Published on February 26, 2008
in Music and SBC.
I caught myself ranting and raving (screaming, actually) at a co-worker yesterday over the generally sloppy Southern-Baptist brand Christianity for nearly ten minutes. He plays in the praise band of a Southern-Baptist church east of Tulsa, and he is continually expressing his infatuation with the quality, style, atmosphere, etc. of the music, to the near-total exclusion of lyrical content. I’ll ask him something like “Do you know How Firm a Foundation?“, to which he will reply “Can you hum the tune for me?” Aaarrrggg. A recent article in Modern Reformation on this very subject by Michael Horton begins with ” The average Christian will learn more from hymns than from any systematic theology.” With my buddy’s approach to church music, he is practically illiterate, theologically. That’s what I’m screaming, and yet you very seldom read anything from the Baptist bloggers, from any segment of the spectrum, on this pervasive problem. Obviously there are those in the anti-thinking fundamentalist camp who see no problem at all, but I refer to those young families who are looking for more substance in worship. If you fall in that camp, Horton’s article is a must read. He continues:
The number of 19th century hymns that talk about the objective truth of Scripture, and that which God has done outside of my personal experience, is overwhelmed by the number of hymns that focus on my personal experience. It is my heart, not God and his saving work, that receives top billing.
What to do? First, when you go to worship this next Sunday, do an informal survey and assess which kind of hymn/song/chorus dominates your service. In the mean time, go read the article by Michael Horton, Are Your Hymns Too Spiritual? and see what you think, if you go to the trouble of that sort of thing. Then talk to your music man at church and ask him how he chooses the hymns, and make suggestions of hymns you would love to hear from time to time.
Just some thoughts. Or you can just do nothing and stay stupid.
This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, February 24, 2008, and was taken from Mark 14:32-42.
When Jesus and his disciples went to the garden of Gethsemane it had already had been an amazing day. Don’t dare look away, lest you miss something very important. In this drama in the garden we see revealed the glory, the beauty, and the wonder of our Savior. This is at the heart of Christian worship.
- Our Lord’s experience in the garden reveals the absolute core of the cross. We talk too easily about the cross. If you can talk about the cross with dry eyes, you have become too comfortable with it. It is here in the garden that the process of Jesus becoming sin for us begins.
- Our lord’s experience in the garden reveals the tender compassion that he had for his own. The sin of the world hung over him in that moment, and yet he told his Father “Not my will, but thine be done.” even while his disciples
- Our Lord’s experience in the garden reveals his iron-willed determination. By verses 41 and 42 the fear and terror is pushed back.
Look to Christ today and live.
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This message from Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 17, 2008, and was taken from Jeremiah 14:1-22.
Here’s a passage you’ll never find plastered on a plaque at Mardell’s. Note a few principles as we navigate through this passage.
- We must understand, as is clear from this and many other passages, that God’s judgment on sin brings devastating and debilitating consequences.
- Suffering undermines the very foundations of our faith. Look at verses 7-9 and 18-19. It’s in the dark times that you come to grips with your faith.
- We can sin away the opportunity for grace and mercy. Look at verses 10-12. These are troubling verses for the one who says “I’m going to get right with God - someday.” It’s a dangerous thing to say “No” to God. He may one day say “No” to you.
- False hope and blatant denial only fuel the fire of God’s wrath. A word of assurance in a time of trouble is an act of treachery.
So what do we do when we face the judgment of God? The answer is in verses 20-22. The only legitimate response to God’s righteous anger is to throw yourself on God’s mercy and grace and trust his sovereign goodness.
Three things mark Jeremiah’s prayer in the closing verses of chapter 14:
- He made a full confession of sin. Jeremiah not only confessed sin on behalf of “those sinners” but also for his own. He did not pray “They,” he prayed “We.”
- There was a plea for God’s mercy, for his name’s sake. If we can pray for something and attach “for God’s glory” to it, then it is something to pray about.
- He affirmed that only God can answer this prayer.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, February 17, 2008, prior to an observance of the Lord’s Table, and was taken from Mark 14:12-26.
Here we are 2000 years after the night in that upper room where Jesus gathered with his disciples. They were there to observe the Passover meal, a centuries-old tradition, whose purpose was to recount the mighty deeds of God in delivering the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt. On that night this meal was transformed by Jesus to become one of the two ordinances given to the Church by him. In it we are given an opportunity to look back to what he did in his life, death, and resurrection, and then look forward to what he has provided for and promised to us. There is however a danger in spiritual matters in treating the sacred as something common, the danger of familiarity, of becoming too comfortable.
In this passage we find three things that reveal the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in this passage. Be reminded that this is his table, his meal. This is about him, not about us.
- He is revealed as our gracious, gracious Lord.
- He is revealed as our sovereign judge.
- He is revealed as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Stand in awe of Him. Take, eat, drink, and remember. Look to Christ and live.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 10, 2008, and was taken from Jeremiah 13:1-27.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning February 10, 2008, and was taken from Mark 14:12-21.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Wednesday evening, February 6, 2008, and was taken from Ephesians 1:1-6.
This message marks the beginning of an “Exposition of Ephesians” series. Enjoy.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday evening, February 3, 2008, and was taken from Jeremiah 12:7-17.
Even in those devastating passages of the prophet Jeremiah there is found the truth of God’s mercy, compassion, and grace. An honest assessment of God’s righteous judgment requires an honest picture including an emphasis of his loving compassion. In the passage before us make note of three things:
- v. 7: The heart of God grieves over the need to bring judgment upon his people.
- v. 8-13: God’s righteous nature demands his judgment of willful, stubborn rebellion.
- v. 14-17: God’s great compassion offers forgiveness and grace to anyone, even the enemies of his people, who will come to him in humble repentance.
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This message by Pastor Rod Harris was delivered at Trinity Baptist Church on Sunday morning, February 3, 2008, and was taken Mark 14:1-11.
From this passage one question keeps coming to mind, the question that each one of us must answer: What will you do with Jesus? In this passage we find three representative responses to this question:
- vs. 1-2: The religious establishment represented those whose own agenda blinded them to who Jesus was.
- vs. 3-9: The woman who anoints Jesus represents those whose love for Jesus requires them to make extravagant sacrifice.
- vs. 10-11: Judas Iscariot represents those who seek to use Jesus for their own lustful cause.
Where do you find yourself in this passage?
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