The Joy of Following Jesus

If you are considering serving or are currently serving the church in ministry, whether paid or volunteer, please watch the following video. It is an excerpt of a sermon entitled We Work with You for Your Joy delivered by John Piper at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary on March 27, 2007. Piper refers to 1 Corinthians 1:24 where Paul writes, “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” In order to understand what Paul means by “it” we must look to 1 Corinthians 11:16-33 where Paul elaborates on what he could “lord over [the Corinthian’s] faith.” But he doesn’t hold it over them! Instead, he takes pleasure (joy) in suffering for the Corinthian church because of Christ and the gospel! Listen to these words and search your heart. Are you serving the church for the sake of Jesus and the gospel?



To listen to the sermon in its entirety, click here.

God is Enough

What was once reserved for televangelists as a means of personal financial gain has now taken a new turn, becoming a prevailing “gospel” in America. The so-called prosperity gospel is not only unbiblical, but it is also idolatrous. In the following video, John Piper shares his thoughts on this issue. This excerpt was taken from the sermon The Supremacy of Christ in an Age of Terror.



To listen to the sermon in its entirety, click here.

Making War

In Romans 8:13-14, Paul makes it clear that following our sinful nature leads to death. Conversely, if, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we make war against and kill our sinful nature, we will live and be known as sons of God. In the following video, John Piper expounds on this. There is indeed a violence about the Christian life: a violence again sin.

Prayer

Since my last post, God has worked in amazing ways. My wife and I are now living in Louisville, KY. God has richly blessed us in love, grace, and joy. One of his greatest blessings is that of our son, Joseph Aaron Swords, II. He is due December 5. God is great, and greatly to be praised (Ps. 48:1).

In the coming weeks and months, I hope to write about some of the amazing work He has done in our lives. For now, though, I will simply share one lesson I have learned over the past several months. Prayer is precious. It is more precious than any anything this earth has to offer. Prayer is our privilege, an opportunity to commune with God, who responds, as Sinclair Furguson says, “with the irresistible power by which he accomplishes his purposes.” Prayer moves us into agreement with God, so that we can proclaim with the Psalmist “delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” There are few things more intimate than having God place His desires in our hearts, making them our desires.

More to come later.

A Walk with God

This morning, I took a walk. As I walked, I talked to God about my family's current situation. After praying for a few minutes a sparrow cut me off. It landed on the sidewalk just to my left. I looked down just in time to see it end the life of a June Bug. The sparrow proceeded to have its breakfast right there in front of me. I was immediately reminded of Psalm 84:3-4, "Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise!"

As we look for work, a car, and a place to live; we need to remember that our home is found with God. He will take care of us when we dwell in His house.

None like God

My wife and I are getting ready to move to Louisville. Honestly, I'm scared...was scared. We're moving in four and a half weeks; we haven't found a church (i.e. no employment), we haven't found a place to live, and she's expecting our first child.

I sat in our living room thinking about these cares and concerns, thinking about 1 Peter 5.6-7, and knowing that I needed to humble myself before God and cast my cares on Him. But I couldn't find the words to pray, so I just stared out the window. Then I remembered George Müller's advice. Instead of praying, fumbling around for words that aren't there, read. Pick up God's word and read. I did: Galatians 4 and 5, John 1, James 5. I searched and searched for something to give me hope. Finally, disappointedly placing my Bible on the floor I noticed our hymnal. After humming through several hymns, I turned to "How Great Thou Art."

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder, consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur and see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing; sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; that on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, and then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee, how great Thou art, how great Thou art!

Tears formed in the corners of my eyes as I finished. How foolish of me to forget that the great God, the creator of the universe and my gracious Savior, is the lover of my soul. But God wasn't done speaking. There was a verse noted at the top of the hymn: Deuteronomy 33:26. I picked up my Bible and read, "There is none like God, O Jeshurun, who rides through the heavens to your help, through the skies in his majesty. The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms."

I wept.

He is God; we are in Him. He is holding our little family. That is enough for me.

Unpopular Truth

Yesterday morning I was reading the account of Jacob (Israel) blessing the sons of Joseph in Genesis 48. The chapter paints a beautiful picture of Joseph bringing his sons to sit on their grandfather’s lap. As I read the story of Jacob lovingly embraced his grandchildren, I could hear the joyful thankfulness in his voice when he said to Jacob, “I never expected to see your face again, and now God has allowed me to see your children too." At this point, Joseph placed his sons Jacob’s feet.

During that period of time, the custom was to place the sons so that the father or grandfather would set his right hand on the eldest son’s head and his left hand on the younger son’s head. Jacob knew this, yet he crossed his hands, placing his right hand on the youngest and his left hand on the eldest. Jacob then proceeded to bless Joseph and his descendents:

May the God before whom my fathers

Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd

all my life to this day,

the Angel who has delivered me from all harm

—may he bless these boys.

May they be called by my name

and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac,

and may they increase greatly

upon the earth.

However, displeased that Jacob had crossed his hands, Joseph attempted to move them saying, “No, my father, this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head." But Jacob replied, “I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of nations." Scripture then says, “So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh.”

Whenever I finish reading a passage of scripture I think about how 2 Timothy 3.16 applies to it. Honestly, I was stumped. How does Genesis 48 train me in righteousness? After a time of prayer, it became evident to me.

God had revealed the future to Jacob, and Jacob’s blessing responded accordingly even though it wasn’t the culturally correct response. Christians today are in a similar position. God has revealed his word to us in the Bible, and a lot of what the Bible has to say isn’t very popular in today’s culture; however, it is our job as Christians to proclaim the word that God has revealed to us.