Is Following Jesus Safe or Dangerous - John Piper - Jan. 11
08 Jan 2009 05:04 pm
This week we will share in our last lesson before beginning the book, "What Jesus Demands of the World." Lesson 7 is actually a companion study to "Seeing and Savoring Jesus." Ironically, John Piper asks the question in Session 6 of the video, "why does Jesus talk in such confusing and complicated ways. Exactly the charge that many of you have lodged against John Piper in his video presentation. I am pleased that we have shared in this study together. As always in life the few who find the negative in things have been the loudest and most often heard voices over the course of this study. But in the last couple of weeks I have received e-mails and contacts from more of you who have said that you have learned immensely from this study. Most of you do agree even with the nay sayers that Dr. Piper's preaching style is a little hard to follow but nontheless you have learned from this godly preacher.
The next book as I have said is a much easier read yet it contains some of richest treasures of the Truth that we will ever study together. Rev. Kevin Duffy and I have been working hard to get the lesson plans ready. We basically have the first 12 ready to go. Teachers I will meet with you this Sunday and Kevin and I will pass out the first weeks lesson plan. We are still fine tuning but hope to have other 11 weeks ready for you to pickup by Wednesday, January 14. Give us until you come for dinner or supper that evening please.
Now on to this week's lesson, "Is Following Jesus Safe or Dangerous." John Piper basically takes a look at two more paradoxes in the teaching of Jesus. First, Matthew 11:28-30 reads, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek ad lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Then he looks at Matthew 7:13 which reads, "Enter in at the narrow gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be who go in that way; Because narrow is the gate, and hard is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." Waht is up here? 
Is it easy or is it hard to follow Jesus? Is it Safe or is it dangerous to follow Him? Why does Jesus speak in such confusing ways? The simple answer is that Jesus wants us to pause and ponder the fact that when it comes to Jesus we are dealing with the extraordinary. The yoke indeed is easy because once we are yoked in and connected to the plow then Jesus lifts us off of the ground and pushes the plow for us. The way is hard because we make it so. We are told that the life of faith should be lived with the innocence of a child but as adults we do not want to be seen as children so we resist this notion. We do not look on with the wonder of a child constantly seeing in every situation what does Jesus have to give to me here. No we want to be the grown up in full control. If we would simply trust in Christ enough to believe that all He teaches us is true and profitable for our growth the we would find the burden truly light.
The second paradox is found in Luke 21:16-18, "And ye shall be betrayed by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolk, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish." What did Jesus say? Some of us will be killed but not a hair will perish on our head. Wow! So we leave behind a corpse with a good hair style. Is that what Jesus means? He is basically saying exactly what He says in Matthew 10:28, "And fear not them who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Those who seek to do us harm in this world can only kill us once. Then they have no control. We should only fear God who can put us in hell for eternity punishing the body and the soul. But have confidence because Jesus also said in Matthew 10:29-31, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing (penny)? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; ye are of more value than many sparrows." Have confidence that God is in control of all things. He loves you with a Fatherly compassion that will always look out for your well being. Trust in Jesus that God will take care of you with the same innocence that a child will allow his earthly Father to toss him in the air while he simply laughs and repeats "again Daddy, again." We need not fear the one who can destroy body and soul in heaven if we believe in Him and walk in His ways. Do so and you will find the way really is easy. Refuse by constantly taking things into your own hands and you will find the way hard.
We can say this because according to Matthew 28:18, "All authority is given unto me (Jesus) in heaven and in earth." No matter where you go or what you may do in life Jesus has authority over you and your occupation or interests. And what assures me even more is that the Jesus who loves me promises in Matthew 28:20, "...and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the Age."
