A Brief Word on Sermon Prayers

As many of you know, we begin each sermon following the reading of the biblical text with a prayer that requests God to open our hearts that we might receive his Word, our minds that we might understand his clear ("perspicuous" to use the theologically correct term) Word, our eyes that we might see the gospel in the text of Scripture, our ears that we might hear the gospel, our mouths that we might speak the truth of the gospel to ourselves and to each other, and our hands and feet that we might go in obedience to the gospel.

I have prayed this prayer before every sermon for several years and it is a personal prayer. I have no doubt there are other prayers throughout church history similar to it, but it is, as best as I can, summarizes what I hope to communicate and accomplish in the sermon.

Recently, I was listening to a sermon by Alistair Begg, one of my favorite preachers, and he offered a brief prayer at the beginning of his sermon he confesses is not original that I enjoyed. I want to pass it along here.

Lord, what we know not, teach us; what we have not, give us; and what we are not, make us; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

The origin of this prayer remains a mystery. Its presence in some prayer books (like the Barclay prayer book) and lectionaries suggest it is not new. Nevertheless, I love this prayer and it is one I encourage you to pray it each morning as we open the Word of God and seek to uncover its truth and what it has to say about the Son of God, our Savior.

Worship Minimovie: Bad Trinity Analogies

Here is the worship minimovie from Sunday evening:

Worship Minimovie: Theology Matters

Here is the worship minimovie from Sunday morning:

September 4, 2016 | 2 Corinthians 12:4-31: On Why the Trinity Matter, Part 2

Here is the sermon from Sunday evening taken from 1 Corinthians 12:4-31 which concludes our study of the Trinity introduced Sunday morning.

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. ⁶ There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. ⁷ But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

¹² For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

¹⁴ For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. ¹⁹ If they were all one member, where would the body be? ²⁰ But now there are many members, but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” ²² On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; ²³ and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable, ²⁴ whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, ²⁵ so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. ²⁶ And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

²⁷ Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. ²⁸ And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. ²⁹ All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? ³⁰ All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? ³¹ But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And I show you a still more excellent way.

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For more:
September 4, 2016 |Ephesians 1:3-14: On Why the Trinity Matter, Part 1

September 4, 2016 |Ephesians 1:3-14: On Why the Trinity Matter, Part 1

Sunday morning we began a new series I've entitled "What Does Theology Have to do With the Price of Bread in China?" Our goal is to explore key aspects of Christian theology and explore why each matters and apply to our lives. First up is the doctrine of the Trinity.

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, ⁴ just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love ⁵ He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, ⁶ to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ⁷ In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace ⁸ which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight ⁹ He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him ¹⁰ with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him ¹¹ also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, ¹² to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. ¹³ In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.

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Pray for Louisiana

As many already know, Louisiana has been rocked by severe flooding. I have personal friends who have been affected by these floods and their houses have been ruined. The North American Mission Board has been actively involved in helping the people affected rebuilt. Here is a helpful video showing some of that work.

Worship Minimovie: Self-Expression

Here is the worship minimovie from Sunday evening: