Serve One Another

This week’s two-minute clip comes from the sermon, “Serve One Another,” and is part of Pastor Brooks’ series on the One Another passages in the New Testament. It was preached November 2, 2003. The text is Galatians 5.13 (printed here in the ESV).

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Here is this week’s Taste of His Grace: 05 – Serve One Another.

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The full sermon is available here.

What is A Taste of His Grace? Read more here.

HT: Randy Harreld.

Assurance of Salvation by Matthew Hoskinson

Title: Assurance of Salvation: Implications of a New Testament Theology of Hope

Author: Matthew Hoskinson

Publisher: BJU Press

ISBN: 978-1-60682-044-5

Pages: 228

Reviewer: Dan Olinger

Summary of the Book

Anyone who works with young people–especially high school or college age–soon realizes that young people have questions about assurance of salvation. Lots of questions. Unfortunately, there’s a great deal of confusion about the matter as well, and not just among the young people themselves. The counseling field is filled with theories, tips, and tricks about how to get the kids to quit worrying about it all. Matthew Hoskinson, formerly Pastor of Ministry Vision at Heritage, explores the biblical basis for assurance of salvation and then brings it to bear on the current theories, providing a solid basis for counseling anyone struggling with assurance.

Overview of the Book

This work is a publication of Dr. Hoskinson’s dissertation at Bob Jones University. (Full disclosure: I was a member of the author’s dissertation committee and served as the editor for the published book.)

Six chapters cover both a historical survey of views on assurance and a biblical theology of assurance.

Chapter 1 – A History of Assurance

Chapter 2 – Contemporary Views on Assurance

Chapter 3 – Abraham and Hope

Chapter 4 – Hope in the NT Historical Books

Chapter 5 – Hope in Paul’s Writings

Chapter 6 – Hope in the General Epistles

Hoskinson’s conclusion is that the biblical data form a moderating position between two competing contemporary views:

1)      the view that objective assurance comes from the fact of our salvation event and consequently our memory of it (what Hoskinson terms the “time of conversion view”). This is the view that is sometimes caricatured as “writing today’s date in the margin of your Bible.” This view is more common among those who hold to eternal security.

2)      the view that subjective assurance comes from spiritual fruit–evidences of growth in Christ-like character (what Hoskinson terms the “present only view”). This view is more common among Arminian groups.

In short, Hoskinson argues, the Bible bases full-bodied assurance objectively in Christ and His work on our behalf. But that work unfailingly issues in subjective results: character development and the succeeding perseverance. He writes, “Theologians must carefully teach that a faith that saves is a faith that endures, all the while maintaining sola fide” (213).

Recommendation

Assurance of Salvation is a doctoral dissertation, but it is a readable one. It is a valuable resource for anyone counseling believers struggling with assurance, and it is not beyond the reach of laymen interested in the subject. It is exegetically based and therefore provides balance in the current debate. Mastery of the material in this volume will leave a believer well grounded to live out biblical hope in confusing times and to encourage others to do so as well.

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Purchase the book here.

Dan Olinger is an elder of Heritage Bible Church and serves as the Chairperson of the Division of Bible at Bob Jones University.

Sermon Notes (100516 PM Service)

“The Sufficient Scriptures”

2 Timothy 3:16

Dan Brooks, Pastor

Download a pdf of the notes here.

Introduction: When Paul closes out this letter to Timothy, he will write, “The cloke that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee, and the books, but especially the parchments” (4:13). “Books probably refers to papyrus scrolls, possibly of Old Testament books. Parchments were vellum sheets, made of specially treated animal hides. They were extremely expensive and therefore used for only the most important of documents. These particular parchments may have contained copies of Paul’s own letters or may have been blank sheets on which he planned to write other letters.”1

Paul is saying, “my body is cold and my heart needs to be fed.” Is the Word of God so precious to you that if you were stripped of all essentials you would request it above all other things, even proper clothing to keep you warm?

