Luther's 95 Theses, October 31, 1517

When Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of the castle church in Wittenburg, Germany on this day in 1517, it probably wouldn't have amounted to very much if it were not for his students. Still considered a marvel for its day, the 95 Theses were translated by Luther's students into the German language and distributed to every hamlet in the country within a couple of weeks. That is what set the forrest on fire. Thanks to Luther even we Baptists are not crossing ourselves and saying the Ave Maria today. Be warned, if you don't think so, you may be a Landmarker, regardless what Dr. Moore says. Every year at this time I love to pull up a copy of the 95 in Latin. I'm very rusty, but I still love to try to piece them together. Many, even in the reformed tradition, don't know much about the contents of Luther's 95. Guess what? The five sola's aren't in there. Neither are the five points of Calvinism. It's mostly about the authority and sufficiency of Scripture alone. Hmm, sounds just like the problems we're having in the SBC right now. Thanks to Project Wittenberg, Here's Luther's 95 Theses in Latin:

"Disputatio pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum." Martin Luther

Amore et studio elucidande veritatis hec subscripta disputabuntur Wittenberge, Presidente R. P. Martino Lutther, Artium et S. Theologie Magistro eiusdemque ibidem lectore Ordinario. Quare petit, ut qui non possunt verbis presentes nobiscum disceptare agant id literis absentes. In nomine domini nostri Hiesu Christi. Amen.

1. Dominus et magister noster Iesus Christus dicendo `Penitentiam agite &c.' omnem vitam fidelium penitentiam esse voluit.

2. Quod verbum de penitentia sacramentali (id est confessionis et satisfactionis, que sacerdotum ministerio celebratur) non potest intelligi. 3. Non tamen solam intendit interiorem, immo interior nulla est, nisi foris operetur varias carnis mortificationes. 4. Manet itaque pena, donec manet odium sui (id est penitentia vera intus), scilicet usque ad introitum regni celorum. 5. Papa non vult nec potest ullas penas remittere preter eas, quas arbitrio vel suo vel canonum imposuit. 6. Papa non potest remittere ullam culpam nisi declarando, et approbando remissam a deo Aut certe remittendo casus reservatos sibi, quibus contemptis culpa prorsus remaneret. 7. Nulli prorus remittit deus culpam, quin simul eum subiiciat humiliatum in omnibus sacerdoti suo vicario. 8. Canones penitentiales solum viventibus sunt impositi nihilque morituris secundum eosdem debet imponi.

