Penny University

Children of Men

2006-12-17T12:23:00.000-05:00

Read P.D. James' Children of Men, then go see Children of Men after it comes out in the theaters on Dec. 25. It is the sort of story that will spark conversation with people about what life is all about and the flow of history- where the race of man is headed. It is moving and thought-provoking.

P.S. Listen closely to the background music in the trailer, and you will hear a faint but telling echo of the music of Sigur Ros!

Rest of the Series

2006-12-03T08:11:00.000-05:00

So, I don't think it is necessary for me to post the rest of my summaries on worship from Created For Worship, but if anyone would like to read them, then just email me and I will send them to you. Otherwise they would take up a whole lot of space on here, and I don't know if anyone wants to read them any way.

My Desiring God bros: Jed and Brent

2006-10-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

I am still musing on all that I heard from the conference. I was struck by each speaker: Wells, his care for the state of the world; Baucham, his candor in communicating true truth; Keller, his love for the city; Driscoll, his humble, manly, pastoral, theological soundness for the sake of God's people; Carson, the Father loves the Son (whoa... you'd had to have been there or read John 17); Piper, the faithful Christian-hedonist. Jed and Brent clinched the trip for me. God used them to refresh my spirit: 2 Christ-centered men I am proud to share in the mission of the Gospel in this world.

Series on Worship: No. 2

2006-09-24T15:21:00.000-05:00

Here is my summary of chapter 2 in Noel Due's book, Created For Worship.

Summary of Chapter 2: Worship in the Biblical Prologue

In the second chapter of Created For Worship, Due gives a brief overview of worship for the whole of the biblical narrative by focusing on the first eleven chapters of Genesis. He states that this overview will set up the next two chapters of the book; he also notes that keeping this ‘big picture’ in mind throughout the book will help to better understand the battle for worship, mentioned in the previous chapter. The expressions of the battle for worship found in Genesis 1-11 are found throughout the biblical narrative, especially in Revelation. He brings out the expressions in five main sections that can be maintained as ‘before the fall’, ‘the fall’ and ‘after the fall’.
Firstly, Due says that worship is going on before creation and before the fall. He shows that worship must be understood as existing before God created human beings. Angelic beings worship God, as well. In fact, all of creation worships God. He particularly emphasizes four categories of ‘heavenly beings’ that worship God: seraphim, cherubim, living creatures and elders. Each of these have their own distinctiveness in form and function. So, when the first man and first woman came into existence, worship was happening all around them, in the heavens and on the earth.
Thus, Due asks why all of creation should be fashioned to worship. Obviously, God created all things for his glory, but Due continues by stressing that God did not need to create in order to receive glory because of the eternal relationship of the Trinity. He mentions the Westminster Shorter Catechism and shows the unity of the concepts of duty and loving response in worship in the holy love between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Within the Trinity, there is what Due calls the ‘grammar of communion’, or the parameters and elements of ascribing worth-ship. And so, it follows that human beings, created in the image of God, should naturally and joyfully worship God.
