The Bible is not about you, it’s about Him

I’ve posted Tim Keller’s words on finding Christ in the Old Testament before but you can now think about them as you watch this beautiful kinetic typography video.

(HT: NWBingham)

Sitting Revising is Killing You

An interesting and beautiful infographic for exam season.

Via: Medical Billing And Coding

Jesus Faced Greater Temptation Than You

“Jesus was tempted. The New Testament goes further: he was tempted in every way, just as we are (Heb. 4:15). Do we believe that? When we are tempted we tend to think (although we would be hesitant to admit it): ‘Yes, I know he was tempted; but he did not experience what I am experiencing’. But the truth is the other way round. You will never experience what he did, because you are a sinner. In our temptations we give way long before we experience the level of temptation’s pressure which Jesus experienced. Because we have given in in the past the powers of darkness never need to apply the same pressure to us that they applied to Jesus. We provide them with an easy target. Jesus, on the other hand, exhausted all the devil’s powers and energies. They could find no ‘grip’, no ‘foothold’ in the life of Jesus (Jn. 14:30). According to the Gospel records the powers of darkness mounted an all-out attack on Jesus (a legion of demons was stationed in one man at Gadara in order to oppose him).  But even in the hour of darkness they could not overcome him (Lk. 22:53).”

S.B. Ferguson, Grow in Grace

Keller – Secularisation isn’t Simple

(HT: The Resurgence, MI7:7)

Often Christians fall into the same trap as militant atheists. We pessimistically assume that secularisation has become an inevitable process and force any evidence into this concept.

It’s not that simple.

We do live in an increasingly irreligious society but at the same time we see growing devotion and missionary zeal amongst God’s people.

Don’t panic about falling worship figures in liberal denominations or the wanning influence of the Church of England.

Part of what you’re seeing is the death of the “mushy middle” and, like Keller, I’m not convinced its a bad thing.

Cameron Enters Bible Translation Debate

:)

Urban Legends from the Pulpit

Came across an interesting post on mere urban legends that are persistently used in sermons. Trevor Wax claims that the seven statements in this list are merely myths.

1. The “eye of the needle” refers to a gate outside Jerusalem.

2. The high priest tied a rope around his ankle so that others could drag him out of the Holy of Holies in case God struck him dead.

3. Scribes took baths, discarded their pens, washed their hands, etc. every time they wrote the name of God.

4. There was this saying among the sages: “May you be covered in your rabbi’s dust.”

5. Voltaire’s house is now owned by a Bible-printing publisher.

6. Gehenna was a burning trash dump outside Jerusalem.

7. NASA scientists have discovered a “missing day” which corresponds to the Joshua account of the sun standing still.

Read the full post for more details.

I’d definitely heard no. 1, 2 and 6 before. Which ones have you heard?

Former Free Church Minister Applies to Join RPCS

UPDATE: Andy Morrison’s paper of choice, Hebrides News are reporting that “A virtually unknown Presbyterian denomination could experience a unique revival in Scotland in the wake of the crisis in mainstream churches.” It includes interesting comments about Gardner Street CoS and Rev. Kenneth Stewart.

Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland in Glasgow

Very interesting and exciting news from the Scottish RP Church as their website has announced that there has been an application from Rev. Kenneth Stewart to received as minister in the RPCS. Until February of this year Rev. Stewart was the pastor of Dowanvale Free Church of Scotland, a 200 strong city church in Glasgow’s West End.

SWS has more information about Mr Stewart, including links to some of his sermons.

Renwick Dinner 2011

Each year Renwick House FC, the residents of Renwick and other friends get together for an end of season dinner. The 2011 Renwick Dinner will be held on Monday 4th April at Barnabys restaurant near Ballyclare. The cost will be £20 (paid on the night), this covers food, room hire and everything else. There will be a three course meal with tea and coffee served afterwards. You need to select what you will be having in advance and tell James McCullough by Monday 28th March at the latest.

Menu:

Starters
Vegetable Broth
Prawn Cocktail
Breaded Mushrooms
Melon

Main Courses (All served with roast potato, potato and two veg)
Roast Beef
Grilled Irish Gamon with Peach
Sear Chicken Breast with Leek and Bacon Sauce
Fresh Chargrilled Salmon

Desserts
Pavalova
Banoffee
Malteaser Cheesecake
A selection of Mauds icecream

Tea and Coffee will be served afterwards.

The 2011 Renwick FC Awards will be presented at this event by Renwick FC legends Philip Dunwoody, Mark McCavery and Steven McCollum. However, this event is not just for members of the team, everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend.

See photos from last year’s event here:
http://anotherking.com/2010/04/30/renwick-football-dinner-2010/

David McCullough on Mercy Ministry

This sermon was preached at the ordination of two new deacons in Dromore RPC.

Download Audio

Challies, Rob Bell and the Kind of Love that Really Wins

There was an explosion of blog posts following Justin Taylor’s response to the promotional video for Rob Bell’s upcoming book, “Love Wins”. Since then I’ve been waiting for one particular review. Today Tim Challies posted his reflections on the book.

I’m not chasing controversy or provide Bell with further publicity. I think Challies’ review is worth reading because it provides a biblical examination of “Love Wins” . This is important as it is propagating a dangerous heresy and it will undoubtedly be read by some of your Christian friends.

“Love does win, but not the kind of love that Bell talks about in this book. The love he describes is one that is founded solely on the idea that the primary object of God’s love is man; indeed, the whole story, he writes, can be summed up in these words: “For God so loved the world.” But this doesn’t hold a candle to the altogether amazing love of God as actually shown in the Bible. The God who “shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8), who acts on our behalf not so much because His love for us is great, but because He is great (Isaiah 48:9, Ezekiel 20:9,14,22,44, 36:22; John 17:1-5).” Challies

Read Challies’ full review

Other useful posts on the topic

Desiring God: The Fairytale of Universalism

Phil Dunwoody: Keep an Eye

Denny Burk: Rob Bell Outs Himself

Challies: What I’d Have to Deny to Deny Hell

Take Your Vitamin Z: Rob Bell, Hell and Our Tendency Towards Idolatry

“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.” 2 Corinthians 11:14–15