9. Inde bene nobis facit spiritus sanctus in papa excipiendo in suis decretis semper articulum mortis et necessitatis. 10. Indocte et male faciunt sacerdotes ii, qui morituris penitentias canonicas in purgatorium reservant. 11. Zizania illa de mutanda pena Canonica in penam purgatorii videntur certe dormientibus episcopis seminata. 12. Olim pene canonice non post, sed ante absolutionem imponebantur tanquam tentamenta vere contritionis. 13. Morituri per mortem omnia solvunt et legibus canonum mortui iam sunt, habentes iure earum relaxationem. 14. Imperfecta sanitas seu charitas morituri necessario secum fert magnum timorem, tantoque maiorem, quanto minor fuerit ipsa. 15. Hic timor et horror satis est se solo (ut alia taceam) facere penam purgatorii, cum sit proximus desperationis horrori. 16. Videntur infernus, purgaturium, celum differre, sicut desperatio, prope desperatio, securitas differunt. 17. Necessarium videtur animabus in purgatorio sicut minni horrorem ita augeri charitatem. 18. Nec probatum videtur ullis aut rationibus aut scripturis, quod sint extra statum meriti seu augende charitatis. 19. Nec hoc probatum esse videtur, quod sint de sua beatitudine certe et secure, saltem omnes, licet nos certissimi simus. 20. Igitur papa per remissionem plenariam omnium penarum non simpliciter omnium intelligit, sed a seipso tantummodo impositarum. 21. Errant itaque indulgentiarum predicatores ii, qui dicunt per pape indulgentias hominem ab omni pena solvi et salvari. 22. Quin nullam remittit animabus in purgatorio, quam in hac vita debuissent secundum Canones solvere. 23. Si remissio ulla omnium omnino penarum potest alicui dari, certum est eam non nisi perfectissimis, i.e. paucissimis, dari. 24. Falli ob id necesse est maiorem partem populi per indifferentem illam et magnificam pene solute promissionem. 25. Qualem potestatem habet papa in purgatorium generaliter, talem habet quilibet Episcopus et Curatus in sua diocesi et parochia specialiter. 1. [26] Optime facit papa, quod non potestate clavis (quam nullam habet) sed per modum suffragii dat animabus remissionem. 2. [27] Hominem predicant, qui statim ut iactus nummus in cistam tinnierit evolare dicunt animam. 3. [28] Certum est, nummo in cistam tinniente augeri questum et avariciam posse: suffragium autem ecclesie est in arbitrio dei solius. 4. [29] Quis scit, si omnes anime in purgatorio velint redimi, sicut de s. Severino et Paschali factum narratur. 5. [30] Nullus securus est de veritate sue contritionis, multominus de consecutione plenarie remissionis. 6. [31] Quam rarus est vere penitens, tam rarus est vere indulgentias redimens, i. e. rarissimus. 7. [32] Damnabuntur ineternum cum suis magistris, qui per literas veniarum securos sese credunt de sua salute. 8. [33] Cavendi sunt nimis, qui dicunt venias illas Pape donum esse illud dei inestimabile, quo reconciliatur homo deo. 9. [34] Gratie enim ille veniales tantum respiciunt penas satisfactionis sacramentalis ab homine constitutas. 10. [35] Non christiana predicant, qui docent, quod redempturis animas vel confessionalia non sit necessaria contritio. 11. [36] Quilibet christianus vere compunctus habet remissionem plenariam a pena et culpa etiam sine literis veniarum sibi debitam. 12. [37] Quilibet versus christianus, sive vivus sive mortuus, habet participationem omnium bonorum Christi et Ecclesie etiam sine literis veniarum a deo sibi datam. 13. [38] Remissio tamen et participatio Pape nullo modo est contemnenda, quia (ut dixi) est declaratio remissionis divine. 14. [39] Difficillimum est etiam doctissimis Theologis simul extollere veniarum largitatem et contritionis veritatem coram populo. 15. [40] Contritionis veritas penas querit et amat, Veniarum autem largitas relaxat et odisse facit, saltem occasione. 16. [41] Caute sunt venie apostolice predicande, ne populus false intelligat eas preferri ceteris bonis operibus charitatis. 17. [42] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Pape mens non est, redemptionem veniarum ulla ex parte comparandam esse operibus misericordie. 18. [43] Docendi sunt christiani, quod dans pauperi aut mutuans egenti melius facit quam si venias redimereet. 19. [44] Quia per opus charitatis crescit charitas et fit homo melior, sed per venias non fit melior sed tantummodo a pena liberior. 20. [45] Docendi sunt christiani, quod, qui videt egenum et neglecto eo dat pro veniis, non idulgentias Pape sed indignationem dei sibi vendicat. 21. [46] Docendi sunt christiani, quod nisi superfluis abundent necessaria tenentur domui sue retinere et nequaquam propter venias effundere.

22. [47] Docendi sunt christiani, quod redemptio veniarum est libera, non precepta. 23. [48] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Papa sicut magis eget ita magis optat in veniis dandis pro se devotam orationem quam promptam pecuniam. 24. [49] Docendi sunt christiani, quod venie Pape sunt utiles, si non in cas confidant, Sed nocentissime, si timorem dei per eas amittant. 25. [50] Docendi sunt christiani, quod si Papa nosset exactiones venialium predicatorum, mallet Basilicam s. Petri in cineres ire quam edificari cute, carne et ossibus ovium suarum. 1. [51] Docendi sunt christiani, quod Papa sicut debet ita vellet, etiam vendita (si opus sit) Basilicam s. Petri, de suis pecuniis dare illis, a quorum plurimis quidam concionatores veniarum pecuniam eliciunt. 2. [52] Vana est fiducia salutis per literas veniarum, etiam si Commissarius, immo Papa ipse suam animam pro illis impigneraret. 3. [53] Hostes Christi et Pape sunt ii, qui propter venias predicandas verbum dei in aliis ecclesiis penitus silere iubent. 4. [54] Iniuria fit verbo dei, dum in eodem sermone equale vel longius tempus impenditur veniis quam illi. 5. [55] Mens Pape necessario est, quod, si venie (quod minimum est) una campana, unis pompis et ceremoniis celebrantur, Euangelium (quod maximum est) centum campanis, centum pompis, centum ceremoniis predicetur. 6. [56] Thesauri ecclesie, unde Pape dat indulgentias, neque satis nominati sunt neque cogniti apud populum Christi. 7. [57] Temporales certe non esse patet, quod non tam facile eos profundunt, sed tantummodo colligunt multi concionatorum. 8. [58] Nec sunt merita Christi et sanctorum, quia hec semper sine Papa operantur gratiam hominis interioris et crucem, mortem infernumque exterioris. 9. [59] Thesauros ecclesie s. Laurentius dixit esse pauperes ecclesie, sed locutus est usu vocabuli suo tempore. 10. [60] Sine temeritate dicimus claves ecclesie (merito Christi donatas) esse thesaurum istum. 11. [61] Clarum est enim, quod ad remissionem penarum et casuum sola sufficit potestas Pape. 12. [62] Verus thesaurus ecclesie est sacrosanctum euangelium glorie et gratie dei. 13. [63] Hic autem est merito odiosissimus, quia ex primis facit novissimos. 14. [64] Thesaurus autem indulgentiarum merito est gratissimus, quia ex novissimis facit primos. 15. [65] Igitur thesauri Euangelici rhetia sunt, quibus olim piscabantur viros divitiarum. 16. [66] Thesauri indulgentiarum rhetia sunt, quibus nunc piscantur divitias virorum. 17. [67] Indulgentie, quas concionatores vociferantur maximas gratias, intelliguntur vere tales quoad questum promovendum. 18. [68] Sunt tamen re vera minime ad gratiam dei et crucis pietatem comparate. 19. [69] Tenentur Episcopi et Curati veniarum apostolicarum Commissarios cum omni reverentia admittere. 20. [70] Sed magis tenentur omnibus oculis intendere, omnibus auribus advertere, ne pro commissione Pape sua illi somnia predicent. 21. [71] Contra veniarum apostolicarum veritatem qui loquitur, sit ille anathema et maledictus. 22. [72] Qui vero, contra libidinem ac licentiam verborum Concionatoris veniarum curam agit, sit ille benedictus. 23. [73] Sicut Papa iuste fulminat eos, qui in fraudem negocii veniarum quacunque arte machinantur, 24. [74] Multomagnis fulminare intendit eos, qui per veniarum pretextum in fraudem sancte charitatis et veritatis machinantur, 25. [75] Opinari venias papales tantas esse, ut solvere possint hominem, etiam si quis per impossibile dei genitricem violasset, Est insanire.

1. [76] Dicimus contra, quod venie papales nec minimum venialium peccatorum tollere possint quo ad culpam. 2. [77] Quod dicitur, nec si s. Petrus modo Papa esset maiores gratias donare posset, est blasphemia in sanctum Petrum et Papam. 3. [78] Dicimus contra, quod etiam iste et quilibet papa maiores habet, scilicet Euangelium, virtutes, gratias, curationum &c. ut 1. Co. XII. 4. [79] Dicere, Crucem armis papalibus insigniter erectam cruci Christi equivalere, blasphemia est. 5. [80] Rationem reddent Episcopi, Curati et Theologi, Qui tales sermones in populum licere sinunt. 6. [81] Facit hec licentiosa veniarum predicatio, ut nec reverentiam Pape facile sit etiam doctis viris redimere a calumniis aut certe argutis questionibus laicorm. 7. [82] Scilicet. Cur Papa non evacuat purgatorium propter sanctissimam charitatem et summam animarum necessitatem ut causam omnium iustissimam, Si infinitas animas redimit propter pecuniam funestissimam ad structuram Basilice ut causam levissimam? 8. [83] Item. Cur permanent exequie et anniversaria defunctorum et non reddit aut recipi permittit beneficia pro illis instituta, cum iam sit iniuria pro redemptis orare? 9. [84] Item. Que illa nova pietas Dei et Pape, quod impio et inimico propter pecuniam concedunt animam piam et amicam dei redimere, Et tamen propter necessitatem ipsius met pie et dilecte anime non redimunt eam gratuita charitate? 10. [85] Item. Cur Canones penitentiales re ipsa et non usu iam diu in semet abrogati et mortui adhuc tamen pecuniis redimuntur per concessionem indulgentiarum tanquam vivacissimi? 11. [86] Item. Cur Papa, cuius opes hodie sunt opulentissimis Crassis crassiores, non de suis pecuniis magis quam pauperum fidelium struit unam tantummodo Basilicam sancti Petri? 12. [87] Item. Quid remittit aut participat Papa iis, qui per contritionem perfectam ius habent plenarie remissionis et participationis? 13. [88] Item. Quid adderetur ecclesie boni maioris, Si Papa, sicut semel facit, ita centies in die cuilibet fidelium has remissiones et participationes tribueret? 14. [89] Ex quo Papa salutem querit animarum per venias magis quam pecunias, Cur suspendit literas et venias iam olim concessas, cum sint eque efficaces? 15. [90] Hec scrupulosissima laicorum argumenta sola potestate compescere nec reddita ratione diluere, Est ecclesiam et Papam hostibus ridendos exponere et infelices christianos facere. 16. [91] Si ergo venie secundum spiritum et mentem Pape predicarentur, facile illa omnia solverentur, immo non essent. 17. [92] Valeant itaque omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo Christi `Pax pax,' et non est pax. 18. [93] Bene agant omnes illi prophete, qui dicunt populo Christi `Crux crux,' et non est crux. 19. [94] Exhortandi sunt Christiani, ut caput suum Christum per penas, mortes infernosque sequi studeant, 20. [95] Ac sic magis per multas tribulationes intrare celum quam per securitatem pacis confidant. M.D.Xvii.

Sunday School: Catching Up

Looking back on my posts, I realize I haven't posted anything "Sunday school" since late August. Back then we were going through The Baptist Faith and Message 2000, and I was posting some semblance of what I was teaching in class each week. In an attempt to begin again posting weekly what we are doing in class now, I thought I would write a (not so) brief catch-you-up-with-what-we-are-doing type of post. We had gotten to article 14, and were having very good and profitable class dicussion when a couple of things occurred: The new class year started, and my computer did a hard crash. I thought I was safely backing up all of my data, but due to a misunderstanding of the way my back-up software worked, I had not. I finished out the class year with hand-written notes. When the new class year started in Sept. we lost about four seniors, so I stopped the BFM lessons with article 14: The Christian and the Social Order. Actually we wrapped the last four articles all into one lesson, explaining that the first part of the document lays out what we believe, and that the latter articles define how we act in the world as a result of what we believe. In the future I plan to go through the BF&M 2000, article by article, about every other year. With a new group I wanted to start with something fresh, but I didn't have the material I was looking for, so we looked at church music for about six weeks. This was something I was wanting to do anyway. It was a very informal Q & A format where we talked mostly about the contents of lyrics, but also about music style. We talked a bit about preferring one another in love by understanding that the older folks liked a certian style of music too. We touched on how the communion of saints touched on singing music from every age. We covered the contrasting categories of objective/subjective, God-centered/man-centered, and then we disucssed the concepts of trinitarian hymns and psalter-style hymns. We had alot of fun discussing music in general as well as the music we sang the previous Sunday morning. I would send them into the morning service with 3x5 cards and have them critique the music service for the presence or absence of what we had been discussing during the class. I am convinced that these exercises have improved their understanding of worship in music. You should never underestimate kids. They are bright, you just need to give them something so they can show you just how bright they are. If you are teaching youth in Sunday school, I would heartily recommend you spend some time going over these concepts in music. It will improve their understanding and practice of worship in church. We are currently in our third week looking at The Screwtape Letters, by C. S. Lewis, trying to glean a better understanding of the nature of sin, temptation, and man. One reason I waited to begin the class, was that I was trying to save a buck or two, gathering up used copies hither and yon. The general lot of kids seem to be interested, and several of them are quite active in Q & A. The best part is no parents have cornered me yet wanting to know why I'm teaching their child about demons. My plan is to read one letter each week and then draw out lessons from them, and then ask questions to try to draw the students into the process. As always, anybody with suggestions or questions, please drop me a comment. I need all the help I can get.

Addendum

I forgot to include a couple of juicy quotes from the message I highlighted in my previous post. After you read these, you will have to listen the audio, just to find out how these quotes fit into the message.

• "She can be as plain as a mud fence."
• "Neither one of us had the gift of tongues."

You have a great week end, and when you get to church on Sunday, worship God with all that is within you.

The Church: Why? and What?

Ever since I began blogging about a 18 months ago I have tried to get my pastor, Rod Harris, to join me on The Plowman and write a post every once in a while. He is the one who got me started reading web logs in the first place. I know he is a voracious reader of blogs, and remembers everything he reads. I often hear things in his messages, that I have read the previous week or two on someone's blog. He has a very keen wit, so I know he would be interesting to read. We discuss often what we read on the blogs about SBC life, so I know he is very knowledgeable of the machinery of the state and national conventions. I just can't seem to get him to write anything for me. Listening to his Wednesday message earlier today made me realize that he does his blogging from behind the pulpit. As some of you may know, I record, edit, and post pastor Rod's sermons on a podcast called Bulldogs and Piggies. As I listened to this Wednesday's message, getting it ready for publication, I realized how relevant it was to what is going on in SBC life. Simply titled The Church: Why? and What?, pastor Rod first discusses why the believer needs the Church, what is the Church, and what makes a church. It was so clear and succinct, and the application at the end was brief, but to the point. By way of application he laid out three things that the Church needs to do in a rapidly changing world:

• We need to make sure we live out the truth we profess.
• We need to work on incarnating the gospel daily, making the gospel flesh and bone as we meet people.
• We just need to be the Church, who God called us to be. Easily said, but difficult to carry out. I figure as long as he is going to preach like that, then I am going to comment here, and try to provide a simple outline. Maybe two things will happen: You'll be curious enough to follow the sermon or podcast link in the right margin, so as to benefit from this sage's vast knowledge and insight. And hopefully someday I will irritate my pastor enough to cause him to jump in there and represent himself on The Plowman, or on his own blog.

Friday Photos: Fall Landscape

IMG_4390.JPG, originally uploaded by Wayne Hatcher.

Well fall has finally finally hit here in Oklahoma. Most of the trees are starting to turn a bit now. These Sassafras trees are really beginning to turn. My wife Suzan slipped out and took these shots while I wasn't looking (actually, I was asleep).

IMG_4395.JPG, originally uploaded by Wayne Hatcher.

Here is a close-up of a holly she also took. It had rained in the night, and by mid-morning, drops still hung to the leaves. Be sure to catch all of the other wonderful photos at the Friday Photo Group.

