Jason, Author at Westwood Roxboro

A Day of Reckoning for the SBC

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Jason in Articles |

“Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. I prayed to the Lord my God and made confession…..” Daniel 9:3-4

“As soon as Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth and went into the house of the Lord……. “Thus says Hezekiah, this is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace.” (Isaiah 37:1 & 3)

In these two verses we see Godly men seeking the Lord, crying out to him, confessing sin to him, and seeking his mercy, grace and forgiveness for corporate sin, for the sins of God’s people. Even through the individual men were not personally guilty of these sins, they bore the pain and shared the guilt as they identified with the community of God’s covenant people.

Charles Spurgeon understood this reality as he said, “I firmly believe that, the better a man’s own character becomes, and the more joy in the Lord he has in his own heart, the more capable is he of sympathetic sorrow; and, probably, the more of it he will have. If thou hast room in thy soul for sacred joy, thou hast equal room for holy grief.”

This morning all Southern Baptists should be feeling some measure of holy grief. Perhaps even more so we at Westwood should feel the weight of holy grief considering Sunday’s sermon from Ephesians 5.

Yesterday afternoon an extensive and much anticipated report was made public. The Report of the Independent Investigation – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee’s Response to Sexual Abuse Allegations and an Audit of the Procedures and Actions of the Credentials Committee was authorized by the messengers at last year’s SBC meeting in Nashville. (Four of our Elders were messengers at that meeting) That action was prompted by numerous allegations from abuse survivors and calls for a comprehensive response from the convention’s leaders.

The 288 page report, conducted by a third-party investigations firm, Guidepost Solutions reveals a disregard for abuse survivors and a relentless self-serving attitude by some SBC leaders. The report begins with this scathing statement:

For almost two decades, survivors of abuse and other concerned Southern Baptists have been contacting the Southern Baptist Convention (“SBC”) Executive Committee (“EC”) to report child molesters and other abusers who were in the pulpit or employed as church staff. They made phone calls, mailed letters, sent emails, appeared at SBC and EC meetings, held rallies, and contacted the press…only to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility from some within the EC.

Our investigation revealed that, for many years, a few senior EC leaders, along with outside counsel, largely controlled the EC’s response to these reports of abuse. They closely guarded information about abuse allegations and lawsuits, which were not shared with EC Trustees, and were singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC to the exclusion of other considerations. In service of this goal, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action due to its polity regarding church autonomy – even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation.

Our pastors have reviewed the summary of the report but have not yet read it in its entirety. We will do so within the next day or so. We did want to make our members aware of the report and encourage you to join your church elders in seeking the Lord during this time.

This is a critically important issue for us, not primarily because we are a Southern Baptist church, but because we are a New Testament church, a local assembly of the Bride of Christ, a local gathering of Christ’s sheep, over whom he is our Chief Shepherd. Jesus invited all who are weary and burdened to come to him for health and rest (Matt 11:28-29). We have a responsibility to shepherd and lovingly care for those for whom our Savior died and rose again to give eternal life, hope, healing, forgiveness and grace. We have a special responsibility to those who have and are suffering because of sexual abuse.

We want to encourage you to familiarize yourself with the report. Do so by reading it yourself instead of relying on random posts, tweets and social media responses. At least read the first section that summarizes the contents. As James commands, we should “be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (Ja 1: 19). This is a volatile and sensitive topic. Emotions will run high for all involved.

The issue of sexual abuse prevention and response protocol has been a topic of much discussion within our Elders for the past several months. We require all our leaders and all those who are involved in our children and student ministries to go through specific training regarding sexual abuse prevention, recognition and response. If you have not done so, please complete your log-in process so you can take the training. If you’ve begun the training, finish it. All our members are encouraged to sign up for ministry grid and participate in this training. This report on the SBC only strengthens our resolve to be well equipped and well trained so we can glorify our Lord as we serve those under our care.

If national statistics apply in our church (which they certainly do), the probability is very high that there are those in our fellowship who have been wounded and scarred through the sin of sexual abuse. Please don’t carry that burden alone. Christ came to change the lives of the captive and oppressed (Lk 4:16-21). If you are a victim of sexual abuse, please know you will be heard, believed and loved as we seek to minister to you and your family.

