I humbly borrow the following Puritan supplication, my sincere prayer and desire:
My Master God, I am desired to preach today, but go weak and needy to my task; Yet I long that people might be edified with divine truth, that an honest testimony might be borne for thee; Give me assistance in preaching and prayer, with heart uplifted for grace and unction. Present to my view things pertinent to my subject, with fullness of matter and clarity of thought, proper expressions, fluency, fervency, a feeling sense of the things I preach, and grace to apply them to men’s consciences. Keep me conscious all the while of my defects, and let me not gloat in pride over my performance. Help me to offer a testimony for thyself, and to leave sinners inexcusable in neglecting thy mercy. Give me freedom to open the sorrows of thy people, and to set before them comforting considerations. Attend with power the truth preached, and awaken the attention of my slothful audience. May thy people be refreshed, melted, convicted, comforted, and help me to use the strongest arguments drawn from Christ’s incarnation and sufferings, that men might be made holy. I myself need thy support, comfort, strength, holiness, that I might be a pure channel of thy grace, and be able to do something for thee; Give me then refreshment among thy people, and help me not to treat excellent matter in a defective way, or bear a broken testimony to so worthy a redeemer, or be harsh in treating of Christ’s death, its design and end, from lack of warmth and fervency. And keep me in tune with thee as I do this work. -- The Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions In Christ, Blain Craig
0 Comments
Over the last several weeks we have been thinking about the nature and value of our shared covenant at Oak Crest. This week we will conclude with the final phrases of the covenant. The conclusion of the covenant states, “to express Christian sympathy; to be slow to take offense but always ready for reconciliation, honoring the teachings of our Savior. Moreover, we covenant that when we remove from this place, we will, as soon as possible, unite with another New Testament church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God’s Word.”
Within the church, more than any other relationships we have, we should be slow to become bitter or angry. I know how easy it is to be hurt by the words or the actions of others. One thing we can count on is that people will inevitably let us down. Not one of us is perfect. We are humans that make mistakes. We say the wrong thing, sometimes intentionally, sometimes unintentionally. We must truly love one another in the love of Jesus Christ. We must be constantly willing to extend forgiveness and love to one another. We must be willing to seek reconciliation rapidly. If bitterness and unforgiveness are allowed to simmer in the body of Christ, horrible things result. Because we are Christians, bought with the blood of Christ, forgiven of a debt we could never repay, we must willing forgive our brothers and sisters in Christ. There is no hurt you or I could ever endure equal to the hurt our own sin caused Christ on the Cross. There is no offense we could ever experience that equals the offense of our sin before a holy God. Let’s harbor an atmosphere of love and reconciliation according to the covenant we hold together. Finally, the covenant requires that if there is ever a time we leave this place, we must join with another church as soon as possible. There should never be a time when a believer is not plugged into a local congregation. We desperately need the love and support and encouragement of others. We need the wisdom and teaching of others. We need to hear the Word of God through the mouths of others. The spirit of this final part of the covenant is best reflected in the book of Hebrews. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near,” (Hebrews 10: 24-25). In Christ, Blain Craig The next portion of our Covenant states, “We further covenant to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress;”
Not only is our responsibility to behave like Christians in the outside world, but also to be Christians in our behavior to one another. We are to watch over one another in brotherly love. That does not merely mean we are to care for each other, although it certainly does mean that. It is more than care, it is accountability. This is something that many, many churches neglect in this modern age of consumer driven church. We don’t like the idea of accountability. We don’t like to think about answering to anyone outside ourselves. We may even say, “I am accountable to Christ alone!” That is true, but the means Christ has established to disciple his people is the church. This mutual accountability is clear throughout Scripture. It is not something to be feared, but embraced. God loves us and through his word provides for our growth and maturity. Hebrews says, “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? … For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it,” Hebrews 12: 7,11. Please remember, this accountability, this “watching over” is redemptive not judgmental. We need one another to grow in the faith. So what does this covenant of accountability look like? We see it described in the next phrases of the covenant. We must lift one another up in intercessory prayer. If we are all accountable to the Lord, we should pray for one another fervently. I hope you will pray for all the people of our church on a regular basis, not only when they are ill. Pray they will grow and mature in the things of Christ. Pray they will develop a passion and desire for the word of God. Pray that they will be all that God wants them to be at Oak Crest and in his glorious kingdom. Equally, we are to love one another in times of sickness. Our desire for one another should always be health and growth both spiritually and physically. There is nothing quite like facing sickness with the love and support of your church family. Many of you have felt the prayers of our church as you or a loved one has recovered in a time of illness. We need and depend on each other. There is no substitute for a church family when times are difficult. In Christ, Blain Craig |
AuthorDr. Blain Craig Archives
November 2024
Categories |