Here are some good posts for pastors:
Abiding Beats Busywork – Eric Turner (FTC)
6 Ways Pastors Can Use Their Time Well – Jason Helopoulos (TGC)
Three Things Pastors Can’t Do Too Much – Jared Wilson
Tag: Christianity
Sermon Songs: Ephesians 4:1-3
Our Father makes us one, Reconciled by the Son
Sons and daughters in His family
The Spirit indwelling, His presence uniting
Joined together to walk worthily
Walk worthily, With peace and purity
Live your new life in Jesus, and you’ll walk worthily
So let us be humble, And like Jesus gentle
Eager to live out our unity
Patient with each other, Bear with one another
And in love learn to walk worthily
Walk worthily, With peace and purity
Live your new life in Jesus, and you’ll walk worthily
(To the tune of “Trust and Obey”)
Prayer Quote of the Week
Time may be short, but time is always long enough for prayer.
– J. C. Ryle
Reflections on Exodus 31-32
It doesn’t take long for Israel to desert the one true God, creating for themselves a golden calf. Consider:
- False gods – Israel grows weary waiting for Moses, so they have Aaron make them a god – a golden calf. Compared to the one true God who thundered on the mountain, here is a safe god, a god their size that they can handle. How are you tempted to bring God down to your size?
- Proper honor – Israel credits the golden calf with their deliverance from Egypt. When God blesses you, do you give him the credit, or do you credit something else – maybe yourself?
- Intercession – Moses intercedes for the people of Israel in their rebellion. Who is walking away from God that you need to intercede for?
Classic Quote
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world: It is not he who prays most or fasts most, it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it.
– William Law
Exodus 31-34: Idolatry and Intercession
(32) Which of the Ten Commandments did Israel break in this chapter?
How does the golden calf compare to the one true God revealed throughout the book of Exodus? Revealed especially in 34:6-7?
In what ways are we tempted to domesticate God?
What other gods are we tempted to follow? Why?
(32) What excuses does Aaron offer when Moses questions him about the golden calf?
What excuses might we use to justify our idolatry?
How does the rest of the chapter make clear that God doesn’t “buy into” Aaron’s excuses?
(32-33) What are the results of their idolatry? How is this a warning to us?
(32-34) The people make a calf, Aaron makes excuses, and Moses makes intercession for them. To what attributes of God does Moses appeal? What requests does Moses make? How does God respond?
32:11-14 –
32:30-34 –
33:12-19 –
34:9 –
What can we learn from Moses’ example of intercession and apply in our own prayers?
Missions Moment
We must be global Christians
with a global vision
because our God is a global God.
– John Stott
Reflections on Exodus 28-30
Our passage today focuses on the clothing and preparation of the priests, as well as further descriptions of the tabernacle furniture.
- In remembrance – The High Priest’s garments included two stones engraved with the 12 tribes of Israel to bring the tribes before the LORD for remembrance (28:9-12). Again, the garments included 12 stones each engraved with a tribe of Israel to bring the tribes before the LORD in remembrance (28:21-29). Today our High Priest, Jesus, brings our names before the Father, interceding for us (Hebrews 7:23-25). How does Jesus’ intercession for you encourage you? Through Jesus, we too can come to the Father and intercede for others. Who do you need to intercede for before the Father right now?
- God’s Presence – God brought the people out of Israel that he might dwell with them (29:46). Likewise, Jesus died for our sins to bring us to God (I Peter 3:18). God desires to fellowship with us. We have the incredible privilege to dwell in his presence. What do you think of that? How do you feel about that? How do you think we should live in light of this?
Current
Michigan’s Board of Education wants to allow school-aged students to be able to decide what gender they are. And what bathrooms and locker rooms they can use at their public school. Regardless of their biological and genetic reality. With no input from the child’s parents. Or even the parent’s knowledge. You can find the Board’s memo at the first link below.
Let me be clear that we should treat all people with compassion and respect as image-bearers of God. But compassion does not encourage confusion. Or oppose the family. Or put our daughters in danger of predators and peeping toms.
Here are some helpful posts addressing these and other related issues:
Safe Schools, Gender Non-Conformity, and Common Sense – Kevin DeYoung
Gender Ideology Harms Children – American College of Pediatricians
Transgender Thoughts – Mike Wittmer
An Open Letter to Bruce Springsteen and His Band – Michael Brown
One final thought. Mike Wittmer suggests in his post above that our culture is caught up in “the classical view that our bodies don’t matter and that the real us is our soul. We couldn’t have such malleable views of gender and sex without a deficient view of the human body.” Exactly.
Sermon Songs: Ephesians 4:1
Jesus died for our sin, Our salvation to win
From our sin and our guilt now set free
A new life for today, A new hope for always
And a call to now walk worthily
Walk worthily, With peace and purity
Live your new life in Jesus, and you’ll walk worthily
So let’s walk as we should, Quick to do what is good
Walk in love as He loved you and me
No more lost in the night, we will walk in the light
Follow his will and walk worthily
Walk worthily, With peace and purity
Live your new life in Jesus, and you’ll walk worthily
(To the tune of “Trust and Obey”)
