"Jesus is calling. Do you hear him? There is no voice like his. Because only in Jesus Christ will you find a God of such diverse excellencies, a God of conquering power and unmatched condescension, a God who growls and groans, a God who is a strong Lion and a slain Lamb."
David Brooks has an insightful article in yesterday's New York Times about the supremacy of relationships for happiness in life. Here's the intro:
"Two things happened to Sandra Bullock this month. First, she won an Academy Award for best actress. Then came the news reports claiming that her husband is an adulterous jerk. So the philosophic question of the day is: Would you take that as a deal? Would you exchange a tremendous professional triumph for a severe personal blow?"
The rest goes on to give what is, hopefully, the obvious answer to the question.
It's been on my mind for quite some time now to do a series of classes on Movies (sorry FILMS). The reason being is that most of what we believe, for better or worse is often shaped by what we read, what we listen to and what we watch. So I was very pleased by two recent posts I've come across on the interweb:
1. Arts and Faith released it's top 100 films of all time. Unfortunately, there website is down right now, but if you get a chance Google it and check out some of their recommendations. These are not films like 'Fireproof', rather these are films like 'The Decalogue' etc.
2. The Resurgence released this series of lectures about various movies in pop culture. Their goal is seeking to discern the broader messages in these films, and how they relate to a Biblical World-View. Check out the first lecture on 'Iron Man' below:
In this video John Piper is speaking to a group of pastors regarding the involvement of the church and politics. As usual, Piper is worth listening to.
In this video Peter Hitchens, the brother of well-known new-atheist author Christopher Hitchens, shares his experience of atheism to belief. He has written a book entitled, The Rage Against God: How Atheism Led Me to Faith. Enjoy.
Although they are using humor to communicate this message, it is obvious that these guys are addressing a serious issue that they feel strongly about. God has chosen to reveal Himself through His word. God has chosen to save souls through the power of His word. God has identified Himself as The Word. You cannot be in the word too much. There is no such thing as too much bible.
This clip was taken from a sermon entitled, "Jesus Heals A Leper And A Paralytic" as part of the ongoing Mars Hill Church sermon series, "Luke: Investigating The Man Who Is God." To view this sermon in its entirety, go to http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/l... and for more audio and video content, visit marshillchurch.org.
I appreciate the exhortation for those who have been made clean to stop calling themselves unclean. I think we often confuse the battles we have with sin and the flesh with our new identities in Christ. Although we still struggle with this body of death, we have indeed been made clean. The cleaning is the work of Christ, and that work is finished.
Back in November, 2008, Pastor Erick posted an article titled: "Why Catechism Matters," in which he addresses moralistic therapeutic deism. This term was coined by Dr. Christian Smith who wrote a book called Soul Searching regarding the spiritual lives of teens in America.
In the video above Dr. Michael Horton (The White Horse Inn, Modern Reformation) gives an interview regarding moralistic therapeutic deism and how it shows up in our churches and literature.
This issue continues to be rampant in the church today, and we need to continue to address it.
