wrong to torture babies for fun?" To date, that contributor has not answered this question. I find it untenable to suggest that this particular example is only sinful if a particular society says so (as if any society ever agreed on right and wrong in the first place).

A few noted the very human habit of wanting something merely because it is forbidden. That is certainly the case with us today, in many cases. But I'm not sure that this is a universal attribute of humanity, and it's also not clear if that was a factor in Eden. Yes, Eve wanted the fruit, but it's not necessarily the case that she wanted it because it was forbidden. So, this remains a viable answer, but hard to establish definitively.

A tandem team offered the idea that the desire to sin comes from a longing for God. This is most intriguing - explaining sin by means of the goodness of creation. This would mean that man was created without sin and without a pure desire to sin. Rather, he was, as Scripture states, created pure and uniquely fashioned in the image of God. That imago Dei (image of God) makes us uniquely capable of a relationship with God and uniquely capable of worshiping Him (we are the only creatures to have theology and doxology, which I cannot fully attribute to mere higher brain function). We were created with a unique capacity and longing for God. We are also uniquely capable of sin. Is there a connection?

It has been argued, and I tend to agree, that all sin can be boiled down to fulfilling God-given desires with God-forbidden means. For example, the sin of acting on one's lust is a misguided effort to fulfill the God-given need for love and companionship. The sin of theft is a misguided attempt to fill the need for the security that is only really found in God. Is it possible, then, that the desire to sin originates from a godly desire, and more specifically, a desire for God?

Eve wanted good things: food, attractive things, and wisdom. That was her desire, and they were godly things to desire. However, she was deceived into pursuing them in ways God had forbidden. Her desire was not a desire to defy God or drive Him away. But she pursued her longing for God in a way that He had prescribed against.

And let's not let Adam off the hook - it's not all Eve's fault. Romans 5 gives the blame to Adam, not Eve, because of his failure in his duties as husband (which is an entirely different topic, discussed in earlier posts).

And it all went downhill from there. Once Man had fallen, his desires fell, too. Now, his desires were as vandalized as the imago Dei he bore. Now the desire to sin would be inherent - human desire was corrupt (except for the Sinless One, who bore human flesh but was without sin).

But, you might observe that Satan fell before Man. How do we explain his desire to sin? We do not have any real, detailed description of these events (despite our over-reliance on Dante for theology). So, we can't really know, but I would venture a guess that we would find a similar origin.

Now ... this is my opinion. Please don't take this as indisputable theology. Actually, once the question came up, I've been shocked by the fact that I've yet to find any scholarly work on this particular question. It may be out there, and I've not spent a lot of time hunting, but it's not readily available in the standard works I refer to. But short of saying that the desire to sin preceded the Fall, which would conflict with all kinds of orthodox doctrine, this is about the only way that I've seen that makes any sense.

Feel free to comment, disagree, propose alternate theories. It's an interesting question, in my opinion. (I would be particularly curious to hear what the tandem team has to say - does this summarize what you were thinking, or does your point go in a different direction?)

Where Did the Desire to Sin Come From?

One of our own was asked this question by a skeptic on an airplane recently, and the answer was not immediately obvious. It's actually a profound question.

We know that sin, as such, does not exist as its own substance. Sin is the absence of something, the vandalization of something, but not its own something. Sin is the absence of good, the act of taking something good and twisting it, profaning it, or otherwise rendering it imperfect. Satan was created completely good, but then twisted himself by trying to make himself equal with God. Adam and Eve were created good, bearing the image of God, but violated God's express will and damaged (but not destroyed) the image of God they bore. Everything that departs from God's perfection is sin.

But this doesn't address the question that was asked. Where did the desire to sin come from?

If Satan was good before sinning, then desiring to sin would be sinful, wouldn't it? If Adam and Eve were really created good, then why would they ever desire to depart from God's express will? Jesus was tempted in every way we are, and yet was without sin - but did He desire to sin?

They were all given the freedom to make choices, and sin was inevitable for mankind, but that doesn't explain where the desire to sin came from. The mere existence of choice does not create desire.

So what I'm going to do with this post is to throw it out there and see what you think. Please feel free to add your own comments as to where you think the desire to sin came from in beings that were sinless at one time.

(All I ask is that you show respect for everyone, that you not become argumentative, that you not criticize anyone else's idea, and that you post only one time. Consider this a survey, not a debate.)

If you'd rather not post your idea publicly, then send me an email.

I'll let this run a week or two, and then summarize my thoughts on the matter.

Showing that Christianity is Authentic

I had a great time with the youth last night probing the authenticity of Christianity.

First, we made up our own religion. I asked several questions about what they wanted their religion to have - from how many gods to whether or not we'd have idols to features of our holy book and what the religion would require of its members. There were two full pages of questions, which were geared toward creating a religion that would attract as many people as possible, and to be the most palatable to us. Plus we just wanted the religion to be a humanly logical as possible.

This may sound like heresy, but first, our students are sharp enough to know what I'm getting at, and second, they were quick to note when what they said wasn't really theologically true.