Created in the image of God, human beings are given the tasks of reigning over all the earth and taking care of the land. According to Due, these are expressions of worship in obedience. This sets up Adam, the first man, as king-priest of Eden. Primarily, Adam was to reign as earthly king over God’s creation; secondly, he was to care for the immediate and specific place in which God put him, in Eden. Adam’s priestly function can be seen in the similarities between Eden and the future temple of Israel. The Second Adam, Jesus Christ, was to restore this kingship/priesthood of the First Adam after the Fall. This new Priest-King, Due says, brought a whole new element to the service and worship of human beings, that of outward expression informed by the inward disposition of the heart. He shows this in Jesus’ refutation of Satan in the wilderness. It is because of this new kingship/priesthood of Jesus Christ that man is given the opportunity to be in right relationship to the Father and to supernaturally and joyfully worship only Him. So Jesus wins the battle for worship, the battle which is exemplified in the fall.
Secondly, Due points out that God is worthy of worship as both Redeemer and Creator. It is in view of God the Creator where a battle for worship takes place, namely, in the fall. Satan’s whole bent is to rob God of worship. This is why he is depicted as cunning and sly as a serpent. Due gives much attention to an accurate understanding of the link between the serpent and Satan throughout the biblical narrative. He mentions that the serpent’s whole goal was to steal human worship and not cause them to cease worship because ceasing to worship would not be possible. When Adam as the King-Priest turns his worship away from the Creator, the woman, the serpent and the earth are affected by his disobedience. Now worship is distorted and what follows is a slippery slope for Adam’s offspring, but not without hope.
Thirdly, after the fall, from Genesis 4-11, Due brings out the effect of the fall on the battle for worship on God’s creation in three main events: Cain murdering Abel, the Flood and the tower of Babel. In the story of Cain and Abel, he points out contrasting dispositions in worship. The one of Cain, self-justification, led him to murder his brother, Abel, whose disposition was of gratitude and faithfulness unto God. This story is to be an ongoing example to God’s people of right and wrong worship, and how wrong worship plays out and ends in death. Due outlines several important themes coming out of the story of Cain and Abel.
Seth is then born to Adam and Eve and his line leads faithfully unto God to Noah. Within this line are several who ‘walked with God’, just as Noah did, having the idea of living submitted with a worshipful heart. This notion is set over and against the rest of the human race which is totally wicked before God, and so God floods the earth. Noah, having kept all of the animals in the ark, emerges and immediately makes a sacrifice of atonement because: 1) he is still a sinner before God, an act of obedience in faith to God’s promise, 2) it was to be the practice of God’s covenant people in order to learn from God there is no rest for the wicked, 3) after the Flood, it is a new beginning for the human race, 4) Noah is a new Adam and 5) it looks forward to the ultimate atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. Due reminds the reader that sin is still present in the world after the Flood.
In Genesis 11 Due notes that the whole world is unified under one language. What follows is unabashed rebellion in a unified fashion depicted in the building of Tower of Babel. He observes the repetition of some letters that give the notion of the Hebrew word for ‘folly’. This, he also links with the Babylon. All of the effort of building the tower and the Babylonian idolatry culminates in the idea of outright human rebellion to worship God in the way in which He created man to respond in joyful obedience to Him. Due states this as a bad-to-worst case scenario. Thus, God exercises his sovereign power causing them to spread out and cover the whole earth by confusing their unified language, reminding them that they are not God. He demands worship from all creation.

