Unity and Our Ultimate Goal

Mike Leake

And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk.
(Mark 12:13 ESV)

That’s like saying, “And they sent to him a group of Red Sox fans and Yankees fans”.  Or if your the more political type, “they sent to him a group of Tea Party Conservatives and liberal Democrats.”  You don’t normally see these two parties together.  Yet two groups of people can surprisingly get along if they have a common goal or passion that outweighs the passion by which they are in disagreement.  (Consider Simon the Zealot and Levi the tax collector). 

But is this true unity? 

Allow me to ask this question a different way.  Let’s imagine that Red Sox fans and Yankee fans gather together for the noble cause of raising 1 billion dollars to preserve the duck-billed platypus.It is amazing to see these two communities come together for all the charity events.  The hate and vitriol between these two lengthy rivals is toned down.  They have a much greater end in mind; namely, preserving that cute little platypus. 

Months go by and finally they have raised their 1 billion dollars.  What happens, though, when baseball season rolls around and they no longer have this platypus thing to worry about?  Are they now friends?  Of course not.  They are no longer united because the goal that had united them was only a temporary goal and not an eternal goal. 

How this relates to the church (particularly the SBC)

That begs a question for the church—and more specifically for the SBC.  What is our uniting factor?  Is it something that is eternal or is it merely temporary?  Do we have an eternal end or a temporary end?

The ultimate goal for the church (SBC) relates to the overarching mission and story of God.  He is, as Piper as so aptly said, “filling the earth with his glory by rooting out of his kingdom all sin and unbelief, and filling it with [passionate] worshipers from every people, tongue, tribe, and nation.”  Our church tweaks that a little by saying “we are a church united to enjoy God’s grace and to extend His glory”. 

If we are united around this, which is eternal, then our experience of unity will not be as fragile. 

I would like to encourage you to do something either here in the comments or in your own time on your own sheets of paper.  Make a list of the things that “unite” your church and/or the SBC.  Perhaps even consider things in our history (the issue of slavery, the Conservative Resurgence, etc.)  Which of these are eternal?  Which of these are temporary? 

Tomorrow I want to look at muddying the waters with a-theological unity. 

Today in Blogworld 8.14.12

Mike Leake

Two Stories from the London Olympics

I really love stories of the gospel spreading and stories where the power of the Word is displayed.  These not only instill hope but also confidence.  Here are two stories from a couple guys that engaged in missions during the 2012 Olympics.  (HT: Reformation Theology)

“Where Two or Three Are Gathered”…and Other Bad Interpretations

You’ve probably said it.  I know I have.  We’ve all evoked Matthew 18:20 to assure ourselves of the presence of Jesus.  But given the context we probably shouldn’t.  Michael Patton tells us why. 

How Should a Pastor Respond When He is Complimented About His Sermon?

I’m pretty sure I’ve botched this one a time or two.  I like Croft’s advice.  I really appreciate his first one.  “Say thank you”.  It’s been hard at times for me to actually do that one.  Sometimes it doesn’t feel right.  Check out his other three. 

Legalism or Obedience?

There is a big difference between legalism and obedience.  Yet we often confuse the two.  Read Fred Zaspel’s well-written take on this issue.  (HT: David Murray)

You’ve gotta love it when the Yankees look silly.  Watch Eric Chavez jack his own pitcher in the head with the ball:

The Question of Busyness

Mike Leake 1 Comment

John Newton was typically a happy and joy-filled man.  He said many things such as this, “I have as little reason as any one to be weary of living, for my situation is in all points comfortable”.  That was the typical refrain of Newton’s life.  Yet in 1778 he wrote these words to his friend William Bull:

At present it is January with me — both within and without. The outward sun shines and looks pleasant — but his beams are faint, and too feeble to dissolve the frost.

So is it in my heart! I have many bright and pleasant beams of truth in my view — but cold predominates in my frost-bound spirit, and they have but little power to warm me!

I could tell a stranger something about Jesus, which would perhaps astonish him. Such a glorious person, such wonderful love, such humiliation, such a death! And then, what He is now in Himself, and what He is to His people. What a Sun! what a Shield! what a Life! what a Friend!

My tongue can run on upon these subjects sometimes, and could my heart keep pace with it — I would be the happiest fellow in the country!

Stupid creature! to know these things so well, and yet be no more affected with them!

What caused this “January within”?  I cannot help but think that it might have been the busyness that Newton commented on a few paragraphs later.  He lamented at one point that “night comes before I am ready for noon”.  Such was the cost of a growing audience for Newton.  As he also noted, “letters come that must be answered, visitants that must be received, business that must be attended to.” 

Newton, just like any other minister is prone to do, became so overwhelmed with the busyness of ministry that it caused a January in his soul.  Yet Newton never stopped.  He was seldom busy for the sake of busyness, but he rarely found himself idle.  Newton was a man that was spent for the glory of God. 

I’m left wondering how I should respond to Newton here.  I think the 21st century advice would have been for him to cut back on ministry and fight this “January within”.  Yet, I can’t help but wonder if maybe the more biblical response is to continue laboring and being spent even in spite of January.  Is it possible that the ministry the Lord has given us may actually lead to January’s instead of July?  And is there some way in which this exposes that we are but jars of clay and destitute without His Spirit? 

Today in Blogworld 8.13.12

Mike Leake

When God Withdraws His Sense of Presence

I’ll be honest and say that I have not yet had the chance to listen to this.  But it looks really good.  If one of my readers gets a chance to give it a listen let me know what you think of it.  The discussion is with Ryan Kelly and Mark Mellinger talking about the doctrine of desertion. 

Some Advice for Youth Ministers

Dave Hinkley, writing for Kevin DeYoung, gives four pieces of advice for youth ministers.  I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but what really encourages me about this article is how “boring” it is.  What I mean is that 10 years ago this would have been an earth shattering article.  Now I think several youth ministers have bought into Hinkley’s advice here.  That excites me.  Because I agree with Hinkley’s advice. 

Fighting the Poverty of Attention

You’re probably doing about four different things right now.  You’ll click on this link.  Skim it, and then move on to something else.  Jon Bloom considers our consumption of a wealth of information and the poverty of attention that it produces.  Hey, squirrel!!!

5 Reasons Why You Might Not Want to Enter the SBC Calvinist-Traditionalist Discussion

Adam B. Embry is giving up discussing the issue on blogs.  He lists five reasons why he thinks you should as well.  I have to say that I mostly agree, and I mostly am out of the discussion myself.  However, I will occasionally post something on it or a comment here or there.  I am considering posting a brief response to Embry’s article. 

The physics behind a cat landing on its feet.  I found this really interesting:

(HT: 22 Words)