David Platt on Churches in the South
by Deek Dubberly on June 25, 2010
in Biblelife, Churchlife, David Platt, Video
(RSS viewers may need to click through for embedded clip.)[HT: The Resurgence] |
Five Lessons on Pastoral Leadership (Especially for Young Pastors)
by Deek Dubberly on June 9, 2010
in 1 Timothy, Audio, Biblelife, Churchlife, Pastoring, Sermon
I finished up chapter four of 1st Timothy this past weekend with my church. We’re doing a verse-by-verse study through this book and last Sunday I preached a sermon titled “Five Lessons on Pastoral Leadership” out of I Tim. 4:12-16. Timothy was a young pastor serving in a church where many, even other leaders, were significantly older and possibly more experienced than him. This undoubtedly proved difficult as Paul urged him to confront false teaching and wayward leaders. I too am a young pastor. I serve in a church where many, including all the deacons and lay-leaders, are older than me and have served in this particular church longer than I’ve been around. How was Timothy to address these situations? How am I to address the people God has called me to serve? This sermon seeks to provide a biblical response to these and other related questions. Here’s a brief outline and commentary of what I shared: 1. Lead by Example(I Tim. 4:12)—Whatever the reasons people may have for not wanting to follow the leadership of a person younger than themselves, Paul here says to Timothy to live in such a way that those reasons cannot substantially be claimed.
2. Lead by the Word(I Tim. 4:13)—The leadership of a pastor should be, first and foremost, directed from and manifested out of the authority of the Word of God. Leaders lead per their devotion to the Scriptures and their delivery of the Scriptures. 3. Lead by Being Yourself(I Tim. 4:14)—Timothy had been given a gift by God for leading God’s people. The text doesn’t say, but maybe it was something like the gift of teaching, discernment, or prophecy. Whatever it was, Paul urged Timothy to be the leader God had created, called, and gifted him to be. No apologies necessary for being the person God made you to be! 4. Lead by Hard Work and Growth(I Tim. 4:15)—Devote yourself completely to living out the Christian faith (i.e. ‘leading by example’), to preaching the Word (a la ‘leading by the Word’), and being comfortable in your own spiritual skin, so to speak (that is, ‘leading by being yourself’). As you do this you will grow as a person and as a leader. Let your followers see this progress! 5. Lead by Faithfulness(I Tim. 4:16)—Paul sums up these instructions with the command to “persist in this”—that is, be faithful in carrying out and existing within all these things I’ve told you about. People want a leader they can count on. It’s very simple, though not very easy. Here’s the sermon audio:
[HT: Post header image clipped from CreativeMYK] |
The Bruised Reed—Part VIII
by Deek Dubberly on June 3, 2010
in Biblelife, Book, Reading Classics Together, Tim Challies
This week’s reading from chapters 14 & 15 was very encouraging. Chapter 14 discusses ways to ensure victorious Christian living. Chapter 15 speaks to the issue of Christ’s imminent return and reign upon the earth and the practical ramifications of living in the light of that expectation. If a Tree Falls In the Woods…
One particularly helpful image from chapter 14 is employed underneath the heading, “Reasons for Seeming Lack of Progress.” There Sibbes suggests two primary reasons why a Christian may not be experiencing growth in their spiritual life:
The beneficial illustration Sibbes uses is that of a tree being chopped down. This image is compared to the process of spiritual growth. Sibbes writes that,
If you’ve ever chopped down a tree you know exactly what Sibbes means. The first few swings of the axe yield what appear to be great results. The bark is broken through easily. The girth of the tree appears to shrink more and more with every chop. But just before reaching halfway the tree begins to seem more resistant to the idea of being cut down. It appears that the chops are loosing their effect. Maybe its because the axe is getting dull. Maybe its because by now you’re getting somewhat winded from the constant swinging and your strength has began to weaken. Each swing is starting to be more difficult than the one before. There’s a period there of several cumbersome chops where it seems as though nothing is happening. This is precisely what Sibbes is getting at with his illustration. Some people are in a place where there spiritual lives feel like the axe-swinger who is tired and seems trapped swinging away in the middle of the tree. Sibbes’ point is that every swing counts! So keep on swinging. The tree will soon fall and you’ll see that there was never a swing in vain. Three Related & Helpful ‘Nothings’
In chapter 15 there is a string of paragraphs where Sibbes emphasizes the word “nothing”. In a section referred to by the heading, “We Must Not Look To Ourselves,” Sibbes capitalizes on the word “nothing” in at least three different ways: Nothing #1“Nothing is stronger than humility, which goes out of itself, or weaker than pride, which rests on its own foundation.” Nothing #2“Christ says, ‘Without ye me’, the apostles, who were in a state of grace, ‘can do nothing‘ (John 15:5). He does not say you can do a little, but nothing.” Nothing #3“Satan knows that nothing can prevail against Christ, or those that rely upon his power. Therefore his study is how to keep us in ourselves…” The point of these “nothings” is to get us to trust in Christ, not ourselves. Is that ever a reminder that we need to hear! What About You?What images or anecdotes reached out and comforted or challenged you from this week’s reading? Mine were the tree-chopping and the “nothings”. You’ll notice that my post isn’t really a summary, as much as it is a list of personal highlights. What were your favorite phrases or images from Sibbes this week? Make Sure to Check Out My Friends!Over the course of this series of posts I’ve had the privilege of meeting a few new online kindred spirits. They too are reading and blogging their way through this book. Make sure to click through to their sites and check out what they have to say about this week’s reading. They are Audrey, Becky, Kevin, Lisa, and Paul. |
Three Ways We Reveal What’s Really Important In Our Lives
by Deek Dubberly on May 29, 2010
in Biblelife
Charles Savelle over at BibleExposition.net shares three brilliant observations about the way role models teach:
His original post was given with regard to the influence of role models or leaders, but there’s really a much wider application of these truths. These three things—what we say, what we do, and what we value—reveal nearly everything about who we are. So let me ask you: What have you been saying lately?Have you been speaking the truth of God’s Word into people’s lives? Or have you only been small-talking about whatever happens to come up in conversation? Have you been building others up? Or have your words been destructive and constantly negative (Eph. 4:29)? What have you been doing lately?Does your life’s actions reveal or conceal God’s gospel? Are you living out the Christian life as spelled out in the Scriptures? Sure, no one’s perfect, but there should be some evidence of spiritual progress over the course of time (James 2:14ff). What have you been valuing lately?What do you give your money, time, and affections to? Your answers tell on you (Luke 12:34). Is the telling good or bad? Be honest with yourself. [HT: Charles @ Bible X] |
Spurgeon on Instructive, Feeding-the-Sheep Type of Sermons
by Deek Dubberly on May 23, 2010
in Biblelife, Book, Charles Spurgeon, Churchlife, Preaching
—From C. H. Spurgeon’s, Lectures to My Students Related Post(s): |
John MacArthur On What A Pastor Is Supposed to Do
by Deek Dubberly on May 22, 2010
in 1 Timothy, Audio, Biblelife, John MacArthur, Pastoring
A small taste of what I’m listening to this morning… Here’s John MacArthur preaching to what I think are a group of graduates from The Master’s Seminary. He is speaking from I Tim. 4:6-16. His address is titled, “12 Marks of Excellent Pastoral Ministry.”
MacArthur describes this address as “a wonderful summary of what ministries should look like.” At sermon’s end he asks the question, “So what does a pastor do?” His answer?
Anyone else been listening to good sermons lately? Do share in the comments below. |
5 Warning Signs of a Cult
by Deek Dubberly on May 21, 2010
in Biblelife, Churchlife, Cults, theology
Cult? What is that? It is somewhat hard to define without pointing to particular examples. The American Journal of Sociology defines it as a pejorative term which “refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are reasonably considered strange” (source). But who’s doing the considering? I suppose that in a similar way to how, as the saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” determining what is a cult and what’s not is in the eye of the determiner. Of course you would be hard-pressed to find anyone or any group that would readily admit, “Yes, we are in fact a cult. Would you like to join our cult?” So how do we decide? How can we be honest and truthful with ourselves and others in discerning what is cultish and what is orthodox? Here’s something that may help. Lisa Robinson shares five signs of a cult-like ministry over at the popular theology blog, Parchment and Pen. Excellent and succinct list of factors to consider when distinguishing between what is the true Christian Church and what is not:
Robinson’s list includes several paragraphs of easy-to-read commentary and explanation. Make sure to click through the following link and peruse the entire thing: “Five Signs You Might Be in a Cult-Like Ministry,” by Lisa Robinson. If you’re church or organization falls underneath a positive response to any of the factors on this list then you may have some serious thinking to do. Can you think of any organizations or ‘churches’ that are guilty of one, a few, or all of the points on this list? |
The Accomplishments of Legalism
by Deek Dubberly on May 17, 2010
in 1 Timothy, Audio, Biblelife, Churchlife, Sermon
![]() I preached out of 1 Tim. 4:1-3 this past weekend (sermon available here). Its a passage where Paul warns Timothy about certain prevalent heresies which involved the forbidding of marriage and abstinence from certain types of foods. Paul explains that these heresies had supernatural origins. They were the deceptive and influential teachings of demons. Among a few other things, this passage serves as an opportunity to address the ever-recurring problem of legalism within various religious sects. A few examples:
At this point everyone was nodding along in agreement. Its easy to see the error of other people’s ways. However, as Christians we certainly are not immune to this sort of extra-biblical ‘prohibitioning.’ We do the exact same thing, only in our own little Christian way. So many Christian groups (including my own SBC) have this perfect picture of what a good Christian is supposed to look like:
As you can see we certainly have our own brands of legalism. And taken to extremes I believe, along with the Apostle Paul (see 1 Tim. 4:1), these legalistic doctrines are the “teachings of demons” as they influence and trickle their way through parishes and congregations all over the world. If you’ve got a church where someone is a liar and everyone knows about it and just sort of accepts it, but a woman who is addicted to smoking cigarettes walks in to your church and is looked down upon….you’ve got a problem. If you’ve got a church where its unspoken and understood that a certain group of persons love to gossip and everyone just quietly sweeps that issue under the rug, but a guy walks into your worship service with long hair, tattoos up and down his arms, and he’s sporting a t-shirt with a big, bold Budweiser logo across the front—if the first thing you think is, “Well, we’ve got to either get this guy cleaned up so that he looks more like us or else we’ve got to get him out of here”…..then you’ve got a problem. And the problem is legalism. Consider what legalism accomplishes:
Legalism is bad stuff. And I’m afraid that its everywhere. What else would you say legalism accomplishes? I’m sure there’s more. I’ve only listed four things. |
Duties, Discouragement, & Deception—The Bruised Reed (Part V)
by Deek Dubberly on May 13, 2010
in Biblelife, Book, Reading Classics Together, Tim Challies, theology
This week’s reading from chapter’s 8 and 9 is summarized by 3 D’s:
Sibbes deals with duties and discouragement in chapter 8 and deception in chapter 9. Chapter 8The question of whether one should perform Christian duties (i.e Bible study, prayer, evangelism, etc.) when they feel discouraged is addressed in this chapter. Sibbes says a big “Yes, absolutely” to this question and does so with four responses. I’ve paraphrased them to avoid excessive quotation. He says to the discouraged Christian struggling with their duties:
Regarding these points let me add this: I have never in all my life regretted performing a Christian duty. Whether it was spending time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, sharing the gospel, its no matter. The result has always been the same. God blesses these things. They put us into contact with his grace. And we’d all be the better for practicing them more. On a related note this week in the blogosphere, pastor and author, Kevin DeYoung,wrote a wonderfully helpful post titled, “Are Christians Meant to Feel Guilty All the Time?” He asks and provides four powerful answers to why Christians are so often discouraged in their walk with the Lord:
I include this nod to DeYoung’s entry because it deals perfectly with what Sibbes covers in chapter 8. Sibbes also briefly speaks of discouragement that is caused by suffering and trial. I could not help but to think of James 1:2-4. Please see these three little thoughts on Christians and trials that I wrote several months ago. Its one of my favorites posts I’ve ever written. Chapter 8 was so rich with wisdom and grace that I chose not to include it all in one post. You’ll just have to read some of the blogs I link to down below and hope that they cover the rest. Chapter 9I honestly did not gain much from this chapter. Perhaps my mind was struggling to stay on track as I read. What I did glean came from the opening paragraph. Sibbes points out that Satan doesn’t mind letting us have Christ so long as we have a distorted and inaccurate view of him. In this way Satan is revealed as the deceiver he is. He longs to trick us into perceiving the Lord as anything other than what he truly is—a loving, gracious, sovereign King. Taking StockWe’ve come just over halfway in reading through Sibbes’ book, The Bruised Reed. I’d just like to say how beneficial and gracious of a read it has been for me thus far. The thought that there is no person more gentle and merciful with sinners than Jesus has truly impacted my life and ministry. It has shown up in various ways in my preaching. It has fleshed itself out in visits that I make. It has been referred to as I counsel. Thank God for writers and works such as this. Have any of you been helped in ways like this? I would love to hear of how God has used this book in your life and ministry as you’ve read through it. Encourage us all and drop a comment below. Check Out My FriendsOver the course of this series of posts I’ve had the privilege of meeting a few new online kindred spirits. They too are reading and blogging their way through this book. Make sure to click through to their sites and check out what they have to say about this week’s reading. They are Audrey, Becky, Kevin, and Lisa. Anyone Else?If there’s anyone else who has somehow clicked their way here to deekdubberly.com, please make sure to drop a little note in the comments field below letting the rest of us know that you’re out there, most especially if you’re taking part with us in Tim Challies’ “Reading Classics Together.” Thanks. |
What Does the Bible Say about Homosexuality?
by Deek Dubberly on May 4, 2010
in Biblelife, John Piper, Video
Sensitive issue. It must be addressed with a source of truth outside of our own opinions. Here Pastor John Piper does just that. (If you’re reading this post through an email subscription or RSS feedreader you may need to click through to my site in order to watch the video clip) [HT: Desiring God] |
Francis Chan Speaking of Half-Hearted Devotion to Christ (excellent video clip)
by Deek Dubberly on April 30, 2010
in Biblelife, Francis Chan, Sermon, Video
Really ‘amening’ this brief video clip of Francis Chan talking about half-hearted devotion to Christ. He refers to it as some sort of ‘middle road.’ [If you're viewing this post through an email subscription or an RSS feedreader you may need to click through to my site in order to watch the video.] If you resonated with what Chan says here you’ll probably enjoy this clip too where he uses a balance beam as an object lesson to teach us to trust God. [HT: TJ Dreyer] |
Richard Sibbes on the ‘Weak and Small Beginnings of Grace’ (Part III)
by Deek Dubberly on April 29, 2010
in Biblelife, Book, theology
I’m reading my way through Richard Sibbe’s, The Bruised Reed, as a part of Tim Challies’ online book discussion dubbed, “Reading Classics Together.” Here are a few thoughts I posted related to week 1’s reading and week 2’s. Below are my musings for this week’s reading. This week’s reading of chapters 4 and 5 center upon God’s patience with us and our consequent patience with others. Chapter 4Sibbes’ refers to the young, immature believer as “a smoking flax.” He gives example after example of how Christ will not quench the small amount of burning that creates the smoke in the life a Christian, however weak, because of his mercy and care for those whom he has lit on fire. In turn, the ’stronger’ Christians should neither hinder nor snuff out the burnings of weaker Christians. Christ’s forbearance and inexhaustible patience with his redeemed is the example to all believers of how to deal with other Christians. Sibbes sets the mark high for Christians working with one another to maintain unity and fellowship. He writes:
Chapter 5In the fifth chapter Sibbes directly addresses the subject of legalism among professing Christians. He points out that some endeavor to,
This is legalism in the most classic sense. In response Sibbes writes that,
This was my favorite sentence of the book so far—the loveliness and power of unadorned truth. What a thought! There is so much application there for how we as Christians share God’s truth with every relationship in our lives. Our attempts to contextualize the gospel may in fact be robbing it of its beauty and strength. So be careful. Don’t get me wrong, contextualization is good and necessary and biblical, but I fear its a word and idea that is often hid behind for fear of confronting secular culture with the truth of God’s Word. I believe Sibbes had that sort of fear in mind as he wrote these words. Sibbes’ expends the rest of chapter 5 discussing various ways for stronger Christians to bear with weaker Christians. It is very helpful and encouraging reading. God has used it to breed patience and mercy in my life in very tangible ways this week in a number of different relationships. For that I am grateful. Thanks and An InvitationA special note of thanks to Becky, Kevin, and Lisa who stopped by last week and left me a comment saying they were reading along. I encourage you to click through the links in their names to check out their thoughts on this week’s reading. Anyone else who’s found my site and is participating in Challies’ “Reading Classics Together” please let me know you’re out there. |
Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables?
by Deek Dubberly on April 28, 2010
in Biblelife, Mark, Q & A
I preached through Mark 4:1-32 this past weekend at my church. This passage records several familiar parables taught by Jesus. The most notable among them is the parable of the sower. For any that may not be entirely confident as to what a parable is, Wikipedia defines it as “a brief, succinct story…that illustrates a moral or religious lesson.” Jesus Taught in Parables:After Jesus told the story of the sower he shared with his disciples why he taught in parables. Mark 4:11-12 records this:
We learn from these verses that part of the reason Jesus used parables was in order to maintain a distinction between two groups of people: those who ‘had been given the secret of the kingdom of God’ and those who had not. Judgment for Sin:But why maintain this distinction? Why not let everyone in on the secret? The answer is as simple as it is sobering: judgment for sin. God often judges the present hardness of our hearts by disabling our ability to make them soft again in the future. The callousness, blindness, and deafness of our spiritual organs is often the product of our own lack of response to the spiritual stimuli God’s grace has been pulsating our way for years. Over and over again in the Scriptures people who are consistently rebellious, unfaithful, and unbelieving toward God, even despite their having been given ample instruction and evidence of His power and favor, are described in terms of having deficient spiritual senses (Scripture references). This lack of ability to sense and believe God’s revealed truth is God’s present judgment for sin in their lives. Apart from God’s gracious and miraculous healing of spiritual senses in the lives of those He’s redeemed, no one would be able to see the kingdom revealed through Jesus’ parables. Back to Mark 4:The problem in this passage comes when we read into it a view that the people who were kept ‘outside’ of the secret of the kingdom were good, innocent people desirous of the truth of God and the revelation of his kingdom. This is not the case. In fact, we know from Mark’s previous chapter that these same people had begun to attribute Jesus’ ministry of miracles to the power of Satan. That’s pretty bad—so bad, in fact, that its referred to there in Mark 3:28-30 as the unforgivable sin. Two Final Maxims:This passage of Scripture and the questions that surface from it center upon the realization that some people undeservedly experience God’s salvation while others deservedly do not. This is not a pleasant or easy subject to consider. Here are two parting words of wisdom. These two truths will help to guide our thoughts within this sensitive realm of discussion:
Now It’s Your Turn:How would you respond to someone if they read Mark 4’s account of Jesus’ reason for speaking in parables and asked you why it is that God saves some people and doesn’t save others?
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Part II—More Thoughts On Richard Sibbes’, The Bruised Reed
by Deek Dubberly on April 22, 2010
in Biblelife, Book, theology
The third chapter was particularly encouraging this week. Sibbes establishes that there are a range of Christian maturity levels: “There are several ages in Christians, some babes, some young men.” To the new and struggling believer he says, “Let us not therefore be discouraged at the small beginnings of grace, but look on ourselves as elected to be ‘holy and without blame’” (Eph. 1:4). Sibbes urges us to look at our imperfections as motivation for growth in righteousness and signal flares for humility. His reminder is that “Christ values us by what we shall be, and by what we are elected unto,” and that “Nothing in the world is of so good use as the least grain of grace.” You can see that he writes very much as a minister seeking to give comfort and confidence to his people. Sibbes teaches that not only is grace small in the life of the maturing believer, but it is mixed with corruption. He explains that “the reason for this mixture is that we carry about us a double principle, grace and nature.” He closes out the third chapter by explaining the function of this mixture by saying that,
This was perhaps my favorite sentence from the week’s reading. I’m curious if there’s anyone out there who both reads Tim Challies’ blog and is participating in this round of “Reading Classics Together” who also has somehow wound up here at my blog. If so, please drop me a line below in the comments and let me know you’re out there. Thanks. |
God Is a Pro at Making Promises (…and Keeping Them)
by Deek Dubberly on April 21, 2010
in Biblelife, Youth Ministry
I shared a sort of impromptu message with a group of about 75 teenagers this morning. I thought I was going to be speaking to little children. A few scheduling wires got crossed and I spoke to the middle and high school students instead. Even better. Here’s the gist of what I shared. Of course there were little stories, illustrations, and anecdotes along the way. But here’s the main thoughts. 1) God is the greatest promise maker of all time.
2) God’s greatest promise is Jesus.
My aim was to bring out God’s faithfulness. I told the students that when God makes a promise you can take it to the bank. Hopefully it sank in and, by God’s grace, will be as seed sown on good soil. |
‘Where Your Treasure Is, There Your Heart Will Be Also’
![]() Howard Pyle illustration of pirates burying treasure, from Howard Pyle's Book of Pirates. Jesus taught this great and sobering principle in his Sermon on the Mount (see especially Matt. 6:19-21). His point is as simple as it is profound—that the things we value reveal the people we truly are. The guy who values his wife and kids can rightly be described as a family-man. The person who values his money and toys can rightly be described as a selfish man. You see how this works. Regarding a professing Christian’s giving record to a local church or donations to gospel-sharing missions organizations (e.g the IMB or GFA), this same principle can also be applied—whether and how much percent we give reveals the persons we truly are in relation to our Savior’s mandate to go and tell the world the gospel. If you turn Jesus’ statement in Matt. 6:21 upside down it really adds valuable perspective. Not only is it true that ‘where our treasure is, there are hearts will be also,’ but its also equally true that ‘where are treasure is not, there are hearts will also fail to be.’ If you’re not giving to the cause of sharing God’s good news of salvation through Jesus Christ then your heart is not where God’s heart is. And friends, that’s not a good place to be. Giving can take many shapes. It’s not only shaped like a dollar sign. It can take the shape of your time, effort, care, prayers, and many other wonderful and worthy-to-be-treasured forms. I’m here to tell you, though, if your giving doesn’t also include the shape of a dollar sign, then something’s wrong.