Series on Worship: No. 1

2006-09-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

Over the next few weeks, I will blogging through a book entitled Created for Worship by Noel Due. Feel free to make comments and ask questions. Keep in mind that I am only presenting what I think the author is attempting to communicate to the reader. At times, I may give my thoughts, but for the most part I am only conveying his main points. Here is my summary of Chapter 1: The Battle for Worship.

In the first chapter of the book, Created for Worship, Noel Due is explaining the scope of worship throughout the whole of the Bible. Because worship takes place from the beginning to the end of the Bible, Due asserts that it is of tremendous importance to notice in relationship to the means of everyday living, the end of that living and the struggle entangled throughout the course of history for which he terms the ‘battle for worship’. To accomplish this, Due focuses on four selections of Scripture: the baptism and temptation of Jesus, Psalm 115, Romans 1:18-32, and finally, Revelation 4-5. In each text, Due mentions three elements (means, end and struggle) of understanding worship in its specific context but also in its general application.
Firstly, Due establishes the role of the three other texts in understanding worship by looking most intently at the baptism and temptation of Jesus. The reader will find the record in all three of the synoptic Gospels: Matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-12 and Mark 1:12-13. Due says the purpose of the baptism was to make public the identity of Jesus Christ in relationship to God and to man. In the baptism itself, he sees the public proclamation from the Creator to the creatures that he sends his Son as the spotless lamb, the anointed one, to redeem the people of God. According to Due, the baptism of Jesus identifies him as Messianic King, Son of God, High Priest, Prophet, Second Person of the Trinity and the ultimate Sacrificial Lamb for all sinners. In addition to the proclamation of his identity, the event served as personal assurance of his identity in God with man while on earth. Jesus is fully God and fully man. Due makes note that Jesus has come in obedience to the Father for the sake of others. He is the second Adam and the true Israel of God. His is a story of obedience to the Father showcased before fallen man. So after the baptism of Jesus, Due pointing out that it is the commendation of the Father and the anointing of the Spirit, he is led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tested. Again, he is fully man and fully God. Jesus is hungry. Jesus is in right relationship to the Father in every way. Due mentions the similarity of the temptation to being that of questioning Jesus’ identity as in the case with Adam in the garden and Israel in the wilderness. Here is where Jesus’ baptism/anointing is tested in the wilderness ultimately to take issue with who ought to be worshiped. The attack is centered on the core of Jesus’ identity. The battle is aimed at corruption of the original. Due emphasizes how Jesus did not quote Scripture as though it had some magical effect on defeating Satan, but rather to show his active obedience to God the Father, even his word. This is his obedient worship as the second Adam. Thus, because he knows who he is, how that defines his action and his awareness of a struggle, Due says of worship: “we are not speaking about an activity of one’s life, but speaking of the activity of one’s life, which gives that life its entire focus and direction. It is a core orientation rather than a peripheral action” (20).
Secondly, Psalm 115 pits Yahweh against the gods of the nations. The psalmist is taking issue with those nations who despise the glory of Yahweh. This text represents many others in the OT by unmasking the worthlessness of other nations’ gods and proclaiming the worthiness of Yahweh. In the psalm, Due brings out the liturgical significance (the covenant faithfulness of God) and the pastoral significance (He shepherds his people in the world), and then details its ideological significance in v.8: “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them”. Commenting on the verse, Due says, “Their false trust leads them to reflect the character of the object in which they put their trust” (23). This is not just a theory; it is a well-tested experiment leading to evidence of detrimental effects on the participants. At this point, Due turns to the depravity of all men that is spoken of in Romans 1:18-32.
Thirdly, Due uses this first chapter of Romans to look at the role of worship in light of the gospel. In this text, Due sees the good of good news over and against the opposite. One does not really understand what is good if one does not know what is really bad. It is the wrath of God that makes the gospel, good news. And so, the wrath of God gives man over to his own demise. Man suppresses the truth and exchanges it for a lie. In doing this, man deliberately does not honor God nor give thanks to him. In stark contrast to this mindset, Due brings up the Shorter Catechism to show that man was created to worship: “This is both a defining feature of our nature, and the actual reality of our existence. To worship God is to serve him in love and in trustful obedience to his word” (26). The alternative to this is not the lack of worship in man, but to the contrary, it is the worship of something lesser, something that does not live up to its promise. It is not a neglect but an exchange of worship, and the exchange is for self-centeredness: idolatry-in-the-rough. Thus, Due states that the gospel is for “the redemption of true worship and the destruction of the false” (29).
Lastly, Due turns to the awe-inspiring worship in Revelation 4-5. In relief, Due notes the weight of glory felt when John sees the throne room: “the presence and action of the throne elicits continual worship from the heavenly creatures who surround it” (31). There is a direct correlation between worship and power and victory. Jesus, the second Adam, has gained victory over ‘false worship’, setting the faithful right with God Almighty. Man’s identity is found in God, his ability to live rightly by God and thus equipped to for every good work and armed against the forces of evil. Due asserts that in Revelation we may begin to understand how God’s demand for allegiance gives perspective to God’s story, precisely because he is the author.
Due closes the chapter with a brief mention of C.E.B. Cranfield’s four uses of the term worship, stating that the goal of this book is to show how these are threaded throughout the history of redemption, and in that, the battle is fought and won for the worship of the one, true God of all creation, seen and unseen.

Tozer on worship

2006-08-24T21:10:00.000-05:00

"Has it ever occurred to you that one hundred pianos all tuned to the same fork are automatically tuned to each other? They are of one accord by being tuned, not to each other, but to another standard to which each one must individually bow. So one hundred worshipers met together, each one looking away to Christ, are in heart nearer to each other than they could possibly be were they to become "unity" conscious and turn their eyes away from God to strive for closer fellowship." A. W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

I think it would be wise for any good and noble desire of the church to take a secondary position to the pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I'm sure we all agree in nodding our heads, but is this really happening in our church, in our home, and most pointedly in our hearts, our minds, our wills? Christ "is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). Wow! What is the word of his power? Hebrews 3:7; 10:15. The Holy Spirit of God! Transcendent, immanent, triune God! King, Redeemer, Helper! Creator, Sustainer, Illuminator!... Holy... Loving... God of all! Think about Him! Set your heart on Him! Set your mind on Him! Fix your eyes on HIM!

