Preface: I only found out about this new book this morning. It was released two weeks ago. I will call around Barnes & Noble....and....Lord willing....go wherever to pick it...or it they do not have it in stock....I'll order it. This is how it's done folks....we do not have time to lollygag. This is one of those few books that I do not have to read a single word before recommending it....for I have experienced enough of the author to know that he is to be trusted....and if it turns out that he writes something that I disagree with....I had better consider that which he writes. The new book is....Come, Lord Jesus....Meditations on the Second Coming of Christ....by John Piper.
Update: I did find and purchase and begin John Piper's new book. The essence of it is focusing on the glory of Christ. R. C. Sproul's....The Holiness Of God....helped spark a genuine revival in the American church....this back in 1985....and he was building on works by J. I. Packer and A. W. Tozer...and J. C. Ryle's Holiness which was back in the late 1800s. Is there something about ministers who use their initials? 'Glory' is one of the most misunderstood words in evangelicalism today. We use the word all the time....but really have no understanding of the depth and awesomeness of it. Such was the same with the word 'holiness.' So far....a few chapters into John Piper's book....it is one of those profound books that I have to concentrate and meditate on every sentence.
Today's Post:
Greg Morse is his name....a staff member of John Piper's Desiring God Ministries. An article of his....and the voice recording of it....was posted on the desiringgod.org yesterday....Monday morning. It is on a topic that I have spent a lot of time on in these posts....and he does it much better. That topic would be on what our disposition is when we enter church on the Lord's Day. He is actually a lot harder in his words than I have been.
If you are interested....which I hope that you are....it can be Googled at...."Beneath the Mountain of Smoke; Recovering the Awe of Worship....Greg Morse." He also does something that I haven't....and that is give practical advice on how to prepare for Lord's Day worship services.
He writes this in the final paragraph...."We, like Israel, draw near to a consuming fire-one whose flame devours all froth and presumption....our worship then, will be heavy with thanksgiving and happiness, with holy fear and wonder. For this Sunday, we gather joyfully and fearfully together...."
When preaching becomes teaching....then you are no longer preaching! The reverence is diminished....the joy is not necessarily there....and the fear would be more a hindrance than a help.
Jesus gave us an example for how to pray....in the Lord's Prayer. Did the writer of Hebrews also give us an example of how to preach? Many people think that that is exactly what Hebrews is. If so....Christ and His glory are preached for about three quarters of the sermon....and then one can teach...and guide...and rebuke if necessary....and exhort....for the remainder of the sermon. I posted the following in November of....2009....under the title....More Food Sir.
"The following is a paragraph from Charles Dickens Oliver Twist where the boys who lived at the workhouse were issued three meals of thin gruel a day, with an onion twice a week, and a half a roll on Sundays. The boys cast lots and Oliver was chosen to ask for a second portion of food. Here are Dickens words: The evening arrived; the boys took their place. The master, in his cook's uniform stationed himself at the copper; his pauper assistants ranged themselves behind him; the gruel was served out; and a long grace was said over the short commons. The gruel disappeared; the boys whispered themselves, and winked at Oliver; while his neighbors nudged him. Child as he was, he was desperate with hunger, and reckless with misery. He rose from the table; and advancing to the master, basin and spoon in hand, said: somewhat alarmed at his own temerity: 'Please sir, I want some more food.' There have been times, in the past, when I have gone up to a pastor after the sermon and essentially said the same thing, More food sir?
Here is what we tend to do today....the pastor chooses a portion of the Bible....a few verses maybe....or a whole chapter....and for forty minutes he explains to us what it means....as if we cannot do that....and should not do that....ourselves! We call it 'exposition'....and it is....but it is also what we ourselves should be doing every day of our lives. Is the pastor's phone number the only one that the Holy Spirit has? So what this method does in effect is tell us to sit back....tend our gardens....and come in on Sunday....where the pastor will do the work for us. To make matters worse....the exposition given....as compared to calling down the glory of God....can be but...."thin gruel"....a Bible study at best....the opposite of Hebrews....three quarters encouragement....one quarter....a parting reference to Christ or the evangel....just so that they can say that Christ has been preached.
