Month: July 2024

Links for the Weekend (2024-07-26)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

Savor Christ in Every Psalm

This article feels especially appropriate with our current sermon series on the Psalms. Christopher Ash writes about how we can sing the Psalms best when we see Jesus as the chief psalm-singer.

But with Christ, I rejoice that, first and fundamentally, Christ himself is the blessed man of Psalm 1; Christ is the righteous man of Psalm 15; Christ has the pure heart called for in Psalm 24. It is Christ who fulfills the high calling of the Psalms, Christ who can sing them with perfect assurance, Christ who ascends to the Father, and Christ alone who brings me there. The Psalms set before us unnumbered blessings. Each one of them is yours and mine in Christ.

The Lord Sees: Learn to Rest in God’s Justice

The fact that the Lord sees all can be terrifying or comforting. Trevin Wax fruitfully meditates on this theme.

“El Roi” is a name given to God in the Old Testament, a source of comfort and peace in times of distress. It first falls from the trembling lips of Hagar, the enslaved woman driven into the wilderness after being caught up in the sinful designs of her master and his wife. There she kneels, despondent and despairing, ready for life to come to an end. And there in that desert of sorrow, the Lord sees. Transformed by the gracious presence of the God of all justice and mercy, Hagar speaks with surprising confidence. She names the Lord who spoke to her: “In this place, have I actually seen the one who sees me?” (Gen 16:13)

Prayer (I)—George Herbert

Our poem of the week: Prayer (I), by George Herbert. This is a delightful poem to read out loud (even if I’m not sure what exactly all of it means!).

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called The Word of the Cross is the Power of God. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

The Word of the Cross is the Power of God

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

It’s one of the first verses many Christians memorize, especially those growing up in churches that emphasize evangelism.

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

This verse has made its way onto t-shirts and stickers aplenty. My Bible reading recently included 1 and 2 Corinthians, and I took some time to pause and reflect.

The word of the cross is […] the power of God. That statement begs for investigation.

“Power” is best known or understood when it is deployed. So, in what sense is the “word of the cross” the “power of God?” Or, phrased in a different way: If the word of the cross is the power of God “to us who are being saved,” what is it the power of God for? What does the word of the cross do?

Fortunately, the context of this verse answers this question!

An Overview of 1 Corinthians 1

Here’s a brief overview of the first chapter of 1 Corinthians. Paul identifies himself and addresses the letter to the church in Corinth (1 Cor 1:1–3). He emphasizes that these saints are called “together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:2). We’ll see why shortly, but there is A LOT of “together” language in this paragraph! It caused me to count—in this chapter the word “our” occurs eight times, “us” occurs twice, and “we” also occurs twice.

In verses 4–9, Paul thanks God for the Corinthians. They were “enriched” in speech and knowledge so that they were “not lacking in any gift.” These Christians are prepared to “wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor 1:7).

Paul appeals for unity in 1 Cor 1:10–17, especially in verse 10. He appeals that “there be no divisions among you.” There are factions—some following Paul, Apollos, or Cephas (verse 12). Paul emphasizes Jesus’s proper place when he writes that Christ sent him “to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:17).

In 1 Cor 1:18–25, Paul describes how God has “made foolish the wisdom of the world” (verse 20). God’s means of doing this is “through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe” (verse 21). Despite what audiences want, Paul is committed to preaching “Christ crucified” (1 Cor 1:23).

Finally, Paul describes God’s purposes in calling the people he called. Not many of them were esteemed in the eyes of the world, but God called them to shame those in high places. God did this “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Cor 1:29).

What Does this Power Do?

I see at least three things that God’s power—in the form of the word of the cross—accomplishes. While these are written specifically to the church at Corinth, they are relevant for us as well.

The word of the cross destroys the wisdom of the wise

This comes from a fairly straight-ahead reading of 1 Cor 1:18–19. God will “destroy the wisdom of the wise” and he will thwart “the discernment of the discerning.” The world cannot uncover the message of the gospel through its knowledge and cunning; the best the world has to offer cannot match even the foolishness of God (verse 25). “The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing” (verse 18).

The word of the cross saves those who believe

To be precise, it is God who saves through this word, but the fact comes directly from 1 Cor 1:21. Those who are called are those who believe; and to all those who are called, Christ is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1:21,24). This truth is present in the verse with which this article began: to those who are being saved, the word of the cross is the power of God (1 Cor 1:18).

The word of the cross unites believers in Christ

This use of the power of God picks up the thread running through this chapter. God chooses whom he chooses—not many who are wise or respectable—so that no one might boast in his presence. He wants anyone who boasts to boast in the Lord (1 Cor 1:31). This points all attention to Jesus and to the powerful word of his cross, so that Paul can write, “And because of [God] you are in Christ Jesus” (1 Cor 1:30).

