Good Update

This morning we took Braydon to the cardiologist for a surgical follow-up. He had an extensive echocardiagram done showing his heart looks great. Dr. Sanchez does not need to see him for another 6 months and has reassured us that no more surgeries are needed. As you can see from the picture above Braydon is a becoming a BIG boy and loves to show off his battle scars which are healing nicely. Thanks for the prayers and remember our CHOP friends like the Urbanicks before the Lord as well. Their little guy Dylan still has a long road of recovery ahead of him.

Children's Hospital Visit

Last week Shelly and I had to take our son Braydon to the Hospital to visit some specialists. While we were there we stopped to visit a dear friend Melissa and her son Dylan who has some serious health concerns. He has been a Cardiac ICU patient for a month now. It was his 6 month birthday that day!! When he takes a few steps forward there always seems to be 3 steps back in his recovery and has been on and off a vent for a few weeks. Please keep the Urbanick family in your prayers. Melissa is a loving Mom and needs lots of support at this time. She knows our church is praying. Keep it up!

Nailed

Finally some notes from my Sermon that I promised two weeks ago. My fault.
I got a lot of good feedback from people and I thank the Lord for that.

I. Culture in Paul’s time

Acts 17:16: Now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was being provoked within him as he was beholding a city full of idols.

A. Who or what are people worship.

Act 17:22-28

1 Corinthians 9: 22; I have become all things to all men that I may by all means save some; This is why Paul was in Athens in the first place.

B. Christians and the church need to be there where the culture is. Paul did that. He was in the city and engaged the culture of that day.

II. Culture would rather be about themselves

Verse 18 – They made fun of Paul at first. Of course they would. He was preaching about Jesus to the JEWS – and the Gentiles. The place was full of idols.

Verse 22- 31 Paul preaches a sermon.

He leads them to GOD the creator v.24

Then is says that He is close to us through Jesus v. 27

Uses their poetry

Then REPENT v.30 (That’s preaching) REPENT of your SIN

God is coming to judge you! Trust in Jesus!

It has stopped being about Jesus

D.A. Carson: “One generation confirmed it, the next generation affirmed it, this generation denies it.”

A. Stirring opposition

In Paul’s day he looked at what his world was about and reached it. What kind of world are we in today? THAT DOES NOT STIR OPPOSITION. Culture would not oppose that.

• We need to talk about what Christ has done and see that sin is a condition that we are in and deserve God’s judgment.
• II. Culture and the church no longer understand the gospel

H. Richard Neibuhr once said about Protestant Liberalism “ A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through a Christ without a cross.”

Christian Smith, University of North Carolina sociologist said American teens working religion, both church and unchurched is a form “moralistic therapeutic deism.” See his site.

• Plus Christianity is not a culture

Jim Gilmore, a Christian economist said something really intriguing I heard. He said the church always tries to catch up for what the world is doing. Gilmore said this, “Culture is that set of behavior which remains even after you have 100 % turnover in the people.” He goes on to say that, “The church should be focused on what began in Genesis 3 and the culture of sin, there is nothing new about that, but it manifests itself differently.”

IV. Christ our substitute

A. The meaning – Quite simply Christ suffered as our substitute. The advantage is to us. We could have atoned for our sins if we could have suffered eternally the penalty that sin incurred. But we could have never done that. God stepped in this hopeless situation.

B. The Day of Atonement Leviticus 16 This was the most important day in the Jewish calendar. The main purpose of this day was to deal with the sin of the people. Between Israel and God. The predominant theme that was used to prepare the people for Jesus was blood. We can clearly see that here in Yom Kippur. Two healthy goats without defect were chose and brought to the priest. They were to represent sinless perfection. The priest brought one goat into the Holy of Holies and slaughtered it there. He sprinkled its blood on the mercy seat. This was to show that the goat was no longer INNOCENT but took the guilt of the sin of the people and gave its life as a payment to GOD. Because the people deserved the violent death for their sin. The mercy seat was on the ark of the covenant. The Blood slaughter of the goat on the Day of Atonement represents Propitiation. It means God’s wrath, mentioned 600 times in the Bible was turned away. Satisfied by the death of an innocent So we that God’s wrath was satisfied once for away in Jesus. God’s wrath was put upon Him turned aside from us.

Colossians 2:8-23

• 8

One of the reasons why Paul wrote Colossians is to protect this church from empty Philosophy. This is what He says in verse 8.

• 10

He wants to point his people to Christ. Because He was God while on Earth. Deity, died on the cross. Mark 15:39 the centurion called Him the Son of God.

• 13

Paul says that we were completely dead in our trespasses and sin. We were lost, condemned to hell!! God had to do something. There had to be a mediator. There had to be a sacrifice.

• 14

It was nailed to the Cross. THIS IS A GREAT image of what happened at the crucifixion. Our debts, our withdraws in the debt ledger of our checkbooks was paid at the cross by Christ.

• 16-23

Paul lays out the elementary principles of what people followed.

He calls this self made religion and has no value against sin!! It cannot make you sinless, or make you more godly. A godly person is aware of their sin.

An objection

Some say this makes God unjust since He (God) condemned his own Son for the sins of mankind. They call it divine child abuse.

John 10:18 No one has taken it away from Me but I lay it down on My own initiative I have authority to lay it down and I have the authority to take it up again.

I Peter 3:18 For Christ also died once for all, the just for the unjust in order that He might bring us to God having but put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Spirit.

2 Corinthians 5:13-15: For if we are beside ourselves it is for God. If we are a sound mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, having considered this that one died for all therefore all died; and He died for all that they live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.

2 Corinthians 5:21: He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

• The several verses have the tone of substitution throughout this. Including the passage in Isaiah 53 which also includes several verses of substitutionary themes. Most importantly verse 12; “For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

VI. Application - Repent

Let me give you an example

Silly Rabbit Article

“But we preach Christ Crucified!!” Let me add, “even though to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Gentiles foolishness.” “But we still preach Christ crucified..

Matthew 28:18 All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on Earth.”
2 Timothy 2:25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth.

2 Cor 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation.

Recommended Books and Articles

Dick Staub: The Culturally Savvy Christian

Mark Driscoll: Vintage Jesus

Charles Ryrie: Basic Theology

B.B. Warfield on the Atonement, Amazing!!

J.I. Packer Also

John Owen

Happy Birthday

Braydon turned 1 on Monday, March 31st. I would have posted sooner but our internet had been down for 4 days.
All kidding aside this first year with Braydon has been a trust experience. God has been in control the entire time and we praise Him for that. What a boy He has blessed us with! Can't wait to see what the next year holds. Thank you family and friends for your prayers and support. And what a party it was on Saturday and Nana and Pop Pop's house.