Jeweled Fruit

“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts. Proverbs 20:14

Solomon watched with interest. The merchant was having a difficult time with the buyer, who kept complaining about the terrible deal he was being offered. But eventually, he took it. Solomon followed him to see what he would do next and quickly heard a change of tune. The buyer was now boasting! “This,” he told everyone, “was the greatest deal in the history of deals.”

Why do we do this? We pretend not to be interested when we really are. We’re not honest because we don’t want to be cheated. That is understandable in this world. But God is not this world, and God never cheats us. His word and his wisdom are treasure of incomparable beauty and worth. Everything he offers us is choice. When we acquire wisdom for free at the open market of Scripture, let’s tell people where to find the best of the best.

I think we can use this bit of insight in our own lives, whether we are merchants or not. Have you ever offered someone what you knew to be God’s wisdom, but they weren’t interested in taking it? Would it surprise you to learn that the very same person probably thought a good deal about what you said, once they were gone? God’s word is resilient like that. So let’s drop gems of truth all around us and pray for jeweled fruit.

Wait for It…

“Bad, bad,” says the buyer, but when he goes away, then he boasts. Proverbs 20:14

Solomon watched with interest. The merchant was having a difficult time with the buyer, who kept complaining about the terrible deal he was being offered. But eventually, he took it. Solomon followed him to see what he would do next and quickly heard a change of tune. Now the buyer was boasting, “This was the greatest deal in the history of deals.”

Why do we do this? We pretend not to be interested when we really are. We’re not honest because we don’t want to be cheated. That is understandable in this world. But God is not this world, and God never cheats us. His word and his wisdom are treasure of incomparable beauty and worth. Everything he offers us is choice. When we acquire wisdom for free at the open market of Scripture, let’s make sure we tell everyone where to find the best of the best.

I think we can use this bit of insight in our own lives, whether we are merchants or not. Have you ever offered someone what you knew to be sound wisdom, but they weren’t interested in taking it? Would it surprise you to learn that the very same person probably thought a good deal about what you said, once they were gone? God’s word is resilient like that. So let’s drop the gems of truth all around us and wait for jeweled fruit.

You Are Fake News

IT was the opening line of the best street sermon I ever heard: “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to talk to you about fake news.” It certainly got people’s attention. And why wouldn’t it? The eloquent phrase has long passed into meme lore. There is no doubt that the media is a stronghold on the American people. Social media is even more powerful, putting strangleholds on us. Censorship and removal of political enemies is everything we pretend not to stand for in this country, and yet here we are. It seems to me the office was taken long ago; President Cancel Culture now reigns supreme.

I read this in a history book today: “Western people in the Middle Ages were not particularly gullible” (Bernard Hamilton, The Christian World of the Middle Ages). This testimony is true. It’s today’s Western people we need to worry about. Yes, us. We are astonishingly gullible. Medieval people believed in a good many things that were not seen or heard. The world was, to them, still full of wonder, and of evil. But not to us. We know everything. We’ve got it all at our fingertips (thumbtips). If evil was afoot, we would all know about it, because the unbiased media would tell us! One wonders if there are any Calvinists left.

Well, there’s a worse fake news than your favorite mainstream media outlet: your own heart. Our hearts lie to us every day. Sure, you believe in God. But you don’t need to take him very seriously. You can get right with him before the end. Or maybe you’re one of the brave ones! You’re not worried about dying at all. “I’ll see what happens,” you say, nonchalantly, “when I get there.” This is fake news that has the power to forfeit your soul forever, for death will come upon you like a sudden and inescapable nightmare. So next time your heart tells you that you’ll be OK without Jesus, or quite differently, but equally dangerous, that he could never forgive you, you know what to say. Go ahead, I’ll say it with you:

you are fake news!

A Forgotten Fruit of the Spirit

“Patience” Galatians 5:22

Contrary to popular belief, the nine graces listed in Galatians 5:22-23 are not the fruits of the Spirit, but the fruit of the Spirit. In combination, they form the most exotic fruit, imported from that far-off country of heaven. So technically, patience is not a forgotten fruit, but a forgotten aspect of the fruit. But you get the idea.

Patience is almost a sin in today’s fast-paced world. Everything must be done instantly. Careers must be launched. Families must be snapped into shape. Churches must be reformed in sweeping moves. If we’re not careful, we may become so unfamiliar with patience that we begin to confuse the heavenly grace with sinful inaction! What might today’s trendy church planter say to Abraham Tentdweller’s pitiful five year plan?

But patience is mighty. It empowers sinners like us to stay content and confident while we wait for God to fulfill his promises. A respectable Greek lexicon defines this choice grace as follows: “[The] state of remaining tranquil while awaiting an outcome” (BDAG). Now isn’t that lovely? So build your life, your family, your career, your ministry, upon the word of God, and wait with confidence, as long as it takes, for a plentiful harvest of amazing fruit.

What’s Justice Got to Do with It?

“A just balance and scales are the Lord’s; all the weights in the bag are his work” (Prov 16:11).

Merchants of the ancient world carried a bag of weights with which to measure out their products by counterbalance. A dishonest merchant carried cheat weights to swindle his customers, especially the poor. Solomon knew of this abomination, and speaks of it elsewhere (Prov 11:1), as does the Law (Lev 19:35) and the Prophets (Mic 6:11). Just weights, on the other hand, were carried by honest merchants. They are pleasing to the Lord.

But this proverb isn’t really talking about merchants. It’s talking about God. The merchant is, in this case, a reflection of the Maker who tests all things by his weights. In other words, God is constantly ruling every realm with exquisite balance and justice. The merchant’s bag gave him the flexibility to weigh large portions or small amounts. Just so, the living God is as fair and balanced in the small happenings of life as he is in great matters. He weighs all things well.

Let’s send this right home. God has never swindled you. He has been generous and good to you, tipping the scales of blessing in your favor. He will do all things well. Trust him! Justice is his right to render even as it is his delight to love. So let’s do some justice of our own and give him thanks. Let’s honor his promises with our faith. And let’s administer justice everywhere, using God’s weights in all we do.

The Path to Forgiveness is Paved with Love

“By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for.” Proverbs 16:6

Forgiveness. Everyone wants it. Most people suppress their maddening need of it. But there it is, the very idea of it taunting us. Can it be? I think we feel our need of forgiveness more than usual these days. Now it’s one infraction and you’re done, your entire life cancelled. Is there really such a thing as forgiveness? Reconciliation? Restoration? Glory to God in heaven, there is.

But it wasn’t cheap. It was hard won. It took the blood of the only perfect person who ever lived to buy it. He was murdered while still a young man in the flower of life. His only crime was saying who he was and where he came from. For this loving man came from heaven. Love sent him to suffer our cosmic punishment, to die in our place—which he did, most gladly, for us.

Whether you believe Jesus is real or not changes nothing. He is real. He really lived, really died, and really rose again. There is real forgiveness, full and free, from God in heaven, today. Salvation exists. And it was bought with love, very much love. God’s own love and loyalty to his undeserving creatures. That’s us. Wrath is the judgment we deserve; love opened the way of escape. Fly you fools to Christ today.

Reformed Theology teaches us how to Grub

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was reading Herman Bavinck’s Reformed Dogmatics on the divine right of man to eat meat, when my inner neander was awakened. Never has the might of the chicken wing jones descended upon humanity with such force. Perhaps it is Reformed Theology’s rather positive view of creation and its lawful pleasures that struck me. In any case, Truth’s arrow had sped to its mark, and I was conquered. It seems I was not alone:

“Calvin and most Reformed theologians were of the opinion that eating meat was permitted to humans even before the flood and the fall.” (2:575)

Meat is amazing. Like all types of food. Whatever our chosen portions, we spend enough of our lives chowing down grub to learn how to do it well. This is where Reformed Theology offers herself as our hostess. Once she has marked gluttony and unthankfulness as the cosmic atrocities they are, she teaches us to eat freely and fully.

God’s goodwill teaches us to eat freely: he beckons us partake and experience his goodness in deliciousness. His bounty teaches us to eat fully: every color, aroma, texture, and flavor speaks the hospitality of our Maker. It’s personal; he provides you with the very items you eat. Savor every bite and step away from the table satisfied with God’s goodness to you. In this we have a living emblem of faith in Jesus, who is to us True Food.

