Puritan evangelism

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J.I. Packer has an interesting note on the Puritan approach to evangelism.

Their programme as evangelists (Packer writes) was no more specialised than this: to teach and apply the Scriptures in a patient, thorough way, ranging wide in their declarations of the whole counsel of God but constantly returning to three themes.

Theme one was the length, breadth, height and depth of everyone’s need to be converted and saved.

Theme two was the length, breadth, depth, and height of the love of God, who sent his Son to the cross for sinners, and of Christ, who from his throne calls burdened souls to himself for their salvation.…

Isa 9:6 – Everlasting Father – sermon notes

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The relationship between the OT and NT is that of promise and fulfilment.  See Mt 1:22; 2:5, 17, 23, 3:3; 4:14.

Here is one of the most celebrated of the Messianic prophecies.

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’  The third of these is, perhaps, the most puzzling. …

‘But my faith is so weak’

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We must distinguish (writes that most accessible of all Puritans, Thomas Watson) between weakness of faith and no faith:-

A weak faith is true. The bruised reed is but weak, yet it is such as Christ will not break. Though thy faith be weak, be not discouraged.

(1.) A weak faith may receive a strong Christ. A weak hand can tie the knot in marriage as well as a strong one; and a weak eye might have seen the brazen serpent.…

2 Kings 6:8-23 – Where is God when I’m afraid? – sermon notes

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“Wake up, Master, wake up!”  Poor Gehazi had never been so frightened in his life.

“What’s the matter, my servant?” said the man of God sleepily.

“We’re surrounded!  The Arameans have come to kill us!”

“Yes, I know.”

You see, the Arameans kept trying to ambush Israel.  The trouble for them was, Elisha always knew where where they were, and so the Israelites could avoid them.  The Arameans got fed up with this in the end, and that is why a whole army of them had surrounded Dothan, where Elisha and his servant were staying.…

Prophet, Priest and King

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J.I. Packer (Concise Theology) notes that one of Calvin’s great contributions to Christian theology was his recognition that in the New Testament the mediatorial work of Jesus is expounded in terms of the threefol office of prophet, priest, and king.

These three aspects are all found in the letter to the Hebrews.  Jesus is the exalted King, Heb 1:3, 13; 4:16; 2:9.  He is the great High Priest who offered himself to God as a sacrifice for our sins, Heb 2:17; 4:14–5:10; chs.…

Lk 7:36-50 – Love, hypocrisy, forgiveness – sermon notes

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Our Lord has just been drawing attention to the self-righteous Pharisees, v30, and announcing that he is the friend of tax-collectors and ‘sinners’, v34.  Here is a story which illustrates both these points.

A Pharisee had invited Jesus to have dinner with him.  Picture the scene.  Now consider the actions and reactions of the three people involved.

1.  The woman’s love

Who this woman was, we do not know.

She was well known for her immorality. …

John 15:1-17 – Be fruitful – sermon notes

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Have you ever been parted from someone you love?  A boy or girl goes off on holiday with a friend, and won’t see mum and dad for a couple of weeks.  A boyfriend and girlfried will be setting off in September for different universities.  A husband is called up for service in the armed forces, and doesn’t know when he’ll be home again.  What is said on such occasions.  “Look after yourself…keep in touch…don’t get into trouble”  The disciples were in such a situation. …

Interruptions

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William Hendriksen (New Testament Commentary on Luke, p 456) comments on the number of times that Jesus is interrupted and the way in which he responds to such interruptions:-

1.  When speaking to a crowd, Lk 5:17-19
2.  When asleep, Lk 8:22-24
3.  When on his way to perform a healing, Lk 8:43f
4.  When conversing with his disciples, Lk 12:12ff
5.  When praying, Mk 1:35ff
6.  When travelling, Mk 10:46ff

Never is Jesus ‘thrown’.  He uses each occasion as a golden opportunity for some priceless teaching or wonderful miracle.…

Homosexual relationships

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I hesitate to contribute anything on this subject, discussion of which tends generate more heat than light.  But perhaps if only to demonstrate that there is a way of seeking to be faithful to Scripture which does not amount to a homophobic rant, I offer the following.

Statistics

I remember that when I was at school in the 1960s, our class was informed that about 10% of the population was homosexual.  (Of course, with a class size of about 30, each of us silently wondered who those three boys were!).  …

The Christian mind

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It was Galileo who said, ‘I do not feel obliged to believe that that same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their use.’

And A.W. Tozer reminds us, ‘the mind is good – God put it there. He gave us our heads and it was not his intention that our heads would function just as a place to hang a hat.’

Neglect of the Mind

But the mind is apt to be neglected by well-meaning Christians.…