Good Listening

In my morning rounds of blog-reading I came across a posting by Thabiti Anyabwile regarding the preaching and listening of the Word of God. I thought it worth sharing.

"The more I preach, the more convinced I am of two things. First, preaching is really, really difficult. Second, listening to preaching is really, really difficult. Even the best of listeners struggle with poor preaching. And the best preaching can't cure the worst listening. You want both. Great preaching and great listening. That combination best edifies preacher and people, strengthening the church in the most profound way. But even good preaching and good listening should result in good growth by the grace of God. So, the effort is well rewarded.

I'm convinced that how we listen to a sermon makes tremendous and profound difference in our encounter with the word of God and the God of the word. And that's no revelation I just sat here and thought up. It's what the Bible itself teaches. Ever wonder why the Bible so frequently exhorts us to listen, to pay attention, to heed? Ever wonder why Jesus so often begins His teaching with, "Have you not heard?" Or, take Solomon. Breeze through the opening chapters of Proverbs and count the number of times he writes, "Listen, my son." And then there are all the biblical rebukes for not listening, for being stiff-necked, slow to hear, and the like.

God is a speaking God. We must, then, be a listening people. In fact, the difference between an eternity of enjoying God and an eternity of wrath comes down to whether we listen to the message preached. "Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God." So, this is an issue of extremely vital importance. Our spiritual health depends upon hearing God clearly, which depends upon knowing how to listen.

Likewise, listening to and benefiting from sermons requires good filters.

The first and most important filter for the listener is a "True or False" filter. The listener must ask themselves: "Is what I'm hearing true or false?" A true/false filter is a clean listening filter for those wanting to grow by the word of God.

The truth–the whole counsel of God–is good for us. Falsehood misleads and destroys us. So, we must first come to the word thinking and listening with the categories or filter of true and false. Is the preacher giving me the truth here? Reject everything that is false. But thankfully embrace the truth with both arms. Hold it close to your bosom and love it. Christians are truth people, and faithful servants of the word declare the truth."

Pastor Anyabwile further provides some thoughts on "True or False" filters. You can read the entire post at http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/thabitianyabwile/

posted by john d.

The Church of the Golden Age

The local church is not in a golden age. It's probably not even in a plastic disposable age at this point. And as such, it often falls short of meeting our spiritual needs -- unlike the church of the Golden Age.

The church of the Golden Age would be full of the love of Christ, right? And full of people who have overcome sin. It would be lead by Christ and by men just like Him. And when I have a lousy day that lasts for weeks (or months), that church would be there for me all the time.

And wow: would the church of the Golden Age have good doctrine. The teaching there would be from like one who has authority -- not just lip service, not just translations from the Greek and Hebrew, not just lessons about how to live our lives. The doctrine of the church of the Golden Age would both humble us and lift us up so that we could be both servants of Christ and also his brothers and sisters all gaining the inheritance of the Father in eternal life.

…I want to remind all of you -- because I myself needed reminding -- that the church of the Golden Age is not past.

The church of the Golden Age is still coming. It has never yet been here, but in it our hope lies.

Hebrews 13:14 For here have we no continuing city,

but we seek one to come.

Adapted from “The Golden Age” by Frank Turk posted on February 10, 2010 at http://teampyro.blogspot.com/2010/02/golden-age.html

posted by john d.

The Church

When will we stop "going to church" and
start "being the church"?


Matthew 25:31-46

posted by john d.

Wrong Reasons to Love the Church

Do you love the church? Romans 12:10 tells Christians to "Love one another with brotherly affection."

The affection and love we're to have for fellow-Christians is to be based on the work of Jesus Christ for us. It's not about elitism, it's not because Christians are better than anyone else, it certainly isn't because Christians are necessarily more lovable. We love the church because we love the Savior who redeemed the church.

Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus purchased the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it's anything less, it won't last long.

Don't love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won't do enough.

Don't love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.

Don't love the church because of a program or a building or activities. Because all those things get old.

Don't love the church because of a certain group of friends. Because friendships change and people move.

Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.


Excerpted from the sermon "We Are Here to Love the Church." - posted at www.joshharris.com

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" Eph. 5:25

Edited and posted by john d.