Systematic Theology is your Friend

In Christ we have many friends: other believers, angels, creation, providence, &c. The Bible is also our friend in Christ, and in him its contents belong to us (Deut 29:29). This includes the words of Scripture, but it goes beyond them to their teachings and implications. All matters of revealed truth are friendly to those who follow the Lamb.

Systematic theology (like theology in general) gets a bad rap. Some call it man-made. It is intellectual, Western, or speculative. But the Bible tells us a lot, and systematic theology does us the service of organizing its contents and showcasing its treasures. While Biblical Theology plugs us into the live-nerve of the story of Scripture to encounter truth in its native habitat, its sister discipline, systematic theology, hands us fully-orbed doctrines. And they are wonderful.

Part of Adam’s job was to unlock the potential of creation. Our agricultural, medicinal, and technological achievements bring out the hidden treasures of God’s world. In the same way, systematic theology brings out the hidden treasures of God’s word. It mines the Bible, running its fingers along the subterranean veins of truth, plundering their circuits, and assembling the beautiful things they form. These structures help us think through who we are, what we’re doing, and what can and should be done in Christ. I’m sure we could all use a friend like that.

A Good Reason to Join a Church

Joining a church is a good thing. So almost any reason for doing so is a good reason, right? Well, not exactly. Because joining a church is one of the great things in life, less than great reasons for doing so will usually set you up for failure.

Don’t join a church because it’s cool.

There are some cool churches out there, with cool pastors. But social status enhancement is not a good reason to join a church.

Don’t join a church because your friends go there.

It’s fun to attend church with friends, and if it works out that way, very good. It can be a nice touch, but it’s a poor reason for making your choice.

Don’t join a church because they have great programs.

You are not joining a spiritual country club. If you choose a church that happens to have solid events for everyone in the family, excellent. But it’s not a good reason on its own.

Don’t join a church because it agrees with your list of important doctrines.

This is actually a trick. Choosing a church based on your pet doctrines is a sure way to fall into the trap of trying to find (your idea of) a perfect church. It doesn’t exist.

Don’t join a church because you think you can help.

Joining a church because you think it needs help, and you think you can improve it, is actually not a good reason for doing so. Trying to find a project church, or somewhere you hope you can rise quickly into leadership, is a terrible reason to join.

So what’s a good reason, pastor? I’ll give you one.

Join a church because you think you can be helped by it.

Choose to fellowship where you honestly think you can grow as a Christian. Join a church to be spiritually ministered to, to be fed the great Food of Jesus Christ and him crucified, and to be shepherded in godliness. For this is what church is (Eph 4:11-16).

Why Christ-Centered Preaching Matters

In general, Christ-centered preaching is preaching that makes Jesus and his finished work for sinners the main emphasis of every sermon. There are different ways of doing it, but that’s what it is. Now, why does it matter?

1. It’s the Reformed thing to do.

Honestly, do we need any other reason? The preaching of Jesus Christ and him crucified was the touchstone of the Protestant Reformation. “The entire Scripture,” said Martin Luther, “deals only with Christ everywhere.” This attitude lives on as the distinctly Reformed oomph of the preaching of John Calvin and his successors, especially the English Puritans. The preaching emphasis of Calvin is the preaching emphasis of the Reformed: “Christ clothed in the gospel.” This has given life to the tradition.

2. It points your faith in the right direction.

Our faith has to land somewhere; it must have an object. We don’t trust blindly to nothingness by well wishing (there are plenty who do). Our trust has a rock to rest upon, and the Rock is Christ. We don’t trust God in vague generality: we trust him in particular, as he has revealed himself to us, in his Son. We trust in a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you aren’t sitting under the sound of his finished work every week, you will find your trust drawn to other things—most likely, you and what you do. Preaching that doesn’t center on Christ pushes listeners back on themselves, and that is the definition of spiritual misery and bondage.

3. It powers the Christian life.

Your life is powered by Christ-centered preaching. It must be. Your spiritual feast on Sunday morning ought to be hefty enough to sustain you. Yes, we all need prayerful Bible reading and family worship. But you can go in the strength of a good Christ-honoring sermon for more than 40 hours. With Spirit-meals like these in your spiritual belly, you can run freely in the way of God’s commandments. It’s easy to obey him when you know how much he loves you and all the wonderful things he’s done for you in his Son.