Then we compared their answers to the features of Christianity, and of course, we came up with a radically different religion than Christianity. We ended up with three "gods" - but they were not complete in themselves. We rejected having any hard-to-fathom realities (like a Trinity, losing your life to save it, a leader who is fully God and fully man), and salvation was based on the whims of the gods, who had to be placated and pleased (especially the "god" who was insecure!). We allowed sin, because that would attract more members. We only had 9 authors of the holy book, and they had to collaborate together in order to get their story straight, and still they had to run their writings past the gods. We would promise potential new members an easy life, not a hard life. There were many more features especially geared toward trying to make our religion popular. (By the way, all infidels are to be burned if they don't accept this religion.)

The point of the exercise was to show that no one would ever make up Christianity. If you were to make up a religion, the chances are incredibly small that you make up something that resembles Christianity. No one would make up a Trinity (a key doctrine that we can't even fully comprehend), no one would write about the first followers of the religion as a bunch of dunderheads (like the apostles are in the Gospels), no one would say you have to die to yourself as part of membership, no one could have a completely consistent holy book written by over 40 different authors over 1500 years from different languages and cultures (and some writing without the knowledge of what the others were writing), and so on down the line. We didn't ground our religion in historical events, because they could be proven wrong. Our "gods" wanted glory because they don't already have all glory. The list goes on. (We say "no one" - theoretically someone could do one or two, but the point is that if you were going to make up a religion, you wouldn't make up all the things Christianity is.)

It was also important to note that the group couldn't agree on the features of the religion. They were all in the same room at the same time from the same culture speaking the same language, and they could not agree on the features of their religion, even when they were told to. Furthermore, not even the three "gods" could agree! Each had their own ego, and they each advocated for the features they wanted, especially those that would benefit the self most.

Christianity is not something that man would make up for himself. It demands too much of the self, it defies our ability to comprehend, it does not allow us to earn anything, it has a holy book that could never be created by a committee but simultaneously bears the marks being written both by God and by men. Christianity is not geared to become as large as possible, but as pure as possible, which automatically means that most people will reject it. It paints its first leaders not as saints but as societal nobodies who get it wrong more than they get it right. You don't make this stuff up.

I found it particularly fascinating that the main leader of this new religion had to be attractive, charismatic, and have a good voice. Scripture is clear that Jesus was plain in appearance. Scripture is also clear that the Antichrist will be particularly good looking and charismatic.

What we did end up with was a religion that resembles every other religion in the world except Christianity. That's no accident.

Prof

I'm mid-week through my class at Dallas Theological Seminary (thanks again for letting me go!). And it's yet another great experience.

The saga of getting here is a very long, complicated, frustrating story that involves very bad weather, some measure of incompetence, some every helpful people, and extra expenses. I won't bore you with the details, but I got to Dallas 24 hours later than scheduled, missing the first full day of class, and the process at times became so frustrating that I was very tempted to just give up and come back to Dublin. However, I'm grateful that the Lord carried me through to enduring.

I've been most excited about taking this class because it is co-taught by one of the most beloved professors at DTS, Dr. Howard Hendricks. Everyone calls him "Prof." All the professors here are "profs," but only Hendricks is universally called "Prof." If you say, "I learned that in Prof's class," everyone knows you're talking about Hendricks' class.

The impact from Prof's ministry over the last several decades is impossible to calculate - he is quoted by hundreds (or thousands) of former students, he's traveled the world many times over teaching, and most likely, he has indirectly impacted your life through one of your pastors who has been directly or indirectly impacted by Prof. He has a building named after him because some generous families wanted to honor his contribution.

Prof is the first to admit that age is starting to overtake him. Well into his 80s, one eye has gone completely bad, his body is slowing down, and even his brilliant mind doesn't have the same razor sharpness it once had - although he still remains sharper than most people you'll ever meet.

I had never met Prof before. We had a reception Tuesday night, and we took turns sitting next to Prof to talk with him one-on-one. One fellow student suddenly turned to me and said, "It's your turn!" I had no idea what to say - I didn't want to treat him like a rock star, I did want to say something meaningful, and I didn't want the conversation to be about me. He immediately asked me to share my story and then I spent the rest of our time finding out about his family.

Today in class, Prof shared an interesting story. When he was a senior at Moody Bible Institute, he was paired with a freshman to mentor (our class this week is on mentoring). This freshman was Jim Eliot, the missionary that became a household name when he was killed at age 28 in 1956 while trying to reach an unreached people group in Ecuador. Prof said that in this pairing of mentor and mentoree, it was the mentoree who mentored the mentor. Even as a college freshman, Eliot was a deeply spiritual, amazingly mature believer - the more senior man, who eventually became one of the most influential seminary professors in our age, was awed by this younger man.

Prof's humility in this way is inspiring. Another one of our students (who also is a professor at my alma mater, Talbot School of Theology) mentioned to Prof that they both teach the same courses. Prof genuinely said, "I wish I could take your class." What a memorable moment for my fellow student.

But it was a simple comment to me in the short time I sat next to him at the reception that was my memorable moment. This man, who has taught and mentored so many fantastic pastors and theologians, looked me in the eye and said, "If there's any way at all that I can help you, just ask." He clearly sees himself as a servant-leader. That is was ministry is all about. With all of his influence, impact, and accomplishments, after helping hundreds of the truly impactful Christian leaders, he hurries to offer his help to a student barely qualified to be in the program.

I'm beginning to learn why so many people love Prof.