Destroying the Works of the Devil

The following is a short gospel message that was preached to the poor and homeless at a special worship outreach and feeding on April 16th:

This evening, I want to share a few words about a people who were severely afflicted and oppressed; and a few words about the God who heard their cry and delivered them out from under the hands of those who were causing their suffering.

Before the time of Moses, the ancient Egyptians enslaved the people of Israel and “made their lives bitter with hard service,” treating them “ruthlessly,” (Ex. 1:14) the leaders even going so far as ordering that all male Hebrew children be killed immediately after birth (Ex. 1:15-22). Read more »

Pastor John Davis on the Gospel

The Gospel and Being Missional

Missional Grace

The World Needs Grace

Colossians 4:2-6
² ¶ Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. ³ At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison– ⁴ that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. ⁵ ¶ Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. ⁶ Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

We seek to be missional in our approach to those who are outside of grace.

Paul, in how he handles his imprisonment and in his words to the church at Colossae, sets forth a picture of what it means to be missional (Intentionally committed to engage those who do not know or misunderstand Jesus.).

What drives his life is captured in the words – “that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison.”

There is something that has captured his imagination (the mystery of Christ – the gospel in all its wonder of his incarnation, death, resurrection, exaltation, and consummation). But not only has it captured his imagination, it has become a deep conviction worth suffering for. And, despite the suffering, the message is so important that he asks not for freedom or justice, but for open doors for the Word that speaks of this ‘mystery of Christ.’

It is this experience of the gospel that is at the heart of being missional. ‘Missional’ begins when the wonder of what Jesus has accomplished becomes the ‘pearl of great price’ in your imagination.

When the most intriguing thought you have is that of Jesus Christ, when your mind constantly returns to that one great delight of a Merciful Savior, when your conviction deepens that He alone has power to save, when you are sure that the advance of the gospel is worthy of your suffering, you are on your way to becoming missional.

Paul began this great epistle with a gospel-driven missional focus. Listen to the beginning words:

Colossians 1:3-8
³ ¶ We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, ⁵ because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, ⁶ which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing–as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, ⁷ just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf ⁸ and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

What a wonderful portrait of the life giving gospel as it bears fruit and grows – both qualitatively in the lives of believers and quantitatively in the number of those who believe.

What does it look like, when the gospel impacts our lives in a missional way?

That Missional commitment will be reflected in at least three ways.

Outward focused prayer

Watchfully – praying with eyes wide open. Too often we are willingly blind and deaf men and women seeking to avoid the cry of the city around us. Being watchful will make us aware of the tragedies of people’s lives apart from grace. That tragedy may be the empty soul of success or the empty soul of being alone.

Thankfully – Outward focused prayer is compelled by gratitude for the gift of God’s grace. Gospel thankfulness will enable us to be watchful without becoming envious of or angry at those who live apart from God’s grace.

Evangelistically – He prays for an open door for the word, that I may speak as I ought (a necessity). Our prayer should be that God would further the advance of the gospel through us, despite the adverse circumstances we may be in (ca. Paul in prison),

Outward focused living

(toward outsiders)

Outside of what? Of Grace – they may be inside the church, they may insiders in much of what we call important in life – but they are outside of grace.

Wisely – i.e living life by God’s design as He has ordered it, beginning with the dear of the Lord (Prov 1:9). This means
living with the following tensions:

• We are in the world not of the world, i.e. we engage the culture without being absorbed by the culture (John 17).
• We are a new community but not an isolated one – we live within the culture but always ‘cross’-cultural in that our identity is ‘we are in Christ’ – Gal 2:20
• We are citizens of heaven (Phil 3:20) and ambassadors on earth (2 Cor 5).

We live wisely toward outsiders because we want them to become true insiders.

Sacrificially – ‘making the most of every opportunity’

Older translations, such as the KJV, bring to mind the metaphor of redemption being used. Redemption reminds us of the cost of having something.

Also, the Greek word used here for time views time, not simply as chronological succession of moments, but time as specific moments within that succession, hence the ESV translation “opportunity.”

Certain opportunities come along in life for both personal and corporate ministry that must be responded to in that moment. And, often that costs us something.

“Opportunity is like a fleet horse that pauses for one moment at one’s side. If you do not mount it in that moment, you will forever, here the clatter of hoof-beats, down the corridor of time.”

We do not want to sit back and mourn over the lost opportunities to make a difference for Christ. We can’t go back. We simply ask forgiveness and learn something about our own self-centeredness and reluctance to sacrifice for His kingdom.

Today there are opportunities at this moment, at this very hour, both here in Philly and across the world.

As a church, our special opportunity is to reach the nations of the world throughout the city with all of its density, diversity, and depravity.

Outward focused speaking

With grace

“conversation always full of grace” – This is speech that manifests God’s fullness in or lives. Too often Christians are known as being judgmental and condemning. Grace-filled speech comes out of a life that knows it own sin and its own experience of grace. Why be grace-filled? Because God has been full of grace toward you.

“seasoned with salt” – the idea of salt in this context is not preservation, but bringing out the good quality of something – to make it tasty. We have the responsibility of seeking God’s grace to enable our speech to become palatable.

First listening

An answer is a response to a question? Perhaps this is where we fail in communicating the gospel. We do not listen to the questions that the world is asking and therefore do not answer accordingly. Let me say that the answer to all of the world’s questions is found in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our responsibility is to show them how Jesus Christ relates to their questions.

Peter put it this way:

1 Pet. 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

Conclusion

“Grasping the external propulsion of God’s grace is crucial to our understanding of mission. It means that mission is not a duty (something we ‘should do’) but a natural overflow of the gospel’s work inside us. If you aren’t motivated to love, serve, and speak the gospel to people, the answer isn’t to ‘just do it.’ The answer is to examine your heart, repent of sin, and discern where your unbelief is short-circuiting the natural outward movement of the gospel. As the gospel renews your heart, it will also renew your desire to move out in faith into the relationships and opportunities God places in your path.

To put it simply, the grace of God is always going somewhere—moving forward, extending his kingdom, propelling his people toward love and service to others. As we learn to live in light of the gospel, mission should be the natural overflow. God’s grace brings renewal internally (in us) so that it might bring renewal externally (through us).”

Bob Thune and Will Walker, The Gospel-Centered Life (World Harvest Mission, 2009), 46.

Description of the Missional Church (from http://www.friendofmissional.org/)

• The missional church is a collection of missional believers acting in concert together in fulfillment of the missio dei.
• The missional church is one where people are exploring and rediscovering what it means to be Jesus’ sent people as their identity and vocation.
• The missional church is faith communities willing and ready to be Christ’s people in their own situation and place.
• The missional church knows that they must be a cross-cultural missionary (contextual) people and adopt a missionary stance in relation to their community.
• The missional church will be engaged with the culture (in the world) without being absorbed by the culture (not of the world). They will become intentionally indigenous.
• The missional church understands that God is already present in the culture where it finds itself. Therefore, the missional church doesn’t view its purpose as bringing God into the culture or taking individuals out of the culture to a sacred space.
• The missional church is about more than just being contextual, it is also about the nature of the church and how it relates to God.
• The missional church is about being — being conformed to the image of God.
• The missional church will seek to plant all types of missional communities.
• The missional church is evangelistic and faithfully proclaims the gospel through word and deed. Words alone are not sufficient; how the gospel is embodied in our community and service is as important as what we say.
• The missional church understands the power of the gospel and does not lose confidence in it.
• The missional church recognizes that it does not hold a place of honor in its host community and that its missional imperative compels it to move out from itself into that host community as salt and light.²
• The missional church will align all their activities around the missio dei — the mission of God.
• The missional church seeks to put the good of their neighbor over their own.
• The missional church will give integrity, morality, good character and conduct, compassion, love and a resurrection life filled with hope preeminence to give credence to their reasoned verbal witness.
• The missional church practices hospitality by welcoming the stranger into the midst of the community.
• The missional church will always be in a dynamic tension or paradox between missional individuals and community. We cannot sustain being missional on our own, but if we are not being missional individually we cannot sustain being mission-shaped corporately.³
• The missional church will see themselves as representatives of Jesus and will do nothing to dishonor his name.
• The missional church will be totally reliant on God in all it does. It will move beyond superficial faith to a life of supernatural living.
• The missional church will be desperately dependent on prayer.
• The missional church gathered will be for the purpose of worship, encouragement, supplemental teaching, training, and to seek God’s presence and to be realigned with God’s missionary purpose.
• The missional church is orthodox in its view of the gospel and scripture, but culturally relevant in its methods and practice so that it can engage the world view of the hearers.
• The missional church will feed deeply on the scriptures throughout the week.
• The missional church will be a community where all members are involved in learning “the way of Jesus.” Spiritual development is an expectation.
• The missional church will help people discover and develop their spiritual gifts and will rely on gifted people for ministry instead of talented people.
• The missional church is a healing community where people carry each other’s burdens and help restore gently.
• The missional church will require that its leaders be missiologists.

Christmas – A Celebration for Notable Sinners

Christmas – A Celebration for Notable Sinners

Dr. John P. Davis

In preaching on Matthew’s record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:1-17, I was wonderfully reminded of the grace of God in giving us a Savior who is not deterred by our great sinfulness. One point of my message that day was on how the genealogy of Christ contains the names of notable sinners. They are notable because they stand out in the genealogy, though everyone (except Jesus) in that genealogical record is a sinner.

It was unusual in ancient genealogies to include the names of women. Their inclusion in Matthew is not necessary to establish any legal point so they must be included for a theological purpose.

Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba share something in common. They have notoriety in Scripture partly because of their moral failures. In our self-righteousness and pride we would exclude names of those with whom we do not want to be identified. Jesus doesn’t.

Tamar was the daughter-in-law of Judah. Her husband died and left her childless so it was the next son’s responsibility to take her as wife and continue the family name through her. He refused to do so and Judah did not demand it. Tamar sought justice but in an unrighteous way. She posed as a harlot and seduced her father-in-law and bore twins through her father-in-law. So her father-in-law is a philanderer and she is a prostitute. This is the ancestry of Jesus Christ. I know this story sounds like a Hollywood soap opera, but it is real life where sinners, even those who know better, do sordid and horrible things. Matthew doesn’t hide it. Jesus identifies with them. Jesus came as a friend of sinners, to call them to repentance, and to give his life for them.

Rahab even when spoken of in the NT is called Rahab, the harlot. Though she came to faith in the true and living God she doesn’t seemed to have outlived her prior reputation. She married one of the descendants of Judah through whom the Messiah would come. Salmon must have seen in this harlot a transformation of God’s grace that brought him to marry her or perhaps he was sordidly attracted by her reputation. She becomes the great, great grandmother of King David. She is a marvelous picture of God’s redeeming and transforming grace.

Bathsheba is noted in Scripture for being not only the mother of Solomon but the woman involved in bringing King David to the lowest point in his kingdom. Though she was seduced by David, she surrendered to his seduction, and became pregnant. David had her husband killed, then married Bathsheba and bore a child whom God did not allow to live. Nevertheless, God in his grace gave another son, Solomon, the heir to the kingdom.

Jesus’ genealogy includes notable sinners because he comes for sinners. He identifies with sinners in his incarnation and in his death. Whatever your sin may be, you are not so bad that Jesus would not identify with you. He came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.

This is our Savior. And let me say, that until you have seen yourself as a notable sinner, you will not know the power of the grace of Jesus Christ. He came for sinners.

When you trace the genealogy of Jesus that follows Him, i.e. those who are his descendants by faith, you find the names of notable sinners. One of those names is John P. Davis – a sinner saved by grace. This is the blessing of Christmas.

Uniquely Relational Grace

Uniquely Relational Grace

Ephesians 4:32

In this blog I want to think about how the gospel informs the value we hold at GCP of being Relational. On our website we define Relational as “Joyfully offering love and grace to everyone regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey.”

Now you might ask, and rightfully so, how is being relational, a unique value? Are not non-Christians relational? The answer to that is – YES!

Being relational on one level is not unique to followers of Jesus Christ.

Whether it’s the gathering of my neighbors for beer pong laughing loudly enough to wake the neighborhood, or the guys and girls playing football in Drexel Park, or the week end parties, or two people sitting at Green Line café with lattes and smiles on their faces, or a couple walking down the street, holding hands and talking as if they’re in a world of their own – being relational is not unique to believers. Sometimes common grace often produces better relationship than grace taken for granted.

Since all humanity bear the vestiges of being created in the image of God (the relational triune God) and since God inhis common grace has given all humanity capacity for moral behavior and giftedness for contributing to the betterment of life on earth, when we talk about being relational, we are talking about something that is similar, yet MORE than what comes from common grace. Gratitude for different aspects of life can cause people to act generously toward others. but it always has its limits. There will always be someone who falls outside the display of common grace.

After a night of beer pong, the combination of testosterone and alcohol inevitably leads to a disagreement and perhaps a fight. I’m ashamed to say that as a young pastor, my competiveness on the basketball court or football field often led to words and attitudes that hurt relationships. Two people sitting as Green Line Café can start out well as friends but leave as enemies. That lovely couple who for a moment shared joyful unity as they walked in hand can quickly turn into anger, and hurting words, and two people walking away from each other. Those of us who are married know well enough how fragile relationships are and that because of our own pride and selfishness the most intimate moments can turn to hurt, silence, and tears.

This is where the gospel raises and empowers a new standard.

So when we talk about being relational, we are talking about more than the kind of relational value that humanity in general experiences because of common grace.

When we talk about being relational we are talking about a relational value that comes from our ‘beholding the glory of Christ in the gospel and being transformed into his likeness.”

We are talking about a value that continues to function well in the midst of sin and brokenness. This is the crux of how we understand the relational value.

The New Testament contains many explicit and implicit references to how the gospel informs our relationship to others. Often the epistles, like here in Ephesians, begin with the foundation of what God has done for us in Christ before they speak about how believers relate to each other, within the family, and to those who are not believers. The Book of Romans is another example of how behavior and relationships are grounded in the gospel.

This is our brief text for this blog:

Ephesians 4:32
³² Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

I am most interested in the final phrase – ‘forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave you.’

Let me say a word about the verse in general. I need to make a few technical clarifications so bear with me.

Though the ESV has no conjunction (but, and) most manuscripts contain one that sort of sets this verse apart as not only a contrast to what immediately precedes but possibly as a summary statement of values of the Christian life.

The little word ‘Be” means ‘keep becoming.” These are qualities to pursue – to progressively grow in. (ca. “While beholding, we are being transformed” 2 Cor 3:18).

‘Keep becoming kind (Gracious, pleasant, compassionate). Only used 7x in NT. 3X to describe God’s dealings with sinners (Lk 6:35; Rom 2:4; 1 Pet 2:3); 1X it describes the yoke of Christ (Matt 11:30); 1X it describes the pleasant quality of aged wine (Lk 5:39); 1X to describe good conduct; and here a s a quality to pursue.

“keep becoming tenderhearted (compassionate). Used only 2x in the NT. Here and in 1 Pet 3:8. Both times referring to a desired quality in a believers life (Compassionate, pitiful, tender heart, kind hearted – 4 different translations). You get the point. Growing in grace makes you more caring and compassionate toward people.

We should be tenderhearted because:

… all people are broken

… all people suffer.

We all share the common effects of sin both personally and systemically in the world.

Yes, there is a special interest in the welfare of the Christian family, but our tenderheartedness goes beyond that.

The third phrase can either mean: ‘keep becoming forgiving” (i.e. it is 1 of 3 qualities) or “keep becoming kind and tenderhearted, by forgiving …” (i.e. it is the one quality that accompanies and exemplifies the other two) ‘Forgiving’ is a participle, meaning it has adjectival and verbal qualities.

1. ‘Keep becoming forgiving’ see more emphasis on the adjectival.
   
