Branch Life Church

Isaiah: Lifted Up

2009-11-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

when you and i make much of ourselves, it is vanity. it is prideful, conceited and arrogant to puff ourselves up and exalt ourselves on high horses where we can be seen by all. the fancy term is "hubris." but when God exalts himself, the opposite is true.

God loves us not in a way that makes us supreme, but makes himself supreme. Heaven will not be a hall of mirrors but an increasing vision of infinite greatness. Getting to heaven and finding that we are supreme would be the ultimate let down. - John Piper

what we learn from the prophet Isaiah is that God lifts himself up to show mercy and grace to you and i (30:18). not only does he deserve to be lifted up, but it is good news for us that God exalts himself above and beyond all things. furthermore, he has ordained that any who look upon his Son, lifted up on the tree, will be saved from their sins. having been lifted up and dying a criminal's death, Jesus is now exalted on a throne, perfectly ruling and governing the universe.

and this is where Jesus belongs: exalted, lifted up, above all things. he must increase and i must decrease.

- JDW

The Mission of Jesus

2009-10-11T17:53:00.001-07:00

this morning at BLC, our brother Britten Taylor shared a word with us about living on mission. Britten is the college minister at The Church at Brook Hills. expounding on passages from the gospels of John and Matthew, he challenged our congregation to take seriously the words of Jesus when he says, "Even as the Father has sent me, so I am sending you" (John 20:21). i was encouraged to hear his exhortation for christians to give up the delusion that life is primarily about comfort. here are three points he elaborated on:

Christians are sent ones in submission to the Lord; ALL authority is with Jesus - the universe, galaxies, governments...He is over all.
Christians are sent ones commanded to go make disciples; This involves Deliverance, Development, and Deployment
Christians are sent ones who are empowered by God; Often times we are apathetic to the presence/power of Christ in our lives.

we are thankful to God for Britten and look forward to having him back next Sunday.

-JDW

Isaiah and Justice

2009-09-23T09:42:00.001-07:00

our Prophets study at BLC has brought us into the book of Isaiah. this book is large and filled with so many grand themes of God's character and purposes in redemption. as we examine this prophet's life and prophecies for the next few months, a few major themes serve as umbrellas over the words delivered to both God's people and to the nations that did not fear God. one of these themes is Justice.

God has revealed himself as a God of perfect justice throughout all of Scripture, and one who loves justice (Isa 5:16, Deut 32:4, Psalm 11:7, Dan 4:37). yet when God looks over the earth and among his covenant people, there is no justice to be found. "the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice!" (Isa 1:21). the reason for Israel's rebellion and injustice? God's people do not know God as He desires to be known. because they lack knowledge they do not bear God's image well, or seek to imitate their Maker in love and justice towards others. they consistently trust in those who cannot save them and refuse to show mercy to the fatherless, widowed and poor.

but Isaiah speaks of God's plan to redeem Zion by justice despite her sin (Isa 1:27). there will be one to come who will rule with perfect peace, righteousness and justice...all the government will be upon his shoulders. he is coming to make all things to new - to reverse injustice and evil. he whom Isaiah foretold would come to purchase for himself a people who will love justice and mercy and peace. God's ultimate plan for Israel would be carried out in Messiah (Immanuel), the perfectly just King.

-JDW

The Prophet's Task (Prophets Lesson 6)

2009-09-07T18:32:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah 9:26-31}

Confession pours forth as the Levites lead the people in worship. They testify to God's continued faithfulness despite their continuous rebellion. In this prayer we hear great lamentation over how they have forsaken God's law, acted presumptuously, and how their fathers killed the prophets God sent to them. Despite all this, the Lord continues to show steadfast love to this wayward people.

A. "Your prophets who warned them" (vs.26)

The Israelites confess their rejection of the Word of God
God raised up prophets to call his people to repentance but they killed these prophets (like Isaiah)
God raised up Nehemiah and the people tried to kill him too

> The prophet's task? To be the mouthpiece of God; to carry His message
> 2 Peter 1:19..."the prophetic word"

B. Why carry the message? Because God is gracious and merciful (vs.31)

Jonah's complaint (Jonah 4:1-4)
Unlike Jonah, we should be eager to carry the message because of God's grace and mercy
The Message: the Gospel...God has first loved us - shown himself to be gracious and merciful toward us - and this should compel us to share, speak, and be his mouthpieces

...This is the last lesson in Nehemiah. Isaiah is up next in our series. Blessings to you, and feel free to comment and discuss these things further.

JDW

Worship as the Goal (Prophets Lesson 5)

2009-09-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah Chapter 8}

The work is finished in 52 days. The exiles are returning and repopulating Jerusalem once again. It is the first of the 7h month, and all the people gather outside the Water Gate to worship the God of Israel.

A. Celebration

The work God gave them to do was complete.
God had restored his people once again.
God had showed himself to be faithful, keeping covenant and steadfast love with the Israelites.
They were celebrating God's work and not their own.

B. Worship

Their worship involved the reading of God's Word
The people understood what they heard. How were they affected?

- They humbled themselves in reverence, lifting hands and bowing heads, saying "Amen,
Amen"
- They mourned
- They rejoiced

C. Connection between Carrying the Message and Worship

"Missions exist because worship doesn't." - John Piper

What was the end-goal of building the wall? The glorification of Israel or of God?
What is the end-goal of carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth?
Do we view our ministry as tedious and monotonous, or do we labor in hopeful expectation of seeing all God's people worship him as one in eternity?

- JDW

The Upstream Collective

2009-09-02T12:24:00.000-07:00

our friends from the Upstream Collective came and spoke to some of us at Branch Life recently about missions in Western Europe. their job is to help mobilize the church to take the gospel to this part of the world and live missionally, engaging the post-modern culture that permeates the landscape. they were kind enough to write a blog about our church and their experience here.
you can read it here:
http://blog.theupstreamcollective.org/2009/09/01/branch-life-church-birmingham/

we look forward to a strong partnership with these guys as we set our sights on church planting in London.

peace be with you.

JDW

A Christ-like Leader (Prophets Lesson 4)

2009-08-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah Chapters 4&5}

"God can use us - broken people. The wounded can become the healers of their communities. God can take you and I, disgraced at times, and by his grace use us to rebuild our broken world." -- Celestin Moosekurra

A. Nehemiah was a Leader, called by God

God gave him a vision, and charged him with carrying out the task
He set out on the mission and recruited others by sharing the vision
He cared for his people and led them well

B. Characteristics of a godly leader

Confidence/Fear of God (4:14,20 & 5:15) - Nehemiah's actions throughout this book demonstrate his holy, reverent fear of God and how he places complete confidence in Him and His work. It's not a strong work ethic that keeps this guy going.
Dedication (4:15-23) - A hammer in one hand and a spear in the other! Despite being threatened with murder, he takes courage, strengthens his people by pointing them to God, and refuses to give up working.
Speaking the Truth boldly (5:6-11) - He views the situation at hand and does not shy away from calling out the sin amongst his people and asking them to repent.
Humility (5:14-18) - He had rights and privileges as the appointed governor but did not exercise them. Nehemiah refused to "lord it over the people" as former governors had; he humbled himself and worked alongside his brothers on the wall.

> Nehemiah made the people's burden HIS burden
> He is a pointer, shadow and type of our true Leader, Christ Jesus

JDW

Persecution for Carrying out the Work (Prophets Lesson 3)

2009-08-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah Chapter 4:1-14}

The work of rebuilding the wall has begun. This was a massive task - a wall that would end up measuring roughly 4.5 miles. Not everyone believed this was a good work. Yet Nehemiah and those working with him continue to press on despite much opposition, and even threats on their lives. There are two types of persecution the people are facing in this chapter:

A. Persecution from people they don't know
- Sanballat and Tobiah were Samarian authority figures who strongly opposed the work and jeered at Nehemiah and the Israelite workers (Samarians and Israelites were already not on good terms). They constantly devised plots and made threats to prevent the people from carrying out the task God had given them.
- We expect this kind of persecution.

B. Persecution from people we know
- Friends and family
- Family members of those working on the wall came "ten times" to try and persuade their loved ones to quit and come home.
- We are often surprised and devastated when this kind of persecution occurs. But what did Christ tell us about this? (Matt 10:36)
- How do you think these workers felt when their own families tried to pull them away from what they knew God had called them to do?

C. Bearing the reproach of Jesus

{ref 2 Tim 3:12-13, Matt 5:10-11}

- The persecution Nehemiah suffered has everything to do with bearing the reproach of Christ.
- Jesus has already told us what to expect (Luke 21:17).
- How can we carry out our task through trials, persecutions and hardships? Even if our own families hate us?

JDW

Pregnant with a Vision (Prophets Lesson 2)

2009-08-22T09:01:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah Chapter 2:17-20}

After praying fervently for months, God plants a vision in Nehemiah's heart. A pastor from Rwanda named Celestin Moosekurra describes Nehemiah as being "pregnant" with a vision - consumed with a passion for the glory of God, fueled by brokenness over sin, and desiring to be used by God in any capacity.

A. Nehemiah's Request before the King

His earnestness and sincerity
The demeanor and response of the king
To whom does Nehemiah contribute the outcome? (2:8,18)

- The sovereignty of God even over our plans (Prov 16:1,9 & Psalm 33:10)
- Nehemiah knows he is not the creator of this vision. This gives him great confidence to carry out the task.

B. God's Vision & the Christian

What do we consider to be "vision" from God?
Why do christians seem to lack vision?
God's vision for you and your life (and for every christian)

- Nehemiah saw what God wanted him to see: The reality of sin, God's passion to glorify himself, and his desire to use sinners to accomplish his purposes in redemption.
- What does this story teach us about how followers of Jesus ought to live, as people bought with his blood and having already received a vision for what he wants his people to do?

JDW

Nehemiah's Grief and Prayer (Prophets Lesson 1)

2009-08-20T13:52:00.000-07:00

{from Nehemiah Chapter 1:4-11}

We learn so much about the nature of prayer just from this first chapter of Nehemiah. Upon hearing of the desolation of his people and his city, Jerusalem, Nehemiah is grieved not into a state of hopelessness, but into a state of prayerfulness.

A. How Nehemiah Prays
- He begins by praising God for who he is.
- He confesses and repents of his and his people's sin.
- He asks God to remember his promises.
- He brings his requests before God.
- He prays this way for roughly 3-4 months (from the month of Chislev to Nisan) without ceasing.

B. It is somewhere in the midst of his constant prayer that God puts a vision into his heart.

C. What drove Nehemiah's prayer life? Godly Grief (ref 2 Cor 7:9-11)
- Godly grief produces repentance, earnestness and zeal in the sinner.
- It is only when our hearts are broken over sin - ours and the world's - that we start to feel the urgency and absolute necessity of the gospel.
- Nehemiah gives us an example of laboring in prayer before God. Do we labor this way? Are we broken over sin?

"Time spent in prayer will yield more than that given to work. Prayer alone gives work its worth and success. Prayer opens the way for God himself to do his work in us and through us. Let our chief work as God's messengers be intercession; in it we secure the presence and power of God to go with us." - Andrew Murray

JDW

Prophets: Carrying the Message

2009-08-09T18:41:00.001-07:00

sincere apologies for being a terrible blogger. it's been too long. (actually i'm not sure who even reads this crap.)

nevertheless, i will aim to use this blog both A) more frequently, like, at least twice a week and B) for very practical purposes. i respect and enjoy blogs like The Resurgence and Between Two Worlds who i feel do this very well. one way i want to do this is to post bullet points and summaries of the lessons that i am teaching on tuesday nights, in a study called "Prophets: Carrying the Message."

this study is intended to demonstrate for us what happens when God fills ordinary people with a vision, equips them, and sends them to carry out the task. whether it is a message of repentance he gives to Jonah for Nineveh or whether it's something more radical like Hosea marrying a prostitute, these stories in Scripture speak volumes to us of how God uses his people to fulfill his purposes. primarily, we'll see how followers of Jesus ought to carry the message of salvation that we have been equipped with. Lord willing, we will learn to be faithful to the vision Jesus has put into the hearts of each of his people.

Notes to come: Nehemiah

blessings,

jdw

Insecurity and Good News

2009-05-08T15:32:00.000-07:00

"Like the eye which sees everything in front of it and never sees itself, faith is occupied with the object upon which it rests and pays no attention to itself at all. While we are looking at God we do not see ourselves - blessed riddance." - A.W. Tozer

Ligon Duncan is the senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. i call him a Mighty Oak of the PCA. a few weeks ago he spoke on a panel discussion with other pastors in Chicago, answering various questions on the subjects of church and culture. at one point each speaker on the panel briefly described how their ministry has been affected by trials they each have endured throughout their ministries. when it came around for Ligon to answer, he plainly confessed that he battles strong insecurity - frequently plagued by the fear of what others think and always wondering if anything he does for the kingdom of God is of any value whatsoever. for a man who is widely recognized and respected in evangelicalism and looked up to, i personally thought this was the most encouraging thing he could offer to the young pastors listening to him that evening in Chicago. it was for me.

his words affirm for me two things in particular: 1) Insecurity is perhaps more prevalent than i would like to think among pastors and 2) There is hope for the Insecure christian. i once heard a pastor say that the Enemy would delight to have us believe we are alone in our sin. i believe this and am truly thankful that by God's grace, i was able to hear from a renown pastor that i am not. this kind of confession urges me to boast in my weakness and pursue the strength that is not my own. this strength, found abundantly in Christ, is what ultimately transforms an insecure and fearful christian into one who affirms, Not I, but the Lord. For when I am weak He is strong. the insecure faith continues to look at itself; the faith that is secure in Jesus continues to look at Him. and keeping the eye of faith upon its object requires constant prayer. i thank God for Ligon Duncan, his vulnerability, and for pointing people like me to the cross again and again.

-jdw

The Gospel Coalition: Ajith Fernando

2009-04-24T08:33:00.001-07:00

i had the privilege of attending The Gospel Coalition conference last week in Chicago. in the course of three days we heard several speakers expound upon Paul's second letter to Timothy, as well as some who spoke on other texts and issues that dealt with being gospel-centered. one of the latter speakers was Ajith Fernando.

Ajith is the national director of Youth for Christ in Sri Lanka. he mentors and counsels young people to equip them for the ministry of spreading the gospel in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. he is the author of many books, including The Call to Joy and Pain and Jesus-Driven Ministry. on Wednesday at the conference he gave a message entitled "Gospel Faithful Mission in the New Christendom," in which he boldly addressed challenges facing christianity in the West and also encouraged us all (mostly young pastors) to embrace suffering for Jesus' sake and continue pressing on in declaring the "culturally distant message of the cross" in our societies. i was ever-thankful and humbled by his exhortation to keep substitution at the forefront of all our ministry, in all conversations and activities.

you can hear Ajith's message along with the rest of the conference messages at www.thegospelcoalition.org.

-jdw

Trees Planted by Streams

2009-03-31T21:23:00.000-07:00

agricultural language permeates the bible. we read of harvests, farmers, crops, gardens, fruit, vineyards, reaping, sowing, and plowing...just to name a few. the agricultural language of Scripture is both literal and metaphorical. many times the text we read is telling the story of actual farmers (2 Chronicles 26:10) and many times the author is using the image of a farmer to illustrate a bigger point (James 5:7).

there is one particularly effective agricultural metaphor that Scripture employs, which speaks volumes to me:

Trees.

the Psalmist says in the very first Psalm:

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers." (1:1-3)

this is a christian. a tree planted by the stream. a healthy tree. and the Lord Jesus clarifies that there are only two kind of trees: healthy ones and bad ones. these healthy ones do not get health from themselves, but from where? the streams of water. Living Water. this is how we know they will continue to grow and bear fruit. but what about unhealthy trees that produce no fruit?

"Every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit...Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." (Matthew 7:17-19)

fruit doesn't produce itself, but is brought forth of God. in Jesus you are a tree planted by a stream, and trees take a long time to grow. do not expect that you will achieve sanctification here on earth; you are imperfect and in process. this makes grace all the more beautiful. despite the seeming slowness, our growth is made certain by where we are planted and from where we obtain our nourishment. press on, relying fully on the One who is growing you and producing fruit through you. and know that one day you will be tall.

"The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon."
(Psalm 92:12)

-jdw

The Scapegoat

2009-03-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

on the Day of Atonement the high priest was required to carry out many rituals in order to make purification for sins for the people of Israel. one of these rituals involved presenting two goats at the entrance of the temple. lots were cast over these goats to decide which one would be killed as a sin offering and which one would live and be sent into the wilderness, carrying the imputed sin of Israel with it. this goat, the live one, is the Scapegoat.