For far too long the cries of the victims were ignored and silenced. Now they are being heard, and we must be still and listen.

SBC leaders who were trusted betrayed that trust and now must answer for that.

The public response to this report will be loud, strong and very critical. It should be. There is sin in the SBC camp. We must own it and address it biblically and faithfully.

The 2022 meeting of the SBC will be held in June in Anaheim Ca. It will be a difficult and historic meeting. Please pray for all who will attend and participate in this meeting.

Pray for God’s mercy and healing as well as his justice and righteousness.

May '22

Let’s Amaze Them With God! (May 2022 Newsletter)

Posted on May 1, 2022 by Jason in Articles |

May '22

IT’S EASY, when you read or listen to the news to be discouraged and, while maybe not hopeless, at least not as hope filled as we should be. Inflation and interest rates going up, nations going to war, politics and politicians constantly going against each other, pandemic going on and on, fewer people going to church, the culture seemingly going crazy in ever-increasing ways…you get the idea.

Simply observing the course of the world around us can press us down, and all too often, cause us to be tentative and unconfident, even scared to share the good news of Christ and the truths of his Word. Say the wrong thing or express support for the wrong cause and you will likely be labeled “far right” by some and “woke” by others.

So, what should we say or do? What is the best strategy for reaching our community, our culture, even our own kids, with the good news of our gracious, holy God?

I appreciate Kevin DeYoung’s answer to that question: “I beg of you, don’t go after the next generation with mere moralism, either on the right (don’t have sex, go to church, share your faith, stay off drugs) or on the left (recycle, dig a well, feed the homeless, buy a wristband). The gospel is not a message about what we need to do for God, but about what God has done for us. So, get them with the good news about who God is and what he has done for us.”

In his little book, Amaze Them With God, DeYoung offers five suggestions on how to reach our community, our culture, and our kids, how to “get them with the good news about who God is”.

First, grab them with passion. DeYoung says the unchurched will not give Christianity a second thought “if it seems lifeless, repetitive, and uninspiring. They will only get serious about the Christian faith if it seems like something seriously worth their time.” God is passionate about his purposes and his people. The world needs to see Christians burning with this same passion. They don’t need to see self-righteous fury at constantly sliding morals – they need to see our passion for God.

Second, win them with love. “The evangelical church needs to stop preaching a false gospel of cultural identification. Don’t spend all your time trying to figure out how to be like the next generation. Be yourself; tell them about Jesus; and love unconditionally. Love won’t guarantee the young people will never walk away from the church, but it will make it a lot harder. It won’t guarantee that non-Christians will come to Christ, but it will make the invitation a whole lot more attractive.”

Third, hold them with holiness. DeYoung nails it when as he writes, “being experts in the culture matters nothing, and worse than nothing, if we are not first of all experts in love, truth and holiness.” His point here is that the one indispensable requirement for producing godly, mature Christians is godly, mature Christians. He says, “a lot of research suggests that the most important social influence in shaping young people’s religious lives is the religious life modeled and taught to them by their parents.”

Fourth, challenge them with truth. According to DeYoung, “The door is open like never before to challenge people with good Bible teaching. Whether they accept it all or not, they want to know what Christians actually believe. They want truth straight up, unvarnished, and unashamed. Shallow Christianity will not last in the coming generation, and it will not grow. Cultural Christianity is fading. The church in the twenty-first century must go big on truth or go home.”

Fifth, amaze them with God. “If ever people were starving for a God the size of God, surely it is now. Give them a God who is holy, independent and unlike us, a God who is good, just, full of wrath, and full of mercy. Give them a God who is sovereign, powerful, tender, and true. Give them a God with edges. Give them a God who makes them feel cherished and safe, and small and uncomfortable too. Give them a God worthy of wonder and fear, a God big enough for all our faith, hope, and love.”

Amaze Them With God ends with this simple but significant truth: “As you try to reach the next generation for Christ, you can amaze them with your cleverness, your humor, or your looks, or you can amaze them with God.”