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D. A. Carson on ‘The Role of the Pastor’
by Deek Dubberly on April 5, 2010
in 1 Timothy, Biblelife, D. A. Carson, Pastor, Pastoring, Preaching
![]() D. A. Carson This is definitely one of the greatest sermons/addresses I’ve ever listened to on the nature of pastoral ministry. It’s by D. A Carson so I’m not surprised. It’s been out for a while but I just found it last week. Here’s where I found it over at 9Marks. And here’s a download link and an audio player to listen to it here on my site.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think. |
Jesus said to ‘Love Your Enemies,’ but Why in the World Should We Do That?
by Deek Dubberly on April 2, 2010
in Audio, Biblelife, Churchlife, Daily Bible, Luke, Sermon, Youth Ministry
I preached to a group of middle and high school students this week for a chapel service in a private Christian school. My message came from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount where he commanded his followers to love their enemies. Here’s the audio:
I worked through the text rather quickly (only preached for 18 minutes!) because I wanted to save time to ask the question of why we should obey this command. Why should we love people who treat us bad, call us names, wish us ill, and take advantage of us? I told the students that we should obey the command because Jesus tells us to, sure. That should be sufficient enough reason to obey. However, it was a perfect opportunity to teach them that when God commands his people to do things he has reasons for doing so, and that those reasons, like him, are good. Further, he has given us many of those reasons in his Word. Here are five reasons why we should obey Jesus’ command to love our enemies:
There are certainly more reasons than this. Given that these students were following a schedule and soon had to be in another class I had to keep my comments brief. So help me out. What are some other reasons that we should ‘love our enemies?’ |
When Was the Last Time Jesus Did Something in Your Life?
by Deek Dubberly on March 24, 2010
in Biblelife, Daily Bible, Luke
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The opening verses of Luke 5 tell the story of Jesus calling his first disciples. At the beginning of this tale Peter is but a curious fishermen. By the time its through he’ll be on his knees before the Savior, acutely aware of his own sinfulness and ready to follow Christ to the ends of the earth. Here’s the Scene:
Here’s the Result:
When was the last time Jesus did something in your life? Did it show you how sinful you are? Did it beckon you to follow him and share his truth with others? |
Are you Qualified to be a Leader in the Church?
by Deek Dubberly on March 22, 2010
in 1 Timothy, Audio, Biblelife, Churchlife, Pastoring, Preaching, Sermon
I’ve been preaching through the book of 1st Timothy now for just over two months. This past weekend I finished a mini-series of three sermons on the qualifications for ministry. I’ve titled these messages, “The Man and the Ministry.”
“The Man and the Ministry—Part 1″
“The Man and the Ministry—Part 2″
“The Man and the Ministry—Part 3″
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Sometimes God Just Says ‘No’
by Deek Dubberly on March 16, 2010
in Biblelife, Genesis, Sermon
In Gen. 17 Abraham asked God to let his son, Ishmael, be the one through whom the promise of blessing was fulfilled. God said no. Has God ever said “No” to you? Here are a few reasons why he may have done so. Three Reasons:
What are some other reasons God may tell us NO??? |
The Last Message of the Lord
by Deek Dubberly on March 15, 2010
in Baptism, Biblelife, Churchlife, Missions, Sermon
If you knew that you only had one hour left on this earth, and if you were able to gather all of your closest family and friends, what would you tell them? What would you want them to know? What parting advice or charge or word of encouragement would you want to leave them with? This is a sobering situation to consider. It was not merely an imagined scenario, however, for our Lord after he resurrected and was about to leave the earth and ascend to the right hand of the Father. His last message was a passage known by most as “The Great Commission.” It’s found in each of the gospels, but the most notable occurrence is in Matt. 28:18-20. These are likely the final words Christ spoke to his followers before he left. Notice these six characteristics of his parting message. It was a: 1) Sovereign Message — (”all authority”) |
If We Pray Believing Does That Mean We Get Whatever We Ask For?
by Deek Dubberly on March 11, 2010
in Biblelife, Mark, Prayer
![]() (Screenshot from esvstudybible.org) I’m currently reading through the Gospel of Mark. Mark, not unlike the other gospel writers, emphasizes that Jesus was always teaching people (Mark 10:1). Jesus would use any and every circumstance possible as an opportunity to teach his followers the ways of his kingdom. In Mark 11:20-25 Jesus uses the occasion of a cursed, fruitless fig tree to teach his disciples about prayer. Among other things in this passage, he explains in vs. 24 (highlighted above) that whatever we ask for in prayer, so long as we believe that we’ll receive it, we’ll get it. This is puzzling to me. I understand that we’re to pray by faith—that is, by believing that God is real, that he’s powerful, that he hears us when we pray, that he’s concerned about our lives, etc. I get that. What I don’t get is how this verse squares with all the things that I’ve prayed for that have not come to pass. I’ve prayed for them believing. Yet many prayers were not answered when and how I had hoped and even ‘believed’ that they would be. When we’re puzzled like this by something we read in the Scriptures the best place to look for help is in other Scriptures. That’s exactly what I did and here’s what I’ve learned. When praying we most definitely should pray believing. Our belief can be said to be blind (II Cor. 5:7), but it shouldn’t be said that our belief is dumb, uninformed, or ignorant of God’s truth—not when we’ve go the Bible to go by. So when you pray make sure to put the following three things into practice. 1. Check Your Motives (James 4:3)We’re not to pray for things simply because we want them. In fact, James 4:3 explains that sometimes we don’t get what we pray for specifically because we want them for the wrong reasons. So check your motives when you pray. Make sure that your ultimate aim is as Jesus’ when he prayed to the Father, “Not my will, by yours” (Luke 22:42). 2. Know the Word (I John 5:14-15)If we pray for what we know God already wants how can we go wrong? We can’t! So pray God’s will. How do we know what his will is? Well, thankfully he’s written it down for us in something called the Bible. So READ IT, and by it know God’s will, and then pray for that. 3. Remember the Spirit (Rom. 8:26)Don’t lose heart! Don’t be discouraged in your prayer life. Remember that Rom. 8:26 teaches that God actually helps us pray as we’re praying. Now that’s reassuring! So when you pray, rely on that help. Ask for it. Look for it. Pray with it and by it…in faith. Let me ask you:What other truths from God’s Word can you think of to shed light on the subject of prayer? I’ve only listed three. There are many more. Help me out. Click here to leave a comment. |
Why is the Death of a Believer ‘Precious in the sight of the Lord?’
by Deek Dubberly on March 8, 2010
in Biblelife, Churchlife, Family, Funeral, Pastoring, Preaching, Psalms, Sermon
I helped to officiate a funeral this weekend. My role, besides giving the invocation and reading the obituary, was to share a few words at the graveside. I shared the verse, Psalm 116:15. It says,
I asked the question, “Why is it precious to God when a Christian passes through this life to the next?” In an attempt to both encourage the family as well as faithfully bear witness to the gospel I answered this question as it relates to three different persons or groups of persons: the individual who passed away, the Christians affected by his death, and the non-Christians affected by his death. So why is it precious to the Lord when his faithful pass? Because its a homecoming, an encouragement, and a challenge. 1. Homecoming—for the deceased→The deceased believer is at home with Jesus. They were not made for this world with its sin, suffering, and shame. They were made for God and now they are with him and enjoying him and worshipping in a more fully realized sense than ever before. 2. Encouragement—for the believing bereaved→ This is not the end. Your loved one is not lost and gone forever. They are merely on the other side. They are with God. And one day we will be there with them. 3. Challenge—to the unbelieving bereaved→ May this occasion be an opportunity for you to be challenged by considering the brevity of life, your need for a savior, and the invitation of the gospel. Have you ever had some close to you pass away? What words were shared with you that were helpful as you tried to endure the grieving process? |
10 Practical Thoughts on How to Endure in the Ministry
by Deek Dubberly on March 4, 2010
in 10 Helpful Tips, Biblelife, Churchlife, John MacArthur, Pastor, Preaching
John MacArthur’s got a three-part series of articles on how to endure in the ministry. Very beneficial stuff…and better still, very practical stuff. Here’s are his 10 practical thoughts on an enduring ministry:
Some points on this list may seem a little ambiguous. I’ll let MacArthur explain himself. Find these ten points with additional commentary here:
In case I’ve never mentioned it before on this site, John MacArthur is the man. I listen to at least one of his sermons nearly every week. In fact, I’m always looking for new places to find resources and new preachers to listen to. What preachers or ministries help you most often?Leave a comment and let us all know who’s online resources help you. If possible, give a link to their website or online sermon archives. Thanks! |
Helpful Thoughts from Doug Wilson on a Biblical View of Magic
by Deek Dubberly on March 2, 2010
in Biblelife, Doug Wilson, Video
Thoughts from Doug Wilson on magic. Found the video here. This can be a pretty divisive issue. Some are opposed to any sort of ‘magic’ in literature or film. Others aren’t offended by anything. What are your thoughts on magic? |
Observing the Faith of Joshua and Caleb
by Deek Dubberly on March 1, 2010
in Audio, Biblelife, Sermon
Last night I preached on the stand of faith taken by Joshua and Caleb in Numbers 13 & 14. Perhaps you’re familiar with the story. Directed by God’s leadership, Moses sends 12 spies into the Promised Land on a reconnaissance mission—to check out the land and the people. The spies do that and return. Their report is that the land is good but that the people there and their cities are too strong to be successfully conquered. All of them felt this way except for two: Joshua and Caleb (more about them in a moment). This report upsets the people of Israel greatly, so much so that instead of advancing forward into the land God had promised them they would rather go back into Egypt and be slaves. At the heart of my sermon was a comparison between the “evil report” of the spies and and the stand of faith taken by Joshua and Caleb. 5 Observations Concerning Those Who Fell Prey to the ‘Evil Report’:
5 Observations Concerning the Faith of Joshua and Caleb:
Sermon Audio:
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Several (Free) Helpful Resources on Baptism
by Deek Dubberly on February 25, 2010
in Alistair Begg, Baptism, Biblelife, Churchlife, John MacArthur, John Piper, Sermon, theology
I recently had some questions posed to me by a couple church members about baptism and church membership. I’d already been feeling somewhat compelled to do a few topical studies on both subjects. Their questions sealed the deal for me and Sunday night we did a topical sermon called, “On Biblical Baptism.” Among other things I did in preparation for this sermon (like looking at this, this, this, this, and of course, this), I consulted a number of free online resources on the subject of baptism from the likes John MacArthur, John Piper, and Alistair Begg. The most helpful was a sermon by Alistair Begg entitled, “Biblical Basis for Baptism.” You may click through to Begg’s site to download the sermon. Or you can listen to it here: Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser. Begg explains helpfully that the reality of salvation is displayed in baptism, not dispensed—a very helpful and catchy distinction. He covers the history, meaning, and practice of baptism. I need your help:I’m currently preparing for a sermon(s) on church membership. I’m in the process of looking for helpful resources but I’m not having much success. What resources (books, sermons, articles, etc.) have you found helpful on the subject of church membership? Thanks in advance to any who respond. |
Trivializing Truth Into Candy—Pastors, What Are We Feeding Our Flocks?
![]() Pastor Gumball, by Naked Pastor This artwork from Naked Pastor is disturbing. (Don’t be worried by his name, though. I can assure you everything in this post is fully clothed.) It’s disturbing because its true. How many pulpits in churches around the globe are more like contemporary Christian candy stores than platforms from which the great and deep truths of God’s Word are passionately and consistently expounded? I’m afraid the answer is a simple but scary, “Too many.” Preachers, let’s make sure that we don’t, as Naked Pastor put it, “Trivialize the truth for the sake of popularity.” What truths do you think are trivialized and turned into “gumballs” most often? |
What Are We to Learn from Paul’s Personal Testimony?
![]() Ananias restoring the sight of Saint Paul, by Pietro da Cortona (Note: this is a follow-up post to “Learning from the Apostle Paul: Sharing Your Testimony”) I’m continuing to preach my way verse-by-verse through Paul’s 1st Letter to Timothy with my church. Lord willing, we should wrap up the first chapter this Lord’s Day. A couple of weeks ago I preached a sermon on “Paul’s Personal Testimony” out of I Tim. 1:12-17. I’ve already posted some thoughts from that sermon. This post seeks to draw seven practical conclusions from Paul’s salvation story. Our testimonies should make Jesus look good.
Our testimonies should stir our hearts with affection and praise toward God.
God’s grace is enough.
The message of Christ is not simply about getting better, it’s about getting saved.
It is possible to be very religious and yet not be saved at all.
No one is good enough to be saved.
No one is bad enough that they can’t be saved.
What else can we learn from Paul’s testimony? I know there’s more. Help me out. |











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