The Word of God has historically been precious to the people of God. Dr. David Beale has written a wonderful booklet titled A Pictorial History of our English Bible. As you read this booklet you will discover that in the late 1300’s the Bible was so scarce in England that to rent a copy of the Bible for one hour’s study cost a wagon-load of hay.2

By the early 1500’s, after Gutenberg’s contribution and William Tyndale’s martyrdom, an entire Bible could be purchased “for half a crown a copy—five full days’ wages for a mason.”3   For the average mason in SC earning just under $24K a year, that amounts to $461 for your own edition of the Bible. And that would not have included maps, concordances, study helps and outlines as many of our Bibles do. Not even the verses were numbered at that point.

By the end of the 1500’s the publisher of the Geneva Bible was making “the more expensive editions available on the ‘installment plan.’”4

And with the publication of the King James Bible in 1611 the cost fell to only 25 shillings.5

What makes the Word of God so precious to God’s people that they would invest an entire week’s salary in its purchase?

2 Timothy 3:16-17 begins to answer that question by teaching us that the value of the Scriptures lies in their origin and designed end.

I. THE SCRIPTURES ARE SUFFICIENT FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY BECAUSE OF THEIR ORIGIN (3:16).

A. The Scriptures are authoritative because they originate in God.

1. All Scripture: he is thinking beyond the bounds of the OT writings.

a. James – 45-48

b. Matthew & Luke were finished, Mark was probably written about the same time as 2 Timothy (67-68)

c. The Gospel of John would be written later.

d. Acts – 61

e. Other Pauline letters – 50’s to late 60’s

f. Peter’s letters – 65-67

2. Inspired by God: lit., “God-breathed”

a. Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking that the Bible gets its authority from the tradition of the Church, that because a certain council met a thousand years ago that’s how we came to have the 66 books we call the canon.

b. 2 Pe 1:20-21 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

c. The Scriptures are authoritative because they come from God the Holy Spirit.

d. God directed the writers to the very words, but Scripture does not indicate any dictation.

1) Luke indicates that he actually did research.

2) Luke 1:1 he “compiled an account”

e. Each word is the exact word which God wants used at that point to express the message.

f. Dt 4:2 You shall not add to the word that I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I command you.

3. The Scriptures are authoritative because they originate in God.

B. The Scriptures are beneficial because they originate in God (3:16).

1. All Scripture is breathed out by God

a. The first time we see God breathe out something, He breathes into man’s nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul (Gen 2:7).

b. Only the Sovereign Creator has this kind of power.

c. But now we are taught that this word is similarly breathed-out, that is, it originates in and from the God of the Bible.

d. Dt 32:45-47 And when Moses had finished speaking all these words to all Israel, he said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (see also Dt 6:6 & 11:18)

2. and is profitable: useful, beneficial

a. Of what use is the Word of God?

b. Dt 8:3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

c. The Word of God is useful to the nourishment of my soul.

d. Jos 1:7-8 Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.

e. Psalm 1:2 Blessed is the man whose “delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

3. What specifically is Scripture profitable for?

a. teaching: the content of what is taught

1) Scripture is the foundation of life.

2) You cannot understand life as you need to apart from this Book.

3) Scripture makes us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

b. reproof: to state that someone has done wrong and that there is adequate proof of it. In this case the proof of wrong-doing is according to Scripture.

1) The Bible is able to clearly state: “Here is what you’ve done wrong.”

2) Are you carefully searching the Scriptures that you might evaluate your life by them?

c. correction: to cause something to be or to become correct, with the implication of a previous condition of faults or failures.6

1) “Here is what you ought to do.”

2) The Bible not only tells you what you’ve done wrong, but tells you what you ought to do.

d. training: the word is actually used in some places to refer to child training. The idea is of providing instruction, with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior

1) In righteousness: the act of doing what God requires.

2) Notice that ethical training flows out of knowing the Gospel.