Now, Hebrews 10:24-25 works.

Glorious Change

2006-08-19T21:44:00.000-05:00

Well, I wouldn't call myself much of a contributor to this blog. Life hasn't allowed me to do too much blogging lately. Since it has been so long since I have logged onto this this or my personal blogsite, I have approximately 1,000,000 thoughts going through my head. And if any of you know me well, that could mean hours and hours of just trying to put them down in a manner that makes sense to anyone. This topic is probably the one closest to my heart at the current time...Elements of Change.

It seems that if you hang around life for any amount of time there is going to be change. If there isn't, then you are probably either in denial or just not paying attention. Change also seems to agree with the figure of speech "when it rains, it pours". Change is difficult, but I have been blessed to have huge times of change in my life. . .

Most of the major changes in my life have occurred since the Holy Spirit convicted me at age 22 to actually start living the life that I knew I needed to be living as a Christian. Since that time, I quit a job, spent 3 months in Wales, worked in the ministry as a vocation, got out of ministry as vocation, got married, moved my new wife of 6 months across the country to Boston to help start a church with 3 other couples, had a daughter. . . and that leads to major changes that have occurred within the past year: one of the couples moved to Colorado, another couple moved to Kentucky, the last remaining couple with us is about to move to Mississippi, we are about to have child number 2, and we feel the Holy Spirit moving us to really focus every bit of our attention on ministry in Boston (which will mean raising full support).

These final 3 are happening simultaneously so that makes this time in my life quite intriguing. Exhilerating even. Because I know that though this will probably be one of the most difficult times in my life, God is doing some really cool things. This time should really increase my faith, increase my ability to lead, increase the size of my family, increase the amount of time I get to focus on sharing the love/freedom/wonder/mystery of Jesus Christ in Boston. Though I am stuck in this time continuim and can't see exactly what will happen in all of this, I am confident that this challenging time will make me more like Jesus Christ. AMAZING how He works.

How crazy is walking in faith?

Blaise Pascal's conversion

2006-08-13T16:39:00.000-05:00

The following is taken from this link: http://chi.gospelcom.net/DAILYF/2003/11/daily-11-23-2003.shtml

On November 23, 1654, Pascal's horses bolted and plunged off a bridge.
Pascal was thrown into the roadway. He saw this as a warning directly from God.
That night he experienced a Christian conversion that would cause his
outstanding scientific work to take second place in his pursuits. Light flooded
his room. He recognized Jesus, the Word. For the rest of his life Pascal carried
around a piece of parchment sewn into his coat--a parchment inscribed with
ecstatic phrases:

"God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of the philosophers and
scholars...Joy, joy, joy, tears of joy...'This is life eternal that they might
know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.' Jesus
Christ. Jesus Christ...May I not fall from him forever...I will not forget your
word. Amen."

From that day forward, Blaise Pascal realized even more deeply that he must
live primarily for God. He started out by giving much more to the poor.

This, from one of the most influential scientist/philosopher/mathematician/writer of his time. He refers to the God of the Bible, specifically quotes John 17:3 and says the word joy four times. I mention this because I can not help but think of all the brilliant, yet depressed geniuses over the course of history. Pascal, in a moment of trauma, was led to have "fullness of joy in His presence" (Psalm 16:11). One of my professors, Dr. Schreiner, points to the similarity of Pascal's conversion to the Apostle Paul's conversion.

A Louisvillian Palate: Delightful Musings

2006-07-24T13:51:00.000-05:00

I must say I was concerned for what I would lose in moving from Boston to Louisville. And to that for which I grieved the loss of probably labels me "shallow": food. Contrary to my surprise, in the two months of living in "Luavul", my tastebuds have delightfully mused on Filipino, Indian, Mediterranean, Argentine and Moroccan. And yes, in case you are wondering, B-B-Q! All quite tasty, indeed! And I should point out that the endearing Mrs. Baylor has put some flare in her fine fare. Mouth-watering goodness. And if that is not enough, there also lies within 5-15 minutes of my home three more than adequate coffee houses: Sunergos, Highland and Heine Brothers (all of which roast their own beans). All this we have discovered in two months! Whoa!

