Learning from a Legend

You may not know who J.C. Ryle is--but he's one of those men who can rightly be called a giant in the Christian faith. Here is a great quote from him that says again what Jason preached about so well at our last G2 meeting.

The Spirituality of Taste

J.C. Ryle:

The man whose soul is “growing” takes more interest in spiritual things every year. He does not neglect his duty in the world. He discharges faithfully, diligently, and conscientiously every relation of life, whether at home or abroad. But the things he loves best are spiritual things. The ways, and fashions, and amusements, and recreations of the world have a continually decreasing place in his heart. He does not condemn them as downright sinful, nor say that those who have anything to do with them are going to hell. He only feels that they have a constantly diminishing hold on his own affections, and gradually seem smaller and more trifling in his eyes. Spiritual companions, spiritual occupations, spiritual conversation, appear of ever-increasing value to him. Would any one know if he is growing in grace? Then let him look within for increasing spirituality of taste. (Holiness, 107)

The Truth About Hell

Hi Everyone,

Our last G2 meeting I preached about hell. It's the first time that I remember preaching about this topic and I am grateful for the opportunity to encourage all who heard the message to claim Jesus as their Savior--Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come.
If you haven't heard it, here's the link. Feel free to move past the intro comments reviewing the previous Truth messages.

http://sovgracechurch.com/podcast/G2.09.04.2010.mp3

Dug Down Deep Chapter 3....finally.

Hi Everyone,

Well, for those of you reading this post. Congratulations--you have endured the ridiculously long and curiously unexplained blog absence this summer! So sorry to keep you waiting. My summer has been filled with our Together church conference and other church stuff. If you've continued reading Dug Down Deep I hope you have been transformed and inspired. This post will be an opportunity to remember the great points of the book. If you haven't read these chapters yet, let me encourage you to do so.

Chapter 3--Near But Not in My Pocket

This chapter highlights the importance of "theology proper"--the study of God himself. Josh focused most of the chapter on God's transcendence--beyond us in his being and in each of his characteristics. I loved the analogy he drew from sitting in the coffee shop and watching people evaluate their appearance in the glass--as though it was a mirror rather than a window. We are like that with God. We wake up and look into our lives assuming that all of life is intended to be all about us, rather than as a window through which we should be looking to see the glory of God. He also mentions that many young people today see God as a divine therapist--available to sooth our hearts but not particularly relevant as an object of adoration. This is seen most clear in the gospel--which so many church kids see merely a safeguard against judgment or a "get out of punishment free card." Yet the gospel is most importantly the revelation of God's glory--as Creator, Judge, Redeemer. The gospel is God reconciling the world to himself, vindicating his justice, redeeming his people, declaring his righteousness. The gospel is a display of God's glory unlike any other. Yet for many church kids the gospel is a trite rehearsal of "Jesus died on the cross for my sins..." without any of the awe, worship, or humility that such a glorious truth should produce.
Ok...if I go any further I might as well have printed the whole chapter. Read it. It's good.

A few questions.
1. What are a few ways that God is bigger/better than us?
2. Has your study of God (in Bible reading or messages) produced an awe of God's greatness?
3. What things in your life produce greater enthusiasm than God's glory?
4. What would it take for you to meditate on God's glory until it produced worship from you?

G2 Summer Begins

God Conversations

Hey Guys,
Thank you to those of you who have been coming to the Friday AM God conversations. We've had a great time the last few weeks.
If you couldn't make it, this week's conversation was about doubt. We talked about the reality that Christians, real Christians, experience moments of doubt--the temptation to believe that God isn't real, or that the gospel isn't true, or that Jesus isn't the only way to heaven--doubts like that. To face temptations of doubt doesn't mean you are not a Christian. If you are fighting those doubts with faith--it means that you ARE a Christian. After all, sin is always doubting God at some level. We have the opportunity as Christians to believe the truth of the Word and live believing the good news of God's character.

If you haven't been able to come, please feel free to join us on Fridays at 10am at the church.

Look out later for a post about chapter three from our book.

Digging into Chapter 2

Chapter 2. "In Which I Learn How to Dig". This was a great chapter! Josh talks about the story of the two builders, one who built on the rock and the other, on the sand. He describes how he lived most of his teenage years building on the "sand" of superficial Christianity--and lacked the willingness to dig down deep to the rock of a life built on Jesus. I like how he describes real Christianity:

"Being a Christian means being a person who labors to establish his beliefs, his dreams, his choices, his very view of the world on the truth of who Jesus is and what he has accomplished--A Christian who cares about truth, who cares about sound doctrine. "

A few great truths for us to chew on:

1. Beliefs that don't lead to obedience are simply not deep enough.

2. Transformation in Josh's life only came as a result of study--listening to messages, reading books, and learning from older, wiser people. We don't drift into godliness. "It was as if the'd taken doctrinal ideas off the high shelf, which they seemed to occupy in my mind, and put them to work in their everyday lives. I found this odd and yet appealing."

3. Young people can have a passion to know God and enjoy the truths about God in doctrine. Very encouraging to hear about Josh's old youth group reading systematic theology.
Like Josh, we should not accept the idea that God only works passion for truth in the post twenty age bracket. I believe this passion can happen at any age.

Any thoughts? What stood out to you?

Dug Down Deep

As promised, I am beginning the G2 summer reading posts on Dug Down Deep by Joshua Harris. I've started this week at chapter 1 (you should start there too), and I already know this is going to be a great book. If you haven't purchased it yet--we'll have copies in the bookstore on Sunday or you can get it anywhere online.

In the first chapter, Josh remembers his own journey as a teenager through the "youth group" motions of external Christianity. All of us who have grown up in the church can identify. As he says, church is often more a social group than a context for expressing passion for Jesus. He talks about how all of us are theologians--all us live our lives based on our conception of God--but we need to ask whether our views of God are actually true and Biblical.

The last paragraph is worth quoting entirely.

"The irony of my story--and I suppose it often works this way--is that the very things I needed, even longed for in my relationship with God, were wrapped up in the very things I was so sure could do me no good. I didn't understand that such seemingly worn-out words as theology, doctrine, and orthodoxy were the pathway to the mysterious, awe-filled experience of truly knowing the living Jesus Christ."

For anyone who has read the first chapter, feel free to comment. What stood out to you? Ever feel like doctrine is more boring than relevant? Ever feel like Christianity is more moral do's and dont's than a passionate relationship with Jesus?