For a church divided enough to claim different leaders (Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Christ), this is a vital message. All of the Corinthian believers are in Christ, thanks to the word of the cross. And because they are all in Christ, they can be “united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Cor 1:10).

The Powerful Word of the Cross

The preaching that Paul commends to the Corinthians is specifically the word of the cross. Paul preached Christ crucified. This is the beating heart of the gospel: Jesus died for sinners.

We must not end our discussion of Jesus with his healings, his teachings, or his example, as valuable as these are. The gospel goes through the cross, and that powerful word changes hearts, it heals churches, and it upends the whole world.

Post credit | Photo credit

Links for the Weekend (2024-07-19)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

The Three Greatest Enemies of Marriage

Some counselors might point to money, sex, and in-laws as the three hardest issues in marriage. Tim Challies has found that the greatest enemies to his marriage are much more personal.

The greatest challenges to my marriage haven’t come from without but from within. The greatest discouragements haven’t stemmed from circumstances but from character. The greatest difficulties haven’t arisen from other people but from myself. I have learned that the greatest enemies of my marriage are the unholy trinity of me, myself, and I. When I consider my marriage with honesty and with whatever humility I can muster up, I have to admit that it’s me.

Why Every Church Member Matters

The overwhelming majority of church members won’t be well-known outside of their local community. But all church members are vitally important.

When we look at Paul’s letters, we see him name around 100 different people. There are deacons, coworkers, ministry partners, friends, and church hosts. God’s work is too big for Paul, too big even for a Bible-writing apostle. There is no way to experience all that God intends for us as his church with only celebrity leaders, senior pastors, and paid staff. It takes many people to do God’s work.

‘Every Idle Word’: What if we had to own up to what we say?

Our poem of the week: a meditation by Malcolm Guite on Jesus’s warning about our “idle words.”

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

Links for the Weekend (2024-07-12)

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

How God Uses Our Waiting

The title of this post doesn’t exactly match its content, but I found this discussion of waiting helpful nonetheless.

I don’t know if I’ll ever love waiting. The tension is uncomfortable. Frankly, I’d rather have quick solutions and easy answers. But the more I’ve studied what it means to wait on God, the more I see the value of the gap moments. They provide an opportunity to renew my trust in a God who loves me and cares for me and whose ways are always good.

Beware the Emotional Prosperity Gospel

We might reject the prosperity gospel (faith will bring you health and material wealth), but do we accidentally buy in to an emotional prosperity gospel?

Here’s how we could summarize the emotional prosperity gospel: genuine faith in Christ removes all negative emotions. Therefore, the presence of negative emotions—fear, anxiety, anger, or sadness—reveals a lack of faith. At first glance, many evangelicals sense the Bible supports this view.

Thou Shalt Not Catastrophize

Glenna Marshall writes about how memorizing verses from the book of James helped her to learn not to be afraid.

My desire to be in control of my life continued to shape the way I viewed the world when I went to college, got married, became a pastor’s wife, and especially—especially—when I had children. If my ability to plan for every possible catastrophe was strong before kids, there was no comparison after having kids. Every rash, fever, unexplained symptom, off-schedule milestone, or potential for illness or injury kept me awake at night. When my kids were small, I lost many nights of sleep trying to decide if we should go to the hospital or not. My fears of what could happen to my children made me fearful of the world. Personal health struggles only added to my frenzied catastrophizing. I googled everything all the time, trying to research my way out of a potential disaster. Knowledge was power, right? I decided that preparation was wisdom and wisdom was preparation.

On the WPCA Blog This Week

This week on the blog we published an article I wrote called The Tabernacle Reveals the Goal of the Exodus. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out!

Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here. 

The Tabernacle Reveals the Goal of the Exodus

Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

What’s the main point of Exodus?

Before we dive in, consider this outline. It’s taken from this commentary by Peter Enns.

  1. Departure from Egypt (chs 1–15)
    1. Prelude (chs 1–6)
    2. Plagues (chs 7–12)
    3. Departure (chs 13–15)
  2. Mt. Sinai: Law (chs 16–24)
    1. Journey to Sinai (chs 16–18)
    2. Ten Commandments (chs 19–20)
    3. The Book of the Covenant (chs 21–24)
  3. Mt. Sinai: Tabernacle (chs 25–40)
    1. Instructions for the Tabernacle (chs 25–31)
    2. Rebellion and Forgiveness (chs 32–34)
    3. Building the Tabernacle (chs 35–40)

    The Reason for God’s Deliverance

    We need to make one distinction before discussing the main point of this book. The Passover and the Red Sea deliverance were the central events of the book. Many passages in the Bible reference these episodes.

    But why did God deliver his people?

    Part of the answer is that God is compassionate! God saw his people suffering, heard their cry, and saved them with his strong arm (Ex 2:23–25; Ex 6:6). But God himself gives another reason.

    God delivered his people because he wanted to be with them. Let’s take a look at the evidence.

    • God tells the Israelites, “I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” (Ex 6:7). The larger context (Ex 6:1–7) connects God’s saving work in Egypt to his covenant with Abraham. The exodus is a result of God’s covenant love for his people.
    • When Moses sings after coming through the Red Sea, he praises God for guiding the people “by your strength to your holy abode” (Ex 15:13). He also says God will “bring them in and plant them on your own mountain, the place, O Lord, which you have made for your abode, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands have established” (Ex 15:17). Moses knows God has a dwelling with Israel in mind.
    • From Mount Sinai, God tells the people: “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex 19:4–6). God didn’t just bring the people out of Egypt, he brought them to himself to be his treasured possession out of all the earth.
    • Finally, consider the tabernacle. When God first gives Moses instructions about taking contributions for and building the tabernacle, he states the purpose of this massive undertaking: “And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst” (Ex 25:8). At great expense of materials, labor, and time, God wants a place where he can dwell with his people.

    Here’s my attempt at the main point of Exodus: God delivered his people, at great cost, that he might dwell with them.

    Here’s another way to say this: the tabernacle shows us the goal of God’s saving work. This explains why so much of the book of Exodus (16 chapters!) is about the tabernacle. While the destination is the promised land, the goal is fellowship with God.

    So Much Repetition

    Before studying Exodus over the past year with my church, I hadn’t realized how central the tabernacle is to the book. Think about it—all the way back at the burning bush (Ex 3:21–22), God promised that the Egyptians would give their gold to Israel. And this same gold was used to build the tabernacle!

    It’s significant enough to notice that, from the outline above, more chapters in Exodus are devoted to the tabernacle than anything else. But the repetition involved trumpets this emphasis through a megaphone.

    The instructions for the tabernacle given in chapters 25–31 are repeated almost verbatim in chapters 35–40. A side-by-side comparison reveals very few differences. It would have been so easy for Moses to write, “And the people built the tabernacle according to all of the instructions that the Lord commanded.” Why do we have so much repetition?

    Moses wanted to emphasize the people’s obedience. Especially in light of the golden calf incident (more on that next week), it was important to say that the Israelites made the tabernacle exactly the way God commanded it, in every last detail.

    But, as happens so frequently in the Bible, this repetition points to importance. Moses is taking us through all the embroidery and curtains and utensils and furniture again so we’ll see just how important the tabernacle is. This is the place where God will dwell! Even before the people have a place of their own, they have a God of their own who loves them and will be with them.

    God’s Everlasting Presence

    Perhaps the implications for us are easy to see. If God delivered his people, at great cost, that he might dwell with them in the exodus, how much more has he done this for us!

    The cost of our redemption was the life and agony of the very Son of God, Jesus. Our destination is heaven—the new heavens and the new earth where we will dwell with God (Rev 21:3) forever. The goal of our redemption is restored fellowship with God. Christ died “that he might bring us to God” (1 Pet 3:18).

    But this fellowship with God begins at regeneration, not glorification! We enjoy God’s presence right now, as God the Holy Spirit dwells with us. If your mind reels at the thought of so great a truth, join the club. It’s staggering.

    Post credit | Photo credit

    Links for the Weekend (2024-07-05)

    Posted onAuthorRyan Higginbottom

    Each Friday, I’ll post links to 3–5 resources from around the web you may want to check out.

    What Does the Bible Mean by “the Heart”?

    The Bible mentions the heart frequently, and so do most modern Christians. This article offers a helpful description of what we mean by “heart.”

    Put simply, the heart in Scripture conveys the totality of our inner self. We are governed from this one point of unity. From it “flow the springs of life” (Prov. 4:23). It is the control center—the source of every thought, the seat of every passion, and the arbiter of every decision. All of it is generated from and governed by this one point of undivided unity.

    Train Your Body in Light of Eternity

    Stacy Reaoch writes about the tendency we have to swing from apathy to obsession when it comes to bodily training. She points us to godly motivation for caring for our bodies.

    Maybe you can relate—the demands of this fast-paced world often prod us to try to do more and more, all while looking good and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Even when we remember that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19–20) and start out with a good desire to steward our bodies well, the push of our western culture to look our best for the sake of vanity can send us spiraling into obsessive workouts, diets, and expensive beauty rituals. Or on the other side, we might lose sight of the fact that we are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God (Ps. 139:14) and think our bodies are not worth caring for diligently.

    God’s Purpose in Our Boredom

    Here’s an intriguing question that John Piper answers on his podcast: How should Christians think about boredom?

    Note: Washington Presbyterian Church and the editors of this blog do not necessarily endorse all content produced by the individuals or groups referenced here.