Restoring Beauty

I read this today and thought it was definitely worth sharing:

"Let us suppose, in the manner of some romances, that a king was betrothed to a beautiful wife, whose picture was sent to him before he himself saw her. But when she set out on her journey to him, she fell sick of some loathsome disease, such as the smallpox or leprosy.

But suppose that he knew before she came to him that she should be restored to her first primitive beauty, and that even though he knew he would be troubled by her disaster, distemper, or disease, he easily quieted himself for that little space of time in which her infirmity, though greatly disfiguring her, was to continue. For he himself would be her physician, the only one who could cure her and restore her to her first perfect beauty, which he know he could and should do. Thus he would show all love and peace toward her, even though her disease was loathsome, in full hope of her recovery.

This is the case between Christ and the church."

A Habitual Sight of Him: The Christ-centered Piety of Thomas Goodwin

Christ in ALL SCRIPTURE

For the past year, I have been studying Christ in the Old Testament. As a newer Christian, I always saw the Old Testament as a compilation of some cool stories, some hard to understand stories, and a few scattered prophecies about Jesus. More often than not, most churches will only throw random prophecies into their sermons, but will not preach through an Old Testament book. Then, if lucky, you might get a sermon on a whole book of the OT, but without Christ as the center and climax of every sermon. Why does this matter? There is a nasty thing called moralism that will take place. Example: Your pastor preaches on David and Goliath. Your pastor builds up David as this hero of faith who takes down the big challenges in life. The application then becomes, whatever your "big challenge" in life is right now (financial problems, relational problems, loss of a loved one), just have faith like David and you will conquer your own Goliath. This is called moralism. Moralism calls you to add some of your own work to please God, denying that his atoning death on the cross was full payment for your sin, AND his perfect righteousness was transferred to you (2 Cor. 5:21).

The truth is when we are given commands in the New Testament (Work as you are working for Christ, love your wife like Christ loved the Church, etc.), we are bound to fail if we do not understand the indicatives. Throughout Scripture, there is a redemptive story of God being graceful to His people, promising that He would be our God and we would be His people. All of this can only be true in the person and work of Christ, because he alone was the one who lived a perfectly sinless obedient life, and the only one who could be the perfect substitute for us on the cross.

So, when reading the redemptive story, especially in the New Testament, we must look at what Jesus says in Luke 24. iN 24:13-48, after being resurrected from the dead, Jesus appears, first, to a couple dudes on the Road to Emmaus and beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scripture the things concerning himself (v.27). The passage goes on to say that because of this their eyes were opened (v.31) and their hearts burned within them (v.32). Later in Luke 24:44-48, Jesus does the same thing with the disciples.

Yesterday, I heard a lecture from pastors/authors Tim Keller and the late Edmund Clowney on this necessary topic of reading and preaching the Scriptures. The same day, I came across a quote from the lecture in Darrin Patrick's book called Church Planting. The quote is lengthy but is a sweet glimpse into the correct way of interpreting Scripture. Please read and enjoy:

"Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us.

Jesus is the true and better Abel who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out, not for our condemnation, but for acquittal.

Jesus is the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void not knowing whither he went to create a new people of God.

Jesus is the true and better Isaac who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. And when God said to Abraham, "Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love from me," now we can look at God taking his Son up the mountain and sacrificing him and say, "Now we know that you love us because you did not withhold your Son, your only Son, whom you love from us."

Jesus is the true and better Jacob who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us.

Jesus is the true and better Joseph who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them.

Jesus is the true and better Moses who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant.

Jesus is the true and better Rock of Moses who, struck with the rod of god's justice, now gives us water in the desert.

Jesus is the true and better Job, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends.

Jesus is the true and better David whose victory becomes his people's victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.

Jesus is the true and better Esther who didn't just risk leaving an earthly place but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn't just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people.

Jesus is the true and better Jonah who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.

Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real Passover Lamb, innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will passover us. He's the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the true lamb, the true light, the true bread.

The Bible's really not about you, it's about him."

Here are a list of some good resources on Bible interpretation:

Brian Chappell's Christ-Centered Preaching

Tim Keller & Edmund Clowney Audio Class http://itunes.apple.com/us/itunes-u/preaching-christ-in-postmodern/id378879885

Sidney Greidanus's Preaching Christ from the Old Testament

Graeme Goldsworthy's Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture

Graeme Goldsworthy's Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics

Darrin Patrick's Church Planter

Shai Linne http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwR_L5pzX70

The Sad Departure that Leads to Eager Expectation

On Thursday October 14, Jenny and I had our rehearsal dinner for our upcoming wedding. After a sweet night of enjoying good food, friends, and family, I had to leave to go an hour and a half home to San Diego. Jenn and I had a long distance relationship for quite a long time, but the distance never caused any trouble in our relationship. However, on this night, my sad departure would lead to eager expectation. What I mean by that is that on that night I learned one of the coolest lessons God has taught me through her. You see, it was sad because it was a sweet night and we did not want to leave one another, but it led to eager expectation in both of our hearts because the next time I would see her, and she would see me, was when her dad would be walking her down the stairs at our wedding to give me her hand in marriage.

Instantly, when I saw this mixture of sadness and excitement in her eyes, I could not help but think of what Jesus said to his disciples in John 16. Jesus tells his disciples that he would be leaving them soon, that he is returning to the Father (16:5), and that the Spirit will come upon them (16:7). Then, John 16:16 hit home like never before. It says:

A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me."

That night I left and could not get the look on Jenny's face, especially her eyes, out of my head. She knew I had to leave, but at the same time, she knew that the next time we saw one another would be especially sweet. In the same way, Jesus left his disciples, but did not leave them without hope. Our hope, as those justified by the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ, is that Jesus will return to capture his bride (Matt. 24:31; 2 Thess. 1:10). We do not have to live this life filled with sadness because God the Son has left us, but we can have a hope that is sure because our God never lets us down. Our Jesus is preparing his elect a place to live with him and worship him forever (John 14:3). One of my favorite passages about what our life will be like in heaven is Revelation 19:5-10. The Apostle John is having a vision about how Jesus has fulfilled his promise to capture his bride. In the vision, his bride is in a beautiful state of worship and are glorifying Jesus, for he alone is worthy.

On October 17th, I got to watch by beautiful bride walk down spiral stairs and into the covenant of marriage with me. It was amazing. What it was, in all reality, was a small glimpse of how our Savior will come back to get his bride. He will not leave us. It is okay to be sad but eagerly expectant, but we DO have a true hope in the person and work of Christ. I am so stoked about my marriage and how it is used as a means to fall deeper in love with God. "Hallelejah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns (Rev. 19:6b)." Grace and peace.

Side note: Another sweet lesson I learned was the love it must have taken for God the Father to send His Son to take on flesh and die for enemies. That day, Jenny's dad gave her away to me. I watched his eyes and understood a little bit better what it must be like to give away one you love with all your heart. Our God loves us so much, enough to give His only Son to live the perfect life that we could not live, pay the price of eternal punishment that we deserved on the cross, and rise from the dead to give us life. Praise Him, HE IS WORTHY!