All posts tagged history

The Story of the Old Testament

by Pastor Nick on May 10, 2012

“The story told by the Old Testament is that of the glory of God, who reveals himself to be both merciful and just, righteous and forgiving.

The story began in the garden, where our first father was judged and shown mercy. It continued with God’s choice of and promise to Abraham, his deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and his long patience with the wayward nation. God’s justice finally fell when the nation was exiled, and all the cruelty of the destruction of Israel and Judah points to the incalculable worth of the God who would exact such punishment.

The Old Testament is a forward-looking book. It ends with the demonstration of God’s faithfulness to the promises he has made to his people. It also ends with the frank acknowledgment that not all the promises have been realized, and those with eyes of faith strain to glimpse their fulfillment.

…The story of the Old Testament is a story that leads its readers to think high thoughts of the Lord Yahweh, to glorify him. And the reason we are led to glorify him is that we see his justice and his mercy, which he makes to kiss each other (Ps. 85:11). When the story continues with the coming of the baptizing prophet, there will be more salvation that comes through more judgment, and this will only lead to more praise for the one who is worthy.”

(Hamilton Jr., James M. God’s Glory in Salvation through Judgment: A Biblical Theology)

“Fatherhood is Building the Riverbanks”

by Pastor Nick on April 4, 2012


Listen to Pastor Crawford Loritts speak a great message on “Lessons Learned from My Father.” I particularly appreciate how he relates fatherhood to building riverbanks. Like the mighty waters of a river, life will come and things will happen, but fathers are the ones who set the parameters, who define the boundaries, who steer the direction of their childrens’ lives towards Jesus and godliness. Dads, give it a listen.

A few quotes:

  • “Greatness is not pop or fad. Greatness has a staying power.”
  • “Manhood is not a private matter. It is a public thing. A man aspires to be the desired destination at which others arrive.”
  • “This summarizes my dad: Stepping up, never walking away, if it belongs to you, you do something with it.”
  • “There is a correlation between being a man and keeping promises.”
  • “Our disproportionate desire for relevance is injecting embalming fluid into the next generation.”
  • “Out of struggle comes strength; out of strength comes discipline; out of discipline comes integrity; out of integrity comes inheritance.”
  • “How people treat you should never define you. It’s not what people call you, but what you answer to.”
  • “All we have to give to the next generation is what we have become.”
  • “You don’t produce the fruit of the Spirit. It is the fruit of the Spirit.”
  • “Repent of wallowing in our self pity and deifying our disfunction. Yield. ‘God, I can’t do this. Help me!’ Believe him.”

The Story of Thomas Bilney

by Pastor Nick on January 16, 2012
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On Sunday we looked at 1 Timothy 1:12-20, where Paul has a sudden outburst of worship after remembering the dark and hopeless life from which he was saved. It’s also where we find one of the most succint summaries of the gospel in all of the Bible:

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. (1 Timothy 1:15)

Thomas Bilney became a Christian through this single verse. Elected a Roman priest in Cambridge, England in 1520, “little Bilney” (as he was called on account of his shortness of stature) was searching for peace but could not find it. He wrote:

But at last, I heard speak of Jesus, even then when the New Testament was first set forth by Erasmus [a famous Catholic priest who published the Greek New Testament in 1516]… And at the first reading (as I well remember) I chanced upon this sentence of St. Paul (O most sweet and comfortable sentence to my soul!) in 1 Timothy 1. “It is a true saying, and worthy of all men to be embraced, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am the chief and principal.”

This one sentence, through God’s instruction and inward working, which I did not then perceive, did so exhilarate my heart, being before wounded with the guilt of my sins, and being almost in despair, that even immediately I seemed unto myself inwardly to feel a marvellous comfort and quietness, insomuch that “my bruised bones leaped for joy” (Psalm 51). After this, the Scripture began to be more pleasant unto me than the honey or the honeycomb, wherein I learned that all my labours, my fasting and watching, all the redemption of masses and pardons, are nothing if done without truth in Christ, who alone saveth his people from their sins.

After becoming a preacher, Bilney, who helped to spark the Reformation in England, was dragged from the pulpit while preaching in St George’s chapel (see the 1563 woodcut above), arrested and imprisoned, convicted of heresy, and burned at the stake on August 19, 1531.

The Gospel of Genesis 17

by Pastor Nick on January 10, 2012
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When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” Then Abram fell on his face… (Genesis 17:1-3)

Abram is getting old, his wife Sarai can’t have children, and the excitement they both felt at God’s promise of her having a son has now faded into the realization that they likely have been duped. After all, it had been at least a dozen years and still no baby. Maybe this God was not all he was cracked up to be? Maybe it was all a cruel joke? All Abram can do now is settle into the real facts of life: his wife would never conceive and the best God could do for them and their family would have to come through Ishmael, a son Abram had with his girlfriend.

Then God appears. “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless, that I may make my covenant between me and you, and may multiply you greatly.” God has not forgotten. He still loves Abram, doubts and all. It’s not a cruel joke. His claims and commands are bold, and they seem to come with power:

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