Sunday assign the review and conclusion which is lesson 8. The handouts will be in the hallway. Everyone is to do this on their own as we will not discuss it in class on the 18th. However, if some of your class wants to get together during the week to discuss it that would be great. Any time God's people get together to discuss His word we all profit.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
Jesus Christ - Sovereign and Submissive - January 4
31 Dec 2008 06:12 pm
Once again I have just finished listening to the presentation of Dr. John Piper for the week and I want to shout for joy regarding the awesome Savior that He describes. One who is as powerful as a lion yet as meek as a lamb. One who has no need to strut around like a big shot but rather one who walks with sober authority and power on His way to die on the cross for your and I. Amazing. How this thrills my soul. But some of you claim to sleep through these boring presentations. I cannot heip but wonder at God's purpose in this. Why has he muffled your ears and blinded your eyes? We are too close to the end of the age of this present world to allow ourselves not to see, savor, and love Jesus just as if we have seen Him today for the first time. WAKE UP! That is what we need to be shouting from the top of our voices. Teachers, let's not assume all of our class members know Christ and let them die because they were not connected to the vine. Let's show them Jesus.
This week Dr. Piper continues to show the amazing contrasts that exist in Jesus' personality. He is one who is sorrowful for Jerusalem and all those who are lost and dying (Luke 19:41). He knows what He must face and it causes Him to sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane. Yet all of this He faces gladly that we may experience joy (John 15:11 and John 17:13). A measure of joy here today and a fullness of joy in Heaven.
Dr. Piper addresses the theological problem presented by Jesus commanding nature so powerfully that even the wind and the waves obey Him instantly. If that is so then why does He not prevent natural disasters and the atroscities committed by man upon man. One purpose Dr. Piper says is to call you and I to repentance. We all deserve death but He gives us a chance to repent everytime we hear of another calamity. Jesus came as part of the plan He and His Father divised to save us. (John 10:17:1
, Jesus life was not taken. He took all of our punishment with its pain and suffering on the cross. No soldier, religious leader, or king took His life. He lay it down of His own accord because He loved us that much (Acts 4:27).
Jesus is indeed Sovereign and Submissive. He did everything that He did with authority whether submitting to death on the cross or defeating death so that you and I can have life. I believe Jesus is interceding for us before the Father just as He did for Peter (Luke 22:31-32).
This week we will discuss lesson 6 and watch session 5 on the video. Assign lesson 7 and chapters 12 and 13 for next week.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
The Diverse Excellencies of Jesus Christ - December 28
23 Dec 2008 03:14 pm
John Piper - Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ
Lesson 5 and Video Session 4
I do not believe that any of us would disagree with John Piper when he says that a multifacted personality if far more interesting than a one dimensional personality. Please do not let your class get sided tracked in his example that an admirable man or admirable woman would have some qualities of the feminine and the masculine. He is not suggesting that we be sissy men or manly women but rather that a masculine man softened by some feminine qualities is a far more interesting personality than a man who is all brute. In the same way a feminine woman is far more interesting if she has some masculine qualities which give her strength than a woman who is all powderpuff. Jesus is also more interesting and admirable because he has such a diverse personality make up. He is the Lion and the Lamb of Revelation 5. The contrasting characteristics of Jesus make Him all the more beautiful. He certainly is the glorious Son of God but he is also the humble who wept before the tomb of Lazarus. He is far above us in his dignity and rank yet He consecended to become on of us. He is all good and yet He has a great patience to suffer evil. He entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the conquering lion king and on Friday He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. how interesting the contrasts of Jesus Christ which Jonathan Edwards called His diverse excellencies.
This week everyone should have read through chapter 9 and the lesson for Sunday is lesson 5 while the video is session 4, the last one on disc one.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
The Importance of Seeing and Savoring - John Piper - Dec. 21
15 Dec 2008 05:23 pm
Lesson 4
This week I cannot help but begin where my life has been for the past few months. I am in my thoughts with my Dad. Dad has always been a pillar of strength in our family. The go to guy for whatever challenge my siblings and I might be facing. The simple things like home repairs or the major things like a change in life direction. Dad has always been there to guide us. Last April my Father was in an accident that either was the result of or the start of a series of mini strokes. Today my Dad is strugging with memory loss. He has trouble in communicating because sometimes even the word for ordinary objects like a vacuumn cleaner fail him. This leads him to be depressed because he cannot function as independently as he always has. He is more fearful of his mortality today than he has been at any other time in his life. He would give anything for a miracle that would turn back the clock. Alas, at least for now, that seems unlikely to happen. My mind now turns to the cliche that "a mind is a terrible thing to waste." It truly is. Please teachers do not sit back and let your class members waste theirs.
I have been saddened with the persons who have expressed that the study we are now in "Seeing and Savoring Christ" is too deep for them to study and so they refuse to do any of the preparation assignments. I hope you will lead them to see this as an opportunity to exercise their minds and to remain youthful in their thinking. Completing the five days of preparation and the reflection assignments each week will give cohesion and clarity to each weeks discussion and in some instances will lead to eureka moments whether one is 29 or 93 years young.
This week everyone should have read through chapter 7 in our book. I will be taking a suggestion from Eastland to put a box in the weekly bulleting reminding everyone which chapters should be read each week.
This week John looks at the importance of Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. He sees it as an essential part of a saving faith that we savor Christ. To savor is to enjoy the experience of something. In this case the enjoyment of our love for Christ which comes not from what we have done for Him but from what He has done for us in paying the price for our sins. A love for Christ, is more than simply obeying Christ to receive a get out of jail free card. It is placing our love for Him above all else in life family, health, wealth and pleasure. "Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." (Matthew 10:37) Through Saving Faith we receive a gift from God which is of infinite value. We receive His son Jesus Christ. We behold majesty. This majesty reminds of who we are and how joyous our lives should be because the king of kings has adopted us into His family. This is why even persons who do not know Christ feel so insignificant when faced with greatness whether that greatness be experienced through a majestic mountian or the birth of a new born baby. We Christians know from whence this feeling comes as we savor Jesus Christ and what he truly means to us. As we glory in the majesty of Christ He brings joy to our humble lives. The more we savor Christ, the more our motivation to love Him becomes for who He is and less for what He has done to rescue or heal us. So lets magnifty together the glory of God by savoring Him in our lives this week and experience the joy of our salvation.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [0]
Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ In The Gospel - Dec. 14
10 Dec 2008 10:47 am
In Lessons one and two John Piper looked at the importance of Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ with the eyes of the heart (spiritual eyes). Now in lesson three he asks the question how do we see and savor Jesus Christ, how does one see spiritually, and how do I know Him in the way that He must be known? John Piper says that the main place that we should look to see the glory of the gospel of Jesus Christ is in the gospel. II Corinthians 4:4-6 says, "The god of this age (Satan) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." Romans 10:17 says, "...faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ."
All of us were spiritually blind unbelievers until God through the Holy Spirit used the gospel to bring the light of Christ into our lives so that we could see with our spiritual eye. What did we see? The glory of Christ which is ultimately His death on the cross for the remission of our sins and His resurrection to life defeating Satan and all of his powers decisively. So John Piper's recommendation for one to gain spiritual sight is for them to read the gospels and as the word is proclaimed through the vocal cords and taken in by human ears and received by the brain then the message is sent again and again so that more and more people have their spiritual blindness lifted and the see and savor Jesus Christ. This is why the gospels do not dwell on the majority of Jesus' life because the main thing Jesus came to do was to give His life. By the giving of His life Satan's one weapon against human beings was taken away from him forever and that was the accusation of unforgiven sin.
John Piper shares seven things that are accomplished through the atoning death of Christ on the cross which ultimately leads to the final victory against Satan at the proper time.
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This week for lesson three you will show Session Two on the DVD.
The listening outline is on page 43 in the study guide for this week.
Your class should have done all prepatory work under lesson three including the reflections.
Your class should have read through chapter 5.
Assign for December 21 lesson 4.
Assign all preparatory work including the reflections.
Assign chapters 6 and 7 to read for next week.
By : nick | Category: Commentary | Comments [1]