a Scapegoat is someone or thing to whom blame is transferred to. the person (or animal in this case) is innocent and does not deserve our blame, but it receives it nonetheless. you see this happen in movies and stories of all kinds, whereby a guilty party--group or individual--is desperate to clear their name or uphold their agenda, and they determine to falsely accuse an innocent person whom they can attribute the blame to. An Easy Target, so to speak. {note: i wish i had a terrific example, but only snippets come to mind. i do remember it happening in the original X-Files movie, though.}

the high priests, officials, Pharisees and a multitude of others tried their darndest to make Jesus of Nazareth a Scapegoat. He breaks our laws, they said. He doesn't keep the Sabbath, they said. He said he would destroy our temple, they cried. though Jesus had rightly exposed all of their hypocrisy and sin, they were determined to put him away. he was an insurrectionist to them: rallying up the people, filling minds with revolutionary ideals, teaching radical new things that seem to contradict the law, and making himself equal with God. for this, they said, we will destroy him. and all the way to the end, no guilt could be found in him. though Pilate declared "not guilty," the mob demanded his death...demanded he be blamed for something. they would rather let a robber free than let Jesus live.

the extraordinarily ironic thing about Jesus' death was how the chief priests were hell-bent on making Jesus a Scapegoat, and yet he became one of a whole different kind. they sought to attribute blame to him, none of which could be proved. but unbeknownst to them he did take on blame: the blame, guilt and sin of all who would ever believe in his name. he was a threat to these leaders, such a threat that they sought to erase him with any false accusation possible. and yet in his death he willingly took on the hatred, unbelief, and scorn of all who will ever receive him. just as the goat on the Day of Atonement was sent into the wilderness with sin, so did Christ bear our sin outside the city, removing them as far as the east is from the west. he is the true Scapegoat...smitten, stricken, afflicted, numbered with transgressors, and we esteemed him not. surely he has borne our griefs and sorrows; he who knew no sin, but became sin to make us blameless.

-jdw

The Gospel: "I Have Overcome the World"

2009-02-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

let us dwell for just a moment on one of the great comforts Jesus Christ speaks to those who take refuge in him:

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. (John 16:33)

i am quick to believe that if one word in this statement were different, we wouldn't notice. if Christ had simply said "Take heart; I will overcome the world," we wouldn't blink. i think christians would still find solace in the idea that ultimately Jesus wins in the end. we would still see the silver lining, or what have you.

but that is not the word he spoke to us. Jesus assures his disciples--past, present, and future--that he has overcome the world. that is to say, in the context of the passage, Even before I am crucified and raised again, I've overcome the world. we understand from Scripture that the disciples of Jesus understood very little of what he taught until the Helper came to illuminate his words for them. so here is the Eternal God made flesh, trying to assure his followers that despite the troubles and sufferings of this life, they have reason to press on and live in hope because the the victory is and has always been His. I'm not saying you'll be free from trouble, Jesus implies, I am saying 'fear not' because you belong to me and the world is my footstool.

a pastor once commented on the words of Jesus by exclaiming, "This is not boring - this is crazy!"

explicit verses like this one in John exist to make clear that the gospel does not promise dandelions at all times for followers of Jesus in this age. what it promises is that through suffering and "tribulation," those who follow Jesus will not crumble and die. am i suggesting that we christians are all fearless Mongolian warriors for Jesus who laugh at danger? no...but i am saying that preaching the gospel to yourself produces bold confidence in Christ and fearlessness in the world. therefore, when danger or turmoil arises, we should not sink and we should not cower in fear. we should take heart; before the foundation of the world, Christ overcame it.

"What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand."

-jdw

The Gospel Must Humble Me

2009-02-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

"He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.' But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14)

if the good news does not humble me, then i do not understand it. if i am not convinced that i am just as wicked as Adolf Hitler apart from Jesus, then the gospel is lost on me. if i go on believing i am better or accepted or more righteous because of how often i read God's Word and do christian stuff, i do not get grace. if i credit any fruit or blessing in this life as products of my own abilities to produce them, then i have not received the free gift and i am a fool.

