Sunday Reflections

God looked on Christ as if Christ had been sin; not as if He had taken up the sins of His people, or as if they were laid on Him, though that were true, but as if He Himself had positively been that noxious-that God-hating-that soul-damning thing, called sin. When the Judge of all the earth said, 'Where is sin?' Christ presented himself. What a grim picture that is, to conceive of sin gathered up into one mass-murder, lust and stealing, and adultery. And the Father looked on Christ as if He were that mass of sin. He was not sin, but the Father looked on upon Him as made sin for us. Christ stands in our place, assumes our guilt, takes on our iniquity and God treats Him as if He had been sin. How can any punishment fall on that man who ceases to possess sin, because his sin was cast upon Christ and Christ has suffered in his place? Oh, glorious triumph of faith to be able to say, whenever I feel the guilt of sin, whenever conscience pricks me, 'Yes, it is true but my Lord is answerable for it all, for He has taken it all upon Himself and suffered in my place.'

--Charles Spurgeon, The King's Highway God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

2 Corinthians 5:21

Sunday Reflections

God looked on Christ as if Christ had been sin; not as if He had taken up the sins of His people, or as if they were laid on Him, though that were true, but as if He Himself had positively been that noxious-that God-hating-that soul-damning thing, called sin. When the Judge of all the earth said, 'Where is Sin?' Christ presented himself. What a grim picture that is, to conceive of sin gathered up into one mass-murder, lust and stealing, and adultery. And the Father looked on Christ as if He were that mass of sin. He was not sin, but the Father looked on upon Him as made sin for us. Christ stands in our place, assumes our guilt, takes on our iniquity and God treats Him as if He had been sin. How can any punishment fall on that man who ceases to possess sin, because his sin was cast upon Christ and Christ has suffered in his place? Oh, glorious triumph of faith to be able to say, whenever I feel the guilt of sin, whenever conscience pricks me, 'Yes, it is true but my Lord is answerable for it all, for He has taken it all upon Himself and suffered in my place.’
--Charles Spurgeon, The King's Highway

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Sunday Reflections

No matter where you are reading in the Bible, faith is the first mystery you should recognize. Faith is not believing that the story you're reading is true as written. That does nothing for anyone. Even unbelievers can believe this Bible story about Jesus' birth is true. Faith is not a natural work apart from God's grace, as the Scripture clearly teaches. Rather the right kind of faith, the kind that flows from grace and tat God's Word demands, is firmly believing that Christ was born for you. His birth is yours and occurred for your benefit.

--Martin Luther, Faith Alone This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished-- he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:22-26

Sunday Reflections

The great majority of people will go on observing forms that cannot be explained; they will keep Christmas Day with Christmas gifts and Christmas benedictions; they will continue to do it; and some day suddenly wake up and discover why.

--G.K. Chesterton, Generally Speaking Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you. See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of you dawn.

Isaiah 60:1-3

Sunday Reflections

Christmas, the Story of God becoming the Man, Jesus, is the only hope we have of returning back to God. We must lean into the truth of God's love displayed in Jesus' coming. Our fall into depravity and alienation was because our confidence in the kindness and love of God was shaken. We doubted and doubt the love of God. Our recovery must begin with the belief of His love; "this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins (I Jn. 4:10)."

--Dr. Tom Wood, How the Gospel Story Makes Sense "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times." Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor gives birth and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites. He will stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they will live securely, for then his greatness will reach to the ends of the earth. And he will be their peace.

Micah 5:2-5

Sunday Reflections

The Son of God did not want to be seen and found in heaven. Therefore He descended from heaven into this lowliness, came to us in our flesh, laid Himself into the womb of His mother and into the manger and went to the cross. This ladder He placed on the earth so that we might ascend to God on it. This is the way you must take. If you forsake this way and try to speculate about the glory of the Divine Majesty without this ladder, you will invent marvelous matters, matters that are above your horizon; but you will do so to your very great harm.

--Martin Luther In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan--The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Isaiah 9:1-2

Sunday Reflections

We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is "good," because it is good, if "bad" because it works in us patience, humility and the contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country.

--C. S. Lewis, Letters
When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:21-26

Sunday Reflections

A man may be called to preach the gospel in the same place for years, and he my, at times, feel burdened by the thought of having to address the same audience, on the same theme, week after week, month after month, year after year. He may feel at times at a loss for something new, something fresh, some variety. It will greatly help such to remember that the one grand theme of the preacher is Christ. The power to handle that theme is the Holy Ghost; and the one to whom that theme is to be unfolded is the poor lost sinner. Now Christ is ever new; the power of the Spirit is ever fresh; the soul's condition and destiny ever intensely interesting,. Furthermore, it is well for the preacher to bear in mind, on every fresh occasion to rising to preach, that those to whom he preaches are really ignorant of the gospel, and hence he should preach as though it were the very first time his audience had ever heard the message and the first time he had ever delivered it. To preach the gospel is really to unfold the heart of God, the person and work of Christ; and all this by the present energy of the Holy Ghost, from the exhaustless treasury of Holy Scripture.

--C. H. McIntosh, Notes on Numbers, 1869 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Romans 1:16-17

Sunday Reflections

Our soul-thirst is powerful, and it makes all of us idolaters. To be sure, not many of my contemporaries bow before actual pagan altars. Nevertheless, the Bible sees idolatry as a universal problem. To be alive is to be an idolater. One of the most basic questions in spiritual formation must be "What am I doing about my idols?" not "Do I have any idols?"

--James Wihoit, Spiritual Formation As If The Church Mattered So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:12-14

Sisters being silly

My girls being silly and enjoying fall days in their dance outfits.

Sunday Reflections

Our Christian life began not with our decision to follow Christ but with God's call to us to do so. He took the initiative in his grace while we were still in rebellion and sin. In that state we neither wanted to turn from sin to Christ, nor were we able to. But he came to us and called us to freedom.

--John Stott, The Message of Galatians This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

1 John 4:9-11

Sunday Reflections on Monday

Some people are full of talk against legal doctrines, legal preaching and the legal spirit. Yet they may understand very little of what they are talking against. A legal spirit is far more subtle than they imagine. It can lurk, operate, and prevail in their hearts even while they are inveighing against it For as long as a man is not emptied of himself and of his own righteousness and goodness, he will have a legal spirit. A spirit of pride in one's own righteousness, morality, holiness, affection, experience, faith, humiliation or any other holiness, affection, experience, faith, humiliation or any other goodness is a legal spirit. It is even possible to have a self-righteous spirit about one's own humility and to be self-confident about one's own abasement. But he whose heart is subject to Christian humility has a very different attitude. Christians who are real saints and the greatest in the Kingdom humble themselves as a little child. They look upon themselves as children in grace.

--Jonathan Edwards, Treatise on Religious Affections May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the peoples justly and guide the nations of the earth. May the peoples praise you, O God; may all the peoples praise you. Then the land will yield its harvest, and God, our God, will bless us. God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him.

Psalm 67:4-7

Sunday Reflections

It is impossible to get from preoccupation with behavior to the gospel. The gospel is not a message about doing things. It is a message about being a new creature. It speaks to people as broken, fallen sinners who are in need of a new heart. God has given His Son to make us new creatures. God does open-heart surgery, not a face-lift. He produces change from inside out. He rejects the man who fasts twice a week and accepts the sinner who cries for mercy.

--Tedd TrippFor the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope -- the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Titus 2:11-14

sunday reflections

Jesus the Messiah is, as the Puritans understood, "the face of God," the fullest revelation of his love and justice. As we focus on this revelation of God's character, we are spiritually renewed. God increasingly comes to dominate the center of our consciousness. Our minds will turn toward him as automatically as the compass needle seeks the north. We will want our thoughts to be informed by his wisdom until they approximate the mind of Christ. We will want our emotions to respond to events as he responds, and our actions to embody his will. This is normal and renewed spirituality. But it does not always come easily. The human heart, even the redeemed heart, has an allergy to God. At times we want to avoid God, not only because we want to evade doing his will, but because we retain a slavish fear to him, springing from unbelief.

--Richard F. Lovelace, Renewal As a Way of Life Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Galatians 4:6-7

Sunday Reflections

Religion is, "I obey, therefore I am accepted." The Gospel is, "I'm accepted through what Jesus Christ has done for me, therefore I obey." Religion gives you control. That's why it's so popular. If I am saved by what I can do, then there's a limit to what God can ask of me. I still have some control. But if I am saved by sheer grace, then there's nothing He cannot ask of me.

--Tim Keller Accept one another, then just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name."

Romans 15:7-9

Sunday Reflections

In the greatest display of obedience (and love) that will ever be known. Jesus took the full chalice of Man's sin and God's wrath, looked shuddering, deep into its depth and in a steel act of his will, drank it all.

--R. Kent Hughes
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.
Revelation 22:1-3

Sunday Reflections

At times it is good for me to think back to when God has answered my prayers. He is always attentive to my cry to Him, and is ever faithful to answer my prayers. He hears His children's voices, whether they be full of overflowing praise or anguished strivings. our Lord responds to our prayers according to His will for our good.

--Amayzing Grace (WIC New Covenant Presbyterian Church Aiken) I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live.

Psalm 116:1-2

Sunday Reflections

I was the enemy of God. I was stamping through God's universe, shaking my fist in His face. And in the very moment when I was shaking my fist in God's face and tramping through the Creator's universe, muddying all His streams, that's when Jesus died for me. And if this is when Jesus died for me, what hope it gives me now! Now, even when I fall, the blood of Jesus is enough. He didn't save me because I was strong; He saved me when I was weak. He didn't save me when I was a pretty thing; He saved me when I was a mess. On the basis of this reality, I can have comfort.

--Francis Schaeffer, The Finished Work of Christ But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross...

Eph. 2:13-16

Sunday Reflections

Why should we expect our Christian life and service to be easy? The Bible never gives us any such expectation. Rather the reverse: the Bible says again and again, No cross, no crown; no rules, no wreath; no pains, no gains. It is this principle which took Christ through lowly birth and suffering death, to his resurrection and his reign in heaven. It is this principle that brought Paul his chains, and his prison cell, in order that the elect might obtain salvation in Jesus Christ. It is this principle which makes the soldier willing to endure hardship, the athlete discipline, the farmer toil. Do not expect Christian service to be easy.

- John Stott, In Christ You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:1-3

Sunday Reflections

I believe in God, but I detest theocracy. For every Government consists of mere men and is, strictly viewed, a makeshift; if it adds to its commands “Thus saith the Lord,” it lies, and lies dangerously.
- C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.

(Isaiah 9:6-7)