Crossway Baptist Church

…In particular, I’ve been thinking about the expectation that a woman must wear a dress to church. Actually, it’s usually just Sunday morning that it’s expected. For some reason women often get a “pass” from this dress code on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

At 7:30 yesterday morning a good friend called to ask where our church meets. After she and I spoke for a bit she said, “There’s just one thing – I don’t have a dress. Will that be a problem?”

Sigh. Not again!

I said, “I reckon you’ll just have to wear pants!”

It’s a question that’s been asked of me again and again by different women I’ve invited to church: “Will I be expected to wear a nice dress?” In the last month three women have asked me this.

One dear woman I know was once told to leave a church because she showed up in pants.

That is absolutely ridiculous. And sad. And it angers me that such a thing – a cultural thing – should be elevated to such a standard.

Another woman, whom I love in Christ, told me that it “just wasn’t right to see a woman wearing pants in church.” We talked about this, and I told her my concern that she would fail to see and love the person – all because she wasn’t dressed the “right” way. I’m not sure I got through to her, however.

Legalism is so sneaky and so, so damaging.

I really do hate it.

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

I’ve been thinking about yesterday…

…Brother Charlie preached an excellent sermon. The image of previous Christians “passing the baton” to us is a powerful one, isn’t it? Their race is over and now they’re cheering us on to the finish line. Also, I was reminded of how much I love to read Christian biography. To read how previous saints went through much the same things we do – and made it through – is so encouraging.

…Brother Jeremy cooked up some good burgers. Actually, everything on the table was good, wasn’t it? Delicious, even.

…The new intergenerational Sunday School class went better than I’d hoped. I thought there was just the right mix of lecture, discussion, and hands-on illustrations to keep both the adults and children interested, involved, and learning.

…Speaking of Sunday School – don’t forget to use those family devotionals this week! They both reinforce and build upon Sunday’s lesson.

…I loved the laughter and affection shown to one another while at Jeremy and Magaly’s home.

…We learned new songs! Jeremy was brave in leading in that. I lead music this coming Sunday – pray for me and for us!

…Anything else have any thoughts?

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

Our Wednesday evening study on prayer will conclude this coming Wednesday. I think it’s been a good study, both for me and for others. I know I’ve enjoyed teaching it!

Our next study will be a 9 part look at the book of Revelation. I’m hoping to begin on September 3rd. Study guides will be available.

Please let me know if you’re interested in attending!

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

Our Sunday School material arrived via UPS this afternoon!

So then, the Lord willing, I will begin teaching “The Righteous Shall Live by Faith” this coming Sunday, August 24th. Remember – this is an intergenerational study designed for all ages to learn together.

We’ll begin our study in the Carmichael Room at 10 AM sharp.

I’m excited to begin and I hope you are too!

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

I love books.

I love to read.

I still have the very first book I ever read on my own. It’s on the shelf right behind me. It’s a “Peanuts” (Charlie Brown and Snoopy) collection that I received as a gift when I was four years old. It’s pretty beaten up but I love it dearly. I can still remember taking my finger and going from word to word as I read it for the first time.

Reading is like breathing for me. I will read just about anything. I read some truly awful books during my time in the Middle East because I had no other choice – I had to read! On the other hand, back here in the States, I have no problem putting a book down forever after fifty pages if it’s terrible. There’s simply too much good stuff available here to waste my time with a bad book.

Speaking of reading – did you happen to notice the FREE books available last Sunday as you waked in the door of the Carmichael Room? Yes, these books are provided FREE for your reading pleasure and growth in the faith. There’s no “fluff” on the table. These are solid, trustworthy, and biblical books.

I encourage you to pick one or two up. Read it, keep it, or pass it on to another who may benefit from it. And then let me know how it affected you. I’d enjoy hearing about it.

Blessings in Christ,

David

David,

I can’t get over that statement, that God is known “…most profoundly in unspoken silence.” Here’s a few thoughts;

First,  Is there such a thing as spoken silence? Or would that fall into the category of ‘If a tree falls int he woods and no one hears it does it make a sound’ nonsense?  If so, Is unspoken silence any more sensible?

Second,  God is most profoundly known when He reveals Himself through words.  God revealed through words is the heart of religion.  That means that if there is no objective self-revelation on the part of God then there is no religion.

Third,  If there is religion, then it must be because God has revealed Himself through words.  We have this record of God’s self-revelation in the Bible.

Fourth,  As in the passage you quoted, God has spoken in many times and ways through the prophets and now here finally and perfectly through His Son, the Word made flesh.

Finally,  Since God has revealed Himself through words then there must be a reason for this self-revelation.  That reason is that we might know Him just as He is and not as we imagine Him.  And the way that we know Him is through His incarnate Word (Jesus) and His spoken word (which testifies to the incarnate word).  “If our blessed Lord and Maker hated men, would he then, be of flesh partaker?” (All My Heart This Night Rejoices by Paul Gerhardt)  If God did not want to be known by His words then would He have sent the Eternal Word into the world to take on flesh, bear our sins, and suffer in our place upon the cross?  I don’t think so.  “For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it.  For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?”  Hebrews 2:1-3

Jeremy

Brothers and sisters,

The Knoxville New-Sentinel recently quoted a Knoxville minister praying that God is known “…most profoundly in unspoken silence,” While there were other things the minister said in his prayer that troubled me, this statement bothered me most.

It makes no sense.

How can we ever know anyone who is silent?

Most of all God!?

Friends, God has spoken. Hebrews 1:1-2 says:

“Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

God has graciously revealed Himself to us. He has given us His Scriptures and, most of all, He has given us His Son, Jesus Christ, who “…is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3), and who said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

If we search for God in the “unspoken silence” we will not find Him. Instead, we will find only the vain imaginings of our own selfish hearts. Do not be suckered in by a vague “spirituality,” which will only lead you away from Him.

If you would know God then look to Jesus Christ.

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

The Sunday School material should be in the mail anytime. Once I receive it I’d like to look it over for a week or so. I’m thinking – hoping – that we’ll begin by the end of the month.

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

While reading a short biography of John Newton the other night I learned some little known facts about his famous hymn Amazing Grace:

• Newton originally titled it Faith’s Review and Expectation
• It was based on 1 Chronicles 17:16-17, which records David’s wonder at God’s favor toward him
• Newton wrote the hymn to go along with his sermon on New Year’s Day, 1773
• The last verse which we all know so well – “When we’ve been there 10,000 years…” – was not originally part of the hymn. It was added in the nineteenth century.
• The original ending verse goes like this: “The earth shall soon dissolve like snow/The sun forebear to shine/But God, who call’d me here below/Will be forever mine.”

Blessings in Christ,

David

Brothers and sisters,

Brother Jeremy gave us an excellent reminder during today’s message: we are strangers in this world. Preaching from Hebrews 13:1-16 Jeremy urged each one of us to be counter-cultural. We are to live our lives differently than the lost.

I was thinking about this as I drove home from church and it reminded me of my time living overseas. I remember my first night in Germany when I first heard the tell-tale “hi-lo” police siren that, until that moment, I’d only heard in movies. I remember thinking, “Wow, I really am in a different land.” That feeling of living in a land not my home only intensified as I changed countries. Driving on the other side of the road in England, for instance. Or shaking my head for “yes” and nodding my head for “no” in Albania. Saudi Arabia was the most foreign (to me) land I visited. It was fascinating, beautiful, and drastically different from what I was used to.

Now, while I enjoyed living in these places, I never got past thinking that, ultimately, they were not my home. And Jeremy made me think, “How comfortable am I in this world?” Because this world is ultimately not my home either. I hope I never get past thinking that, while this world is pleasant at times, it is still a foreign land and I am only here temporarily.

How do you feel?

Blessings in Christ,

David