As we continue our study in Ephesians, we will see how we are called and enabled by God to amaze our kids, our community, and our culture with the reality of our amazing God as they see Him reflected in our holiness, in our unity, and in our families, and as they hear his truth in our conversations and gospel witness. Let’s amaze them with God!

Guidelines for Studying the Old Testament with Christ as the Focus

Posted on Apr 30, 2022 by Jason in Uncategorized |

*Notes compiled and published by Jon Akin.

The Biblical Text

—Let’s walk through the biblical text with examples from different genres and see how to apply a Christ-centered hermeneutic and what questions to ask. Now remember:

The Bible is one big story. So first we want to walk through that story as it is laid out in the OT and see what kinds of questions to ask as a whole, then we will look at specific genres.

The Story:

-God creates the world good as a perfect home for humanity (creation).

-Humanity sins and rebels against God and the result is death (fall).

-But, in the midst of judgment through curses, God graciously promises a Savior and a return to the land (redemption).

-The story of Genesis is the story of God preserving the line as well as giving types and promises of the coming salvation.

-Exodus is about God rescuing and preserving the people through whom the Messiah will come and taking them back to the land.

-The Law is given as the way to distinguish God’s Son (Israel) from the nations in order to bring about Messiah.

-At Sinai, Israel enters into a covenant with Yahweh (i.e. Marriage) and then He moves in with them in the Tabernacle (which is a return to Eden).

-Leviticus answers the question “How can a holy God live with an unholy people?” The answer is that it requires sacrifice and a priesthood (both of which are fulfilled in Jesus according to Hebrews).

-Deuteronomy is foundational because it is the culmination of all that has come before and the set up for all that will come after. They are about to enter the land but do not have the heart necessary to live out the law. But, God will grant them that in the future (i.e. New Covenant [Jer. 31:31-34] inaugurated in the blood of Jesus).

-The Former prophets show the death of Israel for violating the law: enter the land, spiral down because there’s no king; then they get a monarchy, but it fails and they ultimately end up in exile. *For his complete treatment, see Hamilton’s God’s Glory in Salvation Through Judgment. Grand Rapids: MI, Crossway, 2010

-The Latter prophets show the promise of resurrection after the death: New King, New Exodus, New Creation, etc.

-The Poetry and Writings are commentary on this storyline

Genres

• Narrative

Questions to ask of narrative texts:

-Where am I in the story? How is the kingdom of Christ prefigured in this specific time period? (i.e. the judges “There’s no king in Israel and everyone does what is right in their own eyes” signals the need of a rescuing king)

-Who am I / where do I fit in this story?

-Why is this story important? Why did God select this one to be in the Bible?

-What patterns do I see? What people, events, institutions, etc. do I see that point forward?

-Are there promises made?

-What does it tell me about Jesus, sin, judgment, mercy, etc.?

Some examples:

-In Genesis 3 we see human sin and we see judgment as a result (death, curse, cast out from paradise, separated from an intimate relationship with God, etc.), but we also see

God’s redemption in the promise of a Messiah and the animal skin that covers the shame of humanity (shedding of blood). Also, the Cherubs who block the way to Eden show up

again on the veil to the Holy of Holies (Exodus 26:31). Humanity is kept from the presence of God, but when Christ breathes his last, the veil is torn in two and humanity is again granted access to God (Matt. 27:50-53).

-Genesis 5: How do we interpret genealogies? You have to ask, “Why did God give us this genealogy? What is he trying to communicate?” Genesis 5 shows the curse of death for human sin, but it also shows that God is keeping his promise to bring about the seed of the Messiah. The seed keeps going. There continues to be life out of death. At some point the Messiah will come. When? Anticipation builds!

-Genesis 37-50: Joseph is betrayed and sold into captivity for silver by those closest to him, but in his suffering he forgives those who tried to kill him and ends up being exalted to save Israel and the world. Sound familiar?! Genesis 50:20 says that what they meant for evil, God meant for good to save lives (this points to the cross!).

-Joshua 7: Achan broke God’s command to not keep any of the devoted items of Jericho. As a result, Israel is judged. But, Achan from the tribe of Judah ultimately dies in order for Israel to live (sound familiar?). He suffers judgment so Israel can be saved and take the land. While Achan suffers for his own sins to save the people, Jesus suffers for others’ sins in order to save the world.

-Ruth: listen to the SEBTS chapel message by David Platt.

-Judges 16: You ask the question “Where am I?” This is during the period of the judges where there is a cycle of rebellion, judgment, and then rescue through a delivering judge as well as the refrain, “There was no king in Israel, every man did what was right in his own eyes.” The people of Israel need a rescuer because they are under the thumb of the Philistines. God shows that he can rescue his people through one Spirit-anointed man – Samson. His miraculous birth is foretold by an angel, he is betrayed for silver, he is arrested, blindfolded and mocked. Then, he gains a greater victory for his people in his death than he did in his life. Sound familiar? But, Samson is a sinner who himself needs a savior, so his life points forward to a greater deliverer.

-1 Samuel 16 -17: David and Goliath – see the manuscript and sermon on this text at www.danielakin.com.

• Law

The law must be interpreted in light of Christ (cf. Rom 10; Gal 3)

If you do not interpret it in light of Christ, then you will produce legalists, self-righteous Pharisees, or prosperity theologians.

Legalists: “do this and God will bless you; don’t do this and God will be mad at you.”

Prosperity: Deuteronomy 28 could be seen to say “If you obey God’s laws then you’ll have lots of kids, lots of money, etc., but if you disobey then He will curse you and you will lose your job, etc.”

The main question you have to ask of the Law is, “Who kept this law?” And the answer is NOT YOU!

Questions to ask of Law texts:

-Where am I in the storyline?

-Why did God give us this law? What is he trying to communicate to us? Why is this so important to God?

-Who is the law given to? (covenant people who have been redeemed)

-How do we break this law?

-What is the judgment for breaking this law?

-How is it fulfilled in Christ? How does Jesus keep this law?

-How does God provide mercy for his people when they break this law?

-Does the NT address this law or laws like it and how it applies to Christians?

Examples:

-Food Laws: Why did God give the food laws? He gave them to mark out the people of God as different from the pagans. They were defined by what they ate (i.e. the Lord’s Supper for us). It distinguished between the “clean” Israelites and the “unclean” Gentiles.

But, the NT tells us that was a provisional law for a time (Mark 7:19). Once Christ had come Jews and Gentiles were no longer separated on the basis of food because in the gospel all are made clean. Peter is told this in his vision before being sent to witness to Gentiles (Acts 10:15).

-Deuteronomy 21:18-23 and stoning the rebellious son: Why did God give this law? It may seem harsh to modern readers, but what is God trying to communicate with this law?

He is telling us that he takes obedience to parents very seriously and that the wages of rebellion against parents is death. How did Jesus keep this law? He was submissive to his parents (Luke 2:51), and he also obeyed the law to honor mother and father by making provision for the care of his mother at his death (John 19:26-27). But, even though Jesus never broke this command, he was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Luke 7:34; cf. Deut 21:20). He was taken outside of the city, executed and hung on a tree. He died to free us – those who have been disobedient to parents – from the curse of the law by becoming the curse for us (Deut 21:23; Gal 3:13).

– The law gives us God’s standard. We have fallen short of that standard, but Jesus kept it perfectly. This is often the way you will interpret the law. Even though Jesus was the perfect law-keeper, he died in the place of lawbreakers, so they could be forgiven. Upon faith, his perfect record of law-keeping is imputed to the believer and the Spirit is given to empower them to walk in holy obedience to God’s standard now. In fact, the law itself in the OT recognizes the need for a circumcised heart – and inward-out transformation – to carry this out. Jeremiah 31 reveals this happens only through the New Covenant, which is inaugurated in the blood of Jesus (cf. Matt 26:28).

• Poetry

There are many examples of poetry in the Bible, but the main book for this genre is Psalms.

• When interpreting poetry, keep in mind that it is affective language not just cognitive.

-This is often imaginative language meant to invoke worship.

-So, you need to interpret the feel of the passage not just the content.

• Also, when approaching poetry in a Christ-centered way, it is important to keep in mind that often the poems of the OT are retelling the mighty saving acts of God that point forward to Christ (i.e. the Exodus, the Red Sea, etc.).

Some other things to keep in mind especially with the Psalms

• Psalms is divided into 5 books

The 5 books tell the stories of:

1. David’s rise to power through suffering

2. The Davidic reign up to the time of Solomon

3. The Davidic monarchy from Solomon to exile

4. Exilic reflections on Yahweh’s past deliverance of Israel

5. A look beyond exile to Yahweh’s deliverance through the Messiah

• Psalms 1 and 2 are the introduction to the book that set up this storyline

The blessed man of Psalm 1 who delights in the law is the messianic king of Psalm 2 who establishes a global kingdom (cf. the kingly laws in Deut 17 where the king must be a man of the law in order for his dynasty to endure).

This is both the foundation and the expectation of the Psalms – a faithful Messiah who establishes a global dominion – and this is fulfilled in Christ.

Questions to ask of Poetry:

-Where am I in the storyline? (i.e. monarchy, exile, post-exile)

-Does the poem reference historical saving events that point to Christ? (i.e. Red Sea)

-Why did the author write this poem? What is he trying to communicate to us?

-What kind of Psalm is it? (i.e. lament, royal, wisdom, etc.)

-Does the NT quote this poem or a poem like this? (i.e. Psa 22, Psa 110, etc.)

Examples:

-Psalm 22-24: Psalm 22 shows the suffering and the figurative death and resurrection of David. Psalm 23 shows him walking through the valley of death, and Psalm 24 shows him ascending into the Holy Place. This is all fulfilled in the death, resurrection and ascension of David’s Son – Jesus of Nazareth.

-Psalm 73: This Psalm talks about how the righteous might doubt when they suffer and the wicked prosper. But, the way to battle this doubt is to see the end of the wicked when God finally holds them accountable and the vindication of the righteous. This points to the gospel. Judas and the Jewish leaders seem to prosper in the short run while the righteous one suffers, but on Easter Sunday the script is flipped. Judas is dead and undergoing judgment, and the Righteous One has walked away from death.

-Dennis Johnson points out in his book Him We Proclaim that if the NT interprets one lament Psalm as fulfilled in Jesus (i.e. Psalm 22), then you can approach all lament psalms in that way.2 This is a helpful paradigm for interpretation. We see each of the types of Psalms connected to Christ (i.e. royal, law, lament, etc.), so even ones that aren’t specifically referenced in the NT can be interpreted similarly.

2C.f. the section entitled “Song: ‘The Mystery and Misery of the Downcast Soul’” in Johnson, Dennis E. Him We Proclaim. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2007 (pp. 313-20).

• Wisdom

It is all too common to read Proverbs like a Pharisee: i.e. do these things so that you have a blessed life. I think there are two ways to interpret Proverbs in a Christ-centered manner:

1. Jesus is the Davidic “son” of Solomon who grows in and fulfills this wisdom (Luke 2:52). Indeed, the Messiah is described as one who embodies the wisdom of Proverbs (cf. Isa 11) So, in many ways you should approach Proverbs like you would approach the law.

• Proverbs presents God’s standard for living and the result of falling short is an irreversible death.

• We fall short of that standard, but Jesus meets and fulfills it.

• However, even though Jesus lives this out perfectly, he dies in the place of fools and walks away from the irreversible death giving to those who believe in Him forgiveness for their foolishness and new life to walk in wisdom.

2. Wisdom isn’t a set of ideas; wisdom is a person (cf. Prov 1:20-33; 8:1-33; 9:1-6)

• Proverbs 1-9 presents rivals who compete for the son’s affection: Wisdom and Folly

• Wisdom ultimately refers to Jesus who is the wisdom of God (1 Cor 1:24, 30)

• Folly stands for idols and ultimately Satan

• The father wants his son to make a decision to embrace Wisdom and reject Folly.

That choice between two personal beings, Wisdom and Folly, determines if one can walk in the wisdom of Proverbs 10-31, and the stakes could not be higher—it’s the difference between both physical and eternal life or death. If you can’t walk in the wisdom of the book—if you can’t control your tongue, manage your money, finish your work—then it shows that you have a problem with Messiah (Jesus) and that you are following idols, which will ultimately lead to destruction.