Preaching at My Church

Well, pastor Rod returned from his well-deserved vacation to give an interesting message last Wednesday evening that he titled "I Did Not Know Chico Was a Baptist." My assistant recorded this so I haven't yet heard the entire audio, so I am just as curious as you are to know what "Chico" and "Baptist" has to do with this message, but while editing the audio for publishing, but I think it has something to do with all of us being ministers in the church and not just the pastor. If you are curious about this and the two messages delivered this Sunday, click the "Bulldogs and Piggies" link in the right margin. In this Sunday-morning message, from Matthew 7:21-27, pastor Rod focused on the problem of false professions, of assent without faith, profession without possession, of "salvation" without lordship. Pastor concentrated on two indicators of this fatal problem: 1. Verses 21-23 clearly reveal that a mere verbal profession of faith accomplishes nothing. There are many who are confident that they are saved, but it is a false confidence. Right doctrine with out a right relationship to God in Christ is of no value. Luther, Whitfield, and Wesley were all examples of men who knew the truth, had right doctrine, long before they were saved. We also see that good deeds aren't enough either. The issue is relationship. The issue is being rightly 2. Verses 24-27 point out that mere intellectual knowledge falls short of saving faith. The real issue is what is your life built upon? A set of facts you have agreed to? Or have you acted upon those facts by putting saving faith in Jesus Christ. See the analogy of the two houses built on different foundations. Saving faith goes one more step beyond assent to the facts, to acting on those facts. Are you willing to live the faith you say you believe? No one but God alone can tell whether you are savingly trusting in Christ alone. Salvation is a gracious gift of God, but there is a cost in believing, namely dying to self and living for God. It's not a perfect life, but a struggling life giving glory to God. What does the future hod for you. This Sunday evening, pastor Rod is nearing the end our study of the book of Joshua, covering the first 28 verses of the last chapter. I suspect the last message in this series will take place next Sunday evening. This passage probably contains the most famous quotation in the whole book: "And choose this day whom you will serve, . . .But as for me and my house. we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15, ESV). It is hard to live as light, when everything around us is geared for darkness. It is hard to be faithful, when all we ever see is unfaithfulness. In chapter 24, Joshua, at 110, on the threshold of eternity, challenges the children of Israel to a life of faithfulness to God. In this passage, when Joshua calls the children of Israel to a life of faithfulness, he is also calling us to a life of faithfulness. 1. In verses 2-13 we see that a lifestyle of genuine faithfulness demands a remembering of what God has already done in our lives. The central theme in this passage is what God had done in the past. This is something each of us need to do from time to time. We need to stop and reflect where we would be if God hadn't stooped 2. In verse 15 is that famous line mentioned above which points out that a lifestyle of genuine faithfulness demands a persistent determined choosing. Showing your reverence to God by serving Him faithfully in sincerity. In this passage Joshua is charging the children of Israel to get off the fence and whole-hartedly choose one or the other, God or the idols. This call to choose is not a point-in-time choosing, but a continual, ongoing choosing; choosing today, tomorrow, and every day that follows. This concept goes hand in hand with this morning's message, in that salvation involves this same concept. Salvation is not just a point-in-time decision, but an ongoing process, in one sense. It's not just "Who did you trust in way back then?", but "Who are you trusting in today, and every day?" 3. In verses 16-28 there is a call to vigilant watchfulness in a lifestyle of genuine faithfulness. Joshua warns the people to put away the idols that were already in their midst, and to incline their hearts toward God. May we also be found faithful. Everybody have a good work week. Listen to a sermon or two online this week. I do.

Faith Healing

When I was a kid in the 60's I can remember watching Oral Roberts' preaching and healing services on my grandparents' black-and-white TV set. Always under a tent, he would be strutting up and down the platform, hands a waving, sweating like a politician with his shirt sleeves rolled up, and mopping his brow with a white handkercheif. That was pretty neat stuff for a kid of eight or nine. Oral Roberts turned to building a univrsity in 1963 and a hospital in 1981, each here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Pictured above is the prayer tower, located in the center of the Oral Roberts University campus, where it is told that in 1980, while up in the tower praying, Oral Roberts had a vision of a 900-foot Jesus who told him to build a hospital. The City of Faith hospital lasted only eight years, basically proving too costly to run. Tulsa, with a population of around 200,000 at the time, already had four major hospitals. The City of Faith is now called the Cityplex Towers, with a few floors leased out to a small specialty orthopedic surgery center. Beside some other non-medical businesses leasing space, the facility remains largely unoccupied. The common joke around here in the 80's was "Why would a faith healer need a hospital?" All of the buildings on the ORU campus take on the futuristic architecture similar to the prayer tower and the Cityplex towers. It is an interesting campus, although I can't vouch the academics. Kathie Lee Gifford is an alumni, if that is any indication. Don't forget to see all of the wonderful photos of all of those other "churchy" bloggers around at the Friday Photo Group. Y'all have a good weekend. When you go to church on Sunday, remember, it's not about us, it's all about giving glory to God and to the Lamb.

Pulpit Supply This Sunday

Our pastor Harris was out of the pulpit this Sunday on a much needed vacation. In his absence we were treated by the "pulpit supply" of Bowden McElroy. Many of you know Brother McElroy from his web log Interregnum. The message he delivered was entitled "Love Does No Harm", and was taken from Romans 13:8-10. Below you will find a brief outline. You can listen to the mp-3 audio here. Brother McElroy also supplied Trinity's pulpit back in March. You can listen/download those two messages at Trinity's audio site. We are always sad to see pastor Rod absent from the pulpit, but brother McElroy was more than capable in providing a faithful gospel-centered message. Thank you, brother Bowden McElroy.

What makes the church? The church is a body, a group of believers, gathered together in the name of Christ who do this: Leave no debt outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. (Romans 13:8)

1. Love is an action, a debt to be paid, not a feeling.
2. Love is ongoing. Love never quits. We can never say "enough".
3. Love does no harm.

Challenge: Think about what a church is. It is not a building, set of rules, or grouping of tradions. God has called you here to love one another.

Friday Photos: Our Lord's Community Church

These two photos were taken at Our Lord's Community Church, in Oklahoma City, where my wife and I met our daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter to hear a couple of lectures by Michael Horton. Although I enjoyed both lectures that I heard, Dr Horton is at his best when he is leading a round-table discussion with his three friends, Kim Riddlebarger, Ken Jones, and Rod Rosembladt on The White Horse Inn. It was still well worth the trip. The OKC Conference on Reformed Theology hosted Dr. Horton during their fifth annual Conference on Reformed Theology. Dr. Horton also spoke at the conference on Friday, but I couldn't get off work to go. The audio from the conference should be available at www.reformokc.com in the very near future. At least that is what I was told. See all of the other excellent photos from Christian bloggers at the Friday Photo Group

Saying the Amen

Here is a good post to encourage you to participate in church by saying the amen. Jesus begins a number of statements with "Amen dico vobis. . .", which is "Truly I say to you. . ." in Latin. When we use the word amen, we are affirming the truth of a statement made by another. When Jesus says "I am the way, the truth, and the life. . .", He is, among other things, calling Himself The Amen. We should be careful how we handle one of our Lord's names, but we should use it and mean it, all the same. Just some thoughts on a post about speaking up in church. Let me know what you think about a noisy congregation. Pastors, does it distract, or encourage you?

Sunday Notes, October 8

I am going to start posting my notes of the Sunday messages at my church. My hope is that some of you will find the brief outline helpful, and maybe even prompt some of you to go to the download site, or even cause you to subscribe to the podcast and actually listen to the messages my pastor preaches. In any case I hope you will enjoy it. Drop me a comment to let me know what you think. Listen to the audio and find out how well I take notes. Please don't correct my spelling, though; that is why I got married. The links to the podcast, download page, and auto-iTunes subscriber are in the sidebar toward the top. Sunday Morning Message Pastor Harris describes his first pastorate, as he introduces this message on The Demands of the Gospel, from Matthew 7:13-20.

"When we moved from Fort Worth to the metropolis of Masham, Oklahoma, it was an adjustment. We got up and watched every car come down the road. There weren't that many of them. People would say "I went through Masham once, but I missed it. There was a truck parked in front of it.""

1. The truth of the gospel demands a clear-cut choice. Christianity begins with a choice. This passage lists the choices as two, which are two ways to salvation, one true, one false. There is but one way to salvation and life. It is a narrow way. Jesus puts the difficulty at the front of the gospel. That is not the way we evangelize. We make it sound nice and simple and easy, and then make the disclaimers: "Now, the Christian walk is difficult at times." Jesus didn't con anyone into the kingdom. That is the way we need to be. The narrowness of the Gospel lies in the fact that there is only one way to God. That is greatly hated in our pluralistic society. The SBC, some years ago, put out a series of prayer guides showing Christians how to pray for the salvation of peoples of other faiths. This set off a fire storm. We were accused of hate crimes. All we were conveying in this practice was that there is only one way to God, through faith in Christ. I still love the definition of religious liberty given by Donald Gray Barnhouse: "You are absolutely free to go to hell any way you choose, or you can go to heaven God's way." 2. The truth of the gospel demands diligence against false teaching. There are false prophets, on tv and behind pulpits. It doesn't matter how often they quote the bible. We have an obligation to judge every message, and test every word we hear. Here's a test for false prophets: 1) There is more than one way to God. 2) There are no disturbing doctrines in their message. 3) What kind of fruit does it produce? 3. Conclusion: "All have sinned". The road we are naturally on is that wide path. Has there ever been that time that you have gotten on that narrow way? No one just happens by that way. You have to make a choice. God, by his Holy Spirit, has to save you. The narrow road calls us to both embrace and reject. Sunday Evening Message Future Faithfulness, from Joshua 23 1. Future faithfulness is built on a grateful past. To confess that God is sovereign is to say that He providentially works so that what ever goes on around me, God's hand is in it. We should not trust our feelings, but what He has said in His word. Joshua pointed the people back to the things God had done on their behalf to preserve them and in conquering the people around them. Emotions should play a part in our faith, but they should never be the basis of our faith in God. Biblical faith is not a leap in the dark. We have reason to believe because of what God has said in His word. 2. Future faithfulness is established by personal obedience. Because God has blessed, we are obligated to joyfully obey Him. These charges by God were not racial in nature, but rather religious. See in verse 16: "if you . . . go and serve other gods and bow down to them. . ." God was not concerned with mixed marriages, but rather the people of God marrying unbelievers. 3. Future faithfulness is reinforced by a solemn reminder. Joshua reminds the people that God's faithfulness is a two-edged sword. The God who is faithful to bless when you obey, is the same God who is faithful to punish when you disobey. God has called us to faithfulness. May we be found faithful.

Making Gates

Well, I haven't been posting much lately. That will probably continue for a bit. With cooler weather and the ever-increasing tidy-up projects, more of our free time has been spent outside. For the last couple of weeks I have been welding a gate together from scrap oilfield pipe, and an antique spoked wheel. We have always wanted an exit from the front yard west into the pecan orchard, so as cooler weather arrived I began the project. I made the breach in the fence over a month ago, and then had the hardest time finding the material needed to do what I wanted to do. The gate is up in the gap but I am still working on the nifty little latch. I should be finished with all but the brushing down and painting this weekend. This gate is the widest of my three yard gates because the other two were too small to allow our new mowing machine into the front yard. This Sunday next I suspect that Pastor Rod will be discussing gates, as he has worked his way through The Sermon on the Mount to that point (Matthew 7:13, 14) where Jesus commands his hearers to “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.". I remember the first time I heard a message from this passage from Thom Smith, now pastor of Randolph Street Baptist Church, in Charleston, West Virginia. It must have been twenty-five years ago. The thing I remember him stressing most was that most people draw the wrong analogy from the two gates. The two gates do not represent belief versus non-belief, but rather the one, true belief versus all of the multitude of false beliefs. Pastor, Sunday-school teacher, Brother, as you preach, teach, walk, what kind of gates are you building for people to walk through? Be sure to check out all of the other bloggers photos at the Friday Photo Group on Flickr. I have started a set on Flickr named Making Gates that I will be adding to as my gate project progresses. Check it out.