3) Scripture instructs us with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior.7

4) Walter Kaiser: “Grace is always the soil in which law takes root.”

e. Obedience to the law is no savior.

f. But Jesus is a great and mighty Savior! And obedience to His Word is the only right response.

4. Point: We’re not interested in training children or a church merely to be good, moral people.

a. The world is filled with good and moral people who will never see the Kingdom of God.

b. Two profitable uses of the Word:

1) Scripture makes us wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

2) Scripture trains us with a view of forming proper habits of Christian behavior.

II. THE SCRIPTURES ARE SUFFICIENT FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY BECAUSE OF THEIR GOD-APPOINTED END (3:17).

A. God qualifies the believer through the Word.

1. Man of God: a title used in the OT for God’s prophets. Here the expression is a reminder to Timothy that before any other title or position by which he might be known, “man of God” is how his Savior views him.

2. competent: ἄρτιος

a. def.: fully qualified, proficient

b. God’s desire is that you function properly.

B. God equips the believer through the Word.

1. equipped: ἐξηρτισμένος

a. to make someone completely adequate or sufficient for something8

2. For every good work:

a. In this case for good works, the way of righteousness just referred to in 3:16.

b. 2 Tim 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

c. Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

C. Application:

1. It is impossible to live life as you were created to live it apart from the Word of God.

2. The most significant questions in life are answered in this Book:

3. When we begin to recognize that the Scriptures come from God and are intended to equip us for faith and every good work, then maybe we will understand why a 14th Century Englishman would trade a wagon-load of hay just to have one hour with this book.

4. The word of God is much more readily accessible. Take it up and read!

[1]MacArthur, John, II Timothy, Moody Bible Institute, 211.

[2]Beale, David, A Pictorial History of our English Bible, BJU Press, 1982, 10.

[3]Beale, 20-21.

[4]Beale, 33.

[5]Beale, 43.

^[6]Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A.

^[7]Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A.

^[8]Louw, J. P., & Nida, E. A.

Sermon Notes (100516 AM Service)

“The Authority of the Scriptures”

2 Timothy 3:1-17

Dan Brooks, Pastor

Download a pdf of the notes here.

Introduction: How many copies of the Bible do you have in your possession? I have 9 English Bibles on my shelves; 21 different versions in my Bible study software. There are hard copies and electronic copies. The Bible is available to us on our computers, IPhones, IPads and Kindles.

And yet for all the availability, we may be among the least Biblically read generations in the history of the church.

Bible Ownership

Most Americans own a Bible. In fact, 92% of households in America own at least one copy. Of those households that own a Bible, the average number of Bibles is three. This includes not only the homes of practicing Christians but hundreds of thousands of atheists as well.

Bible Reading

Although most Americans own a Bible, use of the Bible varies significantly. In a poll taken by the Gallup Organization in October, 2000, 59% of Americans reported that they read the Bible at least occasionally. This is down from 73% in the 1980s. The percentage of Americans who read the Bible at least once a week is 37%. This is down slightly from 40% in 1990. According to the Barna Research Group, those who read the Bible regularly spend about 52 minutes a week in the scriptures. Barna, “The Bible,” data is from 1997.

As of 2004 [“One change discovered related to Bible reading, which climbed to 44% of adults reading from the Bible during the past week (other than while at church), up from 37% in 1994 and 36% in 1999. Bible reading jumped most noticeably among Protestants (up from 47% in 1994 to 59% in 2004) and residents of the west coast states (California, Oregon, and Washington - rising from 29% a decade ago to 44% today).”]

Which gender is more faithful at reading the Bible at least weekly? The prize goes to the women. Women (42%) are more likely than men (32%) to have read the Bible in the past week. . . .

Bible Study

When it comes to going beyond merely reading the Bible to actual study of the Bible, the numbers decline sharply. Only one in seven Americans report an involvement that goes beyond just reading the Bible. Fourteen percent of Americans currently belong to a Bible study group. This is down a full one-third from 1990 when 21% said they were involved in a Bible study group.

Bible Knowledge

How about knowledge of the Bible? According to Gallup, “Despite the impressive statistics concerning Bible reading and study, it is apparent that ignorance about its contents is widespread.”

He gives evidence for this conclusion:

– Only half of adults interviewed nationwide could name any of the four Gospels of the New Testament.

– Just 37% of those interviewed could name all four Gospels.

– Only 42% of adults were able to name as many as five of the Ten Commandments correctly.

– Seven in ten (70%) were able to name the town where Jesus was born, but just 42% could identify him as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

Researcher George Barna has also documented the lack of Bible knowledge in the United States:

– 38% of Americans believe the entire Bible was written several decades after Jesus’ death and resurrection.

– 12% of adults believe that Noah’s wife was Joan of Arc.

– 49% believe that the Bible teaches that money is the root of all evil. (The love of money is said to be the root of all types of evil).

– 75% believe that the Bible teaches that God helps those who help themselves.

If you were among those surveyed where would you fall?

Some Definitions:

Authority:

1. Right to command, the right or power to enforce rules or give orders. Ex.: “Parents have authority to discipline their children.”

2. Holder of power, somebody or something with official power. Ex.: “A church has authority to discipline its members.”

3. Power given to somebody, power to act on behalf of somebody else, or official permission to do something. Ex.: “As power of attorney he has the authority to handle the estate.”

4. Source of reliable information. Ex.: “Wikipedia is not recognized as authoritative.”

5. Administrative body, an official body that is set up by a government to administer an area of activity. Ex.: “the local authorities.”

Some Explanations:

Authority of Scripture: “The idea that all the words in Scripture are God’s words in such a way that to disbelieve or disobey any word of Scripture is to disbelieve or disobey God.”

“The Christian principle of biblical authority means, on the one hand, that God purposes to direct the belief and behavior of his people through the revealed truth set forth in Holy Scripture; on the other hand it means that all our ideas about God should be measured, tested, and where necessary corrected and enlarged, by reference to biblical teaching. Authority as such is the right, claim, fitness, and by extension power, to control.”

I. THE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES LIES IN THE AUTHORITY OF ITS AUTHOR.

A. God reveals Himself to us in His manifold perfections.

1. He is the one true God, existing in three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

2. He is the self-existent One, existing independently of all other beings.

3. For His existence to be complete He needs nothing else from you or me or any other part of His creation.

4. He is unchangeable in His being, in His perfections, and in His purposes.

5. He is infinite, eternal and omnipresent.

6. He is perfect in wisdom knowing all things.

7. He is faithful and true, good and loving, merciful and gracious, patient and forgiving.

8. He is the God of peace, righteousness, and justice.

9. He is the God of infinite beauty and eternal glory.

10. And He is holy, absolutely separate from all other things, separate from the common, from the ordinary and from the sinful.

11. He reveals Himself to us in these and many more perfections.

B. One of the perfections of God is that He is sovereign.

1. We often refer to Him with the title “The Almighty.”

2. As Christ stands before the Apostle John as described in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, He describes Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega,” [the One] “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev 1:8).

3. The term Almighty refers to One who holds sway over all things, the ruler of all.

a. παντοκράτωρ: a term used only of God.

b. Re 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”

c. What kind of sway and rule does the Almighty wield?

d. Re 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

e. Then the 24 elders who are seated around the throne fall on their faces and begin to chant the praise of the Almighty.

f. Re 11:17-18 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”

g. Re 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!

h. Re 19:11-16 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

i. See 2 Cor. 6:18; Rev. 1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22.

j. Functionally, we ascribe far less to Him than this kind of authority.

k. The strongest proof of that functional disregard may be our neglect or disregard of the word.

l. It is not merely an exceedingly powerful force in the universe or an exceptionally wise counselor we have failed to consult, but the Almighty God.

4. How is that power exercised?

a. Je 32:17 ‘Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you.

b. And in what is an Everest-like expression of this sovereign authority, the writer of Hebrews states: Heb 1:1-3 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds [pres act part: “is upholding”] the universe by the word of his power.

c. Heb 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

d. Could there be a clearer expression of the sovereign authority of God?

5. His is an authority to create and to command, to hold the world accountable and to judge all beings according to His standard of righteousness.

6. Such is the authority of the God who breathes out this word.

7. The authority of the Scriptures lies in the authority of the Author.

a. The Bible is a beautiful library of literature, but it is not the literary quality which gives it authority.

b. The Bible is historically accurate as it has recorded each even, but it is not the historical value which gives it authority.

c. The Bible is full of wise counsel and sound advice for living, but in the end, the supreme authority of this word lies in the supreme authority of its author.

d. Do you value and revere, love and read the Bible as it is in truth, the word of God?

[1]  http://www.barna.org/barna-update/article/5-barna-update/136-religious-activity-increasing-in-the-west

[2]  http://www.theologicalstudies.org/page/page/1572910.htm

^[3]Grudem, W. A. (1994). Systematic Theology: An introduction to biblical doctrine (1236). Leicester, England; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press; Zondervan Pub. House.

^[4]Packer, J. I. (1995, c1993). Concise Theology : A guide to historic Christian beliefs. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House.

Wait for One Another

This week’s two-minute clip comes from the sermon, “Wait for One Another,” and is part of Pastor Brooks’ series on the One Another passages in the New Testament. It was preached October 26, 2003. The text is 1 Corinthians 11.17-34 (printed here in the ESV).

17 But in the following instructions I do not commend you, because when you come together it is not for the better but for the worse. 18 For, in the first place, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you. And I believe it in part, 19 for there must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. 21 For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22 What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not.

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.

33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another—34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come.

Here is this week’s Taste of His Grace: 04 – Wait for One Another.

—–

The full sermon is available here.

What is A Taste of His Grace? Read more here.

HT: Michael Boyle.

Meditation for AM Worship

2 Peter 1:2

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. ESV

Sermon Notes (100509 AM Service)

“Go in Peace”

Luke 7:36-50

Dan Brooks, Pastor

Download a pdf of the notes here.

Introduction:

Things Mom Would Never Say

“How on earth can you see the TV sitting so far back?”

“Yeah, I used to skip school a lot, too”

“Just leave all the lights on … it makes the house look more cheery”

“Let me smell that shirt — Yeah, it’s good for another week”

“Go ahead and keep that stray dog, honey. I’ll be glad to feed and walk him every day”

“Well, if Bubba’s mamma says it’s OK, that’s good enough for me.”

“The curfew is just a general time to shoot for. It’s not like I’m running a prison around here.”

“I don’t have a tissue with me … just use your sleeve”

“Don’t bother wearing a jacket – the wind-chill is bound to improve.”

Moms have to have it together. Women in general have to have it together. There is an enormous amount of pressure on women today to be perfect. Be pretty, be smart, be fit, be culturally wise, and always be prepared.

And if you are a Christian lady, there is also the added pressure of being spiritually perfect. Know your Bible, counsel your friends, support your husband, disciple your children, look out for your parents, volunteer your spare moments in the church. Then if you have left over moments from the spare moments volunteer them in the neighborhood.

You’ve got to think straight, speak graciously and love unconditionally. Your heart needs to be a reflection of Christ at all times. There’s no time or place for dealing with sin. Be perfect!

It’s impossible.

What does Jesus Christ think and feel about imperfect women?

I. Jesus sees you as you are.

A.     Luke’s description of the woman.

1.     A woman of the city: (πόλει) “that is, ‘who was a sinner in the city,’ a woman of the town.”^[1]

^{2.      A sinner: (ἁμαρτωλός)  cf. 7:34 sinners are the ones that Jesus has befriended.}

^{B.     The Pharisee’s description of the woman (7:39, 49).}

^{1.      If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.}

^{2.      He defines the woman by her past reputation.}

^{C. Christ’s assessment of the woman.}

^{1.      Lk 7:34-35 The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is justified by all her children.”}

^{2.      7:47 Her sins, which are many: (πολλαί) many in number or quantity.}

^{a.      It is probable that this is a woman who has given herself to sexual sin.}

^{b.      The specifics of her sin, however, are not critical to our understanding of the most important point.}

^{c.      The way that Jesus speaks and Luke records the story beautifully broadens the application to everyone of us.}

^{d.      The application is not limited to “women of the town” but to those who feel the weight of their many sins.}

^{e.      Jesus acknowledges that her sins are many.}

Meditation for PM Worship

Father, I want to know Thee, but my cowardly heart fears to give up its toys. I cannot part with them without inward bleeding, and I do not try to hide from Thee the terror of the parting. I come trembling, but I do come. Please root from my heart all those things which I have cherished so long and which have become a very part of my living self, so that Thou mayest enter and dwell there without a rival.     –A.W. TOZER

Meditation for AM Worship

Hear, my son, your father’s instruction,

and forsake not your mother’s teaching,

for they are a graceful garland for your head

and pendants for your neck.

–Proverbs 1:8-9, ESV

How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp

Title: How People Change

Authors: Timothy S. Lane & Paul David Tripp

Publisher: New Growth Press

ISBN: 978-1-934885-53-6

Pages: 230

Reviewer: Jonathan Matías

Summary of the Book

Have you wondered why you’ve tried to overcome a sin in your life yet keep falling back into it? How People Change is an effective tool to help you take steps to experience lasting spiritual change. Authors Tim Lane and Paul Tripp help us see just how badly the rebellion of sin has corrupted our everyday lives. Then they show how the cross of Christ provides all the power needed to leave behind our sin and walk in newness of life.

Overview of the Book

Chapters 1 to 6 explain why we struggle to overcome sin in our lives even though old things are supposed to have “passed away” (2 Corinthians 5:17). We need to embrace God’s agenda of change for us and grasp how to apportion the power of the gospel to change us.

Chapter 1 – The Gospel Gap

Chapter 2 – Counterfeit Hopes

Chapter 3 – Here’s Where God Is Taking You

Chapter 4 – Married To Christ

Chapter 5 – Change Is A Community Project

Chapter 6 – The Big Picture

Chapters 7 to 14 walk through the biblical process of change (Jeremiah 17:5-10) and apply it to a wide variety of sinful struggles every one of us faces. The authors guide the reader through a memorable four-part description of change (Heat, Thorns, Cross, Fruit) that diagnoses our sin struggles, applies the cross, and enables us to resemble Jesus more and more.

Chapter 7 – Heat 1: God in the Real World

Chapter 8 – Heat 2: You in the Real World

Chapter 9 – Thorns 1: What Entangles You?

Chapter 10 – Thorns 2: Why Do You Get Entangled?

Chapter 11 – Cross 1: New Identity and New Potential

Chapter 12 – Cross 2: The Cross and Daily Living

Chapter 13 – Fruit 1: Real Heart Change

Chapter 14 – Fruit 2: New and Surprising Fruit

Chapters 15 to 16 show how God’s agenda for change took place in the life of a couple and a church. Through their example, we see that God is powerfully renovating his people and we can experience lasting change just like them.

Chapter 15 – One Couple’s Story

Chapter 16 – One Church’s Story

Recommendation

How People Change has been helpful for me to turn away from sinful habits and pursue Christ’s character, so much so that the church family where I serve as an elder is working through the companion study guide together. Any Christian who is investing in the life of another believer or simply wants to grow will find this an indispensable tool to help you pursue holiness for the Lord’s sake and for your joy.

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Purchase the book here.

Jonathan Matias is Pastor of Grace Church of Alexandria, a plant from Heritage Bible Church.