2. Keep becoming kind and tenderhearted, while or by forgiving one another, sees more emphasis on the verbal aspect.
   

I understand the second usage to be in force here (as it is used in its parallel passage in Col 3:13). “Forgiving’ is the quality that exemplifies the other two.

Now one other explanation:

The word ‘forgiving’ is not the usual word for forgive. It shaes the same root as the Greek word for ‘grace’ – and though it includes forgiveness, especially in contexts where ‘sin’ is the object, it suggests much more than forgiveness.

“Acting in grace” is an acceptable translation of the Greek word, charizomai, rendered “forgiving” in Ephesians 4:32. Acting in grace catches the essence of how God has acted toward us and our sin against Him. And because He has forgiven us, we are commanded to forgive each other (Colossians 3:13). Anybody focused on himself as the center of the universe will have a difficult time thinking kindly of others, and unity will be difficult, if not impossible. (Forerunner – John W. Ritenbaugh)

So, I don’t prefer the translation ‘forgiving’ because it is too specific and being specific, it is limited.

I prefer the translation ‘acting in grace’ – which encompasses forgiveness and more. Forgiveness is the primary expression of acting in grace.

Our problems in relationship are not just because people have sinned against us and therefore need forgiveness.

Our problems with loving and showing grace to others are more complex than ‘they have sinned against me.’

It may be that I just do not like them – for racial reasons, for reasons of history, for economic reasons, for reasons of jealousy or envy, because my friend doesn’t like them etc. I may need to show grace because they are weak, they are different, etc.

By relational we want to be forgiving and acting in grace toward others in the way that God has acted in grace toward us.

1. The gospel produces a relational value that is reflective – i.e. act in grace toward others as God has acted in grace toward you.
   
   1. Generously, undeservedly – (so great it takes the ages to come to comprehend Eph 2)
      
   2. We are being transformed into people who act in grace while beholding the one who acts in grace toward us.
2. The gospel produces a relational value that is redemptive – God acting in grace is always with the cross of Christ in view. My acting in grace toward others need always be in the context of the cross – otherwise grace will only be common grace and common grace is fragile grace. Without the cross in view, humility is replace by pride and loving others is replaced by self-interest.
   
   
3. The gospel produces a relational value that is restorative – God’s acting in grace is means to bring us into adoptive relationship, as family – sons and daughters. Acting in grace removes whatever barrier there is to true friendship and fellowship.
   

Even those of us who know and love the gospel, fail to consistently live out a gospel-informed relational value. I confess my failure. I am disappointed at times at my reactions to people. I realize that intellectually grasping the implications of the gospel is not equivalent to ‘beholding the glory of the Lord, and being transformed into that same image from glory to glory.” Sometimes, I may get the ‘point” and underline the powerful insight, and post it on Twitter, but miss the glory and when you miss the glory, you miss the transformation.

I need to continually ask, How is my growing understanding of the gospel shaping my relationships to others?

Let me close with a story that shows grace at work.

In an emotionally charged courtroom, a South African woman stood listening to white police officers acknowledge their atrocities.

Officer van de Broek acknowledged that along with others, he had shot her 18-year-old son at pointblank range. He and the others partied while they burned the son’s body, turning it over and over on the fire until it was reduced to ashes.

Eight years later, van de Broek and others returned to seize her husband. She was forced to watch her husband, bound on a woodpile, as they poured gasoline over his body and ignited the flames that consumed his body. The last words she heard her husband say were “forgive them.”

Now, van de Broek awaited judgment. South Africa’s Truth and reconciliation Commission asked the woman what she wanted.

“I want three things,” she said calmly. “I want Mr. van de Broek to take me to the place where they burned my husband’s body. I would like to gather up the dust and give him a decent burial.

“Second, Mr. van de Broek took all my family away from me, and I still have a lot of love to give. Twice a month, I would like for him to come to the ghetto and spend a day with me so I can be a mother to him.

“Third, I would like Mr. van de Broek to know that he is forgiven by God and that I forgive him too. I would like to embrace him so he can know my forgiveness is real.”

As the elderly woman was led across the courtroom, van de Broek fainted, overwhelmed. Someone began singing “Amazing Grace.” Gradually everyone joined in.

As you continue to grow in your understanding and experience of God’s rich mercy and grace you will cross those barriers of race, economics, and sin with not just a trickling of grace and mercy but a torrent, a flood that comes from the constant overflow of God’s grace and mercy into your life in the gospel.

THE GOSPEL AND TRANSFORMATION (notes from message on 11/15/09)

The Gospel and Transformation

2 Corinthians 3:7-18
⁷ ¶ Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory? ⁹ For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. ¹⁰ Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it. ¹¹ For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory. ¹² ¶ Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,, ¹³ not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

¹⁵ Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶ But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

Introduction:

I was in a conversation recently with someone talking about a counseling situation where the young man had created an alter ego. He came from a Christian home with parents who desired the best for him so from the beginning they named him Samuel, after the prophet who obeyed God. To him Christianity was all about obeying and pleasing God and earning his favor. He knew little of grace and became weary of trying to be Samuel. So he created Saul, another personality that would rebel against God and enjoy the pleasures of sin. He would revert back and forth from Samuel to Saul, between striving to please and living for his own selfish desires. He found happiness and peace in neither personality. In themselves, neither striving to be Samuel or Saul could lead to peace. Together, eventually it led to a psychological breakdown.

Now you may say, that’s pretty weird, but if you think about it, you can identify with either one of his personalities or maybe both. You live striving to please God but are wearied by it; or you live running from God and still wearied by it (or maybe you live a life of duplicity).

What the Samuel and Saul personalities have in common is that they both focus on the power of self to achieve happiness through obedience or through rebellion and the inevitable emptiness that results from both.

We are looking at text today that talks about the glory of God : 1) the glory of the Old Covenant (the law) represented by the reflection on Moses’ face; 2) the glory of the New Covenant represented by the person and work of Jesus Christ.

By ‘glory’ is meant a ‘a reflection of who God is.’ It is the same God behind the glory of the law and the glory of the gospel. Both the law and the gospel reveal the holiness of God.

In the law, the holiness of God is not propitiated (i.e. to take away the wrath and displeasure)

In the gospel the holiness of God is propitiated by the blood of Christ (Romans 3:24).

In the law, the un-propitiated holiness of God induces fear ( ³⁰
Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. )

This fear exists because when sinful beings are confronted by God’s holiness they can only cry out as Isaiah the prophet did – Woe is me!

In fear people do one of two things: 1) they attempt to appease God by an obedience that earns his favor; 2) they run from God abandoning any hope of having his favor.

We try to manage this fear of God’s glory either by running from the glory or trying to appease the glory. Either way is futile. Neither Samuel nor Saul is the model for us.

Though there is a third option: As Isaiah, we can receive cleansing from God. The law reveals to us our need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

To alleviate this fear, every time Moses’ came from the presence of God he would put a veil over his face.

Our text, here adds a little more information about what this veil accomplished. Not only did it alleviate the fear of the law; it hid the fact that the reflection on Moses’ face would have dissipated in time – it hid the fading glory – the temporary nature of the law and the true purpose of the law.

Furthermore, the people’s response to the display of God’s holiness revealed that another veil existed – a veil over their hearts. This veil over their hearts coupled with the veil over Moses’ face brought about a distortion of the law: Because of the veil, the fear inducing holiness of God became a feint memory and the fading glory of the law was hidden so that with veiled hearts and blinded minds, the law, instead of exposing one’s need of mercy, became for many the means of earning God’s favor.

When the condemning and fading nature of the law are veiled and the human heart is prevented from seeing clearly the purpose of the law, the law becomes misused as a means by which to earn God’s face.

Because of the veil, they could not see the outcome of the law – which is to bring us to Christ.

Only in Christ do we see that the glory of the law (with its ministry of condemnation and death) has faded away and is replaced by the unfading glory of the gospel (with its ministry of righteousness and life).

Christ is the end of the law to everyone who believes.

Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

In the gospel, the propitiated holiness of God invites us to enjoy the majesty and wonder of his Holiness.

In Christ, the veil is taken away from our hearts (this is the work of the Spirit in regeneration) and like Moses, with unveiled face, we come boldly into the presence of God. In contrast to Moses who hid the glory of God from the view of the people, we are bold to proclaim this unfading, life-giving and righteousness-giving glory of Christ.

Now here is the key to the relationship of the gospel and transformation in verse 18:

1. As we keep beholding, we are transformed into the image of the glory of Christ.
   

   This is the work of the Spirit who is none other than Yahweh of the OT. The same Lord who gave the law is the Lord of the gospel.
   

How are we transformed? – while beholding (keeping the glory of Christ, as revealed in the New Covenant, in focused view), the Spirit transforms us.

We are active in beholding the glory of Christ.

Why is this gaze upon the glory of the cross so crucial to transformation? Because the cross exposes your powerlessness and it’s only in being powerless that you experience the transforming power of God.

We are passive in the transformation that takes place. This is the work of the Spirit of God.

There is a similar pattern in 2 Cor 4: (being renewed while beholding)

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, ¹⁸ as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal

2. Where do we behold the glory of Christ – in the New Covenant, in Christ, as he is revealed in Scripture, especially in the work of the gospel.

The Law – revealed the glory of God’s fierce holiness moving the heart to fear.

The gospel – reveals the glory of God’s propitiated holiness moving the heart to worship.

3. Who does the transforming? The Spirit of God.

4. This glory, rather than fading, increases – from glory to glory.
Moses reflected an intermittent fading glory of the law; we reflect a progressively increasing glory of the gospel.

“Consider well of the office, the bloodshed, and the holy life of Christ — His office is to expiate sin, and to destroy it. His blood was shed for it: his life condemned it. Love Christ, and thou wilt hate that which caused his death. Love him, and thou will be made more like him.” - Richard Baxter, quoted by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson in Counsel from the Cross (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2009), 148.

“Isn’t it true, you know, that ultimately we become like what we worship?  If we worship money, we become materialistic.  If we worship power and prestige we become cold and calloused.  If we worship an idol, we become as spiritually dead and lifeless as a stone.  On the other hand, if we worship Christ, we will be conformed to His image.  If the veil is off and we behold the glory of the Lord that shines in the face of Jesus Christ, if He is our ever-increasing preoccupation then we are imperceptibly being transformed into His image by the Holy Spirit.  This is the goal of the new covenant and this monumental verse shows us the increasing glory of sanctification that takes place by the Holy Spirit in the new covenant.

Folks, ceremonial, sacramental, sacerdotal works-righteousness systems offer us nothing.  They didn’t offer anything to the Corinthians and they don’t offer anything to you either.  All you need is Christ.  All you need to do is get the veil off, look into the face of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God begins the process of conforming you ever-increasingly into His image.  That’s what Christianity is.  It isn’t bells and whistles, it isn’t candles and robes, it isn’t Popes and Cardinals. Christianity is a relationship to Jesus Christ, it’s a one-thing life, gazing at the glory of the Lord that shines in the face of Jesus Christ and being transformed into His image.  It’s the relationship that matters” (John McArthur).

Conclusions:

1. Transformation is New Covenant centered, which is gospel-centered, which is Christ centered.
   
2. Transformation involves our action in contemplating the glory of the Lord.- primarily in the Word which we fail to read properly if we do not see the glory of Christ in the gospel
   
3. Transformation takes place by work of the Spirit as we contemplate Christ, as revealed in the Word.
   
4. Transformation is true freedom from trying to achieve God’s favor on our own.

Grace Gathering Video – Pastor John Davis (Part Four)

Part Three here.

Grace Gathering Video – Pastor John Davis (Part Three)

Part Four here.

Our Identity in Serving the Poor

The following was prepared for a Grace Gathering of Grace Church of Philly:

Last week we briefly covered our motivation for serving the poor: Jesus Christ and His gospel. We learned that Christ-centeredness and gospel-centeredness necessarily produces other-centeredness.