Wisdom is also presented as the way the world works (i.e. something you can observe in nature) as well as a way that you walk. The Bible reveals that Jesus is the way (John 14:6) and he is the one who upholds creation, so you can’t see the order of the world apart from Him.

Questions to ask of Wisdom:

-What is the standard of ethics presented here?

-What is God / the sage attempting to communicate?

3 For a Christocentric approach to Song of Songs that also honors the historical-grammatical hermeneutic, see Daniel L. Akin, Song of Songs, in Christ-Centered Exposition. Each study concludes with the question, “How does this text point to Christ?”

-What’s the penalty for falling short?

-How has God made provision for our failures in Christ?

Examples:

-Proverbs 5-7: Sexual sin is described as predator hunting you down to kill you. Standing behind that predator is Folly (cf. Prov 9) who wants to drag you down to the grave. The way to be rescued is to embrace the gospel vertically (faith in Christ) and horizontally (as pictured in marriage; cf. Eph 5:22-33 and Prov 5:15-20). This points to Christ because even though he was pure and never sexually unfaithful, he went into the grave for you, crushed the head of the predator and came back alive on the other side.

-Prov 26:4-5: This proverb seems to be contradictory, but it’s not. The sage is saying that there are some types of fools and situations where you shouldn’t rebuke, correct, or confront because if you do then it will mean stooping to their level, but there are times when you should correct a fool because they might listen. The sage’s point is that wisdom is the discernment to know when to correct and when to remain silent. Jesus amazed people with this ability. He knew when to stay silent and when to rebuke (cf. Matt 15; 16; Matt 21:27; Matt 22:15-22, 46; Matt 27:14).

* A series of messages on Proverbs by Jon Akin is available online.

• Prophecy

The prophetic writings are commentary on the storyline of the OT

• Israel has fallen short of the Law (as detailed in Deuteronomy), so they face judgment from God

• The prophets call the people to repentance with warnings to turn back to the Law and God

• They foretell a sure punishment of exile because of the people’s failure

• However, they also promise restoration and new life after the judgment

Also, the imagery in the prophets is often drawn from earlier themes like the Exodus, King David, the Temple, etc. to show what the future reality will be like as well.

The storyline of the OT as explained by the prophets mirrors the gospel story itself: Israel’s birth as a nation in the Exodus, their death for sin in the Exile, and their resurrection from the dead in the return to the land. The NT is clear that Jesus re-lives the life of Israel as the true Israelite.

Questions to ask of prophetic texts:

• Where am I in the storyline? (i.e. divided monarchy, exile, post-exile)

• Does this text draw on past events to describe how God is working now and will work in the future? (i.e. Exodus, Davidic dynasty, etc.)

• Does the text talk about God’s judgment of Israel for their sins? Does the text talk about God’s mercy toward Israel?

• Does the NT quote this text or a text like it?

Examples:

-Isaiah 25: This text describes a victory feast for all nations that will be eaten when death is overturned forever. This is partially fulfilled in the Lord’s Supper and the events symbolized in it—the broken body and spilt blood of Christ and the fellowship of his body around his sacrifice. The fullness of the Supper and the culmination of Isaiah 25 will be realized at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6-9).

-Isaiah 35: This text describes the future salvation as an overturning of the curse of sin so that blind see, deaf hear, lame leap, etc. Jesus inaugurates this kingdom in his ministry. All of his miracles of healing are a proclamation that salvation has come through the Messiah and serve as a foretaste of the final realization in the New Creation (Rev. 21:3-4).

-Isaiah 52:13-53:12 – see the manuscript at www.danielakin.com

-Jeremiah 29: This text is commonly misunderstood. People claim Jeremiah 29:11 as their favorite verse and lean on it to give them confidence that God has a wonderful plan for them to be successful. The problem is this verse isn’t about them; it’s about Israel.

The promise of this verse is a restoration for Israel after the death of exile (cf. Ezek 37) where they will return to the land after judgment. Daniel 9-12 says this exile will ultimately end not with the physical return to the land, but instead with the execution and resurrection of the Messiah. So, while this text isn’t talking about God’s wonderful future for you as a doctor, or lawyer, or businessman, it is telling you something far greater. You have a future and a hope in Jesus Christ when you find the Lord with a transformed heart and live with Him forever.

-Amos 8: This text talks about God’s judgment falling on Israel for their violation of the law in mistreating the poor. This time of judgment will occur during a time of feasting (8:10) where God will make it dark in the middle of the day. When does this happen in history? Well, during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, God pours out his judgment and makes it dark at noonday at the cross! (Matt. 27:45ff).

Resources on Christ Centered Hermeneutics

Edmund Clowney, The Unfolding Mystery: Discovering Christ in the Old Testament (2nd ed.)

Graeme Goldsworthy, Christ-Centered Biblical Theology: Hermeneutical Foundations and Principles

______, Gospel-Centered Hermeneutics: Foundations and Principles of Evangelical Biblical Interpretation

______, Preaching the Whole Bible as Christian Scripture: The Application of Biblical Theology to Expository Preaching

Sidney Greidanus, Preaching Christ from the Old Testament: A Contemporary Hermeneutical Method

David Murray, Jesus on Every Page: 10 Simple Ways to See and Find Christ in the Old Testament

Ed Stetzer, Christ-Centered Preaching and Teaching

Trevin Wax, Gospel-Centered Teaching: Showing Christ in All the Scripture

Mar '22

Praying for Ukraine (March 2022 newsletter)

Posted on Mar 1, 2022 by Jason in Articles |

Mar '22

All of us are, or should be, moved to hit our knees praying on behalf of the country of Ukraine. I have been moved by the courage and commitment of the citizens of Ukraine, and especially the Christians who have chosen to remain in their communities even as the imminent threat of danger and death marches in their streets. A few days before Russia attacked the nation of Ukraine, several seminaries from former Soviet Republics issued a statement condemning Russian aggression, confessing allegiance to Christ, and urging Christians everywhere to pray for peace. In part, their statement said:

The Christian Church has been instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. Created by the Word of God and directed by the Holy Spirit, the Church confesses one Lord and Savior Jesus, his gospel and law. Therefore, as part of the Church and under the Lordship of Christ, we are called to speak the truth and expose deceit (Ephesians 4:15; 4:25).

We confess the real and unlimited power of God over all countries and continents (Psalm 24:1), as well as over all kings and rulers (Proverbs 21:1); therefore, nothing in all creation can interfere with the fulfillment of the good and perfect will of God. We, together with the first Christians, affirm “Jesus is Lord,” and not Caesar.

We ask you to pray for peace for the people of Ukraine and for courage and wisdom for Christian churches so that they continue to serve those in need.

We pray for our authorities and put our hope in the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who is, and remains, our refuge and our fortress, even in time of war (Psalm 46).

(You can read the full statement here)

Vasyl Ostryi is a pastor at Irpin’ Bible Church in a city near Kyiv. He is also a professor of youth ministry at Kyiv Theological Seminary. He and his family made the decision to remain in their city in order to serve as they were needed. He said this about their decision to stay, “How should the church respond when there is a growing threat of war? When there is constant fear in society? I’m convinced that if the church is not relevant at a time of crisis, then it is not relevant in a time of peace.”

Pray for Pastor Ostryi, and many other brothers and sisters in Christ who have made this same decision. This past weekend a video of a Ukrainian family singing He Will Hold Me Fast made the rounds on Twitter and social media. I thought of them as we sang this same song this past Sunday in our service. Separated by thousands of miles and vastly different circumstances, we stand in the same grace, rest on the same solid promises of Christ, and sing the same songs that confess our faith.

Westwood’s first foreign mission trip was in 1993 and it was to the country of Ukraine. Upon our return, I wrote the following in our church newsletter:

Recently I had the wonderful opportunity to travel to the former Soviet Union country of Ukraine. It was a real privilege to be able to minister among those dear people who have suffered under the hand of communism for so many years. These people know what it is like to be persecuted for their faith in Christ. The people of these former communist countries are spiritually starved and are open, as never before, to the love of Jesus Christ.

On one occasion, we had the opportunity to visit and preach at a military base that was a former nuclear missile site. Men who had been trained to hate and mistrust Americans were now embracing us and receiving with joy the message of Christ. I preached from Ephesians 2:13-14, and the truth of that passage was very clear as we stood together on that military base. Nations that previously had in common only their nuclear power now were experiencing the power of Christ to break down walls and bring together former enemies.

So, our church has personally been involved in the lives of brothers and sisters in Christ in Ukraine. Now we can continue that involvement with them through prayer, fasting, and the common bond we share in Christ as we lift up the people of Ukraine, Russia, all of Europe, and our world.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Psalm 46:1–3

Oct '21

Taking The Gospel Home Project – Week of October 3, 2021

Posted on Oct 6, 2021 by Jason in [Taking] The Gospel [Home] Project |

Oct '21

On this first ever episode of the podcast Jason and Deb talk a little bit about the launch of our new curriculum this past Sunday. They also dig a bit deeper into the first session, In The Beginning. What elements of the creation story from Genesis 1 allow for deeper discussions with our kids at home? What are some key doctrinal truths that we should be careful to point our kids to know and consider?

May '21

Our Goal: Knowing God through the Scriptures (May Newsletter)

Posted on May 4, 2021 by Jason in Articles |

May '21

In considering what it means to know for my dissertation, philosopher Esther Meek has provided me with such valuable insight. Over the last two decades she has developed something that she calls Covenant Epistemology wherein she seeks to recover the relational aspects of what it means to know. She speaks of knowing as a relationship, and because she is a Christian this relationship between the knower and the known is rooted in our relationship with God. While I will not get too deep into this system, I do want to share one aspect of it that has truly opened up to me what knowledge really is and how we should pursue it.

Meek refers to knowing as an event that takes place in three phases: knowing toward, knowing through, and knowing from. When we are learning something initially we are knowing toward that thing. At this point that thing is nothing more than a concept, something for us to consider. Now, we may study this concept to gain comprehension of it. We may memorize it. We may even come to affirm it as something that we suggest is true. But Meek wants us to see that we do not truly know it until we move through the other two stages.

We move from knowing toward something to knowing through it only as we decide to test it out—to exercise faith that the concept is really true. This is not only a willingness to affirm its truth with our lives, but to exercise that affirmation by acting on it as if it’s true. This is THE key to truly growing in full knowledge. Only as we lay out through a truth claim can we come to truly know if it is real and right. If we never actually lay out through it, we may affirm it with our lips, but it will never actually change the way we live.

The result of laying out through a concept and experiencing its truth is that we come to rest in its reality. This is another way of saying that we begin to live from it. We conform ourselves to what we have experienced and has been affirmed to us as what is true and real and good. This is a picture of worldview. This knowing event has shaped that worldview, perhaps even by altering it, as we have grown in our understanding of reality.

I realize this is philosophical, but I hope that you will consider this. I have struggled greatly in reading Meek because I am not very philosophical myself. But I believe that this truth about knowing is absolutely key to spiritual formation. Here’s the spiritual application of this. So often we stop at being content to know toward biblical truth—even toward theological truth (or truth about who God is). The Bible calls us to go further than that. Paul prays that our knowledge would go deeper than that. God has placed the Spirit within us to lead us not just to affirmation toward what is true, but to lay out through it in faith so that we might come to know through experience that it is certain, good, and what is really real. Only then can our knowledge of God begin to shape our lives as we begin to live life from the truth of who he is. He does not desire for us to know him in concept alone; he desires for us to yield ourselves to who he really is. He desires for us to know all things in light of who he really is.

Brothers and sisters, I want for us to know God–not conceptually, but relationally…fully! This is the why behind the way we shape our programs like Sunday School and Life Groups. This is the why behind the way we shape our weekly Worship Guide. I don’t want us to know toward God’s love (for example) in concept; I want us to come to more fully and deeply know his love as we not only lay out through the certainty of that love by faith, but come to live from the knowledge of his love.

This is just the beginning of what I hope will be a rich conversation that we will begin to have together about what it means to pursue knowing God. I look forward to having that conversation with you and pursuing knowing him together!