Christ’s Body is both ancient and ever new. She is as diverse as every time, place, race, language and culture. She is at once free in her worship, and oppressed and persecuted. She is at peace, and yet struggles within and without. But she is one body, having one Spirit, one hope of her calling; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in [us] all” (Eph. 4:1-6).
How is it that Christ has permitted His body, at once Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox and Protestant to become three separate churches or branches Christians, all having innumerable sects and subdivisions? A mystery to be sure! And yet, it has pleased our great Savior and Lord to allow it, for good and ill. In some way, this division of Christ’s Body, the Church, redounds to His glory still.
Too often we think of our own tradition, church or denomination as being the best representation of Christianity, past or present. Don’t get me wrong: our own traditions, churches or denominations are wonderful blessings from the Lord. Read the rest of this entry »
Actual Holiday Service Schedule of A Newberg Church
There seems be something going on in the Church that is disturbingly new (at least in my memory), which I find staggeringly ill-informed biblically and irreverently profane. It’s new in the wider sense that it would have been unthinkable through most of the Church’s history; and new even to Evangelicalism in recent times. What I am referring to is the trend of not having worship services on Christmas Day. Read the rest of this entry »
From Silence to Song - Peter Leithart
Peter Leithart in 2003 published his wonderful book, From Silence To Song: The Davidic Liturgical Revolution, which exegetically and theologically demonstrates the importance of David’s tabernacle worship on Mount Zion, both to Old Covenant and New Covenant worship. While I am not convinced of Leithart’s entire thesis (i.e. I think his arguement that weekly worship before David did not involve singing is an arugement from silence, and seems unlikely to me considering the fact that we have songs given to us previous David that were sung in a worship context), Leithart’s work is unique and groundbreaking in terms of its discription of the importance of Davidic worship prophetically.This book is must reading for all serious students of the Bible and its teaching on music in the church.
Last week an article was published by Leithart in First Things, How the Church Lost Her Soundscape, about contemporary Christian worship music. He introduced his subject by saying, “I am not assessing the quality, theology, or sincerity of contemporary worship music. I merely observe the fact, and offer a preliminary interrogation of its cultural sources and effects. What ideas, standards, and forces shape liturgical music? And, what does the church’s musical culture say about the church and its future?”
” Culture is a gift from the old to the young, and the younger generation’s grateful reception is a sign of honor for fathers. Cultural transmission has been thrown into reverse, also in the church.”
The Apostle Paul Preaching In Athens
Understanding and Owning Christian Theology
Week 13 (Oct 30): Evangelism and Mission
EVANGELISM
What is man’s problem with respect to coming to faith in Jesus Christ? How does someone come to believe in Jesus?
Bread and Wine given by Jesus Christ - Leonardo Da Vinci
In our day, many evangelical Christians believe that there is something inherently evil in alcoholic beverages. As the thinking goes, the problem with drunkenness is with the wine, and not the man who drinks it. The whole idea of “alcoholism” is that some people have a “disease” or genetic and physical disposition to being drunk with just the smallest amount of alcohol. The problem with this view is that it simply is not biblical. It is a capitulation to the prevailing worldview that the problems of men are merely physical and material – not spiritual and sin related.
Jeff Meyers wrote a marvelous treatment of the biblical view of alcoholic beverages that should get a wide reading, called: “Concerning Wine and Beer.” It was originally published by Biblical Horizons in the Rite Reasons series (numbers 48 and 49).
Understanding and Owning Christian Theology
Week 12 (Oct 23): The Kingdom of God, The Church and the World/Society
The Church ought to be understood in terms of its many different biblical descriptions. She is the Bride of Christ, His body in the world and for the world. It is the assembly of the saints from all ages; the “called out” (ekklesia) ones. It is the new thing that began at Pentecost, but is as old as the world, corresponding to God’s covenant people throughout history. It is the true worshipping community; it is known historically and will be fully manifested on the last day. The church is the chosen people of God; and it is an institution with an orderly life. The church is a family, and is made up of families.
What does the Bible mean when it talks about the Kingdom?
The Kingdom
God has always been King over the world, and most especially His people (Ps. 10:16; 22:27-31; Dan. 2:44; Heb. 1:8-13). God always intended His rule to be, at least in part, administered by men. Adam was commanded to rule and have dominion over all the creation. Not even sin changed this. Men would take dominion, either in obedience or disobedience to God. The kingdom in Israel (1 Sam. 
was an early manifestation of how God would rule through His people, and promised the Davidic Messianic King to sit on the throne forever.
27All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28For the kingdom is the Lord’s, And He rules over the nations. 29All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. 30A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this. Psalm 22:27–31 (NKJV)
44And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 2:44 (NKJV)
8But to the Son He says: “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.” 10And: “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12Like a cloak You will fold them up, And they will be changed. But You are the same, And Your years will not fail.” 13But to which of the angels has He ever said: “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool”? Hebrews 1:8–13 (NKJV)
With the coming of Jesus, there was something new that was good news that need to be proclaimed. John & Jesus both said the Kingdom was “at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17, 23). Our prayer is that God’s Kingdom would come, and His will would be done “on earth, as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10), and the disciples were sent to preach the coming of the Kingdom (Matt. 10:7). The miracles of Jesus (and the disciples) were evidence that the kingdom was coming. The new thing is that God will rule through the man Jesus – forever.
Kingdom of God…Christ…heaven – the same thing.
In what sense was it coming?
20Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” Luke 17:20–21 (NKJV
36Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.” 37Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” John 18:36–37 (NKJV)
When did it come? (Matt 16:28; Mk. 9:1; Lk. 21:10, 31 – His Ascension & 70 AD)
10Then He said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 31So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Luke 21:10, 31 (NKJV)
The Kingdom can be defined as: “The new world order that Christ established in His life, death, resurrection, and ascension; a new order of things that will be fully revealed and established on at Christ’s return.” (Peter Leithart, The Kingdom and the Power: Rediscovering the Centrality of the Church)
Jesus is King and rules from His throne at the right hand of the Father (Eph. 1:19-23; 2:6; Rev. 11:15); it is a real throne and it is actual (not just future) rule – now. He is not being thwarted in His rule; He cannot be defeated; and His will is being realized in time and history. The Kingdom is an existing reality, since the coming of Christ. Revelation 11:15 (NKJV)
15Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”
Are the Church and the Kingdom the same thing? No. We pray and work to see the Kingdom come and God’s will done throughout the world, not just in the church.
The Church is the first form of the Kingdom of God. She forms the pattern for all other manifestations of the Kingdom: The word (law), government, and sacraments (defining who is in, and ongoing peaceful relationships). These are what the world needs. It is a pattern, example and leader for the rest of the Kingdom’s manifestations.
Kingdom manifested progressively through history (It is a present reality, but not fully manifest until the second coming of Christ: “Already and not yet” character of the Kingdom)
Conflict, holy war with the kingdoms of this world. How does the kingdom progress? What is the conflict?
Is everything conflict between us and the world? No. Often we are beneficiaries of contributions made by unbelievers to our wellbeing. We can cooperate together for the common good of all.
Interactions between the world/society and the Church – Common Grace (what it is and isn’t).
Hits
