Priorities
The following comes from Table Talks, July 9, 2009.
Feeding the Lord's people a steady diet of truth through the faithful proclamation of His Word is the pastor's chief job. All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for the Christian's spiritual health (2 Tim. 3:14-17), and so the pastor is to make sure his flock learns to hear the Word rightly and apply it practically. This involves the public reading of Scripture in worship as well as exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13), which is the process of explaining the sense of the text and drawing practical applications for the people. Customarily, this is done through the preaching of expository sermons, a practice with a biblical precedent (Neh. 8:8). Finally, pastors are to engage in teaching how the diverse portions of Scripture fit together into one stream of unified doctrine (1 Tim 4:13).
We will be headed for disaster if we ever think biblical teaching is insufficient for our sanctification. Let us never tire of the meat of God's Word, and let our pastors never think that they are able to plumb fully the depths of the Scriptures. John Chrysostom says, “It is not possible … ever to exhaust the mind of the Scriptures. It is a well which has no bottom.” (ACCNT, vol. 9, p. 193).
Without even knowing it, our expectations can be part of the problem in the church's lack of focus on teaching in our day. When we choose churches based simply on their youth activities or the style of music, we are implicitly saying that the quality of our teaching and the faithfulness of the pastor to biblical preaching are not all that important. Whatever we expect of our preacher, let us expect him first of all to feed us the Word of God.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Monday, July 06, 2009
On trucks and such things.
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
April ended quietly. The lack of truck traffic spoke volumes in silence from late April until just a week or so ago.
Yes, trucks are noisy! Even the tire noise from a truck just cruising through Princeton is easily distinguished from that made by cars and light truck. To some extent start up noises, the sounds of a driver checking various components, empty rigs passing over bumps, engines under a load, of drivers moving up through the gears and, of course, Jake Brakes - all pollute our town with noise. Distracting noise!
Yet there is a sense of relief and gladness now that these sounds once again are heard. Though one might not like the noises, these sound symbolizes work/employment; the very life blood of this region.
Yes, there are many occupations that we don't necessarily hate, we just don't want them to be around us. Also, how many couples do not have children simply because children are a 'nuisance'? They make noise, spill things, require attention and time. Therefore, often a house without them is quieter, cleaner and perhaps more peaceful than one with one or more running around. Yet does not God refer to children as a blessing which he bestows?
We enjoy peace and quiet, clean smells and an idyllic setting. Yet God calls mankind to be productive, and often, in this present age, being productive involves a certain amount of messiness.
Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox. (Pro 14:4 ESV)
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