This week we’re going to look at another foundational aspect of our worship of God through mercy ministries: our identity in serving the poor.

“Never forget where you came from.” Have you ever heard someone say that? It’s frequently stated in the context of urging someone to remember his or her roots.

In the history of the American Church, there has been an unfortunate tendency for well-meaning Christians to “forget where they came from” while serving the poor, with the end result being a tragic loss of identity.

This loss of identity has wreaked tremendous havoc and done incredible damage within the Church. It has created much confusion and resulted in the loss of the gospel in tens of thousands of congregations worldwide, to the eternal detriment of millions of people.

Obviously, with the stakes so incredibly high, we want to steer clear of this kind of error and apostasy.

How do we avoid making the same mistake that those who have fallen away from the faith have made?

The solution in this situation is the same as it is in just about every other circumstance in the Christian life: we must recognize our identity in Christ and hold fast to Him.

We are Slaves of Christ

In Rom. 1:1, Gal. 1:10, Col. 4:12, 2 Tim. 2:24, Titus 1:1, Jam. 1:1, 2 Pet. 1:1, and Jude 1:1, various New Testament authors identify themselves or other Christian workers as “slaves” of Christ. The word “slave” (or, in some translations “servant” or “bond-servant”) is translated from the Greek δουλος (doulos).

In the New Testament, this referred to “a person [who was] owned as a possession.”[1]

Someone who is owned by another doesn’t have the luxury or the option of forgetting or ignoring his or her identity.

Someone who is the property of another doesn’t set about to go his or her own way in life, moving about as he or she sees fit. Instead, a slave does the bidding and will of his master.[2] In many ways, a slave is bound to his master.

As slaves of Christ, we are to be obedient to His teachings. He commands us to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, and mind, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matt. 22:37-40).

We love our God and neighbor by living out the Great Commission given by Christ: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20).

We live out this Great Commission in both word and deed.

Our identity is centered in our relationship to God in Christ. Because this identity is brought about through the gospel, it results in selfless relationships with others that are gracious, merciful, and loving.

We are Ambassadors of Christ

2 Cor. 5:20 – Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

“Ambassador” is from πρεσβευω (presbeuo), which means to act as a representative.[3]

In serving the poor, we’re not social workers; we’re not philanthropists; we’re not crusaders for justice; we’re not church members: we are representatives of Jesus Christ, bringing His message of grace to others in our words and in our lives, urging and imploring people to be reconciled to Him through Christ by means of the gospel.

Our identity is centered in our relationship to God in Christ. Because this identity is brought about through the gospel, it results in selfless relationships with others that are gracious, merciful, and loving.

How do we avoid losing our identity when we minister to the poor? By recognizing our identity as slaves and ambassadors of Christ and by cleaving to Him with all of our might.

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[1] Edward W. Goodrick, John R. Kohlenberger III, and James A. Swanson, Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999), Version 1.1, Accordance Bible Software 8.3.3, Oak Tree Software, Inc., 2009.

[2] An interesting observation on the term δουλος can be found in the First Edition Notes of The NET Bible (Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C., 2005), Version 3.3, Accordance Bible Software 8.3.3., Oak Tree Software, Inc., 2009: “Though δουλος (doulos) is normally translated ‘servant,’ the word does not bear the connotation of a free individual serving another. BDAG notes that ‘”servant” for “slave” is largely confined to Biblical transl. and early American times…in normal usage at the present time the two words are carefully distinguished’ (BDAG 260 s.v.). At the same time, perhaps ‘servant’ is apt in that the δουλος of Jesus Christ took on that role voluntarily, unlike a slave. The most accurate translation is ‘bondservant’ (sometimes found in the ASV for δουλος), in that it often indicates one who sells himself into slavery to another. But as this is archaic, few today understand its force” (from note 3 on 2 Peter 1:1).

[3] Strong’s Greek Dictionary of the New Testament, Version 2.4, Accordance Bible Software 8.3.3, Oak Tree Software, Inc., 2009.

Grace Gathering Video – Pastor John Davis (Part Two)