Artistically, Aesthetically, Creatively

2006-07-15T07:29:00.000-05:00

Sayings of Edith Schaeffer:

A Christian, above all people, should live artistically, aesthetically and creatively. We are supposed to be representing the Creator who is there, and who we acknowledge to be there... creative creatures of the Creator. (!)

Ideas carried out stimulate more ideas.

Doing something yourself will fulfill a need in you. And living with what you have made or restored will help you to express something which is you, living with an originality which speaks of the diversity of human personality as against the machine. Creativity is a part of personality.

Remember that your communication with God is to be not less vivid than with men, but more vivid and real.

...for the enrichment of the lives of those you live with, and as an unconscious spark to set fire to other dry wood, other creative creatures on a finite level.

My thought:
Creativity, for the creature, caries with it the same idea as theology, for the theologian, which I may add we are, each one of us, creatures and theologians (it's more a matter of the expression of our creativity and how good our theology is). To the point, I've heard it said theology is thinking God's thoughts after him. So it is with creativity, the creature is only creative to the extent of the creature's knowledge of the Creator and His creation. Thus, the lack of such knowledge leads to a distortion of beauty in creativity. So creativity is thinking the Creator's thoughts after him. I might even say we should all aspire to be better creative creature-theologians. It comes down to acknowledging our Creator-God always everywhere.

Testing 1 2 3...

2006-06-17T17:47:00.000-05:00

Orthodox Evangelicalism: A thing of strength and beauty?

2006-06-11T22:21:00.000-05:00

Francis A. Schaeffer pointed out three principles for "orthodox evangelicalism to be a thing of strength and beauty in the second half of the twentieth century."
1. The full doctrinal position of historic Christianity must be clearly maintained.
2. Every honest question must be given an honest answer. It is unbiblical for anyone to say, "Just believe."
3. There must be an individual and corporate exhibition that God exists in our century, in order to show that historic Christianity is more than just a superior dialectic or a better point of psychological integration.

So, how do these principles find us beyond the 20th Century?

Now, more than ever before, I think the full doctrinal position of historic Christianity is being attacked from underneath, above, behind, face-on and most horribly from within. While it is no longer okay to say, "Just believe," people are not doing it because it is unbiblical but because the world is demanding "honesty" on their own terms. This leaves most of us scurrying around looking for a way of fitting into the world's set of presuppositions. In response to #3, I end with a question: Do I live and think in such a way that the personal, infinite God captivates every ounce of my being? Is my daily experience living in community with God overflowing into others? Am I caught up with God? Does practicing the presence of God mean anything to me?

The strength is lacking... the beauty is commonplace. We rest on a hinge of opportunity, if only we will champion and celebrate our relationship with the Lord, Jesus Christ. This, of course, being based upon the majesty of the Scriptures, from which honest answers meet real questions. When "the dogma [becomes] the drama" (Sayers) and the Word is the foundation of honest answers meeting honest questions... and when we live every moment in communion with our Creator God through His Son, our Savior and Lord, in the powerful indwelling of the Holy Spirit... then orthodox evangelicalism will be a thing of strength and beauty. In other words, the world will have to turn its ugly head and take notice of a life-giving, God-glorifying, ground-shaking, Christ-exalting worldview, irresistable and secure in every way.

For the beauty and strength of the Gospel.

Its About Time

2006-06-07T12:12:00.000-05:00

Sorry it took so long, but I have arrived. Now if I can just remember my username and password.

I look forward to deepening my walk with Christ as we share Scripture, stories, thoughts, ultimately our lives here. And I look forward to anyone who will, sharing thoughts as well, for as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Once upon a time...

2006-06-01T22:34:00.000-05:00

... two or more persons came together to ponder the really real. Eventually, this continuation of rumination led them to ask, "What is truth?" After searching far and wide that they might find a source, they found a ginormous house situated upon a gargantuan rock. Entering the narrow doorway, the explorers were immediately drawn towards a simple, yet mysterious bit of parchment. When they had unrolled what seemed to be the oldest one, they read the words, "In the beginning..."

Here inlies the story of an ongoing conversation based on the aforementioned discovery of the infinite personal God of the Bible. This discovery shapes our ideas in every way. We now know the answer to our question. True truth is the God who is really there.

Josh