From ccrlist at tulip.org Tue Dec 20 20:29:55 2005
From: ccrlist at tulip.org (ccrlist@tulip.org)
Date: Tue Dec 20 20:30:29 2005
Subject: [Ccrlist] CCR Weekly for 17 December 05
Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.2.20051220202526.02d5d340@mail.loganrec.com>
Good Evening,
Almost up to date, will be sending out the Advent Sermon early.
God bless,
Max A Forsythe
Psalm 32
08 will instruct you,
and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
09 Do not be senseless like a horse or a mule,
that need bit and bridle to curb their spirit,
so that you can approach them.
10 Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but the grace of the Lord,
enfolds those who trust in the Lord.
11 Be glad in the Lord,
rejoice O righteous,
shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
Rejoice
For the Lord?s Day: the 18th of December 2005
Introduction: In our three meditations on the joys of this particular
psalm, we began with the concept of forgiveness, then examined the
necessary confession of sin and here in this last section we come to the
joy of redemption. The opening words in verse eight, remind me of a
spiritual song: His eye is on the sparrow. And just as the Lord of all
the earth knows the paths and flights of all the creatures on earth, so
does he have us in mind as well. But, as we immediately realize, His
concern for us is greater and much more intense in its ordinary
relationships ? especially with the redeemed. Certainly, we know and
realize that humanity in general is appreciated, ordered and judged at a
higher level than any livestock, wild or domestic. But, for those who love
God: the relationships is grandeur and finer than the mere worldly can ever
know.
At least with the godly line, in all ages ? we may know that God loves us
because He tells us so. Those who know His love are instructed, taught and
counseled because His eyes are upon us. The three main verbs in the verse,
while similar, are somewhat distinct in their meanings. ?Instruction? is
nothing more than the body of knowledge related to in the commandments and
theology of the revealed word, which is outlined in our confession and
catechisms. ?Teaching? of course is the practical understanding and
application of the laws of God to the daily events as we live before the
face of God. And our last verb, ?counsel? includes the contending of our
personality and character with the Spirit of the Living God. By this I
mean our reluctance to be instructed and taught. Remember it is very easy
to teach the way that men and women should go. But, it is something else
to watch the mistakes and misfortunes that come from an all too human
rebellion against that which we should have learned.
And so, we are reminded in the last line of verse eight, that God?s eye is
continually upon us. And it is the best of wisdom to realize this and by
the Spirit?s counsel to attune our lives more thoroughly to the revelations
of the Lord God of heaven and earth. With all of this said, can we begin
to fathom and understand the experience of Jacob the evening he spent
wrestling with God? Are we spiritually attuned enough to even realize when
the Holy Spirit contends with our Spirit.
Development: In this dialogue between God and the psalmist, the Lord
informs the psalmist that he should not exhibit what we might commonly
cause fallen horse sense! I don?t know where the term originated, but I
have been around horses long enough to know that they can be very
independent creatures, not easily harnessed to the benefit of men. Regular
feeding times would guarantee their presence when you wanted them, but try
and collect them from the pasture when their schedule did not include any
work. The haughty animals were almost unionized in their stubbornness to
not be taken away from their ordinary habits, unless there was a carrot,
apple or other tasty tidbit to tempt their interest?
When I was a teenage, I had a paint mare for riding. As long as you had a
treat in hand, you could approach her in the pasture and even put a twine
string in her halter and ride bare back without benefit of bit and
bridle. But, turn up in the pasture without any bribe and carrying your
tack, you could chase her until the cows came in for the evening
milking. The horses would always come along in case some hay, chopped corn
or such might be thrown over the fence for an extra meal! I know that the
words in verse nine are difficult to translate exactly, but like several
such passages in the Old Testament, a proper understanding of the whiles
and habits of God?s creatures helps us to comprehend whether we are like
lost sheep or in this case stubborn mulish horses. Now, I have never
worked with mules, but I have heard that they have a double dose of horse
sense in many ways! With that experience, I have chosen to translate the
ninth verse in this manner:
?Do not be senseless like a horse or a mule,
that need bit and bridle to curb their spirit,
so that you can approach them.?
One these domestic creatures have been approached, it is simple enough to
throw saddle or harness upon them and thereby enjoy the fruits of their
labor as you have need. One lady once said that while she had bought a
horse for exercise, she didn?t realize how many miles she would have to
walk and run, just in order to take a ride now and then! And or course, we
must know that these animals are high maintenance creatures. More so than
most animals down on the farm, there are a lot of things you have to do to
guarantee their good health. One had to become a hunter to rid the
property of ground hogs and pigeons: the first to prevent broken legs and
the second to prevent the spread of disease from one farm to another. In
addition one had to become an amateur veterinarian to treat many possible
afflictions. Unlike sheep, to which humans are usually compared ? horses
were always expensive and it was not every family that could afford the luxury.
Was a psalmist a high maintenance believer in this regard? Or is this just
a poetic way to remind us that even in the redeemed state we all too often
remain standoffish in our relationship to the Lord? Growing up, one only
had to step to the gate and call the sheep, but the horses always needed
some proof that you really wanted them right now! All of this of course
relates to our willingness to be instructed, taught and counseled. If we
are always hiding in the back forty, when we should be in the barn yard
waiting to serve our Lord, we miss out on an awful lot! Do you catch my
meaning there? Nothing frustrates me more than spiritual sheep that must
be chased, caught and brought back to the church whenever they wander far
from the fold.
Application: In the next verse, the Lord changes His charge to the
psalmist dramatically:
?Many are the sorrows of the wicked,
but the grace of the Lord,
enfolds those who trust in the Lord.?
I suppose that the church is always somewhat like a barnyard? Do you
remember the fictional Animal Farm of George Orwell? There each of the
domestic creatures exhibited a specific personality, with all the strengths
and weaknesses inherent in their genes and calling. Such is the church of
the Living God, all manner of people attend and learn to serve our Lord
Jesus Christ. Even some horses develop a loving affection for their
masters and become less horsey. Such is our calling to become less worldly
in order that we may better know the grace of the Lord. After all, the way
of all worldly flesh is to remain standoffish and never come under the
authority and grace of God.: forever in the back forty, wild and free to
explore the wilderness and even the very precincts of hell.
By comparison, the psalmist encourages us that those who belong to the Lord
will be surrounded by love, grace, mercy and all the benefits of belonging
to the family of God. ?Enfolded? is a word that I have used at the end of
this verse and it is an apt description of being held in the hand of God
where He can not only command our service but also enjoy the fruits of
faith that He has given us by grace alone.
Here in our country, the wild horses out west multiply so rapidly that the
herds must be thinned on a regular basis. There are groups of people who
will catch some and offer them for adoption back east. Sadly, not all find
homes and the glue factory beckons a sad and sorry end to their
freedom. And yet, those who find their way to a happy barn and corral do
indeed discover a life not anticipated. In a similar way, those of us, who
are captured by the power of the Spirit and brought into the household of
God, we do find joy, peace and happiness in the presence of our King, both
in this life and for evermore. Well does the psalmist encourage us one and
all to:
?Be glad in the Lord,
rejoice O righteous,
shout for joy, all you upright in heart!?
Just as we began this psalm selection with a threefold admonition, so may
we respond in the Lord?s house with a threefold worship and devotion. In
?gladness? we may demonstrate our thankfulness to be present in His
sanctuary. ?rejoicing? we come into His presence with imputed
righteousness from our Savior Jesus Christ. And in His presence, we may
?shout for joy? because we have been redeemed. Yes, it is one and all the
same thing ? but one of the things we all too often forget, is
this: wherever the worldly are, whatever their favorite sins may be ? they
are on their own and for all eternity, they will not know the Creator God
and His only Son Jesus Christ. What a misery that must be for all
eternity. Thanks be to God that we have been delivered from the very gates
of Hades and into the eternal light of His Son. Do you sense the joy of
that equation? May the Lord bless you and keep you. Amen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.
http://www.tulip.org/selah/sel032c.htm
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe go
to:
http://www.four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/ccrlist/
-------------- next part --------------
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.1/204 - Release Date: 12/15/2005
From ccrlist at tulip.org Tue Dec 20 20:32:52 2005
From: ccrlist at tulip.org (ccrlist@tulip.org)
Date: Tue Dec 20 20:33:04 2005
Subject: [Ccrlist] CCR Weekly for 25 December 2005
Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.2.20051220203055.02d61450@mail.loganrec.com>
God bless you one and all,
May the Joy and Peace of Advent be yours now and always.
Max A Forsythe
Rejoicing in the Lord
For the Lord?s Day: the 18th of December 2005
Luke 1: 46-55
Introduction: As we look over the Magnificat as Mary?s song is entitled
from the Latin poetic version, we sense the joyous gratitude for what the
God of Creation has done, is doing and will do through all eternity. Now
let us be certain to take a lesson from the young virgin, who must face her
fianc?, family and the world with the condition that the Lord God has
blessed her with. Almost every new mother is thrilled with the prospect of
participating in the bringing of a new life into this world, but Mary?s
pregnancy is to be one of a kind. Still the honesty of her emotional joy
just bubbles over, as Francis & Edith Schaeffer describe it: ?like a
teakettle that is too full, boiling water out over the stove. Mary was
putting into words something of the excitement she was feeling, and
something of the understanding she had in mind.?
Now, I must confess that being a father does not give me the disposition to
describe the maternal emotions wrapped up in this poetry, I will have to
leave that felling to the women of the church. At least, in Francis
Schaeffer?s quotation ? he admits that he had help from his wife in
describing the moment. And having learned second hand from my wife and two
daughter-in-laws the joys of participating in God?s divine plan for
propagating the species ? we will leave it there.
Calvin parses the poetry into three clauses.
1. ?Mary offers solemn thanksgiving for that mercy of God which she
had experienced in her own person.
2. She celebrates in general terms God?s power and judgments.
3. She applies these to the matter in hand, treating of the
redemption formerly promised, and now granted to the church.?
Development: With that outline in mind, let us work through the joyous
poetry set before us, and herein may we too be filled with the same joy and
sense of participation in the divine plan that Mary so exuberantly celebrates.
46 ?And Mary said: My soul magnifies the Lord,
47 and my spirit
rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for He has looked on the
humble estate of His servant.
for behold, from now on all
generations will call me blessed.?
Truly, her poetic dedication here does indeed magnify the God of heaven and
earth, because immediately she sounds that theme, she realizes her own
condition and place when she admits her humble human estate. Calvin
paraphrases her meaning: ?I was unknown and despised, but that did not
prevent God from deigning to cast his eyes upon me.?
This theme reflects back upon the second line of her precious poem. There
we see her testimony that God is indeed her Savior and the language used
here describing how God looks down upon on us a literal testimony that God
is indeed God and He acts as He chooses to work out history in and through
His chosen people. Mary in a sense her is twice chosen, once for salvation
and second for a special service on behalf of the church and the elect of
every nation. And so, we know that she knows initially what is going on,
and in the shear honesty of her character ? she bubbles over with joy and
anticipation.
In another place in the Gospel of Luke, we read that Joseph is the typical
man, where reason, thought and calculation come into play. He too has to
be visited by the Lord?s angel to be encouraged in his paternal
duties. One of the things that we have to remember is that the Church is
indeed the bride of Christ, and thus our music and our poetry ought more
and more to reflect the simple joy of Mary here in this precious song.
The second section in our sacred poetry begins in verse forty-nine:
49 for He who is mighty has
done great things for me,
and holy
is His Name.
50 And His mercy is for those
who fear him
From
generation to generation
51 He has shown strength with
His arm
He has
scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 He has brought down the
mighty from their thrones
and
exalted those of humble estate.
53 He has filled the hungry
with good things
and the
rich He has sent empty away.
In this section, Calvin notes that Mary ?celebrates in general terms the
power, judgments, and mercy of God.? Earlier, Mary had praised the grace
of God and spoke glowingly of salvation being worked out in and through the
mighty acts of God within history, as well as within her own life. Holy is
His Name, she declares as she celebrates the grand covenant of grace
established at the dawn of history. But not only in the past but as
Deuteronomy 7:9 celebrates ? to a ?thousand generations.? In every time
and place, God has proven His power and might. He has shielded His people
from the worldly powers and He has brought down kings, empires and
governments that worked against His glory and person. Even as we see being
acted out in the Middle East in our time, the formerly rich and powerful
stand at the bar of justice complaining all the time that their position
and riches have been unjustly taken away. And of the humble poor ? a woman
voter in Iraq this last week has pointedly announced to all the world,
where those who disparage the changes in her country may simply go!
In this time of year, we annually speak of the reign of the Prince of
Peace, and yet, how little we appreciate it when peace breaks out in a part
of the world that has been held spiritual hostage since the Middle
Ages. Indeed, God does fill the hungry with good things, not only food ?
but, dare we mention it in our politically correct age? Even freedom with
a hope of prosperity and peace.
When Mary composed her psalm of faith, Herod had not yet heard about her
expected Son. And when he did and finally when he knew where to look, the
Lord God sent Jesus to Egypt for a time before bringing Him home to do the
Lord?s will and accomplish the grand purpose behind the history of God?s
Old Covenant people. And so Mary celebrates the goodness and mercy of God
in protecting His people in the past, present and future. May we too
realize the blessings she is speaking of.
Application: In Calvin?s last division of our text, he tells us ?the
general statements are applied by Mary to the present occasion. The
meaning is, God has now granted the salvation which he had formerly
promised to the holy fathers.?
Calvin notes that the words translated ?help? in our version ?contains an
elegant metaphor: for the state of the nation was so fallen, that its
entire restoration could not be expected on ordinary principles.
Religion had been polluted in innumerable ways. The public instruction
retained almost nothing pure. The government of the Church was in the
greatest confusion, and breathed nothing but shocking barbarity. The order
of civil society no longer subsisted. The great body of the people were
torn like wild beasts by the Romans and Herod.?
Into the midst of a rebellious pagan society the Christ was to be
born. Israel as a nation and a church lie prostrate, all but dead
spiritually and politically. But Mary realizes the implications of the
appearance of God?s only Son on the stage of history. She speaks
prophetically, as if He has already attained the salvation of His people
and His church:
54 He has helped His servant
Israel,
in
remembrance of His mercy,
55 as He spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham
and to his offspring forever.?
Her she speaks with the full assurance of God?s revelation and the eternity
of His Covenant promises. What He has purposed to do will be accomplished!
As most of you know, I have slipped back into the public sector in my old
place of service. It has been four years since I retired. I am sure you
will not be surprised when I tell you ? there have been precious few
improvements in the society of young people, or older people either for
that matter. And for many years, I have noted that the health of the
church in general is declining. Economically, corporate socialism seems to
be thriving and the political scene still much in question. And yet, in
spite of all the worldly challenges ? God is still saving His people, one
by one. He has not forgotten the spiritual seed of Abraham in the
least. I have been encouraged to meet a handful of the Lord?s children who
are not polluted by the world. And even though life is always a struggle ?
just as Mary realizes and passes along to us in the phrases of this
song: God is faithful in every time and place. So therefore, let us be
joyful and take hope in His Son: our own Lord Jesus Christ, today and
always. Amen.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
PREACHING RESOURCES
Calvin, John: Commentary on the Gospel of Luke.
Schaeffer, Francis & Edith. Everybody Can Know
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.
http://www.tulip.org/tac/luk 01e.htm
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe go to:
http://www.four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/ccrlist/
-------------- next part --------------
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.1/204 - Release Date: 12/15/2005
From ccrlist at tulip.org Tue Dec 27 21:06:16 2005
From: ccrlist at tulip.org (ccrlist@tulip.org)
Date: Tue Dec 27 21:06:28 2005
Subject: [Ccrlist] CCR Weekly for 11 Dec 05
Message-ID: <6.1.0.6.2.20051227210106.02d51150@mail.loganrec.com>
Good Evening,
This will catch us up for 2005. We will continue into Psalms 34 & 35 with
the new year. This meditation was written out by hand betwen classes far
away from my commentaries and computer resources. I hope that does not
detract from the final product?
God bless,
Max A Forsythe
A Ministry of Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA)
=====================================================================
Selah: Sacred Songs of the Psalter
Max A Forsythe ? Anno Domini 2005
======================================================
Psalm 33
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 May our hearts rejoice in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
according to our hope in You!
====================================================================================
Waiting for the Lord of Heaven and Earth
For the Lord?s Day: the 11th of December 2005
Introduction: Yet once again, allow me the luxury of beginning with the
last verse and then go on to demonstrate the foundational aspects of the
other two verses in this last section of Psalm 33.
?Let Your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us,
according to our hope in You!?
Let me be very careful to assert that the intensity and the amount of hope
confirmed here in the last line is not the controlling factor. Even as we
allowed in verse fifteen, every human is fearfully and wonderfully made
with a specific part to play in the grand scheme of providence. Indeed,
the God of heaven and earth is always the final controlling agent, much to
the dismay of secular humanists and all their kin.
You see, human biologists would just love to gain control of human DNA so
that they could design humans for specific purposes. Like the cloned
troopers in the Star War films, or the fearful goblins in Middle Earth ?
the human dreams of godlike control will always lead to nightmares rather
than any possible utopian success. However much the human race is
degenerated by social scientists or any program of better living through
chemistry (both are glorifed in a paganized media) ? neither is a path to
success, but instead a complete and final failure in the human experiment.
Only in the mind of God and His providential planning is there to be any
spiritual, oral and material success. ?According to our hope in You,? the
psalmist writes plainly for all to see. Yes, let us admit that we all live
and prosper within the providence of God. In that spiritual scheme: the
intensity and depth of spiritual knowledge, when wielded by the Reformers
or other great men of God is a beautiful thing to behold. Whether they be
theologians like Jonathan Edwards or preachers like Spurgeon of old, or
even Schaeffer, Graham & Lewis in the last century: their experience and
knowledge of the Lord allowed the essential content of their hope in Christ
to be magnified a thousand fold. Certainly they were talented men with a
heart for God, and why was that? Look back at verse fifteen to see the
measure of the twenty-second.
?He who molds their hearts individually,
He notes everything they do.?
Sadly, the progressive lights in the church today are focused on lesser
things than spiritual truths. Methodology, and theological fads of every
sort seem to trump all knowledge of the holy. Simply change the style of
worship, evangelism and education; then provide services and
entertainment: and thereby is the kingdom raised up and improved. The
church no longer has an affection for the steadfast love of the lord ? let
alone the patience to wait for Him and His wonders to arrange and complete!
Development: That last thought brings us back to our beginning verse for
the day, the twentieth:
?Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.?
In that opening line lies the despair of the twenty-first century. Never
mind that it takes days and hours to assemble trucks, supplies and manpower
? hurricane relief in New Orleans should have been immediate and
complete! It seems that the whole world believes that aid and assistance
was too slow in the American south. Weeks and days could go by in South
Asia and in the mountains of Pakistan because they were at the end of the
earth. But let any convoy of trucks within our own borders take three
whole days to gather, load, fuel and drive six hundred miles and it must be
obvious that someone is at fault!!
?Our soul waits for the Lord,? the psalmist writes in another time and
place. Today, everything must travel at light speed or the media must
ignore it. By our contemporary measure, the second coming all too slow: so
there must be something that we can do to bring in a thousand year
reign? In addition, all too many believe that the kingdom must grow and
expand like bamboo grass instead of the life span of a Redwood tree!
Some decades ago, the wardens of Westminster Abbey was worried that the old
oak beams that held up the roof were showing wear and tear after some four
hundred years. It would have taken that long simply to grow the trees
necessary to replace the beams and where were they to be found in the
twentieth century? And so, the wardens began to think they might have to
resort to steel beams when it came time to repair the old building. Right
after the World War Two, I believe ? a phone call was received from a
little known forester who simply announced that the oak trees were
ready! You see, when the Abbey was built, land and funds were set aside to
provide replacement lumber for four hundred years into the future. Who in
their right mind would take such care and expense for any future beyond a
new year? The Reformation world for saw the needs of the future and
provided the avenue for a long anticipated need beyond their interests!
This is more akin to the mind of God than anyone can imagine in our
time. A few years ago, I read that Benjamin Franklin left a modest sum for
the city of Philadelphia. The sum would have had a minimal impact in his
day and time. However, with two hundred years maturity of multiplied
interest ? the city had a magnificent sum to invest in those areas near and
dear to Franklin?s heart.
Are we willing to take the same view now held by the socialists that the
work of building institutions and ideas is the work of many generations and
not just the commercial time taken out of a three hour special on prime
time? Isaac Asimov wrote his Foundation science fiction series to hearten
his fellow socialists that a humanistic agenda for saving the earth was
feasible over a long period of time. Why is it that the enemies of Christ
and church imitate the mind and work of God than His own Covenant people?
Of any converts to Christ where I know I had a minimal impact ? none was
less than three years and one was at least thirty years in being
accomplished. And I say that with all realization that it was the help and
shield of the Lord that led my spiritual students on to any knowledge of
His glorious person.
Application: So therefore, let us come to a proper conclusion of the
psalmist?s teachings here:
?May our hearts rejoice in Him,
because we trust in His holy name.?
How does the kingdom grow and flourish? It is because we trust in God and
pray for the increase of His kingdom, within and according to His
will. And knowing that His providence and plan is perfect, therefore ? we
may rejoice in Him, both now and always. He is indeed coming again and He
will not be slow according to His timetable. All will be accomplished
because He first loved us and then counted upon our faith and hope to be
used according to His perfect will in Christ Jesus. May we like the saints
of old take the themes of scripture to heart and learn to wait patiently
for Him?
In Europe, an existential author wrote a play entitled Waiting for Godet.
The actor Robin Williams enrolled in a production of that play. I am
certain he made it more amusing than ordinary, but in so doing he only
illustrated the vain hopes of mankind to build even a lasting literary
heritage The God of heaven and earth laughs at the human comedy!
In which kingdom will you enroll as an actor on the world?s stage? That of
a minimalist humanity, or that of the Kingdom of Heaven? If it is to be
the better and the latter ? you must learn the meaning and discipline of
patience and then as our psalmist chides: ?Wait for the Lord!? You will
not be disappointed. Amen.
============================================================================
Permission granted to redistribute unedited versions with this notice.
http://www.tulip.org/selah/sel033e.htm
To Subscribe or Unsubscribe go
to:
http://www.four.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/ccrlist/
-------------- next part --------------
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.1.371 / Virus Database: 267.14.7/214 - Release Date: 12/23/2005