Living the Cross Centered Life Chapter Six
March 10th, 2010 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
Chapter six of Living the Cross Centered Life is a meditation on “the cup of God’s wrath.” In Staring into the Cup: The Shock of Gethsemane, Mahaney explores why Jesus agonized so greatly on the night of his betrayal.
In our modern culture of comfort and convenience, our assumption is that Jesus was so distressed before being betrayed by Judas because he was terrified by the prospect of crucifixion. I don’t mean to diminish Jesus’ physical sacrifice or suffering in the least; crucifixion, doctors say, is one of the most painful ways to die.
However, it was not the prospect of physical pain that caused Jesus so much agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. Rather, it was the fact that God the Father had separated himself from Jesus and was preparing to pour out the cup of his wrath on him. Mahaney notes, “That’s why there’s shuddering terror and deep distress for Him at this moment. In the crucible of human weakness, he’s brought face-to-face with the abhorrent reality of bearing our iniquity and becoming the object of God’s full and furious wrath” (80).
What caused Jesus such agony? Not the prospect of physical pain, though surely that caused him distress as well. Jesus was most agonized by the terrible reality that God’s wrath for the sins of the world – past, present, and future – would be placed upon him, and that would cause God the Father to forsake him for us. Here are a few questions for discussion:
1. Does the prospect of the physical pain of the cross or the separation from God sound more painful to you? Why?
2. Jesus’ suffering on the cross included God crediting him with every sin, though he never committed any (Heb. 4:15–16) and bearing the full wrath of God against sin (Rom. 1:18). Why are these aspects absolutely necessary for our salvation?
3. In many good churches, people talk about “meditating on the cross.” What is meant by that phrase? Do you “meditate on the cross?” If so, when and why?
4. Mahaney notes that God the Father did not answer Jesus’ passionate entreaties in the Garden of Gethsemane. He says, “Listen to this verse again for the very first time: For God so loved the world…that he is silent to his Son’s agonizing appeal” (81). How does this demonstrate God’s incredible love for us?
Next week we will study chapter seven, “Your Face in the Crowd: Our Part in the Savior’s Death.”
Business Meeting Tonight
March 9th, 2010 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
This evening at 6:30 pm we will celebrate as we affirm over 40 new members, two new deacons, and participate in baptisms and the Lord’s Supper. Members of New Life are required to attend this meeting, but the meeting is open to anyone interested in or currently attending New Life. We hope to see you tonight at 6:30 pm!
Kevin DeYoung on the Bible and Social Justice
March 8th, 2010 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
Last week I was pleased to discover the Kevin DeYoung (pastor of University Reformed Church and blogger at The Gospel Coalition) is doing a seven-post series on seven major Bible passages that deal with social justice. His first post highlights Isaiah 1. DeYoung notes, “Their problem was one that recurs often in prophetic literature: they were getting the details of religion right but not the heart of it. Outside of “church” the Israelites were doing evil, not good (16–17). In particular, they were guilty of injustice toward the fatherless and the widow, the basic categories in the Bible for the helpless and vulnerable (17).”
I encourage you to check his blog regularly over the next several weeks for the other posts. In light of our study of the Sermon on the Mount (where “only hearing” is regularly contrasting with “hearing and doing”), I believe we need to:
1. Honestly study and reflect on the Bible’s teaching regarding areas that are uncomfortable to Americans, including financial stewardship, justice for the oppressed, the orphan, the widow, and the foreigner, to name a few.
2. Honestly evaluate our lives to see whether or not they match the Bible’s teaching and our own profession.
3. Change our practices (by God’s grace) and hold one another accountable to biblical living – just as we would hold each other accountable to biblical theology.
“The Wise Builder” Tonight at 5 pm
March 7th, 2010 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
This evening we will conclude Righteousness Redefined, our series through the Sermon on the Mount that began in September 2009. Tonight’s message is entitled, “The Wise Builder,” and will cover Matthew 7:24–29.
Jesus will contrast the foolish builder (who builds his house on the sand by only hearing Jesus’ words) and the wise builder (who builds his house on the rock by hearing and doing Jesus’ words.
We hope that you will join us tonight at 5pm and that God will challenge and change you through his Word.
Serve the Runners! AD Water Stop Tomorrow Morning!
March 6th, 2010 ||
Posted by Allen Duty
Tomorrow morning is going to be totally awesome. New Life will be staffing a water stop at the 4th Annual Armadillo Dash Half Marathon and 5K. This is going to be a great opportunity for us to serve our community and let people know about what God is doing at New Life.
If you want to participate (and I can’t imagine that you don’t), you’ll just need to:
1. Dress up in sweet 80s attire.
2. Meet us on Bird Pond Road off of Rock Prairie Road at 6:30 a.m. (we’ll have a table with drinks and a makeshift stage for our musicians that will be playing live 80s music).
3. Come ready to have a blast encouraging and serving the half-marathon runners by handing out drinks and picking up trash around our stop.
We will have a person at the end of the race that will collect votes from the runners. We are competing for prize money that will be donated to the charity of our choice in the greater Bryan/College Station area.
This is going to be a great opportunity for us to serve others and build community. Whether you are a member at New Life or are planning to visit soon, this would be a great place to meet others and have fun. If you have any questions, email me. Otherwise, we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow morning!