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Field Notes of an Ordinary Pastor

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TAKEAWAYS FROM THE SWORD AND THE TROWEL

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Here are 5 things I noted down from the April 1866 edition of The Sword and the Trowel, the monthly magazine edited by Spurgeon.

1. This edition of The Sword and the Trowel was incredibly brief, comprising of a short reflection on ‘The Massacre of St Bartholomew in 1572’ and a brief evangelistic tract.

2. “When men’s hearts are melted under the preaching of the Word, or by sickness, or the loss of friends, believers should be very eager to stamp the truth upon the prepared mind. Such opportunities are to be seized with holy eagerness.”

3. “Today – there is hope. Tomorrow – You may be in hell.” Spurgeon couldn’t be clearer than this!

4. “The divine hand can even now set the seal of sacred love upon your heart.”

5. “No acts of pardon are ever passed on the other side of the grave, but pardons are plentiful on earth. Jesus suffered for the sins of all who trust him; so suffered that they can never be condemned, since Jesus was punished in their stead.”

KIDS TALK: THE BIG BIBLE ADVENTURE #11 – GENESIS 18:1-15 & 21:1-8

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This is part of a series of kids talks I’m doing for a weekly assembly in a local junior school.  The plan is to tell the story of the Bible over 4 years.

The Big Bible Adventure #11 – Genesis 18:1-15 & 21:1-8:

Powerpoint Pictures: Invisible Man; Eyebrow; Superman Flying; Ear; Brain

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Can anybody do the following?  [Be invisible, lick your eyebrow, fly like superman, smell your own ear, read my mind].  It was a bit unfair of me to ask whether you could do any of these things because they are all impossible to do.

In the true story of the Bible we’ve been looking at something that seems impossible to do.

God has promised Abraham that he would have a family as big as the number of stars in the sky.  He even changed his name so that it now meant ‘father of many’.

But the problem of Sarah being childless still remained.  Sarah couldn’t have children yet God promised she would.

It looked like a promise that was impossible to keep.

Abraham is now 99 years old.

One day he sees three men walking by – it was the Lord coming to remind Abraham of his promise with two of his angels – so he invites them in for a spot of dinner.

Over dinner God tells Abraham that in a years time, his wife Sarah will give birth to a son.  Sarah just happened to be earwigging at the time, and when she heard what was said she began laughing.  She thought that she was far too old to have a child.

But God reminded her of something.  “Is anything too hard for the Lord?  I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:14)

The very next year, when Abraham was 100 years old, Sarah finally gave birth to the son God had promised.  They called him Isaac which means ‘to laugh’ because they laughed with joy at his birth.

God proved to Abraham that He was worth trusting.

God the promise maker is also the promise keeper.

But this was not the end of the story?  Would he be the one who would bring blessing to the whole world?  Is he the Saviour?

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More talks from The Big Bible Adventure can be found HERE.

(Photo: bigal101)

DAILY HENRY

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From Matthew Henry’s comments on Matthew 2:13-15:

“It is nothing new for God’s sons to be in Egypt, in a foreign land, in a land of slavery, but they will be taken out. They may be hidden in Egypt, but they will not be left there. Because all the chosen ones of God are by nature children of wrath, they are born in a spiritual Egypt, and when they are converted, they are effectively called out.”

DOCTRINE WITH DAGG – 2.2.11

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Some notes as I work through J. L. Dagg’s Manual of Theology (1857) one chapter at a time.  

Book 2, Chapter 2: Attributes of God (Part 11 – Holiness)

1. Wisdom = God is infinitely wise.

2. What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? “Wisdom always has respect to action.” Knowledge is the store which when it is used, “wisdom is exhibited.”

3. “Our knowledge and moral principles have much influence in directing our conduct, and that man is considered wise, whose knowledge and moral principles direct his conduct well. Wisdom is therefore regarded as consisting in the selection of the best end of action, and the adoption of the best means for the accomplishment of this end.”

4. When we say that God is wise, it is because He both “selects the best possible end of actions” and “adopts the best possible means for the accomplishment of the end which he has in view.”

5. God’s wisdom is unfathomably deep, so that even the wisest of men cannot comprehend it fully.

6. One question that baffles the wisdom of the wise is why God has permitted the entrance of sin into the world. God hates sin and has infinite power to exclude it from His dominions – why then did He permit its entrance?

Dagg in response makes a number of useful points:

“Sin is in the world; and God is infinitely good and wise… Though we may be unable to reconcile these propositions, they are both worthy to be received with unwavering faith.  No man, in his right mind, can doubt either of them.”

“The existence of sin is not to be ascribed to weakness in God.”  He could have filled the world with creatures incapable of sinning, or confirmed in holiness so they could not fall.  He could even, “on the very first appearance of sin in any one of his creatures… at once annihilated the transgressor, and have prevented the evil from spreading, to the ruin of his subjects.”

“The existence of sin is not inconsistent with the justice of God… Justice does not prevent the entrance of sin, but finds in it an occasion for its highest exercise.  This attribute is displayed awfully and gloriously in the punishment of offenders.”

“The existence of sins is not inconsistent with the goodness of God… Do not conclude that God’s goodness must necessarily exclude moral evil from the world.”  We can suppose “that he will overrule the evil so as ultimately to produce a larger amount of happiness in the universe, than would have existed had moral evil never entered.”

“Although to do evil that good may come is reprobated in God’s word, yet to permit evil, which he overrules for good, accords with his method of procedure… The crucifixion of Christ, a deed perpetrated by wicked hands, was permitted by God.  He was even delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God.  This event has been overruled to good inconceivably great.”

7. “It should fill us with joy, that infinite wisdom guides the affairs of the world. Many of its events are shrouded in darkness and mystery, and inextricable confusion sometimes seems to reign. Often wickedness prevails, and God seems to have forgotten the creatures that he has made. Our own path through life is dark and devious, and beset with difficulties and dangers. How full of order out of confusion, and light out of darkness, and, to those who love God, causes all things, whatever be their present aspect and apparent tendency, to work together for good.”

(Photo: Ben White)

FIELD NOTES (20/1/M)

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20/1/M

What is current state of church in UK & likely trends for next few years?  HERE is some useful data.

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David Gibson: “We should do again with Calvin’s Institutes what Calvin intended for his Institutes—use it as a guide to reading the Bible. Wendel called it a properly dogmatic introduction to the Bible. It is a map and a torch.”

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Jim Savastio: “The primary duties of shepherds (pastors) is to protect and feed the flock and not to promote and protect themselves or other shepherds.”

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Matt Smethurst: “I am the least . . .” AD 55: “of all the apostles” (1 Cor. 15:9) AD 60: “of all the saints” (Eph. 3:8) AD 62: “of all sinners” (1 Tim. 1:15) Christian maturity is downward. It is growing not less aware of your unworthiness, but more.”

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Andrew Wilson: “Jesus does seven signs in John: 1) Wedding at Cana 2) Centurion’s son 3) Paralysed man 4) Feed 5000 5) Blind man 6) Lazarus 7) Resurrection Four bring healings of increasing power (2, 3, 5, 6). One brings rest forever (7). The others? Abundant bread & wine (1, 4).”

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A new edition of the Open Doors World Watch list is out.

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Jonathan Carswell: “Give evangelistic books away to non-Christians. The book will go places you can’t, at a time you don’t have, and can says things often you aren’t able to say.”

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Owen Strachan: “Helpful distinctions today: 1. Men are not women 2. Women are not men 3. Pets are not kids 4. Boyfriends/GFs are not spouses 5. The Internet isn’t the local church 6. Words are not guns 7. Feelings are not facts 8. Creatures are not the Creator 9. Sin is not righteous”

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Jared Harfield: “How to prioritize the people you greet when the church gathers: 1) The visitor 2) The visitor who returns 3) The less popular, introverts, those sitting alone 4) Children 5) Everyone else 6) Your close friends (Ed Welch, ‘Side-By-Side’).”

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James Bejon threads on twitter are always worth a read.  HERE you can find them in pdfs.

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Andrew Wilson: ““Behold the Lamb of God!” —The Provided Lamb (Gen 22:13-14) —The Passover Lamb (Ex 12:1-6) —The Perpetual Lamb (Ex 29:38-44) —The Purifying Lamb (Lev 14:21-32) —The Propitiatory Lamb (Is 53:4-9) —The Pre-existent Lamb (John 1:29-30) —The Praiseworthy Lamb (Rev 5:6-14)”

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Dustin Benge: “A man from Eden teaches me about sin. A man from Ur teaches me about promise. A man from Uz teaches me about suffering. A man from Africa teaches me about law. A man from Galilee teaches me about love. God uses people from every tribe and tongue to teach us about Himself.”

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Marcus Honeysett with HT to John Risbridger: “The flock find it very hard to define the boundaries of the leader’s role and therefore what authority they need to carry it out.  But the leader over the flock can find it equally hard to accurately define the limits of their responsibility, and therefore to put self-defined limits on their own authority.  If the leader believes they are responsible for and required to do more than they are given resources and authority for, it is unsurprising if they seek ways to extend their authority beyond what is legitimate and agreed, by means that the church has not authorised.  Therefore it is critical to have agreed limits around the extent of pastoral & leadership responsibility the leader has, AND the nature & extent of the delegated authority they are given to carry it out.  Neither the extent of responsibility nor authority must exceed the other.”

KNOW YOUR CHURCH HISTORY (23)

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Know Your Church History – The Contemporary Church (AD1914-present): The Charismatic Movement

Download my teaching handout as a pdf

More teaching handouts can be found HERE

(Photo: Freely Photos)

SERMON: MATTHEW 13:47-52

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Sermon I preached on Matthew 13:47-52 at Banstead Community Church on 19th January 2020.

Download MP3

1. We are to study

2. We are to share

More sermons can be found HERE

(Photo: Justin Luebke)

DAILY HENRY

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From Matthew Henry’s comments on Matthew 2:9-12:

“Along with ourselves, we must give all we have to Jesus Christ, and if we are sincere in surrendering ourselves to him, we will not be unwilling to part with what is dearest and most valuable to us and give it to him and for him.”

DAILY HENRY

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From Matthew Henry’s comments on Matthew 2:9-12:

“We must continue to wait on Christ even if we are alone in doing so; whatever others may do, we must serve the Lord. If they will not go to heaven with us, we must not go to hell with them.”