Five Years Ago Today

five years ago today, i learned that i had cancer.

why i live on, while friends have not, is mystery to me.

undoubtedly God wanted two more little ones.

ashreyah.

brooks.

dumbfounding to look at them and ponder their non-existence.

if not for chemo.

undoubtedly God wanted seven more new yorkers.

brought to the city by a historic church fallen on hard times.

brought to the city for the ancient gospel every ready to rescue.

brought to the city to be brought to the end of ourselves.

and to find again that Christ is all in all.

undoubtedly God wanted kimberly and me to carry on.

to live, to laugh, to dance, to sing.

to weep, to mourn, to age, to love.

but why do i live on?

and not daniel or ken or julie or todd.

or james.

why?

i have no full answer.

nor a better answer than sarah edwards:

a holy and good God sometimes covers us with a dark cloud.

but my God lives.

and he has my heart.

God save me, save us all, from hezekiah’s fate.

where added years meant diminished faithfulness.

where answered prayers yielded self-confidence.

self-righteousness.

eventual destruction.

we take as our own the prayer of Bernard of Clairvaux:

let us never, never outlive our love to Thee.

five years ago today.

grateful to be alive.

The King and His People

Title: The King and His People

Text: 1Peter 2.4–12

Overview

1. Chosen by the King

2. Emissaries for the King

• vocal not silent
• countercultural not adaptive
• transformational not static

Audio (available soon on our SermonAudio page)

Preparation for Worship: June 15, 2013

Scripture: 1Peter 2.4–12

    ⁴ As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— ⁵ you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house^[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. ⁶ For in Scripture it says:

   “See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.”^[b]

   ⁷ Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

      “The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone,”^[c]

   ⁸ and,

      “A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.”^[d]

   They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.

   ⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

    ¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

Thought:

“These young Christians were struggling with the at-times painful distinction being made between their identity in Christ and others around them. Peter’s language . . . reminded these discouraged Christians that they are the people of God, the product of God’s gracious work of transforming them into an integrated reality—a single people” (Mark Dever, The Church, 10–11).

A New Opportunity

God has opened a new and unexpected opportunity for me to serve, this time with an agency that Kimberly and I have to come know, respect, and love dearly: Frontline Missions.

The director of the mission, Tim Keesee, and I have been friends since my first day of college, when he taught my very first class as a freshman. Our paths crossed here and there over the years, but we got to know each other better once his son became part of our youth group at Heritage. By this point, Tim had left teaching to lead Frontline. And our friendship began to grow.

Frontline Missions seeks to “advance the gospel in the world’s difficult places.” Focusing on the 10/40 window, “Frontline Missions is serving in many of these countries by providing training, Gospel literature, and support for new church planting efforts. In addition, Frontline funds creative platforms such as education, business, and medical efforts to gain greater access to difficult countries in this region.” The agency is perhaps best known for its excellent DVD series, “Dispatches from the Front.”

I’ve been asked to serve in a new position, Director of Member Care and Mobilization. My task is to pursue a pastoral relationship with gospel partners around the world and help equip more to go. It is a tremendous opportunity for me to see Christ advancing his kingdom everywhere and to grow in my understanding of the blessing and challenge of cross-cultural work. And by his grace I hope to shepherd and care for those who are serving—quite literally—on the frontline.

This does not mean that I am leaving First. God has planted my family and me here, and we are thrilled with what he is doing in our congregation. If anything, serving as pastor here at First equips me for my work with Frontline. And I am confident that my Frontline responsibilities will enhance my ability to serve in our urban, multiethnic congregation at home.

So rejoice with us in the kind work of Christ who enlists jars of clay to show the surpassing greatness of his power. Just this morning, I was reminded by a friend what a privilege it is to “be graced to serve with a Bible in hand.” God be praised that Christ is building his church. By his powerful Spirit, may he utilize us all for the glory of his name and the joy of all peoples.

A People of Mercy

Title: A People of Mercy

Text: Matthew 16.13–20

Overview

1. Jesus gathers his people: my church

2. Jesus enlists his people: upon this rock

3. Jesus assures his people: the gates of hell

Audio (streaming | download)