WHY WE BELIEVE THE BIBLE - Seminar 1

By John Piper


This is the first of 5 seminars by John Piper on the issue 'Why We Believe The Bible'. I will post one a week for the next 5 weeks. If you want to go on ahead and listen to the others you can find them at the Desiring God resource library. I believe this is one the the most important issues in our generation - if not every generation. So it's important that we're ready to give an answer...

5 WAYS IN WHICH CHRISTIANS DON'T SHRINK BACK

3. We are not of those who shrink back from meeting together

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” - Hebrews 10:24-25

Most of us have probably been hurt, frustrated or even disillusioned with Church life at times, and more than likely will be again in the future. But that is never a reason to give up, or to get disconnected. We are not of those who shrink back from meeting together. It's for our own good that we stay connected and take our place in Church life, whether it feels like it or not. And it's also, I believe, for the good of those who don't yet know Jesus (including your friends and family), and most importantly it’s to the glory of God.

We ARE united because of what the Spirit of God has done in our hearts and lives. Unity does not mean we agree on everything (it wouldn't take any effort if that was the case), but only that we agree on the main thing/s! Also unity does not mean uniformity… We are free to be ourselves as long as we are open to be changed...

We are not united because we like the same music, or because we are the same age group, or because we have the same opinions on everything, or because we have the same political view points, or because we all like Starbucks Coffee, or because we all think church sucks because it's not done our way. By the way meeting with two or three people to moan about everything doesn’t count as two or three gathering in the name of Jesus… Listen to this challenging quote from an article in Relevant Magazine "Relationships formed over a lifetime with people who are just like you is, honestly, a form of self-worship."

Let me also point out that Church will NEVER be the way you want it to be, because it will never be centred on you, because you are not what people need most, you are not the hope of the world. Church is to be centred on Christ and the gospel because he is what people need most. The truth is we need people around us who disagree with us, who challenge our mindsets, who think differently than us about things, because that helps us grow in faith, hope and love… We are united because the Holy Spirit has caused us to believe "that Christ died for sin in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures" (1 Cor 15:3-4).

It’s unity in the essentials, liberty in the non-essentials, and in all things love. Let's be positive about Church. We could all find things to gripe about, but let's be of a 'different spirit' than those who only point out what's wrong. Let's commit ourselves to loving each other, inspiring each other, challenging each other, and as iron sharpens iron let’s "stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another… For we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith". And part of having faith means having faith in God's Big Idea - Church.

The last three points could be summed up in three phrases… Let us draw near to God with full assurance of FAITH. Let us hold fast the confession of our HOPE. And let us consider how to stir one another up to LOVE. Notice the three essentials of the Christian life here - Faith, Hope and Love!

PLEASE PRAY FOR MATT CHANDLER

Matt Chandler is one of my favourite Christian communicators and has a powerful ministry to this generation... Please pray for him at this time... the following is from his Church website http://hv.thevillagechurch.net/:

"Please pray for Pastor Matt Chandler and family

Matt Chandler suffered a seizure Thursday morning while at home, was taken to a nearby hospital and is now at home resting with his family.

Matt hit his head when he suffered the seizure and was taken to the hospital by ambulance. Doctors ran several tests on Matt and will continue to run tests in the coming days. We will keep you posted.

Please pray for Matt, Lauren and the kids. The best we can do as a church body right now is to give him space and our prayers. He is surrounded by family members, the elders and friends."

Here's Matt in action...

5 WAYS IN WHICH CHRISTIANS DON'T SHRINK BACK

2. We are not of those who shrink back from confessing our hope

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” - Hebrews 10:23

The word 'confession' in this verse means to declare something that’s true. Something we have a deep conviction about! Something we have been convinced by. Something we have to celebrate and rejoice in! We are told to hold tightly to the confession of our hope without wavering.

Christians are a people who have something to declare, a people of deep unwavering conviction, a people who have been convinced by something, a people who have something to rejoice in! The people who draw near to God are a people convinced of great things… Because they have drawn near to their God he has cast their hearts into the mould of his truth. Their hearts and lives are shaped by Christ-centred truth, and they know that he who has promised is faithful!

The meaning of the word 'confession' also carries with it the idea of a public and doctrinal confession… It’s a shared confession that unites them together! A people who truly know their God are a people who have been convinced and united by great doctrines – all of which are centred on Christ… This is where their unwavering hope lies. And this hope is not only their hope! It is also the only hope for this world. This is why we must not shrink back from confessing our unshakable hope to others! This is why we should always be ready to give an answer for the hope that is in us.

SECRET PRAYER IS THE SECRET OF PRAYER

C. H. Spurgeon

“Woe unto that man whose devotion is observed by everybody, and who never offers a secret supplication. Secret prayer is the secret of prayer, the soul of prayer, the seal of prayer, the strength of prayer. If you do not pray alone, you do not pray at all. I care not whether you pray in the street, or in the church, or in the cathedral; but your heart must speak with God in secret, or you have not prayed. [Jesus said]; “Thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” The less prayer is observed on earth, the more it is observed in heaven. That which is carefully concealed from men is seen of the Father.”