-jdw

The Gospel gives Cold Steel: Commitment

2009-01-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

for starters , there's that.

before our message this morning, johnny alan grimes II spoke to the congregation briefly about commitment. he explained that our generation has a terribly hard time committing to anything, whereas our parents' generation had a strong tendency to commit wholeheartedly to one or two things (such as career, family or both). the jist of this is that our present generation loves to keep options open and half-heartedly commit to many things at one time--none of which can be done well with half a heart in them.

this goes without saying: when it comes to Christ and the gospel there isn't any room for quasi-commitment or flippant devotion. Christ died for me, therefore i owe him my existence. the Apostle Paul goes so far as to exhort the Colossian church by telling them Christ is your life (Col. 3:4). this is the fabric woven through virtually all of Paul's writings. he speaks of pure, sincere devotion and wholehearted commitment to Christ for those who have received his gospel and have been made new creatures in God. the purpose in his letters to the New Testament churches was to see them come to maturity in Christ...that they wouldn't stay children tossed to and fro by the cares of this life and by strange doctrine, but that they would become single-minded disciples of Jesus, living for a single-minded purpose.

"I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to one husband. But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:2-3)

here he uses the imagery of marriage to express what devotion to Jesus is like. the church is the bride of Christ. we belong to Him. he has done everything necessary to wash us and make us pure before a holy God. he purchased us with his own blood. he became sin for us upon the tree, bore every ounce of the wrath of God that burned hot against us, and ransomed us to himself with the offering of his body. he is our Husband. because he is our husband he demands (and expects) loyalty.

and this devotion spills over into every aspect of the christian's life. God would have his people be single-minded in all they do in life, rather than fragmented and spread thin. he would have his people commit to one thing at a time and not waver from it. with the girl or guy God gives you, total devotion. with the job you find yourself in, total devotion. with the church God leads to you to, total devotion. in all of life, single-minded devotion is the pattern for every thing we do. otherwise we flutter, sway, dance and toy with things but never make one decision out of the faith God gives us. rather, we become the servants that hide our talents in the ground out of fear.

i tell you i have wasted much time in the land of indecision...and i will never get it back. i have swayed to and fro, wallowed in the fog, and rested there. for my own lack of commitment, i am regretful. what is the cause of the swaying? why the dropping out of things? why the lackadaisical attitude toward the kingdom of God and the church? why so much fear in life when Christ has overcome the world? my aim is not to discourage with these words but to do the very thing Piper aims to do: plant cold steel in the spines of the saints. when we are drinking down the precious truths of the gospel, we fear less. when we fix our thoughts on all Christ has done to save depraved sinners, we stand stronger. we commit, we devote, and we set our faces like stone. we don't take leaps into the dark, but confident risks as children of light.

i often beat around the bush. i wished i was as direct and elementary as the Lord Jesus on the subject of commitment:

"I wish you were either hot or cold." (Revelation 3:15)

-jdw

Evil and Madness

2009-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that the same event happens to all. Also, the hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. (Ecclesiastes 9:3)

i came across this verse while studying the definition of sin. during our first discipleship class on the gospel, we fleshed out several definitions of sin: irrational rebellion, an absence of the fear of God, and all that opposes or directly contradicts God's nature. as i read Solomon's words i get a terrifying, but hauntingly real picture of what sin is. i think that's because i am prone not to think of sin this way, as "evil" and "madness" in the heart. more often, perhaps, i think of it as just bad. "The dead know nothing," he says in verse 5, indicating that this evil and madness is so severe and so devastates the conscience that, apart from grace, no sinner has any clue how wicked they are. they fear not God and despise all that is pure. perhaps this is why mankind fancies a light-hearted gospel over a gospel that saves--we don't see ourselves in light of what Scripture says about us, and we don't see God as a hater of sin.

give us eyes and ears, Lord.

-jdw

Thoughts about the Atonement during Advent

2008-12-17T20:26:00.000-08:00

at this year's Together for the Gospel conference, my brother Johnny obtained a plethora of free books. he was considerate enough to think of his pal Josh as he was swimming in the free book pool, and brought a few home for me to have. one of them was In My Place Condemned He Stood, a collection of essays by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever. it is a gem.

the subtitle of this book is "Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement." basically it is comprised of three essays by Packer and one essay by Dever, each examining the nature of the atoning work of Jesus on the cross. in an age where the cross of Christ is increasingly being viewed as an act of representation, this collection serves as wonderful reminder and declaration of the cross as the ultimate act of substitution. i do not think i am alone in saying it's hardly plausible to call one's self a christian and not believe in the substitutionary work of Jesus--of him actually offering himself up as the perfect sacrifice that satisfied God's wrath against us...taking condemnation in my place. for if Jesus merely died to serve as our representative on the cross, then their still remains a substitute to be offered and a penalty to be paid.

needless to say i am enjoying this book. Packer is hard to read at times because he is a brilliant Canadian christian robot, but i am able to discern at least 88% of what he writes. during this season of Advent, i find myself celebrating Christ's birth, yes, but moreso the reason for his birth. the Light has come into the world and the Light gave himself up for his people! in one of Packer's essays entitled "What Did the Cross Achieve?," he lists nine insights/truths that may be derived from knowing that Christ died in your place. i share them hoping they are just as much a blessing to you as they are to me. here they are:

1. God condones nothing, but judges all sin as it deserves.

2. My sins merit ultimate penal suffering and rejection from God's presence (conscience also confirms this), and nothing I do can blot them out.

3. The penalty due to me for my sins, whatever it was, was paid for me by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in his death on the cross.

4. Because this is so, I through faith in him am made "the righteousness of God in him," i.e. I am justified...acceptance, and sonship become mine.

5. Christ's death for me is my sole ground of hope before God. "If he fulfilled not justice, I must; If he underwent not wrath, I must to eternity." (John Owen)

6. My faith in Christ is God's own gift to me, given in virtue of Christ's death for me; the cross procured it.

7. Christ's death for me guarantees my preservation to glory.

8. Christ's death for me is the measure and pledge of the love of the Father and the Son to me.

9. Christ's death for me calls and constrains me to trust, to worship, to love, and to serve.

...Merry Christmas. Peace be with you.

- jdw

Mobilization, and the Art of Revival

2008-11-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

we are all too familiar with age-old attempts at stirring the hearts of people in the hopes they will get involved in (and excited about) Kingdom work. we have been to pizza parties. we have been to lock-ins. we have ridden in vans and invaded people's homes. some of us have partaken, at least once, in what is one of the most misused, misunderstood event of the last few decades: a revival.

pizza parties and riding around in vans are not bad in and of themselves; lock-ins are questionable. but the discussion is more about revival. the word "Revival" is defined as an improvement, reawakening, restoration, or an instance of something becoming popular. each one of these descriptions, if considered logically, sound like things that happen apart from us. think about when an artist's song becomes unexpectedly, overwhelmingly popular. can we really attribute these kind of reactions to the artist's themselves? most of the time an artist is totally bewildered as to how a little song written in a bedroom became an anthem of a nation. when Bob Dylan was quickly thrust into the spotlight as folk hero and spokesperson for a generation, his retort was "I got nothing to say about these songs I write--I just write 'em." he could neither relate to nor explain his immense success, and he certainly did not take credit for it.

Leonard Ravenhill says this about revival:
"The very word "revive" presupposes life. You can only revive what has already had vitality -- life that has become sick, weak, or apathetic...Whatever else we say about revival we have to recognize this, that revival is an act of mercy in the sovereignty of God." (Revival Series, Lecture 1; 1994)

this much seems clear, which i believe was ever-clear to Ravenhill: revival doesn't come when you schedule it on the calendar. it comes when you pray ceaselessly for God to move. just as we believe John when we read that no one is saved "of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (1:13), we must also believe that spiritual revival and awakening is the work of the Spirit alone. and we must ask for it. You who are eager to see manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel at building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12). in other words, you who wanna see God do stuff and people saved and revival happening, pray. earnestly ask for it. does not God promise times of refreshment for his hungry children? does he not incline to those that draw near to him, poor beggars that we are?

how do we mobilize people to get excited about Kingdom work? how will we spur others on in the pursuit of joy in Christ? how will we live, teach, and present the gospel as central to all of life...and begin to see others do the same? when will revival come? these answers begin with intense prayer and end with psalms of thankfulness and worship; the time in between is unknown. once we begin resting (i.e. trusting) in the sovereignty of God in all things, prayer becomes very sweet. my life has not been a testament of prayer without ceasing, but i am seeing change and welcoming it in my own life. we desire for Branch Life to be a church that yearns for the Spirit to move, and prays fervently that He would. and in the same manner, for all our brothers and sisters who long for renewal, restoration, and reawakening.

soon and very soon. Smile on us, Gracious Lord.

-jdw

Branch Life Blog is Alive!

2008-10-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine: you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."

- John 15:4-5

The gospel is central to all of life. If life is to be lived, it is to be wrapped up in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Welcome to Branch Life Church. This is our blog.