A Picture of the Gospel

What would you say to this?  See what happened on these two flights last year around Christmas:



This is actually a picture of the gospel. Like all analogies, it breaks down, of course, but consider this:

Every day God gives us life instead of death.  He does so to lead us to repentance (Ro. 2:14).  He does this, in other words, in order to point us toward his greatest gift: that of his Son, Jesus, who came to deal with our deepest, most profound need, that we are sinners--sin robs us of all ultimate joy and happiness, and forces us into lives of servitude to our self-serving desires.

Now in this video (by the way, what better way for a company--at a fraction of the cost of a TV commercial--to get publicity, and some loyal customers!) people, to their great surprise, receive what they asked of the electronic Santa Claus set up in the departure lounge of the airport.

Some, alas, did not ask for much--one man new socks and underwear, for instance.  Some, no doubt, were too jaded to ask for anything.  But--everyone got what they asked for! Even an Android tablet, and a large TV.

But--heart-check!--what are all these compared to forgiveness of sins, being made white as snow before God, and deliverance from slavery to sin's tyranny?  All the gifts passengers received--how many of them still make them happy next year, the year after that?  All will wear out--from the socks and underwear to the big TV.  But salvation lasts forever.  And is there for the asking.

So--ask God for a lot.  Ask for nothing less than Christ.  Don't just ask for socks and underwear.

Hat tip: David Murray

Unusual Church Plant

Here is a link to a video about the church plant I mentioned before the sermon yesterday.  Take a look:

http://vimeo.com/76092170

Here's the Bob Newhart skit I mentioned on Sunday.  Enjoy!

Comfort In, Dump Out

Here is some good advice when suffering, and when connected, either closely or more distantly, with those who are suffering. Follow this link.

An Absolute Must-Read

I am tempted to say, "If you read only one book this year, this should be it!"  I really am.  Suffice to say, I picked it up yesterday for the first time, and finished it today.  It's only about 150 pages, but it is all the way through a powerful testimony of God's grace to sinners.
I picked it up because of the uniqueness of the story it tells: it is the story of a woman who, in her mid-thirties, was a tenured professor of Culture Studies (if you know anything about post-modernism, you have some idea of what that means--let's just say she was not exactly a "social conservative"), and in a monogamous lesbian relationship.  And then God's irresistible grace got a hold of her--not overnight, but through the friendship of a pastor and his wife who welcomed her into his home, and just listened and asked questions at first.  That's an attention-grabbing summary.
But I kept reading it because of the way her story taught me about the nature of the call of the gospel; what repentance looks like; how the author wrote very perceptibly about the nature of sin, including sexual sin; and how, though I do not appear, in the eyes of many Christians to be quite so much in need of redemption as this woman was--I am every bit of it.  Excellent, excellent book.  I agree with Westminster professor and pastor Carl Trueman, whose recommendation runs like this: "I cannot recommend this book highly enough.  I do not agree with everything she says; but I did learn from everything she wrote.  It deserves the widest possible readership."
You can purchase the book from wtsbooks.com by clicking here.  Why not get a couple to give away?

Is God Anti-Gay?

That is the title of a short book that just came out.  It is written by an English pastor who, as he puts it, experiences same-sex attraction.  I just ordered a few copies (wtsbooks.com has them at a deep discount this week), so if you are at Covenant and would like one, they will be available. It should be good for anyone who has struggled with same-sex attraction, or knows someone who has.
Another book that I just ordered, and which also comes highly recommended, is called Love into Light. I hope to read both during August, and will let you know what they are like.
The Internet has naturally exploded with viewpoints on gay marriage, in light of the recent Supreme Court decisions.  But surprisingly, on a local level, I have not heard much conversation about this one, especially from church friends, pastors, etc.  So as I read these books, I may have a few more things to say about that in the coming weeks.
In the meantime, here is a "trailer" for the first book I mentioned that is worth a listen:

How do you teach the Bible to your children?

How do you teach the Bible to your children?  Is the Bible--especially the Old Testament--filled with examples of doing good, and God loves those who do good?  If you don't "dare to be a Daniel" does God stop loving you?
Follow this link for a good description, by Sally Lloyd-Jones (who wrote the Jesus Storybook Bible that we have read with our children).  She reflects on how she was taught the Bible primarily as a source for moral direction, but then came to see the Bible as one book with one theme: redemption through Jesus Christ for sinners.  Read and ponder.

Always something new in China

Yes, that's true: always something new in China.  Have you ever heard of Jackson Hole--Beijing, China?  Have a look: